PATRICK McMANAMON
Akron Beacon Journal
October 12, 2008 01:53 am
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The Indians promise they will not be complacent this offseason.
“We need to go out and be relentless,” Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro said last week at a season-review get-together with the media.
At another point, he said the Indians would be “steadfast and relentless.”
Which is one steadfast more than relentless.
This is good, because even though Shapiro identified a lot of positives that came out of a disappointing 81-81 season, there still is much work to do.
Shapiro added the need to add a quality starter on top of what was already known: a closer, a better bullpen and an infielder (either a second baseman or third baseman).
The priority seemed to be the bullpen, and it remains a high one.
But Shapiro said that when he looks at his major-league team, he feels “least comfortable” about the starting rotation.
“I’d feel better if we had one more experienced top-of-the-rotation guy,” Shapiro said.
Interesting.
Because the Indians had been adamant that they expected Jake Westbrook back. The Indians have not changed that stance, but Shapiro’s position that he needs a starter reflects the reality that nobody knows how Westbrook will be when he comes back.
Rehab from Tommy John elbow surgery has improved greatly, but until Westbrook is back, he has to be a question mark.
The reality is that the Indians, after Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona, have a lot of uncertainty in the starting rotation.
Jeremy Sowers, Aaron Laffey, David Huff, Anthony Reyes, Zach Jackson and Scott Lewis all have talent but have yet to succeed consistently.
Until they do, there will be questions if they can.
Thus the desire for another starter.
Pitching, after all, wins championships.
n Why not more emphasis on adding a hitter?
Because Shapiro stresses run production as the most important factor in an offense.
And in 2008, without Travis Hafner for most of the time and Victor Martinez for much of the time, the Indians scored 805 runs, which ranked seventh in the league.
n Don’t forget Adam Miller’s name when considering possible bullpen help.
The Indians farmhand was sidelined most of last season after finger surgery but will pitch winter ball. His potential is tantalizing.
Miller throws in the mid-to-high 90s, and has a nasty sinker and slider. In 2007, he had 68 strikeouts in 65 innings at Triple-A Buffalo.
In 2006, he had 157 strikeouts in 153 innings for the Double-A Aeros.
But he has been injured in two of the past three seasons.
If Miller can stay healthy and he proves himself in winter ball and spring training, Shapiro said the Indians would find a spot for him in the bullpen.
“The guy I just described to you — mid-90s, sinker/strikeout, tough — he could be a closer,” Shapiro said. “That guy is not in our plans.”
Because of uncertainty over his health.
But if he were healthy?
“He’ll enter our plans quickly,” Shapiro said.
n It wasn’t all that surprising that Hafner might need surgery on his shoulder. All along, it has seemed that Hafner and the Indians were trying everything they could to avoid surgery, and that diagnosis was confirmed by the legendary Dr. James Andrews.
It didn’t work, but the good news Shapiro offered was that Hafner should be ready for spring training, no matter what happens medically.
The team better hope so. Hafner is due $49 million on the final four years of his contract.
n Shapiro and the Indians feel they have three legitimate major-league prospects slated for the outfield in Triple-A Columbus next season: Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley and Trevor Crowe.
LaPorta and Brantley came to the Indians in the CC Sabathia trade.
Random thoughts
n If energy and enthusiasm mean anything, the Cavaliers will be helped by Mo Williams’ mere presence.
Williams positively has gushed since training camp started, and he’s not shy about his excitement.
He was “amazed” the first day he worked with LeBron James.
He has heard his teammates talk about nothing but “championship.”
He has heard from holdovers that they “haven’t felt like this about this team in a while.”
“This situation,” Williams said, “is what I’ve been waiting for.”
OK, then.
n Williams on his team:
“We have it all wrapped in one. We have a great coaching staff. We have great players. And we have great people.
“There’s only one goal.”
n It’s kind of nice when a team’s expectations are built on reality. And when the team embraces those expectations.
Like when Williams was asked if not playing a more free-wheeling style might affect his game.
“It’s not going to take away from my game,” he said. “Within the system I’m going to find spots where my shots are.
“With this team it’s a little different than in Milwaukee. There’s more talent and there’s more of a belief.
“I say belief as, ’Yeah, we’re good. All we have to do is come out and play the way we’re supposed to play and be consistent with it.’
“Inconsistent teams change the way they play to find a way to play.”
n Anytime a Browns player has an illness, the dreaded “s” word has to come to mind. As in staph infection.
But there’s no indication that staph put Kellen Winslow into the Cleveland Clinic.
n Bottom line: Without Winslow, the Browns cannot win Monday night.
n The New York Giants’ Brandon Jacobs ranks third in the league with 95 rushing yards per game. But Jacobs is averaging only 16.3 carries per game, far fewer than the two players ahead of him — Michael Turner (20.6) of the Atlanta Falcons and Clinton Portis (23) of the Washington Redskins.
n The Giants were quietly angry that Browns defensive lineman Corey Williams dissed them by saying Jacobs starts tiptoeing when he gets hit.
“Not too intelligent,” Jacobs told Newsday.
Whatever.
n Plaxico Burress was a bad matchup for the Browns — big receiver, small and inexperienced corners — before he was suspended for the Giants’ last game. His return is Monday night, and that little extra motivation is far more significant and could have a much greater impact on the game than anything Williams said.
n If a 401(k) disappears with nobody making a sale, is anyone left to count the change?
n The Giants have won 12 in a row on the road, which means that either they are unbeatable on the road or they’re due for a loss.
n Early in the week, it seemed like the Browns were ready to upset the Giants. Until you look at the numbers.
The Giants lead the league in total offense and rushing offense, and they rank sixth in passing offense.
They rank third in total defense, second in pass defense and sixth in rushing defense.
They are giving up 12.2 points per game and are tied for third in the league in sacks with 15.
Clearly this would be one monumental upset.
n Prediction — Browns 20, Giants 17.
McManamon is a columnist for the Akron Beacon Journal. Reach him at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com.
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