A Summer of Sadness for Indians and Uncertainty for Reds

June 29, 2009 By 2 Comments

Grady Sizemore, Cleveland IndiansOne Ohio team has mercifully closed the chapter on their 2009 season, even though the calendar has yet to flip to July.

Truthfully, the Cleveland Indians season ended the first week and a half of the season when they stumbled out to a 1-8 start. How on earth a team with that much talent could play so poorly in early April can only be answered by manager Eric Wedge. Aside from 2007, his teams have underachieved like no other three of the past four seasons — yet, for now, he still has his job, despite his team displaying the AL’s worst record (31-46).

With the economy in northern Ohio sputtering, and now Mark DeRosa gone, with perhaps others to follow, Jacobs Field could be a sad site this summer.

Let the next “phase” begin, I suppose. It can’t be worse than the first, and we have seen Tribe teams bounce back after rebuilding. It’s just that this team only gave its fans ONE year of success after a bleak three year period (2002-2004) following the magical mid to late 90s’ squads.

Bring on the White Sox! Cleveland baseball has written some whirlwind stories in its history.

Meanwhile to the southwest, the tease that is the Cincinnati RedLegs, fresh off taking two of three in the “Ohio Cup,” have found their way back to .500 again at 37 up, 37 down. They’re somehow ahead of the Cubs, who might be as disappointing in 2009 as Cleveland — maybe.

Cincy moves on face some crucial home games this week versus the putrid Diamondbacks, then the first place Cardinals. Win four or five of those six, and this team is a legit contender in a jam-packed NL Central as we reach the All Star break.

Brandon Phillips bat (and perhaps his mental attitude) and Homer Bailey’s arm — with the indefinite loss of Edinson Volquez — will be two of the many keys to success on the banks of the Ohio this summer.

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Filed Under: Featured Column, MLB Tagged With: Cincinnati Reds, cleveland indians, MLB
About AJ Kaufman

AJ Kaufman is the co-editor of Midwest Sports Fans, where he has been a columnist since March 2009. AJ, a former Los Angeles schoolteacher and Indiana military historian, is now a corporate journalist, compiling publications for organizations across the country. He is a supporter of anything baseball-related -- especially minor league ball -- and mid-major college hoops. The author of three books, AJ is married to Maria and currently lives in Lincoln, Neb.

Follow him on Twitter (@ajkauf7) for ruminations on sports, politics, history and travel.

  • quinty

    I agree that the Indians season is over but them trading DeRosa has nothing to do with it. They traded a career utility guy going through a good couple year stretch (so at his peak value). They’d be fools to not have traded him.

    What you should be asking is why the Indians aren’t giving consistent AB’s to LaPorta. He had a rough go of it his first time up, but maybe that’s something that consistent AB’s would solve (see Alexei Ramirez last year)

  • AJ

    You’re certainly not wrong.

    Cleveland, despite the accolades Shapiro has rightly received, is not that well run a team.

    Aside from Wedge needing to be axed, they have mad suspect personnel moves in past years that has hurt the team:

    The Andy Marte “era” was a disaster after they groomed him for the third base job.

    They’ve made DUMB signings and trades for guys like Jason Michaels, David Delucci and a host of others.

    Trading Kevin Kouzmanoff (3B) for the recently demoted Josh Barfield was a disastrous trade.

    Then there’s Scott Elarton, the up and down Fausto Carmona, Tony Reyes, Scott Lewis, Jason Johnson, Kerry Wood et al.

    They’ve made some good decisions (Cabrera, Choo, Laffey, keeping Cliff Lee after 2007, etc) but the bad ones, at least recently, overwhelm the good.

    Though Laporta was terrible in May when he was up, I agree he’s the future and needs to be in the lineup daily.