The Mota won't start!!
Why don't they care?
That is what I want to know. Why do the players on the Indians roster seem to be going through the motions with little interest in the proceedings on the field?
Is it the cheap ownership? Is it the lackluster game attendances?
It must be something, because I have been an Indians fan for 20 years and I can never remember a group of guys that looked more unmotivated than these.
The baserunning is atrocious. The defensive fundamentals are atrocious. I don't think Vic Martinez has a hit in a month and most of the time he looks like he wants to get the at bat over with so he can put his catching gear back on.
All the while, the fearless leader, Eric Wedge keeps preaching the company line - "Its early! We've got four months, PLENTY OF TIME!"
Really? At least when the Indians made their amazing two-month run last year, they looked like they gave a damn. The same can't be said for these guys.
What really kills me, who on this roster has won anything? Anything at all?
I guess I could understand Robby Alomar tanking it. He already had some rings on his fingers. But what has Ronnie Belliard done in this league to give him such a blase attitude?
The whole thing is just a mess. Mark Shapiro finally had a bad offseason. With Larry Dolan's payroll, such mistakes like the horrendous Crisp trade or the Jason Johnson signing, which would be minor inconveniences to the Yankees or Red Sox, are insurmountable, season-killing errors.
I'm not even sure what to do at this point. Do we continue to root for this team? Part of me thinks if this team somehow pulls out 85-89 wins, it will only encourage Mr. Dolan to keep his wallet firmly shut. While another part of me thinks the only way we will ever truly have a contending team is when, God-willing, the Dolans no longer own the Indians.
Cleveland sold out a 43,000 stadium for 455 straight games. The Greater Cleveland area is huge and no other city in the nation gets behind a contending team quite like ours. I've had it with the small-market talk.
If you want to call Milwaukee or Pittsburgh small-market baseball towns, thats fine. But our town? We deserve better.
That is what I want to know. Why do the players on the Indians roster seem to be going through the motions with little interest in the proceedings on the field?
Is it the cheap ownership? Is it the lackluster game attendances?
It must be something, because I have been an Indians fan for 20 years and I can never remember a group of guys that looked more unmotivated than these.
The baserunning is atrocious. The defensive fundamentals are atrocious. I don't think Vic Martinez has a hit in a month and most of the time he looks like he wants to get the at bat over with so he can put his catching gear back on.
All the while, the fearless leader, Eric Wedge keeps preaching the company line - "Its early! We've got four months, PLENTY OF TIME!"
Really? At least when the Indians made their amazing two-month run last year, they looked like they gave a damn. The same can't be said for these guys.
What really kills me, who on this roster has won anything? Anything at all?
I guess I could understand Robby Alomar tanking it. He already had some rings on his fingers. But what has Ronnie Belliard done in this league to give him such a blase attitude?
The whole thing is just a mess. Mark Shapiro finally had a bad offseason. With Larry Dolan's payroll, such mistakes like the horrendous Crisp trade or the Jason Johnson signing, which would be minor inconveniences to the Yankees or Red Sox, are insurmountable, season-killing errors.
I'm not even sure what to do at this point. Do we continue to root for this team? Part of me thinks if this team somehow pulls out 85-89 wins, it will only encourage Mr. Dolan to keep his wallet firmly shut. While another part of me thinks the only way we will ever truly have a contending team is when, God-willing, the Dolans no longer own the Indians.
Cleveland sold out a 43,000 stadium for 455 straight games. The Greater Cleveland area is huge and no other city in the nation gets behind a contending team quite like ours. I've had it with the small-market talk.
If you want to call Milwaukee or Pittsburgh small-market baseball towns, thats fine. But our town? We deserve better.
posted by Jon Sladek at 9:53 PM
3 comments
