Losing in Cleveland Since 1964

There is no such thing as The World of Wadley jinx and, before I go any further in this post, I want to say that I'm not trying to start one right now. But really, let's give some love to the Cleveland Indians. Check that, I meant the first place Cleveland Indians, but let's not jinx it. You read it right, the Indians sit atop the AL Central Division standings with an 11-4 record, comfortably ahead of the White Sox, Tigers and Twins. Still, saying the words "first place" and "Cleveland" in the same sentence are almost laughable in the sports world and rightfully so. The city, which has three professional sports teams in the Indians, the Browns of the NFL and the Cavaliers of the NBA, has not won a major pro sports championship since 1964 when the Browns won the NFL title and that was before the Super Bowl era. The Cavaliers have failed to win an NBA championship since they joined the league in 1970-71 and the Indians haven't won the World Series since 1948, when Bob Feller was just 29 years old. Cleveland is the most tortured sports town in America, but the thing is, they have come so close on numerous occasions.



Jordan hits the shot over Ehlo in '89



1964 was a long time ago if you couldn't figure that one out. That's 47 years since the last major pro sports championship in the city of Cleveland. Think about all that has changed and happened since then. Lyndon Johnson took office in 1963 and Barack Obama is the eighth President of the United States since then. Nikita Khrushchev was in his last year of power in the Soviet Union and man had not yet walked on the moon. Michael Jordan wasn't even two years old yet and Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain dominated the NBA. The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the New York Yankees in seven games for the World Series and we hadn't even been introduced to greats like Mike Schmidt or Reggie Jackson. While Cleveland has suffered for those 47 years, there are other cities that have been living the good life. New York hasn't really had a problem, winning 20 pro sports championships since '64 and Boston has 18 to their credit. Los Angeles has won 12 with 11 of those courtesy of the Lakers and Chicago, despite the Cubs woes, have won nine championships since Cleveland's last. Shoot, even Green Bay, who only has the NFL's Packers, has four Super Bowls in the past 47 years. 

Chicago Cubs fans like to complain that there team hasn't won since 1908 and, yes, that has to be awful but at least they have the pleasure of other city teams bringing home the trophy. The White Sox, Bulls, Bears and Blackhawks have combined for 21 championships since 1908 so, while Cubs fans may cry about their baseball team, they have had plenty to cheer about in all the other sports. Cleveland fans can't say the same. How crazy is it that none of the three pro sports teams have been able to get it done? It doesn't matter what season it is there has been heartbreak and sorrow for Cleveland fans. That has to be tough to deal with because the questions "how?" and "why?" just can't be answered.

Edgar Renteria celebrates his series winning hit
in the 1997 World Series (NY Times)

The Indians won two AL pennants in the 90's yet failed to win the World Series in either of them. In 1995 they fell to the Braves in six games. In 1996 they repeated as divisional champs, but lost in the Division Series. 1997 brought another AL pennant but, again, the Indians lost, this time to the Florida Marlins. They won their third AL Central title in a row and upset the Yankees in the Division Series. All signs pointed to this being the year the drought ended, but it was not meant to be. With the series tied in game seven, the Indians led 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth. However, Jose Mesa blew the save as the Marlins tied the game with two outs. Edgar Renteria would then hit his famous game winning hit in the 11th to give the Marlins the World Series title. The Indians were one out away from the title and blew it, a heartbreak for the city. In 2007 the Indians again won the AL Central crown and featured superstar pitchers Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia, but they lost in Game 7 of the ALCS to the Red Sox. Since then they have struggled to win games, never finishing better than .500.

Fans can still see Michael Jordan take the ball the free throw line, rise up and sink the game winning jumper over Craig Ehlo. They can see Jordan jump up in the air, fist-pumping in celebration while Ehlo crumples to the floor in defeat. It was Jordan's game and series winner in 1989 that sealed the Bulls first round upset of the Cavaliers. Five years later Jordan would hit another game/series winner in the second round of the playoffs against Cleveland and the Cavs are considered one of the greatest victims of Michael Jordan. In 2003 the team drafted LeBron James with the first pick in the draft and he was supposed to lead the Cavs to the big one. The King, as they called him, was a hometown kid and lit up the NBA right away. He led Cleveland to the Finals in 2007 but they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. Perhaps the biggest blow came this past summer when LeBron went on national television to announce that he was signing with the Miami Heat amid free agency. Cleveland fans felt betrayed by their hometown son and proceeded to burn his jerseys in the streets.

Mike Davis' interception on Red Right 88

The city of Cleveland and the Browns have been through a lot together and the Browns have not produced many winning seasons since their return to the NFL in 1999. Art Modell pulled the team out of Cleveland and moved the Browns to Baltimore in 1996, but the NFL replaced them in '99. It got off to a rocky start when the Browns used their first draft pick on quarterback Tim Couch and they have only had one winning season since their ressurection. Of course there are the infamous football plays in Cleveland history such as Red Right 88, The Drive and The Fumble that have haunted Browns fans for forever. The outlook never looks good for the Browns and 2011-12, if there is a season, is no different.

Despite all this, Cleveland fans remain true to their teams. The Cavaliers boasted the highest attendence in the NBA this season and the Indians hold the record for consecutive sellouts. The Dawg Pound is a fixture at Browns games no matter what the team's record is. With the Indians in first place, at what point do the Cleveland fans start believing? Surely they can't hold this lead on the division too much longer with other heavyweights in the AL Central but, no matter where you live, you have to sympathize with the Cleveland fans. They have been through more than any other city and have suffered more than any other American sports city but they don't call it "Believeland" for nothing.

MLB Preseason Predictions: National League East Preview

Cliff Lee

The NL East is always one of the most competitive divisions and this year should be no different, however, we will see if anybody can hit off the Phillies pitching staff. Philly signed the biggest name on the free agent market this offseason when they inked Cliff Lee. Lee pitched for the Phillies for half of a season but loved the city and decided he would take less money to be in Philadelphia than be in New York with the Yankees. Atlanta will look a little bit different without Bobby Cox in the dugout but Fredi Gonzalez is a nice replacement. Washington is trying to be a player and they threw a lot of money at Jayson Werth but they lost a good power hitter in Adam Dunn. Florida won't be as strong as they have been and the Mets are a lost cause.

1. Philadelphia Phillies

The "Phab Four" as they have been named are going to be scary good (see previous article from December) with Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels making a four headed monster on the mound. There are few staffs ever that can compete with this one but maybe we're getting too hyped about the Phils. They still haven't played yet and who knows if they can all four have good years. They should get run support but that's if the Phillies bats can hit. Jimmy Rollins, Raul Ibanez and Ryan Howard have struggled and Chase Utley may have to sit significant games with a knee injury. Bottom line: The Phillies may not have to score that many runs with their pitching staff.

2. Atlanta Braves

The Jason Heyward Show enters season two and what does the man do for an encore? Well, he can win the Braves a World Series title, something the organization and fans think is very possible. Chipper Jones came back for another year because he believes the Braves can win the Fall Classic and he wants to be a part of it. The signing of Dan Uggla will boost the offense as he is a power hitting second baseman and he will man the middle of the infield with Martin Prado. Prado hit well last year and is good at the top of the lineup. The Braves pitching is underrated because they don't have the big names like the Phillies but they are all solid.

3. Washington Nationals

Maybe it's a risk to pick the Nats this high in the division since they usually have the bottom spot in the division sewn up by July. They have made huge headlines by drafting Bryce Harper but he will start the season in the minors. Stephen Strasburg will be back on the mound and he was impressive in his first season before getting injured. The Nats have signed players who have won with other organizations and hope they can bring that winning attitude to D.C. Jayson Werth will provide much of the power in the middle of the lineup with Ryan Zimmerman. Rick Ankiel can put up power numbers and the Nats should be much improved.

4. Florida Marlins

The Marlins have solid players and one promising young player in Mike Stanton but losing Dan Uggla hurts. Hanley Ramirez can be one of the top players in the game but sometimes he doesn't play hard. When he is at the top of his game though he is the best player in the division. Josh Johnson and Anibal Sanchez are a good 1-2 punch in the rotation. The Marlins will be decent this year but we shouldn't expect more than a .500 record from the Fish.

5. New York Mets

Ah, the Mets...for some reason they can't figure it out. They tried the Yankees strategy of buying the best players such as Carlos Beltran and Johan Santana but that hasn't translated into wins. In fact, they have turned in some of their worst seasons in typical New York Mets fashion. This season they must avoid injuries and get production from their big names. If that doesn't happen then it's going to be a very bad year in Queens.

Best Lineup: Atlanta Braves
Best Pitching Staff: Philadelphia Phillies

Best Player: Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins
Best Pitcher: Roy Halladay/Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies

Photo courtest of phillysportscentral.com

MLB Preseason Predictions: American League West Preview

Felix Hernandez

The Texas Rangers are the defending American League champions and they will still be strong this year, but they don't have Cliff Lee at the top of their rotation anymore. C.J. Wilson is now expected to to carry the load and he will need to improve on his record for that to happen. The Los Angeles Angels are the perennial power in the AL West and added Vernon Wells to their lineup. Mike Scoscia knows how to manage a team and everybody knows that at the end of the year the Angels will be near the top of the division. Also, don't ignore Oakland. They have a young pitching staff and they are always a sleeper team with new talent Billy Beane brings in. Seattle had a disastrous season in 2010 but had the Cy Young award winner in Felix Hernandez. This year doesn't look much better for them but the other three teams could be in a close race.

1. Texas Rangers

The Rangers have a lineup from top to bottom that would scare any pitcher. Ian Kinsler, Elvis Andrus and Michael Young get on base for Nelson Cruz and Josh Hamilton and the Rangers score runs at an impressive rate. One thing that Texas will have to figure out is how to blend in Adrian Beltre, an offseason acquisition from Boston. There has already been some unrest between him and Young because both play the same position. Young feels that he can still play third but it will be interesting to see how Texas works it out. Wilson is the ace of the staff now with Lee gone and the Rangers hope former Diamondback Brandon Webb can be the elite pitcher he once was.

2. Los Angeles Angels

The Angels outfield packs some pop with Torii Hunter, Bobby Abreu and Vernon Wells. Howie Kendrick is a good bat in the lineup as well as Erick Aybar. Also returning to the Angels lineup will be Kendry Morales. Morales suffered a season ending injury last year when he broke his leg celebrating a walk off home run. The pitching staff consists of mediocre pitchers who could be really good. Ervin Santana, Scott Kazmir, Dan Haren and Jered Weaver are solid but Weaver needs to step up and be a 20 game winner and Haren needs to be up there as well.

3. Oakland Athletics

Get to know the A's pitching staff because the could be making headlines for years to come. Andrew Bailey and Gio Gonzalez are young and talented and Dallas Braden is known as well for his perfect game last year against the Yankees. Coco Crisp and Hideki Matsui bring championship experience to a young team at the plate. Other than them the A's will rely on players like Kevin Kouzmanoff and Cliff Pennington to score runs. Reality is, the A's lineup is behind their pitching and, despite the talent they have in the rotation, they are very young and a few years away from winning the division.

4. Seattle Mariners

Did any team have a worse year than the Mariners had last year? Milton Bradley was consumed in negative headlines all year and nothing has changed in 2011. Don Wakamatsu was fired and Eric Wedge has been brought in to try and maximize the talent on the roster. Chone Figgins, Erik Bedard and Bradley are all big signings that have produced minimal results. Hernandez is one of the best pitchers in the game and he, along with the always consistent Ichiro, are the lone bright spots on the team. Don't expect much from Seattle this year. There are too many headcases and underachievers for them to succeed.

Best Lineup: Texas Rangers

Best Pitching Staff: Oakland A's

Best Player: Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
Best Pitcher: Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners

MLB Preseason Predictions: American League East Preview

Carl Crawford                            Adrian Gonzalez

For the next several posts I will be breaking down the MLB, division by division and giving my preseason picks and predictions. After last year's unlikely World Series matchup and some huge offseason signings by the Red Sox and Phillies, the 2011 year has big storylines and should be a competitive year. I will start with the American League East which is, once again, going to be the power division in baseball. The Red Sox upgraded with offseason signings and the Yankees still have one of the meanest lineups in the game. The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles should be interesting to watch for different reasons. The Rays lost a few key players and we will see how they respond while the O's added a slugger in Vladimir Guerrero. Toronto has made a home with being mediocre and we shouldn't expect anything different this year. So, without further ado, let's get into these predictions and breakdowns.

1. Boston Red Sox
After an injury plagued 2010 the Red Sox are looking to get back on track and back in the postseason. The usual core is back of Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia but two offseason free agent signings have made the BoSox lineup even scarier. Carl Crawford, from the Tampa Bay Rays, and Adrian Gonzalez of the San Diego Padres both signed for big bucks and Boston should score runs in bunches. The pitching rotation is strong and the Sox added Bobby Jenks to the bullpen. If this year's club stays healthy they should be playing in the Fall Classic.

2. New York Yankees
As always, the Bronx Bombers are going to drive in runs with Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixiera in the middle of the lineup but what could set the Yankees back is their pitching. They failed to sign Cliff Lee but C.C. Sabathia is a clear-cut ace and we know what to expect from him. Phil Hughes was excellent last year and should pitch like that again but A.J. Burnett, the Yanks other huge free agent signing a few years back, had a rocky 2010 and needs to bounce back. Otherwise, New York could be in trouble. The American League is loaded this year and it won't be a cakewalk to the playoffs like it normally is. It's no secret that Derek Jeter's career is coming to a close in the next few years and it would be nice to see him get another ring, however, the Yanks will need the bottom of their rotation to step up.

3. Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays lost Carlos Pena and Matt Garza to the Cubs but rookie pitcher, Jeremy Hellickson, is a player to watch. He dominated in little action last year and is expected to be in the rotation from Day 1 in '11. Carl Crawford also left but two former Red Sox, Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez, have joined the Rays in hopes to keep them in the playoff hunt. Both are up in their years but can still hit the ball. David Price is always a Cy Young candidate and will anchor a rotation that has been strong the last few years.

4. Baltimore Orioles
This is a risk picking the O's anywhere but the basement of the division but they seem to have added enough bats to their lineup. Derrek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero have both been great hitters in their respective careers and the O's hope that they can produce in a lineup of young players. Luke Scott provides pop and Felix Pie and Corey Patterson have shown flashes of brilliance. Pitching is suspect in Baltimore but perhaps they can score enough runs to put fans back in the seats of their beautiful ballpark.

5. Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays dwell in mediocrity and this year shouldn't be much different. They have a superb lineup and it will be interesting to see if Jose Bautista's 2010 season was a fluke. Juan Rivera was added for some extra pop along with Adam Lind. Vernon Wells left for the Angels and that hurts. The Blue Jays can never seem to get over the hump and I don't think that will happen anytime soon.

Best Lineup: Boston
Best Pitching Staff: Tampa Bay

Best Player: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
Best Pitcher: David Price, Tampa Bay Rays

The Greatest Pitching Staff Ever Assembled

In the most surprising news of the baseball off season (sorry Jayson Werth, your insanely large contract with the Nationals that was a couple million too much isn't as big as this) Cliff Lee signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for 5 years and $120 million dollars. Lee rejected bigger offers from the Yankees and the Rangers to join Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels in arguably the greatest pitching staff ever assembled. The best thing about this deal is that Lee took a smaller deal even though the Yankees dangled more money in front of him. Lee had played in Philly for half a season in 2009 and loved the city. The Phillies let him go after that 2009 season and signed Halladay but Lee loved Philly enough to take less money; refreshing to hear in this day of "who can sign the biggest contract."

With the signing of Lee the Phils have four legit number one starters in one rotation. Some teams in the MLB would kill to have just one of those guys. With this signing, it cancels out the loss of Werth, and makes the Phillies the clear cut favorite for National League. Looking at the Phillies on paper is unbelievable. Here are some samplings from 2010 of the newly dubbed, "Phab Four."

Halladay: 21-10, 219 K's, 2.44 ERA, Perfect Game, Playoff No-hitter, NL Cy Young Award

Lee: 12-9, 185 K's, 18 BB's, 3.18 ERA, Led Rangers to World Series

Oswalt: 13-13 (7-1 w/Philly), 193 K's, 2.76 ERA

Hamels: 12-11, 211 K's, 3.03 ERA

Assuming that Zack Grienke is traded from the Royals in the last big deal of the offseason, the Royals number one starter at this point will be Kyle Davies. Davies is a 26-year-old righthander who posted an 8-12 record with an ERA over 5.00 last season. You think the Royals would love to have one the Phillies starters? The Miami Heat had an impressive offseason by signing Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh but the Phillies offseason may be more impressive with this one signing. It's that big of a deal.

 

Consider that in the NLDS, which the Phillies are almost sure to make, a team only has to win three games to move on to the NLCS. That means that if there was a sweep, Hamels wouldn't even see the mound. This is by far the most impressive pitching staff since I've been born but can they produce the results expected of them? The pressure is on but these four are hardly ever phased by it. Out of the four, Hamels is the only one with a World Series ring but Oswalt and Lee have both been there. Halladay has two Cy Young awards to his name while Lee has one. In the Phillies World Series year Hamels won the NLCS and WS MVP award and Oswalt won the 2005 NLCS MVP award. The group comes in with impressive credentials and it won't be surprising to see them rack up many more in years to come.