So, how far are the Indians going to go this year?

[2cansam]

I hope they make it all the way.

Sam

[InsaneJedi]

Hope springs eternal. I see the Indians at least doing significantly better than last season. Realistically, probably 3rd in the division, but at least making things somewhat interesting in August as opposed to the last 2 seasons.

[Dnthateonthepronk]

World Series Baby!!!!!!.... I am such a homer

[Sara Tonyn]

I dunno what place they'll finish in cuz the Mediocre Division has no dominant team. But if they play like I believe they will, they'll be fun and exciting to watch. I've said before that I'd consider an 81-81 record in 2010 to be a big success at this stage of the rebuild. I think they have a shot at reaching that.

Like always, everything depends on the pitching and injuries. But I think the managerial change will make a big, positive difference in the attitude, heart, and desire of the players. That should win us a few ball games right there.

[Alex]

Anything above .500 will be a banner year, allowing the team to carry momentum into next season.

However, given that the new manager comes from a losing program, I think something well below .500 is the most likely outcome.

Having a manager come a winning program is essential, and the Indians haven't gotten the memo. Thankfully, the Browns did finally figure out that a winning attitude at the top is critical to instilling a winning attitude throughout the organization.

Needless to say, I'll be more than pleased to have these words thrown in my face following a winning year.

[Wahoo1324]

I've said before that I'd consider an 81-81 record in 2010 to be a big success at this stage of the rebuild. I think they have a shot at reaching that.

I agree. .500 with a new manager would be a great step towards the 2011 season we're looking forward to. I think that it's quite likely we end up around that record.

We have an outside, outside chance of contending in a week division and some wild cards on this team. It IS possible and that will make it interesting but it's likely that we're going to end up a couple games out of 2nd.

It'll be a good year though, a stepping stone. Hopefully the "drive by" fans will see that a year out of contention is still a good year for the team.

[TribefanstuckinMA]

I'll go with a 50% winning year, too.

Alex, I think I'll give Acta till the All-star break to see if he can run this team better than his last. I remember the first time I skied (stay with me, folks ) and I landed on my behind a LOT! By the next season I had the skills down pat; was even asked by a Ski Patrol member if I would consider joining (nope, didn't). So just maybe, perhaps, it's possible that Acta learned how to avoid stinking over those almost three years. Plus, he probably has more raw talent on this Tribe team than he had in WA, so I'll sit back and listen over the first half of the year. If he makes all kinds of errors in judgement over the early part of the season I'll guess I was being too much of a rose-colored-glasses-homer about my hopes. Hopes that, again, will be dashed.

[Sara Tonyn]

Alex, I think I'll give Acta till the All-star break to see if he can run this team better than his last.

Gee, an entire half of his first season, eh? Wow. Why not just give him one month and be done with it?

I get the feeling his supporters in Washington were right. The team was so bad, there really wasn't much to work with. Losing with talent because of poor managing is one thing. Losing because you have a roster full of has-beens, retreads and nobodies is another. I'm thinking Manny had mostly the latter.

[TribefanstuckinMA]

Alex, I think I'll give Acta till the All-star break to see if he can run this team better than his last.

Gee, an entire half of his first season, eh? Wow. Why not just give him one month and be done with it?

I get the feeling his supporters in Washington were right. The team was so bad, there really wasn't much to work with. Losing with talent because of poor managing is one thing. Losing because you have a roster full of has-beens, retreads and nobodies is another. I'm thinking Manny had mostly the latter.

I suppose after seven years of Wedgeball I'm impatient for success. The first year should be more of a pass, expecially with the youth on this team. So OK, let me phrase it this way: I won't mitch and boan until the midway point of the season, but he has the entire year before I consider him someone I'll stick with through at least the rest of his contract. And the compaints after the all-star break will be mild.

[TribefanstuckinMA]

I'll go with a 50% winning year, too.

Alex, I think I'll give Acta till the All-star break to see if he can run this team better than his last. I remember the first time I skied (stay with me, folks ) and I landed on my behind a LOT! By the next season I had the skills down pat; was even asked by a Ski Patrol member if I would consider joining (nope, didn't). So just maybe, perhaps, it's possible that Acta learned how to avoid stinking over those almost three years. Plus, he probably has more raw talent on this Tribe team than he had in WA, so I'll sit back and listen over the first half of the year. If he makes all kinds of errors in judgement over the early part of the season I'll guess I was being too much of a rose-colored-glasses-homer about my hopes. Hopes that, again, will be dashed.

I'd actually go a little bit longer than you. Yes, this team is better than Washington, but still pretty bad. Give him a full season and into next season unless he's grossly negilgent

That was pretty much my decision in my first post:

I think I'll give Acta till the All-star break to see if he can run this team better than his last..............Plus, he probably has more raw talent on this Tribe team than he had in WA, so I'll sit back and listen over the first half of the year. If he makes all kinds of errors in judgement over the early part of the season I'll guess I was being too much of a rose-colored-glasses-homer about my hopes............

See, I'm not going to jump down his throat and gallop his guts out unless he totally stinks the place up in the first half. As in if he's worse than Wedge. As in....we really have to blow the first half. As in, no promise of improvement. As in......you get the idea.

[Sara Tonyn]

Yes, this team is better than Washington, but still pretty bad.

So you still think the Cleveland Papooses are "pretty bad"? And do you still think 81-81 would be a failure?

[Sara Tonyn]

The first year should be more of a pass, expecially with the youth on this team. So OK, let me phrase it this way: I won't mitch and boan until the midway point of the season, but he has the entire year before I consider him someone I'll stick with through at least the rest of his contract. And the compaints after the all-star break will be mild.

Well, that's a little better!

I think ya gotta give a manager (any manager, any team, any sport) at least one full season before you can judge him. Then you probably should give him a 2nd season to iron out the wrinkles since the first year is always a lot of adjustment. But if Manny shows no ability at all (ala Wedge) after 2 seasons, he's gotta go. No more giving a guy 5, 6, 7, years to get it right!

[Sara Tonyn]

Yes, they're pretty bad. Look at the team last year. Nothing much has changed (except that we unloaded Cliff, Victor, Ben, etc), so I see no reason for hope.

Wow. It's all the way down to "no reason for hope" now, eh?

Well, since the Tribe finished 65-97 last year and that was with Cliff, Vic, Ben, etc., for half the season, they should finish even lower in 2010 according to your thinking. So would you say 60-102?

They've blown this thing up ("reloading" rhetoric aside) and started with the kids. Thus, I expect them to suck.

So... Better make that 55-107? Okay, maybe not that bad. (Right? )

That being said, merely being mediocre, in the words of the dearly departed Kevin Keane, is still a failure.

Kevin didn't say that about a team that's going into year #1 of a rebuild following a 65-97 season. (He was spared from suffering through 2009 with the rest of us.)

He was talking about a 2008 team that everyone expected to improve after going 96-66 the previous year (2007). In that instance going down to 81-81 was obviously a failure. The winning percentage went down drastically. (From .593 down to.500)

Going from 65-97 to 81-81 is a great improvement. The winning percentage would go from .401 (OMG, that really does suck!) up to .500, obviously a vast improvement.

And now I want Kevin back!

[Dnthateonthepronk]

I'll go with a 50% winning year, too.

Alex, I think I'll give Acta till the All-star break to see if he can run this team better than his last. I remember the first time I skied (stay with me, folks ) and I landed on my behind a LOT! By the next season I had the skills down pat; was even asked by a Ski Patrol member if I would consider joining (nope, didn't). So just maybe, perhaps, it's possible that Acta learned how to avoid stinking over those almost three years. Plus, he probably has more raw talent on this Tribe team than he had in WA, so I'll sit back and listen over the first half of the year. If he makes all kinds of errors in judgement over the early part of the season I'll guess I was being too much of a rose-colored-glasses-homer about my hopes. Hopes that, again, will be dashed.

I think a lot of little league teams have more RAW talent than the nationals(because shap stole it all )

[Dnthateonthepronk]

I'd actually go a little bit longer than you.

Thats what she said

[Dnthateonthepronk]

On a more serious note, I think 81-81 is a possibility and probably their topping out point. However i am going to take of my rose colored glasses and say they win about 70 games and after about 6 months sara will be calling for actas head because she will not be able to help herself

[Sara Tonyn]

However i am going to take of my rose colored glasses and say they win about 70 games and after about 6 months sara will be calling for actas head because she will not be able to help herself

Nope, I'll give him at least one full season, maybe two before I call for the axe.

The thing is, I don't think we'll need an axe for Manny. I think he's gonna be a good manager.

Not as good as your buddy Wedge, but...

[TribefanstuckinMA]

The first year should be more of a pass, expecially with the youth on this team. So OK, let me phrase it this way: I won't mitch and boan until the midway point of the season, but he has the entire year before I consider him someone I'll stick with through at least the rest of his contract. And the compaints after the all-star break will be mild.

Well, that's a little better!

I think ya gotta give a manager (any manager, any team, any sport) at least one full season before you can judge him. Then you probably should give him a 2nd season to iron out the wrinkles since the first year is always a lot of adjustment. But if Manny shows no ability at all (ala Wedge) after 2 seasons, he's gotta go. No more giving a guy 5, 6, 7, years to get it right!

What can I say? Sometimes what's in my head doesn't exactly translate into what comes out of my fingers!

[Sara Tonyn]

Yup. I really don't see any chance of contention.

Nobody expects them to be WS contenders this year but I see no reason to give up hope for the division, such as it is. And you know what they say about things from that point on.

Maybe not THAT bad, because the team DID significantly underachieve last year when they had actual major-leaguers. I'm not going to say 100 losses, but I wouldn't be surprised if we win around 65-72 games.

Anything over 65 Ws would be an improvement on last year's record and that's a step forward. That's the tough part of rebuilds; baby steps. But FWIW, I'll go on record right now as saying they'll win at least 75 games. Maybe you should bookmark this post.

Screw it. Let's just go with 41-121, just to beat the '62 Mets

I'm beginning to wonder if you're rooting for them to lose... Hey, are you rooting for the Tigers, you Michigander, you?!?

Mediocre is "neither good nor bad" which would be .500 ball.

Technically, sure. But being mediocre this year will beat the snot outta being God-awful horrible last season.

[WaitTillNextYear]

I'm going to say somewhere in the 68-72 win range.

We have a solid outfield. That's the one bright spot, but even that isn't guaranteed to be a good thing. LaPorta needs to progress and Sizemore needs to bounce back. The infield looks like one of the worst in baseball offensively with Marte, Valbuena, and ??? at catcher (Marson?). Peralta and Marte at the corner spots doesn't make me giddy defensively either.

The bullpen is a big question mark. Who knows what you're going to get from Lewis or the Perez's. Wood will be a non-factor if you can't get to him with a lead.

The starting rotation looks awful. Weakest point on the team IMO. There isn't a legit #1 OR #2. The way I see it we've got a few mid-rotation starters (Laffey, Masterson and Westbrook are all #3 or 4 guys in a legit rotation) and then a few more borderline MLB starters (Sowers, Carmona, Huff). I personally still think Huff is going to be a very good pitcher, but he hasn't shown much yet.

I think the additions of Juan Pierre, Rios, Teahen, and especially Peavy makes the White Sox the definite team to beat in the division. Peavy, Buehrle, Danks is as good of a 1-3 as there is in baseball. The Twins have the offense and bullpen, so if they get the starting pitching they'll be right there too. The Tigers are a tough team to predict. I think they significantly downgraded offensively, and a lot of their success will depend on how Galarraga and Bonderman bounce back from disappointing seasons/injuries.

I'd say 3rd in the division is a best case scenario (and almost a pipe dream), with 4th-5th being much, much more likely.

[Sara Tonyn]

I suppose it's POSSIBLE for them to win, but I'LL go on record as saything they won't finish above 3rd.

Gee, really goin' out on a limb there.

However, I don't think I'll be happy with a mediocre season. I'm sick of being mediocre. EVERY SINGLE FRICKIN' YEAR, WE'RE MEDIOCRE! Thank goodness for 2007

Ouch. If a fluke year is the only thing that's made you happy it's amazing you even watch the games anymore. Okay, okay, I get it. Nothing will make you happy this year. You miss your Wedgie.

But I'm gonna have fun so let's get this party started!

[Dnthateonthepronk]

However i am going to take of my rose colored glasses and say they win about 70 games and after about 6 months sara will be calling for actas head because she will not be able to help herself

Nope, I'll give him at least one full season, maybe two before I call for the axe.

The thing is, I don't think we'll need an axe for Manny. I think he's gonna be a good manager.

Not as good as your buddy Wedge, but...

I dont know, I think you will miss carrying torches.. It is fun

[Wahoo1324]

But I'm gonna have fun so let's get this party started!

Meeee too!

I'd be happy with mediocrity this year because it is a stepping stone to next year.

[Sara Tonyn]

But I'm gonna have fun so let's get this party started!

Meeee too!

I'd be happy with mediocrity this year because it is a stepping stone to next year.

Exactly!

[Sara Tonyn]

Ah, yes, the sad existence of a Cleveland fan

Hmm. Apparently only your existence is sad.

Cuz there ain't no such thang as a sad PAAARRRTTTTYYYY!!!

You're welcome to join -- but if you don't there's more food and booze for the rest of us!

[Dnthateonthepronk]

That might be the best smilie face party I have ever seen

[Wahoo1324]

But I'm gonna have fun so let's get this party started!

Meeee too!

I'd be happy with mediocrity this year because it is a stepping stone to next year.

Ah, yes, the sad existence of a Cleveland fan

It would be, if it were 2008 again.