Tribe's chances

[Bill-DC]

How do you think they will do this season? I like the way the team is shaping up. I'm an O's fan but plan to head to the Jake for a game this year. Rack the Tribe!

[Alex]

It's possible the Tribe might be good this year.

I tend to think they might be a bit too beefy on the left side of the infield, but since these guys now know they are beefy, apparently they are really trying to work on their defense and their athleticism.

I still like the dynamic of Coco Crisp following Grady Sizemore in the line-up that was part of a pretty good 2005 team. However, it is quite possible that by platooning in both right field and left field we get very respectable production from both positions. I just wish there was more speed than Sizemore and Barfield in our line-up.

Last years team showed a speed dynamic in the second half and I think it helped. Choo was terrific at extending rallys by avoiding the double play, as did Inglett, Luna, and Gutierrez, lol, none of those players may make the roster in April.

Is it a coincidence that Vic Martinez hit .350 in September, which is also the month we stole the most bases by far (27) of any month?

Yet now we go back to a line-up that may be average speed at best in the second spot, slower still in the third and fourth spots. What made Grady, Coco and Jhonny P so devastating in 2005 was one of those three was bound to get on base everytime through the line-up! I'm also concerned that our average speed but good OBP guys in the second slot (Michaels, Delluci, Blake and Nixon), will get GIDP'd a lot by Vic in the three spot. Vic managed 27 GIDP's even though Grady Sizemore was human extra bases machine and Michaels had a poor OBP in the second slot. Imagine how many GIDP's Vic might hit into this year if the number two guys are good at getting on base.

In a way, I suppose it's a win win. Either we get terrific OBP from the outfield vets we will be platooning, or we could go young and fast and put Inglett, Choo, Garko and Gutierrez on the team. Either way there is a dynamic the other team has to contend with.

Ironically, because of all the platooning, Ryan "mini-Travis" Garko may not make the team whereas if we went younger, he would make the team more easily. Barfield however, he could turn out to be the cog that makes the team rumble. Barfield appears to be a blend of caring, comradery, and talent, and his physique may keep Marte and Jhonny P in check, and that may be secret to this years success. If I were Jhonny or Marte, I would not want to have a photo of my physique taken in the same shot as Barfields.

[The RotoTribe]

I see the Tribe in the mix this year...they may not make the playoffs, but I think they will be competitive. Pitching looks fine...even the relief pitching.

I think 3b is weak. Marte hasn't shown me anything as a hitter. I'd rather see him put in late in the game as a defensive replacement. I'd like to see Martinez play first and Shoppach catch. This business about Martinez being a great hitter as a catcher, but not a first baseman is baloney. Let Shoppach catch and let Garko be a backup at first and catcher.

[Alex]

I think Marte had a hitch in his swing. I think they got rid of the hitch by having Marte move his left foot slightly forward as the pitch approaches the plate.

Marte's month to month splits are deceiving. If split Marte's at bats in half, the first half versus the second half, Marte's slugging percentage shot up well over a hundred points, I think it was something like 150 points.

So Marte did progress as the season went along.

[The RotoTribe]

Marte did hit a home run yesterday...but it was against the DRays.

[Dave Henderson]

That A-Rod walk-off bomb today didn't help. It was 6-2 Injuns in the bottom ninth with two out and the Yankees pull it off


Thaaaaa Yankees win

[Alex]

Payback is a ******, barely more than 24 hours later and it is the Yankees winning 6-2 in the 8th inning who end losing 7-6 to the Red Sox even though Mariano Rivera was on the mound to close it out.