Bad Eggs

[The Genius]

Excerpts from an interesting article by Justice B. Hill...

"CLEVELAND -- "We need guys like that," said Shapiro, pointing in Lawton's direction.

Yes, the Indians do. For they have, in so many respects, been a baseball team with too many bad actors. Character had been ignored as the victories and the AL Central titles piled up.

Talk all you want about the talents of men like Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez, Juan Gonzalez, Steve Woodward, Marty Cordova, John Rocker, Chuck Finley, Kenny Lofton, Steve Karsay and even Roberto Alomar, but you also have to talk about how self-absorbed these ballplayers were. They didn't do enough to infuse the concept of team into the locker room.

Plus, they were often a nightmare for the media -- surly, often unapproachable.
?.
No reason to dwell too much on those Indians
from the John Hart era, because Shapiro plans to cut loose any of them who don't fit his definition of "character" people. ? He's looking, or so it would appear, for more men like Jim Thome and Ellis Burks and fewer men like Lofton and Rocker.
He had, of course, rid himself of some marquee names, but he's replaced that talent with men who will have, Shapiro hopes, a more profound influence on the Indians organization in the field, in the locker room and in the community. The team is better with Lawton and Gutierrez on the roster than it would have been with the motley crew of malcontents and fussbudgets who had peopled
the Tribe locker room. "

If true, it explains a lot about why Cordova and Woodard are gone. Also it looks like we can expect Finley to depart soon. Funny no mention of Wil the Thrill.

full article:
http://indians.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cl...ws&team_id=cle

[the teacher]

"...players who seemed bent on looking too much at statistics and not nearly as much at what wins ballgames."

Right on, Genius!

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The Teacher

[srg]

Again, look at the Yankees as a role model, A team loaded with unselfish players who do not put up sexy numbers but win by hitting behind runners, going to the opposite field etc, basically playing fudemental baseball instead of this Hart bash formula that does not win when it counts. This is what impresses me the most about the Yankees, they recognize that in the playoffs you can't win by Harts home run or nuthing approach, runs are scarce during the playoffs in most cases, you have to have players that check their egoes at the door. Hart still has not learned this since moving to Texas. The differernce between Hart and Shapiro is similar to Coach Tressel at OSU and his predecessor John Cooper. I will take people with convictions like Shapiro and Tressel over Hart and Cooper any day!

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[Bye!]

I have never heard of Cordova being a malcontent with the Tribe. I find that difficult to believe. I think they just lumped him in with those players, and I think they were a little unfair in doing that. Sounds to me like political bull.

I don't think anybody would particularily want to see a team of average players that are upstanding citizens. The bottom line is, you have to have the talent to win, and Lawton and Guttierez are not stars.

Lawton is above average but hardly a star. Guttierez is an average player who will struggle to continue to be average because of his new position. I don't see him transitioning very quickly.

By end of season, we'll all be thrilled if he is an average 2nd baseman defensively.

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[Alex]

Can you fine a player for lobbying for an extra RBI with the official scorer, or showing attitude because a runner didn't score from second on their hit?

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Alex

[Alex]

sigh, this probably goes under gossip, but someone on Cleveland Live last year posted that Marty C. was ALLEGEDLY a REAL hound dog with the ladies.

Now, does that matter to Shapiro?

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Alex