Browns Preseason Game 1: The Defense

There has been a lot of talk in the media that our defense played poorly on Saturday night. After watching the game for the second time yesterday, I still don’t see it. Here are my observations from the game.

  • Injuries: The Browns have a few injuries but nothing major. The result however is the absence of 3 defensive starters (Gibson, Gilbert, Winn) for the game.  Regardless of where Buster Skrine is on the depth chart right now, I think we all know Gilbert will be the starter. Gibson has also looked good on defense in camp and he and Whitner seem to be a good fit. Most people would probably consider Phil Taylor replacing Winn is a wash, so it comes down to missing 2 key players in the secondary, which should be the Browns biggest asset this year on defense.
  • First team defense: I thought they played very well with the exception of a few plays. Poyer completely missed the gap on the first drive by Detroit allowing Bell to make a run of 11 yards. I also thought Hayden was playing a bit loose at the corner spot, most notably the slant route on drive 1 to Golden Tate and the ball Ogletree took off his face that should have been a 10+ yard completion. The defensive line and the linebackers looked very good in all aspects of the game and made very few mistakes. I love Whitner as a player, a person and a Buckeye. It is tough to truly evaluate them when they are missing some key players and didn’t have to deal with Megatron at all and Stafford only on the first series.
  • Pierre Desir: He might be a ball hawk type of defensive back, but bad bad tackling in this game and made some other fundamental and mental mistakes. He is still a work in progress.
  • Armonty Bryant: Looked just as good in this game as he has in training camp. I don’t think he registered a tackle, but he was really putting pressure on the offense. We are DEEP at the defensive line position. We have the ability to cycle players in and out so much that nobody should get tired.
  • The inside linebacker battle between Robertson and Kirksey is still extremely murky. Both guys played very well in the game and I suspect they will each see substantial playing time once the regular season starts.
  • Challenges: Pettine is 1-0 on challenges despite the result. Officials totally botched the kickoff fumble by Detroit. Clearly, the Browns recovered it. Let’s hope this is just them working out mistakes much like the players are.

These are just some quick thoughts defensively. I will post on the Browns offense, including Manziel and Hoyer’s performances tomorrow.

Are You Giddy Yet?? More “sources” on the potential Kevin Love Trade.

Well, we just got the fabulous Wojnarowski dropping another “WojBomb” on us today and CavsTwitter and the local media picked up on the information big time. As time has passed, reporters continue to pump their sources for additional tidbits about the most dramatic possible trade of this NBA off-season. It has been my experience that Wojnarowski has some of the most reliable “league sources” so I do tend to listen when he comes out with information that sounds plausible. Some of what he provided in his article and on twitter makes perfect sense. Other bits and pieces (the most important ones for me) are less reliable in my view. Continue reading “Are You Giddy Yet?? More “sources” on the potential Kevin Love Trade.”

To Cavs: Trade Dion Waiters at your Peril (updated wi link to Brendan Bowers article)

Dion Waiters was seemingly singled out by LeBron James as he contemplated his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. I do not think that it is by chance that James called him. All accounts indicate that LeBron loves his game. All the while national media and fans have been touting the same refrain that “Dion and Kyrie cannot play together”. So, naturally, Dion was the focus of innumerable trade rumors. I never thought it was a good idea then and I certainly don’t think it is wise now. If the impending trade for Kevin Love is true, the loss of Wiggins is a serious blow to our wing athleticism. However right now, and possibly continuing forward, Dion Waiters is the better player. I love Wiggins a ton, but for a team striving for a championship next year, Dion is the better complement for advancing in the playoffs.

So here is my blog from over one year ago where I admonish the faithful that trading Dion Waiters is a bad idea. And to read an exceptional article on where Dion Waiters is right now in his life and career, I direct you to Brendan Bowers article in Slam Magazine. It is in depth and thought provoking. Continue reading “To Cavs: Trade Dion Waiters at your Peril (updated wi link to Brendan Bowers article)”

A Conversation About The Tribe …. #Indians

If one wonders why the Tribe can’t garner extensive interest from the average fan, listen in to this casual text conversation with my editorial board. These are hardcore Indian and Cleveland sports fans. As you will see I did enter into the conversation minimally, but the other two carried the discussion. MY is a gal and BA a guy. That might make the read more interesting.

MY: Well, we need a starter bad. Do we dare use Carmona again?

BA: No on Carmona … don’t know if bad is word I would use .. either way … nothing we can do about it until off-season

MY: Tomlin has settled down but UGH

BA: Well he has let up 4 runs or more in each of his last 5 starts or something (about Tomlin pitching in game tonight)

MY: I meant tonight

BA: Yeah I know … doesn’t mean anything

CWinsJim: We do need another starter for sure. But NO to “Hernandez”

MY: WAIT….. I meant Carrasco LOL OMG not “Hernandez” lol. Is he still pitching?

MY: That was what I meant. In my defense same beginning letter LOL

BA: There is 0 reason to try Carrasco as a starter

CWinsJim: Not at this point that’s for sure. I do agree.

MY: Yeah, I think that too but Tito doesn’t use him enough anyways.

CWinsJim: Carrasco is actually very good in the bullpen

MY: For example, Tomlin struggles anymore and he should be in there. When was the last time Carrasco pitched?

BA: Zero … season is over and you two are way too hard on McAllister … Your best bet is to hope he finds it … before injury last year he easily looked like #3 starter

MY: Season isn’t over. 2 1/2 out of Wild Card

BA: Yeah ok … Kidding yourself if you think we making playoffs

CWinsJim: I do have confidence in McAllister and I do hope that he finds it. We just don’t know right now.

BA: No other option but to hope he finds it … unless you know some stud in minors.. I don’t know about that.

MY: I mean honestly, they probably won’t but they have a chance. Kluber, Bauer and Salazar could be a great 1 2 3 punch down the stretch. They have a great bullpen. If Swisher doesn’t play again we have a chance lol.

CWinsJim: Look, rather than predicting the future, let’s just let this play out. There’s no need to make any major move at this point I don’t think.

MY: Our competition is NY, Toronto, Seattle, and KC. I like House too… just hate putting an L down every 5th day

BA: So what happens …. u pitch Kluber in wild card game … say we win … likely … then he doesn’t pitch until game 2 or 3 in the next series .. same as last year .. Stars would have to all align to have a shot. .. Just unlikely

MY: Unlikely I agree but it could happen. Well, with defense like tonight they won’t make it.

BA: Unless we win the division, making the playoffs is pointless false hope. Be good from financial perspective so hope it happens.

MY: Lol, I don’t think they beat the Tigers but Price has already let in 2 runs tonight.

BA: Guess that is my point … We don’t have a valid shot at doing anything until we beat the Tigers

MY: Probably right but making it again would be nice for the young guys

BA: What young guys? Basically same ones as last year? Ramirez unlikely to be on the team when playoffs happen … if it more than 1 game, good for starters I suppose. Is pitching in the playoffs and getting rocked better than not getting there? Not sure. .. Interesting discussion anyway 🙂

BA: I think last time Carrasco pitched was tonight (after Carrasco enters game)

MY: I mean winning that Wild Card game would mean a lot since they lost it last year. Good to get that experience again.

BA: I more so think playing in an actual playoff series is valuable … anyone can win a 1 game playoff … why I think it is stupid … All about money.

BA: Was already hard enough for a Wild Card team to beat the best team in the AL … now they have to do so without their best starter beginning the series .. or at least likely not having best starter.

MY: True, I see your point.

So there you have it. The conversation starts with the Indians needing a starter. That fizzles out when we realize that there are no real options except retreads of what we have already seen. Moves to the Indian’s chances for making the playoffs and that maybe as long as Swisher doesn’t come back we have a chance. Then to a discussion of the futility of the Wild Card game and Wild Card team in the current system. Quickly transitions to a realization that if the Indians can’t beat the Tigers there isn’t much point to all of this and MAYBE it could be valuable for the Indians to just be in the playoffs as long as it is a real playoff series.

Aside from some of the humor in the early part of this post, my main reason for presenting this conversation was to try and paint a picture of the current mental state of the Cleveland Indian fan. We want to believe. We want the team to succeed. But, in the final analysis, there is no real confidence from even the most avid Indian fan that the team can compete. If that is how the avid fan feels, you can imagine what the casual fan is thinking.

So, no matter how the Indians brain trust tries to spin it and the Indians ownership claims a desire to compete, the fans have no confidence that the Indians can compete with the big boys except for a random unexpected year every now and then. The fans were totally ready to believe after two off seasons ago when ownership spent money on Swisher and Bourn. However, ownership needed to follow that up this off season. When that didn’t happen, the fans were in a “show me what you got” mode. If they had played better early, the fans would have responded. When they didn’t, you can see the result.

Most fans do commend the ownership’s commitment to signing our young players to longer term contracts a la the early and mid 90s. However, there will be a need to significantly deficit spend to get this team over the hump. Without a potent, powerful and skilled middle of the order right handed bat, the Indians will continue to beat themselves up trying to score. Without at least one more solid starter, the team will always be reaching for that ring but missing. This can be done relatively cheaply if you get really lucky. What would the Indians look like now if they had signed Nelson Cruz and Scott Kazmir in the winter? Those players could have been had with shorter term commitments so that the dollars would not be leaking out for multiple years. In my opinion you could sub Baltimore’s success with our season.

So, while all is not lost, more needs to be done to make the Indians legitimately competitive. Drafting better combined with strategic signings would certainly help.

It’s Not About Love …. But Love Lost (update)

This is the single most critical decision for the Cavs front office since LeBron left.
This is the single most critical decision for the Cavs front office since LeBron left.

As time has progressed, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the Cavalier management has made a commitment to get Kevin Love. That commitment, based on the timing (and the comments of the TWolves owner), almost certainly includes AT THE LEAST Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, a future first round pick, and a few nonguaranteed contracts to make the money work. Since no one really knows the fine print in this proposed deal, that is what most of us assume is the basic outline. If the Timberwolves were not absolutely ecstatic about this deal, they would not be out there commenting on “when” the trade will occur because they know that signals Wiggins is included. And they should be ecstatic! They are getting the number one pick of arguably the best draft in about 7 years and the number one pick of the previous draft. Plus one or more future number 1 picks. All of this for a player who, although awesome, would only play there for this year and has asked to be traded instead of playing for them. That is a huge haul and the TWolves know it. Almost historically unprecedented. Continue reading “It’s Not About Love …. But Love Lost (update)”