Can you feel it too?
It is not just the abundant speculation revolving around the Cavaliers, now that another NBA season will again crown a champion from somewhere else other than Cleveland.
It is not just out of San Diego, where GM Kevin Towers is promising serious changes, indicating that "a group" of prospect might be promoted en masse. (See the Padres' home site for details.)
It is not just emanating from the keyboard of Indians' beat writer Jim Ingraham, of the Lake County News-Herald and Lorain Mourning Journal, one of the more respected local contributors who proposes radical roster adjustments in a recent piece.
It is so palpable that I've got the computer screen on the Tribe's home page, fully anticipating some nugget of profound news. Together with yesterday's off day, the team's ranking as one of MLB's worst at generating offense, the scary proposition that the club's excellent starting staff will go fully to waste due to the putrid performances of those employed to create runs in their support and that many fans are arriving at the conclusion that the club is nearly unwatchable, it seems quite believable that the front office has also seen about as much as it can stomach from this particular roster assemblage.
Ingraham's frustration is such that he recommends deals that too closely approximate those of the common desperate fan. He overpays. He covets personnel the other club would be crazy to part with. He imagines implausible cooperation. He's sick and tired, like many of the rest of us.
Who can blame him?
Something must be done. Something must happen soon. Something significant just has to be about to occur.
As the Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes points out in today's edition, the Tribe went into Sunday's contest with the homestanding Reds---who went on to complete a three-game sweep in which the visitors combined to score the grand total of nine runs (2, 3, 4)---featuring four starters hitting .226 or less, with a fifth making his first MLB start. Naturally, that new guy homered, apparently not yet afflicted with whatever ailment it is that torments the balance of the clubhouse.
That day's keystone combo---SS Asdrubal Cabrera (.180) and 2b Jamey Carroll (.194)---in fact, was below the laughable Mendoze Line. Many of us were nonetheless glad to not have Jhonny Peralta (.225) out there to further inspire damage to our own television screens.
Peralta, who has actually shown an improved bat since Manager Eric Wedge decided to utilize him in the two hole, where JP did so well as a minor-leaguer in his days as the American Association MVP, leads the club in dingers (8) but scarsely has more rbi (15) than mates with markedly fewer ABs: David Dellucci (14 in 35 fewer); Cabrera (13 in 20 fewer); Franklin Gutierrez (12 in 17 fewer). As badly as Hafner is doing, he has five more rbi in six fewer ABs.
Perhaps this is the day someone out there elects to give Peralta a new address. It would probably be someone who suspects they can succeed in converting him to a position other than SS, where his movement issues would be less of a concern.
At any rate, these days threaten to bring a sudden end to the likes of Peralta and Andy Marte in the Wigwam. Perhaps the two will be acquired by Towers with Gutierrez---who Ingraham suggests has lost his daily job to Ben Francisco and would be a welcome defensive addition to the Padres for their spacious CF---for something like vet 2b Tadahito Iguchi, RH utility man Scott Hairston and one-time Indian Kevin Kouzmanoff, a RH 3b who is currently blocking the spot typically played by top prospect Chase Headley.
Everyone has ideas these days and most of us have a hunger for personnel adjustments when reminded how inept are the current formulas. Cavs' GM Danny Ferry bit the bullet on Feb. 21, when instigating his three-team manuever bringing in Ben Wallace, Delonte West, Joe Smith and Wally Szczerbiak. Had only Wally shown up one time on the parquet, maybe we're all preparing to eliminate the Pistons.
Read the complete post at http://www.xanga.com/MALeonard/657884191/change-is-in-the-air.html