Comments on: 2009 Indians Fantasy Baseball Preview

By: Rudy Gamble

Rudy Gamble — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:06:03 +0000

@Tommy: Hey Tommy. Congrats on popping your Razzball comment cherry! I’m not sold on CSH. His HR/FB ratio was higher than he had in the minors so I think he’ll see a drop in HRs to 15 if he played full season. So maybe he’s Ben Francisco 2008 which was just ok….we’ll do our best to keep up the witty commentary…

By: Tommy

Tommy — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:33:22 +0000

I agree with most of the comments made but I have a marginal disagreement with the hitting expectations. I agree VMart is in another class separate from the pack. However, I would have thought the brightess hitting upstart on the Cleveland roster would be Chin Soo Hoo. I say that because he has an exellent minor league track record and his limited appearence at the end of last season was stellar…he is young…he had an injury lapse with TM surgery…but he looks like a hitter that could rake 20HRS and bat above .280…he could be the replacement of the mystery man T Hafner who might never show his bat again. By the way great site…love the playful but witty commentary!

By: Tony

Tony — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:13:32 +0000

@Baron Von Vulturewins: they made a great run second half, only ended being out by 7 games i think? it was just too little too late. I just wish they could pay someone, but they never will. They need all the pieces to stay healthy and come together at the exact same time (while contracts are still low) because once guys can hit FA and are worth two cents they leave..... If CC throws his second half in cleveland the way he did in MIL and Cliff pitches like he did? Tribe is in the postseason, its such a coin flip how things work out....

By: Baron Von Vulturewins

Baron Von Vulturewins — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 04:42:12 +0000

@Tony Y: It's all coming back to me now. I seem to remember that Unfrozen Indians Fan was a popular recurring character last season; i.e. the guy who wakes up and is like "Cliff Lee is pitching like Cy Young? We must be ten games in first! Wait? Whaa!!??"

By: Tony Y

Tony Y — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 02:04:45 +0000

and yes i said “traited” as in traitor/traded….. i guess dealing CC was better than just straight up losing him, let just hope Mr. LaPorta is the real deal and we see him this year, EARLY.

By: Tony Y

Tony Y — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 02:02:58 +0000

@Baron Von Vulturewins: When did the Tribe get so bad? Well being from OHIO and a LIFE LONG cleveland fan, they got so bad when the whole team decided to get hurt! CC pitched like a terd the whole first half, then magically gets traited and realizes “hey I KNOW HOW TO PITCH!!!” as he goes on to have the best second half in baseball. Carmona, hurt, pronk hurt, vmart hurt…. Throwing Triple A guys in the central doesn’t work. Then Cliff Lee pitches like an ace and earns a cy young, thanks cliff where were ya in 2007? You know when we needed to win 1 of 3 games vs the Red Sox? You know when we had a chance????

Wow i’m feeling violent right now? damn tribe so disappointing sometimes.

It’s tough being a cleveland fan, tribe, browns, and cavs, wow… We can only pray LBJ wins a title this year and THAT is enough to keep him in cleveland, otherwise, ughhhh back to the drawing board….

I believe the tribe can compete in 2009, but win it all? Pitching is too sketchy, They need miracles from 2-3 pitchers that are unknown rightnow…. thats not odds i’d take in vegas.

By: Eric W

Eric W — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:15:34 +0000

@sean: Birmingham Alabama must be the best place to hang out if want some autographs

By: Grey

Grey — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:14:27 +0000

@sean: You don't have enough headaches trying to make mortgage payments and your lady telling you you forgot her 30th birthday? Wait, maybe that's me... Um, maybe. Let's hear how the surgery goes first.

By: sean

sean — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:10:17 +0000

@grey: is he a guy to keep an eye one for a season like Lackey or Harden coming off the DL?

By: Grey

Grey — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:08:10 +0000

@sean: Yup. Saves everyone drafting him. Reminds me... I have to update the top 40 starters post.

By: sean

sean — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:06:12 +0000

Anyone hear that Sheets is undergoing elbow surgery with Dr. Freeze? First time I heard it was in the hour…

By: Grey

Grey — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:49:18 +0000

Pronk is dead to me.

By: peter

peter — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:25:49 +0000

Pass (unless, sure, it’s the end of the draft). This is a DH who has had more than 486 AB *once* in his career. Over 30 HR? Twice. And not since 2006. Can anyone tell the difference between Pronk 2006-present and Frank Thomas 2006-present?

By: IowaCubs

IowaCubs — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:06:41 +0000

@Rudy Gamble: LOLOL

By: Rudy Gamble

Rudy Gamble — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:51:38 +0000

@Baron Von Vulturewins: I didn’t say 50/50 – that’s the WaitingforNextYear perspective. Since he’s only DH-eligible, I’d definitely pass. MAYBE a flier towards the very end of the draft. As for old 32, yeah….he seems like a Latin 32…

By: Baron Von Vulturewins

Baron Von Vulturewins — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:44:00 +0000

@Rudy Gamble: Good job over all, but 50/50 on Pronk? 50/50? Why didn’t you just answer that one “Pass.”

I will say, when he connects, he drives it out like he’s angry. Like the ball should land in the bleachers, then retire. Only he and Dunn (and occasionally A-Ram) hit those dingers where the ball exits the park like someone getting ejected from a bar.

But when he’s off, it’s hard to remember he could ever hit a ball, ever. (Same is true of V-Mart. In a related story, the Indians probably need a new hitting coach*.)

We think he’s young ’cause he bloomed late but he’s actually an old 31, about to turn a wonky-shouldered 32. With homers down around baseball I think .260-25-90 is the best you can hope for, if he stays healthy. Draft accordingly.

*In another related story, when did the Wahoos get so bad? I had no Indians last year so didn’t pay attention, then one day looked up to see Ben Francisco hitting third. Wasn’t this team a hair away from the Series two years ago and the bane of AL pitchers everywhere? Now Lady Grady is their best hitter!??!?

By: Rudy Gamble

Rudy Gamble — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:31:04 +0000

@IowaCubs: I disagree. I've found Native Americans are very accepting of all races.

By: IowaCubs

IowaCubs — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:28:38 +0000

Nice article… Don’t mean to be a downer, but seriously Cleveland… your mascot is totally racist.

By: sean

sean — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:39:21 +0000

Cleveland is one of those teams that I’m looking out for this year. I don’t think they have the arms to challenge for the pennant, but I do think that they can make some noise in a pretty weak AL Central.