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The 2020 Cleveland Indians

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The problem with the metro is also the fact the rust belt of so many different large companies leaving. Cleveland draws in people from the surrounding counties even into Erie PA for their fan base, but with that area losing thousands of factory/good paying jobs, it caused people to move away and/or not be able to pay for tickets like they used to.

The economy isn't horrible, but growing up in Canton, I saw the 90s and after and its just not the same with the jobs leaving and being replaced by jobs that don't nearly make the same per hour.
I think what I was trying to say in all of this don’t discount sort of rebuilding process for the actual city which in turn would probably help the team with attendance and business advertisements/parternships.

Feel-good story of the day on this topic:


Incidentally, these two other cities have some good MLB success.

I hope this also bodes well for Giannis to stay in Milwaukee, as the city deserves that, although he is also of course welcome to move seven hours east on I-90 if the Cavs can pay him. :)
 
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I heard the NBA is serious about finishing their season, possibly starting in July in Orlando at Disneyworld. If that happens and baseball also starts in July we'll go from famine to feast practically overnight. Then the Browns start training camp later in the month.

I'm wondering is there's any chance of seeing an Indians game, a Cavs game, and a Browns exhibition game on the same day. That would be a once-in-a-lifetime event.

This is assuming the people running all three leagues find a way around Covid, though, and there's no guarantee on that.
 
I heard the NBA is serious about finishing their season, possibly starting in July in Orlando at Disneyworld. If that happens and baseball also starts in July we'll go from famine to feast practically overnight. Then the Browns start training camp later in the month.

I'm wondering is there's any chance of seeing an Indians game, a Cavs game, and a Browns exhibition game on the same day. That would be a once-in-a-lifetime event.

This is assuming the people running all three leagues find a way around Covid, though, and there's no guarantee on that.

I think almost everyone is fine with the NBA calling off the regular season and jumping to the playoffs based on current standings.

There are TV contracts that "require" 70 NBA games to fulfill, but I use quotation marks because there may be workarounds.

Now if we have the Cavs opener next season - even if November/December - on the same day as a major-implications game for the AFC North-leading Browns...and an Indians playoff game...
 
Keith Law put out his newest mock draft for The Athletic. Here's a blurb on his Indians pick:

23. Cleveland Indians: Mick Abel, RHP, Jesuit (Ore.) HS

If I’m in the ballpark here, this would be the first draft ever that didn’t have a high school pitcher go in the top 20 picks, a reflection of the college-heavy class and the abrupt end to the spring before pitchers like Abel or Nick Bitsko (who could go in the 21-40 range) got a chance to pitch in any games. Cleveland has had no issue at all taking risks on high-upside high school arms the last three years with Brady Aiken (which didn’t work out), Ethan Hankins (promising so far), and Danny Espino (TBD).
New mock from Law out today. New pick for the Indians, but still a prep pitcher (Law has Abel now going 18th overall to the Diamondbacks):

23. Cleveland Indians: Jared Kelley, RHP, Refugio (Texas) HS

Cleveland hasn’t taken a college player in the first round since 2014, and recently they’ve favored prep arms who’ve slipped for nonperformance concerns. Kelley was the top or No. 2 RHP in the class coming into the spring, but scouts have said his conditioning was questionable when he pitched before the shutdown.
 
New mock from Law out today. New pick for the Indians, but still a prep pitcher (Law has Abel now going 18th overall to the Diamondbacks):

23. Cleveland Indians: Jared Kelley, RHP, Refugio (Texas) HS

Cleveland hasn’t taken a college player in the first round since 2014, and recently they’ve favored prep arms who’ve slipped for nonperformance concerns. Kelley was the top or No. 2 RHP in the class coming into the spring, but scouts have said his conditioning was questionable when he pitched before the shutdown.
Delivery looks simple and effortless and he pushes close to 100 mph. Seems to fit the mold we've sought.
 
I don't believe anyone else mentioned this yet but Jeff Ellis (formerly the lead MLB Draft & Prospect writer for Scout) has launched his own website. That site is https://mlbdraftnow.blogspot.com/ where he has posted a mock for the upcoming baseball draft.
The link for his latest mock is: His latest mock went up on 5/17/20. This draft work is in addition to doing a normal podcast (Locked On Indians) that he does.

I figured some here might be interested in the baseball related work that Jeff is currently doing. Enjoy.
 
ICYMI - The Tribe has announced some MiLB player releases.
It was communicated yesterday (Fri 5/29/20) that the Tribe is maintaining the medical insurance for these players thru the end of August.

via Indians Prospective (Twitter)
Pitchers:
LHP Ty Boyles
LHP Wes Helsabeck
LHP Gunner Leger
LHP David Speer
RHP Brendan Meyer
RHP Jhon Peluffo
RHP Felix Tati
RHP Zach Weiss
Position Players:
OF Mike Papi
INF Alexis Pantoja
C Jason Rodrguez

I don't know how many of them will hang up the cleats after this release. On a personal note I wish each player the best moving forward.
 
I'll miss you Papi.

For a few years there it seemed like he was right on the verge of turning the corner, but his hit tool and power just never caught up to his plate discipline.
 
There is obviously a large number of MiLB FA available these days. A savvy organization might be able to pick and choose and eventually add some projects to add some deapth to an organization. Also, teams like the Lake Erie Crushers, in a independent league might be interested.
None of these guys are highly regarded, but you never know. Sometimes working with an independent hitting or pitching coach can change the perspective.

Plus, playing baseball, for peanuts, is still way better than working at a grocery store, for peanuts.
 
I'll miss you Papi.

For a few years there it seemed like he was right on the verge of turning the corner, but his hit tool and power just never caught up to his plate discipline.

I thought they would keep Papi one more year since we lack depth at 1B in the organization. Speer is another guy that I recognize, he was great for our AA fans since he spent a lot of time in Akron. Otherwise no one really notable to me.
 
I thought they would keep Papi one more year since we lack depth at 1B in the organization. Speer is another guy that I recognize, he was great for our AA fans since he spent a lot of time in Akron. Otherwise no one really notable to me.

Sportscoach, can your Mom hit a baseball? We're gonna need a few ringers! Lol
 
Sportscoach, can your Mom hit a baseball? We're gonna need a few ringers! Lol

I mean she would probably hit better than you would, but thats a different matter lol ,but it would be my grandfather you need to recruit for that one. He's 92, was in actual combat in WW2 and still will beat your butt if you misbehaved!
 
New mock from Law out today. New pick for the Indians, but still a prep pitcher (Law has Abel now going 18th overall to the Diamondbacks):

23. Cleveland Indians: Jared Kelley, RHP, Refugio (Texas) HS

Cleveland hasn’t taken a college player in the first round since 2014, and recently they’ve favored prep arms who’ve slipped for nonperformance concerns. Kelley was the top or No. 2 RHP in the class coming into the spring, but scouts have said his conditioning was questionable when he pitched before the shutdown.
T-minus one week until the draft and Law has yet another prep arm going to the Tribe. Law has the prior mocked picks, Abel and Kelley, going at 7th to the Pirates and 25th to the Braves, respectively.

23. Cleveland: Tanner Witt, RHP, Episcopal (Texas) HS

Witt has been up to 95 mph with a very projectable frame (ETA: 6-6, 200) and a lightning-quick arm. He’s also still 17 years old as of draft day, which figures heavily in Cleveland’s model for the draft.
 
Another prep arm to keep an eye is Nick Bitsko out of the Philadelphia area. He may not get to the Indians' pick (Law has him going 14th to the Rangers), but he has an elite spin rate on his fastball and has been training remotely with Driveline. The big risk with him is that the last time he pitched competitively was 2019. At that time, he was still a member of the 2021 class so many teams barely scouted or didn't scout him at all. There's a good story about him from ESPN.com.

 
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