You're Waiting For a Train...: Sep 16, 2011

Friday, September 16, 2011

A Quest Called Tribe

Not much of a quest anymore, eh? The last month has been tough, the last 2 weeks tortuous and now, the horror of it all, simply unbearable. One month ago (08.18) the Tribe was 62-58, 1.5 games out going into a critical series with the Tigers. They were, of course, swept in that series and have never recovered. Since August 18th, the Indians are 10-17. 11 days ago, the Tribe still had hope. At 70-67, they sat 6.5 out with a "must sweep" home series coming against Detroit. Another 3-game drubbing later and the kids seem to have finally collapsed under weight of an injury plagued and luckless season. Since September 4th, our Indians are 2-8. Just when we though it could not get any more disheartening, the Tribe traveled to Texas. Like a dessicated plow horse, the good guys gasped and died in under the Lone Star sun and were delivered a serious beating as the Rangers outscored them 26-9 in a three game annihilation. None were ever in question.

Perhaps most deflating has been how little hope for the future that the young talent has shown as the season has begun to rot. In 5 games since returning from the disabled list, Jason Kipnis (strange how the beginning of the disastrous descent coincides with Kip's injury) has an OPS of .616. Since 08.18, Asdrubal Cabrera is batting an abominable .144 with an OPS of .470 and nearly twice as many K's (23) as hits (13). Over his last 11 games, Ezequiel Carrera has struggled to a .163 average with a .433 OPS. How about the underwhelming work of the five pitchers not named Alex White (wait, where did he go again?) to make their MLB debuts in 2011? 7.33 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, .293 OBA, while surrendering 4 HR, 3 HBP and 2 WP in 27 innings. How does this translate into that window that we acquired the one-year wonder for?

How about some more established players? Since his third stint on the DL, Grady Sizemore is 3-for-23 with 7 strike outs. Jim Thome's much ballyhooed return to lakefront? One home run and 18 K's. Travis Hafner has shed 70 point from his batting average since early July by knocking .203 with a .584 OPS. Since his latest bout with frailty the Glass Donkey has 2 singles and 4 punch outs in 12 at-bats. The team has its heart ripped out when Captain Jack Hannahan went down with an injury. It is all too much. I would give you more, but, in all sincerity, I am about to become physically ill. To be fair, I am pretty pissed off about a lot of things right now, so I am likely not giving the guys a fair shake. Still, the numbers are hard to argue with...

And now comes the worst news of all. According to this 247wallstreet.com report, 12 "Big 4" franchises have dropped 20% or more in attendance over the past decade. Included on the list are such disastrous organizations as the Oakland Raiders (21.32%), Detroit Lions (25.18%) and Pittsburgh Pirates (33.78%). Given the context of this piece, there is no suspense as to who is at the top (bottom) of the list. The number itself is shocking. Since 2000 the Indians have lost 56.08% of their paying customers, the only franchise over 50% and 12 points higher than the second place Orioles (44.00%).

We have all been aware of the painfully empty stadium this season, despite the team's hot start, but the situation that the Tribe finds themselves in has become critical. With such paltry income, talk of offering Prince Fielder a 5-year, $160mil contract will remain simply that... talk. Unless the fans come out to support the franchise, there will be no free agent signings and, instead, more soul crushing trades of both the Cliff Lee and Ubaldo Jimenez variety.

Buy some tickets. God knows I will if I ever get a real job.

Here's to keeping the Indians in Cleveland.

Cheers.

P.s. Drew Pomeranz made his Rockies debut on Sunday. He earned the win by giving up 2 hits and zero runs in 5 innings. Great...