Pretty Girl 02.19.11 - Victoria Justice

I look forward to her newly found legality.

NBA Fans Have Bieber Fever

The MVP of the All-Star weekend celeb game.  His team lost.  That's what you get for letting half a million screaming tweens make the decision via text message.  I'll say that Romeo Miller looked like a bit more than than a favor to Demar DeRozan.



As expected, the Indians outrighted Joe Martinez today, clearing a space on the 40-man for Orlando Cabrera.  Martinez remains in big league camp as a non-roster invitee.

Here is the IPI Indians' organizational depth chart.  I won't say that I agree with every slotting, but I do dig Jared Goedert on the MLB roster. 

And a little video of Daniel Norris, who will be a prime target of the Tribe in June's draft -

Sucide Squeeze - Walter Johnson ('92 Upper Deck)

If You're Not Cheating, You're Not Trying

Love it.

Also, former Indian Joe Inglett has signed a minor league deal with Tampa Bay. Again, it would have been nice to see Joe back in Tribe gear, but the "brain trust" prefers Jayson GD Nix. 

Then there's this...



Cheers

For All To Enjoy But Not For the Faint of Heart

The strange thing is that I've done this. Thanks, Germy.

Pretty Girl 02.18.11 - Lynn Collins

It would be nice if Sara Harrison could come over here and cuss me out.  She's a treat.

Suicide Squeeze - Jose Canseco ('92 Upper Deck)

Crack A Bottle

The creature and I have had our misadventures, but never anything like this. I know who I'm not paying for on fantasy draft day.

Back in October I made some brazenly off-the-cuff predictions for the Indians opening day roster.  4 months later, with pitchers and catchers reporting, I'm going to stick by most of those.

Here are the gimmies -


C - Carlos Santana
1B - Matt LaPorta
2B - Orlando Cabrera*
SS - Asdrubal Cabrera
LF - Austin Kearns*~
CF - Michael Brantley~
RF - Shin Soo Choo
DH - Travis Hafner

Rotation - Fausto Carmona, Mitch Talbot, Carlos Carrasco

'Pen - Chris Perez, Tony Sipp, Rafael Perez

Bench - Jayson Nix, Trevor Crowe~

Likely -

Rotation - Justin Masterson, Josh Tomlin

'Pen - Frank Herrmann, Vinnie Pestano, Jensen Lewis, Joe Smith

Bench - Shelley Duncan, Luis Valbuena

Crap Shoot -

3B - Jared Goedert

What's Changed -

Obviously, my bold predictions about bringing back Kouz and Westbrook were spot off.

* indicates an off-season acquisition that wasn't available as an option back in October.

~ refers to Grady Sizemore beginning the season on the DL.  When he returns, Brantley slides to left, Kearns to a DH/LF platoon and Crowe back to Columbus.  Trevor's only value is as a second CF.

Personally, I believe that Justin Masterson is much more well suited at the back end of the bullpen, but the word on the street is that he'll be trade bait by mid-season, so the Tribe wil choose to showcase him as a starter.

Others feel that Jeanmar Gomez can beat out Josh Tomlin for the 5th starter role.  That could happen, but I'll bet on Josh until he proves me wrong.

There are not a lot of other reasonable options for the 'pen.  Aaron Laffey will be shipped to AAA to start.  Joe Martinez could make it as a long man, but I see him getting kicked off the 40-man when O-Cab is officially added.  While Josh Judy could makes some waves in Goodyear, we won't see him until later in the year.

Of Lou Marson, Paul Phillips, and Luke Carlin, I choose the last as the back-up catcher.  Marson should be playing everyday and will, at Columbus.  Phillips is a grade-A POS (7 MLB seasons, never more than 67 ABs, career .655 OPS) and Carlin played well in a brief audition last September.

Either Jason Donald or Jared Goedert could be the 3B until Lonnie Chisenhall is ready.  I do not believe that Donald can field the position.  If the knock on Goedert is his D, he certainly won't lose the job to Donald because of it.  I have faith in Jared putting up good offensive numbers in the spring and Jason being optioned to the Clippers to become more familiar with the hot corner.

The Tribe could choose to stick with Donald as the utility infielder above Valbuena, but Luis has better pop and just as much defensive utility (no, I won't use that word).

Soon comes the fun part, actually watching them play.  ;-j

Cheers.

I Thought it was SKYenga

Also, Russell "The Muscle" Branyan (D-Bags) and Scott Podsednik (B-Jays) have signed minor league deals with spring training invites.  I think "The Muscle" is improvement on "Oles" which is Russ' legal middle name.  I don't even know how to pronounce that.  I like to think it's similar to "Ole!  Ole!  Ole!"  ;-j

And... Cleveland State beat Wright State 74-72 thanks to a career high 18 from bruiser Aaron Pogue.  Norris Cole added 16 and 10 dimes.  CSU retakes 1st place in the Horizon.  Let's go dancing Vikes.

Pretty Girl 02.17.11 - Jwoww

Leave it to MTV to take a used up piece of Jersey trash and make her look this good.