July 27, 2004

Coco and Wick

- It's great to see Coco Crisp responding so nicely to Grady Sizemore nipping at his heels. Career game tonight for him.

- It had to be sweet for G.M. Mark Shapiro to see the reconstructed Bob Wickman throwing 94 mph and striking out the side in the ninth tonight. Shapiro has been criticized locally for passing on signing Ugueth Urbina this spring. Urbina got off to a fast start, but the bloom is almost off his rose in Detroit now, and he is being showcased for a possible trade before the deadline. So Shapiro and Wedge had to survive 100 games without a closer, but it's possible that they now have the guy they wanted all along in the likeable and tenacious Wickman. If his elbow stays attached for two more months, the team could win 85-88 games. The Twins will probably pull away to win the division, but I'll be glad to still be checking the standings in August. This year.

- And is it just me, or is there some serious bonding going on between these young Indians players? I can't recall seeing any team in recent years that seemed so genuinely tight with each other, and it's been cool to watch it evolve. Credit Wedge for fostering this atmosphere, and then for focusing the youth and talent on taking his plan onto the field every day and executing it.

- I'd been hoping Shapiro would try to add at least one veteran player who would be a positive influence on our kids for 60 games, not to mention a signal of management's confidence that we could make a run at the Twins or White Sox if the stars align just so. I still hope that happens (the veteran acquisition that is) but Wickman can be that "new" veteran guy we need in the clubhouse. His personality is suited to rallying a group of kids around him in a pressurized stretch run, in which he is the man to "finish."

- So if I'm Shapiro, I guess I'm trying to decide if going outside the organization for a starting pitcher who gives us a better chance to win every five days than Scott Elarton, is preferable to bringing up say, Kyle Denney (7-2, 4.04 ERA) from Buffalo to pitch in what could turn into a pennant race. If we wait long to see if it will indeed be a pennant race, it probably won't be. Give me a veteran starter, and save Denney (or Jeremy Guthrie) for September call-ups.

- Here's the latest Minor League Report for games through Monday 7/26. YTD stats for every minor leaguer in the Indians system are included (in PDF format).

Posted by dan at July 27, 2004 10:49 PM