Jason Michaels article

[consigliere]

Agree with Lamovsky about Micheals:

But I’m really starting to develop a deep disdain for this regime, for its idiot manager, for its reluctance to trust in its home-grown talent, for its fetishistic attachment to the dregs of free agency and to “good clubhouse guys” who are sub-standard on the field, for its tendency to make the same mistakes over, and over, and over again without learning anything from them. I’m not expecting the re-incarnation of Albert Belle or Manny Ramirez. I’m not expecting 1995 all over again. But to asking us to accept refuse like Jason Michaels as the emblematic player of this team and this organization is too much.

I don’t have a good feeling about this season. I hope I’m wrong in my foreboding. But I don’t think I am, and that’s a shame, because there are some great pieces to this club. There is the core of a champion. But this team will never get anywhere as long as it embraces and rewards the kind of mediocrity personified by Jason Michaels.

Most people here consider me a huge Indians homer, but one thing I have consistently bashed Shapiro on is his reluctance to play the kids. It always seems like a last resort thing with him, where he'd rather hold out as long as possible playing one and instead go with a retread vet. That is my one constant criticism on Shapiro, and it is one that drives me freaking mad.

I'm fine with the David Dellucci signing, he adds something this team could use in the clubhouse and in the lineup against righties....and Nixon, we'll see. I'm apathetic toward him.

But, the player they SHOULD have teamed up with Delucci/Nixon as their right-handed compliment is Ben Francisco. Dude should be the Indians 4th outfielder and not Michaels. I'd argue that Francisco can do as much and more than Micheals right now....more defense, more speed, more pop, and can't be as bad at the plate.

Right now, we have a logjam in the outfield at Buffalo and Akron. Francisco, Gutierrez, Snyder, and Choo in Buffalo, and Barton, Crowe, Van Every and Brown in Akron. The Indians may be best served in trading Michaels, as he is cheap and would be attractive to someone looking for a solid 4th outfield option where they lack alternatives in their farm system.

Michaels should not be here. We have two players in Francisco and Gutierrez who can fill his role, with Francisco the best option.

[hermanfontenot]

Thanks, Consig.

The weakness for these mediocre vet free agents and Eric Wedge are the only real problems I have with this organization. In so many other respects that are major- the handling and development of starting pitchers in particular- Shap is doing an outstanding job. But it's just exasperating to see the club go through this same dance year, after year, after year, almost knowing the veterans are going to fail and the youngsters are going to get called up anyway.

If we're going to be small-market, let's do it whole hog. From blue-chippers to just solid prospects, let's use these guys anywhere we can on the major-league ballfield. If we're unwilling or unable to acquire impact guys in free-agency, we simply don't have a better option IMO.

[swerb]

I've just thoroughly disliked Michaels ever since we acquired him.

The guy is a hack in the field, an airhead at the plate and on the bases ... ran us out of a bunch of innings last year. And he just looks like a choad.

And all we heard about this guy was how adept he was at getting on base, how he'd be ideal for the 2 hole and thrive there with Pronk and Vic behind him. Dude's OBP was barely over .300 IIRC.

Classic Wedge last year, sticking with this guy in the 2 hole for about two months after the rest of the free world knew it wasn't working.

[leadpipe]

Swerb bring up another issue, with Michaels and his baserunning. I sure hope they get their baserunning shored up over all, because in the last 3 or so years they've been about as sorry on the bases as you can be.

[swerb]

Swerb bring up another issue, with Michaels and his baserunning. I sure hope they get their baserunning shored up over all, because in the last 3 or so years they've been about as sorry on the bases as you can be.

Just another one of those things that allows a team that outscores its opponents by 100 runs to go 78-84.

And another flaw I place squarely at the feet of Eric Wedge. One of many reasons this team has underperformed their talent level greatly in each of the last three seasons.

[consigliere]

Yeah, Michaels is #1 on the list to get the Ramon Vazquez Treatment from the fans this year. He's the one guy on this roster, besides maybe Paul Byrd, that I wonder why the fuck he is here.

And I agree Jesse, on the pitching aspect with Shapiro as he has done a phenomenal job building depth on this pitching staff. We are essentially 7 starters deep...NO ONE can say that in baseball. Also, while the bullpen has question marks, we have incredible depth at Buffalo this year in Lara, Sipp, Mujica, Mastny, and Perez. With Lee healthy, we essentially will have 7 pitchers in Buffalo who can help this team. That is amazing depth. And, that doesn't even consider guys like Lofgren, Lewis, Laffey, and others in Akron who very well may be able to help us in 2008.

And, you could take it a step further as we have very good outfield depth. We have no immediate depth at catcher, but are loaded with catching prospects on their way up who may be able to start to help this squad in 2008 and beyond. The one glaring weakness continues to be depth in the infield though......but there are tons of promising players loaded with talent in the lower levels who hopefully fix that problem in the next year or so.

[DGeneral]

Most people here consider me a huge Indians homer, but one thing I have consistently bashed Shapiro on is his reluctance to play the kids. It always seems like a last resort thing with him, where he'd rather hold out as long as possible playing one and instead go with a retread vet. That is my one constant criticism on Shapiro, and it is one that drives me freaking mad.

Shapiro is totally enthralled with journeyman. He stocks the team with these mediocre stiffs at the expense of young talent with much higher upside. If Michaels or any one of the 3 other OF journeyman signed this winter does the Mendoza act for the first 2 months , be rest assured that Choo, Francisco and Gutierrez will continue to rot in AAA without a sniff of the big leagues.

Ditto for when the stiff Fultz tanks, Shapiro will not call up Sipp/Lara/Nasty for some needed "relief".

We've seen it all before with Shapiro sticking with turds like Jimenez, Stewart, Mota, Graves, Boone ect. He waits until these bums cost the team a bunch of games before he takes corrective action, disgusting. He does not take advantage of the talent in the system dangling under his nose. This isn't even a cheap owner issue, using the young players actually frees up money to pursue better more expensive talent.

Shapiro loves journeyman, he hired one for manager and his record tracks what he stocks the team with: mediocre talent.

[pup]

Yet we are thrilled he just signed a 5 year extension....

[DarNoor]

We've seen it all before with Shapiro sticking with turds like Jimenez, Stewart, Mota, Graves, Boone ect. He waits until these bums cost the team a bunch of games before he takes corrective action, disgusting.

And by the time they are called up. we will be 15 games out of first and the season will be over. I love Shapiro, but that is one beef i have had with him.