Red Right 88

In Cleveland, hope dies last

Archive for the category “Cleveland Indians”

Four the hard way

anniversary 4Today marks the four-year anniversary of the launch of our site.

As a lifelong Cleveland fan, we knew what we were getting into when we decided to get the voices out of our head and put them down on (virtual) paper. But even by the standards of Cleveland sports, it’s been an interesting four years.

Consider that since we made our maiden post:

  • The Browns have gone 18-46 (a .281 winning percentage), are on their fourth head coach and fourth front office combination, and have had seven different starting quarterbacks.
  • The Cavs are 90-210 and counting (a .300 winning percentage), have had three coaches (counting Mike Brown twice) and just as many general managers, had an NBA record 26-game losing streak, and have yet to post a winning record despite drafting four players in the top four of the NBA Draft – two of which were the No. 1 overall pick.
  • The Indians have gone 309-339 while employing two different managers. The Tribe is the only team of the three to have a winning season and a playoff appearance – which they promptly lost.

More than just wins and losses, though, is the fact that writing has made us enjoy sports even more. Having an outlet to vent after the never-ending losses and personnel moves has helped us learn to not carry around another dismal performance by the local sports teams. We’ve also tried to develop a different perspective on what – and most importantly why – the Browns, Indians and Cavs are doing what they are doing.

A big part of how we have been able to do that is through the people we have met – either in person or in the online world – since we started the site (if the analytics are to be believed, we’ve had visitors from 154 different countries). We’ve been fortunate enough to meet some cool people (you know who you are) and our interactions with everyone has opened up our thinking and helped redefine, in a good way, how we look at sports.

And for that we say “thanks!”

So what’s next?

The Indians open up the season next week and will try and build on last season’s 92-win team that finished the season strong and made the playoffs. The Cavs are heading into the “most important off-season” since, well, the last one. And the Browns have (yet another) new coach and (yet another) new front office and the annual hope of the NFL Draft.

In other words, just another year in the life of a Cleveland sports fan.

(Photo by Getty Images)

Are Pro Days really that important? – Part 2

johnny manziel pro dayA few days ago we raised the question of whether or not there is any real value in attending a college player’s Pro Day.

That was in response to the reaction from a few members of the local media who were furiously trying to manufacture a controversy because Cleveland Browns general manager Ray Farmer and the team’s scouts were attending the various Pro Days – rather than head coach Mike Pettine and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.

We thought about that today at the gym while watching ESPN’s coverage of quarterback Johnny Manziel’s Pro Day at Texas A&M. After watching Manziel do his thing, we came away with two indisputable conclusions.

Read more…

From the editor’s notebook …

tribe starting pitchingThe Cleveland Indians are just 22 days away from the opening of the 2014 season and so far they are only having the good kind of spring training problems.

The Tribe hasn’t had to deal with any major injury issues; the outfield rotation is looking good, particularly left fielder Michael Brantley, who is now hitting .615 in Cactus League play after going four-for-four on Saturday; Carlos Santana is doing what he can in the field at third base; reliever Vinnie Pestano seems to be on the right track to fixing what ailed him last season; and, most importantly, the starting pitching is looking solid.

The top three of Justin Masterson, Corey Kluber and Zach McCallister have quietly gone about their business this spring, and with Danny Salazar expected to make his first start with the regulars on Monday, the rotation is shaping up nicely.

The best part of the rotation may be at the No. 5 spot, of all places, as is it looks like manager Terry Francona is going to have a hard decision to make when it comes time to make the final roster decisions.

Read more…

Never underestimate the power of a good day in Cleveland

Steven GerrardIt’s a beautiful day
Don’t let it get away
It’s a beautiful day – U2

When we woke up this morning we were afraid that Tuesday’s blockbuster news from the Cleveland Browns had only been some beautiful dream.

But then we realized that it was true, Jimmy Haslam really had rid the Browns of general manager Mike Lombardi (and CEO Joe Banner) and we knew it was going to be a beautiful day.

The day only got better with the news that new general manager Ray Farmer is not only talking with Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden about a contract extension, but Farmer may also value Pro Bowl centers and Pro Bowl safeties more than Banner.

The news was so positive surrounding the Browns that the good vibes spread far beyond the walls of 76 Lou Groza Blvd. in Berea.

Read more…

From the editor’s notebook …

Carlos Santana third baseWith the calendar turning over the weekend to February, that means we are only a little more than a week away from the start of spring training for the Cleveland Indians.

The one position that we are most interested in following is the one at third base, where Carlos Santana is attempting to transition from being the former starting catcher to a viable option in the field at third base.

Santana sounds like he is all in on the switch, telling ESPN Deportes a few weeks ago that he is preparing to “play third base, not other position,” as those are “the plans of the (Indians).” Santana spent his time in the Dominican Winter League working at his potential new position in the field.

While Santana seems convinced of the switch, general manager Chris Antonetti isn’t ready to hand the position over just yet.

Read more…

Cleveland is ground zero for dysfunctional franchises

cleveland dysfunctionAs the Cleveland Browns coaching search marches along to what we all assume will eventually turn into a coaching hire (we’re pretty sure the NFL bylaws require teams to have a head coach) the Browns have turned into a punchline, both nationally and locally.

The situation has been described as being “radioactive,” with a front office known for its “shadiness,” and some have even gone as far as to suggest that new uniforms will entice a quality coach to take over the team.

The thing is, as dysfunctional as the Browns may appear to be, it’s not anything we haven’t seen before in Cleveland. And, truth be told, the Browns are not the only dysfunctional franchise in town, at least from a historical perspective.

Read more…

From the editor’s notebook …

liverpool suarez contractIn a move that seemed unlikely just a few months ago, Liverpool is reportedly talking with Luis Suárez about a contract extension that would make the mercurial goal scorer the highest-paid player on the team.

According to multiple reports, Liverpool manager director Ian Ayre is in Barcelona to talk with agent Pere Guardiola about a long-term deal to keep Suárez at Anfield – and away from the big-money clubs on the continent.

All this after a summer of drama with a bid from Arsenal, Suárez publicly saying he wanted out (not just of Liverpool but out of England all together) and the club holding firm that he was not for sale at any price.

Read more…

From the editor’s notebook …

Chris DavisSaturday was one of those days that make college football so enjoyable.

The fun actually started on Friday night, when Marcus Mariota got some of his swag back, leading Oregon to a game-winning touchdown with 29 seconds left to beat Oregon State. (And while we have been a proponent of the Browns exploring a chrome orange helmet, we may have to reassess our position after seeing Oregon State’s helmets. Although they may just have had too much red in them.)

That was just a prelude to Saturday, when the game of the year took place between Alabama and Auburn. The Tigers took down the defending champs in the most improbable way possible (and aided a bit by Alabama coach Nick Saban’s hubris), as Auburn’s Chris Davis returned a missed 57-yard field goal the entire length of the field for the game-winning score on the final play of the game.

Read more…

From the editor’s notebook …

thumb.aspxIt has been a rough year for the Kent State Golden Flashes in football, which is why it was nice to see the team close out the season with a big win Tuesday night against Ohio University.

The Flashes ripped off 34 consecutive points to close out the 44-13 win over the Bobcats (with the play of the game clearly being Nate Terhune’s touchdown on a fake punt). And while a 4-8 record and fifth place finish in the MAC’s East Division is not the way that first-year coach Paul Haynes wanted to see the season go, finishing the year with consecutive wins should help to ease the sting a bit.

“To send our seniors out the right way on a two-game winning streak is good for our program going into the off-season,” Haynes said. “It’s very important, because we can sit there and break them down a little bit more in the off-season, and then we will build them back up. For them to have the confidence to play so well is huge going into the off-season.”

Read more…

From the editor’s notebook …

cavs no panicJust what the heck is going on with the Cleveland Cavaliers?

A 3-6 record … losers of six in a row on the road … owners of the second-worst point differential in the NBA … 27th in points per game … a starting back court of Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters that is shooting a combined 39 percent from the field … a No. 1 overall pick in Anthony Bennett who has made four field goals total in eight games … it all makes our head hurt.

So, is it time to start worrying?

We will go with … sort of.

Read more…

Post Navigation