Rookie

What’s up all?  I am a little knew at this so we’ll see how it goes.  Hope you guys like.

The Cleveland Indians

Coming off their great season of 2007, (or should i say the choke of 07) the Indians are primed and ready to make some noise again in September.  Starting with the pitching staff, Ace C.C. Sabathia coming off a season in which he won 19 games and the Cy Young award should pick up where he left off last season.  Let’s hope this does not happen because as we all remember he had a chance to close out the Red Sox, for the right to go to the World Series, and did not make it through the 5th inning.  He should come back motivated by this and the enormous contract that he is going to recieve after this season.  Fuasto Carmona, will be second in the rotation also coming off a season that he won 19 games and failed to close out the Red Sox at home in game 7 of the ALCS.  Fausto being as young as he is should only get better and become the Indians ace next year.  At times he is unhittable mixing up his pitches and using the best split-finger fastball in baseball.  Third in the Tribe’s rotation is Brian Westbrook a solid starter who will look to start as strong as he finished last season.  He has great command and mixes his pitches up forcing lots of ground ball outs. Paul Byrd is in the fourth spot and should be that solid veteran fourth starter he was last year.  While he is not overpowering by any means he hits is spots and keeps the Indians in position to win games.  The fifth spot should be Cliff Lee coming of an injury and his poor performance last year, let’s hope he can return to form from two years ago when he was mentioned for the Cy young.  The bullpen should be able to do what they did last year and be solid once again with Betancourt and Joe Bo leading the way.

The Lineup

Grady Sizemore -  Gold glover from a year ago and one of the best leadoff hitters in the game.                                       

Asdrubal Cabrera – Rookie last season that helped the Tribe get to the playoffs with his bat and glove,  look for him to have a good year, his number might be down this year coming in to his sophmore season as the league figures out how to pitch to him.

Vic Martinez – nothing to say hear he will be ready and could make a run for MVP.

Travis Hafner – Well this is what happens when pros get married, to many other things going on in his head.  Look for him to adjust and get back to old form.

Johonny Peralta – With his bat he led the Indians deep into the playoffs,  defense can be a problem with his range from right to left.

Ryan Garko – Solidied the firstbase position, not a great glove but he gets the job done.  With his bat look for Garko to have a solid season producing HR’s and RBI’s

Casey Blake – haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!  over 6 million a year, if Andy Marte wasn’t a stiff Blake would not have this job.  While his Glove in the hot corner is great, his bat can be awful at times, but he is a leader and should have a solid year again.

Franklin Gutierrez – great defensivly in right field with a well above avg. arm.  Young guy looking to improve with a alot of pop in his bat.

Jason Michaels and David Dellucci – well I do not have anything to say about these two except for Mark Shapiro.  Get your head out of you butt and Ben Francisco will be starting in left field.  He is hitting over .400 in spring training and eventually i believe he will be starting in left field soon.

Tourney Time

With all of the number one seads in the sweet sixteen for the fourth staright year the tourney is crazier than ever.  The Tarheels of Carolina look prime to be in the final four along with Kansas.  Ucla survived their scare against Texas A&M with some help from the officials.  I look for Memphis to be the first number one out this year.  They play the Michigan State Spartans who pose a great match up.  They are deep on the inside and should match up well with Memphis’s Dozier and Dorsey.  The leader of the  Spartans Tom Izzo is a great coach and with the help of their captain and floor general Drew Nietzel, look for MSU to pull the upset.