So about the Tribe..

Well to put it nicely, the Cavs aren’t exactly playing too well right now.  LeBron and crew need to re-group before they play their way out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture…which pathetically only requires a .500 record to get in.  

So on that note, let’s look ahead to another sport which begins today..good old fashioned baseball.  It seems as though Mark Shapiro’s plan over the past 3-4 years is evolving nicely.  While it still might take another year or two, our attempt at building version 2 of the greatest offense in baseball history is coming along. 

So without further a do, let’s look at the starting lineup for our beloved Tribe this year:

C:  Victor Martinez – Quickly becoming our team leader and now the league’s best offensive backstop.  Last year’s numbers were no joke and this year should (or hopefully) yield .300/30/125.
1B:  Ben Broussard – Had a very strong second half of last year in both average and power.  Overall, last year he added 26 points to his average and 58 to his OBP.  A .285/25/90 season seems feasible.
2B:  Ron Belliard – Being one of the few guys over 25, this passed around second baseman recorded career-highs in nearly every category last year.  We’ll take the .275/15/75 plus defense and be happy.
SS:  Jhonny Peralta - Not only is his name spelled funny, but we are starting a Triple A MVP this year at SS.  Will he make a smooth transition to stud in the bigs is another story.  I know it’s hard not seeing Omar at SS, but believe this guy could be a top 10 AL shortstop in '05.
3B:  Aaron Boone - From ALCS hero to basketball dud to another dropped player by Jorge Steinbrenner, he has had quite a ride to end up as our 3B.  Prior to the injury, Boone was a pretty average producer, but could prosper hitting 2nd in our lineup given health isn’t an issue.  Oh also, his grandpa played in Cleveland 52 years ago. 
LF:  Coco Crisp – Yes, he does have a sweet name and last year moved into an expanded role and played well.  Had a monster second half and proved Mark he was ready for a starting role this year.  He will mostly likely leadoff and should get 20 SB and 15 HR’s. 
CF:  Grady Sizemore – Due to Juan Gone’s early injury, Grady is getting the call on opening day and has a lot to prove.  He came up from Triple A last year, but was demoted after a pretty big slump.  Will most likely take a seat on the bench once either Juan Gone or Jody Gerut is back to health.
RF:  Casey Blake - Once known as a career minor leaguer, this player made major improvements in virtually every category last season.  Given his 26 errors at third last year, a move to the outfield was in order.  Don’t laugh but we could see a 40 HR season as well as a solid RBI’s total.
DH:  Travis Hafner -  Easily the lineup's biggest run-producer. Last year, he led the Tribe in virtually every offensive category while topping 100-RBI’s for the first time. He is the primary DH and will hit 3rd this season.  Expect a monster year. 

took this most wonderful pic at the Bob Feller museum..what da ya say guys..is 56 years enough?

Now it’s time for a little pitching:

C.C. Sabathia – Even though he is starting the season on the DL, I think we should expect big things this year for the sole Tribe thug.  Last year was not pretty, but we can’t say 3 family deaths as well as his weight problem didn’t affect things.  He is only 24 as and supposedly been working with a trainer.  Either way, I am thinking new heights for CC in ’05.
Jake Westbrook – Our opening day starter began last year in the bullpen but after tossing a perfect 7 innings of relief on April 19 he was inserted into the rotation.  Arguable our best starter, he led the Indians in wins while nabbing the league's lowest home ERA of 2.36.  Expect a great year. 
Kevin Millwood – After proving to be nothing but a bust post ATL, we are hoping he can turn things around in Cleveland.  Last year was his worst season particularly due to tendonitis that sidelined him for 5 weeks.  Given he is a proven veteran, he should be a nice influence inside the clubhouse for our young pitchers.  Let’s hope for 15 wins and a mid 3.xx era. 
Cliff Lee – Lee became a stud last year winning 9 of 10 decisions before the All Star break, but afterwards..yeah that’s a different story.  We need a full ’04 first half for the whole ’05 season.  Let’s hope another year under his belt can help him get 17-18 wins and continue to lead the team in strikeouts.  He has the potential and will hopefully be around for many years to come. 
Scott Elarton – Well, Scott isn’t exactly in the high point of his career and hasn’t had a good season in the bigs since '00.  He has been hit with repeated injuries over the last few years.  The Tribe is taking a chance on this one, but after 3 impressive outings at Triple A, they put him in the rotation. As I am sure we all know, he is not here for the longrun, but can hopefully fill his role for ’05. 

CL:  Bob Wickman – Once a solid closer, Bobby was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery in '02.  Last year he picked up 13 saves (as our primary RP) after barely pitching in '03.   This is obviously our weak spot as last year the Tribe only converted 53% of 60 save opportunities, which sadly wasn’t the worst in the league.  So starting the season, he will be the closer and if he can stay healthy and the Tribe doesn’t pick up another RP, Wickman can hopefully nab 30 saves. 

So that’s it…our starting lineup and Pitching Staff for ’05.  I think we are on our way to becoming a solid team and given we’re in the AL Central, our chances at a division title are always within reach.