The news in Cleveland has fans going crazy right now!
The Cleveland Cavaliers have just traded for Shaquille O'Neal!
Across the street from Quicken Loans Arena is Progressive Field, and the home of the Cleveland Indians, and there is a completely different story, but one that Indians fans are all too familiar with.
The Indians are in the midst of losing seven out of their last eight games for a record of 30 wins and 43 losses. They are also 11 games out of first place and own the worst record in the American League.
A polar opposite from the team that plays right across Eagle Avenue in Downtown Cleveland.
Cleveland teams have not been known to bring in superstars to help bring the town a championship trophy. Heck, Cleveland teams have never been willing to pay their own developed superstars to keep them in town, let alone pull the trigger on what could be one of the biggest trades to ever happen to Cleveland sports.
Here in lies the dilemma that has hurt the Indians for years and years. They never re-sign their superstars to big money contracts (they let those players go to free agency) and they never pay to bring in a superstar player to help them win a championship.
Looking back at the World Series teams of 1995 and 1997, those teams had a great mix of solid mediocre veterans players and talented young players that were developed in the Indians farm system.
What about now?
Now the Indians have some talent, but either Manager Eric Wedge can't get them to perform at a high level or he is just not a true clubhouse leader.
Either way change is due very soon.
General Manager Mark Shaprio really needs to look at this team and its manager and make a hard decision on what is not only best for the team, but what can be done to put fans back into the seats and bring back the excitement the Indians had back in the mid to late 90s.
The first thing that needs to be done is to follow what the Cavs have just done in committing to win immediately by spending some money to bring in some big name players.
Not like the New York Yankees who fully stack their entire roster with superstars, but bring in a superstar starting pitcher and big-time slugger to start.
It has been known for some time that owner Larry Dolan is extremely conservative with his spending especially with the Indians playing in a middle-sized market, but now is the time to bring in some big names.
That extra spending will easily be recouped by the fans that will fill more seats at Progressive Field just to watch the superstars play ball.
Have you been to an Indians game recently?
The ballpark is maybe two-thirds filled and this is in a park that was voted in 2008 by a Sports Illustrated fan poll as "Major League Baseball's Best Ballpark."
Of course, winning games will fill the park, but spending some cash to bring in superstars will fill seats too.
Current Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder and former Cleveland Indians outfielder, Manny Ramirez, has stated many times that he wants to come back to Cleveland to finish his career and retire as a Cleveland Indian.
The only issue is will Dolan open to checkbook to make it happen?
Only time will tell, but Dolan and Shapiro really need to go across the street and meet with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert and General Manager Danny Ferry, then go get some drinks and take down some notes to help the Indians regain their glory.
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