There are two things I’d like to point out.
1. This is the second time the Dolans have pulled this move. In 2002, the mantra was “we couldn’t get to the promised land becuase we had old pitching and too much hitting, so we’re going to rebuild the franchise around solid starting pitching. End of July Bartolo Colon traded to Montreal. Granted, Shapiro pulled the proverbial rabbit out of the hat on that deal. Colon got fat(ter) and broke down, and the three prospects in the deal turned out well (for the most part). However, that deal was a once in a lifetime-stars-alligned kind of trade. The Expos were owned by MLB and its owners and were looking to gut the franchise for its eventual move. No way that deal gets done any other time.

Fast forward 5 years, You have a HOME-GROWN Cy Young winner, who is up for free agency after the upcoming season. The Dolans have always said “We’ll spend the money when the time is right”. What do they do? Offer him a deal nobody in their right mind would take becuase it was so grossly undervalued. Fine. I can respect that the team decided to go all out and try to win a title in CC’s las season, then let the free agency chips fall where they may.

But the lip service didn’t stop there. After the Boston series, though the starting pitching wasn’t what it should have been, the team said “we’re one bat away”. That’s not something I disagree with. But there was no move made! It was no secret that Cincinnait was shopping Josh Hamilton for some young pitching. It was no secret that the indians were loaded with young starting pitching both at the major league level and in the farm system. Why wasn’t Adam Miller (who has yet to make his debut), or Laffey, or Sowers, or hell after last season (and thank God he wasn’t) Cliff Lee packaged in a deal with say Jhonny Peralta to try and get hamilton?

Texas sent their best pitching prospect, and Hamilton just cannot seem to be stopped this year. At least he’d have been the anchor of the offense, rather than the Oft-Injured (and probably HGH’ed up) Travis Hafner?

And if you’re “willing to spend the money when the time is right” then spend the money and sign CC after the season. The Cleveland Indians are still suffering from Wayne Garland Syndrome. CC isn’t a 1 season wonder to waste a ridiculous 10 year contract on. He’s got more than 100 MLB victories (all in a tribe uni by the way). So if he breaks down in 3 years, and cant live out a 5 or 6 year deal so be it…you tried. But don’t be afraid of free agency.

I am a die-hard tribe fan, and have been since my dad and I were buying General Admission seats and sitting behind home plate to watch Rich Yett throw meatballs, and Cory Snyder strike out at Municipal stadium. But I will never under stand the Dolans.

Lightening (almost) never strikes twice.

The other problem with this rant is that it doesn’t give one example as to who the Dolans should have gotten but didn’t because they were so cheap. Other than, of course, Manny and Jim. Here’s a news flash: they’ve been gone a long time. Eight years later is a bit late to complain about not giving Manny the money he wanted. So…who should they have gotten last year but didn’t because the Dolans were too cheap to bid on them?

Go ahead, I’m waiting.

That’s what I thought. You don’t know. Because, really, there wasn’t anybody.

For that matter, let’s go back through the years and see who the Dolans should have bid on. And while we’re looking, let’s ask a San Francisco how paying top dollar and then some for a name pitcher (Barry Zito) has worked out for them.

Meantime, Dolans have stepped up to the plate to make sure a Jake Westbrook and Travis Hafner have long term contracts here (or should they have been able to foresee the problems those players have had?)as well as players like Grady Sizemore.

Listen, I know the Tribe sucks right now. But is it Dolan’s fault that Carmona, Martinez and Hafner are hurt? Is it Dolan’s fault that JoBo gets 46 saves last year and stinks this year? Is it Dolan’s fault Betancourt stinks this year? Is it Dolan’s fault that Garko stinks this year? Is it Dolans fault that Gutierrez stinks this year? Is it Dolan’s fault…well, you get my drift.

The bottom line is this: posts like the one above ring hollow when the team stinks. We’re all angry. But we should direct that anger where it belongs: athletes who make millions of dollars but don’t perform.

For what it is worth — whoever was on the air on WTAM on Sunday evening was critical of the situation, and the point was made: why do we accept the excuse that this is a mid-market team? And he was lamenting all those in the media who would be focusing on evaluating the incoming players instead of the examining the woeful situation with management and ownership — but he didn’t point it as starkly and precisely as you did here.

As for me, I quit going to games for the most part after the Colon trade. I used to go to several games a season, but that’s stopped. To me, it is simple: I won’t pay for a seat if the ownership won’t pay to put the talent on the field. So, until there is a salary cap or ownership that will pay what it takes to get the job done, I can’t be invested in this team.

Call me a fair-weather fan, if you want. But here is what I am not: a sucker.