What you say? The Indians made the 2009 MLB Playoffs? Didn't they just end the season on a 16 game road losing streak, longest in team history? Didn't Larry Dolan just fire the entire coaching staff including Manager Eric Wedge? Didn't the Indians win a mere half dozen games in September and fail to hold a lead in 70 consecutive innings?
All the above is true. Yet, here are the Indians that made the playoffs this year team by team:
LA Dodgers: Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Casey Blake
Philadelphia Phillies: Cliff Lee
St. Louis Cardinals: Mark DeRosa
Colorado Rockies: Rafael Betancourt
NY Yankees: CC Sabathia
Boston Red Sox: Paul Byrd, Victor Martinez
Minnesota Twins: Carl Pavano
They aren't all all-stars, but some are. Many of these players were in or approaching their contract year when the mid-market Indians traded them. They were traded not because the Indians got more in return, but because they would get virtually nothing if they didn't. No way Larry Dolan was going to pay them market price. So off go all stars Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, and Victor Martinez and Cy Young award winners CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee. Larry has seen falling attendance and ticket revenue, and just like Corporate America in this ugly recession is cutting payroll to match the revenue decline.
3/5ths of Eric Wedges 2007 playoff team's starting rotation (CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Paul Byrd) are gone. As for the other two 2007 starter Fausto Carmona had a disastrous season and Jake Westbrook was on the DL. Eric Wedge looked long and hard for consistent starting pitching all season. He got some from lefties Aaron Laffey, David Huff and Jeremy Sowers, but not nearly enough.
Was it fair that Eric Wedge and his entire coaching staff were fired? IMO, clearly not. Eric had no chance with the trading of top notch free agents, underperforming players like Travis Haffner, the turnover in the pitching staff, and an inconsistent closer in Kerry Wood. The coaching staff was fired to try to convince the fans management is not satisfied with the way the team is playing. Don't be fooled into thinking it will help. The team is young and lacking in talent right now. No coaching staff could have done any better.
I wish Eric Wedge and his coaching staff well. It won't be long before they will be coaching again somewhere.
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