One fan wants to give Victor Martinez a proper reception when the former Indians catcher returns to Cleveland with the Red Sox.
Victor Martinez didn't complete his career as a Cleveland Indian, but at least one fan holds no grudges when he returns Monday with the Red Sox.Hey, Hoynsie: I'm writing with the hope that your readers will make the effort to attend Monday's game against the Red Sox. This will be Victor Martinez's first game back in Cleveland, and I remember how devoted he was to this organization and how teary-eyed he became when speaking to reporters after the trade.
He loved Cleveland, and the fans owe it to him to show how much we appreciated his love for the Tribe. I think Victor deserves a big standing ovation when he first comes to the plate. I hope to see everyone there. -- Jody Michael, Rootstown
Hey, Jody: Great idea.
Some players will always be Indians no matter what uniform they wear or where they go after leaving Cleveland: Mike Hargrove, Kenny Lofton, Albert Belle, Sandy Alomar Jr., Carlos Baerga, Omar Vizquel, Charles Nagy, Lenny Barker, Duane Kuiper, Rick Manning, CC Sabathia, Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome all meet the requirements. I'm sure there are several others.
Martinez definitely fits into that category.
Hey, Hoynsie: Don't you think it would be wise of Tribe ownership/management to reach out to the fans? Maybe stop gouging fans for food and drink at the park, kids are always free etc? They still seem so smug, arrogant yet unknowing. -- Gus Fring, Ashland
Hey, Gus: Do you want them to just open the gates and let everyone in for free?
I understand what you're saying, but the Indians have a lot of discounted ticket plans. I doubt they're going to start giving out free food. There's always $1 dog night. Maybe they'll bring back 10 cent beer night.
The histrionics used by some umpires -- such as Chris Guccione on this ejection on Friday night of Texas manager Ron Washington -- have worn out their welcome with many fans.Hey, Hoynsie: Any chance that Bud Selig will ever become completely disgusted with these showboating umpires and actually do something about them? Or will he need to form another committee? -- Terry Modory, Middleburg Heights
Hey, Terry: Several years ago, when the umpires were brought under the rule of the commissioner, some veteran umpires were let go who had become entities unto themselves. They were replaced by younger umpires as baseball tried to introduce a more uniformed strike zone.
Now it seems like the same thing is happening again.
Umpires such as Joe West, Jim Joyce, Bill Hohn have created a lot of unwelcome news recently. Still, the umpires have a union and Selig can't randomly fire them.
Last week, however, Selig said that he would review the umpiring system following several incidents, including Joyce's blown call of Armando Galarraga's perfect game, and consider an expanded use of replay. If I were an umpire, I'd consider myself put on notice.
Hey, Hoynsie: Some baseball people believe that team defense starts at first base. We know GM Mark Shapiro is a nonbeliever. What about Chris Antonetti? Might we finally see a legit first baseman under his watch? -- Walter White, Cleveland
Hey, Walter: If I could have a first baseman who could field and hit like Mark Teixeira, I'd take him in a second, but I don't think he's going to fit in the Tribe's budget. As far as building a good defensive team from scratch, I've got to start up the middle -- catcher, shortstop, second base and center field.
I know Shapiro feels that way. I would imagine Antonetti does as well.
Hey, Hoynsie: Umpires usually call close calls in favor of the home team, don't they? If umpires are employed by MLB and not teams, how is this favoritism possible? -- Leon Kimmelfield, Shaker Heights
Hey, Leon: Are you sure about that?
I just covered a game last week where the first-base umpire cost a hometown pitcher a perfect game with a bad call on what should have been the 27th and final out of the game.
Is Carlos Santana is most coveted Indian that most fans have never seen?Hey, Hoynsie: Why not bring up Carlos Santana? What do the Indians have to lose? -- Johnny D'ambrosia, Garfield Heights
Hey, Johnny: The Indians say Santana still needs to do some work defensively, especially when it comes to throwing out runners.
I'm sure they're punching their calculators right now to make sure that when he is called up he won't get enough service time to be eligible for arbitration as a super two player.
Players with three full seasons in the big leagues are eligible for arbitration. If a player is in the upper 17 percent of players with fewer than three years, but more than two, he's also eligible for arbitration.
Still, I side with you. Bring the kid up and let's see him play.
Hey, Hoynsie: Is it me, or is Manny Acta the bilingual version of Eric Wedge? Both are dull, slow starters, and can't motivate players if their lives depended on it. -- Frank Jacett, Cleveland
Hey, Frank: I think it's you.
If you don't deal with someone on a daily basis, it's hard to form an opinion on them. Acta has been a blast to cover. He's fun, quick-witted and a great quote. He has a deep understanding of the game and where the Indians are right now as a team.
If you don't think Wedge could motivate, you weren't paying attention when he managed in Cleveland. He took a rebuilding team from 2003 to within one victory of reaching the World Series in 2007 on a restricted payroll.
That's nothing but motivation, people skills and making the right decisions at the right time.
Yeah Frank, I think it's you, definitely you.
Hey, Hoynsie: Besides catcher Carlos Santana, who are the Indians' can't-miss prospects down on the farm? How much longer are we going to have to wait before calling on the farm system? -- Saul Goodman, Cleveland
Hey, Saul: I hate that phrase, can't miss. Anybody tagged with it has a good chance of missing the boat.
So let's just talk about prospects, regardless of classification.
Reliever Frank Herrmann arrived Friday. Shelley Duncan, who made a great catch in left field in Friday's victory over Chicago, is already here. As are Jason Donald, Matt LaPorta, Justin Masterson, Luis Valbuena, Trevor Crowe, Mitch Talbot, Lou Marson, Chris Perez and Tony Sipp.
I would imagine they'll be joined by Santana, Michael Brantley, Jordan Brown, Joe Smith, Jess Todd and, perhaps, Carlos Carrasco sometime near or after the All-Star break.
Those are a lot of players for you to study. Maybe even a couple of them will turn into can't-miss big leaguers.
Hey, Hoynsie: Counting Kerry Wood, Jake Westbrook and Jhonny Peralta, the Indians have $25 million coming off the books at the end of this season. With interest in the team already at a low level, don't you feel they have to spend some of that on a solid free agent or two? -- David Gumola, Cleveland
Hey, David: No, I don't. I think the payroll will keep decreasing. There is no way this team will be ready to win next year. Then and only then will the Dolans take a chance on an expensive free agent or trade.
Where have you gone, Scott Lewis? At least one fan's lonely eyes have turned to the ex-Indians pitcher.Hey, Hoynsie: I saw where Scott Lewis had been released -- what happened? I had just read where he had started the year 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA at Class AAA Columbus. -- Julie Kochert, Old Fort, N.C.
Hey, Julie: Chris Antonetti, the general manager in waiting, said that they needed Lewis' spot at Columbus to make other moves. Lewis, who spent almost all last season on the big-league disabled list with elbow problem, had already been on the DL once this year before the Indians dropped him.
Hey, Hoynsie: Carlos Santana is tearing up Class AAA pitching. If his defense is not major-league ready, will the Indians consider a position change to get his bat up here? -- Robert Driscoll, Parma
Hey, Robert: If the Indians were contending, and needed help offensively, I believe Santana would be here today as the starting catcher.
Now, the Indians feel there's no need to rush him. They want him to work as much as he can on his defense. I was talking to Sandy Alomar Jr., the first-base coach and catching instructor. He said Santana has to work on the transfer of the ball from his glove to his throwing hand when it comes to throwing out runners. Santana has a strong arm, but he has to get rid of the ball faster.
If Santana simply can't catch, certainly a position change would be in order because from what the Indians say his bat is ready. But I don't think that's the case at all.
Hey, Hoynsie: I need help sorting out the current Tribe corporate thinking. Since the strategic plan obviously was to lose this year and next, is Grady Sizemore's injury viewed as "negative" (unable to deal him for prospects multiple years before his free agency) or "positive" (declining open market value increasing chances of resigning him)? I know from a normal baseball perspective (where the goal is to win games) the injury would be a huge negative, but these are not normal times. -- Steve Cornelius, Avon Lake
Hey, Steve: No matter what Sizemore's physical condition, I don't think the Indians had any intention of trading him this year. He's signed through 2011 with a club option for 2012.
Ideally, they wanted Sizemore to play this season at full strength and help carry this rebuilding team through some rough waters. Now he's out six to nine months following last week's surgery on his left knee. In that regard, it's a big negative.
Trade wise, it certainly puts Sizemore's value in question for 2011. It might even give the Indians pause when it comes to picking up his option for 2012.
Hey, Hoynsie: I watched the Yankees-Indians on Memorial Day on the Yankees' television feed. With all their pomp and pageantry, it appeared that the Yankees are trying to become the most patriotic team in baseball. -- Lenny LaRocca, Mansfield
Hey, Lenny: It was a moving tribute to our country and the men and women who serve it. The Yankees have taken special pride in honoring America and its armed forces since the September 11 terrorists attack on New York City.
Hey, Hoynsie: Do you have knowledge of what Chris Antonetti's responsibilities have been? I'm concerned that his input/information gathering has been relied upon for many of GM Mark Shapiro's poor decisions. -- Henry Schrader, Massillon
Hey, Henry: I can tell you that no one has worked closer with Shapiro than Antonetti. In the end, however, the final decision always rests with one man -- the general manager.
Hey, Hoynsie: You've written several times that the Tribe has budgeted for the 2010 draft. In past years, have budget restraints determined who they have drafted? Is that why their drafts have been failures? -- Kenny Power, Columbus
Hey, Kenny: In some cases that's certainly happened. I think it's happened with most big-league teams, but I don't think that's the only reason the Indians have struggled in the draft.
-- Hoynsie