July 2
Cleveland Plain Dealer
columnist Bill Livingston
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Nearly midseason, and Cleveland is held hostage. Down and down the Tribe goes. Where it stops, nobody knows. Given the expectations for the season, manager Eric Wedge would not make it to the All-Star break in some organizations. But he will with the Indians, who think stagnation is the same as stability. Given that Wedge has guided the team to only one playoff berth in seven years, he might not last the season in most organizations. But after all the beat-downs lately, all the games when it gets late early, all the other games when the bullpen implodes, he will probably last the season. Given the stubbornness and loyalty of his boss, partner and apologist, Mark Shapiro, he might be ..."
June 30
Akron Beacon Journal
columnist Patrick McManmon
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It's reached the point with the Indians that they trade Mark DeRosa and it feels like they traded Mark McGwire. The St. Louis Cardinals must have thought the same thing. They put DeRosa in the fourth spot in the lineup in his first game. Behind Albert Pujols. Gotta protect Pujols, after all. On one level, the DeRosa trade makes sense. He's 34, he's going to be a free agent and the Indians are going nowhere. Except that the Indians say that the relief pitcher they got for DeRosa - Chris Perez - was acquired to help this year. So they evidently think that they can still go somewhere this year. The likeliest place seems to be Hale Farm, on the train. It's not right or fair to make too much of ..."