over the past 10 days, the Indians have done some dealing and today specifically, on August 7, a big deal went down. so i'm going to take a minute to say goodbye to the 5 men who started 2015 as Cleveland Indians and will now be finishing their years elsewhere. usually i reserve these types of blogs for the guys who've spent a long duration of time with the team, but i will recognize everybody here because i feel like that's the right thing to do.
i briefly acknowledged the David Murphy trade in my latest Brantley blog, but i didn't get into all the details. he was traded on July 28 to the Los Angeles Angels for Double A shortstop, Eric Stamets. Murph's only been with the Indians since 2014 and had the most impact this season, when he was platooning with Ryan Raburn and playing mainly against right-handed starters. he seemed like a nice guy, hell his nickname was "Good Guy." i never had any interaction with him. in all the games i went to in the past 2 years--17 to this point--he never once signed an autograph. never before a game or after in the players parking lot. that disappointed me. but i wish him, his wife Andrea, his daughters Faith and Madison, and son Cole all the best.
Murphy had this to say a few days after the trade:
Showing posts with label Michael Bourn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Bourn. Show all posts
Friday, August 7, 2015
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Where's My Brantley Bobblehead?
i've been on a blogging hiatus long enough. i think it's time to get this thing active again, and i have the perfect topic to start off 2014: where is my Michael Brantley bobblehead?
so the Cleveland Indians released their "tentative" promotional schedule today, and i have to say while it's a bit underwhelming, one thing on there really ticked me off: why on earth is Michael Bourn being given a bobblehead when he's only been with the team for one year, and a bad year at that? last year, Bourn was a late offseason acquisition, and after he signed with the team, the Indians added a Michael Bourn replica jersey giveaway to the promo schedule. that didn't sit well with me either, but i wasn't that argumentative about it because a Michael Brantley replica jersey giveaway was already on the schedule. however, this bobblehead issue has me more than irked and i gotta get my anger out.
what exactly is the reasoning behind giving Bourn his own bobblehead? it certainly wasn't a reward for his amazing performance last year. and it sure as hell wasn't for having "paid his dues" as far as being on the team for many seasons and "earning" it. so i have to assume it's either because he's one of the highest paid guys on the team, making it almost an "obligated" promo, or simply because of the reputation he has as being an amazing base stealer and good leadoff man, neither of which the Indians nor its fans witnessed last year. this is just like, congratulations for playing like crap, now here's a bobblehead. sometimes this team just makes me wanna... >O
now let's move the discussion over to my Michael, Mr. Brantley. why DIDN'T the Indians give Brantley a bobblehead this season? here are my arguments for why he deserves it over Bourn.
--i'll start with the obvious stats fact that besides stolen bases, triples, and runs scored, Brantley excelled over Bourn in every category last season.
--Brantley has been a regular player for the Indians for the last 3 seasons and he's gotten better every season.
--he's the most consistent hitter on the team.
--he's become a very clutch hitter, one who most fans want to see at the plate when guys are in scoring position.
--he played a tremendous left field last season, and played it without complaint when he had to move from center to left because Bourn was brought in.
--and let's not forget that he also set a new franchise record by playing flawless defense in the outfield in 245 consecutive games, a record that he will continue to add onto once the 2014 season gets started again.
so if all that doesn't make a player a high priority candidate to receive a promotional bobblehead, then i don't know what will.
and granted, you could make a case for a few other current Indians players who did not get a bobblehead this year, but since this is a Brantley blog, i am just going to argue for my boy.
you don't have to be Brantley's biggest fan to clearly see that Brantley's resume with the Indians is WAY more impressive than anything Bourn did in his one disappointing season here so far. but i should have seen this coming. after all, with the way the Indians low-balled Brantley with that 2.7 million dollar contract offer (and i will be writing a blog about Brantley's new contract once the deal gets done), it's clear they don't always value consistency and compliance as much as they value power hitters and "flash," even if the power and flash have been absent for some time. at least i've got your back, Brantley <3
i know the promo schedule is subject to change, but i don't see them adding a Brantley bobble at any point this season. i can think of no more appropriate way to end this first blog of 2014 other than by using the popular and devastating Cleveland sports phrase, "there's always next year."
so the Cleveland Indians released their "tentative" promotional schedule today, and i have to say while it's a bit underwhelming, one thing on there really ticked me off: why on earth is Michael Bourn being given a bobblehead when he's only been with the team for one year, and a bad year at that? last year, Bourn was a late offseason acquisition, and after he signed with the team, the Indians added a Michael Bourn replica jersey giveaway to the promo schedule. that didn't sit well with me either, but i wasn't that argumentative about it because a Michael Brantley replica jersey giveaway was already on the schedule. however, this bobblehead issue has me more than irked and i gotta get my anger out.
what exactly is the reasoning behind giving Bourn his own bobblehead? it certainly wasn't a reward for his amazing performance last year. and it sure as hell wasn't for having "paid his dues" as far as being on the team for many seasons and "earning" it. so i have to assume it's either because he's one of the highest paid guys on the team, making it almost an "obligated" promo, or simply because of the reputation he has as being an amazing base stealer and good leadoff man, neither of which the Indians nor its fans witnessed last year. this is just like, congratulations for playing like crap, now here's a bobblehead. sometimes this team just makes me wanna... >O
now let's move the discussion over to my Michael, Mr. Brantley. why DIDN'T the Indians give Brantley a bobblehead this season? here are my arguments for why he deserves it over Bourn.
--i'll start with the obvious stats fact that besides stolen bases, triples, and runs scored, Brantley excelled over Bourn in every category last season.
--Brantley has been a regular player for the Indians for the last 3 seasons and he's gotten better every season.
--he's the most consistent hitter on the team.
--he's become a very clutch hitter, one who most fans want to see at the plate when guys are in scoring position.
--he played a tremendous left field last season, and played it without complaint when he had to move from center to left because Bourn was brought in.
--and let's not forget that he also set a new franchise record by playing flawless defense in the outfield in 245 consecutive games, a record that he will continue to add onto once the 2014 season gets started again.
so if all that doesn't make a player a high priority candidate to receive a promotional bobblehead, then i don't know what will.
and granted, you could make a case for a few other current Indians players who did not get a bobblehead this year, but since this is a Brantley blog, i am just going to argue for my boy.
you don't have to be Brantley's biggest fan to clearly see that Brantley's resume with the Indians is WAY more impressive than anything Bourn did in his one disappointing season here so far. but i should have seen this coming. after all, with the way the Indians low-balled Brantley with that 2.7 million dollar contract offer (and i will be writing a blog about Brantley's new contract once the deal gets done), it's clear they don't always value consistency and compliance as much as they value power hitters and "flash," even if the power and flash have been absent for some time. at least i've got your back, Brantley <3
i know the promo schedule is subject to change, but i don't see them adding a Brantley bobble at any point this season. i can think of no more appropriate way to end this first blog of 2014 other than by using the popular and devastating Cleveland sports phrase, "there's always next year."
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