Any faithful Cleveland sports fan has to thank God for the Cavaliers, because I have never seen such chaotic, arrogant incompetence from the other two teams in town.
Here I won't touch the Browns, not even from 500 miles away. Enough have (rightfully) gouged Eric Mangini, and until Randy Lerner decides to sell, I can't allow myself to care.
But baseball is different; while there should be ample cause for watching a potentially epic World Series, I am stuck on the Indians.
Unfortunately, the gut-punch from the masterful choke in the 2007 League Championship never fully heals. I desperately want to forget, just as I'd like all memories of this disastrous season washed clean.
But I won't get that, not when Charley Manuel has the Phillies in a second straight World Series, not when the two Cy Youngs produced by the Indians, CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee, face each other in Game One, and certainly not when another on-the-cheap managerial hire leaves fans angrily scratching their heads again.
Sabathia just won ALCS MVP honors; in 2007, he couldn't find the strike zone with anything but meatballs the Red Sox were ready to pummel. The Indians left Cliff Lee off the playoff roster before he went onto his magic 22-3 performance in 2008. He pitched just as well this year, but for another spit-and-duct tape Indians team of super-utility players, injured players ready for the scrap heap (see Hafner, Travis) and headcases (see Carmona, Fausto).
First, they take a page from the Randy Lerner playbook and pick a coach nobody wanted aside from the equally inept Houston Astros. I want to give Manny Acta the benefit of the doubt, to overlook that atrocious record with the Washington Nationals, but my gut rumbles with the same uneasiness I had when the Browns hired Mangini. Hearing him talk about Travis Hafner coming back from injuries ... well, I don't know any Indians fan who think the damaged slugger will do more than hit the occasion single between rehab spells until his contract lapses and he retires.
Baseball people rave about Acta's preparations, but let's face it - so long as the Dolans own the Indians, Cleveland won't be a desirable stop for a manager. If they had fired Mike Hargrove in 1997 like John Hart wanted, there would have been no shortage of candidates. Dick Jacobs looks so much better all the time.
Ten years later, Larry Dolan's line about a string of championships couldn't feel more ridiculous. Profits taking precedent over playoffs (I know the Dolans claimed losses of $16 million this year, but team ownership is generally a break-even proposition at best outside of NYC). Why would Don Mattingly come here knowing Joe Torre might retire after 2010? Why would Bobby Valentine commit when he had an ESPN gig waiting him?
Every fan wants to think the best coaches want to turn their teams around, but the Dolans have given no inclination they will support it with resources. This team's future is so muddled that the likely Opening Day starter could be a guy who hasn't pitched in two years. Otherwise, pick a name out of a hat.
Pitchers and catchers don't report until February, but the path of baseball in Cleveland already feels too bleak.
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