The Energon Pub

[Rodimus Prime]

The Indians just won their 5th game in a row. World Series, baby!

If that happens, I will eat my G1 Devastator set.

SO sig-worthy!

[First-Aid]

The Indians just won their 5th game in a row. World Series, baby!

If that happens, I will eat my G1 Devastator set.

SO sig-worthy!

WOOHOO! I'm immortalized in kilobytey goodness!


On a baseball note, Buerhle was almost perfect again last night, setting a major league record for consecutive batters retired at 45. Very impressive streak.

The Cubs are getting hot- 9-3 since the break. Look out for them...

[Rodimus Prime]

Yes!!! Cubs vs. Indians. Best World Series ever. You know, as an Indians fan, i'm glad the Cubs are around. If they had won the WS recently, or never been around, the Indians would be the worst team out there. Indians won the last World Series in 1948, and the Cubs in 1908.

[Evolution Prime]

On a baseball note, Buerhle was almost perfect again last night, setting a major league record for consecutive batters retired at 45. Very impressive streak.

Yeah but he still lost to the Twins. As a Twins fan, I support that outcome.

On another note, the Indians traded away another Cy Young winner. Cliff Lee is going to the Phillies for 4 prospects. This is all still pending due to physicals and such.

[Delicon]

On another note, the Indians traded away another Cy Young winner. Cliff Lee is going to the Phillies for 4 prospects. This is all still pending due to physicals and such.

This deal is so much better than the deal everyone in Philly seemed to want.

[Rodimus Prime]

It's official. With all due respect to Victor Martinez and Grady Sizemore, there is no longer a professional major league baseball team in Cleveland. I'm gonna start rooting for my second team, the Texas Rangers. As long as the Dolans own the Indians, I refuse to have anything to do with them.

[First-Aid]

Wonder what happened to Cleveland...are the owners just cheap or something? I can't imagine the attendance is that bad...

[Rodimus Prime]

The attendance is average. Progressive Field seat about 43000 and they regularly pull in 25000. But yes, the owners are CHEAP. And their GM, Mark Shapiro, is an idiot. The man has no baseball sense. He was hired to be financially efficient. Too bad he doesn't know how to do that without sacrificing talent. Where are John Hart and Mike Hargrove...?

[First-Aid]

My Cubbies have been handicapped with a similar situation. The Tribue Co. has owned the Cubs (until recently) and always wanted to make a profit. THe Cubs sell themselves well...Wrigley Field even more so. Virtually every game has been a sellout since the mid-80's. But the Cubs haven't spent on anything until recently. THe only team with a higher revenue stream than the Cubs is the Yankees. No team draws more on the road than the Cubs. But with ownership in flux and the bankruptcy of Tribune Co. the Cubs haven't been able to spend on anything...they really can't until a new owner is picked. Mark Cuban wanted to buy them originally, had the best financial backing, and cash up front, but Sam Zell (the new owner...think Richard Gere's character in "Pretty Woman"..buy up a company and sell the parts) picked another local buyer. Since then, that buyer hasn't been able to come up with the money and Cuban has backed out, saying MLB doesn't want him in their little club. I agree. Cuban would have been a great owner...especially in a league where money talks and there is no salary cap.

On the positive side, as I write this the Cubs are once again pounding the crap out of Houston. 12-0 last night, 10-3 so far today. Houston's bullpen is shot for weeks...especially after playing 13 innings in the first game of the series.

[Rodimus Prime]

Yeah, Mark Cuban would be a good owner. At least he fights for the team. For the Mavs anyway. And he's a good businessman. I root for the Cubs and the Mets in the National league. And I really do want to see the Cubs against the Indians in a World Series in my lifetime.

[First-Aid]

Trade deadline was today...and lo and behold, who makes the biggest move? The WHITE SOX!! What the hell? The Sox just got Jake Peavy from San Diego for four pitchers. The Cubs did make a trade, getting not one but TWO left handed relievers from Pittsburgh for virtually nothing.

Oh, and an Indians-Cubs World Series? Cleveland is more likely to get there than the Cubs...

[Rodimus Prime]

Well, the Indians got rid of one more cornerstone of their future, Victor Martinez. This was a great deal for the Ratcox.

[First-Aid]

Cubs made a minor deal with Pittsburgh and acquired two lefties for their bullpen. Meh. They lost to boot.

[Evolution Prime]

Trade deadline was today...and lo and behold, who makes the biggest move? The WHITE SOX!! What the hell? The Sox just got Jake Peavy from San Diego for four pitchers.

God I hate those White Sox! What the Twins get? Orlando Cabrerra...

[First-Aid]

Orlando Cabrera? I didn't even know he was still playing! I thought he'd retired or his arm had fallen off or soemthing...

[Evolution Prime]

Yeah they traded an A or AA shortstop for him and cash. FFS they should have went after an RP to get them to Nathan. If they let Mauer and Morneau leave like they did with Hunter and Santana, I just may have to become a Royals fan.

At least the Twins are still in the hunt in possibly the worst division in baseball this year.

[Evolution Prime]

Cubs made a minor deal with Pittsburgh and acquired two lefties for their bullpen. Meh. They lost to boot.

Sucks to be a Pirates fan. They have pretty much traded their entire 2008 opening day roster. Haven't had a winning season since Bonds left. Looks like it may be a while before they do again.

[First-Aid]

I feel sorry for fans of teams like Kansas City, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati. If the players union continues to refuse to allow a salary cap, these teams will never compete again. Their income just can't hold up to the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, and Dodgers. All three of the other major sports leagues have hard salary caps...and guess what? IT WORKS! The players still make a buttload of jack and pretty much everyone has a chance to win a title (except the Cleveland Browns). The challenge is building a team within that annual cap...and several teams do it well: the Red Wings contend perenially. The Patriots have managed quite nicely. The Knicks...oh...wait a minute...forget that. The difference is that they have to pay SMART rather than through the nose. There are a few teams in baseball that have done that: the White Sox have done relatively well with a lower payroll...so have the Twins. The Rays may be the model franchise in the bigs...they did it the right way by spending smart and stocking their farm system with a plethora of talent. Until Bud Lite Selig grows a pair and a backbone or the players wise up, small market teams will be screwed long term.

On a lighter note, FireDustyBaker.blogspot.com is up and running again...how did someone who was such an idiot get the reputation as a great manager? San Fran and Chicago have felt the pain Reds fans are feeling now...and we sympathize.

[Evolution Prime]

And the Indians get rid of another player. Carl Pavano was traded to the Twins after clearing waivers. Twins sending a played to be named later.

Pavano was actually a pretty decent pitcher this year. He had a couple bad outings to start the years but has gotten better. Only reason I know was because he is on one of my fantasy teams. Hopefully he can improve some more under the Twins and pass those effing White Sox and Tigers.

[First-Aid]

Does Cleveland actually have a enough players to field a team?!?!?

[Rodimus Prime]

They got about 20 minor leaguers for all the actual talented players they traded. So they better. Mark Shapiro, the Indians GM, actually admitted to giving up on the 2010 season as well, to "build a longterm contender." In Cleveland, the Indians have been doing that since 1997.

And Pavano was actually doing very good. Much better than he did in New York.

[First-Aid]

I'm trying to figure out my Cubs. Just when they get things going we lose people to injury. If they make the postseason it'll be a miracle...but I don't think they will go anywhere. The bullpen is just too messed up. There is a reason why Florida didn't re-sign Kevin Gregg...it's because he sucks. Marmol has been more marmolade than pitcher lately (nyuk nyuk!). I just don't know what to think of them. Granted, if they do make the postseason it'll be tough to beat them with that starting pitching.

[Rodimus Prime]

What's the word on Zambrano? How long will he be out? I like that guy. He can talk trash but he backs it up.

And the Indians beat up the White Sox, you're welcome.

[First-Aid]

Back spasms...he'll be out until the 17th of August. Not good. Every time we get someone back we lose two people. And you can beat up the Sox all you want to..

[Rodimus Prime]

That's not good about Zambrano. I hope he'll be alright...he's worth 2 starters...

And the Indians made Ozzie Guillen cry. Funny.