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| What if...Indians ownership wasn't okay with being mediocre? Photo from brianpenzone of Flickr |
Perhaps I shouldn't say the "Dolans" though, since Pluto's interview was only with Paul. But my opinion still remains—the Indians ownership needs a serious attitude adjustment if it intends to make the organization one that can contend for World Series titles.
Let's start with the obvious. Pluto quotes the Indians payroll as $71 million, 26th out of the 30 teams. The average MLB payroll is $105 million. I'm not going to argue that the Indians payroll should be over 100 million, since that's just not going to happen, but there really is no reason in the world the Indians payroll can't be $80 million. I've been saying that since the last offseason, and I still believe it's true.
And yet, Dolan said to Pluto that "there is no expectation the payroll for next year will be substantially different from prior years."
I don't think anyone is asking for something unreasonable. Fans just want the payroll to be competitive with the rest of the league.
But what really, truly frustrates me is what Dolan said about the trio of Chris Antonetti, Mark Shapiro and Manny Acta. Keep in mind that this Indians team was supposed to compete for division titles in 2012 and 2013. The Antonetti-led front office made that clear by trading for Ubaldo Jimenez at the deadline last year.
Regardless, Pluto reports Dolan had this to say about the three amigos:
"We assess everyone at the end of every season...As painful as this has been, I don't want to get into some knee-jerk reactions."
Oh really? I think Scott Radinsky might disagree with you on that, Paul. Unless he doesn't count as "everyone."
Nevertheless, Dolan also had this to say specifically about Antonetti.
"It's not fair just to judge [Antonetti] on the last year or so...He has been with us for a long time [since 1999] and has been the architect of some deals that turned out very well—long before he became general manager."
You see, the way people in the Indians organization use the term "knee-jerk" makes me think that they don't exactly realize what it means. Does Dolan really think it's unfair to judge a GM over a body of work that extends past two years? I'm talking back into 2010, when it was announced Antonetti woud officially take over the GM role after the season, after being trained to do so for a few years.
Well fine then. Since Antonetti came to the organization in 1999, the Indians have made it to the playoffs twice. Two times in 13 seasons. And really, I don't think the 2001 playoff appearance should even count (the 1999 appearance most certainly doesn't, which is why I didn't even consider it). That was John Hart's team, and if anyone gets an assist it's Shapiro.
From 2000 and beyond, the Indians have a combined record of 1,017 - 1,039. That's a winning percentage of just .495. That, to me, paints a bold picture of mediocrity.
Is that what the Dolans want?
And if even if you don't just want to go from the last couple of years, let's take a look at what the team has done since it finished one game short of the World Series in 2007.
From 2008 and going into Friday's contest against Boston, the Indians have a record of 347 - 413. That's a winning percentage of just .456.
Why is this good enough?
When the GM puts together a team with nine left handed hitters and five right handed starters that he claims he "expects to contend" that ends up losing 11 games in a row, at some point you've got to think about a change.
This is not a "knee-jerk" reaction. A winning percentage below .500 since 2000 and significantly under .500 since 2008 should not be acceptable. I don't care how many good trades he might have made, he undeniably blew the CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee trades. In fact, an argument could be made that he blew the Victor Martinez trade as well.
And this gets me to why the Dolans are soft. Nancys. Sissies. Wussies. Or another word that you could probably guess, but I won't write it here.
To them, loyalty is more important than results. Loyalty to a team President in Mark Shapiro and a GM in Chris Antonetti that have had one playoff appearance since 2002.
What if...a winning percentage under .500 wasn't good enough?
What if...the Indians had an owner that wasn't satisfied with mediocrity?
If the team isn't for sale, then the Dolans are going to have to show that they actually want to win. Firing Antonetti—and perhaps Shapiro as well—would send a message to the fans that .500 isn't good enough.
And that's exactly the message this fan base wants to receive.
~MAS
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