In making my decision I realize that I am leaving two incredibly talented partners in Tom Hamilton and Mike Hegan.  I will miss working with them but, they will always be in the booth right next door.  I will always be grateful to the Indians organization for giving me the opportunity to join the radio broadcast team seven years ago and I make this move with their full support.

   I have had the chance to work with some of the best broadcasters in Cleveland sports history.  My career began at WEWS-TV 5 in 1990 where I worked under the tutelage of the late Nev Chandler.  He was a consummate professional and always encouraged me in my career endeavors.  Working with Tom Hamilton the past seven years in some ways was like working with an extension of Nev.  They have their own distinct styles but, each taught me lessons about preparation and work ethic that I wont soon forget.

   Mike Hegan opened my eyes to watching the game of baseball in an entirely different way.  He welcomed me to the booth and helped me better understand the "game within the game" and never once talked down to me even though he's forgotten more baseball than I will ever know.

   Now I have the pleasure of sharing the booth with one of my favorite Indians players, Rick Manning.  We worked together on a show 10 years ago called, "Tribe TV" and had a blast doing it.  I truly look forward to learning more about the game from his vast knowledge as well as bringing my own insights to the telecasts.

   Finally I want to thank the loyal radio listeners for their support over the past seven years and look forward to your viewership on STO.  Its been a busy off-season already and I am truly looking forward to getting back down to Winter Haven, Florida for spring training.

*********

On a side note...I recently made the pilgrimage to the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa with my Father and son.  Even if you are not a baseball fan, its worth the trip.  We had a great time and it truly is a magical place.  I'll never forget when my Dad said, "Its just dirt and grass and corn, and yet its so much more than that.  It brings back so many memories of baseball and family.  It really is a field of dreams."

   Its pretty obvious at this point that the Tribe will need to find a veteran closer through free agency.  Fausto Carmona has not been the same pitcher ever since he was inserted into the closer's role.  Maybe he can settle back into the set-up role or perhaps he is best suited as a starter.  Shapiro has said that the bullpen will need a dramatic overhaul for next year.

   When you look at the infield I think the jury is still out on whether Andy Marte can be the everyday third baseman next year.  His defense has been excellent but, offensively he has a long way to go.  In fact there are some people in the Indians organization who think Kevin Kouzmanoff might challenge Marte for the third base job next spring.  Kouzmanoff batted .389 in 67 games at AA and in his first 13 games at AAA batted .367 with 4 homers and 8 rbi.

   Ryan Garko is making a strong case to be the Indians first baseman next year.  He has improved defensively and is swinging a very productive bat at the major league level.  The Indians would like to add a corner player with power and experience.  If its a first baseman or a third baseman then will the Indians look to trade from a position of depth? 

   There is also a need for a second baseman.  Joe Inglett has showed alot of promise but, may be best suited in the role of super utility man.  He can play second, short, left and center plus he brings energy and enthusiasm to the ballclub.

   No team in baseball ever overlooks pitching but, the Indians could easily go into next year with the same starting rotation.  The current starting five have the 4th best ERA among starters in the American League.  Jeremy Sowers, another rookie, has been a quick study in how to adjust to major league hitters.  He may not possess the power arm of a Francisco Liriano but, he knows how to attack hitters and win.

   No team relishes the role of spoiler but, the Indians will have some say as to who wins the Central Division and the Wild Card.  Just how well the Tribe's young players perform down the stretch in many of those games will go a long way in determining what the front office does in the off-season. 

   The Indians situation may seem bleak to some but, consider this.  The Tigers lost 91 games last year and they're running away with the division in '06.  Even Minnesota is on pace to win over 90 games after an 83-79 season a year ago.  It proves that with a few key moves, and approximately $20 million to spend in free agency the Indians could be right back in contention next year.

   Colavito and Score, two of the most popular players in team history remain close friends to this day. 

   "Sudden Sam" McDowell, who blew fastballs by hitters in overpowering fashion went to the All-Star game 6 times during his career and was a 20-game winner for the Tribe in 1970. 

   Al Rosen remains the last Indians player to win the AL MVP award back in 1953, and came within a single hit of winning the Triple Crown (.336 BA, 43 HR, 145 RBI) losing the batting title by .001.

   "El Senor", Al Lopez was at the helm of the 1954 Indians team that won the American League pennant with a 111-win season.  He remains the Tribe's all-time leader in winning percentage with a career managerial record of 570-354.

   Perfection was the name of the game for Addie Joss back in 1908 when he threw a perfect game against Chicago, 1-0.  The perfect game performance is regarded as one of the best in baseball history because it came in the heat of a pennant race on October 2, 1908.  He won 20 games four times during his career which was tragically cut short at the age of 31 when he died of tubercular meningitis.

   Perhaps no player in the history of baseball suffered a more tragic demise than popular shortstop Ray Chapman.  On August 17, 1920 Chapman was fatally beaned by a pitch thrown by Carl Mays of the Yankees.  He was the Indians starting shortstop for 7 seasons and had tremendous range and speed.

   This honor is long overdue for these seven men who thrilled Indians fans for years with their collective efforts between the lines.  On Saturday July 29th, Jacobs Field will truly be a "Field of Dreams" because as James Earl Jones said in the movie, "These players, this game, they are a part of our past.  They remind us of what was once good, and can be again."

   Starting pitcher Jason Johnson, who hadn't won a game since April 23rd, was designated for assignment and reliever Jeremy Guthrie was sent back to AAA Buffalo.  RHP Edward Mujica, who didn't give up a single run at AA or AAA was called up to take Guthrie's spot in the bullpen.  Joe Inglett was also called up and will give Manager Eric Wedge flexibility because he can play 2b, SS, left or center field.

    The biggest move won't take place officially until Sunday when LHP Jeremy Sowers makes his major league debut against Cincinnati.  Sowers was taken with the 6th overall pick in the 2004 draft and was named the Indians minor league pitcher of the year on '05.  He will arrive at the big league level faster than anyone could have anticipated.  Sowers has been described as a "cerebral" pitcher who has a great "feel" to pitch.  What does that mean?  When CC Sabathia arrived at the big league level in 2001 he was more of a "thrower" than a "pitcher".  Sabathia relied on his 97 mph fastball to get him through his Major League indoctrination.  Sowers doesn't have a blazing fastball so he has developed his off speed pitches and has an excellent ability to locate those pitches.  He also has a great understanding of how to attack hitters by exploiting their weakness.

   Shapiro cautioned that no one should expect Sowers to carry the team on his back.  There is always a transition period for any young player making their first foray into the big leagues.  The hope with Sowers is that transition won't take nearly as long as it has with others.  The bottom line is that Jason Johnson wasn't going to get any better and with Sowers you have a pitcher that could be a permanent fixture in the Tribe's rotation for years to come.  It also shows you how desperate teams in contention are for starting pitching when the Boston Red Sox traded for Johnson the day after he was deemed expendable by the Tribe.

   Eric Wedge has also intimated that other veterans jobs could be at stake if things don't improve quickly.  The Indians aren't throwing in the towel on the season but, its obvious now they aren't going to sit around and wait to pull the trigger on more moves to try and get the most out of this season.  The Indians traded Coco Crisp in the off season to acquire a third baseman for the future in Andy Marte.  He was just named the International League player of the week when he homered in 5 straight games.  To a certain extent Sowers forced his way onto the ball club with how well he pitched at Buffalo this year.  The time may soon be coming when Marte does the same.

   The history and tradition of baseball is a living, breathing thing at Yankee Stadium.  Monument Park located beyond the center field wall pays homage to Yankee greats of the past.  When Grady Sizemore takes his position in center field he does so knowing that Joe DiMaggio once roamed the same grassy plain.  Before CC Sabathia took batting practice here on Wednesday, Jeremy Guthrie told him that he would be stepping in the same batters box that Mickey Mantle once stood in.  "That's awesome," said Sabathia.  "I want to get some pictures taken of me swinging the bat here.  I mean how many guys can say they got to hit at Yankee Stadium?"

   Yankee Stadium is located uptown in the Bronx.  If you take the 4 train downtown to Grand Central Station you will be smack in the middle of the busiest city in the world.  Just a few blocks from Grand Central is Times Square, The United Nations Building, Park Avenue and all that midtown has to offer.  If you find yourself near Grand Central at lunch time then take the 6 train downtown to Canal Street.  Walk a few blocks to Mulberry Street and check out historic Little Italy.  The street is lined with restaurants and bakeries and you can't go wrong with any of them.  My personal favorites are Il Fornaio and Pellegrino's, located only 2 doors from each other.

   If you decide to make a trip to the big apple then make sure you bring your wallet.  Prices here are enough to give Midwesterners a serious case of sticker shock!  A bottle of beer will cost you $8.25 at the hotel and at Yankee Stadium a cheese steak sandwich runs $9.75.  Of course living in NYC is a whole different story.  A small two-bedroom apartment on the low-end will cost around $2500 a month.  A parking space might cost as much as $500 monthly unless you have an SUV then the price suddenly jumps to $750.

   New York City.  It's a great place to visit but, I wouldn't want to live here.

   The Indians invited all of their full-time scouts to the draft for the first time ever, in an effort to enhance communications between the team and the player being selected.  A huge board measuring 7 feet high and 25 feet wide covers one end of the room and is filled with the names of every conceivable player available in the country.  Each area scout sits in front of a laptop computer to follow every move in the draft.

   Directly in front of the area scouts are the scouting crosscheckers and members of the front office.  Mirabelli sits in front of the big board flanked by Assistant Scouting Director Brad Grant.  Sitting immediately to their left is National Crosschecker Chuck Ricci, General Manager Mark Shapiro and Assistant GM Chris Antonetti.  On the other side of the table sit Crosscheckers Paul Cogan, Matt Ruebel and Scott Meaney.  These men all have access to the Indians Draft software program developed by Matt Tagliaferri.  This system enables them to access scouting reports on any one of the thousands of players being considered as well as on-demand video.

   When the draft begins the room falls as silent as a high school classroom on the day of final exams.  The silence is broken only by the voice on a speakerphone announcing each pick by the various teams.  After only 5 picks in the first round a familiar voice on the phone is heard announcing the Dodgers need more time to make their selection.  Its former Dodgers Manager Tommy Lasorda who finally exclaims, "The ONLY Major League Baseball team in the city of Los Angeles is the Dodgers and we select..."  This is a direct dig at the Angels who have been trying to lay claim to the market of L.A.

   The Indians don't have a first round pick and must wait until the 39th selection to claim their first player of the day.  Between picks the whispers in the room raise the noise level to a low hum only to be silenced with the announcement of the next selection.  Some scouts nod to each other during selections that make sense and raised eyebrows are exchanged over picks that seem to defy logic.

   The Indians have targeted 4 players that could be possibilities at #39.  They are concerned Boston will take one of them but, the Red Sox go another direction drawing sighs of relief from the Tribe's top brass.  At the conclusion of the first round there is a 15 minute break.  The Indians brain trust huddles to go over contingency strategies in case their targeted players are gone by the time they are ready to pick.

   Indians owner Larry Dolan and team President Paul Dolan are on hand to observe the draft and wait anxiously as the tension mounts.  At 2:00pm, just one hour after the draft begins the Indians are finally on the clock.  "The Indians select David Huff, pitcher, UCLA," announces Mirabelli.  Immediately, area scout Vince Sagisi goes into a backroom to phone Huff.  The pitcher tells Sagisi that he is thrilled to be selected by the Indians.

   Huff, a lefthander, has drawn comparisons to Tom Glavine and Barry Zito.  He turned down an offer of $500,000 from Philadelphia when he was a high school senior and instead chose to pitch at UCLA for John Savage who previously tutored Barry Zito and Mark Prior.  He is considered to be a polished pitcher with command of a tremendous change-up and should move quickly through the system.

   The Indians now await back-to-back selections an number 56 and 57.  Shapiro calls Paul Dolan over to the draft table to advise him of their plans.  It is explained to Dolan that it may take more money to sign certain players than originally anticipated.  The Indians President never wavers giving Shapiro the green light.  Moments later a player on the Tribe's "A" list is taken by another club and Shapiro grimaces with disappointment.  Without hesitation they quickly re-group and select RHP Steven Wright of Hawaii then second baseman Joshua Rodriguez from Rice.

   Next up the Tribe tabs third baseman Wes Hodges of Georgia Tech and later selects shortstop Adam Davis of Florida.  Rodriguez, Hodges and Davis are former teammates.  While not necessarily by design, the Indians have smartly drafted 3/4 of the starting infield from last year's Team USA.

   The draft will continue the following day and when the dust settles the Indians will select roughly 50 players.  Traditionally only half of those players will sign contracts and begin their pro careers.  The men in the war room can only hope the players they've picked today will one day wear big league uniforms. 

   One scout whose player he recommended was just selected begins to pace the floor in the back of the room.  His face is a mixture of joy and anxiety.  Happy "his" player was selected.  Hopeful he will be a "hit" and not a "miss".  Its no accident there is a huge bottle of antacid and a jar of aspirin sitting on a nearby table.  Before the day is over both will be empty.

   The Cavaliers were burned by Michael Jordan so many times you would have swore he was Satan in sneakers.  Even though the Browns won the NFL Championship in 1964, they've never overcome the firing of Head Coach and founder Paul Brown two years earlier.  The Indians may be the only team in town with multiple curses to overcome.  First there was Bobby Bragan who allegedly put a curse on the team the day he was fired (although Bragan denied this).  Then there was the curse of Rocky Colavito, the beloved outfielder who was traded to Detroit by Frank Lane.  The Indians of course overcame all of this to break a 40-year post season drought only to become the first team in history to take the lead into the bottom of the 9th inning of game 7 of the World Series, and lose (I'm preaching to the choir here so we don't need to relive the details).

   Whether or not you believe in curses, hexes or the maloik, its hard to argue with all of this history of coming so close only to be left standing at the altar empty-handed.  If we've learned anything over the years its that if you do something bad to someone else, its going to come back to you and more.

   Take the case of the San Francisco Giants.  They have not won a championship since they left New York (again, we're not going over the gory details of the '54 World Series win over the Indians) in 1957.  Many believe the Giants are plagued by the curse of Eddie Grant.  I can hear you now, "Who's Eddie Grant?"

   Grant, who began his career with the Cleveland Indians in 1905, played a more prominent role with the Giants in a big league career that spanned 992 games.  In 1917 when World War I was declared, Grant enlisted and quickly rose to the rank of Captain.  On October 5th, 1918 he led a mission to try and rescue the famous "Lost Battalion" in the Argonne Forest of France.  Grant was severely wounded by enemy fire and died four days later.

   On Memorial Day in 1921, representatives from the armed forces, baseball and Grant's family unveiled a monument in center field of the Polo Grounds in New York, paying tribute to Captain Edward L. Grant.  Over the years the plaque became the focal point of Memorial Day events at the Polo Grounds.

  In his book "The Doughboys," author Laurence Stallings wrote that whenever legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice, himself a veteran, went to the Polo Grounds, "the figure of Eddie Grant was always there, ghostly in the outfield."

   Over the years Indians fans have seen countless replays of Willie Mays amazing over the shoulder catch of Vic Wertz's deep drive to centerfield at the Polo Grounds.  The next time you watch, look closely and you can see the plaque just beyond the fence.

   Neil Hayes of the Contra Costa Times, recently wrote, "The memorial came to represent more than just a long-forgotten ballplayer. Players walked past the 5-foot-high memorial on their way to and from the field. Fans exiting the stadium through the center-field service gate passed the memorial, often pausing to read the words "Soldier, Scholar, Athlete" on the bronze plaque."

   After the Giants final game in New York, Grant's plaque was stolen and then later recovered but, eventually disappeared for good.  Five years ago, according to the Great War Society and the Western Front Association, they approached Giants ownership with an offer to replace the plaque honoring Eddie Grant at SBC Park in San Francisco.  The Giants declined the offer.

   The following season San Francisco blew a game 6 lead and eventually the World Series against the Angels.  The next year they were upset in the first round of the Divisional Playoffs by Florida when Jose Cruz, Jr. dropped a fly ball in the 11th inning in the pivotal game 3.

   Before the start of this season the Giants finally relented an erected a replica plaque that now hangs near an elevator at the Lefty O'Doul entrance gate at the recently renamed AT&T Park.  It may be too little too late but, at least its something.

   Enjoy your Holiday with the family and take some time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in order to make our lives so rich.

   Josh Gibson, known by many as the "Black Babe Ruth", slugged nearly 800 homeruns in the Negro Leagues and was considered the greatest power hitter in black baseball.  Gibson actually got his start with Homestead when he came out of the stands to replace the Grays injured catcher in July of 1930.  Tragically, he died just 4 months before baseball was integrated by Jackie Robinson.

   Not long after Robinson debuted with the Dodgers, Larry Doby broke the color barrier in the American League with the Cleveland Indians.  Doby, a power hitting center fielder, helped the Indians win the World Series in 1948 and AL pennant in '54.  Because Robinson was six weeks ahead of Doby, he was largely ignored by historians for his trailblazing efforts.  Former teammate Bob Feller once said of Doby, "He was a great American, he served his country in World War II, and was a great ballplayer.  He was kind of like Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, because he was the second African-American player in the majors."

   The contributions of players like Robinson, Doby and Satchel Paige helped scores of young African-American players who followed in their footsteps.  It reminds me of a poem I first read when I was in high school, titled "The Bridge Builder".

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you a bridge at the eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

• Author: Will Allen Dromgoole

   You can still do it the old fashioned way by punching the holes in the ballots at the ballpark and handing them back to the ushers.  Of course after the Presidential election snafu with all of those "hanging chads" why leave anything to chance?  Simply log on to indians.com and vote electronically!  Its simple and you can really impact your favorite players chances by voting up to 25 times per day.  I can hear the purists moaning in the background but, hey this thing has always been a popularity contest from the get-go. 

   Last year because the Indians got off to such a slow start the only player selected to the midsummer classic was closer Bob Wickman.  Two years ago the Indians sent five players to the all-star game including Victor Martinez, Ronnie Belliard, CC Sabathia, Jake Westbrook and Matt Lawton.

   Casey Blake is currently leading the American League in batting average and is certainly playing well enough to warrant an all-star game selection.  Travis Hafner is leading the league in runs scored, tied for 4th in runs batted in, and is also among the league leaders in home runs.  Victor Martinez had a streak of reaching base safely in 45 consecutive games dating back to last year and is one of the top run producing catchers in the game.  Despite missing the first month of the season, CC Sabathia is also making a bid for the all-star game with a 2-1 record and a 2.31 era.

   Seven times in Indians history the club has sent only one representative to the all-star game in back-to-back years.  The most recent was in 2002-03 when Omar Vizquel and CC Sabathia went to the midsummer classic for the Tribe. Will 2006 mark the 8th time in franchise history that this has happened or will Indians fans rise as one and let their collective voices be heard?  Only time will tell and the clock is ticking.  Voting ends on June 21st.

   The 2006 Cleveland Indians have played extremely well against the top contenders so far.  Tom Hamilton did some research and found that the Tribe is 9-4 against Chicago, Boston, Oakland and Minnesota (the Twins were thought to be a contender when the Indians opened at home against them).  Even if you include the Tigers, a team no one expected to be this good, the Indians are a combined 11-6.  So why are they wallowing around the .500 mark?

   The main culprit is the fact that they haven't played well against the bad teams.  The Indians have lost 8 of 13 games against Kansas City, Baltimore, and Seattle.  Is it a matter of playing to the level of competition or simply the law of averages?  Probably a little of both but, the Indians are a better team than they have showed so far.  Inconsistent starting pitching plagued them the first month of the season but, CC Sabathia's return should help remedy that problem.  The bullpen appears to be settling down and Rafael Betancourt will return from the D.L. next week further fortifying the 'pen.

   Offensively the Indians have been better than just about any other team in the league.  Victor Martinez, Travis Hafner and Casey Blake are among the league leaders in multiple offensive categories and Grady Sizemore is batting above .300.  The key for the Tribe now is to put it all together and this would be a good time to do it.  The Indians will play the Royals 6 times in the next 10 days, plus they've got 3 games at home versus Detroit and the woeful Pittsburgh Pirates.

   The season is still early and there is plenty of time to catch the Tigers and White Sox.  CC Sabathia told me last night, "Hey, its only May." 

   Yeah that's true but, as Yogi Berra once said, "It can get late early."

   In 1995 the Mariners played in the old Kingdome.  It was such a bad place for baseball that many people often referred to it as the "King-Tomb" because it resembled a large concrete mausoleum.  In the ALCS of '95 however Seattle fans packed the place to capacity every night and it was so loud you couldn't hear the person sitting next to you.

   Safeco Field opened in 1999 and is easily one of the best parks in baseball.  It has a rolling roof that covers the field in the event of rain but, still allows air to flow in from the outside so you never feel completely enclosed.  The dimensions are bigger than many of the new parks but, its fair.  No cheap homers here however power hitters can still reach the upper deck in left field and left handed hitters can pull the ball deep to the lower deck seats in right field.

   Downtown Seattle is home to great shopping and one of the best restaurants in the country.  The Metropolitan Grill, located on 2nd avenue, is a steakhouse with great atmosphere and mouthwatering steaks and seafood.  Reservations are a must but, the good news is they are open for lunch and dinner.  I remember one year Rick Manning and I ate lunch at the Met on consecutive days.  The first day we ran into former Cavs Head Coach Lenny Wilkens and the following day we saw NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell dining at the Met.

   Another spot to see if you visit Seattle is the famous Pike Place Market on the waterfront.  If you've ever seen a national TV broadcast of any game played in Seattle then chances are you've seen the guys at the market tossing whole fish around like kids playing catch with a ball.  Its a lively atmosphere much like the West Side Market in Cleveland.  City Fish Company has been around since 1917 and they always have enormous quantities of fresh King Salmon, Halibut, Cod and Snapper.  Plus they also have King Crab Legs at great prices and they ship anywhere in the USA.  I sent 15 pounds of Crab and Salmon home and now I can't wait to get back and eat!

   When staying in San Fran I highly recommend staying at the historic St. Francis Hotel located in Union Square.  Following the famous earthquake of 1906, the St. Francis was the only thing left standing in Union Square and has been a city landmark for over a century.  Presidents, Kings and Queens have all laid their heads on the goose feathered pillows at the St. Francis.  During World War II the invasion of the Pacific was planned by Admirals Halsey and Nimitz from a suite inside the hotel.

   Just across the street from the Hotel you will find Lefty O'Doul's, a great place to grab a sandwich and a late night beverage after the ballgame.  The late O'Doul was inducted into baseball's hall of fame and was the only outfielder in the 20th century to bat .398 in a season when he played for the NY Giants.  After his playing career he continued to promote the game of baseball while coaching and managing.  His most famous protege was Joe Dimaggio who played for O'Doul in the Pacific Coast League.  The Yankee clipper is best known for his incredible 56-game hitting streak set in 1941 that ended at Cleveland Stadium.  But did you know that the Professional Baseball record for most consecutive games with a hit was set by Dimaggio 8 years earlier while playing for his hometown San Francisco Seals?  In 1933 Dimaggio hit in an amazing 61 straight games in the Pacific Coast League.

   Downtown San Francisco also has plenty of shopping for every taste imaginable.  There is also a diner located just about on every block.  My personal favorite is Cafe Mason, located on Mason Street near O'Farrell.  Try the eggs sardou with bay shrimp and dungeness crab.  Its outstanding with just the right amount of spice.

   Before coming to San Francisco you might want to rent a movie or two to put you in the mood.  There are plenty to choose from as Frisco has always been a favorite shooting spot for Hollywood.  If you're feeling gritty go old school with Dirty Harry which was shot on location throughout the city.  If you want a few laughs then go with Foul Play (starring Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase) or try something different and check out The Conversation with Gene Hackman.

   Another spot to check out is John's Grill on Ellis Street.  This is where Dashiell Hammett penned one of his most famous novels.  The Maltese Falcon is loaded with San Francisco references including John's Grill where private detective Sam Spade went to eat regularly.  Spade favored the grilled lamb chops.  John's Grill is a registered landmark and serves lunch and dinner.  The Maltese Falcon is also a great old black and white movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Sidney Greenstreet (for those of you from the generation that doesn't realize there were films before the advent of color photography!).

   After the ballgame its off to Seattle, yet another fabulous American city!

   Its not like the Royals are without any talent.  Team captain Mike Sweeney is a tremendous power hitter and off the field he's a humble down-to-earth person.  He's like a right-handed version of Jim Thome.  He had four hits in the first game of the series and just missed hitting two homeruns.  It was a game that both teams desperately wanted to win.  The difference, in my opinion, was that the Royals looked like a team "hoping" to win and the Indians played like a team "expecting" to win.

   One of the best things about playing Kansas City is coming to Kauffman Stadium.  Its practically a relic by today's standards but, it has aged better than any park of its era.  Opened in 1973, Kauffman Stadium is already the 5th oldest stadium in the American League behind Oakland, Anaheim, New York and Boston.  Its located just off the freeway and sits adjacent to Arrowhead Stadium (home of the Kansas City Chiefs) so there is plenty of parking.  The park holds  close to 41,000 and has a very intimate feel.  The grounds are always immaculate and what makes the park unique is the water fountains that span the outfield area just beyond the fences from left field to right field.  Ballpark concessions include the famous Kansas City barbecue and if the Royals get twelve hits in a game every fan can redeem their ticket for a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts.

   Royals Manager Buddy Bell certainly has alot of hard work ahead of him but, he has been through all of this before and is the perfect man for the job.  Buddy understands the demands of the game and just how difficult it can be, especially for young players.  He has great patience with players but, he's not afraid to undress someone if they don't play the game the correct way.

   Making matters even worse for the Royals is the fact that the Central Division is home to some of the league's best players and pitchers.  In their recent 3-game series against Chicago the Royals managed just 1 run and 11 hits.  Its going to be very difficult for Kansas City to avoid losing a hundred games for the 4th time in five years.

   I didn't see Andre Thornton hit for the cycle in 1978 but, I did see Travis Hafner accomplish the same feat 3 years ago against Minnesota.  I also missed Albert Belle's single season franchise record setting 50th homerun in 1995 but, I was at the microphone when Jim Thome broke that mark seven years later.

   I was also calling games for the Tribe when they used a franchise record 32 different pitchers in 2000.  I'm sure you remember Dave Burba, Charles Nagy and Chuck Finley but, do you recall Cameron Cairncross, Andrew Lorraine and Kane Davis?  Charlie Manuel never got enough credit for the job he did keeping that team in the playoff chase through the final day of the regular season despite the revolving door at the clubhouse entrance.

   Despite all of the various injuries the 2000 team suffered I never saw anything like Wednesday night in Baltimore.  The Indians lost two pitchers to injuries in the same inning.  Matt Miller re-injured his elbow in the 6th inning and two batters later Rafael Betancourt walked off the mound with a strain in his upper back.

   Not many people watching the game realized the Indians almost lost second baseman Ronnie Belliard one inning later.  When Victor Martinez threw down to the bag after the pitcher had finished warming up, Belliard jumped high in the air to grab the throw and he rolled his ankle when he landed on the base.  Being a hard-nosed player Belliard simply had the ankle taped up and he was back in the line-up Thursday afternoon.

   Now its off the Kansas City...and watch out for the banana peel.

   The Tribe will spend Easter weekend in Detroit before going to Baltimore and then Kansas City to wrap up the road trip.  The Motor City has become the center of the big event sports world the past few years.  The Tigers hosted the All-Star game last summer, the Lions hosted the Super Bowl last February and the NCAA Final Four is coming in a couple of years too.  Downtown Detroit is not the most breathtaking place in the world but, it can be a fun town.  Greektown is located near Comerica Park and is a collection of Greek restaurants and pastry shops.  At the center of it all is the Greektown Casino which is one of three major casinos in Detroit. 

   Two things you must do if you come watch the Tribe in Detroit. 

1. Eat before the game at Pizza Papalis in Greektown.  The best pizza in the midwest and quite possible some of the best 'za in the country.  Try the original crust with sausage and banana peppers.
2. After the game stop for a night cap at the Old Shileleagh.  This Irish tavern has live music upstairs and the atmosphere is always lively.  Years ago it wasn't unusual to walk in after a ballgame and see former Indians pitcher Charles Nagy behind the bar serving customers.

   Have a happy Easter weekend and enjoy the time with friends and family.