I Am Sad

Well, it worked for the Guardians social media people today so I thought I would give it a try.

Actually, every day I realize that my life has been blessed.  A microcosm of that has been how blessed I have been to watch Francona-led teams play and have success over the past decade.  It has gotten to the point where I can literally be disappointed if the Guardians don't go to the playoffs.

But, after that 3 game sweep at the hands of the Royals, I am sad.  

• I am sad that Francona is retiring.  Well, not that he is retiring. It was clearly time for that.  I am sad for the unknown that will be replacing him.  I am convinced they should give the job to Sandy Alomar.  He knows the players.  He knows the coaches and he knows the organization.  I think he won't be afraid to replace the hitting coaches, who need replacing and keeping everyone else.  But this could go wrong in so many more ways than a DeShaun Watson pass play.  "Hello, Lou's Tire Mart.  'Would you like to manage the Indians'.  I'll get back to you".  You see, the Guardians brain trust think they know more about baseball than anyone else in baseball and will, I fear, make a choice that looks stupid and will, in short order, be exposed to be stupid.

• I am sad when I take a look at the players we have lost who could be the offense we need.  You know the names: Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz, Yainer Diaz, Nolan Jones, Will Benson, Owen Miller, Richie Palacios, Aaron Civale.  I am not sad about losing any of them. I am sad that when you lump all of them together they didn't produce  any level of talent in return and certainly not the level of return they needed to in order to keep us having winning teams.

• I am sad when I look at the farm system right now and don't see a single prospect who makes me think that there will come a time in the future where we can forget about these guys we traded away..

• I am sad because it still looks like we have no idea how to develop hitters, especially power hitters.  It should not be this hard.

• I am said that it appears that the Guardians' Finishing School For Good Pitching Prospects is no longer producing.  Cantillo, Nikhazy and Mace should be further along than they are and Messick and Webb should be better than they currently are.

• I am sad when I see, in addition to that, they have so many pitching prospects injured and I fear, soon, we will add Alex Clemmey to that list.

• I am sad to see how the Guardians treat their minor league prospects, making them have to be effective major leaguers right away or they lose all faith in them, giving them away for nothing and looking for the next shiny thing.

• I am sad when I see how they have catered to veterans, especially broken down veterans this August and September when they should have been giving kids the chance to play.  They made such a big deal about Kole Calhoun getting to 10 years when if Bryan Lavastida had gotten another month in the majors (as he should have this season instead of Gallagher) he would have qualified for an MLB pension at all.

• I am sad they don't reward their organizational soldiers with a ML cup of coffee and, instead, bring up prospects who are not ready (Schneeman/Tena) in a lost year.  

• I am sad to see their predilection for left-handed slap hitters and their disdain and inability to develop power hitters that comes through their last two drafts and all the moves they make, including the last two drafts.

• I am sad to see how often we get fleeced in trades, how we sign the wrong free agents, how often it looks like the Guardians' brain trust think they know more about baseball than, well, all of baseball, when they really don't.  That is when you get in trouble, is when you think you are smarter than you are.  I think we are seeing that in the Guardians' FO.

Yes, I am sad.   This looks way too much like the 80s to me and what I read from Guardians' fans tell me they have bit on all the empty promises that we all bit on in the 80s when we were hoping against hope that what we saw in front of our eyes was not as bad as it looked.   Maybe that is why the Guardians' social media people are sad.  I know that is why I am sad.