Saw*Kick Media

The Sports Year is coming to an end in a few weeks when the Patriots, upon request of the Browns, will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl against a team that will lose from the NFC. This means the dreaded month of February is fast approaching - Cavs games, meaningless college basketball, pitchers and catchers and NFL Mock drafts.

For Cleveland fans, now that TheOSU’s bowl game is complete, it is time to reflect and look ahead. To help put 2007 in perspective and to aid in your glowing look at 2008, I present the Cleveland 20, which was cleverly named by MoneyMike. This is a list of the top 20 athletes in Cleveland right now, taking into account their talents, meaning to their team, and “Clevelandicity” - how dedicated are they to our economically rich and tropical city by the lake? This isn’t a popularity contest (read: Brady Quinn is not on it). This is a what have you done for me, and what will you possibly still do for me list. In reverse order, I present to you The Cleveland 20 of 2007.

Marbles

20. Jhonny Peralta and Jake Westbrook. Would this really be a list by Double C if there wasn’t a lame tie in it somewhere due to indecision? I find Jhonny and Jake to be very similar. They are average to above average on most nights and provide a certain special skill to their position (power from SS; crazy amount of induced groundballs). But what truly links them in my mind is their “clutchitude” in the playoffs. Jhonny floated, coasted, and drifted through parts of the regular season, but had a .991 OPS and netted 10 RBI in the playoffs. And he’s still only 25 years old. Jake took his quality start index to another level and steadied the ship when our aces had more ambivalent performances, most notably against Boston. On top of that he signed for possibly less money to stay here. Well done, Jake.

Welcome to the Team

19. Shaun Smith. The offensive and defensive lines of a football team are like the pieces of bread in a sandwich. Sure, you can have a decent sandwich with some good meat, cheese, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce and sauce, and these ingedients are the headliners of the sandwich - but it can’t be truly enjoyable unless the bread holds it together, isn’t stale, isn’t too hard or flaky. The Browns defensive line is often that thin slice of bread that drops a nicely made triple decker burger onto your keyboard. Despite that overall performance, Smith, acquired in this last off season, established himself as someone to build around. He ended the year strong, netting 19 solo tackles from the NT spot in the 3-4 in the last three games. If there was more quality around him, he may have stood out even more. He’s only going to be 27 next year.

18. Jamal Lewis. Quite the turnaround, eh? Last year he ranked on the 20 most hated list. There’s much to be said about having the most productive running back season (1,304 yds, 9 TDs) of my lifetime. I’m willing to overlook a career based on beating the Browns, selling crack and playing in the SEC as a result (the latter two being interchangeable). He could have moved higher if his future was more certain both in terms of contract and productivity.

Upside/Intangibles

17. Asdrubal Cabrera. The fact that this guy started last year in Akron and is already at 17 on this list is astounding, and, I think, extremely deserving. The Indians were in a funk worse than the Spears family. That all changed after the call up of the Pearl Necklace. The Indians were 32-17 in the post-pearl necklace season, not including playoffs. He replaced The Corpse Formerly Known as Josh Barfield at second, played masterful defense and manned the two hole of the lineup. I only see good things in his future whether that is at second or short. Cleveland loves guys that “do the little things” and Droob certainly fills that role. As with most of his teammates on this list, Cabrera is aided by the fact that unlike the United States he will be under Indian control for a longtime. He turns 23 next November.

16. Anderson Varejao. Believe me, I did not want to put this character on the list. His holdout was a big no-no in the Clevelandicity index. But Clevelandicity is willing to compromise when it’s apparent that the team is a fart in the shower without Varejao’s “whatever he does”. The team just plays better when it is injected with the Wild Thing. And on top of that, he seems to be increasing his minimal offensive output and doing more “whatever he does” on defense and the offensive glass. The Cavs, while still going nowhere, needed Andy to not sink completely. Plus, we now own him for market value for three years.

15. Josh Cribbs. My personal favorite Brown, which sounds like a compliment a plantation owner would give. He’s my favorite Browns player. That’s better. In certain ways, he’s the Varejao of the Browns. He does the dirtiest of dirty work - special teams. He led the team in special team tackles and led the entire league in kick return yardage, often producing direct scores and momentum change all by himself. His hustle and work ethic is truly endearing to the standard, lunch-pail Clevelander. The fact that he went to school at Kent, was un-drafted, and is under our control through 2012 adds to his aura as well. There’s no telling how far up this list Cribbs can advance in the coming years.

14. Boobie Gibson. Shoot it, Boobie! Shoot it! In fact, be the only one that shoots it. More in fact, literally shoot some of your other teammates right in the face (Larry Hughes, Sasha Pavlovich, Ira’s Newblehood). We’ve been waiting since Lebron’s fourth birthday for a guy who can legitimately knock down a quality, clutch jumper. (My Uncle keeps sending me emails saying that at 48-years-old he can do better than the entire roster. I tend to agree on most nights.) I’d say 49% from 3-3-0 would qualify this 13-year-old kid from Texas as that guy.

Really?

13. Derek Anderson. You know, he’s the guy that isn’t Charlie Frye. He piloted the Browns through the Bermuda Triangle that was the season opener, and for that he must be awarded a lifetime supply of Great Lakes Brewing Sampler Packs. But he did more than that. Even the most liberal of preseason predictions would have pegged the Browns at .500. With Anderson, the Browns nearly made the playoffs. His numbers (3,787 yds, 29 TDs) almost sent him to Hawaii. Unfortunately for Anderson he also isn’t Brady Quinn. It’s very possible that next year or the year after, Quinn’s name is etched in this spot. Or a littler higher. Or maybe not at all. Or maybe Anderson is actually the one that’s a little higher. Or maybe….you get the point. This is why he is at 13.

Unheralded MVPs

12. Eric Steinbach. He gets points for several things: 1)Being a good offensive lineman. 2) Being involved in rejuvenating the Browns. 3) Willingly coming to Cleveland. I realize that we paid him handsomely, but hey, lesser men have passed up big dollars to make Cleveland their home. Add it all up, and I’d like to physically embrace Steinbach. Did I mention he’s only going to be 28 next year?

11. Raffy Betancourt. He may……….take…….. a …….. long …………. time …….. to….. actually …… …… ……… pitch…… …………… ……. the ball ……….but……… …….I’ll……………take ……………. his ………… deliberate ,…… excruciatingly ………….. long ………… ……innings ………………..for………..his…….. consistency…………… and ………….. late-inning …………….dominance …………… He’s …………. another ………………. one ……………….. that …………. came………………to ………………. play …………… in……………… the …………. playoffs ………………. Here’s …………………. hoping ………………. his ………………arm ………………….. stays …………………..on.

Let’s take a break before the Top 10 to look at the most reviled Cleveland 5:

5. Sasha Pavlovic - This is some rancid Kool-Aid right now.
4. Tim Carter - Dennis Northcutt 2.0
3. Aaron Fultz - Did he pitch one meaningful moment?
2. Cliff Lee - A tip of the cap to a truly underperforming primadonna. Please trade him.
1. Larry Hughes - Shoot him, Boobie! Shoot him!

The Elder Statesmen

10. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Phil Dawson. Sorry for another tie, but I made out the list and forgot about Phil Dawson until MoneyMike, everyone’s hero, reminded me. The problem is my oversight is indicative of most Cleveland fans. We forget about Dawson, the guy that’s been around more bad football than Touchdown Jesus. You’ve got to love that he’s stayed with us through all of the bad and actually provided Browns fans with the most exciting moments over that span with clutch kick after clutch kick.

Z isn’t so much forgotten by fans as he is attacked. He takes a lot of flak, but most of it is unwarranted and petty. He’s the last of a dead breed; he’s a VCR in a Blu-Ray world. But he’s consistent. He gives you double-doubles with near regularity, has the best mid-range jumper on the team, highest free throw percentage and may be the best offensive rebounder in the game. Z can’t do certain things like run the floor, play tough D, go strong to the hole, or look like he’s awake, but there are a ton of things he does right on a Cavs team that needs all of the talented players it can get. He also rates the highest on the list in terms of Clevelandicity by taking less money to stay here, surviving the ineptitude of the mid-late-‘90s and coming back from near career-ending foot injuries.

The Core

9. C.C. Sabathia. And a hush fell over the crowd. How could I put our second Cy Young winner in history (since Cy Young himself doesn’t count) and first since 1972 at No.9??? This is letting-Britney-Spears-care-for-my-child level crazy here, right? Look, I love C.C., but two things have sent him down the list (originally I had him in the top 3). First off, he laid an egg in the postseason. A Cy Young is nice, but it doesn’t highlight the mantle above my fan fireplace like a World Series title would. Not to get Joe Theisman on you here, but one of my sports rules is to expect the most out of the best guys. Well, C.C was our ace. When we were looking for a good start to the ALCS he let us down. When we needed leadership and guts up 3-1; he didn’t deliver. Last taste of a Cy Young season: sour/bitter. Secondly, there is still no deal. As of now, this is the last year for C.C. in Cleveland. More so than the unclutch factor, this sent him down the list. I value Clevelandicity. I want my players to want to play in Cleveland. C.C. has said so. He’s said that this is his home, but I’ve heard that before. You scratch my back (sign a deal, steady rotation into the next decade) and I scratch yours (put you higher in my rankings). Also, we have a ton of pitching depth in minors. If he leaves, the team will feel it, but it won’t be the end of the world.

8. Travis Hafner. Look at his numbers from the three years prior to 2007.

2004- 140 games - .311/.410/.583, 28 HR, 109 RBI
2005- 137 games- .305/.408/.595, 33 HR, 108 RBI
2006- 129 games- .308/.439/.659, 42 HR, 117 RBI (1.098 OPS!!)

Wow. In any other year, the guy is Top 3 no doubt. But in this year, the one where we realistically could have won the World Series, Pronk was a mortal (.266/.385/.451). In one way, he’s not that important to the team’s success because we nearly won the ALCS with his mortality. But then again, if he were his old self, the entire dynamic of the team changes. Other than the Great QB Debate of 08, the Questionable Return of Pronk is the most intriguing plot in the coming sports year (I’d put “Will CC Sign?” third). He’s ahead of C.C. because he signed a deal to stay here, which is always something to value regardless of performance. (Having said that Pronk, please be good again. I’ll be your best friend.)

7. Fausto Carmona. He may not hold a Cy Young, and he may have faltered in Bean Town, but he’s 24 years old and under control of the Indians into the next decade. He rebounded from a 1-10 season that could have psychologically damaged him Rick Ankiel style. But instead of taking HGH and cranking out 20 homers in 2 weeks for the Cardinals, getting called out on it and becoming a head-case again, he kicked ass. The movement on his fastball is sexier than Brady Quinn’s EAS commercial. I have removed the ceiling for Fausto and am giddy to watch him pitch every fifth day.

The Household Names

6. Kellen Winslow Jr. He’s not in the top 3 tier solely due to his injuries. He’s the face of the franchise, and one of the best football players Cleveland has ever seen. K2 isn’t even a human. He’s a machine that was born and bred to play football like it will save the world from a nuclear holocaust (a soldier, if you will). He doesn’t take a play off. He plays with more pain than Keith Richard’s liver. His hands have caused the word “supple” to be used for the first time during a football broadcast. There’s nothing to not love. He’s the manliest man in Cleveland. But we’ll never know when the next hit will be the last. We’ll never see the plateau above the one he’s already at. I’ll still take K2 at 80% over anyone in the league, but this leaves him at No.6 for this year. Rest up, Kellen.

5 Grady Sizemore. Leaving Grady out of the top 5 would be like leaving Superman out of the Justice League. He’s my personal favorite athlete in the entire world. Some could argue that this is too high considering his numbers actually regressed from 2006, and some could argue that he’s the face of the franchise and deserves top 3 status. I will not argue with the latter of you that have man-crushes much like myself. But I disagree with those who think this is too high. I know he strikes out too much and his extra base hits went down and he has a weak arm. But he increased his walk total and OBP by a substantial margin to fit more as the leadoff hitter. His two-strike approach got better. He was a better base stealer. His grit factor also increased. He’s still only 25. He’s signed until 2011 and he makes both women and men swoon. He works incredibly hard to improve his game and there’s no reason to think it won’t get even better in the coming years.

4. Braylon Edwards. He reached his potential. He broke records. He made the Pro Bowl. But maybe above all else, he embraced Cleveland along the way. He does the O-H-I-O when Hang on Sloopy plays (and he’s a Wolverine, lest we forget). He started the Braylon Edwards Foundation and is dedicated to improving the future of the less-fortunate area kids. The No. 3 pick of the 2005 draft got it this year, and for that he gets this lofty seat at No.4 - a year after I wrote an article about why I hated him. You’ve got to love when that happens.

Faces of the Franchise

3. Joe Thomas. The No. 3 pick in the draft sturdily held all of our meats, cheeses and veggies. He consistently graded highest on a line that was pretty remarkable this year. Rare were the times we heard “Hold No. 73″ or “False start No. 73.” The New Browns have been marred, most especially, by atrocious offensive lines since the return in 1999. No acquisition marked the turnaround to near playoff football more than Joe Thomas. With a good to great offensive line, Anderson had time to throw, and Lewis (often on the left side) had room to stampede for first downs and TDs. Left tackle is maybe the most important and most difficult position to consistently play on the football field, often with little recognition. Well, Joe, you got gypped out of rookie of the year after playing splendidly for EVERY game your team played, but you’re going to the Pro Bowl, you’ve made the coveted top 3 of the Cleveland 20 and were named the Face of Your Franchise. Take a fishing trip and celebrate.

2. Victor Martinez. Despite my love of Grady, my awe of Pronk, my gratitude to Droob, my appreciation of C.C. - Victor is Mr. Cleveland Indian. He handles the pitching staff. He bats cleanup. He has a handshake for every player on the team and is the emotional pulse of a great group of guys. He was signed out of Venezuela in 1996 and has been fully developed in the Indians organization. He was the first to declare, “I want to stay in Cleveland” with a contract keeping him until 2010. Take a look at his “clutch” numbers as defined by Baseball Reference.com

2 outs, RISP .400 .538 .600
Late & Close .347 .421 .589
Tie Game .293 .365 .530
Within 1 R .308 .376 .516
Within 2 R .308 .384 .518
Within 3 R .302 .371 .501
Within 4 R .300 .367 .503
Margin > 4 R .308 .423 .523

He cried tears of joy when we won and tears of anguish when we lost. Victor is the Face of the Franchise for the Cleveland Indians. Grady’s Ladies and Pronk’s Porkers notwithstanding, Victor is the most important piece of the team and truly embodies a Cleveland Indian.

1. Lebron James. Whoa! You’re stunned, right? I can hardly believe it myself - hardly believe I didn’t reserve the entire top 5 for the Akron native. What else can you say about The King at this point? He’s playing the best basketball in the league, he somehow guided the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals for the first time ever. He delivered the 48-special. He is an Ohioan and signed a contract to stay in Ohio (for now). I think the best way to describe his impact and standing here in the Cleveland 20 is this: There was considerable debate for every single guy on this list in terms of where they should be slotted and how much they meant to their team. In fact, I’m sure there are plenty of people that would have changed most of 2-20. But Lebron undoubtedly is the best. Not only is he the most talented player on his team, most important to his team, and high Clevelandicity guy - he’s not even close to any other athlete on any of the other teams. The first true, honest-to-god Pantheon Superstar since Jim Brown. I hate watching the Cavs. They are miserable at times. But I do watch, and I watch because you never know when No. 23 is going to do something you’ve never seen before.

When I asked MoneyMike to give me his Cleveland 20 for collaborative purposes, I didn’t explain well enough and he did an All-Time Cleveland 20. And even on that list, spanning over 100 years of sports history, he had Lebron No.2. And when you look at his name wedged between Jim Brown and Bob Feller, it doesn’t even look out of place.

Overall, the 20 is loaded with talent - maybe the most in my lifetime. It’s a thrilling time to be a Cleveland fan. It’ll be fun to watch it all fall apart, right? Until next time - Go Teams.

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