Quick thoughts

The spell check on blogger still seems on the fritz. The worst part is for some reason after I write and then remember the spell check doesn’t work, I can’t cut and paste my column into word, spell check it and paste it back.

As a result, my columns on Shaq, recruiting and NASCAR have all bit the dust. No big loss since I had nothing new to say about Shaq or Terrelle Pryor and my NASCAR column would have only interested me, and well I got to read it.

The truth is I don’t have much to say about anything in sports right now. March Madness and Major League baseball are still on the horizon. I have nothing to add on the steroid mess.

But here are some quick thoughts on C.C.:

Well, duh.

Of course a player and his agent are going to test the market. And Mark Shapiro has no choice but to keep Sabathia and ride out the season.

I can’t fathom an argument with either position. For the How Much Money Do You Need Crowd, Sabathia not only has an obligation to himself here but for his union. I know it is not popular to support millionaire athletes but he can’t in good faith just accept a below market deal a year before free agency. If his heart is truly in Cleveland, he can give out a discount at the end of the season when he will really find out the Indians final offer.

And for those who say trade him, I ask the question to whom and for what? Mark Shapiro has stated that he didn’t like the package the Twins got from the Mets. He would ask for much more. I think he would have been tempted by what Seattle gave up to Baltimore but how do you look your team in the eye and say “Go win the World Series but do it without your ace.”

And there lies the other part; say Shapiro was willing to deal- who are the suitors? Boston and the Yankees, hey lets deal our number one to the teams we are trying to beat.

Sure it seems likely C.C. is gone and it sucks he will leave for nothing, but Shapiro owes it to his players to try and win this year. Many in Cleveland have often said, “Let’s just win once.”

Well here it is. Shapiro is all in for this year. He is risking his Ace for a chance to win everything. And if C.C. leaves, it is not like the cupboard is bare.

The window to win is now. It won’t be easy but not trading C.C. is a motivation in that Indians clubhouse. The team knows management is risking a lot to win now. The pressure is on. And that is a good thing.