Hey, At Least It's Not Called U.S. Cellular Field

The home of the Cleveland Indians was officially renamed Progressive Field on Friday. Since Dick Jacobs' original naming rights had run out at the end of the 2006 season, it was only a matter of time before someone else slapped their name on the stadium. As much as I wanted the name to remain, you can't blame Jacobs for not renewing the contract; it just doesn't make any sense for him financially to maintain a stake in the stadium. I suppose one could argue Mr. Jacobs would have done a service to the fans by fending off the name change, but even that contract would have run out eventually. To the Tribe's credit, they did approach Jacobs about renewing the naming rights before beginning their search.

I was always very proud that Cleveland's stadiums maintained real names and didn't just sell ad-space to the highest bidder (at least until the Gund was changed). Stadium's fronted by corporations just seemed to lack the character and integrity of the old school fields. It's no coincidence that some of the oldest stadiums in baseball have been able to hold onto their original names, it's part of tradition at this point. Can you imagine the marquee at Wrigley Field with any other name? Of course not, that would be sacrilege in many baseball circles.

There's more to a baseball stadium's name than just the letters on the sign. Many stadiums become a part of the community. There's something special when someone mentions the Jake because of all the memories associated with it; it's like talking about an old friend. I might be going overboard with this whole thing, but I feel like a part of the city has been altered. It just doesn't feel right knowing that a famous Cleveland landmark won't be there to greet people entering downtown anymore.

Seeing owner Larry Dolan and the Progressive rep holding up a "Progressive #1" jersey at their press conference was incredibly lame and only added to my bitterness on the subject. Why do owners insist on draping every financial acquisition in a custom jersey as soon as it walks in the door? Progressive isn't even a player, it's a freakin' car insurance company. Whatever.

So what do the Indians get out of all this (besides a lot of irritated fans)? Well, Progressive is paying an annual fee of $3.6 million for the next 16 years. I was hoping the extra revenue would be a bit more than that (wishful thinking, I know). Instead of going into the "Re-sign Sabathia Fund," the $3.6 mil is more likely to pay for the Tribe's bench players. I suppose any type of guaranteed income is a good thing for a small market team, so there is that. At least now we don't have to worry about how Shap was going to juggle Jamey Carroll's contract into the payroll (phew!).

Also, Progressive is based in Cleveland, giving the name at least some local relevancy. I found it curious that the Plain Dealer's article on the re-naming reminded fans of how Progressive laid off 341 employees (many in Cleveland) and saw a dip in their stock value recently. Is there anything this paper isn't pessimistic about? Apparently Progressive "expects the local and national exposure to boost consumer awareness." Um...they do realize the Indians play in Cleveland right? Last time I checked, the only local team getting consistent national media exposure are the Cleveland LeBrons.

Do consumers even care if a company owns the name to a sports facility? Petco Park doesn't make me want to run out and buy a bag of dog food every time I see Jake Peavy pitch. It does make me feel sorry for Jake Peavy though, because he pitches in a drop-dead gorgeous stadium with a fugly name.

Despite all my ranting, it really could have been worse. I probably wouldn't even put Progressive Field in the top ten as far as worst stadium names in baseball. I also realize that Jacobs was paying to keep his name in lights for those 14 years and it could have easily been Progressive Field a long time ago. Selling the naming rights is actually a smart move by the Tribe and is just another aspect of baseball as a business. There are many things that I dislike about the way the sport operates in that regard, but this is by far a lesser offense from that list. I guess I just don't like change.

On a brighter note, the Plain Dealer reports that "the team hopes to preserve the Jacobs Field marquee in some way" once it is removed from its home at the intersection of Carnegie and Ontario. I'm guessing it will end up in a local museum, similar to the giant neon Chief Wahoo that used to sit on top of old Municipal Stadium (the relic currently resides in the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum in Cleveland).

In tribute/stubborn defiance, I'm going to post a picture of the original sign next to Jobu down below. Rock on Jacobs Field. Rock on.

Because David Eckstein on a Hamster Wheel is Not an Option

Several Major League Baseball teams have made a commitment to include alternative energy and more sustainable practices in their daily operations. San Francisco, Cleveland, Colorado, and Boston are among the teams with installed or proposed energy projects. MLB has been working in cooperation with the Natural Resources Defense Council to assist teams in lowering their carbon footprint.

A carbon footprint refers to all the direct and indirect sources of harmful emissions that an individual or group produces. Direct sources may include vehicle emissions, while an indirect source could be electricity purchased from a coal fired power plant. A carbon footprint can be applied to an individual, building, or company.

In Cleveland

The Tribe dedicated a new solar energy array at Jacobs Field on June 29 this season. The array is located on the upper concourse overlooking Carnegie Avenue on the firstbase side. The 86 by 15 foot array is mounted on a metal awning structure, allowing fans to pass under the structure. It consists of 42 solar panels with a peak output of 8,400 watts, enough to power the park's 400 television screens during a game.

The total cost of the project was $180,000, with the team contributing $100,000 followed by the Cleveland Foundation ($50,000) and the Ohio Department of Development ($29,400). A $10,000 state grant and a 30% tax credit significantly lowered the cost of the project. "In terms of reducing our electric bill, this is not a huge first step. But it's a first step - and it provides an opportunity for people to start talking about solar and advanced energy" says Jim Folk, vice president of ballpark operations.

GreenEnergy Ohio will be staffing an informational kiosk at the site to answer any questions fans may have about solar energy or the project.

Around the League

San Francisco became the first team to take advantage of the new program by installing 590 Sharp solar panels around SBC Park. The panels should produce 120,000 watts of electricity at peak production, enough to power the main scoreboard for the entire season. The solar energy will be fed back into the San Francisco grid, off-setting the ballpark's own energy use. Solar panels will be installed in three locations on rooftops and above walkways in SBC Park, with a pending installation for the main scoreboard. Pacific Gas and Electric Company is assisting the Giants with the project.

In addition to existing fluorescent lighting, motion sensors (to turn lights off when no one's there), and energy management systems, the Giants installed a Diamond Vision scoreboard this season. The scoreboard utilizes 78% less energy than the old scoreboard.

Colorado installed a 10,000 watt array in their stadium and are discussing wind energy and lighting projects with Xcel energy. "It will save us over $12,000 a year on our electric bill," according to Greg Feasel, senior vice president of operations for the Rockies. The Boston Red Sox are also researching ways to integrate renewables and a recycling program into their organization.

According to Jim McHale, Major League Baseball's executive vice president for administration, a major initiative will be announced later in the 2007 season. The plan will provide teams with the tools necessary to start their own green projects and will try to inform fans on the importance of renewable energy.

Personally, I'm very excited about MLB's renewable energy initiative. Despite the many benefits of renewable energy like solar and wind, the technologies often require a jump-start to be successful. Solar and wind energy have the potential to off-set a growing energy need and provide a clean alternative or supplement to fossil fuel generated electricity. Start-up costs and public perception are the most common limitations on renewable energy projects, so the endorsement of an organization as large and visible as Major League Baseball is a significant boost to renewable energy in the U.S.

The Jake's solar project is part of a larger drive to ultimately make Cleveland a greener city and bring new technology industries to the city to get the local economy up to speed. Hopefully, small projects like the solar panels at Jacobs Field and the 225 kilowatt turbine at the Great Lakes Science Center can act as a springboard for future renewable energy projects in Northeast Ohio.


Sources: GreenEnergy Ohio Press Release, 6/29/07
The Plain Dealer, 6/13/07
Renewable Energy Access, 3/29/07

Jacobs Field Magic

After a laughable series in Washington over the weekend, my faith in the Tribe was a bit shaky coming into a four game series against Oakland. I don't care who you are, but a matchup of Cliff Lee versus Dan Haren in Game 2 isn't going to inspire much confidence. Mr. Haren hasn't had much luck in Cleveland over his career though, so there was still a ray of hope going in. The suddenly resurgent Tribe offense maintained their consistent approach against the American League's best pitching staff, racking up 8 hits, 4 walks and 3 runs against Haren, he of the 1.78 era and .90 whip.

The Tribe led 3-1 in the 3rd inning, but Cliff "can't hold a" Lee coughed it right back up an inning later. Despite a couple frustrating innings tonight, Lee continued to show off the breaking pitches from his last few starts. The A's hitters were frustrated all night with his curveball, creating 11 flyball outs. If Lee stays on course with his pitch selection and approach he should continue to be an effective fifth starter this year. It's nice to see him avoid the big inning and give his team a chance to win lately. If he can't go 7 innings, the least he can do is keep the run totals to a minimum.

Oakland brought out former Indian, Alan Embree for the 9th inning to close it out. Grady drew a 1 out walk, but nearly got doubled off first after a near double by Blake was reeled in by Shannon Stewart in left field. Grady had to go into warp speed to get back around second and avoid making the final out at first.

Now, as lame as it may sound, Jacobs Field seems to have gotten its old aura back this season. Cleveland fans know what I'm talking about, the feeling you get with your team down late in the game: top of the lineup on deck, the closer looks rattled, the crowd gets to its feet, Jon Adams' booming rally cry floats down from the bleachers, rally caps on. That aura. Mojo, swagger, grit, call it what you want, but the Jake has a ton of the stuff floating around right now. Crazy stuff happens at Jacobs Field when the offense is capable of exploding at any moment.

So, Grady and Victor on base and Pronk steps off the path he's been wearing down between the dugout and the deck. Embree tosses a fastball inside, which Pronk smokes down the alley in right-center to plate the two runners and tie it at 5 all. Oakland intentionally walks Peralta to face either Rouse or a player off the bench (there's only one left). Wedge calls up the backup catcher Shoppach to pinch hit. Shoppach may as well be Pronk Lite at this point, batting .373 with a 1.074 OPS on the season. But Embree has no choice but to pitch to him now, since he wanted no part of Jhonny Peralta.


















The second pitch from Embree flies waist high, down the middle and Shoppach doesn't miss. The Jake watches Shoppach shoot the moon over the mini-monster for a walk-off 3 run homer. Shoppach races across the diamond, fist pumping as the Indian's dugout gathers around homeplate. Shoppach heads home and gets absolutely mugged by his teammates; it's a good thing he's not catching tomorrow because he's going to be sore. As the mob migrates towards the mound, poor Paul Byrd gets knocked down along with several other players, but no one seems to mind.

I really can't remember the last time the team was so charged up. If this game doesn't spark the offense somehow, nothing will. With Carmona pitching tomorrow, this team has got to be confident as hell.

This is why I love baseball. Go Tribe.

Finally...

Cleveland seems to have put a hit out on the game's best pitchers this year, beating Johan Santana twice and the red-hot Cole Hamels and Dan Haren. It's a long season, but Cleveland has continued to play some of its best baseball against the league's elite pitchers, which is quite a bold statement.

It's Only June....

The Tribe played a heart breaker on Monday at the Jake when the Mariners did everything but hand them the win. Despite racking up a monster 16 hits and 7 runs, Cleveland still fell short by a run. The game appeared to be lost after Paul Byrd decided to challenge the offense, giving up 7 ER on 11 hits over just 4 innings. Tonight marked the first time this season the Cobra has failed to go at least 6 innings in a start. Byrd had no trouble finding the strikezone, but made an uncharacteristic number of mistakes, often elevating pitches for a scorching Mariners offense to knock all over the yard. Three of those poor pitches ended up as souvenirs, plating 6 of the Mariners' 8 runs. Raul Ibañez (posing as a poor-man's Magglio Ordoñez) was responsible for two of those homers.

Fernando Cabrera was tagged to take one for the team, down by 7 after 4 innings played, but threw 3 innings of filth at the Mariners, allowing the Tribe to start an exciting rally. In an entertaining twist, the Tribe's bats really started to heat up after a flock of seagulls started parading around the outfield. Cleveland's 16 inning scoreless drought ended with the appearance of the Rally Gulls, go figure. It was a lot of fun watching the Mariners' outfielders have to navigate through the avian obstacle to make plays on the ball. I was worried Hargrove was going to flag down an umpire and complain about poor visibility for his players (yes, I'm still bitter about that series). The Jake's grounds crew must have taken some snowblowers to the birds or something, because they were mostly gone when the Indian's took the field next inning.

I honestly wasn't phased with a 7 run deficit, that's how good the offense has been this year. Plus, there's been something nostalgic about the Jake this year, at least as a fan (judging by the Tribe's record at home, they can relate). The best way to describe it is a giddy sense of confidence that the home team is always in the game, even if they're down by 7 in the 5th. The offense hasn't really exuded that kind of aura at home since before the rebuilding era when the team would just club the opposition into submission. Mike Hargrove looked nervous as hell watching Cleveland chip away at his starter (and half the bullpen) before the bleeding finally stopped; Grover's seen this show before.

Some positive things to take away were Barfield and Shoppach combining for 5 hits and 3 runs, Martinez coming off the bench to deliver two clutch hits late in the game, and Casey "MVP" Blake going 3-5 to extend his league high hitting streak to 20 games. Hafner even had a nice game, despite one of his two hits falling in as a bloop pop-up. As I've said before, Hafner is too good a hitter to perform so poorly all season. He does not seem to striking out on those ugly breaking pitches as much anymore and is still making strong contact with the ball. Looking at his stats from 2005, Hafner went through several mini-slumps before exploding in July and finishing the season with a .305 BA, 33 HR, and a 1.003 OPS. Did Hafner set the bar too high with his ridiculous 2006 season (.308, 42, 1.097)? I wouldn't go so far as to say that, but he was certainly the most consistent he's been his entire career, in addition to posting a career year. If July rolls around and Hafner hasn't emerged from his slump, there may be a serious cause for concern.

The only player in a worse slump than Hafner right now is Garko, who probably feels like crap after tonight (deservedly so). Garko has now left the bases loaded thrice in the last two games, twice tonight. A single in any one of those three at bats would likely have resulted in an Indians win. Fortunately, Garko is not expected to be one of the keystones of the offense (like Hafner) and has the luxury (or punishment, in this case) of getting extra days off to straighten himself out. Garko's slump really isn't that bad, his timing has just been horrible; i.e. it's cost the team a couple wins. Look for him to return to form soon as well.

Tonight really was a weird game, but you can't really blame any one player for the loss. If you were to blame Garko for leaving so many runners in scoring position, you might as well blame Byrd for giving up one too many homers, or Wedge for using the closer in a non-save situation, yet again. Actually, I'm going to go ahead and blame Wedge for that anyway because it's stupid and never works out. Idiot.

Why So Many Empty Seats?

The Indians continued their torrid streak with a 5-4, comeback win against Baltimore tonight. Apparently someone forgot to tell the fans that their baseball team is good this year. Honest, they could win some games. So why is the Jake so empty every game?

The Browns (who have had one winning season since 1999) pack the house every week, but the Tribe can't even average 20,000 a game at home? What does it take to draw a crowd these days? I could understand if the team was playing bad baseball, but they currently own the second best record in the Majors and are on a 5 game winning streak.

It's pretty sad that this team can't draw a crowd like it used to. Yeah, I know the Browns and Lebron are the top draws in Northeast Ohio now, but are there really that few dedicated baseball fans in Cleveland? I just have a hard time buying into football or basketball drawing away that many fans from the Jake. A fan is a fan, you don't just stop following baseball when basketball or football season starts.

One could argue that I'm minimizing the economic factors that contributed to 455 consecutive sellouts at the Jake, but my point is, the baseball fanbase didn't just pack up and leave during the rebuilding years. What makes it even more annoying is I don't even have the privilege of going to games on a regular basis, since I don't live in Ohio.

Playing in front of a big, noisy, excited crowd helps motivate the players, improve the team's revenue stream (albeit marginally), and brings integrity to the team. What kind of message does so many empty seats communicate to the players and other fans?

My theory is the fans are hesitant to invest as much time, money, and energy into the team as they once were, due to the disappointment of missing the playoffs the last two seasons. Is the benchmark set by the powerhouse teams of the 1990's negatively influencing the fans' perception of the current team?

If so that's a shame, because the Indians are contending again, whether the city cares or not.