Don’t forget to say who you voted for and why. I’ve not voted. I’m just curious about community sentiment.

Honestly, I think all of those above guys will pull back to respectability. But, if I had to choose it would be Michaels, because his contract is easy to eat and he is easily replaceable (Blake, Choo or Francisco).

I’m the lone Ass-Cab voter. I’m assuming it’s correct that he has options and he can work things out in Buffalo, while we wouldn’t be losing anything with Caroll in there. I’d guess that would create a problem with the utility infielder role, unless Barfield is brought up.

I really didn’t think it through that well… one of the many reasons I’m not Assistant TO the General Manager.

Who should, or who will? Who should? Probably Jason Michaels. Who will? I honestly think Andy Marte will be the first to go.

Can’t see them abandoning Marte just yet (he hasn’t really had a shot and they have a lot to lose by giving him up—in PR terms, if nothing else). And, they really have no depth at 3B if they do let him go.

I chose Drube (Droooob), not because I think they should, but because it would be an infuriatingly apt gesture for Wedge-management.
Michaels should be the one out, but there’s no replacement unless Blake plays LF against LHP & they play Marte at third, which hardly seems likely, even if advisable.

Aaron Fultz will be the first to go.

Assuming we can find a solution to the utility infielder issue rolub pointed out above, I see Ascab being sent down before anyone else gets cut or traded. It’ll allow him to work it out in AAA and Wedge gets more clutchy verteranness out of Caroll without having to cut any of his other clutchy veterans.

I voted Shelton. Please see the weekend set against the Twinks for my reasoning.

I think its J-Mike for a few different reasons. The stats are a starter and Wedge isn’t going to betray his Shocker brethren. It would have a greater impact in the psyche of the team. There really isn’t a replacement for the first three in the minors that is intriguing enough to surplant Marte as the next shot given to a youngster. I also think Blakes versatility makes Michaels more expendable.

I say Michaels. Anyone who says CC makes my brain hurt.

I voted J-Mike because I see that as the most likely move but I’m to the (probably irrational) point where a text message update announcing the firing(s) of Shelton and/or Wedge would give me some hope.

michaels is a role-player, and to the extent he gets ABs against RHP, we should expect him to be pretty bad. 25 of his 47 2008 PAs have been against RHP, and, as expected, they were bad. i think he got most of them, however, spelling gutz when he was sick, so do we really want to throw him overboard for this?

his line against LHP, which is supposed to be good, is even worse than his line against RHP. BUT, we’re talking about 22 plate appearances here, or, about the same number of plate appearances grady gets in 4 games. should we really throw a guy overboard for having a terrible 4 games? it’s not even like he’s hitless, and he’s walked 4 times.

I picked Shelton.

Michaels sucks. He is at best a guy who can get on base against lefties and play adequate defense at all three OF positions. Still, Francisco and Choo aren’t yet beating down the door. Blake doesn’t seem like a viable option in left against lefties. We should be looking for ways to reduce his role, not change it. Plus it means more playing time for Marte, and I don’t think Wedge is ready for that. Simply, Michaels isn’t a big enough problem (should only be playing 2x/wk and pinch hitting against loogys) to eat his modest contract.

Sizemore, Cabrera, Hafner, Peralta, Michaels, Gutz, and even Martinez (his slg% is only .400 and he has taken just 1 BB all year) are playing playing below expectations. The problem isn’t just our underachieving partime #7 hitter, its the whole freaking offense. A new voice could be helpful. I don’t have a replacement in mind, but I really think that Shelton’s days are numbered. If the lineups struggles continue into May, I think he is gone.

I voted for Blake, but I think dumping Michaels is only less important because he plays less. Are they really going to wait until June to bench them (like they did with Nixon)? Or until August (like Barfield)?

Yeah, we haven’t seen a very significant number of ABs from either guy, but hopefully the front office is a little better at determining a trend than we are. I’m prepared to give them some benefit of the doubt, but the cases of Nixon and Barfield loom large, though.

Presumably we have the depth we enjoy for more than just injuries and late-season call-ups.

I think it’s too earl to make a move if we’re just going to be making lateral moves.

The only real improvement out there is Barry Bonds, and that’s just not happening. Dellucci’s not been a problem, but replacing Michaels only makes sense with somebody who hits lefties…something Michaels has always done and probably will do over the long-haul.

Kevin Mench is available, and he actually hits lefties better than Michaels. Last three years: .305/.361/.558. But he can’t hit RHP for the life of him. But he’s got nothing on defense, and he’s just as likely to take a dive over 22 at-bats as has Michaels.

If Sizemore, Hafner, Peralta, Blake, Gutierrez, and Cabrera would pitch in a little…

Borowski. If he comes back from the DL, he shouldn’t be given the closer reins much longer. My guess is they’ll keep him on the DL until they get an easy schedule stretch, let him throw a few innings where there is zero risk for blowing up, and then get rid of him. Hell, the Red Sox took Gagne last year, and then the Brewers signed him to close. They’ll find a taker for Joe Blo.

too early to tell
cant get rid of jmike-dellucci’s arm isnt strong enough from left
however i wouldn’t mind seeing Cabrera go in favor of playing Jamey Caroll-he was one of the best second basemen in the national league and out of the 3 games he’s played he’s contirbuted way way way more then Cabrera has the whole season.

How long do most hitting coaches last? Shelton took over in June of 2005…so he’s getting close to three full years with the club. Seems to me that for a team in basically a year-long funk that a new fresh approach for some of the hitters would be beneficial. Don’t get me wrong, he’s done wonders with this lineup at times, but at some point a change has to be made. And we know Wedge isn’t going anywhere.

None of the above. Jeff Stevens is going to leapfrog Mujica on the depth chart and knock Jorge Julio out of the organization by the all-star break.

I voted for nobody.

Michaels—I don’t care if we dump him, but I don’t see that it helps us much. He’s not much of the reason for our funk, even as awful as he’s hit.

Blake – ditto.

AbaCab – I don’t see his hitting as demote-after-three-weeks bad. Aren’t his numbers still better than BP 2003 and J-Barf 2007? And he’s a better defender than those two or anyone else in the organization.

Wedge – the individual performance struggles have been so profound they can’t possibly have much to do with managing. His job along with the coaches is to help these players right their individual ships.

Shelton – the Indians’ biggest problem is their average, and that problem gets amplified through SLG and TB. Their walk rate is still above-average, and both BABIP and HR/F give every appearance that half the lineup is suffering from atrocious luck on top of their real performance problems. Bottom line, how can any smart team fire a hitting coach over three weeks of low batting average, knowing what we know about the volatility of that stat?

I also voted for no one.
There are 2 possible strategies for the season as defined by management.
1)We are in contention by the trading deadline and CC must be a part of that overall battle to go all the way as this is his final season with the club. Veteran players are counted on to carry the majority of the load.
2)We are out of contention close to the trading deadline and CC is dealt. At this point, less veteran players are given as many opportunities as they can handle.

A lot more games need to play out before anyone can conclude that this team has no chance to contend. The vets will continue to either make or break CC’s final season.

Can we add a place so I can vote for Cliff Lee ironically?

Well, we’re now 41 games into the season and only Michaels from this list has been thrown overboard.
Mastny and Tyner have come and gone.

The other names on this list appear to relatively safe for the near future.

Sowers and Laffey can potentially make way for JoBo and Westbrook if it comes to that, yet return in a jiffy if necessary. The more interesting question is whether, when and how Shapiro adds a bat to the roster.

The fact that the Indians are winning and in first place has bought Sharpiro some more time to shop among the
teams that fall by the wayside.