The Summer Shopping Season, Part II

David Riske? How many games did he lose/blow saves/ruin, etc. back when we were contending in the 90's? God I want him to go away forever. I highly doubt he'd be back. It would have been almost like bringing back Mesa. Or maybe not.

And by the way, I've been thinking about this Laffey thing. Not only do I think he isn't being traded, I'm wondering where the hell he is now? He cleaned out his locker in Buffalo but he's not on the CLE bench or even in CLE from what I hear?
Anyone know where he is? Strikes me as odd.

You've got Blake very possibly going back to RF next year since they'll give Marte A LOT of rope.  I know Michaels' deal can be moved, but I just don't see where Francisco fits long term.  And it's possible his value may never be higher.

1. Carl Willis
   
2. Buck Showalter
   
3. 
   

Mark (Bangor, PA): Joe, Westbrook and Lee have had very disapointing seasons. Given their track records over the last 2 - 3 years, do you think the Indians could still get on a pretty good roll soon?
SportsNation Joe Morgan: (11:34 AM ET ) The track records are very improtant because the player knows he has done it before and that can help his confidence. But it is very difficult to turn around a season because when you are on the mound you start thinking about all your struggles. But I think both those pitchers are good enough to turn it around and win three or four starts in a row.

Award-winning analysis! So, to recap, Lee/Westbrook will be okay because they've done it before, but won't bounce back because it's so late in the season, but will win three or four in a row. They're not the worldwide leader for nothing, folks!

I've been reading this board for a while and posting infrequently (mostly because I don't have the time -- not because I don't want to), and I think GermanysTribeFan got so much scorn more for how he presented his case than the argument he's making.

A few people acknowledged -- as I would -- that it's not unreasonable to have doubts about Willis. A few things that have consistently bothered me about him related to the fact that certain pitchers seem to repeat the same mistakes on a fairly consistent basis. For example, Lee doesn't change speeds or throw his curve enough and Cabrera doesn't hold his balance point consistently, therefore causing him to lose his control and "fall" off to the side of the mound. (Westbrook also occasionally doesn't really complete his follow-through and his sinker doesn't get as much bite.) These are things that I think a good pitching coach should be on top of.

That being said, we really don't know what goes on with the team. Perhaps Lee just doesn't listen, which is not an idea that hasn't been floated by many people, including Hammy. And, perhaps Cabrera is just so tall and thin that he doesn't have the coordination to get his mechanics together.

So, while I've always had doubts about Willis, I can't say that he's the source of our problems.

Would I object to seeing, say, Hershiser as out pitching coach? No way. (Though I would lose the joy of hearing him struggle to say something relevant when he's paired with the other ESPN Sunday Night BB announcers.) But would getting rid of Willis turn Lee or Cabrera around? Maybe not.

The fact is that there's only a handful of truly brilliant pitching coaches around, and maybe only one who can consistently change pitchers' careers: Leo Mazzone.