My Full 180 on Chris Perez

I've said some terrible things about Chris Perez. The worst of which, probably came after his opening day meltdown this year. That was as angry as I’ve been watching a sporting event. And I’m a Notre Dame fan, so that’s saying something (Okay I may have been angrier that one time). None the less, I have no shame in completely reversing my position on Pure Rage Perez because of a few things that took place in the last week and his comments toward tribe fans last night and this morning. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s been pitching lights out.

I had the pleasure of being at Fenway last weekend to watch two of the Indians-Red Sox games. On Friday I arrived at park early to watch the Tribe in batting practice. The majority of the Indians pitching staff were in the outfield shagging fly balls as the position players hit. Chris Perez spent the entire time in center field chasing balls with the vigor that would suggest he might be an emergency outfielder. It only took 45 minutes of watching him to see how much he loves being in a ballpark. When batting practice was over and the team was heading toward the dugout, Perez threw a ball to a fan on top of the green monster from right-center field. The throw was right on the money but the fan mishandled it and the ball fell to the warning track below. Perez jogged all the way from right- center to pick the ball up and toss it back to the fan on top of the wall. Scenes like this that show how much a player loves playing the game and are lost when you’re used to watching a team strictly on television.

Chris Perez is a passionate guy, whether he’s on the mound screaming at himself, Alex Rios, or nobody in particular. That passion came through last night with his direct comments that called out Cleveland fans for their negativity. It was the first chance he had to speak to the media after being booed by fans on Thursday night against the Mariners. You may notice he didn’t even give up a run that outing, but he started hearing boos after putting two runners on base.  He explained how it’s even more frustrating to hear boos when they’re coming from about 5000 fans. Perez spoke to the media again this morning and he clarified his comments even more. Some highlights of the two media sessions include pointing out how embarrassing it is for the first place Indians to be last in Major League Baseball in attendance, how the lack of fan support affects the team’s ability to land free agents, and how it feels at times the team is playing for themselves.

Perez said he received some pretty entertaining feedback on his twitter account last night and I have a feeling if he takes the mound today he’ll get more of the same from the home crowd. And that’s absolutely sad. As critical as his comments may seem, they’re accurate in every way. He’s a dedicated player that is only asking for support for a team that’s actually pretty good. He could have bragged about how good he’s been all season but he didn’t. Perez event went as far as buying 3 pairs of season tickets that he’ll be giving away every home game the rest of the season. I admire his passion for the game and honesty and I really hope fans rally around this team instead of continuing to throw negativity at it. I know I will.

Thoughts on Indians vs. Mariners 4/17/12

In an attempt to write more often, I plan on writing about the Cleveland Indians a few times a week in addition to entries about other subjects. I’m starting with some observations from last night’s game.

Justin Masterson cruised through the first two innings but seemed to get thrown off rhythm when he knocked Brendan Ryan to the dirt with a fastball in the third inning. He never recovered from that pitch and started either missing wildly or leaving the ball over the plate. The Seattle hitters deserve credit for sensing blood in the water and getting aggressive early in the count. Outings like this where he seems to lose his bearing were common in Masterson’s first couple of years, but he seemed to grow out of it in 2011.

The good thing about Masterson’s short performance was we didn’t have to wait long for the season debut of Nick Hagadone. Hagadone, who made 9 appearances last season, was added to the roster this week as the Indians placed Asdrubal Cabrera on the Bereavement list. Hagadone was impressive and it’s easy to see why he has dominated hitters in triple-A Columbus to this point. The lefty’s fastball ranged from 91-95 and he located it well. With his compact delivery from the stretch, the ball seems to have even more life than his velocity suggests. There were a few embarrassingly tardy swings from Seattle hitters. The most impressive part of his outing was during the 5th inning when an error by Jack Hannahan put runners on first and second with no outs. Hagadone locked in struck out the next two batters he faced and finished off the inning with a line out to center. He never seemed rattled even though the team had just battled back in the previous half inning and he was pressured to keep the score close. Other than displaying the good fastball, Hagadone showed that he needs to gain more confidence in his off speed pitches if he wants a full time spot on the roster. He had one perfectly placed slider to strike out John Jaso in the fifth but everything else wasn’t close. I look forward to seeing more of him throughout the rest of the road trip.

The error in the fifth inning from Jack Hannahan continues his shaky start on defense. This was number 4 of the season in 23 chances compared to the 5 errors he had in 296 chances all of last season. These errors have come on plays that would normally be routine for him. We may just be looking at a few bad plays in a small sample size but it is a possibility Hannahan may not be the veteran defensive wizard Tribe fans think he is. Defensive metrics aren’t perfect, but he does have the second best UZR/150 games at third base over the past 4 seasons. However, he’s never been an everyday player. The number one person on that list, Evan Longoria, has played over 2000 innings more than Hannahan at third base during that stretch. In addition to not having extensive experience at third, Hannahan is 32-years-old and it’s not unreasonable to expect his range to shrink as he gets older. However, it could just be a few rough games. Defensive stars like Evan Longoria and Troy Tulowitzki are also off to early rough starts in the field and it’s too soon to make any firm judgments. Offensively though, I do have confidence saying Hannahans .394 on-base-percentage won’t hold up over the course of the season. I expect him to slide back toward his .314 career OBP but it’s great to have him contributing with the bat while the glove is slacking.

It will be interesting to see what Acta and Antonetti do over the course of the season at third base. Lonnie Chisenhall is off to a hot start in Columbus and they may be tempted to bring him up if Hannahan regresses. However, they can’t get into a situation like last year where Chisenhall isn’t getting consistent at bats. I think it’s best they let him play every day in Columbus until he can improve his LHP vs RHP splits.

The Subjectivity of Music: The Drake Cycle

The idea of what constitutes “good” music will always be a point of contention within my circle of friends. Sometimes we all agree and sometimes we scream “SHIT SUUUCKS” in the back of Jordan’s car. All forms of art are subjective and music is far from an exception. However, taste in music goes beyond differences in personal preference. How I react to music can be completely dependent on factors ranging from how my job is going to worrying about why a friend is mad at me. Author Mark Doty wrote about how these outside factors influence the way people interact with and appreciate visual art in his book Still Life with Oysters and Lemons. Doty writes, "The I suffuses with what it sees with the eye. Not I in the sense of my personal story...But I as the quickest subtlest thing we are: a moment of attention, an intimate engagement." This “I” is a complete picture of who a person is in a given moment. All of your current fears, joys, anxieties along with anything else that influences who you are at that instant. Although Doty discussed how important the “I” is when interacting with visual art, I would argue it applies even more to music.

I can count several occasions where a friend criticized a particular song that I played, only to have the same friend replay the exact song months or years later and talk about how great it is. Music makes us all hypocrites. What doesn’t suit our ear at one time may sound much better at a different point in our lives. I’m as guilty as anyone and the best way I can illustrate this is though the progression of my Drake fanhood, or “The Drake Cycle.” The cycle has four stages.

Stage 1: Drake is Fucking Awesome

At first listen, Drake’s So Far Gone mixtape is incredible. There is no denying his smooth sound and the lyrics are clever and genuine. The song “Fear” even displays emotion and vulnerability that is hard to find in today’s hip hop. (“And people seem to notice every time I do smile/ I guess that mean they come few and far between even though I’m living out what you would call a dream” = GOLD). What’s not to like? Great beats, a smooth sound, and even a sensitive side. Drake has it all. Fans in this stage drink up every song and Young Money hook they can find. These fans in may also find themselves preaching to friends how unique Drake is. You may even have a rotation of Drake lyric Facebook statuses that can be cycled through on a weekly basis. Stage 1 is a great place to be, and you may never leave.

Stage 2: Early-Onset Drake Over-saturation

The writing is on the wall in this stage. You don’t dislike Drake’s music, but hearing him on the radio every three songs starts to get a little old. You start listening to lyrics with more care and the Facebook statuses start to tail off. This stage is short as it easily transitions into..

Stage 3: Complete Drake Rejection and Slander

It may not be a specific moment when the switch flips and you start hating on Drake. It may just be the result of months of over played songs and lyrics that don’t seem as clever as you initially thought. My breaking point, however, was when I heard Drake’s verse on J. Cole’s song “In the Morning.”(1:47-2:38) This verse is a microcosm of most every Drake song I have heard. It’s smooth and has clever lines like, “I’m tryin to make the goose bumps on your inner thighs show/I’ll let you beat me there as far as finish lines go.” Like most Drake songs though, it doesn’t take long to fall apart. The verse quickly spirals into disjointed lines and bizarre equestrian sexual innuendo. Once you personally begin rejecting Drake you may start being a snob people who outwardly appreciate his music. You start complaining about how every song sounds the same, but not necessarily in front of the same friends you sang his praises to a few months earlier. Stage 3 can turn very spiteful and come back to haunt you.

Stage 4: Drake Relapse and Moment of Clarity

It can happen anywhere. I would wager it happens in a social scenario involving massive speakers, alcohol, and a dance floor. My relapse, however, was much more subtle. I was simply driving to campus on a sunny Florida day with the windows down and I caught myself unconsciously singing “I’m on One” as it played on the radio. After being a snob and publicly dismissing his music, maybe I wasn’t any less of a fan than when I first listened to So Far Gone. Realizing what a sham my criticism of Drake was hurt at first, but it made me understand that all music has its place.

Arguing over good and bad music will continue forever, but in the future I’ll be hesitate to disparage an artist because someday I could be singing their songs to the steering wheel of my car. A few months ago I was stuck driving to work in Florida on the day of grandfather’s funeral in Ohio.I was in sad and confused state of mind as I tried to put in perspective my grandpa’s passing. I played a Kid Cudi song off my iPod and it immediately made me think about what an incredible and supportive family I have. My grandfather was the strong patriarch who was the rock of the family. A Kid Cudi song. The fact that I’m associating Kid Cudi with my hard ass, conservative grandfather is crazy, but that’s the great thing about music. Music is whatever you need it to be. It all depends on what makes up your “I” in a particular moment. Maybe it’s dealing with the loss of a loved one. Maybe if I’m drinking in a car with my friends on the way to Uptown Larry’s I need to hear some “No Hands” by Waka Flocka. Or if I’m in a crowded bar trying to drink enough courage to talk to a pretty girl, some Drake in background might be all right.

Cavaliers Fans Need to Stop Hating andThank LeBron James

Cavaliers fans are down to their last hope. Since the NBA playoffs began, disgruntled Cleveland fans have been openly rooting for whoever is facing LeBron James and the Miami Heat. At some point Cleveland fans need to consider what happened this season and thank LeBron for taking his talents to South Beach. Yes, “The Decision” was brutal. It will go down in sports history as the most catastrophic $6 million charity event of all time. After years of professional sports anguish, Cleveland fans did not deserve having their hearts torn out on national television. It took a while for LeBron to acknowledge the brutality of his departure, but Cleveland needs to look at the larger picture.

LeBron and the Heat were criticized for celebrating too much after beating the Celtics. LeBron pointed out that beating Boston was the reason he came to Miami because he couldn’t do it alone in Cleveland. The 2010-2011 Cavaliers provided all of the evidence needed to prove his statement correct. LeBron’s former supporting cast finished dead last in the Eastern Conference by three games. If he would have stayed in Cleveland, fans would have likely been treated to seven more years of struggling to get over the hump. How could LeBron, or Cleveland fans, want a repeat of last season’s playoffs? It’s impossible to say what would have happened had LeBron signed with Cleveland, but don’t think he forgot getting booed at home after being unable to beat the Celtics alone. How awkward would another year or two of that result be? His task would have only got more difficult as teams like Chicago and New York continue to get better every year. While the Eastern Conference keeps improving, Cleveland would have been handcuffed by LeBron’s massive contract and perpetual inability to attract free agents.

Cleveland fans should stop rooting against LeBron and thank him because they should have hope. Although it isn’t the most loaded draft in recent memory, the Cavaliers will get quality players with their first round picks that they can build a franchise on. This year, teams like Oklahoma City, Chicago, Memphis, and Philadelphia proved that a drafting young talent can spark a quick turnaround. None of these teams are still standing in the playoffs but their young talent received experience that will only make them more dangerous next year. Cleveland can also look within its own city for hope. Critics wrote the Indians off as a non-factor in the A.L. Central this year. A young team gelled and they are off to one of the best starts in franchise history. The team is reaping the benefits of countless superstars that were traded away over the past five years. The salary structure of baseball and basketball may be different, but the reality of what small market teams need to do to succeed remains the same.

The Heat still have a lot of work to do before winning a title, but it looks like LeBron put himself in a better position to win than he ever would have experienced in Cleveland. Cavaliers fans need to see this and realize that rooting for whoever the Heat is playing won’t bring a competitive team to Cleveland any faster.