Best Draft Busts of the Past 10 Years
As the hours count down fast approaching the 2012 NBA Draft, the mock drafts are flying. Hell, you probably woke up, refreshed Twitter, and saw a dozen of them flash by on your timeline. It’s that time. Rather than share my admittedly meaningless opinion on who’s going where, I decided to explore some of the more fun pieces of the NBA Draft: When it doesn’t work out. That’s right, the BUSTS. Immediately followed by the much better players that their respective teams could have drafted.
Note: I’m exempting guys from this list whose careers have been ended/halted by unforeseeable injury, i.e. Greg Oden, Dajuan Wagner, Brandon Roy. Let’s leave the spots open for the guys who truly sucked.
12. Mouhamed Sene – 2006 – Round 1, Pick 10 – Seattle Supersonics
Picks like this one are the reason why this franchise had to leave town in Seattle. The fact that 90% of you just Googled this guy to see if I made him up proves that. Nope, he’s real. Sene was a ridiculous physical specimen (7’8″ wingspan, brilliant hands), but unfortunately he couldn’t grasp the concept of basketball. You know, the whole scoring thing. He averaged 2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 5.5 minutes per game over 107 NBA games over three seasons, before abruptly (and quietly) exiting the league for good. Easiest $3 million rookie contract ever?
Here’s Sene pretending to know how to shoot free throws. He was 58% lifetime from the line.
Still available: Thabo Sefolosha (#13), Ronnie Brewer (#14), Rajon Rondo (#21), Kyle Lowry (#24),
11. Pavel Podkolzin – 2004 – Round 1, Pick 21 – Dallas Mavericks (via Utah Jazz)
Use your 28 minutes wisely, Pavel.
If anyone reading this had ANY idea who Podkolzin was prior to this article… Well you, my friend, are a hardcore NBA fan. Podkolzin measured in at a whopping 7’5″ tall (and over 300 pounds), so it’s easy to see why the Mavs salivated at the thought of having two behemoths on their frontline. Imagine a Russian version of Yao Ming, lined up next to Dirk Nowitzki. I can dig it. The reality, however, is that Podkolzin was more of the Russian version of Todd Fuller… With even less upside. Podkolzin logged a total of 28 minutes on the floor in the NBA, spread out over 2 seasons. That’s right, he averaged 14 minutes per season, somehow maintaining his roster spot for two years. He’s since gone on to have a mildly mediocre career in Europe.
Still available: Delonte West (#24), Tony Allen (#25), Kevin Martin (#26), Anderson Varejao (#31), Trevor Ariza (#44)
10. Joe Alexander – 2008 – Round 1, Pick 8 – Milwaukee Bucks
You wanted to like Joe Alexander. By all accounts, he was a likable guy. Hell, the fans even liked him enough to get this viral YouTube campaign started to get him into the 2009 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk competition. Sure, Joe could dunk. Joe’s problems seemed to come to the forefront when he had to do that whole “play in an actual game” thing. You know, the thing that he was drafted for. Alexander was so awful that even the Milwaukee Bucks front office, notoriously overly patient with “project” picks (Dan Gadzuric, anyone?), gave up on him after just two seasons. But hey, he made the D-League All-Star team in 2011. Overachiever?
Still available: DJ Augustin (#9), Brook Lopez (#10), Roy Hibbert (#17)
9. Alexis Ajinca – 2008 – Round 1, Pick 20 – Charlotte Bobcats
And right after Joe Alexander, we have the Frenchman Alexis Ajinca, merely demonstrating that the Bucks could have actually done worse in the same draft.
Alexis Ajinca in his natural habitat… The D-League
Ajinca had the assets. Dude had a sick wingspan, shot-blocking ability, rebounding, even showed flashes of scoring ability in his many stints in the D-League. He just could never put ANYTHING together with any consistency at the NBA level. Ajinca averaged 3.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7.8 minutes per game over three seasons. Ajinca is currently playing in Europe, like many others on this list.
The biggest problem with Ajinca? Not really his stats. Three years and done is not unheard of for a guy drafted in the late first round. It’s the alternatives that Charlotte had available at the time that made this such a horrendous pick. Picked over the next 10 picks: Serge Ibaka, Ryan Anderson, Darrell Arthur.
Still available: Ryan Anderson (#21), Courtney Lee (#22), Serge Ibaka (#24), Nicolas Batum (#25), George Hill (#26), Darrell Arthur (#27)
8. Shelden Williams – 2006 – Round 1, Pick 5 – Atlanta Hawks
Williams honestly should be higher on this list, but we’re going to cut him some slack for being one of the only players on this list still in the NBA. Yes, he’s stuck it out… somehow. Williams played four highly-acclaimed seasons at Duke before being picked at #5, so it’s not like the sample size was small when the Hawks picked him. He averaged 18.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game in his senior season. Those are numbers that would still make any NBA team salivate, especially from a 6’9″, 250-pound guy with a 7-foot wingspan.
How did that translate to the NBA? Well, let’s put it this way. Williams has played for SEVEN different teams in his first six seasons. SEVEN. He’s averaged 4.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and just 0.5 blocks per game over 15.5 minutes per game in his NBA career. Though, it should be noted that Williams had a career year of sorts this year in New Jersey, starting over half of the Nets’ games. Not sure if that’s an accomplishment for Williams or more of a statement on how awful the Nets’ big men were.
Still available: Brandon Roy (#6), Rudy Gay (#8), Thabo Sefolosha (#13)… And Mouhamed Sene (#10)… Just kidding.
7. Luke Jackson – 2004 – Round 1, Pick 10 – Cleveland Cavaliers
Let me preface this by saying that I understand why the Cavaliers made this pick. This was during the LeBron era in Cleveland, and they were absolutely desperate to get another scorer to lighten the load on a young LeBron, and were in desperate need of some outside scoring (no, Jiri Welsch and JR Bremer just weren’t cutting it). So naturally, a guy who averaged 21.2 points per game and shot 44% from 3-point range in his senior season at Oregon would make sense, right?
Jackson was, believe it or not, raved about by NBA scouts as a “sure thing”, and “NBA ready”. Well, I’m not sure what he was ready for, but it wasn’t the NBA. Luke Jackson shot 35% from the field and mustered only 252 total points in 724 minutes played in his entire NBA career, spanning just four seasons. He was last seen getting cut from a D-League team in 2011.
Also worth noting: This was the Cavaliers’ only lottery pick during the entire LeBron era. Oh, what could have been…
Still available: Al Jefferson (#15), Josh Smith (#17), Jameer Nelson (#20)
6. Rafael Araujo – 2004 – Round 1, Pick 8 – Toronto Raptors
When you look at this pick in retrospect, coupled with the departure of Vince Carter, and it’s quite difficult to see how the Toronto franchise has managed to remain in Toronto all these years. The reaction you get now when mentioning Rafael Araujo is quite similar to the reaction you got in 2004, when he was drafted… “Wait… WHO?” Sadly, I think the Raptors would have caught less long-term flak if they’d taken Luke Jackson here.
I just can’t explain this…
The story? Araujo, like Jackson, was a college senior with an impressive resume. Dude averaged 18.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in his senior season at BYU, and though he had an unimpressive wingspan, was still big enough to play the center position at 6’11” and 280 pounds. Araujo had some incredible strength, but unfortunately had no moves that enabled him to utilize that incredible strength. He was as strong as a Mack truck… And about as agile and maneuverable as one, too. He averaged 2.8 points and 2.8 rebounds over 11.4 minutes per game over 3 short seasons before exiting the NBA. He has since retired from basketball altogether.
Let’s imagine, just for a moment, that the Raptors had drafted Andre Iguodala or Al Jefferson instead…
Still available: Andre Iguodala (#9), Al Jefferson (#15), Josh Smith (#17), Jameer Nelson (#20)
5. Marvin Williams – 2005 – Round 1, Pick 2 – Atlanta Hawks
I may have to defend this pick a bit, but hear me out. Yes, Williams has averaged a solid 11.5 points and 5.2 rebounds over seven seasons in Atlanta. However, he belongs on this list based on who was picked AFTER him. The 2005 draft was loaded near the top, and Williams was simply not part of that, in retrospect. It’s not that he’s bad… He’s just not that good. In fact, his numbers have steadily declined since his 2007-08 campaign, with his scoring and rebounding numbers decreasing four out of the last five years. Hardly the progression you’d expect from a guy who’s still only 26.
He did, however, land a 5-year, $40 million deal from Atlanta in 2009… somehow.
And on a Hawks team that has often struggled to find a reliable point guard (Acie Law, anyone?), can you picture CP3 at the point? Yeah, we can’t either. Insane.
Still available: Chris Paul (#3), Raymond Felton (#5), Andrew Bynum (#10), Danny Granger (#17)
4. Adam Morrison – 2006 – Round 1, Pick 3 – Charlotte Bobcats
This pick has to haunt Charlotte fans. As I’ve infamously outlined, the Charlotte franchise has had its fair share of peril in its young history, but perhaps none is more painful than the story of the Adam Morrison pick.
(FUN FACT: Leading scorer on the 2005-06 Bobcats team (the year prior to them picking Morrison)? None other than the LEGENDARY Primoz Brezec)
Yes, the Bobcats have downright awful luck. But this one is self-inflicted. This was a pick that you just knew wouldn’t work out. Everyone had a bad feeling about this pick. Yes, Morrison was a hustle guy. Yes, he would risk his body for damn near anything. No, his shot wasn’t perfect… Okay, his shot was awful. In the NBA, Morrison transitioned from being a scrappy, hustle guy who could also shoot the lights out into a guy who was content to stand in the corner and lay bricks all night. Morrison somehow managed to shoot 37% over the course of his career, which (while still tremendously awful) seems a lot better than you’d expect. After two and a half seasons, Morrison was dealt to the Lakers, where he quickly got buried on the end of the bench. Even more amazing? He won a ring with the Lakers in 2010, despite playing only 13 total minutes during the playoffs. Yes, Adam Morrison has as many rings as LeBron James.
I’ve got one, too. Your move, LeBron.
Still available: Tyrus Thomas (#4), Brandon Roy (#6), Rudy Gay (#8), Thabo Sefolosha (#13), Rajon Rondo (#21), Kyle Lowry (#24)
3. Hasheem Thabeet – 2009 – Round 1, Pick 2 – Memphis Grizzlies
Is it too soon to put Thabeet on this list? Some may argue so, but I disagree. Interesting note: Thabeet’s stats from his final year at UConn are eerily similar to one big man being taken at the top of this year’s draft. He averaged 13.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.2 blocks per game in his final season at UConn, and was touted as a shut-down low post defender with a growing offensive game, insane athleticism and a tremendous upside. Don’t believe me? Here is an actual pre-draft compilation of scouting reports on Thabeet. It’s not often you find a 7’3″ guy with the athleticism that Thabeet has, and the potential upside.
We’re still looking for that upside. In 2011, not even two full seasons after they drafted him, the Grizzlies dealt Thabeet to the Houston Rockets along with a future first round pick for Shane Battier. Many figured he would get a chance to shine in the newly-vacated center position in Houston, following Yao Ming’s departure. What did Thabeet do with that opportunity? Let’s put it this way: He played a total of 27 minutes with Houston, scoring 6 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and picking up 8 fouls, in only 7 games, before the Rockets also gave up on Thabeet. Houston cut its losses and dealt Thabeet to Portland with Jonny Flynn and a future draft pick for a real center – Marcus Camby. It remains to be seen whether or not Thabeet can finally put it all together. The truth of the matter is this: In his NBA career, Thabeet has more than twice as many fouls (258) as blocked shots (115) or defensive rebounds (235). Not good.
Still available: James Harden (#3), Tyreke Evans (#4), Ricky Rubio (#5), Stephen Curry (#7)
2. Nikoloz Tskitishvili – 2002 – Round 1, Pick 5 – Denver Nuggets
After this pick, it still amazes me that Kiki Vandeweghe can get a job in any NBA front office (he’s the likely candidate for the current Clippers GM vacancy). Tskitishvili was drafted at #5 despite being relatively unknown (which he still remains, to this day), and despite never having worked out for any NBA team. He serves as a cautionary tale on European draft picks to this day.
What did he do with his career? Well… Averages of 11.3 minutes, 2.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game, while shooting 30.3% from the field. Yes, 30.3%. You read that correctly. I shall say no more.
If you recognize this man, you’re either Kiki Vandeweghe… Or a crying Nuggets fan.
Still available: Nene (#7), Amare Stoudemire (#9), Caron Butler (#10), Tayshaun Prince (#23)
1. Darko Milicic – 2oo3 – Round 1, Pick 2 – Detroit Pistons
It’s really never been Darko’s fault. In retrospect, he’s had quite a respectable career. Darko has been a solid backup center, averaging a double-double over 36 minutes for the better part of the past five or six seasons. The only problem? He was picked #2 in one of the most historically amazing drafts in NBA history.
Following Darko? Carmelo. Bosh. Wade. Hell, even Chris Kaman would have done the Pistons better. Insert any of those players on the Detroit Pistons, and you’d be talking about a dynasty. They did win one the same year they drafted him, but no thanks to Darko. He played all of 14 total postseason minutes that year, and didn’t play a whole lot more in his entire Pistons career.
And honestly, who can really forgive him for this hair?
Take a moment, and sit back and reminisce on those mid-2000’s Pistons teams. Notorious for their defense. Had a core group of Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, and Tayshaun Prince. Imagine D-Wade on that team. I cannot even wrap my mind around that concept. Sorry, Darko. It’s just the truth. You are, though among many others, the single-worst draft bust of the past decade.
Still available: Carmelo Anthony (#3), Chris Bosh (#4), Dwyane Wade (#5), Chris Kaman (#6)
So let this be a cautionary tale. Before we all jump to convince ourselves that Andre Drummond will suddenly grow a passion for the game of basketball (not to mention a work ethic) and that Harrison Barnes will suddenly stop underachieving when he starts receiving a paycheck… It may not always work out that way.
Michael Jordan is a Moron.
Chad Ford is a busy man these days. He writes today that Michael Jordan isn’t quite sold on MKG and is considering Thomas Robinson instead:
The question is will he (Thomas Robinson) be drafted at No. 2? We’ve had Michael Kidd-Gilchrist as the No. 2 pick for the past few weeks. Sources say the Bobcats still haven’t decided and are seriously considering trading the No. 2 pick to get multiple picks back. However, Robinson is very seriously in the mix, and I’m told right now that Michael Jordan isn’t sold on Kidd-Gilchrist.
MJ, you were a good basketball player… but you need to consider what you’re doing.
Actually, don’t. #MKG4CLE
Cavs Tried to Trade for #1
Chad Ford said today that the Cavs tried to trade every pick they had in the first round to the Hornets in exchange for the #1 pick but got a “firm and quick” no in response. Hey, at least that’s not dumb decision. I don’t think anyone would have been upset about that (had it happened)
Michael Kidd- Gilchrist and Harrison Barnes, intertwined.
As the draft inches near, rumors flood the air more than exasperatingly plebeian Browns bitching talk. There are a couple of things that have most notably stuck out to me since the night of the lottery and they are that the Bobcats are open to trade talks for their #2 pick and that the Cavs will not let Harrison Barnes slip past them. The latter could possibly be one of the worst ideas I’ve ever heard. The Cavaliers need defense, not a player who stayed two years and did close to nothing. Cleveland was tied for 26th in the league in defensive efficiency last year with Golden State and were 27th in offensive efficiency (beating out Washington and Detroit by .3). What is that old adage? Offense wins championships, defense wins games while bitching and moaning makes things much better in time? No, that’s not it… defense wins championships while offense wins games. If the Cavs front office truly cares about getting back to where we were a few years ago (on the cusp of the teat that is a championship) then they need to draft a defensive minded player. There are only three players that come to mind instantly when I think of defense in this year’s draft: Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd- Gilchrist, and every single white guy in the draft with a buzz cut. We’ve tried the white guys before, and Davis is out of the question, so that leaves only MKG to quench our thirst of not seeing Ekpe Udoh dunk over Tristan Thompson (I’m not sure if it happened but it sounded funny). Unlike Harrison Barnes (who is a good player, he just doesn’t show it as often as he should), Kidd- Gilchrist thrives on defense and can attack the basket with the ferocity of Pete attacking a bag of Funyuns while drinking Jager.
Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not saying Harrison Barnes isn’t a good player. It just seemed to me that last season he had the Terrence Jones effect… where he would show flashes that he was capable of being the best player on the floor and then quickly shrink back down out of the spotlight and be nothing more than a role player. Meanwhile, MKG took jumpshots (and nailed them) when his team needed them most even though jump shooting is not his forte.
There were a few games last season where he didn’t start. No, he wasn’t injured and he didn’t have discipline problems. He gave up his starting spot so that senior (and the namesake of my puppy) Darius Miller could start a few games and have some glory in what turned out to be a National Championship season. Who else does that?
It’s been said by MKG over and over again that he’d love to play in Cleveland. He used to be teammates with Kyrie Irving in high school (please fact check me there because I’m much too lazy to check) and they’re good buddies. BFF’s, if you will. He’s exciting. He’s clutch. His smile could feed all of the hungry children worldwide. And he needs to be a Cleveland Cavalier. Trust me on this one, guys. I saw him play 38 games last season.
And Then There Was This………..
As Pete said in a text to me before the draft, “No matter what, the sun will set. And then it will rise tomorrow.”
I think the sun rose with the picture above.
TURN ON YOUR TV! IT’S #LOTTERYTIME
IF YOU’RE SOMEHOW READING THIS. STOP. TURN YOUR TV ON AND TURN IT TO ESPN. IT’S TIME FOR THOSE HIPSTER GLASSES TO WORK THEIR MAGIC!
What If?
No, this ain’t an Indians post (although that slogan they’re using is the absolute dumbest thing I’ve ever seen… WHAT IF the Tribe swept Detroit and then subsequently lost 5-6 to the White Sox and the Royals? … but I digress). This is a Cavs post. And it’s gonna rock your body (until the break of dawn). I’m in a funky mood, where I just want to be as ridiculous as possible. I apologize in advance for any typos or curse words that may appear in this post… because frankly, I don’t proofread. I think it dilutes the point I try to convey. On the flip side, it also allows me to ramble just like I’m doing now.
My question to you is: What if the Cavs win the lottery? What happens? Does #ClevelandPoliceScanner trend on Twitter for like 6 hours? Does Dan Gilbert change his font from Comic Sans MS to Georgia or Arial? Even better, Arial Bold?
Here are each team’s chances for the #1 pick, with the chances for a top three pick hyphenated afterwards.
Bobcats – 25% – 64.19%
Wizards – 19.9% – 55.74%
Cavaliers – 13.8% – 42.57%
Hornets – 13.7& – 42.33%
Kings – 7.6% – 25.5%
Nets – 7.5% – 25.19%
Warriors – 3.6% – 12.66%
Raptors – 3.5% – 12.32%
Pistons – 1.7% – 6.1%
Timberwolves – 1.1% – 3.97%
Trail Blazers – 0.8% – 2.9%
Bucks – 0.7% – 2.54%
Suns – 0.6% – 2.18%
Rockets – 0.5% – 1.81%
I like those odds. Nick Gilbert and his hipster glasses are gonna make those ping pong balls fall in our favor.
So, here’s how it’s gonna go down:
Any Pick between 4-14:
Cuyahoga County in its entirety will feel a massive shift in the earth. There will be a bright, bright light shining from midfield at the Browns Stadium. The earth will literally split in half and the Browns stadium will levitate a thousand feet above it. All of the negative energy from the city of Cleveland will be harnessed into a powerful goo that makes anyone instantly negative and ghoulish when they come in contact with it. Why the Browns Stadium? I dunno. It sounded good in my head. Nevertheless, it’ll look a lot like this:
#3 Pick:
I’m gonna be pissed. I mean, so pissed that I’ll curse the heavens and shake my fist at them while kneeling on the ground and then… AND ONLY THEN will they know my true anger. I mean really? We had the 3rd best chance and got the 3rd best pick? I know fair is fair, BUT THAT IS NOT HOW THE LOTTERY WORKS. AND THAT IS FUCKING BULLSHIT.
It’s okay, though… it won’t happen.
#2 Pick:
If the Cavs get the #2 pick, I’ll actually be okay with it. That means I get to see this smile a whole lot more (and quite frankly, I’m 1,000% okay with that):
So beautiful. Is that not the best thing ever?
But, God will have got us again. I’m convinced this is the smile God will have if any of the above happens:
HAHAHAHAHAHA GOTCHA FUCKERS!
Yes, God is Sigourney Weaver from Ghostbusters 1.
#1 PICK!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!1!1!1!!!!!!!:
I honestly don’t know. That means more unibrow. Which, by the way if anyone in Cleveland doesn’t know… Anthony Davis isn’t going to shave it. Ever. He’s made that clear. He loves that people pick fun at him for it. At Florida they called him Bert… or Ernie. Whichever has the unibrow and he said he thought it was one of the funniest things he had ever seen and heard. So, there. Get used to it because it’s awesome and it will make almost everyone in Little Italy feel normal. Even the women. Because let’s face it… you know it and I know it… some of them women down there are pretty damn good looking.
If the Cavs get the #1 pick, I’ll toss my puppy into the air and catch him as he gracefully falls back down into my arms. I’ll swing him around until he almost barfs, and I’ll even get this picture of Mark Price tattooed on my forearm*:
That being said, there’s nothing that would complete my summer more than an Indians/ Nationals World Series and the Cavs winning the lottery. However if they for some ungodly reason they don’t… #PrayForCardboardGerald because Jesus Christ, the Bobcats need it pretty freakin’ bad.
I’m out.
Oh yeah, Luke Harangody sucks.
Now I’m out.
*no I won’t.
A Little Spontaneity
So, it’s not like I quit writing. I just haven’t really felt like it. Yahoo! had offered me a job writing, so I wrote a piece for them back in March and they never got back with me. Wussies. Nevertheless, I got discouraged and I really haven’t felt like writing anything.
That being said, I’m in Lyndhurst right now and I’m watching Kentucky play baseball in the SEC Semifinals on ESPN3. I’ve had an absolutely incredible week up here… I did the normal tourist-y stuff like Cedar Point, saw the Tribe beat Detroit on Wednesday, and I went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame yesterday (and subsequently got lost downtown on the RTA Bus with some rather shady characters). I sat on a bus bench and talked for a solid 20 minutes with a 400- pound black lady about mayonnaise… and it was awesome. Everyone up here has been rather nice (other than Waka Flocka shooting me dirty looks because I wore a 1997 SEC Tournament Champs shirt with my Indians hat on the bus) and they even helped me get back to where I needed to go on the bus. Public Transportation is a nightmare for a guy from Central Kentucky. It made absolutely no sense and to be honest I’m not exactly sure why.
But, back to bidness. The only thing I can comment on that is rather newsworthy is the fact that the Indians have an absurd amount of players injured including Cabrera (left hamstring), Carlos Santana (head/ neck) and Travis Hafner (right knee) are all out for today’s game against the White Sox. What’s funny, though is that the lineup today (Choo RF, Brantley CF, Kipnis 2B, Lopez DH, Kotchman 1B, Damon LF, Hannahan 3B, Diaz SS, Marson C. SP: Lowe) has a combined batting average of .249… the regular lineup? .246. That absolutely blows my mind.
Not to jump around topics or anything (but if you have ever listened to one of our podcasts, you know it’s very easy for me to just go on a rant about anything at any given time)… but I’ve been to both MLB parks in the state of Ohio. The Great American Ballpark in Cincy and now the Prog here in Cleveland. Great American Ball Park has the better name (like the Army of the Republic Highway), but the Prog has a bigger, more Major League feel to it. Cincy just has a minor league feel to it… like it’s more personal. Being from a small town and coming from schools that have 20/ 25 students per class, you’d think I would prefer that. Not so much. The Prog is just H U G E… and beautiful. Seeing the sunset behind the scoreboard was something that absolutely took my breath away (either that or I choked on my beer). It’s incredibly nice. Y’all got something good going for ya.
That’s it for right now, I’m kind of tired of writing.
Deuces.
Fun with Facts, Cleveland Indians Themed
Yes that’s right CSOM readers we still maintain a pulse, however faint. My first instinct urges me to apologize for our next to non-existing presence here over the past month. Contrary to popular belief Pete, Ethan, and I didn’t mean to mimic the Tribe’s offense from Saturday, May 12th and Sunday, May 13th. Get it? Largely absent!
Anyways, I’m not going to apologize because actions carry more meaning. If I can’t get back to posting once a week, I recommend you bug CSOM founders Ethan and Pete to do so. Just tweet them, @peterfenn and @WhiteMillsKY.
Moving forward, onto this post’s substance! Enjoy these three fun facts about the Cleveland Indians.
Where in the Lineup is Shin-Soo Choo?
If you didn’t pick up the “Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?” analogy, shame on you! While you take a two-minute timeout think about this. 35 games into the season and Shin-Soo Choo already batted third, sixth, and now leadoff! Indians skipper Manny Acta revealed Monday, May 14th his intentions to bat Choo first for the foreseeable future. Despite Choo’s unattractive batting average, the manager feels the move appropriate considering the right fielder’s strong OBP. I guess there are advantages to getting hit by pitches five times already. :)
Chris Perez Leads American League in Saves
Following an epic fail Opening Day, which Pete and I witnessed firsthand, Tribe closer Chris Perez continues rebounding nicely. Perez notched his league leading 12th save Monday, May 14th. That should silence the CP haters Pete and I ended up around at Progressive Field Opening Day. As I recall in my Yahoo! Sports piece “The Fan Experience: Cleveland Indians’ 2012 Opening Day,” fans in our section shared great insight “Hair doesn’t make you a good closer.” Perhaps we should reassess this theory…
Pregame ceremonies proceed before the first pitch at Progressive Field Opening Day 2012.
Statistics Suggest Joe Smith Should Start
Look at the Tribe’s team leaders in wins. Right there with starters Derek Lowe (5) and Ubaldo Jimenez (3) stands Bullpen Mafia’s Joe Smith (3). Talk about absurdity! Joe Smith finds himself with just as many, if not more wins than 80% of the starting rotation. Crazy!
*On a final side note, you know what else will be crazy? If tomorrow goes by without Pete or Ethan posting about Kyrie Irving winning Rookie of the Year. Consider that a challenge to post you two! I know you are reading this. ;)
Cleveland State of Mind 