Results tagged ‘ Cleveland ’
Shapiro to help introduce Cleveland chapter of PCA
Cleveland Indians President Mark Shapiro will be among a number of sports executives in attendance at Progressive Field this afternoon to help launch the Cleveland chapter of the Positive Coaching Alliance.
The Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is an organization that focuses on educating youth sports coaches, parents and athletes to emphasize character building and life lessons in addition to competition in the youth sports environment.
The PCA was formed at Stanford University in 1998 and offers a variety of workshops and online courses for people involved in different areas of youth athletics. Shapiro joined the National Board of Directors in 2012.
“I joined the National Advisory Board of PCA after I learned about the great work they were doing in helping to insure that youth sports is the positive, life forming experience it has the potential to be,” said Shapiro. “Sports has been a big part of the fabric of my life but my exposure to youth sports through my son’s experiences made me realize how much of the eyepiece depends upon the coach and his approach. PCA has a program and philosophy that is scalable and approaches the sports from a holistic approach guiding the coaches, parents and athletes.”
After joining the National Board of Directors, Shapiro quickly focused on bringing a chapter of the organization to Cleveland, and he spearheaded the effort to open the PCA’s 8th regional office in the city.
“Cleveland is my home, my community and where I am raising my family. I want the Cleveland market to benefit from the great work that PCA does. The natural way to insure this happens and happens soon was to partner with PCA and other like-minded local leaders to help being a chapter to Cleveland,” said Shapiro.
The Indians President said his goals for the Cleveland chapter of PCA are to impact the youth sports experience of as many local coaches, athletes and families as possible, and that youth sports provide valuable building blocks of successes both on and off the field.
For more information on the Positive Coaching Alliance, visit: PositiveCoach.org.
– TribeVibe Contributor Max Lom
Francona Treats Cleveland Media to Lunch
The relationship between a team’s manager and the local beat reporters in a given city is a living, breathing entity that takes on many forms throughout the course of a baseball season and becomes a very important part of the process that delivers the news and information that you get through newspapers, television, talk radio, blogs, Twitter, etc.
Beginning with Spring Training, the manager maintains scheduled pre- and post-game media obligations on a daily basis in addition to all the incidental contact that may take place in person or over the phone with journalists who spend a significant portion of their working lives chronicling the club’s daily story lines. In short, it’s extremely beneficial for all parties involved for these relationships to be built upon some combination of trust, honesty, fairness, respect and professionalism. With that in mind, Terry Francona hosted the Cleveland contingency of beat reporters during a 90-minute informal lunch earlier today in the home clubhouse at Progressive Field, giving the local scribes an opportunity to get-to-know the new Indians skipper outside of a traditional press conference setting; equally, the meet-and-greet gave Tito the chance to familiarize himself with some of the people he’ll be interacting with on an almost daily basis at the ballpark and express his appreciation for the jobs that they do. The group covered a wide range of insightful topics, which MLB.com’s Indians beat writer Jordan Bastian hits in more detail HERE.
Urban Meyer Visits Progressive Field
Ohio State University head football coach Urban Meyer and his sons, Jack and Nate, spent the day at Progressive Field on Monday. The Meyers toured the Indians Clubhouse, battled Indians pitcher Joe Smith in ping pong, and took batting practice in the indoor batting cages.
TribeVibe: How has your experience at Progressive Field been thus far?
Urban Meyer: It’s a little bit of a time warp because I grew up about 40 miles east of here. We used to come and watch the Cleveland Indians all the time in the old stadium. I was always a big Indians fan when Rick Manning and Duane Kuiper and all those guys were playing, so it’s just great to be back here.
TV: What’s your best memory of coming down to watch an Indians game as a kid?
UM: One of my dreams was that I got drafted by the Atlanta Braves, but when I came here when I was young, when I was 17 years old—a senior in high school—they invited me up here to eat. They took me on the field and said, ‘You’re going to be the next shortstop for the Cleveland Indians.’ It didn’t work out, but obviously that’s how excited I was.
TV: Do you have a favorite player on the Indians?
UM: I just have a following going. I’m a big Lowe fan. I’ve just watched him for so many years.
TV: Did you know Lowe would be starting tonight when you planned this visit?
UM: I just found out, and I’m all excited.
TV: Your son is throwing out tonight’s first pitch. Is he a Cleveland Indians fan?
UM: He’s actually a Tampa Bay Rays fan. He’s a tough one. All he knows is Florida, but he loves the Indians. He’s still learning about them.
TV: How would you describe Cleveland fans?
UM: I know Cleveland fans very well because I was here for all those years with the Browns and Indians. The Indians weren’t very good when I was growing up. The Browns were pretty good. [The fans] are passionate; they’re the craziest fans I’ve ever seen. I’m glad to see the Indians doing so good this year. It’d be great for Ohio if the Indians had a good run.
TV: What are you looking forward to most at Ohio State this coming fall?
UM: I’ll be coaching at a place I’ve followed since I was a little kid — Ohio State. I’m anxious to get back. I took a year off, so I’m anxious to get back into it, just anxious to get back on the sideline.
-Megan Golden, TribeVibe contributor
Indians Game Information June 16
CLEVELAND INDIANS (33-30, 2nd, -0.5) vs. PITTSBURGH PIRATES (32-31)
RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (6-4, 4.91) vs. RHP A.J. Burnett (6-2, 3.61)
First Pitch: 4:05 p.m. (ET) at Progressive Field
TV: STO
Radio: WTAM, Indians Radio Network
Series Notes:
TOSSIN’ ZEROS: JUSTIN MASTERSON worked 7.0 frames in last night’s shutout of the Buccos and has thrown a team season-high 11.0 consecutive scoreless innings, the 2nd-longest such streak of his career (15.0 IP, July 1-14, 2011) and longest by an Indians pitcher since VINNIE PESTANO had a 14.1-inning streak from Aug. 4-Sept. 7, 2011.
22 FOOTSTEPS: MICHAEL BRANTLEY has hit safely in a career-high 22 straight games, which is (1) the longest hit streak in the majors at any point this season, (2) the longest hit streak in the majors since Dan Uggla hit safely in 33 straight games, July 5-Aug. 13, 2011 and (3) the longest hit streak by an Indians batter since Casey Blake hit safely in 26 straight games, May 20-June 17, 2007.
SWASHBUCKLIN’: With last night’s victory, Cleveland holds a slim 16-15 advantage all-time against Pittsburgh since the inception of Interleague Play, but has won 10 of the 13 games played here at Progressive Field… the Indians have beaten the Pirates in 5 straight games here in Cleveland, allowing 2 runs-or-less in each of those 5 contests.
AROUND THE BLOCK: CARLOS SANTANA has caught 7 of the last 17 and 12 of 34 (35%) would-be base-stealers overall in 2012, as the Indians backstop owns the best qualifying CS% in the A.L. this season and trails only Arizona’s Miguel Montero (40.6%, 13-of-32) for the major league lead…JOHNNY DAMON has 999 career walks, as he is set to become the 114th player in baseball history to reach 1,000 free passes for a career… CONSECUTIVE SB ATTEMPT STREAKS: Kipnis (13 straight), Choo (9 straight)…former Indians manager MIKE HARGROVE will join JIM ROSENHAUS in the radio booth for today’s game in the absence of TOM HAMILTON, who is with his family in Omaha, Nebraska to watch his son Nick and the rest of the Kent State University baseball team compete in the NCAA College World Series…with the signings of OF TYLER BOOTH (13th rd., Central Ariz. College) and RHP JAMES STOKES (22nd rd., Elon Univ.), Cleveland now has 14 of the club’s 40 picks under contract from the 2012 June draft, including 5 of the top 10.
Marine Week in Cleveland
Note to the Reader: Below is an interview with Corporal Lockhart, from Titusville, FL, who was stationed on a ship that traveled to 9 different countries and LCPL Bajusz from Middleburg Heights, OH, who was stationed in Afghanistan.
Are you a baseball fan?
LCPL Bajusz: I played it since I was little. I always loved it, always loved going to the games.
What are your impressions of Cleveland?
LCPL Bajusz: It’s home. I love it. Great people.
Corporal Lockhart: It’s nice. The weather is really nice compared to Florida. It’s been raining in Florida like it’s going out of style. The people are really nice.
What has been your favorite part of spending time in Cleveland this week?
LCPL Bajusz: Seeing all the people come out and thank us for what we do and check out all the stuff we have. Seeing the little kids seeing stuff that they don’t get to see or do was nice.
Are there similarities between Marines and baseball players?
LCPL Bajusz: In a way, yes. We are both looked up to, but the crowds may be different. Baseball players are looked up to by the young ones, who want to be like them. We are looked up to as the guys that protect our freedom.
Corporal Lockhart: Yes, we are both the best at what we do. We all have to work hard to get where we’re at, plus constant training and stuff like that.
What qualities make a good marine?
Corporal Lockhart: Honor, courage, commitment. Be able to think quickly and also follow orders from senior enlisted Marines or officers. Another important quality is being able to do the right thing when no one’s looking.
Do you follow baseball during war time?
LCPL Bajusz: One of my best friends is from Texas, and while we were out in Afghanistan last year, [The Rangers] played in the World Series. He was throwing things at the TV. It was a great time. That was his home team, and it brought him memories from home.
Corporal Lockhart: It was actually basketball season when I was deployed. It was the Magic versus the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. I remember watching it on the ship when LeBron James hit that 3-pointer at the buzzer. The Magic ended up beating them and going to the Finals.
In your opinion, what is the best way for people to honor Marines?
LCPL Bajusz: Just the simple thank yous. That’s what we do it for, that’s what shows their appreciation for us, and that’s what keeps us going.
Indians Game Information May 28
CLEVELAND INDIANS (26-21, 1st, +0.5) vs. KANSAS CITY ROYALS (19-27)
RHP Josh Tomlin (1-2, 4.67) vs. RHP Nathan Adock (0-2, 2.33)
First Pitch: 4:05 p.m. (ET) at Progressive Field
TV: STO
Radio: WTAM, Indians Radio Network
Series Notes:
*Cleveland’s pitching staff combined to allow 35 runs (34 ER) during this weekend’s 3-game sweep in Chicago, raising the club’s season ERA 50 points from 3.90 to 4.40…according to STATS LLC, it marked the first time for the Tribe to give up 35-or-more runs in a series of exactly 3 games since June 4-6, 2002 at Minnesota (35 R-33 ER), although Cleveland managed to win one of those 3 games against the Twins.
*The Tribe is set to begin 3-game against the Kansas City Royals today with the Indians holding a 4-2 edge in this year’s season series…CLE entered 2012 with 8 consecutive winning seasons against the Royals, as the club is 91-61 vs. Kansas City since the start of the 2004 campaign.
*The Indians recalled INF LONNIE CHISENHALL from Columbus (AAA) and placed INF JACK HANNAHAN on the 15-day DL with a strained left calf, retroactive to May 27…to make room for RHP JOSH TOMLIN, today’s starter, the club has designated RHP JAIRO ASENCIO for assignment…SS ASDRUBAL CABRERA (day-to-day) has missed the last 2 games with tightness in his left hamstring…C LOU MARSON (day-to-day) suffered a facial contusion after being hit by a pitch on Sunday…C CARLOS SANTANA is on the MLB 7-day Disabled List with a mild concussion that he suffered after being struck in the face mask by a foul tip…DH TRAVIS HAFNER (soreness in right knee) has missed 4 games and did not travel to Chicago this past weekend.
Musings from the Corner of Carnegie and Ontario
“Voice of the Indians,” broadcaster, Tom Hamilton took some time out of his schedule this week to answer fans’ questions on our regular Twitter feature Tweet Your Tribe. Here are a few frequently asked questions Hammy wanted to share here on TribeVibe.
What’s your advice to aspiring broadcasters?
Tom: “Follow your dreams. Don’t let anyone tell you can’t accomplish your dreams. You also have to be persistent because it won’t happen overnight.”
Do you think Albert Belle would have been considered for the Hall of Fame if he had treated the media differently?
Tom: “No, and by that I mean, Albert Belle would have been in the Hall of Fame had he not gotten hurt. It wasn’t the media; it was the injury that cut his career short. That is what keeps him out of the Hall of Fame. He had Hall of Fame numbers until he got hurt.”
What’s your opinion of the Cleveland sports fan?
Tom: “I think Cleveland is a great sports town with great passion. That’s why it’s fun to do the games here because people care. This is why my job is fun. I don’t want to do this job in some city in the South; no one is from there so, they don’t care.”
Battle of the MLBlogs
TribeVibe’s arrival on Indians.com raised at least one question – how would Jordan Bastian, the master of his very own Major League Bastian blogosphere domain, react to the new kid on the block? Would there be backlash resulting from the increased competition? Should we expect a steady dose of press box silent treatment? Or would he bake us cookies and welcome TribeVibe to the MLBlogs neighborhood?
To find out, TribeVibe turned to Bart Swain, the senior (emphasis on senior) member of the Indians Baseball Information Department, to execute these hard-hitting questions and find out how Jordan has adjusted to his new scene after completing his first full season covering the Tribe in 2011. Bart, a native of Elyria (OH) and proud graduate of Ohio University, has been with the Indians since 1992 and would be happy to tell you all about his love for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Bart also throws batting practice. A self-described “roaming gnome,” Jordan was born in California and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago with a two-year high school stint in Colorado Springs. He graduated from Michigan State University’s School of Journalism and covered the Toronto Blue Jays for MLB.com for 5 years before starting his Indians beat in November of 2010. Jordan also owns a fancy camera.
Let the friendly banter and good-natured barbs commence.
Major League Bastian vs. TribeVibe...Bastian vs. Swain...Sparty vs. Brutus
TribeVibe: How do you like Cleveland?
Jordan Bastian: We have enjoyed Cleveland since the move; it was a great move for our family. I grew up in the Midwest, in the south suburbs of Chicago, and the place where we live in Cleveland feels a lot like the area where my wife and I grew up. We have felt right at home, the team has been great to deal with – a great PR staff [smirking] – it has been a great move and we are really happy we did it. It is a place we can see ourselves for a long time.
TV: Did you enjoy your time in Toronto?
JB: I did, I enjoyed Toronto a lot. It was cool to be right out of college, newly-wed, living downtown in a big city, covering a big league ballclub. It was a fun experience being in that type of situation. But after five years there it was a family need to get somewhere that was closer to home.
TV: Is this an easy team to cover?
JB: I think Cleveland is a great team to cover. I would say first and foremost because it is such a young team and they are really easy to deal with and really easy going. I have been lucky that the three GM’s that I have had to deal with [Alex Anthopoulos, J. P. Ricciardi, Chris Antonetti] have all been very accessible. Chris falls right along those same lines. If you need him he will be available for you and Manny Acta is great to deal with in terms of availability for the media and just being easy to get along with. It has been a really smooth transition and a fun team to cover.
TV: Do you still enjoy the travel and the day to day stuff?
JB: One thing I do when I am on the road is get out and experience cities a little bit, whether it’s going to museums or going for a run or things of that nature that make the travel more bearable. It can be tough being in airports and hotels away from our families as much as we are. Being away can be tough, so keeping yourself active and getting the most out of each trip is key.
TV: I have noticed you have a camera [laughter from JB]; would you call yourself a photo-journalist?
JB: No I wouldn’t. I would say that photography has been a family hobby that was passed down from my dad and my brother – they were big into photography, I have always toyed around with it on the side when I am not covering baseball and I got a new camera over the winter using [hotel] points. I have always taken some photos each spring to enhance my blog and fans seems to like it, so it has been something I have done to keep that hobby alive and [spring training] is a good time to kind of work on different types of photos.
TV: As camp went along, we [regrettably] saw less and less of your photos. Were the game schedule, increased roster activity and regular season preparation to blame for this sad turn of events?
Exactly. For the past 4-5 years, I’ve always tried to use those first two weeks of spring training workouts to take the majority of my photos. That really helps me throughout the year when I do blog entries or things like that. Throughout the season I can use my original content instead of using photos from other places.
TV: Now you’re also a runner, correct?
JB: Yeah.
TV: How would you describe your level of running? Novice, intermediate, expert?
It was something that started as a weight loss venture. When I stopped playing baseball in college I put on a lot of weight and I decided I needed something to keep me motivated. I have never been a “go to the gym to workout” type guy and I needed that carrot dangling in front of me, so I took up marathoning to always have something on the schedule. You cannot mail in marathon training, you have to stay motivated. I wouldn’t call myself an expert – I’m just an average runner – but I have done 6 marathons. It’s something I do to stay in shape, keep myself motivated and keep the mind busy.
TV: Now your last marathon wasn’t your most successful…
JB: [interrupting] It was my worst marathon.
TV: Would you attribute that to being a little under conditioned and out of shape?
JB: I was a little under conditioned and out of shape. I would also say that the bridges in NY just absolutely killed me, namely the elevation change leading up to them, and I wasn’t prepared for that. In the future if I were to run NYC again I would probably go into downtown Cleveland and run some of those bridges a little more often rather than doing all my training closer to home along Lake Road. That was a big part of it and there were some unforeseen circumstances that crept up that really killed my time.
TV: Would you care to elaborate on those unforeseen circumstances?
JB: They are pretty gross actually, so no; I do not want to elaborate. I don’t want to. I think in baseball terms you would call them flu-like symptoms or stomach issues.
TV: So when our players come into camp out of shape, you find different ways of asking management “how does Player X look to you right now?”. If someone were to say “How does Jordan Bastian look to you right now?”, how would you answer that question…
JB: I would say he came into camp in pretty good shape and maybe, um, let spring training get away from him. A couple of pounds have been put on, but once the regular season gets into full swing and he is in the lineup on a more everyday basis, I think the weight will come right off.
TV: Just a few more….
JB: [Conversational laughter]
TV: What type of injury would be the toughest to come back from?
JB: I think an injury to the index finger on my right hand would be devastating and very tough to overcome. I do a lot of typing with that finger. I could do without the pinkie and ring fingers but that index finger is key.
TV: Your favorite stadium?
JB: It depends on what you mean by favorite. I’d say Safeco Field in Seattle is at the top of the list in terms of being a great place to work in a great city to visit – and it’s a gorgeous ballpark, especially when the roof is open. San Francisco (AT&T Park) and San Diego (Petco Park) are high on my list, too. If you’re asking me as a baseball fan, I’d probably say Fenway Park or Wrigley Field because I’m a big baseball history buff.
TV: Favorite city to visit and squeeze in a run?
JB: Boston. I love staying out in Brookline, which is about a 20-minute walk from Fenway. It’s a quiet part of the city where you can run west to the Chestnut Hill reservoir or north to the Charles River. That’s easily my favorite city to run in. As for road cities in general, I’d say San Francisco, Seattle and New York are high on the list. I don’t really count Chicago because I’m always visiting family. I don’t actually spend much time downtown on road trips there.
TV: Are you “Chicago-tough”?
JB: Nice. I like to think I’m tough, but my wife would probably disagree. Besides, all us sportswriters are a little soft around the middle. Maybe it’s all that Chicago pizza I ate growing up. I am the grandson of a steel worker and I did grow up with parents who preached being able to fend for yourself and to not always rely on others. I do think that has carried over to my career. Does that make me Chicago-tough? I don’t know. I set my high school’s all-time record for being hit by the pitch. That’s got to be worth something, right?
TV: What was your time at NYC marathon and what is your PB [personal best]?
JB: I honestly don’t know what my time was for New York. I never looked it up. I think it was around 4:45 or 4:50. A lot of people would say that’s a time to be proud of, but I was pretty disappointed and embarrassed. I could be a 3:30 marathoner. I ran a 1:42 half marathon in Cleveland last year. My best time for a full is 3:43 in Tampa in February of 2010, but that was two years ago. I’m running the Cleveland full in May and am hoping to be around four hours again. This job makes it hard to train completely right, and having a two-year-old son doesn’t make squeezing in long runs any easier. If I give up sleeping, I think I could find enough hours.
[EDITOR’s NOTE: A quick search on the internet reveals JB ran the 2011 NYC Marathon in 4:50:09, so there’s that.]
TV: Are you worried TribeVibe is going to run over the Major League Bastian blog? A “new sheriff in town” so to speak?
JB: Well, considering @tribeinsider likes to frequently remind me how far behind I am in terms of Twitter followers, I’m sure TribeVibe will gain a pretty good following as well – I’m sure I’ll hear all about it. It’s not a competition, though. I think fans will get a cool behind the scenes look at the Indians on TribeVibe and some solid baseball analysis over at Major League Bastian. Maybe it’ll be like having two Number One starters in the same rotation.
TV: Good stuff, my friend. Thank you for being a good sport.
Doin’ Fine On Cloud Nine
Just 9 days until Michael Brantley and the rest of the Indians trade Arizona cacti for Ohio Buckeye Trees and return home to Cleveland for 2012 Opening Day…
Welcome to TribeVibe!
“For me, broadcasting the game is like sitting in the stands talking to the fellow sitting next to me.” – Herb Score
With the true spirit of Herb Score in mind, we want you sitting next to us too, so to speak. As we begin yet another season of The Great Game, the Cleveland Indians front office is thrilled to introduce you to TribeVibe, a brand new MLBlog on Indians.com. We’ve had so much success connecting with all of you through the Indians Facebook page and our Twitter accounts (@Indians, @TribeInsider ) that we decided to take that a step further and create TribeVibe as a way for fans to gain even better access to information about the Cleveland Indians.
The goal of TribeVibe is simple – to give you an inside perspective of what it’s like to be with a Major League Baseball team for a full season. That means different things to different people in this industry, so we want to make a concerted effort to show you the game through a variety of lenses.
Naturally, our focus will be on what you care most about – the team – and frankly it’s an exciting time to be following the Indians. We embark on the 2012 season with the opportunity to watch a young group of athletes as they grow together and tackle the daily challenges that come with learning how to win on a consistent basis. This club has also been constructed with several respected veterans who are in place to set a positive example, offer advice and provide perspective as this process unfolds. Throw in the outstanding leadership qualities of Manny Acta and we can’t wait to help you get to know this group of players and coaches even better. Let’s face it, the camaraderie and comedy that exist in a major league clubhouse make it a pretty special place and we think we’ve come up with some creative features that will allow us to have a little fun and highlight the unique personalities who represent the Block “C”.
TribeVibe will also be geared towards helping you keep up with the Indians when they’re away from home and that will begin immediately with the latest news from spring training as the 25-man roster begins to take shape in our final days here in Arizona. We hope that all fans have the opportunity to visit the Tribe in Goodyear, Arizona at some point, but in the meantime TribeVibe will bring the Cactus League action straight to you. Once the season starts, you’ll see this concept transition into road trips as we stow readers away in our carry-on luggage and provide a glimpse into the daily grind of leaving the comforts of Progressive Field and Cleveland behind.
Last, but certainly not least, we’ll take you inside the front office to keep you informed of the latest decisions made by our Baseball Operations Department and coaching staff – TribeVibe can be your source for official press releases, injury news and even pre-game lineup cards. Along the way, we can also provide information that will make transaction rules and the thought process behind certain types of roster moves easier to comprehend. The complex strategies involved account for just a few of the reasons that we all share a love and passion for America’s Pastime.
While the Indians Baseball Information Department will serve as the primary voice of TribeVibe on a day-to-day basis, you may also hear from people like Indians President Mark Shapiro, General Manager Chris Antonetti and Senior VP of Public Affairs Bob DiBiasio from time to time. These respected executives, along with more than 150 employees, have and will continue to shape the culture of an organization that cares deeply about bringing championship baseball back to the city of Cleveland. We’re all very excited to be sharing this brand new forum with you so please don’t hesitate to leave comments or contact us directly – if you have suggestions for the types of features you want to see more of in this space, shoot us an email at TribeVibe@indians.com and we’ll do our best to incorporate them going forward.
Welcome to TribeVibe, we’re glad you’re here!
