I saw this piece referenced at another website, MLB Trade Rumors, I think. It is kind of a standard puff piece touting up the Cleveland Indians, but what struck me as more than casually interesting was the fact that their long time owner was determined to turn the team around quickly and made just a couple of moves to do so.
The Indians were one of the big turnaround stories last year, going from being as execrable as the Cubs and just about in the same position in terms of record and roster to winning 92 games and making the playoffs for the first time in years.
How did they do it? Well, some of their young players finally realized their potential, they went out and signed some free agents (Bourn, Swisher, Jimenez), and they hired a real manager. This apparently sent a message to the team that they wanted to win. Actually Bourn and Swisher had disappointing seasons, but the team itself took on a new demeanor.
Compare this to the Cubs who are content to announce to the world not to expect much, that they are pretty much built to lose. One of the real problems with this approach is that the players will tend to play up to expectations. If they expect to lose consistently, they will manage to do so. The real worry is that placing genuinely talented young players in this environment may mean they will continue the tradition.
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