The Cleveland Indians play today against the Seattle Mariners at Progressive Field at 1:05 p.m..... The Lake County Captains play today against the Fort Wayne TinCaps at 1:30 p.m....

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The Indians front office talked the talk and walked the walk, now it's time for fans to do the same Opinion by Timothy W. Shirer

It’s been two month since my last commentary “GO TO HELL Cleveland sports fans” I stand by that commentary, now more then ever.

The Cleveland Indians have definitely slumped, since I wrote that commentary, but are still in the thick of the American League Central Division race, two and a half games out of first place.

Listening to Cleveland fans lately you would think the Indians were firmly entrenched in last place, with no hope of getting out. I will be the first one to admit, the offense has been really bad lately. They are with out two key parts, Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo. Choo could be back very soon, within two weeks. With Sizemore it will not be until September.

If the Indians can stay close within five games until both guys come back, they definitely have a chance. But listening to Cleveland fans, all is lost.

Even with the blockbuster trade this weekend, when the Tribe acquired Ubaldo Jimenez. This trade has proven once again what hypocrites Cleveland sports fans are.

How many times through the years have Cleveland sports fans complained that the Indians always trade for prospects. So many times through the last several years you would hear Indians fans (at least they claim to be fans) say, “How do we know they will even work out and be Major Leaguers.”

That brings us to this past weekend where the Indians were FINALLY the buyer. They bought the most coveted pitcher of this year’s trading season, Ubaldo Jimenez. When you buy something that has a lot of value, you give something up. The Indians gave up four prospects, three pitchers and a first baseman. But as Indians fans enjoyed saying so much in the past, they are prospects “How do we know they will even work out and be Major Leaguers.”

Ubaldo Jimenez is not a prospect he is a proven pitcher. He gives the Indians a huge boost for the final two months of the season. Also the trade of Jimenez sets the Indians up to have one of the best starting rotations in the American League for at least the next two seasons and maybe more. I have to think that other American League teams are not looking forward to facing Masterson, Jimenez and Tomlin as the top three starters in the Indians rotation.

But I know Clevelanders, what if Alex White and Drew Pomeranz end up being great pitchers? Well if they do, then so be it. But at this point it is only speculation that they will end up even making to the big leagues and stick around. In the 47 years of the June draft not very many number one picks by the Indians have made it to the Major Leagues, let alone become super stars. I think the Indians made a great trade on Saturday night. They made a trade that most of the skeptics out there said, there is no way they would make.

I think that the Indians front office on Saturday night proved that they are indeed trying to win. If the Jimenez trade was not enough evidence of that, then you people also would let Casey Anthony and O.J. Simpson go free.

I really don’t know what else the Indians can do to prove they are trying to win. If the Indians can go 3-4 or better on this week’s brutal road trip to Boston and Texas and stay within three or four games of the Tigers, people should show up for the next home stand in large numbers. If all goes as planned Jimenez will probably start the Thursday August 11^th game against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. If you want to prove that you are real Indians fans, real Indians fans and not just bunch of people looking for something to complain about, then you need to show some support for the Indians on this next home stand.

The Indians front office talked the talk and walked the walk. It’s now time for Cleveland fans to do the same.
Email Tim at: tshirer@lakecounty-sentinel.com or on twitter @timothyshirer
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POSTED 08/01/2011 16:23