Tagged: Victor Martinez

Breathe

I thought today I would try to explain my feelings about the Victor Martinez trade. As I mentioned before I am mostly over the disappointment but it still makes me very sad sometimes. Victor really was the heart and soul of this team. He was the type of player who would have accepted a paycut to stay with the Indians forever. And his dedication showed in how he played. Earlier this season he did somethings that I did now agree with but I forgave him and by the time the Trade (as I call it) happened I had pretty much forgotten. The surprising about this trade for me was that Victor was not even one of my top three favorite players on the Indians but I was devastated when they traded him. I mean devastated. I cried as hard as I cry at the end of Finding Neverland. I made a Victor playlist on iTunes. I figured when I could get through the playlist without tearing up I would be mostly over it. That took until about the middle of August and I still can’t watch the interview Victor gave the day he left. And his son’s hopeful question the morning of the Trade still chokes me up: “Daddy are we still Indians?” One song on that playlist in particular describes my feelings pretty well.

Breathe- Taylor Swift (by the way, Kanye is a jerk, okay moving on)
I see your face in my mind as I drive away
Cause none of us thought it was gonna end that way
People are people and sometimes we change our minds
But it’s killing me to see you go after all this time

I don’t think anyone could have told you that Victor would be traded this year when the year started. But as the season got worse and it became clearer and clearer that the Indians were not going to the playoffs this year the Front Office realized that this was probably the best time to trade their aging catcher and get something really good for him. Especially with Carlos Santana in the minors Victor did not really have a place with this team in the future for what he deserved to be paid.

Music starts playing lie the end of a sad movie
It’s the kind of ending you don’t really want to see
Cause it’s tragedy and it’ll only bring you down
Now I don’t what to be without you around.

At first it was very hard to imagine what the team would be without Victor. He embodied this team, it took a long time for me to accept that he was gone and not coming back.

And we know it’s never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me
You’re the only thing I know like the back of my hand

I do not think the Front Office would tell you it was easy for them to make this trade and I do not think that would a PR lie either. Victor meant a lot to the organization as a whole and trading him was probably ne of the hardest moves Shapiro has had to make.

And I can’t breathe without you 
But I have to
Breathe without you but I have to
Never wanted this never want to see you hurt
Every little bump in the road I tried to swerve
But people are people and sometimes it doesn’t work out
Nothing we say is going to save us from the fallout

Victor’s interview upon leaving was very sad and emotional. I have not watched it but I know he was very upset about leaving, so upset he was fighting back tears. Unfortunately he could not stay in Cleveland.

And we know it’s never simple, never easy
Never a clean break, no one here to save me
You’re the only thing I know like the back of my hand
It’s two AM feeling like I just lost a friend
I hope you know it’s not easy, easy for me.
It’s two AM feeling like I just lost a friend
I hope you know it’s not easy, easy for me.
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Changes

So I lied last time. I did not stay back. I have been awfully busy and it has been hard to get back into the habit of writing entries. I promise I will try to do better.

Since I’ve been gone Grady has had two surgeries that will keep him out for the rest of the season. Personally I think this should have happened a long time ago because I don’t know what good it was doing to have him keep playing. I know it was not hurtung but it was not necessarily helping. Ocassionally it may have helped the Indians win a game or two but I do not think anyone thought that the Indians had a chance at the playoffs even in July. 
Which brings us to July and the month of trades. The Cliff Lee trade was tough and I was sad but the Victor Martinez was awful. I was in a baseball depression for probably about a month. Sometimes I still have relapses and seeing him in a Red Sox uniform is still tough. I think the last series between the Red Sox and Indians will be very difficult for me to watch. I would not rule out tears. However I love Justin Masterson. He may not have been very impressive in a few of his starts but I have seen some real potential and he is a great guy off the field. 
New in my life: I have decided to stay an Early Childhood Education major. I know some of you were excited about hearing college students shout “Melissa” at college football games but I went to what I thought would be my last ever education class and remembered why I loved Early Childhoos so much. So I am back on track to be a kindergarten/first grade teacher in the inner city. Right now I would like that city to be Cleveland but I would not mind back home in St. Louis or maybe Boston. But even though I don’t like the cold I have decided that I could not live in the south, I think I fit in more in the north. I still love the south though, I just think I will be ready for all four seasons again when I graduate. 
Here’s a video for everyone’s enjoyment about my second favorite team and secodn favorite player:

AL All-Star Voting

2009 MLB All-Star Balloting : American League
1st Base
RANK PLAYER NAME AL TEAM TOTAL VOTES
1. Kevin Youkilis Red Sox 414,693
2. Miguel Cabrera Tigers 299,597
3. Mark Teixeira Yankees 295,798
4. Justin Morneau Twins 275,990
5. Chris Davis Rangers 217,166
2nd Base
RANK PLAYER NAME AL TEAM TOTAL VOTES
1. Ian Kinsler Rangers 514,645
2. Dustin Pedroia Red Sox 426,127
3. Aaron Hill Blue Jays 273,039
4. Robinson Cano Yankees 257,695
5. Brian Roberts Orioles 185,728
3rd Base
RANK PLAYER NAME AL TEAM TOTAL VOTES
1. Evan Longoria Rays 664,060
2. Michael Young Rangers 296,025
3. Alex Rodriguez Yankees 245,414
4. Scott Rolen Blue Jays 227,650
5. Mike Lowell Red Sox 215,945
Shortstop
RANK PLAYER NAME AL TEAM TOTAL VOTES
1. Derek Jeter Yankees 664,630
2. Marco Scutaro Blue Jays 273,589
3. Elvis Andrus Rangers 258,243
4. Jason Bartlett Rays 233,482
5. Alexei Ramirez White Sox 129,086
Catcher
RANK PLAYER NAME AL TEAM TOTAL VOTES
1. Joe Mauer Twins 381,443
2. Victor Martinez Indians 284,988
3. Jason Varitek Red Sox 281,549
4. Jorge Posada Yankees 277,849
5. Jarrod Saltalamacchia Rangers 272,830
Outfield
RANK PLAYER NAME AL TEAM TOTAL VOTES
1. Jason Bay Red Sox 446,183
2. Josh Hamilton Rangers 442,553
3. Ichiro Suzuki Mariners 306,453
4. Ken Griffey Jr. Mariners 305,046
5. Nick Markakis Orioles 294,343
6. Carl Crawford Rays 260,325
7. Nelson Cruz Rangers 253,456
8. Grady Sizemore Indians 252,231
9. Jacoby Ellsbury Red Sox 244,004
10. Torii Hunter Angels 242,712
11. Johnny Damon Yankees 235,104
12. Andruw Jones Rangers 215,294
13. J.D. Drew Red Sox 206,507
14. Vernon Wells Blue Jays 194,294
15. Curtis Granderson Tigers 186,040

There you have the American League All Star Voting so far. I will give you my thoughts on each position.
First Base: I have been voting for Justin Morneau. I still have over 100 votes to go so they will make very little difference. That being said Youkiis is not a bad choice. But it should be between him and Morneau in my opinion.
Second Base: I love Dustin Pedroia but I love Ian Kinsler more so I am very pleased with this position. Kinsler has been having a great year and definitely deserves to be at the game if not starting.
Third Base: Evan Longoria is definitely the best choice here. I do not think there is much more I can say about this position it seems pretty cut and dry to me.
Shortstop: DEREK JETER????? Have you seen him play defense? Jhonny Peralta is a better option. Overrated. There is my rant. I can not say I am surprised but I am disappointed. I have been voting for either Jason Bartlett, who is now hurt. This year shortstop is not a very strong position though so it is pretty much over there I think.
Catcher: Joe Mauer and Victor Martinez my two favorite catchers in the AL are leading this position. It has been so hard for me to pick between the two of these players. When I was mad at Victor I voted for Mauer and at other times I have just been splitting votes. Both deserve to be there and both deserve to start but obviously only one of them will so I will be happy with whoever it is.
Outfield: Despite his slow start Grady is still eighth in outfielders. Good job Indian fans and me. The top three are not bad but obviously I think Grady should be there every year. Objectively though, I think the outfield is pretty close to right except for Nelson Cruz seems really high and Curtis Granderson (as much as this pains me) seems pretty low. Johnny Damon is too high but I do not really expect him to drop any being a Yankee and all. I am happy with Ellsbury’s position too. he has had a great year and deserves to be right up there with everyone else.

There you have it. My thoughts on All Star Voting so far.

Here is my vote for the starting lineup:
First: Justin Morneau, Twins
Second: Ian Kinsler, Rangers

Third: Evan Longoria, Rays

Shortstop: Jason Bartlett, Rays
Catcher: Joe Mauer, Twins/Victor Martinez, Indians
Outfield: Josh Hamilton, Rangers Nick Markakis, Orioles Grady Sizemore, Indians (Incredibly biased pick there, leave me alone)