Paul Hoynes high heater took everyone by surprise.
The award winning veteran baseball writer for Cleveland.com is getting walloped by readers (and at least two members of the Cleveland Indians) for writing after the Tribe's 1-0 win over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday that their post-season is over before it began, now that they're without two starting pitchers: Carlos Carrasco (broken hand) and Danny Salazar (mild forearm strain).
``Sept. 17: Remember the date because that's when Indians' postseason dreams ended before they began'' was the screaming headline that took Northeast Ohio by storm.
His column has already generated over 500 reader comments, a vast majority outraged that Hoynes has given the team zero chance of success in the post-season, assuming they seal the deal.
The Indians magic number for clinching the American League Central Division title is 7.
One reader wrote: ``September 18th: The day Paul Hoynes' relevance ended in Cleveland.'' Another wrote: ``Love the positivity bro. Indians are going to the postseason and you're still finding something to cry about. But, you are an opinion writer, not a real journalist, so I understand.''
But not all readers vented their wrath at Hoynes. One reader wrote: ``Sports journalists are not members of the teams that they cover, nor do they wear cheerleading outfits or "Party At Napoli's" teeshirts. They are paid by their employers to report on teams and make objective judgements. They are also paid according to the number of clicks their stories receive on sites like this one.'' Another: ``Unfortunately I agree with him. Especially after watching Bauer's meltdown yesterday.''
And the anger directed at Hoynes has now extended inside the Indians clubhouse.
Cleveland's starting pitcher Trevor Bauer took to social media to call the baseball writer a ``coward'' while the Indians second-sacker, Jason Kipnis, was a bit more diplomatic-wondering why Hoynes just doesn't kick back and write from home if he's so sure what's in store for the Indians in October.
Anyone who knows Paul Hoynes knows he's far from a coward.
Hoynsie will be in the Indians clubhouse on Tuesday, come hell or high water, to do what he does best: reporting on the Cleveland Indians, even if he’s a pariah.
This is a beat writer, after all, who was physically attacked by Mel Hall in the 1980s after something he wrote about the Indians outfielder. It took Otis Nixon to pull Hall off of Hoynes. Indians erratic closer John Rocker (in 2001) took exception to something Hoynes wrote about him; invited him into the weight room and slammed the door. ``Rocker scared me a lot more than Mel,'' Hoynes once told me.
So how upset are the Indians organization over Hoynes dim view of the Indians post-season chances?
Bob DiBiasio, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for the Cleveland Indians, expressed through an email that ``we all agree he [Paul Hoynes] is entitled to his opinion and would never expect him to be a PR-agency for the ball club. And he should never expect a pass from our players or fans for writing something they disagree with, just because he is a beat writer. That’s part of the job as well. And he knows that.''
No matter your opinion of Hoynes’ comments, it would be childish to think this battle tested, well respected writer, considered by many to be one of the best baseball writers in America, is criticizing the Indians purely out of vindictiveness.
Hoynsie calls them as he sees them, that's what he's paid to do. He would lose his license if he didn't.
Dan Shaughnessy, sports columnist for the Boston Globe, said, ``Hoynsie is one of the best. His opinion means something. And it's only bloody sports. What amazes me is that fans have become such babies and want only cheerleaders. Pathetic. Those folks need to grow up.''
Former Plain Dealer Investigative reporter Walt Bogdanich, now with the New York Times, echoed Shaughnessy’s sentiments.
``As a fan,'' Bogdanich said, ``I want Hoynes to tell me what he thinks. Why else would I read him? I appreciated his honesty and, I might add, his courage, since walking back into that clubhouse, as surely he must, will be unpleasant.''
While most applaud Hoynes journalistic boldness and astute observations, I have to admit I'm a bit surprised he was so quick to count the Tribe out.
One thing sportswriters and opinion columnists don't have at their disposal is a crystal ball. No one can predict the mines and traps a team has to endure to finally claim a championship ring.
Few expected the New York Giants to sweep the Cleveland Indians in the 1954 World Series, a team that lost only 43 games during the regular season with two 20-game winners in Early Wynn and Bob Lemon; and a third pitcher, Mike Garcia, with 19 wins.
And who would have thought the 1971 Baltimore Orioles with four 20-game winners on their staff would be stunned by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series?
To use that tired old sports cliché: ``That's why they play the games.''
Hoynes’ ``they're down for the count’’ commentary also surprised me once I thought about how the Indians must have felt after reading it.
Consider: The Indians busted their behinds since March with hopes of unseating the World Series champion Kansas City Royals and knowing the Detroit Tigers were entering the season with a formidable $200 million payroll.
The Indians set a franchise record 14 straight victories. Despite losing their slugging left-fielder Michael Brantley for most of the season, they produced MVP like years from Mike Napoli, Jose Ramirez; the human highlight reel Francisco Lindor has already risen to rock star status at the tender age of 23, while Tyler Naquin has flirted with rookie of the year honors. The bullpen seems primed for the post-season with Indians manager Terry Francona mix and matching with Bryan Shaw, Andrew Miller, and Codie Allen.
Despite all these spectacular accomplishments and with the team on the verge of clinching their first division crown in nine years, Paul Hoynes in a stroke of pen, seemingly wipes that all by stating the Indians season is over before it began.
I can certainly understand why to some members of the Indians (and most of the fans) the column seemed like a poke in the eye.
Understandably, the Indians have incurred crushing blows in losing their two starting pitchers.
But in fairness to pitchers Mike Clevinger and Josh Tomlin, both have earned the right and deserve the respect to prove they can help keep the ship afloat during the stormy high winds of the post-season, before a scribe passes judgement even before their journey has begun.
That’s why they play the games.
-Bill Lucey
September 20, 2016
