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Is there anyone on the Browns that isn’t injured? Lee Suggs, the running back cast off to the Jets because of frequent injuries, returns to Cleveland as a result of a failed physical in New York. Even guys Phil Savage doesn’t want - he can’t get rid of them.

While this is a raw deal for the Browns, it’s even worse for the Jets. Without a top-flight tailback, New York enters the season with Derrick Blaylock and Cedric Houston as its top two runners.

One has to assume Savage will continue to scour the league for defensive backs and centers. Unfortunately, one of his bargaining chips just lost its value.

Popularity: 63% [?]

It appears the Cavs of the future are the Cavs of the present. After securing LeBron James, Cleveland’s next biggest off-season priority signed a three-year, $23 million contract as the Cavaliers management continues to find ways to surround James with a cast capable of lifting the franchise to a NBA title. Gooden, considered one of the better free agent forward available, joins a Cavaliers team that looks a lot like the one from last season that pushed Detroit to seven games in second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Cavs GM Danny Ferry continues to make solid moves this offseason. After drafting Shannon Brown and Daniel Gibson, the former Cavaliers forward moved on signing James to a max contract and then immediately jumped into a potentially problematic negotiation. Given Denver forked over $60 million for the oft-injured Nene, Ferry and Gooden could have haggled over millions. Instead, the two found common ground and got a deal done.

While many Cavs fans would love to have seen Cleveland upgrade at the power forward position, the development of Anderson Varejao and Gooden’s continuing maturation in a stable coaching environment will pay dividends in 2006-2007.

Popularity: 64% [?]

Lee Suggs, who struggled with injuries and playing time during his three-year stint with the Browns, was traded to the New York Jets on Monday for defensive back Derrick Strait. Strait enters his third season without ever starting an NFL game, but injuries to the Browns secondary and the expendability of Suggs aided the move.

Savage continues to remake the Browns and casting off Butch Davis draft picks seems to be a popular method for the Browns GM. While a center remains high on the list of priorities for Cleveland, shoring up a depleted secondary for a guy who spends more time on the IR than on the field seems to be a smart move. Without knowing much about Strait - it’s hard to grade the trade.

Popularity: 65% [?]

Many Cleveland fans track the Indians decline back to the day Jim Thome left for Philadelphia. Others bemoan Manny Ramirez’s departure as the catalyst for the downfall. Most, including myself, look to blame a penny-pinching owner failing to load up on talent in the name of fiscal responsibility.

But for all of the misery Tribe fans have inflicted on themselves over the past few seasons, at some point acknowledging and appreciating the presence of Travis Hafner as a world-class slugger needs to become part of the Indians fans mindset and shouldn’t cloud the fans view of club management.

Yesterday Hafner blasted his sixth grand slam of the year in a 13-0 rout of the Kansas City Royals. The blast tied Don Mattingly’s major league record for grand slams in a season and pushed his season numbers up to .302/35/104. With six weeks left in the season, Hafner approaches team records for a DH.

At $2.7 million - Hafner must be considered a bargain compared to other major league sluggers. The Indians hold a club option for 2008 at $4.75 million and have secured a middle-of-the-lineup bat for the next three years at a number much less than the annual salary of say - David Ortiz ($12.5 million starting in 2007) or Manny Ramirez ($19 million in 2006).

For all the things going wrong in 2006 with the Cleveland Indians, this is an example of something done right.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Reading too much into Cincinnati’s 10-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night could lead one to conclude GM Wayne Krivsky made huge mistakes in trading for Bill Bray, Rheal Cormier, Gary Majewski, and Kyle Loshe. After all, the bullpen torched a 4-4 game and turned it into a rout.

But that conclusion would be disingenuous. The Reds defense, at times questionable but capable of amazing plays, bumbled away the top of the seventh inning with two disasterous plays. After Ryan Freel dropped a fly ball in the right-field corner and newcomer Royce Clayton failed to finish off an inning-killing double play, two walks and a bases-clearing double did the Reds in.

Perhaps Krivsky overcompensated and gave up too much for a few late-inning arms. Perhaps the bullpen didn’t need this much attention and now the rest of the ballclub has paid a price. Perhaps the Reds, predicted to finsih last in a weak NL Central, have overplayed their hand.

Maybe the presence of Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez in the field makes a difference and the Reds get out of the inning. But who is to say the previous bullpen doesnt find a way to give it up in the eighth or ninth? Krivsky knew he had a bullpen that couldn’t reach the postseason. So he did something about it.

Popularity: 17% [?]