Collegian

The Cleveland Indians have broken the hearts of Tribe fans again.

In the past, owner Larry Dolan has allowed fan favorites to slip in and out of Cleveland like a revolving door, but this time Cleveland fans need to step up.

Trading fan-favorite Coco Crisp, to the hated Boston Red Sox, has already signified that the Indians are throwing in the towel, and the first pitch has not even been thrown yet.

Indians.com analyst Justice Hill has been debating this trade since the first rumors had appeared on the ESPN television show. 

"When you break the trade down, player for player, it makes a lot of sense.  Crisp has already reached his maximum output, and the kid Marte will surpass him," said Hill.

As a Cleveland fan, sometimes it is not about how many home runs a player hits. It is about the energy, the excitement, the hustle, and the never quit attitude that Coco Crisp brought to the ball park, day in and day out. 

Many people felt that Omar Vizquel could never be replaced, that the Indians fans could not find someone to root for like they did Omar.  Crisp was not Omar's replacement, but fans loved his diving catches in the outfield.  The fans

enjoyed his rap concerts after games in the picnic area during the summer.  Most of all, the fans enjoyed a player that was not in it for the money.

Then, Larry Dolan stepped up and made it about the money.  He showed fans that whether a player is ready to make 20 million like Manny Ramirez was before Cleveland showed him the door, or 3 million, like Crisp was earning, that he is penny pinching the roster.

LCCC student Chad Mckay, 21 of Avon, said, "I was just getting over the loss of Vizquel.  Now the owner has to go and tear another fan-favorite away from us, its just frustrating."

Frustrating does not even begin to describe it.  Why does Crisp have to join the lengthy list of potential super-stars to be shipped out right before their prime?  Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, Richie Sexson, Sean Casey, Brian Giles, the list goes on.

There has to be more to a team then salary and future prospects.  The management seems to forget about team chemistry, fan-favorites, and the fact that Crisp was a good baseball player as well makes this one hurt just a little bit more.

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