Ed,
In a letter, you wrote:
EG>I can't believe just how stupid Cleveland is and more importantly, how 
hey
EG>can  expect any of their players to buy any of their baloney. Albert Belle
EG>(and several other players) did the organization a favor and instead of
EG>repaying Belle, the organization tried to get Belle to sign for less. When 
it
EG>became apparent that he wouldn't, they went out and traded for Williams. 
Now,
EG>I respect Williams but unless he's going to be a permanent DH, they really
EG>screwed up this one. He's been injury prone the last few years and I don't
EG>think that he gives them what Belle does. Like it or not, Indians' fans, 
your
EG>team bought second place the moment they traded for Williams.
EG>Note to sportswriters and fans who honestly believed that Belle was 
urting
EG>himself with his antics, he was in demand by a lot of teams and some of 
them
EG>were teams that had said that they wouldn't sign him because of his 
actions.
EG>Anyone who bought that notion needs to wake up and smell what they're
EG>shoveling.
Albert Belle is a great player, on offense, and a merely so so on
defense.  While Belle may think of himself as one of the current great
players of the game, it hard to view such a one dimensional player as
truly great.  If Belle is worth ten million how much would a talent
like Alex Rodriquez be worth on the open market?
As great as Belle's agent said he was, and despite how much Belle
thought he was worth, few team seemed interested in meeting Belle's
price tag.  Believe it was three, the White Sox, Marlins and somebody.
As great as Belle is, I think it would have been impossible for the
Indians to sate Belle's tremendous, and I say over inflated, ego.  The
trade for Matt Williams would have given the Indians a great offensive
team had Belle chosen to stay.  Instead Belle's ego seemed to get the
better of his judgement.
How good will the White Sox be with Belle, Frank Thomas, and Robin
Ventura in the heart of their batting order? I don't know and only time
will tell.
Happy Modeming -- David
                                                                              
                                 
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