Who Do You NOT Want? The Results to the Indians' Fan GM Poll

The results are in…at least 38 of them. I studied research quite a bit when I was working of my Master of Education and I was hoping for more responses to provide a little bit more validity and reliability to the claims, but after analyzing the results, I don’t know what to say. This is why people without a fan’s heart are put into leadership roles within baseball organizations. There are a few glaring issues that I saw in the results:

The fact that the clubs best player, at least in 2013, Jason Kipnis, didn’t receive a 100% vote makes me wonder if someone out there was taking the Baseball Writer’s Association way out of the vote, assuming that no one was worth of unanimous vote in this poll.

Sep 7, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians catcher Yan Gomes (10) throws to first base in the second inning against the New York Mets at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Yan Gomes, who has had success this season for the Indians and has all of 247 plate appearances (entering Sunday), has officially overtaken Carlos Santana as the most effective catcher…or is it just the defensive aspect of the game that has him more valuable to the fans? Either way, the fact that there weren’t limits on the number of players who could be kept and Gomes had more votes than Santana…that is just odd.

I see Kelly Shoppach‘s family reads the site, as I can’t explain his vote any other way.

Scott Kazmir and Ubaldo Jimenez having solid seasons didn’t appear to save their roster spots for a lot of people, as Kazmir had 26 votes and Jimenez had 25. One of those guys will be back next season, hopefully both, as the Indians do have to have some starting pitchers.

Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn haven’t shown enough for some fans, with Bourn getting 32 of 38 votes and Swisher getting only 31.

I am not an Indians’ fan. I don’t bleed whatever color their fans say they bleed, I didn’t grow up in or near Cleveland (I grew up in Cincinnati and Sam Wyche made sure I knew how to act. Editor’s Note: What are you trying to say, Evan?), and I have no attachment to any of these players. I do, however, love baseball and write and read about the game and every team. As an outsider to the Tribe fan-dom, I am stunned with how fans grow so quickly impatient from game to game, even observing several “insiders” negatively blasting a player one week and feeding him grapes and fanning him the next week.

There is a method to the development of a franchise, and, while I am familiar with being a fan in a small market, Indians’ fans demonstrated a quick trigger in ridding themselves of some very talented players. The club has a great blend of talent, young and veteran leadership, and some very gifted players on the way.

All that I can say is…trust the process. Terry Francona is intelligent, ownership invested in the club last winter, and get used to the mid-20-year-old’s that are on the team, like Jason Kipnis, Santana, and Gomes, as they will be around and fulfill several different roles with the club in coming seasons.

Enjoy the moments! This is a solid team and they could be heading towards the playoffs. They have a fairly easy schedule remaining (when compared to Tampa Bay, Boston, and New York), and they could very well sneak into the playoffs. At that point, you can look back at these responses and gloat that you rooted for and supported the team and knew that they had it right.

Answer Choices

Responses

Jason Kipnis

97.37%

Michael Brantley

94.74%

Justin Masterson

94.74%

Yan Gomes

89.47%

Carlos Santana

86.84%