Which Pronk will we see?

I have been incredibly negligent in getting to the blog.  So to those hardcore fans of mine, I sincerely apologize.  Now - away from the sarcasm and on to the topic at hand... 

Baseball is on it's way back, and I am looking at the Tribe this year as a team with a lot of opportunity to succeed.  Kerry Wood is on board, Mark DeRosa's on board, Carl Pavano is....  we'll wait and see about Carl Pavano.  But overall - I do think that Mark Shapiro has done a fine job of enhancing the talent of this ballclub.

There are a few plot lines I'm eager to watch unfold.  The biggest has got to be Travis Hafner.  After an injury filled, frustrating and brutal campaign in 2008 that led to offseason shoulder surgery, both Eric Wedge and Shapiro have been running all over town screaming about how they anticipate a championship middle of the order bat, the return of Pronk.  OK, maybe not screaming - but not really using their inside voices.  The return of the Travis Hafner of 2006 would be a more than welcome surprise - and would considerably boost an already strong offence.  It will be interesting to see if he bounces back and really makes a difference in the heart of the order. 

I gotta say that I'm rooting for the big guy.  Our offence, especially in the last couple of years, has seen a sharing of the spotlight, where different guys will come up with the big hit in different situations.  And don't get me wrong - I have zero issue with that.  However - I LOVE having a monster in the lineup, someone who can change things with one swing at any time.  A guy who makes opposing pitchers panic and opposing managers sweat and opposing fans spew venom out of fear.  I want Batman in that batter's box.  Albert Belle was ... unpleasant?... but undoubtedly posessed that quality.  Jim Thome.  Manny Ramirez.  In 2006 Hafner was that guy, and I know I'm not the only one who would do a ridiculous dance (and hope afterwards that no one saw it) if we were to see a return of that imposing figure in the Cleveland Indian lineup. 

There have been rumblings that maybe he got mixed up in performance enhancing substances, and to be honest I found myself at times wondering the same thing through the struggles of his last two seasons.  However, I analyzed the situation with some depth and here are my thoughts:

He's always been a big, physically imposing guy. When he started out in College and in the Minors with the Rangers system, he was a RAW talent who could tear the hide off the ball when he got on it, but struck out a TON. At 24-25 he began putting up big numbers, but more telling in these statistics was the fact that his strikeout totals decreased dramatically and his walk totals increased - showing that he learned the strike zone, he learned to recognize pitches and patterns - he learned to HIT.

Go back and look at his track record - this isn't a guy who's been consistently healthy. In fact, in 2007 (subpar by Pronk standards) he collected more at bats than in any of his previous MLB seasons.

I think he's had a couple tough years due to nagging injuries that have led to second guessing his approach and constant adjustments. I know I play my worst golf when I start thinking too much. Plus - this guy's under a TON of pressure.  Let's hope that he can come to spring training loose and healthy and ready to build some momentum to take into the season.

I know that Pronkville has suffered and struggled through the last couple of years, but I am a proud citizen awaiting the triumphant return of our proud and noble mayor!

Soon we'll see if I'm simply suffering from the optimism of pre-season excitement, or if he truly can overcome the adversity of these past two seasons and return to form.  And if that should materialize, our Dark Knight returns...