Mark Shapiro’s Big Promotion

Ok, I know what you’re thinking – we’re doomed, right?

Our mentally challenged General Manger, the dude who is almost single handedly responsible for how bad this team has been in years past (seriously, don’t get me started on Shapiro. Look to any other column with his name in it on this website for a few cheap-shot insults at the guy) is now being promoted? The guy who by himself destroyed our epic team from the 90’s and early 2000’s, the guy who traded Victor and Lee before we had to, the guy that signed David Dellucci, and Kerry Wood, and all those other guys we hate, the guy that would probably drive even the Yankees into the ground, is now going to become team president.

The silver lining?

A new General Manager! This is actually the best thing that could happen to Indians fans, and here’s why. Chris Antonetti, the current Indians assistant GM, will take over Shapiro’s role following the 2010 season. Antonetti is so respected that he has been approached by multiple teams, on multiple occasions, to leave the Indians to assume a General Manager’s role. But like a true Indian, Antonetti has hung tight, waiting for his opportunity in Cleveland. (In his defense, it probably should have come about 2 years ago, but whatever. As the saying goes, better late than never, right?) Now it is here.

Does this look like a guy you would trust your team with?

Indians fans, rejoice. The Mark Shapiro-as-GM era is almost over. Of course, this means several things. Instead of trying to explain these to you myself, I feel the voice of Indians fans from around the country should be heard. (After all, the emotion and heartbreak Indians fans suffer is up there with almost anyone in professional sports today.) On the day the news broke, comments like the following started trickling in from Indians fans everywhere, courtesy of the Indians.com discussion boards  –

From ‘UtTribeFan’: Really? He disassembles the 07 team over 2 years and puts us in the celler then gets promoted? I don't see the logic...

From ‘DolansFolly’: This is a joke, right?

From ‘UsedByMichelle’: Can you say "Peter Principle"? I know that you could. Markie should be promoted OUTSIDE the Tribe organization.

From ‘macaDnutt’: Disassembles a winning team, makes the common fan suffer, BS's his way out of poor decisions and gets a promotion. Sounds like a Wall Street banker! Did he get a $100 million bonus this year too like the rest of the crooks?

From ‘tbbc44’: Promoted? He should have been sedated with what he's done to the Indians.

From ‘Den11’: I got so excited for about a half a second when I read "Mark Shapiro will be out as Indians GM" and then a little sick to my stomach when I finished the sentence and found out he wil become team president. Well, hopefully ANY change in the Indians front office is a good thing; time will tell. Obviously, what we really need are new owners. Anybody heard any good rumors about that lately?

 

From ‘BuckeyeTurf06’: Glad to see the Indians reward mediocrity with a promotion...

From ‘I_like_BB’: The Indians ownership and management has to be stupid beyond belief. They reward demonstrated incompetence! They hire the biggest loser manager in MLB to replace an average manager and then promote the worst GM to President.

From ‘Golfmandan’: This is a slap in the face to every Indians fan alive!!! The Dolan's don't deserve for fans to show up anymore!!! Think about this:::: In every corporation in America or abroad if a employee only had 1 productive year in 10 years of employment he or she would be terminated for JUST CAUSE!!!

I think you get the idea…

My take? If you could somehow combine all the insults and negativity from the comments above, and then double that, you would havemy thoughts on Mark Shapiro. But we all know this; we all know we have wanted this guy out for a long time now, and it’s finally happened.

The thing I am looking forward to most from here on out, without Shapiro in the role of GM? Winning. (Cheap shot? Sure, but what else do you expect by now?)

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