NOW, THAT WAS A MAJOR-LEAGUE CHEWIN’ OUT!

By STEVE KING

Pro sports – even sports at major colleges, and a lot of other schools as well – are not for wimps. Rather, they’re for big kids.

Those players and coaches/managers – especially at the pro level – have to either be tough enough to take all the stuff that comes with that, or get the heck out. It’s not complicated. It’s either/or. It’s one of the two.

Understanding that, then, did you see Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor chew out soon-to-be-his-former teammate, Leonys Martin, after the outfielder gave a less-than-stellar effort on a fly ball early in a game against the Texas Rangers last Thursday? The fact he didn’t catch it played a big role in the Indians’ 4-2 loss.

Lindor really went after him. It was a classic display.

But that’s what team leaders do, and Lindor, one of the best players in the game and the best on the Indians, is the undisputed leader of the club. When people think of Lindor, that killer smile and effusive laughter come to mind. He really loves to play the game, and it shows.

At the same time, though, while this is a game, it’s a game for keeps. It’s a profession. It’s these guys’ jobs. And it’s a strictly bottom-line business. If the team wins, then it’s a good day for everybody involved. And if the team doesn’t, then it isn’t – in any way, shape or form.

The Indians have won three straight American League Central Division titles, and it will take some doing to catch the front-running Minnesota Twins and claim a fourth one. There’s never any time for fooling around and not being focused, especially for those teams in their situation.

So that’s why Lindor got up into the face of Martin, who has since been designated for reassignment. That’s a fancy way of saying the Indians don’t want him up on the big club anytime soon, and likely never again.

But this is a football website, so what does all this have to do with the Browns?

Plenty. And I’ll explain in my next post.