Taking a break from the Tribe

After the dismal week last week in Tribeland I needed a break from all things baseball.

So I've been away, trying to hide myself from the reality that is the 2008 Tribe.

Where better to find a world with no baseball than in Montreal, where they not only don't have baseball, but where they kicked it out, advising the sport not to let the door hit itself on the way out.

And so my wife and I spent a great weekend north of the border, in the baseball black hole that is Quebec.

We did head out to Stade Olympique - but not for a ballgame. We went to check out the Biodome (think the rain forest at the Cleveland Zoo with an arctic component and an aquarium).

We found that Montreal is so over the Expos that the metro stop at the stadium has been renamed, with the stadium's name being replaced by the road where the stop is located.

While there were plenty of folks at the Biodome, the neighboring insect museum (do not adjust your eyeglasses, that is correct) and Jardin Botanique - all on the site of the Summer Olympics of 1976 - only about 5 or 6 people were milling around the outside the the monstrosity that is Olympic Stadium. So nothing has changed there. You almost got the impression an Expos game would break out at any second.

(In case your wondering, I'm running on to continue my efforts to ignore the Tribe, but Jim Thome just sent a three-run dinger to the opposite field in first inning and I can't ignore that, try as I might.)

Taking a quick spin through the blogosphere and local papers it seems there was a lot of talk about possible deals for CC Sabathia. That's not at all surprising with the trade deadline a month away and CC tossing one of his best games of the year Friday night.

What is surprising is the number of places I've read that Tampa Bay might be a frontrunner, if not the frontrunner in the CC sweepstakes.

I would have thought a Rays-Tribe July trade a decent possibility back in April, but I thought the Indians would be the ones getting the big name for prospects.

There was also some talk of a last-ditch effort to sign Sabathia before trading him. That only makes sense but no one should hold their breath waiting for the ink to dry.

(Ben Francisco just got caught rounding the base too far to end the Tribe's 3rd inning and Shin-Soo Choo just butchered a flyball down the rightfield line to open the bottom of the inning.)

The Tribe lost another series over the weekend, after winning the first game. Again, no surprise.

Jhonny Peralta remains in the cleanup spot and David Dellucci is still the DH, so at least two more of my wishes didn't come true while I was away.

And I checked out the standings after my weekend off and found the Tribe 9 1/2 behind the White Sox with a three-games series in the Windy City about to begin.

(Casey Blake just booted a ground ball - 4-1 Sox). There's another wish that didn't come true.

So it's back to reality for me now. Time to start that portion of the season that many of us who've watched the Tribe for 40 years or so have been through about 31 times.

Watch each game for the momentary thrill of a nice play or an unexpected run barrage. Talk about which of our big stars will be playing with someone else this fall in the playoffs and which 'stars of the future' we'll get to watch for the last two months of the year.

And know that next year it will get better. Right?