MLB

A Year And A Half Later, We Can Finally Say It: Lebron Signs With Cleveland

The Cleveland Indians signed relief pitcher Willy Lebron today. Not a big deal, really – not only is it a minor league contract, but Lebron is 32 and has never pitched in the major leagues at all. So what, pray tell, could cause such a stir about a figuratively and literally minor roster move that Yahoo’s Big League Stew is writing about it? What’s the big deal about Lebron going to Cleveland?

And then, it came to us. It was so obvious – how could we miss it?! Yes, were feeling mighty absent-minded that we could have possibly overlooked…Lebron’s impressive 9.9 strikeouts/9 innings ratio in 2011. He pitched at both the double-A and triple-A levels, recording at least a strikeout per inning in each. Nothing gets fans excited like a good power pitcher.

And just imagine the feel-good story if Lebron makes his major league debut at 33, after an enigmatic career (there’s no record of him playing in the minors from 2002-04 or 2007-10), in a hard-luck sports town like Cleveland. Taking all this together, it’s no wonder the Indians wanted to give him a shot, and no wonder why his signing with the Indians is such a big deal.

Well, all that, plus his name, of course. You know: “Willy.” Solid name.

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