Indians GM looks ahead after disappointing finish

Mark Shapiro says signing C.C. Sabathia to a long-term contract is a priority.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Fans can point fingers, second-guess managerial decisions and debate incessantly over reasons why Cleveland collapsed in the AL championship series against the Boston Red Sox.

Indians general manager Mark Shapiro has his own theory.

“We won three in a row. They won three in a row,” Shapiro said. “The best two teams played in the ALCS, it went seven games and the best team won.”

Simple as that.

The Red Sox were just better.

Wednesday, Shapiro gave his annual state-of-the-Indians address, tying up loose ends from a season during which Cleveland won 96 regular season games, the AL Central title and finished one victory shy of the World Series.

Shapiro felt a sense of “disappointment” and “bitterness” at the Indians’ close call, but he also spoke positively about the club’s future and the possibility of signing C.C. Sabathia to a long-term contract.

But while Shapiro would prefer to think ahead, many Cleveland fans are dwelling on a squandered chance that might not come back.

“I don’t think that way,” Shapiro said. “I can’t afford to be that negative. I know how hard it is to get back there. I know the magnitude of the accomplishment. But I prefer to look at what this team did this year, who these guys are, and how young they are and the fact that the bulk of this team is going to continue to be together.”

The good thing is the Indians don’t have to be rebuilt. Their roster consists mainly of players tied up in long contracts. Shapiro will try to improve the team through free agency and trades but wouldn’t mind beginning 2008 with a similar look.

“My basic desire is to not make any changes,” he said.

Shapiro admitted that when his team was struggling this season there were times he wanted to take a sledge hammer to his roster.

“On my drive home I dismantled the team about 25 times,” he said.

Shapiro resisted and never stopped believing in manager Eric Wedge and the Indians, who returned to the postseason for the first time since 2001.

Shapiro downplayed the Indians’ postseason inexperience as the reason for the flop against Boston.

“Inexperience probably did play a factor, but talent was the ultimate factor,” he said. “I don’t want to take anything away from the Red Sox, I think they were the better team. We played seven games, they won a seven-game series and ultimately what that meant to me was that they were a better team — experience or no experience.”