They say “it is never easy being a Cleveland sports fan.” Indians fans have never related more to that saying than now.

They have watched the Tribe’s front office dismantle their once postseason caliber team, trading away talent in exchange for cheaper options. The team has lost many key parts of their roster including pitcher Mike Clevinger, first baseman Carlos Santana, pitcher Corey Kluber and pitcher Trevor Bauer. 

Fans’ frustration reached a tipping point on Jan. 7 when the club traded franchise player Francisco Lindor, along with pitcher Carlos Carasco to the New York Mets.

This trade was different from the previous, as Lindor was the face of the Indians. On top of that, many fans felt a personal attachment to him. 

Historically, the Indians have been able to put together a winning team, while spending significantly less compared to the competition. This strategy had brought the team some minor successes, such as making the postseason the last four out of five years and a World Series appearance in 2016.

However, this window of opportunity has seemed to close. It is now painfully clear that Indians owner Paul Dolan is far more concerned with saving money, rather than producing a competitive team.

The front office has been trading away key players, only for young prospects in return. This has been an endless cycle for the Indians, as the club has access to talented players but refuses to pay them. Once these players get near the end of their contracts, they are traded and the cycle starts again. 

This is an efficient way to run a team, especially from a money perspective. But this does not win championships, and it is not fair to the fans. 

The Tribe now was the second lowest payroll in major league baseball, at around $39 million for 2021. In perspective, the league average is around $108 million. Dolan keeps spending less, setting the team up for failure. The fans deserve a respectable team to root for, especially considering the Indians have the longest World Series drought in the league.

At a time where MLB players are getting paid record amounts of money, the Indians are going backwards. Paul Dolan should start valuing winning and putting together a decent team before worrying about money. If that is too much, then he should sell the team. The fans deserve better.