The 10 Best Cleveland Pro Athletes - Right Now.....

When I was writing last weeks blog about 2016, I realized what a great era we are in right now with local  pro sports. The Cavaliers are NBA Champions, and did it in historic manner, the Indians were 1 game from winning the World Series. Success stems from a good organization and the culture within. However, the bulk of the work is done by the players. We have some extraordinary players in town right now.

But how do you rank them?  Here is the criteria I used. Of course I included past performance, But mostly just the past season just completed or in progress. But I also included their potential of excellent performance in the future. Nobody wants to go see some washed up old-timer. Also, it didn't come into play, but if a player has too many off the field issues - that would be considered in his value. Finally, I wrestled with if I should include both team and individual sports. I added one, because a champion is a champion.

Here is my ranking of the 10 Best Cleveland Pro Athletes - Right now:

• 1. Lebron James - Cavaliers: This was a no brainer. Lebron is about as good as it gets. He

  

  A promise kept.

  may be the GOAT. He's won multiple championships, multiple MVP's. He's 32 now and the flashy dunks may come less often. But he can still be as athletic as you need, (see The Block). He's almost like having a coach on the floor now too. The fact that he was a local kid, left and returned, just adds to the folklore.

• 2. Francisco Lindor - Indians: I can see some of your eyebrows raising already. Frankie is now 23 years old and has only been in the major leagues for a season and a half. But as soon as he got here he improved the team, and others around him. He is a true 5-tool player, batting .301, and stole 19 bases. He played in his first World Series at age 22.  He's also a Gold Glove award winner and All-Star. Most importantly, he plays the game with a joy that is rare and fun to watch.

• 3. Kyrie Irving - Cavaliers: One of the most devastating players in the NBA today. You just

  

  The Shot.

  can't stop him. He has "handles" and can finish. He also has become a great shooter, averaging 24 points per game, (see The Shot). He seems to be a future MVP in waiting. With Lebron as a mentor, he can't go wrong. Defense and passing? Meh. But with the ball, just get out of the way.

• 4. Joe Thomas - Browns: He plays the most important position on the offensive line. He's been selected to the Pro Bowl every season he's played. He's been named All Pro 7 times. He's played every offensive snap of every season he's played. That means over 9,500 straight snaps. He's a future Hall of Famer. On the downside: the Browns are the Browns. He's never played in an important game in his life.

• 5. Kevin Love - Cavaliers: When this guy plays, he is a guaranteed "double-double". He will have double figures in both points and rebounds. Also, his outlet passing may be among the best in the league. It's rare to have a guy 6'10" who is such a good outside shooter. When he's on - good luck. I was at a game this season where Kevin scored 34 points in the first quarter! It's taken a while. but he finally seems comfortable and fully integrated into the Cavaliers.

• 6. Andrew Miller - Indians: Miller doesn't start any games for the Indians. He rarely closes

  

  You know what's coming. You just can't hit it.

  games. But what he does in between is spectacular. His slider is a virtually unhittable pitch. Last season, he gave up 8 earned runs, - for the entire season. He may be the best at what he does in MLB. The fact that he is a relief pitcher means he can have an effect on more games than a starter. His manager, Terry Francona, can also use him when he's needed most in the game.

• 7. Cory Kluber - Indians: This guy is a rock. A real competitor. He's one of the best starting pitchers in the American League. A former Cy young Award winner. Last season he struck out 227 batter, and started 3 World Series games. In a big game, like last years playoffs, -  he's nails. He seems unemotional, and often does not get much offensive support. But this is the pitcher you want when you need to win a game.

• 8. Edwin Encarnacion - Indians: This guy is new to town. But he should have a huge impact

  

  Can;t wait to see this parrot.

  in 2017. He's 34 years old, but the Indians are betting $60 million that he still has gas in the tank. He's a slugger that has received MVP votes in 4 of the last 5 years. Besides, he runs around the bases with an imaginary parrot on his shoulder. What's not to like?

• 9.Stipe Miocic - UFC: I wasn't sure where to rank this guy. But he is the UFC Heavyweight Champion of the world. Plus he has successfully defended his championship. That's a big deal. I don't know how much money you make in the UFC as he is still a Cleveland Firefighter. Did you know Stipe was once a nationally ranked wrestler for Cleveland State? 

• 10. JR Smith - Cavaliers: Actually, JR is injured right now, and may not play much the rest of the season. But when he does play - do not discount the effect he has on Cavs games. He is one of the best 3-point shooters in the history of the NBA. He's loosey-goosey for sure, but he seems to have gotten more serious about the game since joining the Cavs. He's not usually the high scorer in a game. But he seems to have a knack for scoring important points.

So I hope I've at least stimulated some conversation for you people out there. It's hard to rank players from multiple sports. But I think we can all agree that we are in a golden age for great athletes in our town. Move over Jim Brown and Bob Feller.

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For another view of the same topic, visit my friend Aaron Dole's blog Living in the Two-One-Six.