I am back, this series I did a few years ago, going to restart it for The Hobbit series which is on its way! I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan; I re-read the books typically once a year. I also adore the movies, and find all of Tolkien's legendarium absolutely awesome. Truly one of my favorite hobbies so I'd like to offer some critiques and excitement of flavor gems from Tales of Middle Earth. I won't do every card, but I'll comment on some individual cards and how WOTC did on it. I will comment on the cards abilities but only insofar as it impacts the flavor; i.e. what the card is doing not power level, etc.

To be clear: I understand there are sacrifices you need to make for the greater game, and sometimes those come first. For these articles: I am looking at each card in a vacuum, so if I seem harsh it's because I am using a single lens.

Next up: My Precious (Allure of Power)!

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Story Preface

We need to start this story with, well, The Hobbit itself. The Hobbit predates The Lord of the Rings and was not written with The Lord of the Rings in mind (although Tolkien had already started writing much of the legendarium he became famous for and his son Christopher slowly published). The success of The Hobbit resulted in a request for a sequel which, eventually, resulted in The Lord of the Rings. There are others who are likely far more familiar with Tolkien's writing process, how he changed things but the important thing to note here is: the Ring in The Hobbit was not originally meant to be the One Ring (at least, this is my understanding).

The Ring in the Hobbit is a smaller deal. In fact, while Tolkien lingers on the Ring briefly at first it's not elaborated on until after Bilbo deals with Gollum:

>till suddenly his hand met what felt like a tiny ring of cold metal lying on the floor of the tunnel. It was a turning point in his career, but he did not know it. He put the ring in his pocket almost without thinking; certainly it did not seem of any particular use at the moment.

After Bilbo wins the game of riddles, Gollum mentions this as his "birthday present" it's described again:

>Not far away was his island, of which Bilbo knew nothing, and there in his hiding-place he kept a few wretched oddments, and one very beautiful thing, very beautiful, very wonderful. He had a ring, a golden ring, a precious ring.

“My birthday-present!”

Tolkien describes it further, and I think some of the text hints that this was not meant to be the One Ring:

>But who knows how Gollum came by that present, ages ago in the old days when such rings were still at large in the world? Perhaps even the Master who ruled them could not have said. Gollum used to wear it at first, till it tired him; and then he kept it in a pouch next his skin, till it galled him; and now usually he hid it in a hole in the rock on his island, and was always going back to look at it. And still sometimes he put it on, when he could not bear to be parted from it any longer, or when he was very, very, hungry, and tired of fish.

The long and short of it is this Ring could...make you invisible. There are hints that this is a Ring of Power given how Gollum cannot bare to part with it for long, and how it tires you out (we shall see Bilbo describe this in The Lord of the Rings when he says he feels "thin and stretched like butter scraped over too much bread.")

Bilbo later uses the Ring to great effect. He uses it to hide from the Elves and to sneak through and save the Dwarves. He uses it in Erebor to hide from Smaug, and uses it to escape Erebor and bring the Arkenstone to the Elves and Men of the Lake. That is all the Ring does in this story.

Now, as for the card "Allure of Power" I investigated both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and the phrase does not appear in either story. However, I do not think it's hard to guess what the card means. Overall, I think it's meant to be the opposite of this line from Thorin, which he tells Bilbo as his farewell to his friend:

>“There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued

While the Ring originally was not meant to be the One Ring: it still represents the opposite of Tolkien's point of the story. Power corrupts, greed is bad, and the quest for these brings Thorin's quest to an unseemly end (for him).

Color Identity

I am fine with "My Precious" being colorless as it mirrors The One Ring. I suppose you could argue for a different color. Sneaking and invisibility feel Blue, but that would make the card less useful. It's an artifact: colorless is fine.

Allure of Power is obviously Black, so obviously Black that I don't even think you can make an argument for another color. Maybe Black-Red? But that still does not get it right in my view.

Abilities

So for the original writing of the book the Ring was basically just a magic ring which Bilbo found, took from Gollum, and used to create effect on his little adventure. In this context the power of the Ring should be curtailed. Making a creature unblock able and untargetable is a perfect use case for the card. I think the cost and equip cost are reasonable, I would say though: I would have loved it if the card 'snapped' onto a creature somehow, to reflect how the Ring slips itself on Bilbo's finger in the story. Not a deal breaker: I like the ability overall.

As for Allure of Power: I think, given power level concerns, the ability of sacrificing a creature to draw two cards is fine. I don't think that quite gets the flavor right. But this is such a nebulous concept that I don't want to belabor the point. It's a small card attached to the Ring, so for what they're trying to do it's OK. I might prefer a Diabolic Intent to this but I will take it given the circumstances and how Wizards is moving away from tutors.

Conclusion

I really like this, the only quibble I might have is in the name: "My Precious" can have multiple meanings. I would prefer "Gollum's Birthday Present" or something like "Bilbo's Magic Ring." Gollum uses the phrase to refer to himself and The Ring. Now, part of this is also wound up in the power of the Ring. Part of what makes Gollum so sad is how devoid of self he has left. Over 500 years the Ring has completely consumed Gollum, he really has little will left. There is almost nothing there. The Ring has ruined his life and replaced his will with a burning lust for, well The Ring.

The name works, I think you could argue for a different one if you so chose. They could then use "My Precious" in some other way.

Preface:

I am back, this series I did a few years ago, going to restart it for The Hobbit series which is on its way! I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan; I re-read the books typically once a year. I also adore the movies, and find all of Tolkien's legendarium absolutely awesome. Truly one of my favorite hobbies so I'd like to offer some critiques and excitement of flavor gems from Tales of Middle Earth. I won't do every card, but I'll comment on some individual cards and how WOTC did on it. I will comment on the cards abilities but only insofar as it impacts the flavor; i.e. what the card is doing not power level, etc.

To be clear: I understand there are sacrifices you need to make for the greater game, and sometimes those come first. For these articles: I am looking at each card in a vacuum, so if I seem harsh it's because I am using a single lens.

Next up: Bilbo, Luckwearer & Bilbo, Thief in the Night!

Note: I am combining the two Bilbo cards since I can only post so many of these a week

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Story Preface

Bilbo, Thief in the Night

OK, if you don't know who Bilbo is...then it's gonna be really hard to get the character. So for the sake of ease I will assume everyone knows that Bilbo is the titular "Hobbit" from the story who goes on an adventure with Thorin and company.

This card references the job that Bilbo was hired to do for 1/14th share of the treasure. When the Dwarves finally enter Erebor they send Bilbo on his errand to steal, well, the treasure. Most notably the Arkenstone. This Bilbo succeeds after a long conversation with Smaug the dragon. In the picture Bilbo is seen carrying the Arkenstone, which he hides from Thorin and his friends. He later uses the Arkenstone as leverage to try to force Thorin to be more reasonable with the Elves and Men who suffered from Smaug leaving his lair.

To make a long story short: Bilbo claims the Arkenstone against his 1/14th of the treasure and was prepared to give it up in the name of peace. This angers Thorin, and the differences between Thorin and the others aren't resolved until the Battle of the Five Armies. Bilbo does not wind up with 1/14th of the treasure but settles for a chest of gold and silver instead.

The flavor text deserves its full context:

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We see here that Bilbo is a sly rogue in many ways but...strangely honest with integrity. He has a claim against the treasure.

Bilbo, Luckwearer

This references a similar moment which occurs a few chapters earlier. The name 'Luckwearer' comes from Bilbo himself. When he confronts Smaug it's one of his 'many titles' that he uses to try to intrigue the dragon:

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“Lovely titles!” sneered the dragon. “But lucky numbers don’t always come off.”

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All of these titles are references to past adventures or places. It's worth going over them:

"I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led. And through the air. I am he that walks unseen"

This references where Bilbo is from: Bag End (under the hill), where he went through the Misty Mountains and Goblin-town (under the hills and over the hills), how he flew on giant eagles (through the air). So this is Bilbo's journey in brief.

"I am the clue-finder" references Bilbo helping the Dwarves get into Erebor

"the web-cutter" references Bilbo saving his friends who were captured by spiders

"the stinging fly" references Bilbo attacking the spiders

"I was chosen for the lucky number" references him being the 14th member of the company

"I am he that buries his friends alive and downs them and draws them alive again from the water" references Bilbo stuffing his friends in barrels and getting them out of the River.

"I came from the end of a bag" is another reference to Bag End but "no bag went over me" also references their escape from the Elvenking's halls

"I am the friend of bears" references Beorn

"the guest of eagles" references Gwaihir

"Ringwinner" references him beating Gollum in a game of Riddles

"Luckwearer" references the fact that 'luck' was with him...as well as the Ring that he found, which helps provide the luck.

"Barrel-rider" is another reference to his escape

"Luckwearer" in this case shows Bilbo sneaking through the Elvenking's Halls and helping his friends escape prison.

Color

Thief in the Night

I...have mixed feelings about the color identity of Bilbo Baggins. I personally do not think he is a mono-Blue character. There are depths to his character which I feel deserve other colors. I can see Red in his character, since he has passion. His desire for adventure was not just a desire for knowledge. When Bilbo sees the treasure it is noted that he keeps his head better than the Dwarves and thinks:

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For me, I think the Bilbo from "Tales of Middle Earth" is closer to the mark as Blue-Red, but I also grasp that as a Standard set they have different demands. I am a little disheartened because we have another Bilbo card that's...also mono-Blue. Something else I will keep an eye on.

Furthermore, in this scene Bilbo is acting, strangely, White in my view. He is doing something for the good of all, sacrificing something for himself. Overall, I think you could create versions of Bilbo in almost any color. I don't think mono-Blue captures Bilbo very well from this part of the story.

Now, I do think Bilbo is himself Blue as a character (just not mono-Blue). He has a deep interest in knowledge and learning, something he passes down to Frodo and some of the other younger hobbits. I might have preferred mono-Blue as a 'first' card when we meet Bilbo. Granted even then I think you could argue Bilbo is more than a single color.

Luckwearer

I am fine with Luckwearer being mono-Blue since it's an uncommon.

Abilities

Thief in the Night

I...do not think this card does a great job show what Bilbo does in this scene. Bilbo is a thief (it's even in the name of the card) but he does no thieving. This reads far more than Bilbo is helping you recall things you knew, not taking something from someone else (or giving something to someone else). So while the abilities themselves are synergistic and work well, it's a good card, I don't get any feeling of this being 'thievery' in any shape or form. Even if he is an honest burglar, as he calls himself, he still 'stole' something from Smaug...and he refused to give something to its rightful owner.

If I were designing this card, I would first give him the ability 'can't be blocked' to show how sneaky he is with the Ring. Second, I would give him some kind of ability where he takes something, possibly from the enemy's graveyard (maybe at random: Bilbo stumbles upon the Arkenstone). My new Bilbo, Thief in the Night would be:

Can't be Blocked
Spells you cast from exile cost 1 less to cast
Whenever Bilbo, Thief in the Night attacks: exile a card at random from defending player's graveyard. You may cast that spell this turn and spend mana as if it were any color to cast it. If an instant or sorcery spell would be put into a graveyard this way, exile that card instead
2/2

The size is correct.

Luckwearer

I like that Bilbo can't be blocked and I wish he had that in his other card. I also like that he loots when he hits, that references him sneaking and getting the keys.

The adventure card references Bilbo's plot to get his friends out by stuffing them into barrels, which were barged down the river towards Lake-town.

Conclusions

I do not think these will be the only Bilbo cards we get, so I am curious what else they come up with. I suspect we'll get a Rare Bilbo card at some point. I like both the cards, both look fun to play. They're not quite flavor perfect, but after Tales of Middle Earth I don't expect it.

Angel Martínez earned AL Player of the Week honors last week after batting .333/.385/.875 (!) with four home runs (including a two-homer game). José Ramírez insisted last year that Martínez would be a star—fool me for doubting the future Hall of Famer. Angel has made dramatic improvements this season, boosting his batting average and on-base percentage by about 40 points while unlocking a level of power I never expected from the switch-hitter.

It would be unfair to compare Angel to José, but the parallels are easy to spot. Both are switch-hitters from the Dominican Republic, and both are breaking out at young ages (Ramírez at 23, Martínez now at 24). Both are unlocking unexpected power. That’s where the similarities end, however. José is not a free swinger like Angel, and he is (so far) the more complete player—better on the bases and in the field. It’s too early to draw firm conclusions on Angel, but it’s hard not to dream when the comparison comes so easily.

Cleveland Players Who Wore 1: 35

Some stars have worn No. 1 in Cleveland history. Tony Fernández sent the 1997 Indians to the World Series, ending the only postseason extra-inning 1–0 game in history with a majestic home run in Baltimore. Kosuke Fukudome, who came over from the Cubs to help down the stretch in 2011, briefly wore the number. Amed Rosario wore 1 for the 2022 AL Central–winning club that shocked the Yankees.

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My favorite player to wear No. 1 is Casey Blake. Blake came to Cleveland as a free agent before the 2003 season. He was a late bloomer—not a star, but constantly underrated. He did nothing spectacularly, which often led to complaints. But Blake hit for a decent average, walked a fair amount, and provided some pop. Every year he was good for around 20 homers, about a .330 OBP, and solid defense at multiple positions, all while hitting wherever he was asked in the lineup.

In 2005, when the Indians nearly won the AL Central for the first time since 2001, he batted .241 with 23 homers while playing solid right field next to Grady Sizemore. In 2007, he moved to third base, hit .274, and swatted another 18 homers while continuing to play steady defense.

Blake was a classic role player—not the best player on the team, never an All-Star, but always contributing. As a kid, I remember a blog called “Dump Casey Blake” that constantly griped about his inadequacies, and in some ways I get it. Blake wasn’t an outstanding defender (though Baseball-Reference credits him with 27 fielding runs above average), he was roughly a league-average hitter (career OPS+ of 107), not a great baserunner (never even 10 steals in a season), and he didn’t play a premium defensive position (logging over 100 games at first, third, and right, but only one at shortstop or second).

Of the eight seasons in which Blake played 100 or more games, he was worth between 2 and 4 WAR in seven of them. He was about as close to the definition of an average player as you can get (his only truly above-average WAR season came in 2009 with the Dodgers). But there’s nothing wrong with an average player. Blake showed up, did his job, and helped his team win. He did it with a smile, and he had some great moments—like starting a 5-4-3 triple play, walking off the Tigers in 2007 (his second of that home stand), and hitting a memorable grand slam. We need more Casey Blakes.

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Player Who Wore 1 the Longest: Bobby Avila (10 seasons)

Bobby Avila was among the earliest Mexican players to join Major League Baseball, and arguably Mexico’s first star. He led the Mexican League in hitting before coming to the states batting a superb .350/.450/.480. The Indians signed him before the 1948 season and sent him to their minor league club, the Baltimore Orioles. Avila waited until 1949 to play, unfortunately, as he missed the 1948 World Series winning club. It was not until Hall of Famer Joe Gordon went down with injury that Avila got his shot in Cleveland, but he made the most of it and in 1951, his first full season, he broke out (Joe Gordon would retire that season).

It would be unfair to call Avila an instant success: he struggled in his cup of coffee in 1949, and while his 80 games in 1950 were strong they were not quite what you saw later in his career. However, from 1951 to 1955 Avila was arguably the best second baseman in the American League batting .301/.374/.416 (OPS+ 117), capped off with a superb 1954 season where he led the league in hitting batting .341 and finishing 3rd in the MVP race* behind Larry Doby and Yogi Berra. It would be unfair to place all the credit for the Indians record breaking 1954 season: but he was as big a part of it as any player on the ‘54 club.

*In hindsight the 1954 MVP race went horribly for the Indians. Bobby Avila, Larry Doby, and Bob Lemon all received 1st place votes. Early Wynn got in on the action a bit too. If you add up all the votes that Avila, Doby and Lemon received they would have swamped Yogi Berra in the voting. Minnie Minoso probably deserved the award, but Avila was probably the best option who played for the Indians.

Here’s the thing with Avila: he was never a power hitter, but he always hit for average. In the middle of the 1954 season, when he set a career high of 15 homers, he was briefly lauded as a power hitter in the Plain Dealer. “There must be a lot of wind blowing out” Avila joked on August 15, 1954. By the end of the season: Avila would stand alone atop the American League Batting race, back when winning the batting title was almost the same as winning the MVP award.

Avila was humble in victory, calling Ted Williams the best hitter in baseball, and praised Hank Majeski (his roommate) for his offensive improvements. “Hank has done a lot for me” [Bobby] said seriously. “He helped give me confidence, worked on me to try harder, pitched lot of batting practice, Hank was the biggest reason.” With all due respect to Hank (who had a fine career) I think his explanation carries more weight: “that kid has all the natural ability in the world.” Hank told the Plain Dealer.

It would be difficult to understate how important Avila was for Mexico. Other Mexicans played in Major League Baseball, but not reached the heights Avila reached in the 1950s. As arguably the best player on one of MLB’s best teams, a batting title winner, and multiple time All-Star: Avila became a legend in Mexico. One writer who came to visit Avila was in shock when Avila was benched in his second to last season in a Cleveland uniform writing in the Orlando Evening Star:

“This is a national tragedy in Mexico, for Ah-Vee-La was the finest ballplayer to come south of the Rio Grande”

“They just pitch Avila close to the hands and nothing happens,” explains [Indians manager] Farrell who requires a right handed power hitter like a horse player needs fresh money. “The ball no longer travels when he hits it.”

It’s easy to forget Avila who spent his career with other stars. He shared a lineup with Hall of Famer Larry Doby, MVP Al Rosen, and later Rocky Colavito. The early ‘50s teams were dominated by pitching with a rotation anchored by Bob Lemon, Early Wynn and a still wily Bob Feller. But Avila was a star in his own right who shined brightly for Cleveland. It was only 5 years: but it was a heck of a 5 years.

Avila would return to Mexico in 1960 to a hero’s welcome and play one final season in the Mexican League where he returned as a star. Playing for the Mexico City Tigers .333/.480/.486, a similar line to the one he left in 1945.

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Angel Martinez: Budding Superstar?

I did not believe in Angel entering the season—and in my defense, there was reason not to. He hit just .227/.277/.353 (OPS+ 76) over his first two seasons. He made contact, but without much power, lacked patience, and didn’t have a clear defensive home. Though primarily a second baseman in the minors, he was used in the outfield in Cleveland, and it didn’t go well. Baseball-Reference estimated he cost the Guardians 10 runs in the field in 2025, mostly in center field, while Baseball Savant placed him in the 26th percentile in fielding value. He’s also not a major threat on the bases, with just eight steals.

So of course, Angel has gone about changing nearly everything. He’s still a free swinger and doesn’t produce elite exit velocity, but he’s doing damage when he connects. His barrel rate sits in the 70th percentile, and he rarely whiffs (82nd percentile), allowing him to pile up hits—with power. He will almost certainly surpass last year’s home run total before the end of the month. He’s still not walking much, but that matters less when he’s putting the ball in play this often. He’s even turned himself into a solid defender, helped in part by a move to left field with Steven Kwan shifting to center.

It’s too early to know if this is sustainable, but his teammates fully believe in the transformation. “He’s starting to really believe he belongs here,” says hitting coach Grant Fink. José Ramírez has long insisted Martínez is a budding superstar, and others agree. “I’ve seen him do this in the minors for a long time,” says Brayan Rocchio. “He’s going to be a superstar.” The key difference now is the power—Angel is hitting for more of it than he ever did before.

Who knows what the future holds? I was wrong to discount him entering the season, and I hope he matches—or surpasses—Ávila’s five-year run as the best second baseman in the American League. If his teammates help him the way Hank Majeski helped Ávila, he’ll have every chance to get there.

Read the original here

A minor kerfuffle broke out on Twitter when the Milwaukee Brewers inducted C.C. Sabathia into their team Hall of Fame. My favorite reaction may be this tweet sent on Saturday:

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When it comes to the National Hall of Fame I am a stickler. But Ironically I find myself taking the Brewers side on this ‘debate’ as to whether Sabathia belongs in the Milwaukee Hall of Fame.

Here’s the tension: C.C. only appeared in 18 games for the Brewers, 17 of them in the regular season and 1 in the postseason. His lone postseason start ended in disaster lasting only 3 ⅔ innings and surrendering 5 runs. The Phillies eliminated the Brewers from their first postseason appearance in decades, and that October run only lasted 4 games. The 2008 Milwaukee Brewers season, while good, is not the best for them over the course of Sabathia’s career. The Brewers made the NLCS twice before Sabathia retired, and won the NL Central twice. I grasp the incredulity: Sabathia’s time in Milwaukee was short and the end result was heartbreak.

But I think fans underestimate how much Sabathia meant to Milwaukee, and how impressive his stretch of 18 games was for the Brewers. Let me put it this way: Sabathia led the 2008 Brewers in bWAR despite only appearing in 17 regular-season games. He was more valuable than Ben Sheets, who only threw 68 more innings despite appearing in nearly twice the number of games. He was more valuable than Ryan Braun, who finished 3rd in the MVP race. Sabathia was nails for the Brewers down the stretch.

In 17 games Sabathia threw 7 complete games and 3 shutouts*. Only one pitcher has thrown 7 complete games in two seasons since 2020 (Sandy Alcantara). And remember that was 17 games. Sabathia took the ball three times on short rest at the end of the season to help Milwaukee win. He won two of those three games, posted a 0.83 ERA, struck out 21 batters, capped off by a complete game win over the division winning Chicago Cubs in Milwaukee. Overall over those 17 starts Sabathia posted a 1.65 ERA (ERA+ 255) in 130.2 IP. He finished 5th in the Cy Young Award voting and 6th in the MVP voting in half a season in the NL. Honestly, I do not think it would have been crazy to give him either award: he was that good for Milwaukee.

*If you want a complete breakdown of how good Sabathia was check out this Jolly Olive video

Sabathia almost single handedly broke Milwaukee’s curse and playoff drought. I 100% get why Milwaukee inducted him into their Hall of Fame. They are trying to claim their share of 1st ballot Hall of Famer C.C. Sabathia.

Team Hall of Fames are Different

Look, I don’t think singular performances like this should earn induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. That’s different. But team Halls of Fame, in my view, are barely followed by fans. They are mostly just an excuse to bring an old ballplayer into the stadium, sell some jerseys and give away a bobblehead. Maybe Monument Park is different for the Yankees (they are the most storied franchise in MLB history) but I think for most other teams this is not the case.

You could argue that Cooperstown is the same, and to an extent you would be correct. But the National Baseball Hall of Fame matters more, and matters in a way that a singular team Hall of Fame simply doesn’t. Players don’t make much hay on getting inducted into a team Hall of Fame, comparatively. In most cases I do not feel a team’s Hall of Fame dramatically changes how a player is viewed by generations in the future, or the public writ large. They, mostly, function as I described above: chances to say thank you to good players.

I think this is particularly true of the Cleveland Hall of Fame. From my vantage point, the Cleveland Hall of Fame is strange. Take a gander if you’d like (I would say go visit the memorial park, but I think it’s poorly kept up and poorly updated, but that’s a topic for another time). For instance Steve O’Neill is in the Cleveland Hall of Fame. Victor Martinez is not. Charlie Nagy is in the Cleveland Hall of Fame, Cliff Lee & Bartolo Colon are not. None of the great players from the 2000s, besides C.C. Sabathia, are in our Hall of Fame.

So here’s what I want to do today: I want to lay out all the ‘missing’ players in the Cleveland Hall of Fame, with a focus on some of the older players who got overlooked.

Who’s in the Cleveland Hall of Fame?

According to the Guardians website there are 45 members of the Cleveland Hall of Fame they are:

Catchers: Sandy Alomar, Jim Hegan, Steve O’Neill
First Basemen: Jim Thome*, Andre Thornton, Hal Trosky
Second Basemen: Carlos Baerga, Joe Gordon*, Nap Lajoie*
Third Basemen: Bill Bradley, Ken Keltner, Al Rosen
Shortstops: Lou Boudreau*, Ray Chapman, Joe Sewell*, Omar Vizquel
Left Field: Albert Belle, Jesse Burkett*, Joe Jackson, Charlie Jamieson
Right Field: Earl Averill*, Rocky Colavito, Elmer Flick*, Louis Sockalexis
Center Field: Kenny Lofton, Tris Speaker*
Outfield: Larry Doby*
Pitcher: Jim Bagby, Stan Coveleski*, Bob Feller*, Wes Ferrell, Mike Garcia, Mel Harder, Addie Joss*, Bob Lemon*, Sam McDowell, Charles Nagy, Satchel Paige*, Gaylord Perry*, C.C. Sabathia*, Herb Score, Cy Young*, Early Wynn*
Manager: Mike Hargrove, Al Lopez*, Frank Robinson*

However…this list seems incomplete. For instance, where is Manny Ramirez who was inducted 2023 alongside Dale Mitchell? Clearly Manny is a member in good standing because he was on hand when they inducted C.C. Sabathia the next year.

This is part of my point that the Cleveland Hall of Fame is weird: the team barely seems to curate or care about it. They also induct members incredibly infrequently. Cleveland inducted C.C. Sabathia in 2024 and Manny Ramirez in 2023…but that came after a 7 year gap from 2016. I understand giving Tom Hamilton the podium by himself this year (and, notably, he’s in a separate Hall of Fame for non-players), but why not induct someone in 2026? It’s not like the team lacks good players to induct into their Hall of Fame.

Overall, this is an interesting collection of players. Almost every Hall of Famer who donned a Cleveland uniform at some point is in our Hall of Fame. That being said, I think this Hall of Fame is thin. Not every team had a Hall of Fame (or has one), and not every team has had one for as long as Cleveland. However, of the original AL/NL teams that have a long standing Hall of Fame (Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and St. Louis) they average 61 inductees, slightly more than Cleveland.

So today I want to talk about getting Cleveland’s Hall of Fame up to snuff. First off by adjusting the policy, and second off by suggesting a few players who belong and got overlooked.

Inductions Every Year

Let’s start with the process. Cleveland should hold an induction ceremony every season. The Cleveland Guardians have been around for over 120 years: there are plenty of worthy players you can induct, certainly at least one a season. Keep in mind, the number of eligible players and strong candidates will keep going. Cleveland often feels like they do not care about their own Hall of Fame, the entire process feels ad hoc. Here is who they have inducted since 2000:

*Indicates a National Baseball Hall of Famer

2006: Ray Chapman, Rocky Colavito, Addie Joss*, Al Lopez*, Sam McDowell, Al Rosen, Herb Score, Louis Sockalexis

2007: Jim Bagby, Mike Garcia, Charles Nagy, Andre Thornton

2008: Joe Gordon*, Mike Hargrove

2009: Sandy Alomar, Wes Ferrell

2010: Kenny Lofton

2012: Gaylord Perry*

2013: Carlos Baerga

2014: Omar Vizquel

2016: Albert Belle, Charlie Jamieson, Frank Robinson*, Jim Thome*

2023: Dale Mitchell, Manny Ramirez

2024: C.C. Sabathia*

What a weird way to run a railroad. Many of these players have waited decades for inducted, for no rhyme or reason. In fact the following players were dead when inducted: Jim Bagby, Ray Chapman, Wes Ferrell, Mike Garcia, Charlie Jamieson, Addie Joss, Al Lopez, Dale Mitchell, & Louis Sockalexis. More to the point nearly all the fans who saw them play were dead as well. I am not opposed to any of them getting inducted (in fact I think they’re all fine choices) but part of the point of doing this event is to get fans to celebrate a player they know and love. Inducting them decades after their death, and after the fans are dead, serves no purpose

The easy fix is to just hold regular inductions. This is what Cooperstown does, and what other team Hall of Fames do. The team doesn’t have to have a formal voting process, but a regular ‘hey here’s who got in this year’ is good for everyone. The model franchise for this, in my view, is the Philadelphia Phillies. They hold an induction ceremony into their Wall of Fame every season. I have not visited their team’s Hall of Fame, but I like that they hold an election every year. Here are the last few players they’ve inducted:

*Indicates a National Baseball Hall of Famer

2017: No Inductee
2018: Pat Gillick*
2018: Roy Halladay*
2019: Bobby Abreu
2020: Skipped due to Covid
2021: Manny Trillo
2022: Bake McBride
2022: Ron Reed
2023: Ruly Carpenter
2023: John Quinn
2023: Scott Rolen*
2024: David Montgomery
2025: Jimmy Rollins
2025: Ed Wade
2026: Chase Utley

I am not familiar with every player on this list, but that’s fine! The ones I am familiar with seem incredibly qualified for the Philly Hall of Fame. Furthermore, while there were some posthumous inductees here: every year had at least one living inductee. I would suggest Cleveland follow a similar model. There is no reason Cleveland could not induct somebody in 2026, in fact I would make a proposal: the Guardians should have inducted Rajai Davis into their Hall of Fame this Saturday when they release a bobblehead celebrating his Game 7 Home Run. That was a huge moment, one of the biggest in our team’s history (#2 in our history according to some), why not honor Rajai?

So if the Guardians chose to take their Hall of Fame more seriously what might that look like? I think it would look something like this: induct one living and one posthumous player a year; a player fans are familiar with and can celebrate, and one overlooked player from the distant past. Here’s my next 5 inductions:

2027: Corey Kluber & Al Smith

2027 will be the 10th anniversary of Kluber’s second Cy Young Award. Corey Kluber is the only player in team history with two Cy Young awards with the franchise. I think this is a proper time to honor Kluber who was, in my estimation, the best pitcher in franchise history (only including their time in Cleveland) since arguably Bob Feller (I do see arguments for C.C. Sabathia and Sam McDowell). Now a 2027 induction timeline is quick, however: I think Kluber is more than qualified for the team’s Hall of Fame. It should be a matter of when he gets in, not if, so why wait?

Al Smith is not a household name for Cleveland fans, and he is not the best player I could have picked. However, I think there is a moral case for Smith as he was one of the first African-American players on the team. Smith came to Cleveland from the Negro Leagues and was part of the 1954 Pennant winning club that still holds the American League record for the best in percentage in league history. It’s long past due that Smith was honored, he finished 3rd in the AL MVP vote in 1955 and while I don’t think he deserved to win he was a darned good player.

2028: Michael Brantley & Gene Bearden

To keep a theme going: 2028 is the 10th anniversary of Brantley’s last year as a Cleveland Indian. A beloved player for a decade, Dr. Smooth was a superb player for the team, making three All-Star games, winning a Silver Slugger, and finishing runner up to Mike Trout in MVP voting 2014. Brantley went on to Houston and won a World Series in 2022 (although Brantley never appeared in the series.

Gene Bearden had a weird career, he basically only had one above average season. However, he picked a hell of a year to have it: 1948. In 1948 Bearden led the AL in ERA, pitched a complete game victory over the Boston Red Sox in the tiebreaker to decide the pennant, then went on to toss a shutout in Game 3 of the World Series, and closed out Game 6 to end the Series. That’s one heck of a great season. On the 80th anniversary of the last Cleveland World Series: I think it’s time we honored this unsung hero.

2029: Grady Sizemore & Lew Fonseca

Do I need to say anything about Sizemore? He was arguably the most beloved player in Cleveland from 2005 to 2009. We felt at the time like we had a future Hall of Famer in our midst. He did it all, he stole bases, hit for power, played marvelous defense, and was incredibly good looking. Then he got injured and was never the same player again. Sizemore’s career is one of the great ‘what ifs?’ of the 2000s

Lew Fonseca is another player lost in the sands of time. But Fonseca was a great player for the 1920s Indians and one of only a handful of players in team history to ever win an MVP. In 1929 Fonseca led the league in hitting and won an MVP award. The rest of his time in a Cleveland uniform was less notable, but I think that’s enough. 2029 will be the 100th anniversary of his MVP win, I think that’s a fair year to induct him into the Cleveland Hall of Fame.

2030: Travis Hafner & Elmer Smith

I don’t have a great ‘milestone’ year for 2030, but Travis Hafner was one of the best hitters in franchise history. Pronk’s peak only lasted for a few seasons, but for a few seasons he was Jim Thome. For a few seasons he was David Ortiz. For a few seasons he was an unstoppable hitting force which struck terror in the heart of opposing pitchers. Every time I saw him bat I swore it looked way too small for him, to the point where I doubted he could actually cover the whole plate. But as a hitter he had few weaknesses and made teams pay, with gusto.

Elmer Smith was not a famous player for Cleveland, but he also hit the first grand slam in World Series history for Cleveland in the 1920 World Series. There are a few other old players I want to honor for specific milestones, so 2030 feels like as good a year as any to honor an old player who played a big part in a moment few fans recall over a century after it happened.

2031: Cliff Lee & Bobby Avila

‘31 to honor the guy who wore 31. Cliff Lee broke out in 2008 winning Cleveland a consecutive Cy Young Award. Lee did not start or end on the best terms, but he was undoubtedly a great pitcher for Cleveland over many years.

It baffles me that Bobby Avila did not get inducted earlier. He was a famous Mexican player who came to Cleveland in the 1950s and was great for the post 1948 World Series winning clubs which competed with the Yankees for dominance in the ‘50s. From 1951 to 1955 Avila hit .301, leading the league in 1954, making three All-Star teams and was a strong part of the ‘54 pennant winning club. I would have put Avila in a long time ago.

Dreaming of a Better Hall of Fame Future

There are plenty of other permutations you could go for the Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame. I did not mention Victor Martinez, Jason Kipnis, Carlos Carrasco or Cody Allen. All of whom could easily fit into the team Hall of Fame. There are others who had great moments worth celebrating like Andrew Miller (2016 ALCS MVP), to say nothing of some other ‘90s greats who could get the nod like Orel Hershiser or Roberto Alomar. There are also plenty of older greats, no longer with us, who deserve overdue recognition as well.

I just want the team to put a little more effort into this, it’s an easy way to drive fan engagement, and celebrate the past without sacrificing the future.

See the original posted here

I have noticed that the Reddit community in general appears incredibly hostile towards House of the Dragon as a show, but I honestly find this baffling. While HOTD definitely breaks written canon in many cases, and I agree the characters are quite different, overall I think the writers did a marvelous job balancing writing a truly interesting show, while remaining faithful to much of the source material. A few things I really love in the show:

In Season 1 [I loved how they handled Viserys 1! Viserys is a pretty boring character in the books. He's an amiable man uninterested in governing the realm. He is more interested in parties, hunts and tourneys and allows Otto to govern the realm. He agrees to name Rhaneyra his heir and then, weirdly, proves stubborn. I think the show did a good job keeping the same plot beats, while making Viserys a far more sympathetic character. He is a man haunted by the destruction of his family and determined to try to keep it together. While he is good natured, he is unable to keep the realm united as his reign falls apart. I love how they show him physically failing while his rule continues to fail. I also like how this translates to the Dance itself. 'Viserys the Peaceful' is a model ruler in some ways compared to the two dueling successors.]

I also like how nearly every character in S1 is given more to do and more motivations, Take Rhaenyra [in the books she is a power hungry and grasping woman. It's unclear what she wants, and I do like in the show she has a true motivation. She is upset that she is not enough for her father and wants in some ways to live up to it. She makes numerous childish mistakes, winding up in a terrible political position. Adding Aegon's Dream makes her a more complex character. Her determination to keep the realm together makes sense.]

I also like how the other characters get strong motivations too. I am particularly fond of the contrast between Alicent and Rhaenys. [The added scene where Alicent confronts Rhaenys and asks for her support is just superb. Alicent reminds me a ton of Catelyn Stark, a strong female figure who tries to operate within the confines of the patriarchal structure of Westeros, while Rhaenys wants to break free. Rhaenys was unable to do this herself...and then sees a chance with Rhaenyra. This is just good writing in my view.]

I also like how we get more of the back room scheming. [Otto is facing off not only against Daemon (whom he rather easily outmaneuvers, although not without cost, but Lord Larys Strong and Corlys Velaryon). I personally think Otto is, more than anyone not named Viserys, responsible for the Dance of the Dragons.] Overall, Season 1 is just a wonderful political intrigue.

Season 2 is less strong in my mind, and there I things I dislike but...I still think it was largely well done. I don't think HOTD reaches any of the highs that GOT reached, but I find it a far more consistent show. There are things excluded or redone I wish weren't including: [I wish they kept Nettles as she is an interesting character and I would both of Daemon's daughters stayed the same. I wish they kept Maelor as that is a big tragedy that hits hard on the page. I think they overdo the friendship between Alicent and Rhaenyra especially in Season 2, but it does work in Season 1. I am not a big fan of Rhaenyra's affair with Lady Misery, although I think they do a better job with the character.]

This is definitely a more nuanced and less "everyone sucks" version of the Dance, but I think it's a more interesting story. The characters are all real characters, and it's sad to me that I feel so few others enjoy it. Am I really alone in thinking this?

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Until the Guardians drafted Travis Bazzana in 2024, they had never picked first in the MLB Draft. By then, they were one of only seven MLB teams never to have held the No. 1 overall pick, along with the Red Sox, Reds, Rockies, Dodgers, Giants, Cardinals and Blue Jays. It never felt, at least to me, like the organization’s fate rested on Bazzana alone. The history of the No. 1 pick has changed, and the Guards took their time with Travis. While some players picked later in the draft have debuted ahead of him and already flourished (ahem: Nick Kurtz, 2025 AL Rookie of the Year), Baz so far looks worth the wait. Travis hit his first career home run Friday, so in honor of that achievement I wanted to write a little about Baz, and about #37.

Cleveland Players Who Wore 37: 36

If you had asked me before writing this whether 37 was a popular number in Cleveland history, I would have said no. I was not exactly wrong, but I underestimated how good some of the players who wore it were. Two Hall of Famers wore the number: Larry Doby and Dennis Eckersley, although Doby is much more closely associated with 14. There was also one near-Hall of Famer in Tommy John. More recently, Trevor Stephan, who posted a dominant 2022 season capped by a superb ALDS against his former club, the Yankees, wore 37. More famously, longtime closer Cody Allen wore it too, and he still holds the untainted club record for saves.

I loved Cody Allen. After years of nerve-racking ninth innings from 2006 to 2012, Allen was a breath of fresh air. After Bob Wickman got traded, and Wickman himself loved the tightrope act, Cleveland cycled through Fausto Carmona, Joe Borowski, Jensen Lewis, Masahide Kobayashi, Kerry Wood, Chris Perez, and then finally landed a dynamite closer who let you breathe for an inning instead of reaching for heart medicine, or more likely a stiff drink. For four wonderful seasons, Allen was as lockdown as any closer in the AL. From 2014 through 2017, Cody Allen ranked fifth among AL relievers in fWAR and third in saves. Not the best reliever in the league, but a darned good one. The wheels fell off in 2018, like much else in that bullpen, and he was out of the majors a year later.

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Player Who Wore 37 the Longest: Jake Westbrook (9 seasons)

I have fond memories of Jake Westbrook. Never truly the ace, but always dependable. Picked up from the Yankees in the David Justice trade, he became one of the first of Cleveland’s stereotypical reclamation projects. Jake struggled in New York but found a way to flourish in Cleveland. It would be unfair to say Westbrook was ever anything more than reliable. He made an All-Star team in 2004, when he led the AL in complete games, though he did not appear in the game.

At his best, he was a strong innings-eater. In 2004 he posted a 3.38 ERA in 215.2 innings. This was back when people cared less about strikeout-to-walk ratios and fastball velocity, and more about pitchability. Westbrook, whatever his other faults, usually kept his team in the game. That year he pitched at least five innings in 31 of his 33 outings, imagine that now. He pitched at least six innings 26 times. As a sinkerballer, he did not look like someone who should overtax his arm, and managers certainly treated him that way. He threw 94 pitches or more 26 times in 2004. Westbrook usually did not strike out many, or walk many, and let the defense do the work.

For three years, that formula worked. From 2004 through 2007, he was Cleveland’s most reliable pitcher besides C.C. Sabathia. He tossed more than 200 innings three times, averaged 197.3 innings per season in that stretch, posted a 4.07 ERA with a 108 ERA+, and made some really important starts when the Indians finally returned to the playoffs in 2007.

That 2007 postseason sticks out the most for me with Westbrook. In a postseason where aces C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona struggled, Westbrook and Paul Byrd stepped up. Jake’s first start was a bit of a doozy against the Yankees, but against the Red Sox he was rock solid. Game 3 might have been the high point of the season to that point. Coming off the fireworks show in Game 2, Cleveland returned home and Westbrook was exactly what the team needed. He got touched up some, but he scattered seven hits and three walks over 623 innings, with three double plays helping him escape trouble. He left in the seventh inning with a firm lead.

Then, in the most important game of the year, Westbrook showed up again. If anything, you could argue he was better, striking out five and walking only one, while again scattering nine hits, thanks in part to another three double plays, and allowing three runs. It is not Westbrook’s fault the offense could not get going. We all remember Joel Skinner holding up Kenny Lofton and Casey Blake grounding into a double play. In hindsight, that mattered a little less than we like to remember. Rafael Betancourt got torched the next inning, and the pitching staff completely unraveled.

But when the Indians called, Jake Westbrook answered. He was a reliable pitcher here for several years. His health declined, he missed much of 2008 and all of 2009, and in 2010 he made the Opening Day start, basically by default, just as he had in 2004, and then got traded to St. Louis midseason, helping bring back Corey Kluber.

Westbrook was not a star, and not the most memorable player to wear a Cleveland uniform from 2001 to 2010. But he was a cog, a player the team needed in order to succeed, even in big moments. He is the kind of pitcher Cleveland fans should remember from time to time and smile about.

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Travis Bazzana and Expectations

It feels too early to write that much about Bazzana, I will have to write more about him in a few years, but he arrived with about as much hype as any Cleveland prospect I can remember. In my time as a fan, the prospects who debuted with something close to this level of hype were, in chronological order:

2009: Matt LaPorta. That did not work out. LaPorta was the “top prospect” from the Sabathia trade, and he went nowhere. I cannot recall a single big moment from his career.

2010: Carlos Santana. This might be revisionist, but I remember being very excited for Santana’s debut. He felt like the natural heir to Victor Martinez, who had just been traded. He filled a hole in the heart of Cleveland fandom, and he paid off in spades.

2015: Francisco Lindor. Arguably the biggest Cleveland prospect in decades, and still probably the biggest since. He is on his way to the Hall of Fame.

2025: Chase DeLauter. He debuted in the postseason, which was unusually aggressive, and it is too early to say for sure, but he sure is hitting to start the season.

2026: Travis Bazzana…

As of this writing, Bazzana’s start has been weird. He entered Friday, May 8, hitting .192, which is bad. It is rare that batting average tells you enough, but in this case it tells you plenty. That is not the full story, though, because weirdly he also carried a .382 on-base percentage. Only Chase DeLauter had a higher OBP on the team. Bazzana had walked seven times in only eight games, more than 20% of the time. While he was not getting rewarded for that patience with many hits, he certainly did not look overmatched.

I have no clue how Bazzana’s season will play out, let alone his career. But it will be fun to watch. And while it would be disappointing if Bazzana does not reach the heights of Lindor or José Ramírez, we should keep some perspective. Even if Baz only reaches the level of a Jake Westbrook, a player who starts games as important as Games 3 and 7 of the 2007 ALCS and performs that well, that is still a pretty good pick.

Original found here

I decided to rewatch each episode and I want to write out my thoughts and observations. My goal isn't to do an 'Overanalyzing Avatar' copy where I try to find all the little things, but instead try to rewatch to grade how well each episode fills a role in the story. Grade the series as a whole. If people like these, I will keep going through S3 and maybe Legend of Korra too.

Splitting Storylines

This episode is the first in a long string of episodes which successfully split our storylines. We simultaneously follow the story of Aang, Katara and Sokka as they explore the Southern Air Temple and the story of Zuko confronting Zhao. In the first two episodes these storylines basically intersected, in episode 3 they diverge.

This skill is one of the best in the series, following multiple storylines, nimbly bouncing between them, while often showing parallels between them (often between Aang and Zuko). I will have more to say about the parallels between Aang and Zuko's plots later.

Plot Summary

Aang

Aang brings his new friends to the Southern Air Temple where they politely try to warn Aang about the likely possibility of destruction. Nobody had seen an air bender in 100 years after all. Aang confidently suggests that attacking the temple was impossible since you need a sky bison to reach it, Aang promptly takes them up the mountains to the temple.

Aang shows his friends around but notes the eery and deserted quality of the temple. Sokka agrees to play an air bending game to cheer Aang up...but that lasts only so long. Aang takes them to an inner sanctum where they see a long line of statues, which Aang feels a kinship with, but cannot claim to recognize them. He does recognize Avatar Roku "the Avatar before him" before Momo shows up. Aang and Sokka chase Momo where Aang sees the corpse of Monk Giatzo, his father figure. This triggers the Avatar State.

The Avatar State triggering alerts temples across the globe that Aang has returned, while Katara comforts him and suggests that she and Sokka are his family now. At the end of the episode Aang agrees to travel the world with his new family.

Zuko

Zuko and Iroh arrive at a Fire Nation dock and are confronted by Zhao. "Commander" Zhao now. Zhao notes the damage to Zuko's ship and they unconvincingly lie that they ran into an Earth Kingdom navy ship. While Zhao, Zuko and Iroh drink tea Zhao's men interrogate the crew and confirm that Zuko found the Avatar. After a short confrontation Zuko challenges Zhao to a duel, an Agni Kai. During the duel Zhao has an early upper hand before Zuko wins. Zuko spares Zhao who then attacks when Zuko's back is turned. Iroh stops the attack and they leave.

Reflections

It's hard to understate how different early Season 1 feels from the rest of the show, largely because the characters are so different than later in the show (in a good way). Aang doesn't realize how Sokka eats, so uses his fat to start a fire. Katara and Sokka aren't familiar with Air Nomad culture or Aang, so aren't sure how to comfort or prepare him. Zuko, while always a hot head, is even more hot headed than normal...and completely without guile. There is no way these characters would walk into these situations and react the same way.

I love this episode because it starts to peel back the onion on our protagonist and deuteragonist. It's our first flashbacks as we learn how Aang and Zuko arrived in this spot. Aang's flashback hits hard later, but seeing Monk Gyatso spend time with Aang gives us a real flavor for how the monks lived, and how Gyatso raised his (for lack of a better word) son.

I also love how the show does not hide the horror of what happened. Aang remembers what the Southern Air Temple was like this was his home and...now all there are is a bunch of weeds. Even the lemurs and wildlife is devastated from the Fire Nation's assault. Think about that even the animals who are not a threat to the Fire Nation are gone in this scene. The devastation of the Air Nomads and their way of life is more or less complete. In the last moments when Aang sees Gyatso...it does not just make it real for us: it makes it real for Aang. Aang never grappled with what it meant when he woke up from the iceberg and now he has, and it's devastating.

The flip side is true for Zuko too and we see it in the very first shot. Zuko's ship is the first Fire Nation ship we see in the show...and it's puny. His standing in the Fire Nation is immediately clear: he's at the bottom run of the totem pole. The introduction to Zhao makes this clear as well, he has no respect for Zuko and barely any respect for Iroh (and its grudging at that). Zhao schools Zuko who clearly had no plan for as to how to get his ship repaired without letting it slip that he found the Avatar.

But the more important lesson from Zuko's encounter with Zhao is to show how both Aang and Zuko are victims of the Fire Nation. Aang's devastation is the more clear and obvious (and clearly the worst pain), but Zuko was treated terribly by his people and this episode is where it starts to make clear just how devastating his treatment he received was, from his own father no less. We don't get all the details but we learn:

-Zuko was banished by his father
-Despite being a Prince: nobody fears treating him with disrespect
-He is deemed a 'traitor' (for unclear reasons)
-He is given vastly fewer resources despite supposedly being given an important mission

Again, we do not get all the pieces yet, but it's strongly hinted. When Zuko challenges Zhao to an Agni kai Iroh reminds him what happened 'last time he faced a master' and of course Zuko cannot forget. We see his scarred face, the intuitive probably could put them together.

The fight scene between Zhao and Zuko is incredibly underwhelming, with poor choreography. The fight is more emotional than anything, with Zuko being shown to master his Fire Bending basics. The fight does a good job showing us that Zuko is learning control. At the start he's breathing heavy, but by the end he's in command. As Iroh said in episode 1: power comes from the breath, not the muscles. It ends with a moment of grace...again showing us how Zuko is very different from his culture. Instead of killing Zhao (as Zhao himself demands) he spares him. Iroh then stops Zhao from attacking Zuko behind his back (showing us Zhao's character as a person as well).

Finally I like how the drip of Avatar lore starts too. We see the past lives and while they aren't named we don't need them to be. These are Aang's past lives, and we meet Roku who will be important later. Aang's 'Avatar spirit' activates which lets the world know that the Avatar has returned. He wont be able to hide anymore, and the rest of the show Aang is on the run.

Plot Analysis

The plot slows down here: this episode is all about the past. What Aang's life was like before he got trapped in the iceberg, which helps us feel his loss. Why Zuko is on a desperate search for the Avatar, and why he's all alone. The big thing this episode hints at which will come back are:

1. Zuko and Zhao are enemies. Zhao trying to take Zuko's search for the Avatar is devastating to him, which will result in Zuko becoming the Blue Spirit to try to stop him.

2. Aang trying to meet Roku is another plot point, and will really kickstart Aang trying to learn the 3 bending disciplines he does not already know. Roku will also be a mentor to Aang over the course of the series

Moments that Stand Out to Me

1. Zhao is shown to be clever here: inviting his adversaries for a drink so he can interrogate the crew. I will discuss this more later, but I think Zhao's characterization is the worst in the series. We shall see how consistent the writers are moving forward.
2. The Southern Temple at its height is incredibly gorgeous and that's something ATLA does so well. This whole world feels lived in and downright beautiful. You can imagine yourself wanting to live in so many different places.
3. Some good Aang characterization as Aang learning how to be playful and a prankster from Gyatso is wonderful.
4. Good characterization of Sokka as a meat lover. Both when Aang uses some of his food for firewood, and also when Sokka chases after Momo to eat him. This becomes a running gag in the show.
5. Iroh demanding more tea and name dropping a few adds something to his character. Iroh loves his tea.
6. Katara offering herself and Sokka as Aang's family is a strong moment, where they both accept Aang as family. This will keep happening over the course of the series
7. I love Aang looking back on the Southern Air Temple it reinforces that while Aang may have an adopted family that he's in a far more tenuous position than his friends. He really does not have any support and becoming a family takes time. Shared experiences, which Aang will get over the course of the show.

Conclusion

This episode is an A- for me, the only thing I can really critique it on is the fighting choreography. It's still not up to par with what we see in later seasons, and even later this season. If you had to rank them all...I think this Angi Kai would rank pretty low on the list.

Preface:

I am back, this series I did a few years ago, going to restart it for The Hobbit series which is on its way! I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan; I re-read the books typically once a year. I also adore the movies, and find all of Tolkien's legendarium absolutely awesome. Truly one of my favorite hobbies so I'd like to offer some critiques and excitement of flavor gems from Tales of Middle Earth. I won't do every card, but I'll comment on some individual cards and how WOTC did on it. I will comment on the cards abilities but only insofar as it impacts the flavor; i.e. what the card is doing not power level, etc.

To be clear: I understand there are sacrifices you need to make for the greater game, and sometimes those come first. For these articles: I am looking at each card in a vacuum, so if I seem harsh it's because I am using a single lens.

Next up: Bilbo, Thief in the Night!

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Story Preface

OK, if you don't know who Bilbo is...then it's gonna be really hard to get the character. So for the sake of ease I will assume everyone knows that Bilbo is the titular "Hobbit" from the story who goes on an adventure with Thorin and company.

This card references the job that Bilbo was hired to do for 1/14th share of the treasure. When the Dwarves finally enter Erebor they send Bilbo on his errand to steal, well, the treasure. Most notably the Arkenstone. This Bilbo succeeds after a long conversation with Smaug the dragon. In the picture Bilbo is seen carrying the Arkenstone, which he hides from Thorin and his friends. He later uses the Arkenstone as leverage to try to force Thorin to be more reasonable with the Elves and Men who suffered from Smaug leaving his lair.

To make a long story short: Bilbo claims the Arkenstone against his 1/14th of the treasure and was prepared to give it up in the name of peace. This angers Thorin, and the differences between Thorin and the others aren't resolved until the Battle of the Five Armies. Bilbo does not wind up with 1/14th of the treasure but settles for a chest of gold and silver instead.

The flavor text deserves its full context:

>“Why do you tell us this? Are you betraying your friends, or are you threatening us?” asked Bard grimly.

>“My dear Bard!” squeaked Bilbo. “Don’t be so hasty! I never met such suspicious folk! I am merely trying to avoid trouble for all concerned. Now I will make you an offer! !”

>“Let us hear it!” they said.

>“You may see it!” said he. “It is this!” and he drew forth the Arkenstone, and threw away the wrapping.

>The Elvenking himself, whose eyes were used to things of wonder and beauty, stood up in amazement. Even Bard gazed marvelling at it in silence. It was as if a globe had been filled with moonlight and hung before them in a net woven of the glint of frosty stars.

>“This is the Arkenstone of Thrain,” said Bilbo, “the Heart of the Mountain; and it is also the heart of Thorin. He values it above a river of gold. I give it to you. It will aid you in your bargaining.” Then Bilbo, not without a shudder, not without a glance of longing, handed the marvellous stone to Bard, and he held it in his hand, as though dazed.

>“But how is it yours to give?” he asked at last with an effort.

>“O well!” said the hobbit uncomfortably. “It isn’t exactly; but, well, I am willing to let it stand against all my claim, don’t you know. I may be a burglar—or so they say: personally I never really felt like one—but I am an honest one, I hope, more or less. Anyway I am going back now, and the dwarves can do what they like to me. I hope you will find it useful.”

We see here that Bilbo is a sly rogue in many ways but...strangely honest with integrity. He has a claim against the treasure.

Color

I...have mixed feelings about the color identity of Bilbo Baggins. I personally do not think he is a mono-Blue character. There are depths to his character which I feel deserve other colors. I can see Red in his character, since he has passion. His desire for adventure was not just a desire for knowledge. When Bilbo sees the treasure it is noted that he keeps his head better than the Dwarves and thinks:

>“I would give a good many of these precious goblets,” he thought, “for a drink of something cheering out of one of Beorn’s wooden bowls!”

For me, I think the Bilbo from "Tales of Middle Earth" is closer to the mark as Blue-Red, but I also grasp that as a Standard set they have different demands. I am a little disheartened because we have another Bilbo card that's...also mono-Blue. Something else I will keep an eye on.

Furthermore, in this scene Bilbo is acting, strangely, White in my view. He is doing something for the good of all, sacrificing something for himself. Overall, I think you could create versions of Bilbo in almost any color. I don't think mono-Blue captures Bilbo very well from this part of the story.

Now, I do think Bilbo is himself Blue as a character (just not mono-Blue). He has a deep interest in knowledge and learning, something he passes down to Frodo and some of the other younger hobbits. I might have preferred mono-Blue as a 'first' card when we meet Bilbo. Granted even then I think you could argue Bilbo is more than a single color.

Abilities

I...do not think this card does a great job show what Bilbo does in this scene. Bilbo is a thief (it's even in the name of the card) but he does no thieving. This reads far more than Bilbo is helping you recall things you knew, not taking something from someone else (or giving something to someone else). So while the abilities themselves are synergistic and work well, it's a good card, I don't get any feeling of this being 'thievery' in any shape or form. Even if he is an honest burglar, as he calls himself, he still 'stole' something from Smaug...and he refused to give something to its rightful owner.

If I were designing this card, I would first give him the ability 'can't be blocked' to show how sneaky he is with the Ring. Second, I would give him some kind of ability where he takes something, possibly from the enemy's graveyard (maybe at random: Bilbo stumbles upon the Arkenstone). My new Bilbo, Thief in the Night would be:

Can't be Blocked
Spells you cast from exile cost 1 less to cast
Whenever Bilbo, Thief in the Night attacks: exile a card at random from defending player's graveyard. You may cast that spell this turn and spend mana as if it were any color to cast it. If an instant or sorcery spell would be put into a graveyard this way, exile that card instead
2/2

The size is correct.

Conclusion

I like the card, I don't like it as Bilbo in this context.

Preface:

I am back, this series I did a few years ago, going to restart it for The Hobbit series which is on its way! I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan; I re-read the books typically once a year. I also adore the movies, and find all of Tolkien's legendarium absolutely awesome. Truly one of my favorite hobbies so I'd like to offer some critiques and excitement of flavor gems from Tales of Middle Earth. I won't do every card, but I'll comment on some individual cards and how WOTC did on it. I will comment on the cards abilities but only insofar as it impacts the flavor; i.e. what the card is doing not power level, etc.

To be clear: I understand there are sacrifices you need to make for the greater game, and sometimes those come first. For these articles: I am looking at each card in a vacuum, so if I seem harsh it's because I am using a single lens.

Next up: Thorin, Mountain King!

https://preview.redd.it/bl4iszmk28zg1.jpg?width=400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ce8d9f5f4baa935c30d55d78e9628544ffb6cf5

Story Preface

Thorin Oakenshield is the leader of the company of Dwarves which Bilbo joins in the Hobbit. He is the grandson of the last "King Under the Mountain" Thror (he is often referred to as Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror; King Under the Mountain). He leads the company from the Shire to Erebor. When he reaches Erebor he gets what Tolkien calls "dragon sickness" and becomes infatuated with the treasure.

During the Battle of the Five Armies Thorin joins his kinsfolk when their loss seems certain. his joining helps break the Goblin ranks. Before the battle: Thorin armed the other dozen dwarves in his company for battle from holds his kin laid down in Erebor. The flavor text references this specific moment in the story:

>Suddenly there was a great shout, and from the Gate came a trumpet call. They had forgotten Thorin! Part of the wall, moved by levers, fell outward with a crash into the pool. Out leapt the King under the Mountain, and his companions followed him. Hood and cloak were gone; they were in shining armour, and red light leapt from their eyes. In the gloom the great dwarf gleamed like gold in a dying fire.

>Rocks were hurled down from on high by the goblins above; but they held on, leapt down to the falls’ foot, and rushed forward to battle. Wolf and rider fell or fled before them. Thorin wielded his axe with mighty strokes, and nothing seemed to harm him. “To me! To me! Elves and Men! To me! O my kinsfolk!” he cried, and his voice shook like a horn in the valley.

Color

I am good with Thorin, Mountain-king being mono-Red. Dwarves feel Red as a rule, and this is well within Thorin's proud character. it is love for his people and anger towards the Goblins which drives him in this moment, so the motivations feel very Red too.

Abilities

3/4 seems reasonable for a strong Dwarf king in his prime. Trample works too since he, in his wrath, trampled down many Goblins when he broke through their ranks.

However, I must praise their creativity on Thorin's ability. Thorin arms his kin when they re-enter Erebor, and it was said that the Dwarves of Erebor made mighty swords, spears and axes. Better than any who worked in Middle Earth in the Third Age. Thorin arming his kin before the battle fits perfectly, and the flavor of them unleashing this on Thorin's enemies is great flavor.

Conclusion

I really like this card, I think the ability is a perfect way to show what Thorin is doing at the time in the story. It's also a good card in general. It's not often I have almost no notes, but this is one of those times.

Preface:

I am back, this series I did a few years ago, going to restart it for The Hobbit series which is on its way! I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan; I re-read the books typically once a year. I also adore the movies, and find all of Tolkien's legendarium absolutely awesome. Truly one of my favorite hobbies so I'd like to offer some critiques and excitement of flavor gems from Tales of Middle Earth. I won't do every card, but I'll comment on some individual cards and how WOTC did on it. I will comment on the cards abilities but only insofar as it impacts the flavor; i.e. what the card is doing not power level, etc.

To be clear: I understand there are sacrifices you need to make for the greater game, and sometimes those come first. For these articles: I am looking at each card in a vacuum, so if I seem harsh it's because I am using a single lens.

First up: Smaug, the Magnificent!

https://preview.redd.it/tuj9wncqj5zg1.jpg?width=400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b3391162672b64df584ad2fa17f2c03c0d8b5fe

Story Preface

OK, if you have never read The Hobbit then the big thing you need to understand is that Smaug is basically the primary antagonist of the story. Before The Hobbit begins the Dwarves were at war with dragons found in "the Northern wastes" and were kicked out of their holdings in the Grey Mountains. Smaug, the greatest dragon of the Third Age, attacks Erebor and steals the gold. Smaug kills many Dwarves, and then chooses to sit on a bed of treasure that he hordes from the Lonely Mountain.

Now, we do get a description of Smaug in the story. This is how Bilbo sees him when we meet Smaug in person:

>There he lay, a vast red-golden dragon, fast asleep; a thrumming came from his jaws and nostrils, and wisps of smoke, but his fires were low in slumber.

Bilbo steals part of the treasure before Smaug wakes up. This will be important later.

More importantly: Smaug is not a dainty dragon with no personality. We get to meet him, here are a few things we learn. First about dragons in general:

>Dragons may not have much real use for all their wealth, but they know it to an ounce as a rule, especially after long possession; and Smaug was no exception.

When we meet Smaug we learn he is quite proud, even haughty. Bilbo flatters Smaug to keep him from attacking. We also learn that Smaug is smart, as he deduces where Bilbo came from using just his hints. Finally, there is one part of Smaug that should be noted:

>Old fool! Why, there is a large patch in the hollow of his left breast as bare as a snail out of its shell!”

Smaug is an older dragon (and all the bigger for it), but he has a weakness (which Bard the Bowman exploited to slay him later on in the story).

In fact, Tolkien wanted his dragons to be more than just a monster. He wanted them to be intelligent and thoughtful.

Color

Which brings me to my first critique. I am not sure that Smaug is purely Red in the story. I get why he's mono-Red here as Red is the color for fire breathing dragons, and Smaug is no exception to that rule. But I could see an argument for making Smaug Blue-Red, or Black-Red. It's fine, it's a minor thing, but just something I note from his character. I do wonder whether we will get more Smaug cards (since they have a habit of printing multiple versions of characters), so something I will keep an eye on. If they do print more Smaugs: I hope they print him as a multi-color card, since I think the character demands it.

Abilities

Flying is appropriate but I want to pause on Haste. We meet Smaug as a sleeping dragon, who was literally crept up upon by Bilbo. That does not seem very 'hasty' to me. We do know that Smaug is fast, from the text:

>“That’ll be the end of our poor beasts!” said Thorin. “Nothing can escape Smaug once he sees it.

But I think I would have focused on a different aspect of Smaug's character and that's terror. In my view I think Menace would fit better than Haste. We get multiple instances of the fear Smaug implies, my favorite being this description from Bilbo creeping up on him:

>It was at this point that Bilbo stopped. Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did. The tremendous things that happened afterwards were as nothing compared to it. He fought the real battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait.

So sneaking up on Smaug was the bravest thing Bilbo ever did: more brave than facing Gollum and fighting in a battle. That sounds fearsome to me.

I like his first ability "whenever Smaug attacks deal damage equal to the number of Treasures you control to any target" since he is a hoarder of treasure. I am less a fan of his second ability creating Treasures. Smaug isn't a creator, he's a thief. I think instead I'd prefer Smaug to create a treasure whenever he attacks or blocks, and then you activate his other ability.

Finally: I think Smaug should be bigger than a 4/3. O' Smaug the greatest and chiefest of calamities deserves a bit more bulk.

Conclusion

As for the card itself: it's great and I'd love playing with it. I think for design and play purposes it's wonderful. I would ask people keep in mind that I am grading this purely from a "how well do they capture the flavor" perspective. I think this falls a bit short of my expectations. We'll see if they make other versions of Smaug, which capture other parts of him.

I decided to rewatch each episode and I want to write out my thoughts and observations. My goal isn't to do an 'Overanalyzing Avatar' copy where I try to find all the little things, but instead try to rewatch to grade how well each episode fills a role in the story. Grade the series as a whole. If people like these, I will keep going through S3 and maybe Legend of Korra too.

Plot Summary

This is meant to be a very brief summary of what happens. I will get into moments which stand out to me later.

This episode picks up right where the previous episode stops. Aang and Katara return to the village...but not to a triumphant return. Sokka angrily confronts Aang and Aang is banished from the village. After Aang leaves Sokka and Zuko prepare for battle and Zuko breaks down the wall into the village, searching for Aang. Sokka pathetically tries to fight back before Aang shows up to protect everyone. After the briefest of fights Aang surrenders himself into Zuko's custody.

In the ship Aang escapes, while Sokka and Katara take Appa to rescue Aang. In a shocking moment: Aang falls into the ocean which activates the Avatar State. In the end: Aang and his friends escape, and then the path for the rest of the plot is spelled out. Aang must master Water, Earth and Fire bending. He will start with Water Bending, and head to the North Pole.

Reflections

If the first episode surprised me with the characters: the second episode surprises me with the choreography. The first clash between Aang and Zuko is incredibly anticlimactic. The second fight when Aang escapes from Zuko is better, but still an order of magnitude worse than what we see alter on in the series. Some of this is a lack of experience: Katara and Sokka are still learning and growing, so their scenes will disappoint. Zuko himself is still mastering fire bending basics (as we saw in the last episode). But even Aang looks...disappointing. He often just twirls his staff defensively, which does not make for the most thrilling scenes. The final moment, when Aang enters the Avatar State is a triumph...but still falls well short of what we see in later episodes.

There are strong character moments which continue to familiarize us with our main cast. Aang rushing back to defend the village and surrendering himself to Zuko are big moments. It shows us that Aang is still a hero, and still here to help people, even if he's a kid. Katara angrily dismissing her family, because she thinks her one chance to learn water bending, is important. Sokka standing his ground and trying to live up to the promise he made to his dad is a huge moment.

In fact: the moment which sticks out the most to me is the parallel between Sokka and Zuko. Most of the series compares and contrasts Aang and Zuko, but this is one of the few times we see a different parallel and I think it really sticks out. We see Sokka preparing himself for battle, by himself. He prepares his weapons, he paints his face, and he uses a candle to see when the Fire Nation ship is approaching. In contrast Zuko has many helpers who arm Zuko for battle.

I like this parallel for a few other things. First: it shows how previous Fire Nation raids have left the village effectively defenseless. All the men are either dead, out helping the Earth Kingdom or (as we later learn) captured and held prisoner by the Fire Nation. Sokka by himself is a moment of world building, showing the devastation of 100 years of war. It also shows us that, while Zuko has had a hard life, he is not without advantages.

Overall the episode is not as fun of a rewatch as I expected. While more does happen in this episode, it's still a bit slow compared to future episodes. The fighting choreography will improve, but it does a good job slowly building the characters.

Plot Analysis

Again, not a ton happens this episode. It mostly serves to get us out of the South Pole. It also lays out what we should expect for the rest of the TV series. The show will be about Aang mastering Water, Earth and Fire bending (hence the names of the books: Water, Earth and Fire). This will allow Aang to become a fully realized Avatar and fulfill his destiny.

Moments with Stand Out

1. Sokka's watchtower collapses which shows us visually that Sokka is not fully developed and the insecure and brash manner is not up to the task he has set for himself. Sokka promised his dad that he would protect the village, but he is incapable of doing this right now. Sokka will have to grow in order to become the person who will lead the invasion during the Day of Black Sun, and become 'the idea guy' of Team Avatar.

It also is a running gag: Sokka is not that good at creating. He makes a terrible sand sculpture of Suki. The fish he whittled for Yue looks like a bear. His drawings are pretty meh. This is just not his strong suit.

2. Sokka refuses to give up despite being completely outmatched by both Zuko and his men. Sokka is by himself armed with a whale bone spear, whale bone club and a boomerang. He is effectively helpless in the face of Zuko's ship and fire bending prowess. We later learn that the Fire Nation has at least captured much of their protectors (and if we're being honest killed many Water Tribe warriors). Sokka has to know what could happen to him if he resists but he does it anyway. Sokka may not be a skilled warrior, but he's brave.

3. Zuko goes out of his way to not hurt people and it shows us that while Zuko is a villain now: that's not what Zuko is really about. He could have walked into the village and killed everyone if he wanted. He could have been far more brutal than he was, but he doesn't do anything like that. Furthermore: once he gets Aang he leaves. This is not a man who believes in senseless violence. He does as much as he needs to get what he wants.

4. Gran-Gran realizes that Aang is hope and she lays out how Aang is who will save the world and end the war. This is big because she was dismissive of Aang at first, but also because she's the elder in the village. If anyone should know what will happen it's her. We never see her again this season, but this small moment is big.

5. Katara uses water bending successfully even if she accidentally freezes her brother first. She's taking her next step on her journey to become a water bending master.

6. Aang admits he never wanted to be the Avatar. We see him taking on the mantle of the Avatar here, reflexively, but this is not what he wanted with his life. That's big because it informs part of his character.

7. We end with Aang discussing the serious business of riding wild animals. Although Aang has some good instincts...he's still a kid. He wants to have his fun before he puts the work in. Aang will work hard to master the elements, but the show does not let us forget that Aang is growing up in front of our eyes. We wont see all the animals he mentions, but in 2 episodes we will see Aang ride the giant koi fish.

Final Grade: C

This is not the best episode. There's still some childish humor, the fight choreography leaves much to be desired. But the character moments still pull this through into a fine episode. It's not as fun to rewatch as later episodes in season 1, and much of Seasons 2 and 3, but still nice to revisit.

Hi, I think it was yesterday people were asking about the best changes or additions the movies made, and I think I have a few other ideas I want to add.

From Fellowship of the Ring:

1. The scene where Boromir picks up the Ring when Frodo drops it is a superb add. It's not part of the books, but it does a wonderful job showing how the Ring is influencing members subtly. How Boromir is slowly getting consumed by the Ring. It works well.

2. They made it explicit that Saruman called the storm to Caradhras. It's basically confirmed in the books, but this gives Fellowship's primary villain something active to do, and makes the quest feel thwarted from things beyond just nature.

as I rewatch the other films I'll add other small moments I like