Too much of a Good Thing?

Can the Indians be hindering their minor league players instead of helping them by sending so many roving instructors and front office personel to Akron?

Certainly these former players and managers and enlightened specialists are here to help, their knowledge chuck full of experienced wisdom. But six at one time? Isn't that a litle much?

Take Thursday's game with Altoona for example. Between the ususal Aeros manager Tim Bogar, pitching coach Greg Hibbard and hitting coach Lee May Jr. were the Indians Ross Atkins (director of player deveoplment), Ellis Burkes (special assistant to Baseball Operations), Buck Showalter (senior advisor of baseball operations), Dave Hudgens (field coordinator), Dave Miller (pitching coordinator) and Ted Kubiak (defensive coordinator).

All but Atkins were in the home dugout, elbowing for position at the top of the fence - forcing players to fend for themselves for good views of the field - of the game THEY were playing.

Perhaps there was a scheduling conflict or mishap that put everyone in Akron on the same day. But most likely, the Aeros home games just fit in well with their schedules considering the parent-club Indians and low Class-A Lake County were on the road and high Class-A Kinston is just returning from a road trip.

Still six extra sets of eyes? Most times, one or two are enough. Any more must be very distracting.