So Long Lonnie, We Hardly Knew Ye

Lonnie Chisenhall was the first Indians prospect I felt like I truly discovered.

In 2007 I was still relatively new to the wonders of the national pastime and my knowledge of the club’s farm system was limited to say the least. So in 2008, when the Tribe selected Chisenhall with the 29th overall pick in the MLB draft, I sat up and started to pay attention.

Here was this 6’2 third baseman from North Carolina, touted as the future of baseball in Cleveland. I read every article I could find, every scouting report from every expert analyst about this left-handed hitting lad. I scoured the web to find an autographed baseball card I could purchase for an affordable price (I couldn’t). To my British ears, even his name was interesting, it exuded something distinctly American. To put it best, you aren't running into many Lonnies where I come from.

It was another three years until we saw him appear in an Indians uniform, when he was promoted to the big club in late June 2011.

The Tribe were in the midst of a stagnant season under Manny Acta and the situation at the hot corner was in need of dire attention. Veteran third baseman Jack Hannahan was mired in an awful slump and the decision was made to introduce the club’s top minor league prospect, the then-22 year-old Chisenhall. He made his debut on a Monday night in Arizona, and went 2-for-4 in a Tribe victory.

Eight years later, the Lonnie Chisenhall era that never really materialized has come to an end.

It was announced yesterday that Chisenhall, a free agent at the end of the 2018 campaign, has signed a 1-year deal to join the Pittsburgh Pirates, to roam the outfield at their admittedly gorgeous PNC Park. According to reports he is set to earn $2.75 million guaranteed with some health and performance-related clauses attached to earn more.

When I look back at his time with the Indians, unfortunately I’m left with the feeling that Chisenhall never really achieved the lofty expectations bestowed upon him over a decade ago.

In Lonnie’s defense, very few vaunted prospects do.

To this point, the 30 year-old has had a respectable career, with a batting average of .268 and 64 home runs. Chisenhall eventually transitioned from his home at third base and found unexpected success in the outfield during the second half of his career in Cleveland. In recent years he has formed an effective partnership in right field as part of a platoon, often with Brandon Guyer, and has posted a career .757 OPS against right-handers, compared to a .699 mark against lefties thus far.

Sadly, it has been these recent years when we’ve seen Lonnie the least. He has had a terrible time with his health, constantly shuffling back and forth from the disabled list. Since 2017 Chisenhall has missed significant time thanks to injuries with both of his calves, reducing him to just 111 games played over the past two seasons. When he was on the field he did relatively well (.297/.368/.503 slash line for a 127 OPS+) but Terry Francona and the Indians ultimately couldn’t rely on him. Chisenhall’s final at-bat as an Indians player came on July 1 this year, a groundout. Two days later he went on the DL again and never returned to the roster.

For me, the most disappointing aspect of his tenure in Cleveland was his inability to seriously nail down a place in the lineup for an extended period of time. Whether it be related to his performance or his injuries, it was a rare occurrence to expect Chisenhall as an automatic fixture in the lineup.

Nevertheless, I’ll look back fondly on Chisenhall’s time with the club, and will follow the next stage of his career in 2019 with the Pirates. Lonnie always struck me as a very likeable and polite man, a player you couldn’t help but like.

Best of luck to him in all his future endeavors.

ALDS Review: Astros Annihilation

Another baseball season draws to a close in Cleveland, not with a bang but a whimper.

Just like last year, the Indians exit the postseason at the first stage, this time swept out of the American League Division Series by the reigning champion Houston Astros. It was upsetting to see the Tribe play just a single playoff game at home, and even more frustrating to watch them throw the game away (literally).

There will be a great deal of questions asked of this team after such a disappointing conclusion to the season. Was the Indians lackluster divisional race a cause for their uninspiring performance? The 103-win Astros were pushed all the way in their race for the AL West by Oakland, keeping them sharp as they entered October. The Indians on the other hand coasted to their divisional title, perhaps dulling their ability to rise to the playoff atmosphere that Houston thrived upon.

In the Indians' defense, they were up against a team stacked head-to-toe with quality, with no visible weaknesses in any department. The Astros pitching was particularly dominant, and entered the postseason ranked first in team ERA (3.11), starters ERA (3.16), bullpen ERA (3.03) and strikeouts (1,687) for the entire league. Their dominance showed through in each game, severely limiting the Tribe hitters.

It's no wonder the Indians batted a pitiful .144 (13-for-90) for 6 total runs in the entire series.

Two of those runs came directly from the bat of Francisco Lindor, as the star shortstop hit two solo homers. In fact, Lindor was the only player to perform well at the plate for Cleveland, batting .364 in 11 at-bats, scoring 3 runs, basically accounting for 50% of the offensive output. The 24 year-old face of the franchise never let his head drop.

On the other hand you have Jose Ramirez, Cleveland's most dangerous hitter during the regular season, reduced to a shell of his usual self against Houston. In 11 at-bats, Ramirez couldn't record a single hit and dating back to last season, Ramirez is 2-for-31 in postseason play.

He wasn't alone in his struggles. The Tribe's other big bats like Edwin Encarnacion (1-for-10), Josh Donaldson (1-for-11) and Yonder Alonso (0-for-6) also underperformed. Even the consistent Michael Brantley was limited to just 2 hits in 10 at-bats, in what could well be his final games in an Indians uniform.

The lineup will take the brunt of the criticism for this postseason letdown, as they rightly should. You don't need a degree to know that scoring runs will win you games and sadly the Tribe hitters just couldn't get it done against an admittedly superior Astros team.

However, the Indians' pitching staff must take their share of the responsibility as well, as they were far from perfect.

Something was off right from the start of the series, when Corey Kluber took a beating in Houston to open game one. The ace of the staff never looked like his normal self and gave up three home runs in his 4.2 innings of work. He continued to leave the ball up in the zone and the Astros hitters punished him accordingly.

Thankfully Carlos Carrasco and Mike Clevinger, the starters for games two and three, were very effective. Carrasco lasted 5.1 innings, giving up 6 hits for 2 earned runs and kept the Tribe in the game. Clevinger was superb in his start, showing just how far he's progressed in 2018. Sunshine pitched 5 innings with 9 strikeouts, allowing just 3 hits and 1 earned run.

The biggest problem, as was so often the case this season, was when Carrasco and Clevinger handed the game over to the bullpen.

Cody Allen and Brad Hand were the two individuals who really suffered and were taken apart by the vaunted Astros lineup. Allen made two appearances, pitching a third of an inning in game one and two thirds of an inning in game three, and was diabolical, giving up 4 hits for 6 earned runs, two of them homers (one in each game). Considering this series was likely Allen's last time in a Cleveland uniform, it's a very somber and disappointing way for him to bow out.

Hand, considered the bullpen saviour in the season's final months, was also hit hard. He pitched an inning in game two and two thirds of an inning in the game three nightmare. The left-hander was stung for 3 hits and 2 earned runs altogether, including the three-run bomb by Carlos Correa that sent Tribe fans heading for the exits in game three.

Perhaps the performance that hurt Tribe fans the most came from Trevor Bauer. For so long this year a Cy Young-worthy starter with untouchable stuff, Bauer was reduced to pieces over the course of three relief appearances. Bauer walked out of the bullpen in each game and logged 4 innings in total, but gave up 7 hits and 3 earned runs. He saved the worst until last.

In the seventh inning with a narrow 2-1 lead, Bauer made an errant pickoff attempt that allowed Houston's Tony Kemp to reach second, and he later scored on a Jose Altuve grounder to tie the game at 2-2. Alex Bregman proceeded to chop a pitch back to the mound, where Bauer attempted to start the inning-ending double play, but his throw to Lindor at second base was wild, pulling the shortstop away from the bag, resulting in Bauer's second error of the inning and no outs on the play. The bases were then loaded to keep a double play opportunity alive but a 95-mph fastball way above the zone was pounced on by Marwin Gonzalez for a double that plated two more runners. It put the Astros ahead 4-2, and the game beyond the Indians' reach. A 6-run eighth inning meltdown by the rest of the bullpen put the final nail in the Tribe's 2018 coffin.

Where do the Indians go now? One thing for certain is some significant roster turnover in the near future, as a number of key players become free agents this month. I will be paying close attention this winter to the club's activity but for the next few weeks, I'll enjoy the rest of the playoffs, sad in the thought of what might have been.

Thanks for reading this season.

Regular Season Review: Pitchers

After previously recapping the 2018 season for the Tribe's position players, today we focus on both the rotation and the bullpen, and how those two groups fared over the course of the year.

The Starters

Corey Kluber - 33 games, 2.89 ERA, 20-7, 215 IP, 222 SO, 34 BB, 3.12 FIP, 151 ERA+
Trevor Bauer - 28 games, 2.21 ERA, 12-6, 175.1 IP, 221 SO, 57 BB, 2.44 FIP, 198 ERA+
Carlos Carrasco - 32 games, 3.38 ERA, 17-10, 192 IP, 231 SO, 43 BB, 2.94 FIP, 129 ERA+
Mike Clevinger - 32 games, 3.02 ERA, 13-8, 200 IP, 207 SO, 67 BB, 3.52 FIP, 145 ERA+
Shane Bieber - 20 games, 4.55 ERA, 11-5, 114.2 IP, 118 SO, 23 BB, 3.23 FIP, 96 ERA+
Adam Plutko - 17 games, 5.28 ERA, 4-5, 76.2 IP, 60 SO, 23 BB, 6.10 FIP, 83 ERA+

The Bullpen (stats with Indians only)

Cody Allen - 70 games, 4.70 ERA, 27 SV, 67 IP, 80 SO, 33 BB
Brad Hand - 28 games, 2.28 ERA, 8 SV, 27.2 IP, 41 SO, 13 BB
Andrew Miller - 37 games, 4.24 ERA, 2 SV, 34 IP, 45 SO, 16 BB
Dan Otero -  61 games, 5.22 ERA, 1 SV, 58.2 IP, 43 SO, 5 BB
Adam Cimber - 28 games, 4.05 ERA, 20 IP, 7 SO, 7 BB
Neil Ramirez - 47 games, 4.54 ERA, 41.2 IP, 51 SO, 18 BB
Oliver Perez - 51 games, 1.39 ERA, 32.1 IP, 43 SO, 7 BB
Tyler Olson  - 43 games, 4.94 ERA, 27.1 IP, 40 SO, 12 BB
Josh Tomlin - 32 games, 6.14 ERA, 70.1 IP, 46 SO, 12 BB
Zach McAllister - 41 games, 4.97 ERA, 41.2 IP, 34 SO, 10 BB

When four of your starting pitchers rank in the top 8 for ERA in the American League, your team are probably looking pretty good, and that has been the case for this 2018 Indians staff. Led by two legitimate Cy Young candidates, the rotation carried the team on their back as the bullpen, a source of strength in recent years, underperformed and required an overhaul mid-season.

Corey Kluber has been a dominant force on the mound for the past five years yet somehow, this is the first time he’s won 20 games. Even if you discount pitcher wins as an ancient and meaningless statistic, it’s still a remarkable achievement. Kluber’s strikeouts were his lowest total since 2013 and he surrendered 25 home runs this year, the highest mark of his career. However, it did little to deter his effectiveness and he is still among the very best pitchers in baseball. We are lucky to have him and he’ll go down as one of the Tribe greats when all is said and done.

Trevor Bauer took a significant step forward in his development last year but this season he was a revelation, and if it weren’t for his untimely injury in mid-August, he could have convincingly walked away with this year’s AL Cy Young award. As it is, he will likely lose out to the Rays’ Blake Snell or maybe even Kluber, but Bauer has still had an enormously impressive campaign, setting career-best stats in ERA (2.21), strikeouts (221 in 175.1 IP), walks (57), WHIP (1.089) and home runs given up (just 9). The hope now is that he’s recovered completely in time for the playoffs and can have a major impact, either as a starter or out of the bullpen.

Carlos Carrasco followed his impressive 2017 season with another remarkable campaign, leading the team in total strikeouts with 231 punchouts. Carrasco finished fourth in the vote for the 2017 AL Cy Young award and he should be included in the overall picture yet again, albeit a longshot to win. It seems like only yesterday that the Venezuelan was a wild and unpredictable prospect struggling to crack the rotation, so it’s amazing to think how consistent he’s been over the past four years.

Mike Clevinger made tremendous strides in 2017, his first full year in the Tribe rotation, and he has progressed even further in his sophomore season. It’s an impressive feat for any pitcher to crack the 200 strikeout mark and all of his other major statistics saw improvement, despite his walks and home runs increasing (that can be attributed to the extra innings he pitched though). Clevinger has cemented himself as a fan favorite, with his Sunshine nickname and flowing locks to match, and his performances during his three seasons in Cleveland have warranted the praise.

Rounding out the back of the rotation was a combination of Shane Bieber and Adam Plutko. Bieber is still only 23 years-old and was ranked fourth among the Indians’ top 20 prospects prior to his debut. The rookie with the outstanding command (118 SO to 23 BB, an impressive 5.13 SO/BB rate) joined the team in late May and was a reliable presence throughout the summer. He took his shares of knocks like most rookies do, but the signs are encouraging in the long run. Plutko, a 26 year-old right-hander who made the briefest of appearances in 2016, took the mound when called upon and held his own as a fifth starter, often serviceable but ultimately unremarkable.

The Terry Francona era will be defined by the incredible starting pitchers he’s had at his disposal and under his leadership the Indians’ rotation have been one of the strongest in the league each year. 2018 was no different and together the grouped ranked ninth in league ERA, fourth in the AL, with a 3.77 mark. Perhaps the story of this season will revolve around the foursome of Kluber, Bauer, Carrasco and Clevinger, as the group achieved history, helping the Indians become the first team in Major League history to have four starting pitchers record 200 or more strikeouts in a single season.

Moving on to the bullpen, it was an altogether different experience. The relief corps got off to an awful start to 2018, ranking as one of the worst groups in the entire league and it took a big mid-season trade to right the sinking ship.

The backbone of the Tribe’s bullpen has been Cody Allen and Andrew Miller but both of these star relievers suffered setbacks.

Allen, for years a reliable and calm presence, appeared rattled in many of his relief outings and anxiety crept into the fanbase as each hit and walk was given up. He also succumbed to the home run bug, surrendering a career high 11 homers, and as each ball left the yard the fans’ faith in Allen diminished a bit further. His strikeouts were down (career-low 80 SO), his walks were up (career-high 33 BB) and his ERA of 4.70 is the highest in his career so far. No longer can we consider Allen the default closer on this team, especially as the 29 year-old approaches free agency, but the Tribe’s all-time saves leader can still be a very useful late-inning reliever if he can maintain control of his breaking stuff.

Miller, one of the elite relief arms in the game, struggled with injuries all year and never looked 100%. Shoulder inflammation held him back from being the impact reliever we became accustomed to, but he also spent time on the disabled list to treat his knee and hamstring as well. A 1.86 ERA over 10 games in August showed signs of a return to form but the left-hander returned to the DL at the end of that month with another setback, for a third time. The Tribe were fortunate that their race to seal a postseason berth was simple and they could be patient with Miller’s recovery, all in the hope that he can recapture his magic in October.

With Allen and Miller misfiring, it was Brad Hand’s introduction that began the process of curing the bullpen’s issues. Hand was acquired from San Diego (along with Adam Cimber) in exchange for top catching prospect Francisco Mejia and the 28 year-old lefty made an instant impact. The two-time All Star pitched in 28 games for the Tribe and recorded 41 strikeouts in 27.2 innings. He’s been everything Indians fans expected and if Allen or Miller are able to help him out, the combination of two or even all three of them would make for an unhittable group in the playoffs.

Perhaps the only shining light outside of Hand has been Oliver Perez. The 36 year-old journeyman left-hander has snuck under the radar in 2018 to record an impressive season, with a 1.39 ERA over 51 games, with 43 strikeouts. Perez signed with the team in June after his release from the Yankees and was able to immediately insert himself into the bullpen as a stabilizing presence.

Unfortunately the rest of the group were not so effective, and the core guys who remained in the pen most of the year all suffered disappointing seasons.

In his previous two years with the Indians, Dan Otero had been a reliable option for Terry Francona but the 33 year-old suffered in 2018, like so many of his fellow relievers. All of his major statistics increased (not in the good way) and his home runs doubled from last year (6 in 2017 compared to 12 this year), as did his ERA (2.85 in 2017, 5.22 this season). The right-hander could potentially be in Cleveland for another two years, so he’ll be hoping to rebound in 2019.

Neil Ramirez surrendered 9 home runs in 41.2 innings and although his regular season performance improved from 2017 (split between the Giants and Mets), it’s unlikely the Indians will be clamoring to reacquire him in free agency.

Tyler Olson in particular crashed back to earth, after his incredible 0.00 ERA season in 2017. The left-hander was never going to repeat that sort of production but he’ll be very annoyed with himself at his bloated 4.94 ERA.

Adam Cimber joined the team as part of the deal for Hand but the submarine hurler wasn’t very productive in the 20 innings he featured in for the Indians, and failed to find much of a rhythm.

And finally, Josh Tomlin. What else is there left to say about Tomlin? He transitioned from a starter into a full-time member of the bullpen in May but the change did little to help his performances. The 33 year-old made a handful of spot starts in September but you get the sense is time in Cleveland has come to an end, especially considering he is a free agent next year.

Altogether the Tribe used 24 different players in relief, most of them in the first half of the season as Terry Francona desperately searched for solutions. It got to the stage where the Tribe were forced to play anyone available, hoping someone would stick. Even Brandon Guyer pitched an inning (a scoreless one at that). Despite the addition of Hand, even he couldn't cure the bullpen's woes single-handedly, as the reliever's group ERA of 4.60 ranked as the sixth worst in the entire league, behind the cellar-dwellers like the Tigers and White Sox.

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Ultimately the Indians will rely on their vaunted rotation if they are to achieve success this postseason. Unlike 2016, they no longer have that lights-out bullpen to fall back on, and so Francona will trust in his starters to carry the load each night. If Allen, Miller, Hand and company can conjure some October magic, perhaps this group can carry Cleveland to that elusive third World Series title.

First they must contend with the Houston Astros and their formidable lineup and pitching staff. Game one gets underway tomorrow at the UK-friendly time of 2:05 pm EDT, which means I won't have to stay up all night.

Corey Kluber takes the mound against Justin Verlander, a pitcher the Indians have enjoyed success against in the past. Verlander didn't face the Indians this year but when he was still in Detroit in 2017, Cleveland took him apart over his four starts and 30 innings. The veteran allowed 19 earned runs, walking 12, and the Tribe crushed 5 home runs against him too. Confidence should be high heading into this match-up and fans will be eager to see if the lineup can repeat history and dismantle Verlander once more.

Regular Season Review: Position Players

Success breeds expectation, and when a city and its fanbase become accustomed to winning on a consistent basis, a regular season like the Indians just had can feel slightly underwhelming.

I suppose it can be considered a positive sign of how far the Tribe have progressed when a third straight AL Central title is only greeted with modest applause, and not city-wide celebrations. We all know that champagne sprayed in September doesn’t taste the same as it does in late October, and the players know this more than anybody.

It’s not their fault that people feel this way. Ever since Cleveland’s 2016 journey to game seven of the World Series, the only results that really matter are those that occur in the postseason. Nothing else matters once you’ve come so close to having it all.

With that said, their performance over the many months of the regular season deserves recognition. Despite the lack of competition in their division, the players still had a job to do and they achieved their mission. A number of guys have really excelled in 2018, and this review will focus on them and all the other contributors that helped build this Indians club into a contender.

The Lineup

Francisco Lindor SS - 745 PA, .277 BA, .352 OBP, .519 SLG, 38 HR, 92 RBI, 129 R, 70 BB, 25 SB
Michael Brantley LF - 631 PA, .309 BA, .364 OBP, .468 SLG, 17 HR, 76 RBI, 89 R, 48 BB, 12 SB
Jose Ramirez 3B - 698 PA, .270 BA, .387 OBP, .552 SLG, 39 HR, 105 RBI, 110 R, 106 BB, 34 SB
Edwin Encarnacion DH - 579 PA, .246 BA, .336 OBP, .474 SLG, 32 HR, 107 RBI, 74 R, 63 BB, 3 SB
Yonder Alonso 1B - 574 PA, .250 BA, .317 OBP, .421 SLG, 23 HR, 83 RBI, 64 R, 51 BB, 0 SB
Yan Gomes C - 435 PA, .266 BA, .313 OBP, .449 SLG, 16 HR, 48 RBI, 52 R, 21 BB, 0 SB
Melky Cabrera RF - 278 PA, .280 BA, .335 OBP, .420 SLG, 6 HR, 39 RBI, 28 R, 20 BB, 1 SB
Jason Kipnis 2B - 601 PA, .230 BA, .315 OBP, .389 SLG, 18 HR, 75 RBI, 65 R, 60 BB, 7 SB
Greg Allen CF - 291 PA, .257 BA, .310 OBP, .343 SLG, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 36 R, 14 BB, 21 SB

The undisputed leaders of this team are Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez. This young pair have surpassed all expectations (and they were particularly high in Lindor’s case) and together they have emerged into legitimate MVP candidates. The dynamic duo continue to make their mark on history, and became the first teammates to reach 80 extra-base hits in consecutive seasons since Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio achieved it for the 1936-37 Yankees.

Lindor was voted to his third straight All Star game and somehow improved upon his performance from last season. This year he’s collected a career-high 38 home runs, putting to bed the notion that he would never develop into a power hitter, but it’s also encouraging that he’s been able to raise his batting average as well (.273 in 2017, to .277 this year). This team will go as far as Lindor carries them, in 2018 and in the years to come, and Indians fans everywhere will celebrate the day the club can tie him down to a long term deal. The alternative doesn't bear thinking about.

Ramirez emerged into one of the most dangerous hitters in the league last season but, like Lindor, has taken things to another level in 2018. His batting average has taken a slight dip but in exchange for a significant power increase, with a career-high 39 home runs. Perhaps the most welcome progression Ramirez has made is in his stolen base numbers, stealing an incredible 34 bags this year, good enough for fifth place in MLB. Now part of the elite 30/30 club, reserved exclusively for those with that unique combination of power and speed, he’s only the third player in the club’s history to achieve the feat (Joe Carter and Grady Sizemore the others) and first AL player since 2012. Jose's mixture of energy and power make for a dangerous mix, and the fans will be hoping he sticks around for a very long time.

Michael Brantley is another feelgood story of the season, and I could not be happier for him. When the Tribe picked up his contract for an extra year, many were sceptical due to his recent struggles with injury, but Brantley’s ability to remain in the lineup has been an absolute blessing. His consistency at the plate has kept the Tribe offense ticking along nicely and the veteran left fielder deservedly made the All Star team, for the third time.

The heavy hitters of Edwin Encarnacion and Yonder Alonso might not be able to keep up with Brantley when it comes to batting average, but they have contributed the sort of power numbers we wanted. Alonso has never been a prolific home run hitter, and last season was the first time in his career he hit double digits (with 28 HR split between Oakland and Seattle), so for him to collect 23 in his debut season with the Tribe is a respectable tally. Given Carlos Santana’s slight decline in offensive performance since his departure to Philadelphia (112 OPS+ in 2017, a 105 OPS+ in 2018), Yonder has performed admirably in his place.

Encarnacion's second season in Cleveland saw a small reduction in his numbers, but that’s mostly down to missing time with injuries, limiting him to 137 games. His 32 home runs continue his streak of seven consecutive years with 30+ homers but a slight concern is his decrease in walks, down from 104 in 2017 to 63 this year. Nevertheless, Edwin has still been a very capable and important player in 2018 and the Tribe will gladly accept the 30+ home runs and 100+ RBI from their first basemen and designated hitters.

If you took a poll in the spring, most fans would probably have agreed that the odds were slim of seeing the 2014 version of Yan Gomes ever again. However, the Brazilian backstop earned his first All Star call-up during a campaign that saw him recapture some of that form that made him one of the game’s best catchers just four year ago. His .266 batting average is a vast improvement from last year (.232) and he is still the defensive presence the Indians rely upon so much. Would-be base stealers know better than to run on Yan.

Brantley aside, the rest of the outfield were formed by committee to create a Frankenstein-like monster, composed of misfits and rookies. When Melky Cabrera was added to the Indians roster, most of us assumed he would be an insurance option at best but the 33 year-old surprised us all by developing into a key contributor. In the 78 games Cabrera featured in the field, the veteran soon endeared himself to the Tribe faithful. He was partnered for the majority of the season by either the rookie Greg Allen or veteran Rajai Davis in center, who both caused havoc on the bases, collecting 21 stolen bases each, helping the Indians rank first in the entire league with 135 SB total. Allen has been a fine defender in the field this season, although his bat is still developing, and Davis has been a solid presence when called upon, since his return to the team from 2016.

Jason Kipnis endured a difficult 2018 but the 31 year-old managed to stay healthy for the majority of the year. The second baseman, converted into a center fielder in September, struggled at the plate but never let his head drop, and did manage to turn things around a bit in the season’s final weeks (.282 average in the final couple of weeks with 6 of his 11 hits going for extra bases). His 18 home runs mark the second highest total of his career but he would be the first to admit his batting average is not where he would have liked it to be. A portion of the fanbase were starting to get on his back as the season progressed but as long as he’s on the team, I’ll continue to back him.

Other notable contributors include:

• Josh Donaldson, the Tribe’s new third baseman and former American League MVP, worked his way back to full health during his few weeks with the club, and he’ll be hoping he can carry his late season form into the postseason. In 60 plate appearances for the Tribe, Donaldson hit .280 with 3 home runs and 7 RBI, with a .400 OBP and a .520 slugging percentage.
• Brandon Guyer was used predominantly in right field this year, his third season in Cleveland, usually as part of a platoon but he wasn’t as effective as we might have hoped. Guyer’s ability to attack left-handers was always his calling card but this year Francona utilized him against righties too, but the results were about the same unfortunately (.233 BA against LHP and a .176 BA against RHP). The guy still has a talent for getting hit by pitches though, with 11 balls crashing into him this year!
• Roberto Perez, Erik Gonzalez, and Yandy Diaz were the handful of bench guys able to have an impact in the few games they featured in. Only Diaz really made an impression on me (although his renowned batspeed hasn’t translated into extra-base hits yet, with just 8 XBH in 143 PA) and Perez appears to have finally put to rest any notion that he could be an everyday catcher, despite his defensive abilities.
• Bradley Zimmer, Leonys Martin, Lonnie Chisenhall and Tyler Naquin were all hit by the injury bug and missed significant time. In the case of Martin, the life-threatening illness that derailed his season caused him to make just 6 appearances for the Indians after his trade from Detroit (they were at least 6 excellent appearances). All of us wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him anchor the outfield next year. Zimmer might have some trouble reclaiming his place in center field once healthy, since the addition of Martin and promotion of Allen, and Naquin will once again have to work hard to even make the roster. Chisenhall is set to leave Cleveland as a free agent, having never really fulfilled his potential with the Indians. He’ll be hoping a club is willing to take a chance on his return to full health, and the Indians might even be tempted to keep him around if the price is right.

As the Indians enjoy their first significant rest period since the All-Star break, attention now turns towards the Houston Astros and game one of the ALDS. The reigning champions host the Tribe this Friday and the lineup will be busy studying the likes of Justin Verlander, Dallas Keuchel, and the rest of their impressive pitching staff ahead of what many predict to be a tightly contested series.

I will have a pitchers regular season review coming up shortly. Thanks for reading.

Donaldson Debut Draws Near

News reached us yesterday that the long awaited debut of Josh Donaldson is at hand. The veteran third baseman is set to make his much-anticipated start at third base tonight in Tampa, against the Rays.

Donaldson, now activated from the 10-day disabled list, will make his first appearance in an Indians uniform since his trade to Cleveland from the Blue Jays. The Tribe acquired the 2015 American League MVP from Toronto in exchange for a player to be named later just before the calendar ticked over into September, sneaking him in under the August 31st deadline for players to be eligible for postseason play.

There has been some recent controversy surrounding the trade, with a number of other contenders unhappy with the Indians and their methods of prying Donaldson out of Canada. It seems the Red Sox, Yankees and Astros were aggrieved that the Tribe were able to speak to Donaldson directly once he was placed on revocable waivers, and even managed to work him out for a medical at Progressive Field. However, President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti is adamant no foul play took place, and any one of those clubs could have theoretically done the same thing.

Donaldson hasn't featured in an MLB game since May 28, and has been battling issues with his left calf and shoulder all season. In an effort to return him to full fitness he was sent straight to Triple-A Columbus for a rehab assignment upon joining the Indians and on September 3rd the 32 year-old crushed a grand slam in his very first rehab game for the Clippers. He has batted 2-for-10 with another home run in three games for Double-A Akron since.

Before he was shut down by the Jays in late May, Donaldson played in 36 games and batted .234/.333/.423 (BA/OBP/SLG) with 5 home runs, 16 RBI, 21 walks and 44 strikeouts. The Tribe will hope that a healthy Donaldson can have a big impact in the weeks to come, and maybe recapture a bit of the magic that made him such a force only a couple of years ago. Donaldson made three straight All Star appearances between 2014-2016, with his 2015 MVP award sandwiched in between (41 HR, 123 RBI, 151 OPS+, 8.7 WAR).

Donaldson couldn’t come to a long-term agreement with Toronto this past winter as contract talks broke down in February, with neither side able to find a suitable deal. Therefore Donaldson is set to become a free agent in the offseason, and the Tribe likely envision him as a pure rental, their one big offensive splash in an effort to capture that elusive third championship. Perhaps a deal can be struck in the offseason to keep Donaldson in Cleveland for another couple of years, but right now I think we all expect his stay to be brief, but hopefully fruitful. Regardless, it's nice to have a recent MVP in your lineup.

With the Tribe 15.5 games ahead of the Twins in the AL Central, this is an ideal time to let Donaldson regain his rhythm over the next few weeks of largely meaningless games (results-wise at least.) The idea will be to get the veteran multiple at-bats until he is ready to be a daily fixture in the lineup, all with the goal of getting him hot for October when he can do some real damage.

Donaldson is set to start at third base tonight and ease his way back into full-time play. He is likely to be available off the bench tomorrow but should be back in the lineup by Friday if everything goes well. As a result, Jose Ramirez will be shifting over to second base, which means Jason Kipnis will relocate to center field, similar to how he did in 2017.

Kipnis performed admirably during his brief time in center last year, but I can’t say I was exactly clamoring to see him return to the position. He played center field in 11 of the final 12 regular-season games and started all 5 playoff games in the outfield as well. I wrote a piece in February expressing my wish to see the second baseman remain in the infield this season, but it appears the management want to tinker with Kipnis in the outfield once again.

Is he happy about the return to the outfield? Just over a week ago, Kipnis was quoted saying; "Do I love it? No. But I don't have to love it. That's the part. I've got a job to do. It's OK as long as all of our goals are the same and that's to win a World Series."

The 31 year-old’s overall production this season has been underwhelming and a number of fans have called for Ramirez at second base for some time (with Kipnis riding the pine instead). I’ve always been a big Kipnis supporter but it's clear that 2018 has not been the type of season he would have wished for.

However, he's begun to turn things around a bit in recent weeks, and over the past fortnight he's batted .327/.404/.653 with 4 home runs, 4 doubles and 15 RBI, with 2 stolen bases as well. It's a small sample of course, but hopefully an indicator he could be hitting some form at just the right time.

The lack of a division race this year has resulted in August and September being more relaxed for the Indians and their fans, especially in comparison to their AL rivals in the other divisions, but thankfully Donaldson's introduction to the team and Kipnis' transition to the outfield still provide us with plenty to watch and discuss as the final month of the season draws to a close.

Greg Allen's Astounding August

Greg Allen has had a rollercoaster rookie season. The young outfielder has experienced plenty of up and downs in his short major league career (literally), as he's bounced between the Indians and their Triple-A affiliate in Columbus this year.

Perhaps the biggest down for Allen came with the trade deadline pickup of center fielder Leonys Martin at the start of the month. The club made a move to upgrade the position and the message to the rookie was clear.

You’re not ready.

Thankfully for the Indians, Allen did not dwell on the setback, and over the month of August the 25 year-old has excelled.

The incredibly unfortunate and life-threatening bacterial infection that has sidelined Martin appeared to be a devastating blow for the Indians. Having just acquired the center fielder, only to lose him days later, could have derailed the team's late season plans significantly.

In Martin's absence, Allen has stepped up and made the most of his increased playing time.

Since his return to everyday duties, Allen is riding a 14-game hitting streak, the longest streak by a Tribe rookie since 2010, when Michael Brantley (of course) had 19 consecutive hits. Over the course of his streak Allen has batted .400 with 1 home run, 6 RBI,  scored 11 runs, and collected 5 stolen bases.

He's made a positive impact in almost every single game he's featured in, on some of the biggest stages in the game. Most recently, that has included Fenway Park, the so-called Cathedral of Baseball.

Faced against a daunting Red Sox lineup, on course for a record-setting season, Allen has not appeared fazed by the bright New England lights at all.

In Monday night's first game of the series, Allen took Sox starter Rick Porcello deep for a 2-run homer that broke a tie game late in the 7th inning, giving the Tribe the lead. It turned out to be the difference in the Indians' 5-4 win.

Tuesday night saw Allen make more important contributions, this time in the field. The rookie made two outstanding catches to support his starter Shane Bieber, and the Indians held on again for a 6-3 win. Allen's first catch came in the 5th inning, when a long fly ball off the bat of Xander Bogaerts found Allen backtracking into deepest center field. As the youngster touched the warning track and got perilously close to the outfield wall, Allen leaped to snare the ball with his left hand before crashing into the padding. He managed to hold on for the out, cementing a highlight play he'll show his grandchildren one day.

His second catch was arguably more impressive. In the bottom of the 7th with Boston runners in scoring position and the home side smelling a comeback, Mitch Moreland connected on a low pitch and sent the ball arcing into the night sky. Allen took off on a diagonal run, again into the deepest part of Fenway Park. With his back to home plate the entire time, Allen took the ball over his shoulder with a one-handed catch, and held on as he slid into the dirt of the warning track. Boston managed to score on the sac-fly but if Allen hadn't caught that ball and been alert enough to fire it back into the infield, the Sox would have done some heavy damage on the scoreboard. Moreland isn't the fastest runner but he was probably thinking triple when he connected initially. Allen flat out robbed him.

Offensively and defensively, Allen has been an absolute joy to watch, and partnered in the outfield with the ever-consistent Brantley (August line: .354/.456/.523, 2 HR, 11 RBI) and the red-hot Melky Cabrera (past week: .333/.333/.952, 4 HR, 8 RBI), the Tribe have been firing on all cylinders.

In his post-game interviews with sideline reporter Andre Knott, Allen has been earnest and humble with his answers. Most of all, he seems to be really enjoying himself out there. Terry Francona, speaking about Allen prior to Tuesday's game, said; "Greg’s come back and done a really good job. When we lost Leonys, that was a huge hit for us. And Greg’s come up and... he has just filled in and looks like he belongs here. It makes it fun."

I've long been a fan of Allen, and his recent form has been so enjoyable to see. As Tito said, Allen certainly has been fun to watch, of that there is no doubt.

Tribe Active At Trade Deadline

This season's non-waiver trade deadline saw a flurry of activity across the league and the Indians were in the thick of the action on Tuesday afternoon.

Cleveland made two late trades, the largest of which involved the acquisition of center fielder Leonys Martin from the Tigers, along with minor league pitcher Kyle Dowdy, in exchange for shortstop prospect Willi Castro.

The final trade saw Tribe youngsters Jhon Torres and Conner Capel sent to the Cardinals in return for center field prospect Oscar Mercado.

Let's take a look at the new additions, and a quick glance at the guys who have departed for pastures new:

Leonys Martin, CF
Kyle Dowdy, RHP

All the buzz prior to the deadline indicated the Indians were in the market for outfield help and a number of names were touted as potential options. Among the players mentioned were Bryce Harper, Adam Jones, and Andrew McCutchen, to name just a few.

What materialised was perhaps unexpected, but in reality a typical Indians move. I mean, we were never getting Bryce Harper, were we?

Leonys Martin, a 30 year-old left-handed hitting center fielder, is not exactly the splashy trade Indians fans wanted. In fact, I don't remember seeing a single article before the deadline linking him to the Tribe.

However, just because Martin isn't going to sell a lot of jerseys doesn't mean he isn't a good pickup, and the decision to add him to the roster makes a lot of sense. This is a very practical trade.

Martin is widely considered a plus defender in center field, with his great range and superior speed, and the statistics back him up: he has 3 DRS in 638.1 innings in center this year and a 7.1 UZR rating, leading to a 13.4 UZR/150, which ranks him second among qualified center fielders. I've never been entirely sold on defensive metrics but regardless of that, you can sense Martin has been brought in to upgrade the outfield defense, and he looks certain to do just that. The Tribe's outfield hasn't been blessed with outstanding fielding this year, not when they've relied on the likes of Melky Cabrera and Tyler Naquin, so Martin's defensive skills are more than welcome on the club.

With the bat, Martin is not an overwhelming presence at the plate but he's more than serviceable. He's currently batting .275 against right-handed pitchers, good enough for a 113 wRC+. His overall numbers include a .251/.321/.409 batting line (BA/OBP/SLG) and he has a total of 9 home runs, 29 RBI and 7 stolen bases. Despite the modest numbers, 2018 has been one of Martin's best offensive seasons in his career thus far, and a much improved turnaround from a miserable 2017 (a .172/.232/.281 slashline in just 49 MLB games).

Cleveland is his fourth team since he departed the Rangers in 2015, as he spent the 2016 season and the majority of 2017 with Seattle before being moved to the Cubs in late August. He then signed with the Tigers in December 2017 as a free agent.

Overall, I really like the addition of Martin and the Indians' center field situation is far better now than it was before. Martin provides a significant improvement defensively and is still a better offensive option compared to what the Indians were getting previously. Obviously he's not the power bat fans might have wanted and wished for, but he's still an upgrade and at the end of the day, the team has been improved (without having to deal away top pitching prospects too - bonus!)

Kyle Dowdy, a 6'1 right-handed pitcher, appears to be a throw-in to this trade. The 25 year-old has been a serviceable but not stellar starter in the Tigers minor league system, and has posted a combined 4.74 ERA in 95 innings between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo, with 92 strikeouts and 32 walks.

Detroit received shortstop prospect Willi Castro from the Tribe, who has spent this season at Double-A Akron. He's hit .245/.303/.350 with 5 home runs and has 13 stolen bases. Castro has strong projections, with many believing he has what it takes to be a regular MLB-quality shortstop, but his path to the show in Cleveland was always going to be blocked by Francisco Lindor, so it's logical the Tribe have dealt him away via trade.

Oscar Mercado, CF

The Indians were not content with adding just one slick fielding center fielder on Tuesday, so they contacted the Cardinals and picked up one more.

The supremely athletic Mercado joins the Tribe in the midst of an impressive campaign at the Triple-A level. Mercado has been playing for the Cardinals' farm team in Memphis, and has developed into a solid looking player. He hit .285/.351/.408 for the Redbirds, with 8 homers and 42 RBI, and stole 31 bases in 39 attempts. Before he left St. Louis, he was ranked as their 10th best prospect and possible center fielder of the future. A quick gauge of fan opinion on social media indicates that the Tribe might have gotten a steal, with many St. Louis followers upset to see Mercado leave.

Mercado is a subtle but highly interesting addition, and it feels like he might not be far away from a promotion to the majors in the near-future, possibly even next season. However, with the currently-injured Bradley Zimmer already facing competition for his place in center field from rookie Greg Allen, the inclusion of Mercado makes for an intriguing positional battle in the future.

Or maybe not. With Michael Brantley, Melky Cabrera, Rajai Davis and Lonnie Chisenhall all set to be free agents at the end of this season, perhaps the front office's idea is to fill the outfield with a mixture of Zimmer, Allen and Mercado when the veterans move on. Overall, I am quietly impressed by this trade and I think it has crept under the radar. Mercado looks to be a very useful player that could feature sooner than expected.

In return for Mercado, the Cardinals received two of the Tribe's young outfield prospects, 18 year-old Jhon Torres and 21 year-old Conner Capel. Both players are still in the early stages of their development, so it doesn't feel like a huge loss in the grand scheme of things.

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Ultimately, I feel the Indians can consider this month's dealings to be a success. They had two key areas that required improvement, the bullpen and the outfield, and those areas have now been addressed. Time will tell how the results pan out but you cannot fault the front office for lack of attention; they knew what was needed and they responded.

Tribe Triumph Over Tigers

The Indians returned to winning ways this weekend, taking two out of three from their trip to Comerica Park against the Detroit Tigers, culminating in a dominant win in the rubber game on Sunday afternoon. In today's recap, I focus on one area of the team that has come under scrutiny this year, but might be cause for optimism going into August and beyond.

Options In The Outfield

Since the Indians were able to significantly upgrade their ailing bullpen with the additions of Brad Hand and Adam Cimber from the Padres, the attention has now turned to how reinforcements might bolster the outfield, ranked by many as among the worst in the majors.

Perhaps the Tribe's current group had heard the rumblings that replacements might be just around the corner, as Rajai Davis, Melky Cabrera, Michael Brantley and Brandon Guyer all stepped up their productivity during their time in Detroit.

For the series, Davis batted 4-for-12 and the veteran had an especially notable Sunday, with two doubles and a triple, leading the Indians to a convincing 8-1 victory. He displayed prowess with his glove as well, making a couple of nice catches in center field. Davis also took time to acknowledge my praise on Twitter after the game, so if he hadn't already earned a fan for life after that home run, well he's definitely got my eternal support now.

Melky Cabrera went 4-for-9 over the series, which included his first home run of the season and his first as a member of the Indians. In the second inning of Sunday's game and just after the Tigers had tied the game at 1-1, the switch-hitter took a Jordan Zimmermann pitch over the right field wall, and the Tribe never looked back. Cabrera also made two outstanding catches in right field as well, both of them close to the wall. Since being recalled to the Indians, Cabrera has hit .407/.429/.593 (BA/OBP/SLG) in 28 plate appearances over eight games, whilst sharing right field duties with Brandon Guyer.

Speaking of Guyer, he had an important hit of his own this series, a pinch-hit 3-run homer on Saturday to give the Tribe some much-needed breathing room in their 8-3 win. In the top of the eighth inning the Indians were holding onto a slim 4-3 lead, when Guyer connected on a fastball low and inside, and drove the ball far over the left field fence to put the result beyond doubt. Guyer, the lefty-mashing specialist, is slashing .274/.391/.562 versus left-handers this year, with 5 home runs and 20 RBI.

Last but certainly not least is Michael Brantley, who went 5-for-14 against the Tigers, including a triple in Sunday's rubber game (which opened the scoring when Jose Ramirez brought Brantley home with a sac-fly). The ever-consistent left fielder is batting .302 this year over 93 games, with 12 home runs and 57 RBI, and a 117 OPS+. So far Brantley's health issues this year have been under control, and his reliable bat and plate discipline have combined to be the effective weapon we had hoped.

Obviously, one series against the lowly Tigers does not tell the entire story. It is not like all of Cleveland's outfield problems have miraculously disappeared just because a handful of guys had some good hits during the weekend. The front office is certainly smart enough to avoid getting carried away with this small sample of success, and the outfield situation is still alarming when you look at the bigger picture. Bradley Zimmer is out for the season and Lonnie Chisenhall might be joining him, plus Tyler Naquin will miss time with a hip issue.

There's no doubt the Indians should still be looking to upgrade their outfield before the trade deadline closes tomorrow, particularly in center field, and I made that clear in my last post. However, if the management's confidence in the current group continues to grow, and guys like Davis, Guyer and Cabrera can ride these hot streaks for a while longer, then perhaps the corners don't require as much attention as some might have previously thought.

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Some other brief talking points from Detroit:

• In the Indians' sole loss on Saturday, starter Mike Clevinger struggled through 5 innings and a sickness bug that had him drenched in sweat and unable to sleep the night before. Considering he was feeling so awful, his performance was admirable, giving up just 2 runs on the back of a JaCoby Jones 2-run shot that was enough for the Tigers to squeeze out a 2-1 win. Clevinger did rack up 8 strikeouts somehow, and it was a shame the offense couldn't support him.
• Yonder Alonso had a successful trip to the Motor City, crushing 2 home runs and collecting 5 RBI over 6 hits in 12 at-bats as he tormented the Tigers' pitchers. Alonso has been very impressive since the beginning of July, slashing .325/.386/.597 (BA/OBP/SLG) in 21 games, with 6 homers and 20 RBI, with a .984 OPS.
• Corey Kluber cruised to his 13th win of the year on Sunday, thanks largely to his ability to induce groundballs. Kluber was economical over 7.1 innings, getting 10 outs by letting his defense pick up the scraps. He had 5 strikeouts as well, and was keeping Detroit hitters off balance all afternoon. This was an encouraging performance from the Tribe ace, after the concerning performances in his other post-All Star appearances.

The Indians now travel to Minnesota for a three game set with the 48-56 Twins. If the Indians are able to leave Target Field with a series win or a sweep, it should be the final nail in the coffin for their AL Central rivals, essentially extinguishing any hopes they still had of catching the Tribe. Shane Bieber will take the mound for the Indians in Monday's first game, and he will face Ervin Santana, making just his second start of the year for Minnesota after finger surgery in February ruled him out for the first half of the season.

Indians Picked Apart By Pirates, Lose Series

Pittsburgh arrived at Progressive Field this week in the midst of a successful run, and after winning their first two games the Pirates had stretched their winning streak to 11-straight games. Thankfully the Tribe responded with a win of their own on Wednesday, to avoid an unpleasant series sweep.

Pirates Plunder Tribe, But Bauer Battles

Corey Kluber took the mound on Monday to start the series and he got roughed up in the Tribe's 7-0 loss, to the tune of 7 runs, 3 of them earned, spread over 9 hits.

Since Kluber's last start on 12 July, the Indians' ace received an injection in his right knee the following day that resulted in him sitting out the All-Star Game. Despite the time off to recuperate, Kluber's preparations for Monday's game could not have been worse; rain caused the game to start an hour later than planned and another rain delay in the third inning disrupted his rhythm even further. Finally, the heavens opened once more after the sixth inning that resulted in the game being called.

Kluber might not have been helped by his defense Monday night, with Yonder Alonso in particular catching the yips in a costly moment, but it was obvious the 32 year-old starter wasn't feeling 100%. Here's hoping he can sort himself out soon and this nagging knee injury doesn't linger. The last thing the Indians need is their reliable Kluber breaking down during the second half of the season.

Tuesday's game saw rookie starter Shane Bieber called into action but he struggled mightily, and the blazing Pirates tore him apart early. Bieber was taken out of the game after just 1.2 innings, having given up 7 earned runs on 7 hits, two of them home runs. It was the worst start of his young professional career so far, a miserable day at the office by all accounts.

Similar to Monday night's fiasco, yet again a Tribe starter was let down defensively. Tyler Naquin, playing a shallow center field and out of position, misplayed a line drive hit by Corey Dickerson that resulted in a triple, scoring two runs. Instead of being caught for the final out of the inning, Naquin's misjudgement inadvertently put young Bieber in a hole he couldn't crawl out of, and the Pirates capitalized and forced the rookie from the game. The Tribe offense chipped away at the Pirates' lead throughout the rest of the evening but could never force home more than one run every inning or so, and Pittsburgh emerged victorious, 9-4.

Wednesday was an entirely different story. In a pitcher's duel between Trevor Bauer and the Pirates' Jameson Taillon, it was Bauer who shone brightest. The dynamic 27 year-old right-hander had everything working for him, especially that hammer of a curveball. Bauer lasted 7 innings and gave up just 2 hits and 2 walks, striking out 10 Pirates in a dominating performance. Taillon managed to match Bauer in length but not in quality, as the Indians' offense tagged the Pirates starter for 7 hits, the key hit being a two-run single by Edwin Encarnacion in the third inning. Yonder Alonso added some insurance late on, when his two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning extended the Tribe's lead to 4-0. New boy Brad Hand was, errr, on hand to seal the win, earning the save (his 25th of the season, but first in Cleveland).

Overall, the visit from the Pirates was largely disappointing for Indians fans but Wednesday's performance in the glorious sunshine was encouraging in many ways, and helped reduce some of the negativity from earlier in the week. Bauer's continued excellence in his breakout season has certainly been a welcome distraction from the telltale signs of decline possibly creeping into Kluber.

Outfield Help On It's Way?

With the trade deadline just around the corner, the Indians are still rumored to be in the hunt for some help in the outfield. With Bradley Zimmer out for the season, and rookie Greg Allen still finding his feet at the major league level, the Tribe could benefit from some quality and experience in center field.

They should look no further than Adam Jones.

The 32 year-old (soon to be 33) five-time All Star has spent the last decade in Baltimore, a mainstay of their lineup, but with the Orioles now in full rebuild mode, perhaps the Indians could entice him away to help in their bid for World Series glory.

Jones will be a free agent at the end of this season, finishing up his six-year, $85.5 million contract, so it makes a lot of sense for Baltimore to trade him. His best years are almost certainly behind him so they would be wise to cash in whilst they can.

He does possess full no-trade rights however, but given his long-held desire to win a championship (he's yet to reach a World Series), it's possible he could leave Baltimore behind and accept a trade to a contender. Cleveland have a vacancy in the outfield and can offer the sort of playing time the Indians' rivals cannot.

The Tribe currently rank 28th in the majors with a .571 OPS in center field this year, so Jones would be a welcome addition offensively. So far this season the veteran is batting .277/.304 /422 (BA/OBP/SLG) with 10 home runs and 38 RBI in 411 plate appearances. He's not been amazing by any means, and he's not the star acquisition he would have been five years ago, but even a consistent, league-average player would be a huge upgrade to the Indians outfield at this present time; Jones' 100 OPS+ would be much appreciated in this lineup desperate for production from any outfielder not named Michael Brantley.

Defensively he's always been a reliable presence, and brings a sense of leadership on the field as well. The good news is the Indians stand a legitimate chance of adding Jones this month, as everyone is well aware he is purely a rental, and therefore won't cost top prospects. The Orioles will still expect a good return of course, but at least the club won't have to sell the farm for Jones. The Indians already dealt their biggest trade chip anyway...

The most concerning competition the Indians face for Jones' services is Philadelphia, who are also keen to upgrade their outfield in their push for the postseason. Unfortunately, Jones has some history here, as Andy MacPhail, current Phillies president, was general manager of the Orioles in 2008 when he acquired Jones from Seattle. Read into that what you will, but it isn't a good thing for the Tribe.

There's still a chance a guy like Jones, who has built a life for himself in Baltimore over ten years, might not want to move after all (he even owns the house of Baltimore legend Cal Ripken Jr.) It might be more complex than anticipated for the face of the Orioles franchise to leave for a new city.

Nevertheless, I think trading for Jones would be a smart decision and he could become a valuable contributor in the months to come. If the club are able to put a deal together to bring him to Cleveland, then I would be a happy man.

Recipe For Relief: Bullpen Targets

UPDATE: Just minutes before I was scheduled to publish, Ken Rosenthal broke the news that Brad Hand had been acquired from the Padres, along with Adam Cimber, for Indians' catcher and top prospect Francisco Mejia. So, please enjoy the rest of this post, but bear in mind it was written in a pre-Brad Hand world!

With the All-Star break now behind us and the second half of the season about to begin, the Indians' attention turns to sealing their place in the postseason. To do that should be relatively simple (we hope), but to succeed once they get there is another matter altogether.

To ensure October success, Cleveland are in need of reinforcements and the odd upgrade here and there. Relief pitching is an area that could certainly benefit from some new additions.

Prior to the All-Star break the Tribe's bullpen had a 5.28 ERA, ranking them 29th in the Majors - only the Royals have been worse. The Indians' 4.85 FIP (fielding independent pitching) also puts them 29th in the league, despite the club leading their division by 7.5 games. Clearly the relief corps warrant some attention before the trade deadline on the 31st July.

Bullpen ace Andrew Miller is set to return from injury in the coming weeks but what sort of player will he be? The dominant Miller of late 2016 or the awkward and struggling Miller we have seen this year? The Tribe's set-up situation definitely requires an overhaul, as Dan Otero and Zach McAllister have not been up to standard this year.

Without further ado, lets discuss some of the options out there that the Indians may target before the trade deadline passes:

Brad Hand - San Diego Padres

Hand is one of baseball's top relievers known to be on the market and he's been linked with a number of clubs this summer, with Cleveland rumored to be in the mix. The two-time All-Star left-hander currently sports a 3.05 ERA in 41 games with 24 saves, with 65 strikeouts over 44.1 innings.

The 28 year-old is an appealing target for the Indians, not just for his performance but also for his contract. Hand's current deal is relatively affordable even for a team with a budget like Cleveland's. Hand will make $6.5 million in 2019, $7 million in 2020 and has a $10 million club option for the 2021 season.

The price tag to acquire Hand will be steep, and the Padres won't sell unless they feel they're getting a fantastic prospect in return. It wasn't so long ago the Indians showed their willingness to trade away prized pieces from the farm for a top reliever, most notably in the 2016 trade for Andrew Miller from the Yankees. It's not inconceivable we see a repeat of this in 2018.

Hand is my number one target but you just get the feeling the Cubs or the Yankees will put together trade packages that might be more appealing for San Diego, and steal him away.

(UPDATE: I was wrong, thankfully, although the Tribe did have to give up their biggest asset to acquire Hand. So I was somewhat right!)

Brad Brach - Baltimore Orioles

The 28-69 Orioles have finally set Manny Machado free, so it is likely we'll see some more Baltimore birds fly the nest in the next couple of weeks.

The 32 year-old Brach is one player the Indians may be targeting. Brach has a 4.46 ERA in 39 games, but a much more respectable 3.61 FIP. His 1.734 WHIP is a slight cause for concern, indicative of his command struggles this season, but his career in Baltimore up to this point suggests this first half performance is perhaps not a fair reflection of his talent (he hasn't had a WHIP above 1.200 since 2013, his final year in San Diego).

One knock against Brach, and his teammate and fellow trade target Zach Britton, is his eligibility to test free agency at the end of this season. With the Indians likely to lose both Cody Allen and Andrew Miller this winter, Cleveland will probably want to bring in new relievers with the future in mind. Still, I think Brach could be a solid addition to the bullpen in 2018, and could really help in their quest for the World Series this year.

Raisel Iglesias - Cincinnati Reds

In his four-year career with the Reds, you could argue Iglesias has been the centerpiece of the Cincinnati bullpen, and has developed into a solid closer. With the Reds at the bottom of the NL Central and seemingly away from contention within the next year or two, there's potential for trades to be made if they receive the right offer.

Iglesias currently has 19 saves and a 2.36 ERA in 39 games, with 46 strikeouts in 42 innings. A bonus towards acquiring the 28 year-old Cuban would be the long term effect he could have in Cleveland, as he's not arbitration eligible until 2021 and his current contract is affordable at $5.7 million a year.

If the Indians are able to acquire Iglesias, he could theoretically pitch in any role Francona needs. The right-hander has shown he can perform the duties of a setup man or closer, and could even handle multi-inning outings without any issues. I would be very keen to see the Tribe keep Iglesias in Ohio, and bring him north to the shores of Lake Erie.

Sergio Romo - Tampa Bay Rays

The 35 year-old Romo has been the picture of consistency in the Tampa Bay bullpen this year, and the versatile veteran with plenty of postseason experience (part of two World Series winning teams) might be just the kind of reliever the Indians could look to add.

He's carrying a 3.83 ERA over 46 games thus far for the Rays, with 46 strikeouts in 42.1 innings of work and 11 saves.

Romo is no longer the elite closer he was in his Giants heyday but he still remains an experienced and solid option that would compliment any bullpen. The Rays are on the fringes of a possible Wild Card spot this year, so they may be reluctant to sell. Also, Romo would be a 36 year-old free agent ahead of the 2019 season, so he would almost certainly be seen as a rental in this "win now" window the Tribe find themselves in. Nevertheless, if Cleveland could bring Romo aboard without having to sell the farm, I would be happy to have him.

Kyle Barraclough - Miami Marlins

Similar to Hand and Iglesias, Barraclough is another relief target the Indians would look to buy for both this year and the future. If Cleveland could acquire the the 28 year-old, he could become a fixture in the Indians bullpen for years to come (he's under team control through 2021).

Barraclough has been sublime in 2018, with a 1.28 ERA and 9 saves, over 44 games and 42.1 innings.

The market for the 6'3 right-hander is extremely competitive though, and the Marlins are reportedly holding out for top prospects only. Cleveland may have to release one of, if not multiple prized assets in the hopes they can pry Barraclough away from sunny Miami.

With competition from the likes of the Dodgers and Red Sox, it could be difficult to land an arm as electric as Barraclough's, but he looks like he could be worth the price.

Kirby Yates - San Diego Padres

Yates is another reliever from the Padres that could be a realistic target for the Tribe, a right-hander under team control through 2020. Yates is a potential long-term addition who would improve the bullpen this season and give the Indians a late-inning option for a bullpen that will likely be without Miller and Allen in 2019.

Cleveland actually had Yates briefly during the 2015-16 offseason (between waiver claims), so he should be something of a known quantity in the organization.

The 31 year-old is in the midst of a career year with the Padres, and currently possesses a 1.43 ERA over 39 games. His strikeout ratio has been particularly impressive, with 48 punch-outs over 37.2 innings. Yates is certainly the kind of guy I could see the Indians realistically trading for.

Jared Hughes - Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati picked up Jared Hughes on a two year deal this offseason for a combined $4.5 million, plus a 2020 team option for $3 million. Similar to many of the other relievers I have mentioned, Hughes' level of team control and fantastic value-for-money could be too attractive for the Indians to pass up.

Hughes is on course for the best season of his career, and currently has a 1.44 ERA over 43 games, in 50 innings of work (with 6 saves thrown in for good measure).

The Reds won't feel like they have to sell Hughes (or Iglesias, mentioned earlier) but given that they aren't exactly preparing to make a run at the World Series any time soon, the Indians could make them an offer too good to refuse.

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Ultimately, if the Indians want to stand a serious chance of winning it all this year, they are going to have to add at least one new face to the bullpen, preferably two (at least). It could potentially cost them in the long run, but wouldn't a World Series title be worth it?

(UPDATE: They read my mind! Let's now see if they add any more bullpen help before the end of the month)

England Tribe - World Cup Hiatus

Regular readers will have probably already noticed, but I've been rather quiet on this blog in the past few weeks.

The cause of this? World Cup fever.

Every four years when the World Cup rolls around, it devours my sporting attention span. I obviously still follow the Indians on a daily basis, but sadly I can't commit to much writing. As an Englishman, football takes over and devours every waking moment of my spare time.

Therefore, I will return to the blog in about four or five weeks, just in time for the All Star game, when the dust has finally settled in Moscow.

If you are following the World Cup, enjoy the tournament!

White Sox Wipe Out, Tribe Sweep Chicago

The Indians finished their recent home stand in style, with a three game sweep of the lowly White Sox, taking their current win streak to five games and stretching their lead in the division to 4.5 games over Detroit. All in all it's been a very successful conclusion to the month of May.

Here are a few talking points from this series:

Offensive Turnaround

In the month of April, the Indians struggled to get much momentum going on offense. The lineup had a combined batting average of .231 for the first month and scored just 95 runs. That placed them 25th in the league for runs scored, behind offensive juggernauts like Texas, San Diego, and Cincinnati. And yes, that is sarcasm (apologies to Rangers, Padres and Reds fans).

May has been much kinder though and the hits have come back to Cleveland with a vengeance. With one day remaining in May, the Indians lead the big leagues with 170 runs scored this month. Their .282 batting average is also top of the majors. The Tribe's overall record in May has been distinctly average (only 14-13), but the offensive revival has really helped pick up some of the slack caused by a malfunctioning bullpen.

In the sweep of the White Sox, our ball club outscored Chicago 25-10, and recorded 40 hits, many coming from our most important contributors, like Jose Ramirez, Edwin Encarnacion, Michael Brantley and Francisco Lindor.

What a difference a month makes.

Greg Allen and the Outfield Logjam 

I have been an unabashed Greg Allen fan for a while now, and seeing him perform so well lately has been immensely rewarding. Since Allen rejoined the team at the start of this month, he's been a reliable figure in the outfield. So far in 2018 the rookie has slashed .270/.303/.381 but he's really grown in confidence as the month has progressed.

Since the 18th of May, Allen has started to show signs of figuring things out at this level. His slashline of .316/.366/.447 is impressive and this offensive output has been matched by his abilities on defense. For example, Allen made a great diving grab in the fourth inning of Wednesday's game, robbing a hit from the White Sox with his athleticism. His speed is also a huge weapon for him offensively, and even though we haven't seen many stolen bases from him yet in the majors, Allen's record in the minors suggests he should cause opposition pitchers havoc on the basepaths.

Allen's performances in the sweep of Chicago mark his best series to date; in 14 plate appearances Allen collected 5 hits and scored 4 runs, as well as picking up the first stolen base of his major league career (and hopefully the first of many to come).

Unfortunately, Allen may find his time in Cleveland coming to an end. Bradley Zimmer, Lonnie Chisenhall and Brandon Guyer, the Tribe's trio of injured outfielders, are all currently rehabbing their bodies back to health in Columbus. Each of these veterans started Wednesday's Clippers game against Buffalo, so it's only a matter of time before they make their way back and sadly, a rookie like Allen will probably be the one to make way.

Perhaps Allen could stick with the club, and I think his performances and contribution to the team merit him staying up. For a more in-depth analysis of the overall situation in the outfield, Michael Bode over at Waiting For Next Year has done a wonderful job summarizing everything, and you can read that here.

At the very least, Allen has certainly made it a difficult decision for the front office to send him back to Triple-A.

Here's are some short notes about the series:

• Corey Kluber continues to be an absolute force at Progressive Field this season. His victory in Wednesday's 9-1 rout was his eighth of the campaign, and he has a 5-0 record with a 1.26 ERA in five starts at home. Kluber has also not walked a batter in his last 28.1 innings. 
• Michael Brantley is riding a 19-game hit streak, which is currently the longest in the majors. Brantley is hitting .366 (30-for-82) with 6 homers, 19 RBI and 20 runs over this span.
• News broke on Tuesday that Jose Ramirez was supposedly nearing a suspension for using a substance banned by MLB. This false report from the Dominican Republic has been categorically refuted by Ramirez himself and all of the upper management as well. Hopefully that is the last we hear of that. Don't try and take our MVP down!

Cleveland now carry their winning ways to Minnesota for a four-game series with the Twins. Indians pitching prospect Shane Bieber is expected to make his first start in the majors on Thursday night, and he celebrates turning 23 years-old as well. Bieber has a 5-1 record with a 1.10 ERA over 10 starts between Akron and Columbus, with 61 strikeouts and only 3 walks. He takes the hill tonight and fans are eager to see this exciting prospect in an Indians uniform for the first time. Happy Birthday Shane and best of luck in your debut.