2019 Cleveland Indians Season Review

Be careful what you wish for.

That should have been the motto for the Cleveland Indians' 2019 season. At the start of the year I hoped for a more competitive campaign, as the previous years of AL Central dominance left the fanbase somewhat wanting in terms of drama and excitement. Division titles are not something you should take for granted, but I wasn't alone feeling underwhelmed at the ease in which the Tribe waltzed to success. What made it worse was the seemingly inevitable postseason collapse that followed.

A division race or playoff chase was welcomed then. Until it got a little close for comfort, that is.

I don't think anyone in the league expected the Twins to win over 100 games and break records. The very respectable 93-69 Indians ran them close for a while but credit must go to Minnesota, they deserved what they got. Missing out on postseason baseball in Cleveland was disappointing of course, but would the fans and players have experienced further pain and humiliation at the hands of New York and Houston anyway?

Ultimately we'll never know, but after the Twins were swept away by the Yankees with such ease, the defeatist in me is glad we were saved that pain after all. (Who am I kidding, of course I would have loved seeing them play in October!)

With the playoffs now in full swing and the World Series on the horizon, the regular season is beginning to feel like a distant memory. The Indians front office are already looking towards 2020, but I thought I'd take a minute to reflect on 2019 before we move too far forward. Let's get into it:

Injuries And Even More Injuries

The Indians featured 54 players this year, their highest roster turnover since 2002. Terry Francona and his staff were constantly juggling their lineup cards, and the poor clubhouse guys must have been exhausted with all the comings and goings in the locker room.

A host of key players missed significant time on the injured list, leading to this high turnover rate.

The rotation, traditionally a source of strength for the Tribe, were decimated by injuries and illness. Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, and Mike Clevinger combined to make just 40 starts between them, over half of what they produced in 2018 (when they tallied 95 starts). Trying to compete without three of your top tier pitchers was always going to be challenging.

Injuries affected the offense as well, with Francisco Lindor, Jason Kipnis and Jose Ramirez all missing time with their respective aches and pains. In their absence the Indians' lineup faced a lot of adversity, particularly when Ramirez was struggling (more on that to come).

Important role players like Jordan Luplow, Tyler Clippard, Dan Otero, and Tyler Naquin also missed decent chunks of time, and overall it felt like the club were battling themselves almost as often as they were battling other teams.

The Rotation

Despite missing Kluber, Carrasco and Clevinger for large portions of the season, the men called upon in their stead performed more than admirably.

Shane Bieber emerged as a talented pitcher in 2018 but he truly broke out this year, creating memories for life when he collected the All-Star Game MVP award on home turf. Bieber carried the load with his 214.1 innings pitched, and lead the AL in complete games (3), shutouts (2) and walk rate (1.7). His 259 punchouts, 3.28 ERA and 144 ERA+ marked him out as one of the top arms in baseball, in just the second year of his career. Bieber fever indeed.

I mentioned Clevinger and despite missing a large chunk of the season through injury, the man dubbed Sunshine was still as dominant as always, if not more so in 2019. In 21 starts Clev pitched 126 innings with 169 strikeouts, for a 2.71 ERA and a 174 ERA+. If he hadn't gotten hurt I am certain he would have garnered serious Cy Young award attention.

Rookies such as Zach Plesac (21 starts, 3.81 ERA) and Aaron Civale (10 starts, 2.34 ERA) played their part in guiding the club to 90+ victories, and were largely impressive during their maiden auditions in the show. Both pitchers built strong cases to be included on the 2020 Opening Day roster and will hopefully have long and distinguished careers at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.

Adam Plutko (21 games, 4.86 ERA) and Jefry Rodriguez (10 games, 4,63 ERA) didn't make the same splash as Plesac and Civale but were important contributors nonetheless, especially considering they weren't expected to feature if everyone had stayed healthy.

Finally, a word must go to the departed Trevor Bauer, who pitched 156.2 innings with 185 strikeouts, for a 3.79 ERA (that he couldn't replicate with the Reds unfortunately). The enigmatic pitcher stayed healthy all year and tallied the second highest number of starts for the club prior to joining Cincinnati, making 24 valuable appearances. Also, we cannot forget his final moment in a Tribe uniform. It's the stuff of legend.

Jose Ramirez

What a perplexing year for Jose Ramirez.

Coming off an MVP-caliber 2018 season, when he slashed .270/.387/.552 with 39 home runs, 34 stolen bases and 8 WAR, great things were expected from our lovable infielder.

What occurred next was absolutely mystifying. Despite those fantastic numbers, he ended 2018 poorly, mired in a terrible funk that stuck to his cleats like dog shit. The stench never left him even as his 2019 campaign began. He looked completely lost at the plate in April, May and June, an entirely changed man. His first three month's of production looked like this:

340 PA, .214/.309/.325, 5 HR, 30 RBI, .634 OPS.

Horrible. People were beginning to seriously worry, myself included.

Thankfully Ramirez found himself in July and August, and embarked on a torrid run at the plate, posting an OPS of 1.020 and 1.077 that effectively carried the club on his back, driving them back into playoff contention and keeping the Twins looking in their rear-view mirror.

Just as the Indians were preparing for the final month of their playoff push, Ramirez fractured the hamate bone in his right hand. He would miss a month, and although he returned in late September, the season was essentially over by that point. Who knows what difference the rejuvenated Ramirez could have made to the Indians' season down the stretch.

His final line for 2019:

.255/.327/.479, 23 HR, 83 RBI, 24 SB, .806 OPS and 3.3 WAR.

Oscar Mercado

To say I was excited for Mercado's promotion was an understatement. When he finally arrived he was exactly as advertised, the perfect tonic for the Indians' outfield woes. Given the keys to center field, Oscar took his opportunity and never looked back.

Called up on May 14th, Mercado became the catalyst that reinvigorated a sleeping offense, and the youngster put together an impressive debut season. He batted .269/.318/.443 with 15 home runs, 15 stolen bases, 25 doubles and a .761 OPS. His grace in the outfield led to nine defensive runs saved as well; a solid contributor in every aspect of the game.

Like any rookie, he experienced his share of ups and downs but there's no denying Mercado established himself as one of the key players in the lineup. Overall, I liked what I saw and his progress will be fun to monitor in 2020. His Rookie of the Year campaign will surely be overshadowed by the glitzier prospects on the Astros and Blue Jays, but Mercado is certainly deserving of consideration.

In my eyes, the Indians have found their center fielder for the next decade.

Roberto Pérez

When Yan Gomes was traded in the off-season, I had my concerns about the future of the catching position in Cleveland. Alas, I should not have worried, as Roberto Pérez took care of business and then some.

As a part-time catcher with the Indians over five years, we had grown to love Pérez for his defensive excellence and consistency. What Pérez lacked at the plate (a career .205 hitter prior to 2019), he more than made up for behind it.

This season, now elevated to a full-time role in Gomes' absence, Pérez's defensive numbers took a major leap, putting him among the elite catchers in the game. The 30 year-old ranked second in the majors in caught stealing percentage, gunning down 41% of his would-be thieves. Pérez led every player in the majors in defensive runs saved, with 29 (per Fangraphs). Even more remarkable, Pérez wasn't charged with a single passed ball all season. Over 993.2 innings, he didn't let one get past him.

That's ridiculous.

There is a legitimate argument to be made for Pérez as the best catcher in baseball. If he doesn't get the Gold Glove this winter, it will be a travesty.

And I haven't even mentioned the fact Pérez developed a swing that meant he was no longer an automatic out in the box. Though his slashline of .239/.321/.452 isn't the most eye-catching you'll see, he did post a .774 OPS and smash 24 home runs. Not bad for a guy who had never hit more than 8, at any level.

It's safe to say that what was once a position of uncertainty for the Indians is now one of strength, thanks to our beloved Bebo.

Honorable Mentions

• No Indians season review is complete without giving Carlos Santana his due. The All-Star first baseman made a spectacular return to The Land after an off-season trade. It was like he never left. The veteran had a fantastic year, batting .281/.397/.515 with 34 HR, 110 RBI, for a 135 wRC+ and 4.4 WAR. 
• The Tribe's trade deadline acquisitions Franmil Reyes and Yasiel Puig helped bring some spark and excitement to Progressive Field. Puig was everything we expected and more, and endeared himself to fans with that cannon-arm in right field. Time will tell if his stay in Cleveland was short-lived, but I would love the club to bring him back. Reyes got off to a slow start but soon found his feet, and will be a threatening presence in the lineup for years to come (37 HR this year and he's still only 24 years-old).
• Francisco Lindor made club history, collecting 30+ HR for the third consecutive season, joining Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome as the only men in Cleveland to do that. I felt the mood surrounding Lindor was slightly negative this year, with fans looking ahead to his impending free agency and the Indians' inability/reluctance to sign him long term, but Lindor is this team. His .284/.335/.518 line, 22 SB, 40+ doubles and 4.4 WAR is nothing to sniff at. 
• The bullpen, so long an enigma, were mostly excellent. The group recorded a 3.76 ERA, third-best in the majors, with standout performers including Nick Wittgren and Tyler Clippard. Even Brad Hand, who suffered a crisis of confidence late in the year, still recorded 34 saves, a good enough total for fifth place in the majors. 

With a winter of possibility now ahead of us, I'll spend some of that time looking at the burning questions facing this ballclub and what could be in store prior to the 2020 campaign. Until then, I'll watch the World Series and recharge my baseball batteries.

I want to say a quick thank you to anyone who has followed England Tribe this year. I have enjoyed this season immensely, and connected with a great number of you online and in person. It's been an amazing year for me personally, and my connection to the game has never been stronger.

2020 will be even better.

Aaron Civale - The Simple Things

Yesterday, whilst watching Aaron Civale pitch in just his third Major League game, I was struck by the 24 year-old's poise and serenity on the mound.

Civale made pitching look effortless. In fact, everything he did looked effortless.

Total composure under pressure.

By no means was Civale perfect in sunny Minnesota, but he was pretty close, giving up one sacrifice fly to Luis Arraez, over the course of six outstanding innings of work. His final line for the day was 6 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 0 walks and 5 strikeouts. All against the AL Central-leading, record-setting Twins, in a potentially season defining game that the Indians ultimately won (thank you Carlos, we love you).

Not bad for a rookie.

When called upon this year, Civale has answered. Sure, it's a small sample - how do you accurately judge a pitcher after just three games? But what we have seen, what we've witnessed so far, has been overwhelmingly positive.

Previously deployed as a spot starter in June for then-injured Mike Clevinger, this August has seen Civale get the opportunity to stick in the rotation. Once Danny Salazar's latest comeback attempt was halted by yet another setback, Terry Francona and his staff looked no further than Civale, and to his credit the 2016 third round draft pick has delivered.

Over three starts and 18 total innings, Civale has been tagged for just two earned runs, giving him an aesthetically pleasing 1.00 ERA. He's walked just four batters (only one walk in his last two games as well) and struck out eighteen. Civale's ability to pound the zone and stay ahead in the count has been enormously effective.

It sounds like such a simple strategy - throw strikes and get your man out, but obviously it's never that simple.

Somehow, Civale makes it appear so.

It's this deceptive simplicity that has been the key to Civale's success thus far, even when he's throwing 95mph two-seam fastballs for yet another punchout. Civale would be the first to tell you, I'm sure: There's nothing deceptive about telling your enemy to go sit their ass down.

With Corey Kluber's impending return to the Tribe getting closer every day, there's a strong chance Civale might not be in Cleveland for the long term, not in 2019 anyway. And that's okay, because the rookie has done exactly what has been asked of him, but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be disappointed to see him demoted back to Triple-A Columbus.

Nevertheless, Civale has made a great first impression, and you can bet he'll be ready to answer the call next time out.

Your 2019 Cleveland Indians All-Stars

The Cleveland Indians finished the first half of the 2019 season in style and enter the All-Star break on a 6-game winning streak, after sealing an 11-1 victory over their Ohio neighbors the Reds on Sunday. The Tribe have a 50-38 record and have closed the gap on the division-leading Twins to just 5.5 games, and currently possess one of the Wild Card positions as well.

Clearly there is still plenty to play for, and the team's recent performances have re-energized the Cleveland fanbase. The negativity and low morale that dogged the club in April and May seem a distant memory as the Indians prepare to host and celebrate their first All-Star Game since 1997.

Today I will recap the first half performances of the Tribe's four All-Star representatives: Carlos Santana, Francisco Lindor, Brad Hand and Shane Bieber.

Carlos Santana - First Base

Carlos Santana returned to Cleveland this winter after spending the 2018 season in Philadelphia, and it's safe to say his homecoming has been an enormous success.

At the break, the 33-year old Santana is batting .297 with 19 home runs and 52 RBI, with a .418 OBP and a terrific .958 OPS (which leads all AL first baseman). Santana has long been known for his astonishing plate discipline and naturally his 64 walks lead all of MLB among first baseman as well.

Despite his decade's worth of consistency, this is his first All-Star appearance and he gets to enjoy the experience in front of his home fans in his own ballpark. Reports indicate he was in tears when he received the news he would be the starter.

Santana won the the inaugural Google MLB Starters Election, earning 49.2% of the vote to beat out New York's Luke Voit (25.8%) and Minnesota's C.J. Cron (25%). His selection also makes him the first Indians All-Star to start at first base since Jim Thome did it in 1999.

Not only will Santana be the sole Indians starter in the All-Star Game but he'll also represent the Tribe in the Home Run Derby tonight, going head-to-head with the Mets' Pete Alonso in the first round.

Since Progressive Field (formerly Jacob's Field) opened in 1994, Santana ranks fourth in home runs with 97 dingers, only trailing Jim Thome (190), Manny Ramirez (132), and Travis Hafner (97) in team history. Santana knows this ballpark well and he'll aim to use all of his knowledge to his advantage.

No Indians player has ever won the event so Santana will be aiming for more than just the bleachers - he'll be taking a shot at Cleveland history, and he'll have the full support of the capacity crowd cheering him all the way.

Francisco Lindor - Shortstop

The face of the Cleveland Indians and the city's primary All-Star Game Ambassador, it would have been a travesty if Francisco Lindor was not involved in an All-Star Game played in his ballpark. Thankfully, the star shortstop was selected via the player ballot and despite being a reserve (Jorge Polanco of Twins will start), Frankie should feature in his fourth consecutive Midsummer Classic.

Lindor missed Spring Training with a calf strain and then sprained his ankle just days prior to Opening Day, which resulted in him missing the first 20 games of the year. Once he returned to the lineup though, he quickly got back to work, reminding the league who is the premier shortstop of his generation.

Lindor has slashed .296/.356/.511 over 69 games and 284 at-bats, with 14 home runs and 32 RBI, with 13 stolen bases for good measure, all whilst displaying his otherworldly abilities on defense.

When he found out he'd been selected, Lindor said, "It’s a blessing. I’m blessed to be part of it, especially being at home. It’s going to be a great event. I can’t wait."

Brad Hand - Relief Pitcher

Indians closer Brad Hand has made the third straight All-Star game of his career, his first with Cleveland, and will hope to feature out of the bullpen at some stage during Tuesday night. Hand was voted to the squad by his fellow players and the dominant reliever certainly deserves his place.

Hand has been one of Terry Francona's most trusted weapons in 2019, and went a perfect 22-for-22 in his save opportunities to start the season. Only recently against the Royals did that streak come to an end, but he has gone on to throw three scoreless outings since.

Before that unfortunate 5-run pasting at the hands of Kansas City, Hand's ERA for the year was a minuscule 1.05. However, his current 2.17 ERA over 37.1 innings still puts him among the top of his peers, as does his outstanding 13.26 rate of strikeouts per nine innings. Hand's 23 saves this year have him tied for third place on the MLB leaderboard, and second only to Aroldis Chapman in the AL.

I'm sure I speak for most Cleveland fans when I say we'd be happy for Hand to take this mid-season break to enjoy the All-Star festivities without actually having to throw a pitch. The team are going to rely upon him in a big way as we head towards September, and hopefully October. We'll need Hand at his best, and maybe a few days rest could be beneficial in the long run.

Shane Bieber - Starting Pitcher

In just his second season as a pro, 24 year-old Shane Bieber is the youngest starting pitcher to earn an All-Star berth for the Indians since CC Sabathia in 2004. The right-handed starter will be part of the AL's pitching staff since he was added as an injury-replacement for Texas pitcher Mike Minor.

At the start of the season Bieber was comfortably the Tribe's fifth starter, after an impressive rookie campaign in 2018. Yet, no one could have envisioned that, among a rotation including Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, Carlos Carrasco, and Mike Clevinger, it would be Bieber featuring at the All-Star Game.

Let there be no mistake - Bieber's selection is definitely warranted; the California native boasts an 8-3 record with a 3.45 ERA over 18 starts and 112.1 innings. His 141 strikeouts in that span rank him 8th overall in the entire league, ahead of noted flamethrowers Jacob deGrom, Stephen Strasburg and Blake Snell, among others.

Similar to Hand, I share the same feelings in regards to seeing Bieber pitch on Tuesday night. Preferably I would like to see him there having a great time but not actually play, resting that incredibly valuable right arm instead. He's been a dependable workhorse for Francona this year, one of just two pitchers in the rotation not to succumb to injury (the other being Bauer).

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I will be making the effort to stay awake Tuesday night, a 00:30 start for me here in England. There was no way I would miss my team hosting the All-Star Game, and I am particularly excited to see Santana representing the Indians.

Leonys Martin - Stealing History

Don't get carried away folks, but the Indians have been playing some solid baseball of late. They've gone 8-4 since the start of the month, including series wins over the Twins, Yankees and Tigers.

Both Jake Bauers and Leonys Martin have enjoyed historic success during this winning run, most notably in Detroit; Bauers and Martin etched their names into Indians history on back-to-back nights, when Bauers hit for the cycle in Friday night's 13-4 rout, and then Martin stole home in Saturday's 4-2 victory.

Today I'm going to pay special attention to Martin's ridiculous display of athleticism in the eighth inning of last night's win. For me, there's nothing in sport quite like a guy stealing home.

With the Indians holding onto a slim 3-2 lead, Martin led off the inning with a line drive into the right field corner and jogged into second base for an easy double. Francisco Lindor could only fly out to left field in the next at-bat but Martin had the presence of mind and raw speed to tag and take third base with surprising ease, no slide necessary.

Tigers reliever Victor Alcantara had only been in the game for a moment but had managed to recover and get two outs, after Cleveland rookie Oscar Mercado could only ground out. With Carlos Santana at the plate, easily Cleveland's most dangerous hitter in 2019, Alcantara had a lot on his mind as he started into his windup.

Alcantara bent down as he started his motion and Martin, alert and with a huge lead off third base, was watching the pitcher's every move. The veteran instantly spotted his opportunity. With Alcantara still staring at his feet, Martin broke for home and was hurtling down the line before the reliever was aware of what was going on.

Tigers catcher John Hicks was screaming for his pitcher to look up but it was too late, Martin was in full flow and already diving towards Hicks. Finally awake, Alcantara stepped off the mound and threw home but Martin’s hand got beneath the catcher's glove to touch home plate, and the ball rolled harmlessly away.

Martin was safe and the Indians led 4-2. It was a moment of pure inspiration from the Cuban center fielder.

Against all odds, Martin had pulled off a play rarely seen in the modern game, especially against a right-handed pitcher, who should theoretically see it developing every step of the way. That is, if they aren't staring at their feet.

Martin's historic play secured the Indians' first straight steal of home in 14 years, not since Grady Sizemore performed the feat in Toronto on 26th August 2005.

Many of us would consider stealing home a lost art. Some of the best baserunners in the game will go their entire career without ever doing it. Some don't feel comfortable and most won't risk it, not the chance of killing a rally or killing themselves - the chance of injury is significantly higher diving headfirst into an opposition catcher.

When I think of stealing home, my mind instantly conjures the image of Jackie Robinson, a master of the art, who famously stole home in the 1955 World Series against the Yankees' Yogi Berra. It is one of baseball's iconic moments - it should not be physically possible for a man to make up that much ground and succeed. For most, it isn't; the success rate for stealing home is extraordinarily low, between 20-30% this millennium.

Once upon a time, in the days of Ty Cobb, stealing home was a more common practice. The legendary Cobb set the single season record in 1912 with eight steals of home. These days it's unlikely the yearly total for all of major league baseball will surpass eight. Somehow even the husky Babe Ruth achieved it ten times in his career - it was certainly a different time! Nowadays though the game has changed; pitchers are not so elaborate in their delivery, third basemen hold would-be thieves closer to the bag, and the entire pace of the game is different, among other factors.

Thus, when you witness a steal of home in the twenty-first century, it is magic made real.

Leonys Martin, for one night at least, transported fans back in time and created history in the process. After everything Martin experienced in 2018, it's amazing for him to be playing at all, so we should rightly celebrate his historic achievement.

"How about that?!" called Indians radio broadcaster Tom Hamilton, as Martin picked himself up and celebrated with his teammates.

How indeed Tom.

Carlos Santana - Mr Consistent

As we enter the month of June, the Indians have experienced their fair share of uncertainty in 2019, which has left the fanbase feeling rather demoralized and underwhelmed.

Who could have foreseen the Twins owning the best record in the entire league? Who could have envisioned Jose Ramirez declining so drastically?

Thankfully Cleveland have at least one pillar of consistency to rely upon, in the shape of Carlos Santana.

The 33 year-old made his major league debut with the Tribe in 2010 and spent 8 successful years with the Indians before joining the Phillies as a free agent in December 2017. After a year away in the National League and a brief 10-day tenure with the Mariners, Santana returned to Cleveland almost a year to the day he departed, part of a three-team trade with Seattle and Tampa Bay.

It's safe to say that his homecoming has been a huge success thus far, and Indians fans have welcomed him back with open arms.

It's like he never left, like 2018 never happened.

To date, Santana has posted an impressive slashline of .286/.405/.510. The veteran's .915 OPS, 11 home runs, 11 doubles, 37 RBIs, 40 walks, and 34 runs scored all lead the club. With the majority of his teammates under-performing, Santana has been the only reliable bat in Terry Francona's arsenal.

His patient approach at the plate always made him a difficult out for opposition pitchers but Santana has tweaked his approach in 2019 to raise his offensive contribution significantly. A combination of aggressiveness (when he previously would be happy to take a walk) and his ability to spread the ball to all-fields has helped counter those pesky defensive shifts his opponents would usually deploy. Santana has begun to take advantage of the gaps willingly offered to him, and the Indians have benefited enormously. It's a scary proposition to think where this team would be without Santana this year.

With Cleveland hosting the All-Star Game, is Santana on track to represent the Tribe on 9th July?

Despite his history of consistency, the veteran has never featured in the Midsummer Classic, but perhaps this could finally be his year. His competition at first base includes:

• Miguel Cabrera - .284 AVG, 2 HR, 22 RBI, .712 OPS
• Jose Abreu - .246 AVG, 15 HR, 50 RBI, .797 OPS
• C.J. Cron - .275 AVG, 13 HR, 38 RBI, .873 OPS
• Edwin Encarnacion - .245, 15 HR, 37 RBI, .849 OPS
• Luke Voit - .268 AVG, 15 HR, 39 RBI, .901 OPS
• Mitch Moreland - .228 AVG, 13 HR, 34 RBI, .870 OPS

Glancing at that group, Santana should warrant serious consideration to be the starting first baseman for the American League. At the time of writing there doesn't appear to be an overwhelming choice so if Santana can maintain his current form until the end of the month, he will put himself in a strong position to feature in his first All-Star Game.

And where better to make your All-Star debut than Cleveland, the city he's called home for close to a decade?

I can think of no finer representative, and will be voting for Santana as often as MLB lets me.

Kluber Crocked In Miami Split Series

The Indians traveled to Miami this week for a short interleague series and departed Florida with a split and a 16-13 record.

They also flew home with another broken pitcher (but we'll get to that.)

Here's a few talking points from the series, some of the good, and some of the bad:

The Good

Trevor Bauer continued his stellar start to 2019 with another strong outing, picking up his fourth win in a 7-4 Tribe victory.

Bauer struck out 10 over 7 innings of work but did give up 4 earned runs and 4 walks, so it wasn't perhaps the dominant display he might have envisioned. Thankfully the offense backed him and Bauer did his part not to relinquish the lead.

His overpowering fastball regularly challenged the Marlins hitters who were plagued by his 95-mph heat all evening. When combined with that trademark Bauer slider, the Miami lineup watched in vain as the ball just disappeared from them.

Another positive came in the form of Carlos Gonzalez, who is beginning to settle in with his new club after a decade in Colorado.

Called up in mid-April having had little-to-no spring training, Gonzalez instantly slotted into the Indians outfield and has been a model of consistency, his veteran presence helping bring stability to an uncertain outfield situation.

In the third inning of game one, CarGo connected on a Sandy Alcantara changeup that flew off his bat with an exit velocity of 108-mph. The pitch was left up in the zone and Gonzalez pounced on the mistake, and the ball shot over the wall for a 3-run homer, giving his starter a comfortable lead.

Gonzalez's impact with Cleveland is beginning to show and fans will hope he can sustain this sort of form over the entire year. He has certainly made a good first impression on me.

Carlos Santana also enjoyed a successful time in Florida, collecting two homers in the series, doubling his tally for the season. Santana started the season hot at the plate but has cooled off a bit in recent weeks, so hopefully this Miami trip is a sign that he's found his groove again.

The Bad

Corey Kluber - where do we begin?

As if he wasn't already having a rough start to his season, things got much worse for the Indians ace in game two.

Already struggling with his fading velocity and erratic location, Kluber had to battle a 102-mph line drive to the forearm as well.

He lost.

Kluber absorbed the full force of that Brian Anderson hit in the fifth inning and somehow it didn't leave an exit wound the size of a bowling ball. He was instantly in pain and couldn't use his arm to throw the ball to first base. Kluber's famously stoic face showed clear signs of discomfort as he walked around the mound, and his grimace was uncomfortable to see.

The injury has been diagnosed as a non-displaced fracture of the right ulna (the long bone in your forearm), with a return timetable as yet unknown. He is set to be re-evaluated in Cleveland today to determine just how long the Tribe will be without one of their key men.

It's a huge blow to both Kluber and the Indians, as our previously dominant rotation is now missing two of it's primary pieces (with Mike Clevinger still recuperating from his back injury too). With the assumption that the starting pitching staff would remain elite in 2019, Cleveland's path to another AL Central crown was predicted to be relatively stress-free. Now that Kluber and Clevinger are expected to miss an extended period of time, it puts a huge emphasis on the lineup to pick up the slack.

I'm hopeful that Kluber could return by September and play a significant role in the postseason, but it's too early to tell just how far this is going to set him back.

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The Indians return home for an off-day before welcoming the Mariners to town for a three-game series beginning Friday night. Japanese phenom Yusei Kikuchi is expected to represent Seattle in game one and will face our own Shane Bieber, who already has one win over the Mariners this season, on April 16th.

Indians Score 5 Total Runs, Win Series

And just like that, the Indians are back atop the AL Central. The road to postseason baseball is littered with the corpses of division rivals and it was nice to see the Tribe chip away at their Central foes in Kansas City over the weekend. Despite scoring just 5 runs over three games, it proved to be just enough to eke out a series victory over the Royals, on the road no less. Cleveland improves their record to 17-13.

I'm pretty short for time today so here's a quick rundown on some of the events that transpired during this series:

• Francisco Lindor continues to show he has the ability to be a real power threat in the lineup as he hit his 8th home run of the season during Saturday's 3-1 win. He still leads the team in this category, and also sports a team-leading .922 OPS as well. He does it all! Frankie's ninth inning blast put the cherry on top of a great late-inning comeback win, as the Tribe scored 3 runs in the final two innings to knock out the Royals. 
• Has the Catcher Formerly Known As Yan Gomes returned to us? It seems there is hope for him yet. In his last 13 games stretching back to 17th April, Gomes has started to turn things around at the plate. He slashed .353/.463/.471 during that span with 4 doubles, 5 walks and just 3 strikeouts in 42 plate appearances. Caution alert: this is the mother of all small sample sizes but where Gomes is concerned, I take every small piece of encouragement I can find. Let's watch this space carefully and see if he can keep it up until the end of the month.
• Josh Tomlin pitched his best game of the season during Saturday's win, lasting 7 innings and giving up just 3 hits for 1 earned run, with 3 strikeouts and zero walks allowed for good measure. It was an encouraging outing from Tomlin and he dominated the Royals lineup. Now he needs to ride this momentum into his next start.
• Carlos Santana hit not one, but two game winning hits this weekend. On Saturday he smashed the go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning to win the game and tie the series at one apiece. Then in the blazing Kansas City sunshine on Sunday afternoon, he lined a single inches past Royals' starter Danny Duffy to score Gomes in the top of the fifth. It was the only run of the game and proved just enough for the Tribe to hold onto for the victory. Clutch Carlos at his best.
• As predicted, Mike Clevinger took Corey Kluber's turn in the rotation and did a fantastic job on Sunday. Clevinger pitched 5.2 innings of scoreless ball, allowing just a single hit. He did struggle with his command at times, issuing 4 walks, which didn't help with his pitch count. He struck out 5 batters and his off-speed stuff was working really well, particularly his changeup. Overall I thought he looked composed out there and certainly not out of his depth. I hope he can stick around for more than just the spot-start and gets a fair shot at a permanent gig in the rotation.
• Sunday's uniforms were absolute fire. Both teams wore retro uniforms to salute the Negro Leagues and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, with KC donning replicas of the 1942 Monarchs and the Indians opting for the 1946 Cleveland Buckeyes. I would absolutely love to see the Tribe wear those Buckeyes uniforms again this year. Just look at them:

That's all I got folks. The Tribe are now in Toronto for a three game series before finally returning back to Cleveland on Friday. Trevor Bauer pitches tonight and will be looking to improve after his last outing, that terrible shellacking he received from Detroit. He'll face the Jays' Marcus Stroman, he of the single-digit-pitcher variety that I hate so much (just pick a number with two digits dammit!)

Thanks for reading.

How Sweep It Is! Tribe Trounce Texas

Hey kids, that is how you start a season! The Indians opened their 2017 campaign in Arlington against the Rangers on Monday and three games later they depart Texas victorious, sending an early message to the American League that they mean business. The Rangers were one of the best clubs in the majors last year, a 95 win team, but the Indians physically and mentally overpowered them in their own backyard. Let's look at how they did it.

Cleveland ace Corey Kluber got the nod to pitch on Opening Day for the third consecutive year and entering Monday's opener, he didn't have a great record, losing his two previous Opening Day games. Despite being being far from his best and struggling with a blister, Kluber avoided the loss this time around. He battled through 6 innings and gave up 6 hits, 3 of them homers, for a total of 5 earned runs. Kluber also struck out 6 Rangers and walked 3. It was not his best performance and the home runs are a bit worrying but we'll blame them on the blister. I'm still impressed he gutted it out and hung in the game for as long as he did.

It was the offense that picked Kluber up, with new boy Edwin Encarnacion rescuing his team with a clutch home run in the top of the eighth inning to tie the game. Way to make a great first impression Edwin! Then in the ninth, Abraham Almonte singled home Tyler Naquin to give the Tribe their first lead of the game, which Carlos Santana and Michael Brantley extended with an RBI each, stretching the lead to 8-5, a lead the Indians would not relinquish. Cody Allen closed things out and struck out 3 batters for his first save of the year.

Carlos Carrasco took the mound on Tuesday and despite his swollen arm issues in the spring, he gritted his way through 5.2 innings, allowing 4 hits, 2 earned runs, a walk and a homer, but struck out 7 batters as well. He really settled down after some early trouble (a Joey Gallo 2-run shot in the second) and didn't look like his elbow was affecting him too much.

It was the Tribe's other Carlos that rescued the team. Santana crushed his first home run of the season, taking Rangers starter Martin Perez deep for a solo shot in the top of the first. Then in the second, after an Austin Jackson RBI, Santana increased the Tribe's lead with a single into centre field to score Yan Gomes and put the Indians ahead 3-0. In the top of the seventh Brantley pushed one through the infield to tack on another run to make it 4-2 Tribe (after the Rangers had scored on Gallo's earlier HR) and that extra run proved to be pivotal. Allen entered the ninth to record his second save and despite a rocky start (back-to-back doubles and a Mike Napoli RBI) he shut the Rangers down by striking out the side and the Indians won 4-3.

The Wednesday night finale was a wild one. Danny Salazar pitched 5.2 innings but got off to a bad start when he was taken deep in the first inning by Nomar Mazara, giving Texas a 2-0 lead. Salazar ran into trouble again in the fifth and ended his night with a line of 5 hits given up, and 5 earned runs. He also walked 4 but struck out an impressive 9 batters.

Salazar's difficulties in the fifth inning were not helped by an uncharacteristic mistake by Francisco Lindor. A weak Shin-Soo Choo ground ball went straight to our Puerto Rican shortstop and he thought he had time to get Gallo out at second base but the Ranger beat him to the bag. Lindor still thought he could get Choo out at first with a throw but Encarnacion wasn't anticipating it, and the ball sailed into the stands to put the Rangers up 4-3. Mazara added another run before Salazar escaped the inning.

But Lindor, despite his easy-going appearance, is a fiercely competitive player and was quick to make amends. In the next inning he hit his first home run of the year to cut the Rangers' lead but he saved the best until last. Entering the top of the ninth with Texas ahead 6-4, the Indians put together a massive rally and went to work on Rangers closer Sam Dyson, quickly loading the bases. Santana forced a walk to bring in a run and cut the host's lead. Up stepped Lindor and on a 1-1 count he absolutely unloaded, crushing the ball into the right field stands for his first career grand slam, single-handedly winning the game. At 9-6 the Indians were not going to let Texas back in it, and Bryan Shaw pitched a clean bottom of the ninth to seal the win and the series sweep.

Player Of The Series

So many candidates in a thrilling opening series but I think the first award of the season should go to Carlos Santana. He had a positive impact in every game and in 12 total at-bats he recorded 5 hits, two of which were doubles and one a home run. He recorded 4 walks and struck out just the once. After three games he leads the team in batting average (.417), on-base percentage (.533) and OPS (on-base plus slugging - Santana has an excellent 1.367 mark at the moment). Congratulations Carlos.

Up next is a day off, then a trip to Arizona wherre Josh Tomlin is slated to start the first game of that series against the D-Backs on Friday night, and he'll face off against Shelby Miller.

Thanks for reading.

Bat Flips & Nerds Podcast - Indians Preview

I was recently asked to feature on the Bat Flips & Nerds baseball podcast, a uniquely British take on the American Pastime. John, Darius, Ben and Tom have been doing a fantastic job and produced some really high quality content since they launched their podcast and website just over 7 months ago. I was honoured to be asked to come on and talk about the Indians ahead of the 2017 campaign.

Give this episode a listen and be sure to check out the rest of their pods too!

Indians Officially Sign Encarnacion

It was the Christmas present every Indians fan wanted. We all wrote it down on our list:

Dear Santa,

Please sign Edwin Encarnacion for the Cleveland Indians.

Yours, 

Suitably-excited Tribe fan

And guess what? Our wish came true, and just before Christmas Day Edwin agreed to join the American League pennant winners in their battle to once again reach the World Series, and go that one step further and win the damned thing.

In a morning press conference today at Progressive Field, the Indians officially announced the signing of first baseman Encarnacion to a three-year deal, the biggest free agent acquisition in recent memory.

It's positively unheard of to see a small-market club like the Indians make such a splash in free agency, but splash they did on Edwin. He has been handed the largest contract in franchise history, reportedly raking in $65 million in guaranteed money. His contract also includes a $5 million buyout clause for a fourth-year team option worth $25 million. If that option were to be picked up, Encarnacion's contract could reach as high as $80 million in total.

That's a lot of money for a 34 year-old slugger (his birthday is this Saturday), but the Indians did just add one of the most powerful right-handed hitters in the game. In 2016 Encarnacion had a battling line of .263./.357/.529 (BA/OBP/SLG) with an outstanding OPS+ of 133. The Dominican Republic native clubbed 42 home runs, drew 87 walks, scored 99 runs and 127 RBIs last season for the Blue Jays. He spent close to 8 years in Toronto altogether, and his slugging percentage didn't dip below .500 in the past 5 years; he also hit at least 30 homers in that time span, topping the 40 homer mark twice.

Encarnacion will likely split time between first base and DH with Carlos Santana (who will stay in Cleveland after his $12 million team option was picked up for 2017). Our new number 10 (Yan Gomes has swapped to number 7) will replace Mike Napoli as the team's premier power hitter.

Some might view this acquisition as a risky move for the Tribe but given that the deal is only for three years, it's not as risky as it could have been, especially considering Encarnacion's offensive output in recent years. The acquisition of Encarnacion was made with the "win now" mentality in mind and the Indians have every right to adopt this approach coming off the back of an incredible 2016. I can't wait to see him in Spring Training and together with Santana, Lindor, Kipnis and a healthy Brantley, the AL Central should be very afraid.

World Series - Game 4 - One Win Away

Indians' second baseman Jason Kipnis grew up just outside of Chicago, less than 20 miles from Wrigley Field. Raised a Cubs fan, Kipnis always wanted to play in a World Series inside the famous old stadium. However, as an adult he seems to have put any feelings he used to have for the Cubs to one side as he is firmly focused on beating his childhood team.

"I have cousins who are full-on rooting for the Cubs... They’re Cubs fans, and that’s fine by me. I hope to have a great big smile during Thanksgiving and Christmas, and have this to hold over their head, and bragging rights every time I see them. I’d love to just have that little grin on my face knowing that I beat their team. That’d mean a lot to me."

Well Kipnis helped the Tribe get one step closer to making his words become reality as he broke open game 4 of the World Series with a monster 3 run homer into the right field bleachers to put the game beyond Chicago and give Cleveland an opportunity to win their first championship since 1948. The Indians ran out 7-2 winners on the night.

Indians' ace Corey Kluber started for the Tribe and despite gifting the Cubs an early lead on a Anthony Rizzo single in the first inning, he soon settled into his usual rhythm. Kluber lasted 6 innings and gave up 5 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk and he struck out 6 Cubs. Kluber now has a 0.89 ERA during the postseason, the second-best postseason mark in baseball history among pitchers with at least 30 innings in one postseason. The Dodgers' Burt Hooton is the only pitcher who bests him, when he posted a 0.82 ERA over 33 innings in 1981.

Here's a photo of my signed Corey Kluber card just because

Kluber turned the ball over to Andrew Miller to start the 7th inning and Miller struck out 2 in his 2 innings of work, setting a single-postseason record for a reliever with 29 strikeouts, beating Francisco Rodriguez's 2002 record of 28 strikeouts. Miller did see his scoreless innings streak come to an end though, when he served up a solo homer to Dexter Fowler in the 8th inning. Terry Francona opted to rest his closer Cody Allen for the 9th and Dan Otero closed it out instead with a scoreless inning for the Tribe.

The real story of the night was the Indians' lineup breaking out to put the hurt on the Cubs' John Lackey and the rest of their bullpen. The Tribe offense had 10 hits, 3 walks, and Kipnis, Francisco Lindor, Lonnie Chisenhall and Carlos Santana all picked up RBI. Santana's came in spectacular fashion, thanks to a mammoth home run off Lackey in the top of the 2nd inning. Santana's third postseason homer went against a strong wind, but still nestled deep into the right-field bleachers to get the Tribe back in the game.

Overall it was a convincing performance from the Indians and they are now just one win away from winning the World Series. I still can't get over this fact and it feels strange just to say it. Sunday night's Game 5 will see the Indians send Trevor Bauer to the mound on 3 day's rest and he will face off against the Cubs' lefty Jon Lester. I'm not expecting a miracle from Bauer by any means, and whatever happens Cleveland will be going home after this game. But wouldn't it be nice to take the World Series trophy with them on the flight back?

Indians Sign Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis

Wednesday afternoon saw the Indians react to the big Todd Frazier trade to Chicago by signing two veteran free agents in Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis, pending physicals.

Napoli is a 34 year-old right-handed bat who is expected to be the Tribe's primary first baseman, leaving Carlos Santana at DH. Napoli spent 2015 between Boston and Texas, being traded to the Rangers in August, and hit .224/.324/.410 (BA/OBP/SLG) with 18 home runs and 50 RBI over 133 games. The first part of his season in Boston was not so kind to him, batting .207/.307/.386 with a 85 OPS+, but he really turned things around back in Texas, hitting .295/.396/.513 down the stretch for an OPS+ of 143. The Indians will be hoping his late season surge is a sign of things to come. The deal is reportedly for $7 million for 1 year, making Napoli the Indians' most expensive signing of the winter thus far. I like this signing quite a bit and as long as he can stay healthy, Napoli's powerful bat is a welcome addition to the Indians' lineup. With this addition, the club now has three full-time 1B/DH types on the 25-man roster in Napoli, Santana and Chris Johnson. There's a strong possibility that three is a crowd in this situation and one of Santana or Johnson could be traded. Watch this space.

Davis is a 35 year-old right-handed outfielder and is somewhat of a journeyman over the course of his 10 year MLB career, featuring for 6 teams now including Cleveland. He spent 2015 with the Tigers where he hit .258/.306/.440 with 8 home runs, 30 RBI, and 18 stolen bases in 112 games. The Indians will be looking to get the most value out of Davis with his above-average defensive abilities. He can play anywhere in the outfield and has great range and speed, even at 35 years of age (he had a 8.2 UZR/150 in the outfield in 2015, his highest since 2009.) Davis is reportedly signing a one-year deal for just over $5 million, plus incentives, which is about in line with what Detroit paid him last year.

His acquisition is another example of the club's off-season strategy regarding the outfield; instead of trading prospects and young talent, the Indians seem content to pick up an assortment of veteran cast-offs hoping somebody elevates themselves and sticks on the team. Davis will compete with the other newcomers in Robbie Grossman, Joey Butler, and Collin Cowgill, as well as the incumbent outfielders already at the club in Abraham Almonte, Lonnie Chisenhall et al. All the new guys will likely be keeping Michael Brantley's seat warm until he comes back, but Davis and friends will be hoping to show enough to stay on the club as a valuable fourth outfielder.

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Cleveland has finally put down some money, although not in the way many fans would have liked. The signings of Napoli and Davis are not blockbuster additions but they are probably the most realistic options at this point. Not only is Cleveland a small-market club with limited means, these days it can be a struggle to attract the higher-profile free agents who might choose to join a more glamorous club in cities with brighter lights. Most importantly, the new signings don't put pressure on the payroll like the Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher signings in 2013 did, and so there's very little risk if Napoli and Davis don't pan out. As much as I'd love to see a superstar outfielder join the team, I can't blame the organisation for holding onto their talent.

Thanks for reading.