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.

Jays Drop Tribe, Take Series

The Indians narrowly lost this recent three game set in Toronto, dropping two games to the Jays. The games the Tribe lost were both close though and Cleveland now sit with a 18-15 record, still atop the AL Central and half a game above Minnesota.

The Trouble With Trevor

I think the vast majority of Indians fans made their peace a long time ago with the fact that Trevor Bauer is unlikely to become the star pitcher we thought he might be when the Tribe acquired him from Arizona many moons ago. Now, in his fifth season in Cleveland, Bauer is scrapping just to hold onto his place in the rotation, let alone reach the heights we once imagined for him.

Most major league ballclubs are content with their fifth starter to deliver over 150 innings and average an ERA between four and five runs over the course of a season; this is an acceptable output for the man you send out there every fifth day. If this guy can last between 5-6 innings a game and give up just a handful of runs, keeping his team within striking distance, then he's doing good work. For the most part, Bauer does this, and in reality he's actually the Indians' fourth starter (as most would consider Tomlin the fifth guy, despite pitching out of order.) As a full-time starter the past three years, he's never pitched less than 150 innings in a season, and even managed a career high 190 in 2016. His season ERA during that span also never surpassed 4.55. So why is it that Bauer in particular seems to receive so much more criticism from his fans than your average fifth starter?

For one thing, it could be the expectations. If your fifth guy is a bit of an unknown, a lucky-just-to-be-on-the-roster type, then whatever he can give you is wonderful. But for former star prospects like Bauer, things become a little more tricky. We expect excellence and when these guys don't reach that, the rot begins to set in, until finally we accept them for what they are, a back of the rotation starter at best. Maybe this is the stage we are at with Bauer. Perhaps we need to finally accept this is as good as he can be, and stop holding onto the slim chance he'll suddenly develop into an All Star.

And of course the other reason Bauer probably receives more grief than your average fifth starter: the controversy. Trevor doesn't shy away from being the center of attention. Whether it be rapping about ex-catchers or tweeting his support for Donald Trump, the 26 year-old Californian can't avoid the spotlight. Don't even get me started on the whole drone thing...

After Monday night's loss, Bauer sits with a 2-4 record and a 7.36 ERA, with 37 strikeouts and 15 walks in 33 innings of work. It's not been an ideal start for the right-hander but looking at the numbers, it's about right for what we should now expect from him. That bloated ERA will decrease as the season wears on and likely settle somewhere between 4 and 5. We must give credit where it is due as well; despite giving up 4 runs before the third inning was over on Monday night, he kept battling out there, and managed to last 6 full innings. This helped save the bullpen for the rest of the series, as only Zach McAllister (2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) was used in relief of Bauer.

Time will tell how long Francona and the front office are willing to put up with Bauer's level or performance. Behind the scenes they could be perfectly content with what he's done so far. Bauer himself seems to think so: "The results are what they are, but if you just look at the quality of the pitches and where I'm locating... I'm executing really well." But if Mike Clevinger sticks around once Corey Kluber returns from the DL, he will certainly have his eye on Bauer's rotation place. This could push Trevor into a long relief role out of the bullpen, but Tito already has McAllister for that job, and he's been doing it very well thus far. Does that then make Bauer an expendable asset and a potential trade chip? Whatever happens, his progress this year will be worth watching, even if it's not always as pretty and efficient as we might have once liked.

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Here are some other notes from the series:

• In Kluber's absence, Carlos Carrasco has taken over as the definitive ace of this pitching staff. Dare I say it, Cookie might still be the ace even once Kluber returns. His game two performance on Tuesday was sublime: 7 shutout innings of absolute dominance, allowing just 3 hits (all of them singles), and striking out 7 Jays. He's had a great start to 2017 and now lowered his season ERA to 1.86.
• Remember just the other day when I said Yan Gomes could be back? Well he's still swinging that lumber better than ever. In Tuesday's game Gomes went 2-for-3 with a mammoth 3-run homer in the top of the eighth inning that buried the Blue Jays, putting the game beyond their reach. Wednesday's game saw Gomes pick up another hit before he had to withdraw from the game in the third inning due to illness. Hopefully it's nothing serious.
• Cody Allen has been playing with fire all season long and finally got burned, taking the loss in Wednesday's rubber game. With the score tied in the bottom of the ninth, Toronto drew 2 walks and 2 hits from Allen to force home the winning run. It was inevitable he was going to get caught out at some stage.

The Indians have today off before opening a three-game set with the Twins on Friday. Josh Tomlin is set to take the bump and he's coming off a strong outing against Kansas City. He'll face Ervin Santana, and the right-hander is off to an impressive start in 2017, although he did have his worst start of the year last time out (4 homers surrendered against the Red Sox.) 

Thanks for reading.

Tigers Tame Tribe & DL Disturbance

Apologies for my lack of words regarding the recent Mariners series win. I was away for the weekend on my stag-do (American readers, see bachelor party). Therefore I wasn't in the best condition to be writing about baseball, even if it was largely good, victorious Cleveland baseball.

The Indians traveled to Detroit this week to kick off a 10-game road trip and didn't get off to the best of starts, losing what should have been a four-game series by two games to one, thanks to a rainout on Thursday that reduced the series to three games. The sole victory came courtesy of Carlos Carrasco, who pitched 6 strong innings in a narrow 3-2 win on Wednesday night, and he was backed by a key Jose Ramirez triple that scored 2 of those runs. Let's look at some of the news items that cropped up over the course of the series.

Disabled List Dilemmas

On Tuesday the Indians placed outfielder Austin Jackson on the 10-day disabled list with a hyperextended big toe, and relief pitcher Shawn Armstrong was called up from Triple-A Columbus in his stead. The injury occurred in the ninth inning of Monday's 7-1 loss, as Jackson planted his left foot awkwardly on the first base bag after legging out an infield hit. He was clearly in some pain but thankfully it appears this injury is unrelated to Jackson's left knee surgery he had in June 2016, that ended his season.

I was slightly surprised Jackson's trip to the DL wasn't met with a like-for-like swap, with Tyler Naquin being the most obvious choice to take the open roster spot. That could still happen but we all know how Tito loves a stocked bullpen, so Armstrong got the call this time. The Tribe are currently carrying Michael Brantley, Lonnie Chisenhall, Abraham Almonte and Brandon Guyer as their core outfielders, and Jose Ramirez can fill in if necessary, as could a couple of others if forced. It seems like the skipper is happy with his lot though and he might not want to interrupt Naquin's development in Columbus for what could be just a 10-day stint until Jackson's return.

So far this season Jackson has been platooned in center field, primarily facing left-handed pitchers, and is slashing .273/.368/.485 (BA/OBP/SLG) with 1 home run, 2 RBI, and 5 walks in 38 plate appearances.

Corey Kluber took the mound on Tuesday but exited after three innings due to some discomfort and tightness in his lower back, which has been causing him grief on and off all season. Outside of this rocky start in Detroit, Kluber had pitched at least 6 innings in every appearance this season but there have still been signs that he hasn't been operating at one hundred per cent. The amount of walks he's given up have been relatively high (13 in 37.1 innings) and his ability to induce weak contact from opposition hitters has been poor, with some stats suggesting he's been the worst in the league at doing so. He's also given up 7 home runs this year - that's already half of his season total (14 HR) from 2014, the year he won the AL Cy Young. It's clear he's not been his old self and the pain in his back is almost certainly why.

The Tribe's ace pitcher has now been officially placed on the 10-day disabled list, with reliever Joe Colon taking his spot to further reinforce the bullpen. To be honest, Kluber could benefit from a bit of time off. He had an incredibly intense 2016 season, throwing a total of 249.1 innings between the regular and post seasons. It's far better to rest him now and not risk further injury later down the road when the games become more slightly more important in a potential division race. Plus, he's likely to only miss one scheduled start, so could return in mid May to slot back into the rotation.

Mike Clevinger is the prime candidate to fill in on Sunday against the Royals, when Kluber was set to pitch next. However because of the rainout in Detroit tonight, he could now feature on Monday instead, against the Blue Jays in Toronto. Clevinger has been in fine form this season with a 1.50 ERA over his six starts down at Triple-A Columbus, with 32 strikeouts and 10 walks in 30 innings. He also pitched on Tuesday so is lined up perfectly to feature on schedule. With the Indians carrying so many bullpen arms at the moment, it's likely one of Armstrong or Colon will be swapped out for Clevinger, probably just prior to when he's required. I for one am looking forward to watching the big right-hander pitch for the Tribe once more, and hope he can impress, should he get the call-up.

The Indians Have An Elite Bullpen

The Tribe bullpen were called to arms this week against the Tigers and on the whole did a stellar job.

In Monday's opening game, starter Trevor Bauer was pounded early, giving up 5 runs in the first two innings alone. Somehow he managed to last four innings in total, giving up 7 hits, 7 runs, 5 walks, and struck out 3, and it was just an awful outing overall. "It was bad," Bauer said. "I didn't command the ball well, obviously." Yeah, no shit Trevor! Thankfully Zach McAllister and Dan Otero combined to pitch the rest of the game, and mopped up 4 collective innings of scoreless ball. It was an encouraging outing from the relief duo and prevented the 7-1 loss from looking even more lopsided.

Tuesday's second contest saw Shawn Armstrong, Nick Goody and Boone Logan combine for 5 shutout innings with no hits allowed after Kluber was forced from the game with his back injury. Despite the Indians losing the game 5-2, the trio of relievers kept the team in the game all the way. Special mention must go to Armstrong in particular, throwing 2.2 innings with 3 strikeouts, and making the most of his opportunity in the bigs.

In the third game Wednesday night we saw the Indians' top guys, Andrew Miller and Cody Allen, who did not disappoint. Miller pitched the seventh and eighth innings, allowing just a single hit and striking out 4, allowing no runs as usual. Allen entered in the ninth and despite not letting the Tigers tag him for a hit, he did allow 2 walks to keep things interesting. Allen enjoyed teasing the Detroit faithful before he struck out outfielder Jim Adduci to seal the Tribe victory, and Allen's 7th save of 2017.

You could make a convincing argument that the Indians' bullpen is the strongest part of this team. The entire group have a 1.91 ERA with 96 strikeouts over 80 innings of relief. Miller has seen the most action thus far, 13.1 innings, and has yet to surrender a run and carries a 0.00 ERA. He is followed by Allen and Bryan Shaw, who each have 11 innings pitched. At the time of writing, the bullpen have gone 12 games (34.1 innings) without allowing an earned run. During that stretch they have struck out a whopping 48 hitters.

Overall I can't praise this Indians bullpen enough. They are doing everything a manager and a fanbase can ask of them.

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Because the final game against the Tigers has now been postponed the Indians will travel to Kansas City for a three game series at Kauffman Stadium. Danny Salazar will face off against Jason Hammel tomorrow night, and he has struggled for the Royals in 2017.

Thanks for reading.

Lindor Lifts Tribe Over Astros, Win Series

The Indians took two out of three from the Astros this week, and they did it in style. In the rubber game Thursday night, down a run and into the bottom of the seventh, Francisco Lindor stepped to the plate with Yan Gomes already stationed on first base. Lindor took Houston reliever Chris Devenski to a 2-0 count before unloading on the ball, sending it deep into center field and over the fence to push the Tribe ahead 4-3 on the night. The Astros couldn't reply and the Indians were victorious, capturing the series victory over one of the better teams in the American League.

Lindor vs Correa: Battle Of The Ages

We live in a golden age of shortstops, a time that rivals the days of Jeter, Garciaparra and A-Rod. Two of the very best in today's era hail from the shores of Puerto Rico, a historically blessed baseball nation. Lindor, from Caguas, and Correa, from Ponce, will be battling each other for the next decade for the title of best shortstop in the majors and they faced off against one another for the first time in 2017.

Over the course of this series the two of them went head-to-head. Correa had a total of 4 hits, 2 of them doubles, 2 walks, but 6 strikeouts. Lindor had just 2 hits, one of them a double, but the other was the mammoth home run that clinched the series win, collecting 2 RBI for his efforts. He also had 2 walks and struck out just the once, as opposed to Correa's half dozen.

So far this season Correa is slashing .219/.310/.329 with 2 HR and 5 RBI. Not exactly the kind of output the fans in Houston were expecting, but it's still early days. Whereas Lindor is performing much better, with a .301/.368/.614 batting line, and leads the Indians with 6 HR, and has 14 RBI, trailing only Jose Ramirez for the team lead.

Lindor is winning the battle between the duo so far and is off to a very hot start this year. His Thursday night homer traveled 456 feet, and was recorded as the longest home run of his professional career. When told after the game how far he hit it, Lindor said, "Really? I'm not supposed to be hitting the ball that far." He's such a legend already. Long live Frankie Lindor.

Here are some other quick takes from the series:

• Dallas Keuchel shrugged off 2 home runs to go the distance in the opening game Tuesday night, and pushed his record to 4-0. He looks in fine form and has made an early case for Cy Young contention. I realise how ridiculous that sentence is in April but the guy has been a force so far. Josh Tomlin battled him and wasn't too bad, but ran into a tricky fifth inning. Overall the Texan allowed 3 runs over 6 innings, scattering 8 hits and 6 strikeouts but took the loss.
• Cody Allen recorded back-to-back saves to seal the Indians' wins. On the Wednesday night Allen entered the game in the eighth in relief of Bryan Shaw, who had almost let the Astros back in the game. Allen got a crucial groundout and pitched a clean ninth to record a four-out save. He was back in action Thursday night and made things a bit more interesting, as he likes to do sometimes. Despite putting runners on the corners he worked his way out of the jam, picking up his 5th save of the year. Allen continues to do stellar work, despite making us sweat.

The Tribe now welcome another AL West opponent to Progressive Field, the 10-13 Seattle Mariners. In tonight's matchup the M's are likely to start 28 year-old Cuban lefty Ariel Miranda against Carlos Carrasco, who will be looking to continue his fine start to 2017.

Thanks for reading.

Magic In Minnesota, Twins Get Swept

The Indians got back to winning ways on the road, winning their first series since the opening week in Texas. A heavy dose of rain on Wednesday night reduced the four game set in Minnesota to just three games and Cleveland emerged victorious in each one, sweeping the Twins to take their overall record to 8-7.

Here's some talking points from the Tribe's trip to Target Field.

Back Of The Rotation Getting The Job Done

The Indians sent their three, four and five guys to the mound over the course of this series and each pitcher performed well, picking up the win in their respective game.

Danny Salazar got the series started on Monday and shut down the Twins over 6 innings of work. He allowed 7 hits, 2 walks and 1 earned run, whilst striking out 7. It was his best start of this early season and Bryan Shaw, Andrew Miller and Cody Allen combined to earn Salazar his first win, and seal a 3-1 victory for Cleveland.

Josh Tomlin, who was awful in his first couple of starts, also put in his best performance of the season so far. Tomlin was gifted a 3-0 lead by the time he walked out to the mound but proceeded to give 2 runs right back on a Max Kepler sac-fly and a Robbie Grossman double. Just as everyone was about to panic, Tomlin settled down and only gave up one more run, another sac-fly in the fourth inning. Overall Tomlin was effective, lasting 6 innings with 7 hits surrendered for 3 earned runs with 2 strikeouts for good measure. The offense backed him and he also picked up his first win, in a 11-4 Indians blowout. It must be his new haircut.

In the third and final game Trevor Bauer took the ball for the Indians and guess what, he pitched his best game of the season too! Similar to Tomlin, Bauer had also lost his previous two starts but despite the cold and damp conditions he pitched well, lasting 6.1 innings. He gave up just 3 hits but walked 3 as well, for 2 earned runs, and he struck out 7 batters as well. Credit must go to Bauer for working his way out of a sticky fourth inning. After a slip on the mound that resulted in a balk to open the scoring, Bauer got out of a bases loaded situation and avoided the big inning that might have lost this game. Fortunately the Tribe offense picked him up later in the seventh inning and Shaw, Miller and Allen did their thing again to seal the sweep and give Bauer the win.

It's a big positive for any ballclub when your back of the rotation guys can all produce quality starts that keep your team in the game. Fortunately for Salazar, Bauer and Tomlin, the offense was there to capitalise on Minnesota's less-than-stellar pitching staff and get the win each time out. I'm still not convinced Tomlin will be in the rotation all year long, especially when Mike Clevinger is forcing the issue down in Columbus.

The Kipnis Predicament

Rumor has it that Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis is ready to return from his strained right rotator cuff injury. Kipnis opened the year on the disabled list after experiencing some discomfort in his shoulder and the club rightfully took precautions. Now Kipnis is back to full health and could feature this weekend against the White Sox in his native Chicago, maybe even as early as tonight.

This creates a roster problem for Terry Francona and co. Who makes room for Kipnis' return?

The likely choice will be Yandy Diaz. The young Cuban who took spring training by storm hasn't managed to produce those sort of numbers thus far in his first taste of the big leagues but he's been surprisingly good with the glove. Diaz is slashing just .236/.295/.255 (AVG/OBP/SLG) with 2 RBI and 5 walks to 14 strikeouts and has just one extra-base hit so far, a double. He's featured almost every day at third base but hasn't made the most of the plate appearances he's had.

Nevertheless, with Kipnis set to resume his duties at second base, that means Jose Ramirez will slide back over to third base. Ramirez has been red hot to start the season, slashing .345/.415/.618 with a 1.034 OPS, plus 4 home runs and 16 RBI, with 8 walks (and just 8 strikeouts.) At this stage in Diaz's development, it wouldn't be beneficial for him to ride the bench and just fill in on Ramirez's days off. The sensible option would be to demote Diaz to Columbus and keep him playing everyday.

The only other option would be to keep Diaz on the roster and continue to use him as an outfielder, a position he's very familiar with. But I can't see this happening honestly. The Indians are committed to developing Diaz at third base and after all this early season effort, what would be the point in pushing Diaz back to a corner outfield spot? Also, the Tribe are stacked with outfielders at the moment, so much so that Tyler Naquin was dropped to Columbus only recently when Lonnie Chisenhall returned from the DL. If the Indians decide to continue carrying Diaz, they'll have to drop Abraham Almonte or Austin Jackson. Jackson in particular is unlikely to be demoted as the Indians would have to risk losing him entirely through waivers, something I don't think they'll even contemplate at the moment.

I'm sure we'll see Diaz again in 2017 but for the time being, Columbus will almost certainly be his new home for the foreseeable future.

Player Of The Series

There is always a host of candidates for this award when a sweep is involved but the lucky winner this time is Cody Allen. The right-handed 28 year-old closer featured twice against the Twins, recording his 3rd overall save of 2017 in Monday's win, and he pitched a scoreless ninth inning on Thursday as well. Allen made Indians fans sweat on Monday however, giving up 2 hits and a walk before finally ending the inning for the save. Allen loves to turn his save opportunities into a spectacle but thankfully more times than not he gets the result we all want. He is one of the best relief pitchers in baseball after all.

The Indians now travel to the south side of Chicago to take on the White Sox in a three game series, their second match-up of the season. Both teams will send their respective aces to the mound tonight, as the Tribe's Corey Kluber will faceoff against Chicago's Jose Quintana. Cleveland will be keen to continue their recent form against AL Central opposition and pad their lead at the top of the division.

Thanks for reading.

How Not To Play Fantasy Baseball

On Friday 31st March I participated in my first ever rotisserie baseball auction draft. I've been keen to partake in one ever since I read Sam Walker's excellent Fantasyland many years ago. I've never been a big fantasy baseball player but I've always thought the auction format was how drafts were supposed to be done. This year I was lucky enough to join a group of fellow Brits in a 10 team league, complete with an auction draft, and I jumped at the chance to be a part of it. I spent all of my spare time last week researching draft techniques, brushing up on tactics and strategies, as well as all the latest news on players who don't play for Cleveland.

In this post I'll give you a rundown of the players I picked and my overall draft performance; what I did right, where I went wrong, and how you can avoid being an idiot and leaving $52 on the table. Yeah, I did that.

Without further a do, let's look at my first pick:

Miguel Cabrera, Det 1B - $30

Let's make one thing clear. Not a single draft strategy of mine set out to pick a Tiger with my first overall pick but I guess that's what fate had in store for me. Ahead of the draft my strategy was to avoid overpaying for superstars. Trout, Betts, Arenado and Altuve naturally went off the board fast but for prices that surprised me. Altuve only sold for $35 but I didn't chase him as I considered second base to have depth and my real target was Paul Goldschmidt. Goldy hits for average and power, plus he's a 30 steals man, which is rare for a first baseman. But as the bidding crept over $42, I stupidly decided not to go any further. I figured Trout only went $46, and I wasn't gonna go that high. I'm a fool and should have been more aggressive.

As more players came off the board I felt I was going to miss out on one of the elite position guys, and I decided I had to act with the 13th pick. Cabrera wasn't getting much attention and despite being a Tiger, he still performs at an elite level and he's consistent too. In his 14 year career he's hit under .300 each season just three times, the last time being 2008. When no one raised Cabrera's price above $30, I felt I'd picked up a minor steal. I considered Cabrera to be at least a $35 player so I got him at a very respectable price. May he hit 45 home runs this year but strike out in every plate appearance against the Tribe!

Charlie Blackmon, Col OF - $33

I didn't hang around with my next pick and won Blackmon for $33 with the 15th overall pick; he eventually turned out to be my highest priced player. Charlie is coming off the back of a sensational 2016 season and posted great numbers in every offensive category (.324 batting average, 111 runs, 29 homers, 82 RBI and 17 stolen bases.) Playing in the thin Colorado air of Coors Field, I have a good feeling Blackmon could repeat his numbers from last year, maybe even improve on them if the Rockies are better in 2017 (as they're predicted to be.) I had no problem at all ponying up $33.

Edwin Encarnacion, Cle 1B - $22

Next up was Indians new boy Encarnacion. Hey, I had to have one Cleveland guy on my team! Similar to Cabrera, Edwin wasn't getting a lot of love from the other draftees and I managed to snatch him up for just $22. Even though I'd already taken a first baseman, I felt having two of the very best on my team could only be a good thing, and I can play them both at the same time thanks to the 1B/3B position. Either one of them could make a great trade chip in the future should I need an upgrade in the pitching department. Edwin clubbed his first homer as an Indian in last night's Opening Day win in Texas. Here's to many more!

Andrew McCutchen, Pit OF - $12

It was when McCutchen came calling that I began to get a little more active. I started to notice many of my league-mates had already amassed quite a few players and I was lagging behind a little. I was still unwilling to overpay, especially for pitchers, and I was always on the look out for bargains. When I bid $12 for Cutch, I fully expected the bidding to continue. I had not planned to own him at all, considering he had a down year in 2016. But all of a sudden I became the owner of a brand new Andrew McCutchen, albeit unintentionally. I'm happy I got him at a decent price though and my fingers are crossed he channels his old self in 2017.

Jose Ramirez, Cle 3B - $11

Another Indians player but one I had prioritized early on. Ramirez is not only a very good player who can put up good numbers in every category, he's also incredibly versatile. He's third base and outfield eligible already, but because I knew Jason Kipnis was going to miss a big chunk of April, I had the knowledge that Ramirez is going to play a lot of second base, hopefully adding another string to his fantasy bow. If I can play him over 3 positions, I can utilize him a lot. For $11 I felt I had another steal.

Christian Yelich, Mia OF - $17

Yet another player I thought I underpaid for. I expected Miami's Yelich to easily clear $20+ so I was surprised nobody challenged my bid of $17. Giancarlo Stanton has the power numbers and gets most of the attention but personally I think Yelich is the Marlins' best all-around talent in their outfield, plus he hasn't missed as much time as Stanton has.

Kyle Seager, Sea 3B - $15

Seager was a player I targeted very early on when I was planning my tactics ahead of this draft. I was over the moon to grab him for just $15. He had a career year in 2016 and the Mariners plan to go one better this season by making the post season, and Seager will be a huge part of that. Despite my pick-up of Ramirez earlier, I plan to deploy him all over the place and keep Seager as my de facto third baseman.

DJ LeMahieu, Col 2B - $14

LeMahieu was one of the reasons I wasn't too fussed that I missed out on Altuve earlier. Don't get me wrong, Altuve is one of the best players in the league and LeMahieu isn't on that level but the Rockie will still put up very good numbers, especially batting average. I had no problem parting with $14.

Cody Allen, Cle RP - $8

You may have noticed that this is my first pitcher, and that was partly my plan. My strategy all along was not to pay premium prices for pitchers, as I feel there's a lot to gain from spending little on the under-the-radar pitchers, who will still provide great value. However at this stage I needed somebody. Well Cody Allen is a pretty good somebody and despite Andrew Miller being the Tribe's best relief pitcher, it will still be Allen called upon for save opportunities.

Elvis Andrus, Tex SS - $5

To fill my shortstop vacancy I only ever had eyes for Francisco Lindor but yet again I was being too conservative. Lindor sold pretty early on for $25 and at the time I felt I didn't want to pay more than that. Little did I know I would later have plenty of extra cash to throw at players just like Lindor! Most of the top shortstops had gone when Andrus was nominated, even Dansby Swanson, a guy I was keen on. So when Andrus came up I wasn't going to miss out, and was thrilled to pay just $5.

Matt Harvey, NYM SP - $6

When I grabbed Harvey with the 155th overall pick, the feeling that I had messed up began to dawn on me. I had way more cash than everyone else and quickly saw that players were selling for cheaper prices now, nobody was being drafted for double digit dollars. I had no problem shelling out $6 for Harvey, but I was a bit annoyed with myself that I hadn't gotten any of the top arms earlier, especially when I realised I could have easily afforded them. Still, if healthy I think Harvey should provide me with some decent points.

Brandon Maurer, SD RP - $2

I know it's only two bucks, but I still felt I overpaid slightly for Maurer. He's the Padres' closer and I still needed pitchers at this point. He was chucked out there for a dollar and I thought I'd put a bid in, to raise the price up a bit. Little did I know that nobody else was interested and all of a sudden he was mine. Hey, at least he should get me some early season saves and hopefully he can hold onto the job all year long.

Byron Buxton, Min OF - $7

Buxton is another guy I didn't originally plan for but it seemed like a lot of people were down on the former number one prospect. I'm not expecting greatness either but I think he could be decent and likely to be one of the top guys on a sub-par Twins team. At the very least Buxton should keep his job in centre field this year.

Yasiel Puig, LAD OF - $1

Perhaps my largest mistake right here. A few of the guys in my league are Dodgers fans and had been chatting about Puig prior to the draft beginning so I thought I'd chuck him out there when my nomination came round and watch the Dodgers fans fight over him, hopefully bleeding them of their budgets. Nobody bit though, not even the Dodgers fans. As the seconds ticked by, I realised, "Shit, I'm going to actually draft Puig..." But hey, for a dollar I can always cut him and won't lose any sleep about it. If he somehow chooses this year to realise the potential that he flashed briefly in 2013, then I look like a genius. I don't expect this to happen.

Ben Zobrist, ChC 2B - $4

Similar to Ramirez, I snatched up Zobrist for his versatility, and considering he's going to bat somewhere in that stacked Cubs lineup, he's gonna score runs.

Joc Pederson, LAD OF - $5

The way I see it, Joc has already repaid me, thanks to his grand slam yesterday. I figure he's a good bet to earn me points in home runs and maybe some stolen bases and that's about it.

James Paxton, Sea SP - $3

I needed another pitcher, as I had only gotten three up to this point. Paxton was still on the board and honestly I don't know what to expect from him. All of the pre-season projections I've read reckon he'll have a good year and hopefully being in a pitcher's park like Safeco will help.

J.T. Realmuto, Mia C - $4

A catcher that hits dingers and steals bases? Take my money. I was surprised he was still available so late on in the draft.

Jim Johnson, Atl RP - $1

Finally a pitcher I had planned to draft all along. I fully expected someone else to bid for Johnson but alas he was mine, for just a dollar too.

Rajai Davis, Oak OF - $1

After my mistake with Puig, I wanted an outfielder I actually planned on using and World Series hero Rajai Davis was still available. He's likely to lead off for the A's to begin the year and he'll really help me out with my steals.

Asdrubal Cabrera, NYM SS - $2

Oh Asdrubal, a once-upon-a-time favourite player of mine. I was sad when he left Cleveland. But considering I drafted him as my backup shortstop, I think I got a steal. Dude is still consistent at the plate and he's off to a great start for me already, with a multi-hit performance and a stolen base in yesterday's Mets opener.

Ian Kennedy, KC SP - $1
J.A. Happ, Tor SP - $1
Ivan Nova, Pit SP - $2
Vince Velasquez, Phi SP - $1

It was these final four picks, right at the end of the draft, where I executed my pitching strategy. My goal all along was to targets these guys, or pitchers just like them. Low cost, high reward players who come with a bit of risk but I'm happy to take that chance given the pennies I paid for them. I am especially happy with getting the ever-consistent Kennedy and the promising Velasquez.

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Final Thoughts

I had $260 to spend and I finished with $52 left over. That's a rookie mistake, plain for all to see, but a rookie is exactly what I am where auction drafts are concerned. I was pretty annoyed with myself, because I could have easily spent way more in the early rounds and gotten one of the mega stars like Altuve or Betts, who both went for less than $40.

However I'm actually very happy with the way my team came out. On first appearances my pitching looks weak but then I have some very good hitters in positions where I have depth, so my plan is to potentially trade one or two of them further into the season for a pitching upgrade (if necessary.)

Whatever the result is at the end of the season, I really enjoyed my first auction draft and I'm very keen to do more in the future. Only time will tell how my team performss but with the right moves, I think my team has what it takes to contend (or be respectable at least!)

Thanks for reading.

World Series - Game 3 - Tomlin Tames Cubs

The first World Series game hosted at historic Wrigley Field in over half a century didn't have the outcome the home fans wanted, but the Tribe faithful can be elated as Cleveland fought hard for a 1-0 win to take back the lead in the series once more.

It was a bitter night in Chicago and Cubs fans were expecting a win to celebrate the first World Series game at Wrigley Field in 71 years. But not even Bill Murray singing the 7th inning stretch could save the Cubbies as the Indians' timely hitting and remarkable ability to pitch out of jams gave the home team a loss, and Cleveland a 2-1 lead in the World Series heading into game 4.

The Indians sent Josh Tomlin to the mound, and with his father Jerry watching from the stands, the younger Tomlin delivered in the postseason once again. The 32 year-old Texan battled through 4.2 innings of high pressure, shutout baseball and limited the Cubs to just 2 hits, whilst walking 1 and striking out 1 also. Tomlin has been inspirational this October, and has a 1.76 ERA over 15.1 innings of work in 3 starts. With unfavourably windy conditions at Wrigley threatening to punish a notorious fly-ball pitcher like Tomlin, he never let the moment and the elements get to him. There have been a host of impressive and crucial Indians players this postseason and I don't think Tomlin has received quite enough of the credit. He has been essential to this club's success.

Andrew Miller took over from Tomlin in the bottom of the 5th and got the final out, and then proceeded to strike out the side in the 6th, making the Cubs batters look clueless. Miller added to his legacy yet again and now has 15.1 scoreless innings and 27 strikeouts this postseason. He's now a single strikeout shy from tying Francisco Rodriguez's 2002 single-postseason record of 28 for a relief pitcher and his streak of consecutive scoreless innings is a new postseason record for a reliever. At this rate he'll get a statue outside Progressive Field in no time.

Miller was surprisingly lifted from the game in the 7th inning but for good reason. The Indians had started a rally and looked set to score their first run of the night, so the master strategist Terry Francona made his move. With super-utility man Michael Martinez on as a pinch runner at third base and Rajai Davis at first after a walk, the table was set for the Tribe to take the lead. Miller, known for his wipeout slider and not his hitting, was pulled for the pinch-hitting Coco Crisp and the veteran made the most of another big October opportunity. He has been so clutch in the playoffs for the Indians and lined a single into right field that just dropped in front of Cubs RF Jorge Soler. Martinez never hesitated and crossed the plate to make it 1-0 to the Tribe, with Davis getting thrown out at third for good measure. It didn't matter though as the Indians had finally broken the deadlock and didn't intend to let the Cubs mount a comeback.

Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen combined to pitch the final three innings and despite the Cubs doing their best to put the duo to the sword, they couldn't quite get the hit that counted and the home crowd fell silent as Allen struck out Javier Baez on a high fastball to end the game.

The Indians now have the chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead as Corey Kluber will take the mound tonight on short rest after his game 1 victory. John Lackey, a pitcher accustomed to the World Series after trips in 2002 and 2013, will represent Chicago.

ALCS Review - World Series Bound!

WE'RE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES!

You read that right! Your 2016 Cleveland Indians are heading to the fall classic, their first World Series appearance since 1997. Terry Francona's team have a chance to join Cleveland immortality, to be up there with the Tribe greats like Bob Feller, Satchel Paige, Bob Lemon, Larry Doby and Lou Boudreau. 

I am writing these words just minutes after Carlos Santana gloved the final out of game 5 and I'm still stunned that the Indians were able to dispatch the Blue Jays so convincingly, emerging as 4-1 victors in the ALCS to take the pennant.

Onto the review:

Game 1 - Friday, October 14, 2016 - Progressive Field

We waited a long time for Francisco Lindor. Or at least it felt like a long time, such was the level of anticipation for the Puerto Rican to make his debut in the show. The 21 year-old broke onto the big stage in 2015 and narrowly missed out on the AL Rookie of the Year award. He was everything we hoped for and more. His sophomore season saw him continue his development, becoming a leader in the clubhouse and earning a spot on the All Star team. Lindor was a big reason why the Indians won the AL Central this season. I wouldn't swap him for any other shortstop in the majors.

And then he went and added to his lore, by coming up big in the post-season, thanks to a huge home run in game 1 of the ALDS that KO'ed Boston and then another homer in game 1 of the ALCS. Toronto never saw him coming, but Indians fans did. We've known about him for years and it's about time the national media did too.

With Corey Kluber bending but not breaking and Marco Estrada in the midst of a strong outing, Lindor came to the plate in the top of the 6th inning with the game scoreless. With 1 out and Kipnis at first base after a walk, Lindor patiently waited for his pitch and pounced on an Estrada change-up left up just a little bit. And that was all she wrote, as Lindor golfed it into the right center field stands and the Indians never looked back. Lindor's homer gave the Indians a 2-0 lead that they weren't going to surrender and the Tribe took game 1.

A quick word must be said for the Indians pitching staff too. To keep that monster Toronto lineup scoreless was a real achievement. Kluber pitched into the 7th inning and despite not being his usual dominant self, he still kept the Jays off the board. He wriggled out of a few potential scoring opportunities for Toronto so credit must go to our ace.

And then Andrew Miller entered the game and did his thing. In 1.2 innings of work Miller fanned 5 Blue Jays to completely extinguish any remaining threat the visitors posed. Cody Allen pitched the 9th and retired the side in order, striking out Michael Saunders in the process, and picked up the save. Miller has understandably taken all the plaudits but Allen has been stellar as well in October.

Game 2 - Saturday, October 15, 2016 - Progressive Field

When the Indians traded for Andrew Miller at the end of July, I had some misgivings. I knew he was an elite reliever that could (and would) take our bullpen to the next level. But I was sad to see us lose Clint Frazier, the center field prospect the Tribe drafted in 2013. Frazier was the first draft pick that I had researched properly prior to the draft so I followed his ascent up the minor league ladder with more interest than usual. So when we sent him packing to the Yankees I was gutted that he'd never make it to the majors in an Indians uniform. I don't think he was too far away either, and the Yankees definitely have a good one on their books.

However, with all that being said, acquiring Miller might prove to be one of the best trades the Indians have ever made. After dominating the Red Sox in the ALDS and blanking the Blue Jays in game 1, Miller pitched on back-to-back nights and was sensational yet again.

Josh Tomlin got the start and had another great outing, pitching 5.2 innings and striking out 6, giving up just a single run, a Josh Donaldson RBI double. Bryan Shaw finished up the 6th inning, facing just one batter, a Troy Tulowitzki ground ball out.

Enter Miller, and the big lefty just took Toronto apart. He pitched the 7th and 8th innings and never let a batter even sniff first base. Miller struck out 5 Blue Jays and made them look foolish, keeping them so off balance they had a hard time staying upright and not hitting the dirt. His breaking stuff is just cruel at this point. Cody Allen entered the game in the 9th and earned another save, striking out 2 in a flawless performance.

The Blue Jays pitched a good game as well, limiting the Indians to just 4 hits in total. Francisco Lindor had half of those, one of which was a liner up the middle in the bottom of the 3rd inning, scoring Rajai Davis to give the Indians a 2-1 lead. The scoreline didn't budge for the rest of the game and just like that, the Tribe had a 2-0 lead in the ALCS.

Game 3 - Monday, October 17, 2016 - Rogers Centre

The Indians travelled north for game 3, to the Rogers Centre in Toronto. I'd seen Jays fans on social media and forums saying how things would be different on their home turf, how Toronto would make things right and get back in the series.

The Indians wouldn't let them though, even when starter Trevor Bauer had to exit the game in the 1st inning as the injury to his pinkie finger resurfaced. Hey Trevor, how about in the future you put the toys and drones away in October?

Despite losing their starter much earlier than anticipated, the Indians turned to their bullpen and it was a real team effort as the Tribe sent 6 arms to the mound over the course of the game. Dan Otero, Jeff Manship, Zach McAllister, Bryan Shaw, Cody Allen and Andrew Miller all combined to pitch a collective 8.1 innings, allowing just 2 earned runs, 1 walk, and struck out 8 Jays, with Shaw, Allen and Miller getting most of those.

The Tribe offense collected 7 hits altogether, with Mike Napoli and Jason Kipnis breaking out of their October slumps to record key home runs. Kipnis' homer in the 6th inning was especially crucial, breaking open a tie game. Jose Ramirez added some insurance with a single in that inning to score Napoli, increasing the lead to 4-2 and the Jays couldn't recover, dropping game 3 in front of their home crowd.

Game 4 - Tuesday, October 18, 2016 - Rogers Centre

In front of a rabid Toronto crowd the Blue Jays proved the Indians were not invincible after all, beating the Tribe 5-1 to take back a game in the series.

Jays starter Aaron Sanchez stymied the Indians lineup over 6 strong innings, limiting them to just 2 hits and 1 earned run, a Roberto Perez double that scored Coco Crisp in the top of the 5th inning. Toronto's bullpen pitched the final three innings and kept the Indians from mounting a comeback.

Corey Kluber, on only 3 day's rest, pitched well but couldn't prevent the Jays taking their first lead in the entire ALCS. Josh Donaldson clubbed a solo homer in the bottom of the 3rd to put Toronto ahead and Ezequiel Carrera blooped a single in the bottom of the 4th that Tyler Naquin really should have caught, allowing Troy Tulowitzki to score. That was all Kluber allowed but the Indians offense couldn't overcome the Jays' slim lead, and the Tribe bullpen surrendered 3 more runs later in the game to put the result beyond them. You can't win them all I suppose but the Indians still had a commanding series lead heading into game 5.

Game 5 - Wednesday, October 19, 2016 - Rogers Centre

With the Indians rotation still hurting, the Tribe turned to rookie pitcher Ryan Merritt for game 5 of the ALCS. Merritt, the 24 year-old lefty who previously had just 1 career start (and win) to his name, stepped to the mound in the biggest game of his career and the most important in recent Indians' history.

The rookie wasn't shaken by the moment though and pitched superbly, as he lasted into the 5th inning without allowing a run, as he struck out 3 Blue Jays in the process. For a guy making just his second start in the major leagues, he certainly didn't let the bright lights get to him. Nerves of steel from the rookie.

The Tribe offense got their customary early lead, thanks to a Mike Napoli double in the 1st inning and a Carlos Santana home run in the 3rd. Veteran outfielder Coco Crisp added another post-season homer to his résumé, knocking one over the fence in the top of the 4th inning to stretch the Tribe lead to 3-0.

After Merritt departed in the 5th inning, Bryan Shaw recorded some key outs before handing the ball to Andrew Miller with 2 outs in the 6th. When Miller entered the game, even I could hear the groans from the Rogers Centre all the way over here in England. He continued his post-season dominance and was incredibly efficient in his work, throwing just 21 pitches over 2.2 scoreless innings, as he kept the Jays from mustering any sort of comeback, thanks to that unhittable slider he has in his arsenal. Miller deservedly took home the ALCS MVP award for all of his unbelievable performances in this series.

Enter Cody Allen for the 9th inning, who hadn't blown a save on the road all season. He made us sweat a bit after surrendering a lead-off double to Jose Bautista, but then Allen settled in to record the final three outs with relative ease. The Indians emerged 3-0 winners on the night and took the ALCS series 4-1 to win their first AL pennant since 1997 and progress to the World Series. Cue delirious celebrations in the Rogers Centre visitor's locker room that will undoubtedly last long into the night.

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The Indians now await the victors of the NLCS, as game 1 of the World Series isn't until Tuesday 25 October. Personally I'd rather take the Dodgers than the Cubs, although Chicago have shown signs of vulnerability in October. After the Tribe's dominance over Boston and Toronto, I'm feeling confident, whoever the opposition will be.

In the meantime, if a generous soul wants to send me one of these t-shirts, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Thanks for reading.

ALDS Review - Boston Brushed Aside

I have been conspicuously absent on England Tribe this season. I've been following the Indians all year long but quietly, hidden offline, limited to checking box scores every morning.

I'm a bit sad I haven't found the time to write more, especially when you consider what an amazing season the Tribe have had thus far. The last time Cleveland made the post-season was 2013 and England Tribe was there for every big moment. This year, not so much.

With Arsenal taking up most of my time, even when it comes to blogging, I just haven't had the chance to keep this site going.

But October baseball has returned to the corner of Carnegie and Ontariro and so I have returned also, out of the darkness of blog purgatory. So here we go, with an ALDS review of Cleveland's stunning sweep over the heavily favored Red Sox:

Unlike 2013, there was no single game Wild Card duel this time around, as the AL Central champion Indians advanced straight into the American League Division Series (ALDS) against the Boston Red Sox, AL East champions and owners of one of my favorite major league players and MVP candidate Mookie Betts.

However for this series, it wasn't hard to bury my admiration for Betts because this was easily the most important series of games in my short lifetime as an Indians fan.

Game 1 - Thursday, October 6, 2016 - Progressive Field

With Progressive Field absolutely rocking at the return of post-season baseball to Cleveland, it was vitally important the Indians made the most of their home field advantage and they did so in style, crushing 3 home runs in the bottom of the third inning to distance themselves from a stubborn Boston squad that did everything they could not to concede first blood. Roberto Perez, Jason Kipnis and Francisco Lindor launched solo efforts in that turning point of an inning before skipper Terry Francona's masterful use of his bullpen saw the game out, as the Indians emerged 5-4 victors.

Relief ace Andrew Miller was brought into the game with 2 outs in the fifth inning after Tribe starter Trevor Bauer had done an admirable job holding the Boston behemoth lineup at bay. Miller took the ball much earlier than he was used to but he never looked back. The giant lefty dominated for 2 innings, striking out 4 and conceding just 1 hit and 1 walk. Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen took the reigns after Miller's superb performance, and the duo held the lead until the end despite making the home crowd sweat a bit, especially when Allen battled through a 5 out, nail-biter of a save.

Game 2 - Friday, October 7, 2016 - Progressive Field

Progressive Field witnessed the battle of the aces but it was the Tribe's 2014 AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber who got the best of Boston's 2012 AL Cy Young champ David Price in a comprehensive 6-0 win.

In the end Price was a shadow of his former self and appeared to succumb to the post-season pressures that have plagued his October career. The Indians got off to a hot start, hanging 4 runs on Price before the second inning had finished, with a Brandon Guyer RBI and a Lonnie Chisenhall 3 run homer putting a good distance between the two teams.

Kluber on the other hand, making his first post-season start and battling a nagging quad injury, showed no signs of nerves on the big stage. The 30 year-old right hander was magnificent and the Sox could hardly touch him. After game 1 made good use of Cleveland's top bullpen arms, it was imperative Kluber provide innings at the very least in game 2. As is the ace's habit, Kluber went the extra mile and pitched seven stellar innings, with 3 hits, 3 walks and 7 strikeouts over 104 pitches. Not bad for a guy coming off an injury, as Kluber routinely pitched inside to the frightening Boston lineup and kept them off balance all game. It was exactly what the Indians needed from him and Kluber delivered.

Game 3 - Monday, October 10, 2016 - Fenway Park

Before the ALDS began, it was only in my wildest dreams I could imagine the Indians taking a 2-0 lead to Fenway Park, forcing Boston into an elimination game they surely never expected to be facing, at least so soon. Well the Indians went one step better and picked up another win to take an unlikely series sweep and progress to the ALCS.

Josh Tomlin took the mound for the Tribe and did sterling work, limiting the Red Sox over 5 innings. He gave up 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 walk and struck out 4 before handing the game to the bullpen, who have been such a strength for the Tribe this season.

Yet again Andrew Miller stood up when it mattered, striking out 3 over 2 clean innings, the only blip being Dustin Pedroia scoring on a sac-fly that was tabbed on Tomlin. Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen combined, nervously at times, to go the rest of the way, keeping the Sox at arm's reach.

Tyler Naquin, a strong AL Rookie of the Year candidate (and a guy I tipped to break out in 2016), got the offense started for Cleveland in the top of the fourth inning, lining a single into right field that plated 2 runs to give the Tribe a lead they never relinquished. Coco Crisp, picked up in a late August trade with the A's, probably wasn't expected to contribute much this post-season but the veteran outfielder clubbed a deep home run over the Monster in the top of the sixth inning to stretch the Indians' lead to 4-1. It proved to be just enough as the Red Sox couldn't draw even.

After the final out, a fly ball gloved by Lonnie Chisenhall in right field, the Indians celebrated in front of a stunned and silent Fenway crowd. I don't think anyone gave the Tribe much of a chance in this series but they shocked the baseball world by not just beating Boston but sweeping them out of the playoffs.

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The Indians will now battle the Toronto Blue Jays for the American League pennant, and their first match-up will be on Friday in the ALCS opener. It's likely Corey Kluber will get the nod for the Tribe and should now have sufficient rest before taking the mound. There's rumors Danny Salazar, battling his way back from a forearm injury, could be activated in time for the series, providing a late boost to the Tribe rotation.

This ALDS victory is one to be savored for sure, a huge playoff win over a rival who have so often gotten the better of us in the past. In 2007 when I was only just learning what baseball really was, that ALDS series against the Yankees went straight over my head. I didn't know how massive it was at the time, how rare these playoff wins can be. Now in 2016 I fully appreciate everything about this Boston sweep and will cherish it for some time.

Yet again the Indians will enter a series as underdogs, as the Jays are already tipped to advance to the World Series. But history has shown that people don't always learn from their mistakes, and those who have already written off this gutsy Indians team may just have a surprise coming their way.

Thanks for reading.

Spring Training 2016 Part 2: Bullpen

With Spring Training finally here, we now get to see some signs of what this 2016 Indians team has in store for us.

Yesterday I looked at the position players, primarily focusing on the abominable outfield situation. Today I'm going to talk about Cleveland's relief pitchers and who can win jobs this March.

A Sigh Of Relief: The Bullpen

In 2015 the Indians bullpen posted a 3.12 ERA, the second lowest in the American League, only bested by the eventual champs Kansas City (a 2.72 ERA). The relief unit was a serious strength in Cleveland, led by Cody Allen (2.99 ERA and 34 saves), Bryan Shaw (2.94 ERA in 64 IP), Zach McAllister (3.00 ERA in 69 IP) and Jeff Manship, who was a revelation (0.92 ERA in 39.1 IP). Assuming these four men are locked in, that only leaves approximately 3-4 open spots, probably 4 given that manager Terry Francona is keen on carrying an extra reliever.

Let's look at the contenders, starting with the right-handers:

Austin Adams, Shawn Armstrong and Dan Otero are all on the 40 man roster at this time.

Adams spent most of 2015 with the big club and pitched well, compiling a 3.78 ERA over 33.1 innings. Adams attacks hitters with an upper 90s tailing fastball and has a slider that confuses hitters as it's more of a slurve. Unless he has a terrible Spring he should stand a good chance to be on the roster come Opening Day.

The same goes for Armstrong, who pitched just 8 innings at the MLB level in 2015, but performed well (a 2.25 ERA with a 12.38 K/9). He was even better at AAA, where over 49.2 innings he had an outstanding 14.50 K/9 and a 2.36 ERA with 16 saves. He'd need to be something awful this month not to be on the Opening Day roster.

That leaves Otero, who was picked up from the Phillies in December for cash and is coming off a poor 2015, pitching a sky-high 6.75 ERA over 46.2 innings. However Otero was untouchable as recently as 2014 when he was one of Oakland's top bullpen arms (a 2.28 ERA over 86.2 innings) and he's a groundball pitcher through and through, a factor possibly in his favor with our renewed infield defense. Otero will be looking to bounce back with the Tribe but he'll need an impressive Spring to get back on track.

On the outside looking in is a group of righties on minor league deals, and there might be a diamond in the rough among them. Joba Chamberlain, Felipe Paulino, Craig Stammen and Jarrett Grube will be looking to catch the club's eye this month (or catch on with someone else).

Chamberlain is on his fourth team in the last year, and he didn't pitch exceptionally well in 2015 (4.88 ERA in 27.2 major league innings). He did lose a bunch of weight over the winter but his chances of cracking the Indians roster are slim.

Paulino last pitched in the majors for the White Sox in 2014 and spent all of 2015 with the Cubs' AAA farm team in Iowa, starting 20 games and pitching to a 4.93 ERA over 104 innings with 83 strikeouts. He's aiming for a spot in the bullpen but like Chamberlain, he'll need a remarkable Spring to show the Indians staff that he can be a valuable reliever. He wasn't exactly lighting up AAA.

Stammen missed nearly all of 2015 due to a right flexor tendon tear but has been a stellar reliever in the past, and was a workhorse between 2012 and 2014 (if there is such a thing as a bullpen "workhorse"), leading MLB relievers with 242.2 innings pitched, with a 2.93 ERA over this stretch. He probably stands the best chance of upsetting the current group and winning a roster spot, provided he can prove his health.

Grube is 34 years-old and pitched half of 2015 in Mexico and the other half in AAA Columbus. He was very effective, especially with the Clippers, posting a 2.26 ERA over 79.2 innings, starting 13 games. However, despite showing he's still got some spark, Grube is most likely a depth arm at this stage in his career and will likely wind up back in Columbus as a mentor to the young arms on the farm. He'd need a phenomenal Spring to make the club but who knows, he could provide some value if he carries that AAA form to the MLB stage.

One right-handed pitcher I've neglected to mention who is almost guaranteed a spot is Tommy Hunter. The 29 year-old veteran signed with the club a few weeks ago, a one-year deal worth $2 million. He's recovering from surgery so will miss Spring Training but could be with the team by late April. With the money invested, he'll get a shot in the major league bullpen once he's healthy. The powerful Hunter pitched 60.1 innings between Baltimore and Chicago in 2015, posting a 4.18 ERA.

Now, let's look at the lefties:

The Tribe currently have Giovanni Soto and Kyle Crockett on the 40 man roster.

Soto made a brief stop in Cleveland in 2015, pitching 3.1 innings over 6 games and didn't allow a run. He spent the rest of the year in AAA Columbus, pitching 53.2 quality innings to a 2.68 ERA. I like Soto's chances to make the big club but I feel the 24 year-old could get overlooked in favor of a veteran. There's no harm in Soto earning more experience at AAA but he looks ready for MLB to my eyes.

Crockett on the other hand struggled in 2015, at both MLB and AAA levels. He had location issues and didn't look like the same pitcher as the impressive rookie in 2014. With the Tribe, Crockett threw 17.1 innings over 31 games, compiling a lackluster 4.08 ERA. In Columbus he was actually worse, a 5.97 ERA over 28.2 innings. Crockett's future is still bright but he needs a positive showing this Spring to make the big league roster. Otherwise he'll start the year in Columbus but will more than likely be back in Cleveland at some stage during the year.

A trio of veterans earned minor league deals this off-season and will compete for a lefty relief role with Crockett and Soto; Joe Thatcher, Ross Detwiler and Tom Gorzelanny will be looking to shine in Arizona.

Thatcher is 34 years-old and doesn't overpower hitters but outsmarts them instead. He split time between Houston and AAA Fresno, pitching relatively well at both stops. With the Astros he pitched 22.2 innings in 43 games to the tune of a 3.18 ERA. At this stage of his career you wonder if he'd settle for another year in Triple-A so if he doesn't break camp with Cleveland, expect Thatcher to catch on with someone else.

Detwiler, still just 29 years-old despite feeling like he's been around forever, didn't enjoy a great 2015. Split between Atlanta and Texas, Detwiler had a 7.25 ERA combined over 58.1 total innings in 41 games, including 7 starts. His days as a starter are likely over and he'll be considered strictly as a reliever by the Indians. He'll need to really turn things around if he harbors any hopes of staying long-term in Cleveland.

Last but not least is Tom Gorzelanny, the 33 year-old swingman who has been an effective arm since 2012 but took a step back last year. Gorzelanny spent most of 2015 in Detroit, throwing 39.1 innings in 48 games for a 5.95 ERA. He's another reclamation project that the Cleveland front office love so much but there's very little risk involved, as is the case with most of these guys. Hopefully his new arm slot will benefit him in his attempt to stay with the big league club.

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That's my look at the bullpen. It's a lot of guys for only a handful of spots but if I had to start the season today I'd take Allen, Shaw, Manship, McAllister, Adams, Armstrong, Stammen, and Soto. I'd possibly take Thatcher or Crockett instead of Stammen at this point because one lefty in Soto probably isn't enough.

Next up will be a look at the rotation because despite a strong core, there's some business at the back end to be taken care of before April begins.

Thanks for reading.