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.

Struggling Indians Split Series With Sox

The Indians welcomed the White Sox to Progressive Field for their 2019 home opener but could only split the short 2-game series against their AL Central foes.

In front of a sold-out crowd Mike Clevinger enjoyed a career-day in a dramatic 5-3 comeback victory. After on off-day on Tuesday, Corey Kluber made his second start of the season but was uncharacteristically rough in a demoralizing 8-3 loss.

As it was a very brief series, so here is your very brief series recap:

The Good

Over the past two years Mike Clevinger has established himself as my favorite pitcher on this roster. The man they call Sunshine would be a solid number two starter on most rotations, an ace for a handful of clubs, so the Indians can count themselves extraordinarily lucky to have him be their fourth guy. He had the honor of taking the mound for the Tribe's home opener on Monday and was fired up for the occasion. Those new red uniforms helped too!

Clevinger pitched 7 shutout innings, allowing just a single hit, on his way to striking out a career-high 12 batters. Of the 6 games he's recorded 10+ strikeouts in his career, 3 of them have been against the White Sox, so he has a history of success against them.

Watching the game, I was struck by how efficient Clevinger's pace of play was. He would receive the ball from Roberto Perez, reset and throw again within a matter of seconds. Clevinger kept the crowd energized on a cold spring day and the 28 year-old right-hander was really feeling good out there, hitting 97mph on the radar gun.

One moment stood out to me at the end of the seventh inning, when Clevinger struck out Yolmer Sanchez to record his 12th K of the day. Clev and Perez visibly celebrated the punchout as they headed into the dugout together, and it reminded me just how easy it can be to support these guys.

Because as soon as Clevinger exited the game, it was a struggle to maintain that support.

The bullpen trio of Adam Cimber, Oliver Perez and Jon Edwards conspired to put the Tribe in a 3-1 hole, essentially erasing Clevinger's hard work and his chance at the win. Thankfully the lineup responded, and a walk-laden eighth inning saw Cleveland come from behind to win 5-3. Despite the late drama, it was one of the better home openers I've seen in recent memory, and Clevinger's performance was remarkable.

The Bad

The Indians lineup looked considerably weakened in Minnesota and things hardly improved against Chicago. Without Francisco Lindor, the heartbeat of this team, the offense was obviously going to experience a decline, and Jason Kipnis not being available is hurting this squad as well. The fact Michael Brantley, Edwin Encarnacion, Yan Gomes, and Lonnie Chisenhall were not replaced this winter is also a significant factor (not to mention moving Yandy Diaz to the Rays).

So far the outfield situation has been as problematic as advertised, with Terry Francona shuffling through all of his options (bizarrely slotting them third in the lineup, whoever he opts for). Granted, the season is just 5 games old, but when Jake Bauers and his .167 average ranks the highest of all Cleveland's outfielders, it doesn't exactly make for great reading (or viewing).

Safe in the knowledge that the offense wasn't expected to be spectacular in these early days, we could at least console ourselves knowing the vaunted rotation could be relied upon, led by Indians ace Corey Kluber.

Which is why Kluber's performance on Wednesday and the shellacking he received was so disheartening.

The White Sox certainly have some guys that cause concern, like Jose Abreu, Yoan Moncada and top prospect Eloy Jimenez. But something is seriously wrong when a team projected to be one of the worst in the league is scattering 8 hits against Kluber over just 3.1 innings, for 6 runs, 4 of them earned. It's not very often you see the two-time Cy Young winner have a day that bad.

I was home in time for first pitch and straight away Kluber didn't look right. He couldn't locate his fastball and his cutter was wild too. By the end of the first inning he was already at 36 pitches, with his team behind 3-0. Kluber looked downright awful, and the White Sox hitters made him appear mortal, finally chasing him from the game in the fourth inning.

Kluber's next start will likely be next Tuesday in Detroit against the Tigers, the start of a nine game road trip for the Indians. Pressure will mount if he can't figure out what's ailing him, so all eyes will be on the veteran against another AL Central foe.

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The Tribe remain at home for a four-game set against the Blue Jays. Trevor Bauer will get the start tonight and confidence will be high after his stellar 7 inning, 9 strikeout performance against the Twins last week. His opponent will be Aaron Sanchez, who had a decent game himself last time out, a scoreless 5 inning effort against Detroit.

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.

Tribe Triumph Over Tigers

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

Options In The Outfield

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Some other brief talking points from Detroit:

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

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

Tribe Overcome Mighty Machado and O's

Despite dropping the first game of their series at Camden Yards, the Indians won their next three to clinch a four-game set against the Orioles, taking their overall record to 12-8. With a week still left in April, the Tribe have already established a slim lead in the AL Central, with all of their rivals currently sporting sub-.500 records.

Let's take a look at some of the talking points from the Indians' successful trip to Baltimore:

Rotation Domination

I'm running out of superlatives for this pitching staff. Everyone knew heading into this season that the strength of this team lay in the rotation, but it still astounds me that they can be this good.

Even in the Indians' 3-1 loss to begin the series on Friday, the quality of the pitching performance by Trevor Bauer was still better than what most of the league can trot out every fifth day. Bauer was on the hook for the loss that night, but his performance was decent: 7 innings of work, 5 hits and 3 walks given up for 3 earned runs, one of them a homer off the red-hot bat of Manny Machado (more on him later). Bauer had 6 strikeouts as well, and over four starts this year has a tidy total of 27 K's in 27 innings. He's off to a great start this season, and this loss is just a case of poor luck. The offense took a night off and couldn't support Bauer, and he was unfortunately matched up against Dylan Bundy, who was absolutely dealing Friday night, with that nasty slider of his.

Saturday afternoon saw the Tribe back on track, with Mike Clevinger having a career day on the mound, pitching his first complete game shutout in a 4-0 win. Clevinger, who has struggled with high pitch counts in the past, was completely locked in against the Orioles, utterly dominant for nine scoreless frames, allowing just 2 measly hits and 2 walks, with 3 strikeouts. It was a seriously impressive performance from the 27 year-old right-hander, who is off to an amazing start in 2018.

Corey Kluber got the nod on Sunday afternoon and pitched well in the Baltimore sunshine, picking up his third win of the campaign in the Indians' 7-3 victory. Kluber lasted 7 innings, surrendering 6 hits for 3 earned runs, to go along with 4 strikeouts. It wasn't a vintage Kluber display but, like most teams, the Orioles' lineup still struggled to give him much trouble. All except Machado (again), who tagged the Tribe ace for 3 hits on the day, including 2 home runs. Machado's first home run of the day simply destroyed the baseball, with an exit velocity recorded at 107.9 mph. Sheesh...

Carlos Carrasco was sent to seal the series win on Monday night and he delivered, pitching beautifully in a tight 2-1 Indians win. In yet another pitching duel, Carrasco prevailed over Kevin Gausman, allowing 6 hits for 1 run over 7.1 innings, with 7 strikeouts and 2 walks. Carrasco preserved his perfect record and is now a clean 4-0 to start the season. He constantly mixed his pitches to induce swings and misses, and gave the Baltimore lineup nightmares all evening.

Manny Mania Is A Real Thing

Manny Machado was a one man wrecking crew throughout this series, and did everything he could to help his Orioles to victory. Thankfully for Indians fans his efforts were in vain, but Machado is an interesting talking point.

Over 4 games and 16 plate appearances, Machado batted .500 with 6 hits, 4 walks, and smashed 3 mammoth home runs. These weren't home runs that just cleared the fences, these were absolute monsters, with two of them coming off reigning AL Cy Young winner Kluber. That's no easy feat.

On the season so far, Machado is batting .360 with 8 home runs, tied for second in the league, only trailing Mike Trout (who has 9). He has 14 walks and 15 strikeouts, a relatively promising ratio for such a young slugger.

Baltimore have surely resigned themselves to losing Machado, as the 25 year-old is a free agent at the end of this season. His availability was a hot topic at the Winter Meetings, with trade rumors for the O's franchise player doing the rounds. Surprisingly, Machado stayed put, but most observers don't expect he will last the season at Camden Yards, and will be dealt to a contender by mid-summer.

Could the Indians be one of those contenders? Will they enter the race for "Manny Machado, Super-Rental?"

Because that's exactly what he would be, a 4-5 month rental player, available to the highest bidder at the end of October. Realistically, the Indians will not be one of those bidders, as a player of Machado's quality will be far too expensive and command too much for Cleveland's modest bank balance.

Which leaves the question, would a trade for Machado on a short-term basis be worth it?

Baltimore would obviously demand a high ransom for their star player but if Machado is the last piece of the puzzle to clinch a World Series, then you have to consider going all-in. In my opinion, Machado is a talent that could swing a World Series in Cleveland's favor.

For fun, let's look at a possible trade scenario:

• Indians receive: Manny Machado SS 
• Orioles receive: Jason Kipnis 2B, Triston McKenzie RHP

Before you come at me with flaming torches and pitchforks, just hear me out.

McKenzie is considered by most analysts to be the Indians' top pitching prospect, a 6-5 starter who throws a 90-95 fastball with unbelievable location, and an excellent curveball. At just 20 years-old, McKenzie is the kind of prospect a General Manager like Dan Duquette could fall in love with.

So why include Kipnis I hear you ask? Adding Machado would create a real logjam in the infield, so someone has to make room and as much as I love Kip, he's the odd man out in this hypothetical situation.

Machado would take over duties at third base, with Lindor staying put at shortstop, and Jose Ramirez naturally replaces Kipnis at second base, a position he has displayed considerable ability at as recently as 2017. I would be very conflicted to lose Kipnis, but in truth, I think most Tribe fans would rank Ramirez above him, which makes Kipnis expendable (it hurts just typing that).

Do I make this trade if I'm Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff? In a heartbeat.

I'm firmly of the belief that Machado is the kind of player that could tip the scales in Cleveland's favor. With a dominant rotation already in place, and with elite bullpen pieces like Andrew Miller and Cody Allen in support, Machado would take the Indians to the next level.

I'm clearly all-in on Machado, and the Indians should give serious consideration towards joining me.

Making Moves For Melky

A final piece of news to end this longer-than-usual series recap: Melky Cabrera has been signed on a minor-league contract. The switch-hitting veteran is expected to report to Triple-A Columbus after a physical has been completed, and he will be looking to add some pop to the Tribe's outfield.

In 2017 Cabrera slashed .285/.324/.423 (BA/OBP/SLG) with 17 home runs and 85 RBI in 156 games, split between the Royals and White Sox. At the very least, he could offer some depth support if our current outfield options get hurt or under-perform.

The biggest question mark with Cabrera is his defense, and the numbers certainly don't like his glovework: in 2017 he had a -20 DRS rating and an overall UZR/150 of -11.4. I'm not a firm believer in defensive metrics telling the entire story, but Cabrera's stats don't exactly fill you with confidence.

Overall, I think he could be a useful signing, and honestly it's surprising nobody picked him before the Indians did. With Lonnie Chisenhall still out of action for the foreseeable future, having Cabrera as an option is not a bad way to go, and comes with very little risk.

Gomes Propels Indians To First Series Win

On Sunday afternoon, at a frigid Progressive Field, the Indians sealed their first series win of 2018 in walk-off fashion, when Yan Gomes took a Brandon Maurer pitch over the left field wall for a 2-run blast that knocked out the Kansas City Royals in a grueling 3-1 Tribe victory.

With one out in the ninth inning and Erik Gonzalez pinch running at first base, Gomes battled Maurer in an epic at-bat, fouling off pitch after pitch. With a full count, Gomes watched a low pitch and absolutely golfed it. I was certain the ball would die in the wind, as so many fly balls had done previously throughout the series, but it kept carrying, over the heads of the Royals outfielders, before ricocheting off the fans in left field.

It was a euphoric finish to what had been an arduous afternoon of baseball. My arms were raised in joy as the crowd went wild, but they were also raised in relief. I don’t think I could have endured extra innings, of having to watch more scoreless baseball.

A moment that stood out to me: as Gomes completed his postgame interview with Andre Knott (SportsTime Ohio’s sideline broadcaster), he walked back to the dugout to collect his catcher’s gear. With his chest protector safely tucked under his arm, Gomes turned around to catch the replay of his walk-off blast playing on the big screen in center field. As Tom Hamilton called the winning play, Gomes gave a nod of modest satisfaction, with the smallest hint of a smile on his face. It was a classy moment for the Brazilian backstop, and endeared him to me even more.

Let’s take a peak at some of the talking points from the Tribe’s first home stand of this season:

Cleveland In April: Where Fly Balls Go To Die

This entire series was heavily affected by the weather conditions and both team’s offensive output suffered as a result. To any fans reading this who were in the stands, I salute you.

The Indians’ offense have hardly started 2018 on a tear but their first home stand really ground things to a halt. It was evident right from the start of the home opener on Friday afternoon: anything hit in the air was not going far.

The strength of the wind knocked down everything, and outfielders often found themselves having to break inward on line drives, instead of ranging back as they usually would. The wind helped the ball settle nicely into their gloves, whereas most of those hits would have resulted in extra bases on a normal day. Jason Kipnis in particular had a couple of long fly-outs over the weekend that could have been doubles at the very least in normal conditions. Sunday’s rubber game was reported to be 32℉, the coldest regular season game in Progressive Field history, even though the sun was shining all day.

Brantley Returns and Offensive Woes

Michael Brantley made his return to the club just in time for Friday afternoon’s home opener, and made an instant impact.

After Tribe starter Carlos Carrasco scuffled in the first inning and put the Indians in an early 2-0 hole, Royals’ starter Danny Duffy followed suit and found himself in hot water too. Duffy couldn’t find his location and Brantley made him pay in his first at-bat. With the bases loaded and the Indians trailing 2-1, Brantley stepped into the batters box and lined a single into right field to score two runs and put the home side ahead 3-2. It turned out to be the last runs of the day, as Carrasco and Duffy began a pitchers duel from the second inning onward, and the Indians held on for the win.

In fact, the Indians didn’t score another run until the eighth inning of Sunday’s game. That’s 23 consecutive innings, the longest scoring drought in Terry Francona’s tenure as Cleveland manager. That’s a measure of just how bad this series was for the Tribe offense.

Despite their anemic hitting, the Indians prevailed, outscoring the Royals 6-4 for the two-to-one series win.

Here are some other snippets of note during the series:

• Tyler Naquin was sent down to Triple-A before Friday’s opener, to make room for Brantley’s return. However, Naquin never made it to Colombus, as Lonnie Chisenhall hurt himself early in Saturday’s game (calf strain) and was placed on the 10-day DL. Estimates are predicting Chisenhall could miss 4-6 weeks, so Naquin has been gifted another opportunity to impress. I expect he will split time in right field with Brandon Guyer, and spell Brantley in left field as the veteran eases his way back into regular everyday play.
• Mike Clevinger got the start on Sunday and was superb over 7.1 innings. Despite being far from sharp (often pitching behind in the count), Clevinger really battled, both the elements and the Royals. The right-hander scattered 9 hits, issued 2 walks and struck out 4. This outing was a career high for him in terms of length, both in innings pitched and total number of pitches (110). 
• Trevor Bauer pitched an absolute gem on Saturday, and was very unlucky to lose, as the offense couldn’t back him at all in a 1-0 loss. Kansas City’s lone run came from a Lucas Duda solo shot, the only mistake Bauer made over 8 stellar innings. Bauer’s off-speed pitches were especially nice to watch, and he struck out 7 Royals, only giving up 3 hits and 2 walks over 100 pitches. His maturity on the mound has impressed me a lot so far this year.

Cleveland now have a 4-5 record and will remain at home, as they host Detroit for a four game series. The Tribe are expected to send Corey Kluber to the mound in a bid to continue their winning ways, and gain some early momentum in this young season.

Indians Anything But Angelic, Lose Series

Despite getting off to a great start in their series against the Angels, the Indians dropped their final two games in Anaheim to finish their west coast road trip with a losing record. They currently sit at 2-4 and will face the Royals on Friday for their first home stand of 2018.

Let’s quickly run through the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Tribe’s trip to California.

The Good

Mike Clevinger kicked off his season in style, pitching a gem on Monday night in Cleveland’s 6-0 victory. Clevinger pitched 5.1 scoreless innings, with 4 hits, 2 walks and 5 strikeouts. He was especially effective pitching inside, often jamming right handed hitters, including Mike Trout.

Edwin Encarnacion hit an inside the park home run on Monday night. No need to check your eyesight, you read that correctly. You can watch the video here, and it sure is a sight to behold. I watched the game on replay whilst eating breakfast and nearly spat out my cereal when I saw Edwin flying round the bases.

Bradley Zimmer’s bat still has some way to go (2 hits in 12 PA this series) but his speed is undeniably a huge asset to this ballclub. In the third inning of Monday’s opener he practically created a run by himself. Facing Angels starter JC Ramirez, Zimmer beat out an infield single, before proceeding to steal second with ease. On a wild Ramirez pitch he took third without breaking sweat but catcher Martin Maldonado threw it into left field and Zimmer waltzed home. This is what he does so well, and combined with his defense in center field, will make him a household name in Cleveland before you know it.

Another couple of nice hits from this series: Tyler Naquin took a belt-high pitch and crushed it into right field for his first homer of 2018, in the fourth inning of Monday night’s game. Jose Ramirez, 0-15 to start the year heading into Tuesday’s game, finally got his first hit, a 2-run shot. The exit velocity was 103.4mph, coming off starter Garrett Richards. Sadly it was all the offense the Tribe could muster in that lopsided defeat.

The Bad

People are calling for the head of Josh Tomlin already. He was not sharp from the beginning on Tuesday night. Trout homered in the first inning, when Tomlin left a pitch up and in the middle of the strike zone, and Trout did what you would expect. With the Angels leading 3-2 and still in the first inning, Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani connected for his first major league homer, a 3-run shot, to extend the lead to 6-2 and effectively bury the Tribe for the night. Tomlin’s inside breaking ball was actually a decent pitch but credit to Ohtani, he timed it perfectly. It eventually took Tomlin 44 pitches to escape the first inning, giving up 6 runs. In the second inning, Justin Upton solo-homered and in the third inning, former-Indian Luis Valbuena went deep on a solo homer of his own to left center field. That was all she wrote for Tomlin, 8 runs surrendered over 3 innings.

Dan Otero was not very effective in relief of Tomlin, and gave up 3 runs of his own (although Matt Belisle pitched well.) Zach McAllister saw some action but gave up a 2-run homer to Rene Rivera. Tuesday’s 13-2 loss was pretty ugly for everyone. McAllister suffered again in Wednesday's extra-inning loss, giving up the walk-off home run to Zack Cozart for a 3-2 Angels win.

The Ugly

In Wednesday’s rubber game, Corey Kluber was sent to the mound to rescue the series and was superb but received very little support from his offense. Kluber carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning but Andrelton Simmons bunted to get on base, in an attempt to start a rally. Then Ohtani proceeded to smash a Kluber pitch deep over the center field wall to tie the game 2-2, not endearing himself to Tribe fans thus far in his early career. I really wanted to like the guy too. Kluber finished the day with 7 innings pitched, 3 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. Alas, a win still eludes him.

The offense, give or take a home run here and there, haven't been great overall. During their trip to Seattle and Anaheim, the offense slashed .161/.264/.338, with 21 runs scored in total, with over half of those runs coming in the Indians' two wins.

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The Indians have an off day as they fly home from out west, and will go again tomorrow in their home opener against Kansas City. Carlos Carrasco is scheduled to pitch and the Tribe will be looking to get back to winning ways.

2018 Spring Training Wishlist: Part 2

Rejoice! Pitchers and catchers report today. The long winter is almost over and spring is nearly upon us.

With the advent of spring, our attention turns to the Indians and their roster. Despite the lack of activity in Cleveland this winter (unless you're the Cavs), there will be one position battle worth watching over the next few weeks.

The Indians' stacked rotation is the envy of nearly every other team in the league but with that brings it's own share of problems. The club can only carry so many starting pitchers at one time, and despite some clubs toying with the idea of 6-man rotations, even the Indians aren't likely to be go down that route, such is the quality of the starters they possess.

At least a couple of guys are going to be disappointed when Opening Day rolls around.

There is one pitcher on the staff who arguably has more to gain from this competition and he's the man we affectionately call Sunshine, the guy with the best head of hair in the state of Ohio, Mr Mike Clevinger.

Mighty Mike - What Are His Chances?

In order for Clevinger to cement himself as a full-time member of the rotation, he has his work cut out for him.

Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer lead the way at the front, locking down the first three spots. The trio went a combined 53-19 last season, with a 3.20 ERA. Not to mention that Kluber won his second AL Cy Young award and Carrasco finished 4th in that race too. Bauer showed tremendous development, raising his strikeout rate and decreasing his walk rate as well.

Basically, Clevinger is unlikely to beat those guys out of a job before April.

Instead, Clevinger should be targeting the trio of Danny Salazar, Josh Tomlin and Ryan Merritt.

It can be argued that Salazar has more talent than Clevinger. He's been a strikeout machine throughout his career and he has more experience too. Issues with durability have always plagued the 28 year-old, though I expect he did enough last year to keep his place in the rotation to begin 2018. Salazar should feel pretty comfortable about ownership of the fourth rotation spot. For now at least.

Perhaps the largest obstacle standing in Clevinger's way is the veteran Josh Tomlin. At this stage we all know what Tomlin is and what Tomlin does. He takes the ball every fifth day and gives the the Indians a somewhat decent chance to win games. Tomlin is durable and he’s cost-effective (cheap). For a mid-market team like the Indians, players like Tomlin provide immense value. The 'Little Cowboy' will be difficult to shift from that fifth and final position.

Ryan Merritt is the outsider looking in. The soon-to-be 26 year-old Texan made four starts for the Tribe in 2017 and performed well, picking up two wins with a 1.74 ERA. He had a very successful year in the minors too, all but one start pitched from Triple-A Columbus. What is the ace up Merritt's sleeve that warrants his contention? He's out of minor league options so the Indians are forced to make a decision on his future. Do they trade him or give him a legitimate shot at being a starter? I imagine Merritt's future with the Tribe will begin in the bullpen, but I'd hate to see him depart the club without getting a chance at cracking the rotation.

These three men are fine pitchers, all of whom would almost certainly win jobs on the majority of major league rotations. With that being said, I feel it is Clevinger who has earned the opportunity to make that fifth starting spot his own.

Last season, on a rotation of excellent pitchers, Clevinger consistently impressed. He finished 2017 with a 12-6 record and a 3.11 ERA over 121.2 innings in 27 games (21 of which were starts). His walks were a cause for concern, as he posted a rate of 4.44 walks per nine innings, but he didn't give up many hits, which balanced everything out nicely. He limited opposition batters to a .210 average and recorded a 1.25 WHIP.

There's an argument to be made that, despite his proven ability at the MLB level, Clevinger should start the 2018 season in the minors. The native Floridian isn't eligible to test free agency until 2022 but if he spends the first six weeks of the season in Columbus, the Indians are rewarded with an extra year of his services, extending his stay until 2023 at least.

Another factor: Clevinger still has a minor league option remaining, whereas Salazar, Tomlin, and Merritt do not, giving them an advantage at this time of year. Clevinger doesn't have to be on the roster. The other guys do. Or rather, the Indians have to make them fit at least.

Clevinger can make the decision harder for the Indians' staff if he performs well this spring. If he can force himself into their thoughts through his work on the mound, then maybe he will begin the year in the rotation. I can see the benefit of keeping him on standby in Columbus but if he's MLB ready now, why not play him? Recent history has shown he's certainly an upgrade over Tomlin, and he's more proven at the MLB level than Merritt.

Preseason projections indicate the Indians facing little competition from their division rivals, just like last year. So I understand why the club would be okay with getting through April and May without Clevinger; it certainly looks like they won't need him, and will win their fair share of games without his help, with Tomlin likely a fixture at the back-end of the rotation.

However, if I was Terry Francona, I would want my best team on the field from day one.

That team would, and should, include Mike Clevinger.

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.

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.