World Series - Game's 6 & 7 - You Already Know How It Ended, Why Hurt Yourself?

They say a picture tells a thousand words and in this case, it's going to have to. After an epic World Series comeback by the Cubs that the baseball media will eulogise for god knows how long, I don't feel particularly motivated to analyse how the Indians lost. I'm proud of this plucky underdog team, who knocked out the big bad Red Sox and Blue Jays, and so very nearly got the best of the Cubs, who were undoubtedly the best team in the majors this year.  But I can't lie and say it's not incredibly disappointing to fall at the final hurdle.

Nevertheless, the Indians will retool over the winter and look for revenge in 2017. The Cubs will celebrate and they deserve to do so, everyone knows they've waited long enough. Cleveland fans had their moment of glory in 2016, their own epic comeback to remember forever (thank you again Cavs). Now Chicago have theirs. But it would have been nice if Cleveland could have had two parades this year.

Thank you for reading and enjoy the off-season.

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.

Impact Indians - Danny Salazar 04/15/16

We're nearly two weeks into the 2016 season and so far the Indians are doing okay. We're not setting the American League on fire exactly, but we're holding our own (and we're above .500, always a cause for optimism). At the time of writing they're 4-3 after topping the Tampa Bay Rays last night to take the series and the New York Mets come to town tonight for a three-game set. Hopefully we won't see any more weather-related postponements in the near future.

I don't get a great deal of time to write on here anymore but I wanted to start a series of posts that I can bash out whenever I get the chance. I'll do that by looking at players, often one individual but maybe more than one at a time, who have been particularly impactful recently, be that in a positive or negative way.

And so begins the 'Impact Indians' series here at England Tribe.

Now I know seven games is a minuscule sample size of data to look at and garner any quality meaning from but Danny Salazar's first two games of the season are worth a closer look, mostly because he's been so darned impressive.

Salazar, our maiden Impact Indian on the blog, has gotten off to a strong start in his first two games, pitching well against the White Sox and the Rays, taking home the win in both starts.

On April 8th in winter-conditions (including snow) at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Salazar pitched 5.1 innings allowing just 2 hits and 1 run (a Todd Frazier homer in the 4th inning), with 3 walks and 7 strikeouts. The frigid temperature of south Chicago couldn't cool down Salazar's sizzling fastball as he repeatedly hit 95-mph, sometimes ratcheting it up to 98-mph. Salazar has a great slider and an impressive sinker but he got through the White Sox almost exclusively on his heater. The offense backed him and the Tribe were victorious as 7-1 winners to spoil Chicago's home opener.

Last night Salazar made his second start of the year at Tropicana Field as the Indians looked to win their three-game series against the Rays and he was even better against Tampa, allowing 3 hits over 6 innings, with 0 runs allowed, plus 3 walks and 9 strikeouts. He out-dueled Rays ace Chris Archer and got some help from the Tribe new boys, with Marlon Byrd making an outstanding catch in deep right field as well as clubbing his first home run of the year, as the Tribe held on for the shutout, winning 6-0. Salazar picked up his second win also.

So far through two games the 26 year-old right-hander has pitched a total of 11.1 innings with 16 strikeouts, 6 walks, all to the tune of a 0.79 ERA and a 2-0 record. Now I'm not stupid enough to think a couple of games is indicative of what the rest of the year holds in store for Salazar. I'm not trying to predict the future here anyway. Instead I am merely celebrating what a solid start Danny has gotten off to, and I'm hoping it's a sign of things to come for the rest of 2016.

The thing is, I don't think Salazar has gotten close to his best form yet, and understandably so given we're not even two full weeks into the season. The 6 walks over his two starts are a minor concern but this is probably down to him feeling his way into his pitches this early on. Plus pitchers walk betters, this is a fact of life, so I'm not expecting perfection from Danny every start he makes (hell, even the ridiculously accurate Corey Kluber has 4 walks so far). Salazar's fastball has never been in doubt, that much was evident when he blazed onto the scene in 2013, but his breaking stuff, albeit very impressive, can be a bit unpredictable at times. You saw that last night at times, as a few pitches got away from him, slipping out of his hand wrong, just a little wild.

Nevertheless, Salazar is off to a nice start in 2016 and if he can continue to remain this consistent, he could have a very good year indeed. Danny's next start will likely be at home to the Mariners on Wednesday April 20th. So congratulations to Mr Salazar on winning the very first Impact Indian award.

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.

Spring Training 2016 Part 1: Position Players

Spring Training is finally underway and MLB teams are playing baseball again. It is glorious. The wins and losses don't count but there's still a lot of important baseball to watch and discuss.

Your 2016 Cleveland Indians have a few questions to be answered before the season gets started in just under a month's time. Let's take a look at some talking points:

Who The Hell Is Playing The Outfield?

With the news last November that Michael Brantley underwent shoulder surgery, the already uncertain Indians outfield suddenly found itself without it's most important player. He's in camp seemingly ahead of schedule but the club are being cautious with his return. Although he could potentially be healthy for Opening Day, it's probably better in the long run if he makes a slow return during April before stepping up activities into May.

Then came the revelation that Abraham Almonte, likely the Tribe's starting center fielder, will miss the first 80 games of the season after testing positive for performing-enhancing drugs. And just like that, Cleveland's outfield situation went from bad to worse.

Which leads us to the biggest and most concerning question entering the 2016 season: who have Cleveland got to man the outfield?

With the center field job open, there's one candidate who can take this opportunity and run with it. Mr Tyler Wesley Naquin, come on down and collect your prize.

Naquin, the 15th pick in the 2012 draft out of Texas A&M, is now 24 years-old and will be 25 by the end of April. He bats left-handed, throws right-handed, and is currently ranked by Baseball America as the Indians' 6th best prospect. Naquin spent 2015 between AA Akron and AAA Columbus, playing 84 games with a .300/.381/.446 (BA/OBP/SLG) batting line, clubbing 7 home runs, 27 RBI, to go along with 13 stolen bases and 40 walks. He missed a lot of time due to injuries, first missing a chunk of time after colliding with the outfield wall in late July and then missing the rest of the season after mid-August with a hip injury.

Naquin is still a bit of an unknown developmentally. Will he a power hitter? His career numbers thus far don't indicate that will be the case. Can he steal bases? Yes, he can, but he's not exactly a speedster. What Naquin does do well is get on base and play a solid outfield defensively. His abilities don't get fans quite as excited as his fellow outfield prospects Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier, but Naquin could become a reliable option and more importantly, he could be that right now, whereas Zimmer and Frazier are still a year or two away in their progress.

This is where Naquin has the advantage. He has the experience Zimmer and Frazier lack, and now with Almonte and Brantley suddenly absent, this is Naquin's chance to show the club he can be an option in the future, and a good one at that. I'm rooting for him, and it'd be nice to see a homegrown draft pick become a key contributor to the team. If he has a successful Spring, then the skipper will have little choice but to keep him on the roster and make him a starter on Opening Day. It won't be the end of the world if he doesn't make the team out of camp, since he still has options to play at AAA, but it will definitely feel like a huge opportunity missed. Naquin just has to impress over these coming weeks. Easier said than done.

The alternatives to Naquin are a bit less inspiring. The likely candidates to play center field and man left field until Brantley returns are Rajai Davis and Collin Cowgill. Both players are good defensively but I'd probably lean towards Davis over Cowgill. Davis has the major league deal and his threat on the base paths gives him the edge. The Indians have invested nearly $5 million in him so you might as well see what he can offer. James Ramsey could also be an option here, after having a decent 2015 at AAA Columbus (.243/.327/.382 with 12 homers).

The dark horses for the outfield spots are Will Venable, recently signed to a minor league deal, Joey Butler, Robbie Grossman, Michael Choice, Shane Robinson and Zach Walters. Murderer's Row they most certainly are not...

Out of the bunch I'd like to see what Venable could bring, and I've rated him in the past. Whoever proves their worth, Terry Francona will have a wealth of platoon options this season. At the very least this Indians outfield has some depth to it.

On a positive note, right field has a sense of stability. After transitioning from third base midway through 2015, Lonnie Chisenhall looks to have made right field his own and despite his streaky bat, his defense is more than respectable.

There's Some New Guys In The Infield

The Indians signed Mike Napoli back in mid-December to be their everyday first baseman but recently upgraded third base with the addition of Juan Uribe, on a one-year deal worth $4.5 million.

Uribe joins the Tribe after a 2015 season in which he traveled a lot. Juan split his time between three teams last year, playing in LA for the Dodgers, before enduring a stint in Atlanta, and finally ending up in New York with the Mets, going all the way to the World Series with them. Uribe had a batting line of 253/.320/.417 with 14 home runs and 43 RBI, with a 104 wRC+ and 1.9 WAR.

Uribe will be 37 years-old by Opening Day and even if he hasn't got much left in the tank, his bat is still an improvement at third base over the young Giovanny Urshela, even if his glove isn't quite as good. Urshela flashed outstanding defense at the hot corner in 2015 but his offensive production still needs some work. With the signing of Uribe, it's almost certain that Urshela will open the season at AAA Columbus. This is probably for the best, as he can develop his bat away from the bright lights and pressure of the MLB stage. I'm a fan of Urshela and hope he can improve enough in 2016 that when Uribe likely departs after this season, Gio will be ready to step into his shoes.

I think the Indians will have no problems at all seeing Napoli and Uribe slot into this team. Both men bring a tonne of veteran experience and can be great mentors to the other young infielders on the club like Francisco Lindor, Jason Kipnis, Jose Ramirez and Jesus Aguilar.

Part of me would have liked to have seen the Tribe add David Freese over Uribe but Freese probably would have cost more and wanted a longer deal. I'm happy with the Uribe addition and I hope he can bring some much-needed offense to this lineup. Plus, there's something loveable about Uribe's face.

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That'll do for the first part of this Spring Training preview/analysis/chit-chat. Up next I'll be taking a look at the questions surrounding the bullpen and the rotation, and who's in contention for those open spots.

Thanks for reading.

Photo credits to Jordan Bastian at MLB.com and Jonathan Quilter at Columbus Dispatch.

Indians Sign Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for reading.

Indians Add Grossman, Paulino & Butler

Since my last post, the MLB Winter Meetings in Nashville have been and gone but the flurry of activity hasn't stopped. In fact, for the Indians it's only just begun.

Today the Indians agreed to terms with 2 free agents: Outfielder Robbie Grossman and pitcher Felipe Paulino, both men earning minor league contracts with invites to Spring Training and a chance to crack the Opening Day roster.

Grossman is 26 years-old and plays the outfield, mostly in left but he can play in right and center too. He's coming off the back of a very poor 2015 campaign, playing in just 24 games, batting .143/.222/.245 (BA/OBP/SLG) with 1 home run and 5 RBI, before being released by Houston this November. The acquisition of Grossman screams 'minor league depth addition' and I don't expect him to be the answer to the Tribe's outfield problems. But it can't hurt to give him a chance during the spring, and it's another low-risk addition to the team.

Paulino is a 32 year-old right-handed pitcher who last pitched in the majors for the White Sox in 2014. He spent all of 2015 with the Cubs' Triple-A farm team in Iowa, starting 20 games and pitching to a 4.93 ERA over 104 innings with 83 strikeouts. Traditionally a starter, the Tribe could figure to use him as a relief pitcher but obviously he'd be very useful for the occasional spot-start. Again, another low-risk, low-cost pickup that could bear fruit but won't hurt the club if things don't pan out.

A few days ago on December 7th the Indians claimed outfielder Joey Butler off of waivers from the Rays. Butler will be 30 years-old on Opening Day and is a right-handed bat who saw the majority of his time in 2015 as a DH in Tampa, but he can play the outfield too, mostly in left field. This would indicate that the Indians might view him as a stopgap until Michael Brantley recovers from his recent shoulder surgery. Butler has spent 3 years in the majors, with a career batting average of .274, and he hit 8 home runs in 88 games for Tampa in 2015. He is just one more low-risk outfield addition, to go along with Collin Cowgill (signed on December 3rd) and Robbie Grossman, but Butler is an interesting addition purely because his numbers don't totally stink and he could become a useful 4th outfielder for the Tribe in 2016 (if he can stick on the team.)

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From the additions the Indians have made thus far, it is clear the club do not intend to address the outfield concerns with a big splash via free agency, and are instead content to patch the holes with players who have been discarded from other teams that could potentially be reborn in Cleveland. These non-roster invitees are unlikely to have the kind of impact most Indians fans would like to see, but they won't cost the club anything and so they can't hurt at the very least.

A small market club like the Tribe were always highly unlikely to spend big, like the Cubs did today on Jason Heyward, but part of me wanted them to be a little more proactive during the Winter Meetings to acquire someone new who could really have an impact in the lineup. Be that via a trade or even a smaller free agency addition like Nori Aoki, it would have been refreshing to see Cleveland make an ambitious acquisition, instead of the 'dumpster-diving' they've participated in instead. I really hope players like Grossman, Butler and Cowgill can come good and be effective for the big league club, but the odds are against them.

The off-season isn't over yet though, and other major league clubs are still eyeing up our highly-prized arms. Maybe the Indians will surprise us and pull off a revolutionary trade that will turn them into instant contenders. Just don't get your hopes up.

Thanks for reading.

Fixing The Indians This Off-Season: Part 1

With the MLB Winter Meetings right around the corner I thought I'd put myself in the shoes of new Indians General Manager Mike Chernoff and President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti and create my own plan for the Indians' off-season. This is complete wish fulfillment but I'll try and stay as close to reality as possible (so they'll be no 'Hey, how about a trade for Mike Trout' stuff here.) Here's a few moves I would like to see happen between now and Spring Training 2016:

Upgrade The Outfield Part 1: Internal Solutions & Free Agency

The Indians' outfield during the 2015 season was a Frankenstein-like monster, with the only real bright spot being Michael Brantley. Despite an incredible comeback season by Jason Kipnis, Brantley was once again the best hitter in Cleveland and is the star player on this team outside of the rotation. Over 137 games, Brantley batted for a .310 average, 379 OBP, .480 SLG and a .859 OPS. He hit 15 homes runs, 84 RBIs, stole 15 bases and drew 60 walks, all contributing to an outstanding OPS+ of 130, a team high among batters with at least 200 at bats.

Brantley did all this whilst playing hurt and getting very little help from the rest of the Indians lineup. Not only does Brantley need help but his injuries eventually led to him being shut down towards the end of the season and he's since had arthroscopic shoulder surgery that will see him miss 5-6 months, almost certainly ruling him out for the beginning of the season. His rehab from that kind of surgery could be lengthy, so I'm not expecting a 100% healthy Brantley until late May/early June at best.

So the Indians are in a tricky spot, especially since the front office decided not to retain outfielder Ryan Raburn for $3 million, buying him out for $100,000 instead. Excluding Brantley, the current outfielders on the Indians 40 man roster right now are:

Abraham Almonte
Lonnie Chisenhall
Michael Choice
Tyler Naquin
James Ramsey
Jerry Sands
Zach Walters

A major league outfield looking for a division title that list does not make. Half of those guys are still Triple-A players and as much as Almonte endeared himself to me after coming over to Cleveland via trade, I'm still not entirely sold that he's a long term answer. I'd be willing to give Ramsey a chance to shine at the MLB level, but only if we already had the luxury of three healthy, productive outfielders (we don't). And Lonnie, well we know he's had his ups and downs, but he was remarkably decent in right field in 2015 which was a pleasant surprise. Can he stick there? On his previous experience with consistent production at the plate, the odds are he won't but I'd be willing to see if he can finally put it all together one final time. Cleveland has two potential star outfield prospects in Clint Frazier and Bradley Zimmer but realistically neither of them will contribute to the major league team in 2016, and they would have to post exemplary numbers in the minors for the Indians to even consider rushing them up the ladder to the big league club.

What can the Indians do to fix the outfield then? The club usually have a limited budget for free agents (rumored to be around $15 million this winter) but the market for outfielders is quite deep this off-season. There's a lot of guys who are likely out of the Tribe's reach but here's some outfield help I've singled out that could be picked up:

Nori Aoki
Dexter Fowler
Gerardo Parra
Rajai Davis
Drew Stubbs

Nori Aoki will be 34 on Opening Day but he's been very consistent over the course of his four year career in the majors since arriving in the States. He's averaged a .287/.353/.386 battling line (BA/OBP/SLG), has great speed (81 stolen bases over four years) and plays good defense. Katrina Putnam over at Wahoo's On First believes the club could get Aoki for somewhere in the range of $10 million over 2 years and I'd be happy with that. I'd probably prefer a 1 year deal with Aoki not getting any younger but if a 2 year deal is what it would take to get him, I'd sign him to it there and then.

However, if I had to make just one free agent signing this winter, a big splash of a signing, I think I'd go for Dexter Fowler. The premium outfield free agents like Yoenis Cespedes, Jason Heyward, Alex Gordon and Justin Upton are all going to fetch a price tag out of the Indians' range but Fowler might be in reach. He recently declined the Chicago Cubs' qualifying offer of $15.8 million for 1 year but if the Indians could put together a deal of around $15 million per year over 3 or 4 years, that might tempt him to the corner of Carnegie and Ontario. Committing between $45-60 million over that time frame is a risk that a small market club like the Indians are likely hesitant to make but Fowler could be worth it.

The switch-hitting center fielder has a career OBP of .363 and showed signs of power last year, hitting 17 home runs, a career high. He has great speed as well, stealing 20 bases in 2015 and plays a passable defense, although defensive metrics don't rate him. Fowler will be 30 years-old on Opening Day so he still has some youth left, plus he's remained remarkably healthy during his career, playing in a career high 156 games in Chicago last season. Apparently the Indians would only lose a second-round draft pick, not a precious first-rounder, if they acquired Fowler (due to him declining the qualifying offer) so that's a bonus too. Fowler could be a terrific leadoff hitter for the Tribe and if the club are willing to push the boat out just a little bit, I think they could bring him on board.

If the Indians don't want to spend that much and would also like somebody a bit more defensively-minded, then Gerardo Parra would be a suitable alternative. Parra is a Gold Glove caliber outfielder who can play across the entire outfield and he's also handy with the bat. He's a career .277 hitter and finished 2015 with a .291/.328/.452 batting line, despite his production falling off quite a bit after his mid-season move to Baltimore. Still, the 28 year-old Parra presents a significant upgrade and is within the Indians price range, reportedly around $27 million over 3 years. Both Fowler and Parra will have plenty of suitors during the off-season but if we could sign either one, I would be incredibly happy.

Rajai Davis and Drew Stubbs are strictly back up options, who I would both like to see offered minor-league contracts with invitations to Spring Training. Davis could provide a bit of pop off the bench and can still steal a base (20 SBs in 2015) and I really liked Stubbs in 2013 and would like to see him given another chance, despite an awful 2015 (a batting line of .195/.283/.382). Neither of these guys are the answer to Cleveland's outfield woes but some veteran insurance for depth can't hurt.

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That's a wrap for Part 1. In the next segment I will look at how the Indians could explore some trades to fix the outfield, probably involving a starting pitcher or two leaving the club.

Thanks for reading.