Bats Missing In Minnesota To Open 2019

The Cleveland Indians got their 2019 campaign underway in Minnesota but suffered a largely disappointing series, losing two games to one. The Twins are likely to be the Indians' primary competitors in the AL Central and will be buoyed by this Opening Week series win, but the Indians will know there is still a long season ahead, and with key contributors like Francisco Lindor still to return.

In this series recap, I'll look at some of the good and some of the bad. We should start with the positives:

The Good

Trevor Bauer and Corey Kluber were outstanding in their season debuts.

Bauer didn't pick up the victory in his start on Satuday but at least the team did, coming out on top 2-1 thanks to a ninth inning Greg Allen sac-fly. Regardless, he was sublime over 7 innings, with just 1 hit, 1 walk and 1 run given up, and he struck out 9 Twins. The right-hander's new changeup he raved about this off-season was as good as advertised, regularly disappearing in front of Twins hitters. I may not always agree with Bauer's personality but there's no denying he is one of the top pitchers in the AL. His partnership with catcher Roberto Perez looked almost telepathic.

Kluber pitched on Opening Day and logged 7 innings just like Bauer, and was incredibly sharp throughout the afternoon until he ran into some issues in that seventh inning: he gave up 4 hits and 1 walk for 2 runs, with 5 strikeouts, but those two runs were all Minnesota needed to top the Tribe. I had a horrible feeling the lack of run support would cost Kluber, and he unfairly took the loss but his performance was really encouraging.

On the offensive side, Hanley Ramirez started his career in Cleveland on a positive note, smashing his first home run for the Indians in Saturday's victory. It was one of the sweetest swings I've seen in a while, Griffey-esque in it's elegance. The ball got out in a hurry with a recorded 113.8 mph exit velocity, into Target Field's upper deck for an absolute mammoth home run. Ramirez picked up another hit that day and 2 walks as well, capping off an excellent first impression for his new ballclub.

The Bad

The Indians lineup struggled mightily without the absent Lindor and Jason Kipnis (not to mention the guys like Michael Brantley and Edwin Encarnacion currently on other teams).

Thursday's opening game saw the team collect just 2 hits as Twins ace Jose Berrios dominated the Tribe's hitters, racking up 10 strikeouts over 7.2 innings.

Jake Odorizzi and the Twins bullpen enjoyed similar success on Saturday (Odorizzi struck out 11) but thankfully the Indians managed to tag them for the two runs that proved to be enough to win the game. Still, Cleveland only collected 4 hits that day.

Sunday's rubber game saw Carlos Carrasco get picked apart over 4.1 innings, as the Twins hurt him for 10 hits and 6 earned runs. Carrasco did not look good in his outing and the Twins hit him hard; the 32 year-old allowed eight batted balls of 100-plus mph - he'll be incredibly disappointed to open the season like this. The Indians mustered 6 hits, four of which came solely from the bat of Carlos Santana, in the 9-3 series-defining defeat.

At the plate the majority of the Cleveland lineup looked lost, racking up strikeout after strikeout.

Jose Ramirez in particular looked worryingly out of sorts. The All Star third baseman hit 1-11 over the three games and looked embarrassingly awkward in his bunt attempts, as he tried in vain to battle Minnesota's severe defensive shifts. Perhaps that knee injury he sustained just prior to the season opener is impacting him more than originally anticipated.

Cleveland's uncertain outfield situation proved to be a cause for concern, as was predicted during the winter.

Tyler Naquin, thought by many to lack the necessary ingredients at the MLB level, did not endear himself to fans and management alike with his 0-for-7 showing during the first two games, including 6 strikeouts in a row. Terry Francona took the decision to bench him in favor of Greg Allen for Sunday's game and it felt like the correct decision. Jake Bauers, Jordan Luplow and Leonys Martin didn't exactly cover themselves in glory either, and you sense the Cleveland outfield will be a revolving door this season.

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There's no escaping it, this series against the Twins was cold and often brutal to watch. The bad might outweigh the good at this stage but let's not forget the season is just three games old, and recent Cleveland teams have been notoriously slow starters in April. To draw any meaningful conclusions this early is impossible.

The Indians return to action today in their home opener against the White Sox, despite the snowfall that was sitting pretty on the outfield this morning. It's set to be another frigid affair but the Tribe will be hoping Mike Clevinger can bring the heat, and get some much-needed positivity flowing once more at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.

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 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.

Tribe and Twins Split Puerto Rico Series

Having not played since Friday night because their weekend games against Toronto were cancelled due to the inhospitable Cleveland weather, the Indians were raring to go when they arrived in the homeland of Francisco Lindor and Roberto Perez.

Playing a two-game series in legendary Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the warmer climate appeared to re-energize this Indians squad, and the environment certainly reignited their bats (for the opening game at least!)

Why were the Indians and Twins in Puerto Rico you ask? This was organised by MLB last June, and it's the first time regular season games have been played in the country since 2010, when the Mets and Marlins visited the island.

This two-game set might have been billed as Twins home games but it was Francisco Lindor who garnered much of the attention, and rightfully so.

In fact, it was Lindor who ignited the crowd in the top of the fifth inning on Tuesday night. With game scoreless and the count full, Twins' starter Jake Odorizzi left a hanging breaking ball up in the zone that Lindor wasn't going to miss. The ball soon made it's way over the right field wall for a 2-run blast, his second home run of the season.

As Lindor started to round the bases, he motioned toward his mentor and fellow Puerto Rican Sandy Alomar Jr., and was soon pumping his arms at the crowd as chants of "Lindor! Lindor!" rang down upon him. With the raucous crowd begging for more, Lindor emerged from the dugout for perhaps the most powerful curtain call of his young career. It was quite a sight to behold, this native son delivering for his adoring family, friends and countrymen. "I'm just excited. I touched second base and looked in the dugout. Everybody's hands are up, so I put my hands up. I looked around the stadium, everybody's are up, so I keep putting my hands up and running."

Lindor's home run kick-started an offensive outburst that included solo home runs from Jose Ramirez, Michael Brantley and Yonder Alonso, all toward a 6-1 Tribe victory.

On the mound, Corey Kluber delivered a fine performance in typical Kluber fashion. He was completely unflappable and unfazed by the ceremony of the game. The Indians' ace pitched 6.2 innings, giving up 5 hits, 1 run (a Brian Dozier RBI double), 2 walks, and recorded 6 strikeouts, picking up his second win of the season in the process.

Wednesday night saw another superb pitching performance, this time by Carlos Carrasco, but he was matched by Minnesota starter and Puerto Rican native Jose Berrios. The two men had one heck of a duel, as Carrasco held the Twins scoreless for 7 innings with 7 strikeouts, and Berrios went the same distance, but with 5 strikeouts.

The second game of the series was somehow scoreless all the way to the fourteenth inning, with both teams emptying their bullpens, but the deadlock was finally broken by Edwin Encarnacion, who connected for his 4th home run of 2018 to put the Indians in the lead.

Sadly, the Twins replied instantly when slugger Miguel Sano hit a home run off Indians reliever Matt Belisle, to tie the game at 1-1. Two innings later, in the bottom of the sixteenth, center fielder Ryan LaMarre sent everyone home with a sharp single to give the Twins a walk-off 2-1 win.

Despite the split result, this series was overflowing with positivity throughout, and definitely appeared to bring some joy back to Puerto Rico, still suffering and rebuilding after Hurricane Maria devastated the nation over seven months ago.

The Tribe's attention now turns to Friday's trip to Baltimore, where they will play the Orioles in a four-game series. Trevor Bauer will take the mound for game one and faces off against right-hander Dylan Bundy, as the Indians look to finish their road trip in style before returning home for a long home stand next week.

Tribe Tame Tigers, Sweep Series

The Cleveland Indians continued their winning ways this week with a sweep over their AL Central rivals, the Detroit Tigers. The boys from Motown had no answer for the Tribe's vaunted pitching staff, and could only muster 5 runs in total. The Indians' lineup did just enough to back their starters to begin the series, before finally breaking out as the week progressed. With this sweep the Indians have now won 11 consecutive games against Detroit.

We're going to have a look at some talking points from this series:

Offense Showing Signs Of Life

Cleveland took the first two games of the series solely off the back of the long ball. With the team struggling to manufacture much offense in the freezing conditions, thankfully home runs traveled just far enough to lead the the Indians to victory.

Center fielder Bradley Zimmer got things started with his 2-run blast in the fifth inning of Monday's game, and they proved to be the only runs in the Indians' 2-0 win.

Tuesday night saw home runs bookend the Tribe's 2-1 victory, with Jose Ramirez getting a solo-shot over the wall in the first inning, and Roberto Perez ending the contest with one of his own in the eighth inning.

The offense showed some semblance of returning to normal on Wednesday night, finally recording a game with total hits in double-digits, for the first time this season. Remarkably the hometown team hit no homers that night but chose to do it the old fashioned way, with singles and doubles instead.

Thursday night saw the team really come alive, especially our most important hitters. Francisco Lindor (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI), Jason Kipnis (3-for-4, double, 2 RBI), Jose Ramirez (1-for-5, HR, 2 RBI) and Michael Brantley (2-for-4, double, 1 RBI) all had key hits in the Tribe's 9-3 rout, and the team racked up 15 hits altogether.

Despite the offense as a whole starting the season slowly (with many of our guys possessing batting averages below .200), the visit of Detroit jolted them to life. As the temperature slowly climbed each day, the bats got hotter as well, and hopefully the lineup can carry this momentum forward.

Rotation Domination

The success of this series largely hinged on the stellar performances from the pitching staff, particularly the rotation.

Corey Kluber took the mound on Monday night and was phenomenal. He had a season-high 13 strikeouts over 8 shutout innings, limiting the Tigers to 2 paltry hits and a single walk. It's gotten to the point where I expect this sort of game from Kluber every time he pitches. He's a superstar in the body of a man not interested in that sort of acclaim.

Carlos Carrasco got the start on Wednesday and, having seen Kluber's impressive outing, decided he had to go one better. These two guys had their own private battle in 2017, to test who was the undisputed ace of this staff, and I think that battle will continue this year. Carrasco pitched a complete game with 6 strikeouts, 3 hits, 2 walks, and routinely displayed his vast array of great off-speed pitches. The only run he gave up was a consolation solo-homer to Leonys Martin in the sixth inning, as the Indians ran out 5-1 winners.

After three starts each to begin the season, Kluber sits with a 1-1 record, a 1.57 ERA, with 27 strikeouts over 23 innings, whereas Carrasco has a perfect 3-0 record, a 3.48 ERA, with 14 strikeouts over 21.1 innings. Win-loss records can be so cruel (and remember kids, not necessarily a good indication of performance.)

Josh Tomlin toed the rubber for his second start of the campaign on Tuesday and, after a dreadful first performance against the Angels last week, Tomlin began the long journey towards silencing his critics. Tomlin picked up a no-decision for his 5 innings of scoreless baseball, limiting Detroit to 4 hits and 2 walks, with 3 strikeouts. Tomlin is no Kluber, obviously, but for the fifth starter, this was definitely an encouraging day at the office for the 33 year-old.

Finally, Trevor Bauer secured the sweep with another impressive display, pitching 7 strong innings to pick up his first win of the year. Bauer scattered 7 hits, for 2 earned runs, gave up 2 walks but struck out 7 Tigers. I've always considered Clayton Kershaw's curveball to be the most beautiful pitch in modern baseball, but Bauer's curve has got to run him close. It's a real weapon for the 27 year-old.

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The Indians will now play one more series at home, welcoming the Toronto Blue Jays to Progressive Field for a three-game set. Mike Clevinger pitches Friday night and will look to continue his fine start to 2018. He'll face off against Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman, who usually enjoys pitching against Cleveland (2.17 ERA in five games), but Stroman has struggled in cold conditions so far this season, and the temperature could affect him once again.

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.

ALDS Review: Unfulfilled Potential

Fans at Progressive Field began to file out before the end of last night's winner-takes-all Game 5 of the American League Division Series. In a game of such magnitude, when the stakes are at their highest, it is inconceivable to contemplate leaving before the final out of the ninth inning. But as Game 5 neared it's conclusion Indians fans knew deep down that the well of magic had been exhausted. 2017 was not to be their season after all, thanks to a determined Yankees side that came from behind to take the series.

It's going to take some time for Cleveland to digest what happened and plan for the future. There's going to be a great deal of analysis between now and the Winter Meetings about what went wrong. I'm certainly not the man with all the answers but nevertheless, I'm going to look at a couple of talking points from this disappointing ALDS defeat and the Indians' premature end to their season.

Talking About Terry

History has proven that it's often unwise to question Terry Francona's man-management abilities as he has repeatedly made fools of those who second-guessed his decisions. But we wouldn't be sports fans if we didn't debate and discuss those decisions, always pondering the "what-ifs." For instance, why did Francona commit to Jason Kipnis in center field when Austin Jackson, a veteran of the outfield, was available? Kipnis is a fine player, a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve, but a center fielder he is not, despite the epic catch he made in Game 1. This proved to be true when he made a catch in the field last night but didn't have the arm to nail a runner from 180 feet away. Not only did he lack the arm strength, but also the know-how and awareness to restrain himself from such an attempt. Kipnis is a second baseman and, if deemed ready for action, probably should have started at second. That way Jose Ramirez could have gone back to third base and Giovanny Urshela, basically a rookie, wouldn't have been risked in such high-leverage games. Kipnis started all 5 ALDS games in center and after his performances there, most would agree that he doesn't belong, despite his best efforts.

Another interesting case was Francona's decision to start Trevor Bauer in Game 1, which was rewarded with a comprehensive win. However this meant we saw Bauer feature in two games, and Carlos Carrasco in just one. Most casual fans and observers would have argued that it should have been Carrasco given that nod, and not Bauer, but then again you can't argue with the results in Game 1. Carrasco had a superb 2017 and personally I would have preferred to see him given two starts over Bauer, but that is easy to say in hindsight. Perhaps even a combination effort from Mike Clevinger, Danny Salazar and Josh Tomlin would have been better suited over a tired Bauer in Game 4, when he couldn't get out of the second inning after the Yankees ran up his pitch count before striking for 4 unearned runs. Perhaps Bauer returning on short rest was the cause for his Game 4 performance and ultimately the Indian's defeat (although those errors didn't help!), so you have to question if that could have been avoided. I am not an MLB manager so forgive my shortsightedness as I expect Francona had ALCS and World Series rotation planning in mind when he made his choices, but I would have opted for Carrasco.

The Walking Wounded

Injuries ravaged this Indians team all season long and they were particularly cruel to the team as October neared. Michael Brantley was never really healthy all season, despite recovering in time to make it onto the postseason roster. Lonnie Chisenhall was a similar case, in and out of the lineup all season long with a myriad of afflictions and received just 7 ALDS plate appearances.

The cruelest blow came to Bradley Zimmer, the rookie who had taken complete control of center field in 2017 and the Indians were really hurt by his absence, hence the Kipnis experiment. And of course Kipnis was injured for large portions of the year also, so perhaps his postseason struggles can be attributed to his late return. Finally, Edwin Encarnacion was felled in Game 2 and had to be helped from the field with a sprained right ankle. He wouldn't return until the decisive Game 5 and even as a DH you could tell he was struggling. The Tribe really could have used their slugger in the elimination games he missed; Encarnacion batted .258 with 38 home runs and 107 RBIs in his first season with the Indians.

The strange thing is the Indians were afflicted by injuries to the rotation in 2016 but this year the pitching staff were left largely unscathed. The biggest issue the group faced was an early back injury that bothered Corey Kluber in the season's first couple of months. In his two ALDS starts, something was clearly off with Kluber and memories of that back injury started to resurface for me. He was still out there on the mound working away, but something wasn't quite right, just like in April and May when he was forced onto the DL.

Did Kluber just under-perform or was it the injury that affected his poor postseason performances? "I don't think I need to get into details about it... I was healthy enough to go out there and try to pitch." When he says try to pitch, it makes me think something definitely wasn't right. Should he have been more honest and stepped aside to recover? Athletes at such high levels of competition rarely ever want to show weakness and remove themselves from further harm, and historically baseball has been one of the worst examples of this. We won't know for sure until time has allowed the postseason autopsy to be completed but I'd like think that the Indians wouldn't allow their ace to risk causing himself further damage, to himself and the team.

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And so history closes it's book on the Cleveland Indians' 2017 season and it's over far too early for Tribe fans. The historic unbeaten streak is undoubtedly the highlight of the season and hopefully Kluber will be awarded another AL Cy Young award. Jose Ramirez's breakthrough campaign captured our hearts and even though this team couldn't ultimately deliver, they're still a lovable bunch and their window to win is far from closed.

Congratulations must go to the Yankees, considered the underdogs before the series began. They fought tooth and nail to stave off elimination and ended up advancing to the ALCS against Houston. The only silver lining to their victory is that I saw them in the flesh this year. It won't make me very popular but I would like to see them go on and win it all now - just to say I saw the team that won the World Series!

There will be much discussion now about where this Indians team is headed and some key decisions to make about their futures; do they retain Carlos Santana? What about Michael Brantley and Bryan Shaw? Could Kipnis be traded? We'll spend the rest of the fall and all of winter debating this. Until then, try and enjoy the rest of the playoffs, even if the Indians are no longer there.

Thanks for reading.

Unfinished Business: ALDS Preview

I have to admit, it's a strange world when postseason baseball begins and it is the Indians who are considered the favorites and not the historically rich Yankees. Coming off the back of 2016, when the Tribe came so agonizingly close to winning it all, it would have been a disaster if they missed out on October baseball this year. But we had no reason to fear, not even during those inconsistent first months; all that matters now is that they're back, having retooled and upgraded (thank you Edwin and Jay). Our expectations this month pretty much start and end with a championship. Anything less will be considered a failure.

First of all they must get past the vaunted Bronx Bombers, a team I saw in person this season during my time in New York. I said previously that the Indians are considered favorites but in truth the gap between the two sides is very close. The Yankees are arguably ahead of schedule; no one really expected them to be here in 2017, not yet anyway. Thanks to Aaron Judge's monstrous rookie season, and some fine pitching and hitting from his teammates, the New York side have somewhat crashed the party and won't hesitate to throw everything they have at an Indians team with loftier ambitions than this time last year. 

When Cleveland took on Boston in the 2016 ALDS, I just wanted them to give a good account of themselves, to push the Red Sox to a game 5 and see if they could ride their luck into the ALCS. The fact that the Tribe went on to sweep Boston out of the series was something I never even dreamed of. In 2017 the expectations are much higher and progress past Aaron Judge and his merry men is expected, perhaps even demanded.

Game 1 starts tonight and Terry Francona has made the surprising choice to start Trevor Bauer on the mound and not Corey Kluber. Bauer did beat the Yankees twice in August though, holding them to just a single run in each match-up: 7 innings at Progressive Field on August 4th, then 6 innings at Yankee Stadium on August 30th. But despite his recent success the majority of fans would have expected Kluber to get the nod for the opener. However Francona clearly trusts Bauer, and his bullpen, to get the job done and save Kluber for game 2. It gives the ace a full 5 days of rest ahead of his start and ensures he could feature in a pivotal game 5 if necessary. And with a bullpen that includes the likes of Danny Salazar, Mike Clevinger and Andrew Miller, why wouldn't you be confident? Francona made excellent use of Miller last October and earned many plaudits for it. Now he has even more talent at his disposal and knows full well that to be successful in the playoffs, the guy who starts the game doesn't necessarily have to finish it.

Game 3 would likely see Carlos Carrasco make his first ever postseason appearance, after cruelly being left on the sidelines in 2016 thanks to injury. Every Tribe fan is excited to see Carlos on the big stage and combined with Kluber, that's a two-headed fire-breathing pitching dragon that opposition teams will not want to face. Josh Tomlin is available to pitch game 4 if called upon.

The Yankees send Sonny Gray to the mound tonight, a pitcher I've always admired. Backed by that powerful lineup which led the league in total home runs, with 241 of them, Gray will feel confident facing the Tribe. He pitched against Cleveland three times this season, throwing 16.2 innings with a 4.86 ERA, and Tribe hitters batted just .224 against him. A stern test awaits the Indians for sure but nothing they haven't seen, and conquered, before.

The Indians will ultimately be hoping to make quick work of New York, just like they did against Boston in 2016. I feel this series will be closer than last year's ALCS but overall I still expect Cleveland to emerge victorious. Ideally with plenty of rest ahead of the next opponent.

History Marches On: The Streak

It feels like only yesterday that I was watching the AL Central standings with some sense of anxiety. The Indians have been top of the division for the vast majority of 2017 but I was cautious of the chasing pack nonetheless. When the Tribe were scuffling before the All Star break I, like most fans, was watching for the results of the Twins and Royals every night, just to see if Cleveland could extend their lead just a little bit more. At the end of July they had a slim two-game lead over Kansas City and things were looking good, but nothing was certain.

Then August happened. Then "The Streak" happened.

If you're reading this then you're surely aware that this Indians team just made history. On Tuesday night Corey Kluber pitched a complete game shutout in a 2-0 win against the Tigers, securing the Tribe's 20th straight victory, matching the AL record previously set by the A's in 2002. The following night they beat the Tigers again, 5-3 this time, to set a new AL record of 21 consecutive wins. Then on Thursday they went and sealed the deal, walking off against the Royals 3-2 thanks to a Jay Bruce 10th inning double. That was win number 22, giving the Tribe sole possession of the longest winning streak in Major League history, surpassing the Cubs's tally of 21 set in 1935. It clinched the Indians' trip to the playoffs as well, so there'll be no more looking over our shoulder at the Twins and Royals anymore.

Let's take a quick look at some of the key factors during this epic run:

Francisco Lindor's Emerging Leadership

The All Star with the best grin in baseball has been nothing short of spectacular in recent weeks. He has truly developed as a leader both on and off the field in 2017, stepping up in big moments and always quick to remind people that he's not alone out there.

This was no more evident than Thursday night's nail biter against the Royals. With the streak at 21 games and Kansas City leading 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth, up stepped Lindor. With two strikes and two outs and the Tribe's historic run perilously close to ending, Lindor hit a line drive to the left field wall that just missed the outstretched glove of Alex Gordon. Erik Gonzalez had the presence of mind to take off once Lindor connected and he scored from first base to tie the game 2-2 and keep the streak alive. Cue absolute scenes in Cleveland.

In the last three weeks Lindor has slashed .360/.427/.767 with 9 homers and 20 RBIs. His overall numbers for the season have seen a healthy boost as a result: his 30 home runs lead the majors for all shortstops and his.842 OPS is good enough for third among shortstops as well. He is only behind the Rangers' Elvis Andrus in RBIs (79), doubles (38), hits (164) and runs (87).

Overall he's put in another incredible season and the Indians rely on his consistency. Thankfully for Indians fans he's hit his stride at just the right time.

Jose Ramirez Is A Legitimate MVP Contender

As far as the national media are concerned, Jose Ramirez has had a breakout season. I'm not inclined to argue with that but I would like to point out that Indians fans have known for some time now what a special player he is. It's only this year that everyone else is paying attention.

Ramirez has been the catalyst behind everything good in Cleveland this season, especially during the streak. He has slashed .423/.474/944 with 8 home runs and 11 doubles over the course of the Indians' consecutive winning run. His overall numbers are ridiculous: a .314/.368/.573 batting line for a .941 OPS, with 26 home runs, 73 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. Ramirez's 50 doubles lead the majors and he has just 64 strikeouts in 541 at-bats! There isn't another third baseman like him in the American League and he rivals the very best in the NL, guys like Nolan Arenado, Justin Turner and Kris Bryant.

He's put himself in a prime position to be considered for the AL MVP and it is definitely justified. His name is being floated around with the likes of Mike Trout, Jose Altuve and Aaron Judge. Altuve recently admitted, “Ramirez is a complete player... He’s an MVP-caliber player.’’ His all-around abilities have catapulted him into the limelight and it hasn't fazed Ramirez one bit. Jonah Keri just called him one of the most exciting players in baseball and now every baseball fan knows it.

Unbeatable Rotation

Cleveland's rotation have been considered the strongest element of their team in recent years and that was largely down to the excellence of Corey Kluber. Nowadays he has support and the entire rotation have been unstoppable, as have the excellent bullpen. You could certainly argue that the entire pitching staff have been the most important factor towards the Tribe's success in 2017.

Kluber (16-4, 2.44 ERA), Carlos Carrasco (15-6, 3.41 ERA), Trevor Bauer (16-8, 4.33 ERA), Mike Clevinger (10-5, 3.21 ERA) and Josh Tomlin (9-9, 5.04 ERA) have all combined to form the most dominant rotation in the majors, and certainly the most effective. Kluber in particular has put together another award-worthy campaign: 243 strikeouts in 184.2 innings of work, restricting opposition hitters to a measly .191 batting average. Boston's Chris Sale is probably still considered by many to be the front-runner for the AL Cy Young but Kluber will undoubtedly push him all the way.

Over the course of this streak Kluber and Carrasco have combined for a miniscule 1.03 ERA and recorded 69 strikeouts between them. They have also granted just 3 walks. That is absolutely insane.

Together with the bullpen, who now have a healthy Andrew Miller back in their ranks, no team will want to face Kluber, Carrasco and co. Altogether they make a seriously scary proposition.

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It's been a magnificent three weeks for every Indians fan and all the record chasing has been a lot of fun. MLB are trying to pass off the 1916 New York Giants' "streak" of 26 wins a row as the official record. But their run of games included an 8 inning 1-1 tie against the Pirates on September 18, called short due to inclement weather. Sorry Charlie but a tie is not a victory, so that's not a 26 game winning streak is it? It's an unbeaten streak for sure, and massive credit must go to the 1916 Giants for that. As an Arsenal I know my fair share about historic unbeaten streaks. However let's be clear;  it is the Indians who should now be recognized as the outright holders of consecutive wins, not just in the AL, but the entire Major Leagues.

Jays Drop Tribe, Take Series

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

The Trouble With Trevor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Here are some other notes from the series:

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

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

Thanks for reading.

Tribe Take Two In Chicago, Win Series

I haven't got a lot of time today to properly recap the Indians' series win against the Chicago White Sox. The Tribe won the series on the back of two superb starting pitching performances but couldn't record a sweep thanks to a sloppy error-strewn loss in the third and final game. Still, a series win on the road is nothing to sneeze at, and the Indians stay atop the AL Central with a 10-8 record, tied with Detroit.

As I'm short for time, here's some quick notes on the series overall:

• Corey Kluber had his best performance of the early season so far in Friday's opening game. He was in Cy Young form during the complete game shutout. Over his nine dominant innings of work, Kluber threw 110 pitches, striking out 9 and walking 2, and allowed just 3 hits. Not a single White Sox hitter got further than second base. It was the best pitching performance by a Tribe starter this season and Kluber takes the Player of the Week award for his efforts. What a champ.
• Carlos Carrasco did everything in his power to top Kluber's start the night before but came up just short. And by just short, I actually mean he was unstoppable, just for an inning less. Carrasco threw 8 innings, with 3 hits and 1 walk, and struck out 8. He's been unbelievably effective in all four of his starts so far.
• The less said about Sunday's game the better. It was a mess defensively and the errors were unfortunate to say the least. 
• Jason Kipnis made his first appearance of the 2017 campaign on Friday and boy is it nice to have him back. Hopefully his shoulder injury that delayed his start to the season has completely healed and won't hinder him in the future.

The Indians have today off before hosting the red-hot Astros at Progressive Field tomorrow night, with Josh Tomlin pitching for the home side. He'll face off against Dallas Keuchel, who apparently has rediscovered his 2015 Cy Young winning form, and currently sits with a 3-0 record and a 0.96 ERA.

Thanks for reading.

Bats Still Silent, Detroit Drops Indians

The Tigers came into Cleveland over the Easter weekend and managed to take away a series victory, beating the Tribe two games to one. The series defeat capped off a disappointing homestand for the Indians, who are still struggling to put it all together since the sweep of Texas to open the season. They now sit with a 5-7 record.

Detroit took the first game on Friday night 7-6, despite the Indians' best attempts to make it close in the final innings (a Lonnie Chisenhall grand slam will help) but ultimately their comeback came up short. The Tribe lineup burst into action on Saturday though, annihilating Tigers' ace Justin Verlander in a lopsided 13-6 win, with Jose Ramirez having an especially good day (more on that later.) Sadly the hometown team couldn't win the rubber game on Sunday, as the Indians apparently used up all their runs the day before, and lost 4-1.

Let's look at a couple of talking points from the weekend's series:

Where Did You Go, Yan Gomes?

It's common knowledge in Cleveland that the Indians' Brazilian catcher has been in quite a slump, and it's lasted for over two years now. Nine games into his 2017 season, well lets just say it appears Gomes' problems at the plate haven't gone away just yet. He's currently batting just .067/.152/.167 (AVG/OBP/SLG); that's only 2 hits in 30 attempts. Fair enough Yan, one of them was a home run, but this is still a very bad start to an important season for the 29 year-old. With his backup Roberto Perez nipping at his heels and the impressive prospect Francisco Mejia on the rise, Gomes' days in Cleveland appear to be numbered and his time with the Indians might come to a close sooner rather than later if he doesn't find a way to turn things around. Despite being signed through to 2019, how long does the club endure Gomes' offensive struggles? That magical period between 2013-14 when he was the AL Silver Slugger suddenly feels like a long time ago and the current version of Gomes the Indians trot out there everyday looks like a shadow of his former self.

I've been a big Gomes supporter in the past but the odds of him recapturing some of his former glory look slim. It's still very early in the season, make no mistake about that, so there's time to turn it around yet. Thankfully he still calls an excellent game defensively but with the bat he's an awful mess right now. For his sake more than ours, I just hope he can start stringing together some hits before things turn ugly.

Carlos Carrasco - Ace In The Making

Corey Kluber is the definitive ace of the Indians' pitching staff and the former Cy Young award winner deserves his position at the top of the rotation. However an argument could be made that Carlos Carrasco is pitching as well, if not better than Kluber so far in 2017, and the Venezuelan right-hander may be on the cusp of earning ace status pretty soon.

Carrasco has been on the verge of making the leap for a couple of years but an odd injury here and there has stalled his progress and disrupted his momentum. Despite struggling with some swelling in his elbow this spring, the injury doesn't appear to have hindered him thus far.

In his three starts Carrasco has pitched 19.1 innings and given up just 5 earned runs while striking out 19 and walking 6, to the tune of a 2.33 ERA. No other Tribe starter has pitched as many innings so far this season, not even the ol' workhorse Kluber.

On Sunday Carrasco lasted 6.2 innings, scattering 4 hits for 2 earned runs. He struck out 5 Tigers but he gave up 5 walks as well, which was uncharacteristic but thankfully didn't come back to hurt him. The damage Detroit dealt to Carrasco came on a Alex Avila two-run homer in the second inning, on a fastball Carrasco mistakenly left right over the middle of the plate. After that blip Carrasco knuckled down and didn't let Detroit tag him again. However the Indians' offense couldn't provide their starter much run support and Carrasco was unfairly given the loss, despite pitching a good game.

It has long been remarked by both fans and scouts alike that Carrasco may possess the best stuff on the Indians staff. His split-finger can make opposition hitters look downright foolish and he mixes his fastball and slider to devastating effect. In fact Carrasco's slider has been called "one of the best pitches in baseball" by Baseball Prospectus. Is 2017 the year he finally puts it all together and qualifies himself as a bonafide ace? We won't know for a little while yet but he's certainly off to a good start.

Player Of The Series

Jose Ramirez wins the award this series, and by some margin. Over the course of the three game set Ramirez had 11 at-bats against Detroit and managed to collect 7 hits. It was on Saturday in particular when he really broke out, recording a hit in all 4 of his plate appearances. The dynamic 24 year-old Dominican hit 2 home runs for 6 RBI, and recorded a walk for good measure in the Indians' blowout win. Ramirez has been a fan favourite for a while now but he further cemented his place in my heart with this performance. His offensive output on Saturday catapulted my fantasy team from 9th to 2nd place in my 10 team mixed league. I am forever grateful Jose, and congratulations on winning the award for this series.

The Indians go on the road for their next seven games, beginning with a four game series in Minnesota. The Twins will likely start Kyle Gibson and the Indians will send out Danny Salazar for his third start of the season.

Thanks for reading.

How Sweep It Is! Tribe Trounce Texas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Player Of The Series

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

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

Thanks for reading.