2019 Cleveland Indians Season Review

Be careful what you wish for.

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

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

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

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

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

Injuries And Even More Injuries

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

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

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

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

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

The Rotation

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jose Ramirez

What a perplexing year for Jose Ramirez.

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

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

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

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

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

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

His final line for 2019:

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

Oscar Mercado

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

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

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

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

Roberto Pérez

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

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

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

That's ridiculous.

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

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

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

Honorable Mentions

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

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

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

2020 will be even better.

Indians Salvage Series, Split With Sox

The Indians got off to a rough start in this AL Central battle against the White Sox, dropping the first two games, before roaring back to split the series with an epic walk-off and a rain-shortened victory at Progressive Field. Cleveland now sit second in the division with a 20-16 record, trailing the 23-12 Twins by 3.5 games.

The Tribe lineup made Chicago pitchers Ivan Nova and Lucas Giolito look like Cy Young contenders in the first two games of the series - the Indians were limited to just a single run over both contests, despite Nova and Giolito beginning their days with ERAs over 5.00.

The offense came alive to rescue the series though, thanks to a resurgent Jose Ramirez, who is finally starting to show signs of life after an April hibernation (.181/.281/.276 and 2 home runs, a miserable month). Ramirez's ninth inning 2-run homer in game three sealed a 5-3 victory in walk-off fashion, and the diminutive Dominican was showered with love (and everything else) at home plate by his teammates.

Jordan Luplow, recently recalled to the big club, was the hero in Thursday's final game, clubbing 2 home runs to pace the Tribe in a 5-0 win, that was cut short by rain after 5 innings.

Let's delve into the details, and look at the good and the bad from this week:

The Good

Shane Bieber has been a pillar of consistency to begin the 2019 season and was excellent yet again in his outing against Chicago in game three. Bieber has impressed in six of his seven starts this year, the only blemish being an unfortunate outing against the Braves. Outside of that, the young Californian has been outstanding.

At just 23 years-old Bieber has taken to life in a major league rotation with remarkable ease, and he was effective yet again when facing the White Sox on Wednesday.

After losing the first two games, Bieber was exactly what Cleveland needed to right the ship, pitching 6.1 innings with 6 strikeouts, scattering 8 hits for 3 runs. With his teammates still struggling to break out of their offensive slump, Bieber kept his team in the game and was rewarded late on thanks to Ramirez's walk-off homer. Bieber's excellent off-speed arsenal saw White Sox hitters regularly swing and miss and his contribution went a long way towards stopping the rot.

As we enter mid-May, Bieber has logged 43.1 innings with 48 strikeouts and currently holds a 3.32 ERA. He continues to impress with every outing but must be wary of the longball; Bieber has given up a home run in each of his last four starts (including a pair in that ill-fated Braves game). However, that doesn't detract from the progress he has shown in his sophomore season and with the Indians rotation missing Corey Kluber and Mike Clevinger, it has been a blessing that they can rely upon Bieber every fifth day.

Another member of the rotation deserves praise as well: Jefry Rodriguez, who joined Cleveland as part of the Yan Gomes trade to the Nationals, has been a revelation when called upon this year and enjoyed another confident start in game two.

The 25 year-old Rodriguez logged 6 strong innings with 6 strikeouts, giving up just 2 runs spread over 7 hits and 3 walks. The Dominican righty showed great resolve to work his way out of trouble, including a bases-loaded escape in the fourth inning. Sadly his offense couldn't back him and Rodriguez ended up taking the loss in the 2-0 defeat. Despite the disappointing final result, he has consistently shown himself to be a solid starter when called upon in each of his three appearances this season.

Terry Francona has utilized Rodriguez primarily as a spot-starter so far but I would expect to see him feature more often whilst Kluber and Clevinger remain on the injured list. Rodriguez currently sits with an 0-2 record and a 2.41 ERA, with 12 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.

To round out the good news portion of this recap, let's give Jordan Luplow a round of applause for his 2 home runs in Thursday's 5-0 win. His first blast came in the second inning, a deep shot into the left-center field bleachers, and his second homer was an opposite field effort that cleared the wall with ease in the fifth. These were Luplow's first home runs of the year, and his first with Cleveland. Luplow was sent to the minors on April 10th batting .200, but since his return on April 28th the 25 year-old has been in fine form, slashing .333/.429/.778. If he can keep this up it could go a long way towards the Indians figuring out one of the holes in their outfield.

The Bad

It's no secret that the Indians' offense has been struggling since the beginning of the season and, now into mid-May, they are still trying to find their rhythm at the plate. Cleveland are close to the bottom of the league in every major offensive category and despite splitting this series, the lineup found it awfully hard to manufacture runs.

The Tribe went 6-for-39 with runners in scoring position whilst Chicago were in town, with a total of 36 runners left on base over the four games. The inability to convert scoring opportunities was no more evident than game one, when the Tribe recorded 10 hits but only produced 1 run, a lonely Jason Kipnis RBI.

It's still too early in the season to panic about this disturbing lack of run production but we are right to be concerned. It hasn't helped that Jose Ramirez has been a shadow of his former self, and Francisco Lindor is clearly still feeling his way back to 100%. I can't help but think that this team is missing Edwin Encarnacion, Michael Brantley and Yan Gomes more than they would like to admit.

Another unfortunate outcome from the series was Trevor Bauer's uncharacteristic performance in game one's 9-1 hammering.

Bauer was hit hard over 5 innings, surrendering 10 hits for 8 runs (7 earned), including 2 homers. He did punch out 7 White Sox but it was clear that Bauer didn't have his best stuff, and was soundly beaten. It was his shortest outing of 2019 so far, and the Chicago lineup capitalized on being aggressive at the plate, routinely putting Bauer into uncomfortable situations and making the most of any pitch left over the plate.

After the game Bauer revealed to the press some examples of the social media abuse he receives on a regular basis, including death threats. It was refreshing to see one of baseball's premier pitchers speak so candidly about a topic that is at the forefront of today's society, yet doesn't appear to have a clear and obvious solution. Bauer has earned many plaudits for speaking out about this and showcasing just how vile the dark side of social media can be.

The 28 year-old has long been a figure of controversy but I have to admit, he's beginning to win me over this season, on and off the mound. His persistent antagonizing of Houston's Alex Bregman has been a tad distasteful but his YouTube content has been very enjoyable, particularly his sit-down dinner conversations with Nolan Arenado, Whit Merrifield and teammate Kipnis. If you haven't checked them out yet, I highly recommend you do.

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Tonight the Indians head west to Oakland to begin a three game set with the A's, before taking on the White Sox again in Chicago, on Monday.

Cody Anderson will get game one underway and is hoping to avoid a repeat performance like his last outing again against Seattle - the big righty couldn't get out of the first inning, allowing 4 runs on 2 hits. His opponent is Oakland's Frankie Montas, who has a 2.75 ERA through seven starts and has been the A's top pitcher thus far.

Houston Hold Indians To Split Series

As we get ready to enter the month of May your Cleveland Indians are 15-12.

This is despite Jose Ramirez, an MVP candidate in 2018, looking like a malfunctioning android at the plate. He is batting .188 with 2 homers for a 51 wRC+.

This is despite the team's heart and soul, Francisco Lindor, missing all of spring training and most of April with injuries. The shortstop only returned on April 20, and has already hit 3 home runs in eight games.

This is with an outfield so patched together that it's a daily challenge to remember who is still on the roster and who is in Triple-A. No, Oscar Mercado is not on the 25-man roster, but Jordan Luplow is.

With all of the uncertainty surrounding the team this year, for them to possess a 15-12 record at the end of April (a month the Indians historically struggle in), it's okay. It's not amazing, it's not impressive, but it's decent.

Things could be worse. Just ask Boston.

The Tribe completed a four-game set in Houston this weekend, against those pesky Astros responsible for our ignominious ALDS exit last year, and managed to split the series two games apiece. Let's go over some of the talking points from the series, some of the positives and negatives to take away from Minute Maid Park.

The Good

Trevor Bauer toed the rubber for game one of the series and continued his fine start to the season with another dominant outing and victory in a 2-1 Tribe win.

Faced against his old UCLA teammate Gerrit Cole, the pair of premier pitchers put on a pitching masterclass, but it was Bauer who came out on top. The 28 year-old worked 8 innings and gave up just 4 hits and 1 run (an early homer by George Springer). Strangely, Bauer surrendered 6 walks and struck out just 3 batters, but was able to pitch so deep into the game thanks to his ability to induce weak contact from the Houston lineup. He wasn't even experiencing difficulties with his pitches - the last two fastballs he threw clocked in at 97.1 and 97.6 mph, his fastest of the night.

Bauer has long enjoyed success against the Astros, and is one of just two active pitchers who have made nine starts against Houston without recording a loss (the other pitcher is Justin Verlander, who plays for them!)

He didn't hesitate to savor the moment either, reigniting his feud with Astros third baseman Alex Bregman on social media:

👋🏻👋🏻 @ABREG_1 #TakeItBack #RallyTogether @astros @Indians @MLBNetwork @IntentionalTalk @barstoolsports @Starting9 pic.twitter.com/koQV8vD5ph

— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) April 27, 2019

Bauer kept Bregman hitless and celebrated the only way Bauer knows how. For a recap of their ongoing battle, check out MLB.com's recent rundown containing all their history.

Another highlight of the series was the Indians' timely hitting - both victories in the series lent themselves to key hits at important moments.

In Bauer's game one start, the lineup provided him with limited run support but thankfully Leonys Martin and Jake Bauers each launched a solo homer to back their starter. Martin had a pair of home runs in the series and Bauers, whilst not as eye-catching as Yandy Diaz perhaps (the man he was traded for), is developing into a considerable presence at the plate. The young Bauers had a hit in every game of the series, batting 5-for-13 overall.

Clutch hitting was responsible for the Tribe's second victory as well. After starter Corey Kluber battled through 5 innings and 3 earned runs, the bullpen took over and were superb (especially Brad Hand), managing to keep them off the scoreboard for the rest of the game.

It was up to the Indians hitters to rescue the day and with the score tied in the top of the 7th inning, Tyler Naquin emerged as the unlikely hero. Naquin crushed a 95mph fastball into the gap in right-center field for a huge double, plating Greg Allen to push the Indians ahead. In the top of the 9th, Lindor put the result beyond doubt with a 2-run shot to opposite field, sealing the 6-3 victory. It was his second home run of the day, and the 101st of his career.

The Bad

Jason Kipnis began the season on the injured list but returned to the team on April 15th and played well, bringing some much-needed stability to the lineup. Kip batted .308 in his first seven games back and I for one was happy to see him out there.

Sadly that nice little run came to an abrupt end in Houston, as Kipnis went 0-for-16 against the Astros with 5 strikeouts. His average has since plummeted to .190 and the "out with Kipnis" naysayers have returned. It didn't take them long did it?

It's an incredibly small sample against one of the best teams in the league, so I think Kipnis, after his many years of service to Cleveland, deserves to be cut some slack before fans start calling for his head. The idea that Brad Miller should have been retained on the roster at Kip's expense, based purely on their April numbers, is laughable.

Kipnis certainly wasn't alone in his struggles against the Astros. Carlos Carrasco was enjoying a fine day on the mound before being stung late in the 7th inning, taking the loss in 4-1 defeat that secured Houston a split series.

Carrasco was cruising through the Astros' lineup, and had a 1-0 lead thanks to a Carlos Santana home run from the 4th inning. He ran into serious trouble in the 7th though, when a Michael Brantley (ouch) single marked the beginning of the end for the Venezuelan native.

The Astros tied the game when a Yuli Gurriel double scored Brantley, but it was the decision to intentionally walk Josh Reddick that came back to bite the Indians. Reddick was issued a free pass in favor of Robinson Chirinos and theoretically the move made some sense; Reddick entered the day with a .354 average, and Chirinos was batting .279. Terry Francona chose to attack the seemingly inferior player.

With two outs and men on first and second, Carrasco tried to muscle a low and inside fastball past Chirinos but the big Venezuelan wasn't fooled and absolutely destroyed the ball for a 3-run homer.

Carrasco was rocked and didn't recover. Two straight singles later and he was toasted; within the span of 14 pitches Carrasco's terrific performance was completely undone and the Tribe couldn't come back. The score remained 4-1 to Houston.

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The Indians move on from Texas and enjoy an off day before they take on the Marlins for a brief two game series in Miami.

Perhaps the Florida sunshine is just what this team needs.

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.

Opening Day Live Blog - Indians vs Twins

10:27 - Good morning from sunny England and welcome to Opening Day! I'm currently at work, desperately waiting for 5pm to get here, and already mentally preparing myself for this evening's festivities.

If you've been living under a rock, you might not have seen the Indians are in Minnesota to kickstart their 2019 season against their division foes. I have just checked the weather for Minneapolis and it estimates the temperature at first pitch to be around 48°F, or 9°C for us Brits. Toasty then.

12:02 - I'm already hungry thinking about the food I'm having tonight ahead of the game. Every Opening Day my wife and I have hot dogs but this year I'm considering adding nachos to the party. We like to make a fuss on this most special of days.

13:59 - I've been out for lunch and returned with all the stuff for hot dogs and nachos. It's on. 

15:05 - I’ve just seen the breaking news confirming that star third baseman Jose Ramirez will be in the Indians lineup today, after some recent concerns about his health. Ramirez had to be carted from the field on Sunday after fouling a ball off his left knee and he looked in serious pain. Thank goodness he has recovered in time, because the Indians and myself will need him fully fit; he's the pride and joy of my fantasy team this season.

17:15 - I'm home from work and the baseball is on!

18:00 - With a couple of hours to go before first pitch let's quickly go over our starting pitchers this afternoon:

Corey Kluber is making his fifth straight Opening Day start for the Tribe (tied for the longest streak in franchise history.) Last year Kluber lead the AL with 215 innings pitched, to go alone with 222 strikeouts and a 2.89 ERA.

Jose Berrios is his opponent and the 24 year-old righty posted a career-best 3.84 ERA in 2018. He’ll want to make an impression against the experienced Kluber and the Lindor-less Indians.

18:10 - Speaking of Lindor, the face of the franchise will be missing today thanks to an injury ravaged spring. First it was his calf, and now his ankle, injured on Wednesday in a run-down during a minor league rehab game. Jason Kipnis will also be absent as he is struggling with a calf problem of his own. So the Tribe lineup will be a little lightweight today as a result, with rookie Eric Stamets and veteran Brad Miller debuting in their stead.

18:40 - I have finished cooking the hot dogs and they are ready to be enjoyed. We didn’t have any mustard so ketchup it is, and I tried my best to get the swirly ballpark pattern (and failed).

18:58 - I've just checked in with my buddy Matt, a Brewers fan, who is also enjoying Opening Day. Thanks to a Christian Yelich 3-run homer he is now enjoying the occasion a little bit more. Matt's girlfriend Libby is an A's fan, and I like to take some of the credit for her baseball fandom (I bought her hat for her birthday!)

19:30 - We have spent most of this evening watching the Yankees game whilst we patiently wait for the Indians to start. My wife decided they were her team after she embraced the Evil Empire during our trip to New York in 2017. I’m not even mad, I just love she shows enthusiasm for one of my hobbies!

19:42 - The Yankees are crushing the Orioles and this contest is done, so I’m gonna get started on the nachos.

20:00 - The nachos are out, I’ve got a beer in my hand and the Tribe get started in 10 minutes!

20:10 - Oh hi new uniforms! I forgot the navy jerseys were getting a makeover, but I must say they look pretty nice. 

20:26 - 1st inning over and both sides go quietly, both pitchers look on their game.

20:35 - I can't eat any more nachos. I might be sick.

20:40 - I’m a big fan of Brad Miller’s stirrups. Not a fan of the umpire calling an inside ball a strike. 

20:47 - Jake Bauers take a bow sir! The second out of the 3rd inning is a high fly ball into foul territory and Bauers sprints and slides in the dirt to pull off a spectacular catch! Kluber is cruising through three innings thus far, but Berrios is matching him pitch for pitch.

20:50 - First hit of the ballgame! Leonys Martin ropes a liner down the first base line and into the corner, and collects a double for his trouble.

20:59 - Berrios has 6 strikeouts through 4 innings and is making the Tribe lineup look silly. They can’t touch his change-up, it just drops off a cliff.

21:29 - The Twins finally get a hit off Kluber in the bottom of the 6th, Byron Buxton sending a double off the wall, but Kluber strands him. The game is just over an hour old and we’re headed into the 7th already - cruising along!

21:51 - Nelson Cruz gets a single to start the bottom of the 7th but Kluber strikes out Eddie Rosario looking and there’s an audible groan from the Puerto Rican outfielder. Beautiful pitch. CJ Cron then muscles out a single that drops into shallow center field to put Kluber in a pickle and just like that a Marwin Gonzalez single escapes the grasp of Leonys Martin and rolls to the wall, scoring two to give the Twins a sudden 2-0 lead.

21:55 - Kluber hits Jonathan Schoop in the wrist to put him on but comes back to strike out Jason Castro looking, a perfectly placed pitch at the knees on the corner. A Byron Buxton pop-up ends the inning and Kluber’s day as well. He’s been really sharp but you can’t help feel the lack of run support is gonna cost him. Kluber finishes with 7 innings pitched, 4 hits, 2 earned runs and 5 strikeouts.

22:06 - Brad Miller, he of the fantastic stirrups and no batting gloves (this guy has won me over already), cracks a single to force Berrios from the game. The Twins youngster gets a standing O from his adoring crowd and he deserves it. He’s been lights out, with 7.2 innings pitched, 10 K’s and just 2 hits given up.

22:12 - Greg Allen, in as a pinch hitter for Stamets, strikes out looking on a low pitch from Twins reliever Taylor Rogers. The umpire loves it and is very theatrical in his call of the third strike. Get a grip man.

22:24 - Francona has been busy with his bullpen in this 8th inning. We’ve seen Oliver Perez, Adam Cimber and now Brad Hand entering the game. Together they get the job done and the Indians now head to the 9th still trailing 2-0...

22:32 - We’re not off to a good start, with Leonys Martin striking out tamely and Jose Ramirez pops up on the first pitch he sees. Come on Jose, you're better than this!

22:33 - Jordan Luplow, pinch hitting for his Indians debut, is our last hope.

22:36 - Luplow goes down swinging and that’s it, the Twins take the Opening Day victory at home 2-0, Berrios collecting the win and Taylor Rogers the save.

22:37 - And so I now go to bed, with Opening Day in the books. I’m full of nachos and beer and ready for sleep. The Indians lineup looked very limp indeed. Here’s hoping it was just the Berrios effect and not indicative of the season ahead.

Still, despite the loss I've had an enjoyable day and it's so good to have baseball back. The Indians go again on Saturday in another UK friendly game, a 6:10pm start for me.

ALDS Review: Astros Annihilation

Another baseball season draws to a close in Cleveland, not with a bang but a whimper.

Just like last year, the Indians exit the postseason at the first stage, this time swept out of the American League Division Series by the reigning champion Houston Astros. It was upsetting to see the Tribe play just a single playoff game at home, and even more frustrating to watch them throw the game away (literally).

There will be a great deal of questions asked of this team after such a disappointing conclusion to the season. Was the Indians lackluster divisional race a cause for their uninspiring performance? The 103-win Astros were pushed all the way in their race for the AL West by Oakland, keeping them sharp as they entered October. The Indians on the other hand coasted to their divisional title, perhaps dulling their ability to rise to the playoff atmosphere that Houston thrived upon.

In the Indians' defense, they were up against a team stacked head-to-toe with quality, with no visible weaknesses in any department. The Astros pitching was particularly dominant, and entered the postseason ranked first in team ERA (3.11), starters ERA (3.16), bullpen ERA (3.03) and strikeouts (1,687) for the entire league. Their dominance showed through in each game, severely limiting the Tribe hitters.

It's no wonder the Indians batted a pitiful .144 (13-for-90) for 6 total runs in the entire series.

Two of those runs came directly from the bat of Francisco Lindor, as the star shortstop hit two solo homers. In fact, Lindor was the only player to perform well at the plate for Cleveland, batting .364 in 11 at-bats, scoring 3 runs, basically accounting for 50% of the offensive output. The 24 year-old face of the franchise never let his head drop.

On the other hand you have Jose Ramirez, Cleveland's most dangerous hitter during the regular season, reduced to a shell of his usual self against Houston. In 11 at-bats, Ramirez couldn't record a single hit and dating back to last season, Ramirez is 2-for-31 in postseason play.

He wasn't alone in his struggles. The Tribe's other big bats like Edwin Encarnacion (1-for-10), Josh Donaldson (1-for-11) and Yonder Alonso (0-for-6) also underperformed. Even the consistent Michael Brantley was limited to just 2 hits in 10 at-bats, in what could well be his final games in an Indians uniform.

The lineup will take the brunt of the criticism for this postseason letdown, as they rightly should. You don't need a degree to know that scoring runs will win you games and sadly the Tribe hitters just couldn't get it done against an admittedly superior Astros team.

However, the Indians' pitching staff must take their share of the responsibility as well, as they were far from perfect.

Something was off right from the start of the series, when Corey Kluber took a beating in Houston to open game one. The ace of the staff never looked like his normal self and gave up three home runs in his 4.2 innings of work. He continued to leave the ball up in the zone and the Astros hitters punished him accordingly.

Thankfully Carlos Carrasco and Mike Clevinger, the starters for games two and three, were very effective. Carrasco lasted 5.1 innings, giving up 6 hits for 2 earned runs and kept the Tribe in the game. Clevinger was superb in his start, showing just how far he's progressed in 2018. Sunshine pitched 5 innings with 9 strikeouts, allowing just 3 hits and 1 earned run.

The biggest problem, as was so often the case this season, was when Carrasco and Clevinger handed the game over to the bullpen.

Cody Allen and Brad Hand were the two individuals who really suffered and were taken apart by the vaunted Astros lineup. Allen made two appearances, pitching a third of an inning in game one and two thirds of an inning in game three, and was diabolical, giving up 4 hits for 6 earned runs, two of them homers (one in each game). Considering this series was likely Allen's last time in a Cleveland uniform, it's a very somber and disappointing way for him to bow out.

Hand, considered the bullpen saviour in the season's final months, was also hit hard. He pitched an inning in game two and two thirds of an inning in the game three nightmare. The left-hander was stung for 3 hits and 2 earned runs altogether, including the three-run bomb by Carlos Correa that sent Tribe fans heading for the exits in game three.

Perhaps the performance that hurt Tribe fans the most came from Trevor Bauer. For so long this year a Cy Young-worthy starter with untouchable stuff, Bauer was reduced to pieces over the course of three relief appearances. Bauer walked out of the bullpen in each game and logged 4 innings in total, but gave up 7 hits and 3 earned runs. He saved the worst until last.

In the seventh inning with a narrow 2-1 lead, Bauer made an errant pickoff attempt that allowed Houston's Tony Kemp to reach second, and he later scored on a Jose Altuve grounder to tie the game at 2-2. Alex Bregman proceeded to chop a pitch back to the mound, where Bauer attempted to start the inning-ending double play, but his throw to Lindor at second base was wild, pulling the shortstop away from the bag, resulting in Bauer's second error of the inning and no outs on the play. The bases were then loaded to keep a double play opportunity alive but a 95-mph fastball way above the zone was pounced on by Marwin Gonzalez for a double that plated two more runners. It put the Astros ahead 4-2, and the game beyond the Indians' reach. A 6-run eighth inning meltdown by the rest of the bullpen put the final nail in the Tribe's 2018 coffin.

Where do the Indians go now? One thing for certain is some significant roster turnover in the near future, as a number of key players become free agents this month. I will be paying close attention this winter to the club's activity but for the next few weeks, I'll enjoy the rest of the playoffs, sad in the thought of what might have been.

Thanks for reading this season.

Regular Season Review: Position Players

Success breeds expectation, and when a city and its fanbase become accustomed to winning on a consistent basis, a regular season like the Indians just had can feel slightly underwhelming.

I suppose it can be considered a positive sign of how far the Tribe have progressed when a third straight AL Central title is only greeted with modest applause, and not city-wide celebrations. We all know that champagne sprayed in September doesn’t taste the same as it does in late October, and the players know this more than anybody.

It’s not their fault that people feel this way. Ever since Cleveland’s 2016 journey to game seven of the World Series, the only results that really matter are those that occur in the postseason. Nothing else matters once you’ve come so close to having it all.

With that said, their performance over the many months of the regular season deserves recognition. Despite the lack of competition in their division, the players still had a job to do and they achieved their mission. A number of guys have really excelled in 2018, and this review will focus on them and all the other contributors that helped build this Indians club into a contender.

The Lineup

Francisco Lindor SS - 745 PA, .277 BA, .352 OBP, .519 SLG, 38 HR, 92 RBI, 129 R, 70 BB, 25 SB
Michael Brantley LF - 631 PA, .309 BA, .364 OBP, .468 SLG, 17 HR, 76 RBI, 89 R, 48 BB, 12 SB
Jose Ramirez 3B - 698 PA, .270 BA, .387 OBP, .552 SLG, 39 HR, 105 RBI, 110 R, 106 BB, 34 SB
Edwin Encarnacion DH - 579 PA, .246 BA, .336 OBP, .474 SLG, 32 HR, 107 RBI, 74 R, 63 BB, 3 SB
Yonder Alonso 1B - 574 PA, .250 BA, .317 OBP, .421 SLG, 23 HR, 83 RBI, 64 R, 51 BB, 0 SB
Yan Gomes C - 435 PA, .266 BA, .313 OBP, .449 SLG, 16 HR, 48 RBI, 52 R, 21 BB, 0 SB
Melky Cabrera RF - 278 PA, .280 BA, .335 OBP, .420 SLG, 6 HR, 39 RBI, 28 R, 20 BB, 1 SB
Jason Kipnis 2B - 601 PA, .230 BA, .315 OBP, .389 SLG, 18 HR, 75 RBI, 65 R, 60 BB, 7 SB
Greg Allen CF - 291 PA, .257 BA, .310 OBP, .343 SLG, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 36 R, 14 BB, 21 SB

The undisputed leaders of this team are Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez. This young pair have surpassed all expectations (and they were particularly high in Lindor’s case) and together they have emerged into legitimate MVP candidates. The dynamic duo continue to make their mark on history, and became the first teammates to reach 80 extra-base hits in consecutive seasons since Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio achieved it for the 1936-37 Yankees.

Lindor was voted to his third straight All Star game and somehow improved upon his performance from last season. This year he’s collected a career-high 38 home runs, putting to bed the notion that he would never develop into a power hitter, but it’s also encouraging that he’s been able to raise his batting average as well (.273 in 2017, to .277 this year). This team will go as far as Lindor carries them, in 2018 and in the years to come, and Indians fans everywhere will celebrate the day the club can tie him down to a long term deal. The alternative doesn't bear thinking about.

Ramirez emerged into one of the most dangerous hitters in the league last season but, like Lindor, has taken things to another level in 2018. His batting average has taken a slight dip but in exchange for a significant power increase, with a career-high 39 home runs. Perhaps the most welcome progression Ramirez has made is in his stolen base numbers, stealing an incredible 34 bags this year, good enough for fifth place in MLB. Now part of the elite 30/30 club, reserved exclusively for those with that unique combination of power and speed, he’s only the third player in the club’s history to achieve the feat (Joe Carter and Grady Sizemore the others) and first AL player since 2012. Jose's mixture of energy and power make for a dangerous mix, and the fans will be hoping he sticks around for a very long time.

Michael Brantley is another feelgood story of the season, and I could not be happier for him. When the Tribe picked up his contract for an extra year, many were sceptical due to his recent struggles with injury, but Brantley’s ability to remain in the lineup has been an absolute blessing. His consistency at the plate has kept the Tribe offense ticking along nicely and the veteran left fielder deservedly made the All Star team, for the third time.

The heavy hitters of Edwin Encarnacion and Yonder Alonso might not be able to keep up with Brantley when it comes to batting average, but they have contributed the sort of power numbers we wanted. Alonso has never been a prolific home run hitter, and last season was the first time in his career he hit double digits (with 28 HR split between Oakland and Seattle), so for him to collect 23 in his debut season with the Tribe is a respectable tally. Given Carlos Santana’s slight decline in offensive performance since his departure to Philadelphia (112 OPS+ in 2017, a 105 OPS+ in 2018), Yonder has performed admirably in his place.

Encarnacion's second season in Cleveland saw a small reduction in his numbers, but that’s mostly down to missing time with injuries, limiting him to 137 games. His 32 home runs continue his streak of seven consecutive years with 30+ homers but a slight concern is his decrease in walks, down from 104 in 2017 to 63 this year. Nevertheless, Edwin has still been a very capable and important player in 2018 and the Tribe will gladly accept the 30+ home runs and 100+ RBI from their first basemen and designated hitters.

If you took a poll in the spring, most fans would probably have agreed that the odds were slim of seeing the 2014 version of Yan Gomes ever again. However, the Brazilian backstop earned his first All Star call-up during a campaign that saw him recapture some of that form that made him one of the game’s best catchers just four year ago. His .266 batting average is a vast improvement from last year (.232) and he is still the defensive presence the Indians rely upon so much. Would-be base stealers know better than to run on Yan.

Brantley aside, the rest of the outfield were formed by committee to create a Frankenstein-like monster, composed of misfits and rookies. When Melky Cabrera was added to the Indians roster, most of us assumed he would be an insurance option at best but the 33 year-old surprised us all by developing into a key contributor. In the 78 games Cabrera featured in the field, the veteran soon endeared himself to the Tribe faithful. He was partnered for the majority of the season by either the rookie Greg Allen or veteran Rajai Davis in center, who both caused havoc on the bases, collecting 21 stolen bases each, helping the Indians rank first in the entire league with 135 SB total. Allen has been a fine defender in the field this season, although his bat is still developing, and Davis has been a solid presence when called upon, since his return to the team from 2016.

Jason Kipnis endured a difficult 2018 but the 31 year-old managed to stay healthy for the majority of the year. The second baseman, converted into a center fielder in September, struggled at the plate but never let his head drop, and did manage to turn things around a bit in the season’s final weeks (.282 average in the final couple of weeks with 6 of his 11 hits going for extra bases). His 18 home runs mark the second highest total of his career but he would be the first to admit his batting average is not where he would have liked it to be. A portion of the fanbase were starting to get on his back as the season progressed but as long as he’s on the team, I’ll continue to back him.

Other notable contributors include:

• Josh Donaldson, the Tribe’s new third baseman and former American League MVP, worked his way back to full health during his few weeks with the club, and he’ll be hoping he can carry his late season form into the postseason. In 60 plate appearances for the Tribe, Donaldson hit .280 with 3 home runs and 7 RBI, with a .400 OBP and a .520 slugging percentage.
• Brandon Guyer was used predominantly in right field this year, his third season in Cleveland, usually as part of a platoon but he wasn’t as effective as we might have hoped. Guyer’s ability to attack left-handers was always his calling card but this year Francona utilized him against righties too, but the results were about the same unfortunately (.233 BA against LHP and a .176 BA against RHP). The guy still has a talent for getting hit by pitches though, with 11 balls crashing into him this year!
• Roberto Perez, Erik Gonzalez, and Yandy Diaz were the handful of bench guys able to have an impact in the few games they featured in. Only Diaz really made an impression on me (although his renowned batspeed hasn’t translated into extra-base hits yet, with just 8 XBH in 143 PA) and Perez appears to have finally put to rest any notion that he could be an everyday catcher, despite his defensive abilities.
• Bradley Zimmer, Leonys Martin, Lonnie Chisenhall and Tyler Naquin were all hit by the injury bug and missed significant time. In the case of Martin, the life-threatening illness that derailed his season caused him to make just 6 appearances for the Indians after his trade from Detroit (they were at least 6 excellent appearances). All of us wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him anchor the outfield next year. Zimmer might have some trouble reclaiming his place in center field once healthy, since the addition of Martin and promotion of Allen, and Naquin will once again have to work hard to even make the roster. Chisenhall is set to leave Cleveland as a free agent, having never really fulfilled his potential with the Indians. He’ll be hoping a club is willing to take a chance on his return to full health, and the Indians might even be tempted to keep him around if the price is right.

As the Indians enjoy their first significant rest period since the All-Star break, attention now turns towards the Houston Astros and game one of the ALDS. The reigning champions host the Tribe this Friday and the lineup will be busy studying the likes of Justin Verlander, Dallas Keuchel, and the rest of their impressive pitching staff ahead of what many predict to be a tightly contested series.

I will have a pitchers regular season review coming up shortly. Thanks for reading.

Donaldson Debut Draws Near

News reached us yesterday that the long awaited debut of Josh Donaldson is at hand. The veteran third baseman is set to make his much-anticipated start at third base tonight in Tampa, against the Rays.

Donaldson, now activated from the 10-day disabled list, will make his first appearance in an Indians uniform since his trade to Cleveland from the Blue Jays. The Tribe acquired the 2015 American League MVP from Toronto in exchange for a player to be named later just before the calendar ticked over into September, sneaking him in under the August 31st deadline for players to be eligible for postseason play.

There has been some recent controversy surrounding the trade, with a number of other contenders unhappy with the Indians and their methods of prying Donaldson out of Canada. It seems the Red Sox, Yankees and Astros were aggrieved that the Tribe were able to speak to Donaldson directly once he was placed on revocable waivers, and even managed to work him out for a medical at Progressive Field. However, President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti is adamant no foul play took place, and any one of those clubs could have theoretically done the same thing.

Donaldson hasn't featured in an MLB game since May 28, and has been battling issues with his left calf and shoulder all season. In an effort to return him to full fitness he was sent straight to Triple-A Columbus for a rehab assignment upon joining the Indians and on September 3rd the 32 year-old crushed a grand slam in his very first rehab game for the Clippers. He has batted 2-for-10 with another home run in three games for Double-A Akron since.

Before he was shut down by the Jays in late May, Donaldson played in 36 games and batted .234/.333/.423 (BA/OBP/SLG) with 5 home runs, 16 RBI, 21 walks and 44 strikeouts. The Tribe will hope that a healthy Donaldson can have a big impact in the weeks to come, and maybe recapture a bit of the magic that made him such a force only a couple of years ago. Donaldson made three straight All Star appearances between 2014-2016, with his 2015 MVP award sandwiched in between (41 HR, 123 RBI, 151 OPS+, 8.7 WAR).

Donaldson couldn’t come to a long-term agreement with Toronto this past winter as contract talks broke down in February, with neither side able to find a suitable deal. Therefore Donaldson is set to become a free agent in the offseason, and the Tribe likely envision him as a pure rental, their one big offensive splash in an effort to capture that elusive third championship. Perhaps a deal can be struck in the offseason to keep Donaldson in Cleveland for another couple of years, but right now I think we all expect his stay to be brief, but hopefully fruitful. Regardless, it's nice to have a recent MVP in your lineup.

With the Tribe 15.5 games ahead of the Twins in the AL Central, this is an ideal time to let Donaldson regain his rhythm over the next few weeks of largely meaningless games (results-wise at least.) The idea will be to get the veteran multiple at-bats until he is ready to be a daily fixture in the lineup, all with the goal of getting him hot for October when he can do some real damage.

Donaldson is set to start at third base tonight and ease his way back into full-time play. He is likely to be available off the bench tomorrow but should be back in the lineup by Friday if everything goes well. As a result, Jose Ramirez will be shifting over to second base, which means Jason Kipnis will relocate to center field, similar to how he did in 2017.

Kipnis performed admirably during his brief time in center last year, but I can’t say I was exactly clamoring to see him return to the position. He played center field in 11 of the final 12 regular-season games and started all 5 playoff games in the outfield as well. I wrote a piece in February expressing my wish to see the second baseman remain in the infield this season, but it appears the management want to tinker with Kipnis in the outfield once again.

Is he happy about the return to the outfield? Just over a week ago, Kipnis was quoted saying; "Do I love it? No. But I don't have to love it. That's the part. I've got a job to do. It's OK as long as all of our goals are the same and that's to win a World Series."

The 31 year-old’s overall production this season has been underwhelming and a number of fans have called for Ramirez at second base for some time (with Kipnis riding the pine instead). I’ve always been a big Kipnis supporter but it's clear that 2018 has not been the type of season he would have wished for.

However, he's begun to turn things around a bit in recent weeks, and over the past fortnight he's batted .327/.404/.653 with 4 home runs, 4 doubles and 15 RBI, with 2 stolen bases as well. It's a small sample of course, but hopefully an indicator he could be hitting some form at just the right time.

The lack of a division race this year has resulted in August and September being more relaxed for the Indians and their fans, especially in comparison to their AL rivals in the other divisions, but thankfully Donaldson's introduction to the team and Kipnis' transition to the outfield still provide us with plenty to watch and discuss as the final month of the season draws to a close.

White Sox Wipe Out, Tribe Sweep Chicago

The Indians finished their recent home stand in style, with a three game sweep of the lowly White Sox, taking their current win streak to five games and stretching their lead in the division to 4.5 games over Detroit. All in all it's been a very successful conclusion to the month of May.

Here are a few talking points from this series:

Offensive Turnaround

In the month of April, the Indians struggled to get much momentum going on offense. The lineup had a combined batting average of .231 for the first month and scored just 95 runs. That placed them 25th in the league for runs scored, behind offensive juggernauts like Texas, San Diego, and Cincinnati. And yes, that is sarcasm (apologies to Rangers, Padres and Reds fans).

May has been much kinder though and the hits have come back to Cleveland with a vengeance. With one day remaining in May, the Indians lead the big leagues with 170 runs scored this month. Their .282 batting average is also top of the majors. The Tribe's overall record in May has been distinctly average (only 14-13), but the offensive revival has really helped pick up some of the slack caused by a malfunctioning bullpen.

In the sweep of the White Sox, our ball club outscored Chicago 25-10, and recorded 40 hits, many coming from our most important contributors, like Jose Ramirez, Edwin Encarnacion, Michael Brantley and Francisco Lindor.

What a difference a month makes.

Greg Allen and the Outfield Logjam 

I have been an unabashed Greg Allen fan for a while now, and seeing him perform so well lately has been immensely rewarding. Since Allen rejoined the team at the start of this month, he's been a reliable figure in the outfield. So far in 2018 the rookie has slashed .270/.303/.381 but he's really grown in confidence as the month has progressed.

Since the 18th of May, Allen has started to show signs of figuring things out at this level. His slashline of .316/.366/.447 is impressive and this offensive output has been matched by his abilities on defense. For example, Allen made a great diving grab in the fourth inning of Wednesday's game, robbing a hit from the White Sox with his athleticism. His speed is also a huge weapon for him offensively, and even though we haven't seen many stolen bases from him yet in the majors, Allen's record in the minors suggests he should cause opposition pitchers havoc on the basepaths.

Allen's performances in the sweep of Chicago mark his best series to date; in 14 plate appearances Allen collected 5 hits and scored 4 runs, as well as picking up the first stolen base of his major league career (and hopefully the first of many to come).

Unfortunately, Allen may find his time in Cleveland coming to an end. Bradley Zimmer, Lonnie Chisenhall and Brandon Guyer, the Tribe's trio of injured outfielders, are all currently rehabbing their bodies back to health in Columbus. Each of these veterans started Wednesday's Clippers game against Buffalo, so it's only a matter of time before they make their way back and sadly, a rookie like Allen will probably be the one to make way.

Perhaps Allen could stick with the club, and I think his performances and contribution to the team merit him staying up. For a more in-depth analysis of the overall situation in the outfield, Michael Bode over at Waiting For Next Year has done a wonderful job summarizing everything, and you can read that here.

At the very least, Allen has certainly made it a difficult decision for the front office to send him back to Triple-A.

Here's are some short notes about the series:

• Corey Kluber continues to be an absolute force at Progressive Field this season. His victory in Wednesday's 9-1 rout was his eighth of the campaign, and he has a 5-0 record with a 1.26 ERA in five starts at home. Kluber has also not walked a batter in his last 28.1 innings. 
• Michael Brantley is riding a 19-game hit streak, which is currently the longest in the majors. Brantley is hitting .366 (30-for-82) with 6 homers, 19 RBI and 20 runs over this span.
• News broke on Tuesday that Jose Ramirez was supposedly nearing a suspension for using a substance banned by MLB. This false report from the Dominican Republic has been categorically refuted by Ramirez himself and all of the upper management as well. Hopefully that is the last we hear of that. Don't try and take our MVP down!

Cleveland now carry their winning ways to Minnesota for a four-game series with the Twins. Indians pitching prospect Shane Bieber is expected to make his first start in the majors on Thursday night, and he celebrates turning 23 years-old as well. Bieber has a 5-1 record with a 1.10 ERA over 10 starts between Akron and Columbus, with 61 strikeouts and only 3 walks. He takes the hill tonight and fans are eager to see this exciting prospect in an Indians uniform for the first time. Happy Birthday Shane and best of luck in your debut.

Winning In The Windy City

Whoa, where did that month go? I've been absent from the blog these past four weeks, and sadly I don't always get the time to write on here as much as I would like. Y'know, life and all that.

In my time away from England Tribe, our Cleveland ball club have had mixed experiences. Win one, lose one, win one, lose one, repeat. The bullpen have taken the brunt of the blame, and that big Bryan Shaw sized hole has been harder to fill than perhaps anticipated.

Nevertheless, the Indians have just completed an eight game road trip, going 4-4, and topped it off with a nice series win against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Let's take a quick look at some of the talking points from their trip to north side of Chicago.

Michael Brantley Is The Hero You Don't Deserve

Have I mentioned how much I love Michael Brantley? It's ridiculous that a man closer to 30 years-old than 20 still has such a thing as a "favorite player" but I do, I really do. Brantley has been my favorite guy on the Indians for most of this decade and I was overjoyed when the team picked up his option for 2018. It was frustrating to see fellow fans deride and dismiss him on Twitter, criticizing the Indians for apparently making the mistake of resigning him (but what else should I expect on that hellish platform).

Despite all his issues with injuries in the past, I have always been a firm believer in his ability. I still think he's the best all-around hitter on the team, and that's quite a statement when the Indians are carrying All Stars like Lindor, Ramirez and Encarnacion. He's undoubtedly the best outfielder at the very least.

Recently, Brantley has been proving me right, performing like the Brantley of old. Currently he leads the team in batting average at .338, he's second in RBI with 30, third in OPS at .937, third in runs scored with 23, third in total hits with 51, and he has the least strikeouts among guys with over fifty at-bats, with just 12 in 163 plate appearances. That's an incredible statistic, and he's actually fifth-best in the entire league, and second-best in the AL, only behind the Angels' Andrelton Simmons.

As the Tribe roll out of Chicago and head home, Brantley carries a 12-game hitting streak and he was absolutely key to the Indians' success in the Windy City.

During Tuesday night's demolition of the Cubs, a 10-1 rout for our boys, Brantley had 2 hits and scored 2 runs but it was on Wednesday night he really proved his worth.

With the sun setting on the lush green of Wrigley Field, Brantley stepped to the plate in the third inning with Rajai Davis stationed at second base, with two outs already recorded. Cubs starter Jon Lester fell behind 2-0 to Brantley, and on the next pitch the veteran outfielder laced a single into right-center field, dropping just over the outstretched arm of Javier Baez. It was enough to get the speedy Davis around third and heading home, and put the Tribe on top 1-0. It was all the Indians needed in the end, as they held on to record the win and the series sweep.

I'm realistic and appreciate we haven't even started June yet. The dog days of summer are yet to come, so perhaps it is too early to start believing in Brantley's health. But all the signs so far have been positive, and with a healthy Brantley in the lineup these Indians are a much more potent and dangerous team.

Here a few other scraps of note:

• Jose Ramirez has really made up for his slow start to the season, and has been on an absolute tear of late. He had 2 hits in the series, one of which was a 3-run homer in Tuesday's win, and he recorded 3 walks that day as well. Ramirez currently leads the club in home runs with 14, and leads the team in RBI (34), walks (27), OPS (1.000), SLG (.609), and OBP (.391) as well. He's a force of nature at the moment.
• Trevor Bauer and Adam Plutko were the Tribe's starters for the series and both had seriously impressive outings. Bauer pitched on Tuesday night and lasted 6 innings, scattering 7 hits and 2 walks over the course of the night with 6 strikeouts, to collect his fourth win of the year. Plutko, in just his second spot-start of 2018, was outstanding and carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He ended up with a very respectable pitching line of 6 innings, 2 hits, 4 walks and 4 strikeouts. Plutko's performance was good enough to earn him permanent residence in the rotation (for the foreseeable future), as he replaces Josh Tomlin as the fifth starter, with Tomlin joining the bullpen.

The Tribe now begin a lengthy homestand, welcoming the reigning champs to town. The Indians are currently 24-23 and will play the 32-18 Astros over a four game series, with both teams set to start their aces in Thursday's opener. Corey Kluber will face off against Dallas Keuchel in a hotly anticipated matchup.