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.
