Bringing Back Boudreau

Don't make apologies for Ubaldo Jimenez

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:24:00 +0000

Ubaldo Jimenez is now a member of the Cleveland Indians.

Ubaldo Jimenez is a staff ace, even if he has been about normal since last August.

Ubaldo Jimenez throws six, maybe seven quality pitches.

Ubaldo Jimenez is worth the price of Drew Pomeranz and Alex White, because he can be an impact player now, while Pomeranz is a ways away, and White has to worry about his finger turning into Adam Miller.

Ubaldo Jimenez is under contract during the "Indians window" from 2011-2013, while Pomeranz and White likely won't make an impact until 2012.

It all sounds familiar, doesn't it? Whenever anyone mentions the Ubaldo Jimenez deal, it was likely in combination with one or more of the previous comments.

We all know Jimenez's numbers. The big righty wen't 19-8 last season, with a 2.88 ERA. He pitched an early no-hitter, and went on to start the All-Star game. Entering the all-star break, Jimenez was an incredible 15-1, with two complete games and a 2.20 ERA. He was clearly the best pitcher in the game at the time, and was having an incredibly special season.

While the wheels didn't fall off of Jimenez's cart, they certainly got a bit more wobbly during the second half of the season. Jimenez made 15 starts in the second half, going 4-7 with a 3.80 ERA. While the 3.80 is nothing to scoff at, clearly he was a different pitcher then the one that dominated the National League during the first half.

In 2011, things started off much worse for the Rockies ace. After making his first start of the season, he went on the DL for the first time in his career with, of all things, a cracked cuticle on his pitching thumb. During that initial start, Jimenez had given up five earned runs in six innings pitched, and was complaining of "grip problems" during the start. When he returned, he wasn't much better, if not worse. He gave up 28 earned runs in his next eight starts, only making it past the six inning mark in four of those starts. His ERA ballooned to 6.67 at it's highest, and was sitting at 5.86 as he entered June.

The trade rumors began to swirl, as Jimenez's velocity had dropped three MPH since 2010. Jimenez was also closing in on the 1,000 inning mark in Colorado, and the term "arm trouble" began to circulate throughout major league circles.

But Jimenez immediately began pitching better. On June 1, he pitched his first complete game, a seven K, four hit shut-out against the Dodgers, dropping his ERA nearly a point, to 4.98. It was his first win of the season...on June 1st.

He would end the month of June with two more wins, and in his six starts, four of them were of seven innings or more. His ERA dropped to 4.35, and the velocity began to pick up once again. He would continue his brilliant pitching into July, garnering three more wins, and at one point dropping his ERA to 4.00.

Enter the Indians and their massive offer to acquire Jimenez.

It was an interesting deal for the Indians since Jimenez was clearly the best starter on the market, and with the Indians seemingly in a hunt for a right-handed, power-hitting outfielder. While the Indians could have used a starter, it didn't seem to be at the top of the needs list. Still, when a pitcher like Jimenez goes on the market, you have to make that phone call.

Jimenez has a contract that clearly fits within the confines of the Indians' money saving strategy. In 2012, Jimenez makes a paltry $4.2 million, and it only goes up slightly in 2013, with a team option at $5.75 million. Jimenez does have another club option in 2014 at $8 million, but a clause in his contract allows him to opt out of the option if he was traded. He was, and he will.

With Jimenez signed through 2013 at a club friendly price, he is the perfect "ace" to trade for, since the Indians' front office sees the club's playoff window as 2012-2013. Of course, with the Indians only two-and-a-half games out of first now, the 2011 season enters the window as well.

I'm on board with the Indians' reasoning for making the deal, since Jimenez clearly has the stuff that aces are made of. I even say that with the firm belief that barring injury, Alex White and Drew Pomeranz will be top-of-the-rotation starters for Colorado starting this year (with White slated to return to the majors and make his Rockies' debut next week, and Rockies' brass believing that Pomeranz has a chance to enter the rotation next year).

His four starts with the Indians have been a mixed bag of bad, with a quality start in the middle. His first start was a struggle in Texas, as he went five innings, giving up five earned runs, seven hits and three walks, while striking out seven. He couldn't locate any of his seven wonder-pitches, and made 108 total pitches during the five-inning stint.

He rebounded nicely in his next start, giving up three runs (none earned) in an eight inning start against the Tigers, giving up five hits and a walk, while striking out six. He made 117 pitches, and showed signs of that "ace status" that the Indians gave up so much for.

In his third start, he reverted back to the guy in the first start, struggling from the start to locate anything, and only making it to the middle of the fifth inning. In 4 2/3 IP, he gave up nine hits and four earned runs, walking only one, but striking out five. The patient White Sox hitters waited for him to groove fastballs, and Jimenez went deep into many counts, throwing 105 pitches through 4 2/3 innings.

His last start was once again against the Tigers, the third game of a series in which the Indians had lost the first two, dropping them precariously close to inconsequence with the regular season drawing towards it's final month of baseball. This was what he was traded for...to be a stopper during a stretch run. To reclaim a bit of the Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia magic that had been missing since 2009. After three up-and-down starts, it was his chance to put the naysayers like me to rest.

Except it didn't happen.

Jimenez melted down, giving up eight earned runs in 3 1/3 innings. The Indians would make a run before finally losing 8-7, but the damage had been done.

That's not good enough.

In three of his Tribe starts, he went five innings or less, and he's given up four or more runs in those same three games.

Yeah, I get it, you can't judge a book by a four-game cover...can you? We, as Indians' fans, have to look at the big picture. I mean, we have him for two whole years! And, we have him for a nice, cheap price! And, we have to give him a chance, it's only been four starts! And, he's still getting used to the American League hitting! And his mechanics are shot! And next year, he could win 20, and you'll forget about this year. And two years from now, he'll win 20 more!

Many have used that idiotic thinking to make his three shoddy performances acceptable. I've heard it all, from small sample sizes, to getting his bearings straight, to how emotional he must be to leave the organization that he's been with since day one of his career, to how cruddy his mechanics are.

Sorry, it's the stretch drive, and the Indians are (or at least were) a player to win the division, in case you didn't notice.

The Indians payed an extremely high price to acquire Jimenez, giving up two potential aces to nab an "ace." Therefore, don't you think that he should pitch like one? Sorry, it's not okay to just toss away 2011.

Remember another "ace" pitcher who was dealt when he was 27. Remember CC Sabathia? Clearly, Sabathia had a bit more substance backing his career. He won the Cy Young in 2007, going 19-7 (Jimenez was 19-8) with a 3.21 ERA (Jimenez had a 2.88). CC was a lefty, likely making him a bit more valuable, but there are certainly major similarities between the two, especially considering the struggles that Sabathia went through to start the 2008 season, going 3-8 through June 5th, before a late June surge. He then went to Milwaukee and promptly went 9-0 in his first 11 starts, with six complete games. Overall, he went 11-2, and carried the Brew-Crew to the playoffs on his back.

Or how about another "ace" pitcher who was dealt during the 2009 season after another Cy Young award win. Cliff Lee was 2-6 heading into June, but was hurt thanks to no run production. Still, things picked up for the Tribe ace in June and July, as he went 5-3 with a sub 3.00 ERA. He was traded to the Phillies at the deadline, and simply went off, rolling out four wins in his first four starts, all quality starts. Overall, he would go 7-4, and he did taper off a bit in September, but his 3.39 ERA, two complete games, and six quality starts stand out.

Jimenez may not have the Sabathia pedigree, and may not have been "in the groove" as Lee was with regards to throwing strikes, but he certainly would fit in the equation with what those two players were expected to give their team. Jimenez is currently 1-0, with the Indians losing two of his three starts. He certainly has a chance to make a big impact in 2011. With nine-to-ten starts likely ahead of him, the time to start making that impact is now.

The Indians signed him to be a stopper, plain and simple. While Justin Masterson deserves to be in the Cy Young talk, and while Josh Tomlin has been an impressive surprise, and while Fausto has looked a bit like the 2007 version of himself lately, Jimenez has the stuff to absolutely blow players away.

That's why Ubaldo Jimenez is now a member of the Cleveland Indians.

That's what can make Ubaldo Jimenez the staff ace the Tribe needs, if he stops being just kinda pretty good since last August.

That's what will make his six, or possibly seven pitches so impressive (and not just a conversation piece about throwing too many pitches).

And that what makes Ubaldo Jimenez worth the price of Drew Pomeranz and Alex White...because he can be an impact player now. While Pomeranz may be close, and White even closer, there are still many...many questions until they actually do it.

I don't care about Ubaldo Jimenez being under contract during the "Indians window" in 2012 and 2013 today. I care about him making an impact in 2011. In case you didn't notice, we're trying to make the playoffs. The Indians don't have time to allow him a few starts to figure out the American League. In this race, one game could make the difference.

So stop apologizing for Ubaldo Jimenez. The farm was given up for him to win games THIS YEAR, not just the next two. Now, if we can just figure out a way for him to hit...

Beau Mills re-building his career as heir to Hafner

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:02:00 +0000

Beau Mills (photo: Tony Lastoria)

Beau Mills was promoted today to Triple A Columbus after 2 1/2 frustrating seasons in Akron. Mills was the first round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians in 2007, and came as a power-hitting corner infielder with a high baseball IQ. He backed up his first round, future-star status in his first full professional season in 2008 at High A Kinston. His line was .293/.373/.506, with 21 homers, 90 RBI and 78 runs scored, and he was named the Carolina League player of the year.

He moved to Akron in 2009, and his numbers took a bit of a tumble. He played nine more games in Akron compared to Kinston, but every major offensive number went down. His averaged dropped 26 points to .267. He scored 19 less runs, hit seven less homers, and drove in seven less hitters. He didn't take the step many thought he would after his big year at Kinston, and his stock began to drop.

He started the 2010 season back in Akron, and his season was marred by nagging injuries and off-the-field issues. He hit only .241, with 10 homers, 72 RBI and 55 runs scored in only 113 games. He had dropped off every prospect radar. As a 24-year-old, many believed that he had already plateaued, and at best, was Double or Triple-A fodder.

Mills started the 2011 season at extended spring training thanks to Achilles tendonitis. After a long and arduous six-week rehab, Mills was activated, and for the third straight season, in Akron. Not a good sign that the Indians had high hopes for their former first-rounder.

But a funny thing happened. Mills began to hit the ball. For the first time since 2008, Mills started to look like the player that the Indians were hoping for when they drafted him. Up through today, Mills had a solid .300/.358/.522 line, with 11 homers and 49 RBI in only 61 games. He struck out only 37 times, with 22 walks, showing a bit more selection than in the past as well.

This earned him his first (and hopefully last) promotion to Triple A Columbus.

It's far too early to state with any sort of fact that Beau Mills has "figured it all out." The fact of the matter is that Mills was playing at the same level for 2 1/2 seasons. Any player with the baseball IQ and power potential that he has is bound to adjust to a level in that amount of time. So the question then is whether or not he can replicate this year's stats in Columbus to close out the season.

It's a big turn of events for the once-lost-prospect, who now finds himself one step away from the big leagues. He's likely heard the term 'make-or-break' before, but in the land of the minors, this Triple A step really is a 'make-or-break' move. Can Mills continue his 2011 production in Akron, or will he revert to the 2009/2010 version of himself?

If the latter is the case, then Mills ultimately turns in to the type of player that routinely litter Triple A clubs for several years, get a taste of the majors when major league players hit the DL, but ultimately never make the next move. Most folks have labeled Mills in this category (or worse) since his struggles began in 2009.

If he can continue his progression, however, than at the very least, Mills becomes a potential big bat that the Indians could call up should something happen injury-wise to either Matt LaPorta and/or Travis Hafner. Both players have had DL stints this season, so having some cushion would provide a boost to the Indians during the stretch drive.

At best, Mills turns back into the top 20 prospect in the system that he was four years ago, and begins pushing for a full-time gig in 2012. Without any big power bats peeking their heads out at both Columbus and Akron (yeah Nick Weglarz, I'm talking to you), Mills becomes a hot commodity in a system that needs him to be just that.

The other thing to think about is Hafner, who has been a walking injury for three seasons, and is under contract for only one more season. Mills continuing his offensive "rehabilitation" gives the Indians an in-house fix when they need it.

Of course, that's a whole lot of time, and a whole lot of what ifs. For now, Beau Mills is hitting the cover off the ball, and has made the next step towards the bigs. One more big step to go...

Jason Kipnis promoted to Cleveland: Long term, or just a cup-of-coffee?

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:05:00 +0000

Jason Kipnis (photo: Tony Lastoria)

The Cleveland Indians have promoted second baseman Jason Kipnis from Triple A Columbus, according to Tony Lastoria of Indians Prospect Insider. To make the move, the Indians sent Luis Valbuena back to Columbus and designated Jared Goedert for assignment.

Kipnis is the Indians top middle infield prospect, and according to Lastoria's preeminent Indians' minor league rankings, Kipnis was the #2 prospect in the entire organization heading into the 2011 season. He was the Tribe's second round selection in 2009, and started his professional career as an outfielder at short season Mahoning Valley.

The Indians decided to maximize his offense by moving him to second base prior to last season, when he started his first full professional season in Kinston. He responded with a .300/.387/.478 line in 54 games, with six homers, 31 RBI and 34 runs before being promoted to Akron.

Kipnis continued his progression with the Aeros, batting .311, with 10 homers, 43 RBI and 63 runs scored in 79 games. His offense certainly overshadowed his defense at his new position, but he was showing growth. In Kinston, Kipnis committed 10 errors in 245 chances for a .959 fielding percentage. He slightly improved in Akron, committing 13 errors in 366 chances, a .965 fielding percentage.

The Indians didn't let Kipnis' season end when Akron finished up theirs, and promoted the second baseman to Columbus to help in their quest for the International League Governor's Cup, as well as the Triple A Championship. He responded by going 10-for-22 (.455), with three doubles, two triples, two homers and three RBI in the series. Most impressive was his performance in the clincher, when as the DH, he went 4-6, hitting for the cycle.

He wasn't done showcasing his massive offensive game, falling a single short of throwing up back-to-back cycles in the Triple A Championship game against Tacoma. He ended up going 3-4, with three runs, a homer and an RBI. In making his sparkling Triple A debut, Kipnis showed Tribe brass that he could perform under pressure after a promotion. No, it wasn't the Indians, but there's no doubt that the Triple A playoffs mimicked a potential big league call-up in the future.

The Indians kept the Kipnis-ball rolling, sending him to the Arizona Fall League so he could gain some more experience at second base. Kipnis came out of the AFL gates slow, which is understandable considering it was his first full minor league system, complete with stops at High A Kinston, Double A Akron and Triple A Columbus. After his first three weeks, his line was a horrendous .159/.213/.409 with 2 HR and 10 RBI. He walked 3 times, struck out 5, with a stolen a base.

In typical Kipnis fashion, he went on an ungodly tear to end the season, ending the year with six straight multi-hit games and seven of the last eight. During those six games he he 14-for-26, and raised his average from .173 to .295. He has also had an extra base hit in six straight games and in 12 of 19 games played.
He ended the season with three homers, 19 RBI and 13 runs in those 19 games.

Kipnis started the 2011 season back with Triple A Columbus under the assumption that he would play there a full season to solidify his defensive skills. Chris Antonetti was hoping that the top prospect would be seasoned and ready at second for the Indians to make a playoff push in 2012. They even signed Orlando Cabrera to a one-year deal to hold down the fort at second. Well, best laid plans are made to be broken, and the Indians decided to contend a year sooner than many thought.

Kipnis did his part this season, and while he's struggled at the plate lately (in his last ten games, his line is a less than stellar .103/.182/.205, which may be more about traveling across the country in his all-star game spectacular), he's had another solid season overall. He's currently batting .281, with 12 homers, 54 RBI and 64 runs, in 90 games, and he was chosen for the XM Futures game (lead-off homer), and the Triple A all-start game (1-2 with a double).

While Kipnis is a work in progress in the field for sure, he continues to improve yearly. This season, he's committed 11 errors in 370 chances for a .970 fielding percentage, another decrease in errors and increase in percentage from both Kinston and Akron in 2010. While he still as a ways to go in the field, the Indians figured they could overlook his defense for that potent bat. Kipnis has proven that he is a quick learner, and it's a testament to his ability that his offense has flourished with the move. Many lesser players have disappeared into playoff oblivion.

Kipnis figures to start at second base for the foreseeable future, moving Orlando Cabrera to the utility role. It should be interesting to watch how Cabrera reacts to the move, since the 15-year veteran surely didn't sign with Cleveland to sit on the bench. Hopefully, being a veteran presence on the team, as well as being in the midst of a late-summer playoff run will be enough to keep him happy. When I talked to Tony Lastoria last night about Kipnis and Cabrera, he voiced a similar concern:

"The only issue really centered around Orlando Cabrera and how he would handle losing his starting position yet again, something that with his outspokenness we will surely hear about this weekend."

While it's clear that Kipnis will only be playing second, there is a slight possibility that the Indians could dabble with him playing a start here-or-there in the outfield, since that was his primary position in college and his first half-season in the minors. It's clear though that Kipnis is an infielder at this point, and with Valbuena getting sent down, the Tribe doesn't have enough infielders to allow Kipnis any extended time in roaming the corner outfield slots at Progressive.

My best guess is that Mark Shapiro and Chris Antonetti see any time for Kipnis in the outfield as a potential roadblock to his improving infield performance. I happen to give Kipnis a bit more credit than that, as I can't imagine that he's forgotten how to play in the outfield (again, his primary position for most of his career), or the infield for that matter, if he spent time at each position. He's got a high baseball IQ, and you have to take that into account. Of course, being a 2nd baseman major leaguer is a finicky thing, just ask Chuck Knoblach and Steve Sax, who both suffered from "Steve Blass disease" at second base, and it cost them their major league jobs.

Kipnis is the type of player that every team wants. He plays with a high energy, and is one of those kids that's doing it for more than just the money, although I'm sure that the cash will come, and a whole bunch of it. Kipnis was more than excited, first throwing up a bit of a mystical tweet, followed by something a bit more clear.

Make no mistake, Kipnis is extremely talented, and while a host of people have been preaching either patience (oh, it's too fast, he can't play defense yet), or trade (I'd be okay with dealing Kipnis), both would be a mistake. Kipnis is a can't miss prospect, and will be one of the best, if not THE best second baseman in the league in a few years. He potentially could be the spark that this offense currently needs. Should they hold off on moving him up? Sure, in a perfect world, 2012 would be his landing date, but the pennant chase changes everything, and Kipnis has proven that call-ups suit him just fine. According to Lastoria,

"...it is definitely the right move and right time to make the move...he (Kipnis) should add some much needed punch to the lineup in need of it and in some ways is like a trade pickup in itself."

Kipnis has historically shown explosion after a promotion, and I don't expect this to be any different.

The move in many ways reminds me of the Indians' call-up of Asdrubal Cabrera during the playoff run in 2007. Cabrera was called to take over second base for a struggling Josh Barfield, who was hitting a paltry .244, with two homers, 48 RBI and 49 runs in the middle of a playoff run. ACab had been hitting a combined .310 in Akron and Buffalo (mostly Akron, as he'd only played a handful of games for the Bisons before the call-up), and provided the Tribe with an in house "trade." With the Indians offense sputtering in early August, Cabrera came up and brought a quick spark. Cabrera was hitting .300 as late as September 14th, and ended up hitting .283.

The Indians used the Cabrera call-up along with a late-July trade for former Tribe All-Star, Kenny Lofton to give the Indians a lift during the dog days of Summer. While neither alone were necessarily the essential cog, their signings helped filled holes in their lineup, both offensively and defensively.

Kipnis likely could provide the same boost offensively. Orlando Cabrera, the player Kipnis will be taking over for, is currently hitting .244 (remember, Barfield was hitting an identical .244), with four homers (2 for Barfield), 38 RBI (48 for Barfield, but with three weeks more game action) and 34 runs (15 less than Barfield, again, in three less weeks). The only complication with Cabrera is supposedly his clubhouse presence, especially with regards to Asdrubal Cabrera, who by all indications believes OCab is the player that helped him take the next big step. Still, there comes a time when the best player has to play. Remember, Barfield was nearly run out of town, and OCabs stats are at best, equal to Barfield's. You could make a case that Barfield's numbers were a bit better.

It also appears as though the Indians may be mimicking the 2007 Indians by attempting to sign a former member of the organization, as they did with Kenny Lofton. The front office continues to pursue several outfielders to help fill the long-term void thanks to the long-term injuries to Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo, and the short-term health issues with Travis Buck and Michael Brantley. Heading the list are two former Indians', Ryan Ludwick and Coco Crisp. Other outfielders the Indians are reportedly discussing include the Cubs' Kosuke Fukodome, the Royals' Jeff Francoeur, the Nationals' Mike Morse and the Athletics' Josh Willingham.

While Kipnis shouldn't be expected to carry this team, there will be some high expectations with the call-up. Along with those expectations come the trappings that Cord Phelps, Luis Valbuena and to some extent, Lonnie Chisenhall have felt in recent weeks. All three have struggled a bit during their respective time with the big league club, and all three have felt the wrath of the Tribe faithful. Kipnis has even higher expectations than all three (with the exception of Chisenhall), so if he struggles early, it will be interesting to see how he handles it, as well as how the Indians' management handles it. Lastoria also professed a bit of a cautionary tale for these early days in Kipnis' big league career:

"I'm sure there will be some early struggles, but I expect him to adjust quickly and settle right in at second, a position which could be his the next six to seven years."

Kipnis isn't going to be up for a cup of coffee. If he struggles, I don't see them sending him down quickly. They'll give him a chance, as they did Chisenhall, to gain traction and plant some roots at second. My best guess is that Kipnis won't be seeing Triple A next to his name much more in the future. If you ask me, Kipnis truly is the Tribe's best position prospect (sorry "Chiz" fans). I like him better than Chisenhall, and that's high praise, since "Chiz" is a big-time talent.

I'm sure that Chisenhall will be an All-Star in the future, and one of the better third basemen in the league, Kipnis has the potential to be the type of impact second basemen that just aren't typical. Kipnis has the ability to be as good as guys like Robinson Cano, Chase Utley and Ian Kinsler. He is that good, and that explosive, especially when you take into account the fact that he's a middle infielder. His call-up, in my opinion, is a few weeks too late. He should have been up right after the all-star break.

Now, it certainly is time to see if Kipnis is as good as his numbers and baseball IQ would suggest. Welcome to Cleveland Jason Kipnis, and may your stay be long and fruitful.

Sizemore goes under the knife for sports hernia?

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:12:00 +0000

Grady Sizemore had sports hernia surgery?

Huh?

I have to admit, my first thought was, "Where did he get the knee surgery, in Trinidad and Tobago in some sort of jungle shack?"

It turns out that the knee injury Sizemore suffered this past Sunday wasn't as serious as had been reported. It was tweaked, yes, but wouldn't need the same microfracture surgery that he needed last season.

So where did this sports hernia surgery come from?

It turns out that Sizemore will miss four to six weeks after undergoing a 20-minute surgery to fix a sports hernia. Sizemore's hernia came on the same May slide that put him on the dl for two weeks after he injured his knee on a slide.

Sizemore was placed on the DL on Monday after tweaking his knee rounding first base in Baltimore on Sunday. The injury looked eerily similar to the knee injury last year that required microfracture surgery for the Tribe's centerfielder. While the injury wasn't as serious (according to the Indians and Sizemore), it was still believed that Sizemore could miss up to a month of playing time. This allowed Sizemore to go ahead and have the hernia surgery.

With Sizemore out, the Indians have been playing without any of their starting outfielders from the start of the season. Shin Soo Choo has been out since the end of June with a broken thumb, and Michael Brantley has been out the past two games with some sort of illness hybrid that may be dehydration, the flu, or food poisoning.

With two of the three outfielders out long term, the Indians have begun to pursue outfielders in a potential trade run. At the top of the list are two former Indians in Coco Crisp and Ryan Ludwick, although the higher profile Hunter Pence has been bantered about as well.

Pronkified

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 15:37:00 +0000

Hafner jerseys for everyone!
(photo: Imagine 24)

Tick...Tick...Tick...Tick...

BOOM...

I can't tell you how many times I've seen or done something that seemed larger than life when it happened, but turned out to be just okay as time settled in. Think back to the last summer blockbuster that you saw. You likely walked into the theater, saw a couple of hours of explosions, walked out thinking it was the best thing you ever say, then realized later it was the same explosions you saw before.

Last night's Cleveland Indians game certainly wasn't one of those times. No, Pronk's grand slam has maintained it's blockbuster voracity. The next morning, it was still sending shivers down my spine. I'm not sure if this is the kind of hit that will translate into a new mentality for the Tribe or not, but it sure does feel like it.

With that said, words really can't express last night's transcending moment. So instead of me rambling on for a few paragraphs, I'll let a couple of guys do all the talking for me. Here's STO's call of the events last night, followed by one of the best play-by-play calls in recent memory by the best in the business: Tom Hamilton. And yeah, Hamilton's call has video as well.

Sorry folks, but if that didn't get you out of your seat, then you're simply dead. Enjoy those worm races in your backyard...

The Cleveland Indians next starting pitcher is...

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 16:39:00 +0000

It's distinctly hard to remember just when Fausto Carmona stopped being a factor as a top-of-the-rotation starter for the Cleveland Indians. Some will point to the playoff meltdown in 2007, when Carmona never made it out of the fourth inning and was lit up for a 16.50 ERA. Some will point to the 2008 and 2009 season, which were marred by injury and general poor play, and saw Carmona demoted to the minor leagues. Some may even point to the 2010 season, in which Carmona was a more than serviceable 13-14 record, and a 3.77 ERA. Of course, Carmona was more Jake Westbrook in 2010, than he was ace 1B for the 2007 Tribe.

It was becoming increasingly clear that while Carmona was busy becoming this year's opening day starter (3 IP, 11 H, 10 ER) for the first time in his career, he was nowhere near the status of a staff ace. His number one status was based simply on the fact that heading into this season, the Tribe staff was full of unknown commodities in Justin Masterson, Mitch Talbot, Josh Tomlin and Carlos Carrasco. It's almost funny now to think that Carmona was thought to be the best of that bunch. As it turns out, he wasn't, and it appears as though he wasn't even close.

Let's not just throw Carmona under the bus here. Can he be a quality starter? You bet he can, as he showcased from April 7th through April 17th in which he went 7+ innings in all three starts, giving up a total of only three earned runs in 21 2/3 innings. After one bad outing, Carmona was back again, with three more starts of 7+ innings, only giving up three runs in 22 innings. For those counting at home, Carmona made six outstanding starts in seven appearances, giving up a total of six runs in 42 2/3 innings. For those counting at home, that's a 1.26 ERA. So there is his tantalizing talent.

The problem with Carmona when he's in "ace mode" these days is that you never really know when it's going to disappear, as it did after the third game during that second stretch of games on May 8th. Starting from his next start on May 13th, Carmona has gone 1-7, and given up 4, 8, 4, 7, 4, 6, 2, 7 and 3 earned runs before he was injured in yesterday's game. His ERA during that stretch was 7.99, and people began clamoring for a change, whether it be Carmona moving to the pen, or just plain moving. With Justin Masterson, Josh Tomlin and especially Carlos Carrasco making a case to be the staff ace, Carmona slowly became an afterthought as a starter, and a major thought as a reminder to bad baseball.

To top it all off, Carmona was not only feeling pressure from starters at the big league level, but Triple A Columbus boasts a loaded staff that includes four starters not only announcing that they may be ready for a move to the big leagues, but HAMMERING on Carmona's front door, letting him know that another bad start or two, and his time would be finished in the rotation. Still, Carmona remained in the rotation...

...until yesterday.

Yesterday, Carmona has pitched a solid two innings against Cincinnati, giving up only two hits, while striking out one. Unfortunately for the big righty, his 6'4", 240 pound body wasn't built for speed...or even maybe running. Carmona laid down a bunt and began barreling down the first base line in, trying to stay out of a double play. As he approached the bag, gravity took hold as he stumbled, hit the bag, and careened over it like he'd been tackled. The result was a strained right quad muscle and a trip to the 15-day DL.

It's funny how injuries can take care of roster issues.

Enter a four-man push from Triple A to take Carmona's potential two missed starts (one before the break, and one after) and make a case for a longer stay. While it's doubtful that Carmona would return in any capacity but as a starter, it could get dicey should someone fill in and pitch as well as the staff is pitching in Columbus. Of course, Carmona's job may not be the only one under scrutiny, right Mitch Talbot?

Here's a look at the four starters from Columbus in the mix to take over for Carmona:

Zach McAllister: 8-3, 2.97 ERA, 3 CG, 1 SHO, 97 IP, 86 H, 32 ER, 6 HR, 21 BB, 71 K:

Had Carmona's injury occurred a month ago, I doubt there would have been any doubt that McAllister would have been the player to call up. Not only was he pitching better than anyone on the Columbus rotation, but a good case could be made that he was one of the best starters in the entire minor league system. He was the first player in all the minors to get to seven wins (without a loss), and he was dominating with a sub 2.00 ERA. On May 31, he had his first true bad start, but has maintained his ace-like status since then. No, he wasn't pitching at the same clip as before, but obviously the 2.97 ERA showcases a pitcher who is clearly ready for a push. Still, McAllister has never pitched in the majors before, and likely won't be the guy they choose for two-spot-starts. He's been overshadowed over the past month by three others who have been lights out. Still, McAllister started on Friday night, so he'd be in line to make the start on Thursday with six-days rest. Corey Kluber, who started yesterday, is just depth fodder, and doesn't figure into this mix.

David Huff: 8-2, 3.74 ERA, 0 CG, 89 H, 35 ER, 7 HR, 23 BB, 51 K:

Huff has the most experience of the bunch, having pitched much of the 2009 and 2010 with the Indians. The lefty was the favorite heading into 2011 to become the #5 starter, but was simply outpitched by Josh Tomlin. Huff started off the year with Columbus scuffling a bit, but since June 8th, Huff has made four fantastic smarts against one bad start, to get his name into the mix. During those four outstanding starts, Huff has gone 4-0 (5-0 overall, winning the bad start against Gwinett), giving up 17 hits, three runs and six walks in 27 innings pitched, while striking out an impressive 24 batters, which isn't really his game. His 1.00 ERA during that span certainly has the Tribe brass taking notice, and with only two starts planned, Huff may have the best mentality to come up. He certainly isn't the most flashy of pitchers, fitting into that Jeremy Sowers, Aaron Laffey mold as being a location pitcher. Still, when he's on, he's pretty darned good.

Jeanmar Gomez: 8-2, 2.49 ERA, 2 CG, 1 SHO, 79 2/3 IP, 22 ER, 4 HR, 27 BB, 68 K:

Gomez is the only one of the current Clippers' starters who has played at the big league level this season. While he wasn't dominating by any stretch, his last two starts were very, very good before being demoted. Gomez was rolling through the end of May and most of June, absolutely dominating the International League. Over his last eight starts, Gomez has gone eight innings three times, seven innings three times, and six innings once. He's gone 56 1/3 total innings, giving up 46 hits, 13 runs, 19 BB and struck out 45 batters. Don't forget, Gomez also made 11 starts in 2010, so there is definite experience here. It appears that Gomez is a pitcher the the Tribe brass like right now, so he could be the favorite. He does make a start today, so take a quick look at the box scores in Columbus today. If he's pitching well and comes out of the game with any sort of a pitch count, he'll likely be the guy on Thursday for the Tribe.

Scott Barnes: 7-2, 3.40 ERA, 0 CG, 76 2/3 IP, 29 ER, 11 HR, 31 BB, 82 K:

Barnes may have the best upside of all the starters. While he has similar intangibles as Gomez, being a power lefty certainly helps. He's had a hot June, which has placed the 23-year-old directly in the mix. Since his May 24th start, Barnes has gone 47 1/3 innings, giving up 35 hits, 10 earned runs, 4 HR and 16 walks, while striking out and impressive 55 batters. When this kid is on, he can absolutely dominate with an attacking, 94 MPH fastball, a plus changeup and an improving slider. While Barnes certainly has the most ups of this group, his one downfall is that he didn't play a Triple A game until this season. If it were a normal season in which there weren't three other starters pitching extremely well, Barnes would clearly get the call. As it stands now, I can't see the Indians rushing Barnes to the majors. While he'll be a factor in 2012, I think 2011 will go to Tribe vets Gomez and Huff, and McAllister, who's in his second full season at Triple A. Still, Barnes is an intriguing pick.

At the end of the day, the Tribe can't go wrong with any of the four starters, but if I had to put odds on it, I'd say Gomez is the guy at the head of the back, followed by Huff, McAllister and Barnes. The irony is that I think Barnes has the best stuff, but will get the last look. Gomez seems to be the flavor of the month, and he's absolutely earned it.

The Indians could go in a different direction altogether, and call up Gomez or Huff prior to the break, and if they struggle, bring up the other after the break, looking at both as spot starts. While I doubt they'd do that, it could be a possibility based on timing. With Huff scheduled to start for Columbus prior to Thursday, they could call up Gomez on Thursday, the Huff after the break with enough rest. Of course, this isn't taking into account McAllister and/or Barnes, who could both do the same. Still, I don't see the Indians wasting an option on either with Huff and Gomez ahead of them.

As for Carmona? Get health, and come back like the guy that dominated in 2007, and earlier this season. If you don't, watch out for the Clippers buzz-saw.

A Tribe Tall Tale, headlined by Russell Branyan, hit batters and drag bunts

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sat, 21 May 2011 12:24:00 +0000

Branyan with the Mariners (Photo: Matt McGee)

Russell Branyan.

The name alone has a bit of that Paul Bunyan quality. You know, that larger than life, tall-tale kind of feel, and in many ways, Russell Branyon the person fits the name perfectly. Sure, you could make the analogy that his prodigious swings at a baseball were the stuff of legends. When "Russell the Muscle" walked up to the plate, chances were pretty good that two things were going to happen:

Russell Branyan was going to swing for the heavens...and...
Russell Branyan was going to strike out

But, you see, that's not the tall tale that I want to discuss with you today. No, today the focus is less on how Russell Branyan swung the bat, and more on how Russell Branyan helped Cleveland rob the Seattle Mariners.

Last night, the Cleveland Indians continued their miraculous 2011 season with a come-from-behind victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The Tribe entered last night's game with a 26-15 record, which was the best in baseball. While they had lost their last two games against the Chicago White Sox, they had maintained a five-game lead in the Central. At home, Cleveland had won their last five games in their last at bat.

Why mention last night's victory? It has the tall-tale, Russell Branyan feel to it. The Indians fell behind the Reds and starter Travis Wood, 4-0. Wood, a wily lefty, was weaving one of those improbable games from a starter that keeps most of his pitches below 90. Through five innings, Wood was pitching a no hitter.

Indians fans who have been waiting for the bottom to fall out of this season were starting to climb atop their soap boxes, ready to begin their diatribes about how all the signs were there for the end. Grady Sizemore went on the DL earlier in the week, depriving the Tribe of the motor of their offense. Travis Hafner then went on the DL, depriving the Tribe of the muscle of their lineup. Gone were, in many ways, the two main cogs in the Indians offense.

Then, during last night's game, Alex White, the Indians #1 prospect, was pulled from the game after the third inning with a "middle finger strain." Indians' announcer Rick Manning immediately connected the injury to that of Adam Miller. Miller was the Tribe's top pitching prospect during the mid-90's, throwing a mid-to-upper 90's fastball that would occasionally hit 100. Then, in 2007, he missed most of the season with a strained tendon in his middle finger. The problem was still there in 2008, and he had to have a procedure that many thought would end his career. Well, it didn't, but that story would pull us too far away from our current one, so that's for another day. Long story short, by the sixth inning yesterday, Indians fans were faced with getting no-hit, losing their third game in a row (with two more against Cincy), no Sizemore, no Hafner, no White (who may or may not be facing a similar injury to his finger as Adam Miller, who then missed four seasons), and with a not-so-friendly schedule coming up (Cincy/Boston/Tampa).

Our tall tale picks back up in the sixth inning. With one out and Wood pitching, former Reds player Austin Kearns broke up the no-hitter with a single up the middle. Jack Hannahan and Michael Brantley would follow with singles of their own, scoring Kearns, which broke up the shut out. Asdrubal Cabrera walked, loaded the bases. Then Shin Soo Choo was hit, scoring another run to make it 4-2. That was it for Wood.

In came this giant of a kid, 6'8" Logan Ondrusek for the Reds. He walked his first batter, Carlos Santana, to make it 4-3. Shelley Duncan than hit a sac fly, tying the game, before Ondrusek would end the inning.

The game would remain tied until the eighth inning, when Russell Branyan would pay HUGE dividends.

Earlier in the day on Friday, the Tribe placed Hafner on the DL and called up Columbus centerfielder Ezequiel Carrera. Carrera was lights out in Columbus, hitting .317, with 33 runs scored and 15 stolen bases in 37 games. He's also one of the best fielding outfielders in the Tribe's system. Carrera was obtained by the Tribe last summer for, you guessed it, Russell Branyan.

Well, Carrera wasn't in Friday night's line up, but it was widely assumed that he would be playing center and starting against righties (moving Brantley to left), and used as a pinch hitter in the other games.

With two outs in the eighth inning, Shin Soo Choo found himself on third base after a near-homer-turned triple that had skirted down the wall in left field. Reds pitcher, lefty Bill Bray, then intentionally walked Carlos Santana, putting runners on first and third. With righty Shelley Duncan coming up to hit, the Reds decided to bring in righty Nick Masset to face him. Manny Acta countered with...Zeke Carrera.

What happened next was the stuff of legends. Mind you, Zeke had never...ever...played in a major league game prior to last night's game. This was his first at bat as a big league player. So, it was the eighth inning of a tie ball game. So, there were runners on the corners with two out. Other than that, everything was normal...right?!? You have to admit, there's a bit of Russell Branyan-ness to the moment, isn't there?

Carrera came up to bat with ever right to take a pitch or two to take in the moment, or to at the very least, find his footing. Instead, the peppy centerfielder lept at his one chance at surprise, and did something that only Willie Mays Hayes or Kenny Lofton would think of, he dropped a drag bunt down the first base line towards all star Joey Votto. Votto fielded it and lunged at the fleet-footed Carrera, who nonchalantly stepped out of the way without breaking stride. Carrera was safe on first, while Shin Soo Choo scored what turned out to be the winning run.

It was a huge win for the Indians, and a big moment for Carrera. Carrera was believed to be a marginal prospect after his acquisition for Branyan last year, but he's definitely more than that, even in an outfield utility role. He clearly understands his game, and based on the havoc he wreaked last night, has a bright future for the Indians. All for Russell Branyan.

By the way, the winning run was scored by Shin Soo Choo, also acquired from the Mariners way back in 2006. Choo was acquired from the Mariners for Indians first baseman, Ben Broussard. How did the Indians get Broussard?

In 2002, the Indians acquired Ben Broussard from the Cincinnati Reds, for Russell Branyan.

In a final twist of fate, today Russell Branyan was released from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Drew Pomeranz tests hamstring in first start since tweak

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sun, 01 May 2011 14:20:00 +0000

Cleveland Indians 2009 #1 pick Alex White rightfully garnered much of the attention of most Indians fans yesterday as he made his first start with the big league Indians, some of that focus will shift to the Tribe's 2010 #1 pick, Drew Pomeranz.

While White was still pitching for Columbus, there seemed to be a growing sentiment that he wasn't the top pitching prospect in the organization. Many were pointing to Pomeranz, whose first two starts were nearly perfect. Pomeranz suffered a bit of a hiccup in his third start, giving up three runs while pitching with a tight hamstring.

Pomeranz' injury came in an evening start in Salem, Delaware. The temperature never went above 60 degrees, and the big lefty found himself sitting a bit longer than normal prior to making his first pitch. He had warmed up as he normally does prior to the game, but when the K-Tribe offense made a bit of noise in the first, Pomeranz admittedly tightened up. Instead of stretching, and perhaps warming up a bit prior to taking the mound, he went out cold. Pomeranz tweaked the leg facing off against Salem's lead-off hitter, Peter Hissey. Ironically enough, the tweak came on the pitch struck out Hissey. From that point on, he pitched a different game, even while pitching a solid game.

Pomeranz would give up his first professional homer in the next inning, but other than a visit to the mound from the trainer and manager Aaron Holbert, it was hard to see that Pomeranz was even hurt. He struck out the first two batters that he face in a perfect first inning. In the third, after giving up his first professional home run in the second, he pitched out a bit of adversity. Hissey would hit a one-out double, then steal third. With his back to the wall, Pomeranz did what he does best...he struck out the next two batters to get out of the jam.

Pomeranz would take himself out of the game, fearing that the hamstring would cause his delivery to change, which in turn could hurt his shoulder. It's good to know that this kid gets it early on.

Pomeranz admittedly had quickened his delivery in his prior start against Wilmington, which kept his fastball from getting in on right-handed hitters. While his overpowering fastball is generally too much for the high A hitters, if you throw enough over the plate, sooner or later someone's going to hit it. He gave up three runs during that outing, by far the most of in his first four starts of the season, but had figured how to slow down his delivery. Then came the injury.

“That’s the way it works, right?” Pomeranz said. “I feel the best I’ve felt in a month and a half, two months. And the third pitch — perfect pitch, curveball — and it does that. I was like, ‘Aw, come on!’ ”

Overall, Pomeranz is 0-0 with a 2.00 ERA. He's gone 18 total innings, while striking out 27. He's walked a grand total of five batters. He's equally tough against righties as he is lefties. Left-handed hitters are hitting .167 against him, while right-handers are hitting .143.

Today, Pomeranz should be able to pitch on a more normal count, and continue his ascension through the Tribe's minor league system. As he continues to pitch well, the comparisons with White will surely continue. Who's better? I'm sure if you talked with Drew, he'd immediately point to the fact that White has been with the organization for over a year, and has already pitched in the majors. Of course, that doesn't mean the debate won't rage on.

White piggy-backed with Nick Hagadone during his run with Kinston last season. He went 2-3 with a 2.86 ERA in 44 innings of work. He struck out an impressive 41 batters, while walking only 19. Opposing batters hit only .204 against him, which was third in the league. White was bumped up to Akron during the third week of May.

Pomeranz enters May without nearly as many innings. The other numbers not only stand up to White's, but are a bit better early on. With the organizational pitching shuffling around because of injuries to Mitch Talbot and Carlos Carrasco, Pomeranz may have an opportunity to move up soon. Will it be before White's late April call-up from a year ago, or will the Tribe brass give Pomeranz a few more starts because of the depth of pitching?

As far as the debate goes, does it really matter? At the end of the day, these two impressive starters aren't going to be facing off in a steel cage match. Instead, they'll be facing off against opposing major league hitters, as two aces for your Cleveland Indians.

Orlando Cabrera continues Tribe's dramatic ride through April

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sun, 01 May 2011 05:02:00 +0000

Orlando Cabrera (Photo: Malingering)

Cleveland continued to win in dramatic fashion, as Orlando Cabrera took a first pitch fastball deep into center to score Michael Brantley. Brantley had led the inning off with a single to right field off of Brayan Villarreal, who had just entered the game. Brantley moved to second when Villarreal questionably tried to pick him off at first. With first base open, Asdrubal Cabrera sacrificed Brantley to third. Shin-Soo Choo and Carlos Santana were then intentionally walked, bringing up Cabrera.

Cleveland had to come back from a two-run deficit when minor league sensation, and former first round pick Alex White gave up two 4th inning home runs to Miguel Cabrera and Ray Rayburn. Cleveland would come back quickly though. Carlos Santana belted a line drive home run in the bottom of the fourth, and Brantley would tie it with a home run of his own in the sixth.

White was solid in his first appearance, going six innings, giving up six hits, two runs and four walks (with two intentional), while striking out four. As good as he was, the bullpen was better. Joe Smith, Vinny Pestano, Chris Perez, Rafael Perez and Tony Sipp combined to give up only five hits with one walk and eight strike outs.

The Indians finished the month at 18-8, with the best record in baseball. Boy, it sure is hard to say goodbye to April.

Bringing Back Boudreau covering IPI's bases

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:32:00 +0000

For those of you that don't know, I've been covering the Kinston Indians for Tony Lastoria's Indians Prospect Insider. Last week, Tony had successful surgery to remove a tumor on his kidney. In the meantime, I have taken on the caretaker roll for IPI so that Tony can take some time to recuperate with his family. Until then, the bulk of my work with be at IPI. I'll be posting links here in the meantime, so that coverage maintains somewhat regular here, but all original content will be at Indians Prospect Insider for the time being.

Grady Sizemore set to return to Tribe line-up

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 14:30:00 +0000

(Photo: Mark Sobba--flickr creative commons)

Grady Sizemore will return to Cleveland today, starting in centerfield, as well as leading off. To make room on the roster, starter Mitch Talbot will be placed on the 15-day DL, in a bit of a surprising move.

It was believed that Travis Buck would be sent down since he has an option left, but he gets a temporary reprieve. Talbot is officially out with a strained right elbow, and likely won't be back until the middle of May.

On May 16, 2010, Grady Sizemore was hitting .211 without a home-run, and with a deplorable .271 OBP. It would be the last game he'd play with the Indians in 2010. Sizemore went on the DL with a sore knee, which turned into something a bit more serious. After microfracture surgery, Grady was done for the season, and thought to be out six-to-nine months.

Fast-forward nearly a year. Sizemore is currently wrapping up a stint with the Indians top two minor league affiliates. Grady's combined statistics are fairly impressive. He's batting a sizzling .353, with an OBP up to Grady standards, and then some, at .450. He has six hits (2 doubles, a homer and three singles) and a 1.097 OPS. Granted, our cross-section of games is only five games old, but compared to last season, these are surely re-assuring numbers. Grady played all five games in center, without making an error.

So, what does this mean for the Tribe's centerfielder? It means exactly what you think it does. With Sizemore apparently fit and healthy for the first time in over a year, the Tribe management is set to bring him back up to the big league club. It's unknown how much he'll play, but Manny Acta has already placed him back in center, and back in his familiar lead-off roll.

Both positions are currently owned by one Michael Brantley, who has done a tremendous job in his stead this season. Brantley is currently hitting .333, with seven runs scored and two stolen bases, in only thirteen games. He's played center in all 13 appearances, and in 36 chances, he has only made one error. Brantley will officially move to left field, as well as move down in the order to make room for the Indians former all-star.

Sizemore has already said that he could care-a-less where he bats, as long as it's somewhere where he'd be productive. Might Manny Acta play around with the line-up while the Indians are torrid hot to start the season, or will he just pop Sizemore back in, and let Brantley force his way onto the club?

Either way, it's a good problem to have.

Cleveland's Travis Hafner is Re-Pronkified, for now

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 05:18:00 +0000

(Photo: Mojumbo22-flickr creative commons)

If there was one thing that I was fairly sure about heading into the 2011 season, it's that Travis Hafner would never be the same player that he was before he signed his large contract, became injury prone, and seemingly lost all his power and worth to a rebuilding club like the Cleveland Indians.

I know it's early, but boy does it seem like I was wrong.

Tribe manager Manny Acta indicated early on in spring training that Hafner was going to play more this season, was 100% for the first time in a long time, and that there was no need to worry about the surgically repaired shoulder.

These comments weren't all that surprising, since we've been hearing the same thing since the days of Eric Wedge. What was surprising was the fact that other than Acta's brief bro-mance with the 34-year-old DH, there hadn't (hasn't) been all that much discussion about the shoulder from the Indians' camp. As a matter of fact, it's been a non-factor.

Hafner has currently played in 11 of the Tribe's first 14 games, and has done his best to imitate his former self. Hafner is currently hitting .293, with three homers, eight RBI and an .884 OPS. Last season, Hafner didn't hit his third homer until May 5th, and never hit above .281.

Certainly, the season is still early, but Hafner is clearly hitting the ball harder than he has in the past few seasons. Still, what I still can't get out of my mind, however, is the 2009 season, in which Hafner came out of the gate like the Pronk of old. After the sixth game of the season, Hafner had three homers and six RBI, and his slugging would ultimately reach a peak of .714 in those early days of the season.

I was already to re-dub Hafner to his old Pronk self. Unfortunately, the injury-bug bit, and Hafner was placed on the DL for soreness and fatigue to that wonderful shoulder.

Nobody thought it was all that serious, including Eric Wedge, but it turned out that Hafner had to miss over a month. He would return, and wouldn't have a horrid season, but Pronk was seemingly gone.

Enter 2011. The Indians are playing outstanding baseball, and find themselves at 10-4 early on. Every card is lining up for the Tribe so far, including Hafner. Is it a false sense of security for the Tribe slugger? Is he just getting some extra protection because of a slew of hot bats, or is the shoulder finally as strong as it was five years ago, prior to the injury-bug?

If it is, that false sense of security I just mentioned, just got a little less false.

Welcome back Pronk, we'll take it as long as we can get it.

Asdrubal Cabrera grabs the Indians leadership reins

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:18:00 +0000

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Asdrubal Cabrera is the straw that stirs the Cleveland Indians' drink.

That's what I said four years ago when he made his debut for the Indians and helped lead the team to the 2007 playoffs. That's what I said when he was out last season, nursing a broken forearm. That's what I say today, with Cabrera winning American League's co-player of the week after starting the season with four home runs in 10 days (he hit three last season, in an injury plagued year, and has never hit more than six in a season).

Cabrera's bread and butter will always be his defense. No, he's not Omar Vizquel, but who in their career was on the defensive side of the field? Cabrera has split his time between second base and shortstop over his career. As a shortstop, his career fielding percentage is an impressive .975 (Omar's, while clearly with a larger body of work, is .985). As a 2nd baseman, Cabrera has a .994 fielding percentage. Overall, he's at .983, while Omar's is .985. That's not too shabby for the start of a career.

This season, Cabrera has yet to make an error, and it should be interesting to watch him settle in at shortstop over the long haul. He's got soft hands, great footwork, good accuracy, has a high IQ, and is able to get to many balls that others can't get to. He can be an acrobat out there, but like Vizquel before him, it's not for show. He does whatever it takes to get into position, and has a strong enough arm to get the ball to first. Should he stay healthy and stay at the position, he's a gold-glover.

The big question with Cabrera has always been his offense. Could Cabrera turn into a productive offensive player, or would he ultimately be a one-sided defensive whiz? 2009 seemed to prove the former, as Cabrera played in 131 games and hit a stout .308, with 17 SB and 81 runs. He's now a career .284 with a lifetime .347 OBP.

Cabrera has always struggled being a selective hitter, but as he matures, that OBP could really start to take off. The other question with Cabrera has always been his power, of which he has showcased absolutely zilch over the length of his career...until this year. Cabrera's four homers in ten days is the most in that span that a shortstop has hit for the Tribe since 1960.

If you ask manager Manny Acta who the leader of the Indians infield is, without hesitation, he'll say Asdrubal Cabrera. That's saying something, considering the Indians signed former all-star and two time gold glove winner, Orlando Cabrera prior to the season. What speaks even more volumes is that Acta forced Orlando to move to second base, a position he played 37 times in nearly 1804 games total. The rest of the time, Orlando has been patrolling the shortstop position. Acta felt that Asdrubal's time was now.

Asdrubal Cabrera, at 25, is now one of the Tribe elders, and clearly a team leader. Only Shin-Soo Choo, Travis Hafner, Grady Sizemore and Fausto Carmona can claim to have as much or more time with the Tribe in the bigs. Hafner is the DH, and has been a part time player for much of the past three seasons. Other than 2011, he's been nothing more than a struggling bit player. Carmona has been busy playing a game of pitching yo-yo since his break-out 2007 season. Sizemore has been nothing but injured for a season and a half. The only player who can lay claim to being an overall better player over the past four seasons is Choo, who certainly shares the mantle as an unofficial captain of the team.

Watch the Indians fortunes closely this year, and how they relate to Cabrera's play. Choo is currently struggling with a .184 average, with one homer and two RBI. The Indians, however, are thriving under the subtle leadership of one Asdrubal Cabrera. They've won eight games in a row, and are currently at the top of the A.L. Central heap.

While the Tribe starters are certainly a major factor in this newfound winning, Asdrubal is certainly the major cog defensively, and now offensively.

As Cabrera goes, so go the Indians...

Cleveland sweeps the Red Sox in a finish right out of the Twilight Zone

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 03:09:00 +0000


Carmona--photo c/o Road Warrior

If you would have told me that the Cleveland Indians were going to be 4-2 five days ago, I'd have laughed you under the rock you just crawled out of. I half think that I would have laughed had you said 2-4. Somehow, the Indians have righted the ship behind solid starting pitching, a rock-solid bullpen, solid play from supposedly unsolid acquisitions, and some great "feel" calls from Manny Acta.

I don't know if the Cleveland Indians are going to be contenders this year, or even next year. I don't know if the starting pitching is going to hold up all season, or head to Seattle and give up 40 runs in three games. I don't know if Manny Acta is going to continue making the right calls against the grain, or if by next Friday, the masses will be calling for his job.

What I do know is that Cleveland Indians baseball has been fun to watch, and none more fun than today's sweeping victory against the struggling Boston Red Sox.

Today, the tipping of the cap starts with Fausto Carmona. Carmona got beat into submission last weekend against Chicago, and looked a lot like the guy that made us cringe in 2008 and 2009. No, he didn't get the win, and he may not even have been the best starter today (Jon Lester struck out nine, giving up three hits and three walks in seven scoreless innings), but he was his old viscous self.

Carmona pummeled the strike zone with his dancing sinker, and the Red Sox couldn't do a think with it. Carmona gave up two hits, singles by Jacoby Ellsbury and Marco Scutaro in the third and fifth respectively. He walked only two batters, and struck out four in his seven scoreless innings. He threw 18 first pitch strikes to his 25 batters, and induced 9 ground balls. He wasn't quite dominant, but pretty darn close. If this is the Carmona we get for the rest of the season, I'll take it in a heartbeat.

Enter the bullpen. Chad Durbin came in the game, and likely continued his path out of Cleveland, giving up a single and a walk after getting his only out. Enter Rafael Perez, who was brought in to face Carl Crawford with runners on first and second, and one out. Perez induced Crawford into a weak grounder to third in which Brooks Robinson...er...Adam Everett fielded cleanly charging in, and nailed Crawford for the second out. The runners advanced, and all hope was surely lost...right?

Surely, Perez would purposely walk Dustin Pedroia to load the bases with first open, and newly acquired Adrian Gonzalez would jack one out of the park. That's when crazy happened. Manny Acta let Raffy pitch to Pedroia!?! A cruddy chopper to...you guessed it...Raffy, and the inning was over, and all was right with the world. Of course, it was still 0-0, but the Indians miraculously made it through an inning with two runners in scoring position.

Adam Everett led off the bottom half of the 8th with a walk. With Orlando Cabrera squaring up to bunt, Everett stole second. Cabrera then did bunt, and Everett moved to third. The funny thing is...I actually laughed thinking...wouldn't it be funny if they bunted again, and scored on a suicide squeeze. Up came Asdrubal Cabrera, and sure enough, down came the bunt, and sure enough, Everett scored the first and only run of the game. Back-to-Back big games for ACab...from a three-run jack, to a one run sac. After the three seasons we've had, it felt like the world series again.

In came Chris Perez to face off against the meat of the Red Sox order, and more hilarity ensued. Perez retired Gonzalez and Youkilis with ground balls, but of course, it's never really over, is it? David Ortiz drew a walk, and up came J.D. Drew. Drew hit a high-chopper to Everett, who looked at first, didn't have the play...then pulled up, looking for an out at second base. Sure enough, pinch-runner Darnell McDonald flew around second as though he were going to try and score, and there was Everett...waiting for it. A quick throw to Cabrera, a close play at second, and the final out of the game.

In all honesty, it seemed like some sort of wacky episode of 'The Twilight Zone,' but either way, the Indians get the win. Is it hustle? Is it luck? Is it just fine play? Is it all of the above? I don't know, but whatever it is, it sure is fun to watch.

Tribe starters struggles will likely be the norm in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 02:07:00 +0000

Fausto Carmona and Carlos Carrasco have done a nice job giving the spars crowds at Progressive Field their best impression of a pinball machine, getting lit up to the tune of 17 runs in 9 2/3 innings. While it's certainly disconcerting to see the #1 and #2 Tribe starters getting beat like a drum, it definitely shouldn't come as a surprise.

Carmona is undoubtedly the ace of this staff. Unfortunately, that's based more on the contraction of every other quality member of the Tribe's starting staff over the past three years then Carmona's pitching dominance. Everybody remembers Carmona's 2007 season, when the starter burst on the scene with a 19-8 record, a 3.06 record, and a sinker and slider so wicked, he looked like an ace for years to come. Since then, Carmona's gone 26-34, with an ERA north of 5.00. Yes, Carmona rebounded last year with a 13-14 record, and a 3.77 ERA, but to say he's a true ace would be a stretch for any rotation...well...any rotation not belonging to the Indians.

Now, Carmona is clearly the best Tribe starter. That's not necessarily a pat on the back.

Carrasco used to be the gem of the Phillies promising minor league system. The Indians received Carrasco when they traded Cliff Lee to the Phillies in 2009. Carrasco was still highly regarded, but 19-year-old Jason Knapp and his cannon but oft-injured left arm was considered a bigger get. While Carrasco did pitch well in his last few starts of 2010, his overall numbers in the majors are far from stellar. In his 12 major league starts, he is 2-6 overall, with a 5.51 ERA. While we don't know what he'll turn into down the line, I think it's safe to say that his ceiling this year isn't up to a #2 starters' standards.

Justin Masterson was a major piece of the Victor Martinez deal in 2009 (five days ofter the Carrasco deal), but like Carrasco, wasn't as highly sought after as flamethrower Nick Hagadone. Masterson was a reliever that the Indians were planning on trying out as a starter. In his season and a half with the Tribe, Masterson is a less than stellar 7-20, with a 4.66 ERA. Many still debate whether or not Masterson is a starter, or a reliever. Most agree that Masterson's ceiling is #3 starter. He's certainly a stretch there now.

Josh Tomlin was battling for the last slot in the Indians' rotation throughout spring training. Now, Tomlin not only won the last spot, but was bumped up to the #4 spot because of the struggles of one Mitch Talbot. Tomlin was a bright spot in the Indians' pitching rotation after joining it in late July last year. Tomlin went 6-4, with a 4.56 ERA, and won five of his last seven starts. Tomlin isn't overpowering by any stretch, but he does possess command of four pitches and a high pitching IQ. Still, he's likely a couple of years away from being a lock in any rotation.

Mitch Talbot was a top prospect for the Astros and the DRays, but like Tomlin, he's not an overpowering pitcher. Talbot has one of the best change-ups in baseball. Unfortunately, he has a hard time repeating his fastball, which leaves him susceptible to getting hit. Talbot was clearly their best pitcher during the first two months of the season. He then struggled with consistency and injury. This year, Talbot got roughed up in the spring. His solid 2010 campaign likely gave him his second chance this season.

There is help on its way, in the form of Alex White. White, who will start the season off in Columbus, is a legit future #1 starter, and could find himself in Cleveland by July if he continues to impress. In the near future, Drew Pomeranz, Hector Rondon, Joe Gardner and several others have the potential to make an impact. Unfortunately for the Tribe, it doesn't appear as though this is the year to see an important impact from these top-end prospects.

It's unfortunate, because the Indians offense and bullpen will likely be the strength of this year's team. With a stopper to help anchor this rotation, things could be different. Will Carmona accept the role, or will the Indians have to wait for Alex White to emerge?

The Cleveland Indians 2011 starting staff does have upside, and will likely have starts in which they look fairly impressive. Unfortunately, the norm may be more like games 1 and 2, when an improving offense will have to carry a below average starting rotation.

It's a BEAutiful day for Cleveland Indians baseball...

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:47:00 +0000

Opening day is upon us, and I'm not planning on waxing poetic about the smell of the fresh cut grass, eternal spring hope, or the joys of 40 degree April baseball in Cleveland. Yet, the adrenaline is flowing this morning, as your Cleveland Indians are a mere six hours away from taking the field for the first time in 2011.

Yeah, it's time to dust off the cobwebs off Bringing Back Boudreau for another season as the Tribe attempts to remove themselves from the bottom of the standings in the Central. Will this just be another rebuild year, as the Indians slowly bring up more of their vaunted prospects, or is this the year that the puzzle starts taking shape?

Here's a quick look at my rather brief Tribe predictions, as well as the rest of the Indians Prospect Insider staff predictions for the Indians, heading into 2011. This team really could sneak up on some teams. No...really.

Did Cliff Lee just cost the Indians Bartolo Colon, and is that a bad thing?

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 03:05:00 +0000

Go ahead, read that title over a few times and let it settle in. It appears that the Cleveland Indians are not only trying to sign Bartolo Colon, but they may end up in a bit of a bidding war for the services of the 37-year-old righty.

While nothing has been confirmed as of yet, Colon told reporters prior to a start during yesterdays Dominican League playoffs that there were three teams interested in potentially signing him. Of course, the team that's already been talked about all winter are the Indians. That's not a surprise. What is a bit of a shocker are the other two teams.

Who are the other two teams? As hard as this is to believe, it appears as though the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees have been scouting Colon. The Rangers and the Yankees were both the rumored winners in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes at one time or another during this past offseason. Now, they apparently decided to find another Tribe starter.

Rumors were abound that both teams were fishing around Ontario and Carnegie to see if Fausto Carmona was available in a deal. When that door was politely closed, they apparently decided that it was imperative to sign anyone that used to wear Chief Wahoo on their jersey.

I seriously couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

Colon was fairly dominant in his seven starts for Águilas Cibaeñas, going 2-1 with a 1.47 ERA. The Indians, in need of a veteran starter, were known to be interested in their former ace. While Colon being a factor in free agency is somewhat jokeworthy, it may turn out that the joke is on the Indians after all.

The culprit of this potential battle for Colon's services is former ace Cliff Lee. While I'd like to think that Lee didn't do this on purpose, I'm starting to wonder. Is there some greater conspiracy at work here? Did Rocky Colavito bury an old jersey under home plate at the Jake? Is Jaret Wright somehow involved?

When Lee spurned both the Yankees and the Rangers by signing with Philadelphia, the move certainly took the Yankees by surprise. There's no doubt that the Yankee-ego had all but assured itself that Lee was a lock. Nobody spurns the Yankees when they throw around that kind of cash. Oops.

Both the Yankees and the Rangers teams have been actively seeking players that can add depth to their rotation. The Rangers have been more active. The Yankees, well, haven't. They seriously didn't have a back-up plan in place, until now of course.

After the Lee debacle, the Yankees have been hoping that Andy Pettitte would return for one more season, but with retirement seeming more and more likely for the lefty, the Yankees may be ready to turn in another direction. Apparently, Bartolo Colon may be at the top of their list.

Seriously, that's hard to say with a straight face.

The Rangers weren't as stoic and whiny as the Yankees after losing Lee. They went out and signed Brandon Webb to a one-year, three million dollar, incentive-laden deal. Webb has only made one start since the start of 2009, so the gamble is obvious for the Rangers, but they have contingencies in place.

It's believed that the Rangers would like an alternative to Webb should the lefty not pan out, and since they only dropped three million, they had money for another insurance policy. Enter Bartolo Colon.

Both teams seem set for return to the playoffs, and at the very least, are a lot closer to the playoffs than the Tribe. If that's important to Bartolo (and that's questionable), the Indians may not have a chance in this fight.

Cleveland is the one team that can guarantee Colon a sure-fire spot in the rotation. I've read some stuff saying that Colon would be the #5 starter, but the number by his name doesn't matter. As long as he's healthy, he'll start for the Indians.

The Yankees and Rangers would likely spot start him unless someone didn't pan out. In other words, he'd end up in the same situation that he walked out on in Boston and Chicago, his last two major league destinations. So perhaps these three teams are on some even ground.

Still, you have to find the ironic humor in all this. Cleveland needs a starter, and they've been universally panned for even considering Colon. The former Cy Young winner is believed to be long past his MLB prime, has spent the better part of the past ten years eating (although he's supposedly in great shape), and seemed to be an easy get for the Tribe, should they decide to go that route.

Now, Bartolo Colon has not only managed to become relevant, but has potentially placed himself in the middle of three teams looking for a starter. Only in Cleveland.

The ultimate irony in all of this is Cliff Lee. He was acquired by the Indians many moons ago through a trade with the now-defunct Montreal Expos. Who did Cleveland give up to get Lee, Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips and Lee Stevens? How about Bartolo Colon. So Colon left because of Lee in 2002 (which was a good thing), and now, perhaps he's done it all over again (perhaps another good thing).

So, what does all this mean?

I'm still not sure that I even want the Indians to sign Colon. There's nothing that indicates he can be effective at 37, or 47, or however old he may be. I can tell you that having the Yankees and Rangers interested sure makes me want the Indians to sign him all the more.

I know that it's not very Sabr of me, but such is life. It may be the only win the Tribe can get against the Evil Empire and the World Series runner-up Rangers this season, so I'll take what I can get.

The real humor in all this is that it's distinctly possible that Colon has made these comments with the direct intent to garner more cash with whomever he ultimately signs with. It's a common ploy for most agents and players to let it be known that they are wanted somewhere else, and Colon has been around the block a few time.

For some reason, this all makes some sort of strange, 'you have to be kidding me' sense. The New York Yankees and Texas Rangers outbidding the Indians for Bartolo Colon.

Shhhhh, I hear Jamie Moyer is available.

The All-Aught/All-Decade Cleveland Indians

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 08:48:00 +0000

The Cleveland Indians of the 1990's were a powerhouse. The offense, led by Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton, Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez laid waste to the majority of American League opponents throughout the decade. There was no doubt that the Indians were in the discussion of "Best Team of the 90's." As the Indians moved into the new decade, things changed dramatically. The last remnants of players from those great teams were moved in trades to rebuild, and thus began a process that barely made fruition with a run that came up a game short to get to the World Series in 2007. Then, the rebuilding began again. Unfortunately, the first decade of the 2000's had more similarities to the hapless Tribe of the "Curse of the Rocky Colavito" years, but hope springs eternal.

Here are the All-Aught Indians:

1. C--Victor Martinez (2002-2009)
2. 1B--Jim Thome (2000-2002)
3. 2B--Roberto Alomar (2000-2001)
4. 3B--Casey Blake (2003-2008)
5. SS--Omar Vizquel (2000-2004)
6. LF--Coco Crisp (2002-2005)
7. CF--Grady Sizemore (2004-2010)
8. RF--Manny Ramirez (2000)
9. DH--Travis Hafner (2003-2009)
10. Bench C--Kelly Shoppach (2006-2009)
11. Bench IF--Jamey Carroll (2008-2009)
12. Bench Utility--Jolbert Cabrera (2000-2002)
13. Bench OF--Franklin Gutierrez (2005-2008)
14. RP--Rafael Betancourt (2003-2009)
15. RP--David Riske (2001-2005)
16. RP--Paul Shuey (2000-2002)
17. RP--Bob Howry (2004-2005)
18. RP--Rafael Perez (2006-2009)
19. RP--Steve Karsay (2000-2001, 2006)
20. SP--CC Sabathia (2001-2008)
21. SP--Cliff Lee (2002-2009)
22. SP--Bartolo Colon (2000-2002)
23. SP--Jake Westbrook (2000-2009)
24. SP--Fausto Carmona (2006-2009)
25. CL--Bob Wickman (2000-2006)

The Greatness of Bob Feller, to this kid anyways

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 16:09:00 +0000

Bob Feller.

It's hard to talk about the Cleveland Indians and not mention the name of Bob Feller. There were several years when there was nothing else to talk about as Cleveland Indians fans than their greatest player of all-time, but it was always so much more than that. Feller was always both larger-than-life, and the regular guy next door. The legend was scary to walk up to, but the stories he would tell were always worth the risk. He was Bob Feller. The greatest pitcher to wear an Indians jersey, the ambassador for a team that didn't have any, the guy that could throw harder than maybe anyone to step foot on a baseball field.

It's hard to describe what Mr. Feller meant to me as a kid growing up on the West Side of Cleveland in the 1970's. You see, the Cleveland Indians of that era weren't very good, which may be overstating the case. I didn't know any better. As a Tribe fan, finishing in fourth place was always a fantastic year. There were quirky, blue-collar players that many second division teams are famous for that I followed, like Charlie Spikes, Buddy Bell, Andre Thornton and Duane Kuiper, but there weren't any icons you could hang your hat on. The closest thing to a legend was Gaylord Perry, who was known as much for hiding K-Y jelly as he was for winning a Cy Young in Cleveland.

But there was always Bob Feller.

My first memory of Feller wasn't of a strikeout, a victory, a trip to the Pacific or an opening day no-hitter. No, my first memory of Bob Feller came from my Dad, a devout New York Yankees fan to this day. I'll never forget the story my Dad told me right before bed, when as a five year old, I was still trying to figure out what that silly game of baseball was all about. Normally, he sprinkled me with stories of Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra, and was, in all likelihood, trying to steer me towards his childhood team, and away from the painful heartache of becoming a Tribe fan. But even Dad couldn't help himself.

There came the day that Dad mentioned Bob Feller.

While I don't remember what my father specifically said about Feller that night, I do remember the main event of the conversation. You see, Bob Feller threw faster than a motorcycle. Today, pitchers are routinely clocked at stadiums through the use of radar, but to a five-year-old, 100 miles per hour might as well be 10 or 1,000. It was all relative. But, you see, Bob Feller could throw the ball faster than a speeding motorcycle.

The next day, I told the story to my neighbor, and we set about creating the same test. Out came the big wheels, the Schwinn's, the mits and the tennis balls. The test was on. Which kid could throw faster than any of the vehicles that we all brought out to the street in front of my house. First against the big wheel with a worn wheel. Then, against the gold Schwinn that everyone swore was the fastest bike this side of Cleveland's Municipal stadium. The Green Machine was also tested. Today, I don't know who could throw faster than what, but that fateful summer afternoon, a kid with a sore arm and a few scrapes became a lifelong baseball fan, and Bob Feller became his hero.

Over the years, I would learn more about the greatness that was "Rapid Robert." I remember listening to an old timer at a game in Cleveland in the early 80's telling the 12 people sitting in the entire section about how Feller had told him that his Dad had mowed over part of his Iowa farm to build him a baseball field. Can you imagine that? A father building his son a ballfield in the middle of his cornfield! I was a little more than torqued when my father refused to bulldoze the forest behind our house for a ballfield of my own. I was even more ticked off a few years later when Field of Dreams came out. I still wonder, did Feller get a cut of the movie's proceeds? If you think the ballfield was a dedicated move for his son by Bill Feller, Bob's Dad, how about Dad getting rid of ALL the corn, to instead grow wheat, because it would allow him to focus more energy on teaching his son how to become a major leaguer. He'd create a team of local ballplayers, and they'd play other teams during the weekend.

I remember reading about Feller as a high school junior, making an ungodly jump from high school baseball to the major leagues. That's right, he never played a second of minor league baseball, before finding himself pitching for the Indians after his junior year in high school. Feller went back to high school after the season, and finished his senior year with the help of tutors, on the road during his second year. He still made it to his graduation however, and it was broadcast on radio from coast to coast. Think about it. Most kids DREAM of playing in the majors in high school. Feller did it. But that's was always his M.O..

I remember watching Jack Morris throw a no-hitter on the first Saturday game-of-the-week on NBC way back in 1984. While I don't remember much about the game, I do remember Vin Scully and his broadcast partner, Joe Garagiola. In painting the picture of Morris' brilliance that day, they kept referring to one Bob Feller, who is the one and only pitcher to throw a no-no on opening day. While Morris was already making his second start for his no-hitter, Feller had done it on opening day in 1940, when he was all of 21 years old.

Then there are the numbers, and there are just far too many to get into them all here. As a 20 year-old, Feller would win 24 games in 1939. As a 21-year-old in that no-hit year of 1940, he would lead the majors with 27 wins and 31 complete games. As a 22-year-old in 1941, he would win 25 games. That was Feller's sixth year in baseball. In today's game, he'd be about to enter his first unrestricted free-agent year. I wonder what kind of deal a 22-year old coming off three 24+ win, sub 3.15 ERA seasons would get...200 million...300 million...perhaps his own island and a kingdom of his own?

Obviously there wasn't free agency in the 40's, but Feller still offered up his services to something else: the U.S. Navy. I'll get to that in a second.

Feller would return late in the season in 1945 for a few starts, but would return for a full season in 1946. He promptly won 26 games with a 2.18 ERA. He had 36 complete games, 10 shut-outs, pitched in 371 1/3 innings, and struck out 348 batters in that remarkable season. In 1947, Feller would win 20 games. During that five-year playing stretch, Feller would win 122 games, lose 59, pitch 129 complete games, and throw 30 complete-game shutouts. Overall, Feller would go 266-162 with a 3.25 ERA and 2,581 strike outs. He'd throw three no-hitters, and 12 one-hitters. In other words, he was otherwordly.

As a kid, I couldn't stand seeing that four-year block of empty games in the early-40's. Surely, Feller couldn't have wanted to miss part of the prime of his career. I mean, imagine the numbers had he stayed healthy. Based on the five-year average from the three years prior to his service, and the two years after, he'd have averaged 24 wins a season. Figuring in the five wins he DID win in 1945, that would be another 91 wins, another 1,000 wins, a lower ERA. Of course, Feller wouldn't have had it any other way. It wasn't about numbers, or wins, or even playing baseball. He enlisted in the Navy the day after Pearl Harbor, after waiving a deferment because his Dad was ill, leaving Feller as the sole provider for his family. Feller's father would die while he was serving during World War 2. Feller never questioned it. It was his duty. While there have been many references to "Chiefs" during the existence of the Cleveland Indians, Bob Feller was a legitimate one. He was baseball's only Chief Petty Officer elected into baseball's hall of fame.

Over the years, I've had the opportunity to see Feller on several occasions, and I even talked to him briefly a couple of times, because the guy went everywhere in the name of baseball. No, I'm by no means saying that I created a friendship with the guy. Not a chance. He wouldn't have been able to pick me out of a line-up. That's not my point. My point is simply that I got to meet Bob Feller. My most memorable meeting was back in the late-80's, when Feller was a young man in his early 70's. Feller was throwing BP for a bunch of sportswriters at a small ballfield in Erie prior to a minor league game. I was standing in the outfield shagging fly balls. You got it, I was on the same team and field as the great Bob Feller, at least that's the story I'll always tell. Anyways, I didn't have to shag many balls that day. Why? The fireballing 70-year old was busy making the sportswriters look like morons, blowing the ball by them even then.

My most humorous time meeting Feller was at a Winter Caravan meeting a year or two after that. He signed my ballcap, and I asked him if he remembered me from the two years prior, the day I was shagging fly balls. Feller, ever the honest, said, "Hell no, I meet a million kids every year, how am I supposed to remember you." Then, he looked over at my Dad, who was wearing a Yankees cap, and said, "Who let him in?" I didn't get a chance for a follow up because of the massive line for autographs. I saw him at minor league games, major league games, spring trainings, all-star games, hall of fames, world series, and basically everywhere in between. You see, Feller loved baseball, and it was his job to do it some good. It was the same mentality he had playing the game, and the same mentality he had in serving his country.

I loved listening to him talk about ballplayers. I recently heard Tim Kurkjian telling a story about Feller watching Willie Mays making that catch against the Indians in game one of the 1954 World Series. According to Kurkjian, Feller said, "We all knew he was going to catch it. It wasn't that tough a catch." He was loaded with up-front comments like that. It didn't come from a guy out-of-touch, it came from a guy who played baseball better than most. Perspective, you see, is different when you are standing in the clouds to start with.

Ted Williams said Feller was the best pitcher that he'd ever seen:

"(Feller was) the fastest...pitcher I ever saw during my career. . . . He had the best fastball and curve I’ve ever seen. Three days before he pitched I would start thinking about Robert Feller.''

Yeah, Ted Williams said that...

You see, Bob Feller was a hero. He'd never admit that he was. Feller would likely grunt that he was just "doing his service for his country, and doing his job playing baseball." That's exactly what he did....his job...and better than most anyone else that ever did it. He was Sandy Koufax (albeit a righty), before Sandy Koufax. He was Nolan Ryan, before Nolan Ryan. He was Randy Johnson, before Randy Johnson. He was Roger Clemens (minus that steroids), before Roger Clemens. Was he better than all of them? That's up for debate. Is he in the mix? Of that, there is no doubt.

It's funny, really, looking back. I had never seen Feller pitch to major league ballplayers. I was born fifteen years after he threw his last pitch for the Tribe, and thirty-five years after he threw his first pitch. But he was always there, talking about the game that he loved. He was the Tribe's connection to the great barnstorming teams of the 1930's, when Feller would travel the country with Satchel Paige and Cool Papa Bell. He shared the same field as Dizzy Dean, and pitched against Lou Gehrig. He fought against the likes of Joe Dimaggio, and forced Teddy Ballgame to sweat three days before pitching against the Red Sox. How many players can say they struck out Gehrig, Dimaggio and Mantle, and stood on the same field as Babe Ruth, the last time he was in a stadium. Ruth used Feller's bat as a cane during his last public appearance at Yankee Stadium.

He even shared the field with me....or I should say...I shared the field with him...

....and he could throw faster than a motorcycle...

Is Bartolo Colon about to re-sign with the Indians?

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 06:14:00 +0000

There's something strangely fitting that former Tribe starter Bartolo Colon is rumored to be a potential free-agent target for the Indians during the 2010-2011 hot stove season. No, I'm not talking about Colon now "fitting" into his old Tribe jersey now that he's allegedly lost 50 pounds, I'm talking about how he could fit on this team as a relevant starter. Seriously, I know you all are chuckling. I know most of you think that Colon is long past his prime. I know that you think this rapid weight loss is bogus, or some sort of Oprah-Winfrey like rubber-band diet. I know that you all think he's really a grandpa. I know you think he's past his prime. But c'mon, you've got to open up your mind a bit here.

I'm going to assume that the five of you that read my sad excuse for a blog are seated in front of your computer while viewing this exquisite and well thought out piece, and while you are likely dedicating the next ten minutes of your life into a wonderful retort about how insane I am (you'd be correct), please try and remain calm for a few more moments. Give me some time here people, so please take this moment to relax, get nice and comfortable, close your eyes, and think back to the good ole' days of 1998. Don't worry, if you can't remember back that far, I'll help you along a bit. Ah, yes, 12 years ago when the Indians were one of the upper echelon. Back then, Mr. Colon was a 23-year-old ace-in-waiting. He had helped the Tribe along to their second World Series appearance in three years back in 2007, and had really emerged as a plus pitcher in '08. He would win 14 games that year, and would then go on to win 10 or more games in his next four seasons with the Tribe. He was good...really good. So good, in fact, that the Indians dealt him away for a net return of Lee Stevens, Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore and Brandon Phillips. While Stevens turned into an afterthought, Lee and Sizemore became extremely valuable pieces to the Tribe cause, and Phillips did the same, just not for the Tribe (you're welcome Cincinnati). Colon continued to pitch well for a variety of teams before winning the Cy Young with the Angels in 2005. It was his last relevant season.

Okay, now open up your eyes. I wanted to be fair to the former ace before we took a look at the reality of the "fit." Yeah, I know, you thought I was being serious. You thought I really thought that Colon was a perfect fit. Please let me rephrase a bit. I don't think he's a good fit, but the Tribe brass does. No, I'm not kidding. For once, I'd like to believe Paul Hoynes, who stated on his twitter account a few days ago that the "Indians have no interest in re-signing Bartolo Colon, who quit on his last 2 teams." Tonight, during Bart's start with his Dominican team, sitting in the stands was one Manny Acta. Of course, he could just be taking in a game...right?

Colon is nothing if not interesting. 'Manny being Manny' is a popular phrase, but there was also Bart being Bart. Remember when I said that he was 23 years old back in 1998? It turns out that a birth certificate showed up in 2002 with a birth date of 1973, instead of 1975. So, as it turns out, Colon wasn't as promising a prospect as he was. Granted, a 25-year-old winning 14 games is still fairly outstanding, but it's just not the same as a 23-year-old. Like many players from the Domincan, questions to this day remain about Colon's age. Is he really 37? Is he 40? Is he 50? Is he still alive? It's hard to tell.

There's also the issue of Colon's weight. With the Tribe, Colon consistently struggled with his weight. While he was never a svelte starter, Colon did manage some eating restraint. Over the years, however, Colon's food demons had seemingly caught up with him. Of course, once they did, Bart actually ate them too. I remember seeing some listings of Colon's weight back in 2006 and 2007 as somewhere around 185 pounds. Now I could believe that he was 185 pounds back then, perhaps if he was filled with helium, and not the better part of the Golden Corral buffet.

Colon hasn't pitched for the Tribe since June of 2002, and hasn't pitched for any major league team since 2009. In 2008, the Red Sox signed Colon, and he pitched fairly well. Still, Colon wasn't considered a starter with the Sox, and after making seven solid starts, Boston manager Terry Francona planned to meet with Colon about moving him to the pen. Colon allegedly never showed up to the meeting...twice. Then, Colon headed off to the Dominican for "personal matters." While I can't speak to what those matters were, it's generally believed that Colon was ticked off about relieving, and spot starting. Apparently it's better to not pitch at all, or in this case, pitch in the Dominican.

Colon then signed with the White Sox. After his initial signing, it took the White Sox three days to locate Colon to talk to him. He'd again pitch fairly well. He'd go 3-6, but he had a respectable 4.19 ERA before going on the DL on June 9th. Colon would rehab in Arizona, but in late June, he disappeared again. Manager Ozzie Guillen speculated that Colon was "depressed a little bit" because of his affinity for Michael Jackson. He would turn up, but injuries derailed his season.

Is there anything that's fitting about this potential signing that isn't some two-cent joke about his weight? There is a certain amount of nostalgia, but it's not like the masses of Cleveland are clamoring for a reunion with the former enigmatic starter. He was good, bordering on great, but wasn't nearly as beloved as some of the other members of those great teams.

There is the Cliff Lee factor. Lee was the young pitching prospect in that deal I mentioned before that sent Colon to Montreal. Unless you live under a rock. Lee just signed a five-year, $120 million dollar deal with the Phillies, managed by Charlie Manuel, Colon's last Tribe manager. The Phillies, a relevant, big-market team are signing relevant, marquee baseball players. In this case, Cliff Lee, the pitcher the Indians hoped to help take Colon's place, which he did, and then some. Perhaps signing Colon to a minor-league, sub-million dollar contract is some sort of karmic balance to Lee's massive deal. While Lee fits himself in a staff of aces, Colon could himself in a staff of players half his age.

In a bit more serious tone, Colon is a low-cost option to come onto this club and potentially fill a hole as a veteran starter. Of course, there's that thing about him quitting on his last two teams. There's also a bit of an injury issue. There's also that bit about not having pitched in an important game in over a year. There's also his weight problems. Of course, there is all that nostalgia! Maybe the plan is to sign Manny as well, and create some sort of quirky Cleveland sitcom. I'm sure we could get Betty White involved, and maybe Cerrano as well. I'm sure we could work some sort of Allstate tie-in. Wait a second, what are we talking about again?

My guess is that there are better options that bringing back Bartolo. Of course, if he does sign, and it pans out for the Tribe, I could always change the name of my blog...

For those wondering at home, Colon got lit up a bit tonight, giving up six runs, three earned. The three unearned came on a throwing error by Colon on a bunt. Overall, Colon is a respectable 3-1 with a 1.54 ERA in six starts, and 35 innings pitched. He's struck out 29 and walked only 3.

All-Aught Indians--#1 Starter--CC Sabathia (2001-2008)

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 04:22:00 +0000

CC Sabathia had a lot on his shoulders when he was drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Indians in 1998. The Tribe had been looking for an ace to go along with their vaunted offense for the better part of five seasons. While Sabathia, a high school phenom, wouldn't be joining the Indians in 1998, the big lefty was certainly fast-tracked to the majors, should he match the potential that made him a first round selection. By 2001, he was with the Indians, and by 2007, he was a Cy Young award winner. No, Sabathia wasn't the answer to the great Indians run in the 90's and early 2000's, but he certainly was everything the Indians thought he would be, and more. The All-Aught Indians Ace is CC Sabathia.

There likely aren't words in an article that can express what Sabathia meant to the Indians over the eight season that he put on the uniform with Cleveland across the front. The Tribe had spent the best part of every offseason hunting for an ace in the years leading up to Sabathia's emergence. Sure, there was Orel Hershiser, Dennis Martinez, Jaret Wright, Charles Nagy, Jack McDowell, Chuck Finley and Bartolo Colon attempting to lead the Tribe staff. While all would at one point or another, be considered the "ace" of the Indians starting rotation, none seemed to relish or run with the title. Some either lacked the talent, the head or simply were too far past their prime to contribute the way the Indians were looking for. Colon was close, but he always left the impression, while with the Indians, that he was a 1b, and that his best years would be with a starter in the #1 role.

If only CC Sabathia had come seven years sooner.

Sabathia entered the fray for the Tribe in 2001, the last year of their eight year run as one of the best teams in baseball. The hefty lefty went 17-5, and while his statistics were certainly a product of good offensive production (his ERA was never south of 4.00 that season), the signs were all there for his future with this club. His first big league season saw him go 180 innings, while striking out 171, and walking 98. There certainly were control issues, but Sabathia was still learning how to pitch. He was not only the youngest player on the Tribe's roster, but the 20-year-old was also the youngest player in all the majors. Here was the Tribe's workhorse, their stopper, the ace that would finally line up the Tribe starters. Of course, by the middle of 2002, the team was dismantled, and Sabathia was the light at the end of a long tunnel of rebuilding.

Sabathia started off the 2002 season looking like the ace many thought he would be. After three starts, he was 2-0 with a 2.79 ERA. Unfortunately, Sabathia's season, like the Tribe's as a whole, went south quickly. By the end of April, Sabathia was 2-3 with a 6.82 ERA. He would fight and claw for everything he could in May and June, and would see his ERA drop in eight of ten starts. At the end of June, he had lowered his ERA to a respectable 4.70, to go along with a 6-6 record. His last June start, on the 28th, was a big one for me with regards to Sabathia, as it was the day that Colon was traded. Sabathia was officially the ace of the staff. How did he respond? He went 7 2/3 innings of one run ball, getting his sixth win. In his next six starts, he would struggle. His ERA would rise in every game pitched, and after his August 1st start, he was back up to 5.49, with a 6-9 record. Then, for the first time, Sabathia became the pitcher the Tribe brass thought they had drafted. Sabathia would go 7-2 for the rest of the season, with a 2.54 ERA. His overall ERA would drop over a point during that time period, ending the season with a 13-11 record. For the first time in his career, he'd pitch over 200 innings, with 210.

2003 was Sabathia's tough-luck season, even with an all-star season. He started off the year without a win in April, going 0-2. The catch-22 of that scenario was that there really wasn't a bad start in the bunch, as he walked out of the month with a 3.79 ERA. This would become the mantra of Sabathia's 2003 campaign, as he would receive the fifth worst offensive support in all of baseball. Sabathia would win four of five starts that May, and lower his ERA to 2.92, far and away his best month of the season, going 4-0 with a 1.91 ERA. He would end the season with a 13-9 record, and a 3.60 ERA. He led the team in wins for a third straight year, and was clearly the best pitcher on the team, and getting better. Remember, he was still only 23-years-old.

I suppose 2004 was an off-year for Sabathia. He made only three starts in April because of an injury. Still, he was 1-0 with a 1.71 ERA. He would have a topsy-turvy May, but his ERA would remain below 3.00. His best month was June, going 3-0, and maintaining his sub 3 ERA. He would be selected to his second all-star game, but would really scuffle for the rest of the season. He ended the year with an 11-10 record, and a 4.12 ERA. With the emergence of Cliff Lee, there was talk that Sabathia may not be the best pitcher on the staff. Still, there were stretches where he looked like the best in baseball. At 24, he was still learning how to become an ace. Take into account that his final record reflected 6-blown-wins. He left six games with a win in hand, only to have an atrocious bullpen blow the lead.

In 2005, Sabathia appeared to have to separate seasons. The first half of the year saw the lefty continue to scuffle, as his ERA steadily rose .92 at the end of April (with a 2-0 record), to 5.27 at the beginning of August, and a 6-9 record. Sabathia would then explode in August and September, winning seven straight starts, and 9 of 11. he would only have one no decision, and his ERA would again shrink over a run in less than two months. He would end the season at 15-10, with a 4.03 ERA. While Sabathia was still waiting to put together an entire season of quality, he was continuing to showcase months of dominance at a time. In six September starts, Sabathia went 4-1 with a 1.45 ERA.

Sabathia would start on opening day of 2006, but after only three innings, was pulled with an injured oblique. he'd be placed on the dl, and wouldn't make another start until May. While Sabathia's final record for the season would end up 12-11, in many ways, this was Sabathia's best season up to this point. In May, Sabathia was his dominant self, going 5-1 in six starts, with a ridiculous 1.20 ERA. He was named pitcher of the month for May. In August and September, Sabathia really showcased what has made him a special pitcher. He made 11 starts during the stretch run, and only one game saw him pitch less than seven innings, a 5 2/3 of an inning outing. During those games, his ERA would never rise above 3.43, or drop below 3.22. He was locked and loaded...the stopper that he was meant to be. When Sabathia was on the mound, you knew what you were going to get. He now knew how to pitch, and was making every start a quality effort. He could overpower you, outpitch you, or simply where you down. 2007 was a foregone conclusion.

Sabathia's entire 2007 season was a mirror of August and September of 2006. His low ERA would come on April 15th, when it was 2.14. His highest was on May 11th, when it was 4.02. From that point on, it would never rise above 3.81, or below 3.09. He would win 19 games that year, and lead the league in innings pitched with 241. He would eclipse 200 strikouts for the first time, with 209 for the season. From April 20th through July 5th, Sabathia never allowed more than one walk in a game. The most walks he had in a game all season was three, in two separate starts. He would end the season with a 19-7 record, and a 3.21 ERA. His 209 K's looked good up against his paltry 37 walks. Sabathia would win the Cy Young Award as the best pitcher in baseball. While he struggled in the playoffs, Sabathia was clearly the key to the Indians making a World Series run. He was entering a contract year. It would be a make or break year for the Tribe and Sabathia.

Like his rookie season, a lot was riding on Sabathia at the start of the 2008 season. He didn't wear it well. For the first time in his career, there was no doubt outside talk was getting to him. Many were berating him for his weak performance for the Indians in the post-season. There was also a bunch of discussion regard whether or not Sabathia would be dealt. There was also the matter of nearly 250 innings pitched. Sabathia crawled out of the gates, going 1-4 in April, with a 7.88 ERA. It was that bad. In May, Sabathia would right the ship considerably, dropping his ERA over three points, and another point in June. In the two months, Sabathia would only make two starts under seven innings (6 and 6 1/3 innings), and would go 5-4 during that stretch. His record was mostly due to the Tribe's lack of punch, more than anything. Entering July, the writing was on the wall. The Indians weren't producing, and Sabathia wasn't signing. It was time to make a deal. At the time, Sabathia was only 6-8 overall, but was leading the league in K's and K's per 9. He already had three complete games. His last start as an Indian came on July 2, 2008. Sabathia would get a no decision, but typical of his starts, he'd go eight innings, striking out five, and walking only two. On July 7th, Sabathia was traded to the Brewers. How good was Sabathia in 2008 with the Indians, and ultimately the Brewers? Over his last 31 starts, Sabathia would go 17-7 with a 1.88 ERA.

In eight years with the Indians, Sabathia went 106-71 with a 3.83 ERA. He'd strike out 1,265 batters, while walking nearly 500. He'd make three all-star appearances, and win one Cy Young award. Sabathia was also allowed to leave the Indians without having to choose another team, as many had before him. In a very classy move, Sabathia took out a full page ad, thanking the city of Cleveland for his eight fantastic seasons.

Sabathia has since signed a mammoth deal with the New York Yankees, now has a World Series ring (but not a victory), and has moved on to "bigger and better" things. But, for eight seasons, Sabathia's vast talent resided on the North Coast, and the team was always the better, for it.

All-Aught Indians--#2 Starter--Cliff Lee (2002-2009)

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 03:50:00 +0000

The top two starters for this All-Aught Indians team has been a given ever since the 2007 and 2008 A.L. Cy Young awards were given to CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee respectively. Anybody who gives thought to putting a Westbrook or a Colon in these two thoughts, think again. While Westbrook had three consistent seasons as an Indians workhorse, he was never able to show the brilliance that Sabathia showed year-after-year, and that Lee showcased during his out-of-nowhere 2008 season. Bartolo Colon may have been as talented as the lefty duo, but his time during this decade was all to brief.

Now I could take the controversial approach and give the #2 slot to Sabathia, but it would simply be a lie. While Lee undoubtedly had one of the best seasons as a pitcher in 2008, his career over the past seven seasons has been some kind of rollercoaster ride since the Indians acquired him in the Bartolo Colon deal in 2002. While Lee would win 14, 18 and 14 games in his first three full seasons with the Tribe, he would find himself in the minors after struggling in 2007. While those numbers alone place him in the same category as Jake Westbrook, his sublime 2008 season would see him dominate the A.L. from day one. The All-Aught Indians #2 starter is left-hander Cliff Lee.

Lee would make his first splash with the Tribe in September of 2002 after rolling through the minors. Lee would make two starts, going 0-1, but the won-loss wasn't indicative of how good Lee pitched. Lee would struggle a bit with control in his 10 1/3 innings, walking 8, but his 1.74 ERA would give the Tribe brass a glimpse of just how good Lee could be. Unfortunately, Lee would start the 2003 season on the DL, making only one appearance during spring training. Lee would make a spot start for the Tribe in June, getting his first major league win, then return to the Tribe for good on August 16th. Overall, Lee would go 3-3 with a 3.61 ERA in nine starts. In 52 1/3 innings pitched, Lee would strike out 44, while walking only 20 batters. It was clear that Lee was ready for a full season stint.

Lee would win fourteen games in 2004, tying him with Jake Westbrook for the team lead. Lee would also lead the Indians with 161 strikeouts, averaging eight per nine-innings pitched. Lee started off the season like a house of fire, going 5-0. On May 17th, the big lefty was 5-0 with a sub-3 ERA. Lee would continue his winning ways through July. Lee would win his July 16th start, making him 10-1, with a 3.81 ERA. Lee would scuffle for the rest of the year, going 4-7, although he would win his last three games of the season.

Lee's 2005 season is often overlooked, especially after his Cy Young award season in 2008. Lee would finish the season 18-5, as well as fourth in the voting for that season's Cy Young, ironically enough, won by former Indians Bartolo Colon. Lee was as consistent as any pitcher could be throughout the year. On July 8th, Lee would lose his fourth game of the season. He wouldn't lose another game until his last start of the season. Lee would win nine straight games before that last start. How consistent? When he lost on Independence Day, his ERA sat at 3.89. His final ERA was 3.79 on the season. Lee would strike out 143 batters, and walk only 52.

Lee would again win 14 games in 2006, and while it was a consistent season, it was a bit of a regression after leading the Indians staff in 2005. While his 14-11 record may have been a step back, he was one of only four starters to win 14 or more games in the previous three seasons.

Lee would enter the 2007 season at a crossroads. Was he a staff ace of the 2005 season, or was he the lefty version of Jake Westbrook, as he was in 2004 and 2006. If 2007 was any indication, he wasn't either. Lee would injure himself in February prior to the season, and wouldn't make a spring training start. He would start the season off on the DL, and after a month of rehab starts, essentially his spring training, Lee would make his debut on May 3. Lee would provide a glimpse of how good he could pitch in his second start, throwing a complete game three-hitter, but there was nothing but struggle for Lee throughout that season. Lee's scuffling as a starter would end at the end of July after four straight losses (his second four-game losing streak of the season). the Indians sent Lee to the minors. He'd return in September as a reliever, but the Indians left him off their playoff roster.

If only they had the Lee of 2008 in 2007. Lee would spend the 2008 spring training battling trade rumors and fighting for the #5 slot in the rotation. While he wasn't the clear-cut winner in a battle with Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Sowers, he would still receive likely his last shot. Boy would he run with it. Lee was scintillating during April and the first part of May. He would start the season off winning his first five starts, and after a nine-inning, no run, no decision, his record would stand at 6-0 with a 0.67 ERA. I could go on and on about this season, but the final numbers speak for themselves. Lee would end the season at 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA, and win the Cy Young Award. He would strike out 170, and walk only 34. His winning percentage was the third highest in the history of baseball for a 20-game winner. It really doesn't get any better than that.

Lee would end his Tribe career in 2009 under trade rumors. While he would showcase the Cy Young talent, you could tell that he was struggling a bit with the rumors of his departure. Lee would win his three last starts for the Tribe in June, with two complete games and a seven inning stint that would lower his ERA nearly half a run. It was also his final straw with the Indians. Tribe GM Mark Shapiro would deal Lee to the Philadelphia Phillies in late June, ending his tenure with the Indians.

Overall, Lee would finish his eight seasons with the Tribe with an 83-48 record, with 826 K's, and 322 walks. His overall ERA was 4.01. He would make one appearance in the All-Star game, finish fourth in Cy Young voting in 2005, and win the award in 2008. If not for the brilliance of CC Sabathia, Lee would be a clear choice for the top slot in the All-Decade rotation

All-Aught Indians--#3 Starter--Bartolo Colon (2000-2002)

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 04:48:00 +0000

Bartolo Colon came up with the Indians as one of their top pitching prospects, but was overshadowed by another bright young gunner, Jaret Wright. Wright seemed to be the future ace of the staff in 2007, going 8-3, while Colon made his debut the same year, going 4-7. Wright would hang on with the club through the 2002, struggling with injuries and mechanics problems. Colon would also last until the 2002 season with the Tribe, becoming the ace of the staff, and also one of the best pitchers in baseball. The All-Aught Indians #3 starter is Bartolo Colon.

Colon entered the 2000 season coming off his best season, having gone 18-5 with a 3.95 ERA. Remember, this was the height of the steroid era, and only seven total AL pitchers that year had an ERA under 4.00. Colon finished fourth in the A.L. Cy Young race.

Colon would come out of the gates in the new millennium struggling. While his record would stand at 6-2 on June 3, he had given up six runs in an outing twice, and was sitting on a 4.23 ERA. He had also struggled a bit with injury, spending the latter part of April on the DL with a pulled oblique. After a loss on July 26, Colon's record stood at 4.49 ERA. He wouldn't lose another game that year. He would end up at 15-8, and he would lower his ERA to 3.88. His signature win that season came on September 18th in a start in New York. In his only shutout of the season, Colon would throw a one-hit shut out, walking one and striking out a season high 13. Overall that season, he would strike out 212 batters, becoming the first Indian since the 70's (Dennis Eckersley) to strike out over 200 batters.

Colon would consider his patter in 2001. On June 30, Colon was 6-7 with a 4.89 ERA. Colon wouldn't lose a game in July, going 4-0, dropping his ERA to 4.39 in the process. Colon would only win one game in August, but he would continue to drop his ERA, to 4.12. In September, Colon would go 3-1, bringing his record to 14-11, and dropping his ERA to below 4 for the first time all season. He'd get lit up in a meaningless game in October against Kansas City, which would put his ERA over 4. Still, a typical season tantalizingly close to great, but back-and-forth enough to make people wonder if he'd ever go from being an almost great, to a Cy Young winner. Then came the playoffs, and we got to see just how big game Colon, in his prime, could be.

The Indians were going up against the Seattle Mariners, who had won 300 games that season, and were heavy favorites to beat the Tribe. Colon promptly shut the Mariners down in game one. He went eight innings, giving up six hits and two walks, while striking out ten. He was dominant, and put the Mariners on their heals. Colon was equally dominating in his game four start. Then came the sixth inning. Colon would almost get out of a bases loaded jam with a 1-0 lead, but would end up giving up three runs before leaving the game. Still, his big game performance couldn't be overlooked. He'd finish the series with a 1-1 record and a 1.84 ERA.

Colon would save his best for last in 2002. It seemed as though Colon finally figured out how to bring out his best from start-to-start. He would make sixteen for the Tribe that season, and he'd win ten of them, going 10-4, with an impressive 2.55 ERA. He stopped trying to strike out every hitter, and began to pitch. Colon's best starts of the season were back to back complete games at the end of May. He'd give up one unearned run in the first game against Toronto, and shut out Chicago. It turns out that Colon was pitching too well for an Indians team that was struggling. He was traded to the Expos after his last start...ironically enough...in a win against the Expos for his tenth win.

Colon's 2 1/2 years with the Tribe were enough to put him in this club of Indians elite. Colon was 39-24 with a 3.67 ERA. He'd strike out 488 batters in 536 2/3 innings pitched, and 80 starts altogether.

Colon's final piece to this All-Decade team was his return in the trade. The Indians would receive Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips, Grady Sizemore and Lee Stevens. Two of those players show up on this All-Aught roster. Another (Brandon Phillips) surely would show up on Cincinnati's. Not a bad haul for one of the best pitchers in the game.

All-Aught Indians--#4 Starter--Jake Westbrook (2001-2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 04:12:00 +0000

Jake Westbrook came to the Indians as the main piece from the Yankees when the Indians dealt David Justice the New York. Westbrook had been a number one pick by the Colorado Rockies, then traded to the Expos in a deal for Mike Lansing, then traded to the Yankees for Hideki Irabu, before the trade to the Tribe. While Westbrook may have lost a bit of the shiny goodness that comes with being the #1 pick, he ended up being the glue of the rotation for the better part of the decade. The All-Aught Indians #4 starter is Jake Westbrook.

Westbrook's first three years with the tribe were fairly uneventful. He spent most of the first two years in the pen, making the occasional spot start when needed. His ERA with the lack of work was 5.84 over the two seasons, and it looked like the Tribe had ruined another pitcher by yanking him around.

In 2003, things would begin to change for Westbrook, in that the Indians would let him start more than relieve. The tenacious Westbrook would stay true to form even while continued to be bounced around between Buffalo and Cleveland, and between the pen and the rotation. Westbrook would finish the year at 7-10, with a 4.33 ERA. He started 22 games, relieved 12, had his first complete game, and pitched 133 major league innings.

Westbrook would actually start the year in the bullpen because of Bob Wickman's injury, but it would be his last time spent in the bullpen during his career. Westbrook not only would start in 2004, but he would essentially serve as the ace of the staff once he stepped into the role. Westbrook led the majors with five complete games, while going 14-9 with a 3.38 ERA. His ERA was the third lowest in the A.L., and he would pitch a career high 215 2/3 innings.

Westbrook would continue his steady hand in 2005 and 2006, winning 15 games in each year. In 2005, who would lose 15, with a 4.49 ERA. In 2006, he would lose only 10 games, with a 4.17 ERA. In that three year period, Westbrook would go 44-34 with a 4.01 ERA.

Westbrook would struggle in 2007 to start the year off, going on the DL on May 2 for nearly two months. He struggled prior to the DL-stint, but when he came back, he pitched some of the best baseball of his career. In the second half of the season, Westbrook went 5-5 with a 3.44, but in August, had a league best 1.90 ERA, while gong 4-1. While Westbrook was the only starting pitcher to struggle against the Yankees in the Division series, he was the most consistent starter in the ALCS, going 1-1 with a 3.55 ERA.

Westbrook would only start five games for the Tribe in 2008, and they would be his last starts of the Decade. Westbrook had been lights out during the spring, and this carried over to the regular season. He started the year off at 1-2, but had a 2.73 ERA. He would go on the DL, rehab, make one start that was decent, but get pulled. He would undergo UCL surgery in June, and wouldn't start again for the Tribe until 2010.

Overall, Westbrook went 63-62 with a 4.25 ERA, in 158 starts. He wasn't the Tribe's best pitcher, nor did he pitch the most games, but he certainly was the clue that kept this staff together.

All-Aught Indians--#5 Starter--Fausto Carmona (2006-present)

noreply@blogger.com (Jim) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 03:39:00 +0000

The battle for the #5 starter on the Indians team of the decade came down to two players. The first player had one exquisite season that was so good, many felt he would be one of the best pitchers in baseball for years to come. The other pitcher never had a season with an E.R.A. below 4.53, but was as consistent as you could be as a bottom-end starter. The first pitcher, Fausto Carmona, was brilliant in 2007, then dropped off the map as a starters in 2008 and 2009. The second pitcher, Paul Byrd, was never lights out, but always managed to win double figures. Unfortunately for Byrd, many of his wins were less about his pitching, and more about his offense. At the end of the day, Fausto Carmona's 2007 season carry him in this battle. The All-Aught Indians #5 starter is Fausto Carmona.

Carmona's first season with the Tribe seemed to be typical Tribe management with their pitching staff in the 2000's. Carmona's first appearance was as a starter in 2006, replacing an injured CC Sabathia. He would win the game, but struggle in his next two starts before getting sent down with the return of Sabathia. Carmona would return in late May as a relief pitcher, and over 28 1/3 innings, would only give up four runs, three of them earned. That's when the Indians made him their closer, and poof, it was all gone. Over the next four games, he would give up 11 runs, losing all four games, and blowing three saves. I could keep going, but it just keeps getting worse. Carmona had gone from the 2003 minor league pitcher of the year, to limbo.

Then came 2007. The numbers? Carmona went 19-8, with a 3.06 ERA. In 215 innings, Carmona would strike out 137, and walk only 61 batters. He beat Johan Santana twice in a month and had a streak of 22 shutout innings. After the break, Carmona went 9-4 with a league leading 2.26 ERA. Torii Hunter commented that Carmona's pitches weren't "normal," and "He's not even human. It was so scary, I thought I was hung over. That dude is filthy," Hunter said. "We've been struggling, but even if we had been playing good, we wouldn't have beaten him. If you've never played the game, listen to me, I'm a hitter. Right-handers have no chance unless they get lucky and get a hit on a broken bat."

Still, after that sublime season, what Carmona will best be remembered for was his performance in the ALDS against the Yankees. The two teams were swarmed with midges, and the seemingly unbeatable Joba Chamberlain was on the mound for the Yankees. Unfortunately for Chamberlain, he couldn't focus with the midges flying around him. The Tribe would tie the game 1-1 with Chamberlain on the mound, then win the game in extra innings. Alls Carmona did was go nine innings, giving up three hits and a run, while striking out five, and walking only two batters. Oh yeah, and he defeated the evil midges.

Now we could sit here and chat about Carmona's struggles against Boston, and how he went downhill in 2008 and 2009, but for one big season, Carmona wasn't just good, but he may have been the best pitcher in baseball. Overall, Carmona went 33-37, with a 4.69 ERA during the decade, which lets you know just how good that 2007 season was. It overcame a 1-10 season, and an 11-game losing streak, as well as a season in which is ERA was nearly 7.

It's good to know that Carmona has righted the ship somewhat, in the second decade of the century. Let's hope that continues.