Fast forward four months from my beginning of the season Indians post in April to mid-August. The club currently resides in 1st place all alone atop the AL Central, five games in front of the Detroit Pussycats, uh, Tigers that is.
After Monday afternoon's one run loss at Progressive Field(Does anyone like that name ?) in Cleveland at the hands of the Boston Red Sox, the Tribe's record stands at 67-49 with only 46 games left until post-season play, everyone hopes. However, don't be surprised if things get a little sticky coming down the home stretch. A five game lead can disappear in one week.
No one, not even the most optimistic of level headed fans could have possibly predicted having 67 wins at this juncture of the season. (Please don't refer to it as a campaign) Many, but not all, things have gone right thus far. The starting pitching has been as advertised for the most part, though there is currently concern for all-star pitcher Danny Salazar who is on the disabled list with an elbow issue but apparently is now scheduled to start Thursday's game.
Salazar's record stands at 11-4 with a 3.38 ERA and more strikeouts than innings pitched which is rather impressive. The true ace of the staff continues to be, Corey Kluber who easily leads the club in innings pitched as well as wins with a record of 12-8. The Indians have finally scored some runs when he takes the mound ! His 3.21 ERA(avg. runs given up per 9 innings) is team best for a starting P as well.
Carlos Carrasco matches Kluber's ERA at 3.21, however due to an earlier stint on the DL also, his total innings pitched is considerably less. His won/loss record currently stands at 8-6.
Basically, those three are the Tribe's top starters that hold the key to the teams playoff fortunes should they manage to stave off the Tigers for the next month and 1/2. The club has two more fairly solid starters who've done a pretty decent job despite a few 'hiccups' in Tomlin and Bauer. Bauer, for anyone who read my April post is that 'quirky' dude who just needed to lasso his 'stuff ' to become a consistent quality pitcher.
He began the season in the bullpen and did a good job for the most part, then when Carrasco went down Bauer moved into the rotation and holds a nice record of 9-5 with a 3.97 ERA. Some fans don't seem to realize how good this guy can eventually become as his only problem at times has been his control.
As for Tomlin he's been very good most of the season though he got hammered two straight starts, one at the hands of the old and mediocre Yankees. He did though bounce back yesterday with a quality start against the Red Sox at Progressive Field losing 3-2. Now, on to the bullpen.
The recent trade deadline deal to acquire premium left-handed strikeout artist Andrew Miller from those dastardly Yankees was a critical necessary piece to the puzzle added to a bullpen that looked mighty shaky to say the least. Cody Allen has been solid as 9th inning closer converting 22 of 24 save opportunities and with 64 strikeouts in just 50 innings, not to mention a fine 2.34 ERA. Dan Otero has quietly done a great job as basically a 6th or 7th inning guy and a very fine 1.52 ERA in 47 1/3 IP.
Can't forget Bryan Shaw, many of the fans' favorite whipping boy for much of the season. However, he has come out of the pen in a string of games recently without giving up a run. His ERA is a little high for his role, prior to Miller arriving, as Allen's 8th inning setup man at 3.60. He does have 52 strikeouts in 50 innings which is excellent of course.
The sequence of the Francona bullpen brigade often beginning in the middle of the 6th should now go; Otero, Shaw, Miller then Allen in the 9th to close it out. That's not saying however, that there will not be a variation of that order depending on the team the Tribe is playing and whether that teams lineup is stocked with left or right-handed batters, as Francona is the ultimate matchup manager.
Quite frankly, the club's hitting as a whole has been a pleasant surprise thus far even without star outfielder Michael Brantley whom is now out for the rest of the season following the latest of a number of setbacks to his surgically repaired shoulder. Several guys have stepped up to ease the loss of Brantley. Mike Napoli has been the teams cleanup hitter and the clear team MVP up to this point accumulating 29 HR's and 84 RBI's. In fact, he may even have a shot at league MVP though the voting is done prior to season's end.
2nd baseman Jason Kipnis, SS Francisco Lindor, utilityman and now starting 3rd baseman Jose Ramirez, DH Carlos Santana, rookie centerfielder Tyler Naquin, outfielder Rajai Davis and even sometimes rightfielder Lonnie Chisenhall have all had very productive seasons.
Lindor, the slick fielding SS has tailed of somewhat since about the all-star break yet is still batting .309 with 14 HR's and 61 RBI's. Kipnis is hitting .290/20/65. Ramirez has come out of mothballs this season surely to the amazement of most hitting an astounding .311/8/51 and has had several timely hits. The club jettisoned veteran Juan Uribe who wasn't even hitting his weight as the starting 3rd baseman, thus it's Ramirez' job for the time being.
In the April post I asked the question of whether Carlos Santana would ever hit from the beginning of the season on. Well, miracles do indeed occasionally occur, huh. His batting avg. has dropped to an unimpressive .239 yet he's managed to put up 25 HR and 62 RBI's which for him is not bad in mid-August. The difference this season is that he didn't wait until well after the all-star break to start hitting.
In the April post I advocated for playing Tyler Naquin often. Well, all the kid has done is bat .314 with 13 homers and 37 RBI's in the equivalent of about half a season as Francona won't let him play against left-handed starters, much to the dismay of many fans. What do they know, right ? I agree with the fan(atics).
Rajai Davis has been a huge veteran outfield pickup leading the club in stolen bases and playing solidly in the outfield whether in left or centerfield. He doesn't have enough gas left in the tank to play everyday apparently yet has smacked 11 HR's, 40 RBI's with a respectable .265 avg. Lonnie Chisenhall rediscovered how to hit this year while generally playing quite well in RF when a righty pitcher is twirling. He's a weak homerun threat with a mere 6, yet has knocked in a very respectable 42 runs and an impressive .293 avg.
So, with only 46 games remaining and a 5-game lead over 2nd place Detroit, the Indians need to keep their foot on the gas and keep winning all the way to a division title, hopefully the AL pennant and then World Series champs. Oh, and they managed to set a club record with 14 straight wins which came to an end on July 1.
The city of Cleveland is salivating at the thought of another major sports championship to add to the one brought home by their NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers !
DAVE BURKEY
Email: daveywriter@yahoo.com
Salazar's record stands at 11-4 with a 3.38 ERA and more strikeouts than innings pitched which is rather impressive. The true ace of the staff continues to be, Corey Kluber who easily leads the club in innings pitched as well as wins with a record of 12-8. The Indians have finally scored some runs when he takes the mound ! His 3.21 ERA(avg. runs given up per 9 innings) is team best for a starting P as well.
Carlos Carrasco matches Kluber's ERA at 3.21, however due to an earlier stint on the DL also, his total innings pitched is considerably less. His won/loss record currently stands at 8-6.
Basically, those three are the Tribe's top starters that hold the key to the teams playoff fortunes should they manage to stave off the Tigers for the next month and 1/2. The club has two more fairly solid starters who've done a pretty decent job despite a few 'hiccups' in Tomlin and Bauer. Bauer, for anyone who read my April post is that 'quirky' dude who just needed to lasso his 'stuff ' to become a consistent quality pitcher.
He began the season in the bullpen and did a good job for the most part, then when Carrasco went down Bauer moved into the rotation and holds a nice record of 9-5 with a 3.97 ERA. Some fans don't seem to realize how good this guy can eventually become as his only problem at times has been his control.
As for Tomlin he's been very good most of the season though he got hammered two straight starts, one at the hands of the old and mediocre Yankees. He did though bounce back yesterday with a quality start against the Red Sox at Progressive Field losing 3-2. Now, on to the bullpen.
The recent trade deadline deal to acquire premium left-handed strikeout artist Andrew Miller from those dastardly Yankees was a critical necessary piece to the puzzle added to a bullpen that looked mighty shaky to say the least. Cody Allen has been solid as 9th inning closer converting 22 of 24 save opportunities and with 64 strikeouts in just 50 innings, not to mention a fine 2.34 ERA. Dan Otero has quietly done a great job as basically a 6th or 7th inning guy and a very fine 1.52 ERA in 47 1/3 IP.
Can't forget Bryan Shaw, many of the fans' favorite whipping boy for much of the season. However, he has come out of the pen in a string of games recently without giving up a run. His ERA is a little high for his role, prior to Miller arriving, as Allen's 8th inning setup man at 3.60. He does have 52 strikeouts in 50 innings which is excellent of course.
The sequence of the Francona bullpen brigade often beginning in the middle of the 6th should now go; Otero, Shaw, Miller then Allen in the 9th to close it out. That's not saying however, that there will not be a variation of that order depending on the team the Tribe is playing and whether that teams lineup is stocked with left or right-handed batters, as Francona is the ultimate matchup manager.
Quite frankly, the club's hitting as a whole has been a pleasant surprise thus far even without star outfielder Michael Brantley whom is now out for the rest of the season following the latest of a number of setbacks to his surgically repaired shoulder. Several guys have stepped up to ease the loss of Brantley. Mike Napoli has been the teams cleanup hitter and the clear team MVP up to this point accumulating 29 HR's and 84 RBI's. In fact, he may even have a shot at league MVP though the voting is done prior to season's end.
2nd baseman Jason Kipnis, SS Francisco Lindor, utilityman and now starting 3rd baseman Jose Ramirez, DH Carlos Santana, rookie centerfielder Tyler Naquin, outfielder Rajai Davis and even sometimes rightfielder Lonnie Chisenhall have all had very productive seasons.
Lindor, the slick fielding SS has tailed of somewhat since about the all-star break yet is still batting .309 with 14 HR's and 61 RBI's. Kipnis is hitting .290/20/65. Ramirez has come out of mothballs this season surely to the amazement of most hitting an astounding .311/8/51 and has had several timely hits. The club jettisoned veteran Juan Uribe who wasn't even hitting his weight as the starting 3rd baseman, thus it's Ramirez' job for the time being.
In the April post I asked the question of whether Carlos Santana would ever hit from the beginning of the season on. Well, miracles do indeed occasionally occur, huh. His batting avg. has dropped to an unimpressive .239 yet he's managed to put up 25 HR and 62 RBI's which for him is not bad in mid-August. The difference this season is that he didn't wait until well after the all-star break to start hitting.
In the April post I advocated for playing Tyler Naquin often. Well, all the kid has done is bat .314 with 13 homers and 37 RBI's in the equivalent of about half a season as Francona won't let him play against left-handed starters, much to the dismay of many fans. What do they know, right ? I agree with the fan(atics).
Rajai Davis has been a huge veteran outfield pickup leading the club in stolen bases and playing solidly in the outfield whether in left or centerfield. He doesn't have enough gas left in the tank to play everyday apparently yet has smacked 11 HR's, 40 RBI's with a respectable .265 avg. Lonnie Chisenhall rediscovered how to hit this year while generally playing quite well in RF when a righty pitcher is twirling. He's a weak homerun threat with a mere 6, yet has knocked in a very respectable 42 runs and an impressive .293 avg.
So, with only 46 games remaining and a 5-game lead over 2nd place Detroit, the Indians need to keep their foot on the gas and keep winning all the way to a division title, hopefully the AL pennant and then World Series champs. Oh, and they managed to set a club record with 14 straight wins which came to an end on July 1.
The city of Cleveland is salivating at the thought of another major sports championship to add to the one brought home by their NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers !
DAVE BURKEY
Email: daveywriter@yahoo.com
