Read what is on Steve Michalovich's mind about the Cleveland Indians. Feel free to add your comments to any and all rants.
Looking Ahead to 2008 – 10-29-07
What to expect on Opening Day 2008
Well the Boston Red Sox are the 2007 World Champions - whoop-de-do. Much effort has been put forth to get over “what might have been for the Indians.”
Without lingering on the past, it’s time to move forward with next year’s club. Despite the ALCS meltdown, this truly was a very successful season when you consider their payroll ($60 million range) and the fact that aside from Paul Byrd, Kenny Lofton and Joe Borowski, this team had no playoff experience. It was a great season for this Cleveland club, but what will the outset of 2008 have in store?
Starting Rotation:
CC Sabathia, Fausto Carmona and Jake Westbrook will more than likely get the first three starts of the season against Chicago. The other two spots will go to any combination of Cliff Lee, Paul Byrd, Aaron Laffey, Adam Miller, or Jeremy Sowers. Lee will be dangled as trade bait, but if his contract proves to be tough to move, he will garner a spot. The Byrd situation will be interesting in light of the recent HGH scandal. Sowers and Laffey have had some big league success and could both step in. Miller is the prospect waiting in the wings. With that said, the Indians should bring back Byrd. He won 15 games last season, and pending the HGH issue is what he says it is he would be a steal financially. If Lee gets traded, Sowers or Laffey will be the fifth starter, while the other and Miller will be ready for the call up should anyone struggle or get hurt.
Bullpen:
Jensen Lewis, Rafael Perez, Rafael Betancourt, and Joe Borowski will pitch the sixth through the ninth when the Tribe is leading in 2008. Cleveland will bring Borowski back, completing this familiar set up. Tom Mastny will return as a long man, but the pen needs a few more arms out there to fall back on. Aaron Fultz will not return, but Juan Lara or Edward Mujica could make the opening day roster. Free agents and trades will also be explored.
Infield:
Ryan Garko doesn’t get enough credit for his defensive improvement at first. And he showed what he can do with the bat during an entire season. The rest of the infield will be interesting in how it shakes out. Asdrubal Cabrera deserves a starting spot, whether it’s at shortstop or second base. Josh Barfield was supposed to be the reliable second bagger that Cleveland has been in search for since Roberto Alomar. That didn’t happen. Jhonny Peralta had a great season offensively and picked it up defensively, but some are saying that he might be sharper at third base. So where does that leave Casey Blake? Blake needs to be back in a Tribe uniform in 2008. He is underappreciated, and if Peralta learns the hot corner, Blake could serve in the outfield, at first base or as a reliable utility player and clubhouse leader. The infield will all depend on how Barfield plays in Spring Training. He is on a short leash, and if he struggles, he will be in Triple-A, on the bench or out of Cleveland. If that happens, expect the same faces around the horn – the ideal situation.
Outfield:
Grady Sizemore will be in center field, and Franklin Gutierrez will most likely be manning right field. The left field situation is where things get interesting. David Dellucci and Jason Michaels are overpaid and are under contract next season. Mark Shapiro dreams of getting out of their contracts, but both may still be in town next year, leading to a soft-hitting platoon again. The ideal situation would be to deal one of them and the other to serve as the fourth outfielder. If that happens, Shapiro could test free agency or a trade to get more production out of this spot in the order. Shin-Soo Choo and Ben Francisco are the next prospects waiting to pop. Francisco will be watched heavily in Spring Training, as he really made an impression in his brief stint last year.
Catcher:
It’s hard to say much more about this duo. Victor Martinez was terrific in all facets of his game in 2007. He is the MVP, and the heart and soul of the team. Kelly Shoppach could be a starter on half of the other teams in baseball and is arguably the best backup in the game. The comforting thing to keep in mind is that they are both going to be around for the next several seasons.
Designated Hitter:
This is where fans are left with an eerie feeling. Travis Hafner must step up and be the slugger this team needs. They’ll get their homers from Martinez, Sizemore and Garko, but they need Pronk’s presence in the middle of that order to complete this lineup. While his 24 home runs were nice, 40 home runs shouldn’t be out of the question. How he bounces back next year will speak volumes to their overall success.
There isn’t going to be much turnover, but there are some intriguing matters that will be addressed. The number one priority will be to try to sign Sabathia before he pitches on Opening Day. Will Byrd be back? Unless it is proved that he was using the substances incorrectly, he should return. How left field is handled will be interesting. Lofton is certainly not coming back, but Jason Bay and Coco Crisp may be available through trade. It would be truly refreshing to see Shapiro make a superb deal to get an impact outfield bat – not Trot Nixon or David Dellucci.
Regardless, it’s going to be a long five months for Tribe fans.
Apparently it’s Not Tribe Time Now – 10-22-07
Once a team that appeared to be coming together unraveled in the last three games
“Once this team got up 3-1, they just couldn’t get over the hump,” said Indians Radio Announcer Mike Hegan.
That seems to sum up Cleveland sports – being teased with glimpses of a championship to have it snatched away.
The Indians’ showing in the American League Championship Series was a tale of two different teams. Games 2, 3 and 4 made believers out of anyone and everyone, while Games 5, 6 and 7 made all of us wonder how this once-determined team even made the playoffs.
This really stings, because they got slaughtered when other teams would have seized what was rightfully theirs. And from their inconsistent play, many questions have emerged leaving a sour taste among the Cleveland faithful.
The most criticized player on the Tribe, Casey Blake, will be remembered for his seventh inning in Game 7, where he committed an error that opened the Boston floodgates and a grounded into a costly double play. Despite his solid year, the Jhonny Peralta moving to third base talks will be frequent.
Travis Hafner set a postseason record – most strikeouts in league championship series history. And Hafner was an enigma nothing short of frustrating all season. If he would have stepped up and had a 40 home run season like he is capable of instead of a 25 home run season, maybe Cleveland would have had home field advantage in the playoffs, and that could have been enough to get over the hump.
The fallen aces really hurt the Tribe as well. Fausto Carmona almost gets a pass because of his season that came from out of nowhere, but this was C.C. Sabathia’s time to take the team on his big shoulders and make something happen. Both were practically ineffective in the series.
The Kenny Lofton-Joel Skinner play at third base where Lofton could have scored will go down as the play that completely took the wind out of the Indians’ sails, and Boston didn’t look back.
Top the whole series off with some controversy ala Paul Byrd’s past human growth hormone use, and this team completely fell apart when it mattered most. Byrd had become a fan favorite too, and now he may find himself not with the 2008 Tribe.
In the end, the Indians had a golden opportunity to make it to the series. And this could’ve been the year for them. Colorado is playing unbelievable, but the National League is the American League’s AAA, and they haven’t played a team at Boston or Cleveland caliber yet.
The sour taste is going to linger until Spring Training next year. This appeared to be a magical team from top to bottom up until after Game 4.This was a great season, and that can’t be overlooked, but when will they finally get over the hump?
Tribe Stealing the Spotlight Away From Boston – 10/16/07
Indians are looking solid, while Boston has some holes
The determined Cleveland Indians have a 2-1 lead over Boston after two different kind of wins – one an extra inning victory showcasing their firepower in the end and the other a pitching duel between two of the finest staffs in baseball.
The Tribe is a great story. This series is by no means over though. Boston has been here before. You know the names – Manny, Popi, Schilling, Beckett. They can come back from any deficit faster than you can say Bambino.
But Boston has appeared vulnerable after their Game 1 massacre on the Tribe.
David Ortiz is standing on a knee that probably should’ve gone under the knife weeks ago. He’s still swinging the bat, but a play at the plate or running out a ground ball could put him out of commission.
Dicek Matsuzaka was hittable in Game 3 and Schilling gave up some big hits in his Game 2 start - both leading to Cleveland wins.
The supporting cast isn’t exactly getting it done either. Dustin Pedroia, Jason Varitek, Julio Lugo, and Coco Crisp have all shown some frustration in the last couple games.With that said, Cleveland must keep their eye on the prize. They need to keep their focus and their cool, and not let up. This Boston lineup is still dangerous and can explode at a moments notice. There’s a reason Matsuzaka and Schilling make more than the Indians starting lineup combined. Boston has the tools and the experience to win three straight. Jacob’s Field doesn’t scare them – especially Manny. Should be interesting the rest of the way out.
Tribe Tops Yankees; Move on to Boston with Few Unanswered Questions – 10/9/07
The Indians played their game against New York the same way they have all year.
On to the League Championship Series.
The Indians will face off with the Boston Red Sox as the two heavyweights of MLB will face off to resolve who represents the American League in the World Series.
The Indians earned this chance after knocking off the Wild Card New York Yankees in the first round. This is a momentous step in the team’s development. The names and faces on the Yankee club remain as prominent as anyone in baseball. The salary of Alex Rodriguez alone is more than the entire Cleveland lineup on a given night. Now it’s time for the likes of Sabathia, Sizemore, Hafner, Martinez, Garko, Peralta, and Carmona to take the stage against another high-profile club in Boston.
The most important trend that should be acknowledged from the New York series is that the Indians did it the same way that got them there. Eric Wedge stuck to his guns, and didn’t panic or listen to what fans and members of the media were saying.
The lineup remained relatively the same, and everyone chipped in at some point in the series. Trot Nixon, to the dismay of some, got the start in Game 3 and proved that it was the correct move by hitting a homer and a double. Fans and media alike were claiming Kelly Shoppach starting in Game 4 was a mistake, but his presence on the field gave Paul Byrd the same level of comfort he has had all season, resulting in the Indians taking the game and the series.
The bullpen and starters were rested and used during appropriate times, and that lack of hasty decisions, allowed Cleveland to win the series and to reload and refresh as they move on to the ALCS.
As his team has also proved their talent, Wedge has proven why he is a great manager, and it will be fun to see how this all-important series with the Sox turns out. Let’s hope he isn’t forced to jump the gun anytime soon.
The Underrated Indian – 10/1/07
There is an unsung hero on the Cleveland Indians that isn’t named Carmona, Sabathia, Martinez or Betancourt. He’s been around almost as long as Westbrook and Sabathia. He’ll do anything for the team. He doesn’t get mentioned with the big names of the Tribe. That individual is Casey Blake.
Blake receives a vast amount of criticism – probably second only to Peralta - but not enough is said about what he has done. A career journeyman before joining the Indians in 2003, he was included in the group of Shane Spencer, Lee Stevens and Matt Lawton serving as placeholders until the youngsters Shapiro and Co. were grooming to become today’s Tribe would take the reins. But Blake didn’t fade as he proved his worth.
He has proven to be a versatile player on defense, playing above-average in left, right, third, and first. Blake has also been a stable bat in the lineup through this rebuilding faze. It began with 28 home runs in 2004, and he has continued to be fairly consistent when healthy.
2007 is the year he finally deserves to receive heavy praise. Without Blake, who would have filled in for Andy Marte when he went down? Mike Rouse? Hector Luna? Suddenly Kevin Kouzmanoff doesn’t look so bad.
He has hit three game-winning home runs, with two being key home runs against the Detroit Tigers (July 3 and September 17). The second one proved to be the knock out blow to the Tigers playoff hopes.
Blake did earn $3.75 million this season, but at 34, it is hard to imagine he will find a long-term deal for much more than that a season as a free agent. The Indians’ front office needs to make a considerable effort to sign him to another one- or two-year deal. If Marte finally emerges or Peralta moves to third to get Barfield and Cabrera on the field together, Blake could certainly prove valuable on the bench as a second utility player with Chris Gomez.
If Blake departs, there will be many unhappy Clevelanders dealing with either Marte or Barfield in the lineup everyday and the overpaid platoon of David Dellucci and Jason Michaels in left.
While Blake is no Alex Rodriguez, he is one of the most athletic Indians and is a talented clubhouse presence. Blake needs to be in Cleveland in 2008.
Byrd vs. Westbrook - 9-26-07
It’s playoff time again in Cleveland. The Indians clinched the division crown, as they swiped it right from under American League favorite Detroit. It was truly a heartwarming and exciting experience to watch a class-act team, who all Tribe fans have fallen in love with, celebrate in their home locker room with one another (plus enough beer and champagne to satisfy any Saturday afternoon gathering on OSU campus), after punching their tickets to the postseason.
But now what?
Mark Shapiro and Eric Wedge met on Monday to decide how the last week of the season will play out. And from Tuesday night’s game, it appears that the notion is to get regulars some rest. With some starters riding the pine, winning these games is still significant as the Indians could ensure home field advantage throughout the playoffs by finishing with the best record in the AL. Rarely-used Chris Gomez, Ben Francisco, Trot Nixon, and Josh Barfield were all in the lineup, and the Tribe still earned a win.
These last games are imperative, but the games played in October obviously weigh much heavier. And the biggest question yet to be answered is who will serve as the third starter behind C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona – Paul Byrd or Jake Westbrook.
Long-time Indian Jake Westbook is better suited in this role. He is fresher and has played better of late. His tendency for ground balls typically shelters him from the “big inning.”
Paul Byrd makes a compelling argument though. He has playoff experience, and no one can take away from what he has accomplished in 2007.
Regardless, the pitching rotation should incorporate both Westbrook and Byrd’s services, either in the division series or looking ahead to the potential league series.
Sorry Clifford, see you next year.