2019 Spring Training

[Steve_424]

So the lead up to 2019.....

Lost Brantley to an AL playoff opponent
Lost Miller
Floated Kulber in trade talks
Attempted to undermine arbitration talks with Bauer
Lindor suffered a lower leg injury
Salazar seems to be mid season bullpen help at best

What am I missing here? Can anyone remember someone having a similar off-season and winning the world series?

Winning? Not sure.

But the winter before 2016 they didn't do a ton.

They signed Joba Chamberlain, Rajai Davis, Mike Napoli, Tommy Hunter, Juan Uribe, and Marlon Byrd. Only Napoli and Davis worked out (in a big way). They also Brantley for the season in the 11th game.

Our starting outfield in game 1 of 162 was Marlon Byrd, Rajai, and Collin Cowgill.

I'm not saying it's the same, because it's not. But we can't get ahead of ourselves in February. With the starting pitching we have, we'll always have at least a puncher's chance.

 

[sportscoach]

Winning? Not sure.

But the winter before 2016 they didn't do a ton.

They signed Joba Chamberlain, Rajai Davis, Mike Napoli, Tommy Hunter, Juan Uribe, and Marlon Byrd. Only Napoli and Davis worked out (in a big way). They also Brantley for the season in the 11th game.

Our starting outfield in game 1 of 162 was Marlon Byrd, Rajai, and Collin Cowgill.

I'm not saying it's the same, because it's not. But we can't get ahead of ourselves in February. With the starting pitching we have, we'll always have at least a puncher's chance.

16 recap:

We had guys like Lindor, Ramirez really start coming into their own overall. Naquin came out of nowhere and became a Rookie of the Year player. We had Otero and Manship really come out and help solidify the bullpen. Gimenez helped fill in the whole catcher wise that Gomes left. Napoli brought a leadership to the clubhouse that helped get this team gelling. Coco Crisp and Guyer came in the end of the season to help give this team more energy.

Do we have the possibility of a repeat of this? Sure, but we lack a player voice like a Napoli at the moment. We also always had Shaw and Allen in that bullpen. Naquin's rise is very possible with the group of Bauers, Allen, Luplow, all wishing to prove themselves. We really don't know who is going to show up in the bullpen, but it is possible people out of the blue show up and help solidify it (aka Wilson type of guy with the invite).

The biggest issue is the fact, the top AL teams are significantly better on paper than the Indians. Indians have the top rotation, and likely when healthy maybe the best 2nd/3rd base in Ramirez and SS in Lindor. Hand is a very good closer, but outside of that almost every other position (outside of 1st since Santana is still a good player) we truly don't compare. On paper we are a playoff team, but a tier 2 team, so the jump needed is significant. We have to have those young guys I mention become All-Stars for us to have any chance to be honest.

 

[Juice is Loose]

If I hear the argument, “just get to the playoffs and see what happens” this year, I’m going to laugh. We did that last year and got embarrassed.

The last two years, the better teams have won when they should’ve. It’s going to take a lot more than luck to get far in the playoffs looking while staring down Boston, Houston and New York

 

[hockeyjohn]

If I hear the argument, “just get to the playoffs and see what happens” this year, I’m going to laugh. We did that last year and got embarrassed.

The last two years, the better teams have won when they should’ve. It’s going to take a lot more than luck to get far in the playoffs looking while staring down Boston, Houston and New York

Houston, Boston, and New York all have weaknesses as well. New York's starting rotation is a huge health risk. Boston lost the back end of his bullpen and has no experienced closer, and Houston lost 3/5 of their starting rotation with Morton in Tampa, Keuchel a free agent, and McCullers with Tommy John surgery. Bregman is also rehapping from surgery. Yes we have weaknesses. We do have the best starting rotation in the game. This makes us a contender. The favorite, no, but a serious contender.

 

[Juice is Loose]

Houston, Boston, and New York all have weaknesses as well. New York's starting rotation is a huge health risk. Boston lost the back end of his bullpen and has no experienced closer, and Houston lost 3/5 of their starting rotation with Morton in Tampa, Keuchel a free agent, and McCullers with Tommy John surgery. Bregman is also rehapping from surgery. Yes we have weaknesses. We do have the best starting rotation in the game. This makes us a contender. The favorite, no, but a serious contender.

I will wait to see what happens during regular season. And I get that our starting pitching is arguably the best in the MLB. But when I look at our lineup and bullpen, it doesn’t do much. I think everyone has that concern. You look and see what everyone other than Lindor did against Houston and it’s not good. JRam went 0-11 against Houston last year.

Starting spring training, I think we’re 4th best in AL. Again, let season play out a little and reasses the situation. But I don’t have high hopes

 

[hockeyjohn]

will wait to see what happens during regular season. And I get that our starting pitching is arguably the best in the MLB. But when I look at our lineup and bullpen, it doesn’t do much. I think everyone has that concern. You look and see what everyone other than Lindor did against Houston and it’s not good. JRam went 0-11 against Houston last year.

All the contending teams have warts. We will just have to see. I repeat Houston's starting pitching will be much less experienced this season.

 

[Juice is Loose]

All the contending teams have warts. We will just have to see. I repeat Houston's starting pitching will be much less experienced this season.

But they still have Springer, Bregman, Altuve and Correa in their lineup. Oh and they added Brantley. We have Carlos Santana, Jake Bauers, Kipnis and Eric Hasse. Watch out now!!

 

[AZ_]

But they still have Springer, Bregman, Altuve and Correa in their lineup. Oh and they added Brantley. We have Carlos Santana, Jake Bauers, Kipnis and Eric Hasse. Watch out now!!

Why did you list their best offensive players and not list the Indians best players?

The Indians have Jose Ramirez, Francisco Lindor and the best rotation in baseball, the Astros have Robinson Chirinos, Tyler White and Max Stassi.

Watch it now!

 

[Urban]

If I hear the argument, “just get to the playoffs and see what happens” this year, I’m going to laugh. We did that last year and got embarrassed.

The last two years, the better teams have won when they should’ve. It’s going to take a lot more than luck to get far in the playoffs looking while staring down Boston, Houston and New York

The Indians were a better team than the Yankees in 2017, just not in that series.

 

[BMAN]

If I hear the argument, “just get to the playoffs and see what happens” this year, I’m going to laugh. We did that last year and got embarrassed.

The last two years, the better teams have won when they should’ve. It’s going to take a lot more than luck to get far in the playoffs looking while staring down Boston, Houston and New York

The Yankees were definitely not the better team two years ago. The Indians shit their pants. The Indians were not the best team when they ran through shit to the World Series either.

 

[bigfoot5415]

But they still have Springer, Bregman, Altuve and Correa in their lineup. Oh and they added Brantley. We have Carlos Santana, Jake Bauers, Kipnis and Eric Hasse. Watch out now!!

I hope we do something creative here to change Kipnis to something else whenever hes typed here. Sort of like Sam The Bullshit Whisperer.

 

[BMAN]

I just want to know why I see people shitting on players during the season, saying they suck. Then I see the same people saying what a huge loss these players were when they leave. You can’t have it both ways. Am I frustrated that the Tribe hasn’t done more? Of course. But some of the players we got rid of just weren’t cutting it anymore (looking at you Andrew Miller)

 

[Juice is Loose]

Why did you list their best offensive players and not list the Indians best players?

The Indians have Jose Ramirez, Francisco Lindor and the best rotation in baseball, the Astros have Robinson Chirinos, Tyler White and Max Stassi.

Watch it now!

Houston’s 1-5 in the order, will be better than anything we can put together. JRam and Frankie can only carry us so far.

Would like Jose to also wake up in the ALDS instead of sleeping the last two years.

I saw what Houston’s lineup did to the best rotation in baseball.

 

[Urban]

Houston’s 1-5 in the order, will be better than anything we can put together. JRam and Frankie can only carry us so far.

Would like Jose to also wake up in the ALDS instead of sleeping the last two years.

I saw what Houston’s lineup did to the best rotation in baseball.

Cookie and Clev were pretty damn good last year

 

[Derek]

Houston’s 1-5 in the order, will be better than anything we can put together. JRam and Frankie can only carry us so far.

Would like Jose to also wake up in the ALDS instead of sleeping the last two years.

I saw what Houston’s lineup did to the best rotation in baseball.

Yes, on paper the Astros lineup should be toward the top of the league while our's will most likely just be decent to good.

However, you're giving them far too much credit, they have flaws, too.

Correa was hurt and sucked last year. Springer was hurt and mediocre.

Outside of Bregman and Altuve, who weren't as good as Ramirez and Lindor last year, they filled their lineup with mediocre production.

Also, whatever happened in a single postseason series is meaningless to me, so I don't really care what the Astros lineup did in the ALDS last year. Kluber was really the only guy who stunk. Bauer getting hit with a line drive threw everything out of whack.

Now, I expect Correa and Springer to bounce back, and I most definitely think the Astros are the team to beat in the AL, but we need to stop pretending these other teams are flawless.

I know it's been a disappointing off-season. You can even find me being quoted months ago as saying that the organization deserves criticism if they don't add at least one every day outfielder, which they haven't yet. However, it's baseball, and the gap isn't as large as you think it is.