Steve_424
Hall-of-Famer
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2009
- Messages
- 10,555
- Reaction score
- 13,183
- Points
- 123
Link?
-
Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.
The 2015 Cleveland Indians
- Thread starter Steve_424
- Start date
Link?
macbdog
Resident Luddite
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2006
- Messages
- 16,871
- Reaction score
- 14,588
- Points
- 123
Go to espn.com. Search 'Schoenfield.' look at articles for his rankings of 7-30. Note absence of Tribe in said articles. Infer what you will. I personally think he has them at 31st, below the Cubs AAA team, once he realized how cheap Dolan is.
Last edited:
tristan+kyrie=$
Gold Star Member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2011
- Messages
- 4,379
- Reaction score
- 5,375
- Points
- 113
bob2the2nd
member 32
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2005
- Messages
- 23,012
- Reaction score
- 23,040
- Points
- 135
did the indians make several mega signings i am unfamiliar with? did several teams shoot their best players? did he forget a 2 in front of that 4? because um.. the fuck?
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2009
- Messages
- 19,639
- Reaction score
- 55,721
- Points
- 148
4. Cleveland Indians
Big offseason moves: Acquired 1B/OF Brandon Moss from the A's for 2B Joe Wendle; signed RHP Gavin Floyd.
Most intriguing player: Corey Kluber beat out Felix Hernandez for the American League Cy Young Award, becoming one of the least likely winners in the award's history. Simple question: Can he do it again?
Due for a better year: Jason Kipnis was an All-Star in 2013 and finished 11th in the MVP voting but suffered an oblique injury in April and played through it all season. He also hurt his finger working out in December and had surgery but is expected to be ready for spring training. After creating about 101 runs in 2013 he slipped to 53 in 2014. Expect a nice bounce back.
Due for a worse year: Michael Brantley hit .317/.385/.506 and finished third in the MVP voting. While I'm believing in most of the power uptick, he was a .277 hitter entering the season. He should be good again, but I would expect something closer to a 5-WAR season than a 7-WAR one.
I'm just the messenger: The Indians did not have a good defensive outfield in 2014, ranking 29th in the majors in Defensive Runs Saved at -37. They ranked last in Ultimate Zone Rating at -39.9 runs, so different metrics agree that they were lousy in the outfield. Have they fixed the problem? Not necessarily. The biggest culprit was David Murphy at -17 DRS; Michael Bourn was rated at -6 and Brantley at -3. Of the various subs, all rated below average except Tyler Holt. Bourn and Brantley are slated to start again in center and left, but right field is open. Considering Murphy didn't hit either, it seems unlikely he wins the job on a regular basis. Brandon Moss can play out there and he's rated +3 runs over the past three seasons, but he's also coming off hip surgery. Cleveland's best bet is for better performances from Bourn and Brantley, but don't be surprised if Holt ends up getting a lot of time in the outfield.
The final word: Picking the Indians to win the Central isn't really a radical pick -- they won 85 games last season and 92 in 2013. The offense should be above average, especially if Kipnis and Moss are healthy. And while the defense is questionable (last in the majors in overall DRS), it's the young rotation that has come together. Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, Danny Salazar and T.J. House should be an excellent five-man group, with depth from Floyd and Zach McAllister. Second-half stats aren't always predictive, but the Indians had the best rotation ERA in the AL after the All-Star break. Jose Ramirez or rookie Francisco Lindor will be an upgrade defensively at shortstop. Brantley, Carlos Santana, Kipnis and Yan Gomes are right in their peak years. Go support your team, Cleveland.
Prediction: 90-72
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/p...ile&rand=ref~{"ref":"http://t.co/W0nlEQDyWN"}
Big offseason moves: Acquired 1B/OF Brandon Moss from the A's for 2B Joe Wendle; signed RHP Gavin Floyd.
Most intriguing player: Corey Kluber beat out Felix Hernandez for the American League Cy Young Award, becoming one of the least likely winners in the award's history. Simple question: Can he do it again?
Due for a better year: Jason Kipnis was an All-Star in 2013 and finished 11th in the MVP voting but suffered an oblique injury in April and played through it all season. He also hurt his finger working out in December and had surgery but is expected to be ready for spring training. After creating about 101 runs in 2013 he slipped to 53 in 2014. Expect a nice bounce back.
Due for a worse year: Michael Brantley hit .317/.385/.506 and finished third in the MVP voting. While I'm believing in most of the power uptick, he was a .277 hitter entering the season. He should be good again, but I would expect something closer to a 5-WAR season than a 7-WAR one.
I'm just the messenger: The Indians did not have a good defensive outfield in 2014, ranking 29th in the majors in Defensive Runs Saved at -37. They ranked last in Ultimate Zone Rating at -39.9 runs, so different metrics agree that they were lousy in the outfield. Have they fixed the problem? Not necessarily. The biggest culprit was David Murphy at -17 DRS; Michael Bourn was rated at -6 and Brantley at -3. Of the various subs, all rated below average except Tyler Holt. Bourn and Brantley are slated to start again in center and left, but right field is open. Considering Murphy didn't hit either, it seems unlikely he wins the job on a regular basis. Brandon Moss can play out there and he's rated +3 runs over the past three seasons, but he's also coming off hip surgery. Cleveland's best bet is for better performances from Bourn and Brantley, but don't be surprised if Holt ends up getting a lot of time in the outfield.
The final word: Picking the Indians to win the Central isn't really a radical pick -- they won 85 games last season and 92 in 2013. The offense should be above average, especially if Kipnis and Moss are healthy. And while the defense is questionable (last in the majors in overall DRS), it's the young rotation that has come together. Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, Danny Salazar and T.J. House should be an excellent five-man group, with depth from Floyd and Zach McAllister. Second-half stats aren't always predictive, but the Indians had the best rotation ERA in the AL after the All-Star break. Jose Ramirez or rookie Francisco Lindor will be an upgrade defensively at shortstop. Brantley, Carlos Santana, Kipnis and Yan Gomes are right in their peak years. Go support your team, Cleveland.
Prediction: 90-72
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/p...ile&rand=ref~{"ref":"http://t.co/W0nlEQDyWN"}
AZ_
Hall-of-Famer
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2007
- Messages
- 40,678
- Reaction score
- 51,344
- Points
- 148
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2005
- Messages
- 20,417
- Reaction score
- 33,212
- Points
- 148
Not sure why we would be surprised.
If the Indians get the quality starting pitching they got last year and Moss is healthy, the team is good enough to go to the WS.
If the Indians get the quality starting pitching they got last year and Moss is healthy, the team is good enough to go to the WS.
Stark
The Winds of Winter
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2012
- Messages
- 22,092
- Reaction score
- 23,849
- Points
- 135
I try to convince all of my friends/family that we are the best team in the Central, on paper, going into the season. If we win the division and don't have to play that damn WC game, literally anything can happen in the MLB Postseason.
Stark
The Winds of Winter
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2012
- Messages
- 22,092
- Reaction score
- 23,849
- Points
- 135
Pretty high stakes there Jigo. Only betting on a World Series victory and winning our most games since '07? Usually you'd make a bet about us being 10 games out at the start of September and Salazar getting a DUI.
Even you can see that we should expect some good things out of this team this year.
Ruken
Sixth Man
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2009
- Messages
- 2,811
- Reaction score
- 1,212
- Points
- 113
Problem is we just don't know for certain what we will get from our pitching.
think the offense will be at least what it was last year, lets just hope we get at least somewhat close to the pitching we saw in the second half of last season.
Also agree that health is a much bigger concern for the Tigers than the Indians. The roster we have is very versatile and I think can absorb a few injuries.