Cleveland Indians End of Season Game Thread

[Gunther]

No reason to make a new thread for every remaining series now that our playoff hopes are shooting down the crapper like yesterday's roast beef sandwich.

There is lots of baseball yet to be played, and lots of things to look forward to for next season, IMO. Here's a few things I'll be watching for:

• Let Chis play. Time to give him an extended look again, especially with Hannahan sidelined for awhile. He's the future and needs at bats.
• Matt LaPorta - what do they do with him? He should be back up soon, and that being the case, I'd like to see him get extended playing time. But maybe his time is past.
• Kipnis, Kipnis, Kipnis - just fun to watch him hit. Keep it up, young man.
• Jason Donald - I'd like to see more of him as the season winds down. He looks like a solid player and could use the experience.
• Is it time to re-establish Carlos Santana as the catcher on this team? That is probably his position of highest value to the club. You only get better by playing there.
• Jeanmar Gomez and David Huff - are they viable options for next season's rotation?

Remaining Schedule:

4 @ Chicago White Sox
3 @ Texas Rangers
3 @ Minnesota Twins
1 vs. Seattle
4 vs. Chicago White Sox, including a day-night DH
4 vs. Minnesota Twins, including a day-night DH
3 @ Detroit Tigers to end the season

The week of Sept 18 - Sept 24 is brutal, with 9 games in 7 days. Then we get to go to Detroit.

[Chardon]

I love the Indians to death, but they give me nothing to be excited for next year besides a couple of players. Tell me why i should get excited? Why is it always "Next year"

[b00bie]

I love the Indians to death, but they give me nothing to be excited for next year besides a couple of players. Tell me why i should get excited? Why is it always "Next year"

Perhaps because this team overachieved before they were ready, have one of the youngest teams in baseball including two pitchers at the top who have all-star potential.

Let's be honest, nothing is going to get people like you excited unless they compete year in and year out...

So why torture yourself, find a new team...

[Huber.]

Yeah, it's hard to call this season a sucess since besides 2 months they have been playing like crap.

[JiggleIt]

Perhaps because this team overachieved before they were ready, have one of the youngest teams in baseball including two pitchers at the top who have all-star potential.

Let's be honest, nothing is going to get people like you excited unless they compete year in and year out...

So why torture yourself, find a new team...

[Pyro]

Let's get back on the winning track tonight, shall we?

[MoFlo]

Perhaps because this team overachieved before they were ready, have one of the youngest teams in baseball including two pitchers at the top who have all-star potential.

Let's be honest, nothing is going to get people like you excited unless they compete year in and year out...

So why torture yourself, find a new team...

Could not agree more.

Anybody who expected us to compete for the division this season was seriously reaching & put this heartbreak on themselves.

This team completely overachieved & IMO, would have made this a race down to the last series, had they not had so many injuries.

Kudos to Manny Acta & his staff, and to the players on this team! If you look at our roster and some of the lineups we've put out there this season, there's no way in hell you'd expect us to be in the division race as long as we were.

Gives me a ton of hope for the future of this ballclub!

[Gimme Some Mo]

I don't see how we overachieved. I expected a 3rd or 4th place finish and we are currently looking like we will finish 3rd (in a horrible division).

We started 30-15 thanks to miraculous wins nightly. We were pulling wins out of our ass every night late in the games. We were playing great, nobody can deny that.... But you also can't deny how many games we won because of one play that usual happened late. A lot of those were plays that we couldn't count on continuing to happen (Buck HR vs Cinci comes to mind).

Since then, we are 40-55.

That is a winning % of .421. That would be good for 6th worst in the MLB if you compare it to the current winning %'s for the whole season.

That is not impressive IMO, but maybe your expectations for the Tribe were so low, that our play is considered overachieving.

Am I excited about numerous players on this team for next season? Yes.

- Masterson
- Joe Smith
- Pestano
- Sipp
- Asdrubal
- Kipnis (showed signs, but didn't play enough to have me convinced and super excited)
- Santana
- Tomlin (somewhat)

Those are all nice players, but we don't have THAT guy or THOSE guys (if you are Boston, NY, etc). Our lineup is just lacking that guaranteed run producing machine in the 3 or 4 spot.

I do believe we have a shot at the playoffs next season, but that is mainly because we are in such a shitty division. This team will be nowhere close to being a title contender next season. Sure, anything can happen in the MLB playoffs, which is why there is always some hope in baseball. But if you truly think we will be on the level on Boston, NY, Philly, etc... I think you are crazy.

[Gunther]

Yeah, it's hard to call this season a sucess since besides 2 months they have been playing like crap.

I think "not hitting" would be more accurate than "playing like crap". If this team had some offensive firepower, they would have made a harder push.

There were a ton of injuries, as you are aware, but there were also people that did not live up to their potential. Matt LaPorta is the biggest culprit, IMO. He showed no improvement all season, just one-game teasers of how good he should be. I think the Andy Marte comparisons are right on. The kid hasn't shown the ability to hit above the AAA level. Fortunately, he plays at a position where we could find off-season help pretty easily, IMO.

Otherwise, you were looking at the growing pains of a young ball club who was forced to rely too heavily on their youth.

[Chris]

Sadly, I agree with GSM in that respect- we won't be on "their" level.

Still, what can you do? Hopefully the FO makes legitimate additions to the team for next season and not the garbage we're used to them adding every offseason.

[Pyro]

Prince Fielder will be the first of those additions.

[Gunther]

But if you truly think we will be on the level on Boston, NY, Philly, etc... I think you are crazy.

We don't have to be on that level. All we have to do is win the division, finish on a roll, as injury-free as possible, and have sufficient pitching to see us through the playoff series. If you're expecting the Indians to win at a .600-.650 clip for the whole season next year, then you have set the bar too high. Fortunately, it is not necessary to do that. Detroit is winning at a .566 clip and has a 9 game lead in the Central right now.

[b00bie]

This team isn't going to win because of off-season additions...

[Chris]

This team isn't going to win because of off-season additions...

They can have an easier time winning with them, though. What, we can't trade for a good player?

[Pyro]

This team isn't going to win because of off-season additions...

Why not? If it's a good piece we need, why not?