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Grading the Indians | 2019

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I feel like Mercado did enough to warrant a chance. He is aggressive at the plate.
He’s going to need to show significant growth (which he is absolutely capable of doing) in order to be a guy who should be anywhere near the top of the order.

A .318 OBP% in the leadoff spot is vomit inducing. Needs to be .350+ in my opinion. Hoping he can get there.
 
He’s going to need to show significant growth (which he is absolutely capable of doing) in order to be a guy who should be anywhere near the top of the order.

A .318 OBP% in the leadoff spot is vomit inducing. Needs to be .350+ in my opinion. Hoping he can get there.

Tell me someone we currently have who would be better leading off (with the 2/3 in reference above)?

It would be the bottom of the order that has too many holes, especially with Puig and Kip presumably gone.
 
Is Leyonis Martin still available? You don't want to go that route again do you?
 
Tell me someone we currently have who would be better leading off (with the 2/3 in reference above)?

It would be the bottom of the order that has too many holes, especially with Puig and Kip presumably gone.
We don’t have anyone, which is why I said it was a problem. You even quoted me saying it.

Either way, I doubt they move Frankie out of the leadoff spot. So, all this talk is moot.
 
We don’t have anyone, which is why I said it was a problem. You even quoted me saying it.

Either way, I doubt they move Frankie out of the leadoff spot. So, all this talk is moot.

I agree. Frankie's ego would never let that happen.

However, Mercado in the leading spot isn't vomit inducing as you're alluding to. Boy is a player.
 
Didn’t Tito use Santana and his .400+ OBP in the leadoff spot before?
 
I agree. Frankie's ego would never let that happen.

However, Mercado in the leading spot isn't vomit inducing as you're alluding to. Boy is a player.

If he doesn’t improve on that .318 OBP% then yes, it’d be vomit inducing.

I also don’t think it has anything to do with Frankie’s ego. Tito likes to let guys get comfortable in their spots, and won’t change unless they’re absolutely flailing like Jose was early in the season.
 
If he doesn’t improve on that .318 OBP% then yes, it’d be vomit inducing

I think you're grossly overreacting.

But, I think we both have confidence it will improve with more ABs.
 
I think you're grossly overreacting.

But, I think we both have confidence it will improve with more ABs.
Yes, I am confident he will improve.

I’m not sure where my overreaction is though? A .318 OBP% and 95 wRC+ doesn’t belong near the top of the order, let alone at the top.

Both numbers would be outside the top 20 among each team’s production from the leadoff spot.

Yes, which is a travesty in my opinion. Vomit inducing.

If he’s going to keep slugging like he did this past year, batting leadoff would be a waste of that, but in his average season Carlos is a great fit as a leadoff guy.
 
Yes, I am confident he will improve.

I’m not sure where my overreaction is though? A .318 OBP% and 95 wRC+ doesn’t belong near the top of the order, let alone at the top.



If he’s going to keep slugging like he did this past year, batting leadoff would be a waste of that, but in his average season Carlos is a great fit as a leadoff guy.

Can you provide any insight as to what clicked with Santana?

I was not a big fan of his before he was traded. He seems to be a completely differently hitter now. He's just taking the ball oppo now much more, correct?
 
Can you provide any insight as to what clicked with Santana?

I was not a big fan of his before he was traded. He seems to be a completely differently hitter now. He's just taking the ball oppo now much more, correct?

He actually went to the opposite field less than he did last year when he bottomed out in Philly.

He’s going to center a little more, but mostly his hard hit rate jumped about 10%. He simply squared the ball up more this year. He absolutely destroyed changeups this year, too. He’s typically done ok against them, but he was one of the best this year.
 
He actually went to the opposite field less than he did last year when he bottomed out in Philly.

He’s going to center a little more, but mostly his hard hit rate jumped about 10%. He simply squared the ball up more this year. He absolutely destroyed changeups this year, too. He’s typically done ok against them, but he was one of the best this year.

Analytics aside...what lead to those increased statistics? Dedication? Mental?
 

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