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The 2020 Cleveland Indians

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Kepler had a career season, but that's to be expected at age 26. Polanco also had a career year at age 26. Rosario is 28, Sano is 27. The Twins have a whole team in that 26-29 age range where historical data shows they are most likely to have their best seasons. That's why I'm skeptical we're going to see a signficant regression by their hitters unless MLB takes a little bit of the juice out of the baseball after the home run record was blown out of the water last year.

Agree with that paragraph on the Twins. And I would add Garver in with that bunch. He always, always hit in the minors so it's no surprise he hits in the majors. Defense is more his issue. And even if he "regresses" a bit that's still an amazing season - last year was other-worldly for Garver.

So they had a bunch of 26-29 year old hitters entering their prime and the front office wisely added in veteran Nelson Cruz - and now Donaldson?? Make no mistake about it - this is a loaded offensive team.

We can only hope their pitching doesn't hold up but actually this season might actually favor teams with a bunch of 5-6 inning types!
 
Agree with that paragraph on the Twins. And I would add Garver in with that bunch. He always, always hit in the minors so it's no surprise he hits in the majors. Defense is more his issue. And even if he "regresses" a bit that's still an amazing season - last year was other-worldly for Garver.

So they had a bunch of 26-29 year old hitters entering their prime and the front office wisely added in veteran Nelson Cruz - and now Donaldson?? Make no mistake about it - this is a loaded offensive team.

We can only hope their pitching doesn't hold up but actually this season might actually favor teams with a bunch of 5-6 inning types!
It only favors the 5-6 inning types if you have a good bullpen, which I don’t believe the Twins have.
 
It only favors the 5-6 inning types if you have a good bullpen, which I don’t believe the Twins have.
I do agree this is a potential weakness. We'd better hope so because their offense is most definitely not in my view. It quite outpaces ours at the very least and guys like Sano, Polanco, Kepler, Garver are just getting there. And Arraez - if you watched him last season - think Tony Gwynn type bat control. Yes, little power, but put him in with those other sluggers...
 
I do agree this is a potential weakness. We'd better hope so because their offense is most definitely not in my view. It quite outpaces ours at the very least and guys like Sano, Polanco, Kepler, Garver are just getting there. And Arraez - if you watched him last season - think Tony Gwynn type bat control. Yes, little power, but put him in with those other sluggers...
Oh, I’m fully aware they have a really good lineup. I just think it’s safe to project a little regression given some outlier statistics from last year.
 
Disagree, Kluber will make a dozen starts this year at most in the final year of his contract. Clase can't even be a FA until at least 2026.
Even if Kluber wins just six games in 2020, he will deliver far more than the Tribe’s return: a fourth outfielder and an unproven youngster who may /may not need PEDs to perform at the MLB level.
 
Oh, I’m fully aware they have a really good lineup. I just think it’s safe to project a little regression given some outlier statistics from last year.
Agree on the likely regression. I just don’t see the Twins leading MLB in home runs again.
 
Even if Kluber wins just six games in 2020, he will deliver far more than the Tribe’s return: a fourth outfielder and an unproven youngster who may /may not need PEDs to perform at the MLB level.
Unlikely, considering we still have many more years with Clase and it’s unlikely that he needs PEDs to perform at the MLB level.
 
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Unlikely, considering we still have many more years with Clase and it’s unlikely that he needs PEDs to perform at the MLB level.
Agree - and our Twins' friend Nelson Cruz tested positive for PEDs years ago. Hmmm, he certainly seems to get by pretty damn well without them. ;) ( Often times guys use certain things to expedite recoveries from injuries and that's where they get caught. )
 
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A blurb about Tribe prospects included in their 2020 group:

Cleveland

Cleveland made one of the most interesting prospect inclusions of any team, adding George Valera, a 19-year-old outfielder with just 6 games played above short-season ball. Valera signed for $1.3 million in 2017 but hasn’t played enough since then due to injuries, so the need for Cleveland’s No. 11 prospect to get more reps is acute. Their top four prospects are all in the pool, including No. 2 Triston McKenzie, who really needs innings after missing all of 2019 with back and pectoral strains, and No. 3 Bo Naylor, a premium offensive catcher who spent last year in Low A and would appear to only be here to get work. It’s a bit telling that their 2016 first-rounder Will Benson isn’t on the list after two straight years with 150+ strikeouts.
 
Yes, I believe the balls will have less juice this year.

And regardless of how big their players are, those HR/FB ratios just aren’t sustainable.

I don’t think the shortened season makes Buxton any less likely to get hurt, especially considering they’re playing a denser schedule than usual. I would expect position players to have more injury issues this year. So, I don’t know how you can say “the addition of a healthy Buxton” when he’s never stayed healthy before.

I never said we’d see a significant regression. They were very lucky to win 100 games last year. Even without regression, they were unlikely to match that pace this year.

A small regression combined with their pitching would have them looking solid but unspectacular.

@Wham with the Right Hand

PS, if you’re going to multi-quote, at least do it right :chuckle:
Not a denser schedule than usual. Last year the Indians played game 103 on July 26. We'll actually be 2-3 days ahead.

Last year Buxton played pretty much every day until Aug. 2. He only played 7 games the rest of the way. If it had been a 60-game season he would have played every game.

The Twins were probably lucky last year in terms of injuries. They didn't have any starting pitchers get leukemia, get taken out by a line drive, or pull a back muscle and miss 12 starts. They didn't have any outfielders crash into a wall. Did all their hitters have lucky BABIP seasons in the same year? I don't know, I'd have to research that.

However, you could very well be right about the baseballs this year and a regression in the Twins HR/FB ratio.

 
Even if Kluber wins just six games in 2020, he will deliver far more than the Tribe’s return: a fourth outfielder and an unproven youngster who may /may not need PEDs to perform at the MLB level.
I am really disappointed at the Clase situation... I was not one who hated the Kluber deal
 
It is such a difficult, weird year...in baseball and of course beyond. The holiday weekend is low key for my family, but I hope you all have an enjoyable Independence Day.
 
Agree - and our Twins' friend Nelson Cruz tested positive for PEDs years ago. Hmmm, he certainly seems to get by pretty damn well without them. ;) ( Often times guys use certain things to expedite recoveries from injuries and that's where they get caught. )
No surprise on Cruz, and why you could have an enhanced pitcher in Clase.

The effect of steroids on the muscle fiber doesn't just disappear once you stop taking them. If you follow the latest research, the number that left me stunned was - a significant impact on the number of nuerons in the fiber for up to 6 years in many people. That is part of the reason why the standard ban for WADA's Olympic testing is 4 years now.

So if the effects are lasting and one doesn't mind the health risks, an 80 game suspension for possibly 6 years of enhanced performance isn't much of a disincentive.
 
A blurb about Tribe prospects included in their 2020 group:

Cleveland

Cleveland made one of the most interesting prospect inclusions of any team, adding George Valera, a 19-year-old outfielder with just 6 games played above short-season ball. Valera signed for $1.3 million in 2017 but hasn’t played enough since then due to injuries, so the need for Cleveland’s No. 11 prospect to get more reps is acute. Their top four prospects are all in the pool, including No. 2 Triston McKenzie, who really needs innings after missing all of 2019 with back and pectoral strains, and No. 3 Bo Naylor, a premium offensive catcher who spent last year in Low A and would appear to only be here to get work. It’s a bit telling that their 2016 first-rounder Will Benson isn’t on the list after two straight years with 150+ strikeouts.

Anyone who would rank George Valera as the eleventh best prospect in the organization has absolutely no clue what they are talking about.
 

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