• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

The 2020 Cleveland Indians

Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • FRANMIL REYESOF, CLEVELAND INDIANS
    Franmil Reyes will return to Progressive Field for batting practice on Wednesday.
    Reyes was held out of summer camp workouts on Monday and Tuesday after attending a party over the July 4 holiday weekend where people were not wearing masks. He self-isolated and then passed the necessary follow-up tests for COVID-19. Reyes was said to be extremely apologetic for his attendance at that party and Indians manager Terry Francona told reporters that the 25-year-old slugger isn't in any trouble. He should be a very attractive power option in fantasy for MLB's abbreviated 2020 campaign.
    SOURCE: Zack Meisel on Twitter
    Jul 8, 2020, 11:51 AM ET

  • DELINO DESHIELDSOF, CLEVELAND INDIANS
    Delino DeShields has tested negative for COVID-19.
    He'll need to test negative once more before being allowed to join his teammates, but DeShields is headed to Cleveland -- where summer camp workouts are being staged for the Indians -- and he could potentially get on the field by the end of this week. DeShields was diagnosed with COVID-19 while at home.
 
Adding the other 4 teams in the Central(s):
Pirates -- Marte -- 295/342/503
Reds -- Senzel -- 236/315/427
Tigers --Reyes (276 ab) -- 304/336/431
Royals -- Hamilton (275 ab) -- 211/275/269
Starling (186 ab) -- 215/255/317


CLE -- Mercado -- 269/318/443
Reyes had 155 of his 276 AB's in center; he also played in right and left. At 6'5", 215, I wonder if the Tigers see him in center going forward. He hit .321 in August and .330 in September, so he'll be playing somewhere. He's only 25.
 
@Wham with the Right Hand

Mercado was not unlucky last year.

A .300 BABIP is right at league average, and when you consider his average exit velocity was just 86.5 MPH (1 MPH below league average) it makes sense for him to have an average BABIP despite plus speed.

Given his low exit velocity, he's probably not going to hit many HR, so his 15 HR in 114 G is not something we should expect to repeat.

I'd encourage you to look at his xBA% on the website you cited.

xBA% determines how likely a batted ball is to become a hit based on similarly hit balls in the past. It accounts for launch angle, exit velocity, and as of Jan 2019, it accounts for a player's sprint speed on weakly hit grounders.

Mercado's xBA% last year was .262 last year which is just a hair lower than his actual BA% of .269. So, everything is pretty much right in line except for his XBH which were well above expectations based on how hard he hit the ball. His xSLG% is significantly lower than his actual SLG%.

I don't expect Mercado to be much of a power threat, nor do I think he needs to be one in order to be a productive everyday CF. Offensively, I'd like to see him improve his contact skills and draw a few more walks. Being a .270/.320/.440 (like last year) guy makes him one of the weaker hitters in any decent lineup. If he could get his OBP% up to around .340, even with a drop in SLG%, that makes a world of difference.

Defensively, his instincts and routes he takes need to improve. He's in just the 11th percentile in route efficiency. Now, a lot of really good CF rate poorly as route runners, but they make up for it with far superior bursts and great reaction times. So, yes, Mercado is in the 69th percentile for jumps among ALL OF, but among CF, he still has some ground to make up to be above average.
Great info. If he's only in the 11th percentile in route efficiency then there is a lot of room for improvement in that area, which combined with his sprint speed and jump could put him well into the 90's in terms of outs above average.

It will be interesting to see if he can keep the home run rate where it was last year, which projects to 20 home runs in 150 games played. You wouldn't expect a guy who's only in the 16th percentile in exit velo to hit 20 HR's, but with today's ball, maybe it's realistic.

With his speed he definitely needs to draw more walks.

I think he got more XBHs than projected because of his ability to stretch a single into a double. If your info is correct xBA% only accounts for sprint speed on weakly hit grounders, not on bloops and singles into the gaps. Just a theory, but you would expect an extremely fast player to get a few more XBHs than he deserves.

There was a column on Bradley Zimmer today. Apparently he hit a couple of home runs and a double off the wall on Monday.
 
.I think they see Jacoby Jones as the better fielder there, though he had injury, etc. issues last year....lots of guys playing CF.
 
Great info. If he's only in the 11th percentile in route efficiency then there is a lot of room for improvement in that area, which combined with his sprint speed and jump could put him well into the 90's in terms of outs above average.

It will be interesting to see if he can keep the home run rate where it was last year, which projects to 20 home runs in 150 games played. You wouldn't expect a guy who's only in the 16th percentile in exit velo to hit 20 HR's, but with today's ball, maybe it's realistic.

With his speed he definitely needs to draw more walks.

I think he got more XBHs than projected because of his ability to stretch a single into a double. If your info is correct xBA% only accounts for sprint speed on weakly hit grounders, not on bloops and singles into the gaps. Just a theory, but you would expect an extremely fast player to get a few more XBHs than he deserves.

There was a column on Bradley Zimmer today. Apparently he hit a couple of home runs and a double off the wall on Monday.
Zimmer could factor in the expanded roster.
 
.I think they see Jacoby Jones as the better fielder there, though he had injury, etc. issues last year....lots of guys playing CF.
He couldn't make it as a WR for the Texans, not sure he is going to make it in baseball at this age.
 
Great......

There was a column on Bradley Zimmer today. Apparently he hit a couple of home runs and a double off the wall on Monday.
I'm hopeful Zimmer shows up.. makes keeping Reyes out of the OF realistic.. and, most importantly, forces the Indians to buy him a shovel..

Thoughts?
 
Zimmer made some major swing changes last year. Not saying I'm optimistic, but at least he's not coming in with the same approach expecting different results.

Zimmer hurt himself in the eyes of some by skipping the winter ball, so hopefully the extra time off, with the changes, rights the ship for him. I mean worse case scenario is that he is just a 4th OF since he can flat out play a plus defense, which most teams keep a guy like him.
 
... mercado is an interesting choice and very pleasant surprise for the Indians in CF.. While there are two and perhaps more CF'ers on the squad and in the system that can defensively play the position as well or better.. Mercado's overall game reminds you of young michael brantley.. (Brantley was brought up for good in 2011 and slashed .266/.318/.701 compared to mercado's .269/.318/.761. Mercado is a better baserunner and faster.. Mercado has a better arm.. Brantley was and remains a much more instinctive ball player. Mercado's quick hands and bat support his original spot as a middle infielder.. but the growth from the start of 2019 to now.. has been eye opening. Brad Zimmer is fast approaching a put up or shut up say in being the CF'er of the future of the Indians because Mercado is making a strong claim to the spot..

Thoughts?..
What about his game says a young Michael Brantley ?? I mean seriously ? MB literally had one of the best eyes in baseball the moment he walk on a MiLB basebal field. Oscar not so much. MB was Always laser focused, again from the day he walked on a MiLB baseball field. Mercado has issues in this regard. I knew MB would become a star, not even sure Mercado will be in baseball in 2-3 years.
 
In simulated ball.. Oscar Mercado - 109 AB is slashing
276.343.367
with just 1 bomb and Zero SB, yet again not stealing those bases. 109 AB in 60 game is huge and we can't afford him dragging down the line-up. It's time to move on from him.

On the other hand, Michael Brantley is not slowing down slashing.
391.445.6131.057
with 12 Bombs and at least 2 SB, 2 more than OM
 
In simulated ball.. Oscar Mercado - 109 AB is slashing
276.343.367
with just 1 bomb and Zero SB, yet again not stealing those bases. 109 AB in 60 game is huge and we can't afford him dragging down the line-up. It's time to move on from him.

On the other hand, Michael Brantley is not slowing down slashing.
391.445.6131.057
with 12 Bombs and at least 2 SB, 2 more than OM

First off that is simulation so that says nothing about what will happen in real life, so i could care less about that. Also Mercado is one of the fastest guys in the league, so if a simulation doesn't have him stealing bases then the programming isn't right to begin with.

I expect to see Ka'ai Tom sooner rather than later. Flat out STUD !!

You know Tom is older and only has one year of legit production in the minors? He finally got his act together last season, but i would never put him ahead of Mercado when it comes to potential at all.
 
Last edited:
First off that is simulation so that says nothing about what will happen in real life, so i could care less about that. Also Mercado is one of the fastest guys in the league, so if a simulation doesn't have him stealing bases then the programming isn't right to begin with.



You know Tom is older and only has one year of legit production in the minors? He finally got his act together last season, but i would never put him ahead of Mercado when it comes to potential at all.
Simulation is the new wave prediction machine, works 100% of the time to fit any narrative I seek. I'm going with it. Tom2020
 

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top