The 2020 Cleveland Indians

[dkbldev]

Our haul looks pretty damn good right now. And include Quantrill's promising outing yesterday.

Kevalier - I learned awhile ago that the front office:

1. Knows all kinds of things we don't
2. Are damn good at their jobs

A bit related to the Clevinger injury. Kluber will have only pitched one inning for the Rangers this year.

 

[chuck0609]

A bit related to the Clevinger injury. Kluber will have only pitched one inning for the Rangers this year.

I still feel bad about the Kluber injury. Hate to see him going out like that. He left everything he had in CLE.
I hope he’s properly remembered for it here.

 

[LL3]

I still feel bad about the Kluber injury. Hate to see him going out like that. He left everything he had in CLE.
I hope he’s properly remembered for it here.

He will by me , and many many more of us, I am sure. 5-6 years of real excellence, and a tremendous playoff in 2016.

 

[CATS44]

A legitimate case can be made that over a five or six year span Kluber was the greatest pitcher the Tribe has had since Addie Joss.

 

[bigfoot5415]

A legitimate case can be made that over a five or six year span Kluber was the greatest pitcher the Tribe has had since Addie Joss.

He arguably should have 1 more Cy Young in that run and a tip of the cap for being in contention for even another. It was beautiful to watch.

 

[bigfoot5415]

I really trust your guys opinions and baseball knowledge. Would someone be able to rank the other playoff teams in the order of who we want to face and avoid as well as dig into how some of these teams operate? I haven't watched anything outside of our division and I'm curious as to how the As and Ray's stack up.

 

[Gson]

A legitimate case can be made that over a five or six year span Kluber was the greatest pitcher the Tribe has had since Addie Joss.

Bob Feller says don't forget me..

Kluber's club option is unlikely to be picked up.. So, he will become a FA at the conclusion of the fall classic.. For Indians fans.. the subject of a Kluber return should take place after the parade takes a turn south off of Euclid down East 9th..on the way to the corner of Ontario and Carnegie..

Kluber was a great pitcher... hugely admired.. and highly skilled... It would be nice to see his last days as an MLB pitcher be in the red white and blue..

Thoughts?..

 

[NEOLeo]

Bob Feller says don't forget me..

Kluber's club option is unlikely to be picked up.. So, he will become a FA at the conclusion of the fall classic.. For Indians fans.. the subject of a Kluber return should take place after the parade takes a turn south off of Euclid down East 9th..on the way to the corner of Ontario and Carnegie..

Kluber was a great pitcher... hugely admired.. and highly skilled... It would be nice to see his last days as an MLB pitcher be in the red white and blue..

Thoughts?..

I would love it, but I don’t think it makes sense unless Kluber is coming out of the bullpen or they plan on Cookie, McKenzie and/or Quantrill all coming out of the pen. Bieber, Plesac, Carrasco, Civale, would seem to be locked into the rotation with McKenzie/Quantrill (Moss/Allen et al) competing for the 5th spot.

 

[Urban]

I really trust your guys opinions and baseball knowledge. Would someone be able to rank the other playoff teams in the order of who we want to face and avoid as well as dig into how some of these teams operate? I haven't watched anything outside of our division and I'm curious as to how the As and Ray's stack up.

I think starting pitching is probably the most reliable thing to look at when looking at an opponent. All of these teams- Oakland, Chicago, Minnesota, and Tampa- have very good lineups and their bullpens are at the top of the lists on WAR and ERA. The Yankees bullpen is towards the bottom of the list but Chapman, Green, and Britton is a strong trio out of the bullpen.

I think Oakland would probably be my top choice to face. We've been historically terrible when playing at the Coliseum in the Tito era so the bubble would help us out here. They really don't have a true ace like some of the other teams do. With these other teams, we match Bieber up with Giolito, Maeda, Snell/Glasnow, or Cole which greatly nullifies that Bieber advantage. I'm not sure who Oakland throws Game 1- maybe Chris Bassitt or Jesus Luzardo? Luzardo is pretty good but none of their other starters have quite overwhelming stuff.

I haven't felt comfortable facing Minnesota at all the past 2 seasons with that offense. Maeda has blanked us twice already this season and has been the second best starter in the AL this year.

Glasnow and Snell really worry me if we face Tampa. Could easily see double digit strikeouts from each of them throwing seemingly effortless high heat past our lineup a la Cole and Verlander in the 2018 ALDS.

Chicago would probably be my second choice at the moment since they're so young and are struggling a bit at the moment going in the postseason

 

[col63onel]

Thoughts on first round matchup?

My gut says avoid the Yankees, but that just may be because of the pinstripes. It seems we will either be in the 7-2 matchup or the 4-5, unless either the ChiSox or Twins barf their last series.

 

[CDAV45]

I would love it, but I don’t think it makes sense unless Kluber is coming out of the bullpen or they plan on Cookie, McKenzie and/or Quantrill all coming out of the pen. Bieber, Plesac, Carrasco, Civale, would seem to be locked into the rotation with McKenzie/Quantrill (Moss/Allen et al) competing for the 5th spot.

No bigger Kluber fan than I, but you're right. There really isn't a place for him here. The depth is solid too, and may get deeper with a Lindor trade in the offseason.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

I think starting pitching is probably the most reliable thing to look at when looking at an opponent. All of these teams- Oakland, Chicago, Minnesota, and Tampa- have very good lineups and their bullpens are at the top of the lists on WAR and ERA. The Yankees bullpen is towards the bottom of the list but Chapman, Green, and Britton is a strong trio out of the bullpen.

I think Oakland would probably be my top choice to face. We've been historically terrible when playing at the Coliseum in the Tito era so the bubble would help us out here. They really don't have a true ace like some of the other teams do. With these other teams, we match Bieber up with Giolito, Maeda, Snell/Glasnow, or Cole which greatly nullifies that Bieber advantage. I'm not sure who Oakland throws Game 1- maybe Chris Bassitt or Jesus Luzardo? Luzardo is pretty good but none of their other starters have quite overwhelming stuff.

I haven't felt comfortable facing Minnesota at all the past 2 seasons with that offense. Maeda has blanked us twice already this season and has been the second best starter in the AL this year.

Glasnow and Snell really worry me if we face Tampa. Could easily see double digit strikeouts from each of them throwing seemingly effortless high heat past our lineup a la Cole and Verlander in the 2018 ALDS.

Chicago would probably be my second choice at the moment since they're so young and are struggling a bit at the moment going in the postseason

Good analysis. I would only add that the Twins are 23-5 at home which is insane. And as you pointed out, Kenta Maeda has pitched 18 innings against the Indians this year and has allowed one earned run and 10 hits. They simply cannot hit this guy. He has a 1.91 ERA at home, by the way.

Winning these games against the White Sox might work against the Tribe because it could potentially put the Twins ahead of the Sox and into second place where they would play the 7th place Indians in the first round. Right now Oakland is second and I like that matchup the best or else the White Sox, who we are 7-2 against.

It's also possible we could pass the White Sox and finish 4th or 5th with Chicago being the wild card. We won't win the division because even if we win tonight and sweep the Pirates we'd only have 36 wins. The Twins would only have to go 1-2 the rest of the way to get to 36 wins and they would finish second on the tie-breaker since they won the head-to-head series. I can't see us going 4-0 and them going 0-3.

But if we can end up tied with or better than the White Sox we could get the 4th seed and play the Yankees who we haven't seen all year. That would be fun.

 

[Gson]

Thoughts on first round matchup?

My gut says avoid the Yankees, but that just may be because of the pinstripes. It seems we will either be in the 7-2 matchup or the 4-5, unless either the ChiSox or Twins barf their last series.

The AL Central contenders (Tigers/Royals excluded) have a trio of AL Central v NL Central series all at AL Central home venues:

-Indians/Pirates
-Cubs/CWSox and
-Twins/Reds

Of these series, the Reds v Twins is the most "pressing" The Reds are in a dogfight to make it to the playoffs. They are one game ahead of the Phillies and Brewers while holding onto the 8th and last playoff spot. The Reds MUST win to make it.. and will have Bauer on short rest Sunday if they are in desperate need for a W.. The Cubs/CWSox is a second city bragging rights series. If neither team makes it to the fall classic.. his series will be pointed to all off season w/r to who is the better team.. (Yeah.. it's a stretch.. but it's what we have).. That leaves the hapless Pirates and the Indians.. 2 of 3 would be expected..a sweep would be hoped for.

FWiW (and my preference).. I would want the NYY's and CWSox to face each other in the wild card round.. after that, the team in the other dugout, whoever they are, have to be beat..

Thoughts?.

 

[TheLand1287]

Thoughts on first round matchup?

My gut says avoid the Yankees, but that just may be because of the pinstripes. It seems we will either be in the 7-2 matchup or the 4-5, unless either the ChiSox or Twins barf their last series.

I'm with you. Don't want the Yankees in the 1st round. Don't really want the Twins either, since they just seem to have our number.

If they can't miraculously come away with the division then I'd rather stay at 7 and face one of the Rays, A's, or White Sox.

 

[macbdog]

I still feel bad about the Kluber injury. Hate to see him going out like that. He left everything he had in CLE.
I hope he’s properly remembered for it here.

A bit related to the Clevinger injury. Kluber will have only pitched one inning for the Rangers this year.

I think this is my single biggest issue with what they did to him- they picked up his option only b/c they planned to trade him, effectively denying him a shot at FA. He is now entering FA not only a year older but coming off a second season of injuries. Had he hit the market this past offseason, he stood to make more than 16m in a multiyear deal, even if it was a prove it deal. Now he will probably be looking at a incentive laden 1 year deal. And all for a reliever who can't pitch without pharmaceutical enhancement and a 4th OFer (no matter how much we like him). Just not how you treat a guy who was arguably the team's best pitcher since Addie Joss, left all his belongings here, and played here on an insanely team friendly deal. It sends a message to the players that this team is purely a business, a sentiment that Clevinger voiced on the way out. That's fine, but once the best player liason this team has in Francona retires here soon we will see how many non-vulnerable players 'buy in' on this team's long-term contract offers. To me, the human thing to do would have been to decline his option and let the guy who gave this club a HOF-caliber 5 year run or whatever his chance to pick his team. But oh well, water under the bridge. At least we got Deshields, who may not be a world beater but looks like an excellent 4th OFer.