Your 2019 Cleveland Indians

[sportscoach]

We are 3.5 back of the Twins going into the Twins series it looks like. Indians legitimately have the chance to win the division at the end, they just have to essentially win out from here to do it. There is going to be a 90+ win team out of the playoffs it seems like this year, and then two 90+ win teams going for the wild card spot in the playoffs as well. May not be the best scenario for Cleveland fans, but is a heck of a situation for baseball fans! Get ready for two weeks of high intensity baseball!

 

[NorthCoastBias]

Rundown of the last two weeks for the Twins, Athletics, Rays and Tribe (teams currently .500 or better in bold):

Minnesota Twins (89-57, 3.5 game lead in Central):
3 games at CLE
3 games vs. CWS
3 games vs. KC
3 games at DET
3 games at KC

Oakland Athletics (87-60, 0.5 game lead for WC1, 1 game lead for WC2):
3 games at TEX
3 games vs. KC
3 games vs. TEX
2 games at LAA
4 games at SEA

Tampa Bay Rays (87-61, 0.5 GB of WC1, 0.5 game lead for WC2):
3 games at LAA
2 games at LAD
4 games vs. BOS
2 games vs. NYY
3 games at TOR

Cleveland Indians (86-61, 3.5 GB in Central, 1 GB of WC1, 0.5 GB of WC2):
3 games vs. MIN
3 games vs. DET
3 games vs. PHI
3 games at CWS
3 games at WAS

 

[sportscoach]

Rundown of the last two weeks for the Twins, Athletics, Rays and Tribe (teams currently .500 or better in bold):

Minnesota Twins (89-57, 3.5 game lead in Central):
3 games at CLE
3 games vs. CWS
3 games vs. KC
3 games at DET
3 games at KC

Oakland Athletics (87-60, 0.5 game lead for WC1, 1 game lead for WC2):
3 games at TEX
3 games vs. KC
3 games vs. TEX
2 games at LAA
4 games at SEA

Tampa Bay Rays (87-61, 0.5 GB for WC1, 0.5 games lead for WC2):
3 games at LAA
2 games at LAD
4 games vs. BOS
2 games vs. NYY
3 games at TOR

Cleveland Indians (86-61, 3.5 GB in Central, 1 GB for WC1, 0.5 GB for WC2):
3 games vs. MIN
3 games vs. DET
3 games vs. PHI
3 games at CWS
3 games at WAS

Going by this schedule, I would honestly say prediction wise, Minnesota gets the Central, cause of the fact they have a three+ game lead and an easy down the stretch schedule. A's get wild Card 1 and Indians get Wild card two. To me LAA is a much better team overall than DET or CWS. Rays have the hardest uphill battle of the three wild card teams on paper.

 

[Urban]

Playing in Oakland would be less than ideal considering the Indians have struggled out there in recent years. But we'd have a clear starting pitching advantage. Tampa Bay with Charlie Morton nullifies that advantage.

 

[bob2the2nd]

Playing in Oakland would be less than ideal considering the Indians have struggled out there in recent years. But we'd have a clear starting pitching advantage. Tampa Bay with Charlie Morton nullifies that advantage.

This far out it's a little difficult to predict rotations. But with the wild card teams this close right now it would be difficult for any of those teams to set up who they want as a starter for a wild-card game. Knowing that losing the final game of the season could knock a team out.

 

[Urban]

This far out it's a little difficult to predict rotations. But with the wild card teams this close right now it would be difficult for any of those teams to set up who they want as a starter for a wild-card game. Knowing that losing the final game of the season could knock a team out.

Each game counts the same; I don't think a team is going to hold back their ace until Game 162. I would think it's more likely than not that that game does not have postseason implications. You'd then lose a meaningful start, for better or worse, and lose your ace for the winner take all game.

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

I hate the fact that down the stretch, two of our final three series are interleague. Thankfully at least one of them is in our house, but I'm for unbalancing the leagues again or figuring out another way to ensure teams aren't having to play interleague series during the middle of a playoff race.

You give the NL a DH and this situation isn't nearly as bad. But right now, it's not fair for a competing NL team to have to come to an AL park and vice versa.

 

[UDcleveland]

Hopefully the Nats wrap up the WC1 spot before that final series against us. They’re 3.5 up right now, and it would be nice to see them rest some guys and/or line up Scherzer for the WC game.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Each game counts the same; I don't think a team is going to hold back their ace until Game 162. I would think it's more likely than not that that game does not have postseason implications. You'd then lose a meaningful start, for better or worse, and lose your ace for the winner take all game.

If the last game of the season doesn't matter, wouldn't you just bypass your ace so he's fresh for the wild card game, and pitch some schlub or schlubs for that meaningless last game?

 

[bob2the2nd]

If the last game of the season doesn't matter, wouldn't you just bypass your ace so he's fresh for the wild card game, and pitch some schlub or schlubs for that meaningless last game?

of course. but right now there is a 1 game separation for 3 teams in the AL, which means if the season ended tomorrow you bet your ass all 3 teams would be playing their ace today if they had a chance.

So my point was with 2-3 weeks left in the season its difficult/impossible to predict who a team may have as a wild card game starter, because as of right now a wild card team may need to play their Ace the final game of the season, or the game before the end of the season, or what have you.

Right now i would rather sweep the twins, and hope they falter down the stretch and pick up the division.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

of course. but right now there is a 1 game separation for 3 teams in the AL, which means if the season ended tomorrow you bet your ass all 3 teams would be playing their ace today if they had a chance.

So my point was with 2-3 weeks left in the season its difficult/impossible to predict who a team may have as a wild card game starter, because as of right now a wild card team may need to play their Ace the final game of the season, or the game before the end of the season, or what have you.

Right now i would rather sweep the twins, and hope they falter down the stretch and pick up the division.

I agree with all that. I was just addressing the more specific point made by @Urban that we'd be wasting a quality start if we scheduled an ace to pitch a last game of the regular season that turned out to be meaningless.

We just wouldn't pitch him.

 

[Otsego Mar]

Rundown of the last two weeks for the Twins, Athletics, Rays and Tribe (teams currently .500 or better in bold):

Minnesota Twins (89-57, 3.5 game lead in Central):
3 games at CLE
3 games vs. CWS
3 games vs. KC
3 games at DET
3 games at KC

Oakland Athletics (87-60, 0.5 game lead for WC1, 1 game lead for WC2):
3 games at TEX
3 games vs. KC
3 games vs. TEX
2 games at LAA
4 games at SEA

Tampa Bay Rays (87-61, 0.5 GB of WC1, 0.5 game lead for WC2):
3 games at LAA
2 games at LAD
4 games vs. BOS
2 games vs. NYY
3 games at TOR

Cleveland Indians (86-61, 3.5 GB in Central, 1 GB of WC1, 0.5 GB of WC2):
3 games vs. MIN
3 games vs. DET
3 games vs. PHI
3 games at CWS
3 games at WAS

How the hell did we end up having to bat our pitchers for the last 3 games of the year??? Is that something normal?

 

[Urban]

If the last game of the season doesn't matter, wouldn't you just bypass your ace so he's fresh for the wild card game, and pitch some schlub or schlubs for that meaningless last game?

I agree with all that. I was just addressing the more specific point made by @Urban that we'd be wasting a quality start if we scheduled an ace to pitch a last game of the regular season that turned out to be meaningless.

We just wouldn't pitch him.

I worded it poorly. In the event that Game 162 was meaningless, you wouldn't burn your ace on that game. What I was getting at was this:

By waiting to throw your best pitcher until Game 162, you would theoretically increase the odds that Game 162 is crucial, right? The Indians would have greater odds at winning Game 159 by pitching Clevinger than Plutko. If you win 159, maybe 162 won't matter. If 162 matters and you've saved your ace for it, you are in good position for that game, but not for the WC game. (But we have 2 aces, so a bit of a moot point)

I understand that this depends on if the Indians are ahead of TB or OAK and lots of other variables. I think the Indians are best to throw Clev and Bieber on 9/26 and 9/27 respectively. It keeps them on I believe 5 days rest between starts from here on out and each would have 5 and 4 days of full rest between their last start and that Wild Card game.

 

[Huber.]

How the hell did we end up having to bat our pitchers for the last 3 games of the year??? Is that something normal?

There is interleague play throughout the year now with each league having 15 teams.

 

[Derek]

I worded it poorly. In the event that Game 162 was meaningless, you wouldn't burn your ace on that game. What I was getting at was this:

By waiting to throw your best pitcher until Game 162, you would theoretically increase the odds that Game 162 is crucial, right? The Indians would have greater odds at winning Game 159 by pitching Clevinger than Plutko. If you win 159, maybe 162 won't matter. If 162 matters and you've saved your ace for it, you are in good position for that game, but not for the WC game. (But we have 2 aces, so a bit of a moot point)

I understand that this depends on if the Indians are ahead of TB or OAK and lots of other variables. I think the Indians are best to throw Clev and Bieber on 9/26 and 9/27 respectively. It keeps them on I believe 5 days rest between starts from here on out and each would have 5 and 4 days of full rest between their last start and that Wild Card game.

I don't think anybody was suggesting saving Bieber or Clev for game 162.

The point @bob2the2nd was making was that in a close race, you aren't going to be able to line up your aces to pitch in a potential wild card game. All the teams in the race need to throw their best pitchers as often as possible down the stretch to ensure they even get to play beyond game 162.