With the start of the 2019 season rapidly approaching, I believe it’s time that we give you the ultimate breakdown of each division and predict their position in the standings come season’s end. It’s hard to predict record, so we’ll just give you their placement in the standings. Of course, this is coming from a fan’s perspective and what we think it could look like, not what it will. Today, we focus on the American League Central and the Cleveland Indians:
Cleveland Indians
2018 record: 91-71, 1st in AL Central
Projected Lineup:
SS Francisco Lindor
2B Jason Kipnis
3B Jose Ramirez
DH Carlos Santana
1B Jake Bauers
CF Leonys Martin
RF Tyler Naquin
C Roberto Perez
LF Greg Allen
Starting Rotation:
RH Corey Kluber
RH Trevor Bauer
RH Carlos Carrasco
RH Mike Clevinger
RH Shane Bieber
RH Danny Salazar
Key Bullpen Pieces:
LH Oliver Perez
RH Tyler Clippard
Key Bench Pieces:
OF Bradley Zimmer
DH Hanley Ramirez
OF Matt Joyce
The Indians have won the AL Central for three consecutive seasons and were just one win shy of their first World Series title since 1945 in 2016 against the Cubs; they currently have the longest championship drought in all of North American sports. Manager Terry Francona hopes that the 2019 Tribe can get it done. However, offensively, they are not as sound as they were in recent years due to the loss of Edwin Encarnacion and Michael Brantley. Of course, they still have Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez, two of the best players in baseball right now, both perennial MVP candidates. The numbers for each of them last year were incredible. Lindor hit .277 with 38 home runs and a .519 SLG, while Ramirez hit .270 39 home runs and an OPS of .939. Both are still just 25 and 26 respectively and are key to the middle of that Cleveland lineup. The Indians are also welcoming back Carlos Santana, who spent the 2018 season with the Phillies after signing a three year contract only to be dealt back to the Tribe. 2018 was a down year for Santana, only batting .229, the lowest of his career; however, I truly believe that some guys perform better in a place they are most comfortable with. Santana had very good numbers with the Indians before departing with a career 8.10 OPS and 174 home runs in 8 seasons with Cleveland. I’m not saying he’s the X-factor by any means, but his presence back in that lineup that seems to have downgraded offensively will be needed.
The absolute strength of the Indians will be their starting pitching. Kluber, Bauer, Carrasco and Clevinger all had outstanding seasons in 2018. The four together accumulated a 2.85 ERA, a 3.00 FIP and 881 strikeouts. In fact, they are the first team in history to have four starting pitchers eclipse the 200 strikeout mark for a single season. There is no denying that the Indians’ rotation is among the best, and quite possibly, the best rotation in baseball. This will be what will help them to another AL Central crown.
The bullpen has regressed slightly in recent years due to the loss of Andrew Miller, Cody Allen and Bryan Shaw. Sure, Miller and Allen both had down years in 2018, but they were the backbone of that bullpen. Fortunately for the Tribe, they still do have Hand, whom they acquired from the Padres late last year. In 28 games in Cleveland last year, Hand pitched to a 2.28 ERA with 41 strikeouts and a 194 ERA+. Let’s also not sleep on Oliver Perez, who had a phenomenal year last year in his age 36 season. 1.38 ERA. .0742 WHIP and a 1.74 FIP. Many see him as just the left-handed specialist, where his average against lefties was .194, but he was just as dominant against righties with a .104 average against. These two will be the anchors of this Cleveland bullpen.
Although the offense, aside from Lindor and Ramirez, may be questionable, it’s the pitching that puts the Indians over the top.
2019 prediction: 1st in AL Central
