I guess I don't understand the math. Dylan Baker has not pitched an inning this year. His career has continually been slowed by injury. Why not DFA him and keep TJ House?
Don't get that move to bring in Adam Plutko but, as I have said before, teams sometimes bring in wild cards at the end of the season as other teams don't have a book on the guy. Good plan to bring in Plutko but don't agree with House. So, like Plutko, don't like the roster management move, especially when Baker is the most likely player to be jettisoned when the 60-day DL guys come off that list after the playoffs are over.
Yeah, House has not dominated when in Cleveland but he certainly has more value than Baker short term AND long term, even if the difference is very small as House has about worn out his welcome here.
So, another headscratcher for the Indians. Not a huge deal but a headscratcher, nonetheless.
Also, don't underatand, except for space considerations, why Morimando and Urshela are not on the active roster. Each might have had some value in September. Each has, in my opinion, more long term value and a better chance to be on the playoff roster than does Jesus Aguilar.
Finally, although he is useful now, given that we are essentially qualified, should we still be playing Almonte at all? I don't think he can become a free agent this winter but, if he can, should we just DFA him now? He serves little value to this team, we can always sign him back later and it allows us to bring someone else up from the minors. Just rambling now but we are trying to make the playoffs and playing guys who won't be around then makes little sense, except to use them as spring-training-like replacements for the last few games. If we do that, even more reason to wonder why Urshela is not here as he gives us extra rest for one of Ramirez, Lindor and Kipnis. Better to have two guys to rest those three instead of just one.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Looking ahead to the playoffs
Yes, the Indians might lose all the rest of their games, the Tigers may get hot and we may not win the division. It could happen. But the odds are that it will not.
Given the probability of this team making the playoffs let's size up our playoff team.
Catcher - I think we are set with Perez and Gimenez, unless one gets hurt
First base/DH - Santana and Napoli are set here, although I would like to see Napoli rested about 2/3 of the time the rest of the way as he is reaching unknown territory in terns of games played.
Infield - We are pretty well set as it looks like Ramirez, Lindor and Kipnis are locked in with Michael Martinez as the one utility infielder.
Outfield - Crisp, Davis, Chisenhall, Naquin and Guyer appear to have those spots manned pretty well.
That gives you 13 players but 5 of them are outfielders. We are VERY short on the infield and will have two outfielders sitting on the bench doing nothing in every game. In an AL series that is a little tough to take.
The pitching staff is another story as that is far from set.
Starters - Kluber, Bauer and Tomlin are pretty much locks
Bullpen - Shaw, Miller, Allen, Otero, McAllister and Manship look like locks right now
Question marks - In an ideal world Tomlin would have been our long man and we would have gone with a 4 man rotation. However, without Carrasco and Salazar we are not going to have that luxury. This where Francona and his staff make their money. We have 3 spots left to fill. I don't know who they are going to pick but likely one of them has to be a starter with two relievers, one of whom can give you innings deep in the game if need be. My guess would be that they would pick
Starter - Clevinger
Relievers - Joe Colon and Ryan Merritt
However, I really have no idea. Will they keep one less outfielder and add another reliever so they can have a bullpen day, if need be? Will they decide on different relievers other than Colon?
I don't have the answers. I just hope Francona does
Given the probability of this team making the playoffs let's size up our playoff team.
Catcher - I think we are set with Perez and Gimenez, unless one gets hurt
First base/DH - Santana and Napoli are set here, although I would like to see Napoli rested about 2/3 of the time the rest of the way as he is reaching unknown territory in terns of games played.
Infield - We are pretty well set as it looks like Ramirez, Lindor and Kipnis are locked in with Michael Martinez as the one utility infielder.
Outfield - Crisp, Davis, Chisenhall, Naquin and Guyer appear to have those spots manned pretty well.
That gives you 13 players but 5 of them are outfielders. We are VERY short on the infield and will have two outfielders sitting on the bench doing nothing in every game. In an AL series that is a little tough to take.
The pitching staff is another story as that is far from set.
Starters - Kluber, Bauer and Tomlin are pretty much locks
Bullpen - Shaw, Miller, Allen, Otero, McAllister and Manship look like locks right now
Question marks - In an ideal world Tomlin would have been our long man and we would have gone with a 4 man rotation. However, without Carrasco and Salazar we are not going to have that luxury. This where Francona and his staff make their money. We have 3 spots left to fill. I don't know who they are going to pick but likely one of them has to be a starter with two relievers, one of whom can give you innings deep in the game if need be. My guess would be that they would pick
Starter - Clevinger
Relievers - Joe Colon and Ryan Merritt
However, I really have no idea. Will they keep one less outfielder and add another reliever so they can have a bullpen day, if need be? Will they decide on different relievers other than Colon?
I don't have the answers. I just hope Francona does
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Minor League Playoff Wrapup
Congrats to the Akron Rubberducks for winning the EL Championship with a 3-0 sweep of the Trenton Thunder.
"Rubberduckies you're the one, you make baseball so much fun, Rubberduckies, I'm awfully fond of you."
Columbus lost in the first round 3-1
Lynchburg lost in the Carolina League finals 3-1
AZL Indians lost in the first round 1-0.
Of note is that Mike Papi concluded the season (both regular season and the playoffs) VERY hot and showing VERY GOOD power. This essentially bookends his season where his first couple of weeks were smokin' at Lymchburg. So the guy remains an intriguing prospect. It is hard to tell what is going on with him as, in watching him, I don't get why he looks so physically weak at the plate sometimes. But I guess that is why I am typing and others are coaching. Now, Mike, all we have to do is work in your performance in May, June, July and August and you will be a stud prospect once again. With the loss of Clint Frazier, we need Papi to step up to replace him as a star in the making.
"Rubberduckies you're the one, you make baseball so much fun, Rubberduckies, I'm awfully fond of you."
Columbus lost in the first round 3-1
Lynchburg lost in the Carolina League finals 3-1
AZL Indians lost in the first round 1-0.
Of note is that Mike Papi concluded the season (both regular season and the playoffs) VERY hot and showing VERY GOOD power. This essentially bookends his season where his first couple of weeks were smokin' at Lymchburg. So the guy remains an intriguing prospect. It is hard to tell what is going on with him as, in watching him, I don't get why he looks so physically weak at the plate sometimes. But I guess that is why I am typing and others are coaching. Now, Mike, all we have to do is work in your performance in May, June, July and August and you will be a stud prospect once again. With the loss of Clint Frazier, we need Papi to step up to replace him as a star in the making.
Monday, September 5, 2016
Minor League Season in Review
Well, the regular season is now over for all minor league teams. The playoffs start for those that made it that far. So let's take a look at how the Indians did (my prediction in parentheses)
Columbus 82-62 - 1st place IL West (70-74) (PLAYOFF TEAM)
Akron 77-64 - 1st place EL West (80-64) (PLAYOFF TEAM)
Lynchburg 84-66 - 1st place both halves of Carolina League North Division (PLAYOFF TEAM)
Lake County - 72-68 (76-68) - missed playoffs because finished one game back in MWL East
Mahoning Valley - 37-38 (32-44)
AZL Indians - 31-25 (33-23) 1st place in 1st half in AZL Central Div. (PLAYOFF TEAM) - Lost in playoffs to AZL Reds
Final overall minor league record: 383-323 for a winning pct. of .542.
Four of the 6 minor league teams made the playoffs. If Lake County had won one more game in the first half they would have been in the playoffs, too.
Five of the 6 teams finished with winning records. If MV had won only one of the games they lost this season all 6 teams would have had winning records, something that I don't think has happened to the Indians in their recent history. Although winning isn't worth much in the minors it is good to win, nevertheless.
Most of the Indians' top prospects had seasons that will keep them in that top prospect category. Only James Ramsey (lost to waivers), Dylan Baker (injuries) and Luke Wakamatsu (injuries) did not perform at a level that would keep them at that status. Besides those 3 guys only Mitch Brown and Dorssys Paulino hurt their prospect status and many guys increased their worth by having good minor league seasons or making their ML debuts. Two (Frazier and Sheffeld) were traded and one guy who would have moved up the prospect rankings (Ben Heller) was traded, too.
All-in-all, a good season by the Indians minor leaguers, maybe the best in recent memory. Now on to the minor league playoffs!
Columbus 82-62 - 1st place IL West (70-74) (PLAYOFF TEAM)
Akron 77-64 - 1st place EL West (80-64) (PLAYOFF TEAM)
Lynchburg 84-66 - 1st place both halves of Carolina League North Division (PLAYOFF TEAM)
Lake County - 72-68 (76-68) - missed playoffs because finished one game back in MWL East
Mahoning Valley - 37-38 (32-44)
AZL Indians - 31-25 (33-23) 1st place in 1st half in AZL Central Div. (PLAYOFF TEAM) - Lost in playoffs to AZL Reds
Final overall minor league record: 383-323 for a winning pct. of .542.
Four of the 6 minor league teams made the playoffs. If Lake County had won one more game in the first half they would have been in the playoffs, too.
Five of the 6 teams finished with winning records. If MV had won only one of the games they lost this season all 6 teams would have had winning records, something that I don't think has happened to the Indians in their recent history. Although winning isn't worth much in the minors it is good to win, nevertheless.
Most of the Indians' top prospects had seasons that will keep them in that top prospect category. Only James Ramsey (lost to waivers), Dylan Baker (injuries) and Luke Wakamatsu (injuries) did not perform at a level that would keep them at that status. Besides those 3 guys only Mitch Brown and Dorssys Paulino hurt their prospect status and many guys increased their worth by having good minor league seasons or making their ML debuts. Two (Frazier and Sheffeld) were traded and one guy who would have moved up the prospect rankings (Ben Heller) was traded, too.
All-in-all, a good season by the Indians minor leaguers, maybe the best in recent memory. Now on to the minor league playoffs!
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