The Indians started off the 2006 season by taking 5 of 6 against their biggest competition to win the AL Central Division title, the White Sox and the Twins. With all of the hand wringing following the opening night loss, much has changed for supporters of the Tribe in the last week.
However, we cannot expect the club will roll through the season like the 1995 edition of the Tribe, one that won the Central Division by 30 games. This division will be a dogfight for the entire season as the two teams the Indians just played will hang around all year. Also, it appears from the first week of the season (I know it’s a marathon not a sprint) that the Tigers could be better than expected.
In the midst of this winning streak, there are a few things I was disappointed in the first week of the season:
Jhonny Peralta’s contact: The young shortstop whiffed 128 times last season, and has already fanned nine times in six games in 2006. Peralta hit .292 last season, but it’s difficult to believe he will approach that mark again consistantly in the future unless he makes better contact. Peralta will be a productive player, but will not be able to hit third in the order if he doesn’t correct this problem.
Ronnie Belliard is pull happy: Belliard is off to a slow start, but it appears he is trying yank everything. The second baseman’s game is using the entire field, but he has been swinging early in counts trying to hit the long ball. Perhaps he is trying to show Mark Shapiro he is worthy of a contract extension, but he needs to relax and go the other way once he recovers from his pulled leg muscle.
Lefty in the pen: Scott Sauerbeck made two appearances, one in the blowout loss last Sunday night in Chicago, and the other in a key situation against the White Sox on Wednesday. He came into face Scott Podsednik, a lefthanded hitter, and promptly walked him. After a sacrifice, he intentionally walked Jim Thome, which was the correct move. However, since the Tribe has only one southpaw in the ‘pen, it is imperative that he throws strikes. If Eric Wedge doesn’t have confidence in Sauerbeck, GM Mark Shapiro will be looking at either Felix Heredia in Buffalo or another alternative for the relief corps.
The Tribe is off to the good start the team and its fans wanted after the last few years when they buried themselves in the standings. The Indians seems to have continued the mantra of their manager, take it one series at a time.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 