The Cleveland Indians dropped another series this weekend, this time to the Cincinnati Reds, which dropped their record to 33-41, 17 games behind the Detroit Tigers. The offense has now joined the problem list as the Tribe scored just six runs in the three games. Aaron Boone and the recently benched Ben Broussard are in dreadful slumps, which combined with playing Franklin Gutierrez or Todd Hollandsworth and Joe Inglett or Kelly Shoppach has really shortened up the line up.
But, does it really matter anyway? For the second straight season, a team has set a blistering pace in the AL Central Division. Last year it was the White Sox, this year the Detroit Tigers. The fact that this year both teams are playing at a remarkable pace is the reason the Indians should start worrying about 2007. Let’s put it this way, the Red Sox would be 5 games out in our division. The Yankees would be 7-1/2 out. The Oakland A’s would be 9-1/2 games behind.
Even the Twins who have been red hot as of late and climbed four games over .500 are still 11 games behind Detroit. This is not to excuse the Tribe for its lackluster play, but if they were in the AL East they would be 12 out, and they would be 7-1/2 behind in the AL West. Nobody wants to hear this, but part of the Indians’ problems is the play of the Tigers and White Sox.
Both Detroit and Chicago are on pace to win over 100 games this season. The fact both are so hot means either the Red Sox or Yankees have to be sweating, because one of them will not make the playoffs. Only once since the three division format started in 1994 have two teams in the same division won over 100 contests (2001–Seattle and Oakland).
The point is this, even if the Indians would have won 90 games this season, they probably wouldn’t have made the playoffs. They ran into two buzzsaws in the Central Division this season. Last year, they only had to contend with one.
I keep hearing about rebuilding, but that to me means a three or four year process. I don’t see that. However, the Tribe should start looking at 2007 by getting rid of those players who will not be here next year. With the core players the Indians have (Sizemore, Martinez, Hafner, Peralta, Sabathia, Lee, etc.), a major overhaul is not needed. If a player can help the team win in ’07 (Byrd, Michaels, Perez), he should stay. If not, move the player and get more prospects or pieces of the puzzle.
The roster doesn’t need to be gutted, just tweaked. That’s the job for GM Mark Shapiro for the rest of this season and over the winter. The players job is to play better and win as many games as possible.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 