This is the saddest time of the year for a baseball fan. The season is ending, the weather is getting cooler, and no playoffs again this year. Even though I lived 37 years before the Indians played in a post season game, this five year drought is annoying as well. Especially this year when we were all filled with hope. I have a feeling that at least one key member of this year’s Tribe will not be in Winter Haven next February when spring training starts. With three games remaining, here are some things we learned about the Indians in 2006.
1). They have two superstars. Too bad this isn’t the NBA, because that would be enough to get you close to a championship. Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner are not only the Indians’ best players, they are among the best players in the game. Sizemore is already being touted as a guy who might be THE best player in baseball in a few years. He is putting up historical numbers at 24 years old. Hafner is now the best player in baseball to never make an All-Star Game. He is arguably the most potent offensive player in the game right now. His mixture of power, average, and patience make him better than Boston’s David Ortiz. If the Indians were contenders, both of these guys would be MVP candidates.
2). They have an ace starting pitcher. C.C. Sabathia has blossomed since the All-Star break in ’05, and this year put together a tremendous season. His 3.32 ERA ranks in the top five in the AL, and his six complete games lead the majors. The only teams with better #1 starters in the American League are Minnesota (Johan Santana) and Toronto (Roy Halladay). People will continue to complain about his weight and the way he wears his cap, the he’s only 26 years old and he’s won 81 games in the majors. He’s developed into the ace of the staff.
3). The farm system is starting to produce. For years, baseball experts have been raving about the Indians’ farm system and this year fans started to see the fruits from the minors. Lefty Jeremy Sowers made a great impression as a starter and will open 2007 in the rotation barring an injury. Ryan Garko has been an RBI machine, and will likely be next season’s first baseman. Kevin Kouzmanoff hit .380 combined in AA and AAA, and began his big league career with a grand slam homer in his first at bat. Despite a 1-10 record, Fausto Carmona looks like he has a big time arm. In addition, Adam Miller, Chuck Lofgren, and Trevor Crowe had outstanding minor league seasons and will be among next season’s Top 100 Prospects. The front office’s emphasis on player development is starting to pay off.
4). Build a better bullpen. I hope Mark Shapiro realizes this off season that it is important to build the bullpen from the ground up. Get some good arm for relief and then look for the closer later. Even with Bob Wickman on the roster, the relief corp was terrible. Here’s hoping Shapiro act quickly to add some reliable arms to pitch the 7th and 8th innings as well as finding a closer. Losing games in the ninth wasn’t the problem early in the year, the Tribe was blowing the games in the 6th, 7th, and 8th. This was the major weakness on a club that finished in the top half of the AL in runs scored and starters’ ERA.
Even though the loss of baseball is a tough thing to go through, the true baseball fan has the hot stove league to look forward to. They can also keep their eye on the Arizona Fall League to see how the up and coming prospects are performing. This is a key off season for the Cleveland Indians. The building blocks are in place, no matter what the critics say. If Shapiro pulls the right strings, the Indians can stop the current playoff gap at 5 years.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 