The regular season is still more than three weeks away, but the Cleveland Indians don’t seem to be closer to answering the questions they had regarding the opening day roster than they were when spring training opened in mid February. GM Mark Shapiro and skipper Eric Wedge believe the Tribe is poised to contend in the AL Central this year, so they have some critical decisions to make.
When you feel you can win, and get to the post-season, every game becomes important. That means the Tribe cannot afford to get off to a slow start, something that has been a problem in the Shapiro/Wedge regime. The only season in which the Indians had a decent April was 2007, when they went on to win the division.
The reason for the slow starts could be the insistence on going with borderline veterans who have not performed for the most part, instead of younger players who did well in camp, and probably deserved to make a final roster.
The starting rotation was a major cause for concern going into camp, and the situation is still as clear as mud. Carl Pavano was virtually handed the third spot in the rotation, but hasn’t pitched particularly well in Arizona. The Indians cannot afford to give the former Yankee free agent bust ten ineffective starts this season. Pavano must start the season strong, or the team will be looking at another Jason Johnson situation.
It also appears the brass wants Aaron Laffey to be the fifth starter over Jeremy Sowers, David Huff, Scott Lewis, and Zach Jackson. However, Laffey has also struggled in his outings thus far this spring. Most experts have said that Huff has the most upside of this quintet; therefore he should get an opportunity to pitch in “A” games. If he does well, he should be in the rotation to start the season. There shouldn’t be any hidden agendas.
The last issue involves veteran OF David Dellucci. He still has one year remaining on the three-year deal he signed in 2007, so based on past experiences, the Tribe may be willing to eat his contract. At this stage of his career, Dellucci is a one-dimensional player. He is a poor defensive outfielder, can really only handle LF, and doesn’t have a lot of speed. That’s not really the versatility you need from the 25th man on your roster.
Trevor Crowe’s name has been bandied about as a possibility for that spot, but shouldn’t he be playing everyday at Columbus? It seems like a waste to have him sitting at the big league level, especially because Wedge is not famous for making big use of his bench.
They player who should have that spot is Josh Barfield. He has shown the ability in camp to play 2B, 3B, and the outfield, and of course, has speed so he can contribute as a pinch runner. Also, having him on the big league roster frees up second base in Columbus for Luis Valbuena, who came over in the Franklin Gutierrez transaction.
Getting off to a good start is critical for the Indians, and particularly Eric Wedge. Shapiro can talk about their partnership all he wants, but another bad start will put all kinds of heat on the skipper. The Tribe can most definitely win the division, but they need to understand they have to put the best team on the field from day one, not the team they hope will be the best.
KM
Cleveland Sports Perspective 