The Cleveland Indians have completed the home portion of their schedule, and have just three games remaining in the 2010 season, one that will conclude with more victories than last season’s awful 65-97 mark.
The team will be going over the roster in the next few weeks, making evaluations as to who gets added to the 40-man roster, and who will be departing the organization. Let’s hope good decisions will be made and fans will finally be able to see a competitive ball club in 2011.
That said, here’s hoping the front office is not fooled by these players—
Jayson Nix. The organization seems enamored by Nix’ power bat, but despite the attempts to make him a third baseman, he really is a second baseman/outfielder. And his hitting statistics can fool you as well.
Nix hit a bunch of home run after being picked up on waivers from the White Sox, but several of those were in Texas, a hitting haven. Since the All-Star break, Nix has hit .234 with a 669 OPS.
He has an unusually lower RBI total (28) for his 13 dingers with the Tribe as well, probably a result of striking out 74 times in 268 at bats on the season. That means he has knocked in runners other than himself just 15 times.
In comparable numbers of at bats, Lou Marson (19) and Luis Valbuena (22) have both driven home more runners other than themselves than Nix. Most people would say than those two have had horrible years at the dish.
At best, Nix should be fighting for a spot on the Opening Day roster next year. Being released to create room on the 40-man roster can be an option as well.
Aaron Laffey. Laffey has two things in his favor. First, he’s left-handed. Second, he’s only 25 years old, and sometimes southpaws put it together later in their careers. Therefore, it’s unlikely he will be released or traded this off-season.
However, Laffey needs to throw strikes, something that has eluded him over much of his big league tenure. He’s not a hard thrower so he needs to stay away from walks. Unfortunately, in 319 innings, he’s walked 128 batters, an average of 3.6 per nine innings.
Since he’s only struck out 155 hitters, an average of 4.4 per nine innings, that walk total is way too high. And this year, it’s gotten worse as he’s walked as many as he has fanned.
Laffey deserves a chance to show he can throw strikes consistently, but there’s no way the Indians can count on him to have a significant role on the team next season.
There are other guys the team seems to trust more than most people do. For example, Mitch Talbot, who has battled injuries the entire second half of the season.
Talbot has gone 2-5 with a 5.29 ERA after the All-Star game and hitters are batting .300 against him with an 812 OPS. Plus, the right-hander has walked 68 while striking out just 88, which isn’t a wide enough margin, particularly for a guy who doesn’t throw hard. And those numbers are after last night’s seven shutout innings against the Tigers.
Talbot should be an option for next year’s rotation, not a lock.
The front office also seems to have soured on a few other players who were with the team this season. It’s a little surprising that David Huff was not given a September call up, particularly after he started the AAA Championship game. Huff was terrible here with a 2-11 record and an ERA of over six, but he did win 11 games last season with the Tribe, and is the same age as Laffey.
Manny Acta was not a fan of Huff’s, but he certainly merits another look.
Also, Jess Todd didn’t come back either after Columbus ended their season. That’s a little surprising because he’s been very good at the AAA level and is still just 24 years old. He struck out nine in his six innings of work with the Indians this summer, and has averaged over a strikeout an inning in his minor league career.
KM
Cleveland Sports Perspective 