The Cleveland Indians needed a good start this season, and it looks as though they are on their way to getting one.
After a disastrous first two games, the Tribe has come up with solid starting pitching and some timely hitting to win six games in a row going into Sunday’s series finale against the Mariners. Whether or not they will be able to continue this play is up for debate, but they have Cleveland sports fans, starved for anybody who wins after the Browns and Cavaliers season, excited.
Almost everything has gone right thus far for the Indians in their 6-2 beginning to the season. Guys who needed to hit have so far. The hitting question marks at 2B and 3B, Orlando Cabrera and Jack Hannahan, are doing well, and playing the good defense expected out of both.
Travis Hafner has shown signs his shoulder has gotten stronger, driving the ball with authority, belting two home runs aready. Asdrubal Cabrera has also shown he is healthy for the first time since 2009, getting clutch hits, with two dingers, and playing very good defense at shortstop.
And Carlos Santana has picked up where he left off before his season ending knee injury last year, hitting the ball hard and working the count in his favor.
Michael Brantley is getting on base, and Matt LaPorta is hitting close to .300 thus far.
The only negatives are Shin-Soo Choo’s slow start, which is not worrisome, and the hitting of the leftfielders, Austin Kearns and Travis Buck, who are struggling through eight games.
That spot could solve itself when Grady Sizemore is ready to play at the big league level, with Brantley moving to LF.
After shaky, to put it mildly, starts by Fausto Carmona and Carlos Carrasco in the first two games, the starting pitchers have not allowed more than two runs in any starts in the last six contests. You’ll win a lot of games using that formula.
Justin Masterson has given skipper Manny Acta two quality starts. Josh Tomlin shut down the Red Sox won three hits through seven innings. And Carmona and Carrasco both pitched much better in their second outings.
In the bullpen, Tony Sipp looks like he has claimed the eighth inning set up job in front of closer Chris Perez, who has racked up three saves in the early going.
Southpaw Rafael Perez picked up two wins in relief against the Red Sox, and rookie Vinnie Pestano has shown he can strike out hitters at the big league level.
The only disappointments in the relief corps have been Chad Durbin’s inability to throw strikes when entering a game and Frank Herrmann has been hit around a little bit.
The latter could be an issue when Joe Smith is ready to return from the disabled list soon.
Things have gone so right for the Tribe that even little used Shelley Duncan has already provided a big two run pinch single to bust open a win against Chicago, and also doubled off Boston’s Jon Lester in his only start, and Adam Everett contributed the only run in a 1-0 win over Boston after a walk, a stolen base, and two bunts.
Right now, all the correct buttons are being pushed and the Tribe is winning. Enjoy it, because you don’t know how long it will last.
Heck, things are so good for the organization now that last year’s first round pick, Drew Pomerantz’s first professional start resulted in 5-2/3 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts.
Maybe the sun will continue to shine on the Tribe this year. You can always hope.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 
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