Compared to the recent past off-seasons, the Cleveland Indians have been extremely busy this winter, but they can’t stop there.
There are still a couple of holes to fill if the Tribe wants to contend for an AL Central Division title in 2013.
They still need one more bat and one more starting pitcher.
The hitter is needed because although the lineup is improved from last year by signing Mark Reynolds to replace Casey Kotchman, and getting Drew Stubbs to take the place of the hodge-podge of people who played in leftfield a year ago.
Still, both of those guys aren’t the most stable options in the world and would only be viewed as an upgrade in Cleveland. Also, keep in mind the Indians need a DH as well.
Reynolds has averaged 33 home runs a year in his five full seasons in the major leagues, but his total dropped off by 14 last year (37 to 23), although he played in 20 last games.
Add in the fact that he strikes out excessively and he’s hit over .250 only twice in six big league seasons, and the front office should recognize that there is a possibility that Reynolds could hit .220 with 20 HRs this season.
While that would be better than Kotchman, it would still rank near the bottom in terms of production among all AL first basemen.
As for Stubbs, had GM Chris Antonetti acquired him after the 2010 season, it would be viewed much more favorably. That year, Stubbs hit .255 with 22 HR, 77 RBI and a 773 OPS. At age 25, the hope was he would be improving on those numbers as he approached his prime.
However, the outfielder’s number have declined since then, dropping to a .213 average with 14 HR, 40 RBI, and a 610 OPS.
The question has to be whether or not Stubbs can reverse his career in Cleveland, although he will do so in a less favorable hitters’ park than the one in Cincinnati.
So Antonetti should be working on some contingency plans at both spots as well as finding a DH. It doesn’t make anyone warm and fuzzy than the possibilities is replacing Reynolds with Lou Marson, moving Carlos Santana to first base, or moving Nick Swisher to first and playing someone like Tim Fedroff in RF.
As for Stubbs, you would be looking at someone such as Ezequiel Carrera replacing him in the batting order.
On the mound, we would all feel more comfortable if the starting rotation still wasn’t relying on Ubaldo Jimenez.
Right now, Jimenez is slotting in the #2 or #3 spot along with Justin Masterson and Brett Myers, with Carlos Carrasco, Zack McAllister, and Trevor Bauer among others competing for the last two spots to open the season.
The way Jimenez pitched since coming to Cleveland, it would be better if Antonetti picked up another reliable starting pitcher, sliding the inconsistent right-hander to the fourth or fifth spot in the rotation.
Perhaps new pitching coach Mickey Calloway and Terry Francona can straighten out Jimenez’ seemingly horrible mechanics and get him to be more consistent. Until proof of that exists, you have to assume that the righty will continue to be up and down more than an elevator.
The Indians have to have better than that from a top of the rotation starter if they want to contend. If Ubaldo is in the #4 or #5 slot and he doesn’t pitch effectively, it’s not a huge problem. Right now the Tribe is too dependent on Jimenez for their success.
It is doubtful that Antonetti is sitting on what he has done this off-season, still it would be nice to do something before spring training convenes in a month, rather than during the exhibition season when the price could be higher.
KM
Cleveland Sports Perspective 