Tribe Bullpen Gets A Helping Hand

There was no question the bullpen of the Cleveland Indians was dragging them down. The Tribe projected record, based on their run differential, should be 55-40, three games ahead of their actual mark.

Much of the blame for that was the bullpen. If they weren’t blowing leads or allowing tie breaking runs, they were giving up tallies which made a one run deficit, that could be overcome by the offense, into three or four run leads which put contests out of reach.

That’s why Chris Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff made a huge move on Thursday, getting All-Star Brad Hand and Adam Cimber from the San Diego Padres in exchange for top prospect Francisco Mejia.

Hand has made the Midsummer Classic each of the last two years, and has served as the Padres’ closer in those years, saving 21 games last year and 24 to date this season.

If Andrew Miller’s knee heals up, and he returns to the form of a year ago, together with Cody Allen, this forms a potentially dominant back of the bullpen. Three proven power arms.

It also moves the two guys who have been fairly good as the set up guys, Neil Ramirez and Oliver Perez into hurlers you can use in the 6th and 7th innings. That in turn takes pressure off of the starters.

And if Miller isn’t healthy, then Hand takes over the role of “used when needed most” for Francona, and that could be any time between the 6th and 9th innings.

While we know more about Hand, Cimber could be a weapon for Terry Francona too, as he can be lethal vs. right handed hitters. Coincidentally, the Red Sox, Yankees, and Astros, the three best teams in the American League, have a plethora of right-handed power hitters.

Hitters from that side of the plate are hitting .210 (482 OPS) against Cimber, who has a very funky delivery. He could fill the Joe Smith role from a year ago.

The price was very high to be sure. Our opinion of Mejia may be different from others because we believe his frame physically does not lend itself to being a full time catcher. Having him squat behind the plate for 100-120 games a year would take away his best tool, which is hitting.

Our guess is the Indians felt the same way because they have spent much of the last year trying him a different positions, which Mejia, depending on who you believe, was or was not receptive to.

Adding Mejia to Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez, could have formed a very formidable 1/3rd of a lineup in a year or two.

And while Antonetti pointed out organizational depth at catcher, no organization has depth at “elite hitter”, which is what we consider Mejia to be.

On the other hand, if Mejia did buck the decision to move to the outfield, this may be the best option for both parties.

It will be interesting to see what kind of major league player Mejia will be down the road.

For the present, the Indians addressed their biggest need. This deal also should allow Terry Francona to not lean so heavily on his starters, thus keeping them strong for the post-season.

Presence Of Jackson Dampens Enthusiasm About Browns

Cleveland Browns training camp begins a week from today, and of course, sports fans around town are on the edge of their seats in anticipation.

Fans can’t wait to see first overall pick QB Baker Mayfield, along with fellow first rounders CB Denzel Ward, who should make an impact immediately, or at least quicker than Mayfield.

Running back Nick Chubb and WR Antonio Callaway could be other rookies who will figure prominently this season.

And you can’t forget last year’s draft class either. Will Myles Garrett make the quantum leap expected of him and become one of the sport’s disruptive forces on the defensive line. Don’t forget Jabril Peppers, who will now be playing his more natural position of strong safety.

You also have the new free agents, especially WR Jarvis Landry, who figures to be a focal point of the offense. Carlos Hyde will be in the mix at running back, and Mychal Kendricks and T. J. Carrie figure to make an impact on defense.

However, there is one thing that puts a damper on any optimism for the franchise, and that is the head coach. Hue Jackson is still there.

Jackson has somehow returned for a third season as head coach of the Browns despite winning just one of the 32 games he has been at the helm. And it’s not like the team’s record improved in his second year.

Cleveland went 1-15 in Jackson’s maiden voyage with the brown and orange and returned to go 0-16 the following season.

It appears the only reason he is back is for continuity sake, not because anyone can put a finger on something significant the team has accomplished in his two seasons in Cleveland.

Many football people we respect, both nationally and locally believe the Browns were not an 0-16 team a year ago, and those same people also believe the squad was poorly coached.

Yes, it helps him that he now no longer has play calling responsibilities, so he can focus on the overall picture. Will that help him from making curious in game decisions in terms of time management or replay decisions, time will tell.

Going into the season, there will be stories on how many early losses it will take before Jackson is replaced, and offensive coordinator Todd Haley will be speculated as the likely successor.

After all, GM John Dorsey didn’t get a chance to hire the coach, and we would bet he already has an idea of who he would like to bring in to run the team on the field. Heck, that guy might just be Haley.

That’s not fair to a very young football team, and make no mistake, that’s exactly what the Browns will be this season. They deserve to gain experience and confidence, not feel pressure from a head coach who needs to get off to a good start.

Our opinion of Jackson is he is a coach with more style than substance. He has a good reputation, but what is it based on? In his tenure in Cleveland, he seems to deflect a lot of responsibility in regards to his record.

With the talent Dorsey and Sashi Brown brought in over the last two years, it’s time for Jackson to start producing results. We just aren’t sure he is up to the task.

Tribe’s Replaceable Four

The other day, we discussed the “slump” that the Cleveland Indians’ front office has been in since the end of last season.

We have all realized the Tribe’s roster is top heavy, and it needs more depth. We also assume the Indians will be really be a player for a guy like Manny Machado, because they will not be interested in giving up a high ranking prospect for a player who would be with Cleveland for basically two months.

That said, here is a list of players the Indians should be looking at replacing, if only to get incrementally better.

Rajai Davis. We understand he’s a great teammate, great locker room presence, etc…, but Davis was never a great hitter, and this year, he’s worse.

He’s a lifetime 693 OPS and a .312 on base average, and this year, those figures have dropped to 587 and .297, respectively. He has been terrible vs. lefties (491 OPS), and his lone skill remaining is the ability to steal bases, which of course, is meaningless unless he is used as a pinch runner.

Getting someone else who can at least contribute offensively would benefit the bench. The pit of misery that is centerfield this season is a reason why getting a player like Adam Jones from Baltimore would be an upgrade.

Brandon Guyer. Guyer was tremendous when he came over from Tampa Bay in 2016, hitting .333 (907 OPS), and had an OPS over 1000 vs. southpaws. He has battled injuries since then, and he’s not the same lethal bat against left-handers.

Guyer still has a very good 853 OPS against lefties, but his batting average vs. southpaws is just .250. And while he was passable vs. RHP, he is 2 for 44 this season.

Could Guyer finish strong? Of course, but his offensive numbers have been in decline since 2016, and that’s not a good trend. Getting the ’16 Guyer to replace him would be optimal.

Zach McAllister/Dan Otero. Both right-handers have been mainstays in the Cleveland bullpen over the past few years, but let’s face it, relievers are relievers for a reason, and it may be their usefulness with the Tribe is at an end.

Since moving to the pen, McAllister has always been a strikeout per inning guy and allowed about a hit per inning, but to this point, his whiffs are down (29 in 36-1/3 IP) and his hits allowed are up (42 hits). He has been prone to the gopher ball, and that number has increased too.

Otero was great in his first year with the Indians in 2016, with an ERA of 1.53, and last year that figure did go up, but was a very respectable 2.85.

This year, his ERA has virtually doubled at 5.60. The biggest stat that stands out is he is allowing home runs at the highest rate of his career. He had a similar year with Oakland in 2015, but if the Indians get a couple of bullpen arms at the deadline, both of these guys could be moved elsewhere.

We didn’t address Roberto Perez because he the Indians value his defense more than they dislike his offense. And Greg Allen was omitted from the list because he need probably can use more time in the minors.

Again, even if you don’t add a star, upgrading the roster incrementally can make a difference. Remember what the Guyer acquisition meant in ’16. He had a big hit in Game 2 of the ALDS vs. David Price and Boston.

Coco Crisp was picked up on August 31st that year and hit two post-season homers and went 4 for 12 in the World Series.

Sometimes, small subtle moves can prove important. Getting more production at these four spots could make a big difference in October.

Time For Tribe Front Office To Recover From “Slump”

Perhaps the executive branches of professional sports teams have hot streaks and cold spells just like players. If you agree with that premise, then the front office and management of the Cleveland Indians is in a bit of a slump.

It started in the off season, when the team predictably lost two relievers, Bryan Shaw and Joe Smith in free agency. However, president Chris Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff didn’t really address the losses in the winter.

Sure, they brought in a collection of guys on minor league contracts, but no one with a proven track record. Because of Andrew Miller’s injury, this has resulted in having the statistically worst bullpen in baseball.

Miller being out has caused Terry Francona to have no bridge to Cody Allen for much of the season. Only in the last month have Neil Ramirez and Oliver Perez, released by the Yankee organization, stepped up to give the Tribe some relief in the 7th and 8th innings.

Worse, the bullpen situation, or lack of it, have caused Francona to extend his starters, and Corey Kluber is already having some knee issues. Hopefully, that’s the extent of the effect as the season continues.

Austin Jackson was also a free agent not pursued by the Indians after a season where he hit .318 overall, and torched left-handers to the tune of a .352 batting average and 1.013 OPS.

Look, we agree that Jackson was unlikely to produce the same way in 2018, but the issue was the front office wound up picking up Rajai Davis to take his spot with the team. Unfortunately, Davis has never been outstanding vs. lefties, a career 759 OPS against southpaws, and this year that figure has dropped to 523.

Spring training also caused some curious decisions, most notably not making Yandy Diaz more versatile. Diaz played 21 games in LF and nine games in RF last season in Columbus, but in the spring, they focused him at third base, a position he was never going to play in Cleveland with Jose Ramirez there.

Diaz has little to prove at the AAA level after hitting .350 there last season, and this season has a .415 on base percentage in Columbus. The Tribe could use some outfield help, and they could also use someone at the bottom of the order who doesn’t make outs.

It doesn’t seem like the organization has any plans for Diaz, despite hitting .263 last year and getting a lot of time down the stretch last season.

These aren’t second guesses, either. Most fans of the team wondering aloud during the winter and throughout spring training just what was the front office doing. Most felt because of the weak AL Central, the brass had until the end of July to fix things.

Well, that date is drawing near, and the fear is there are too many holes on this roster to fix them all within two weeks.

But the front office has a chance to redeem itself after the slump that has continued since the end of last season. The time to strike is now.

The bullpen is the glaring need and we do not believe it will be fixed simply with Andrew Miller’s return. Hopefully, Ramirez and Perez keep pitching well, but holdovers Zach McAllister, Dan Otero, and Tyler Olson aren’t inspiring any confidence.

The offense could be solved by simply bringing up Francisco Mejia (who was recalled yesterday) and perhaps Diaz as well and putting them into the lineup. On the other hand, neither are proven at the big league level, and the Indians need to correct the current top heaviness in the batting order.

If the front office pulls off a couple of solid moves that work within the next two weeks, no one will remember the past eight months. However, they can’t just ignore the issues this team has despite a big division lead.

The Cedi Question

During the past basketball season, Cavaliers’ rookie Cedi Osman became something of a fan favorite. His smile and energy attracted fans of the wine and gold to him.

He played with joy and seemed to be thrilled to be in the NBA, a stark contrast to many who feel the league is better because they are in it.

Some in the media treated him like a mascot, a cuddly toy that the other players on the team liked to squeeze after games.

In the 70’s, fans knew when the game was in hand when coach Bill Fitch put former Ohio State big man Luke Witte in the game. He was a crowd favorite because he was a former Buckeye, but it was enhanced by his becoming a human victory cigar.

That’s how some in town view Osman. He’s a good kid, but something of a novelty.

The reality is Cedi Osman can play basketball, and he will be one of the better players on this year’s edition of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This is not to suggest Osman will be an all star or god forbid, replace LeBron James’ production for the Cavs. But he’s not a good luck charm for the wine and gold, nor should he be considered everyone’s “little buddy”.

His shot was not consistent last year, but watching him in the NBA Summer League, you can tell that he worked on his shot with Kyle Korver, a shooting guru with tremendous success in his career.

What he can do, is get to the basket and he is very athletic so he can be disruptive on the defensive end of the floor. And if he can improve his long range shooting, it will allow him to be able to get to the hoop even more.

In our opinion, the best thing about Osman, and this was pointed out by LeBron James, is that since he was playing in the Euroleague since the age of 18, he is not afraid or intimidated by playing in the NBA.

We have stated this before, but after the trading deadline deals, the rookie had a stretch where he was getting 15 or more minutes per night, and he averaged almost 9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

That was a stretch of 11 games, and the Cavs were 8-3. After he injured his hip, he never really got back in coach Tyronn Lue’s rotation.

The other thing we noticed, besides his energy and enthusiasm, was he is in the right spot on the floor to come up with rebounds and loose balls. That’s instinctual, maybe players never develop this skill.

He also played the right way when he did get a chance. The most field goal attempts he took all season long was 11 in a 22 point win over Detroit in March. Many rookies feel the need to put points on the board when they get in, Osman played unselfishly.

We also like the attitude of Osman and rookie first round pick Collin Sexton, who both seem to want the responsibility of being leaders. This year’s team, without James will need that.

Again, we aren’t saying Cedi Osman is going to make the All-Star team next season, but he can be a big factor for the 2018-19 Cleveland Cavaliers. He brings more to the table than being a likeable end of the bench player.

Star Studded Tribe Goes To Washington.

For the second consecutive season, the Cleveland Indians are sending five players to the All Star Game, the Midsummer Classic for all you seamheads out there.

Corey Kluber, Francisco Lindor, and Michael Brantley are all making their third appearance on the roster, and Jose Ramirez is making his second straight start at third base. Trevor Bauer will be the lone rookie among the Cleveland contingent.

For Lindor, it should be noted that the only Indians’ shortstop who have made more appearances on the team is Lou Boudreau. That’s it. The former American League MVP was named seven times, and that was when there were only eight teams in each league.

This is only his third complete big league season, and already he has made the All Star team each year, and has finished in the top ten in the MVP voting twice, and he will likely do the same this season.

He leads the AL in runs scored this season and is the only player in the top ten of both offensive and defensive WAR in the league.

We have said it before (after the 2016 season), if Lindor plays for the Indians for ten or more years, he will be universally recognized as the greatest position player in Indians’ history.

Only four starting pitchers in Tribe history have made more All Star rosters than Kluber, who should be in the mix for a third Cy Young Award this year. That quartet would be Bob Feller, Bob Lemon (both in the Hall of Fame), Sam McDowell, and Mel Harder.

Since the beginning of 2016, Kluber has a record of 48-17 and has struck out 615 batters in 545 innings. Right now in major league baseball, there are four elite starting pitchers–Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Chris Sale, and Corey Kluber.

That’s how good he has been over the past two and a half seasons.

Ramirez’ election reminds everyone that he’s on the map as one of the sports’ elite players. He will join Lindor in the top ten in the MVP voting this season, and last year finished third.

Many thought he had a career year in ’17 (which would be weird since he was just 24), but he is on pace to do even better this season. This season, he has become someone opposing teams want no part of, being intentionally walked eight times already this year. He received that treatment five times all of 2017.

Brantley’s selection is a reminder that the front office made the correct decision in picking up his option for this year when many (us included) thought they shouldn’t.

He is simply one of the most consistently great hitters in the game over the past seven years, never hitting below .284 in that span, and hasn’t had an OPS under 800 over the last four years.

He may never get back to the 2014 season where he had 67 extra base hits, but he is a perfect guy to hit between Lindor and Ramirez at the top of Terry Francona’s batting order.

We are thrilled for Bauer’s selection because he has taken a lot of crap over the years, simply because he’s different from most major league baseball players.

The Indians got him in a trade with the Diamondbacks because Arizona thought he was difficult. He struggled with control issues with Cleveland, leading the AL in walks in 2015, a year in which his ERA was 4.55.

But last year in the second half, he put it together and went 10-2 with a 3.01 ERA. He has continued that performance thus far with a 2.45 ERA to date.

He is a true student of pitching, which he shares with the rest of the Tribe starters.

Congrats to the Tribe’s five all-stars! Here’s hoping they will have another national stage to perform in this fall.

Tribe Needs To Get Less “Top Heavy”

In modern baseball, OPS is getting to be the key offensive statistic. In our view, this is just a continuation of our belief that having an on base percentage of over .350 and a slugging average of more than .450 means you are a very good hitter.

The Cleveland Indians are fourth in the American League in runs scored despite having just three players who have played more than half the team’s games that have OPS over 800: Jose Ramirez (991), Francisco Lindor (950), and Michael Brantley (852).

By contrast, the Boston Red Sox lead the AL in runs scored and have five regulars over 800. Houston is second in scoring, and they have four players over that figure, five if you count Max Stassi.

The Yankees are just ahead of the Indians in plating runs, and they also have five players with OPS over 800.

Why do we bring this up? Because of our fear that the Tribe’s offensive showing may be unsustainable unless they start getting help from others.

Certainly, Edwin Encarnacion has been a contributor as well, leading Cleveland in RBIs, and his OPS is getting closer to the coveted 800 mark at 781.

The Indians have the highest Wins Above Average in the majors at two positions, third base, manned by Ramirez, and at shortstop with Lindor.

Conversely, the Tribe ranks in the bottom five at second base and in right field, although had Lonnie Chisenhall stayed healthy, they would rank higher there, but as we know, Chisenhall has had all kinds of calf issues.

Terry Francona’s squad also ranks in the bottom ten in baseball in centerfield, where it seems no matter who Tito puts out there simply cannot hit.

A good offense can have a couple of holes, but having three guys who can’t hit, puts a strain on it, and remember, right now when Roberto Perez is catching, he’s not contributing at the plate either.

Jason Kipnis has started swinging the bat better, so that will help greatly if he continues in that direction. But Chisenhall’s injury leaves a big gap in the attack, particularly since Tyler Naquin hasn’t hit since coming off the disabled list.

The right-handed hitting part of the platoon out there, Brandon Guyer, has not returned to his 2016 form against southpaws, and he is virtually unplayable against righties, being 2 for 41 on the season vs. RHP.

Yonder Alonso has been alright hitting behind Encarnacion in the lineup, but do you think opposing pitchers think twice about pitching around the veteran slugger in a crucial situation with Alonso there, especially if you can bring in a lefty.

Alonso is batting .206 vs. southpaws, and has a .322 on base percentage overall. It’s pretty clear that despite all of the complaints over the years about Carlos Santana, the team misses his ability to work the count and draw walks.

The need to lengthen the lineup is the reason why the national media speculate about Cleveland dealing for Manny Machado. They understand the need to have the lineup be strong beyond the lethal top three in the batting order.

When Kipnis is productive, and he hasn’t been for much of the season, that helps. A healthy Chisenhall, which has become rare the past season, also is a factor, although we doubt many would think that.

There is no question that Ramirez and Lindor are having MVP caliber seasons, and Brantley has been very good too. But they need help, and that’s one of the needs president Chris Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff need to address.

Where Do Cavs Go From Here?

It’s been a few days now since LeBron James announced he was going to play for the Los Angeles Lakers, so now it’s time to look at what the Cleveland Cavaliers can do in the 2018-19 season.

The first thing to realize is the Cavs lose their first round pick to Atlanta (via the Kyle Korver deal) if they aren’t in the top ten picks in next year’s NBA Draft.

So, while the instinct of the organization might be to win as many games as they can, because there is more talent on the roster, young talent too, than there was in 2010 when James went to Miami, but at least for now, it would be best if the Cavaliers don’t win.

They could start that process by dealing Kevin Love, their most tradable commodity, for more young talent and/or draft picks. Love will be 30 years old before next season starts, and in our opinion, you don’t want to start a rebuild with someone past 30 years old.

After the draft of Collin Sexton, the wine and gold have a collection of solid players who are under the age of 26. If Rodney Hood (26) is resigned as a restricted free agent, coach Tyronn Lue could start he and Sexton at guard, Cedi Osman (23) and Larry Nance Jr. (25) at forwards, and Ante Zizic (21) at center.

Jordan Clarkson (26) would be the sixth man, and if Love is moved, we are sure another young piece or two would be coming back as well.

We are sure the Cavs would love to move on from veterans like JR Smith, George Hill, Kyle Korver, and even Tristan Thompson, but that isn’t as easy as it seems.

All of them have lengthy, high paying contracts, and those aren’t appealing to other teams, unless you are willing to take the similar contracts back in return.

And with a young team, it’s difficult to imagine having those players, who would likely be unhappy on a losing team after visiting The Finals, sitting on the bench in reserve roles.

Hill could be a good tutor for Sexton, if he was willing to do that. It is difficult thinking Korver would be a problem, but he should be valuable to a contending team.

Smith and Thompson have been to four straight Finals with the wine and gold, so it is doubtful they would be happy with a subservient role in Cleveland, so a buyout could be likely for those two.

As for the returning players, as we said there are some nice pieces here, but unless Sexton becomes one, no star, and that’s what you need to win in the NBA.

Hood was averaging over 16 points per game in Utah. Nance has showed he was a winning player in his time in Cleveland. Osman played well in spurts (when he got time), and if his shot improves can be a very nice player.

Zizic showed solid post moves to score when used late in the season, but his defense needs work.

Whether these guys pan out or not, it shows more promise than the 2010-11 Cavalier roster. The only players on that roster who had meaningful careers after that season were really Mo Williams (five more seasons, including the 2015-16 Cavs’ championship team), Ramon Sessions, still active this past season, and Anderson Varejao.

The biggest thing, and this has been an issue, is player development. That hasn’t been a strong suit of the current coaching staff.

That could be the key to the season.

Blame For LBJ’s Departure Falls On Both Parties…And Bad Luck

The news came around 8PM last night. LeBron James was signing a four year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, leaving the Cavaliers for a second time via free agency.

There will be those that criticize James for his decision, same as they did eight years ago, and others will hammer Dan Gilbert and the organization for not being able to provide James with a team that can win titles.

The truth lies somewhere in between, however.

When James came back he wanted (at least what was claimed) to nurture the young Cavs. He wanted to work with Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, and Dion Waiters. He recruited Kevin Love to help out.

But when the team struggled that first season, the Cavs got veteran players that James felt more comfortable with, guys like JR Smith and Iman Shumpert, and ultimately, the front office paid them a ton of money, so when, if Smith’s case, he declined as a player, his contract became untradeable.

The same with Thompson, who was represented by James’ agent, so the Cavaliers paid him more money than a defensive oriented big man with limited offensive skills probably should have received.

Because of that deal, and that Thompson has leveled off, the wine and gold are stuck with his contract unless they simply give him away.

We are sure the Cavs’ organization figured out, like everybody who understands the game of basketball, that Smith and Thompson are marginal players at best right now, and the best thing for the Cavaliers would be upgrading at their positions, but unfortunately that seems impossible.

And even after the championship in ’16, James wouldn’t commit to the Cavaliers long term because he couldn’t trust Gilbert, so the front office couldn’t engage a future plan.

That’s life with James on your team, and the Cavs’ front office did what they needed to do to put their squad in a position to get to The Finals.

And they won in 2016, a year after James willed Cleveland to a six game series without the second or third best players on the roster, Irving and Love, who were injured.

That’s where luck, or in the Cavs’ view, bad luck took over.

Due to a spike in the salary cap, the team Cleveland beat in ’16 was able to sign the second best player in the league, Kevin Durant, as a free agent. There is no question here that Durant has been the difference in each of the last two Finals, and without him on the Golden State roster, Cleveland may have just celebrated a “Three-peat”.

The Cavs’ management, Dan Gilbert, nor James can be blamed for that. Another situation like that may never happen again.

The front office can be blamed for the lack of return in the trade of Kyrie Irving, who needed to be dealt, and Gilbert can be blamed for not keeping former GM David Griffin, who put together the title team.

An experienced hand may have made the difference in the return for Irving, although to be fair, Griffin was the guy who agreed to the deals with Thompson, Shumpert, Smith, and giving up two first round picks for Timofey Mozgov.

We would say the front office recognized the need to get younger since the end of the 2017 season, and most of the moves made did just that, but the pressure to win and win now with LeBron James, was probably a factor in why the coaching staff didn’t really bring Cedi Osman, Ante Zizic, and later, Rodney Hood along.

So, it is unfair to lie the blame in one spot. The Cavs did what they needed to do to win as soon as possible. LeBron didn’t really commit to a long term stay.

That’s life with the best player in the sport.

Tribe Cruising In Division Race, Trailing In Expectation At Halfway Mark

The Cleveland Indians hit the halfway point in the season a very puzzling team to be sure. They finished the first half of the season 44-37, on a pace to win 88 games, far below what was projected coming into the campaign.

Their offense, although somewhat top heavy with Francisco Lindor, Michael Brantley, and Jose Ramirez, is still productive enough to rank 4th in the American League in runs scored (2nd last year), and the pitching staff has overcome a bad bullpen to still be 6th in the AL in ERA.

We will say this, the Indians under Terry Francona have been a second half team more often than not, and hopefully that trend will continue.

To date, here are the 27 game splits record wise in 2018:

Games 1-27: 15-12
Games 28-54: 14-13
Games 55-81: 15-12

They haven’t put together streaks where they played exceptional, nor have they been dreadful. The last week or so of play illustrates the point.

Cleveland finished a nine game homestand on a seven game winning streak. They followed that up by losing four of five on the subsequent road trip.

The great play within the division is both good and alarming. On one hand, you have to play well within the division to win it, and the Tribe has done that, going 20-12 vs. the other Central Division teams, and that includes a lackluster 3-6 vs. Minnesota.

However, that means the Tribe is a pedestrian 24-25 vs. everyone else. Keep in mind, the AL Central is the worst in baseball. So, when the Indians venture out of the division, they are a below .500 baseball team.

Part of the problem is the bullpen, which has been without Andrew Miller most of the year, and recently has been buoyed a bit by the emergence of Neil Ramirez (2.25 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 16 innings) and veteran lefty Oliver Perez (allowed one run and has 11 Ks in 10 frames).

Outside of this duo, and Cody Allen, the relief corps has been dreadful. The Indians still rank 14th (just ahead of Kansas City) in bullpen ERA, and is 5th in the AL in allowing home runs out of the ‘pen.

Zack McAllister and Dan Otero have each allowed seven dingers this year, while Cody Allen has allowed five, and Nick Goody and Josh Tomlin (in 15 relief innings) has allowed four.

Many times, as we saw the last two days in Oakland, the bullpen eliminate any opportunity for a comeback win by the offense, by giving up the long ball.

As for the bats, we have always said we try to be more patient than most, but the front office’s faith in Jason Kipnis has born fruit. Kipnis has his average up to .217 after hitting .266 in June. But, should he stay at 2B?

You see, centerfield for Cleveland has been a vortex of suck all season.

Bradley Zimmer had a 611 OPS, Greg Allen won the job while Zimmer was on the DL, and promptly went 1 for 33 after Zimmer was sent to the minor leagues.

Tyler Naquin inherited the gig from Allen, and hit .162 with four RBI in June.

Perhaps the Indians should go back to their playoff lineup from last season, and put Kipnis back in center, with Jose Ramirez shifting back to 2B, and call up Yandy Diaz to play third?

Just a thought.

And then we have Brandon Guyer. Guyer is still a solid hitter vs. southpaws, hitting .246 with an 832 OPS. However, when Guyer came over at the deadline in 2016, he hit .216 vs. right handers (628 OPS). Not great, but passable.

Last year, though injury plagued to be fair, those numbers dropped to a .204 batting average and a 577 OPS.

This year, he is 1 for 39 against righties. Keep in mind, rookie PITCHER Shane Bieber is 1 for 3 vs. right-handers.

There has to be another alternative.

The second half of the season starts in Oakland today, and here’s hoping Francona and the front office find solutions to the problems. Again, the Central Division isn’t really in jeopardy. It would be a shock if the Tribe didn’t win the division.

But they are playing against their own expectations, so they need to get better.