2012 MLB Preview: Cleveland Indians

Picked by most as an also-ran prior to the 2011 season, the Cleveland Indians took the American League by storm in racing our to an 18-8 record by the end of April. While Cleveland had a few known commodities on their roster, it was breakout seasons from guys like Justin Masterson, Chris Perez, and Asdrubal Cabrera that vaulted the Tribe into contention – at least until August.

The Indians could have been expected to count on former All-Stars Shin-Soo Choo, Grady Sizemore, Fausto Carmona, and Travis Hafner to be the backbone of a young, but talented roster. Instead, they suffered through another disappointing season by Carmona, more injuries to Hafner and Sizemore, and a forgettable campaign by Choo, who had been considered one of the most underrated players in the game coming in.

The Tribe, under manager Manny Acta, didn’t have great starting pitching, aside from Masterson. Carmona took a step backward (as should have been expected) following a 2010 season that saw him post a 3.77 ERA and fell to 7-15 with an ERA of 5.25 in 2011. The enigmatic right hander, whose only good season came back in 2007, made matters much more complicated for his club during the winter, when he was arrested in his native Dominican Republic for using a false identity. Turns out, Carmona, 28, is really Roberto Hernandez (Heredia), 31.

Right hander Josh Tomlin matched Masterson with a team-high 12 wins and allowed a WHIP of just 1.077. The rest of the rotation was not quite as good, though the only real negative was the performance of Mitch Talbot, who slogged through 12 starts and 63.2 innings of 6.64 ERA ball.

As non-descript as the rotation was, the Indians were dynamite in the bullpen in 2011. Closer Chris Perez established a new career-high with 36 saves, and middle relievers Joe Smith, Tony Sipp, and Rafael Perez each turned in fine seasons as well. Set-up man Vinnie Pestano was the most impressive of a very imposing group of relievers. In just 62 innings of work, Pestano struck out an astounding 84 batters.

I’m not one who ever puts much stock in ERA for a reliever, as it doesn’t take into account inherited runners, but the Indians’ top five relief options posted a combined ERA of 2.92 in 314 innings of work. More impressive: that the worst WHIP among that group belonged to the left handed Rafael Perez at 1.238. Only one Indian starter, Tomlin, posted a WHIP that low.

Given the significance of the missed time by their left handed bats, it stands to reason that Cleveland would have struggled offensively in 2011, and they did. The Tribe ranked fifth in doubles, but rode an unimpressive team line of .250/.317/.396 to a ninth-place ranking in runs scored. Only three AL clubs slugged worse than the Indians did a season ago.

The mid-season promotion of second baseman Jason Kipnis gave the club a spark, but eventually, the magic ran out for the Tribe and they sank to an 80-82 record. Not even the deadline acquisitions of Ubaldo Jimenez and Jim Thome could keep Cleveland on pace with Detroit, who cleared the second-place Tribe by 15 games when it was all said and done. Jimenez’s deal cost the Indians a pair of top prospects in right hander Alex White and southpaw Drew Pomeranz. Jimenez repsonded to his first foray into the American League with a .500 record and ERA north of 5.00.