While most sports fans in Cleveland are still wrapped up in Cavalier-mania, the Cleveland Indians have battled to keep their heads above water in the American League Central.
After failing to live up to playoff hype in each of the past two seasons, most expected the Indians to finish in the middle of the pack once again. Given the injuries and suspensions the Tribe has faced early on, they have to feel pretty good as they sit just 2.5 games behind the Kansas City Royals after 51 games.
The team had yet to report to spring training in Goodyear, AZ before learning they would be without two-thirds of their projected starting outfield for a significant portion of the season. Abraham Almonte was popped for PED’s, while former All-Star Michael Brantley has been slow to fully recover from off-season shoulder surgery. Perhaps the biggest blow came when Carlos Carrasco went down with a hamstring injury in early April, leaving a gaping hole in the pitching rotation. Yesterday’s news that Marlon Byrd has been suspended for 162 games further depleted an already thin outfield crop, yet the Indians responded once again with a 5-4 victory over the surging Texas Rangers.
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The Indians have not blinked in the face of adversity and they have been able to stay very much in the thick of the AL Central race as the calendar turns to June. Perhaps the most pleasant surprise for Cleveland has been the play of Jose Ramirez. An infielder by trade, the youngster from the Dominican Republic has been a vital cog in the lineup, in addition to filling in admirably in left field. Ramirez is currently sporting a .315 batting average to go along with an impressive .391 on-base percentage. In no uncertain terms, Ramirez has been the team’s most important player. Given his prowess as a super utility player, it would not be surprising to see Jose Ramirez representing the Cleveland Indians at the All-Star Game this summer.
Cleveland has also received important contributions from a couple of aging journeymen in Rajai Davis and Mike Napoli. Davis has been a stabilizing factor in center field while also serving as the team’s primary leadoff man. Napoli has enjoyed resurgence at the dish, leading the team with 12 home runs and 38 RBI while providing much-needed pop in the middle of the lineup. It’s unclear if either player will be able to keep up producing at their current rate, but they have proven invaluable commodities in the early going.
Of course no conversation about the Cleveland Indians can get too far without mentioning superstar in the making Francisco Lindor. The 22-year old has followed up his outstanding rookie season with a banner start this year, filling up the stat sheet in nearly every offensive category. Lindor is batting third and playing shortstop, a sight Indians fans hope to see for the next decade. Given the state of Cleveland sports in the past, well forever, Lindor also provided some comedic relief for long-suffering Cleveland fans this week as he somehow found a way to trip over his own bat running out of the box. The youngster can do it all.
While Ramirez and Lindor have been the driving forces on offense, Danny Salazar has been the workhorse for the pitching staff. Salazar is at or near the top in every major pitching category as he continues to dominate on the mound. Owner of a tidy 2.39 ERA, and a 10.74 K/9, Salazar has been the teams most consistent pitcher in the early going. If Cleveland is going to stay in the hunt, he will need to continue to dominate on the bump.
Despite all of the upheaval with the roster, Manager Terry Francona deserves a great deal of credit for maintaining a steady hand at the helm. He has proven to be quite adept in mixing and matching his lineups, and maximizing the talents of each player on his 25-man roster. Whether it be an important defensive replacement, or a key pitching matchup, Francona has certainly given his team the best chance to win most nights. He has playoff pedigree and has his team believing they can bring playoff baseball back to Cleveland.
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Help is on the way for the club as Carlos Carrasco is scheduled to make his first start in over a month today. With Carrasco, Corey Kluber and Salazar, the Indians have the best core of starting pitchers in the division. Brantley should also return at some point this season, and he will provide a big boost for the Tribe as they chase October baseball. While the Royals and Chicago White Sox are the talk of the division early on, do not be surprised if the Cleveland Indians are the team sitting atop the division at the end of the season.