Call to the pen
Fansided

Drought alert: MLB teams that could end long ones

By Bill Felber

Apr 1, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) pitches in the snow during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers on Opening Day at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) pitches in the snow during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers on Opening Day at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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Cleveland catcher Roberto Perez. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Cleveland catcher Roberto Perez. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Cleveland Indians
The Indians certainly have the pitching to win. In Shane Bieber, they have the reigning Cy Young Award winner. Bieber was 8-1 last season with a 1.63 ERA.

While it would be asking a lot of Bieber to repeat that level of excellence – an 8-1 record would translate to 22-3 over a 162-game season – it’s plausible to see him lead a staff that also includes Aaron Civale, Zach Plesac, and touted youngster Tristan McKenzie to contention.

Cleveland’s question marks involve its offense. The Indians ranked only 13th in runs per game in 2020, and the big changes in their lineups were both negatives, the losses of first baseman Carlos Santana and shortstop Francisco Lindor.

The Indians hope that Andres Gimenez, acquired in exchange for Lindor, can help. They also expect – eventually – Bobby Bradley to replace Santana at first, although Bradley did not make the team’s opening day roster.

Still, combine that pitching with the fact that the Indians finished 35-25 in 2020 and you have plausible 2021 potential.

Cleveland has a recent and frustrating history with postseason play. The Indians went to extra innings of Game 7 of the World Series in 2016 before losing to the Cubs…it’s hard to come closer than that. They also lost a seven-game World Series to the Marlins in extra innings in 1997.

In fact you have to go back to 1948 to find an Indians World Series champion. That year Cleveland survived a sudden-death playoff with the Red Sox to win the American League pennant, then defeated the Boston Braves in a six-game World Series.

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