Monday, August 14, 2006

Waiting for a Sign

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It’s true that a major league team can never have enough pitching. It’s also no fun to repeatedly harp on a weakness, because it not only becomes monotonous, but also often obscures a subtle truth. And finally, Cleveland’s disappointing season can’t be boiled down to a single problem.

(OK, the caveats are done. Time to get to the rant.)

What cosmic sign needs to take place before Cleveland’s management addresses their chronic lack of pitching? This has been an ongoing question for at least a decade, going back to when the Tribe was a dynasty that could slug the AL Central into submission, and inevitably exited the playoffs early. More recently, despite having plenty of money to spend, they’ve failed to land any difference-making arms in the offseason. Their second biggest free agent signing was released prior to the All-Star break, for chrissakes.

And now, with the passing of the trade deadline, we find yet again that pitching just doesn’t seem to be a priority for General Manager Mark Shapiro. Shapiro wisely cut bait on 2006 and traded away five regulars from his team. Let’s count how many pitchers he acquired, shall we?







Am I taking crazy pills, or did Shapiro make five trades and end up acquiring zero pitchers? In fact, he even traded away a pitcher. All those deals and his team nets a loss of an arm?

When one looks at the Indians lineup this offseason, it’s going to be hard not to fall in love with them, just like prognosticators did the last two years. Their youth, talent, and affordability all scream “UPSIDE!” What’s more, it looks like they’ll add two more talented players next year, with the call-up of Andy Marte and the acquisition of Shin-Soo Choo. The field is filled with shiny newish ballplayers who generate excitement in baseball people.

But it looks like Cleveland’s pitching next year is going to be awfully similar to what they’re trotting out this year. That isn’t terrible, but a team that is ninth in the American League in pitching isn’t a team that can be taken seriously as a division champion, let alone as a pennant contender. And that’s not the bad news for their loyal fan base.

The bad news is that Shapiro either doesn’t recognize this, or doesn’t think he can fix it, or just can’t help himself when he sees that promising infielder in another organization. The bad news it that this is a problem that has been ignored for years, was just ignored again last month, and likely won’t fix itself in the offseason.

But hey, Mark, don’t feel like you have to rush things on our account. It can probably wait until 2012 or so.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I sort of agree. But:

team ERA since the A-S break: 4.07.
Jeremy Sowers, age 23. 6 starts since the A-S break, 2.09 ERA

Captain Cheeseburger, age 26, 6 starts and 2.81 ERA since the break.

Jake Westbrook, age 28, 5 starts, 4.15 ERA since the break.

Cliff Lee, age 27, 6 starts, 4.29 since the break.

That is a pretty solid set of 4 starters under age 30.

It is the bullpen that has stunk, particularly in the second half.

Anonymous said...

It is the bullpen that has stunk, particularly in the second half.

And as we've illustrated for quite a while here in Minnesota, you don't need to spend a lot of money to assemble a nice bullpen. And from what I recall off the top of my head, Joe Nathan's really the only guy in the 'pen who has cost the team any real talent or money to acquire.

I'm not a big believer in Westbrook or Lee, but C.C. and Sowers figure to be a fairly formidable duo.

Anonymous said...

There's no doubt that Cleveland has come a long way under Mark Shapiro, and that their rotation is hardly the disaster it was in the mid-1990s, when they were heading to the playoffs every year with Charles Nagy as their "ace."

But the Tribe's biggest challenge may be simply the high level of competition in the AL right now. Everyone likes to talk about how weak the NL has become, but this is a two-way street. The AL is just a baseball fan's paradise at the moment, with multiple teams holding rosters which, if they were poker hands, would be damn near worth going all-in on. Sabathia will be a well-above-average pitcher for years to come (assuming his metabolism doesn't get the better of him,) and Sowers certainly looks like the real deal. But any Cleveland fan will tell you that they feel about Westbrook and Lee the way Twins fans feel about Carlos Silva. It's not that they're bad - just that they're not exactly sure things, and in today's AL, that just may not ever be good enough.

Anonymous said...

Do any of you people know anything about the Indians. In 95 they had the number one pitching staff. and I believe they went to two WS in the '90's learn your history. And Cleveland fans feel pretty good about Cliff Lee and Jake Westbrook. Why are you talking about the Indians anyway there aren't any Indians fans critiquing the Twins season.

Anonymous said...

Do any of you people know anything about the Indians. In 95 they had the number one pitching staff. and I believe they went to two WS in the '90's learn your history. And Cleveland fans feel pretty good about Cliff Lee and Jake Westbrook. Why are you talking about the Indians anyway there aren't any Indians fans critiquing the Twins season.

Anonymous said...

No wonder why we had to trade Kyle Lohse to Cincinnatti since Cleveland wasn't looking for any pitching.

Right now the people are talking about the bullpen is right. Detroit and the Twins have proven if a starter can get six or even just five good innings a win is in the bank.

Which is why for the rest of the season things are promising.

Boston: Okay they have a great closer, but one relible setup man, and a starting staff in disarray.

New York: Will the Liddle trade stablize the starting pitching? Rivera is in the eighth a lot not only because Torrie believes in getting big outs in the eighth, but also because he doesn't trust the middle relievers.

Chicago: Okay if the starters can throw seven plus like last year they're okay because they can bypass McDongual and Riske.

Detroit: Okay great starters, two good setup man, but a closer who reminds me of Ron Davis (you know you don't believe the lead is safe no many how many runs you lead by)

Okay we have starter problems, but we don't demand they go eight innings. Just get us to the sixth inning with a lead.

Considering the problems we have compared with others I'll take it. Especially if Lirano can come back before the season.

Walter Hanson

Anonymous said...

As a Tribe fan, some of what you say have some merit. However, one thing you are not understanding is that before the trades, the farm system was weak on middle infielders and OF's, and the players acquired in the trades ended up filling holes in the system. In particular, Cabrera and Choo will help for years to come. This year has been a major disappointment, but the core of this team is one that will be a contender for years to come.

Anonymous said...

I think last night's game demonstrated exactly the point made here. Yes, Westbrook was looking good through 7 and it's nice that he gets to add a CG to his stat line, but if Cleveland had a Rincon-like set up man, he's in there as soon as the Twins get someone on base in the 8th. Chances of the Twins scoring 3 that inning are probably reduced significantly and who knows how the game ends up.

As for the question about why we'd be writing and discussing the Indians on a Twins blog, well, maybe because that's who's in town for a series? If you don't think Twins fans have anything worthwhile to say about your team, just stay away from reading. Pretty simple.

Anonymous said...

I can't agree that the 1995-2001 Indians "inevitably exited the playoffs early." During that stretch, the Tribe made the World Series twice and on 2 other occasions ran up against the best 162-game teams of the last decade (the '98 Yankees and '01 Mariners). Only twice, in 1996 and 1999, were they eliminated in the first round by an underdog. The pitching-heavy Braves should have such a record.

The Indians' problem this year is pitching superficially, but in reality it's bad defense which shows up in the pitching numbers. Indians pitchers are above average in walks and homers allowed. But they give up a ton of base hits because for most of the season, they've been using 4 infielders who can't move.

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