Cleveland's Season

[stringer bell]

I thought Cleveland caught a lot of breaks to make the postseason last year. I wasn't going to be surprised if they fell off markedly this year. Cleveland has put together another winning season, despite disappointing seasons from the likes of Steve Swisher, Jason Kipnis, Justin Masterson, and Asdrubal Cabrera. The latter two were traded, Swisher was disabled for the year, and the team has improved since. They've developed a very good pitching staff and have a few good players (Brantley, Gomes, Santana), plus I think Francona is a pretty good manager.

 

I think Cleveland will continue to stay in and around contention for the foreseeable future. Given the attendance at a nice ballpark, the city doesn't deserve the team.

[Willihammer]

I agree. Kluber, Salazar, Bauer... I don't know who else they have coming up but that's a pretty good start.

[biggentleben]

I agree. Kluber, Salazar, Bauer... I don't know who else they have coming up but that's a pretty good start.

 

Don't look now, but tomorrow's starter, TJ House might be their biggest find of them all this season!

[biggentleben]

I thought Cleveland caught a lot of breaks to make the postseason last year. I wasn't going to be surprised if they fell off markedly this year. Cleveland has put together another winning season, despite disappointing seasons from the likes of Steve Swisher, Jason Kipnis, Justin Masterson, and Asdrubal Cabrera. The latter two were traded, Swisher was disabled for the year, and the team has improved since. They've developed a very good pitching staff and have a few good players (Brantley, Gomes, Santana), plus I think Francona is a pretty good manager.

 

I think Cleveland will continue to stay in and around contention for the foreseeable future. Given the attendance at a nice ballpark, the city doesn't deserve the team.

 

Not to be a jerk, but it's Nick Swisher, unless I'm missing some anti-Swisher meme.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Steve is Nick's Dad (a former ML Catcher) - maybe just a trasposition?

 

Cleveland has not been terrible, their pitching has been surprisingly good given their youth. I think Francona is a little bit too quick to make a move (ML record set last year for most pitching changes, then he broke his own record again this year). 

 

I don't think they have much of a shot in moving deep into the playoffs (assuming they make it), but stranger things have happened!

[drjim]

I think Cleveland is a good model of how to be a competitive team. It is shrewd trades and under the radar signings, not pricey free agents. The guys they actually spent on have been underwhelming. It is internal improvement that allowed for much of their success.

 

I think the Twins should use this as the model, with the possibility of an additional free agent or two because of increased revenue streams. Chasing free agents as a primary fix will lead to problems. Improvement for the Twins will come from shrewd trades and internal improvement.

[iTwins]

Cleveland (either by plan or one mighty stroke of good luck) had some great starting pitching this season. They let Jimenez and Kazmir leave and had a downright terrible year from Masterson - given that information heading into 2014, you'd have to believe they were due to fall off the cliff.

 

 

Instead, Kluber becomes an ace - Salazar, Bauer, House all become top tier pitchers - and boom: contending team. Brantley's breakout year helped hide Kipnis' bad year, Carlos Santana finding his swing again after the ASG (he was SOOOO bad pre All Star break) and they managed to survive a poor defense and less than scary offense for much of the season. It all comes back to pitching. With that starting staff, (assuming it holds into next year) they should be in contention for the Central next season.

[biggentleben]

Cleveland's pitching coach is very, very highly thought of within baseball.  The quote shared on Baseball Prospectus from someone inside baseball was that he's second to Ray Searage in pitching coaches in the entire game right now.