The biggest disappointment in baseball last season was the team that makes their home on Lake Erie. After winning 93 games in 2005, the buzz around this team coming into 2006 was staggering. There was talk that the Cleveland Indians would end the longest championship drought in the AL baseball and win the 2006 World Series.

That was until the Tribe tripped into April, stumbled into May and fell apart by the end of June.

The collapse was heartbreaking to Tribe fans, but they have managed to not become too discouraged. The organization and the fans still believe that they can compete in the American League Central – the toughest division in baseball over the last two years.

General Manager Mark Shapiro has done about as good a job as anyone could with the budget he has to work with. The Indians don’t have one of the highest payrolls in baseball like they did in the 1990’s, making his job a bit more difficult. At times in the 90’s, it seemed the Indians had an All-Star at every position. The two biggest weaknesses on this club from 2006 were bullpen pitching and infield defense. Shapiro addressed these issues in the offseason, and got a contract extension as validation of his success in doing so.

Manager Eric Wedge still has to prove that he is the manager Cleveland thinks he can be. He has a great relationship with his players, but most of the blame for last season’s mishap falls in his lap. If 2007 is a repeat performance of last year, he may be out.

The Cleveland rotation is one of the best in baseball and combined to win 58 games last year. They would have won more if there was any kind of stability from the pen and the infield defense. C.C. Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Jake Westbrook are All-Star caliber pitchers and each could win a Cy Young someday. Paul Byrd is the veteran in the rotation, but he didn’t pitch up to par last year, going 10-9. Future star Jeremy Sowers only pitched in 14 games last year, but the Indians are expecting big things from the southpaw based on the success he had in his limited experience (7-4, 3.57).

A slew of veteran free agent pitchers were brought in to strengthen the bullpen. Among those were Aaron Fultz, Roberto Hernandez, Joe Borowski, and Keith Foulke. Foulke retired at the beginning of training camp, so he’s out. The remaining three bring experience and solid credentials to a team that desperately needs both. Borowski is set to be the closer after saving 36 games for Florida a season ago. Fultz will serve as the left-handed specialist, something Cleveland simply didn’t have last year. Hernandez will be somewhere in a setup role at the ripe age of 42.

Joining the newcomers in the pen will be holdover Rafael Betancourt. He has been inconsistent and tested positive for steroids before, but he still had a 3.81 ERA last year. Fernando Cabrera was superb down the stretch in 2005, but struggled to find consistency as well last year. This year might be his last chance to show his worth. Jason Davis, out of minor league options, will also be in the mix.  

The infield was given a facelift after the club appeared to be playing on their heels last year. Josh Barfield is an exciting player that was brought in, via a trade with the Padres, to stabilize the second base position. His 13 home runs, 58 runs batted in and 21 stolen bases are solid numbers for a middle infielder, and Jacobs Field is much friendlier to hitters than Petco Park, so expect those numbers to go up.

Barfield’s double-play partner is shortstop Jhonny (not a typo) Peralta. Peralta is another member of the Indians that had his breakthrough season in 2005. His ’05 line of .292, 24 and 78 was more than the club could ask for from Omar Vizquel’s replacement. Last year was a setback though, as Peralta hit only .257 and struggled defensively. He recently had laser eye surgery and he’s had a solid spring so far, so maybe he’s seeing the ball better and it’s having a positive impact on his play. Peralta may prove to be the key to the Indians’ success, because if he struggles they have no immediate option at shortstop and his contract is practically unmovable.

The corner infield spots should be improved from last season. Andy Marte, the key figure in the Coco Crisp deal with Boston, has third base all to himself. His defense was terrific last year, but he didn’t hit the way he was expected to. There is really no pressure on him at this point, since he will hit in the bottom of the order and there is no other clear option. First base is where things get interesting. Casey Blake will get most of the starts at the onset, but fans are longing to see more of Ryan Garko. It’s hard to argue with 45 RBI in 50 games, but he is also a converted catcher still trying to learn the position, and the Tribe is committed to infield defense. By season’s end, Garko may be getting regular at-bats at first and Blake may be in the outfield, at third base or on the bench.

The outfield brings more platoons, which seem to be the newest fad in Cleveland. A combination of Jason Michaels, David Dellucci, Trot Nixon, and Casey Blake will be manning the corner spots. Michaels was somewhat of a bust last year, so the Indians brought in Dellucci to create a platoon in leftfield that hit 22 home runs and had 84 RBI combined last year. Dellucci may get most of the starts if he can hit well against southpaws. With lefties on the mound, Blake will be in right, while Nixon will play against righties and probably bat second in the order.

Centerfielder Grady Sizemore can do it all, and he does. His heart and intensity is second to only Derek Jeter, and a weak arm is the only downside to a guy that plays amazing defense, hit .290, scored 134 runs, hit 28 home runs, drove in 76, stole 22 bases, and played in every game in 2006.

Cleveland has the best hitting catcher in baseball in Victor Martinez. He’s not the biggest power threat, and he has difficulty throwing out runners, but he hit .316 with 93 RBI last year; that kind of production from behind the backstop is hard to come by. Designated Hitter Travis Hafner has become one of the best power hitters in the game, and he was making a strong case for MVP until he broke a bone in his hand in September. Hi stat line (.308/42/117) speaks for itself.

A spot on the Indians’ bench means a little bit more playing time than other places. Depending who’s on the mound, some of the aforementioned players will be on the bench. Garko should make the club and will earn more at-bats as the season goes along. Catcher Kelly Shoppach has shown flashes of power and is a defensive upgrade when he relieves Martinez of catching duties. Utility infielder candidates are Hector Luna, Luis Rivas, Joe Inglett, and Mike Rouse, and that decision may not be made until the team breaks camp.

If the platoons work the way Shapiro and Wedge expect, the veteran relievers stay healthy and produce and the offense stays true to form, then the Indians have a shot in a competitive division. The Indians have gone the longest without winning their next championship out of all the teams in the American League now that the Red Sox and White Sox have exorcised their demons.

Cleveland does have a great core of players that have come up through the organization and play hard every time they step on the field. Is it enough?

More than likely, they’ll finish third behind the Tigers and White Sox, even while winning 85-90 games.


2006: 78-84 (4th in AL Central)