Spring is here, and so is the start of a new baseball season. It's the time of year that my beloved Cleveland Indians are not yet mathematically eliminated from post-season play. I have to admit, this past offseason had me somewhat excited for the season to begin. That's not normally the case - a friend and I have a standing bet before the start of a new season. We each select 3 teams that we think will finish with the worst record in baseball. For the first time in three years, I didn't draft the Indians. Why? Because the Dolans finally spent some money. I don't know where this money came from, and I don't care. Now, some of the "experts" believe the Indians were spending just to spend and didn't get any real value. I disagree. Let's take a look at the moves.
1. Terry Francona - finally a manager who not only has major league experience, but championship experience. Francona knows how to win, and he did it in Boston, a city where you have to win or they will show you the door in a hurry. Just ask Bobby Valentine.
2. Michael Bourn - a true leadoff hitter and a player with speed - a walk or a single is usually followed up with a steal of second. Bourn has some pop in his bat as well, as evidenced with the 9 home runs from a season ago. Bourn also helps the Tribe with his defense. He can cover a lot of ground in center field, and his addition allows Michael Brantley to move to left field. Gone are the days of Shelley Duncan and Trevor Crowe. Cleveland, watch Michael Bourn play and remember the glory days of Kenny Lofton.
3. Nick Swisher - perhaps the Indians overpaid, but the emotion, excitement and joy to play the game are the intangibles that Swisher brings to Cleveland along with his bat. Intangibles don't show up in the box score, but are so necessary for a winning club. Swisher will move from the outfield to first base, and thank goodness. No longer will we have to watch Casey Kotchman pretend to be a major leaguer.
4. Mark Reynolds - what the Indians have here is their new team leader in home runs, no doubt about it. Reynolds will start out as the designated hitter, replacing long time fan favorite Travis Hafner. I also expect Reynolds to eventually be the everyday third baseman, as Lonnie Chisenhall is not yet ready for the job. Reynolds will also be the new team leader in strikeouts. With the good comes the bad, so enjoy the bombs off of his bat, but be ready for the cool breeze when he swings and misses. Nonetheless, a major improvement over Jack Hannahan, another starter from a year ago pretending to be a major leaguer.
5. Brett Myers - probably the most underappreciated of all of the free agent signings. Myers is expected to be the number three starter for the Indians. If Myers can produce the type of season like the two he recently had as a starter in Houston, it could mean an extra 5 to 10 wins for the Tribe.
The Indians head into the 2013 season better in every aspect than the 2012 squad. The roster has more talent, and the new additions bring a culture of winning to the clubhouse. They won't win the division, that title belongs to Detroit. But with solid managerial leadership from Francona, and a little bit of Progressive Field magic, this Cleveland Indians team could make the playoffs as one of the wildcards. Go Tribe!
No comments:
Post a Comment