Cleveland Indians Preview

[Mr Baseball]

With the AL East previews complete, let's keep on truckin' as we move on to the Wahoo Warriors out of the Central.

Who's In: RHP Kerry Wood, INF Mark DeRosa, RHP Joe Smith, INF Luis Valbuena , RHP Carl Pavano, RHP Kirk Saarloos, RHP Tomo Ohka, RHP Vinnie Chulk.

Who's Out: OF Franklin Gutierrez, OF Jason Michaels, RHP Tom Mastny, RHP Joe Borowski, RHP Brendan Donnelly, C Sal Fasano.

Offseason Summary:

First and foremost the Tribe sealed up their gaping hole at the closer spot by signing their target Kerry Wood to a 2-year $20.5 million contract. Now personally I think they overpaid for the oft injured hurler, but they got their man. The Indians also picked up another pitcher held together by tape and glue, Carl Pavano. Mark DeRosa could be a quietly solid pickup to fill in at third base. The injins didn't lose much this offseason (not counting CC and Blake, for whom they got some young help). Laying low could be a great strategy for the Tribe, as they played as good as anyone during the second half. They got the closer they wanted, and are banking that the rest of the squad can put it together and live up to their potential this year.

Bettor's Edge: The AL central is going to be the toughest division to bet this season in my humble opinion, and the Indians certainly fit that trend. I want to buy in with a lot of the positive vibes that circle the Tribe this year, but it's hard to put that dreadful spring of '08 away in the minds of bettors. The lineup has great potential and some big names. But consistency will be the key. Can Choo keep up the big OPS numbers? Will Hafner return to Hafner form? Will the infield put up enough offense? The offense has potential to be one of the best in the league (especially win big Matt LaPorta comes up) but they could also struggle mightily. Sad thing is same goes for the staff. Lee's consistency, Carmona's health, and Pavano's performance are huge hinges for the staff. The Indians are going to be one of the toughest teams to pin down this year, but they have a lot of good things going for them and could be doing the rain dance in October once again.

Fade Situation:

Interleague: The Indians haven't posted a winning record agains the NL since '05, and went on a 6-12 clip last year. The Indians lose a lot of pop without that DH slot, and NL matchups are a whole new ball game.

Play Situation:

Mid-summer Overs: This team has the offense that can do it all, power/speed/discipline. Once they gel a bit and the warm air carries the ball in summer, the Indians should cash plenty of overs. Pound this especially when the back of the Tribe rotation rolls around.

Projected Lineup:

Sizemore (CF)
DeRosa (3B)
Martinez (C)
Choo (RF)
Peralta (SS)
Hafner (DH)
Fransisco (LF)
Garko (1B)
Cabrera (2B)

Projected Rotation:

Lee (Left)
Carmona (Right)
Pavano (Right)
Reyes (Right)
Laffey (Left)

Projected Finish:

86-76 1st AL Central, +$200 Money, O/U 87-75. The Indians have a lot of what ifs? going into this year. But in a mediocre, yet ultra-competitive Central, I think they have the tools to take the central. Look for overs with this team, and play with caution until they establish an identity

 

[patergyna]

I can't see how the Indians are going to be any better than last year.

 

[jimbof20]

whats going on with westbrook...i

 

[Mr Baseball]

I can't see how the Indians are going to be any better than last year.

What's going on with westbrook?

The Indians were horrible early in the year. They have plenty of firepower and momentum to easily improve on last year's campaign.

Westbrook is out at least the first half of the season. I believe he had arm and hip surgery.

 

[patergyna]

And Kerry Wood and Mark DeRosa are going to fix a team that was that bad? Besides those two average signings, they haven't done much.

 

[Mr Baseball]

They finished the season 44-28 last year fyi

 

[G-Man]

<table class="bgColor1" id="global_stats" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td colspan="3" style="padding-top: 5px;" width="575"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="575"><tbody><tr><td class="hlSize copyColor1">

| Mark DeRosa

7 | 3B </td> <td class="hlSize copyColor1" align="right"> Current Status: Active </td> </tr> </tbody></table>

<table id="main_stats" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td> <table id="playerstats" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td rowspan="9" class="bgColor2" width="90">

</td> <td rowspan="9" width="1">

</td> <td class="bgColor2" width="58">

</td> <td rowspan="9" width="1">

</td> <td rowspan="9" id="highlights"> Full Name: Mark Thomas DeRosa
Born: 02/26/1975
Birthplace: Passaic, NJ
Height: 6' 1" Weight: 205
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
College: Pennsylvania
MLB Debut: 09/02/1998
</td> <td rowspan="9" width="1">

</td> <td rowspan="9" class="bgColor2" width="191"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="bgColor2">

</td> </tr><tr> <td class="bgColor2 hlSize hlColor2" align="center"> .285 </td> </tr><tr> <td>

</td> </tr><tr> <td class="bgColor2 hlSize hlColor2" align="center"> 21 </td> </tr><tr> <td>

</td> </tr><tr> <td class="bgColor2 hlSize hlColor2" align="center"> 87 </td> </tr><tr> <td>

</td> </tr><tr> <td class="bgColor2 hlSize hlColor2" align="center"> 6 </td> </tr> </tbody></table></td></tr> <tr><td> <table id="shop_link"> <tbody><tr> <td id="team_player_link" class="primaryBg">Get Mark DeRosa gear at the Indians shop >
</td> <!--<td width="1" bgcolor="#999999">

</td> --> <td id="photo_link" class="primaryBg"> Photo Gallery
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- career stats --> <table id="pb_career"> <thead> <tr> <th class="stat_season_head"> </th> <th class="stat_g_head">G</th> <th class="stat_ab_head">AB</th> <th class="stat_r_head">R</th> <th class="stat_h_head">H</th> <th class="stat_2b_head">2B</th> <th class="stat_3b_head">3B</th> <th class="stat_hr_head">HR</th> <th class="stat_rbi_head">RBI</th> <th class="stat_tb_head">TB</th> <th class="stat_bb_head">BB</th> <th class="stat_so_head">SO</th> <th class="stat_sb_head">SB</th> <th class="stat_cs_head">CS</th> <th class="stat_obp_head">OBP</th> <th class="stat_slg_head">SLG</th> <th class="stat_avg_head">AVG</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr class="batter_career_row"> <td class="stat_title">2008</td> <td class="stat_g"> 149 </td> <td class="stat_ab"> 505 </td> <td class="stat_r"> 103 </td> <td class="stat_h"> 144 </td> <td class="stat_2b"> 30 </td> <td class="stat_3b"> 3 </td> <td class="stat_hr"> 21 </td> <td class="stat_rbi"> 87 </td> <td class="stat_tb"> 243 </td> <td class="stat_bb"> 69 </td> <td class="stat_so"> 106 </td> <td class="stat_sb"> 6 </td> <td class="stat_cs"> 0 </td> <td class="stat_obp"> .376 </td> <td class="stat_slg"> .481 </td> <td class="stat_avg"> .285 </td> </tr> <tr class="batter_career_row"> <td class="stat_title">Career</td> <td class="stat_g"> 893 </td> <td class="stat_ab"> 2650 </td> <td class="stat_r"> 406 </td> <td class="stat_h"> 740 </td> <td class="stat_2b"> 151 </td> <td class="stat_3b"> 10 </td> <td class="stat_hr"> 69 </td> <td class="stat_rbi"> 352 </td> <td class="stat_tb"> 1118 </td> <td class="stat_bb"> 252 </td> <td class="stat_so"> 485 </td> <td class="stat_sb"> 18 </td> <td class="stat_cs"> 13 </td> <td class="stat_obp"> .348 </td> <td class="stat_slg"> .422 </td> <td class="stat_avg"> .279 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table></td> <td rowspan="99" width="10">

</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3">

</td></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="369">

Career Stats | Splits | Game Log | Hit Chart | Postseason & All-Star​

Last 10 Games:
<table id="last_ten_games"> <thead> <tr class="last_ten_games_head"> <td class="stat_date_head">DATE</td> <td class="stat_opp_head">OPP</td> <td class="stat_opp_head">AB</td> <td class="stat_r_head">R</td> <td class="stat_h_head">H</td> <td class="stat_hr_head">HR</td> <td class="stat_rbi_head">RBI</td> <td class="stat_bb_head">BB</td> <td class="stat_so_head">SO</td> <td class="stat_sb_head">SB</td> <td class="stat_avg_head">AVG</td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr class="batting_last_ten_games_row"> <td class="stat_date"> SEP 14</td> <td class="stat_ab">@HOU</td> <td class="stat_opp">3</td> <td class="stat_r">0</td> <td class="stat_h">0</td> <td class="stat_hr">0</td> <td class="stat_rbi">0</td> <td class="stat_bb">1</td> <td class="stat_so">0</td> <td class="stat_sb">0</td> <td class="stat_avg">.283</td> </tr> <tr class="batting_last_ten_games_row"> <td class="stat_date"> SEP 15</td> <td class="stat_ab">@HOU</td> <td class="stat_opp">1</td> <td class="stat_r">0</td> <td class="stat_h">0</td> <td class="stat_hr">0</td> <td class="stat_rbi">0</td> <td class="stat_bb">0</td> <td class="stat_so">0</td> <td class="stat_sb">0</td> <td class="stat_avg">.282</td> </tr> <tr class="batting_last_ten_games_row"> <td class="stat_date"> SEP 16</td> <td class="stat_ab">MIL</td> <td class="stat_opp">3</td> <td class="stat_r">0</td> <td class="stat_h">0</td> <td class="stat_hr">0</td> <td class="stat_rbi">0</td> <td class="stat_bb">0</td> <td class="stat_so">2</td> <td class="stat_sb">0</td> <td class="stat_avg">.281</td> </tr> <tr class="batting_last_ten_games_row"> <td class="stat_date"> SEP 17</td> <td class="stat_ab">MIL</td> <td class="stat_opp">4</td> <td class="stat_r">1</td> <td class="stat_h">1</td> <td class="stat_hr">0</td> <td class="stat_rbi">0</td> <td class="stat_bb">0</td> <td class="stat_so">0</td> <td class="stat_sb">0</td> <td class="stat_avg">.280</td> </tr> <tr class="batting_last_ten_games_row"> <td class="stat_date"> SEP 18</td> <td class="stat_ab">MIL</td> <td class="stat_opp">5</td> <td class="stat_r">1</td> <td class="stat_h">2</td> <td class="stat_hr">0</td> <td class="stat_rbi">0</td> <td class="stat_bb">0</td> <td class="stat_so">1</td> <td class="stat_sb">0</td> <td class="stat_avg">.282</td> </tr> <tr class="batting_last_ten_games_row"> <td class="stat_date"> SEP 19</td> <td class="stat_ab">STL</td> <td class="stat_opp">2</td> <td class="stat_r">0</td> <td class="stat_h">0</td> <td class="stat_hr">0</td> <td class="stat_rbi">0</td> <td class="stat_bb">0</td> <td class="stat_so">1</td> <td class="stat_sb">0</td> <td class="stat_avg">.280</td> </tr> <tr class="batting_last_ten_games_row"> <td class="stat_date"> SEP 20</td> <td class="stat_ab">STL</td> <td class="stat_opp">3</td> <td class="stat_r">2</td> <td class="stat_h">1</td> <td class="stat_hr">0</td> <td class="stat_rbi">1</td> <td class="stat_bb">0</td> <td class="stat_so">0</td> <td class="stat_sb">0</td> <td class="stat_avg">.281</td> </tr> <tr class="batting_last_ten_games_row"> <td class="stat_date"> SEP 22</td> <td class="stat_ab">@NYM</td> <td class="stat_opp">4</td> <td class="stat_r">2</td> <td class="stat_h">3</td> <td class="stat_hr">0</td> <td class="stat_rbi">0</td> <td class="stat_bb">0</td> <td class="stat_so">0</td> <td class="stat_sb">0</td> <td class="stat_avg">.285</td> </tr> <tr class="batting_last_ten_games_row"> <td class="stat_date"> SEP 23</td> <td class="stat_ab">@NYM</td> <td class="stat_opp">3</td> <td class="stat_r">0</td> <td class="stat_h">0</td> <td class="stat_hr">0</td> <td class="stat_rbi">0</td> <td class="stat_bb">1</td> <td class="stat_so">0</td> <td class="stat_sb">0</td> <td class="stat_avg">.283</td> </tr> <tr class="batting_last_ten_games_row"> <td class="stat_date"> SEP 24</td> <td class="stat_ab">@NYM</td> <td class="stat_opp">3</td> <td class="stat_r">1</td> <td class="stat_h">2</td> <td class="stat_hr">1</td> <td class="stat_rbi">3</td> <td class="stat_bb">0</td> <td class="stat_so">0</td> <td class="stat_sb">0</td> <td class="stat_avg">.285</td> </tr> </tbody> <tfoot> <tr class="batting_last_three_seasons_summary_row"> <td colspan="2">Totals</td> <td class="stat_ab">31</td> <td class="stat_r">7</td> <td class="stat_h">9</td> <td class="stat_hr">1</td> <td class="stat_rbi">4</td> <td class="stat_bb">2</td> <td class="stat_so">4</td> <td class="stat_sb">0</td> <td class="stat_avg">.290</td> </tr> </tfoot> </table> Quick Splits:
<table id="splits"> <tbody> <tr class="split_row copyColor1"> <td class="split_vs_left">vs. Left:</td><td class="split_value">.310</td><td class="split_vs_right">vs. Right:</td><td class="split_value">.275</td><td class="split_home">Home:</td><td class="split_value">.316</td><td class="split_road">Away:</td><td class="split_value">.254</td> </tr> <tr class="split_row copyColor1"> <td class="split_day">Day:</td><td class="split_value">.304</td><td class="split_night">Night:</td><td class="split_value">.270</td><td class="split_grass">Grass:</td><td class="split_value">.294</td><td class="split_turf">Turf:</td><td class="split_value">.091</td> </tr> <tr class="split_row copyColor1"> <td colspan="2" class="split_current_month">Current Month:</td><td class="split_value" colspan="2">---</td><td colspan="2" class="split_last_thirty_days">Last 30 Days:</td><td colspan="2" class="split_value">---</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> <td rowspan="2" width="2">

</td> <td rowspan="2" class="bgColor2 textSm copyColor2" width="204"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="204"> <tbody><tr> <td rowspan="99" width="7"> </td> <td colspan="2" width="182">Multimedia:
</td> <td rowspan="99" width="7"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>DeRosa conference call

</td> <td align="right"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>DeRosa's two-run double

Watch</td> <td align="right"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Doblete productor de Mark DeRosa

Watch</td> <td align="right"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>DeRosa: On almost being traded

Watch</td> <td align="right"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>DeRosa's two-run homer

Watch</td> <td align="right"> </td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" align="right">More Multimedia »</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="204"> <tbody><tr> <td rowspan="99" width="7"> </td> <td>News:
</td> <td rowspan="99" width="7"> </td> </tr> <tr><td> February 09, 2009
Inbox: What's the plan for Barfield?
</td></tr> <tr><td> February 03, 2009
Long-term stability of infield to evolve
</td></tr> <tr><td> January 19, 2009
Tribe may have 14 compete in Classic
</td></tr> <tr><td> January 02, 2009
DeRosa excited to open Tribe chapter
</td></tr> <tr><td align="right">More News »</td></tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr><td class="hlSize hlColor1" valign="bottom">Last Three Seasons:</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="3">

</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"> <table id="last_three_seasons"> <thead> <tr> <th class="stat_season_head">Year</th> <th class="stat_team_head">Team</th> <th class="stat_g_head">G</th> <th class="stat_ab_head">AB</th> <th class="stat_r_head">R</th> <th class="stat_h_head">H</th> <th class="stat_2b_head">2B</th> <th class="stat_3b_head">3B</th> <th class="stat_hr_head">HR</th> <th class="stat_rbi_head">RBI</th> <th class="stat_tb_head">TB</th> <th class="stat_bb_head">BB</th> <th class="stat_so_head">SO</th> <th class="stat_sb_head">SB</th> <th class="stat_cs_head">CS</th> <th class="stat_obp_head">OBP</th> <th class="stat_slg_head">SLG</th> <th class="stat_avg_head">AVG</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr class="batting_last_three_seasons_row"> <td class="stat_season">2005</td> <td class="stat_team">TEX</td> <td class="stat_g"> 66 </td> <td class="stat_ab"> 148 </td> <td class="stat_r"> 26 </td> <td class="stat_h"> 36 </td> <td class="stat_2b"> 5 </td> <td class="stat_3b"> 0 </td> <td class="stat_hr"> 8 </td> <td class="stat_rbi"> 20 </td> <td class="stat_tb"> 65 </td> <td class="stat_bb"> 16 </td> <td class="stat_so"> 35 </td> <td class="stat_sb"> 1 </td> <td class="stat_cs"> 0 </td> <td class="stat_obp"> .325 </td> <td class="stat_slg"> .439 </td> <td class="stat_avg"> .243 </td> </tr> <tr class="batting_last_three_seasons_row"> <td class="stat_season">2006</td> <td class="stat_team">TEX</td> <td class="stat_g"> 136 </td> <td class="stat_ab"> 520 </td> <td class="stat_r"> 78 </td> <td class="stat_h"> 154 </td> <td class="stat_2b"> 40 </td> <td class="stat_3b"> 2 </td> <td class="stat_hr"> 13 </td> <td class="stat_rbi"> 74 </td> <td class="stat_tb"> 237 </td> <td class="stat_bb"> 44 </td> <td class="stat_so"> 102 </td> <td class="stat_sb"> 4 </td> <td class="stat_cs"> 4 </td> <td class="stat_obp"> .357 </td> <td class="stat_slg"> .456 </td> <td class="stat_avg"> .296 </td> </tr> <tr class="batting_last_three_seasons_row"> <td class="stat_season">2007</td> <td class="stat_team">CHC</td> <td class="stat_g"> 149 </td> <td class="stat_ab"> 502 </td> <td class="stat_r"> 64 </td> <td class="stat_h"> 147 </td> <td class="stat_2b"> 28 </td> <td class="stat_3b"> 3 </td> <td class="stat_hr"> 10 </td> <td class="stat_rbi"> 72 </td> <td class="stat_tb"> 211 </td> <td class="stat_bb"> 58 </td> <td class="stat_so"> 93 </td> <td class="stat_sb"> 1 </td> <td class="stat_cs"> 2 </td> <td class="stat_obp"> .371 </td> <td class="stat_slg"> .420 </td> <td class="stat_avg"> .293 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3">

</td></tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="copyColor1">
</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[MrMulligan]

The Indians were horrible early in the year. They have plenty of firepower and momentum to easily improve on last year's campaign.

Westbrook is out at least the first half of the season. I believe he had arm and hip surgery.

:cheers:

Cleveland also has some young pitching to call on...especially when that POS Pavano pulls a hangnail....looking hard at taking Cleveland Over 83 W.

Think they would've been clear Central Division favorites by signing a SS (Orlando Cabrera is still available cheap), moving Peralta to 3B, and putting DeRosa @ 2B.

Send Hafner home and bring up that University of Florida stud, Matt LaPorta............:tiphat:

 

[dananderson32]

Tribe in the houseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[JetFavre]

:cheers:

Cleveland also has some young pitching to call on...especially when that POS Pavano pulls a hangnail....looking hard at taking Cleveland Over 83 W.

Think they would've been clear Central Division favorites by signing a SS (Orlando Cabrera is still available cheap), moving Peralta to 3B, and putting DeRosa @ 2B.

Send Hafner home and bring up that University of Florida stud, Matt LaPorta............:tiphat:

pavano :36_11_6:

 

[hile75]

I'll be the minority here, I don't think the indians do much this year. I agree with the shaky offseason and I think they finish rrd this year.

No way cliff lee does whàþ he did last year, not a chance

 

[RetroVK]

I tend to agree with Hile. Now , this team has been arguably the worst underachievers in the league the last few years so maybe they can perform with lower expectations but i have a problem looking at their rotation.

last year at this time their rotation looked something like this ....

sabathia
westbrook
carmona
lee
byrd

now it looks like this ???

lee
carmona
pavano
laffey
reyes


so they lose a dominant guy in cc ... they lose westbrook to start the year ( huge ouch from that reliable guy and moneymaker for me over the years .. love him ) ............ they now have lee who was the foruth or fifth starter last year as their supposed ace and as HILE states , there is not a chance in hell that he comes even close to what he did last year ... i mean not close. Then you have Carmona who is solid. i have no problems there .... and laffey was unhittable last may but the indians just signed him to a one year deal and that tells me they don't expect a ton from him since he is a young arm.

Team is going to have to knock the crap out of the ball to win baseball games this year.


oh and one more thing ... pavano ..... even before injury the guy was a bit of a gas can. He never eats innings and destroys bullpens. overpaid and overrated.

if they can survive until they get jake back then maybe they can make some noise but i have a hard time seeing a team with that rotation winning a division.

 

[hile75]

Agreed 100 percent kyle, said everything I woulda. I'll be stunned if lee wins 15 games this year. Everyone forgets so quickly that lee in 2007 had a season era of 6.29 (20 games)

They might go over posted totals 105-110 times this year with that rotation, and I'm not big on the wood signing or the bullpen.

And choo as their clean up man, 14 homers over 94 games? Not looking good

 

[ManchesterUk]

The Indians were horrible early in the year. They have plenty of firepower and momentum to easily improve on last year's campaign.

How badly did having their early season home games ppnd due to that icey weather effect their start ?

 

[broadwayjoe]

triiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiibbbeeee....

love 'em, but honestly think they suck. too many question marks involving injury comebacks, a rotation that had a real shakeup, cold bats, wedgy, etc. i think when these things start coming together and they develop some of the young talent they have, westbrook comes back, etc, they could make a good late season push, but to start things off i'll be fade fade fading---especially lee.

as someone said they did desperately need a SS along with a vet power hitting LF, which who knows could end up being laporta (even if he doesn't play that position), but isn't yet. they don't need to move peralta to 3B they need to move him off the face of the earth because he fuckin sucks. garko is absolutely worthless, but i expect to see victor on 1B more often and having shoppach catch---at least i hope.

peralta and garko might be my two least favorite players in all of sports (behind paul pierce, which is the obvious choice). they both fucking suck.

way i see it i think they'd be lucky to get to .500

go tribe!

 

[G-Man]

Tribe will be a great underdog or small favorite early. Smith is going to be great here. Woods will get the right spots and the Tribe will be able to win games late. Tribes new lineup will be better than last year as they had NO one over .300 that ever grooved. They won a TON of late games LY and if they held onto C.C. they just may have made it. Carmona suffered his second season as a starter but will be more like he was in 07 IMO. DeRosa should have a significant impact in the clutch at the plate. Haffner I'm not sure of, and I wonder if he ever did roids. Shoppach is the most underrated catcher in the AL. Starers COULD be better than many expect and if Westie gets healthy they will run for the title in the division.

Looking for a few surprises from other guys and there should be some improvement through the whole lineup at the plate. Peralta could really surprise as a legitmate power hitter for an infielder too.