I kind of believe that as well.....we will find out shortly.

Marly Rivera
ESPN Writer

Before the game, Josh Donaldson told us about all the work he has been doing with Dr. Josh Sandell, a pioneering sports medicine specialist who works for the Minnesota Vikings and follows a multidimensional, systematic approach to treating orthopedic injuries.

He met Dr. Sandell through who he called his "good friend" Arizona's WR Larry Fitzgerald. Donaldson told me he feels 100 percent healthy and that it was something that truly changed his rehab process. He has also changed some aspects of his workout routine and nutrition.

"Two days after I saw (Dr. Sandell), that was the first time I was able to start running, and I ran my longest distance while accelerating probably without any pain."

Zack Meisel
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The Indians are the first team in MLB history with four pitchers with 200+ strikeouts. (Kluber, Bauer, Carrasco, Clevinger)

While I am elated at their rotation, I keep in mind that players strike out at a historic rate these days.

So for me all pitching strikeout numbers are taken with that grain of salt.

TFIR, while astute, no other team this year has 4 pitchers with 200+ k's.

UD - understood and no doubt their rotation is amazingly good.

if the bullpen were up to its standards of last year the pitching would be truly formidable. But it's not so we are in the playoffs only because we're in the Central

Indians are better than their record. Because they are in the Central they have taken liberties this year. Allowing guys to take time off, heal up, rest up. Take time with rehabs.

Even the bullpen has been doing a lot better of late. No runs last 3 games. 2 Earned the last 4. 17.1 innings. 12 hits. - - You take out Bieber's atrocious outing out of the pen last week and they have only gave up 3 runs the last 8 games. 35.1 innings.

Miller is finally letting it loose. Velocity has been much better since coming back this last time.

Boston, Houston, and Cleveland are all great teams and any one of them can go to the World Series. It's going to come down to who gets hot at right time. And who is not.

You're only as good as that days starter, so if Bauer can get back we have as good a chance as anybody because of our rotation. Kluber has been awesome of late. ... Carrasco has been as good as anybody since all star break. He has had 12 starts, 84.1 IP, 73 H, 113 K, 2.56 ERA. ... Bauer was in Cy Young race for a while. ... Clevinger as good a 4th starter as anybody.

Not to mention two of the best starters we will and may face, Verlander and Sale, we know very well from their days in our division and we have always hit them well.

We are in the mix.

they have only gave up 3 runs the last 8 games. 35.1 innings.

That's good to hear. I'm not happy with Cimber but Allen and 3 strong lefties could be enough.

Hillbilly wrote:Indians are better than their record. Because they are in the Central they have taken liberties this year. Allowing guys to take time off, heal up, rest up. Take time with rehabs.

Agree with all this.

Also they took their sweet time fixing a bullpen that blew lots of games earlier in the season. Not a criticism, in fact in retrospect you can see they could afford to since we blew out the division.

But it is a factor.

If Josh Donaldson remotely resembles his past self, this lineup too as the potential to be explosive!

Absolutely. I mean, even Gomes and Kipnis have been swinging the bat good of late. Our lineup can do some real damage.

I am actually pretty excited for playoffs to start. Like I said, I think we have as good a chance as anybody. I just wish we played Boston first. Call me kooky but Houston scares me more than them in playoff series due to their pitching.

You aren't the only one who's impatient (see ARTICLES folder)

Shane Bieber, RHP, Indians. Beiber's final start of the regular season was one of his better ones. Bieber allowed only two hits in seven scoreless innings, he walked two and struck out nine. Bieber's rookie season has been a mix of good (excellent control and a solid strikeout rate) and bad (he is in the zone so much he gets hit a lot).

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We know Kluber and Carrasco are in the plans for Game 1 and Game 2 of the ALDS. Games 3-4 are less clear. One scenario would be having Clevinger or Bauer available out of the bullpen for Games 1-2, then coming back as Game 4 starter with the other going in 3.

It sure looks our bullpen is rested and ready to go. Miller and Allen only allowed I think 10 runs between them the last weekend.

I think Tito will need to make creative use [as he knows how] of his main 4 starters and Bieber too in combination of starting and relief roles. Unlike his past experience of short starts and lots of relief innings, this year he may well work a whole series with only occasional innings from Hand, Miller, Perez and ??Cody. I wouldn't be surprised to see Carrasco and even Kluber with a bullpen inning or so on his 3rd day after his start.