Cleveland Sports Forum

Corey Kluber could be the next Jake Westbrook,

I had thought of that baseball analogy, too, only partly because Kluber is the guy we got when we traded Jake.

Reviewing some of the highs and lows of the Cleveland Indians at the All-Star break: Terry Pluto


on July 16, 2013 at 4:05 PM, updated July 16, 2013 at 4:07 PM




CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Thinking about the Tribe at the All-Star break...

Best player: It's Jason Kipnis, and it's not even close. He's batting .301 (.897 OPS) with 13 homers and 57 RBI. He has stolen 21 bases. He has three bunt hits. He leads the team in doubles and triples. He plays with a passion loved by fans and teammates. He could end up hitting .300 with at least 20 homers, 80 RBI and 35 stolen bases. Big time.

About time: Kipnis is the first player drafted and developed by the Tribe farm system to make an All-Star team since C.C. Sabathia (1998, first round). Others signed as amateur free agents -- such as Victor Martinez and the former Fausto Carmona (now Roberto Hernandez) -- have been All-Stars.

Best surprise: Corey Kluber. Who knew that he'd be 7-5 with a 3.88 ERA? He didn't make the rotation out of spring training. He is 27 and had a career 2-5 record with a 5.35 ERA in 15 games. Even his minor-league numbers (43-49, 4.39 ERA) were underwhelming. But his fastball is in the middle 90s and he has struck out 94 compared to 22 walks.

He makes me smile: I love how Scott Kazmir (5-4, 4.60) has revived his career. He was done in 2011, walking 20 and plunking six batters in 15 innings at Class AAA before being cut. Few pitchers find their way back from that dark side of the baseball moon where all confidence is gone.

He's delivered: Jason Masterson (10-7, 3.72 ERA) is having an All-Star season after being 11-15 with a 4.93 ERA in 2012. Manager Terry Francona came into the season believing Masterson could pitch like this, and he has been reliable in most of his starts.

Can't explain it: Not only has Ubaldo Jimenez won seven games (7-4, 4.56 ERA), but the Tribe is 13-6 when he starts. He's averaging only 5 1/3 innings per start as he tends to run up his pitch count. He's much better than a year ago (9-17, 5.40), but it's hard to have much confidence when he takes the mound. But he has pitched well enough to stay in the rotation.

I'm worried: About Vinnie Pestano (1-2, 4.45 ERA). No matter what he says, it seems something is either wrong with his arm or his motion, because the velocity and movement on his pitches are down from a year ago. The Indians are going to need Cody Allen to help Joe Smith in late-inning relief.

He's not the same: But Chris Perez is 13-of-15 in saves. His ERA is 3.04 and he's fanned 26 in 26 2/3 innings, so he still has some zip. Perez is still a respectable big-league closer, and is one of the keys to the second half.

He should be better: Bryan Shaw throws in the middle 90s, but is 0-2 with a 4.32 ERA. And that comes after a rather strong start to the season. He should be an effective middle reliever with his stuff. He does need to pitch inside more often.

Biggest disappointment: It's between Carlos Carrasco and Nick Swisher. I'm going with Carrasco because he was suspended (again) for throwing at a hitter. He has the most physically gifted arm on the staff, but is 0-4 with a 9.10 ERA. At the age of 26, now is the time to grab a spot in the rotation.

He's needed: Swisher is hitting .242. His OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) is .750, fourth on the team behind Ryan Raburn (.908), Kipnis (.897), Carlos Santana (.848) and Yan Gomes (.770). He is second on the team in walks (46), but the Indians need more run production. He has only nine homers, 31 RBI and has a team-low .224 with runners in scoring position.

He may improve: Since coming back from the minors, Lonnie Chisenhall is hitting .280 (21-of-75) with three homers and 14 RBI. They need him to take over third base.

Upon further review: Forget Chisenhall against lefties, he's 3-of-33 (.111). So Mark Reynolds (.223, 6 HR in 94 ABs vs. lefties) can play in those games. But the Tribe doesn't need Reynolds at third every day.

About the lefties: The Tribe was 18-35 vs. lefties last season, the record is 17-14 in 2013. But the two top hitters? That's Michael Bourn (.316) and Kipnis (.312), and both bat left-handed.

Most consistent: Michael Brantley has played in more games than anyone else. He's second with 48 RBI, and is a team-best .366 with runners in scoring position. Some fans wonder why Francona occasionally bats Brantley cleanup. It's because he delivers in the clutch. He can bat anywhere in the order, and never complains.

He is so hard to watch: You knew it, Reynolds. He batted .318 with six homers and 17 RBI in April. Since then, it's .181 with nine homers and 30 RBI. Still waiting for another hot streak as those strikeouts pile up.

Quietly clutch: Jason Giambi is hitting .357 with runners in scoring position. The .200 batting average is lame, but his power numbers and walks are productive.

As advertised: Bourn is a good center fielder. He's batting .290 as a leadoff man, with 13 stolen bases. He leads the Tribe with 16 infield hits, next is Drew Stubbs with seven.

Also as advertised: Francona is a steady hand in dugout, a man who connects with players and has the respect of everyone from the front office to the bat boy.

Better than expected: Stubbs (.244, 7 HR, 35 RBI) has played an excellent right field and is very strong in center. He hit .213 for the Reds, who gave up on him at the end of last season. Stubbs is much better (.280) vs. lefties than righties (.224). He runs extremely well, hustles on every play.

Never would have thought: Raburn has 10 homers in 150 at-bats, hitting .267. This is the same Raburn who was cut by the Tigers after hitting .171 with one homer in 205 at-bats last season.

Wish I knew: How Zach McAllister (4-5, 3.45) will pitch. He has been out for nearly two months with a finger injury. He is supposed to be close to returning.

I like how he plays: Mike Aviles is the type of gritty, versatile infielder that any good team needs.

Who knows? Early in the season, I thought Trevor Bauer would help after the All-Star break. Now, his motion is a mess and he missed his last AAA start. Now, the best hope in the second half for rotation help is Danny Salazar.

TribeVibe

Between the lines, into the clubhouse, on the road and inside the front office with the Cleveland Indians.
Memorable moments from the Tribe’s first half

It’s been a whirlwind nine months for the Cleveland Indians organization, starting in October with Terry Francona and ending on Sunday with the Tribe’s sixth series sweep of the 2013 season, over Kansas City.

Having won four in a row, the Indians entered the All-Star break with two representatives, Jason Kipnis and Justin Masterson, in New York and a 51-44 record, good enough for second place in the AL Central. Detroit leads and is 1½ games ahead.

Given a few days to take a breather, here are some of our picks for the club’s most memorable moments of the first half:

SPRING TRAINING

Nick Swisher orchestrates Harlem Shake: Tribe Town 216 Edition – To say this one went viral would be an understatement. Personally, we loved Terry’s dancing the best, as did most of you!

APRIL

April 10: Mariano Rivera meets Indians staff in Yankees’ final visit to Progressive Field – Or, what we thought was their final visit. In his season-long farewell tour, Rivera insisted on meeting with longtime staff members at each club the Yanks visited. They returned to Cleveland on May 13 to make up rainouts, but Rivera showed he’s a class act by fielding questions from longtime Indians employees.

April 12: Swisher’s walkoff single – Already beloved in Cleveland after signing in December, Swisher’s walkoff single gave the Indians a 1-0 victory over the White Sox at Progressive Field on a cold Friday night. It also clinched the first of three complete-game shutouts in the first half by Masterson – and provided a fantastic highlight after Swisher did his best airplane imitation.


April 21: Drew Stubbs finds the popcorn in Houston – Another Tribe newcomer’s homer to right field in Minute Maid Park helped the Indians to an early-season win over AL newbie Houston. “(Houston right fielder Rick Ankiel) ended up robbing someone’s popcorn,” Rick Manning said of the play.

April 30: Seven homers, seven pictures – The Indians beat the Phillies, 14-2, and hit seven homers. We decided to see where all seven landed.

April 30: Jason Giambi teaches the young guys a lesson – In the same game, another newcomer – Jason Giambi – dove head-first into first base for a single. Later, Giambi signed a picture of the slide posted outside the Tribe clubhouse with this message: “To the boys: Play like you live – hard.”

MAY

May 6: Mark Reynolds’ bomb – Oakland starter Jarrod Parker plunked Reynolds early in this game, and Reynolds … well, let’s say he got some payback.

May 17-20: Indians sweep the Mariners – in exciting fashion – The four-game sweep included two-walkoffs: Kipnis’ three-run homer on Friday night and, after a wacky game on Monday, Yan Gomes’ homer to left.

May 23: Mike and Mike visit Progressive Field – The popular ESPN show paid its annual visit to Cleveland and over 200 employees of show sponsor Progressive Insurance took it in.

May 31: It rained. And rained – The first of a three-game set against Tampa Bay was delayed by rain, eventually beginning after 9PM. Then it rained some more. The game resumed after midnight and finished at 2:53AM. The Indians offered fans a ticket exchange for their trouble, to either the July 31 or September 6 games. Each will feature Sugardale Dollar Dogs and fireworks, like the original game did.

JUNE

June 16: Top pick visits, and gets a warm welcome from his new mates — Top draft pick Clint Frazier, an outfielder from Loganville, Ga., signed his contract and visited Cleveland to meet his new teammates and take batting practice. They, uh, had some fun with him when he entered the clubhouse.

June 18: Ubaldo gets a surprise while on the mound – As far as we know, this never has been reported. Intrepid reporter Megan Golden got the scoop from Ubaldo Jimenez himself, and here it is:

“I was getting ready to do my windup, and suddenly, I felt something on my forearm. I was like, ‘What is this?’ I looked at it, and it was more black. I looked at my hat to see if it was dripping from my hat, and I didn’t have anything, especially [because] I don’t sweat a lot. I was like, ‘I just got pooped on.’ [My teammates] saw it; they realized that’s what it was because I went to the back of the mound and cleaned it off with the rosin bag. I was [thinking], hopefully, this is a good sign, not a bad one.

I don’t even know how to describe it; [laughs] I guess you have to be prepared for anything here. Anything can happen. You have to be so unlucky [to] get pooped on by a bird.”

June 20: Celebrities, Tribe alumni visit to raise money for Cleveland Indians Charities – The annual Cleveland Indians Charities Celebrity Golf Classic raised nearly $100,000 for CIC, in its 25th year. One lucky participants’ hole-in-one landed him $10,000.

June 22: Carlos Baerga inducted into Indians Hall of Fame – The lovable former Tribe second baseman gave a rousing speech, much of which was directed at the current Indians players. John Hart also was inducted into the Indians Distinguished Hall of Fame for non-uniformed personnel.

June 23: Kevin Costner visit – It wasn’t Crash Davis, but Costner looked pretty good taking infield and batting practice. Costner, in town for the filming of new movie “Draft Day,” in which he plays a fictional Cleveland Browns general manager, chatted with Swisher and Giambi, among other Indians players, during his visit.

June 28: Doubleheader wildness in Chicago – The Indians swept a doubleheader for the ages in Chicago, the longest DH in MLB history in which each game went nine innings. Down 5-0 in the opener, the Tribe rallied for a 19-10 win. In the nightcap, Swisher hit a game-winning homer in the ninth for the sweep.

Kipnis named Player of the Month — All he did was hit .419. More details here.

July

July 11: Salazar dazzles in debut – Danny Salazar made his Major League debut in a matinee and was quite impressive, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning before eventually earning the win for the Indians.

July 13: Indians rock 1902 Cleveland Bronchos throwbacks – The Tribe honored the 1902 Bronchos with these cool throwbacks, and did it in style, with a 5-3 victory over the Royals.

Misc. feats

Shutout leaders: The Indians have the most shutouts in the American League, with 12. Here’s a look at our schedule for a full list.

Strikeout first half record: The Tribe’s rate of 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings is the best mark in a first half in team history, well ahead of the second-best rate of 7.8 in 2000.

Brohio: Nick Swisher started wearing a “Brohio” shirt around the clubhouse, and it’s caught on. Now there’s a whole section at Progressive Field where all bros can gather on Friday night.

Six series sweeps: The Indians completed six series sweeps, the last of which was the Royals wins heading into the All-Star break. The Tribe notched three four-game sweeps, a pair of 2-gamers and the Royals sweep.

Strikeout first half record: The Tribe’s rate of 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings is the best mark in a first half in team history, well ahead of the second-best rate of 7.8 in 2000.

By the pitchers or the batters?

RHP Corey Kluber -- surprise -- has become solid member of Cleveland Indians rotation

on July 17, 2013 at 11:00 AM, updated July 17, 2013 at 11:01 AM




CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Those who knew that Indians right-hander Corey Kluber would be 7-5 with a 3.88 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 95 innings at the All-Star break are smarter than his manager, Terry Francona.

Francona was asked last weekend if he had seen this coming in spring training. His one-word, two-letter answer spoke volumes: "No.''

Kluber believes in himself and his abilities, but deep down, he probably didn't see this coming, either.

Last season, Kluber spent the first four months with Class AAA Columbus before being promoted Aug. 2. He went 2-5 with a 5.14 ERA in 12 starts for the Tribe. In the offseason, he injured his right knee and needed surgery in late November.

Kluber competed for the fifth spot in the rotation in spring training but lost to Scott Kazmir. Kluber did not exactly distinguish himself at Columbus, going 1-1 with a 6.57 ERA in two starts, before being recalled in early April because the rotation got jumbled by a Carlos Carrasco ejection.

Kluber was supposed to start April 10 against the Yankees. Rain washed it out and he returned to Columbus. Kluber came back to Cleveland on April 17 when outfielder Michael Bourn injured his finger. He made two relief appearances before starting April 28 at Kansas City.

Kluber gave up two runs on seven hits in seven innings of a victory that night. He has been in the rotation since.

If Brett Myers had stayed healthy and been effective, or Carlos Carrasco had progressed as expected, who knows where Kluber would be. Instead, Myers has been on the disabled list since April and no longer is a rotation option, Carrasco is attempting to right himself in Columbus. ... and Kluber will make his 16th start Saturday night against the Twins in Minneapolis.

"Corey pretty much said, 'I've got an opportunity here and I'm going to take advantage of it,'' Indians All-Star right-hander Justin Masterson said. "He's accepted the challenge. It's been fun to watch.''

Kluber, 27, has not been lights-out filthy, but he has been solid. And solid can feel like dominant given the inconsistencies within the Tribe rotation these days. In 12 starts of at least five innings, Kluber has given up three or fewer earned runs 10 times. He has posted eight quality starts (six innings, three or fewer earned).

In his two most recent starts, against Detroit on July 7 and Kansas City on July 12, Kluber has allowed two runs in 14 innings.

"I've got a number of good outings to build off,'' Kluber said. "Some outings didn't go so great, but I've learned from them. It's important that a bad start doesn't become a lost day.''

Kluber's ability to rebound from a rough start or a rough patch has impressed Masterson as much as anything about him.

On May 10 at Detroit, the Tigers rocked Kluber for eight runs in 4 2/3 innings. Kluber's next start was a six-inning, three-run victory at Philadelphia.

On June 5 at New York, the Yankees tagged him for six runs (four earned) in six. Kluber's next start was an eight-inning, one-run victory at Texas.

In a two-start stretch, June 27 at Baltimore and July 2 at Kansas City, Kluber allowed a combined 10 earned runs in 10 innings. His next two have been his most recent two, both quality starts.

"Being able to come back from bad starts is huge,'' Masterson said, "because you know you're going to have them. The question is, can you shake them off and stay confident in your ability to get people out? Corey has answered that question with a yes.''

What Masterson and others find especially encouraging about Kluber is, he has not relied on junk or tricks to get his outs. His fastball will settle in the mid-90s for long stretches and his breaking ball, which has several trajectories, has become a pitch that can get him out of jams. He also throws a changeup and cutter.

Kluber's success hinges on fastball velocity and command. He is throwing the four-seamer harder and with more command in high-leverage situations than at any stage in his Cleveland tenure, particularly last year. Kluber credits Tribe minor-league pitching coordinator Ruben Niebla with helping him retool his delivery to allow him to throw harder.

"I'm getting more and more comfortable with the changes that Ruben and I made,'' he said. "It's not really something I think about anymore. It's muscle memory. That's allowed my mechanics to be more natural and free-flowing.''

Kluber has reduced his dependence on the cutter. He thinks that has made all aspects of his fastball better. He has struck out 10 twice (at Boston, vs. Detroit).

A pitcher can have all the pitches in the world and get rocked if he doesn't have the right temperament. When Kluber struggles, it is not because the game has sped up on him. Kluber pitches ice-cold. Nothing seems to rattle him.

"You can't afford to let things get to you out there,'' Masterson said. "Even when there's a lot going on, you've got to keep a level head. You can't get all excited or you'll start rushing and overthrowing. It's easier said than done, of course. Corey does a great job with that.''

Kluber follows lefty Scott Kazmir, another Tribe surprise, in the rotation coming out of the break. Masterson will work the series finale Sunday.

The Indians are 51-44, 1 1/2 games behind Detroit in the AL Central. Imagine where they would be without Kluber and Kazmir, who have combined for 12 victories, 14 quality starts and 181 innings. Their ability to eat innings has been very important, especially given that they combined for 63 major-league innings last year. Kluber had all 63; Kazmir pitched for Sugar Land in the Atlantic League.

Let's face it, the rotation was the big question earlier on.

If Kluber can continue to be solid, and they get contributions from Salazar, it's REALLY good news.

Exactly.

Will Brett Myers be able to contribute when he returns from the DL?

joez wrote:Will Brett Myers be able to contribute when he returns from the DL?

maybe for the Phillies!

By Bud Shaw, The Plain Dealer

on July 17, 2013 at 6:24 PM, updated July 18, 2013 at 12:08 AM


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As a sports arena, Twitter makes the Black Hole in Oakland look like a playground.

Brett Myers, whose Twitter handle is TheOutlaw39, didn't think Yankees closer Mariano Rivera deserved the All-Star MVP.


How dare Myers have an opinion, especially one praising Rivera with words such as "respect" and class?" We'll have none of that, sir. Restrict your thoughts and insights, please, to things that ruffle no feathers.

Like:

"I'm just trying to stay within myself" ... and "Go Tribe!!!!"

Myers went on to say he thought the award should've gone to the "guys that drove in the runs to get Mariano the chance to be a hero in his last All-Star game." The response to that was, as expected, well-considered and sophisticated. What you expect from Twitter.

Brett Myers @TheOutlaw39
The guys that deserve the MVP are the guys that drove in the runs to get Mariano the chance to be a hero in his last all star game!

Say it Ain't Joe @Sandman42nyy

@TheOutlaw39 @Poisso3 go blow your arm out Brett. You shouldn't pitch again just for saying that. #respectMo

You can always count on Twitter to sharpen the focus of any discussion.

Brett Myers @TheOutlaw39
Appreciate Mariano Rivera for all he has done but, MVP???? No way! Mariano is a class act and respect him but the media rules who wins!

KP @katieeperry

Go home Brett Myers, you're drunk. MT @TheOutlaw39: Appreciate Mariano Rivera for all he has done but, MVP???? No way!

To challenge pre-conceived notions and do it in a way that leaves both parties richer for the discourse.

"Are you even a major league pitcher ... because I've never heard of you."

I suspect people follow athletes on Twitter to connect with them. To hear what they have to say not only about fans' favorite teams but life in general. To get a better glimpse of the person behind the name. Until they read an opinion or watch a performance they don't like.

In person, they might boo. On Twitter, they boo your mother for having you.

This is fairly understandable when Rashard Mendenhall tweets about Osama bin Laden, or -- more recently -- when Victor Cruz and Roddy White got carried away in frustration over the George Zimmerman verdict.

But the MVP of an exhibition game?

Doesn't matter. Twitter is the Wild West. The posse always travels with a rope to facilitate dragging you through town behind a horse.

In Myers' defense -- and some actually came to it on Twitter -- no one is quite sure what the All-Star Game is supposed to be these days. And the MVP going to Rivera was obviously a lifetime achievement award.

Players are asked to take the game seriously. So, too, managers. It is not the high-stakes game of Bud Selig's imagination. The commissioner ridiculously attaches home field advantage in the World Series to the outcome while preserving the format that requires every team be represented, Little League style.

It's silly to give so much legitimacy to the outcome when the starters are mostly gone. Also long gone is the intrigue that once accompanied the AL vs. NL before interleague play. It's an exhibition. It's a celebration of baseball. It is not to be taken seriously.

Selig should go in the opposite direction, and let a fan/viewer poll decide the MVP. That might not have changed Myers' opinion or spared him grief. Nobody is spared when Twitter muscles flex.

Myers objecting to a MVP award...what a joke.

Myers is hands down the Least Valuable Player for the Tribe. The guy stole $7M .... reporting to ST with a dead arm and making it worse along the way.

He is still allowed to have an opinion, though. And I agree with him. They should have given him a "Lifetime Achievement" award, b/c he wasn't the MVP of that game.

Nonetheless, the fundamental problem IS Bud Selig.

. . . . or is it the people who employ him?

About the Tribe ...



1. They are not likely to trade their key top prospects -- Francisco Lindor, Danny Salazar, Clint Frazier and some others. If there is a megadeal where they can obtain a high-caliber starter who is a few years away from free agency, then they may trade one of those guys -- but that would be a shocker.

2. The Tribe is loaded with promising middle-infield prospects. Lindor, 19, is at the top of the list and has already moved up to Class AA. He joins Ronny Rodriguez and Jose Ramirez at Akron, and both of those players are highly-regarded. All three are shortstops, although Ramirez is very good at second base.

3. Ramirez is the biggest surprise in the farm system. He's only 21, and looks like he's still in high school at 5-9, 165 pounds. He batted .354 at Class A Lake County in 2012. He skipped over Advanced Class A Carolina, going directly to Akron. His overall stats are solid -- .278 (.705 OPS) with three homers and 31 RBI. He also has 33 steals. But in his past 10 games, he's batting .468 (22-of-47).

4. Until Lindor's arrival, Akron's starting shortstop was Rodriguez. He's hitting .290 (.728 OPS) with four homers and 44 RBI. Keep in mind that the Class AA Eastern League and Akron's Canal Park are both tough places to hit. Players often have better stats once they move up to Class AAA Columbus, a hitter-friendly park and a league with fewer long bus trips.

5. Rodriguez is only 22. He had 19 homers at Class A Carolina last season. With Lindor, Ramirez and Rodriguez in Akron, the Tribe has three legitimate middle-infield major-league prospects. If the Indians did have the right deal for a pitcher, they might be willing to part with Rodriguez or Ramirez.

6. There is even more depth below. At Carolina, Joe Wendle is hitting .313 (.958 OPS) with 12 homers. He's 24, a left-handed hitter who plays second. The Tribe knows he has earned a promotion to Akron, but they are already loaded with middle infielders there.

7. At Class A Lake County is Dorssys Paulino, an 18-year-old shortstop hitting .233 with three homers and 30 RBI. The Tribe signed the Dominican product for $1.1 million at age 16. Scouts like his long-term future, but you have to wonder if it will be at shortstop -- he has 30 errors in 74 games. So far, his reputation has been much better than his performance.

8. Prospects can flame out or level off. A few years ago, Cord Phelps was considered a top prospect. He's now 26, batting .267 with nine homers at Class AAA. He showed little in a few trials with the Tribe. It wouldn't be a surprise if Ramirez is promoted to Class AAA in a few weeks, taking over at second with Phelps becoming a backup infielder.

9. Top pick Frazier is at the bottom of the farm system in Arizona, and the outfielder is hitting .339 (.993 OPS) with two homers and four triples in 62 at-bats. He has nine extra-base hits, and is showing real promise. Last season's top pick -- Tyler Naquin -- is hitting .286 (.781 OPS) with six homers at Carolina. He's 22, and sort of a Drew Stubbs-type outfielder, although the Indians believe he has a chance to be a much better hitter.

10. I will be speaking at the Tuscarawas Library on Wednesday at 7 p.m. It's free and open to the public. I will be signing books after the talk, so feel free to bring some along.