A Good Spring

by APV on Mar 28, 2011 2:30 PM EDT

As news of the Indians final roster moves trickles in, there will likely be considerable discussion about backup catchers, fourth and fifth outfielders, bottom of the bullpen guys, and utility infielders. It is worth pointing out that these guys are highly unlikely to dramatically shape the Indians 2011 season.

The biggest questions coming into camp, for 2011 and beyond, go something like this:

How do Sizemore, Santana and Asdrubal come back from injury?
Do our starting pitchers stay healthy?
Does Choo stay healthy?

The answers to all of these in camp have been almost entirely positive. As I mentioned a few months back, a return to health from Sizemore and Asdrubal would, by itself, go a long way towards making us a .500 ball club. A full season of Santana would significantly increase that. And as much as we might question the ceiling of our starting pitchers, if we can get average to above-average pitching out of at least four of them for 170+ innings, that is a tremendously valuable thing. And Choo is the only healthy star we had coming back, so maintaining his health is critical.

Asdrubal has been driving the ball and looking better on defense according to reports. Sizemore is back in the field and has not reported any setbacks, although obviously what level of play he will return to remains in doubt. But his status throughout camp has been a source of positive news. Our pitchers may or may not be any good, but they all appear to be healthy, from Carmona at the front of the pack to Huff and Gomez six and seven deep. And while that elbow tenderness in Choo early in camp was frightening, all of the reports since then have been positive.

Adam Everett being excited about making the team is great, and hopefully he'll be a positive defensive influence, but significant contributions tend to come from a minority of the 25-man roster. It would be great if the young guys like Brantley, LaPorta and Carrasco could step into those roles, but heading into camp, the incumbents in those roles have had a good and healthy camp. And in that sense, it has been a good Spring for Cleveland.

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Hoynes’ cleveland.com recap is up. Consider this an open thread for roster decisions league wide.

by APV on Mar 28, 2011 2:43 PM EDT reply actions

Via twitter, Antonetti said:

Scouts did an exceptional job bringing in quality additions to help our team.

There seems to be pretty broad praise for the Indians past two draft efforts as well. What if the Indians scouting department actually has improved?

by APV on Mar 28, 2011 2:52 PM EDT reply actions

If it has improved the way we would hope then a lot of CleveCom posters will need to find new hobbies.

"Ok everyone listen up! I've just invited Dave to suck it!"

by GoTribe028 on Mar 28, 2011 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions

But what could they possibly do with themselves?

In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).

by V-Mart Shopper on Mar 28, 2011 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions

We are miles away from any sort of conclusion on that.

by tabler84 on Mar 28, 2011 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m just happy it might be a question

by APV on Mar 28, 2011 7:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Except that it almost had to improve, i.e., nowhere to go but up.

Has it improved enough to make a real difference? That’s the open question.

by Jay on Mar 29, 2011 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Having the starters get through the spring healthy is good, but having the starters get through the first half of the season without getting overwhelmed will be even better.

Don’t you think the choice of Marson as back-up says that Santana will see some time off in addition to playing some at first? I’m assuming that if they thought otherwise they would have wanted Marson to be the regular in Columbus.

by MTF on Mar 28, 2011 3:42 PM EDT reply actions

Don’t you think the choice of Marson as back-up says that Santana will see some time off in addition to playing some at first?

I think the choice was necessitated by other roster decisions. I think concerns about Marson’s development were secondary, and I don’t think his presence will change how the front office and coaching staff use Santana.

Santana >>> Marson

by APV on Mar 28, 2011 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions

I won’t be surprised to see Marson play twice a week. Santana could get maybe two games off each month, plus 4-5 games at first base and 2-3 at DH. That would make about nine starts for Marson each month, plus mid-game replacements.

by Jay on Mar 29, 2011 12:54 AM EDT up reply actions

And here’s Bastian’s piece at Indians.com.

by APV on Mar 28, 2011 4:35 PM EDT reply actions

Altho Marson’s probably >>> happier than Carlos right now. He knows he didn’t exactly fight his way onto the roster this spring.

by mcrose on Mar 28, 2011 4:36 PM EDT reply actions

Pure Rage has a new form of intimidation added to his repertoire. This is great!

In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).

by V-Mart Shopper on Mar 28, 2011 9:41 PM EDT reply actions

What do you think we should expect out of Astro this season? He was so good at 23 in 2009, and then last year he wasn’t very good even when he wasn’t getting Jhonnied. Can he get his OBP back up to .350? Is it reasonable to expect that?

by Chemo on Mar 28, 2011 10:02 PM EDT reply actions

Expect? I don’t know…most forecasts seem to have him closer to .340. But it certainly wouldn’t qualify as “surprising” if he put up a .350+ OBP. I think the bigger question is what kind of pop his bat has. He has gotten bigger since 2009 it seems, but he has actually never shown any inkling of above average power (independent of position). It would be a bigger accomplishment if he could bump his SLG% to .450.

by APV on Mar 28, 2011 10:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Health is always the first question, right? If you could assume good health — LL style! — then your projections would look somewhat different.

by Jay on Mar 29, 2011 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions

You see that Franklin might end up on the 60 day now?

by afh4 on Mar 29, 2011 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Retroactive to July 2010!

"I want to be playing at the end of October or the end of September -- not just at the beginning of April." —Grady

by westbrook on Mar 29, 2011 2:48 PM EDT up reply actions

I think Cabrera looks great, and he’s even running better. I thought he’d gotten quite slower from when he was first called up. I think he’s in better shape this spring.

Other things that I think might happen based on the spring…

- Sipp has had a real nice spring, and I think he’s the second option at closer if Perez needs a day off.
- I think Durbin will pitch himself out of meaningful relief situations, and it will be Pestano and Sipp who will be the main setup options for Perez by the time summer rolls around.
- Lots of ifs, but if Buck continues to do well and if Sizemore comes back by May, I won’t be surprised to see Brantley in Columbus in short order.
- And as voiced elsewhere, I think Carrasco will establish himself as a legit starting pitcher, but it will be down the road when he does that. He will test our patience for a year or two.

by TribeJay on Mar 28, 2011 10:20 PM EDT reply actions

He will test our patience for a year or two.

Assuming he stays healthy, I’m putting the over/under on 30 HRs allowed

by APV on Mar 28, 2011 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions

By July?

"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge..." C. Darwin

by Spidey on Mar 29, 2011 3:34 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I take that under in a heartbeat.

If you had the option of choosing to lower only one of either Carrasco’s BB rate or his HR rate, which would you choose?

Would anyone be disappointed if Carrasco turned into our version of Ricky Nolasco or James Shields?

by TKilbane on Mar 29, 2011 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions

The wager needs a condition … you can’t win the “under” if he gets demoted.

by Jay on Mar 29, 2011 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions

that’s part of what makes it a sure bet. You need a ton of previous success to be able to pitch enough innings to get to 30 HR allowed and stay in the rotation.

Even still, its one of those extreme bets that I would take if it was minimum 150 MLB IP or something.

by TKilbane on Mar 29, 2011 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Now that I’m looking at Carrasco’s IP history, a nice side effect of his slow progression though the minors is a rookie with basically no innings limit.

by TKilbane on Mar 29, 2011 6:52 PM EDT up reply actions