2009 Cleveland Indians Preview

In an effort to get every preview done by the season opener, you may notice that some of the team previews will be of the shorter variety. With some of the “extra information” not included, this should make for an easier read. Enjoy!

Key Additions: Kerry Wood, Mark DeRosa, Carl Pavano, Joe Smith

Key Subtractions: Andy Marte, Franklin Gutierrez

A look at the lineup:

CA – Victor Martinez was one of the best offensive catchers in the game before injuries allowed former top catching prospect Kelly Shoppach to shine in his place. Martinez is likely to be first on the depth chart here, but Shoppach will see plenty of at-bats while his counterpart is the designated hitter, playing first base, or getting a day off. Both players will be relied on for power in the middle of the order.

1B – Ryan Garko is likely to get a majority of the at-bats at first base, but Victor Martinez will get some work in his place when Shoppach is behind the plate. Matt LaPorta could potentially get some work here, as well, as the team will be trying to find him at-bats.

2B – Asdrubal Cabrera will be the everyday second baseman and will bat ninth. Jamey Carroll and Josh Barfield will get some work as the backups.

SS – Jhonny Peralta, a threat to belt 20 homers, will be the shortstop and will bat in the mid-to-late portion of the lineup. Cabrera could move over to shortstop when Peralta gets time off.

3B – Mark DeRosa, the definition of versatile, was brought in to be the everyday thirdbaseman. Despite spending most of his career as a utilityman, DeRosa appears to have a permanent home with the Tribe and is expected to hit second. Carroll will also be the primary backup at the hot corner.

LF – Ben Francisco will be called upon to man left field. David Dellucci will be his primary backup and LaPorta could see some work here as well. Garko has recently been getting some work in left and could see some action if the experiment works out.

CF – Centerfield will be manned by one of the game’s best players in Grady Sizemore, who is also expected to lead off. He will play just about every inning in center for the team with Trevor Crowe listed as the primary backup.

RF – Shin-Soo Choo will look to carry his strong finish in 2008 over to this season. Acquired from the Mariners in 2006, Choo finally gets the chance to play everyday. Dellucci and Crowe are the backups.

DH – Travis Hafner will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing, injury-plagued 2008 season and, if healthy, will be relied on to provide pop out of the middle of the order. Dellucci and Martinez could also see some action as the designated hitter.

A look at the pitching:

Starters – Cliff Lee, the 2008 AL Cy Young winner, will lead a suspect rotation that is expected to also include Fausto Carmona, Jeremy Sowers, Anthony Reyes, and Aaron Laffey. Carl Pavano, David Huff, and Scott Lewis are also candidates for a spot in the rotation. Jake Westbrook had Tommy John Surgery last June and is out until at least July.

UPDATE (3/25/09): The rotation will be as follows: 1. Lee 2. Carmona 3. Pavano 4. Lewis 5. Reyes

Relievers – Kerry Wood was signed to take over as the team’s closer. Jensen Lewis, Rafael Perez, Rafael Betancourt, and Masahide Kobayashi each took a turn as the closer last season and all four will return to what should be a deep bullpen in 2009. Joe Smith, Matt Herges, Juan Salas, and Jonathan Meloan are other candidates for a role on the pitching staff.

Outlook:

After a disappointing 2008 campaign that ended with a .500 record, the Indians are expected to compete for the AL Central division title this season. The lineup has the potential to be very dangerous, but the starting rotation could be a total disaster. Of the 5 projected starters, PECOTA projects only Lee to sport an ERA under 4.74…and his isn’t very impressive at 4.20. The bullpen could be one of the league’s best and will likely see a ton of work if the rotation struggles.

Prediction:

The Indians will be a contender for the division title for a while, but their pitching staff is going to haunt them as the season wears on. Expect a record in the range of 82-79, which won’t be enough for a playoff berth.