The Cleveland Indians, who ended the 2009 season by losing 27 of their final 35 games, basically will be the Cleveland Indians who open the 2010 season.
(Hey, why did everybody stop reading this story?)
Not entirely, mind you. Grady Sizemore will be back roaming center field. As Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro said this week, “It was painful to watch the team play without him.”
The Andy Marte experiment hopefully will be closed once and for all. The Indians won’t have a six-man rotation. Jake Westbrook hopes to be back pitching every fifth day. Joe Smith, who came on as the season progressed, should make a healthy return to the bullpen. The Niuman Romero era likely is over.
Also, Eric Wedge won’t be filling out the lineup card.
But in terms of big additions via free agency, don’t bet on it. What you saw limping to the post in Boston is what you will get for the most part on Opening Day at US Cellular Field next April.
A young and shaky starting pitching staff.
A bullpen with some promise but an equal amount of uncertainty.
A young group of position players who likely have a lot of growing to do.
Maybe Travis Hafner will play with more regularity, and maybe Jhonny Peralta will play more like his 2008 version (.276 average, 23 home runs) than 2009 (.254, 11). Maybe Carlos Santana or Hector Rondon will show up at Progressive Field at some point.
But — channeling my inner Rick Pitino — players such as CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez aren’t walking through those clubhouse doors. Nor will any significant additions to a team that lost 97 games and finished tied for last in the AL Central.
The Indians made it clear what their financial state is like when they determined that Lee and Martinez were too pricey at a combined $16 million next season.
Asked if the Indians aren’t in a position to look for the kind of player that could be at least a No. 3 starting pitcher or a six-hole hitter, Shapiro said, “I can’t answer that question ‘No,’ because do you put all (your available money) into one guy? Probably not a wise thing for us to do.
“I’m going to say I have no preconception about that going in (to the offseason). I’m certainly realistic enough to know we’re not going to be competing for John Lackey. But beyond that, I don’t know.”
The Indians likely will wait to see how the hot stove season plays out and hope they can mine a diamond — or at least a cubic zirconia — from what’s left.
“We’re probably going to get into the process a little bit, look where our needs are on the team and look to find the biggest impact for the dollars we got allowed, and that’s probably going to take a while to happen,” Shapiro said.
Other than the new manager, which will be announced after the World Series, a quiet winter awaits.
THE FUTURE
Shapiro was asked this week if he has a timeline on when he’d like to see Santana, the Eastern League Player of the Year, in the big leagues.
“I’m counting on Carlos to give us that timeline,” Shapiro said of the 23-year-old catching prospect. “There are certain things we want to see from him, mostly defensively and game-calling and receiving and blocking. I think that his offensive prowess is pretty well established.”
Catcher isn’t Santana’s natural position. He was converted there in 2007. Also, Santana’s English is rough. Obviously, communication is pretty important for a catcher with his pitching staff.
“It’s a little bit of a factor,” Shapiro said of the language barrier. “But this guy has worked extremely hard to make it less of a factor. I think if he continues to work at the pace he’s working, over time it’s not going to be a factor.”
At the plate, the switch-hitting Santana has a lot of polish. He batted .290 with 23 home runs, 97 RBIs and 90 walks in 130 games as he led the Aeros to the EL championship. The walks are a club record, while the RBIs tie a club record. He led the league in walks, slugging percentage (.530) and OPS (.943), finishing second in home runs, RBIs and on-base percentage (.413).
Santana also was the 2008 California League MVP despite not playing in it for the final five weeks of the season after being traded to Cleveland as part of the Casey Blake deal with the Dodgers.
RAFI’S ROUGH 2009
The Indians still have no idea what happened to LHP Rafael Perez this season. The Dominican reliever stumbled to a 7.31 ERA in 2009, and his early season problems helped torpedo the year just as it was getting started.
“We were exhaustive in looking at (everything), not only from a mechanical standpoint, but were there particular patterns?” Indians Assistant GM Chris Antonetti said. “We looked at pitch-tipping. Really, we were exhaustive in looking at all potential reasons for it. At some point, it may come down to starting fresh again next year. He’ll likely pitch a little this winter just to get more work and get that feel back. Hopefully, when he goes to spring training, he’ll be back to the guy he’s been for the majority of his career, including for a long time in the minor leagues.”
NOT YET
Shapiro had this to say about the prospects of OF Michael Brantley and OF-1B Matt LaPorta playing every day next year: “I think both guys showed some positive things (this season). Both guys present to be alternatives on the big-league club next year. Until we go through the offseason and examine what the alternatives are and what we’re choosing between, I’m not going to commit spots to those guys.”
Why not?
“Because it’s October,” Shapiro said.
LaPorta, 24, totaled seven HRs, 13 doubles and 21 RBIs in 181 at-bats, to go with a .254 batting average. Brantley, 22, batted .313 over 112 at-bats while going 4-for-8 in stolen base attempts. Both players, who came to the Indians in the CC Sabathia trade, looked good in the field as well.
Yes, I loved the Grover!
