CLEVELAND INDIANS
2014: 85-77
2015 OVER/UNDER WIN TOTAL: 84.5
MANAGER: TERRY FRANCONA
PITCHING
Reigning AL Cy Young award winner Corey Kluber leads the rotation for a team with a lot of hope...maybe more than actual potential in 2015. Kluber will be the opening day starter on April 6 in Houston. While I expect another strong season for the right-hander, I also believe there may be a slight drop-off. Kluber finally developed the needed fastball when he developed a strong 4-seamer in 2014. It took Carlos Carrasco a season to get on track following Tommy John Surgery in 2012. But the righty came on strong after all-star break in 2014 and we saw what I believe was a glimpse into the future. That future is now...the 2015 season and I expect dominant stuff from Carrasco. This is where things get a little tricky. Trevor Bauer is slated to open the season as the third man in the rotation and thus far, Bauer has not lived up to expectations, posting a hefty ERA and WHIP a season ago, to go along with a 4.01 FIP. So far this spring, the right-hander has showed better consistency than in previous seasons, but it's only spring ball. Yet another righty, Danny Salazar must show effective command of his fastball both up and down in the zone and not just up. He was effective down the stretch last season and he is only 25-years old. We expect growth and success in 2015. Salazar and T.J. House will likely own the final spots in the rotation. Gavin Floyd may be out for the entire season and Shaun Marcum was informed on March 23 that he will not receive a roster spot.
BULLPEN
Cody Allen is the only endgame option for the Indians in 2015. Allen owns a decent strikeout percentage and has all but perfected a two pitch approach, which includes a 95 mph fastball and a hard to hit curve. We expect more success for Allen in 2015 after taking over the closer role early last June. Zach McCallister will start the season in long relief with three middle relievers. Bryan Shaw is expected to be the main set-up man, but he's really been whacked around in spring ball, allowing 12 runs on 12 hits thus far. Cody Allen is one of the top 12 relievers in the league and the Tribe will go a long way if they can get Allen in the game with a lead in the 9th. The pen is decent...not great, but certainly not bad.
LINEUP
Michael Bourn will take the role of lead-off, but needs to do something he has not done for awhile...stay healthy. His speed isn't where it used to be, but if healthy, he could be in for a nice bounce back season. Asdrubal Cabrera left for Washington D.C., last season and the Indians were a little out-manned at SS. Jose Ramirez is back and will need to cover more ground in 2015. He'll be part of an infield that needs a bounce back season after finishing the 2014 with the most errors in MLB. Eventually, we will see top prospect Francisco Lindor getting his shot at SS, but he'll start in Triple-A in April. Michael Brantley will start in LF after a breakout season in 2014. Brantley, as reported by ESPN, was one of six players in MLB to drive in at least 90 runs and score 90-plus runs. Carlos Santana will make his noise as DH & 1B. Santana was terrible for the first couple months of the 2014 season, but did come on over the final third of the season. He's still only 28-years of age and at DH, should see his home runs rise over the next couple of seasons. Nick Swisher will be in RF, while Brandon Moss will take DH or 1B, whichever position is not filled by Santana. The Indians would love to start Jason Kipnis at 2B, but he's been a walking M-A-S-H unit, including this spring, and his health, or lack thereof, could limit his playing time early in the season. Yan Gomes gives the Indians an excellent backstop, who also hit 21 homers in 2014. Lonnie Chisenhall has wrapped up the battle for 3B in spring ball with a strong bat and decent play at the hot corner.
OUTLOOK
The Indians will be strong in the top-3 in the rotation and the pen looks good, especially at the backend with Allen. I expect this team to find plenty of success and enter the late innings with leads more often than not. Fielding depends a lot on the play of Ramirez, with hopefully better range at SS. While I do believe there will be fewer miscues, it's still tough to say this team is ready to improve by leaps and bounds in the field. I do expect the offense to strive. The Indians won 92 games in 2013, but dropped to 85 wins in 2014. The Over/Under win total looks a couple of games too low, but it's tough to get overly excited for the following reason: If Kluber, Carrasco, or Allen would miss any length of time, the Tribe won't reach 85 wins, let alone 90. But that's a “what if” scenario. Assuming they stay healthy, I expect the Indians to finish with 88-90 wins in 2015.
UP NEXT: COLORADO ROCKIES