ESPN really, really likes the Cavs-Blazers deal
July 27, 2015Where are all the baseball stars? While We’re Waiting
July 28, 2015And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a perfect illustration of why there is a Cleveland sports blog called Waiting for Next Year, for that is precisely what Indians fans find themselves doing here in late July.
The Cleveland Indians, considered by the crystal-ball gazers at Sports Illustrated to be the favorites to get to the World Series this season, just landed with a thud in the basement of the American League Central.
Those who predicted big things from the Tribe this season surely did so on the assumption that their flag-bearers would be a young and talented starting rotation with a solid bullpen protecting their backs and, presumably, their leads. They knew the Tribe offense wouldn’t be confused with the one that blew the doors off Jacobs Field twenty years ago, but surely there would be enough firepower to win with their great pitching.
However, just in case there were any remaining doubts about the Indians’ level of competitiveness in 2015, it would seem the Chicago White Sox have removed them. The ChiSox, with the most ineffective, unproductive offense in the AL, just swept the Tribe in a four-game series at Progressive Field by scores of 8-1, 6-0, 10-3, and 2-1, and made the emphatic statement that, with or without playoff aspirations, their season is certainly not over.
The Indians, on the other hand, offered up their most compelling case of the year that this is not their season, that they’re not prime-time ready, that they’re still rebuilding, that they are a work in progress. (Hopefully these are ultimately steps of progress, or some smart aleck will start calling the Indians’ home park Regressive Field.) But when your home team loses a four-game series to the last-place team in your division — in your own ballpark — by an average score of 6.5 to 1.25, you begin to see the symbolic appropriateness of the off-season remodeling of Progressive Field which provides an in-the-park saloon at which fans can sit and watch these kinds of games.
Following the completion of a four-game sweep on Sunday, the Indians held a closed-door meeting to acknowledge their uninspired play and to urge each other on. Part of their glimmer of hope is that they are “only” 6.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins, the team currently holding on to the second Wild Card slot.
Well, okay, if that helps. You’re only 6.5 games behind the Twins. There may be seven other teams between you and the Twins, but, hey, didn’t that NASA spacecraft just reach Pluto? Launched in 2006, it just arrived in Pluto’s neighborhood earlier this month. What’s a mere 10 years compared to the 67 since the Indians last won a World Series?
Scheduled starting pitchers:
RHP Cody Anderson (2-1, 1.91, 33 IP) vs. RHP Edinson Volquez (9-5, 3.15, 120 IP)
RHP Trevor Bauer (8-7, 4.29, 115.1 IP) vs. RHP Chris Young (8-6, 3.32, 95 IP)
RHP Corey Kluber (5-11, 3.59, 148 IP) vs. Jeremy Guthrie (7-6, 5.35, 107.2 IP)
The Kansas City Royals are, today, American League royalty. They have the best record in the AL at 59-38, second only to the St. Louis Cardinals in the Major Leagues. The Royals know how to win at home (34-18) and on the road (25-20). In the Central Division (and given their season-long consistency), their 7.5 game lead over the Twins must feel substantial since the Tigers, White Sox, and Indians can’t even stay above the .500 mark.
Offensively, the Royals are a well balanced team. They may not have scored the most runs in the American League (they’re ninth with 420) but their run differential of +70 is second best. They may not hit a lot of home runs (they’re 13th in the AL with only 77) but their team batting average of .273 is second best in the AL. Their OBP is third, their slugging percentage is sixth, and their OPS is fourth.
The Royals’ batting average with runners in scoring position (.276) is tied for third, and with two outs and runners in scoring position, their team batting average (.283), OBP, slugging percentage, and OPS are all tops in the AL. Clearly, this is a team that has learned what it takes to hit in the clutch.
To bolster their already solid pitching staff, Royals general manager Dayton Moore on Sunday traded for Johnny Cueto, formerly of the Cincinnati Reds. Cueto will be a free agent after the 2015 season, but the Royals are confident a guy like Cueto can play a role similar to that played by Madison Bumgarner in last year’s post season. Cueto joined the Royals in Cleveland on Sunday night but won’t face the Tribe in this series. Cueto may have been somewhat nervous about speculation surrounding his being traded when he faced the Indians on July 19, but he is now the ace of a staff on a team that is heavily favored to play in its second consecutive World Series.
The Royals have the best team ERA in the AL. They’ve given up the fewest runs — and earned runs — in the AL. Much of the credit for these overall stats goes to their bullpen, which is, by far, the best in the AL. Kansas City’s relievers have a sizable AL lead in ERA at 2.12, while the ERA for their starters is only 10th best in the AL at 4.26. Cueto, however, is bound to improve that line.
There are few GMs in baseball riding as high as Dayton Moore is at this point. Moore became the Royals GM on June 8, 2006 and has assembled an impressive team and an impressive winning environment in Kansas City. The spacecraft New Horizons was launched toward Pluto on January 19, 2006. The probe may have reached its destination prior to the Royals winning a World Series under the leadership of Dayton Moore, but, after all, it did have a six-month head start.
8 Comments
Indians actually needed Cueto to pitch maybe he’d have helped them score again!
How great must have that trade have been for Cueto. Not only does he get to go to a team that is one of the favorites for the WS, but he also gets to pitch for that defense now too.
Steep price for a rental in Cueto but if you are a Royals fan you have to be excited. They needed a starter and not only got one but got an ace. Must be nice.
KC earned their time by sitting through 20 years of horrible teams. Despite being a division rival, I have no ill-will towards their fanbase.
20 years will be nothing after Shapiro and Antonetti are done with Indians fans.
You (rightfully) complain about only 2 playoff appearances (and then there were other years of almosts – 2005, 2014 for example).
KC had 20 years that rivalled the 35 years of non-contention the Indians had from ’58-’93. Not just not making the playoffs, but not even getting close.
http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/jck.gif
Been about “next year” since the end of May, tbh