More Questions Than Answers for Cleveland’s Tribe

The 2008 major league baseball season is mercifully wrapping up for the Cleveland Indians. After coming up one game short of the World Series in 07, expectations were high, not only among the eternally disappointed fans, but also general manager Mark Shapiro. The combination of key injuries, a combustible bullpen, an off-season in activity, created the perfect storm of unfulfilled potential. As the off season rapidly approaches, many question marks remain for the 09 campaign.

To start, who will roam the space surrounding all-star center fielder Grady Sizemore? This season started with a platoon situation with Jason Michaels and David Dellucci in left, and the young Franklin Gutierrez in right. Neither of these options worked well. Although Gutierrez at times showed promise in the field, dazzling with his glove and arm, his plate presence often left a lot to be desired. With a .244 batting average, and only 8 home runs, he might be able to stick around as the forth outfielder, he can play all three positions, but his career as a starter may be suspect. The Dellucci/Michaels platoon was doomed from the start. Michaels was dealt to the Pirates early on, and Dellucci has never hit well enough to justify the large free agent deal that Shapiro gave him two seasons ago. The boo-birds started early for Dellucci, and continued through out the season. The left hander is hitting a week .242 and he continues to hear it nightly from the fans. The problem for Shapiro is that he has one more year on that pre-mentioned ridiculous contract, and with-out any takers in the trade market, the Indians will have to eat a little crow, and his contract, or bring him back for one more year. The silver lining is that there has been some decent play in the outfield from youngsters Shin-Soo Choo and Ben Francisco. The verdict might still be out, but in 85 games Choo has hit .300, with 10 HR, and 49 RBI. Francisco in 111 games has hit .270 with 14 HR, and 52 RBI. Not to shabby for two guys that started in AAA, (Francisco), and extended spring training, (Choo).

Will injured all-stars, Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner rebound from a lost season? The safe money here is bet on Martinez but against Hafner. Both were considered cornerstones of the future, but the reality is that they might never be as good as before. Martinez who is back after recovering from elbow surgery could always hit, just not with much power. The switch hitting catcher should work back into the middle of the line up and stay there for a long time. His versatility allows him to play every couple of days at first, saving him from the wear and tear of catching everyday. The emergence of Kelly Shoppach in relief of the injured Martinez places the Indians in an envious position. They now have two catchers that could start on most teams. The return of Travis Hafner to masher status is little more in doubt. It has now been two full seasons since Hafner struck much fear into any opposing pitchers. His lingering shoulder condition is being described as chronic by most insiders, and that is never a good thing. His biggest hit this year came in the AA Akron Aeros playoff series, and the fans are starting to turn on there hero due to sagging productivity in the face of a huge new contract. The surprising power numbers of Shoppach, 20HR, and 54 RBI in 323 AB give the Indians a little insurance if Hafner can’t return to form.

Who will play third base everyday? With Casey Blake now at third for the LA Dodgers the biggest question mark facing the tribe is who will take over at third. Perpetual prospect Andy Marte was given the job after the mid-season deal that sent Blake westward. He responded by hitting .212, with 3 HR and 15 RBI. To compound matters he struck out 51 times in only 222 at bats. Most people in Cleveland feel that the Marte experiment is defiantly over. The only reason he made the roster out of spring training this year was because he was out of minor league options. The Indians brass would be hard pressed to carry this dead weight for another season, just to save face. With AA prospect Wes Hodges at least a year away from helping the parent club, the most interesting move might be to switch short stop Jhonny Peralta to third. Peralta has established himself as a legitimate major league hitter; the knock has always been his range up the middle. At third, Peralta would have far less ground to cover, and his arm should be able to make the move. Besides, the Indians know that Asdrubal Cabrera is ready to play short everyday at the major league level, giving them a significant upgrade defensively up the middle.

That doesn’t even begin to discuss the pitching problems facing this team. We will save that discussion for another time. The Indians truly are not that far away, but it will be up to Shapiro to aggressively fill the holes in the every day line-up. After all, it’s only been sixty years since the tribe won it all.