The Cleveland Indians have been scuffling winners over the first six weeks of the season. While their 18-14 record puts them atop the American League Central by a game over the Minnesota Twins, the team has yet to click for more than a game or two at a time. No, it's not a time to worry, but while we're waiting for this team to get healthy and put it all together, there are some interesting struggles emerging.
Sure, it's WAY too early to be talking about first place, and worries, with a roster as talented as this one, but it's still something to put in your back pocket, as the summer season grows closer.
Today, WFNY's Jim Pete and Mike Hattery dive into a few of these conversations, discussing the fantastic bullpen, the suddenly thin-ish rotation, and of course, how the Indians are handling Yandy Diaz, and what and how they're presenting his talent to the public.
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Here's the line-up:
- The bullpen is elite, the rotation is really good. All things considered, how good are they?
- Can the bullpen and rotation carry the team if the offense struggles for long stretches because the American League just sucks...and Mike isn't chatty.
- The Nick Goody experiment
- Goody as a high leverage reliever at some point?
- Yeah, we have to talk about Yandy Diaz. They sent him down to work on multiple positions and get every day at bats, and they brought him up to be a utility...super. We recorded this podcast on Sunday...so we have predictive powers.
- Mike is offended...OFFENDED...about the 25th man usage.
- The Michael Martinez defense
- How to use Yandy, and get him at bats
- Protecting Kipnis and Brantley
- Left-handed pitching, and why it's killing us right now, and why it won't always be that way
- There are natural factors which cause us to struggle against lefties when Encarnacion and Guyer are struggling
- Yandy Diaz ISN'T A CONTROL ISSUE...
- Cody Allen and Andrew Miller
- Has Andrew Miller become the "Corey Kluber" of the bullpen, lifting the rest of the pen?
- Fun bullpen usage
- Rotation depth worries?
- Salazar's a risk, can't punt Bauer, Tomlin is always a concern, and Triple A pitchers are struggling
- Clevinger is a five-and-fly dude
- A way too early talk about trading for a starter...because Cooney and Frias
- There likely is enough talent in the rotation and beyond, to compensate
- Cost of a starter, could be a worry, unless the market is flooding
- Minor League talk:
- Worried about the Indians overall depth?
- Loving Thomas Pannone
- There's some really good talent, but there's a gap between the now guys, and the then guys
- players taking a step back
- Logan Ice...a catcher to keep any eye on?
- Richie Shaffer...will he ever play in the big leagues?
- Will Naquin never make it back to the Indians
- Somehow, we talk about Chisenhall again
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