Sunday May 27th, 2012

Ryan Ritchey (Baseball Writer): The Cleveland Indians are off to a hot start for the second straight season. Last year it didn’t last… and the team ended up falling apart. What is going to happen this season? Will the pitching stay strong until the end of the season or fall off the map when it most counts? Asdrubal Cabrera has come down with a pulled hamstring in the past week and will be out. This could really end up affecting the team, or he could come back soon and be fine. The thing about a hamstring is that it can be a nagging injury, if it doesn’t fully heal properly. If I’m Manny Acta, I sit Cabrera until he is fully healthy.

To answer some of the above questions, I believe the starting pitching will last past the All-Star Break and the Cleveland Indians will have a shot at the AL Central crown. With Ubaldo Jimenez, Justin Masterson, and veteran Derek Lowe the Indians pitching staff is one of the best in its division.  Or at least it should be on paper. Derek Lowe with a 3.25 ERA and 6wins has been a horse for the Indians. The biggest surprise thus far for this team is Chris Perez, who has 16 saves in 17 chances. With a sweep of the Tigers this past week, the Indians made a statement in the American League Central. They are ready to show that least year was no fluke and that Cleveland is ready to return to the promised land. The MLB playoffs. With another Wild Card added this year, the Indians have to like their chances at postseason glory.

Many things have to happen for a team to win as many games as the Indians are winning right now. You need great pitching, timely hitting and a little bit of luck. Whatever the Indians are doing…let’s face it, it’s working! The Indians aren’t a team that relies on one person or one part of its game to win. This team is well rounded and can do many things well. The team is 6th in on base percentage but 18th in batting average in the majors for example, which tells me this team likes to take walks and win with a small-ball type of game. So far, so good. 

The Indian’s pitching mirrors its offense. Placing in the top-10 in quality starts shows that the Indians are getting good pitching performances, but still having to rely on strong run support to win games.  This is not a team that will win many 2-0 games. The bullpen is pitching very well though and if that continues, you can expect the Indians to stay atop the American League Central for awhile. Perez could end up saving over 40 games this season and send the Indians to the playoffs. Just like the Orioles, the Indians are relying on their pen heavily to start the year. 

The one thing that I believe the Cleveland Indians really need is another power bat. That is the main thing holding them back from being a great team. The only big bat they have in their current line-up is Carlos Santana, the catcher. Don’t get me wrong, he is a great power hitter but his legs and knees won’t last him late in the season. At the trade deadline, the Indians need to search for a big bat to say in contention come September. 

The last key ingredient for the success of the Indians is manager Manny Acta. Players have said he is a great manager to play for and is  well equipped to bring the best out of his players. If this is the case, he could end up winning manager of the year in the American League this season if the Indians make the postseason. It looks to me like he is getting the best out of his players so far this season. If Manny can keep the magic going and get that big bat into his line-up, the Indians are in great shape. Both in 2012 and moving towards the future. 

Ryan Ritchey is a Baseball Writer for MLB reports. I am a high school senior, play second base and plan on studying sports journalism in college. I am a huge fan of Barry Larkin and Brandon Phillips. Have been a baseball fan my whole life and have been writing about baseball since freshman year. You can reach me on Twitter(@Ryan13Ritchey)

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