Indians Ready to Take Next Step

Indians Ready to Take Next Step

 

Last season the Cleveland Indians hired Terry Francona and made a splash by winning 92 games and clinching a Wild Card berth. They were shut out by Tampa but showed all signs that they wouldn’t be a one year wonder. This year, not only will they make the playoffs again but they will unseat the Detroit Tigers as the AL Central winners.

Justin Masterson will try to follow up his solid 2013 season with an even better 2014 campaign. Corey Kluber and Danny Salazar will continue to grow and realize their potential. Not only that but I see this tandem being the key to the season for Cleveland. They will make the difference in a wild card spot or a division crown. The one potential weakness I see for the Indians is John Axford closing out games. If he is the John Axford that lost his closing job in Milwaukee to Jim Henderson then Cleveland will have to come up with a better solution because he cannot cost them too many games when fighting with the Tigers.

Offensively this team will go as Jason Kipnis goes. After a very good 2013 season Kipnis is the #1 candidate to make the leap this year and cement his status as a franchise cornerstone and MVP candidate. Putting Yan Gomes and his far superior defensive and receiving skills behind the plate in place of Carlos Santana will do wonders for this pitching staff over a full season. Santana has been playing third base this spring with the hope that he can be the long term solution due to Lonnie Chisenhall showing he is not. I personally don’t see that happening and see Santana as the permanent DH and backup first baseman when Nick Swisher needs a spell. Jason Giambi is back this season and I see his role being a DH against righties when Santana plays first and mostly being the power bat off the bench late in games.

Asdrubal Cabrera will start the season at shortstop but with top prospect Francisco Lindor rising through the ranks rapidly he will not end the season there. Cleveland needs to look into a trade and get back some very good talent to keep them atop the division for years to come. Both New York teams are in need of shortstops and could come knocking on the Indians door.

We will be back tomorrow with a look at the National League favorite Los Angeles Dodgers. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @changingspeeds for all our coverage of the national pastime.