Derek
Table Setter
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2009
- Messages
- 18,221
- Reaction score
- 31,606
- Points
- 148
If you’re just now joining us, or am as bored as I was when I decided to write this, here are player grades for the year.
Disclaimer: All grades are relative to that player’s expectations
Position Players
Yan Gomes: C+
His bat has not returned to the level it once was as a member of the Goon Squad when he first made his way onto the scene as a Cleveland Indian, but he has been serviceable at the plate this year. Where he really accumulates his value is behind the plate where he ranked second in the AL in defensive value via fangraphs. It would be a major boost if he could anywhere close to hitting the way he did back in 2013 and 2014, but in his current state, he’s still one of the more valuable catchers in the league, especially for a team with a pitching staff like our own.
Roberto Perez: C+
Like his fellow catcher, his value does not come from the batter’s box, but rather behind the plate. He’s had some moments this year, and has performed well in the second half, but ultimately he’s a subpar hitter with great abilities behind the plate. He gained some valuable experience in October last year, and gained a lot of fans with some timely hits.
Carlos Santana: B+
He’s done his job at the plate, plain and simple. Ever since he was called up in 2010, the guy has been an above average offensive player. With a WRC+ of 118, he has been 18% better than league average in terms of producing runs, and for the 5th consecutive year, and 6th out of 7, he has played in 152+ games. Typically known for his hitting, he’s really come into his own as a defender this year, ranking 5th in the AL in defensive value at 1B, getting better and better as the season goes on.
Edwin Encarnacion: B+
He’s been everything we expected. Started slow, but is sitting just 4 HRs and 20 RBI short of the career-high totals he put up last season. Throw in a career-high BB%, and you have a big time middle of the lineup hitter.
Jason Kipnis: D+
I add the plus because he’s hit better lately while making a position switch for the good of the team. It’s been a rough year for Kip, he got a late start with a shoulder injury that never really seemed to be completely healed, and then dealt with a number of other bumps and bruises along the way. However, he had some big moments last year in the playoffs, and a few more of those will erase any memory of his injury-riddled regular season.
Francisco Lindor: A
He’s a stud, and best of all, he’s our stud. He’s already obliterated his career-high in HRs as he’s taken part in the flyball revolution, increasing his FB% from 28.4% to 42.8%. The change was not met without some rough patches as he had a cool stretch in the middle of the year that had many questioning his new approach. Still, as we near the end of the season, he’s nearing last year’s fWAR total while accumulating over the double the amount of offensive value.
Jose Ramirez: A+
If it weren’t for Jose, Frankie would have gotten an A+. I felt this guy, among all the hitters on our team deserved to stand alone at the top. He’s done it all year, in every spot in the batting we’ve thrown him into. A lot of people questioned whether last season was legit, or if Jose’s good play was an aberration. All he’s done this year is take another leap into stardom, forcing his way into the AL MVP discussion with a season for the books. Really the biggest change from last year to this year, as many peripherals look the same, is that he is just straight up demolishing fastballs. He ranked 8th in the majors in value added against fastballs (according to fangraphs) after ranking 109th last year. Now as he settles in at 2B, his best position, we have an MVP level hitter, and defender (not that he was a slouch at 3B).
Yandy Diaz: C+
He’s had some mixed results throughout the season, but has seemingly settled in as a hitter during his most recent stint. The only real negative thing to say about him is that he’s been completely devoid of any power. Even with his early struggles, a .263 BA%, and .354 OB% are more than respectable. His .322 SLG% stands out as pitiful though, and he needs to at least find a way to hit some double if he’s going to be an everyday player. If he qualified, his SLG% would tie for 145th out of 146 in the entire majors. But, hope is not lost. He’s a young guy who has hit at every level (just like Jose). He has a great approach, hits the ball hard, and hits it often. He has K’d quite a bit more often in the majors than he did in the minors, so he’s need to bring that down, but he should be able to provide value in our lineup for many years to come.
Erik Gonzalez: C+
He’s bounced back and forth between Columbus and Cleveland, but has been as advertised. He is a plus defender at multiple positions, and has some potential at the plate. He’s far a from a finished product, but he has some value within the organization either in a trade, or as a utility guy.
Gio Urshela: C+
We know who he is. He’s a tremendous defender at 3B, but couldn’t hit his way out of a wet paper bag. They’ve given him opportunities to play a little 2B/SS this year which could bode well for him as a utility option moving forward, but you’d really like to see him improve at the plate. Even guy like Mike Aviles, who sucked at the plate, weren’t even close to as bad as Gio at the plate. He’ll need to improve if he wants to be a major league player, and not continue to shuffle to and from the minors.
Jay Bruce: B-
He’s been up and down in an Indians uniform. Started insanely hot, got insanely cold, and has settled in the middle. If we use him correctly, he’s a valuable left handed power bat. However, he’s also a guy we’ll look to get out of the field late in game, and against lefties.Considering what we gave up to get him, he’s been an awesome addition.
Austin Jackson: A-
For a spring training invitee to not only make the roster of the defending AL Champs, but to perform at a high level all year is incredible. He’s been such a fantastic addition. His defense is not what it used to be out there, but he’s still provided a few highlight out there in addition to his consistent hitting. He’s currently holding down a 133 WRC+ and a .321/.390/.487 slash line. Now, a lot of that is backed up by a .389 BABIP which would put him 2nd among qualified hitters, behind just Avisail Garcia, making him one of the most fortunate hitters this year. It’s truly been a pleasure to witness his renaissance, and I hope he can continue it through the playoffs.
Lonnie Chisenhall: B
His grade would be much higher if he had been able to stay healthy. Prior to his injury, he was leading the team in RBI, .305 with a 147 WRC+ in the first half. He’s also provided solid defense throughout the outfield. He’s scuffled a bit since returning from the DL, but he’s yet another guy with positive postseason experience that included some big hits along the way.
Michael Brantley: B
Same story as Lonnie. He made his triumphant return as an everyday player following a year lost to shoulder and bicep injuries, gaining an All-Star appearance at the mid-summer classic. However, the injury bug bit him, and he’s missed most of the second half with an ankle injury. We might see him in the finale, but his postseason status is up in the air to say the least. Regardless of whether he’s done for this season or not, his bat is extremely valuable, and there will surely be an emphasis on protecting him next year. That may include a move to 1B, especially given how poorly he graded out defensively the last few years at a relatively easy outfield position.
Bradley Zimmer: B-
He had his moments at the plate, but prior to his injury his bat had been MIA for some time. That is to be expected with young players, and he showed enough to stake his claim to CF heading into next. His baserunning and defense were extremely valuable, and some small improvements at the plate would put him near All-Star level production.
Brandon Guyer: D
Largely an afterthought with Austin Jackson having a big year, Guyer has struggled with production, and health. He’s currently fighting an uphill battle to make the playoff roster. I don’t think he makes it, but if he does, he could still provide value as he did last year against lefties.
Abraham Almonte: D
Another guy that has been lost in the shuffle, mostly due to his own ineptitude. He’s had a few opportunities given our many outfield injuries, but has done very little with those chances. No chance we see him in the playoffs this year.
Tyler Naquin: D-
Certainly not the season he probably envisioned following last year. Did not appear to have fixed the holes in his swing prior to getting injured, and ended up with a very forgettable season.
Greg Allen: INC
Strange to give a guy an incomplete, but then say he has a shot to make the postseason roster, but that’s exactly what I’m going to say. His bat isn’t ready to be a fixture in the lineup, but as a pinch runner/defensive replacement, he could be a good guy to have around come playoff time.
Michael Martinez: A+++++++
Haven’t seen him since May 10th, this is my favorite Martinez stat.
Pitchers
Corey Kluber: A+
Your AL Cy Young, even if it hasn’t been officially announced. He’s been incredible. He also recently set the record for longest-tenured flash in a pan. If you’re looking for Kluber on the AL pitcher leaderboards, he’s at the top in nearly all of the categories, and he’s doing it by a large margin.
Here are some categories he leads in followed by the second place number.
bWAR - 7.8, 6.3
ERA - 2.27, 2.90
WHIP - 0.861, 0.970
ERA+ - 202, 158
We’re truly witnessing one of this era’s elite pitchers. Enjoy the greatness.
Carlos Carrasco: A
If it weren’t for Kluber, we’d all be slobbering over this guy who’s tied for the AL lead in wins, 5th in bWAR, 6th in ERA, 4th in WHIP, 5th in K/9, and 4th in FIP. That guy is Carlos Carrasco. He’s been great this year. He has all those numbers despite having two starts where he combined to give up 13 ER in 5 innings. He and Kluber form the best 1-2 combo in the American League, and rival Scherzer/Strasburg for the honor across the entire Major League.
Trevor Bauer: A-
I, along with a few others, have taken a lot of heat in the past for our support of the enigmatic Trevor Bauer. This season has truly shown us both sides of the coin, as Bauer had a rough start. It took him until June to get his ERA under 6, and despite the cries of BABIP/FIP/K%/BB% from myself and other, there were those wanting to demote him to the bullpen, or get rid of him altogether. Thankfully, Tito stuck with him. He scratched, and clawed his way back to some respectable numbers, and after it a while, he was looking like a bonafide ace. He has posted career bests in K/9, BB%, and LOB% while building on his improved GB% from last year. His BABIP is still 30+ points higher than his career rate, and his HR/FB rate has seen a significant jump, which suggests he’s still been unlucky. Looking at his peripherals this year, he looks similar to 2016 Robbie Ray, with a few less K’s, a few less BB’s, and better overall results. Still, Robbie Ray took a big jump from 2016 to 2017, and it’s not out of the question to think Bauer could make a similarly large jump.
Bauer 2017:
10 K/9
3.06 BB/9
.337 BABIP
16.1% HR/FB
4.19 ERA
3.88 FIP
3.60 xFIP
3.2 fWAR
Robbie Ray 2016:
11.25 K/9
3.67 BB/9
.352 BABIP
4.90 ERA
3.76 FIP
3.45 xFIP
3.1 fWAR
Really the only thing that has changed for Robbie Ray this year is that his BABIP has dropped 82 points, which has in turn allowed him to strand an extra 15% of his runners allowed.
Danny Salazar: ?
I don’t feel comfortable giving him a C, which would be the average of the two grades he’s deserved at separate moments. He’s been great when healthy, but he’s dinged up often, and when he’s not 100% he’s serving up batting practice. He finished the season on a strong note, and his overall numbers would provide you with optimism, but with Salazar, we’re either going to get an ace-caliber performance, or we’ll be blown out of the game early. It’s a terrifying proposition heading into the playoffs.
Mike Clevinger: A-
He’s looked the part of the top 100 prospect he became last year. He’s shown electric, swing and miss stuff, despite having some control issues. He’s a little older than most prospects breaking in, but that just means the Indians will have him locked down throughout his physical prime. Exciting to have a guy like him on this team for the foreseeable future.
Josh Tomlin: C
He, like Bauer, started out the year pretty rough with some unsustainable numbers contributing to a lot of runs allowed. It’s balanced out to an extent, but he’s been hurt a little, and he’s still seen some mixed results. He’s actually done a much better job keeping the ball in the park this year with a 13.8% HR/FB, and he’s only walking 2.5% of the batters he faces. He’s a guy that’s not going to beat himself with walks. The batters are going to put the ball in play, and in October, there is some value in that. I don’t agree with him being our likely 4th starter, but if he can get us through the lineup 2 times without blowing up, we have the horses to get us to the finish line.
Andrew Miller: B+
This one is short and simple, he’s still great, but he’s been hurt and a little more human this year. He’s still accumulated double the bWAR of any other reliever on our roster, and there’s really nobody I’d rather have on the mound with the game on the line.
Cody Allen: B
Like Miller, he hasn’t been as sharp as you’d like, but he’s still been very good. I know the “don’t pitch him in ties games” crowd is loud, but his career numbers really don’t back that up. He’s a guy you want on the mound in high-leverage situations.
Here’s something the PD had in an article earlier this year:
Allen's career splits:
Save situations: 2.51 ERA in 132 2/3 innings
Non-save situations: 2.58 ERA in 188 1/3 innings
Allen's splits from the 2016 campaign:
Save situations: 2.83 ERA in 35 innings
Non-save situations: 2.18 ERA in 33 innings
He was historically good in the playoffs last year, and was only overshadowed by Miller’s all-time performance.
Bryan Shaw: B
With a blown game in the past week, I don’t expect there to be warm and fuzzy feelings about Shaw right now. That’s the life of a reliever. However, he’s about to lead the league in appearances for the 3rd time in 4 years, it’s his 5th straight year with 70+ appearances, and he’s tied 34th in fWAR among the 274 qualified relievers since the start of 2013 (He’s 25th out of 151 this season). It’s a luxury to have a guy as good as him as our 3rd best reliever.
Joe Smith: B
Hasn’t walked a guy since arriving in Cleveland for his second stint, and he’s been a strikeout machine this year somehow. He’s had a little bad luck with sequencing over the last month, allowing more runs than you’d expect given his peripherals. Still, it’s yet another example of our embarrassment of riches in the bullpen.
Zach McAllister: B+
2.64 ERA
9.39 K/9
3.08 BB/9
89.3% LOB
2-2 W-L
Remind me again why everybody seems to hate this guy? He’s not a stud, but you can’t look me in the eye, and tell me you’d rather have Fernando Rodney, Juan Minaya, Shane Greene, Brandon Maurer, Brad Ziegler, Matt Belisle, AJ Ramos, Blake Treinen, or Sam Dyson. Those are closers on major league teams right now. Be thankful we have this guy as essentially a long-reliever/mop-up guy.
Dan Otero: B+
I didn’t think he’d make it. I thought he was another Jeff Manship or Scott Atchison, who would break onto the scene out of nowhere before disappearing into irrelevance. Playing a similar role to McAllister, with the ability to pitch multiple middle innings, Otero has once again proven to be a valuable member of our bullpen.
Nick Goody: B+
He hasn’t gotten a lot of high-leverage duty to this point, and he won’t until a couple guys move on, but his production within his role has been impressive. He’s striking out over 12 guys per 9 innings, and at age-25, looks like he could be a key member of the bullpen moving forward.
Tyler Olson: A
When Boone Logan went down, there was an immediate need for a 2nd lefty reliever to allow the Indians to save Miller for higher-leverage situations in the later innings. Olson, or 0.00lson, has been a revelation. A converted minor-league starter, he’s been dynamite since being called up. He should have a spot on the postseason roster as a lefty specialist.
Boone Logan: D
Was brought in to ease Miller’s workload, and he even before getting hurt, he wasn’t pitching quite as well as he had in the past. If he had remained healthy, I believe he would have returned to form, and been in the B-/B range.
Shawn Armstrong: D
He was given a chance early in the season to solidify a spot in the majors, and he didn’t run with it. Other guys, like Goody, stepped up, and now Armstrong may be looking for a new team in the near future. He has talent, just has’t put it together yet.
Disclaimer: All grades are relative to that player’s expectations
Position Players
Yan Gomes: C+
His bat has not returned to the level it once was as a member of the Goon Squad when he first made his way onto the scene as a Cleveland Indian, but he has been serviceable at the plate this year. Where he really accumulates his value is behind the plate where he ranked second in the AL in defensive value via fangraphs. It would be a major boost if he could anywhere close to hitting the way he did back in 2013 and 2014, but in his current state, he’s still one of the more valuable catchers in the league, especially for a team with a pitching staff like our own.
Roberto Perez: C+
Like his fellow catcher, his value does not come from the batter’s box, but rather behind the plate. He’s had some moments this year, and has performed well in the second half, but ultimately he’s a subpar hitter with great abilities behind the plate. He gained some valuable experience in October last year, and gained a lot of fans with some timely hits.
Carlos Santana: B+
He’s done his job at the plate, plain and simple. Ever since he was called up in 2010, the guy has been an above average offensive player. With a WRC+ of 118, he has been 18% better than league average in terms of producing runs, and for the 5th consecutive year, and 6th out of 7, he has played in 152+ games. Typically known for his hitting, he’s really come into his own as a defender this year, ranking 5th in the AL in defensive value at 1B, getting better and better as the season goes on.
Edwin Encarnacion: B+
He’s been everything we expected. Started slow, but is sitting just 4 HRs and 20 RBI short of the career-high totals he put up last season. Throw in a career-high BB%, and you have a big time middle of the lineup hitter.
Jason Kipnis: D+
I add the plus because he’s hit better lately while making a position switch for the good of the team. It’s been a rough year for Kip, he got a late start with a shoulder injury that never really seemed to be completely healed, and then dealt with a number of other bumps and bruises along the way. However, he had some big moments last year in the playoffs, and a few more of those will erase any memory of his injury-riddled regular season.
Francisco Lindor: A
He’s a stud, and best of all, he’s our stud. He’s already obliterated his career-high in HRs as he’s taken part in the flyball revolution, increasing his FB% from 28.4% to 42.8%. The change was not met without some rough patches as he had a cool stretch in the middle of the year that had many questioning his new approach. Still, as we near the end of the season, he’s nearing last year’s fWAR total while accumulating over the double the amount of offensive value.
Jose Ramirez: A+
If it weren’t for Jose, Frankie would have gotten an A+. I felt this guy, among all the hitters on our team deserved to stand alone at the top. He’s done it all year, in every spot in the batting we’ve thrown him into. A lot of people questioned whether last season was legit, or if Jose’s good play was an aberration. All he’s done this year is take another leap into stardom, forcing his way into the AL MVP discussion with a season for the books. Really the biggest change from last year to this year, as many peripherals look the same, is that he is just straight up demolishing fastballs. He ranked 8th in the majors in value added against fastballs (according to fangraphs) after ranking 109th last year. Now as he settles in at 2B, his best position, we have an MVP level hitter, and defender (not that he was a slouch at 3B).
Yandy Diaz: C+
He’s had some mixed results throughout the season, but has seemingly settled in as a hitter during his most recent stint. The only real negative thing to say about him is that he’s been completely devoid of any power. Even with his early struggles, a .263 BA%, and .354 OB% are more than respectable. His .322 SLG% stands out as pitiful though, and he needs to at least find a way to hit some double if he’s going to be an everyday player. If he qualified, his SLG% would tie for 145th out of 146 in the entire majors. But, hope is not lost. He’s a young guy who has hit at every level (just like Jose). He has a great approach, hits the ball hard, and hits it often. He has K’d quite a bit more often in the majors than he did in the minors, so he’s need to bring that down, but he should be able to provide value in our lineup for many years to come.
Erik Gonzalez: C+
He’s bounced back and forth between Columbus and Cleveland, but has been as advertised. He is a plus defender at multiple positions, and has some potential at the plate. He’s far a from a finished product, but he has some value within the organization either in a trade, or as a utility guy.
Gio Urshela: C+
We know who he is. He’s a tremendous defender at 3B, but couldn’t hit his way out of a wet paper bag. They’ve given him opportunities to play a little 2B/SS this year which could bode well for him as a utility option moving forward, but you’d really like to see him improve at the plate. Even guy like Mike Aviles, who sucked at the plate, weren’t even close to as bad as Gio at the plate. He’ll need to improve if he wants to be a major league player, and not continue to shuffle to and from the minors.
Jay Bruce: B-
He’s been up and down in an Indians uniform. Started insanely hot, got insanely cold, and has settled in the middle. If we use him correctly, he’s a valuable left handed power bat. However, he’s also a guy we’ll look to get out of the field late in game, and against lefties.Considering what we gave up to get him, he’s been an awesome addition.
Austin Jackson: A-
For a spring training invitee to not only make the roster of the defending AL Champs, but to perform at a high level all year is incredible. He’s been such a fantastic addition. His defense is not what it used to be out there, but he’s still provided a few highlight out there in addition to his consistent hitting. He’s currently holding down a 133 WRC+ and a .321/.390/.487 slash line. Now, a lot of that is backed up by a .389 BABIP which would put him 2nd among qualified hitters, behind just Avisail Garcia, making him one of the most fortunate hitters this year. It’s truly been a pleasure to witness his renaissance, and I hope he can continue it through the playoffs.
Lonnie Chisenhall: B
His grade would be much higher if he had been able to stay healthy. Prior to his injury, he was leading the team in RBI, .305 with a 147 WRC+ in the first half. He’s also provided solid defense throughout the outfield. He’s scuffled a bit since returning from the DL, but he’s yet another guy with positive postseason experience that included some big hits along the way.
Michael Brantley: B
Same story as Lonnie. He made his triumphant return as an everyday player following a year lost to shoulder and bicep injuries, gaining an All-Star appearance at the mid-summer classic. However, the injury bug bit him, and he’s missed most of the second half with an ankle injury. We might see him in the finale, but his postseason status is up in the air to say the least. Regardless of whether he’s done for this season or not, his bat is extremely valuable, and there will surely be an emphasis on protecting him next year. That may include a move to 1B, especially given how poorly he graded out defensively the last few years at a relatively easy outfield position.
Bradley Zimmer: B-
He had his moments at the plate, but prior to his injury his bat had been MIA for some time. That is to be expected with young players, and he showed enough to stake his claim to CF heading into next. His baserunning and defense were extremely valuable, and some small improvements at the plate would put him near All-Star level production.
Brandon Guyer: D
Largely an afterthought with Austin Jackson having a big year, Guyer has struggled with production, and health. He’s currently fighting an uphill battle to make the playoff roster. I don’t think he makes it, but if he does, he could still provide value as he did last year against lefties.
Abraham Almonte: D
Another guy that has been lost in the shuffle, mostly due to his own ineptitude. He’s had a few opportunities given our many outfield injuries, but has done very little with those chances. No chance we see him in the playoffs this year.
Tyler Naquin: D-
Certainly not the season he probably envisioned following last year. Did not appear to have fixed the holes in his swing prior to getting injured, and ended up with a very forgettable season.
Greg Allen: INC
Strange to give a guy an incomplete, but then say he has a shot to make the postseason roster, but that’s exactly what I’m going to say. His bat isn’t ready to be a fixture in the lineup, but as a pinch runner/defensive replacement, he could be a good guy to have around come playoff time.
Michael Martinez: A+++++++
Haven’t seen him since May 10th, this is my favorite Martinez stat.
Pitchers
Corey Kluber: A+
Your AL Cy Young, even if it hasn’t been officially announced. He’s been incredible. He also recently set the record for longest-tenured flash in a pan. If you’re looking for Kluber on the AL pitcher leaderboards, he’s at the top in nearly all of the categories, and he’s doing it by a large margin.
Here are some categories he leads in followed by the second place number.
bWAR - 7.8, 6.3
ERA - 2.27, 2.90
WHIP - 0.861, 0.970
ERA+ - 202, 158
We’re truly witnessing one of this era’s elite pitchers. Enjoy the greatness.
Carlos Carrasco: A
If it weren’t for Kluber, we’d all be slobbering over this guy who’s tied for the AL lead in wins, 5th in bWAR, 6th in ERA, 4th in WHIP, 5th in K/9, and 4th in FIP. That guy is Carlos Carrasco. He’s been great this year. He has all those numbers despite having two starts where he combined to give up 13 ER in 5 innings. He and Kluber form the best 1-2 combo in the American League, and rival Scherzer/Strasburg for the honor across the entire Major League.
Trevor Bauer: A-
I, along with a few others, have taken a lot of heat in the past for our support of the enigmatic Trevor Bauer. This season has truly shown us both sides of the coin, as Bauer had a rough start. It took him until June to get his ERA under 6, and despite the cries of BABIP/FIP/K%/BB% from myself and other, there were those wanting to demote him to the bullpen, or get rid of him altogether. Thankfully, Tito stuck with him. He scratched, and clawed his way back to some respectable numbers, and after it a while, he was looking like a bonafide ace. He has posted career bests in K/9, BB%, and LOB% while building on his improved GB% from last year. His BABIP is still 30+ points higher than his career rate, and his HR/FB rate has seen a significant jump, which suggests he’s still been unlucky. Looking at his peripherals this year, he looks similar to 2016 Robbie Ray, with a few less K’s, a few less BB’s, and better overall results. Still, Robbie Ray took a big jump from 2016 to 2017, and it’s not out of the question to think Bauer could make a similarly large jump.
Bauer 2017:
10 K/9
3.06 BB/9
.337 BABIP
16.1% HR/FB
4.19 ERA
3.88 FIP
3.60 xFIP
3.2 fWAR
Robbie Ray 2016:
11.25 K/9
3.67 BB/9
.352 BABIP
4.90 ERA
3.76 FIP
3.45 xFIP
3.1 fWAR
Really the only thing that has changed for Robbie Ray this year is that his BABIP has dropped 82 points, which has in turn allowed him to strand an extra 15% of his runners allowed.
Danny Salazar: ?
I don’t feel comfortable giving him a C, which would be the average of the two grades he’s deserved at separate moments. He’s been great when healthy, but he’s dinged up often, and when he’s not 100% he’s serving up batting practice. He finished the season on a strong note, and his overall numbers would provide you with optimism, but with Salazar, we’re either going to get an ace-caliber performance, or we’ll be blown out of the game early. It’s a terrifying proposition heading into the playoffs.
Mike Clevinger: A-
He’s looked the part of the top 100 prospect he became last year. He’s shown electric, swing and miss stuff, despite having some control issues. He’s a little older than most prospects breaking in, but that just means the Indians will have him locked down throughout his physical prime. Exciting to have a guy like him on this team for the foreseeable future.
Josh Tomlin: C
He, like Bauer, started out the year pretty rough with some unsustainable numbers contributing to a lot of runs allowed. It’s balanced out to an extent, but he’s been hurt a little, and he’s still seen some mixed results. He’s actually done a much better job keeping the ball in the park this year with a 13.8% HR/FB, and he’s only walking 2.5% of the batters he faces. He’s a guy that’s not going to beat himself with walks. The batters are going to put the ball in play, and in October, there is some value in that. I don’t agree with him being our likely 4th starter, but if he can get us through the lineup 2 times without blowing up, we have the horses to get us to the finish line.
Andrew Miller: B+
This one is short and simple, he’s still great, but he’s been hurt and a little more human this year. He’s still accumulated double the bWAR of any other reliever on our roster, and there’s really nobody I’d rather have on the mound with the game on the line.
Cody Allen: B
Like Miller, he hasn’t been as sharp as you’d like, but he’s still been very good. I know the “don’t pitch him in ties games” crowd is loud, but his career numbers really don’t back that up. He’s a guy you want on the mound in high-leverage situations.
Here’s something the PD had in an article earlier this year:
Allen's career splits:
Save situations: 2.51 ERA in 132 2/3 innings
Non-save situations: 2.58 ERA in 188 1/3 innings
Allen's splits from the 2016 campaign:
Save situations: 2.83 ERA in 35 innings
Non-save situations: 2.18 ERA in 33 innings
He was historically good in the playoffs last year, and was only overshadowed by Miller’s all-time performance.
Bryan Shaw: B
With a blown game in the past week, I don’t expect there to be warm and fuzzy feelings about Shaw right now. That’s the life of a reliever. However, he’s about to lead the league in appearances for the 3rd time in 4 years, it’s his 5th straight year with 70+ appearances, and he’s tied 34th in fWAR among the 274 qualified relievers since the start of 2013 (He’s 25th out of 151 this season). It’s a luxury to have a guy as good as him as our 3rd best reliever.
Joe Smith: B
Hasn’t walked a guy since arriving in Cleveland for his second stint, and he’s been a strikeout machine this year somehow. He’s had a little bad luck with sequencing over the last month, allowing more runs than you’d expect given his peripherals. Still, it’s yet another example of our embarrassment of riches in the bullpen.
Zach McAllister: B+
2.64 ERA
9.39 K/9
3.08 BB/9
89.3% LOB
2-2 W-L
Remind me again why everybody seems to hate this guy? He’s not a stud, but you can’t look me in the eye, and tell me you’d rather have Fernando Rodney, Juan Minaya, Shane Greene, Brandon Maurer, Brad Ziegler, Matt Belisle, AJ Ramos, Blake Treinen, or Sam Dyson. Those are closers on major league teams right now. Be thankful we have this guy as essentially a long-reliever/mop-up guy.
Dan Otero: B+
I didn’t think he’d make it. I thought he was another Jeff Manship or Scott Atchison, who would break onto the scene out of nowhere before disappearing into irrelevance. Playing a similar role to McAllister, with the ability to pitch multiple middle innings, Otero has once again proven to be a valuable member of our bullpen.
Nick Goody: B+
He hasn’t gotten a lot of high-leverage duty to this point, and he won’t until a couple guys move on, but his production within his role has been impressive. He’s striking out over 12 guys per 9 innings, and at age-25, looks like he could be a key member of the bullpen moving forward.
Tyler Olson: A
When Boone Logan went down, there was an immediate need for a 2nd lefty reliever to allow the Indians to save Miller for higher-leverage situations in the later innings. Olson, or 0.00lson, has been a revelation. A converted minor-league starter, he’s been dynamite since being called up. He should have a spot on the postseason roster as a lefty specialist.
Boone Logan: D
Was brought in to ease Miller’s workload, and he even before getting hurt, he wasn’t pitching quite as well as he had in the past. If he had remained healthy, I believe he would have returned to form, and been in the B-/B range.
Shawn Armstrong: D
He was given a chance early in the season to solidify a spot in the majors, and he didn’t run with it. Other guys, like Goody, stepped up, and now Armstrong may be looking for a new team in the near future. He has talent, just has’t put it together yet.
