FoS Talk: Cleveland Indians Set For Run Now After Recent Great Pitching Games?

The Cleveland Indians are currently in last place in the division and have only won back to back games twice so far this season. It is a two way street with offensive production and good pitching outings. Both have been inconsistent and not up to their ability. However, Danny Salazar, Corey Kluber, and Trevor Bauer all pitched great games last week against Minnesota and St. Louis. For FoS Talk this week, we express our thoughts on those pitching outings and if those performances is what the team needed to lead to a possible run and get back to their winning ways.

Nick Dudukovich

If the rotation can come around, the Indians may keep the causal fan interested throughout the summer—but as far as becoming the title contenders Sports Illustrated picked them to be? Forget it.

A lot of it has to do with their defense. If they can’t catch the ball, it won’t make a whole difference who is pitching. The Indians’ defense ranks as the third worst in baseball, according to Fan Graphs, and as far as lineup goes, who really scares you in the batting order? Jason Kipnis has been productive since moving to the leadoff spot, and Michael Brantley is stellar, as expected, but their success can’t mask the lack of production throughout the batting order.

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Ric McElroy

I think this team is making too many mistakes, both mental and physical. After what Molina pulled on them Thursday and Chisenhall and the third base coach not recognizing that is ridiculous. The starting pitching is coming around unfortunately the bullpen is going in the opposite direction.

The hitting hasn’t improved enough, especially with men on base, to see this team coming out of it. Michael Brantley and Jason Kipnis are the only ones being consistent. Neither one is the type to carry this team and the addition of Moss has not been what was needed. They still need a right handed power bat that they keep avoiding.

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Kris Grimes

I say no. Despite the recent rash of quality starts by Salazar, Kluber, and Bauer I don’t see signs of the Indians reversing the course yet. The team’s starters may be pitching well, but the reasons that the Indians are losing so often don’t begin with the starting pitching. It will take a 2013 end of the season run to get this team back into consideration for any postseason play.

Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley have been on a tear hitting over .400 combined in the month of May. However, the rest of the team has yet to follow suit. Nick Swisher has returned from injury to have 4 hit nights followed by 4 strikeout games, while Chisenhall and Santana have failed to come on strong. It’s a resemblance of the Indians offensive season so far, as one game we score 8 runs then the next we get shut out.Then there’s the bullpen! Bauer, Kluber, and Salazar have often left the game with a lead only to have the once reliable bullpen blow it. It’s made it tough for the starters to trust the game to the other pitchers.

Ryan Rosko

The team is going to make a run but it is not going to occur soon. It is only May, but hopefully it comes ASAP before the team gets into a deeper hole. Ideally, I would like to see each part of the baseball team get back to form in a timely manner. However, I know that is not the case; the team’s offense could get back into sync but the defense or pitching may be questionable. Hopefully the team can turn their situation around quickly; they have the talent to win a lot, which they should.

The Indians are going to need to correct their other aspects of the game as well. If the offense can get turned around and the pitching starts to improves (as a whole), then maybe the team could make a late push in July going forward. Yan Gomes I believe is going to be a wildcard as to how soon the team will make the progress that is needed. With the wide variety of everything he provides for the team, I hope they can make a run similar to the one they had in the second half of last season.