Cleveland Indians: Bench Looks Like Big Improvement in 2016

By Joe Russo | Mar 21, 2016

Sep 14, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall (8) hits a sacrifice fly during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

The Cleveland Indians bench was a big disappointment throughout the 2015 season, but the group is new and improved heading into the new year.

I know I know, there hasn’t even been one actual game yet. We’re still two weeks away from Opening Day and the first cuts have just been made in Spring Training. The early returns, though, look good for the folks that are likely to be part of the 2016 “Goon Squad” on the bench for the Indians. Between their 2015 performances, strong springs, and the addition of FoS favorite Marlon Byrd, the bench unit is trending up.

To understand why this is a big deal, it’s important to look back at the core bench group in 2015. The numbers speak for themselves, but the reserves weren’t exactly a strong group for the Cleveland Indians:

Mike Aviles: 290 at bats, .231 / .282 / .317, 5 HR, 17RBI

Ryan Raburn: 173 at bats, .301 / .393 / .543, 8 HR, 29 RBI

Jerry Sands: 123 at bats, .236 / .286 / .390, 4 HR, 19 RBI

Jose Ramirez: 315 at bats, .219 / .291 / .340, 6 HR, 27 RBI

David Murphy: 206 at bats, .296 / .344 / .437, 5 HR, 27 RBI

Only one of these players will make a return in 2016 (Jose Ramirez) and we are not counting Roberto Perez in this group, as he essentially started half of the year for an injured Yan Gomes. But on the surface, the old outfield platoon of Murphy and Raburn might be the only ones Tribe fans miss. Both players, however, were so poor defensively that their periodic offensive impact was washed out. Raburn and Murphy were a combined -1.7 in Defensive Wins Above Replacement in 2015. Remember this gem from Ryan Raburn?

So what about the core group of bench players for 2016? We have to start with the assumption of a healthy Michael Brantley, so this conversation may not begin in earnest until May. But at first glance, the Cleveland Indians bench looks much stronger than last season:

Marlon Byrd (OF): 506 at bats, .247 / .290 / .453, 23 HR, 73 RBI

Jose Ramirez (UTL): 162 at bats, .259 / .337 / .438, 5 HR, 19 RBI

*Numbers for Ramirez are AFTER the All-Star Break

Rajai Davis (OF): 341 at bats, .258 / .306 / .440, 8 HR, 30 RBI

Giovanny Urshela (INF): 99 at bats, .253 / .295 / .333, 2 HR, 14 RBI

**Numbers for Urshela are BEFORE All-Star Break

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At first glance, those numbers for 2015 aren’t exactly the most encouraging, aside from Marlon Byrd. However, there’s more to those specific numbers than meets the eye. Just consider the following:

Both Ramirez and Urshela are in Arizona. Aside from Tyler Naquin, both players have had the best performances in camp for any player on the 40 man roster.
Neither Ramirez or Urshela were ready for prime time in 2015. Ramirez isn’t a great starter, but thrived in a super-utility role after the break. Urshela was great until he was injured and provides a defensive upgrade on the corners. Both sets of numbers above show that when deployed properly or healthy, both players can contribute both at the plate and in the field.
Byrd is the newest of the group, but provides depth at both corner outfield spots and offers a more professional bat and more power than the collection of corner outfielders Terry Francona trotted out all 2015.
Rajai Davis will start early in the year, but is the only outfielder on the current roster capable of playing all three outfield spots at a major league level. His experience and speed will make a huge impact.
The only minus defender in the group is Byrd. He wasn’t brought in to provide Gold Glove highlights in the outfield. He was brought in the hit the ball. There’s no guarantee that Lonnie Chisenhall can stick in right field every day or that Tyler Naquin is ready for a starting role in center field. If Rajai Davis becomes the every day centerfielder due to Naquin’s potential struggles, Byrd is easily the better option than the likes of Collin Cowgill, Will Venable, et al, as the 4th outfielder.
The bench still offers Terry Francona positional versatility. Ramirez can play all around the infield. Urshela can play both corners. Davis can play all three outfield spots, and Byrd is a true right handed power hitter in the corner outfield spots.
Anything is better than Ryan Raburn or Jerry Sands defensively in the outfield. Anything.

Granted, there’s a reason none of these guys are starters. They don’t need to be. They just can’t be so bad in the field that even average performance at the plate make their value nonexistent. That was the problem last season, where no one on the bench gave the lineup enough of a boost to overcome such poor efforts with the glove.

Next: Indians: What Could Byrd's Role Be In 2016?

By May, when Brantley has come all the way back from his shoulder injury, this group could be a tremendous asset to the Indians in 2016.

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