Cleveland Indians: Tale Of The Tape

Almost all of the Cleveland Indians starting rotation is set, so who will round it out as the fifth starter?

The Cleveland Indians rotation is pretty much set at this point in the calendar year. Corey Kluber is firmly entrenched as the number one man with Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, and Trevor Bauer also guaranteed a spot in the rotation.

The one spot question that needs answered however, is who will be the last starter in the rotation? Two Cleveland Indians pitchers are vying for that role in spring training, but who are they? Lets breakdown their respective case for the job.

Now that T.J. House has been sent to minor league camp, that leaves Josh Tomlin and Cody Anderson to battle it out for the last spot in the starting rotation. Given how both players performed last season, this is easily the best position battle in Spring Training.

Tomlin is well known to Tribe fans, but mostly for all of the wrong reasons. He has undergone multiple season-ending surgeries to repair parts of his throwing arm. His health is the main reason why the likes of Bruce Chen and Shawn Marcum saw time on the mound last summer. He has always been what he is, when healthy. He’ll throw between 6-7 innings, give up about three runs, allow at least one home run, and never top 90 miles per hour on the radar gun.

Anderson was the saving grace for the Tribe rotation after injuries to T.J. House and the ineffectiveness of Chen and Marcum forced Anderson into action. All Anderson did was come in and throw quality start after quality start as a rookie, giving the team a boost right when it seemed as if the Tribe couldn’t be any closer to rock bottom.

Who deserves the fifth spot in the rotation? The up-and-comer, or the steady veteran? Let’s take a blind look at their 2015 stat lines.

Pitcher A: 15 starts, 10 quality starts, 7-3 record, 4.39 K/9, 1.11 WHIP, 3.05 ERA

Pitcher B: 10 starts, 6 Quality Starts, 7-2 Record, 7.81 K/9, 0.84 WHIP, 3.02 ERA

It’s tough to tell from just the numbers which pitcher should get the nod. Pitcher A has made more starts and thus more quality starts, but sports a lower strikeout rate and nearly the same record as Pitcher B. On the surface, it’s a matter of preference. Do you prefer a steady pitcher that just gets it done or one that misses more bats to keep runners off of the base paths?

Pitcher A is Cody Anderson and Pitcher B is Josh Tomlin. While both had good seasons, both have reasons to be concerned. Prior to his call-up, Anderson had made all of three starts in the minors at Triple-A Columbus, giving him very little high-level experience.

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Anderson also struggled after the All-Star break, where his 4.13 ERA after the break dragged down his 0.89 ERA afterwards. Tomlin’s injury history is why there is uncertainty with him.

Tomlin is one bad pitch away from either giving up a home run or having his elbow or shoulder completely ripping apart. His injury history is not just a cause for concern, but the cause for concern, period. On the other hand, it is tough to ignore his strikeout rate and the .195 batting average against last season.

If being forced to pick, Tomlin should be the choice. A veteran presence and an ability to strike out hitters gives Tomlin the edge.

Anderson represents right now the only minor league depth the Cleveland Indians have on the mound. If for nothing more than to have a legitimate backup plan, Anderson would gain an opportunity to perfect his craft at Triple-A Columbus.

Next: Tribe's Bench Looks Like It Has Improved

Anderson should begin the year as the “ace” for the Columbus Clippers. In that position, Anderson should be the first replacement called up should an injury or poor play cause him to be brought back to Cleveland.

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Cleveland Indians: Tale Of The Tape – Tomlin vs Anderson

By Joe Russo | Mar 23, 2016

Almost all of the Cleveland Indians starting rotation is set, so who will round it out as the fifth starter?

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