3 sad predictions for the Cleveland Indians in 2021
The Cleveland Indians have truly done an amazing job of competing when all of the odds are stacked against them. Chris Antonetti and company can’t spend like the Yankees, so they need to be ahead of the curve in player development.
So far, it’s worked. The Indians have competed for a postseason berth in six of the eight years Terry Francona’s worn the skipper’s hat. They’ve gone to a World Series–came pretty close to winning it in 2016, while setting the record for consecutive wins in 2017.
There’s been Cy Young Award winners, Gold Glovers and some serious contenders for the AL MVP award.
The usually fiscal conservative Tribe is pairing back things even further though, as a lot of teams are, in the middle of a pandemic. With uncertainty surrounding the number of fans who will be attending games in 2021, owners are sure to move forward without taking too much risk.
This offseason just seems different. The Indians could have an opening day payroll around $60 million if they trade Francisco Lindor. They’re pitching staff will keep them in games, but, at some point, the Tribe has to hit.
Perhaps come February I’ll feel differently, but for now, here’s three sad predictions for the Tribe in 2021.
1. Tribe finishes in 3rd
This would be a repeat of 2020, although it didn’t hurt so much because the Tribe still qualified for the playoffs.
It’s still unknown how many teams will make the postseason in 2020, but it’s still pretty unlikely the Tribe will win the Central, and that’s greatly disappointing.
Look for last year’s runner-up, the White Sox, to finish first. They’re young, can hit, pitch and ready to win. Center fielder Luis Robert is one of the most exciting players to watch in MLB. Plus, they’ll be getting Michael Koepech back. The starter opted out of the 2020 season because of the pandemic.
As for the Twins, they’ll still be very good. It turns out, they’re pitching is good enough to win. No, it’s not as good as Cleveland’s, but Minnesota’s explosive offense can mask the mistakes.
The Indians are going to be in almost every game because of their starting five, but at some point, Cleveland’s going to have score some runs. Assuming Lindor is traded, Jose Ramirez will be the only bonafide slugger in the lineup.
2. Lindor traded, Tribe gets little in return
Throwing caution into the wind, keeping Lindor and running it back one more time sounds great…except there’s no way it’s going to happen.
What would be the point of keeping Lindor at this point? The Indians haven’t done anything to build up the roster the last two years and considering their fiscal restraints, they’re not inclined to do it now.
We all want a big return, but they’ll trade the franchise favorite and probably get a disappointing haul centered around a player at A ball back. We all want a starting outfielder under contract for five years, but considering a lot of teams are reportedly not interested in free agents, with prospects being more coveted than ever, that wish seems unlikely.
Lindor spent six seasons in an Indians uniform and helped rejuvenate a fan base that had grown salty during the lean Manny Acta, Shelley Duncan, David Dellucci years.
He’ll always be a favorite on the The Corner, unfortunately, we’ll have to watch him play elsewhere in 2021.
3. We’re still asking about the OF in 2022
If this truly is the case next December, we should be stark raving mad–and don’t let the team’s new name make you forget that the organization has ignored the outfield ever since Michael Brantley departed after the 2018 season.
There’s talk of playing Franmil Reyes in the outfield, but they talked about that last season, as well.
Ideally, Oscar Mercado shakes his sophomore slump and regains his form as a solid, everyday starter in center.
Really, the only ray of hope is top prospect Nolan Jones. He’s been brought up as a third baseman, but the Indians are going to give him an outfielders glove to accelerate his path to the big leagues. They don’t want to mess with Jose Ramirez at third and that’s a good thing since J-Ram just posted an MVP caliber season.
As for Jones, he still needs time in the minors. It’d be a big ask of a rookie to come up this year, learn a new position, hit well enough to keep and never let it go.
The only other bit of optimism is that they get an outfielder for Lindor. We thought they would get one for Mike Clevinger, so your guess is as good as mine.
Really, after Jones, the Indians will again, throw a bunch of guys at the grass and see who sticks. I’m hoping Daniel Johnson, a prospect acquired in the Yan Gomes deal, makes good on his potential.
Alas, it’s the same thing with every player: Potential. And if the Tribe can’t figure it out in 2021, the organization has nobody but itself to blame.