The Front Row

Being a Tigers fan, the Indians have a great chance of winning the AL Central. I know it is early, but it is brutal trying to watch the Tigers right now. They gave up 11 runs to the Twins last night, REALLY! They are having trouble putting it together this year. The pitching started off great, but they could not score runs. Now, they are scoring runs, but are not pitching. As of right now the Tigers do not have a closer because Papa Granda is aweful and somewhat hurt (back issues). As far as the rest of the relivers go, they are not looking great either. Plus the Tigers have no second baseman. They had to choose between Inge and Rayburn, and they picked Rayburn. I would rather have Corkey form Life Goes On out there. At least Corkey would hit above .180.

Sorry for the Tiger rant, but I figured all the Tribe fans would love hearing about how poorly the Tigers are playing right now.

No I doubt it...

The Tigers have 3 of the TOP players in MLB in Verlander, Cabrera and Fielder. It's a season ebb and flows, a grind and although Cleveland may be competative, the Tigers will still win the division. The difference will be Doug Fister and JV will be rock solid, then either Scherzer, Porcello or Smyley will get at least one win in those three other starts, where I can't see Lowe being rock solid for the entrie year. Masterson and Jimenez are not consistent enough, so it's sad to say....the Tribe will fade.

I love the Indians like I love the Buckeyes.....but I am also a realist.

With that said, this team stands little-to-no chance to make the playoffs. I like to use something I call "the eyeball test." Does this team look like a playoff team to you?

Me neither...

Yes, Jimenez and Masterson are huge keys. Jeanmar Gomez seems far more consistent than those two. The bullpen does a good job and the guys are hitting better recently. Choo has done well as the lead-off hitter that past 2-3 games. Last year the team exploded in the Spring then started losing. I have fears that may happen again.

A wildcard is possible.
If the pitching holds up, yeah they can win.
Big key, consistency in the bats.
The young catcher has to hit to his potential.
Brantley and Choo have to stay healthy, and if Damon can just do what he did last year hitting wise, and Cleveland can pick up a bat or two at the trading dead line, they have a chance.
Detroit's bullpen is a big quesiton, and Papa Grande pitched over his head last year, this year you are seeing the real guy, above average closer. They also lack speed and good defensive players. Fielder and Cabrera may be big bats, but they are not good infielders with range, and neither are Peralta or their second base Rayburn. RF and LF is not manned with great defensive players either. They are not a good defensive team, or on with speed at all.
Good defense, timely hitting and solid pitching, the Tribe has a chance.

I don't think the Indians are quite a playoff team as constructed, don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to be wrong. This team needs another bat, and I'm not counting on that guy being Grady Sizemore. Either way, they need a Right Handed hitter with some pop. But I do love the way the Indians are playing right now, and if they keep it up, I do see the Front Office trying to make some sort of move to add to this team.

I think the Indians need to get it cleaned up on the starting pitching. The 2 front of the rotation guys (Masterson & Jiminez) have been shaky at times. Masterson was our most consistent pitcher last year. He seems like he's close to finding it, but I'd like to see him get in gear. Jiminez is something else entirely. I love the guys stuff, he throws hard, and his pitches have a lot of movement. What I don't understand is how one night he can go out and get guys out and look like a Front of the Rotation starter, and then one night he can go out and barely find the strike zone. He clearly has the talent to be a #1 type starter, they need to get his mechanics straightened out. On the other hand... you have Derek Lowe. I figured they'd be close to DFA'ing this guy by now. Don't get me wrong, always liked him as a pitcher but I figured he was completely washed up after last year. Certainly never saw this coming, they struck gold on this guy, atleast if only for a year. He looks like the 2004 Derek Lowe out there right now.

The bottom line: I expect the Indians starters to become more consistent, I expect the bats to be ehh.. about the same.. I honestly think they're overachieving a bit in some respects. I also expect the Tigers to get their stuff together and make a BIG run at some point. They're simply too talented not to. The Indians better build up as much of a lead while they can. I hope to see the Indians add a solid Right Handed bat and make this a really competitive AL Central race!

The Indians lineup is plenty good enough to compete for a playoff birth if they stay healthy. The were doing it last year before the injuries and are doing it this year. If you compare them to Texas or New York or Detroit they won't match up to the best lineups, but that is silly to do so. They have enough to keep winning games if healthy though. I also think saying they have the worst outfield in the majors is an exaggeration. Brantley is starting to come around again. He is hitting .276 now after his awful start and has already hit 13 doubles. Choo is now starting to hit too. They have some positions they could use some improvement (LF, and maybe 1B and 3B) but it is what it is. Hannahan is hitting now so you ride him while you can. Kotchman needs to pick it up. He is great defensively, but is really struggling this year after hitting over .300 last year. If they can stay in it and continue to stay healthy I would love for them to add a RH bat with some pop at the trade deadline and get Sizemore back (i know, that is a joke but maybe he will be able to finish the year healthy). A lot of ifs but I am an optimist I guess (or a glutton for punishment).

I'm right with you for the most part. We agree this team is closer to making it then NOT making it.

Now just for fun....name me one OF worse then the Indians....I can't think of one in all honesty.

They are a better team this year talent wise and they have that experience of being up and down last year.

They have an outside shot.

when they dismanteled the team in early 2000s did they not saYWITH IN 5 YEARS THEY WOULD BE BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE GO TRIBE

They won 90+ games in 2007 i think it was.