2009 Cleveland Indians Predictions
Written by Jason Lowry
The Cleveland Indians were many experts’ pick to win the AL Central in 2008, but the team failed to live up to expectations. They were nearly out of the hunt halfway through the season, and they went as far as trading the 2007 Cy Young winner, CC Sabathia during the middle of the season. The Indians have made some key moves to help the 2009 season get off to a better start, as they brought closer Kerry Wood and utility player Mark Derosa over from the Chicago Cubs to beef up the bullpen and secure a hole at third base. The main thing the Indians need is for their prime players to get healthy. Here is closer look at the 2009 Cleveland Indians with my prediction on how I see them finishing in the AL Central this season.
Offense:
Two of the Indians biggest offensive players, catcher Victor Martinez and DH Travis Hafner combined to play just 130 games in 2008, and that was a big reason this team faltered so badly early on. The Indians are expecting both players to be back in full strength in 2009, and that is huge for this team. Martinez hit just .278 with 2 home runs last year after hitting .301 with 25 home runs and 114 RBI in 2007. Hafner was virtually worthless in 2008, hitting just .197 with 5 home runs, after averaging nearly 32 home runs and 109 RBI in his previous 4 seasons. Someone had to step up last season, and Grady Sizemore did just that, hitting 33 home runs with 90 RBI and 38 stolen bases. DeRosa will bring some pop to the lineup, as he hit .285 with 21 home runs and 87 RBI for the Cubs last season. Ryan Garko will play the majority of games at first base after hitting 14 home runs with 90 RBI last season, but Victor Martinez is expected to see a lot more time at first this season to avoid injury. SS Jhonny Peralta could be primed for a big season after hitting .276 with 23 home runs and a career-best 89 RBI in his 4th full season in the big leagues. The Indians also look like they will have some solid pop from the corner outfield spots, as RF Shin-Soo Choo hit .309 with 14 home runs in just 94 games in ’08, while the young left fielder Ben Francisco hit 15 home runs in his first extensive stint in the big leagues. Asdrubal Cabrera will hold down 2B for the Indians, but wasn’t much of an offensive threat in 2008, hitting just .259 with 6 home runs and 47 RBI in 114 games. Don’t be surprised to see top prospect Matt LaPorta called up before the seasons end, as he has all the tools to be a star in this league.
Pitching:
What a surprise it was to see Cliff Lee turn in a Cy Young winning performance last season. Lee was so bad in 2007 that he had to be sent back to the minors. Whatever he did worked, as he led the majors in wins by going 22-3 with an outstanding 2.54 ERA. The Indians will need another strong year from Lee, but also need Fausto Carmona to return the form that made him a 19 game winner in 2007. In 2008 he was just 8-7 with a 5.44 ERA. The team also has high hopes for Anthony Reyes, who finally looked like he was ready to live up to his potential after posting a 1.83 ERA in 6 starts after coming over from the Cardinals at the end of last season. What could really make the Indians a powerhouse this season is if the often-injured Carl Pavano can return to the form that made him a 18 game winner with the Marlins back in 2004. All signs looks like he is ready to go, and he is already slotted in the No.3 spot in the rotation. I still have my concerns for a guy that has started just 25 games since 2005, but it is a move that could pay huge dividends for Cleveland. The 5th spot in the rotation is not completely set in stone, but it looks like Aaron Laffey has the early edge over Jeremy Sowers. Laffey went 5-7 with a 4.23 ERA in his longest stretch in the majors last year, pitching in 16 games.
Prediction: 4th in AL Central
This was honestly a tough decision, as this division is loaded with talent. While I believe the Indians have the talent to win this division, I just don’t know if this team can stay healthy long enough to stay in this race. With the division looking as competitive as ever, the Indians could finish in 4th being just a few games out of 1st or 2nd.
Archived Season Previews:
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