Tomlin was pretty good in last years playoffs (when he wasn't asked to pitch on short rest), but I would still probably prefer Clev as the 4th starter. Maybe he's just better at coming out of the pen? Sounds like a few of the regular relievers won't be on the playoff roster if they plan on bringing Tomlin and Salazar.
Correct, Shaw and Allen, two key members of a bullpen that is ranked #1 in the MLB.
To be fair, here's the ERA's of the RP's that saw major innings:
Code:
Pitcher IP WHIP ERA
Andrew Miller 58.0 0.83 1.55
Nick Goody 53.1 1.05 2.53
Dan Otero 58.0 1.17 2.64
Zach McAllister 61.0 1.20 2.66
Cody Allen 63.0 1.19 2.86
Bryan Shaw 73.0 1.22 3.33
The two "worst" guys in terms of WHIP and ERA are Shaw and Allen. Granted, it's not bad either, but usually you want your closer to feel more like Kenley Jansen and not the 5th best guy in your pen.
Interesting. Clevinger to the bullpen for the remainder of season and the ALDS.
Jordan Bastian Verified account @MLBastian Francona: Clevinger going to bullpen "to be a weapon." Indians leaning toward 4-man rotation for ALDS.
Jordan Bastian Verified account @MLBastian Francona didn't name the 4th starter, but sure points to Tomlin in rotation for ALDS, if Game 4 needed. Team still weighing Salazar's role.
Jordan Bastian Verified account @MLBastian In 2016 playoffs, Tribe 'pen nearly logged as many innings (64.2) as rotation (69.1). Francona thinks Clevinger can be multi-inning weapon.
I'm not sure I like that after the way Clevinger has settled into that 4th spot.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
- Manager Terry Francona said Saturday that 11-game winner Mike Clevinger will open the postseason in the bullpen. The Indians open the AL Division Series on Oct. 5.
Francona said the Indians will open the postseason with a four-man rotation. The first three spots will go to Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer. The fourth starter, with Clevinger out of the picture, comes down to Josh Tomlin, Danny Salazar and Ryan Merritt.
Salazar, said Francona, will take Clevinger's next start. But he did not name Salazar as the fourth starter. Right now, Tomlin could be the favorite only because he pitched well in the postseason last year and can pitch deeper into games than Salazar, who just came off the disabled list.
Merritt has not appeared in a game since beating the Yankees on Aug. 30, which takes him out of the running unless there's an emergency.
The Indians changed their rotation for their upcoming series against the Twins with Tomlin starting Tuesday and Salazar on Wednesday at Progressive Field.
"We put Clev in the bullpen," Francona told reporters. "He'll be available out of the pen today. The reason is we'll try to assimilate him to the pen because we think he can be a weapon, but we want to give him a week to fit in out there.
"Sometimes you take starters and put them in the bullpen and it throws everybody out of whack a little bit. We don't want to do that. So we want him to be a part of what we're doing out there so we can try to find some rhythm."
Clevinger (11-3, 3.13) has been on a great roll. He's struck out 133 and walked 58 in 118 innings. He's made 24 appearances, including 21 starts.
"He has not been banished to the bullpen," said Francona. "He's been sent there to help us win. He understands that.
"When we get into a playoff series, we value the innings from out bullpen. We plan on using him as a weapon -- just like Bryan Shaw, Cody Allen and Andrew Miller. There's a reason we did this."
Clevinger pitched out of the pen last postseason, but he didn't have the kind of numbers he had this year as a starter. He has won his last five starts, allowing just two earned runs in 29 2/3 innings with 34 strikeouts and 10 walks.
"I think it's pretty safe to say we'll go with a four-man rotation," said Francona. "We're still lining up stuff. The way we go -- we think we know what we want to do, we just want to make sure. There's no reason to tie yourself to one thing with the exception of you want the pitchers to pitch on the right days. Mickey (Callaway, pitching coach) is talking to them right now.
"Do they want extra rest now, do they want it later? We're just trying to tie all that together."
When asked about Salazar's status, Francona said, "There's a lot of stuff we're talking about. I'll just keep it at that."
Clevinger gives the Indians a safety net in case a starter is injured before the postseason.
"One day you can feel like you're in good shape," said Francona. "The next you say, 'Where did they go?'"
Clevinger's addition to the pen means someone is going to get knocked off the postseason roster. Clevinger, Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Andrew Miller and Joe Smith seem secure.
Now the question is will the Indians carry seven or eight relievers? Francona's options are Zach McAllister, Dan Otero, Nick Goody, Tyler Olson, Shawn Armstrong, Craig Breslow, Klyle Crockett and Salazar, if he doesn't make the rotation.
Last year the Indians used an 11-man staff in the ALDS, but it included eight relievers.
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
I'm just guessing that they think Clevinger is approaching an innings limit this year. Teams often shut down younger pitchers when their innings start piling up. A quick check on his career stats shows that he has never pitched more than 158 innings in a season, and he is already at 154 this year, between here and Columbus. He has basically been a 5 or 6 inning starter this year.
Either that, or maybe they are thinking of a Tomlin/Salazar tandem as their 4th starter in the playoffs. Imagine facing Tomlin and his precision slop once or twice through the order, and then coming to the plate to face Salazar's high octane gas.
Dodgers lose. Indians 1 game back for best record in the Majors.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Dodgers lose. Indians 1 game back for best record in the Majors.
So the "path" to a title looks like: Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers ... that's some old baseball lore right there
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Dodgers lose. Indians 1 game back for best record in the Majors.
So the "path" to a title looks like: Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers ... that's some old baseball lore right there
I wouldn't count out the Astros. They've been pretty hot themselves all year long. You just don't see it because the Tribe has been supernova hot since August.
Dodgers lose. Indians 1 game back for best record in the Majors.
So the "path" to a title looks like: Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers ... that's some old baseball lore right there
I wouldn't count out the Astros. They've been pretty hot themselves all year long. You just don't see it because the Tribe has been supernova hot since August.
I hope they can beat the Bosox, who is my most hated team ... but I fear Boston's bats and Sale will be quite a hurdle
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
just to play devils advocate, defense in right field would be my only gripe Bruce has been pretty bad..but the infield defense more than makes it even
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday. -John Wayne
its funny, Indians are in the bottom half of the league in payroll and neck and neck with the team that has the highest payroll. Goes to show you, having a competent scouting department pays dividends. Browns should take notice
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday. -John Wayne
its funny, Indians are in the bottom half of the league in payroll and neck and neck with the team that has the highest payroll. Goes to show you, having a competent scouting department pays dividends. Browns should take notice
Unfortunately it can't stay this way.
It will be great if the Cleveland front office can secure Jose Rameriz and Fransisco Lindor as teammates on the Tribe for years to come.
It will be great if the Cleveland front office can secure Jose Rameriz and Fransisco Lindor as teammates on the Tribe for years to come.
They've already got Rameriz locked up for 5 years, Frankie is going to be a tough one. I hope they can find a way to do it, but when his contract is up the Yankees or some other big market team will be backing the Brinks truck up to his house. It sucks, but that's the way it goes for small market teams.
I hope they can find a way to do it, but when his contract is up the Yankees or some other big market team will be backing the Brinks truck up to his house. It sucks, but that's the way it goes for small market teams.
This is how it used to be for small market teams. The Rays locked up Evan Longoria, the Pirates locked up Andrew McCutchen, the Marlins locked up Giancarlo Stanton, the Twins locked up Joe Mauer, the Brewers locked up Ryan Braun, the Reds locked up Joey Votto, the Royals locked up Salvador Perez ... ...
Every MLB team is sitting on tons of money. Whether they choose to spend it is a different question entirely.
Every MLB team is sitting on tons of money. Whether they choose to spend it is a different question entirely.
I totally agree with you. Hopefully the Indians choose to spend it.
So it's hard to complain about big market teams like the Yankees stealing players when your team has the money to pay them, but just pockets it instead.
