As baseball fans certainly know, it’s crunch time.
There are less than two weeks to go in the regular season, and that means the various playoff races are reaching their conclusions and the elusive postseason in October is steadily approaching.
It’s been a long time since a sports fan from Cleveland could be proud to call himself a fan. With the Cavaliers making their first-ever trip to the NBA finals in June, this was more than enough for Cleveland fans to talk about for the year and be content.
Then the summer started, and the Indians were reminiscent of the teams of old who made trips to the World Series in 1995 and 1997. This year’s team doesn’t boast the big names like many of the teams of the past, but they are having a special season of their own.
The Indians have put together a tough pitching staff with a young group of position players and timely hitting from everyone in the order to have the best record in baseball. General Manager Mark Shapiro has done a superb job of locking up his up-and-coming stars early and for cheap.
Travis Hafner, Victor Martinez and Grady Sizemore are all locked up for the foreseeable future.
Travis Hafner, one of the best power hitters in the game today, had a rough start to the season but has come around lately. He is capable of hitting 40 homers and more than 130 RBIs year in and year out.
Victor Martinez has been his normal, steady self this year, hitting over .300 with 25 homers and 110 runs batted in. Martinez, who a year ago was the worst catcher in the majors at throwing out potential base stealers, has vastly improved his defensive footwork, which is promising to see in the off-season from a perennial All-Star.
Sizemore is making a name for himself, becoming one of the best leadoff hitters in the game. He should be considered for the Gold Glove award for his spectacular play in centerfield. Sizemore has added more power to his arsenal this year as he has hit 24 home runs. This newfound power complements his speed, as he has swiped 33 bases this season.
These young stars provide a good nucleus of position players for the Indians to build on for the future. As far as pitching staff, which has overcome injuries and demotions to minors, it is expected to be very good all season long.
The pitching rotation has been led by none other then C.C. Sabathia, who has had a tremendous season and should be crowned the American League’s Cy Young winner. Sabathia ranks first in the major league in innings pitched and fourth in strikeouts with 205.
This just proves that Sabathia is a team leader and stopper. Everyday he’s on the mound, the team around him expects to win, and he has had four starts where he has gone seven or more innings, giving up only one run.
Coach Eric Wedge will have a hard time choosing his third starter for the playoffs between Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd, who has 15 wins this year. The bullpen, which was the biggest question mark at the beginning of the season, has proved to be a strong point for the Tribe.
Closer Joe Borowski is third in saves with 43 this year and has been very reliable in save situations. Rookie Rafael Perez should be considered for American League Rookie of the Year with his 1.66 ERA. He has shut down opposing batters in crucial situations, which has made him a huge asset to the team recently.
Combining great pitching with solid position play and hitting, this Indians team is to be feared in October when the postseason rolls around.
