On Deck Circle 7/24/17: Solving The Indians Starting Rotation

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta


Going into the season, starting pitching for the Indians seemed like a huge strength of the team. Corey Kluber is a top 3 pitcher in the AL, Carlos Carrasco could be the ace of many other staffs, Danny Salazar has been very solid for the past 2 seasons and Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin have been serviceable pitchers for end of rotation.

This season, Kluber and Carrasco are still performing well and to their norm, the others though…not so much. A team that went to the World Series last season and has expectations of being there again this season is currently underperforming and clinging onto a division lead in which they should be running away with and that is falling on the shoulders of the starting pitching.

So now with the trade deadline approaching and Danny Salazar returning from the disabled list, the big question is what the Indians should do with the starting rotation. Salazar’s return means that there are 6 starting pitchers on the roster so there will be one odd man out now and even then, most aren’t overly optimistic that going with the current starters on the roster will be enough to capture the AL pennant. So where do the Indians go from here and who should be the 5 starting pitchers?

First, let’s not even bother with talking about Kluber or Carrasco. Those 2 are the top 2 starters and won’t be moving at all from the rotation, so those spots are set.

Next comes Mike Clevinger, who started out on fire in triple A and has carried over his pitching performance to the big leagues. Clevinger is a smaller sample size than the others with only 12 starts this season, but his 2.73 ERA and 1.12 WHIP puts him right up there with Kluber and Carrasco and is a solid #3 starter. Him being the “new guy” with less time in the MLB than the others shouldn’t matter, he’s outperforming the other candidates for the 3 spot and should remain as the guy there, would be a huge mistake if experience trumps production in this case.

Before we continue on about current Indians pitchers, here’s where the potential for a trade comes in to play. I know many fans will be upset if the Indians do not make a move for a starting arm before the deadline(July 31st), but the reality of it is they are most likely not going to be...

Why? A number of reasons.

The first being that there’s not really a big market for available starting pitchers. The Rangers are shopping Yu Darvish but he comes with a monster price tag and is a rent-a-player, Indians won’t be re-signing him considering he will be an 100+ million dollar contract likely and the tribe will have their hands full with Francisco Lindor this offseason. The Rays would be insane to trade Chris Archer with the way he’s performed along with his money and years friendly contract, the Pirates just sprung right back into division contention so Gerrit Cole is off the trading block, so we are looking at Sonny Gray as the best available target out there as far as pitching goes.

Sonny Gray is a good pitcher, but that’s it. He would be a solid upgrade over whoever is the #4 starter, but he’s not an ace of a staff or anything as his 3.66 ERA and 1.18 WHIP shows. The biggest issue with trading for Gray is his price, especially when considering what the Cubs recently gave up for Jose Quintana (who Gray is better than.) The Cubs shelled out a top 10 prospect in Eloy Jimenez, a top 70 prospect in Dylan Cease and 2 other prospects for Quintana, so if the A’s are looking for that type of deal then the Indians most likely will not be in the running. They gutted the farm system a bit last season with the acquisition of Andrew Miller, and right now only have 3 prospects in the top 100. So Indians fans need to ask themselves if Sonny Gray is worth giving up both Francisco Mejia and Triston McKenzie for, or McKenzie and Bobby Bradley for, any combination of 2 of the top 3 prospects being involved in this trade.

Big deals in consecutive years are damaging to the farm, it’s just a matter of Sonny Gray being that guy that puts Cleveland over the top, like Miller was last season, and if not then they should pass on the deal.

For now, we will stick with who the Indians have in order to fill out the remainder of the pitching rotation, and what player should occupy the #4 spot. While he possibly may be having the worst season off all the starters on this team, this is where Danny Salazar fits in. He’s the best overall pitcher of what’s left and the 2 previous seasons his ERA has been under 4.00, so I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt to him based on his track record. He’s just getting back from the DL and we can revisit this after his next few starts but right now, he has the best chance of turning it around and pitching well down the stretch.

So that leaves us with Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin for that 1 final spot. This is a tough call really, both have pitched poorly overall this season but Trevor Bauer should remain a starting pitcher, sending Josh Tomlin to the bullpen. This seems like it would be an unpopular pick as Bauer has fallen out of graces with many fans, partly due to his political views and overall attitude, but there are a few reasons why he should be the 5th starter over Josh Tomlin.

One of the worst things a relief pitcher can do is come out of the bullpen and walk guys, especially since there will be times he’ll come on in relief with men on base already. Bauer leads the team in walks and has a higher WHIP than Tomlin, I’d trust Tomlin to come out of the bullpen and shut down an inning before Bauer would, especially considering how different of a change it would be for hitters if Tomlin were to relieve Kluber or Carrasco. When splitting hairs over pitchers with similar stats, how they fit in to the bullpen should definitely be a factor, and Tomlin would make a better pitcher coming on in relief than Bauer would. He could easily smooth over the rockiness of Brian Shaw, where Bauer might just be another Brian Shaw out of the bullpen.

There’s also their overall stuff, and I know we’ve been hearing about Bauer having a ton of talent and just not producing but I’ll take a “hit or miss” 5th starter with the potential to throw a gem over someone with just decent stuff. We’re not asking either to be a top of the line starter, so the risk-reward with Bauer should come into play here.

And finally, and most importantly here, the mental aspect and personality is in play here. I don’t want to make this sound like Tomlin should be “demoted” for this while also making it seem that Bauer should just get what he wants, but Tomlin is one of those guys that wants to do whatever is best for the team and is willing to help out in any way that he can. Bauer, from the way he talks and portrays himself, doesn’t seem to be that type of player. The worry of sending him to the bullpen could cause a big rift overall, can see him being upset to the point where he blows up and it affects his pitching to the point where he is rendered useless and whether fans like it or not, Bauer will be on the roster this season and won’t be DFA’d or traded (unless the Indians can make him a part of a Sonny Gray deal) so the Indians need to find use out of him. Tomlin would take it in stride and say that he’ll do whatever is asked of him, it makes more sense just to keep things on an even keel here to move Tomlin around while keeping Bauer where he’s at.

So that’s what it should look like going forward barring any trades. Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Mike Clevinger, Danny Salazar and Trevor Bauer as the starting rotation and Josh Tomlin in the bullpen. When you look at it that way, if Clevinger remains pitching the way he has and Salazar finds his groove and gets back to 2016 form, this rotation may be good enough for a pennant run after all.

On Deck Circle 5/14/17: Stay Optimistic, Tribe Fans!

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta


Corey Kluber is on the DL.

Danny Salazar has not been pitching well.

Trevor Bauer has been atrocious, and that’s putting it lightly.

Edwin Encarnacion has been struggling with providing the power that all Indians fans hoped for.

Jason Kipnis is still trying to get back in the groove after starting the season on the DL.

The defense is just down right bad.

So, with all of these problems, why should Indians fans stay optimistic? There’s only 1 reliable starter, poor defense being played, and offense that ranks in the lower 3rd of the league in majority of categories. That normally would spell out a team that has too many deficiencies to overcome and reason to not buy in to their squad.

Many reasons, the first one being that despite all of their current issues, they are still 18-17 and only 2 games out of first in the AL Central. And I know it’s way too early to start dissecting the playoff picture, but they are still right in the thick of things as a wild card team. This is essentially saying that if only half of the issues mentioned turn around then the Indians will have no problem with taking control of the division and regaining their place atop the entire American League.

If Kluber comes back from the DL and starts pitching well along with Salazar finding his groove then that will be more than enough, add in that Mike Clevinger very well may take Bauer’s starting spot in the rotation and now the starting pitching is exponentially better. Or if the Indians start getting that big pop from Encarnacion’s bat and Kipnis raises his batting average, the offense improves and these 3-2 or 2-1 losses turn into 5-3 or 3-2 wins. A lot can change still, the season is still relatively young and it’s too soon to throw in the towel on this team just because things aren’t going as planned right now.

This leads right into my second reason, this is a proven team with proven players. It would be a bit different as far as optimism goes had this team not gone to the World Series last season, if they were just a .500 team last year then likely there wouldn’t be a sense to stay positive about this team. But this team is good, with a lot of returning players from last season and got even better in the offseason.

There’s reason to keep faith in Kluber and Salazar pitching well because we know they can, just like there’s reason to believe that Encarnacion’s bat will be there. This isn’t a team that’s just hoping that they can get production from some unlikely places, gone are the days of pinning their hopes on Ubaldo Jimenez and Jason Giambi to provide the pitching and hitting even though they are well out of their prime. Getting production out of Mike Napoli was great, but he eventually bottomed out so they replaced him with a guy that has hit at least 34 home runs in 5 straight seasons. This is a real good team, probably the best 25 man roster in the AL, they are weathering the storm right now and keeping themselves in a position where there’s little no ground to make up once they start clicking, which they will.

Aside from all the negatives, the one main constant positive is how great this bullpen is. That has been the Indians’ saving grace so far, the fact that if they have a lead through 5-6 innings then the bullpen is a steel trap and protects that lead no matter how small it may be. Andrew Miller and Nick Goody still have not given up an earned run this season, Cody Allen has saved 9 games and has not blown a save, and Bryan Shaw, who has been a target of frustration for fans, along with Boone Logan have held their own in relief opportunities. This is all happening with some poor starting pitching, once the starters turn it around then this is going to be an incredibly scary pitching staff as a whole. The bullpen alone should keep Indians fans optimistic, they will win every game that gets turned over to them while in the lead. They’ve been the reason why the record is what it is right now and will continue to be a solid part of the team going forward.

And finally, the biggest reason may just be the division that they play in. There are no teams in the division that are as good and talented as the Indians, Cleveland looks like they are sandbagging right now and no team in the AL Central has been able to capitalize on it. The only other quality team that could give the Indians a run for their money are the Detroit Tigers, and they have just as many, if not more, glaring issues than the Indians do right now. There’s no team like the Houston Astros or Washington Nationals in this division, no team that just looks stunning on paper that the Indians will struggle with. If the Indians are able to compete in the division currently with all of that they are lacking from key players, just imagine what they will do when those problems get resolved and those key players start performing accordingly. It’s a good spot to be in for the Indians, they’ve been given a nice buffer to work out all the kinks since no team is starting to run away with the division. This is still Cleveland’s division to win, they are the favorites to be crowned AL Central champs so there’s no reason why any fan shouldn’t be optimistic about this team making the playoffs still.

So there you have it, tribe fans. I know watching these games can be painful at times and I know that there were high expectations going into this season and the team has not played up to those expectations, but there’s plenty to remain positive about this team as the season goes on. This team will win the division and make the playoffs and will be a favorite to win the American League pennant, just keep the optimism flowing as the season continues.

On Deck Circle 5/5/17: Here Comes Clevinger

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta


Corey Kluber has been placed on the 10-day disabled list. Kluber left Tuesday night’s game with back discomfort after allowing 5 runs on 7 hits in just 3 innings of work against the Detroit Tigers. After being evaluated by team doctors, his discomfort has been diagnosed as a back strain, which will require him to miss at least one start.

While no decision has been made on who will start in place of Kluber on Sunday, all signs point to Mike Clevinger being recalled from Triple A and getting the nod. Fans might remember Clevinger from last season, he was brought up towards the end of the season once Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar suffered injuries and he started a handful of games down the stretch. And if you don't remember Mike Clevinger by name, "that pitcher with that real long hair" might jog your memory. While he didn’t exactly have great outings in the majors last season, 3-3 with a 5.26 ERA and 1.49 WHIP, he has been lights out this season in Columbus. Clevinger is currently 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 6 starts(30 innings) so far, he’s also struck out 32 batters while walking 10. He’s in the top 10 in all major pitching categories in Triple A and top 5 in some even, a start to the season that will earn the 26 year old a start in the MLB. Add in that Clevinger’s next scheduled start is Sunday, the same day that Kluber’s next scheduled start would’ve been, and it makes perfect sense to move him up to the majors for this start.

Do not be surprised if it’s more than one start for Clevinger though, and that’s only partially due to the possibility of Kluber missing more time. Kluber is expected back from the DL to make a start on May 13th, but manager Terry Francona has stated that he wants him to be 100% healthy before he comes back. So the Indians may extend Kluber’s stay on the DL and give Clevinger another start and basically have him as a fill until Kluber is healthy and ready to return.

The other reason to not be surprised is he may pitch well enough to become a starter in the normal rotation. With the struggles that some Indians' pitchers have had this season, this could be more of an audition rather than just filling a spot until Kluber is ready to go again. The tribe has the expectations of getting to the World Series again this season, but right now the starting pitching is a big concern for them. Carlos Carrasco has been great for them and while Kluber and Salazar haven't had very good starts, their jobs are safe. Which leaves the 4th and 5th starters, Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin, who are a huge black and blue bruise for their starting rotation that has many wondering how long either of them can remain as a starter for this team.

Trevor Bauer, while talented, has an ERA of 7.67 to go with a 1.59 WHIP, .287 opponents batting average and has already given up 6 home runs this season. In most cases, that would leave little to no job security and the plug could be pulled at any moment, but in this case he has the fortune of Josh Tomlin actually pitching worse than him. Tomlin checks in with a 8.87 ERA, 1.76 WHIP and .369 opponents batting average, which is beyond horrendous for someone who has made 5 starts this season.

So this is where Clevinger comes in, he has an absolute golden opportunity to not only hold the fort down for the Indians while Kluber spends some time on the DL, but to also take Josh Tomlin's or Trevor Bauer's spot in the rotation. Even if he doesn't light it up out there and Cleveland gets the pitcher from last season, that's still better production that what they are getting from the 4th and 5th spot in their rotation. This move here could go a long way in how the Indians approach the trade deadline and how they manage their bullpen from here on out, assuming either Tomlin or Bauer get moved there if Clevinger earns a spot.

A healthy Kluber to go with Carrasco and Salazar with Mike Clevinger pitching better from the 4th starting spot puts the tribe in a much better situation going forward than if Bauer and Tomlin were both in the starting rotation. Still might need to make some tweaks, maybe give Zach McCallister a start or two or move Ryan Merritt up from triple A to give him a chance and don't leave out the potential for a trade, but Clevinger coming in and pitching well is something all fans need to root for and not just so they can get some wins while Corey Kluber is out.

This is a good long term solution here for the Indians, and Mike Clevinger has all the opportunity in the world to come up to Cleveland, lock a job up and not be sent back down this season.

The Raven Report 9.8.15: On #Browns #Buckeyes #Indians

By @nevaRWilliams

The Cleveland Browns have filled out their practice squad over the weekend. In case you missed it, running back Terrance West was traded to the Tennessee Titans for a 2016 7th round draft pick. With the trade of West and the concussion history of Duke Johnson, running back Shaun Draughn earned himself a place on the practice squad.

Wide receiver Darius Jennings also made the team. Jennings caught a touchdown from Johnny Manziel during the preseason, while also showing solid work as a kick returner. He averaged 23.3 yards per return on 9 attempts, including a 54 yard return in the first preseason game.

Offensive linemen Andrew McDonald, Erle Ladson and Darien Miller were also added to the practice squad.

Seventh-round pick Hayes Pullard made the squad after having a strong performance at the end of camp and in preseason games. The 6’1”, 240 lbs. Pullard will likely get the call up to the team if something happens injury-wise with the inside linebackers.

In the secondary, the Browns kept corner Kendall James and safety De’Ante Saunders.

As of right now, preseason fan favorite Josh Lenz is not with the team. 2015 4th round pick Vince Mayle has been signed by the Dallas Cowboys to their practice squad.

Cleveland has also signed defensive lineman Dylan Wynn and center Garth Gerhart to the practice squad. Former Jaguars offensive lineman Austin Pasztor was also claimed off of waivers.

The Browns have signed quarterback Austin Davis to be their 3rd QB on the roster. Davis, 26, is 6’2”, 220 pounds. Last season, he was with the St. Louis Rams and started eight games, putting up 2,001 yards, 12 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, with an 85.1 QB rating. Davis was cut Saturday by the Rams. Hopefully, Davis will have more success with the team than recently cut Thad Lewis, who had a 56.8 rating in the preseason and took SEVEN sacks in the final preseason game against Chicago last Thursday. Johnny Manziel is also on track to be available and ready for the season opener on Sunday versus the New York Jets.

On the rumor side of things, the Browns may look into signing recently cut runnings Jonas Gray, who was with New England, and Montee Ball, who last played with Denver.

Linebacker Nate Orchard, running back Duke Johnson and cornerbacks Pierre Desir, Justin Gilbert and Charles Gaines did not practice on Monday. The team also put Charles Gaines on the IR/Designated Return list with a hamstring injury. Gaines is able to return in Week 8.

Lastly for the Browns, they have suspended offensive line coach Andy Moeller indefinitely. It’s said that the incident is a very serious assault situation. Moeller has a history of drinking-related issues going back to his days with the Baltimore Ravens. In 2011, the Ravens suspended him for two games. Here is the official statement from the Browns:

The Ohio State Buckeyes opened up their season last night in Blacksburg, Virginia, facing off against the Virginia Tech Hokies. The Buckeyes were led by starting QB Cardale Jones who had 186 yards passing and 2 touchdowns, along with 99 yards rushing and a rushing touchdown. On his first touch of the game, Heisman candidate Ezekiel Elliott had an 80 yard touchdown run, and finished with 112 yards rushing. The highlight star of the game was quarterback-turned-receiver Braxton Miller. In his first game at his new position, Miller had 6 rushess for 62 yards with a touchdown, and 2 catches for 78 yards and a touchdown that was topped off with a spectacular spin move that left Hokies players and fans in jaw dropping awe. Receivers Michael Thomas and Curtis Samuel each had touchdowns of their own. Check out the full “On The Mark: Buckeyes Recap” later today here on TripleThreatCLE.com.

In early Labor Day baseball Monday, the Cleveland Indians took a win from the Chicago White Sox, 3-2, at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. Ryan Raburn and Trevor Bauer led the way for the Tribe. Raburn drove in a pair of solo home runs off of White Sox starter Chris Sale, as Bauer pitched seven innings of two hit baseball in the win that ended the White Sox four game win streak. Bauer earned his 11th win as he allowed just the two runs on two hits, while striking out six and walking five “Pale Hose”. Cody Allen came on in the 9th for his 29th save on the season.

Tonight’s game will see the Indians’ Carlos Carrasco (12-9, 3.53) face Carlos Rodon (6-6, 4.10) of the White Sox. First pitch is at 8pm EST.

Inside The Batter's Box 4.24.15: #Indians vs. #Tigers Preview

By @B_Rock1978

Is it time to hit the panic button Tribe fans? Can we just forget that this series against the White Sox ever happened? Another very disappointing series from our Tribe the past three days. Worst of all, again it was to another team in our division. We now stand at 3-8 against our divisional teams.
(Que Price Is Right waa waa waa waaaaaaaaa defeat music here.)

Game one, Ryan Raburn got things going for the Tribe in the second inning, launching a solo shot. Raburn finished 2 for 3 with an RBI. "Dr. Smooth" Michael Brantley unloaded a double in the third inning, picking up an RBI. Top of the fifth, Brett Hayes, delivered another solo shot and the Tribe looked like they were well on their way to a win. Or so we thought. Tribe closer, Cody Allen, gets rocked in the bottom of the ninth, gives up 4 runs and the ChiSox turn a 3-0 score into a 4-3 win. You got to be kidding?!

Game two, saw both Carlos Santana and David Murphy launch the long ball. Ryan Raburn continued to hit well, going 2 for 2 with 2 RBI. "Dr. Smooth" Michael Brantley added an RBI single. Jason Kipnis sac flied in an RBI. Carlos Carrasco went 5 innings, giving up 1 ER, 8 strikeouts and no walks. Cody Allen pitched the ninth, held onto the lead this time, recording 2 strikeouts and the Tribe won 6-2.

Game three, was a complete nightmare. Tribe ace, Corey Kluber is pitching, we got this right? Wrong! Kluber gets his glove handed to him by the ChiSox. Kluber goes six innings, but gives up 13 hits, 6 ER, 6 strikeouts and 1 walk. Meanwhile, Jeff Samardzija, completely shuts down the Tribe in six innings. The Tribe lose 6-0 and lose the series to the ChiSox. Good grief!!

Next up, the Indians kick off a three game set with divisional rivals, the Detroit Tigers, in Detroit. In case you forgot, the Tigers swept the Tribe in their opening weekend series. Looking back at that series, and looking at how the Tribe have played since that series, I'm honestly scared Tribe fans. How did the Tigers do this week? The Tigers battled the Evil Empire, aka the New York Yankees, in a four game set. Let's take a look at how the Tigers did in their series with the Yanks and who our Tribe will have to watch out for in this series.

Game one, J.D. Martinez got the Tigers on the board in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single. Yoenis Cespedes followed with another RBI single. Alfredo Simon goes 7 1/3 innings, with 7 strikeouts and gave up no walks. Joakim Soria picks up save number 5 and the Tigers stayed hot, winning 2-1.

Game two, J.D. Martinez went 3 for 4, but wasn't an RBI threat. Yoenis Cespedes picked up a sac fly RBI in the seventh inning. Rajai Davis drew a walk in the ninth with the bases loaded, picking up an RBI. Kyle Lobstein went six innings, with 1 ER, 3 strikeouts and 4 walks. The Tigers bullpen collapsed in the seventh inning, however, and the Yanks grab the 5-2 win. 

Game three, the Tigers put four on the board in the bottom of the first. J.D. Martinez picked up another RBI in the series, drawing a walk with the bases loaded. Yoenis Cespedes picked up an RBI with an infield single. Nick Castellanos grounded out into a fielders choice, picking up an RBI. Alex Avila singled in an RBI during his at bat. The Tigers were shut down the rest of the way, losing to the Yankees 13-4.

Game four, Victor Martinez gets a sac fly RBI, but that's all the Tigers can muster as the Yankees cool off the Tigers 2-1 and take the series.

*** Starters For The Series ***

* Tigers *

- Game 1: Shane Green (3-0), makes his fourth start of the year, winning every start this year so far. Green stands with a 0.39 ERA, 11 strikeouts and 5 walks.

- Game 2: Alfredo Simon (3-0), makes his fourth start of the season, sitting at three perfect apperances. Simon takes the mound with a 1.74 ERA, 12 strikeouts and 2 walks.

- Game 3: Kyle Lobstein (1-1), makes his third start of the season, having a decision on all starts so far as well. Lobstein has a 3.27 ERA, 6 strikeouts and 6 walks.

* Indians *

- Game 1:  Danny Salazar (1-0), makes his second start of the year, after being called up from AAA last weekend. Salazar has a 3.00 ERA, with 10 strikeouts and 2 walks on the season.

- Game 2: Trevor Bauer (2-0), makes his fourth start of the year. Bauer, is currently the only original starter from season's beginning, that has had a good year so far. Bauer checks in with a 0.95 ERA, 26 strikeouts and 11 walks.

- Game 3: Carlos Carrasco (2-1), makes his fourth start of the year. Carrasco has a 2.38 ERA, 18 strikeouts and 1 walk on the year.

There is your Indians vs. Tigers preview, continue to join me all season, with Inside The Batter's Box. I'll bring you series previews, recaps, videos and pictures, on the Triple Threat CLE Twitter and Facebook pages.

~B~

Inside The Batter's Box 4.20.15: #Indians vs. #WhiteSox Preview

By @B_Rock1978

What's up wacky Wahoos!! It's another edition of Inside The Batter's Box. So after this weekend series, the Tribe have two serious issues right now. Issue number one, they need to play way better ball and not let what should be wins get away from them. Right now, the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals, are both off to a very hot start. Finding yourself way behind in the division in only the second week of baseball is a position the Tribe have put themselves in right now. Issue number two, again the division. The Tribe are currently 2-6 against their division teams right now. You can't win your division if you can't beat the teams in your division. Tribe skipper, Terry Francona, needs to put the pieces together, and I hate to say it, but he needs to do it quickly, before this season gets way out of control.

The Tribe finished up their three game set with the Minnesota Twins, over the weekend. Again, another division team that the Tribe needed to get wins from.

Game one, saw newcomer to the Tribe, Brandon Moss, go deep for a solo shot. The Tribe picked up another run on a wild pitch, later in the game. Corey Kluber pitched 8 solid innings, giving up 2 ER's, walking 1 and striking out 8. Unfortunately, no offense and giving up a bottom of the 11th homerun to Trevor Plouffe, sunk the Tribe 3-2.

Game two, Roberto Perez led the charge going 3 for 4 with 1 RBI on a homer. Jason Kipnis hit an RBI single, Lonnie Chisenhall recorded a sac fly RBI and another run came in on a wild pitch. Danny Salazar went 6 strong innings, allowing 2 ER, 10 strikeouts and 2 walks. Cody Allen closed the door and recorded save number 3 on the season. Tribe 4 Sox 2

Game three, saw the ship go down again. The Tribe only managed to bring home 2 runs. An RBI single from "Dr. Smooth" Michael Brantley and a solo homer by Carlos Santana. The Tribe lose 7-2, after a solid performance by Trevor May of the Twins.

Next up, the Indians kick off a three game set with divisional rivals, the Chicago White Sox, at Chicago. The White Sox finished up their series with the Detroit Tigers. Let's take a look at how the ChiSox did in their series with the Motor City Kitties and who our Tribe will have to watch out for in this series.

In game one, Avisail Garcia homered on his first at bat of the game. Jeff Samardzija pitched a gem of a game for the ChiSox, pitching 8 innings, striking out 7 and giving up 1 earned run. The ChiSox end up taking the loss 2-1, after Nick Castellanos of the Tigers was clearly out at second on a double. The ChiSox chose not to challenge the play and it ends up costing them, as that winning run eventually scored.

Game two, was the Melky Cabrera, Adam LaRoche and Jose Abreu show, as the ChiSox routed the Tigers 12-3. Cabrera went 4 for 5 with 2 RBI. Abreu went 3 for 6 with 4 RBI, those four ribbies coming on a grand slam. LaRoche went 3 for 5 with 4 RBI, three of those on a three run shot. Connor Gillaspie tacked on a single for an RBI and Alexei Ramirez added a sac fly RBI. Chris Sale capped it with 6 strong innings of pitching, recording 2 ER's, 6 strikeouts and 1 walk.

Game three, the Tigers stuck it right back to the Twins with a 9-1 win. Jose Abreu provided the only RBI for the ChiSox, with a triple in the 6th inning.

*** Starters For The Series ***

* White Sox *

- Game 1: John Danks (0-2), starts the first game of the three game set. Danks makes his third start of the year. Danks has an ERA of 6.97, with 4 strikeouts and 3 walks.

- Game 2: Hector Noesi (0-1), takes game two of the series. Noesi starts his second game of the year. Noesi comes in with a 3.86 ERA, 6 strikeouts and 6 walks.

- Game 3: Jeff Samardzija (0-1), closes out the series. Samardzija starts his fourth game of the year. Samardzija has a 4.29 ERA, 14 strikeouts and 3 walks.

* Indians *

- Game 1: Trevor Bauer (2-0), takes the mound in the opening game. Bauer has been the Tribe's only hope in the win column. Bauer starts his third game of the year, with a 1.50 ERA, 19 strikeouts and 9 walks.

- Game 2: Carlos Carrasco (1-1), hopes to have a longer outing and no baseballs to the face in game two. Carrasco makes his third start of the year, stands with a 2.84 ERA, 10 strikeouts and 1 walk.

- Game 3: Corey Kluber (0-1), closes the series. "Klubot" takes the mound for the fourth time this season. Kluber has a 2.49 ERA, 25 strikeouts and 4 walks.

There is your Indians vs. White Sox preview, continue to join me all season, with Inside The Batter's Box. I'll bring you series previews, recaps, videos and pictures, on the Triple Threat CLE Twitter and Facebook pages.

~B~

Inside The Batter's Box 4.14.15: #Indians vs. #WhiteSox Preview

By @B_Rock1978

Well Tribe fans, I know it's still early in the season, but the Tigers sweeping us really hurt. That's not how you want to open the season against a Central Division rival. Time to forgive and forget and move on to the next series. Another central division rival, the Chicago White Sox, come to town next. The ChiSox come to Progressive Field for a short two game series, Tuesday and Wednesday. I'll be in person at the stadium Wednesday afternoon, for the 12:05pm game. Be sure to check out the Triple Threat CLE Facebook page, as I'll post a few pictures from the game. Here is your preview of the Tribe vs. ChiSox series.

* ChiSox Highlights vs. Twins *

- J.B. Shuck: Shuck was the hero in game 2 in the ChiSox series against the Minnesota Twins. Shuck singled and drove in the go ahead run in the 8th inning, capping the win for the ChiSox.
- Avisail Garcia: Garcia, had a good game 2 as he went 2 for 4, with 1 RBI.
- Geovany Sato: Sato went 2 for 3 with a homer and 1 RBI, in game 2.
- Adam LaRoche and Alexei Ramirez: LaRoche and Ramirez led the way in a game 3 win as both men went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI. LaRoche added a homer to his stats.

- Chris Sale: Sale had a great outing on the mound in game 3. Sale took the win, pitching 6 innings with 1 ER, 8 strikeouts and a walk.

* Tribe Highlights vs. Tigers *

- Jerry Sands: Sands had an explosive game 2, against the Detroit Tigers. Sands went 3 for 4 with 4 RBI. 2 of those 3 hits went for doubles.
- Carlos Santana: Santana went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI and a free pass in game 1. Santana returned in game 3, going 2 for 5 with 1 RBI.
- Corey Kluber: "Klubot" pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up 2 ER, 10 strikeouts and 1 walk. But got a no decision in game 2.
- Ryan Raburn: Raburn had a good game 3, going 2 for 4 with 2 RBI. One of those hits going for a double.

***Starters For The Series ***

* ChiSox *

Game 1: Jose Quintana (0-0), takes the mound for the ChiSox on Tuesday. Quintana comes in with a 9.00 ERA, with 4 strikeouts and 1 walk on the season so far.

Game 2: John Danks (0-1), will pitch in Wednesday afternoon's game. Danks has a 6.35 ERA, with 1 strikeout and 1 walk on the season.

* Indians *

Game 1: Carlos Carrasco (1-0), will take the mound on Tuesday. Carrasco comes in with a perfect ERA, with 10 strikeouts and 1 walk on the season.

Game 2: Trevor Bauer (1-0), takes Wednesday afternoon's game. Bauer also has a perfect ERA, with 11 strikeouts and 5 walks.

Looking at this series, the Tribe really needs to take both of these games from the ChiSox. The sweep by the Tigers seemed to take a little bit of wind out of the Tribe's sails. The Tribe need to prove that they can take a beating and bounce right back a huge threat to the next team on the schedule. So there you go, there is your preview for the Tribe vs ChiSox series. Continue to join me all season, with Inside The Batter's Box. I'll bring you series previews, recaps, videos and pictures, on the Triple Threat CLE Twitter and Facebook pages.

~B~

Inside The Batter's Box 4.6.15: #Indians @ Astros

By @B_Rock1978

*** Season Opener ***

Houston, we have a problem! The Cleveland Indians are in town and looking to kick off the 2015 season with a win, and hopefully a promising playoff run this year. The Astros enter their third year as an American League team, a league that they have yet to have a winning season in. Last year, the Astros closed out the 2014 season with a very disappointing 70-92 record. The year before that an embarrassing 61-111 record.

The Astros had a few high points in 2014. One of those was Designated Hitter, Chris Carter. Carter finished the year with a .227 batting average, 37 homers and 88 RBI's in 507 at bats. Carter looks to have another good year this year, as the Astros may possibly use him at 1B, throughout the season.

Starting in the opener for the Astros is their ace, Dallas Keuchel. Last season, Keuchel finished 12-9 in 29 games with a 2.93 ERA, 146 strikeouts and 48 free passes. 

Now for our Cleveland Indians!! Last season the Tribe finished the year 85-77, with a shot at the playoffs, which fell short toward the closing part of the season. Problems with a permanent closer and injuries played a part in some of those losses. If the Tribe can stay healthy this year, it's possible they could become 8-Time Central Division Champions. And according to Sports Illustrated magazine, make a World Series run.

Most importantly we have this guy leading us..

Terry "Tito" Francona, probably one of, if not the best manager, currently in major league baseball. Tito, is entering his third season with the Tribe and has had two winning record seasons, his very first, led us to a Wild Card Playoff Game.

The Indians have such a young talented team, it's hard to even pick one stand out player to watch every game. Carlos Santana, "Dr. Smooth" Michael Brantley, Yan Gomes, Michael Bourn, David Murphy, Jason Kipnis, Lonnie Chisenhall, "Mr. Brohio" Nick Swisher (If he can stay healthy), all of those guys could be the hero any game.

Starting in the opener for the Tribe is the 2014 AL Cy Young Award Winner, Corey Kluber. Kluber closed out 2014 going 18-9 in 34 games with a 2.44 ERA, 269 strikeouts and 51 free passes. And did I mention he's the AL Cy Young Award Winner for 2014?

Game 2 in the 3 game series continues on Wednesday, as Carlos Carrasco battles Scott Feldman. Last season Carrasco went 8-7 in 14 games with a 2.55 ERA, 140 strikeouts and 29 free passes. Feldman went 8-12 in 29 games with a 3.74 ERA, 107 strikeouts and 50 free passes.

The final game will be on Thursday, with Trevor Bauer battling Asher Wojciechowski. Last season Bauer finished 5-8 in 26 games with a 4.18 ERA, 143 strikeouts and 60 free passes. Wojciechowski spent 2014 in AAA with the Oklahoma City Dodgers. Wojciechowski went 4-4 in 15 games with a 4.74 ERA, 59 strikeouts and 21 free passes.

So what do you say Tribe fans, you ready for a wild season? Are you ready to turn Cleveland into Believeland? I'm pumped, ready to go and I'll be here to give you recaps, highlights, videos and pictures of our Tribe, as we charge forward and try to claim a third world title in Tribe history.

I'll be sharing Tribe recaps with Triple Threat CLE's own @MarkW2112. Be sure to check out his blog's titled "On The Mark". And be sure to follow me @B_Rock1978

~B~

On The Mark 4.2.15: Cleveland Indians 2015 Season Preview #Indians

By @MarkW2112

Hello Tribe fans! It's time once again for baseball on the "corner of Carnegie and Ontario" and this year, expectations are high for the Cleveland Indians.  This is the third year Terry "Tito" Francona has been manager and while they made the wildcard one off game in 2013, 2014 was a bit of a disappointment when they weren't able to make the playoffs.  And while there was some highs (Corey Kluber's Cy Young winning year) there were also lows (Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher injuries) the time might be right for the Indians to make a run at the AL Central Division title.

Let's start with the pitching staff.  Corey Kluber leads the starters after a phenomenal season.  Going 18-9 with a 2.34 ERA and 269 strikeouts were definitely Cy Young worthy numbers.  Look for him to continue his streak of excellent pitching this year.  Following him are youngsters' Trevor Bauer and Carlos Carrasco.  Both showed flashes of brilliance, especially later in the season.  Carrasco really changed things around after the All Star break when he became the dominant pitcher many thought he could be.  Both pitchers will have their ups and downs this year but I expect both to continue to improve as the year goes on.  Lefty T.J. House and Zach McAllister will round out the 5 man rotation for the Tribe.  

The bullpen will have good contributors in closer Cody Allen, Mark Rzepczynski and Bryan Shaw.  The season will depend on this group being solid if the Indians have any chance at the playoffs.

Offensively, Michael Brantley will lead the team after having an MVP worthy 2014.  His .327 average with 20 home runs, 45 doubles and 97 RBI's were career highs.  Expect him to duplicate many of those same numbers if not exceed them in 2015.  The addition of Brandon Moss (who has had a monster training camp) should help the middle of the lineup along with steady contributions from Carlos Santana, Yan Gomes, a healthy Jason Kipnis and  Michael Bourn.  The only question mark going into the season is who will be the every day shortstop.  Right now it looks more like a platoon between Jose Ramirez and Mike Aviles.  Both are a stop gap for Francisco Lindor, who I truly believe will finally make his major league debut sometime after July.

Season Prediction:  Screw any Sports Illustrated "jinx".  The Indians have a very good shot at winning the AL Central for the first time since 2007.  With injuries and free agency taking away some of the weapons both the Royals and Tigers had last year, the Indians can sneak in and win the division.  It will all depend on the young but solid starting staff and if the Indians can get more production from Bourn, Kipnis and, eventually, Nick Swisher.  Brandon Moss will bring a power bat and his platoon with Ryan Raburn should be successful for both.  The biggest advantage is Terry "Tito" Francona who may very well be the best manager in all of baseball.  His excellent managerial skills along with the chemistry his team has can get the Tribe to over 90 wins and in to a deep playoff run.

Final Record: 91-71, first place, AL Central Division Champions with the Tribe going far in to the playoffs this year.  Perhaps even a World Series trip.

I look forward to writing and contributing Indians recaps and stories for Triple Threat CLE this spring/summer and in to the fall.

Leadoff with Lee 8.20.14

-Who is JT? Not the one who sings on Jay-Z's song "Holy Grail", in Justin Timberlake. But Ohio State might sip from the cup till it runneth over in JT Barrett. This redshirt freshman from Texas was the number one dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2013. This 4 start quarterback will be the head signal caller for the Bucks this season. Before his season ending injury in high school, he racked up 569 yards rushing, 784 yards passing and scored 13 touchdowns in 5 1/2 games for Rider high school. The consensus has been that Barrett is a cross between Kenny Guiton and Braxton Miller. Barrett's 40 time is in mid 4.6 second range. While he may not have a rocket arm like Miller, he can pick up the leadership role needed on this young team. Most fans are scared of his inexpirence at the college level, but remember, since he is a redshirt he already has one year of practice under his belt. It's going to be on the upperclassmen to help build his confidence up and rally behind someone who hasn't seen live game action literally since high school. Stay calm Buckeye fans, Urban Meyer knows what he is doing.

-Browns head coach Mike Pettine was not ready to announce who would be his starting quarterback at home versus the St. Louis Rams. Pettine simply stated, "I am not prepared to name a starter at this time". If I had to take a wild guess, Hoyer will start game 3 of the preseason this coming Saturday. But today and Thursdays practices will determine who the starter will be on this short week. Also I will predict if Hoyer gets the start Saturday, Manziel will start the last preseason game.

-Josh Gordon's appeal judgement should come down by Friday. Isn't this the end of the 1-3 week timeframe?

-Monday night's preseason game for the Browns against the Redskins was the second highest rated preseason game in ESPN history.

-ESPN and the Mid-American conference (MAC) agreed to a exclusive 13 year rights agreement that will end following the 2026-2027 season. The deal will include football, men's college basketball, Olympic sporting events and multiple mid-week college football games during the month of November.

-Over the weekend Tiger Woods pulled out of the Ryder cup and will shut it down until December to rehab his back. Tiger isn't expected to return to play until the first week of December when he'll play in his own tournament, the World Challenge at Isleworth, in Orlando Florida.

-After being down 5-0 at the end of the first, the Tribe rallied to a 7-5 win over the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis. Indians starter Trevor Bauer got off to a rough start, pitching 4.2 innings and giving up 4 hits, 5 runs and earning 4 strikeouts. The Indians then used 7 different pitchers to close the deal with Kyle Crockett getting the win for the good guys, and Cody Allen getting his 16th save of the season. The series continues today at 8:05 in Minnesota.

Leadoff with Lee 6.1.14

-The Indians got their second straight win against the Rockies yesterday afternoon with a 7-6 victory. The bat of Mike Aviles was on fire yesterday as he drove in four runs. Aviles hit a 3-run homerun in the second inning and then followed it up with a single in the eighth inning to break the 6-6 tie for the game winning run. Lonnie Chisenhall's bat continued to cooperate, letting him go 2-3 with a homerun and 3 RBI's. Trevor Bauer got the start for the Tribe, but pitched a no decision after having a 4-0 lead at the end of the second inning. Bauer did have a good outing going 6 innings, striking out 8 and allowing 2 runs on 4 hits. Bryan Shaw came in as the setup man, pitching 2 1/3 innings and Cody Allen pitched the 9th inning for his 3rd save of the season. The Indians will be back on the diamond this afternoon to close out the set versus the Rockies at 1:05. Josh Tomlin is expected to get the start.

-"How ya doing Johnny?" Johnny Manziel and fellow first round pick Justin Gilbert will throw out the first pitches at Wednesday's Tribe game against the Boston Red Sox. Running back Ben Tate will throw out his first pitch a day prior on Tuesday. It's about time that the Browns and Indians P.R. departments got together to unite the fan bases.

-More of Johnny. He was in L.A. this weekend for the trading card company, Topps, taking pictures for his football card and signing autograph inserts. Best believe this is going to be the most sought after card on the market this year.

-Despite Russell Westbrook's epic 34 point, 8 assist, 6 steal, 7 rebound game, that was not enough to overcome the Spurs. San Antonio closed out the Western Conference Finals with a 112-107 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, in overtime. Spurs point guard Tony Parker missed the entire second half of the game with ankle soreness, that was seen during pre-game warmups. Boris Diaw led the Spurs with 26 points and Tim Duncan contributed 15 in his effort. The Spurs will have a rematch of last year's NBA Finals against the Miami Heat which will start Thursday on ABC.

-I will also be covering the Women's College World Series on Tuesday, June 2nd. If you haven't been watching, you don't know what you have been missing!