MLB Betting Online: Hope springs eternal in Major League Baseball. Your favorite team made a key offseason move, the prized prospect is ready for his breakout season or the injuries from last year have all healed. Whatever the circumstance, everyone is tied for first at this point.
The Indians have put together three straight winning seasons for the first time since 1999-2001, but many people didn’t witness it. The Indians operate on a restricted payroll and play in a division featuring a Kansas City team that has been to the World Series the last two years. The Indians definitely have a playoff-worthy rotation, but scoring enough runs to reach the postseason will be the problem.
CLEVELAND INDIANS
+2210 to win 2016 World Series
+1020 to win AL Pennant
If the Indians are a contender in 2016, it will be for a wild card spot and not the AL Central crown. They have the starting rotation to win their first division title since 2007, but not the offense. In the offseason, the front office chose to keep that rotation intact instead of trading an arm for a big hitter to put in the middle of the lineup.
Acquiring a bat through free agency hasn’t worked either and Cleveland remains a few sticks shy of being a serious contender.
To add urgency to the situation, Michael Brantley, the Indians’ most consistent hitter over the last three years, had surgery on his right shoulder in November and could miss the first month of the regular season. It’s been speculated that he could be out longer, but the Indians say Brantley’s recovery is on schedule.
In the wake of Brantley’s injury, the Indians signed Rajai Davis, traded for Collin Cowgill and will bring a host of other outfielders to spring training on minor league deals to try and strengthen the weakest part of the team. Young outfielders Tyler Naquin, James Ramsey, Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier are expected to get a long look in spring training as well.
The Indians did sign Mike Napoli to a one-year deal to add some thump to the middle of the lineup. A full season from AL Rookie of the Year runner-up Francisco Lindor and a healthy season from catcher Yan Gomes should help as well.
The strength of the club is the rotation. Corey Kluber returns as the No. 1 starter despite going from AL Cy Young winner in 2014 to leading the league with 16 losses in 2015. A lot of those losses could be tied to a lack of offense. Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, 14-game winners last year, fill the middle of rotation after drawing intense interest on the trade market over the winter.
Despite producing the second-lowest ERA in the AL last season, the bullpen heads into 2016 with questions. Can closer Cody Allen and setup man Bryan Shaw continue to produce at a high level after three seasons of heavy work in manager Terry Francona’s use em if you get em approach to relief pitchers?
Lindor and two-time All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis are keys to the Indians’ success. A full MLB season from Lindor will definitely boost the offense and a healthy Kipnis gives the team some grit. Kipnis and Lindor, hitting first and second, form a dangerous combination.
Freshly signed Jose Uribe takes the third base job and Napoli is expected to get most of the playing time at first base, with Carlos Santana moving to DH.
With Brantley out injured and projected starter Abraham Almonte suspended for half the season, the outfield is in flux. Best case scenario is someone steps up and produces, supplying enough to keep the rotation out of trouble and the Indians in a race until Brantley solidifies the outfield and the lineup.
Key Additions: 1B Mike Napoli, OF Rajai Davis, 3B Juan Uribe.
Key Losses: 3B Chris Johnson, IF/OF Mike Aviles,
The Indians went into the offseason with the idea of keeping their starting pitching intact. Regarding offense, well, they’d worry about that later. The rotation is full of good arms signed to club-friendly contracts, but you have to score runs to win. If Brantley returns on schedule, perhaps the Indians can still deal a pitcher at the trading deadline to fuel a second-half push.
Prediction: 81-81
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