Let’s Play Ball Already

Written by: Michael Taylor on 31st March 2009

Let’s Play Ball Already | read this item

One year ago today, the major league baseball season was already underway. The Indians had just defeated the Chicago White Sox 10-8 in a crazy afternoon that was highlighted by Franklin Gutierrez’ 3-run HR in a seven run second inning against Chicago ace Mark Buehrle, and then Casey Blake’s 3-run triple in the bottom of the eighth inning to score the go-ahead runs. The Indians looked primed to be defending their AL Central title, but we already know how that story turned out.

Now as we sit one year later on March 31, the Indians again are projected to be among the elite teams in the Central Division, but we will not begin to know if the team can live up to those expectations – as they inconsistently have done – for another six days. Six days that I know will seem like an eternity in my eagerness for opening day to finally arrive and usher in the good news that summer is just around the corner.

Instead, we continue to speculate about the questions surrounding the team. Questions that we have read and talked about all winter long. It is a tedious and frustrating process because, has anything changed at all?

How many times can we read about if Travis Hafner can rediscover his inner “Pronk” and become one of the dominant hitters in the game as he was just a few short years ago, or if the Indians have enough starting pitching to keep the final scores from being 10-9 on a nightly basis, or how manager Eric Wedge will divvy up the complications of playing time between catcher and first base.

Each of these issues were around at the end of 2008, and we still discuss them at length entering 2009. I am officially done with them until Monday. I do not want to discuss another time why the Indians would desire to have David Dellucci on the roster ahead of Trevor Crowe. We know the arguments. But it is such a small issue in the large scheme of a 162-game season, with 24 other positions on the roster, that I can’t bring myself to really put much more effort into it.

I mean, how much time is Crowe actually going to see during this brief call-up? Dellucci’s injury, which is minor, is retroactive to March 29, putting his 15-day DL stint to the Monday after Easter, just six games into the season. How often does a 4th outfielder actually play in six games? Maybe get a few pinch-running opportunities, one start, and a pinch-hitting appearance?

It’s not going to be much, and as a prospect many say that Crowe should be playing everyday. Plus, if Crowe were up for the entirety of the season, he would accrue the amount of needed service time, 172 days, to push his free agency up a season. He could then become eligible after just six seasons instead of seven. It would be just one more way that the Dellucci contract could cost this team.

Dellucci will be back, even if it is just for the needed two-week span to ensure that Crowe does not reach that service time during this first year of being rostered.

There I go on Crowe v. Dellucci again. I told myself I didn’t want to get into that again. Anyway, all that I’ll say is that the season will allow this problem to solve itself. It always does.

That is why I can’t wait to see Cliff Lee toe the rubber in Arlington on Monday. We will see the first glimpse of the 2009 Lee, throwing his full repertoire of pitches to batters who are true major leaguers, not a split-squad spring roster. We will begin to see if the advances that he made last season with fastball command will allow him to continue on as a true staff ace.

We will see if Fausto Carmona can rebound after an injury-riddled season that messed with his delivery mechanics, if Carl Pavano and Anthony Reyes can stay healthy enough to extend the length of the rotation and give the Indians a chance at legitimately contending, or if any of the young left-handed starters will step up and take charge at the back of the rotation.

We will see if Shin-Soo Choo is the platoon hitter who couldn’t hit left-handed pitchers as his history suggested before we witnessed him destroy American League pitchers during the months of August and September, when he hit .359 with 10 HR and 41 RBI; if Hafner and Victor Martinez return to form and lead the Indians offense to being among the best in the league again; and if Asdrubal Cabrera can continue his development as a hitter to establish himself as a long-term solution in the Indians infield.

We will see if Kerry Wood and Mark DeRosa are the missing links to solidifying the bullpen and the lineup, respectively. In theory they both represent pieces to the puzzle that the Indians have not had in years. Jose Mesa was the Indians last power-armed closer, and that was over a decade ago. And DeRosa gives the Indians a true second place hitter not seen since Omar Vizquel – giving Grady Sizemore some much needed protection.

Speaking of Sizemore, Indians fans again get to enjoy the marvel that he is – arguably the most exciting (and talented) player in the American League. If for no other reason than that, I cannot wait to see the Indians take the field on Monday. Just to see the glaring smile on Grady Sizemore’s face as he stands ready in the batters box, or after making another superman-like effort in center field to snag a sinking line drive. That is what baseball is about to me. Seeing the joy on someone’s face, playing a game that they truly love, and sharing that joy with the fans.

So let’s get this show on the road already, answer our questions, and PLAY BALL!

A side note, content may be a bit light here this week, as I will be sidetracked with a personal matter and another project for Seamheads.com. I will be providing them a preview of the American League Central on Friday. I’ll be back over the weekend with my first of many “Series Previews” for the season. I plan on giving a series of preview/recap’s detailing what to look for, who’s hot, transaction analysis, or whatever may be going on between series. This will be in addition to the game recaps that we plan on providing here as well. So, likely on Sunday, I will have the preview for the Rangers series.

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Topics: Cliff Lee, David Dellucci, Travis Hafner, Trevor Crowe