The Cleveland Indians can score a lot of runs.
The fact that they will need to in order to stay in contention this year is scary.
This scenario came into clearer focus during the Tribe’s four-game road trip to the new Yankee Stadium.
As home runs repeatedly flew out of Yankee Stadium, and not only off Cleveland bats, it became obvious if the Tribe doesn’t score more than three runs per-game, the team’s chances of winning will be slim.
It’s not just the starting pitching. Nor is it the bullpen alone. Take the two, throw in an inconsistent offense that leaves far too many runners on base and you have the core of the problem.
It’s just about everything.
Every part of the Tribe’s pitching staff has faltered so far this season. The only balance the staff has had is in its ability to allow runs, during every part of the game.
Normally a SP is expected to go six innings, allowing the bullpen to bring in relief pitching during the 7th, 8th and 9th inning. But Tribe starters have been bounced early in their outings, forcing relief pitchers to take over games too early. Tribe starters have gone less than six innings in 9/13 (70%) games.
With no inning consistency, it’s not surprising the only balance this team has is the amount of runs it gives up in the first-third (30), second-third (28) and final third (29) of each game. It’s almost remarkable.
The Indians average runs-allowed-per-nine-innings is the worst in the league (7.12), a good companion to their league-worst 6.95 ERA.
Short outings by starting pitchers plus an over-worked bullpen equals a set up for disaster.
But that only accounts for two-thirds of the mess that has been the Tribe’s first 13 games.
The Tribe’s scoring-by-game breakdown looks like an impossible math riddle: 1,5,8,7,4,8,2,3,5,10,5,22,3.
Crack the code, then call manager Eric Wedge with the answer to why this team can score so many runs (2nd in the AL with 83) in one game, and fall apart the next.
When will all three parts of this equation (starting pitching, offense, and bullpen) finally click, consistently, to dig the Tribe out of the hole they’ve dug themselves?
That answer will determine how the next 149 games are decided. The Tribe cannot survive without picking each other up and becoming a more complete club.
It’s not a matter of this team being sub-par or uncompetitive. It’s about finding the right formula to create consistency.
