Revenge of the Openers

 

After a few years at bay, aided by genuinely sharp starting pitching and a 1st place mentality, FOLKS...THE OPENER IS BACK IN TAMPA.

Believe me, with the lack of Ryne Stanek in Tampa, one would assume that any inclination towards beginning a game with a 1-inning opening spot by a relief pitcher had died off, but no. We have plenty of relievers ready to start games and then give it to the rest of the pen. J.P. Feyereisen, Jeffrey Springs, Matt Wisler, Tommy Romero. The all hands on deck mentality of Kevin Cash's earlier Rays teams has come aboard in the pitching staff, and it's for one of two reasons:

1. The Rays are no longer a guaranteed first place team so they can go back to sneaky, lower-tier seed tactics like they did in 2018.

2. The Rays only have three active starting pitchers.

It's probably the second one.

The Tampa Bay Rays are working with only 3 starters right now- Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen and Corey Kluber. None of them were starting games for this team a year ago. And now here they all are. McClanahan is the best of the bunch, and is the closest to ace material. Rasmussen is a bit lower key but still has a 3.50 ERA and 18 Ks. Kluber still has some decent stuff to deliver, despite not being as k-based as he used to be. 

Right now, though, the Rays are without Ryan Yarbrough, Yonny Chirinos, Tyler Glasnow, Shane Baz, Luis Patino and Brendan McKay. That's six guys that could be starting games, all injured. It also makes me wonder why Josh Fleming isn't an immediate solution to start games, as he did pretty well as a starter a few years ago, but hey, Kevin Cash seems to know what he's doing. I think he knows that Baz and Yarbrough could be back soon so he's trying not to fully fill these holes, and I sort of get that. But it's still very awkward to see only 3 real starters on this team. Even if they are doing pretty well.

The Rays overall are...doing alright, I guess. This is Wander Franco's team right now, pretty much everybody else is following suit behind him. There's decent stuff from people like Ji-Man Choi, Taylor Walls, Harold Ramirez and Yandy Diaz, but right now it's really just Franco leading the charge. Which is fine for the moment, as they still have a leg up on Boston, but if they want legitimacy this year, the rest of the lineup's gonna need to heat up.

And hopefully the other starters will be activated soon enough so that the return of the openers will be a bit more of a short-lived project for the Rays.

Coming Tomorrow- Probably the best catcher in the NL now that Posey's retired. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2021: Yankees

 

...look, man. I don't know what to tell ya. The Yankees can stock their team with god knows who and god knows what, they can net some of the best talent at the deadline, they can have momentum from a good portion of their big stars, and it's not gonna do anything. And everybody else in baseball's fine with it, cause, well hey, they've won 27 of these, it's not a big loss. Meanwhile, teams like the Rays, with much cheaper payrolls, are getting further and acting like it's nothing. 

It's exhausting, guys. My first year blogging, both my teams played each other in the World Series. Now both of them are just doomed to horrible luck and being outdone by smaller competitors.

Brett Gardner is the last remaining Yankee who remembers the 2009 World Series, and I'd like to think this is the end of the rope for him. We've done the Andy Pettitte thing of just re-signing him on year deals just out of goodwill, but I don't think he has much left at all. Once again, Gardy was intended as a backup outfielder and played 140 games, hitting .222 with 39 RBIs and 10 home runs. 

2022 Prediction: I think he finally retires. The Yankees have signed Ender Inciarte to play the backup outfield role, and Gardy will be 38 next year. Maybe I'm wrong and some low-ball team brings him on. 

With Luis Severino and Deivi Garcia playing little part in the 2021 season, once-disgraced starter Domingo German had a pretty prominent role in things pre-injury. German started 18 games, had a 4.58 ERA, 98 Ks and a 4-5 record. A few shaky starts, but generally a strong option.

2022 Prediction: Well. The 2022 rotation seems to look like Cole, Montgomery, Taillon, Severino barring another injury, and someone else in this post. I don't think German has a spot here because everybody else in that schematic hasn't let the team down as much. So he does relief work and waits for an injury. 

One of the most exciting developments heading into 2021 was seeing Corey Kluber, to this point one of my favorite non-Yankee pitchers, pitch in the Bronx. It went mostly pretty well, as Klu even notched a no-hitter before, conveniently, landing on the IL. In 16 starts he had a 3.83 ERA, 5 wins, and 86 of his trademark Ks. 

2022 Prediction: Will play a similar role to Rich Hill last year when he suits up for the Rays. Some great starts, some human moments, but surprising quality. 

Undeniably, the best bullpen asset of 2021 was Joathan Loaisiga. Not even close. Loaisiga had the 4th-highest WAR on the whole team with 3.3- only Cole, Judge and Gumby had higher. In 57 appearances, he had a 2.17 ERA, 9 wins [more than any starter not named Cole], 69 Ks and only 17 earned runs. 

2022 Prediction: A step back, but still reliable numbers. Might even have to work the ninth once or twice.

Never made a Tyler Wade custom prior to this year? Well damn, here's one. Complete with a cool 9/11 inspired cap. The Yanks' resident super-ute had another nice year, hitting .268 with 34 hits and a team-high 17 steals in 105 games. 

2022 Prediction: I see him making a small team and by the end of the year he's starting. The Yanks kept him hid, he's pretty damn underrated. 

Now a few people who joined the team just barely into the season. Rougned Odor joining the Yankees was a pretty big deal- yes, he hadn't hit for average in a few years, but he's a fun, pesky little hitter who used to infuriate me. Better on our side than theirs. Rougie was a decent replacement during injuries to D.J. LeMahieu and Gio Urshela, and hit .202 with 15 homers and 39 RBIs in 102 games. Not perfect, but capable of some upsides.

2022 Prediction: The O's are going to like him. He might be in the top half of production in Baltimore, given their quality.

The biggest surprise was this guy, Nestor Cortes Jr. A former Orioles low-tier starting prospect, he relieved some games for us in 2019, was cut by the Mariners prior to the season and wound up back here. We initially used him in a long relief role/taking over for a short start, but we eventually gave him a rotation position, and he was honestly pretty phenomenal, with a 2.90 ERA, 103 Ks, and a 1.075 WHIP in 14 starts. During the stretch run, where we were looking for any bit of stability, Cortes was a nice safety blanket that we did not expect.

2022 Prediction: 10 wins, a similar unsung hero role behind bigger names, and hopefully some higher pay for it.

In a moment of starting droughts, the Yankees called up farmhand Luis Gil, to give him a shot. Gil raised some eyebrows early when he went his first three starts before allowing a run, eventually finishing with a 3.07 ERA and 38 Ks in 6 games. A little less than perfect towards the end, but some stellar energy in August. 

2022 Prediction: Not sure if there's an immediate place for him in the rotation, but he will get some starts in the majors eventually. 

And we end on the big deadline deal I didn't do during the season, that one dimensional outfield bat Joey Gallo. Gallo in New York did exactly what I thought- he had some great defensive numbers, but barely hit for average, with a .160! He didn't completely erase his stellar start, but he did stall in place for a bit. Bottom line is his power numbers didn't suffer, with 22 RBIs and 13 homers. 

2022 Prediction: Numbers a bit more similar to his first half, some more defensive dominance, and giving Stanton and Judge a run for their money with homers.

That's Uncustomed Heroes for this year. Regular customs will be back in February [?], and I've got some things cooked up for the next few months. 

22 Years, And One Day, Later

 [Lady Gaga voice] TIL IT HAPPENS TA YOOOOUUUU...

I think baseball is getting a wee bit tired of all these no-nos, because it factors in with the sort of broken swing-for-the-fences mentality that hitters are taking as well as illuminating the rise in great pitching. Tim Kurkjian had an article yesterday doing his usual stat twisting and saying that the strikeout has broken the game, without mentioning other things that have broken the game like commercialism, steroids, Rob Manfred or sportswriters in bowties who do nothing but twist stats for a living. 

And I get it. The game used to be so much better. But this is the game now. And if you're hanging onto the way things were 40 or 50 years ago, you're gonna be disappointed every time.

[, Tony.]

Anyway, my team threw a no-hitter last night, and I'm pumped.

Look, forget that it happened 24 hours after the last one, and forget that it happened to a team that good things usually happen to. The Yankees hadn't pitched a no-no since David Cone's perfecto in 1999. Corey Kluber hadn't had a legitimate moment on the MLB stage since 2018. We all needed this. Getting to watch Kluber, one of my favorite non-Yankees prior to suiting up for us, work the Rangers into the ninth, was awesome. I had to put on the last inning and watch it myself, and it was worth it. Seeing the man who doesn't smile crack a big one after the last out was awesome.

And now we can add Corey Kluber to Yankee history, no matter how things go after last night, or this season. Corey Kluber is a Yankee hero for last night, and I'm proud to say it. He deserved a comeback, and this was definitely a step towards one.

I sincerely hope there isn't a no-no tonight as well, I think we all need a break now. Especially Tim Kurkjian.

Topps Cards That Should Have Been: Corey Kluber's Early Years

 Right now, Corey Kluber is having tryouts for whoever wants to see that he can still pitch, to attempt to get a contract for 2021 and onward. It's a move that's sadly put him into the category of league-high pitching talents who've struggled to maintain success past their prior decade. I don't want to pit Kluber in the same category as people like Johan Santana, Brandon Webb and Tim Lincecum, because I have a lot of respect for Kluber as a fireballer, and I want him to keep having great seasons and potentially get a nice HOF case. 

And yet...after 2020 ended after 1 inning, I worry that he may never reach his 2014 numbers again. Argh.

As starry as Kluber's career is, it's easy to forget that it took a few years for people to notice what was going on with his material, especially Topps. Kluber didn't get his first official Topps card until 2013. A year later, the legend began.

So, a year after being traded from the Padres to the Indians in a three way deal with the biggest name being Jake Westbrook, Corey Kluber debuts in Cleveland. He's used in relief, and pitches an 8.31 ERA in three appearances. So I can see why Topps didn't exactly bite in 2011 Update or 2012 Series 1.

In 2012, Kluber is moved to the rotation, but he doesn't get brought up until August, again affirming Cleveland's lack of space and confidence in Kluber. Also, because he's an August call-up, Topps again can't make a card of him until 2013. So it...sort of makes sense.

In 12 starts in 2012, he had a 2-5 record, a 5.14 ERA and 52 Ks. Not much to really scream about. But, it lets the Indians know that Kluber can be a starter, even in a depleted rotation scenario. So, 2013 they give him another shot in the rotation, he gets an 11-5 record, and the rest is history. 

I hope some team gets an opportunity to sign Kluber and let him get back to where he was, cause I still think he's got some stuff in the tank. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Rangers

 

It looked like a runaway.

The Texas Rangers using the offseason to assemble Corey Kluber, Kyle Gibson, Jordan Lyles, Mike Minor, Lance Lynn and Kolby Allard into the same rotation felt like a challenge to Houston, and a statement that the Rangers would be competing in 2020. With Todd Frazier at third, Gallo, Andrus and Odor ready for prime seasons, and Woodward finally seeming confident, there was no way this team couldn't...have completely underwhelmed.

Kluber getting injured was the first sign of trouble. Then Gibson, Lyles and Minor kept getting killed on the mound. Then Joey Gallo gets hurt midseason, along with Danny Santana. Then Frazier gets traded to the Mets along with the only competent catcher. And by the end, the last-place Rangers basically limped to the finish line. Sad to see, but it illuminated that this team still has a ways to go before it's ready to compete, and signing a bunch of pitchers can't solve everything.

First of all, Corey Kluber, who excited everyone on his first summer camp trials as a Ranger, and looked to be a prime figure into the 2020 season. Then, one inning into his debut as a Ranger, he's pulled, and has an injury that requires him to miss the rest of the season. And just like that, the Rangers just traded a bunch of prospects for exactly one inning. To be fair, it was a good inning, and Corey Kluber still struck out a batter and didn't allow any earned runs. And, for a while, Kluber still had one of the higher ERAs on the team despite only pitching that one inning. But...it was a massive disappointment that started a season full of them for the Rangers.

2021 Prediction: Dear god I really hope somebody signs him. Let's not go for a Brandon Webb situation here, Kluber still has some stuff left. Somebody'll take a chance and he'll be back, albeit in limited form.

Kyle Gibson was coming off a number of strong seasons for the Twins, which made his slump back into mediocrity even more saddening. Despite pitching in 12 games, he still held a 5.35 ERA, with 58 strikeouts and a 2-6 record. Not a great run of things, sadly.

2021 Prediction: A few steps up, though it'll be tough for him to keep his ERA below 4.

Jordan Lyles, post-2019-breakout, sort of reverted back to his usual habits this year, and had a 7.02 ERA in 9 starts, hence a move to the bullpen for September. It was sad to see Lyles hold the highest WHIP of the rotation, with a 1.561.

2021 Prediction: An eventual permanent move to the bullpen, with sharper results.

And then there's Kolby Allard, poised for success after his 2019 debut, then saddled with a 7.75 ERA in 12 games, 8 of which were starts. In Allard's case, the move to the bullpen did help a bit, but...I really hope this is just sophomore slump talk happening, as Allard was so good last year and shouldn't flame out this early.

2021 Prediction: A full season of production, 10 wins and 150 strikeouts, and the respect he deserved in a normal year this year.

2020 was the last year of Shin-Soo Choo's mega-year contract in Arlington, and I'd say the Rangers got their money's worth out of Choo in that time. 7 seasons, nearly 800 games, 771 hits, 355 RBIs, 114 and a .260 average, plus an ASG gig in 2018. Not bad at all for a guy who struggled to make a name for himself in Cleveland. This last season was marred by injury, and he only hit .236 in 33 games, but he still left on a very high note.

2021 Prediction: I don't think anyone is gonna sign him, but if anyone does it'll be a victory lap year.

Ronald Guzman, basically be default at this point, continued to flaunt the starting 1st base position in Arlington. He was limited to 26 games due to injury, but hit .244 with 9 RBIs.

2021 Prediction: Healthier numbers, but will inevitably lose the starting spot to a younger, better player.

Okay, onto a batch of four rookies who made me think that good things might be on the way for the Rangers. The first is relief specialist Jonathan Hernandez, who led the bullpen in innings with 31, strikeouts with 31, and ERA with 2.90. Hernandez was absolutely solid in relief this year, and will be a big part in the 2021 Rangers bullpen.

2021 Prediction: His ERA will go down the second the Rangers foolishly hand him the ninth.

Meanwhile, Kyle Cody was a rare Rangers starter whose ERA didn't balloon. While he didn't kick in as a starter til the last month or so of the season, Cody was still very strong, with a 1.59 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 8 appearances, along with the largest WAR of any pitcher not named Lynn. Definitely a good start for him, even in a crowded, bloated city for starters.

2021 Prediction: Will begin the season in the rotation and keep the gig by keeping his ERA below 3. He and Allard are gonna be a fun tag-team.

Meanwhile, Leody Taveras sprung into the outfield in August and owned centerfield from then on, with a 6 in the fielding column making up for his negative batting numbers. Taveras is just what Texas needed, a speedy, durable defensive outfielder who can hit if pressed. 

2021 Prediction: The average goes up a bit, but those OF numbers are gonna keep him in consideration for a gold glove.

Meanwhile, as the Chirinos trade and injuries to Jose Trevino put the starting catching job in disarray [read: nearly given to Jeff Mathis], Sam Huff was called up. Huff definitely improved on the lack of offensive output, hitting .355 with 11 hits, 4 RBIs and 3 homers in just 10 games. It was a breath of fresh air that pointed towards great things next year.

2021 Prediction: The starting catching gig is his, as are 30 homers and a LARGE shot at Rookie of the Year.

And then, after the Reds cut him before the season...Derek Dietrich dropped into Globe Life Field for 25 games, hit .197 9 RBIs and 5 homers, and didn't do a great deal else because, at this rate, he's not much more than a glorified bench bat and clutch hitter. Again, not much nuance to his season, but the Rangers weren't looking for nuance when they signed him.

2021 Prediction: Similar random signing, similar bench numbers.

Coming Tomorrow- A few extra customs from the AL Champs.

Was This a Good Idea?: Kluber/MadBum Edition

So. Yesterday was a big day for awesome pitchers.

First, Corey Kluber ends up in a trade to Arlington, in exchange for Delino Deshields and Emmanuel Clase. Which is already a big deal, because the Tribe had been trying to figure out how to lose Kluber for years. But then, the Diamondbacks go to one-up them, by signing Madison Bumgarner to a 5-year deal, and essentially figuring out the way to move on from losing Greinke.

So both these deals happened...and yet I think that both of them are inherently flawed.

First, the Kluber deal. If this had happened at the beginning of the offseason, I'd have been fine with it. Good, that's a good starting point, the Rangers need pitching help, it all works. However, a lot of deals have been made in Texas already. The Rangers have already beefed up their starting rotation, adding Kyle Gibson and Jordan Lyles to a rotation that already features aces Lance Lynn and Mike Minor.

Now add Corey Kluber to that. That is a solid five, but...there's an odd man out. Kolby Allard, the former Braves prospect who landed there in the Chris Martin deal, took to the rotation like a fireball and pulled 4 wins in 9 starts. To take Allard, who'd essentially been promised a rotation spot after last season, and now say to him 'well we signed 3 guys who we KNOW can throw consistently, so you might not have a spot here'...that's kinda cold. And yes, we do have someone like Lyles who, if need be, can pitch out of the bullpen, but 2019 established that Lyles can start really well. And the Rangers already have chosen to start Mike Minor, who came to the team as a reliever, so they may do something similar with Lyles.

So...now there's too MUCH starting pitching. Because I didn't even mention Brock Burke and Joe Palumbo, the other two prospects who now don't have a place in the rotation.

And it would have been fine to trade DeShields if there was still a solid outfield to back him up, but without Mazara as well, we're shoving people into backup positions. The outfield for 2020 now looks like it'll be Joey Gallo, Danny Santana and Willie Calhoun. Not the greatest defensive outfield there. And no backup or swingman.

Somehow the MadBum idea has a similar flaw in mind.

So, you have MadBum at the top of your rotation. Awesome. He'll give you 32 games of strong stuff. Then you have Robbie Ray as your second man, then Mike Leake and Luke Weaver. That's a solid four.

...and then you have Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Alex Young and Taylor Clarke, all of whom started several games in 2019 and shouldn't be pushed to relief work because of overflow.

The Diamondbacks had a strong rotation already, and had numerous options to choose from...but now they went and overflowed the pack, and got MadBum because they had the opportunity, regardless of whether or not they NEEDED the ace. Robbie Ray could have been a strong #1, but apparently they didn't want to take the chance.

And just like the Rangers, the D-Backs now have too many pitchers and not enough outfielders. Yes, they do have David Peralta, but the other two options are Tim Locastro and Josh Rojas. Not a very deep well. I honestly think they should trade 2 or 3 of the excess starters to a team that NEEDS rotation help. I point to teams like the Athletics, Twins and Rockies who need starters and have too many outfielders, and they could give up Piscotty, Cave or Dahl (respectively) in exchange for Young, Clarke and probably Kelly (Gallen better still have a shot).

There's also the obvious point that both teams got these pitchers in an effort to throw their name into the ring for a playoff attempt. Both teams do have enough of a base to try this, but they're also coming off middling seasons. The D-Backs did come in second this year, but they don't have the core lineup that made the runs probable before. And the Rangers still need a sure-thing offensive hero at the front of their lineup, and I'm not convinced that Joey Gallo is that guy yet.

If anything, Corey Kluber and Madison Bumgarner could have amazing, 20-win seasons with accolades and leaderboard spots. I just don't know if they're on the right teams. I'll need the rest of the season to be properly convinced.

A Different Kind of Tribe

For the majority of the first third of the season, the Indians were in first, but...they weren't really themselves. The Tigers were close behind, and the Tribe were really only over .500 by one or two games.

And then...I dunno what it was, but the real Indians shined through, and they've been pretty consistently great ever since late May. I don't think there were any substantial changes to formula or anything, I just think that something just snapped into gear and the wins kept coming easier and easier. And they're not just wins- a lot of the last few weeks' wins have been BLOWOUTS. Since June 20th, the Indians have won FOUR games by scoring 10 points or more. And a lot of these have been against division rivals.

The only changes have been minimal: Shane Bieber has been promoted to fifth-starter, and he's been doing a bang-up job of it so far, with 3 wins in 4 games, and 27 strikeouts. Again, that's a stone's through compared to the work of Corey Kluber, who's up to 115 strikeouts and 11 wins, but...Kluber's one of the best in the league, and he's also one of the more ferocious-yet-consistent pitchers in baseball. Trevor Bauer has a lower ERA and more strikeouts, but he's also not as good at winning games as Kluber- Bauer's high-velocity approach allows for more strikeouts, but...also more walks. Kluber has the better control, even all those years later.

The only other modifications have been to the outfield, with Lonnie Chisenhall and Tyler Naquin getting more time, as Brandon Guyer and Bradley Zimmer have been phased out due to various reasons. Rajai Davis, while not at 2016-mode, has been delivering solid numbers off the bench as well. Other than some much-needed bullpen renovation (thanks to the addition of Oliver Perez, I might add), the roster has predominantly stayed the same, and everyone's just beginning to get really hot, which is nice.

I don't think anyone else in the AL Central stands a chance, so while I don't especially think the Indians are going to coast these next few months, I do think the division title will be theirs if this new formula they're using works.

Coming Tonight: The Cubs' outfield as a whole have been breaking out this year, but this guy in particular has been doing pretty well.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2017: Indians

Even if they didn't win a World Series, the 2017 Indians were going to go down in history. With a huge winning streak, a Cy-Young winning pitcher, and a ton of talent and insanity, this was an Indians team that had everything the 2016 team had, except for the luck.

Michael Brantley had a great start, and an ASG nod to boot, but the injuries that have stopped him from becoming truly great hit again this year (must be a theme with Cleveland outfielders this century). Hopefully he'll stick around longer next year.

Yan Gomes, like it or not, was the starting catcher in Cleveland this year, as their other option, Roberto Perez, tanked in most categories this year. Gomes was a bit more consistent than he's been, but it wouldn't shock me if the Tribe figures out a way to improve their catching situation this offseason.

Danny Salazar scared a couple people by tanking some starts and winding up in the bullpen, but he rebounded and made it back to relevancy upon Josh Tomlin's decline, and had a relatively decent end to the season.

For my money, Lonnie Chisenhall is the single greatest bench player of this decade. He's not usually counted on to start games, but he's been a solid presence in Cleveland's roster since the early 2000s, and he had another great season this year, having some nice hits and keeping the bench strong. I don't know if 2018 means he'll be starting or not, but whatever position he's in, I imagine he'll do well.

Meanwhile, AUSTIN JACKSON OF ALL PEOPLE was the Indians' starting center fielder until Jay Bruce appeared on the scene, and he did a bang-up job, posting his best numbers since being in Detroit, and having one of the best catches of the year in Boston. His position diminished slightly once Bruce got here, but with Bruce likely going somewhere else, Jackson could be a good inexpensive choice for Cleveland.

Giovanny Urshela took over for Jason Kipnis at 2nd for most of the season, and while he wasn't perfect, he did a nice enough job that the Indians are probably going to look into having him as a bench choice for the 2018 season.

Cody Allen had another strong year as Indians closer, keeping the ninth safe and locking up the job done by a surprisingly passionate Indians bullpen this year (even with fluctuating Andrew Miller). Not sure about his job stability, but glad he's still pretty consistent.

Meanwhile, this guy cemented his status as one of the best pitchers in baseball, by winning his 2nd Cy Young and proving that he's not a one-season pony. The guy's done an excellent job carrying this rotation to the forefront, and this second Cy was the cherry on top. I hope he nabs a few more great seasons in Cleveland.

Coming Tomorrow- They might be on their way to an above-500 record in 2018, but it'll take more than a few little moves, which...admittedly, was their 2017 plan.

Cy Youngs: Repeat Offenders Edition

These were slightly less predictable than the Rookie of the Year picks, but...I could have guessed these. Unlike the last few years, there wasn't really one 'oh my god this guy needs to win' for these categories. Kluber deserved his, thanks to Chris Sale buckling in August, as well as doing (arguably) better work than he'd done in 2014 when he won his first one. Scherzer's THIRD (!!!) Cy Young is just proof that he's one of the best pitchers in baseball, especially considering he has as many as Clayton Kershaw now.

Tonight, we get some MVPs announced. I'm not a betting man, but if I was, I'd be putting money on Altuve and Stanton.

A Tribe Called Best

Now in the front seat of this musical-chairs-esque AL Central, the Cleveland Indians. Remember the last time the took a stronghold on the division in June? Yeah, this is sort of like that, but different.

Last year, people were championing how insane and consistent the rotation was. This year, they're not as lucky- Danny Salazar's been pushed to the 'pen, Josh Tomlin's slumping, Trevor Bauer, like usual, strikes a ton of people out but can't win games. Yes, Mike Clevinger and Carlos Carrasco are doing really well, but the real hero is Corey Kluber. Last year he didn't come into vogue into September. Now he's doing some amazing things in June, even after an injury, and coming back to the ace-status he flirted with in 2014.

The lineup isn't as jigsaw-y and ragtag as it was last year. No random old-age success stories like Rajai Davis or Mike Napoli- just Edwin Encarnacion doing exactly what he always does, just in a friendlier uniform. Yes, the base of the team is still its youth, but Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor aren't alone this year- Bradley Zimmer's sprung in from the minors and has put up a great average and some great abilities. Michael Brantley's back and hitting like hell, Lonnie Chisenhall's having another great season, and Austin Jackson's putting up his best numbers since Detroit.

Now, this team is a bit less imperfect than its 2016 counterpart, and a few of their core members from last year (Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana for instance) are slumping. There are a few more holes in the roster, a few more questions. But they're still winning games, they're still at the top of the division, and they're still playing like a contending team. So even if they're a different team from the one that got to the World Series, they're still fantastic, and they're still one to watch.

Coming Tonight: He hit 4 home runs in one game a week or so ago. This calls for a custom!

Game One: The World Series' Filthy Lesson

The worst part about this World Series matchup, and it's the ONLY bad part, is that you have two teams that haven't won in over fifty years, and one of them has to lose. One of them came so close to winning and have to break some hearts after 7 games.

It could either be the Indians or the Cubs. And judging by Game 1, it's not gonna be a cakewalk for either.

Look, as much as I want to make like most of the news media and call it for the Cubs...the absolute power coming from the pitching staff cannot be denied. Corey Kluber absolutely dominated the Cubs tonight, and he's been pulling fantastic numbers all year, having his best season since his 2014 Cy Young. This rotation has Trevor Bauer, Josh Tomlin and Ryan Merritt, all in great condition, plus Danny Salazar will likely be on hand to start a game if needed. This, plus the fact that Jon Lester gave up several runs tonight, could be a factor in determining the outcome.

And as much as I want to give credit to the pitching in Cleveland...

...Lineup's not too far off.

Look, we were all worried about the status of the lineup without Yan Gomes, or without a more official catching upgrade, but the fact of the matter is that Roberto Perez, whom no one had really heard of before this, hit two home runs tonight, and will likely never have to buy a beer in Cleveland ever again.

The lineup's doing as well as the rotation- tonight's win was 6-0, not 1-0. This could be a hard-fought battle of lineups, especially once Chicago's wakes up (it took a game or so last series as well).

Very excited for Game 2. Again, either team wins and I'm happy. Not a single villain in the bunch for me.

ALDS Preview: The Joe Carter Throwdown

Tonight is the ultimate battle between good and evil, light and dark, and, ultimately, the Best Two AL Teams From The 90's That Weren't The Yankees.

Cleveland. Toronto. Homes of such fattening delicacies as stadium mustard and poutine. Northern sites of cool, hip twenty somethings with coffee... vs northern sites of long-suffering bulkier yet still kinda nice people who still have Drew Carey Show posters in their basement. A team that hasn't won a World Series since its prime minister was pre-pubescent, versus a team that hasn't won a World Series since most of their fans were still embryos.

To me, however, this is a battle between one of the most impressive underdog stories in recent memory to one of the most undeserving perennial playoff teams since...well, the Cardinals, but you knew I was going there. As a baseball fan, it is my solemn duty to root for Cleveland. They've come so far, have done so much this season that no one could have predicted, and look like they might take some away from Toronto.

What worries me is that Cleveland is running low on pitching. Carrasco and Salazar are out. Trevor Bauer just cut his finger, and will be out until at least Game 3. They're running on Corey Kluber, one of the best strikeout pitchers in baseball, and Josh Tomlin, who's good, but still isn't perfect like the rest of the rotation. Will they have to go with Zach McAllister for Game 4? Will they have to try something crazier?

At the same time, the Blue Jays might be running out of lucky shots. Do they have enough pitching left? Will Marco Estrada and J.A. Happ continue their good luck? Are there any bat flips waiting in the wings?

I honestly have no idea where this series will go. Either one could win. Either one could screw up royally. I WANT the Indians to win, because it's been way too long since they've been in the series, but from a storytelling standpoint, you won't get a better Good vs. Evil story than a Cubs-Jays series.

Either way...this is gonna be a very....interesting series.

Corey Kluber and The Mystery of the Banged-Up All Stars

Oooooh...can't we just have something stay the same for more than a day??

The all-star rosters were pretty damn perfect when they were announced earlier this week. They had a nice assortment of the best players in baseball, and, with the exception of some middle-relievers on the AL side, not too many qualms from me.

But then...people started getting injured.

In the past week, Yoenis Cespedes, Dexter Fowler, Noah Syndergaard and Stephen Strasburg have all been taken off of the NL team due to injuries, despite the fact that all four are having tremendous seasons. They're being mostly replaced by guys who are having good enough seasons, but don't necessarily deserve to be All Stars, like Bartolo Colon and Drew Pomeranz.

Now, I was prepared to write about how cool it was that Corey Kluber, replacing Marco Estrada on the AL team, would be joining his teammate Danny Salazar as representatives of the killer Indians rotation. But then Danny Salazar wound up on the DL. I think. Nobody's really explained what happened to him other than the fact that Jose Quintana's replacing him, so until I find out, I'm just thinking it was for the purpose of making this post more heated.

It's bad enough that the guys who started games today can't play in the ASG, but now people seem to be just getting injured BEFORE, mysteriously, and winding up unable to represent their fantastic seasons. And yeah, the guys they're bringing in as replacements are fine, but not all of them are All-Stars.

I'll cool down, and I'll settle, but I really wish guys like Thor and Salazar could be able to be a part of the All Star Game. Corey Kluber's great and all, but he's not enough.

Coming Tonight: Huge home run hitter coming out of the absolute last place you'd expect.

Custom Card of the Day: Kluber Edition

Do you have any idea how much skill it takes to strike out 18 batters from the best team in baseball?

Especially when said team is the Cardinals, and you play for a team that's in last in the division, and you've not won a game yet?

So much skill. Thankfully, this is skill that Corey Kluber's been saving up for a while.

I mean, even if the Indians aren't doing great, Kluber is still a powerful, strikeout-reliant pitcher, and the Indians haven't had one of those since Cliff Lee left (yeah, Justin Masterson was alright, I guess). Plus, the dude won a Cy Young last year. This was a year where I thought either King Felix or Chris Sale had it all wrapped up, and Kluber came in and stole it.

The guy's got some nasty stuff, and hopefully what he did in 2014 isn't a fluke. I think he's in it for the long run. He's gonna have some nice seasons, though I'm not sure if all of them will be for the Indians.

Coming Tonight: The guy that's been lighting it up in Denver.

Custom Card of the Day: Kluber Edition

Because, in a few weeks, the playoffs will be upon us, I'll be taking this opportunity to shell out the last few customs of teams that I'm...pretty sure won't be joining us in the playoffs. Honestly, you never know, but I'm a good 80% teams like the Cleveland Indians will not be joining us in the playoffs. And that's a shame, too, because they're a pretty fun team to root for (you, know, if it isn't 2007).

Corey Kluber, for instance, is having a pretty nice season, especially for a post-2009 Indians pitcher. He's had a number of really nice starts, especially against the Yankees. Also, he's got a nice amount of wins, and for a little while he speeding the team along in the AL central. Thats right...before the massive Royals uprising, there was a brief period where the Kluber-led Indians were ripe for the Wild Card. What a twist, right?

Now, the only way the Indians will be playoff-bound will be if one of the teams in range has a massive downfall, and they get hot. Besides, at this point, even I can admit that the Yankees aren't a playoff team. So, the Indians are the dangling factor, one that may or may be a huge force towards the end of the month. It could happen, or it couldn't.

To put it into perspective, the A's, Royals and Tigers are currently all tied for the two spots. The Mariners are a game away. Cleveland is 4.5 games back. Keep in mind that the A's are skidding, and the Royals and Tigers are only in the wild card race because they're tied for first. It really should be the A's and Tigers. So, say the A's slide out of it, and the Mariners have a crappy couple weeks. The Indians...have something resembling a shot.

You never know.

Coming Tomorrow- Last night, I planned on posting a card of a Baltimore Oriole, one that would hopefully help the relations between me and the Orioles fans. Except...I picked the exact wrong Oriole for this week.