The Cleveland Indians are going in with a new attitude unlike last year. The dismissal of Eric Wedge has lead to a change with Manny Acta. He is coming off a horrible team in the Washington Nationals that are nothing more than a welcome doormat for anyone to beat so he is looking to prove something as well. Personally, he may not have been the first choice of anyone to be the manager but you have to admit he has enthusiasm. Could this potentially work to get into the playoffs? Remember, the AL Central is without question, the weakest division in baseball so it is possible and there are reasons to think that it could happen. That doesn’t mean it is likely, though, but that’s another story.
The biggest factor without question has to be playing in the AL Central. This is a division that doesn’t have a lot of competition in it that would be intimidating. Minnesota isn’t intimidating and neither is Chicago, Detroit, or even Kansas City. Speaking of Kansas City, they’re a team that just doesn’t seem to care about competing and just go through the motions but that’s another story. Being in that type of division is an advantage in itself. There is nothing to think that they shouldn’t be contending in that sense.
They have a new sense of spirit that can motivate them. It seemed like especially the last two years the players just quit listening to Eric Wedge and went through the motions. It was more like they didn’t care about what was going on so much. That’s just an opinion but the players were like they didn’t care and went out there and just went through the motions. There was little effort and the team quit during the season.
Nobody expects them to contend. That is one way to surprise people out of nowhere. It’s like they don’t contend when you expect them to now and when they are expected, they don’t so whatsoever. That seems to be the story of the Cleveland Indians. It’s a shame that it has to be that way because quite honestly, it would be nice to contend more often and actually do so when expected to.
In spite of that, the odds are not too good. The big question mark is the pitching. Too many eggs are being put in one basket with the performers being Jake Westbrook as the ace, Fausto Carmona as the number two, and Justin Masterson making the transition from bullpen to starter. Truthfully, this doesn’t look like there is a true dominate ace on the staff. The Indians do not have much of a chance but having been proven wrong before, it would be no shock if they did win the division. It would be even more shocking if they could finally win a World Series but that’s another story for another time.