Interesting article on the Tribe's staff

[bucknutz94]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/720 ... no-1-enemy

[peeker643]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7206897/cleveland-indians-worms-no-1-enemy

Hmm... the author is higher on the defensive potential of Kipnis and Chisenhall than I am but that was an interesting read.

[swerb]

Good read - thanks for the link

[paulcousineau]

Little bit of hyperbole on Keri's part in terms of this staff being "historic" in their GB tendency. The Indians have been doing this for a while and (just to throw out an example) the 2010 staff also had 3 extreme GB pitchers (Masterson, Westbrook, and Carmona) that all finished in the Top 7 among MLB starters in GB%, with Talbot posting a 47% GB rate that year, with Jeanmar, Carrasco, and Laffey (23 starts combined) all topping the 45% mark.

While the piece is well-researched and well-written, it isn't really anything "new" or "historic" that the Indians are attempting to do.

[skatingtripods]

Screams the need to get a better defensive 1B.

[GodHatesClevelandSport]

Will read the article later, but certainly understand the premise as all anyone talked about when the Indians acquired Lowe was the ground ball tendencies of the pitchers.

Something went unnoticed a few days later which I think took away from the Tribe's supposedly brilliant move of trading Lowe. Chien-Ming Wang, as groundbally as any of them, re-signed with the Nats for $4 million. Now perhaps he really liked Washington and was going back there anyway. They did sign him when he was out for an entire season, so they bought loyalty in a sense. But #WhatIf the Indians offered him a $5 million contract? Same as what they're paying Lowe for a better, younger pitcher. Or maybe even a two-year deal?

The guy was great for the Yankees for a year or two. No doubt he can pitch in the AL based on that. Not saying the Indians could have got Wang if they wanted, but if they are really as smart as they want everyone to think I hope they at least tried to get him for what they gave Lowe.

[skatingtripods]

Wang off TJ surgery. Lowe hasn't been on the DL in 10 years.

Advantage Lowe.

[GodHatesClevelandSport]

Wang off TJ surgery. Lowe hasn't been on the DL in 10 years.

Advantage Lowe.

Wang has recovered from that surgery. He pitched 62 innings last year at the same level that made him a two-time 19-game winner w/the Yanks. He's younger than Lowe, probably better, and has a longer future.

Advantage Wang.

[leadpipe]

Wang off TJ surgery. Lowe hasn't been on the DL in 10 years.

Advantage Lowe.

Wang has recovered from that surgery. He pitched 62 innings last year at the same level that made him a two-time 19-game winner w/the Yanks. He's younger than Lowe, probably better, and has a longer future.

Advantage Wang.

If I'm running Wang or Lowe out there, my concern wouldn't be improving the infield defense, it'd be erecting a screen to protect the fans in the bleachers.

Advantage teams that don't have these guys.

[skatingtripods]

Wang has recovered from that surgery. He pitched 62 innings last year at the same level that made him a two-time 19-game winner w/the Yanks. He's younger than Lowe, probably better, and has a longer future.

Advantage Wang.

What bearing does "longer future" have on anything? Either guy would be a one year stopgap.

Not to mention, Lowe had to come here. Wang would have never chosen to come here. Makes it a moot argument.

[swerb]

If I'm running Wang or Lowe out there, my concern wouldn't be improving the infield defense, it'd be erecting a screen to protect the fans in the bleachers.

Advantage teams that don't have these guys.

Exactly.

On a somewhat related note, I did name my latest Strat team "Chien Ming's Wang".

[Dnthateonthepronk]

Or you just combine them into one person then you have a Lowe Wang.

Advantage Comedy.