Tribe 2014 Predictions, Thoughts, and Analyzations

now is the time where i take a few minutes to talk Tribe 2014.


first i'll go on record with my prediction for the Tribe's 2014 season. assuming everyone plays to the max of their abilities and we don't get hit with too many major injuries, i think we'll finish 84-78. because we won 92 games last year, i think a lot of people will predict wins more towards the high 80s, but i'm not willing to go that high. and regardless of exact record, i don't think we'll be good enough to win our division. it's probably going to take at least 90 wins just to nab a wild card spot because there are a lot of good teams (at least right now on paper) in the AL this season. maybe if the stars align, we could possibly build on last year and bring a little more postseason play back to Cleveland this season. is this the year we finally win a World Series? after glancing at our starting rotation, on good conscience, i can't realistically say yes. but, anything can happen and i'm so ready for the season to get underway.



my PD boys, whom i respect a great deal, have made predictions that i want to keep on record here.

Hoynsie: 90-72, wild card

D-Man: 85-77, no wild card

Terry: 85-77, no wild card

Bud: 88-74, no wild card

Z-Mise: 88-74, wild card

i'm with D-Man and Terry here. i don't think we will crack 90 wins and if we do not, then we are not getting a wild card spot. it's interesting that Bud and Zack are predicting the same record, yet Zack thinks the Indians will get a wild card spot, while Bud does not. and as much as i love Hoynsie, i can only hope his prediction ends up being right lol he's way more hopeful than i can be right now. at least everyone has us finishing over .500!



the majority of players, pitchers and hitters, had successful springs. that is evident by the Indians' record of 20-9-2, best in both leagues. we displayed both great offense and defense. even the kids in the lower levels of the organization demonstrated star play. if anything, knowing we have some stellar athletes coming up in the farm system bodes well for the future of the franchise.

there is pressure on the team this year to prove that last year was not a fluke. it's going to be very difficult to match last season's record of 92 wins. at the very least, it's going to be tough just to put together 2 winning seasons in a row, something the Indians have not done since 2000-2001. a lot of things will have to go right, and sometimes in sports you just have to get lucky. the atmosphere around the Tribe players in spring seemed loose and confident, and if that can carry onto the field this year, then they will be a threat to every team they face.


some things that might make a difference this year that we didn't have last year:

--a full season with Salazar in the starting rotation

--Swisher starting the year without a shoulder injury and hopefully playing a full season healthy

--Bourn being more acquainted with AL pitchers, leading to more stolen bases

--Santana not catching as much, which should help his offense and take the pressure of calling games off him

--having a healthy Vinnie Pestano back in our bullpen for a full season

--having a full season under their belts with Francona as manager

--all of the players who were newbies last year have now gotten familiar with everyone and meshed very well together with the rest of the guys
 

the Indians did not make any big splashes in the free agent pool this offseason, mainly due to our higher salary acquisitions from the previous offseason. so i cannot honestly say we've improved any from last year. in fact, due to some of the big factor guys we lost, i think we may be, not necessarily worse, but possibly more inconsistent. as was the case last year, i think pitching is once again going to be questionable, both starting and relief.

our starting rotation has potential, but let's face it, it's not great. and it sure as hell is not intimidating to opponents by any means. Masterson is not a true ace, though he is our best starter hands down right now. he is capable of achieving a 20-win season, if our offense wants to help him out when he pitches. unfortunately, because Masterson pitches in the #1 spot, he usually goes against the opposing team's ace, and so it's easy to see why he's yet to have a 20-win season in his career. Kluber and McAllister are more than capable of throwing solid games, but they can also throw some ugly ones. not to mention there's concern that both will regress this year. Danny Salazar is getting his first full year in the big leagues now, and even though this kid has the stuff to be great, i think it's fair to say he will experience some struggles at times this year. and rounding out our top 5 is Carrasco. he would be better suited in the bullpen in my opinion, but what Tito wants, Tito gets. Carrasco has 2 personalities: the one who pitches well and remains focused on the game, and the one who's immature, forgets to use his fastball, and sometimes can't handle the pressure. i just hope that if the Carrasco Fiasco takes over the month of April, a change will be made by May.

it's comforting to know that we have Tomlin starting in Columbus, ready to be called up at any time. he's been very reliable, always pitching at least 5 innings when he starts. on the flip side, he hasn't pitched a full year in the bigs since 2011. he could struggle as well. we also have Bauer in Columbus, another pitcher with potential that has not yet been reached. he's young, unreliable, and not ready to be a current fixture in our rotation. after that, we really don't have any other strong pitching prospects. TJ House and Tyler Cloyd are both wild cards who would probably labor if brought up.

so there are definite question marks here with our rotation, and in order to win close to 90 games again, we will undoubtedly need our starting 5 to be spectacular. to have a chance at postseason, ideally, we need 3 or 4 of our starters to win a dozen games each. they'll need to be innings eaters, so we don't have to depend on the bullpen to bail us out on the regular. and speaking of that...


besides starting pitching, a team also needs a strong bullpen to be successful. our bullpen this season is very different from years past, and that may cause some problems. John Axford and Josh Outman are basically replacing the holes left by Chris Perez and Joe Smith. while Axford has looked great in spring games, Outman had some trouble with the long ball. that said, you never know how either will perform during the season. we don't know if Axford can close, he lost his closer job last year after all, and we have to be prepared that he may not be able to. then the entire bullpen will have to be shuffled around as far as who takes on which roles.

Vinnie Pestano is back with the club and he looked very good in spring. he's not hurt this year, which was his main problem last season. he's not going to return to his old role of set up man right away, but regardless of what inning he comes out for, if he can pitch like he did in 2012, that's a nice weapon to have.

of course our bullpen wouldn't be complete without a veteran presence, and this year that role is being filled by Scott Atchison. he had a nice spring, but we've seen in the past that the older bullpen guys can be disasters when they get in the real games. he could be this year's Hill or Durbin and get DFA'd before the All Star break. and you can't rule out that a guy his age might suffer a freak injury or two.

Blake Wood is also breaking camp with the Tribe this year. he's had surgery in the past and while that sometimes makes pitchers stronger, it's hard to say if Blake is really going to be a reliable part of the pen yet.

the final 3 making up our bullpen this year are Allen, Shaw, and Rzepczynski, all of whom were with the Tribe last year. these guys pitched very well for us in 2013, and the same is expected from them this year. although again, some regression could be a realistic possibility. if that happens, we have guys in Columbus with big league experience that we can call upon for help. but overall, i think the bullpen definitely has the potential to be one of the strongest in the league and lock down games for us.


i always say, good pitching means nothing if the offense can't score, and a few question marks remain in our lineup as well. Bourn really needs to prove himself this season. he has to do better than last year in order for us to put together a run towards the World Series, not to mention show everyone that he is worth his giant contract. how did he do in spring training? well he didn't play very much because he strained his hamstring. yes, the same hamstring he had surgery on during the offseason. with him starting the year on the DL and not having a full spring in preparation for the year, that doesn't exactly give me a vote of confidence in our center fielder. he needs his legs to be that speed demon on the basepaths, and with a hamstring issue, it's hard say how much that will affect his ability.

Swisher is another big piece of our team who needs to improve his numbers from last season if we want to make a push towards October. hopefully his shoulder won't give him any trouble this year and he can produce when we need him to.

is Cabby going to have a better year? you would think so, especially considering this is his last year before free agency and players have a tendency to step things up during their walk year. if he can improve in any way, that will be a big help for us. the fact that he's had a great camp is encouraging.

last year Jason Kipnis had a cold spring and slow start to the regular season. this spring, his bat was hot. if that can carry over into April, it would give the team a boost that it did not have a year ago.

David Murphy was a new addition to the team this offseason. he's set to platoon in right field with Raburn. unfortunately, Murphy didn't blow anybody away with his spring play. he's also known to have slow starts and unproductive numbers in April. so right now it's anyone's guess if he will even be an asset to this team.

another somewhat new addition to the team is Santana at the hot corner. he is going to play 3rd base this year. he's done a decent job in winter league and spring training, but he still has not played very much there. the Indians have basically said Santana will continue to "try out" at 3rd while the season gets going. we don't know for sure that this experiment will work out well, and if it doesn't, that could cause problems such as affecting his hitting and/or the outcomes of our games. i'm not saying this is something that could ultimately ruin the team, but it's a variable that we didn't have last season. best case scenario, Santana proves he can handle 3rd base and we finally get some nice production from that spot on the field.

because Santana is going to be playing more 3rd, that means Gomes will be our starting catcher. he did quite well coming off the bench last year. will his bat remain hot now that he's going to get more playing time, or will there be a regression?

Santana's time at 3rd also means we won't need to use Lonnie Chisenhall as much. a good strategy for the team would be to simply use Chiz against right-handed pitchers, and don't let him go near the lefties. there's also a chance Lonnie gets sent down to Columbus if the Indians feel like they can't regularly find playing time for him.

the last two additions to the team are Elliot Johnson and Nyjer Morgan. Elliot had a big spring. Tito likes him because he can play every position in the infield and outfield, and he's even been named the team's emergency catcher. his defense is stronger than his offense, so it's possible that once the season gets underway his bat will cool down. Morgan also had a nice spring, but he didn't play in the big leagues last year (he played in Japan) and had a somewhat disappointing year in 2012. if he's only a part-time player here, will he be productive? and will his alter ego "Tony Plush" cause any on- or off-field distraction or drama?

and the questions don't end there. as well as Brantley did last year and this spring, who's to say he won't face any adversity this year? will he still be as clutch as he was a year ago? and Raburn, will he be able to carry over his hot spring to the regular season, or will leg injuries slow him down? will the Goon Squad be as productive as it was last season? will Giambi still be a force, or is he just too old to help us now? and can Aviles continue to be a productive utility man for this team? i'm really not trying to be negative, i'm just pointing out how many question marks there are surrounding this team.


bottom line, this is not the same team that won 92 games last season. it's not a totally different team, but we have changed some of the pieces in our puzzle. it's unclear how any of the new guys will adapt to their new city and new roles. so far everyone's said the right things, but their true characters will come out when we encounter the inevitable tough times that always strike at some point.

this team is not going to be perfect. there are gonna be times when our starters have bad games. and there are gonna be times when the bullpen can't get anybody out, and when our closer blows games. there will be games where we're shut out because our offense can't hit their way out of a wet paper bag and bring anybody home. but there will also be times where we shut the other team out and win blow out games. there will be amazing comebacks and exciting walk-off wins. in order to succeed, we need to believe. hopefully we won't suffer through any long losing streaks, and if we're going in a bad way, that we can turn things around quickly and get back on the right path. the path to winning.


after reviewing the Tribe's spring and looking over the roster, i do think we have a good chance to finish the season with a winning record. i also think it's feasible that we could grab a wild card spot again. how far might we go in the postseason this time? it's hard to say. the odds will be best if everyone can stay relatively healthy, if the players who had bad years last year improve this year, and if our starters can consistently give us 6-7 innings every time out. that's a lot of ifs, but with Tito leading the way, it's not impossible.



i have spent the last 3 seasons arranging my schedule to ensure that i didn't miss any Tribe games. and that was a challenge last year considering all the health issues that popped up on me that i had to take care of in-season. going for a 4th straight year might be impractical because my health is still not 100%, but i will try my best to not miss any games that i can control without life getting in the way of my baseball habit lol based on the promos they're offering this season, i'm aiming to go to at least 8 games this year. and i won't give that up without a fight.

regardless, i am more than ready for baseball to begin. it's been a long 183 days. as always, i will be cheering the team on for all 162 games, through the good times and bad, with unwavering support. what else would you expect from me? ;D Ride or Die Tribe! Let's Go! =D



for the record, i'm picking the Dodgers to go all the way this year. i picked Washington to win it all last year and they disappointed. i think they'll do better this year, but i'm not picking them again lol i'm sure some sportswriters still see the Tigers as the favorites to come out of the AL, but i'm not sold, especially after losing some key players this offseason. i am going with a matchup of the Dodgers and Rays. i believe the AL will beat the NL once again in the All Star Game, so Tampa Bay will have home field advantage in the World Series, but i like the LA Dodgers to win it in 6 games.

Brantley's 2014 Spring Training #s and My Expectations

they're baaaaaaack! yes it's that time again. time for the sound of the crack of the bat to grace our ears and the boys of summer to command our attention. Brantley had a big offseason, adjusting to life with a newborn, signing himself to a long-term deal with the Indians, and getting his very own bobblehead. but the fun downtime is over; now it's time (for all of us) to get back to work and take care of our unfinished business.

to avoid monotony, i have stepped up my game yet again as far as Brantley documentation goes this season. i have added righty vs. lefty pitcher details in my notebook, as well as outs when he comes to the plate. i've also included his at bats with runners in scoring position and his 2 out hits. last year, i kept track of some of these numbers in a Word document only. this year, i thought it would be better to just add the stats to my notebook.

one other thing i must note: i "watched" all the spring training games on my gameday. however, this season i did not have audio for every game. for the first time, some spring games were broadcast on Cleveland FM stations, which i had no way of hearing. also, a couple games that were supposed to be free webcasts online during the week ended up not being free. sadly for me, that resulted in an inability to record the pitch count for every at bat Michael had. gameday was not specific in that regard, and so with no audio i was SOL. i did the absolute best i could with the spring details, and anything that did not get documented was not my fault.


now let's break down the numbers. i am going to document his ST #s, the 3rd spot #s, the 5th spot #s, the 4th spot #s, the leadoff #s, the 6th spot #s, and the #s of everything not leadoff combined, as well as the left field #s, the center field #s, and the overall outfield #s.


Brantley's 2014 Spring Training #s are as follows:

batting average: .500

OBP: .552

SLG: .740

OPS: 1.292


Michael played in 18 (of 31*) games in spring training. he started and played left in 15 games, and he started and played center in 3 games. he did not play in 13 games due to just not being in Tito's lineup.

Michael had a hit in 13 of the 18 games he played and reached base in 15 games. he had a 7-game hitting streak and reached base in 8 straight games at one point. he bat .500 (18-for-36) against right-handed pitchers and .500 (7-for-14) against left-handed pitchers. consistent much? lol

Michael hit .471 (8-for-17) with runners in scoring position. he also hit 1.000 (2-for-2) with no outs and runners in scoring position, .375 (3-for-8) with 1 out and RISP, and .429 (3-for-7) with 2 outs and RISP. he finished with a team high 14 RBI. additionally, Michael hit .688 (11-for-16) with 2 outs.

Michael also finished with the spring with the highest batting average not only on the Indians, but out of every player in the league in spring training. his OBP was also the highest of all spring training players, while his OPS was the 2nd highest, and his SLG was 7th highest.

*on 1 day in spring, there was a split squad, where the team played 2 games at the same time. clearly Michael could not play in both games, so if you wanna get technical, he really only had an opportunity to play in 30 of the 31 spring games.


Michael bat 3rd in 1 game.

Michael bat 5th in 12 games.

Michael bat 4th in 3 games.

Michael led off 1 game.

Michael bat 6th in 1 game.


Michael played left in 15 games.

Michael played center in 3 games.


in ST, Michael had a total of 58 plate appearances and 50 at bats. here is how he fared:

25 hits

15 singles

8 doubles

2 triples

14 RBI

1 sac fly

7 runs scored

5 walks

2 hit by pitches

1 stolen base

1 GIDP

2 strikeouts (looking)

5 first at bat hits

37 total bases


14 left on base

21 putouts

94 innings

ST batting average: .500 (25-50) (18 games)


now let's break down his numbers based on where he hit in the lineup.


when Michael bat 3rd in ST, he had a total of 2 plate appearances and 1 at bat in 1 game. breaking down the numbers are as follows:

0 hits

1 walk


1 left on base

2 innings

ST batting average in the 3rd spot: .000 (0-1) (1 game)
ST batting average in the 3rd spot while playing left: .000 (0-1) (1 game)


when Michael bat 5th in ST, he had a total of 41 plate appearances and 35 at bats in 12 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:

22 hits

12 singles

8 doubles

2 triples

13 RBI

1 sac fly

6 runs scored

3 walks

2 hit by pitches

1 stolen base

1 GIDP

1 strikeout (looking)

5 first at bat hits

34 total bases


7 left on base

17 putouts

67 innings

ST batting average in the 5th spot: .629 (22-35) (12 games)


when Michael bat 5th and played left in ST, he had a total of 35 plate appearances and 31 at bats in 10 games.

19 hits

10 singles

8 doubles

1 triple

11 RBI

1 sac fly

6 runs scored

1 walk

2 hit by pitches

1 stolen base

1 GIDP

1 strikeout (looking)

3 first at bat hits

29 total bases


5 left on base

15 putouts

56 innings

ST batting average in the 5th spot while playing left: .613 (19-31) (10 games)


when Michael bat 5th and played center in ST, he had a total of 6 plate appearances and 4 at bats in 2 games.

3 hits

2 singles

1 triple

2 RBI

2 walks

2 first at bat hits

5 total bases


2 left on base

2 putouts

11 innings

ST batting average in the 5th spot while playing center: .750 (3-4) (2 games)


when Michael bat 4th in ST, he had a total of 9 plate appearances and 8 at bats in 3 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:

1 hit

1 single

1 RBI

1 walk

1 total base


5 left on base

1 putout

16 innings

ST batting average in the 4th spot: .125 (1-8) (3 games)
ST batting average in the 4th spot while playing left: .125 (1-8) (3 games)


when Michael bat 6th in ST, he had a total of 2 plate appearances and 2 at bats in 1 game. breaking down the numbers are as follows:

0 hits


2 putouts

4 innings

ST batting average in the 6th spot: .000 (0-2) (1 game)
ST batting average in the 6th spot while playing center: .000 (0-2) (1 game)


when Michael was not leading off in ST, he had a total of 54 plate appearances and 46 at bats in 17 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:

23 hits

13 singles

8 doubles

2 triples

14 RBI

1 sac fly

6 runs scored

5 walks

2 hit by pitches

1 stolen base

1 GIDP

1 strikeout (looking)

5 first at bat hits

35 total bases


13 left on base

20 putouts

89 innings

ST batting average everywhere other than leadoff: .500 (23-46) (17 games)


when Michael was not leading off and played left in ST, he had a total of 46 plate appearances and 40 at bats in 14 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:

20 hits

11 singles

8 doubles

1 triple

12 RBI

1 sac fly

6 runs scored

3 walks

2 hit by pitches

1 stolen base

1 GIDP

1 strikeout (looking)

3 first at bat hits

30 total bases


11 left on base

16 putouts

74 innings

ST batting average everywhere other than leadoff while playing left: .500 (20-40) (14 games)


when Michael was not leading off and played center in ST, he had a total of 8 plate appearances and 6 at bats in 3 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:

3 hits

2 singles

1 triple

2 RBI

2 walks

2 first at bat hits

5 total bases


2 left on base

4 putouts

15 innings

ST batting average everywhere other than leadoff while playing center: .500 (3-6) (3 games)


when Michael bat leadoff in ST, he had a total of 4 plate appearances and 4 at bats in 1 game. breaking down the numbers are as follows:

2 hits

2 singles

1 run scored

1 strikeout (looking)

2 total bases


1 left on base

1 putout

5 innings

ST batting average in the leadoff spot: .500 (2-4) (1 game)
ST batting average in the leadoff spot while playing left: .500 (2-4) (1 game)


now let's break down his numbers specific to where he played in the outfield.


when Michael played left in ST, he had a total of 50 plate appearances and 44 at bats in 15 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:

22 hits

13 singles

8 doubles

1 triple

12 RBI

1 sac fly

7 runs scored

3 walks

2 hit by pitches

1 stolen base

1 GIDP

2 strikeouts (looking)

3 first at bat hits

32 total bases


12 left on base

17 putouts

79 innings

ST batting average while playing left: .500 (22-44) (15 games)


when Michael played center in ST, he had a total of 8 plate appearances and 6 at bats in 3 games. breaking down the numbers are as follows:

3 hits

2 singles

1 triple

2 RBI

2 walks

2 first at bat hits

5 total bases


2 left on base

4 putouts

15 innings

ST batting average while playing center: .500 (3-6) (3 games)



other ST #s while playing left: 17 putouts, 0 errors, 1.000 fielding percentage (79 innings, 15 games)

other ST #s while playing center: 4 putouts, 0 errors, 1.000 fielding percentage (15 innings, 3 games)

overall ST #s while playing the outfield: 21 putouts, 0 errors, 1.000 fielding percentage (94 innings, 18 games)



here are my game-by-game notes and numbers for Brantley's Spring Training 2014.

February 26: not in lineup.

Game 1, February 27: 0-1, walk. AVG: .000
[3rd/LF/2 innings]

February 28: not in lineup.

March 1: game rained out.
[3rd/LF]

Game 2, March 2: 3-3, single (first at bat), single, stolen base, single. AVG: .750
[5th/LF/5 i]

March 3: not in lineup.

Game 3, March 4: 0-3. AVG: .429
[5th/LF/5 i]

March 5: not in lineup.

Game 4, March 6: 1-2, double (first at bat), hit by pitch. AVG: .444
[5th/LF/6 i]

March 7: not in lineup.

Game 5, March 8: 4-4, RBI single (first at bat), single, double, double. AVG: .615
[5th/LF/7 i]

March 9: not in lineup.

Game 6, March 10: 1-2, RBI sac fly (first at bat), single. AVG: .600
[5th/LF/5 i]

Game 7, March 11: 1-3, RBI single. AVG: .556
[4th/LF/5 i]

March 12: not in lineup.

Game 8, March 13: 1-3, single. AVG: .524
[5th/LF/6 i]

Game 9, March 14: 0-3. AVG: .458
[4th/LF/5 i]

March 15: not in lineup.

Game 10, March 16 (split squad): 0-2, walk. AVG: .423
[4th/LF/6 i]

March 17: not in lineup.

Game 11, March 18: 3-4, RBI double, run scored, double, run scored, double. AVG: .467
[5th/LF/6 i]

March 19: not in lineup.

Game 12, March 21: 3-4, RBI single, run scored, single, 2-run double. AVG: .500
[5th/LF/5 i]

Game 13, March 22: 2-4, RBI double, 2-run triple. AVG: .500
[5th/LF/7 i]

March 23: not in lineup.

Game 14, March 24: 2-4, single, run scored, single. AVG: .500
[leadoff/LF/5 i]

Game 15, March 25: 1-2, single (first at bat), walk. AVG: .500
[5th/CF/7 i]

Game 16, March 26: 2-2, 2-run triple (first at bat), single, walk. AVG: .522
[5th/CF/4 i]

March 27: late lineup change, given day off.
[6th/LF]

Game 17, March 28: 1-2, RBI hit by pitch (first at bat), run scored, RBI single, run scored, walk, run scored. AVG: .521
[5th/LF/4 i]

**Michael's 7-game hitting streak ends**

Game 18, March 29: 0-2. AVG: .500
[6th/CF/4 i]



for the first time in 2 years, Michael did not have to spend his offseason recovering from an injury. therefore, he was able to keep his ideal offseason routine as far as preparation and training for the upcoming season went. as a result, he had a scorching hot spring. i mean, how many players typically hit .500 after 50 at bats in spring? i couldn't be happier. (the only thing i could complain about is all the number of games Tito decided to give Michael off. normally he plays more spring games but oh well.) a big highlight for me was that he only had 2 strikeouts. he was very consistent--he bat .500 in almost every category i broke down lol--and his swing looked smooth as usual. it looked like he just picked up right where he left off at the end of last year. one could argue he was ready for the season to begin weeks before March 31.

Michael bat in 5 different spots in the order this spring. he had his best numbers in the 5th and leadoff spots during camp. while it's not necessarily fair to draw conclusions from BOP in spring training because the sample size is very small, it's completely unwarranted to say Michael can't bat 3rd, 4th, or 6th just because he didn't put up good numbers in the combined 5 games he hit there. Michael has proven in the past that he's more than capable to bat in every spot in the lineup. however, it's been speculated he will spend most of his time batting 5th this year, like he did in spring, though that may not be the case at the start of the season.

after it was revealed that Michael Bourn would be opening the season on the disabled list, Brantley was inserted into the leadoff spot for one game in spring. however, it doesn't appear as though Tito wants Brantley to lead off while Bourn is out during the regular season. he really likes Brantley to bat in the middle of the order, where he did exceptionally well last season.

also due to Bourn's injury, Brantley played a few games in center field this spring. even when Bourn returns, it's presumed Brantley will still see some time in center field this year, unlike last year, because we traded away back up CF Drew Stubbs. i expect him to spend the majority of his games this season manning left though.

and speaking of defense, it's important to note that Michael is beginning the season on a 245 errorless game streak. he has not made an error in the outfield since June 3, 2012. this is a current franchise record and i'm very excited to see how much longer he can go without committing any OF errors.



My Predictions/Hopes for Brantley's 2014 Season:

Michael managed to get through last year without injury, so first and foremost i really hope he can replicate that in 2014. as far as all Michael's numbers go, i am probably going to predict and hope for close to everything i wished for him last season. he set several new highs for himself last year, so some categories will be tough to top. considering he's now earning a 5 million dollar paycheck for this season, i imagine he will try extra hard to put up the very best numbers he can. if he can at least maintain around what he did last year, then i'll be happy.

i again want to see Michael get close to a .300 batting average. of course i'll settle with a BA between .295-.300 lol i continue to have the utmost confidence that he can do it. he continues to get better and better every year, and i truly believe this year could finally be the year he accomplishes that. for the past 2 seasons, he's finished with the highest BA on the team. can he do it a third time? i don't know, but it's an obvious call to say he will remain one of our most consistent and clutch hitters.

the next category to predict is home runs. ah, my favorite statistic lol because of Michael's style of play, he does not need to hit for power. he hits his line drives well enough into the ballpark gaps and uses all parts of the field to get on base and get guys home. so despite the fans' complaints that Michael is not a big long ball hitter, that is not important. if he can go yard at least 8 times this year, that's more than fine for him.

assuming Michael has the majority of his at bats in the middle of the order again, he should at least match his RBI total from last year. i'll predict/expect at least 75. as long as the top of the order gets themselves on base so Michael can drive them in, then this is a very realistic prediction.

other numbers i predict for Brantley in 2014:

stolen bases: 22

runs scored: 65

doubles: 40

triples: 5

walks: 50

fielding percentage: .998


so good luck this season, Michael! stay confident, keep doin' what you do, and show 'em what you got =D

Brantley Got His Own Bobblehead!

bitch and i shall receive! lol it was announced today that there will be a Michael Brantley bobblehead giveaway this year after all, on September 1. i think Michael signing that contract extension may have had a little something to do with it, because after that event occurred it really made the Indians look bad that they had yet to give my boy a bobble. so yes i agree this was even more necessary than i believed it was before. and i'd like to think that my blog influenced this decision, but i'm not that delusional lol whatever it took, i am beyond ecstatic! and no matter what, i will be attending that game.

so congrats to Michael once again on his contract and also on finally making it into the Cleveland Indians bobblehead collection. will it be him in his batting stance? mid-swing? making a great home-run robbing catch? a smooth diving or sliding catch? i can't wait to find out and see it! =D

Brantley Becomes A Millionaire After Signing A Contract Extension

arbitration schmarbitration! we got four more years and an option baby! boy did this news catch me by surprise today. i had planned to write a much different blog once Michael's contract for 2014 got settled. now i have to change directions because Michael is here to stay through at least 2017. (barring a trade...don't even think about it lol) this is very exciting news for Indians fans, particularly his #1 fan. this also means i will be blogging about Michael for the next four years =D

the story goes like this. Michael was eligible for arbitration for the first time in his major league career this offseason. he filed for arbitration on January 14 and exchanged numbers with the Indians on January 17. Brantley filed for 3.8 million dollars, while the Indians low-balled him with an offer of 2.7 million. and today, on February 10, Michael and his agent have agreed to a multi-year extension with the Indians. his new contract is for 4 years at 25 million dollars, with a club option for a 5th year at 11 million dollars (and a 1 million dollar buyout).

here is the full contract breakdown:

signing bonus – 3.5 million

2014 salary – 1.5 million + signing bonus = 5 million

2015 salary – 5 million

2016 salary – 6.5 million

2017 salary – 7.5 million

2018 salary – 11 million option/1 million buyout

when i did my guesstimate offseason calculating about what i thought all the Indians would earn in 2014, i kept my salary for Michael a little low (just like the Indians did with their first offer apparently) so i wouldn't be too disappointed. because he signed a multi-year deal, his 2014 salary ended up being even less than the Indians initially offered, but when you add in the signing bonus, he's going to get a cool 5 million. that's one hell of a raise from last year. holy shit that's awesome! lol i'm not really sure what the point of the signing bonus is. if it's not evenly distributed throughout all the years of the deal, why not just get rid of it and give him a 5 million salary outright in 2014? but whatever. 5 mill is 5 mill no matter how you break it down.

i gotta be honest though. i think Michael and his agent undersold. fans who don't think Michael is anything special will think i'm crazy and disagree with me. but anyone who has read my blogs should see where i'm coming from. if Michael maintains his consistency and clutch hitting, when he's 30 years old in 2017, he is gonna be so pissed that he's only making 7.5 million dollars. and if he becomes even better and continues to be one of the best players on the team, the Indians will be lol-ing at the steal they just got.

the Indians firmly believe in giving contracts to players based on what they think a player will do for them in the future, and not what they have done in the past. but it's hard to ignore the fact that Michael has been one of if not the most consistent hitter on the team for the last 2 years. having a track record like that has to factor into salary somewhere. hitting .375 with RISP and recording 11 outfield assists last year doesn't hurt Michael's case either.

let's get back to the original 2.7 offer for a minute, keeping the Indians contract policy in mind. they felt Michael was only going to perform 2.7 million dollars worth in 2014? insert my laughter here. man this team can be cheap. or else they just need a new accountant. Michael got paid the league minimum last year and outperformed many players on the team who got paid in the millions. i don't care if they are about to approach their max budget for the year, you can't gyp players money because you (wrongfully) overpaid certain other guys in previous contract deals. that's not my boy's fault. that 2.7 offer was insulting, and the Indians should really consider themselves lucky that Michael didn't force them to go to an arbitration hearing, which was scheduled for February 17, because he could have easily won.

players are usually hesitant to go to a hearing because they're fair game to get picked apart by the team with the details of what their weaknesses and cons are. in that respect, it was smart of Michael and his agent not to drag the process out and have to hear all that, which could have had an effect on a future long-term deal. although, i believe the positives Michael brings to the team far outweigh his negatives and i think the arbitrators would have seen that too.

had they gone to a hearing, the Indians definitely would have harped on Michael's lack of power. to that i always say, no, Michael is not a 30-40 home run hitter. but if he can continue to hit in the clutch and drive in 70-80 runs every year by hitting singles and doubles, that's a good hitter and you should happily take that without complaint. who cares about home runs driving guys in if you can get them home by other ways? people are a little too obsessed with home runs. they aren't everything in baseball. don't forget Michael also plays a mean left field AND center field. you can feel very comfortable with him at either spot in the outfield. so i don't wanna hear that there are Michael Brantleys on every team around the league and he's replaceable, because on a Cleveland team, he's a rarity. and he's a keeper. clearly the Indians recognized that, along with his value, or they wouldn't have tried negotiating an extension.

however, for the Indians to think that four years from now Michael is only going to be worth 7.5 million dollars doesn't sit well with me. i know he's going to continue being a reliable consistent hitter. i don't have the confidence to say that about many other players on the team at this point. i think the ball was totally in Michael's court here. maybe i'm naïve but i think he could have haggled. his agent is absolutely giddy over this deal right now, and i guess he should be, but could he have done better? the Indians assumedly hoped to buy out his future arbitration years and at least one year of free agency, which they did, but Michael probably could have asked for a little more money in those last 2 years or held out on the deal. it wouldn't have been a terrible idea for him to play one more year and then sign an extension, but i have a feeling that that 5 million dollars for this upcoming season was too exciting to turn down lol

when looking at the broad spectrum within the organization, i still firmly believe Michael is underpaid for his production, especially compared to what certain other players make and what they provide the team in terms of overall numbers. yes i know experience and power factor into salary numbers, but when you look at what Bourn is going to make versus what he did last season, things don't quite add up. Brantley remains the least paid among Indians outfielders. how's that for irony? arguably our best all around outfielder is making the least money. it's not an uncommon thing in the world of baseball i guess, but you know i don't care for it.

i am definitely happy that Michael is now signed through the 2017 season. frankly i had my doubts that this would happen this year. i really was not expecting him to sign an extension. i thought both sides would be a little hesitant to make more than a one-year commitment right now. and i was okay with letting him get another year under his belt and adding to his resume, figuring that would drive up his salary for the next contract. but it's obvious that Michael is not afraid of commitment, and i'm totally thrilled that he's dedicated to the team and wants to continue to be a core piece of the Cleveland Indians organization.

so congratulations Michael for becoming a millionaire ballplayer. i truly am happy for you. you deserve this and all the great things to come. this is just the beginning for you. you're in the prime of your career and you will only keep getting better. and i personally can't wait to watch your continued development. in the meantime, enjoy your money and use your millions wisely. put it away for your daughter and step-son's college funds, and don't let that wifey of yours blow it all on designer handbags and shoes. i'm only kidding. sort of... =P

Where's My Brantley Bobblehead?

i've been on a blogging hiatus long enough. i think it's time to get this thing active again, and i have the perfect topic to start off 2014: where is my Michael Brantley bobblehead?

so the Cleveland Indians released their "tentative" promotional schedule today, and i have to say while it's a bit underwhelming, one thing on there really ticked me off: why on earth is Michael Bourn being given a bobblehead when he's only been with the team for one year, and a bad year at that? last year, Bourn was a late offseason acquisition, and after he signed with the team, the Indians added a Michael Bourn replica jersey giveaway to the promo schedule. that didn't sit well with me either, but i wasn't that argumentative about it because a Michael Brantley replica jersey giveaway was already on the schedule. however, this bobblehead issue has me more than irked and i gotta get my anger out.

what exactly is the reasoning behind giving Bourn his own bobblehead? it certainly wasn't a reward for his amazing performance last year. and it sure as hell wasn't for having "paid his dues" as far as being on the team for many seasons and "earning" it. so i have to assume it's either because he's one of the highest paid guys on the team, making it almost an "obligated" promo, or simply because of the reputation he has as being an amazing base stealer and good leadoff man, neither of which the Indians nor its fans witnessed last year. this is just like, congratulations for playing like crap, now here's a bobblehead. sometimes this team just makes me wanna... >O

now let's move the discussion over to my Michael, Mr. Brantley. why DIDN'T the Indians give Brantley a bobblehead this season? here are my arguments for why he deserves it over Bourn.
--i'll start with the obvious stats fact that besides stolen bases, triples, and runs scored, Brantley excelled over Bourn in every category last season.
--Brantley has been a regular player for the Indians for the last 3 seasons and he's gotten better every season.
--he's the most consistent hitter on the team.
--he's become a very clutch hitter, one who most fans want to see at the plate when guys are in scoring position.
--he played a tremendous left field last season, and played it without complaint when he had to move from center to left because Bourn was brought in.
--and let's not forget that he also set a new franchise record by playing flawless defense in the outfield in 245 consecutive games, a record that he will continue to add onto once the 2014 season gets started again.
so if all that doesn't make a player a high priority candidate to receive a promotional bobblehead, then i don't know what will.

and granted, you could make a case for a few other current Indians players who did not get a bobblehead this year, but since this is a Brantley blog, i am just going to argue for my boy.

you don't have to be Brantley's biggest fan to clearly see that Brantley's resume with the Indians is WAY more impressive than anything Bourn did in his one disappointing season here so far. but i should have seen this coming. after all, with the way the Indians low-balled Brantley with that 2.7 million dollar contract offer (and i will be writing a blog about Brantley's new contract once the deal gets done), it's clear they don't always value consistency and compliance as much as they value power hitters and "flash," even if the power and flash have been absent for some time. at least i've got your back, Brantley <3

i know the promo schedule is subject to change, but i don't see them adding a Brantley bobble at any point this season. i can think of no more appropriate way to end this first blog of 2014 other than by using the popular and devastating Cleveland sports phrase, "there's always next year."

My 10 Michael Brantley Autographs

i'm not sure if athletes and celebrities truly understand the impact they can have on their fans. it can come in the form of signing an autograph for a fan, or by way of a smile, or maybe even giving out a hug if they're willing. sports often provide a distraction from every day life and the real world for many people. therefore, an encounter with an athlete can literally make someone's day. for some fans, just having a moment with a player, ie. making eye contact and exchanging smiles, can be incredibly special and heartwarming. it's only a few small seconds of their time, but it lasts a lifetime for the recipient. it becomes a memory that nobody can take away, and creates a story that can be shared and cherished forever.

before i got my first Brantley autograph, i had made it my mission to make him smile. i wanted him to know he had a fan and feel good about himself. he wasn't having the best year and was even sent down to Columbus a couple times, but i had his back throughout everything. i knew he was going to become something special, and i was right. but at the time, he needed to know that while some fans didn't know who he was, i not only knew, but was supporting him hardcore. so the night before the game, i made a sign for Michael that i was sure would make him happy if he saw it. i declared myself to him as his #1 fan, and i have upheld that title ever since, proven by my monthly blogging, documentation of Michael's season numbers in a notebook, and of course with my ride or die attitude.

through the Indians 2013 season, i have now obtained 10 autographs from Michael Brantley. that's the most i have from any player. (the second most is 6 from Chris Perez.) sometimes when an opportunity to get a player's autograph comes up, if i know i've gotten that player's auto a few times before, i won't get it again. but that does not go for Michael lol i still have 2 baseball cards that i need him to sign, and once i get his 2014 card, then that will be 3. so i already have an objective for next season. but while i'm waiting for that, let me tell you exactly how i got Michael's autograph 10 times so far.

the first time i got Brantley's autograph was August 28, 2010, before the game against the Kansas City Royals. i have a very detailed account of exactly what went down because i wrote all about it when i got home. so without further ado, this is the story of how my very first autograph from Michael Brantley came about.

i was in the front row in Section 170, waiting for the guys to come out and i had my sign ready. this was the sign i made:

it was a little plain because i really didn't have that much time to work on it, but it was clean and got my point across. my main goal with this was i wanted Brantley to see it while he was warming up. back then i knew not many (if any) fans made Brantley signs, so if he saw that, it would make him happy and he'd definitely know he had someone supporting him here. i also really wanted to make him smile. so i waited.

at 6:45 pm, no one had come out yet. i was starting to freak out because the players are usually out there by then. that made me think 2 things: 1. omg they aren't gonna come out today and 2. if they do come out, it's gonna be so late and Brantley will probably be so focused on stretching that he won't even look over and see my sign.

at 6:47 pm, Matt LaPorta came out. then all these screaming kids ran down to the front row and surrounded me. and they kept screaming for him, so he came over to Section 170 and signed autographs. when he moved over towards me, he read my Brantley sign and smiled. that made me happy because i knew if Matt smiled, then Brantley certainly would. i was hoping that maybe when Brantley finally came out, Matt would be like, "hey, some girl made a sign for you, you should go sign an autograph for her." turns out, that wasn't necessary.

as Matt was signing, Brantley came out. then i got worried and thought oh no, Matty's gonna block me and my sign lol but Matt left after another minute or two. i was watching Brantley doing his running. he walked back towards the baseline and then talked with Joe Kessler and Matt. then he did some stretching. i was getting nervous, looking at the clock every couple seconds and wondering if anything was going to happen. the kids next to me were screaming but they didn't know his name. one kid was like, "who is 23?" facepalm.

after what seemed like an eternity, i noticed Brantley was reading my sign! he smiled and kinda put his head down, then looked away. was he surprised? embarrassed? excited? all of the above? more players started coming out then and there wasn't much time left, so i was focused on trying to snap pics of all the guys running and stretching. then before i knew it, Brantley was walking over towards me. and then he was standing right in front of me! at that point, my nerves really kicked in. he looked at my sign again, then he looked me directly in the eyes and smiled at me. i made him smile!!! he signed autographs for a couple kids next to me, and then he signed my baseball. my heart was racing. i totally froze, i couldn't even say anything to him. he probably thought i was a mute or something lol

as Michael gave my ball back, i managed to say, "good luck tonight" but i was so quiet i doubt he heard me. he seemed pretty shy and i wondered if he signed autos much. but how could he resist signing for me after seeing my sign? lol he signed for 2 other boys and then left because the National Anthem was about to start, so i got his autograph just under the wire. and for the record, Michael didn't smile at any of those kids ;D

i really don't believe he would have come over if i didn't have that sign. (hey kids, you're welcome! =P) i hoped it made him happy. i will venture to say i made the very first #1 fan sign for him, and you never forget your first. regardless of how many other signs like that showed up at the ballpark after that night, i think mine stayed on his mind for a while. during the game, Michael hit a leadoff double (this was back, back, back in the day when Michael was our usual leadoff hitter), and i like to think that i may have inspired him and brought him luck lol

i remember i also tried to get Michael to sign for me in the players parking lot when the game was over. instead, i unnecessarily got Lou Marson's autograph and i was so PISSED because he signed right under Brantley's auto and a little on top of it, too. grrr. i say it was unnecessary because i'd already gotten Lou's auto once before, so it was sort of a waste. anyways, after that fiasco, i was thinking how cool it would be if i got Michael to sign my sign. so i propped it up on a high part of the fence and waited. by the time i realized Michael was out in the lot, he was almost at his car already. not many cars were left and i got nervous AGAIN and i just couldn't yell his name. (back then i thought if he had seen me and my sign again he probably would have come over. now i know better; he rarely signs in the parking lot.) so that didn't go down. for the second time that day, i was just too awestruck and couldn't speak. however, it was still an amazing day that brings a smile to my face every time i think about it.

as time went on, i did not let Michael continue to intimidate me as much. in fact, i became a little bold in some of my quests for his autograph. and you will see that as you continue reading.

i didn't get my second Brantley autograph until the following year.

i told my friend who works at Progressive Field that i was a huge Brantley fan and would love to get an autographed picture of him if my friend could oblige. yes, they do sell these player photos in the team shop, but they aren't autographed. my friend grabbed a Michael photo, then put in a call to someone who could get Michael to sign the photo for me. Michael did, and my friend then mailed me the autographed picture, which i received in the mail on May 19, 2011. i was elated.

on June 4, 2011, i got my third Brantley autograph along the 3rd baseline before the game against the Texas Rangers. i brought my custom made blue Brantley shirt to the game in hopes of luring him over to me. i didn't wear it, i just kinda laid it over me and had the back BRANTLEY name part showing during player warm ups. and he definitely noticed it. i was taking video of him taking practice swings and before i knew it, Michael was walking directly towards me. he signed for 2 boys next to me before signing for me. at that time, all i had for him to sign was my Batter Up!

i thanked him when he handed it back to me, but he didn't reply to me. i remember that bummed me out. i thought he would at least give me a smile because i had his shirt and no one had that shirt back then. i stupidly also thought that maybe he'd remember me and my sign from last year... in any case, it got his attention and gave me my 2nd Brantley auto in 2011 and 3rd overall. (and ftr, i got Grady's auto earlier when he was outside stretching alone and Hammy's after the game in the parking lot.)

i was lucky enough to get Brantley's autograph a record 6 times during the 2012 season. here are those details.

on April 5, 2012, the Tribe's Opening Day game against the Toronto Blue Jays, i got my fourth Brantley autograph. and i have to keep it real, not all of these stories are 100% happy memories. as usual, i was standing front row along the 3rd baseline before the game and Brantley came over towards my area after he did some stretching. first, i took some photos of him when he came over, and then i switched to my Bloggie to take video. Michael was to my left and he signed 2 baseballs before he came to me. my father was also standing next to me on my left, and because he can't ever just stay seated and shut up, he embarrassed me a little bit. i held out Brantley's 2011 baseball card for him to sign, and when he gets in front of me and grabs it, my father blurts out, "my daughter has your card." DA FUCK? why was that necessary? why did he have to make himself known to Michael? and he didn't stop there. as Michael begins to sign, my dad says, "nice, nice, thank you very much!" you know that made me livid. (and whenever i re-watch that video and hear him saying that shit, i get angry all over again >O)

to make matters worse, when Michael began to sign my card, he did so without removing the cap off my sharpie. when he realized that a second later, he took it off and then signed my card. in the past, i did have the cap off and ready to go for him, but this time i didn’t because i was busy taking pics and then video of him. the previous person he signed for had their sharpie cap off, so maybe he just assumed/expected my cap to be off, too. not every fan does that though. in fact, most do not. still, i felt bad and uncomfortable, and like i had inconvenienced him and wasted some of his precious time =/

after Michael signed my card, as he gave it back to me, my dad AGAIN thanked him at the same time that i said, "good luck this year." like last time, Michael never responded to me, but it's safe to assume he thought both my father and i were retarded =( and yes, i had previously told my dad not to say stuff to players while i'm getting their autographs (no, this was not the first time he's done this) because it makes both of us, me especially, look stupid. you can tell me i'm nitpicking and being a shitty daughter, but this shit is embarrassing! and if i ask my father not to do something because it upsets me, you would think he would care enough to cut it out. when we're sitting in the front row and the players come out and over to sign, i don't know why my father feels a need to stand up anyways. he's not trying to get anybody's autograph. why can't he just stay sitting in his seat and be a quiet observer? i can only assume he does this shit because he has a sick constant need for attention. and that sucks for me. but this isn't about the messed up relationship between my father and i, so let me move on.

i got 2 autographs from Michael on the same day, May 28, 2012, before the Memorial Day game against the Kansas City Royals. once again, Michael just happened to walk over towards my section during warm ups. he stood in front of the middle of Section 170 and i was front row at the end of 171. i decided to record him signing autos with my Bloggie. he signed for four people before he came over to me. i got my fifth Brantley autograph on my Batter Up! as he was signing that, i told him he made a great catch on Saturday. (it was a home run robbing catch.) as has been the norm, he didn't say anything back to me though, not even a thank you. again, i have to be honest, that bummed me out. i think he was just still kinda shy around fans at this point. (or else he remembered me and my dad and all that strangeness from last time and decided to ignore me =/)

after he handed my Batter Up! back, he stood there for a sec and lifted up his hat (probably to get some air because it was really hot), before signing more autographs. to my surprise and dismay, my father who of course was standing next to me, then decided to take off his Indians hat and hold it out to get Brantley's autograph! i had to stop myself from smacking him. quick backstory, for a while my father didn't even know Michael's actual name. and when Michael was still struggling as a big league player, my father said he sucked. do you think i was gonna allow someone who spoke ill of my boy to get and keep his autograph? i don't fucking think so. you better believe that hat became mine after the game. so count that as my sixth Brantley autograph.

i took video of Michael signing for one more fan before i stopped because they were just about to announce the Indians starting lineup and i like recording that. so i'm not sure how long he signed for after that. it's a good thing Michael signs so much before games because he never signs after games in the players parking lot.

my next 2 Michael autographs also came on the same day. when i went to the July 4, 2012 game against the Los Angeles Angels and i entered the gates, i was so happy to see that Brantley was finally on the cover of the Batter Up! naturally, i took a ton of those home. i was in my usual spot, at the end of the front row in Section 171. i was taking video of the Indians starting lineup on the scoreboard before the game, when Brantley decided to start signing autos. he walked over in front of Section 170, and it looked like i would get my shot at another autograph. a girl who was standing behind me told Michael it was her friend's birthday, who was standing in the aisle. he then wished her a happy birthday, which was heard in my video. i was just praying he didn't come over to me in the middle of the lineup announcement because i didn't want my video to be incomplete. luckily, the lineup finished right as he made his way in front of me. and it was weird too because there were people in the aisle on my right, including the birthday girl, and he just sort of skipped over them to come to me, i'm not even exaggerating. since i already had my Bloggie recording the lineup, i kept it on and recorded Michael when he got in front of me.

i was prepared in case Michael came over and signed. i had my sharpie cap off and my Batter Up! opened to his featured article, where there was also a nice photo of him. so for my seventh Brantley autograph, i had him sign that page with the photo. and i must have been the only person who thought to do that because when he took the BU and looked at the photo of himself, i saw a surprised expression on his face, as if to say, "what's this?" it's likely he didn't even know that was in there. but i thought it would be much better to have him sign that pic than the BU cover. it was undoubtedly unique.

after he handed back the Batter Up!, he still had the sharpie in his hand so i handed him my 2012 Brantley baseball card. i think he was still in shock from that feature photo lol but he signed my card, giving me my eighth Brantley autograph.

when he gave my card and sharpie back, i thanked him. sadly, like all previous times, he didn't reply. after he signed for me, he backtracked to the people he skipped over before. he signed for the birthday girl, who was then standing next to me, and then her friend. when Michael finished signing for her, he wished her friend a happy birthday again, waved, and then ran over to the baseline just in time for the National Anthem. at that point, i stopped recording. i know this all sounds like a lot, but he literally signed four things in under than 30 seconds. my boy's quick ;D

the ninth Brantley autograph i received was by fate if i ever knew it. i went to the Indians Batting Practice Experience on July 21, 2012 before the game against the Baltimore Orioles, where you actually get to be on the field and watch the Tribe take batting practice. during this time, a few Indians players usually come over and sign autographs for people, but it's a total luck of the draw as to which players are chosen to sign on which day. the night before i was going to this, i imagined what i would say if Michael was one of the players signing on my day. i had some smart, witty dialogue planned. as i took pictures and video of Michael during batting practice, i noticed him looking back towards the BPX line a few times. i wanted nothing more than for him to just come over. so when i saw Michael actually walking over to the BPX line, i almost screamed out loud (i definitely screamed inside lol), i was so happy. when it was my turn and he finally approached me, i smiled at him and said, "what's up, Smooth?" and he smiled back at me and said, "hey, how ya doin'?" as he grabbed my on-field pass and signed it. omg he finally talked to me! haha i should have said more of what i imagined i'd say, but there's just something about Michael, that when he gets around me i get a little tongue tied and the words don't always come out lol so that was all that was exchanged between us.

not only did i get Michael's autograph, but i also got my first photo taken with him! (sorry but i won't be posting that pic on a public forum.) that's a memory that i'll treasure forever and never forget. i even remember the song that was playing during this part of batting practice: The Black Keys' "Gold On The Ceiling." i always smile every time i hear that song, and i probably always will.

when i got my tenth Brantley autograph, it was very unexpected. the Indians played the Texas Rangers on July 27, 2013, and it was Michael Brantley replica jersey giveaway night. Michael signed autos for a few people before the game, but he signed over in front of Section 169, and i was front row in 172. after the game, i went to the players parking lot, as usual, in an attempt to get (anybody's) autographs. many players had already left by the time Michael came out. after standing around chatting with family and friends for a good 10 minutes, he went over to the long fence to sign autographs! i couldn't believe it because Michael never signs for fans in the parking lot, he normally just signs autos before games. maybe because it was his jersey night, he thought he should sign after the game as well. or perhaps he was ordered to do so by his agent (who was also there) to stay in good graces with his fans lol who knows. whatever the reason, i'm glad he did because Michael then signed my replica Brantley jersey--my first and only Brantley autograph of 2013.

he signed for just a few more people before leaving. i don't think he signed for more than 30 people total. so maybe getting that 10th auto in my collection was destined to happen for me that night. maybe because i truly am his #1 fan, it was simply meant to be =D

my desire to acquire Brantley's autograph all started out so innocently. i just wanted to make Michael smile and i really wanted his autograph in my possession. now this has turned into a competition. everything i do, i try to be the best at, and this is no exception. i want to attain Michael's autograph so much that my collection will be untouchable. i want it more times than his school teachers have it lol well that might not be possible, but as long as i continue going to Indians games, and Michael is part of this franchise, i will be seeking more autographs from him. the more i have, the further i can prove my case that i am, hands down, his #1 fan.

Tribe Needs: Looking Ahead to 2014

the 2013 season was a blast and just about every guy on the roster played an important part in us winning 92 games and making it to the postseason. unfortunately, there are going to be a lot of changes to the roster next season, so it will be hard to emulate what just happened this year. and sadder still, anything less than another playoff appearance, no matter the duration, will be dissatisfactory to fans. the bar has been set and set high, so now the Indians have to figure out a way to make the team even better going forward to keep everything moving in the right direction--to the World Series.

a big question for the front office is how much are we allotted to spend this offseason? we do have some money coming off the books, but we also have many players who are now eligible for arbitration and will be getting pay increases next season. i will venture to guess that our payroll remains close to the same as it was last year. i can't see it largely increasing or decreasing. therefore, it should be between 80-85 million. so how will that be divvied up?

i'll start with the fact that we freed up 13 million from the departures of Myers and Reynolds. so you're thinking, okay let's take that and lure a decent name here. not so fast. Swisher's salary rises from 11 to 15 million bucks and Bourn's goes up from 7 to 13.5 million. those two are getting a combined 10.5 million dollar salary increase, which almost completely wipes the Myers/Reynolds money away. the leftover $2.5 million is not going to last long.

in addition to Swisher and Bourn, there are 4 other players who already have set contracts going into 2014. those guys are Cabrera, Santana, Raburn, and Aviles. all 6 contracts total $47,750,000. that's an increase of $19,250,000 from last season.

i went through our roster and also found we have up to 9 players whose paychecks will rise due to the increase of the league minimum salary in 2014. the lucky 9 include Kluber, McAllister, Salazar, Kipnis, Chisenhall, Gomes, Allen, Shaw, and Hagadone. the new minimum is said to be a 2% increase from last season, or $500,000. of the 9 guys, only 2, Kip and Shaw, were already making more than this amount. according to my calculations of their lowest possible salaries, these guys will earn a minimum combined total of $4,531,300. compared to what they were making in 2013, their raises add up to at least an addition of ~$81,400. and there very well could be extra cash worked into some of these contracts, too.

if you combine the set contracts total and the league minimum salary increase total, the payroll approximately stands at $52,581,300. that gives us about 30 million left to play with. however, we still have 11 players eligible for arbitration and 7 free agents. we won't sign everybody, but the Indians are still going to need to make very enticing offers to certain players if they want them to stay. i have no inside track on what these guys will be offered, but i will break down the rest of the team and make a guesstimate as to how much money they might cost us.

in the arb eligible group, we've got Perez, Masterson, Stubbs, Rzepczynski, Marson, Brantley, Wood, Pestano, Tomlin, Carrasco, and Herrmann. dare i put it out there that Perez, Stubbs, and Marson might be non-tendered? regardless, there's still enough players in this group to bring about a decent pay increase. i went over what all these guys made in 2013, and after taking their performances into consideration, i came up with what i believe to be fair (and maybe a little generous) salaries for 2014. assuming we retain everyone except Perez, i calculated a total of just under $21 million for the arb eligibles. and that brings the payroll up to $73,581,300 so far.

now let's take a look at our free agent class. there's Ubaldo, Kazmir, Smith, Giambi, Albers, Hill, Kubel, and Shoppach. Ubaldo is getting a large multi-year contract from another team and he would be stupid not to take that. Kazmir is going to get a lot of large offers too, and i just don't know if we will be the most appealing to him. Smith would be a tough guy to lose because he is so vital to our bullpen. i know he wants a 3-year deal and so far the Tribe has only offered 2 years, so who knows how that's gonna go. i think Kubel and Shoppach are gone, since we don't have much room for them and they just aren't that good. although, it's possible they get a spring training invite and end up in Columbus. Albers could end up somewhere else, too. however, he does have a Francona connection, so maybe he'll agree to terms and stay. Francona also really likes Hill, so he probably isn't going anywhere. and Giambi said he really wanted to come back, so i think we're gonna get to see how he performs as a 43-year old.

say we agreed to bring back only Kazmir, Smith, and Giambi. that's still more money added back to the payroll. Kaz certainly won't be signing on a minor league deal this year, he'd be making bank. Smith will most likely get a few more million also. the only good news is Giambi would be the cheapest lol looking at what they made last year and giving them what i think are generous pay raises, that would total $13.5 million.

okay so if we add everything up, we're already at upwards of $86 million just keeping our own guys. and even if i overshot some contracts, that figure should still be in the ballpark (ha) of where our payroll actually ends up for the year. there's basically no extra money to go get someone else unless Antonetti is "allowed" to spend more. of course there are still variables, like if not everyone makes the Indians roster. some players could end up in Columbus, and therefore just earn their minor league pay. that could take away a few million from my estimate. and maybe we don't keep everyone i assumed we would. particularly if we can't keep Kazmir, and/or if we do deal Cabrera, that would also decrease my payroll prediction. thank god i'm not really in charge of this because i don't do well with spending limits lol i can't wait to see how dead-on or off i end up being with all my approximations though.


now let's say our goodbyes. who i think is outta here:

--Chris Perez (the Indians are not going to pay him the $9 million he would get in arbitration when they can easily replace him in-house or by getting a cheaper FA closer)

--Ubaldo Jimenez (he will get a large long-term contract elsewhere)

--Jason Kubel (he was nothing more than insurance when we brought him in, we don't need him anymore)

--Kelly Shoppach (same as above, unless Marson is non-tendered and signs elsewhere)

--Scott Kazmir (50-50 chance honestly, depending on how money-hungry he is and how cheap we are)


if i'm in the front office, my first order of business would be to try and secure our starting pitching. i'd lock up Masterson to a long-term deal. and if they do that, that's another large contract on this and future payrolls. however, he is one guy who absolutely deserves a raise. then i would approach Kazmir and really try to convince him to stay with the organization that assisted him in getting back to the major leagues. but i don't know if the Indians would offer him more than a 2-year deal. i can accurately figure that other teams will offer him 3 years for more money, so i'm worried he would then walk. we shall see how much, if any, loyalty he has towards us since we did help him revive his career. and yes, make the qualifying $14 million offer to Ubaldo, but don't bat an eyelash because he's definitely a goner. extending the QO at least gets us a late 1st round draft pick and that's better than nothing.

next, what we really need to do is keep Smith in the bullpen and sign him to a long-term deal. i really think they should just give him the 3 years that he wants. they can always trade him after 2. it's not like they've never done something like that before. Smith said he wanted to stay here, so hopefully the Indians will recognize his importance and not let money get in the way.

there really are no good free agents on the market that we're gonna be able to afford. if we want to bring in another impact type guy, then Antonetti's going to have to come up with some kind of 3-team trade with a lot of moving parts again. and i believe his phone will be extremely active with teams calling to check in about some of our players and their availability.


so who's on the trading block?

well, it's been argued that Bourn and Stubbs are very similar in what they do. and Stubbs is cheaper, so i wouldn't be shocked to hear some Bourn rumors. that'd be a good way to save some cash. although if the organization is gonna trade him, it would probably be during the next offseason, and only if he once again plays below average and proves that he just can't get acclimated to the American League. cheaper or not, Stubbs also had a disappointing season, so maybe he'd go. if he's non-tendered and doesn't like what the Indians have to offer, then he might just leave on his own accord.

i don't know who would make a serious offer for Perez. yes he saved 25 games this past season and has like a 90% save rate over the last 3 years, but there are other factors that make him unattractive to teams. his weed habit was revealed this season, he had a rotator cuff injury, and in September he couldn't do his job and was giving up hits and homers that hurt us. and i didn't even mention his big mouth. i honestly don't believe any teams would trade for him. but if we let him go venture into free agency, that's a different story and some team will probably grab him. either way, his career in Cleveland is over because as i said before, there is no chance we give him the 9 million bucks he would receive in arbitration.

Cabrera's name will also be out there once more, though he too did not have the greatest time this season. getting rid of his big 10 million dollar contract would definitely be helpful, but i'm not sure what teams would offer us in return for him after his down year. maybe Cabby ends up in a deal like Choo was last offseason. then again, the Indians may not like what they hear and perhaps Cabby stays. potentially he could have a breakout year with us right before free agency, similar to what Ubaldo just did, and then make a lot of money elsewhere. wouldn't that be classic Tribe? it's also plausible that Cabby starts the season here, does well (fingers crossed), and then is traded before the deadline in July for whatever our big need is at that point.

i know a lot of fans dislike Chisenhall and wouldn't mind getting rid of him, but the Indians maintain that he's gonna be something special and they're not ready to give up on him yet. there would have to be one hell of an offer on the table in order for Chiz to be traded.

after going through the rest of our roster, i can't see anyone else who could realistically be traded. all i know is, if we were to give up any of our essential pieces on this team, then we better be getting some freakin 50 home run hitting players back in return. you couldn't justify trading a Kluber or McAllister or Shaw type player any other way.

the last possible option would be to put a package of some Columbus kids together. maybe include a starter, bullpen or position player, and a little cash. there may even be some players in Double A Akron to trade. other than that, i'm at a loss. it will be very interesting to see if Antonetti can make another deal and round up some more players that we need.

and who do we need? or more specifically, what positions?


major Tribe needs for 2014 include:

--closer/more bullpen depth

--a couple starting pitchers

--3rd baseman

--DH


the needs are certainly less than last year but we still have holes once again. let's run through the scenarios of who we've got for next year at this particular point in the offseason.


Outfield:

Left Field: Brantley, Raburn

Center Field: Bourn, Stubbs, Brantley

Right Field: Swisher, Stubbs, Raburn

other options: Carson?, Aviles


the outfield, for once, is probably the only part of the team that is set going into next season. if anything, they may try to bring in another backup outfielder or two on a minor league deal to build up the farm in Columbus and for protection.


Infield:

1st base: Santana, Swisher

2nd base: Kipnis, Aviles, ?

shortstop: Cabby, Aviles

3rd base: ?, Chiz, Aviles

other options: Ramirez, Lindor possibly after the All Star break


we desperately need to figure out what we're gonna do about 3rd base. i'm assuming Chisenhall stays, but he can't be the every day guy unless he somehow can establish he's finally good enough. we could use Aviles there or bring someone else in. except, if Cabby does leave, then short becomes Aviles' every day spot unless we find a replacement there. maybe Aviles could platoon with Ramirez if the team thinks he's able to play a full season in the majors. either way, Aviles can't take over both the main short and 3rd base roles, so we'd need to bring in a legit player for one of those positions or we're in trouble. and if Aviles becomes too much of a regular and leaves his spot in the Goon Squad (bench), that could hurt his performance, his numbers, and therefore the team as a whole. however, if the Indians feel Lindor is ready to make his major league debut, he could take over at short mid-season, freeing up Aviles a bit more to play at 3rd. it's all a moot point though if Cabby stays. then we would just have to deal with 3rd. there's too many ifs right now.


Behind the plate:

Catchers: Gomes, Santana

other options: Marson?


Gomes will be the every day catcher, which means catching 4-5 games a week. he did well this year because he wasn't playing every day, so the game never really caught up with him. next year, it's possible that over the course of a full season, his numbers won't be as high and he'll struggle a bit. that's okay, just as long as he's still doing a killer job behind the plate.

and with Gomes now taking over as the main starting catcher, that allows for Santana to play more 1st base and also DH. if the Indians bring Marson back, then he could be the 3rd catcher. i think they definitely want a player with some major league experience available down in Columbus just in case there's another early or lengthy injury.


DH:

Santana, Giambi

other options: Swisher, Raburn


on any given day, really anybody on the roster could be the DH. but the 2 mains will be Santana, when he's not catching or playing 1st base, and Giambi, if he comes back as a player and not a coach. still, it would be good to bring in another power bat who can be a DH and also play in the field. we really need a player with some pop who can make an impact in the middle of the order. i don't know who though. again, the price is wrong on a lot of the free agents out there this offseason.


Starting Pitchers:

Masterson

Kluber

McAllister

Salazar

?

other options: Kazmir?, Tomlin, Carrasco, Bauer


the Indians like to keep 7-8 viable starters in the system because they know during the course of the year, things will happen and we will need replacements. going into 2014, we have Masterson, Kluber, McAllister, and Salazar penciled in as starters. if we cannot retain Kazmir, i wouldn't be shocked to see the Indians find and sign another reclamation pitcher to a minor league deal. you never know how that might turn out though. there's always Tomlin, Carrasco, or Bauer to choose from as a 5th starter as well, although i wouldn't be very confident if either of the last 2 were named to the rotation. odds are we will have to find some outside help, but it probably won't be a top of the rotation pitcher. maybe we'll luck out and at least find a cheap middle of the rotation vet with a little something left in the tank.


Bullpen:

the bullpen will be very different next year. again we know Perez is outta here, via either trade or non-tender. and we have no idea if Pestano's gonna bounce back and be able to take back his 8th inning setup role, let alone be considered as a closer candidate. if we don't bring in a proven free agent closer, we might use Shaw there or even Allen if Tito thinks the kid is ready. i can't really even write out one scenario, i have to do several.


if Smith isn't retained and Pestano doesn't get better:

closer: ?

8th inning setup: ?

7th inning: Allen

long relief: Shaw

others: Rzep

or

closer: Shaw

8th inning setup: Allen

7th inning: ?

or

closer: Allen

8th  inning setup: Shaw

7th inning: ?


if we retain Smith, but Pestano doesn't get better:

closer: Smith

8th inning setup: Allen

7th inning: Shaw

or

closer: Shaw

8th inning setup: Smith

7th inning: Allen

or

closer: Allen

8th inning setup: Smith

7th inning: Shaw


if we retain Smith and Pestano gets back to his old self:

closer: Smith

8th inning setup: Pestano

7th inning: Allen

or

closer: Pestano

8th inning setup: Smith

7th inning: Allen

or

closer: Allen, ?

8th inning setup: Pestano

7th inning: Smith


other options: Rzepczynski, probably Hill (though i'd love to let him go), Albers (if he re-signs), Tomlin (if he's not one of the 5 starters), Carrasco (if they realize he can't start anymore), Herrmann (if he's healthy enough), maybe Wood, Hagadone or Lee (if they pitch well enough in spring training), and/or guys brought in on minor league deals or possibly from a trade.



i've gone through all the players, but there's one more important person we could lose this offseason, and that's Sandy Alomar, Jr. for the last couple years, he's been interviewing for managerial jobs and hasn't gotten one yet, but this could be the year. there are several teams looking for new managers and maybe this time he'll finally get his shot. that would be great for Sandy but very sad for Cleveland fans. he was part of the glory days in the 90s and i think most fans still love seeing him in an Indians uniform. Francona already changed up some of his coaching staff's roles—Alomar is now the 1st base coach again, Sarby is the 3rd base coach, and Millsy is the bench coach—and it's been speculated that it was done in anticipation of Sandy leaving. Tito likely has some replacement candidates in mind if this ends up being true, but it won't be the same.



this is another offseason with a lot of questions, though we're probably in a better spot than we were a year ago. but are we going to be able to get another starter, 3rd baseman, power bat, and closer? i anxiously await to see what tricks Antonetti has up his sleeve to improve this ballclub. i'm sure Francona will have an influential say as well. what's certain is we can't just look internally to fix things like they always say they hope to do, and we can't take a step back. more money must be spent to make the team as strong as possible in order to reach another (longer) postseason berth in 2014.


157 days until Opening Day as of this blog post. Go Tribe!