Indians Special - Cleveland Indians: Looking for more in 2012
The Cleveland Indians had a very good 2011 Major League Baseball regular season. The team managed to finish second in the American League Central Division with a win-loss record of 80-82. The Indians surprised many baseball pundits as they managed to very competitive during the season.
However, with all good things, there is always something bad. For the Indians, this was the long list of injuries which the team suffered. Top players like Josh Tomlin, Shin-Soo Choo, Travis Hafner, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley were out of action due to injuries. Many experts feel that if the Indians’ roster remained healthy, the team had a very good chance of making it to the playoffs and even further in 2011.
The Indians played with tremendous team spirit for most of the 2011 regular season. The team managed to take on some of the top tier teams in the League. However, if anybody ever wants to see what happens to a competitive team when injuries kick-in, then look no further than the Cleveland Indians. They started the 2011 regular season in style only to suffer down the road as their players began to suffer from injuries. Having used the disabled list close to 22 times gives you a good indication on the amount of injuries the Indians’ roster suffered.
In essence the main goal for the Indians is to maintain a healthy roster. The team is filled with very talented players, but that is only good if the players are fit and not on the injured list. Competition in the AL Central Division is fierce. The Detroit Tigers dominated last year to make it to the postseason and finish 15 games ahead of the Indians.
Cleveland will definitely have an uphill task, as the Detroit Tigers have strengthened their roster with the likes of Prince Fielder. As Spring Training is right around the corner, the team will be looking to maintain their roster and most importantly to stay healthy. The team has learned their lesson with regards to player fitness and injuries.
The Indians will be working hard on creating some depth to their roster to protect themselves from player injuries. Players will get injured, it is a part of baseball, however, the Indians have now realised the importance of having some quality depth in their line-up that can be called upon for support in times of need.
The team also had a productive offseason, as they managed to sign pitchers Kevin Slowey and Derek Lowe. The Indians strengthened their pitching rotation to create a good balance for the upcoming season. It is good to see that the Indians did not lose heart after their last season and are working hard to building up the team in the right places. There is no doubt that the Indians have a very good chance of dominating their Division by giving the Tigers a solid run for their money.
It will be exciting to see the Cleveland Indians fully healthy competing on the field during Spring Training. If last season was any indication of their capabilities, we can expect some serious fireworks as the team will be working hard to get to the postseason. If the players can remain healthy and focused, the team has a very good chance for a successful 2012 regular season, as the Cleveland Indians are long overdue.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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