MLB Team Outlook: Cleveland Indians
There is a predominant likelihood that you might not have placed your bet on the Cleveland Indians when this season was about to begin. Anyone who did would have done with a kind of apprehension and uncertainty.
However, the Indians have staggered all the critics, including the supposedly insightful, baseball experts. The team who initially came across as an underdog started a rather intensive game-winning spree.
"It's been a lot of fun," Indians’ starter Justin Masterson said. "I think we've probably maybe been higher than a little expected. Not because we weren't that talented, but just because you don't always expect everyone to come together like we have.”
In the first half of the season, the Indians have taken on the most competent and supposedly unbeatable teams with force and scored victories. The team is sourced with relatively potent bull-pen which is hard to surmount.
There are certainly a number of things that add to the competitiveness level of the Cleveland Indians and make them a strong team. However, what undeniably constitutes the most major part is the Indians’ bull-pen.
It is through a combination of strong and effective pitchers that the Indians have made enthralling inroads into the top 10 ranking of Major League Baseball. With 47 wins, they are 10th in the ranking and stand second in the Central division.
Justin Masterson, Jeremy Guthrie, Josh Tomlin, and Jake Arrieta are among the few names that star the pitching line-up, always ready to unleash the lethal combination against the supposedly strong offence of rival teams.
Masterson, for example, allowed only three hits to the New York Yankees in one of his starts in the eight scoreless innings that he pitched. Considering his performance alone, the second half of the season will bring a lot to relish in.
"I'm very impressed by what these guys as a team have been able to accomplish," Acta said. "We have been able to weather all the storms."
But some might even suggest that it is not about the strong pitching line-up alone. The offence has also sparked on every occasion to give a boost to the defence so as to win the games against strong teams.
"It's been a team effort," said Indians’ outfielder Michael Brantley. "Everybody's contributing -- from the guys who start to our bench players.”
With an amalgamation of good players, viable strategy and tactics adopted, the Cleveland Indians surely have a lot to improvise and improve. They, after all, once slumped as well when they had 30-15 record and saw a down-turn in June.
Their downturn spiral allowed the Detroit Tigers to get the highest spot in the Central division. However, the Cleveland Indians will surely address it in the second half of the season.
As the four-day break comes to an end on Thursday, July 14, the Indians will now take on the Orioles. Baltimore has had a dismal first half, with only 36 wins and 52 losses with .409, making the Cleveland Indians the favourite of the two in their match-up.
It will be interesting to see how the Indians manage to carry their confidence and winning momentum into the second half of the MLB regular season. Only time will tell if their hard work and consistent game play pays off as they fight for a possible postseason
spot.
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