Cleveland Indians: The confusing order of the starting rotation

The Cleveland Indians made the wrong decision in starting Trevor Bauer over Corey Kluber in Game 1 of the Division Series.

On Tuesday, manager Terry Francona made the surprising announcement that the Cleveland Indians would not start ace Corey Kluber (and possible Cy Young winner) in Game 1 of the American League Division Series, but rather, Trevor Bauer.

Instead, Kluber will start Game 2 with Carlos Carrasco going in Game 3 and Josh Tomlin starting a potential Game 4.

Francona gave some reasons for why the team went with Bauer but after watching the press conference multiple times and seeing what’s been said since I can honestly say that none of what the Indians have done with the rotation makes sense. The Indians made the wrong decision, and there are several reasons why it was the wrong decision.

Why worry about Kluber rest?

One reason Francona gave for going Bauer in Game 1 was to keep Kluber on regular rest for a potential Game 5…but why? Why worry about Kluber’s rest for a Game 5 that very well may not happen?

Sure, by going in Game 2, Kluber would be on a normal four days of rest for Game 5, but if rest was the real reason why not still start him Game 1 and then Game 5? He’d actually have an extra day of rest that way…

As things stand now, Kluber will have an extra day of rest for Game 2 since he started on Saturday, so it’s not like the Indians are trying to prevent the extra rest.

And it’s not like Kluber struggled on short rest last postseason. Sure, his overall numbers on three days of rest weren’t great, seven earned runs in 15 innings of work, but his numbers are skewed thanks to that rough Game 7 start in the World Series against the Chicago Cubs (4 ER in 4 IP). In his first two starts on short rest resulted in just three runs in 11 innings of work (2.45 ERA).

Kluber himself said last postseason that working on short rest didn’t bother him and he hadn’t “found much of a difference” when pitching on three days rest versus four days rest. Hardly sounds like a guy that’s against pitching on short rest.

Planning ahead too much?

The weirdest part of the press conference when Francona announced the rotation order was when he mentioned that by pitching Kluber in Game 2 and avoiding him in Game 4, he could be ready for a Game 1 start in the American League Championship Series.

Yes, Francona said he isn’t looking ahead, yet that’s what he just did. Why worry about Kluber pitching in Game 4 of the ALDS and affecting what game he’d be available for the ALCS before you win the first series? That makes no sense. You have to win the ALDS before you even worry about the ALCS. That’s what made the 2016 team so lethal in my opinion, they never planned for the next day, it was about what was best for winning that day.

Besides, by possibly having to pitch Kluber in Game 5 of the ALDS, the Indians now risk not having Kluber until Game 3 of the ALCS. Sure, we shouldn’t look ahead but if you are (and it seems the Indians are) then pitching him in Game 4 of the ALDS would have allowed Kluber to pitch in Game 2 of the ALCS on normal rest or even Game 1 on three days rest.

Risk losing the series

By starting Kluber in Game 2 of the ALDS, Francona will not be able to use Kluber in Game 4 at all as he’d be on just two days of rest. This means that the only way we see Kluber twice is if the series goes five games, which is fine if the Indians can win it in three or four, but what if they lose before Game 5?

I know, I know, the team could lose in three or four games regardless of when Kluber pitches. However, in a short series you always want to the option of being able to use your best pitcher as often as possible.

If Kluber had started Game 1 and the Indians end up down two-games-to-one heading into Game 4, the Tribe would have been able to turn to Kluber in the do-or-die game if they wanted. Of course, they could still start Josh Tomlin but they’d at least have the option. Now, they don’t and instead of Kluber, it would be Bauer in an elimination game.

Why is Bauer needed for Game 4?

Francona mentioned in his press conference that Trevor Bauer would not only start Game 1 but could be available in the bullpen for Games 4 and 5 if needed. This means that not only is Josh Tomlin on the roster, but the Indians will have three other starting pitchers available for the game.

In addition to Tomlin and Bauer, Danny Salazar and Mike Clevinger made the playoff roster giving the Indians four starting pitchers to use in Game 4…but why?

Why do you need four starting pitchers to use in a game that you could have used your ace in? Why have four starting pitchers for a game when you have one of the five best bullpens in major league baseball history at your disposal?

Are the Indians planning on using each one for two innings and then Cody Allen? Leaving guys like Bryan Shaw, Andrew Miller, Joe Smith, and Tyler Olson on the pine?

I can understand using Bauer since you are starting him Game 1, but why the need for Tomlin, Salazar and Clevinger…that I just can’t fathom. Not when you left off guys like Nick Goody and Dan Otero.

What about the weather?

This is admittedly one of the weaker arguments for Kluber starting Game 1, but it still has merit. The weather for tonight’s Game 1 is expected to be dry after some early morning showers today. However, the same can’t be said for Friday’s forecast and Game 2.

More from Away Back Gone

As of this morning, the forecast for Game 2 is calling for a 50-percent chance of rain from game time (5 p.m.) throughout the evening/night.

Obviously 50-percent doesn’t mean it will rain, and weather people are wrong as much as they are right. Perhaps there won’t be any weather issues tomorrow night.

But weather issues and the Indians haven’t mixed in the postseason recently (see Game 7 last year).

If the worst should happen and Game 2 is postponed, that would mean Kluber would be on short rest for a potential Game 5, something the Indians said they needed to avoid.

Can the decisions work?

While I absolutely hate what the Indians did with their pitching for the ALDS, I do think the Indians are still the favorites and they can win the series. Sending Carlos Carrasco out in Game 3 makes some sense as he has been historically better on the road and he’s been outstanding in Yankee Stadium in his career. Bauer was also better in the second half and he did start Game 1 of the 2016 ALDS against Boston.

However, just because the decisions can work out doesn’t mean they are the right ones. Francona is a masterful manager, the best in the business in my humble opinion. But he sure seemed to overthink some decisions this series. How a team with the best two starters in baseball in the second half could enter a series without starting either pitcher in Game 1 is borderline insane.

Next: Road to WS begins with tough Yankees team

Kluber and Carrasco were also the best two pitchers in baseball in September, they are both on fire. Don’t overthink things and use them right away, don’t let the Yankees breathe this series. But alas, that’s not what the Cleveland Indians and Francona have done. They are getting cute and it could cost them the series and the season.

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