Cleveland Indians: Top of lineup needs bounce-back series

Somewhere in downtown Cleveland, Randy Quaid is getting ready to shovel dirt on the Cleveland Indians after a 1-2 start to the season.

The offense sputtered to the tune of 11 runs in three games, and couldn’t even muster the resolve to earn Corey Kluber an Opening Day win. The pitching staff allowed five home runs and gave up just as many hits as they recorded strikeouts. Heck, even the once-unbreakable Tyler Olson got dinged up. The Cleveland Indians opened the season in a city known for its large quantities of rainfall, and they now depart to sunny Anaheim with a cloud over their heads.

Relax. The Tribe’s visit to the Pacific Northwest admittedly left something to be desired, but they could just as easily be sitting at 3-0 (without having reached even half their potential, no less) if not for a few mistake pitches the Mariners took full advantage of.

The Indians’ run total in the first three games is not totally discouraging considering they were up against the likes of Felix Hernandez, James Paxton and a Mariners bullpen that looked surprisingly effective.

What is problematic, however, is that nine of those 11 runs came via the long ball. That is not a sustainable percentage (or a sustainable way to try to win baseball games), but it will balance out over the long haul. It is proof, though, that the Indians struggled to string base runners together in their three-game tilt with Seattle.

When this brief struggle ends, it will be because the top of the order ends it.

Francisco Lindor

Francisco Lindor, Jason Kipnis and Jose Ramirez combined for just five hits in 36 at-bats, mustering a meager .182 on-base percentage among the three of them. These numbers are about as likely to continue as the above ratio of home runs and runs scored.

Lindor, to his credit, laid down a bunt single for his first hit of the season, demonstrating an awareness of his role as the lead-off hitter. His defense was the most impressive aspect of his first three games, but his willingness to drop down a bunt for an infield hit was an underrated and encouraging takeaway from the weekend.

Jason Kipnis

Kipnis is probably exempt from blame for Cleveland’s rough start, as he recorded the only extra-base hit and scored the only run among the Indians’ top three hitters. In fact, it was his double after a tough at-bat against Paxton that began the rally leading up to Yonder Alonso‘s first-inning grand slam on Saturday. Kipnis finished the weekend with a .273/.333/.364 slash line, a solid start to 2018.

Jose Ramirez

As for Ramirez, here’s a pretty interesting stat for a guy who went hitless in the series: he’s the only player who appeared in all three games that didn’t strike out. Even when Ramirez is in a rut, he is an incredibly tough out.

What may have caught him off guard to open the season is how often Seattle’s pitching staff attacked him with off-speed stuff. According to FanGraphs, Ramirez saw a percentage of off-speed pitches (46.5) that was nearly equal to what he saw of straight fastballs (48.8).

That may have worked over a three-game sample size, but Ramirez is a complete hitter who will adjust accordingly if the opposition’s new strategy is to attack him with breaking balls. His bat will not stay dormant for long.

Standing in the way of the Tribe’s home opener is another three-game road bout on the west coast with the Los Angeles Angels. With the back end of the Cleveland Indians’ rotation set to start the first two, they’ll need the bats to heat up and give their hurlers some run support.

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That’s not lost on Lindor, Kipnis or Ramirez. The Cleveland Indians have the chance to turn the page on a tough weekend, and the top of their lineup will be ready to do just that.