Scout.com > Cleveland Jigsaw Puzzle Or Museum Masterpiece? Story URL: http://indians.scout.com/2/631575.html Chuck Murr IndiansInk.net Mar 31, 2007 This season preview appears in the March issue of Indians Ink Magazine, which profiles the top prospects in the Cleveland Indians organization and gives an outlook for the upcoming season. This year's issue has expanded coverage, providing profiles of the top 100 prospects, as ranked by Indians Ink staff members. The issue includes an interview with new player development director Ross Atkins. One major trade and several free agent signings later, general manager Mark Shapiro believes the 2007 Indians are ready to contend for the AL Central Division championship. Yet even he remains pragmatic in realizing that several things must happen -- many beyond the organization's control such as what other clubs do or unforeseen injuries -- for Cleveland to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2001. So does manager Eric Wedge, whose daunting job it will be to sift through all the parts and somehow not micro-manage the conglomeration into oblivion. That's a tough tightrope act at best and he better not look down -- or up -- at the four other teams. "It's the toughest division in baseball and that's a fact," he said. "It makes it a greater challenge for us. I wouldn't want it any other way. You want to beat the best at their best." It was the Indians' own play that doomed them to fourth place in 2006. Their good starting pitching and fine overall offense were not enough to overcome the inconsistent work of a patchwork bullpen and a brutally bad infield defense. "We improved both areas," Shapiro said. "Did we get everything we wanted? You never feel completely comfortable and there's always some area you want to address, but we think we're a significantly better ballclub than last season." Shapiro has given his manager a full box of Crayolas with which to draw a playoff picture. For now, Wedge says he relishes the opportunity to mix and match. "I think arguably, those guys did as good a job in the offseason as any we've had," he said of Shapiro and his staff. "If you look at what was out there and the holes we needed to fill and the complementary players we needed to bring in here, they did a good job. "One thing we wanted to do was bring in championship-experienced players. (Trot) Nixon, (David) Dellucci and Roberto Hernandez, even (Joe) Borowski have been around, have been in the playoffs. Even Josh Barfield was in the playoffs last year as a rookie." Better seasons by returning players who have never been to the playoffs also will be key. Shortstop Jhonny Peralta must pick up his entire game. Third baseman Andy Marte needs to prove he can hit big-league breaking balls. Left-hander Cliff Lee would like to return to his 18-5 record in 2005 instead of his 14-11 mark in '06 (though he'll start the season on the disabled list with a strained abdominal muscle). And it would be a big boost if young Jeremy Sowers and Ryan Garko could double the numbers they put up in half a year in Cleveland in 2006. While obviously hoping to start the season strong, Wedge preferring going back to the buttondown win-one-at-a-time mantra that proved successful in 2005. "It won't be like last year, I guarantee you that," Wedge said. "I let everybody talk me into 'You've got to be 3,000-and-1 through April just to have a chance.' I'm not going through that again. "Expectations last year were a little different and I put a little too much heat on them to try and get off to a good start. We're too good of a team to have to do that. That's not my personality, not how I go about things. I believe in building for the long haul and 162 games. "We're going to get back to taking it one day at a time and not getting caught up in what other teams may or may not be doing. We're at our best when we are relaxed, strong and confident. We've got some good ballplayers here." In some instances, maybe too many. Wedge is going to have to fight the urge for knee-jerk change while at the same time conveying to players that they either perform or will lose playing time to somebody else. "We've talked about it with the guys," said Wedge, entering his fifth year in Cleveland. "It is a challenge for me, but I like that. I like getting ballplayers involved. It keeps them alive and hopefully will keep the team fresh. "I like having to make decisions. You get to the sixth inning and they pull their left-handed starter and bring in a right-hander ... what do you do? You may have a situation where the matchup works well for you in the sixth or seventh inning, but not in the eighth or ninth. What do you deem the most important situation? I enjoy that." But it will leave the manager wide-open to second guessing from fans and media. "I don't mind that," Wedge said. "I'm good with that. It should allow us to be a better ballclub offensively. There's going to be some competition. There's no uncertainty with our core players or starting pitchers. Where we have to make some decisions are in choosing the right blend in the bullpen, a couple outfield spots and first base. That's good, that's healthy." Wedge believes the assembled group does not include players who will pout when taken from the lineup, but ascribe to the all-for-one, one-for-all mentality that proved successful in 2005 when Cleveland came close to a playoff berth. "It's OK for stats to be important, but not to put them in the way of the team," he said. "That's something we won't put up with and they understand that. You may have a guy who will stray off, but the other 23 or 24 guys will pull him back." Part of the reason for bringing in veterans is an attempt to "win it now," because Shapiro and Co. may have difficulty in keeping some key players in the next two seasons. Right-hander Jake Westbrook's contract is up after this season. Rotation ace C.C. Sabathia and slugger Travis Hafner could be gone after 2008. The window of opportunity is now with this group, though Shapiro said he intends to "make every effort" to resign as many core players as posssible as he already has with Victor Martinez, Lee, Grady Sizemore and Jhonny Peralta. "We've got the pieces, but how does it all play out? I really don't know," Wedge said. "We're going to have to see. We're going to have to let the at-bats shake themselves out." The lineup will not be set in stone. Barring injuries, however, Wedge intends it to have the same basic look. "The left-right situations will affect the lineups," he said. "I look at Nixon potentially in the two hole against right-handers and Jason Michaels in the two hole against lefties. Obviously that would push Dellucci and Casey Blake down behind Hafner and Victor (Martinez). Trot and Jason are nice complements up there behind Grady (Sizemore) and in front of the big guys. "Barfield can potentially fit in the two hole, but I don't want to put that on him right away. It's only his second year and he's with a new team in a new league. We'll look at him towards the bottom initially, but he is very capable of moving up. As for pitching, the starting five of Sabathia, Westbrook, Lee, Sowers and Paul Byrd remains intact, with young Fausto Carmona, Brian Slocum and younger Adam Miller in reserve. Wedge will have plenty of arms to choose from in relief, and indeed may have a bullpen corps of 12 to 14 as it extends to Triple-A Buffalo's roster. "It was a very limited market of alternatives for the 'pen," Shapiro said in explaining his offseason moves. "Given the market, I think we've addressed it with a good combination of guys. We've added some experience and track record. We can still fill in with our internal guys in the middle. "What these signings do is push back a group of guys who we think will be good bullpen guys. We've got a depth of alternatives now, internally. We don't have to put the pressure on those (young) guys to fill crucial roles in the bullpen." Copyright © Scout.com and IndiansInk.net