You don’t survive being a Cleveland sports fan if you can’t embrace moral victories. That’s just a fact. And that’s what 2014 was for the Cleveland Indians. True, we went from 92 wins and the playoffs to 85 and no playoffs. Sure, our 2013 All-Star second baseman slashed a mammoth .240/.310/.330. Yeah OK maybe the biggest things we got from Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn were a couple knee surgeries and a bum hamstring. It’s possible we did some things defensively that I’ve never seen on a baseball field before.

But Corey Kluber emerged as one of the best pitchers in baseball. Hell our pitching staff as a whole did. Michael Brantley had a legitimate MVP-caliber season. Yan Gomes proved he can produce over 162 games. Jose Ramirez. Cody Allen. Carlos Carrasco. Kyle Crockett. Zach Walters. Scott Atchison. Bryan Shaw. TJ House. All did positive things.

People love to say the season was a complete failure because we didn’t make the playoffs. Those people can

High Points

April 2nd, 8th, 13th, 19th, 24th, 29th, May 4th, 9th, 14th, 19th, 24th, 30th, June 4th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th, July 6th, 11th, 19th, 24th, 30th, August 4th, 9th, 15th, 21st, 27th, September 1st, 6th, 11th, 16th, 21st, 26th: All of Corey Kluber’s starts. A few that stood out:

• July 30 – complete game, three-hit shutout against King Felix and the Mariners
• August 15 – one run, five hits, 10 k in 7.2 innings against Baltimore
• September 16 – first Indians pitcher to 15 wins since Cliff Lee (yes, seriously)
• September 26 – 8 innings, 11 k, no runs against Tampa Bay

Those four games can be seen on STO tomorrow, BTW.

June 9th: Lonnie Chisenhall goes boom three times, drives in 9

 

I’d be fucking dancing too if I just went 5-5 with three bombs and 9 RBI.

August 13: Zach Walters walk-off bomb after coming over from Washington

This was cool just because he was the new guy making an immediate impact. We learned pretty quickly the kid can hit BOMBS. Like this one in the 10th inning on August 27. Also my favorite Hammy call of the year.

Low Points

May 4th: Axford blown save after Kluber goes 8 innings, 3 hits, 1 run and 13 Ks. This was like a week after he blew another save, against the same (divisional opponent) team, after Kluber threw 7 and a third. Nothing like cutting the guy you signed to be your closer in August.

Sometime in April: Kipnis hurts his oblique, subsequently sucks the rest of the year. Needed a better followup to his All-Star campaign in 2013. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him in the outfield next year, but regardless he’s part of the team’s young core of guys and will be counted on to produce.

September 1st: Tigers come to Cleveland on national television, ace (David Price) against ace (Klubot), pull the Indians pants down and do things to them that will put a man in prison. Final score 12-1, Detroit notched 19 hits and Kluber gave up 3 bombs. Set us back in the wild card race as well.

Biggest Surprises

Yan Gomes – I don’t even want to call him a surprise because he had a good year in 2013, but there were question marks as to if he could produce as a full-time catcher. Yup. He can. Other than some defensive hiccups early in the year, he had one of the better seasons of any catcher in baseball.

Carlos Carrasco – I was so pissed when he won the 5th spot in the rotation out of spring training simply because he was out of options. Lol.

Jose Ramirez – I don’t know if it was because Asdrubal was so goddamn bad for so goddamn long, but watching this little nugget play shortstop was like watching Omar. Jk. But he really was good.

Biggest Disappointments

Jason Kipnis – I also hate to call him a disappointment because I know how oblique injuries can linger in a sport that requires so much turning of your body, but Kip was just flat out bad. I’m betting on a bounce back year.

First half Carlos Santana – I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a slump like that out of Carlos before. He could have put together a pretty impressive season if he would have existed in the first three months.

The fans – My feet are stapled to this soapbox. This was a borderline playoff team coming off a playoff appearance the previous season, and we still can’t put butts in the seats. But…..it’s the Dolans’ fault.

2015 Outlook

I’m not usually an optimist. I’m really not. But this was a 92 win team two years ago. Almost made the playoffs last year while getting nothing from Kip and Swish, a rough start from Carlos, not a full year of Cody Allen as closer and inexplicably horrible defense. Our pitching staff is one of the best in the league. Our bullpen is solid. Adding Brandon Moss gives the lineup a little more pop. At this point, less is more in terms of what the front office will do the rest of the winter. This team is ready to compete.