Cleveland Sports Forum

Mike Clevinger threw a five-inning simulated game at Classic Park on Wednesday. Zach Plesac was scheduled to throw a simulated game on Thursday. Clevinger and Plesac were optioned to Classic Park last Friday after they broke team rules and safety protocols on Aug. 8 in Chicago. They will be eligible to rejoin the Indians on Monday when they open a three-game series against the Twins.

In the meantime glad to see McKenzie is healthy and throwing well enough in Eastlake to get a spot start. I guess it's easier to debut in front of an empty stadium than 30,000 loud fans.

To me, this is working out perfectly.

It's obvious, after watching Antonetti on MLB Now yesterday, that the clubhouse and/or Tito pretty much insisted those 2 get slapped. (PS - he did not say that, in fact, Antonetti gave the most boring interview you can imagine).

Since then they have played pretty well but now Plutko has been (over)exposed. It's the perfect opportunity to start someone in his place next turn and have the clubhouse get it.

Back to the MLB Now interview - Brian Kenny was quite frustrated with it afterwards complaining to the other guys on the show. Antonetti had the nerve to keep saying that demoting them at this time was in the interests of giving them "their best chance to win".

He kept saying "it was not punitive".

Are you kidding me? Kenny kept pursuing it but Antonetti resisted. He was clearly hiding something and (as Cliff Floyd said) "keeping it in house".

Saying it "isn't punitive" is taking the concept of semantics to a whole other level.

And Brian Kenny wasn't having it. With good reason - wasted interview.

Zimmer who is perpetually just around the corner from breaking out was, reasonably, optioned out to make room for McKenzie. Looked good for the first days of the season but for the last 15 games he's been a woeful 3 for 28 all singles. He has walked a bunch [7 times] and struck out plenty but less than he sometimes has [11]. That yields a slash line of 107/342/107 over that period. He's 27 by now and not injured and using a less ridiculous stance but still can't hit.

Grrr wish we had traded him instead of Clint Frazier.

McKenzie's only about 6 inches taller than Pedro. Still looks a stick although he's added about 15 pounds since they drafted him.

Second most K by a first-time Cleveland starter since Luis Tiant fanned 11 in 9 innings.

The contrast of watching McKenzie debut as yet another well developed young right handed starter; while Zimmer gets shipped out; obvious different ability in developing bats. How about this new drafting strategy:

Select only pitchers or shortstops in the first 10 rounds. Then trade the surplus for outfielders. Skip the first round picks of Benson, Zimmer, Holmes, Naquin, remember Danny Peoples.
Reversing my strategy they traded the best 1nd round OF, Clint Frazier; not to mention by forever gripe of letting Santander go in Rule 5 [977 OPS last I looked, tied with Trout for RBI]

Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said Sunday that he expects Triston McKenzie to make another start.

The club had little choice but to give him another shot after he fanned 10 batters over six innings of one-run ball in his major league debut Saturday. It's not clear when McKenzie will get another shot, but it likely would come next weekend in St. Louis.

Antonetti also noted that the team is still deciding between Adam Plutko and others as to who will start Wednesday versus the Twins. There's no word on whether Mike Clevinger and/or Zach Plesac are under consideration.

Between Plutko and others??

LOL, there are no (reasonable) others! And Plutko?

Come on, that has to be Clevinger's start - what bullshit.

I'd slot Plutko into McKenzie's role in the Lake County Simulation Series.

If there's one pitcher on this team who doesn't fit the Indians' mold is Logan Allen.
Far too many walks. Scott Moss, the other lefty acquired in the Bauer trade also needs much improvement in his command.

Allen in the majors: 35 innings, 21 K, 19 BB in the minors 440 IP 459 K 154 BB
Moss in the minors 437 innings 456 K 173 walks

Right - I figure the Tribe considered them upside throw-ins in that deal.

Figuring that they have the physical skills and they can be taught to increase their command. And who's to argue?