Cleveland Sports Forum

Emmanuel Clase making the Corey Kluber trade look better for Indians: Jason Lloyd’s final thoughts
By Jason Lloyd Apr 11, 2021 32
Twenty thoughts on Emmanuel Clase, former Indians, the Cavs’ direction and Browns OTAs. …

1. The more Clase pitches, the better that Corey Kluber trade looks for the Indians. There’s a long way to go, and Clase still has pitched just 217 professional innings (majors and minors combined), but his arm is electric and his cutter is filthy.

2. Nobody in baseball is throwing harder this year than Clase. He entered Saturday averaging 98 mph on each of his 45 missiles to the plate, tops in baseball. And he is quickly earning the trust of manager Terry Francona, who used him in the ninth to close out Friday’s win against the Tigers. Clase throws his cutter on two out of every three pitches and averages better than 100 mph on each. No one has barreled any pitch he has thrown this year.

3. I watched Clase pitch a fair amount with the Rangers in 2019 and wrote after the Indians acquired him that while it’s blasphemous to compare any 21-year-old reliever to the great Mariano Rivera, well, find me another pitcher who can throw a cutter 100 mph this effectively.

4. That’s not to call Clase the next Rivera. That’s not fair to anyone. I’m just pointing out how rare his arm is and the ceiling that exists here. Clase, now 23, throws his splitter harder than Aroldis Chapman throws a four-seam fastball.

5. Neither the Indians nor Rangers benefited from the deal last year. Clase was suspended for the season for performance-enhancing drugs, while the Rangers paid Kluber $7.5 million for one inning before a strained shoulder ended his season. Kluber has moved on to the Yankees, while Clase could have a long career anchoring the back of Cleveland’s bullpen.

6. As pitchers across baseball continue to throw harder and radar readings of 97, 98 and 99 become more common, Francona believes some of the readings are skewed. Yes, pitchers today are throwing harder than ever. But he also believes the way velocity is measured today has enhanced some of those gun readings.

7. “They measure velocity now different than they used to,” Francona said. “It used to be where the gun would roll down and as it crossed the plate, that’s what a guy was throwing. Now it’s right out of the hand. I agree guys are throwing harder, but it’s not the same measurement it used to be.”

8. Just as the Indians have found something special in Clase, the Blue Jays are finally reaping the benefit of the Josh Donaldson trade with the Indians three years ago. Julian Merryweather was the “player to be named” the Indians sent to Toronto in exchange for a month of Donaldson. At the time, Merryweather was a 27-year-old fringe prospect recovering from Tommy John surgery. Now he’s the Blue Jays’ apparent closer.

9. Donaldson was a dud in Cleveland in 2018. He hit .280 with three home runs for the Indians in September but vanished in the postseason when they were swept by Houston (1 for 11, four strikeouts). Donaldson moved on after the season, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth the risk.

10. The Jays shifted Merryweather to the bullpen in hopes of reducing the injury risk, and in three appearances this season he has two saves and has yet to allow a run. If he can stay healthy, and that’s been a big if throughout his career, Merryweather will provide a big arm in the back of Toronto’s bullpen.

11. Speaking of former Indians, Tyler Naquin leads all of baseball with five home runs in 22 at-bats for the Reds. He homered in three consecutive games and four of his previous five entering Saturday. Naquin has already surpassed his home run total from last year. His career high is 14.

Lloyd: After Shane Bieber’s dazzling performance, the Indians are still punching By Jason Lloyd 7h ago 17
It’s only April, but it sure feels like October this week in Chicago.

As Shane Bieber and Lucas Giolito matched zeroes and strikeouts Tuesday, as Bieber produced perhaps the finest performance in a young career full of dazzlers, something is becoming clear about the Indians: They aren’t dead yet.

“I’ve been saying this since spring training. I’m really excited about this group,” Bieber said after the Indians’ 2-0 win Tuesday in 10 innings over the White Sox. “Yeah, OK, go ahead. Whoever wants to count us out, go ahead and do that. But we’re not going to do that.”

There is far too much baseball left to make any sort of bold proclamations about what this season will or won’t be, but the Indians have slugged away against arguably the best team in their division the last two nights and they’ve punched their way to a draw.

They lost in the ninth inning Monday despite a ball never leaving the infield, and they won Tuesday in extra innings when Bieber was breathtaking. Eleven strikeouts over nine innings, 113 pitches with ball-on-a-string precision. Chicago hitters couldn’t figure out Bieber’s breaking ball no matter how many chances he gave them — catcher Roberto Pérez said they threw at least six in a row at one point.

“I thought he was tremendous,” Terry Francona said. “You pick the adjective and you can put my name to it. I thought that was one of the best-pitched games on both sides that I’ve seen in a long time.”

It was the best pitching duel across baseball during this young season between two of the best young arms in the game. Bieber is only 25, Giolito 26. They pitched to a scoreless duel through seven innings before Giolito finally tired and left the game. Bieber had enough for two more shutout innings, sending the game to extra innings before a run was scored.

“He looked like he had his best stuff,” Giolito said. “I wouldn’t say I had my best stuff, but I was trying to pitch like I did.”

These two could be going at it like this for years to come. It was a pleasure to watch and a throwback to the days when baseball wasn’t just determined by three-run homers.

It was also perhaps an indication the Indians can still hang with the best the Central Division has to offer.

Cal Quantrill roared and pumped his fists while he stomped toward the dugout following a huge double play Monday night. It was Bieber’s turn Tuesday. Normally stoic in his demeanor, Bieber pumped his arms and shouted in delight following his 113th pitch of the night, another breaking ball Yoán Moncada swung through to end the ninth. These aren’t normal reactions to April baseball because these didn’t feel like normal April games.

“These last two games have been fun,” Bieber said. “They’ve been a jolt of energy. I don’t see that energy going away anytime soon.”

For the first two weeks at least, the Indians’ pitching has been every bit as good as we thought it could be. Losing Francisco Lindor, Carlos Carrasco and Mike Clevinger were difficult blows for the franchise, but Bieber is proving there is still baseball in Cleveland.

Nobody spins elite pitching talent from dust better than the Indians. From Corey Kluber to Mike Clevinger and now Bieber, the Indians thrive on taking castoffs and unknown, mid-round draft picks and developing them into stars.

Before it’s over, Bieber might shine brighter than all of them.

His 35 strikeouts lead all of baseball. His 15 consecutive starts with at least eight strikeouts is a club record and matches a pair of Hall of Famers in Pedro Martínez and Randy Johnson for third longest of all time.

He’s only 25 and still getting better.

I wrote before the season that Bieber is a unicorn because the list of pitchers to accomplish what he has by this age is relatively short. Through three starts this season, that hasn’t changed.

Now the goal is to get him working deeper into games. Finishing the ninth in a scoreless tie certainly counts. While Francona acknowledged he was getting concerned with Bieber’s growing pitch count in the ninth, he left the game in his ace’s hands. Francona never even bothered to get a reliever warm in the ninth, another rarity for an April game with a starter blowing past 100 pitches.

Nothing about this week has felt like an April series between two rivals, and the Indians are hardly a finished product. First base remains a massive hole for now, and until Amed Rosario is comfortable enough to patrol center field every day, the outfield configurations will look a bit wonky.

Nevertheless, the Indians have the type of pitching to keep them competitive until the lineup and roster sort themselves out.

Before every inning, Bieber pulls the brim of his hat down over his eyes. It’s a moment for him to gather his thoughts and focus on the task at hand — and on the three letters scrawled on the inside of his hat for every start. JBY: Just Be You.

As a Cy Young winner by 25, Bieber doesn’t need to be anyone else.

He’s already the best.

Bieber was a 4th round draft choice who had terrific control and looked a good chance to become a 4th starter. He developed talents beyond those extraordinarily quickly. He has kind of redefined who's a top strikeout pitcher; he is not a Ryan or Johnson but his command is amazing. And read the stories about he and Perez work out a game plan. His catcher is vital to his success, too.

Perez is an underappreciated superstar. And I don't think that term exaggerates his importance.

In part we owe Trevor Bauer (and Clevinger who owes to Bauer) for Bieber's development.

Many times the camera zoomed in on those 3 and Clevinger said they "took Bieber under their wing". Add Plesac to that as well later on.

Now Bieber can help pass it along.

That is true but he got some serious development in his brief minor league career too. I'd assume Kluber helped the younger guys too

BA is doing periodic power rankings this year; Indians at No. 15 but that's before yesterday so they'd probably climb or not. WhiteSox are at 6

Cleveland Indians
6-5
Notes:

The concerns about the Indians offense without SS Francisco Lindor have come to fruition early. After being no-hit by Carlos Rodon on Wednesday, the Indians have the second-lowest batting average (.195) of any team, are tied for the second-lowest on-base percentage (.277) and have scored fewer runs than all but four teams. Overall, they’ve scored three runs or fewer in six of their 11 games. (KG)

But on a good note they are near the bottom in strikeouts - they do put the ball in play in this era of massive strikeout totals.

Yesterday a good example of putting the ball in play creating havoc - combined with good pitching.

On a critical note - the misplays of the blooper (SS, CF, LF area) and in RF by Naylor just can't continue on a team focused on defense and pitching. Oh and the routine grounder Gimenez booted.

Manning felt Gimenez should have called everyone off the blooper. Surely Lindor would have - but Gimenez still is feeling his way around. Then he booted the grounder in the 9th. He is still very, very young so some slack there.

Yesterday a good example of putting the ball in play creating havoc

YES, but

we also registered 14 strikeouts yesterday and were 1=-13 with runners in scoring position.

Definitely don't like that one.

Look, this is a team not hitting well and hitting guys like Giolito and Lance Lynn not helping!!

can the Reds pitch? I haven't looked

Well let's look at today's starter Jeff Hoffman. Converted reliever used to pitch for Rockies.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/stats/_ ... ff-hoffman

After facing Giolito and Lynn they should be doing cartwheels.

I know this sounds odd but sometimes when an athlete or athletes are in a rut bad luck can factor in as well.

Again many times they've hit the ball hard in key situations at people. And also they end up facing 2 absolute stud pitchers. They were very lucky their own ace, Bieber, was there vs. Giolito.

tomorrow Sonny Grey with his first start for the Reds; I guess he's been hurt. Pretty good last few years
Sunday Wade Miley 0 ERA over his first 2 starts. He's a lefty so we'll have to suffer with Luplow instead of Gamel

Did you say that with a straight face?

civ ollilavad wrote:tomorrow Sonny Grey with his first start for the Reds; I guess he's been hurt. Pretty good last few years
Sunday Wade Miley 0 ERA over his first 2 starts. He's a lefty so we'll have to suffer with Luplow instead of Gamel

Correct on Gray - so he should be on a pretty strict inning/pitch count.

My face is rarely straight

We just lost to the worst of the 3 once again squandered lots of chances and scored only with solo homers
Something like the reds 6 run inning are well beyond our abilities