This what the Indians announced today:
(1) Dan Wheeler has made the team, "earning" the first of two bullpen spots. This spring, in 9 innings, Wheeler has allowed 8 earned runs on 14 hits and 3 walks. He has struck out 9 and allowed 3 home runs. While it is true that Danny allowed all of that damage in his first 4 appearance and has not surrendered a run in his past 5 IP, how does that elevate him over Jeremy Accardo, who has a better ERA (1.00 vs 8.00), OBA (.289 vs .378) and WHIP (1.33 vs 1.89)? The "brain-trust" had made this decision coming into camp and was unprepared to change their collective mind, barring injury. This move sucks. It is, in a word, indefensible. Given the contractual situation of the newly acquired Jairo Asencio, the bullpen race is over. If anyone would trade for an out of options player and then DFA him 3 days later, it would be the Indians, but that would be a heretofore unheard level of idiocy, even for them.
(2) Even so, the fact that the 4th outfielder race has boiled down to Aaron Cunningham and Ryan Spilborghs is ridiculous enough to approach the obscene. In 40 spring ABs, Cunningham has 8 hits (.200). Exactly two of those are for extra bases and his OPS is an infantile .488. I have repeatedly repeated that he too is out of options and that he might make the club because the organization is committed to mediocrity. In spite of myself, I held out hope, but when the other option is Spilborghs? What the fuck?! He's hitting .171! The only reason his OPS is as high as .490 is that he's walked 6 times. I have already explained that he is a catastrophically awful outfielder. AT ALL 3 POSITIONS!
Will we get a meaningful explanation on this? No! Acta will do some song and dance about quality plate appearances and previous track record. He'll make a quirky comment and offer a sly grin, all the while thinking "We'll do whatever we want, you ignorant sheep, and you'll still sell out opening day and pay my waste of a salary."
Fuck Manny Acta. Fuck Chris Antonetti. Fuck Larry Dolan. I'm not asking for Prince Fielder. I'm not even asking for Josh Willingham anymore. Is it too much to expect the club to take on the field performance into the decision making process?
My first inclination was 86 wins. Terry Pluto suggested 76. If this is the "philosophy" that the organization is going to employ this season, it's going be more like 66.
Red Tags: Russ Canzler and Nick Hagadone were optioned to AAA. Chris Ray, Robinson Tejada, Chris Seddon, Luke Carlin, and Andy LaRoche were officially reassigned to the minor league camp. Felix Pie, Matt Pagnozzi and Gregorio Petit were told that they will not make the club, but will stay with the team through the end of camp.
P.s. I nearly forgot about this in my ire, but it seems that Jose Lopez has indeed made the team as the 13th position player. The club paid Lopez a $100K option to keep him in the organization through June 1st, regardless of which level he plays at. It is still possible that Cunningham and Spilborghs both make. It's possible that a late move is made and some other scrub takes the spot, but, as of now, all signs point to Lopez.
By my count, all of the battles have been decided, save the no win decision on the 4th outfielder.
