Last month, I how complicated the Cleveland Indians closer situation could become if we didnt have baseball in 2020.The thinking was that, should the season be cancelled, the Indians wouldnt know what they have in bullpen prospects Emmanuel Clase and James Karinchak. With a decision needing to be made about Brad Hands $10 million option for 2021, not knowing if Clase or Karinchak is ready to step in as the future closer would only further muddy the waters.Back then, the idea of baseball taking place this summer was one which made this call easier for Cleveland. Now, while a season is still po sible, the situation wouldnt become suddenly straightforward if it takes place.Thanks to Clases suspension, the Indians have only one closer prospect to count on when it comes to providing clarity for next offseason. E sentially, Cleveland is relying solely on Karinchak to make Hand expendable this year.Just to addre s one of the primary spring training gripes from Indians fans, yes, Karinchak making
Jhoulys Chacin Jersey Clevelands roster this summer feels like a safe bet.Manager Terry Francona appeared to ruffle feathers within the
Alex Wilson Jersey fan-base back in February when noting Karinchak needed to be one of the best eight relievers in order to make the big league bullpen this season. He also noted his young pitcher had to improve his fielding and ability to hold runners.Personally, this appeared to be Franconas way of ensuring Karinchak didnt get ahead of himself and a sume hed already earned a roster spot. That said, many fans felt Clevelands manager was seeking an excuse to keep Karinchak in the minors.Be that as it may, expanded rosters in 2020 all but ensure Karinchak opens the year in the Indians pen. An 80-game suspension which completely removes Clase from an abbreviated season just hammers this home.So, it appears the stage is set for Karinchak to have his big-league breakout.Theres no arguing he has the stuff to make it happen. One need only look at the numbers Karinchak has put up throughout his time on Clevelands farm to see proof of that.Karinchak jumped through three separate tiers of the minors last season, never producing a K/9 lower than 21.60. The lowest his strikeout rate has ever been was 30.1%. In both Double-A and Triple-A last season, his swinging strike percentage never dipped below 20.4% (FanGraphs views 9.5% as average).Scroll to ContinueSimply put, thanks to his deadly combo of a high-90s fastball and a knee-buckling 12-to-6 curve, Karinchak has the arsenal needed to become a big league closer.Now, with Clase out of the picture and the Indians mulling over Hands eight-figure option, Karinchak is facing more pre sure to stand out in the year ahead.Its ironic, really, since controlling his emotions in high-pre sure situations is his biggest hurdle.While he has no problem striking hitters out, Karinchak tends to offer more than a few
Alex Claudio Jersey free pa ses. Before making his cameo with Cleveland last season, he was carrying a BB/9 of 6.75 with Triple-A Columbus. Per FanGraphs, a BB/9 of 4.0 is considered awful.As pointed out within his Baseball Savant scouting report, Karinchaks control is never going to be pinpoint due to his pitching mechanics. This is exacerbated, though, when he gets too excited on the mound, resulting in his overthrowing pitches.This is something Karinchak will need to addre s in order to prove he
Glenn Robinson Jersey s ready to become Clevelands closer of the future. Should he struggle with his control, the predicament with Hands option only gets trickier.That said, if trends we saw last year continue in 2020, theres a chance Hand makes the decision slightly easier for Cleveland, regardle s of how Karinchak performs.While he rightfully earned his third All-Star nod with a strong first half (2.17 ERA, 1.93 FIP), a run-in with dead arm had Hand struggling through the final months of the 2019 season (5.40 ERA, 4.41 FIP). The average velocity on his fastball was also the lowest it's been since 2012 (92.7 MPH).Hands 298.0 combined innings over the past three years are second to only one reliever in all of baseball (Yusmeiro Petit), and it looked as though the wear finally caught up with him.That said, even if the extended time off helps his arm recover, the Indians will likely still consider declining Hands option next
Manny Pina Jersey winter. It wouldnt be a production-driven decision, but instead an unfortunate outcome from a season taking place without ticket revenue, and the payroll adjustments needing to be made as a result.Still, declining Hands option is much easier to do if Cleveland is confident it has someone to replace him in 2021. Coming into this season, the Tribe had two candidates vying for that job.Now, its down to just Karinchak. Hes about to get his opportunity to prove he can be a major league closer, and his doing so could help the Indians save themselves $10 million.