The Cleveland Indians boast a solid bullpen for the 2008 season
37-year old righty Joe Borowski will be the closer when the season starts for the Cleveland Indians but he won’t keep the job long if he continues to pitch like he did last season. He pitched in 69 games (0 starts) for the Indians last season and he was 4-5 with 45 saves (led A.L.) with a 5.07 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. He doesn’t miss many bats so he will have to minimize his mistakes in 2008.
33-year old righty Rafael Betancourt was the best set-up man in all of baseball last season for the Tribe. He pitched in 68 games (0 starts) for the Indians last season and he was 5-1 with 3 saves, a 1.47 ERA and a 0.76 WHIP. He also led the American League with 31 holds last season. Betancourt only allowed 51 hits while whiffing 80 batters in 79.1 innings last season which shows how good his stuff is. He will be first in line for saves if Borowski melts down in 2008.
33-year old righty Masahide Kobayashi was brought in from the Far East to pitch late in games for the Indians in 2008. Kobayashi pitched in 49 games last season for the Chibbe Lotte Marines and he was 2-7 with 27 saves, a 3.61 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Kobayashi pitched in 445 games (10 starts) in Japan and he was 36-34 with 227 saves, a 2.79 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. He pitched 580.1 innings in Japan and he allowed 507 hits, walked 170 batters and whiffed 463. Joe Borowski better be looking over his shoulder this Spring as Kobayashi has a good track record as a closer.
26-year old lefty Rafael Perez has downright nasty stuff as lefties are almost helpless against him. He pitched in 44 games (0 starts) for the Indians last season and he was 1-2 with 1 save, a 1.78 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP. He only allowed 41 hits and whiffed 62 batters in only 60.2 innings which shows how nasty his stuff really is.
24-year old righty Jensen Lewis will pitch early in games this season for the Indians which shows how strong their bullpen is this season. He pitched in 26 games (0 starts) for the Indians last season and he was 1-1 with a 2.15 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. He whiffed 34 batters in only 29.1 innings which shows what kind of stuff he has. Lewis also pitched in 34 games (0 starts) in AAA ball last season and he was 3-0 with 2 saves, a 1.73 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. He also whiffed 61 batters in only 52 minor league innings.
29-year old righty Jorge Julio was signed as a minor league contract in the off-season and he made the team. He pitched in 68 games (0 starts) for the Marlins & Rockies and he was 0-5 with a 5.23 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. Julio has pitched in 411 games (0 starts) in his major league career and he is 13-33 with 99 saves, a 4.35 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. He should do a decent job early in games for the Indians.
27-year old Criag Breslow will be the 2nd lefty in the bullpen at the start of the season after he was claimed off waivers from the Red Sox. He didn’t pitch in the majors last season. Breslow has pitched in 27 games (0 starts) in his major league career and he is 0-2 with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP. Breslow needs to throw more strikes if he wants to succeed in the majors as he has walked 19 batters in only 28.1 innings in his major league career to date.
27-year old righty Tom Mastny will start the season in the minors but he will likely be one of the first relievers recalled from the minors when the Indians need some help. He pitched in 51 games (0 starts) for the Indians last season and he was 7-2 with a 4.68 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP.
36-year old righty Brendan Donnelly will likely pitch for the Indians in the 2nd half of the 2008 season as he is recovering from Tommy John Surgery. He pitched in 27 games (0 starts) for the Red Sox last season and he was 2-1 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. He has now pitched in 304 games (0 starts) in his major league career and he is 25-9 with 4 saves, a 2.88 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. Donnelly has also whiffed 310 batters in 315.2 innings which shows how effective he is.
PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2008 SEASON: A-