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Injury to Corey Kluber (among other things) has put October in jeopardy -- Bud Shaw's Sports Spin

The Indians have suffered big losses to the starting rotation in previous seasons. The difference: they had the division sewn up at the time.
Credit: AP
Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber throws to a Miami Marlins batter during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 1, 2019, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

CLEVELAND — In the category of Things Could Be Worse For The Indians, we have the following entries:

It could’ve been Trevor Bauer.

Looking for more? I’ll have to get back to you.

The reason why a line shot fracturing Corey Kluber’s right forearm is the worst of what’s happened in recent seasons has to do with the timing, the options for replacing a second injured starting pitcher, the lack of hitting to offset the loss of Kluber and Mike Clevinger, and the presence of a division opponent good enough to take advantage.

When Bauer took a liner off the ankle last season, it wasn’t quite mid-August and the Indians led the division by 11 games. That team had Michael Brantley, Edwin Encarnacion, Yonder Alonso and Yan Gomes to name too many for comfort this season.

When Carlos Carrasco took a liner off his hand in 2016, joining Danny Salazar on the injury list, it was mid-September.

I don’t have to look that up because I remember this from a cleveland.com game story that became a rallying cry for the rest of the season.

"Write it down. On Sept. 17, the Indians were eliminated from serious postseason advancement before they even got there.”

The Indians pulled together against a preponderance of doubt in a season that ended perhaps a rain delay from winning the World Series. 

RELATED | 5 candidates to replace Corey Kluber in the Cleveland Indians' rotation

Couple differences, though. They were 86-62 at the time. They were good.

They led the Detroit Tigers by eight games. Minnesota was 31.5 games out.

October — where a bullpen led by Andrew Miller, Cody Allen and Brian Shaw would play an even larger role — wasn’t far off. October was guaranteed.

This time, the Indians trail a good Minnesota Twins team by three games with Chicago and Detroit hanging just a few games back from them.

And they have one of the weakest offenses in the league with few lineup or rotation reinforcements available.

Bauer has pitched far better than Kluber. Clevinger is ahead of schedule to return from a pulled back muscle. Someday, soon we might expect the kidnappers to return the real Jose Ramirez.

Maybe the Twins pitching won’t hold up?

It’s too early to count the Indians out. But counting them into October?

Can’t do that either. Not this time.

  • Baker Mayfield doesn’t think much of draft analysts critiques of players.

Not that argument again.

Because if you’re not athletic or you didn't play the game you can’t judge?

Just like if you’re not a Hollywood director you can’t understand the difference in quality between “Casablanca” and “Heaven’s Gate.”

  • John Dorsey and Freddie Kitchens rightly say the Browns haven’t accomplished anything yet. Kitchens in particular will be expected to deliver frequent reminders that talent alone doesn’t win in the NFL.

And he seems up to the job even if it’s only May.

But if you criticize anything Dorsey or Kitchens do these days you’re made to feel as if you’re nitpicking Bill Belichick.

Or at the very least Jesus.

(Can you believe he only provided loaves and fish? No tartar?)

  • Dabo Swinney, after signing a $10-year, $93 million extension at Clemson, says he is opposed to professionalism in college football.

Starting… now!

  • Acquiring former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco in the offseason didn’t stop John Elway from taking Missouri’s Drew Lock in the second round of the draft.

“You can’t wait until you don’t have a quarterback,” Elway said in explaining the move.

Unless you’re the 2003-18 Cleveland Browns.

  • One obvious hope in Berea after Dorsey selected linebackers Sione Takitaki and Mack Wilson is that Dorsey is better at scouting that position in part because that’s what he played during his NFL career.

The biggest hope should be that he's better than Elway is at acquiring quarterbacks.

  • What scouts have said about Greedy Williams is something no one has ever said about me. He needs to put on some weight.
  • NFL teams strongly believe you cannot give a draft grade until a few years down the road.

Fair enough.

MORE | What number will Greedy Williams wear? Cleveland Browns reveal 2019 rookie jersey numbers

 If you also agree teams can’t yet say they got a first-round talent (Williams) in the second round or a second-round talent (Wilson) in the fifth.

You can’t have it both ways.

  • Kitchens was asked if Takitaki reminds him of Genard Avery, a fifth-round pick in 2018.

“I do not like comparing two players ever and I won’t, but I will just tell you that Avery does play with a relentless nature and high motor, and Takitaki does the same thing.”

OK. So long as you’re not going to compare them.

  • Kitchens said he believes the team has drafted some players who will arrive with chips on their shoulder because they were down-drafted. And that it could be an advantage for the Browns.

Every team says this. Players always claim some motivational force working on their behalf.

Maybe it’s even true sometimes. But what did sliding in the draft do for Johnny Manziel and Brady Quinn for instance?

I’ll hang up and listen.

  • The Buffalo Bills are trying to bring more order to the tailgating experience by unveiling “Tailgate Village.” 

Fans traveling to Bills games in buses and limos would be required to pay for parking and also pay an additional fee for entry into the village, where pre-game musicals and Shakespearean plays will be the pre-game entertainment.

I made that last part up. I think.

  • Bills fans, who preferred the Muni Lot freedom and atmosphere, are not excited about the changes.

The Bills obviously believe it takes a village to raise behavior from drunken to acceptable.

  • Myles Garrett told Bleacher Report he was limited to just a couple pass rush moves under defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and that he’s looking forward to more freedom in new coordinator Steve Wilks scheme.

“Gregg was more like: ‘You win with these two moves. I don’t want to see anything else out of you.’ It’s kind of hard with two moves. I feel like you can’t always be so predictable. You can be as strong or fast as you want, but speed chop and power move aren’t always going to work. You have to mix up what you’re doing. “

When Garrett was critical of the game plan in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers late last October, Williams said, “If you have a hard time taking responsibility, blame me.”

MORE | Browns DE Myles Garrett sounds off on Gregg Williams’ play calling

September can’t get here soon enough. September 16 — Browns vs. Jets — in particular.

  • If one more draft pick says he will make every team that passed him up in the draft pay for their ignorance I will scream louder than a drunk fan finding out his team wants to make the tailgating experience more family friendly,
  • That's it. Have a weekend.

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