Pronkified

Hafner jerseys for everyone!
(photo: Imagine 24)

Tick...Tick...Tick...Tick...

BOOM...

I can't tell you how many times I've seen or done something that seemed larger than life when it happened, but turned out to be just okay as time settled in.  Think back to the last summer blockbuster that you saw.  You likely walked into the theater, saw a couple of hours of explosions, walked out thinking it was the best thing you ever say, then realized later it was the same explosions you saw before.

Last night's Cleveland Indians game certainly wasn't one of those times. No, Pronk's grand slam has maintained it's blockbuster voracity.  The next morning, it was still sending shivers down my spine.  I'm not sure if this is the kind of hit that will translate into a new mentality for the Tribe or not, but it sure does feel like it. 

With that said, words really can't express last night's transcending moment. So instead of me rambling on for a few paragraphs, I'll let a couple of guys do all the talking for me. Here's STO's call of the events last night, followed by one of the best play-by-play calls in recent memory by the best in the business: Tom Hamilton. And yeah, Hamilton's call has video as well.

Sorry folks, but if that didn't get you out of your seat, then you're simply dead. Enjoy those worm races in your backyard...

Cleveland's Travis Hafner is Re-Pronkified, for now

If there was one thing that I was fairly sure about heading into the 2011 season, it's that Travis Hafner would never be the same player that he was before he signed his large contract, became injury prone, and seemingly lost all his power and worth to a rebuilding club like the Cleveland Indians.

I know it's early, but boy does it seem like I was wrong.

Tribe manager Manny Acta indicated early on in spring training that Hafner was going to play more this season, was 100% for the first time in a long time, and that there was no need to worry about the surgically repaired shoulder.

These comments weren't all that surprising, since we've been hearing the same thing since the days of Eric Wedge. What was surprising was the fact that other than Acta's brief bro-mance with the 34-year-old DH, there hadn't (hasn't) been all that much discussion about the shoulder from the Indians' camp. As a matter of fact, it's been a non-factor.

Hafner has currently played in 11 of the Tribe's first 14 games, and has done his best to imitate his former self. Hafner is currently hitting .293, with three homers, eight RBI and an .884 OPS. Last season, Hafner didn't hit his third homer until May 5th, and never hit above .281.

Certainly, the season is still early, but Hafner is clearly hitting the ball harder than he has in the past few seasons. Still, what I still can't get out of my mind, however, is the 2009 season, in which Hafner came out of the gate like the Pronk of old. After the sixth game of the season, Hafner had three homers and six RBI, and his slugging would ultimately reach a peak of .714 in those early days of the season.

I was already to re-dub Hafner to his old Pronk self. Unfortunately, the injury-bug bit, and Hafner was placed on the DL for soreness and fatigue to that wonderful shoulder.

Nobody thought it was all that serious, including Eric Wedge, but it turned out that Hafner had to miss over a month. He would return, and wouldn't have a horrid season, but Pronk was seemingly gone.

Enter 2011. The Indians are playing outstanding baseball, and find themselves at 10-4 early on. Every card is lining up for the Tribe so far, including Hafner. Is it a false sense of security for the Tribe slugger? Is he just getting some extra protection because of a slew of hot bats, or is the shoulder finally as strong as it was five years ago, prior to the injury-bug?

If it is, that false sense of security I just mentioned, just got a little less false.

Welcome back Pronk, we'll take it as long as we can get it.

All-Aught Indians--DH--Travis Hafner (2003-2009)

The DH slot wasn't as easy to pick as some might think. From 2001 through 2003, Ellis Burks was the Tribe DH, and he was very good at what he did. Burks had two fantastic seasons as the Indians batting specialist, knocking out 60 homers and driving in 165 runs, while batting .291. Burks would sprain his hand in spring training in 2003, and it would essentially end his tenure on the reservation. Ultimately, Burks couldn't swing the bat once the season started, and he ended up having season-ending surgery to repair nerve damage. The man who replaced him defined the position for the Indians during the decade. The All-Aught Indians DH is Travis Hafner.

Mark Shapiro made one of his best trades (and most underrated) of his tenure as Tribe GM when he dealt light-hitting catcher Einar Diaz and Ryan Drese to the first-base rich Texas Rangers for Travis Hafner and Aaron Myette. Diaz, Myette and Drese would all meander around the league for a few years, while Hafner would explode once he was given the DH job full time, and Victor Martinez would take over the hole created by Diaz' departure.

Hafner had lit up the Pacific Coast League in 2002, batting .342 with 21 homers and 77 RBI, and most scouts figured that he was still on the upside of his offensive potential if he could ever get the shot. With Jim Thome and Ellis Burks gone, the opportunity was there, and he hit the ground running.

In 2003, Hafner would break his toe and go on the DL after slumping early in the season. Hafner would hit 14 homers in just over half a season. No, it wasn't mindblowing numbers to be sure, but it did give a glimpse of what was to come in the future. His high note that season was hitting for the cycle in August, to become the first player since Andre Thornton in 1978 to accomplish that feat. There was still some rumbling about Hafner being a bust. It was increasingly apparent that he couldn't field, and with DH his only position, there needed to be the power production that should go with it. There was even talk that Broussard was the better player, and that Hafner may find himself as a bit player if he couldn't improve the offense enough to claim the DH-spot full time. Fortunately for Tribe fans and management alike, Hafner left all doubters in the dust in 2004.

Hafner would enter the MVP discussion by finishing 24th in the voting in 2004, and in doing so, would turn into the Indians Paul Bunyan. Out of spring training came two nicknames, "The Project" and "The Donkey," and Bill Selby would affectionately mash them together into Pronk.No, it didn't make any sense at all, but somehow fit. Pronk would roll out a line of .311/.410/.583, while hitting 28 homers and driving in 109 runs. The irony is that Hafner would only hit seven homers at the Jake, and he finished second in the league with homers on the road. It's really hard to put Pronk's production that season into words. With the sluggers of the 90's all officially off the roster, Hafner filled a void much bigger than any numbers. He provided the Tribe faithful with the guy that could change a game with one swing of the bat.

Hafner needed surgery at the end of the season for bone spurs in his elbow, which really add to his lore. The fact that he played much of the second half of the season with elbow-pain really put his prodigious numbers into perspective. If he could get healthy, one could only wonder what kind of numbers he would put up.

Shapiro would follow the Indians philosophy and sign their new slugger to a long-term contract. He signed a three-year, $7 million deal with a club option for $4.75 million. In avoiding arbitration, the Indians locked up what would be one of the top hitters in baseball for what would turn out to be chump change.

In 2005, Hafner would finish fifth in the MVP voting. Hafner's line that year was .305/.408/.595, with 33 (32 as a DH, a club record) homers and 108 RBI. Hafner would be named player of the month in June, hitting .345 with 8 homers and 29 RBI in only 24 games. His highlight of the month came in late June against the Red Sox. In the first game of the series against the Sox, Hafner would go three for five with two doubles and a home run in a 7-0 shutout. He would follow that performance up with another three for five night with two doubles, a home run and six RBI. The homer was a grand slam in the ninth-inning off of Keith Foulke to win the game. He was on his way to a huge July when he was hit by a pitch and would go on the DL after hitting .480 with 4 homers and 12 RBI prior to the all-star break. In September, Pronk would continue his lore by slugging six homers in six straight games, one short of Jim Thome's record. He was named the Tribe Man of the Year for his massive season.

In 2006, Hafner may have been the best hitter in baseball. His line read .308/.439/.659. His slugging and his prodigious 1.097 OPS were tops in the league. 39 of Hafner's homers were from the DH position, breaking his own record, and 110 of his 117 RBI were also a Tribe record for the DH slot. Hafner's swing selection improved drastically, as he topped the 100 walk plateau for the first time in his career. He became only the second Indians with 40 homers, 100 walks, 100 runs and 100 RBI. Hafner would miss the final 29 games of the season after breaking his right hand on September 1. Like the season before, Hafner was hit by a pitch. Historically, September has been a strong month for Pronk, so we'll always be left to wonder what could have been, since he was second in HR, RBI, extra base hits and walks. There was speculation that Hafner was the favorite to win the MVP prior to the injury. Hafner would tie Don Mattingly's record of six grand slams in one season, hitting his last in an August month that would see him be named Player of the Month for the second time in his career, hitting .361 with 13 homers and 31 RBI in 28 games.

What happened after the 2006 season has been left up to much speculation, and I'm not going to deal too much into that. Whatever you think are the reasons, Pronk's offensive dropped off considerably after the 2006 season. His 2007 line was a still solid .266/.385/.451, with 24 homers and 100 RBI, but obviously it was a decline in production following two seasons that saw Pronk reach the elite of MLB. Many thought that Hafner's early-season struggles were based on contract talks that were going on to extend his contract that would essentially void his 2007 money, his 2008 player option year, and add two more seasons. The four year deal, signed before the all-star break, was worth $57 million, with a club option for 13 million. Hafner would go 0-21 at the end of July, and questions began to crop up about Hafner and his offensive production. To make matters worse, Hafner would bat .186 in the 2007 playoffs, with only two homers and four RBI. He would strike out 12 times in seven games against the Red Sox. Without Hafner, the Indians nearly won the series. Imagine what would have happened had he shown up. 2008 would speak volumes on his future.

Hafner would develop shoulder issues that would put him on the DL from the end of May until the beginning of September. Hafner was hitting a paltry .217 prior to the DL stint. He was worse coming back in September, finishing the season below the Mendoza line with a .197 average, with five homers and 24 RBI.

In 2007, things looked promising. Pronk, a historically slow starter began with a line of .270/.370/.540 in April. Unfortunately, in April, Pronk would make a return visit to Dr. James Andrews to have a look at the shoulder, and another visit to the 15-day DL. He would return on June 5th, and would improve on his April numbers with a new line of .300/.426/.660 between his return and July 3rd. It appeared as though the big lefty was back. Pronk would struggle from that point on. Why couldn't he hit after July? Was it fatigue from having a bum shoulder for over a year or more? Was it Pronk trying to earn his money with a sore shoulder? His final line was .272/.355/.470, with 16 homers and 49 RBI.

Can Hafner rebound to the elite player, the project he was from 2004-2006, or is he relegated to the Donkey he turned into from 2007-2009? Reports are that Hafner's shoulder is a non-issue so far this year. While I doubt that, if the Indians can manage his shoulder, he can be an above-average player, but that's for another article.

Hafner was certainly a major part of the hope that Indians fans had that this team could climb out of the rebuilding mode. He was the bat that would carry the Tribe when the rest of the youth was still trying to figure things out. Sometimes it's hard to do, but look past the past three years and you'll find three of the greatest seasons from a DH in Indians' history, and the reason why Hafner is the DH of the decade.

Congrats Pronk, and here's for you putting up a nomination for yourself for the All-Tribe Teens Team ten years from now.

The Two Thousand, Aught DH's: Richie Sexson, Jim Thome, Kenny Lofton, David Justice, Jacob Cruz, Alex Ramirez, Enrique Wilson, Travis Fryman, Russell Branyan, Manny Ramirez, David Segui, Bill Selby, Chan Perry, Wil Cordero, Ellis Burks, Marty Cordova, Juan Gonzalez, Dave Hollins, Eddie Taubensee, Matt Lawton, Earl Snyder, Brady Anderson, Ricky Gutierrez, Lee Stevens, Karim Garcia, Milton Bradley, Coco Crisp, Shane Spencer, Jody Gerut, Travis Hafner, Ryan Ludwick, Tim Laker, Alex Escobar, Victor Martinez, Josh Phelps, Ernie Young, Ron Belliard, Aaron Boone, Ryan Ludwick, Jason Dubois, Jeff Liefer, Jhonny Peralta, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Casey Blake, Jason Michaels, Grady Sizemore, Ryan Garko, Trot Nixon, David Dellucci, Michael Aubrey, Shin-Soo Choo, Ben Francisco, Andy Gonzalez, Kelly Shoppach, Mark DeRosa, Andy Marte

Indians slow hot-stove season has luke-warm possibilities

Can the Indians make a splash during the '09 Hot Stove season? The easy answer is no, since the Indians quite obviously can't pony up enough money for anyone of consequence. There is still some room for the Indians to make a couple of moves that could bring the Tribe a player or two of consequence.

Of course, everyone is talking about the Indians listening to offers for Kerry Wood. Personally, I would keep him. The Indians struggle every year to put together a bullpen. I know Wood is an extravagance at this point, but at the same time, I think that Cleveland would be smart to keep Wood in the anchor and allow the young arms of Chris and Rafael Perez, Tony Sipp, Jensen Lewis and Jess Todd to settle into their roles. Then, perhaps in 2011, if the Indians can actually use the option to keep Wood at the back-end, or let him go on his merry way.

Jhonny Peralta is also a candidate to move, although you would have to think that the Manny Acta hire will perhaps keep the Indians from making a quick decision on the struggling third baseman. Peralta has nearly a full season under his belt, has a new manager that might actually like him, and could rebound. If the Tribe does get an offer for him, they should listen, even if it is a prospect. Let Andy Marte take his slot and move Peralta. With Lonnie Chisenhall coming along in the program about to enter double A, and with Wes Hodges sneaking around at triple A Columbus, there are other options for the Indians at the position. As Tony Lastoria pointed out early in October, Wes Hodges may have more to offer than people are giving him credit for. I wouldn't expect much in a deal straight up for Peralta, but there could be something there should a team ask. Of course, with Peralta, the Tribe would be selling low.

The most intriguing deal that could happen involves Travis Hafner. Yes, Hafner has been injury-prone, and yes, Hafner makes a whole bunch of money not well spent. That said, Hafner showed improvement as the year progressed last year. Should a team have a high need for power at the DH position because of injury or if they are a piece away, the Tribe could get offers for their slugging DH. A deal for Hafner likely wouldn't come until the All-Star break, and only if he's playing well. That said, the potential is there, and under the current situation, the Indians will assuredly listen. Of course, to take on that albatross of a contract would be insane for any club with the potential for injury.

Then there is Kelly Shoppach, who will likely be non-tendered in the offseason. If I were Cleveland, I'd move Shoppach prior to the rule-V draft and pick up some low-level talent that you don't have to protect. I'm sure the Indians are talking with teams about Shoppach, but using a spot on the 40-man roster is a mistake. Move him now, and take whatever you can get for him.

Will the Indians make a trade? It's not likely, but there are deals to be made should teams get desperate. There's no doubt that the Indians aren't desperate, and no, that's not a good thing.

Off to play some catch with the son while the temperature is still over 70 degrees. You have to love these Indians Summers...;)

A Message to the AL: The Tribe is for Real, AND Improving

We all know the numbers by now:



• A six game winning streak



• A 13-7 record, first in the AL Central



• A series victory in all but the Yankee series



• A 4-2 record against division rival Chicago



• A 2-0 record against division rival Minnesota



I know, I know, it's early, but it is incredibly tantalizing to compare this season to the past few. After 20 games the past three years, Cleveland was already scuffling. April has historically been a difficult month for this version of the Indians. Under Wedge, Cleveland came into the season 38-59 in April. That history makes this 13-7 start something to keep an eye on. An April with a winning record puts them ahead of their past bell curve.



Still, it’s early, and I don’t have to tell ANY Indian fan that it’s a long season.



How REAL is this team?



Offensively, it's safe to say that Cleveland hasn’t come close to tapping their offensive potential. Cleveland is tied for ninth in the AL in batting with an unspectacular .247 (all stats are BEFORE tonight’s victory). Only two Tribe regulars were batting over .300, and it took a 16 for 26 run by Travis Hafner to get him included in the .300 plus range. The majority of the Indians' runs have come from the home run ball. Look, home runs are important, but depending on the big inning isn’t something you want to hang your hat on. With that being said, the offense is still finding ways to win games, and doing all the necessary things TO get the job done. Average is overrated when you are finding ways to get on base.



Cleveland’s offense has a solid .350 OBP to go along with an enigmatic offense that strikes out a lot, but walks more. Tonight, Cleveland was out-hit 8-7, but managed to take 8 walks. If you put 15 men on base, your chances of winning are pretty good. This is a good sign that we are going to see a giant offensive improvement as the season progresses, and the weather warms up the Tribe bats. Cleveland batted .280 last season, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize they are going to end up around there again this season.



I also can’t express enough how BIG 2-out runs are. The Tribe of the 90’s made a living out of huge 2-out hits. This team seems to have the same sort of drama-inducing sense. Last night, both Josh Barfield and Grady Sizemore’s daggers came with 2-outs. Cleveland does struggle a bit with runners in scoring position at .237, but this will no doubt improve. It has too…or the ball’s going to start to bounce the other way.



Josh Barfield isn’t going to end up hitting .130.



Grady Sizemore isn’t going to end up hitting .270.



Vmart isn’t going to end up hitting .280.



We don’t know WHAT Peralta is going to do, but he WON’T hit .230 this year. He’s hitting the ball hard…and IS a different player this year.



Shin-Soo Choo and Ryan Garko have all found a way into the lineup, and have added a needed spark. Choo probably won’t be around for long, but it’s hard to argue with what he’s been doing. Having interchangeable parts as the year progresses is an added bonus. Especially with injury-prone Trot Nixon (what a start).



Point? This team hasn’t come close to reaching its offensive stride. Sooner or later, this is a team that will score runs in multiple innings to go along with the big inning. Once that happens, there are some AL teams that aren’t going to be all that happy. Realize this. Cleveland is FINDING ways to win. Something tells me we aren’t all that far away from not having to look that hard.



The starting pitching is just warming up. C.C. Sabathia is doing what we expect. He’s a #1 starter. He’s a stopper. In five starts this year, C.C. has given up 3 runs or less in all but one start. He has 35 K’s in 34 innings pitched. More impressively is that he’s only walked 8, and topped out with 3 against Chicago. The key for C.C. is to stay healthy. If he does, this could be a ‘break-the-bank’ year for Sabathia.



Jake Westbrook signed a new multi-year deal (3 years, 33 million). I needed to mention that, because Westbrook has been the complete opposite of Sabathia this year. His ERA stands at 7.96. It came down over a run last night thanks to a low strike zone from the umpire. He hasn’t looked good. Westbrook is to good a pitcher not to turn around. Watch for Jake to turn it around as the weather warms up, and his new contract settles in.



Sowers has been a solid #3 starter for this team. In three of four starts, he’s given up 3 or less runs, and has really done the job expected of him. He doesn’t walk many (we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt for his five walk performance against Chicago), he hasn’t given up the long ball, and aside from getting blown up in the Bronx, has been the 2nd best starter on the staff. There’s no reason to think that Sowers WON’T continue this throughout the seasons. Expect consistency, an occasional blowup, but more good than bad. Isn’t that the definition of a #3 starter?



Byrd has been a mild surprise so far. He goes 6 innings. He avoids HUGE innings. This year, he wins games. Many are calling for Byrd to be dealt once Cliff Lee comes back, and I can’t deny that might not be the smart way to go. I do feel that Byrd is underrated, and as a #4 is extremely effective. Of course, once Lee comes back, if you’d ask me who I’d rather have in the rotation, Byrd or Fausto Carmona, I’d pick Carmona every time. That puts Adam Miller as the first guy called up from Buffalo. I like the sound of that.



Speaking of Fausto, how about this kid? After getting lit up in his first start, he has been highly effective, and improving in every start. Psst…he outdueled Johan Santana. You are looking at a #2 or #3 starter in the making, and I’m happy with the Tribe brass finally just putting him in the rotation. He’ll probably be in Buffalo soon, but I suspect not for long.



Cliff Lee is the kind of pitcher you always expect more of. I remember seeing him dominate in Akron, and you have to think that he can do that in the Majors. The question becomes when. He should be back in the rotation next week, and let’s hope that we get the top end starter he should be. He’s looked good in his rehab starts.



Overall, this rotation has been relatively consistent (Byrd, Carmona and Sowers), sometimes spectacular (CC), and head-scratching (Westbrook). But with Adam Miller rolling in Buffalo, and Cliff Lee joining the club this week, this staff is as good as it has been in the last several years…with plenty of room to improve. Look for a move (Byrd or…surprise, surprise, Westbrook).



The Relief Pitching has been pretty darn good. I know, I saw Fultz and Hernandez do their impression of the local pinball machine last night. But, I also so Rafael Betancourt slam the door shut on the Orioles…followed by Joe Borowski striking out the side in the ninth.



Fernando Cabrera has been electric. His ERA stands at 0, while compiling a 1-0 record, with fifteen K’s in 10 innings pitched. There are already calls to move him to the closer roll. I just want to remind you all what moving around a bullpen can do. Leave him be. We need shut down setup guys.



Jason Davis and Betancourt are proving the Tribe brass right. Many felt that both would “grow up” this year. Davis has been pretty lights out (although walking a bunch), and Betancourt has been as well. These two, with Cabrera, have given the Tribe a solid trio to use in the 7th and 8th innings.



The new signings, Aaron Fultz, Roberto Hernandez and Joe Borowski have had their ups and downs. Fultz, overall, has been very good. The last two games, he’s failed to retire a batter, however, with 2 walks and a run-scoring hit. Hernandez has, for the most part, gotten the job done. Still, he’s not lock down any more. Like last night, he can give up a string of hits. Borowski has nine saves, to go along with his 9.00 ERA. He’s given up a run in 4 of his 10 appearances. Still, he’s only blown one save so far, and aside from getting BLOWN UP against the Yankees, hasn’t been anything we didn’t expect. As advertised, this guy is a lot like Bob Wickman. Take a look at Wickman’s stats this year. No, he’s not blown up like Borowski did against New York, but you’ll notice some striking similarities.



You add to that Mike Miller, who’s on the DL, Tom Mastny, and a slew of kids in Buffalo who have been lights out. Certainly, this is a vast improvement.



The Indians fielding hasn’t been close to up to par, but better than it looks from the outside looking in. Barfield and Marte have 4 errors apiece, and Peralta has 3. The Tribe as a team have 18 errors, third worst in the AL. With that being said, anyone who saw the game last night, and the play that Barfield made, shows you what kind of defensive player Barfield is. He covers a country-mile, and makes fantastic plays look easy. He’ll get errors on plays many can’t even get too. Marte looks flat out overwhelmed. Truth be told, he’s starting to scare me a whole lot. Thank god we got Kelly Shoppach in that deal. Peralta IS playing better in the field. His three errors are actually in the top third of the AL, and he and Barfield are playing well together. Again, the defense has struggled, but overall, still is improved. Marte will need to be watched.



Overall, you have to grade the Tribe start as an A-. I’d throw them an A+, but this team still isn’t grooving yet. That’s the exciting piece to this start. Anyone who’s seen this team play over the past few years, knows that there is another gear we haven’t seen yet. Still…



I’m pretty happy with the gear we are in now.



Tonight…Sowers against Bedard. Let’s pull for 7.