In the This Is My Nightmare series, we'll take a look at what the absolute worst case scenario for each team would be in 2013. Think of it as the negative complement to our You May Say I'm A Dreamer series that we'll be running during our preview series.
A nightmare for the Indians…well, isn't that just the 2011 collapse and 2012 season wrapped up all into one pretty little package? But after the way GM Chris Antonetti spent like a drunken sailor this winter, adding over $100 million in contracts, expectations are much higher for the Tribe this season. But just because the Indians are paying Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn, and Mark Reynolds to produce offensively, a playoff berth isn't necessarily set in stone.
I think that a true nightmare for the Indians would start with Bourn. He slumped in the second half of last season with the Braves, and as a player who thrives on his speed and defensive skills, there's a possibility that his overall game can simply start to erode quickly, turning him into a sunk cost faster than anyone really expected. That wouldn't be good for the Indians, especially considering how Antonetti backloaded Bourn's contract to offset high salaries coming off the books after 2013.
What about the Indians rotation? Ubaldo Jimenez has been an unmitigated disaster since joining Cleveland, and while he's not getting paid a ton at $5.75 million, the Indians should expect more given the prospects they gave up to acquire him. Another season like 2012 will kill all of the goodwill and patience that the Indians and their fans have built up in regards to Jimenez. Justin Masterson also took a step back last season after having a breakout 2011, and his decline helped turn the Tribe's rotation into one of the worst in baseball.
The Indians also made a big deal by essentially flipping Shin-Soo Choo for Trevor Bauer and Drew Stubbs. Stubbs isn't a good offensive player at all, but will be logging some substantial playing time for the Tribe with Swisher at first and Reynolds DHing. He's not going to be the leadoff hitter with the Indians (exhale, Cleveland), but he still needs to improve his offensive game to be an every day player. As for Bauer, he was essentially run out of Arizona after clashing with personnel in the desert, and if another personality conflict takes place in Cleveland this year, the deal could look like a huge disappointment given the compensatory pick Choo could have brought home following the season if the Indians tendered him a qualifying offer.
The Indians weren't as good as their record indicated in 2011, and in 2012, they were just as bad as their record indicated (if not worse). The team has taken giant steps towards avoiding another season like 2012 in 2013, but there is still potential for things to get ugly here.
Indians on TOC
End of Season Postmortem
Hope for the Hopeless
2013 Season Preview
You May Say I'm a Dreamer
2013 Burning Question
This Is My Nightmare
2013 X-Factor (4:30 PM)
