Cleveland Indians: 10 Bold Predictions for Carlos Santana's 2011 Season
Just 24 days until Opening Day Indians fans.
In 24 days, we will finally begin our journey into another season of Cleveland Indians baseball.
Sure, expectations may be questionable by some, but who is to say the Tribe can't make some noise in the AL Central in 2011? In order to exceed expectations though, some players will need to step up when called upon and deliver in anyway they can during the 162 game marathon.
Besides the health of Grady Sizemore being a crucial piece to the success of the Tribe this season, there is honestly no other player on the Indians roster that will play a more important factor to the entire team than prized catcher Carlos Santana.
How will Santana fair in 2011? Will he become the kind of hitter we all dreamed he would become this year? Will he make us forget about former fan favorite Victor Martinez? All these questions will be answered very soon.
Instead of waiting another couple months to see how the Tribe's former No. 1 prospect will produce this season though, why not predict Santana's 2011 season today?
Here now are 10 bold predictions for Carlos Santana's 2011 season with the Indians.
1. He Will Be Healthy and Play the Entire Season
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Probably the most important area of concern when it comes to Carlos Santana's 2011 season is his health. We all remember the brutal hit he took from Red Sox outfielder Ryan Kalish that ended his 2010 campaign in early August, but this year will be different for Santana.
The Indians catcher will play the entire 2011 season without any injuries or setbacks, where he will not only catch, but play first base and possibly DH in some games during the long season as well.
Now, does this mean Santana will be healthy enough to play come Opening Day? Absolutely!
While he did have left knee surgery back in the beginning of August to repair a strained lateral collateral ligament, Santana's recovery time is right on track and he will be ready to go.
(It still wouldn't hurt to cross your fingers though).
2. He Will Hit over .300
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In 189 career minor league games between Double A and Triple A, Santana owns a .302 career batting average. He shouldn't have any problem finishing the 2011 season with an average above .300 in his first full season in the big leagues.
In fact, we all saw what the young phenom can do once he is given a chance to start in the Major Leagues. Santana finished his short 2010 season hitting .260 in 150 at-bats, spanning over 46 games.
We saw flashes of what is to come from Santana throughout the month of June last year, when he hit .345 in what was his first 58 at-bats in the Major Leagues. He did cool off somewhat during the month of July, but with his short 2010 rookie campaign behind him, Santana will have a feeling of what life is all about being in the big leagues.
3. He Will Also Hit 25+ HR's and Drive in 100+ RBI
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We all saw what kind of numbers Santana has put up in the minors over the past few seasons, now 2011 is when we will get our first big look at what the Indians young phenom can do at the plate.
Santana managed to hit six home runs and drive in 22 RBI in just 150 at-bats last year, but with this being his first full season in the big leagues, expectations are much higher. How does 25+ home runs and 100+ RBI sound for 2011? About right on if you ask me.
Just think of what the Indians offense could do this season with not only Shin-Soo Choo, but a healthy Sizemore, as well. Toss in these numbers from Santana and the Tribe are definitely going places in 2011.
With all the struggles from Travis Hafner the past few seasons (totaling just 29 HR's and 99 RBI over the past two seasons) and injuries to Sizemore, the Indians will welcome an offensive emergence of Santana with open arms to their already potentially dangerous lineup.
To give Tribe fans some advice on where to buy some tickets this season, your best bet is the lower deck in right field. The probabilities of catching a home run ball from either Choo, Sizemore or Santana are definitely in your favor when sitting there.
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4. Right Handed Hitting Will Not Be a Problem
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If there was one key statistic that went somewhat unnoticed during Santana's first taste of the Major Leagues, it was his lack of success from the right side of the plate.
Santana only managed to hit a dismal .146 against lefties last season over the course of 48 at-bats. Batting from the right side, he was also only able to hit just one of his six home runs and drive in five of his 22 RBI against southpaws as well.
Something tells me Santana's struggle to hit lefties last season was just a small hiccup in his first taste of big league pitching. He's way too good of a hitter to disappoint from one side of the plate. Being a switch hitter his entire life, Santana will figure it all out in 2011.
5. He Will Be an All-Star
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While he may not be starting in the 2011 Mid-Summer Classic at Chase Field, Santana will make enough noise with his bat in the first half of the season to earn him a roster spot on the American League All-Star team.
It will be the first trip to the All-Star game for an Indians catcher since Victor Martinez when he made the team in 2009. For many baseball fans out there, you know Santana's trip to the 2011 All-Star Game will certainly not be his last, as it would more than likely string together possible consecutive trips to the big game in the future as well.
Wouldn't it be a treat for Indians fans if Santana gets into the ballgame and was able to catch 2010 All-Star pitcher Fausto Carmona. Well, we will have to wait and see on that.
6. He Will Throw out 40% of Base Runners
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In 22 attempts from behind the plate last year, Santana managed to throw out 12 runners for a caught stealing percentage of a well respectable 35 percent. A pretty good percentage for a rookie's first taste in the Majors.
The 2011 season will only be better for Santana, as he will throw out 40 percent of would be baserunners by season's end. When many fans first think of Carlos Santana they think offense, but the Tribe catcher has been very underrated defensively since his call up to the big leagues.
Handling the pitching staff will be the big key for both Santana and the Indians, but with his success last season on defense, there will be no problem for him at all.
7. He Will Help Bring the Magic Back to "The Jake"
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If you're a true Indians fan, you remember that warm feeling the mid-90's Indians teams gave you night in and night out. With "The Jake" sold out every series, each game seemed like a celebration or party at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.
With Carlos Santana adding to the already young Indians core of Shin-Soo Choo, Michael Brantley, Matt LaPorta, Asdrubal Cabrera, Grady Sizemore, Chris Perez, Fausto Carmona and Justin Masterson, the Tribe will end up spilling a little of that Jacobs Field magic back onto what is now known as Progressive Field in 2011.
It's hard to believe it was just four seasons ago that we were celebrating an AL Central Championship, coming just one win shy of the the 2007 World Series. Santana will be a big piece to the road back to the promised land, where a good chunk of the road will be traveled upon in 2011, thanks in large part to No. 41.
8. He Will Make Former Indians GM Mark Shapiro Look Like a Genius
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Current Indians president Mark Shapiro has been known for his tricks of the trade as the former General Manager of the team over the past decade.
Besides his famous Bartolo Colon deal with the Montreal Expos that brought Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee and Brandon Phillips to Cleveland, his trade for Santana was yet another trade deadline steal.
The trade happened on July 26, 2008, when the Tribe traded Casey Blake to the L.A. Dodgers for the catching phenom. The rest is simply history.
Who knows, the trade for Santana could very well go down as one of the best in baseball history. Judging by the way the 24-year-old catcher projects this upcoming season, that respectful honor could come as early as this year.
9. He Will Be the Best Catcher in the American League
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Move over Joe Mauer, the best catcher in the American League in 2011 will in fact be Carlos Santana.
To me, there is absolutely no reason to put Mauer (a guy who hit nine HR's and drove in a total of 75 RBI last season), over a player who projects to hit double or even triple the HR's and drive in 25 more RBI.
To take it one step further, in 239 at-bats, Mauer managed to hit just one HR at his home ballpark of Target Field in 2010. Being able to hit the long ball, on the other hand, is something Santana will always be able to do.
Santana has all the necessary tools, both offensively and defensively, to become a household name for many years to come.
Besides possibly batting average, I simply cannot see a scenario where Mauer will outplay Santana in 2011, as the Indians catcher will claim the top spot as the better overall ballplayer.
10. He Will Help the Indians Finish with a Record of .500 or Better
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There is always room for optimism as a Cleveland sports fan. Why should the 2011 Indians season be any different?
The Tribe finished with a 69-93 record in 2010, which was good for fourth place in the AL Central. I'll be the first to tell you, this season will be different. Now I am not saying the Indians will win over 95 games and win the division by another 10 games, but expectations are definitely higher.
A full season from Carlos Santana, filled with potential AL MVP type numbers gives Cleveland something to cheer about once again. It's been too long since the Tribe were looked at as a contender in the American League. With Choo, Santana, Sizemore, Carmona, Perez and other bright young stars, the Indians only can go up in their immediate success as an entire organization.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if by season's end, Santana was the new face of the Cleveland Indians, one that will stay on the shores of Lake Erie for a long time. As for the Indians record in 2011 (call me optimistic), but Cleveland will finish with a record at .500 or better thanks in large part to Santana and what he can bring in his first full season with the Indians.
How does 84-78 sound in 2011?
Well, just wait til I tell you what I expect from Santana and the Tribe in 2012.
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