Cleveland Indians: Ranking the Roster at the 2011 MLB All-Star Break

The Cleveland Indians may have fallen out of first place in MLB's AL Central Division going into the 2011 All-Star break, but their 47-42 record is nothing to sneeze at. Before the year, the Indians were supposed to compete with the Kansas City Royals for last place in the Central; instead, they're contending for the playoffs. Even if the Tribe have tailed off recently, it's still better than the last few years. 

Though the Indians have done well, everyone on the team hasn't contributed evenly to the overall success of the team. Some have added a lot to the team; others would help the Indians more by going away.

With that in mind, here is the Indians' active roster ranked from 25th to first. (If you want to see my previous rankings, you can see the preseason ranks here and the ranks at the 40-game mark here.)

Note: Ranking the active roster means some big-name players aren't on this list. Here is everyone of note not ranked in this article (rank at the 40-game mark and at the beginning of the season in parentheses):

Shin-Soo Choo (Second, first)

Fausto Carmona—would be last in these rankings if he weren't on the DL (13th, 15th)

Alex White (19th, NR)

Adam Everett (20th, 23rd)

Justin Germano (24th, 25th)

No. 25 Chad Durbin

2011 Stats

6.51 ERA (59 ERA+), 1.634 WHIP, 7.7 SO/9, 2.9 BB/9, 2.67 SO:BB, -0.7 WAR

Last Ranked

25th (at the 40-game mark), seventh (at the start of the season)

Though Chad Durbin has gotten his strikeouts and walks in line, there's little doubt that he is the worst player currently on the Indians. The only Tribe player with a lower WAR this year is Fausto Carmona. That's not good company to be in.

What are the Indians gaining with Durbin on the roster? They typically only pitch him when the game's out of hand. Wouldn't the Tribe be better off with a younger pitcher gaining experience in that time instead of giving a past-his-prime pitcher the work? It's time for Chad Durbin to go.

No. 24 Mitch Talbot

2011 Stats

6.33 ERA (61 ERA+), 1.800 WHIP, 5.4 SO/9, 3.7 BB/9, 1.46 SO:BB, -0.5 WAR

Last Ranked

NR, 24th

Mitch Talbot reappears in the rankings, and promptly resumes his role as second-worst player on the team. His WHIP and ERA are ridiculously high and his SO:BB is far too low. I know Zach McAllister had a rough major league debut, but I still feel he (or maybe Jeanmar Gomez) can fill a rotation spot better than Talbot can.

I don't think Mitch Talbot will ever become a viable major league starter, so why keep pretending? 

No. 23 Luis Valbuena

2011 Stats

.125/.125/.125, .250 OPS, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 3:0 SO:BB, -0.1 WAR

Last Ranked

NR, NR

Three strikeouts in his first eight plate appearances, no walks and one hit. Doesn't the 2011 version of Luis Valbuena seem similar to the one we saw in 2010? And in 2009? I know he did well in AAA this year (.313/.379/.518, .890 OPS), but hasn't the Valbuena ship sailed?

Hopefully Valbuena is just keeping the seat warm for Jason Kipnis. Kipnis, who just participated in the 2011 MLB All-Star Futures Game, currently boasts a .297/.380/.506 slash line, 11 HR, 51 RBI, 11 SB and 61:45 SO:BB at AAA.

Luis Valbuena isn't fixing the Tribe's offensive woes, but Jason Kipnis might. Essentially, this roster spot absolutely belongs to Jason Kipnis over Luis Valbuena.

No. 22 Travis Buck

2011 Stats

.256/.295/.384, .679 OPS (90 OPS+), 2 HR, 16 RBI, 1 SB, 22:6 SO:BB, 0.0 WAR

Last Ranked

17th, 22nd

Seriously, what stats up there make anyone think that Travis Buck is anything but replaceable? We need a replacement for Shin-Soo Choo in right field for the time being, and Travis Buck is far from the answer. He's fluff on the roster that can easily be trimmed. There are deserving players (Ezequiel Carrera, Chad Huffman) in AAA that could fill in just as well, if not better.

No. 21 Shelley Duncan

2011 Stats

.240/.274/.400, .674 OPS (87 OPS+), 3 HR, 20 RBI, 0 SB, 28:4 SO:BB, 0.1 WAR

Last Ranked

22nd, 13th

Shelley Duncan basically hits the ball a mile or makes an out; there's no in-between. This trait makes him a great pinch-hitter, but little more. He has value to the 2011 Indians, but not all that much.

No. 20 Frank Herrmann

2011 Stats

3.90 ERA, 1.400 WHIP, 6.9 SO/9, 2.1 BB/9, 3.29 SO:BB, -0.1 WAR

Last Ranked

NR, 21st

It's a good day when I can put our Ivy League representative back in the rankings. Frank Herrmann may not be a sexy name, but his good SO:BB ratio and very low BB/9 rate mean he will be effective. Plus, when you consider that Herrmann is our sixth-best reliever, it means the Bullpen Mafia is in great shape.

No. 19 Orlando Cabrera

2011 Stats

.247/.279/.330, .609 OPS, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 5 SB, 34:11 SO:BB, 0.1 WAR

Last Ranked

12th, sixth

Orlando Cabrera's clubhouse presence and veteran leadership are irreplaceable. His on-field performance is. Luckily, the Tribe have slowly phased O-Cab out of the everyday lineup and let him fill in at second base, shortstop and third base. That is the role Cabrera is best suited for at this point in his career. 

No. 18 Lonnie Chisenhall

2011 Stats

.267/.313/.467 slash line, .779 OPS (116 OPS+), 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 7:1 SO:BB, 0.2 WAR

Last Ranked

NR, NR

Until he was hit in the face by a pitch, Lonnie Chisenhall was adjusting well to big league life. He's hitting with some pop and doing an adequate job playing third base. While he needs to strike out less and walk a little more, there's no doubt that he's been a breath of life into the 2011 Cleveland Indians.

No. 17 Matt LaPorta

2011 Stats

.243/.304/.421, .724 OPS (102 OPS+), 8 HR, 32 RBI, 1 SB, 50:17 SO:BB, 0.3 WAR

Last Ranked

10th, 10th

Life hasn't been good to Matt LaPorta recently. His ankle injury was preceded by a lengthy slump that saw his production plummet. He isn't a bad player, but this year he's been nothing special. If LaPorta wants to be a long-term answer for the Tribe, he'll need to pick it up soon. 

No. 16 Austin Kearns

2011 Stats

.212/.301/.297, .597 OPS, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 39:12 SO:BB, 0.6 WAR

Last Ranked

21st, 14th

Seems high, right? I can't stand his offense, but the truth is, Austin Kearns is a very good defender. Add in the fact that he's a rare right-handed bat on the Tribe's roster. As long as he's the fourth outfielder, he's a perfect fit on the 2011 Cleveland Indians (because being the fourth outfielder means rarely hitting). 

No. 15 Lou Marson

2011 Stats

.241/.286/.319, .605 OPS, 0 HR, 8 RBI, 1 SB, 28:8 SO:BB, 0.6 WAR

Last Ranked

16th, 12th

Like Austin Kearns, Lou Marson's elite defense makes him an ideal backup. Sure, he can't hit at all, but that's not what your backup catcher is supposed to do. Lou Marson is good right where he is.

No. 14 Jack Hannahan

2011 Stats

.222/.312/.348, .659 OPS, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 2 SB, 56:30 SO:BB, 0.7 WAR

Last Ranked

Eighth, ninth

Jack Hannahan's offensive and defensive contributions were a big reason the Indians got off to such a hot start this year. His offense regressing back to his career norms is why he's fallen in these rankings. He's a perfect backup for first base and third base because of his defense, but it's best for the 2011 Indians that Lonnie Chisenhall has taken over the role at third base. 

No. 13 Carlos Carrasco

2011 Stats

4.28 ERA, 1.297 WHIP, 6.0 SO/9, 2.5 BB/9, 2.39 SO:BB, 0.9 WAR

Last Ranked

23rd, 19th

For a while, it looked like Carlos Carrasco had arrived. Like many young players, though, it was one of the many ups and downs the baseball season holds. He's still a good pitcher, but he has room to grow. If he can improve his SO/9 rate, his ERA will continue to fall and he'll have a chance to fulfill his high potential.

No. 12 Rafael Perez

2011 Stats

1.91 ERA, 1.195 WHIP, 6.0 SO/9, 2.9 BB/9, 2.08 SO:BB, 0.8 WAR

Last Ranked

15th, 11th

I may worry about Rafael Perez's low SO/9 rate going forward, but we aren't looking for Perez to be lights-out. All we need Perez to do is be a strong middle reliever and he's been just that. The bullpen is one of the Tribe's major strengths.

No. 11 Tony Sipp

2011 Stats

2.72 ERA, 0.963 WHIP, 8.4 SO/9, 3.5 BB/9, 2.43 SO:BB, 0.8 WAR

Last Ranked

Seventh, eighth

It may not always be pretty, but Tony Sipp is a valued member of the Bullpen Mafia. While most contenders will be looking for bullpen help at the trade deadline, the Indians are pretty well set.

No. 10 Vinnie Pestano

2011 Stats

2.97 ERA, 1.050 WHIP, 12.7 SO/9, 3.5 BB/9, 3.62 SO:BB, 0.8 WAR

Last Ranked

11th, 20th

Vinnie Pestano may have hit a bump in the road last week against the Yankees, but he's still a top-10 player on the 2011 Cleveland Indians. His SO/9 is off the charts and his surprising emergence is part of the reason the Tribe have been so good this year.

He will need to keep up his performance in the second half if the Indians are going to make the playoffs. 

No. 9 Grady Sizemore

2011 Stats

.226/.291/.443, .734 OPS, 9 HR, 27 RBI, 0 SB, 72:15 SO:BB, 1.0 WAR

Last Ranked

NR, NR

Due to the timing of his DL stints, I haven't had the chance to rank Grady Sizemore yet. The public opinion is that Sizemore has been a major disappointment this year, but that's not true—he's just been a minor disappointment.

Recovery from microfracture surgery takes time. The fact that Sizemore is playing this well is impressive. Sure, he needs to walk more and strike out less, but he'll get there. This season is just a speed bump in the road to recovery for Grady. He's not doing all that poorly and should be fine by 2012.

No. 8 Joe Smith

2011 Stats

0.85 ERA, 1.168 WHIP, 5.4 SO/9, 3.1 BB/9, 1.73 SO:BB, 1.1 WAR

Last Ranked

18th, NR

Something about Joe Smith's 0.85 ERA, low SO/9 rate and SO:BB ratio doesn't go together. FanGraphs.com agrees, seeing as Smith's xFIP this year is 3.76.

Joe Smith has been insanely lucky this year and can't be expected to pitch as well as he has in the second half. He'll be good, but not this good.

No. 7 Chris Perez

2011 Stats

2.43 ERA (159 ERA+), 1.170 WHIP, 5.9 SO/9, 4.1 BB/9, 1.47 SO:BB, 1.3 WAR, 21 SV, All-Star

Last Ranked

14th, fourth

I still feel Chris Perez's success is unsustainable with his poor peripherals, but he's found a way in 2011. Perez will be enjoying the All-Star break in Arizona due to his good work, and the Indians wouldn't be the same without him.

No. 6 Josh Tomlin

2011 Stats

3.81 ERA (100 ERA+), 1.020 WHIP, 5.1 SO/9, 1.1 BB/9, 4.64 SO:BB, 1.5 WAR

Last Ranked

Ninth, 18th

Josh Tomlin will never be a staff ace with his low SO/9 rate, but when you limit walks as much as he does, you'll be just fine. Tomlin will be prone to some bad stretches, but overall, he's a great member of the Tribe's rotation.

No. 5 Travis Hafner

2011 Stats

.325/.406/.528, .934 OPS, 8 HR, 35 RBI, 0 SB, 40:20 SO:BB, 1.6 WAR

Last Ranked

Third, fifth

The results are in: the Pronk of old is back. Culminating with his walk-off grand slam, Hafner's first half was back to his elite 2004-2006 form. The Tribe's offense hasn't been the best of late and they'll need everything they can get out of Pronk if they want to make the playoffs. 

No. 4 Carlos Santana

2011 Stats

.230/.363/.418, .781 OPS, 13 HR, 41 RBI, 3 SB, 68:62 SO:BB, 1.8 WAR

Last Ranked

Fifth, second

I'm sick of people complaining about Carlos Santana; he's having a very good year. Obviously we all wish he was hitting a bit better, but have you really looked at his SO:BB? It's refreshing to see how he values a walk, putting the good of the team over just hacking away at the ball.

Carlos has a good head on his shoulders and there's nothing wrong with his hitting. The Indians (and their fans) are very lucky to have him.

No. 3 Michael Brantley

2011 Stats

.268/.329/.381, .710 OPS, 6 HR, 35 RBI, 12 SB, 56:32 SO:BB, 1.9 WAR

Last Ranked

Fourth/17th

Michael Brantley's offensive numbers are impressive, but his 0.9 dWAR is just as striking. The player to be named later in the CC Sabathia deal is quickly establishing himself as the best of that bunch. If Brantley can continue to improve, he has a chance to be a very good player. He's been a real asset to the Tribe and their surprise contention this year.

No. 2 Asdrubal Cabrera

2011 Stats

.293/.347/.489, .836 OPS (133 OPS+), 14 HR, 51 RBI, 12 SB, 66:23 SO:BB, 2.8 WAR

Last Ranked

First, third

When Derek Jeter pulled out of the 2011 All-Star Game it allowed Asdrubal Cabrera to take his rightful spot as the starting shortstop on the AL team. He would be even better if he could improve his defense (he makes SportsCenter's "Top 10" but has a well below-average range, as is evidenced by his minus-0.5 dWAR), but the main point is that Asdrubal Cabrera has been a huge part of the Indians success in 2011.

He just hasn't had as big of a part as the man that follows...

No. 1 Justin Masterson

2011 Stats

2.64 ERA (145 ERA+), 1.223 WHIP, 6.4 SO/9, 2.9 BB/9, 2.23 SO:BB, 3.1 WAR

Last Ranked

Sixth, 16th

I have had a new representative at the top of each of my 2011 Indians rankings so far. This one might come as a surprise, but Justin Masterson has been more than masterful (horrible, horrible pun there) for the Indians in 2011.

He may not be a real ace, but he's acted like one all year. Hopefully the Tribe will go out and get him some help at the top of the rotation before the trade deadline. Still, even if they don't, maybe Masterson will continue to step up his game.

To this point in the season, has anyone stepped it up like Justin Masterson? Not quite, which is why he gets the top spot in these rankings as we enter the All-Star break.