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Inbox: What does Belcher bring?
MLB.com's Castrovince answers Tribe fans' questions
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
11/09/09 4:30 PM EST
As I mentally prepare for Tuesday night's Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band show here in Cleveland and the possibility that the Boss will treat us to an ultra-rare performance of "Chicken Lips and Lizard Hips," what better way to spend a beautiful, 70-degree Monday afternoon than to sit inside and read your Tribe-related e-mails? I can't think of any, so let's see what's shaking, shall we? You wrote in a previous Inbox that the pitching coach might be a more important hire than the manager. So, did the Indians get the right man for the job in Tim Belcher?-- Brad M., Lyndhurst, Ohio Personally, I was surprised by the Belcher hire, given his lack of coaching experience at any level. Belcher logged 14 seasons and 2,442 2/3 innings as a pitcher, so he's obviously no stranger to the Majors and what it takes to succeed and have longevity. But how effectively he'll apply that experience to this particular position will go a long way toward determining how quickly the Indians can get back into contention in the American League Central. By not going outside the organization for this hire (also a surprise), the Indians are clearly putting quite a bit of trust in the guidance Belcher has given the young arms in the Indians' system and the feedback and evaluation he's provided to the front office over the past eight years. This is a team that has been praised for its ability to groom young arms in the Minors but knocked for its inability to get those young arms to take that big leap toward sustained success at the Major League level. While Belcher did serve as a right-hand man, of sorts, to former pitching coach Carl Willis in Spring Training the past few years, his contributions were largely at the Minor League level. Evidently, Manny Acta and the Indians were impressed with the opinions he offered on the club's upper-level and big league pitchers during the interview process. To general manager Mark Shapiro and the other members of the Indians' front office, Belcher is a known commodity in terms of his knowledge of the various pitchers and skill sets he'll be entrusted with. Overall, it's an intriguing hire, as Belcher's background as a player is beyond reproach, while his skills as a coach are more of a mystery. John Farrell made a successful leap from Tribe pitcher to front-office employee to Red Sox pitching coach, and the Indians are hopeful Belcher will be just as successful in his journey. I have set low expectations for next year's team. However, I will continue to follow the Tribe like I have done religiously for the past 20 some years. Now I am aware that payroll will be slashed, but are there any plans to sign a veteran in the offseason to provide some leadership and guidance to all of the young players? Do you have any names that might be on the Tribe's radar?
-- Jason T., Indianapolis The Indians won't have the payroll freedom to be in on anything more than low-rung free agents in the open market. That market will, of course, take time to develop, and it's hard to see the Tribe coming out with a veteran of major impact. My guess is they'll seek out a veteran utility guy, for sure, and possibly a starting pitcher or veteran catcher. But that's it.
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-- Mike W., Rossford, Ohio The Yankees are greedy? What are you talking about? If you read or listened to the Yankees' quotes after they won the World Series, you know that team is gritty, not greedy. With heart and hustle, they came together this season and battled adversity. It's a truly touching tale -- one that is about as realistic as a salary cap coming to MLB anytime soon. Why wasn't Jim Hegan on the All-Time 9 Tribe list? I know his hitting was pretty anemic, but he was a big reason for the success of all those great arms in the late '40s and early '50s.
-- Larry U., Zanesville, Ohio The All-Time 9 candidacy is based solely on offensive output in a single season. Those who would like to vote are encouraged to do so here. What's the deal with Acta? Torey Lovullo would've been a much better hire, in my opinion. Per an exchange you and I had a couple years ago, I compare this hiring to the late night TV scene. Eric Wedge is like Jay Leno, still the best option, even though gone. Lovullo is like Conan O'Brien, the new most-worthy option. Acta is like Letterman, not appropriate for the position and a second-rate option. Thoughts?
-- Jonathan L., Medina, Ohio I think you sent this in just to get me riled up, Jonathan. And you succeeded. As for Lovullo, he is one of the candidates Acta has talked to while compiling his coaching staff. So maybe it will be like O'Brien getting a job on Letterman's joke-writing crew. Is Luis Valbuena going into 2010 as a starter at second base? What kind of numbers do you expect from him for a full season?
-- Darwin B., Regina, Canada Unless something drastic changes between now and Opening Day, Valbuena will be the Tribe's Opening Day second baseman in 2010. Actually, I take that back. Because if the White Sox start left-hander Mark Buehrle on Opening Day, Valbuena could be on the bench. That's how he was used in 2009, when he made just 40 plate appearances against lefties. Valbuena didn't fare well against left-handers in the Minors, so Wedge opted to protect him up here. Will Acta give Valbuena the same protection? That's something that will be sorted out next spring. For now, it's reasonable to assume that Valbuena will be the regular against right-handers, and the Indians hope the strong second half he put together is a sign of things to come. You have to like Valbuena's power potential. Consider that of his 92 hits in 103 games with the Indians, 38 went for extra bases, including 10 home runs. In fact, he finished second among AL rookies in extra-base hits and doubles (25). There will be second-season adjustments (there always are), but even when his numbers were paltry, Valbuena rarely put up poor at-bats and rarely looked overmatched. The second base outlook will also include Jason Donald at some point in '10. But perhaps not on Opening Day, as Donald was sidelined with a back issue at Triple-A Columbus shortly after coming over in the Cliff Lee trade and might need some more seasoning at that level. Donald could eventually be the one to get those second base at-bats against left-handed pitching. Any update on Jake Westbrook's recovery from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery? Will he pitch winter ball?
-- Paul A., Dublin, Ohio Westbrook is in Goodyear, Ariz., getting stretched out in anticipation of a Puerto Rican winter ball stint. The Indians have not yet finalized a time frame for his arrival to Puerto Rico, but it will probably be in late November, barring setbacks. You wanted a suggestion for a nickname for Acta? Well, it may not hold up over time, or maybe it can be successfully modified as the years progress, but how about we call him "Acta One" for his first season?
-- Kirk H., Toledo, Ohio Those familiar with the Italian-language version of "Playbill" have seen that before. I'll just say that I hope he knows how to handle this ailing rotation and doesn't "Acta fool."
-- Craig W., Massillon, Ohio Well played. ACTA = Advancing Cleveland to ALCS.
-- Bob B., Palm Harbor, Fla. If that's the case, they should have aimed higher and hired a guy named Actw.
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
