The Cleveland Indians Don’t Need to Add Another Outfielder

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Chisenhall and Cowgill in Right Field

Lonnie Chisenhall and Collin Cowgill could form a platoon in right field, and if the season began today, that’s likely what we would see from the Cleveland Indians. While I can hear the fans’ groans through my computer screen, let me provide some comfort:

"Lonnie Chisenhall career vs RHP: .261 AVG, .311 OBP, .416 SLG, 101 wRC+ Collin Cowgill career vs LHP: .270 AVG, .327 OBP, .406 SLG, 108 wRC+"

Are these earth-shattering offensive numbers? Absolutely not. Are they above average numbers? Yes, even if only slightly so. But that’s not completely where the story ends…

While neither player has proven to be all that special with the bat, where they have shown off some impressive skills is on defense. Chisenhall’s defensive struggles at third base are well documented. His breakout 2014 season was great at the plate, but he produced a -14 DRS at third, and for his career he’s a -7 DRS at the position. However, after his mid-season demotion to Triple-A, he switched to the outfield and almost overnight turned into a gold glove caliber defender. The sample size is small, so these numbers can’t be taken as gospel, but he produced a +11 DRS and a +35.3 UZR/150 (Ultimate Zone Rating average per 150 games). While he didn’t play enough to qualify, those numbers would have ranked fourth and first, respectively, among all MLB right fielders in 2015.

Meanwhile, Cowgill has also produced some impressive defensive numbers, posting a +16 DRS in right field and +12 in left field in his career. Like Chisenhall, his sample isn’t too high (only 542 MLB innings and 78 games in right field); however, one thing he’s always been praised for is his defense in the outfield. Bottom line, between Chisenhall and Cowgill, no matter which is out there, the Cleveland Indians are likely to be playing one of the best defensive right fielders in the league. Therefore, even if they “only” produce league-average offense in their platoon, they’ll be producing well-above league-average value overall. For a little over $3 million, one can’t be too upset with that.

Almonte and Davis Another Duo?

While this platoon is less “in stone” as the Chisenhall-Cowgill one would appear to be, an Abraham Almonte–Rajai Davis platoon could actually be just as effective in center field. If the season began today there’s a strong possibility that the switching-hitting Almonte would be the everyday center fielder, with Davis playing every day in left field for the injured Michael Brantley. However, looking at each player’s career splits it would seem that a platoon is more in order:

"Abraham Amonte career vs RHP: .244 AVG, .304 OBP, .410 SLG, 99 wRC+ Rajai Davis career vs LHP: .296 AVG, .351 OBP, .448 SLG, 118 wRC+"

And while Almonte’s numbers versus right-handed pitching appear to leave much to be desired, he did hit them much better in 2015 batting .250 with a .779 OPS and 112 wRC+. His numbers versus left-handed pitching meanwhile, were even worse as he posted a mere .548 OPS and 51 wRC+ against southpaws in 2015, numbers very much in line with the rest of his career.

More from Away Back Gone

Defensively, Almonte has proven to be a rather effective center fielder, producing a +8 DRS in parts of three big league seasons, though only 112 games and 938 big league innings. Rajai Davis has a much larger sample and while he’s never been known for his defense in center field, he’s actually produced solid numbers. In over 3900 big league innings and in 537 games, he has a +6 DRS and 1.3 UZR/150. Hardly Gold Glove numbers, but average-to-above average despite him getting up there in age.

So while the Chisenhall-Cowgill platoon was more about league average offense coupled with plus-plus defense, the Almonte-Davis platoon could be a case of plus offense with the defense being closer to league average. Either way, this “platoon” would appear to provide plus production out of center field, or at least the kind of production that shouldn’t force the Indians to upgrade before the season begins.

Next: But What About LF?

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