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Cleveland Indians: A Position-by-Position Breakdown of the ALCS

By Henry Palattella

Oct 10, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Indians teammates celebrate after defeating the Boston Red Sox 4-3 in game three of the 2016 ALDS playoff baseball series at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Indians teammates celebrate after defeating the Boston Red Sox 4-3 in game three of the 2016 ALDS playoff baseball series at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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Catcher

Oct 9, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin (55) hits a solo home run against the Texas Rangers in the first inning during game three of the 2016 ALDS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 9, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin (55) hits a solo home run against the Texas Rangers in the first inning during game three of the 2016 ALDS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /

Indians: Roberto Perez, Yan Gomes

Blue Jays: Russell Martin, Dioner Navarro

Cleveland might not be where they are today if it wasn’t for the catcher position, which is hard to believe considering that the unit was somewhat of a black hole  during the regular season. Roberto Perez set the tone early in game one against Boston, making a great tag on Brock Holt to limit early inning damage, hit an opposite-field home run, and generated another score with his baserunning.

Perez was the only catcher that the Indians used in the ALDS, but that doesn’t mean that Tito doesn’t have backstop reinforcement. Yan Gomes is on the Indians’ ALCS roster, and could see some time behind the plate if need be. Meanwhile, Jonathon Lucory went 1-12 during the Blue Jays sweep of the Rangers. Life comes at you fast.

Toronto counters with a marvelous game manager themselves in the form of Russell Martin. Martin is no stranger to postseason play, as he has been on a postseason team every year since 2011. The veteran has only had one hit so far this postseason, but he had his fingerprints all over the Blue Jays clinching win on Tuesday, extending the Toronto lead with a solo home run in the first inning.

Martin also hit the ball that the Rangers misplayed which led to Josh Donaldson running home with the game-winning run.

Veteran Dioner Navarro, who has yet to play this postseason, is a serviceable backup that was picked up in an August trade with the White Sox, but struggled to the tune of 6-for-33 since that time.

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