Cleveland Indians: Getting the most out of the outfielders in the ALDS

In order to win in the ALDS, the Cleveland Indians must take advantage of having difference makers in the outfield.

When the Cleveland Indians announced their American League Division Series roster, many people spoke up to debate the pitching. But another thing that stood out were the outfielders that were included on the ALDS roster.

While there are plenty of great players to slot in the outfield, it’s key for Terry Francona to make the most of their talents at the right moment.

With that said let’s take a look at what Tito has to work with in the outfield:

In the chess match that will take place between the Indians and the Yankees, a key maneuver the Indians must make is taking advantage of the bats that these outfielders bring to the lineup.

One can assume the starting lineup for the outfield will look something like this: Lonnie Chisenhall in left, Jason Kipnis in center and  Jay Bruce in right.

There is nothing wrong with this lineup; however, leaving Austin Jackson out of the starting lineup is a mistake. Jackson’s bat has been an extremely beneficial one for the Indian’s lineup. In August, few players were hitting as well as Jackson. In his last last 30 games the veteran is batting .344 in 61 at-bats. That is second to only All-Star Jose Ramirez in the Indians lineup.

One can make the argument that Jackson deserves to start over Kipnis in center field. This is nothing against Kipnis, but his lack of experience in the center field has shown since he returned to the position in late August. This isn’t to say Kipnis shouldn’t be used. He is a perfect fit in a pinch-hit role.

Looking at the hitting numbers between Kipnis and Jackson, it shows just how valuable Jackson’s bat is. At home, Jackson’s batting average is .266 compared to Jason Kipnis’ .225. Comparing their OBP numbers at home also shows they are relatively close at Progressive Field, with Jackson at .338 and Kipnis at .302.

What stands out for Austin Jackson are his numbers on the road. His batting average on the road this season is .359. That is far and away the best on the team and good for second-best in the American League; second only to the Astros’ Jose Altuve. Jackson is also batting .316 while hitting second in the lineup.

Are you starting to see the trend? He is consistently batting over .300. 26 of his 35 runs batted in have come with runners in scoring position. Jackson is just too clutch too leave out of the starting lineup. Oh and he did this:

Fans shouldn’t take issue starting Jay Bruce and Lonnie Chisenhall in right and left field, respectively. If Tito plans on starting Kipnis in center, Jackson could make a start in left or pinch-hit for Lonnie; however, that role seems to be reserved for Michael Brantley.

Greg Allen has shown a capability to fly around the outfield down the stretch as well.

Next: Road to WS begins with tough Yankees team

The biggest question for the Tribe and their outfield, along with the return of Michael Brantley, is how will Austin Jackson be used. Jackson has proven himself a star on this team in 2017 and deserves to be in the starting lineup as much as anyone.