Cleveland Indians down to No. 10 overall in ESPN power rankings

The Cleveland Indians are off to a bit of a slow start, causing them to fall six spots in the latest edition of ESPN’s MLB power rankings.

Nothing like a drop in some initial power rankings to rile up the masses.

The Cleveland Indians opened the year at No. 4 overall in ESPN’s MLB power rankings, but are now down to No. 10 in this week’s edition. Let the panic ensue.

This drop should have been expected with the way the Indians have opened the season. The team has yet to find a rhythm at the plate, but the pitching staff has been there to help the team reach the current record of 4-5.

Here is what the power rankings article had to say about the Indians:

"Most of the Indians’ hitters have been ice-cold initially, but getting oft-injured Michael Brantley back from the DL provided an immediate boost as he powered a win in their home opener. Nick Goody has also looked good stepping into Bryan Shaw‘s shoes to join Andrew Miller and Cody Allen and create a new late-game power trio in the pen."

I touched on Nick Goody potentially replacing Bryan Shaw earlier this week, and right now he remains as the likely option to remain in that setup role if he can avoid any disastrous outings. The problem is he isn’t getting too many opportunities to prove himself in holding any leads due to the lack of offense. That will hopefully change soon.

There isn’t much to say that hasn’t already been said. It is so early in the season that panicking is far too drastic. The time to panic comes if the Indians are well below the .500 mark at the All-Star break. That happening would be the shock of the entire MLB season and even considering such a possibility at this point in time is a bit foolish. But I know the hot takes are out there!

Next: Previewing the upcoming series vs. the Detroit Tigers

So what do you think about this ranking? Is it too low and an overreaction or is it deserved?