Cleveland Indians: Several former players on “Anti All-Star” team

(Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images)
(Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images)

Several former Cleveland Indians are having terrible starts to the season after leaving the team during this past offseason.

The Cleveland Indians currently need help in both the bullpen and the outfield.

Bryan Shaw and Jay Bruce were two players who filled those needs, but both left for new teams and new contracts in the offseason. It’s a good thing they did.

Both Shaw and Bruce showed up in an article written by Ryan Fagan of Sporting News in which he goes through to find the “Anti All-Stars” so far this season.

It never seemed like the Indians planned on keeping Bruce and there was no chance the team was going to match the three-year, $39 million given to him by the Mets.

The veteran outfielder has three home runs this season and was one of the first cuts on my fantasy team. He is slashing .212/.292/.321 and is currently on the disabled list. If the decision was between Michael Brantley or Bruce, the Indians avoided disaster.

As for Shaw, he may have been run out of town if he remained in Cleveland this season. He got himself a nice three-year, $27 million deal with the Colorado Rockies and has not exactly lived up to the money.

Shaw has logged 35.2 innings so far in 41 appearances. In that span he has allowed 30 runs, which ties the career high he allowed last season. That came in 76.2 innings. His ERA of 7.57 is atrocious and he has already walked 20 batters. 28 walks is the most he has ever allowed in a single season.

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For all the problems the Indians have right now it is a good thing that Bruce and Shaw aren’t here to make things worse. They both would have taken up a lot of the payroll and would have caused some fans to be unable to watch the games for health reasons.