Cleveland Indians well-represented among All-MLB nominees

Five Cleveland Indians have one more shot at recognition for outstanding individual performances during the 2019 season as finalists on the All-MLB ballot.

MLB announced Monday that it will reveal its first-ever All-MLB Team on December 10, 2019. Among the nominees for the 2019 All-MLB team are five Cleveland Indians: Francisco Lindor, Shane Bieber, Carlos Santana, Roberto Perez, and Brad Hand. Finding their names among the finalists for such a prestigious accolade is an honor on its own, but could a few of these guys actually make the team?

Because part of the process includes a fan vote, there will inevitably be skewed results–many of which won’t fall in Cleveland’s favor. Perez won a Gold Glove at catcher and was named the best defensive player in baseball.

Unfortunately, most casual fans don’t look at the spectrum from that far out. Perez hit .239, and is tied for the second-fewest home runs among the catchers on the ballot. That’s as far as his evaluations will be taken in a lot of cases.

Thankfully, fans don’t have all the say. The other half of the equation in determining the All-MLB team comes down to a panel of more knowledgeable baseball minds. It will be up to these people to offset the popularity contest by making sound and objective decisions.

Each member of the Indians has his respective work cut out for him, in any case. Santana was probably the best all-around first baseman in the AL, but he’s up against the likes of Freddie Freeman and Pete Alonso (among others) from the NL.

Marcus Semien finished third in AL MVP voting, which means it’s going to be difficult to make a case for Lindor to make the team at shortstop.

Brad Hand‘s second-half spiral probably knocks him out of the running among relievers, as former teammate Kirby Yates somewhat quietly put together one of the more impressive bullpen campaigns in recent memory.

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Things get interesting at starting pitcher, where fans can select up to five. Bieber could nab some votes that way. Working in his favor is that he rose from fifth starter to borderline ace out of sheer necessity. His value to the beleaguered Tribe rotation this year could be weighted heavily in the evaluations of some.

In the end, Perez probably has the best chance of any Cleveland player to be named to this team. He was already declared “the best” at something, which could offset his somewhat underwhelming hitting numbers if his defense is weighted appropriately. Either way, imagine thinking a year ago that Perez could be named the best all-around catcher in baseball.

Regardless of whether any of the Indians on the ballot are voted onto the team, Cleveland fans should be proud of what they have at Progressive Field. Two guys who didn’t end up on the ballot–Mike Clevinger and Jose Ramirez–put together excellent second halves of the season, and could possibly have wound up as finalists if not for injury.

Seven players would have tied the Red Sox for second-most on the ballot. The point is, the Indians are a really good baseball team.