Cleveland Indians: The long-awaited return of the Bullpen Mafia

In 2011 the Cleveland Indians’ bullpen was dubbed the Bullpen Mafia known for eliminating opposing batters. Now in 2020, that name could be resurrected.

In 2011 the Cleveland Indians saw their best season under manager Manny Acta, finishing just below .500 at 80-82 and a second-place finish in the AL Central. The success of the team that year was due in large part to the bullpen unit, the self-proclaimed “Bullpen Mafia.”

During that season, the Indians’ bullpen had five players that pitched at least 60 innings with all five registering an ERA below 3.35 and a WHIP below 1.24. As a group, they combined for 38 saves and logged 258 strikeouts over 284 innings while giving up just 95 earned runs.

Led by closer Chris Perez, who had the highest ERA of the bunch at 3.32, the bullpen flourished and locked down games late, despite not having any big name players. In addition to Perez, the core of the bullpen consisted of Joe Smith and Vinnie Pestano as the right-handers and Tony Sipp and Rafael Perez as the left-handers.

Now, looking at this year’s team, something similar can be said. Of the five core arms, there are three right-handers and two southpaws, the same makeup of 2011. Everyone has an ERA below 3.75 with the closer having the highest. If you take him out, the core five all have an ERA below 2.20. Additionally, everyone’s WHIP is below 1.05.

Now, you might be asking ‘Why now? Why not 2016 or 2017?’ The difference is who makes up the bullpen. Having Andrew Miller on those teams eliminated the chance of a Bullpen Mafia because he was so well known. The special aspect of the 2011 unit that reflects in the 2020 group is the lack of knowledge about the group and it isn’t exactly one, two or three guys. They’re unknown and operate as one.

No one expects the current bullpen to be dominant, but they are proving they can be. They strike when needed and eliminate the opposition.

Who is the ‘Joe Smith’ of 2020? Answer: Adam Cimber

The obvious comparison between the 2011 Joe Smith and the 2020 Adam Cimber is the release. Both provide a sidearm thrower that can throw off a batter’s eye and makes them more difficult to face. The role of the two, however, is a bit different.

Smith was the Tribe’s best reliever in 2011. Tossing a Bullpen Mafia-high 67 innings, Smith was the established reliever of the group that could be relied on in any situation. He held the lowest ERA of the unit at 2.01 and the second-best WHIP at 1.09 while allowing just one home run.

This year, Cimber isn’t regarded as the best reliever of the group, but he does have one of the better stat lines of the current Bullpen Mafia. With an ERA of 1.17, Cimber has the second-lowest on the team while also having an impressive 0.91 WHIP.

Perhaps the most glaring resemblance beyond just their delivery is how they get outs. In 2011 Smith had just 45 strikeouts over his 67 innings. This year, Cimber has just four strikeouts over 7.2 innings. Both of them were effective and knew how to get outs, but they didn’t do it in the typical way, but instead relied on their defense.

Having a strong reliever that is reliable in any situation is key and both Smith and Cimber supply that to their respective Bullpen Mafia groups.

Who is the ‘Rafael Perez’ of 2020? Answer: Oliver Perez

Believe it or not, Rafael Perez was the oldest member of the 2011 Bullpen Mafia at 29-years old. Obviously, Oliver Perez at 38 is the oldest in 2020, but that isn’t the only similarity between the two.

During the 2011 season, Rafael Perez played the role of the reliable left-handed reliever that complimented Joe Smith, depending on the situation. This year, we’ve seen a similar combination of Oliver Perez and Adam Cimber.

Over 12 innings this season, Oliver Perez has maintained a 1.50 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP having allowed just two runs and no home runs. This is a vast improvement over his 2011 counterpart and one that is being highly valued by the Indians.

Perez has settled into the role of the sixth or seventh inning, depending on the matchup at hand. He’s been reliable and also a veteran leader, being one of the players to speak up against Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac.

The difference between these two Perez’s is just that. Rafael Perez was a solid reliever that filled a role well, whereas Oliver Perez is better on the mound and just as valuable to the team off of it. Being in the top five for oldest players in the majors right now, Oliver Perez is still showing that he plays a vital role in the Indians success as a member of the 2020 Bullpen Mafia.

Who is the ‘Tony Sipp’ of 2020? Answer: Nick Wittgren

During the 2011 season Tony Sipp provided a very important role to the bullpen. He wasn’t exactly a setup-man or middle-reliever, but more of a situational, do-it-all type pitcher. He wasn’t the best member of the Bullpen Mafia, but he knew his role and did it well. That is Nick Wittgren in 2020.

Wittgren can be used in the seventh inning as needed, but he isn’t always the best option in that situation. Outside of the closer, Wittgren has the highest ERA of those we talk about here at 2.19 and also the highest WHIP at 0.97. These numbers are still solid, but with such a strong bullpen, his role can be slightly undefined on the surface, as was Sipp’s in 2011.

In 2011, Sipp also had the highest ERA outside of the closer and the second-highest WHIP as well, but he served a purpose. He was called upon for 62.1 innings that year and was effective when needed.

Wittgren has been in a similar position so far this season. Tossing 12.1 innings already, the second-most of the bullpen, Wittgren has found a niche that he can control in the game. When certain situations arise, he’s the one that comes on, playing a very key role in the team’s success.

Who is the ‘Vinnie Pestano’ of 2020? Answer: James Karinchak

Before his falloff, Vinnie Pestano was considered one of the best setup-men in baseball. In his 2011 season alone, Pestano registered a Bullpen Mafia-high 84 strikeouts over 62 innings of work, accounting for nearly half of his outs recorded. This is actually eerily similar to what we’re seeing this season out of James Karinchak.

Providing the fire-throwing setup-man of the 2020 Bullpen Mafia, Karinchak has 31 strikeouts over 16.2 innings, resulting in 62% of his outs coming by strikeout. But it isn’t just the strikeouts that makes Karinchak special in the eighth the way Pestano was.

So far this year, Karinchak’s ERA is just 0.54 while his WHIP is 0.66. Both of those statistics are leading the group we’re talking about here. He is just dominant, and honestly a much better version of Pestano.

In addition to a stellar ERA and WHIP, Karinchak has allowed just one earned run and given up only five hits and no home runs. The one concern is he has six walks on the year, but at just 24-years old there is plenty of time to correct that. Don’t be surprised if Karinchak is not only a member of Bullpen Mafia for a long-time, but soon the anchor of the group working the ninth.