The season is over, but there are plenty of questions in this week's mailbag.
The Indians must hope for a return to slugging health for Travis Hafner, who is owed at least $28.75 million over the next three seasons.Hey, Hoynsie: Looking at Travis Hafner's future, what would the Indians be responsible for should he decide he can't play through the soreness? Assuming insurance kicks in and Cleveland is off the hook, can a neutral third party suggest this option to the powers that be? -- Adam Jardy, Columbus.
Hey, Adam: Hafner hit .329 (51-for-155) with 15 doubles, five homers and 21 RBI after the All-Star break. I know that number is soft, not backed by a lot of doubles, homers and RBI, but does that sound like a guy who can't play through the pain?
The Indians are on the hook for the whole enchilada -- $13 million in 2011, $13 million in 2012 and a $2.75 million buyout in 2013. If he goes on the disabled list, insurance will cover some of that, but they can't keep him there forever.
The Indians' options are to light a candle and pray Hafner's right shoulder heals itself during the off-season, try and get what they can out of him for the next two years or release him and absorb the contract.
Hey, Hoynsie: In several recent games, the Cardinals put ex-Indian starting pitcher Jake Westbrook eighth in the batting order. Is this some new National League strategy? He's barely hitting .100. It isn't like he's CC Sabathia. -- Chris Ball, Cleveland Heights
Hey, Chris: This is an old ploy by St. Louis manager Tony La Russa. He first did it in 1998. His feeling was that by putting a better hitter in the No.9 spot, rather than the pitcher, it gave him more chances to put runners on base for Mark McGwire.
He did it this year to try and kick start the Cardinals' struggling offense.
La Russa told St. Louis reporters, "I think it creates more opportunities for us to score, which is the bottom line. We're a wining ballclub so I am doing this to give us a better shot. If our offense was going crazy then I wouldn't be messing with it."
Hey, Hoynsie: Why is the number of innings a pitcher has thrown the measure of how much he has been used? I would think the number of pitches thrown would be a better measure. Pitcher A can go six innings and throw 100 pitches and Pitcher B can go nine innings and throw the same 100 pitches. If this is repeated throughout the season, wouldn't the number of pitches thrown be a better measurement of how much a pitcher is used? -- John Mayor, Marienville, Pa.
Hey, John: Teams keep track of innings and pitches thrown and use both statistics to measure a pitcher's workload.
If a pitcher throws 100 pitches in six innings, that means he's struggling. Those 100 pitchers aren't the same as a pitcher who cruises through nine innings. The pitcher who throws just six innings has put a lot more stress on his arm, so in that way innings are a better gauge of workload.
The combination of pitches and innings is probably the best way to weigh a pitcher's season.
Hey, Hoynsie: Are you concerned that player agents for the Tribe's young stars might try to force the front office to trade them to a better team? It seems as if the agents of the amateurs forced the Tribe to overpay this summer. -- Knuckie Thompson, Atlantic City.
Hey, Knuckie: Shouldn't you be on the set for HBO's "Boardwalk Empire"? Tell Scarface to make sure he files his tax returns.
Hey, Hoynsie: An age-old question --- in your Oct. 1 article concerning the Indians' win over Chicago, you stated: "The White Sox made it 3-2 in the second when Brent Morel hit a leadoff homer off the left field foul pole." If it is a foul pole, and it is hit by a batted ball, shouldn't it be foul? It makes more sense to call it a "fair pole" because if you hit it, the ball is fair. At the very least, this deserves a column all its own. -- Bob Carpenter, Glen Allen, Va.
Hey, Bob: I've been called a lot of things in my life, including fair and foul. But I've never been called late for dinner.
Michael Brantley's hitting streak to close the 2010 season gave the rookie outfielder reason to be optimistic for next spring.Hey, Hoynsie: Will the winter theme park at Progressive Field be free for season ticket holders who seem to be penalized annually when the roster is blown up at midseason? -- Arthur Halston, Shaker Heights
Hey, Arthur: The answer is no. But in talking to Mark Shapiro, new team president, I think there will be some relief directed toward ticket-buying fans before next season begins.
Hey, Hoynsie: Doesn't it appear now that Michael Brantley was the best part of the CC Sabathia trade? If Matt LaPorta can't start to hit for something resembling a decent average, where does the Tribe turn for a first baseman? Not to mention, of course, a third baseman. Oh, and a second baseman, too. -- Phil Williams, Charlotte, N.C.
Hey, Phil: Sounds like the Indians are committed to giving LaPorta a full -- and hopefully healthy -- season in 2011 to prove himself. I'm betting Jason Kipnis will get serious consideration to solve the Tribe's second base situation by the middle of the 2011 season. A lot of third-base free agents are going to be on the market. I'm betting the Indians sign one of them.
Brantley certainly closed the season in fine fashion. When it was announced that Brantley was the player to be named to complete the CC Sabathia deal, some said he might be the best player in the deal. We'll have to wait and see.
Hey, Hoynsie: The A's just brought up a great group of young starting pitching. They also had the Hudson, Mulder, Zito combination and had a big hand in Dan Haren. It seems like they always find quality pitching without spending much via trade or free agency. In contrast, the Indians had a very disappointing year from nearly every starter in AAA, and AA didn't really fare much better. More scouting or more player development? Should the Indians be paying closer attention to Oakland? -- Joe Winnfield, Columbus
Hey, Joe: Like you, I think highly of the A's pitching staff, but it's not like they just appeared this year.
Gio Gonzalez, former No.1 pick of the White Sox, has been in the big leagues for parts of three years. Dallas Braden (2004), Vin Mazzaro (2005) and Trevor Cahill (2006) were drafted by the A's. Brett Anderson was Arizona's No.2 pick in 2006.
The best part of the Indians this year was their pitching staff, including the work of young starters Justin Masterson, Mitch Talbot, Carlos Carrasco, Josh Tomlin and Jeanmar Gomez. Masterson, Talbot and Carrasco were acquired in trades, while Tomlin, Gomez and No.1 starter Fausto Carmona are homegrown.
I see more similarities than differences between the two staffs.
-- Hoynsie