Small market baseball = small windows

As bad as the Cleveland Indians are this season (and as bad as they'll probably be next season), they've set themselves up with a nice little window to make a run at a World Series. They'll have about a three year window--2012 through 2014--where they'll have a legit shot at winning a World Series. The reason the window is so small is because by the end of 2014, all of the young guys who develop into stars will be traded away due to cheap ownership. Nonetheless, this team is shaping up to be a potential contender by 2012 (although 2013 might be more realistic). You take a look at the probable starting lineup for next season, and it doesn't look bad.

1. Michael Brantley LF
2. Asdrubal Cabrera SS
3. Shin Soo-Choo RF
4. Carlos Santana C
5. Grady Sizemore CF
6. Travis Hafner DH
7. Jhonny Peralta 3B
8. Matt LaPorta 1B
9. Jason Donald 2B

Obviously you have to take into consideration that Hafner and Peralta could be gone by the time they're contending in 2012 or 2013. If they are, Lonnie Chisenhall is supposed to be a solid up and coming 3B.

Overall, that's a decent lineup. You already know your 2-5 hitters are very solid. If Brantley can keep developing along with LaPorta and Donald, we could have one of the better offenses in baseball.

The reason I don't say they'll be anywhere near contenders next year is because the above mentioned guys will still be developing. Another big reason is because pitching isn't anywhere close to where in needs to be. Skipping over the 2011 season and looking forward to 2012 or 2013, you could potentially see a starting rotation of:

1. Fausto Carmona
2. Alex White
3. Nick Pomeranz
4. Mitch Talbot
5. Justin Masterson

(or Carlos Carrasco/Aaron Laffey if both keep developing)

White and Pomeranz were high draft picks, and both have phenominal stuff. White is already tearing up AA ball with an ERA under 2.00 and Pomeranz was a top-5 pick for a reason. Fausto seems to have his control back (for the most part) and is showing signs than he can anchor a rotation like he did in '07. Talbot/Laffey/Carrasco/Masterson are all young arms that have good enough stuff to put together solid seasons. Whether they can or not remains to be seen, but the Indians certainly have set themselves up to have a little nice little rotation going in a few years.

Add that nice little (projected) rotation to what could be a very solid lineup, and you've got the recipe for success in a few years. Obviously with the Dolans as owners that window for success will be very small, but don't forget--they were in this same situation in 2005. A team that looked like it was going nowhere anytime soon, and by 2007 they were one win away from the World Series. There's no reason to think they can't do it again. Whether it be in 2012, 2013 or 2014, if the Indians are going to make a run at a World Series, that's when they need to do it. Because by 2015, we'll be right back in the same situation we are this year.

Such is life being a fan of a small market baseball team with cheap ass owners.