Bold Predictions for the Indians’ Second Half

All this week we’ve been releasing the results a survey taken by 17 Indians writers representing seven different sites. We’ve predicted how Cleveland will finish the year. We’ve given out first-half awards and made our picks for who will carry the Tribe in the second. We’ve offered our thoughts on how the last few months have changed our minds about different facets of the organization, and we’ve revisited our preseason predictions—both the ones we got right and the ones we got wrong.

Today is the final installment of the poll results. At the end of the survey I asked our panelists to make a bold prediction or two for the rest of the season, and most were happy to oblige. Here’s what we’ve all seen in our crystal balls.

Charlie Adams (Indians Prospect Insider): Justin Masterson posts an incredible 2nd half; he will be among the league leaders in nearly every pitching category outside of K/9 where he will fall in the 7-15 range.

Merritt Rohlfing (Wahoo’s on First): The Indians will lose three more divisional games at home all year, including sweeping the White Sox in October to bury their season. Chris Perez and Vinnie Pestano won’t give up the lead when they get it all year. Jason Kipnis will have 25+ home runs.

Vince Guerrieri (Did The Tribe Win Last Night?): The Tigers will surge, but the Indians will hold them off. Masterson and Tomlin will start pitching better, and the Indians will run away with the Central and advance to the ALCS.

Lewie Pollis (Wahoo’s on First): Justin Masterson ranks among the league leaders in second-half ERA, Jason Kipnis gets some MVP votes, and Zach McAllister starts and wins multiple playoff games.

Craig Lyndall (WaitingForNextYear): Fausto Carmona will make his debut as Roberto Hernandez and will blow everyone away with his poise and ability. It might be wishful thinking, but if Hernandez is ever going to get it together it will be after going through something so mentally taxing as his birth certificate scandal.

Andy Cooper: Chris Perez will finish with the most saves in MLB.

Katie Hendershot (Wahoo’s on First): Carlos Santana is going to turn things around and begin to hit well. The team will be in contention through the end of August but September will be a bad month, with them falling out of contention rapidly.

Andrew Zajac (IPI): The Indians will finish right around the .500 mark, give or take a game or two. Grady Sizemore won’t make a sizable impact. Jason Kipnis will finish within the top five of second baseman in baseball in most offensive categories.

Mike Brandyberry (DTTWLN?): Johnny Damon continues to be hot, like he has been in June, and becomes a key cog in the offense.

Brian Heise (Wahoo’s on First): The front office will make only one move and it will be for a cheap, over the hill player that won’t make any difference. The team we have now is the team we’ll basically end the year with and they finish tied for third with Kansas City behind the surprising White Sox and equally disappointing Tigers.

Nino Colla (The Tribe Daily): The way he is swinging the bat, I could see Shin-Soo Choo placing himself in the MVP discussion if the team continues to win and claims the division. It will most likely be him as the reason why. At the leadoff spot, he’s re-ignited his hitting ways and looks as dangerous as ever.

TD (WFNY): The Indians will not trade for any sort of bat for left-field, but they will acquire a starting pitcher and replace Josh Tomlin from the rotation. They will hang around all season, because the AL Central is so bad, but the lack of quaility pitching top to bottom will eventually catch up to them and they will finish just under .500

Geordy Boveroux (Wahoo’s on First): I say Santana rebounds in a big way, and Jimenez continues to post one great start in the middle of some terrible ones to continue to tease fans with hope.

Ed Carroll (The Cleveland Fan): The Indians’ big trade is for a pitcher. The Tribe will snatch the division crown from a choking White Sox team, and Ubaldo Jimenez will be a big part of that. Grady Sizemore is done.

Steve Eby (DTTWLN?): The Tribe will make more than one trade before the end of July and someone suprising who is on the 25 man roster will be dealt.

Steve Kinsella (Wahoo’s on First): Ubaldo Jimenez will once again resemble the front of the rotation starter he once was and Zach McAllister will lock down a 2013 rotation spot.