It really doesn’t take a whole lot to figure out why the Indians are in a playoff race deep into September. Big money free agents Nick Swisher, who has gotten going of late, and Michael Bourn are having more of a supplemental effect on this season’s playoff chase. The bulk of the credit goes to the starting pitchers and pitching coach Mickey Callaway. The dramatic turnaround for the Indians, both in the team’s record and in the starting pitchers’ performance, is one of the least discussed, yet most impressive notes of the 2013 season.
The 2012 Indians rotation was historically bad. The rotation ranked 28th in ERA (5.25), 27th in fielder-independent pitching (FIP) (4.73), 29th in strikeout percentage (K%) (15.3%), walked the third-most batters (BB%) (8.7%), and allowed the ninth-most home runs per nine innings (HR/9) (1.19). Those were incredibly bad numbers, but the reasons were clearly evident. The Indians’ starters didn’t miss enough bats, allowed too many home runs – likely from pitching behind in the count so much – and walked too many batters.
Meaningful baseball in September…when asked in March of this year what I’d be happy with out of the 2013 Indians, I said meaningful baseball in September. Well, we’re being treated to that and more, as the Indians are playing not only entertaining and meaningful baseball, they’re on track for a playoff spot and have a chance to play meaningful baseball in October this season. It’s a remarkable turnaround from 2012’s iteration of the club, as gone are Casey Kotchman, Jack Hannahan, Shelly Duncan, Johnny Damon, Shin Soo Choo, Travis Hafner, Jose Lopez, Zeke Carrera, Jason Donald, Brent Lillibridge, and Aaron Cunningham, all players who got more than 100 AB with the 68-94 Indians. New additions Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn, Drew Stubbs, Jason Giambi, Mike Aviles, Yan Gomes, and Ryan Raburn have replaced them, and between the improvement in personnel and the switch from Manny Acta to Tito Francona, the Indians have already won 12 more games this season. 
I have a little bit of a sore throat this morning. Normally I'd blame my allergies, which are not fun to deal with at this time of the year. But I know exactly why there's a little raspiness.
They don't call him Big Game James for nothing. They also don't call it a strike ZONE for nothing. There was a multitude of things last night. This is playoff baseball though, so no excuses. Onto the next one today, but let's take a quick look back at last night.
In the midst of the 14-3 curbstomping of the Chicago White Sox, Tribe fans were treated to one of the game’s most underrated moments. Josh Tomlin made his Major League return after missing 13 months at that level as a result of Tommy John surgery and the subsequent rehab. It was a mere footnote in the game, as the Indians held a 14-2 lead when Tomlin took the mound, but for a guy that worked so hard to get the Major Leagues and had to endure the boredom, frustration, and pain that come along with rehabbing from major surgery, it was a great moment for Tomlin and one that Indians fans should remember.