Opening Day Roster:
The Indians entered 1978 thirty years removed from their last World Series title and 24 years removed from their last AL pennant. Their GM, Phil Seghi, was not only terrible at running a ball club, but also had developed a reputation for dishonesty with some of his players. On the bright side, Gabe Paul was installed as team President early in the year. Paul had been an executive with the Yankees and had been integral to building them into soon-to-be repeat champions. One of his first actions with Cleveland was to get rid of the horrific red-on-red uniforms they had used in previous years - thank Heaven for small miracles, as they say. Other than that, there just wasn't much to feel good about on the shores of Lake Erie. Wayne Garland, their splash-making free agent signing from the previous year, lost 19 games in 1977 and was about to implode; they traded a future Hall-of-Famer, Dennis Eckersley, late in spring training to the Red Sox for several players who never lived up to their potential; Seghi's poor judgment had left them thin at several key positions, and they still played in cavernous Municipal Stadium. This all led to a 69-90 record in 1978, which was good enough for a 6th place finish, 29 games behind the Yankees.
In the minors, other than future Wily Veteran/Journeyman Larry Andersen, not much was percolating.
36-year old Jeff Torborg entered his first full season as skipper. His coaching staff included pitching coach Harvey Haddix, hitting coach Rocky Colavito (who also coached at 1st), 3rd base coach Joe Nossek, and, in the bullpen, coaching-savant-to-be Dave Duncan.
David Clyde, SP:
The one-time Ranger phenom, and perpetual object lesson in the hazards of rushing young pitchers, hadn't pitched in the majors since 1975. Clyde was trying to salvage something of a career in Cleveland. He won his first 3 starts (including 2 complete games) and posted a respectable 8-11 record in 25 starts. After 1979, he never pitched again.
Wayne Garland, SP:
Wayne was an unlikely 20-game winner for the Orioles in 1976, and the Indians rewarded him with a 10-year, $2,000,000 contract in 1977. After losing 19 in '77, he won his first start in '78, and pitched well in his second, but had a record of 2-3 before being diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff. He was placed on the DL on May 2, and was done for the year. Over the next three years, he managed to go just 13-26. He retired after the 1981 season, but remained on the Cleveland payroll until 1986.
Don Hood, SP:
The Indians' most consistent pitcher during spring training, Hood began the year in the rotation. He compiled a 5-4 record in that role, but carried an ERA over 5.00 and had an upside down strikeout to walk ratio. When Dave Freisleben was signed in July, Don was sent to the pen for the remainder of the year.
Rick Waits, SP:
The most dependable Cleveland starter of his era, Rick compiled a record of 74-84 with the Indians between 1975 and 1983. In 1978, he went 13-15 in 33 starts, notching 15 complete games in the process, including a 2-hit shutout of the Rangers on April 17th. Not limiting himself to athletic pursuits, Rick also studied singing, and sang the national anthem before a home game.
Rick Wise, SP:
Rick came to Cleveland as part of the Eckersley deal with Boston before the season started. It was long assumed he'd be dealt by the Sox because of differences he had with Don Zimmer. His 9-19 record with the Indians in 1978 hides the fact he was the team's best, most consistent pitcher throughout the year - his ERA was a bit high at 4.34, but he struck out 106 against only 59 walks. More often than not he was undone by a lack of run support and/or inconsistent fielding behind him.
Dennis Kinney, RP:
The rookie Kinney made his major league debut on April 9, tossing a single inning in relief of Rick Kreuger against the Royals. He worked regularly out of the bullpen, appearing in 18 games, until he was traded to the Padres in exchange for Dan Spillner on June 14th.
Rick Kreuger, RP:
Acquired from Boston in a pre-season deal for Frank Duffy, Kreuger made 6 relief appearances, tallying only 9.1 innings, before being sent to Portland on May 11 to make room on the roster for Al Fitzmorris who was coming off the DL. His 0.2 inning appearance on May 7th in Anaheim was Rick's final appearance as a major leaguer.
Sid Monge, RP:
Monge made 48 appearances in 1978, second most on the staff to Jim Kern. The most consistent left-hander out of the Cleveland pen, at the end of the season his record stood at 4-3, with 6 saves and a very respectable 2.76 era.
Mike Paxton, RP:
Mike went 10-5 as a rookie for the 1977 Red Sox. Because of this, he was considered a prize acquisition by the Indians when he arrived as part of the Eckersley deal. He began the year in the pen, but moved to the rotation in May when Garland went down for the year. He put up decent decent numbers in that role (12-11 in 27 starts, 96 K), but regressed in '79, and was finished by '80.
Jim Kern, CL:
Kern's record of 10-10, with 13 saves and 95 Ks in 99.1 innings pitched earned him a spot on the American League All Star squad as Cleveland's lone representative. 1978 wasn't all great, though. In mid-August, he and Torborg had a shouting match in the manager's office about whether Jim would be calling his own pitches in big situations. Gabe Paul vowed to get rid of the "grumblers", and Jim was traded to Texas immediately after the season. With the Rangers in 1979, he'd save 29, post a 1.57 ERA and strike out 136 against 62 walks. Sweet revenge, no doubt.
Bo Diaz, C:
Bo came to the Indians as part of the Eckersley deal. He was considered an outstanding prospect, but wasn't going to get any playing time behind Fisk. Slated to be Cleveland's starting catcher, in just his second game he broke his right ankle sliding into second in K.C. On the DL from April 16th through June 16th, he came back to find his job taken by newly-acquired Gary Alexander. For the rest of the year, he served as the team's primary back-up catcher, usually playing when Alexander started at DH.
Ron Pruitt, C:
Primarily an outfielder, Ron started 1978 as Cleveland's back-up catcher behind Diaz. When Diaz went down, the starting job fell in his lap. In May and June he began losing playing time to Ron Hassey owing to his light hitting and the fact he threw out only 10 of 55 runners attempting to steal. With the return of Diaz and the acquisition of Gary Alexander in June, he was used primarily as a reserve outfielder the rest of the way.
Buddy Bell, IF:
1978 got off to an unpleasant start for Buddy - on March 3, he staged a 24-hour walk out from the Indians camp because the team wouldn't renegotiate the 3-year, $500,000 contract they signed in 1977, contrary to what he said Seghi had promised him. He returned on March 4 saying he needed to honor his contract but neither he nor Seghi forgot the episode. Despite missing 5 games in June and 10 in August with back pain, he put together one of his best seasons, and his .282 average was second only to Kuiper among the regulars. With neither Seghi nor Buddy happy with his situation in Cleveland, he was traded to Texas for Toby Harrah on December 8.
Wayne Cage, IF:
Cage made his major league debut on April 22 in Boston, and was used through the beginning of June as a reserve first baseman and DH. He was sent to Portland to accomodate the arrival of Bernie Carbo from Boston on June 19, but was recalled at the beginning of September. He was the club's primary DH during much of that month.
Larvell Blanks, IF:
Blanks was the initial victor in the battle to replace Frank Duffy at short. He held the job through mid-May, at which time his weak bat and several key errors resulted in the position being given to Tom Verzyer. For the remainder of the year, he served as a middle infield reserve, and was traded to Texas after the season with Jim Kern for Bobby Bonds and Len Barker.
Duane Kuiper, IF:
1978 saw Duane in the middle of a good run as the Indians' starting second baseman. His fielding in 1978 was off - he made 16 errors, his career high - but his offensive numbers were up a bit: he hit a career high .283 (best among the team's starters), had a career high in doubles with 18, and was near his career highs in hits, runs scored and RBI.
Andre Thornton, IF:
Thornton endured unthinkable tragedy after the 1977 season when his wife and daughter died in a car wreck. He returned to the club in 1978 with his deep religious faith stronger for the ordeal. 1978 would be his last year as a pure first baseman; starting in 1979, he began the transition to DH. He tallied his career high in runs scored (97), he tied his career high for home runs (33) and had his second best career RBI total (105). On April 22 in Fenway he hit for the cycle. He was forced to miss 10 games in August with a bruised right hand.
Tom Veryzer, IF:
Acquired from the Tigers in December of 1977 for Charlie Spikes, Tom took over the starting shortstop job in mid-May and never looked back. He had career highs in hits, doubles and runs scored. He credited the trade to Cleveland with saving his career - he knew he'd be buried behind Alan Trammell if he had stayed in Detroit.
Ted Cox, OF:
The International League's MVP in 1977 while with Pawtucket, Ted came to Cleveland from Boston in the Eckersley deal and believed he'd have a chance to play everyday. Instead, he served as a all-purpose reserve. He appeared in 82 games, mostly in left, but also at 1B, DH and, when Buddy Bell's back was hurting, at third. His lack of playing time, and his frustration with Torborg's trying him out in right, led to a shouting match between the two in the manager's office in late August.
Paul Dade, OF:
Coming into 1978, Paul was slated to be the Indians' everyday right fielder. He held that position until about the half-way point, for much of which time he was one of the hottest hitters on the club. As his bat began to tail off in July he pretty much ceded the starter role to Jim Norris, and thereafter served as an outfield reserve and occasional DH.
Johnny Grubb, OF:
Johnny was Cleveland's regular left fielder in 1978. He had his best power year so far, clubbing 14 HR with 61 RBI, but his average fell to as low as .229 in early July. On August 31st, he was sent to the Rangers for a PTBNL.
Willie Horton, OF:
Nominally an outfielder, the former Tiger fan favorite was the Indians regular DH for the first couple months of the season. The veteran provided valuable leadership in the clubhouse, and contributed at the plate. His production began to decline in June, and he was used less and less until, with the signing of Dave Freisleben on June 23, he was placed on the seldom-used "inactive status" list (rule 2(d)), allowing the Tribe to release him in 10 days if they couldn't arrange a deal for him. He was finally officially released on July 3, but was quickly picked up by the A's.
Rick Manning, OF:
1978 saw Rick in the middle of a fine 8 year run as the Indians' center fielder, and a fan favorite in Cleveland. Before the season began, he signed a 5-year deal worth 1.5 million, making him the highest-paid player in Indians' history. He got off to a horrible start, hitting only .167 towards the end of April, a slump he attributed to pressing too much to show the Cleveland fans he was worth the money. Because of this he sat for a couple of games in favor of Horace Speed. He quickly returned to the line-up, and wound up putting together a decent year, hitting .263 with 50 RBI and 3 HR, and tied for the team lead with 12 stolen bases.
Horace Speed, OF:
Having had a brief major league audition with the Giants in 1975, Speed came back up with the Tribe in 1978. He served as an outfield reserve all season, except for a stint on the DL from May 11 to June 5 due to a bruised bone in his left foot.
Jim Norris, OF:
Second-year man Jim was a contender for the starting right field job, but ceded that role to Paul Dade coming out of spring training. Because Paul began to slump a bit in July, Jim was able to see a good number of starts there, and when Johnny Grubb left for Texas, he took over the left field position for the rest of the year. He was generally unhappy with his limited playing time, and made his feelings known to Torborg.
Paul Dade out at first against the Red Sox on April 10
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In-Season Moves:
Ron Hassey, C:
Ron was called up from Portland to take Bo Diaz' roster spot when Diaz went to the DL on April 16, and was sent back to Portland when Diaz returned to the line-up on June 15th. Ron made his major league debut on April 23rd at Fenway Park - he went 2 for 6 with 2 RBI.
Mike Vail, OF:
Acquired from the Mets for cash during spring training, Mike was forced to start the year in Portland due to lingering problems from a pulled muscle on his side. He was called up when Wayne Garland went to the DL on May 2, and served as a reserve outfielder until being traded to the Cubs for Joe Wallis on June 15th.
Al Fitzmorris, RP:
Fitzmorris agreed to start the season on the DL for what was termed "muscle spasms in neck", although there were questions concerning the validity of that diagnosis. He came off the DL on May 11, and made 7 relief appearances between then and June 14. When Paul Reuschel signed on June 26th, Al was placed on what the Cleveland Plain Dealer termed the "Willie Horton list", rendering him inactive for up to 10 days, pending a trade, after which time the Indians could simply release him. He was released on July 13 and signed by California 5 days later.
Larry Lintz, IF:
Veteran infielder Lintz was signed by Cleveland on May 19, shortly after Horace Speed was sent to the DL (the active roster had been at 24 in the interim). He helped immediately by registering a 9th inning stolen base which helped win a game against the Orioles on the 19th. However, the very next night he was caught stealing in the 9th, helping to kill an Indian rally in a loss to the O's. He made one additional pinch-running appearance, on the 30th against the Yankees (which wound up being his final ML action), before being sent back to Portland on June 5th when Speed came off the DL.
Dan Spillner, RP:
Spillner was acquired from the Padres for Dennis Kinney on June 14, and was a bullpen regular for the Indians the rest of the way earning 3 saves and a 3-1 record.
Gary Alexander, C:
Immediately after obtaining Joe Wallis from the Cubs for Mike Vail on June 15, the Indians turned around and traded Wallis to the A's for Alexander. Gary was a regular in the Indian line-up from the time he was acquired through the end of the season. He served mostly as the team's starting catcher, but was occasionally used as DH. In just 90 games, Gary compiled 17 hrs and 62 RBI.
Bernie Carbo, OF:
Bernie was purchased from the Red Sox on June 19th. For the rest of the season, he was Cleveland's principal DH, taking over from Willie Horton. He hit .287 with 4 HR and 16 RBI.
Dave Freisleben, SP:
Dave was claimed off waivers from San Diego on June 23, and was in the Indians' rotation the rest of the way. In 12 appearances, he recorded a 1-4 record and a 7.11 ERA. He was shipped to Toronto for a PTBNL in November.
Paul Reuschel, RP:
Rick's big brother was a waiver claim from the Cubs on June 26. From then through the rest of the season, Paul was a regular out of the Cleveland pen. In late August, he was inserted into the rotation and, in six starts, posted a record of 0-4, largely do to a lack of run support and poor bullpen work.
Dan Briggs, OF:
The former Angel was called up in September, and was the team's regular right fielder most of the second half of the month.
Alfredo Griffin, IF:
1978 continued the Cleveland tradition, begun in 1976, of giving Griffin brief September call-ups. He only got into 5 games in 1978, but was traded to the Blue Jays in the off season, where he would begin putting together a very good ML career in 1979.
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Other 1978 Indians Stuff:
Rocky Colavito
Indians' Coaches:
Cleveland Municipal Stadium 1085 W. 3rd St., Cleveland, OH
Majority Owner - Alva "Ted" Bonda
Team President - Gabe Paul
General Manager - Phil Seghi
Minor League Affiliates:
Short-Season A: Batavia Trojans (New York - Penn League)
34-38, 3rd of 5
Manager: Luis Isaac
Future Star: Ramon Romero
A: Waterloo Indians (Midwest League)
91-46, 2nd of 4
Manager: Woody Smith
Future Star: Jerry Dybzinski
AA: Chattanooga Lookouts (Southern League)
63-80, 5th of 5
Manager: John Orsino/Jimmy Bragan
Future Star: Chris Bando
AAA: Portland Beavers (Pacific Coast League)
76-62, 2nd of 5
Manager: Gene Dusan
Future Star: Larry Andersen
Summary of Roster Moves:
April 16 - Diaz to DL, Hassey from Portland
May 2 - Garland to DL, Vail from Portland
May 11 - Fitzmorris from DL, Kreuger to Portland
May 11 - Speed to DL (active roster to 24)
May 19 - Lintz signed (active roster to 25)
June 14 - Spillner from Padres for Kinney
June 15 - Wallis from Cubs for Vail,
Wallis to A's for Alexander
June 16 - Diaz from DL, Hassey to Portland
June 19 - Carbo purchased from Red Sox, Cage to Portland
June 23 - Freisleben claimed off waivers, Horton "dropped" from active roster
June 26 - Reuschel claimed off waivers, Fitzmorris "dropped" from active roster
July 3 - Horton released
July 7 - Fitzmorris released
August 31 - Grubb to Rangers for PTBNL
September Call-Ups: Cage, Griffin, Briggs
Harvey Haddix
Joe Nossek
Dave Duncan
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