Our list of the Top 25 Cleveland Indians in 2016 continues with a look at one of the most underrated players on the roster.
Andrew Miller was the star of the Cleveland Indians in the 2016 postseason. His appearance in any game seemed to signal the Indians were ready to close it out, whether it was the fourth inning or the ninth.
But while Miller, along with Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen, took up most of the attention, there was another player in the bullpen who was the unsung hero of the group.
Dan Otero had himself a great 2016 season. 2014 in Oakland may have been the best year of his career, but his debut season in Cleveland gave fans a reason to be happy with his acquisition.
Otero appeared in 62 regular season games, allowing only 12 earned runs in 70.2 innings of work. His 0.906 WHIP was second only to Miller, who did not join the team until August, among Indians relievers.
And unlike many in the bullpen not named Miller, Allen or Shaw, Otero saw some significant time in the postseason. He appeared in six games, allowing two runs in 6.2 innings. Three of his appearances came in Indians victories, showing he was not just out there to eat up innings.
Otero was reliable out of the bullpen as well during the regular season., only allowing more than a single run in three of his appearances. He allowed two runs on three occasions. His ability to limit any major collapses helps Otero make this list at a higher spot than Bryan Shaw, who is prone to one or two miserable outings a year.
The difference was that Shaw was held in higher regard by Terry Francona during the postseason, although Otero certainly has the chance to change that with great work during the 2017 regular season.
His work in 2016 should lead to Otero getting some chances to pitch in high-leverage situations throughout the season, taking some of the load off of Miller, Allen, and Shaw. This will especially be true given how burnt out the stars of the staff got during the World Series. Time for others to step up, and Otero is next in line.
Be sure to check out the site tomorrow to see who comes in at the first spot in the Top 10.
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