Cleveland Sports Forum

I know they made some moves but werent they just playing with money that had been freed up after dead contracts had finally expired.

http://www.stationcaster.com/player_ski ... &f=1158361

Here we go. Nick Swisher at 7:10 AM in Arizona.

http://www.stationcaster.com/player_ski ... &f=1158461

Francona this morning.

http://www.stationcaster.com/player_ski ... &f=1158391

Drew Stubbs.

http://www.stationcaster.com/player_ski ... &f=1158511

Mike Hargrove

Rusty--thanks for posting those--even though I'll never have time to listen, it's appreciated.

VT, I would strongly suggest the Swisher interview. Swisher might be the most energetic and happy to be in Cleveland sports athlete of all time. (Other then Bernie)

Regarding the Giambi discussion earlier.

Realize that Francona (read his book) is HUGE on clubhouse atmosphere and relationships. That makes it all the more certain he will stick IMO.

Get used to it. It's Tito's ship now.

Tito's pet got his first hit of the spring.....a scorching bloopsingle.

In my opinion, 100% of the games are won/lost between the white lines. If Tito wants Giambi that badly, hire him as an alternate bench coach. This year should be all about execution and production and that's exactly what the final roster should reflect.

As usual Joe makes no sense.

Giambi is not a lock if you listened to the interview. Rizzo made it sound like Giambi was a lock and Francona quickly said that was not the case.

If one of the guys with no options or the rule 5 guy (McGuiness) rips the cover off of the ball then Giambi will be gone.

If no one shines, then Giambi is sticking.

McGuinness hasn't done much yet. The more likely competition is probably from Carrera who's hit some and stole more bases than Kipnis, Bourne and Stubbs combined. Stubbs has much to prove in his ability to hit RH pitching. Carrera bats left and could be in an occasional platoon with Stubbs.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Read this quote by Terry Francona and try to guess what outfielder he's talking about.
"His speed impacts the game," said the Indians' manager. "He has the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark occasionally."
It could be Michael Bourn, but it isn't. Michael Brantley? Good guess, but wrong. How about Drew Stubbs? Nice try, but again the answer is no. Bourn, Brantley and Stubbs form one of the most interesting Indian outfields in decades. They're all center fielders by trade. They can run and have occasional power, but that's not who Francona is talking about.
The subject of Francona's quote is Ezequiel Carrera, the sometimes erratic, sometimes fantastic outfielder, who has thrilled and tormented fans for the last two years in brief, but memorable, performances.
Who can forget his major-league debut on May 11, 2011, when Carrera's pinch-hit, eighth-inning, RBI drag bunt single beat Cincinnati?
Or how about his clank job on Adam Dunn's sixth-inning fly ball on July 24 of the same year? Carrera was playing center field on that semi-sunny Sunday afternoon. He ran back to the track to catch the ball, but it bounced off the heel of his glove for an error as Omar Vizquel and Paul Konerko scored in Chicago's 4-2 victory.
After the error, Carrera looked up into the sky as if he lost the ball in the glare, apparently forgetting that he had a pair of unused sunglasses firmly perched on the bill of his cap.
In his 116 games with the Indians, he has always played at a whirlwind pace, the good and bad blurring together so that it was hard to get a good look at just what kind of player Carrera is.
It has been more of the same this spring, but with one difference. Everything Carrera has done has been good.
On Sunday against the Dodgers, Carrera threw out a runner at the plate from right field. In the Tribe's 4-3 victory over San Francisco on Tuesday, he scored the first run by stealing second and third and scoring on Luis Hernandez's single in the second inning.
The Indians have talked a lot about the running game this spring. Francona wants his players going from first to third and second to home. He wants them to pressure the defense by intelligently stealing bases. So far Carrera is one of the few players to turn those words into actions.
Despite hitting just .111 (2-for-18), he's scored four runs, homered and leads the team with five steals in six attempts.
Still, all the good might be for naught. He's a speedy center fielder trying to win a bench job behind three starters who do the same thing he does. He's out of options, which should work in his favor.
"No way he gets through waivers," said Francona. "Somebody would claim him."
Still, teams make tough decisions on players every day. Especially when they have an outfield full of identical skill sets.
Carrera arrived in Goodyear primed and ready. He played 30 games in Venezuela this winter, hitting .286 (32-for-112) with 22 runs, five doubles, two homers, eight RBI and eight steals.
"I think I can make this team," he said. "I worked hard in Venezuela on my baserunning. I feel comfortable out there."
Carrera isn't the only player who could get squeezed off the bench, but he is one of the most intriguing. Backup catcher Lou Marson and utility man Mike Aviles appear to have two of the extra jobs. The way Francona has talked about 42-year-old DH Jason Giambi, it would be surprising if he doesn't take one of the two remaining spots.
"He's not just a veteran, he's the veteran of veterans," said Francona of Giambi on Wednesday.
That leaves Carrera, catcher Yan Gomes and utility man Ryan Raburn as the top contenders for the fourth and final spot.
"Carrera could be an interesting part of the bench because he can change the game with his speed," said Francona. "He's a good little player."
The coming days will determine how good.

Carrera is a guy that is in the "no option" category I mentioned. Must be put on waivers to be sent to the minors.

http://www.stationcaster.com/player_ski ... &f=1163261

Lonnie Chisenhall