Cleveland Sports Forum

Magical run of 1990s Tribe teams brought back to life
New book chronicles the birth of Jacobs Field and the building of a contender


Anthony Castrovince By Anthony Castrovince | Archive 3/3/2014 8:16 P.M. ET



You could feel it again, in that fleeting moment when a red-clad crowd went crazy during lineup introductions, celebrating a Wild Card-winning Indians club that unexpectedly brought playoff baseball back to Cleveland.

And then Delmon Young homered off Danny Salazar and Alex Cobb did his rope-a-dope routine and Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and, well, that was that. The 2013 Indians, it turned out, were not bound for the glory of some of their 1990s predecessors, who themselves were not bound for the ultimate glory of that ever-elusive World Series title.

But there is, nonetheless, something undeniably magical about a packed-to-the-gills Progressive Field, and the Indians have been chasing that feeling ever since the famed 455-game sellout streak met its inevitable end 13 years ago. In fact, they're not the only ones.

That unrepeatable era, ushered in by the birth of what was then known as Jacobs Field, had an aura that other MLB clubs have certainly tried to emulate, with varying degrees of success, and it's an era first-time author George Christian Pappas attempts to capture in his new book, "A Tribe Reborn: How the Cleveland Indians of the '90s Went from Cellar Dwellers to Playoff Contenders" ($24.95, Sports Publishing).

Pappas' 225-page work serves as both an academic and a narrative examination of how a long-suffering franchise reversed its fate.

Certainly, the book hits all the high points of the Tribe's six division titles and ensuing postseason appearances from 1995-2001, and the reader comes away with the expected incredulity that the '95 club, with arguably the most lethal lineup in the game's long history, did not go the distance and the '97 club, two outs away from Cleveland's first major sports championship of any sort since 1964, didn't finish the job.

But that's nothing Cleveland sports fans haven't rehashed countless times before, even if Pappas' sabermetrically inclined lineup analysis does shed new light on how those 1990s lineups compare with the likes of Mickey Mantle's Yankees and the Big Red Machine, among others.

Where the book truly entertains and informs, though, is in its attention to detail about all the twists and transactions that led to that point.

The major plot point there, of course, is the sale of the ballclub from the estate of Steve O'Neill (that the Indians were owned by a dead man was all too fitting) to Dick Jacobs, whose strengths were a shrewd and opportunistic business acumen combined with the good sense to let baseball people make the baseball decisions (and if the book has a lesson for other franchises, this is probably it).

Hank Peters was the first such baseball man brought aboard by the Jacobs regime, and Peters himself writes the foreword to this book, providing a rare first-hand account from a man whose importance to the Indians' uprising is often overlooked.

"I told [Jacobs] if I took the job, it would be for only four years," Peters writes. "And then I gave him the bad news -- we would not be a winner during those four years."

Indeed, Peters and his associates -- fellow Baltimore Orioles import Tom Giordano, scouting director Chet Montgomery, area scout Tom Couston (the man who discovered Jim Thome), to name a few -- were important bridges in Indians history. They connected the abyss of the 1980s, when the Indians were rumored to be moving anywhere from St. Petersburg, to New Orleans to Dallas to Oakland, to the hope of the early 1990s, when Cuyahoga County voters narrowly passed a sin tax for the construction of the Gateway Project just as Peters' handpicked successor John Hart, another Oriole import, was orchestrating the construction of a championship-caliber ballclub to make the new stadium shine.

Hart is generally credited with popularizing the notion of locking up young talent to contract extensions that clubs like the Atlanta Braves (for whom Hart now serves as an advisor) still employ to this day. The book does well to point out that Hart didn't strike gold with all those contracts. Some of them were stinkers, in fact. But he was right more often than he was wrong, and the Indians, as a result, created quite a core, with the ballpark's arrival in 1994 allowing them to spend the money it took to fill out the roster with proven veterans.

Thankfully, Pappas makes it a point to investigate not just Hart's thought process but also the importance of guys like Rick Wolff, a roving instructor who helped improve the psychological focus of the Tribe's young talent, and John McNamara, the man who preceded Mike Hargrove in the dugout and demanded hustle and fundamentals.

Of course, that doesn't mean proper reverence isn't bestowed upon the likes of Albert Belle and Thome and Omar Vizquel and the trade that truly started it all -- Joe Carter to the Padres for Sandy Alomar Jr. and Carlos Baerga. Belle, unexpectedly, did not grant Pappas an interview for this book, and that's our loss, because his story could fill several hundred pages on its own. In fact, there are many colorful stories involving the characters on those 1990s teams that probably deserve their own in-depth treatment.

But in terms of providing a thoughtful examination of the many special factors that aligned to usher in an era unlike any other in Cleveland sports history, Pappas' book achieves its mission.

And it arrives just in time for a new season in which the Indians hope to bring that magic feeling back again.

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/cle/ant ... y=news_cle

Indians expect healthy, disruptive Bourn[


GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians signed Michael Bourn last spring to serve as a disruptive force atop the lineup. Cleveland saw that at times during the season, but the center fielder fought a handful of injuries and experienced a considerable drop-off in stolen bases.

The Indians are expecting a solid comeback campaign this time around for Bourn, who is now a little more familiar with the American League and its pitchers. The fleet-footed outfielder is also healthy again after undergoing surgery on his left hamstring in October.

Indians manager Terry Francona said he is confident that Bourn will do everything he can to return to form this summer.

"One [reason] is his familiarity, which I know is very important to him," Francona said. "Saying that, he's still coming off some surgery this winter that he needs to work into. He's working on his bunting a lot. You'll probably see him do that a lot in Spring Training games. He understands his importance at the top of our order. The one thing is he's as conscientious as anybody you're ever going to find."

True to Francona's word, Bourn used a sacrifice bunt to move Mike Aviles from first to second base in the third inning of Tuesday's 5-4 win over the White Sox.

In 130 games last season, the 31-year-old Bourn turned in a .263/.316/.360 slash line with 33 extra-base hits, 23 stolen bases and 75 runs scored. He missed time between April and May with a right index finger injury and sustained a left hamstring strain in the final game of the regular season. On Oct. 15 in Dallas, Dr. Dan Cooper performed a distal hamstring debridement on the center fielder.

Bourn's numbers represented a noticeable drop from his typical production. Across the 2009-12 seasons, he turned in a .280/.348/.378 slash line to go along with an average of 42 extra-base hits, 54 stolen bases and 93 runs scored between stints with the Astros and Braves.

Francona believes that Bourn's stolen-base numbers will rise in 2014.

"I do think they will," Francona said. "He's worked so hard. I think his gait is really good. I don't see him favoring anything. But again, I don't want to get stuck on looking at a number, because if he's on base, and he's scoring runs and he's disrupting the game, that's what we're looking for."

Rebuilt Pestano appears street-ready in first outing
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Pestano motivated for strong showing in 2014

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Vinnie Pestano comes up with a conditioning goal each offseason. Last year, the Indians reliever focused on strengthening his legs. Two years ago, Pestano concentrated on building up his upper body.

Pestano showed up leaner this spring after deciding to use this past winter to give himself an overhaul.

"It's always been about, 'What's one thing I can do to really focus on the offseason and try to get better?'" Pestano explained. "Going into this offseason, when I told myself I was going to take a lot of time off, it was kind of like a car that had a different color door on, and a different spoiler, and it's got a bunch of patchwork on it."

"And, the next thing you know, it's just [an ugly] looking car. So I was like, 'Do I want to do that? Do I want to keep adding parts on the car? Or, do I want to just strip the car and try to start new?' So I stripped the car."

The long and short of Pestano's analogy is that he traded what he considered "bad weight" for "good weight" this offseason. The right-hander needed a mental break after experiencing the most trying season of his career in 2013, but he also felt he needed to get himself in better physical condition to help find himself again on the mound.

Last season, Pestano turned in a career-high 4.08 ERA in 37 games, dealt with a right elbow injury, faced a demotion to Triple-A and lost his job as Cleveland's main setup man. That all came after Pestano turned in a 2.32 ERA (67 games) and 2.57 ERA (70 games), respectively, in the 2011 and '12 seasons.

Pestano said his most recent weigh-in had him at 206 pounds, which is 10-15 pounds lighter than recent springs.

"I'm still a car,' Pestano said with a slight laugh. "I'm still a car with a lot of city miles on it. Same engine. Same foundation. Just better parts."

If Monday's seven-pitch outing against the Rangers was any indication, Pestano could be on the cusp of a comeback. The right-hander breezed through his first game action of the spring, providing the pitcher and the Indians with a promising starting point as he fights for a bullpen spot.

"It'll be interesting to see where this goes from here," Indians manager Terry Francona said, "because [Monday] was really encouraging."

Indians hire former pitcher as replay coordinator
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Expanded replay has been approved, will start in 2014

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GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians have found their point man for instant replay.

On Tuesday, Cleveland announced that it has hired Gregg Langbehn to serve as the club's Major League replay coordinator. As part of baseball's new instant-replay system, Langbehn's duties will involve monitoring plays in the clubhouse and relaying information to the dugout.

"It'll be our responsibility to communicate with him in a timely fashion," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "And then we make our own decisions."

Langbehn, 43, spent eight years as a Minor League pitcher with the Mets, Red Sox and Brewers before moving into coaching and managing. He held various roles in Houston's farm system from 2001-08, during which he worked with Indians field coordinator Tom Wiedebauer and Alex Eckelman, who is now the advance scouting coordinator for Cleveland.

Over the past five years, Langbehn worked as the manager of the Traverse City Beach Bums in the independent Frontier League.

"We talked all winter about what qualities are you looking for," Francona said. "He's been a basketball referee, he's been a football referee and he's been a Minor League manager. We thought those were pretty good qualities. For the longest time we talked about, 'OK, is the technical [side] more important or the baseball part? We spent a significant amount of time talking about it."

Francona said there will be a learning curve for everyone under the new replay rules, which give a manager the ability to challenge a ruling. That makes Langbehn's job an important one, because there will be times when Francona will need to leave the dugout to argue while it is being assessed whether to challenge is in order.

"If there's something going on, I'm going to have to go out on the field," Francona said. "There's some instances where, if it's the third out of an inning, you need to go out to show the umpire you're thinking about it. If you don't, you lose your chance. There's some learning to do for sure."

Quote to note

"What I think you're going to see, especially early in games, you're not going to see the big blow-ups, because there really isn't anything to blow up about. You can either challenge it or not. You can go out and ask."
-- Francona, on how instant replay might change arguing with umpires

Smoke signals

• Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer averaged 92.8 mph in his four big league starts with the Tribe last season. During his two-inning Cactus League outing against the Mariners on Sunday, Bauer sat around 93-96 mph and hit 98 mph on one pitch, according to a National League scout in attendance.

• First baseman David Cooper cleared waivers and will return to camp with the Indians as a non-roster invitee. Cleveland designated Cooper for assignment on Sunday after acquiring infielder Justin Sellers from the Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations.

• On Tuesday, the Indians signed seven of their rostered players who have fewer than three years of service time. Cleveland reached deals with third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, left-handers T.J. House and Colt Hynes, and right-handers Austin Adams, Corey Kluber, C.C. Lee and Bryan Shaw.

• Right-hander Shaun Marcum (coming back from surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday and again on Saturday. ... Righty Matt Capps (right shoulder strain) is at least a week away from resuming a throwing program. ... Righty Frank Herrmann (Tommy John surgery on throwing elbow last spring) will throw a simulated game on Friday.

• Indians infielder Jose Ramirez, who is returning from offseason surgery on his left thumb, made his first game appearance of the spring in a "B" game against the Angels on Tuesday morning. Ramirez sliced a single to left field in his first plate appearance.

Anyone see the B game box scores?

Civ- found this but not the box score:

Killer Bs: The Indians beat the Angels, 3-2, in the B game with three runs in the eighth innings as minor leaguers Giovanny Urshela, Tim Fedroff and Bryson Myles drove in runs.

Sellers, acquired from the Dodgers on Sunday for cash, started at third base and went 0-for-2. Ramirez, recovering from a broken left thumb, made his spring debut. He started at second base went 1-for-3. Bryan LeHair, recovering from left wrist surgery, played first base, but did not bat.

Tyler Cloyd started for the Tribe and pitched two scoreless innings. House followed with three scoreless and Cody Allen relieved and pitched a scoreless sixth. Mike Zagurski allowed two runs on four hits in the seventh.

Another reference to the B Game, actually same reference, and some other stuff

•Jesus Aguilar has now played in six games so far this spring and has yet to record a hit, but has an OBP of .417 thanks to five walks.
•Josh Tomlin was the first Indians starter of the spring to pitch three innings, but unfortunately, he gave up a pair of earned runs in the process.
•In addition to allowing the tying run to score in the eighth inning, Scott Barnes was also the only Indians pitcher not to record at least one strikeout on Tuesday.
•After drawing a walk in the ninth inning, Tyler Naquin has now recorded a free pass in four of the six games he's played in so far this spring.
•Indians infield prospect Jose Ramirez (recovering from offseason thumb surgery) made his first appearance of spring training in a "B game" against the Angels on Tuesday and had one hit in three at-bats.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Josh Tomlin pitched three innings and prospect Joey Wendle singled home the winning run with two out in the ninth Tuesday as the Indians beat the White Sox, 5-4, at Goodyear Ballpark.

Tomlin is trying to win a job in the rotation after missing most of last season while coming back from Tommy John surgery. He started the third in relief of Zach McAllister and gave up two runs on Jose Abreu's two-out double as Chicago took a 2-1 lead.

He did not allow another hit over the next two innings as the Indians took a 3-2 lead on David Murphy's triple and Mike Aviles' double in the third.

Wendle won it the ninth with a two-out single to center following walks by Tyler Naquin and Jesus Aguilar. The White Sox had tied the score, 4-4, on leadoff homers by Connor Gillaspie in the seventh and Alex Liddi in the eighth. John Axford and Scott Barnes allowed the homers.

The Tribe took a 4-2 lead on consecutive doubles by Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana in the fifth.

Tomlin started the fourth by walking Dayan Viciedo, but he retired the next three batters. Santana, making the switch from catcher to third, participated in the first two outs, catching Gillaspie's foul pop and throwing out Tyler Flowers. Tomlin's walk was his first since 2012. He pitched 29 1/3 innings last year, including rehab assignments and two innings in the big leagues.

The Indians took a 1-0 lad in the second on an Asdrubal Cabrera double and Yan Gomes' single. Counting the regular season last year, it was the Indians' 15th straight victory over the White Sox.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – The Indians improved to 5-1 in Cactus League play on Tuesday with a 5-4 victory over the White Sox at Goodyear Ballpark. Here are five observations on the team with 26 days left before the start of the regular season:

1. David Murphy shows his stuff: Manager Terry Francona says that every spring training roster consists of three groups: players who know they have the club made and are just getting ready for the regular season, experienced players in camp as spring-training invitees playing for their baseball lives and prospects looking to impress for the future.

Outfielder David Murphy falls into the first group after signing a two-year $12 million deal in November. So it was good to see a flash of Murphy’s game Tuesday against the White Sox on both ends of the baseball.

In the second inning, he raced toward the right field line and made a nice catch against Dayan Viciedo for the first out of the inning. In the fourth, with the Tribe down, 2-1, he tripled to right to score Asdrubal Cabrera with the tying run. Mike Aviles followed with a double for the lead.

2. Playing catch up: There are still more than three weeks to go in the Cactus League, but the longer it takes Danny Salazar to get into games, the more it seems like he might not be ready for opening day.

Francona has said repeatedly that opening day is an artificial deadline and that too much emphasis is placed on it. In a season that covers six months, that’s hard to argue with, but pitchers still need innings to prepare for that season, no matter when they enter it. The process is gradual, but so far Salazar is still pitching batting practice sessions.

The point was driven home Tuesday when Josh Tomlin, competing for a spot in the rotation, cranked out three innings in relief of Zach McAllister. When will Salazar be able to do that? Better yet, when will the Indians allow him to do it?

Francona said the idea is for Salazar to start the season with a “full tank.’ He could do that as a fifth starter, especially with two off days in the first two weeks of the season. Still, the question is how long will it take Salazar to fill his tank?

3. Hot corner debate: Third base remains the most intriguing position battle in camp. Carlos Santana, trying to make the move from catcher to third, handled two chances in the fourth inning Tuesday. Then he did what he does best – doubled in a run in the fifth inning.

He was supposed to leave the game after that, but asked the coaching staff if he could play one more inning at third. Francona was impressed with that.

Chisenhall, after a shaky first game in the field, has been solid.

No matter what the final decision, the Indians have given themselves plenty of supporting options in Mike Aviles, Elliot Johnson, David Adams and recently acquired Justin Sellers.

4. Youth is served: In 2010, Manny Acta’s first year as manager of the Indians, he said something that made a lot of sense. He explained that teams with good young players often had good records in spring training because those kids were playing in the later innings after the regulars left in the fifth or sixth innings.

This spring has been a good example. On Tuesday, prospect Joe Wendle beat the White Sox with a two-out single in the ninth inning. Francisco Lindor hit a three-run homer Sunday in the seventh inning to beat Seattle, 6-3. Jake Lowery, another youngster, hit a grand slam earlier in the spring in a victory over the Reds.

[Yes, Manny's comment is logical but the Tribe young guys are not better than the average young guys, so I think it has a lot more to do with small sample size.]

It’s one of the reasons why records in the Cactus and Grapefruit League can’t be trusted. They’re being forged by players who, come April, will be in the minors, still waiting for their big-league chance.

5. What’s ahead: The Indians, from all indications, are still talking about multiyear deals with Justin Masterson and Jason Kipnis. They’re at different parts of their careers, Masterson a free agent at the end of the 2014 season, while Kipnis won’t be eligible for arbitration until after this year.

It would be nice to sign them both, but the priority should be Masterson. The Indians still control Kipnis for four more years. Masterson could be gone at the end of this year.

Raburn rests sore knee after crashing into wall

By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 3/8/2014 4:50 P.M. ET


GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Indians pitcher Corey Kluber does not look for attention. The right-hander has a quiet punch-in, punch-out mentality that fits well in a blue-collar town like Cleveland.

Indians manager Terry Francona said not to let Kluber's personality fool you.

"As you get to know him," Francona said, "there's a fire there. It's just not very loud."

During Friday's 7-2 win over the Cubs, Kluber put that competitive fire on display in a three-inning performance for the Indians. The righty has been concentrating this spring on pitching ahead in the count and throwing strikes with all his pitches, and his outing against Chicago served as a perfect summation of that approach.

Kluber pounded the strike zone and piled up five strikeouts with no walks, giving him six strikeouts against no walks in six Cactus League innings this spring.

"I felt good," Kluber said. "There were a few instances where I did fall behind guys, but when I was out there, it was, 'Get back in the zone. Give them a chance to hit it.' Those few times when I did fall behind guys, I still threw strikes and got soft contact. It kind of shows yourself right there, even when you're behind, you don't have to make that perfect pitch. Just execute a good one."

That style helped the 27-year-old Kluber go 11-5 with a 3.85 ERA in 147 1/3 innings last season for the Indians, who plan on opening the year with him in the rotation. Justin Masterson is in line to once again begin the season as Cleveland's No. 1 starter, and Kluber could be right behind him in the second slot.

"You watch him pitch," Francona said. "The ball's coming out the same or better with seemingly less effort. I know it's not that easy, but he's not falling all over the mound. He's staying in his delivery. One is his confidence. Two is his work ethic. I think he's gotten stronger. I keep saying it, because I feel that way, you can win with guys like Klubes. He just doesn't have a big track record yet. He will."

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Vinnie Pestano does not know how hard he is throwing right now, and the Indians reliever has no plans of checking any radar readings. So far this spring, he has seen some bad swings and frustrated body language from hitters, and that is enough for him.

Pestano is confident that the velocity will pick up as the regular season nears.

"It could be 78 mph, as long as the ball's doing what I want it to do," Pestano said on Saturday morning. "The swings that I'm seeing are comparable to the ones that I used to get. ... I'm seeing guys behind fastballs. Even if it's still the second week of games, it's still good to see. There's still more work to be done."

Pestano, 29, is fighting for a spot in the bullpen this spring after losing his job as Cleveland's primary setup man last season. In 37 appearances last year, the right-hander posted a career-high 4.08 ERA and ended with 37 strikeouts and 21 walks in 35 1/3 innings. Pestano also dealt with right elbow issues early in the season after taking part in the World Baseball Classic.

According to fangraphs.com, Pestano averaged 91.2 mph with his fastball last season. That was down from 91.8 mph in 2012 and 92.7 in 2011, and manager Terry Francona has indicated that the pitcher's velocity has been lower than his usual speed early on this spring.

"From talking to everybody from before I was here," Francona said, "it's actually right where it's been prior to the WBC. Last year, he ramped up really quick. That's the challenge sometimes of a guy coming back like Vinnie. Until he's throwing 93, everybody's going to say, 'Where is it?' When, in reality, this is how he's always built up.

"Now, again, by the end of March you'll be looking for more. But this is how he's looked in the past."

Francona added that it can be a good thing that Pestano is not monitoring the radar readings right now.

"That's OK," said the manager. "We don't want him trying to generate more. That doesn't work. He's got the late movement we're talking about and, over the normal progression of the spring, that's what you should see."

Quote to note

"Not that he has to open eyes [here], but maybe around the league. I think we know what we have, and we're thrilled. I just think when he gets a full year under his belt, you're going to see Klubes be one of the better right-handers in the league."
-- Francona, on Kluber

Smoke signals

• A few Indians players have been spotted wearing "K Cancer" shirts lately. Closer John Axford got them from his former teammate, Cardinals reliever Jason Motte, whose foundation has teamed up with Strike Out Cancer to help raise awareness and help fund cancer research. Axford is awaiting a second box of shirts to pass out to more players.

"Somehow in the offseason, it came to, 'Hey, would you want to do this? We could do it in Indians colors,'" Axford said. "Last year, it was one [team] -- the Cardinals. Now, they have 23 teams all with individual players that represent a certain cancer society or other groups. It's something they contribute to personally and on the cancer research end."

• Indians right-hander Danny Salazar, who threw 21 pitches in an intrasquad "B" game on Friday, is scheduled to start and log two innings against the Angels in Monday's Cactus League game at Goodyear Ballpark. Salazar was originally listed to pitch on Tuesday, but Cleveland decided to move his outing up by one day. Trevor Bauer is scheduled to throw three innings after Salazar.

• With 32 pitchers still in camp and individual innings beginning to rise for the starters, Cleveland continues to look for ways to spread out the work. To help divide the innings, the Indians have added a "B" game against the White Sox at 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday at the Tribe's spring complex. Aaron Harang (three innings), Tyler Cloyd (two), Nick Hagadone (two), Mike Zagurski (one) and J.C. Ramirez (one) are slated to pitch.

The Carlos Santana conundrum, Justin Masterson's motives and can Michael Brantley bat .300? 5 Cleveland Indians observations

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians haven't tasted defeat in a week and a half. They finished Saturday's 10-inning affair with the Padres in a 4-4 deadlock, to push their record to 8-1-1. With the flags of the 15 Cactus League teams atop the center field wall at Peoria Stadium trembling in the steady wind, here are five observations.

1. Revolving rooster door: The makeup of the Indians' Opening Day roster largely depends on the outcome of the third base competition, one that promises to take a few more weeks before it can be solved. Carlos Santana has made two errors this spring at the hot corner, but both have come on high, errant throws. Granted, such heaves can result from shaky footwork, body positioning or mechanics.

No one is penciling Santana's name onto a list for Gold Glove award predictions. It'll take some time and increased repetitions to determine if he can play at third base every day. Even by the end of spring training, he might only be able to handle the position on an occasional basis. Manager Terry Francona said the team will have him moonlight at catcher starting in a week or two. Will that interrupt his progress at third?

"I think the one thing not to forget is he's not the finished product," Francona said. "He's working really hard. If he can continue to get some rhythm. At times, he'll catch the ball and then he doesn't move his feet. He's got plenty of arm, and that's where you're seeing him scatter a ball every once in a while. It's still a work in progress. The good news is he's willing to work."

Whether Santana can prove in three weeks if he can play third every day will create a ripple effect on the rest of the roster. Will the Indians need to carry a third catcher? Will Jason Giambi make the team? Will they have enough room for a fifth outfielder, such as Nyjer Morgan or Jeff Francoeur, or a utility infielder, such as Elliot Johnson?

All of the scenarios stem from the question mark on the left side of the infield. What Santana does over the next three weeks could influence the job status of a handful of other players, not just Lonnie Chisenhall.

2. Mr. .300?: After his four-hit expedition on Saturday, Michael Brantley lifted his spring average to .615 (8-for-13). Could Brantley bat .300 this season? The left fielder hit .313 in 28 games in 2009 during his first taste of the big leagues. He has proceeded to bat .246, .266, .288 and .284 in the four seasons since.

His approach is simple, his swing is short and quick and he doesn't strike out much. In fact, only 14 players in the majors with 500 or more plate appearances whiffed fewer than the 67 times Brantley did.

"I'm stating the obvious -- he uses the whole field and he's got a nice swing," Francona said. "I don't know if it matters what time of year it is. He's a good hitter."

3. Cautionary tales: Reports indicate pitcher Ervin Santana might settle for a one-year deal with the Orioles or Blue Jays. He rejected the Royals' one-year qualifying offer worth $14.1 million. Nelson Cruz rejected the Rangers' qualifying offer and eventually settled for a one-year, $8 million contract with the Orioles. Ubaldo Jimenez turned down the Indians' offer and waited all winter before Baltimore snatched him up for four years and $50 million.

Hurlers like Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander and Felix Hernandez will always command nine-figure contracts. The next tier -- and the tier beneath that -- have succumbed to the new collective bargaining deal requirements. Jimenez still received a hefty sum, but he had to sweat it out. Santana won't receive anything near what he probably expected four months ago. Cruz's lack of foresight cost him more than $6 million.

It's tough to pinpoint what Justin Masterson could attain on the open market, since he hasn't submitted consecutive strong seasons. A stellar showing in 2014 could make him the most coveted free-agent pitcher come October. A year of regression could cost him millions.

So, it makes sense that Masterson and the Indians are exchanging figures for a potential long-term extension. And it makes more sense that it wouldn't be a deal that would break the bank and burden the Indians with an unreasonable salary for eons. Both teams could minimize the risk involved with a three or four-year deal worth $40-60, as has been reported by cleveland.com.

If Masterson has a ho-hum season and hits free agency, the Indians will extend a qualifying offer, meaning any other team that signs him must relinquish its first-round draft pick, if it's outside of the top 10. That scares teams away and, in turn, tarnishes the attractiveness of the player. It's a cautionary tale told by a bunch of players this offseason and it could play into the Tribe's hands.

4. Rolling deep: The Indians have 20 relievers in camp. John Axford, Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw and Mark Rzepczynski are locks to make the club. Vinnie Pestano appears likely to nab another spot. Josh Outman, who is out of minor league options, should assume the other lefty role.

That leaves one or two spots for a slew of guys who have big league experience. Scott Atchison, who turns 38 later this month, boasts a 3.64 ERA in seven years of major league action. David Aardsma totes a career ERA of 4.23 in eight seasons and twice recorded more than 30 saves in a year. Matt Capps owns a 3.52 ERA with 138 saves in eight seasons, but is behind schedule because of a shoulder injury. Mike Zagurski has a 7.05 ERA in 89 career appearances, but has racked up a strikeout per inning.

Carlos Carrasco or Josh Tomlin could factor into the bullpen equation if they don't win the No. 5 starter gig. Otherwise, Francona will have plenty of hurlers to choose from -- Blake Wood, Nick Hagadone and C.C. Lee also stand a chance -- as he builds a 'pen to his liking. Last year, the Indians often carried eight relievers. They have the depth to suit such an approach again.

5. Ramp it up: Spring is heating up, and players will start to see more action. Josh Tomlin is slated to pitch four innings on Sunday. No Indians pitcher has exceeded three frames yet. On Saturday, Francona left his starting lineup in longer than he has all spring. Many regulars received four trips to the plate.

"Once we had that long first inning, I wanted them to get deeper into the game and get that fourth at-bat," Francona said. "They've been going every other day for the most part. In the next week or so, you'll see some guys play back to back games and start to get built up."

Indians notebook: Danny Salazar impresses, Trevor Bauer doesn’t





By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports columnist






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Published: March 10, 2014 - 09:33 PM



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Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Danny Salazar signs autographs before a spring training exhibition baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday in Goodyear, Ariz. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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GOODYEAR, Ariz.: If Indians manager Terry Francona wondered how excited right-hander Danny Salazar was to face major-league hitters in his first spring game, all Francona had to do was look at the radar gun.

“He was throwing pretty hard; I think it was 97 [mph],” Francona said. “That’s getting after it.”

Salazar pitched 1⅔ innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday at Goodyear Park and gave up one run on two hits, walked two and struck out two. The Indians (9-2-1) had a 10-game unbeaten streak snapped with an 8-3 loss.

Asked what he liked best about the outing, Salazar said, “That I feel great. I was a little wild, but for being the first time out there, really good.”

Throwing 30 to 32 pitches, Salazar said he uses his fastball, slider and change-up. In the second inning, when Chris Iannetta singled to left, Matt Long hit a 380-foot double off the left-center-field wall and John McDonald was hit by a pitch, Salazar said he was “pulling a little bit to the side” and leaving his pitches up.

“I thought the ball came out of his hand really well,” Francona said. “You’ve got to remember, this was his first time in an ‘A’ game. I thought he was free and easy, a lot to build off of.”

Francona said the next step for Salazar would be to try to go three innings in his next start. The Indians have been taking a patient approach with the 24-year-old phenom, who underwent right elbow reconstruction in August 2010.

Salazar said by the end of spring training he hopes to be able to throw five innings like the rest of the starting rotation and Francona believes that is realistic. Salazar’s last time on the mound was a 21-pitch effort in a ‘‘B’’ game against minor leaguers on Friday.

Bauer struggles

The performance by right-hander Trevor Bauer, battling for the fifth-starter job, was not nearly as encouraging. Bauer pitched two innings and was torched for seven runs (six earned) on seven hits. He walked two and struck out one. The biggest blow was a two-run home run by Collin Cowgill in the fifth inning, when Bauer gave up a single, homer and triple before being lifted.

“He’s throwing the ball real well, he was not locating or working ahead today,” Francona said. “It’s not always going to be easy. Nobody’s going to remotely give up. I still think there’s a good major-league pitcher in there. We just have to keep fighting, and we’ll fight with him. We’re going to figure it out.”

Tested again

Nick Hagadone got a chance to redeem himself in a bases-loaded relief situation and failed again.

He relieved Salazar with two out in the second inning and walked in a run before retiring Grant Green on a fly ball to center. Nearly the same situation arose Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners, when he came in with two outs. He walked the first batter, gave up a two-run single, then walked the third man before escaping.

“That’s not what we’re looking for, a walk,” Francona said. “But nobody’s ever going to give up on anybody. Just continue to get better. I do think being put in those situations will help him.”

Kipnis shines

Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis went 3-for-3 with a run scored. He’s batting .444 (8-for-18) in seven games.

“Kip has so many ways of beating you,” Francona said. “He laid down a bunt today, I know it rolled foul, but it was a great bunt. He has that in his game, he can hit the ball out of the ballpark, he uses the whole field, he can run.”

Quote of the day

Asked whether some of the spring competitions were beginning to sort themselves out, Francona said: “Not really. If I told you that I knew what we were going to do at third base, I wouldn’t be telling you the truth.”

Foul tips

The Angels used a pronounced infield shift against Nick Swisher, but Francona went to the same ploy against three Angels, including Raul Ibanez and Carlos Pena. … Reliever Vinnie Pestano worked a scoreless sixth inning and struck out one. “He’s had three innings where he’s probably been under 10 pitches. As he continues to get stronger as the spring progresses, it starts to get exciting,” Francona said. … Ryan Raburn (bruised left knee) is expected to DH today in a ‘‘B’’ game.

Tribe's big bopper coming up empty: Cleveland Indians spring training notes


GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Jesus Aguilar is trying too hard. He says he’s not, but the Indians power-hitting first base prospect is probably doing just that.

After spending last year and this winter hitting everything in sight for Class AA Akron and Caracas in Venezuela, Aguilar is 0-for-15 with seven strikeouts and six walks through the Indians first 11 games in the Cactus League.

“I don’t think I’m trying to do too much,” said Aguilar, 6-3 and 250 pounds. “I’m just trying to enjoy my time here with the big guys and learn as much as I can.”

Last year Aguilar hit .275 (137-for-499) with 28 doubles, 16 homers and 105 RBI at Akron. Then he went to Caracas and hit .327 (74-for-226) with seven doubles, 18 homers and 50 RBI in 58 games in winter ball.

Could he be arm weary?

“I don’t want to make an excuse, but maybe that’s what is happening right now,” said Aguilar. “But I feel good when I practice and play the games. Right now I’m just trying to get ready for my season.”

Aguilar will probably open the year at Class AA Akron, but should move to Class AAA Columbus during the season. The Indians are expected to have some players in big-league camp start the season at Columbus and they could temporarily block Aguilar’s path.

When a reporter asked manager Terry Francona if Aguilar was trying to do too much, Francona said, “You answered your own question. This by no means defines what his career is going to be and we know that. We would love to watch him hit a couple of balls, but this happens all the time. He’s got 15 at-bats. That’s three or four days in a season.”

Good first step: Danny Salazar made his Cactus League debut on Monday against the Angels. He pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits. He struck out two and walked two.

The Indians have monitored Salazar’s workload since the start of camp. They want him strong for the season. At this rate, Salazar said he should be throwing five innings at the end of camp.

That would put him in line to be the club’s fifth starter.

Salazar topped out at 97 mph.

“He was a little excited,” said Francona. “He was throwing pretty hard. I thought he was free and easy. There’s a lot to build off of.”

End of the line: The 8-3 loss to the Angels on Monday ended the Indians 10-game unbeaten streak. They were 9-0-1 over that stretch.

“Anything we do whether it’s playing cribbage with Cashie (bullpen coach Kevin Cash), you want to win,” said Francona. “I’d much rather win than lose, but not if we can’t play some Double-A kids or at the expense of letting guys get their work or pinch-hitting for a guy.

“But I’d always rather win.”

Versatility: Mike Aviles is normally an infielder, but Sunday against Milwaukee he played left field and Monday he was in right field against the Angels.

“You may even see him in center this spring,” said Francona. “I thought he looked like a left fielder on Sunday and that’s a compliment because he hadn’t even been taking balls out there.

“That’s how much I trust him and he embraces it.”

Last season Aviles played 56 games at third, 46 at short, 12 at second, four in left field, one in right field and two at DH.

Finally: Last spring Jason Kipnis hit .179 (10-for-56). This spring, after getting three hits Monday, Kipnis is hitting .444 (8-for-18). “Kip has so many ways of beating you,” said Francona. “He laid down a bunt today that went foul, but it was a great bunt. He has that in his game. He can hit the ball out of the ballpark. He uses the whole field and he can run. There are just so many things he can do to help you win a game.”

Justin Masterson named opening day starter for Cleveland Indians after win over Arizona

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – It was a good day for Justin Masterson.

After watching his ace pitch four scoreless and hitless innings Tuesday against Arizona on the way to a 7-1 victory, manager Terry Francona said the 6-6 right-hander will be the starter when the Indians open the regular season March 31 in Oakland.

It will be Masterson’s third straight opening day start for the Tribe.

“It’s a big honor for him,” said Francona. “I think it’s an honor for us to tell him and I think he’s very deserving.”

Masterson didn’t allow a hit as he struck out one and walked one. The offense, led by Lonnie Chisenhall’s two-run homer, supported Masterson with 14 hits.


“I felt OK,” said Masterson. “There were a lot of close pitches that I was happy with. I was around the zone. I got behind in the count once in a while, but I had some great plays behind me.

“Frenchy (Jeff Francoeur) was out there in right field catching them when Arizona was doing some hit and runs. It made it very beneficial for us to get out of it."

The Diamondbacks were working on their hit and runs and the Indians turned those into two double plays on line drives to Francoeur while Masterson was still on the mound.

“I’m sure Frenchy isn’t going to let me forget that,” said Masterson. “He wasn’t expecting to work that hard out there.”

Masterson said he is still waiting to hear from the Indians on his multiyear contract proposal. Masterson, who can be a free agent after this season, and his agent made the proposal last week.

Indians owner Paul Dolan arrived in Goodyear, Ariz., on Tuesday so perhaps that’s a sign the Indians are formulating an answer.

“They’re working through it,” said Masterson. “We’ll see what happens. It’s still as it was.”

David Adams gave the Indians a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the second off Trevor Cahill. Chisenhall, competing with Carlos Santana for the third-base job, made it 3-0 with a two-run homer to center in the fourth.

The Indians added two more runs in the fifth on a double by Asdrubal Cabrera and a single by Michael Brantley for a 5-0 lead. Cahill left the game with a jammed right knee after retiring Jason Kipnis at first for the second out of the inning.

The Indians made it 7-1 with two runs in the ninth. Prospect Dorssys Paulino hit a two-run double to the fence in center.

Arizona’s only run came in the fifth off Cody Allen.

The Indians are 10-2-1 in Cactus League play.

“I felt OK,” said Masterson. “There were a lot of close pitches that I was happy with. I was around the zone. I got behind in the count once in a while, but I had some great plays behind me.

“Frenchy (Jeff Francoeur) was out there in right field catching them when Arizona was doing some hit and runs. It made it very beneficial for us to get out of it."

The Diamondbacks were working on their hit and runs and the Indians turned those into two double plays on line drives to Francoeur while Masterson was still on the mound.

“I’m sure Frenchy isn’t going to let me forget that,” said Masterson. “He wasn’t expecting to work that hard out there.”

Masterson said he is still waiting to hear from the Indians on his multiyear contract proposal. Masterson, who can be a free agent after this season, and his agent made the proposal last week.

Indians owner Paul Dolan arrived in Goodyear, Ariz., on Tuesday so perhaps that’s a sign the Indians are formulating an answer.

“They’re working through it,” said Masterson. “We’ll see what happens. It’s still as it was.”

David Adams gave the Indians a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the second off Trevor Cahill. Chisenhall, competing with Carlos Santana for the third-base job, made it 3-0 with a two-run homer to center in the fourth.

The Indians added two more runs in the fifth on a double by Asdrubal Cabrera and a single by Michael Brantley for a 5-0 lead. Cahill left the game with a jammed right knee after retiring Jason Kipnis at first for the second out of the inning.

The Indians made it 7-1 with two runs in the ninth. Prospect Dorssys Paulino hit a two-run double to the fence in center.

Arizona’s only run came in the fifth off Cody Allen.

The Indians are 10-2-1 in Cactus League play.

Indians finally make a few roster cuts.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians made their first round of Spring Training cuts on Wednesday morning, optioning five players to Triple-A, one to Class A and reassigning six to Minor League camp, including infielder Francisco Lindor.

Lindor, 20, is considered the Indians' top prospect by MLB.com and enters the season ranked No. 10 on MLB.com's Prospect Watch.

In addition to Lindor, catcher Jake Lowery, outfielder Tyler Naquin, catcher Roberto Perez, infielder Joe Wendle and catcher/infielder Tony Wolters were reassigned to Minor League camp. Each of those six was a non-roster invitee.

Right-hander Austin Adams, left-hander T.J. House, infielder Jesus Aguilar, infielder Jose Ramirez and outfielder Carlos Moncrief were all optioned to Triple-A Columbus. Infielder Erik Gonzalez was optioned to Class A Carolina.


Pitchers in camp are reduced from 32 to 30. But with 3 of the 7 catchers gone it seems likely a few more pitchers will get to leave, too, and/or that Santana will resume his work at least sometimes behind the plate.

Corey Kluber gets No.2 job in rotation: Cleveland Indians spring training notes (video)
By Paul Hoynes, Northeast Ohio Media Group


GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Things can change quickly in life and baseball.

Last spring training Corey Kluber didn’t even make the opening day roster. After throwing four innings against the Padres on Wednesday, Kluber was told by manager Terry Francona that he’ll be pitching the second game of the season on April 1 against Oakland at o.com Coliseum.

“I think he deserves it,” said Francona. “Corey is quietly becoming one of the better pitchers in the game. It’s going to be fun to watch him grow.”

Francona announced Justin Masterson as his opening day starter on Tuesday and Kluber as the No.2 starter on Wednesday. If form holds true, Zach McAllister should be announced as the No. 3 starter after he faces Kansas City on Thursday at Goodyear Ballpark.

After that things get dicey.

Whoever wins the job for the open spot in the rotation, will probably start the home opener on April 4 against the Twins. Carlos Carrasco, Josh Tomlin, Trevor Bauer and Aaron Harang are competing for that spot and it’s anybody’s guess who will win it.

Danny Salazar, projected to be the Tribe’s No.2 starter during the winter, seems destined to open in the fifth spot for the regular season. The Indians held Salazar back this spring to give him every chance to complete the 162-game regular season.

Salazar made his first Cactus League start Monday and will be stretched out to only five innings by the time the regular season opens March 31. The Indians will be able to skip him the first time through the rotation because of the April 3 off day and give him his first start April 8 against San Diego at Progressive Field.

Last year Kluber came to spring training following surgery on his right knee. He did it changing his daughter’s diaper.

The knee bothered Kluber throughout camp, but he never complained. When Kluber was called up on April 17, Francona asked him why he didn’t say anything about his knee.

“Klubes told me, ‘what was I going to say,’” said Francona. “That showed me something.”

Kluber went 11-5 with a 3.85 ERA last year. He made 26 appearances, including 24 starts, and pitched 147 1/3 innings.

Hot stuff: The race at the hot corner between Carlos Santana and Lonnie Chisenhall is starting to sizzle.

Santana hit a two-run homer Wednesday and made two nice plays at third base in the Indians 12-7 victory over the Padres.

On Tuesday, Chisenhall hit a two-run homer against Arizona. Chisenhall started at DH Wednesday and went 2-for-4.

“I hope all our guys do great,” said Francona. “If that’s the issue for us, that too many of our guys played well, we’ll accept that.”

First cut: The Indians sent 12 players to minor league camp on Wednesday. There are still 53 players on the spring training roster.

“I told our guys, ‘OK, we had our first round of cuts,’” said Francona. “They were all younger guys. Now there’s a group of guys in there competing and the anxiety builds a little bit.

“I get that. We want to see the best out of everybody. Then if we have to make tough decisions based on guys doing really well, it’s a heckuva a lot better than basing it on two guys getting hurt and two guys who looked like they couldn’t play.”

Five players were optioned to Class AAA Columbus: right-hander Austin Adams, left-hander T.J. House, infielder Jesus Aguilar, infielder Jose Ramirez and outfielder Carlos Moncrief.

Shortstop Erik Gonzalez was optioned to Class A Carolina and shortstop Francisco Lindor, catcher Jake Lowery, center fielder Tyler Naquin, catcher Roberto Perez, infielder Joey Wendle and catcher Tony Wolters were re-assigned to big-league camp.

“I knew I wasn’t going to break camp with the team since Day One,” said Lindor, the Indians No.1 pick in 2011. “I’ve just got to work to be the best player I can be and hopefully soon they’ll see I belong in the big leagues.”

Extra innings: The Indians are working hard to get their pitchers the necessary innings to get ready for the season and to make evaluations on who stays and who goes.

Carrasco will throw four innings in a B game against Kansas City on Thursday. Salazar is scheduled to throw three innings in a minor league game on March 14 with Cody Allen following him for one inning.

Bauer is scheduled to pitch four innings in a minor league game Saturday. This will give the Indians a chance to see as many relievers as they can Cactus League games against better competition.

Testing, testing: Frank Herrmann gave up three runs on four hits in his Cactus League debut Wednesday. Herrmann took the mound in the ninth inning a day short of a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

“It was a big step for him,” said Francona.

Finally: David Murphy was back in right field Wednesday after DHing a couple of games because of a sore left elbow . . .Ryan Raburn (left knee) played in a B game Tuesday against the White Sox and had a couple of hits. “It still hurts, but it’s one of those things where I’m not going to hurt it any worse than it is.” Raburn is scheduled to play on Thursday against Kansas City . . .Nyjer Morgan left Wednesday’s game with a tight calf after an eighth-inning double.