Cleveland Sports Forum

Agree and a RH bat. JOEZ may be influenced by his Winter ball play.

I am typically over-influenced by players who I've followed up through the minors. Roberto was on my radar before he made prospect lists, which doesn't mean I'm an expert but that I overrate our youngsters in many cases.

We don't mind you overrating our prospects, Civ.

I do mind our FO overrating our prospects to the point they can't get deals done.

Cleveland Indians have three or four bullpen openings with a lot of arms to fill them


CLEVELAND, Ohio – A baseball team always has moving parts. Sometimes those moving parts have moving parts, especially when spring training is getting near.

Indians' pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear, Ariz. on Wednesday and two areas of the team have yet to reveal themselves – the bullpen and outfield. This story deals with the bullpen.

Last year Indians' relievers posted the second lowest ERA in the American League at 3.12. The World Series champion Royals were the only team with a lower ERA at 2.72.

While the core of that pen is still intact, several ancillary arms have departed. Here's the roll call: Scott Atchison, Gavin Floyd, Nick Hagadone, CC Lee, Marc Rzepczynski, Anthony Swarzak and Ryan Webb. Atchison recently rejoined the Indians as a member of the coaching staff, but the others have scattered to the four corners of the baseball world.

As for the core, closer Cody Allen and set-up men Bryan Shaw and Zach McAllister are back. Jeff Manship probably belongs in that group as well. Last season Manship compiled a 0.92 ERA (four earned runs in 39 1/3 innings) in 32 appearances after starting the season at Class AAA Columbus. Manship's ERA was the lowest in the big leagues and in team history for pitchers with 30 or more appearances in a season.

If Manship is included in the core, that leaves three to four open spots in the pen. The odds favor four spots because manager Terry Francona usually opens the season with an extra reliever or two.

So how has it happened? How has a guy who logged an opponents batting average of .302 from 2009-14 limited the opposition to a .165 mark this season?

Numerically there will be no problem filling those openings with 30 pitchers coming to camp, including 13 relievers looking for work. Depending on how the starting rotation sorts itself out, Josh Tomlin might be in line for a bullpen spot as well. If TJ House or Cody Anderson don't make the rotation, they'll start at Class AAA Columbus rather than work out of the Tribe's rotation.

The Indians and the right-handed pitcher have agreed to a two-year contract extension. The club also holds an option on the pitcher for the 2018 season.

The Indians might not be done adding arms. They are still looking to for another reliever and position player before spring training turns serious. The first full squad workout is scheduled for Feb. 23.

The left-handers are the most interesting part in the pitching stampede.

Kyle Crockett and Giovanni Soto, who both saw time with the Indians last year, are on the 40-man roster. Veterans Tom Gorzelanny, Joe Thatcher and Ross Detwiler will report on minor league deals.

Francona is going to need at least one and maybe two lefties to work his matchups. His fallback position in that regard is that Allen (.176), Shaw (.226), Manship (.235) and McAllister (.258), all right-handers, did a good job against lefties last year.

Crockett, 23, rocketed through the minor league system and had an impressive rookie year in 2014. He has a deceptive motion and usually commands the strike zone. Last season he struggled with the Indians and Columbus because he couldn't throw the ball where he wanted.

Soto, 24, made his big league debut last year after spending parts of seven seasons in the minors. After spending most of his career as a starter, the Tribe moved him to the pen. He has a good cutter and is effective against lefties.

Gorzelanny, 33, drew the Indians' attention last year with Detroit when he lowered his arm slot, while keeping his velocity. The Tribe feels that will give him a better chance against lefties this season. Last year lefties hit .222 and righties .354 against him.

Thatcher, 34, made Houston's opening day roster last year as a spring training invitee. He doesn't throw hard, but he's crafty and has had success getting lefties out. Last year lefties hit .245 and righties .323 against him.

Detwiler, 29, has been a starter most of his career, but the Indians will look at him mostly as a reliever. Detwiler has a good fastball. Lefties hit .234 against him and righties .390.

The right-handers coming to camp include Austin Adams, Shawn Armstrong and Dan Otero, who are on the 40-man rosters. Non-roster right-handers include Joba Chamberlain, Joe Colon, Jarrett Grube, Felipe Paulino and Craig Stammen. Starters Mike Clevinger, Ryan Merritt, Shawn Morimando, Adam Plutko and Will Roberts will be camp, but will not compete for a spot in the bullpen.

Adams and Armstrong combined for 36 appearances with the Tribe last year. They combined for 20 saves and 97 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings at Columbus. Armstrong had 80 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings at Columbus and 11 in eight innings with the Tribe.

Otero, acquired by the Indians from Philadelphia for cash in December, is looking for a bounce back season. In 2014 he went 8-2 with a 2.28 ERA in 72 appearances covering 65 innings for Oakland. Otero, who had a 6.75 ERA in 41 appearances last year, throws a lot of ground balls, which could work well with the Tribe's improved infield defense.

The Indians added another arm to their bullpen with the acquisition of right-hander Dan Otero from the Phillies for cash.

Chamberlain, 30, is another bounce back candidate after a ragged 2015 with Detroit and Kansas City. He spent part of the winter working out at Goodyear and reportedly has lost about 30 pounds.

Colon, the Tribe's 12th round pick in 2009, moved to the pen last year and struck out 24 batters in 17 1/3 innings at Columbus. Colon, however, tested positive for a drug of abuse and will be suspended for the first 50 games in 2016.

Colon, currently on the roster at Triple-A Columbus, was banned for a second positive test for a drug of abuse.

Of the last three right-handers, Paulino, Grube and Stammen, Paulino and Stammen probably have the best chance. Grube, 9-0 with a 2.26 ERA in 15 appearances, including 13 starts, is seen as more of depth reliever.

Paulino, 32, didn't pitch in the big leagues last year, but made 20 starts for Class AAA Iowa. The 6-3, 260-pound Paulino throws hard and has made 65 starts in the big leagues, but the Indians are looking at him as a reliever.

The Indians signed Stammen earlier this week after he made just five appearances last season with Washington before tearing his right flexor tendon. It's unclear if he'll go to camp ready to compete, but if he's healthy he has a great chance to make the pen.

Adams and Armstrong combined for 36 appearances with the Tribe last year. They combined for 20 saves and 97 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings at Columbus. Armstrong had 80 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings at Columbus and 11 in eight innings with the Tribe.

Adams was 3.78 with a too-high WHIP of 1.50 in the majors. Hasn't had a full major league season but he's already 29.
Armstrong only has 8 big league innings behind him, but they were good. 2 hits, 5 hits, 2 walks, 11 strikeouts. He's our 21st prospect, with a BA quality rating only of 40, which means major league marginal.

Under the hearing what needs to go right for each team in spring teaming, Bleacher Report continues:

teams focus on a few key areas in particular; it's sort of a blueprint to preseason success, if you will, and those are what the following article will zero in on.

We chose one player (in some cases two) who applies to each of the following categories:
• Health: The key player either recovering from an offseason injury/surgery or an oft-injured player to keep an eye on. The hope here is that he will avoid any setbacks or stay healthy.
• Rebound: The key player coming off a down season. Ideally, he'll turn in a big spring performance and build some confidence heading into a potential bounce-back year.
• Prospect: The prospect in big league camp who is capable of making the biggest impact this coming season or is expected to fill a key role on the Opening Day roster. A young player who looks like he belongs in the spring can certainly give the team some added confidence in him heading into the year.
• Newcomer: The one new addition everyone will be watching this spring. Not necessarily the top player the team added, though in many cases they are one and the same.

And for the Indians the featured players are:

Health: LF Michael Brantley

Michael Brantley underwent surgery on his right shoulder at the beginning of November and was expected to be ready for "game activity" in five to six months, according to an Associated Press report (via ESPN). He'll resume baseball activities at some point during spring training, and the team will keep a close eye on his progress.

Rebound: C Yan Gomes

The AL Silver Slugger winner in 2014, Yan Gomes struggled through a tough 2015 season with a .659 OPS, 12 home runs and 45 RBI in 95 games. An MCL sprain cost him time in the first half, and rushing back from that injury likely contributed to his struggles.

Prospect: CF Tyler Naquin

Fellow prospects Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier rank higher in the organization, but another former first-round pick in Tyler Naquin could be the first to arrive in the majors. He hit .300/.381/.446 while reaching Triple-A last year, and a strong spring could earn him the center field job with a relatively clear path to playing time.

Newcomer: 1B Mike Napoli

As usual, it was a fairly quiet offseason for the Indians, as they are never one to break the bank in free agency. They did manage to sign Mike Napoli to a one-year, $7 million deal, and if he regains his power stroke, he could be the right-handed power bat they've been seeking for the past few years.

Brantley among Indians looking to bounce back
Tribe hoping for better health, more production in 2016

http://m.indians.mlb.com/news/article/1 ... or-indians

Pluto:

ABOUT DAVID FREESE

Do I think the Indians will end up with David Freese as their third baseman? No. But spring training opens this week and Freese has yet to sign a contract. He was looking for a healthy multi-year deal, but none materialized.

Terry's Talkin' Tribe, Urshela, third base and memories: Pluto

Terry's Talkin' Tribe, Urshela, third base and memories: Pluto

Cleveland Indians have third base questions ... Gio Urshela? Juan Uribe? Lots of Tribe notes.

The Indians have been looking for a veteran for third, allowing Gio Urshela to start the season in the minors. Last week, I wrote about the Tribe's interest in Juan Uribe. I was told there is more of a market for Uribe, meaning Freese could be open to a modest one-year deal. That assumes there are no other alternatives for the former Angel.

The 32-year-old Freese batted .257 (.743 OPS) with 14 HR and 56 RBI last season. While he's considered below average defensively, that mostly has to do with his lack of range. He had only eight errors in 112 games.

Over the last three seasons, Freese has been a .260 hitter (.722 OPS), averaging 11 HR and 57 RBI. In the last three years, he's a .257 hitter vs. righties, .268 vs. lefties. He's an interesting alternative at the right price.

ABOUT TYLER NAQUIN

At first, I thought the Tribe's enthusiasm for Naquin was overstated. Now, I believe he has a chance to make the team unless they acquire another veteran outfielder.

Here's how it breaks down:

1. Michael Brantley (shoulder surgery) is not expected to be ready for the opener. That leaves a projected starting outfield of Rajai Davis (LF), Abraham Almonte (CF) and Lonnie Chisenhall (RF).

2. Four other players are competing for spots: Joey Butler, Collin Cowgill, James Ramsey and Zach Walters. Cowgill impresses with his defense. Butler finally stayed in the majors at 29 last season, batting .276 (.742 OPS) with 8 HR and 30 RBI as a part-time outfielder with Tampa Bay. Ramsey and Walters are probably ticketed for Class AAA.

3. The Indians believe the 24-year-old Naquin is close to big-league ready. He batted a combined .300 between Class AA Akron and Class AAA Columbus with 7 HR and 27 RBI.

4. Naquin is not a power hitter, carrying a career .309 batting average (.786 OPS) in 586 plate appearances at Akron. His problem has been injuries. He had a concussion and a hip injury last year and broke a hand in 2014 when hit by a pitch.

5. The 23-year-old Naquin was the Tribe's first-round pick in 2012. He was named the "Best pure hitter in the draft" by Baseball America that season. He has an outstanding arm and is above average in center field.

6. While Almonte will be given the first shot, the Indians know they should have an alternative in mind. Until Almonte came to the Tribe in August, he was a career .240 hitter in 330 big-league at-bats and considered a fringe prospect. The Indians obtained him from San Diego in a July trade for Marc Rzepczynski. The Tribe is his fourth big league organization.

7. Almonte impressed manager Terry Francona, batting .264 (.776 OPS) with 5 HR and 20 RBI in 51 games. He was 6-of-6 in stolen bases. Francona raved about how Almonte always hit the cutoff man, played an above average center field and seldom made any mistakes. Is he just someone who had two good months, or is he coming into his own at 26? The Indians will find out this season, and Naquin is an alternative in case Almonte falters.

ABOUT THE BULLPEN

The Tribe front office knows Francona can never have enough relievers. He keeps setting team records for most relievers used in a season.

Francona knows what he's doing. The Tribe's bullpen had a 3.12 ERA last season, second best in the American League. Kansas City was first at 2.73.

The latest to join the team is Tommy Hunter, and that brings the total to 14 in Goodyear when pitchers report Wednesday. Hunter is unlikely to be ready to open the season. He is recovering from off-season hernia surgery.

The Indians have 30 pitchers reporting to spring training on Wednesday in Goodyear, Ariz. They're looking to add at least one more reliever to help the bullpen.

The Indians gave him a contract worth $2 million. He throws 95 mph, and the Tribe believes he'll be ready by May. In the last three years, he has a 13-9 record and 3.26 ERA, mostly with Baltimore.

He had a 3.63 ERA with the Orioles last season when traded to the Cubs in late July. That's when the hernia appeared. He pitched with it and had a 5.74 ERA in Chicago. He had abdominal surgery after the season.

The Tribe has four key relievers returning: Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Zach McAllister and Jeff Manship. Lots of openings after that, and lots of candidates.

I'm intrigued by Joba Chamberlain, who has been in Goodyear for several weeks and supposedly dropped 20 pounds.

What will Michael Brantley-less outfield look like for Cleveland Indians?

Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
on February 13, 2016 at 1:27 PM, updated February 13, 2016 at 5:47 PM

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The one thing Michael Brantley really missed doing this off-season is the thing he does best on a baseball field – swing the bat.

"In the off-season people know I love to hit,'' said Brantley. ''I hit a lot. It's just been a change in my timetable. When I get to start swinging the bat (again), I have a great routine I'm going to go through and I'll be ready to go.''

When that might be, no one knows. Brantley is recovering from November surgery on his right shoulder to repair a torn labrum. The uncertainty of his return has thrown a veil of mystery over the Indians' outfield as spring training begins Wednesday in Goodyear Ariz.

Brantley, when healthy, is the Tribe's starting left fielder and most productive hitter. The Indians have been encouraged by his recovery. So has Brantley, but the date for his return is still hazy. Maybe late April or early May.

So between now and then, what exactly are the Indians supposed to do in the outfield, which along with the bullpen is the most unsettled position on the team?

They're bringing 12 outfielders to spring training. The number includes Brantley and utility man Zach Walters, recovering from his own shoulder surgery, so that's really only 10 healthy bodies. They also have options among infielders Jose Ramirez, Michael Martinez and Mike Napoli, who all played some outfield last season. Manager Terry Francona hinted earlier this winter that Carlos Santana, who has tried his hand at catching, third base and first base, might find his way into the outfield this spring.

To Indians' fans contemplating an outfield filled with utility men and former catchers – Santana and Napoli – a word of caution is needed before breaking into a Tasmanian Devil spin. The Indians will probably open the season with five outfielders and stay with that number until Brantley returns. The fifth outfielder will almost certainly prevent Francona from carrying an extra reliever into April, but it should prevent sightings of Napoli or Santana stationed in left or right field.

Barring a late addition – the Indians are still looking to add at least one more hitter – the three outfielders with job security headed into spring training are Rajai Davis, Abraham Almonte and Lonnie Chisenhall. Davis can play all three positions, but is expected to spend most of his time in left while Brantley heals. The switch-hitting Almonte will play center and Chisenhall, who flashed Gold Glove moves when he made the move from third base at midseason last year, will be in right field.

The outfielders that win the last two spots are going to have to be versatile so Francona can use them in matchup situations. Take Almonte for instance. Last year he hit .250 (15-for-60) against lefties and .250 (43-for-172) against righties, but the .250 he hit against righties included five homers and 20 RBI. Against lefties, he had no homers and four RBI. So Francona could slide Davis from left field to center when the Indians face a tough left hander, while going to his bench to find a left fielder.

Last season Chisenhall, who bats left-handed, hit .241 (14-for-58) with one homer and nine RBI against lefties and .247 (68-for-276) with six homers and 35 RBI against righties. With Ryan Raburn, Chisenhall's platoon partner from last year no longer on the team; Francona is going to have to find another right-handed bat to pair with him.

He'll have options.

Outfielders Collin Cowgill, Joey Butler, Tyler Naquin and James Ramsey are on the 40-man roster. The Indians acquired Cowgill from the Angels for cash in December and signed him to a one-year, $1 million contract. They claimed Butler on waivers from Tampa Bay in December. Naquin is their No.1 pick from 2012 and Ramsey was acquired from St. Louis for Justin Masterson in 2014.

Cowgill and Butler are right-handed hitters, while Naquin and Ramsey bat left-handed.

Outfielders Shane Robinson, Robbie Grossman and Michael Choice will come to camp as spring training invitees. Robinson and Choice bat right-handed and Grossman is a switch-hitter.

The favorites to fill the last two extra outfield spots are Cowgill and Butler. Cowgill is out of options, while Butler offers the possibility of right-handed power. Still, this is far from an All-Star cast and if someone has a great camp they could still make the opening day roster.

Cowgill, 29, played only 55 games last season because of a wrist injury. He hit .188 (13-for-69), but he's a .271 (94-for-347) lifetime hitter against lefties. Cowgill, known for his defense in left and right field, graded out at six defensive runs saved last season according to FanGraphs.

Butler, 29, hit .289 (43-for-149) last season with four homers and 17 RBI against righties. He hit .259 (28-for-108) with four homers and 13 RBI against lefties.

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ss ... oey_b.html

Naquin, 24, is going to get a long look this spring. He's been slowed by injuries the last two years and has spent time in Goodyear for the team's strength and conditioning camps. He's played mostly center field, but has a good-enough arm to play anywhere in the outfield.

Ramsey, a No.1 pick by St. Louis in 2012, hit .243 (107-for-440) with 12 homers and 42 RBI for Class AAA Columbus last year.

Robinson, 31, played 83 games with the Twins last year. He hit .257 (19-for-74) against lefties and .245 (26-for-106) against righties. He played all three outfield positions and pitched a scoreless inning against the Tribe. That could come in handy since Francona's emergency relievers, Raburn and David Murphy, are gone from last year's team.

Choice, with the exception of one game with Texas, spent last season at Class AAA with the Rangers and Indians where he hit .239 (110-for-460) with 13 homers and 67 RBI. He was Oakland's No.1 pick in 2010.

Grossman, 26, played just 24 games for Houston last year. He's a .251 lifetime hitter against lefties.

What the heck happened to Ramsey last year Civ?

What will Michael Brantley-less outfield look like for Cleveland Indians?

Oakland A's addressed a glaring LF hole by acquiring Khris Davis from Milwaukee Brewers. Their left fielders hit just .199 with 14 homeruns last season. They traded two top-50 prospects: Jacob Nottingham (#7) and Bubba Derby (#27).

Davis hit 27 homeruns for Milwaukee last season with an 828 OPS. He is limited to left-field defensively, but CF Billy Burns should help cover some the gap in left-center. Davis gives the A's their best right-handed power bat since they traded Josh Donaldson before the 2015 season. He isn't eligible for free agency until 2020. He has hit better at home during his career, but the A's would be happy with his .451 career road SLG. Davis joins Jed Lowrie and Yonder Alonso as significant offensive additions for Oakland this off-season.


Could the Indians have matched that deal? Civ?

[ I think I read that Davis accumulated those 27 homers in less that 400 at bats ?!?!?! ]

Yes! I did !

Davis got the attention of Brewers fans in 2013 when he caught fire over the last 31 games of his rookie season, hitting .286 with a .975 OPS, spanning 118 plate appearances. He carried that momentum into 2014 where he hit 22 homers in 144 games, and a career-high 27 home runs in 2015. Davis led all National League left fielders (min. 400 PA) in home runs, was second in slugging percentage (.505), and third in OPS (.828). Depending on how much weight you give defensive metrics like UZR/150, Davis is a below average defensive left fielder. But my guess is that Oakland is willing absorb the hit that they’ll take from his defensive game in order to put some pop in their lineup, without having to pay free agent prices for it.

That left field in Oakland is huge........I don't think his defense would have been that much of a problem in Cleveland ?!?!!?!

Hey Hoynsie!

Your Indians questions answered

Got a question about the Indians? Sent it in. Submit your question at cleveland. com/heyhoynsie or Tweet @ hoynsie, and Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes will choose at least one to answer each week.

Hey, Hoynsie: You mentioned last week that the Indians have been ''aced out'' of the international market, just as they have in the domestic market. Why is it, then, that the Twins were able to sign Korean slugger Byung-Ho Park to a four-year $12 million deal and the Orioles were able to sign outfielder Hyun-Soo Kim (who has a career .318 batting average and three Gold Gloves in Korea) to a two-year $7 million deal. I'm having trouble wrapping my head around the fact that the Indians didn't even make a bid. — Kevin Norchi, San Francisco

Hey, Kevin: When Park was posted by his Korean team, the Indians bid on him, but were beaten out by the Twins and their bid of $12.85 million. So Park cost the Twins $24.85 million in total.

The Indians like Kim, but he's a left-handed hitter and they feel he'll be limited to left field. With Michael Brantley established in left, and a lineup full of lefthanded hitters, they didn't see a fit.

Hey, Hoynsie: What about Rob Kaminsky? If the Indians don't want him, why not trade him rather than lose him in the Rule 5 draft? — Brickhouse McIntyre, Rocky River

Hey, Brickhouse: Is this a trick question? Kaminsky, the pitcher the Indians received from St. Louis for Brandon Moss in July, won't be eligible for the Rule 5 draft until 2017. Then the Indians can protect him by adding him to the 40-man roster. By the way, the Indians are happy with Kaminsky and I don't think he's going anywhere.

Hey, Hoynsie: Has there been any discussion regarding moving Jason Kipnis to third base and Jose Ramirez to second? — Keith Worcester, Akron

Hey, Keith: I haven't heard anything along those lines. The Tribe's infield defense really improved last year when third baseman Giovanny Urshela and shortstop Francisco Lindor arrived from Class AAA Columbus in June.

The Indians are heavily invested in their starting pitching. It's the main reason they didn't trade any of them during the winter to improve the offense. With that much of a commitment to the rotation, I don't think they're going to mess with the defense that plays behind it.

Hey, Hoynsie: In responding to the final question in last week's mailbag, you wrote about the ''growing chasm'' in baseball. I agree with this, but it really is sad. At some point the socalled small market teams may need to start their own league! The NFL, NBA, NHL et al. have figured this out so why can't baseball? All of those owners do quite well for themselves, don't they? Even though baseball (especially the Indians) is my favorite sport, I am very close to giving up on it (after some 50 odd years). Forgive my lengthy diatribe (is there even a question in there someplace?) but I just wanted to get this off my chest. Something really needs to happen! And finally, the MLBPA will have nothing to do with this. Again, very sad! — Trace Gerhart, Ontario

Hey, Trace: I understand your frustration. Perhaps the new bargaining agreement that must be reached by the end of 2016 will make the playing field more even. I think the slotting system in the amateur draft has helped, but if you're praying for a salary cap, I just don't see it happening in baseball. — Hoynsie

Don't know if Ramsey was really all that big a deal in the first place; Cardinals kept him at AA and let three other guys move above ahead of him.

in 2013 in AA 251/356/424 nothing special
in 2014 back in AA 300/389/527
in 2014 in Columbus 2 months 284/365/468 nice AAA debut but it didn't rate him in Tribe's Top 10 prospects
in 2015 all year in Columbus 243/327/382 looks like the pitchers adapted to him better than him to them

Not a CF candidate. Doesn't steal bases. Not clear he has the power for a corner spot. He's maybe a 4th OF, or quite possibly a AAAA career looms.

I'm so excited about all our outfield candidates, I'm peeing my pants.

We missed a lot of opportunities Seagull.