Tribe Happenings: Lee would be a good fit for the Indians

Lee could be an Eddie Murray-like pickup

for a young Tribe lineup. (Photo: AP)

Some news, notes, and thoughts from my Indians notebook…

Indians should sign Derrek Lee

A lot of attention has been paid to the hole the Indians have in center field now that Grady Sizemore’s club option for 2012 has been declined and he is a free agent. It appears remote that the Indians will be able to bring him back as the talk around the league is that it appears he may get a one year deal close to the $9 million for 2012 that the Indians declined.

While the Indians continue to sift through the suitable alternatives via free agency or trade to fill their need in the outfield, another position which is just as important to fill is first base.

Last year the duo of Matt LaPorta (97 games) and Carlos Santana (66 games) played most of the games at first base for the Indians. LaPorta suffered through another disappointing season hitting just .247 with 11 homers, 53 RBI, and .711 OPS in 107 total games played. He also made several defensive miscues at first base which cost the Indians a few games. Santana eventually took over the majority of the first base duties near the tail end of the season when LaPorta was optioned out to Triple-A Columbus in August.

Santana played much more first base than originally expected going into the season, in part because of LaPorta’s struggles at the plate and because of Santana’s own struggles defensively behind the plate. Even with playing first base for the first time and having some unexpected defensive issues his performance at the plate was solid as he hit .239 with 27 homers, 79 RBI and .808 OPS in 155 games.

Santana’s .239 batting average was not very good, but he walked 97 times and got on base at a .351 clip and had 64 extra base hits which is very good at the catching position. The Indians are still committed to him as their everyday catcher because he is most valuable to the team as an elite offensive catcher. He is also a much better defender than he showed this past season as he has a very good arm but just got a little lazy with his receiving behind the plate.

With LaPorta relegated to a bench role or in Triple-A Columbus to start next season and Santana entrenched as the everyday catcher the Indians need to find an everyday first base option for at least next season. Santana will still play some first base to keep his bat in the lineup, but the Indians need a player who can be counted on both defensively and offensively and has a proven track record.

One such player is free agent Derek Lee.

The Indians have yet to be tied to Lee in the offseason rumor mill, but he is exactly the kind of player they target in free agency. A player who is in the twilight of their career who still has some value and can be had on a low risk one year deal. Last year in 113 combined games with the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates he hit .267 with 19 homers, 59 RBI, and .771 OPS.

Yes, Lee is now 36 years old and his career is in decline and he is no longer the perennial MVP candidate he was three years ago. But the improvement to the Indians lineup would be seen not so much in the actual numbers that he would produce, but with his power, right-handed bat that helps balance such a left-handed heavy lineup. He is also an accomplished defender at first base having won three Gold Glove awards, so he would be a huge upgrade defensively for the Indians. Infield defense is something of huge importance to the team with their groundball heavy pitching staff.

There are certainly other free agent options out there at first base like Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Michael Cuddyer, Carlos Pena, and even maybe Casey Kotchman. But Pujols and Fielder are way out of the Indians’ price range, Cuddyer looks destined for Philadelphia, and Kotchman and Pena are left-handed bats so may not be good fits. Without considering a trade, at the moment Lee looks like the best fit for the Indians.

Just like the Indians acquired right-handed pitcher Derek Lowe last week on an inexpensive one year deal for $5 million to stabilize and add a veteran presence to the starting rotation, a pickup of Lee may do the same thing for the lineup and defense.

Sabathia, Lee contracts

A little over a week ago left-handed pitcher C.C. Sabathia signed a contract extension with the New York Yankees instead of choosing free agency by opting out of his contract. His new deal adds an extra year and $30 million to his existing contract with the Yankees and will pay him a total of $122 million over the next five seasons, plus he has a vesting option for $30 million in 2017 that will kick in if he basically does not go on the disabled list for a left shoulder injury.

Sabathia originally signed a seven-year, $161 million deal with the Yankees three years ago, so if the option in 2017 vests he has a chance to make $216 million over nine seasons with the Yankees. That’s some big coin.

Last year around this time left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee signed a five-year, $120 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. The deal also included a club option for a sixth season in 2016 for $27.5 million with a $12.5 million buyout. If the option is picked up he will make $135 million over six seasons with the Phillies.

It is hard to believe that back at the beginning of the 2008 season both Lee and Sabathia were a part of the Indians starting rotation. They eventually traded Sabathia to the Brewers in July of 2008 and then Lee to the Phillies in July of 2009. When you look at the Indians decision to trade both players it is hard not to agree that they made the right choice.

The return in the trades for Lee and Sabathia are very questionable as the players the Indians received have had varying levels of success but none of them have played to what was expected of them when they were acquired. But whether or not you agree or disagree with the talent the Indians obtained in those deals there is no question that they made the right move in trying to be proactive in acquiring talent for them rather than losing them in free agency and getting a couple of draft picks as compensation.

The Indians or clubs like them simply do not have the resources to pay any player well over $20 million a year for five or more years. Once again it is another example of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer as it is just not fair that more financially strapped teams like the Indians cannot afford to keep their stars – much less even attempt to try and keep them – whereas the big money teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and so on can afford to sign them.

Déjà vu

Popular Indians designated hitter Jim Thome signed a one-year, $1.25 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend, thereby ending his short-lived reunion with the Indians. This is now the second time that he has left the Indians for the Phillies, though this time the parting was much more amicable than his initial departure in November of 2002 when he signed a 6-year, $85 million deal with the Phillies and left the Indians and their fans feeling betrayed.

Going into the offseason the 41-year old Thome was unsure if he would play another season. This past season seemed like a fitting way to end his career as he joined the 600 home run club and got to finish the season in Cleveland. But he still wants one last shot at that elusive World Series ring, which is why he signed with the Phillies to be a left-handed power bat off the bench.

How much interest Thome or the Indians had in carrying over their relationship for next year is unknown, but with a healthy Travis Hafner on the team there was just no fit for him to return to the Indians in 2012. Also, with the Indians having such a left-handed heavy starting lineup they need right-handed bats on the bench, so bringing him back as a bench player with no defensive versatility would not have made much sense.

Thome’s return this year was good PR for him and the Indians as it helped heal some of those wounds left by his exit nine years ago. It also gave the Indians an opportunity to commemorate him at the end of the season and announce they will be building a statue of him. He no doubt is one of the all time Indians’ greats, though had her never left he possibly would have been known as the greatest Indian of all time.

Hot commodity

Indians fans have loved Sandy Alomar Jr. for a long time. First as a catcher during his 11-year stay in Cleveland as a player from 1990 through 2000, and now as a coach since rejoining the organization as part of manager Manny Acta’s staff two years ago. The Indians recently promoted him to bench coach, which essentially puts him as the second in command to only Acta.

Alomar may not be sticking around for long as he has a chance to become the field general for a few different teams. Already this offseason the Chicago White Sox had interest in him as their manager before they settled on Robin Ventura, but now the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox are interested in him as a candidate to fill their manager openings as both clubs interviewed him this week. Last year the Toronto Blue Jays interviewed him for their managerial opening before settling on John Farrell for the job.

Some of the interest may be driven from Alomar being a minority candidate as all teams are required to interview at least one minority candidate before filling a manager vacancy. But the interest is real. With the Blue Jays, White Sox, Cubs and Red Sox all interested in him over the past year, it is clear that he is a popular up and coming coach that a lot of teams believe will be a manager someday. Maybe even this offseason.

International affairs

Soon-to-be free agent outfielder Yoennis Cespedes defected from Cuba over the summer and is currently working out for teams in the Dominican Republic. The hype machine went on overload this week as he became the buzz of the internet and social media world earlier this week when a 20-minute showcase video of him popped up on You Tube and went viral. The video showed all of his attributes – especially his power - and why some people consider him a rare five tool player.

The opinions vary on what Cespedes may ultimately be when he reaches the big leagues, but he is expected to land a record breaking international contract when he ultimately signs with a Major League team this offseason. Aroldis Chapman and his 105 MPH fastball got him a record six-year, $30.5 million deal two years ago, but Cespedes may end up topping that this offseason.

As for the Indians interest in Cespedes? They are mum on exactly how strong their interest is, but they like every other team are present for his workouts and are interested in signing him. The difference is how much a club is willing to pay to sign him, which is why the Indians and so many other teams are not expected to be in the final running for him.

There was also a report last weekend that the Indians signed 17 year old Venezuelan catcher Hector Lunar, though this is not official or a done deal. Terms have been agreed to, but he still has to pass through age and identity checks which can void a deal if something does not check out like it should. Several deals in the past have fallen through when these background checks came up with red flags.

Parting shots

The Indians resigned catcher Michael Hernandez to a minor league contract with an invite to big league camp this spring. He is a 33-year old minor league veteran with 14 years of experience and will likely be the backup catcher at either Triple-A Columbus or Double-A Akron. … Indians free agent outfielder Travis Buck signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros this week and will be a spring training invite to big league camp. … Former Indians minor league manager and player Torey Lovullo is a first base coach with the Toronto Blue Jays, but on Friday the Red Sox interviewed him for their manager opening.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

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Tribe Happenings: Indians have a rotation decision to make

Carlos Carrasco (Photo: AP)

Some news, notes, and thoughts from my Indians notebook…

Who is #5?

The Indians will go about ten days without a fifth starter. Left-handed pitcher David Huff pitched on Wednesday and then right-handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco pitched on Thursday, but with newly acquired right-handed pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez being added to the rotation on Friday and an off day on Monday the Indians do not need either Huff or Carrasco to pitch again until next Saturday August 13th.

This is why it made sense for the Indians to make the two moves they made this past week by having Carrasco drop his appeal on his six game suspension and optioning Huff to Triple-A Columbus so they could add Jimenez to the 25-man roster.

Earlier in the week Carrasco, 24, was suspended six games by Major League Baseball for intentionally throwing at the head of the Royals’ Billy Butler last Friday. He had appealed the suspension, but with the Indians not needing a fifth starter for awhile they advised him to drop the appeal and take it now when it won’t hurt the team other than only being able to carry 24 players on the roster for six days. His suspension ends Thursday and he would be eligible to be in uniform on Friday, the day before the Indians would need a fifth starter again.

Huff, 26, has been sensational since being called up in July. In three starts he is 1-1 with a microscopic 0.51 ERA. He has been a completely new pitcher since returning by being more aggressive on the mound, has more life on his fastball, and his secondary offerings and delivery are all improved. Even after an impressive three game showing the Indians optioned him out after the game on Wednesday because they had to add Jimenez to the roster.

Optioning out Huff was not something they wanted to do, but because there would be no need for a fifth starter for ten days until August 13th plus they would already be down one roster spot with Carrasco serving a suspension, it made no sense for them to carry Huff around as an unusable player for so much time. While he was optioned out, he is expected to be right back as after his minimum ten day stay in the minors is complete the first day he would be eligible to return is August 13th, which is when the Indians need a fifth starter again.

This is all not just coincidence as the Indians obviously spent the week thinking all of this through in a way to circumvent some roster issues.

The question now will be which of Huff or Carrasco will make that start on August 13th. Huff has been great since his callup and a lefty in the rotation adds a nice dynamic to it. Carrasco pitched well against the Red Sox on Thursday, but he has really struggled since the end of June. Unless an injury occurs, I would expect Huff to be called back up on August 13th to make that start and for Carrasco to be optioned out.

For all those fretting the Indians using Carrasco’s final option, there is a rule where if a player is optioned out but is called back within 20 days then the option is not used. This same thing happened to former lefty Aaron Laffey in 2007. With the roster expanding to 40 players starting September 1st, the Indians could call Carrasco back up well before the 20 days are up and not lose that last option on him.

Growing concerns with Perez

There are some growing concerns with right-handed closer Chris Perez. He has now blown two straight saves, one on July 19th in Minnesota and another on Friday night in Texas. The three week stretch between closing opportunities shows just how much of a struggle it has been for the Indians to win games consistently of late. Both blown saves were crushing losses for a team starving for victories any way they can get them.

Before anyone suggests a kneejerk reaction has occurred, the concerns with Perez are not just surfacing now after two blown saves. These are concerns many people have brought up since earlier in the year and lots of baseball people have been monitoring all season.

Perez, 26, may be 22-for-25 (88%) in save opportunities, but you have to look much deeper below the surface where lots of warning signs are firing. Almost all of the indicators and rates for him have gone in the wrong direction compared to last year.

Last season when Perez went 2-2 with a 1.71 ERA and 23 saves, he was dominant as he allowed just 5.7 H/9, 0.6 HR/9, and 4.0 BB/9, and also had a 8.7 K/9 and 2.18 K/BB rate. Those were all very good and it is why so many people were excited to have him as the closer for the foreseeable future.

But this season Perez has taken a noticeable step back in all of his numbers. He is still throwing 93-95 MPH, so the velocity is there, but he is getting hit a lot more and not missing bats this season as he is 2-5 with a 3.40 ERA and has a 7.3 H/9, 0.9 HR/9, and 4.3 BB/9, and also has just a 5.9 K/9 and 1.37 K/BB. The biggest concern is the jump in his hit rate where he is allowing almost two more hits every nine innings and the drop in his strikeout rate where he is striking out almost three less batters every nine innings.

Perez is a good pitcher and he has the mindset to pitch in late inning situations. Hopefully the drop in his performance this season is just a hiccup and not a sign of more problems to come.

Ubaldo time!

There was a sense of excitement around Indians Nation on Friday as fans awaited the debut of newly acquired right-handed pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez. The Indians paid a steep price for him and he has lots of potential, so fans were very interested in getting their first glimpse of him in a Tribe uniform. When all was said and done on Friday night, fans came away underwhelmed with him, at least for one night.

Jimenez, 27, was surely nervous and as a result his command suffered. He was all over the place the first two innings, but eventually settled in some and started showing signs of the dominant pitcher he is and the Indians hope will be. He consistently threw his fastball in the 96-98 MPH range, and he flashed a good splitter, slider, and changeup. There is no denying the stuff, as it looks like when he is on he can be dominating.

Jimenez finished the night going five innings and allowed five runs on seven hits, three walks, and had seven strikeouts. He left the night after throwing 108 pitches (63 strikes) in the tough Texas heat which at game time was above 100 degrees. Given that it was his first start and there were obvious jitters, he was facing a tough Texas lineup, and the high temperatures, it was an okay debut but one he will surely have to improve upon considerably going forward.

Crushing week

The Indians are in the midst of an absolutely brutal part of their schedule with a seven game road trip to Boston and Texas, and then follow it up with 12 straight games against AL Central rivals Detroit, Chicago, and Minnesota, six of which are against the Tigers. The next two weeks are going to make or break the Indians in their quest to stay in contention the rest of the season.

The Indians have played well all week and should have won every game in Boston and the opener with Texas on Friday night, but instead of being 5-0 or 4-1 on the trip they stand at 2-3 heading into play on Saturday. All three of their losses last week were in walkoff fashion as Jacoby Ellsbury of the Red Sox beat them twice in the 9th inning on Tuesday and Wednesday and Chris Perez blew the save on Friday which ultimately ended up in a loss. With time starting to run out on the season, these are games a team in contention simply can not lose.

The Indians are just not getting the big hits or big pitches in key situations right now. The starters continue to pitch well, but the Indians have had a big problem scoring runs late and suddenly their dominant bullpen is showing cracks in the foundation by giving up key runs late.

Youth brings inexperience and inconsistency, and the pressure of a pennant race this late in the season may be starting to wear on the Indians. It will be interesting to see how they bounce back from the Texas defeat and where they ultimately stand after they play the Tigers in Detroit on Sunday August 21st.

Final trade thoughts

Whether you are for or against the Indians’ trade activity of late, I think all Indians fans will agree it is nice that they are in buying mode for a change rather than selling and blowing up the roster. It is very clear that GM Chris Antonetti saw a unique opportunity in acquiring Jimenez from the Rockies as he is a controlled pitcher through at least 2013, which coincidentally is when the control for other key players like shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, and designated hitter Travis Hafner comes to an end.

The Indians have a small window open with their current core of players, and it appears they want to take advantage of it. Obviously the idea is not to have the window close after 2013 as they want to keep it open with the flow of minor league talent and other pickups in trades and free agency, but if they want to win with the current crop of veterans on the team the time is now.

For those fretting the loss of right-handed pitcher Alex White and left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz, you are not alone as both are considerable talents. Both looked to be future linchpins in the Indians’ rotation. However, there are never any guarantees with pitching prospects and injuries can happen at any moment, so the old saying of a bird in the hand (Jimenez) is better than two in the bush (White, Pomeranz) applies perfectly here.

Also, remember that two years ago at this time that White and Pomeranz were not even in the organization. A lot of people have raved about Amateur Scouting Director Brad Grant’s work in the draft the last few years, so if you have trust in him you have to believe he will find another pitcher like Pomeranz or White in next year’s draft or in 2013.

Parting shots

Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo continues to push his way back into the lineup as it looks like his return is right around the corner. He is now taking batting practice with the team, and may now go on a rehab assignment in the minors sometime this week before being activated next weekend or just after it. … Right-handed pitcher Mitch Talbot and outfielder Travis Buck were both designated for assignment recently to clear space on the 40-man roster for new pickups outfielder Kosuke Fukudome and Jimenez. Both cleared waivers, and as a first time outright Talbot had no choice but to accept the assignment to Triple-A Columbus. As a second time outright Buck had the option of refusing it and becoming a free agent, but accepted the assignment on Friday to Columbus. … Columbus right-handed pitcher Justin Germano - he of the perfect game fame a week ago - has left the Indians and signed a contract with the Samsung Lions of the Korean Baseball Organization.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

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Tribe Happenings: Cabrera looks All Star bound



Cabrera is all but certain to attend his first

All star game next month (Photo: AP)

 Some news, notes, and thoughts from my Indians notebook…

All Star worthy?

The participants for the 2011 MLB All Star game on Tuesday, June 12th will soon be announced, and the Indians have a few players who are worthy of consideration.

I think it goes without saying that at this point that shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is a shoe in to be named to the team. He has an outside shot to be named the starter at shortstop for the American League club, though it appears that Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter will maintain his 400,000 vote lead when voting ends on June 30th. Even so, when the reserves are announced next weekend he will most definitely be included on the team.

To date Cabrera, 25, is hitting .294 with 12 homers, 43 RBI, and a .842 OPS. He currently ranks 2nd in the AL shortstops in batting average, 1st in runs scored (50), 1st in hits (89), 1st in doubles (19), 2nd in triples (3), 1st in home runs, 1st in RBI, 3rd in stolen bases (12), and 2nd in OPS. In addition to his performance at the plate, he has been dazzling in the field and been a regular on ESPN’s Sportscenter “Plays of the Night”.

After Cabrera it gets a little dicey in figuring out who may also represent the Tribe in the Midsummer Classic. The only other possibilities are right-handed pitchers Josh Tomlin (9-4, 3.95 ERA), Justin Masterson (5-5, 3.18 ERA), Carlos Carrasco (7-4, 3.62 ERA), and closer Chris Perez (2-3, 2.54 ERA, 18 saves).

Tomlin, 26, is tied for the league lead in wins, but doesn’t appear to have the eye-popping numbers or sexiness to get added to the roster over a host of other popular names from other teams, though if he were to go out his next start and win his 10th game it could make it interesting. He is a machine who goes out there every night and competes, and while he is never really dominating, he always keeps his team in games. He has gone at least six innings in all but one of his 15 starts this year and has 11 quality starts.

Masterson, 26, has the sexiness that is a draw to the All Star game and is a player that opposing managers remember because of his very good stuff. His win-loss record may not be all that great, but that is beyond his control as he gets very poor run support. Even so, he appears a long shot to make the team.

Carrasco, 24, is having an awesome June where in five starts he is 3-2 with a 1.77 ERA. He has gone at least six innings in 11 of his 14 starts, and the three he did not go at least six innings were the start where he left the game on because of injury on April 24th and then the first two starts after coming off the disabled list in mid-May. His late surge will most likely not be enough, but he is laying the groundwork to a breakout season and some attention for next year.

Perez, 25, may have the best shot of anyone to join Cabrera. He has earned a reputation as one of the better young closers in the game, and his 18 saves ranks 3rd in the AL. He is 18-for-19 in saves, the 2nd best save percentage in the AL only to Jose Valverde of the Tigers who is a perfect 17-for-17. Usually the top four to five relievers make the All Star team, and there is no question that Perez has been one of the top relievers in the AL this year.

As for a prediction? Cabrera will be on the team, Perez probably will be, and Tomlin might be.

Painful loss

The Indians continue to get bit by the injury bug. The latest to be bitten is outfielder Shin-Soo Choo who was placed on the disabled list on Saturday with a broken left thumb and will probably be out for at least four to six weeks. The Indians recalled outfielder Travis Buck to fill his spot on the roster.

This is a big blow to the Indians. Choo may only be hitting .245 with five homers, 28 RBI, and a .687 OPS in 72 games, but he is still one of the key contributors to the team both offensively and defensively. He has hit at least .300 with over 20 homers and 85 RBI the last two seasons, so the belief has been that he would eventually turn things around this year (he still may). Also, while he has been an adventure of sorts fielding the ball in the outfield this year, there is no denying the impact his throwing arm can have on a game.

The Indians training staff has been busy this season and Choo is the latest player to miss considerable time. Already this season outfielder Grady Sizemore has been on the disabled list two different times, designated hitter Travis Hafner missed a month with an oblique issue, first baseman Matt Laporta is out with a sprained ankle, right-handers pitchers Mitch Talbot and Carlos Carrasco missed a few weeks, and right-handed pitcher Alex White has missed the last month with a sprained right middle finger and could potentially miss the rest of the season.

For the Indians to be where they are at this point of the season is amazing when you consider that they have not been 100% all year as several key pieces have missed considerable time. In addition to that several key contributors on offense have performed below expectations. The team keeps plugging away and finds a way to win, but eventually it is going to catch up with them. They need to get healthy and their key players need to start performing better if they want to stay in the AL Central race for the remainder of the season.

Nunnally fired

The Indians made a surprise announcement last Sunday when they fired hitting coach Jon Nunnally. Minor League Hitting Coordinator Bruce Fields has been named the interim big league hitting coach until the Indians fill the job on a more permanent basis this offseason.

The reason the Indians gave for making the move was that they "needed a new voice", but there is no question that Nunnally fell on the sword for an offense which has underperformed for the last month and a half. A lot of this is not the fault of Nunnally as the offense went into a tailspin after Travis Hafner got hurt plus Grady Sizemore has been in and out of the lineup after two different stints on the disabled list. The two big disappointments though have been Shin-Soo Choo and catcher Carlos Santana, and are big reasons why Nunnally is unemployed by the Indians today.

The move does seem a bit reactionary though as for as bad as the offense has been of late it was the best in the American League the first five weeks of the season. Nunnally has to get some credit for that. Also, Asdrubal Cabrera is having a breakout year and Hafner is enjoying a resurgence at the plate. Again, if you are going to blame Nunnally for Choo and Santana's struggles you have to give him some credit for Cabrera's and Hafner's success too.

Also Michael Brantley has come into his own as a solid hitter. And really, how can you fault the hitting coach when the lineup often includes the likes of Jack Hannahan, Orlando Cabrera, Austin Kearns, and Lou Marson? The move appears to be something more the result of some things going on behind closed doors, either a rift between Nunnally and Acta or something personal with Nunnally that he needed to step away from the game.

In any case, the Indians have moved into a new direction and it appears they are hoping the midseason change at hitting coach can help spark the offense similar to what they did in June of 2005 when they fired Eddie Murray as hitting coach and replaced him with then Minor League Hitting Coordinator Derek Shelton. Whether by coincidence or not, the offense and team caught fire after that move was made.

Enough already

With Choo going on the disabled list with a broken thumb on Saturday, it means a couple of outfielders on the team will continue to get opportunities although they have done nothing to date to warrant it. Travis Buck was recalled for what feels like the hundredth time on Saturday and now will probably form some sort of right field platoon with Austin Kearns.

Buck, 27, was the story of spring training with a very good performance that earned himself a spot on the Indians opening day roster. With his prospect pedigree of the past it was felt that maybe the Indians caught a break and may have found a late-blooming gem. Unfortunately, that has not been the case as he has not played well this year hitting just .228 with two homers, nine RBI and a .625 OPS in 32 games. At this point he has proven to be nothing more than Major League depth and a classic “4A” player too good for Triple-A but not good enough for the big leagues.

Kearns, 31, has been an absolute disaster this year at the plate hitting just .198 with no homers, two RBI, and a .583 OPS in 30 games. There is absolutely no question you won’t find many higher character guys in the game or that the situation he is going through with his son tears at the heart, but tough decisions sometimes need to be made and made strictly on performance. He simply is not cutting it, and we are likely seeing his career ending right before our eyes.

The question remains how much longer will the Indians keep Kearns - and to a lesser extent Buck - around? With Choo’s injury it means Kearns probably gets to stick around awhile longer, and defensively he makes sense with his arm and solid defense. But right now there are lots of options internally that the Indians could turn to which at this point could produce no worse and likely would play better. It is well beyond time to make a change.

Minor shakeup

The Indians did some reshuffling of their minor league rosters up and down their system on Friday. One of the most noteworthy moves was the release of Triple-A Columbus right-handed reliever Jensen Lewis. From a performance perspective it is hard to argue with the decision as he really struggled with Columbus where in 22 games he went 3-2 with a 5.22 ERA, and really struggled keeping runners off base allowing 40 hits and 15 walks in just 28.0 innings (almost two baserunners an inning).

Lewis, 27, has had a rough year as going into the season he looked to be a lock to make the Indians opening day bullpen, especially after he signed for $650,000 in the offseason to avoid arbitration. But he pitched poorly in the spring and his velocity was down considerably, and the Indians eventually made the tough decision late in camp to remove him from the 40-man roster and after he cleared waivers he was outrighted to Columbus. Now that he has been released he is now free to sign with any team as a free agent.

The move created a spot on the Columbus pitching staff to add a high upside bullpen arm in right-handed Chen-Chang Lee, or more commonly known as C.C. Lee. He was having a very good season at Double-A Akron where in 23 appearances he went 2-1 with a 2.50 ERA (39.2 IP, 27 H, 11 BB, 56 K). He is one of the Indians best relief prospects, and by some considered the best, so his promotion was more than deserving. High-A right-handed reliever Tyler Sturdevant (4-2, 1.98 ERA, 21 G) was also promoted to fill Lee’s vacated bullpen spot in Akron.

The Future

Earlier in the week Major League Baseball announced the rosters for the 2011 All Star Futures Game to be played on Sunday, July 10 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona as part of Major League Baseball’s All Star festivities. The game pits the top talent in minor league baseball against one another in a matchup of the United Stats versus the World.

Two Indians minor leaguers were named to the United States team, Triple-A Columbus second baseman Jason Kipnis and High-A Kinston left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz. Pomeranz is one of ten pitchers on the United States roster, and so far this season in 12 starts is 2-2 with a 1.93 ERA (60.2 IP, 44 H, 23 BB, 77 K). Kipnis is one of fifteen position players on the team, and to date is hitting .291 with 8 HR, 43 RBI, and a .873 OPS in 71 games. He also has 13 doubles, nine triples and ten stolen bases.

Rosters for both teams were decided on by all 30 big league clubs, Major League Baseball, the MLB Scouting Bureau, MLB.com, Baseball America and USA Baseball. Players from all full season clubs are eligible for a selection. The game can be seen live on MLB.TV and ESPN2 starting at 6:00 p.m. ET. XM Radio will also broadcast play-by-play coverage of the event live on XM 175.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

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Tribe Happenings: Indians are battling the injury bug

How many more injuries can the Indians

withstand? (Photo: AP)

Some news, notes, and thoughts from my Indians notebook…

Injuries starting to pile up

Just when it appeared the Indians were starting to get healthy again with the return of right-handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco last week and right-handed pitcher Mitch Talbot about ready to be activated in the next day or so, the Indians catch the injury bug once again.

First to go down was outfielder Grady Sizemore with a right knee contusion last week. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Monday retroactive to May 11th, and the Indians called up outfielder Travis Buck from Triple-A Columbus to replace him on the roster.

Then both designated hitter Travis Hafner and Buck went down on Wednesday. Hafner hurt his right oblique and Buck suffered a toe injury. Hafner was put on the 15-day disabled list on Friday, and the Indians called up outfielder Ezequiel Carrera to replace him on the roster. Buck has not been put on the disabled list as his injury is not considered serious and is just day to day.

Finally, on Friday night right-handed pitcher Alex White injured the middle finger of this pitching hand. The severity of the injury is still kind of unknown at this time, but the Indians placed him on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday for right middle finger soreness. With Talbot ready to come back, the Indians can afford to take a precautionary approach with White and shut him down a few weeks to ensure the finger does not get any worse.

The injuries have really hurt the offense as the loss of Sizemore and Hafner is huge to a lineup lacking much punch offensively. The Indians have loads of depth in the pitching department both with starting pitching and relief pitching where they can withstand a good amount of injuries, but offensively they do not have nearly as much firepower and depth to recover from the loss of two of the more important players in the lineup.

With Sizemore and Hafner out, the Indians have been forced to use the likes of Shelley Duncan and Austin Kearns a lot more, and it is plain as day that both of them are big steps down and really weaken the lineup.

Thankfully the Indians pitching staff continues to plug away and remain consistent as they are really going to need to rely on them for the next few weeks while they get healthy in the lineup and await reinforcements from Columbus. Infielder Cord Phelps is ready for a callup and has impact potential, and could be exactly what the offense needs to inject some life into it while Sizemore and Hafner get healthy.

This is all part of what is the 162-game marathon that is the Major League Baseball season. Teams get bumps and bruises throughout the year. It is the significance of those injuries and how clubs stay afloat while they manage them that can have a great affect on a season. The Indians’ depth is being tested right now, and how they overcome the injuries of late will go a long way at determining their fate in the standings the rest of the way.

Lefty vs. Righty

When Sizemore comes back from the disabled list the Indians will need to make a decision as to who to keep around as the fourth outfielder. Both Carrera and Buck are left-handed hitters and Austin Kearns is a right-handed hitter, and with the entire starting outfield of Sizemore, Michael Brantley and Shin-Soo Choo all hitting left-handed conventional wisdom says you need the fourth outfielder to hit from the right side.

Not exactly.

With Sizemore, Brantley and Choo, the Indians have three outfielders who are going to play an extreme majority of the time, and thus there is less need to matchup one of the outfield positions with a right-handed bat in some sort of platoon. Also with the rest of the bench all being right-handed with outfielder/first baseman Shelley Duncan, infielder Adam Everett, and even catcher Lou Marson, there are right-handed bats to use there as well.

Plus there is no need for a right-handed pinching hitting option in the outfield as manager Manny Acta will never pinch hit for Sizemore, Brantley or Choo. Clearly the fourth outfielder just needs to be the best fit for the team and be a player that when you do decide to sit one of Sizemore, Brantley or Choo is not going to be such a big drop off in production.

Right now Kearns is not the right fit. As a scout recently told me very matter-of-factly, “he’s done.” He may hit from the right side which is a natural fit for an all left-handed hitting outfield, but if everything else he does is in such rapid decline why bother?

At the moment, Buck presents the best option as a fourth outfielder. Even as a lefty he is a much better option offensively than Kearns when facing left-handed pitching. Also defensively he is better and more versatile, though Kearns still has some value as a defender.

Carrera is also an excellent option as the fourth outfielder, a role he likely fills on a yearly basis for the Indians in the near future. He may be left-handed, but he would be very valuable late in games as a pinch runner with his very good speed and is an excellent defensive outfielder.

If there is a concern for a right-handed option, it should be to upgrade Duncan. There are options in Columbus with outfielder/first baseman Chad Huffman or outfielder/infielder Jerad Head, and down the road the Indians may even go the trade route to fill the need there. But as far as the fourth outfielder goes when Sizemore is activated, it is time to say good-bye to Kearns and say hello for good to one of Buck or Carrera.

Buck gets another shot

With Sizemore going on the disabled list, it presents another opportunity for Buck. After a sizzling hot spring training which helped him force his way onto the team, he only played with the team for a few weeks before he had to be optioned out to Columbus because Sizemore was activated from the disabled list in the middle of April.

Buck took the assignment to Columbus in stride and played very well hitting .333 with three homers, 21 RBI and a 1.016 OPS in 18 games. When Sizemore went back on the disabled list this past week, the Indians turned once again to Buck to fill a need in the outfield.

Buck has the potential to be an everyday player in the big leagues. He is a former top-rated prospect in the Oakland Athletics organization where after several injury plagued seasons with the Athletics is getting a new opportunity with the Indians. He is still only 27 years old and has the ability at the plate and in the outfield to be a key contributor going forward for the Indians. In a few years he may prove to be one of the best pickups the Indians have made on the free agent front in awhile.

The Indians signed Buck to a minor league contract in the offseason with an invite to spring training. Now that he is on the Major League roster the Indians control his rights through the 2014 season since he will just be entering his first arbitration eligible season next year. With his potential to go along with Sizemore’s pending free agency after next season and the lack of much Major League starting caliber outfield depth in the system, Buck may have found a home in Cleveland for a long time.

Buck has been given another chance. Not it is up to him to make good on it.

Roster shenanigans

There were some puzzled looks on the faces of Indians fans on Thursday when the Indians designated right-handed pitcher Justin Germano for assignment and called up infielder Luis Valbuena. Not because Germano was let go, but because the Indians called up Valbuena and not someone like Phelps.

The reasoning behind the move was simple really. With Hafner and Buck out of the lineup with their injuries but still on the active roster, and with second baseman Orlando Cabrera in South Carolina for his U.S. citizenship ceremony, the Indians were extremely short on the bench. They needed a short term option for the infield and outfield until they could hash out the roster when they got home on Friday, so they recalled Valbuena to fill that need.

The fact they called up Valbuena and did not bring up Phelps was a clear indication it was a short term move, and in the end it was as Valbuena was sent right back out to Columbus the next day. As previously mentioned, Phelps is ready, but the Indians are not going to shuttle a potential core player like him up and down the I-71 corridor. When he comes up the intention will be to keep him here, and with the offense in need of a bat with Hafner out do not be surprised if he is here very soon.

Breath of fresh air

What a huge breath of fresh air the Indians offensive explosion on Monday night was out in Kansas City. The Indians erupted for 19 runs and 20 hits in a much needed night off for the not only the nerves of the players but also the fans as well.

Up until that game the Indians went through a stretch 13 straight games where they faced some extraordinary pitching which led to some intense late inning moments almost every night. That is the fun of playing meaningful baseball games though and why baseball can be such a grueling sport to not only play but also watch from the stands. NFL games are played once a week, and NBA and NHL games are usually played every other or every third day. Baseball is always every day, and when you go through a two-plus week stretch of intense games like the Indians did going into Monday it can wear out everyone involved.

So when you get a game like the Indians had on Monday when you breeze to a win, you sit back and enjoy it. They do not come around often.

Parting shots

This past week manager Manny Acta was named as one of the coaches to the American League team for the All-Star Game on July 12th in Phoenix, Arizona. Congrats to him, and a sure sign of respect for him from AL All-Star manager Ron Washington. … Talbot had a strong rehab outing for Triple-A Columbus on Thursday in a game suspended in the fifth because of rain. He went 4.0 innings and allowed one run on four hits, one walk, and had five strikeouts. He is expected to be activated in the next few days. … Second baseman Orlando Cabrera was in South Carolina on Thursday for a ceremony where he officially became a citizen of the United States. … Left-handed pitcher Nick Hagadone was promoted from Double-A Akron to Columbus on Friday. He is a big, hard-throwing lefty with tons of ability and could be an option for the bullpen in Cleveland later in the year.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

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Tribe Happenings: Indians make roster decisions

Tomlin won a rotation spot with a strong

showing this spring. (Photo: Tony Lastoria)

Some news, notes, and thoughts from my Tribe notebook…

Tomlin wins rotation spot

The Indians made several opening day roster decisions on Friday, and the big one was naming right-handed pitcher Josh Tomlin as the winner in the competition for the final spot in the rotation.  The other pitchers in the mix for the final spot were left-hander David Huff, right-hander Jeanmar Gomez, and right-hander Anthony Reyes.  All three of them were sent to minor league camp and should open the season in the Triple-A Columbus rotation.

Tomlin, 26, will actually be slotted fourth in the rotation ahead of right-hander Mitch Talbot who will begin the season as the fifth starter.  Tomlin pitched very well this spring, and if you base the winner of the competition strictly off numbers he no doubt won the job where he compiled a 1.13 ERA in 8.0 innings of work allowing nine hits, one walk, and four strikeouts.  Due to the presence of so many arms in camp needing innings he has been forced to pitch in three minor league game (or B-games) and has not allowed an earned run in 13 innings.

Huff, 26, pitched in six big league spring training games and went 2-1 with a 5.82 ERA (17 IP, 21 H, 3 BB, 8 K).  He only started two of his six appearances, and in both starts combined to throw eight shutout innings.  Five those shutout innings came in his best outing of the spring on Thursday night when he went five scoreless innings against the Giants.

Gomez, 23, pitched in six big league spring training games and went 0-1 with a 5.50 ERA (18 IP, 17 H, 7 BB, 14 K).  While he was in the mix for the final spot, from the start of spring training he was almost certain to open the season in Columbus because of his youth and some development opportunities still considered left in him.

Other roster decisions

In addition to naming the final starter in their five man rotation the Indians also announced that Jack Hannahan would be the opening day third baseman and that Shelley Duncan and Travis Buck would make the team.

Hannahan, 31, won the third base job because of a strong spring hitting .386 (17-for-44) and also because infielder Jason Donald has been slow to recover from a hand injury which will force him to open the season on the 15-day disabled list.  Even had Donald not been injured, Hannahan is a pretty good defender and has some versatility so probably would have still made the team as a bench option.

Buck, 27, will be the club’s fourth outfielder in the early going though should get a lot of time in left field in a platoon with Austin Kearns.  He has been one of the hottest hitters in all of baseball this spring where in 17 games he is hitting .420 (21-for-50) with four homers, 12 RBI and a 1.213 OPS.  He is a former high profile prospect with the Oakland A’s (ranked #1 in 2007) who has struggled with injuries the past several years, so if he can stay healthy the Indians may have found a bargain with a lot of upside.

Duncan, 31, will be the primary right-handed bat off the bench and play first base, left field and designated hitter.  In 16 games this spring he is hitting .275 with one homer, eight RBI and a .735 OPS.  He adds some veteran leadership to an otherwise very young lineup and bench.  The Indians also like his ability to hit left-handed pitching which is where he will get most of his playing time.

More decisions coming

The Indians still have to make decisions on who fills the final three spots of the bullpen, the backup catcher, and the utility infielder.

At the moment only four spots in the Indians seven man bullpen are locked up with right-hander Chad Durbin, left-hander Tony Sipp, left-hander Rafael Perez, and right-hander Chris Perez.  The main candidates for the final three spots are right-handers Frank Herrmann, Vinnie Pestano, Jess Todd, and Justin Germano.  Herrmann and Pestano look to have a great shot at landing two of the three spots, and the final spot probably will come down to Todd or Germano.

The backup catcher role is between Lou Marson, Paul Phillips and Luke Carlin.  Marson is the most valuable of the three and considered a long term part of the organization, but he is also just 24 years old and needs to play everyday in order to finish off his development as a hitter.  With that in mind, the Indians are still strongly considering having him open the season as the everyday catcher in Columbus and having one of Phillips or Carlin as Carlos Santana’s caddy in Cleveland.  It is also possible that they pick up a veteran catcher in a waiver claim or minor trade just before the roster deadline on Thursday.

The utility role is between Jayson Nix, Luis Valbuena, and Adam Everett. Of the three Valbuena may be the one with the most upside and versatility, but he hits left-handed which may be a poor fit for the bench since Hannahan also hits left-handed.  The right-handed hitting Nix may have a leg up on Valbuena for the utility role since he can complement Hannahan’s left-handed bat better, and he can also be an option for second base and left field.  Everett is a non-rostered player and appears to have little to no chance to make the club.

Roster management

With so many non-rostered players making the team, the Indians have to make some tough decisions with regard to the 40-man roster this week.

Already non-rostered players Hannahan and Buck have made the team, and both will need to be added to the 40-man roster by Thursday.  In addition to them, the Indians may also need to add non-rostered players in the bullpen (Germano), catcher, and possibly even utility infielder (Everett).  That’s as many as three to five spots on the 40-man they will need to clear to add these players.

The Indians roster was at the maximum of 40 players, but on Tuesday they designated right-handed pitcher Jensen Lewis for assignment to clear one spot.  He cleared waivers and has been reassigned to Triple-A Columbus.

They still need to create two to four more spots on the 40-man roster.  One solution may be to put outfielder Trevor Crowe on the 60-day disabled list as he has been slow to return from right shoulder soreness (rotator cuff).  With the Indians desperate for 40-man spots they may opt to shut him down for awhile and use his roster spot to add a player that is needed in the short term.

The cold hard reality though is the Indians may have to designate another player or two for assignment to clear room for the remaining players they want to add. The loser in the competition for the utility role (Nix/Valbuena) will probably be removed from the roster, and assuming Pestano and Herrmann make the team there is a chance Todd could be removed to add Germano.

Do not rule out a minor trade or two as the Indians have done this in the past at the end of camp.  They may trade some of their depth to clear roster space, or may also look to pick up a player in a trade or on waivers to fill any of those needs at catcher, the bullpen, or utility.

Indians getting social

The Indians announced this week that they are diving headfirst into the realm of social media.  They are the first organization in Major League Baseball to have front office members join Twitter with President Mark Shapiro (@MarkShapiro) and General Manager Chris Antonetti (@IndiansGM) making their debuts earlier this week.  Their new social strategy is an attempt to better connect with their fans.

“Social media affords us the ability to create deeper connections with our fans and span generations,” said Indians President Mark Shapiro in a statement released by the club.  “Its popularity – 600 million Facebook users overall worldwide and 300,000 new Twitter users per day – represents a fundamental shift in the way people interact and acquire information. We are incredibly cognizant of social media’s growth and have developed a comprehensive social media strategy to address it.”

In addition to the Facebook and Twitter initiative, the club also announced a new Indians Social Suite which as an entire suite at Progressive Field catering to social media users.  The new Indians Social Suite replaces the Tribe Social Deck from last year, and invitations to the new suite are distributed on a game-by-game basis.  Fans may apply online at www.indians.com/connect.

Some ticket discounts will also be exclusive to Twitter and Facebook users.

Honoring Feller

The Indians will hold a special Bob Feller Tribute during the pregame ceremony on opening day April 1^st.  The tribute will include a special video and banner presentation, Anne Feller will present the “Silent” Ceremonial First Pitch, players will all wear #19 jerseys during pregame introductions, and the #19 will be on the back of the pitcher’s mound.

The Indians will continue to honor Feller throughout the 2011 season with a special uniform patch commemorating his famous leg kick windup and #19 on all game uniforms, a #19 patch on batting practice jerseys, a July 4th celebration including a replica bronze Feller statue giveaway, as well as special signage at Gate C near the Bob Feller statue and throughout the ballpark.

Roster cuts

On Friday the Indians made some roster cuts as they optioned Huff, Gomez, and outfielder Ezequiel Carrera to Triple-A Columbus and re-assigned Reyes, right-handed pitcher Doug Mathis, and infielder Cord Phelps to minor league camp.

The spring roster now stands at 37 players, and must be trimmed down to the 25-man limit by Thursday March 31^st.

Parting Shots

Right-handed reliever Joe Smith has been slow to recover from a strained abdominal muscle and is expected to open the season on the 15-day disabled list. … Right-handed pitcher Jose Flores was returned to the Indians by the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.  The Mariners had selected Flores in the Rule 5 Draft this past December, but because he did not make their opening day roster he had to be offered back to the Indians. … On Thursday the Indians signed left-handed pitcher Jesse English to a minor league contract.  He made seven appearances with the Washington Nationals last year (7.0 IP, 10 H, 3 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K), and also made 16 appearances at Triple-A Syracuse going 2-1 with a 5.03 ERA (19.2 IP, 18 H, 11 R/ER, 10 BB, 14 K). … The Indians announced this week that the home opener at Progressive Field against the White Sox on Friday April 1^st is sold out.  It is the 18^th straight home opener sellout since the ballpark opened in 1994.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

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Tribe Happenings: Who's on third?

Jason Donald is in the mix at third base

(Photo: AP)

Some news, notes, and thoughts from my Tribe notebook…

Third base is question #1

There are a lot of spots on the opening day 25-man roster for the Cleveland Indians that are up in the air this spring. While most of the competition is for the final few spots in the bullpen and who rounds out the bench, the one starting spot this spring which will be interesting to see sort itself out is third base.

If baseball lines were set on the competition, the best odds would be on one of Jason Donald, Jayson Nix, or Luis Valbuena to be the Indians opening day third baseman. Others like Jack Hannahan and Jared Goedert will be in the mix and get consideration, but they are not expected to be in the running for the everyday job to open the season.

While the odds heavily favor the trio of Donald, Nix, and Valbuena, the real mystery is trying to figure out which one of the three is favored over the others because at the moment there appears to be no frontrunner. Manager Manny Acta and GM Chris Antonetti have been very vague in their comments on the subject since the start of camp, and likely will continue to be until a winner is named late in the spring.

All three players certainly have their warts. Neither of the three has much if any experience at third base, all three are below average to maybe fringe average defensive options there, and all three are below average big league hitters.

Nix, 28, was picked up off of waivers last June and struggled in his short time at third base with the Indians in the second half of last season. He showed some thunder in his bat by pounding out 13 homers in 78 games with the Indians, but he also only hit .234 and had 75 strikeouts to just 13 walks in 282 at bats.

Valbuena, 25, had one of the worst seasons by a Tribe hitter in some time last year as he hit just .193 with two homers, 24 RBI and had a .531 OPS in 91 games. Not only was he a mess at the plate, but he also struggled in the field as he botched too many groundballs.

Donald, 26, had an uninspiring big league debut last year where he only hit .253 with four homers, 24 RBI, and had a .690 OPS in 88 games. He also left several people in the organization questioning whether he can be an everyday player because of his questionable defensive play.

At the outset, it looks like it is wide open and whoever proves to be the more reliable defender this spring will probably win the job. These things are fluid and can change at a moments notice with injuries, roster moves, and obviously their play this spring, but if I were handicapping the race it appears that Nix has the edge early on in camp.

A lot of this is due to the fact that Nix has remained on the roster the entire offseason when it looked like he was a goner several times. Sometimes the transactions the Indians make or don't make speak loud and clear, and since he has stuck around so long and been a survivor up to this point, it appears the Indians have him penciled in as the guy at third base unless he bombs this spring or one of Donald or Valbuena clearly play better.

Valbuena looks more like he will make the team as a utility option, and quite possibly could serve as the left-handed portion of a platoon at third base with whichever one of Nix and Donald is named the regular third baseman. Donald may have more upside than Nix, but there are some in the organization who believe Donald may be best suited if he started the season in Triple-A Columbus as the everyday shortstop to keep him as an option at shortstop this year and beyond.

No matter what happens, it is a decision that really only has short term ramifications. A month or two into the season Cord Phelps could be an option to replace any of the three if they are struggling and Phelps is playing well in Columbus. Also, if things go well with Lonnie Chisenhall in Columbus, he could be in Cleveland sometime around the All Star break and would be given every opportunity to nail the position down for most of the next decade.

Also, don’t rule out the Indians signing a free agent, making a trade or waiver claim at the end of camp to fill the void.

Sizemore move coming?

No one is really talking about it yet, but outfielder Grady Sizemore may at some point this season make a zip code change in the outfield from center field to left field.

The Indians have had discussions about it in the offseason and right up to the start of camp, but for now they appear content with keeping him in center field as they believe it is the best place for him to better ensure his health. Coming off microfracture surgery to his left knee, he has been limited by injuries the past two seasons so it is probably a good idea to have him stay in center field for now until he re-establishes himself and proves he is healthy.

“The wear and tear, going side-to-side, abrupt stopping, walls, etc all make it tougher on the knees to play corner outfield than center field according to the medical experts,” says a source close to the situation.

Currently, Sizemore is working his way back from his microfracture surgery and has already started taking live batting practice and is doing sprinting drills. He is expected to start playing in Cactus League games later in spring training, likely the middle of March.

While Sizemore's progress to date is encouraging he still has a long way to go. He is almost certain to open the season on the 15-day disabled list to allow him more time to rehab from his surgery and get back to 100%.

Sizemore will probably stick around in extended spring training for a week or so, and then go on a 20-day minor league rehab assignment before being re-activated. He will probably begin his rehab assignment at High-A Kinston as the warmer weather would help in preventing any setbacks or loss of games due to weather, and then move up to Triple-A Columbus at the tail end of it.

If Sizemore has no setbacks on his rehab assignment and all goes well, he could be back in Cleveland sometime in late April to early May.

Crowe hobbled

With Sizemore very likely to open the season on the disabled list it means Austin Kearns will get the lion’s share of playing time in left field and that Michael Brantley will be the everyday centerfielder. It also opens the door for one of Trevor Crowe or Ezequiel Carrera to make the team as the fourth outfielder.

Crowe, 27, looked to be the favorite there, but a rotator cuff strain may shelve him for the start of the season. To make matters worse, the injury setback hurts him as he is running out of time in the organization in that this season is his last option year.

Crowe has underwhelmed since being selected by the organization in the first round of the 2005 Draft out of the University of Arizona. He never really had a consistent season in the minors, and in 190 games the last two seasons in the big leagues with the Indians he has been a poor performer hitting just .246 with three homers, 53 RBI and a .627 OPS during that span.

There is no doubt that Crowe brings the pedigree as a former first round pick, and his speed, versatility, and switch-hitting ability are seen as assets. But his inconsistent performance and lack of any real value as a major league hitter will likely force the organization to make a decision on him at some point this year, be it during the season or early in the off-season.

With Crowe probably now out of the fourth outfielder mix, it means that Carrera and Travis Buck look like the frontrunners to win the spot. Shelley Duncan, Jared Goedert, Chad Huffman, and Jordan Brown are expected to battle for the fifth outfielder and backup first base role this spring.

Indians land four in Top 100

This week Baseball America released their 2011 Top 100 prospects in the minors. The Indians placed four players in the listing with third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall (No. 25), right-handed pitcher Alex White (No. 47), second baseman Jason Kipnis (No. 54), and left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz (No. 61). The Indians are one of just ten organizations in Major League Baseball to have at least four prospects in the Top 100 listing.

Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus has also recently released his Top 100 listing, and the same four players appear in his listing just in a different order: Kipnis (No. 28), Chisenhall (No. 40), Pomeranz (No. 43), and White (No. 71).

International affairs

The Indians continue to sign players year round on the international front. This year they have seen a significant increase of around 25% in their international budget, and they are using that extra money to go out and try to unearth young, talented players in the Pacific Rim and in the Caribbean.

Their 2011 budget is somewhere between $2.5 million to $3.0 million, which is a significant change as just a few years ago they were spending less than $1.5 million internationally. The extra money in the budget is expected to allow them to be bigger players during the International Signing Period this year when it opens up on July 2nd. The Indians have a strong presence in Venezuela, so don't be surprised to see a July 2nd signing or two come out of there.

Goodyear and book

I’ll soon be heading out to Goodyear, Arizona on March 10th and will be out there for close to two weeks. I’ll be providing updates daily on my site at IndiansProspectInsider.com as well as at STOHD.com.

Also, my new 2011 Indians book is now already in its second print run. Thanks again to everyone for all the support. For those interested, you can order the book here on my site through the order form on the upper right side of the page, or you can e-mail me directly to place an order by mail.

The book will soon be available at several retail outlets and team shops. I can confirm that the Cleveland Indians team shop is already on board, and it will soon be at all their team shops including the Goodyear team shop.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

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Tribe Happenings: Indians take a look at Colon



Could Colon be on his way back to the

Indians? (Photo: AP)

 Some news, notes and thoughts from my Tribe notebook…

Will Colon look lead to signing?

The Indians have been very open the entire offseason of letting it be known they want to sign a veteran starter to add to their starting rotation mix. The pickings in free agency are slim not only because the availability of quality starting pitching is scarce, but also because the Indians are shopping with an extremely limited budget this offseason.

The Indians are looking for potential one year fits to help eat innings over the course of the season and ease the burden on what will be a very young and inexperienced pitching staff in 2011. Few options on the free agent market appear to be a fit, but of late the Indians have been connected to right-hander Bartolo Colon.

Colon, 37, pitched for the Indians for six seasons from 1997-2002 going 75-45 with a 3.92 ERA in 162 appearances. Over a nine year span from 1998-2005 he averaged over 200 innings pitched in a season and won 14 or more games eight times. Injuries and weight issues derailed his career in 2006, and after a couple rough years with his last two teams the Boston Red Sox in 2008 and Chicago White Sox in 2009 he was seemingly out of the game for good after no one signed him last offseason.

But apparently Colon is trying to make a comeback.

Colon is currently pitching out in the Dominican Winter League and in six starts there is 2-1 with a 1.76 ERA, and in 35.1 innings has allowed 33 hits, six walks, and has 27 strikeouts. According to league sources, he looks motivated and is in much better shape after losing close to 40 pounds. His fastball is at 90-94 MPH and showing good movement, and he is getting lots of groundballs and showing good strikeout ability.

It should be noted that the Indians scouting of Colon hardly means a signing is imminent. They as well as every other team scout every player at every level all year long. They like other teams have a scouting presence in the offseason winter leagues and are looking for potential fits for their club. Obviously they will scout certain players more heavily than others, but just because the Indians are reportedly scouting a guy don't mistake that as being "interest" in a guy.

If Colon impresses the Indians or another team enough to sign him, expect it to only be to a minor league deal.

Kearns re-signed

On Monday the Indians signed free agent outfielder Austin Kearns to a one year deal for $1.3 million. It is the first guaranteed major league contract the Indians have handed out this offseason, and may be the last.

Kearns, 30, returns to the Indians after spending a majority of the 2010 season with the club. He hit .272 with eight home runs and 42 RBI in 84 games with the Indians last season before being traded to the New York Yankees on July 30th in exchange for right-handed pitcher Zach McAllister. In 36 games with the Yankees he hit .235 with two home runs and seven RBI.

Kearns' signing fills a need for the club in the outfield where they needed a right-handed bat to offset their all left-handed hitting starting outfield of Shin-Soo Choo, Grady Sizemore, and Michael Brantley. Last season with the Indians he made 63 starts in left field, 12 in right field and four in centerfield after making the club out of spring training as a non-roster invitee, so he will likely fill their fourth outfielder role and be used primarily against left-handed pitching. He also adds insurance as a stop gap starter in the event Grady Sizemore has a setback and is not ready to play at the start of the season.

To make room on the roster for Kearns the Indians outrighted right-handed pitcher Justin Germano to Triple-A Columbus. He has the option to accept the assignment or elect free agency, and as of this writing has not made a decision.

Indians sign Japanese hurler

Last weekend the Indians signed free agent Japanese right-handed pitcher Toru Murata to a minor league deal. He will not report to big league spring training, and instead should report to early minor league camp in late February.

Murata, 25, is a former number one pick of the Yomiuri Giants in 2007, but was recently released on December 2nd. He never made it to Japan's version of the major leagues, and instead spent three seasons in the minors where he went 2-10 with a 4.56 ERA in 43 appearances. He pitched a total of 96.2 innings and allowed 115 hits, 7 home runs, 42 walks, and had 64 strikeouts.

The Indians and other clubs got a look at Murata last fall when he pitched in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) in 2009. Pitching for Scottsdale he went 1-2 with a 5.73 ERA in nine games, and in 11.0 innings allowed ten hits, three homers, three walks, and had eight strikeouts.

"He is a high profile prospect who pitched in the AFL and showed ability to get future major league hitters out," Indians Director of Scouting John Mirabelli said. "He is still only 25 with upside and we feel our Player Development people can help him get back on track."

Murata is not a big pitcher as he only stands in at 6'0" and is 176 pounds. He throws a low 90s fastball with movement that has touched 92 MPH, and complements it with a slider, curveball, and changeup.

It is not known exactly what level Murata will be placed at to start the season, but it looks like he should open the 2011 season at Double-A Akron due to his age and three years of experience as a professional already under his belt; however, the Indians may initially opt to break him in slowly by having start at High-A Kinston but quickly move him up to Akron by May or June.

Indians earn a Buck

The Indians made another signing on Tuesday when they inked free agent outfielder Travis Buck to a minor league deal with an invite to big league spring training,

Buck, 27, missed a lot of games last season due to injuries and only played in 14 games at the big league level with Oakland hitting .167 with one home run, two RBI, and a .541 OPS. He also played for Triple-A Sacramento, but played just 32 games there hitting .298 with three homers, 17 RBI, and a .827 OPS.

When he is healthy Buck has proven to be a solid left-handed hitter as in his four year career with Oakland covering 170 games he hit .250 with 18 homers, 71 RBI, and had a .755 OPS. The problem has been keeping him healthy as he has had elbow surgery as well as shin splints, post-concussion syndrome, and shoulder and oblique injuries in the past few seasons.

Buck has little if any chance to make the big league club out of spring training. There is not even a guarantee that he goes to Triple-A Columbus when you consider all of the internal outfield options at the Indians' disposal, though it appears that if he is healthy the Indians will find a spot for him somewhere. If he makes the big league roster, he will make $625,000.

Minor signs

Several former Tribe minor leaguers inked deals with new teams this past week.

Outfielder Brian Barton has signed a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds. Last year he played independent ball in the Atlantic League and hit .346 with 19 homers and 18 stolen bases. The Indians lost him in the 2007 Rule 5 Draft when he was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals and they kept him on their 25-man roster the entire 2008 season.

First baseman Michael Aubrey signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals. Last year in 102 games at Triple-A Norfolk (Orioles) he hit .235 with 22 homers, 68 RBI, and had a .805 OPS. He was a first round pick of the Indians in 2003 who has battled numerous injuries in his career and was traded to Baltimore in June of 2009 for cash.

Catcher Damaso Espino has signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Last year in 85 combined games between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus he hit .250 with two homers, 31 RBI and had a .613 OPS. The Indians had acquired him back in June of 2008 for cash from the Kansas City Royals.

Winter ball update

The end of the winter ball season is quickly approaching as the Venezuelan Winter League and Puerto Rico Winter League wrap up regular season play next week. A few Indians are still playing, such as shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, third baseman Jayson Nix, outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, and infielder Luis Valbuena.

Last weekend Nix returned from a ten game absence after being hit in the head with a pitch. He is holding his own defensively out in Puerto Rico, but in 12 games played is just 7-for-42 (.167) at the plate.

Cabrera is playing shortstop everyday out in Venezuela to make up for some lost at bats during the 2010 season, and is hitting .280 with one homer, 15 RBI, and a .650 OPS in 24 games.

Valbuena has been a staple in the lineup for his team in Venezuela and has primarily played second base, and is hitting .222 with four homers, 21 RBI, and a .701 OPS in 51 games.

Carrera has been in and out of the lineup of late for his team in Venezuela, and in 41 games is hitting .261 with no homers, 12 RBI and a .681 OPS.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI.  His latest book the 2010 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is also available for purchase on his site for a special year end closeout sale of $10.00 (including shipping and handling stateside).

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Indians Sign Travis Buck

(Photo: MLB)

The Cleveland Indians on Tuesday announced they have signed outfielder Travis Buck to a minor league contract with a non-roster invitation to Major League spring training camp.

Buck, who turned 27 in November, has spent his entire professional career to date with the Oakland Athletics where he compiled a 4-year Major League career on-base percentage of .330 to go along with a .250 (147-587) batting average with 36 doubles, 18 homers and 71 RBI in 170 career games. Travis has never made an error in his entire Major League career to date, covering 312 chances in those 170 big league games. He has been a starting Opening Day outfielder for the A’s in each of the last three seasons (2008-10).

Travis’ best season came during his rookie campaign of 2007 when he hit .288 (82-285) with 22 2B, 5 3B, 7HR & 34 RBI in 82 games, finishing second among American League rookies in slugging % (.474) and triples (5), third in on-base percentage (.377) and fifth in batting average, doubles (22) and walks (39). He has been slowed by injuries over the last three seasons and has accumulated 5 trips to the DL during his big league career. He was Oakland’s “sandwich” 1st round pick (36th overall) in the 2005 draft out of Arizona State University and owns an average of .308 (326-1057) and a .386 on-base percentage over 276 career minor league games.

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