You can say what you want about the Indians' minor league organization, but their depth of talent in the middle infield is second-to-none. How good is it? Arguably their best position player of the past four years is at shortstop, and arguably their best prospect of the past two years is at second. Two of their top three prospects are shortstops, and you could make a case that four of the top five are middle infielders? So, who will be the best?
The Cleveland Indians continued their spring decent down the other side of the mountain on Sunday afternoon, as the Los Angeles Dodgers used a big inning and a big home run to blow open a pitcher's duel in the seventh inning, carrying them to a 5-1 victory over the Indians.The Tribe bullpen showcased perhaps their three biggest arms in Vinnie Pestano, Cody Allen and Nick Hagadone, and they didn't disappoint...for the most part...
Tony returns from his vacation with another edition of the Happenings to check in on how things are going for the Indians in spring training. He talks about the Carlos Carrasco suspension and how the Indians may work around it, the injuries that are starting to pile up, takes a closer look at Corey Kluber and what value he truly brings to the team, updates us on how Rule 5 picks TJ McFarland and Hector Rondon are doing, provides the full 11-game TV schedule for the Indians this spring, and more!
The power of Ryan Raburn enflamed Goodyear Ballpark once again on Saturday as the utility player continued to state his case for the Indians bench this season as he clubbed his fourth home run of the young Cactus League campaign as part of the Indians’ six-run first inning. But the fun did not last long as Ubaldo Jimenez and the pitching staff came unraveled in the third inning to allow seven runs.
Though the pitching wasn’t pretty, the Indians salvaged a 9-7 victory in the late innings on Friday against the White Sox. Justin Masterson struggled, but a cast of non-regulars were the difference as Cord Phelps, Matt Carson, and Mike McDade had good games to lead the Indians to victory.
Indians closer Chris Perez has been shelved with a subscapularis strain in his right shoulder and will not throw for the next seven to ten days. He will begin a return to throwing program as soon as he is asymptomatic, and is expected to be out of game action for at least three to four weeks. Also, Frank Herrmann has been shut down with a right elbow strain.
It's been an incredible week at the plate for Ryan Raburn, who could now be positioned as a frontrunner for one of the Indians' bench jobs. Also, roster hopefuls Trevor Bauer and Yan Gomes continue to impress, but does either player have a legitimate shot at making the Major League roster? The IBI's Steve Orbanek touches on these players and more in this week's edition of the Spring Training Notebook.
The once-hot Cleveland Indians don't look so hot anymore as the team lost its third straight Spring Training game on Thursday. Pitching was a major problem for the Indians as right-hander Zach McAllister allowed five runs in his two innings of work. Vinnie Pestano and Daisuke Matzusaka also had so-so outings, but there were a few positive takeaways. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps all the action and offers some positive points.
After beginning the spring season with five straight wins, the Cleveland Indians lost their second straight game Wednesday after the Tribe fell 5-1 to the Seattle Mariners. The Tribe only mustered five hits, but there were still impressive outings from some players, including Nick Hagadone and Yan Gomes. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he touches on those performances and offers some takeaways from the Spring Training defeat.
The Cleveland Indians sold out their home opener in six-minutes, bringing back memories of the 90's when the Tribe front office managed to sell out entire seasons prior to opening day. The Indians offense has given fans a reason to hope for good things to come, but this season will depend on one thing: Starting Pitching. The starters show up this week at the Corner of Carnegie and Ontario. The big question is, will they show up once the season starts?
When you play 198 (hopefully more) games in a season, you are not going to win them all, and the Indians encountered their first taste of defeat in 2013 on Tuesday. However, this is still Spring Training, where the final result never tells the whole story of the day. Here to examine that story in further depth is the IBI's Arthur Kinney...
Yan Gomes had a brilliant performance for the Indians in yesterday's Spring Training contest as the right-handed hitting catcher socked a home run, a double and recorded five RBI. Gomes is currently in camp competing with Lou Marson for a chance at the Indians' backup catching job. He's made some noise so far, but does he have a legitimate chance to supplant the incumbent Marson? Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he looks back at Gomes' career in this week's edition of Then & Now.
The Tribe are 5-0 and on a roll after they topped the Oakland Athletics (a much better nickname than the A's) 14-10 on Monday. Join the IBI's Arthur Kinney as he looks back at this game and the best and worst performances of the day, all while working in references to Casey Coleman, Jackson Browne, the Cincinnati Reds, and THE Ohio State Buckeyes.
Welcome to this week's edition of the IBI Power Poll. The Poll will take a look at a relevant topic of the time, an all-time list, or just something that we're talking about here at the IBI home offices. There's nothing like a list to spur a debate, so join us in our lively banter with our weekly polls! Today's poll focuses on the best Indians' move of this incredibly active offseason. Make your vote count...
The Cleveland Indians built off their already impressive spring start with two more strong performances on Sunday. On Friday and Saturday, the Tribe relied on its offense, but it was Tribe pitchers who led the charge in Sunday's contests. Join the IBI's Jake Dungan as he recaps both contests and touches on the Indians perfect 4-0 start.
The Indians outfield may not be as good as the infield overall, but the combination of the additions of the crazy hot stove season with the subtraction of the conglomerate of bad that was in left field last year could make this unit the most important on the team. The unit is defensively sound, and with Nick Swisher and Ryan Raburn in the wings, extremely versatile. Here's a look at the Indians' outfield, as compared to the rest of the A.L. Central.
The 2013 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider book featuring the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is now available. Also, previous editions from 2008-2012 are also available at a discounted rate. Just click on the book image for more information. Thanks again for all the support!
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