Indians ready to take final step with deep roster The addition of Encarnacion makes defending AL champs even stronger By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | April 1st, 2017 GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- One of the reasons the Indians claimed the pennant last season was their resiliency. When players got hurt, or others underperformed, 's players pulled together and embraced a next-man-up mentality. In filling out their Opening Day roster, the Indians were again tested this spring. "I think that's one of the good things we have in our clubhouse," Indians ace Corey Kluber said. "Nobody really takes the time to feel sorry for ourselves if somebody does get hurt. If something unfortunate happens, it seems like we have the mind-set of moving past it and looking toward, 'What's next? What do we need to do to either prevent it from happening again or make up for a loss?'" This spring, the Indians encountered a few unexpected setbacks that caused a ripple effect for the team's roster decisions. Lonnie Chisenhall crashed into the right-field wall at Sloan Park late in the spring, sustaining a right shoulder injury that shook up the outfield picture. Second baseman Jason Kipnis (right shoulder) also had a setback that will keep him out of the Opening Day mix. As a result, there were decisions that came down to the final days of camp. Here is a breakdown of the Tribe's Opening Day roster: Catchers: Yan Gomes, Roberto Perez There is no change here from the pre-spring predictions. Only injuries could have altered Cleveland's catching picture. Gomes and Perez got through unscathed, so they will open as the No. 1 and No. 2 options behind the plate, respectively. Gomes heads in as the starter after a solid spring showing, but Perez could see more starts than a traditional backup. First base: Edwin Encarnacion, Carlos Santana There is no change here, either. Encarnacion signed a three-year, $60-million contract to be Cleveland's cleanup hitter, chose to skip the World Classic to get to know his new teammates and has fit in nicely in the clubhouse. He and Santana are close friends and were locker 'mates this spring. They will divvy up the duties at first and designated hitter, with Santana likely getting most of the time at first. Second base: Jose Ramirez During the mid-spring predictions, prospect Erik Gonzalez was listed here. At the time, the Indians did not have a firm graph on Kipnis' timetable for return, and manager was hesitant to move Ramirez off third base. With Kipnis likely out until mid-to-late April, Ramirez is poised to get the bulk of the at second base. Gonzalez will head to Triple-A Columbus to get regular at-bats and continue to develop as a utility man. Shortstop: Francisco Lindor As Francona likes to say, this is one of those spots you can "write in ink -- not pencil." Lindor starred for Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic and returned energized for the season ahead. The Gold Glove Award winner is one of baseball's bright young stars, and a big reason behind the Indians' success over the past two seasons. Third base: Yandy Diaz With Ramirez moving to second base, the third-base decision came down to Giovanny Urshela, Gonzalez and Diaz. After opening camp as an outfielder, Diaz moved back to third after the Kipnis injury came up and worked diligently on his defense. While Diaz is not at the same level as Urshela in the field, his standout offensive showing this spring convinced Cleveland to take a chance on the Cuban prospect. Starting outfield: , Tyler Naquin and Abraham Almonte Barring something unexpected, Brantley is expected to be on Cleveland's Opening Day roster. Brantley -- coming back from right shoulder and biceps woes -- played multiple stretches of consecutive games and has looked healthy and productive this spring. Naquin remains the projected center fielder. The Indians could go a few ways for right field with Chisenhall opening the year on the 10-day disabled list with Kipnis. Almonte (a switch-hitter) could start, or Brandon Guyer could get the nod for more than just lefties. Bench: Guyer, Austin Jackson, Michael Martinez This trio remains the same as during our mid-spring predictions. Expect both Guyer and Jackson to garner at-bats against left-handed pitching, with Jackson helping out in center field. The veteran Martinez won the utility job over Gonzalez. Francona loves the versatility and experience that the switch-hitting Martinez offers. He is not expected to get many at-bats, but rather serve as a late- defensive replacement and pinch-runner. His presence can help Francona make pinch-hitting decisions, knowing he has a sound defensive backup for multiple infield and outfield spots. Rotation: , Carlos Carrasco, Kluber, Danny Salazar, Josh Tomlin The five predicted starters before Spring Training will make up the rotation for Opening Day. Kluber will take the ball in the season opener, followed by (in order) Carrasco, Salazar, Tomlin and Bauer. This will mark Kluber's third straight Opening Day nod. Carrasco dealt with mild right elbow inflammation in the middle of camp, but recovered enough to get built up to four innings by his final Cactus League start. Bullpen: Cody Allen, Shawn Armstrong, Boone Logan, Zach McAllister, , Dan Otero, Bryan Shaw The seven names here have remained the same since the pre-spring predictions. The seventh spot came down to Armstrong, Kyle Crockett, Carlos Frias and Nick Goody, each of whom had at least one Minor League option left. Armstrong got the nod after a solid spring. Had Francona gone with an eight-man bullpen, Goody would have likely been the next arm up. The manager described picking the seventh reliever as an "agonizing" decision.

P. Dolan: Indians enjoying high expectations By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | April 1st, 2017 GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Sleepless nights were a part of the aftermath of the for many of the Indians' players. It was no different for team chairman/CEO , who found his thoughts drifting to various turns in the Fall Classic during those early weeks in November. "It took me a while to not have flashbacks," Dolan said. No matter how incredible Game 7 was against the Cubs -- and it will go down as one of the great World Series games of all-time -- there was a sting that even the heaviest dose of spring optimism can't cure. Sitting in a conference room at Cleveland's Arizona complex on a recent morning in a conversation with MLB.com, Dolan did allow himself to smile, though, while discussing the Tribe's near triumph. The loss to the Cubs hurt, but Dolan said it did not feel as devastating as the defeat to the Red Sox in the 2007 American League Championship Series. That one felt like a punch to the gut. Given all that Cleveland overcame to reach the World Series last fall, and how the short-handed roster pushed Chicago to its limits, there was still a layer of satisfaction in the end. There are also, of course, sky-high expectations for the reigning AL champs. "Well, we know what they are now," Dolan said of the expectations for his team. "I've felt like for the last three or four years, we had a legitimate shot of [contending for a World Series]. But, I would've acknowledged that we wouldn't have been on the tip of everybody's tongue as one of the top two or three candidates. We are now. "That's great. Yes, it adds a little anxiety to the process, because the higher you are, the more you fall. But, we want those expectations. You want to be the kind of team that is universally considered good enough to win." There is a lot to be said for how Dolan's front-office generals -- president of baseball operations and general manager -- have constructed a talented roster mostly through trades, under-the-radar international signings and the MLB Draft. That will always be the blueprint for success for Cleveland, given its market size. That said, the Indians' current roster has also benefited from ownership doing its part in trying to capitalize on a window that is as open as it has ever been. Last July, the front-office got the go-ahead to ship four prospects to the Yankees to reel in relief ace Andrew Miller and his $9 million salary. This past winter, Dolan approved the signing of slugger Edwin Encarnacion to the largest free-agent contract in franchise history ($60 million guaranteed over three years). When the offseason began, no one expected Encarnacion to wind up with the Indians. That included Dolan. "I'm sure you could drag up friends of mine who I told, 'It's not going to happen,'" Dolan said with a laugh. "They were hearing rumors and I'd tell them, 'It's not going to happen.' We'd been down that path before. But, it just kept going down the path and it ended up working. It was a nice moment. "I frankly didn't think that was in the cards for us ever -- the idea of us playing on the high-profile sluggers. It just doesn't really work for markets our size. Our success, a little shift in the marketplace, maybe even the new [Collective Bargaining Agreement], all sort of presented us with that opportunity." Cleveland's payroll has climbed north of $120 million -- a franchise record -- for the season ahead. Antonetti has repeatedly referred to Dolan's approach to the winter as a "leap of faith," especially considering so much of the franchise's payroll is impacted by attendance and revenue. The early returns have been promising. At the ticket office, the Indians have secured more than 12,300 full-season equivalents, representing a 42-percent increase over this time last year. They have sold more than 1.2 million tickets (56-percent increase over this time in 2016), which is a level the team did not reach until July 4 last summer. Group tickets are up by 43 percent over a year ago, and suite rentals have seen a 38- percent jump. "All those measurements have been positive," Dolan said. "And the anecdotal evidence, everywhere you go, people are talking about the team. The city seems to be alive with it." Maybe some sleepless nights this year will be due to the level of excitement. That's the hope. "The bad that happened in the 10th inning of the seventh game of the World Series," Dolan said, "that's going to lead to something good this year."

Brantley likely to play Opening Day for Tribe By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | March 31st, 2017 GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The paperwork is not done, but the work has been completed by Michael Brantley. That is how Indians manager Terry Francona described the situation on Friday, when asked whether the left fielder would be on the team's Opening Day roster. Brantley, who is coming back from a pair of surgeries to address right arm issues, will travel with the Indians to Texas for Monday's Opening Day against the Rangers. Barring anything unexpected, Brantley should be on the roster and in the lineup. "We don't have to announce our roster [until Sunday]," Francona said. "But, it's not like it's going to be a big secret. We're not trying to keep it a secret. I mean, we're taking 25 guys, and he's one of them." Being a part of an Opening Day lineup is nothing new for Brantley. He was included in six straight season-opening orders from 2010-15 before injuries got in the way. Brantley remembers the nerves he felt in his first Opening Day. If his name is announced as expected on Monday, he doesn't know what emotions to expect. "I don't know how I'm going to feel that day," Brantley said. "Just knowing how hard I worked, and how we worked, to get back to this situation. Nothing was guaranteed, nothing was promised. It was a lot of hard work that paid off. I'm just very appreciative of everything that everyone has done to get me to this level again." On Friday afternoon, Brantley headed out to the batting cage, where he worked with his dad, former big leaguer Mickey Brantley, for over an hour. No one knows Brantley, or his swing, better than his father. "Right now, his swing's looking pretty good," Mickey Brantley said. "Mentally, he's ready. I told him, 'Are you ready?' I'm asking him. He said, 'Pops, I'm ready.' He doesn't know what to expect, missing that much time. But he's in a good place right now." In eight spring games entering Friday's exhibition finale vs. the D-backs at Chase Field, Brantley has at a .385 (10-for-26) clip with a pair of home runs. On Thursday, the outfielder completed a stretch of three consecutive games, marking the third time this spring that he played multiple games in a row. Each time, Brantley recovered with no issues. One year ago, Brantley encountered setbacks with his right shoulder after advancing to the consecutive-games portion of his rehab. The left fielder underwent right shoulder surgery in November 2015, appeared in only 11 games last season and then was shelved after having right biceps surgery in August. Cleveland put Brantley on a program this spring to gradually build up the volume of his hitting, and he responded well to each benchmark along the way. "I didn't put any expectations on anything," Brantley said. "I just wanted to make sure that I came in with a clean slate every day and communicated the best I could about how I felt. And I kept challenging myself. Small steps at a time, but everything went well, and I feel blessed and fortunate to be out there with my teammates Opening Day. I'm very excited about it." Francona offered some advice to Brantley this week, too. "I said, 'Take a minute and enjoy this,'" Francona said. "'You went without baseball for a long time, and you missed it. Enjoy it.' Because, he's always pushing, which is what good players do. But I want him to take a second and enjoy having the game back, because it's so meaningful to him."

Ryan Lewis: Contention window is wide open in 2017 and possibly beyond for Indians By Ryan Lewis GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: The to Game 7 of the World Series might have just been Act I. The Indians enter the 2017 season with a clear path to winning their second consecutive division title. According to Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA projections, the Indians have the widest margin between the second-place team in their division in all of baseball. Barring something unforeseen — and about as bizarre as a starting slicing his finger on a drone right before one of the biggest games in franchise history — fans in Cleveland shouldn’t be making major plans in October away from . The Indians should win the . And if things go south for their rivals up north in Detroit, they could run away with it. The Tigers did little this offseason to bolster a talented, but aging and expensive roster. In December, the Tigers’ front office kicked around the idea of tearing down the roster and selling off its high-priced talent to rebuild one of baseball’s weakest farm systems and alleviate some financial pressures due to a soaring, win-now-at-all-costs payroll. But the Tigers didn’t find the right deal, so for now, they’re chasing a playoff spot and, with Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander and company, still stand as the Indians’ biggest rival in the division. The slid in 2016 after their World Series title a year before. The Royals are now facing an organizational crossroads as a potential contender but one with nearly half its lineup about to hit free agency. If the Tigers and Royals fall out of contention at the trade deadline, they’ll likely make up two of the biggest sellers in the market. The , on the other hand, successfully began their franchise rebuild this winter, trading ace Chris Sale to the and outfielder Adam Eaton to the Washington Nationals for prospect packages that were universally applauded. The White Sox won’t contend in 2017 but in one offseason set up a rebuilding effort that appears to be on the right track. The Minnesota Twins, brimming with young talent, are still deep within their own rebuild and probably at least year or two away from real contention. Two AL Central teams rebuilding. Two teams trying to hold for perhaps one more run before possibly having to rebuild as well. None are projected to reach 80 wins by PECOTA, but the Tigers are likely to top that number as a wild-card contender. Talented Tribe roster And then there are the Indians, owners of one of baseball’s most talented and most controllable rosters. It’s as healthy the organization has been at the major-league level since the run of the Indians teams in the mid-90s. The Indians pushed the to the brink in Game 7 and returned nearly the entire club. They lost two free agents — Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis — and nontendered Jeff Manship. They replaced Davis with Austin Jackson and then signed Edwin Encarnacion to the biggest free-agent deal in franchise history and reliever Boone Logan to upgrade the roster and push the club’s payroll to new heights. That will be the case again this upcoming offseason. On the current major-league roster, only Carlos Santana, Bryan Shaw and Austin Jackson aren’t under club control through next season. And much of the Indians’ core can remain in Cleveland through at least the 2020 season. That list includes four of the five starting — Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar and Trevor Bauer — as well as Francisco Lindor, Encarnacion, Jason Kipnis, Jose Ramirez, Tyler Naquin, Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez. Not to mention top prospect , who likely isn’t too far from his major-league debut. “I think they’ve done a very good job of trying to not just tie up the core guys, but identifying the core guys,” Indians manager Terry Francona said of the front office. “And I think in all reality, because we think we’re a better baseball team, better organization now, I think guys are probably more willing to want to stay. I think that’s a good thing. With Edwin, had we lost 90 games last year, I don’t think Edwin would have wanted to come here. I think it kind of goes hand-in-hand. I think they’ve done a very good job. In this day and age in a baseball, you don’t see 23 guys coming back. That just doesn’t happen very often.” Elevated expectations It’s a talented roster with a solid foundation and one that nearly won it all last fall. But with that comes elevated expectations. The Indians are no longer the nice, young team with some rising talent and a bright future. They graduated from that title last October. They’re one of the big dogs now. “I think we’re realizing that our window is now,” Gomes said. “Some teams have made that push when they see that their window is coming up. … Our window is now, man. I think we know that. We have good enough young guys that it’s not going to be a one- to two- year window. I think we still have guys that are about to hit their prime, so I feel like we’ve got a little while now and we’re going to be good for a while.” But will it work? Contention windows normally slam shut faster than expected. They certainly close faster than they can be opened. The Indians are built to last, but only a World Series ring will ease the sting of watching the Cubs celebrate at Progressive Field in the rain. For 2017, the Indians should win their second consecutive division crown. It’s a good time to be a fan in Cleveland. Enjoy the quality baseball, because Indians fans know there were some less-than-great times a couple of decades ago. The city had a lot of fun last summer. Act II begins on Monday. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 04.02.2017 Thousands of Indians fans become new season ticket holders as renewed championship hopes build By Theresa Cottom In nearly 30 years of having Tribe fever, Brian Bostaph of Akron has felt the range of emotions that come with being an Indians fan. He’s seen the victories and defeats, especially those that came with last year’s taste of an American League championship before losing the final game of the World Series to the Chicago Cubs. That taste only fueled the fever for fans like Bostaph, though. This year, for the first time ever, he’s among many who invested in season tickets. “I’m about as jazzed as I’ve been about an Indians season in a long time, that’s for sure,” Bostaph said. “This year, my excitement level is definitely a lot higher.” The momentum from last season has translated into increased ticket sales all around for the Tribe. Curtis Danburg, the senior director of communications for the Indians, said the team is “five months ahead of schedule” in terms of sales — thanks to last season. The team has already sold 1.2 million individual tickets this year, which is 56 percent more than this time last year. And that’s just 400,000 shy of the 1.6 million the Indians sold in total last season. “We didn’t hit that mark until July 4 last year,” Danburg said. “It’s a pretty good head start.” The Indians have also experienced a 43 percent upswing in group ticket sales, as well as a 38 percent increase in suite rentals. The main driver of sales, though, is season tickets. The Indians already have the equivalent of 12,300 full-season ticket holders this year, up from the 7,000 they had at the end of last year at Progressive Field. A large driver of that is fans who buy partial packages or split the cost with friends, like Michael Carlson of Stow. “After the World Series run, a couple of my friends asked if I wanted to kind of split a package, so we ended up buying three 20-game sets,” said Carlson, a first-time season ticket holder. “I wouldn’t be able to afford two seats, so going into a partnership made sense. Also, I never realized how affordable packages can be.” As of Friday, prices for full-season ticket plans, which include every game on the 2017 schedule, ranged from $1,461 for upper box seats to more than $7,000 for club infield seats. Half- and quarter-season plans are also available, starting at $333. Prices increase after Tuesday and will continue doing so as the season goes on. Danburg encourages fans to buy tickets as far ahead of time as possible, since he anticipates highly sought-after games, like those on summer weekends, will sell out faster than normal. “Fans will have to change buying habits from the past couple years,” Danburg said. “Which is a good problem to have.” Given last year’s season, many new season ticket holders hope to see the Tribe finish what it started and emerge with a World Series trophy this time around. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t getting my hopes up. As an Indians fan, there’s many of us who know what it feels like to invest emotionally in a team that you feel is a champion, only for that team to lose 90 games,” Carlson said. “With that being said, I would really like to see them in the championship again.” On top of high hopes for the team, Bostaph also said he wants to “make sure fans are supporting the team” and the organization as a whole. “I really think the organization in general is on the right track,” Bostaph said. For longtime season ticket holders like Mark Zumerling, though, a championship would just top off an already enjoyable experience. “I’m a Cleveland fan throughout, regardless of the performance,” said Zumerling, the president of Cuyahoga Falls-based Cortape Inc., which provides season tickets to its employees. “Really, the Indians are such a great value and have a great venue. It’s so much fun to go to the ballpark.” Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 04.02.2017 2017 season preview: Indians’ starting five pitchers are talented but need to stay healthy By Ryan Lewis GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: Corey Kluber doesn’t care about the notion that the Indians have one of the best starting rotations in baseball. He really doesn’t care. Take it somewhere else, because Kluber doesn’t want it in the Indians’ clubhouse. The Indians, on paper, certainly do have one of league’s top rotations. That’s been the case for more than a year. Along with the , Washington Nationals, , Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox, the Indians’ rotation stands as one of the most dangerous units in the game. Kluber (18-9, 3.14 ERA, 3.26 FIP, 9.5 K/9 in 2016), the Indians’ ace who finished third in the American League in Cy Young voting last season prior to a terrific performance throughout the 2016 postseason, will acknowledge the talent within the starting five. He just doesn’t think that label matters. Not now. Not after the Indians came so close in 2016 without reaching the ultimate goal. “To be completely honest with you, I couldn’t care less if we’re the best rotation in baseball,” Kluber said. “To me, all that matters is if we win games. If that means that at the end of the year we are one of or the best rotation in baseball, then great. If we’re not, but we still win games, then that’s great, too. I think the biggest thing is just staying healthy. I think the five of us that are going to open the year in the rotation, we all have a fair amount of experience. We know how to get guys out and how to be successful.” The Indians’ rotation entered last season as the clear backbone of the team. Then injuries took their toll. Carlos Carrasco (11-8, 3.32 ERA, 3.32 FIP, 9.23 K/9), made two extended trips to the disabled list near the beginning and end of the year. Danny Salazar (11-6, 3.87 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 10.55 K/9) was a Cy Young candidate until the All-Star break. Then his arm begin to falter and he, too, went to the disabled list. Josh Tomlin (13-9, 4.42 ERA, 4.90 FIP, 6.09 K/9) was consistent until August, when he dealt with a family issue, struggled to keep it going on the mound and for about a month lost his spot in the rotation. Then there’s Trevor Bauer (10-8, 4.35 ERA, 4.02 FIP 7.83 K/9), who once again had his ups and downs and ultimately sliced his finger on a drone prior to Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. Pitching excellence On paper, the Indians have three Cy Young candidates (Kluber, Carrasco, Salazar), a reliable No. 4 (Tomlin) and a No. 5 (Bauer) who still has a fairly high ceiling. But there still is much to prove, particularly when the postseason run was largely made without two of its key members. Not to mention, again, Bauer’s sliced pinkie, which cut the Indians’ postseason rotation down to 2.9 starters (if counting by fingers), Ryan Merritt’s ALCS Game 5 performance notwithstanding. “Anybody can say they have the best rotation in baseball,” Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway said. “If you don’t go out there and pitch like it, you don’t. The way to go out there and pitch like the best rotation, or the best you can possibly be as a rotation, is to take everything day-to- day, pitch-to-pitch, inning-to-inning. If we have that mentality, focus on the little things, control the running game, get ahead, all the things we have valued along the way, we have a chance to be the best rotation. If you don’t do those things, you’re not going to be the best rotation.” The Indians’ run through the postseason without two potential Cy Young candidates — as well as being without Michael Brantley and Yan Gomes — was as improbable of an October run as there has been in recent memory. For the Indians to finally scale that mountain and reach the summit they had their fingertips on last November, health will be a major key. It’s understood that few teams get through a season only needing five starters, but something like that 2016 run likely won’t be repeated if injuries hit that hard again. The club has Mike Clevinger, Merritt and a few others waiting in Triple-A, which make for some intriguing options, but the organization lacks a more veteran commodity as depth. Being injured is one thing. That’s another story, and there’s not much a team can do in those situations. But the Indians want to see their guys push through some walls this season. That’s the initiative for 2017. “You’re going to battle day-to-day soreness, you’re going to need to know when you’re hurt and when you’re not and when you’re injured, when you’re not, when you’re sore versus injured and things like that,” Callaway said. “You’re going to feel like you don’t have a lot of energy one day when you pitch. How do you combat that? How do you push through that?” “One of the things I’ve talked to them about, those guys climbing those Himalayans. They’re tired. If they were to just give in to their tiredness, they’d die. You’d be amazed how your body will react if you just don’t give in to it.” Of course, the rotation will now have a full season with arguably baseball’s best “security blanket.” That would be the bullpen, the unit that, along with Kluber’s right arm, largely carried the Indians to the World Series, a unit which is now deeper than it was in October. Cody Allen and Andrew Miller were each dominant through the postseason run, except for Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross’ off Miller in Game 7 of the World Series. Bryan Shaw and Dan Otero return as setup men. Boone Logan was added as a second left-hander with a about as devastating as Miller’s. Zach McAllister and the recently-added Shawn Armstrong round out the group. Deep bullpen Indians manager Terry Francona won’t be able to use his bullpen like he did last October. It’d be out of gas by June 1. With a healthy rotation, he also won’t have to. The bullpen is deep and, within reason, a serious weapon at Francona’s disposal. A second message to the Indians’ starting rotation this year? Trust the bullpen. “It takes the pressure off them thinking they have to go seven or eight,” Callaway said. “The main thing we stress with our starters is get after it from pitch one. Don’t ease into the game trying to go seven. Get after it from pitch one. That strong bullpen that goes five or six deep really allows them to buy into that theory. Where if you just had two really good bullpen guys and that’s it, you’re still in the back of your mind like, ‘Yeah, but.’ But now they can really go, ‘Hey, if we go four and we keep us in the game, we’ve got a good chance to win.’ௗ” Kluber, Carrasco, Salazar, Tomlin and Bauer are all under club control through the 2018 season. Four of the five are under club control through the 2020 season. The Indians’ front office has built one of the better rotations in the game, and it’s here to stay for the foreseeable future. It’ll be needed in 2017 if the Indians are to reach the peak that barely eluded them last fall. 2017 season preview: Edwin Encarnacion adds muscle to the middle of Indians’ lineup By Ryan Lewis GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: The Indians did it. They spent a truckload of money on a right-handed power hitter. The two biggest complaints by a hungry fan base were satisfied in one, expensive swoop. For the first time in a long time, the Indians made one of the biggest splashes on the free-agent market. Now, it’ll go into action. It elevated them from a talented club that finally broke through, to a World Series contender clearly intent on remaining at the top of the American League. The Indians signed Edwin Encarnacion to a three-year, $60 million contract with a club option that could make it a four-year, $80 million deal. It was the largest free-agent contract ever handed out in franchise history, nabbing one of the top players available on the open market. That sentence normally is attached to teams from New York, Boston, Chicago or Los Angeles. That deal, combined with Boone Logan’s contract ($6.5 million guaranteed with a $7 million club option for 2018) pushed the Indians’ payroll north of $120 million for the first time in franchise history. Owner Paul Dolan put up the money, and the Indians’ front office, headed by president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti, found the right opportunity to be aggressive. It started with the Andrew Miller trade at last year’s trade deadline — as well as the attempted Jonathan Lucroy trade, which he vetoed — and continued with this offseason. It’s a clear message that there’s a sense of urgency. “It’s awesome. You can’t send a better message to a franchise,” Cody Allen said. “Their sole goal isn’t attendance, which is something that’s been talked about a lot here in Cleveland. It’s winning baseball games, winning championships. We want to give them one.” The Indians scored the second-most runs in the American League in 2016 and can potentially add Encarnacion and Michael Brantley into the middle of the lineup. “In reality, it’s almost like we signed two middle-of-the-order bats,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “No [other] team did that.” But what does Encarnacion bring to the middle of the lineup? First, some muscle. Since 2012, Encarnacion is second in baseball in both home runs (193) and RBI (550). His wRC+ of 146, in that time, ranks him seventh in the game, according to FanGraphs. He had a wRC+ of 134 in 2016, which would have been the best mark in the Indians’ lineup. He’s hit at least 34 home runs and had at least 98 RBI in each of the past five seasons, and has ranked no lower than 18th in wRC+ in any year since 2012. He’s also one of the smarter hitters in baseball. How smart? This spring, he pulled Carlos Carrasco aside to let him know of some things he was doing as a pitcher, and to give him some pointers as a former foe. “I talked to him and he knew what pitches I was going to throw,” Carrasco said. “He’s one of the best hitters in the game and he knows what he’s doing. He gave me some tips from when I pitched against him. He said, ‘I knew you were going to throw the slider.’ௗ” The Indians had a dangerous lineup last year which returns Francisco Lindor, Carlos Santana, Jason Kipnis, Jose Ramirez and company. Then there’s the expected return of Brantley. Then there’s Encarnacion, who has ranked among the more feared hitters in the game the past five seasons. He’s the type of slugger the Indians haven’t had in more than a decade. He’s also the type of middle-of-the-order slugger many fans have been clamoring for since around that time, before left for the Philadelphia Phillies. The Indians broke out of their financial comfort zone in a big way to deliver a difference-making bat. For many fans, Encarnacion’s introduction to Cleveland on April 11 at the home opener will be one much longer in the making than a couple of months. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 04.02.2017 Breaking down Indians 2017 Opening Day roster By Ryan Lewis Here’s a breakdown of the anticipated Indians’ 2017 Opening Day 25-man roster. Starting lineup Catcher — Yan Gomes: For what feels like the first time in a long time, Gomes, 29, is completely healthy. First base/DH — Carlos Santana and Edwin Encarnacion. Santana, 30, will act as the primary first baseman with free-agent signee Encarnacion, 34, the designated hitter on most days. Santana is slated to at least open the season in the leadoff spot. Encarnacion comes to Cleveland as one of the best pure hitters in baseball the past five seasons and owning the largest free-agent contract in franchise history. He’ll be a mainstay in the middle of the Indians lineup for at least the next three seasons. Second base — Jason Kipnis: This is Kipnis’ spot once he returns from shoulder inflammation, likely sometime in mid-to-late April. Kipnis, 29, last season hit .275 with a career-best 23 home runs. Third base — Jose Ramirez: Ramirez, 24, now with a long-term contract, will start at second base on Opening Day and then slide back to third base once Kipnis returns. The hot-hitting Yandy Diaz, 25, will man third at least until Kipnis’ return. Diaz beat out Giovanny Urshela for the spot by hitting .458 with a 1.252 OPS (on-base plus slugging) this spring. Diaz is the No. 10 prospect in the Indians system per MLBPipeline.com. In the long run, third base belongs to Ramirez, who put together a 4.8 WAR () season last year while playing in left field and at third base. Shortstop — Francisco Lindor: Lindor, 23, takes the field as the Indians’ shortstop, a cornerstone of the franchise and already one of the biggest young stars in the game of baseball. Per FanGraphs, Lindor put up a 6.3 WAR season, the eighth best mark in baseball. Left field — Michael Brantley: Brantley’s swing has him looking like his Silver Slugger self, but the Indians will have to be cautious with how often he sees the field as he returns from biceps tenodesis surgery. Brantley, 29, this spring hit .385 in eight games. Center field — Tyler Naquin and Austin Jackson: Naquin, 25, and Jackson, 30, figure to split time in center field. Naquin, a lefty, is coming off a campaign that placed him third in rookie of the year voting. Jackson, who bats right-handed, is on a one-year, incentive-laden deal. Right field — Lonnie Chisenhall and Brandon Guyer: Chisenhall, 28, will open on the disabled list but once healthy will form a nice platoon with Guyer, 31. Chisenhall is expected to return by the home opener on April 11. Bench Outfield — Abraham Almonte: Almonte, 27, is on the Opening Day roster in Chisenhall’s place as a switch-hitting outfielder who can play all three outfield spots. Almonte is also now free of a suspension from a failed drug test last year. Catcher — Roberto Perez: Perez, 28, perhaps currently the best backup catcher in baseball, will get his share of starts behind the plate. Utility infielder — Michael Martinez: Martinez, 34, will act as the utility infielder off the bench, giving manager Terry Francona some flexibility late in games. Martinez beat out Erik Gonzalez, who has had his stock rising for the past year. But the Indians wanted him to continue to receive everyday at-bats in Triple-A. Starting rotation 1 — Corey Kluber: Kluber, 30, who finished third in last year’s Cy Young voting before a borderline historic performance in the postseason, leads one of baseball’s best pitching staffs. 2 — Carlos Carrasco: Carrasco, 30, in the No. 2 slot, is still only stretched out to about five innings but will open the year in his regular spot. He missed much of last season because of two stints on the disabled list. 3 — Danny Salazar: Salazar, 27, now healthy, is a dynamite No. 3 and looking to build off his first half of 2016, which came before he ran into arm problems. Kluber, Carrasco and Salazar are all potential Cy Young candidates. 4 — Josh Tomlin: The Indians have bumped back Tomlin, 32, to No. 4 in part because of the early season schedule and Carrasco’s pitch count. 5 — Trevor Bauer: Bauer, 26, like last year, carries boom-or-bust potential. Bullpen Closer — Cody Allen: The backbone of the Indians’ run through the postseason and arguably the best bullpen in baseball. Allen, 28, who quietly didn’t allow a run last October. Setup — Andrew Miller, Bryan Shaw, Dan Otero, Boone Logan: Miller, 31, is one of the more lethal relievers in the game. Shaw, 29, and Otero, 32, return as setup men. Logan, 32, the Indians’ other major free-agent addition, provides another strong lefty option. Long relief — Zach McAllister and Shawn Armstrong: McAllister, 29, and Armstrong, 26, round out the bullpen. Manager The AL’s reigning Manager of the Year who has now won the award twice in his tenure with the Indians, Francona is undoubtedly one of the best managers in baseball for his handling of the roster throughout a 162-game season and his in-game decision making. The Indians this past winter exercised his options through the 2020 season. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 04.02.2017 Have 'targeted' their motivation for consecutive trips to World Series? Paul Hoynes, April 01, 2017 CLEVELAND, -- It's hard to get back to the World Series two years in a row. It can be done, but it's difficult. Terry Francona's great Red Sox teams, who won it all in 2004 and 2007, couldn't do it. The Royals of 2014 and 2015 did. When they lost to San Francisco and Madison Bumgarner in Game 7 in 2014, they vowed to get back and win it in 2015 and they did. The Indians haven't done a lot of vowing this spring. A couple of guys have talked about "unfinished business," but for the most part the desire to return to the World Series for a second consecutive year and win it has been understated. "The only thing we earned last year is a target on our back," said Michael Brantley. Brantley said that before the start of spring training. He said that before anyone knew if he could or couldn't play this year because of the right shoulder injury that limited him to 11 games last season. Now that it appears certain Brantley will be in the opening day lineup Monday night at Globe Life Park in Arlington, perhaps that is the message the Indians will take into this season. A warning instead of a thump of the chest. It fits an organization that seldom wastes time patting itself on the back. "Tito and I talked about this a lot during the winter," said Chris Antonetti, Indians president of baseball operations. "When you have a season like we did last year, you can go in one of two directions. A group of guys can come in and feel like they've accomplished something and have some sense of entitlement or complacency. Or it can enhance a determination and focus to put in the work necessary to get back there." Antonetti loved it when he heard Brantley's message about the target. He loved it when he heard the team's No. 1 starter, Corey Kluber, say, "Yeah, it's great that we got to Game 7 of the World Series, but No. 1 we didn't win and No. 2 we need to remember all the little things we did along the way to help us get there." It's one thing if Francona says that. It's part of his job as manager. The same with Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff. When it comes from the players, it carries a deeper tone. "That mentality is pervasive throughout our clubhouse," said Antonetti. "When you see the way guys prepared for the start of spring training and the way they came into camp in a really good spot, and the work that they've put in, that's really encouraging." Francona doesn't like team meetings. He and his coaches do their team building mostly in conversations with one or two players at a time. A couple of years ago, an Indians player felt more needed to be heard from the manager. So he's done it. There's the big meeting in front of the team and front office staff before the first full squad workout of spring training. Francona frets over that like he's prepping for the Bar exam. This Sunday there will be another meeting before the workout in Arlington. "There's a little different message when it's 25 instead of 65," said Francona. "Things are a little more specific." Francona and his coaches had their antennas up all spring for any signs of "we're going to wreck this league" bravado. They didn't see it. "I don't think you need to have a chip on your shoulder," said Francona. "I remember hearing the Royals talk about that. That's what drove them - good." What will drive the Indians? Francona doesn't care. Why Cleveland Indians will win AL Central "I think it's OK to show up and have a comfortable attitude and laugh," he said. "But when the game starts you need to be ready to go 100 percent from pitch one. As long as they do that, however, they get there I don't care. "Whether it's us against the world. Whether it's no one believes in us. I don't care. I just want them, from first pitch, to be prepared to play. That can happen in a lot of different ways." Last year the Indians staggered into the postseason with injuries to big players. No one thought they'd do what they did. This spring, the media speculators love them. What they love is what they saw in October and November. What Francona wants the Indians to do is love April in Cleveland. "October can be glamorous at times," he said. "The guys are on TV. There are big commercials. "April is not necessarily glamorous. In Cleveland, it might be 38 degrees and you've got to grind through it. The teams that do grind through it, that handle it the best, give themselves a chance later to play when it's really fun." Let the grind begin. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.02.2017

Cleveland Indians closer Cody Allen a humble hero: Terry Pluto (photos) Terry Pluto, Plain Dealer sports columnist. The humble hero Andrew Miller was the story of the Cleveland Indians 2016 postseason. The lefty reliever was sensational, a 2-0 record and 1.40 ERA in 10 appearances. He also was the Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series when the Tribe defeated Toronto -- earning a ticket to the . "But I keep reminding people that as great as Andrew was, Cody Allen didn't allow a run (in the entire postseason)," said Indians manager Terry Francona. Allen was 6-of-6 in situations in the postseason. It was 13 2/3 scoreless innings, 24 . If Allen didn't put a ninth-inning exclamation point on Miller's work, someone else would have won the American League pennant. I mentioned that to Allen, who politely cut me off. "What Andrew Miller did in October is one of the most remarkable things I've ever seen done on a baseball field," said Allen. "I saw this guy throw two innings, strike out five guys … and need only 25 pitches to do it. Amazing!" Allen said he learned "so much about how to prepare and compete, no matter the situation," by watching Miller. "He's a great guy and a great pitcher," added Allen. What it takes Allen has saved 90 games for the Tribe in the last three years. His career record is 17-16 with a 2.61 ERA. Last season, he was 32-of-35 converting saves. Opponents batted only .177 against him. Even more remarkable, no one saw this coming ... "No one but Cody," said Mike Soper. Soper was the first Tribe scout to spot Allen. "He has spent his career showing all the teams and all the scouts how wrong they were about him," said Soper. Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer How it began Soper first spotted Allen at Orlando's Boone High School. He was a star quarterback, a good pitcher. "At that point, he really wasn't a pro prospect," said Soper. "But he was a guy I wanted to follow in college. There was something special about him." Allen enrolled at Central Florida, where he had a 2-1 record and 4.58 ERA as a freshman, He hurt his arm and then had Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery. Allen sat out the 2008-09 season recovering, then transferred to St. Petersburg Junior College. "I talked to him in the fall before he started to pitch at St. Pete," said Soper. "I immediately liked him. He was so passionate. He really studied the game. For a young guy, he really knew what he was talking about. I was impressed with him as a person." AP file photo Hardcore scouting Allen was no one's phenom. At 6-foot-1, he was considered too short for a right-handed pitcher. Most teams want their righties to be at least 6-foot-3. "I scouted him at St. Pete, and he was throwing in the high 80s (mph)," said Soper. "He occasionally hit 93. He was a starting pitcher." In 2010, Allen had a 3-4 record and 4.48 ERA in junior college. "But he had something special," said Soper. "He had that 12-to-6 . It was a hammer. It was like the kind Bert Blyleven had." The 12-to- 6 curve is one that drops straight down -- 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock. "Great attitude, determination and that hammer curve," said Soper. "That got my attention." Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer Drafted once Allen was eligible for the 2010 draft. Soper pushed for the Indians to draft Allen in the middle rounds. The Indians picked him in the 16th round. "The curveball got our attention," said Tribe scouting director Brad Grant. "We thought his velocity would improve as he got farther away from Tommy John (surgery)." Soper had a long talk with Allen, who was planning to transfer to High Point University. "One of his coaches (Craig Cozart) was going there," said Soper. "Cody thought he'd be drafted higher if he want to High Point and got back into the draft." Soper couldn't remember what the Indians offered Allen, he thought it was more than $40,000. The 2010 draft had 50 rounds. "Cody was so mature, even back then," said Grant. "He didn't think he was physically ready for pro ball." Drafted twice When Allen transferred to High Point University in High Point, N.C., he was picked up by another Tribe scout. Bob Mayer was covering North Carolina and other states in that area. He scouted Allen a few times. In 2011, Allen was still a starter. He had a 4-6 record with a 3.12 ERA for High Point. He struck out 89 in 83 innings. His velocity was improving, his fastball was between 88-92 mph. But it was the hammer curveball that impressed Mayer. The Indians brought in national scout Scott Meaney to watch Allen. The Indians talked to him. They were in the same place with Allen. "The curveball and his attitude were the selling points. His lack of size and a fastball that seemed to lose its velocity were a few negatives." About the 20th round, Brad (Grant) said, 'How about Cody?'" recalled Soper. "Bob (Mayer) and Scott (Meaney) were saying, "Let's do it.' We all wanted him." The Indians picked Allen in the 23rd round -- selection No. 698! "We had no hesitation taking Cody again," said Grant. "That's because he was such a good kid. His reasons for not signing with us the first time made sense. So we tried again." Grant said he offered a $40,000 bonus. This time, Allen took it. Proving a point "Cody was going to show everyone what he could do,' said Soper. 'He has tremendous self-confidence.' The Tribe minor league department put him in the bullpen. It changed his baseball life. 'Suddenly, he was throwing 94-97 mph,' said Grant. 'He wasn't holding back as he would as a starter. He just came in there and fired away. And the curveball kept getting better and better.' Allen soared through the farm system. He threw only 98 minor league innings. He signed with Indians on June 16, 2011. On July 20, 2012, he was in the Majors. "It was pretty obvious why," said Grant. "He kept striking out everyone in the minors." Allen had an 8-3 record with a 1.74 ERA, 128 strikeouts in 98 minor league innings. "I got to the Majors fast," said Allen. "But before that, there were detours. I didn't take a straight path (to be drafted). I consider myself blessed to have pitched at High Point. I took a different path (to the Majors)." He was No. 2 The 2011 draft was stocked with top prospects. The Indians took All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor in the first round. Other big names in the first round included Jose Fernandez, Mookie Betts, Javier Baez, Anthony Rendon, Sonny Gray and Gerritt Cole. The first player from the 2011 draft to reach the Majors? It was Trevor Bauer. The current Tribe pitcher was the No. 3 pick by Arizona in that draft. Bauer was promoted to the big leagues on June 28, 2012. Allen came up three weeks later. That's right, Cody Allen was the second player from the 2011 draft to reach the Majors. "I look back now and I realize the stars sort of aligned for me," said Allen. "The Indians kept challenging me and moving me up." But as Grant kept saying, "Cody was striking out everyone. He was throwing 95-97 mph and he had that curveball. He earned it." AP file photo Learning from hard times The Indians estimate about 80 percent of all players who reach the Majors end up returning to the minors at least once. Not Allen. "I grew a lot having Tommy John surgery and some other disappointments," he said. "I really think you learn a lot from your mistakes and bad times. You either sit around and mope or you get up and do something about it." That's a key for Allen. A closer has to be resilient. When he blows a save, he feels the weight of the entire game falling on him because he failed to get three key outs in the final inning. "It can happen in a lot of ways," said Allen. "You can give up a single, and homer. Real quick, it's over. Or you can give up two broken bat hits and an infield hit. Either way, you have to show up the next day ready to go." Allen paused, thinking about his mindset. "If you don't shake it off, it stays with you," he said. "Then it can be prolonged. You can't do that or you will drive yourself crazy."

Cleveland Indians owner Paul Dolan: 'You have to seize the opportunity' -- Terry Pluto (photos) Seize the day That's what Paul Dolan told himself when his front office presented the idea of signing Edwin Encarnacion. This is the 18th year the Dolan family has owned the Cleveland Indians. They made their first trip to the World Series, losing to the Chicago Cubs in seven games. Now, Tribe president Chris Antonetti and general manager Mike Chernoff were proposing the biggest free agent signing in franchise history. "We could have just brought back (Mike) Napoli and Rajai Davis, and I thought we'd be doing OK," said Dolan. "Those guys played well for us." But the front office had eyes on another free agent -- Encarnacion. He would be an upgrade over the combination of Napoli and Davis, key parts of the 2016 Tribe who were heading into free agency. Antonetti and Chernoff had been telling Dolan about the Toronto slugger who has averaged 38 HR and 110 RBI over the last five seasons. "There was a glut of DH/first base type players on the free agent market," said Dolan. "So there was an opportunity to sign him. But signing him was going to be a big stretch for us. It took a while to get comfortable with that." The price for the 34-year-old Encarnacion would be $60 million over three years. "After going to the World Series, we had to do everything we could possibly do to get back there," said Dolan. "Our core players are in place. To not try to take advantage of this opportunity would be a mistake." So Dolan gave the green light. "It's an enormous risk for a high reward," he said. "If he gets hurt … if he doesn't perform … if things go south, that will hurt us a lot. But this is a The new owner For several years, Dolan was looking for a minority investor. "It had to be the right person," said Dolan. That person became John Sherman, who joined the Indians on August 19, 2016. Dolan declined to say how much of the team is owned by Sherman, other than it's "a minority share." Did he have an impact? "We now have more resources and that gave us a willingness to risk just a tad more," he said. Dolan said Sherman was "absolutely all for" the signings of free agents Boone Logan ($6.5 million) and Encarnacion. "I made John my partner," said Dolan. "We talk a lot." Dolan said he "probably would" have agreed to the signing of Encarnacion even without adding Sherman to ownership. "But having him made it (the signing) a tad more comfortable," said Dolan. One more signing Once the Indians signed Encarnacion, the front office thought there would be no more major moves. Antonetti and Chernoff had told Dolan of the need for another lefty reliever. They brought up the idea of signing Boone Logan to a $6.5 million deal. "I don't know if there was anyone else we would have signed," Dolan said. "Having a lefty we can rely on is a very important part of our bullpen and being successful. A multi-year deal? No. But a one-year deal ... we went for it." The 32-year-old Logan signed a $6.5 million deal with a $7 million team option for 2018. "It put us in a difficult financial position," said Dolan. "But this is a year where we are one of the favorites to go to the World Series. You have to seize the opportunity." The joy of baseball Dolan admits emotion fueled part of the decision to raise the team's payroll from $95 million to about $130 million in 2017. As he stood on the stage in Toronto receiving the trophy for winning the American League pennant, there was no sense of vindication. The Tribe owner was happy. Happy for the fans who love the team. Happy for the city, really having a banner year with the title-winning Cavaliers and the Republican National Convention. Then, the World Series. For his father, . He is now 86. It was Larry Dolan who brought the family into the baseball business in 1999 and put his son in charge. "The last time we got a trophy like that together, he was my little league coach," said Dolan. "It was a special moment." Baseball at its best is families. Families at games. Families watching on television. Families listening on the radio. "A season like that brings people together in a special way," said Dolan. He wants to see if it can happen again. Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer Staying the course After four winning seasons from 2013-16, it's hard to remember where the team was in 2012. That year, the Indians were 68-94. From 2009-2012, the Indians had records of 65-97, 69-93, 80-82 and 68-94. For most owners, the temptation would have been to blow up the front office of Mark Shapiro and Antonetti. In 2010, Shapiro moved from general manager to team president. Antonetti became general manager. Shapiro allowed Antonetti to make the baseball decisions. "Yes, there is a temptation when you're losing to think, 'I gotta do something,'" said Dolan. "But over the years, other teams were raiding our front office for people. The reputation that Mark and Chris had in baseball was well known to me. "I knew we had (financial) challenges, but I also felt we had the right plan and right people. We couldn't abandon it." Things began to change after the 2012 season when Terry Francona signed up to manage the Tribe. He came because of his faith in Shapiro and Antonetti. "I had no doubt things would get better," said Dolan. "I didn't know we'd go to Game 7 of the World Series. But we were on the right path. I had the right people in place. It's why I never thought of changing the front office." Last year, Shapiro became the president of the . Antonetti moved up to Tribe president, Mike Chernoff to general manager. "I'm very comfortable with our people," said Dolan. Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer Trusting the fans In the previous five seasons, the Indians ranked either 28th or 29th in attendance out of 30 big league teams. "We hope more fans will want to come to our games after what we did last season," said Dolan. "Indications are that's happening. Our season ticket base has grown to over 12,000. That's the most since 2008." The Indians are at 12,300 season tickets. They have sold more than 1.2 million tickets overall. They drew only 1.6 million fans last season. It's a major increase. Once upon the time in the 1990s, the Indians had a season ticket base of 25,000. They had a sellout streak of 455 games ending in 2001. But those days are over. "Indications are we will have a significant growth in attendance," he said. "We need it. We are coming off a World Series season. We have the All-Star Game here in 2019. We signed the biggest free agent (Encarnacion) in the market. It doesn't get any better than that." Dolan admits some trepidation. In 2013, he spent $104 million on free agents Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher. The Indians went from a 68-94 record to 92-70. They made the playoffs as a wild card team. But within a year, Swisher and Bourn suffered major injuries. The contracts were a burden. The team took a step back. "You think about that," he said. "But I just feel this is the right time to really invest in the team. I believe our fans will respond."Lisa DeJong, The Plain Dealer Looking back at 2016 "The Cavs bringing home the first championship since 1964 changed the attitude toward Cleveland," said Dolan. "For quite a while, a lot of good things are happening here. But the Cavs winning helped people feel even more positive about it." How did the Tribe's loss in the 2016 World Series fit into that? "It's not The Fumble," he said. "It's not The Drive. It's not the negative brands that we've had in Cleveland sports. We didn't win the World Series, but it still was a great thing. There should be no negative label on it." Why not? "This wasn't like 2007 when we were up 3-1 on Boston (in the American League Championship Series) and then lost," he said. "That was very hard. I was angry. I took it so hard." Dolan believed the Indians were the best team in the American League in 2007, so losing in the ALCS with a healthy roster was devastating. "But this time, we took the journey all the way to the end," he said. "We didn't get the result we wanted, but we had a spectacular journey and played it to the max." Dolan mentioned the Tribe being without starters Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar in the playoffs because of arm injuries. Then Trevor Bauer was hurt in the Toronto series when he cut his little finger on his right pitching hand fixing his drone. "I didn't sleep for a few days after (the World Series)," he said. "But it wasn't that gut-wrenching feeling that I had after 2007 … 2005 … 2001. This was different. The team gave us everything they had. It was a spectacular World Series. It really set up this season."

How manager Terry Francona transformed the Cleveland Indians: Bill Livingston (photos) Bill Livingston, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Terry Francona bridged the -Boston Red Sox gulf in cap-tipping exchanges with Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter before the archrivals' games. He was at the summit of his profession before a September slump in 2011 led to his firing. Seemingly out of the wild blue yonder four years ago, beyond the farthest-fetched dreams of fans, Francona suddenly wanted to manage the Cleveland Indians. The immediate question was, "Why?" After breaking the Curse of the Bambino and managing the Red Sox to two World Series championships, the first since the Great War with its muddy trenches, gas masks, and Doughboys singing "Madamoselle from Armentieres," why would Francona want to come to an irrelevant franchise like the Indians? Problems and mission statements The Tribe has to deal with small market economics and sparse attendance in a city that simply does not take to baseball the way it does to its NBA championship basketball team or the also-ran NFL franchise. Francona's respect for the Indians' progressive front office, for whom he had been a consultant in 2001, was, we know now, why he came here. This was a shock to the system of Old School baseball men, who apparently used either clay tablets (costly to mail from the road and resistant to fax machines) or papyrus sheaves for their scouting reports. The managers before Eric Wedge literally rolled their eyes at the team's "mission statement," aiming for consistent contention, which was posted in elevators at the ballpark. Francona understood the long range planning, although the mission statement plaques are no more. They disappeared during the rebuilding that began with the Bartolo Colon trade early in the century, which came within a game of reaching the 2007 World Series. A second rebuilding program after the trades of CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee stagnated before Francona's arrival. The board room and the dugout Francona can speak the language of business, perhaps not as fluently as highly successful Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer, but well enough to grasp the details in the design. Out of the wild blue yonder, beyond the farthest-fetched dreams of fans, Francona wanted to manage the Indians. Like Meyer, Francona took one year off for work in broadcast booths, then returned to his game and rescued a floundering brand. Some say Francona only manages the clubhouse. He does so, however, in the largest sense possible, bridging the gap between millionaire players and the "clubbies" who run player errands and depend heavily on the players' tips. The manager is a reactionary when it comes to the rituals, including cap-tipping, that make up what is called respect for the game. Analytics Called almost universally in baseball "Tito," after his father, an Indians star in the 1950s, Terry is open-minded enough to understand the information revolution that transformed baseball. A familiar baseball saying is that "past is prelude," meaning knowledge gained from one at-bat is applied to the next and even from one pitch to the next. Player tendencies provide not only a record of the past but a path to the future. The idea is that the game is a continuum. It runs on every day, but its approaches change because front office methodology changes. Some of the new metrics Francona embraces, but with others he allows his "gut," the old baseball man's unscientific intuition, to overrule them. It worked in 2013 when, despite his love for a deep pitching staff, he carried Jason Giambi as a designated hitter and platoon pinch-hitter, and Giambi carried the Indians to a wild-card berth. It did not work as well with first baseman Mike Napoli in the 2016 World Series. There are worse flaws in the clubhouse than too much loyalty to players. Radicalism Francona was unafraid to throw out the managerial book with his use of ace of most trades Andrew Miller and his bullpen in the postseason. Not surprisingly, the manager downplayed his daring, admitting it would never work over a 162-game schedule. Yet he took a team with three starting pitchers down at one point in the playoffs and its best position player out for almost the entire season to within one win of a World Series championship. The Indians have risne tot he elite ranks with a progressive conservative for a manager. If you don't think that's unusual, check out Congress.

After a grueling 17 months, Michael Brantley's diligence finally pays dividends Zack Meisel, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Michael Brantley leaned against the creme-colored wall outside of the visitor's clubhouse at Comerica Park, his right arm in a sling. The outfielder, six weeks removed from surgery, watched his teammates shower each other with champagne and Budweiser. For days afterward, every footstep produced a squeak on the sticky carpet. Two weeks later, Brantley could contribute. Not on the field, of course. His right shoulder maintained its "No Tresspassing" sign. But Brantley joined the fracas in the visitor's clubhouse after the Indians knocked out the Red Sox at Fenway Park. For much of the 2016 campaign, Brantley served as a spectator. He went from being the lineup's heartbeat to its chief cheerleader, from center stage to a front-row seat. For anyone, that would be a difficult reassignment to swallow. Brantley is typically reserved, quick to deliver all-too-familiar adages about focusing on feeling better "each and every day" and staying within himself, and other humdrum phrases fans know well. He often chuckles when reporters call him "Captain Cliche." Behind that presentation, though, is a player who would have given anything to join his teammates on the field for their thrilling postseason run last fall. Instead, he watched from the sideline. This year, he'll participate in his team's journey. Brantley's diligence has paid dividends. The Indians officially named him to their Opening Day roster on Sunday. He'll likely man left field and bat third in Terry Francona's batting order, just as he did a couple years back, when he blossomed into a polished, reliable hitter and an MVP candidate. We're accustomed to the coachspeak about a player's return from injury resembling a trade acquisition or a free-agent signing. Sometimes, such declarations are worthy of eye-roll responses. Not in this case, however. As Francona has mentioned, the Indians are obtaining a No. 3 hitter and a No. 4 hitter that they didn't have last year, when they reached the World Series. Mike Napoli served an integral role for the Tribe in 2016, but his ceiling at the plate might be Edwin Encarnacion's floor. Rajai Davis delivered the most magical moment of the season, but a fine-tuned Brantley can provide plenty more "bangs" and "booms." Brantley's health proves even more instrumental when considering both Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall will begin the season on the disabled list. The Indians will be cautious with Brantley, who appeared in only 11 games during a trying, frustrating 2016 campaign. The team's brain trust has been guardedly optimistic all spring. Hitting coaches have marveled at his steady swing, which looks no different than it did when Brantley batted .319 with 35 homers and 90 doubles in 2014-15. After watching his first bout of batting practice in late February, hitting coach proclaimed: "Dr. Smooth is back." He had some hurdles to clear before that statement could come to fruition, but Brantley evaded the unwelcome soreness and fatigue that constantly dragged him down last season. It has been a long, winding, painful road back, but Brantley has made it. If there are any champagne celebrations this fall, he plans to be in the middle of the fray.

Cleveland Indians should win second straight AL Central title: Paul Hoynes' predictions Division in transition: American League Central CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The AL Central has sent a team to the World Series for the last three years. The Royals went in 2014 and 2015 and the Indians in 2016. Will the Indians make a return trip in 2017 like the Royals did in 2015? Well, a second straight AL Central Division title would be a good starting point and the opportunity is there. While the rest of the division is rebuilding or thinking about it, the Indians have made no secret that they're trying win now. Tigers GM Al Avila said at the end of last year that he wanted his team to get younger and leaner. Leaner that is in reducing a payroll that was close to $200 million at the end of last season. Well, that really didn't happen, which means the Tigers got a year older rather than a year better. But they are still dangerous with a lineup featuring Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, and . Veteran Justin Verlander leads a rotation that also features AL Rookie of the Year Michael Fulmer.

The Royals could be just as dangerous as the Tigers depending how the early part of their season goes. Several of the core players who led them to consecutive World Series are eligible for free agency at the end of the season. If GM Dayton Moore doesn't think he has a contender at the trade deadline, he could start trading players. When the White Sox traded left-hander Chris Sale and outfielder Adam Eaton over the winter, there was no doubt about their intentions to rebuild. The surprising thing is that veterans Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier and David Robertson are still on the club. The Twins hired Derek Falvey from the Indians to revive their fortunes. Falvey, who inherited a team that lost 103 games last year, is up to his elbows in a rebuild. There is emerging talent in Byron Buxton, Max Kepler and Miguel Sano, but the Twins need pitching. Lots of it. Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com 5. Minnesota Twins: The skinny It's funny how things go. When the Twins played in the Metrodome, which some people considered a dump, they were a good team for a long time. Now they play in a palace called Target Field and they're struggling. The Twins have had two winning seasons since moving into Target Field in 2010. They won the AL Central in 2010 and drew 3.2 million fans. Two years ago, Paul Molitor's first as a manager, they finished second with 83 wins. This year Molitor is coming off a 103-loss season featuring the worst pitching staff -- rotation and bullpen - and defense in the AL. The one thing the Twins aren't bad at is offense. They have young hitters in Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler, Kennys Vargas, and Byron Buxton who can move the baseball. Veteran is still a presence in the lineup as well. Minnesota Twins' additions The Twins signed free agent catcher Jason Castro to a three-year $24.5 million deal. They also brought former Indians' catcher Chris Gimenez to camp. Derek Falvey, Minnesota's new chief baseball officer, felt the staff needed catchers who could frame pitches to buy some strikes for their pitchers. Perhaps the biggest addition was a trade the Twins didn't make. They tried all winter to trade second baseman Brian Dozier, who hit 42 homers last year, to help jump start the rebuild. Falvey didn't find a deal to his liking and Dozier will open the season with the Twins. Of course, that doesn't mean Dozier will finish the season in Minneapolis. The rotation, led by Ervin Santana, could be helped by the return of right-hander Phil Hughes. He underwent Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery last year and made six starts in spring training. Minnesota Twins' subtractions Among the players not retained by the Twins were third baseman Trevor Plouffe, catcher Kurt Suzuki, right-handers Ricky Nolasco, Alex Meyer and Casey Fien. Closer Glen Perkins, recovering from labrum surgery on his left shoulder, is expected to open the year on the disabled list. Chris Carlson No. 4. Chicago White Sox: The skinny The White Sox are all about the future. They traded left-hander Chris Sale to Boston for prospects Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe and Victor Diaz. Moncada, who drove in 13 runs for the White this spring before being optioned to the minors, is considered by many to be the best prospect in baseball. When they sent outfielder Adam Eaton to Washington, they receivd three right-handers in Lucas Giolito, Reynoldo Lopez and Dane Dunning. It's unclear if the White Sox will deal any more veterans, but several teams are interested in ace lefty, Jose Quintana. In a couple of years the middle of the White Sox's infield will feature shortstop Tim Anderson, who just signed a six-year $25 million extension and Moncada at second base. Chicago White Sox's additions The White Sox's rotation is still going to lean heavily to the left even after trading Chris Sale. They signed free agent left-hander Derek Holland to go with lefties Jose Quintana and Carlos Rodon. Holland, bothered by injuries the last couple of years with Texas, was 7-9 with a 4.95 ERA in 22 appearances last season. The top two spots in the rotation should be OK with Quintana and Rodon. After that it could get shaky until some of their young starters develop. Chicago's key additions, however, were prospects such as Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Lucas Giolito and Reynoldo Lopez. They'll open the season in the minors so the fans will have to wait and see what kind of effect they'll have on the big league club. Chicago White Sox's subtractions The White Sox fired manager Robin Ventura after a 78-84 finish last year. Ventura managed the White Sox five years and had only one winning season when they went 85-77 in 2012. The White Sox were stuck in baseball limbo under Ventura. They wouldn't commit to a full rebuild and always kept adding players to contend, but it didn't happen. Under new manager Rick Renteria, Ventura's old bench coach, there is no doubt that a rebuilding program is underway. No. 3 Kansas City Royals: The skinny The Royals were rocked by the death of right-hander , their emerging ace, in a car accident in the Dominican Republic in January. They have made moves to fill out the rotation, but the loss of his talent and personality will be felt for a long time in the organization. They are also faced with the challenge of a small-market team at the end of a fruitful, but short run of contention. Core players , , , and are eligible for free agency at the end of the 2017 season. There is no way the Royals can keep them all, which means there could be a fire sale come July 31 if they aren't at or near the top of the division. Kansas City Royals' additions The Royals needed pitching and they added free agent Jason Hammel (15-10, 3.83) from the Cubs and Nathan Karns (6-2, 5.15) from Seattle. They signed Hammel to a two-year $16 million deal and sent speedy outfielder to the Mariners for Karns. They also added power in Jorge Soler and free agent Brandon Moss. Soler, a right fielder, was acquired from the Cubs for closer . They signed Moss to a two-year $12 million deal. It looks like Soler will open the year on the disabled list with an oblique injury, but Moss won the DH job. Kansas City Royals' subtractions The trade of Wade Davis opened the closer's job and stepped right into it. But the back end of the Royals' pen, which helped them reach the World Series in 2014 and 2015, doesn't appear to be as dominating as before. Also departed from the Royals are DH and right-handers Edinson Volquez, and . Morales signed a three-year $33 million deal with Toronto. Volquez signed a two-year $22 million deal with Florida. Medlen signed a minor league deal with the Braves. No. 2 Detroit Tigers: The skinny kept pumping money into the Detroit Tigers and waiting for them to win a World Series. The Tigers reached the World Series in 2006 and 2012, but lost each time. Sadly, Ilitch, 87, died in February without seeing his wish fulfilled. Now the question is which way are the Tigers going? Will the Ilitch family keep them near the top of the MLB payroll structure or will they cut back? Motor City baseball fans are used to winning. The Tigers have had a winning record in nine of their last 11 seasons. Five of those teams have reached the postseason. Detroit Tigers' additions The Tigers are pretty much what you thought they'd be. Besides re-signing catcher Alex Avila, they had a quiet winter. Miguel Cabrera is still the focus of the offense, but the rotation will be interesting. Justin Verlander and Michael Fulmer should be solid. If Jordan Zimmerman can stay healthy, that's a good top of the rotation. Lefties Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd will fill out the fourth and fifth spots. In the outfield JaCoby Jones has won the center field job with Justin Upton in left and Tyler Collins and Mikie Mahrook platooning in right. Detrloit Tigers' subtractions When the Tigers traded center fielder to the Angels in the offseason, it looked like it would be the first of many deals, but that's when the trading stopped. Granted the contracts that they were trying to move were so expensive that they might not have had many takers. Miguel Cabrera, for example, has $220 million left on his contract. The biggest changes have taken place in the rotation. Anibal Sanchez was demoted to the bullpen Saturday and was released earlier in the week even though the Tigers still ow him $8 million for this season. Pelfrey made 22 starts last year and went 4-10 with a 5.07 ERA. 1. Cleveland Indians: The skinny The Indians have not won consecutive AL Central titles since winning five straight from 1995 through 1999. That drought is about to end this year. How far the Indians get after that is up to the baseball gods and the health of their roster, but the AL Central should be theirs in 2017. Cleveland Indians' additions The Indians biggest additions this winter were free agents Edwin Encarnacion and Boone Logan. Encarnacion, the top slugger on the open market, fell to them when a unique set of circumstances unfolded and owner Paul Dolan green lighted Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff to strike. The signing of Logan was the cherry on top of a productive winter. He's a left-hander who can ease the late-inning stress on Andrew Miller, Cody Allen and Bryan Shaw. Two other newcomers made the 25-man roster in free agent Austin Jackson and prospect Yandy Diaz. Jackson, who came to camp on a minor league deal, is expected to share center field with Tyler Naquin. When third baseman Jose Ramirez moved to second to replace injured Jason Kipnis late in camp, Diaz pounced on the open spot at third and made it his own. It helped greatly that he hit .458 (22-for-48) with two homers and 15 RBI over the course of the spring. As for his defensive chops at third base, that is still a question. Cleveland Indians' subtractions The Indians two biggest losses over the winter were Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis. Napoli signed with Texas, while Davis signed with Oakland. The front office replaced Napoli with Edwin Encarnacion and Davis with Austin Jackson, but the good vibes Napoli and Davis created last year will be hard to replace. Also gone from last year's club are right-handers Jeff Manship and Austin Adams, catcher Chris Gimenez and outfielder Coco Crisp.

Michael Brantley given the green light: Cleveland Indians set Opening Day roster Zack Meisel, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's all systems go for Michael Brantley, who has officially worked his way onto the Indians' Opening Day squad. Teams had until noon ET on Sunday to submit their 25-man rosters for the start of the season. Brantley is included on Cleveland's list, a mere 17 months after his initial surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. In the year and a half since, he has endured a series of setbacks, a second operation, played in 11 games with the Tribe and watched the club's postseason run from the sideline. At last, he's back. And the Indians' roster is set for their Monday evening opener in Texas. The injury timeline of Cleveland Indians LF Michael Brantley Brantley's health solidifies an outfield with plenty of moving parts. Lonnie Chisenhall will open the season on the 10-day disabled list, though the club anticipates his return within a couple of weeks. That leaves Brantley, Tyler Naquin, Brandon Guyer, Austin Jackson and Abraham Almonte to cover the three outfield spots. Brantley hit .385 with a 1.121 OPS in eight Cactus League games. He slugged a pair of home runs and notched a pair of doubles in 26 at-bats. Related: Brantley will head to Texas with Tribe Jason Kipnis, recovering from a strained right rotator cuff, will join Chisenhall on the sideline to start the year. The team will deploy Yandy Diaz at third base and will shift Jose Ramirez to second to cover for Kipnis' absence. Michael Martinez -- who appeared at every position other than first base, catcher and pitcher last year -- will serve as the utility man. Diaz batted .458 (22-for-48) with a 1.252 OPS this spring. The Indians officially purchased the contracts of Diaz and Martinez on Sunday. To clear space on the 40-man roster the club released pitcher Tim Cooney and placed right-hander Cody Anderson on the 60-day disabled list. Anderson underwent Tommy John surgery last week. Both Chisenhall and Kipnis will be eligible to return from the disabled list on April 9. The Indians will carry 12 pitchers, including seven relievers (though manager Terry Francona wishes that number were closer to 27). The Indians' rotation will unfold as follows: Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Josh Tomlin and Trevor Bauer. Carrasco, who battled some elbow inflammation during the spring, surrendered 18 runs on 27 hits in 15 Cactus League innings. Opponents batted .397 against him. Salazar tallied 37 strikeouts in 26 innings this spring. With a pair of off-days prior to the home opener, the Indians could have survived without a fifth starter until the middle of the month. Nonetheless, they opted to preserve the five-man rotation. Shawn Armstrong emerged from a crowded crop of relievers to earn the only opening in the Tribe bullpen. He'll join fellow right-handers Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Dan Otero and Zach McAllister and southpaws Andrew Miller and Boone Logan. Related: Armstrong lands Opening Day roster spot Shaw allowed 16 runs (15 earned) on 19 hits in 7 2/3 innings during Cactus League action. Opponents batted .463 against him. Armstrong, on the other hand, limited the opposition to one earned run across 10 2/3 frames. Here's the full breakdown of the Indians' Opening Day roster. Catchers (2): Yan Gomes, Roberto Perez Infield (6): Carlos Santana, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Ramirez, Francisco Lindor, Yandy Diaz, Michael Martinez Outfield (5): Michael Brantley, Abraham Almonte, Tyler Naquin, Austin Jackson, Brandon Guyer Starting pitchers (5): Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Josh Tomlin, Trevor Bauer Relievers (7): Cody Allen, Andrew Miller, Bryan Shaw, Dan Otero, Zach McAllister, Boone Logan, Shawn Armstrong

Is it the Cleveland Indians' division to lose? AL Central 2017 predictions by Zack Meisel AL Central predictions by Zack Meisel CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A year ago, the American League Central was widely considered a free-for-all between the five teams. The Royals had won the championship the previous October, but maintained their critics. The Indians, Tigers and White Sox seemed poised to threaten Kansas City for division supremacy. Even the Twins were coming off of an 83-79 showing the year before. Well, it didn't unfold according to script. The Twins piled up 103 losses. The Indians edged out the Tigers by eight games for the Central crown. The Royals wound up with a .500 record. Maybe the division will surprise again in 2017, but that doesn't seem likely. The Indians are the clear favorites, with the Tigers and Royals trailing behind. Chicago isn't shy about its rebuild and the Twins have plenty of work to do to make up ground. Here's a forecast of the AL Central for 2017. By Zack Meisel 5. Chicago White Sox Best-case scenario: Chicago keeps dealing its veterans for near-ready prospects, and with great success. The Chris Sale and Adam Eaton trades pay dividends, as members of the club's offseason haul of youngsters make their debuts and offer a glimpse of a promising future. Worst-case scenario: The kids aren't all right, and on top of a ghost town for a ballpark -- it's been that way for years now -- the White Sox have an apathetic fan base that isn't intrigued by the future. Bottom line: If Rick Hahn keeps wheeling and dealing like he did over the winter, the White Sox won't be in the cellar for long. Projected record: 66-96 4. Minnesota Twins Best-case scenario: That miserable 2016 season was a mere mirage. The Twins revert to their 2015 form, when they finished 83-79, to everyone's surprise. The offense lives up to its potential, with Max Kepler and Miguel Sano blossoming and Byron Buxton developing into a well-rounded star. A leap of progress from pitching prospect Jose Berrios would go a long way, too. Worst-case scenario: A team that lost 103 games and didn't add much over the winter plays like a team that lost 103 games and didn't add much over the winter. What we've seen from some of the Twins' young players holds steady, and questions surface about the direction of the franchise. Bottom line: The Twins have a lot of work to do to prove that 83-79 mark in 2015 wasn't a fluke. Projected record: 76-86 3. Kansas City Royals Best-case scenario: The Royals have one more run in them, and 's bunch resembles the squad that marched to a championship just two seasons ago. The offense proves balanced, with Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain healthy, and the pitching staff holds together, despite Yordano Ventura's passing and Wade Davis' departure. Worst-case scenario: A slow start forces the front office's hand, and the Royals gauge league-wide interest in Moustakas, Cain, Eric Hosmer and Alcides Escobar, who can all become free agents at the end of the season. A midseason fire sale takes the wind out of the Royals' sails and the club plummets in the standings. Bottom line: The first two months could determine how the Royals piece together the final four. Projected record: 78-84 2. Detroit Tigers Best-case scenario: The talent takes the lead, minimizing the importance of the supporting cast. The Tigers receive valiant performances from Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, J.D. Martinez, Ian Kinsler, Justin Verlander, Michael Fulmer and Jordan Zimmermann. Detroit hangs with Cleveland in the race for the division crown. Worst-case scenario: Those holes in center field, right field (until J.D. Martinez returns) and in the bullpen drag down the team's production. An uninspiring first few months, fueled by imperfect roster health and a lack of depth, press general manager Al Avila to consider dealing J.D. Martinez, who is in a contract year. Bottom line: This version of the Tigers, while still talented, isn't quite as good or deep as previous years' versions. Projected record: 84-78 1. Cleveland Indians Best-case scenario: The law of averages grants the Indians a bill of health, which allows the club to cruise to its second straight division title. Terry Francona's group proves to be as well-rounded and well-equipped as any other in baseball, which bodes well for October. Worst-case scenario: The rotation crumbles because of injuries and inconsistency, and the health of Michael Brantley and Jason Kipnis leave the lineup in flux. The Indians hang around in the AL Central race, but it just isn't their year. Bottom line: Much would have to go awry for another team in the division to stand tall. Projected record: 93-69

Rangers to place Adrian Beltre on DL to start season, Joey Gallo gets third base nod By Evan Grant , Staff Writer Contact Evan Granton Twitter:@Evan_P_Grant ARLINGTON - Adrian Beltre will spend opening day and his 38th birthday on the disabled list, but the Rangers are still hopeful he can return to the active roster before the end of the first homestand. Rather than rush Beltre back from a cranky right strain, his second calf injury of the spring, the club on Saturday decided to take a more conservative approach. He will be placed on the 10-day DL Sunday with the move retroactive to Thursday. He can be activated as early as April 9, two days after his 38th birthday. It would mean missing at least the first five games of the season. It also means Joey Gallo will open as the club's third baseman and Drew Robinson will make the opening day roster, manager Jeff Banister said. Veteran presence gives Rangers an edge in the AL West, as long as Father Time doesn't intervene "There is still some buildup for Adrian, but I think as long as he can do the work, I don't think it will take him that long to get up to speed," Banister said. "We want him on the field all the time. But all of us, putting our minds together, we tried to take all factors into account and make a smart decision for the long-term." Beltre was unavailable for comment after Saturday's exhibition finale against Kansas City. Beltre's time on the field this spring has been limited by two calf injuries. He was limited at the start of spring training, then left for the World Baseball Classic for two weeks. After returning from the WBC, he left last Sunday's exhibition after one plate appearance. Beltre had only 12 at- bats for the Rangers this spring and another 15 for the Dominican Republic in the WBC. He had only one hit. Last spring, he had 40 at-bats and has averaged 45 at-bats per spring over the last five seasons. Gallo hit four homers in the spring to tie with Robinson for the club lead. He also struck out 23 times, but the Rangers were more focused on his overall approach during the spring. "How he's gone about his work and the maturity level he's displayed, the process has been very good," Banister said. "I give him a lot of credit for the approach to his craft."

Five things for Rangers fans to know about the Cleveland Indians By Gerry Fraley , Staff Writer Contact Gerry Fraleyon Twitter:@gfraley Five things to know about the defending American League champion Cleveland Indians, who open the season with a three-game series at the Rangers beginning Monday at Globe Life Park: The Indians will be without right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall and second baseman Jason Kipnis because of right-shoulder injuries. In the last three seasons, Chisenhall hit .377 with seven homers and 23 RBIs in 69 at-bats against the Rangers. To replace Kipnis, manager Terry Francona is expected to move Jose Ramirez to second and use spring sensation Yandy Diaz at third. Diaz, a 25-year-old Cuban defector, hit .325 with a .399 on-base percentage in the Triple-A last season and .448 in 48 at-bats this spring, His offense is well ahead of his defense. Cleveland added free agent Edwin Encarnacion to replace Mike Napoli at first base-designated hitter. Encarnacion, who began his career in the Rangers' organization, had 193 homers in the last five seasons with Toronto. According to The Fielding Bible, Francisco Lindor ranked fourth among major-league shortstops for runs saved last season with 17. The demands of the regular season will prevent Francona from using the bullpen as he did during the post-season last year, but it will be a significant resource. After adding left-hander Andrew Miller, Cleveland went 32-1 when leading after six innings for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 04.02.2017 Despite Adrian Beltre’s status, Rangers relatively healthy for opener BY STEFAN STEVENSON Members of Nation, the state of your team is strong. Don’t let all of the last-minute health concerns as we approach Monday’s Opening Day game against the defending American League champion Cleveland Indians worry you. Sure, Adrian Beltre will start the season on the disabled list with a strained right calf. Considering Beltre’s bona fides, the club has allowed him every chance to come to terms on his health, a luxury a rookie or journeyman utility player is unlikely to get. But that development, which manager Jeff Banister confirmed after Saturday afternoon’s 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals in the spring finale at Globe Life Park, is more a tribute to the depth of the Rangers’ roster than the severity of Beltre’ injury. He needs more time for treatment and rest. By making the move with Beltre using the MLB’s new 10-day DL standard, he could return as soon as Sunday, having missed only five games, by backdating his stint to Thursday. “All parties involved felt it was best to start with him on the disabled list,” Banister said. “It’s a continued process with the medical team and obviously the buildup. As long as he can do the work I don’t think it will be long before we can get him up to game speed where he feels good about it.” Opening Day rosters are officially due by 11 a.m. Sunday but once Beltre’s decision was made, the Rangers didn’t need more time to fill out the names. Joey Gallo will start at third base Monday and is likely to remain there until Beltre returns, Banister suggested. “This was all of us putting our minds together, taking all factors and trying to make the proper decision for the long term and not making a mistake on the front end thinking about the short term,” Banister said. “It’s about getting his body and legs in position to be able to endure the season.” The Rangers will go with a four-man bench and an eight-man bullpen, including Mike Hauschild, the Rule 5 pick the Rangers snagged from the Astros in December. He’s likely to work as a middle and long reliever. Left-hander Dario Alvarez and right-hander Jose Leclerc fill out the ’pen, and join long-established names , Tony Barnette, , Alex Claudio and closer Sam Dyson. 9 Rangers players will start the season on the disabled list, including Prince Fielder, who was forced to retire last season for medical reasons. Gallo isn’t the only option to help fill Beltre’s void at third. Jurickson Profar and Drew Robinson could be used there. Robinson, who has yet make his major league debut, will provide a left-handed bat off the bench. His inclusion on the roster was likely predicated on the Rangers’ not employing a short, three-man bench, which Banister had suggested was an option the first two weeks while using a four-man rotation. Beltre is not the only infielder on the left side at less than 100 percent health. Shortstop Elvis Andrus, who had surgery on Nov. 1 to repair a sports hernia, is close but after a cautious spring is still working back to full strength. Shin-Soo Choo, marred by multiple injuries last season, has stayed healthy this spring and appears poised for a return to form at the plate, this year as the designated hitter more often. He drove in two runs in the second inning Saturday with a double to the left-field corner. Delino DeShields earned a spot after an extraordinary spring in which he stole 14 bases in 14 attempts and finished in the top 10 in on-base percentage at .442. The pitching staff has remained relatively healthy. Both new additions to the starting rotation, right-handers Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross, won’t be ready for Opening Day but remain on their respective schedules. Cashner, the former TCU standout, pitched three scoreless innings Friday and is on track to return to join the rotation on April 15, the first day the Rangers would need a fifth starter. Despite Cashner’s progress, his return date could still be pushed back out of an abundance of caution. “I would like to make sure when we get him back, we get him back for the full year,” pitching coach Doug Brocail said. “I don’t want any setbacks.” Ross, who is returning from surgery to repair thoracic outlet syndrome in October, impressed Brocail with a 50-pitch bullpen session on Thursday, gushing it “was really good.” Right-handed reliever Tanner Scheppers’ abdominal strain was confirmed by a second opinion. He’s improving and threw a bullpen before Saturday’s game but his injury status makes it unlikely he’s part of the Opening Day roster, Banister said. Star-Telegram LOADED: 04.02.2017 Nick Cafardo / SUNDAY BASEBALL NOTES / These are the most intriguing things about the 2017 MLB season By Nick Cafardo This season brings more rule changes, more new things to consider about a sport that wants to adapt to the times. It’s a sport that wants to appeal to millennials, get them to love baseball as their parents and grandparents did. Yet major league players and uniformed personnel resist the changes; all this for the sake of merely reducing the length of games by a few minutes? A major problem with length of games is that modern hitters don’t swing at the first good pitch they see, like Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays used to do. They have been taught to work the count full and then foul off a few pitches before striking out or walking. This is something we can’t change. It’s simply how the game has evolved. As much as we get annoyed by hitters stepping out of the box and pitchers taking forever to throw the ball, or the ungodly number of relievers used in a game, the proposed changes to save time are negated by a time-consuming instant replay system. “I think when people talk about changing the game, sometimes they lose sight of the fact that the game is changing,” commissioner Rob Manfred recently said on CBS Radio. “It has changed dramatically in the last 10 or 15 years, the numbers of strikeouts, the number of home runs, the shifts, how often balls are put in play, the way we use relief pitchers. “I try to make people understand we’re not talking about changing the game so much as we are about managing the change that is otherwise taking place in the game.” Already this reporter is hearing complaints from managers about changes in replay. Managers now have 30 seconds to decide whether to review a play. And replay officials in New York now are supposed to rule within two minutes but are given more time if needed. The standard stay on the disabled list now runs 10 days, not 15. There’s the automatic intentional walk. No more wondering whether the pitcher will throw one wide to the backstop. Base coaches have to stay in their boxes before every pitch. Everyone will get used to the changes over time. If baseball eventually adopts a pitch clock, we will get used to that, too. Manfred is trying to find ways to improve the pace of play. This is something Red Sox chairman Tom Werner stressed as he made his run for commissioner after Bud Selig stepped down. Batters are being instructed to stay in the box after a ball or strike (other than a foul ball), as they were two years ago. Aside from rule changes, there are many more reasons to be intrigued by the new season. For instance, I’m intrigued by 43-year-old Ichiro Suzuki, who believes he can play until he’s 50. I am intrigued by the Cubs, to see whether they can build toward a dynasty. I am intrigued by Giancarlo Stanton and whether he could be the next 60-homer guy, if he could stay healthy and continue to learn the strike zone. I am intrigued by and whether he can become the next Mickey Mantle or whether he continues last season’s statistical decline. I am intrigued by Mookie Betts. Will he become the superstar we all think he can be, or was last season an outlier? Remember, when hit 32 homers, knocked in 105 runs, hit .321, and stole 39 bases in 2011 at age 27, we thought we were witnessing a season that would take Ellsbury’s career to the next level. So did the Yankees, who invested $153 million in him before the 2014 season. I am intrigued by the rebuilding efforts of the Phillies, Brewers, Braves, Reds, Twins, and Padres and how they will progress. I am intrigued by the Royals, to see if they’re in the race at the trading deadline, and if not, will they trade pending free agents Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Lorenzo Cain? I am intrigued by the Tigers, who tried in vain to break up their veteran nucleus in the offseason but will still be very competitive. I am intrigued by the Yankees and whether Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird, Aaron Judge, and Luis Severino can become New York’s next “Core Four.” I am intrigued by the Mets, who have seven outstanding young pitchers with the potential to dominate. I am intrigued by the Nationals and whether they can finally get over the hump and win the NL pennant. I am intrigued by Andrew McCutchen’s potential rebound season. I am intrigued to see whether Yasiel Puig will ever amount to anything. I am intrigued to see what baseball is like without and whether Ortiz will get bored and want to unretire. I am intrigued to see which team turns into a surprise contender. Seattle? Houston? Pittsburgh? Baltimore? Colorado? I am intrigued by how less foul territory (as a result of extended dugouts and 124 new seats) at Fenway will affect Red Sox pitchers, and whether less foul territory there will add to time of game. Bill Chuck offered this gem two weeks ago: The average time of an AL game in 2016 was 3 hours 1 minute; the games played in Oakland (the most foul territory) were the shortest at 2:52, the games played at Fenway (the least foul territory) were the longest at 3:14. I am intrigued to see how much the Red Sox will miss Koji Uehara. I am intrigued by Albert Pujols’s pursuit of 600 home runs, of which he’s nine away. Welcome in the 2017 baseball season. It should be filled with intrigue. ‘NOT DONE YET’ Nationals should extend Baker What a tremendous baseball life Nationals manager Dusty Baker has led. He played 19 seasons in the majors and hit .278 for his career. He hit 242 homers and knocked in 1,013 runs. He had a career OPS of .779. He won one Gold Glove. He made two All-Star teams. He was MVP of the 1977 NLCS. He’s in his 22nd season as a big league manager, with a career record of 1,766-1,571 (.529). He has won one pennant. He managed Barry Bonds. Baker, 67, took two years off after being fired by the Reds following the 2013 season, then signed a two-year deal to manage Washington. The Nationals haven’t extended his deal, but Baker says he doesn’t mind. “I’m not done yet,” he said, laughing. “I’d like a new deal. I would love to keep managing.” And really, there’s no reason to believe he won’t. Baker is beloved by his players. He has a good feeling about this year’s roster, which features an elite starting rotation and a very good lineup led by Bryce Harper. I asked him, can you tell beforehand when a season is going to be good? “Not really,” he said. “There are too many variables like injuries and different things that happen in players’ lives. One thing though, you know when you have a bad team. When you leave spring training you know when you have a bad team and you know when you have a good team. Just hard to predict how good sometimes.” Was he ever surprised by a “bad team” gone good? “Yeah, it wound up good Chicago [in 2003]. We made a major trade and that’s what helped make us good halfway. We picked up Kenny Lofton and Aramis Ramirez and Randall Simon [from Pittsburgh]. We picked up one-sixth of our team and that made us good,” Baker recalled of the Cubs, who lost to the Marlins in the NLCS. “Everybody says injuries are no factor, but it’s a factor depending on who’s hurt. If your top horses are hurt, it’s a factor. If they are guys who aren’t as important to your team, then you can replace them for a while, but it’s hard to replace your horses. That’s why they’re horses. That’s why I talk about good health. That’s No. 1.” Apropos of nothing 1. Mitch Moreland told me the Red Sox scouted him at Mississippi State but were looking at him as a pitcher. “There were teams who wanted me as a pitcher and the Red Sox were one of them,” said the Red Sox’ new first baseman. “Texas wanted me to be a hitter so that’s what I chose.” Moreland threw 95 miles per hour in college, and the Gold Glover isn’t afraid to make risky throws in the majors. 2. Ryan Howard still wants to play, but no one’s been willing to give him a chance. 3. If I were looking for a reliever for June/July, I’d be all over the rehabbing Luke Hochevar. 4. The reason Blake Swihart will eventually be the Red Sox’ starting catcher is that he can hit from both sides of the plate. Good defensive catchers such as Christian Vazquez and Sandy Leon are easier to find than good-hitting catchers. A.J. Pierzynski, an average to below- average catcher, was a starter for most of his 19 seasons in the majors because he was a .280 career hitter. Look at Joe Mauer. He was an average catcher, but he could hit. Same with Jorge Posada. I can go on and on. 5. I remember a Mariners official, on the day the Red Sox acquired Carson Smith, saying, “He’ll break down because of his delivery.” Sure enough, not long into his first season with Boston, Smith needed Tommy John surgery. Tyler Thornburg, acquired from Milwaukee in December to be the Sox’ setup man, is dealing with a shoulder impingement and will start the season on the disabled list. The Red Sox have been very sensitive about rumors of the injury stemming from their offseason throwing program, but it was Thornburg who brought it up. And by the way, pitching coach said Boston’s throwing program is very similar to the Mariners’ throwing program while he was their pitching coach. 6. Pawtucket will have the highest payroll in Triple A history thanks to Allen Craig’s $11 million and Rusney Castillo’s $10.5 million salaries. Updates on nine 1. Ervin Santana, RHP, Twins — The White Sox’ Jose Quintana may be the big name on the trading block, but the guy who might soon get a lot of attention is Santana, who wouldn’t cost as much in terms of talent. Santana is owed $28 million over the next two seasons, plus a $1 million buyout of an option year. One AL scout said recently that a combination of Santana’s remaining salary, his ability, and his experience will make him a major trade target. The Astros, Rangers, Dodgers, Pirates, Orioles, and Marlins could all be interested, though the Twins have given no indication that Santana is in play. 2. Jonny Venters, LHP, Rays — The picture of perseverance, Venters is giving it another shot after recovering from a third Tommy John surgery. The former fireballer used to set up for Craig Kimbrel in Atlanta, but he hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2012. Venters has made a great impression on Rays officials. 3. David Ross, special assistant, Cubs — Ross is living a whirlwind life, working with Theo Epstein, serving part time with ESPN as an analyst, pitching Raisin Bran Crunch cereal, appearing on “Dancing with the Stars,” and co-writing a book. “My life is as far from normal as I could ever imagine,” he said. “I am in the middle of something [“Dancing with the Stars”] I never thought I’d be a part of, and enjoying every minute of it. It’s just so far outside of my box that, to be in this arena and to take, one, a guy that’s a backup catcher and not really a superstar like some in the game and to represent MLB and try to put, with no pun intended, a good foot forward, and just have some fun with this dancing thing. I signed on with ESPN and being a part of that, and still being a part of the Cubs, it’s just been a lot of fun for me.” 4. Brock Holt, utilityman, Red Sox — With Marco Hernandez’s success in camp, there were quite a few scouts watching the Sox who wondered whether the team would now contemplate dealing Holt for either a bullpen piece or back-end starter. But the answer is likely no. Dave Dombrowski said during camp that there had been a great deal of interest in Holt as teams look for position versatility. 5. Jonathan Papelbon, RHP, free agent — Papelbon hasn’t decided whether he will resume his career after stepping away from baseball last season to tend to a family matter. The former Red Sox, Phillies, and Nationals closer has kept details of his family issue quite private. 6. Jayson Werth, LF, Nationals — Remember when Werth and Carl Crawford were the big bats in free agency in 2011? The Red Sox went after Crawford because they needed a lefthanded hitter and Crawford turned out to be a bust for the bulk of his seven-year, $142 million deal, which was paid largely by the Dodgers after he was acquired from Boston. Werth is coming to the end of his seven-year, $126 million deal and the Nationals have no complaints about what Werth has given them, even though a couple of seasons were cut short by injury. “He produced for us,” said one team official. “He gave us good righthanded at-bats, clutch hits, and leadership. He fulfilled his contract.” Werth, who has a .795 OPS with Washington, is still playing well defensively at age 37. 7. Adrian Beltre, 3B, Rangers — The soon-to-turn-38 Beltre is providing a strong example for 23-year-old teammate Rougned Odor, who just signed a six-year, $49.5 million extension. Beltre hasn’t slowed down much as he builds his Hall of Fame résumé. Last year he hit 32 homers and struck out just 66 times in 153 games. It was the second time in Beltre’s career that he hit more than 30 homers and struck out fewer than 70 times. The only other active players to do that are Albert Pujols (nine times), and Victor Martinez and Edwin Encarnacion (once each). Hank Aaron holds the record with 10 such seasons. 8. Kyle Kendrick, RHP, Red Sox — If he knew he was going to pitch this well in spring training, he would have inserted an opt out on March 31 and not June 15. Kendrick would have had a dozen teams trying to sign him. Kendricks went 4-0 with a 2.18 ERA in eight spring games, recording 31 strikeouts and only four walks in 33 innings. The scouts who watched Kendrick consistently came away very impressed. 9. Rickey Henderson, special assistant, A’s — The field at the Oakland Coliseum will be renamed Rickey Henderson Field on Monday in a pregame ceremony. Who knows how much longer the A’s will play there, but Henderson will be a presence at least in name. Extra innings From the Bill Chuck files — “Dustin Pedroia will be making his 11th straight start at second for the Red Sox on Opening Day. The only Sox player with more consecutive Opening Day starts at the same position is Carl Yastrzemski, who started 12 consecutive years in front of the Monster, from 1961-72.” . . . Also, “Over the last three seasons, Jose Altuve is the only player with three 200-hit seasons. No one else has more than one. Altuve is also the only player with three 40-plus-doubles seasons.” . . . Happy birthday, Curtis Leskanic (49), Tommy Barrett (57), Al Nipper (58), and Reggie Smith (72). Boston Globe LOADED: 04.02.2017