Carrasco strong, Brantley gets milestone in loss Righty cements case for 2015 staff, fanning 10 Rays By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 9/27/2014 10:27 PM ET CLEVELAND -- The Indians held out faith that Carlos Carrasco's right arm could turn him into a rotation cornerstone. For the final two months of this season, the finally seized the opportunity in overpowering fashion.

On Saturday night, the Indians took the field for the first time this year without October as a possibility and dropped a 2-0 decision to the Rays. A silver lining came in the form of Carrasco, who turned in another strong performance to end his season, giving the Tribe reason to be optimistic about the front end of its starting staff for the 2015.

"I would say it flew past encouraging," Indians said of Carrasco's finish this season. "He's got so much to be excited about going into the offseason and into next year."

Corey Kluber and Carrasco gave Cleveland one of the 's top one-two punches in this season's second half, and both are under contract for multiple years going forward. Combined with young starters such as Danny Salazar, and T.J. House, the Indians are positioned to have a solid rotation foundation for next year.

It took Carrasco until August to regain the trust required to be inserted back into the starting staff.

Following a rough April, Carrasco was pulled out of the rotation and sent to the for three-plus months. It was not until Aug. 10, when the rotation was going through some issues, that the club opted to give the hard-throwing righty another shot. Carrasco returned to that role with a more aggressive approach and altered mindset, and hitters paid the price down the stretch.

Francona noted that pitching and bullpen coach convinced the manager to put Carrasco back in the rotation.

"They really deserve a lot of credit," Francona said. "I was so comfortable with where he was in the bullpen and thought that he was really going to grow, as he was. For them to push that hard, that shows how much faith."

Carrasco was grateful for the support.

"Those two guys trusted me," Carrasco said. "And now I trust myself, too."

In his final outing of the season, Carrasco was charged with two runs (one earned) in 7 2/3 innings against the Rays. A fourth-inning throwing by Lonnie Chisenhall paved the way for the first and an infield, RBI single from James Loney in the eighth led to the second.

What Carrasco could not control was the fact that Cleveland's offense could not get anything going against Tampa Bay's pitching staff. Righty Alex Colome logged 6 1/3 shutout innings and the bullpen took care of the rest, hanging Carrasco with a hard-luck loss.

The lone positive from the lineup on this night was a fourth-inning single from Michael Brantley, who chopped a pitch from Colome up the middle for his 200th of the season. Brantley became the first Cleveland batter to have at least 200 hits in a season since 1996 (, 210) and he is the first Indians batter in history to have at least 20 steals, 20 homers, 40 doubles and 200 hits in one year.

"It's going to mean a lot on Monday," Brantley said of the milestone, "when I sit back and reflect on kind of what went on. I'll digest it all."

Francona was thrilled to see Brantley reach the 200-hit plateau.

"You could see the way our dugout reacted, how pleased everybody was," Francona said. "It's a pretty big milestone. Guys show up every day, and to get that number -- it wouldn't have mattered one bit in our opinion [of him] -- but it's very nice that he's able to get the recognition for all that work.

"What's probably the topper is, as good of a player as he is, I don't think it touches the kid he is. That makes it even more special."

With the loss, Carrasco dropped to 8-7 on the season, but he the right-hander lowered his ERA to 2.55 on the year. Carrasco struck out 10 and walked three in his 10th start since rejoining the rotation in August. During that 10-start span, Carrasco turned in a 1.30 ERA with 78 , 11 walks, a 0.81 WHIP and a .179 opponents' average across 69 innings.

"I was still hungry to pitch in the rotation," Carrasco said. "Now I just believe in myself and my stuff and everything."

Carrasco also believes Cleveland's rotation can be special come 2015.

"I think we're going to be great," he said. "We showed this year we can do this."

Brantley's 200th hit caps history-making season By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | 60 minutes ago + 2 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- Michael Brantley elevated his offensive game to new heights this season, emerging as the Indians' top overall player. With a one-out single in the fourth inning on Saturday, the also entered uncharted statistical waters in terms of team history.

Brantley's hit off Tampa Bay right-hander Alex Colome marked the 200th hit of the season for the All-Star . With that hit, Brantley became the first batter in Cleveland history to have at least 20 stolen bases, 20 home runs, 40 doubles and 200 hits in a single campaign. When Brantley reached first base after the milestone hit, he put both hands on his mouth and blew a kiss to the sky. It was an emotional moment for the left fielder. "It was just a little gesture to my grandmother," Brantley said. "I know she's up there watching me. I lost her a year-and-a-half back to some cancer and let her know she's still a part of me, and that I'm the man I am today because of her." For manager Terry Francona, the statistics are not required in order for him to boast about Brantley's special season. "I actually don't need the stat line," Francona said. "I know that backs up everything, but he has had a remarkable year in every way, shape and form. To play the amount of games he played. He hit third all year. He made an All-Star team. He was one of the best teammates you'll ever see. He cares so much. He knows his responsibilities to our team. "You're seeing a kid grow up, and he's always been a mature kid. You're seeing a kid grow up as a baseball player right in front of our eyes and go from being a good player to one of the better players in the game. That's really exciting." Brantley is the first Indians hitter to reach at least 200 hits in one season since 1996, when Tribe great Kenny Lofton had 210 hits. Overall, Brantley became the 18th batter in Cleveland history to have at least 200 hits -- a mark that has been reached 28 times overall. Brantley is the seventh hitter in team history to collect at least 20 stolen bases and 200 hits in a season. The others on that list include Lofton (1996), (1986), Charlie Jamieson (1924), (1916), (1911-12) and (1904, 1906 and 1910). Among that group, only Carter also had at least 20 home runs. Brantley, Lofton (1996), (1992-93), Carter (1986) and (1953) are the only Indians batters to enjoy a 200-hit season. "It's been one of the best all-around seasons I've ever seen as a teammate," said. "Sure, I've seen other guys. You'll have the [Mike] Trouts, the Victor Martinez's, those guys will have their incredible years. But, as a teammate, playing alongside someone, it's been one of the better seasons I've ever seen." In terms of American League history, Brantley joins (2011), (2002) and (1997) as the only players to have a season with at least 20 steals, 20 homers, 40 doubles and 200 hits. Brantley is on the cusp of joining Ellsbury as the only hitters in that select group to also have at least 90 RBIs with at least a .320 batting average. With Saturday's showing, Brantley is now hitting .327 with 20 home runs, 23 steals, 45 doubles, 94 runs and 97 RBIs through 156 games for Cleveland. The All-Star also has nearly as many walks (52) as strikeouts (56). In Major League history, only Ellsbury (2011), (1997), Ellis Burks (1996), Chuck Klein (1932) and Babe Herman (1929) have ended a single season with at least a .320 average, along with at least 20 homers, 20 steals, 40 doubles, 90 RBIs and 200 hits. Brantley is poised to become the sixth player in history to achieve that rare feat. Brantley has not allowed such historic elements to sink in, yet. "It's going to mean a lot on Monday," Brantley said, "when I sit back and reflect on kind of what went on. I'll digest it all."

Gomes had prime seating for Kluber's Cy-caliber season By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | 6:08 PM ET + 0 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- had the best possible view of 's incredible season for the Indians. From behind the plate, the young helped guide the pitcher through brilliant outings and got to experience a firsthand look at an emerging .

"He made it pretty easy," Gomes said. "You see the hard work he puts in and how focused he is coming into a start. We have a pretty good game plan going in every day and it just shows how good of a communication level we had this year. "What we took a lot of pride in this year was the adjustments we made, quick adjustments, throughout the games." Kluber is quick to praise Gomes for those in-game tweaks. One example came against the Rays on Friday night, when Kluber spun eight scoreless innings, struck out 11 and improved to 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA this season in the process. In the middle of the game, Gomes noted that Tampa Bay was becoming more aggressive early in the count, leading to an adjustment on the pitcher's end. "I think Yan's by far the best catcher in the league," Kluber said. "I don't think you can really put an amount on how much he helps us out as a staff, especially for it being his first full year back there. He's been back there almost every day. I think he does a lot more than he gets credit for back there." Gomes rolls his eyes when told of such compliments. "If people try to give any type of credit to me," Gomes said with a pause. "I just think it's all him and all his work he put into it." Kluber finished the season with 269 strikeouts and is a clear-cut candidate for the American League Award. With Gomes behind the plate, the right-hander turned in a 2.38 ERA in 219 1/3 of his 235 2/3 innings. "Gomer really needs to get a pat on the back for what he's gone through with Klubes," Indians manager Terry Francona said. Gomes added that he is hoping to see all the hard work result in the for Kluber. "Honestly, I think he's got the best shot," Gomes said. "[What he has done] is pretty unreal. It's a huge honor and I don't know if that's something put in their book, but it'd definitely be something exciting."

Series on the line for Tribe, Rays in season finale House, Cobb look to finish 2014 strong in Cleveland By Matthew DeFranks / MLB.com | 9/27/2014 11:21 PM ET The Indians will end their season against the Rays again this season -- although under vastly different circumstances. In 2013, Cleveland hosted the American League Wild Card game, when a loss to Tampa Bay ended the Indians' season. There isn't quite as much riding on this season's finale, though, with both teams eliminated from postseason contention.

With a win on Sunday, the Indians would finish eight games above .500, tying a season high. Coupled with their season last year, Cleveland will post back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since they did it eight straight times from 1994-2001.

The Rays, meanwhile, will end their first losing season since '07, when they were known as the Devil Rays. Prior to this season, Tampa Bay had six consecutive winning seasons, with the Yankees (extended to 22 seasons) and the Cardinals (now seven seasons) the only teams with matching streaks.

Cleveland will send T.J. House to the mound in Sunday's finale, as he makes his 18th start of the season. House hasn't pitched since Sept. 20, when he threw five innings of two-run ball in earning the win against Minnesota.

In his last three starts, spanning 19 innings, House owns a 1.42 ERA and a 0.947 WHIP, and the Indians have won all three games. He's only given up three or more earned runs in one of his last six starts.

House has never faced the Rays, who will counter with right-hander .

Cobb has been arguably the Rays' best starter this season, boasting a 10-8 record to go along with a 2.75 ERA. He hasn't surrendered more than three runs in a start since June 28, a string of 15 straight appearances.

In his last start against on Tuesday, Cobb yielded one run on five hits across seven innings as he notched -digit wins for the third straight season.

Cobb hasn't faced Cleveland this season.

Rays: Longoria aiming for full season With a start on Sunday, will become the third player in club history to play in every regular season game.

Longoria entered Saturday night's game as one of four players in the Major Leagues to play in every game this season, along with Atlanta's Freddie Freeman, Kansas City's , and San Francisco's .

"He's come on real well since the All-Star break, particularly with RBIs," Rays manager said. "Keeping him well, we've always thought that was the key. And we did keep him well, and he's going to play. Barring anything unforeseen, he's going to play the whole season. Crazy game, it's hard to understand, but I'm really pleased with what he's done.

Indians: Kipnis sidelined for finale On Saturday, manager Terry Francona said he will stay away from using Kipnis for the Tribe's last two games against Tampa Bay, especially considering the Indians were knocked out of postseason contention on Friday.

"He pushed really hard, which we really appreciated," Francona said prior to Saturday's game against the Rays. "I think he'll just spend some time with the trainers and get headed in the right direction."

In 129 games for the Indians this season, Kipnis turned in a .240/.310/.330 slash line with six home runs, 25 doubles, 22 stolen bases, 41 RBIs and 61 runs scored. It was a disappointing season overall for the second baseman, who penned his name on a six-year contract extension worth $52.5 million in April.

Worth noting • Tampa Bay leads the AL with 22 shutouts. Cleveland is fourth with 15.

• With a win on Sunday, Cleveland would record five straight months above .500 for the first time since 1997.

Ailing Kipnis won't play again this season By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | 6:43 PM ET + 0 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- Jason Kipnis did what he could to keep himself in the starting lineup over the past week, serving as a at times while battling a right hamstring injury. The Indians have decided it makes more sense to have the second baseman sit for the final two games of the season.

On Saturday, manager Terry Francona said he will stay away from using Kipnis for the Tribe's last two games against Tampa Bay, especially considering the Indians were knocked out of postseason contention on Friday. "He pushed really hard, which we really appreciated," Francona said prior to Saturday's game against the Rays. "I think he'll just spend some time with the trainers and get headed in the right direction." In 129 games for the Indians this season, Kipnis turned in a .240/.310/.330 slash line with six home runs, 25 doubles, 22 stolen bases, 41 RBIs and 61 runs scored. It was a disappointing season overall for the second baseman, who penned his name on a six-year contract extension worth $52.5 million in April. Kipnis' season was hindered by the fact that he suffered an oblique injury at the end of April and missed a month while recovering. Following his return, Kipnis fought the issue off and on throughout the remainder of the season. Kipnis had no home runs and five RBIs in 48 games between August and September, hitting .194 in the final month of the season. It was a drastic contrast to 2013, when Kipnis made his first All-Star team and ended with a .284/.366/.452 slash line in 149 games. The second baseman had 17 home runs, 36 doubles, 30 stolen bases, 84 RBIs and 86 runs scored in that breakout campaign. "This is probably the first year he's ever really struggled," Francona said. "I don't think he liked it very much. I'd bet you he comes back with a vengeance, because there's so much trust in him not just as a hitter or baserunner, but as a player that competes. I think he'll come back with a vengeance. I think that bodes well for us." Quote to note "Enough stuff went wrong this year where winning was a challenge probably more often than we wanted. Because of our guys' commitment to just grinding, we hung in there. That's not our goal, but as a coaching staff, we respect that in our players a lot. We appreciate it." --Francona on his team's season Smoke signals • Over his final five starts of the season, Indians starter Corey Kluber went 5-0 with a 1.12 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Kluber is one of four in the Modern Era (since 1900) to win each of his final five appearances while having at least 50 strikeouts. The last to achieve the feat was in the 1998 season. (1973) and (1956) also accomplished the rare feat. • After officially being eliminated from the postseason picture on Friday night, the Indians made a change to their rotation for the final game of the year. Lefty T.J. House is now scheduled to start against the Rays on Sunday. The team decided that righty Danny Salazar (originally slated to start) had logged enough innings this season. • All-Star outfelder Michael Brantley collected his 200th hit of the season Saturday, making Cleveland the first Major League team to have a batter with at least 200 hits and a pitcher with at least 250 strikeouts since 1999 (D-backs). The Indians had never accomplished the feat.

Shaw sets Indians mark with 80th appearance

By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | 39 minutes ago

CLEVELAND -- Bryan Shaw emerged from the center-field bullpen door, jogged to the mound at Progressive Field and entered the Indians' record book.

With his one-batter outing in the ninth inning of Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Rays, Shaw set Cleveland's single-season franchise record with his

80th appearance of the year. Indians manager Terry Francona knew that reaching that milestone was important for the .

"I know it was," Francona said. "We're at the point in the season where we don't want to do too much, but as important as it was to him, that made it important to us. Because he's gone out there so much this year and done such a great job, to let him face a hitter, I thought it was worth it."

Shaw induced an inning-ending groundout off the bat of .

Shaw, who surpassed Bobby Howry's 2005 Indians record of 79 appearances in one season, has posted a 2.59 ERA in his 80 games (76 1/3 innings) this year. Over the past two seasons combined, the 26-year-old right-hander ranks second among American League relievers in games (150) and (151 1/3).

Reaching the milestone was a proud moment for Shaw, who is the 31st pitcher in AL history to record at least 80 games in one season. The feat has been accomplished 35 times overall. "For me, it's just a fun stat to have," Shaw said. "To me, it more says that I pitched well enough to be able to do that and they've trusted me enough to put me in that many games to have a chance to break that record. To me, it's not more about breaking the record. It's about them trusting me."

Francona said there is no question that has been achieved.

"There's a huge trust," Francona said. "He's been durable and he loves to pitch. The best way to kind of make him aggravated is to tell him he's down that night. He hates it. I have that little [reliever usage] card that I use. It actually went to a point there for a while, because he was pitching a lot, I put 'down.' He scratched it out and put, 'Awesome.'"

Hamstring injury shelves Kipnis for rest of season Joe ReedyFOX Sports Ohio CLEVELAND Jason Kipnis season is done as manager Terry Francona said the Indians second baseman will not play in the final two games. Kipnis suffered a right hamstring injury on Sept. 18, He had appeared in four of the past seven games but only started in two. He was 0 for 3 in Friday's 1-0 win over Tampa Bay. Francona said that Kipnis would spend time with the trainers the next two days to get him ready for the offseason. It has been a frustrating year for Kipnis. A year after making the AL All-Star team, Kipnis batted .240, which is 44 points lower than last season. His and RBI numbers were also down significantly. Kipnis, who signed a six year, $52.5 million extension during the offseason, missed a month due to a strained oblique, which also affected his production for most of the year. "This is probably the first year where he has really struggled. I don't think he liked it very much and I bet he comes back next year with a vengeance," Francona said. PITCHING CHANGE: T.J. House (4-3, 3.43) will get the call for the season finale on Sunday instead of Danny Salazar. In his past four starts, the left-hander is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA.

In making the switch, Francona said that he felt like Salazar (6-8, 4.25) had logged enough innings this season and that House deserved one more start. NEW FOCUS: There is some disappointment with the Indians being officially knocked out of postseason contention Friday night, but Francona said the disappointment was temporary with the focus now turned to next season. "I think you kind of switch gears quickly. You show up today and we're talking about players next year without trying to skip a beat," Francona said. "Enough stuff went wrong this year where winning was a challenge and because of our guys commitment to grinding we held in there." MORE ON KLUBER: According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Corey Kluber is the fourth pitcher in the modern era to earn a win in each of his last five appearances of a season, while racking up at least 50 strikeouts over that span. The most recent to do so was Randy Johnson with the 1998 Astros (5-0, 1.41 ERA, 55 K's). The others were Nolan Ryan for the 1973 Angels (5-0, 2.49 ERA, 57 K's) and Herb Score for the 1956 Indians (5-0, 1.60 ERA, 52 K's). When Kluber struck out the side in the first it marked the 15th time this season in which he had three strikeouts in an inning, which is tied with the White Sox . The last Indians pitcher to do that was Sam McDowell in 1969.

Brantley emerging as one of AL's best Joe ReedyFOX Sports Ohio CLEVELAND â Terry Francona has talked often during the season about how special it has been watching Michael Brantley emerge as one of the top players in the American League. With his fourth-inning single off Alex Colome on Saturday night against Tampa Bay, Brantley entered into some pretty exclusive company. Brantley is the 18th player in franchise history to get 200 hits in a season and the first since Kenny Lofton in 1996. Brantley though is the first Cleveland player to get 200 hits, 40 doubles, 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in the same season. "You have to play every day. You have to play through a lot, because nobody is going to feel good," Francona said. "The baserunning. The defensive play. This is just a nice even number that allows us to brag about him a little bit." For someone who doesn't show his emotions that often, Brantley pointed to the sky after getting the hit as a gesture to his grandmother, Joan, who passed away due to cancer last year. "She's still a part of me and that I'm the man I am today because of her," he said after the Indians' 2-0 loss.

On a night when 33,025 turned out for Fan Appreciation Night, it was the fans who showed their appreciation for Brantley, chanting M-V-P after he got the single and the two subsequent times he came up to bat. Ballots are due by the first postseason game but Brantley has a case to be in the top five. Said Brantley of the fan's chants: "It's a remarkable feeling. I want to thank the fans for that. That's something that's not thrown around. It was a special moment and I appreciate that." The hit was trademark Brantley, up the middle and on a pitch where he was ahead in the count. According to STATS LLC, Brantley is 33 for 83 when the count is 1-0. ''When you put on that uniform the first day of your goal is to make the postseason and go further,'' he said. ''It stings a little bit that we're not going to do it again this year. Last year was such a great experience.''

Some of that sting was taken away when Brantley's hit off Alex Colome dropped into center field.

''It took forever for it to get back up the middle,'' he said. ''I wasn't sure if it was going to get there. It was like it was going in slow motion.''

Said manager Terry Francona: ''It's a nice even number that allows us to brag about him a little bit.''

Brantley, who also has 97 RBIs with one game left, pointed to the sky after rounding first and received a standing ovation from the crowd of 33,025.

''It was a little gesture to my grandmother,'' he said. ''I know she's up there watching me. I lost her about a year and a half back from cancer. I wanted to let her know she's a part of me and the reason that I'm the man I am today.''

Brantley became the first Cleveland player to reach the 200-hit mark since Kenny Lofton in 1996. He's also the first player in club history to record 200 hits, 20 homers, 20 stolen bases and 40 doubles in the same season.

That was the lone offensive highlight for the Indians. Colome (2-0) allowed four hits in 6 1-3 innings and Jake McGee struck out the side in the ninth for his 19th .

Cleveland's Carlos Carrasco (8-7) allowed one and four hits while striking out 10 in 7 2-3 innings.

Carrasco criticized his defense for two plays that weren't made in a 2-0 loss to Kansas City on Monday. The right-hander apologized the following day in a statement released by the team. He made a throwing error in this game.

David DeJesus led off the fourth with an infield single for the Rays' first hit of the game. Third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall then misplayed Evan Longoria's routine ground ball and made a wild throw that sailed into right field, allowing DeJesus to reach third. Wil Myers singled for the lead.

Carrasco recorded his third double-digit performance of the season, all coming this month. The right-hander compiled a 1.30 ERA in 10 starts since rejoining the rotation last month.

''I really surprised myself doing what I did,'' he said. ''I feel good about everything.''

Carrasco was pulled with a runner on third in the eighth. Loney's infield hit off added another run.

Cleveland's best chance to score came in the first. Jose Ramirez, whose homer scored Friday's only run, bunted for a hit with one out and stole second. He advanced to third on a fly ball, but Carlos Santana struck out.

Indians reliever Bryan Shaw made his 80th appearance of the season, breaking a club record previously held by Bob Howry in 2005.

SHUT DOWN Francona said 2B Jason Kipnis (strained right hamstring) won't play again this season. Kipnis, who is batting .240 with 41 RBIs, has been limited to a DH role the last several games. ''This is probably the first year he's ever really struggled, and I don't think he liked it very much,'' Francona said.

K COUNT The Indians added to their single-season record for strikeouts by fanning 11 batters, running their total for the year to 1,442. The Rays moved into second on the all-time list with 1,430 after also recording 11 strikeouts. The 2013 Tigers (1,428) held the record going into this weekend.

TRAINER'S ROOM Rays: C Curt Casali (concussion) hasn't played since being struck on the mask by two foul tips off the bat of Boston's Rusney Castillo on Wednesday.

Indians: OF Zach Walters (right intercostal strain) has appeared in two games with one at-bat since being injured on Sept. 15.

UP NEXT

Rays: RHP Alex Cobb (10-8) will start the final game of the season Sunday. He was the winning pitcher in last season's wild-card game against the Indians at Progressive Field.

Indians: LHP T.J. House (4-3) will start in place of RHP Danny Salazar. Salazar is 6-8 in 20 starts and has pitched a career-high 110 innings.

Cleveland Indians: Brantley records 200th hit of season in 2-0 loss to

By Jim Ingraham, The News-Herald & The Morning Journal Nothing to see here, folks — literally — let’s keep it moving. One night after beating the Tampa Bay Rays, 1-0, the Indians on Sept. 27 lost to the Rays, 2-0, at Progressive Field. Um, that’s baseball, not soccer. Incredibly, it’s the 40th time a Tampa Bay game has ended in a shutout this season. Tampa Bay pitchers have thrown 22 shutouts and Tampa Bay hitters have been shut out 18 times. “That’s ridiculously high on both sides, but it’s part of the baseball fabric right now,” said Rays Manager Joe Maddon. Tribe starter Carlos Carrasco pitched really well again, but the biggest moment in a game otherwise devoid of them, came in the fourth inning when Michael Brantley grounded a single into center field for his 200th hit of the season. Brantley is the first Indian since Kenny Lofton to have a 200-hit season. Brantley is also the only player in Indians history to have 200 hits, 40 doubles, 20 home runs and 20 steals in a season. “That’s a big milestone, and it’s nice that he did it because he gets some recognition for all the work he’s put in,” said Indians Manager Terry Francona. “And the best thing is: as good a player as he is, he’s that much better a kid.” “It was better than a broken bat hit or an infield single,” said Brantley of No. 200. “It seemed like it took forever to get through the infield. I didn’t know if it was going to make it, but when it finally did, it was a great feeling.” Brantley is the 18th player in Indians history to reach 200 hits in a season. It has been done 28 times in the Indians’ 114-year history. “It means a lot to me, especially on Monday, when I can sit back and reflect on it. It was great to see how excited our guys were. I know they were all pulling for me. And it was fun to do it in front of our fans,” said Brantley. Carrasco pitched 7 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run on four hits, with 10 strikeouts and three walks. In his last 10 starts of the season, Carrasco had a 1.30 ERA. “I liked the way he pounded the zone. He has so much to be excited about for next year,” said Francona. Rays starter Alex Colome (2-0) and three relievers combined to hold the Indians to five hits — all singles. Tampa Bay scored the only run it needed in the fourth inning, when a throwing error by third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall — the Indians’ major league-leading 115th error — set up an RBI single by Wil Myers. Tampa Bay’s other run came on an infield RBI single by James Loney in the eighth inning. The Indians never came close to scoring. Only one Indian even reached third base. How impotent was the Tribe offense? The Indians had only three at-bats — and no hits — with runners in . Notes Tribe reliever Bryan Shaw got the last out of the top of the ninth inning. It was Shaw’s major league-leading 80th appearance of the season, breaking the Indians’ record for most appearances by a pitcher in a season. The old record of 79 was set by Bobby Howry in 2005. ... Indians pitchers struck out 11, the major league-high 72nd time this season they have struck out 10 or more batters in a game. ... Francona said Jason Kipnis will not play in the last game of the season Sept. 28. Kipnis has been bothered by a variety of ailments this season, leading to the worst year of his career. “This is the first year he’s struggled, and he didn’t like it at all. But I bet he will come back next year with a vengeance,” said Francona. ... The Indians have also decided to let T.J. House start the last game of the season instead of Danny Salazar, who was originally scheduled to start the game. “There’s nothing wrong with Danny. But he’s started enough,” Francona said. ... In the season finale at 1:05 p.m. on Sept. 28 House (4-3, 3.43) will face Alex Cobb (10-8, 2.75).

Jim Ingraham: ' season yielded reasons for optimism

By Jim Ingraham, The News-Herald & The Morning Journal The Red Sox’ since they fired Terry Francona: .488. The Indians’ winning percentage since they hired Terry Francona: .547. I’m not saying, I’m just saying. So the last two games mean nothing. Sept. 27 and Sept. 28 against Tampa Bay. Consider both of them the first two exhibition games for 2015. The Indians were eliminated from the playoff race on Sept. 26, even though they won. “We’re not going to the playoffs, and that’s disappointing,” Francona said. “But the way (Corey) Kluber pitched (Sept. 26), it’s hard to stay disappointed for very long.” After turning a 94-loss team the year before into a 92-win team last year, Francona this year guided the team through some incredibly choppy whitewater to another winning record. It’s the first time the Indians have had consecutive winning seasons since 2000 and 2001. “It was almost good enough, but it wasn’t,” Francona said. “But I’d rather get eliminated two days before the end of the season than a month before the end of the season.” The Franconamen will play out a very short string on the last two days of the regular season before putting the 2015 season in their crosshairs. That’s the way Francona likes it: Short memories, eye always on the prize. “I can’t even remember last week,” he said. It may be another playoff-less season for the Indians, but it’s a winning season. More importantly, it’s a winning season in which the Indians had not one, but a handful of pitchers emerge and blossom into what could be one of the majors’ best starting rotations next year. They were that in the last two months of this season. “We’re already talking to players about next year,” Francona said. “You try to act like you’re not missing a beat. For us to survive, we’ve got to keep plowing ahead. At times this year the numbers didn’t always add up, but you keep going out there every day trying to find a way to win.” This year’s team, like last year’s, took their cue from their manager. They kept grinding through all the bad defense, all the spotty, inconsistent hitting, and all the key players who either fizzled and were traded, fizzled and got hurt or fizzled and kept on fizzling. “Enough stuff went wrong where just winning games was a challenge,” he said. “But we hung in there. We grinded. I really respect that in our players.” That they remained in the playoff chase until the final weekend of the season is remarkable in itself. The defense, alone, was bad enough to sabotage most seasons, and that will clearly be a top priority during the offseason. “That was one of the head scratchers all year,” Francona said. “We shot ourselves in the foot a lot. We put ourselves in predicaments too many times. That’s something we’ve got to improve for sure.” That the defense could be so bad, but the team could still finish with a winning record, is an indication of the depth and quality of the Indians’ starting rotation. That development was a pleasant surprise, given the demise and midseason trade of opening-day starter . But Kluber’s sensational season, and the promising progress made by Trevor Bauer, Danny Salazar, Carlos Carrasco and T.J. House means the Indians could go to spring training next year with their starting rotation already set. They’ve got Zach McAllister and as safety nets for the rotation, and will undoubtedly sign one or two veterans as further insurance. “When you think you have enough pitching — get more,” Francona said. “This year is a good example. We were counting on Masty, and he’s not even here.” But those who remained put up numbers that made the Indians’ starting five one of the best rotations in the American League in the second half of the season. “We’re relying on them to carry the load next year — for the full season, not half a season,” Francona said. All in all, it was a season that on paper wasn’t as good as Francona’s first season as manager. But it might turn out to be a more important season. Because if Kluber can pitch close to the level he did this year, and many astute baseball observers believe he can — “He’s legit — this wasn’t smoke and mirrors,” Francona said — the Indians have the elite No. 1 starter needed to anchor a championship rotation. The other four in the rotation have shown enough promise in the second half of the year — Indians pitchers have broken the major-league record for strikeouts this season — that 2015 can’t get here fast enough for Francona. “Things didn’t go as well this year as we hoped,” he said. “But next year they might.”

Jim Ingraham's baseball notes: Cleveland Indians' Corey Kluber finishes season with impressive stretch

By Jim Ingraham, The News-Herald & The Morning Journal Corey Kluber has finished his season in a blaze of glory — and a blaze of numbers. The Indians’ ace right-hander was 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA overall, but in his last five starts, he was 5-0 with a 1.12 ERA, with 54 strikeouts and five walks in 40 1/3 innings. Opposing batters hit .211 against him in those games. According to Elias, Kluber is one of four pitchers in the modern era (since 1900) who has won his last five starts while striking out at least 50 batters in that span. Before Kluber, the last pitcher to do it was Randy Johnson, for the Astros in 1998. The other two to do it were Nolan Ryan for the 1973 Angels and Herb Score for the 1956 Indians. Kluber struck out the side 15 times this season, which tied him with the White Sox’s Chris Sale for the most in the majors. The last Indians pitcher to have 15 three-strikeout innings in a season was Sam McDowell in 1969. Perhaps the most astonishing Kluber statistic this season is in his nine losses, the Indians scored a total of 18 runs, an average of two per game. In his last four losses, they scored a total of four runs. So with a little more offensive support, Kluber could have easily been a 20-game winner. K-Club Indians pitchers have set a major-league record for strikeouts in a season. With two games remaining, the Indians have 1,431. That breaks the previous major-league record of 1,428 set by the Tigers last year. “That speaks to stuff, and pitching correctly. When you work ahead in the count and have good stuff, that leads to strikeouts,” Tribe manager Terry Francona said. Fall ball Although Progressive Field has hosted one postseason game in the last seven years, only five active ballparks in the majors have hosted more postseason games. The list: 76, 60, Oakland Coliseum 57, in Atlanta 38 and Progressive Field 35. Department of flat tires The list of substantial leads blown in division races is long this season. The Giants blew a 10-game lead in the West, the Tigers blew a 7½ game lead in the AL Central (though they later reclaimed the lead), the Brewers lost a 6 ½-game bulge in the NL Central, the Blue Jays coughed up a six-game advantage in the AL East as did the A’s in the AL West. Mighty mites If the Pirates’ wins the NL batting crown, he and presumptive AL batting champ Jose Altuve of the Astros would be the shortest pair of batting champions in major-league history; Harrison is 5-8 and Altuve is 5-6 for a total of 134 inches. That would be four inches less than the current record-holders, 5-8 Paul Waner of the Pirates and the White Sox’s 5-10 Luke Appling who won the NL and AL batting crowns in 1936. Follow me Cardinals manager has led his team to the postseason in each of his first three seasons as manager. Only three other managers have done that: with the Yankees (1961-63), with the Astros (1997-99) and with the Twins (2002- 04). Whiff City The Phillies are the first team in history to have two players with 180 or more strikeouts in the same season. leads the NL with 189 and Marlon Byrd is second with 182. Going for broke Cubs rookie Javier Baez is the ultimate go-for-broke hitter. In 204 at-bats, Baez has nine home runs and 91 strikeouts. Over a full season, that rate projects to 29 home runs and 297 strikeouts. Sox-cess Assuming Jose Abreu wins the AL Rookie of the Year Award, he will be the sixth White Sox player to win that award. The other five: (1956), (1963), (1966), (1983) and Ozzie Guillen (1985). Magic man Despite hitting just .219, the Phillies’ Howard has 93 RBI. If he somehow reaches 100 RBI, he would have the second-lowest batting average ever for a player with 100 RBI. The lowest was .218, by Boston’s Tony Armas who drove in 107 runs with the batting average in 1983. Mile high hitters The Rockies recorded 10 or more hits in a home game a major league-leading 56 times this season. No other team has accomplished has done it more than 33 times. Book it If Giants left-hander strikes out 10 or more batters in a game, he’s unbeatable. He is 17-0 in such games. The only major- leaguer with a longer streak was , who went 18-0 when fanning 10 or more from 1961 to 1971. Quick pitches • Coco Crisp has gone 474 consecutive games without being hit by a pitch. • Since 2011, the Astros lead the majors with 414 losses, followed by the Twins with 381 and the Cubs with 376. • With his next apopearance, Rockies reliever LaTroy Hawkins will become the 16th pitcher to appear in 1,000 major-league games. • The Royals will be the only team this year to strike out fewer than 1,000 times. • The Nationals and Tigers are the only teams with four players with at least 80 RBI each. • With the Royals having made the playoffs for the first time since 1985, the Blue Jays are now the team with the longest postseason drought. The Jays last made the playoffs 21 years ago, in 1993. • Ned Yost managed his 771st game for the Royals on Sept. 24, breaking Dick Howser’s club record of 770 games. • Average attendance at major- league games this year is down by 109 fans per game.

Michael Brantley, Bryan Shaw reach milestones but Indians fall to Rays Filed on September 28, 2014 by Brian Dulik CLEVELAND — Indians left fielder Michael Brantley reached a milestone and setup man Bryan Shaw set a team record Saturday night. Both of them, however, were overshadowed by another poor defensive performance by the Tribe. A throwing error by Lonnie Chisenhall and a bouncing toss by Mike Aviles led to two runs, allowing the Tampa Bay Rays to post a 2-0 win. “Those plays were fortuitous in a sense for us,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “The pitching on both teams is pretty firm, so every little thing tends to make a difference.” Brantley singled up the middle in the fourth inning for his 200th hit, becoming the first Indians player to do so since Kenny Lofton in 1996. “Dr. Smooth” also is the only Tribe player ever with 200 hits, 40 doubles, 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in a season. The crowd of 33,025 showered Brantley with a standing ovation and chants of “MVP” when he reached first base. “It seemed like it took forever to get through the infield, and when it finally did, it was a great feeling,” Brantley said. “It was great to see how excited our guys were and it was fun to do it in front of our fans. I also want to thank them because you don’t hear (MVP) very often.” Shaw made his franchise-record 80th appearance, retiring one batter in the top of the ninth. He eclipsed Bob Howry’s mark of 79 in 2005 and locked up the MLB season title in the category. “I know it was important to Bryan, so it was important to us,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. “He has been invaluable to our bullpen all season long.” Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco (8-7, 2.55 ERA) suffered the loss despite striking out 10 and scattering four hits over 7Ҁ innings. In 10 starts since rejoining the rotation on Aug. 10, he has an MLB-low 1.30 ERA over 69 innings. Perhaps as important, Carrasco didn’t criticize his teammates’ fielding follies, which was the case five days earlier following a 2-0 loss to the Royals. “I feel good about everything,” Carrasco said. “I was in the bullpen for about three months, and I surprised myself with what I did after they moved me back. I’m glad they had the confidence in me to put me back starting.” Carrasco was charged with one earned run, which occurred in the eighth when second baseman Aviles fielded a grounder by James Loney, but bounced his throw well in front of Carlos Santana. scored after the two-out “hit” caromed off Santana’s chest. Tampa Bay’s first run was unearned and courtesy of third baseman Chisenhall, who flung the ball into right field while attempting to force out David DeJesus at second. Wil Myers drove DeJesus home two batters later. “Carlos was very good and has so much to be excited about for next year,” Francona said. “I liked the way he pounded the zone and the way he limited Tampa Bay’s opportunities.” Rays right-hander Alex Colome (2-0, 2.66 ERA) was even better, tossing 6ѿ scoreless innings before Joel Peralta, Grant Balfour and Jake McGee finished the job. It was Tampa Bay’s 22nd shutout, which is the most by an American League team since the birth of the designated hitter in 1973. Rookie Jose Ramirez was the only Tribe player to reach third base, doing so in the first inning. Carrasco, Shaw, Marc Rzepczynski and Kyle Crockett combined for 11 strikeouts, raising Cleveland’s MLB-record total to 1,442. The Rays also had 11, putting them in second place all time with 1,330. The set the previous record with 1,428 last season.

Tyler Kepner / In M.V.P. Race, as on Mound, Kershaw Is Hard to Beat By TYLER KEPNER In 1986, hit .352 with 31 homers, 113 runs batted in and the best on-base plus slugging percentage in the American League. He believed he should have won the Most Valuable Player award, but he finished second to . Clemens made 33 starts that season for the , and most of them were exceptional. But Mattingly, then with the Yankees, could not reconcile one thing. “I played 162, I think, that year,” Mattingly said, correctly. “It’s hard to put those two together.” Mattingly’s view on the M.V.P. award has changed, he said, but not because he is now ’s manager for the . “Not just his manager,” Mattingly said. “A manager.” From his broader perspective, Mattingly said, he understood the value of an otherworldly like Kershaw, who is 21-3 with a 1.77 and deserves to be this year’s National League M.V.P. Mattingly can stretch his bullpen the day before Kershaw pitches, and the day after. The presence of an overwhelming ace, he said, creates a different dynamic for all the players, who never have to worry about long losing streaks. “You’ve got to have one of those years that’s crazy, like Clayton’s doing or like Roger did the year that he won it,” Mattingly said. “I think that just changes things. It has to be that kind of year.” The M.V.P. is that kind of award, a blend of tangible numbers and the intangible narrative of a season. Who did his job best? Who commanded your attention unlike any other? Both questions factor into the debate. This season has belonged to Kershaw, the way 1999 belonged to Pedro Martinez of the Red Sox, who should have won the M.V.P. Kershaw missed April with an injury but still became the first pitcher to earn at least 21 victories in a season of no more than 27 appearances. He did his part, for sure, and the factors beyond his control also broke his way; last season, with six more starts, Kershaw won just 16 games despite a nearly identical E.R.A. Sometimes he helped himself with his bat. On Wednesday, when the Dodgers clinched the N.L. West title, Kershaw tripled to tie the game in the fifth inning, charging around the bases like a pure ballplayer who just happened to pitch. He batted just .175 this season, but he hit .333 (5 for 15) with runners in scoring position. A meaningless statistical anomaly? Sure. But those things happen when it is your year. Kershaw could become just the second pitcher to win an M.V.P. award in the last two decades; Detroit’s won it in the A.L. in 2011. While a pitcher’s workload looks starkly different from a position player’s, in terms of games played, another number tells a different story. Even with the time he missed, Kershaw faced 749 batters. No hitter in the major leagues will have that many plate appearances this season. , who lifted the from the morass of 100 losses, deserves serious consideration for being the sport’s pre-eminent slugger in an era of decreased offense while playing his home games in a pitcher’s park. Continue reading the main story Andrew McCutchen, last year’s winner, will eclipse — for the third year in a row — the .300/.400/.500 benchmarks for batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, and he has led the back to the playoffs. He makes a strong case, too. “It’s about dominance for a playoff-run team,” said Mark McGwire, the Dodgers’ hitting coach and a former slugger, and while the need for an M.V.P. to play for a contender is debatable, the other part is not. “There’s no question in my mind that Clayton deserves the M.V.P. There’s nobody close to him. He’s dominant.” Kershaw threw a no-hitter with no walks and 15 strikeouts, something no pitcher had ever done. He went 18-1 in his final 21 outings. He had at least as many strikeouts as innings pitched in all but two starts. He worked at least eight innings more than half the time. Durable, dominant and, yes, a little charmed. It all counts, and it all adds up to an M.V.P. for Kershaw. Best of the rest: 2. Stanton; 3. McCutchen; 4. , Brewers; 5. , Cardinals; 6. , Pirates; 7. , Nationals; 8. , Giants; 9. , Cubs; 10. Josh Harrison, Pirates. A.L. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER , the Angels’ center fielder, is not quite the same player he was as a rookie in 2012, the first of his two seasons finishing as runner-up for the M.V.P. to Miguel Cabrera. That season, he stole 49 bases and hit 30 homers. Now he does not run as often (16 steals in 18 tries entering Saturday), and he leads the league in strikeouts. But he is an elite run producer, setting career highs in homers and runs batted in and excelling at a premium defensive position for the Angels, the team with the most wins in the majors. Trout is the league leader in runs, total bases, extra-base hits and, as usual, . There’s no denying him now. Best of the rest: 2. Michael Brantley, Indians; 3. Victor Martinez, Tigers; 4. Jose Bautista, Blue Jays; 5. Jose Abreu, White Sox; 6. , Orioles; 7. Jose Altuve, Astros; 8. Adrian Beltre, Rangers; 9. Cabrera, Tigers; 10. Robinson Cano, Mariners. N.L. CY YOUNG AWARD With Kershaw the obvious choice, we should take a moment to recognize the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, who seems destined for his third runner-up finish for the Cy Young Award. Wainwright had 12 starts of at least seven innings and no earned runs. Others to do that? Grover Cleveland Alexander (16 starts in 1916), (13 in 1968) and Dean Chance (12 in 1962). Wainwright has 20 victories this season, and don’t tell him wins don’t matter anymore. “I take pride in that; I do,” he said the night he won No. 20, before referring to a former teammate. “Woody Williams used to say this all the time: ‘If you want to win, you’ve got to go seven.’ Wins, a lot of times, are a product of you hanging in in the game.” Wainwright hung in plenty this season, and only Kershaw was better. Best of the rest: 2. Wainwright; 3. , Reds; 4. Madison Bumgarner, Giants; 5. , Phillies. A.L. CY YOUNG AWARD After his start on Aug. 11, ’s Felix Hernandez was 13-3 with a 1.95 E.R.A. In eight starts since — when the Mariners needed an ace for a playoff push — he won just once, with a 3.75 E.R.A. Meanwhile, Cleveland’s Corey Kluber surged to the finish, ending his season Friday with an 18-9 record, a 2.44 E.R.A. and 269 strikeouts. Hernandez had more high-quality starts and a better E.R.A. But Kluber was better at the things he could control, allowing fewer homers and walks, with more strikeouts. For durability and dominance, especially in the pennant race, Kluber gets the slight edge. Best of the rest: 2. Hernandez, Mariners; 3. Chris Sale, White Sox; 4. , Red Sox/Athletics; 5. , Tigers. N.L. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR The only advantage Cincinnati’s Billy Hamilton has over the Mets’ Jacob deGrom is service time. Hamilton spent all season in the majors; deGrom did not arrive until May 15. Hamilton has excelled on defense and had 56 steals entering the weekend. But he had also been caught a league- high 23 times, with a meager .292 on-base percentage. A better choice is deGrom, who has 17 quality starts in 22 chances, with a 2.63 E.R.A. and more than a strikeout per inning. Bonus points for the hair. Best of the rest: 2. Hamilton, Reds; 3. , Rockies. A.L. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR As the A.L. leader in slugging percentage, Jose Abreu of the White Sox is an easy choice here. Abreu, who defected from Cuba, quickly showed the wisdom of ’s six-year, $68 million investment. He is the only player in the majors with a .300 average and at least 35 home runs. A crowd of talented pitchers lines up behind him in this race, but the Angels’ stands out for his impeccable timing: He pitched his best immediately after a season-ending injury to , stabilizing the Angels’ rotation and helping send them to a division title. Best of the rest: 2. Shoemaker; 3. , Yankees. N.L. MANAGER OF THE YEAR The Nationals won just 86 games while missing the playoffs last year, and this season they may finish with the best record in the league. A manager’s contributions are impossible to quantify, but Matt Williams deserves credit for guiding a talented team back to the playoffs in his first year as a manager. Williams, who had been a coach for Arizona, navigated the team through several injuries, made a late-season change at and kept potential controversies from festering. “He’s been in our shoes, so he gets it,” reliever Drew Storen said of Williams, a former All-Star third baseman. “It’s just a matter of not riding the waves of the ocean and getting too caught up in it.” Best of the rest: 2. , Giants; 3. , Marlins. A.L. MANAGER OF THE YEAR Every 10 years, wins this award with a different A.L. team — the Yankees in 1994, the in 2004 and now, it seems certain, the Orioles. “There’s an attention to detail on this team that filters down from our manager,” reliever Darren O’Day said, and Showalter has always been famous for that. But he has also fostered a loose clubhouse environment in Baltimore — where the players shoot pool, practice putting and play table tennis before games — while shaking off the many obstacles the Orioles encountered on the way to a runaway A.L. East crown. Best of the rest: 2. , Angels; 3. Lloyd McClendon, Mariners. Times LOADED: 09.28.2014 Nick Cafardo / Nick Cafardo | Sunday Baseball Notes Good, bad from regular season We know the best teams. We know the worst teams. So, who were the best and worst in the major individual categories? Best player — The Angels’ Mike Trout gets the vote here. All around, Trout (.290/36/111) is the guy who stands out. He hit for average, power, showed speed, and was also a terrific defensive center fielder who should earn the Gold Glove. Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen and Astros second baseman Jose Altuve had outstanding seasons, with Altuve winning the American League batting title, stealing 56 bases, and leading all of baseball with 223 hits. Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins is now the most prolific slugger in the game, and the White Sox’ Jose Abreu and Tigers’ Victor Martinez deserve mention. Worst player — B.J. Upton. For a guy with a $75 million contract, his offense was deplorable. It helped get Braves general manager fired. Upton, like Carl Crawford before him, couldn’t play after he left Tampa Bay. The Braves hoped putting the Uptons together would benefit and motivate both, but it only helped . Best pitcher — Clayton Kershaw is the no-brainer here, with a 21-3 record and 0.86 WHIP. He’s the easy National League Cy Young winner and likely MVP. Nobody dominated more than Kershaw in either league, which is why he’ll likely be a huge reason why the Dodgers get deep into the postseason. Runner-up: Johnny Cueto, Reds. If there was no Kershaw, Cueto would win the Cy. He was 19-9 with a 2.29 ERA over 33 starts and 235Ҁ innings. On the AL side, Corey Kluber may have outpitched Felix Hernandez down the stretch and could earn the Cy. How many Hall votes will Jeter get? There’s no question that in five years will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. But by how much? Worst pitcher — A few candidates, but I have to give it to Rangers righthander Colby Lewis. He was 10-14 with a 5.18 ERA and 1.52 WHIP and batters hit .304 against him. Cubs lefthander Travis Wood was 8-13 with a 5.03 ERA and 1.53 WHIP, and Clay Buchholz was 8-10 with a 5.31 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. Best reliever — This may have been the hardest one to pick, but was nasty. The Royals’ setup man was 9-2 with 1.00 ERA. In 72 innings, he struck out 109 and walked 23. He held opponents to a .151 average with a .085 WHIP. You could make a case for the Yankees’ Dellin Betances, St. Louis’s , Kansas City closer , Angels closer , Washington’s Drew Storen, and saves leader of the Mariners. Worst reliever — Jim Johnson of the Tigers. What on earth happened to Johnson, he of the back-to-back 50-save seasons with Baltimore? Johnson made 53 appearances with Oakland and Detroit for a 7.13 ERA. Opponents hit .319 against him and he had a 1.94 WHIP. Tampa Bay’s Grant Balfour also was awful. Best find — Detroit’s J.D. Martinez went from being released by the Astros to a middle-of-the-order hitter for the Tigers. Baltimore’s receives honorable mention for turning himself from a journeyman into a big factor. Biggest busts — Stephen Drew (.163 in 264 at-bats) and Kendrys Morales (.222, eight homers, 42 RBIs), the last big-name free agents signed after both turned down qualifying offers, had poor offensive seasons. Drew was in the .160s all season, while Morales was a shadow of himself. They had plenty of company, including Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira and Indians outfielder/first baseman Nick Swisher. Best rookie — Abreu had one of the best offensive seasons in baseball with a .953 OPS, second only to Victor Martinez. Abreu hit 35 homers and knocked in 105 runs. Minnesota’s Danny Santana also was solid. Some rookie pitchers were very good, such as Matt Shoemaker (16-4, 3.04), (13-5, 2.77), Betances, (11-6, 3.65), and Jacob deGrom (9-6, 2.69). Worst rookie — Jackie Bradley Jr. was an outstanding defender in center, but his .198 average and .531 OPS, lowest among rookie hitters, tips the scale. OPS award — Victor Martinez keeps on trucking with a .978 OPS to lead the majors in a year in which no one is over 1.000. Martinez hit .336 with 32 homers and 103 runs. Breakout player — Pirates super-utilityman Josh Harrison was an All-Star and is in line to win the batting title in the National League, so he’s our breakout player. Close is Cleveland left fielder Michael Brantley with a .328 average, 20 homers, 97 RBIs, and 23 steals. His OPS was a shade under .900 and he provided good defense. Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon certainly falls into this category with a .288/21/83/.825 line. Boston’s also took the Harrison route to his breakout season. Regressing player — Lots of candidates, but the highest-priced one is , who can’t seem to get his once-fabulous, five-tool career back in the right direction. That said, he has company, including , . Shin-Soo Choo, Domonic Brown, Ryan Howard, B.J. Upton, Andre Ethier, and Chris Davis. Twelve general managers responded to a question about whether they would have paid his $500,000 bonus, which he missed by one-third of an inning when rain nixed his chances of reaching a plateau. Eight said they would have given him the bonus. Four said no. The no votes were mostly GMs sticking to the letter of the contract. Hughes earned $8 million from the Twins this season and produced a 16-10 record. The Twins gave Hughes the opportunity to get that one-third of an inning but Hughes declined, saying it didn’t feel right to go out and pitch for an incentive. That was certainly a noble decision on his part, but the Twins, at least to this point, have not seen the need to give Hughes the $500,000. Hughes had a major league-record 11.63 strikeout-to-walk ratio this season, issuing only 16 walks 209Ҁ innings. His incentive was for 210 innings. He was about to finish the game last Wednesday when the rain started. A one-hour, six-minute delay ensued, too long for Hughes to safely return. Are the Twins being stingy? “Hughes had nothing to do with it. It was Mother Nature intervening,” said one National League GM. “He pitched great for the Twins. I would have recommended to my ownership he get the money regardless.” And that was feeling of the GMs voting yes, that Hughes would have gotten it if not for the rain. “It’s all about good will,” said one American League GM. “You put incentives in a contract to make the player earn his pay. Seems to me Hughes earned it but was stopped by a rain delay.” Whether he gets it or not (and Hughes has said he won’t accept the bonus even if it is offered), nobody feels sorry for someone who made $8 million for the season, but why be a stickler to the contract? Next thing you know, agents are going to be putting stipulations in for the bonuses, or bypassing bonuses for guaranteed salary. Another $500,000 isn’t going to break the Pohlad family, which owns the Twins. Especially money going to one of their best pitchers. “If he misses it by a third of an inning, even for reasons other than rain, he should get it,” said one NL GM. “I don’t think you can do that to one of your best players and expect him not to have a bitter taste. Seems like Hughes has handled it well, and I applaud him for not wanting to go out the final few days to earn it because it’s not a good look. The team should have taken that decision out of his hands.” Another GM said, “I have done this in the past. If someone is close to reaching an incentive, I usually gave it to them as a show of good faith.” Apropos of nothing 1. Who’s done the best managing job this season? We posed the question to scouts, special assistants, coaches, and managers, and the names that came up most were Baltimore’s Buck Showalter in the American League and Pittsburgh’s in the National League. Being around the Pirates for a few days this month, you could tell what a close-knit group they have. Pirates coach said of Hurdle, “He’s the greatest leader of men I have ever seen.” Showalter, meanwhile, has outmanaged the field. His astute in-game managing is second to none, and the way he’s dealt injuries is top-notch. 2. Showalter turned to Dave Wallace one night not long ago and said, “You know something, you’re a pretty damn good pitching coach.” 3. Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin has weaned himself off Ritalin for his ADHD and is now controlling his symptoms with a new mental exercise called Versus. 4. Jon Lester is 9-3 with a 1.84 ERA vs. the Royals in 13 career starts, should he have to face them in a one-game wild-card playoff. 5. Speedy recovery to Red Sox special instructor Dick Berardino after knee replacement surgery. 6. ’s account of racism within the Red Sox with the Globe’s Bob Hohler was an eye-opener, and Harper says there are many more stories to tell, including ones about Carl Everett, where the controversial outfielder maybe wasn’t to blame for some of the things for which he was accused. Harper said Everett and the Red Sox reached a settlement on a suit Everett brought for a frivolous suspension in which he lost $97,000 in pay. The story never made the papers. 7. On Friday, ran into former Red Sox coach Ace Adams, who is now a pitching coach in the Cardinals’ system. He and Bill Freehan were the University of Michigan coaches who recruited Derek Jeter. “We gave him a free ride,” said Adams. “I remember speaking to his parents and his mother asking me, ‘Is he good enough to play here?’ Freehan said, ‘Good enough? He’ll hit first or third, not second so we don’t take the bat out of his hands.’ௗ” Adams, who had watched Jeter play since he was 15, met up with Jeter before Friday night’s game at Fenway. “He was great,” Adams said. “I just told him I wish he hadn’t signed with the Yankees. What a career.” Updates on nine 1. Joe Maddon, manager, Rays — Maddon isn’t worried about starting the 2015 season in the final year of his contract. “Nothing yet [on an extension]. I’m not concerned,” Maddon said. “I’m not one to ask or pursue.” Maddon, who is Italian (his family’s original name was Maddonini) has opened Ava, an Italian restaurant which will debut Nov. 15 in Tampa. Maddon, who earns $2 million a season, is about in the middle of the pack in terms of salary. If he was a free agent, Maddon may wind up being the highest-paid manager in the game, somewhere in the $5 million range. 2. Bill Geivett, assistant general manager, Rockies — The consensus in the industry is that Geivett’s presence in an office in the clubhouse next to manager probably wasn’t the best idea. We’ll see if there’s any change in this setup or in the Rockies’ front office this winter. It seems something has to give. There has been talk of a potential shakeup, but ownership is very loyal to its management team. 3. , GM, Royals — While owner David Glass says he wouldn’t stand in Moore’s way if he wanted to return to the Braves as their GM after Frank Wren was fired, the biggest issue would be compensation. We saw how long and complicated the Theo Epstein move was from Boston to Chicago. The Red Sox eventually got only journeyman reliever . It would appear the Royals would need a better player. 4. , interim GM, Braves — If Hart doesn’t commit to the job because of his ties to the MLB Network, he will have much to say about who would become the GM. Hart, who was a hugely successful GM, has strong ties to Dan O’Dowd, as they worked well together in Cleveland. Hart has broken in future GMs such as , , and Mark Shapiro. The feeling is Braves assistant GM could be groomed for the job. 5. , former GM, Diamondbacks — Towers is mulling his future. “Haven’t made a decision yet,” he said. “Will probably sit with Stew [new Arizona GM ] next week and see if something makes sense.” Towers once employed Stewart in . Before being hired by the Diamondbacks, Towers spent a year working for Brian Cashman and the Yankees, so you wonder if that would be an option again. Another possible fit may be San Francisco, where Towers has a strong relationship with GM Brian Sabean. 6. Ryan Braun, OF, Brewers — Braun’s salary rises from $10 million to $12 million next season, then jumps to $19 million in 2016. The deal runs through 2020 with a mutual option of $20 million in 2021. For a guy who hit 19 homers, drove in 81 runs, and hit .269 this season, this has to be alarming. The Brewers are considering moving Braun to first base. Trade? It would take a leap for any team with that money remaining. 7. , former manager — You wonder if Stewart and might consider a veteran manager such as Baker for a return to the bench in Arizona. Stewart was always fond of Baker, who was let go by the Reds after last season and would like to return to managing. Players always loved playing for Baker. Just a name to consider. 8. Ron Wotus, bench coach, Giants — If Bruce Bochy is one of the top three managers in the game, with two championships under his belt, how is his righthand man not being considered for a managing job? Wotus, 53, has been the Giants’ bench coach since 1999. The Colchester, Conn., native was once the manager of the year. Successful organizations usually spit out successful managers and front-office personnel. Wotus should be at the top of the list. 9. , manager, Reno — Nevin has become a hot name in terms of interviews. He’s already talked with the Astros, and it appears his own organization, the Diamondbacks, may speak with him. From the Bill Chuck files — “Jose Bautista has walked 104 times and struck out 94 times, while Victor Martinez has drawn 69 walks and whiffed 41 times, making them the only players with more walks than strikeouts.” . . . Also, “The highest batting averages for players with at least 180 strikeouts in a season belong to Ryan Howard .313/181 K in 2006, Bobby Bonds .302/189 in 1970, .291/185 in 2001, and Mike Trout .290/181 this season.” . . . And, “ Madison Bumgarner (.346) and Bartolo Colon (.362) have the worst opponents’ batting averages in the majors against their sliders.” . . . Happy birthday, Mario Guerrero (65), Rob Woodward (52), Todd Frohwirth (52), and Zach Stewart (28). Nick Cafardo Boston Globe LOADED: