Indians to celebrate AL pennant in home opener By Scott Merkin and Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | April 10th, 2017 While Indians manager Terry Francona wants his team focused on the season at hand, he also hopes the players take time on Tuesday to appreciate all that was achieved in last year's incredible run to the World Series. Prior to the Tribe's 4:10 p.m. ET home opener against the White Sox, the Indians will have a ring ceremony, a flag raising and a banner unveiling to celebrate the franchise's 2016 American League championship. It marked Cleveland's sixth pennant in team history, and the first since 1997. "Tuesday's going to be a fun day," Francona said. "It'll be the last time that we talk about last year, but I want our guys to enjoy it. I think the fans will and I know we will. It'll be a special day." As part of the team's "Rally Together" theme, Cleveland sports greats Jim Thome (Indians), Austin Carr (Cavaliers) and Jim Brown (Browns) will take part in the home opener's ceremonial first pitch. It will mark the Tribe's first time home since its extra-inning loss to the Cubs in Game 7 of the World Series. The 2017 club could be a better version of that highly acclaimed Cleveland team, a team the White Sox noticed from the very beginning last season. "We saw it early," said White Sox manager Rick Renteria, who was the White Sox bench coach in '16. "Everybody talked about they hadn't gotten off to the start that everybody anticipated. But, the body of the players that they have, they compete. Our division is pretty good, actually. Even with the Twins -- they're young, they're athletic, they're aggressive. "There's no real slouch to speak of, in my opinion. You've got to play every game, play every inning, play every out. They're the reigning American League champs, so we have our [work] cut out when we get over there. We're hoping we can kind of see if we can placate them a little bit." James Shields makes start No. 2 this season for the White Sox. Carlos Carrasco gets the home-opening honors for the Indians. Both pitchers won their '17 debut. "I'm really excited for that game," Carrasco said. "There's going to be a lot of people and a lot of noise. It's going to be a bit different this year, because of what we did last year." Things to know about this game • Indians right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall (on the 10-day disabled list due to a right shoulder issue) might be activated ahead of Tuesday's home opener. If not, Thursday would likely be the next possibility for activation, considering Chisenhall plays mostly against right-handed pitching. • The White Sox finished 8-11 against the Indians last season, going 6-3 in their final nine head-to-head meetings. • According to Elias, Avisail Garcia and A.J. Pierzynski (2008) are the only White Sox players over the last 15 seasons with at least eight hits and four RBIs over the team's first four games of a season. • In the Statcast Era, Shields has thrown only 32.9 percent of his pitches within the strike zone, according to Statcast. That is the fourth-lowest rate among hurlers with at least 2,500 total pitches. But in his solid season debut, Shields threw 39.4 percent of his pitches within the zone, higher than in all but three of his 2016 outings.

Q&A: Chernoff discusses Indians' motivation GM talks about path to Tribe, club's focus for new season By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com | @feinsand | April 10th, 2017 Mike Chernoff is one of a long line of baseball executives from the Mark Shapiro tree, but unlike most of them, he's trying to uphold the traditions built by Shapiro himself with the Cleveland Indians. The 35-year-old enters his second season as the general manager with an eye on the World Series, where his team fell to the Cubs in Game 7 last fall. MLB.com recently sat down with Chernoff in office at Goodyear Ballpark in the closing days of Spring Training to discuss Shapiro's impact on his career, how growing up around the world of sports radio influenced him and why the Indians won't suffer from a World Series hangover. MLB.com: You played baseball at Princeton, but you have said you knew early on that college baseball was going to be pretty much where you maxed out. When did you decide you wanted to pursue a career on this side? Chernoff: I definitely knew I was going to max out at the college level; I thought maybe it would have been in high school, but fortunately I got chance to play at Princeton. I don't think I realized that a career in baseball was possible until about junior year. My dad had been in sports and sports radio, so I had some access to the behind-the-scenes of sports, but I didn't really recognize the front-office component of a Major League team until I did an internship with the Mets between junior and senior year. It was in the marketing department, but I got to do some work for Jim Duquette in baseball ops, and that was the moment where I realized I didn't just like playing the game, I liked working in the game, too. MLB.com: What did you learn most working under Mark Shapiro? Chernoff: The thing I learned most is how important the people are. I started in 2003. "Moneyball" had just been written, and I had an economics and math background -- a playing background, too, but the sabermetric revolution, as it was happening, bringing a lot of those tools to the table and trying to integrate it into what we were doing. I think the most important thing that I learned from Mark was, whatever it is that you're focused on -- whether it's the heavy scouting side or the analytic side, whatever it is -- the people always come first. The way that you build a culture, the way that you lead people, support people and ultimately treat people, that's what's going to lead to your success. It's not about any one of those tools. Mark did an exceptional job in building that culture here, and I feel like that is the legacy that we've tried to keep in place since he left. • PODCAST: Listen to the full interview MLB.com: So many people in decision-making roles around the game worked for Mark in Cleveland. You worked with a lot of those people. Does that make it easier to deal with other clubs when you have those preexisting relationships with other executives? Chernoff: No doubt about it. It's fun to pick up the phone and call another team, because often there's somebody who I've worked with at that team. From the outside, it can maybe look like it would be harder if you know each other so well, but negotiating isn't adversarial. When we negotiate for trades or contracts or anything like that, the better relationship you have with the person on the other side of the table, the easier it is to figure out where you might have crossover. The deal ended up not working out in the end, but the deal for [Jonathan] Lucroy at the Deadline, working with David Stearns, it was an easy conversation to figure out how can we overlap on interest, because he and I are so close. MLB.com: For a city that hadn't won in a long time, the Cavaliers won the NBA title last year and you guys got to the World Series. How have you seen the sports scene in Cleveland change over the past 12 to 18 months? Chernoff: It was incredible to be a part of that. When the Cavs won, all of our baseball ops guys, Tito was up there in uniform in the upper deck because it went around our stadium, we watched the parade. There were over a million people watching it. It was hard not to feel this tremendous pride in Cleveland. Cleveland had been through a lot as a city. In the 14 years that I've been here, I've seen the economic hardship, seen what the city has gone through. I love the city. People have a loyalty to it, but I don't know that that pride has been there since I started in '03. I think that really came out when the Cavs won, and it felt like that momentum just continued to pick up throughout our postseason run. One of the coolest things I saw, was when we played on the road in Chicago, 20,000 people were in the plaza outside our stadium watching our game. To me, that was the city really embracing the team and building on that momentum. MLB.com: Your father, Mark, works in sports radio -- I interned for him, incidentally -- running WFAN [in New York] for about 25 years. Growing up around that sports radio culture, do you find yourself listening to it now? Chernoff: Now that I'm an executive, I don't listen to it. I know well enough not to listen to it. No, I shouldn't say that. I think the thing that I learned that has really helped me is that the fans that call in -- whether positive or negative -- are the most passionate fans. Even when they are just killing our team, it's because they care so much. Having seen that firsthand at WFAN, it was a lot easier. We've been through some tough times with the Indians in my time here. You realize that the fans that are getting all over you are not the enemy. They're actually the people who care most about the team, and the ones that you feel most responsible toward. It's helpful to view it through that lens because it can sometimes feel like you're being attacked when you hear some of those comments. You try not to have the emotional roller coaster and the ups and downs that fans of course have -- and should have. But you try to view it through the light of, "These are the most passionate people," and they only say it because they care so much. MLB.com: Did your dad's job give you a better understanding of how to deal with the media once that became part of your job? Chernoff: Yeah, I think it did. When you get to know radio personalities or media members as people as opposed to somebody just asking you tough questions, I think you gain an appreciation for why they're asking you tough questions and what your responsibility as a spokesperson for the team is. Some of that was through listening to my dad's station and hearing other executives go on, some of it has been here, watching Tito, who is exceptional at that and understands that you, as reporters, have a job to do. It's our job to help inform you and the fan base why we're making decisions. Nobody is coming after us or anything like that. I think it just allows you to view things through a little bit of a different lens and not feel the attack mode that some people maybe can feel from media. MLB.com: The Indians got to the World Series last year without Michael Brantley, Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco. Did you ever wonder how things might have been different if any or all of them had been healthy? Chernoff: I've thought a lot about that, just because there's a lot of time in the offseason to reflect on what happened. I think our team thrived because of the adversity we faced. There was a culture of, "Whatever happens to us, we're going to find a way to get over it; we're going to overcome the adversity." It's easy to say, "If you just plug in Brantley's offensive numbers, we would have been a better team." Or ,"If we just had Salazar and Carrasco in the rotation, we would have won the World Series." That may be true, but I also think our guys viewed those setbacks as opportunities. Josh Tomlin stepped up his game because he knew that he had a spot that he had to fill. When you have a team identity where all anyone cares about is winning that night's game, guys do things beyond what their ability might otherwise let them do. So I don't know that it would have been any different. I hope they all stay healthy this year, and I hope the team comes together in the same way and can overcome the new adversity we're going to face. At the same time, I think what we achieved was really about getting past some of the challenges we faced throughout the year. MLB.com: How crucial is Brantley's return this season? Does it almost feel like you added another free agent after he essentially missed all of last year? Chernoff: It does. It feels exactly like that. There's a lot of spotlight on the Encarnacion signing and what his offense would do for our lineup. You're planning out the lineup thinking, "Take last year's team and plug in Encarnacion where we would have lost Napoli from." On top of that, add in Brantley, too. That's pretty good. The best part about it is just how hard Michael has worked. He's put in an unbelievable amount of time to get himself strong and get himself in a place where he can contribute. It was hard watching him through the postseason trying to find ways to help the team with an advance report or something like that, to be there for his teammates but not be able to play. We're all looking forward to having him back in the lineup this year. MLB.com: Edwin Encarnacion signed the biggest free-agent deal in Indians history this offseason. What made him such a good fit for your team? Chernoff: We had a big hole at first base, losing [Mike] Napoli both in the clubhouse and on the field. Edwin provides us with a different type of presence than Napoli; Napoli was a loud, go out and pull-guys-out-there type of guy. Edwin's got a great leadership presence and obviously an incredible bat to add to the lineup. We don't often play in that range in the free-agent market. This was an opportunity where ownership made the decision to invest in the team and take the leap of faith. They felt like it was the right time to do that. We're adding a player that in a lot of ways complements our lineup tremendously and adds a huge amount of depth to us. We were in the top five in offense last year; hopefully that allows us to sustain that going forward. MLB.com: You're the rare team that uses its DH as its leadoff hitter. Why is Carlos Santana the right guy for the top of the lineup? Chernoff: Great on-base percentage, incredible patience at the plate. This is a guy who, despite the power that he has, walks as much as he strikes out. It's a bit unconventional, because he does have power and he can drive in runs, but our lineup is so deep that it allows for Tito to put him in that spot where he's comfortable and where Tito feels great about him getting on base. MLB.com: Do you think the days of having to have a speedster at the top of your lineup are passing us by? Chernoff: It depends on the team. There are days where we'll have a speedster at the top of the lineup, too. What we recognize is that especially when you've got a group of guys that hopefully can drive in runs in the two, three, four spots, you what a guy who is going to get on base in front of them. Whether it's a speedster, a power guy or whatever it is, Tito has used that spot exceptionally well to produce runs for the team. MLB.com: People talk about the World Series hangover all the time, not only for the winners, but for the losers, as well. Do you have any concern about that at all? Chernoff: No. I will say this: at the beginning of the offseason, I think we were all concerned about that. You're dead tired after the postseason run, you get that deep, then immediately you're going into free agency. You can feel it as you check in with players over the offseason; the pain didn't go away right away. But what we saw as we got into January and especially as we got into camp, guys weren't talking about 2016. There was this focus on, "How do we do the little things in Spring Training to put ourselves in a spot to get back to Game 7 of the World Series?" In our individual player meetings, guys were asking Tito, "Hey, you've been through this before. What do we need to do to shift the focus and help the young guys see that the team last year was the 2016 team?" You don't just roll over the calendar and expect to be there again. The way we did it, the way we overcame adversity, that's who we want to be. How do we carry that part into 2017 and not just get stuck on, "Oh, it's just going to happen because we have a lot of the same guys coming back." From Day 1 of camp, we have seen a highly-motivated group that has moved on to 2017. Jobu will live on: The story of a lifelong Cleveland Indians fan whose life was cut too short Zack Meisel, April 10, 2017 CLEVELAND, Ohio -- She spoiled the perfect marriage proposal. As Austin Landau returned home with his girlfriend's newly dry-cleaned white peacoat, he stuck an engagement ring in its front pocket. Crystal Ellinwood was sitting inside, wearing sweatpants and sporting a messy bun and no makeup. "Babe, I think they shrunk your coat," Austin told her. "You need to try it on." She figured the coat would fit just fine, but Austin insisted. She knew something was up. Crystal reached into the pocket, grabbed the ring and slid it onto her finger. Austin finished removing his shoes, looked up and saw his plan for a romantic, dramatic moment had been foiled. "You put the ring on? You ruined everything!" he joked. "I'm sorry!" she said. "Don't propose to me when I'm this ugly!" The couple considered a small, hasty wedding on E. 4th Street in downtown Cleveland. On one of their first dates, they posed for a picture in the middle of the cozy walkway, surrounded by restaurants and lights. As she envisioned it, they would hold a swift ceremony in front of family right where they took the picture. Then, they'd scurry across the street for the main event: an Indians playoff game at Progressive Field. "We'll get married and then we'll go to the game and we'll win that game," she said. "Love from there on out" As Crystal surveyed Austin's social media profile picture, she spotted the top of the "I" in Indians. She led with that. Her first message to him, five years ago, read: "Is that an Indians shirt you're wearing?" "It was love from there on out," she said. Austin's grandfather took him to his first game when he was a kid. He immediately fell for the sport. Daisy tossed a strike on her first try at an Indians game. Courtesy of Crystal Ellinwood Austin and Crystal took her daughter, Daisy, to her first game two years ago. Austin recognized the look on Daisy's face when she studied the perfectly manicured green grass, the fresh dirt and white chalk lines, the giant wall in left field, the massive scoreboard, the larger-than-life players. "I remember that look," he told Crystal. "I did the same, exact thing when my grandpa took me." Austin and Crystal lived in Marion, Ohio, but they didn't mind the 2.5-hour trek north to Cleveland. They typically attended more than half of the Indians' 81 home games each season. They would meet up for a beer with fellow Indians fans who knew Austin through Twitter. His account -- which has the handle @Jobu_Lives, after the rum-guzzling voodoo doll from the Indians-based comedy, "Major League" -- has more than 9,000 followers, many of whom have interacted with him during the long journey of a Tribe season. "We'd be walking down the street and hear people yell, 'Jobu!'" Crystal said. "He absolutely loved that." For their third date -- their first one outside of Marion -- they attended an Indians game. From the ballpark's social suite, they watched Jason Kipnis hit a home run. "I was addicted from there on out," Crystal said. 1996 ALDS Gm3: Belle's grand slam breaks 4-4 tie The ballpark was Austin's sanctuary. After his grandfather passed a few years ago, they spread his ashes on the warning track in center field. Austin often prattled on about Omar Vizquel's defensive prowess and about Albert Belle's imposing presence in the batter's box. He routinely showed Crystal videos of Belle swatting fastballs beyond the outfield fence. They have a hallway in their home devoted to Indians memorabilia. Their attendance at Indians games waned last season. Crystal was pregnant with their daughter, who was born in December. They settled on a name: Belle. 'What he really wanted was to enjoy life' Austin smacked the first pitch ever tossed his way. He was wielding a wide, plastic Wiffle ball bat when he was a toddler. "He had excellent hand-eye coordination," said his father, Larry, "and could put some moves on you, if he was running with a football, or fake you out of your shoes trying to guard him in basketball. Tennis was the only sport I could win at against him." Austin enjoyed receiving affection from his dog, Batman. Courtesy of Crystal Ellinwood Austin's parents split when he was young, and his father missed a chunk of his childhood. Larry did take Austin and his cousin to England and Wales for Austin's high-school graduation in 2000. Larry maintains fond memories of that excursion. Austin, ever so confident about his ability to be responsible, left his passport and rail pass on a train as they headed for Bangor, Wales. He had to spend his last day in London at the American Embassy, securing a new passport. Larry laughs at the situation now. "They didn't have the normal father-son relationship, and Larry doesn't show much emotion," said Johnny Flores, Austin's cousin. "We all joke about 'Larry hugs.' He used to act like it was going to be a hug and then he would shake your hand. "But he is a really good guy." Larry took Austin and Johnny sledding at a golf course near the Columbus airport when he first came back into Austin's life. He learned quite a bit about his son once he returned to the picture. He learned about Austin's love of baseball and the Indians, his love for the Buckeyes, his love of golf and fishing and pizza and beer. He had a talent for freestyle rapping. They shared a love for Jameson whiskey. He learned about how much Austin cared for Crystal, for her two children, and for his little Belle. "What he really wanted," Larry said, "was to enjoy life." Austin worked for his family's remodeling business, launched by his grandfather more than 40 years ago. One morning in mid-March, Austin posted a picture in which his face, sunglasses, shirt and Indians hat are coated in white paint and drywall dust. Johnny saw the photo and considered calling him to suggest that it might be time for a shower. As Austin drove home from that job, he started to drive erratically. He pulled over to the side of the road and the people driving behind him followed suit to check on him. Austin was unresponsive. They called 9-1-1. Austin had suffered a stroke. Crystal and the kids drove past Austin's abandoned truck on the side of the road as they rushed to the hospital. He was taken to Marion General and then to Grant Medical Center in Columbus, but he never regained consciousness. Doctors installed a chest tube, but he coded. They tried CPR. They used a defibrillator. Anything to attempt to resuscitate him. Austin was 34. #WinItForJobu pic.twitter.com/ebMTdbLpqW -- John F (@BuckeyeGuyJFlo) April 8, 2017 I don't know you, 'but I'm here for you' More than anything, Austin loved taking the kids to the ballpark. Daisy, 6, says her favorite player is Slider, the Indians' furry, fuchsia mascot. He wanted them to develop a passion for the game, for the environment, just as he had. He wanted them to consider it a haven, a place of peace and serenity, just as he found it to be. He wanted to take them to every Sunday matinee and watch them run the bases after the final out. He also wanted more children. Austin and Crystal, on E. 4th Street in downtown Cleveland. Courtesy of Crystal Ellinwood "I'm crying 24/7," Crystal said. "My heart aches. I miss him tremendously. And then I see everybody reaching out -- people I don't even know. People who didn't even know him, but are like, 'I just follow him on Twitter, but I'm here for you.' It's been outstanding. It's been unbelievable." Austin enjoyed bonding with those who shared his main passion. He became part of the fabric of the Indians fan community. At Austin's wake, the Indians delivered a personalized jersey for Belle and another for the family, along with a few Tribe hats. His spirit will certainly persist. And if the Indians happen to nail down a mid-October playoff victory at Progressive Field, there will be a long list of Tribe fans thinking about the man nicknamed Jobu. "It truly shows what type of person Austin was," Crystal said. "If that doesn't make you want to be a better person in life, then nothing will." Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox preview, pitching matchups Paul Hoynes, April 11, 2017 CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here is the preview and pitching matchups for the Indians' series against the White Sox at Progressive Field. Where: Progressive Field, Tuesday through Thursday. TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio will televise the series, while WKYC Ch. 3 will televise Tuesday's home opener. WMMS/FM 100.7 will broadcast the series. Pitching matchups: RHP James Shields (1-0, 1.69) vs. RHP Carlos Carrasco (1-0, 3.18) Tuesday at 4:10 p.m.; LHP Derek Holland (0-1, 3.00) vs. RHP Danny Salazar (0-0, 6.35) Wednesday at 6:10 p.m. and RHP Miguel Gonzalez (1-0, 3.00) vs. RHP Josh Tomlin (0-1, 11.57) Thursday at 6:10 p.m. Series: The Indians went 11-8 against the White Sox last season. The White Sox lead overall, 1,075-1,047. Tuesday: Carrasco is 3-9 with a 5.63 ERA in 17 games, including 16 starts, against the White Sox. Melky Cabrera and Jose Abreu have eight RBI apiece against him. Shields is 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA in 18 starts against the Indians. Austin Jackson is hitting .316 (12-for-32) against Shields. Wednesday: Salazar is 5-2 with a 3.74 ERA in nine starts against Chicago. Abreu is hitting .375 (6-for-16) with three homers and four RBI against Salazar. Holland is 5-1 with a 2.60 ERA in nine starts against the Indians. Edwin Encarnacion is hitting .389 (7-for-18) with three home runs and eight RBI against Holland. Thursday: Tomlin is 4-3 with a 2.88 ERA against 10 games against Chicago. Abreu is hitting .385 (5-for-13) against Tomlin. Gonzalez is 4-1 with a 3.89 against the Indians in six games. Encarnacion has three homers and 13 RBI against him. Team updates: The Indians finished their first six games of the season at 3-3. They swept Texas and were swept to Arizona at Chase Field. The White Sox prepared for this series by losing two out of three to the Twins. Injuries: White Sox -- RHP Juan Minaya (right abdominal), RHP Jake Petricka (right lat), LHP Carlos Rodon (left biceps bursitis) and CF Charlie Tilson (right foot) are on the disabled list. Indians - 2B Jason Kipnis (right shoulder), RF Lonnie Chisenhall (right shoulder) and RHP Cody Anderson (right elbow) are on the disabled list. Next: Detroit visits Progressive Field for a three-game series starting Friday night. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.11.2017 Jason Kipnis continues rehab with Akron RubberDucks Marc Bona, April 10, 2017 AKRON, Ohio - Jason Kipnis continued a rehabilitation assignment on his right shoulder at Canal Park in a Class AA game for the Akron RubberDucks on Monday, his first stint in the field since being shut down in Arizona during spring training. Jason Kipnis on rehab The Indians regular second baseman struck out swinging in three at-bats. He took the count to 2-2 in the first and then worked it to full in the second against Trenton Thunder right hander Domingo German. He was thrown out at first in the fifth inning, a dropped third strike with Eric Ruth on the mound. "I didn't get any balls, but it was good to get in the flow of the game," Kipnis said. The plan was for Kipnis to play five innings Monday at second base, the RubberDucks said. Kipnis, who hit .275 for the parent club last year, did not have a ball hit to him. He said he wasn't worried about the three strikeouts. "I'll worry about the results as I get closer to getting back up," he said. "Right now the big picture is the shoulder, heating it up, cooling it down, heating it back up between innings." Kipnis also said he was unsure of his timetable. He will not play Tuesday, but the current plan was to have him rehab Wednesday in Akron, the RubberDucks said. The minor-league team then goes on the road, so a decision will be made regarding where Kipnis will play after that. Monday, he left the game with Akron leading 4-2. Ivan Castillo replaced him in the top of the sixth and made a great defensive play on a hard- hit ball to his right, throwing across his body for the out. Kipnis went 1-3 Sunday in the designated-hitter spot in the first game of a doubleheader for Akron. Kipnis played for the then Akron Aeros in 2010 and hit .311. The next year he hit .272 in 136 at-bats for the Indians. Monday, Akron marked its 20th season in Canal Park by wearing throwback purple uniforms. The RubberDucks beat the Thunder, 7-3. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.11.2017 The road-weary Cleveland Indians can't wait to play in front of their hometown fans Paul Hoynes, April 10, 2017 PHOENIX - The Indians, in an effort to stay warm and play the games they were scheduled to play, petitioned MLB's schedule makers to open the 2017 season on the road, far from the Artic conditions they endured last year when they started the season at Progressive Field. Their wish was granted, but the sometimes jarring transition from tranquil Cactus Leagues games to games that matter was missing. At least for some of the players. "I know these are regular season games, but in a way it felt like we really never left Arizona," said Corey Kluber, after he started and Perhaps that explains an early-season streak of unpredictability in manager Terry Francona's team as they return to Cleveland for the home opener Tuesday against the White Sox at Progressive Field. The Indians opened the year with a three-game sweep of a good Texas team at Globe Life Park in Arlington. They returned to Arizona, where they'd been encamped since the start of spring training on Feb. 15, only to be swept by the Diamondbacks in a three-game series at Chase Field. The Indians ended their exhibition season with a two-game series against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field. By their performance over the weekend -- Arizona enjoyed advantages of 21-7 in runs and 42-27 in hits - one could conclude that the Indians were still in spring training mode. Kluber did not take that deep of a dive into his team's first six games. "All it says is that we won three games in Texas and lost three games here. That's all it says," said Kluber. Kluber allowed three runs, two earned, in six innings while dealing with a stiff back. He opened the regular season on April 3 with a six-inning, five-run performance against Texas while dealing with blisters on his the fingers of his pitching hand. They were not an issue Sunday. "I was a little more crisp today," said Kluber, when asked to compare his two starts. "I located better. I felt like my stuff was a little bit better. But we won (my first start) and lost this one. That means that one was better." The starting rotation, in its first turn of the season, did not distinguish itself. The starters, including two games by Kluber, went 1-3 with a 6.15 ERA (23 earned runs in 33 2/3 innings). They allowed 35 hits, including seven homers. Kluber has allowed four of those homers. Carlos Carrasco, who had the most inconsistent spring training of any starter, was the only member of the rotation to win a game. "I think it's probably what you'd somewhat expect - some inconsistencies," said Francona. "I don't think when the bell rings guys are ready to be in midseason form. I've said that I hope that doesn't get in the way of you winning. "I really think until they get about four starts under their belt, then you can really turn them loose. They all look healthy, which is good, but with repetition you'll start to their see secondary pitches become more reliable." Now the Indians' attention turns to a brief home stand and a return to the AL Central, the division they won last year for the first time since 2007. "We've been away from home for a really long time," said catcher Yan Gomes. "We'll just go back home, get refreshed and get back into the Central and play some ballgames." The Indians next 13 games will be in the AL Central. "It's going to be nice to get back home in front of our fans," said Kluber. This is Francona's fifth season managing the Indians. He's led them to four straight winning seasons and an AL pennant last year. Francona loved the fact that the Indians opened in warm weather. There were no postponements and his team was able to take batting practice and infield practice outside every day. But he's feeling the pull of Cleveland as well. "The more I'm here, it feels more and more like home," said Francona. "You first get hired, it's like you're going to your city. Now, I catch myself saying, 'Hey, we're going home.' And that's a good feeling. "I think Tuesday is going to be a fun day. It will be the last time we talk about last year. But I want our guys to enjoy it. I think the fans will and I know we will. It will be a special day." Before the game, the team will receive their AL championship rings and the AL pennant will be unveiled. A flag will be raised in center field representing the AL pennant as well. The team is encouraging fans to be in their seats by 3 p.m. to take in the pre-game ceremonies. The Indians have already sold over 1.3 million tickets for the season. They did not sell that many until late July last year. For the year, they drew 1,591,667. Most managers avoid talking about attendance. In Cleveland it's an especially touchy subject. "Attendance is certainly helpful, not just for the business wise, but it helps us on the field," said Francona. "It's a lot more fun to play when that place is loud. "Saying that, I'm never comfortable telling people how to spend their money. I get that. People work hard for their money. I know last year the TV ratings way high, but I think last year the fans showed how special they can be when that place gets going." As far as baseball numerology goes consider the following. The 3-3 Indians started last season, one of the most exciting in franchise history, at 3-3. Last year they never lost more than three games in a row. This year they've already lost three games in a row. In fact, there are on a roll when it comes to threes. The Indians lost the last three games of the World Series to the Cubs, opened the 2017 season with three straight wins over Texas before losing three straight to Arizona. What does it mean, if anything? The answer will be revealed over the next six months. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.11.2017 Cleveland Indians home opener: Raising a pennant, still hard to believe -- Terry Pluto (photos) Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio --The Cleveland Indians will be giving out American League championship rings and raising the 2016 American League pennant before today's home opener. When I was a kid, those were words I never thought I'd read about my Tribe. Defending American League champions? Really? Not if you grew up with the Tribe in the 1960s... Or 1970s... Or 1980s... Or a chunk of the 1990s... It wasn't until 1995 that the Tribe won a pennant. I was born in 1955, the year after the Indians were swept in the 1954 World Series. And there never was another World Series for 41 years. The fans of the Indians were like baseball's lost Tribe, wandering in the wilderness and wondering if they'd ever see the promised land. NO TITLE YET I know, the Indians still haven't won a World Series since 1948. And I know that after the Cubs defeated the Indians in the 2016 World Series, the Tribe has the longest streak without a World Series title. Of course, that's an asterisk as so many teams around now weren't existing in 1948, when baseball had only 16 franchises. So what's the point? Tribe fans have a team going for its fifth consecutive winning season. The Indians went to the 2013 wild card game, the 2016 World Series. We are in a period that will eventually look like the "good old days" when looking back in the baseball rear view mirror of life. I think about my father, who took a a streetcar to games at old League Park to watch the Tribe in the 1930s. He was a member of he "knot hole gang," who watched games through holes in the outfield fence. If a ball came over a fence and a kid got it, he could hand it to an usher -- and be admitted to the game for free. That was a dark baseball decade. The Indians never finished closer than 12 games out (1936) and never drew more than 652,006 fans (1938). My decade coming to the Tribe was the 1960s. They never finished closer than 15 games out (1965), and never drew more than 950,564 fans (1960). From 1960-1978, the Indians only drew one millions fans once (1974). They never were closer than 14 games out of first place. MORE GOOD DAYS COMING? ESPN has 35 "baseball experts" and all 35 of them picked the Tribe to win the Central Division. In the end, the Tribe is favored to return to the World Series. This is a fun team to watch. In the 1930s, my father didn't have a dynamic player such as Francisco Lindor to watch play. His favorite was a power-hitting first baseman named Hal Trosky, a man haunted by migraine headaches. In the 1960s, I had Rocky Colavito for a few years. From 1960-93, no Tribe player had the charisma and talent of Lindor. The 1994-2001 era saw a galaxy of baseball stars pass through town. But since then, there has been nothing like Lindor. Now, the Indians are the defending American champions with a true ace in Corey Kluber. They have a sensational bullpen in Andrew Miller and Cody Allen. They have an elite in manager (Terry Francona), solid-to-good hitters at most positions and a smart front office. And an American League pennant being raised over the ballpark. For the little kid who went to the old Stadium holding my father's hand as we walked down the West 3rd Street Bridge, a team like this would have been baseball heaven.

'This is going to be something special': Indians' home opener sparks old memories, new excitement Zack Meisel, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Union Avenue No. 15 bus would drop off John Adams and his dad at the corner of E. 4th Street and Prospect Avenue. The father and son would walk past Otto Moser's restaurant, with the big pickle jars in the window. They would continue for a few blocks, a drab stretch of nothing but concrete, asphalt and brick, before they reached their destination: Cleveland Stadium, the Indians' massive residence that rested on the shores of Lake Erie. They would walk inside the structure, mosey up a ramp and bask in the baseball atmosphere. "It's like the Wizard of Oz," Adams said, "when Dorothy opened the door and everything was in living color." Another season means another home opener, which sparks memories for anyone who has ventured to the ballpark, eyes wide and expectations high. The Indians' aims this year are as lofty as they have been at any juncture during the franchise's 117-year tenure. "It's a whole, new adventure," Adams said. "Opening Day brings back all of these memories, back to the first ballgame I ever went to when I was a wee, little lad." On Tuesday afternoon, Adams will occupy his perch atop the left-field bleachers at Progressive Field, the same spot he has shared with his 26- inch bass drum for nearly 44 years. What's your favorite Cleveland Indians Opening Day memories? The Indians will host their 24th home opener at the venue since they relocated from the giant (and typically empty) building on the lakefront. The Indians and White Sox will assemble on the first- and third-base lines for introductions. Tribe players will receive American League championship rings (yes, that's apparently a thing). The team will raise an AL pennant flag and unveil a banner. It will be a festive afternoon marked by tradition and anticipation, a springboard into an annual marathon and a prelude to a six-month stretch of ups and downs, balls and strikes, wins and losses, elation and despair. The Indians figure to draw more fans to the ballpark than they have in nearly a decade. "It's the sharing part," Adams said. "You feel like you're one community. Young, old, rich, poor -- nothing matters. It's just like one family outing. You're all connected." Related: Opening Day festivities at Progressive Field The city's sports scene will be well represented, with icons Jim Thome, Austin Carr and Jim Brown tossing out ceremonial first pitches on Tuesday. It's a nod to the strengthening bond shared between the three teams. World Series Game 7: One chapter ends, another begins for the Cleveland Indians It was only five, short months ago when LeBron James, the Cupid to the town's half-century of athletic heartbreak, flexed his biceps and howled after Rajai Davis provided one of those moments that make time stand still. There may be more such memories created at Progressive Field this year. The new journey begins on Tuesday. When Adams would reach the Cleveland Stadium entrance, he would think: "Wow, I know this is going to be something special." "You remember the past and you smile," Adams said. "I like to say that anything can happen at a baseball game and it always does. Every year is a new adventure."

Isaacs brings energy, positive personality to Lake County Captains David S. Glasier — The News-HeraldSome people are most comfortable blending into the scenery. This is not Todd Isaacs’ style. Isaacs, a promising outfielder for the Captains, will be the first to tell you he will never be another face in the crowd. “I bring the energy. I want to light up the room,” Isaacs said April 10 before the Captains opened a three-game series against the Great Lakes (Mich.) Loons at Classic Park. As it happened, it was Isaacs’ turn to sit as Captains manager Larry Day went with his other three outfielders. The night off had nothing to do with performance. Isaacs was batting .333 in the season’s first four games with team-high totals of five hits, two home runs, five RBI and 11 total bases. Day thinks the world of his 20-year-old center fielder, who is a native of the Bahamas. “He’s a wonderful young guy who is wise beyond his years,” Day said. “I’d like to meet his parents. They did a tremendous job ... He’s a great teammate and leader. Whenever he comes into a room, the energy level rises.” Day hasn’t seen all that much of Isaacs in the still-young season, but what he has seen he really likes. “He’s a five-tool player,” Day said. “Speed is his biggest asset. He’ll mis-hit balls on the infield and still get on base. He hits for average and power and catches everything hit to him in the outfield.” Isaacs beams with pride whenever he talks about his family and the Bahamas, an independent island Commonwealth north of Cuba and south of the southern tip of Florida. His parents are Todd Isaacs Sr. and Mia Dean. He has a brother and two half-sisters. “My mom and dad were pretty good athletes, but I got my speed from my grandmother, Yvonne. She was a sprinter,” Isaacs said, smiling. In the Bahamas, the Isaacs family is well known for producing lawmakers, lawyers and community leaders. “My last name means the world to me,” Isaacs said. “As long as I do something positive in my life, everything is fine with the family.” Isaacs was introduced to baseball at 3 in a T-ball program. “I fell in love with the game immediately, and it’s still my true love,” Isaacs said. Isaacs was so precociously talented at the game that his parents sent him to Florida to live with an uncle and attend American Heritage High School near Fort Lauderdale. “I was so fortunate my parents sacrificed to send me there. That school has a really good baseball program,” said Isaacs, who stayed in South Florida to attend and play baseball at Palm Beach State College. The Indians selected him in the 19th round of the June 2015 draft. At the time, Isaacs said, he was 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds. Now, he’s s shade over 6 feet and weighs close to 200 pounds. Isaacs made his professional debut in June 2015 with rookie-league Arizona, batting .214 with one home run and six RBI in 34 games. He took a quantum leap forward last season at rookie-league Mahoning Valley, batting .333 with six home runs and 20 RBI. “In the clubhouse and on the bus, I enjoy myself,” Isaacs said. “Between the lines, though, my pride and competitive nature drive me.” Isaacs’ favorite big-league player is outfielder Mookie Betts of the Red Sox. He takes special pride in his ability to patrol center field. “I tell my pitchers, ‘You don’t have to be perfect. I’ll get that ball as long as they don’t hit it over the wall.’ ” he said. Although he is staying in the moment and working hard to polish his skills at Lake County, Isaacs would love to join the small fraternity of Bahamians who played in the major leagues. Those former big leaguers are Ed Armbrister, Wil Culmer (Indians, 1983), Tony Curry (Indians, 1966), Wenty Ford, outfielder Antoan Richardson (Isaacs’ cousin) and Andre Rodgers. “If all the chips line up, I can get there pretty quick,” Isaacs said. “I need to have a clear mind, a good heart and good health.”

After ring ceremony, Cleveland Indians will get down to business By Jeff Schudel, The News-Herald & The Morning Journal Home openers always are special because players are introduced individually for the only time in the regular season, but April 11 will be especially special for the Indians. Before Carlos Carrasco throws the first pitch to the Chicago White Sox at 4:10 p.m., the Indians will get their American League championship rings and the banner recognizing the accomplishment will be raised. Then it will be time to get down to business. “Tuesday’s going to be a fun day,” Indians manager Terry Francona told reporters. “It’ll be the last time that we talk about last year, but I want our guys to enjoy it. I think the fans will and I know we will. It’ll be a special day.” Tribe officials are suggesting fans be in their seats by 3 p.m. to make sure they take in all the festivities. Advertisement The Indians carry a 3-3 record into the first home game of 2017. It isn’t the record they hoped to have after sweeping three games from the Rangers in Texas to start the season. They won two of those games with ninth-inning comebacks and then got swept in Arizona in the Tribe’s first interleague series of the season. They had a chance for another ninth-inning comeback on April 9 in the final game of the series but couldn’t pull it off. Carrasco, 1-0, is fired up to kick off the home season. He did not get to experience the thrill of pitching in the 2016 postseason because he was recovering from a broken hand. The stakes will not be as high, but he knows Progressive Field will be energized. “I’m really excited for that game,” Carrasco told reporters. “There’s going to be a lot of people and a lot of noise. It’s going to be a bit different this year, because of what we did last year.” The Indians will put a lineup on the field different from the one that faced the Red Sox on opening day last season. Michael Brantley began 2016 on the disabled list and battled shoulder problems all season while playing in only 11 games, but barring something unexpected, will be in his familiar spot in left field. Brantley had a scheduled day off against the Diamondbacks on April 9. He is hitting .235 with no home runs and three RBI. Edwin Encarnacion is still trying to get untracked. The slugger signed in the offseason slammed a home run on Opening Day against the Rangers, but has not done much since. The home run produced his only RBI in six games. Whether he is pressing to make an impression on his new teammates and fans is difficult to know, but he has already struck out eight times and is hitting just .217. Jamie Shields will pitch for the White Sox. He won his first game of 2017. “They’re the reigning American League champs, so we have our [work] cut out when we get over there,” White Sox first-year manager Rick Renteria told reporters. “We’re hoping we can kind of see if we can placate them a little bit.” The Indians won the series against the White Sox last year, 11-8, but Chicago won six of the last nine games the two teams played.