Belisle makes roster as final piece to bullpen By Jordan Bastian MLB.com @MLBastian GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians' decision about the final bullpen spot was never going to be about pitching lines logged in Cactus League games. The team was going to weigh which pitcher was the best fit for a relief puzzle that was already mostly assembled and seek information on what they would add away from the field.

In evaluating Matt Belisle, Cleveland leaned on former Tribe executive Derek Falvey, who is now the executive vice president and chief baseball officer for the Twins and had the right-hander last season. While looking beyond the spring innings turned in by Carlos Torres, the Indians sought more intel from former front office member David Stearns, who is the general manager of the Brewers (the reliever's former team). With all the information in hand, the Indians decided that Belisle was the man for the job. "Obviously, these are difficult decisions to make," Indians manager Terry Francona said on Saturday. "And I don't think we would've made a wrong decision adding either guy. I don't think it's so much that somebody didn't do something. I just think, in the end, you look at Belisle's track record and the way he carries himself. I mean, there's more than just the innings he pitches. He's such a leader-type guy.

"And as hard as it was to talk to Torres, on the flip side, that's how good it feels to talk to Belisle. So, there's certainly a lot of mixed emotions this morning."

Belisle will begin this season in the Indians' Opening Day bullpen, which will also include Cody Allen, Andrew Miller, Dan Otero, Zach McAllister, Tyler Olson and Nick Goody. Francona thought about going with an eight-man relief corps, but decided it did not make sense given the makeup of other aspects of the roster. Torres -- in camp as a non-roster invitee, along with Belisle -- exercised the opt-out clause in his contract and was granted his release.

Now, Francona can begin thinking about how to best utilize his new-look bullpen, which no longer has setup man Bryan Shaw. During the past five years, Shaw was a lock for at least 70 appearances and roughly 70 innings out of the 'pen for Francona. That durability, however, netted the veteran right-hander a three-year contract with the Rockies via free agency over the winter.

Without Shaw in the fold, Francona will do more mixing and matching. Allen and Miller will handle the bulk of the high-leverage situations in late innings, but any of the other relievers could be called upon to bridge the gap. Goody and McAllister are especially tough on righties. Olson can be featured against lefties. Otero is one of the league's top relief groundball artists. Any one of them could log multi-inning outings, if needed.

The 37-year-old Belisle had a 4.03 ERA with 54 strikeouts and 22 walks in 60 1/3 innings last season for the Twins, but he turned things up a notch down the stretch. Over the final three months, Belisle had a 1.50 ERA in 30 innings.

"Bryan will be missed for a lot of reasons," Miller said. "I feel like we've been saying that all spring, but as far as how it will affect the bullpen, I think there's no reason why we can't take another step forward."

Last season, the Indians' bullpen led the Majors with a 2.89 ERA and was near or at the top of the American League in a variety of other categories. Cleveland's relief corps was first in the AL in Fielding Independent Pitching (3.20), WHIP (1.14) and strikeout-minus-walk percentage (20.0), ranked second in WAR (8.6, per Fangraphs), left-on-base percentage (78.7) and walks per nine innings (2.7), and third in strikeouts per nine innings (10.1).

The Indians' bullpen also paced the AL with a 64 ERA-, indicating that the group was 36 percent better than league average. That mark is tied (with the 1995 Indians' bullpen, no less) for the third-lowest single-season ERA- by a relief corps in the AL in the past 100 seasons.

During a meeting with his pitchers on Friday, Francona said he emphasized to the group that it deserves to be considered among baseball's best staffs.

"I reminded them that we think that that's where they belong in those conversations," Francona said. "And not just past tense, but moving forward. [I reminded them] to carry yourself like that and push each other in the right direction, because they're a pretty special group."

Guyer makes spring debut, in mix for OD roster By Jordan Bastian MLB.com @MLBastian SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Indians manager Terry Francona sat at the locker adjacent to the one belonging to Rob Refsnyder earlier this week, telling the outfielder to remain patient. A decision will be coming on Cleveland's outfield alignment, but there are still unsettled situations in play.

The Indians are closely monitoring the respective comebacks of Brandon Guyer (left wrist surgery in October) and Michael Brantley (right ankle surgery in October), who are both pushing hard in the final week to make a bid for the Opening Day roster. Refsnyder and Tyler Naquin remain in camp and their place on the roster will be determined by the status of Guyer or Brantley, or both.

View Full Game Coverage Guyer made his Cactus League debut in Saturday's 10-3 win over the Rangers, going 1-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch, while manning left field for the Tribe. He singled in his first at-bat against lefty Cole Hamels, and that is Guyer's role -- to hit left-handers. Francona said that Refsnyder, who is out of Minor League options, could fit that same profile (corner outfielder used against lefties), if Guyer is not ready for Opening Day. "I think he has the ability to be a strong kid," Francona said, "and do some damage against left-handers." Guyer said he still does not feel 100 percent, so he is not sure how realistic it will be for him to be included on the Opening Day roster.

"The physical aspect is still the biggest aspect for me," Guyer said. "It feels good, but I don't know. [With] a diving catch or something like that, I don't know how that's going to be. But, to feel like it does right now, especially after having a setback a couple of weeks ago, I didn't think I'd be here. To even have a chance for it to be Opening Day, it's great."

If Brantley is not deemed ready for the start of the season, Naquin would also look like a natural fit for the roster, which already projects to include outfielders Bradley Zimmer, Lonnie Chisenhall and Rajai Davis. Naquin has the ability to play all three outfield positions and was third in American League Rookie of the Year voting just two years ago.

"He never backs down, boy, which we love," Francona said of Naquin. "Even [Friday] night, he gets an at-bat late and rifles a ball down the right-field line. That's always been something we've admired in his game."

Kluber's final tune-up Indians ace Corey Kluber put the finishing touches on an impressive spring on Saturday, when he took on the Rangers in his final outing before facing the Mariners on Opening Day on Thursday in Seattle. Kluber allowed two runs on three hits and ended with six strikeouts against two walks in six innnigs.

In five Cactus League starts this spring, Kluber turned in a 2.29 ERA with 25 strikeouts, 11 hits allowed and five walks in 19 2/3 innings.

"I'm right where I need to be," Kluber said. "I went through the normal progressions this spring -- pitches, up and down, things like that. I feel like we got everything mechanically, delivery, pitch-wise where we like it to be. So, [the spring was] pretty good."

Injury updates • Brantley was originally scheduled to play in a Minor League game on Saturday, but Francona said the team altered his schedule due to the left fielder having played in the night game on Friday. Brantley was slated to go through a "workout day" on Saturday with his sights set on another Cactus League game Sunday.

"I think Brant looks good," Francona said. "If you watch real close, I think you can see ... the gait's not quite as smooth maybe as we've seen. But, that's only if you're really searching. I think he's done a great job. I think he's in a great place. Whether it's Opening Day or a week later, in the grand scheme of things, it's so important to get him back and get him back healthy.

"And it's not that we don't value him for the first week of the season -- we do. But, I think in the grand scheme of things, looking at the bigger picture, it's really exciting."

• Infielder Gio Urshela (right hamstring) is doing better and Francona said the utility man will likely return to game action before camp breaks. Urshela is still expected to open the regular season on the disabled list.

Worth noting • In the sixth inning of Friday's 6-1 win over the D-backs, Zimmer put his speed on full display. First, Zimmer stole second base with Francisco Lindor batting. Then, when Lindor flew out to deep right field, Zimmer tagged up and timed his jump just perfectly, scoring from second base on the sacrifice fly.

"That was unbelievable," Francona said. "I had a really good view. You guys probably did, too. He smelled it coming around second. That was really fun to watch."

• In the fourth inning of Saturday's game against the Rangers, Indians utility man Erik Gonzalez hit a sharp foul ball into the Texas dugout, where Triple-A Round Rock hitting coach Howard Johnson was struck in the face. Johnson was tended to in the dugout by the Rangers' medical staff before being carted off the field and transported to a local hospital.

"When I hit the ball, I was looking at the dugout and I saw him, he was facing the field -- the other way," Gonzalez said. "I felt a little frustrated in that moment right there. I [finished] the at-bat, but my mind wasn't in the moment at home plate, you know? I was thinking too much about him, what happened. I'm so sorry for that."

• Right-hander Mike Clevinger, who is lined up to be the Indians' fourth starter, is scheduled to pitch on Wednesday, which is an off-day before Thursday's season-opener against the Mariners. Clevinger will pitch in a Minor League game and then join the team in Seattle for Opening Day.

Up next

Right-hander Josh Tomlin is scheduled to take the mound on Sunday, when the Indians host the Reds in a 3:05 p.m. ET Cactus League game at Goodyear Ballpark. Tomlin is lined up to be Cleveland's fifth starter to open the season. Closer Cody Allen, relief ace Andrew Miller and relievers Zach McAllister and Tyler Olson are also penciled in to pitch for the Tribe. The game can be heard on an audio webcast.

“I don’t think there’s a window closing.” by Jordan Bastian Andrew Miller is not only one of baseball’s top relievers, but he is one of the player representatives or the MLB Players Association. On Friday afternoon, Miller held court with local reporters in Arizona, discussing the season ahead, whether there is a heightened sense of urgency among the Tribe’s players this year and his thoughts on what was a tough offseason for many free agents.

Q: How ready are you for spring to be over and to get this season started?

AM: “I think everybody is ready for it. Spring Training is a necessary evil. Everybody’s happy to be out here, but it gets old pretty quick. We didn’t have too many spots being fought for. Guys, for the most part, are just getting ready for the season. I think we’ve done a good job. I think everybody would like to be sharp here the last few days. But, ultimately, it seems like we’ve come out of this with a lot of health and people look pretty good from what I’ve seen.”

Q: What are your expectations for this season?

AM: “I think, we’ve shown the last two years, we’ve shown we’re capable of winning the World Series. You’ve got to get to the playoffs first, and that’s certainly a goal of this team and the expectation of this team, honestly. I think talent wise and experience wise, we match up with anybody. It’s a long road, but I think the expectation and the goal here is to try to get back to the end and win the last game of the year.”

Q: How has the mind-set changed for the team since that ’16 run?

AM: “We’re not the underdog like we were in 2016. Certainly, there’s an advantage to being in that position. Guys on that club played really well in that role. At the same time, we’ll happily trade that in for the experience we have in these games. Even though that last series didn’t go well for us last year, I think it’s an experience we can draw from. Whether it’s innings or at-bats or whatever, it’s playoff atmosphere. You learn from your mistakes. It’s not the way we wanted it to go, but it’s still a valuable experience and will hopefully make us more [ready] if we get there again.”

Q: What do you think of the bullpen going into this season? Bryan Shaw is no longer here, but Tito can do a lot of mixing and matching.

AM: “I think we had a pretty big luxury using some of the guys we did in the roles they were in last year. We certainly are going to expect Mac and O.T. to slide back [to the later innings]. We saw what Goody and Olson did last year. We expect them to get better. I think they will be. Bryan will be missed for a lot of reasons. I feel like we’ve been saying that all spring, but as far as how it will affect the bullpen, I think there’s no reason why we can’t take another step forward.”

Q: Last spring, you had to gear up for the World Baseball Classic. How much different has this spring been for you?

AM: “It’s been very different. I had a blast last year. It was a lot of fun. It was a lot more exciting than being out here in Goodyear and playing these games. But, this is more of what’s normal. It’s nice coming to a place where I’m not the new guy. I’m not trying to prove anything, establish anything. I’m not playing in games on a big stage that are meaningful. But, it’s more just getting ready. I think I’ve done a good job of that. I’d like my last two outings to be crisp and more focused on game-like situations. I think I’m in a good place to do that.”

Q: Does this feel like a make-or-break season for the team with so many players (yourself included) hitting free agency next winter?

AM: “For me, with this team, there’s a little bit of truth to that. I don’t know what’s going to happen. It certainly know how this team operates. But, for the organization, I don’t think so. There’s a track record here for the way they do things. As long as they have a lot of these guys on the starting staff, as long as they have Frankie and Josey, they’re going to be a good. There’s people throughout this organization that are locked up or are going to be here for a long time. Shoot, Zim isn’t even sniffing arbitration. The way they develop players, the way they prepare them, and as long as you have Tito at the helm, they’re going to be good. As far as the organization is concerned, obviously they want to get it done this year or every year, but I don’t think there’s a window closing or anything.”

Q: Are you worried at all about free agency given the way this past offseason went for some players?

AM: “I’m worried about it from the big picture perspective. I’m involved in our union. I think it’s important that free agency and the offseason works a certain way. I don’t think it did this year. As far as me personally, I’m not concerned at all. I’ve been through these situations before. I’ve been through, my year in Boston, I was a free agent. I got traded to Baltimore. I pitched down the stretch and in the playoffs for that team. I’ve been in that situation. I’ve been Draft eligible twice and pitched with money on the line, or whatever. Hopefully those are experiences I can draw from. But, ultimately, my focus is on getting the guy at the plate, getting the job done that day. I’m going to try to stick to that.”

Q: Is there concern within the union about how this winter went for free agents?

AM: “I don’t know. I guess ‘concern’ is a fair word to use. It was historically slow, the way it played out. And I think that there’s certainly guys you can easily point to that didn’t get what they expected or what everybody expected, what you guys expected. So, you can’t just point that on maybe too much optimism or something from the players. There’s guys that certainly didn’t what league-wide or the pundits or whatever said. And I think working through that, it’s the first year of the CBA that we’ve had this offseason and things change. There’s always a learning curve. You hope it works out in your favor. I’d say right now it didn’t. It’s by no means time to judge this agreement. And if next year goes crazy and everybody gets twice what you guys are talking about, it doesn’t mean that things are good, either. We’ve got to judge the big picture. It’s too early to get to that, but yeah, I think there’s absolutely cause for concern. To me, a couple things that stand out are the number of teams that are actively, I don’t want to use ‘tanking,’ but rebuilding. They’re not dipping their toe in free agency. We can’t control what ballclubs are sold to who. The fact that the Marlins were sold to a team that then flooded the market with players is not something that’s in our control. That’s not the Pirates. That’s nothing. The Yankees added a $230 million player this offseason. It just so happened he was traded from the Marlins, who most of you guys probably thought on paper weren’t that far away from being good in the National League East. So, those are problems. Those are realities we have to deal with. And some of it we can control. Some of it we can look back on and see, well, maybe we should’ve done this differently, or maybe we should’ve looked at things this way. But, other things, we can’t control. And I don’t think either side ever thought that, again, using the word ‘rebuilding’ — I’ll be generous — was something that would be as acceptable by fans as it is right now. What if the Dodgers won the World Series? Are we not talking about this? Because right now, it’s easy to say, ‘Well, the Cubs and Astros did it.’ If the Dodgers won the World Series last year, maybe the tank and rebuild isn’t the way to do it. Maybe we’re talking about something the Dodgers are doing. Maybe it’s all about finding the next Kershaw or finding the next Jansen or how do you get Turner on a hometown deal, that kind of thing. So, it’s hard to pin it on one thing. There’s so many moving pieces, but ultimately, when things don’t go the way you expect, it is concerning.”

Q: Do you think there should be more emphasis on tacking some of these things on the front-end of contracts before arbitration?

AM: “Yeah, I mean, you discuss all this stuff. Ideally, what do you give for it? How do you obtain these things? In the same way that we want guys to get to free agency earlier and find a way to tap into their earning potential earlier, the clubs are trying to do the opposite. Ultimately, it is a great industry that’s thriving right now. I think baseball as a sport, we’ve seen the playoffs the last couple years, you couldn’t script them any better. Obviously, for Cleveland fans, we could have, but from a fans’ perspective of a sport, things are really good. Teams are clearly worth a fortune. We have evidence of that this offseason. Players are making more money than ever. It doesn’t mean everything’s perfect.”

Q: On a different note, what stands out about Corey Kluber now that you’ve been able to see him up close for the past few seasons?

AM: “Honestly, from afar, I knew he was good, but it’s not like I played him all the time. I was never in the division or anything. I just think it’s the consistency. You’re going to hear that if you ask everybody in here and it’s probably boring to hear that response from everybody, but you’re not surprised by anything. The expectations are probably unfair to him, but the work he puts in and the results we see, there’s no reason to think otherwise. As consistent as his work is and as his pitching is, the results are going to be as consistent as they’ve been, which is unfair for a guy with two Cy Youngs and as good as he is. But, I think we’re lucky to have him. I think there’s 29 other teams that would give anything up to have a guy like that.”

Q: How are you physically right now?

AM: “I feel really good. I just did a back to back. I threw more pitches than I’d like to in each appearance, but I thought it was good. I think that was probably a little too much of my focus, was just focused on the physical act and nothing else. Everybody that goes through that [if they] had an offseason dealing with trying to get stronger and test it out, but I felt really, really good. But to pitch on hard mounds on day games like this back to back, I couldn’t be happier with the way I feel physically.”

Indians report: Matt Belisle named to Opening Day roster, likely rounding out bullpen Ryan Lewis GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: The Indians were pleased with both of their remaining options for the final spot in the bullpen based on their track record, but it still meant one conversation would be pleasant and the other less so. As camp has wound down, the seventh spot in the Indians bullpen came down to veteran nonroster invitees Matt Belisle and Carlos Torres. Both had some hiccups this spring, but both have qualities the Indians liked. In the end, it was Belisle who had the happier sit-down talk with Indians manager Terry Francona on Saturday. He became the seventh and likely final reliever in the bullpen to start the season, joining Cody Allen, Andrew Miller, Dan Otero, Zach McAllister, Tyler Olson and Nick Goody. “I don’t think we would’ve made a wrong decision adding either guy,” Francona said. “I don’t think it’s so much that somebody didn’t do something. I just think, in the end, you look at Belisle’s track record and the way he carries himself. I mean, there’s more than just the innings he pitches. He’s such a leader-type guy.” Belisle, 37, last season posted a 4.03 ERA and 4.07 FIP for the Minnesota Twins and down the stretch acted as the closer, recording nine saves, as they chased a spot in the postseason. “He’s a really hard worker,” Francona said. “I mean, you talk to people in the game and he’s usually in the top handful of when guys talk about teammates and work ethic and leadership. … But, even in his rough outing two outings ago, the game never ran him. He’s always in charge of the game, which I think, with his experience and things like that, it’s very noticeable.” Francona said on Saturday the Indians would welcome back Torres if he couldn’t find work at the major-league level elsewhere, hoping he knows how highly he is regarded by the organization. Torres on Saturday exercised the out-clause in his contract and was granted his release. The Indians had been debating the idea of carrying an eight-man bullpen into the regular season, which Francona likes to do in the correct circumstances. But with some question marks in the outfield because of the health issues of Michael Brantley and Brandon Guyer, Belisle will likely be the last addition on the pitching side for the Opening Day roster. The outfield is now the last piece of the puzzle. Brantley (ankle) and Guyer (wrist) are both logging time in Cactus League games with their status for the regular season still unknown. If one or both aren’t available by that time, Tyler Naquin and Rob Refsnyder are the next two up for the 24th and 25th spots. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 03.25.2018 Indians notebook: Brandon Guyer feels good in return; Corey Kluber delivers final spring tuneup; Bradley Zimmer flashes speed Ryan Lewis SURPRISE, Ariz.: Brandon Guyer’s spring plans were derailed before he could really get going, forcing him to alter his expectations of returning for Opening Day. The outfielder had surgery on his left wrist last October and was hoping to be ready the next time the games counted. Early in camp, though, he had a setback and was held out of Cactus League games until Saturday, with less than a week to go before the Indians head to Seattle for the start of the regular season. Now, with Opening Day so close, it’s tough for Guyer to stay patient, even though staying healthy for the duration of the season remains the most important goal. “Ever since surgery, my goal was to be good for Opening Day, but once I had that setback and stuff, I said, ‘I want Opening Day, but I just want to be healthy for the majority of the season,’ ” Guyer said. “That’s still the focus and mindset, but now that we’re getting closer to Opening Day, I’m getting that itch, I want to be on it and be ready. We’ll see what happens.” Guyer on Saturday went 1-for-3 and was hit by a pitch in his Cactus League debut. He had collected about 20-some at-bats in minor-league games before Saturday. “I’ve knocked the rust off a little bit,” Guyer said. “But just to get called up and get in a big-league game, it feels good. Just keep going, keep grinding and see where we go from here.” The outfield remains the last question mark on the Indians roster heading into Opening Day. Guyer and Michael Brantley (ankle) are the unknowns, and if one or both aren’t ready their spots will go to Tyler Naquin and/or Rob Refsnyder. Outside of Guyer’s debut, Saturday’s game acted as Corey Kluber’s last tuneup before he takes the ball on Opening Day on March 29. Kluber tossed six innings, gave up two earned runs on three hits and struck out six. He ends his spring with a 2.29 ERA. “[I feel] right where I need to be,” Kluber said of his spring. “Went through the normal progressions this spring, pitches, up and down, things like that. I feel like we got everything mechanically, delivery, pitch-wise where we like it to be. So, pretty good.” Roberto Perez slugged a solo home run, his fifth of the spring. His Cactus League OPS is now 1.265. Saturday’s game also included a scary scene. Erik Gonzalez sharply lined a foul ball into the first-base dugout, which struck Rangers hitting instructor Howard Johnson in the face. Johnson was down for several minutes and attended to by the medical staff. He was carted off the field on a stretcher while holding a towel over his face and taken to a local hospital. “I [finished] the at-bat, but my mind wasn’t in the moment at home plate, you know?” Gonzalez said. “I was thinking too much about him, what happened. I’m so sorry for that.” Before Friday’s game, Mike Clevinger relaxed in the Indians clubhouse in Goodyear, Ariz., by playing MLB The Show, a PlayStation 4 game. Later on, Bradley Zimmer pulled off something normally only done in video games. In the sixth inning, Zimmer was on second base when Francisco Lindor drove a ball to deep right field. It was caught by Diamondbacks outfielder Marcus Wilson for the first out of the inning. Zimmer tagged up and took off for third base, but as the throw came into the infield, he didn’t stop. Zimmer rounded third, took a big turn and beat the throw with a head-first slide, scoring from second base on a sacrifice fly. “That was unbelievable,” Francona said. “He smelled it coming around second. That was really fun to watch.” Clevinger went on to allow just one run on three hits in 5 ⅔ innings and striking out seven. He joked that he pitched better in The Show since the digital Clevinger struck out 11 hitters. Yonder Alonso also belted his seventh home run of the spring, raising his OPS in camp to 1.334. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 03.25.2018 Indians reliever Andrew Miller loves town, wants to stay: My Cleveland Grant Segall CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Righty batters love most lefty pitching. But Cleveland Indians lefty Andrew Miller's slider often buckles them to their knees. The Indians are counting on the 6-foot-7 All-Star reliever to dominate again in the 2018 season, which opens Thursday in Seattle. Andrew Mark Miller Cleveland creds: Traded to Indians by Yankees in 2016 Currently lives: Bay Village Age: 32 Schooling: North Carolina Family: Wife, Katie; two children Favorite locally owned restaurants: Lola, Barrio, Cabin Club How do you like Cleveland so far? Miller: My family's really enjoyed it. It's been a great town. We lived in Crocker Park my first year. We've been in Bay Village last year, and we'll be there again this year. The lake is beautiful. We've had a blast watching the water, watching the weather change. Do you like how Bay's developers saved a lot of the big trees and built in the shade? Andrew: Yes. It kind of reminds me of where I'm from in [upstate] Florida, with the mature trees. It's a pretty landscape. Our house has a historical marker on it. The little towns here are special, with their own personalities not far from downtown. They're great places for your kids. There's all sorts of parks and public pools. You've played in Boston and New York, among other stops. How's Cleveland compare? Andrew: I've had a blast in all three places. Most guys dream of sticking with one team and a city forever, but that's not always the reality of the business I'm part of. In New York, I could fly under the radar. I rode the train to the field every day. Hardly anybody said anything to me. Boston falls somewhere in the middle. In Cleveland, it's neat that people are so invested in their teams. Driving around, you see the flags. You can't go anywhere without fans recognizing you. That applies to all 25 guys. Do fans approach you here? Andrew: They come up. It's really short and polite. "We're watching the games. We're pulling for you." You and your wife grew up in Gainesville, home of the Florida Gators. What's it like dealing with fans of the rival Ohio State Buckeyes? Miller: I don't know if it's a rivalry. The Urban Meyer connection has brought it together. [Meyer coached football at Florida before Ohio State.] The teams played in national championships in basketball and football like a year apart. We Buckeye fans remember the outcome, sadly. Andrew: I won't bring that up. You can do it very gently. The Buckeyes seem to be a prominent force in this area. They seem to claim the whole state. How's Cleveland's food? Andrew: Good. You don't have to be on Fourth Street. There's lots of good restaurants. Lola. Barrio, if you want tacos near the ballpark. The Cabin Club is really cool -- a little log cabin with really good food inside. I hear you're a wine lover. Which Ohio wine's your favorite? Andrew: I don't know that I've ever had a wine from Ohio. I'll have to correct that when we're back in town from spring training. Favorite Ohio-owned stores? Andrew: Heinen's. And the T-shirt companies are cool. I worked with GV Art on charity stuff. Over in Crocker Park, you see the guys from Homage [based in Columbus]. Other towns don't have all those little T-shirt shops. Where do you spend the winter? Andrew: We live in Tampa now. Speaking of winter, are you getting used to our weather? Andrew: It's not too bad. But the bugs are insane. Between the midges and the mayflies, every week there's a new infestation. They move on quick, though. This season's starting earlier than ever. Mind that? Andrew: They mixed in some new off days, so hopefully guys are more rested. Hopefully, it won't be as cold when we're playing in the World Series. I like that: "when," not "if." So got any pre-game rituals? Andrew: I like to say I'm not superstitious. But, for two hours before a game, it's probably one thing after the other, almost the same as the day before. I don't step on the foul line. I always chew two pieces of Dubble Bubble. But I don't have the Jobu locker going on [a fictional Indians ritual in the movie "Major League" adopted by some real players]. I tend to wear the same stuff until something goes wrong. I tend not to wash my shoes if I pitch well. Or your jockstrap, I hear. Andrew: Yeah, I conveniently left that out. On the field, you show more emotion than many of your teammates do. Andrew: I can appreciate the idea of, "Don't show the hitter anything." But I've learned things that work for me. Clearly, what Corey [Kluber, the Indians' poker-faced ace] is doing works well for him. I'm not going to match Frankie [Lindor] for excitement and smiles. This game is not just about the physical. There are so many emotional things that go into it. I'm still working on figuring it out. Maybe talking to myself works for me. We're all unique. Manager Tito Francona likes to start "Miller Time" at very different moments in different games. Is it hard to bounce around like that? Andrew: Cody Allen has established himself as as good a closer as anybody in the game. So somebody's got to move around. Tito's so good at managing this stuff and saying his reasons and making sure everyone's communicating, it's easy to fall in line. We have 25 guys that care about winning first and foremost. You've won the division each year here, then lost three straight clinching games in the postseason. How hard were those losses to take? Andrew: It's frustrating, but that's the reality of life and our profession. Only one team wins it all. That's our goal. The Cavs broke the Cleveland curse, but the Indians still haven't won a World Series since 1948. Do you feel the pressure? Andrew: That falls on the fans. We become aware, but our window is different than for people living in Cleveland for generations. We would take a lot of pride in bringing that to an end. I saw what the Cavs got to experience when they won. This town would go nuts for any team that wins. We hope to experience that for ourselves. Could it happen this year? Andrew: We're in a good place, with what the organization's done and what they've got here. We ought to be good. We have a lot of exciting guys to watch. We've got the talent and the leadership. We're going to have the opportunity, and we hope to get it done this year. After the season, you'll become a free agent. Sticking around? Andrew: I'm focused on this season. But absolutely. if I have an opportunity to stay here, I would. I love it here. The city's been great to us. I can't imagine a better place to be. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.25.2018 Brandon Guyer's debut and 4 other things we learned about the Cleveland Indians on Saturday Paul Hoynes SURPRISE, Ariz. a Spring training is almost over, but for Brandon Guyer it's just starting. He played his first official spring game Saturday against Texas. He singled in his first at-bat and in the seventh was hit by a pitch. Some things never change. "It felt like a bee sting," said Guyer, second in the big leagues in hit by pitches over the last three years. Anthony Rizzo of the Cubs has been hit 70 times over the last three years to lead the big leagues in pain. Guyer is second with 63 and he'd probably be comfortably in the lead, but he played only 70 games last season because of a sore left wrist that needed surgery in October. Guyer re-aggravated the wrist last month after camp just opened. It explains why Saturday was his first Cactus League game. All of which leads to the question a will he be ready when the Indians open the season Thursday in Seattle? "I don't know," said Guyer. "I really can't give you an answer on that." Guyer said he feels good physically and it's helped that he's been getting at-bats in minor league games. But he doesn't sound like he's convinced that he's 100 percent healed. "The physical aspect is still the biggest aspect for me," said Guyer. "I don't think I'm out of that period where I'm 100 percent with this thing. It feels good, but I don't know (about) making a diving catch or something like that." Guyer has told manager Terry Francona that he still feels pain in the wrist when he swings and misses. If Guyer can't start the season on time, there's a chance Rob Refsnyder could start in his place. Refsnyder is a right-handed hitter like Guyer. No. 1: Opening day belongs to Corey Kluber Kluber, who pitched six innings Saturday in his final Cactus League game, will make his fourth straight opening day start for the Tribe on Thursday in Seattle. "It's fun. Opening day is a cool day," said Kluber. "It's special for baseball. And I think we've got a lot of guys who could have pitched that day. But it is an honor and something to look forward to." Corey Kluber on starting opening day for the Cleveland Indians Kluber made five Cactus League starts and one minor league start this spring. "I'm right where I need to be," said Kluber. "I feel like we've got everything mechanically a delivery, pitch-wise a where we like it to be." No. 2: Mike Clevinger will be home alone When the Indians break camp after Tuesday's game against Arizona and head for Seattle, Clevinger will not be with them. He'll stay behind and start a Class AAA game against Milwaukee on Wednesday to keep him in line to start April 2 against the Angels in Anaheim, Calif. The Angels drafted Clevinger in the fourth round in 2011 and traded him to the Indians in 2014. Mike Clevinger on throwing strikes and belly breathing The rotation will roll out this way: Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, Clevinger and Tomlin. No. 3: Danny Salazar's bullpen session Salazar threw his first bullpen session of the spring on Thursday. It went well, but he was hesitant at first. "I was pain free, but I was afraid to let the ball go and feel that pain again," said Salazar. "It went really well. I didn't feel anything...not even soreness." Salazar threw 25 pitches, clearing a physical and mental hurdle as he did. Cleveland Indians, Spring Training, Day 8, in Goodyear, ArizonaIndians right-hander Danny Salazar, dealing with a sore right shoulder, threw his first bullpen session of the spring on Thursday.Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer "It's that thing that gets into your mind and your mind won't let your arm go even though your arm is ready to throw the ball," said Salazar. "It's like something is holding it (back)." Salazar had inflammation in his right rotator cuff when he reported to spring training in February. His shoulder first started hurting during his throwing program in the Dominican Republic over the winter. On Sunday, Salazar will throw another bullpen session. He says he'll have to throw about seven or eight bullpens before he can throw a simulated game. Then he'll start his version of spring training in Goodyear. No. 4: Update on the walking wounded Francona said infielder Giovanny Urshela is progressing well from his hamstring injury and may play in a game before the Indians break camp. He is still expected to open the season on the disabled list. Michael Brantley (right ankle) is scheduled to play his third Cactus League game on Sunday. It's sounding more and more like Brantley will be ready for the season opener. Francona said Brantley's gait isn't as smooth as usually, but added you really have to look hard to see it. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.25.2018 Corey Kluber strikes out six as the Cleveland Indians cruise to 10-3 win over Texas Paul Hoynes SURPRISE, Ariz. - Corey Kluber prepared for his opening day start Thursday at Safeco Field against Seattle by throwing six innings Saturday in a 10-3 win over Texas at Surprise Stadium. Kluber went 4-0 with a 2.29 ERA in five spring starts. He struck out six on Saturday to give him 25 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings. He walked five and allowed 11 hits. Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus hit a two-run homer off Kluber in the first as he fought to find the strike zone. After that the game belonged to the Indians. Catcher Roberto Perez homered in the sixth to make it 2-1. It was his fifth homer of the spring. Yan Gomes, the Tribe's other catcher, played DH on Saturday. He put the Indians ahead to stay with a two-run double in the seventh to start a four-run inning. The Indians added five more runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Minor Leaguer Hosea Nelson had a two-run double in the eighth. The Indians finished with 12 hits, including two by Mike Napoli, who also stole a base. The Tribe is 18-12-2 this spring. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.25.2018 Texas Rangers coach Howard Johnson hit in face by foul ball in game against Cleveland Indians Paul Hoynes SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Howard Johnson, a coach for the Texas Rangers, was hit in the face Saturday by foul ball in a spring-training game against the Indians. Johnson was carried out of Texas dugout on a stretcher, placed on a cart and taken to a nearby hospital. The foul liner came off the bat of Indians shortstop Erik Gonzalez in the fourth inning. The Texas medical staff tended to Johnson for several minutes before he was carried out of the dugout with a towel over his face. Play was stopped during that time as Gonzalez stood near the plate with obvious concern. Johnson, 57, is the hitting coach at Class AAA Round Rock. He played 14 years in the big leagues with Detroit, the Mets, Colorado and the Cubs. "When I hit the ball, I was looking at the dugout and I saw him, he was facing the field -- the other way," said Gonzalez. "I felt a little frustrated in that moment right there. I [finished] the at-bat, but my mind wasn't in the moment at home plate, you know? I was thinking too much about him, what happened. I'm so sorry for that." Gonzalez, who struck out after hitting Johnson, said he knows some players on Texas and was going to text them after the game to see how Johnson is. Third base coach Mike Sarbaugh and manager Terry Francona told Gonzalez that he can't control things like that. Gonzalez said he understood that, but added, "That was a bad moment." Said Francona, "Your heart is in your throat. It's awful. . .awful. I takes a while to keep playing the game because you're human. It's scary. I talked to Erik because it looked like he was pretty shook up." Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.25.2018 Brandon Guyer gets first start: Cleveland Indians' spring-training lineup for Saturday Paul Hoynes GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- It's been a long spring for Brandon Guyer, but he seems to be making progress in recovering from surgery on his left wrist. Guyer made his first spring-training start on Saturday against Texas. Manager Terry Francona batted him second and played him in left field. "We'd like to see him play about seven innings," said Francona. Guyer underwent surgery in October and suffered a setback in February during the early days of spring training. He's been playing in minor league games for the last week or so, but it's stlll uncertain if he'll be ready for opening day Thursday in Seattle. "We need him to be a force for us," said Francona. The Indians acquired Guyer from Tampa Bay in 2016 and he did a good job against left-handed pitcher. Last season, slowed by the wrist injury, Guyer wasn't as effective. If Guyer doesn't open the season on time, Rob Refsnyder or Tyler Naquin could replace him. Refsnyder, a right-hander hitter, may have an edge. Right-hander Matt Belisle makes Cleveland Indians' bullpen; Carlos Torres gets bad news Paul Hoynes GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Now there's just one position to solve -- the outfield. The Indians filled the last spot in their bullpen Saturday morning by telling Matt Belisle that he made the team. The decision came down to right- handers Belisle and Carlos Torres. That leaves the outfield as the only undecided position on the team. The Indians are still unsure if Michael Brantley and Brandon Guyer are healthy enough to open the season on Thursday in Seattle. If they aren't, Tyler Naquin and Rob Refsnyder have a chance to make the club. The bullpen sets up this way: Cody Allen, Andrew Miller, Tyler Olson, Dan Otero, Zach McAllister, Nick Goody and Belisle. In giving Torres the bad news, manager Terry Francona told him he'd like him to stay in the organization if he doesn't get another big league job. Torres, despite that offer, exercised his opt out clause and became a free agent. "These are difficult decisions to make," said Francona. "I don't think we would have made a wrong decision adding either guy. "I don't think it's so much that somebody didn't do something. But in the end we looked at Belisle's track record and the way he carries himself. There are more things than the way he pitches. He's such a leader-type guy." The Indians signed Belisle and Torres to minor league deals after the start of spring training. Belisle pitched with the Twins last season and Torres with Milwaukee. Belisle went 0-1 with a 6.10 ERA in 10 appearances with the Indians. He struck out eight and walked one, but the opposition hit .426 against him. Torres went 1-1 with a 6.10 ERA in 10 appearances. He struck out nine, walked six and the opposition hit .311 against him. So these guys didn't exactly set the desert ablaze with their arms. "As hard as it was to talk to Torres on the flip side that's how good it felt to talk to Belisle," said Francona. "There were a lot of mixed emotions this morning." Belisle, 37, made 62 appearances for the Twins last year. He finished the season as their closer, saving nine games. He averaged 8.1 strikeouts and 3.3 walks per nine innings (54 strikeouts and 22 walks in 60 1/3 innings). "You talk to people in the game and he's in the top handful of guys when it comes to being a good teammate, leadership and work ethic," said Francona. Francona said there were discussions about using an eight-man bullpen, but with so much uncertainty in the outfield, an eighth reliever didn't make sense. The Indians went into spring training trying to find a replacement for Bryan Shaw, the iron man of their bullpen who signed a three-year deal with the Rockies in December. They leave camp with those responsibilities still waiting to be claimed. "The first month of the season, guys are working into their roles and responsibilities," said Francona. "I don't think you're going to see, at least early in the season, one guy take Shaw's innings. I'm not sure it makes sense to do it like that. "I think we have plenty of good pitching to get through it. They just have different skill sets. Some guys set up differently for different hitters. That's probably the way we'll do it." Francona and pitching coach Carl Willis talked to the staff on Friday. Francona said it was mostly about some "housekeeping" items, but there was a message as well. "Mickey Callaway (former Tribe pitching coach turned Mets manager) said he felt the Mets had the best pitching staff in baseball," said Francona. "We just reminded them they belong in those conversations and not just in the past tense, but moving forward. "(We told them) to carry yourself like that and to push yourself in the right direction. It's a pretty special group." Indians pitchers posted the lowest ERA in the big leagues last year at 3.30. It was the first time since 1954 that they led MLB in ERA. The rotation went 81-38 and led the AL with a 3.52 ERA. They had three starters with 17 or more wins -- Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer. Five Tribe pitchers won 10 or more games. The bullpen went 21-22 and led the big leagues with a 2.89 ERA. The rotation is back intact. The bullpen lost Shaw, Joe Smith and Boone Logan to free agency. Guyer (left wrist) made his first start of the spring on Saturday when he played left field against Texas. He singled in his first at-bat and is scheduled to play a minor league game on Sunday. Brantley (right ankle) has played two Cactus League games and is scheduled to be in the lineup Sunday when the Indians play the Reds. Refsnyder and Naquin were in the lineup on Saturday. Refsnyder is hitting .209 (9-for-43) with two homers and six RBI. Naquin is hitting .319 (15-for-47) with two homers and 10 RBI. If Guyer isn't ready, Refsnyder may have an edge because he's right-handed. Naquin, however, has had an excellent camp. "Naquin never backs down," said Francona. "He gets an at-bat late Friday night and rifles a ball down the right field line. That's always something we've admired in his game." Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.25.2018

Yandy Diaz is trying to take flight but his approach remains a question for Indians Travis Sawchik 4h ago 3 GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Yandy Diaz is one of the great test cases of the early Statcast era, MLB's ball- and player-tracking system that debuted in 2015.

Before he was sent to minor-league camp, The Athletic approached Diaz to discuss his swing, his batted ball profile. He rose from his clubhouse chair without a shirt, looking very much like he would fit in an NFL locker room with a chiseled muscular frame and shoulders like a breakwall. Diaz appears like someone built to launch balls into the airplane scrapyard that rests beyond the outfield fence of the Indians’ spring training stadium in the western suburbs of Phoenix. Only Diaz has been failing to tap into his raw power as a professional hitter.

You might be familiar with the Yandy Diaz conundrum. Diaz’s strength is verified by the average exit velocity of batted balls off his bat. Among all major-league batters who put at least 30 balls in play last season, Diaz ranked eighth in average exit velocity (91.5 mph), according to Statcast data. The names who ranked ahead of Diaz? Aaron Judge, Nelson Cruz, Joey Gallo, Miguel Sano, Efren Navarro, Khris Davis and Giancarlo Stanton. That collection of hitters, outside of Navarro, include the top sluggers in the game.

At issue? Among hitters with at least 100 batted ball results last season, Diaz ranked 387th out of 388 batters in average launch angle (0.0 degrees). Extreme fly-ball hitter Joe Gallo led baseball with an average launch angle of 20.7 degrees. Only Ian Desmond (-0.1 degrees) had a more ground-ball prone launch angle than Diaz last season. That average launch angle meant that Diaz was tearing up turf with groundball after groundball, producing 3.13 ground balls for every fly ball last season.

Extra-base damage usually requires a baseball to take flight. There has never been a ground-ball home run.

The other curiosity about Diaz’s batted ball profile is when he has elevated a pitch he has another dramatic batted-ball tendency. Among hitters who put at least 50 batted balls in the air last season, Diaz led the majors by directing 64 percent of such batted balls to the opposite field. He pulled just eight percent of balls hit in the air. It’s a profile similar to Joe Mauer and D.J. LeMahieu. While they are high-average hitters, they do not have Diaz’s raw power.

Diaz’s batted-ball, density chart is so concentrated in the opposite field, to right field, it looks like a thunderstorm cell you might see on a weather radar resides there. While occasional fly balls to the opposite field result in extra-base hits, his total approach doesn't seem to be maximizing his potential. The Catch-22 with Diaz is this: Should the Indians really overhaul an approach that allowed Diaz to reach the majors? That has allowed Diaz to litter his minor-league resume with double-digit walks rates and .300 averages? The counter-argument is this: Shouldn't Diaz and the Indians try to maximize his offensive potential?

Former Indians assistant hitting coach Matt Quartaro, now with the Tampa Bay Rays, said it’s not so much Diaz’s swing plane as it is his contact point. Instead of talking about loft and launch angle with Diaz, the Indians seem to be more focused on his choosing better pitches to drive and ‘timing.'

Timing might seem like vague instruction but what it means for Diaz is contact point, starting his swing earlier and making contact out further in front of home plate. Such an improvement to timing and contact would not only allow Diaz to drive more pitches to his pull side, but it should result in improved launch angle. Hitting the ball out in front of the plate generally promotes a swing plane that can better launch a ball into the air for power. And that’s precisely what Diaz seems to be trying to do

Diaz told The Athletic that he is trying to change his batted-ball profile, a change that began last summer. Before his locker Diaz demonstrated how he's changed his front leg kick, ostensibly to create more movement toward the pitch.

“I’m trying to elevate it more,” said Diaz through an interpreter. “I’m just trying to do it every single day. … It’s about hitting the ball more out in front so the ball [elevates]. I’m just trying to be on time.” But Diaz didn’t talk about launch angle and doesn’t believe he needs to make a dramatic swing adjustment, rather, for Diaz it’s a matter of contact point, not swing plane. This might all be a matter of semantics, but the term “launch angle” can cause players to put defensive walls up, it sounds like a coach or analyst is suggesting a swing change, an overhaul. A swing is a personal and prized item of a professional hitter. After all, their swing is what got them to the pinnacle of the sport — or at least they believe it is what allowed them to rise to this point.

Launch angle has become a buzzword in baseball and baseball coverage in the past several years thanks to it being quantified by Statcast and due to a number of hitters remaking their swings to more often lift balls into the air. The fly-ball revolution has played a role in the record home run totals of 2017. And if the ball is indeed different, “juiced,” then it would behoove many hitters, though not all hitters, to launch it in the air as often as possible.

But launch angle suggests that a dramatic swing change is required. The Indians are not preaching launch angle, in fact Terry Francona refuses to employ the jargon. Francona said he never talks about launch angle with a player.

“You can really do some damage with a hitter,” Francona said. “It's so hard to hit a major-league pitcher, so if you're trying to, you know [elevate], I would say it's virtually impossible unless you're one of the very best hitters in the game. Those guys are kind of freaks of nature. [Josh] Donaldson. There's a few, but you're talking about a handful of guys. If you can get your young hitters to square up balls and use the whole field, as they gain experience, they're going to start to understand what balls they can drive and what balls they can elevate, things like that.”

Now perhaps allowing the ball to travel further, having a deep contact point, is in part responsible for Diaz’s 11.7 recent walk rate in the majors, and elite 14.1 rate in the minors. Diaz is also a career .315 hitter for his career in the minors.

Diaz said he is not trying to consciously pull the ball.

“If I try to pull it, I change my approach and take my eye off the ball,” Diaz said.

But if he can retain those skills and add power there is star potential here regardless wherever his ultimate defensive home is.

Diaz knows what he has to do to extract more offensive production out of his considerable potential. He doesn’t believe he needs a dramatic swing overall. He believes he has to get out in front of the pitch, out in front of this problem. Maybe it's two different ways of saying the same thing, of trying to launch, but if Diaz can, he'll be a star.

On tough conversations, a finalized Indians bullpen, health factors and how it all seems to work out in the end By T.J. Zuppe 3h ago SURPRISE, Ariz. — When spring training begins, we spend the first few days of camp predicting what the Opening Day roster might look like. We spend the next several weeks discussing the scenarios, examining how one move or decision has an impact on the rest. And as we approach the final few days, those choices get more and more difficult to accurately forecast.

But by the end of spring, one thought often rings truer than we'd probably like to admit: Somehow, this stuff finds a way to work itself out in the end.

Whether it was the mild hamstring issue that derailed Gio Urshela's strong spring or the lingering knee problem that eventually cut into Ryan Merritt's arm strength and velocity, it's uncanny how often a tough decision is delayed or eliminated by injuries or unexpected factors.

Just like that, weeks of debate are rendered obsolete.

That's not to say all competitions end with a timely, convenient trip to the disabled list. Terry Francona's least favorite conversations of the spring often take place just before or after some of his favorites, adding an interesting wrinkle to the final days of camp.

Some talks signal the continuation of a career. They speak to the organization's love or appreciation of a player. But some might feel like the opposite. Those unfortunate discussions accompany bits of bad news, the unavoidable downside of every roster battle.

Both ends of the spectrum were represented Saturday. The Indians informed veteran reliever Matt Belisle that he'd made the Opening Day roster. They told righty Carlos Torres that he had not.

“These are difficult decisions to make,” Terry Francona said. “And I don't think we would've made a wrong decision adding either guy. I don't think it's so much that somebody didn't do something. I just think, in the end, you look at Belisle's track record and the way he carries himself. I mean, there's more than just the innings he pitches. He's such a leader-type guy. And as hard as it was to talk to Torres, on the flip side, that's how good it feels to talk to Belisle. So, there's certainly a lot of mixed emotions this morning.”

We took a deep dive into Belisle's interesting 2017 campaign earlier this spring, a year in which the veteran posted an 8.66 earned run average in the first two months and a 2.11 ERA over the next four. While the upside on any 37-year-old pitcher is limited, that strong finish certainly made him worthy of a closer look.

“He's a really hard worker,” Francona said of Belisle. “I mean, you talk to people in the game. He's usually in the top handful of when guys talk about teammates and work ethic and leadership. … Even in his rough outing two outings ago, the game never ran him. He's always in charge of the game, which I think, with his experience and things like that, it's very noticeable.”

Torres, meanwhile, decided to exercise the opt-out in his minor-league deal. He's now a free agent.

With that settled, they're now set to enter the year with seven relievers: Belisle, Cody Allen, Andrew Miller, Zach McAllister, Nick Goody, Tyler Olson and Dan Otero. The idea of carrying eight relievers was discussed, but despite Francona's strong preference to carry an extra arm, the developing makeup of the roster suggested otherwise.

“With the moving parts we have,” Francona said, “like with the outfield, regardless of what decision we make, it will be hard to keep that eighth pitcher.”

The complexion of the outfield still hinges on the status of Michael Brantley, who certainly appears to be in the mix for Opening Day. That said, there's still no need to rush into a final decision. He's currently scheduled to play Sunday, which will mark his third Cactus League action of the spring.

“I think he's done a great job,” Francona said. “I think he's in a great place. Whether it's Opening Day or a week later, in the grand scheme of things, it's so important to get him back and get him back healthy.”

Guyer, who is fighting back from offseason wrist surgery, also complicates the picture. Saturday marked his first Cactus League at-bats of the spring, going 1-for-3 with an opposite field single. He's scheduled to DH in a minor league game Sunday, but he's still unsure if Opening Day is a realistic goal.

“The physical aspect is still the biggest aspect for me,” Guyer said. “I don't think I'm out of that period where I'm 100 percent with this thing. It feels good, but I don't know. Diving catch or something like that, I don't know how that's going to be. But to feel like it does right now especially after having a setback a couple of weeks ago, I didn't think I'd be here. To even have a chance for it to be Opening Day, it's great.”

The health of Brantley and Guyer continue to keep Tyler Naquin and Rob Refsnyder in the dark, the only pair of players in the Tribe clubhouse still unsure of their fate. If you read the tea leaves, they seem to indicate Naquin is the insurance policy for Brantley, and Refsnyder, who is out of options, appears to be the backup plan for Guyer. Francona even acknowledged the connection between Guyer and Refsnyder prior to the game Saturday.

“I think he has the ability to be a strong kid and do some damage against left-handers,” Francona said of Refsnyder. “That's a fair assessment.”

Other odds and ends from Tribe camp Guyer's Cactus League debut may have come in Surprise, but there was little shock when the outfielder was hit by a pitch in his final plate appearance of the afternoon. For Guyer, getting drilled seems to be a repeatable skill. He's second in baseball in hit-by-pitches since the start of the 2015 season.

After the game, it was suggested that spring training is where you work on all parts of your game — hit-by-pitch included.

“No,” Guyer responded. “I don't want to work on that. Ever.”

Prior to his most recent start, Mike Clevinger spent a good portion of his morning Friday playing “MLB The Show” in the Tribe clubhouse. Of course, Clevinger selected himself as the starter in a matchup against the Braves.

The video game eventually drew a crowd in the corner of the locker room. A few of Clevinger's teammates began to joke with the young righty.

“Why are you throwing 7 miles per hour?” Cody Allen quipped.

“That was actually 94,” another player chimed in, defending Clevinger.

Following his Friday night outing against the Diamondbacks, Clevinger was asked which version of himself pitched better: real life or digital?

“ 'The Show' Clevinger got a lot of tickets,” he said, pointing to his strikeout total. “I don't know how many tickets I punched tonight, but I think I punched 11 on 'The Show' today. He might've had the better of the two.”

Corey Kluber's final tuneup before Opening Day resulted in a six-inning, two-run effort against the Rangers.

More important, Kluber enters the year with a strong, full beard. After his outing Saturday, The Athletic asked whether he feels more confident starting the season with his facial hair in midseason form.

After a few seconds, Kluber's smile grew. “That's just laziness,” he said.

Tyler Naquin in battle for Indians’ last roster spot | Jeff Schudel By Jeff Schudel, The News-Herald & The Morning Journal Indians manager Terry Francona is down to the last few decisions in finalizing his 25-man roster for the season opener on March 29 in Seattle.

Rajai Davis has made the team. Infielder Giovanny Urshela will likely begin the season on the disabled list with a leg injury, which means Erik Gonzalez has made the team, at least for now.

One of the final battles is being fought between outfielder Tyler Naquin and second baseman Rob Refsnyder, Francona told reporters covering the Indians in spring training.

“We told them they have to hang in there, that it’s probably going to come down to the last couple days,” Francona said. “We have to see how Michael Brantley is doing. We have to see how many guys we take in the bullpen.” Brantley is recovering from ankle surgery and hasn’t been playing on a regular basis yet. Outfielder Brandon Guyer is recovering from wrist surgery.

Naquin and Refsnyder can both play all three outfield positions, Francona said. He said Refsnyder “can do some damage to left-handed pitching.”

Davis making the team is no surprise. His speed is important on the bases and his smile and leadership are important in the clubhouse.

“I think he feels he has the freedom to be himself, and that’s a good thing,” Francona said. “He’s comfortable here and we’re comfortable with him. We all feel he has the chance to help us win.”

Pitcher Ryan Merritt will begin the season on the disabled list with a sore right knee. Francona said the problem has lingered since the offseason.

Mariners bring back lefty Wade LeBlanc on a big league contract By Ryan Divish PEORIA, Ariz. — With spring training in its final days and the 2018 season looming, teams are paring down rosters and players are suddenly becoming available on the open market. The Mariners have used that situation to bring back veteran left-handed pitcher Wade LeBlanc to add to their opening day roster. A baseball source confirmed an earlier report from ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick that the organization is signing LeBlanc to a Major League contract and he will make the opening day roster. The Mariners plan to capitalize on LeBlanc’s versatility and experience. They will use him as a long reliever, but could spot start him if needed. Seattle first acquired LeBlanc in midway through the 2016 season from the Blue Jays when injuries leveled their starting rotation. He helped the Mariners survive the injuries, posting a 3-0 record with a 4.50 ERA in eight starts and three relief appearances. It was a fast moving process considering LeBlanc was released on Friday morning. He had signed a minor league deal with the Yankees with an invite to spring training. LeBlanc appeared in seven Grapefruit League games this spring, posting a 5.27 in 13 2/3 innings pitched. He spent last season in the Pirates bullpen, making 50 appearances and posting a 5-2 record with a 4.50 ERA. He isn’t a lefty specialist. Because of his diving changeup to the left-side of the plate, he’s actually been more effective vs. right-handed hitters in his career. With LeBlanc slated for the bullpen, it could mean that either Casey Lawrence or right-hander Chasen Bradford will likely not make the team. Seattle had planned to carry eight relievers and four starting pitchers to start the season LeBlanc would join lefties Marc Rzepczynski and James Pazos and right-handers Edwin Diaz, Juan Nicasio, Nick Vincent, Dan Altavilla along with the final reliever that has yet to be finalized. Seattle Times LOADED: 03.25.2018 Felix Hernandez says he’s ready to start on opening day after getting win against Cubs Saturday night By Bob Condotta PEORIA, Ariz. — Felix Hernandez’ bid to prove he is ready to be the Mariners’ Opening Day starter for a 10th straight year could hardly have started more ominously. On what was Hernandez’ first pitch of just his second start of the spring Saturday night against the Cubs, Ian Happ clubbed it over the left field wall for an opposite-field home run. “That was the wind,’’ Hernandez shrugged later. “That fly in Seattle is not even on the warning track.’’ And from there, while Hernandez was hardly efficient, he settled down and allowed only the one run and four hits while striking out three in 3.2 innings in Seattle’s eventual 7-3 win, and in his eyes showed Mariner manager Scott Servais he deserves to start Thursday against Cleveland. “I’m happy with the work, I’m happy with my arm,’’ he said after what was his first start since Feb. 26 when he was hit by a line drive in his upper forearm. “So everything is fine.’’ And while Servais seemed to indicate that he agrees with Hernandez’ assessment, an official declaration that Hernandez will indeed get the start on Opening Day will have to wait at least another day. Servais said Hernandez appeared to come out of the game fine in throwing 63 pitches but that they’ll still want to see how Hernandez feels a day later before naming him the starter against the Indians. “The goal was to get him to 65 pitches,’’ Servais said. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow and see where we go from there.’’ Servais said earlier in the week that Hernandez would be “given every opportunity’’ to make the Opening Day start despite having had so little work this spring due to the arm injury — he had thrown just 1.1 innings before Saturday night. The other option is to go with James Paxton, who is scheduled to start Sunday. Hernandez said he knew that how he performed against the Cubs would likely make-or-break his chances of keeping his Opening Day starting streak alive. “Yes,’’ he said when asked if he regarded it as a “prove it’’ game. “Yes it was.’’ In fact, Hernandez said the realization of what was at stake had him feeling too hyped up early and resulted in some wildness in his first two innings. “I think I was too excited,’’ he said. “I think today was like the first time out there in a long time. Opening Day I can control myself.’’ He needed 18 pitches to get through the first inning against what was a split-squad Cubs team that included few of Chicago’s big-name stars, when he also gave up a hard single to Efren Navarro along with the home run. And he needed 20 to get through the second when he gave up a walk and a single before inducing a double play on a full-count pitch to Mark Zagunis. “Bad,’’ he said of his command. “Bad. Really bad.’’ Said Servais: “Thought he was really amped up. Thought he overthrew a little bit in the first inning, part of the second inning out there. Thought his fastball had really good life. Sometimes when you are a little amped up the command of the secondary pitches isn’t quite there.’’ But it got better from there as he retired five of the final six batters he faced, leaving with a runner on second in the fourth after reaching his pitch count. Hernandez credited a talk with catcher Mike Zunino, who told him basically to stop trying to hard. “Talked to Z, he said don’t try to be too quick to the plate, just don’t rush to the plate and trust the 85 percent that you have and that will be good,’’ he said. Hernandez also pitched without sleeves, something he said he hadn’t done in roughly 10 years, deciding to take them off after warming up earlier in the day. He hopes to put them back on Thursday when he says “it’ll be freezing.’’ But he wouldn’t have it any other way making clear that he hopes to be on the mound Opening Day. “It means a lot,’’ he said. “It means a lot to any pitcher. It’s Opening Day of the season. A lot of eyes on you.’’ Servais had said before the game he wanted to see Hernandez go at least four innings or so and throw 60 pitches or so, which he said would show that Hernandez would be able to maybe go five against the Indians. Hernandez, though, said he’s ready to go more if asked. “I can go to maybe 90,’’ he said. Though with the command he had Saturday it would likely take that many to get through five. Hernandez said he felt good with his fastball, which was consistently in the 91-92 range and did not top 92, but agreed with Servais that he needs some refinement on his breaking pitches. “Work on that in the bullpen Monday,’’ he said. A 10th straight Opening Day start would tie Hernandez for fourth in Major League history with Roy Halladay, Walter Johnson and Steve Carlton behind only Jack Morris (14) and Robin Roberts and Tom Seaver (12). “That’d be awesome,’’ he said. And he promised that despite throwing just five innings this spring that he can be the vintage Hernandez if called on Thursday night. “Yeah,’’ he said with a smile. “That’s the kind of guy I am.’’ Seattle Times LOADED: 03.25.2018 Nick Cafardo / SUNDAY BASEBALL NOTES - Aaron Boone and the early lessons of being a rookie manager By Nick Cafardo He’s had plenty of advice thrown his way, from his dad, Bob Boone, who played in the majors for 19 years and managed for six years, and from friends and former teammates. “I don’t know if you truly know what to expect,” new Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after a two-hour bus ride from Tampa to the Twins’ spring training complex in Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday. “The answer I give to that is I don’t think I’m blindsided by anything. How do you know exactly what to expect? “Time management is important. Things you need to prioritize and things you need to do and spending your time wisely, [that’s] something that’s important because you’re bound to be pulled in different directions on any given day so it’s important that you make your list of things you must do during the course of the day.” Has it been overwhelming at times? Everything baseball every Monday-Friday during baseball season, and weekly in the offseason. “I haven’t felt that way at all,” Boone said. “The days are full. They are challenging at times, but that’s what happens when you’re a big league manager. It comes with the territory. One thing that’s tough is having to make tough decisions like sending people down, especially when it involves someone’s livelihood. It’s something I have a great deal of empathy for. It’s never easy to do that, but that’s your job as the manager.” So Boone accepts all of the advice. He welcomes it. Boone comes from a baseball family. His grandfather, Ray Boone, was a two-time All-Star in his 13-year career and a longtime Red Sox scout. Bob won seven Gold Gloves and caught 2,225 games, third most in history. Aaron’s brother Bret Boone had a very good 14-year career, driving in an American League-leading 141 runs while hitting .331 with 37 homers for the 116-win Mariners in 2001. Aaron is best known for his 11th-inning, first-pitch, walkoff homer off Tim Wakefield in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS, which he entered in the eighth inning as a pinch runner. Boone spent seven of his 12 seasons with Cincinnati and played just a half-season in New York. He’s even received advice from Alex Rodriguez, who is an adviser for the Yankees as well as an ESPN baseball analyst. “He has a unique view of the game. A good view of the game. He’s very astute. He sees things that can help our team and our organization. So yes, I welcome Alex’s input,” Boone said. Boone and Rodriguez have an odd career intersection. Boone injured his knee playing basketball after the 2003 season, which led to the Yankees trading for Rodriguez (who took over for Boone at third base) and releasing Boone a week later. And when Boone took the manager’s job in New York, A-Rod replaced Boone on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” broadcast team. “And so I guess you know who the next manager of the Yankees is,” quipped Boone. Boone also is friends with new Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Their MLB careers overlapped for 12 seasons and they worked together at ESPN. They text each other all the time. “He’s been a friend and someone I have a lot of respect for and someone I’m going to enjoy competing against,” Boone said. “I think we can relate to each other a little bit. That’s safe to say, but I’m sure there are going to be times when we’re not so friendly to each other. That just comes with the territory. But at the end of the day we’re going to stay friends even though we understand that the competition between us could create some tension between us.” Boone and Cora have the monumental task as rookie skippers of leading their high-profile teams to the World Series. Both managers were hired to better communicate with their players and staff. Both Joe Girardi and John Farrell were let go because they were perceived to be lacking in that aspect. “I think it’s a part of who I am,” Boone said. “I’m communicating with the front office, coaching staff, players, support staff. Hopefully that’s a strength and something I’ll do well. I’m not sure it’s as much a point of emphasis as I try to be myself every day.” Boone already has decided that the Yankees will open the season with 13 pitchers. He’s also decided that there won’t be a “personal catcher” situation with his backup because he wants Gary Sanchez to catch the majority of games and because he doesn’t want to create a scenario where a pitcher is dependent on a backup catcher in the playoffs. “If we can avoid getting pigeonholed I’d like to stay away from that,” Boone said. “I guess on other teams where you have a situation where the catching is split more, I understand it, but Gary will do the bulk of the catching.” Boone said that Sanchez has gotten better at game-calling and understanding game situations. He’s also improved his blocking skills. Boone also said that he doesn’t envision batting Aaron Judge leadoff (though he tried it against the Red Sox on Friday). Boone will have to find an outfield/DH rotation to accommodate Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks, Jacoby Ellsbury, Giancarlo Stanton, and Judge. Boone knows he’ll be asked often about the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. He thinks it’s never been better. “I feel we’re in a good place,” Boone said. “We have a chance to be an excellent team. Our goal is to win the World Series, but that’s also so far out there. If you’re thinking about that, you’re getting ahead of yourself, but you have to live day to day and there’s a lot of steps along the way to get to that situation. “The Red Sox are always a concern. They’ve won two [straight] divisional titles and they are a really good team. We have to deliver and perform to the level they’re capable of. The AL East is a grind. Baltimore just got better by adding Alex Cobb and Toronto is scary. So we have to be at our best every day.” LOWER LEVEL Minor leaguers seek pay bump Minor leaguers have been paid paltry salaries for years, and apparently that will continue after President Trump signed into a law the $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill on Friday. Minor leaguers will be exempt from federal labor law concerning minimum and overtime pay, meaning players would make as little as $1,100 a month and a maximum of $2,500. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 in Section 13(a) says, “Any employee employed to play baseball who is compensated pursuant to a contract that provides for a weekly salary for services performed during the league’s championship season (but not on spring training or the off season) at a rate that is not less than a weekly salary equal to the minimum wage under section 6(a) for a workweek of 40 hours, irrespective of the number of hours the employee devotes to baseball related activities.” “It would be totally impractical to treat players as hourly employees,” Daniel Halem, MLB’s deputy commissioner of baseball administration told the New York Times. “Minor league baseball is not a career. It is intended to be an avenue to the major leagues where you either make it, or you move on to something else.” Minor leaguers are considered seasonal employees. In no way does MLB want to dip into its $10 billion in revenues to take care of minor leaguers, and minor leaguers are not represented by MLB’s Players Association. Some minor leaguers earn large signing bonuses after being drafted, but that’s mostly for players taken in the first few rounds. “It’s a joke,” said one longtime minor league coach. “The hard work and long hours people put in at the minor league level to be paid what we all get paid is ridiculous. These kids are the future and the coaches and managers are developing the future of their organization. Makes no sense.” Apropos of nothing 1. Alex Rodriguez was extremely insightful in his first game in the ESPN booth on Thursday, when the Yankees played the Twins. Rodriguez, who’s a Yankees adviser, said, “It’s the most talent I’ve ever seen on a Yankee team.” 2. Some Red Sox players consider Joe Kelly to be one of the best athletes on the team, if not the best. Kelly thinks he might be the fastest player on the 25-man roster. “We’ve got some good [athletes],” he said. “I still think I’m the fastest. Running and jumping I could beat anybody.” Even Mookie Betts? “In a race? Oh, yeah,” Kelly said. “We don’t really have anyone that blazes. When I was in St. Louis everyone wanted me to race Peter Bourjos. That would have been nose to nose.” 3. I still love NESN anchor Tom Caron’s take on the Yawkey Way debate. Caron suggests as a compromise to change the name to “Yawkey Foundation Way.” 4. Two free agent pitchers who could be scooped up next are Ubaldo Jimenez and Scott Feldman. They are drawing interest from teams looking for depth starters. On the relief side, the big name still out there is Greg Holland. In this era of relief pitching, you would think Holland would be desired, but his price tag is keeping teams away. 5. I remember a time when Sparky Anderson would break Tigers camp with eight pitchers. This year, a few teams — most notably the Yankees and Astros — are going with 13. 6. The Dodgers don’t feel compelled to bring in another infielder to replace injured third baseman Justin Turner, who suffered a fractured left wrist when he was hit by a pitch last week. 7. John Farrell, who has joined ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” crew, has mostly stayed clear of the media since he was let go by the Red Sox. Now he’s part of the media. Updates on nine 1. Estevan Florial, OF, Yankees — Florial, a lefthanded hitter who turned 20 in November, opened eyes in Yankees camp. The feeling is once he learns to hit the breaking ball, there’ll be no stopping him. He has five-tool ability and is a tremendously smooth outfielder. 2. Aaron Judge, RF, Yankees — Judge is making huge strides in being a team leader. His teammates have great respect for him, even as he enters just his second full season. 3. Alex Cobb, RHP, Orioles — The Orioles put in a waiver claim on Cobb last August but couldn’t work out a deal with Tampa Bay. They got their man last week, signing Cobb to a four-year, $57 million deal. Cobb was seeking four years and $70 million and turned down a four-year, $48 million offer from the Cubs. 4. Lance Lynn, RHP, Twins — The Orioles were in on Lynn but didn’t want to give up a draft pick for a one-year deal; they proposed two years. The Twins signed Lynn to a one-year, $12 million contract. Lynn’s agent, Casey Close, is betting that Lynn will have a good season and then hit the market again as a noncompensation free agent in an offseason where there won’t be a lot of quality free agent starters. Close also used that tactic with Dexter Fowler and it worked out very well. Fowler re-signed with the Cubs in 2016 on a one-year, $8 million deal after being traded to Chicago by Houston in 2015. The next offseason, Fowler signed a five-year, $82.5 million deal with the Cardinals as a noncompensation free agent, as compensation cannot be assigned to a free agent more than once. 5. Jorge Polanco, SS, Twins — Polanco was suspended for 80 games by MLB for testing positive for a PED. In his first 78 games last season, Polanco hit .213 with three homers and an OPS of .570. From then on, a span of 55 games, he hit .316 with 10 homers and an OPS of .931. 6. Clay Buchholz, RHP, Royals — His minor league deal appears to be good for both sides. Buchholz will get ready in extended spring training as he continues his rehab after shoulder surgery. His wife, Lindsay, is a native of the Kansas City area. The Royals also signed Ricky Nolasco. The hope is that both pitchers perform well and can be flipped at the trade deadline. 7. Jeremy Hellickson, RHP, Nationals – A lot of baseball people had wondered why no team had taken a chance with Hellickson. The rap is that Hellickson showed a lot of wear and tear on his arm down the stretch with the Orioles after a decent start with the Phillies. Ultimately, the Nationals beat out the Marlins for the righthander. 8. John Lackey, RHP, free agent — Word is that Lackey would only return to baseball in the right situation. The 39-year-old doesn’t want to join a rebuilding team or one that’s in transition. 9. Pedro Alvarez, DH, Orioles — Alvarez will likely replace the injured Mark Trumbo in the lineup, though he still needs to be added to the 40- man roster. After the outlay of money for Cobb, it doesn’t appear the Orioles will add a free agent hitter like Mike Napoli, Mark Reynolds, or Melky Cabrera.