Tito appreciative of Napoli's professionalism By Jordan Bastian MLB.com @MLBastian LAS VEGAS -- Mike Napoli hacked at a chest-high fastball, and the result was a vintage swing from the veteran slugger. A pitch that most hitters would have no business reaching wound up rocketing off his bat and soaring over the 20-foot wall beyond the left-center-field gap at Cashman Field.

For that moment on Saturday, it was easy to forget about the offensive struggles that Napoli endured last season and the fact that he is hoping scouts in attendance this spring will send reports that potentially net a Major League job. Cleveland does not have a spot to offer on the big league roster, so the clock is ticking in terms of a decision about Napoli's immediate future.

View Full Game Coverage "We're 10 days from breaking camp, and he doesn't know what lies ahead for him," Indians said before Sunday's 11-4 win over the Cubs in Las Vegas. "This will be the first time in about 12 years. I think you're thinking, 'Am I done?' I don't know what's going to happen, but I do know that, to me, he's still Napoli. I've just tried to remind him of that a couple times."

One of those reminders came during Saturday's 11-4 loss to the Cubs, following Napoli's impressive two- blast off Carl Edwards Jr. in the seventh inning. In Francona's view, Napoli still offers more to a team than the slugger's 3-for-21 showing in Cactus League play can portray. The brings a wealth of experience -- including trips to three -- and is both a leader and mentor behind the scenes. Francona would love nothing more than for another team to come calling with a big league job for the 36-year-old Napoli, though it is unclear at the moment if that is in the cards. The manager has had some private conversations with Napoli over the past few weeks about his future, and Francona said the team will be sitting down with him again this week to consider his options.

"There's been nothing official in our conversations," Francona said of Napoli, who went 0-for-1 with two walks and a run scored on Sunday. "[We'll continue] to talk with him, just to get his opinion on things."

If no MLB opportunity presents itself, one possibility for Napoli -- in camp with the Tribe on a Minor League contract -- would be to consider starting the season with Triple-A Columbus. That would give the Indians some veteran depth behind Yonder Alonso and Edwin Encarnacion, and it would give Napoli the chance to continue to audition for other clubs, while serving as an example for Cleveland's prospects to follow.

Napoli, who is an XX(B) free agent -- a player who a) has six or more years of service; b) finished the prior season on a 40-man roster or on the 60-day DL; and c) signed a Minor League deal over the offseason -- would be eligible for a $100,000 retention bonus and a June 1 opt-out clause, if he accepted a trip to the Minors. Cleveland and Napoli have to make their decision on that front by Saturday.

Francona called those aspects of Napoli's contract "technicalities." What Francona and the Indians want is to do right by Napoli, who has earned a strong reputation around the game and meant so much to the 2016 Cleveland club that reached the World Series.

Two years ago, Napoli belted 34 home runs and collected 101 RBIs for the Indians team that won the first of two straight division crowns and captured the American League pennant. Last year, Napoli signed with the Rangers -- one of four teams he has suited up for over his dozen years in the big leagues -- and endured a tough year. The right-handed slugger did launch 29 home runs for Texas, but he hit .193 and posted an 82 OPS+ and .713 OPS. In an extremely down winter for many free agents, Napoli was without a job when began. He reported to the camp for unsigned players in Bradenton, Fla., where media and scouts struggled to gain entrance to watch players' workouts. The Indians stepped in, signed Napoli on Feb. 28 and brought him to Arizona to be an example for the younger players, have a chance to be reunited with former teammates and to push for an MLB job.

"I'm glad we brought him," Francona said. "He has handled it and then some. He has been so good for us. He's been so good for the guys and good for me and good for everybody. He's just a special guy, man. There's no getting around it."

And, as Napoli gets more at-bats, he continues to have moments like he did on Saturday.

"He looks more and more like Napoli," Francona said. "This will be interesting. I know he's got a lot going on and he's thinking a lot, but I told him, man, he can still play."

Multi-inning work brings out best in McAllister By Jordan Bastian MLB.com @MLBastian LAS VEGAS -- Indians manager Terry Francona does not feel that one-inning outings in the spring are the best way to help Zach McAllister properly prepare for the season ahead. For the big right-hander, Francona has found that multi-inning appearances are beneficial on a few fronts.

"Since I've been here, when he gets stretched out, he's a better pitcher," Francona said before Sunday's 11-4 win over the Cubs at Cashman Field. "When he comes in for one inning in Spring Training, he may have an eight-pitch inning where he doesn't necessarily have to execute pitches. He may execute pitches, but he may not and still get out of an inning -- let's say you get a first-pitch lineout.

"When he goes out for three innings, he's got to pitch and it also builds up his stamina and it builds up his arm strength. It's really good for him." During Saturday's 11-4 loss to the Cubs, McAllister came out of Cleveland's bullpen and logged three innings, in which he allowed one run and had three against no walks. That marked the fifth multi-inning effort of the spring for McAllister, who has a 1.35 ERA with 12 strikeouts, five walks and 10 hits allowed in 13 1/3 innings among his eight Cactus League appearances. With 10 days still remaining before for the Indians, McAllister has already eclipsed his innings total from last spring (11 2/3 innings).

"I just think he's situated to have a really good year," Francona said of McAllister, who had a 2.61 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 62 innings last season. "[One is] opportunity. But I think he's in great shape. His arm looks strong. He bounces back so well. He's so resilient. But I just think he's in a good place.

"Sometimes, guys get to a certain maturity point. I just like the way he's executing pitches. When he doesn't execute a pitch, I like the way he bounces back the next pitch. I just think he's grown a lot, and I think it's good, because we're going to need it."

Camp battles • Right-hander , who is battling for the lone vacancy in the bullpen, turned in one shutout inning in Sunday's win over the Cubs in Las Vegas. Torres struck out two and walked one in the outing, which was a nice bounceback performance after he gave up five runs in his previous Cactus League appearance.

• Yandy Diaz -- trying to convince Cleveland to bring him north when camp breaks -- went 3-for-3 vs. the Cubs to improve his spring average to .412. Also in Las Vegas, Rajai Davis went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and Melvin Upton Jr. went 1-for-2 with one RBI in their respective bids to win an outfield job with the Tribe.

Injury updates • Jose Ramirez (right ankle contusion) was out of the lineup for the Indians' 16-3 win over the Mariners in Peoria, Ariz., on Sunday, but Francona said the third baseman was doing better. Ramirez, who exited Saturday's game after being struck on the ankle by a throw from the on a steal attempt of third, is slated to return to game action on Monday. • After being scratched from the lineup on Saturday due to right calf soreness, outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall was back in the lineup for Cleveland on Sunday in Arizona. He finished 0-for-3.

• Michael Brantley (right ankle) played the outfield during his Minor League game action on Saturday.

Worth noting • Catching prospect Eric Haase (No. 20 on MLB Pipeline's Top 30 Indians prospects list) belted a in Sunday's win over the Cubs. Haase started behind the plate on Saturday and Sunday and has impressed the team this spring. It proved to be a grand day for Indians overall as Yan Gomes, who was held back from the trip to Las Vegas due to arm soreness, connected on a grand slam of his own vs. the Mariners. • While lefty Tyler Olson is expected to be used mostly against left-handed batters this season, Francona said he will look for opportunities for the reliever to face both left-handed and right-handed hitters, especially early in the season. Between Triple-A and the Majors last season, Olson limited lefties to a .139 average (.528 OPS) and held righties to a .239 (.636 OPS) showing.

"He can sink the ball. I think there's a little deception," Francona said. "Last year, it's not that he couldn't get a righty out, but when you have [Bryan] Shaw sitting out there and you're winning, it's kind of easy to go to [other] guys. I wouldn't be surprised if you see [Olson] pitching full innings, maybe early in the season if we're down a run or two, just to let him get on a roll. We'll kind of see how it goes." • When Francona returns to Goodyear, Ariz., following the Big League Weekend series against the Cubs, the manager plans on getting together with members of his coaching staff and the front office to go over some upcoming roster decisions. With an off-day looming on Tuesday, another round of roster reductions is likely coming soon for the Indians.

Right-hander Josh Tomlin is scheduled to start for the Indians on Monday, when the Tribe heads to Scottsdale, Ariz., for a 4:05 p.m. ET Cactus League tilt against the Giants. In three starts this spring, Tomlin has 10 strikeouts, three walks and a 7.36 ERA in 7 1/3 innings of work.

Haase among top prospect performers • Indians No. 20 prospect Eric Haase showed off his power with his third homer, a grand slam, in a 11-4 win over the Cubs. Haase, who finished 1-for-3, cleared the bases with a mammoth homer over the right-field wall in the third inning.

Under control: Roberto Pérez wants to be known as more than just some defense-first catcher By T.J. Zuppe 4h ago 1 PEORIA, Ariz. — spent part of his Sunday morning playfully teasing his battery mate, Roberto Pérez. Apparently, the two had gotten briefly crossed up during his recent start in Mesa, and the hurler jokingly reminded Pérez of the situation as the duo prepared for their day.

But then again, Pérez had just slugged a grand slam earlier in that game, his third homer of the spring. What more could a pitcher want from the guy?

The friendly exchange stood out, not only because of Pérez's heroics earlier in the contest, but also because it's pretty rare to hear any sort of complaint — real or playfully manufactured — about his work behind the plate. In fact, it's Pérez's defense and work with the pitching staff that earned him the majority of backstop playing time down the stretch last season.

You see, Pérez isn't just regarded as one of baseball's best framing and receiving catchers. MLB Statcast also recently backed his standing as one of the game's most effective throwers.

Here is how Pérez ranked defensively among catchers last year:

• Framing runs (via Baseball Prospectus): 6th • Throwing runs (via BP): 22nd • Fielding runs above average (via BP): 7th • Pop time (via Statcast): 11th

While Pérez will always take great pride in his defense, he wants more for himself and his team in 2018.

“I know I'm, No. 1, a defensive guy. My defense comes first,” Pérez told The Athletic. “But I've been working so hard on my hitting, man. I just don't want to be just known as, 'Oh, he's very good defensively.' I want to contribute to this team. I think I can do it. But it's a matter of trusting it and having confidence and believing in what I'm doing and putting it together.”

So far, he has.

Over his first 13 spring games, Pérez has collected 12 hits in 30 at-bats. Seven of those hits have been for extra bases, including four doubles and three homers. He's also walked twice, striking out just four times (11.7 percent). Of course, Cactus League stats are never infallible — they're often the opposite — but it does speak to a much more aggressive Pérez than we've previously seen. He says he isn't doing much different from a routine standpoint. But he has made a shift in mentality.

Step one: stop giving away pitches or at-bats.

“I'm under control,” Pérez said. “As a catcher, you go play defense, and then when you go to bat, it's easy to lay back and start taking first pitches. I'm looking to start from pitch No. 1. I'm trying to be aggressive with every pitch and don't miss it.

“It's just a mindset. Don't waste an at-bat. Just be ready to hit your pitch and drive it. It's been working.”

Pérez has always had a good eye for the strike zone. His ability to draw walks has kept his on-base percentage over .300 throughout his career despite an average that sits 16 points above the Mendoza line. That said, it's always felt like Pérez was a better hitter than he'd previously demonstrated. He acknowledged it can be tough to establish a strong rhythm when the at-bats are scarce. But he didn't want to stand behind that as an excuse.

“I just wanted to contribute,” Pérez said. “When you don't contribute, you feel like you don't belong on the team. I've got the talent. I know I can hit. It was a matter of making some adjustments and doing the right things.”

Those adjustments led to an increase in playing time in the final two months of the regular season. By the time the playoffs rolled around, Pérez had posted an .833 OPS in August and September and had gradually overtaken Yan Gomes for the greater share of receiving duties.

The fact he's remained dangerous this spring is encouraging.

“I just wanted to earn it,” Pérez said. “Nothing was given. At the end of the day, I was so proud of myself that I came here every day and worked out and tried to be a good hitter.”

If nothing else, Pérez's spring has helped build some confidence. Sure, pitchers aren't really using scouting reports, the environment in Arizona is conducive to offense, and these numbers don't carry over into the regular season. But they are a pleasant reward for Pérez's offensive attention.

That probably shouldn't be undersold.

“I believe that I can swing the bat,” Pérez said. “It's a matter of trusting what you're doing. When you start seeing progress, you start feeling good about yourself. I can kind of walk up there where I'm like, 'I'm going to hit this guy.' Right now, I'm not trying to do too much. I'm just playing with it, going with the flow and trying to get a good at-bat.”

The Indians have always prioritized their catchers' defensive work above all else (and they still view offense at the position as bonus) but how Pérez swings the bat could help make the playing time distribution a bit easier to forecast.

For now, he's content to put in the work, ride the hot streak and eagerly hope it carries into the year.

“Oh, man, of course,” Pérez said with a grin. “Right now, I feel really good. That's everybody. That's not just me. When you feel good, when you're doing good things, you just want the season to come to try to translate that. I'm just going to be the same guy, do the same routine … see what happens.”

The Comebacker: How a line drive nearly ended the life of Indians pitcher Evan Marshall and changed him for the better By Zack Meisel 5 GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Evan Marshall stood behind a net, his glove protecting his sweaty, trembling left hand. He had finally fought his way back to the field. Nausea, mental exhaustion, and some tears joined him.

There are days when Evan wonders why he had to be the one standing on the mound in the Texas summer heat, absorbing the 105 mph line drive to the head. Sometimes, the thoughts trickle into his mind as he’s sitting at his locker. Sometimes, they barge their way in, uninvited, after one of those ruthless nightmares.

“The fuckin’ flashbacks are real,” he says, his voice quivering.

As he takes a visual lap around the Indians’ clubhouse one spring morning, he marvels at the talent in the room and he mentally pinches himself. Yes, it’s real. He’s in camp, vying for a roster spot with a team that tallied 102 wins last season. Yes, it’s real. He’s still a baseball player. Yes, it’s real. He’s still alive.

If not for a prolific neurosurgeon, a wizard-like puppy, and unparalleled strength, Marshall wouldn’t be here. Allie Marshall would be a widow. But fate changed. And so did Evan’s perspective on life and on baseball. Now, the sky is a richer shade of blue. Food is more savory. He’s more appreciative of those around him.

“It’s just all because I came within an inch of my life,” he says.

So, no, Evan doesn’t mind throwing live batting practice on Field 6, in the back corner of the Indians’ complex, far from many of the organization’s esteemed eyes. No, he doesn’t mind the pitchers’ fielding practice, the early mornings, the rigorous schedule.

This is a blessing. He can’t take it for granted. At the start of spring camp, Evan, a non-roster invitee, requested a moment of his coaches’ time.

“You’re going to see me having fun out there, maybe more than anyone else,” he told them, “because I relish that opportunity that I almost didn’t get to have.”

Evan prayed for snow all winter in Kansas, but he never saw a single flake. The day he departed for Arizona, two inches covered his yard in Wichita. People keep telling Evan and Allie they might see flurries in Ohio in April, though.

The Indians called on the first day of free agency. After Evan signed a minor-league deal, a National League West said to Cleveland manager Terry Francona: “That’s my pick to click. His ball, there’s a lot to like.”

Evan landed in Milwaukee at 2 a.m. on the day of his major-league debut in May 2014. At 9 a.m., the Brewers’ team dentist yanked a cracked tooth from his mouth. He arrived at the ballpark that afternoon with a numb face and an inability to chew, but he breezed through the heart of Milwaukee’s order to secure a win in his first outing. He and infielder Chris Owings — his closest friend on the Diamondbacks — earned beer showers after the game. Evan spent the remainder of that season with Arizona, logging a 2.74 ERA (2.89 FIP) in 57 outings. Those were the good ol’ days.

“I thought I was just God’s gift or something,” he says. “As so many guys in this room could tell you, things change quickly. I’ve been searching to go find a season like that.”

When Arizona optioned him to Class AAA in May 2015, Evan was under the impression he’d be making a quick pit stop in Reno. He’d return in 10 days when the bullpen wasn’t taxed. Carrying minor-league options meant he was the outsider in a game of musical chairs. After all, he was still on track to retire at 35 and “live the rich guy life.”

“Baseball humbles you in every aspect,” Allie says. “Not everybody gets to be like and choose their retirement date.” Allie was home in Reno on that August night, packing for her trip to Tacoma. The next day, she and roommate Becca Stites would fly with their dogs to meet their significant others, who both pitched for Arizona’s Class AAA team.

Becca, who was texting with her future mother-in-law, stared at Allie.

“I don’t want to freak you out,” she said, “but Evan just got hit.”

Allie was perplexed. She was tracking the game on her phone. Evan had retired El Paso in order in the sixth inning. Twenty minutes later, the team’s clubhouse manager called. Evan was going through concussion protocol. He was stable; he remembered that he was married. He was destined for the disabled list and a trip back to Arizona, but he was OK. Allie called Evan’s parents. Then, she called her own. She peppered her father — a firefighter with a medical background — with questions. From the initial call, she assumed the baseball had skimmed the side of Evan’s head. It would leave a bruise, maybe. Nothing permanent. He’d rest up for a week, shake it off and return to the mound.

Then came the call from the Diamondbacks’ minor-league coordinator.

Evan had been smacked on the right side of the head by a 105 mph line drive and he was being rushed into surgery because of multiple skull fractures and a subdural hematoma and a ruptured artery. Based on what the doctors were communicating to Allie, Evan wasn’t going to make it through the night.

Allie dropped to the floor and assumed the fetal position. Becca, who had been taking out the dogs, grabbed the phone and coordinated travel plans.

“I don’t remember anything after that,” Allie says.

Allie’s dad kept in contact with the team trainer and clubhouse manager. Allie and Becca gathered the dogs and their belongings and bolted for the airport. Right before takeoff, Allie learned that Evan had survived the surgery. There was still some bleeding in his brain, but the neurosurgeon was now optimistic he’d pull through.

The three hours in the air seemed like three years. Phil Nevin, the Class AAA manager, picked them up at the airport. He waited behind as the team flew to Tacoma. He wanted somebody to accompany Allie when she first saw her husband.

“To this day, I love that man for doing that,” she says.

Evan was wearing a neck brace. A tube collected blood from the side of his head. The left side of his body wasn’t responding properly. Doctors feared partial paralysis. Allie was tasked with telling him he would never play baseball again, that their lives had changed forever.

“If he didn’t know who I was,” Allie says, “by God, I was going to make him fall back in love with me. I was bound and determined. I was not going to do life without this man.” Wade Miley got a husky puppy and Evan was hooked. He never had pets as a kid, just allergies. He was dead set on getting a dog, though, so he flooded Allie’s phone with pictures of puppies.

At the 2014 All-Star break, though they had no idea how long Evan would stick with the big-league club — the life of a reliever can be volatile — he and Allie paraded around Peoria in search of the perfect pooch. Evan vanished inside the Puppies N Love store. Allie struck up a conversation with an employee and they eventually located Evan, who was squatting down, eyeing a little white fluff ball.

The employee directed them to a private room and retrieved the pup and its paperwork. She placed the dog on the ground and he crawled into Allie’s lap. She looked at Evan. This was a done deal.

“He just got in here yesterday from Kansas,” the employee said.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Allie replied. “That’s our home. Kansas is our home.”

Allie wanted Evan to name him since it was his first pet, but Evan kept resorting to food-related monikers. They ultimately settled on Butterscotch, which became Butters. On the night of Evan’s surgery, security wanted Butters out of the hospital. Allie had nowhere to leave him — her parents were en route, but not close. Nevin had left. Becca had left. She couldn’t leave Evan's side.

Doctors asked Allie to leave Evan’s room so they could change his sheets and his blood tube. She retreated to the waiting room outside of the ICU, but two security guards directed her and the dog toward the exit. She took Butters outside and sobbed. As she dialed Evan’s mom, a hospital employee chased her down. The neurosurgeon needed Allie. Butters, too.

Evan was slipping into a coma.

Allie rushed up to the room and the neurosurgeon suggested using Butters to help wake him up. Allie was afraid the 1-year-old pup would run amok and unplug cords and IVs.

Butters remained calm, though. Allie leaned over and Butters placed his paws on Evan’s chest. His heart rate increased.

One eye opened. Then the next.

Evan craned his neck a bit to focus on the sight before him. He attempted to wiggle his hands to pet his pooch. Butters didn’t leave his side again.

When doctors had removed Evan’s breathing tube, he told his wife he was going to be a September call-up in a few weeks.

“I’m looking at him, going, ‘You have no idea what you’ve been through,’” Allie says. “ ‘You have no idea what you look like right now.’”

She was right.

“You’re lying in a hospital bed, looking up and you’re like, ‘What the hell am I doing here?’” Evan says. “‘Why is this happening?’”

Evan hadn’t grasped that he had speech issues, that he would struggle to balance, that he couldn’t drive for three months, let alone fire at imposing hitters. He completed cognitive and physical therapy at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix before he trained with the Diamondbacks’ staff at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale.

Once he returned to the baseball field, the first step was for Evan to stand on the mound and not fear for his life. He practiced catching the baseball and getting comfortable with balls bouncing up the middle.

When Evan advanced to baseball drills, Allie was terrified. They had met others who suffered head injuries. Evan was fortunate. He can walk. He can drive. He can live on his own. If he were struck in the head again, however, he wouldn’t be so lucky.

“He’s a baseball player. This is what his job is,” Allie says. “But at the end of the day, this is my husband. This is my best friend. This is the person I cannot do life without, I don’t want to do life without. I was totally terrified, waking up in the middle of the night and crying that this was going to happen again.”

Seven months to the day that line drive nearly claimed his life, Evan returned to the mound for his first spring training appearance. He delivered a scoreless ninth inning, with one walk and one to record the save.

He started the 2016 season at Class AAA, but he received a promotion two weeks into the schedule. He debuted in San Diego, where he logged two perfect innings: six up, six down, with two strikeouts, to shut the door on a 7-3 win against the Padres.

“If I just go back to that moment,” he says, “how happy I was just to get out there — what a relief. If I’m ever down on myself or feeling bad, I can go back to that mindset and it rejuvenates me, even if I got crushed on the field that day, at least I was there.”

Butters has posed in photo shoots for the Brain Injury Alliance and Paws Can Heal. He has his own charity, The Butters Fund, which supports pets of brain injury survivors.

Evan still wishes he could have grown as an individual from some event that didn’t threaten his life. But “Why me?” has evolved into “How am I going to change my outlook to becoming a success story instead of a victim?”

After the operation, he considered ditching baseball and finishing his management degree. Now, he surmises he could excel as a motivational speaker. He’s still a relief pitcher, though, one who no longer ducks or flinches if a batter makes contact.

And there’s one other bit of motivation in play: Allie is due in May with the couple’s first child, a boy.

That makes it easier to cope with those haunting flashbacks. That makes it easier to ignore the competition this spring and solely focus on himself. Allie was never ready to tell him that he was never going to play baseball again. She smiles every day knowing she never had to.

The only visual reminder of that harrowing night is the five-inch scar that trails down the side of Evan’s scalp. He plans to tell his son that it’s a shark bite until he’s old enough to understand.

“The fact that he’s still able to do this,” Allie says, “he’s going to make sure that his son gets to see him play one day or that his son knows that he didn’t give up.”

Cleveland Indians slam both and in split-squad sweep By Joe Noga, CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Sunday was grand for the in Las Vegas. And it was grand for the Indians who played in Peoria, as well. In fact, it's been a pretty grand spring for the Tribe since Cactus League play began. Eric Haase hit a grand slam for Cleveland in the third inning off Chicago starter Rob Zastryzny as the Indians defeated the Cubs, 11-4, at Cashman Field in Las Vegas. Yan Gomes also delivered a grand slam for the Indians' split-squad team against Seattle. It was Gomes' second grand slam of the spring, and helped the Tribe to a 16-3 win over the host Mariners at Peoria Sports Complex. The two wins lift Cleveland's overall spring training record to 15-10-2. Chicago slips to 14-8-3 and Seattle drops to 11-13-1 in Cactus League play. The two grand slams give Cleveland a total of seven through 27 Cactus League games. Haas, Gomes (2), Roberto Perez, Yandy Diaz, Todd Hankins and Richie Shaffer have collected grand slams for the Indians. If you're keeping track, that's three different Tribe catchers with spring training grand slams, and none of them is named Francisco Mejia. Diaz continued to scorch the ball with three hits in three at bats against Chicago, pushing his spring average to .412 with a 1.033 on-base-plus- . Tyler Naquin and Giovanny Urshela put on their own hitting displays against Seattle. Naquin went 3-for-4 with a and two runs batted in, while Urshela was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Yonder Alonso belted his third of the spring off Seattle's Bryan Bonnell in the third inning, and Eric Gonzalez, who is battling Urshela for the utility infielder spot, collected three hits in four at-bats. Mike Clevinger pitched into the fifth inning in his fifth appearance of the spring. He allowed three earned runs on two hits, walking three batters and striking out nine. Dan Otero, Nick Goody, Matt Belisle and Carlos Frias held the Mariners scoreless over the final 4 2/3 innings to secure Clevinger's first spring win. Stephen Fife started the ballgame in Las Vegas, going four innings and striking out six Cubs batters for Cleveland. Fife allowed two runs on four hits, including a home run by Ryan Court in the second. Tyler Olson pitched the fifth inning, allowing one run on one hit with a walk and a strikeout. Carlos Torres, Preston Claiborne, Alexi Ogando and Neil Ramirez worked scoreless innings to close out the win for Fife. Next: Josh Tomlin takes the mound on Monday against San Francisco at Scottsdale Stadium. Johnny Cueto gets the start for the Giants. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m. EST and the game will be available via webcast at indians.com. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.19.2018 Terry Francona thinks Mike Napoli can still play and other things we've learned about the Cleveland Indians By Paul Hoynes, CLEVELAND, Ohio - Another week down and 10 days to go until the Indians open the regular season on March 29 in Seattle. So what have we learned? Mike Napoli hit a two-run homer against the Cubs on Saturday in Las Vegas. It was his first homer since the Indians brought him to camp as a favor on Feb. 27. Napoli is 36 and hit 29 homers for the Rangers last year, but until the Indians signed him to a minor league deal and brought him to Goodyear, Ariz., with the idea of giving him some at-bats so another team could sign him, there had been little interest. Friday night manager Terry Francona told mlb.com, "The first games he played, he hadn't had a lot of baseball under his belt. But as he's getting more and more comfortable, he's looking more and more like Napoli. You saw him get on top of that fastball (for the home run). It's going to be interesting. I know he's got a lot going on and he's thinking a lot. I told him he can still play." Still, there's this question? What happens to Napoli if no team wants him at the end of camp? Francona was talking about the Twins recently. He said he hasn't been paying close attention to them since the start of spring training, but added, "If they get some pitching, they're going to be tough to play." Well, the Twins have gotten some pitching, acquiring starters Jake Odorizzi and signing free agent to go along with veteran relievers Fernando Rodney, Addison Reed and Zach Duke. But Sunday they suffered a loss when shortstop Jorge Polanco was suspended for 80 games for a PED violation. Polanco hit .293 (66-for-225) with 10 homers and 43 RBI after the All-Star break last year to help the Twins win a wild card spot. Now it gets interesting. Derek Falvey, chief baseball officer for the Twins, knows the Indians' farm system well. Falvey, a former Tribe executive, knows they have a choice to make between Erik Gonzalez and Giovanny Urshela for the utility infielder's job. Both could fill his vacancy at shortstop. Manager Paul Molitor is said to be a Gonzalez fan. Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez made it clear to Francona at the start of camp that they each want to be considered the No.1 catcher. They're hitting like it. On Saturday, Perez hit a grand slam in a 5-1 win over the Cubs in Mesa, Ariz. On Sunday, in a 16-4 split-squad win over the Mariners, Gomes hit his second slam of the spring. Perez is hitting .400 (12-for-30) with three homers and nine RBI. Gomes is hitting .323 (10-for-31) with three homers and is tied with Jason Kipnis for the team lead in RBI with 12. Suddenly the Indians have catchers all over the place. Francisco Mejia, their top hitting prospect, will open the season behind the plate at Class AAA Columbus. Eric Haase is expected to be catching there as well. On Sunday, Haase hit a grand slam in an 11-4 spring-training win against the Cubs in Las Vegas. Haase is hitting .250 (5-for-20) with three homers and 10 RBI in his first big-league camp. Mejia, optioned to Columbus last week, hit .421 (8- for-19) with two homers and seven RBI with the big league club. The front office had to be happy to see the Tribe's walking wounded back in the lineup on Sunday. Gomes didn't go to Las Vegas because of a sore right arm, but he caught Sunday against the Mariners. Lonnie Chisenhall missed Saturday's game against the Cubs because of a tight right calf, but he started in right field against Seattle. Mike Clevinger, who missed his last start because of illness, struck out nine in 4 1/3 innings against the Mariners. Third baseman Jose Ramirez, who left Saturday's game in Mesa because of a bruised right ankle, was scheduled to play against the Giants on Monday. Two years ago Francisco Lindor not only won a Gold Glove for his play at shortstop, Rawlings awarded him the Platinum Glove as the top defender in the AL. Last year he was a Gold Glove finalist, but came away empty handed. Lindor came to spring training this year determined to get better. "I know he wanted to tighten it up," said Francona. "He felt it got a little loose last year. He really wants to take care of that. When he puts his mind to it, I don't doubt he'll do it." Lindor's assists dropped from 448 in 2016 to 391 last year. But he participated in 98 double plays last year compared to 76 in 2016. Fangraphs.com said his defensive runs saved dropped from 17 in 2016 to five last year. Francona was pleased that his friend and former pitching , , has taken a job as a scout with the Reds. Buddy Bell, who recently joined the Reds, reached out to Farrell about the job. Farrell was fired as manager of the Red Sox last season after they were eliminated by Houston in the ALDS. "I'm really happy for him that he's going to have something to sink his teeth into," said Francona. "It's a win-win for everybody. I like it that he's be out here so we can go to dinner." The Indians and Reds share the complex in Goodyear, Ariz. President Chris Antonetti, GM Mike Chernoff, Francona and their staffs will meet in the next two days to determine the next roster cut that should get them close to the 25-man roster.

Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.19.2018