Brantley's health, fast start key to Tribe's 2016 By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | December 28th, 2015 + 222 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- There was a spotlight on the Indians last spring. They knew the expectations were high both inside the clubhouse and around baseball and, following a slow start to the season, the weight of crumbling confidence hurt Cleveland's chances as the summer turned to fall.

The Tribe wants 2016 to be different. "We're going to be a little more cautiously optimistic next year," Indians All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis said at the end of last season. "We're not going to read into anything. We're not going to expect anything. I think that's how it should be. We're going to go out and play hard. That's the best way to go about things."

Coming off a disappointing showing last season, Cleveland hopes to right the ship in the upcoming campaign. The Indians do not want to settle for a winning season -- they want to challenge for a World Series. It will take a powerful rotation and an improved offensive showing to accomplish that lofty feat. Here are five questions facing the Indians in 2016. 1. How long will Michael Brantley be sidelined? Brantley underwent surgery on his right shoulder in November and the likelihood of him returning in April is slim. A May return seems more realistic, but the Tribe's star will need to complete a personal Spring Training and will need to be at full strength before activation. A conservative approach could make a June return possible. Losing Brantley for any amount of time is a big blow for a Cleveland team that ranked 11th in the American League in runs scored last season. 2. Can the Indians change their April fortunes? The loss of Brantley for at least some of the first month makes April success a daunting challenge once again. Aprils in Cleveland do not typically result in an abundance of offense. Maybe it will help that the Indians have more road games (14) than home games (nine) in April 2016. In Terry Francona's three years at the helm, the Indians have played .397 (29-44) ball in April, compared to .556 (229-183) ball the rest of the way. That has necessitated draining, late-season surges for the Tribe. 3. Has Lonnie Chisenhall turned a corner? By June of last season, it was fair to wonder if Chisenhall had a future with the Indians. Then, he made a midseason switch to right field from third base, heated up at the plate and looked like a formidable option as an for 2016. Chisenhall did not only hold his own in right field, a multitude of defensive metrics painted a picture of him as an elite defender in the corner. Francona also got the most out of Chisenhall's bat by limiting his exposure to left-handed pitching. The Indians are hoping Chisenhall's second-half career renaissance means big things for the coming season. 4. Will Francisco Lindor repeat his rookie success? It is not uncommon for a young player to reach the Majors, excel for a while and then struggle as the league makes adjustments to the player. It was the opposite for Lindor last year. The rookie hit .223 (.568 OPS) in his first 103 at-bats before putting the pedal to the metal. The shortstop hit .345 (.930 OPS) in his final 287 at-bats and ended as the AL Rookie of the Year runner-up. Lindor's overall offensive numbers were better than any season he had posted in the Minors. It will be interesting to see where the young switch-hitter goes from here as a batter in the big leagues. 5. Will the rotation lead the way to October? The Indians were rendered spectators for the 2015 World Series, but perhaps Cleveland saw a glimmer of hope while watching the Royals take on the Mets. New York reached the Fall Classic behind the strength of a young, talented starting rotation. The Tribe has a similar starting cast in terms of age, controllability and production. If Cleveland wants to make the playoffs and enjoy a to the World Series, it will likely take a stellar combined effort from the club's highly touted rotation.

A year of top performances for Indians in 2015 By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | December 26th, 2015 + 173 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- The Indians entered last season as a popular pick as a breakout team. Some prognosticators went as far as pegging Cleveland as a possible World Series contender, but the club fell far short of that.

When the tickets to October were punched, the Indians did not receive an invitation. A tough first half created an uphill climb that Cleveland could not overcome. The Tribe finished with an 81-80 record, turning in a third straight winning season, but that was not the idea when the season began. "We set out at the start of the season to be playing postseason baseball," said Chris Antonetti, the Indians' president of baseball operations, "with the goal of ultimately winning the World Series. ... I do think there are a lot of very positive stories. We've grown a lot as an organization and as a Major League team, too."

The biggest development of the 2015 campaign was the rise of rookie sensation Francisco Lindor, who helped spark a strong second half that briefly pulled the Indians back into the postseason discussion. Cleveland's starting rotation also formed a dynamic group that provided hope that better results are not too far off for the team. Here is a look at the Tribe's top five storylines from this past year: 5. Pair of aces In the first week of the season, the Indians continued their recent trend of securing their core players, locking up Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco with long-term extensions. On April 5, Kluber inked a five-year, $38.5 million deal that included a pair of team options and had a maximum value of $77 million. Two days later, Carrasco signed a four-year, $22 million contract that also included two team options and had a maximum value of $48 million. Antonetti, Carrasco on extension Antonetti, Carrasco on extension Chris Antonetti and Carlos Carrasco talk about the Indians signing the right-handed to a four-year contract extension "What these deals do is they allow us to plan for how we build our roster," Antonetti said at the time of the signings. "It takes out the uncertainty of what players may earn throughout the arbitration process, and that certianly allows us to plan better. But, it's only helpful if we end up betting on the right guys." Carrasco went on to win 14 games, striking out 216 in 183 2/3 innings in a breakout showing. Kluber, who won the American League Cy Young Award in 2014, dealt with low run support in '15 (evidenced by his 9-16 record), but piled up 245 and logged a 3.49 ERA in 222 innings. 4. Overpowering tribute In the hours leading up to the Indians' game against the Cardinals on May 13, Anne Feller walked slowly through the new exhibit honoring her late husband, Hall of Famer Bob Feller, at Progressive Field. Mementos from Feller's incredible life and career were on full display. With Anne and two of Feller's sons in the stands, Kluber then turned in a historic performance, mirroring many of Rapid Robert's long-ago efforts. Over eight brilliant innings, Kluber piled up 18 strikeouts against one of baseball's top lineups, tying Feller's 1938 club record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game. The ace of Cleveland's current staff ended with only one hit allowed and no walks issued in one of the greatest pitching displays in the long, storied history of the franchise. "I've said it before," Kluber said, "any time that you throw your name in there with Bob Feller, that's obviously very humbling and a great accomplishment." Kluber joined Hall of Famer Randy Johnson (Sept. 27, 1992) as the only since at least 1914 to register at least 18 strikeouts in an outing consisting of no more than eight innings. Kluber's Game Score of 98 marked the highest for an eight-inning performance in recorded history. 3. A Brave trade The Indians surprised the baseball world prior to the 2013 season when they were able to reel in big-ticket free-agents Nick Swisher and with lucrative contracts. That year, both players played key roles in helping Cleveland capture the top American League Wild Card for the team's first postseason experience since 2007. On Aug. 7 last season, the Tribe shocked the baseball world again. This time, however, it was because the team was able to find a trading partner for Swisher and Bourn, who regressed with age and injuries over the past two years. The Indians sent both veterans and cash to the Braves in exchange for corner infielder Chris Johnson. "It gives us some roster flexibility," Antonetti said at the time. "It gives us an opportunity to play some young players here in the second half and learn more about ourselves and, as importantly, it gives us a little more clarity heading into the offseason as we look to build a championship team moving forward. And we feel this move helps us along that path." Following the franchise-altering trade, the Indians took off and pulled themselves back into Wild Card contention until the final week of the season. The move, along with a handful of other deals, allowed for a dramatic roster makeover that improved both the offensive and defensive production. 2. Team Adriana Perhaps the most important pitch of the Indians' 2015 season was not thrown by one of the team's talented arms. On Aug. 13, prior to Cleveland's game against the Yankees, Adriana Aviles, the 4-year-old daughter of infielder Mike Aviles, threw out a ceremonial first pitch at Progressive Field. Adriana and her twin sister, Maiya, took part in the pregame ceremony in an emotional moment for everyone on hand. Adriana was diagnosed with leukemia during the year, making it a trying season for Aviles and his family. During an August trip to Yankee Stadium, Aviles spoke candidly about the experience. "Sometimes you feel like you're invincible," Aviles said. "You feel like no one can touch you, no one can touch your family and you're on top of the world. It's kind of the way professional sports makes you feel. ... When something like this happens, it shows you you're not a machine. It shows you anything can happen to anybody, that things don't just happen to people who are less fortunate. It just makes you put it into perspective -- life. In all honesty, I've had a very big grasp on life the last year." During the season, Aviles' teammates, along with members of the coaching staff and front office, shaved their heads as a show of support for Adriana. Aviles even shaved the head of team owner Paul Dolan during the summer. The team also had bright orange shirts made with "Team Adriana" written across the chest for pregame workouts. 1. "Come on, Frankie. Get up here." Those words popped up in Lindor's cell phone on June 13 during a rain delay with Triple-A Columbus at Huntington Park. It was a text message from Indians manager Terry Francona. Lindor, Cleveland's top pick in the 2011 Draft, was heading to the big leagues. Lindor had a group of family, including his mom, at the ballpark. "I was like, 'Hey, pack your stuff,'" Lindor said a day later after his Major League debut in Detroit. "They cried. They laughed. They screamed. I was like, 'Try to keep it down. Not too many people know.' It was a great moment." Lindor's excellent rookie year Lindor's excellent rookie year Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor makes his 2015 debut and posts great stats for the Tribe, hitting .313 with 12 homers and 51 RBIs What followed was an incredible first-year showing that culminated with Lindor finishing as the runner-up to Houston's in voting for the AL Rookie of the Year Award. The 22-year-old shortstop displayed elite defense and ended the season hitting .313 with 12 home runs, 22 doubles, 51 RBIs and 12 steals in 99 games. "As he started to kind of get some confidence," Francona said, "he became a better baserunner, he became an unbelievable shortstop -- an unbelievably reliable shortstop. He started hitting on par with the best hitters in the league. And he kept that up until the last day of the season."

15 for '15: Rookie class rivals best ever Bryant, Correa led deeply talented first-year players in 2015 By John Schlegel / MLB.com | December 27th, 2015 + 86 COMMENTS In what has become a year-end tradition, MLB.com takes a look back at the top storylines of the year -- the Top 15 for 2015.

They arrive every year in , adding a fresh trove of talent throughout the game. But it's not every year that the annual class of rookies proves to be so stellar at the top, so deep throughout its ranks and so accomplished as a group. The rookies of 2015 included supremely talented Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant and Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, who both contributed to postseason clubs with award-winning campaigns. The rookies of 2015 boasted everything from the spry Francisco Lindor to the thunder- throwing Noah Syndergaard and several cases of rookies contributing to teams in bunches. As a group, the 2015 rookies very well might have been the best class of first-year players ever. Certainly, rookie talent was at the forefront of a Wrigley Field thrill ride in 2015, with Bryant joined on the Cubs' roster by Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler. "They're very skillful," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of his young Cubbies -- though he could have been talking about the Class of 2015 as a whole. "They're very athletic. Their work ethic is spectacular. They're highly accountable, and they're not looking for any kind of entitlements. "They're really a different set of cats." Bryant's rookie hype -- which, as it turned out, was well deserved -- began before his nine Spring Training homers, coming to a boil when the Cubs left him off the roster. Bryant made his debut on April 17, hit his first homer on May 9 and earned an All-Star nod. With 21 of his 26 homers at Wrigley Field and a 1.037 OPS there, the 23-year-old finished strong, leading all rookies by a wide margin with 99 RBIs and 6.5 wins above replacement, according to FanGraphs. His reward: a unanimous victory in the Rookie of the Year Award voting. Correa, meanwhile, debuted considerably later in the season -- on June 8 at age 20, just as the Astros were off to the American League's best start. The physically gifted shortstop finished first among AL rookies in homers (22). In winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award, Correa edged out fellow Puerto Rico native Lindor, the 22-year-old whose defensive athleticism and all-around game turned heads after he debuted for the Indians on June 14. "He could have beaten any of us to win this award," Correa said of Lindor, "so I feel really honored to be able to win it." Correa edges Lindor, wins AL Rookie of Year Award Indeed, it was a high bar for a group of first-year players that stands tall in the game's history. A study by FanGraphs published in November had 2015 rookies with a WAR/600 (wins above replacement adjusted to 600 plate appearances) of 1.76, with 1987 the next highest year with 1.25. Rookies slugged 155 homers in August, the most on record for any month, and combined for 21 homers in the postseason, obliterating the previous record of nine set in 2007. Some arrivals were anticipated: the Dodgers' Joc Pederson, who matched Bryant with 26 homers (20 in the first half); the Twins' Miguel Sano, whose 18 homers and .916 OPS came in 335 plate appearances after a July 2 debut; and the mound debuts of the Mets' Syndergaard and the White Sox Carlos Rodon. Others were surprises, such as the Giants' Matt Duffy, who jumped on an unexpected opportunity and led all MLB rookies with 169 hits. Duffy's stellar 2015 Duffy's stellar 2015 Giants second baseman Matt Duffy comes out of nowhere in 2015 and posts an impressive .295 average with 12 homers and 77 RBIs Rookies came from all directions, with Jung Ho Kang arriving from South Korea and producing for the Pirates, and Rule 5 Draft selections Odubel Herrera of the Phillies, Delino DeShields of the Rangers and Mark Canha of the A's making solid first impressions. The A's had an exciting new leadoff man in Billy Burns, the Marlins boasted another young power hitter in Justin Bour and the Blue Jays reached the postseason with Roberto Osuna saving 20 games. The Giants' Chris Heston became the 22nd rookie to throw a no-hitter. Heston completes no-hitter Heston completes no-hitter 6/9/15: Giants radio broadcaster Jon Miller calls the last out of Chris Heston's no-hitter vs. the Mets For some teams, first-year players arrived en masse. Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk led a group of rookies who contributed greatly to the 100-win Cardinals, and the Reds saw nine rookie pitchers make 110 of the team's starts. The Yankees had 23 players with rookie status appear in pinstripes, including Greg Bird, who hit 11 homers in 46 games. Rookies, rookies everywhere. And some of the better rookies seen in recent years, too. Only two were crowned Rookie of the Year in 2015, but many combined to make it the Year of the Rookie.

Cleveland Indians Manager Terry Francona talks about staying in Cleveland, pitching and winning -- Terry Pluto (photos) Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I recently spoke on the phone to manager Terry Francona from his home in Tucson. Five minutes into the conversation, I knew why the Indians were so reluctant to trade any starting pitchers. Francona wants to keep them. But before we talked about players, I wanted to talk to Francona about Francona. Francona is heading into his fourth season as the Tribe's manager. He's had three winning records, and it's the first time the Tribe has had consecutive winning seasons since 1994-2001. Francona's previous managerial job was in Boston, a big market, fat payroll team. He won two World Series titles and his teams usually played in front of sellouts. "When it comes to the reasons that I came to Cleveland, they are even stronger right now," he said. "That's how strongly I feel being with (general manager) Chris Antonetti and his guys. I respect how hard they work. I know how hard their job is." The Indians will probably have a payroll in the $90 million range, and that will put them in the bottom 25 percent of baseball. "We're not a team that's going to throw money at people, that's just the way it is," said Francona. "So you can complain about it or figure a way to make it better. That's how our conversations work. This is what we have to do to make it work. Is it challenging? Heck, yes!" Francona chose to come to the Tribe after the 2012 season. He had a close relationship with former Tribe President Mark Shapiro. He also knew Antonetti. He had a stormy end to his tenure in Boston, as he wrote with Dan Shaughnessy in FRANCONA: The Red Sox Years. "You choose what you want to do," said Francona. "I made the choice to come here. At the time, I thought I made it for the right reasons. Now that I've been here for three years, those reasons are stronger." Francona has language in his contract where he can leave if there is a change in the front office. When Shapiro became the new president of the Toronto Blue Jays, some fans wondered if Francona would use his out clause. "I have a great relationship with Mark (Shapiro)," Francona explained. "I love Ross (new Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins). I'm thrilled for them. I think Mark was hungry for a different challenge. But I love what I'm doing and whom I'm doing it with." During his three years with the Tribe, Francona worked far more with Antonetti than Shapiro. That's because Antonetti runs the baseball operation. "Our relationship (Francona and Antonetti) has grown to the point where I'm so comfortable to give my opinion," he said. "I don't think I've ever once felt like Chris walks out of the room and rolls his eyes, regardless of how stupid something was that I just said. I really care about him." Francona said that Shapiro and Antonetti "were brutally honest" when they told him about the financial and other challenges that are part of running the Indians. "I believe in these guys and what they are doing," he said. "It took me about 20 minutes to do my first contract (with Cleveland). When they asked me about an extension, I told Chris that I really didn't know how to do it. He said to write down my thoughts in an email." Francona said he did just that. He said he had to call Antonetti back to get his exact salary figure. They exchanged emails. Francona had his lawyer quickly look it over. The extension was done. Francona signed a contract extension after the 2014 season. He now is under contract to the Tribe through 2018. The Indians have options on his contract for 2019 and 2020. ABOUT TRADING PITCHING "As long as we have pitching, I feel like we're always going to have a chance," said Francona. "We were all in agreement that we were not going to trade one of our (top) starters unless we were overwhelmed with an offer." The Indians talked to Cincinnati about a deal for Reds star third baseman Todd Frazier. As I wrote last week, the trade talks took several turns. The player the Reds really wanted for Frazier was Danny Salazar. Salazar can't be a free agent until after the 2020 season. He was 14-10 with a 3.25 ERA. He will be 26 on January 11 and is a very valuable commodity in a sport starving for effective starting pitchers under reasonable contracts. The Indians had several offers for Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Salazar. Prospect Mike Clevinger was also in demand as other teams asked about him. "When you look at the price of (free agent) starting pitching, we know we can't go out (and sign) the kind of pitchers that we have right now," said Francona. "We're fortunate to have good young pitching. Unless someone is going to knock our socks off, we're going to keep our pitching." Francona said he'd rather "take his chances" with pitching than trade some of the depth in the rotation for a hitter. ABOUT PITCHING DEPTH The Indians ranked No. 2 in the American League with a 3.67 ERA. Behind the big three of Kluber, Carrasco and Salazar, the Indians have Trevor Bauer (11-12, 4.55), (7-2, 3.02) and Cody Anderson (7-3, 3.05). T.J. House is supposed to be healthy after having arm problems most of last year. Clevinger is the most likely starter to come up from the minors, at least based on how he pitched in 2015. He was 9-8 with a 2.73 ERA at Class AA Akron. He was promoted to Class AAA Columbus for the playoffs and threw 15 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing five hits and three walks compared to 17 strikeouts. Clevinger turned 25 on December 21. "In terms of starting pitching, we're about as healthy as you can get for where we are with our payroll and all of that," said Francona. "A guy can come into spring training and hurt his elbow or something ... you can get pinned back pretty quick. But we're in a good situation." Several times, Francona talked about wanting the extra starters. He does not want to be forced to be into a position of having to look for starting pitching on the trade market or free agency. He is definitely out of the school that preaches, "You can never have too much pitching." ABOUT SIGNING MIKE NAPOLI "Right-handed hitting power is hard to find and Napoli gives us that," said Francona. "My phone about blew up (with texts messages) from guys who had played with Mike and really liked him. He is a guy with broad shoulders. He'll fit in really well with our group and he can help lead. Winning is very meaningful to him." The 34-year-old Napoli had a strange season. In 98 games with Boston, he batted .207 (.693 OPS) with 13 HR and 40 RBI. He was traded to Texas, then batted .295 (.908 OPS) with 5 HR and 10 RBI in the final 35 games of the season. The Indians signed him to a one-year, $7 million deal. "It's not the easiest thing in the world for Chris (Antonetti) and his guys to find players (in free agency) who we want and who we can afford," said Francona. They did a very good job of staying persistent and getting this (deal) done." Over the last three seasons, Napoli batted .286 (.926 OPS) vs. lefties, .226 (.731 OPS) vs. righties. It was really pronounced in 2015, as he batted .191 vs. righties, .285 vs. lefties. He is prone to slumps. "I'm aware that he can have his peaks and valleys," said Francona. "He's one of those guys where people will start to ask me how patient can I be with him ... but to get the production, you have to be patient." Napoli was one of three finalists for a Gold Glove at first base. Some fielding ratings don't have him that high, but he is above average at first base. He should be an upgrade over Carlos Santana defensively. The Indians wanted to add right-handed power, or at least players who hit lefties. The Tribe had a 57-49 record vs. righty starters, but it was 24- 31 vs. lefties. ABOUT RAJAI DAVIS Francona said when the Indians were discussing free agent who could possibly be in the team's price range, "the first name out of my mouth after the season was his." Davis is 35. He batted .258 (.746 OPS) with 8 HR, 30 RBI and 11 triples for Detroit. He also stole 18 bases and can play all three outfield positions. "I told him (Davis) the other day that 'I can finally like you,'" said Francona. "He has always been such a thorn when we've played against him. He disrupts games with his speed. He'll occasionally hit the ball out of the park. He plays with a lot of energy. He can impact us in a lot of good ways." In keeping with the theme of hitting lefties, Davis is a .296 lifetime batter against them. ABOUT MICHAEL BRANTLEY The Indians know they will be without their All-Star left fielder for at least a month into the regular season, or maybe a little longer. Brantley is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery. "You don't want to just make a move to cover for Michael at the beginning of the year." said Francona. "You know he's coming back at some point. That's why I like getting Davis. He can play left field every day when Brantley's out. We can then use him in center or right when Michael comes back." The defense in the Tribe outfield should be well above average. Lonnie Chisenhall turned into an outstanding right fielder. Abraham Almonte ("We really like him," said Francona) is above average in center. The same is true of Davis and/or Brantley in left field." Francona also mentioned Collin Cowgill, picked up from the Angels. He's a career .236 hitter 12 HR and 57 RBI in 677 big league at bats. He missed most of last season with a wrist injury. He is considered an excellent defensive outfielder. "We showed how much better we could be (after the All-Star break) once we started pitching and catching it," said Francona. "We don't want to forget that. It's tough to give up a lot of defense or pitching just to get a bat. It doesn't work unless you can just out-slug people, and I don't see that happening." Francona mentioned that the Indians should be much better defensively. They'll open with Francisco Lindor at shortstop, Giovanny Urshela at third and a more athletic outfield. He also knows "you never make out your lineup in December, there's still plenty of time for things to happen."

Ryan Lewis: Indians fans unwrap practical, needed gifts this Christmas The Indians went right down their Christmas list this holiday season.

Center fielder? Check. First baseman? Check. A couple of low-risk relief pitchers to add to the mix? Check.

Indians fans, perhaps, didn’t get the new gaming system, or the new set of golf clubs, or the new car in the driveway that they really wanted. There wasn’t a marquee, eight-figure signing or a blockbuster trade that would have made bigger waves.

The Indians got their fans the gifts they needed to fill the roster, like getting a couple of nice shirts that come in handy in the spring but ones that as a present, of course, aren’t as shiny as a new iPad.

Did they get the new Segway? No. Did they get the nice pair of tennis shoes to replace the ones with holes in them (like the roster)? Yes, they did.

It was a practical Christmas for the Indians and Indians fans.

The club’s two key signees were outfielder Rajai Davis and first baseman Mike Napoli (not official yet). Davis will help to fill a need in center field and replace Michael Brantley in left field for the first month of the season, and Napoli adds a bat to the middle of the Indians’ lineup who also provides an upgrade defensively at first base.

The Indians also acquired, all for cash considerations, relief pitchers Kirby Yates and Dan Otero and outfielder Collin Cowgill. And to date, 13 players have been invited to spring training on minor-league deals, led by Joba Chamberlain, Tom Gorzelanny and Joe Thatcher, who will all compete for jobs in the bullpen.

Many fans were excited about the idea of acquiring Cincinnati Reds All-Star third baseman Todd Frazier, though that would have cost, in all likelihood, a starting pitcher and one or two top prospects. The Indians listened to several teams’ offers for Carlos Carrasco or Danny Salazar, to this point deciding to hold onto their young, controllable starting pitchers. An already high price for such pitchers rose this offseason after David Price and received $200 million-plus deals as free agents and the Atlanta Braves received a king’s ransom from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Shelby Miller.

So, the Indians went about this offseason the methodical way. Find a one-year stopgap in center field, find a bat to add to the mix at first base and bring in some low-risk pitching options. The Indians spent roughly $12.25 million, plus incentives for Davis and Napoli, in addition to cash considerations involved in those three smaller deals. The $7.5 million owed to Chris Johnson, who was designated for assignment and released, will be added to that. It wasn’t the spending spree many fans call for each winter. It was a straight-forward approach to fill the roster’s bigger holes. A couple of needs were addressed via the free-agent market, and a couple of pieces were added to the 25-man roster without losing much. Some are pleased, some wanted the new car in the driveway. The Indians are just hoping it’s enough to build off an 81-win season and compete in the American League Central. How many left-handed pitchers will Cleveland indians face in 2016? Hey, Hoynsie Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio – Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie. Hey, Hoynsie: Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis, both right-handed hitters, hit left-handers well, but in reality unless they pinch hit how many lefties does a team see in in one season? – Barry Elliott, Jackson Center. Hey, Barry: As long as the Indians top hitters bat left-handed, they'll face plenty of lefties, which means plenty of work for Napoli and Davis. Last season the Indians had the second most at-bats against lefties in the big leagues with 3,322. The Yankees were first with 3,830. The Indians faced left-handed starters in 55 games or 34 percent of the schedule in 2015. Texas, Houston and Kansas City were the only AL teams that faced more left-handed starters. When Brandon Moss was with the Indians last season, he couldn't believe how many lefties the opposition rolled out against them. The White Sox, for instance, will probably open the 2016 season with four lefties in the rotation. The Indians and White Sox are scheduled to play 19 times in the upcoming season. Hey, Hoynsie: Is there any chance the Indians revisit the Carlos Santana at third base experiment? – Peter Appenheimer, Bay Village. Hey, Peter: No. Hey, Hoynsie: I'd like to see the Tribe pick up a couple of good, young, major league ready, controllable, position players. Which teams have players to spare and who would you be most interested in obtaining? – Dwain Slaven, Dade City, Fla. Hey, Dwain: You haven't been attending our regular meetings, have you? That has been the Indians' game plan since the end of last season. The sticking point has been their reluctance to trade one of their top starting pitchers to accomplish it. Hey, Hoynsie: I was very sad to see Mike Aviles sign with Detroit, the Indians rival. Why wouldn't the Indians give Aviles a shot at being their starting third baseman? – Scott, Conneaut. Hey, Scott: Manager Terry Francona always felt Aviles could be an starter, but he valued his versatility more. Aviles often allowed Francona to carry an extra reliever because of his ability to play several positions. Hey, Hoynsie: Why do you think Jesus Aguilar has played well in the minors, but struggled in the big leagues? Do you see anything specific he needs to change in his game? – Ryan Wonders, Cleveland. Hey, Ryan: Opportunity and confidence play a big role in every player's success. Aguilar's confidence soars at Triple-A, not so much in the big leagues. Aguilar's opportunities have been limited as well. To be exact, he's had 33 at-bats in the big leagues in parts of two seasons. To me, Aguilar needs a change of scenery, but he still has one minor league option left with the Indians. Hey, Hoynsie: Aren't the Indians now serious contenders for three or four years, what with their starting rotation plus Cody Anderson and Josh Tomlin and some youngsters in the wings? – Larry Garzony, Bowling Green. Hey, Larry: Man does not live by ice cream and brownies alone. It's the same with a baseball team. Pitching is great, but until the Indians find some offense to go along with those arms, they are going to be a team struggling to get to and stay above .500. Right-hander Cody Anderson, who went 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA last season as a rookie for the Indians, will need two to four weeks to recover from an emergency appendectomy. Hey, Hoynsie: Yan Gomes has been a terrific asset for the Indians, even though he endured injury challenges, last year especially. However, in his three years with the Tribe his BB/AB ratios have been declining: 6.14 percent, 4.94 percent and 3.6 percent. Does it not seem that being more selective at he plate might help him become even a more effective hitter? – Larry Gainer, St. Marys, W. Va. Hey, Larry: Being more selective would help any hitter, including Gomes. I don't think last year was a fair test because he was playing catch up after his April 12th knee injury. It was clear he was pressing when he returned. Still, one of the reasons manager Terry Francona doesn't like to hit Gomes in the middle of the lineup is because he swings and misses a lot. He prefers the ambush-quality of Gomes' bat lower in the lineup. The Indians will promote veteran catcher Brett Hayes from Class AAA Columbus before they open a two-game series against the White Sox on Tuesday at Progressive Field. Hey, Hoynsie: Any word if the Tribe has interest in Jonathan Papelbon? -- Nick Kellogg, Austin, Texas. Hey, Nick: I don't think the Indians need anyone to put a chokehold on Michael Brantley, do you? Besides two proven closers in one bullpen usually ends badly. Remember John Rocker and Bob Wickman? Hey, Hoynsie: It seems to me that the acquisition of Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis gives the Tribe a real chance to build its farm system, which should be the focus of a franchise that won't spend enough money to truly compete, similar to the opportunity the Browns had with the draft two years ago that was wasted. If they could work a deal for three or four really good prospects for one of the starters, that would really give the system a boost. They'd still have very good starting pitching, some real depth at various positions at various levels and be ready to plug holes invariably come through injuries and free agency. Then, if they are smart enough, they can sign willing players to long-term contracts like they should have all along. – Doug Leedy, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Hey, Doug: Sounds good, but remember this is the real world not Disneyland where all your dreams come true. Hey, Hoynsie: Could the Tribe trade Danny Salazar or Carlos Carrasco for Justin Turner, Corey Seager, or Yasiel Puig? – John Smitz, Solon. Hey, John: If the Indians were going to trade Salazar or Carrasco, they wanted more than a 1-for-1 deal because they had more than one hole to fill. Deep down, I don't think they ever intended to trade one of their top starters. Hey, Hoynsie: What was gained by the signing of Mike Napoli over keeping Chris Johnson? The money obligation is still there and Johnson can play first base as well. Except for a little more offensive "pop", the financials don't make much sense. – Jim Larimer, Granville. Hey, Jim: From the outside looking in, it seemed like Johnson was just taking up space from the moment he arrived in Cleveland from Atlanta. Napoli should give the Indians better defense at first base and more power. Johnson's top power year was 2012 when he hit 15 homers with 76 RBI, both career highs. Napoli hit 18 homers last year with 50 RBI in 407 at-bats. Since 2008, he's never hit fewer than 17 homers in a season and in 2013 set a career high with 92 RBI. Johnson's salary is part of the price for dumpingo Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn on Atlanta in August. That and $15 million. Hey, Hoynsie: Now that the Indians messed up on getting Todd Frazier from Cincinnati, what other third baseman can they hope to get? – Richard Grimes, Carlisle, Pa. Hey, Richard: I think they already have their third baseman in Giovanny Urshela with an assist from Jose Ramirez.

Fast starts, flying helmets and Joe Charboneau: New Year's resolutions for the Cleveland Indians Zack Meisel, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- We all make New Year's resolutions. The guy who feels like a sardine in the middle of Times Square and who wonders if he'll ever be able to go to the bathroom will think about how early he'll venture to the gym on Monday morning. The couple that stays home to watch Ryan Seacrest will exchange ideas about treating others with more respect and making more astute financial decisions to better their future. We all do it. Some take the tradition more serious than others. We'll reach both ends of the spectrum in this space. Here are a handful of New Year's resolutions for the Cleveland Indians. Jason Kipnis: Avoid a second-half nosedive. The second baseman pieced together the best offensive season of his career (.303 average, .823 OPS, 43 doubles), though the All-Star's numbers dipped after the mid-July reprieve. In fact, throughout his career, Kipnis has hit better before the All-Star break. First half: .291/.368/.448 slash line, 64 stolen bases Second half: .250/.321/.369, 36 stolen bases Trevor Bauer: Do an appropriate amount of thinking, if such a thing can even be measured. Last January, Bauer said he was on a quest to think less while on the mound. "A lot of the research I've been doing on peak performers [shows] they don't think," Bauer said. "They're not really conscious of what they're doing. I've added that. A piece of my training program is doing exercises to force myself to work in an unconscious or a subconscious realm, as opposed to a conscious realm." It's no secret that many of the thoughts that filter through Bauer's brain concern his drive to be a better pitcher. The right-hander, who turns 25 on Jan. 17, went 11-12 with a 4.55 ERA last year. He tallied 170 strikeouts in a career-high 176 innings. So how can he hone his thinking to take another step forward on the mound in 2016? It's something worth giving some thought. Danny Salazar: Strive to reach the same level as Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco. Salazar submitted his first, full, effective major league season in 2015, with a 14-10 record, a 3.45 ERA and 195 strikeouts in 185 innings. He'll turn 26 on Jan. 11 and he'll earn near the major-league minimum next season, which explains why other teams called the Tribe's front office to ask about his availability. Salazar provided the Indians a high return on investment last season. Can he do the same in 2016? Francisco Lindor: Perform well enough to avoid being asked about Joe Charboneau. The 22-year-old's rookie-season statistics (.313 average, .835 OPS, 12 home runs in 99 games) overshadow his minor-league marks (.279 average, .738 OPS, 21 home runs in 416 games), so even if Lindor's numbers slip a bit in 2016, he could still be a productive shortstop who dazzles on defense. At least, that's the Indians' hope. Charboneau has plenty of company in the category of players who couldn't replicate their ravishing rookie campaigns. Carlos Santana: Reverse the early-season trend. For the sake of capturing the fan base's attention and interest and avoiding another summer of playing catch-up, the Indians could stand to benefit from a solid start to the season. They haven't done that in Terry Francona's three years at the helm and they won't have Michael Brantley in the fold in April to help their cause. Enter Santana. The polarizing first baseman batted .213 with a .719 OPS during the season's first three months in 2015. A year earlier, he hit .205 with a .746 OPS through June. His walk rate will always make his on-base percentage glisten and he has led the Indians in home runs each of the last two years. In 2016, though, the Indians will need more with Brantley on the shelf at the start. Kyle Crockett: Convince the Indians they don't have to rely upon Joe Thatcher or Tom Gorzelanny in critical left-on-left situations. The Indians are thin on left-handed relievers with experience, so they invited the two veterans to spring training. Perhaps one of them will break camp with the club, but the Tribe would prefer that Crockett emerge as a reliable reliever regardless, since he is under team control for five more seasons. Jose Ramirez: Use some adhesive so the helmet doesn't fly off when running the bases. When Michael Bourn relocated to Atlanta, Ramirez led the crusade against helmet safety. His helmet seemingly flew off every time he hit the accelerator on the basepaths. Lonnie Chisenhall: While Michael Brantley is sidelined, carry the outfield with both the glove and the bat. Perhaps Chisenhall will start on the bench for the Indians' Opening Day tilt against David Price and the Red Sox. Either way, the former first- round draft choice figures to receive the bulk of the playing time in right field, with Rajai Davis, Abraham Almonte and a cast of journeymen joining him in the outfield until Brantley returns. Chisenhall surprised many with his defensive exploits at his new position last summer. Now, they need him to repeat the act when everyone is expecting it out of him. They wouldn't mind if he holds his own at the plate against right-handed pitching, too. Yan Gomes: Forgive new teammate Rajai Davis for costing you six weeks of action last April. A home-plate collision between the two in early April sent Gomes to the shelf for six weeks and forced Roberto Perez into everyday action. The Indians could benefit from a healthy, productive Gomes at and behind the plate in 2016. Terry Francona: Amass a better record against the and other American League Central foes. The Indians own a 19-37 record against the Tigers over the last three years. The Tribe posted a 32-43 record against division opponents last year. Only the White Sox (32-44) fared worse. In a division with a clouded picture -- the Royals could fall back to the pack, and the last-place Tigers seem primed to be better -- a successful mark against division foes could go a long way. Paul Dolan: Dig into the wallet and give the front office the breathing room to acquire a player, no matter the financial charge, if the team is in contention in the summer. Is it wise to commit $25 million per year for eight years to a free agent in his 30s? Usually, no. Does it help a team maximize its potential to limit payroll, with little to no room for impactful complements? Definitely, no. The Royals added Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto to their joy ride last summer. The Mets scooped up Yoenis Cespedes. Neither team boasts a daunting payroll. If the Indians somehow find themselves in contention -- and not just hovering around the .500 mark or spotting the second Wild Card spot with their telescope -- it'll be time for ownership to deliver.

Nick Cafardo / SUNDAY BASEBALL NOTES / At 35, former Red Sox Rich Hill ready to pitch in for A’s By Nick Cafardo GLOBE STAFF DECEMBER 27, 2015 It was one of the feel-good stories of 2015. Rich Hill, age 35, had his baseball career reborn after making four magnificent starts in September for the Red Sox that earned him a one-year, $6 million free agent deal with the Oakland Athletics. “It really kind of feels that way,” said Hill about being reborn. “It couldn’t have gone any better at the end. It was a good finish and it really reinforced that I could do it; that I could start in the big leagues after not doing it for five years.” The story doesn’t start or end there. He had been released in February by the from their Triple A Syracuse affiliate, where he had served as a reliever. Hill went home to Milton and worked out with the Milton Legion team until he took a flyer with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League. After throwing five hitless innings in his first game with Long Island, Hill still wasn’t convinced he was a starter until he took the four days between starts and found that he had recovered nicely. He went out in his next start and struck out 14 batters. The Red Sox signed him to a Triple A contract, and he continued to shine. The feel-good aspect of Hill’s story is amplified by how much he has had to overcome, and not only the shoulder and elbow problems that had derailed his career. Two years ago, he and his wife, Caitlin, lost their infant son, Brooks, who had been born with several health issues. Baseball, at the time, seemed irrelevant. But his faith and the healing nature of time enabled Rich and Caitlin to get through the darkest time of their lives. On the field, Hill’s experience as a starter and a reliever has helped him to really learn how to pitch. Two people who would be proud of him would be Hall of Famers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, who became 300-game winners by always evolving. That is why they never needed to throw 100 miles per hour to beat hitters. They relied on their smarts, their execution of each and every pitch. They found the hitters’ weak spot, and like a boxer who found his opponent’s blind spot, pounded away at it. Hill has learned to do that. Scouts and baseball executives talk about September being a hard time to evaluate any player, and to a great degree that’s true. But Hill sees it differently. “I’m not sure I completely agree with that,” said Hill, who produced a 1.55 ERA and 0.655 WHIP with 36 strikeouts and five walks over 29 innings for the Red Sox. “I was pitching against American League opponents like the Blue Jays and Yankees, who both had great lineups and were ramping it up a notch as a result. I was facing a good Tampa Bay team and the Orioles had a tough lineup. So I think I was going up against really tough hitters. So I feel good about being able to beat those good lineups and I think the teams that were interested in me felt the same way.” Hill would have loved to have come back to the Red Sox, but the Sox had bigger fish to fry. They had their minds set on acquiring David Price, which they did with a seven-year, $217 million contract. They had excess starting pitching as it was, so other teams took a bigger interest. “Oakland showed immediate interest and they kept that interest up,” Hill said. “They’re giving me a chance to make those 32 starts and they seem to be building a decent team as the months go by. Obviously it’s a good ballpark for a pitcher, a lot of foul territory. It was an opportunity I thought suited me perfectly. And I’m reunited with [pitching ] Curt Young, who I had in Boston and we really clicked.” Hill has great confidence in his repertoire since coming up with a , which he says “gets hitters off my .” And what a curveball it is. It may be one of the best in the game. “I just want to show [the changeup] so the hitters can’t sit on the curveball,” Hill said. “I’m learning to throw it to lefthanded hitters. And I thought it was very effective. I threw quite a few against the Yankees and I was really intrigued by the swings I was getting off it.” Hill now throws a cutter, a curve, a changeup, and a fastball that’s sneaky fast. The radar gun says 92 most of the time, but hitters have told Hill “it looks like 96.” That’s because Hill’s fastball has that 10-15 feet of late life that bears down on the hitter, leaving him little time to react. Hill gave hitters different looks with his three-quarter delivery, and also came in sidearm, a delivery he used with effectiveness when he was a reliever for the Red Sox. “It’s all about disrupting the hitters’ rhythm,” Hill explained. “If you can do that just a little it makes quite a difference.” Hill always understood that being a good pitcher meant learning how to pitch rather than trying to blow it by the hitter. “It’s a game inside the game,” Hill said. ”Changing speeds, changing the shape of a pitch, changing arm angles . . .” For four starts in September, Hill threw some of the best games by a Red Sox pitcher in 2015. A’s general manager Billy Beane, always looking for good value, feels he has it in Hill and believes the feel-good story can continue in Oakland. ONE MAN’S BALLOT In Hall voting, no one is ignored The biggest decision in voting for the Hall of Fame is whether to vote for players who have been known or suspected of using steroids. In my conversations with the players of the steroid era who actually took them, the consensus is that a majority of players dabbled in them or took them for years. Based on that information the playing field was level. I have chosen not to ignore the era. It’s baseball’s fault for not having the testing and penalties they do now. So rather than guess about who did or didn’t use, I judge players on their merits on the field. I voted for the maximum 10 players. I regret not voting for Alan Trammell, after having done so for many years, as well as Tim Raines, Fred McGriff, Larry Walker, and Edgar Martinez.

1. Ken Griffey Jr. — He should be unanimous, but he won’t be. Griffey was one of the most graceful players ever. Five tools. He did everything so well and had all the necessary numbers — 630 homers, 1,836 RBIs, 10 Gold Gloves, and a career .907 OPS. 2. Barry Bonds — In his younger days in Pittsburgh he was a gazelle in the outfield. He won eight Gold Gloves (four with the Giants), seven MVPs, hit 762 home runs, and drove in 1,996 runs and had a career 1.051 OPS. 3. Roger Clemens — Seven Cy Youngs; 354 wins. He pitched two 20- games; the first one vs. Seattle in 1986 was the most dominating pitching performance I ever saw. 4. Mike Piazza — Greatest offensive catcher of all time: 427 homers, .922 OPS. I’m not sure any hitter of his generation hit the ball harder. 5. Jeff Bagwell — What an incredibly steady career that featured big /RBI numbers. His .948 OPS is 21st all time. National League MVP in 1994. 6. Jeff Kent — Bonds’s teammate and adversary, of his 377 homers, 351 came at second base, a record for that position. He also won the 2000 National League MVP. Giants GM Brian Sabean called him the best player he ever had on the field. 7. Curt Schilling — Excellent postseason numbers (11-2, 2.23 ERA). Dominated in both leagues (.607 winning percentage in AL, .593 in NL). Only 711 walks in 3,261 innings. The guy you wanted on the mound in the biggest game. 8. Mike Mussina — Love the fact that he spent his entire career pitching against the toughest lineups in the AL East. Won 20 games for the first time in his final season. Won 270 games, seven Gold Gloves. 9. Trevor Hoffman — So many are skeptical of Hoffman’s career, but 601 saves, his consistency, and the fact he did it all with a changeup being his signature pitch, is impressive. 10. — A vicious hitter who, like Piazza, didn’t hit anything softly. He hit 509 homers (25th all time) and knocked in 1,676 runs (27th). He ended his career with a .907 OPS (same as Griffey’s) and a 79.9 offensive WAR (35th). Apropos of nothing 1. Retiring Wade Boggs’s number, as I wrote earlier , was long overdue. But it brings up the issue of who should be eligible to have their number retired. The Red Sox’ policy had been the player needed to be in the Hall of Fame and had to have finished his career with the Red Sox. Well, that criteria has been bypassed in a few cases. The Yankees seem to have the process correct. They pick the best players of the era and retire their numbers. You can argue the Yankees retire too many numbers, but they’ve also won 27 championships. Under my criteria, the names to be considered would be (24), Roger Clemens (21), Tim Wakefield (49), Jason Varitek (33), and Luis Tiant (23). Going back further, Jimmie Foxx (3). There’s always sentiment for Tony Conigliaro (25), my childhood favorite given the tragedy of his short career and what might have been. You can make cases for Dom DiMaggio (7) and Frank Malzone (11). 2. I could never understand the charge that Boggs was selfish. In the course of hitting .328 in 18 major league seasons, of amassing 3,010 hits, hitting .324 with runners in scoring position and .331 with men on base, I get the funny feeling he also helped his team win some games. 3. One of baseball’s unsung heroes, a guy who does so much behind the scenes, is Dennis Gilbert, the former super agent who has a run a successful insurance business in Beverly Hills and is a special adviser to White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. Gilbert founded the Pro Baseball Scouts Foundation, which has a huge dinner event every January. Gilbert has raised so much money for scouts in need as well as kids’ programs promoting baseball. So it’s only fitting he will receive the Humanitarian Award at the Jan. 16 dinner at the Beverly Hills Hilton. 4. Speaking of Reinsdorf, the idea he and Tony La Russa have promoted for years really needs to come to fruition — create a Hall of Fame wing for coaches. There have been so many great ones over the years who never received proper recognition for the tireless work they put in and the effect they have had on players. Reinsdorf said he hasn’t given up on it, but it hasn’t received traction. 5. The one guy I’d bet on out there is Cliff Lee. He’s completely recovered from his flexor tendon tear and has been cleared to throw. Lee is a fierce competitor and we know when he has his health he’s an ace. He’s 37 years old. He’s a great gamble for a lot of teams, including the Orioles, Royals, Rangers, and Astros. He could also go back to Philadelphia for the year and see where that takes him. Updates on nine 1. Yoenis Cespedes, OF, free agent — The market has been slow and limited on Cespedes, who is seeking a contract of at least six years in the $150 million range. It doesn’t appear most teams are willing to go to that extent on him, but it only takes one. While the Giants have interest and are often mentioned as a candidate, they have already spent about $220 million on pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto. The Giants are also expected to be in on Alex Gordon, whose demands seem to be less than those of Cespedes. 2. Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies — Gonzalez, who hit 40 homers last season, is a very attractive choice to teams such as the Giants, Orioles, and Royals, but the outlay of prospects to get a deal done will limit interest. Gonzalez’s contract calls for a $17 million salary in 2016 and $20 million for 2017, and that’s better than long-term deals for the big free agent hitters. 3. Alex Gordon, OF, free agent — Gordon is still drawing a lot of interest and prefers to stay in Kansas City, though that dream may be fading. Don’t be surprised if the aggressive White Sox rush to the front. The White Sox have already traded for Todd Frazier and would like one more significant hitter. 4. , OF, free agent — The market has been slow on Upton, but in terms of all-around ability, Upton may be the best of the free agent outfielders. The White Sox again pop up as a possible destination and certainly the aforementioned teams interested in Gordon also have some interest in Upton. The one negative on Upton is the consistency of his effort. Teams would like to see more passion for what it will cost to sign him. 5. Bronson Arroyo, RHP, free agent — Arroyo, coming off Tommy John surgery, is going to be a tack-on to a staff. Arroyo, 39, had never missed a start until he got to the Diamondbacks. It’s expected that Arroyo will be a late sign. 6. Yovani Gallardo, RHP, free agent — Teams are in, but not all-in on Gallardo. Agent Alan Nero said there have been conversations, but nothing had moved forward during this holiday week. The Orioles and Royals have dipped their toes into the Gallardo market, but it appears teams hope the market comes down after Mike Leake signed a five-year, $80 million deal with St. Louis. The market for Scott Kazmir also appears to be tied into Gallardo. 7. Mike Dunn, LHP, Marlins — The Marlins have received some interest in the hard-throwing reliever and it’s looking as if he’ll eventually get moved. But one thing that has scared off some teams is concern about his control. He walked 29 in 54 innings last season and has made 70 or more appearances the last three years and four of the last five. 8. Kenta Maeda, RHP, free agent — Maeda, 27, won the equivalent of the Japanese Cy Young this year. Getting him will require a $20 million posting fee and then negotiating the salary, which will be far less than the one of countryman Masahiro Tanaka. A Leake-like five-year, $80 million deal has been bandied about. The scouts feel he’s close to Hiroki Kuroda in style. Right now the Dodgers are seen as the front-runners given their needs. The Dodgers are also likely in pursuit of Kazmir and former Orioles lefthander Wei-Yin Chen, who is reportedly asking for a five-year, $100 million deal. And they have their eyes on the Rays’ Alex Cobb and/or . 9. Zach Kapstein, OF, Orioles — The Red Sox never had proper playing time available for the righthanded-hitting outfielder from Tiverton, R.I. A superb athlete, Kapstein, 23, was traded to the Orioles for cash and will finally get a chance to show his ability. Extra innings From the Bill Chuck files — “Over the last three seasons, among batters with at least 1,800 PA, no one walked fewer times than Alcides Escobar and with just 68 each.” Also, “Through his age-25 season, Starlin Castro has 991 hits and 62 homers. Through his age- 25 season, had 990 hits and 62 homers.” . . . Happy birthday, Rick Porcello (27), David Aardsma (34), Jim Leyritz (52), and Phil Gagliano (74). Looking back Baseball lost two of its most beloved players in 2015, Yankees great Yogi Berra and Cubs legend Ernie Banks. But the game also lost some figures, who, while less celebrated, left their marks as well. Boston Globe LOADED: 12.27.2015