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Indians, Kluber Strike 5-Year Deal Cleveland Also Working Toward An

Indians, Kluber Strike 5-Year Deal Cleveland Also Working Toward An

Indians, Kluber strike 5-year deal Cleveland also working toward an extension with fellow right-handed starter Carrasco By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | 58 minutes ago + 16 COMMENTS HOUSTON -- Indians ace Corey Kluber is scheduled to make his first Opening Day start on Monday against the Astros. The reigning Award winner is expected to take the mound at Minute Maid Park with a new contract on the books.

On Saturday night, MLB.com confirmed that Cleveland has reached an agreement on a five-year contract with Kluber, pending the completion of a physical. While the financial details of the deal are not immediately known, the pact does include a pair of team-option years. The Indians are also working toward a contract extension with fellow Tribe starter Carlos Carrasco. Indians general could not be reached for comment, but he made it known earlier this week that Cleveland's preference is to wrap up any negotiations prior to the start of the regular season. "I'll stay away from anyone specifically," Antonetti said on Thursday. "But what we try to do is, once the season starts, have all of our focus be on preparing and winning games and trying to minimize distractions. That's a clear preference. It's how we've tried to operate in the past, so I expect that's how we'll move forward again this year with it." of FOXSports.com first reported that the Indians were closing in on deals with both , while Jon Heyman of CBS Sports was the first to report that Cleveland reached an agreement with Kluber. The Indians were scheduled to travel from Arizona to Houston on Saturday night.

Francona says new rule changes haven't been noticeable By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | 3:29 PM ET + 1 COMMENT GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Plenty of headlines this spring have been devoted to 's rule changes for the upcoming season. But after seeing those alterations in place for a month of Cactus League games, Indians manager called them a "non-factor."

Francona said he barely even noticed the between-innings clock in center field, meant to make sure the first pitch of each frame is thrown promptly after break. He also doesn't think hitters potentially being fined for stepping out of the batter's box will be much of an issue. "The idea is to have it be sort of a work-together-to-get this-right thing," said Francona. "It's not something where they want to have guys at odds. It's just something in place to make the game a little more crisp." The other rule change Francona addressed was that he'll no longer have to come onto the field to challenge a call -- which he said should help the flow of the game. But he added that he'll make sure the Indians' replay crew has gotten enough time to get a good look at the play before he officially makes a decision. • Francona plans to rotate Brandon Moss, David Murphy, Ryan Raburn and -- when he's healthy again -- at this season. He also said that on certain occasions, if a player has a nagging injury or needs a slight breather, the DH spot could be opened up to anyone. • T.J. House pitched in a Minor League game Saturday, leaving him six days between his final Cactus League start and his first start of the season Saturday against Detroit. Francona said it'll be House's call as to whether he wants to throw an extra bullpen session to compensate for the added time off. • Francona fondly recalled the first time he broke camp with a big league club, in 1982 for the Expos. After hearing he had made the club, Francona faced four Yankees left-handers -- including and Dave Righetti -- in an exhibition game in New Orleans. A left-handed hitter himself, Francona said he got "beat up" and "abused" by the Yankees southpaws that day, so much so that Expos veteran Woodie Fryman asked Guidry to talk to Francona after the game for reassurance. After Guidry told Francona things would be OK, Francona recalled thinking, "I don't know man -- Are there any more like you?" Quotable "Opening Days, regardless of how old you are -- they're all so meaningful, and there's so much emotion that goes into it. They're all unbelievable. It's like your first one. The 30th one is every bit as meaningful, and [you] still have the same emotions." -- Francona

Bauer fans eight, allows three runs in final spring start By Cash Kruth / MLB.com | 6:48 PM ET + 23 COMMENTS PHOENIX -- Luis Sardinas ended Cactus League play in style Saturday afternoon, ripping a walk-off RBI single with one out in the bottom of the ninth to score Hector Gomez as the Brewers topped the Indians, 4-3, at Maryvale Ballpark.

Cleveland's Brandon Moss knotted the game at three with a two-run in the fifth inning, while Milwaukee's Jonathan Lucroy and Ryan Braun each finished on double-digit hitting streaks. Lucroy singled and homered to end the spring on a 12-game hitting streak, during which he hit .487 (19-for-39) with four home runs and 10 RBIs. Braun went 2-for-2 with an RBI double to conclude the Cactus League slate with a 10-game hitting streak. Braun finished the spring hitting 15-for-25 after opening 0-for-13. "They are [hot] and I think the whole lineup doing that is pretty good to start the season that way," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. and David Murphy each went 2-for-2 with a walk for the Indians, while Jerry Sands added an RBI single. Brewers righty Jimmy Nelson gave up three runs on nine hits and walked three in 4 1/3 innings, striking out seven. Indians right-hander allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings, striking out eight with no walks. "This was such an important start, and I thought he did fine" Francona said of Bauer, who recorded a with each of his pitches on Saturday. "He gave up some hits, but his stuff looked so good. Watching him warm up in the sixth, he looked every bit as strong as he did in the first. I think he's situated to have a nice, growing year from where he was last year. Where he goes -- that'll be fun to see." Up next: Corey Kluber, last season's American League winner, gets the Opening Day start as the Indians take on the Astros at 7:10 ET at Minute Maid Park. Bastian’s 2015 preseason predictions by Jordan Bastian You can’t blame me this year. If any of you actually believe in jinxes — and plenty of accused me of such nonsense on over the years — well, I’m off the hook this season.

The Indians are suddenly one of the sexy picks in the annual predictions from around the media-sphere. ESPN loves them. Fangraphs loves them. And (gasp!) Sports Illustrated put the Tribe on a regional cover and declared them the favorites to win the whole darned thing.

“I don’t know the SI jinx,” said Michael Brantley, who joined Cy Young winner Corey Kluber on the cover. “I’ve never heard about it. I dont want to hear about it.”

Here’s the deal. The jinx isn’t real.

What’s real is that the Indians have a Cy Young winner (Kluber), a top-three MVP finished (Brantley), one of the best young in the game (), the Major League leader in walks (Carlos Santana), a two-time -winning manager (Terry Francona) and a lot more core talent in the fold, and coming soon.

So, guess what? I’m sippin’ the Kool-Aid this year. Here come my annual preseason predictions and, whether you like it or not, I’m picking the Indians to win the division. I won’t go as far as SI did, but hey, if Cleveland punches its ticket to October, you just never know. The Indians certainly would be set up nicely (in theory) for a short series with Kluber and Carlos Carrasco at the top of the rotation.

Cleveland has a ton of potential, but even Francona has been quick to say throughout the spring that potential is nothing more than exactly that. They have to go out there and prove that there is substance to all the talk and analytical projections.

The Indians have the makings of a dynamic rotation, but there are questions at each slot. Can Kluber repeat what he did in 2014? Can Carrasco be the kind of starter he was in August and September? Will Trevor Bauer take a leap forward? Can TJ House continue to shore up the back end, and will Zach McAllister finally be the innings-eater the Tribe envisioned him to be a few years ago?

Even beyond the Opening Day staff, there are questions about Cleveland’s depth. Danny Salazar looked lost on the mound this spring, is out three to four months with a shoulder issue, and no one really knows what Bruce Chen or Shaun Marcum might have left in their respective tanks.

Still, there was a plethora of problems that riddled the Indians last year, and the team still came within earshot of a playoff berth. Really, if Cleveland had played only slightly below-average defense, it would likely have been at least a winner. Instead, injuries and a porous defense sent the Tribe to an early winter.

Before I get to this year’s predictions, let’s revisit how I did last year (see: not well).

In the American League, I went 6-for-15 on the standings, and only predicted two playoff teams (Tigers and Angels as division winners correctly). In the , I fared a bit better, hitting on 10-of-15 in the standings and 4-for-5 on playoff teams. Of course, I had the Dodgers beating the Tigers in the World Series. Man, what a series that was, huh. Whoops.

For the AL awards, I said Mike Trout would win the MVP (woot!), Felix Hernandez would win the Cy Young (thanks, Kluber), Jose Abreu would win of the Year (nailed it!) and Brad Ausmus would be the Manager of the Year (he got zero votes). In the NL, I had Paul Goldschmidt as the MVP (again, no votes), Jose Fernandez as the Cy Young winner (thanks, ), Billy Hamilton as the top rookie (2nd place!) and Matt Williams as the top manager (score).

With the Fernandez prediction, I’m reminded of a spring few years ago, when I walked in the clubhouse on the first day and then-Tribe closer Chris Perez said: “Don’t pick me for anything!”

With all of that said, here are all of my preseason picks for 2015…

AMERICAN LEAGUE 3. White Sox 4. Royals East 5. Twins 1. Red Sox 2. Blue Jays West 3. Yankees 1. Mariners 4. Orioles *2. Angels 5. Rays 3. A’s 4. Astros Central 5. Rangers 1. Indians *2. Tigers NATIONAL LEAGUE NL : Nationals over Cubs East NL Division Series: Dodgers over Cardinals 1. Nationals NL Championship Series: Nationals over Dodgers 2. Marlins 3. Mets AL Wild Card: Angels over Tigers 4. Braves AL Division Series: Angels over Red Sox 5. Phillies AL Division Series: Indians over Mariners AL Championship Series: Angels over Indians Central 1. Cardinals WORLD SERIES *2. Pirates *3. Cubs Angels over Nationals 4. Brewers 5. Reds AWARD WINNERS

West AL Most Valuable Player: Mike Trout, Angels 1. Dodgers AL Cy Young Award: , White Sox 2. Padres AL Rookie of the Year: Daniel Norris, Blue Jays 3. Giants AL Manager of the Year: Lloyd McClendon, Mariners 4. D-backs 5. Rockies NL Most Valuable Player: Andrew McCutchen, Pirates NL Cy Young Award: Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers *indicates Wild Card pick NL Rookie of the Year: Joc Pederson, Dodgers NL Manager of the Year: , Cubs Debate away… NL Wild Card: Cubs over Pirates

Dolan's Tribe poised for title run By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | 12:39 AM ET + 6 COMMENTS HOUSTON -- Indians CEO sat inside a conference room at the Indians' Spring Training complex for an interview with MLB.com on a recent morning, the sun-splashed practice fields within view from the building's second floor. Each year, and for each team, this is the time for optimism, but this feels different for Cleveland.

This year, the optimism is aligned with expectations. Throughout Spring Training, a growing number of national media outlets gravitated toward the Tribe in annual predictions. Sports Illustrated went as far as putting the Indians on one of its regional covers and declared that this was the year the team would win its first World Series since 1948. If there was a preference to fly under the radar, Cleveland now has to adjust to being in the spotlight. "Clearly, there is sort of a groundswell of recognition that we have a very good team," Dolan said with a smile. "That's better than the other end of it. We certainly feel good about it. But, we mostly feel good about it because we know what we have. We saw it on the field last year and the last couple years." Over the past two years, Cleveland has won 177 games (fourth-most in the American League) and tasted the postseason with an appearance in the AL Wild Card Game in 2013. Terry Francona won Manager of the Year in '13, starter Corey Kluber captured a Cy Young Award in '14 and the Indians look poised to make a run at the division title in '15. It has been a swift turnaround for an Indians club that lost 94 games in 2012 and has ranked near the bottom of the league in attendance in each of the past two years. Cleveland also has found success while operating on a payroll that annually falls within the bottom third of baseball. There is a segment of Tribe fans that is vocal about the low payroll and the organization not being a big player in free agency. Such complaints arose again this winter, when the Indians -- with a Major League roster mostly intact from last season -- were relatively quiet. Cleveland signed free-agent right-hander Gavin Floyd for $4 million (he has since been lost indefinitely to a right elbow fracture) and traded for slugger Brandon Moss, who avoided arbitration with a $6.5 million deal. Dolan brushes off the criticism, because he has placed an extreme level of faith in the group already in place. "There is always that what-have-you-done-lately syndrome that exists in sports and entertainment," Dolan said. "In the offseason, there's a lot of attention paid to what clubs do. Sometimes what gets lost is what we already have on the roster. That's OK, because now we're going to start playing games." Prior to the 2013 season, Dolan did approve long-term deals for Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn, spending a combined $104 million in guaranteed salary to sign the players and showing a willingness to target free agents in opportunistic situations. With a wealth of Draft selections acquired for that summer, those signings balanced the picks lost through the compensation system. More important to Cleveland's success of late has been the targeting and acquiring of players through trades. All-Star Michael Brantley (third in AL Most Valuable Player voting last season), Yan Gomes (a Silver Slugger winner last year), Carlos Santana and Kluber are among the current players who were obtained as Minor Leaguers through trades. "That's where we have done very, very well," Dolan said. "That starts with our professional scouts and, ultimately, guys like [general manager Chris Antonetti and team president Mark Shapiro]. That has been the linchpin of this franchise -- our ability to recognize talent. We've done well in the Draft recently, but over the years our particular talent has been identifying talent in other organizations." Locking up young players via extensions -- buying out arbitration years and the first season or two of free agency -- has also been critical for Cleveland. Most recently, the team convinced Brantley, Gomes and to sign long-term pacts prior to last season. On Saturday night, Cleveland followed that trend with Kluber, agreeing to a five-year extension that includes two team-option years. "He's the kind of guy you want in the organization and want to keep," Dolan said. Dolan was in Arizona for several weeks of Spring Training, so he was looking forward to returning to Cleveland to see the progress made on the massive renovation project at . The sweeping undertaking, which will be officially unveiled for the home opener on Friday, falls in line with the kind of renaissance taking place in downtown Cleveland. More and more people have been returning to the city's core, and the Indians are trying to find ways not only to draw them to the ballpark, but to create a product that will convince others to drive in from the suburbs. That has been a challenge for the ballclub since the recession hit in the 2000s, when a multitude of companies left Cleveland, robbing the Tribe of a significant amount of ticket holders. The recent progress made downtown has been encouraging for the Indians. "People coming to live downtown is at least a step back to where we were," Dolan said. "We've got a long way to go. We're doing everything we can to make [the team and ballpark] as attractive as possible." While attendance has still been a struggle, Dolan noted that the TV ratings last season (the Indians ranked fifth overall in baseball, according to Forbes) were extremely encouraging, too. "That reflects the reality that this community is very, very interested in the team," Dolan said. "The passion for baseball and the we know is there and we have all the data to show it. We need to work harder to convert that passion into ticket buying." If the current preseason optimism translates into on-field success, and another trip to the October stage, that will be another step in that direction for the Indians. "We have a team that will compete for a World Series title," Dolan said. "There are a lot of other teams that will compete for a World Series title, too, but we're legitimately in the mix. That's what you want."

AP source: Indians, Kluber agree on 5-year contract By TOM WITHERS (AP Sports Writer)1 minute agoAP - Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) -- AL Cy Young Award winnerCorey Kluber and the Cleveland Indians have agreed to a five-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The deal includes two club options, the person said Saturday night. Kluber's deal is contingent upon him passing medical tests, which should be concluded within the next few days, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the Indians do not comment during contract talks.

Kluber went 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA for Cleveland last season, his first full year in the majors. He's scheduled to pitch Monday's season opener at

Houston, and it's possible the Indians will wait until later in the week to announce the deal.

The club signed second baseman Jason Kipnis to a six-year, $52 million deal last season hours before the home opener. Cleveland opens redesigned Progressive Field on Friday against AL Central rival Detroit.

Kluber signed a one-year deal worth $601,000 last month as talks initially failed to produce a long-term deal. However, his agent, B.B. Abbott, continued to have discussions with the club and the sides were able to reach a deal on the Indians' last day of spring training.

Kluber will turn 29 on April 10, and general manager Chris Antonetti made it clear during camp that the club was interested in investing in him for the future.The team would also like to lock up No. 2 starter Carlos Carrasco, who was one of the AL's top pitchers in the second half last season.

Right-hander Corey Kluber and the Cleveland Indians agreed on a five-year contract extension with two club options, tying the reigning American League Cy Young winner to the ascendant Indians, sources told Yahoo Sports.

Kluber, who turns 29 this week, is a late bloomer who still was not eligible for arbitration, prompting him to seek a long-term deal with the Indians. The interest was mutual, and after months of negotiations, they came to terms on a deal that could keep Kluber in an Indians uniform through his 35th birthday.

After a season in which he went 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA and 269 in 235 2/3 innings, Kluber got a raise to just $601,000 because he still was not eligible for arbitration. While the terms of the deal are unknown, it is expected to juice Kluber’s short-term earnings significantly while providing him the long-term security that even two years ago seemed altogether unlikely.

Kluber joined Cleveland just before the trade deadline in 2010, the return from San Diego in a three-way trade that sent to St. Louis. He blossomed in the Indians organization, developing a - combination as devastating as any in the AL, and now heads an Indians rotation with significant expectations.

In addition to Kluber, the Indians have engaged with their No. 2 starter, Carlos Carrasco, about a contract extension, sources told Yahoo Sports. Both the Kluber extension talks and those about a Carrasco deal were first reported by FoxSports.com.

Bauer strikes out 8 in 6 innings as Tribe falls to Brewers PHOENIX (AP) -- Ryan Braun and Jonathan Lucroy each ended the spring with two more hits and the beat the Cleveland Indians 4-3 Saturday. Lucroy hit his team-leading fifth homer and Braun had an RBI double in the spring training finale for both teams. Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelson stuck out seven in 4 1-3 innings but was in constant trouble, allowing three runs on nine hits and three walks. He left after a two-run homer by Brandon Moss was followed by a double from Lonnie Chisenhall. Nelson will begin the season as the Brewers' fifth starter. Luis Sardinas brought home Hector Gomez with an RBI single in the ninth to win it. Braun's double into the left-field corner in the first drove in Lucroy, who had singled. Braun, who started the spring hitless in 13 at-bats, had 15 hits in his last 25 at-bats to finish at .395 for the spring with eight hits for extra bases. "He's been swinging the bat very well, which is nice," Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said. Lucroy then homered to lead off the third and Braun hammered a single before taking the rest of the day off. Lucroy, who missed the first two weeks of games with a hamstring injury, hit safely in the last 12 spring games and finished hitting .435 (20 for 46). Indians starter Trevor Bauer, No. 3 in the rotation, struck out eight in six innings. He gave up three runs and eight hits. "I think he's situated to have a nice growing year from where he was last year," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "Where that goes will be fun to see. Even when he was having his struggles, he doesn't back down when he gets into a bind he believes what he's doing. Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelson stuck out seven in 4 1-3 innings but was in constant trouble, allowing nine hits and three walks. He left after a two-run homer by Brandon Moss was followed by a double from Lonnie Chisenhall during Cleveland's two-run fifth. ------STARTING TIME Indians: Bauer will break camp with a major league team for the first time in 2015, but wasn't crazy about pitching the "getaway game" of spring training with a 12:05 local start time. He finished the spring with 26 strikeouts against one walk. "I was a little out of sync early. A different day in routine, trying to pack everything up at the stadium and I got started with my throwing program 10 minutes late and ended four minutes early," Bauer said. "I was all out of whack, but I threw the ball pretty well today." Brewers: Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke will flip-flop Nelson and Mike Fiers for the first turn of his rotation, with Nelson sliding back to the fifth spot and Fiers moving up to fourth. "It more the experience and the success that Fiers has had," Roenicke said. Nelson felt it was a spring of learning and adjustments for him. "I had a lot of chances to work on my secondary stuff, which is good," said Nelson, who finished the spring with a 6.23 ERA. "I just keep trusting the process and that it's going to lead you where it's supposed to. `I'm excited about Opening Day. It's my first and for a couple of guys on the team and I'm excited for them too. Now I start prepping for Pittsburgh and my first start." TRAINER'S ROOM Brewers: As expected, RHP Jim Henderson has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation, retroactive to Mar. 26. Henderson is recovering from off-season surgery and working to regain his velocity. Otherwise, the Brewers break camp with a healthy team. UP NEXT Indians: RHP Corey Kluber will start the season-opener at Houston on Monday. Brewers: RHP Kyle Lohse will start for the Brewers against Colorado on Monday.

AP source: Indians, Kluber agree on 5-year contract By TOM WITHERS (AP Sports Writer)1 minute agoAP - Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) -- AL Cy Young Award winnerCorey Kluber and the Cleveland Indians have agreed to a five-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The deal includes two club options, the person said Saturday night. Kluber's deal is contingent upon him passing medical tests, which should be concluded within the next few days, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the Indians do not comment during contract talks.

Kluber went 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA for Cleveland last season, his first full year in the majors. He's scheduled to pitch Monday's season opener at

Houston, and it's possible the Indians will wait until later in the week to announce the deal.

The club signed second baseman Jason Kipnis to a six-year, $52 million deal last season hours before the home opener. Cleveland opens redesigned Progressive Field on Friday against AL Central rival Detroit.

Kluber signed a one-year deal worth $601,000 last month as talks initially failed to produce a long-term deal. However, his agent, B.B. Abbott, continued to have discussions with the club and the sides were able to reach a deal on the Indians' last day of spring training.

Kluber will turn 29 on April 10, and general manager Chris Antonetti made it clear during camp that the club was interested in investing in him for the future.

The team would also like to lock up No. 2 starter Carlos Carrasco, who was one of the AL's top pitchers in the second half last season.

Francona on State of Indians in Year 3: 'I love it' Joe ReedyFOX Sports Ohio GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Most times during opening press conferences announcing a hiring of a manager, things said rarely come to fruition. Hugs and hats are exchanged between the manager and general manager then both sides go their respective ways. As the Indians enter their third season of the Terry Francona-Chris Antonetti partnership, that doesn't appear to be the case. Many of the things uttered on Oct. 8, 2012, when Francona became the 42nd manager in franchise history remain true today. "I feel better now than I did then. All of the reasons I wanted to be here I get to go through it all the time," Francona said earlier this week. "We have the right to disagree, we have a lot of fun, we mess around a lot but we care about what we do and we have fun doing it together. When we need to pick each other up we do. That is why I wanted to come here and so now that I've been here awhile, (shoot) I love it. "These are hard jobs, even sometimes on the good days and doing it with people you care about is the best thing that happened to me. I know it. I'm able to enjoy myself so much here. It's a great atmosphere." The Indians come into the season with the reigning American League Cy Young winner Corey Kluber and one of the emerging in the game in Michael Brantley, but a big reason why they are the chic pick to win the division and the darlings of Sports Illustrated to win it all is due to Francona along with some of Antonetti's moves that have started to pay off. Of the Opening Day roster, 14 of the 25 came to the Indians via trade, including Kluber and Brantley. Seven were drafted, four came via free agency and one was signed as a non-drafted free agent. Francona has directed that group to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2001. On a team that saw 14 rookies make appearances last year, the Indians won 85 games and were in contention for a playoff spot until the final weekend of the season. Considering the struggles last season's team had with injuries, errors and the rotation early on, Francona did a better job than when he led the 2013 squad to the playoffs. Another part of what made the Indians attractive to Francona is being able to develop players whereas in Boston most times he already had established veterans. He is also keenly aware of the market dynamics where there is a longer patience level with players because of the payroll. "We each have our own eccentricities. On a serious note at the time we hired him we had a good idea of what to expect and what type of leader he was," Antonetti said. "I'm even more excited today than I was when we started working together because I've had the chance to work with him the last two-plus years. "I enjoy the dynamic of the entirety of our front office, Tito and the coaching staff and how aligned we are. Tito deserves a ton of credit for that because he creates a welcoming environment and embracing. It is not only fulfilling but fun." With only one free agent, it ended up being a mostly quiet offseason due to having most of the roster under team control. The trade for Brandon Moss has looked good early as he hit five home runs during the spring but the Gavin Floyd signing went for naught after he fractured his elbow for the second time in less than a year. While some still rank the Indians farm system in the middle, they are better positioned with prospects in case they need to make a trade. Five of the top 10 are outfielders with Francisco Lindor likely to make it to the big club sometime this season. With the Indians closing in on a long-term deal with Kluber, and possibly Carlos Carrasco, the only major arbitration headaches that would loom for the next offseason are Moss and Cody Allen. If there is anyone best suited to guide a team through rising expectations it is Francona. After making the playoffs in 2013, the first half of last season was a good lesson that remaining at a high level is more difficult. With Detroit not the unanimous choice to win the division, remaining an unknown despite a flurry of additions and Kansas City losing a couple key pieces, this could be the Tribe's time. "We play in the moment and don't let outside influences affect our game," Francona said. "What it (the predictions) means is we have made strides on our roster. Whether someone picked us for last or first, our goal is to prepare, try to win the first game and move on to the next one.

Indians manager Terry Francona, General Manager Chris Antonetti revel in close relationship in third year MARYVALE, Ariz: When Terry Francona was hired as the Indians’ manager in October of 2012, Chris Antonetti was entering his third season as the general manager, just starting to really put his own stamp on the roster. Francona was coming off a year-long stint as an analyst for ESPN.

Now, entering their third season together as the heads of the Indians, they both say the relationship has been everything they had hoped for when Francona was introduced as manager.

“When you get a job, you sit up front of the podium and you hug and they put the [uniform] on you and then you go about your business,” Francona said. “Everything we said that day, we’ve lived it out and I feel better now than I did then because all the reasons I wanted to be here, I get to go through it all the time.”

Antonetti and Francona often talk after games. Antonetti and members of the front office staff at times travel with the team. The managerial and coaching staff works closely with the player development staff, and vice versa. The analytical staff always has a seat at the table. All sides invite input without the fear of stepping on someone’s toes.

Members from about every different staff on the team hang out in Francona’s office. At times, it’s to relax, joke around, blow off steam. Other times it’s to work and grind out certain details.

“When we need to pick each other up, we do,” Francona said. “That was why I wanted to come here. And so now that I’ve been here a while … I love it.”

That kind of synergy and communication is what Antonetti enjoys.

“Part of what I enjoy so much is the dynamic that we have between the entirety of our front office, Tito, the coaching staff and how integrated and how aligned we are really throughout the organization,” Antonetti said. “Tito deserves a ton of credit for that because he’s constantly reaching out and he creates such a welcoming environment for everyone where it’s our analytical guys, our scouts, our player development staff, anyone in the front office.”

It’s a relationship that has yet to earn an Division crown. The Indians won 92 games in 2013 and won a wild-card berth but had a one-game exit, losing to the . Last season, the Indians won 85 games but missed the playoffs.

“It doesn’t mean we don’t have challenges. We have challenges all the time,” Francona said. “But every time we seem to get punched in the stomach, he either says to me, ‘We’ll figure it out together’ or sometimes I’ll say, ‘We’ll figure this out.’ And I believe it. I’m not trying to get all mushy but I guess that’s how I feel. We are pretty close.

“I’m being serious, I’m fortunate. These jobs are hard sometimes even on the good days. Doing it with people you really care about is the best thing that’s happened to me, and I know it.”

Having a great working relationship between the front office, manager, coaching staff and player development staffs won’t automatically lead to more wins. But it is a positive relationship, and Francona and Antonetti seem to be in sync.

Indians preview: 2015 season may hinge on starting rotation Ryan Lewis GOODYEAR, Ariz: It’s often the case that a team will go as far as its starting rotation takes it. That’s especially true for the 2015 Indians. The Indians had one of the best staffs in baseball last season, and it got better down the stretch. If the Indians want to unseat the as American League Central Division champs, recapturing that magic might be the biggest piece. Per the numbers, the Indians arguably had one of the top three starting rotations in baseball in 2014. As a group, it finished with a Wins Above Replacement stat — this measures how many wins are generated above what replacement level players would have done — of 16.8, according to FanGraphs. That was behind only the Tigers (17.4) and (18.2). Even more telling, the staff’s Fielding Independent Pitching — which essentially tries to see how good a is while taking fielding variables out of the equation — was 3.33, the second best in the game. And the strikeout-per-nine-innings ratio of 8.92 was tops in the league. In the second half of the season? The Tribe starters had a WAR of 10.9, a full win above any other team in the game. Not to mention that Corey Kluber won the Cy Young Award, Carlos Carrasco became perhaps the hottest pitcher in baseball in his final 10 starts (1.30 ERA), Trevor Bauer took a step forward and TJ House seemed to get better with each time he took the mound. Those four are back, along with Zach McAllister, to round out the rotation. FanGraphs projects the Indians to have the fifth-best starting rotation in 2015 and the best in the American League. Projections are great before the season starts, but the Indians know this is a young staff that hasn’t proved itself yet. “FanGraphs doesn’t throw pitches,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “It’s hard because we don’t have the track record these other guys have, and until you do, you have to go out and do it for a full year. Doing it for a full year is harder than doing it for a half year. That doesn’t mean we don’t have confidence in our guys. But I don’t think you go out and make proclamations.” Season opener Kluber, 28, will start Monday night against the on Opening Day. Kluber was 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA and 269 strikeouts in 235Ҁ last season. Those are certainly Cy Young Award numbers — but he’s only been at that level for a season and a half. Kluber always had his out pitches, but in 2014 he found his fastball command and became one of the game’s top pitchers. “Obviously, the slider, the cutter was really good, the velocity was really good,” Indians pitching said about Kluber. “The erratic fastball command was concerning for me. But I knew if he could get his fastball over [the plate] and make that a priority, he was going to have some success.” Carrasco, 28, finished 8-7 with a 2.55 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 134 innings. He struggled to start the season, was sent to -A Columbus and returned a new pitcher. So he’s only been at that level for half a season. Bauer, 24, struggled in the first inning of many starts but had flashes of brilliance, finishing 5-8 with a 4.18 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 153 innings. He’s been more comfortable with himself this spring and appears to be more confident in his routine. Bauer has been working during the offseason and spring on his command and has liked the results. He’s also changed his pitching repertoire a bit. He says he’ll be throwing seven pitches this year, has added a two-seam fastball, altered his split-finger and done away with his slider. Working on command Bauer’s hope is that with increased command, he’ll be able to simplify things in the first inning, when teams tended to jump on him. Bauer had a 5.54 ERA in the first inning. It was 3.80 in innings two through six. “I spent all offseason working on my command and training my command in a way, training myself to be better and adjusting on the fly and being able to throw strikes in a lot of different ways,” Bauer said. “I should be more prepared to throw any pitch for a strike.” House, 25, the lone left-handed option, got better as he went on and posted a 5-3 record with a 3.35 ERA and had 80 strikeouts in 102 innings. House won one of the two open spots in the rotation this spring. And there’s McAllister, who struggled at times last year as a starter and out of the bullpen, but has had a strong spring and forced his way into the rotation. Francona and Callaway said they knew McAllister wanted to fight for a spot in the rotation and was ready to go. A spot opened up when Gavin Floyd injured his elbow. The Indians also have Danny Salazar, who has electric stuff but has struggled with consistency, as the leading option at Triple-A. The potential is there for the Indians to have the best rotation in the AL. The potential is also there for much of the staff to take a step back in 2015. “Potential is one thing, going out and doing it is another,” Kluber said. “I think we have to hold ourselves accountable to our own expectations, not just [other’s] expectations.” Strong work ethic What gives Callaway confidence the staff can improve on 2014 is the group’s work ethic during the four days they’re not pitching. “They’re all very young in their major-league careers,” Callaway said. “But the one thing I’ve seen of them, they don’t go about their business like young guys. They’re all very mature in the way they work and their work ethic and the things they do on a daily basis. Knowing that, I have faith they’ll be able to handle whatever’s in front of them no problem.” The Indians’ rotation, talented but young, has about as much potential and risk factor as any in baseball. It might be the biggest factor to determine whether the Tribe will be playing baseball deep into October this year. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 04.05.2015

Indians report: Pitcher Corey Kluber agrees to five-year deal with two club option years, per reports Ryan Lewis GOODYEAR, Ariz: The Indians have locked up last year’s American League Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber to a multi-year contract, according to media reports. Kluber and the Indians have reportedly agreed to a five-year deal with two club option years. Financial details are not yet known. Kluber, 28, would have been eligible for his first of three arbitration years after this season. Signing Kluber to a five-year extension with two club options will put some risk on the team. But had the Indians simply gone to arbitration with Kluber at the end of each of the next three seasons, it likely would have cost much more to retain him if he remains at an elite level. The two club options offset some of that risk. Kluber was 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA and 269 strikeouts in 235Ҁ innings pitched en route to being named the American League’s best pitcher last season. CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman was the first to report the deal. Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com, among others, also reported that the deal is done. The Indians did not extend former Cy Young Award winners CC Sabathia and after they won the award in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Per a report from MLB.com, the Indians are also in talks to extend Carlos Carrasco’s contract. Carrasco and the Indians avoided arbitration this past offseason by agreeing to a one-year, $2.3 million deal. Carrasco has two arbitration years remaining. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 04.05.2015

Cleveland Indians 2015 Positional Breakdown Ryan Lewis Catcher Yan Gomes last season hit .278 with 21 home runs and 74 RBI and is blossoming into one of the best catchers in baseball. He struggled with errors early but was much better defensively down the stretch. First base Carlos Santana will be able to settle in here after an unsuccessful experiment at third base at the beginning of last season. He led the Tribe with 27 home runs a year ago after a slow start. Brandon Moss could also see time here, sliding Santana to the designated hitter spot on some days. Nick Swisher, health permitting, could as well once he returns from the disabled list. Second base The Indians are counting on a bounce-back season from Jason Kipnis, who struggled with an oblique injury for most of the 2014 season. He’s likely to normally hit second in the order, behind Michael Bourn and in front of Michael Brantley. Third base Lonnie Chisenhall gets another shot to lock down the hot corner. He was one of the best hitters in baseball for a short stretch last season and ended the year hitting .280 with 13 home runs and 59 RBI. He did, however, commit 18 errors, most on the team. Shortstop Jose Ramirez was one of the biggest surprises last season. He was largely thought of as simply a stop-gap until Francisco Lindor’s long awaited debut but he played well above expectations, providing a substantial defensive upgrade over the departed Asdrubal Cabrera and hit .262. When Lindor is called up, the Indians will have a decision to make about where to move him. Left field Michael Brantley enjoyed a breakout 2014 season. His numbers: .327 batting average, 200 hits, 20 home runs, 45 doubles, 97 RBI, 23 stolen bases, an on-base percentage of .385. He finished third in MVP voting and should be a contender again in 2015. Center field Michael Bourn will act as another bounce-back candidate after a season in which he dealt with a hamstring injury and struggled through it, hitting .257 and stealing only 10 bases. He worked with University of Houston track coach Leroy Burrell in the offseason to strengthen his hamstrings and rediscover his speed, the best weapon in his offensive arsenal. Right field The Indians’ biggest offseason addition, Brandon Moss, slides into right field to begin the season. Moss was an All-Star last season for the but is coming off of right hip surgery. He has looked good this spring and says his swing is back to where it was a year ago. Designated hitter Early in the season, this spot could be manned by a number of hitters. Once Nick Swisher is able to return from surgeries on both knees, he will see time in right field but will likely start as the designed hitter. For the most part, Swisher has had a disappointing two years with the Indians but says he’s entering 2015 with a new mindset. Bench Infielder Mike Aviles will be the primary backup at second base, third base and shortstop. Ryan Raburn and David Murphy will be options in the outfield. Roberto Perez will spell Gomes at catcher when needed. Starting pitchers The rotation is anchored by last year’s Cy Young Award winner, Corey Kluber. Second and third in the order belong to Carlos Carrasco, who was outstanding in his final 10 starts last season, and Trevor Bauer, who if he can figure out the first inning could be in for a breakthrough year. TJ House, the lone left-handed pitcher, and Zach McAllister will round out the rotation. Danny Salazar is also likely to join the rotation at some point this season. Bullpen The Indians will carry an eight-man bullpen to start the season. Cody Allen will assume the closer’s role. There are three lefties in the bullpen — Marc Rzepczynski, Kyle Crockett and Nick Hagadone. Bryan Shaw, Scott Atchison, Anthony Swarzak and Austin Adams are the right-handed options before getting to Allen in the ninth inning. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 04.05.2015

Cleveland Indians, Corey Kluber reach agreement on multi-year contract, per reports Ryan Lewis Kluber The Cleveland Indians have locked up last year's American League Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber to a multi-year contract, according to media reports. CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman was the first to report the deal. Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com, among others, also reported that the deal is done. Per the reports, Kluber and the Indians have agreed to a five-year deal with two club option years. Financial details are not yet known. Kluber, 28, would have been eligible for his first of three arbitration years after this season. Signing Kluber to a five-year extension with two club options will put some risk on the team. But had the Indians simply gone to arbitration with Kluber at the end of each of the next three seasons, it likely would have cost much more to retain him if he remained at an elite level. The two club options off-sets some of that risk. Kluber last season went 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA and 269 strikeouts in 235 2/3 innings pitched en route to being named the American League's best pitcher. The Indians did not extend former Cy Young Award winners C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee after they won the award in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Per a report from MLB.com, the Indians are also in talks to extend starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco. Carrasco and the Indians avoided arbitration this past offseason by agreeing to a one-year, $2.3 million deal. He has two arbitration years remaining. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 04.05.2015

Indians notebook: Indians fall to Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 to close Cactus League play Ryan Lewis MARYVALE, Ariz: The Milwaukee Brewers beat the visiting Indians 4-3 Saturday, ending spring training for both teams. Trevor Bauer threw six innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits and striking out eight. Saturday is a bit of unique day, as an earlier start time was coupled with everyone trying to pack to leave for Houston after the game. Bauer said he somehow started his pre-game throwing routine late but despite being rushed, finished it early. “Hopefully I can go the rest of my career without pitching on the last day of the spring,” he said. “It’s a weird, funky day. But it feels good [to be done with spring training].” Bauer allowed three runs early but did notch a strikeout with all seven of his pitches and one of them twice. “I thought he was fine. He gave up some hits but his stuff looks so good,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “I watched him warming up in the sixth, he looked every bit as strong in the sixth as he did in the first. I think he’s situated to have a nice growing year from where he was last year. Where that goes, it’ll be fun to see.” Brandon Moss belted his fifth home run of the spring, and it might have been the longest of them all. Moss’ home run cleared the right-field fence (364 feet), a 20-25 foot inclined hill, a walking path, a few kiosks behind it and appeared to one-hop the outer fence to the stadium. “That ball was crushed,” Francona said. The Indians finished spring training with a total exhibition attendance of 85,874 fans, the second most since coming to Goodyear in 2009 and drawing 99,824. The Indians will leave Arizona with a Cactus League record of 14-18-1. Seizing an opportunity Right-handed Jeff Manship was invited to camp as a non-roster invitee and did well with his opportunity. He entered camp with a career 4-9 record and 6.46 ERA with the , and . He spent time as both a starting pitcher and relief pitcher, struggling to find consistent time in the major leagues. At 30 years old, he didn’t have much of a track record to back him up. Throwing exclusively as a relief pitcher, Manship was much better this spring. He posted an ERA of 0.79 with 14 strikeouts in 11ѿ innings pitched. It wasn’t quite enough to allow him to break camp on the major league roster, but it secured him a roster spot and an assignment to Triple-A Columbus. “Manship had probably one of the better camps,” Francona said. “If you look at his major league numbers he’s had a tough time at times. But he had a great camp and probably threw the ball better maybe because he’s out of the bullpen and not starting. [His] stuff is playing up a little bit. We were pleased about that. If he can continue to pitch like that he’s going to help us.”Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 04.05.2015 Brewers beat Indians 4-3 to close Cactus League play Ryan Lewis The Brewers beat the visiting Indians 4-3 Saturday, ending spring training for both teams. Trevor Bauer threw six innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits and striking out eight. Saturday is a bit of unique day, as an earlier start time was coupled with everyone trying to pack to leave for Houston after the game. Bauer said he somehow started his pre-game throwing routine late but while rushed, finished it early. “Hopefully I can go the rest of my career without pitching on the last day of the spring,” he said. “It’s a weird, funky day. But it feels good [to be done with spring training].” Bauer allowed three runs early but did notch a strikeout with all seven of his pitches and one of them twice. “I thought he was fine. He gave up some hits but his stuff looks so good,” said Indians manager Terry Francona. “I watched him warming up in the sixth, he looked every bit as strong in the sixth as he did in the first. I think he’s situated to have a nice growing year from where he was last year. Where that goes, it’ll be fun to see.” Brandon Moss belted his fifth home run of the spring, and this one may have had the most distance on it of them all. Moss’ home run cleared the right-field fence (364 feet), a 20-25 foot inclined hill, a walking path, a few kiosks behind it and appeared to one-hop the outer fence to the stadium. “That ball was crushed,” Francona said. The Indians finish spring training with a total exhibition attendance of 85,874 fans, the second most since coming to Goodyear in 2009 and drawing 99,824. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 04.05.2015

Marla Ridenour: 2015 Indians can win division, but White Sox a major concern Marla Ridenour They have the starting pitching. They have the manager. They have the bullpen, although I’m slightly worried about Bryan Shaw’s workload. They have the offense, if Jason Kipnis, Brandon Moss and Michael Bourn come through. But I’m having a hard time believing the Indians will win the , as Sports Illustrated has predicted. As much as I love the SI cover, with Michael Brantley’s uproarious laugh (it wouldn’t surprise me if it were a reaction to a wry Corey Kluber joke) and Cy Young winner Kluber standing beside him smiling (a rare shot in itself), I’m fighting to forget one of the magazine’s most infamous jinxes with Cory Snyder and Joe Carter pictured in 1987. (I’m superstitious enough that I have repeated lucky outfits or pieces of clothing when attending sporting events as a fan.) And I want to write about the end of Cleveland’s 51-year championship drought as much as fans want to celebrate it. When it comes to the Indians winning the American League Central Division, it’s not them I’m worried about, it’s the . While the Indians virtually treaded water in the offseason, except for the trade for Moss, the White Sox were aggressively going after a division championship. They traded for right-hander Jeff Samardzija, likely a one-year rental who will be their Opening Day starter while Chris Sale recovers from a February foot injury. They addressed bullpen deficiencies by adding setup man Zach Duke and closer David Robertson. They brought in first baseman/designated hitter Adam LaRoche and left fielder Melky Cabrera. Left-hander Carlos Rodon, the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, could start the season in the minors, but might not be there long. I believe Jose Abreu, who hit .301 with 34 homers as a rookie, is just scratching the surface of his talent and will be even better this season. His numbers against the Tribe in 2014 were .286 with five homers and 10 RBI. The White Sox have other thorns in the Indians’ side, including infielder Conor Gillaspie (.396, seven doubles, seven RBI against them in 2014) and shortstop Alexei Ramirez (.299, four homers, 11 RBI). The White Sox also have three left-handers in the rotation. The Indians hit .252 vs. lefties last season, with the averages of Bourn (.224) and Kipnis (.208) especially troublesome. The Indians batted just .216 against left-hander Sale in three games last season. They fared better against other White Sox lefty starters Jose Quintana (.286) and John Danks (.296), both of whom pitched four games. But Tribe left-handed batters, which include Lonnie Chisenhall, Kipnis, Bourn, Brantley and David Murphy, compiled an average of .232 at U.S. Cellular Field last season. The Indians’ team batting average against the White Sox (.259) was also their lowest among division foes, followed by the (.264), Minnesota Twins (.271) and Detroit Tigers (.276). I know the White Sox have issues. Second base, with Micah Johnson and Carlos Sanchez, is a major weakness. The bullpen finished last season ranked 28th in the majors in ERA (4.38) and batting average against (.265). Going by last year’s division records, with the Indians 10-9 against the White Sox and Royals, 11-8 vs. the Twins and 8-11 against the Tigers, some might be more worried about the Tigers. I’m not one of them. The Tigers lost , but still have and . Price went 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA in two games last season against the Tribe. But the Indians owned Verlander in 2014; he was 1-2 with a 4.75 ERA in five starts. The Tigers’ bullpen is still suspect. The Royals, meanwhile, impressed me with their blend of speed, pitching and defense, but it also had luck on its side. The Royals will contend again, but I see a shift in the balance of power in the AL Central, with the Indians and White Sox primed to fight it out this season and perhaps for years to come. I’ll give the Indians 90 wins, a five-game improvement from last season, and hope that’s enough for a division title. But a World Series’ triumph with young starting pitchers like Trevor Bauer (24) and T.J. House (25)? I’m not ready to go that far. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 04.05.2015

Indians preview: Tribe counting on bounce-back seasons from Michael Bourn, Jason Kipnis and Nick Swisher in 2015 Ryan Lewis GOODYEAR, Ariz: The Indians were seventh in the American League last season with 669 runs. After outfielder Brandon Moss was the only major addition to the lineup this offseason, they will be counting on bounce-back seasons from center fielder Michael Bourn, second baseman Jason Kipnis and outfielder/first baseman Nick Swisher in order to climb into the top-5 in the AL in scoring offense. Bourn made two trips to the disabled list last season with a left hamstring injury and wasn’t the same player. He hit .257, his lowest average since 2008, and stole only 10 bases, his lowest total as a pro. Bourn worked with University of Houston track coach Leroy Burrell for close to three months in the offseason. There, he altered his running motion, with the hope that it will put less stress on his hamstrings without sacrificing speed. “It’s trying to learn the correct way to run. I ran the other way my whole life,” Bourn said. “There’s a lot of track runners still practicing their form because it’s not easy to do.” Getting on base Bourn’s on-base percentage during his two years in Cleveland has been .316 and .314, which is not exactly ideal for a leadoff hitter. Indians manager Terry Francona said the team has talked to him about the fact that if he’s on base more, he can do more damage. But the team isn’t asking him to alter his approach at the plate. “If you go up looking for walks, he’s going to be hitting 0-2,” Francona said. “[Bench coach Brad Mills] has worked with him a ton on his bunting. I do think he’s using the whole field more this spring. I think he’s going to have more success hitting than he’s shown the last couple years.” Kipnis dealt with an oblique injury throughout 2014 and struggled to find his swing, hitting .240 with only six home runs. He then dropped a weight on a finger over the winter and had surgery, though he is now recovered. Talent wins out Francona this spring was weighing whether to bat Kipnis or switch hitter Jose Ramirez second. Kipnis is the more established player but would bring an all left-handed 1-2-3 in the order. In the end, Kipnis’ talent won out, and he is likely to be slated after Bourn and before Michael Brantley. It means the first two hitters in the Indians lineup might be the key to the order as a whole, if they can each have improved seasons. Those two also play off each other — even though batting Kipnis will invite opposing left-handed pitchers, having a speedster like Bourn as a threat could either, if he steals, put a runner in scoring position for Kipnis or, if he’s at least a threat, creates a large hole on the pull side of the infield as teams hold Bourn close to first base. “If you’ve got a guy who’s really worried about Bourn and you make a mistake to Kip, now we got a rally,” Francona said. Swisher is recovering from surgery on both knees. In 2014, he hit just .208 with eight home runs and 42 RBI while struggling at first base. He appeared in his first Cactus League game this past week, going 2-for-3 with two singles. But the Indians want him to wait until he’s able to play multiple games in a row in the field before being activated from the disabled list. The team hasn’t set a time table and is unsure when Swisher will be able to return. He’ll make the trip with the team to Houston to start the year and go back to Arizona to continue his rehab. Those three players will account for roughly $32.5 million this season. It’s a reason the Tribe didn’t spend too much money in free agency. They’re banking on those three to return to form. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 04.05.2015

Agent encouraged by talks between Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians on mulityear deal Paul Hoynes, PHOENIX -- The agent for Corey Kluber says he's encouraged at how negotiations are going with the Indians. The Indians and BB Abbott, Kluber's agent, are trying to negotiate a multiyear deal for last year's AL Cy Young winner sometime before the regular season opens Monday night at Minute Maid Park in Houston. GM Chris Antonetti and Abbott would prefer to get a deal done before the start of the season, but with time running short, it's possible negotiations could continue past opening day. Kluber, by the way, is starting the season opener against Houston left-hander . "It's slow going, but I'm encouraged," said Abbott on Saturday. "We continue to talk and try to find a middle ground. The conversations have been cordial." Kluber, to avoid having his contract renewed in early March, signed a one-year deal worth $601,000. He made $514,000 last year and received a $10,000 bonus for winning the Cy Young. Antonetti would not comment on negotiations. The Kansas City Royals just signed right-hander Yordano Ventura to a five-year deal worth $23 million with two club options. There is little correlation between Ventura's deal and the deal the Indians and Abbott are trying to reach for Kluber. Yes, Ventura and Kluber are starting the season openers for their teams. They also don't have enough service time to be eligible for arbitration, but that's where the similarities end. Ventura is 23, while Kluber turned 29 on April 10. In other words, Ventura will be coming out of his first big contract at about the same age Kluber is trying to enter his. This probably represents Kluber's only bite of the apple unless he continues to pitch at a Cy Young level for the next four years, but even then he'll enter free agency at 33. By that time, however, if Kluber has indeed pitched at an elite level, two things will have changed. No.1: He will have earned a lot of money by going to arbitration with the Indians for four straight seasons. No. 2: The two parties would have probably reached a multiyear deal. Kluber went 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA in five Cactus League starts this spring. He struck out 25, walked five and allowed 10 earned runs in 23 1/3 innings. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.05.2015

Cleveland Indians will win 87 games as Terry's Talkin' predictions for the season Terry Pluto CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Talkin' to myself about the Indians. Question: So how many wins this season? Answer: They'll finish 87-75. Q: That's it, 87 wins? A: That also may sneak them into the playoffs. But if they make it, they won't last long. Q: Wait a minute, Sports Illustrated has them winning the World Series. A: Oh, please, not that again. Q: OK, how many games did you say they'd win last season? A: How about 85-77? Q: That was their record. You really predicted 85-77? A: Look, I've been guessing their record every year since was player/manager, so I finally got one right. I was due. Q: What about some other years? A: In 2011, I said they'd be 74-88 ... they were 80-82. In 2012, I picked 76-86 .... they were 68-94. And in 2013, I was at 82-80 ... and they were 92-70. Q: You record doesn't look all that good to me. A: Is that a question? Q: OK, so why so down on the Tribe? A: I'm not "down" on the Tribe. I just returned from a week in Goodyear. I spent 13 days there, including a trip earlier in camp. When spring training began, I had them as a 92-win team. Q: So what happened? A: Gavin Floyd blew out his elbow again. Then Danny Salazar blew up his chances for the rotation. He was awful. He's at Class AAA, and maybe he'll put it together, but Salazar and Floyd were penciled into the rotation at the start of training camp. Q: Didn't they have a lot of starting pitchers? A: They did, as in past tense. Josh Tomlin was sent to Class AAA, and now he's out for several months with shoulder surgery. Q: What's in the minors? A: The rotation at Class AAA Columbus will be Bruce Chen, Shaun Marcum, Michael Roth, Nick Maronde and Salazar. Only Salazar is a top prospect. Chen is 37. Marcum is 33 and coming off major arm problems in the last two years. I kind of like Roth, a soft-tossing lefty who was once with the Angels. The Indians also picked up Maronde from Angels. Q: What happened to all the young starters? I've been guessing their record every year since Tris Speaker was player/manager. I was due. A: That group of arms (other than Salazar) is with the Tribe. You have Trevor Bauer, T.J. House, Zach McAllister, Carlos Carrasco and Corey Kluber. None (not even Kluber) have been with the Indians for the last two full seasons. Kluber opened 2013 in Class AAA. Q: Why are you dwelling on the rotation? A: Because that's what can take the Indians to the top of the Central Division. But the injuries and Salazar's failure make it harder for that to happen. Q: So you don't like anything? A: First of all, 87-75 is better than last season. Yes, I liked a lot of what I saw with the Tribe. In the rotation, everyone was throwing well. I wrote about Bauer's outing Monday against the White Sox, and he was sensational. Kluber and Carrasco look very good. McAllister was extremely strong. We'll see if his breaking pitch continues to be effective in the regular season. House looked solid. Q: Didn't Carrasco just give up six runs? A: That was Friday. He flew between Arizona and Florida for the birth of his child this week, I'm not going to read much into this last start. Q: So what's the problem? A: Pitchers get hurt. Pitchers slump. You need lots of pitchers. The Indians desperately need Salazar to pull himself together and return to the rotation like he did last season when he had a 3.50 ERA. Q: What about the rest of the team? A: Here's the good news: Jason Kipnis, Michael Bourn and Brandon Moss all look healthy. And if they stay that way, the lineup looks much healthier than a year ago. I know Kipnis has a low spring batting average (.227), but I'm not worried about that. Moss has 25-home run power. Bourn has done everything but steal bases. His bat is quick. He has cover a lot of ground in center. I'm encouraged. Q: What about Nick Swisher? A: Two knee operations still have him several weeks away from being ready. It was nice to see him in a big-league game. His swing is short and smooth, and he's been making good contact. But he still needs to prove that his knees will hold up. His leg problems have probably helped his swing because he's not trying to kill every pitch. Q: What about the rest of the lineup? A: Michael Brantley has the same smooth swing as always. Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes could combine with Moss and Brantley to give the Tribe four guys with at least 20 homers. Jose Ramirez has been good at shortstop. Q: How about Lonnie Chisenhall? A: It's just been a so-so spring. He had two errors on Friday, five in 29 spring chances. I'm concerned. He is hitting .302. Remember, batting averages are high in the desert with the dry, hard infields and the windy conditions. Q: What about the defense? A: Other than Chisenhall, the infield has been good. Ramirez, Kipnis and Santana have combined for only one error. Ramirez has fielded 53 chances cleanly. Kipnis is showing more range than a year ago. Santana is comfortable at first. Q: When will they bring up Francisco Lindor? A: Not sure, but he had an excellent camp. It should be at some point this summer. Then it will be interesting to see what they do with Ramirez, who is a good player. I also think Jesus Aguilar could be ready to help in a few months. It would be nice to have a right-handed power bat. Q: How about the bullpen? A: They are opening with eight relievers. Terry Francona would love to have 80. I have a lot of confidence in the manager and pitching coach Mickey Callaway to use the bullpen wisely. Q: You can't do better than 87-75? A: I can't, but the Indians can ... if the rotation holds up. I will be talking Tribe and other sports at the Bay Village Library, Wednesday at 7 p.m. It's free, and you can learn more by calling 440-871-6293. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.05.2015

American League and National League Cy Young Award 2015 predictions: Can Corey Kluber do it again? Bud Shaw CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Corey Kluber of the Indians is going to try to accomplish something that hasn't been done in the American League since Boston's Pedro Martinez did it in 1999 and 2000: Win consecutive Cy Young Awards. Kluber, 28, won 18 games last season and is undeniably the Tribe's No. 1 starter. In the National League, the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw won the Cy Young in 2014, his second in a row and the third time he's captured the honor in four seasons. The left-hander showed no ill effects from being hit in the jaw by a line drive recently, chipping a tooth. His spring training earned-run average is under 2.00. We asked writers from Northeast Ohio Media Group and The Plain Dealer to make their 2015 Cy Young predictions. And we're asking for your predictions, too, which you can put in the comments below: Price had some trouble adjusting to the Tigers after they acquired him in a deadline deal from Tampa Bay last year. But this is Price's walk year and I think he's ready to make a big splash in the free agent pool following the 2015 season. Hernandez and Kluber emerge as the clear AL front-runners again. This time, King Felix gets the nod, in part because his team is better. His strikeout rate, WHIP, FIP and other intricate statistics will sparkle, as they do every season. On a better team this year, his win total will look better, too. Finally, he'll be able to please both the new-school thinkers and the more traditional voters. It will be close with Corey Kluber and others, but Hernandez will get the vote this time. If Felix Hernandez won it last year, he'd probably be the odds-on favorite to win it again. So why not Kluber? If you spend five minutes around him you recognize he's not the kind of guy who's going to get caught up in contract concerns. He showed he has the pitches and the disposition. And the Indians will be good enough to support his consecutive Cy Young awards. The Nationals gave Scherzer a seven-year, $210 million deal in January. Scherzer is going to give them a Cy Young and a trip to the World Series this year in return. Scherzer won 18 games in his walk year last season with Detroit in the AL. Think what he can do in a league where the pitcher still hits. The easy choice, of course, is Kershaw. But Scherzer wrests it from him because the Nationals are fantastic and Scherzer gets to relive the joy of facing the bottom third of NL lineups. Unless he misses time with an injury, he's a safer pick than going with the field. They may name the award after him. He's that good. Just too good to pick against. Max Scherzer is a strong candidate in Washington but I don't like picking guys who break the bank with a new team, especially when they're being paid the GNP of a small country. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.05.2015

Will preseason buzz cure Cleveland Indians attendance blues? Hey, Hoynsie! Paul Hoynes HOUSTON, Tex. -- Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here. Hey, Hoynsie: This is the first year in recent memory where the Indians have generated lots of preseason buzz. I read season tickets sales are up about 1,000 for the upcoming campaign. Do you envision the Indians getting out of the cellar so to speak in regard to attendance? Also, if the Indians make a huge leap in attendance this year, could you see ownership pushing the payroll to the $100 million mark like other small to mid-market teams have? -- Casey Dubiel, Belmont. Hey, Casey: Regarding attendance, recent evidence says no. All you have to do is look at the last two years when the Indians had consecutive winning seasons and were largely ignored by the paying public. The payroll will push $90 million next year, but it will be a long time before it gets close to $100 million, if ever. Hey, Hoynsie: It seems like every time I watch ESPN and there's news on baseball, the person striking out or the pitcher giving up a hit is from the Indians. Have you ever noticed this? -- Sam Woodring, Toledo. Hey, Sam: I'd get your remote control clicker checked. If you're watching ESPN and they're actually talking about baseball instead of the NFL, you're on the wrong channel. Hey, Hoynsie: I saw pictures of the new ballpark renovations at Progressive Field. Have the Indians said why they spent money doing this and how in the world were they able to afford to do it? -- Mark Woltz, Cleveland. Hey, Mark: For the last two years they've tried to increase attendance the old fashioned way -- by winning games. That did not work. By renovating the ballpark they're trying to attract new and younger fans, fans that will become lifelong Indians/baseball fans. The Indians and Delaware North, the concessionaire at Progressive Field, are paying for the renovations. Hey, Hoynsie: If the Indians found themselves in contention near the summer trade deadline, do you think they would be willing to part with or Bradley Zimmer for reinforcements? I understand their reluctance to part with Francisco Lindor, but I wonder if Frazier or Zimmer are held in the same esteem. If not, are either of them valuable enough in MLB circles to acquire a difference maker? -- Leslie Marchak, Sagamore Hills. Hey, Leslie: The circumstances would have a lot to do with such a trade. Are we talking about the deal being the difference between the Indians winning the AL Central or sneaking into the winner-take-all wild-card game? I just don't see the Indians giving up either player. If they're not going to spend money on the big-league payroll, they better hang onto the players they draft. And Frazier and Zimmer look like they can play. Hey, Hoynsie: The Tribe starters seemed to give up a lot of runs early in spring training. I know it's just spring training, but is that a little concerning? -- Brian Stevens, Columbus. Hey, Brian: Well, spring training is over and for the most part the Tribe's pitchers did seem to improve as camp drew to a close. But the regular season will be the true test. By September you'll know if your concerns were justified. Be patient my friend. Hey, Hoynsie: I have a question regarding spring training. What is the difference between being demoted to Class AAA Columbus and being demoted to minor-league camp? -- Dan Ayers, Colorado Springs, Colo. Hey, Dan: A player who is demoted or optioned to Class AAA Columbus or Class AA Akron is on the 40-man roster. A player who is reassigned to minor-league camp is not on the 40-man and has yet to be assigned to a team. Hey, Hoynsie: I expected that Francisco Lindor would finally be the starting shortstop on opening day. Wasn't Jose Ramirez primarily a second baseman- in the minors? Did the Indians detail what skills Lindor needs to improve to be a better shortstop than Ramirez? Might Lindor be asked to switch his position? -- Eli Roosevelt, Charming, Calif. Hey, Eli: If you thought Lindor was going to be the opening day shortstop, you weren't reading many stories coming out of camp. Lindor had a great spring, but it was cut and dry that he'd open the year at Class AAA Columbus. Still, when Lindor is ready to come to the big leagues, I don't see him changing positions. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.05.2015

Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians reach five-year deal with 2 club options Paul Hoynes PHOENIX, Ariz. -- The Indians and Cy Young winner Corey Kluber have reached agreement on a five-year deal with two club options. Kluber must pass a physical to make the deal official. It's believed the Indians will try to announce the deal on April 10 when they open the home season against the Tigers at Progressive Field. Last season the Indians announced the signing of Jason Kipnis to a six-year, $52.5 million on the day of the home opener. Terms of the Kluber deal are not known. He will pitch the season opener Monday against Houston at Minute Maid Park. Kluber's agent, BB Abbott, said earlier Saturday that he was optimistic about the process as camp concluded. "It's slow going, but I'm encouraged," said Abbott on Saturday. "We continue to talk and try to find a middle ground. The conversations have been cordial." Ken Rosental of Fox Sports.com reported that the Indians are also talking to Carlos Carrasco about a multiyear deal. Carrasco is the Tribe's No.2 starter behind Kluber. By signing Kluber to a five-year deal, the Indians purchased his four arbitration years and one of his free agent years. Kluber will be 34 at the end of the five-year deal. Last season Kluber stunned the baseball world by winning the Cy Young Award. He was 28, but had only one plus seasons in the big leagues. He made $514,000 last year, barely over the $500,000 minimum. The one team he didn't surprise was the Indians. Manager Terry Francona told reporters repeatedly during the spring of 2014 that he expected big things from Kluber and the right-hander more than delivered. Kluber went 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA in 34 starts last year. He pitched a career-high 235 2/3 innings and struck out a career-high 269 batters. He led AL pitchers with a 7.4 WAR. Overall, his WAR grade was third-best among all AL players. Kluber's strikeout total of 269 was the sixth most in a single season in the pitching-rich history of the Indians, who went 22-12 in his 34 starts. Kluber edged Seattle's Felix Hernandez for the Cy Young. He was the fourth Indian to win it. , CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee were the others. This year Kluber heads a starting rotation that has received much pre-season praise. After Kluber comes Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, Zach McAllister and TJ House. McAllister will pitch the home opener on April 10. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.05.2015

Cleveland Indians end spring with 4-3 loss to Brewers; Brandon Moss hits 5th homer Paul Hoynes PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Brandon Moss was one of several Indians players who came to spring training with health questions. With the exception of Nick Swisher and Gavin Floyd, those questions were answered in a positive manner, especially where Moss is concerned. Moss hit his fifth homer of the spring Saturday afternoon as the Indians ended the Cactus League season with a 4-3 loss to Milwaukee. The Indians acquired Moss from Oakland at the winter meetings to add thump to the lineup. Once his hip issue was settled early in camp, Moss has given them just that. In the fifth inning, he hit a two-run homer over the right field fence to pull the Indians into a 3-3 tie. "That ball was crushed," said manager Terry Francona. "On the last day of spring you want your guys to get some at-bats, but your worst fear is if they get hurt. So as soon as Moss had that one big swing, we took him out of there." It looks like Moss, who made his first start of the spring at first base Saturday, is going to hit fifth behind Carlos Santana. He ended the Cactus League season hitting .261 (12-for-46) with five homers and 11 RBI. Swisher (knees) and Floyd (right elbow) will open the year on the disabled list. Zach Walters (right oblique) will open on the DL as well. While Swisher is accompanying the team to Houston, Walters will stay in Goodyear. Late start Trevor Bauer, in his last start before pitching Thursday in Game 3 of the regular season, went six innings and allowed three runs on eight hits. He struck out eight and didn't walk a batter. Bauer said his schedule was thrown off because it was the last day of spring training and he had to pack. "I started my throwing program 10 minutes late and finished four minutes early," said Bauer. "I was all out of whack, but for having that happen I thought I tuned it in pretty well. "I felt I threw the ball pretty well. I had a strikeout with every one of my pitches." Said Francona, "I think he's in for a real good growing year. Where that takes him, who knows? He looked as strong in the sixth as he did in the first inning." In six Cactus League starts, Bauer had 26 strikeouts and one walk in 27 2/3 innings. If at all possible, Bauer would like to avoid starting on the last day of spring training from here on out. "It was just a weird and funky day," said Bauer. End of the line Right-hander Austin Adams, the last player to make the Indians, started the ninth with the score 3-3. He retired the first man he faced, but allowed a double to Hector Gomes and a game-winning single Luis Sardinas to win it. Versatility Michael Martinez, who played the middle infield for much of camp, played some in the outfield the last two games. He started at second base Saturday and moved to center late. Not only that, but Martinez is a switch-hitter who can run. He'll open the season at Class AAA Columbus. For the record The Indians ended the Cactus League season at 14-18-1, while the Brewers went 13-16-1. What's next? The Indians traveled to Houston after Saturday's game. They will hold an optional workout Sunday at Minute Maid Park and open the 2015 season Monday night against the Astros. Here are the pitching matchups: RHP Corey Kluber vs. LHP Dallas Keuchel on Monday at 7:10 p.m.; RHP Carlos Carrasco vs. RHP on Wednesday at 8:10 p.m. and Bauer vs. RHP Asher Wojciechowksi at 2:10 p.m. STO and WTAM will carry the series. ESPN will telecast Monday's game. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 04.05.2015

American League and National League MVP 2015 predictions: Is this the year for the White Sox's Jose Abreu? CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians' Michael Brantley had a breakout campaign in 2014, finishing third in voting for American League MVP. He hit .327 with 20 homers and 97 RBIs.

But there is a tough field of favorites to beat out for Brantley or anyone else with MVP aspirations in the American League or National League.

We asked writers from Northeast Ohio Media Group and The Plain Dealer to make their 2015 AL and NL MVP predictions. And we're asking for your predictions, too, which you can put in the comments below:

AL MVP Paul Hoynes, NEOMG: Robinson Cano, Mariners

Cano, after a year to adjust to the Great Northwest after leaving the Yankees, and a year to re-calibrate his swing to pitcher-friendly Safeco Field, Cano produces a career season.

Dennis Manoloff, The Plain Dealer: Mike Trout, Angels Trout broke through the Miguel Cabrera wall last year and is not looking back anytime soon. Jose Abreu of the White Sox will make noise.

Zack Meisel, NEOMG: Jose Abreu, White Sox

Spring training statistics don't mean much, but it's hard to ignore the fact that his average is north of .500 and his OPS is north of 1.200. He was one of the league's top hitters as a rookie last year, and this season, he'll have more protection around him in the lineup. No sophomore slump for this slugger.

Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer: Mike Trout, Angels

If he stays healthy, he'll win it at least three more times in his career. Bud Shaw, NEOMG: Jose Abreu, White Sox

Great hitter as a rookie on a bad team. The White Sox have put enough around him in a strong off-season to not only protect him in the batting order but to be a good enough team that his contributions will be too hard to ignore.

NL MVP winner

Paul Hoynes, NEOMG: , Giants.

I wasn't a big fan of Clayton Kershaw winning the MVP last season. Hey, he's a great pitcher, but I think the MVP should go to a position player. Yeah, it's old-school thinking and in that vein I'm going with Giants catcher Buster Posey to win the MVP this year.

Dennis Manoloff, The Plain Dealer: Bryce Harper, Nationals I picked Harper to win last year. He owes me. (LOL)

Zack Meisel, NEOMG: Anthony Rizzo, Cubs

At 25, he's the seasoned veteran among the Cubs' abundance of young sluggers. He clubbed 32 home runs and posted a .913 OPS in an All- Star campaign last year. This year, with more protection around him in the lineup, he improves upon those numbers.

Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer: , Marlins

He immediately delivers after signing his huge contract.

Bud Shaw, NEOMG: Bryce Harper, Nationals

If you want to know how good he really is, just ask him. He'll have to be good enough to take votes away from a strong field of candidates, including presiding NL MVP Clayton Kershaw (now that voters went there and gave the award to a pitcher.) The potential is there to do it. And to think he won't be 23 until October.

Thoughts on the Progressive Field renovations after a sneak peek: Zack Meisel's musings Print Email Zack Meisel, Northeast Ohio Media Group By Zack Meisel, Northeast Ohio Media Group CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are five thoughts on the Progressive Field renovations, following a sneak peek at the progress.

1. Enter here: The new entrance gates beyond the center field wall make the building more inviting. There will be a large, open space upon immediate entry, where the and statues will stand. The statue, to be unveiled later this year, will likely stand outside of the entrance.

Passersby on East 9th Street will be able to see into the ballpark, though most of the foot traffic in that area is from the people heading to the game anyway. A New Era store, which sells gear, sits next to the entrance. Heritage Park also seems less hidden and more accessible.

2. Jumbo: Walk forward after entering through the new gate and you'll arrive at the new bullpens. They are tiered, so the visiting 'pen is behind the Indians' -- and higher up. It will be very easy to heckle opposing relievers. It will also be nearly impossible for a reliever to heave a warm-up pitch onto the playing field.

I was told, however, that the Jumbo Diaz fiasco did not prompt the bullpen redesign.

3. Capacity: Progressive Field will now hold 37,630 fans, though the team will have the ability to increase that total based on the number of standing room only tickets made available for a particular game. The terraces in the upper deck in right field will be used for large groups or on specific evenings that attract large crowds. 4. Field view: Fans will have the opportunity to sit on the old bullpen bench in right field for a few innings. The field-level view is unlike any other in the ballpark. 5. Cheers: The two-story bar in right field, dubbed "The Corner," offers a nice touch, with a fire pit and automatic beer dispensers. Those who purchase a $13 standing room only ticket can stand at drink rails that occupy much of the right-field corner. You can stand pretty close to the field. It's probably the best ticket deal available.

Top prospect Francisco Lindor to open season with Clippers By Jim MassieThe Columbus Dispatch • Sunday April 5, 2015 10:49 AM

The Clippers open the season Thursday in Indianapolis with top Cleveland Indians prospect Francisco Lindor playing shortstop for the defending West Division champions. Let the discussion begin now on how long Lindor is destined to wear a Columbus uniform before the Indians consider him seasoned enough to make his big-league debut.

The rise and fall of prospects is as unpredictable as the April weather in a triple-A league known for cold, wet springs.

Even so, the switch-hitting 21-year-old should be around when the Clippers play their seventh home opener in Huntington Park, against Toledo on April 18.

A year ago, the scheduled home opener was rained out. The next day featured a game played on an evening that would have soured the mood of a polar bear.

“The weather is relative,” said Ken Schnacke, president and general manager of the Clippers. “ April is chilly to Ohioans. But you go south and it’s chilly to the people in Charlotte.

“The fairest way to do it is staggered years. We opened at home last year. We’re starting on the road this year. Instead of two short homestands this month, we have one long one in the middle."

The Clippers at least look formidable at the outset with Lindor being joined by first baseman Jesus Aguilar, outfielders Carlos Moncrief, and , and starting pitcher Danny Salazar.

As the season ticks on, it will allow the team to pay respect to its past. The final home game in May will feature a look back at two of the best players on one of the best teams in franchise history.

IL Hall of Famers Marshall Brant and , the power core of the 1981 Governors’ Cup champions, will share the field on May 24 for the first time since the ’83 season.

Brant was elected into the Hall of Fame this season. Balboni, now a scout for the , received the honor in 2011 but was unable to make his schedule fit a trip to Columbus.

“With Marshall being inducted this year, we decided to try to pair them together again,” Schnacke said. “I think a lot of people always think of them together, Brant and Balboni. The Giants allowed Steve to re-arrange his schedule so that he could come.”

The two combined to hit 58 home runs and drive in 193 runs in ’81. Balboni hit a franchise-record 92 home runs in 292 games with Columbus. Brant, the 1980 IL most valuable player, holds the franchise record with 302 RBI.

The Clippers also are planning to honor the 1965 IL Governors’ Cup champion Columbus Jets. That begins with a story in the team program.

“We want to acknowledge what that team accomplished 50 years ago,” Schnacke said.

“In those days, you played longer in the minor leagues. A lot of those guys were in their late 20s and 30s. We’ve lost a lot of them.”

Nick Cafardo / Sunday baseball notes Sending Kris Bryant to minors a bad call by Cubs By Nick CafardoGlobe Staff April 04, 2015 Season-opening random thoughts: We start with Cubs vs. Cardinals Sunday night on ESPN. Cubs fans have waited 106 years for a World Series champion. The Cubs sent Kris Bryant, 23, to the minors, and he was the most exciting thing that’s happened to the team in years — 43 homers last season in the minors and a majors-leading nine in spring training. The kid deserved to make the team. In the process of trying to save service time, the demotion may cost the Cubs a bundle in the long run, not to mention the possibility of ill will in the short term. opposes Adam Wainwright at Wrigley Field, and Lester, the Cubs’ $155 million investment, had a dead arm the last two weeks of spring training. “Lester is fine,” said Cubs catcher David Ross. And Bryant? “The kid is a stud.” Baseball has made some changes to try to speed up the game, but held off on implementing a pitch clock to fix what many observers view as the biggest drag. Here’s a look at the hurlers in 2014 who took the least time between pitches — Blue Jays starter was the speediest at 15.8 seconds — and the most — Red Sox reliever Junichi Tazawa clocked in at 29.1 seconds — according to Baseball Prospectus. Ŷ The World Series champion Giants had a horrible spring training. They looked bad, much like the champion Red Sox did after the 2013 season. Jake Peavy, in particular, looks like the pitcher he was with the Red Sox, but when you’ve won three out of five world championships, you don’t sweat spring training. Look for executive VP and GM Bobby Evans to do something dramatic to shake the cobwebs after an offseason in which they lost out on Pablo Sandoval, James Shields, and Lester. Ŷ The Yankees’ health was considered one of the biggest surprises by scouts watching spring training teams in Florida. Does it carry over? Ŷ believes the toughest thing for the returning will be catching up to a 95-mile-per-hour fastball after being out a year. A-Rod had no such trouble in spring training. Ŷ Love the enthusiasm of the Blue Jays’ coaching staff and manager John Gibbons; they have six rookies on the team. Problem: two starters ( and Daniel Norris) will have innings limits and young relievers Miguel Castro and Roberto Osuna might wear down because . . . they are rookies. Ŷ Rob Manfred would carve an immediate legacy if he reinstates . The All-Star Game is in Cincinnati, a city that would go crazy for their popular star. It would show that after a 25-year ban, baseball was capable of forgiving. Ŷ Oakland and Tampa Bay continue to struggle to get stadium plans to keep them afloat. Ŷ One thing the big crowds in for exhibition games the past two years have proven: The city deserves a second chance to have a major league team. Ŷ Which franchises have the most pressure to win this season? Yankees, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Cubs, Padres, Tigers, Mariners, and Angels. The Yankees can’t go a third straight season out of the playoffs. There would mayhem in Gotham. The Jays have assembled a good team, but they haven’t made the playoffs since 1993 when they won the World Series. That’s 22 years, if you’re counting. The Dodgers have an enormous payroll and have yet to get deep into the postseason since the new ownership took over. The Cubs have the pressure of winning now because they spent so much money on Lester. The Padres have set new expectations with rookie GM A.J. Preller’s very busy offseason, in which he upgraded the offense (Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Wil Myers, and Will Middlebrooks) and the rotation (Shields). The Tigers need to get to the World Series, but bullpen issues remain. The Mariners are the flavor of the month — strong pitching and Nelson Cruz. And the Angels, who won 98 games last season, need to take the next step in the competitive LA market. Ŷ It was announced on Friday that MLB will not discipline , one of the best five-tool players you’ll ever see, for his latest problems involving cocaine and alcohol. Hamilton has not been able to shake his demons since “accountability” coach Johnny Narron left his side. Ŷ Broadway Matt Harvey will be an event every time he pitches. Reminds me of a young Justin Verlander. Harvey could be that dominating. Ŷ The faces of baseball 2015: Mike Trout, Giancarlo Stanton, Harvey, Max Scherzer, Bryant (when he comes up), Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Jose Abreu, Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner, Jose Altuve, , Miguel Cabrera, and yes, A-Rod. Ŷ Managers on the hot seat: , , Ryne Sandberg, Ron Roenicke, Walt Weiss, Gibbons, and Fredi Gonzalez. Ŷ Players who could break out: Harper, Christian Yelich, Betts, Middlebrooks, Myers, Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler, Marcus Semien, and Kennys Vargas. Ŷ Old guys back to prominence: and Michael Cuddyer. Ŷ MVP candidates: Trout, Cabrera, Adam Jones, Robinson Cano, Andrew McCutchen, and Yasiel Puig. Ŷ Cy Young candidates: Chris Sale, Felix Hernandez, David Price, Kershaw, Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto, Wainwright, Harvey, and Corey Kluber. Ŷ Most significant player to be traded — Troy Tulowitzki, if he’s healthy. The Rockies need to deal him to get a haul of young players that would help toward rebuilding. Ŷ Pace-of-game rules will shave a few minutes off game times but won’t address the real issues of why games have become long and tedious. There are too many relievers and hitters who have been taught to grind out at-bats. BEHIND THE PLATE Swihart development will take precedence So, how far away is Red Sox catching phenom to making the majors? Christian Vazquez is gone for the year with Tommy John surgery and the Red Sox are using two backups to man the position while Swihart is developing in Pawtucket. “He showed strides and improvement inside camp,” Sox manager said. “A lot of work was done receiving pitches, particularly righthanded sinkerballers, where that ends up on his glove side and his ability to receive it, frame it, and present it as a strike, that’s continuing. He’s someone who will benefit by further games caught. We don’t want to rush or short circuit his development curve. We all see the athleticism, arm strength, and ability to hit.” GM had similar sentiments. “We think Blake is in the right spot and we think he’s going to be a good player. There are still some things he needs to learn,’’ said Cherington. “He’s handling an older sort of pitchers at Triple A and matching up against older hitters and with that comes sequencing and game-calling and those nuances to the position. Blake is a great athlete who hadn’t done a ton of catching prior to signing so he’s still fine-tuning stuff he does behind the plate and being more consistent. I think he has a chance to be a really good player for a long time. We want to give him every chance to be that player. Given that position and impact of game, making sure, particularly that position, they’re ready to help the pitcher and win the guy.” Most scouts from other teams agree. It’s good to get more time in Triple A (Swihart has 71 plate appearances). But catchers with similar pedigrees — Ivan Rodriguez, Joe Mauer, even — were not finished products when they got to the majors. They were promising defensive catchers who could hit and they refined their craft at the big league level. Swihart might be better served learning those things with major league pitchers he’s going to have to learn to catch, anyway. Prospects , Brian Johnson, and Henry Owens have said Swihart is good behind the plate. I asked an American League scout if Swihart was close to becoming a major league catcher. “Well, no, not really,” he said “He could get back there and be fine. But I understand the Red Sox’ point of view that they don’t want to cram it down his throat and just have his normal development at Triple A. If he needs work on calling a game, he can get that experience.” And Swihart might not be the catcher long term. There are whispers about changing his position because he’s so athletic. Apropos of nothing 1. First thing I asked new Pawtucket play-by-play announcer Will Flemming? “What major league team will you be with next year?” The PawSox have had a great run of picking announcers who wind up in the majors — or in the NFL. Gary Cohen was hired by the Mets in 1989. He was followed by (Red Sox, 2001), Dave Flemming (Giants, 2004), Andy Freed (Rays, 2005), Dave Jageler (Nationals, 2006), (Mariners, 2013), and Jeff Levering (Brewers, 2015). Dan Hoard wound up as the Cincinnati Bengals’ play-by-play man in 2011, and Bob Socci became the voice of the Patriots in 2013. 2. The transformation from McCoy Stadium to a new facility in Providence (2017?) isn’t going to sit well with longtime season ticket-holders, based on feedback I’m getting. The season ticket-holders love Pawtucket like Red Sox fans love Fenway. Prices will rise, parking likely won’t be free. There’s already a lot of opposition to the PawSox move, including by prominent talk show host Buddy Cianci, the longtime Providence mayor. Former PawSox owner Ben Mondor and a management team of Mike Tamburro and Lou Schwechheimer built a pioneering minor league franchise, and will continue during the transition to principal owner James Skeffington, with support from co-owner and the . It’ll be interesting to see what this franchise looks like in a couple of years. 3. doesn’t see as a No. 1. “Well, I don’t think he wants to be one. I think there’s a level of commitment mentally and physically you have to have, and you have to have a little bit of a dark side. I’ve never felt like that was Clay . . . he’s just kind of, hey, I’m going to pitch today. He’s unbelievably talented, obviously, physically but there’s another level to the game, and I think that’s the reason he’s been inconsistent, Cy Young potential in numbers one year to what the hell happened next year, is upstairs. I think it’s all above his shoulders.” 4. So what out-of-the-blue move will the A’s pull off this year? Allen Craig? Cole Hamels? 5. We’re told James Shields already is improving the culture in the Padres’ clubhouse. So many teams, including the Red Sox, missed the boat on this guy. It’s amazing how numbers can override common sense sometimes. Updates on nine 1. Dellin Betances, RHP, Yankees — Cause for alarm at the reduced velocity in spring training by the big righthander. Betances is sharing closing duties with Andrew Miller. Most veterans say their best velocity doesn’t come until the bell rings, when the adrenaline starts to flow and the stands are full. Curt Schilling said he would experience 5 more miles per hour of velocity when the season started. 2. Jonathan Papelbon, RHP, Phillies — How long will it be before Toronto or Detroit gets serious about obtaining him? Both teams have resisted so far. That $13 million vesting option for 2016 is a killer, but for Rogers Communications (Blue Jays) and (Tigers) it’s chicken feed. Neither team can afford to go short in the bullpen. Papelbon, despite some loss in velocity, can get the job done. 3. Gerardo Parra, OF, Brewers — Parra is a two-time Gold Glover, but he’s suddenly become a reserve since being dealt by the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline last season. The Brewers are contemplating using him as a first baseman. 4. Mark Shapiro, president, Indians — For a president, he has the most challenging job in . The Indians were 29th in attendance in 2014, at 1.446 million. Although TV ratings are soaring, “We clearly need to find ways to get people to come to the ballpark,” Shapiro said. 5. Corey Kluber, RHP, Indians — The AL Cy Young winner will make $601,000 this season, while NL winner Clayton Kershaw will make $32.5 million. Kluber turns 29 Friday and he can’t become a free agent until after the 2018 season. The Indians likely will try to get a multiyear deal done this year. 6. , 2B, Phillies — The feeling among some baseball executives is that Utley will eventually give in to a deal as the losing escalates in Philly. Utley, who has a no-trade clause, could be attracted to West Coast teams such as LA (both teams), San Francisco, or Oakland. He’s still a good player who could make an impact. 7. Anthony Ranaudo, RHP, Rangers — Everyone loves Ranaudo’s intestinal fortitude and competitiveness. But his stuff played a little short in Rangers camp. In 14ѿ innings, he allowed 16 hits and eight runs. He’ll start in Triple A with the Round Rocks. Ranaudo, traded by the Red Sox to Texas for lefty Robbie Ross Jr., has a legitimate shot at returning if he pitches well. “His improved quite a bit. Could be the next guy called up,’’ said Rangers GM . 8. Carlos Rodon, LHP, White Sox — Pitching guru Don Cooper broke Chris Sale in as a reliever, then transitioned him to the rotation. The same may happen with Rodon, although the consensus among officials is Rodon should go back to Triple A and return as a starter. 9. Jeff Locke, LHP, Pirates — The Pirates had one big competition in camp and it wound up with the North Conway, N.H., native beating out righthander Vance Worley. Locke won because the Pirates wanted a second lefty in the rotation. “We wrestled with it all over the place, even down to their ages and they’re both 27,” manager Clint Hurdle said. Worley was 8-4 with a 2.85 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) last season. Locke was 7-6 with a 3.91 ERA in 21 starts. Extra innings From the Bill Chuck files: “From Aug. 1 to the end of last season, the Orioles’ bullpen had the lowest ERA at 2.62, the Phillies were next at 2.82.” Also, “ was fourth last season in the NL with 95 RBIs in 648 plate appearances. The average major leaguer with 648 PAs last season had 66 RBI.” . . . Wish Lou Merloni (44) and Marty Pattin (72) happy birthday on Monday. Boston Gl

Bill Madden / Window for a Detroit Tigers World Series title is closing NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Saturday, March 28, 2015, 4:00 PM A A A LAKELAND, Fla. — A few days ago, a veteran scout sitting in the stands at watching the Detroit Tigers working out, turned to his comrades and suddenly declared: “You know what this team reminds me of? The Yankees. There’s a lot of similarities here.” It was not meant to be a compliment, nor would Tigers president likely take it as one. The scout went on to describe the Tigers as “an older, plodding team, with not a whole lot coming in their system, and some burdensome contracts that are gonna really choke ’em down the road.” Dombrowski, of course, would prefer to think of the Tigers as a team that has won four straight American League Central titles and — with an imposing lineup including Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, , J.D. Martinez, Yoenis Cespedes and promising sophomore Nick Castellanos (combined 130 HR/546 RBI last year), along with their “Big Three” starters, David Price, Justin Verlander and Anibal Sanchez (combined 75 wins over the past two seasons, plus three Cy Youngs, and a no- hitter) — is in prime position to make that five straight and go deep into October. There is no question the Tigers, whose third-highest payroll of $163 million in 2014 figures to be even higher this year, have one of the most talent-rich rosters in baseball. That said, however, they do have some major issues yet to be resolved — specifically their bullpen — and with so many of their key veterans — Cabrera, Victor Martinez, Kinsler, Sanchez and Verlander — all over 30, and Price coming up on free agency after this season, well, it would seem the window of opportunity to give 85-year-old owner Mike Ilitch his first World Series title is closing fast. Dombrowski has long had a rep for being one of the shrewdest GMs in the game, but until proven otherwise, a lot of the moves he made (or perhaps didn’t make) this offseason were head-scratchers, almost as much as his trade the previous winter of righty starter Doug Fister, a 14- game winner in 2013, to Washington for a couple of Triple-A pitching prospects. (Fister went on to go 16-6 for the Nats last year.) In an effort to inject some much-needed speed into the Tiger lineup, Dombrowski swapped one of his top prospects, second baseman Devon Travis (who was blocked by Kinsler there), to the Blue Jays for Anthony Gose, a speedy center fielder who has so far been severely challenged at the plate (.234/.301/.332 slash line for two seasons in the majors). That deal was understandable (if Gose ever learns to hit) — as was Dombrowski’s pickup of Shane Greene from the Yankees for the back end of his rotation, in the three-team trade involving in which he had to give up only Robbie Ray, the failed lefthanded pitching prospect he got from Washington in the Fister trade. But then, he made a deal almost as baffling as the Fister trade, sacrificing yet another frontline starting pitcher — in this case , the 26-year-old Morristown, N.J. product whom the Tigers drafted out of Seton Hall Prep in 2007, signed for an over-slot bonus of $3.5 million, then developed and nurtured into a pitcher who won 15 games and logged 204 innings last year — for Cespedes. Both Porcello and Cespedes are free agents after the season but while Porcello was possibly the Tigers’ best starter the second half of last year (eight starts after June 24 of seven or more innings and two or fewer runs), Cespedes had worn out his welcome in Boston with his less-than-diligent work habits. With Boston’s overcrowded outfield and Cespedes’ pending free-agent status, everyone knew the Red Sox had to move him, and it seemed their options were severely limited. At the same time, adding another 20-homer bat seemed like overkill for the Tigers. Dombrowski obviously didn’t think so, and the other day he explained that while the trading of Porcello was somewhat painful, it was unlikely the Tigers were going to be able to re-sign him. “You can only sign so many guys long term,” said Dombrowski, who continues to be intent on re-signing Price. “We have a lot of payroll tied up already in Cabrera ($292M through 2023), Verlander ($180M through 2019), Kinsler ($46M through 2017), (Victor) Martinez ($68M through 2018) and Sanchez ($53M through 2017).” With both Price and Porcello figuring to command contracts of well over $100 million next winter, the Tigers made the decision to pursue Price, their lone lefty starter. But as they found out last year — when Max Scherzer rejected their offer of six years and $144 million and wound up getting seven years and $210 million from Washington — there’s no way to tell how crazy the price of pitching can get, and apparently they never made any effort at all to lock up Porcello early, even though he was one of their own. The risk of trading a young, reliable workhorse starter such as Porcello loomed ever larger on Friday when 32-year-old Verlander, who battled periodic shoulder inflammation and had his worst season (career-high 4.54 ERA and 223 hits allowed) in 2014, came out of a game against Toronto complaining of right triceps pain. Meanwhile, rival scouts and execs were surprised when Dombrowski elected this winter not to address the bullpen, which has been the Tigers’ recurring weakness throughout this four-year period of success, other than signing lefty Tom Gorzelanny as a long man. Joe Nathan, their 40- year-old closer, had a particularly rough 2014 (4.81 ER/1.53 WHIP/six blown saves) and Joakim Soria, the former All-Star closer with the Royals from 2007-2010, went down with an oblique injury and was mostly ineffective after being picked up by Dombrowski at the trading deadline. “The reason we didn’t go after another closer (such as the Phillies Jonathan Papelbon) was because we’re still confident in the guys we have,” said Dombrowski. “Nathan was one of the best, most consistent closers in baseball with Texas in 2013 when we signed him and he’s had bad years in the past, which he’s bounced back from. As for Soria (who missed 2012-13 after having Tommy John surgery), we never got a good feel for him last year because he was hurt. Before we got him, he’d pitched extremely well (18 saves/48K/6 walks in 44.1 IP) for Texas.” And for what it’s worth, Nathan thinks Dombrowski’s confidence in him is well-placed. “I’m grateful they didn’t panic over one bad month (from May 28-June 28 he yielded 13 earned runs and 21 hits in 10 innings pitched, which really skewed his overall record),” Nathan said. “Nobody has gone through a career without some hiccups.” Nathan was booed heavily by Tiger fans last year, which was perhaps as much a product of getting no respect (other than the $64 million he’s earned over 14 seasons in the game) because he has always been an unconventional closer without a Goose Gossage-like fastball or -like cutter. “(Respect) is not something I think about,” said Nathan. “I’m not here to get recognition. I’m here to get people out and close out games, and in that I’ve been very fortunate.” For the Tigers’ sake, this needs to be another “bounce back” year by the venerable closer, although if Verlander (who has a 5.63 spring ERA) is hurt worse than initially suspected, and Victor Martinez’s aching, surgically repaired knee (which sidelined him again last week) is a serious injury, the window of opportunity to win one for the old owner may have already closed. * * * IT'S A MADD MADD WORLD ... ௗWord around Yankee camp is that George Steinbrenner’s son-in-law, Felix (The Gardner) Lopez, who is listed in their press guide as Executive Vice President/Chief International Officer (whatever that is), has been placed on irrevocable waivers. According to sources, Lopez, who is married to the late Boss’ younger daughter, Jessica, was told to clean out his desk and leave the complex a couple of weeks ago. “It’s a ‘family issue” was all a source would say. Other than having hit the lottery by marrying the Boss’ daughter, Lopez’s primary duties were the overseeing of construction projects (and cost over-runs?) at Steinbrenner Field and the Himes Field minor league complex, and dabbling (often times without the knowledge or approval of GM Brian Cashman) in the Yankees’ Latin America scouting operations — most recently, I’m told, with an unauthorized heavy hand in negotiations that effectively ended any chances of the Yankees signing the Cuban free agent. Whether it’s coincidental or not, , is apparently back in the Yankees’ employ as a roving minor league instructor. Again, according to sources, Martinez had told friends he would never work in the Yankees’ Tampa operations as long as Lopez was there in the role of a “superior”. The timing of bringing Tino back in the fold couldn’t be better, assuming the Yankees use him to work extensively with Greg Bird, their blue chip first-base prospect. Bird, who will be at Triple-A Scranton, has been acclaimed (by Cashman among others) as the best pure hitter in the minor league system, but everyone agrees he’s not major league ready around first, needing to work at on his footwork, throws, relays, fielding bunts etc. In that respect, there could be no better teacher than Tino, a perennial Gold Glover at first. SAY IT AIN'T SO “I wasn’t happy with it, to be honest with you. That obviously was not good. You have a lot of time to prepare and understand where you’re going as a major league person, speaking the language extremely well, and being accountable.” Cubs manager Joe Maddon after struggling pitcher Edwin Jackson showed up late for his outing against the A’s last Tuesday, claiming the Google maps he had used were outdated. (Jackson then proceeded to get hammered for eight runs and nine hits, including five doubles and a homer.) New York Daily News LOADED: 04.05.2015

Tyler Kepner / No Runs, No Hits, New Era: Baseball Ponders Legal Ways to Boost Offense By TYLER KEPNERAPRIL 2, 2015 The old catcher smiled wryly. The topic was offense, and what could be done to revive it. When John Buck entered , in 1998, fans were swooning for sluggers. All these years later, the landscape has tilted. Runs and homers are falling. Strikeouts and infield shifts are soaring. Pitchers rule. “They wanted it to go back to pitching and defense, didn’t they?” Buck said this spring in camp, a few weeks before he retired. “I think it’s a cycle that will go back and forth. If they put the emphasis on improving the offense, they’ll figure a way how.” The question for Rob Manfred, as he begins his first season as commissioner of Major League Baseball, is whether he should do that. Many hitters would welcome a stimulus package, of sorts, in an age when every new edge seems to benefit pitchers. The numbers are staggering. Last season, major league teams scored roughly 5,000 fewer runs, and hit roughly 1,500 fewer homers, than they did in 2000 — statistically, the height of the steroid era. The average team scored 4.07 runs per game last season, down from 5.14 in 2000. And pitchers pumped in about 6,000 more strikeouts last season than they did in 2000. How Many Years Until the Home Run Record Falls? What makes a baseball record unbreakable? Sometimes the game changes and that puts a record out of reach. Sometimes an exceptional performance is too dominant to be matched. When the two combine, the record could last for centuries. “You can say it’s cyclical, but there’s no way to guarantee that,” said Cleveland Indians outfielder David Murphy, a nine-year veteran. “Maybe the game, as we’re seeing it, is just going to get to this place and refine itself from there.” But is the place the game is heading a healthy destination? Clearly, the home run feats of the recent past, while romanticized at the time, now stand as a shameful outlier. But runs per game have not been this low, in a nonstrike season, since 1976. Home runs per game have not been this low since 1992. Baseball expanded in 1977 and 1993, and the influx of previously unqualified pitchers helped stimulate offense. Major League Baseball has no plans to expand now, and while Manfred has shown a willingness to consider many types of changes, he is not sure the game on the field needs to be modified. “Prince Fielder actually laid down a bunt down the third-base line in a spring training game the other day,” Manfred said in an interview last week, referring to the ’ left-handed slugger, who was attempting to combat a defensive shift. “That kind of epitomizes the question in our minds: Are these great players going to adjust in a way that we don’t have to do anything? That’s the preferred outcome, from our perspective.” The lowest-scoring season in the last 100 years was 1968, when teams averaged 3.42 runs per game. The next season, which was also an expansion year, baseball lowered the pitcher’s mound. A few years later, in 1973, the American League introduced the designated hitter. Do not expect any radical changes now. Manfred has no interest in bringing the D.H. to the National League, or in eliminating it altogether. Nobody wants to lower the mound again. With attendance stable — although not rising — and local television ratings strong, Manfred said he did not sense an outcry for changes to promote offense, the way he did to enact the pace-of-play changes that go into effect this season. The committee that oversaw those changes — including a countdown clock between innings — has been folded into a more general competition committee. It will gather quarterly at the owners’ meetings and serve as a think tank for Manfred. “Once this pace-of-game initiative is implemented and absorbed into the game, the next thing the commissioner will probably address are qualitative aspects of how we play,” said , the Mets’ general manager and a committee member. “And we shouldn’t be afraid to consider a variety of things. Other sports do it all the time, tinker with the balance between offense and defense, run production and run prevention. To me, there’s nothing that should be off limits, within reason.” In some ways, the game came full circle with last fall’s World Series matchup between the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals, neither of which had a 30-home run hitter. The last time the Royals had made the World Series, in 1985, the average major league team hit .86 home runs per game. In 2014, the figure was precisely the same. Dayton Moore, the Royals’ general manager, said he did not consider leaguewide trends when assembling his team; the Royals’ speed-and- defense strategy fit their big ballpark and small payroll. But he does not apologize for their style or lament the demise of the long ball. “Our team last year was fun to watch,” Moore said. “We had guys running balls down, running balls out, using the speed element. I think that captured the fan base, the speed and athleticism part of it, guys diving all over, putting the ball in play, creating action. That’s exciting.” Moore said baseball needed to continue to find better athletes, but scouts often lament the lack of power bats in the amateur game. Power arms, though, are everywhere. Young pitchers are increasingly raised on sophisticated programs to build velocity, and when they are not firing pure heat, they are sinking and cutting the ball, making it harder for hitters to cover both sides of the plate. The emphasis on speed has led to more pitching injuries, but there are plenty of hard throwers to spare. The analytical revolution of the early 2000s has also helped pitchers. By the nature of their positions, pitchers control the action while hitters react. A pitcher who can execute a more detailed game plan can make life tougher for a hitter, whose mind-set has changed as teams value a more disciplined approach. “Part of what’s happening, from a hitting standpoint, is hitters are trying to be more selective, perhaps a little less aggressive than they were 15 years ago, because there are players that are starting to realize, ‘You know, walks are good,’ ” said , the general manger of the St. Louis Cardinals. “But finding yourself in two-strike counts, some handle it better than others.” When hitters do make contact, more of their batted balls are turning into outs, gobbled up by infielders deployed in shifts. In 2011, according to Baseball Info Solutions, teams used fewer than 2,500 shifts on balls in play. Last year they used more than 13,000, and the company said its software actually recommended about 40,000 shifts. So there is much more room for teams to buy in. Manfred caused a stir in January when he told ESPN that he was open to considering a ban on extreme shifts. He said the negative reaction to that comment essentially popped the trial balloon, and most people interviewed for this article responded like Dave Dombrowski, the president of the Detroit Tigers, who said the onus was on hitters to adjust. “Even though we’re not a big shift team,” Dombrowski said, “I don’t think you should penalize intelligence.” Still, some believe Manfred was on to something. The agent Scott Boras, who represents the left-handed sluggers Fielder, Pedro Alvarez and Chris Davis, among other stars, said the shift penalized the kinds of players fans loved to watch. “How many people have the ability to drive the ball 450 feet?” Boras said. “Fans want that, and we don’t want to take something away from the game that is rare. Bunting is common. Everybody can bunt. So when you have less power and more bunting, our game is less interesting, because we’re not seeing unique performances.” Power hitters have long been neutralized by matchup relievers, too, but the trend is growing. Games last season averaged six relievers, a record, and Manfred said he was aware of the call in some corners to require a reliever to face more than one hitter at a time. Like the other ideas, that one has a long way to go to even be considered. In his visits to teams this spring, Manfred said, the emphasis was mostly on the pace-of-play rules. But some players did wonder about possible changes to the strike zone, which is bigger than it used to be, especially in the area below the kneecap. More strikes, naturally, mean more strikeouts. “Ultimately, if you want more offense, you’re going to have to shrink the strike zone, which is going to make the pitcher throw to a little bit more neutral location,” said Derek Norris, the ’ catcher. “But umpires are human, they have their zones, and it varies from guy to guy.” Manfred, though, said he was pleased by the umpires’ collective effort to call a more uniform strike zone. He said veteran baseball people were split on the potential ramifications of a smaller strike zone, and Major League Baseball has no plans to change it. “I think the strike zone is extremely consistent and it’s not a place I see us tinkering,” Manfred said. So if the strike zone stays the same, and the league and the players’ union let this era evolve without rule changes, how can teams generate more offense? Not chemically. Among the substances baseball now tests for are amphetamines, the drug many players used for decades to handle the grind of the long schedule. Testing for amphetamines began in 2006, and coincidentally or not, that was the year strikeouts began their annual ascent. The total has climbed each year since, and batters last season struck out nearly 7,000 more times than they did in 2005. Banning amphetamines affects position players more than starting pitchers, the thinking goes, because hitters play so many more games in a season. Testing for amphetamines may have diminished consecutive-game streaks, which have become something of a relic. The longest active streak belongs to the Giants’ Hunter Pence, at 387, and he will start the season on the disabled list. Teams like Oakland and Baltimore have emphasized the use of deeper rosters, and more general managers are seeing the wisdom of platoons. “You’re seeing them more and more,” the Angels’ Jerry Dipoto said. “So you’re not expecting one player to go out, like , and have 700-plate-appearance seasons. We’re not placing those types of expectations on a player anymore. We’re trying to augment them with other well-balanced pieces on a roster.” Dipoto, who pitched in the majors from 1993 to 2000, said he remembered clubhouse lounges with doughnuts and Cap’n Crunch. Now, he said, the Angels send menus ahead to visiting clubhouse managers in hope that their players eat healthy on the road. The Cardinals take two team days off in spring training, Mozeliak said, and each player gets another day off. The , the and other teams now use luxury planes to make travel a little easier. “There’s room to move around in the front and the back, and I think our players enjoyed that a lot,” said Jack Zduriencik, the Mariners’ general manager. “We’ve brought people in to talk to our group about sleep, and we’ll do that again. Everyone is engaging in new science with a lot of different things.” The areas of emphasis are changing, but teams, of course, will always seek ways to gain an edge. Players will, too, but the drug culture that once led to an offensive boom is mostly gone. Thousands of runs and homers have gone with it, but baseball — for now — can live with that. “You have to get rid of performance-enhancing drugs, because they are a threat to the integrity of the game,” Manfred said. “And whatever the game looks like with players playing clean is what the game looks like.” New York Times LOADED: 04.05.2015

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