Thome, Belle Among 4 New Indians Hall of Famers

Home , Bradley Zimmer, Carlos Baerga, Charlie Jamieson, Lonnie Chisenhall, Mike Chernoff (baseball), Tyler Naquin

Thome, Belle among 4 new Indians Hall of Famers Robinson, Jamieson also to be inducted on July 30 By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | 7:02 AM ET CLEVELAND -- Four new plaques will soon be on display in Heritage Park, honoring the newest members of the Indians Hall of Fame. There is no shortage of accomplishments among the inductees, a quartet well-deserving of enshrinement by a ballclub with more than a century's worth of history. Jim Thome: The Indians' all-time home run king. Albert Belle: The only player in baseball history to achieve a season consisting of 50 home runs and 50 doubles. Frank Robinson: The first African-American manager in baseball history. Charlie Jamieson: A member of the 1920 World Series champions. Welcome to the Indians Hall of Fame. Cleveland announced on Friday that Thome, Belle, Robinson and Jamieson will be honored as the 2016 Hall of Fame class in a ceremony on July 30 prior to the Tribe's game against the A's at Progressive Field. The Indians will then have 44 in their team Hall and this marks the first time since 2007 that the club inducts at least four players in the same season. "These are four of the all-time great players in our franchise's storied history," said Bob DiBiasio, the Indians' senior vice president of public affairs. "We're excited to officially recognize their contributions to our franchise and the game of baseball by inducting them into the Indians Hall of Fame." The Indians will give away a Thome Hall of Fame bobblehead as part of the July 30 festivities. For Thome, this could be a precursor to enshrinement in the Nationall Baseball Hall of Fame. The former slugger, who belted 612 home runs over the course of a 22-year career in the big leagues, will be eligible on the Baseball Writers' Association of America's Hall of Fame ballot in 2018. Thome's path to stardom had an unlikely beginning. Scouted out of rural Illinois, Thome was selected by the Indians in the 13th round of the 1989 Draft as a skinny third baseman with a big swing. Over time, Thome developed into one of the fiercest left-handed power hitters in baseball, launching a club-record 337 home runs during his time with the Indians. Thome suited up for the Indians from 1991-2002 and rejoined the team briefly in the second half of the 2011 season. In parts of 13 seasons with Cleveland, Thome hit .287/.414/.566 with a franchise-record 1,008 walks, three All-Star appearances and one Silver Slugger Award. Thome belted a career-high 52 homers in 2002, and then had stints with the Phillies, White Sox, Dodgers, Twins and Orioles. Thome is one of only six players to have at least 1,500 runs, 1,600 RBIs and 1,700 walks in a career, joining Carl Yastrzemski, Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Mel Ott and Barry Bonds. Thome, Ruth and Bonds are the only players in that class to have at least 600 home runs. Selected in the second round of the 1987 Draft by Cleveland, Belle tormented opposing pitchers for parts of eight seasons with the Indians. He slugged 242 home runs (second to Thome in club history) and was a four-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger recipient with the Tribe. Belle had 50 homers and 52 doubles in 1995, making him the lone player in baseball history to enjoy a 50/50 season. Belle finished in the top three in the American League in Most Valuable Player Award voting three times with Cleveland, ending as the runner- up to Mo Vaughn for the annual award in 1995. The right-handed hitter played 12 years total in the Majors with stints with the White Sox and Orioles after his time with Cleveland. Robinson spent the final three seasons of 21-year Major League playing career with the Indians, belting 586 home runs in a Hall of Fame career. Robinson was best known in Cleveland for breaking baseball's managerial color barrier. He managed Cleveland from 1974-76, becoming the first African-American manager in history and embarking on a 17-year managing career that saw him guide teams to 1,065 victories. Before Robinson, Cleveland also signed the first African-American player in American League history when the team brought Larry Doby into the fold in 1947. Doby and Thome are currently honored with statues, along with Hall of Famer Bob Feller, outside Gate C at Progressive Field. Jamieson suited up for Cleveland from 1919-32 and set the franchise's single-season record for singles with 172 in 1923. He ranks fourth in team history with 942 runs and fifth with 1,753 hits, while posting a .316 average with the Indians as part of his 18-year career. Jamieson also hit .333 in Cleveland's six-game triumph over the Brooklyn Robins in the 1920 World Series.

Come and enjoy the moment, Albert Cheers await Belle at Indians Hall of Fame induction By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com | @castrovince | 9:34 AM ET CLEVELAND -- On an otherwise nondescript day at Indians camp last spring, a gray-haired, scruffy-faced, big-bodied man wearing a golf shirt and shorts stood in the center of the clubhouse near the snacks, either unnoticed or simply ignored by the players filtering in and out of the room. Time was, a person could genuinely feel Albert Belle's presence in a Major League clubhouse. This is the man who once smashed a thermostat with his bat to permanently set it at a cool temperature (earning the nickname Mr. Freeze). A man who was once so upset about making an out that he retreated to the clubhouse and smashed the china plates that were set up for the postgame spread. A man who once chased a team intern out of the room with his bat when the kid had the gall to approach him about an autograph for charity shortly before game time. That man is gone now. In his place, on this day, stood a retired stay-at-home father to four girls, a guy who spends his time not swinging bats but swinging golf clubs and not chasing down Halloween pranksters in his SUV but driving his own kids to and fro. Mr. Freeze is now Mr. Mom. As announced Friday, the Indians are inducting Mr. Mom ... err ... Belle into their team Hall of Fame. It is an honor that is long, long overdue. Jim Thome will join him, an obvious decision in a world that needs more obvious decisions. Frank Robinson is in, too, a tip of the cap not just to the man but to the moment when he announced his presence as the game's first African-American manager and his viability as a player- manager with a triumphant home run on Opening Day 1975. And Charlie Jamieson is in, a salute to an underrated contributor to the 1920 World Series squad. But Belle is the real source of intrigue. The only reason why the 49-year-old Belle has not yet seen his plaque hang in Heritage Park is that the Indians have never felt confident he'd actually attend the induction ceremony. And despite Friday's public proclamation of Belle as one of its all-time greats, the club is currently unsure whether Belle will be there for the July 30 pregame ceremony. Though Belle has popped up at Spring Training and the club's charity golf outings a couple times, attempts to engage him in past public observances of his and their glory days -- including the 2013 release of a bobblehead depicting his famous point to the biceps and last summer's 20-year anniversary celebration of the 1995 American League champions -- have been met with indifference or outright resistance. Friday's announcement, then, can be construed as either an olive branch or a last resort. The fact of the matter is that a team Hall of Fame without the guy who ranks second all-time (behind only Thome) on the Tribe's home run list and who remains the only player in Major League history to have a 50-homer, 50-double season is laughably incomplete and had long since ceased to make sense. So Belle is going in whether he wants to be there or not. Consider this a public plea for Belle to be there. Belle's standing with the team should not be reduced to a quiet and largely unnoticed arrival at the Goodyear, Ariz., camp, where I'm not entirely certain any player under the age of 30 had any idea they were in the presence of one of the most feared sluggers of the 1990s. Belle needs to come out of the woodwork -- or, rather, step out of the minivan -- and hear the roar of a Progressive nee Jacobs Field crowd that has long since forgiven his free-agent exodus and the many public blowups that made him one of that era's most controversial figures. Baseball and Belle have been largely divorced from each other since he made his last plate appearance with the Orioles in 2000. Were it not for a degenerative hip condition, maybe we'd be talking about Belle in the context of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and not just the Indians Hall, but little of his post-Cleveland career lived up to the severe standards set by his 1993-96 output (1.040 OPS, 172 homers, 161 doubles and 504 RBIs in 566 games). And when he went away, he went far away, his only connection to the game coming in the form of the occasional unsolicited -- and highly entertaining -- rant to Paul Hoynes, The Plain Dealer's longtime Indians beat reporter, in the late 2000s. Give credit to Kenny Lofton and Carlos Baerga, two other members of the 1995 club and the team Hall, for coaxing Belle into his first visit to the Tribe's spring camp in 2012. These men, along with Thome and Omar Vizquel and the rest of the cast of characters that made up that '95 team, reignited a long-slumbering fan base in a major, memorable and almost magical way, and the bonds formed from such a shared experience are not easily broken. But getting Belle to branch out beyond those quick and informal appearances in Goodyear has been a struggle, to say the least. So come on out, Albert, and bring the girls. Let them see what their dad and his mighty bat wrought. People in Cleveland have not forgotten the mesmerizing experience of watching you hunch over the plate, with the bat held at a firm 90-degree angle and your menacing eyes peering at the pitcher. They have not forgotten the way you dominated a Major League season like few hitters before or since. They want to see you and salute you and cheer you one more time. And should you stick around to watch the game from a suite, I'm sure they'll let you keep the thermostat as low as you like.

Tribe players surprise Cleveland's RBI champs Brantley, Kipnis lead huge turnout at Greater Cleveland Sports Awards banquet By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | January 28th, 2016 CLEVELAND -- It was surprise enough when member of the Cleveland Baseball Federation RBI Softball team got to share the stage with Michael Brantley and Jason Kipnis of the Indians. What they did not know was that more than a dozen other players would soon be joining them. During the 16th annual Greater Cleveland Sports Awards banquet on Thursday night, the Indians caught the 2015 Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities' Softball World Series champions off guard during their award presentation. Brantley, Kipnis and the majority of the Tribe's big league roster gathered around the young women and presented them with the Amateur Athlete of the Year accolade. "I think it's great. I think it's really important," Brantley said of the turnout by Indians players. "We were all in here in town and we all wanted to do it, and I think that's what's most important. We had fun doing it. It was a great time, and it was for a great thing and a great accomplishment." Brantley was also nominated for the Pro Athlete of the Year Award, along with LeBron James of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers and Gary Barnidge of the NFL's Cleveland Browns. James took home the honor for his part in leading the Cavs to the NBA Finals last year. Roughly 20 players are in Cleveland this week in preparation for Tribe Fest, which takes place from 9:15 a.m.-7 p.m. ET on Saturday at the Aloft Hotel in downtown Cleveland. Brantley, Kipnis, Corey Kluber, Cody Allen, Francisco Lindor, Rajai Davis, Mike Napoli,Lonnie Chisenhall and Danny Salazar, among others, were on hand for Thursday's awards ceremony. As the RBI champions gave their acceptance speech, a long line of Tribe players walked through the banquet hall and took the stage. At the end of the presentation, the players surrounded the softball players and Lindor took a group photo. The Cleveland softball team went 7-0 in the 2015 World Series tournament, becoming the first team from Cleveland to win the RBI World Series in any division of the youth sports program. After the on-stage portion of the banquet, the players took more photos with the winners. Brantley, who is currently recovering from November surgery on his right shoulder, hit .310 with 15 home runs, 45 doubles and 84 RBIs in 137 games last season. The outfielder ended the season with more walks (60) than strikeouts (51) and scored 68 runs. It was a solid encore to 2014, when Brantley was named an All-Star, received a Silver Slugger Award and ended third in American League Most Valuable Player Award voting. Brantley said it was an honor to be considered for the Pro Athlete of the Year Award, which Kluber won last season. "It's a great [nomination], along with all the players," Brantley said. "You work very hard in the offseason, you prepare each and every day, and you just play your best. And to be recognized for it, it's a blessing, and it doesn't go unnoticed."

Brantley encouraged by shoulder rehab Tribe outfielder hopes to be ready Opening Day but won't rush process By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | January 28th, 2016 CLEVELAND -- If it were up to Michael Brantley, the Indians outfielder would be in the lineup come Opening Day. Brantley knows, however, it might not be realistic to carve that into stone as he attempts to come back from right shoulder surgery. On Thursday night, Brantley discussed his status at the 16th annual Greater Cleveland Sports Awards. Brantley -- nominated for Pro Athlete of the Year -- said he plans on getting back on the field for the Tribe as soon as possible, without cutting any corners in his rehab. "I don't think it's fair to give myself a target," Brantley said. "My target is Opening Day. It's not that I'm going to go any slower or any faster, but I'm going to do everything the training staff asks me to do. I'll follow their schedule and do it to the best of my ability, and whatever happens. If Opening Day I make it, I'm there. If I have to wait a couple weeks or whatever it is, I'll be ready to go." LeBron James of the NBA's Cavaliers won the Pro Athlete of the Year award over Brantley and Gary Barnidge of the NFL's Browns. The Indians open the season on April 4 at home against the Red Sox. Pitchers and catchers are slated to report to Spring Training on Feb. 17 with position players following suit on Feb. 21. During a minicamp organized by the players on Thursday morning, Brantley went through a workout with his team at Force Sports in Westlake. The left fielder did everything but take part in hitting activities, which will be the next big hurdle in his comeback. Though Brantley's surgery in November was on his non-throwing shoulder, full health is important for him to repeat his swing mechanics throughout the upcoming campaign. The Indians have maintained that Brantley, 28, could return at some point during the first couple of months of the regular season. "I went through almost a full workout," Brantley said. "I did agility, I ran, I threw. Everything is going great. I'm excited with where I'm at right now." Brantley is not sure when he will begin a hitting program. "It's all how you wake up in the morning, how I feel, how the progression's going," he said. "Obviously, the strengthening drills that I'm doing now are to get ready to hit. It's a process. It's written out. We've got to stick to it. We'll go from there." In 137 games last season, Brantley hit .310 with 15 homers, 45 doubles and 84 RBIs. He dealt with back issues and setbacks to both Even in light of the circumstances, Brantley said he would still go after the ill-fated fly ball. "One-hundred percent," he said. "Absolutely. I only know one way to play, and that's as hard as I can. I'm never changing the way I play, or not dive because I had a problem. That's letting down my teammates, and I can't do that."

Zimmer, Frazier on MLB Pipeline's Top 10 OF Prospects list MLBPipeline.com will unveil its 2016 Top 100 Prospects list on Friday on MLB.com. The Top 50 will be revealed during a one-hour show on MLB Network at 9 p.m. ET. Leading up to the release, we look at baseball's top 10 prospects at each position. For the third (and likely the last) time, this Top 10 -- the final by-position ranking unveiled prior to the Top 100 Prospects list -- is headed by the Twins' Byron Buxton. He may not have taken the world by storm during his big league debut, but neither did Mike Trout. And, let's face it, Buxton's tools across the board are unparalleled. Behind Buxton, there has been some change. Four from last year's list of outfield prospects have graduated, including All-Star Joc Pederson, and two others have dropped off. That's opened the door for some prospects, headlined by a pair of Rangers and a pair of Indians (one of whom was on the preseason list a year ago). 1. Byron Buxton, Twins Yes, it seems like Buxton has been at the top of this and other lists forever. And yes, at 129 at-bats, he's going to graduate off soon. But Buxton still has the most exciting set of all-around tools among all prospects. There is a sense of "the time is now" for him, and he should get to prove himself with Aaron Hicks no longer in Minnesota. 2. Lewis Brinson, Rangers Brinson has always had a tremendous power-speed combination, but what has allowed him to take a huge step forward has been a vast improvement in his approach at the plate. As he has cut down on his strikeouts and upped his walk rate, he's tapped into his hitting and power potential consistently, giving him true 30-30 potential. 3. Nomar Mazara, Rangers Like Brinson, Mazara's improved approach at the plate has helped him take the next step as a prospect. He has the tools teams look for from the prototypical right fielder: a power arm and a power bat. Rangers fans should be excited about having Brinson and Mazara ready to make up two-thirds of the big league outfield in the near future. 4. Austin Meadows, Pirates After a lost year in 2014 because of injury, Meadows' key focus was to stay healthy in 2015. He did just that, showing the plus hitting skills that made him a first-round pick in 2013. Meadows hits for average, he gets on base, he can run and he can play center field. The power is going to come, as he'll turn just 21 in May while showing what he can do in Double-A after a brief debut there late this past season. 5. Andrew Benintendi, Red Sox Few, if any, 2015 draftees improved their stock more than Benintendi did as a Draft-eligible sophomore at Arkansas last year. He kept it going during his pro debut after the Red Sox took him No. 7 overall, hitting a combined .313/.416/.556 across two levels. Benintendi can do a lot of everything well and shouldn't take too long to be ready to impact Boston's big league outfield. 6. Bradley Zimmer, Indians After dominating the Class A Advanced Carolina League during his full-season debut in 2015, Zimmer struggled a bit in Double-A. He deserves a mulligan, however, as it turns out he was playing with a hairline fracture in his foot. The University of San Francisco product's 44 steals last season were a bit of a surprise and there should be more power coming, so future 20-20 seasons seem entirely feasible. 7. Clint Frazier, Indians The second of two Indians outfielders on this list, Frazier didn't join Zimmer in the climb to Double-A, but he certainly looked like he figured some things out in the second half of 2015. He's always had as much bat speed as just about any prospect, but an overly aggressive approach was often his downfall. Frazier started doing a better job of working the count and continued having success in the Arizona Fall League, setting him up for an exciting jump to the upper levels.

Indians gear up for Tribe Fest with minicamp Brantley among players taking part in light workout By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | January 28th, 2016 CLEVELAND -- During a break from hitting in an indoor batting cage, Francisco Lindorwalked up behind Jason Kipnis, and the young Indians shortstop wrapped his arms around the second baseman and lifted him into the air. It was that kind of day Thursday morning. The 17 Tribe players who reunited for a workout at Force Sports in Westlake, Ohio -- a western suburb of Cleveland -- were in a collective good mood. The group organized this minicamp just ahead of Saturday's Tribe Fest event, helping set an early tone for the season as Spring Training rapidly approaches. "It's good," pitcher Cody Anderson said. "It's good to start building some team camaraderie before Spring Training. I'm just getting excited about starting the season." The bulk of Cleveland's roster was in attendance. The players went through stretching, agility drills, played catch and took light batting practice. Even Michael Brantley -- recovering from November surgery on his right shoulder -- participated in the conservative workout with his teammates. Brantley went through agility exercises and played catch with Yan Gomes, but the left fielder's timetable remains the same. The Indians have maintained that Brantley is expected to be ready for activation within the first couple of months of the season. Starter Corey Kluber, closer Cody Allen and catcher Yan Gomes were also on hand. A trio of the Tribe's offseason additions -- Mike Napoli, Rajai Davis and Collin Cowgill -- joined the workout, too. The entire group, along with some others, are expected to attend Tribe Fest, which happens Saturday from 9:15 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET at Aloft Hotel in downtown Cleveland. Indians' pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Goodyear, Ariz., for Spring Training on Feb. 17, with the first workout planned for Feb. 19. Cleveland's full squad is then required to report Feb. 21 with the first team workout slated for Feb. 23. A majority of the Indians' roster will be in Arizona ahead of the required reporting dates. "We're excited to get the team going," Anderson said, "get out there with the full squad and start mixing it up and playing games."

Indians left fielder Michael Brantley progressing in shoulder rehab By Ryan Lewis CLEVELAND: Indians left fielder Michael Brantley says he’d still dive for the fly ball that eventually led to his shoulder surgery on Nov. 9, even as it’ll likely cost him the first month of the 2016 season. “One hundred percent. Absolutely,” Brantley said when asked if he’d dive for it again. “I only know one way to play, and that’s as hard as I can. I’ll never change the way I play or not dive because I’ve had a problem. That’s letting down my teammates and I can’t do that.” Brantley hurt his right, non-throwing shoulder while diving for a ball in Minnesota on Sept. 22. The team tried to allow him to work through the injury with a training program in October, but it was clear by November he’d need surgery. That has pushed his likely return to May, leaving the Indians without their No. 3 hitter for the season’s first month. Brantley participated in a team workout Thursday morning and is progressing in his rehab, though he isn’t sure when he’ll be able to start hitting again. The realistic timetable hasn’t changed, though Brantley said he is hopeful of getting good news and being ready for the Indians’ Opening Day game against Boston on April 4. “I don’t think it’s fair to give myself a target,” said Brantley at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards on Thursday night, where he was a finalist for Pro Athlete of the Year. “My target is Opening Day. It’s not that I’m not going to go any slower or faster, but I’m going to do everything the training staff asks me to do, follow their schedule and do it the best of my ability.” Brantley has spent most of the offseason in Cleveland working with the trainers. The full squad must report to camp in Goodyear, Ariz., by Feb. 21. “Progress is going well,” he said. “We have a great medical staff that’s doing a phenomenal job keeping me on my routine. … I’ll do whatever it takes to get back as soon as I can.” The Indians brought in free-agent outfielder Rajai Davis, along with a couple of secondary options, to account for Brantley’s absence in addition to providing an option in center field once he returns. “The front office does a great job of getting good players in there and good people in there,” Brantley said. “We have a great group of guys, a great nucleus of guys. When we add veterans like Davis and [first baseman Mike Napoli] that are good character guys in the locker room that fit so well, it makes it very exciting.” Brantley was a nominee for Professional Athlete of the Year along with Browns tight end Gary Barnidge and Cavaliers superstar LeBron James. James won the award. Brantley said he considered it an honor to be nominated, particularly after a season in which he dealt with back issues nearly the entire year. “You work very hard in the offseason, you prepare easy and every day and you play your best,” Brantley said. “To be recognized for it, it’s a blessing and it doesn’t go unnoticed.”Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 01.29.2016 OF Bradley Zimmer, OF Clint Frazier, 1B Bobby Bradley make top 10 positional prospect lists By Ryan Lewis Outfielders Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier and first baseman Bobby Bradley all made MLB.com’s top 10 prospect lists for their respective positions this week. Zimmer and Frazier were ranked right next to each other as the sixth and seventh best outfield prospects in the game. Zimmer played much of last season with a fractured foot and hit .273 with a .368 on-base percentage, 16 home runs, 26 doubles, 63 RBI and 44 stolen bases between High-A Lynchburg and Double-A Akron. Zimmer was also recently ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Indians’ organization by Baseball Prospectus, which called him a, “five-tool player who impact the game in every capacity.” Zimmer figures to begin the 2016 season in Akron and has given given aN ETA of 2017 by Baseball Prospectus. Frazier spent the 2015 season at High-A Lynchburg, hitting .285 with a .377 on-base percentage, 16 home runs, 36 doubles, 72 RBI and 15 stolen bases. He got off to a slow start but was much improved after making an adjustment to his timing and simplifying his swing around midseason. Frazier is ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the system by Baseball Prospectus and shares Zimmer’s 2017 ETA. He’ll likely see significant time in Double-A Akron this season as well. Both Zimmer and Frazier could potentially end up in center field, with Zimmer holding a slide edge defensively. The development of those two could have been a factor in the Indians’ decision to not go after a bigger-name free agent that would have required a long-term contract, such as Dexter Fowler, Austin Jackson and a slew of others. Zimmer, Frazier and Tyler Naquin have been holding steady three of the system’s top positional player prospects for a while, but the former two have started to pull away. Neither Zimmer nor Frazier, tough, have yet received an invite to big league camp this spring. Much of that has to do with the Indians having a higher number of players who could make an impact this season. “It's not an issue with the seasons they had, who they are, the progress they made,” said Indians general manager Mike Chernoff on Tuesday. “The decision not to bring them to camp is instead just about the depth that we have in our Major League clubhouse and on our roster in the outfield. And, you kind of always strike this balance of, when you have guys in camp, making sure there's enough opportunity for them. So, if those are two guys that are not looking like they’re going to make the Major League team out of Spring Training, it's less important to have them as part of that unit in camp.” Minnesota Twins top prospect Byron Buxton tops all outfield prospects, and still has a strong case as the No. 1 prospect in baseball. Bradley came in as the No. 4 first baseman prospect, per MLB.com. He had a superb season statistically for Class-A Lake County in 2015, hitting .269 with 27 home runs, 15 doubles and 92 RBI. He figures to open the season with High-A Lynchburg. Baseball Prospectus has Bradley as the No. 5 prospect in the system with an ETA of 2018. Left-handed pitchers Brady Aiken (No. 2) and and Justus Sheffield (No. 4) round out the Indians’ top-5 prospects on MLB.com’s list. A third left- handed pitcher, Rob Kaminsky, is No. 6. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 01.29.2016

Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley targeting an Opening Day return, but he isn't holding himself to that Zack Meisel, CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Michael Brantley has been linked to just about every month on the calendar. Will he be ready by May? Will he return in June or July? One report in December even suggested that Brantley wouldn't fully recover from his November shoulder surgery until August. Well, Brantley has his own target in mind, though he cautioned that he isn't tied down to the idea. "My target is Opening Day," Brantley said Thursday at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards. He added that he didn't think "it's fair to give myself a target." "I'm going to do everything the training staff asks me to do, follow their schedule to the best of my ability. Whatever happens, Opening Day, if I make it, I'm there, or if I have to wait a couple of weeks, whatever it is, I'll be ready to go." Brantley was one of three nominees -- along with Browns tight end Gary Barnidge and Cavs forward LeBron James -- for the honor of Athlete of the Year. James was the winner. Brantley and second baseman Jason Kipnis presented the award for Amateur Athlete of the Year to the Cleveland Baseball Federation RBI softball team. More than a dozen other Indians players then joined Brantley and Kipnis on stage. The team gathered earlier Thursday at Force Sports in Westlake, Ohio, for a workout. Players tossed around baseballs, stretched, completed agility exercises and took batting practice in the cages. Brantley underwent surgery on his right (non-throwing) shoulder in November. The Indians' initial prognosis indicated that the left fielder would likely miss the first month of the season. On Thursday, Brantley did everything but swing the bat. "I went through almost a full workout," he said. "I did agility, I ran, I threw. Everything is going great. I'm excited with where I'm at right now. As a Cleveland fan, I hope they're excited about where I'm at right now, because I really am." Brantley spent most of the 2015 campaign weathering various injuries. He dealt with a back strain early in the season and injuries to both shoulders later in the year. "It happens," Brantley said. "You have to be mentally tough. You have to grind through it. I love playing this great game. Nothing is ever going to hold me out. If I can walk and feel like I can help my team and not hurt it, I'm going to be out there." Brantley suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder when he dove for a fly ball in Minnesota in September. He said he'd do it again. "One-hundred percent," Brantley said. "Absolutely. I only know one way to play, and that's as hard as I can."

Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 01.29.2016 Cleveland Indians' Bradley Zimmer, Clint Frazier ranked among MLB's top 10 outfield prospects Zack Meisel, CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier won't be in big-league camp with the Indians next month, but they did show up on a list of baseball's top prospects. On its list of the top 10 outfield prospects, MLB.com ranked Zimmer at No. 6 and Frazier at No. 7. Zimmer, 23, split his season between High-A Lynchburg and Double-A Akron. With the Hillcats, the California native posted a .308/.403/.493 slash line with 32 stolen bases, 17 doubles and 10 home runs in 78 games. With the RubberDucks, Zimmer batted .219 with a .687 OPS, 12 steals and six homers in 49 contests. He dealt with a broken bone in his foot toward the end of the season. General manager Mike Chernoff said this week that Zimmer is still progressing in his recovery from the injury and that he is on target to be ready for spring training. Frazier spent the entire year at Lynchburg, where he compiled a .285/.377/.465 slash line. He clubbed 16 homers and 36 doubles and swiped 15 bases. The 21-year-old also participated in the Arizona Fall League this off-season. In 22 contests, he hit .281 with a .785 OPS and three homers. The Indians opted not to invite Zimmer and Frazier to major-league camp. Chernoff cited the Indians' depth -- they do have an abundance of warm bodies scheduled to join the club in Goodyear, Arizona next month -- as the main reason for excluding the two youngsters. "Those are two guys who are not looking like they're going to make the major-league team out of spring training," Chernoff said. "It's less important to have them as part of that unit in camp." Chernoff did add that he expects to see plenty of the two once spring training gets going. "You've seen that Tito uses young players all the time in [Cactus League] games so I expect we'll see those guys a lot in spring training," Chernoff said. "We've seen them in the past and they'll have their chances."

Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 01.29.2016

The gang's all here: Cleveland Indians reunite, hold team workout Zack Meisel, WESTLAKE, Ohio -- Nearly 20 Indians players and a group of trainers and coaches gathered together Thursday morning for a team reunion and workout. The players stretched, played catch and hit in the batting cages at Force Sports in Westlake. Among the attendees were Yan Gomes, Michael Brantley, Jason Kipnis, Corey Kluber, Cody Anderson, Abraham Almonte, Mike Napoli, Rajai Davis, TJ House, Lonnie Chisenhall, Giovanny Urshela, Francisco Lindor, Bryan Shaw, Collin Cowgill, Jeff Manship, Zach McAllister and Cody Allen. Danny Salazar was scheduled to join his teammates, but had flight trouble. Brantley, who underwent shoulder surgery in November, took part in agility drills and played catch with Gomes. The players have a busy schedule this week, with the Cleveland Sports Awards on Thursday night, a town hall meeting with fans on Friday afternoon and Tribe Fest on Saturday. A handful of players are also visiting children at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital and Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital on Friday. Pitchers and catchers are slated to report to Goodyear, Ariz., on Feb. 17. Indians to hold Tribe Fest at downtown hotel on Saturday The boys are back in town: Kluber, Gomes and the new-look Cody Anderson pic.twitter.com/oQnnD60bDI — Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) January 28, 2016 Indians preparing for next season of Dancing With The Stars pic.twitter.com/SeubS2ohqM — Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) January 28, 2016 Observation: Michael Brantley's surgically repaired shoulder looks healthy in these footwork drills. — Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) January 28, 2016 Baseball players doing baseball things. pic.twitter.com/75kPtF2jmh — Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) January 28, 2016 Slo-mo video of the Indians' new right-handed stick, Mike Napoli, in the batting cage: pic.twitter.com/lm1BrIMCq7 — Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) January 28, 2016Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 01.29.2016

For the love of the game: The minor league lifestyle isn't glamorous, but it's all about chasing a dream (series preview) Zack Meisel, cleveland.com LEVELAND, Ohio -- There is no red carpet in the minor leagues. The path from the team bus to the clubhouse to the dugout to the field is one traveled daily by prospects who hope to stand out, but it's far from a glamorous journey. "There are definitely some challenges that people don't get to see behind the scenes," said Anthony Gallas, a 28-year-old outfielder who finished the 2015 season at Triple-A Columbus. Gallas would know. After he played at Kent State, Gallas signed with the Indians as an undrafted free agent. Over the last six seasons, he has worked his way up the minor league ladder and has encountered the frequent hurdles that life in the minor leagues can present. "You're fighting for your family and, obviously, a paycheck, so your livelihood is at stake," Gallas said. "You put every ounce of your body into these games. You're constantly in game mode, is what I like to say." The games often serve as a reprieve from the off-the-field struggles. Minor league teams often drive through the night to a small town for their next series. Players receive paltry salaries and still must come up with rent. When their per diem fails to cover their meals on the road, they must dip into their earnings. It's commonplace for a player to hold a second or third job over the winter, though that carves into his training time. "You get to the end, the major leagues, and you'll be able to live however you want," Gallas said. "You don't have to live with eight guys in the apartment." Something happens in between those lines on the field, though. All of those concerns -- How am I going to make money this offseason? How am I going to function on such little sleep? How am I going to impress the Indians' front office? -- tend to vanish on the field. That's what keeps the players going. The diamond is their source of salvation. It has acted as their haven since they played in little league. In next week's "Life in the minors" series (starting Monday), we'll examine what happens behind the scenes in minor league baseball. What kind of jobs do players work during the winter, and how do they balance their time with training for the next season? What is it like for a manager to inform a player that he has been promoted to the next level? How does a player manage his schedule and finances when he is married and has a child? How does the guy who has been plugging away in the minors for a decade but has never reached the majors know when to call it quits? What are some of the horror stories from the lengthy bus trips? What is it about the game and their dream that motivates them to persevere? "Minor league baseball is the way it is -- it's not the greatest," said Bobby Ison, who spent time with three Indians affiliates last year. "It's not all glamour and fame like everyone else thinks it is being in professional baseball. But I feel like it is the way it is because if you want to get out of the minor leagues, then play better and work harder and you can live all of the glamour and fame you want in the major leagues. "It's not all excitement and glory, but it gets the job done. We get to play baseball every single night in front of 5,000 fans. We're with our best friends and our brothers. We have a great night every single night playing the game of baseball.

In November beat writer Paul Hoynes picked his top 25 MLB free agents. Here is the latest update on where those players will be working in 2016 and beyond. Hey, Hoynsie: I often see you and others in the Cleveland media point to the Dolan family overpaying for the Indians back in 1999 as a contributing reason to why they are pinched for payroll. I was curious why you think this was an overpay? They paid $320 million for a business that 15 years later is said to be worth in excess of $800 million (according to Forbes Magazine). If I paid $320,000 for a house and it was worth $800,000 15 years later, I certainly wouldn't complain about the price I paid, I'd probably be taking out a second mortgage to make some nice improvements to raise the value of my investment even more. – Isaac Savage, Modesto, Calif. Hey, Isaac: You mean like the facelift Progressive Field has received the last two years? As for the Dolans overpaying, when Larry Dolan paid Dick Jacobs $320 million for the Indians, it was the highest price ever paid for a big league team. Not coincidentally, the payroll has fallen from one of the biggest in the big leagues to one of the smallest. Draw your own conclusion. To be clear, however, I've never heard the Dolans complain about the price they paid for the Indians. An Indians spokesman said Wednesday that there is "no doubt" that Phase II of the Progressive Field renovations will be complete by Opening Day on April 4. Let's take a look at some of the ballpark's new features. Hey, Hoynsie: I am sorry, but the left-handed relief pitchers that the Indians are bringing to camp such as Joe Thatcher, Ross Detwiler and Tom Gorzelanny don't excite me. Do you think the Indians are still in the market for a bullpen arm? If so are they looking for a right- hander or left-hander? Maybe someone better and more proven such as Eric O'Flaherty, Tyler Clippard, Casey Janssen or Tommy Hunter? -- Steven Ward, Chardon. Hey, Steven: I think the Indians would like to add another arm or two to the bullpen and I don't think it matters if it's a lefty or righty. They want somebody who can get batters out. I just don't see them overpaying for any of the relievers you mentioned. Remember, the closer it gets to spring training, the more free agency becomes a buyer's market. As usual, the Indians are looking for bargains. Hey, Hoynsie: I haven't heard much from the Austin Jackson front. Is he a realistic option for the Tribe? – Kyle Ellis, Brecksville. Hey, Kyle: I loved Austin Jackson when he played for the Tigers and the Indians could certainly use some help in center. Jackson's game has slipped some the last couple of years and I think the Indians feel like they can get by in center with Abraham Almonte and Davis. They have four center field prospects in the pipeline in Tyler Naquin, James Ramsey, Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier. Hey Hoynsie: With the Tribe unsure about Giovanny Urshela at third base, what are the chances they sign David Freese for insurance? It seems like the market has dried up and he could be signed for a reasonable price. – Erich Golden, Westfield, N.J. Hey, Erich: You're on the right track with the wrong guy. It sounds like the Indians prefer Uribe to Freese. We'll see if it gets done.

Does Cleveland Indians' front office have sense of urgency? Hey, Hoynsie Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie. Hey, Hoynsie: When you hear or read quotes from Indians' officials, it sounds like they have no sense of urgency. No urgency to piece together a winning team. No urgency to wake up an apathetic fan base. This means they are either content with the status or they are not able to put a winning team on the field. Do you sense the same lack of urgency?-- Brad K., Philadelphia. Hey, Brad: The front office has plenty of urgency. What it doesn't have is a lot of money. Still, they've put together three straight winning seasons. Hey, Hoynsie: Would the Indians be interested in bringing back David Murphy on a one or two-year contract to shore up the outfield? I know he's a lefty, but in 2015 he had a .283 batting average and a .739 OPS. – Rob Beck, Parma. Hey, Rob: Murphy did a nice job for the Indians in the 1½ years he played for them. For a while last season, he was their most consistent hitter and top pinch hitter. But with Rajai Davis signed and scheduled to play left field for injured Michael Brantley and the Indians seemingly committed to giving Lonnie Chisenhall a shot in right field, I think it would be tough to get Murphy enough playing time to entice him to sign. Hey, Hoynsie: What do you think about the Indians signing Marlon Byrd to platoon with Lonnie Chisenhall? He has averaged 23 homers and 83 RBI over the last three years. If Chisenhall struggles, Byrd could play every day. – Bill Drummer, Wauseon. Hey, Bill: When the Indians didn't trade a starting pitcher this winter, they had only one way to improve the club – free agency. Since they didn't have a lot of money to spend, they had to be selective with their choices and signed Davis and Mike Napoli. In other words, Napoli is their version of Byrd. I still think they're going to try and add another hitter, but it sounds like they're focused on infielder Juan Uribe. Hey, Hoynsie: Any word if the Tribe and Dexter Fowler have talked? He's a solid all-around player who could turn a good year for the Indians into a major payday next postseason. Do the Indians have enough cash to squeeze in a clear upgrade that wouldn't come at the cost of a multiyear deal? – Nick Kellogg, Austin, Tex. Hey, Nick: I think the Indians would have pursued Fowler if the Cubs didn't tag him with a qualifying offer. If they did sign him, it would cost them their No.1 draft pick in June. Chris Antonetti, Indians president of baseball operations, has said he'd part with the No.1 pick for the right player. Could Fowler be that guy? Maybe, but I wouldn't count on it. In November beat writer Paul Hoynes picked his top 25 MLB free agents. Here is the latest update on where those players will be working in 2016 and beyond. Hey, Hoynsie: I often see you and others in the Cleveland media point to the Dolan family overpaying for the Indians back in 1999 as a contributing reason to why they are pinched for payroll. I was curious why you think this was an overpay? They paid $320 million for a business that 15 years later is said to be worth in excess of $800 million (according to Forbes Magazine). If I paid $320,000 for a house and it was worth $800,000 15 years later, I certainly wouldn't complain about the price I paid, I'd probably be taking out a second mortgage to make some nice improvements to raise the value of my investment even more. – Isaac Savage, Modesto, Calif. Hey, Isaac: You mean like the facelift Progressive Field has received the last two years? As for the Dolans overpaying, when Larry Dolan paid Dick Jacobs $320 million for the Indians, it was the highest price ever paid for a big league team. Not coincidentally, the payroll has fallen from one of the biggest in the big leagues to one of the smallest. Draw your own conclusion. To be clear, however, I've never heard the Dolans complain about the price they paid for the Indians. An Indians spokesman said Wednesday that there is "no doubt" that Phase II of the Progressive Field renovations will be complete by Opening Day on April 4. Let's take a look at some of the ballpark's new features. Hey, Hoynsie: I am sorry, but the left-handed relief pitchers that the Indians are bringing to camp such as Joe Thatcher, Ross Detwiler and Tom Gorzelanny don't excite me. Do you think the Indians are still in the market for a bullpen arm? If so are they looking for a right- hander or left-hander? Maybe someone better and more proven such as Eric O'Flaherty, Tyler Clippard, Casey Janssen or Tommy Hunter? -- Steven Ward, Chardon. Hey, Steven: I think the Indians would like to add another arm or two to the bullpen and I don't think it matters if it's a lefty or righty. They want somebody who can get batters out. I just don't see them overpaying for any of the relievers you mentioned. Remember, the closer it gets to spring training, the more free agency becomes a buyer's market. As usual, the Indians are looking for bargains. Hey, Hoynsie: I haven't heard much from the Austin Jackson front. Is he a realistic option for the Tribe? – Kyle Ellis, Brecksville. Hey, Kyle: I loved Austin Jackson when he played for the Tigers and the Indians could certainly use some help in center. Jackson's game has slipped some the last couple of years and I think the Indians feel like they can get by in center with Abraham Almonte and Davis. They have four center field prospects in the pipeline in Tyler Naquin, James Ramsey, Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier. The Indians invited four minor leaguers to big league spring training, but outfielders Bradley Zimmer and Todd Frazier weren't included. Hey Hoynsie: With the Tribe unsure about Giovanny Urshela at third base, what are the chances they sign David Freese for insurance? It seems like the market has dried up and he could be signed for a reasonable price. – Erich Golden, Westfield, N.J. Hey, Erich: You're on the right track with the wrong guy. It sounds like the Indians prefer Uribe to Freese. We'll see if it gets done.

Indians OF Brantley says opening day 'target' after surgery By TOM WITHERS (AP Sports Writer)12 hours agoAP - Sports this Sept. 13, 2015, file photo, Cleveland Indians' Michael Brantley catches a fly ball … CLEVELAND (AP) -- There are dates for Michael Brantley's return from shoulder surgery ranging from April to August. The Indians star outfielder doesn't have one circled. ''I don't think it's fair to give myself a target,'' Brantley said Thursday night while appearing at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards. ''My target is opening day, it's not that I'm going to go any slower or any faster but I'm going to do everything the training staff asks me to do. I'll follow their schedule and do it to the best of my ability and whatever happens, if opening day I make it, great. If I have to wait a couple weeks or whatever it is I'll be ready to go.'' Brantley needed an operation to repair a tear in his non-throwing shoulder in November. Following the surgery, doctors estimated it would take him 5 to 6 months to get back, putting the start of his season in jeopardy. It was expected he would miss at least one month. And although it's probable he won't be ready for the April 4 opener against Boston, Brantley isn't rushing things. Before attending the event with more than a dozen teammates, Brantley did agility drills and threw. His next step is swinging a bat. ''I went through almost a full workout,'' he said. ''I did agility, I ran, I threw. Everything is going great. I'm excited with where I'm at right now.'' Brantley injured his shoulder trying to make a diving catch in Minnesota on Sept. 22. He received a cortisone shot and tried to play as the Indians hung around in the AL wild-card chase, but was eventually shut down. Brantley said he would dive for the ball again. ''One hundred percent,'' he said. ''Absolutely. I only know one way to play, and that's as hard as I can. I'm never going to change the way I play or not dive because I had a problem. That's letting down my teammates and I can't do that.'' The 28-year-old battled injuries throughout last season, but still batted .310 with 15 homers and 84 RBIs in 137 games. He hurt his back during spring training and battled problems in both shoulders. ''It happens,'' he said. ''You have to be mentally tough. You have to grind through it. I love playing this great game. Nothing is ever going to hold me out. If I can walk and feel like I can help my team and not hurt it, I'm going to be out there.''

Lake County Captains: Fans meet new manager, mingle with ex-Indians Carlos Baerga, Jaret Wright

By David Glasier, The News-Herald The past mixed easily with the present Jan. 28 during the Lake Captains annual Hot Stove Dinner at Classic Park.

Carlos Baerga and Jaret Wright, standouts on some of the Indians’ powerhouse teams of the 1990s, represented a memorable chapter of the Tribe’s recent past as featured guests at the Captains’ winter showcase.

Tony Mansolino, the 33-year-old Tennessee resident who will make his make his managerial debut this season with the Captains, also was a featured guest. Several hundred fans seated around tables in the batting cage field house soaked up all of the baseball talk.

This will be Mansolino’s second tour of duty with the Indians’ full-season Single-A affiliate. He was Lake County’s hitting coach in 2013.

“When I was here that season, I thought I was ready to manage,” Mansolino said. “Three years later, I realized I wasn’t ready to manage back then. I had so much more to learn. In baseball, you never stop learning.”

He also came to Eastlake in 2006 as a player on the Hickory (N.C.) Crawdads of the South Atlantic League.

“When you’re a player, manager or coach in the minor leagues, there always are questions when you find out where you’ve been assigned after spring training,” Mansolino said. “In a lot of places, the answers to those questions aren’t good. With the Captains, all the answers are favorable.”

Most of the questions audience members posed to Baerga and Wright had to do with their experiences playing for the Indians when sellouts were automatic and the Tribe advanced to the World Series in 1995 and 1997.

Video: Former Cleveland Indian greats Jaret Wright and Carlos Baerga at the VIP event

“We were young but hungry,” Baerga said of the 1995 team anchored by enigmatic slugger Albert Belle. “There was something special every night. It was magic.” Wright, the Tribe’s first-round pick in the June 1994 draft, was 21 when he got to the big leagues in June 1997. He became a mainstay in the rotation and started Game 7 of the World Series against the Florida Marlins.

“It was an amazing opportunity to play on that team in that environment,” Wright said.

Wright and Baerga both offered words of high praise for Mike Hargrove, the former Tribe player who managed the Indians from 1991 to 1999.

“He let us play,” Baerga said. “We knew we had a great team. But we also had great work habits. We prepared for the game.”

The Captains will host an exhibition game against the Double-A Akron RubberDucks on April 5. On April 7, they will play their home opener against the Fort Wayne (Ind.) TinCaps.