Indians add Delabar, Banwart to spring camp By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | January 13th, 2017 + 10 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- The Indians added a pair of arms to the Spring Training mix on Friday, signing right-handers Steve Delabar and Travis Banwart to Minor League contracts that include invitations to attend camp with the Major League club. Indians pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Spring Training at the team's headquarters in Goodyear, Ariz., on Feb. 12, with the first workout slated for Feb. 14. Delabar and Banwart represent the first pitchers added to the spring fold as non-roster players. Cleveland currently has seven non-roster invitees, along with its 40-man roster. Catchers Erik Kratz and Guillermo Quiroz, first baseman Chris Colabello, utilityman Michael Martinez and outfielder Daniel Robertson are also on the Indians' list of non-roster players who will be on hand this spring. Cleveland has yet to announce its non-roster invitees from within the club's farm system. Delabar, 33, has spent parts of six seasons in the Majors and was an American League All-Star in 2013 with the Blue Jays. That season, the right-hander turned in a 3.22 ERA and had 82 strikeouts in 58 2/3 innings. Last year, Delabar split his time between Triple-A Louisville (2.62 ERA in 17 games) and Cincinnati (seven games) before being granted his release at the end of June. He has had stints with the Mariners, Blue Jays and Reds in his career. Banwart, 30, was in the Indians' system in 2014 but then went on to play in parts of three seasons in the Korean Baseball League. The righty had a 3.13 ERA in 16 starts for Triple-A Columbus before being sold to the SK Wyverns of the KBL in '14. In 194 career Minor League games, Banwart has a 4.11 ERA in parts of eight seasons in the A's and Indians' systems. Ryan Merritt sent Indians fans thank you notes for his wedding presents By Ben Cosman Ryan Merritt may have been the unlikeliest hero from the 2016 postseason, pitching the Indians into the World Series with his two-hit start in Game 5 of the ALCS. He may have cemented himself into Indians lore as a 24-year-old rookie. But still, when total strangers buy you dozen of gifts from your wedding registry, it's only polite to say thanks. Julia Kleppel @JuliaKleppel Great Saturday! We got a thank note from Ryan Merritt in the mail!! @Indians @CleveFan76 After the ALCS win, Indians fans found the wedding registry of Merritt and his fiancée Sarah Brushaber and thanked the pitcher for his performance by, well, pretty much clearing it out. On Saturday afternoon, thank you notes from the couple showed up on Twitter: Rachel Lawrence @rachieface76 Thank you Ryan Merritt and Sarah for the lovely thank you note. You guys are the best! @Indians (cc: @sportsyelling ) Rob Cipra @RobCipra Just got a thank you in the mail from when I sent Ryan Merritt kcups from his wedding registry. @Indians #tribe #ryanmerritt Clearly, Ryan and Sarah really appreciated those muffin tins. Tribe avoids arbitration with five players By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | January 13th, 2017 + 43 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- With a depleted pitching staff down the stretch and in the postseason, the Indians relied heavily on their bullpen. Cleveland will do so again this year -- and with a relief corps that will cost more than the team's talented starting rotation. On Friday, the Indians avoided arbitration with five more players, including closer Cody Allen, setup man Bryan Shaw and reliever Zach McAllister. The signings followed a one-year settlement with reliever Dan Otero on Thursday night. Those four arms will team with relief ace Andrew Miller to form the backbone of the Tribe's stalwart bullpen. Miller is under contract for $9 million this season, and Allen's one-year deal will net the closer $7.35 million. Combined with Shaw ($4.6 million), McAllister ($1.825 million) and Otero ($1.055 million), manager Terry Francona's favorite five arms will earn a combined $23.83 million in the upcoming campaign. There will be two more relief jobs up for grabs this spring. On Friday, the Indians also reached a one-year, $3.4-million deal with starter Danny Salazar, who avoided arbitration one day after Trevor Bauer ($3.55 million). Those two will join Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Josh Tomlin in a rotation that will make $23.65 million combined in 2017. There are seven pitchers (Zack Greinke, David Price, Clayton Kershaw, Jon Lester, Justin Verlander, Cole Hamels and CC Sabathia) who will be paid more this season that Cleveland's entire starting staff. The Indians also avoided arbitration on Friday with outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall with a one-year, $4.3 million deal. The lone arbitration-eligible player not to sign was outfielder Brandon Guyer, who exchanged proposed salary figures with the Indians. According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, Guyer's camp filed for $2.3 million, while Cleveland countered with $1.9 million. Even though Guyer did not sign on Friday, the Indians can still reach an agreement on a contract at any point leading up to his scheduled hearing. This year, arbitration hearings are slated to take place between Jan. 30 and Feb. 17. If Guyer's case goes to a hearing, a three-person panel will listen to arguments from both sides and choose either the salary presented by the team or the player. The Indians have not gone to an arbitration hearing since 2014, when the team won its cases against former reliever Vinnie Pestano and Tomlin. Prior to that year, the Indians had not gone to a hearing with a player since 1991. Allen, 28, turned in a 2.51 ERA with 87 strikeouts and 32 saves in 67 games this past season in his third year as the primary closer. In October, Allen registered the highest single-postseason strikeouts per nine innings (15.8) in history among pitchers with at least 10 innings. The closer spun 13 2/3 frames with a flawless ERA, marking only the 16th time in postseason history a pitcher has had at least 13 innings without allowing an earned run. This past year marked the fourth in a row that Shaw logged at least 70 appearances for the Indians. In 75 games, the righty struck out 69 batters in 66 2/3 innings, ending with a 3.24 ERA. Shaw, 29, was especially strong down the stretch, turning in a 1.66 ERA over the final two months. Since 2013, Shaw leads Major League relievers in games (299) and ranks third in innings (282). Last season, McAllister turned in a 3.44 ERA in 53 games overall, with a 3.10 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings (51 appearances) as a reliever. The righty posted a 1.44 ERA over the final two months of the season, in which the Indians ran to an American League Central crown. For his career, McAllister has a 2.76 ERA with 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings as a reliever (118 games), compared to a 4.56 ERA and 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings as a starter (68 games). Salazar, 27, made his first All-Star team in 2016, but he was limited to 25 starts and 137 1/3 innings due to a variety of arm issues (right shoulder, elbow and forearm) in the second half. After going 10-3 with a 2.22 ERA in the first three months (93 1/3 innings), Salazar went 1-3 with a 7.36 ERA in the final three months (44 innings). Overall, the hard-throwing righty had 161 strikeouts against 63 walks with a 3.87 ERA. Salazar is expected to be healthy and ready to go for the '17 campaign. Chisenhall and Guyer project to be partnered in a platoon in right field this season. Chisenhall hit .295 (.784 OPS) against righty pitching this past season, while Guyer hit .336 (1.021 OPS) against lefties. Overall, Chisenhall hit .286 with eight homers, 25 doubles and 57 RBIs in 126 games. Guyer, who was acquired from the Rays at the non-waiver Trade Deadline, hit .266 overall with nine homers, 17 doubles, 32 RBIs and a Major League-leading 31 hit-by-pitches last season. Cleveland Indians attempting to settle on contract terms with all arbitration-eligible players; Cody Allen, Zach McAllister signed Zack Meisel CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians squared away deals for Trevor Bauer and Dan Otero on Thursday night. They locked up Zach McAllister and Cody Allen on Friday morning. That leaves four arbitration-eligible players who need a contract for 2017: Bryan Shaw, Lonnie Chisenhall, Danny Salazar and Brandon Guyer. The Indians hope to have all four negotiations wrapped up without any hint of a potential arbitration hearing. Those hearings would take place in Phoenix in February for any arbitration-eligible players who have yet to strike an agreement with their team. The two sides can reach a deal at any point before the hearing. Teams and players face a Friday afternoon deadline for exchanging salary figures. There could be a flurry of contract activity on Friday, as the Indians attempt to find a happy medium with their four remaining players. Bauer will earn about $3.55 million this season. Otero will earn a little more than $1 million. Allen and McAllister will reportedly earn $7.35 million and $1.825 million, respectively. Allen, 28, has posted a 2.50 ERA in his four full seasons with the Tribe.