CEO Dolan seeks title for Indians in '18 By Jordan Bastian MLB.com @MLBastian SEATTLE -- There was an overwhelming sense of accomplishment that helped overcome the disappointment that came with falling short of winning the World Series two years ago for the Indians. They got there with an injury-marred roster, and still pushed the Cubs to extra innings in a dramatic seventh game in Cleveland. The same feeling did not exist following last October's early exit. "Not even close," said Paul Dolan, the Indians' chairman and CEO. "This one hurt a lot more." Sitting in his office at the Indians' spring headquarters on a recent afternoon, Dolan discussed the lingering pain of losing to the Yankees in the American League Division Series last year, and stressed the belief that the current team remains in prime position to bring a World Series title to Cleveland. Even after a quiet winter for the franchise, the roster is built to realistically contend for the team's first crown in 70 years. Within Cleveland's clubhouse, there is a sense of urgency growing among the veteran players who came up together and helped grow the current run of successful seasons. Next winter, key players like Andrew Miller, Cody Allen, Michael Brantley and Josh Tomlin could hit free agency, along with a handful of others. There is still young talent locked in place, but a heightened level of uncertainty exists beyond 2018 and could gain momentum in the years that follow. Dolan, too, feels the importance surrounding the season at hand. "We've won five years in a row. You don't win forever. We are peaking as a team," Dolan said. "You can certainly look down the road and think that, if we're going to continue to succeed, we're going to have to do it with an evolution of talent. But, with the talent we currently have together, this is the time to do it." Prior to the 2016 campaign, the Indians' payroll had never reached the $100 million plateau. That has changed in the past two years, which included a franchise-record payroll at the end of each season. As things currently stand, the Tribe's payroll for '18 will be right around $130 million, though the bulk of that came via internal raises. The only major external addition for the Indians this past winter was signing free-agent first baseman Yonder Alonso to a two-year contract worth $16 million guaranteed. A year earlier, Cleveland made a big free-agent splash by reeling in slugger Edwin Encarnacion to a three-year, $60 million pact. It was an opportunistic signing for the Indians, who waited out the market and saw Encarnacion's asking price drop into their operating range. Dolan said a similar turn of events just never materialized this past winter. "We're counting on the continued improvement of some of our younger guys," Dolan said. "And we have a lot of guys in the primes of their careers. So, there's no reason not to expect similar performances. ... I don't know that an opportunity like [the Encarnacion situation] really arose for us this offseason. But, too, frankly, because we moved on Encarnacion and made a couple other moves, we didn't have the financial capability to make a big move like that." Recent history shows that Dolan has approved and provided resources for in-season moves when it made sense. Two years ago, Cleveland sent a package of prospects to the Yankees in order to land Miller, who proved pivotal in the World Series run. Last season, the Indians landed outfielder Jay Bruce from the Mets, and took on the remainder of his contract, and he had an immediate impact down the stretch. Dolan said the latter is the best example of how the Indians will likely approach the July and August trading periods. "If a Bruce-like opportunity surfaced," Dolan said, "where we had an obvious need and a high-quality player like Bruce was available, and we didn't have to surrender prospects to get him, I'd be very surprised if we didn't act on that. I have no idea whether or not we would consider a high-volume prospect [deal] -- an Andrew Miller-like deal." Dolan has been thrilled with the support from Indians fans, who have already purchased more than 13,200 season-ticket packages (the highest total since 2008). Last year, the team drew over 2 million fans for the first time since that '08 season as well. Dolan believes the combination of five consecutive winning seasons and the improvements to Progressive Field have driven those figures. "The fans have responded," Dolan said. "They're enjoying this team and I like to think they're enjoying the ballpark as well, with what we've done there." Dolan also said he is understanding of fans who were displeased with the franchise's decision to no longer feature the Chief Wahoo logo on the team's on-field uniforms, beginning in 2019. Dolan said that decision was a difficult one, but he feels the Indians and Major League Baseball found a good middle ground. The logo will still have a limited availability in retail, which will allow the team to maintain the rights to the mark. "We think we're in the right place," Dolan said. "The world has changed. Society looks at things a little differently now, and we're about winning baseball games, not defending one view or another about symbols. So, we tried to find a compromise."

Above all else, Dolan wants to end his city's World Series drought. Last season, the Indians won 102 games and rattled off 22 consecutive wins between August and September, recording the longest winning streak in AL history. Cleveland did not win the World Series, though, and Dolan knows that is all that really matters in the eyes of the team's fans. "It goes down as one of the greatest years in the history of our franchise," Dolan said. "But, six months later, it still stings that we fell short, and we fell short in a hard way. ... You only have so many years where you're going to come into the season as a favorite to win the World Series, and position yourself to actually win it and be there, and then it didn't happen. "I hope this is that year where we again position ourselves to win it, and then we do it." DL for Brantley, Salazar seal Tribe's OD roster By Jordan Bastian MLB.com @MLBastian SEATTLE -- Indians manager Terry Francona detailed the way his team's Opening Day roster would look over the course of the past week. Prior to Thursday's season opener against the Mariners, Cleveland made things official with a series of roster moves. The Indians purchased the contracts of outfielder Rajai Davis and reliever Matt Belisle, who were in camp as non-roster invitees. Cleveland also placed left fielder Michael Brantley (right ankle rehab), right-hander Danny Salazar (right shoulder rotator cuff tendinitis), infielder Gio Urshela (right hamstring strain) and lefty Ryan Merritt (left knee sprain) on the 10-day disabled list. In order to clear room on the 40-man roster for Davis and Belisle, the Indians designated outfielder Abraham Almonte and right-hander Ben Taylor for assignment. The Indians also reassigned first baseman Mike Napoli to Minor League camp, along with lefty Jeff Beliveau, infielder Drew Maggi, righty Evan Marshall and catcher Jack Murphy. Prior to Wednesday's workout at Safeco Field, Francona met with his players on the eve of their Opening Day game against the Mariners. This is no longer a young and inexperienced team. The bulk of Cleveland's roster has gone through the postseason, including the World Series two years ago, and expectations are high for the 2018 season. Given those circumstances, Francona said his meeting was brief. "It's actually really quick," Francona said. "Guys know how we feel. Basically, it's just reminding them we're a better team when we use our entire team. It's not an indictment if we pinch-hit for somebody or go to our bullpen. Our guys complement each other really well and we're a better team when we use our entire team." Here is a look at how the Indians' Opening Day roster breaks down: Rotation Trevor Bauer, Carlos Carrasco, Mike Clevinger, Corey Kluber, Josh Tomlin Bullpen Cody Allen, Belisle, Nick Goody, Zach McAllister, Andrew Miller, Tyler Olson, Dan Otero Infielders Yonder Alonso, Edwin Encarnacion, Erik Gonzalez, Jason Kipnis, Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez Catchers Yan Gomes, Roberto Perez Outfielders Lonnie Chisenhall, Davis, Brandon Guyer, Tyler Naquin, Bradley Zimmer Kluber vs. Felix offers epic pitching matchup out We st By Greg Johns MLB.com @gregjohnsmlb Corey Kluber and Felix Hernandez have some history. It was Kluber, you might recall, who edged out Hernandez in 2014 when the Indians' standout won his first American League Cy Young Award. The pair will add to that history tonight when the aces square off in an Opening Day matchup between the Mariners and the defending AL Central-champion Indians at Safeco Field. Kluber is coming off his second AL Cy Young Award and now will become just the fourth Cleveland hurler to make four straight Opening Day starts, joining a trio of Hall of Famers in Gaylord Perry, Bob Feller and Stan Coveleski.

In that regard, Hernandez can do Kluber one better. Or six better, actually, as he'll be making his 10th consecutive Opening Day start, a feat accomplished by just six previous pitchers in MLB history. That group consists of five Hall of Famers -- Jack Morris, Robin Roberts, Tom Seaver, Steve Carlton and Walter Johnson -- as well as the recently deceased Roy Halladay, who will be eligible for the Hall of Fame for the first time this year. "Just to be mentioned with those guys is pretty good," said Hernandez, who will be limited to about 85 pitches because a line drive to his right arm in his Cactus League debut limited him to three spring appearances. "Ten straight with one team, that's a great honor for me." Hernandez is coming off an injury-plagued 2017 that saw him go 6-5 with a 4.36 ERA in 16 starts. But he has a history of pitching well on Opening Day. Though he's lost close decisions to Texas and Houston the past two seasons, he's 6-2 with a 1.64 ERA in 10 previous openers, including one before his decade-long streak began. Mariners manager Scott Servais said Hernandez has earned the right to pitch the season opener, despite his limited spring. "We all know Felix is an adrenaline guy," Servais said. "He gets fired up when the house is full, and he feeds off it." But the Mariners will have their hands full against the Indians, who posted the best record in the AL last year at 102-60 while Kluber was going 18-4 with an MLB-leading 2.25 ERA and 265 strikeouts with just 36 walks in 29 starts. "Opening Day is a cool day," said the low-key Kluber. "It's special for baseball. We've got a lot of guys who could have pitched that day, but it is an honor and something to look forward to." While the Mariners have their eyes on ending MLB's longest postseason drought of 16 years, the Indians are shooting for their third straight playoff trip. After losing to the Cubs in the 2016 World Series and getting knocked out by the Yankees in last year's AL Division Series, the goal is clear. "I think, talent-wise and experience-wise, we match up with anybody," said All-Star reliever Andrew Miller. "It's a long road, but I think the expectation and the goal here is to try to get back to the end and win the last game of the year." And that journey for both teams starts Thursday night at Safeco Field. Things to know about this game • One of the Indians' primary offseason additions was first baseman Yonder Alonso, who played the final two months of 2017 with the Mariners before hitting free agency. The 31-year-old had a big spring, with seven homers while hitting close to .400 in Cactus League play. • Hernandez is 7-6 with a 2.95 ERA in 16 career starts against the Tribe, while Kluber is 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA in four starts vs. Seattle. • This will be just the third time the Indians and Mariners have faced off on Opening Day. The last time came in 1998, when Randy Johnson got the start for Seattle, but Cleveland won a 10-9 slugfest in the Kingdome despite home runs by Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner and Russ Davis off Indians starter Charles Nagy, with Jose Mesa picking up the win in relief. Greg Johns has covered the Mariners since 1997, and for MLB. 'It might be our last chance to do it all together' : The Indians are on a mission to be the last team st anding Zack Meisel 6h ago 4 SEATTLE — Twenty-one months ago, Jason Kipnis marveled at the image on his TV. East Ninth Street had been swallowed whole. Fans sat on parking garage pavement, their feet dangling off the edges. The Cavaliers moved through the crowd with the pace of a golf cart during rush hour on I-10 in Los Angeles. The scene permitted Kipnis, sitting in his living room on that Wednesday afternoon, to take a rare step back. First, he wondered whether the Indians would play a game that night, with downtown drowning in both foot and vehicle traffic. He also pondered the state of his career, the state of the franchise and if re-creating that scene — as common in Cleveland as a river catching fire talking unicorn — was plausible or just flat-out far-fetched. Kipnis had picked Mike Napoli’s brain, seeking stories about the World Series aftermath. Napoli won a ring with the Red Sox in 2013 and celebrated in a way that made the Boston Tea Party seem tame. Imagine inching through a euphoric sea of fans, locking eyes with hundreds of thousands of people who couldn’t be happier, couldn’t be more appreciative. Imagine standing on stage, before the city you’ve called home since 2011, as fans hang on, and hoot and holler at every word you shout into the microphone. Imagine concocting a connection so strong to the sports-obsessed town that the mere mention of your name or of that season sparks nothing but smiles and nostalgia. Imagine it getting any better than that.

The Indians nearly pulled off the impossible later that year. Kipnis still shakes his head at that ninth-inning liner in Game 7 that sailed into foul territory down the right-field line. The team seemed poised to plan an early-November parade last year, but the Indians faltered beneath the bright lights. There are no excuses now. The sand in the timer continues to trickle toward the bottom. Kipnis looks around the Indians’ clubhouse, mostly empty except for duffel bags sitting before about 25 lockers. Another journey is at hand. Cody Allen and Andrew Miller can become free agents at the end of the season. Michael Brantley, Lonnie Chisenhall, Josh Tomlin and Zach McAllister, too. Even Kipnis’ tenure with the franchise that drafted him hit some choppy waters over the winter. That doesn’t mean the window is closing, but for a core group that started this mission long before the Cavaliers snapped Cleveland’s championship hex, there has never been more urgency. It has to be this year. It just has to be. “Guys aren’t blind to the clock,” Kipnis told The Athletic. “It might be our last chance to do it all together.” The morning after the Yankees made Corey Kluber look mortal and kicked the Indians’ 22-game win streak and 102-win regular season to the footnotes of a Barnes & Noble bottom-shelf paperback, Mike Chernoff had to trek to school for his son’s concert. He was in a daze. He couldn’t shake his constant stream of thoughts about the ALDS, the 2-0 advantage the Indians squandered, the magical regular season they undermined. The year before, it was a bit simpler to achieve closure. They knew Game 7 was the end. They had reached the finish line. But last year, the Indians carbo-loaded and then bowed out of the race long before dashing through the ticker tape. The extended offseason gave them more time to dwell on the missed opportunity. Those in the front office knew they had to resist the urge to act emotionally or irrationally. They had to stay the course. The big splash came the previous winter, when they landed Edwin Encarnacion for a modest $60 million. They knew there would be no such move this winter. They pounced on Yonder Alonso, tabbing a redefined slugger as Carlos Santana’s replacement. They crossed their fingers that they had the in-house candidates — or could find some bodies on the scrap heap — to fill a couple of bullpen voids. They crossed their fingers that the training staff could guide Brantley back to full health. But they also must approach things with both a short-term and a long-term view. The window of contention doesn’t (or shouldn’t) expire seven months from now. “It’s been a culmination of staying patient, knowing when and where to spend the money, what type of people we want to bring in here,” Kipnis said. “They chose the right people. They waited. They didn’t rush. They didn’t give in to spend money just to spend money.” Kipnis remembers when the Indians played the role of little brother to the Tigers, who provided Cleveland with constant beatdowns and reality checks before the group ever experienced the postseason. “We knew that one day, that could be us if we stayed the course and filled in some missing pieces,” Kipnis said. “Now, it’s nice to be the ones that people say, ‘This is cream of the crop in the division.’ There was the changing of the guard. We’re the guard right now.” In 2013, the Indians reached the AL Wild Card Game, but they were admittedly awestruck by the lights, the decals on the field, the TV cameras. A pair of disappointing seasons followed and granted them some perspective: This is a lot more difficult than they realized. “We expected to go back,” Tomlin said, “to the point of, ‘OK, we got there. If we just show up, we’ll get there again.’ ” They received another swift kick last October, when they learned that the top seed in the league doesn’t offer any advantage over the first-round opponent other than an extra home game and a couple of days to leave an imprint on the couch. That’s why Francisco Lindor has preached nothing but the word “finish” when discussing the team’s expectations for the new season. “Last year, it put it in perspective,” Tomlin said. “You can’t take a game for granted. You can’t take a week or a series for granted. Our goal is to be the last team. We want to decide when we go home.” Tomlin crosses paths with a lot of Rangers fans in northeast Texas. There are a few Astros fans, but Tomlin blocks them out. “They’re fair-weather fans now,” Tomlin told The Athletic. “They jumped on the bandwagon, so I don’t pay them much attention. … We were supposed to win the World Series, in our eyes.” No player has represented the Indians longer than the right-hander, who broke into the majors on Manny Acta’s 2010 club. Tomlin knows this could be his final season with the franchise that selected him in the 19th round of the 2006 draft, that stuck by him as he endured elbow and shoulder surgeries.

The Indians suffered 93 defeats in 2010. They amassed the smallest attendance figure in the American League. They fielded a roster full of journeymen and inexperienced and overmatched players. (Remember Hector Ambriz and Mark Grudzielanek?) But as the years passed, the core pieces started to emerge, and the team’s standing benefitted. Players aren’t always so fortunate, especially given about one-third of the league isn’t even attempting to win games this season. Dan Otero’s teams have reached the postseason in five of his six big-league seasons, including his two with the Tribe. “I didn’t expect it was going to be this good of a move for me,” Otero said. “I feel fortunate to be part of a team that’s competing and is looking to compete for a long time. As long as Lindor and José Ramírez and the starting pitching are around …” Some of it is luck of the draw. Friends used to ask Mike Clevinger if he wished he were still on the Angels, where he could’ve anchored the rotation rather than have to compete for a spot on the Indians’ staff. “It’s like, ‘Well, we’re one of the best teams in the whole league,’ ” Clevinger said. “That’s something you can’t trade.” Clevinger knows he’ll be in Cleveland for the foreseeable future, too, as he’s under team control through the 2022 season. Much of the roster is intact for at least the next couple of years. Lindor can’t hit free agency until after the 2021 season. Ramírez is signed through 2023, if the club exercises a couple of options. So, the window shouldn’t slam shut after this season. It will force the front office to get creative and young players to blossom. But for that original core, the one that can remember Danny Salazar firing 100 mph fastballs in front of red towel-waving fans in 2013, the clock is ticking. The Indians have the next six months to position themselves for one more October run — for that elusive parade — before some wave goodbye. “We’ve talked about it for five, six, seven years,” Tomlin said. “We understand there’s a big group of us that potentially won’t be here to do that again next year. The goal never wavers, but we have to actually finish the job. If we get to do that together, that’ll make it that much more special.” Diamond Dialogue: Making predictions without the use of a crystal ball is dangerous, but who is going t o stop us? By T.J. Zuppe 2h ago 4 Terry Francona doesn't have a crystal ball. We know this because he frequently reminds us. In fairness, we don't have a crystal ball, either. We don't have a Magic 8 Ball. We don't even possess a direct line to Miss Cleo or any other clairvoyant. That said, we still pretend to have some sort of insight into what may or may not happen each year. And each season, we hilariously swing and miss at a Russell Branyan-like rate. (Forget that I predicted big things for Tyler Naquin and Shawn Armstrong last year. That never happened. I swear.) Despite a lengthy list of embarrassing and forgettable bold predictions, people still care to hear our thoughts on the upcoming season — at least, that's what I tell myself. They want to know which clubs will represent the divisions in the playoffs. They want to hear about which players might break out in 2018. They crave our thoughts on a potential World Series matchup. So, Zack, let's begin with this … Is there any chance we don't see the same five American League squads — the Indians, Yankees, Twins, Astros and Red Sox — back in the playoffs this October? Zack Meisel: I happen to have a crystal ball, so this should be a simple task. And to answer your first question: Yes! The Angels are equipped to make a run at that second wild-card spot. The Blue Jays should hang around until the summer months. There's always some turnover. But you asked if there is “any chance.” That differs from my response to the question, “Will we see the same five AL squads in the postseason?” Thanks to the polarizing AL Central, the Indians and Twins have a head start toward October. The Yankees, Astros and Red Sox are leaps and bounds more talented than the other wannabe contenders. I could pose the same question regarding the National League. The Nationals, Cubs and Dodgers seem like annual locks to capture their respective division titles. Name me a team or two that could crash that party. TJ: I'd like to say the Cardinals. How could you not love the Marcell Ozuna pickup? And then … what? I'm a little surprised they didn't go the Twins route, picking up some of the value free agents as we entered spring training. The ease of the Nationals' road back to the postseason might rival the Tribe's (a lot depends on how good the Phillies are). The Cubs are back in the upper echelon. The Dodgers are still fantastic, even if they're now missing Justin Turner at the outset of the season. And any desire I had to throw the Giants in the mix is greatly reduced by Madison Bumgarner's fractured left pinkie.

So, I guess I'm betting on health for the Mets? That seems dangerous, but they're the only club that I feel really good about challenging the Diamondbacks and Rockies for a wild-card slot. Maybe the Brewers, but things would probably have to go perfectly in Milwaukee for them to appear in that grueling one-game playoff. Sticking with the National League, now that Giancarlo Stanton is in the AL, who is the favorite to claim the NL MVP? And are we looking at another showdown between Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer for the NL Cy? Zack: Have you heard of Paul Goldschmidt? He has produced nothing but beautiful numbers for six years, yet it seems as though he rarely receives national recognition, at least in the way that fans and media members fawn over every majestic swing Stanton takes. Goldschmidt finished third in the MVP voting last year. In his six full big-league seasons, he has averaged a .301/.402/.534 slash line. Nolan Arenado and Kris Bryant should factor into the equation, too. And don't sleep on Anthony Rendon. As for the NL Cy Young race, I'll throw a few names at you: Kyle Hendricks, Noah Syndergaard, Carlos Martínez. There are so many tantalizing arms in the NL. Instead of asking you for your AL MVP pick (OK, go ahead), let me hit you with this: Will Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton combine for 100 home runs? And by which month of the regular season will we be tired of hearing about them? TJ: Trout, next question. I mean, seriously, just invent an award to acknowledge that he's the best. Isn't that what's happened to LeBron James, who should probably win MVP every year? Hell, Trout missed significant time last season and still almost chased down the award. He's a freaking monster. Anyhow, I know it's popular to predict Judge and Stanton will put more things in orbit than NASA, but don't we have to wait and see if pitchers will adjust to Judge? Or if Stanton can put up back-to-back healthy seasons? Oh, wait, being patient and smart is the opposite of what we're supposed to be doing. Then sure. Crown the Yankees the greatest home run team of all time. I'll buy it. (And is it weird that the Red Sox are an under-the-radar club?) Now, for something related to the team we cover … What would it take for Francisco Lindor or José Ramírez to claim the MVP? And could Corey Kluber add a third Cy Young to his mantel (or wherever robots keep their stuff)? Zack: I don't think it's far-fetched to suggest that either guy could bring home some new hardware this fall. I've seen Lindor's name, especially, tossed out there as a trendy MVP pick. Both guys do everything on the field so well — it's why any time we ask them about a specific area of their game they're aiming to improve, they scoff at the question and stress that they want to get better across the board. As for Kluber, he's already one of 19 pitchers in big-league history to win multiple Cy Young Awards. He would join 10 other hurlers if he added a third. It probably isn't wise to bet against him. Then again, saying that in October would have made you look foolish. And that's the thing about his season — he can stymie hitters all he wants from March 29 to Sept. 30. The Indians need to ensure that he's in peak shape entering October and poised to silence whichever lethal lineup he encounters. But before we get to our October forecast, riddle me this: If I set the Indians' final division lead over the Twins at 7.5 games, are you taking the over or the under? TJ: As much as I believe the Twins made some wise decisions this winter, I still think they've got to prove capable of closing the gap before being anointed a legitimate threat. I'll take the over, but I don't think it's much more than an eight- or nine-game divide. And I know we've touched on this before, but I expect big things from Mike Clevinger and Bradley Zimmer this year. They really look poised to take a giant leap forward. They're a big reason why I think the gap between the Tribe and Twins remains comfortable in 2018. But you're right to focus on the playoffs. Tribe players have won awards. They've ripped off historic streaks. There's nothing left to prove in the regular season. The only goal remaining is the one at the top of the mountain. So, I guess it's time to ask you about October. Give me your ALCS and World Series matchups. Then, why don't you ask the spirit world whom they envision standing tall at the end of the postseason? Zack: Let me preface this by saying I'm notoriously, embarrassingly horrendous at this. In 2015, I incorrectly predicted the outcome of every postseason series plus both wild-card games. That's hard to do. Everyone will pit the Yankees against the Astros in the ALCS and the Yankees against some, poor sacrificial lamb in the World Series. Have we mentioned the Yankees added Giancarlo Stanton over the winter? Anyway, I'll go with the Astros over the Indians in the ALCS, the Cubs over the Diamondbacks in the NLCS and the Cubs over the Astros in the Yankees Invitational World Series. Your turn, hot shot.

TJ: Don't feel bad, man. I've only picked the Nationals to reach the World Series in every year of their existence. Why stop now? I'll take the Nats over the Cubs in the NLCS and the Twins over the Indians in the ALCS. *Record scratch* Ahh, kidding. Give me the Astros over the Tribe, and the Nationals over everybody. Why? Because the postseason is random and none of this makes sense. There, have we covered all the bases? Any more brain busters? Zack: No. In fact, my brain now hurts. And it's only Game 1 of 162. Photo: José Ramírez and Francisco Gammons: Foolish predictions on Opening Day, when hal f the teams in the majors can dream on October By Peter Gammons 3h ago 5 In Theo Epstein’s time as the Red Sox general manager, there was a sign in the baseball operations meeting room that read, “We Don’t Know —.” It was a grounding reminder, not only to an organization that ended a mythical curse, but to all of us who daily answer the friendly question, “Who do you like this year?” The reply is usually the name of some player who struck me the previous day. While what we believe on Opening Day may be steeped in logic, it cannot consider Madison Bumgarner’s dirt bike accident, or Aaron Sanchez’s blisters. Billy Beane always says, “The first two months are to figure out what you have, the next two months are to get what you need and the last two months are the run to get into the playoffs.” And even then, Derek Jeter decides a Barry Zito-Mike Mussina classic with a backhand relay flip. On Opening Day 2015, no one knew the Royals would have Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto for the postseason. In 2016, no one knew Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman would be pitching in a Game Seven in Cleveland and Zobrist would get the hit down the line. In 2017, no one could have imagined that Justin Verlander and Yu Darvish would start Games Six and Seven or that Charlie Morton would close out Houston’s first World Series championship. The Astros were really good. But if the best reliever in the National League, Kenley Jansen, doesn’t give up a shocking home run to Marwin González with a one-run lead in the ninth inning of the second game, is the end different? If Corey Kluber had been healthy, were the Indians not the team to beat? It’s always been that way. Pedro Martínez going back out in the eighth inning of Game Seven of the 2003 ALCS with a 5-2 lead?… Mariano Rivera closing out Game Four of a would-be sweep in the ninth inning in 2004?… The Rangers twice one strike away in Game Six in 2011?… Jordan Zimmerman removed one out away from a 1-0 shutout of the Giants in the second game of the 2014 NLCS?… Remember, 2018 is the 70th anniversary of “Dewey Defeats Truman.” The Astros absolutely can be the first team in this century to win back-to-back World Series. The Yankees can win it all. So can the Indians and the Nationals, the Cubs, the Dodgers, the Red Sox. There will be a Loyola-Chicago, maybe someone like the Diamondbacks. After what we’ve seen these last three weeks, climate change could make a Yankees-Dodgers World Series last until the Army-Navy game, between Northeasters and fires and floods. But on Opening Day 2018, start with what I now believe: —Those seven teams—the Nationals, Cubs, Dodgers, Astros, Indians, Yankees and Red Sox—are most likely to play in October. —Because of the new postseason format that justifiably rewards finishing first, the Yankee-Red Sox race could take on heated significance, and so, too could the National League Central if everything went right for the Cardinals' young pitching. —If the Nationals, Red Sox (with the highest payroll) and/or Indians do not make it to October, the ramifications would be interesting, especially given the free agencies of Bryce Harper, Miller, Cody Allen and Craig Kimbrel. —The Angels, Mets, Rockies, Cardinals and Brewers have every right to look back at where the Twins went in 2017 and believe they can do the same. For that matter, so do the Twins. —The Rays reiterated to inquiring contenders this past week that Chris Archer is off the market. But think about the auction should the Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs and Astros think they’re one more frontline starter away after the All-Star break. A longtime friend calls the day before Opening Day “the real Apil Fools Day” because all the media’s predictions are due. On this day, annually, he texts me a picture of the cover of the 1987 Sports Illustrated baseball issue with Cory Snyder and Joe Carter and the prediction that the Indians would win the World Series after a 39-year drought that dates back to George Herbert Walker Bush’s senior year at Yale. In 1987,

Cleveland finished 61-101 with a -215 run differential. In my defense, I actually thought the Mets were far and away the best team in the game last season… and by June almost every one of their vaunted starting pitchers had been hurt. The way I look at 2018, I believe that 15 teams have a right to dream about October. Starting out, reminding one and all that I had the Indians beating the Cubs in the 2017 World Series, I would rank the potential postseason teams— half the teams in MLB— in this order: In brief: Indians: Their starting pitching can be the best in either league, beginning with Corey Kluber and his focus and diligence, which rubs off on others. Players this spring touted Carlos Carrasco for the Cy Young. This may well be Trevor Bauer’s true breakout season, with the addition of a Kluber-esque slider and a maturity that allows him to follow his game plan without hesitation. This can be a breakout season for Mike Clevinger, too. The bullpen is deep and solid at the end with Andrew Miller and Cody Allen. They are superb defensively on the left side of the infield, catcher and center field, and whatever might be lost in going from Carlos Santana to Yonder Alfonso should be mitigated by the health of Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley and the depth provided by Bobby Bradley. Cubs: All those position players Chicago developed are now in their primes, with Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant becoming stars and leaders. Willson Contreras, Ian Happ, Addison Russell, Javier Báez and Kyle Schwarber can have monster years, and the pitching staff is extraordinarily deep, especially if Brandon Morrow has the season he expects and especially if this is Kyle Hendricks' top-three Cy Young debut. Astros: While on the subject of star level players in their primes, the Astros are, again, really good. Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman are MVPs waiting to happen, George Springer is a driving force, and adding Gerrit Cole entering his prime adds to a deep, versatile pitching staff with two Cy Youngs (Justin Verlander, Dallas Keuchel). It’s interesting how many times this spring I heard some high ceiling swingman referred to as a “potential Brad Peacock.” Yankees: The potential power is sick. Three 40+ homer guys that go to right-center in a right-center park in Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gary Sánchez? Depth (Brandon Drury was a winning contender trade) to allow Miguel Andújar and Gleyber Torres time to let the Yankee front office know when they’re actually ready. Luis Severino, Sonny Gray, Masahiro Tanaka, Jordan Montgomery and C.C. Sabathia are fine when you have a seven-man bullpen who can strike their way out of trouble in what will be a lot of 8-5 games (116 in the AL East runparks). Come October, the postseason days off and the autumn nights will make that bullpen even better, especially if what Aroldis Chapman did this spring lasts seven months. Ten strikeouts in 13 batters? Goodness. Dodgers: This is another deep team, with power and a loaded farm system that could add pitching depth by June. They will get better as the season goes on, though with these questions: Justin Turner’s hand not lingering, Corey Seager’s elbow health and their ability to use their system to acquire another starter and another reliever by midseason. Bet on all of those to be answered positively, with the team making a couple of smart trades, plus having Walker Buehler and Julio Urías ready to contribute down the stretch. Red Sox: Hey, they won 92 games last season, essentially without David Price and Hanley Ramírez. The early, aggressive fastball contact approach fits Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Andrew Benintendi, J.D. Martinez et al. With Price, Chris Sale and Rick Porcello, the biggest questions are whether Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Rodríguez, Brian Johnson and Steven Wright can meld into a deep, significant rotation, and whether the middle relief in front of Craig Kimbrel is consistent. Mets: Sandy Alderson hired the right manager (Micky Callaway) for the right team at the right time, and he lined up the depth needed in their rotation. Either Noah Syndegaard or Jacob DeGrom could be a legit number one, and what they get out of Matt Harvey, Steven Matz and eventually Zack Wheeler will be fascinating to watch. If they keep Harvey and/or Matz healthy, they will win a lot of close games, and Callaway will not manage the bullpen to its max every day of the season. Diamondbacks: What their pitching did last season to allow the fourth fewest runs in the majors, in that park, where they are annually above league average in singles, doubles, triples and homers, was astounding. They don’t seem concerned about Zack Greinke’s spring velocity, and they have Robbie Ray, Zack Godley, Patrick Corbin and Taijuan Walker, one of the best rotations in the game. If Brad Boxberger can close, Archie Bradley is the righthanded Andrew Miller. They do need Steven Souza’s shoulder injury to heal. Twins: Adding Lance Lynn, Jake Odorizzi and Addison Reed and knowing they get Ervin Santana back in May makes this a far more competitive pitching staff. Byron Buxton’s .300 second half was the introduction to a superstar dance, the outfield is among the best in the game and this could be a breakout season for Miguel Sanó. Watch. Brewers: To be around this team is a joy, from top to bottom. Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain give them a formidable outfield, and if Ryan Braun gives them 135 games at first they should score a lot of runs in their park. They need Jimmy Nelson healthy after the All-Star break, but don’t underestimate their willingness, creativity and outfield depth to acquire another starting pitcher. Blue Jays: They lack the star power they had, but the Jays, with Aaron Sanchez, have a solid rotation and enough defense to remain in contention. If they do, and they then transition over to the Vlad Guerrero, Jr. era, this front office will have done a masterful job. Cardinals: Never underestimate this team. Marcell Ozuna was a huge addition, giving them a strong outfield, and they've had spring promise with their infield production. Whatever Adam Wainwright can do, he will exceed, and he will rub off on the young pitchers who potentially can be even better: Carlos Martínez, Jack Flaherty, Alex Reyes et al.

Rockies: Besides the two superstars, Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon, there remains plenty of young, interesting talent. Bud Black can really manage pitching, especially bullpens, and with a big power starting staff, if Wade Davis, Bryan Shaw, Adam Ottavino, Scott Oberg and Jake McGee can hold up in the light air, they could allow those young starters to put the Rockies right into a repeat of wild card contention, or perhaps even higher. Angels: No one knows what they’ll get from Garrett Richards, Shohei Ohtani, Andrew Heaney or the bullpen, but the ceiling is higher than many realize. The Mike Trout-Justin Upton-Kole Calhoun outfield is exceptional, and the infield defense with Andrelton Simmons, Zack Cozart and Ian Kinsler will be among the best. And if Albert Pujols’ foot holds up, we’re looking at a Hall of Famer with a lot to prove. Opponents beware. What we cannot predict now is which of these teams trade for the Millers, Chapmans or Verlanders come July or August. We do know this: the Yankees, Dodgers, Astros, Indians and Nationals have the farm systems to get into the bidding for an Archer, Cole Hamels or Michael Fulmer if and when they are available. Or a Zack Britton, Brad Brach or Raisel Iglesias if the need is the bullpen. Or a Manny Machado, Mike Moustakas, Nelson Cruz, Jonathan Lucroy, J.T. Realmuto, Kyle Seager or Adrián Beltré if those players were made available. Obviously, no one predicts injuries, unless there’s a pitching staff out there where two-thirds of their pitchers are throwing from the glove side of the rubber, surgeons’ delights. In 1948, G.H. W. Bush and future major league teammates Dick Tettelbach and Frank Quinn took Yale to the finals of the College World Series, losing two out of three in the final series to the University of Southern California. Four months later the Indians beat the Boston Braves in six games to win the World Series. The Indians coulda-shoulda won in 1954 and 1997, 2016 and 2017. In a world that keeps on pushing them around, they don’t back down, and win the 2018 Series. Kluber to Carrasco to Allen to Miller. Indians notebook: Indians manager Terry Francona enj oys the nervous excitement of Opening Day

By Ryan Lewis

SEATTLE: With its pageantry and history — and its role in American culture for the last 100-plus years — there really is nothing quite like Major League Baseball’s Opening Day.

For players, coaches, managers, scouts and executives, it also marks the beginning of a new chance. A chance to win it all. A chance to make history. A chance to do something great. And for many, it doesn’t matter how many Opening Days you have experienced — it’s still thrilling.

Indians manager Terry Francona falls into that category. The competitor in Francona won’t allow the nerves to ease, even after a 10-year playing career and 17 seasons as a manager, the last five in Cleveland. There are too many unknowns. Too many possibilities. And really, that’s the fun part.

“Yeah, because we don’t know how it’s going to end,” Francona said. “And we know a lot of stuff’s going to happen in between. But how good can we get? How much can we endure? How well do we bounce back? All those things — heck, yeah, it’s fun to go through it.”

It also means less sleep for Francona as Opening Day draws near. He said he was tossing and turning all Tuesday night thinking of scenarios and anything else that can happen. Wednesday night might have been worse.

“We were talking about that [Monday night]. I was telling [Indians pitching coach Carl Willis], I said, ‘S***, I won’t sleep Wednesday night,’ ” Francona said. “He goes, ‘Really?’ I go, ‘No.’ And I said, ‘I love it.’ But, we were laughing about it. I think if I quit getting nervous, I’d probably quit.”

A portion of it is the horrible feeling that something was forgotten. But that’s all part of it, and he wouldn’t change any of it.

“It’s hard for people to probably understand because it’s a mixture of a lot of excitement, a lot of nerves, a little bit of almost like terror: ‘Have we done everything we’re supposed to? Did I forget over the winter?’ ” Francona said. “But it’s an unbelievable feeling. Can’t replicate it. It’s unbelievable. It’s the same every year. And I hope it never goes away.”

Lineup notes

Jose Ramirez cut his fingernail on a piece of metal while reaching for the bat rack in the Indians’ final Cactus League game at Chase Field on Tuesday, but it isn’t expected to be a problem for Thursday’s game.

“The biggest thing is just trying to make sure it stops bleeding, but he’ll be fine,” Francona said, who added that Ramirez has only needed a Band-Aid to protect it.

Francona also confirmed on Wednesday that Tyler Naquin will start in left field with the Mariners starting right-hander Felix Hernandez.

Message of unity

The circumstances have to align, but one of Francona’s hopes is to get everybody on the 25-man roster into their first-game action relatively quickly. It doesn’t mean anyone will be forced into a game, but being able to shake off some of the regular-season jitters can only be a good thing, and it’s one of his beliefs every season.

Thanks to the Indians’ lefty-heavy lineup, the ability to play two catchers and a deep bullpen, that shouldn’t be an issue. The Indians can go to their bench and the end of their bullpen with confidence as much as nearly any team in baseball.

“That’s always in my opinion a good thing to get off this first trip and have everybody feel like they’ve gotten all their firsts out of the way and get into the — not the grind of the season, because it’s early — but get to where we’re playing baseball,” Francona said. “And we’re cognizant of that. Not that it’s high school where everybody can play, but … I think it’s helpful for guys to get in and shake off, whether it’s nerves or — we don’t want to create rust because they’ve all played on a schedule in spring training so you don’t want anybody sitting too long.”

Using all 25 guys on the roster was, in fact, the basis of Francona’s message to the club before Opening Day.

“[It was] basically just reminding them we’re a better team when we use our entire team,” Francona said. “It’s not an indictment if we pinch-hit for somebody or go to our bullpen, our guys complement each other really well and we’re a better team when we use our entire team.”

Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 03.29.2018

2018 Indians preview/Ryan Lewis: Indians are World Series contenders, but they don’t need the hype

Ryan Lewis

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: The Indians figure to stand firmly among baseball’s best in 2018, a legitimate World Series contender and, arguably, one of the favorites.

They won’t be overlooked or overestimated, but if much of the spotlight and hype is directed toward the Houston Astros or the New York Yankees?

Well, that’s fine with them. They’re not here to count how many reporters are in each clubhouse.

This nucleus of players went on the improbable run to extra innings of Game 7 of the World Series in 2016, when they came within one pitch, one hit, one play, one lucky break of winning it all.

They added free agent Edwin Encarnacion last offseason and won 102 games, which included the longest winning streak in American League history, in 2017. The 2016 and 2017 seasons ended with varying degrees of frustration as the Indians fell short of their No. 1 goal.

Heading into the 2018 season, the American League landscape is top heavy. The defending champion Astros look even better on paper than last year after adding pitcher Gerrit Cole and others. The Yankees ended the Indians’ postseason hopes a year ago and then acquired power-hitting outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, the reigning National League Most Valuable Player. The Boston Red Sox still have the dynamic pitching duo of Chris Sale and David Price and added slugging outfielder J.D. Martinez. The Indians round out the grouping of four, all looking like potential 95-win quality teams, with some outsiders like the Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins and a few others vying for the fifth and final postseason spot in the American League.

Respect for all

All of the big four are garnering national respect. All four are being picked by different outlets to be the last team standing. The Indians might have the easiest road to October baseball, though the Astros should run away with the West, as well. Three teams in the AL Central — the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals — are in various stages of rebuilding. The White Sox did a solid job, by most accounts, with the prospect hauls they received for Sale, Melky Cabrera and others. They have a bright future, but it isn’t expected to arrive in 2018. The Tigers and Royals are entering some dark days with little hope and have less help on the way.

Then there’s the Twins, who won 85 games last season and stand as the Indians’ lone threat in the division. Some veteran additions, such as first baseman Logan Morrison, starting pitcher Lance Lynn and reliever Addison Reed, were brought in to supplement a younger talent corps, led by rising star outfielder Byron Buxton. The Twins are on their way up, but the Indians remain the clear Kings of the Central, at least on paper.

But who should be considered the top dog in the American League? Much of the national excitement and focus, at least, has been funneled to the Astros and the Yankees. A USA Today story outlined one sentiment from the Astros clubhouse that, for anyone who says the American League runs through New York now that they boast a lineup with Stanton and Aaron Judge, there’s a “What about Houston?” response from the reigning champs.

Talk is cheap

If you’re looking at 2018, the Indians might have a case to say, “What about Cleveland?” But the Indians don’t care about all that. Talk is cheap, and after the last two Octobers and how close they came in 2016, results are all that matter.

“Yeah, let them think what they want to think,” pitcher Josh Tomlin said. “That’s fine with us. We can’t control what people think. We understand what we did last year. We know we’re a very good team and maybe got better this year. Our job is to go out there and play. It’s not about worrying about what people think or who the team is to go through in the AL. That’ll work itself out in the end.”

The Indians didn’t find the endings to 2016 or 2017 for which they were hoping, but it’s also clear what they are capable of when healthy. They don’t feel like they’re chasing anybody.

“What other teams do, [free-agent] market or trade wise, we view that as them trying to catch us,” Tomlin said. “Obviously, we know what Houston did last year and what the Yankees did to us, but we feel we have a good group of guys in here.”

This follows some of the mantras the Indians have employed in the past. For example, as the Indians rattled off wins No. 20, 21 and 22 in their historic winning streak last season, much of the focus was simply on the next day’s game. The clubhouse wasn’t an ongoing party or a playoff-like atmosphere. It had an eerie normalcy to it. It was business usual. Control what you can control. That’s what the Indians have preached from the top down.

“I believe in my team and I know what we have in here,” shortstop Francisco Lindor said. “I know what we’re capable of doing. I don’t have to worry about them. We don’t worry about anything else but what we have in here and playing the game the right way.”

Perhaps someone in the clubhouse could be baited into a flashy quote to grab headlines or give the Astros, Yankees or Red Sox something to put on their bulletin board. More likely than not, anyone, like Lindor, will repeat the company line and just grab his glove and run out onto the field. The Indians don’t want to be concerned with the extracurriculars, and it’s something the organization has bought into completely.

They prefer to speak softly and carry a big stick. Or in this case, a bat.

“Houston should get the attention. They’re the world champs,” Lindor said. “The Yankees are the Yankees and they’re a good team. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter [who gets the spotlight]. If you play the way we’re supposed to play, and we know how to play, well, I like my chances.”

And he should.

2018 Indians preview: Tribe bullpen, minus Bryan Sha w, looks to close the deal with uncertain future

By Ryan Lewis

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: The Indians stand a decent chance of remaining a World Series contender for the foreseeable future, with much of the roster under club control through at least 2020.

But the 2018 season could be the last chance to close the deal for a bullpen that has been as good as any in baseball since the acquisition of Andrew Miller at the trade deadline in 2016.

Since teaming Miller with top-notch closer Cody Allen to form a lethal 1-2 punch at the back end of the bullpen, the Indians have gotten used to owning an elite relief corps.

But 2018 could be the bullpen’s final run together with that dynamic back-end duo still in Cleveland.

Miller and Allen, along with Zach McAllister, are all eligible for free agency after this season. The former two will make $9 million and $10.575 million, respectively in 2018. And considering the number of relievers this past winter who signed lucrative deals (Tommy Hunter, for example, signed for Andrew Miller-level money with the Philadelphia Phillies), it’s likely that both are gearing up for considerable raises via long-term free-agent contracts.

Perhaps the Indians will be able to pony up the dough to keep one, or even both, though retaining each of them might prove difficult considering their current financial commitments and expected arbitration salaries the next few winters for Francisco Lindor, Trevor Bauer and others. Regardless, the unknown will reign supreme, and it’s possible the Indians are left with two gaping holes for the end of games.

The bullpen was largely the backbone that powered the Indians’ 2016 run through the postseason, when Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar were injured and Trevor Bauer sliced his finger on a drone, forcing a “bullpen” game in the American League Championship Series. Miller mowed through lineups and racked up strikeouts at a dominant rate and Allen never allowed an earned run.

Together, those two have formed one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball, effectively turning many games into a six- or seven-inning affairs with teams needing to rally before getting to the tall lefty with the military-grade slider and Allen warming in the bullpen behind him. Those two jog to the mound to Michael Jackson’s Beat It and Johnny Cash’s God’s Gonna Cut You Down, the swan songs for potential rallies.

That level of confidence has become the norm for the Indians, who should remain among the American League’s best for several years simply thanks to the presence of stars such as Lindor, Corey Kluber and Jose Ramirez. But life as they know could change dramatically the minute other teams have a chance to get Miller and Allen to sign on the dotted line.

Miller doesn’t see the Indians’ window closing anytime soon, and he’s probably right — this club should be in the World Series discussion for at least two seasons after 2018. But in terms of his involvement?

“For me, with this team, there’s a little bit of truth to [it being a make-or-break year],” Miller said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen [after this season]. … As long as they have Frankie and Josey, they’re going to be a good. There’s people throughout this organization that are locked up or are going to be here for a long time. … As far as the organization is concerned, obviously they want to get it done this year or every year, but I don’t think there’s a window closing [on them] or anything.”

The Indians’ bullpen finished first or second in most of the major categories in 2017. They led baseball as a group with a 2.89 ERA, 3.20 FIP and 3.41 xFIP (expected FIP). They ranked second in left-on-base percentage (78.7 percent), Wins Probability Added (9.18), WAR (8.6) and BB/9 (2.74). They also finished fourth in K/9 (10.08).

For the 2018 unit, the key question is how to replace the innings thrown by Bryan Shaw, who signed a three-year, $27 million deal that includes a club option for a fourth year with the Colorado Rockies.

Shaw, in a way, was the glue that held the bullpen together, or at least allowed it to operate as it did. Shaw was not only an effective and consistent reliever (in his five seasons with the Indians, he posted a combined 3.13 ERA and 3.45 FIP) but he also took the ball more than anybody in baseball. From 2013-2017, Shaw appeared in 378 games and pitched 358⅔ innings, finishing in first and tied for first in those categories.

That not only allowed Indians manager Terry Francona to have an effective reliever for high-leverage situations almost every night, but it also afforded him the ability to put other relievers into their optimum situations more often. Instead of having to call on another reliever in a spot in which he might struggle, Francona more often than not could pick and choose the right option for the right scenario. That put each pitcher in the best situation to succeed and kept the bullpen in proper balance.

In his wake, Shaw has left a boatload of high-leverage innings the Indians need to fill before bridging the gap to Miller and Allen. Part of that responsibility will likely fall to Dan Otero. Part of it will be up to McAllister. Nick Goody and Tyler Olson might be used primarily for situational purposes against righties and lefties, respectively, but they, too, could see a slight increase in workload. Even Matt Belisle, who will be the seventh member of the bullpen after coming to camp as a nonroster invitee, could sneak his way into some high-leverage situations after closing for the Minnesota Twins down the stretch last season.

The Indians’ bullpen has been lauded not just for its deadliness thanks to Miller and Allen, but its depth. The Indians like their options, but that depth will be tested in 2018. It will primarily be a group effort to handle Shaw’s workload.

“I don’t think you’re just going to see [one person] just take Shaw’s innings,” Francona said. “I’m not sure it makes sense to do it like that. I think we have plenty of good pitching to get through it. They’re just different skill sets. I think some guys set up differently for different hitters. That’s probably the way we’ll do it.”

Otero posted a 2.85 ERA and 3.64 FIP in 2017. McAllister had a quality season, with a 2.61 ERA, 3.77 FIP and 9.6 K/9 rate. Goody turned in an effective 2.80 ERA, 3.45 FIP and 11.9 K/9 rate. Olson didn’t allow an earned run in 20 innings. Belisle had a 4.03 ERA and had nine saves for the Twins.

“We’re definitely embracing the opportunity,” Otero said. “We know what lies ahead. … There are guys here who have done this before and had success. It’s just about balancing it between us. Hopefully we can end the questions about Bryan Shaw, but we know he left some big shoes to fill.”

Francona has often said he doesn’t like to shy away from any relievers in the bullpen. It doesn’t appear as though that will be an issue.

“Anyone who’s competitive wants the ball in those situations,” McAllister said. “Every one of us is competitive. Every one of us roots for each other down there, but we all want the ball when the game is on the line because we all believe we can get the job done. We’re all looking forward to that opportunity to be ready whenever our name is called.”

Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 03.29.2018

Indians to employ dual system at catcher with Yan Gome s, Roberto Perez

By Ryan Lewis

SEATTLE: With the Indians borrowing from a recent trend of NFL teams deploying a stable of running backs to share the workload, catchers Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez know they need to be ready at any moment to split time behind the plate.

The Indians have a good problem at catcher with both Gomes and Perez under contract for multiple seasons. Gomes is signed though 2019 with two club options years for 2020 and 2021. Perez can remain in Cleveland through 2020 and also has two club option years to follow.

The Indians can enjoy a rare level of depth at one of the more precarious positions in baseball for quite some time. The question, then, becomes exactly how those two will split the 162-game slate.

Gomes is starting on Opening Day with ace Corey Kluber on the mound. Beyond that, the Indians will communicate with both to find the right balance of rest and rhythm.

Gomes, like a running back standing next to the head coach on the sidelines with his helmet on just waiting to check back in, views it as needing to be alert all the time.

“We both, when our names get called, just have to be ready,” Gomes said. “That’s as far as it goes. It’s just a matter of being ready when your name is called. I don’t think we can both sit back when [the other] is playing. I don’t just relax or sit back because at any moment one of us can come in and impact the game.”

As of now, no exact blueprint exists.

“No, because I really don’t know,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if after the first six games, it’s probably four and two, just because of day games, things like that. And you want guys to play. But we’ll see how it goes. I really don’t know. I don’t have a number. I just know that neither one of them is going to sit a ton.”

Gomes last season registered 1.8 fWAR. Perez totaled 0.5. Both are revered for the way they handle a pitching staff. Gomes has one of the best arms in the game, and Perez isn’t far behind. Perez, meanwhile, has the edge as a pitch-framer.

Offensively, Gomes hit .232 with 14 home runs, 15 doubles and 56 RBI in 2017. Perez hit .207 with eight home runs, 12 doubles and 38 RBI.

It is their defensive work, the Indians have said in the past, that is the primary focus, as well as the ability to switch between the two without skipping a beat. And considering last season the Indians had one of the best pitching staffs in the history of baseball, it shows they might be satisfied if neither wins a Silver Slugger.

“It takes a lot of sacrifice to be able to get to know a lot of these guys,” Gomes said. “Being a catcher’s not easy. You get to run [with] a 12-man, 13-man staff, so you have to be able to communicate with all these guys. On that note, I think Roberto and I do a good job of communicating with each other to know what he sees in a guy or what I see in a guy or what’s working for me or what’s working for him.”

It might not always be clear who is starting from week to week. But that’s part of the point — Francona can write either name down and know the defensive responsibilities are covered. Gomes says he’ll be ready whenever that time comes.

“I don’t see it as any benefit to know if I’m playing a week from now,” he said. “I feel like, you know what? Be ready every day when your name gets called. We have a good idea of that.”

Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 03.29.2018

2018 Indians preview: Understanding Yonder Alonso, who came to Cleveland for a chance to win now

By Ryan Lewis

GOODYEAR, Ariz.: Yonder Alonso has been labeled the prime example of the fly-ball revolution’s advantages.

But there are other monikers better suited for him, and not just because his well-known swing changes that led to his All-Star 2017 season weren’t actually made with the intention to just get the ball in the air in the first place.

One is Alonso acting as a great reminder that there is a very real, very human element to the business of baseball. That being immersed in trade rumors with no way of knowing where you’ll end up tomorrow while having a wife and young child at home isn’t always the easiest thing for a player to deal with, tough mindset or not.

Or that Alonso represents the Indians’ biggest free-agent addition from this past winter, the key acquisition for a team built to win now.

After Carlos Santana signed a three-year, $60 million deal (that includes a $17.5 million club option) with the Philadelphia Phillies, the Indians countered by giving Alonso a two-year, $16 million deal that also includes a $9 million vesting option for the 2020 season.

The Indians were clearly in a position to win in 2018, and it became clear that there wasn’t much financial ammunition left over after recent trades (for Andrew Miller), signings (Edwin Encarnacion) or upcoming arbitration figures. The major acquisition became Alonso, who replaces the departed Santana at first base and in the middle of the Indians’ lineup, as somewhat of a gamble on which the Indians need to hit big.

The concerns? Alonso doesn’t have a very long track record for the kind of success he found last season, and his production dipped in the second half. The Indians said the first concern is wiped out, eased by the fact that the power surge is attributed to the lengths which Alonso went to alter his swing.

Those swing changes came about because Alonso had become, to add another label to the list, a player who was dissatisfied with the direction of his career and went to work on turning it around. Alonso had never hit more than nine home runs in a season or posted an OPS above .750 prior to 2017. For a first baseman who never hit .300 and was entering his 30s, that could be a death sentence to a career.

Alonso went to the film room. He knew he had the power, but it wasn’t translating to the field. He discovered that his lower half was sapping the strength from his swing. His hips were too stiff.

“I felt like I was a strong guy, but I could never really hit the ball out of the ballpark,” Alonso said, expanding on a conversation he had with MLB.com earlier in the spring. “I could drive the ball, hit line drives, but it wouldn’t get to the warning track. I felt like something was wrong.”

As Alonso puts it, he “cleaned up” his lower body during his swing, ensuring that his legs were firing at the right moment and his hips were rotating properly. He added a leg-kick to put himself in a better position to “attack” the ball. And he worked on his pitch selection. The results were explosive. A 20-home run surge in the first half of 2017. A .900 OPS. An All-Star selection. His lower body was allowing his upper body’s power to be exploited.

He was subsequently grouped into the fly-ball revolution that has seemingly taken over baseball, but that wasn’t the goal. Alonso simply knew he had more pop in his bat and he figured out how to find it.

“I felt like I was always a line-drive hitter and those line drives became a little more airy and picked up more speed,” Alonso said. “But by no means was I trying to hit the ball in the air.”

That early success didn’t last the entire year, though. Alonso’s name began to be included in trade rumors right around the same time his production dipped. Playing for the non-contending Oakland Athletics, he had no idea where he might be the next day or if he’d get a chance to compete with a contender.

With a wife and child at home, all Alonso could do was wait for one of the rumors to become reality and see where he’d be moving and when he could tell his family. He said he and his wife tried to not talk or think about it as much as possible, because it wasn’t really doing any good. The waiting and the unknown can be the worst parts.

“It was the first time it had happened to me. It was new, it was chaotic,” Alonso said of the trade rumors. “It was hard, not knowing where to go and going to the ballfield every day and having to play with your teammates and grind it out and go to war with those guys and next thing you know you get traded and you’re off to another team, going to war with them. So it was hard. But, it’s a business and you have to understand it’s part of your job and you have to know to adjust.”

Eventually, the call came that he had been traded to the Seattle Mariners, who were fighting for a spot in the postseason.

“You get through it because you have a job to do,” Alonso said. “You find a place to be, to live, and to make it as easy as possible for your family. After that, you get ready to play the game.”

Now, with a 2017 season that was chaotic and stressful and uplifting and validating, Alonso finds himself with the best chance to win a World Series he’s ever had in the major leagues. He will join a lineup that includes two Most Valuable Player candidates in Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez, as well as All-Star caliber hitters such as Edwin Encarnacion, Jason Kipnis, with a rebound season, and Michael Brantley, if he can stay off the disabled list.

Alonso was able to avoid the type of financial disaster that many players have found themselves in following maybe the slowest free-agency period in modern baseball history and a 2016 offseason during which several first baseman-types struggled to find a big-league job. With the Indians, Alonso saw a chance to play in October that made it additionally attractive.

“The winning environment,” Alonso said before the question was even finished about why he chose Cleveland. “They’ve done so many good things the last three or four years that it was an easy move for me.”

If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Alonso knew the strain it put on teams to come to Cleveland and face one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. And, really, why face Corey Kluber or Andrew Miller if you don’t have to?

“Playing against them, it was a hard team, a grinding team, and they were tough on all ends,” Alonso said. “It was easy for me to pick this team and come here because I know how difficult it is for opposing teams to come in and try to win. I wanted to be a part of that.”

Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 03.29.2018

2018 Indians preview: Meet the revamped and refined Mike Clevinger, now ready to join the elite in rota tion

By Ryan Lewis

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.: Mike Clevinger is set to join the Indians’ top-shelf starting rotation this season, but this isn’t the same Mike Clevinger who has pitched in the majors for parts of the past two seasons, jumping between the majors and Triple-A with mixed results.

This is the barefoot-deadlifting, sniper-breathing Mike Clevinger. The one who spent all winter working on the balance beam. The one who says he now understands how to maximize the effectiveness of his routines without overexerting himself or overthinking every little thing. The one who can now work out and pitch without feeling like his ankles are on fire.

The one ready to try to take the Indians’ rotation to another level.

Clevinger found some sustained success at the big-league level last season, going 12-6 with a 3.11 ERA and 10.1 K/9 rate in 121⅔ innings. He was dominant down the stretch en route to posting a sub-1.00 ERA in his last 27⅓ innings in the regular season. After an up-and-down first taste of the majors in 2016, Clevinger found his footing, so to speak.

Except, his actual feet were still a problem and acting as the root of the same ankle issues that had plagued him since his college days. That was until this winter, when he got together with Phil Wallin, a performance specialist and trainer based in Tampa, Fla., and his eyes were opened to a new technique.

Clevinger, as he says it, has “huge” feet, which have for several years led to shin splints and ankle issues. When he worked out, he was often in discomfort. Nearly every time he pitched, he’d have to tape his ankles. Nearly every time he walked off the mound, he was in pain.

“I felt like I had a sprained ankle after every time I pitched,” Clevinger said.

First, Wallin had Clevinger work on his hip mobility. It had never occurred to Clevinger that the secret to his ankle and foot issues were actually his hips. The additional mobility in his hips took some pressure off his ankles and feet. Wallin even had Clevinger rethinking the way he walks and his posture while sitting down to relieve some stress on certain areas.

“A thing he always says is that he’s never seen a bad knee or a bad ankle that a good hip couldn’t fix,” Clevinger said. “I thought about that for a minute and was like, ‘Whoa, my hips were always tight and that’s been my lack of mobility.’ My right ankle has been killing me and my right knee [was hurting], and I’m like, ‘Shoot, he may have something here.’ ”

The next step for Clevinger was taking his shoes off at the gym. All the time.

Wallin explained that by doing this, Clevinger would be working out the smaller muscles in his feet that needed to be exercised. So Clevinger went about his workout routine sans shoes or socks. He deadlifted barefoot. He squatted barefoot.

“I was pumped,” Clevinger said of the idea. “I was so excited, like, ‘Oh, I knew I needed this.’ I still do it when I lift now.”

Then he climbed onto a balance beam. That was the crucial exercise to ease Clevinger’s shin splints and the pain in his ankle. Clevinger worked on the balance beam before each throwing session and, using weights, worked on the smaller muscles and allowed his ankle to correct itself. It was a godsend.

“It seems kind of ridiculous, but him putting me on there every day before I threw, I could really tell a difference,” Clevinger said. “I had to tape my ankle every time I touched the mound, bullpen or not, last year. I haven’t taped once this year or had any issues.”

The next step to his overhaul as a pitcher was his breathing. Clevinger has always been known as an intense pitcher. He throws a bullpen session on a back field at the Indians’ spring training facility in early March like it’s Game 7 of the World Series in Cleveland. He rarely lets up. He has an explosive delivery, and he likes to let it fly.

He quickly earned a reputation for his high-octane side sessions. Adding a little control with the adrenaline rush, though, provided some needed balance.

Indians performance coach Ceci Clark introduced the concept of “belly breathing” to Clevinger and some other players. Belly breathing is a technique focusing on the thoracic diaphragm to fully saturate the lungs with oxygen and slow the heart rate. Really, it’s a form of mental preparation to keep one’s adrenaline in check.

“I mean, I didn’t even know about belly breathing until they came around. Now I know how to breathe like a sniper,” Clevinger said. “That’s how snipers shoot between breaths. … So, that helps every once in a while. That’ll slow you down a little bit.”

The final aspect was to fine-tune his delivery. Last season, Clevinger ran into the problem of sudden velocity drops. If he began to grow tired or if he started thinking about his mechanics while on the mound, he would begin “diving or jumping” toward the plate, which sapped his velocity and lessened the snap on his breaking balls.

Clevinger worked on body awareness and specifically how to use his toes — this time with cleats on — to improve his mechanics while also not being conscious of them during each pitch. That, along with the increased mobility in his hips, allowed him to “sink” into his body for a more natural motion. All of it used in unison, in turn, takes away the propensity to overthink while pitching.

“I’m a lot more subconsciously aware of how my body is moving,” Clevinger said. “It’s not such a thought process anymore. The more internal thinking you do on the mound, the worse your performance is going to be throwing to a target and thinking, ‘What are my legs doing?’ It just made me more aware without having a thought behind it and letting it happen naturally.”

Clevinger had a strong ending to the 2017 season and then looked to revamp nearly every facet of his preparation and his game. He lifted weights barefoot. He spent hours upon hours on a balance beam. He breathes with the calmness of a sniper hunting his enemy from 1,000 yards away.

His spot in the rotation, one of baseball’s best, was partially cleared when Danny Salazar suffered yet another injury this spring. With a retooled routine and a clear opportunity, it’s a safe bet Clevinger doesn’t plan on giving it up anytime soon.

Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 03.29.2018

Cleveland Indians will seek their 'vengeance' in 20 18, but must make it count in the playoffs: Joe Noga

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's been an offseason where the national narrative was more about what the Cleveland Indians lost than what they have returning.

How ridiculous is it that many of the same Tribe players who won 102 games and strung together an American League record 22 consecutive victories last year have had to spend the last several months answering questions about whether or not the team has taken a step backward? Or insisting during interviews that their club is still good enough to contend for a World Series title?

But here we are. In a world of what-have-you-done-for-me-lately, the Indians have come up short in their last six straight postseason closeout games. And the expectations for a team that was one win away from a World Series crown two years ago continue to mount.

In January, manager Terry Francona spoke about his club "coming back with a vengeance" this season after last year's disappointing end against the Yankees in the divisional round. It's hard to imagine the Tribe discovering the inspiration for a level of vengeance that could carry them back to more than 100 victories, but the thing about inspiration is that you never know from whence it is going to come.

I'm predicting the Indians will win 93 games and capture the American League Central Division title by 8 1/2 games over the Minnesota Twins. I see the Tribe advancing to the AL Division series again, but unable to get past the Astros or Yankees and reach the ALCS.

Despite all the talk of vengeance and a hint of subdued confidence in the clubhouse this spring, I don't see enough pieces falling into place for Cleveland to avoid another early playoff exit.

Collecting 93 victories and a division title is hardly automatic, but this club has the experience and cohesiveness to overcome its fair share of adversity.

Forget about the narratives and look at the players. The Indians have a starting rotation with two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer that ranks among the best in the AL. Even without Bryan Shaw, they have the best bullpen in their division anchored by Cody Allen and Andrew Miller.

When all the parts of their everyday lineup are in place (and they should be by mid-April) they have a formidable offense featuring young stud hitters such as Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez that has finished in the top three in the league in runs scored each of the last two seasons.

They have an elite defensive infield with All-Stars (current or former) at every position after the addition of Yonder Alonso, and a two-headed monster behind the plate with catchers Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez that neutralizes opposing baserunners.

The Indians were 47-40 at the All-Star break last season, but turned it on to go 55-20 to close out the year, including 44-13 in their final 57 games. That's not to mention a .654 winning percentage on the road.

They play in a division where three of their four opponents are rebuilding. Merely go 50-26 against the AL Central and they only need to play .500 ball against the rest of the league. That's 12-7 or 13-6 against three clubs that are going to be featuring a lot of young prospects throughout the regular season, and one returning wild card team in Minnesota that thinks the time has come to make a move on Cleveland's AL Central crown (in case Tribe players need to find any inspiration there).

In 2018, the Cleveland Indians will have 162 regular-season chances to seek vengeance against their rivals. They could smash my prediction and win 100 again. They could challenge their own AL-record winning streak. They could salt the division away before the calendar flips to September.

But if they come up short in October, the narrative will once again point away from what they won. Rather, all anybody will again want to talk about is what they lost.

Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.29.2018

Did spring-training blahs sidetrack Cleveland India ns' Carlos Carrasco? Hey, Hoynsie

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

GOODYEAR, Ariz. - 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: Is everything OK with Carlos Carrasco? Two starts ago he was getting hit around and then he was hit in the foot with a liner. On Monday against the Diamondbacks he got knocked around again. Is there reason for concern? -- Rex Hulme.

Hey, Rex: I don't think Carrasco's foot is the problem. The Indians wouldn't have let him pitch Monday night if he was hurt. His last two spring starts did follow a pattern, three or four good innings and one bad one.

Manager Terry Francona said he's glad it happened in spring training. If that happened in the regular season, it would mean a loss. Last season Carrasco had a couple of similar starts that seemed to get away from him in the middle innings.

Maybe it was just the spring-training blahs. Maybe Carrasco was working on a certain pitch. We'll get a better read when Carrasco makes his first start of the regular season Saturday against Seattle.

Hey, Hoynsie: How different is the environment at Goodyear compared to Winter Haven, Fla.? The same goes for the clubhouse environment? Have there been any alligators let loose in the clubhouse? - Mark Richards, Uniontown.

Hey, Mark: I have not seen one gator or even a stray Gila monster in the clubhouse at Goodyear. These guys don't know what a good time they're missing.

I think Winter Haven was more fan friendly. Fans had more access to players. Goodyear is a modern facility designed specifically to make players better. There is some interaction between fans and players, but not as much as there was in Winter Haven.

Hey, Hoynsie: Do you see Jason Kipnis returning to All-Star form after his solid spring training? Or will he have another year of regression? - Kyle Starks, Fairview Park.

Hey, Kyle: If Kipnis stays healthy, I think he's going to have a good season. An All-Star season? That's hard to say. But if he plays 130 to 150 games, he's going to have a good year.

Hey, Hoynsie: What do you think of inserting Danny Salazar into the closer's role? - Frank, Parma.

Hey, Frank: Right now Salazar is coming back from a right shoulder injury. He has to go through his own version of spring training. So he's a long way from helping the Indians in any capacity.

Francona was asked about putting Salazar in the bullpen and he didn't seem in favor of it. Salazar has a history of elbow and shoulder problems and Francona didn't seem to think he could hold up under those conditions.

CLE@DET: Salazar strikes out 11, silences Tigers

Maybe it's something they revisit at some time this season because Cody Allen and Andrew Miller are free agents at the end of the year. But right now I think they still look at him as a starter.

Hey, Hoynsie: Can you explain the minor-league option scenario? How many options does a team have on each player? - Pete, Brook Park.

Hey, Pete: We've been through this before.

Once a player is placed on a team's 40-man roster, the team has three options, one per season, on that player. During one season a team can bounce a player between the big leagues and minors as many times as it deems necessary without exposing him to waivers. Last year Shawn Armstrong bounced between Cleveland and Class AAA Columbus nine times, but it still counted as only one option.

Once a player has been through that for three years, a team must keep him in the big leagues or place him on waivers if they want to send him to the minors to keep him in the organization. Another team can claim him at that point.

Hey, Hoynsie: I attended several Indians games in spring training last week. I'm curious -- where the players stay during camp? Is there a team hotel? Do players have their own living arrangements? - Bill Downey, Granville.

Hey, Bill: The Indians have a hotel for the players in big-league camp and another hotel for the minor leaguers. Many of the big-league players rent or own homes in the Phoenix area.

Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.29.2018

Cleveland Indians Scribbles and Predictions: Terry Pluto (video)

By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles and predictions in my notebook as the Cleveland Indians open the regular season:

1. My one concern with Francisco Lindor is he becomes too fixated on hitting for power. That said, he smashed 33 home runs at the age of 23 last season. Give him 30 HR again this season. But my real prediction is he wins a Gold Glove again. He won it in 2016. The award went to Los Angeles Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons in 2017.

2. Gold Gloves can be subjective as they are primarily based on the voting of coaches and managers. About 25 percent is set aside for "metrics."

3. Fangraphs is a respected analytics site, and it ranked Lindor No. 3 among AL shortstops behind Simmons and Detroit's Jose Iglesias. In 2016, fangraphs rated Lindor as No. 1. That also was when he won the Gold Glove.

4. Lindor's defense was sensational in the spring and he seems dedicated to raising that area of his game.

5. Trevor Bauer will lead the Indians in victories. Bauer was 17-9 a year ago. Give him 18 wins this season and 200 innings pitched for the first time in his career.

6. Corey Kluber will be in the top three in Cy Young Award voting, but he won't win No. 3 of his career. Kluber has pitched 876 innings over the last four seasons. Only Max Scherzer (878) has thrown more. Kluber will be 32 on April 10. That's still in his prime. But that's also a ton of innings. The Indians may need to be a bit careful with him so he's strong come October.

7. Yes, there will be October baseball in Cleveland. The Tribe will win the Central Division. Not exactly a bold prediction. But I want Kluber ready for those games. No matter what Kluber and the Indians insist, the pitcher was hurting last October in his two starts against the Yankees. I heard it was his back, something that landed him on the disabled list for most of the month of May.

8. I wish I felt better about Lonnie Chisenhall having an injury-free season, but he was on the disabled list three times with three different injuries in 2017. One of them was a right calf sprain, and he had only 49 at bats after the All-Star break. Hope I'm wrong, but those calf injuries can come back.

9. Carlos Carrasco was hit hard in his last two spring starts. In Arizona, he had a 7.71 ERA with 22 hits in 18 innings. He was 18-6 with a 3.29 ERA a year ago. I think he'll pitch pretty well, but...

10. Mike Clevinger will win more games than Carrasco. I saw Clevinger twice in spring training. He was overpowering. He struck out 25 in 19 innings. Terry Francona was talking about Clevinger throwing 200 innings this season, and the manager could be right.

11. I wish I felt better about Dan Otero, Nick Goody, Matt Belisle and everyone else who is slated for middle relief. Zach McAllister had the best spring of the group with a 1.88 ERA. Bryan Shaw will be missed and there could be some real frustration as fans watch the Indians look for someone to replace him.

12. I've written before that I expect a comeback season from Jason Kipnis, and that stands. Give him 20 HR, hitting about .280.

13. Tyler Olson comes into the season having not allowed a run in 20 innings with the Tribe last season. He has been with five different teams and claimed off waivers twice -- the Indians grabbing him from Kansas City in 2016. You wonder if the lefty reliever just found a few months of magic in 2017, or if he really has found a spot in the Majors. I'm skeptical.

14. I want to believe Michael Brantley can stay reasonably healthy. I saw him play three spring games, and he looked like the Brantley who made the All-Star team in 2017. Common sense says he'll probably have another major injury, as has been the case in the previous two seasons. I'm voting with my heart on this one -- Brantley plays at least 120 games and hits about .290 (.800 OPS) with 15 HR and 80 RBI.

15. Yonder Alonso will hit at least 25 HR.

16. Edwin Encarnacion will have yet another painfully slow start. It's his long-time track record,. He'll finish with at least 30 HR and 100 RBI.

17. Bradley Zimmer will be terrific in center field. He'll hit at least 15 HR, steal 25 bases but struggle to bat over .240 ... and he'll strike out a lot.

18. Something will happen and the Indians will need a bat from the minors. The first promotion won't go to Francisco Mejia. Instead, Yandy Diaz will be the first hitter summoned from Columbus to Cleveland.

19. Cameron Hill will be the first reliever recalled from the minors.

20. The Indians will win 94 games, return to the playoffs ... but no World Series.

Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.29.2018

Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners series preview, pitching matchups

By Paul Hoynes

SEATTLE - Here is the series preview and pitching match ups for the season opening series between the Indians and Mariners that begins Thursday night.

Where: Safeco Field, Thursday through Sunday.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio and WTAM 1100 will carry the series. ESPN will carry Thursday's season opener.

Pitching matchups: RHP Corey Kluber (18-4, 2.25) vs. RHP Felix Hernandez (6-5, 4.36) on Thursday at 10:10 p.m.; RHP Carlos Carrasco (18-6, 3.29) vs. LHP James Paxton (12-5, 2;98) on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. and RHP Trevor Bauer (17-9, 4.19) vs. RHP Mike Leake (10-13, 3.92) on Sunday at 4:10 p.m. (Record are from last season).

Series: The Indians went 4-2 against the Mariners last year.

Indians update: Kluber is making his fourth straight opening day start for the Indians. He went 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA against Seattle last year and is 3-1 in his career against them. Bauer had one no decision start against Seattle last year. He's 1-4 in his career against them. Carrasco went 1-1 with a 2.63 ERA against Seattle last season. In his career, he's 3-2 with a 2.73 ERA.

Last season Jose Ramirez .348 (8-for-23, 3 HR, 8 RBI) and Francisco Lindor .292 (7-for-24, 2 HR, 4 RBI) hit Seattle well. The Tribe went 19-13-3 this spring.

The Indians enter the season favored to win their third straight AL Central title.

Mariners update: Hernandez is making his 10th opening day start for the Mariners. He did not face the Indians last year, but is 7-6 with a 2.95 ERA against them in his career. Paxton did not face the Tribe last year. He's 0-2 with a 3.38 ERA against them in his career. Leake went 0-1 against the Indians last year and is 2-2 with a 3.92 ERA against them in his career.

Last year Nelson Cruz hit .421 (8-for-19, 4 HR, 7 RBI) against the Indians. The Mariners went 16-14 this spring.

Seattle enters the season trying to end a 16-year playoff drought.

Disabled list: Indians - OF Michael Brantley (right ankle), INF Giovanny Urshela (right hamstring), LHP Ryan Merritt (left shoulder) and RHP Danny Salazar (right hamstring). Mariners: RHP David Phelps (right elbow), RHP Erasmo Ramirez (right lat strain) and OF Ben Gamel (right oblique).

Next: The Indians open a three-game series against the Angels in Anaheim, Calif.on Monday night.

Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.29.2018

Cleveland Indians opening night lineup vs. Seattle will lean heavily to the left

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

SEATTLE - The Indians have a lot of left-handed hitters on the 25-man roster and several of them will be in the lineup on Thursday night when they open the regular season against Seattle's Felix Hernandez at Safeco Field.

Lefties expected to start include Jason Kipnis, Yonder Alonso, Lonnie Chisenhall, Tyler Naquin and Bradley Zimmer. Manager Terry Francona wouldn't reveal his starting lineup because he was still trying to find the best way to place those lefties so they wouldn't be vulnerable to Seattle's eight-man bullpen which has three lefties in Marc Rzepczynski, James Pazos and Wade LeBlanc.

"We've got a couple different lineups," said Francona. "It's no secret we have a lot of left-handed hitters. At some point we're going to have a few in a row and we're trying to figure out where.

"When it starts getting to the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth spots in the lineup, we're trying to figure out where to put Gomer (catcher Yan Gomes) between a couple of them. We'll see."

Hernandez was hit in the right arm by a line drive in his first spring-training start in February. He made only two starts in the Cactus League and will probably be on a pitch count.

"Hopefully there's an early exit rather than a later one (for Hernandez), but they have the ability to bring in those left-handers," said Francona.

A possible opening night lineup for the Tribe could look like this: SS Francisco Lindor (S), 2B Kipnis (L), 3B Jose Ramirez (S), 1B Alonso (L), DH Edwin Encarnacion (R), RF Chisenhall (L), C Gomes (R), LF Naquin and CF Zimmer (L).

He's OK: Ramirez was forced to leave Tuesday's final spring game because of a cut on the middle finger of his left hand. He cut it before the start of the game, played the top half of the inning at Chase Field, but did not bat in the second inning.

"We couldn't stop the bleeding," said Francona.

Ramirez cut his finger on a piece of metal when he reached into the bat rack. Francona said it appeared Ramirez was upset because he wanted to get a couple of at-bats Tuesday. The Indians asked Arizona manager Torey Lovullo if they could put Ramirez back into the game and he agreed.

The Indians, however, decided against it.

Francona said Ramirez will probably wear some kind of bandage on his finger Thursday night.

Not his first opener: Thursday night will be the second time Indians lefty Tyler Olson opens the season on a big league roster. And he'll be doing it at the same ballpark.

Olson, born in Spokane, Wash., opened the season with the Mariners in 2015. He went 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 11 appearances.

"It's a blessing to go and compete the way I did last year and to make the club this year," said Olson. "I'm really grateful to be here and with this group of guys and be able to go out there and play baseball."

The Mariners drafted Olson in the seventh round in 2013.

Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.29.2018

Cleveland Indians' Bradley Zimmer brings speed and da ring to opening night Thursday against Seattle

By Paul Hoynes

SEATTLE - Bradley Zimmer said he had a weird feeling when he saw the ball leave Francisco Lindor's bat on Friday against Arizona at Goodyear Ballpark.

It was the sixth inning and he'd just stolen second base when Lindor hit the ball to the wall in right field. Chris Owings caught it and Zimmer took off.

"I just had a weird feeling that there was a chance," said Zimmer. "Whatever was going on in my mind at the time, when I tagged up, I immediately thought to take a little bit of an angle instead of going straight into third base."

Zimmer, 6-5 and 220 pounds, made the turn at third like Secretariat. The only thing that could stop him was third base coach Mike Sarbaugh.

"I think the biggest thing is I didn't hesitate," said Zimmer. "It gave Sarbie a little more confidence to send me. I could see he was anxious over there. He was backing up.

"Then he hit it (waved Zimmer home) and I was already going."

Zimmer narrowly beat the throw as he slapped the plate with his left hand in the midst of a headfirst slide.

"It was fun. It was a fun play," said Zimmer. "It will be fun to see if we can catching somebody sleeping like that during the regular season."

Terry Francona on Bradley Zimmer, Mike Clevinger and roster cuts

Zimmer said he'd never done that before. In fact, he said he'd never seen anyone do that before.

"It was fun," he said. "I think a lot of guys were fired up by that."

Said manager Terry Francona, "I don't think that's the last you're going to see of that type of thing."

Speed like Zimmer's does not stay a secret long. He stole 18 bases in 19 attempts last year after being promoted from Class AAA Columbus. In center field he used his speed to make one stunning catch after another.

This year it will be on display from day one as Zimmer will open the regular season Thursday night in center field when the Indians send Corey Kluber to the mound to face Seattle's Felix Hernandez at 10:10 p.m. at Safeco Field.

Zimmer's speed is deceptive because of his size and strides. Last year he sometimes turned sure ground ball outs into base hits.

"I love it ... especially when I hit a routine ground ball," said Zimmer. "You see guys backing up. As soon as I see that it's over. Last year you saw it a couple of times. Those are things that are huge. It's a baserunner that can turn into a run and could be the difference in a game."

Zimmer made his big-league debut on May 16 against Tampa Bay. Friday night he'll open the season in the majors for the first time.

"It's obviously something you dream of as a kid," said Zimmer. "Playing on opening day and making your debut, it goes hand in hand with being a major league play. It's one of those milestones.

"I've been to a lot of debuts growing up as a kid and a fan. So it will be pretty cool to be on the other side, not only for myself but my family."

Zimmer is not alone. Francona told reporters during Wednesday's workout that he probably wouldn't sleep Wednesday night.

"I was tossing and turning Tuesday night, too," he said. "You get excited. Thursday in only one game, but it's why we're here. Guys work hard to get here. I don't want to downplay it. Hell, it's exciting."

As Francona talked, he said his palms started to sweat.

"It's hard for people to probably understand," he said. "It's a mixture of a lot of excitement. A lot of nerves. A little mixture of terror - have we done everything we're supposed to? It's an unbelievable feeling. You can't replicate it.

"It's the same every year and I hope it never goes away. Right now my palms are sweating. It's a good feeling."

Francona said he and his coaches make sure to tell players to enjoy the experience of opening day.

"The game always comes first, but the best way to enjoy it is to be ready to play," said Francona. "There's a lot of pageantry to opening day, but if they're ready to play - and don't have to go hustle to do their sprints and things like that - they can enjoy it."

Francona said the Indians had their scouting meetings on Wednesday to avoid the time crunch and distractions of opening day. Francona addressed the team, but it was short and to the point.

"It's really quick," said Francona. "Guys know how we feel. We remind them that we're a better team when we use our entire team."

Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.29.2018

Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer is giving a portion of his 2018 salary to charity $420 at a time over the next 69 days

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer announced Wednesday that he is giving away nearly $100,000 of his 2018 salary to a variety of charities in what can only be described as the most Trevor Bauer way possible.

The 27-year-old righty, who's been a bit of an enigma since joining the organization in 2013 (see drones and caricature baseballs), said in a video released via Twitter that he wants to find and support the charitable causes that fans are most passionate about.

"Baseball's been very good to me, it's afforded me the opportunity to do things I enjoy," Bauer said.

1) My website is finally live! Check it out here: https://t.co/7ienyNJSrI 2) This is the official announcement for 69 days of giving, a charitable giving campaign I will be running this season! Help me help your favorite cause! https://t.co/ZXUf3Rdm9l pic.twitter.com/YsrG3P0sri

-- Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) March 28, 2018

Through his 69 Days of Giving campaign, Bauer will be giving away $420.69 each day throughout the next two months and beyond. Bauer wants to involve as many people and charities as possible, so he is soliciting ideas from visitors to his new web site to find the causes that inspire fans the most.

On the 69th day, Bauer will donate $69,420.69 to an institution of his choice.

While this all sounds like a very tongue-in-cheek troll job, the charitable donation component is quite legit. Bauer's first charity, the Lone Survivor Foundation, was selected based on his deep appreciation for the service of military members.

But how did Bauer arrive at such seemingly obscure dollar amounts?

It starts with his disdain for Major League Baseball's salary arbitration system. The rules allow players to request the specific dollar amount they feel they should be paid during an arbitration-eligible year.

Bauer's original intent was to request a salary of $6.9 million, but when he was warned that the number might be too high and he risked losing the case, he decided to seek compensation in the very specific amount of $6,420,969.69.

"I just think it's a good number," Bauer told Yahoo Sports. "I think it accurately reflects my place in the salary structure relative to other athletes."

Rather than make a mockery of MLB's arbitration system, Bauer eventually acquiesced and filed for $6,525,000.

After winning the case, Bauer arrived at the conclusion that he still wanted to play the 2018 season for a salary of $6,420,969.69 and thus decided to give away the difference of $104,030.31, with $6,002.70 going to the 69 Days of Giving campaign manager for a total charitable donation of $98,027.61.

"That's what I want to play for this year," Bauer told Yahoo Sports. "I made up my mind. And since I got more than that in arbitration, I decided to give up the difference."

Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 03.29.2018

After two years of disappointing finishes, is this the Indians' year for a happy ending? Chris Assenheimer ByChris Assenheimer | The Chronicle -TelegramPublished on March 29, 2018 | Updated 10:38 a. m. At some point during the past two years, the Indians have been the American League favorite to win the franchise’s first World Series title since 1948. Both times they have failed to complete the deal. After dispatching Boston and Toronto quickly in 2016, Cleveland kept the surprising postseason train rolling by taking a 3-1 lead over the Cubs in the World Series, only to have Chicago win three straight and end its own world championship drought on the Indians’ home turf. Last year, the Indians entered the postseason with the best odds to repeat as AL champs and looked every bit the part of a title team after winning the first two games of the ALDS against the Yankees. But more failure to finish was right around the corner, with the Indians losing two straight in New York before returning to Progressive Field to drop another elimination game in front of their hometown fans. It’s tough to look back at 2017 as a total failure. The Indians won 102 games, including an AL-record 22 straight, and sent five players to the All-Star Game — the most since 2004. Still, what sticks in the minds of the players is another sour finish — or failure to. “To me, last year was fun. We had a great year,” All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor said. “But to me, it wasn’t a successful season. That’s not a successful season, because we didn’t finish. We were healthy and we learned a lot from what we went through in the season and we were blessed. But we didn’t win. At the end of the day, it’s a season you don’t remember. When you don’t win, that’s what you remember the most.” Finishing things has actually been quite difficult for the Indians, who have notched only four wins in 18 postseason elimination games since 1997, beginning with a heart-breaking Game 7 loss to the Florida Marlins with the coveted world title on the doorstep. “Each year is different. There’s nothing we can do about what’s happened in the past,” team president Chris Antonetti said. “But I know we have a group of people that are collectively committed to doing everything possible to try to make sure that we’re the last team standing at the end. And we fully recognize and appreciate how hard a journey that is, but there’s nothing we can do about that in March or February. “Every season, we start with the goal and hope and expectation of trying to win a World Series, and that’s no different this year.”

“I think you have to go into every season with that attitude, regardless of what happened the year before, whether you won it all or you didn’t,” closer Cody Allen said. “You’ve kind of got to be able to compartmentalize and understand that each season is going to have its own challenges. Just because you did something the year before doesn’t mean that any of that’s going to carry over positive or negative into the next season. “Granted, you want to learn from some things as a team, but you’ve got to be able to compartmentalize and show up the next year ready to face any kind of challenge, because each year has its own challenges and you’re going to have to encounter them as a club.” Despite losing longtime key contributors in first baseman Carlos Santana and relief pitcher Bryan Shaw, the Indians are not surprisingly back with the same goal of not just qualifying for the postseason, but winning it all. It figures to be a stiff challenge, with reigning world champ Houston and the rest of Cleveland’s perceived main competition — New York and Boston — appearing to get better this offseason. But one the Indians feel they are capable of meeting. No doubt fueling that confidence is one of the majors’ best rotations, headlined by two-time and reigning Cy Young award winner Corey Kluber and right-handers Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer. The threesome combined for 53 wins last year and will be joined by right-hander Mike Clevinger, who spent the majority of an impressive season in the rotation, and steady veteran righty Josh Tomlin. “I’ve seen this rotation from across the field now for three years, and we feel good about it,” said pitching coach Carl Willis, who after four seasons in Seattle (2010-13) and three in Boston (2015-17), has returned to replace Mickey Callaway in Cleveland, where he spent seven years (2003-2009) in the same spot under manager Eric Wedge. “The thing about it is you can’t take anything for granted. It’s a long season, but certainly, we’re happy with the names on the backs of several of them — actually, all of them.” The bullpen lost a big piece in Shaw, who led the majors in appearances over the past five seasons, but the Indians relief corps ranked first with the majors’ only sub-3.00 ERA and employs two of the best in left-hander Andrew Miller and Allen. Because the pitching is so good, Cleveland’s offense often gets lost in the shuffle. But there’s All-Stars strewn across the lineup, headed by Lindor, an MVP candidate and All-Star over his first two full seasons, and third baseman Jose Ramirez, who finished third in MVP voting last year. Edwin Encarnacion is one of the game’s premier power hitters and second baseman Jason Kipnis and left fielder Michael Brantley have proven that when healthy, they can perform on an elite level. The Indians are also expecting offensive contributions from Santana’s replacement, Yonder Alonso, who made the All-Star team for the first time last year with arguably better numbers than his predecessor at first base, and right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall and center fielder Bradley Zimmer, who had impressive seasons sidetracked by injuries last year. “I feel very confident in the team that we’ve had here for a while now,” Kipnis said. “Anytime you have this kind of a roster, I’m excited going into every season. I’m always excited for the new possibilities of the new year and I think this one should be even more exciting than a couple of the last ones.” “I feel like we’re a good team, even though none (of the national writers) think we’re going to be,” said Bauer, who appears poised for a breakout season after an ace-like effort over the second half of 2017. “No one is talking about us, but we’re confident in our team and it’s going to be a fun year. “Once you make it to the playoffs, everything changes and it’s anybody’s game at that point. We’ve succeeded the last two years in getting into the playoffs and we fully expect to do the same this year. And then after that, we’ll see where the cards fall, but we’ve given ourselves the chance the last two years.” So despite the key losses, there’s still plenty of top-shelf talent remaining in Cleveland. That makes the ultimate goal attainable. “I think we have reason to be optimistic,” said manager Terry Francona, who has guided Cleveland to three postseason appearances in five years on the job, with the Indians posting the most wins in the AL during his tenure. “Now, we need to prepare, and the idea is to prepare better than every team out there. That’s hard to do. We try to place a value on what it takes to win and we try to do it better than all the other teams. That’s a really hard task, because there’s 29 other teams and there’s a lot of good baseball players.” “I think everybody in the locker room feels that we’re talented enough and capable enough to get back to the playoffs,” Bauer said. “I think we all feel like we’re all talented enough and capable enough of winning the World Series.”

Because Miller, Allen and Brantley are set to hit the free-agent market at the end of the season, there’s been talk of the Indians’ window starting to close. But Cleveland still has much of its core talent — Lindor, Ramirez, Kluber, Encarnacion — under contract for the next two seasons and the organization has proved recently that it is willing to spend to win. “I do understand every team has a window,” said Lindor, who reportedly turned down a longterm contract a year ago worth $100 million. “Do I see the window closing (here)? Not really, because at the end of the day, the people we got back are going to help us get there. The guys coming up to the big leagues are going to help us. It’s about having the right group of guys. Who knows? It doesn’t matter who’s on your team as long as they’re all trying to go to the same place and everybody is together. “You can accomplish great things. Once you make it to the playoffs, anything can happen. It doesn’t matter who you have on your team. If you make it to the playoffs, you have a chance of winning the World Series.” After agonizing endings the past two seasons, there appears to be enough urgency to finally get it done this year. The Indians aren’t worrying about who’s going to be here in 2019. They’re clearly motivated for the task at hand in 2018 and ending their world championship drought. “We ain’t curling up, I guarantee you that,” Lindor said. “We’re going after it, man. We want to win. Everybody wants to win and finish the thing. We understand that winning makes everything a lot easier and smoother and keeps everybody happy. We want to do that. “We want to accomplish our dreams. My dream is to win. There’s not a single player here that doesn’t want to win. It’s just a matter of playing right at the right time, playing good baseball. 3-1 (2016 World Series), we don’t finish, 2-0 (2017 ALDS), we don’t finish. That’s what we have to work at … finishing it.” Ingraham: The Indians have it all ... except for a t itle Jim Ingraham | The Chronicle-TelegramPublished on March 29, 2018 | Updated 10:11 a. m. Everybody loves the Indians. They’ve got an all-world shortstop whose charismatic mega-watt smile and skill set makes him one of the faces of the game. Their third baseman finished third in the MVP voting last year, when he had more extra-base hits (91-79) and 139 fewer strikeouts (69-208) than Aaron Judge. Their Cadillac starting rotation is anchored by a two-time Cy Young Award winner. Their bullpen features one of the most underrated closers in the game and a one-of-a-kind, use-anytime, one-size-fits-all rally-killing colossus with a death slider. Their manager might be the best in the game, a future Hall of Famer, whose presence is a bargaining chip when the team pursues free agents. Their front office — envied, copied and regularly raided for talent by opposing teams — excels at roster construction and player evaluation, with a reputation for culture building and professionalism. In a highly competitive industry that can breed jealousies and mudslinging, nobody slings mud at the Indians. Everybody loves the Indians. But what the Indians don’t love is this: 0-6. That’s their record in clinching games in their last two postseason series. They blew a 3-1 lead to the Cubs in the 2016 World Series, and they blew a 2-0 lead to the Yankees in the 2017 Division Series. As the 2018 baseball season begins, be excited about Cleveland’s American League Baseball Club. Be very excited. The Indians are loaded again. Maybe not 102-wins, 22-game winning streak loaded. But make no mistake about it: the Indians are stacked. We know it. They know it. Everybody in the game knows it. What remains to be seen is whether, in 2018, the Indians can finally close the deal. Because it’s time. It’s time for the Indians to not just win, but to win it all. Anything less than that will be a failure. That may sound harsh, but with a team this good, a town this thirsty and a drought this interminable, it’s eminently fair. The bar has been raised by their last two postseason failures. The best team not to win a World Series the last two years is back for another try, and it’s fitting and proper that we should expect nothing less. That in this, the 70th anniversary of the last time the franchise won the World Series, that they win another one. Everybody loves the Indians.

But everyone would love them even more if they would close the deal already. Because it’s been 70 years. You probably weren’t even alive in 1948. For many of those 70 years — for selected decades, even — the Indians had no chance to win, much less win it all. They were awful. We knew it. They knew it. Everybody in the game knew it. In a 19-year span starting in 1960, the Indians only had three winning seasons. From 1969 through 1971 they averaged 96 losses per year and finished in last place, 43, 32 and 46 games out of first. From 1985 through 1991, they lost 100 games three times in seven years. In 1985, the Indians went 60-102 and finished in last place, 39 games out of first place and 12 games out of second-last place. Their home attendance that season — total — was 655,181, which was almost half a million below the next closest team. Playing in a mammoth stadium that held about 79,000, the Indians that year averaged 8,089 per home game. Ten years later they got a snazzy new ballpark, and set attendance records, with some powerhouse teams loaded with star power. In that era, they won a lot. But they never won it all. In 1995 they lost the World Series in six games to Atlanta. In 1997 they lost the World Series to the Marlins, in the 11th inning of Game 7. In the 2007 American League Championship Series, the Indians blew a 3-1 lead over Boston, losing the last three games of the series by a combined score of 30-5 to a Red Sox team that went on to sweep Colorado in the World Series. For the next five years the Indians failed to have a winning record. Then they hired Terry Francona as manager, and everything changed. Everything but one thing. They still haven’t won it all. In the 2016 World Series, the Indians lost to the Cubs in Game 7, by one run, in 10 innings, at home. On a scale of 1 to 10 in the baseball torture chamber, that was a 12. Indeed, when you look over the body of work in the final act of the Indians’ postseason dramas, these aren’t just losses, they are civic nightmares. In 2018, the Indians have the roster, the manager, and the front office to end this weepy vigil. To not just win. But to win it all. Everybody loves the Indians. But they would love a parade even more. Baseball’s back! Playoff hunt for Indians starts Ma rch 29 in Seattle By Jeff Schudel, The News-Herald & The Morning Journal The Cactus League season has ended for the Indians, so now it’s on to the business of trying to get back to the playoffs for the third straight year. The journey of 162 steps begins on March 29 in the Pacific Northwest when the Indians open the regular season against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field. Mariners’ starter Felix Hernandez is scheduled to throw the first pitch at 10:10 p.m. Corey Kluber is starting his fourth straight opener for the Indians. The last to do that was Gaylord Perry from 1972 to 1975. The Indians are not in top shape physically to start the season, but the good news is none of the injured players should miss significant time and the Indians have enough depth to absorb the injuries while the hobbled heal. Left fielder Michael Brantley (ankle), pitcher Danny Salazar (shoulder) and infielder Giovanny Urshela (hamstring) are starting the season on the disabled list. Brantley and Urshela could be ready when the Indians play Kansas City in their home opener April 6 at Progressive Field. Third baseman Jose Ramirez could have been on that list, but he apparently escaped a mishap on March 27 in the final exhibition game with only a minor injury when he cut his finger on a piece of metal on the bat rack while reaching for a bat in the top of the first inning.

Ramirez played the field in the bottom of the first, but was removed because the wound continued to bleed. He and manager Terry Francona say Ramirez is fine and will be ready to play the Mariners. Kluber, meanwhile, is coming off a spring in which he went 4-0 in five starts. “Opening Day is a cool day; it’s a special time in baseball,” Kluber told reporters. “We have a lot of guys that can pitch that game, but it is an honor and something I look forward to.” Carlos Carrasco will pitch for the Indians against Seattle’s left-handed James Paxton on March 31 in the second game of the season. Trevor Bauer will start the final game of the series on April 1 against Mariners’ righty Mike Leake. One of Francona’s tough decisions was which catcher to start. The plan is to go with Yan Gomes in the opener. He is likely to catch the second game and Roberto Perez the third. “I don’t have a number (of games for each catcher),” Francona told reporters. “I just know that neither one of them is going to sit a ton.” Both catchers had torrid springs. Gomes hit .349 (15-for-43) with three homers and 14 RBI. Perez went .341 (14-for-41) homered five times and drove in 13 runs. Ichiro healthy enough, will play — and start — in r eturn to Seattle on Opening Day

BY TJ COTTERILL

SEATTLE-It came down to the wire, but Ichiro Suzuki will be in the starting lineup and his name will burst through the loudspeakers when the Seattle Mariners open their season against the Indians at 7:10 p.m. Thursday at Safeco Field.

Mariners manager Scott Servais liked what they saw from his workout at Safeco Field on Wednesday and decided to go with Ichiro on their 25-man roster while optioning utility player Taylor Motter to Triple-A Tacoma.

This is despite Ichiro going 0-for-10 with five strikeouts during his limited time in spring training while nursing a sore calf.

“It was a crazy spring for him,” Servais said. “Getting in here late and having the set-back with the calf injury. But he’s shown us enough the past couple of days where he can get out there and run around and help us out a little bit.”

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The last time Ichiro was in the Mariners’ Opening Day lineup was in 2012, and the last time he opened a season in Seattle was 2009 against the Angels – when he went 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs.

But he won’t be at the top of the order anymore. And he will be playing left field instead of right.

“When we brought him in, we brought him to hit at the bottom of the lineup and he can help us in a number of different ways,” Servais said. “But obviously he’ll be in the lineup (Thursday) night.”

The 44-year-old future Hall of Famer hit .255 with a .318 on-base percentage in 136 games with the Marlins last year, after hitting .291 the season before that.

“Until yesterday I was just cautious,” Ichiro said through interpreter Allen Turner. “I could have gone 100 percent, I think, but I was trying to be careful and make sure I didn’t do anything that would affect anything. But I do feel like I’m ready.”

He said that while organizing his arsenal of black bats at his locker, each with Ichiro’s name inscribed on the barrel. It’s the same locker he had for 12 seasons here from 2001-2012, before being traded to the New York Yankees.

Ichiro said this experience most hit him while driving to the stadium from his home earlier Wednesday morning.

“Being out there on the field is one thing, but just driving from my house to the stadium – just the views that I remember,” Ichiro said. “It’s just an awesome thing that I’m here. I’m just so happy.”

Ichiro’s role certainly won’t be that of his first go-around here when he was the American League MVP and rookie of the year in 2001 when the Mariners won 116 games. He knows that, and that things could get complicated in the outfield when Ben Gamel returns from his oblique strain, which has him starting the season on the disabled list (though he took part in some batting practice on Wednesday and is ahead of schedule in his recovery).

But Ichiro said he’s also a different person since the last time he set up his locker here.

“I’ve always been strict on myself, and that’s still the same case today,” Ichiro said. “But I think back then in my early years I was also strict with how I look at players, maybe teammates, and how I wanted them to do it this way or that way.

“But I think now some of the guys are – they could be my kids’ ages. I look at them and I don’t really let anything bother me. I look at it and I just kind of enjoy it now actually to see the difference in how they do things. I guess those are some of the things that have changed along the way.”

His locker sits next to 27-year-old outfielder Guillermo Heredia’s.

“Yeah I mean, he will help a lot because he’s a very, very good player,” said Heredia, with Mariners bullpen catcher Fleming Baez translating. “And we get along really well, even though neither of us speak good English.”

ROSTER MOVES

The Mariners made official their 25-man roster.

They selected right-hander Casey Lawrence from Triple-A Tacoma and re-assigned right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma to minor league camp.

David Phelps, the right-handed set-up man who will miss the rest of the season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, was officially placed on the disabled list, retroactive to March 26. So was right-hander Erasmo Ramirez (lat strain) and outfielder Ben Gamel (oblique strain).

That leaves the Mariners with four starting pitchers – Felix Hernandez, James Paxton, Mike Leake and Marco Gonzales. The team won’t need a fifth starter until April 11 because of three off days in the first eight days of the season. If needed, left-hander Wade LeBlanc could make a spot start.

ON TAP

The Mariners begin the 2018 season with Felix Hernandez making an Opening Day start for the 10th consecutive year – which only six other pitchers in MLB history have done before. It’s his 11th Opening Day start of his career, tied for the most among active pitchers with C.C. Sabathia. He is 6-2 with a 1.64 ERA with 74 strikeouts on Opening Day.

The Indians will start Corey Kluber, who won 18 games last season and his second Cy Young award in the past four years. Game is 7:10 p.m.

News Tribune LOADED: 03.29.2018

Not only healthy enough to make the opening day ros ter, Ichiro will start in left field on opening day

By Ryan Divish

All eyes on Ichiro

Ichiro's troublesome right calf won't keep him off the opening day roster or out of the opening day starting lineup.

It was like he’d never left. Well, there are a few more grays in his close-cropped hair now. But there was an odd feeling of deja vu, watching Ichiro sit in front of the same locker in the home clubhouse at Safeco Field, meticulously preparing a cadre of shiny black baseball bats in anticipation for the 2018 season and his return to the team where he became a star.

When he’s announced in the Mariners’ starting lineup on Thursday night for the opening-day festivities, running down the red carpet from the outfield and getting a standing ovation from an expected sellout crowd, it will be oddly surreal.

Manager Scott Servais confirmed that the Mariners had set their opening-day 25-man roster and Ichiro was on there and not on the disabled list because of a bothersome right calf. The Mariners optioned infielder/outfielder Taylor Motter to Class AAA Tacoma on Wednesday to finalize that last spot.

“It was a crazy spring for him, getting in late and having a little setback with the calf injury,” Servais said. “But I think he’s showed us enough in the last couple of days that he can get out there and run around and hopefully help us out a little bit.”

Ichiro showed enough in five innings of a minor league game on Monday, seven innings of a Cactus League game on Tuesday and Wednesday’s workout in Seattle for the Mariners to be comfortable enough to keep him on the active roster.

“Like I said when we brought him in, he’ll hit at the bottom of the lineup and he’s here to help in a number of different ways,” Servais said. “Obviously, he’ll be in the lineup tomorrow night.”

If it had been a younger player without the resume in a similar situation, they would not be starting or even on the roster.

“That played heavily into the decision, his track record and what he’s done throughout his career,” Servais said. “You have to trust the player.”

Ichiro was thankful to not start the season the disabled list.

“When I got hurt, the whole plan was just so I could be ready for opening day,” he said through interpreter Allen Turner. “I feel like I barely snuck in. It was a close one, but I’m glad I was able to get to this point to get ready.”

As for the lack of at-bats in the spring — he went 0-for-10 with two walks and five strikeouts in five Cactus League games — he was philosophical.

“Spring Training is not how many at-bats you get,” he said. “Sometimes you could get 100 at-bats and not be ready. So it’s definitely not how many you get. I’m just want to use the experience I have. Obviously, I want to do well for the team and live up to expectations.”

He doesn’t believe the calf will be an issue in the field. But admitted that he was protecting it in those final games.

“Until yesterday, I was just cautious,” he said. “I could have gone 100 percent, but I tried to be careful and make sure I didn’t do anything that would affect anything. But I do feel I’m ready. There’s nothing wrong with what I have now. Everything is good.”

The off-day workout and being back in Seattle made the 44-year-old feel nostalgic.

“Obviously being out there on the field is one thing, but just driving from my house to the stadium, just the views that I remember, it’s just an awesome thing that I’m here. I’m just so happy,” he said. “Right now, the dreams that I have, one of them came true. That’s how I feel today.”

And tomorrow when he’s announced or steps to the plate?

“I’m not sure,” he said. “I’m just excited to see what happens tomorrow. I’ll be interested to see what happens.”

Also

Besides optioning Motter to Tacoma, the Mariners had to make other moves to finalize their 25-man. Right-handed pitcher Casey Lawrence had his contract selected from Class AAA Tacoma and was added to the 40-man and 25-man roster. Right-handers David Phelps (elbow surgery) and Erasmo Ramirez (right lat strain) and outfielder Ben Gamel (oblique strain) were all placed on the 10-day disabled list.

Seattle Times LOADED: 03.29.2018