Allen, Almonte, Barnes, Davis, Guyer, Naquin, Upton: 2 spots available, unless they keep both Urshella and Gonzalez, then only one spot.

You guys have Hanigan to minor league deal? He may not be a big leaguer anymore and offensively hardly ever was....but I’m not sure there are 10 guys on the planet better with working with young pitchers. One of the best pitch receivers and pitch callers.

A very solid addition with zero risk.

Party at Napoli's....he's back.....

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/22594901/mike-napoli-agrees-minor-league-deal-cleveland-indians

I like it. Good for a spot start here or there, and the guys love him. Maybe we get a decent bounce back to .230? The power is still there. 

Seems like he is mostly a spring training character guy/ Insurance. There really isn't a spot for him on the opening day. Alonso and EE have the 1st/ DH wrapped up.

posted by iclfan2

Seems like he is mostly a spring training character guy/ Insurance. There really isn't a spot for him on the opening day. Alonso and EE have the 1st/ DH wrapped up.

Read an article this morning that bringing in Napoli was more of a "good karma/doing the guy a solid" thing. Tito said they brought him in to showcase his skills and see if he can catch on with another team. He said something to the effect of "we're probably getting him ready to go join another team and beat us."

Just goes to show you the class of the organization. Tribe brass just thought Napoli was too much of a high quality guy to not be on someone's roster for at least Spring Training.

Pretty cool move, and if somebody gets injured, he could stick around for a while. 

Apparently Kipnis wants to stick around. Hit his fourth dinger today.

posted by BR1986FB

Apparently Kipnis wants to stick around. Hit his fourth dinger today.

Too fragile, ala Brantley

Kip with 5 dingers now ....

Clevinger has made the preliminary spring training “rotation”..... Danny Salazar has an inflamed rotator cuff and is working thru that... will not be ready to start the season.

Tomlin and Merritt have been knocked around this spring... Clevinger however, has been lights out.

posted by HitsRus

Tomlin and Merritt have been knocked around this spring... 

And those seem to be the options for the fifth starter. Which would you choose?

Tomlin will eat innings at a mid 4 ERA, but I'd go Merritt for being younger and lefty, have Tomlin be the long man in the pen.

I really think clevinger takes that next step this year. I think he will be a stud 

posted by Crimson streak

I really think clevinger takes that next step this year. I think he will be a stud 

I agree with this (and hope so). I also think Bauer will continue to get better. Our top 4 when 100% healthy is legit. As for Merrit and Tomlin, depending on how they look in spring training, I'd like Merrit the lefty, but I do like Tomlin for his consistency, he just seems off a lot.

I have high hopes for Clevinger. One of the reason I wanted to sell Salazar for something. 

As for fifth, Tomlin easy. He is proven and will be professional.

posted by iclfan2

I agree with this (and hope so). I also think Bauer will continue to get better. Our top 4 when 100% healthy is legit. 

This.  This should be interesting to watch if they all stay healthy

 Choose between Tomlin and Merritt?… I don’t think you really need to choose one over the other… Over the course of a long season both of these guys are going to start a lot of games. There will be injuries, and probably we will use seven to nine pitchers to start games.  The guys who pitch well when the season starts that are going to stick.… But they all, and more, will get a chance. 

posted by HitsRus

 Choose between Tomlin and Merritt?… I don’t think you really need to choose one over the other… Over the course of a long season both of these guys are going to start a lot of games. There will be injuries, and probably we will use seven to nine pitchers to start games.  The guys who pitch well when the season starts that are going to stick.… But they all, and more, will get a chance. 

Neither has an option to be in AAA, so they both need to be in the majors to keep them.

Kip pulling his best Barry Bonds impression with HR #6 of the spring.

posted by BR1986FB

Kip pulling his best Barry Bonds impression with HR #6 of the spring.

unfortunately he'll be on the DL by June

Kipnis is a candidate for a bounce back year. He is older, but last year was his only really injury plagued season.

posted by Laley23

Kipnis is a candidate for a bounce back year. He is older, but last year was his only really injury plagued season.

I certainly hope you're right--he'd definitely be a key to the success of the team this season

posted by vball10set

I certainly hope you're right--he'd definitely be a key to the success of the team this season

Yeah, and don’t get me wrong, I wanted him and Salazar packaged for someone (Happ from Cubs, mostly) because I think a bounce back for him is still limited (his speed is likely gone). That said, he is still someone who could have a pretty damn good year. 

Almonte and Mejia sent down to AAA, Bobby Bradley sent to minor league camp. Not much else going on

The 5-5-4 triple play turned in by Jose Ramirez was the first of its kind in either the regular season or spring training games since 1950.

With the bases loaded and no outs, Jose fielded the soft liner on the first bounce, tagged the runner on third out, stepped on third base to force the runner on second, fired it to Kipnis  on second to force the runner on first to complete the triple play. It happened so quickly that Brewer manager Craig Counsell joked that they could have gotten 4 outs on that play.