2017 Spring Training Thread

[sportscoach]

Looks like Jose at 2nd and Gio at 3rd to start the season.

Pitchers will love that defense.

Jose is the best defensive 2B in our system, and you know how good Gio's glove can be.

The thing is do not underestimate Gonzalez at 2nd Base, since he is a really good glove. And if we were going strictly defense then you were see different guys on the roster (Stamets would be up since there is no doubt he would win a gold glove, just now if he could hit above the Mendoza line in the minors) but if we wanted the best bat the it would Diaz would be at 3rd and Ramirez to 2nd.

Now with the injury to Kipnis, I would put good money Gonzalez will be on the roster, and I would like him to get regular at bats. Let me play second base, having three SSs roving the infield would be defensively very good. Just look at the defense Puerto Rico is putting up in the Baseball classic, our infield would be sick. Urshela is slightly better than Ramirez at 3rd but it's a very slight difference at the end of the day.

 

[Lee]

Still weighing 3B options, Gio isn't set in stone. Diaz and Shaffer are playing their way into the conversation as well, and Tito has been talking about Gonzalez at 3B as well. So still 4 guys to choose from over the next few weeks.

Just as long as Michael fucking Martinez doesn't start Opening Day, I'm good with anything.

Has to be Shaffer, my son got his autograph.

 

[macbdog]

I get the awful feeling that we'll rarely see the best possible Indians lineup together.

It's going to be at least be a month. Sounds like it might open a door for Yandy Diaz if they rotate Jose Ramirez to 2b to start the year.

And stop having feelings, it's upsetting Bilbo Cole's Hair.

Has to be Shaffer, my son got his autograph.

Shaffer makes it when Brantley starts the season on the DL.

 

[sportscoach]

Has to be Shaffer, my son got his autograph.

Shaffer is having a solid spring, but it depends on if we like him better than Jackson/Robertson in the OF and if they are moving Ramirez off of 3rd. So he is a long shot, but if he plays well in the minors and Injuries to Santana/EE or someone like Almonte struggles, you will see him up this season

 

[BimboColesHair]

It's going to be at least be a month. Sounds like it might open a door for Yandy Diaz if they rotate Jose Ramirez to 2b to start the year.

And stop having feelings, it's upsetting Bilbo Cole's Hair.

Shaffer makes it when Brantley starts the season on the DL.

Hey man...suck it.



Feelings are fine...but making fun of mine and laughing at my opinions pisses me the fuck off. I'm done putting up with that shit in here.

 

[Real Deal]

The thing is do not underestimate Gonzalez at 2nd Base, since he is a really good glove. And if we were going strictly defense then you were see different guys on the roster (Stamets would be up since there is no doubt he would win a gold glove, just now if he could hit above the Mendoza line in the minors) but if we wanted the best bat the it would Diaz would be at 3rd and Ramirez to 2nd.



Now with the injury to Kipnis, I would put good money Gonzalez will be on the roster, and I would like him to get regular at bats. Let me play second base, having three SSs roving the infield would be defensively very good. Just look at the defense Puerto Rico is putting up in the Baseball classic, our infield would be sick. Urshela is slightly better than Ramirez at 3rd but it's a very slight difference at the end of the day.

Jose got his 2nd start in a row at 2B. They wouldn't do that if Tito didn't plan to fill him in there.



I think Jose is a lock for 2B. Maybe Yandy's bat comes in handy while playing 3rd.

 

[sportscoach]

Jose got his 2nd start in a row at 2B. They wouldn't do that if Tito didn't plan to fill him in there.



I think Jose is a lock for 2B. Maybe Yandy's bat comes in handy while playing 3rd.

I honestly would love to give Yandy a chance to play 3rd everyday, he is a legit bat, average defensively numbers wise, but with his bat, I think he would be able to play everyday. I project him to be around a .280 career hitter if not higher. Now he will never put up more than 10 HR, but he will get on a base a lot since he takes a ton of walks (aka why I want him in the two hole)

 

[Real Deal]

I honestly would love to give Yandy a chance to play 3rd everyday, he is a legit bat, average defensively numbers wise, but with his bat, I think he would be able to play everyday. I project him to be around a .280 career hitter if not higher. Now he will never put up more than 10 HR, but he will get on a base a lot since he takes a ton of walks (aka why I want him in the two hole)

Its a little to early for him to be in the 2 hole, especially when we have guys perfectly capable in that spot. Even with the injuries. Yandy would be a boost in the bottom 3rd of the order. I don't know who Tito plans to leadoff, but Santana was stellar doing so last year, and Brantley is a great 3 hitter, Edwin is inked in the 4th spot, Jose was at his best batting behind Napoli, now it's Edwin, I'm expecting the same or better, then you factor in Gomes being the righty after the switch hitter.

So, if Brantley is truly ready opening day, Lindor is in the 2 hole for me.

Either way, Indians have the most feared lineup/pitching staff in the AL when healthy.

 

[BimboColesHair]

Sure sounds like the Tigers are about to get some bad news on JD Martinez...

 

[Real Deal]

Sure sounds like the Tigers are about to get some bad news on JD Martinez...

Terrible news for him, he was looking to repeat numbers for a big deal in his own right.

 

[BimboColesHair]

Terrible news for him, he was looking to repeat numbers for a big deal in his own right.

They should have dealt him this winter in the 1st place. Shitty situation for all parties, if its a long term thing.

Usually not disclosing MRI results and getting a 2nd opinion on something isn't a good sign.

 

[sportscoach]

Its a little to early for him to be in the 2 hole, especially when we have guys perfectly capable in that spot. Even with the injuries. Yandy would be a boost in the bottom 3rd of the order. I don't know who Tito plans to leadoff, but Santana was stellar doing so last year, and Brantley is a great 3 hitter, Edwin is inked in the 4th spot, Jose was at his best batting behind Napoli, now it's Edwin, I'm expecting the same or better, then you factor in Gomes being the righty after the switch hitter.

So, if Brantley is truly ready opening day, Lindor is in the 2 hole for me.

Either way, Indians have the most feared lineup/pitching staff in the AL when healthy.

He will end up being a two hole hitter eventually and if he is replacing Kipnis then you may as well have him in the two hole so the lineup doesn't have to change much when he does come back. We actually will likely get Kipnis and Brantley back about the same time to be honest. Brantley may be first, but either way we need to see how he is actually hitting.

It's hard to exactly say what our lineup would be at the end of the day without Kipnis as well. I want Santana 1, Lindor 3 EE 4, so the question is who is batting two and who is protecting EE at 5?

I think Diaz would be great in the 2 hole with the way he bats, he takes walks and makes a ton of contact. Usually the two hole to me is one of the least HR spots in the lineup. He is supposed to get on base and that is what Diaz is best at. Having Santana and Diaz, who both take a lot of walks and pitches, being one-two with Lindor EE next, in theory there will be a lot of Runs.

 

[AZ_]

They're certainly not going to hit Diaz second to begin his career.

 

[sportscoach]

They're certainly not going to hit Diaz second to begin his career.

Eh, you never know, but the way Francona manages, he won't at least for the first few months of his career, but if he bats well enough I think he would end up there. (Which is were I think he belongs in he batting order lol)

 

[AZ_]

1 - Santana
2 - Ramirez
3 - Lindor
4 - EE
5 - Brantley

Seems to be trending that way.

Santana or Ramirez can slide down when Kipnis inevitably returns, Yandy will bat 7/8 as Francona does with his rookies.

If Diaz is hitting second in a big league lineup, this team has larger issues.