2017 Spring Training Thread

[Otsego Mar]

Playing now on STO. 1-2-3 down easy in 1st (Santana - Lindor - Brantley)

 

[Real Deal]

Love that lineup!!

 

[Otsego Mar]

Cookie getting doughed up. Back 2 back jacks in 1st.

3-0 Reds after 1.

 

[Otsego Mar]

since I haven't been able to watch much, how has Gomes looked at the dish this spring? How's his swing? Sorry if someone already discussed it but I don't recall seeing it specifically mentioned.

Dude had an absolute freak season.

Well, he's batting. 366 w/ 2 HR 5 RBI... and he was just on with Andre Knott... He sounds tardy.

I hope he has a decent season. But I think one of them (he or Perez) is going to bust out and take a firm hold of the position.

 

[Otsego Mar]

Yandy with an oppo 3-Run HR to put the Tribe ahead 4-3.

 

[Real Deal]

He better make the team lol

 

[AZ_]

Yandy's offense is fine.

It's not what has him questionable to make the club.

If he can't play the position, I don't want him out there. Pitching and defense is this teams backbone, and his offense isn't important enough to overshadow that if he can't play the position.

 

[MirORich]

Yandy's offense is fine.

It's not what has him questionable to make the club.

If he can't play the position, I don't want him out there. Pitching and defense is this teams backbone, and his offense isn't important enough to overshadow that if he can't play the position.

Has that question been answered enough this spring in either direction? Do they give him 2-3 weeks to start the year and see how his defense is game in/game out?

If he is really unplayable in the field, do you keep him in the minors one more year and then plug him in at DH after Santana leaves? Or, has his value around the league gone up to the point where an offense hungry team with a DH/1B spot in question might give up a decent return for him?

 

[Kevalier]

Yandy's offense is fine.

It's not what has him questionable to make the club.

If he can't play the position, I don't want him out there. Pitching and defense is this teams backbone, and his offense isn't important enough to overshadow that if he can't play the position.

He was considered an above-average defender at 3B by prominent scouts in recent years, so the idea that he "can't play the position" doesn't hold much water.

 

[AZ_]

Has that question been answered enough this spring in either direction? Do they give him 2-3 weeks to start the year and see how his defense is game in/game out?

If he is really unplayable in the field, do you keep him in the minors one more year and then plug him in at DH after Santana leaves? Or, has his value around the league gone up to the point where an offense hungry team with a DH/1B spot in question might give up a decent return for him?

All I know is that he's been putting in a ton of work with Sarbaugh. Whether or not Tito thinks that's acceptable will decide whether or not he's starting at 3B.

The fact it's still a question, given his offense, is pretty telling.

 

[AZ_]

He was considered an above-average defender at 3B by prominent scouts in recent years, so the idea that he "can't play the position" doesn't hold much water.

Who?

The fact this is still up for discussion, and Tito's own comments on the subject would lead me to believe otherwise.

 

[AZ_]

“Defensively, he’s still a work in progress…”

“But the other stuff (problems in the field) doesn’t go unnoticed, either.”

"He wasn't the finished product as a third baseman," Francona said on Monday. "Then last year, we moved him to right field, because there was a need and he was still 'rough around the edges,' is the best way to put it. Now, because there's a potential opening at third, now he would kind of go back to that. It's not perfect. It's trying to weigh having his bat, but also the development of his defense. I'm not even sure if it's a possibility, but we'd like to give him a chance, because he's such a good hitter."

Just so we're all up to speed on what Tito has said about him.

Here is Sarbaugh:

"He's been bouncing around a lot, especially last year," Sarbaugh said. "We've been working a lot more [at third] here the last week, five days, just trying the best we can to get him up to speed and just getting reps. Footwork, getting the release point, everything is so different from outfield to infield. So, it's just getting the consistency and getting the reps, that's the most important thing for him."

So basically, they're weighing burning the roster spot if he's not ready to play the position for the week or two Kipnis will be out.

Urshela plays a Gold Glove caliber 3B but can't hit a lick.

Personally, I understand the dilemma. Diaz is just the superior offensive player by quite a bit, thus getting the fan vote.

 

[Kevalier]

Who?

The fact this is still up for discussion, and Tito's own comments on the subject would lead me to believe otherwise.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2016/11/30/13795534/cleveland-indians-top-20-prospects-for-2017

For starters, here is John Sickels, formerly of Baseball America, labeling him as above average at 3B.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/top-18-prospects-cleveland-indians/

Also, here is Fangraphs describing him as a "plus" defender at 3B.

 

[AZ_]

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2016/11/30/13795534/cleveland-indians-top-20-prospects-for-2017

For starters, here is John Sickels, formerly of Baseball America, labeling him as above average at 3B.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/top-18-prospects-cleveland-indians/

Also, here is Fangraphs describing him as a "plus" defender at 3B.

Which, is great.

But you're taking Sickels sampling of games against Francona and Sarbaugh?

I'm not sure I am.

 

[Kevalier]

Which, is great.

But you're taking Sickels sampling of games against Francona and Sarbaugh?

I'm not sure I am.

I think Tito is the best skipper in baseball, but I'm also skeptical that the Yandy decision is completely about defense. The Super 2 situation seems to influence the Tribe's thinking here even though he's already 25.