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CLEVELAND, Ohio – Is There Life After Francisco Lindor? The Indians think so.
The Indians traded Lindor and Carlos Carrasco to the New York Mets on January 7. Lindor has been recognized as the face of the franchise. Carrasco was their inspiration.
When asked if this was a big blow to the organization, right-hander Adam Plutko during a Zoom call with reporters Thursday from spring training in Goodyear, Ariz., Said: “Personally , I felt sad because I was losing two friends that I really love to play. the game of baseball with every day. Cookie calls me again every two weeks or so and we chat and talk. Lindor and I have become very, very close to representing our team in the players’ association over the past 12 months.
“I was sad to lose friends. But if I believed for a second who I walked into this game with, I was going to play my whole career, I’m a jerk if I believe it. This is how the game works. “
Plutko said he was focusing on who the Indians added this winter, not who they lost.
“Eddie Rosario is a guy who’s just abused us over the years,” Plutko said. “Now he’s part of our team. It’s exciting for me and I love the way he plays the game. We still have, in my opinion, the best pitching team in all of baseball.
The Indians signed Rosario to a one-year, $ 8 million contract and re-appointed second baseman Cesar Hernandez for a one-year, $ 5 million contract with a club option for 2021. These are the two great movements of the tribe which cut costs.
They acquired infielders Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez with two Mets prospects. Chris Antonetti, president of baseball operations, said Amed Rosario, Gimenez and Yu Chang will have a long, short-term look this spring.
Pitching coach Carl Willis, on his second tour with the Indians, remembered the Indians swapping the Cy Young CC winners Sabathia and Cliff Lee in consecutive years in 2008 and 2009. He said the best prospect was to move on and focus on the talent you have.
“It happens to all teams,” he said. “I don’t think there is a baseball team that could get out of bed the next day and replace a Frankie Lindor. And I don’t think we could roll out of bed and replace Carlos Carrasco, the pitcher and the person. It’s hard to do, but at the end of the day you are working with what you have.
“I think our front office has done an incredible job of picking up talent that can help us win games. So you move on, but you still miss these guys.
# 1: Roberto Perez says he lost 25 pounds
Perez, who has a home in Cleveland, spent the winter in Florida strengthening the strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder. He says he’s lost 25 pounds and is ready to play a full season after playing just 32 games last year due to his shoulder injury.
“I went to Florida, found a personal trainer and took care of my own business,” he says. “I wanted to put myself in a good position coming to spring training. I’m healthy, that’s all I wanted to be. I am healthy. I lost 25 pounds. I am good and ready to compete.
Perez has won gold gloves for his defense over the past two years. Last season, however, he hit just 0.165 (16 in 97).
N ° 2: Looking for experience
The Indians knew they needed experience in the bullpen for 2021, so they added veterans Bryan Shaw, Heath Hembree, Blake Parker and DJ Johnson. On Friday, they re-signed southpaw Oliver Perez, 39. They will be at camp on minor league deals.
“We feel really good with some of the young pitchers that we have, both the guys who are fighting for a place in the rotation and the guys who are fighting for places in the box,” said Antonetti. “But we thought it would make sense to bring in more experienced pitchers to compete with this group for a spot on the team, especially out of the gate.
Antonetti said the paddock competition could be very hot during spring training.
N ° 3: to your left, to your right
Eddie Rosario played primarily on left court during his six years with the Twins. The Indians are not sure whether he will play left or right for them. The only thing they know is that he will be in the lineup almost every day.
“It probably has less to do with Eddie than with the rest of the guys in the roster and how to set up the best possible team,” said Antonetti.
Antonetti said Rosario is everything, regardless of his position. Now the Indians just have to sort out the other outfielders. This includes Jake Bauers, Daniel Johnson, Jordan Luplow, Oscar Mercado, Josh Naylor, Franmil Reyes, Bradley Zimmer, Billy Hamilton and Ben Gamel. Looks like it might take a while.
# 4: Padres gets Fernando Tatis, Indians lose Lindor
On Wednesday, the Padres struck a deal with 22-year-old Fernando Tatis with a 14-year, $ 350 million contract. The Indians traded their shortstop to the Mets because they knew they couldn’t sign it.
Antonetti was asked for his reaction to the Tatis signing and the implications it has for Indians.
“My reaction was, it’s great to be Fernando Tatis Jr.,” he said. “I can’t imagine what this deal looks like, but I imagine it was a pretty good day at his house.
“I can’t speak to the thought process of individual franchises. … What we are trying to do is find a plan that works for us and is as successful as possible. This requires different decisions which may apply in Cleveland and which may be different in other markets. I would be reluctant – and again, it would be inappropriate for me to talk about the rationale for San Diego other than clearly Tatis is a great player and they wanted to do whatever they could to keep him.
# 5: he delivers the winners of Cy Young
When Shane Bieber won the Cy Young last year, Willis was happy. But her children were thrilled.
Willis coached the winners of Cy Young in CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Felix Hernandez, Rick Porcello and Bieber. It looks good on the CV, but he knows it’s the guy on the mound who really achieves it.
“What these guys do on the pitch, they do,” Willis said. “I’ve always had the chance to be a small part of it and watch it unfold. But honestly, at the end of the day, the reaction and the pride my kids get from it is probably the most special thing.
Willis and his wife Rachel have three children – Ally, Daniel and Bryson.
A variety of Cleveland Indian face masks available online today. (Fanatics.com)
New Indian masks for sale: Here’s where you can purchase Cleveland Indian-themed face coverings for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($ 14.99) and a 3-pack ($ 24.99). All MLB profits are donated to charity.
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