Cleveland Indians: 2013 Spring Training Preview Guide

Posted by Jeff Louderback on Feb 10th, 2013

Cleveland Indians News It has been an offseason of significant change for the Cleveland Indians. Terry Francona, who led the Boston Red Sox to two World Series titles before he was dismissed after the 2011 campaign, replaced the fired Manny Acta as manager.

Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, who can become a free agent after the 2013 season, was traded to Cincinnati in a three-team deal that brought highly regarded right-handed starting pitching prospect Trevor Bauer and center fielder Drew Stubbs to the Indians.

Longtime fan favorites Travis Hafner and Grady Sizemore were not retained. The once productive veterans have been injury prone in recent seasons. Cleveland’s lineup still expects to have some pop. The club signed right-handed power hitting first baseman Mark Reynolds and switch-hitter Nick Swisher (who will replace Choo in right field but also occasionally play first and DH.

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason, but the Indians have not dealt him. The team just signed utility man Mike Aviles to a two-year deal, and Aviles was the starting shortstop for the Red Sox for much of 2012.

Aviles’ presence could allow the Tribe to trade Cabrera for a hail of prospects. Cleveland has 19-year-old phenom Francisco Lindor as the shortstop of the future, but he is still in low Single-A.

The Indians have talented young bats like catcher Carlos Santana, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, second baseman Jason Kipnis and left fielder Michael Brantley. The 28-year-old Stubbs is speedy (he swiped 30 bases last season and has 100 over the last three years) and has belted 51 home runs in the last three campaigns, but he batted just .213 in 2012 and tends to strike out too much as his 166 whiffs last year and 205 in 2011 suggest.

Cleveland’s main hole in the lineup is at DH, where they could start Rule 5 Draft selection Chris McGuiness. A former Red Sox prospect, the 24-year-old McGuiness also plays first base and belted 23 home runs with a .840 OPS at Double-A Frisco (Texas Rangers) last year. He has just one season above Single-A, and it will be a challenge for him to stick, but the left-handed hitter could be a darkhorse rookie.

Santana will also see time at DH since the Indians have backup catcher Lou Marson, and Swisher could be used at that spot with versatile Ezequiel Carrera able to play all three outfield spots.

The rotation is what could hinder the Indians from contending. Justin Masterson projects as the No. 1 starter, and he had a horrendous 2012 season (11-15, 4.93 ERA). Former Colorado Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez has not duplicated the same success in the AL as he was 9-17 with a 5.40 ERA in 31 starts for the Tribe last year.

Free agent pickup Brett Myers (who is returning to a starting role after solely working out of the bullpen last year (35 games each with the Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox) and young arms Zach McAllister and Carlos Carrasco will likely serve as the remaining three starters, though Bauer could earn a spot as could Corey Kluber.

Like Cabrera, right-handed closer Chris Perez could be traded before the July 31 deadline. As for now, he remains with the Tribe and will be supported by Matt Albers and a myriad and young relievers like Cody Allen, Scott Barnes, Nick Hagadone, Frank Herrmann and David Huff.

With Francona as the skipper – and some talented young bats in the lineup to join Swisher, Reynolds and Cabrera – the Indians are headed in the right direction, but likely their rotation will not be enough to contend with AL Central division rivals Detroit and Chicago.

About Goodyear Ballpark

Indians Spring Situated on a three-acre spread southeast of the future Goodyear City Center in Goodyear, Ariz., Goodyear Ballpark seats 10, 311 and serves as the spring training home of the Reds and the Cleveland Indians.

South of the ballpark, the Goodyear Recreational Sports Complex includes clubhouse/player development facilities and practice fields for each team on 100-plus acre site.

The Cleveland Indians trained in the Cactus League from 1947 to 1992 before departing for Winter Haven, Fla. They returned to the Cactus League in 2009 when they moved their spring training operations to Goodyear. When the Indians came to Goodyear, it marked Cleveland’s return to Arizona and the Cactus League, where they trained from 1947 to 1992.

About Goodyear

Nestled amid the Sonoran Desert and the Sierra Estrella Mountains, Goodyear is a city that teems with outdoor recreation. There are more than than 100 miles of bike lanes, 39 miles of mountain hiking and biking trails and 11 area golf courses.

Estrella Mountain Regional park is another natural treasure, consisting of around 20,000 acres, most of which is still pristine desert. The developed area of the park contains eight major mixed use trails (for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding) of more than 33 miles, a 9.5 mile competitive track, campgrounds, two baseball fields and a large horse staging area. The park also has the county’s only grassy picnic area, a golf course and a professional level rodeo arena.

The 30,000-acre White Tank Mountain Regional Park features extensive campgrounds, 11 major trails and a ten mile competitive track. The barrier-free Waterfall Trail, though only one mile in length, is the most visited trail in the system, featuring trail-side petroglyphs, varied desert scenery and plants and a seasonal waterfall. White Tank is located at 13025 N. White Tank Mtn. Rd in Wadell, which is about 10 miles northwest of Goodyear.

For a religious history lesson, the Bible Museum houses the world’s largest collection of antique Bibles. It is located in the Grand Lobby of the Hampton Inn and Suites Hotel at 2000 N. Litchfield Rd. in Goodyear.

The museum has hundreds of bibles dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries as well as a 900-year-old Biblical Hebrew scroll with original Old Testament scriptures on a giant sheepskin scroll. The Bible Museum is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Situated north of Goodyear in Litchfield Park, the Wildlife World Zoo showcases Arizona’s largest collection of exotic animals with more than 2,400 individual animals representing more than 400 exotic and endangered species. The state’s first aquarium has now opened at the zoo.

Spring Training Cleveland