He ll keep working, diligently and gladly. Just no chasing yellow balls down hills, please. Anderson, Lindor lead Indians' rookie wave

Transcription

1 Francisco Lindor's journey from Puerto Rico to AL Rookie of the Year favorite By Jeff PassanYahoo Sports On the side of a house in Caguas, Puerto Rico, a hill descended about 100 yards into a swath of bushes. At the top stood Miguel Lindor, and he would instruct his son Francisco to move about halfway down. Miguel would grab one of those bouncy, yellow rubber balls and whack it toward Francisco, again and again, every chance fraught with peril. If I missed a groundball, Francisco Lindor said, I had to chase the ball. He did everything he could to stop the ball from getting past him. Throw his glove at it. Try to knock it toward a tree and get a kind ricochet. Or, best of all, hoover it and fling it back to Miguel so he could tempt fate one more time. What Francisco Lindor is today 5-foot-11, 190 pounds of instinct draped in a Cleveland Indians uniform, doing things at the shortstop position not seen there since Omar Vizquel last patrolled the infield at Progressive Field, and sneaking up to position himself as the leading candidate for American League Rookie of the Year because his bat is every bit as precocious as his glove comes directly from those afternoons in Caguas and the lessons he learned before moving to Florida as a teenager. Miguel uprooted Francisco because he saw something in his son worth cultivating, and with it not even in full bloom, the returns are staggering. Since his June call-up, Lindor is hitting.319/.356/.488 with 11 home runs and playing the sort of defense for which he should clear his mantelpiece come future seasons. Of particular note is Lindor s second half, in which his line jumps to.356/.393/.557. Considering the paucity of shortstops in the American League coming into the season, the prospect of him dueling with fellow Puerto Rican Carlos Correa and Xander Bogaerts for supremacy at the position brings to mind the late 90s with Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Nomar Garciaparra one-upping one another. Though all three are pedigreed, Lindor looks more the classic shortstop than the oversized versions Correa and Bogaerts play. And it s why his manager, his teammates and scouts who watch him gravitate not toward the pleasant surprise of his bat as what stands out but the way that a 21-year-old navigates a complicated game with such ease. His instincts are second to none, Indians teammate Mike Aviles said. It s pretty impressive. His range, his anticipation is really good. It s like he reads the swings of the hitter. Actually, yeah, he more or less does. The education of Lindor wasn t just limited to Miguel making him chase balls or demanding he hit pitches strictly to the opposite field. (Francisco complied, because the reward was that he got to swing left-handed, and he s now a switch hitter equally dangerous from both sides.) Advice also came from his older brother, Miguel, and his cousin Christian, who, when Lindor was in eighth grade, gave him a mandate for fielding that seemed impossible: Move with the pitch. I was 13, 14, Lindor said. Thought this guy was crazy. Move with the pitch? So I tried to do it. I had no idea, and I told him. I moved where I think he s going to hit it. It didn t work. Lindor soon came to understand the game s tiny intricacies. He peered in for the signs thrown down by the catcher. For a changeup he positioned himself more in the hole because of hitters propensity to swing early. On cut fastballs, he takes a step in because of their tendency to saw off hitters bats. For however manic Lindor s movements on the field look, they re not random, and he credits his positioning with much of his success at getting to balls that off the bat look like sure hits. When you see me getting mad at myself at a groundball I dove and missed or a line drive I missed, Lindor said, it s because I anticipated wrong. You want to make every play. When the Indians chose Lindor with the eight pick of the 2011 draft out of Monteverde Academy, the Orlando-area school at which he would arrive 45 minutes early every day to learn English when he first moved to the U.S., they expected a blend of talent and precociousness. They got that and this desire to learn, Aviles said. He s open. Open to change, which is good. It could be really easy for him to be closed-minded, to say he knows what he s doing. He doesn t know how good he is. And that s what makes him really scary. Cleveland came into the season ready for a deep playoff run because of its plethora of starting pitching. What it lacked, outside of Michael Brantley, Jason Kipnis and Yan Gomes, were foundational position players. Lindor is just that. And because he s been willing to listen, Indians manager Terry Francona said, it s been a lot of fun. Lindor seeks out advice from Brantley and Aviles in particular, one an All-Star and the other a bilingual veteran whose presence enriches every clubhouse into which he steps. Aviles sees Lindor as an Andrew McCutchen/Mookie Betts type, wiry strong, with the ability to hit more home runs than his frame might suggest. And that body, Aviles tells Lindor, is the key to everything, so if it means a daily bath in a cold tub when he gets a little older and the soreness comes, such is the price of health. For now, Lindor is spry and springy, even in September, even after one of the best half-seasons from a shortstop this decade. He often thinks about how he got here, how Miguel drilled into him the value of repetition leading to mastery. My foundation comes from him, Lindor said. My base comes from him. And after that, it was working on my craft to be successful. He ll keep working, diligently and gladly. Just no chasing yellow balls down hills, please. Anderson, Lindor lead Indians' rookie wave

2 Duo has come long way since opening last year at Double-A By August Fagerstrom / MLB.com CLEVELAND -- Francisco Lindor and Cody Anderson began last season as teammates at Double-A Akron. At the time, Anderson had an ERA that started with a five. And Lindor wasn't a home run hitter. My, how things have changed. A two-run homer by Lindor and seven shutout innings from Anderson helped lead the Indians to a 10-2 victory in the nightcap of Wednesday's doubleheader against Minnesota. The homer was the 12th of Lindor's abbreviated rookie season. Anderson improved to 7-3 and lowered his ERA to "That's pretty much what we dream about, coming up through the system and making our debuts together and playing together for a long time," Lindor said. "I think Cody's doing an amazing job, and you guys saw that tonight." Is Lindor #AwardWorthy? Vote now for Best Rookie Both players have not only reaffirmed their prospect status with their play this season, but exceeded expectations in unexpected areas. "The player-development people know that he has pop in his bat," Francona said of Lindor's power. "I think I've always been a little bit trying to refrain from talking about it, because I know last year when he went to Triple-A, he hit some early and then his swing got long. But, here, you've seen him hit the ball the opposite way, hit both for power and for base hits. So, he hasn't fallen into that. There's been a couple games where he's got a little bit long, but not very often." 9/30/15: Indians manager Terry Francona comments on Cody Anderson's seven shutout innings and the developing power of Francisco Lindor For Lindor, it's the power. For Anderson, it's the ability to get hitters out without blowing them away. "You can't make too many mistakes if you don't throw like [teammates Danny] Salazar or [Carlos] Carrasco, have fastballs like those guys," Anderson said. "You try to keep the ball out of the middle of the plate and ultimately, hopefully, you'll just have success." Watching from the bench Wednesday with a shoulder injury was fellow rookie Giovanny Urshela, who was also a teammate of the duo to begin the season at Akron last year. For all three, the climb to the Majors, and their success once getting there, is nothing short of a storybook tale. "It's incredible," Anderson said. "I've played with those guys coming up through the system. Being able to turn around and seeing those guys behind you, it's pretty neat to be able to do that." Late fireworks punctuate Tribe's nightcap win By Rhett Bollinger and August Fagerstrom / MLB.com CLEVELAND -- The Indians dealt a blow to the Twins' postseason chances, as rookie right-hander Cody Anderson threw seven scoreless innings and was helped by a two-run homer from fellow rookie Francisco Lindor in a 10-2 win in the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday at Progressive Field. The Twins (82-76) split the twin bill, and trail Houston by 1 1/2 games in the chase for the second American League Wild Card spot with four games to play. They're also a game back of the Angels. The Indians (78-79) were mathematically eliminated from the postseason after the Astros' 7-6 win in Seattle. Twins take doubleheader opener, 7-1 "The positive is we didn't get swept and the Angels didn't win," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "You have to take out of it what you can get. The reality is the Angels finally had a hiccup. It had been awhile. It seems like it had been forever. I heard it was kind of a close call, but I tried not to look at the scoreboard too much. We got a win and we got a loss and we know the loss column is what matters come Sunday." Is Lindor #AwardWorthy? Vote now for Best Rookie Anderson stayed hot, picking up a win in his fifth straight start, including his second in a row over Minnesota. The right-hander scattered two hits and three walks. He is 5-0 with a 1.09 ERA over his last five outings, and ends his rookie season going 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA. "He just competes," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He's got a good changeup and, when he locates his fastball, he's been really good. There's been days when he's been up and he's paid for it, and his breaking ball is still kind of a work in progress, same with his cutter. But, the game doesn't speed up on him." Twins right-hander Mike Pelfrey struggled, turning in the second-shortest outing of his career, lasting 1 2/3 innings, and allowing four runs on six hits and two walks. Pelfrey, a free agent after the season, finishes the year by going 6-11 with a 4.26 ERA. Lindor paced the offense for the Indians with a two-run homer and two runs scored. Cleveland scored four in the second, one in the third and two more in the fourth on Lindor's homer off lefty Brian Duensing. Jose Ramirez added a three-run blast off right-handerricky Nolasco in the eighth. The Twins didn't score until the eighth on a solo shot from rookie Miguel Sano. It was Sano's 18th of the year and his first since Sept. 19. Eddie Rosario hit a solo shot in the ninth to cap the scoring for Minnesota. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Above and beyond: By the second inning, the Indians had already quadrupled their run scoring from the twin-bill opener. Abraham Almonte, Michael Martinez, Ramirez and Lindor all recorded hits, and scored, in the inning, with an RBI single by Carlos Santana serving as the icing on the cake. "We can only do what we can do, and I think you show up and play the game right," Francona said. "I think that's our goal all the time, regardless of what happens. if you get eliminated, it doesn't open the door or give you the right to just show up and mail it in. We'll never do that. I think that's why you try to play the game right every day, so you don't have to try to turn a switch on and off." Tensions flare: After an intentional walk to Jason Kipnis, Ramirez hit a three-run homer and took some time to admire it, complete with a high-arching bat flip that ignited the Twins' bench. Manager Paul Molitor and catcher Kurt Suzuki were seen yelling at Ramirez as he touched home plate. The following inning, Rosario hit a home run off Austin Adams and mirrored Ramirez's bat flip, saving choice words for Ramirez as he rounded second base.more > "Good swing," Francona said. "Poor judgment. I think hitting the home run is good enough. He'll learn -- hopefully, not the hard way -- but he'll learn."

3 Pelfrey's season ends with a thud: In what could've been his final start with the Twins, the pending free agent turned in a clunker when the Twins needed a big performance. Pelfrey labored from the start, loading the bases in the first, but got out of the jam. But he was hurt by a fourrun second and exited after allowing a two-out RBI single to Santana. More > "I just wasn't very good," Pelfrey said. "It was the biggest start of the year for me and I didn't do anything right. It's kind of like somebody kicked me in the stomach. It hurts. I let these guys down. I was terrible." Hughes, Nolasco appear in relief: Twins right-hander Phil Hughes, who was scratched from his start on Monday with flu-like symptoms, threw a scoreless fifth on 12 pitches. He remains a candidate to start the regular-season finale on Sunday against the Royals. Nolasco made his first appearance since May 31, as he'd been out after undergoing right ankle surgery. Nolasco threw a seventh with two strikeouts before giving up a three-run shot to Ramirez in the eighth. "It felt good," Nolasco said. "It's been a long four months or so. A long time and a lot of long days. But I'll take today. I kind of wish I could have that mistake back. It happens." QUOTABLE "He'll get his. Don't worry." -- Nolasco, on Ramirez's bat flip after his homer in the eighth SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Anderson ended his rookie season with a 3.05 ERA in 15 starts. The last Cleveland rookie to have an ERA of 3.10 or better in at least 15 starts was Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley in With his stolen base in the fourth inning, Kipnis reached 100 career steals. He is the 24th Cleveland player since at least 1914 to have at least 100 stolen bases with the club. Is Kipnis #AwardWorthy? Vote now for Best Bounceback Player UPON FURTHER REVIEW With two outs in the second, Lindor hit a grounder to Joe Mauer at first base, who flipped it to Pelfrey at first base. Lindor was ruled safe by first-base umpire Brian O'Nora but the Twins challenged the play, as it appeared Pelfrey got to the bag in time. But after a review, the call on the field stood and Lindor was safe. The Indians went on to score two more runs that inning, including one on a wild pitch on Pelfrey's first pitch after the review. "I don't know how they didn't overturn it," Pelfrey said. "I was on the bag. It was a big turn in the game." WHAT'S NEXT Twins: Right-hander Tyler Duffey is set to start in the series finale on Thursday. Duffey has been on an impressive stretch, going 5-0 with a 2.17 ERA over his last eight starts. He's struck out 46 over 49 2/3 innings over that span. Indians: Right-hander Trevor Bauer makes his return to the Indians rotation to wrap up the four-game set at Progressive Field with a scheduled 7:10 p.m. ET first pitch. Bauer was moved to the bullpen after a second-half spiral that culminated in a six-run, three-inning performance against the Tigers on Sept. 13. Since then, he appeared in just one game out of the bullpen, throwing a scoreless inning against the White Sox on Sept. 19. Indians' postseason hopes officially dashed By Jordan Bastian / CLEVELAND -- This moment could have come a lot sooner. It also was not expected to arrive this early. There are two ways to view this season by the Indians, but there is only one way to describe their place in the playoff picture: absent. On Wednesday night, Cleveland officially exited stage left roughly a week before the grand opening of this October's postseason show. While it was only a matter of time given the way the Tribe cooled off of late, the Indians were officially eliminated from contention with Houston's victory over Seattle. "If you get eliminated," Indians manager Terry Francona said, "it doesn't open the door or give you the right to just show up and mail it in [for the rest of the season]. We'll never do that." The Indians could have done that months ago. Back on Aug. 7, when Cleveland completed a dramatic roster shakeup by trading veteransnick Swisher and Michael Bourn to Atlanta, the Indians slipped 10 games below.500 with a record of Over the past two months, though, rather than pack it up and slog through the remainder of the regular-season slate, the Tribe picked up their play and made things interesting. That is why Francona wants his team to be happy with how they finished. "I want them to be proud of the way they plugged away the last half," Francona said, "because we're proud of them." Then again, this is an Indians team that was expected to not only contend for the American League Central crown, but push for its first World Series triumph since Sports Illustrated went as far as putting the Indians on one of their preseason preview covers and declaring them the favorite to win it all. With that in mind, Francona wants his players to understand that this year's finish was not acceptable. "Where we're at is not where we want to be. We need to recognize that, too," Francona said. "I think you can get a little bit of a false sense of security, like, 'Oh man, we did this in the second half.' Yeah, but we didn't get where we want. I think we're aware of that. "We just try to be as honest as we can about our evaluations and everything. I would much rather, though, be sitting here knowing that we fought through a lot of things to get better than just let the season go." Indians starter Corey Kluber, who won the American League Cy Young Award last season, was pleased to see the team improve down the stretch. "Until you are eliminated, you're not out of it," Kluber said. "There's that mindset that we're going to fight until the end. Just because we were a ways back, we weren't feeling sorry for ourselves or giving up or thinking that we didn't have a chance." Jason Kipnis said the midseason roster shift -- led by the promotion of star rookiefrancisco Lindor -- was critical to the turnaround over the final two months. "Different players bring different things to the table," Kipnis said. "If you bring in people who are willing to buy in, to play hard, to do the right things, the little things, to win ballgames, it doesn't matter what their name is or how much they make. They're going to have a positive effect. I think we've gotten guys who have done that."

4 That is why the Indians remained in contention as long as they did. Then again, Tribe fans were expecting more games in October. "I still think we've made strides -- and we needed to," Francona said. "Where we were in June wasn't good enough." Ramirez's bat flip fires up Twins dugout By Jordan Bastian / CLEVELAND -- Jose Ramirez sent a pitch soaring into the night in the eighth inning on Wednesday at Progressive Field. Following a 10-2 romp over the Twins in the second game of a doubleheader, Indians manager Terry Francona wished he could just talk about the approach at the plate or the gorgeous swing that followed. A bit of showboating by Ramirez got in the way. "Nice, good swing," Francona said. "Poor judgment." With Cleveland leading 7-1 in the eighth, Ramirez followed an intentional walk to Jason Kipnis by sending a 1-0 offering from Twins righty Ricky Nolasco to the first row beyond the right-field wall. The Indians infielder held his bat high in the air as he jogged out of the batter's box and, after roughly eight steps, flipped his bat high in the air in the direction of the visitors' dugout. A handful of Twins players immediately moved to the top step of the dugout, alongside manager Paul Molitor, and shouted at Ramirez as he made his way around the bases. Nolasco did not see the bat flip until after the game, but had threatening words for Ramirez. "I didn't realize what he was doing. I kind of wish I did," Nolasco said. "I didn't know until I got into the dugout and they were talking about it. It's frustrating. I came in here and looked at it on the computer. It was pretty [bad]. He'll get his. Don't worry." Ramirez said he realized he made a mistake. "I think the emotion got me," said Ramirez, who used Indians pitcher Danny Salazar as an interpreter. "That's my bad. If they hit me. I'm going to take it." Molitor took exception to Ramirez's antics. "Players get comfortable doing things that some people might interpret as disrespectful," Molitor said. "So, we reacted a bit there." In the top of the ninth, Minnesota's Eddie Rosario led off with a homer against relieveraustin Adams and then exchanged words with Ramirez, who was playing second base. Tribe rookie shortstop Francisco Lindor would not say what Rosario said as he ran by. "Baseball-player stuff," Lindor said. "No one needs to know." Francona hoped nothing more came of the heated moment, and he expected Ramirez to learn from the incident. "Hitting the home run is good enough," Francona said. "He'll learn -- hopefully, not the hard way -- but he'll learn. It's not really what we're looking for, because it was a beautiful swing. I'd rather talk about that." Twins look to keep chase in finale with Tribe By August Fagerstrom / MLB.com The Indians and Twins wrap up a four-game series with Wild Card implications Thursday night at Progressive Field. Taking the mound for Cleveland is right-hander Trevor Bauer in his return to the rotation. Opposing him is Twins rookie Tyler Duffey. Duffey (5-1, 3.14 ERA) has been great for the Twins since a rocky Major League debut, compiling a 2.17 ERA over his past eight starts. In his only start against Cleveland this season, Duffey threw six shutout innings, striking out seven, for his first Major League win. Bauer (11-12, 4.69 ERA) will make his first start since Sept. 13, after being removed from the rotation due to an uneven second half in which he posted a 6.32 ERA over 12 starts. In six career starts against Minnesota, Bauer is 1-3 with a 6.00 ERA. Three things to know about this game Following Wednesday's split results in the doubleheader, the Twins sit 1 1/2 games back of the Astros for the second Wild Card spot in the American League with four games to play. Houston's 7-6 win in Seattle also eliminated the Indians from a trip to the postseason. Tempers flared in the eighth inning of the nightcap Wednesday, when the Twins took offense to Jose Ramirez's actions following a home run. The following inning, Minnesota's Eddie Rosario hit a home run and had words with Ramirez while rounding the bases. Twins players continued to voice their displeasure in the clubhouse following the game. The Twins have seen Bauer well throughout his career, but none more than Torii Hunter, who is 6-for-14 lifetime off the righty with two doubles and two home runs. Brantley shut down to heal right shoulder By August Fagerstrom / MLB.com CLEVELAND -- Michael Brantley's season officially came to a close on Wednesday, when Indians manager Terry Francona announced that the left fielder will receive a cortisone shot in his right shoulder after an MRI on Tuesday revealed inflammation. Brantley, who has dealt with multiple maladies throughout the season, injured the shoulder while diving in the outfield on Sept. 22. "That will effectively shut him down for the season, but it won't shut him down," Francona said. "What's he's going to do is, when... the rest period is over, he'll ramp it back up just to make sure everything feels good going into his offseason. That will be a week, 10 days away, just so that we know going into the offseason [that] he's not fighting that and can go back into his normal program." Brantley began the season with a sore back, and he was nicked and bruised throughout the course of the year, rarely -- if ever -- playing at full strength. Despite that, he never spent time on the disabled list and put up strong numbers, batting.310/.379/.480 with 15 home runs and 15 steals in 137 games. His 3.8 Wins Above Replacement, according to FanGraphs, have Brantley as a top-15 outfielder in the MLB at the time of his shutdown. "He has given everything he has, and it's the right thing to do now," Francona said. "I think he knows it. I don't think he likes it, but I think he understands it. From where I sit, it's the right thing to do, and I appreciate how much he tried to play. You also have a responsibility to take care of your guys, too." Coaches and teammates have also spoken out about Brantley's growth as a team leader in the clubhouse, notably in his mentoring of rookie star shortstop Francisco Lindor.

5 "He's grown by leaps and bounds this year, as far as leadership goes and things like that," Francona said. "I already thought he was good. But I think he, because of all of things he had to face this year physically, I think he handled himself like a pro and he's getting better. That's exciting." Indians confident Carrasco will improve into future Jordan Bastian / CLEVELAND -- Carlos Carrasco's final act this season was not indicative of the campaign he turned in as a whole. Cleveland has waited several years for the big right-hander to blossom into an overpowering starter, and he rewarded the team's patience with a breakout showing this year. It was unfortunate to see Carrasco's strong 2015 performance end with a thud in a 7-1 lossto the Twins in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday evening. After being nearly untouchable in his prevous start, Carrasco could not record an out in the fourth inning, and he headed off the field and toward his offseason after allowing five runs. "We've seen days where he's about unhittable," manager Terry Francona said. "He seems to have managed some of the other things that [used to] get in the way that don't anymore. He's a pretty darn good Major League pitcher is what he is." The Indians believed so much in Carrasco's potential this season, that the team invested in a long-term contract that will keep him in the fold through The extension -- agreed upon during the first series of the season -- also includes team options for '19 and '20. The Indians were betting on Carrasco's upside, using his performance down the stretch last year as the foundation for their faith. Carrasco responded with a career-best season as a starter. He set personal highs in wins (14), complete games (three), innings (183 2/3) and strikeouts (216), giving the Tribe's rotation a dynamic one-two punch, along with American League Cy Young Award-winnerCorey Kluber. Carrasco logged one shutout, walked only 43 batters and grew stronger as the season wore on. Pitching coach Mickey Callaway said Carrasco was more tentative in the season's early months, building up to the kind of aggressive approach that brought on so much success last year. In his final 10 starts of 2014, Carrasco posted a 1.30 ERA with 78 strikeouts and a.179 opponents' average in 69 innings. In his last 10 starts this year, he had a 2.48 ERA with 83 strikeouts and a.163 opponents' average in 65 1/3 innings. "At the halfway point, he said, 'I'm going to let it go from now on,'" Callaway said. "It's like, OK, last year he did it for 10 starts. This year, he did it for a half. Maybe next year he'll do it for the whole season. If he does that, he can win a Cy Young. That's how good his stuff is." To Callaway's point, Carrasco had a 4.16 ERA with a.216 opponents' average in 88 2/3 innings in his first 15 starts, compared to a 3.13 ERA and a.195 opponents' average in 95 innings in his last 15 outings. Carrasco's fastball velocity sat around mph in April, but it climbed to mph on average in September. The velocity on all his other pitches ticked up as the season moved along, too. "I started a little bit slow in the first half," Carrasco said. "After that, [Callaway] came and talked to me, and I went right away from the All-Star Game, I went the same way that I did last year... I learned a lot this year and I'll start strong next year and finish strong." Against the Twins, Carrasco was hardly at his sharpest. Carrasco surrendered a solo homer to Joe Mauer in the first inning, and then he allowed four runs in the fourth inning, when six Twins batters reached base in a row to end his day and season. That fourth-inning push included a pair of walks and four hits, including a three-run double by Minnesota veteran Torii Hunter. "I feel a little bit disappointed," Carrasco said of his final start. "But, it's baseball... Every start that I did this year, I learned something from it. And everything I learned from this year, I'll work hard on it this offseason and bring it into next year." Wednesday's showing was a drastic contract from Friday, when Carrasco struck out 15 in a one-hit 6-0 shutout on the road against the Royals. He flirted with a no-hitter for six-plus innings in that outing, just as he did for 8 2/3 innings on the road against the Rays in the Indians' 8-1 win on July 1. In fact, Carrasco is one of just six pitchers in history to have at least three starts in a season in which he allowed no more than one hit and one run in 8 2/3 or more innings. That short list includes only one other Indians pitcher: Hall of Famer Bob Feller (1946). "Right around the All-Star Break, [Carrasco] was like, 'OK, I get it,'" Francona said. "He's been pretty darn good. At worst, he is going to be a huge innings eater -- he's a big, strong kid and goes deep in games. And, at best, he can be probably one of the better pitchers in the game." Indians notebook: Left fielder Michael Brantley shut down for rest of season; Trevor Bauer to start Thursday By Ryan Lewis Published: September 30, :00 PM CLEVELAND: The Indians on Wednesday announced that left fielder Michael Brantley will be shut down for the remainder of the 2015 season. Brantley injured his right shoulder diving for a ball in the Indians 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Sept. 22. An MRI Tuesday night revealed inflammation in that shoulder and that Brantley would need a cortisone shot. Brantley received the shot on Wednesday and will need at least a week to rest, effectively ending his season. He s been so conscientious, all the things we ve talked about over the past week, he has given everything he has and it s the thing to do now, Indians manager Terry Francona said. I think he knows it, I don t think he likes it, but I think he understands it. From where I sit, it s the right thing to do, and I appreciate how much he tried to play. After resting, Brantley will go through normal activities to make sure his shoulder is fully healed heading into the offseason. Barring a miracle and an Indians bid to the postseason, that will be too late for the regular season. Brantley often has been quiet about his injuries, from a back issue he dealt with for most of the season to a left shoulder issue in August to this most recent right shoulder injury. But it was finally time to sit him down. We know these guys pretty good, even by their body language, Francona said. The other night after Brant s first at-bat I knew it was bothering him. He didn t say a word, but when I was talking to him later I said, That hurt when you missed, didn t it? He said, Yep. We know them pretty well. Brantley will end the year hitting.310 with 15 home runs, 45 doubles and 84 RBI. He has a WAR, per FanGraphs, of 3.8. Bauer set to start

6 Due to Tuesday s rainout and the need for another starting pitcher, Trevor Bauer will return to the rotation to make his final start of the season on Thursday. Essentially, Wednesday s doubleheader means that each starter will likely take the mound one more time in Bauer was moved to the bullpen earlier this month. Thursday lines up well with his throwing program. Francona said he thinks it ll be a positive for Bauer to return to the mound as a starter again before the season wraps up. This start won t define his career, but heck yeah, Francona said. I think it will be really good for him. Carlos Carrasco and Cody Anderson pitched in Wednesday s doubleheader. After Bauer s start on Thursday, Josh Tomlin will get the start on Friday, Corey Kluber will throw Saturday and Danny Salazar will pitch the likely season-ending game on Sunday. Although Sunday is the last scheduled game, the Indians do have an unscheduled game with Detroit that was rained out recently. Since that game likely won t be necessary in terms of the postseason picture, its fate has been left undecided. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: Twins 7, Indians 1; Indians 10, Twins 2: Carlos Carrasco struggles, Cody Anderson dominant as Indians, Twins split doubleheader By Ryan Lewis CLEVELAND: Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco struggled in the first game before Cody Anderson was terrific in the second, and the results followed those performances as the Indians split a doubleheader with the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday at Progressive Field. In the first game, Carrasco was knocked around early and the offense struggled to mount any kind of rally in a 7-1 loss. Carrasco (14-12) lasted just three innings, allowing five runs on five hits and striking out five. He allowed a solo home run in the first inning to Twins first baseman Joe Mauer and was then knocked around in the fourth inning, unable to record an out. Trevor Plouffe made it 2-0 with an RBI single to left field and later, with the bases loaded, Torii Hunter continued his onslaught against Indians pitching this season with a bases-clearing double, extending the Twins lead to 5-0. In the top of the seventh inning, Twins rookie Byron Buxton, facing Gavin Floyd, singled home Eduardo Nunez. And in the top of the ninth, Buxton added a solo home run off of Shawn Armstrong. Jason Kipnis knocked in a run with a single to right field against Twins relief pitcher Blaine Boyer in the seventh inning. That capped an otherwise quiet day for the Indians at the plate against starting pitcher Kyle Gibson (11-11), who threw six scoreless innings on just four hits and struck out nine. Kipnis and Francisco Lindor were the lone offensive bright spots for the Indians. Kipnis finished 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Lindor went 2-for-3 with two singles, a walk and two stolen bases. After those two, the Indians went a collective 3-for-24. Indians 10, Twins 2 The second game was nearly a complete reversal, as Anderson (7-3) turned in the solid performance, throwing seven scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out two. And it was the Indians (78-79) offense that got off the fast start in a 10-2 win. Abraham Almonte started the second inning against Twins starter Mike Pelfrey (6-11) with a double and came around on a single up the middle by Michael Martinez. Ramirez then drove Martinez in with a double to left-center, making it 2-0. After an infield single by Lindor, a Pelfrey wild pitch allowed Ramirez to score. Carlos Santana followed with an RBI single to cap the inning and extend the Indians lead to 4-0. In the third, recently promoted catcher Adam Moore singled home Lonnie Chisenhall. And in the fourth, Lindor blasted a two-run home run to right field, his 12th of the season, to put the Indians up 7-0. The first run of the game for the Twins (82-76) came off the bat of Miguel Sano, who clobbered a solo home run off of Zach McAllister in the eighth inning. Jose Ramirez answered in the eighth with a three-run home run that included a bat-flip toward the Twins dugout after the Twins intentionally walked Kipnis. Several members of the Twins ran to the top step and were yelling at Ramirez as he crossed home plate. In the ninth, Eddie Rosario hit a solo home run off Austin Adams and had some words for Ramirez as he rounded second base. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: Indians 10, Twins 2: Wednesday s One Last Thing on Jose Ramirez s good swing, poor judgement By Ryan Lewis Published: October 1, 2015 The Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 10-2 Wednesday night to cap a doubleheader that began with a 7-1 loss. And yet, with one swing and a bat-flip, the effects of the latter game will likely leak to Thursday. Wednesday s One Last Thing: Jose Ramirez s bat flip really ticked off the Twins, and the Indians didn t seem to love it either. In the eighth inning of the Indians 10-2 win Wednesday night, Jose Ramirez launched a three-run home run off of Twins pitcher Ricky Nolasco. But it wasn t the swing that the Twins will remember. It s what came afterward. As he watched his home run, Ramirez held his bat high, jogged a couple of steps and then flipped it toward the Twins dugout. He added his own exclamation point to his home run, and it wasn t received very well. Several members of the Twins immediately ran to the top step of the dugout and were yelling at Ramirez when he crossed home plate.

7 Nolasco reportedly called the bat-flip a horse**** move and that, He ll get his, don t worry. Indians manager Terry Francona didn t seem to be thrilled with it either. Nice, good swing. Poor judgement, Francona said. I think hitting the home run is enough. He ll learn hopefully not the hard way but he ll learn. More: Indians to shut down LF Michael Brantley with shoulder inflammation. Ramirez said he wasn t trying to show the Twins up, though that s certainly how they took it. Rather, he said he got caught up in the moment. I noticed that they got a little bit upset because of my reaction, but sometimes the emotion in the game possess you, Ramirez said via Danny Salazar, who was translating. In the ninth inning, Eddie Rosario hit a home run of his own and had some words for Ramirez when he rounded second base. Ramirez said he didn t understand what Rosario said. And Francisco Lindor declined to say what he heard. Baseball player stuff, Lindor said. No one needs to know. Nothing bad, though. The Indians might have been fortunate that that was the only retaliation Wednesday night. Nolasco reportedly said after the game that he didn t see the initial bat-flip and wasn t aware it had happened until he got back to the dugout. Had he seen it at the time, considering the reaction of the Twins dugout, the ending to Wednesday night s game might have included a swift response. The worry for the Indians is that Lindor, the team s prized shortstop and one of the biggest pieces to their future, was strolling into the batter s box after Ramirez. Putting Lindor in a position to possibly get a fastball between the ribs isn t ideal. I was worried a little bit when I saw Lindor at the plate, Ramirez said. I m not trying to put anybody at risk. In terms of possible retaliation, Ramirez said he ll take whatever comes. If they hit me, I m going to take it, he said. Francona hopes next time, it ll just be the home run. It s not really what we re looking for, because it was a beautiful swing, Francona said. I d rather talk about that. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: Cleveland Indians' Carlos Carrasco: "In the end, I feel great about this season" Paul Hoynes, Northeast Ohio Media Group CLEVELAND, Ohio Carlos Carrasco's last start of the season ended poorly, but that did not spoil what came before. Carrasco lasted just three innings Wednesday as the Indians lost the first game of a doubleheader to the Twins, 7-1, at Progressive Field. Carrasco allowed five runs on five hits. He faced six batters in the fourth inning and didn't record an out. A bad start to be sure, but not a bad season. Carrasco (14-12, 3.63) set career highs in wins, starts, innings pitched and strikeouts. He came within one pitch of a no-hitter and flirted with another one against Kansas City over the weekend. He gave an indication of what was to come when he came out of the bullpen and joined the rotation in August of 2014 and went 5-3 with 1.30 ERA in 10 starts. Over the winter he underwent a procedure at Cleveland Clinic to correct a rapid heart rate. Before his first start of his season, he signed a four-year, $22 million contract. Carrasco won that start, striking out 10 in a 2-0 victory over Houston. In his second start of the season, Melky Cabrera sent a liner off his chin in the first inning. Seven days later, Carrasco was back on the mound against Cabrera and the White Sox and beat them. It has been quite a ride for Carrasco. "He's been pretty damn good," said manager Terry Francona. "At worst, he's going to be a huge innings eater because he's a big strong kid and he goes deep into the game. And at best, he could probably be one of the best pitchers in the game. That's how I see the low high (for Carlos) and that's good. "We've seen days where he's just about unhittable and he's managed the other things that used to get in the way. He's a pretty damn good major league pitcher is what he is." Carrasco was not happy with the way his season ended, but was pleased his season overall. "Every start I made this year, I learned something from," said Carrasco. "I'm going to take that into the off-season and work hard and get ready for next year." As for the season itself, Carrasco said, "Yes, it is a bit of a surprise. I get hit with the line drive and then there was the heart issue. We just have great guys in the training room and they really helped me get through everything. "In the end, I feel great about this season." Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: Cleveland Indians drop first game, 7-1, to Twins; Carlos Carrasco's season ends with thud Paul Hoynes, Northeast Ohio Media Group CLEVELAND, Ohio This was not the way Carlos Carrasco wanted his season to end.

8 Carrasco, who spent the year proving that he was a front-of-the-rotation starter, was hit hard and driven from the mound early Wednesday as the Twins beat the Indians, 7-1, in the first game of a doubleheader at Progressive Field. Joe Mauer, hitting.500 (8-for-16) against Carrasco, gave the Twins a 1-0 lead with the game only one out old. Mauer hit a 3-2 pitch into the shrubs behind the center field fence for his 10th homer of the season. Carrasco righted himself and retired eight straight, but that was all he had to give. The Twins, still a factor in the wild-card race, put their first six batters on base to start the fourth before manager Terry Francona removed Carrasco. The second game could have started right then because the Indians offered little resistance from that point on. Mauer started with a double to wall in left center. Miguel Sano moved him to third with a single and Trevor Plouffe made it 2-0 with another single. Carrasco walked Eddie Rosario to load the bases and bring Torii Hunter to the plate. Hunter, like Mauer, hits all pitchers in an Indians uniform. He delivered three runs with a double to left to make it 5-0. Hunter has 16 RBI this season and 130 in 210 games against the Indians in his career. Carrasco (14-12, 3.52) set career highs in wins, innings pitched, starts and strikeouts this season. In his last start, he threw a one-hitter and struck out a career-high 15 batters. That version of Carrasco was missing Wednesday. The last time Kyle Gibson faced the Indians he was rocked for six runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings on Sept. 24 at Target Field. He was a different pitcher on Wednesday. Gibson (11-11, 3.84) struck out nine and threw six scoreless innings. He's 2-2 lifetime against the Indians. The Indians manged four hits, two by Jason Kipnis and two by Francisco Lindor. The Indians scored their only run in the seventh. Kipnis, with his third hit of the game, delivered Jerry Sands with a single to right. The Twins added two runs late, both off the bat of rookie Byron Buxton. He singled home a run in the seventh and homered in the ninth. What it means The Indians, who entered the game with a Tragic Number of 2, are They have lost three straight and fell to 6-11 in the season against the Twins. The Twins (82-75) have won four straight. They started the day trailing the Angels for the second wild card by 1½ games. Manager Paul Molitor's team is in September. En fuego Lindor reached base in his first three plate appearances as he singled twice and walked. In his first two at-bats, he singled to right and stole second base. Lindor has 13 steals in 15 attempts. The Tribe's switch-hitting shortstop finished Game 1 leading all MLB rookies with a.322 batting average. He has 119 hits, third most in the AL since he was recalled from Class AAA Columbus on June 14. What's next? The Indians and Twins played Game 2 about a half hour after the last out of the first game. Rookie right-hander Cody Anderson (6-3, 3.31) will face Twins right-hand Mike Pelfrey (6-10, 4.09). SportsTime Ohio, WTAM and WMMS will carry the game. Anderson is 1-0 with a 6.74 ERA in two starts against the Twins. Pelfrey is 1-0 with a 4.02 ERA in two starts against the Tribe. He's 2-1 with a 3.35 ERA in his career. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: Cleveland Indians shut down Michael Brantley for season because of sore shoulder Paul Hoynes, Northeast Ohio Media Group By Paul Hoynes, Northeast Ohio Media Group CLEVELAND, Ohio Left fielder Michael Brantley has played his last game for the Indians this season. Manager Terry Francona said Brantley is being shut down for the final six games of the season because of a sore right shoulder. Francona said Brantley was scheduled to receive a cortisone shot in the shoulder on Wednesday afternoon before the Indians played the Twins in a doubleheader at Progressive Field. "The cortisone shot will effectively shut him down for the season," said Francona. "When the rest period (from the cortisone shot) is over, he'll ramp it back up just to make sure everything is feeling good going into the offseason." Brantley finished this season ranked fourth in the AL with a.310 (164-for-529) batting average and is currently first with 45 doubles. He leads the Indians with 84 RBI and 15 steals in 16 attempts. Brantley posted walked more (60) than he struck out (51) and posted a.859 OPS. The injury took place on Sept. 22 when Brantley dove for a triple by Aaron Hicks in left center at Target Field. He missed four games and returned to the lineup Sunday and Monday before being shut down. Brantley had an MRI on the shoulder Tuesday night and it revealed inflammation. "He has given everything he has," said Francona. "It's the right thing to do now. I think he knows it. I don't think he likes it, but I think he understands it. But from where I sit it's the right thing to do. "I appreciate how much he tried to play. But you also have a responsibility to take care of your guys." Brantley has dealt with back issues since the start of spring training. He received a cortisone shot in his left (throwing) shoulder in August.

9 "I think Brantley has grown by leaps and bounds this year as far as leadership goes," said Francona. "I just think because of all the things he had to face physically this year, he handled himself like a pro and he's getting better." Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: Trevor Bauer to make one last start in 2015 as Cleveland Indians juggle starting rotation Zack Meisel, Northeast Ohio Media Group By Zack Meisel, Northeast Ohio Media Group CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Trevor Bauer has been throwing and throwing and throwing as he waits for an opportunity to pitch. He'll receive that chance on Thursday, when he makes his final start of the 2015 campaign. The Indians shuffled their rotation following Tuesday's rainout. Bauer has pitched once -- on Sept since he was moved to the bullpen when Corey Kluber returned from a three-week bout with a strained hamstring. Bauer will take the hill on Thursday in place of Josh Tomlin, who will pitch Friday. Kluber is slated make his last start of the season on Saturday and Danny Salazar is scheduled to pitch in the Tribe's season finale on Sunday. The final outings for Carlos Carrasco and Cody Anderson will, barring an unforeseen change of plans, be in Wednesday's double header. "We give Tomlin an extra day, which we all think would be good for him," said manager Terry Francona. "We'll put Trevor in [Thursday]. He had thrown some side days and he is in good shape now to pitch. Corey throws on Saturday and then we give Danny an extra two days." Francona said Bauer likely wouldn't face any specific restrictions. "He's been throwing so much," Francona said. "I admit, though, a game is different. We'll use common sense." Bauer is with an 4.71 ERA in 29 starts. Over his last seven starts, he logged a 7.63 ERA, having yielded 35 hits and 21 walks in 30 2/3 innings. He tossed one scoreless inning of relief nearly two weeks ago against the White Sox. Terry Francona on Trevor Bauer's start, reshuffled rotation Manager Terry Francona said Wednesday that Trevor Bauer would come out of the bullpen and start Thursday's game against the Twins. He also announced the Tribe's rotation for the three remaining games in the season after Thursday. "This start won't define his career," Francona said. But I think it will be really good for him." Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: How could Cleveland Indians lack energy against Twins? Hey, Hoynsie Paul Hoynes, October 01, 2015 at 6:05 AM CLEVELAND, Ohio Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him Hey, Hoynsie: I was surprised to read the postgame comments by Jason Kipnis regarding the Indians' lack of energy during their seriesopening loss to the Twins on Monday. How does a team in playoff contention, in the final week of the season, lack energy in a vital game? Doesn't this raise serious questions about the team's character and chemistry? John Eckhardt, Rochester, N.Y. Hey, John: The Indians have been treating every game like a playoff game since the middle of September. I think it's hard to sustain the kind of energy you're talking about every day, especially when the odds of a team making the postseason are long to begin with. The fact that the Indians went in August and are in September speaks well for the chemistry on this club. As for Kipnis, I think he was frustrated and there's nothing wrong with that. He was speaking like a team leader and that's OK, too. Hey, Hoynsie: Since the Tribe's only avenue for improvement this off-season is through trades, what are the possibilities of them trying to acquire Todd Frazier from the Reds or Charlie Blackmon from the Rockies? Jeff Bowers, New Philadelphia. Hey, Jeff: You picked two good players. The question is why would the Reds and Rockies trade them? Frazier can't be a free agent until 2018 and Blackmon won't be eligible for free agency until It would take a lot to get either one of those players, probably more than the Indians would be willing to give. Hey, Hoynsie: Do you think David Freese would be a good fit? Brent Dukate, Toledo. Hey, Brent: I like Freese and watched him have a great postseason as he led St. Louis to a World Series title in He's 32, a free agent this winter, and made $6.43 million this year with the Angels. What the Indians have to determine is do they have a third baseman in rookie Giovanny Urshela or do they have to find someone else? Freese is a solid player, but he's never had a big season. The third base free-agent class is thin this winter so Freese will almost certainly be out of the Indians' reach from a contract standpoint. See where this is going? Hey, Hoynsie: Am I the only one who can see that Jose Ramirez hits better when he's at the top of the lineup than at the bottom? It's too bad that he is only in there because someone is not starting. Keith Conklin, Twinsburg. Hey, Keith: I love seeing Ramirez hit at the top of the order. Unfortunately, the best part of the Tribe's lineup, when everyone is healthy, is the top three hitters in Jason Kipnis, Francisco Lindor and Michael Brantley. Ramirez is hitting.315 (17-for-54) in the No.2 spot and.187 (25-for-134) in the No.9 spot. But sometimes in baseball you have to wait your turn or make a place for yourself somewhere else in the lineup. Hey, Hoynsie: In order to receive quality, you have to offer quality. What is the trade value of Jason Kipnis and Corey Kluber? Joe Monroe, Chagrin Falls.