Anderson sets tone by winning endurance test In advance of battle for rotation spot, righty makes early impression with strength and conditioning

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1 Anderson sets tone by winning endurance test In advance of battle for rotation spot, righty makes early impression with strength and conditioning By Jordan Bastian / February 19th, 2016 GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- It would be understandable to mistake Cody Anderson for a new player in camp with the Indians. It is not just the longer hair that now juts out from underneath his hat, or the stubble that has replaced the clean-shaven look the pitcher sported as a rookie last year. For the second year in a row, Anderson arrived to camp with a transformed physique. Prior to last season, the big right-hander focused on flexibility. Heading into this Spring Training -- during which Anderson will compete for a spot in the starting rotation -- he revamped his nutritional program and shed away some extra weight. Spring Training: Schedule Tickets Complete info "He's remade his body. It's unbelievable," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "What a nice message for not only the guys that are working here, but the other guys that have played with him [in the Minor Leagues].... Now they see him having success in the Major Leagues. It sends a great message." Anderson made a statement on Friday. At the end of Cleveland's first official workout for pitchers and catchers, that group took part in an endurance test. The players lined up on an agility field at the Tribe's spring complex and did a series of timed sprints. They had the option of dropping out when they became too fatigued, or the strength coach could disqualify players for taking too much time on laps. When it was all said and done, Anderson was the last man standing. He jogged across the finish line to cheers from his teammates. "I was not surprised to see he was down there as the last one," Double-A Akron manager Dave Wallace said. "That test is great. It's maybe even more mental than physical, because you've got to dig deep. That's something that's never been a question with Cody." Wallace, who was Anderson's manager for part of the seasons with Akron, was the only non-player to participate in Friday's endurance drill. Wallace was convinced to take part after Chris Antonetti, the Indians' president of baseball operations, picked Wallace to win the event. Francona, his coaches and other front-office members also made picks for the test. Francona's selection was righty Zach McAllister, who finished second in the same test a year ago to former Tribe reliever Nick Hagadone. McAllister dropped out roughly midway through the race. The final handful of competitors included Anderson, pitcher Josh Tomlin, catcher Yan Gomes and catcher Anthony Recker. Wallace also held on, finishing second overall after Tomlin, Gomes and Recker stopped running. "He's a warrior," Anderson said of Wallace. "He was my manager for a couple years, so I couldn't let him win." That said, it looked like Wallace could have kept going. "I did not let Cody win," Wallace said with a grin. "He earned it." Anderson will now try to earn the fifth spot in Cleveland's rotation. The 25-year-old started last season at Double-A, but made a quick ascent to the Majors. He wound up making 15 starts down the stretch for the Indians, going 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA in 91 1/3 innings. That showing has put Anderson in position to compete for the lone vacancy on the starting staff, along with righty Tomlin and lefty TJ House. An emergency appendectomy operation on Dec. 15 slowed Anderson's offseason program, but it also helped him focus on his nutrition while rehabbing and training in Arizona for the past two-plus months. "You don't realize how bad you eat until you really pay attention," Anderson said. "They made us three meals a day out here. It took all the thinking out of it and really gave us a chance to just take our nutrition and our endurance to the next level." The results were evident in camp on Friday. Source: Indians, veteran Uribe agree to deal GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians searched for a possible upgrade for third base throughout the offseason and had been linked to free agent Juan Uribe for much of the past two months. Cleveland has now reeled in its target, adding another veteran to the fold on a short-term deal. The Indians did not confirm the deal, which was first reported by Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. A source confirmed to MLB.com on Friday that the Indians have reached an agreement on a contract with Uribe, pending a physical exam. Due to visa issues, it could still be several days before Uribe arrives to the Tribe's camp to take the physical and complete the signing. Spring Training: Schedule Tickets Complete info "If possible, we might not be done adding players," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "That's probably the best answer to stay with right now. If there's more to report, we certainly will. I know that's floating out there and it's no secret we've had interest in him, but I think there's a respectful way to do it, and you can't just always go on reports. But I don't want to just dismiss it, either." When asked about reaching a deal with Uribe, president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti would only say that Cleveland was still "working on some things." Uribe, who is in line to earn just shy of $5 million per an ESPN.com report, would presumably take over as the Indians' starting third baseman. Giovanny Urshela ended last season as Cleveland's starter at the hot corner, but the young third baseman endured a rough offensive season in 2015 while battling through a variety of health ailments. Urshela hit.225 with six home runs, 21 RBIs and a.608 OPS in 81 games for the Indians last season, though he did play above-average defense. The 24-year-old dealt with a knee injury two offseasons ago, fought a back issue during Spring Training a year ago and then tried to play through a right shoulder problem late in the 2015 season. With Uribe in the fold, Urshela could potentially open the season at Triple-A Columbus, giving Cleveland a chance to further evaluate his offense and plan on a possible midseason promotion. The 37-year-old Uribe has suited up for the Rockies, White Sox, Giants, Dodgers, Braves and Mets over the course of his 15-year career in the big leagues. Last season, he hit.253 with 14 home runs, 43 RBIs and a.737 OPS in 119 games for Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York. Defensively, he turned in one Defensive Run Saved and had a 2.3 UZR/150 in 733 1/3 innings at third base in 2015.

2 Tribe single-game tickets to go on sale Feb. 29 By Jordan Bastian / February 19th, 2016 GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Spring Training is in full swing for the Indians, so the countdown to Opening Day has begun. Soon enough, Tribe fans will be able to plan accordingly for Cleveland's opener and the season ahead. The Indians announced on Friday that single-game tickets, including for Opening Day on April 4, will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. ET on Feb. 29. The Indians have also taken steps to make sure that more tickets will be available for their season opener against the Red Sox at Progressive Field. "We always want to provide the best experience possible for our fans, and last year's public ticket on-sale fell short of that goal," Bob DiBiasio, the Indians' senior vice president of public affairs, said in a release. "After listening to fans' feedback, we enacted a new approach to ensure more tickets are available for the general public on-sale." While more tickets will be made available on Feb. 29, the Indians are encouraging fans to purchase their Opening Day tickets as swiftly as possible when the sale begins. There will be no special access code to acquire tickets. Instead, Tribe fans will have first-come, first-serve access to single-game tickets on indians.com when the sale starts. Opening Day transactions will be limited to one purchase of up to eight tickets. Allen, Shaw can expect more spring innings By Jordan Bastian / February 18th, 2016 GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Given the high volume of relief appearances and innings that closercody Allen and setup man Bryan Shaw have taken on for the Indians, manager Terry Francona has tried to be mindful of their Spring Training workloads. Last year, Cleveland took a very conservative approach to the relievers' preseason program. Francona said things will be a little different this spring. After discussing things with Allen and Shaw, the Indians manager feels they can be smart about their preparation without being slowed down by the team. Allen in particular felt that the way he was used last spring contributed to his slow start once the season began. Spring Training: Schedule Tickets Information "It's our fault," Francona said. "We talked to him a bunch about slowing down at the beginning and, mentally, I don't think he was quite where he wanted to be when the season started. And that's our fault -- my fault. He's now pitched three [full] years in the Major Leagues with pretty heavy use, and he's shown that he can handle it. He's in great shape, so we just said, 'Hey, help us get you ready.' "It's hard for him to dial back the intensity and still feel like he's getting something out of it, which I understand. We just told him, we said, 'Hey, we'll listen to you a lot.'" Last spring, Allen logged seven Cactus League innings, which was not too far from how he had been handled in 2014 (seven innings) or '13 (8 1/3 innings). The difference last year was that the Indians closely monitored Allen's work between Cactus League games and had him log some innings in low-stress, simulated environments. Cleveland took the same approach with Shaw a year ago, too. Allen began the year with an ERA in his first eight outings, and Shaw turned in a 5.06 ERA in his first 10 appearances. After those early hiccups, Allen (2.02 ERA in his next 62 games) and Shaw (2.76 in his next 64 games) settled in and produced more typical numbers. Over the seasons, Shaw and Allen ranked first and second, respectively, in the Majors with 224 and 223 appearances. In terms of relief innings, Shaw ranked third (214 1/3) and Allen seventh (209 1/3) in the Majors during that same time period. Given how much they have been used, Francona has tried to guard against asking the pitchers to take on too much, too early. Francona said talking things over with the pitchers, and seeing the kind of shape they reported to camp in this spring, has helped ease some of his concerns. "Shaw's in very good shape," Francona said. "This is probably the best we've seen him. I told him I was thrilled, because he has pitched a lot and I worry, because I care about him and I want him to pitch for as long as he wants. The load he's shouldered, to see him in shape like this really makes me happy. "And the guys that see him throwing say he's throwing the ball really well, so I'm really happy about that." Rehabs for Hunter, Stammen to last into season GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians added relievers Tommy Hunter and Craig Stammen to the Spring Training mix with the knowledge that neither pitcher is likely to be ready come Opening Day. It is expected that their respective comebacks from surgery will linger into the regular season. Hunter, who signed a one-year pact worth $2 million, is still recovering from a pair of offseason procedures to repair a core muscle injury sustained last year with the Cubs. Stammen -- in camp as a non-roster invitee -- needed surgery to repair torn flexor tendons in his right forearm after logging five appearances for the Nationals last April. "We have Craig, who's probably not ready to start the season on time," Indians manager Terry Francona said on Thursday. "And we told him that we need to monitor him, because he has a career, not just a year. And he understands it and I think completely buys into it. And then you have Hunter probably behind him a little bit. Spring Training: Schedule Tickets Information "You've got two Major League pitchers that can help our bullpen. So that, as far as depth goes and being ready at different times, it'll really add something to our bullpen." Currently, Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Zach McAllister and Jeff Manship appear to be the only virtual locks for the bullpen. Cleveland is also looking at lefties Kyle Crockett (40-man roster), Giovanni Soto (40-man), Joe Thatcher (non-roster), Tom Gorzelanny (non-roster) and Ross Detwiler (non-roster), as well as righties Shawn Armstrong (40-man), Austin Adams (40-man), Dan Otero (40-man) and Joba Chamberlain (non-roster), among others. Allen, Shaw can expect more spring innings Other items of note from Thursday:

3 Minor League catcher Tony Wolters, who was designated for assignment on Friday in order to clear a spot for Hunter on the Tribe's 40-man roster, was claimed off waivers by the Rockies. Francona played a key role in Cleveland's decision to convert Wolters from a middle infielder into a catcher in "It was surprising how quickly he took to it," Francona said. "He really took to it well. I think we thought he would, because of his makeup and things like that. He's a left-handed-hitting catcher, so there's a reason we wanted him to do it. But, things happen and changes are made, or players come in. I think we're all glad he's going to get another chance." Outfielder Michael Brantley took a day off from swinging a bat on Thursday, but continues to progress well in his comeback from November surgery on his right shoulder. Said Francona: "He's doing really well, which is not a surprise.... I hate to say he's ahead of schedule, because I don't think that's fair to him. He's got a lot of hurdles." Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti and Francona held their individual meetings with the team's pitchers and catchers on Thursday, addressing goals and expectations for the spring and regular season. Francona said it was "probably the best set of one-on-ones we've had since I've been here." Indians cheer news about Aviles' daughter By Jordan Bastian / February 18th, 2016 GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The news that surfaced at Tigers' camp in Florida on Thursday morning already had reached the ears of many Cleveland players weeks ago. Adriana Aviles, the young daughter of former Indians infielder Mike Aviles, is cancer-free. Throughout last season, when Adriana battled leukemia, the Indians rallied around Aviles and his family, showing public support and behind the scenes. Aviles now plays for Detroit and revealed to reporters on Thursday that his daughter underwent a bone-marrow transplant in December and is doing well in her recovery. Aviles' daughter cancer-free after transplant Indians manager Terry Francona heard the news over the offseason. "I actually cried a little bit. Maybe I'm getting old -- I don't know," Francona said on Thursday. "It hit me hard, but good. I was really thrilled." Closer Cody Allen, catcher Yan Gomes and pitcher Corey Kluber said they learned the news well before Thursday's development in Lakeland, Fla. Each of their wives had maintained contact with Aviles' wife over the winter to keep up with how Adriana and the whole family was doing. Told that Aviles had shared the news on Thursday, Allen smiled. "It's awesome," Allen said. "He handled it better than anybody ever could've expected. I can't imagine what he was going through with his family and to still be at the ballpark and perform the way he did, and being the teammate he is. And then, when we all heard that she was cancer-free, and her levels were good enough to do the transplant, that they had found a match and the marrow took, we were all just really, really relieved and extremely happy for Mike and his family." Gomes, who has a young daughter of his own, said Adriana's twin sister, Maya, often would stay with his family when Aviles and his wife needed to take Adriana to chemotherapy last year. "Whenever she came around, they were still just so happy, just being kids," Gomes said. "They always have huge smiles on their faces. That was one of the biggest things to take out of it. Throughout the tough times for them, cancer and everything, they still kept a smile on their faces. I think that plays a huge part in having hope and faith." Last season, all of Aviles' teammates in Cleveland shaved their heads in support of Adriana, and members of the coaching staff and front office joined in, too. Aviles even shaved the head of Paul Dolan, the Indians' owner, before a game last summer. The team also staged a group photo, in which each person wore a bright orange shirt that read "Team Adriana" across the chest. On Aug. 13 last season, Adriana and Maya also provided one of the moments of the year for the Tribe, throwing out a ceremonial first pitch before a game against the Yankees in Cleveland. "That was probably the most public moment," Kluber said. "But I think that there were numerous ones throughout the year [that stood out]. Whether it be the wives helping out or us talking to Mike and trying to be there for him. It really did show how closeknit the group is and that it really hit everybody and affected everybody. I think it was one of those things that, probably in an unfortunate way, helped pull everybody closer together." Jordan Bastian is a rep Indians sign third baseman Juan Uribe to one-year deal pending physical Ryan Lewis The Indians on Friday signed veteran third baseman Juan Uribe to a one-year, $5 million deal, including incentives, according to multiple media reports. The deal, which is pending a physical, has not yet been made official by the club. Uribe, who turns 37 in March, provides the Indians with a veteran option in addition to Giovanny Urshela, and will act as the primary third baseman this season. Last season Uribe hit.253 with a.320 on-base percentage, 14 home runs and 43 RBI in 119 games between the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. He had a 1.9 WAR (wins above replacement) in 2015, according to FanGraphs, after amassing a 3.6 WAR with the Dodgers in While Uribe and Urshela are both quality third basemen defensively, Uribe certainly has more of a track record offensively and brings a veteran presence. The Indians had been tied to Uribe for several weeks. It was reported by ESPN that Uribe was originally dissatisfied with the Indians offer of about $3 million. Uribe was also rumored to be negotiating with San Francisco this winter, among other teams. The question now becomes what the Indians do with Urshela. The most likely option is that Urshela will be sent down to Triple-A so he can continue to receive regular at-bats.

4 The Indians do have options in terms of roster construction. For instance, Jose Ramirez s name previously has been mentioned as an option in the outfield in a backup role. That could still hold true, and if Ramirez were to be tested in the outfield this spring and responded well, it could allow Urshela to split some time with Uribe at third base. The Indians started to experiment with some of these options last season. When discussing Urshela, it has at times sounded as if the Indians have been caught between two trains of thought. The first is that they couldn t properly evaluate Urshela last season, so he should get some benefit of the doubt. He s still only 24 years old, it was his rookie year and he dealt with back and shoulder issues nearly the entire time he was in Cleveland. On the other hand, the Indians perhaps didn t want to automatically hand the everyday job and its expected pressures to Urshela just yet. Uribe reportedly has been having visa issues in the Dominican Republic and could be delayed several days. Indians pitchers and catchers reported to camp on Wednesday, with everyone else on the roster reporting to camp this Sunday. Team Adriana Former Indians and current Detroit Tigers utility man Mike Aviles told reporters this week that his daughter, Adriana, received a bone-marrow transplant in December and is now cancer-free. Adriana, now 5 years old, was diagnosed with leukemia in May. Indians players began shaving their heads in support of Adriana s fight. It included the coaching staff, then the front office and finally owner Paul Dolan, who was shaved by Aviles himself in the Indians dugout. The Indians also had Team Adriana T-shirts, and she threw out the first pitch at a game later in the season. Once Adriana is cleared to fly, she will join Aviles at the Tigers spring training complex in Lakeland, Fla. Aviles signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Tigers this offseason. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: Team Adriana gets a victory against disease; Indians single-game tickets to go on sale Feb. 29 RYAN LEWIS Some excellent news came out of Florida right at the beginning of this year's spring training. Former Indians utility man Mike Aviles told Detroit reporters that his daughter, Adriana, received a bone-marrow transplant in December and is now cancer-free. Adriana, now five-years-old, was diagnosed with Leukemia last May. Indians players began shaving their heads in support of Adriana s fight. Then it included the coaching staff, then the front office and finally owner Paul Dolan, who was shaved by Aviles himself in the Indians dugout. The Indians also had Team Adriana T-shirts, and she threw out the first pitch at a game later in the season. Once Adriana is cleared to fly, she will join Aviles in Lakeland, Fla. For now, it s good news all around. Aviles signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Tigers this offseason. Tickets available The Indians announced on Friday that single-game tickets will go on sale to the public on Feb. 29 at 10 a.m. That includes tickets for Opening Day on April 4 against the Boston Red Sox. The Indians are making more tickets available to the public at this earlier date than last season. We always want to provide the best experience possible for our fans, and last year s public ticket on-sale fell short of that goal, said Indians Senior VP of Public Affairs Bob DiBiasio in a release. After listening to fans feedback, we enacted a new approach to ensure more tickets are available for the general public on-sale. The team is still encouraging fans to get their Opening Day tickets early that morning. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: Terry Francona likes Cleveland Indians' catchers, but needs them to stay healthy Paul Hoynes CLEVELAND, Ohio Manager Terry Francona told reporters in Goodyear, Arizona Friday after the first day or workouts that he feels good about the Indians' catching situation with Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez. Gomes finished third in Friday's endurance test for pitchers and catchers and Perez reported 20 pounds lighter than last year. Now they just have to stay healthy. That was not the case last year when Gomes, coming off a strong 2014 in which he won the Silver Slugger award for American League catchers, suffered a knee injury in early April and missed six weeks. When Gomes returned, he had a tough time finding his swing, hitting.231 (84-for-363) with 12 homers and 45 RBI. "You never know when a guy comes back (from injury) how he's going to do," said Francona. "There's no way to have a crystal ball. "We've seen where guys get off to a great start and hardly had any spring training. We've also seen where guys miss time early and they seem to miss something. They miss that chance to get those at-bats and get in a groove." Such was the case with Gomes. "You could tell the whole year it just wasn't quite the same (for him)," said Francona. "I fall back on that's what good players do. They try to come back and play and we appreciate it. We knew his numbers were going to suffer a little bit because of it." Tribe catcher Yan Gomes' knee injury revisited

5 New teammate Rajai Davis is the player who injured Gomes, sliding into his right heel while scoring a run for the Detroit Tigers on April 12. Gomes was out until May 23. Perez replaced Gomes and didn't play well early, but got better. "When he started to catch every day, we weren't playing very well," said Francona. "I think he had a couple of minutes of saying, 'Oh, oh.' But to his credit he kept at it and really did a pretty good job. "We're fortunate to have those two guys. In a lot of scenarios, Roberto is a front-line catcher and there's no doubt in my mind that some day somewhere he'll be an everyday catcher. But right now he needs to back up Gomer." But Perez's role comes with an asterisk. Roberto Perez draws interest from Atlanta "We need him to treat spring training like he's the everyday guy," said Francona. "One, this is spring training and things happen. Two, it's best for his development. We're going to involve him more in scouting when he's not playing so we don't hurt his development." Perez hit.228 (42-for-184) with seven homers and 21 RBI last season. He posted a.751 OPS. The Tribe's two catchers controlled the running game. Perez threw out 39 percent (16-41) of the runners to challenge him to lead all big league catchers who faced at least 40 stolen-base attempts. Gomes threw out 31.6 percent (18-57) of the runners he faced. Run, Cody, run: Right-hander Cody Anderson won the endurance test Friday for pitchers and catchers. Anderson has revamped his body for the second year in a row and the results showed. The surprise second-place finisher was Dave Wallace, Akron's Class AA manager. "I guess that says a lot about Wally, but I did not want him to win," said Francona. "It would have cost me a lot of money." The coaches were betting on players and Francona had Zach McAllister, who had a good showing last year. McAllister did not finish in the money. "He said if he won he won he wouldn't have to make a road trip this spring," said Francona. "He doesn't have to worry about that now." Finally: Position players are scheduled to report Sunday. The first full-squad workout is Tuesday. Why the Cleveland Indians' signing of Juan Uribe makes (temporary) sense Zack Meisel CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When a team has holes on its roster, has limited funds and doesn't want to part with prospects, it ends up with a 37-yearold Opening Day third baseman. And, really, Juan Uribe isn't a poor fit for the Indians. Not yet, at least. With no way to know what Giovanny Urshela can provide with his bat -- and with the Indians hesitant to find that out in April and May, when they will likely be without Michael Brantley -- Uribe offers somewhat of a safety net. Maybe he'll flame out by midseason, a la Mark Reynolds. Maybe he'll be part of a mass exodus of underperforming veterans in July, a la Brandon Moss, Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher. Or, maybe he'll force Urshela to truly earn playing time at the hot corner, rather than fall into it because Lonnie Chisenhall needed a change of scenery. Though Uribe will turn 37 two weeks before Opening Day, even at that heightened age -- he played with Larry Walker, Ron Gant, Denny Neagle and Sal Fasano, for goodness sake -- he might be a better alternative than anyone else in-house. The Indians could have landed Todd Frazier, but they scoffed at Cincinnati's asking price. Instead, Frazier relocated to a different American League Central team, the White Sox. How much of an upgrade would Frazier have been over Uribe? Over the last three years: Uribe:.281/.329/.432 slash line, 114 OPS+, 10.5 WAR Frazier:.255/.320/.457 slash line, 113 OPS+, 12.2 WAR Granted, Frazier has logged 700 more plate appearances during that stretch and has socked 48 more home runs. There are reasons he has played more, even though their rates of production have been similar. Uribe will be a one-year stopgap, at most, which follows the front office's recent operating trend. With this ownership, the Indians are never going to hand out a sizable contract to a free agent. Uribe, Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis will combine to earn base salaries of about $17 million in All figure to be one-year Band-Aids. Many have asked why the team doesn't simply pool that $17 million and funnel it toward one imposing slugger. If a hitter would take that sum for one or two years, it might work. That's rarely the case, though, and the Indians aren't in the business of offering five- or six-year commitments. For what its worth, Uribe has made a name for himself as a valuable clubhouse presence (and, on an unrelated note, he is not a football fan). Defensive metrics rated Uribe highly at third base in 2013 and '14. He totaled 32 defensive runs saved, with a high zone rating, during those two years, per FanGraphs. Last year, he checked in with an average rating.

6 Defense is the one area in which the Indians have no qualms regarding Urshela. For now, the 24-year-old will likely have to hone his offensive ability at Triple-A. He posted a.225/.279/.330 clip with the Tribe last year. This off-season, the Indians added a 34-year-old first baseman, a 35-year-old left fielder and a 37-year-old third baseman to an offense that escaped from misery only after the club dealt away its aging veterans last summer. Will it work this time around? Time will tell. Handing Uribe $4-5 million isn't really a high-risk maneuver, though. The Indians are just in a position in which they have more confidence in a stocky, soon-to-be-37-year-old than any of their other third-base options. Cleveland Indians reach agreement with Juan Uribe pending physical Paul Hoynes CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have finally reached agreement with Juan Uribe, but it might take a while for him to actually walk onto the team's spring-training grounds in Goodyear, Ariz. Not only is the one-year estimated $5 million deal contingent on Uribe passing a physical, he's also experiencing visa problems in the Dominican Republic and is expected to be delayed several days. The Indians would not confirm the deal. After the team's first workout of spring training on Friday, manager Terry Francona said, "It's possible we might not be done adding players. To be respectful to the situation that's probably the best answer to go with right now. "I know it's floating out there. It's no secret we've been interested in him. I think there's a respectful way to do it and you can't just always go on reports. I don't want to dismiss it either." Uribe, 37 on March 22, played for the Dodgers, Atlanta and the Mets last year. The Indians have been talking to the veteran infielder for the last few months trying to get a deal done. Last year Uribe hit.253 (91-for-360) with 14 homers and 43 RBI in 119 games. He hit.272 (25-for-92) against lefties and.246 (66-for-268) against. righties. The right-handed hitting Uribe split his homers evenly between lefties and righties. If Uribe passes his physical, things do not bode well for Giovanny Urshela, who played third base for the Indians for much of last year. Urshela, a rookie last year, played great defense, but didn't hit. Uribe's arrival gives manager Terry Francona the option of using him and switch-hitting Jose Ramirez at third while Urshela goes to Class AAA Columbus. Indians still pursuing Juan Uribe Uribe played 92 games at third last year, but has not come close to playing a full season in the big leagues since Unless there's some kind of injury during spring training, it's hard to imagine Uribe and Urshela opening the season in Cleveland. Urshela hit.225 (60-for-267) with six homers and 21 RBI last year in 81 games with the Indians. Shortstop Francisco Lindor and Urshela stabilized the left side of the infield once they arrived from Columbus in June. Uribe made his big league debut with Colorado in He has since played for the White Sox, Giants, Dodgers, Braves and Mets. The Mets acquired him for the stretch drive last season and he hit.219 (28-for-128) with nine doubles, six homers and 20 RBI in 44 games as they won the NL East and went to the World Series. Craig Stammen, Tommy Hunter won't open season on time: Cleveland Indians morning briefing Paul Hoynes CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Manager Terry Francona told reporters Thursday that newly-acquired relievers Tommy Hunter and Craig Stammen will not be ready to start the regular season because they're still recovering from surgery. When the Indians signed Hunter on Feb. 19, the Indians announced that he would not be ready for opening day because of a surgery to repair a core muscle injury. Stammen, who signed a minor-league deal with the Tribe, underwent surgery last year with Washington for a torn flexor tendon in his right forearm. "Craig probably won't be ready to start the season on time," said Francona on Thursday at Goodyear, Ariz. "We told him that we need to monitor him because he has a career not just a year. He understands that. "Then you have Hunter who is probably behind him. We've got two major league pitchers who can help our bullpen. As far as depth goes, it will really add something to our bullpen." Stammen, who pitched at the University of Dayton, made only five appearances last year for the Nationals before undergoing surgery. Before that he pitched 72 or more innings per season from 2012 through Hunter started last season with Baltimore before being traded to the Cubs. He went 1-2 with one save and a 4.18 ERA in 58 appearances. "These guys have had success in the major leagues," said Francona. "Our challenge will be not to rush. These are two guys who are really going to help our ballclub, it just might not be on opening day." Regarding Joba Chamberlain, another veteran reliever in camp on a minor league deal, Francona said, "Joba had a pretty good off-season. He wants to be successful again. I hope it's here. His head is in the right place. His heart is in the right place."

7 Brantley update: Francona said he's encouraged by the progress left fielder Michael Brantley has made since undergoing surgery on his right shoulder in November. Brantley took some practice swings on Wednesday to test the shoulder. "I hate to say he's ahead of schedule because that's not fair to him," said Francona. "He's got a lot of hurdles to clear. Next week he graduates to the next level, but he's doing really well." Francona said that everything Brantley is doing in his rehab has been OK'd by the medical staff. "That's because of the progress he's made," said Francona. "So I don't want to slow him down." Off the leash: Last spring the Indians eased the workload on closer Cody Allen and set-up man Bryan Shaw because of the amount of appearances they'd made in the two previous years. That strategy has changed. "With Cody we talked to him a bunch about slowing down (at the start of camp last year)," said Francona. "I don't think he was a quite ready mentally when the season started. "He's now pitched three years in the big leagues with pretty heavy use. We said, 'Help us get you ready.' It's hard for him to dial back the intensity and still feel he's getting something out of it." Francona said they'll take the same approach with Shaw. "Shaw is in very good shape... probably they best we've seen him," said Francona. "I told him I was thrilled because he's pitched a lot and I worry about him.... For the load he's carried, to see him in this kind of shape, really makes me happy." Shaw has made 224 appearances, the most in the big leagues, since Allen has made 223 in the same span. Adios: Converted catcher Tony Wolters, who was designated for assignment last week, was claimed on waivers by Colorado on Thursday. The Indians selected Wolters in the third round of the 2010 draft out Rancho Buena Vista High School in California as an infielder. The Indians moved him to catcher in 2013, a position he took to quickly. The Indians designated him for assignment on Feb. 19 when they signed Hunter. "You always like to keep your guys," said Francona, "but being fair... the kid has been everything you've asked him to be as a person and a teammate so for him to get claimed is a good for him. It gives him a fresh chance to go start. That's ultimately much more important than trying to slide a guy through waivers." It's no surprise Wolters, 23, was claimed. He's a left-handed hitting catcher who can also play the infield. "He took to catching surprisingly well," said Francona. The Indians gave Wolters a $1.35 million signing bonus out of high school. What's your name again? Francona and Chris Antonetti, president of baseball operations, held their individual meetings with pitchers and catchers Thursday. "It was probably the best set on one-on-one meetings we've had since I've been here," said Francona. "The pitchers and catchers were outstanding. You can see the confidence when you talk to them." Coaches Mickey Callaway was in the meetings for pitchers and Sandy Alomar contributed to the meetings with catchers. Assistant GM Derek Falvey and Class AAA manager Chris Tremie also took part in some of the meetings. Finally: Francona said left-hander Joe Thatcher, who had ankle surgery during the off-season, will have his running program monitored, but it shouldn't alter his throwing sessions. Thacher is in camp on a minor league deal. What will new Cleveland Indians Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis contribute this season? Zack Meisel CLEVELAND, Ohio -- No, the Indians didn't drop a few pillowcases filled with cash on the doorstep of Justin Upton or Yoenis Cespedes or Jason Heyward this winter. The premier free agents never had to consider the notion of taking up residency on Lake Erie's shores. Instead, the Indians' offseason moving and shaking -- or, perhaps more appropriately, their wiggling and twitching -- came in the form of oneyear commitments to veteran position players Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis. Napoli is expected to start at first base on a regular basis. Davis heads a long list of outfield candidates who could earn playing time, especially with Michael Brantley on the mend following November shoulder surgery. What should we expect from the two newcomers in 2016? Napoli, 34, was one of three finalists for the American League Gold Glove Award for first base last season. His arrival pushes Carlos Santana to the role of designated hitter or some other yet-to-be-identified position on the diamond. In all, Napoli batted.224 with a.324 on-base percentage and a.734 OPS in 133 games in He hit 18 home runs and tallied 50 RBI. He fared much better following a relocation to the Texas Rangers in the second half of the season. In 35 games with the Rangers, he posted a.295/.396/.513 slash line. During his career, he owns a.917 OPS against left-handed pitchers and an.804 OPS against righties. Davis started last year by colliding with Yan Gomes at the plate during the Tigers' early-april series in Cleveland. Gomes was sidelined for six weeks with a knee injury.

8 Davis, 35, appeared in 112 contests with Detroit last season. He logged a.258/.306/.440 slash line, with 11 triples, eight home runs and 18 stolen bases. Since 2008, he has averaged 122 games and 37 steals per year. He has hit much better against lefties (.296/.351/.448 clip) than righties (.255/.298/.356) during his career. In the video above, Zack Meisel and Paul Hoynes delve into the two signings and discuss how the two veterans will contribute for the Indians this season. How much will they -- and can they -- play? Did the Indians' front office do enough to fortify Terry Francona's lineup? Who will win the fifth spot in the Cleveland Indians' rotation? Zack Meisel, cleveland.com By Zack Meisel, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In theory, it's pretty simple. There's one spot up for grabs in the Indians' rotation. Josh Tomlin and Cody Anderson are the leading contenders among a cast of candidates that also might include TJ House and Mike Clevinger. Now, things don't always work out smoothly in spring training. Last year at this time, the Indians had granted Gavin Floyd a rotation spot and Danny Salazar seemed like a shoe-in for one of the five gigs. Instead, Floyd needed elbow surgery and Salazar needed a trip to Triple-A. House and Zach McAllister began the season in the rotation. They combined to make five starts before they were relegated elsewhere. Big league jobs are temporary. So, the person who claims the fifth spot in the rotation at the end of March might not be the No. 5 starter come September. Last year, the fifth spot in the Indians' rotation was a revolving door of ineptitude until Anderson and Tomlin arrived during the summer. Anderson posted a 7-3 record and a 3.05 ERA in 15 starts. He logged a 0.89 ERA over his first four starts, a 9.00 ERA over his next five outings and a 1.38 ERA during six September starts. He was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for September. Following his freshman year at Feather River College, he had been drafted in the 17th round by the Tampa Bay Rays. His parents and sisters all offered the same reaction. "What the hell?" Tomlin went 7-2 with a 3.02 ERA across 10 starts. He underwent a shoulder operation last spring, a little more than a year after he returned from Tommy John surgery. When he returned, he compiled better numbers than he had at any point during his big league career. Tomlin limited the opposition to a.195 batting average last season. House is fully recovered from a shoulder injury that marred a forgettable 2015 campaign. He posted a ERA in four starts with the Tribe last April. Clevinger registered a pair of scoreless outings for Triple-A Columbus during the International League playoffs. In the video above, Zack Meisel and Paul Hoynes survey the Indians' options for the fifth spot in the rotation and whether Trevor Bauer will take the next step in The Indians have four off-days in April, so they might not need to rely heavily upon a fifth starter in the early going. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: Juan Uribe, Indians agree to 1-year contract By HAYDEN GROVE (Associated Press)14 hours agoap - Sports GOODYEAR, Arizona (AP) -- The Indians have shifted their infield already. Even before Cleveland held its first full-squad workout of spring training, the Indians have changed plans for 2016 by agreeing to a one-year contract with veteran infield Juan Uribe. The 36-year-old Uribe will likely begin the season as the Indians' starting third baseman, moving in front of Giovanny Urshela, who started 76 games as a rookie at third. Uribe's deal, which is worth just under $5 million, won't be finalized until he returns to the United States after resolving issues with his visa. Uribe also has to pass a physical before signing his contract. It could be several more days before Uribe joins the Indians. A.256 career hitter, Uribe played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and New York Mets last season, batting.253 with 14 home runs in 119 games. During his 15-year career, Uribe has also played for Colorado, the Chicago White Soxand San Francisco. He has 192 career home runs and 791 RBIs. Uribe played in one game for the Mets in the 2015 World Series, hitting an RBI single in his lone at-bat. His addition means Urshela will start the year either in Triple-A Columbus or will play behind Uribe with the Indians. Last season, the Indians used several players at third base, but Urshela started at the positon more so than any other player, hitting.225 with 6 homers and 21 RBIs. The 24-year-old did a nice job defensively, making six errors in 192 total chances. Indians manager Terry Francona said he was aware of the rumors surrounding Uribe, but wouldn't comment specifically on what he could bring to the team. Team president Chris Antonetti did not offer much on Uribe other than to say the team was still working through negotiations.