Indians sign reliever Hunter to 1-year Tommy Hunter Cody Allen Bryan Shaw Zach McAllister Jeff Manship Tony Wolters

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1 Indians sign reliever Hunter to 1-year deal By Jordan Bastian / February 12th, 2016 CLEVELAND -- The Indians already stood to have a tight bullpen race this spring. Cleveland just made the competition for relief jobs a little more interesting with the signing of right-hander Tommy Hunter to a one-year contract. The Indians officially added Hunter to the fold on Friday, effectively eliminating one of the vacancies in the Tribe's bullpen. As things stand right now, Hunter joins closer Cody Allen, setup men Bryan Shaw and Zach McAllister, and righty Jeff Manship on the list of virtual locks for the Indians' relief corps. Hunter, whose deal is worth $2 million, is currently rehabbing from core-muscle surgery he underwent earlier this offseason. The Indians designated catcher Tony Wolters for assignment to clear a spot on the roster for Hunter's arrival. That would leave two or three jobs up for grabs, depending on whether manager Terry Francona heads into the regular season with a seven- or eight-man bullpen. The number of pitchers in the mix for those few openings is in double digits, which includes a handful of intriguing non-roster invitees this spring. Francona's options for left-handed relief includes Kyle Crockett (40-man roster), Giovanni Soto (40-man roster), Ross Detwiler (nonroster), Tom Gorzelanny (non-roster) and Joe Thatcher (non-roster). Right-handers on the 40-man roster include Austin Adams, Shawn Armstrong and Dan Otero (purchased from the Phillies this offseason), while Joba Chamberlain and Joe Colon will be in the fold as nonroster invitees. Hunter, 29, split his time with the Orioles and Cubs last season, posting a 4.18 ERA in 58 appearances. The righty struck out 47, walked 14 and turned in a 1.24 WHIP in 60 1/3 innings. Hunter has played for the Rangers as well as the Orioles and Cubs over the course of his eight seasons in the Majors, turning in a 4.31 ERA in 284 career appearances, including a 3.28 career ERA as a reliever. Over the seasons, Hunter worked exclusively as a reliever, logging a 3.26 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP and a 4.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 207 1/3 innings. He has been more effective against righties (.679 opponents' OPS in his career) than lefties (.821), and he has seen a spike in velocity since moving to the bullpen. Last year, Hunter's four-seam fastball averaged 97.4 miles per hour, according to PITCHf/x data culled by brooksbaseball.net. Indians bringing top prospects to camp By Jordan Bastian / February 12th, 2016 CLEVELAND -- When Cody Anderson took the mound for the first time last season, he stood on the pitching rubber at Canal Park in Akron, Ohio. Progressive Field was only 40 miles away, but the big leagues probably felt a lot more distant than that for the young pitcher. By June, Anderson was in the Majors, logging quality innings for Cleveland and helping the team claw back into the playoff race until the final week of the season. As the Indians plan for 2016, there are a handful of prospects worth monitoring down on the farm. Anderson showed that even an under-the-radar prospect can make an impact earlier than anticipated. Spring Training previews: Indians on the rebound Offseason additions Who might be in a position to be this season's Cody Anderson? "We have a kid named Clevinger, who's in Triple-A, who really had a heck of a year," Indians manager Terry Francona said recently. "And we got hit on him all winter. Teams wanted to trade for him every other day, it seemed like." That would be right-hander Mike Clevinger, who is an intriguing pitching prospect for the Tribe. As MLB.com continues its look at various aspects of the roster in the days leading up to Spring Training, here are some prospects, along with Clevinger, who are worth keeping an eye on this season for Cleveland: RHP Shawn Armstrong: Armstrong (rated as the Tribe's 27th-best prospect by MLB.com last year) got a taste of The Show in 2015, turning in a 2.25 ERA with 11 strikeouts in eight innings with the Indians. The hard-throwing righty had 80 strikeouts and a 2.36 ERA in 49 2/3 innings at Triple-A Columbus last season, and he will be vying for a bullpen job with Cleveland this spring. 1B Bobby Bradley: The 19-year-old Bradley is still a few years away from the Majors, but he is Cleveland's top power-hitting prospect in the farm system. The young slugger belted 27 homers and had 92 RBIs in 110 games between Class A Lake County and Class A Advanced Lynchburg last season. MLB.com ranked Bradley fourth among first base prospects and 93rd overall on its recent Top 100 prospects list. RHP Clevinger: Acquired from the Angels in exchange for reliever Vinnie Pestano in August 2014, Clevinger enjoyed a solid showing in '15. The righty was two seasons removed from Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow and responded with a 2.73 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 158 innings at Double-A Akron. Clevinger was ranked No. 15 on Cleveland's Top 30 prospects by MLB.com last year. OF Clint Frazier: MLB.com pegged the 21-year-old Frazier as the seventh-best outfield prospect and 27th-best prospect overall in Last year, he hit.285 with 16 homers, 36 doubles, 72 RBIs, 88 runs and 15 steals in 133 games with Lynchburg. Frazier was the Indians' top pick (fifth overall) in the 2013 MLB Draft. OF Tyler Naquin: The 24-year-old -- along with fellow outfielder and 2012 first-round drafteejames Ramsey -- is on the 40-man roster and will be in camp with the Indians this spring. Naquin (No. 5 on Cleveland's Top 30 list last year) might have a leg up on competing for a roster spot. Last year, Naquin hit.300 with 33 extra-base hits in 84 games during an injury-plagued 2015 showing with Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus. RHP Adam Plutko: Ranked as Cleveland's 14th-best prospect last year, Plutko went 13-7 with a 2.39 ERA, 137 strikeouts and 28 walks in 166 innings between Lynchburg and Akron last season. The 24-year-old Plutko -- picked in the 11th round of the 2013 Draft -- will be in camp as a non-roster invitee this spring and, like Clevinger, is a starter who could be rising fast. OF Brad Zimmer: With shortstop Francisco Lindor now in the Majors, the 23-year-old Zimmer is Cleveland's consensus No. 1 prospect. He was ranked 26th on MLB.com's recent Top 100 list and sixth among outfield prospects. Zimmer (a first-round pick in 2014) hit.273 with 16 homers, 26 doubles, four triples, 63 RBIs, 44 steals and 84 runs scored between Lynchburg and Akron in '15. Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Major League Bastian, follow him on and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

2 Catcher Quiroz inks Minors deal with Indians By Jordan Bastian / February 12th, 2016 CLEVELAND -- With a wealth of pitchers set to be in camp this spring, the Indians added another layer of catching depth to help handle the workload. On Friday, Cleveland signed veteran catcher Guillermo Quiroz to a Minor League contract, which includes an invitation to attend Spring Training with the big league club. Quiroz gives the Tribe five catchers for camp, joining starter Yan Gomes, backup Roberto Perez, and nonroster invitees Adam Moore and Anthony Recker. Quiroz, 34, has spent time with the Blue Jays, Mariners, Rangers, Orioles, Red Sox and Giants over his 10-year big league career. The catcher last appeared in the Majors in 2014 and has 148 career big league games under his belt. In that span, Quiroz has hit.199 with a.533 OPS, while posting a 26-percent caught-stealing rate. Signed as Minor League depth, Quiroz hit.247 in 27 games for Triple-A Sacramento in San Francisco's farm system last season. Complementary pieces strengthen Tribe's core CLEVELAND -- Up and down the American League Central, the Indians' rivals made blockbuster moves this offseason. Cleveland added a handful of complementary pieces, putting more stock in keeping its core together than doing anything dramatic on the winter stage. "A lot of times, whoever wins the winter doesn't necessarily win in the season," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "It looks to me like the American League is good, not just our division." In the days leading up to the start of Spring Training, which will be under way for the Indians when pitchers and catchers report Feb. 17, MLB.com is examining various aspects of each roster. In the second installment of this multi-part series, new additions will be in the spotlight. Cleveland's biggest offseason acquisitions were first baseman Mike Napoli and outfielderrajai Davis, each of whom signed a one-year contract. Beyond those two signings, the Indians focused on building up depth for its bullpen and also in the outfield, especially considering left fielder Michael Brantley (right shoulder surgery) could miss a portion of the first two months. Spring Training Information "Trying to find right-handed power is hard," Francona said of Napoli. "He fit a profile that we were looking for: He can hit the ball out of the ballpark, right-handed, really improved defensively, good team guy, good teammate, been on a winner. And then, Rajai Davis is a guy that I kind of teased him and told him I hated him, because he was such a thorn in our side. He has the ability to play every day, but doesn't have to play every day to still be good. That's a really helpful player for us." Here is a glance at the Tribe's notable offseason additions: OF Joey Butler: Butler is best known among Indians fans for breaking up Carlos Carrasco's no-hit bid with two outs in the ninth inning July 1 in St. Petersburg. Now, Butler will have a chance to break camp with Cleveland. The outfielder hit.276 (.742 OPS) in 88 games for the Rays last season and offers depth in the corners. Beyond Butler, Cleveland also added Shane Robinson and Robbie Grossman as non-roster invitees for the outfield competition. OF Collin Cowgill: Acquired from the Angels and then signed to a one-year, $1-million deal to avoid arbitration, Cowgill has a good shot at making the roster as a backup outfielder. He can handle all three outfield spots and has hit.271 (.733 OPS) in his career against lefties, making him a possible platoon partner with Lonnie Chisenhall in right field. Davis: Signed to a one-year, $5.25 million deal, Davis projects to open the season as a starter in both center and left field. The 35-year-old veteran hit.258 (.746 OPS) with 18 steals and 35 extra-base hits for the Tigers last season and has averaged 30-plus steals and 30-plus extra base hits the past three years. When Brantley returns, Davis could move into a fourth-outfielder role. LHP Tom Gorzelanny: With youngsters Kyle Crockett and Giovanni Soto offering the best left-handed relief options on the 40-man roster, Cleveland added Gorzelanny and a couple of others as non-roster invitees for this spring. Ross Detwiler and Joe Thatcher were also added to the mix. It seems likely that at least one of the veteran lefties will crack the Opening Day bullpen. Napoli: The Indians signed the 34-year-old to a one-year deal worth $7 million to give them a right-handed power option for the heart of their lineup. While he hit.224 overall last season with Boston and Texas, Napoli hit at a.295 (.908 OPS) clip down the stretch after being traded to the Rangers in August. Napoli hits lefties best, but will be offered everyday at-bats between first base and designated hitter. RHP Dan Otero: The Indians took a flier on Otero, acquiring him from the Phillies in December. The righty had a 6.75 ERA for the A's last season, but turned in a 2.01 ERA in 105 games for Oakland between the campaigns. Beyond Otero, the Indians also added righty relievers Joba Chamberlain and Craig Stammen as non-roster invitees for the spring bullpen race. Brantley among Indians looking to bounce back By Jordan Bastian / February 8th, 2016 CLEVELAND -- The Indians fell short of expectations last year, finishing third in the American League Central, well short of the preseason prognostications that pegged the club as a World Series contender. As Cleveland looks to make a team-wide comeback in 2016, there will be a number of individuals also aiming for a reversal of fortunes. In the days leading up to the start of the Indians' Spring Training, which will be underway when pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 17, MLB.com will examine various aspects of each roster. In the first installment of this multipart series, players who are looking to rebound will be in the spotlight. For the Indians, the list of setbacks encountered include in-season injuries (catcher Yan Gomes), an offseason surgery (outfielder Michael Brantley) and diminished production (first basemen Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana, among others). Each player impacted in the past year stands to make a big impact one way or another this season, as Cleveland attempts to get back to the postseason. Here is the list of Indians players aiming for strong bounce-back campaigns in 2016: LF Brantley: Brantley turned in a strong showing last year, but a right shoulder injury brought a sour end to his season. The left fielder required surgery on the arm in November, and his chances of being ready in time for Opening Day are bleak. Brantley is working to return as soon as possible (Cleveland hopes that will be within the first two months of the season), and he will be critical to the team's offense when he does.

3 LHP Kyle Crockett: Following a strong showing as a rookie in 2014, the 24-year-old Crockett wasn't as sharp in '15. The young lefty was sent down to Triple-A, where he struggled to the tune of a 5.97 ERA in 29 appearances. With some uncertainty surrounding Crockett heading into this year, the Tribe added a trio of veteran lefties (Ross Detwiler, Tom Gorzelanny and Joe Thatcher) as non-roster invitees for Spring Training. C Gomes: A right knee injury in April sent Gomes to the disabled list last season, and the catcher never quite looked like himself at the plate after his return. Gomes, who took home a Silver Slugger Award for his offense in 2014, hit.231 with a.659 OPS in '15. In need of more offense, the Indians will be counting on a solid comeback for Gomes this season. LHP TJ House: House emerged as a productive starter for the Indians in 2014, spinning a 3.35 ERA in 19 appearances. Last year, the lefty encountered shoulder issues and posted a ERA in four Major League outings. A candidate for the fifth spot in Cleveland's starting rotation heading into Spring Training, the team is hoping a healthy season from House will increase its pitching depth. 1B Napoli: Napoli's batting average, slugging percentage and OPS have dropped in each of the past two years. Last season, the first baseman hit.224 (.734 OPS) overall, but the Indians saw promise in his.295 (.908) showing after he was traded from Boston to Texas in early August. Cleveland signed Napoli to a one-year contract and will offer him everyday at-bats at first base and designated hitter. 1B Santana: Santana's 2015 season was not all bad (19 home runs, 85 RBIs and 108 walks), but the switch-hitter still fell short of expectations. The Indians are hoping to see more power and run production from Santana, who has topped 25 homers twice in his career (2011 and '14). Cleveland is also hoping Santana is accepting of more time at DH with Napoli in the fold at first base. 3B Giovanny Urshela: The Indians were pleased with Urshela's defense at third base, but an assortment of injuries plagued his production at the plate. Urshela hit.225 with a.608 OPS in 81 games as a rookie last season, making it difficult for Cleveland to get a great read on his potential. Urshela currently projects to be the Tribe's third baseman in 2016, but the team might still be considering alternatives. Indians sign Stammen to Minor League deal By Jordan Bastian / February 8th, 2016 CLEVELAND -- After spending his entire career with the Nationals, reliever Craig Stammenis starting a new chapter with the Tribe. The Indians finalized a Minor League contract on Monday with Stammen, who also received an invitation to attend Spring Training with the big league club. The veteran right-hander will go into camp with a chance at cracking Cleveland's bullpen, which has a handful of vacancies and a long list of competitors. The only virtual locks for the Indians' relief corps at the moment appear to be closer Cody Allen, setup man Bryan Shaw and righties Zach McAllister and Jeff Manship. Cleveland acquired righty Dan Otero from the Phillies this winter as well, putting him in the mix with other rostered relievers, including Austin Adams, Shawn Armstrong, Kyle Crockett andgiovanni Soto. The Indians have also reeled in lefties Ross Detwiler, Tom Gorzelanny and Joe Thatcher, along with right-hander Joba Chamberlain, as non-roster invitees for the team's spring bullpen competition. Stammen, who will turn 32 in March, was non-tendered by Washington in December following an injury-shortened season. The righty worked in only five games before sustaining a right forearm injury, which required surgery in April to repair two torn flexor tendons. That ended an 11-year run with the Nats' organization, which selected Stammen -- a native of North Star, Ohio -- in the 12th round of the 2005 Draft. Stammen posted a 3.91 ERA in 229 career appearances in parts of seven seasons with Washington. From , the right-hander fashioned a 2.93 ERA with 222 strikeouts in 242 2/3 innings (163 games). In 2014, Stammen's last full season, he turned in a 3.84 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 14 walks in 72 2/3 innings. He mostly features a sinker and slider, but he mixes in a four-seam fastball and a curveball as well. Indians General Manager Mike Chernoff continues to carve out role in baseball world CLEVELAND: Like many who navigate their way though college, Mike Chernoff didn t know the career path he d take until just before his senior year. Chernoff was a middle infielder at Princeton, and his prospects of playing professional baseball weren t especially great. He was an economics major. He knew numbers, he knew finances and he knew baseball, which he had played in the backyard since before he can remember. But he wasn t sure what the future held. The idea he could eventually rise to become the general manager of a major league team or that he really wanted to hadn t really crossed his mind. He took an internship with the New York Mets between his junior and senior years. And just like that, everything clicked. Chernoff joined the Indians as an intern in June of 2003, 48 hours after graduating. His impact was almost as immediate. He spent his early days taking in and breaking down scouting reports to be used in talent evaluation. It wasn t long before he started to play a direct role in the team s financial decision-making process, assisting with negotiations for arbitration-eligible players. Chernoff was promoted to assistant director of baseball operations and worked his way to be director of baseball operations in 2007, then assistant general manager, and twelve years after walking in as an intern, he s entering his first full season as the club s general manager under president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti. Not bad for a Princeton middle infielder who hadn t deeply considered this a real career option until about the time he d need to be ordering his robe for graduation.

4 I didn t ever think there were jobs in baseball that I might be able to fit into outside of playing until I did that internship with the Mets, Chernoff recently told the Beacon Journal. It was at that point I realized I wasn t just passionate about the game, I was passionate about working in the game. I think part of that was seeing that I had a skill set in the academic background I had in economics and finance, and that it could potentially apply to baseball. Chernoff s initial role with the Indians when he dealt directly with scouts had a profound, lasting impact on how he operates in the front office. It shaped his perspective and view of the game. What he remembers in those early days aren t just the reports he fielded from scouts. It was their passion. It was the their tone of voice, not just the words they chose. Some of those scouts are still with the club today. And Chernoff is still bouncing ideas off of them as much as anyone. People might have had an idea of what my mindset might have been and I m put into this situation where I m interacting with our pro scouts not just running analytics, interacting with them, Chernoff said. It was this incredible perspective I learned. They have such deep knowledge and I now have such a deep bond with those people because I ve been talking to them for 12 years. Chernoff came in as a Princeton graduate with a degree in economics. That background tends to heavily lend itself toward a numbers-based, analytical approach. But that approach was colder than what Chernoff encountered in helping to make decisions. He wanted the scouts intake to be heard in the room. He wanted their emotion. The data was good, and he could sift through it, interpret it and apply it. It just wasn t enough. He didn t want the data and the scouts opinions to compete. He wanted them to layer on top of one another to create a better picture of a player s abilities. It is in this goal that Chernoff finds his place in the Indians front office as the de factor second-in-command to Antonetti. He is an organizer, a representer and an evaluator. [Antonetti] and I have been working side-by-side for 12 years. We ve gotten really close and know each other s styles really well, Chernoff said. Chris is leading decisions and he gets this intense focus on that process. I ve often found my role to be to go out, gather a lot of input and ideas, generate new ideas and look at it from different angles. I tend to have some emotion and passion for what I m advocating for. Chris is a really good balance for that. Those styles complement each other. Hopefully, sometimes I bring some of that to the table in our discussions. The information revolution in baseball over the past decade has created a need for streamlined systems of organization. Synthesizing data is as crucial as it has ever been. More data, viewpoints and ways to break down the game means a higher chance of disorganization and crucial information getting lost in the fray. Chernoff is a facilitator of data to take to Antonetti as a means to better make a more informed decision rather than relying on incomplete information, which recently has become an increasingly present issue for teams when any player could have half a dozen indicators of future performance all pointing in different directions. I m not an expert scout. I m not an expert coach. I m not a sports psychologist, Chernoff said. What I view my job as being is to facilitate getting that information, driving those people to have systems in place to have gotten that information and put it together. It s not competing interests [when debating a decision], it s more like, How do we get these pieces into the puzzle and solve that complex puzzle? As Chernoff has climbed the ladder, he has of course been molded by many Indians executives who have gone on to find high-level positions with other franchises. That list includes Mark Shapiro (Toronto Blue Jays), Ross Atkins (Toronto Blue Jays), Neal Huntington (Pittsburgh Pirates), David Stearns (Milwaukee Brewers) and Mike Hazen (Boston Red Sox). Along with those scouts in the early days, Shapiro and Antonetti have been the main architects in Chernoff s development and the ones who allowed him to have such an impact at an early age. And it was from Shapiro that Chernoff says he learned his greatest lesson. Some of the best advice I ever got was in how Mark is a huge believer in really getting to know and understand people and where they are coming from, Chernoff said. In baseball, you can have a 16-year-old player from the Dominican who had a completely different upbringing than I had. Or you have a 65-year-old coach who s at a completely different place in his life. So Mark made sure to instill in all of us that empathy. That has stuck with me more than anything. It s one of the many lessons Chernoff has picked up along his 12-year journey from intern to general manager of the Indians. It s also one of the many results of his college realization that he had a quality skill set in his knowledge of numbers, finances and his childhood game. And with it, a long-lasting place in the baseball world. Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at Follow him on Twitter at and on Facebook at

5 Indians sign relief pitcher Tommy Hunter to one-year deal The Indians on Friday brought some more clarity to their bullpen situation, signing relief pitcher Tommy Hunter to a one-year, $2 million contract. Hunter, a hard-throwing right-hander, has worked exclusively out of the bullpen since 2013 with the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs. Last year, he had a 4.18 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 60 innings. Hunter was rock solid in 2013 and 2014 for Baltimore, posting ERAs of 2.81 and 2.97, respectively. As a reliever, Hunter owns a career 3.28 ERA. Last season, per FanGraphs, Hunter s fastball had an average velocity of 96.4 mph. That was the 13th fastest among qualified relievers. It also makes him the hardest-throwing member of the Indians bullpen. Zach McAllister had the highest ranking among Indians pitchers last season, as his 94.9 mph fastball put him 28th. Hunter sustained an abdominal or core muscle injury late last year that required surgery over the winter and could delay the start to his season. Once healthy, he ll have a place in the Indians bullpen. Hunter is likely the fifth relief pitcher who should be assured a spot, along with Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, McAllister and Jeff Manship. There are a number of pitchers who will compete for the final few spots. Kyle Crockett, Giovanni Soto, Shawn Armstrong, Austin Adams and Dan Otero are all contenders who are already on the 40-man roster. There are also 10 pitchers invited to camp on minor-league deals who will be given a chance, including Joba Chamberlain, Joe Thatcher, Ross Detwiler, Tom Gorzelanny, Craig Stammen, Felipe Paulino, Joe Colon, Jarrett Grube, Adam Plutko and Will Roberts. Hunter was tied in rumors to the Tampa Bay Rays, among other teams, prior to signing with the Indians. To make room for Hunter on the 40-man roster, the Indians have designed catcher Tony Wolters for assignment. The Indians also announced on Friday that they have signed catcher Guillermo Quiroz to a minor-league deal with a non-roster invitation to spring camp. Quiroz, 34, has spent the last three seasons in the San Francisco Giants organization. Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at Follow him on Twitter at and on Facebook at Indians add RH Craig Stammen to bullpen mix with nonroster invite; team looking into 3B Juan Uribe The Indians added another option to the bullpen on Monday, signing right-hander Craig Stammen to a minor-league deal that includes a nonroster invitation to camp this spring. Converted to a reliever in 2010, Stammen, 31, has spent his entire major-league career with the Washington Nationals. In 229 appearances, he has compiled a 3.91 ERA with 370 strikeouts in 490 innings. Last season, Stammen pitched only four innings before being shut down on April 19 with forearm/elbow complications that required seasonending surgery. In 2014, he went 4-5 with a 3.84 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 72 innings. The Indians now have 19 pitchers vying for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Zach McAllister and Jeff Manship figure to have the first four spots secured. Giovanni Soto, Kyle Crockett, Shawn Armstrong, Austin Adams and Dan Otero are all currently on the 40-man roster. That leaves 10 pitchers who will be in camp on minor-league deals competing to make the big-league roster, including Joba Chamberlain, Joe Thatcher, Ross Detwiler, Tom Gorzelanny, Felipe Paulino, Joe Colon, Jarrett Grube, Adam Plutko, Will Roberts and now Stammen. 3B option? The market on free agent third baseman Juan Uribe is still in a holding pattern. The Indians have been connected to Uribe for a while. Last season Uribe, who turns 37 in March, 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 amassed a 1.9 WAR, per FanGraphs, after finishing 2014 with a 3.6 WAR with the Dodgers.

6 Defensively, he s been an above-average third baseman for most of his career. In 2013 and 2014 he had 15 and 17 defensive runs saved, respectively. That number dipped to one last season, though. ESPN s Buster Olney reported the San Francisco Giants recently moved on from Uribe because of his asking price. Olney then reported that Uribe and his agent were dissatisfied with the Indians offer of about $3 million, creating a holding pattern. For now, Uribe, third baseman David Freese, shortstop Ian Desmond, outfielder Dexter Fowler and several others represent a talented free agent crop still available a bit of a surprise considering pitchers and catchers report in less than two weeks. Uribe would relieve some everyday pressure at third base for Giovanny Urshela, coming off his first full season and still only 24 years old. The Indians know they couldn t properly evaluate Urshela, as he played through back and shoulder injuries all last season. But they might not want to hand him the position every day, either. Urshela played well defensively his advanced fielding metrics are similar to that of Uribe, though one season isn t an ideal sample size but hit just.225 with six home runs in 81 games. Uribe represents a veteran option to split time with Urshela and provide an offensive upgrade at third base or even take over the position full time if Jose Ramirez can stand in as the primary backup. As of now, the club is mulling over its options as it prepares to head to Goodyear, Ariz., for spring camp. Indians add RH Craig Stammen to bullpen mix with nonroster invite; team looking into 3B Juan Uribe By Ryan Lewis The Indians added another option to the bullpen on Monday, signing right-hander Craig Stammen to a minor-league deal that includes a nonroster invitation to camp this spring. Converted to a reliever in 2010, Stammen, 31, has spent his entire major-league career with the Washington Nationals. In 229 appearances, he has compiled a 3.91 ERA with 370 strikeouts in 490? innings. Last season, Stammen pitched only four innings before being shut down on April 19 with forearm/elbow complications that required seasonending surgery. In 2014, he went 4-5 with a 3.84 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 72? innings. The Indians now have 19 pitchers vying for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Zach McAllister and Jeff Manship figure to have the first four spots secured. Giovanni Soto, Kyle Crockett, Shawn Armstrong, Austin Adams and Dan Otero are all currently on the 40-man roster. That leaves 10 pitchers who will be in camp on minor-league deals competing to make the big-league roster, including Joba Chamberlain, Joe Thatcher, Ross Detwiler, Tom Gorzelanny, Felipe Paulino, Joe Colon, Jarrett Grube, Adam Plutko, Will Roberts and now Stammen. 3B option? The market on free agent third baseman Juan Uribe is still in a holding pattern. The Indians have been connected to Uribe for a while. Last season Uribe, who turns 37 in March, 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 amassed a 1.9 WAR, per FanGraphs, after finishing 2014 with a 3.6 WAR with the Dodgers. Defensively, he s been an above-average third baseman for most of his career. In 2013 and 2014 he had 15 and 17 defensive runs saved, respectively. That number dipped to one last season, though. ESPN s Buster Olney reported the San Francisco Giants recently moved on from Uribe because of his asking price. Olney then reported that Uribe and his agent were dissatisfied with the Indians offer of about $3 million, creating a holding pattern. For now, Uribe, third baseman David Freese, shortstop Ian Desmond, outfielder Dexter Fowler and several others represent a talented free agent crop still available a bit of a surprise considering pitchers and catchers report in less than two weeks. Uribe would relieve some everyday pressure at third base for Giovanny Urshela, coming off his first full season and still only 24 years old. The Indians know they couldn t properly evaluate Urshela, as he played through back and shoulder injuries all last season. But they might not want to hand him the position every day, either. Urshela played well defensively his advanced fielding metrics are similar to that of Uribe, though one season isn t an ideal sample size but hit just.225 with six home runs in 81 games. Uribe represents a veteran option to split time with Urshela and provide an offensive upgrade at third base or even take over the position full time if Jose Ramirez can stand in as the primary backup. As of now, the club is mulling over its options as it prepares to head to Goodyear, Ariz., for spring camp. Akron Beacon Journal LOADED:

7 Spotlight intensifies for Francisco Lindor's first full season with Cleveland Indians Paul Hoynes, February 08, 2016 CLEVELAND, Ohio Francisco Lindor's first full season in the big leagues is close. He has an idea what to expect, but only an idea. What is known is that over 99 games last year, Lindor got it right. By hitting.313 with 12 homers in 51 RBI in 390 at-bats, aggressively running the bases and playing Gold Glove defense, Lindor proved that the Indians got it right as well when they made him their No.1 pick in After getting so many high picks wrong for so many years, they needed that. Now the test of 162 games awaits. First comes spring training, which begins Feb. 17, but that is merely a good stretch of the legs. The real thing starts on April 4 at Progressive Field against Boston in the season opener. Lindor finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting to Houston's Carlos Correa. Last month MLB Network named him No.1 among MLB shortstops in its Top 10 Right Now feature. The list, based strictly on statistical information with no human input, ranked Lindor No.1 ahead of Toronto's Troy Tulowitski, Houston's Correa, San Francisco's Brandon Crawford, St. Louis' Jhonny Peralta, Boston's Xander Bogaerts, Addison Russell, Cubs, Oakland's Marcus Demien, Andrelton Simmons, Angels and Didi Gregorious, Yankees. How does Lindor handle that and all the other things that are rushing toward him in 2016? With an ever-present smile, of course, and some common sense. "It's an honor, it's a blessing,'' said Lindor, "but my work is not done. At the end of the day, I can be the No. 1 shortstop on paper, but if I don't perform, it doesn't mean anything." Lindor, 21, says he has to get better at everything especially defense. "I've got to continue to work as hard as I can to help my pitching staff when I'm playing defense," he said. "I'm going to make errors. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I'm going to try and minimize those errors and make every routine play that I can." Lindor made 10 errors in 389 total chances last year. He was credited with 10 defensive runs saves, No.1 among AL shortstops. Offensively, Lindor started slowly after joining the Indians on June 14 from Class AAA Columbus. He was making good contact, but his line drives were getting caught and his bloops weren't falling in. At the All-Star break Lindor was hitting.223 (99-for-287). Then as manager Terry Francona said, Lindor started to adjust and readjust to opposing pitchers. It is a difficult thing to do, especially for a young hitter. Lindor led the AL with a.345 (99-for-287) batting average after the All-Star break. Along with the high average, he scored 44 runs, hit 19 doubles, four triples and 10 homers with 42 RBI. "The success I had last year, it gave me the confidence to believe in myself, to believe that I can do that day in and day out,'' said Lindor. "It's just a matter of am I going to be able to do it day in and day out for years?'' As a reference point, The Bill James 2016 Handbook projects that Lindor will hit.289 (176-for-609) with 30 doubles, seven triples, 14 homers and 72 RBI in Continuing the projection, he'll score 80 runs, steal 24 bases in 36 attempts and post a.778 OPS. Second baseman Jason Kipnis loved playing beside Lindor last season. Like everyone he wants to see how the switch-hitter handles the weight of a full season. "He's going to be great," said Kipnis. "I'm excited to see how he matures right in front of us. Everyone can smile when you're hitting.400 for half a season trust me, it's the greatest feeling in the world it's going to be how he handles that first slump, how he handles that first challenge when things might not be feeling great or his body might not be feeling good. "That's where guys like me and (Michael) Brantley will come in and help him. He's only going to help us in the long run, so we're excited to have him up here from Day One." There is a sense that Lindor himself is looking forward to testing himself against the inevitability of a big-league slump when the training wheels are off and no one is giving a fresh-faced rookie the benefit of the doubt. "I've been through those kind of at-bats in the minor leagues," said Lindor. "It's just that the spotlight was not on me 24/7. Now, it's a little different. Now there's a lot more people that see it and they're writing on it. In the minors, I have a bad month and they'll write about it three weeks later. Now I have two bad weeks and they're writing about it every single day. "But I've been through it, having the spotlight, where everybody is talking about it. To be honest, it didn't really affect me.'' It is a good thing because from here on out the more Lindor shines, the brighter the spotlight will get. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED:

8 Cleveland Indians sign RH reliever Craig Stammen to minor-league deal Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio The Indians have signed right-hander Craig Stammen to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. Stammen missed almost all of last season with a torn right flexor tendon in his elbow and forearm. The Indians have been looking to add arms to their bullpen and Stammen, 31, is a candidate. Although he made just five appearances for Washington last season before being injured, he led all big-league relievers with 242 2/3 innings from 2012 through Stammen posted a 2.93 ERA in that stretch. Washington drafted Stammen out of the University of Dayton in the 12th round in He was born in North Star, Ohio and played at Versailles High School. Stammen made his big league debut with the Nationals in 2009 by making 19 starts. He began making the move to the bullpen the next year as he made 19 starts and 16 relief appearances. The Indians have three solid right-handers at the end of the bullpen in closer Cody Allen and set-up men Bryan Shaw and Zach McAllister, but it's no secret that they've been looking for help. Stammen joins Joba Chamberlain, Joe Colon, Tom Gorzelanny, Jarrett Grube, Joe Thatcher, Ross Detwiler, Felipe Paulino, Adam Plutko and Will Roberts as pitchers coming to camp on minor-league deals. Relievers on the 40-man roster include Austin Adams, Shawn Armstrong, Kyle Crockett, Jeff Manship, Gio Soto and Dan Otero. Stammen is with a 3.91 ERA in 229 games in the big leagues. Source: Stammen gets $1M base, $2M in incentives if he makes #Indians. Can become free agent on 3/25 if not added to major-league roster. Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 8, 2016 Stammen's salary and opt out date were confirmed. He made $2.25 million last year with the the Nationals. Tribe pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear, Arizona to start spring training on Feb. 17. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: Final takeaways from the 'Life In The Minors' series Zack Meisel, cleveland.com February 08, 2016 CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians morphed their annual winter development program into a fall initiative last year. For a week in September, about 30 minor leaguers toured Progressive Field and listened to speakers gab about all aspects of life in pro sports. That week, I spoke with catching prospect Eric Haase and learned how he and his wife manage his baseball schedule, her winter work schedule and their child's schedule. I thought, "There are probably others out there with similar predicaments about which the average baseball fan has no idea." The concept for the series spawned from that conversation. Here are a handful of takeaways from the 10-part series. When I asked one player what career he would target if baseball ceased to exist tomorrow, he replied, "Honestly, I couldn't even tell you. Baseball has been my life since I was 3 years old. I dreamed of playing in the major leagues my entire life. That's a very good question, a question I need to start thinking about." Many of these players jump straight to the professional ranks from high school. They have no college degree, no backup plan. The off-season grants them no time to take classes, unless they can afford not to work. That said, many who play a long time in the minors -- that isn't the majority by any means -- gain responsibility and know-how. They build relationships that can lead to post-playing career positions within the game, such as coaching or scouting. That's the route that Dave Wallace and Alex Eckelman followed, despite never reaching the big leagues. Minor league conditions can be rough, like other professions that require employees to pay their dues. These guys, though, don't get paid in the off-season and the paychecks they receive during the year often aren't hefty enough to get by. Reliever Ben Heller said his baseball earnings only get him through each regular season. Many work winter jobs, which can cut into their time to train, which isn't ideal in such a cutthroat business. That makes signing bonuses so significant. It's one thing to share an apartment with one roommate. It's another to head home from the ballpark each night and sleep on an air mattress in a two-bedroom abode shared by six or seven teammates. A lucrative signing bonus can also permit players to focus on their training during the off-season, though James Ramsey, a former first-round amateur draft choice, cautioned that all players are losing money daily. Host families are saints. They save players a small fortune and they get nothing out of it other than some interaction with youngsters and maybe a signed ball or a bat. The Lake County Captains are seeking additional host families. If interested, Jen Yorko. Why host families are the unsung heroes of the minor leagues Of course, minor leaguers are playing a game for a living, which offsets some of the challenges the lifestyle presents. Many said they were grateful for the opportunity to take the field each day in front of a crowd. They don't take it for granted. "It's not like you just roll out at 7 o'clock and play the game," said Anthony Gallas, "and everyone is like, 'Oh, you're so talented and good.' It's not like that. You work for that talent. How do you think people got to that point? They worked their whole life for it. They picked up a baseball bat at age 6 and they haven't stopped for 20 years. You're building to that. "Think of it like a pile of dirt in your backyard and you're going to build a garden. You keep adding to that pile and it's been 20 years. People just think it's, 'Oh, you have God-given talent.' It's not. We're at the ballpark from 12 in the afternoon to 11 at night. There are a lot of long hours and dark hours when you're struggling."

9 Those dark times are more prevalent than many would imagine. Consider a player who extends his slump to 0-for-20 and then must board a bus for a 10-hour, overnight bus trip. Anyone he would call or text for support is asleep. He can't find a comfortable position to nod off, since he's sharing a row of seats with a teammate. When the bus finally reaches its destination, he'll try to steal a few hours of sleep at the hotel before he heads right back to the batter's box, the source of his initial frustration. Life in the minors can be miserable at times. Minor leaguers are some of the most creative people on this planet, even if it's a quality resulting from desperation or boredom. Some sleep on inflatable rafts and pools on the aisle of the buses. Others make oatmeal with a hotel coffee maker. Making oatmeal with a hotel coffee maker is #MiLBlife at its finest pic.twitter.com/xdsmomtzif Ben Heller (@BenHeller21) June 12, 2015 So what makes it all worthwhile? Many agreed with Gallas' thinking. "The way I always look at it," Gallas said, "is, when I wake up in the morning, and I'm chasing this dream, I feel alive. I enjoy that process. I have something to look forward to every day." Cleveland Indians sign RHP Tommy Hunter to 1-year deal worth $2 million Paul Hoynes, CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians wanted to add another reliever to their stampede of pitchers before spring training opened next week and they did. The Tribe reached a one-year, $2 million deal with right-hander Tommy Hunter on Friday. Including Hunter, the Indians are bringing 18 relievers to camp and 31 pitchers overall. Pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear, Ariz., on Wednesday. To make room for Hunter, 29, the Indians designated for assignment catcher Tony Wolters. Hunter underwent surgery after the season for a core muscle injury. He will be about a month behind and is expected to miss most of April. Originally a starter with Texas, Hunter has pitched out of the bullpen since Hunter is the second reliever the Indians signed this week. They also reached agreement on a minor league deal with Craig Stammen, who spent the last seven years with Washington. Hunter went 4-2 with a 4.18 ERA last season in 58 games for the Cubs and Orioles. He struck out 47 and walked 14 in 60 1/3 innings. Hunter opened the year with Baltimore, but but was traded during the season to the Cubs. The 6-3, 250-pound Hunter is a power pitcher. His fastball averaged 96.4 mph last season, according to fangraphs. His cut fastball averaged 92.3 and his curveball Hunter was pitching well when the Orioles traded him to the Cubs on July 31. In his last 20 appearances with the Orioles, he had 19 strikeouts and a 2.55 ERA in 24 2/3 innings while allowing just seven earned runs. Hunter suffered his injury after the trade and didn't pitch well for the Cubs. The Indians have also signed catcher Guillermo Quiroz to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. Quiroz, 34, has spent the last three years playing in the Giants organization at Class AAA Sacramento. In a 17-year career, Quiroz has played 148 games in the big leagues. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: Will another free-agent outfielder fall into the Cleveland Indians' lap? Zack Meisel's musings By Zack Meisel, CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Thursday marked three years since the Indians agreed to terms on a four-year contract with outfielder Michael Bourn. Will another free agent fall into the Indians' lap this year? Let's examine. 1. Strangers in the outfield: At this juncture, the Indians are looking at an Opening Day outfield of Rajai Davis, Abraham Almonte and Lonnie Chisenhall. Although, presuming the Red Sox trot out southpaw David Price to the mound on April 4, Collin Cowgill could earn the start in right field in place of Chisenhall. Welcome to Platoon City. Population: two per position. That starting group, at first glance, seems, well, not exactly imposing. Michael Brantley figures to miss the first month of the season, though he claims he has his sights set on the opener. Michael Brantley targeting an Opening Day return 2. Mixing and matching: Davis has fared much better against lefties (.284/.339/.407 clip) in his career than righties (.250/.299/.332). The same goes for Cowgill, who owns a.273/.330/.381 clip against lefties and a.181/.266/.237 slash line against righties. Defensive metrics laud Cowgill's ability to play the corner outfield spots. He and Chisenhall seem like natural platoon partners. Almonte registered a.779 OPS (and a 112 wrc+, which measures his ability to create runs relative to the rest of the league, where 100 is average) against right-handers last year and a.548 OPS (and a 51 wrc+) against lefties. So, Davis and Almonte could share time in center once Brantley returns. Perhaps Joey Butler or Shane Robinson sneaks onto the roster, or Jose Ramirez receives playing time in the outfield.

10 Manager Terry Francona will have his hands full mixing and matching, and even if these outfielders maximize their potential against their preferred pitchers, it still could be an underwhelming unit until Brantley returns, and possibly even after that. 3. Anybody out there? If the Indians want to add another outfielder, Austin Jackson, Dexter Fowler and Marlon Byrd have nothing on their itineraries for the next eight months. Would any of the three provide an upgrade for the Tribe? Byrd will turn 39 during the upcoming season, but he has socked at least 23 home runs in each of the last three seasons. Jackson, 29, boasts a career clip of.273/.333/.399. Fowler, 29, owns a career.267/.363/.418 slash line; that on-base percentage could fit nicely atop Francona's lineup. Defensive metrics frown upon Fowler in center field, however (minus-56 defensive runs saved during his eight-year career). Where would he play when Brantley returns? Or, could Brantley shift to center? Signing Fowler, of course, would require the Indians to forfeit their first-round draft pick. That -- and the never-to-be-overlooked money factor -- could be too steep a price for the Tribe to pay. There's no guarantee that whichever player the Indians select at No. 15 in June's draft will end up as productive a player as Fowler. There is a guarantee, though, that should he reach the majors one day, he'll be inexpensive for at least a few years. 4. Fowler's skill: The Orioles are said to be after Fowler and pitcher Yovani Gallardo, which would cost the club a pair of draft picks. In his career, Fowler, a switch-hitter, has batted.303 with an.829 OPS against lefties and.252 with a.761 OPS against righties. Jackson, a right-handed hitter, has fared about the same against both righties (.733 OPS) and lefties (.729 OPS). Davis' contract comes off of the books at the end of the year. Clint Frazier and Bradley Zimmer seem destined to arrive to the big league scene at some point in So, an addition wouldn't block any of the Indians' top prospects, if the Indians handed out a two-year deal. Granted, it all boils down to dollars and cents. When the Indians nabbed Bourn in 2013, his price had dropped to $48 million over four years. That boosted the Indians' payroll above the $80 million mark. The club figures to begin the 2015 campaign with a budget in the $80-90 million range. If the price for Fowler or Jackson fell somewhere in the vicinity of two years and $20 million, would the Tribe pounce? Should the Tribe pounce? At this point, it seems more likely that the Indians strike an agreement with a third-base option, such as Juan Uribe or David Freese. The outfield could still use a lift, though. 5. The kids are all right: Zimmer and Frazier are ranked side by side on MLB.com's Top 100 prospects list. Zimmer checks in at No. 26. Frazier follows him at No. 27. Both outfielders are expected to begin the year at Double-A Akron. First-base prospect Bobby Bradley (No. 93) is the only other Tribe farmhand to make the list. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: Cleveland Indians have three or four bullpen openings with a lot of arms to fill them Paul Hoynes, February 11, 2016 CLEVELAND, Ohio A baseball team always has moving parts. Sometimes those moving parts have moving parts, especially when spring training is getting near. Indians' pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear, Ariz. on Wednesday and two areas of the team have yet to reveal themselves the bullpen and outfield. This story deals with the bullpen. Last year Indians' relievers posted the second lowest ERA in the American League at The World Series champion Royals were the only team with a lower ERA at While the core of that pen is still intact, several ancillary arms have departed. Here's the roll call: Scott Atchison, Gavin Floyd, Nick Hagadone, CC Lee, Marc Rzepczynski, Anthony Swarzak and Ryan Webb. Atchison recently rejoined the Indians as a member of the coaching staff, but the others have scattered to the four corners of the baseball world. As for the core, closer Cody Allen and set-up men Bryan Shaw and Zach McAllister are back. Jeff Manship probably belongs in that group as well. Last season Manship compiled a 0.92 ERA (four earned runs in 39 1/3 innings) in 32 appearances after starting the season at Class AAA Columbus. Manship's ERA was the lowest in the big leagues and in team history for pitchers with 30 or more appearances in a season. If Manship is included in the core, that leaves three to four open spots in the pen. The odds favor four spots because manager Terry Francona usually opens the season with an extra reliever or two. Numerically there will be no problem filling those openings with 30 pitchers coming to camp, including 13 relievers looking for work. Depending on how the starting rotation sorts itself out, Josh Tomlin might be in line for a bullpen spot as well. If TJ House or Cody Anderson don't make the rotation, they'll start at Class AAA Columbus rather than work out of the Tribe's rotation. The Indians might not be done adding arms. They are still looking to for another reliever and position player before spring training turns serious. The first full squad workout is scheduled for Feb. 23. The left-handers are the most interesting part in the pitching stampede. Kyle Crockett and Giovanni Soto, who both saw time with the Indians last year, are on the 40-man roster. Veterans Tom Gorzelanny, Joe Thatcher and Ross Detwiler will report on minor league deals. Francona is going to need at least one and maybe two lefties to work his matchups. His fallback position in that regard is that Allen (.176), Shaw (.226), Manship (.235) and McAllister (.258), all right-handers, did a good job against lefties last year.