Spring Training Thoughts Part 2

Spring Training is nearing it’s end, and the opening day roster is coming into view. The time is almost here for the Indians to break camp and head North to start the 2021 Baseball Season! So here is the second part of my Spring Training thoughts on the 2021 Indians, starting with a slightly deeper look/projection of the pitching staff. 

To begin with, here is how I see the Indians opening the season as far as five man rotation goes. Because of the amount of off days, the Indians won’t need a fifth starter until April 16th, and even then they technically won’t need one again until April 26th. Therefore they can go with a four man rotation for the majority of the month of April if they do desire, with perhaps keeping the fifth starter as an extra arm out of the bullpen initially. All that being said here is my projection for five starters to start the season: 

1. Shane Bieber

2. Zach Plesac

3. Aaron Civale

4. Triston McKenzie

5. Logan Allen

Logan Allen has had a great Spring. He also is left handed, and the Indians haven’t had a lefty in their rotation regularly in over six years. He came into camp having lost weight and put a ton of effort into his offseason pitching training, and it has showed. That is why I think he will break camp as the fifth starter over Cal Quantrill, who while still someone I think will be really good, had a rough Spring and likely will need some time at extended Spring Camp and then in the minor league season to get things squared away. 

Now the bullpen is a little more hard to figure out. So far we know six that guys have made the team for sure in Bryan Shaw, Trevor Stephan, James Karinchak, Emmanuel Clase, Nick Wittgren and Oliver Perez are all guaranteed spots. It is expected the Indians will go with an eight man bullpen, so that leaves two more spots up for grabs. I think Phil Maton has a good shot at breaking camp with the Indians, and I also see Adam Plutko being kept due to him being out of options. That covers the initial eight man bullpen.

Now we move to the position players. Guaranteed spots are

C Roberto Perez

1B Jake Bauers

2B Cesar Hernandez

3B Jose Ramirez

SS Andres Gimenez

RF Josh Naylor

CF Ben Gamel

LF Eddie Rosario

DH Franmil Reyes

So that leaves four roster spots to make up the bench. My predictions: 

C Austin Hedges

IF Yu Chang

OF Jordan Luplow

IN/OF Amed Rosario

Now of course, this will change throughout the season, which is why Indians television announcer Rick Manning recently said one shouldn’t make too much of the initial opening day roster because it will change throughout the season, and the team you start with often won’t be the same team come September. That being said, I have a couple of predictions on how things will change as the season goes along. 

First, I don’t see Jake Bauers lasting long at first base. He has had a terrible Spring Training and is only on the roster because he is out of options and the Indians don’t want to lose him before giving him one more shot. They also like the fact he can play the outfield as well. The hope is he finally figures it out this year, but I personally don’t see that happening. Therefore, my bold prediction is Bauers will be put on waivers and  Bobby Bradley, who has had an excellent Spring Training, will be playing first base everyday by mid-late May. 

Second, I don’t see the platoon of Ben Gamel/Amed Rosario lasting very long in the outfield. I think Daniel Johnson, though he didn’t play any centerfield this Spring Training will take over that position with a good start to his AAA season in May. Therefore the combo of Gamel, Amed Rosario and occasionally perhaps Jordan Luplow will have an expiration date. That date will likely be sometime in June. 

On a final note, there has been a lot of second guessing some of the decisions the coaching staff and Terry Francona have made this Spring in terms of sending some of the young guys who had good Spring’s down to Columbus to start the season. While I too am not sure I would have made the same decisions they have made, I am not the manager, I am simply a fan. My job is to cheer on the players the manager and front office have put on the field. Really that is what every person’s job is who doesn’t get paid by the team. Baseball is supposed to be fun, not stressful, and I think we all, myself included, get too bent out of shape about things we as fans have no control over. So when the season kicks off on Thursday, let’s all try and be better at enjoying the game for what it is, a hobby and at times fun distraction for us. Nothing more, nothing less. Go Tribe!