Cleveland Sports Forum

Bourn's re-hab assignment hasn't gone well so far. I subscribed to MILB.TV last year and again this year. I've seen Bourn play and he's looked pretty bad against AA pitching.

I would never have guessed that Morgan would be the odd man out. Morgan and Murphy are the only players that are actually hitting a baseball on this team. Meanwhile Johnson is still on the roster which is equally as surprising to me.

I'd like to ask Francona what his reasoning was behind the Morgan move. Why Morgan and not Johnson. I'd rather have an additional outfielder in reserve than an reserve infielder who isn't producing.

Nyjer Morgan (Photo: MLB.com)

Bourn activated from DL, Morgan optioned to Columbus

By Staff Report

April 15, 2014

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The Cleveland Indians today announced that they have activated outfielder Michael Bourn from the 15-day disabled list and optioned outfielder Nyjer Morgan to Triple-A Columbus.

Bourn has been on the 15-Day disabled list since March 30 after injuring his left hamstring on March 16 vs. the San Francisco Giants in Scottsdale, AZ. He appeared in five games on a rehab assignment between Columbus and Double-A Akron April 5-13 and went 3-for-20 at the plate.

Morgan has been more than a capable temporary fill in while Bourn was injured hitting .348 with 0 homers, 4 RBI, 3 steals and .834 OPS with a 7-4 walk to strikeout ratio in nine games. He had a .484 on-base percentage and did everything expected out of the leadoff spot while Bourn was away.

This is an interesting move to send down arguably the Indians best hitter through the first two weeks of the season. Keeping him on the roster would have meant the Indians would carry four left-handed hitting outfielders, so it was not the best fit; however, he had been such a good table setter that the thinking was the Indians might see him through and try and continue to play him regularly against right-handed pitching to see if he continues to perform. He now goes to Columbus as immediate outfield depth.

The move shows that had Bourn not been injured this spring that Morgan would not have made the team out of spring training. It also is a signal that even some early season success at the plate may not be enough to keep Lonnie Chisenhall in Cleveland when Jason Giambi is activated from the disabled list later this week.

[Giambi wasn't hitting on his rehab assignment either.....I'd keep Chisenhall around. At least he was hitting the baseball. On Bourn.......it would be one thing if Bourn was hitting the ball hard and having just bad luck with the basehits falling in, but he was getting fooled at the plate and wasn't hitting the ball hard at all.]

Bourn is the one who concerns me. As a "speed guy" he would naturally see his game change as he moves through his 30s. And with a hamstring injury in 2013, and a repeat or similar replay already at the start of 2014, all the more reason for concern. He will need not just to stay healthy, but to adjust his offensive game in order to be helpful. In 2012 he had a career high in walks (70), which is good to see, but with the Tribe he dropped way off to 40: Is that a reflection of how the game is played in the AL? But he needs to either/or get on base more and increase his xb hits since he will less often get himself in scoring position with a leg hit and a steal.

I certainly would share the concern about Bourn. To me, this is the year he needs to prove himself. Notice I said YEAR though. Not from some minor league at bats.

I would never have guessed that Morgan would be the odd man out. Morgan and Murphy are the only players that are actually hitting a baseball on this team. Meanwhile Johnson is still on the roster which is equally as surprising to me.

Totally agree here Joe!

Righty/ lefty thing I guess.
And then there's always the issue of who has options remaining.

Pitching is only way Cleveland Indians can close gap with Detroit Tigers: Terry Pluto


DETROIT -- So now it begins, the first of 19 games between the Tribe and Tigers.

"They kind of beat us up (last year)," said Terry Francona. The Tribe manager knows the stats, the Tigers winning 15 of 19 games. He even mentioned how the Tigers "beat up" the Tribe on occasion, then "won some close ones."

They win games in almost every fashion against the Tribe, and that has to change. That's why Wednesday's 3-2 victory meant so much.

"For us to get where we want to go, beating them would help," said Francona. "You have to beat everybody, but they had their way with us."

Give Francona credit for stating the obvious -- the road to the Central Division title runs along I-75 to Detroit. These games are not just "one of 162," as some managers like to say when they face division opponents.

Francona even admitted that the Tribe finishing a game behind Detroit was deceiving, because the Tigers knew they'd win the division and were resting starters in the final week. Meanwhile, the Tribe was roaring to the finish on a 10-game winning streak just to make the playoffs.

miguelcabrera.JPGMiguel Cabrera has won back-to-back AL MVP awards, but has only one homer this season.AP

Chasing the Tigers

His point is the Tribe must find a way to close the gap, and another 4-15 showing won't do it.

One way the Tribe made up for that deficit was partly with a 17-2 record against the White Sox. But the Tribe just left Chicago, losing three of four.

I can tell you, the Tigers have some trouble spots. Miguel Cabrera was coming off a 2-of-20 trip, and has only one homer this season. He is healthy, so it's hard to believe that will last. He did drive in two runs Wednesday, but the Indians prevented him from hitting the ball out of park.

While the Tribe lineup often leans a little too far to the left, the Tigers are loaded with right-handed batters. The only lefties in Wednesday's lineup were switch-hitting Victor Martinez and Avila.

But the real issue is the Tribe. Can they come close to repeating their 92 victories of a year ago?

It's about pitching

Not unless there is a dramatic improvement in their starting pitching.

They entered the game with a 5.19 ERA. Only Minnesota (5.52) is worse in the American League.

That's why Zach McAllister's outing (one run in six innings) meant so much. His ERA is down to 2.03.

Even better for the Tribe, John Axford bounced back from a blown save on Sunday to strand a runner on third. He is 5-of-6 in save situations.

The key is the rotation. Carlos Carrasco (0-2, 7.84) is in the bullpen for the series. He should stay there, although he's scheduled to start Sunday. The Indians have two viable options to replace him in the rotation with Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin.

Danny Salazar (6.75) will make his 13th big-league start here Thursday. Patience is required and deserved with Salazar.

A big area of concern may be Justin Masterson. After a sensational spring training, Masterson has a 5.87 ERA after three starts. There has been some discussion about a drop in velocity. It's a concern, as his average fastball is a career-low 88.7 mph. A year ago, it was 91.8. He uses his fastball/sinker about 80 percent of the time.

Most discouraging is his lack of control. In 15 1/3 innings, Masterson has walked nine and hit three batters. That may be an indication that his windup is a mess.

The Indians have other issues. Before the game, Carlos Santana (.186, 1 RBI) seemed to blame his lack of hitting on switching positions back and forth from third to catcher. But he has company at the bottom of the stat sheet as Nick Swisher (.185) and Asdrubal Cabrera (.188) are a mess at the plate.

That often happens early in a season when the weather is frigid (42 degrees at game time on Wednesday, 34-degree wind chill) and the schedule is erratic because of rainouts.

Yes, the Indians need to hit to beat Detroit. But the real key to stopping the Tigers dominance is pitching, as the Tribe's ERA vs. Detroit was 5.89 a year ago. And the Tribe received the pitching they needed Wednesday.

Indians report: Tigers tried to coax Omar Vizquel out of retirement

By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports columnist

DETROIT: In March, the Detroit Tigers gave Omar Vizquel a chance to come out of retirement at age 46.

When the Tigers learned during spring training that shortstop Jose Iglesias had stress fractures in both shins that will sideline him for four to six months, their search for a replacement included their new first-base coach.

But Vizquel, who spent 11 of his 24 years in the major leagues with the Indians, said Wednesday he wasn’t tempted.

“They had a situation where they didn’t have a shortstop, they asked me to see if I wanted to come back and maybe take some grounders,” Vizquel said before the Indians faced the Tigers at Comerica Park in the first game of what became a two-game series because of cold weather. “Naw. That’s enough. It was already two years.”

Vizquel finished his career with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2012, when he played 60 games. When he retired, he called the Indians looking for a job, but “things didn’t work out.”

“It looked like they were already full,” Vizquel said of then-first-year Tribe manager Terry Francona’s new staff.

The Tigers hired Vizquel in November to serve as infield and base-running coach, along with his first-base duties under new manager Brad Ausmus.

“I’m throwing batting practice, hitting some ground balls,” Vizquel said. “The fungo’s still a little … sometimes I get jammed, sometimes the ball’s away and I have to take a pitch.

“I like it. It’s part of what I’ve been doing in my last three or four years. It’s cool.”

Cleveland Indians Scribbles: Axford delivers bounce-back save, McAllister puts Tigers in deep freeze - Terry Pluto

DETROIT, Michigan -- Scribbles in my Tribe notebook after their 3-2 victory in Detroit on Wednesday:

1. When John Axford entered the game, the Indians had a 3-2 lead in the ninth. That was the same score in Chicago on Sunday when Axford was summoned from the bullpen. Two batters (and an Alexei Ramirez home run later), the White Sox were 4-3 winners. It was Axford's first blown save of the season.

2. Axford had a miserable April in 2013, losing his closer's job for Milwaukee. He trashed four saves. He was shelled for five homers in 10 2/3 innings, an ERA of 8.44. By May, he was no longer the closer. That's why Wednesday was important to Axford. How would he bounce back? It was impressive. With one out, he gave up a double to Alex Avila -- who took third when Michael Bourn bobbled and dropped the ball. With a runner on third and one out, Axford fanned pinch hitter Don Kelly. He then induced Rajai Davis to ground out.

3. This was a huge save for Axford. The last thing the Tribe needs is a closer crisis in April. Nor did they want to mess up a chance to win in Detroit. Axford is 5-of-6 in saves this season. He throws up to 96 mph. He has a superb overhand curveball that drops -- and he can use it against righties and lefties. It was the pitch he threw to strike out Kelly with that runner on third and one out.

4. Yan Gomes drove in two runs with a 400-foot triple to right-center. It was a pitch that was about six inches above the ground, but Gomes hammered it. He loves low pitches, even below the strike zone. That was the first hit with a runner in scoring position for Gomes. He was 0-of-9 prior to that. He was robbed of another RBI later in the game when left fielder Rajai Davis made a diving catch of his line drive. Gomes is hitting .293 on the season. He also threw out a stealing baserunner. He has thrown out 3-of-8 runners this season.

MCALLISTER.JPGZach McAllister threw first-pitch strikes to 16-of-23 batters in his victory over Detroit.AP

5. Zach McAllister seems to have figured out how to use his changeup and slider, and he's now allowed only one run in his last 13 2/3 innings. Yes, it was a bitter cold night (34 degree wind chill at 7 p.m. and the temperature dropping). But McAllister was so sharp, pounding the strike zone. In his last two starts, he has 11 strikeouts and only two walks. In Wednesday's game, he threw first-pitch strikes to 16-of-23 batters.

6. McAllister and Corey Kluber have been very effective in their last two starts. Trevor Bauer has allowed only one run in two starts (12 innings) at Class AAA Columbus. And he gave up two runs (one earned) in his one six-inning start with the Tribe.

7. David Murphy made two excellent diving catches in right field during Wednesday's game. He has done that a few times this season, along with throwing out a runner, So far, he has been a solid addition, batting .275 (.868 OPS). A lefty batter, Murphy is 2-of-12 vs. left-handers. Against righties, it's .321. He has two homers and leads the team with 11 RBI.

8. Cody Allen was hitting 95 mph on the radar gun in the eighth inning. He gave up an unearned run (Jason Kipnis dropped a pop up). But he also was helped by Nick Swisher starting an excellent double play at first base. Allen has 12 strikeouts in six innings this season.

9. Four times, the Tribe had a runner on third and fewer than two outs. The only time they pushed that run from third across the plate is when Carlos Santana hit into a double play. Others leaving runners on third were Michael Bourn (called out), Lonnie Chisenhall (struck out) and Swisher (weak ground out). They also were 1-of-13 with runners in scoring position. The Tigers were 1-of-9. The cold weather made it a miserable day for the hitters.

10. And speaking of misery, in his first game back from the disabled list, Bourn was 0-of-4. He struck out twice, left two runners on base and made an error in center. Coming back from paternity leave, Chisenhall delivered two hits. He's batting .421 this season.

11. Carlos Santana's slump has very little (if anything) to do with switching between third base and catching. It's due to him swinging so hard and trying to pull virtually everything. It's a bad habit that haunts Santana at some point nearly every season.

12. The Indians are now 3-5 in the Central Division. In 2013, they were 44-32 -- and that includes 4-15 vs. Detroit.

The fungo’s … sometimes the ball’s away and I have to take a pitch.

The key is the rotation. Carlos Carrasco (0-2, 7.84) is in the bullpen for the series. He should stay there, although he's scheduled to start Sunday. The Indians have two viable options to replace him in the rotation with Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin.

Danny Salazar (6.75) will make his 13th big-league start here Thursday. Patience is required and deserved with Salazar.

A big area of concern may be Justin Masterson. After a sensational spring training, Masterson has a 5.87 ERA after three starts. There has been some discussion about a drop in velocity. It's a concern, as his average fastball is a career-low 88.7 mph. A year ago, it was 91.8. He uses his fastball/sinker about 80 percent of the time.

Most discouraging is his lack of control. In 15 1/3 innings, Masterson has walked nine and hit three batters. That may be an indication that his windup is a mess.

Sounds a lot life TFIR over in General Discussion. Those Masterson numbers are a concern.

Most likely just a "dead arm period".

All pitchers go through it. Usually happens during ST or early in the season.

Maybe that's why Ubaldo was awful last April and awful again this April, too.

Those Masterson numbers are a concern.

Those numbers are only over a couple of the last starts civ. All pitchers, include Verlander, go through streaks. He'll straighten it out.

It's the Carrasco/Salazar thing that is now a concern They don't have that type of track record Masterson has. They are burning up the pen. Enter Bauer?

Bauer has earned it. Three high quality starts so far this April, 2 in Columbus, 1 with the Indians. Unless they think he needs a little more time to polish up any remaining tarnish; no reason to give him another opportunity to fail.

Agreed!

Put it this way, if Bauer can do the job at 4th starter, then I can live with Salazar working it out at 5th starter. To me, that is then a solid rotation.

I also feel this could end up being an option, it wasn't that long ago he was a very good starter......

Shaun Marcum's next opt-out date is May 24.

Marcum accepted an assignment to Triple-A Columbus last week to continue his rehabilitation from thoracic outlet surgery. The veteran right-hander could become a rotation option for the Tribe by late April. Mar 31 - 8:30 AM