Winter Haven 2006: Five Battles to Watch
By Mike Conley and Joey Morona
cleveland.com
For the first time in five years, the Indians head into spring training with contending, rather than 'hoping for the best' on their minds. While the team is set at many of the key positions, there are still a number of issues to be decided on the fields at Chain of Lakes Park over six weeks starting on February 16.
Here are the five battles we'll be tracking as we travel to Florida for cleveland.com annual's Week in Winter Haven in March:
LEFT FIELD
Last season: Coco Crisp
2006 contenders: Jason Michaels, Todd Hollandsworth
What to watch: When the Indians traded budding star Coco Crisp to the Boston Red Sox, General Manager Mark Shapiro made sure he had major-league ready talent lined up to fill the void.
On the same day Crisp was traded, Shapiro sent veteran left-hander Arthur Rhodes to Philadelphia for outfielder
Jason Michaels. Michaels joins the Tribe after a strong season with the Phillies in which he shared center field duties with former Indian Kenny Lofton. The speedy outfielder batted .304 with 4 homers and 31 RBI in 289 at bats last season. Can he produce similar numbers as an every day player? That remains to be seen. Defensively, Michaels can hold his own against many major league outfielders. The one area he will need to work on is his route to the baseball. He sometimes has a tendancy to overpursue the ball, often finding himself out of position to make a routine play.
Todd Hollandsworth is a non-roster invitee for the Tribe, but with the exit of Crisp, will more than likely find himself in a Tribe uniform on opening day.
Hollandsworth, the 1996 National League Rookie of the Year, is known around the league as a consummate professional. He's an avid student of the game, religiously studying opposing pitchers prior to each at bat. However, there is no doubt his better days are behind him. His role may be best suited as a fourth outfielder, or an experienced bat off the bench.
He is a career .304 batter as a pinch hitter (42-138) with 6 homers and 21 RBI.
Ever since suffering a potentially career-ending shin injury in 2001 while playing with the Braves, Hollandsworth has struggled a bit in the field. Once considered an above average center fielder, he now finds himself best suited to play on the corners.
Joey's Prediction: Two of the reasons the Indians like Michaels are his ability to hit lefties and his on-base percentage. For a corner outfielder, however, his power numbers are noticeably suspect. Still, a change of scenery and leagues will probably do him good. I don't see Hollandsworth a factor at all.
Mike's Prediction: The job is Michaels to lose. If he finds himself struggling early and Hollandsworth undoubtedly shows his age, the Indians may turn to one of their young guns to provide for production.
BACKUP CATCHER
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[SIZE=-2]Can newly acquired catcher Kelly Shoppach produce the same type of power numbers with the Tribe that he showed in AAA with the Red Sox?</I>[/SIZE] </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Last season: Josh Bard
2006 contenders: Einar Diaz, Tim Laker, Kelly Shopach
What to watch: Einer Diaz returns for his second stint with the Indians as a non-roster invitee. After being traded to Texas along with Ryan Drese for Travis Hafner, Diaz has struggled to produce the same type of numbers he enjoyed while with the Tribe. He's bounced around the league the past several years and struggled to find consistent playing time behind the plate. Like Hollandsworth, his better years are behind him. If he can somehow find a way to impress the Tribe brass in camp, he may have a shot of sticking around. It would be highly unlikely, however not impossible, that Diaz would accept a minor league deal with the Tribe and report to AAA.
Tim Laker is another player that is on the downside of his career. Considered a great clubhouse guy, Laker may find himself in a coaching uniform before he makes it back to the bigs. He can also pitch if in a bind.
Kelly Shoppach was one of the players acquired in the Coco Crisp trade. The Indians love his power potential and solid defense behind the plate. Last year in AAA Pawtucket, Shoppach hit .253 with 26 homers and threw out nearly 44 percent of all base stealers. According to several scouting reports, Shoppach will hit the ball to all fields, but will strike out a lot. Some folks question his power numbers because Pawtucket is considered a homer-friendly park.
There is no question he is ready defensively to play every day in the bigs.
Mike's Prediction: Shoppach is a shoe-in for the position. He would have been playing everyday in Boston if Varitek was out of town.
Joey's Prediction: Shoppach will make it easier for Eric Wedge to give Victor Martinez some much-needed days off from behind the plate. That reason alone makes him more valuable than either Diaz or Laker.
BULLPEN (SET-UP MAN)
Last season: Bob Howry
2006 contenders: Fernando Cabrera, Guillermo Mota, Rafeal Betancourt, Matt Miller
What to watch: The Indians are going to have a tough time filling the void left by the departure of Bob Howry to the Cubs. Howry set an Indians record for appearances with 79 in his almost exclusve 8th-inning role.
Nobody has pitched more relief innings since 2003 than newly acquired
Guillermo Mota. His elbow and shoulder injuries, however, were concern enough for the Indians to extract cash and a player to be named later from Boston. When healthy, Mota can be an effective set-up man. He boasts a career 3.61 ERA in 464 innings pitched. With the Dodgers, he combined with Eric Gagne to give the Los Angeles the most feared back end in baseball from '02-'04.
Fernando Cabrera showed the Indians faithful what he was capable of last season as a member of their untouchable bullpen of 2005. This could be the year where he is depended on to be a regular contributer. He's still young and is working on his mechanics, but undoubtedly has the stuff to overpower opposing batters. He still needs to work on a change-up type pitch to be more effective, but can rely on his power pitches in the meantime.
Matt Miller returns to the Tribe bullpen after an injury plagued '05 season. The right-handed sidewinder is very deceptive on left-handed batters and sufficient against righties. He is prone to giving up home runs to right handed bats, when he gets the ball up in the zone. He is the type of guy managers love to have have in the bullpen because of his flexibility.
Rafael Betancourt put an early season suspension for a banned substance behind him and managed a solid '05 season, posting a 2.79 ERA in 67 innings of work. Those numbers perhaps make him along with Mota the favorites here. Betancourt has all the makings of a solid 8th-inning guy, but often struggles with his confidence on the mound. He has proven he can get out the best the bigs has to offer, but needs to learn he can't take a break against the others.
Joey's Prediction: Remember the start of the 2004 season when the bullpen kept blowing all those games? I can see a repeat of that until Cabrera is ready to settle into the role.
Mike's Prediction: You have to give the spot to Mota out of the gates, but don't be surprised if Cabrera or Betancourt takes advantage of an opportunity at some point this season. Miller will be used at times when needed against lefties.
UTILITY INFIELDER
Last season: Jose Hernandez, Alex Cora, Ramon Vazquez
2006 contenders: Brandon Phillips, Ramon Vazquez, Lou Merloni.
What to watch: Right out of the gate,
Lou Merloni has to be the fan favorite, but will have a tough time making the club after missing nearly all of last season with torn ligaments in his right ankle. When healthy, he is a perfect fit for a utility infielder. During his last stint in Cleveland, Merloni was touted as being one of the best clubhouse guys on the team. Hopefully he can return to '04 form when he hit .289, driving in 28 in 190 at bats.
Ramon Vazquez was re-signed by the Tribe this offseason after playing sparingly in '05 for the Tribe. He was acquired from the Red Sox for Alex Cora midway through last season, and batted .212 in 89 at bats. He's a reliable glove in the infield and can play multiple positions well.
Brandon Phillips was the key player in the Bartolo Colon trade with the Expos back in 2002. After getting an extended shot in the bigs in 2003 and failing badly, Phillips has found himself entrenched in the minors. The organization has never questioned his defensive abilities, it's been his struggles at the plate that have kept him from being an everday big leaguer. He needs to cut down on his strikeouts and develop a more even stroke to have a chance at producing consistently in the majors. He is out of options, so he either makes the team or is let go.
Mike's Prediction: If Phillips doesn't get the nod here, there is something wrong. I whole heartedly believe he has fallen out of favor with management for whatever reason. He's got an awesome glove and improving bat.
Joey's Prediction: Phillips rides the bench until the Indians figure out what they can get for him.
EXTRA BULLPEN GUY
Last season: Jason Davis, Brian Tallet, Jeremy Guthrie, Kaz Tadano
2006 contenders: Jason Davis, Danny Graves, Steve Karsay, Andrew Brown, Kaz Tadano
What to watch: Every team needs a versatile guy in the bullpen, someone who can pitch in any situation - long or short relief or even make a spot start.
Jason Davis has all the makings of a solid top-of-the-rotation pitcher, but like many young pitchers, has not been able to tackle the mental aspect of the game. The Indians love his 95+ mph fastball, but believe he needs to cut down on the walks, improve his defense, and more importantly establish a consistent third pitch.
Danny Graves' career has taken a nosedive over the last three seasons after being converted from closer to starter and back to closer. Shapiro says Graves' stuff has declined considerably, even though his arm appears fine. Whether or not a return to the franchise where his career began will be enough to revive it remains to be seen.
Steve Karsay has battled shoulder problems ever since leaving the Indians in 2001, making only 27 appearances over the last three seasons. Combine that with his 7.06 ERA in 22 2/3 innings last season and you get the definition of a longshot.
Andrew Brown, acquired in 2004 in the Milton Bradley deal, is a power pitcher who went 4-2 with a 3.36 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 69 2/3 relief innings at Triple-A Buffalo last season. His improved control - only 19 walks last season - make him Major League ready.
Even though
Kaz Tadano appeared in a game for the Indians last season, he seemed to really fall off the radar screen after pitching in 14 games, including 4 starts, with the Indians in 2004. Tadano spent some of last season on the DL with shoulder problems and was just OK when he was healthy at Class AAA, but his experience makes him worth a mention here.
Joey's Prediction: Brown proves he's ready and claims the final spot on the Indians' roster.
Mike's Prediction: Tribe brass love the potential of Andrew Brown. He could be the surprise of the pen this year. If he fails to get it done, there are other options. Before the season plays out, I see any number of the guys mentioned above getting a shot.
HAVING SAID ALL THAT...
Predicting what will happen in spring training is not an exact science. Consider these statements that appeared in this very same space at this time last year:
"Gonzo's healthy again, back in his favorite ballpark and can taste 500 home runs. Shapiro strikes gold on this one. Blake moves to left."
- Joey
"I see the two [Phillips and Peralta] playing side-by-side in the middle infield for years to come."
- Mike
You can't predict them all! Still, we did correctly predict breakout years by Peralta and Betancourt. Who emerges victorious in these five battles remains to be seen. Be sure to see how it all shakes out with us during cleveland.com's Week in Winter Haven from March 8-13.
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