Video: Nick Swisher and Mike Polk Jr. are Bro-tastic roommates
March 24, 2014Browns officially ink Paul McQuistan, still have gaping hole at guard
March 24, 2014Over the past decade, the Indians have signed a handful of low priced free agents in the offseason, taking flyers and hoping that one or two of them will work out. Last year GM Chris Antonetti hit on both Ryan Raburn and Scott Kazmir. This winter, the likes of Jeff Francouer, David Aardsma, Scott Atchison, and Elliot Johnson were amongst the players brought in. Johnson’s versatility and strong Spring has him snagging a spot in this season’s ‘Goon Squad.” Now you have another vet who will start the season with the big club.
Welcome to Cleveland, Tony Plush.
Nyjer Morgan, the former Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and Washington center fielder has been told that he has made the club, according to Tribe beat reporters T.J.Zuppe, Jordan Bastian, and Paul Hoynes. Morgan has impressed manager Terry Francona with his hustle and willingness to fit as a role player. His three-run triple on Saturday keyed a win over the Rockies. Morgan is just 7-32 (.219) this Spring, but he is a natural center fielder. This is the key aspect of why Morgan has made the club.
The team’s regular in the middle, Michael Bourn, is nursing a hamstring injury which has hampered him over the past 10 days or so. The Morgan news tells me one thing – Bourn will not be ready next Monday night in Oakland. In fact the Indians have just announced that Bourn will start the season on the Disabled List retroactively. The good news is that he will be eligible to return April 5th. If healthy, Bourn would miss just four games.
In other roster moves, Lonnie Chisenhall has been informed he will make the club, while pitchers Trevor Bauer and C.C. Lee have been sent to Columbus. 1B/DH Bryan LaHair, INF David Cooper, and Catcher Luke Carlin have all been reassigned. Starting pitcher Aaron Harang asked for and was granted his release after being told he will not be the team’s fifth starter.
(photo via Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer)
10 Comments
I just commented on this in the other section hopefully Bourn’s hammy isn’t an on-going issue. Morgan is a decent guy to have around but I was kind of hoping Frenchie Francouer would make the 25 man.
I think they should have found a place for Harang. He’s an innings eater if nothing more.
Frenchy can’t play center. I’d rather have Morgan.
There just wasn’t room for Harang. I think Tomlin takes the 5th spot and Carassco ends up being a long reliever. Bauer goes to AAA. So there just wasn’t room for Harang who wasn’t going to wait in the minors when he’ll be able to find some other big league roster to pitch on.
Murphy could play center or Bradley but like I said it wasn’t a big deal.
Carrasco should be in the bullpen I hope they realize it finally. Let him start as a long reliever and see what he can do. I don’t trust Tomlin why I wouldn’t have minded Harang instead. I believe Tomlin still had options left.
Nyjer was a plus defensive CF in every season he played in MLB. Brantley has always been negative. Murphy has played all of 350 innings in center over eight seasons.
You don’t trust Tomlin, but trust Harang? No thanks. I’ll go with Tomlin every time on that one.
I just liked Francouer always have but obviously Morgan being a CF he had the advantage.
A for Tomlin or Harang we’re talking the fifth starter. Since Tomlin still had options and was coming off a serious arm injury I preferred Harang.
Looks like Carrasco will start the season in the rotation. The home opener could get a bit messy, fortunately the Twins have little offense outside of Mauer and Willingham (besides their other scrubs that seem to shine against us). Carrasco will work out as long as he can keep pitching 5-6 innings while giving up less than 4 runs each time (trying to be realistic). Think Tony Plush will be DFA when Bourn is completely healed from his injury (likely after Easter). Wood likely gets the final bullpen spot.
i have a feeling once the season gets going we’re going to wish we had kept francouer. right now, i have no faith in murphy or bourn to produce consistently. bourn with his aging legs and murphy’s diminishing bat. brantley will need to have a huge year, along with raburn, to pick up the slack
What in the world is with the Francouer fandom here?
Tomlin is a solid major league starter – definitely back-of-the-rotation quality, but a solid starter that will keep you in games. Harang is of the same ilk – not a superstar, but good enough to keep you in the game.
.279/.314/.430 – aided by a .331 BABiP, Frenchy has seemingly always done pretty well against the Tribe. Thus, the over value of a Tribe killer.
Same thing as why so many love Kirk Cousins despite his terrible play last year. He played really well against the Browns in 2012 and that is the game people remember.