The outfield has been a big topic of conversation among Tribe fans and writers since word came out that left fielder Michael Brantley was likely to start the season on the DL, possibly until sometime in May. There was a tempered, but frantic search for someone to take the place in the left field corner until Dr. Smooth’s return, settling with signings like Rajai Davis, Joey Butler, Collin Cowgill and Will Venable. All seemed to be calm and handled to the best of the front office’s ability until news broke that Indians’ center fielder Abraham Almonte had failed a PED test and would be suspended 80 games. It’s a hit to an already shaky and depleted outfield, but could be an open door for a stud to come up and prove he deserves to play in the bigs.
Who would play left field coming out of the gate in 2016 was the biggest question for most of the off-season in Cleveland. Brantley underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder, and was assumed to be on the disabled list past the start of the year. This left the position wide open for an unknown amount of time and became the main focus for the Indians front office. To possibly fill that spot, they signed Butler, Davis, Cowgill, Robbie Grossman and Venable, giving the Tribe a decent amount of guys to work with, on top of already having Tyler Naquin and/or James Ramsey ready and waiting to get the call up. Being in the middle of spring training, some of the candidates wanting to take the field in Cleveland have separated themselves from the pack, gaining interest quickly.
The unknowns are kind of a mess that has us waiting at the edge of our seats, while the guys already locked for a spot on the 25-man roster aren’t exactly surprising. Lonnie Chisenhall is one of those to start in the outfield when camp breaks and after his mind blowing, depending on who you ask, turn around in 2015 when being moved from third base to the right field, there’s almost a comfort that something is set in stone. Last year, the Indians gave Lonnie an “unspoken” last chance to prove himself and what he can bring to the table. Early in the season was a struggle when, coming out as the starting third baseman, his defense and offense suffered. Before being sent down to Columbus, along with Jose Ramirez, he’d committed 5 errors with 7 DRS in 50 games and a .963 fielding percentage. Offensively, his stat line was a sad .209/.241/.345, batting a .242 across all his seasons at third.
These weren’t the greatest numbers, so down to southern Ohio he went. While there, the team decided to experiment with an idea of putting him in the outfield and, like a duck to water, something clicked. He played 40 games with the Clippers, batting .280 and giving the big squad some proof that he still had it. After, it was like watching a whole new Chisenhall. His 5 errors at third were put to shame with a single one in right, a higher .989 FLD% and his bat in the second half soared to an impressive .288. Something woke up in Lonnie that everyone had been waiting for, and the hope is that that will continue in 2016.
Keeping on the right field track, the Cleveland Indians have recently signed OF stud Marlon Byrd to a minor league deal, while optioning James Ramsey to AAA. Byrd is an interesting sign, I advise not to pay attention to his age (38), because he brings in a bat that’s bombed 48 times in the last two seasons, while giving the Tribe a little more wiggle room against lefties due to his .286 BA against them across his career. It’s not secret, though I don’t like to admit it, that Chisenhall isn’t the greatest against southpaws, and I’ve stated before that I don’t believe he’s an everyday player. The addition of Byrd can not only help with those issues, but beyond that give them an advantage in bringing the offense up to the level that can match with Cleveland’s stellar pitching.
Byrd’s defense is another story. In right field, where he will play most, his defensive runs saved is higher there than any other position. He comes into 2016 with 26 DRS in RF to a -7 in center and 2 in left. While his UZR was between average and above at 3.1 in 2015, I’d still take an average glove that knows what it’s doing with a hot bat any day. Byrd isn’t a lock, but has an invite to big league camp, and is a wonderful option for a solid platoon situation.
The other outfielder locked for a starting position is new Indians outfielder Davis, free agent from the Detroit Tigers. He was picked up by the Indians midway through the off-season, signed to a 1yr/$5.25M deal. Davis isn’t exactly a spring chicken anymore, but looking beyond it being his age 35 season, Cleveland fans know how solid he can be. Quoting Francona, he’s been a “thorn in our side” for quite a while, and the hope is for him to be a thorn in the sides of the rest of the division while playing in a Cleveland jersey. Davis can play all sides of the outfield, meaning they can put him in left field until Brantley comes back, then center field for a possible platoon situation with someone else still fighting for a spot. While in Detroit, he played best in center field, and finished the season with eight home runs and a .258/.306/.440 line. He brings a bat that can help solves some offensive issues, while also giving the Indians a small sigh of relief in the outfield.
Brantley is one of the Indians’ top performers both offensive and defensively. He’s a leader in the clubhouse and on the field, which is part of why he’s so important to the team. That being said, Brantley being out causes many issues for the Indians. His comeback date has yet to be announced, though he began actual game play on March 17th. The team has been very careful and optimistic about his recovery, stating that he’s right on track to where he should be and in my opinion, he should be kept on the DL at least a week or two into the season. Why? Because of how important he is to the success of Cleveland and we’ve seen what happens to someone coming back before they’re 100% ready (99% isn’t good enough and it shouldn’t be). His bat and glove will be missed, but the health of the core guys comes before anything else. All that being said, the Indians need him back as soon as possible.
There are some other players still dueling for some big league play time, like young the center fielder Naquin. His 2015 was rough, ending the season early due to injury, but he’s come into Tribe camp hot and ready to stand out. In many conversations I’ve had, it’s been a common theory that to even be considered ready for the bigs, Naquin would have to have an outstanding spring training. So far, he’s done exactly that. He’s set himself apart from the rest of the pack with his .452 batting average alone through 12 games and he leads the rest of the OF candidates in hits (14), triples (3), and OBP (.469). It feels good to see someone like him get so comfortable, but will that continue into the season? Always a question without a solid answer. Would it surprise me if he starts the season in Columbus? Yes and no, but he’s a solid tool that the Indians have at hand, that I without a doubt believe they will put to use this year.
With so much up in the air considering the Indians outfield, when you actually think about it, it’s not all that bad. We could see a comeback season unlike anything we’ve only dreamed of in right field, the debut of a rookie who could be giving us a sneak peek into what he can bring to The Corner, and a leader healthy and ready to dominate the division, the league and the MLB. At first, it was a nightmare, but has become exciting and gets more and more interesting as the days tick down towards the season opener.
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