Tag Archives: Franmil Reyes

Indians top White Sox 10-2 in Goodyear

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The Cleveland Indians played their first home game of Spring Training and defeated the Chicago White Sox by a score of 10-2 in Goodyear.

Well this is nice little bounce back after Monday’s bullpen collapse. The Cleveland Indians were able to handle the Chicago White Sox fairly easily, winning by an eight run margin.

Hitters of note

Francisco Lindor was at the top of the order again, going 1-3 with a run scored in the first inning. It was the first of many runs for the Indians on the day.

Cesar Hernandez got a look at the second spot in the order due to Oscar Mercado receive the day off. Hernandez would go 0-2 with walk and a run scored.

Jose Ramirez is on absolute tear in Arizona. Jose went 2-3 with two runs scored.

Franmil Reyes continues his strong first Spring Training with the Indians, driving in two runs on an RBI double in the 2nd inning. This was one of two doubles on the day for Reyes.

Domingo Santana reached on a surprising infield single in the first inning, which gave Cleveland a 3-0 lead at the time. This was Domingo’s only hit of the day.

Indians top prospect Nolan Jones replaced Jordan Luplow in the game, giving him an opportunity to showcase his abilities. While he did not register a hit, he did walk twice which is to be expected. Jones walks quite often, 96 times in the minors last season. Jones has an excellent eye at the plate and this isa skill that should transition well when eventually makes it to the big leagues.

Pitchers of note

Shane Bieber got the start for the Tribe. Bieber pitched only one inning and did not allow a baserunner. Bieber picked up the win for his lone inning of work.

Brad Hand would come on after Bieber, walking one batter and striking out another.

An interesting 1.2 innings from Scott Moss followed. Moss struck out three batters but also allowed two hits and walked two others.

Chicago’s only runs of the day came off of Kyle Dowdy in the 7th inning. Dowdy allowed two hits and walked one batter on the day.

Cleveland will face the San Diego Padres Wednesday at 3:10 P.M.

Indians win first Spring Training game 9-5

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The Cleveland Indians defeated the Kansas City Royals by a score of 9-5 in the Tribe’s first Spring Training game of 2020.

Cleveland Indians baseball is back. Well, kind of. Spring Training is here and after Saturday’s game was canceled, the Tribe took on the Kansas City Royals for their first game in Arizona. Cleveland came out on top by a score of 9-5 and move to 1-0 in the Cactus League.

Hitters of note

As per usual, regular starters usually do not get that much time early in the spring. The trio of Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, and Carlos Santana did not appear in Sunday’s tilt with the Royals. The only for sure regular starter that appeared was Franmil Reyes and he got his spring off with a bang. Reyes came up in the 6th inning and hit a solo shot to give the Indians a 4-1 lead at the time. Reyes would finish 1-3 on the day.

There were a handful of guys looking to make the Opening Day roster who did not collect a hit Sunday. Delino DeShields, Domingo Santana, Bobby Bradley, and Greg Allen were all hitless on the day. DeShields and Allen each walked once while Domingo and Bradley both went 0-3

Yu Chang is another roster hopeful and he started his Arizona campaign strongly, going 2-2 with 2 runs scored.

Another possible utility man Mike Freeman only went 1-3, but did manage to drive in 2 runs with his 5th inning bases loaded single.

Pitchers of note

Jefry Rodriguez got the start for the Indians and allowed one run in 2 innings on two hits and one walk while striking out two. The one run was a Bubba Starling solo home run in the bottom of the 2nd.

Adam Cimber pitched the 3rd inning and his only baserunner allowed was a walk to Nicky Lopez.

Dynamic relief pitcher James Karinchak followed Cimber and pitched a clean 4th inning. Karinchak struck out one batter in his lone inning of work. Karinchak received the win for his effort in Sunday’s game.

Cleveland will face the Colorado Rockies Monday at 3:10 P.M.

Indians outfield position battles

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The Cleveland Indians will be positioning certain players in certain outfield spots this spring. This should help the team figure out exactly how their roster will be put together come Opening Day. 

Franmil Reyes

Whether or not Franmil Reyes would actually play in the outfield this season was up for debate until fairly recently. A combination of dropping 18 pounds and the signing of Domingo Santana points in the direction of Reyes seeing a good amount of time in the field. Corner outfield to be exact. Reyes will work in both right and left field this spring to gauge his ability as an everyday outfielder. 

Bradley Zimmer 

It was not too long ago that Bradley Zimmer was an exciting player to watch in the Indians outfield. Inconsistent performances at the plate combined with injuries have put his career on pause. Center field is now occupied by Oscar Mercado and others are under consideration for outfield spots. Zimmer will work in center and right field. Being a left handed outfielder could help his case. The only other options in that regard are Jake Bauers and Tyler Naquin. Naquin’s season debut could be delayed and Bauers is not necessarily a lock to make the big league roster. 

Greg Allen

Greg Allen will have every opportunity to make the roster as a switch-hitting outfielder. Cleveland will use him in all three outfield spots this spring. The reality is Allen is someone who shouldn’t start more than twice a week. Allen could make the team as a reserve outfielder, but anything more than that is a cause for concern. 

Jake Bauers 

This is an interesting situation. Like Bradley Zimmer, Jake Bauers is a left handed hitter. Bauers will see time in left field, but also has the ability to play first base. This versatility could lead to Bauers making the roster in one way or another. Having the option to rotate outfield, first base, and the DH positions should be very appealing to Terry Francona. Bauers is the youngest outfielder of this group and has proven enough in AAA, the jump in performance for Bauers could come fairly soon.

Domingo Santana 

This is Cleveland’s other option that they are looking at in regards to left field. Domingo Santana can play the field, but probably shouldn’t. Santana may be better off as a designated hitter while players such as Franmil Reyes and Jake Bauers see time in left. 

Franmil Reyes a regular in the outfield?

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The Cleveland Indians outfield could have an unexpected regular this upcoming season. Franmil Reyes. 

Franmil Reyes came to the Indians last season and was a designated hitter in 45 games compared to playing in the field three times. This is partly due to the fact that Yasiel Puig was the everyday right fielder and the collection of Oscar Mercado, Greg Allen, and Jordan Luplow handled the two outfield spots on a pretty regular basis. 

A large part of Reyes being a DH was he was considered to be a rather uninspiring defender. A major reason was his size, but things appear to be different prior to this upcoming season. While at Tribe Fest Reyes was noticeably slimmer. According to Zack Meisel, Reyes has dropped 18 pounds and is ready to compete for an outfield spot. 

Also worth noting is that Reyes still feels powerful. Being a power hitter that is essential. Dropping weight is great, but if it leads to a decrease in power for someone who relies on it that poses a problem.

If Franmil Reyes is actually able to play in the outfield that changes things quite a bit. Instead of two potential platoon situations in the corner outfield spots, Reyes could play in the field enough that platooning could be more limited than initially expected. Providing the lineup with stability will help with overall performance and the development of some of the younger players. It will also provide Terry Francona with more flexibility when putting tougher their lineup. Something that the Tribe could use with their hodgepodge collection of players outside of a select few.

Bobby Bradley and the Cleveland Indians

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Bobby Bradley remained in Columbus while the Cleveland Indians are fighting for their playoff lives. What does this mean about his future in Cleveland?

Earlier this season it appeared that Bobby Bradley was the heir apparent at first base or the designated hitter position. Since then the Indians acquired Franmil Reyes who looks locked in to be the Indians designated hitter for the foreseeable future. Carlos Santana is still under contract for one more season and will play first base during that time. Currently there does not appear to be a spot open in Cleveland for at least one more season. With that it seems like Bobby Bradley may have a future elsewhere. 

Bobby Bradley had a brief stint with the Indians earlier this year. While he showed he can hit the ball really far, he still was plagued by the same issue he has in the minors. Strikeouts. Bradley struck out 20 times in 45 at-bats and was optioned to Columbus. Normally this is forgivable as long as the batter is hitting for power but Bradley was not doing that either. 

Barring any trades, Cleveland will be bringing back Carlos Santana and Franmil Reyes next season. Those are two spots in the lineup that would go to Bobby Bradley. Add in the fact that the team will most likely try to work Jake Bauers back into the lineup and that is another spot that is now gone for Bradley. There is also the fact that Bauers is more versatile than Bradley which is what the Indians need right now.  Bauers’ ability to play at both first base and the outfield is more valuable than Bradley’s first base and designated hitter profile. If Cleveland thought that Bobby Bradley could provide the offense they are looking for after Tyler Naquin’s season ending ACL injury and the injuries to Jason Kipnis and Jose Ramirez they would have called him up. The fact that they did not should signal what is thought of Bradley.

Bobby Bradley strikes out a ton

As mentioned above, Bradley struck out 20 times in 45 at-bats with Cleveland. In Columbus Bradley struck out 153 times in 402 at-bats. This is slightly over 38% of his at-bats. Of the MLB players (entering September 19th 2019) who have struck out as much or more than Bradley this season, only four have done so with less than 500 at-bats. In fact, of the 18 players with 150 strikeouts or more so far, only four have less than 500 at-bats. Only two players have less walks than Bradley in this group.

If a major reduction in his strikeout frequency occurs and he increases his walk rate it would be wise to give him a shot at the Major League level. The only problem is that does not appear to be something that will be improved upon all that much. Bradley strikes out so much in AAA that it figures to only increase when he faces superior pitching at the Major League level. Add in the fact he appears to be a one dimensional player, his struggles in the Majors could continue.

Cleveland kept Bobby Bradley in AAA while fighting for the playoffs

With the Indians working their way back into the playoff race the final month Bobby Bradley will not get the opportunities with the big league club that he would in previous years.  If the Tribe were ahead in the divisional race or completely out of the playoff picture Bradley would get his chances to show what he’s got. Unfortunately that is not the case in this point in time. 

If Bobby Bradley could play the outfield or third base he would get a chance down the stretch. Yu Chang is only getting a shot because of the injury to Jose Ramirez. Chang plays a position that the Indians have a need for, Bradley does not. Jake Bauers got the call because again, he can play a position of need (outfield).

What does the future hold for Bobby Bradley?

Now there is the question of what to do with Bobby Bradley after this season. Cleveland has first base and DH position pretty much set in stone. Carlos Santana and Franmil Reyes seemed locked into those spots with Jake Bauers potentially getting a shot next season to open the season. Bradley will also have his chance to make the team out of Spring Training. But again, the problem is the position (or lack thereof) that he plays.

There appears to be a logjam at any immediate opening for Bradley next season. It is very possible that Bradley starts 2020 in Columbus again. With how things look for next season they have some decisions to make, including a possible trade. Will the Cleveland Indians trade Bobby Bradley? Only time will tell. Cleveland has previously traded away the likes of Jesus Aguilar and Yandy Diaz when in similar situations. Aguilar showed some promise for the Brewers last season before returning to his previous form this season. Diaz on the other hand provided immediate dividends to the Tampa Bay Rays. Although just how productive he is in the future remains to be seen.

The Indians need to do their due diligence in regards to Bobby Bradley and evaluate any and all options in regards to his status. This includes other players who have the ability to play first base and any trades worth considering. With players hitting home runs at an all-time rate, finding a 20+ home run hitter seems to much easier than in years past. If a trade of Bradley brings in someone at a position of need it is definitely worth considering.

Indians trade Bauer in blockbuster deal

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The Cleveland Indians dealt Trevor Bauer to the Cincinnati Reds in a blockbuster three team deal that also includes the San Diego Padres.

It was only a matter of time. Trevor Bauer is no longer a member of the Cleveland Indians. Trevor Bauer was sent to the Cincinnati Reds in a blockbuster trade. Cleveland receives Yasiel Puig, Franmil Reyes and Logan Allen to improve the big league roster. Cleveland also added minor league prospects Victor Nova and Scott Moss in addition to the Major League players they received.

The Indians entered this season stuck in-between a rock and a hard place in regards to Bauer. Bauer is a great pitcher but his contract status and his potential large salary next year through arbitration made a trade seem inevitable. The return that Cleveland got for Bauer right now is greater than if they would have waited to deal him after the season. For a team that has to work with financial constraints, this is a deal that had to be done now.

Adding Yasiel Puig and Franmil Reyes to the outfield provides a bit more pop in the lineup. The duo have combined for 49 home runs, 24 doubles and 107 runs driven in this season. Puig is only a rental for this season, but Reyes is under contract until 2025 and figures to be a fixture of the Tribe outfield for the foreseeable future.

Logan Allen may contribute in some form this season. Allen has started four games this season but has also come out of the bullpen for his last three appearances. While he has not had much success in San Diego (6.75 ERA, 1.776 WHIP in 25.1 innings), he should be able to help in the future. Allen is only 22 years old and has plenty of time to improve on his early performances.

Trevor Bauer to the San Diego Padres?

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According to reports the San Diego Padres have expressed interest in acquiring Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Trevor Bauer.

This seems to be the rumor that just will not go away. The San Diego Padres showing interest in one of the Indians starting pitchers. Interest in Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer from San Diego has been reported previously. With the trade deadline approaching it is Bauer who is receiving the attention.

Indians need to consider how the value of Trevor Bauer will change

From the Indians perspective trading Bauer before the deadline makes the most sense. Bauer is due to make a high salary next season in arbitration, making his perceived value much less. If the Indians are able to deal him now they would get much more than if they wait until the season is over. That means multiple good players in return rather than just one, if any. This is because Bauer would be able to provide a contender with two potential playoff runs instead of just one. This is what matters to potential suitors.

What can San Diego offer in return?

Looking at San Diego there are three names that are floated around. Luis Urias, Hunter Renfroe and Franmil Reyes. Urias is a second baseman and Renfroe and Reyes are both outfielders. Before the season started the easy decision was to go the outfield route. With the production from the outfield this season finding replacement for Jason Kipnis at second seems to be the better play. Most expect that Kipnis will not return next season and Cleveland will need to address that. Luis Urias would be able to step in (possibly this season) and give the Tribe the second baseman they desperately need.

Ideally acquiring Urias plus one of Renfroe or Reyes would be the best possible return. Reyes is younger which may be more appealing from the Indians side of things. Both hit for power and a decent average at this moment in time.

In the end Luis Urias needs to be the focus of the trade discussions. Hunter Renfroe and/or Franmil Reyes would be the secondary portion of a deal. Cleveland needs to find a future at second base and Urias could certainly be just that.

San Diego may be reluctant to give up top prospects/valuable players but that is the cost of doing business when acquiring someone like Trevor Bauer. Bauer is someone who could help a team make a push for the postseason for two seasons. If San Diego is not willing to part ways with what is required to acquire someone like Bauer, Cleveland may find another suitor elsewhere.