When the Cleveland Indians really want to know why fans question their moves, the answer is as plain as the grin on the ever smiling Chief Wahoo’s face. Seriously, you can’t make some of this stuff up.
Today, the team announced the 3B Jason Donald has a fracture in the middle finger of his left hand, a result of being hit by a pitch a week or so ago. Donald, thought to be the frontrunner to start at the hot corner on Opening Day will be out until the middle of April.
The team says it will decide between Jack Hannahan, Jayson Nix, and Luis Valbuena to take over the spot until Donald is ready to go. It’s really like picking the least likely to be horrible once the season begins.
Meanwhile, Lonnie Chisenhall, who is hitting .500 on the spring has been told he has no chance to make the club.
It is understandable from the Tribe’s point of view not to bring the youngster north and start his clock ticking in regard to service time, but they can’t really believe picking among Hannahan, Nix, and Valbuena excites anybody.
Hannahan is 31 years old and the only thing he’s proven at the big league level is that he’s a utility man at best. He’s a good defender, and in 856 big league at bats, he’s hitting .224 with 16 HR and 90 RBI’s. Having Hannahan make the roster pretty much tells you the Indians have no interest in winning in 2011.
Readers of this blog know how we feel about Nix, who at 28 years old has put up a career batting average of .215 with 26 HR and 68 RBI. Put that together with the way he fielded the position, or didn’t field it, in a trial last season, and you don’t have a warm and fuzzy feeling about him playing the spot. In fact, in looking at the non-roster players trying to make the team, the thought occurs that Nix may be DFA’d to open a spot on the 40 man roster.
Valbuena should get the opportunity first because he has proven the least at the big league level. He did play well in his rookie year of 2009, but was god awful last season. He also has the highest batting average of the group, a robust .226 in 692 at bats.
At least you can believe that Valbuena might be able to regain his rookie form and hit a little bit with a little pop.
And really, all we are saying about Chisenhall is that he should be given a shot. All of the naysayers about controlling service time want it to take a little longer before he’s eligible for arbitration and free agency. Here’s an alternative for you, why don’t you sign him up early to take away his arbitration and his first year of free agency? Guess no one thought of that alternative.
The other candidate to get released at the end of training camp to make room for non-roster players is reliever Jensen Lewis. Guys who come out of the bullpen and can’t throw strikes and give up long balls have a small shelf life. Lewis probably sealed his fate when he was horrendous against Milwaukee this week, giving up a couple of three run homers.
Vinnie Pestano, a rookie, has done well in Goodyear and has probably passed Lewis in the pecking order.
Another young reliever, Josh Judy was sent out today again despite having just one bad outing. It appears someone in the organization isn’t enamored of him.
Opening Day is less than two weeks away, and to be sure, the news of Jack Hannahan starting at 3B will have Tribe fans remembering the days when players like Bell, Nettles, Jacoby, and Thome played the spot.
KM
Cleveland Sports Perspective 