Evidently Joel Skinner is a Cleveland native still:

Red Wings introduce new manager Skinner

Former Minor League Manager of the Year also has major league playing, managing experience

Jeff DiVeronica

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle USA TODAY NETWORK

The Red Wings introduced veteran skipper Joel Skinner as their 45th manager on Wednesday. The 56-year-old replaces Mike Quade, who took Rochester to the brink of the International League playoffs last year before deciding to become a roving outfield instructor for the Twins.

Skinner said he was ecstatic to join an organization such as Minnesota that is so good grooming future majorleague stars. Here are nine things to know about the new manager:

Familiar with Naomi Silver

Not that their history had an bearing on Skinner getting the job, but he has known the Red Wings chief operating officer since 1984. Naomi Silver was in her early 20s then and early into her seven-year marriage to ballplayer Cliff Speck.

Skinner was a catcher and a teammate of Speck on the Denver Bears and also played a quarter of the season with the Chicago White Sox, his first bigleague club. Skinner was with the Sox from 1983-86, the Yankees from 1986-88 and the Cleveland Indians from 1989-91. He played 15 years of pro ball, including 564 games in the majors.

Red Wings general manager Dan Mason was at the winter meetings when the Twins called and told him they’d hired Skinner.

Mason joked that Silver was the “happiest person in Rochester“ that day when he phoned her with the news.

Managing change

In 12 seasons as a minor-league manager, Skinner has a record of 860-777. He also went 35-41 while serving as interim manager of the Cleveland Indians in 2002 after Charlie Manuel was fired.

“The only constant in minor-league baseball is change ... (as a manager) you’re dealing with a constant flux in your lineup,” Mason said Wednesday. “So to have a winning record after 12 seasons managing minor-league baseball is a tremendous accomplishment.”

Great track record

Skinner, who was out of baseball last year, was named Minor League Manager of the Year by Baseball America and The Sporting News while leading the Buffalo Bisons to the International League Governors’ Cup Finals in 2000. He earned the same honor from USA Today Baseball Weekly in 1998 with Double- A Akron.

“Anytime you have good players hopefully you can do something with them and win some ball games,” Skinner said, deflecting praise. “Our job as staff members is to create a culture that is conducive to learn and to win.”

Most recently, he managed in the White Sox chain, going from Triple-A Charlotte (2012-15) to Single-A Winston- Salem in 2016. He was with the Indians in some capacity, from third-base coach to bench coach from 2001-09.

His first managing job was in New York state, too. He led Watertown to the New York-Penn League championship in 1995, earning Manager of the Year that season.

From San Diego to snow

Mistake by the lake? Don’t tell that to Skinner, who was born and raised in La Jolla near San Diego but has made his home in Cleveland since his playing days ended as an Indian in 1991. Skinner and his wife, Jennifer, who was at Wednesday’s announcement, have three daughters, Kate, Erin and Tara, and one son, Cameron. Skinner joked Wednesday about how a California native can handle the weather in the Northeast.

Father knows best

Skinner grew up around batting cages. He and his father, Bob, are only the second father-son tandem to manage in the major leagues and there’s a Rochester connection to that, too. They share that distinction with Red Wing and Baseball Hall of Famer George Sisler (St. Louis Browns, 1924-26) and his son, Dick (Cincinnati Reds, 1964-65).

George Sisler was general manager of the Wings when they won Governor’s Cup crowns in 1955 and 1956 and remained at the helm into the 1960s, as Rochester transitioned from being affiliated with the Cardinals to the Orioles.

“I think I learned more from (my dad) about baseball playing golf with him growing up as a kid than anything,” Skinner said. “The way you battle. The way you don’t give in.”

Among the managers Skinner played for were Tony LaRussa, Lou Pinella, John McNamara, Jim Fregosi and Mike Hargrove, among others.

Skinner played from 1986-88 with the Yankees and in 1988 under Billy Martin, who guided New York to a pair of pennants and the 1977 World Series crown. After being sent down to the minors in 1987 when Skinner joked he “forgot how to hit,” as evidenced by his .137 batting average, he said Martin boosted his confidence in spring training in 1988.

“He pulled me aside in Fort Lauderdale and pretty much put his arm around me and said, ‘Hey, listen, I believe in you,’ and that really went a long ways,” said Skinner, who called Martin a “fiery” manager who relied on his catchers to be leaders.

“He might yell at you, but (with) Billy’s way of yelling at the catcher, he’d rather yell at one guy than 10 pitchers.”

Back to the big leagues?

Would Skinner like another shot at managing in the majors? Of course, he said.

“Anytime you do anything, at least for athletes, you want to aspire to the highest level, to be challenged at the highest peak,” he said. “From that standpoint, yeah, sure, that’d be great. It’s not who I am. It’s what I do.

“But right now I’m the manager of the Red Wings and I just pour my total attention into that and go from there. ... I don’t get caught up in (what could happen); I never have. As a player, coach, manager, whatever you’re doing, I think the players see through that.”

Call-up, a manager’s perspective

Skinner spoke humbly about sharing that moment when he gets to tell a Triple- A player he’s going to “The Show.”

“There’s no more joy that I get than calling a young player in and telling them that they’re going to Minnesota.”

FWIW, Baseball Reference has decided that the Indians starting rotation is No. 3 in baseball behind Washington and Houston.

3. Cleveland Indians

Projected Rotation

1 Corey Kluber R
2 Carlos Carrasco R
3 Trevor Bauer R
4 Josh Tomlin R
5 Danny Salazar R


2017 Stats Combined: 142 G, 137 GS, 824.0 IP, 10.3 K/9, 2.2 BB/9, 1.1 HR/9, 3.64 ERA, 20.9 WAR

Breakdown

The Cleveland Indians are returning all the key players from a rotation that set a new mark for dominance in 2017, racking up a record 1,066 strikeouts.

Leading the way once again will be Corey Kluber. He added a second Cy Young to his collection last year, mainly thanks to an otherworldly finish in which he had a 1.62 ERA over 23 starts. Overall, he's averaged a 2.83 ERA, 219 innings and something like a bajillion slider GIFs per season since 2014.

The only shame about Kluber's excellence is that it keeps Carlos Carrasco under the radar. He has a 3.17 ERA and a 5.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 97 starts dating back to 2014. He proved he could handle a large workload with his first 200-inning season in 2017.

Below him, Trevor Bauer has settled comfortably as a mid-rotation starter. His latest trick was riding elevated curveball usage to a 4.19 ERA and a career-high 196 strikeouts in 2017.

Cleveland's rotation does go off a cliff a bit after its front three but not to a dangerous degree.

Josh Tomlin's excellent command generally makes him an average-ish starter. Danny Salazar was an All-Star in 2016 and struck out 12.7 batters per nine innings when he was healthy in 2017. Waiting in the wings is Mike Clevinger, a fellow hard thrower who quietly had a 2.84 ERA in 21 starts last year.

Another season like the one Cleveland's rotation had last year is a lot to ask. And yet, it also seems doable.

Think it's a no brainer Clevinger starts out the season in the rotation with Tomlin ready if needed but from the bullpen.

Austin Jackson to the Giants for 2 years at 6.5 million a year that could escalate to 8.5 a season.

Happy for him for using the Tribe to help restart his career!

BA having fun with this topic:

If Every Team Was Homegrown: AL Central


We began rolling out what every team’s homegrown 2018 lineup and starting rotation would look like with the American League East on Monday. Now, we continue with the AL Central.
As a reminder, any player signed for entry into Major League Baseball is eligible to be listed with the team that signed them, so foreign professionals signed from Japan, Cuba, South Korea or other countries are included, in addition to those drafted and signed, signed as international amateurs or signed as undrafted free agents.
Players must have been active in 2017 and are scheduled to be active in 2018 to be eligible.


CLEVELAND INDIANS

C Roberto Perez
1B Jesus Aguilar
2B Jason Kipnis
3B Jose Ramirez
SS Francisco Lindor
OF Tyler Naquin
OF Bradley Zimmer
OF Lonnie Chisenhall
DH Giovanny Urshela


SP Chris Archer
SP Danny Salazar
SP C.C. Sabathia
SP Drew Pomeranz
SP Josh Tomlin
RP Cody Allen

Honorable Mention: Bartolo Colon, Steven Wright, Tony Wolters, Jhonny Peralta, Chris Gimenez, Hector Rondon, Jeanmar Gomez, Cody Anderson, Shawn Armstrong, Tony Sipp, Vidal Nuno, Zach Putnam, Clint Frazier, Francisco Mejia

Analysis: The Indians have been superb at not only identifying and signing premier amateur talent, but keeping it. Nine of the Indians 10 best homegrown position players suited up for the big league team and played significant roles in the Tribe’s ascension to an American League power. It’s arguably the best track record of any team in today’s game properly identifying which of its prospects to keep….The Indians were a little more trigger-happy on pitchers, trading Chris Archer and Drew Pomeranz as prospects, but still produced a steady line of successful big league starters…The Indians homegrown unit contains plenty of infield, catching, rotation and bullpen depth. Their outfield group could be viewed as a little light, but is still better than what many other teams have produced. In all, the Indians have been one of the best and most well-rounded franchises in baseball when it comes to identifying and developing future big leaguers.

We have drafted a lot of OFs as our No. 1 picks but haven't had a lot of success with them. Chisenhall may be the best homegrown OF until Zimmer proves himself over the longer term and Lonnie was an infielder when drafted.

Batting order about these guys would be something like

1. Lindor
2. Kipnis
3. Ramirez
4. pass
5. Chisenhall
6. Aguilar
7. pass
8.1 Zimmer
8.2 Naquin
9.1 Perez
9.2 Urshela

Of course it would make more sense to put Gio at 3rd, Jose at 2nd,

CLEVELAND -- Spring Training officially begins this week for the Indians. That means Francisco Lindor's infectious smile will bring energy to the morning workouts. Corey Kluber will return to the mound, stoic and robotic as he navigates through throwing sessions. Jose Ramirez will strut between the batting cage and practice fields.

Come Wednesday morning, pitchers and catchers will report to Arizona to begin the team's quest for a third consecutive American League Central crown. The first workout will be held on Thursday, initiating the spring battles for rotation and bullpen jobs. For the latter, the Tribe's relief corps will be missing a familiar face: Bryan Shaw.

"We're going to miss Bryan," relief ace Andrew Miller said last month. "Bryan has been a staple of this bullpen for years."

The Indians' roster returns mostly intact from last year, when the team won 102 games, set an AL record with a 22-game winning streak and ran away with the Central title. There were a handful of key losses over the winter months, though. Carlos Santana (Phillies), Jay Bruce (Mets), Joe Smith (Astros) and Shaw (Rockies) each left via free agency, creating some questions for camp.

The Tribe answered Santana's departure with the signing of free-agent first baseman Yonder Alonso (two years, $16 million) and picked up the $12 million option for Michael Brantley to hopefully make up for Bruce's exit. To date, however, there has been little movement with the bullpen, even with Smith and Shaw signing elsewhere. Shaw, specifically, was a key part of the 'pen for the past several seasons.

This spring, even if the Indians at some point dip into the crop of free-agent relievers that are still available, manager Terry Francona will need to figure out his plan for the Shaw-less bullpen. Since 2013, when Francona came aboard as skipper, Shaw has provided durability and consistency out of the setup role.

"Replacing Bryan in the bullpen will be a chore," Francona said. "It'll probably take more than one guy to fill what he did. The good news is we have guys that can do that. I have no doubt that there will be guys that step up [but] we don't know who they are yet."

Francona quickly cited lefty Tyler Olson, who barely registered on the public radar last spring. Olson joined the 'pen down the stretch when Miller and Boone Logan were dealing with injuries, and the lefty contributed 20 scoreless innings. In 30 appearances, Olson did not allow a single run and ended with 18 strikeouts, six walks and 13 hits allowed.

"It happens every year and it will happen again," Francona said of a player seizing an opportunity like Olson did last year. "That's exciting."

Still, Francona will need to find a way to replace Shaw's innings.

Over the past five seasons combined, Shaw ranked first among all Major League relievers in pitches thrown (5,892) and games (378), and was tied for first in relief innings (358 2/3). The right-hander logged at least 70 appearances and 64 innings in each of those five years, and was tied for fifth in double-play groundouts (42), and sixth in ground balls overall (494), among MLB relievers in that span. Shaw had a 3.11 ERA in those five years with the Tribe.

This offseason, the Rockies rewarded Shaw's work with a three-year, $27 million pact that includes a fourth-year option.

"What Shaw's been able to do over the course of his career," Indians reliever Zach McAllister said, "not many people have been able to do that, and maintain staying healthy, and putting up numbers. That's a credit to him and the way he prepares himself. When you're able to watch him day in and day out -- from a teammate standpoint -- you're able to learn a lot from him."

Miller and closer Cody Allen, who will be eligible for free agency next offseason, return as the main late-inning weapons for Francona. Behind them, he has the right-handed McAllister and the left-handed Olson, along with righties Dan Otero and Nick Goody. Those project to be the club's six main bullpen arms. One of the team's starters could also wind up in the 'pen, and the Indians currently have 13 pitchers coming to camp as non-roster invitees.

As Spring Training progresses -- the first full-squad workout will be Feb. 19, with the Cactus League opener against the Reds following on Feb. 23 -- Francona and his bullpen will get a better feel for how things will shape up for the season ahead. Last year, the Indians' bullpen led the Majors in ERA (2.89), so the team remains confident in the group's abilities.

"I think we can just slide some people back, and move things around, and we should be good to go," Miller said. "We like our group. Obviously, we wish we had everybody back, but that's just not the reality of the business. We have a lot of guys -- Otero, Z-Mac, Goody -- all who had great years. And what Olson did for us when he came up. All those guys will just be asked for a little bit more, and I think they're more than capable."

McAllister agreed with Miller's assessment. "We're all definitely ready," McAllister said. "Maybe our appearances might go up a little bit this year, but the way that we have to be ready when our name's called doesn't change."

Since 6 bullpen spots are taken [Allen, Miller, McAllister, Goody, Olson, Otero] and we have 7 available for 5 starting jobs, only one of whom has minor league options left, it doesn't seem that's room for any of the other 20 or so pitchers in camp unless someone looks really surprisingly good and/or one of the holdovers gets hurt.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The same question has hovered over the Indians' preseason for three years now: Will Michael Brantley be ready in time for Opening Day? Injuries have hindered the All-Star left fielder's preparation in the past and are once again casting doubt over his potential availability for Spring Training.

Brantley's latest comeback is from right ankle surgery -- performed in October -- and could have a ripple effect on the club's roster for the start of the regular season. His status will not only impact the alignment of the Tribe's outfield, though. This spring, Brantley's progress might influence how the club goes about naming an Opening Day third baseman.

"He'll be dying to start the season on time, as he always does," manager Terry Francona said last month. "That will be our biggest challenge; to make sure we get him back and keep him back and not let Opening Day be an arbitrary deadline. But, by all accounts, he's doing terrific."

Indians pitchers and catchers report on Wednesday, with the first workout scheduled for the following day. The position players will then report to camp on Sunday -- one day ahead of the first full-squad workout. By then, there should start to be more clarity about where Brantley is on his current comeback trail.

For the sake of argument, let's say the Indians take a conservative approach with Brantley and his rehab lingers into April. That would necessitate the naming of a new left fielder for the start of the season. Outfielders such as Lonnie Chisenhall, Abraham Almonte, Tyler Naquin and Melvin Upton Jr. would be in the mix. The club might also consider second baseman Jason Kipnis, who played center down the stretch last year.

If Kipnis were to open the regular season in left, that domino would create a conversation about how to handle third base, where there are a few possible solutions. What follows is a look at how the competition for the hot corner is shaping up as Spring Training begins.

Jose Ramirez
Pros: Ramirez is not only a focal point of the Tribe's lineup, but a sound defender for second or third base. Keeping Ramirez at third would reduce the amount of moving parts on the roster, if Brantley is not ready for Opening Day. It would allow the club to keep Kipnis at second (his preference) and limit the spring competition to the corner outfield spots. Last summer, Ramirez started at third base for the American League All-Star team.

Cons: Ramirez was an excellent defender at second down the stretch in 2017, while Kipnis was sidelined with injury issues. The switch-hitting infielder also said he is most comfortable at second base. Keeping him at third might cost the Indians a little bit defensively. Ramirez had five Defensive Runs Saved in 577 1/3 innings at second in '17, compared to minus two DRS for Kipnis in 620 2/3 innings. They may also want to avoid having Ramirez bounce back and forth between second and third like last year.

Yandy Diaz
Pros: Diaz has little left to prove in the Minors as a hitter. He posted a .914 OPS in Triple-A in 2017 and an .854 OPS between Double-A and Triple-A in '16. Diaz also held his own defensively at third base last season, putting up a 10.2 UZR/150 in 282 innings at that position. The combination of Diaz and Ramirez at third and second, respectively, worked well in September. Diaz had his ups and downs offensively, but he had a .352 on-base percentage overall and finished strong (.304 average and .810 OPS in 31 games after his August promotion).

Cons: It's still hard to know what to make of Diaz as a hitter at the big league level. Among the 387 Major Leaguers who had at least 100 batted balls last season, Diaz ranked second with 50.8 percent of his having an exit velocity of 95 mph or greater, per Statcast™. However, Diaz's average launch angle (2.2 degrees) ranked last among the 313 players with 50 hard-hit balls (95-plus mph). He did much better against lefties (.727 OPS) than righties (.648 OPS). Diaz dealt with a groin issue this offseason, so his health will need to be monitored closely this spring, too.

Giovanny Urshela
Pros: Urshela is known for his skills as a defender and having him at third, with Ramirez at second base, might present the best defensive alignment for the Indians. During the team's 22-game winning streak that spanned across August and September last year, Urshela was a regular part of the rotation at the hot corner. If he did not start, he would often come in late for defense. The Tribe went 53-14 in the regular season when Urshela played in the game.

Cons: Urshela is not known for his skills as a hitter. Over 148 games during the '15 and '17 campaigns, he has turned in a .225 average and .587 OPS. His career 56 OPS+ indicates that he has performed 44 percent below league average as a hitter. Urshela would need to bring elite defensive value to make up for that lack of production. The Indians may be better served utilizing Urshela as a utility man. He and Erik Gonzalez could compete for that job this spring.

Hey, Hoynsie: How does Terry Francona get to 25 players with the surplus talent the Indians have on hand? On the 40-man roster, I still count 30 or more players who would make most big league rosters. That doesn't include non-roster players such as Melvin Upton. Who has to play his way onto the team or be lost? - M. Hoffman, Palm Desert, Calif.

Hey, M.: There are some tough decisions coming, but it's like that every spring. Who are the final two starters behind Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer? Francona and the Tribe's front office must choose among Josh Tomlin, Mike Clevinger and Ryan Merritt. And will the loser go to the bullpen or Class AAA Columbus? Remember, Merritt is out of options, but Clevinger has options.

With Michael Martinez (torn Achilles) removed from the competition for the utility job, who wins it among Erik Gonzalez, Giovanny Urshela, Eric Stamets and others? Gonzalez and Urshela are out of options.

If Michael Brantley opens the year on the disabled list, and Jason Kipnis plays left field, who will play third when Jose Ramirez moves to second? Yandy Diaz has options left, but Gonzalez and Urshela don't.

Lots of questions, lots of talent. Every team should be that lucky.

And here's one of those classic idiot questions that Pete franklin used to always get on this radio show:

Hey, Hoynsie: The Indians should send Josh Tomlin, Brandon Guyer and Giovanny Urshela to Baltimore for Manny Machado. This would meld nicely if the Indians were able to get Domingo Santana from Milwaukee. They'd be adding two right-handed power bats to go along with Edwin Encarnacion. - Jimmy Garst, Roanoke, Va. [Jimmy should not have used his real name.]

Hey, Jimmy: That sounds like a sweet deal - for the Indians. Tomlin will be a free agent at the end of the season. Guyer is still recovering from left wrist surgery and Urshela is a utility infielder who is out of options and can't hit. For some reason I don't think the Orioles will do that.

Hey, how about Bryce Harper, Nats probably want to dump him before he becomes a Free Agent. Hard to come up with a better package than the Tomlin-Guyer-Urshela trifecta but since Harper plays OF, how about Kipnis, Guyer, Naquin, Ryan Merritt, and Quentin Holmes?

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Francisco Lindor lit up when he saw Rajai Davis in the Indians' locker room on Saturday morning. They began slapping hands, going through the kind of high five that looks rehearsed. It has been two years since Davis donned a Cleveland uniform, but the familiarity was instantaneous upon his return.

"It just feels right," Davis said. "It feels like home."

Davis went through a physical on Saturday to put the final touches on a Minor League contract with the Indians, who invited the veteran to big league camp with a shot at cracking the Opening Day roster. There are no guarantees, but Cleveland knows all too well what Davis -- the author of one of the most iconic home runs in franchise history -- brings to the table.

During the 2016 season, when the Indians won their first of two straight American League Central titles and reached the World Series, Davis brought energy to the clubhouse and the bases. His skills as a base thief were infectious for Cleveland's younger players, who also benefited from his veteran leadership.

Davis and Melvin Upton Jr. (also in camp as a non-roster invitee) give Cleveland two possible solutions as a complementary right-handed outfielder capable of playing multiple spots. It is similar to the role that Austin Jackson earned with the Indians a year ago. It is also the primary job of Brandon Guyer, but he is currently rehabbing from left wrist surgery.

As things currently stand, the Tribe outfield projects to include Michael Brantley in left field, Bradley Zimmer in center and Lonnie Chisenhall in right. Brantley's status for Opening Day is questionable, however, as he is working his way back from October surgery on his right ankle. If Brantley is not ready, there is a chance that Jason Kipnis could be in the mix for at-bats in left field. Brantley, Zimmer, Chisenhall and Kipnis all hit from the left side.

"It seems like we're always in the hunt for a righty to come in and help out," Chisenhall said. "We have some great options here in the spring -- veteran guys. Raj did a great job for us in 2016. It's nice. I know my role on the team, and other guys are kind of up in the air for Opening Day, so we need good options. And we've got them."

Davis split last season between the A's and Red Sox, hitting .235/.293/.348 in 117 games, in which he had five home runs, 26 extra-base hits and 29 stolen bases. In 2016, Davis suited up for the Indians and led the AL with 43 steals in his 134 games. That year, he hit a career-high 12 home runs and recorded 23 doubles, 48 RBIs and 74 runs.

Led by Davis, the Indians paced the AL in stolen bases (134) and Fangraphs' baserunning rating (17.1) in 2016. Last season, Cleveland's stolen-base total dropped to 88 (ninth in the AL) and its BsR went down to 9.9 (fourth). Davis is 37 years old, but his speed has not slipped. Per Statcast™, Davis' Sprint Speed was 29.3 (11th in the Majors) in '17, compared to 28.4 (54th) in '16. [OLDER AND FASTER]

"
I just bumped into him here and he looks like he's about 24 years old and in peak physical shape," Indians general manager Mike Chernoff said. "He does an unbelievable job of keeping himself in top shape. We saw that when he was here in '16, and he looks exactly the same. It's a real credit to him and how he goes about it."
Among Indians fans, Davis is most remembered for what he did in Game 7 of the World Series against the Cubs.

In the eighth inning, Davis pulled a pitch from Aroldis Chapman to left field for a two-run, game-tying shot that electrified Progressive Field. Davis hoisted an arm skyward and Cleveland's players poured out of the dugout in celebration of the home run. Throughout last year, fans who interacted with Davis would often bring up that homer.

"Everybody knew where they were, what they were doing at that exact moment when it was hit," Davis said with a smile. "It was really great to hear all year. I don't get tired of listening to it. It just brings new life, new energy."

And here's one of those classic idiot questions that Pete franklin used to always get on this radio show:

LOL

"Hello, you're on Sportsline."

"Hey Pete I got a trade for ya."

"Ok."

"We send Len Barker, Andre Thornton, and Toby Harrah to the Yankees for Graig Nettles."

"... Are you a Yankees fan?"

"No, Pete, I'm an Indians Fan!"

"You're an electric fan. [CLICK] Hello, you're on Sportsline." ...