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The Spring Training blues keep rolling on, but there's a bit of relief with a day off today. While we're all resting up, let's have a look at the day's news:
Yesterday's game: Reds 4, Indians 0
Corey Kluber got roughed up in just his second start of the spring as the Tribe lost their second ST game to the Cincinnati GD Reds. My guess is the Klubot will be fine, but no one enjoys seeing a performance like that. Oh yeah - the offense sucked, too.
Indians news & notes
Commissioner Manfred wants international draft to help teams like Tribe | Cleveland.com - For all intents and purposes, the Indians have never stood a chance of signing big-name Cuban players like Yoan Moncada. Rob Manfred wants to change that by implementing an international draft. Hoynes has some more tidbits from Manfred's visit with the Indians, including the following thoughts:
"I have great faith that the Dolans, Mark (Shapiro) and Chris (Antonetti) can produce the kind of product on the field that will result in good attendance in Cleveland. Cleveland is a major-league market and will support a major-league team."
Swisher's first trip around the bases: good, not great | Cleveland.com - Nick Swisher ran the bases for the first time on Tuesday. The results were, um, sub-optimal. Decceleration was, as always, the hardest part. I'll echo the sentiments from yesterday's recap - I'll be shocked if he doesn't start the season on the DL.
Urshela among 10 sent to minors camp | Indians.com - Third base prospect Giovanny Urshela was hobbled bit a bit of a nagging back injury this spring, but still managed to impress during his short time with the team. Nonetheless, he's part of the first round of cuts along with Tyler Naquin and a handful of others.
Marcum hopes to stay with Tribe, willing to try AAA | Indians.com - Shawn Marcum is another in the long line of longshot pitchers trying to fight their way back into a rotation spot after a down year. In the likely event that he doesn't make the rotation, he'll have a tough choice to make - accept a minor-league assignment, or opt out and try to catch on elsewhere.
Tidbits from around MLB
The most cost-effective rotations in baseball | Fangraphs - FG looks at the best dollar-per-WAR rotations in MLB and, not surprisingly, the Indians rank #1.
The perfect machine: improving the pace of play in baseball | Burning River Baseball - BRB weighs in with their thoughts on what it would take to speed up the game. Anyone up for limiting the number of pickoff attempts a pitcher can use?
Chris Bryant is too good for Cubs' Opening Day roster | Sports On Earth - Kris Bryant is easily one of the Cubs' best 25 players already, but he shouldn't be on the roster at the start of the 2015 season. At least not if the Cubs are smart.
MLBPA head wants Rose reinstated | ESPN - Not much to say about this except BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO