Perhaps the most-watched battle in training camp is the competition for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation. The first four spots in the rotation are set, with Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Josh Tomlin, and Derek Lowe.
The No. 5 starter will be selected following a spring training competition from a group that includes Jeanmar Gomez, Kevin Slowey, Zach McAllister, and David Huff. The early leader in that competition was Gomez, who pitched well in each of his first three spring appearances.
In those three appearances, Gomez pitched seven scoreless innings on three hits, with four strikeouts and two walks. Opposing batters hit .136 against him. Indians manager Manny Acta freely admitted that Gomez had begun to separate from the rest of the group.
"He's throwing the ball the best of all those guys," Acta said after Gomez's third appearance. "It's still very early but he's not hurting his chances, that's for sure."
Gomez has had brief trials with the Indians in each of the last two seasons. In 22 appearances, 21 of them starts, Gomez was 9-8 with a 4.98 ERA. However, he was very good late last season.
In a span of five starts from Aug. 17 through Sept. 22, Gomez was 5-0 with a 1.80 ERA. That came after he spent most of last season at Class AAA Columbus, where in 21 starts he was 10-7 with a 2.55 ERA.
All those good numbers helped position Gomez to make a run at a spot in the rotation in 2012. Through his first three starts of the spring, he was doing exactly that.
NOTES, QUOTES
Perez nearly ready to return from shoulder injury
--LHP Rafael Perez was held out of the early spring games because of soreness in his left shoulder. Perez, who has been a key member of the bullpen the last few years, pitched in a simulated game on March 15, and is expected to make his first appearance within the next five to seven days.
--RHP Jeanmar Gomez emerged as the early leader in the battle to win the No. 5 spot in the rotation. In his first three spring appearances Gomez pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing only three hits. "It's still very early, but he's not hurting his chances, that's for sure," manager Manny Acta of Gomez, who is competing with RHP Kevin Slowey, RHP Zach McAllister and LHP David Huff for the one opening in the rotation.
--RHP Chris Perez has begun to play catch and continues on a throwing program designed to get him back pitching before the end of spring training. Perez, the Indians' closer, strained his left oblique while throwing his first bullpen session of the spring on Feb. 23.
--RHP Justin Masterson has been impressive since being named the Indians' opening day starter by manager Manny Acta. In his first two appearances since the announcement he would pitch opening day April 5 vs. Toronto, Masterson in seven innings allowed one earned run on four hits, with eight strikeouts and one walk.
--RHP Derek Lowe became the first Indians pitcher to throw four innings in a game when he did so on March 14 vs. the Giants. In those four innings, Lowe allowed one run on two hits, with one walk and no strikeouts. Lowe is expected to open the season as the No. 4 starter.
BY THE NUMBERS: 20 -- Number of consecutive sellouts for the Indians in their last 20 home openers, that includes all 19 years at Progressive Field, including this year.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Last year, we gave him the benefit of the doubt. He said he was hurt." -- Manager Manny Acta, on RHP Ubaldo Jimenez's disappointing performance after being traded to Cleveland in the middle of the 2011 season.
ROSTER REPORT
LHP Scott Barnes, OF Thomas Neal, and OF Nick Weglarz were optioned to Class AAA Columbus. RHP Danny Salazar was optioned to Class-A Carolina. LHP Kelvin De La Cruz was acquired from Texas for cash considerations. To make room on the 40-man roster for De La Cruz, RHP Carlos Carrasco was placed on the 60-day disabled list as he continues his rehab from Tommy John surgery.
OF Grady Sizemore underwent lower back surgery on March 1 that will cause him to start the season on the disabled list. OF Michael Brantley is expected to replace Sizemore in center field and in the leadoff spot in the batting order. The replacement for Brantley in left field will come from a group that includes OF Shelley Duncan, OF Aaron Cunningham, OF Ryan Spilborghs, OF Ezequiel Carrera, OF Felix Pie, OF Fred Lewis, and OF Chad Huffman.
PROJECTED ROTATION:
1. RHP Justin Masterson
2. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez
3. RHP Josh Tomlin
4. RHP Derek Lowe
5. RHP Kevin Slowey
The all-right-handed rotation remains all right-handed, even without RHP Fausto Carmona, who will start the season on the restricted list after his arrest in the Dominican Republic for identity theft. Slowey, acquired in a trade with Colorado the day after Carmona's arrest, is the favorite to take Carmona's spot in the rotation. Slowey is out of minor league options, which could give him a leg up on the other candidates -- RHP Jeanmar Gomez, RHP Zach McAllister, and LHP David Huff.
Masterson had a breakout season last year and will probably get the Opening Day nod over Jimenez, who was a major disappointment last year after being acquired in a blockbuster mid-season trade. Tomlin is a strike-throwing machine who led the majors in 2011 with an average of only 1.1 walks per nine innings. Lowe, acquired at the start of the offseason in a trade with Atlanta, led the NL in losses last year, going 9-17 for the Braves. At 38, he bears watching.
PROJECTED BULLPEN:
RHP Chris Perez (closer)
RHP Joe Smith
RHP Vinnie Pestano
LHP Rafael Perez
LHP Tony Sipp
LHP Nick Hagadone
RHP Dan Wheeler
All the key guys are back from last year's bullpen, which had a 3.71 ERA to rank fifth in the AL. Chris Perez was fourth in the league with 36 saves and fourth in save percentage (90 percent). Smith's 2.01 ERA ranked fourth among AL relievers, Pestano averaged 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings, Rafael Perez tied for second in the AL in appearances (71), and Sipp held right-handed hitters to a .180 batting average.
Hagadone, a rookie, made nine appearances late last season and was nearly unhittable (.118 opponents batting average), if erratic (11 walks in 11 innings). Wheeler, a free agent, signed a minor league contract, but has plenty of major league experience and looks like the leading candidate for the last spot in the bullpen. Other candidates are RHP Frank Herrmann and non-roster invitees RHP Jeremy Accardo, RHP Chen-Chang Lee, RHP Chris Ray, RHP Robinson Tejeda, and RHP Danny Salazar.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
1. CF Michael Bradley
2. SS Asdrubal Cabrera
3. RF Shin-Soo Choo
4. C Carlos Santana
5. DH Travis Hafner
6. 1B Casey Kotchman
7. 2B Jason Kipnis
8. 3B Lonnie Chisenhall
9. LF Shelley Duncan
So much depends on Sizemore's health, but if able, he will return to his customary spot at the top of the lineup, although Indians' officials acknowledge the days of him playing 150-plus games are gone. Cabrera is coming off one of the best offensive seasons of any shortstop in franchise history, while Choo hopes to bounce back from a season basically lost to injuries.
Santana has all-star potential. He'll also, like last year, make some starts at first base, mostly against tough left-handers, who would give lefty-hitting Kotchman trouble. Chisenhall had a big spring last year and might need it again in order to win the third base job over veteran Jack Hannahan, a superb defender. Brantley would move over to center field on days Sizemore is not in the lineup.
TOP ROOKIES: LHP Scott Barnes could pitch his way into the competition for the rotation spot vacated by RHP Fausto Carmona. Barnes was 7-4 with a 3.68 ERA in 15 starts at Class AAA Columbus last year. INF/OF Russ Canzler, acquired from Tampa Bay for cash, could be insurance at the corner infield and outfield spots. He was the MVP in the International League last season, batting .314 with 18 home runs, 83 RBI and a .401 on base percentage.
MEDICAL WATCH:
--RHP Chris Perez (strained left oblique) was injured early in spring training. He is out until at least late March and might be ready for Opening Day.
