"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
C Francisco Mejia: He is ranked as the club's No. 1 prospect and the best catching prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline. So, why was Mejia playing third base during the Arizona Fall League? Well, the Indians have two veteran catchers in Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez, who are plus defenders, pitch framers and have established a great rapport with one of the game's elite pitching staffs.
Mejia tried his hand at third to see if his path to the Majors might be quickened via versatility. The organization believes he has a future behind the plate, but it doesn't want him unnecessarily blocked if his bat appears primed for The Show. If there is a setback for the club's catchers, Mejia looks like the next man up. The prospect looks more like an in-season addition, but there's a lot of spring left.
..... Wonder how long they will hold the kid down ? Who goes Gomes /Perez
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Mike Napoli is back with the Indians, but unless there is an injury he will not be opening the season with them.
Hey, but at least Jose Ramirez has his card-playing partner back for a while.
Napoli was scheduled to take a physical on Tuesday. If he passes, he'll join the Indians on a minor league deal, but make no mistake this is strictly a team doing a favor for a player who helped them reach the World Series in 2016.
Manager Terry Francona, before news of the deal surfaced, talked to Edwin Encarnacion and Yonder Alonso and told them Napoli was not coming to Goodyear, Ariz., to take their job. The Indians just felt Napoli deserved to get out of the player's association training camp for unsigned free agents in Bradenton, Fla., so teams could get a real look at what the 36-year-old first baseman-DH has left.
Francona called it a "unique situation for a unique person."
"It's a situation where a player that is universally respected in our organization, and in our opinion, shouldn't be in that camp in Bradenton, Fla.," Francona told reporters in Goodyear, Ariz. "He wanted a chance to be in a major league camp. There's a decent chance that we're going to get him ready to go to another team and help beat us.
"Saying that, we all felt he deserved it. He's such a pro, so special to us. Certainly, if there's an injury (he could help us). I'm just laying it out as honest as I can. It's a very unique situation, but he's a very unique person."
As a point reference, the Twins showed interest in Napoli over the winter. Could the Indians be helping their nearest rival in the AL Central by extending a helping hand to Napoli?
Francona, in his conversation with Napoli, explained the situation as plainly as he could.
"My biggest concern was, and I told him this, is that he comes in here and hits .500 and we don't have a spot for a kid we're crazy about and we have to tell him that," said Francona. "So we told him up front because I didn't want to damage a relationship that's important.
"So we walked through the whole thing. I think he's really excited. It's been a hard winter for him. We'll treat him like he deserves. Get him his playing time and see where it goes."
Napoli hit .239 (133-for-557) and set career highs with 34 homers and 101 RBI for the Indians in 2016. He also set career highs in games played, plate appearances and at-bats. A gassed Napoli faded in September and the postseason, but the Indians wouldn't have had the chance to reach Game 7 of the World Series without him.
Last year Napoli played for Texas, hitting .193 (82-for-425) with 29 homers and 66 RBI.
"We've said a lot about him and it's true," said Francona. "He had a big hand in our team transforming itself into a team that could win a World Series. Just because he left for another team never changed his impact or how we felt about him."
There was no clubhouse a clique that could resist Napoli. He played cards with Ramirez long before anyone thought he would by an All-Star third baseman. He played cribbage with Francona.
"There were no boundaries with Nap," said Francona. "He's fearless."
The Indians open the regular season on March 29 in Seattle. Between now and then Napoli will get a chance to prove if he can still play in the big leagues.
"We're thrilled to have him in here in camp," said Francona. "My guess is you'll see him with Bobby Bradley (first base prospect) and whoever he wants (to work with). Whatever time he spends here with us will be valuable for everybody. And if we end up helping him out, we've done a good thing.
"Because if there's anybody who deserves it, it's Nap."
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Looks like the Napoli thing is just a favor to get some exposure
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday. -John Wayne
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday. -John Wayne
Keep changing the players, as long as Lue in charge this is the result. A team that don’t believe they need to play defense or move the ball on offense
Keep changing the players, as long as Lue in charge this is the result. A team that don’t believe they need to play defense or move the ball on offense
What am I missing here? Wrong thread?
Lmao yeah, I was looking in the Cavs thread for my post and nothing
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday. -John Wayne
Glad to see Kip have a nice Spring so far ! .. The battle for outfield spots is going to be interesting ..
just saying that last night too ... it'll be interesting how it shakes out
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/iVP5Po2.png)
