CLEVELAND, Ohio — As Cactus League play draws near, some clubs hold intra-squad games on their practice fields to break up the monotony of workouts during spring training.
Not the Cleveland Indians.
Manager Terry Francona is not too crazy about having his pitchers face their teammates in anything more complicated than live batting practice sessions. Better to keep everybody feeling cheerful and happy in the clubhouse than open the door to some sort of strife between pitchers and hitters, right?
During Wednesday night’s special edition of the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes recounted a story from back when the Tribe trained in Winter Haven, Fla., about Jose Mesa serving up a home run to Omar Vizquel during an intra-squad game. Vizquel taunted Mesa on his jaunt around the bases and did a flip down the baseline after rounding third. Years of bad blood between Mesa and Vizquel have followed.
With Saturday’s first pitch at Goodyear Ballpark fast approaching, Hoynsie has the answers you need on what to expect from the Tribe’s starting rotation in exhibition games. Listen to Wednesday night’s podcast below.
JEFRY RODRIGUEZ WILL START SPRING TRAINING OPENER SATURDAY AGAINST REDS
On Saturday, Rodriguez hopes to revitalize the revelation part of his resume as he starts the Indians’ spring-training opener against the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark.
Cleveland Indians pitcher Jefry Rodriguez watches pitching during the second full squad day of spring training in Goodyear, Arizona. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
ROB MANFRED’S WATCH AS MLB COMMISSIONER HAS GONE FROM CALM TO STORMY
Manfred’s agenda when he started the job was to increase youth involvement in baseball and improve pace of play. The pace of play platform irritated some people, but it was hardly the second coming of the Mitchell Report.
Should MLB commissioner Rob Manfred be fired?
PHOTO GALLERIES
Check out cleveland.com photographer Joshua Gunter’s photo galleries from Goodyear after the first three days of full-squad workouts.
Cleveland Indians Spring Training Day 3 (photos)
Cleveland Indians players get candid on photo day (photos)
Cleveland Indians Spring Training Day 2 (photos)
Cleveland Indians Spring Training Day 1 (photos)
KEY DATES AHEAD
Feb. 22: Cactus League opener vs. Cincinnati at Goodyear Ballpark, 3 p.m.
Feb. 25: Wilson Glove Day at Indians Goodyear Development Complex.
March 23-24: Exhibition series, Indians vs. Astros at Minute Maid Park.
March 26: Opening Day vs. Detroit, 1 p.m. at Progressive Field, 1 p.m.
Cleveland Indians players break off after doing rundown drills during spring training in Goodyear, Arizona. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
ICYMI FROM CLEVELAND.COM
- Aligned right: Today’s MLB hitters still struggle to beat the infield shift
- Rob Manfred’s watch as MLB Commissioner has gone from calm to stormy: Tribe Take
- Indians’ Jefry Rodriguez will start spring-training opener Saturday against Reds
- Cactus League pitching rotation comes into focus; how to handle Brad Hand: Spring training podcast
- Cleveland Indians players get candid on spring training photo day in Goodyear, Ariz.
TWEET OF THE DAY
How many strikeouts for Shane Bieber in 2020?
TOMORROW
Workouts continue in Goodyear as the Tribe preps for the Cactus League opener against Cincinnati.
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Opening Day breakfast discounted tickets: Join cleveland.com beat writers Paul Hoynes and Joe Noga, columnist Doug Lesmerises, Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto and moderator Mike McIntyre for the 2020 Opening Day breakfast Thursday, March 26 at 7:30 a.m. before the home opener. This year's event, including parking, a hot buffet, raffles and a Q and A, will be held at the Music Box Supper Club, 1148 Main Ave. in the Flats. Use the code EARLYBIRD for a $5 discount on each $39.95 ticket. Sign up here.