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Hey, Hoynsie: I like what I see from center fielder Myles Straw thus far. Could this be the Indians reverse Ricardo Rincon for Brian Giles trade? — Carl, Orlando.
Hey, Carl: I assume you’re talking about left-hander Ricardo Rincon who was acquired from the Pirates for Brian Giles, who hit 287 homers in his 15-year career, but only 39 for the Indians. The Indians are hoping you’re right because the Giles trade still stings even though it happened in November of 1998.
The Indians acquired Straw at the July 31 trading deadline from Houston for reliever Phil Maton.
Hey, Hoynsie: With the Indians seemingly out of a playoff spot this year, do you think this will be a year of mass promotions from minors in September? — Patrick Grijak, Garfield Heights.
Hey, Patrick: The days of bloated September rosters are over. On Sept. 1, the 26-man roster can be expanded to 28. That means the Indians would probably add a third catcher — Bo Naylor? — and another reliever.
The good thing is the Triple-A season extends through Sept. 19 because of the late start to the minor league season. So the Indians will still have a pool of game-ready players to draw from in the last month of the season.
Hey, Hoynsie: Why has Ernie Clement disappeared from the lineup? He has great hands and quick moves on defense. He was just starting to make better contact with the bat. — Janice D., Columbus.
Hey, Janice: Somebody must have been listening to you. Clement was in the lineup Friday night against the Tigers and hit the first two homers of his big-league career.
Hey, Hoynsie: How do you lose 17-0? — Tom, Mt. Vernon.
Hey, Tom: It’s hard to do as anyone who watched the Indians lose to the A’s 17-0 Thursday understands. But it happens. On Aug. 31, 2004, the Indians beat the Yankees, 22-0. It was the worst loss in Yankee history. The Indians bounced back Friday with a 7-4 win over the Tigers, which is a good sign.
Hey, Hoynsie: Did anyone watch the Field of Dreams game on Thursday between the White Sox and Yankees? It made me feel nostalgic. What did everybody think? — Debbie, Niles.
Hey, Debbie: I’ve heard and read nothing but great things about the game, the setting and the corn in the outfield. Plus it was a great game with the White Sox walking-off the Yankees. MLB got it right and plans are already in the works to do it again next year.
Hey, Hoynsie: Does Grady Sizemore still work for the Tribe? I remember a few years ago he was working in player development. — Bev Berdys, Cleveland.
Hey, Bev: In 2017 the Indians hired Sizemore was a spring training instructor, but he no longer works for the organization.
Hey, Hoynsie: Other than a reliable bat in the outfield, the most urgent need for the Tribe is an offseason training program that ensures at least half the team isn’t on the injured list. How does the team stack up against other teams for games missed due to injury? — Carey B., Bethesda, Maryland.
Hey, Carey: At the July 31 trading deadline, the Indians were ranked among the top seven teams in the big leagues for fewest games missed because of injuries. The thing is the Indians upper level of talent in the big leagues is so thin — they have the second lowest payroll in MLB — that when they lose a player to injury such as Shane Bieber or Aaron Civale, it has a bigger impact than on a higher-salaried team.
During the 60-game sprint, the Indians were the healthiest team in baseball. They have also done a great job getting their players and staff members to buy into their COVID prevention program.
Courtesy: Fanatics.com
Indians merchandise for sale: Here’s where you can order Cleveland Indians gear online before the team becomes the Guardians, including jerseys, T-shirts, hoodies, hats and much more.
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