Age no consequence for youthful Indians
That trust has paid off.
A week removed from the All-Star break, Cleveland is 51-46 and tied for first in the AL Central . This time last year, the Indians were 14 games under .500, tied with the Royals in the Central's basement.
If the plan was to rely on their experienced stars to lead the charge, they haven't: Travis Hafner , Grady Sizemore (three times) and Shin-Soo Choo have all landed on the disabled list for stretches this season. To fill the voids, the organization turned to its farm system.
MORE: Cleveland Indians team reportSo as the season gets older and the stakes get higher, Cleveland is getting younger.
And how do the Indians pull that off? Considering their laid-back offseason plan, the answer is fitting.
"We just let the young guys play," first-year hitting coach Bruce Fields said. "We keep the young guys on an even keel, keep them loose, and just let them play."
With the exception of replacing hitting coach Jon Nunnally in the midst of an offensive drought in mid-June, a willingness to patiently ride the ups and downs that inevitably follow a young team is the attitude that has propelled — and kept — the Indians into contention.
Now, they are banking on two of their highest-ranked prospects to assimilate into this unique mix.
Third basemen Lonnie Chisenhall , 22, made his major league debut June 27 after three months at Class AAA Columbus (Ohio) and almost exactly three years after Cleveland drafted him 29th overall in 2008 out of North Carolina's Pitt Junior College.
And Thursday, the club recalled second baseman Jason Kipnis from Columbus, where he was hitting .279 with 12 home runs and 12 steals. He ranked third, Chisenhall first, on Baseball America 's preseason list of Indians prospects.
Both will continue the development process in the glare of a pennant race.
"He's still not a finished product," manager Manny Acta said of Chisenhall, who is hitting .235 in 15 games with the Indians. "He probably could've been in the minor leagues still developing, but we decided to let him finish his development here. I think he's gonna be a good one someday."
Characteristically, Fields and Acta didn't panic when, after five hits in his first 16 at-bats, Chisenhall struggled. "He knows his swing," Fields said. "He went through some little struggles, made adjustments, and he's performing now how we thought he would.
Indians In North Carolina - News
Third basemen Lonnie Chisenhall, 22, made his major league debut June 27 after three months at Class AAA Columbus (Ohio) and almost exactly three years after Cleveland drafted him 29th overall in 2008 out of North Carolina's Pitt Junior College.
“I just spent three months pitching in Kinston, NC … now there's a place that's hot,” he said. “I probably pitched five or six day games there, so this didn't feel (bad) to me at all.” Over his first two starts with Akron, Eastern League hitters are
She will then move on to her other tasks as acting superintendent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Eastern Cherokee office in North Carolina. No big deal, right? Yet that seemingly insignificant transaction—arranging for the shipping of that
“Some people say that North Carolina is the acknowledged home of BBQ. That's like saying that Atlanta is the acknowledged home of the waffle because it had the first waffle restaurant in 1955. It's a logical connection that just
The Former DH Conley, University of North Carolina and Kinston Indians star pitcher threw a bullpen session for the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday as he continues to rehab from a finger injury. The Indians first round draft pick in 2009 landed on the
Alex White Throws Bullpen Session For Indians - NC Review
White is scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Friday but will not likely go on a rehab assignment for at least another ten days.
White started his professional career with the Kinston Indians but will likely rehab in either double-A Akron or Triple-A Columbus since both teams are in the state of Ohio and much closer to Cleveland than Kinston.
In other Cleveland Indians news:
Newport, N.C. native and Former Pitt Community College player Lonnie Chisenhall hit his second career major league home run on Wednesday afternoon going 2-for-4 at the plate in a 7-5 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
Indians In North Carolina - Bookshelf
Indians in North Carolina
Indians in North Carolina
The North Carolina Indians
THE INDIANS OF NORTH CAROLINA AND THEIR RELATIONS WITH THE SETTLERS INTRODUCTION It is necessary in order to appreciate this study, to turn our thoughts far ...North Carolina Indians, More from the Past & the Present
Annual Native American events in NC include: Carolina Indian Circle Powwow, Chapel Hill; Annual Raleigh Powwow; Annual Native American Cultural Awareness ...Indians of North Carolina, past and present
INDIANS OF NORTH CAROLINA and the Eastern Woodlands - a History Today, the relatively few Native Americans still living in the Eastern Woodlands region of ...Helpful Information Directory
Indian Beach
Includes police information, county links, beach history, and more.
Indian Trail, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Indian Trail is a town in Union County, North Carolina, United States. ... Indian Trail was incorporated as a town in 1907, with established city limits based upon ...
Indian Beach, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Indian Beach is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. ... The median income for a household in the town was $47,250, and the median income for a ...
NORTH CAROLINA INDIANS
Each year in North Carolina, we celebrate Indian. Heritage Month in ... The Indians caught their fish in nets called weirs that were made from reeds, woven or ...
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Provides information about events and attractions in the reservation area.