The Indians continue their offseason of acquisitions, adding CF Michael Bourn to the fold. With a revamped outfield and some much-needed power, can the Tribe compete in 2013? Or will the pitching be their Achilles’ heel? It should be a fun season down at the ole ballpark this year.

Hosts: Mike Kresic, Tom Kresic

Running Time: 40:29

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• A 4 year, $48M deal for the former Atlanta CF
  
• 30 years old, with great speed
  
• He will play CF and bat leadoff
  
• He stole more bases in last 5 years than anyone in MLB
  
• Drew Stubbs will move to RF. Brantley will play LF
  
• Indians should have fastest OF (pitchers will love the hits they prevent for them)
  
• Kipnis (31 SB), Stubbs (30 SB) will add to the speed at top of the order
  
• Francona wants this team to run in ’13
  

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• Gone are: Hafner, Choo, Sizemore (didn’t play in 2012), Kotchman, Hannahan, Damon.
  
• In are: Bourn, Stubbs, Swisher, Reynolds and Chisenhall (returning from injury)
  
• more power, probably more Strike Outs (though we had plenty in ‘12), a better outfield defensively
  
• Continued improvement of guys like Kipnis. Asdrubal is in shape this Spring, unlike last few years.
  
• Likely starters (not the batting order)
  
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  • C Carlos Santana
    
  • 1B Nick Swisher
    
  • 2B Jason Kipnis
    
  • SS Asdrubal Cabrera
    
  • 3B Lonnie Chisenhall
    
  • LF Michael Brantley
    
  • CF Michael Bourn
    
  • RF Drew Stubbs
    
  • DH Mark Reynolds
    
  
  
  

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• Will we have a decent rotation?
  
• We added Brett Myers (took him from CHISOX) but he’s been a relief pitcher of late.
  
• We traded for young gun Trevor Bauer, who has great arm but appears to be a head case.
  
• Carlos Carrasco back from Tommy John surgery. What will we get from him?
  
• Masterson and Ubaldo at the top of the lineup are KEY.
  
• Ubaldo had most losses (17) and Wild Pitches (16) last year. He says he had bad mechanics. We’ll see. Hopefully he corrected them.
  
• Masterson struggled with control. Aside from 2011 when he was great, he has struggled with control his whole career. Was 2011 a fluke or can he turn it around?
  
• Zach McAllister pitched well. Will he continue to improve in 13?
  
• 5th starter: choose from Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, Dice K, Scott Kazmir, Corey Kluber. Does anyone here really excite you?
  
• Our rotation is a bunch of average guys. Best case is they are all innings eaters and maybe one of them has a > .500 record.
  

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• Chris Perez – can he repeat his outstanding year?
  
• Vinnie Pestano – best as a setup man but showed he can close in a pinch
  
• Joe Smith
  
• Nick Hagadone – young guy on the rise
  
• Can the starters eat enough innings to keep the pen rested?
  

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