GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor would sometimes pose hypothetical questions to Michael Brantley -- sometimes silly questions, sometimes serious baseball stuff.
Because, as Lindor said here Saturday, Brantley was his baseball "dad" -- reliable, and somebody you could always count on. And now Brantley is gone -- to the Astros.
When Mickey Callaway left the Indians to become manager of the Mets after the 2017 season, Carl Willis assumed Callaway's job as pitching coach and asked Callaway about staff leadership. If you need somebody to help you, Callaway told Willis, then Josh Tomlin is your guy. Tomlin was with the Indians organization for 13 years ... and now he is gone, to the Brewers.
Andrew Miller, a model of unselfishness, is gone, and so is the respected Cody Allen. Yan Gomes, the rock-steady personality behind the plate ... he's gone. Edwin Encarnacion? Gone. And so are Lonnie Chisenhall and Brandon Guyer, among others.
The Cleveland rotation is intact despite weeks of trade talks around Corey Kluber, and it could be the best and deepest group in the game. But as the Indians attempt to win their fourth consecutive American League Central title, they will be searching for an identity, for leadership, and there aren't obvious answers. "It's one of those things that will emerge over the course of the season," said one staffer.
Lindor and Jose Ramirez are the best players on the team, and Kluber is the ace of the staff. Hanley Ramirez is a candidate to be the DH, and Jason Kipnis has the longest tenure of any Indians position player. But the 2019 Indians will need time to define themselves -- and for the best available options to emerge in the bullpen and the outfield.
Bradley Zimmer's rehabilitation from right shoulder surgery is going so well that he's aching to get into game action, but he might not return until May. Tyler Naquin, the team's first-round draft pick in 2012, has been hampered by injuries in recent seasons, but he has looked good so far this spring, with a newfound perspective seemingly shaped by the recent twists in his journey. Jake Bauers, acquired from the Rays, will get time in left field. But the Indians' coaching staff could probably play an interesting prediction game over dinner this spring and try to guess how the 2,100 outfield plate appearances will be divvied up. However it plays out, the Indians will need at least decent production.
There is an awareness in the Indians' camp that the gap between Cleveland and Minnesota probably has closed during the offseason after the Twins' acquisition of Nelson Cruz, Marwin Gonzalez and others. Last year, the Indians were prohibitive favorites to win the AL Central, and they coasted with such ease that their stress-free summer may have worked against them once they faced the Astros; they were like a small-conference champion suddenly face-to-face with an ACC or Big Ten monster.
Indians newcomer Kevin Plawecki says the stuff of right-hander Shane Bieber reminds him of what he saw from the Mets' Zack Wheeler, a testament to the guy who mans the back end of the Cleveland rotation. In front of Bieber, there is Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and the emerging Mike Clevinger, and if that group stays healthy, manager Terry Francona will carry a significant advantage over other teams.
The Indians spent the winter managing their payroll, and they probably will look to plug developing holes before the trade deadline -- maybe in the bullpen or in the outfield, to become more competitive against the AL's Super 3 of the Red Sox, Yankees and Astros. But before that happens, before the Indians have any chance to reach the World Series again, the murk must dissipate and the next generation of clubhouse mentors and counselors and conductors and energy guys must take shape.
• Lindor said he watched a Fernando Tatis Jr. at-bat on television the other day, and the Padres shortstop got a first-pitch fastball pounded inside. Lindor thought to himself: OK, that's how they're going to pitch the poor kid, lots of fastballs inside. Tatis got another fastball inside, and when he struggled to fight it off, Lindor thought again: Oh, the poor kid is going to get nothing but fastballs inside this year, until he can show he can get to them.
There was another fastball inside -- and Tatis used his hands to alter his swing in such a way he got to the ball, clubbing it for a home run. Lindor was astonished by the talent and skill he saw in that one plate appearance.
• Jung Ho Kang looks different since rejoining the Pirates. His slimmer body is one reason, for sure, because he trained like crazy as he worked his way back from visa trouble stemming from multiple DUI arrests. But his face looks different, his expression, something noticed immediately by staffers. The Pirates brought him to their clubhouse at the end of last season as an acknowledgment of his effort, and now there is confidence he's going to help the team this year.
• As part of Dustin Pedroia's concession to his recent knee trouble, he has all but eliminated the big hop that he used in his pre-pitch movement, something he learned while playing tennis as a kid and had always done in the big leagues.
• Players say that the presentations by union chief Tony Clark have been better this spring, more on point, a solid recitation of facts about where the players' association stands. Some players believe that the union made major mistakes in the last round of negotiations, and they think that Clark would strengthen his arguments if he simply told players that before explaining the union's plans as it moves forward.
"We're going to be a lot more cohesive in 2020 than we've been," said one veteran.
• The early returns on Josh Donaldson are that his ambitious personality fits in perfectly with what the Braves need and is a perfect complement to the steady leadership of Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis.
Baseball Tonight podcast
• Friday: ESPN's Jessica Mendoza details her new role with the Mets; Max Scherzer and Oakland A's manager Bob Melvin go rapid-fire; Karl Ravech on the great all-access days with the Red Sox, Twins and Pirates.
• Thursday: Chris Sale goes rapid-fire; Tim Kurkjian on the hitter and pitcher best suited to save the planet, Space Jam style; Keith Law about Luke Heimlich; Sarah Langs and The Numbers Game.
• Wednesday: Xander Bogaerts and Max Muncy go rapid-fire; Paul Hembekides with some big stats; Dave Schoenfield about the Bryce Harper "tampering."
• Tuesday: Mike Trout and Adam Wainwright go rapid-fire; Boog Sciambi on service-time manipulation and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.; Sarah Langs and The Numbers Game.
• Monday: Giancarlo Stanton goes rapid-fire; Tim Kurkjian on the opportunity ahead for Bryce Harper and baseball's most competitive divisions; Jesse Rogers on the chippy Cubs.