The Indians have optioned Lonnie Chisenhall to the AAA Columbus Clippers along with first baseman Matt LaPorta. Outfielder Chad Huffman was reassigned to minor league camp, leaving 43 players in the Indians Spring Training camp.
This isn’t that much of a surprise, as the position of starting third baseman has always seemed Jack Hannahan’s to lose. He’s a superb defensive third baseman, and offensively he’s had a good spring–better than Chisenhall. Chisenhall played 66 games for the Indians last year and did well, hitting .255 with 7 HR and 22 RBI.
Sadly, Matt LaPorta’s bus ticket to Columbus was purchased around the same time the Indians signed Casey Kotchman. Stay tuned for Ryan McCrystal’s analysis on whether there is any hope for LaPorta. (There is, certainly. Just perhaps not in Cleveland, not yet.)
Jack Hannahan is one of my favorites and I am thrilled he will be starting at 3B. With Jack at 3B and Casey at 1B that is gonna be really great defensive guys at the corners. I like Lonnie, but I think he needs a little more time at AAA. Poor Matty – he just isn’t hitting as the Indians had hoped. But you know what will happen – he will end up with another team at some point and hit like crazy.