The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Kipnis is aiming for a bounce-back season
After being injured on and off in 2017, Tribe second baseman Jason Kipnis is hoping for a healthy 2018. He uses his offseason workouts to focus on flexibility, not bench-pressing strength.
The Indians finished with the best record in the American League in 2017 by winning 102 games.
Imagine how good they might have been and how much deeper they might have gone into the postseason if only Jason Kipnis had played like he did in 2015 and especially 2016.
The Indians officially get spring training underway on Feb. 19 with the first full-squad workout of 2018 in Goodyear, Ariz. Kipnis, perhaps more than anybody else on the team, is eager to hit the infield running so he can put last season behind him as quickly as he can.
“I got after it this offseason,” Kipnis said last month during Tribe Fest. “I worked very hard to rehabilitate by legs and hamstrings and get those healthy and get everything where I want it to be to have a bounce-back season and contribute the way I know I can.”
Kipnis, who turns 31 on April 3, was on the disabled list three times in 2017. He injured his right (throwing) shoulder early in spring training and had to start the season on the DL. He missed the first 15 games and when he returned, he was rusty from missing virtually all of spring training. He had four hits in 38 at-bats over his first 11 games.
He landed on the disabled list two more times with hamstring injuries and in the end was limited to 90 games, 12 home runs and 35 RBI while hitting .235. By contrast, in 2016 he played in 156 games, hit .275, homered 23 times and drove in 82 runs. He hit .303 with nine home runs and 52 RBI in 141 games in 2015.
The Tribe’s second baseman altered the way he trained. Instead of just trying to get stronger, he worked on ways to prevent the nagging muscle pulls.
“You learn what’s important and what’s not important when you’re training,” Kipnis said. “I don’t need to be maxing out on a bench press. I don’t need stuff that will get me stiff, stuff that will prohibit me from being the best player I can.
“It isn’t about getting stronger. It’s about getting more flexible. It’s also aligning my spine so my back and hamstrings aren’t being yanked on — tons of little things to make my shoulder stronger for throwing. It’s working on the weaknesses I do have and building on the strengths that are already there.”
Kipnis was said to be going to the New York Mets and said to be going to the New York Yankees in separate trade rumors. He’s still here, though, and manager Terry Francona is glad he is. “I didn’t see those rumors until about two weeks later,” Francona said. “I’ve talked to Kip. It just wasn’t about that.”
The Indians’ manager thought it was important for Kipnis to know the Indians are looking at him as a second baseman this season. Kipnis played center field at the end of the season and in the ALDS against the Yankees because Bradley Zimmer was sidelined with a broken hand. Zimmer is healthy, so the plan is for Online: See a photo gallery from the Indians’ workout on Feb. 16. Kipnis to return to second base.
Kipnis is fired up. He says there is no reason to think the Indians won’t be a factor in the postseason for the third straight year. As with many athletes in his situation, Kipnis gets some of his motivation from the doubters.
“It helps people telling you you’re done and on the wrong side of 30,” Kipnis said with a little bitterness in his voice. “I had a bad year three years ago and then had two good years.”
Kipnis expects 2018 to repeat year two of that threeyear cycle.