Rosario passes first test in center

Amed Rosario on April 9 made his first start in center field for the Indians. Manager Terry Francona was eager to see how the converted shortstop would perform defensively.

Let’s face it — it’s not like Francona benched Willie Mays or Mickey Mantle in their prime to give Rosario a look.

Jeimer Candelario, Detroit’s second batter in the top of the first inning, drove a 92 MPH fastball from Zach Plesac to deep center field after leadoff batter Willi Castro hit a linedrive single to right to start the game.

Rosario misjudged the ball at first, like he wanted to run in on it, but he adjusted and flagged it down in front of the warning track for a long out. Plesac raised his arms toward Rosario and clapped his hand and mitt to applaud the catch.

The 25-year-old righthanded batter from the Dominican Republic was just getting started.

He led off the bottom half of the first inning with a single to right field — equaling on one swing the hit total of his predecessors in center this season — and moved to third on a single by Jose Ramirez.

Rosario scored the Indians’ first run when Josh Naylor beat out a potential double play grounder to Castro, the Tiger shortstop.

Rosario and Andres Gimenez were the majorleaguers acquired from the Mets in January for shortstop Francisco Lindor and starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco. The Indians also got three prospects in the deal.

Rosario and Gimenez reported to spring training in Goodyear, Ariz., battling to replace Lindor. Gimenez won the competition, which was not unexpected.

Team president Chris Antonetti, in his news conference announcing the trade three months ago, said Rosario could play other positions. Rosario made his Cactus League debut at center on March 16. He made three errors in the first three innings. He improved steadily after that.

“I wanted Giménez to play today,” Francona said before the Indians and Tigers opened a three-game series at Progressive Field. “I wanted to find the right time to get (Rosario) into center field. And I talked to him about it the other day because this — I don’t want to say ‘experiment’ — but moving him to center, it’s cost him some games early in the season, and I talked to him about that. So I wanted to get him out there and get him going in center field.”

Jordan Luplow started three of the first five games in center field. A small sample size, obviously, but he was hitting a lusty .125 (1 for 8) before the Indians and Tigers played.

Ben Gamel made the other two starts. He had seven at-bats in the first five games and is still looking for his first hit with the Indians.

Rosario played in four of the first five games. He started two at shortstop and was a pinch hitter in two others. He was a late-inning replacement in center field on April 3 in the 5-2 loss in Detroit. A ball was not hit his way.

Rosario had three hits in eight at-bats before starting against the Tigers. That’s another small sample size, but this is his fifth year in the majors after four seasons with the Mets. He has a career .269 batting average through 407 games. That’s something Francona can cling to — if Rosario proves he can hold his own in the outfield.

“Just the game not speeding up (for him), and that will slow down as he gets repetition,” Francona said when asked how he will judge Rosario’s night. “The thing that really gave me the most hope this spring was — I think it was his first game in Goodyear — there was a line drive hit right at him and he didn’t jump up. He didn’t go back. He just stayed put, stayed balanced and then came in and caught it.

“I remember thinking, ‘OK, he’s certainly not panicking out there and he’s being athletic.’ I thought that really — It gave me some peace of mind.”

It will be a bonus for the Indians if it took only six games to find their everyday center fielder.

TIM PHILLIS — FOR THE NEWS-HERALD Amed Rosario swings April 5 during the home opener against the Royals.