The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Kipnis to play center field on Sunday
One of the notable features of the Indians’ run to a franchise and American League record 22 straight victories was the list of core players who weren’t able to make contributions because they were on the disabled list.
Two-time American League All-Star outfielder Michael Brantley has been down since Aug. 9 with a right ankle sprain. Jason Kipnis has been on the DL since Aug. 6 with a hamstring strain and is making a position change from second base to center field. Left-handed relief pitcher Andrew Miller went on the DL with patellar tendinitis on Aug. 2. He was activated on Sept. 14.
Kipnis and Miller also are two-time AL All-Stars.
Indians manager Terry Francona said Miller emerged healthy and happy after his return appearance on Sept. 14 as the Indians beat the Royals, 3-2, in 10 innings. Miller worked one scoreless inning, gave up two hits and got out of the jam with a double-play ball.
Francona said the plan is to have Miller work again in the series finale against the Royals on Sept. 17.
Kipnis will start in center field and play five innings in that game, Francona said.
For most of the past week, Kipnis has been working with bench coach Brad Mills to reacclimate himself to the position he played as a college standout at Arizona State.
“The medical people still need to sign off on him playing (Sept. 17), but everything points toward that,” Francona said.
Francona said Kipnis will play “a lot of games” in center field through the remaining 14 games of the regular season. The Indians hope Kipnis will quickly adapt to his new/old position and help fill the void created by the loss of rookie Bradley Zimmer to a potentially season-ending injury.
The 24-year-old Zimmer fractured the fourth metacarpal in his left hand sliding headfirst into first base against the Tigers on Sept. 10. The break has since been surgically repaired. Zimmer probably won’t return until next season.
Francona said Brantley’s attempt to bounce back from the ankle injury continues to be problematic.
“He’s still at the point where he’s not able to get out and do the ground-base stuff,” Francona said of Brantley. “He’s frustrated. We all feel for him. There’s nothing else to report.”
Attendance surge
Fans in much larger numbers are passing through the entry gates at Progressive Field as the Indians pile up wins in record-setting fashion.
The Indians announced on Sept. 15 that all tickets had been sold for the 4:10 p.m. game on Sept. 16 against the Royals. Advance sales also are brisk enough for the 1:10 p.m. against the Royals on Sept. 17 to make the series finale a potential sellout.
A near-capacity crowd of 30,764 was in the seats on Sept. 14, when the Indians notched their 22nd straight win with a 3-2 victory over the Royals n 10 innings.
Included in that number were an estimated 12,000 dayof-game and walk-up ticket purchases.
Francona said he and his players definitely have noticed the upticks in attendance and enthusiasm.
“That was pretty special (last night),” Francona said of the Sept. 14 game that produced crucial, late-game RBI hits by Francisco Lindor and Jay Bruce.
“It was quite an atmosphere for a middle-of-September game, and I think everybody enjoyed it,” Francona added. “We don’t always lead the league in attendance, but the people that come, man, they get into it. They’re good.”
Francona then cited the steep increases in walk-up ticket sales. Walk-up sales were a combined 9,953 for the games on Sept. 12 and 13.
“It’s noticeable and it’s appreciated,” Francona said.