Make-shift outfield getting job done for Indians

Takeaways from the Indians’ 4-0 Game 1 win over the Yankees Oct. 5, and a look ahead to the Yankees’ Game 2 starter:

Outfield play

Trivia time for Indians fans — name the team’s starting outfield on opening day of this year.

Michael Brantley starting in left field vs. the Rangers is a no-brainer. Raise your hand if you had Tyler Naquin in center and Abraham Almonte in right.

In the Game 1 ALDS win, the outfield looked dramatically different with Lonnie Chisenhall in left, Jason Kipnis in center and Game 1 hero Jay Bruce in right.

That make-shift outfield is yet another example of Manager Terry Francona continuing to pull all the right strings.

Kipnis’ diving catch in the top of the second will undoubtedly help his confidence going further into the playoffs, but don’t expect the outfield to remain status quo.

Austin Jackson should get time platooning with Chisenhall in left. With lefty C.C. Sabathia starting in Game 2, look for the right-handed hitter Jackson to start on Oct. 6.

Michael Brantley

Which brings us to Brantley, who made the playoff roster despite recovering from an ankle injury suffered during the second half of the regular season.

Right now, he’s the best pinch-hitter in the playoffs, and a valuable ace late in the game for Francona.

Nothing but a hunch here, but look for Brantley to deliver in a pinch when the Indians really need him.

The bigger question is if Brantley will be healthy enough to play an entire game this postseason.

Facing Judge

Trevor Bauer laid out a great blue print for the rest of the staff on Yankees rookie phenom Aaron Judge.

Go off-speed, off-speed, off-speed. Judge struck out four times in four at-bats in Game 1. Bauer delivered a ripe pitch on a 2-0 fastball down the middle in Judge’s third at-bat but the slugger took the pitch.

Hat tip to Bauer

I love it when pitchers salute the crowd after being removed from the game.

Bauer did it with a full tip of the cap. Kudos to him.

It’s never a bad thing to thank the crowd. One of the most memorable games I remember attending as a fan was Nolan Ryan’s last start at old Municipal Stadium.

The Indians roughed up Ryan that game in 1993 as a member of the Rangers, but when he was pulled from the game, the crowd gave him a great ovation. Even in eventual defeat, Ryan waved back.

Give the fans what they want.

Sabathia on Yankees

Sabathia takes the mound for the Yankees in Game 2 Oct. 6. It doesn’t seem like the former Indians pitcher has been around this long, but it was 17 years ago when the big lefty made his debut in Cleveland.

In 2001, Sabathia was 17-5. It was the start of seven straight winning seasons for him, including a 19-7 mark in 2007, when he won the American League Cy Young Award. A year later, he was traded to the Brewers, and then signed with the Yankees.

This season marks his ninth with New York, which solidifies how Sabathia thinks he’ll be remembered.

“I think I’m a Yankee now,” Sabathia said before Game 1. “This is where I spent most of my career now. I’ve (spent) nine years here. I won a championship here. So I think people, I guess, will remember me as a Yankee. I played for both, and I love both organizations.”

Sabathia won 106 games with Cleveland, and 120 with New York.

It’s been 10 seasons since Sabathia last pitched for the Indians. Feels more like 20.

TIM PHILLIS — THE NEWS-HERALD Jay Bruce rounds third base after hitting a home run during Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Yankees on Oct. 5 at Progressive Field.