Questions Still Remain for 2014 Indians

Sep 25, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Danny Salazar (31) delivers in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

3. Can Danny Salazar make the leap?

Danny Salazar showed flashes of brilliance last season and has many excited to see what he has in store for his encore performance. The question is can he build on last season’s success and become a full-time member of the rotation? More importantly, can he make the leap from spot starter/back-end of the rotation fill-in to top of the rotation stud? All signs seem to point to yes, but how he responds to the advanced scouting reports teams will have on him and big league hitters seeing him multiple times will play a huge part in his potential success. The Indians seem to have all the confidence in the world in Salazar, so that is certainly a positive sign.

4. Who will be the everyday third baseman?

Isn’t this the $20-million dollar question? Lonnie Chisenhall just seems to keep getting the short end of the stick when it comes to his playing time. Admittedly, some of that falls squarely on his shoulders. He has been given the opportunities, but just hasn’t been able to do enough to keep the job. However, one can argue the Indians haven’t done much to build up his confidence. With trips back to Columbus coming at the slightest sign of trouble, it’s no wonder why he presses. Now he has to worry about Carlos Santana taking his spot at third. It’s been the most polarizing question of the winter, thus far. It’s going to be very interesting to see how this plays out during the spring and whether or not the Indians try to bring in an external candidate to take away playing time.