Cleveland Indians: Spring training finally over as the next game is for real

The next time the Cleveland Indians take the diamond will be in Texas on Monday when the 2017 season finally gets underway.

It would be a lie to say that March is a stressful time of year for Cleveland Indians fans. Anyone who has made the trip to Goodyear to see the Indians in preseason action knows just how relaxing the experience can be.

However, it sure is nice that the exhibition games have finally given way to some meaningful regular season baseball.

The Indians open the season on Monday against the Texas Rangers in what is the beginning of hopefully another magical season of Tribe baseball. The expectations are high, but it is much better than heading into a season with expectations of a .500 season.

So while the action in March was fun, it was stressful for fans who just want the next title chase to get underway. Watching players like Francisco Lindor and Edwin Encarnacion excel was great to see, but the anticipation grew to near painful levels as the days couldn’t move fast enough.

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The spring training season is over, but fans can look back on it with fond memories as we wait out the last few days before the opener.

Michael Brantley returned and looked to be back to his old ways, while Yandy Diaz showed up and earned himself a roster spot. And the best news of all? No major injuries.

Well, “major” is the key word there. Jason Kipnis may miss a month or more of the season, but his absence is not expected to lead to any major setbacks. Plus, it gives Diaz an opportunity to prove himself. No one wants to see Kipnis out, but sometimes these opportunities can lead to great things.

The no major injuries also holds true for the pitching staff, which enters the season at full strength. It is only April, but fans are hoping this remains true throughout the year.

Next: A positional breakdown of the AL Central

Optimism is rightfully high right now among Indians fans as this may be the most anticipated season in team history. And while we all still need to take it one game at a time, at least the games being played will be meaningful once again.