Cleveland Indians: If Indians players were in the Olympics

With the Opening Ceremony for the Winter Olympics set to air on Friday night, it got us thinking. What if some of our own Cleveland Indians were participating in the Olympics?

With most of the eyes of sports fans around the world set on South Korea, some of the focus on the slowness of the baseball offseason will be lost. While the players on the Indians roster are not over in South Korea, if they were, what events would they participate in?

Yonder Alonso – Snowboard Big Air

The newest member of the Cleveland Indians gets the newest event in the Olympics, Snowboard Big Air. It’s been a staple at the X Games for many years but this is the first time the event will be in the Olympics.

Jason Kipnis – Downhill skiing

Things were pretty downhill for Kipnis in 2017. His batting average plunged to .232 and he struggled to get going. He was certainly on a downhill slope last year, but is hoping to get on the uphill swing in 2018.

Francisco Lindor – Snowboard Halfpipe

This is the best event to watch for most Olympic viewers. So, naturally, Lindor is the best player to watch for Cleveland Indians fans, and this will be his event. Shaun White is just as popular in snowboarding circles as Lindor is in baseball circles.

Jose Ramirez – Bobsled

Ramirez went into 2017 hard and fast. His home run total spiked to 29 and he knocked 56 doubles with a .318 batting average. He put himself on the map as one of the best players in baseball, becoming a finalist for AL MVP. Bobsleds also come in hard and fast and speed down the track, making Ramirez a perfect candidate for this event.

Giovanny Urshela – Hockey

Urshela is known for his glovework and defense, making him an ideal candidate to be the goalie on a hockey team. He doesn’t provide much in the way of offense, meaning the goaltender position is perfect place for him.

Edwin Encarnacion – Biathlon

Because it’s about time Encarnacion did two different things in a game. As a DH, he doesn’t do that very often.