Cleveland Indians fans shouldn’t lose sleep over final roster decisions

The Cleveland Indians will have to make some tough cuts in the next few weeks, but none of the players involved will help make or break the season.

Focusing on the final few roster spots for the Cleveland Indians is the direct result of have such a stable team. The moves that got the team to the point of being a contender have been made throughout the past decade, making execution on the field by the players already here the most important thing right now.

But as with any team, there are some final roster decisions to be made.

The first one that fans have been talking about is the battle between Giovanny Urshela and Erik Gonzalez. Both are out of options and it is likely that the one who is let go will get picked up by another team.

Everyone has their own opinion on which player is more valuable, but I don’t see the decision as being one that could alter the outcome of the season in any way. Both players are capable of playing all throughout the infield, and their offensive numbers don’t differ all that much.

Urshela’s career line: .225/.273/.314

Gonzalez’s career line: .262/.282/.405

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Gonzalez has the slight edge, but one could argue that the defensive provided by Urshela helps even things out.

Ultimately, there just isn’t room for both now that Jason Kipnis is healthy heading into the season. My prediction is that Gonzalez wins the job because of the slight edge on offense and the fact Urshela hasn’t been able to stick in Cleveland since first receiving a shot in 2015.

The other notable player in danger of being cut is Ryan Merritt, who is a solid pitcher on a team filled with one or two too many other solid options. Fans glorify him for his 2016 ALCS start, but Merritt has unfortunately not been able to crack the rotation in Cleveland.

He is a good pitcher and an even better individual, but it is hard to argue that his absence will impact the team’s fortunes in 2018 in any noticeable way.

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Players getting cut is never a fun thing to have to talk about, but it speaks to the depth in this organization and the fact nearly the entire roster is filled with proven players heading into the season. The presence of so much talent with help ease any potential stress that comes with cutting ties with players like Gonzalez, Urshela or Merritt.