The Akron Rubberducks’ Canal park isn’t my normal home field and the same can be said for Cleveland Indians right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall. Even so, in the last week we both had made our way to the gorgeous AA field and again both accomplished something new. I talked to my favorite Indians player, and Chisenhall was told he would be playing in center field between Akron outfielder and Cleveland top prospect, Bradley Zimmer, and fellow rehab assignment and team mate at The Jake, left fielder, Michael Brantley. After seeing how he took to the outfield experiment in 2015, I was curious to see what would happen this time around.
Chisenhall finally got the chance to make a play in center in the top of the eighth inning, catching a fly ball off the bat of Binghamton Mets center fielder Kyle Johnson. It was his only defensive play of the game, so to some it might not seem like a big deal that he was even there, but for the few of us waiting for his return to the bigs, the whole concept was something new and exciting. After the game I had the chance to speak with Akron Rubberducks skipper David Wallace about his opinion of seeing Lonnie in center.
“They (Indians) want to give him a little bit of time in center just in case, you know, when he’s up there it’s an option,” said Wallace, “I don’t think there are any plans to make him an everyday center.”
Lonnie joked with him earlier in the day saying that if he could just get two games in center, like he did in right field before becoming the everyday for Cleveland, he would be just fine!
Coming out of the game with a new position under his belt, just as he’d done in 2015, Lonnie’s head seems to be in the best place it possibly could be. He’s ready to get back.
I also had the pleasure of talking with Lonnie after the game, asking him where his head is at before ending his rehab. Coming back to Cleveland, he tore up right field from the start and one would assume that would put anyone in a solid mental spot. Being on his way back up to the Indians with another new position under his belt, is he still in that good mental place? “Right field is still new, and centerfield is still new, but it’s fun getting different responsibilities, but I feel good.” And from that quote and his rehab stint in Akron he looks good and ready to get back on the big league stage.
Outside of the defense and logging some innings in a new position, Chisenhall also smacked a ball into center field in Monday’s game against the double A Mets, and ended up with a two-out double.
In a short span of a couple days, the take away can’t whether he did a ton or nothing at all, but how he looks altogether. Chisenhall was placed on the DL by the Indians just before camp broke, and had a delayed rehab start in Columbus due to a late season start because of horrible weather conditions. All the setbacks, yet he still looks like he’s ready to be with his team and claim his spot in right field at the Jake.
Adding to the awesome from the 4-1 win on Monday, OF Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier also doubled, 2B Todd Hankins tripled, right-handed closer Ben Heller reached around 99mph, and Michael Brantley made a stellar catch in right that even had the guys in the press box scratching their heads.
Lonnie is expected to make his 2016 debut with Cleveland on Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners. A corresponding roster move has yet to be announced.
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