February 23, 2021
If you’re left-handed and can throw strikes, you have a chance to pitch forever. That appears to be Oliver Pérez’s plan. The 39-year-old southpaw agreed to a minor league deal with Cleveland last week, returning to the fold of the team for whom he’s pitched in the last three seasons. His contract includes an invitation to spring training, a clear path to being the bullpen’s top (and perhaps only) lefty, as well as appearance-based incentives.
Speaking from experience, if you want to catch casual baseball fans off guard, tell them that Pérez is still kicking around the majors. Particularly in New York, where he occasionally excited and often exasperated fans during his four-and-a-half year run with the Mets from 2006-10, the notion that he’s still plying his craft a decade and a half after his near-heroic effort in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS went for naught can get quite a reaction. “Get the - out of here,” is the usual response.
The Indians over the weekend will start to get to normal in Goodyear for spring training, as today the team announced they will play a pair of Intersquad games, one on Saturday and a second one on Sunday as they start the march towards Cactus League play.
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CLEVELAND – Pitchers and catchers have already started to arrive in Goodyear, Ariz., as workouts are set to get underway on Thursday. Teams have up to 75 spots to fill, including some extra players to fill in as extra depth pieces, and the Indians’ Spring Training roster currently sits at 72.
Outside of the 40 players on the 40-man roster, the Tribe will carry 18 extra Minor Leaguers at its depth camp and 14 non-roster invitees. There’s already been plenty of talk surrounding the players on the 40-man roster, so what should we know about the non-roster invitees who will see playing time this spring?
Cleveland Indians sign reliever Blake Parker to minor-league deal
Updated Feb 16, 2021;
Posted Feb 15, 2021
Veteran righty Blake Parker has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Indians according to a report by MLB Network Insider John Heyman.Getty Images
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CLEVELAND, Ohio Veteran reliever Blake Parker signed a minor-league deal with the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday that includes an invitation to major league spring training camp.
MLB Network insider John Heyman first reported the agreement Monday pending completion of a physical. Heyman indicated Parker had at least one other major league contract offer, but chose Cleveland instead. Parker’s deal could earn him close to $2.5 million if he hits his incentive, per Heyman. If that’s true, the right-hander would become the highest-paid pitcher on Cleveland’s roster.