Questions Still Remain for 2014 Indians

Sep 7, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco (right) and catcher Yan Gomes (10) celebrate a 9-4 win over the New York Mets at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

5. Who will be the fifth starter?

As of right now, the fifth spot in the rotation looks to be some combination of Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, Josh Tomlin, and Shaun Marcum. It’s unclear if the Indians will try to sign someone else to compete for the role, or if they will roll into spring training with just those four. Chances are, however, that we will see all of them pitching in Cleveland at some point this season. Simply put, whoever wins this competition certainly won’t have their name written in cement.

6. Can Yan Gomes be the everyday catcher?

Yan Gomes was a surprise in 2013. As a throw-in to the Mike Aviles for Esmil Rogers trade, no one really expected much of anything out of Gomes. Thanks to that performance, the Indians and Terry Francona have come out and said that Gomes will be the everyday starting catcher in 2014. The end result of such a move is that they now have to find a place for Carlos Santana. That said, Gomes’ career sample size is so small that there is no telling how he will respond in 2014. Will he continue to produce at a high level or will over-exposure result in a dramatic regression? The Indians are banking on the former, but don’t be surprised if it is the latter.