Off-season begins - dissecting the 40 man roster

OK< it's time to start looking ahead rather than looking backwards.  So let's start with the 40 man roster.

Right now it is at 46 as we still have 6 guys on the 60-day DL.   We also have 10 players who will be free agents once the World Series is over.

So let's go through the roster and see where we are heading in the off-season:

Locks to stay on the roster this winter:

C - Perez, Gomes, Haase
IF - Lindor, Ramirez, Alonso, Gonzalez, Diaz, Kipnis, Chang
OF - Allen, Martin, Naquin, Zimmer, Mercado
DH - Encarnacion
Pitchers - Kluber, Carrasco, Bauer, Bieber, Cimber, Hand, Clevinger, Otero, Plutko, Olson, Ramirez, Otero, Salazar, Goody, Anderson

On the bubble to be removed from the roster:

Adam Rosales, Brandon Barnes, James Hoyt, Jon Edwards, Ben Taylor, Eric Stamets, Brandon Guyer.

Prospects who will be added to the roster this winter:

Bobby Bradley, Sam Hentges

Prospects who have an outside chance of being added to the 40 man roster

Connor Marabell

SUMMARY

For maybe the first time in my memory the Indians have so few true Rule 5 prospects to worry about that they will have MANY spots left on their roster.

Right now we are looking at 33 roster spots (locks plus prospects added).  I think they will add Marabell so that gives them 34.   Realistically, none of the bubble guys should make this team next year and we can find guys who are just as good to sign to minor league contracts this winter.

Next we will talk about OUR free agents and which ones could be coming back.