GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Leave it to closer Chris Perez to proclaim the Cleveland Indians have finished rebuilding.
The hard-throwing Perez says the Indians “were contending last year. Winning is the word this year. We want to win.”
After a surprising 30-15 start and leading the AL Central for more than four months in 2011, the Indians fell apart down the stretch as key injuries gutted their lineup and forced them to bring up minor leaguers who weren’t prepared for a pennant race. Perez says that experience will benefit the club in 2012 and he’s confident the Indians can close the gap on the Detroit Tigers.
The Indians added depth in the offseason to guard against another wave of injuries.
Cleveland has only a few roster spots open, but the club will have 62 players in camp.
