Marlon Byrd Could Become Clutch Signing For Cleveland Indians

I’ll admit it – when the Cleveland Indians signed outfielder Marlon Byrd a couple weeks ago, I mocked the move. Though I didn’t tear it to pieces, there was no getting around the fact it seemed like a vintage Cleveland signing. The Indians appeared to be trying yet again to fix their lack of offense with a Band-Aid. An old one to be exact.

At 38 years old, it was tough to get optimistic about Byrd and the impact he could make on the team. Cleveland’s outfield is definitely an area of weakness, and this latest addition didn’t seem to change that.

A lot has changed in the days since Byrd’s signing. For one, the Tribe’s sketchy outfield has gotten a little worse for wear. Michael Brantley‘s debut has been delayed, with no timetable set for his return. Lonnie Chisenhall will also start the season on the disabled list. Though there’s excitement regarding rookie Tyler Naquin, he’s yet to prove his worth in the majors.

That’s the bad news. However, there is good news in all of this. After putting forth a strong spring, Byrd might not have been a bad addition after all. In fact, he might end up being a clutch acquisition for the Indians.

The odds were certainly stacked against Byrd when he signed his contract with Cleveland. It was a minor league deal giving him $1 million, but only if he actually made the Indians’ roster. He was essentially given less than two weeks to prove worthy of Cleveland’s Opening Day roster. Knowing how much adjustment is required to get back into game shape, it wouldn’t have been surprising if Byrd’s stay with the Tribe was a short one.

However, the veteran showed Cleveland’s coaches he might actually still have some power left in the tank.

Byrd has gone 8-for-18 at the plate this spring, with five doubles. He also knocked in a home run as well. Granted, this could simply be a surprise hot streak. At the same time, it’s tough not to be intrigued by how quickly Byrd proved his offensive abilities were still intact.

Again, Byrd was put in an incredibly high-pressure situation. He was ignored by every other team this winter, and the club that finally gave him a chance didn’t exactly make it easy for him.

So, it goes without saying the roster spot Cleveland gave Byrd yesterday is no surprise, as he certainly earned it. On top of that, with Chisenhall and Brantley still out, he’ll likely get some playing time right away.

This would’ve been bad news if Byrd didn’t put forth such a solid spring. Due to the injuries, he might have still made the roster regardless. At the moment, Cleveland only has four active outfielders. Having to keep Byrd out of necessity instead of him earning his spot wouldn’t exactly be a move for the Indians to be excited about.

Luckily, this is something the team doesn’t have to be concerned with. Byrd may only be a temporary fix, but if his performance from spring carries over to the regular season, Cleveland may have pulled off a bit of a steal with this signing.