CLEVELAND —It’s official: Orlando Cabrera is a Cleveland Indian.
The veteran infielder passed his physical Wednesday in Goodyear, Ariz., and signed a one-year contract worth $1 million plus incentives. The 36-year-old Cabrera will come to camp as the front runner to open the season as the Indians’ starting second baseman.
Cabrera, who spent last season as the starting shortstop with National League Central Division champion Cincinnati alongside former Cleveland player Brandon Phillips, brings a veteran presence to a lineup that is expected to be youth-laden.
“He makes us better,” said Cleveland manager Manny Acta. “He’ll do whatever it takes to win. His presence is going to be huge. We’re very excited to add him to our clubhouse. He’s got leadership qualities.”
The Indians are banking on him possessing second base playing qualities as well.
Though he began his career at the position, Cabrera has played only 33 games at second on the big league level. He was moved to shortstop early in his career and flourished, winning two Gold Gloves at the position, the last coming in 2007 with the Angels.
“It’s a great challenge for me,” said Cabrera, a career .274 hitter over 14 seasons with seven teams. “It’s almost the same. It’s going to be different turning double plays, but if I stay healthy, I don’t think there will be any problems. Turning double plays is something you don’t forget.
“It will be nice to go back (to second base).”
Acta, who was with the Montreal Expos organization when Cabrera arrived there to begin his big league career, is more than confident that he can handle the switch.
“He’ll have no issues,” Acta said. “He can play second base with his eyes closed. I can guarantee you of that.”
If things go as expected, it will be a Cabrera to Cabrera double-play combination for the Indians, who employ 25-year-old Asdrubal Cabrera at shortstop. Though the two Latin-born players are not related, they have been friendly with each other since Asdrubal began his career with Cleveland.
“Since he came into the big leagues, I call him nephew and he calls me uncle,” said Orlando Cabrera, the brother of former Cleveland player, Jolbert Cabrera. “I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a little warrior. He’s got a long career ahead of him. He’s going to be a special player.”
Cabrera’s bond with his younger namesake and his familiarity with Acta gave the Indians an edge as the veteran entertained offers from what he said were a number of teams. The price and length of the contract seem to signal that there wasn’t the interest one would expect from a player of Cabrera’s abilities – one that has appeared in the postseason the past four years and six of the last seven.
“There was a lot of interest but it wasn’t the interest I was expecting,” Cabrera said. “Cleveland was the team that gave me that interest I was looking for.”
The Indians, it turns out, were looking for him as well.
“He’s a veteran presence with an exceptional baseball IQ,” Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. “He’s a very good baseball player.
“He has the chance to help with the development of some of our young players, while contributing to winning games.”
K-Love’s coming
Kenny Lofton, a member of the Indians’ Hall of Fame, will be a guest instructor at training camp from Feb. 22-28.
Lofton, who starred for the Indians in three separate stints (1992-96, 1998-2001, 2007) will work with the club’s outfielders and coach base-running techniques.
Lofton, a five-time all-star and four-time Gold Glove award-winning center fielder during his time in Cleveland, is the franchise leader with 452 stolen bases.
Invitation only
Catcher Chun Chen will be a non-roster invitee to major league camp.
In just his third professional season, the 22-year-old native of Taiwan hit a combined .315 for Class A Lake County and advanced Single-A Kinston, with 38 doubles, 12 homers and 69 RBIs in 110 games. His doubles count led all Cleveland minor leaguers and his batting average ranked second.
Girl power
Cleveland native Justine Siegal is scheduled to become the first woman to throw batting practice to a major league team Monday at the Indians player development complex. She approached Antonetti at the Winter Meetings about the prospect and will throw to both minor league and major league hitters.
Siegal will also throw batting practice to the Oakland A’s in Phoenix on Feb. 23.
Siegal was the first woman to coach men’s professional baseball, serving as a first-base coach for the Brockton Rox in 2009. She spent that past three years as the only woman college baseball coach in America, serving as an assistant coach for Springfield College.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.
