GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The Indians made their second round of cuts Monday, the most notable player to go, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall.

Chisenhall, who made a strong impression at training camp, was one of seven players trimmed from the spring training roster. He was re-assigned to minor league camp along with RHP Zach Putnam, RHP Alex White, catcher Juan Apodaca and infielder Jason Kipnis.

RHP Zach McCallister and outfielder Nick Weglarz were optioned to Triple-A Columbus.

Chisenhall, 21, has arguably been Cleveland’s top position player this spring, batting .478 (11-for-23) with two home runs and four RBIs in 11 games.

“We wanted to make sure to continue to get him consistent at-bats,” said general manager Chris Antonetti. “We need to give those at-bats to players trying to make this team.

“Lonnie had a very good camp, but he still has some development to do. Those consistent at-bats will allow him to continue on that path.”

Chisenhall’s addition to the major league roster would create a buzz for fans of a team that is not expected to contend in the Central Division, but Antonetti is looking beyond that.

“I think that would be short-sided,” he said. “We can’t just focus on bringing excitement. Our goal is to win championships. We want to make sure Lonnie is well-positioned to succeed on the major league level.”

The Indians caught some heat for delaying the promotion of big time prospect Carlos Santana last year. Many felt the cost-conscious club was trying to limit Santana’s service time for arbitration purposes. But Santana was at Triple-A, a level Chisenhall hasn’t seen after spending the entire season at Double-A Akron last year.

“That’s certainly not the case,” Antonetti said, when asked the arbitration question about Chisenhall. “Everybody to a person thought he needed more development. If he was that far ahead, he would have been at Triple-A last year. We feel he like he needs to have some Triple-A time.”

While Chisenhall may be ready to hit on the big league level, the Indians feel he needs more defensive seasoning. But there is still the strong possibility that Cleveland’s first-round draft choice (29th overall) in 2008 will make his major league debut sometime this season.

“A few things have to happen for that to take place,” Antonetti said. “First, there has to be an opportunity. If the opportunity is there, he needs to make sure he’s done things developmentally to position himself for that opportunity.”

Like Chisenhall, White, 22, and Kipnis, 24, are two of the top prospects in the organization.

White, the Indians’ first-round pick (15th overall) in 2009, made three exhibition appearances (five innings), allowing six runs, 10 hits and three walks, while striking out six.

Kipnis, a second-round selection in 2009, hit .167 (3-for-18) with a triple, homer and two RBIs in nine games.

No worries

Antonetti isn’t concerned that the bone bruise on Jason Donald’s left hand will sideline the third baseman for any significant amount of time.

“There’s no breaks or fractures,” Antonetti said. “It’s just a question of whether it’s a significant bone bruise. It should resolve quickly and he should be back on the field in a couple of days.”

Donald has missed eight games after being hit on the hand by a pitch against the White Sox. He returned to the lineup for two games, missing the next three after an MRI revealed the bone bruise.

If the injury lingers and Donald is not prepared to start the season, the other options at third base include Jayson Nix, Luis Valbuena and Jack Hannahan. The Indians could also turn to Chisenhall, but it isn’t likely.

On the mend

Reliever Joe Smith is still working through a sore abdominal muscle but is expected to return soon.

“He needs a couple more days,” said Acta of the right-hander, who has pitched in five exhibition games (five innings), allowing two runs on three hits and two walks.

Pronk’s progress

Travis Hafner has yet to go deep this spring but he’s swinging a hot bat, hitting . 344 (11-for-32) with three doubles and four RBIs in 10 exhibition games. He had his best game of the spring Monday, going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs, in the Indians’ 9-8 win over Oakland at Goodyear Ballpark.

Despite Hafner’s lack of production in recent years, Acta isn’t keeping tabs on Hafner’s exhibition effort.

“I’m not worried about Hafner,” Acta said. “He’s been in the league a lot of years and he’s always hit. I’m not going to come into spring training and judge Travis Hafner.”

Roundin’ third

White and Kipnis were presented with minor league awards prior to Monday’s game. White won the “Bob Feller Award,” given to the top pitcher after going a combined 10-10 with a 2.45 ERA in 26 games (25 starts) for Class A Kinston and Double-A Akron last year. Kipnis won the “Lou Boudreau Award” as the top position player after hitting a combined .307 with 16 homers and 74 RBIs in 133 games for Kinston and Akron. … Today, 4:05 vs. Milwaukee at Goodyear Ballpark. STO (live)/WTAM 1100-AM (delayed 7 p.m.). Mitch Talbot (0-0, 17.55) vs. Chris Narveson (0-0, 1.17).

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

INDIANS (6-9-2) 9, A’S (7-10) 8

HITS: The Indians got multi-hit games from four players — Travis Hafner, Orlando Cabrera, Shelley Duncan and Jack Hannahan. Hafner led Cleveland with three hits (two doubles) and combined with Duncan and Hannahan to drive in seven of the nine runs. … Reliever Tony Sipp wiggled out of a jam in the ninth inning to earn his second save of the spring. … Reliever Chad Durbin worked a scoreless inning and struck out two of the three batters he faced.

MISSES: Indians starter Justin Masterson allowed five runs on seven hits over four innings with his exhibition ERA rising to 6.00. … Jeanmar Gomez hurt his bid to land the fifth spot in the rotation by allowing three runs on three hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings. The right-hander surrendered a pair of home runs to Oakland’s Chris Carter, who belted the first pitch of Gomez’s outing over the wall and off the scoreboard in left-center.

MANAGER’S MOMENT: “We did a lot of good things offensively,” Acta said. “That was the ballgame. Just about everybody contributed.”

ATTENDANCE: 2,850 at Goodyear Ballpark.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — It’s make or break time for Matt LaPorta.

The highly touted slugger hasn’t done much slugging since arriving in Cleveland via the CC Sabathia trade with Milwaukee in 2008. If he doesn’t hit this year, it might very well be his last with the Indians.

“I feel like it’s a big year for a lot of our young players,” said general manager Chris Antonetti. “For us to be the team that we want to be, we’re going to need contributions from a lot of young players.”

Maybe so, but LaPorta, 26, is a bit more pivotal then the rest of Cleveland’s youth movement. He plays a corner position that is associated with offense and power, and LaPorta has shown little of both on the big league level the past two seasons.

He got extensive playing time (110 games) as the Indians’ starter at first base in 2011 and hit just .221 with 12 home runs and 41 RBIs. The Indians need more from him this year.

“I would say so,” said manager Manny Acta, when asked if this was a big season for LaPorta. “He’s already had a (full) year of experience. But we’re trying to keep that away from Matty. We’re a team. We’re hoping he’s the guy that he’s supposed to be, but we’re the Cleveland Indians. It’s not all about Matty.”

LaPorta is aware of the expectations that have been placed upon him and thinks he’s ready to be the guy Acta is talking about.

“I expect to play healthy and play strong and be strong the whole season

and go out there and hopefully help this team win,” he said. “I just want to be consistent with everything, with my approach, my diet, my sleep, my hitting, all that goes into being a successful baseball player. That’s my goal this year.

“I think my power has always been there. I think it’s a matter of

developing into a better hitter. Now I’m more consistent making contact

with balls and when i’m making contact with balls good things are going

to happen.”

Some of LaPorta’s lack of production last year can be attributed to health issues. He came to training camp fresh off surgeries on both his hip and toe, the hip still bothering him early into the regular season.

“Probably the first couple months, it was still really tight and locked up,” said LaPorta, who opened the year as Cleveland’s starter at first before being demoted to Triple-A Columbus in favor of Russell Branyan. “When I wanted to push it, it was still kind of locked up in there. You feel the tightness and everything.

“As the season kept going on, probably June, July, August, I was feeling better. I was feeling strong.”

Once Branyan was traded, LaPorta was brought back to Cleveland and finished the season as the regular first baseman. He produced upon his recall, batting .286 with with four homers and 16 RBIs in his first 30 games but ran out of steam at the end and hit just .153 over the final month.

“By the end of the season, the legs were just fatigued,” LaPorta said. “As you know, it’s a long season anyway. If you’re not prepared for it, it can be tough.”

Though LaPorta has struggled to adjust to big league pitching, he has handled the other part of the game, making a smooth transition from the outfield to first base. After some growing pains in 2009, LaPorta impressed Acta with his glove last year.

“I’m high on his defense,” Acta said. “I’ve never complained about his defense. He played very well for us defensively last year. (Offense is) his ticket in baseball. Offensively, that’s where most of his improvement will come.”

LaPorta’s bat has yet to get going this spring — .147 (5-for-34), HR, 6 RBIs in 12 games — but he’s healthy and looking forward to what could be a significant year for his future.

“It’s a lot nicer to be able to just play baseball and prepare your body to go out and perform, not just trying to get healthy,” LaPorta said. “I feel great right now. I’m excited to get going.”

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

PEORIA, Ariz. — Grady Sizemore is moving closer to making his exhibition debut.

Sizemore

Sizemore, who is working his way back from knee surgery, passed another test in the road to recovery Sunday in Goodyear, running the bases for the first time.

“It went well,” Sizemore said. “I felt good coming into today, so I wasn’t nervous or anything like that. I kind of had an idea how I would feel. I started out slow and was able to push it towards the end and I felt good.

“I was obviously hoping that there wouldn’t be any setbacks or problems and there wasn’t. Overall, it was a good day.”

Sizemore said he ran at 90-95 percent and is scheduled to run the bases two more times, most likely on Tuesday and Thursday. If he clears those hurdles, Sizemore’s exhibition debut could come as early as this weekend.

“There’s not much left that I have to go through. I’m pretty close,” he said. “Before these next two baserunning days are over, I want to push it to the max.

“I want to get out there in the outfield and run as hard as I can on a ball in the gap and see what it’s really like on the bases to stretch it out. That’s the next test here this week is to not hold back.”

Sizemore has been taking things slowly since arriving at training camp. He began by participating in agility drills, throwing in the outfield and hitting in the cages. Last week, he started taking live batting practice.

“Everything’s been real good,” Sizemore said. “It’s been symptom-free, no setbacks. It’s been stiff at times but not sore. It’s just a different feeling. I notice the spot (on the knee). I don’t necessarily have discomfort or pain with it. It’s just getting used to it and pushing through whatever it is you’re feeling.”

Sizemore is in a familiar spot. He arrived at camp last year after having the previous season cut short by an elbow injury that required surgery. He had problems with the elbow throughout spring training before injuring his knee in the final exhibition game and playing in just 33 games during the regular season, when he hit .211 without a home run and 13 RBIs.

“There was still some side effects (with the elbow), just like there are going to be with the knee,” Sizemore said. “I’m just anxious to get out on the field and see how that translates.

“It feels fine. I don’t feel slower. I don’t feel like I’ve lost a step.”

Though manager Manny Acta said it was not a foregone conclusion that Sizemore will miss opening day, the Indians aren’t counting on him in center field April 1 against the White Sox at Progressive Field.

Sizemore isn’t willing to offer a prediction.

“I’m not really looking past that first (exhibition) game and seeing how it feels out there on the field,” Sizemore said.

Donald’s down

An MRI on Saturday revealed that third baseman Jason Donald has a bone bruise in his left hand. He is expected to be sidelined for at least the next three days.

Donald missed five games after being hit on the hand by a pitch against the White Sox. He returned to the lineup Thursday and Friday before being scratched Saturday.

Donald, who is batting .308 (4-for-13) with a double in six games, is still considered the front-runner for the starting job at third.

“Nothing has changed,” Acta said. “We’re going to have plenty of time to run him out there.”

Huff’s stuff

Left-hander David Huff, one of three candidates for the fifth spot in the rotation, was not happy with his effort Sunday in the Indians’ 7-2 loss to the Padres in Peoria.

Huff worked consecutive scoreless innings and entered the seventh with the Indians trailing by a run before imploding. He allowed all of his runs (four) and hits (six) and was removed with two outs.

“I gave up runs and I’m (ticked),” said Huff, who is 1-0 with a 7.45 ERA in four exhibition appearances. “The first two innings, I thought I threw well. I was filling up the strike zone. Then I started rushing stuff. I’m upset. I gave up runs and they look at results here, not how you throw.”

Acta said Huff’s performance did not hurt him in his race with Josh Tomlin and Jeanmar Gomez.

“We don’t go by one outing,” he said.

Roundin’ third

The Indians lost 11-8 to the White Sox in a “B” game in Glendale. Cleveland starter Alex White, the Indians’ first-round draft choice in 2009, allowed three runs on three hits over 2 2/3 innings. Carlos Santana and Cord Phelps hit homers for the Indians, while Lonnie Chisenhall went 3-for-4 with a double.

Today

• Who: Indians vs. A’s
• Time: 4:05 p.m.
• Where: Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, Ariz.
• Pitchers: Justin Masterson vs. Dallas Braden
• TV/radio: STO (live); WEOL 930-AM, WTAM 1100-AM (tape delayed at 7 p.m.)

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.