While the addition of Juan Uribe became official on Sunday morning, the week of the Cleveland Indians was marred by the news on Friday that potential starting center fielder Abraham Almonte was suspended 80 games for a failed test for a performance enhancing substance. It led to a minor league deal granted to free agent outfielder Will Venable, but it leaves the Indians outfield in a state of flux.

Here’s what else you may have missed as we continue to count down the days until baseball returns in April.

Stories You May Have Missed Last Week:
2/22/16 – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 42 (Bob)
2/22/16 – Cleveland Outfield is a Position of Concern in 2016 (Bob)
2/23/16 – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 41 (Danny Madden)
2/23/16 – A Well-Rested Napoli Ready to Power the Tribe’s Lineup (Bob)
2/24/16 – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 40: Catching Up With Billy Traber (Steve Eby)
2/24/16 – Indians’ Sale of Gandil Ended up Having Far-Reaching Repercussions (Vince Guerrieri)
2/24/16 – Where Does Rajai Davis Fit Into Cleveland’s Plans for 2016? (David Freier)
2/25/16 – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 39 (Bob)
2/25/16 – Cowgill is a Platoon Candidate in Tribe Outfield (Bob)
2/26/16 – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 38: Catching Up With Eric Plunk (Steve Eby)
2/26/16 – Butler on the Bubble for an Indians Bench Role (Bob)
2/26/16 – Hunter Can Help Provide Relief in ‘Pen, When Healthy (Bob)
2/26/16 – Indians Add Venable as Almonte Suspended 80 Games (Bob)
2/27/16 – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 37 (Bob)
2/27/16 – Otero on Long List of Tribe’s Bullpen Options (Bob)
2/28/16 – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 36 (Bob)
2/28/16 – Uribe Shores Up All Indians Infield Question Marks (Danny)
2/28/16 – Gorzelanny Looking to Become a Lefty Tito Can Trust (Bob)
2/28/16 – Packed Promotional Schedules Pending for Indians and their Affiliates (Bob)

Last Week in Tribe History (Bob):
February 22, 1983
February 23, 1976
February 24, 1956
February 25, 1975
February 26, 1985
February 27, 1963
February 28, 1988

Podcasts You May Have Missed:
Do You Wahoo? – Finals

Spring Training Player Profiles (40-man and non-roster invites):
Austin Adams – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 49 (Bob)
Jesus Aguilar – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 36 (Bob)
Cody Allen – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 37 (Bob)
Abraham Almonte – coming 2/29/16
Cody Anderson – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 56 (Craig Gifford)
Shawn Armstrong – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 51 (Laurel Wilder)
Dylan Baker – Baker Looking to Bounce Back from Lost Season (Bob)
Trevor Bauer – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 47 (Bob)
Joey Butler – Butler on the Bubble for an Indians Bench Role (Bob)
Carlos Carrasco – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 59 (Danny Madden)
Joba Chamberlain – Chamberlain Hoping to Make Squad and Erase Images of “Bug Game” (Craig)
Michael Choice – Cleveland Has a Choice in Their Spring Training Outfield Mix (Bob)
Michael Clevinger – A Healthy Clevinger Climbing Cleveland’s Prospect Rankings (Bob)
Collin Cowgill – Cowgill is a Platoon Candidate in Tribe Outfield (Bob)
Kyle Crockett – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 57 (Bob)
Rajai Davis – Where Does Rajai Davis Fit Into Cleveland’s Plans for 2016? (David Freier)
Tom Gorzelanny – Gorzelanny Looking to Become a Lefty Tito Can Trust (Bob)
Jarrett Grube – Grube Looking to Build on Strong Second Half with Clippers (Bob)
T.J. House – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 58 (Danny)
Tommy Hunter – Hunter Can Help Provide Relief in ‘Pen, When Healthy (Bob)
Michael Martinez – Martinez Returns for Second Spring in the Sun for the Tribe (Bob)
Jeff Manship – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 53 (Bob)
Zach McAllister – coming 3/1/2016
Ryan Merritt – Merritt Progressing on More Than Merit Alone (Bob)
Adam Moore – Moore Back for More as Cleveland Catching Depth (Bob)
Mike Napoli – A Well-Rested Napoli Ready to Power the Tribe’s Lineup (Bob)
Dan Otero – Otero on Long List of Tribe’s Bullpen Options (Bob)
Felipe Paulino – Spring Invite Paulino May Provide Pitching Depth (Bob)
Roberto Perez – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 55 (Bob)
James Ramsey – coming 3/5/16
Anthony Recker – Recker Looks to Catch on in Cleveland as a Reserve Backstop Option (Bob)
Shane Robinson – coming 3/4/16
Danny Salazar – coming 3/4/16
Carlos Santana – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 41 (Danny)
Giovanni Soto – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 65 (Bob)
Joe Thatcher – Thatcher Seeking a Chance to be One of Tito’s Lefties (Bob)
Josh Tomlin – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 43 (Laurel)
Juan Uribe – Uribe Shores Up All Indians Infield Question Marks (Danny)
Giovanny Urshela – Countdown to Indians’ Opening Day – 39 (Bob)
Will Venable – Indians Add Venable as Almonte Suspended 80 Games (Bob)

Spring Training Minor League Profiles:
Greg Allen – Indians Have Another Smooth Tribe Outfielder in Greg Allen (Laurel)
Claudio Bautista – Claudio Bautista Slowly Climbing Through the Minor League Levels (Laurel)
Sean Brady – Sean Brady is a Young Pitcher with Potential (Laurel)
Mitch Brown – Mitch Brown Looking to Build on Second Half Success (Bob)
Yu-Cheng Chang – Yu-Cheng Chang Needs a 2016 Without Injury to Demonstrate True Skills (Laurel)
Yandy Diaz – Could Yandy Diaz Be a Future Solution at Third Base? (Danny)
Luis Lugo – Luis Lugo Looking to Continue Climb Through Indians System (Bob)
Mark Mathias – Mathias Made Most of Time at Mahoning Valley (Bob)
Shawn Morimando – Morimando Making His Way Towards the Big Leagues (Bob)
Mike Papi – coming 3/3/16
Adam Plutko – coming 3/1/16
Dorssys Paulino – Paulino Progresses in First Full Season in Outfield (Bob)
Luigi Rodriguez – Luigi Rodriguez: On the Rise or Organizational Man? (David)
Nellie Rodriguez – Young Tribe Slugger Rodriguez Plays with Something to Prove (Bob)
Luke Wakamatsu – After High School Indians’ Career, Wakamatsu Joins New Tribe in the Pros (Bob)

1948 Cleveland Indians weekly rewind

While the Indians have fallen back to third in the American League pennant pack as the calendar flipped to September in 1948, the club’s schedule was thought be favorable with several “second division” teams on the slate for the coming month and a good stretch of home games ahead of them.

Instead, the team stumbled against the St. Louis Browns and Chicago White Sox, going 2-3 in must-win contests. They managed to sweep a pair from the Detroit Tigers in extra innings to salvage the week with a 4-3 record, but needed bonus baseball twice and a darkness-shortened 1-0 victory to claim the victories.

Lemon Shuts Out St. Louis Behind Three Homers; Indians 7, Browns 0 (Mike)
Indians Rally Not Enough, Lose Nightcap and Ground in Standings; Browns 4, Indians 3 (Mike)
Paige Punished in Fifth, Tribe Loses in Extras; Browns 4, Indians 3 (Mike)
Tribe Rained Out in St. Louis as Pennant Hopes Seeming All Wet (Mike)
Late Rally Falls Short On South Side, Falls Farther From First; White Sox 3, Indians 1 (Mike)
Feller Shuts Out Sox in Darkness Shortened Game; Indians 1, White Sox 0 (Mike)
Tribe Opens Homestand Tomorrow Needing Better Play and Help (Mike)
Lemon Goes for 20, Doby Goes for 19 (Steve)
Tribe Hangs On in Extras, Still Hanging in Race; Indians 8, Tigers 7 (Steve)
Tribe Walks-Off in Extras Again; Indians 3, Tigers 2 (Steve)

***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***
1948 American League standings (as of the end of day, September 9th)

***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***

Photo: Plain Dealer file photo