Impressed by veteran, Tribe keeping Jackson

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Austin Jackson was called into the office of Indians manager Terry Francona on Sunday morning. After their closed-door discussion, the veteran outfielder emerged and his name remained in the lineup for the afternoon game against the D-backs.
Jackson was informed that he would be on the Opening Day roster.
"He knows how to play, and he's a good veteran," Francona said. "I think he's going to bring something to our ballclub."

Jackson's status on the 25-man roster is clear, but the rest of the outfield picture remains a bit hazy. Left fielder Michael Brantley is not a certainty for Opening Day, given his ongoing comeback from right shoulder and biceps issues. Right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall is currently dealing with a mild right shoulder injury as well, making his status for the opener questionable.
The only virtual locks for the active roster are center fielder Tyler Naquin and corner outfielder Brandon Guyer. The switch-hitting Abraham Almonte -- capable of playing all three outfield spots -- has one Minor League option remaining, but he could be included on the roster if Brantley or Chisenhall go on the disabled list.
Yandy Díaz, who is in camp as a non-roster invitee, is competing for the open third-base job, but he also has experience as a corner outfielder.
"There's a lot of moving parts," Francona said.
For now, Cleveland at least has one question answered in Jackson. The outfielder was signed to a Minor League contract on Jan. 25, and his deal included an opt-out clause for Sunday. With that deadline facing the Indians, the team decided to keep him in the fold, maintaining an additional layer of depth and giving the club a right-handed center fielder who can pair with Naquin up the middle.

One of the unknowns entering Spring Training with Jackson was how he would bounce back from left knee surgery he underwent last June, which ended his season with the White Sox. After a delayed start to the spring, Jackson worked his way back into games and did enough to convince Cleveland to keep him aboard.
"I thought he did a really good job of getting himself ready," Francona said, "and then being prepared. But, we don't have to overwhelm him. And I think he is going to be a very good complementary player."