Cleveland Indians Report

December 20, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Belliard re-signs for '05

The Indians and Ronnie Belliard agreed to a one-year contract for 2005 that includes a club option for 2006. Terms of the deal are not yet available. Today was the last day for teams to tender contracts to unsigned players for the 2005 and it had been speculated that the Indians would non-tender Belliard if they could not agree to terms prior to the deadline out of fear of what salary Belliard could be awarded in arbitration. Such a move would have made Belliard a free-agent although the Indians could have continued negotiating with him as a free-agent. With Belliard in camp, the infield now shapes up as Ben Broussard at first, Belliard at second, Jhonny Peralta (or Brandon Phillips) at short, Aaron Boone at third, and Jose Hernandez as the utility guy. Casey Blake joins Grady Sizemore, Coco Crisp, and Ryan Ludwick in the outfield. With Victor Martinez and Josh Bard behind the plate and Travis Hafner as the DH, the above roster configuration leaves one open roster spot for a position player this spring (provided the Indians carry 12 pitchers north). Note that Jody Gerut will open the season on the disabled list and Josh Phelps was recently designated for assignment. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 12/20/2004

December 14, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Indians complete McDonald trade

The Indians acquired right-handed pitcher Thomas Mastny from the Blue Jays to complete the John McDonald trade. Mastny was the Jays #11 pick in the 2003 draft out of Furman and led the South Atlantic League in ERA last year at 2.17 with a 10-3 record and 143 strikeouts in 149 innings with just 123 hits and 41 walks allowed for Charleston. Despite those impressive numbers, Mastny was not ranked among the Jays top 10 prospects by Baseball America. His age (23) and level (low-A) likely figure into that. Still, those numbers are intriguing. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 12/14/2004

CIR UPDATE: Infield changes

The Indians officially announced the signing of infielder Jose Hernandez today. They also designated Josh Phelps for assignment. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 12/14/2004

December 13, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Pitching depth lost in Rule 5

The minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft, that is. In the triple-A phase, the Indians lost Lee Gronkiewicz, Keith "Perfect Game" Ramsey, Blake Allen, Landon Stockman, Richard De Los Santos, and Armando Gabino. The Tribe will receive $12,000 for each of the six lost players but the downfall is that there are no roster requirements in the triple-A phase and, thus, no opportunity for the Indians to reclaim those players. The Tribe did add a player, selecting Neomar Flores out of the Blue Jays organization. The 22-year old right-hander was 6-10 with a 5.72 ERA in the Florida State League last year. No Tribe farmhand came or went in the double-A phase of the draft. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 12/13/2004

CIR UPDATE: Rule 5 Update

The major league portion of the Rule 5 draft is complete and the Indians did not have a single player selected. Nor did they select a player, but with a full 40-man roster, that was known going in. Only 12 players were selected this year, down from previous seasons. 51 players were selected in the triple-A portion of the draft, details on that as they become available.

The Denver Post reports this morning that the Indians have inquired about outfielder Preston Wilson, likely as part of Mark Shapiro's alternative plan should a starting pitcher not be signed. Wilson and his $12 million contract are being shopped by the Rockies who have reportedly been offered Jay Payton for Wilson by the Padres. Wilson's best season came in 2003 when he hit .282/.343/.537/.880 with 36 homeruns in his first season in Colorado. Before that, he did post OPS's of .852, .817, .825 from 2000-2002 with the Marlins. Limited to just 58 games last season because of a knee injury, the 30-year old hit just .248 with six longballs. He also underwent a second knee surgery in September but is expected to be ready for spring training. Questions surrounding his knee had the Rockies considering moving him from center to an outfield corner which is where he would likely play with the Indians. His arm is solid for right and he's always had good speed although the recent knee problems should reduce that. Wilson does strike out a lot and hasn't displayed much plate discipline throughout his career. He also used to be a 20-30 SB threat but, again, the knees might impact that. The Post notes that the Rockies are looking for a power arm in the bullpen and a centerfielder in return. The Tribe does have some arms in the 'pen (Riske, Howry, Cabrera, Betancourt) and some outfielders (Gerut, Ludwick) that may interest the Rox. Colorado would also have to be willing to pick up a large portion of Wilson's 2005 salary. From their reported offer of Wilson and Shawn Chacon for Alfonso Soriano to the Rangers, it appears they may be setting their sights higher than what the Indians may be willing/able to offer so we'll see if this moves beyond the interest stage. At any rate, you can now see that the Indians are actively looking at options beyond a starter which hints again that Matt Clement does not appear headed to the North Coast.

Posted on 12/13/2004

CIR UPDATE: Rule 5 Today

Just a reminder that the Rule 5 draft is slated to be conducted later this morning. Tribe prospects Jason Cooper, Brian Slocum, Dan Denham, JD Martin, Pat Osborn, Nathan Panther, Ben Francisco, Dave Wallace, Ivan Ochoa, and Chris Cooper could all draw interest. Remember that defensive middle infielders with speed (Ochoa), power arms (Denham), raw power (J.Cooper), backstops (Wallace), and potential LOOGYs (C.Cooper) typically draw the most interest because they are the ones most likely to be able to contribute something as the 25th man for a full season in the big leagues. Teams selecting an Indian prospect today will pay the Tribe $50,000 and must keep that player on their major league roster for the entire 2005 season. If they want to send the player to the minor leagues, he must first clear waivers (with the full Rule 5 requirements and Indians rights traveling with the player), and then be offered back to the Indians for half of the purchase price ($25,000). The two sides could also work out a deal similar to what the Indians and Astros worked out last year with Willy Taveras for Jeriome Robertson. The minor league portion of the Rule 5, typically used to fill holes on minor league rosters, will also be conducted today.

In other news, the Indians remain a player in the Matt Clement sweepstakes according to Clement's agent but the more I hear, the more that sounds like agentspeak to me.

Sheldon Ocker reports in the ABJ that the Indians are close to signing veteran infielder Jose Hernandez to a one-year deal. For $1, he served me well in my NL fantasy league last year. More on Hernandez later, if/when he signs.

Updates on the Rule 5 later today as they cross the wire.

Posted on 12/13/2004

December 11, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Wright fails Yanks physical

ESPN is reporting that Jaret Wright failed his physical with the Yankees which may void the 3-year, $21 million contract he agreed to with the Bombers earlier this week. ESPN also notes that the Yanks are asking Wright to take another physical. If the two sides do agree to part ways (the Yanks may just use this as a way to reduce his salary), could a team sign Wright to a one-year deal (pending a physical, of course) for a reasonable base (given the failed Yanks physical) with incentives that would allow Wright to test the market again after an expected healthy and successful 2005 season? Maybe with a somewhat club friendly option with a decent buyout for 2006 added on? Could that team be the Indians? Perhaps, if they cannot sign Matt Clement or Eric Milton. After all, they were believed to be interested in Wright before he signed with the Yanks. It's not without it's risk, but for one year, and at a reasonable price, it might be attractive enough compared to what's out on the market. It's a long shot, for sure, but something to keep in the back of your mind. Hey, the Winter Meetings is what speculation is all about. Also note that failed physicals can mean different things to different teams if that makes sense. Just remember that Omar Vizquel failed a Mariners physical last winter and then went out and enjoyed a productive full season for the Indians.

Posted on 12/11/2004

CIR UPDATE: It's Official (almost)

Mark Schwab is reporting for WTAM (with 99.9% certainty) that Matt Lawton has been dealt to Pittsburgh for Arthur Rhodes. An official announcement could come as soon as this afternoon.

Quick thoughts...

I like Matt Lawton (as a DH). He was just overpaid (15-20% of the payroll) and couldn't play defense.

How much money is changing hands? By my thoughts, it should be none.

If the Indians now have $3 million extra dollars to spend this off-season, does it go towards Matt Clement, Eric Milton, Ronnie Belliard, a veteran outfielder, or some combination of the above.

As Coco Crisp goes, so goes the Indians 2005 offense.

Richard Hidalgo (signed with Texas for 1 year, $4.5 million) would have been a great fit for the 2005 Indians. Tremendous defense and arm in right and a right-hander power bat for the middle of the lineup. I wonder if the Indians ever considered going this route.

Looks like the Tribe will be starting two (essentially) rookies up the middle in Grady Sizemore in center and Jhonny Peralta (or Brandon Phillips) at short.

Dear Santa,
Please bring me a new outfield glove.
Thanks,
Casey
P.S. A really big rubberband and some glove oil too.

Should we expect a Ronnie Belliard signing next week (before the Dec 20 tender deadline)? I think so.

With Lawton in Pittsburgh, looks like the Pittsburgh Browns Backers will have a target for cheers and/or jeers at the annual summer outing.

Arthur Rhodes is all the Indians have to show for the Robbie Alomar trade. Billy Traber (lost on waivers to the Red Sox), Alex Escobar (lost on waivers to the White Sox), Jerrod Riggan (long gone), Earl Snyder (long gone), Ricky Gutierrez (released, hey, although he was a free-agent, he was a part of this deal as well) have all departed. Spare me the rationalization that Alomar hasn't done anything since leaving Cleveland. The fact remains that at the time of the deal, Alomar was at the top of his game and a sure-fire first ballot hall of famer and, three years later, we have nothing to show for it. That's awful.

(deep breath)

So let's see what the Indians do now. Arthur Rhodes + Player A? + Player B? for Matt Lawton. Any chance the Tribe could interest Oakland in Brandon Phillips and something for Tim Hudson? That something had better be something really good. Stay tuned.

Posted on 12/11/2004

CLEVELAND INDIANS REPORT: Saturday, December 11

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review is reporting this morning that the Pirates are "closing in" on a trade for Matt Lawton. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette also notes that a deal could be near with both papers speculation based on the fact that the Indians and Pirates have exchanged medical records on Lawton and Arthur Rhodes. They also wonder how much of Lawton's salary the Indians would pick up this season. I still can't see the Indians picking up any salary considering that they would still be on the hook for Rhodes' $3 million plus in 2006. Maybe this is just wishful thinking on my part but Lawton is the better player and the total dollars involved are pretty even. If the Tribe picks up salary in '05 then the Pirates should pick up salary in '06. Hey, it sounds good on paper.

ESPN reports this morning that David Wells is close to signing with the Red Sox for $8 million with incentives that could push the deal to $13 million. Goodbye Boomer (not that the Indians ever had much of a chance).

Speculation on Matt Clement continues to center around the notion that the budding is heading out of the Indians comfort zone. The local Cleveland papers have reported that the Indians have a 3-year, $19.5 million deal on the table which may have been on the table for awhile. The Toronto papers report this morning that Blue Jays have reportedly offered Clement $21 million over three years but aren't optimistic about signing him because they believe the Angels have (or will) go higher. I'm guessing Clement's eventual signing will be in the neighborhood of $25 million for three years or $33 million for four years (or Russ Ortiz money). I would not be adverse to paying him that. I like Matt Clement.

Paul Hoynes notes in the PD this morning that the Indians turned down a Vicente Padilla or Brett Myers for Coco Crisp deal which led to the Phils trading for Kenny Lofton. Padilla is a former all-star (2002, 14-11, 3.28, 206IP-198-53-128) who went 7-7 in 20 starts with a 4.53 ERA (115.1IP-119H-36BB-82K) last season. He missed 10 weeks over the summer with elbow tendinitis, made $2.5 million last year, and could receive up to $4.5 million in arbitration. That last figure, the injury, and the view that he might be an underachiever hints at the Indians lack of interest. Not to mention that they'd be giving up a big part of their offense. Myers, on the other hand, is a 24-year old, hard-throwing right-hander who was regarded as one of the top five pitching prospects in the game a few years ago. After cruising through the minors, however, Myers has yet to experience sustained success at the major league level, posting declining ERAs of 4.25, 4.43, and 5.52 over the past three seasons. Last year, Myers was 11-11 with a 5.52 ERA and, most discouraging, his home run totals skyrocketed (31 HR in 176 IP) while his dominance faded (62 BB, 116K, 176IP). He still has a lot of potential but the Indians are beyond that point as they look to contend in 2005.

Stay tuned, the hot stove is just heating up.

Posted on 12/11/2004

December 10, 2004

CIR UPDATE: More rumors

Ken Rosenthal notes for the Sporting News that the Indians are showing interest in right-hander Esteban Loaiza, most recently of the White Sox and Yankees. Loaiza is reportedly seeking a three-year deal and Rosenthal notes that the Expos may be willing to offer that. Let's hope the Indians aren't. Rosenthal also reports that the big money Angels have emerged as a possible suitor for Matt Clement, along with the Indians, Blue Jays, Cardinals, and Dodgers.

Posted on 12/10/2004

CIR UPDATE: Indians make offer to Wells

According to Greg Clifton, the agent for David Wells, both the Indians and Red Sox made offers to the left-hander today. "We received a proposal from both the Indians and the Red Sox, which I think were both very sincere, very serious proposals," said Clifton. "I think they were both definitely getting David's attention and showing him how serious they are about trying to attain his services for next season." If the Sox and Indians offers are similar, I would have to think at this point in his career, Wells would choose the Sox for another chance at the Series. I wonder how much the Indians are offering? I wonder how much the bidding on Matt Clement has gone up? I'd much rather have Clement than Wells. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 12/10/2004

CIR UPDATE: A Boom on the North Coast?

The Newark Star-Ledger reports this morning that Gregg Clifton, the agent for David "Boomer" Wells, is scheduled to meet today with both the Indians and the Red Sox. The paper notes that the Red Sox are "very, very, very interested" in Wells and that Wells is only looking for a one-year deal with speculation that the dollars involved are in the $7-8 million range. Is the Indians interest simply a matter of covering all bases or an indication that the dollars for Matt Clement are rising out of their comfort zone and a one-year deal for a veteran starter is plan B? Boomer was 12-8 with a 3.73 ERA for the Padres last season, allowing more than a hit (203) an inning (195.2) but fashioning his trademark pinpoint control (20 BB). He'll turn 42 in May.

Posted on 12/10/2004

December 08, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Lieber signs with Phils

ESPN is reporting that Jon Lieber signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Phillies today. Lieber had reportedly been high on the Indians starting pitching wish list, which was further reduced on Tuesday night when former Indian Jaret Wright signed with the Yankees for 3-years and $21 million and Brad Radke re-upped with the Twins for two years and $18 million. That leaves Matt Clement and Eric Milton as pitchers who have been linked to the Indians in the rumor mill. Other starters remaining on the market include Derek Lowe, Kevin Millwood, Odalis Perez, Russ Ortiz, Woody Williams, and David Wells. Beyond that group, the quality and expected price tags fall off sharply. Shawn Estes or Paul Byrd, anyone? Perhaps the market picture above combined with the potential Lawton trade to Pittsburgh indicates that the Indians realize they may have to pony up more to land a Clement or Milton and avoid having to overpay for (their perception) lesser class of pitcher. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 12/08/2004

CLEVELAND INDIANS REPORT: Wednesday, December 8

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting this morning that the Indians and Pirates are talking about a Matt Lawton for Arthur Rhodes swap that could happen at the Winter Meetings this weekend in Anaheim. It's no secret that the Indians have been shopping Lawton to free up space in a crowded outfield situation but Arthur Rhodes? He of the 5.12 ERA, bad back, questionable elbow, and blown closer opportunity in Oakland last year? Unfortunately, when you're shopping a productive but highly overpaid Matt Lawton, that may be all you can expect in return. Namely, an exchange of salaries.

Here's what the Indians are likely thinking. Moving Lawton frees up space in the outfield for Ryan Ludwick, Jody Gerut (when healthy), or (more likely) Casey Blake. Moving Blake to the outfield, frees up second-base for the return of Ronnie Belliard or the signing of a veteran second-sacker (they were reportedly in on Todd Walker again before he re-signed with the Cubs) to team with either Jhonny Peralta or Brandon Phillips at second. Remember, with Aaron Boone at third, Casey Blake is likely headed to second or the outfield to maintain an everyday spot in the lineup. Under the above scenario, Blake moves to the outfield. Whether he can play there (the Indians seem to think so) remains to be seen this spring.

Furthermore, trading Lawton for Rhodes frees up money this season for the Indians to re-sign Belliard or another second-sacker, with (maybe) some left-over money to be used to sweeten the offer to Matt Clement and/or sign a veteran utility infielder. Lawton is owed $7.25 million this season which is the final year of his contract. Rhodes is owed anywhere between $3.0-$3.5 million this season and next which are the final two years of the three year, $9.2 million contract he signed as a free-agent last year with the A's. Note that Oakland just dealt Arthur Lee and Mark Redman to the Pirates for Jason Kendall in another salary-driven deal. So, while the total dollars moved in this Lawton-Rhodes swap are approximately the same ($7 million), the Indians would actually save money this year which they could then reallocate to fill other needs. The Tribe would take a hit in 2005 for the final year of Rhodes contract but I suspect the brass might be ok with that since the total dollars balance out. For the Pirates, they would have an increase in payroll this season but they free up money for 2005. Plus, they get the better player of the two and fill a need in the outfield.

As for Rhodes and the Indians, the 35-year old could potentially fill a role in the bullpen as a left-handed option for Eric Wedge but four consecutive years of decline, a loss of command the past two seasons (BB/K ratio has dropped from 6.92 in '01 to 6.23 in '02, 2.67 in '03, and 1.21 in '04)., a troublesome back, and a lot of appearances built up on that elbow, leave the betting man saying that a rebound is unlikely. It should also be noted that Rhodes did not fare well against left-handers last season (.314/.874) although, to be fair, he did miss eight weeks with a strained back over the summer.

For the Indians, though, this deal is all about moving Lawton's salary and using the savings to fill other needs. Anything they would get from Rhodes (or whomever they would receive in a Lawton deal) would essentially be gravy. The key to this deal is what other deals it would allow the Indians to make. In theory, dealing Lawton for Rhodes makes sense provided that in subsequent deals, it becomes Lawton for Rhodes + Player A + Player B and players A & B are good additions. I will say that I would not be adverse to the Indians dealing Lawton and then turning around and signing a veteran right-fielder to a one-year deal . Perhaps someone like a Jermaine Dye or Richard Hidalgo, who may prefer a one-year contract for a low base plus incentives that would allow them re-enter the free-agent market in the 2005 off-season after an anticipated 2005 rebound season. In other words, something similar to what the Indians did with Juan Gonzalez in 2001 but on a lesser scale. I say this with the assumption that Casey Blake could play full-time at second-base.

The next two weeks should be very interesting. The Indians need to make a decision on whether to tender Ronnie Belliard a 2005 contract by December 20 and that decision could hinge on whether they can free up enough money to sign him. I can't see the Indians tendering him a contract (out of fear of arbitration) without having a deal already in the works. In that case, they wouldn't even tender him, they would just likely re-sign him before the December 20 deadline. And to make that happen, moving Lawton might be necessary.

The Rick White era is officially over after the Indians declined to offer the right-hander arbitration yesterday. This means that White cannot not re-sign with the Indians until May 1, although I suppose he could sign a minor league deal with the Tribe and remain in Buffalo until May 1. White did a serviceable enough job last season for the role he was asked to fill, posting a 5.29 ERA in 78.1 innings, and providing some needed innings early in the season when the bullpen was floundering. He'll likely sign a minor league deal with someone this off-season and report to camp as a non-roster invitee in the spring.

Remember Greg LaRocca? The former Bison infielder who enjoyed a couple of productive years in Buffalo in 2002 and 2003 before heading for the land of the rising sun? According to the Japan Times, LaRocca just re-signed with the Hiroshima Carp for 2005 and $850k with an option worth a reported $1.25 million for 2006 plus incentives. Note that a multi-year deal is a rarity in Japan for a foreign player. LaRocca was named a Central League all-star last season after hitting .328 with 40 homeruns and 101 RBIs for the Carp.

Posted on 12/08/2004

November 29, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Otis for Cooperstown?

Otis Nixon, along with fellow former Indians Tom Candiotti, Jack McDowell, and Mark Langston, are among twelve first-timers on the 2005 Hall of Fame ballot.

Posted on 11/29/2004

November 24, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Tribe re-signs Wickman

The Indians announced today that they have re-signed Bob Wickman to a one-year contract to serve as the anchor in the back of Tribe's 'pen in 2005. Terms were not announced but the AP is reporting that the deal is worth a base of $2.75 million with an additional $750k possible in incentives. Up to 10 teams were reportedly interested in Wickman with the Denver Post noting this morning that the Rockies were in on the bidding until last night when the Indians came in with an offer in the $3 million range. With Wickman in the fold, it's going to be interesting to see how much Armando Benetiz signs for, as well as Dustin Hermanson who the Indians were both reportedly in on. With the closer role settled, the Tribe can now turn their attention to landing a starting pitcher. Matt Clement is reportedly the Mets top target to replace Al Leiter, according to NewsDay, while the Twins have made a 3-year $27 million offer to Brad Radke, according to the St.Paul Pioneer Press. Jaret Wright, meanwhile, is now reportedly a long-shot to re-sign with the Braves. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 11/24/2004

November 22, 2004

CIR UPDATE: BA Top 10

Baseball America released their Top 10 Indians Prospects today and they are as follows...

1) Adam Miller
2) Michael Aubrey
3) Franklin Gutierrez
4) Brad Snyder
5) Jeremy Sowers
6) Fausto Carmona
7) Fernando Cabrera
8) Ryan Garko
9) Nick Pesco
10) Andrew Brown

Noticeably absent from the list are last years number two prospect Jeremy Guthrie as well last years number four prospect Jake Dittler. Dittler, bothered by injuries this past season, is a bigger surprise in mind than Guthrie. Also removed from last years list was number seven Jason Cooper. Note that Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips, and Jhonny Peralta are ineligible for the BA Top 10 as they have exhausted their MLB rookie eligibility. All in all, the list is pretty straight forward, especially for a BA list. Personally, I would Ryan Garko higher, especially over Jeremy Sowers who has yet to throw an inning in a professional game, but BA has him lower on the list due to his lack of position in the field. I'm not so worried about that at this point. If he keeps hitting like he has, the Indians (or someone else) will find a position for him. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 11/22/2004

November 19, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Indians finalize 40

As expected, the Indians added Fausto Carmona, Jake Dittler, and Franklin Gutierrez to the 40-man roster. The move leaves prospects such as Jason Cooper and Dan Denham (among others) exposed to the Rule 5 draft in December. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 11/19/2004

November 16, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Victor and Pronk get some love

Victor Martinez received one 7th place in the voting for AL MVP while Travis Hafner received a 9th place vote. Vladimir Guerrero took the honors as the AL's best player with former Indian Manny Ramirez finishing third.

Posted on 11/16/2004

CIR UPDATE: Managers Movin' On Up

The Indians announced the managers for their six minor league clubs today and they are as follows...

BUFFALO: Marty Brown (3rd year)
AKRON: Torey Lovullo (promoted from Kinston)
KINSTON: Luis Rivera (promoted from Lake County)
LAKE COUNTY: Mike Sarbaugh (promoted from Mahoning Valley)
MAHONING VALLEY: Rouglas Odor (promoted from Burlington)
BURLINGTON: Sean McNally (managerial debut)

Note that Brown, Lovullo, and Sarbaugh all led their 2004 clubs to championships with Brown and Lovullo being named Managers of the Year for their respective circuits.

Former Akron manager Brad Komminsk moves to the big league club where he'll serve as the Indians Outfield and Baserunning Coordinator, a position formerly held by Rick Manning, who will stick to broadcasting this summer. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 11/16/2004

November 15, 2004

CIR UPDATE: 60 to 40

The Indians activated Jason Stanford, Aaron Boone, Kaz Tadano, and Jody Gerut from the 60-day disabled list and added them to the 40-man roster. The 40 now stands at 37 with minor leaguers still to be added by the November 19 deadline. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 11/15/2004

November 14, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Golden Glove heads for the Golden Gate

ESPN.com is reporting that Omar Vizquel has agreed to terms with the San Francisco Giants on a three-year, $12.25 million contract. No official word has been issued from the Giants but I would suspect a press conference will be held tomorrow. Perhaps Tuesday or Wednesday if Omar has yet to take a physical, which I assume the Giants would require. Smart move by Omar in moving quickly in a shortstop-laden market, smart move by the Tribe in not matching those years, not necessarily the dollars. Note that no breakdown is yet available on the exact contract terms. The Tribe plays a weekend series in San Francisco next June 10-12, should make for a good time for the West Coast Tribe Backers. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 11/14/2004

November 13, 2004

CLEVELAND INDIANS REPORT: Saturday, November 13

Sorry for the recent absence, I've just been exhausted from promoting my new rap album that's coming out next month. Hard-core Canterbury style, straight out of the N.O. The first single, 1-4 (Jez mizd da goodiez), should be hitting the radio next week.

Anyway...

Let the frenzy begin. The free-agency frenzy, that is. With the 15-day filing deadline passed, players are now free to sign with other teams. The Indians are expected to be active with Paul Hoynes noting today in the Plain Dealer that Armando Benitez and Matt Clement are atop the Indians lists. Sounds good to me. More on that in the next report. Regardless of whom the Indians do end up signing, they're going to have to have a spot waiting for him on the 40-man roster. Currently, the 40 sits at 33 players which seems like there would be plenty of room but keep in mind that the Indians still have a bunch of players they need to add to the 40 within the next two weeks.

Who are those players? Well, hold on there a minute Bucky. Let's backtrack for a moment and review how the roster has evolved over the past six weeks.

When the Indians 2004 campaign ended in Minnesota on October 3, the 40-man roster contained a full compliment of 40 players with an additional six rehabbing on the 60-day disabled list (where they do not count as members of the 40-man roster). Ivan Ochoa, Jake Robbins, and Ernie Young were the first to be removed with all three outrighted off the 40-man roster. Ochoa remains in the Indians farm system while both Robbins and Young became minor league free-agents on October 14. Note that Robbins later re-signed a minor league deal with the Tribe. These moves left the 40 at 37 players.

Omar Vizquel followed next when the Indians bought out his 2005 option. As we all know, he later filed for free-agency and is rumored to be close to a deal with the White Sox. This move lowered the 40 to 36 players. On the same day, however, the Indians purchased the contract of LOOGY Scott Sauerbeck from Buffalo and added him to the 40, thus raising the count to 37.

Bob Wickman came next when the Indians bought his 2005 option. Like Vizquel, Wickman filed for free-agency although it's still uncertain whether he plans to pitch next year or retire. Subtracting Wick reduces the 40 to 36.

The Tribe further reduced the roster when they outrighted Lou Merloni and Tim Laker to triple-A Buffalo. Both players refused the assignment and elected to become free-agents. The 40 now stood at 34.

Finally, Rick White filed for free-agency to reduce the 40 to the 33 players that now comprise the Indians 40-man roster.

So, now that we've done the math, let's get back to the original question of who else needs to be added to the 40? The first group of players comes from the walking wounded as the Tribe ended the season with six players on the 60-day disabled list. Remember that players on the 60-day DL, as opposed to those on the 15-day DL, are removed from the 40-man roster. Two of those six are already gone as Joe Dawley elected to become a free-agent by refusing assignment to Buffalo after the Indians outrighted him to triple-A and Billy Traber was claimed off waivers by the Red Sox earlier this week when the Tribe tried to sneak him through to open up a roster spot. The remaining four, Aaron Boone (knee), Jody Gerut (knee), Kaz Tadano (back), and Jason Stanford (elbow) all will need to be "activated" from the 60-day DL and returned to the 40-man roster. That brings the count to 37.

On a side note, anyone else find it interesting that the Indians have apparently decided to keep both Jason Stanford and Brian Tallet over Billy Traber? Makes me wonder just how messed up Traber's elbow really is. More on that in a report next week.

Now that we've got the big leaguers back in the fold, it's time for Mark Shapiro and company to turn their attention to the minor leagues. More specifically, to those minor leaguers who are eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December. We'll discuss this much more in depth as the Rule 5 approaches but, typically, players signed out of high school become Rule 5 eligible after their fourth season while players signed out of college become Rule 5 eligible after their third year of pro ball. Only players not on a 40-man roster who meet the above criteria are eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 draft. Thus, the annual November addition of prospects to the 40-man roster.

For the Indians this year, the potential group of prospect additions includes Fausto Carmona, Franklin Gutierrez, Jake Dittler, Jason Cooper, Dan Denham, Pat Osborn, Nathan Panther, Shea Douglas, Ben Francisco, Brian Slocum, JD Martin, Shaun Larkin, Eider Torres, Landon Stockman, and Lee Gronkiewicz, among others. It's no coincidence that I listed Carmona, Gutierrez, and Dittler at the top of the list as those three should be definite for addition. The only problem is that adding those three puts the Indians at the legal limit of 40 while leaving a slew of attractive draftees (Cooper, Denham, Osborn, etc.) exposed for the Rule 5. Not to mention that a full 40 doesn't leave any room for addition via free-agency unless someone is subtracted.

And subtraction there will be. We know the Indians are going to sign a closer and a starting pitcher so two players will need to be removed. If they want to protect any more than three prospects from the Rule 5 draft, a corresponding number of players will then also need to be removed. Trades are always a possibility, especially a 2-for-1 deal involving players already on the 40 or those potentially to be added to the 40 but this doesn't seem like a likely scenario. More likely is that the Indians will try and pass additional players through waivers, perhaps Kyle Denney, Cliff Bartosh, Corey Smith, or Mariano Gomez. I know what you're thinking, if they haven't already, why would they now?

Well, that might depend on what the Indians do with the following trio of arbitration-eligible players. Ronnie Belliard is the player most discussed amongst this group and his status remains very much up in the air. Mark Shapiro was quoted in the local papers as saying it's 50/50 on whether or not Belliard returns this season but as we discussed awhile back regarding the possibility of Omar Vizquel returning, where would he play? With Aaron Boone at third, Casey Blake is headed to second-base unless Belliard signs. In that case, Blake will likely join Coco Crisp, Matt Lawton, Grady Sizemore, Jody Gerut, and Ryan Ludwick in a very crowded outfield. Could it happen? Sure, but I think the Indians would be best served using the Belliard money towards Matt Clement. I also think that's what they'll end up doing and Shapiro's recent comments, while not entirely false, are more GM speak designed to maintain any trade value that Belliard may have. And that might be the type of deal we see, Belliard for a lower-level prospect.

Also in this group are John McDonald and David Riske. The Indians have already made it known that Johnny Mac faces an uphill battle to remain with the Indians If that's the case, what's the point of carrying McDonald through the offseason at the expense of a prospect? I would not be surprised to see the Indians either deal McDonald in a very minor deal, perhaps to Boston where he can serve in the Pokey Reese role should Reese not re-sign with the Sox and where he could once again serve as Omar's backup, should Vizquel sign with the Sox. How ironic would that be? Anyway, a trade would not surprise me, neither would the Indians giving McDonald his outright release. As for Riske, he could stand to be awarded somewhere in the $2 million range after arbitration this winter which may be more than the Indians are willing to pay for a setup man. Especially if they sign Armando Benitez (or another proven closer) and have Bob Howry, Matt Miller, Raffy Betancourt, and Jason Davis to setup from the right side. I wouldn't discount the addition of a veteran setup guy via free-agency either. So that said, if you're going to sign a closer and you have all those guys available for setup and you could use those Riske dollars towards landing said closer, why carry Riske into the offseason instead of a prospect? Just a thought (and I am a Riske fan). So, I would not be surprised to see the Indians do something with Riske, either through trade, non-tender, or release.

Note that while non-tender and release are essentially the same thing, the timing of each move could result in a different term applied. The Indians need to have their 40-man roster finalized by November 19 in preparation for the Rule 5 draft while the last day to tender 2005 contracts to unsigned players on your roster is December 20. So while the Indians could very well decide to non-tender one or all of Belliard, McDonald, and Riske (thus granting them their release and making them free-agents) before December 20, they'll have to do it by November 19 if they want to free up a spot on the 40-man roster to protect a prospect from the Rule 5 draft.

Confused? Yeah, me too. The arcane world of baseball roster management can do that to you. Just recognize that the Indians are far from done with their roster moves and while the signing of a free agent closer and starting pitcher will garner the headlines, there will be plenty of moves made in the background to allow the higher profile moves to take place. With so many options before them, as noted above, it's going to be interesting to see what route the Indians take in shaping their 40-man roster this offseason.

Posted on 11/13/2004

November 10, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Traber joins World Champs

The Boston Red Sox claimed Billy Traber off waivers from the Indians today. It's likely the Tribe was trying to sneak Traber through in order to clear space on the 40-man roster with the hopes that teams would be less inclined to claim him given that he had missed all of last season with Tommy John surgery. Before the 40 is frozen on November 20, the Tribe needs to clear enough room to add Aaron Boone, Jody Gerut, Kaz Tadano, and Jason Stanford from the 60-day DL, add Rule-5 eligible prospects such as Fausto Carmona, Jake Dittler, and Franklin Gutierrez (among others), all while maintaining a roster spot (or two) for free-agent signings. I wonder who else they tried to sneak through, if anyone? More in the next CIR (which should be posted in the next day or two).

Posted on 11/10/2004

November 04, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Think Spring

The Indians announced their home exhibition schedule today. Following are the 15 home games in the Haven.

March 3: Houston
March 6: Detroit
March 7: Toronto
March 9: NY Yankees
March 10: Washington (ss)
March 11: Pittsburgh
March 12: Houston
March 14: NY Mets
March 16: Houston
March 20: Philadelphia
March 24: Los Angeles
March 25: Cincinnati (7:05)
March 27: Tampa Bay
March 28: Atlanta
March 31: Detroit

Also of note are two games in Atlanta on April 1 and 2 before the Tribe opens the season in Chicago on April 4. My guess is the 3/25 game against Cincinnati will be televised on FSN.

Posted on 11/04/2004

November 03, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Awards

Ryan Garko was named the Indians minor league Player of the Year while Adam Miller was named the Indians minor league Pitcher of the Year. Victor Martinez earned his first Silver Slugger award as he and Ivan Rodriguez shared honors on the AL squad. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 11/03/2004

October 29, 2004

CIR UPDATE: IBWA Awards Announced

The first annual Internet Baseball Writers Association awards were announced this evening.

In the AL, Vlad Guerrero won Player of the Year, Johan Santana won Pitcher of the Year, Bobby Crosby won Debut of the Year, Buck Showalter won Manager of the Year, and Theo Epstein won Executive of the Year. Notice the support for both Travis Hafner and Jake Westbrook in the Player and Pitcher of the Year awards. Also, E-Wedge and Mark Shapiro garnering some support in the Manager and Suit categories.

In the NL, Barry Bonds won Player of the Year, Randy Johnson was named Pitcher of the Year, Khalil Greene won Debut of the Year, Bobby Cox was dubbed the Best Skipper, and Walt Jocketty won the Executive of the Year.

It's going to be interesting to see how the IBWA voting compares to the BBWAA voting in the upcoming weeks.

Posted on 10/29/2004

CIR UPDATE: Vizquel and Wickman file

Nothing unexpected, but Omar Vizquel and Bob Wickman both officially filed for free agency today. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 10/29/2004

October 28, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Elarton joins 2005 rotation

The Indians announced today that they have signed free-agent-to-be Scott Elarton to a one-year contract. Terms were not disclosed. Interesting move, if only for its occurence on day one of the free-agent filing period. Looks like we can pencil in Elarton for the number five spot in the rotation following CC, Matt Clement (errr, I mean a free-agent), Jake Westbrook, and Cliff Lee. More in the next CIR, but here's more from the official release...

"Elarton spent most of the 2004 season in the Indians starting rotation where he compiled a record of 3-5 with a 4.53 ERA in 21 starts (117.1IP, 107H, 59ER, 42BB, 80K) and limited hitters to a .240 (107-446) average against during his tenure with Cleveland. Scott made 8 starts with Colorado in April and May before signing a contract with the Tribe on May 25. Scott improved as the season progressed, going 3-3 with a 3.93 ERA (87.0IP, 81H, 38ER, 57K) over his last 14 starts with Cleveland. Scott tossed his first career Major League shutout on August 29 vs. Chicago-AL (9.0IP, 2H, 0R, 1BB, 6K) and over his last 7 starts from August 29th on his ERA was 3.27 (44.0IP, 34H, 16ER). His 4.12 second half ERA was the 2nd best mark among Indians starters next to Jake Westbrook's 3.55.

Elarton, 28, owns a career Major League record of 39-38 with a 5.22 ERA in 164 games/110 starts (716.2IP, 732H, 416ER, 518K) since breaking into the big leagues in 1998 with the Houston Astros. Was one of Houston's best pitchers from 1998-2000, going 17-7 with a 4.81 ERA in a career high 30 starts for the Astros in 2000 as his 17 wins were tied for 6th in the National League. Elarton, who was eligible for free agency, was a first round selection (25th overall) by Houston in the 1994 draft out of Lamar, CO."

Late Note: Justice B. Hill is reporting on mlb.com that Elarton signed for $850,000 with an additional $150,000 to be earned in incentives. The right-hander earned $480,000 last season.

Posted on 10/28/2004

October 26, 2004

CLEVELAND INDIANS REPORT: Tuesday, October 26

Hey, this Fox Diamond Cam on mlb.com is pretty cool.

St.Louis and Boston are not the only cities where baseball is being played this October. While the media hype may be slightly less (just a little), hardball is also being played in Arizona this fall by a cast of future major leaguers. Winter leagues in Mexico, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic have also started play with Puerto Rico set to begin in mid-November. Following is our first off-season look at how Tribe players are faring in winter ball.

While the record may not be pretty at 6-11, the Indians contingent on the Peoria Javelins in the Arizona Fall League have generally impressed, especially at the plate. Leading the way is Ryan Garko who continues to mash after a stellar .332/.417/.565/.982, 33 double, 22 homerun, and 102 RBI campaign combined at Kinston, Akron, and Buffalo this past season. In 55 fall at-bats, Garko has ripped nine extra-base hits (five doubles and four dingers), plating 17 runs in the process, and is raking at a .364/.400/.673/1.073 clip. He's 8th in the league in BA (.364), tied for second in dingers (4), third in ribbies (17), fifth in slugging (.673), and fourth in hits (20). Garko is splitting time between catching (seven games), first base (six games) and DH (one game).

Compared to Tigers prospect Chris Shelton, who is also tearing up the AFL with a .479 average (23-for-48), by Carolina League managers this season and Twins role-bat Matt LeCroy by Indians brass late this season for his good-hit, no-position in the field resume, I prefer to aim higher and compare Garko to Royals all-star first-basemen, and former catcher, Mike Sweeney.

Think I'm crazy? Well, perhaps I am. But take at look at Sweeney's 1995 season as a 22-year old in Wilmington (.310/.548, 23 2B, 18 HR) as compared to Garko's 2004 season at Kinston as a 23-year old (.329/.609, 17 2B, 16 HR). Note also that Garko had 100 fewer at-bats than Sweeney. Now, it's true that Sweeney showed incredible plate discipline (60 BB / 39 K) as opposed to Garko (26 BB / 34 K) but it's not like Ryan was up there hacking away. In fact, he was far from it. It's also true that the one-year age difference between the two needs to be taken into account as does the fact that Garko was generally considered old for the Carolina League at age 23. But you could counter that by saying that Sweeney's '95 season was his fifth season in pro ball whereas last year was Garko's first full year as a professional. Given that he continued to rake at Akron as well as during a late season promotion to Buffalo and continues to do so in the Arizona Fall League, I think the potential bar for Garko needs to be raised. Hey, it's the off-season, it's ok to be optimistic.

Note: Garko is not Rule 5 eligible and does not need to be added to the 40-man roster this off-season.

Kevin Kouzmanoff is also off to a hot start for the Javelins, hitting .353/.382/.569/.951 with five doubles and a pair of homeruns. Like Garko, his fellow 2003 draft alum, Kouz continues to press for more recognition as a top prospect. Also like Garko, because he was drafted as a college senior and was considered old for his league last season, Kouzmanoff is going to have prove his bat at higher levels. So far, though, all signs are positive.

Jason Cooper (13-for-46) has six doubles and is hitting .283, although he also has struck out 11 times with no walks. For that matter, Kouz also has 11 whiffs to three walks while Garko has two free passes with seven punchouts. Just something to keep an eye on. Dave Wallace, playing twice a week as a member of the taxi squad, is 3-for-11 with a pair of two-baggers.

On the mound, Jake Dittler has a 1.50 ERA through four starts, striking out nine while allowing 15 hits and five walks in 12 innings. Landon Stockman has made nine appearances covering 12.1 innings with a 2.92 ERA. Dan Denham and Keith Ramsey have both struggled with Denham having a 14.04 ERA in five appearances and Ramsey a 15.00 ERA also in five appearances. Both have been plauged by the longball with each serving up three big flys.

In Venezuela, Franklin Gutierrez has eight extra-base hits in 39 at-bats and is hitting .385/.442/.744/1.186 with three homeruns. Nice to see the power stroke return but, more importantly, it's just nice to see Franklin healthy and playing again after he missed the last two months of the season with an elbow injury.

Yawnnnnn, it's getting late. More on the winter leagues in the next report.

Posted on 10/26/2004

October 22, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Indians sign Howry

Bob Howry and the Indians agreed to a one-year contract for 2005 today. Howry would have been eligible for arbitration this off-season. No terms were announced. I wonder if there are incentives included in the deal should Howry assume the closers role next season? More in the next CIR.

Posted on 10/22/2004

CLEVELAND INDIANS REPORT: Friday, October 22

Recently I was asked to participate in the inaugural post-season awards voting by the Internet Baseball Writers Association (IBWA). The IBWA honors will be released in November when MLB and BBWAA announce their winners but I thought I would share my ballot with you. Here we go...

AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
1. Johan Santana (20-6, 2.61, 0.921 WHIP, 265K)
-- The most dominating player in the American League.
2. Manny Ramirez (.308/.397/.613/1.009, 43 HR, 130 RBI)
-- Hard to believe he's been in Boston for four years. Sacrificed some average and plate discipline this year for more power. Still ended up with basically the same OPS.
3. Vladimir Guerrero (.337/.391/.598/.989, 39 HR, 126 RBI)
-- Just wait until he gets used to AL pitching.
4. David Ortiz (.301/.380/.603/.983, 41 HR, 139 RBI)
-- A freaking monster.
5. Melvin Mora (.340/.419/.562/.981, 27 HR, 104 RBI)
-- Does anyone realize just how good Mora was this season?
6. Gary Sheffield (.290/.393/.534/.927, 36 HR, 121 RBI)
-- He'll probably fare much better in the MVP voting than I'm showing here. Great numbers, but they're actually down from years past
7. Curt Schilling (21-6, 3.26, 1.066 WHIP, 203 K)
--Did exactly what the Red Sox wanted. A 203:35 K/BB ratio? Nice.
8. Joe Nathan (44/47 Sv, 1.62 ERA, 0.982 WHIP, 89K, 72.1 IP)
-- The best closer in the AL. Mariano Rivera had more saves (53 of 57) but Nathan was just a little more dominant in my mind (Rivera's numbers: 53 of 57, 1.94 ERA, 1.080 WHIP, 66K, 78.2 IP).
9. Ichiro Suzuki (.372/.414/.455/.869, 262 hits, 36 SB)
-- With all those hits, still only ranked 22nd in OPS. Still, his combination of average, speed, defense, and historic season gets him in the top ten.
10. Travis Hafner (.311/.410/.583/.993, 28 HR, 109 RBI)
-- Did you know that Hafner had the second best OPS in the American League last year at .993? Some observers would say that means he was the second best hitter in the circuit last year. Pretty impressive. Lack of speed and defense drop him down the overall list but there's no doubt that Hafner enjoyed a monster year.

NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
1. Barry Bonds (.362/.609/.812/1.422, 45 HR, 232 BB)
-- As great as Beltre, Pujols, and Edmonds were this season how can Bonds not be a unamimous choice? I shudder to think what his strato card will look like next year.
2. Adrian Beltre (.334/.388/.629/1.017, 48 HR, 121 RBI)
-- Carried the Dodgers with little help in the lineup. That earns the second place nod over the Cardinals gang.
3. Albert Pujols (.331/.415/.657/1.072, 46 HR, 123 RBI)
4. Jim Edmonds (.301/.418/.643/1.061, 42 HR, 111 RBI)
-- How did Brandon Backe hold these guys to one-hit?
5. Randy Johnson (16-14, 2.60, 0.902 WHIP, 290K)
-- The best pitcher in the National League this season. If he was on the Astros or Cardinals, he'd be pushing 25 wins. A 290:44 K/BB ratio? A WHIP under 1.000? The Unit was the best this year and it's not all that close in my opinion.
6. Scott Rolen (.314/.409/.598/1.007, 34 HR, 124 RBI)
-- The third member of the Cards killer lineup.
7. Carlos Beltran (.267/.367/.548/.925, 38 HR, 42 SB)
Those are combined numbers with KC and Houston. Power, speed, and defense. I had to get him in top 10 in one of the leagues.
8. JD Drew (.305/.436/.569/1.006)
-- Picked a great time (free-agency) for a career year. Staying healthy helps.
9. Roger Clemens (18-4, 2.98, 1.158 WHIP, 218K)
-- Another tremendous year for the Rocket. Pitching more than half his games in the Maid gives him the nod over Schmidt. Both were unbelieveable this year.
10. Jason Schmidt (18-7, 3.20, 1.076 WHIP, 251K)

AMERICAN LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE YEAR
1. Johan Santana
2. Curt Schilling
3. Joe Nathan

NATIONAL LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE YEAR
1. Randy Johnson
2. Roger Clemens
3. Jason Schmidt

AMERICAN LEAGUE DEBUT OF THE YEAR
1. Bobby Crosby (.239/.319/.426/.744, 22 HR)
-- Not the best overall numbers but clutch hitting, solid defense, up the middle, in a pennant race, while replacing Miguel Tejada gets the nod.
2. Justin Morneau (.271/.340/.536/.875, 19 HR, 280 AB)
-- I came thisclose to voting Morneau number one but I just couldn't do it with him having only 280 at-bats. I am not looking forward to having Tribe hurlers face him for the next five years.
3. Lew Ford (.299/.381/.446/.827, 15 HR, 20 SB)
-- Solid debut with nice overall numbers.

Note (10/22 PM): Just received word from the IBWA that Lew Ford is not eligible for the Debut of the Year award. So let's remove Lew from third and replace him with Royals starter Zack Greinke (8-11, 3.97)

NATIONAL LEAGUE DEBUT OF THE YEAR
1. Khalil Greene (.278/.349/.446/.795, 15 HR, 484 AB)
-- Tremendous defense, up the middle, in a pennant race. And he wasn't a pushover at the plate either.
2. Jason Bay (.282/.358/.550/.907, 26 HR, 411 AB)
-- The Pirates have a keeper here. He just has to stay healthy.
3. David Wright (.293/.332/.525/.857, 14 HR, 263 AB)
-- The likely winner if he had played a full season. How can I trade up to get him in the NASA draft?

AMERICAN LEAGUE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
1. Buck Showalter (89-73, 3rd)
-- No one expected the Rangers to be near .500 this season, let alone contend until the final week. Not with the aftermath of the A-Rod trade and no starting pitching. Somehow, Showalter had them do it. Great job.
2. Joe Torre (101-61, 1st)
-- With all the success Torre has had in New York, I think we all may underestimate what it's like to manage in the Big Apple and, more specifically, for the Boss. Like LaRussa, wrote down an unbelievable lineup 162 times but also worked in major egos A-Rod and Sheffield into the mix while dealing with a roller coaster pitching staff.
3. Terry Francona (98-64, W/C)
-- Another manager with a ton of talent who delivered amid the pressure and high expectations.

NATIONAL LEAGUE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
1. Jim Tracy (93-69, 1st)
-- Did the most with the least while also dealing with the loss of the Dodgers most popular player in Paul LoDuca.
2. Phil Garner (92-70, W/C)
-- Like Jack McKeon last year, took over at mid-season and led the Astros to the wildcard. Houston was 48-26 under Scrap Iron.
3. Tony LaRussa (105-57, 1st)
-- Managed a questionable rotation and injured bullpen while successfully managing to write down that lineup correctly 162 times.

AMERICAN LEAGUE EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
1. Terry Ryan (92-70, 1st)
-- Replaced his bullpen, found a closer and a starter in trade, and continued to work the kids into the lineup while working on a shoestring.
2. Theo Epstein (98-64, W/C)
-- Adding Schilling in the off-season was obviously huge but the Garciaparra deal for defense (Cabrera and Mientkiewica) set the stage for the Sox second half surge.
3. Bill Stoneman (92-70, 1st)
-- Spent his money wisely in the off-season with Vlad, Bartolo, and Kelvim.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
1. Walt Jocketty (105-57, 1st)
-- Added Jason Marquis while replacing JD Drew with Reggie Sanders. Signed Chris Carpenter who became the ace of the staff. Fortified lineup with Larry Walker mid-season. Other guys may get the press but Jocketty (Edmonds, Rolen, Renteria trades from years past) always makes the right moves and keeps the Cards in the hunt. This year was the coming together of all those moves.
2. John Schuerholz (96-66, 1st)
-- Lost Javy Lopez, Greg Maddux, and Gary Sheffield but still had the Braves raising another NL East pennant in September. Johnny Estrada made the Kevin Millwood look one-sided (in the Braves favor), JD Drew bolstered the offense, John Thomson and Jaret Wright were solid in the rotation, and again demonstrated that he's not afraid to work a youngster (or two) into the lineup.
3. Paul DePodesta (93-69, 1st)
-- Best move may have been to not put "his guy" in as manager and replace Jim Tracy. The Bradley deal set the tone the Dodgers were serious about contending this year. Added Steve Finley at the break, keeping him away from the Padres and/or Giants. Made the unpopular move of trading Paul LoDuca (among others) but he was right and it didn't hurt the club. Too bad Brad Penny went down with arm problems.

So it's Boston and St.Louie in the World Series. Just like I predicted. Ok, I wasn't going too far out on the prognostication limb with those selections but I'm still pretty pleased (and amazed) that I've only missed on the Yanks-Twins series. If only I could transfer that run over to my weekly football pool where I am seriously comtemplating going the reverse route. You know, that's when you make your picks and then submit the reserve entry. Yes, it's been that bad this year.

Thanks to everyone who wrote in with their well wishes and support after my bout with vertigo last week. I'm still not 100% but it's improving every day. This past Wednesday was the first day that I really felt back to normal (shaddup!), especially after I found myself walking straight down the white lines at work for the first time in two weeks. Of course, I'm still off (shaddup!) a little in the mornings (I'd make Sheldon Kornpett proud with the way I serpentine down the driveway to get the newspaper) but, like I said, it's getting better every day.

Back to the Tribe news next week. Enjoy the Series everyone!

Posted on 10/22/2004

October 21, 2004

CLEVELAND INDIANS REPORT: Thursday, October 21

The Indians announced their 2005 schedule today. Among the highlights are:

Opening Day: Monday, April 4 at Chicago (3:05 PM)
Home Opener: Monday, April 11 vs Chicago (3:05 PM)
Home Interleague: Colorado, Arizona, Cincinnati
Road Interleague: Cincinnati, San Diego, San Francisco
Yanks Visit: August 2-4
Red Sox Visit: June 20-22
Longest Road Trip: 12 games from May 31-June 12 through Minnesota, Chicago, San Diego, and San Francisco
Longest Home Stand: 12 games from June 14 through June 26 (Colorado, Arizona, Boston, and Cincinnati)
Note: There's also an 11-game homestand right after the All-Star Break against Chicago, Kansas City, and Seattle.
Season Ends: Sunday, October 2 at home against Chicago. The last six games of the season are at the Jake (Tampa Bay and Chicago).

Other Notes
-- The first 14 games of the season are against the AL Central. 23 of the first 28 games are against the AL Central.
-- 25 of the final 31 games are against the AL Central.
-- The Tribe plays Minnesota three times in April, eight times in May, two times in June, and seven times in September.
-- The Tribe plays the White Sox six times in April, three times in June, four times in July, and six times in September.
-- August (on paper) looks promising with 23 games against the Tigers, Royals, Devil Rays, Orioles, and Blue Jays.
-- May 23-June 12 (on paper) looks tough with 19 games against the Twins, A's, White Sox, Padres, and Giants.
-- The Indians play two two-game series in Anaheim (April 20-21, May 10-11). Hey, that's double the fun for the West Coast backers.

Not a bad schedule at first glance. Nice opportunity to start strong and finish strong. Tickets for the home opener go on sale the day after Thanksgiving while tickets for the remaining 80 games go on sale March 4.

You have to read The Sports Guy. Make sure you start with Game 1.

Posted on 10/21/2004

October 20, 2004

CIR UPDATE: MLB on XM

Here's some good news for you out-of-town fans. MLB is expected to announce a programming deal with XM Satellite Radio today that will allow XM to broadcast every game for every major league team beginning next season. No word yet on the cost of the package or what affect (if any) this would have on MLB's internet broadcasts. At the cost of $470 million over eight years, each team should net an additional $1.5-2.0 million in revenue per year which will buy a decent set-up man for the 'pen. MLB also has the option to extend the deal for an additional three years at $60 million/year. Yet another option for you out-of-towners to tune into the Tribe.

Posted on 10/20/2004

CIR UPDATE: Hargrove to skipper Mariners

The Seattle Times is reporting today that the Seattle Mariners have chosen former Tribe skipper and current Indians Assistant to the General Manager Mike Hargrove as their new manager. Another former Indian, Grady Little, was reportedly the other finalist. When the hiring becomes official remains to be seen as major league baseball typically does not allow major announcements during the postseason without Bud's permission. Like the Orioles job he took after being fired by the Indians after the 1999 season, Grover faces another rebuilding project with the Mariners in an extremely competitive division.

Posted on 10/20/2004

October 14, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Vertigo

If you've never had it, let me just say that it's a very strange experience that I can only describe as a cross between extreme motion sickness and the worst hangover of your life. And I don't wish it on anyone. I've been dealing with Vertigo since Sunday afternoon but I'm slowly improving and hope to resume posting this weekend. Hey, it's kind of hard to type when the keyboard and monitor are swirling around in a circle ;-). In that sense, I suppose that I've been upgraded from doubtful to questionable to borrow from the NFL injury report. Fortunately, there hasn't been much going on in regards to the Tribe. They did officially decline to pick up Omar's option (which was expected) and they also added Scott Sauerbeck to the 40-man roster. That move will be covered in the next report. Now that I think about, the next CIR will likely be posted on Monday. Talk to you then!

Posted on 10/14/2004

October 07, 2004

CIR UPDATE: Hafner under the Knife

Travis Hafner underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to remove bone spurs from his right elbow. Pronk is expected to be on an eight-to-ten rehab program and report to spring training 100%. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 10/07/2004

CIR UPDATE: Roster Moves

The Indians outrighted Ernie Young, Jake Robbins, and Ivan Ochoa off the 40-man roster. The move leaves 37 players on the 40 which does not yet include the players currently on the 60-day disabled list (Aaron Boone, Jason Stanford, etc.). They'll be added to the 40 later in the off-season when the roster count is reduced further as players file for free agency. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 10/07/2004

October 06, 2004

CLEVELAND INDIANS REPORT: Wednesday, October 6

Omar Vizquel will be the Cleveland Indians starting shortstop on opening day 2005 provided that Mark Shapiro can move Matt Lawton this off-season. That's my inference/speculation based on comments made by the Indians General Manager in his end of the season press conference yesterday at the Jake.

Here's why...

1) Aaron Boone is the third baseman. While he's played some second in the past, his knees limit him to the hot corner. That means Casey Blake needs to find a new home.

2) Ben Broussard is the first baseman. Aside from third, this is the only other position that Blake has played in the big leagues. With Travis Hafner and Josh Phelps, a fellow righty, also potentially available to play first, Blake's not likely to see much time at the bag next year.

3) Over the past few weeks, the Indians have let it be known that they feel Blake is versatile enough to play either second base or the outfield which hints at his likely destinations for 2005.

4) One of Jhonny Peralta and/or Brandon Phillips will likely be in the starting lineup next April but not both. That's been the speculation for most of this season and has been confirmed, although they did leave some wiggle room, by both Eric Wedge and Mark Shapiro within the last week. Peralta split time at short and third this season at Buffalo while Phillips spent time at both second and short.

5) The projected starting outfield next year is Coco Crisp, Grady Sizemore, and Matt Lawton. Mark Shapiro confirmed Coco Crisp while Eric Wedge pretty much made it seem in his end of the season comments that Sizemore will have to play himself out of a position next spring. That leaves Lawton and if he's on the roster, he's starting.

Adding it all up, if the outfield is Crisp, Sizemore, and Lawton that leaves second base as the only option in the field for Casey Blake. Which means, if one of the kids is going to start up the middle, that either Jhonny Peralta or Brandon Phillips will be the starting shortstop in 2005. If, however, the Indians can move Matt Lawton this off-season, Casey Blake could shift to the outfield, allowing Brandon Phillips to start at second, and a re-signed Omar to start at short with Jhonny Peralta (or Phillips) assuming a utility role.

One caveat here and that's that the Indians could very well simply play Casey Blake at second, re-sign Omar for short, and let Peralta and Phillips battle for a utility role. But here's why I don't think that will happen.

Money.

Big surprise, huh?

Aside from the field logistics noted above, I suspect the only way the Indians can free up enough money to re-sign Omar is by moving Matt Lawton. Let's not forget that the Indians already traded Omar once (to Seattle this past off-season where the deal was voided after Omar failed his physical) and I think it's safe to say that the Indians (and us) were pleasantly surprised by the performance turned in by Omar at the plate and in the field this season. Based on that, I don't think a re-signing of Omar was ever in the Indians plans and, therefore, money with which to do so was not forecasted into the off-season budget. To his credit, Vizquel has forced the Indians to at least consider the possibility of bringing him back but it appears they're going to need to free up some money in order to do so.

Matt Lawton is due to make $7.5 million next year. In today's market (or any market for that matter), that's a lot of jack for a poor defender with a sub .800 OPS who only hit .250/.721 with five homeruns in the second half. That's not to say that Lawton is not productive, he can run (23 steals), has some power (45 extra-bases), and can get on base when he's not swinging the bat well (74 walks). He's just not worth $7.5 million. Fortunately, he's in the last year of his contract which makes moving him slightly easier. If the Indians were to absorb a large percentage of his contract ($4-5 million), I could see Lawton drawing interest on the trade market as a one-year player. Keep in mind that the actual cost to the acquiring team would only be $2.5-3.5 million depending on how much of Lawton's contract the Indians would absorb plus a couple of fringe prospects which isn't that bad of a deal, but then I do speak with a slight bias.

At any rate, if the Indians are able to move Lawton, not only could they slide Casey Blake into the outfield, but they could also use the money saved ($2.5-$3.5 million based on the example above) to re-sign Omar Vizquel. How much Omar would actually accept in salary and what the Indians would max out with in terms of an offer remains to be seen but those dollars just mentioned should be pretty close.

Trading Lawton will not be easy, especially when you realize that the above will need to happen quickly this off-season. The Indians have already made it public that they will buy out Omar's existing $5 million 2004 option and allow him to become a free-agent. After the World Series, Omar's agent will make it official and file for free-agency. Fifteen days after the end of the Series, Vizquel will be free to negotiate with all 30 teams. By December 7, the Indians will need to decide whether or not to offer Vizquel arbitration. The pro to this is that if Omar signs elsewhere, the Indians would likely receive a first-round draft pick as compensation. The con is that if Omar accepts arbitration, the Indians would likely end up paying him close to or more than his current year salary of $6.25 million. In short, they won't take that risk. It's possible the Indians and Omar could reach an agreement by which Omar agrees to reject arbitration if offered by the Indians but then he would likely be limiting his market value if teams are not interested in parting with a first-round pick for a 38-year old (as of April 2005) shortstop.

(Note: I am speculating Omar would be a Type A free-agent which returns a first-round pick as compensation.)

So, assuming the Indians won't offer arbitration, they would then have until December 20 to sign Vizquel. If they don't, they would not be able to sign him until May 1 which means that he's headed elsewhere.

CORRECTION: If the Indians do not offer arbitration by December 7, I believe that Vizquel could not re-sign with the Indians until May 1. Yup, that's right.

Of course, the wildcard in all the above is that once Vizquel files for free-agency, he'll be free to negotiate with the other 29 teams and not just the Indians. As much as Omar says he wants to stay in Cleveland, if a team like the Cubs or White Sox or (insert team in need of shortstop here) offers him a two-year deal for $8 million plus incentives, that might be too tempting for Omar to turn down, especially if said team has a realistic chance of making some noise in the playoffs and the series.

How much of a market awaits Vizquel remains to be seen. How much of a market there will be for Matt Lawton remains to be seen. So when Mark Shapiro says "it's a long shot" for Omar to return to Cleveland, you can now see what likely needs to transpire for that to happen. First of all, the market for Omar needs to be light both in terms of dollars and longevity which would make it more attractive for him to stay in Cleveland for (probably) less dollars than he could get elsewhere. Secondly, the Indians need to free up the money, even if it is for "less dollars", in order to sign him. To do that, Matt Lawton will likely need to be moved and that's not going to be easy. More than likely, this will all shake down at the Winter Meetings in Anaheim, December 10-13 when the big free-agents start to move and cause a ripple effect in the trade and free-agent market. Only then will the Indians and the Vizquel camp know what the prospective markets are for both Vizquel and Lawton and only then will they be prepared to move.

CORRECTION: With December 7 being the key date, then, obviously, this shortens the time frame to before the Winter Meetings.

Couple of other quick thoughts...

Everything I've said above assumes that Casey Blake can make the switch to either second or the outfield. Without ever having seen him play there, I'll give him and the Indians coaching staff the benefit of the doubt, but either move is a bit of a gamble don't you think? At second, can he turn the double-play? How much range will he have? How much of an impact will this have on Jake Westbrook and the groundballs induced by his sinker? In the outfield, how quickly can Blake make the transition? Especially to right, where the ball will be coming at him from a completely different angle to which he's been accustomed. The Indians seem ready to put a lot of faith in him being able to make the switch.

Ronnie Belliard appears to be out of the picture. Depending on his asking price, and potential market in trade and free-agency (I'm sure his agents will be well aware in anticipation of him being non-tendered), it's possible he could return to the Indians at a club friendly price (meaning close to 2004 dollars). Of course, if that were to happen, where does Blake play if Lawton is not traded?

What does this flirtation with possibly bringing Omar back say about the Indians confidence in Jhonny Peralta? I mean, if Peralta is the long-term solution at short, why would they even bother considering re-signing Omar? Aside from the notion that it's all a PR move to pacify the fans (I hope (and think) they realize we're smarter than that), if Peralta is your long-term solution and he's ready why would you not plug a minimum salary player into that slot and allocate the saved money elsewhere? Does this hint that the Indians have real concerns about Peralta? Perhaps his ability (or difficultly of) making the back-hand play in the hole as has surfaced in recent weeks? Again, if he's the long-term solution at short and he's ready (certainly he has nothing left to prove at the plate in triple-A) what purpose does it serve in delaying his arrival for a year? Because that's all a re-signing of Omar will do. Next off-season we'll all be asking the same question again. Will they re-sign Omar or not? By re-signing Omar this year, are you trying to tell me that he's the difference in this club making the World Series in 2005? Maybe winning the division (or a few more games), I can grant you that as a possibility, not a guarantee. But if the Indians are going to contend in 2005, what are they going to do in 2006-2010? Contend, that's what they're going to do (I say that with such conviction). But if they re-sign Omar this year and go with Peralta in 2006, they're right back in that same quandary of starting a rookie up the middle. And as much as "contention in 2005" has been bandied about, they're more likely to be serious contenders in 2006 through the rest of the decade. It would seem to me that if Peralta is ready, breaking him in now would be the best move for the long-term sustained contention run without hurting the short-term contention of 2005. It would also free up money for other needs which is just as important. That's assuming, of course, that you don't believe that re-signing Omar Vizquel makes the Indians division and/or World Series favorites in 2005. Getting back to my central point in this long-winded paragraph, if Peralta is the long-term solution at short and he's ready, why delay the switch? Why consider delaying the switch? That's the part that doesn't make sense to me.

Finally, if it were me, I would explore every avenue in moving Lawton. Once accomplished (because I'm a good trader in this fantasy), I would still go with Peralta at short and use the Lawton savings (plus some extra from the kitty as needed) to find myself a nice right-handed power bat for the middle of the lineup who can play right-field. But that's another discussion for another time and I'm sleepy.

Posted on 10/06/2004

October 05, 2004

CLEVELAND INDIANS REPORT: Tuesday, October 5

Just to prove that I can be as horribly inaccurate as everybody else, here's one guy's "guaranteed to be wrong" predictions for the playoffs and World Series.

ALDS
Minnesota over New York, 3-1
Johan Santana gets the Twins a split in the Bronx tonight and they finish it off in the Dome over the weekend. The kids get to the middle of the Yanks bullpen late in games three and four while the kids in the 'pen close the door.

Boston over Anaheim, 3-2
Troy Percival plays Donnie Moore in this remake of the classic 1986 ALCS. anny Ramirez and Vlad Guerrero demonstrate why they are the two best hitters in the American League.

NLDS
St.Louis over Los Angeles, 3-1
The Dodgers may take a game in LA but the Cardinals will roll.

Houston over Atlanta, 3-1
Fourth time's the charm for the Astros as they avenge NLDS losses to the Braves in 1997, 1999, and 2001. This time, the Braves don't have the pitching to shutdown the Killer B's with newbees Carlos Beltran and Lance Berkman leading the way.

ALCS
Boston over Minnesota, 4-2
Bill Mueller takes Joe Nathan deep late in Game Six to send the Sox to the Series.

NLCS
St.Louis over Houston, 4-3
This has all the makings of a classic. Albert Pujols is finally recognized as the best player in the game whose last name doesn't start with a B, end with an S, with an OND in the middle.

World Series
St.Louis over Boston, 4-3
The best team in baseball wins it in seven in Fenway. Red Sox nation threatens to throw themselves off the Green Monster until they realize that they made it farther in the playoffs than the Yankees. Then they party like had just swiped the great Wade Boggs pants.

So, the Cardinals are my pick to click and win it all. Back in early April, I had the Cubs knocking off the Yankees in seven games in my preseason predictions. Overall, I didn't fare too badly as I had three of the four AL playoffs teams pegged correctly (CWS instead of Minnesota) and two of the four NL playoffs teams (Chicago and Philly instead of St.Louis and Atlanta). I also finished tied for 9th in Lee Sinins' preseason standings prediction contest which isn't too shabby either. Hey, I am the 1 2 turn 2.

Ok, enough of that nonsense. I'll be back with Indians news on Thursday. See you then.

Posted on 10/05/2004

October 03, 2004

Cleveland Indians Report: Sunday, October 3

I can't believe today is the last day of the regular season.

I can't believe the Tribe is playing "two" on the last day.

I am going to miss Tom Hamilton.

I will be doing my annual double-take at the TV on some random Saturday in January when I hear Hammy broadcasting a Big 10 game for ESPN plus.

I hope Omar goes out on a high-note.

I wonder if John McDonald will be in the starting lineup?

I thought Jason Davis would have been called upon in the 8th inning on Friday.

I saw what the Indians see in Cliff Bartosh during his three-pitch strikeout of Justin Morneau on Friday.

I saw what everyone else sees on the next pitch to Corey Koskie.

I like Bartosh's chances, however, to develop into a solid LOOGY someday.

I told you Lost was one of the top things to watch in September.

I hope David Riske is back next year but...

I have my doubts.

I think Scott Elarton has secured a major league rotation spot somewhere next season

I wonder what Jose Jimenez is doing right now.

I suspect not many people appreciate how good Matt Miller was this season.

I can't wait for the Arizona Fall League to begin (starts Tuesday).

I am glad the "transition" phase ends with the final pitch this afternoon.

I am looking forward to the off-season.

I believe.

Posted on 10/03/2004

September 30, 2004

CLEVELAND INDIANS REPORT: Thursday, September 30

Note: No update on Kyle Denney as I write this. Hopefully, that means everything is fine and he's on his way to Minnesota.

As the off-season rapidly approaches, the Indians brass continues to let out little hints as to which direction they may head at certain positions. Some of this we've been speculating about for awhile but it's worth noting again now that it's coming from the decision-makes in the organization. The latest bit of info came yesterday when Eric Wedge told the local papers that "It would be tough for us to have two new guys (Jhonny Peralta and Brandon Phillips) out there". So now the question becomes, which of the young guys would be out there and who would be manning the other spot?

Giving this a quick breakdown (we'll have plenty of time to discuss this more in-depth in the upcoming months), if Peralta starts at shortstop that would open the door for the return of Ronnie Belliard at second, a move of either Casey Blake or Aaron Boone to second, or the signing of a veteran free-agent. If Phillips starts at second, that could allow for the return of Omar Vizquel at short. A veteran free-agent signing is possible but I can't see the Indians not bringing back Vizquel if Peralta is not the starter. Can you? The above is all based on the assumption of Peralta being viewed primarily as a shortstop and Phillips as a second basemen. Of course, Casey Blake could also see time in the outfield (if Matt Lawton is traded) or first basemen (spelling Ben Broussard) so the Indians have a lot of options as to how they can and will proceed.

As for Belliard, Paul Hoynes noted in the PD the other day that Belliard could command $4-5 million in arbitration and speculated the Indians could offer him a two-to-three year deal (hopefully for less dollars) with Mark Shapiro saying "Belliard is a genuine option". Hey, Belliard has been a pleasant surprise for the Indians this year and has earned every penny of the $1.1 million the Indians are paying him but if he makes more than $2 million next year with any team (not just the Indians), the front office executive who makes that decision needs to have his medicine cabinet checked for the crazy pills.

This is no knock against Belliard. He's had a solid season (.280/.347/.419/.768) but even with the hot start (.417 in April) and all the doubles (47) his .768 OPS falls right in line with the .788 OPS he posted in Milwaukee in 2001 and the .760 OPS he posted in Colorado last year. In other words, he's not having a career year, he's having an average year (for him). He was a good signing (for the price) and has had a good year (for the price as well as compared to the low expectations many of us had for him) but he's not worth $4-5 million, let alone $2 million in today's market. I'd just as soon slide over Casey Blake or turn the position over to Brandon Phillips and allocate that money to the pitching staff or other needs. Fortunately, I don't see the Indians giving us a repeat of Ricky Gutierrez (i.e., overpaying for an average middle infielder) this off-season if we're talking about those kinds of dollars. I think they've learned that lesson.

Let it also be noted that Mark Shapiro was quoted in the PD on Wednesday as saying that he could "go that way" in regards to starting both Phillips and Peralta and noted that Oakland is likely to win their division with a pair of inexperienced starters, former Indian Marco Scutaro and rookie Bobby Crosby, up the middle. Now this could be the truth or merely GMspeak to keep all options open. What it really hints at is how fluid the situation could be based on the number of options the Indians have and may present themselves in the off-season.

Oh yeah, Eric Wedge also said that both Peralta and Phillips could both make the opening day roster with one serving in a utility role. If that's the case, John McDonald is going to have a fight on his hands once again this spring.

Jody Gerut's knee surgery went well on Monday and he's expected to need six-to-nine months of recovery time. Early speculation would have Gerut rounding into shape late in spring training before heading out on a rehab assignment in April and then ready for the big leagues in May. Knowing Gerut, however, and how hard he works in the off-season, I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to accelerate that timeline. Whether the Indians go along with that or choose to remain cautious with the outfielder will be interesting to see late next spring. As of right now, I think we should assume that Jody will not be ready for opening day which opens an outfield (or just an extra) roster spot for someone (Ryan Ludwick, Josh Phelps, ???).

Hey, how about that sweep? Sure, it's the Royals but a sweep is a sweep. The Tribe now stands just one game under .500 (79-80) as they enter the final three games of the season in Minnesota. Fortunately, Johan Santana made his final start of the season yesterday against the Yankees so at least we don't have to face that buzzsaw. Of course, the ageless Terry Mulholland (1.29 in 14 IP vs. the Tribe this year) takes the mound Friday and the Indians haven't been able to solve him this year. Maybe the third time will be the charm!

Posted on 9/30/2004

CIR UPDATE: Kyle Denney shot on team bus

Kyle Denney was struck by a bullet last night as the Indians team bus was on its way from Kaufmann Stadium to the Kansas City airport. Denney was on the second team bus and the bullet struck him on the right calf. Before nailing Denney, the bullet went through the pants of Ryan Ludwick, who was not injured. The AP reported that the bullet was fired into the passenger side of the bus. The Indians trainers removed the bullet from Denney's calf on the bus and he was then taken to a hospital for evaluation after the bus reached the airport. Incredibly enough, Paul Hoynes notes in the Plain Dealer that Denney was wearing a USC cheerleader's outfit with high white boots as part of a traditional rookie hazing ritual, of which Indians Director of Media Relations Bart Swain was quoted as saying that "our trainers said the boots may have saved Kyle from further injury". Denney, who allowed two runs in four innings last night in the Indians 5-2 victory over Kansas City, is expected to rejoin the team today in Minnesota. Needless to say, this could have been much, much worse. Thankfully, everyone looks like they're going to be all right. More in the next CIR.

Posted on 9/30/2004

September 29, 2004

CIR UPDATE: 50 years ago today...

Willie Mays made "The Catch" in game one of the 1954 World Series. "The Catch" that helped the Giants take game one and go onto an eventual sweep of the Indians. The same Indians that had won a record 111 games during the regular season and were considered unbeatable entering the World Series. As many times as you've seen the highlight, do you know the actual circumstances it was made under? I must admit that I was a little murky on the details myself so let's set the stage.

It's game one of the World Series. The Indians have runners on first and second, hall-of-famers Al Rosen (single) and Larry Doby (leadoff walk) respectively, in the top of the eighth inning of a 2-2 game. Giants Hall of Fame manager Leo Durocher plays the precentages and brings in left-handed reliever Don Liddle to face Indians slugger Vic Wertz, who had already singled twice and doubled in the game. Liddle gets ahead of Wertz 1-2 in the count and then layes one over the plate which Wertz drives to deep centerfield. It looks like the Tribe has just broken open the game but...enter Mays and his over the shoulder catch. Rosen and Doby scamper back to their bases and the Giants have one away in the top of the 8th instead of trailing 4-2.

What's usually forgotten (or not talked about once the highlight is shown) is that the Indians ended up loading the bases that inning. Dale Mitchell walked after a series of pinch-hitting and pinch-pitching (tm) substitutions so the Tribe had the bases juiced with only one out. Alas, it was not meant to be as Dave Pope looked at strike three and then Jim Hegan flew out to left. The game eventually went into extras with the Giants winning it on a Dusty Rhodes pinch-hit three-run homerun in the bottom of the tenth. Rhodes would later go on to have two more pinch hits in the series as well as a mammoth homerun in game two that reportedly went off the right field facade at the top of the old stadium. That's a freakin' blast, my friends.

At any rate, 50 years ago today, Willie Mays began the unfortunate Cleveland tradition of infamous named plays/events that went against us. "The Catch" later begat "The Trade" or "The Curse of the Rock", "Red Right 88", "The Drive", "The Fumble", and "The Shot". My god, is it any wonder that ESPN named Cleveland the most tortured sports city in America. And it all started fifty years ago today. Say Hey!

Posted on 9/29/2004

CIR UPDATE: Adam Miller #4 in Sally League

Adam Miller was ranked as the number four prospect in the South Atlantic League by Baseball America coming in just behind mega-prospects Delmon Young, Ian Stewart, and Lastings Milledge. One manager was quoted as saying that Miller was the elite pitcher in the league while BA's John Manuel stated in the accompanying online chat that Miller was one of the top five pitching prospects in all the minor leagues. Did you catch that, ALL of the minor leagues. Even though he only made eight starts (not including the playoffs) in the Carolina League, it's going to be interesting to see if/where Miller is ranked in that circuit when the rankings are released next week. If Grady Sizemore is #1 in the system, then Miller is #1A. That's a pretty impressive combo to have sitting atop your organizational list. Miller is scheduled to open next season in Akron which will be a nice challenge for a kid only two years removed from high school.

No other Captains made the Sally League top 20 but recognize that this is a 16- team league so its very difficult to crack the top 20. BA also noted that this was the deepest prospect class the circuit has seen since Vlad Guerrero and Andruw Jones in 1995.

More in the next CIR which should be posted tomorrow.

Posted on 9/29/2004

September 27, 2004

CLEVELAND INDIANS REPORT: Monday, September 27

If there was ever a doubt that yesterday was the home finale for Omar Vizquel as an Indian in Jacobs Field, I think Eric Wedge cemented that fact when he removed Omar in the top of the 9th inning, allowing the shortstop to leave the field as the center of the fans thunderous applause. It was a nice gesture, a fitting gesture, and an appropriate ending for one of the Indians' all-time greats. While his final home game may have been unspectacular in both the final score (a 6-2 loss) and his performance (one hit in four trips to the plate), Vizquel went out in typical Omar style with a slow grounder to second that he nearly beat out with a head-first slide into the bag. Whether you love him or hate him for making those types of plays over the years, it was a fitting end, in my opinion, for Omar's final at-bat as an Indian at the Jake. Thanks for the memories Omar!

If you believe in signs, note the symbolic changing of the guard up the middle that took place when Jhonny Peralta replaced Vizquel at short in the top of 9th. I'll choose to accept Peralta's error three batters later as a case of a young player's yips on an emotional day rather than some sort of freakish omen or warning from the baseball gods.

Do you think it's a coincidence that John McDonald was also in the starting lineup for the home finale? Like Omar, Johnny Mac may be a victim of the numbers crunch in the infield this off-season/next spring. As it stands right now, Ben Broussard, Travis Hafner, Casey Blake, and Aaron Boone are guaranteed roster spots with Johnny Peralta and Ronnie Belliard the likely keystone combo up the middle. Add in two catchers and four outfielders and that leaves one extra spot (provided the Indians carry 12 pitchers as has been their norm the last few years) for McDonald and Brandon Phillips to battle for the utility infielder role not to mention Lou Merloni and Josh Phelps and/or Ryan Ludwick as a right-handed stick off the bench. Every spring it seems that McDonald has to fight for his roster spot and next year looks no different with increased competition to boot. As much as McDonald brings to the field with his incredible glove and to the clubhouse with his presence, character, and attitude, I would not be surprised to see the Indians go in a different direction with that role next season. If so, it was a nice gesture by the Indians letting Johnny Mac start his final home game at the Jake.

While the middle infield remains unsettled (at least publicly) heading into the off-season, Paul Hoynes reported in the Plain Dealer on Saturday that Ben Broussard is Eric Wedge's man at first base with the inference being that Broussard will be the starting first basemen next season. While this would appear to clarify one off-season question (who's on first), it does raise the question of how Josh Phelps and, perhaps, Ryan Ludwick will fit onto the roster. But we'll save that discussion for a later date(s). Broussard has earned the starting role thanks to a summer of clutch hits and a June-to-August stretch in which the lefty hit .306/.389/.573/.962 with 15 doubles, 12 homeruns, and 46 RBIs. Those numbers were highlighted by a red-hot August in which Broussard belted six longballs and posted a 1.060 OPS. Despite slumping in September (.215/.710), Broussard has apparently shown enough this season to be considered the starter heading into the off-season. If that statement sounds somewhat pessimistic (if that's the right word) or sarcastic (not the intent but maybe that's the better word), it's only made in the sense that the Indians have a lot of options on the infield corners and Broussard's trade value is as high as it's ever been right now. He'll be 28 next opening day, just entering his prime offensive years, and has even shown the ability to hit lefties this season, raking at a .371/.435/.694/1.128 clip this season in 62 at-bats (note the small sample size). Of course, those are all reasons why you would want to keep him too. And let's be honest, no organization ever says "we're going to trade him while the getting's good" so a deal remains a possibility although the Indians don't appear to be the type of organization who go back on the word if they tell a player they're starting or have a certain role (and that's a good thing). That said, Broussard does not fit the traditional profile of the American League power-hitting first basemen but, then again, the Indians lineup isn't exactly structured in a traditional American League power-driven manner. We'll have plenty of opportunity to discuss Broussard and all the options at the infield corners over the next five months but just note that, as it stands right now, Ben Broussard looks to be your opening day first basemen in 2005. It's nice to have one off-season question answered, isn't it?

In the bullpen, Hoynsie reported on Sunday that the Indians have informed Bob Wickman that it's his call on whether he wants to return next season. Based on Wickman's comments, "I finally finished a season healthy. My family got a good opportunity to watch me. Do I want to take a chance on getting hurt again next year and embarrassing myself and putting the Indians or another club in a jam? That's the big question.", it sounds like he might be contemplating retirement or am I just reading too much into those statements. After re-reading it, it sure sounds to me like someone who's unsure whether he wants to pitch at all next season, let alone with the Indians. Wickman will be a free-agent this off-season and he did indicate over the summer that he would be interested in a club-friendly (i.e., incentive-based) contract for 2005 out of loyalty to the Indians for sticking with him through his injuries, so if he does pitch in 2005, I'm going to speculate that it's probably going to be with the Tribe. Note that since signing a three-year, $15 million deal with the Indians in November 2001, Wickman has appeared in just 63 games. Since his return in July, Wick has a 4.73 ERA with 32 hits allowed in 26.2 innings but he's saved 11 games in 12 opportunities which, despite some edge-of-the-seat closings, is, by far, the best percentage by an Indians closer this season. Eric Wedge also indicated over the weekend that he does not see Jason Davis closing next year but I would interpret that as closing out of spring training. That would seem to open the door for an experienced closer like Wickman, or perhaps even Bobby Howry, to begin the season as the closer with Jason Davis, or another reliever, being groomed as closer-in-waiting. If the Indians and Wickman can agree on terms, I would not be surprised to see Wick at the back of the bullpen again next spring. If so, it's not a move without risk given his sometimes shaky performance this season but he would be the veteran closer this team lacked early this season. As with Broussard above, we'll have plenty of time for further discussion on the bullpen in the upcoming months.

On the injury front, Jody Gerut will have knee surgery to repair a torn ACL and Kaz Tadano's back is feeling better after resting for two weeks. Whether he'll undergo surgery is still undecided.

5-1 for 81-81. Six games to go.

Posted on 9/27/2004

September 24, 2004

CLEVELAND INDIANS REPORT: Friday, September 24

With the Indians home schedule wrapping up against the Twins, here's 10 reasons why you should be at the Jake this weekend.

1) Adios, Senor Vizquel
Barring a surprise this off-season, these will likely be the final three opportunities for you to see Omar Vizquel play at the Jake in an Indians uniform. He's the last link to the "era of champions", the only Indians shortstop the Jacobs Field dirt has ever known, and a potential hall-of-famer whose defensive wizardry we're unlikely to see again on a regular basis. Thanks for the memories, Omar!

2) Three in a row.
Don't look now but the Indians have won three in a row. Depending on how much the Twins rest their regulars (they're battling Oakland/Anaheim for home-field advantage) since they've already clinched, the Tribe may have a nice opportunity to take a couple this weekend.

3) Strong Finish (.500 or bust)
At 75-78, the Indians need to go 6-3 over their last nine games to finish the season at .500. A strong finish builds momentum into 2005, especially with six games remaining against the first-place Twins.

4) The weather is here, the baseball is beautiful
A slight modification of one of my favorite Jimmy Buffett tunes but you get the point. Put off the yardwork for a weekend. The weather should be great and it's your last chance to check out a ballgame before the weather turns and we all head inside for the winter. You don't need a better reason than that, do you?

5) Coco es muy Loco
Over his last four games, Coco Crisp is hitting .562 (9-for-16) and has raised his average to just south of the magical .300 mark at .295. Compare his numbers (.295/.341/.444/.785) with Milton Bradley's (.266/.350/.415/.765) and then recognize that we also landed two of our probable top ten prospects in Franklin Gutierrez and Andrew Brown in the Bradley deal. Very nice. I'd still like to see Coco walk more and secure a position at the top of the lineup, his late-season rise in OBP is more of a reflection of his increased BA than an increased walk rate (which has remained relatively stable), but his strong finish over the last two months has certainly placed him in a position where he should be playing everyday in 2005.

6) Peek into the Future
Grady Sizemore, Jhonny Peralta (maybe at 3B?), Brandon Phillips, and Francisco Cruceta will all be on display this weekend. Jason Davis will likely be coming out of the 'pen throwing 100 mph cheese. Jeremy Guthrie and Fernando Cabrera too, give or take three-to-six miles per hour. They'll all factor heavily in the Indians off-season moves and they'll all spend time in the bigs next year. The future is now.

7) Johan Santana
If you go tonight, you can check out the probable American League Cy Young winner in action. Simply put, there has been no better pitcher in baseball over the past six weeks. Since August 12, Santana has a microscopic 0.77 ERA covering 58 innings and eight starts. He's struck out 71 while walking only seven with 35 hits. The southpaw also carries a 30-inning scoreless streak into tonight's start against the Tribe. If he shuts down the Indians, you'll witness a part of history. If the Tribe beats him up, you'll walk out of the Jake with a smile on your face knowing the good guys raked against this years Cy Young. Either way, you're a winner.

8) Free Stuff
It's free appreciation weekend. They're giving away stuff. Take the kids, they'll love whatever they get. Plus, you (and the kids) can run the bases on Sunday.

9) A Place to Think
You know, with the above said, it's probably going to be pretty empty down there and you'll likely have some room to stretch out and do some thinking while you're watching batting practice or the players warm-up before the game. Where might your mind wander? Maybe to whether Matt Lawton will return next year or be dealt for pitching? Maybe to whether either Casey Blake or Aaron Boone can play the outfield to fit them both into the lineup? Maybe to Ronnie Belliard and where he fits into the mix with Peralta and Phillips ready for the show? Maybe to who's going to close next year and is this the home farewell for Bob Wickman? Maybe to David Riske and whether the Indians can afford to pay the arbitration-eligible reliever next season or could/should those dollars be allocated elsewhere? Maybe to Matt Miller, Bobby Howry, Rafael Betancourt, and all the other relievers and how different the makeup of bullpen may look next spring in Winter Haven? Maybe to Josh Phelps and Ryan Ludwick and how their right-handed power bats fit into the mix? Maybe to the free-agent market and what pitchers may fall into the Indians price range? Maybe to the scoreboard to see if Matt Clement is throwing for the Cubs. Hey, he's a free-agent, isn't he? Sure is, just be careful about that back. Or, maybe, your thoughts will simply be "where's the beer guy?". That'll work too.

10) They're your team
Whether they win or lose, the Indians are your team. Through the ups and downs of this roller coaster season, the Tribe has provided us with six months of excitement and whetted our appetite for what is to come. That performance deserves a tip of the cap at the end of the season. Get out to the park one more time and let 'em know how you feel (and that we're expecting big things in 2005).

Posted on 9/24/2004

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