Cleveland Indians (2011 Season)

[tsteele316]

You've perfectly described the Indian's current approach! Casey Blake is their poster boy for this.

But I disagree that this is the "only way" the Tribe can compete. Improving on their amature player drafts and doing a better job of developing their minor league players, such as how the Twins and Rays have done, is also a way to put a competitive team on the field without spending millions on 32 year old free agents.

they really haven't spent "millions" per se. it's obvious that they have to draft and develop better. but even so, they will still need to make such supplementary moves in order to keep the farm system stocked to transition when the guys they actually develop hit free agency.

 

[y0yoyoin]

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2010/12/cleveland_indians_reportedly_i.html

ORLANDO, Fla. -- News, notes and quotes from the winter meetings at the Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin resort.
? The Indians interest in free agent outfielder Jeff Francoeur was apparently exaggerated.
A report said the Indians were one of several teams interested in the right-handed hitting Francoeur, but a source says that's not so. Francoeur, who played for the Mets and Texas last season, reportedly is too expensive for the Tribe.
Kansas City and Philadelphia were among the other teams interested.
Francoeur, 26, hit a combined .249 (113-for-454) with 13 homers and 65 RBI. He had a .300 on-base percentage and slugged .383.
It was also reported that the Indians were interested in Fred Lewis, a left-handed hitting outfielder who was non-tendered by Toronto last week. But a source said the Indians were not interested because they already have three left-handed hitting outfielders in Michael Brantley, Shin-Soo Choo and Grady Sizemore.

 

[LitlBuck]

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2010/12/cleveland_indians_reportedly_i.html

that article is pretty stupid because it states that the Indians would trade some of their relief pitching for one of those two guys. I don't know what relief pitchers the Indians could trade to get a quality player. We need all the relief pitchers until things get sorted out in spring training and then nobody is going to want who we do not keep.

 

[y0yoyoin]

that article is pretty stupid because it states that the Indians would trade some of their relief pitching for one of those two guys. I don't know what relief pitchers the Indians could trade to get a quality player. We need all the relief pitchers until things get sorted out in spring training and then nobody is going to want who we do not keep.

yah and then hoynes was also talking today about how we are looking for more relievers...a stat i didnt know was the indians had the second best ERA in either the AL or all of the majors last year during the second half at 2.95...id much rather keep our bullpen depth that we have now then trade it for a francoeur

 

[Bucklion]

that article is pretty stupid because it states that the Indians would trade some of their relief pitching for one of those two guys. I don't know what relief pitchers the Indians could trade to get a quality player. We need all the relief pitchers until things get sorted out in spring training and then nobody is going to want who we do not keep.

Um, dude...Joe Smith and Jensen Lewis, 2/3 of the Nast...er, wait, no, that's taken...2/3 of the Foul Smelling Boys? And who doesn't want Rafi Perez to come in and walk 38 batters and give up 20 HRs in 16 innings until they are out of contention and then have a 0.63 ERA the rest of the year?

Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, Cubs, Cardinals, Braves...LINE THE FUCK UP BIZITCHES

 

[Bucklion]

yah and then hoynes was also talking today about how we are looking for more relievers...a stat i didnt know was the indians had the second best ERA in either the AL or all of the majors last year during the second half at 2.95...id much rather keep our bullpen depth that we have now then trade it for a francoeur

In all seriousness, Francoeur would be an example of the worst possible deal the Indians could make. Get rid of elements that would make them competitive for yet another guy who will hit 10-15 HRs, drive in 65, hit less than .225 and strike out 250 times...and that is if he can stay healthy. Stay. the. fuck. away.

 

[y0yoyoin]

sounds like francoeur is too expensive

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2010/12/new_manager_eric_wedge_all_in.html

-Jeff Francoeur may have been too expensive, but the Indians continue to check the market for right-handed hitting outfielders. If that's the case, how about Lastings Milledge. The Pirates non-tendered Milledge last week, but manager Manny Acta has history with the former Mets prospect. Acta was the Mets third base coach when Milledge made his big league debut in 2006 and helped pull some strings to get him to Washington in 2008 where he hit .268 (140-for-523) with 24 doubles, 14 homers and 61 RBI for his best season in the big leagues.
Milledge, 25, hit .277 (105-for-379) with 21 doubles, three triples, four homers and 34 RBI for the Pirates last season. He made $452,000.
He was said to have a bad attitude in New York, but last season when the Indians played the Pirates in interleague play Acta that was overblown because it happened in New York.

fuck that...id rather play musical chairs with guys from AAA in the outfield...lastings milledge is not putting fans in the seats

 

[LitlBuck]

Um, dude...Joe Smith and Jensen Lewis, 2/3 of the Nast...er, wait, no, that's taken...2/3 of the Foul Smelling Boys? And who doesn't want Rafi Perez to come in and walk 38 batters and give up 20 HRs in 16 innings until they are out of contention and then have a 0.63 ERA the rest of the year?

Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, Cubs, Cardinals, Braves...LINE THE [censored] UP BIZITCHES

second best ERA in the AL no kidding it is above my previous post and they just re-signed Jensen Lewis:)

 

[buckeyemania11]

Jeff Francouer is too expensive? the guy hit .249 last year and is a .268 lifetime hitter

looks like they are diving deep into the bargain bin this year

 

[buckeyemania11]

and speaking of bargain bin....

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/rockies-indians-eyeing-adam-everett.html

The Rockies and Indians are eyeing slick-fielding shortstop Adam Everett for a utility role, tweets ESPN's Jayson Stark. Everett sat out the last three months of the season after the Tigers released him in June. He played only 31 games this year. Everett has played shortstop almost exclusively in his pro career, so he'd have to learn the other positions to act as a true utility infielder.

 

[buckeyemania11]

ah yes, the free agency bum rush begins

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/pl...news.asp?sport=MLB&id=3976&line=309991&spln=1

Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Indians are close to signing catcher Paul Phillips to a minor league contract.
He's expected to get an invite to spring training. Phillips, who turns 34 in April, spent most of this past season with Triple-A Colorado Springs in the Rockies' organization, but went 5-for-23 (.217) with one RBI during his time with the big club. Dec. 7 - 8:11 pm et

 

[3074326]

Sometimes I wish I were a bandwagon jumper. :(

 

[y0yoyoin]

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2010/12/arbitration_not_multiyear_deal.html

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The fact that the Indians are a rebuilding team with an cloudy future may prevent them from signing Shin-Soo Choo to a multiyear deal before he's eligible for free agency after the 2013 season.
Scott Boras, Choo's agent, says he has yet to talk with GM Chris Antonetti about a multiyear deal. "In Choo's case it's something that I'm sure Chris and I will sit down and chat about," said Boras on Wednesday at the winter meetings. "The dynamics are one where it will be Shin-Soo decision's regarding what he wants to do and what he does not want to do.
"It's always tougher in situations when your club is a developmental team to know where the club is going to be two or three years from now. Those situations are always a little more difficult, but we listen to every team and pass it along to the player and see what he says."
The Indians lost 93 games last season and 97 games in 2009. The front office has no plans to make major improvement through free agency this offseason.
Antonetti said one of his offseason goals was to try and sign Choo to a multiyear deal. If it doesn't happen, Choo could be the first Indian to go to arbitration since 1991 to determine what he will be paid on a one-year deal next year.

 

[buckeyemania11]

http://www.indiansprospectinsider.com/2010/12/indians-lose-rodriguez-flores-in-rule-5.html

The Cleveland Indians did not make any selections in any phase of the Rule V draft today held in Orlando, FL, but they had two players selected from other teams in the Rule 5 draft.

Infielder Josh Rodriguez was selected with the 1st pick in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2010 Rodriguez hit a combined .297 (113-380) with 60 runs scored, 30 doubles, a triple, 13HR and 57RBI in 107 games between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus.

Right-handed pitcher Jose Flores was selected with the 2nd pick in the Major League phase by the Seattle Mariners. Flores went 1-1 with 6 saves and a 2.14 ERA (42.0IP, 35H, 10R/ER, 7BB, 51K) in 28 appearances out of the bullpen for the Low-A Lake County Captains.

Rodriguez and Flores must remain on the Pirates and Mariners Major League rosters the entire 2011 season or be offered back to the Indians at half the original price.

 

[Bucklion]

There was a story in the CPD today about a push for Nick Punto to play third.