Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

[AKAK]

That has been my one concern this offseason. We have a WEALTH of starting pitching. Overstocked really... If nothing else changes our starting rotation is CC, Carmona, Westbrook, Byrd & Laffey

That leaves Lee, Sowers & Miller waiting in the wings (all major league ready, well Miller needs a lil more seasoning). I am just shocked we haven't traded Sowers and/or Lee (and packaged Marte with them) yet for a corner outfielder. Of course the big problem is Lee makes some money. But there had to be someone out there we could have gotten that would be better than Michaels/Gutierrez/Delluci/Blake.

But the only way Shapiro trades CC is if are out of playoff contention (or barreled over with a huge offer). While people would be sick if/when CC leaves for free agency they would be sicker if we trade him while still in the playoff hunt leaving fans wondering "Could we have won it all if CC was still here"

But then again we are Cleveland fans... we like torturing ourselves with what ifs.

Won't matter if we win it all anyway.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Contract talks can wait, Sabathia tells Indians

Friday, February 15, 2008 2:54 AM
By Scott Priestle


The Columbus Dispatch

The Cleveland Indians and pitcher C.C. Sabathia discussed a contract extension this winter, but as the offseason shrunk, the gap between the two sides did not. So Sabathia announced Wednesday night that he was suspending negotiations until after the season, and yesterday morning he reported to work for the start of the season.
If his proclamation was a punch to the gut of an already bruised Cleveland fan base, it was a glancing blow to team officials.
"We probably would have preferred to leave it open until the end of spring training, but there's no animosity there," general manager Mark Shapiro said. "We understand and appreciate his desire to focus on the season. That's a positive thing for this team."

Continued.....

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Early word from Cleveland Indians camp is that 29-year-old catcher Victor Martinez arrived Feb. 5, well ahead of all but a handful of players, and is looking fit and trim.
There has been some concern in the organization about the long-term wear his body takes from catching. But the more people talk about moving him to first base or designated hitter, the more determined Martinez seems to be to stay in shape and the more pride he takes in his ability to catch often.
The early line says manager Eric Wedge will look again for Martinez to catch about 80 percent of the games.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

If Sabathia wanted to stay, he'd sign contract extension
Sabathia situation seems agent-driven
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal columnist
Published on Friday, Feb 15, 2008


So C.C. Sabathia or his agent or great-aunt twice removed has made the decision to cut off contract negotiations with the Indians until the 2008 season ends.
And the Indians say this does not mean that he will head to greener financial pastures after the season.
Right.
It's probably best for all to enjoy the sight of Sabathia pitching for the Indians this season.
Because there are very few signs to indicate that he's going to stay past this season.
When Johan Santana agreed to a contract extension with the New York Mets, everyone thought it was significant because it gave Santana more than $20
million a year. And that was significant.
But what it also did was make Sabathia the prize jewel of the post-2008 free-agent class.
Which means when the season ends someone in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago or, perhaps, San Francisco will pile up the money to entice him to leave Cleveland. And the Indians, the cash-strapped, small-market Indians, will not be able to match the offer.

Continued......

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Sabathia contract talks still big deal
Fans likely will continue to obsess about star pitcher
Published on Friday, Feb 15, 2008

General Manager Mark Shapiro won't like it. Neither will manager Eric Wedge and the prosperous serfs in the Indians' clubhouse.
But obsessing about the status of C.C. Sabathia's contract by the fans and the media won't stop just because Sabathia said talks are off until after the season or because spring training began Thursday in Winter Haven, Fla., with pitchers and catchers reporting.
During the winter, interest in the team centered on one question: ''Will he or won't he?'' Will Sabathia remain with the Tribe after his contract expires in October, or will he flee on the heels of free agency to a
richer franchise?
Shapiro's inability to swing a major trade or free-agent signing in the offseason had something to do with keeping the Sabathia issue front and center, but not much.

Continued.....

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Discard an ace? Uh-uh

Posted by [URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/about.html"]Paul Hoynes[/URL] February 14, 2008 16:22PM

Categories: Breaking News, Indians

AP photo

Winter Haven, Fla.- Just because C.C. Sabathia doesn't want to talk contract until the end of the season doesn't mean the Indians are any more interested in trading last year's American League Cy Young winner than they were a week ago. "Our priority is to win now," said GM Mark Shapiro on Thursday as spring training officially opened with pitchers and catchers reporting to camp.
Win now means keeping their best starting pitcher even though he can be a free agent after this season. Shapiro has said that all winter.
"Nothing has changed," he said.

Continued......

 

[OH10]

Sabathia is taking a big risk if the Indians are serious about not trading him. Freak arm injuries happen all the time to pitchers. Think about how much money C.C. is leaving on the table if he suffers a serious injury.

 

[Piney]

Sabathia is taking a big risk if the Indians are serious about not trading him. Freak arm injuries happen all the time to pitchers. Think about how much money C.C. is leaving on the table if he suffers a serious injury.

On the other end if he has another Cy Young type year and pitches like a Cy Young in the playoffs then he can easily ask for more money than Santana.

The sick part is that is more likely than a freak arm injury. Plus even with an arm injury (as long as it isn't a Tommy John surgery) he still can get alot in free agency.

 

[LitlBuck]

Sabathia is taking a big risk if the Indians are serious about not trading him. Freak arm injuries happen all the time to pitchers. Think about how much money C.C. is leaving on the table if he suffers a serious injury.

Professional athletes think they are invincible. Injuring his arm is about the farthest thing from CC's mind. If he is unwilling to sign a contract now, he certainly isn't going to sign one at the end of the season for what the Indians will offer him and, in a way, I cannot blame the Indians. You really can't put all of your money into one player. Also, I would not sign CC to more than four years because he is a rather large dude and his weight might come back to haunt him.

After saying the above, I have to agree with some of you guys that Shapiro will not trade him during the season as long as we are in contention even for a wild-card berth. That would really alienate the fan base almost as much as him walking for nothing at the end of the season. We will get over it just like we got over Ram?rez, Thome and the rest of the guys who just left because they have no loyalty. It is all about the dollar unfortunately.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

My first impression of CC stopping talks was that he sincerely wanted to concentrate on the season.....he is taking a risk, that is obvious but I also think if the Indians give him a fair offer he will stay in Cleveland......from what I have heard, they are not that far off.....it is not like they are having a hostile negotiation. Everyone needs to take a wait and see approach.

 

[exhawg]

Sabathia is taking a big risk if the Indians are serious about not trading him. Freak arm injuries happen all the time to pitchers. Think about how much money C.C. is leaving on the table if he suffers a serious injury.

That's what I was thinking too. What's the difference between 80 mil for 4 years and 140 for 7? Either way he has enough money to never have to worry about it and if he is still healthy he can sign another long term deal when the 4 year deal is up. If he isn't going to sign with the Tribe before the season I wouldn't feel bad to see him blow his arm out before he signs a long term deal. Hopefully right after he is traded so the Tribe doesn't lose out on it.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Byrd looks ahead after tough offseason
Pitcher putting HGH scandal and ALCS loss behind him

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- It's safe to say this wasn't the most relaxing of offseasons for Paul Byrd.

Dogged not only by the Game 7 loss to the Red Sox his Indians endured in the American League Championship Series, but also by the controversy surrounding his use of human-growth hormones, Byrd had a stressful winter.
And that stress continues as Byrd awaits word from Major League Baseball on whether or not he will be suspended for his admitted use of HGH. In October, he said he used the drugs to treat a pituitary disorder and not to gain an edge on the field. When Byrd spoke with reporters on Friday morning at the Chain of Lakes complex, his first public comments since the ALCS did not shed much further light on the HGH issue.

Continued.....

 

[AKAK]

That's what I was thinking too. What's the difference between 80 mil for 4 years and 140 for 7?

The Yankees will have a lot of $ to spend after this year... that's the difference.

 

[LitlBuck]

My first impression of CC stopping talks was that he sincerely wanted to concentrate on the season.

or make sure that we (Indians' fans) don't jump all over him. I'm just not that sure about the "concentrate" part.

 

[OH10]

My first impression of CC stopping talks was that he sincerely wanted to concentrate on the season...

I disagree. He's putting it out there so the Indians will seriously consider trading him now to a team that will give him a 5-6 year deal. He wants what Santana has right now... the deal he will get in free agency after the season, but right now for security.

I say the Indians should just say "fuck it" and ride him hard into the trade deadline. Then they have to dump him for prospects. There's no question you trade him at the deadline if he doesn't sign a long-term deal.

If he though Wedgie forced him to pitch too many innings last year, he ain't seen nothing yet. I'd like to see him hit the 150-inning mark by the All-Star break