The Indians have obviously wasted their opportunities this winter. I don't think we have any disagreement about that.

I am glad that Prince finally signed someplace. Now other stuff will start happening!

"And take Modell with you!"

Not that much other stuff left, I don't think Gaylord. Since Pena signed too there's not much left is there? I guess we can now pick up Kotchum if he is cheap enough for our tastes.

Indians and LHP Rafael Perez avoided arbitration by agreeing on a one-year contract.
Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports that he'll make a $2,005,000 base salary with the chance for an additional $25,000 if he makes 55 appearances. Perez requested $2.4 million and was offered $1.6 million from the Indians when arbitration figures were exchanged last month, so the two sides settled a little over the midpoint. The 29-year-old left-hander posted a 3.00 ERA and 33/19 K/BB ratio over 63 innings last season and will pitch in middle relief again in 2012.

Source: Jordan Bastian on Twitter Feb 2 - 10:38 AM

a little over the midpoint

Just a little!

CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports that free agent first baseman Casey Kotchman is "headed to the Indians."
In other words, the two sides have already reached a deal or are very close to it. Kotchman posted a cool 306/.378/.422 slash line with 10 home runs and 48 RBI in 563 plate appearances last season for the Rays and ranks among the top defensive first basemen in the sport. He represents a nice upgrade for Cleveland.

Related: Indians
Source: Jon Heyman on Twitter Feb 2 - 4:25 PM

Kotchman is going to put a lot of fannies in the seats

At least we are spared another year of the gator for god I guess prior to tebow the messiah joez always said that laporta was a stiff

TAMPA STEVE:
Do you still lurk here? I sent you an email to your yahoo! account.

I am not in disagreement with the Kotchman signing. What does not make too much sense is Tampa Bay loosing 2 first basemen and counting totally on Pena.

Maybe they have someone good lurking.

Quick Hits: Jackson, Fielder, Rollins, Hall, Ortiz

By Mark Polishuk [February 2, 2012 at 11:50pm CST]

Here's a wrap-up of news from around the majors on the day that Edwin Jackson and Casey Kotchman both found new teams...

The Indians had interest in Jackson but "were not close" to matching the contract Jackson received from the Nationals, reports Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
Jackson turned down a three-year, $30MM offer to sign his one-year deal with Washington, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports looks at how Jackson, Ryan Madson and Francisco Rodriguez (all Scott Boras clients) settled for "pillow contracts" this winter to better position themselves for larger deals next year.

Carmona was 7-15 with a 5.25 ERA in 32 starts last season. Should the Tribe void his contract?
He is signed through the 2012 season with club options for 2013 and 2014.
Here are the details:

4 years/$15M (2008-11), plus 2012-14 club options

4 years/$15M (2008-11), plus 2012-14 club options

signed extension with Cleveland 4/10/08, replacing 1 year/$0.4578M contract signed 2/28/08
$0.75M signing bonus

08:$0.5M, 09:$2.75M, 10:$4.9M, 11:$6.1M, 12:$7M club option, 13:$9M club option, 14:$12M club option

2012 option may increase by $1M based with top 5 finishes in 2010-2011 Cy Young voting

2013 and 2014 options may increase by $2M each with top 5 finishes in previous two years’ Cy Young voting

Cleveland exercised $7M option for 2012 10/31/11
placed on restricted list 1/26/12 (allegedly is Roberto Hernandez Heredia and played under assumed name)

1 year (2007), re-signed 3/07

1 year (2006), re-signed 3/06

1 year (2005), re-signed 3/05

agent: Jorge Brito
ML service: 5.125

I was never a George Steinbrenner fan in his days with The Yankees, but Steinbrenner WAS from Northeastern Ohio.

I'm not going to throw stones at glass houses, but I'll submit that Cashman would have been gone before I saw the 3rd story in the past 24 hours if George Steinbrenner was still alive.

Best line I saw today was something to the effect that every bitch knew that Cashman could be milked because the bitch A-Rod milked him for about half a billion dollars.