Re: Articles
3256Kansas City traded the #1 player in minor league baseball for Shields. Even Lindor is not that valuable right now.
Re: Articles
3257Buster_ESPN
Indians among the teams that might have interest in Michael Bourn if his price tag dropped A LOT. Lots of clubs trolling for bargains now.
Indians among the teams that might have interest in Michael Bourn if his price tag dropped A LOT. Lots of clubs trolling for bargains now.
Re: Articles
3258Is Travis for $2M considered a bargain? Not by me, but I've been Travis-phobic for years.
Re: Articles
3259He'll have a chance to make $4 million more through incentives. Hafner is obviously a poor bet to stay healthy, but he's a good bet to be pretty productive when on the field, and, at $2 million, the Yanks haven't risked much.
Re: Articles
3260fkreutz wrote:Got that right sea! Interesting to see Oakland give up very little to grap Jed Lowrie. Shows the value Cleveland was holding out for in any A Cab trade and good for them. Through the first half A Cab should look very solid as he has for the last two years. Trade him at the deadline....
Lindor should see AA this year and get a big league invite next ST....
Everyone knows that Mark Shapiro is a loser, and a horrible holder of the Cleveland Indians Fan reigns.
Wise up, guys.
Why you guys continue to believe in this Shapiro stiff is beyond me, or rational thought.
Nothing Shapiro touches, including Antonetti or Francona, will turn to gold.
Shapiro only was able to get Francona because he was damaged goods that few others wanted and Shapiro could get a "win" in those waters.
Mark Shapiro has blown at least twelve years of Cleveland Indians Fandom, with possibly more blown years on the horizon unless Dolan grows a brain out of his tight wallet arse.
Twelve years is a whole bunch when it comes to Cleveland Sports Fan life expectancy, and yet the idiot Dolan continues to give Shapiro the ride from the top.
We're not going to win this year, or next year.
Or any year with Mark Shapiro calling the important shots.
Re: Articles
3261Not all pitchers are obtained by the best minor league player!!rusty2 wrote:Kansas City traded the #1 player in minor league baseball for Shields. Even Lindor is not that valuable right now.
Re: Articles
3262But the pitcher that you asked about (Shields) was acquired by the #1 player in minor league baseball.
Re: Articles
3263Bringing Back History and a Neighborhood
By HILLEL KUTTLER, New York Times February 6, 2013
CLEVELAND — The grassy field at East 66th Street and Lexington Avenue in this city’s Hough neighborhood has a rich baseball past.
League Park, a home to the Cleveland Indians until 1946, once stood there. At home plate, near the site’s northwest corner, Elmer Smith hit the first World Series grand slam in 1920; in the same game, second baseman Bill Wambsganss recorded the only World Series triple play — an unassisted one. Babe Ruth swatted his 500th homer there in 1929 and Joe DiMaggio rapped two singles and a double in the 56th and final game of his record hitting streak in 1941 at League Park.
Cy Young delivered the first pitch there in 1891, Addie Joss pitched a perfect game in 1908, and a 17-year-old Bob Feller struck out 15 in 1936 to earn the first of his 266 victories. A 45-foot-high fence known as the Great Wall ran east from right field to center field along Lexington Avenue; its concrete base and steel girders topped by mesh created baffling caroms for outfielders while protecting pedestrians and vehicles on the other side.
The site has remained virtually untouched since the stadium was razed in 1951. But it is expected to reopen in turn-back-the-clock glory, featuring a baseball diamond aligned as it was during its major league heyday. The field will be made of artificial turf to reduce postponements in Little League, high school, college and recreational baseball games. It may also be used for soccer and football games, as well as concerts and other events. A second baseball diamond and a children’s water park, surrounded by a winding walking track, are to be built on the property.
The project’s historical flourishes are to include a grandstand from first base to third base along the footprint of League Park. A visitor center will help buttress the portion of the original brick facade that is being held up by steel supports. The dilapidated two-story building that had been the stadium’s ticket office is to become a League Park museum. A facsimile of the Great Wall is to be built, after the foundation of the original one is excavated for display in the museum.
City officials and community leaders believe that the baseball ground’s reincarnation will accelerate the neighborhood’s resurgence after decades of decline.
“I can see things beginning to change,” said Robert Denson, an insurance manager who settled in Hough and is vice president of the League Park Heritage Association. “I think League Park will also be an attraction. Maybe people will think, ‘I can come in and start a business.’ ”
The project includes nearby residential and commercial renovation, along with road and landscaping improvements. Expensive homes are under construction. Two blocks south of the ballpark site, at a community-run vineyard called Chateau Hough, Frontenac and Traminette vines snake through trellises; a usable yield for wine is expected this year.
The neighborhood neglect that left the League Park site untouched also preserved it for an ambitious project. But the redevelopment is hardly a new concept. In 1979, when Bob DiBiasio joined the Indians’ public relations department, he was sent to a municipal meeting convened to consider options for the land. That initiative fizzled, as have others since.
“This go-round, it seems, for the first time, that the city is truly committed to making something happen,” DiBiasio, now the Indians’ senior vice president for public affairs, said in an interview at Progressive Field, the team’s home since 1994.
This is not the first demolished stadium site to be restored for baseball use by a city’s residents, although it not common. Last year, Heritage Field, a series of diamonds with historical markers on the site of the original Yankee Stadium, opened in the Bronx. In St. Louis, baseball has been played for decades on the grass once known as Sportsman’s Park.
Cleveland is financing the $6.3 million project primarily through park bond funds. It has also received a $150,000 cultural preservation grant from the state and $75,000 from the Department of Transportation. An effort is being made to give subcontracting work to small businesses in the city, and Hough residents will be recruited for some of the labor. Once the site reopens later this year, Clevelanders will enjoy free access, with some revenue coming from rentals to outside groups and sales of commemorative bricks to be placed in a plaza near the visitor center, said Michael Cox, director of the city’s Department of Public Works.
Enlarge This Image
Associated Press
The site, which has been virtually untouched since the stadium was razed in 1951, is being reincarnated with some historical flourishes and will feature baseball fields, a visitor center and a museum.
Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said, “This is the season for League Park, and now we can preserve an important part of Cleveland’s history in a way that will be enjoyed by generations to come.”
Among the project’s advocates is Bob Zimmer, who runs the Baseball Heritage Museum downtown. The museum and the League Park Heritage Association are bidding jointly to manage the new park, including scheduling games and events.
“Cleveland has a rich history in baseball,” Zimmer said on a recent frigid morning at the old stamping grounds of Tris Speaker and Nap Lajoie. “And it’s important to preserve and tell the stories of the past so we can know where we came from. League Park was the birthing scene of baseball in Cleveland and was home not only to the Indians, but to the Cleveland Buckeyes of the Negro leagues.”
Two Cleveland teams won championships during their League Park years: in 1920, the Indians defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers at home, and in 1945, the Buckeyes clinched on the road against the Homestead Grays.
Beginning in 1934, the Indians played at League Park most weekdays and at Municipal Stadium most holidays and weekends. The Indians moved all their games to Municipal Stadium for the 1947 season.
On Sept. 21, 1946, the Indians played their final game at League Park. Their starting pitcher against the Detroit Tigers that day was Bob Kuzava, who was making his major league debut.
Kuzava, one of three living players from the 1946 club, said that his wife and in-laws came from Michigan to see him.
“We were excited because it was my first major league game,” he said. “And I was doubly excited because I was pitching against my favorite team when I was growing up, so I was a little more pumped up.
“I don’t remember much because it was a long time ago,” Kuzava, 89, added.
Perhaps best known for inducing Jackie Robinson to hit a bases-loaded pop-up that a sprinting Billy Martin caught to secure the Yankees’ 1952 World Series title against the Dodgers in 1952, Kuzava would appear to be a natural choice to throw out the ceremonial first ball when the new League Park is dedicated this year. DiBiasio said Indians players would visit regularly to run clinics, stage home run-hitting contests and lead fantasy camps.
Gracing the arches of the old facade will be nine murals recently painted by Jerome White, a high school art teacher in Cleveland Heights. Six of the murals depict major leaguers who played at League Park before the game was integrated. One shows a catcher, Quincy Trouppe, who went on to manage the 1945 Negro leagues champion Buckeyes and played briefly for the Indians in 1952. Another portrays Satchel Paige, a pitcher for the Indians in 1948 and 1949, who reached the Hall of Fame for his exploits in the Negro leagues.
The last painting shows a man placing a baseball in a child’s glove. The man is White and the child is his 5-year-old son, Solomon. The ball bears the word “tradition.”
Cleveland is finally doing its part to honor the tradition of League Park.
By HILLEL KUTTLER, New York Times February 6, 2013
CLEVELAND — The grassy field at East 66th Street and Lexington Avenue in this city’s Hough neighborhood has a rich baseball past.
League Park, a home to the Cleveland Indians until 1946, once stood there. At home plate, near the site’s northwest corner, Elmer Smith hit the first World Series grand slam in 1920; in the same game, second baseman Bill Wambsganss recorded the only World Series triple play — an unassisted one. Babe Ruth swatted his 500th homer there in 1929 and Joe DiMaggio rapped two singles and a double in the 56th and final game of his record hitting streak in 1941 at League Park.
Cy Young delivered the first pitch there in 1891, Addie Joss pitched a perfect game in 1908, and a 17-year-old Bob Feller struck out 15 in 1936 to earn the first of his 266 victories. A 45-foot-high fence known as the Great Wall ran east from right field to center field along Lexington Avenue; its concrete base and steel girders topped by mesh created baffling caroms for outfielders while protecting pedestrians and vehicles on the other side.
The site has remained virtually untouched since the stadium was razed in 1951. But it is expected to reopen in turn-back-the-clock glory, featuring a baseball diamond aligned as it was during its major league heyday. The field will be made of artificial turf to reduce postponements in Little League, high school, college and recreational baseball games. It may also be used for soccer and football games, as well as concerts and other events. A second baseball diamond and a children’s water park, surrounded by a winding walking track, are to be built on the property.
The project’s historical flourishes are to include a grandstand from first base to third base along the footprint of League Park. A visitor center will help buttress the portion of the original brick facade that is being held up by steel supports. The dilapidated two-story building that had been the stadium’s ticket office is to become a League Park museum. A facsimile of the Great Wall is to be built, after the foundation of the original one is excavated for display in the museum.
City officials and community leaders believe that the baseball ground’s reincarnation will accelerate the neighborhood’s resurgence after decades of decline.
“I can see things beginning to change,” said Robert Denson, an insurance manager who settled in Hough and is vice president of the League Park Heritage Association. “I think League Park will also be an attraction. Maybe people will think, ‘I can come in and start a business.’ ”
The project includes nearby residential and commercial renovation, along with road and landscaping improvements. Expensive homes are under construction. Two blocks south of the ballpark site, at a community-run vineyard called Chateau Hough, Frontenac and Traminette vines snake through trellises; a usable yield for wine is expected this year.
The neighborhood neglect that left the League Park site untouched also preserved it for an ambitious project. But the redevelopment is hardly a new concept. In 1979, when Bob DiBiasio joined the Indians’ public relations department, he was sent to a municipal meeting convened to consider options for the land. That initiative fizzled, as have others since.
“This go-round, it seems, for the first time, that the city is truly committed to making something happen,” DiBiasio, now the Indians’ senior vice president for public affairs, said in an interview at Progressive Field, the team’s home since 1994.
This is not the first demolished stadium site to be restored for baseball use by a city’s residents, although it not common. Last year, Heritage Field, a series of diamonds with historical markers on the site of the original Yankee Stadium, opened in the Bronx. In St. Louis, baseball has been played for decades on the grass once known as Sportsman’s Park.
Cleveland is financing the $6.3 million project primarily through park bond funds. It has also received a $150,000 cultural preservation grant from the state and $75,000 from the Department of Transportation. An effort is being made to give subcontracting work to small businesses in the city, and Hough residents will be recruited for some of the labor. Once the site reopens later this year, Clevelanders will enjoy free access, with some revenue coming from rentals to outside groups and sales of commemorative bricks to be placed in a plaza near the visitor center, said Michael Cox, director of the city’s Department of Public Works.
Enlarge This Image
Associated Press
The site, which has been virtually untouched since the stadium was razed in 1951, is being reincarnated with some historical flourishes and will feature baseball fields, a visitor center and a museum.
Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said, “This is the season for League Park, and now we can preserve an important part of Cleveland’s history in a way that will be enjoyed by generations to come.”
Among the project’s advocates is Bob Zimmer, who runs the Baseball Heritage Museum downtown. The museum and the League Park Heritage Association are bidding jointly to manage the new park, including scheduling games and events.
“Cleveland has a rich history in baseball,” Zimmer said on a recent frigid morning at the old stamping grounds of Tris Speaker and Nap Lajoie. “And it’s important to preserve and tell the stories of the past so we can know where we came from. League Park was the birthing scene of baseball in Cleveland and was home not only to the Indians, but to the Cleveland Buckeyes of the Negro leagues.”
Two Cleveland teams won championships during their League Park years: in 1920, the Indians defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers at home, and in 1945, the Buckeyes clinched on the road against the Homestead Grays.
Beginning in 1934, the Indians played at League Park most weekdays and at Municipal Stadium most holidays and weekends. The Indians moved all their games to Municipal Stadium for the 1947 season.
On Sept. 21, 1946, the Indians played their final game at League Park. Their starting pitcher against the Detroit Tigers that day was Bob Kuzava, who was making his major league debut.
Kuzava, one of three living players from the 1946 club, said that his wife and in-laws came from Michigan to see him.
“We were excited because it was my first major league game,” he said. “And I was doubly excited because I was pitching against my favorite team when I was growing up, so I was a little more pumped up.
“I don’t remember much because it was a long time ago,” Kuzava, 89, added.
Perhaps best known for inducing Jackie Robinson to hit a bases-loaded pop-up that a sprinting Billy Martin caught to secure the Yankees’ 1952 World Series title against the Dodgers in 1952, Kuzava would appear to be a natural choice to throw out the ceremonial first ball when the new League Park is dedicated this year. DiBiasio said Indians players would visit regularly to run clinics, stage home run-hitting contests and lead fantasy camps.
Gracing the arches of the old facade will be nine murals recently painted by Jerome White, a high school art teacher in Cleveland Heights. Six of the murals depict major leaguers who played at League Park before the game was integrated. One shows a catcher, Quincy Trouppe, who went on to manage the 1945 Negro leagues champion Buckeyes and played briefly for the Indians in 1952. Another portrays Satchel Paige, a pitcher for the Indians in 1948 and 1949, who reached the Hall of Fame for his exploits in the Negro leagues.
The last painting shows a man placing a baseball in a child’s glove. The man is White and the child is his 5-year-old son, Solomon. The ball bears the word “tradition.”
Cleveland is finally doing its part to honor the tradition of League Park.
Re: Articles
3264So what?! My question was "I wonder if the Indians made any attempt to acquire Shields?" Plain English Rusty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't give a rats ass how he was acquired by KC.rusty2 wrote:But the pitcher that you asked about (Shields) was acquired by the #1 player in minor league baseball.
Re: Articles
3266Spring training 2013: Indians get an 'A' for offseason moves
By Sporting News
on February 05, 2013 at 3:16 PM Print
Spring training's arrival brings the end to the offseason. And you know what that means? It is time to play professor and dole out grades for the Hot Stove season.
First, the American League:
Toronto Blue Jays: A
When general manager Alex Anthopoulos finally made his move, he didn’t mess around. The impact was felt all the way to Las Vegas. When Anthopoulos convinced the Miami Marlins to make their salary dump in Canada, the Blue Jays became favorites to win the World Series.
What a dump it was, with the Blue Jays acquiring one of the game’s top shortstops in Jose Reyes, two proven starters in Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson, and speedy second baseman Emilio Bonifacio. The deal was expensive—the Blue Jays took on nearly $150 million—but Rogers Communication can afford it.
Dealing for R.A. Dickey put the odds even more in the Blue Jays’ favor. I would have added a plus to their grade if Anthopoulos hadn’t given cheater Melky Cabrera a $10 million raise.
Los Angeles Angels: A
Having a local TV deal that brings in $150 million a year sure is nice. It allowed owner Arte Moreno to nab the top player on the free-agent market for the second consecutive year. Josh Hamilton, armed with a five-year, $125 million contract, should fit nicely hitting cleanup behind Albert Pujols.
The Angels also brought in a new closer, Ryan Madson, and remade the bottom of their rotation by acquiring Tommy Hanson, Joe Blanton and the underrated Jason Vargas.
Cleveland Indians: A
One of the busiest teams this offseason, the Tribe did far more to like than question. They started by hiring one of the game’s top managers, Terry Francona. Signing Brett Myers and Mark Reynolds to one-year deals should upgrade the rotation and offense at a reasonable price. Trading for Trevor Bauer could be a steal. Even giving Nick Swisher $56 million for four years made sense.
Cleveland needed to prove it is serious about winning, and Swisher did a lot of that with the New York Yankees.
Kansas City Royals: A
General manager Dayton Moore wasn’t kidding when he said he would upgrade his rotation. Adding James Shields, Ervin Santana, Wade Davis and re-signing Jeremy Guthrie gives the Royals the most improved starting staff in the AL Central.
Trading a prospect as promising as Wil Myers was painful, but the future has arrived in Kansas City.
Oakland Athletics: B
Billy Beane has been at his wheeling-dealing best since the end of the season, making eight trades involving 25 players. He also made another international signing, securing Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima with a two-year, $6.5 million deal.
While the biggest name coming to Oakland is center fielder Chris Young, who might not even start, there will be no doubting Beane in this corner after the A’s success last season.
Detroit Tigers: B
Giving Torii Hunter a two-year, $26 million deal might prove overly generous. Giving Anibal Sanchez $80 million for five years undoubtedly will prove overly generous. But billionaire owner Mike Ilitch isn’t about to quibble over millions in his quest for a ring. Adding Hunter and keeping Sanchez certainly enhances his chances.
Seattle Mariners: B
Without shelling out mega bucks for a free agent, general manager Jack Zduriencik pumped up the Mariners’ meager offense by trading for Michael Morse and Kendrys Morales. Low-cost free agents Raul Ibanez and Jason Bay could help, too.
Still, there is a gnawing feeling that Zduriencik might have missed an opportunity by not bringing in a top free agent. It still isn’t too late for Michael Bourn, though.
Texas Rangers: B
There will be no ripping the Rangers here for failing to land any of the star players to whom they were linked. They simply refused to overpay. These guys know how to stick to their plan. Remember when they signed Adrian Beltre two years ago? Though the five-year, $80 million contract was panned as an overreaction to missing out on Cliff Lee, the deal looks pretty good today.
Besides, Lance Berkman and A.J. Pierzynski might not be as much of a downgrade from Josh Hamilton and Michael Young as many think.
New York Yankees: C
They were wise to put their suddenly shrinking resources into pitching, but why are their resources shrinking? These are the Yankees. If any team east of LA shouldn’t worry about payroll, this is it. Being outbid by the Pittsburgh Pirates for Russell Martin shouldn’t happen.
The Yankees didn’t get any younger, either.
Boston Red Sox: C
No team overpaid more free agents. The Red Sox overextended for a shortstop, Stephen Drew, one starter, Ryan Dempster, two outfielders, Shane Victorino and Jonny Gomes, and a backup catcher, David Ross. Only the Mike Napoli signing looks reasonable, and they needed nearly all winter to complete that.
There is good news, though. The six signings combined will cost around $100 million, or about $40 million less than what they threw at Carl Crawford two offseasons ago. The Red Sox fared better on the trade front, acquiring All-Star closer Joel Hanrahan from the Pirates.
Based on what players are saying, Boston’s best move was hiring John Farrell to replace Bobby Valentine as manager. Of course, most players would have considered a statue an upgrade over Valentine.
Tampa Bay Rays: C
Wil Myers someday will prove worth the price of James Shields, but he can’t be expected to help the Rays much in the short term. When you compare Tampa Bay’s key additions (James Loney, Yunel Escobar, Kelly Johnson) with its notable losses (Shields, Davis, B.J. Upton), this team will open camp with a weaker roster than a year ago.
Locking up Evan Longoria through 2022 was another good investment unless you believe the $100 million going to his extension could have helped keep David Price long-term.
Minnesota Twins: C
With their focus more on the future than 2013, the Twins reaped a respectable return for moving center fielders Denard Span and Ben Revere. Vance Worley, acquired in the Revere deal, looks like their No. 1 starter.
But even on a shoestring budget, Minnesota could have signed better free agents than Kevin Correia and Mike Pelfrey to upgrade what was the AL’s worst rotation in 2012.
Chicago White Sox: C
The White Sox retained Jake Peavy with an overly generous, two-year, $29 million extension and overpaid utilityman Jeff Keppinger with a three-year, $12 million deal.
Still, their most regrettable decision was not bringing back Pierzynski, who ended up in Texas on a one-year deal.
Houston Astros: D
By any measure, general manager Jeff Luhnow and his new-age front office have dramatically improved Houston’s farm system. Well, bully for them. If these guys are that sharp, they should be able to build for the future without sacrificing so much of the present.
The Astros, debuting in the AL West, appear destined for a third consecutive season with at least 106 losses.
Baltimore Orioles: D
When a declining starter, Jair Jurrjens, and a lefty specialist, Daniel Schlereth, are your biggest acquisitions, you haven’t exactly helped yourself.
By Sporting News
on February 05, 2013 at 3:16 PM Print
Spring training's arrival brings the end to the offseason. And you know what that means? It is time to play professor and dole out grades for the Hot Stove season.
First, the American League:
Toronto Blue Jays: A
When general manager Alex Anthopoulos finally made his move, he didn’t mess around. The impact was felt all the way to Las Vegas. When Anthopoulos convinced the Miami Marlins to make their salary dump in Canada, the Blue Jays became favorites to win the World Series.
What a dump it was, with the Blue Jays acquiring one of the game’s top shortstops in Jose Reyes, two proven starters in Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson, and speedy second baseman Emilio Bonifacio. The deal was expensive—the Blue Jays took on nearly $150 million—but Rogers Communication can afford it.
Dealing for R.A. Dickey put the odds even more in the Blue Jays’ favor. I would have added a plus to their grade if Anthopoulos hadn’t given cheater Melky Cabrera a $10 million raise.
Los Angeles Angels: A
Having a local TV deal that brings in $150 million a year sure is nice. It allowed owner Arte Moreno to nab the top player on the free-agent market for the second consecutive year. Josh Hamilton, armed with a five-year, $125 million contract, should fit nicely hitting cleanup behind Albert Pujols.
The Angels also brought in a new closer, Ryan Madson, and remade the bottom of their rotation by acquiring Tommy Hanson, Joe Blanton and the underrated Jason Vargas.
Cleveland Indians: A
One of the busiest teams this offseason, the Tribe did far more to like than question. They started by hiring one of the game’s top managers, Terry Francona. Signing Brett Myers and Mark Reynolds to one-year deals should upgrade the rotation and offense at a reasonable price. Trading for Trevor Bauer could be a steal. Even giving Nick Swisher $56 million for four years made sense.
Cleveland needed to prove it is serious about winning, and Swisher did a lot of that with the New York Yankees.
Kansas City Royals: A
General manager Dayton Moore wasn’t kidding when he said he would upgrade his rotation. Adding James Shields, Ervin Santana, Wade Davis and re-signing Jeremy Guthrie gives the Royals the most improved starting staff in the AL Central.
Trading a prospect as promising as Wil Myers was painful, but the future has arrived in Kansas City.
Oakland Athletics: B
Billy Beane has been at his wheeling-dealing best since the end of the season, making eight trades involving 25 players. He also made another international signing, securing Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima with a two-year, $6.5 million deal.
While the biggest name coming to Oakland is center fielder Chris Young, who might not even start, there will be no doubting Beane in this corner after the A’s success last season.
Detroit Tigers: B
Giving Torii Hunter a two-year, $26 million deal might prove overly generous. Giving Anibal Sanchez $80 million for five years undoubtedly will prove overly generous. But billionaire owner Mike Ilitch isn’t about to quibble over millions in his quest for a ring. Adding Hunter and keeping Sanchez certainly enhances his chances.
Seattle Mariners: B
Without shelling out mega bucks for a free agent, general manager Jack Zduriencik pumped up the Mariners’ meager offense by trading for Michael Morse and Kendrys Morales. Low-cost free agents Raul Ibanez and Jason Bay could help, too.
Still, there is a gnawing feeling that Zduriencik might have missed an opportunity by not bringing in a top free agent. It still isn’t too late for Michael Bourn, though.
Texas Rangers: B
There will be no ripping the Rangers here for failing to land any of the star players to whom they were linked. They simply refused to overpay. These guys know how to stick to their plan. Remember when they signed Adrian Beltre two years ago? Though the five-year, $80 million contract was panned as an overreaction to missing out on Cliff Lee, the deal looks pretty good today.
Besides, Lance Berkman and A.J. Pierzynski might not be as much of a downgrade from Josh Hamilton and Michael Young as many think.
New York Yankees: C
They were wise to put their suddenly shrinking resources into pitching, but why are their resources shrinking? These are the Yankees. If any team east of LA shouldn’t worry about payroll, this is it. Being outbid by the Pittsburgh Pirates for Russell Martin shouldn’t happen.
The Yankees didn’t get any younger, either.
Boston Red Sox: C
No team overpaid more free agents. The Red Sox overextended for a shortstop, Stephen Drew, one starter, Ryan Dempster, two outfielders, Shane Victorino and Jonny Gomes, and a backup catcher, David Ross. Only the Mike Napoli signing looks reasonable, and they needed nearly all winter to complete that.
There is good news, though. The six signings combined will cost around $100 million, or about $40 million less than what they threw at Carl Crawford two offseasons ago. The Red Sox fared better on the trade front, acquiring All-Star closer Joel Hanrahan from the Pirates.
Based on what players are saying, Boston’s best move was hiring John Farrell to replace Bobby Valentine as manager. Of course, most players would have considered a statue an upgrade over Valentine.
Tampa Bay Rays: C
Wil Myers someday will prove worth the price of James Shields, but he can’t be expected to help the Rays much in the short term. When you compare Tampa Bay’s key additions (James Loney, Yunel Escobar, Kelly Johnson) with its notable losses (Shields, Davis, B.J. Upton), this team will open camp with a weaker roster than a year ago.
Locking up Evan Longoria through 2022 was another good investment unless you believe the $100 million going to his extension could have helped keep David Price long-term.
Minnesota Twins: C
With their focus more on the future than 2013, the Twins reaped a respectable return for moving center fielders Denard Span and Ben Revere. Vance Worley, acquired in the Revere deal, looks like their No. 1 starter.
But even on a shoestring budget, Minnesota could have signed better free agents than Kevin Correia and Mike Pelfrey to upgrade what was the AL’s worst rotation in 2012.
Chicago White Sox: C
The White Sox retained Jake Peavy with an overly generous, two-year, $29 million extension and overpaid utilityman Jeff Keppinger with a three-year, $12 million deal.
Still, their most regrettable decision was not bringing back Pierzynski, who ended up in Texas on a one-year deal.
Houston Astros: D
By any measure, general manager Jeff Luhnow and his new-age front office have dramatically improved Houston’s farm system. Well, bully for them. If these guys are that sharp, they should be able to build for the future without sacrificing so much of the present.
The Astros, debuting in the AL West, appear destined for a third consecutive season with at least 106 losses.
Baltimore Orioles: D
When a declining starter, Jair Jurrjens, and a lefty specialist, Daniel Schlereth, are your biggest acquisitions, you haven’t exactly helped yourself.
Re: Articles
3267Paul Hoynes previews:
Outfield:
http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ss ... pring.html
Infield:
http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ss ... eview.html
Relief Pitching:
http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ss ... ing_1.html
Outfield:
http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ss ... pring.html
Infield:
http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ss ... eview.html
Relief Pitching:
http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ss ... ing_1.html
Re: Articles
3268rusty2 wrote:husker wrote:I wonder if the Indians tried to get Shields. KC traded for him. We could have certainly used him.
Kansas City traded the #1 player in minor league baseball for Shields. Even Lindor is not that valuable right now.
Husker wrote :
Not all pitchers are obtained by the best minor league player!!
rusty2 wrote:
But the pitcher that you asked about (Shields) was acquired by the #1 player in minor league baseball.
Husker wrote :
So what?! My question was "I wonder if the Indians made any attempt to acquire Shields?" Plain English Rusty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't give a rats ass how he was acquired by KC.
Rusty wrote :
So here is plain English. Shields was traded for the #1 player in minor league baseball. Whether the Indians tried or not they were not going to top that offer.
By the way. What the hell did you mean by "Not all pitchers are obtained by the best minor league player!! That was not plain English. You asked about Shields.
Re: Articles
3270[quote="J.R."]Spring training 2013: Indians get an 'A' for offseason moves
By Sporting News
on February 05, 2013 at 3:16 PM Print
Mark Shapiro's lone baseball talent, with his Dad, is to coerce, force or pay for positive baseball press of the alleged Shapiro prowess.
Guys, get real. Wake up.
The local press in Cleveland is petrified of dissing Shapiro when their meager hopes of keeping jobs in a bleak Cleveland market depend upon still getting face time with Mark, the "man behind the curtain" of Cleveland Indians futility since his reign began multiple losing seasons ago.
By Sporting News
on February 05, 2013 at 3:16 PM Print
Mark Shapiro's lone baseball talent, with his Dad, is to coerce, force or pay for positive baseball press of the alleged Shapiro prowess.
Guys, get real. Wake up.
The local press in Cleveland is petrified of dissing Shapiro when their meager hopes of keeping jobs in a bleak Cleveland market depend upon still getting face time with Mark, the "man behind the curtain" of Cleveland Indians futility since his reign began multiple losing seasons ago.