Cleveland Indians have Terry Talkin' Edwin Encarnacion, payroll, fans -- Terry Pluto
on December 24, 2016 at 8:40 AM, updated December 24, 2016 at 8:41 AM
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians ownership has made a major statement about winning with the signing of free agent power hitter Edwin Encarnacion. Here are some key points:
1. Encarnacion's deal is $60 million guaranteed. I heard he will average about $18 million annually for the first three seasons. There is a fourth year worth about $20 million, with $5 million guaranteed.
2. Encarnacion gambled on finding a larger deal. His agent quickly turned down the $80 million, four-year offer to stay with the Toronto Blue Jays. That was not long after the season. When free agency first opened, the Houston Astros offered him $66 million for three years. When Encarnacion turned that down, the Astros quickly signed Carlos Beltran to a one-year deal. Most "experts" thought Encarnacion would receive a $100 million deal, and he was operating on that assumption.
3. The Indians quickly targeted Encarnacion. They knew the first baseman/DH liked the Indians. He wanted to stay in the American League. He saw how the Tribe played when they knocked his Blue Jays out of the playoffs. The Indians do have a realistic chance to return to the World Series, especially with his bat in the middle of the order.
4. At first, the Indians were offering a two-year deal with an option for a third season. About a week ago, ownership gave the green light to a third guaranteed season. The Indians wanted to limit the guarantee to about $60 million.
5. In the meantime, another team offered something close to the Tribe's $60 million. I heard it was the Oakland A's. The Indians were doing a good job recruiting Encarnacion. Anyway, there was another team, another three-year offer much like the Tribe. He picked Cleveland.
6. The Indians estimate their payroll will rise to about $135 million this season. They were at $98 million last season. The Indians were the only team not in the top 15 in payroll to make the playoffs in 2016. The only other team not in the top 15 (or top 50 percent) with a winning record in 2016 was Houston.
7. The Tribe's rise in payroll should put them close to the middle of the pack, although some experts have estimated the average team payroll will be about $140 million this season.
8. It's doubtful the Indians will do much else in free agency, unless it's a minor move. So they probably won't re-sign Rajai Davis unless the veteran comes back for far less than his $7 million contract in 2016.
ABOUT POSTSEASON MONEY
I was told the Indians received about $15 million to $20 million in postseason revenue. That sounded very small, but the reason is how baseball uses that cash.
I received this information from a top MLB financial guy:
1. There is something called the "players pool." It's cash that goes to the players who take part in the postseason. The Cubs divided up $28 million for winning the Series, the Indians chopped up $18 million.
2. This money comes from 60 percent of the revenue from the first three ALDS games, and the first four ALCS games. The longer the series, the better for the owners. But the Indians wiped out Boston in three games in the first round, and took out Toronto in five games in the ALCS.
3. Obviously, the Indians didn't care about not playing those extra playoff games -- it was their ticket to the World Series. But it's just how the system works.
4. The real money from making the World Series comes from selling merchandise and tickets sales for the next season.
Full share for Tribe's 2016 playoff run is $261,804
ABOUT THE FANS
Now, the question is how will the fans respond?
The Indians have had four consecutive winning seasons.
They have a two-time Manager of the Year in Terry Francona. Their front office is considered one of the best in baseball. They went to the playoffs in 2013, and to Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.
They will be the favorite to win the AL Central Division, and you can be sure many experts will predict them to return to the World Series.
Ownership with the Dolan family and minority partner John Sherman have made a major commitment by signing Encarnacion and jacking up the payroll.
The Indians have not been higher than 28th in attendance since 2012.
Part of the narrative was, "Ownership won't spend."
Even as the Indians won 92 games in 2013 ... and had winning records after that ... it was the same thing, "The Dolans are cheap."
They made a significant addition to the payroll last year when they added Andrew Miller ($9 million annually through 2018). Now, it's Encarnacion.
They have signed Corey Kluber, Jason Kipnis, Carlos Carrasco and Yan Gomes to significant contract extensions.
EARLY RETURNS
I've heard the following about Tribe ticket sales:
1. Season tickets are approaching 9,000. They were at about 7,500 a year ago.
2. The Indians sold about 100 season tickets in the first 12 hours after word of Encarnacion's signing came out.
3. It's been at least 10 years since the Indians have sold 10,000 season tickets. That appears to be a very realistic goal right now.
4. Tickets in the lower bowl of Progressive Field have already sold out for some weekend games during the summer.
J.R. asks, How is this possible? Tribe site says "Single-game tickets will go on sale in early March."
THE BASIC PAYROLL
Here's an estimate on what some of the top players will be paid in 2017:
Edwin Encarnacion: $18 million
Carlos Santana: $12 million
Jason Kipnis: $9 million
Chris Johnson: $9 million (being paid off as part of the Nick Swisher/Michael Bourn deal with Atlanta in 2014)
Andrew Miller: $9 million
Michael Brantley: $8.3 million
Cody Allen: $7.7 million (estimate)
Corey Kluber: $7.7 million
Carlos Carrasco: $6.5 million
Yan Gomes: $4.5 million
Bryan Shaw: $4.5 million (estimate)
Lonnie Chisenhall: $4 million (estimate)
Danny Salazar: $4 million (estimate)
Trevor Bauer: $4 million (estimate)
Josh Tomlin: $2.5 million
Brandon Guyer: $2 million (estimate)
Zach McAllister: $2 million (estimate)
That adds up to about $115 million, not counting players such as Jose Ramirez, Francisco Lindor and others who are not arbitration eligible -- and probably will make about $600,000 annually unless they sign extensions.
ABOUT GREG ALLEN
I was talking to some of the top people with the Tribe about Greg Allen, who emerged as one of their top prospects last season. He becomes even more important because it's not likely the Indians will bring back Rajai Davis after the signing of Encarancion.
The 23-year-old Allen split the season between Class A and Class AA, batting .295 (.830 OPS) with 7 HR and 44 RBI. But here is the intriguing part:
Allen is a superb defensive center fielder.
He is a natural leadoff hitter. His on-base percentage was .416. He stole 45 bases.
He is a switch hitter.
Allen was part of the deal to Milwaukee for Jonathan Lucroy that fell apart. Baseball America rates Allen as the Tribe's No. 10 prospect, and its best defensive minor league outfielder.
There are no plans to open the season with Allen. He has yet to play in Class AAA. Along with Brad Zimmer, Allen was named to the All-Arizona Fall League team. He batted .269 (.829 OPS) with 12 steals in 14 attempts.
Zimmer batted .259 (.935 OPS) with 4 HR and 16 RBI, he was 8-of-9 in stolen bases.
Tyler Naquin and Davis played center last season for the Tribe.
Fangraphs rated the top 20 defensive center fielders in the American League in 2016. Naquin was No. 16, Davis was No. 10. Most scouts believe Naquin is best suited for right field.
Some of the Tribe's brass believe Allen is developing quickly, and he could be big league ready by the middle of the summer.
Meanwhile, the door will be wide open for Yandy Diaz to the make the team. He can play third and the outfield, and he is a potent right-handed hitter.
Re: Articles
5597An article from last month that examines the Tribe payroll before Edwin:
Dollars and sense: Examining the Cleveland Indians' payroll obligations for the 2017 season
on November 29, 2016 at 10:00 AM, updated November 30, 2016 at 12:43 PM
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A team with a paltry payroll nearly earned a chance to host a parade.
That's not to suggest it should be the way all teams -- or any team -- operate. Such a method certainly reduces the margin for error and forces a team to be efficient and capitalize on bargains.
Francisco Lindor, a Gold Glove Award winner and .300 hitter, earned about $540,000 last year. The rotation of Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin -- which produced 65 wins, a 3.79 ERA and 824 strikeouts -- combined to make about $14.5 million. Arizona's Zack Greinke, who went 13-7 with a 4.37 ERA over 158 2/3 innings, made $34 million himself.
Will the Indians' payroll rank near the bottom of the league again in 2017? The club's arbitration situation -- in addition to raises for its core players who are signed to long-term deals -- figures to bump up the organization's total budget. But by how much?
Is there enough wiggle room for the team to fill a few holes via free agency? Could the club acquire a veteran in a trade? Chris Antonetti, Cleveland's president of baseball operations, has said the team won't fundamentally change its mode of operation.
So what might the payroll look like in 2017? Let's take a look.
Sources: Cot's Contracts, Baseball-Reference.com, Spotrac.com
The old guard
Carlos Santana: $12 million
The Indians exercised Santana's option for 2017. As of now, he's the club's highest-paid player. He can become a free agent at the end of the year.
Jason Kipnis: $9.17 million
Kipnis is signed through 2019, with a club option for 2020.
Andrew Miller: $9 million
Miller will also earn $9 million in 2018, the final year of his deal.
Michael Brantley: $8.375 million
The Indians hold an $11 million option on Brantley for 2018, their final year of team control.
Corey Kluber: $7.7 million
Kluber is signed through 2019, with team options for 2020 and 2021.
Carlos Carrasco: $6.5 million
Carrasco is signed through 2018, with team options for 2019 and 2020.
Yan Gomes: $4.58 million
Gomes is signed through 2019, with team options for 2020 and 2021.
Josh Tomlin: $2.5 million
The Indians also hold a team option on Tomlin for 2018.
These eight players will combine to earn nearly $60 million in 2017.
Indians exercise option on Santana for 2017
Indians exercise option on Santana for 2017
Arbitration-eligible fellows
Note: All figures are approximations from MLBTradeRumors.com.
Cody Allen: $7.7 million
Allen is entering his second year of arbitration eligibility.
Bryan Shaw: $4.5 million
Shaw is entering his final year before free agency.
Lonnie Chisenhall: $4.1 million
Chisenhall is entering his second year of arbitration eligibility.
Danny Salazar: $3.8 million
This is Salazar's first year of arbitration eligibility.
Trevor Bauer: $3.7 million
This is Bauer's first year of arbitration eligibility.
Brandon Guyer: $2.0 million
This is Guyer's second year of arbitration eligibility.
Zach McAllister: $1.7 million
McAllister is entering his second year of arbitration eligibility.
Dan Otero: $1.2 million
This is Otero's first year of arbitration eligibility.
Jeff Manship: $1.2 million
This is Manship's first year of arbitration eligibility.
Teams have until Friday to decide whether to tender all arbitration-eligible and pre-arbitration players contracts for the 2017 season. If the Indians opt to non-tender any players, they become free agents.
These nine arbitration-eligible players project to earn a total of $29.9 million in 2017.
The young pups
Pre-arbitration players who fill out the roster typically earn close to the league minimum, as Lindor did in 2016. Jose Ramirez, Roberto Perez, Tyler Naquin, Abraham Almonte, Cody Anderson, Kyle Crockett, Mike Clevinger, Ryan Merritt, Erik Gonzalez, Perci Garner, Shawn Armstrong, Joe Colon and Giovanny Urshela fall into this category.
Lindor first Tribe Gold Glove winner since Sizemore
The albatross
Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn, both free agents, are still wreaking havoc on the Indians' accountants. The club still reportedly owes Chris Johnson -- the player acquired in exchange for the two veterans in August 2015 -- about $9 million in 2017.
That will take the Indians' payroll over $100 million for the 2017 season, and that's before any free-agent additions or trade acquisitions. Of course, a $100 million payroll in present terms is rather paltry. All but four teams boasted a nine-figure budget by the end of the 2016 campaign.
Just how high will the Indians go, with postseason revenues and a new minority owner in tow? The team's ownership has the winter to decide what price is right.
Dollars and sense: Examining the Cleveland Indians' payroll obligations for the 2017 season
on November 29, 2016 at 10:00 AM, updated November 30, 2016 at 12:43 PM
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A team with a paltry payroll nearly earned a chance to host a parade.
That's not to suggest it should be the way all teams -- or any team -- operate. Such a method certainly reduces the margin for error and forces a team to be efficient and capitalize on bargains.
Francisco Lindor, a Gold Glove Award winner and .300 hitter, earned about $540,000 last year. The rotation of Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin -- which produced 65 wins, a 3.79 ERA and 824 strikeouts -- combined to make about $14.5 million. Arizona's Zack Greinke, who went 13-7 with a 4.37 ERA over 158 2/3 innings, made $34 million himself.
Will the Indians' payroll rank near the bottom of the league again in 2017? The club's arbitration situation -- in addition to raises for its core players who are signed to long-term deals -- figures to bump up the organization's total budget. But by how much?
Is there enough wiggle room for the team to fill a few holes via free agency? Could the club acquire a veteran in a trade? Chris Antonetti, Cleveland's president of baseball operations, has said the team won't fundamentally change its mode of operation.
So what might the payroll look like in 2017? Let's take a look.
Sources: Cot's Contracts, Baseball-Reference.com, Spotrac.com
The old guard
Carlos Santana: $12 million
The Indians exercised Santana's option for 2017. As of now, he's the club's highest-paid player. He can become a free agent at the end of the year.
Jason Kipnis: $9.17 million
Kipnis is signed through 2019, with a club option for 2020.
Andrew Miller: $9 million
Miller will also earn $9 million in 2018, the final year of his deal.
Michael Brantley: $8.375 million
The Indians hold an $11 million option on Brantley for 2018, their final year of team control.
Corey Kluber: $7.7 million
Kluber is signed through 2019, with team options for 2020 and 2021.
Carlos Carrasco: $6.5 million
Carrasco is signed through 2018, with team options for 2019 and 2020.
Yan Gomes: $4.58 million
Gomes is signed through 2019, with team options for 2020 and 2021.
Josh Tomlin: $2.5 million
The Indians also hold a team option on Tomlin for 2018.
These eight players will combine to earn nearly $60 million in 2017.
Indians exercise option on Santana for 2017
Indians exercise option on Santana for 2017
Arbitration-eligible fellows
Note: All figures are approximations from MLBTradeRumors.com.
Cody Allen: $7.7 million
Allen is entering his second year of arbitration eligibility.
Bryan Shaw: $4.5 million
Shaw is entering his final year before free agency.
Lonnie Chisenhall: $4.1 million
Chisenhall is entering his second year of arbitration eligibility.
Danny Salazar: $3.8 million
This is Salazar's first year of arbitration eligibility.
Trevor Bauer: $3.7 million
This is Bauer's first year of arbitration eligibility.
Brandon Guyer: $2.0 million
This is Guyer's second year of arbitration eligibility.
Zach McAllister: $1.7 million
McAllister is entering his second year of arbitration eligibility.
Dan Otero: $1.2 million
This is Otero's first year of arbitration eligibility.
Jeff Manship: $1.2 million
This is Manship's first year of arbitration eligibility.
Teams have until Friday to decide whether to tender all arbitration-eligible and pre-arbitration players contracts for the 2017 season. If the Indians opt to non-tender any players, they become free agents.
These nine arbitration-eligible players project to earn a total of $29.9 million in 2017.
The young pups
Pre-arbitration players who fill out the roster typically earn close to the league minimum, as Lindor did in 2016. Jose Ramirez, Roberto Perez, Tyler Naquin, Abraham Almonte, Cody Anderson, Kyle Crockett, Mike Clevinger, Ryan Merritt, Erik Gonzalez, Perci Garner, Shawn Armstrong, Joe Colon and Giovanny Urshela fall into this category.
Lindor first Tribe Gold Glove winner since Sizemore
The albatross
Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn, both free agents, are still wreaking havoc on the Indians' accountants. The club still reportedly owes Chris Johnson -- the player acquired in exchange for the two veterans in August 2015 -- about $9 million in 2017.
That will take the Indians' payroll over $100 million for the 2017 season, and that's before any free-agent additions or trade acquisitions. Of course, a $100 million payroll in present terms is rather paltry. All but four teams boasted a nine-figure budget by the end of the 2016 campaign.
Just how high will the Indians go, with postseason revenues and a new minority owner in tow? The team's ownership has the winter to decide what price is right.
Re: Articles
5598JR asks: how could the lower bowl be sold out for some games if single tickets haven't yet gone on sale.
Season packages could have grabbed them all.
Back in the Sold Out 90s I would get in line the Saturday after Thanksgiving when single tickets went in sale at a Boardman record store [record store? this was the old days] and all that was left was far reaches of upper deck and for some games hardly anything.
Season packages could have grabbed them all.
Back in the Sold Out 90s I would get in line the Saturday after Thanksgiving when single tickets went in sale at a Boardman record store [record store? this was the old days] and all that was left was far reaches of upper deck and for some games hardly anything.
Re: Articles
5599The Indians estimate their payroll will rise to about $135 million this season. They were at $98 million last season.
That's quite an increase. Less than half the new money would come from the 2016 playoff revenues based on what Terry reported. That leaves about $20M: how much will be covered by 2017 ticket sale increase? If the 1.57M rises to 2.07M, the 500,000 tickets would produce revenue of ?$50 per head, much more including over-priced hotdogs and beer and T-shirts and parking. the $50 per person would mean $25M and the hole is filled. And some leftover for additional player acquisition at the deadline and some mad money for the Dolans and their new partner Mr. Sherman too.
That's quite an increase. Less than half the new money would come from the 2016 playoff revenues based on what Terry reported. That leaves about $20M: how much will be covered by 2017 ticket sale increase? If the 1.57M rises to 2.07M, the 500,000 tickets would produce revenue of ?$50 per head, much more including over-priced hotdogs and beer and T-shirts and parking. the $50 per person would mean $25M and the hole is filled. And some leftover for additional player acquisition at the deadline and some mad money for the Dolans and their new partner Mr. Sherman too.
Re: Articles
5600The Indians have been selling different multi ticket packages (not season tickets) since the World Series. That would explain why certain weekends are almost sold out.
Re: Articles
5601Yeah, they sold out of "Holiday 6 packs" and 20-game plans for the weekends. Still seems like there would be tix available in the outfield lower boxes, though.
http://www.wkyc.com/sports/mlb/indians/ ... /377206797
http://m.mlb.com/indians/tickets/season/quarter-season
http://www.wkyc.com/sports/mlb/indians/ ... /377206797
http://m.mlb.com/indians/tickets/season/quarter-season
Re: Articles
5602I received an offer from the Indians. Starting at $86 you could pick 6 Friday games,or 6 Sat or 6 Sun. Pkg included the Yankee series.
Re: Articles
5604Budding star Mejia represents future for Tribe
50-game hitting streak put young catcher on fans' radar
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | December 26th, 2016
CLEVELAND -- One by one, the names of the prospects the Brewers were going to receive surfaced in various reports. Soon, it became clear that, if Jonathan Lucroy was going to be donning an Indians uniform, catching prospect Francisco Mejia was a required part of the trade.
Mejia was the centerpiece of the five-player deal, which ultimately fell apart on the eve of the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline, when Lucroy used his no-trade clause to block the transaction. Mejia would have headed to Milwaukee as a prized prospect, and that grabbed the attention of Cleveland fans who knew little about this young catcher.
"Any time we can keep one of our guys," Indians assistant general manager Carter Hawkins said, "you have a lot of happy, happy player-development staff."
By keeping Mejia, Cleveland retained one of the game's rising stars, and one of the best stories to came out of the Minor Leagues last season.
Following his breakout showing in '16, which included a 50-game hitting streak that was among the longest in Minor League history, Mejia jumped to No. 4 on the Indians' Top 30 prospects list, according to MLBPipeline.com. He is rated as the game's third-best catching prospect and is 84th on MLB's Top 100 chart. In November, Baseball America rated the 21-year-old Mejia as Cleveland's No. 1 prospect.
It is not hard to understand why so much praise surrounds Mejia. He is a switch-hitting catcher who posted a .342 average and .896 OPS between Class A Lake County and Class A Advanced Lynchburg, while throwing out 43 percent (30-of-69) would-be basestealers.
"I felt really good about this season," Mejia said through a translator at the Indians' fall development program in September. "Thanks to God, everything went really well."
Talk about an understatement.
Longest Minor League hitting streaks
Player Games Year
Joe Wilhoit 69 1919
Joe DiMaggio 61 1933
Roman Mejias 55 1954
Francisco Mejia 50 2016
Otto Pahlman 50 1922
Jack Ness 49 1915
Harry Chozen 49 1945
Johnny Bates 46 1925
James McOwen 45 2009
Brandon Watson 43 2007
Eddie Marshall 43 1935
Orlando Moreno 43 1947
Howie Bedell 43 1961
Jack Lelivelt 42 1912
Herbert Chapman 42 1950
Ducky Detweiler 40 1942
Frosty Kennedy 40 1953
Who could have predicted that on May 27, when Mejia sent a pitch from Fort Wayne's Jerry Keel into center for a single, that the catcher would embark on a historic run? For the next 78 days, Mejia overcome some minor health woes and a promotion to Lynchburg, plus the distractions that go along with All-Star appearances and trade rumors, while stringing together his hitting streak.
"There's just so many things that he fought through," said Hawkins, who was the director of player development last season. "He repeated a level. That's a very tough mental blow for guys as well. Put all those things together, the consistency that he showed, despite what was a really, really big step for him mentally. We feel like it really helped a foundation that he's going to be able to jump off from for years to come."
The 50-game streak was tied for the fourth-longest in Minor League history, trailing the 69-game run by Joe Wilhoit in 1919, the 61-game streak by Joe DiMaggio in 1933 and a 55-gamer by Roman Mejias in 1954. Mejia's streak matched the 50-game run by Otto Pahlman in 1922. On top of that, Mejia had a single in both the Midwest League All-Star Game (June 21) and All-Star Futures Game (July 10) during his streak.
The last hit came with a bit of controversy.
On Aug. 13, Mejia left Lynchburg's 7-5, 10-inning loss thinking he went 0-for-3. More than an hour after the game's conclusion, the official scorer made a change that brought Mejia's streak to 50 games. In the third inning, Winston-Salem third baseman Gerson Montilla was initially given an error on a chopper up the line that bounced into left field. Mantilla made a backhand stab at the roller, but it is hard to tell on video if the ball struck his glove. Mejia was later credited with a double.
Asked if he felt it was a hit, Mejia cracked a smile.
"I thought it was," he replied. "It didn't hit his glove or anything."
Mejia went 0-for-3 the following game, bringing a decisive end to his incredible run.
"As the streak was getting longer, I was feeling more pressure to get a hit every single game," Mejia said. "I felt a lot less stress, a lot less pressure. [After it ended] I was able to go to the games more calm and just focus on what I've always been focusing on without feeling like, 'I have to get a hit.'"
Over the streak, Mejia hit .386 with eight homers, 15 doubles, three triples and a 1.013 OPS. During the run, he had three stretches in which he missed four or more games. He missed time for the All-Star events and sat out games with a flu bug. On July 31, Mejia was on the bench as the trade reports swirled.
Outfielder Greg Allen was also in the reported package that was going to the Brewers, along with Minor League shortstop Yu-Cheng Chang and reliever Shawn Armstrong. Allen was with Double-A Akron when Lucroy nixed the deal on July 31. Allen opened the year at Lynchburg, however, and witnessed Mejia record a hit in 13 games within his streak.
"It was special," Allen said. "I got to be a part of it for a couple weeks there. Just to see his improvement not only fundamentally as a hitter, but also his approach that he brought to the plate day in and day out, I think that's why he was able to be so effective and keep that streak for so long. It's because of the adjustments and the things he was able to improve on. It was special. It was fun to watch."
Consider that Mejia hit .243 with a .670 OPS in 2015 with Lake County. One year later, the catcher sported an average nearly 100 points higher and an OPS that flirted with .900 in his 102 games. Mejia finished 2016 with 11 homers, 29 doubles, four triples, 63 runs scored and 80 RBIs. Not only was he an outstanding defensive catcher, Mejia was now showing signs of turning a corner at the plate.
No wonder Milwaukee saw Mejia as a future cornerstone player.
Mejia is happy that he can continue striving for that potential with Cleveland.
"I felt really good," he said. "I felt really happy to stay with my friends and stay with my teammates. I was going to have to make new relationships. I'm happy to stay with the relationships that I already have."
50-game hitting streak put young catcher on fans' radar
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | December 26th, 2016
CLEVELAND -- One by one, the names of the prospects the Brewers were going to receive surfaced in various reports. Soon, it became clear that, if Jonathan Lucroy was going to be donning an Indians uniform, catching prospect Francisco Mejia was a required part of the trade.
Mejia was the centerpiece of the five-player deal, which ultimately fell apart on the eve of the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline, when Lucroy used his no-trade clause to block the transaction. Mejia would have headed to Milwaukee as a prized prospect, and that grabbed the attention of Cleveland fans who knew little about this young catcher.
"Any time we can keep one of our guys," Indians assistant general manager Carter Hawkins said, "you have a lot of happy, happy player-development staff."
By keeping Mejia, Cleveland retained one of the game's rising stars, and one of the best stories to came out of the Minor Leagues last season.
Following his breakout showing in '16, which included a 50-game hitting streak that was among the longest in Minor League history, Mejia jumped to No. 4 on the Indians' Top 30 prospects list, according to MLBPipeline.com. He is rated as the game's third-best catching prospect and is 84th on MLB's Top 100 chart. In November, Baseball America rated the 21-year-old Mejia as Cleveland's No. 1 prospect.
It is not hard to understand why so much praise surrounds Mejia. He is a switch-hitting catcher who posted a .342 average and .896 OPS between Class A Lake County and Class A Advanced Lynchburg, while throwing out 43 percent (30-of-69) would-be basestealers.
"I felt really good about this season," Mejia said through a translator at the Indians' fall development program in September. "Thanks to God, everything went really well."
Talk about an understatement.
Longest Minor League hitting streaks
Player Games Year
Joe Wilhoit 69 1919
Joe DiMaggio 61 1933
Roman Mejias 55 1954
Francisco Mejia 50 2016
Otto Pahlman 50 1922
Jack Ness 49 1915
Harry Chozen 49 1945
Johnny Bates 46 1925
James McOwen 45 2009
Brandon Watson 43 2007
Eddie Marshall 43 1935
Orlando Moreno 43 1947
Howie Bedell 43 1961
Jack Lelivelt 42 1912
Herbert Chapman 42 1950
Ducky Detweiler 40 1942
Frosty Kennedy 40 1953
Who could have predicted that on May 27, when Mejia sent a pitch from Fort Wayne's Jerry Keel into center for a single, that the catcher would embark on a historic run? For the next 78 days, Mejia overcome some minor health woes and a promotion to Lynchburg, plus the distractions that go along with All-Star appearances and trade rumors, while stringing together his hitting streak.
"There's just so many things that he fought through," said Hawkins, who was the director of player development last season. "He repeated a level. That's a very tough mental blow for guys as well. Put all those things together, the consistency that he showed, despite what was a really, really big step for him mentally. We feel like it really helped a foundation that he's going to be able to jump off from for years to come."
The 50-game streak was tied for the fourth-longest in Minor League history, trailing the 69-game run by Joe Wilhoit in 1919, the 61-game streak by Joe DiMaggio in 1933 and a 55-gamer by Roman Mejias in 1954. Mejia's streak matched the 50-game run by Otto Pahlman in 1922. On top of that, Mejia had a single in both the Midwest League All-Star Game (June 21) and All-Star Futures Game (July 10) during his streak.
The last hit came with a bit of controversy.
On Aug. 13, Mejia left Lynchburg's 7-5, 10-inning loss thinking he went 0-for-3. More than an hour after the game's conclusion, the official scorer made a change that brought Mejia's streak to 50 games. In the third inning, Winston-Salem third baseman Gerson Montilla was initially given an error on a chopper up the line that bounced into left field. Mantilla made a backhand stab at the roller, but it is hard to tell on video if the ball struck his glove. Mejia was later credited with a double.
Asked if he felt it was a hit, Mejia cracked a smile.
"I thought it was," he replied. "It didn't hit his glove or anything."
Mejia went 0-for-3 the following game, bringing a decisive end to his incredible run.
"As the streak was getting longer, I was feeling more pressure to get a hit every single game," Mejia said. "I felt a lot less stress, a lot less pressure. [After it ended] I was able to go to the games more calm and just focus on what I've always been focusing on without feeling like, 'I have to get a hit.'"
Over the streak, Mejia hit .386 with eight homers, 15 doubles, three triples and a 1.013 OPS. During the run, he had three stretches in which he missed four or more games. He missed time for the All-Star events and sat out games with a flu bug. On July 31, Mejia was on the bench as the trade reports swirled.
Outfielder Greg Allen was also in the reported package that was going to the Brewers, along with Minor League shortstop Yu-Cheng Chang and reliever Shawn Armstrong. Allen was with Double-A Akron when Lucroy nixed the deal on July 31. Allen opened the year at Lynchburg, however, and witnessed Mejia record a hit in 13 games within his streak.
"It was special," Allen said. "I got to be a part of it for a couple weeks there. Just to see his improvement not only fundamentally as a hitter, but also his approach that he brought to the plate day in and day out, I think that's why he was able to be so effective and keep that streak for so long. It's because of the adjustments and the things he was able to improve on. It was special. It was fun to watch."
Consider that Mejia hit .243 with a .670 OPS in 2015 with Lake County. One year later, the catcher sported an average nearly 100 points higher and an OPS that flirted with .900 in his 102 games. Mejia finished 2016 with 11 homers, 29 doubles, four triples, 63 runs scored and 80 RBIs. Not only was he an outstanding defensive catcher, Mejia was now showing signs of turning a corner at the plate.
No wonder Milwaukee saw Mejia as a future cornerstone player.
Mejia is happy that he can continue striving for that potential with Cleveland.
"I felt really good," he said. "I felt really happy to stay with my friends and stay with my teammates. I was going to have to make new relationships. I'm happy to stay with the relationships that I already have."
Re: Articles
5605Longest Minor League hitting streaks
Player Games Year
Joe Wilhoit 69 1919
Joe DiMaggio 61 1933
Roman Mejias 55 1954
Francisco Mejia 50 2016
Otto Pahlman 50 1922
Jack Ness 49 1915
Harry Chozen 49 1945
Johnny Bates 46 1925
James McOwen 45 2009
Brandon Watson 43 2007
Eddie Marshall 43 1935
Orlando Moreno 43 1947
Howie Bedell 43 1961
Jack Lelivelt 42 1912
Herbert Chapman 42 1950
Ducky Detweiler 40 1942
Frosty Kennedy 40 1953
Except for DiMaggio, any of those guys a Major League impact player?
Player Games Year
Joe Wilhoit 69 1919
Joe DiMaggio 61 1933
Roman Mejias 55 1954
Francisco Mejia 50 2016
Otto Pahlman 50 1922
Jack Ness 49 1915
Harry Chozen 49 1945
Johnny Bates 46 1925
James McOwen 45 2009
Brandon Watson 43 2007
Eddie Marshall 43 1935
Orlando Moreno 43 1947
Howie Bedell 43 1961
Jack Lelivelt 42 1912
Herbert Chapman 42 1950
Ducky Detweiler 40 1942
Frosty Kennedy 40 1953
Except for DiMaggio, any of those guys a Major League impact player?
Re: Articles
5606Cleveland Indians have Terry Talkin' strong ticket sales, Edwin Encarnacion -- Terry Pluto
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I've been told the Cleveland Indians have already passed 10,000 in season ticket sales.
That's up from about 7,500 last season -- a huge jump. The demand has been higher than they originally projected.
Some veterans in the front office say this has been the most active off-season in terms of ticket sales since the Glory Days of the 1990s when the team was winning big and first moved into what was then called Jacobs Field.
At the peak, the Indians were selling about 23,000 season tickets and they were selling out the season before opening day.
The Indians had a sellout streak of 455 games from June 12, 1995 to April 5, 2001.
It's doubtful anything like 25,000 season tickets or selling out the season is about to happen. That was the case during the sellout streak.
But the trip to the World Series combined with the signing of Edwin Encarnacion has revived fan interest.
As I wrote last week, ownership is making a major investment. The payroll is rising from about $95 million to close to $135 million.
Part of it was based on hope -- and it was just that, a hope. They hoped fans would respond.
The Indians have been no higher in attendance than No. 28 since 2011. That's despite the team having winning records from 2013-16.
So far, the response has been exciting for the Tribe.
For most summer weekend games, the lower bowl is sold out. That's from all the different ticket packages purchased by fans.
Like the vast majority of big league teams, the Indians use "dynamic pricing." That means prices change based on demand for individual games. It's why buying tickets well in advance for attractive teams and dates tends to make more sense (and save dollars) -- assuming the team plays well.
That's another reason why the ticket sales have been strong so far.
HARD TO BELIEVE
A year ago, the Indians were coming off an 81-80 season.
It was a major disappointment for a team that was supposed to be in the World Series, at least according to Sports illustrated. ESPN's more reality-based prediction had the Tribe winning the Central Division.
Yet, the Indians were rather dismal for most of 2015. The Indians had a 49-59 record. It was a frustrating season, as the Tribe kept hoping high-priced free agents Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn would finally get healthy and start to produce.
Their last decent season was 2013, when the Indians were 92-70 and made the playoffs as a wild card team.
On August 7, 2015, the Tribe made a deal that began to turn around the team. President Chris Antonetti and general manager Mike Chernoff shipped Swisher and Bourn to the Atlanta Braves for Chris Johnson. Owner Paul Dolan added about $10 million as both teams were dumping hefty contracts.
The Indians had a 32-21 record after that trade. That was encouraging, but hardly any hint of what was to come.
In June of 2015, the Indians promoted Francisco Lindor from the minors, and he has been a franchise-changing player.
Think about January 1, 2016, when it comes to the Tribe. What were you hoping they'd do in the 2016 season?
Spending big in free agency was out. Michael Brantley had just had shoulder surgery. The Indians still had a young and talented pitching staff, but it was hard to generate a lot of excitement.
That was the same during spring training.
The free agents they signed were Mike Napoli, Rajai Davis, Marlon Byrd and Juan Uribe. All veterans, all signed one-year contracts.
WHO KNEW?
A year later, the Indians came within one game of winning the World Series.
And they just made the biggest free agent acquisition in franchise history, agreeing to what is basically a three-year, $60 million deal for slugger Edwin Encarnacion.
While the signing is not official, the contract can be worth as much as $80 million over four years. No matter how you add it up, it's big money for the Tribe.
And the Indians also have one of the game's premier relievers in Andrew Miller.
And they won the Central Division with a 94-68 record.
And for Tribe fans, these are amazing times.
But as the calendar turned to 2016, who could have imagined all this?
Backed by ownership, the Antonetti/Chernoff front office has been bold.
Trading four prospects for Miller was not the typical Tribe move. Nor was committing $60 million to Encarnacion, who turns 34 on January 7. The payroll is taking a 40 percent jump. They are still paying Chris Johnson (part of the Swisher/Bourn deal) $7.5 million not to play for them in 2017.
It really has been a new ballgame at Progressive Field, and it started on August 7, 2015, when the Indians made that deal with Atlanta.
ABOUT EDWIN ENCARNACION
I received some questions from fans about the Tribe's new slugger. How does he hit in Cleveland? How does he play first base? Those are just a few of the topics:
1. I like to look at the last three years of a new player. In that span, Encarnacion is a .269 hitter (.905 OPS), averaging 38 HR and 112 RBI.
2. From 2014-16, the right-handed hitting Encarnacion batted .254 vs. lefties, .273 vs. righties.
3. He batted .279 in Toronto, where they have a retractable roof. On the road, it was .260.
4. He's not played a lot of games in Progressive Field. He is 11-of-42 (.262) with 1 HR and 5 RBI. Being with Toronto, most of his games were in the Eastern Division.
5. Against the Tribe in the playoffs, he was 4-of-19 with a double, two RBI and four strikeouts.
6. Encarnacion played 75 games (out of 160) at first base. I've been told his defense is iffy. But Fangraphs.com rated him the No. 7 first baseman out of 19 in the American League. By comparison, Mike Napoli was rated No. 15. Carlos Santana was No. 4. Encarnacion made only two errors last season.
7. Santana and Encarnacion will probably take turns playing first, the other being the DH. Both are durable players. Over the last three years, Santana averaged 155 games. Encarnacion averaged 144 games.
ABOUT THE TRIBE
1. Assuming the Indians don't re-sign Rajai Davis, Abraham Almonte becomes a very important role player. Almonte was suspended for the first 80 games of 2016 when he flunked a PED test. He returned to the team to hit .264 (.695 OPS) with 1 HR and 22 RBI in 182 at bats. The Indians like the fact that he hit 20 doubles and had a .401 slugging percentage.
2. The Indians would like to have Davis back, but they have exhausted their budget with the signing of Encarnacion. Davis earned $5.25 million last season. The 36-year-old hit .249 (.693 OPS). Those numbers were about the same as Almonte's. But Davis is an elite basestealer (43-of-49). He also hit a career-best 12 HR in 134 games.
3. It's possible Davis could be neglected by other teams, who worry about his age. I think he often has been undervalued. The stats geeks concentrate on his OPS, etc. But his speed changes games and he's still a pretty good outfielder. So if there is little interest in Davis, he could perhaps return -- but I'd say that's doubtful.
4. The Indians platooned the right-handed hitting Davis with left-handed hitting Tyler Naquin in center. I doubt the Tribe wants to play Naquin against lots of lefties this season.
5. That's where Almonte matters. In 2015, he played 50 games in center field after Bourn was traded. He did a decent job defensively. He batted .264 (.776) with 5 HR and 20 RBI in 178 at bats.
6. So Almonte has batted exactly .264 in both seasons with the Tribe. The 27-year-old Almonte has played 118 games with the Tribe, batting .264 (.695 OPS) with 6 HR, 42 RBI and 29 doubles in 360 at bats. He is 14-of-14 in stolen bases, so he does have some speed.
7. Almonte is a switch hitter. He is a little better (.279) vs. lefties than righties (.254). So that also makes him a platoon partner with Naquin in center.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I've been told the Cleveland Indians have already passed 10,000 in season ticket sales.
That's up from about 7,500 last season -- a huge jump. The demand has been higher than they originally projected.
Some veterans in the front office say this has been the most active off-season in terms of ticket sales since the Glory Days of the 1990s when the team was winning big and first moved into what was then called Jacobs Field.
At the peak, the Indians were selling about 23,000 season tickets and they were selling out the season before opening day.
The Indians had a sellout streak of 455 games from June 12, 1995 to April 5, 2001.
It's doubtful anything like 25,000 season tickets or selling out the season is about to happen. That was the case during the sellout streak.
But the trip to the World Series combined with the signing of Edwin Encarnacion has revived fan interest.
As I wrote last week, ownership is making a major investment. The payroll is rising from about $95 million to close to $135 million.
Part of it was based on hope -- and it was just that, a hope. They hoped fans would respond.
The Indians have been no higher in attendance than No. 28 since 2011. That's despite the team having winning records from 2013-16.
So far, the response has been exciting for the Tribe.
For most summer weekend games, the lower bowl is sold out. That's from all the different ticket packages purchased by fans.
Like the vast majority of big league teams, the Indians use "dynamic pricing." That means prices change based on demand for individual games. It's why buying tickets well in advance for attractive teams and dates tends to make more sense (and save dollars) -- assuming the team plays well.
That's another reason why the ticket sales have been strong so far.
HARD TO BELIEVE
A year ago, the Indians were coming off an 81-80 season.
It was a major disappointment for a team that was supposed to be in the World Series, at least according to Sports illustrated. ESPN's more reality-based prediction had the Tribe winning the Central Division.
Yet, the Indians were rather dismal for most of 2015. The Indians had a 49-59 record. It was a frustrating season, as the Tribe kept hoping high-priced free agents Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn would finally get healthy and start to produce.
Their last decent season was 2013, when the Indians were 92-70 and made the playoffs as a wild card team.
On August 7, 2015, the Tribe made a deal that began to turn around the team. President Chris Antonetti and general manager Mike Chernoff shipped Swisher and Bourn to the Atlanta Braves for Chris Johnson. Owner Paul Dolan added about $10 million as both teams were dumping hefty contracts.
The Indians had a 32-21 record after that trade. That was encouraging, but hardly any hint of what was to come.
In June of 2015, the Indians promoted Francisco Lindor from the minors, and he has been a franchise-changing player.
Think about January 1, 2016, when it comes to the Tribe. What were you hoping they'd do in the 2016 season?
Spending big in free agency was out. Michael Brantley had just had shoulder surgery. The Indians still had a young and talented pitching staff, but it was hard to generate a lot of excitement.
That was the same during spring training.
The free agents they signed were Mike Napoli, Rajai Davis, Marlon Byrd and Juan Uribe. All veterans, all signed one-year contracts.
WHO KNEW?
A year later, the Indians came within one game of winning the World Series.
And they just made the biggest free agent acquisition in franchise history, agreeing to what is basically a three-year, $60 million deal for slugger Edwin Encarnacion.
While the signing is not official, the contract can be worth as much as $80 million over four years. No matter how you add it up, it's big money for the Tribe.
And the Indians also have one of the game's premier relievers in Andrew Miller.
And they won the Central Division with a 94-68 record.
And for Tribe fans, these are amazing times.
But as the calendar turned to 2016, who could have imagined all this?
Backed by ownership, the Antonetti/Chernoff front office has been bold.
Trading four prospects for Miller was not the typical Tribe move. Nor was committing $60 million to Encarnacion, who turns 34 on January 7. The payroll is taking a 40 percent jump. They are still paying Chris Johnson (part of the Swisher/Bourn deal) $7.5 million not to play for them in 2017.
It really has been a new ballgame at Progressive Field, and it started on August 7, 2015, when the Indians made that deal with Atlanta.
ABOUT EDWIN ENCARNACION
I received some questions from fans about the Tribe's new slugger. How does he hit in Cleveland? How does he play first base? Those are just a few of the topics:
1. I like to look at the last three years of a new player. In that span, Encarnacion is a .269 hitter (.905 OPS), averaging 38 HR and 112 RBI.
2. From 2014-16, the right-handed hitting Encarnacion batted .254 vs. lefties, .273 vs. righties.
3. He batted .279 in Toronto, where they have a retractable roof. On the road, it was .260.
4. He's not played a lot of games in Progressive Field. He is 11-of-42 (.262) with 1 HR and 5 RBI. Being with Toronto, most of his games were in the Eastern Division.
5. Against the Tribe in the playoffs, he was 4-of-19 with a double, two RBI and four strikeouts.
6. Encarnacion played 75 games (out of 160) at first base. I've been told his defense is iffy. But Fangraphs.com rated him the No. 7 first baseman out of 19 in the American League. By comparison, Mike Napoli was rated No. 15. Carlos Santana was No. 4. Encarnacion made only two errors last season.
7. Santana and Encarnacion will probably take turns playing first, the other being the DH. Both are durable players. Over the last three years, Santana averaged 155 games. Encarnacion averaged 144 games.
ABOUT THE TRIBE
1. Assuming the Indians don't re-sign Rajai Davis, Abraham Almonte becomes a very important role player. Almonte was suspended for the first 80 games of 2016 when he flunked a PED test. He returned to the team to hit .264 (.695 OPS) with 1 HR and 22 RBI in 182 at bats. The Indians like the fact that he hit 20 doubles and had a .401 slugging percentage.
2. The Indians would like to have Davis back, but they have exhausted their budget with the signing of Encarnacion. Davis earned $5.25 million last season. The 36-year-old hit .249 (.693 OPS). Those numbers were about the same as Almonte's. But Davis is an elite basestealer (43-of-49). He also hit a career-best 12 HR in 134 games.
3. It's possible Davis could be neglected by other teams, who worry about his age. I think he often has been undervalued. The stats geeks concentrate on his OPS, etc. But his speed changes games and he's still a pretty good outfielder. So if there is little interest in Davis, he could perhaps return -- but I'd say that's doubtful.
4. The Indians platooned the right-handed hitting Davis with left-handed hitting Tyler Naquin in center. I doubt the Tribe wants to play Naquin against lots of lefties this season.
5. That's where Almonte matters. In 2015, he played 50 games in center field after Bourn was traded. He did a decent job defensively. He batted .264 (.776) with 5 HR and 20 RBI in 178 at bats.
6. So Almonte has batted exactly .264 in both seasons with the Tribe. The 27-year-old Almonte has played 118 games with the Tribe, batting .264 (.695 OPS) with 6 HR, 42 RBI and 29 doubles in 360 at bats. He is 14-of-14 in stolen bases, so he does have some speed.
7. Almonte is a switch hitter. He is a little better (.279) vs. lefties than righties (.254). So that also makes him a platoon partner with Naquin in center.
Re: Articles
5608What a difference one ballplayer can make!!!!
Just think about what a difference one ballplayer could have made in the past when we were that one man short!?!?!?.
One name comes to mind immediately......Nelson Cruz! Back when he was on the cheap and I indicated so more than once.
There were others, but Cruz would have looked great in Cleveland at that time. I'm sure we could have sold a few extra tickets with his bat in the lineup.
Maybe these guys are finally waking up to the fact that the fans will come if they provide us with a championship product, not just a competitive product, on the field.
One guy can make a difference!
Just think about what a difference one ballplayer could have made in the past when we were that one man short!?!?!?.
One name comes to mind immediately......Nelson Cruz! Back when he was on the cheap and I indicated so more than once.
There were others, but Cruz would have looked great in Cleveland at that time. I'm sure we could have sold a few extra tickets with his bat in the lineup.
Maybe these guys are finally waking up to the fact that the fans will come if they provide us with a championship product, not just a competitive product, on the field.
One guy can make a difference!
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Articles
5609To defend the front office a second.
joez- "one man away" is in the eye of the beholder. For example I don't remember any recent Tribe teams that were "one man away". Not seeing it.
On the other hand the 2016 Indians could truly be unarguably "one man away". Ok. Move made.
The front office puts together a great season. Now offseason too. So they get grief for supposed past failures?
Not buying.
joez- "one man away" is in the eye of the beholder. For example I don't remember any recent Tribe teams that were "one man away". Not seeing it.
On the other hand the 2016 Indians could truly be unarguably "one man away". Ok. Move made.
The front office puts together a great season. Now offseason too. So they get grief for supposed past failures?
Not buying.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
5610CLEVELAND INDIANS 2014
1 C Yan Gomes
2 1B Carlos Santana
3 2B Jason Kipnis
4 SS Asdrubal Cabrera
5 3B Lonnie Chisenhall
6 LF Michael Brantley
7 CF Michael Bourn
8 RF David Murphy
9 DH Nick Swisher#
Just saying:
Nelson Cruz signed a one year contract with the Orioles in 2014 for $8 mil. He hit .266, led the league in homers with 40, was 3rd with 108 rbis and had 32 doubles. We finished the season in 3rd place 5 games behind Detroit. Cruz came in 6th in the balloting for MVP. The pitching staff was ranked 4th in the American League.
Hey, Hoynsie:
A couple of things that maybe you know the answer to. Why two years of David Murphy instead of Nelson Cruz and why a four-year expensive deal to a complimentary player like Nick Swisher instead of signing a younger Yasiel Puig or Jose Abreu? – Hank Miller, Cleveland.
Hey, Hank:
GM Chris Antonetti said they targeted Murphy before the start of free agency. They went after him hard and felt he'd be a good fit because of his ability to play all three outfield positions. They also figured that he'd have a great chance to bounce back after a down year in Texas in 2013.
[ I figured with Cruz's track record, one man could have made a difference
]
I was told the Indians wanted no part of Cruz, not with last year's PED suspension hanging over his head, the qualifying offer attached by Texas after last season and the big money he wanted. They were not alone -- Baltimore didn't sign him until Feb. 25 for a one-year, $8 million deal. The Orioles forfeited their No.1 and No.2 picks in the June draft with the signing of free agents Ubaldo Jimenez and Cruz.
No doubt, the Orioles struck gold with Cruz. They took a chance and it paid off for them.
[ No telling what happens if Cruz was still around in 2015. We finished 3rd 13.5 game out. Highly unlikely we sign Cruz in 2015. We would have never beaten the contract that Seattle offered him ]
1 C Yan Gomes
2 1B Carlos Santana
3 2B Jason Kipnis
4 SS Asdrubal Cabrera
5 3B Lonnie Chisenhall
6 LF Michael Brantley
7 CF Michael Bourn
8 RF David Murphy
9 DH Nick Swisher#
Code: Select all
Central W L PCT GB
y-Detroit Tigers 90 72 .556 -
w-Kansas City Royals 89 73 .549 1.0
Cleveland Indians 85 77 .525 5.0
Chicago White Sox 73 89 .451 17.0
Minnesota Twins 70 92 .432 20.0
Nelson Cruz signed a one year contract with the Orioles in 2014 for $8 mil. He hit .266, led the league in homers with 40, was 3rd with 108 rbis and had 32 doubles. We finished the season in 3rd place 5 games behind Detroit. Cruz came in 6th in the balloting for MVP. The pitching staff was ranked 4th in the American League.
Hey, Hoynsie:
A couple of things that maybe you know the answer to. Why two years of David Murphy instead of Nelson Cruz and why a four-year expensive deal to a complimentary player like Nick Swisher instead of signing a younger Yasiel Puig or Jose Abreu? – Hank Miller, Cleveland.
Hey, Hank:
GM Chris Antonetti said they targeted Murphy before the start of free agency. They went after him hard and felt he'd be a good fit because of his ability to play all three outfield positions. They also figured that he'd have a great chance to bounce back after a down year in Texas in 2013.
[ I figured with Cruz's track record, one man could have made a difference
]I was told the Indians wanted no part of Cruz, not with last year's PED suspension hanging over his head, the qualifying offer attached by Texas after last season and the big money he wanted. They were not alone -- Baltimore didn't sign him until Feb. 25 for a one-year, $8 million deal. The Orioles forfeited their No.1 and No.2 picks in the June draft with the signing of free agents Ubaldo Jimenez and Cruz.
No doubt, the Orioles struck gold with Cruz. They took a chance and it paid off for them.
[ No telling what happens if Cruz was still around in 2015. We finished 3rd 13.5 game out. Highly unlikely we sign Cruz in 2015. We would have never beaten the contract that Seattle offered him ]
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller