Indians declined C Roberto Perez's $7 million option for 2022.

He'll be given a $450,000 buyout instead. Perez is coming off an injury-shortened 2021 campaign and has been woeful offensively aside from an outlier showing in 2019. However, he's among the better defensive catchers in the game and should draw interest this winter as one of the better backstops available.

You back in AZ yet. TFIR?

I just got back Saturday

Wittgren non tendered
Cam Hill released
Francisco Perez who looked pretty good released and quickly signed by Washington as serms reasonable

I can only hope they have plenty more roster removals to go. If they want to get rid of lefties Young Nelson and Moss need to go

I will guess they are trying to work out minor league deals with those 3 along with outfielders Johnson Zimmer and Semi-outfielder H Ramirez.
Couldn’t do the same witn Perez because he got s major league contract

seagull wrote:You back in AZ yet. TFIR?

I just got back Saturday

Hey seagull - just got back this past Monday. Here until at least April probably May.

two weeks of mystery

Every offseason, all 30 teams have until a specified date (Nov. 19 in 2021) to add players to their 40-man rosters in order to protect them from being selected in next month's Rule 5 Draft.

roster now at 36 with Sandlin and Naylor added back from 60 man DL.
19 pitchers
1 catcher
9 infielders
7 outfielders

adding Rocchio and Freeman and Tena and Noel would make an overload of IF but that's where the team's depth is. Means trades loom.
Adding Kwan, Palacios and Gonzalez would offset dumping Zimmer, Johnson and perhaps Ramirez and Mercado among OFs
Lavastida would double the catcher count but I'm not sure he even projects to stay back of the plate.

Indians re-signed OF Oscar Gonzalez to a minor league contract.

The 23-year-old Gonzalez just enjoyed a monster season between Double- and Triple-A, putting up 31 home runs with a .293/.329/.542 over 121 games. He's useful depth to have around the upper levels, with a chance to make an impact in the majors in 2022.

Since he's not on the 40 man roster, I think that still means he could be taken in the Rule 5 draft? I know he was in a different category than the other guys they need to protect because his longevity made him a minor league free agent.

Seems like Oscar is what they've been looking for. Big, strong, young, power hitting OF. Don't understand why he's not on the 40.

Rarely walks. Mediocre fielder
Was eligible for Rule 5 draft in 2019 and 2020 and no one bit
This was his best season since rookie ball

civ ollilavad wrote:Rarely walks. Mediocre fielder
Was eligible for Rule 5 draft in 2019 and 2020 and no one bit
This was his best season since rookie ball

Hey sounds like Franmil!

They must be doing something to keep him around since they bothered to sign him to a contract.

well maybe not quite; if he were as good as Franmil someone would have grabbed him in one of the previous rule 5 drafts, but I'm perfectly willing to dump most of the current OF roster crowd and let Oscar and Palacios and Kwan take their chances.
Of course I'd be OK if they signed Sterling Marte,

where did you find the Oscar the G signing? I rely on Indians.com which is often behind the curve; and baseball america which is great for prospect ratings and game reports but often slow on transactions.

TFIR wrote:Indians re-signed OF Oscar Gonzalez to a minor league contract.

The 23-year-old Gonzalez just enjoyed a monster season between Double- and Triple-A, putting up 31 home runs with a .293/.329/.542 over 121 games. He's useful depth to have around the upper levels, with a chance to make an impact in the majors in 2022.

Just wondering why a guy that's about to become a minor league FA would sign another minor league contract now giving up the chance to be signed to a major deal. Guys sign minor league contracts when they don't get any offers for major deals during the spring.