Cleveland Sports Forum

I'd be surprised if Ubaldo fetches huge offers as a FA. He had a good season with the Rockies, and half a good season with the Indians 3 years later. Seems like quite a risk.

He will get at least 3 years for 36 million if he decides to go free agent. (Maybe more.)

Report: Indians won't offer Ubaldo Jimenez multiyear deal

LINDSEY FOLTIN |

Published: Friday, October 25, 2013, 3:29pm | 0 Comments

The Indians won't offer Ubaldo Jimenez a multiyear deal, but are still deciding if they'll make him a $14 million qualifying offer, according to Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer/Cleveland.com.

Once the World Series concludes, the 2014 MLB offseason will officially begin and the Indians will have some decisions to make.

Based on the way Jimenez pitched in 2013, the team will most likely pick up his $8 million club option and he will most likely decline. If that's the case, the Indians will have to make a qualifying offer worth $14 million, which he will also most likely decline. (You can thank Tim Lincecum for that.)

To put it simply, Ubaldo Jimenez will become a free agent in about two weeks.

Hoynes' story from Cleveland.com explains the scenario:

There is no chance that the Indians offer Jimenez a multiyear deal. All thoughts of that were washed away when the Giants signed Tim Lincecum earlier this week to a two-year, $35 million deal. Jimenez and Lincecum, each 29, would have entered this winter’s free agent class together if the Giants didn’t sign their veteran right-hander.

The biggest question the Indians face will be whether to offer him a $14 million qualifying offer, which is based on the average of the top 125 contracts in the big leagues.

The deadline for the Indians to make such an offer to Jimenez is 5 p.m. ET on the fifth day after the final game of the World Series. Jimenez would then have seven days to accept or decline. If he accepts, he’ll stay with the Indians on a one-year deal worth $14 million.

If he signs with another team, the Indians will receive a draft pick at the end of the first round in 2014.

Once free agency begins, the Indians will also have to take a look at Scott Kazmir and whether or not they want to offer him a multiyear deal. Kazmir will be an unrestricted free agent coming off a one-year deal he signed with the Indians last offseason, so his contract situation is pretty straight forward.

With Jimenez no longer in the cards, the Indians would certainly benefit from working out a deal with Kazmir. While the team would no longer have money tied up in Jimenez, the contract he signs will affect the market price for Kazmir and any other free agent pitchers they might have their eye on.

I'd be surprised if Ubaldo fetches huge offers as a FA. He had a good season with the Rockies, and half a good season with the Indians 3 years later. Seems like quite a risk.

He will get at least 3 years for 36 million if he decides to go free agent. (Maybe more.)

If Lincecum got 2 years at $35 million, that's $17.5 million per year. Granted, it's only for 2 years. A multi year deal would be for less per year.

That said, $14 million per year is not out of the question then, at all. 4 years at $14 mill per year ($56 mill) , or 5 years at $14 mill per year totalling $70 mill.

I agree Ubaldo is risky, but so is Lincecum! Someone out there will pay that. The Indians aren't dumb enough to be that team.

Would rather see them re-sign Kazmir, then use the savings to fill another hole.

Nice article on FA options. This is well written and realistic IMO.
By Andy Nichols
October 24, 2013

The 2013 Indians season brought with it several memorable moments.

The pitching far exceeded preseason expectations, but the offense left something to be desired. There were many circumstances throughout 2013 where it became clear that Cleveland lacked a true middle of the order bat. Nick Swisher and Asdrubal Cabrera struggled, and while Santana proved capable he maybe fits more in the fifth or sixth spot in the order.

In this two part series, I will explore possible offensive targets the Indians may have their eyes on this winter. Part one focuses on this offseason’s free agent class.
Big Names

Nelson Cruz
2013: 413 AB, .266 AVG, .327 OBP, .833 OPS, 27 HR 76 RBI

Cruz is one of the big ticket offensive free agents this winter. He is a right fielder with good raw power to all fields and is a legitimate middle of the order bat. He is exactly what the Indians need. His 50-game suspension for PEDs should not hurt his free agent stock too much as we saw with Melky Cabrera last year. If Texas gives Cruz a qualifying offer Cleveland will probably lose interest, but with the Indians possibly having as many as three first round picks, they may be willing to part with one in order to get the power bat in the middle of their lineup that they so desperately need.

Mike Napoli
2013: 498 AB, .259 AVG, .360 OBP, .842 OPS, 23 HR, 92 RBI

Napoli agreed to a one-year deal with Boston late in the offseason last winter due to injury concerns from a failed physical after originally agreeing to a multi-year deal with the Red Sox during the Winter Meetings. With the 2013 season that Napoli put together, he should have no problem finding a multi-year deal this winter. He is another legitimate middle of the order bat that would give Cleveland the run producer they need. He is now strictly a first baseman, and played fairly well at that position this year. His presence would send Nick Swisher back to right field, a move I'm sure he has no problem with. Napoli is a name the Indians may be tied to this offseason, though like with Cruz, they would have to fork up some serious money to acquire his services.

Curtis Granderson
2013: 214 AB, .229 AVG, .317 OBP, .723 OPS, 7 HR, 15 RBI

Granderson didn't see the field very often in 2013 (he played in just 61 games) due to two fluke injuries that occurred on hit by pitches. He's no longer the Curtis Granderson of old, which could put him in the Indians price range. Though he would offer Cleveland some left handed power, he also comes with several question marks. With left field and center field locked up for the time being, can Granderson play right field on a daily basis? He's appeared in just 14 games in right field in his career, all of which came this season. How significantly will his power numbers decrease outside of homer friendly Yankee Stadium? In his four seasons in New York, Granderson had two 40+ homer seasons. His career high before joining the Yankees was 30 in 2009. He's not a middle of the order hitter anymore and he strikes out a ton. For Cleveland, the negatives may outweigh the positives.

Carlos Beltran
2013: 554 AB, .296 AVG, .339 OBP, .380 OPS, 24 HR, 84 RBI

Cleveland fans will instantly look towards Carlos Beltran on free agent lists this winter due to his reported interest in the Indians when he was a free agent two winters ago. Multiple reports had stated that Beltran had narrowed his choices down to St. Louis and Cleveland in 2011, before choosing to join the Cardinals. Whether that was really the case, or just Beltran's agent trying to drive up the price for his client will remain a mystery. But Beltran seemed interested in Cleveland and the Indians should once again be interested in him this offseason. He is a veteran proven run producer that has been able to hush critics who have questioned his durability with back-to-back 145+ game seasons. He is also one of the best clutch/postseason hitters we've seen this decade. A trait that is sorely needed in the Cleveland lineup.
Middle Tier

Marlon Byrd
2013: 532 AB, .291 AVG, .336 OBP, .847 OPS, 24 HR, 88 RBI

Byrd is interesting because of his breakout 2013 season at the age of 35 (turned 36 on August 30th) after receiving only a minor league deal from the outfielder-desperate New York Mets last winter. He's a guy that would certainly fill a need for Cleveland, but his cost is what will determine the Indians' level of interest. There will surely be several teams after Byrd as he will be a somewhat cheap power option; however, he still may cost more than Cleveland is willing to spend on a possible big time regression candidate. If he can duplicate his 2013 numbers, whatever team he signs with this offseason will have gotten a bargain. If he can't, then he will very likely turn, once again, into a role player. A highly overpaid one.

Corey Hart
2012: 562 AB, .270 AVG, .334 OBP, .841 OPS, 30 HR, 83 RBI

Hart missed all of 2013 after surgeries to both knees. When healthy, Hart is a capable middle of the order bat with proven power and run producing numbers. Separate knee surgeries in the same offseason will bring with it several red flags, but these are the types of guys Cleveland has targeted in the past. After 2012, it looked like Hart was in line for a big contract following the 2013 season, but his injuries have made a one-year, incentive laden contract for 2014 more likely. I imagine several teams will be calling Hart's agent as every team could use a proven power bat on a relatively inexpensive deal. This is where the Francona factor may come into play. Not only is Cleveland an up-and-coming team that reached the playoffs in 2013, but they also now have a manager who seemingly every player would love to play for. This is a name I will be paying close attention to this winter, and I think Cleveland has as good a chance as any team to land Hart.

Kendrys Morales
2013: 602 AB, .277 AVG, .336 OBP, .785 OPS, 23 HR, 80 RBI

Morales was a name that was linked to Cleveland at the trade deadline this season, and he will be linked to them once again this offseason. He proved that he is all the way back from his freak leg injury after celebrating a walk-off home run that cost him two seasons. He is a liability at first base and works mainly as a DH. A Morales signing would probably force Cleveland to have to play Santana at first base more often than they may like, while also moving Swisher back to right field. Another possible negative regarding Morales is that there has been talk that Seattle may extend him a qualifying offer. If that is the case, I find it unlikely that Cleveland would give up a first round pick for him, even if they end up with three first round selections.

Justin Morneau
2013: 572 AB, .259 AVG, .323 OBP, .734 OPS, 17 HR, 77 RBI

In 101 at bats with Pittsburgh (including the postseason), Morneau did not hit a single long ball and drove in only three runs. That power outage may have actually helped the Indians chances of signing the first baseman. When traded to Pittsburgh, Morneau looked to be well on his way to another 20+ homer, 85-90 RBI season. His struggles down the stretch may have cost him a few million dollars and possibly put him right in Cleveland's price range. Despite his decline in power, he is still an imposing force in the middle of a lineup. He is still very capable of driving in runs and is a good defender at first base. I think the Indians will be linked to Morneau this offseason until the moment he signs a contract.

Jhonny Peralta
2013: 409 AB, .303 AVG, .358 OBP, .815 OPS, 11 HR, 55 RBI

You never really now what you’re going to get with Peralta. Defensively, he has hardly any range, but he consistently makes plays on balls hit right to him. Offensively, he’s a guy that when you watch his swing mechanics, you wonder how he’s been in the big leagues this long. Yet you look at his stats at the end of the year and they are consistently average to above average. He’s had some 20+ homer seasons, but he’s probably more of a 15 or so homer guy. He’s underappreciated and is coming off of a 50-game suspension for PED use, so he could be relatively inexpensive unless the teams in need of a shortstop this winter drive his price up. If the Indians trade Asdrubal Cabrera, Peralta could be a decent fill in until Francisco Lindor takes over the shortstop postion. At that point, Peralta could move back to third base. Or, if the Indians hold on to Cabrera, but want more production from the third base position, Peralta could be a fit there.

James Loney
2013: 549 AB, .299 AVG, .348 OBP, .778 OPS, 13 HR, 75 RBI

If the Indians miss out on impact bats this offseason, going the route of great defense may not hurt. Defense is far too often overlooked in baseball. Year in and year out the Rays find a way to win by playing the game with a focus on pitching and defense. When watching game 163 this September, waiting to see who the Indians would face in the Wildcard game, I was rooting as hard for the Rangers as I would be for Cleveland. That’s because Tampa Bay just does not beat themselves. They’re not loaded with stars, yet it takes a perfectly played game to beat them. Modeling their franchise after the Rays may not be a bad idea for Cleveland. Loney seems like the definition of a “Ray”. He plays spectacular defense, puts the ball in play, and keeps the line moving for the Tampa Bay offense. His cost is another plus that may attract the Indians. My only concern with Loney is that he seems to me like a younger Casey Kotchman; Gold Glove-caliber defense at first, few strikeouts at the plate, little power. Look at what Kotchman did in his one year in Tampa (.306/.378/.422) compared to what Loney did this season with the Rays, and the similarities grow. If I’m in charge, I probably stay away from Loney based on his offensive deficiencies in the past; however, if he could duplicate his 2013 season, there’s no doubt that he would help the Indians in several ways.
Role Players and Lottery Tickets

Paul Konerko
2013: 467 AB, .244 AVG, .313 OBP, .669 OPS, 12 HR, 54 RBI

If you only watch Indians games and don’t pay attention to the rest of the league, you may wonder why Konerko’s name isn’t in my “Big Names” group. Anytime this guy sees Chief Wahoo on an opposing pitcher’s jersey, he turns into a perennial MVP candidate. Due to his enormous success against the Indians in his career, it’s hard to believe that his stat line has fallen off so dramatically. He is still only a year removed from a season that saw him hit .298, with a .371 OBP, 26 homers and 75 RBI in 144 games. His age (he’ll be 38 at the start of next season), and his recent battles with nagging injuries have turned Konerko into strictly a DH, likely only able to handle a part time role. His glory days are behind him, but maybe Cleveland take a look at him this offseason.

Raul Ibanez
2013: 454 AB, .242 AVG, .306 OBP, .793 OPS, 29 HR, 65 RBI

Ibanez's numbers make it look like he belongs in the “Middle Tier” group. He is in this section because I can't possibly fathom him putting up equal numbers in what will be his age 42 season in 2014. If Jason Giambi begins to feel like he can't physically return for the 2014 season, Ibanez would be an excellent fit as a part time DH and pinch hitter -although he may cost way more than the Indians are willing to spend on a part time player. Other than that scenario, it's hard to see Cleveland bringing in the veteran to fill basically the same role Giambi already fills.

David Murphy
2013: 436 AB, .220 AVG, .282 OBP, .656 OPS, 13 HR, 45 RBI

Murphy is a guy that really intrigues me. Prior to last season, Murphy had never had a year in which he hit lower than .269 (other than 2006 when he hit .227 in only 22 at bats). Since his debut in 2006, Murphy has had three seasons in which he has hit over .290. He has also hit double-digit homeruns in six straight seasons. Even after his horrendous 2013 that saw him hit only .220, Murphy still owns a career batting average of .275. He reminds me an awful lot of Ryan Raburn, who the Indians snatched up after his career worst 2012 season in Detroit. Murphy could serve as a very admirable platoon mate with Raburn, and add to the depth of the Goon Squad. The only question I have with Murphy is if his arm is capable of handling right field (he has played 184 career big league games in right). Other than that, I'm all for a David Murphy signing.

David DeJesus
2013: 391 AB, .251 AVG, .327 OBP, .729 OPS, 8 HR, 38 RBI

DeJesus isn't technically a free agent – yet. Tampa Bay holds a $6.5 million team option on the outfielder. With the way Tampa Bay spends their money, I don't see them giving $6.5 million to a role player. I could be wrong though. Anyway, I am a big DeJesus fan. He seems to always perform well against Cleveland and I love his scrappiness, his ability to play every outfield position, and his flexibility in the lineup. He isn't going to offer much power, but for a low salary, he's another guy that could fit as a nice platoon mate with Raburn.

Chris Young
2013: 335 AB, .200 AVG, .280 OBP, .659 OPS, 12 HR, 40 RBI

Like DeJesus, Young is also not technically a free agent yet. However, there is no way Oakland picks up his $11 million option. I only see one scenario where Young could be seen wearing a Cleveland uniform: if the Indians decide to non-tender Drew Stubbs. Stubbs is scheduled for a pay raise through arbitration that could see him make around $4 million next season. If I'm the Indians, I non-tender Stubbs and go try to sign Young to a deal for half of that $4 million, if not less. Young and Stubbs are very close to the same player. Like Stubbs, Young is capable of giving you good defense at all three outfield positions. While he may hit for a lower average than Stubbs (scary, I know), he also offers more power potential. Young also offers good speed on the basepaths. He’s not as fast as Stubbs, but few players are. Either way, for a fraction of the cost, I think Young could realistically duplicate Stubbs' 2013 season.

Franklin Gutierrez
2013: 145 AB, .248 AVG, .273 OBP, .777 OPS, 10 HR, 24 RBI

Sticking with the “not technically a free agent” theme, I give you Franklin Gutierrez. Seattle owns a $7.5 million team option on Gutierrez, and they are almost assuredly not going to exercise it. This is another scenario that I only seeing playing out if Stubbs is non-tendered. Gutierrez is another player capable of handling every outfield position. Although he has had a couple of solid years as an everyday player in the past, his bat and his constant health issues make him a better fit as a role player.

Michael Morse
2013: 312 AB, .215 AVG, .270 OBP, .651 OPS, 13 HR, 27 RBI

Morse has played himself into the “buy low” category. After a huge 2011 season with Washington, Morse returned from injury in 2012 to show that he was potentially turning into a feared middle of the order hitter. Then 2013 happened. The power is still there and he's only one year removed from that very productive 2012 season. He may be worth a shot as a lottery ticket, but if Morse is Cleveland's big offensive acquisition this winter, fans will have every right to be upset.

Kevin Youkilis
2013: 105 AB, .219 AVG, .305 OBP, .648 OPS, 2 HR, 8 RBI

I'm sure most people forgot that Youkilis would once again be a free agent. Or that he even still played. After all the injury issues the last few seasons, along with an alarming dip in production, it's obvious that Youkilis is no longer an everyday player. At this point, he only makes sense as a part time third base/first base/designated hitter option. His veteran leadership and ability to make a pitcher work will get Youkilis a job this winter, but who knows how long he can fight off the injury bug.

Juan Uribe
2013: 388 AB, .278 AVG, .331 OBP, .769 OPS, 12 HR, 50 RBI

These last two potential free agent targets depend entirely on what the Indians decide to do with Lonnie Chisenhall. If Cleveland decides to stick with Chisenhall, they may look for a right handed platoon partner. Uribe has proven himself valuable once again in 2013. Maybe too valuable for Cleveland's tastes. After severely disappointing in his first two seasons in Los Angeles, Uribe bounced back to have a rather effective 2013 season. Like he did after a big 2010 season with San Francisco, Uribe may use his 2013 season to get him a multi-year contract with a chance at a starting gig. Cleveland may not be willing to give Uribe what he will initially be looking for, but if he can be talked down, he may make some sense as valuable contributor off the bench or in a platoon situation.

Eric Chavez
2013: 228 AB, .281 AVG, .332 OBP, .810 OPS, 9 HR, 44 RBI

Chavez is an option if the Indians decide to either use Chisenhall as a trade chip, or have him start the season in the minors. I like Chisenhall, but a large part of me is ready for the Indians to move on. If they do, I would be intrigued by Chavez as a one year fix and as part of a platoon with Mike Aviles. Chavez is still a capable defender at both third and first base. He still has some pop in his bat and can hit for a respectable average. Perhaps most importantly, he will come cheap. Injuries have always been a concern with him, which is why he is nothing more than a role player at this point in his career.

I like Hart and Michael Morse out of the bargain bin..

If it were me I would let Ubaldo walk, try to sign Kaz to a 2 year deal or so, and use the rest to get 1 or 2 of those bats.

Offseason Outlook: Cleveland Indians
By Charlie Wilmoth [October 27 at 8:30pm CST]
Fed up after a 2012 season in which they went 68-94 and allowed 178 runs more than they scored, the Indians attempted to force their way into contention by signing Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn the following offseason. Cleveland improved by 24 games in 2013 and made the postseason for the first time since 2007, falling in a one-game playoff against the Rays. They'll aim to repeat that success in 2013, but first they'll need to patch up their pitching staff.

Guaranteed Contracts

Nick Swisher, 1B/OF: $45MM through 2016
Michael Bourn, OF: $41MM through 2016
Carlos Santana, C: $19.6MM through 2017
Asdrubal Cabrera, SS: $10MM through 2014
Ryan Raburn, UT: $4.9MM through 2015
Mike Aviles, 2B: $3.75MM through 2014
Trevor Bauer, P: $1.2MM through 2014
Arbitration Eligibles

Justin Masterson, SP (5.108): $9.7MM
Chris Perez, RP (5.136): $9MM (non-tender candidate)
Drew Stubbs, OF (4.047): $3.8MM (non-tender candidate)
Michael Brantley, OF (3.131): $3.7MM
Marc Rzepczynski, RP (3.131): $1.4MM
Vinnie Pestano, RP (2.159): $1.3MM (non-tender candidate)
Josh Tomlin, SP (3.071): $1.1MM (non-tender candidate)
Lou Marson, C (4.036): $1MM (non-tender candidate)
Blake Wood, RP (3.107): $800K (non-tender candidate)
Frank Herrmann, RP (2.147): $600K (non-tender candidate)
Contract Options

Ubaldo Jimenez, $8MM club option, $1MM buyout; Jimenez may void option after being traded by Rockies
Jason Kubel, OF: $7.5MM mutual option, $1MM buyout
Free Agents

Joe Smith, Matt Albers, Kelly Shoppach, Rich Hill, Scott Kazmir, Jason Giambi
The Indians' additions of Swisher and Bourn were important parts of the their 2013 season, but those weren't the only reasons they succeeded. Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana continued to emerge as top young players. Yan Gomes, acquired the previous offseason in a relatively minor trade with the Blue Jays, caught 85 games and was one of Cleveland's best hitters. And Ryan Raburn posted a ridiculous .272/.357/.543 line in a part-time role. Meanwhile, the Indians' starting pitchers -- primarily Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Corey Kluber, Scott Kazmir and Zach McAllister -- were very reliable, which might not have seemed that likely at the beginning of the year.

The Indians' rotation will likely be the focus of much of their offseason. Kazmir is a free agent, and Jimenez essentially is as well. Danny Salazar, coming off a brilliant season split between Double-A, Triple-A and the Majors, will take over one of their spots, but that still leaves one opening. It's not impossible that Kazmir will be back, but it's very unlikely that Jimenez will be. After Masterson, Salazar, Kluber and McAllister, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer are probably the Indians' next options; Carrasco is a perfectly reasonable depth piece (if not more), but Bauer did not even pitch well at Triple-A in 2013.

The right side of the Indians' infield is relatively set, with Swisher as the primary starter at first and Kipnis at second. (Swisher could also start in the outfield if need be, freeing the Indians to pursue another first baseman, but the free agent market at first base is not particularly strong.) Asdrubal Cabrera is still Cleveland's shortstop, although the Indians could consider trading him this offseason, given his $10MM salary and the presence of top prospect Francisco Lindor. Lindor does not turn 20 until November and probably will not make his big-league debut until late 2014, at the earliest, so if the Indians were to trade Cabrera, they could look for a free agent shortstop or hand the position to Mike Aviles.

Lonnie Chisenhall will likely play third; the former first-round pick has not managed to stick in parts of three seasons in the Majors, but he only turned 25 this month and has hit well at Triple-A. Aviles, who got 37 starts for the Indians at third in 2013, will likely pick up starts at third yet again if Chisenhall continues to struggle. Gomes and Santana will continue on as the Indians' catchers, with Santana also picking up starts at first and DH. The Indians also apparently have interest in keeping Jason Giambi for 2014, either as a player or a coach.

Bourn and Michael Brantley will occupy two outfield spots, which leaves one open. Drew Stubbs hit just .233/.305/.360 in 2013; given his defense and the fact that he's relatively cheap, it might still be worth tendering him a contract, but the Indians likely won't want to go into Spring Training with him penciled in as a starter. The Indians do have an in-house alternative in Ryan Raburn, who was revelatory in 2013. His spectacular hitting was so far out of character, though, that it's hard to see him repeating it, particularly if he doesn't get 45% of his plate appearances against lefties again. Anyway, even if the Indians acquire another outfielder, finding at bats for Raburn shouldn't be hard.

In the bullpen, the Indians may find themselves looking for a new closer, given Chris Perez's struggles down the stretch and his projected 2014 salary of $9MM. If the Indians do indeed non-tender Perez, young righty Cody Allen, who posted 11.3 K/9 while throwing mid-90s gas last season, would be an excellent candidate to replace him. In addition to Perez, several other relievers could depart, including Joe Smith, Rich Hill and Matt Albers. Along with Allen, Bryan Shaw and Marc Rzepczynski are the only obvious returnees. The Indians could promote an arm or two for the minors, but it still looks like they may need to sign a reliever or two out of free agency.

The Indians, then, could have three key items on their to-do list: replacing Jimenez and/or Kazmir; adding a hitter to play either first base or right field, whichever Swisher doesn't occupy; and buying themselves a new bullpen. Even after drawing just 1.5MM fans in 2013, the Indians say they'll be able to field a "contending team" in 2014, although they haven't explained what their payroll might be. Without knowing the Indians' financial plans, it's hard to say how their offseason will go. The early signals, however, aren't that encouraging for Indians fans, as it already appears very unlikely that the team will be able to re-sign Jimenez. It doesn't take much money to patch up a bullpen, but it does take money to sign a slugger or a good starting pitcher.

On the field, the Indians' 2013 season was a success. But they drew fewer than 20K fans even for some weekend home games in September, when they were in the thick of a playoff race. The previous offseason's acquisitions of Swisher and Bourn were reasonably successful from a baseball perspective, but they did not appear to help attract fans who might have been put off by the team's awful performance in 2012. Swisher and Bourn are under contract for the next three seasons, regardless. Even with the new TV deal to which the Indians agreed before the 2013 season, it remains to be seen whether the team will shell out more money now that it's clear the last spending spree wasn't particularly effective at bringing fans through the gates.

Bullpen and Jimenez aside, then, unless the Indians get creative on the trade market, the key players on the 2014 team may end up being fairly similar to last season's. They won 92 games in 2013, so clearly, that's not the worst thing in the world. But it's fair to wonder if Gomes, Raburn and Kluber, in particular, are really as good as they were in 2013, and whether the Indians have the pitching depth they need. Even if not, the Indians could well make up the difference with slightly better performances from Swisher, Bourn, Chisenhall and Cabrera (if he's still around), along with a full season of Salazar. But a much clearer path to success would be to spend a bit of money to address the rotation and the outfield, and right now, it's not clear whether the Indians will be willing to do it.

Cuban slugger Jose Abreu out of Cleveland Indians' budget: Hey, Hoynsie!

The Indians scouted Cuban slugger Jose Abreu, but they didn't bid on him. (Koji Sasahara, Associated Press)

By Paul Hoynes, Northeast Ohio Media Group Follow on Twitter

on October 26, 2013 at 6:00 PM, updated October 26, 2013 at 6:01 PM

Hey, Hoynsie: Was the Tribe close to signing Jose Abreu, I didn't read anything about it. I was hoping they might be interested after missing out on Yasiel Puig and Yoenis Cespedes -- Louis Brujo, Cleveland.

Hey, Louis: They scouted him, but were never close to signing him at the kind of money the White Sox gave him. A lot of clubs felt the White Sox paid too much for Abreu at $68 million for six years. He’s reportedly not as athletic as Puig and Cespedes, more of a DH/first base type who is going to have to put up big numbers to justify the contract.

The White Sox have a good Cuban connection with shortstop Alexei Ramirez and outfielder Dayan Viciedo already on the big-league club. They also have a need with Paul Konerko in the sunset of his career.

Well, I guess it's how badly a team wants to reach the next level as to how much they are willing to spend. Both Swisher and Bourne make more per season than the contract Abreu is about to sign. In my opinion, Abreu was our one missing piece to the puzzle.

Not to at least put a bid in ?!?!?!

We never put bids in for Cespedes or Puig either.

How much help could either or both of them have provided this year??? Abreu in 2014??? Remains to be seen I guess.

And he now drags the dead horse as he beats it once again.

Inbox: Will Indians be able to retain Ubaldo?

Beat reporter Jordan Bastian answers Indians fans' questions

By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 10/28/2013 2:26 P.M. ET

Tim Lincecum has been mediocre for the last two years and is being described as a back-end-of-the-rotation guy. How much do you think his outrageous deal will affect the pitching market this offseason?
-- Keith K., Westlake, Ohio

I'm sure there are plenty of players -- not to mention their agents -- who were thrilled to see the Giants retain Lincecum on a two-year, $35-million contract. Its impact on the marketplace remains to be seen, but it is certainly a nice starting point for mid-tier free-agent pitchers. For the Indians, it could make it even harder to re-sign Ubaldo Jimenez.

Granted, Lincecum is being paid for potential (the righty went 62-36 with a 2.81 ERA and a pair of Cy Young Awards from 2008-11) and not for his recent performance (20-29 with a 4.76 ERA from 2012-13). That said, Jimenez is 29 years old (same age as Lincecum) and is coming off a much stronger season, following a similar two-year setback.

Jimenez went 19-30 with a 5.03 ERA over the 2011-12 seasons before bouncing back with a 13-9 record and a 3.30 ERA in '13. The right-hander struck out 194 batters in 182 2/3 innings and had the American League's top ERA in the second half. Now, Big U is eligible to hit the open market, and he certainly seems worthy of a similar contract to the one Lincecum signed.


Once Jimenez voids his option for 2014 (valued at $8 million), as expected, the Indians will almost certainly give him a one-year, $14.1-million qualifying offer for next season. Cleveland has interest in bringing the starter back on that kind of contract, but Lincecum's deal, which includes $17 million in 2014, makes it clear that a better multi-year pact will likely be offered elsewhere.

What tier of starting pitcher will the Indians go after in the offseason? Also, I would like to point out that I sent you an email last year saying the Indians should sign Michael Bourn and move Nick Swisher to first base. It then happened, but I was never acknowledged for predicting this.
-- Chris S., Westerville, Ohio

Sorry, Christradamus. I can't seem to find that email, but let me offer you a belated: "Nailed it!"

Maybe you should tell me which pitchers the Indians will target. With the potential loss of Jimenez and Scott Kazmir -- both potential free agents this winter -- Cleveland will be in the market for a middle-of-the-rotation starter, and possibly a few more arms to throw into the mix. Tribe pitching coach Mickey Callaway has already shown a knack for reclamation projects.

As is, the Indians like the foundation of their rotation: Justin Masterson, Corey Kluber, Danny Salazar and Zach McAllister. More arms are clearly needed, though, especially given the uncertainties that surround guys like Trevor Bauer, Josh Tomlin and Carlos Carrasco. The list of possible free-agent pitchers includes Ervin Santana, Matt Garza, A.J. Burnett, Hiroki Kuroda and Roy Halladay, among others.

I also think you'll see the Indians make a push to sign Masterson to an extension this winter.

If the Indians don't re-sign Kazmir, it looks like they'll have a starting rotation full of right-handed pitchers. Are there any signs Cleveland is worried about this?
-- Jake H., Cygnet, Ohio

You won't see the Indians sign a lefty just for the sake of signing a lefty. Cleveland didn't add Kazmir to mix things up. The club brought him in because of his low cost and high potential. If a left-hander is available and the performance and acquisition cost align, the Indians would undoubtedly have interest. I don't think the Tribe will force the issue there, though.

Hey Jordan, congratulations on your bundle of joy. Here's my question: What are the chances Masterson moves to the bullpen full time?
-- Drew Z., Masury, Ohio

Thanks, Drew! It's been an eventful offseason already in the Bastian house, to say the least. For those who didn't catch the news on Twitter, my wife and I welcomed a daughter into our family on Oct. 19. Little Addison slept right through Shane Victorino's grand slam in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series.

Masterson holds too much value as an innings-eater and staff leader to shift into a full-time bullpen role. The right-hander's move to the 'pen at the end of last season was due to a combination of need and circumstance. Big Masty will be back in the No. 1 role next season. Could he move to the bullpen later in his career? That's possible, but that would be a long way down the road.

Intra-division trades are rare, but the right-handed, power-hitting cleanup hitter the Indians are looking for could be Kansas City's Billy Butler. Last year was an off year, but I believe coming to camp in shape can change a lot. Could Cleveland work out a deal for Butler, who has an option for 2015?
-- Cam M., Auburn, Maine

Knowing the Indians, they would at least inquire about a player like Butler, whose market could be limited due to both his performance in 2013 and his role as primarily a designated hitter. He's only 27, has averaged 20 homers and 90-plus RBIs for the past five years and is under club control for at least 2014 (with a $12.5 million team option for '15). Those are all attractive attributes.

Right now, however, the Indians prefer more flexibility with the DH role, especially with the emergence of Yan Gomes as a starting catcher. Cleveland benefits from being able to mix and match catcher Carlos Santana, Swisher and others in and out of the DH slot. Butler has experience at first, but he's been a DH in 92 percent of his starts over the past three seasons.

I like the way you're thinking, Cam. A trade is the most likely avenue for filling the Indians' power need. I'm just not sure Butler is the answer.

In closing...

Any chance that manager Terry Francona will play a little more small ball in 2014 and beyond? I can think of several instances in 2013 when a bunt or squeeze could have resulted in a very important run.
-- Ed C., Randolph, Ohio

I think you'll see Francona manage in accordance with the kind of players he has in the lineup. Cleveland was actually in the middle of the pack in terms of sac bunts in 2013, ranking seventh in the AL. Only one playoff team (Detroit) had more. In fact, the Red Sox and Rays (tied for 12th) and the A's (14th) were all near the bottom of the league in sac bunts. Good teams pick their spots for giving away an out.

Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Major League Bastian, and follow him on Twitter @MLBastian. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

No (Gold) Glove for the Tribe
OutfieldBack in the early days of Spring Training, during the press conference to introduce Michael Bourn as Cleveland’s new star center fielder, Indians general manager Chris Antonetti was asked for his thoughts on the team’s reconfigured, fleet-footed outfield.

Antonetti smiled and quipped: “We’re just going to move all the fences back. We’re going to make it 450 in left and 550 in center and 450 in right, so they can just go run and catch every ball.”

Antonetti and the Indians certainly had reason to be optimistic about the defensive potential of the new outfield alignment. Bourn up the middle, flanked by former center fielders Michael Brantley and Drew Stubbs in left and right, respectively, gave Cleveland arguably one of the fastest outfields in baseball.

On Tuesday, though, the Indians came up empty-handed in the American League Gold Glove Awards in the outfield, and across the board. In fact, Cleveland did not have a single player among the three candidates at each position. Maybe that wasn’t much of a surprise after watching the team for the past six months, but the shutout would’ve seemed unlikely back in the spring.

The American League’s Gold Glove winners includes Royals catcher Salvador Perez, Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer, Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy, Orioles third baseman Many Machado, Royals left fielder Alex Gordon, Orioles center fielder Adam Jones, Red Sox right fielder Shane Victorino and Blue Jays pitcher R.A. Dickey.

The one position where I thought the Indians might have at least a candidate was left field. Brantley finished with no errors (he now owns the Cleveland franchise record for consecutive errorless games at 245 and counting) and ranked fourth in the American League with 11 outfield assists. Brantley manned the left-field corner at Progressive Field beautifully, cutting down baserunners at second base, or at least convincing them to stay put rather than attempt an extra base.

The AL candidates for left field, however, included Gordon, along with Oakland’s Yoenis Cespedes and Detroit’s Andy Dirks. Gordon took home the honor after ranking first in assists (17) and ARM (per fangraphs.com), ending with just one error and ranking fourth among AL left fielders (min. 700 innings) in UZR/150 and Def (defensive runs). Gordon was deserving of the nod and, after a closer look at the metrics, it was justified to leave Brantley off the list of candidates. Texas’ David Murphy actually had a better argument for inclusion over Brantley.

Among AL left fielders with at least 500 innings, Brantley ranked seventh in UZR/150 (-4.9) and 12th (out of 13) in Defense (-10.8), according to fangraphs. That was a step back from 2012, when Brantley served as the Tribe’s primary center fielder and posted a UZR/150 of -0.6 (ranked 14th among MLB center fielders with at least 700 innings).

Brantley’s showing reflected that of the Indians’ outfield as a whole. Bourn, Brantley and Stubbs combined for a 31.8 UZR/150 rating in 2012, when they were each center fielders for the Braves, Indians and Reds, respectively. In 2013, when Brantley and Stubbs each moved out of center, the trio combined for a -9.6 UZR/150. Keeping the outfield fences right where they were wound up being a good thing for Cleveland.

Bourn went from being ranked first among MLB center fielders (min. 700 innings) in UZR/150 in 2012 (23.8) to being ranked 8th in the American League (-0.9) in 2013. Stubbs was baseball’s fifth-ranked center fielder in 2012 (9.0 UZR/150), but ranked sixth among AL right fielders in 2013 (-0.2). Stubbs also made six errors, which marked the second-highest total in the league. Josh Hamilton and Alejandro De Aza were tied for first in that dubious category with eight apiece.

The good news is that Cleveland’s outfield did improve overall in 2013 wen compared to 2012, as did the Tribe’s defense as a whole. Cleveland’s team-wide -4.5 UZR/150 was ranked 13th in the AL this past season, but the club was dead last (-6.8) in the previous season. The outfield, specifically, improved to -2.2 from -7.0 in the previous year.

Let’s take a look at some other positions for the Indians:

Catcher: The Indians might have a future Gold Glove candidate in the up-and-coming Yan Gomes, whose 40.8 caught-stealing rate was second in the AL (per baseball-reference.com). Among catchers with at least 500 innings, Gomes was tied with Chris Stewart for third in the AL in Defense (11.9), trailing only Perez and Matt Wieters. Carlos Santana, who saw more time at first base and DH in the second half, had a 0.5 Defense rating in 2013.

Infield: Among those with at least 500 innings… Nick Swisher ranked seventh in UZR/150 (2.2) among AL first basemen. … Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera ranked 15th (out of 16) with a -16.8 UZR/150. … Third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall ranked 11th (out of 14) with a -4.6 UZR/150. … Second baseman Jason Kipnis was second in the AL in double plays turned (45) and fourth in assists (395), but his -6.3 UZR/150 ranked 15th (out of 16) and he made 12 errors (tied for the second-most in the AL).

Gomes gives the Indians’ some defensive hope behind the dish, and the club has the potential to be solid up the middle if Kipnis focuses on improving his defense and Bourn can return to his career norm. Shortstop continues to be an issue with Cabrera, whose highlight-reel plays do not make up for the continued lack of range. Prospect Francisco Lindor should help shore up that spot within the next couple years. The adjustment to right field seemed to be a slight issue for Stubbs, though he might bounce back with a year of experience under his belt. Chisenhall certainly has plenty of room for growth at the hot corner. Swisher turned in some impressive plays at first base, where he was solid enough in his first year for the Tribe.

There is so much focus on the offense, but it’ll be interesting to see how the Tribe approaches upgrading its defense this winter.

–JB

Quotes from Indians GM Chris Antonetti re: today’s transactions

Indians General Manager Chris Antonetti spoke with reporters today during a conference call and media availability at Progressive Field. Here are some of his quotes from those sessions:

Thoughts related to Jason Giambi’s return to the organization in 2014:

“I don’t think there’s any better way to start our off-season than by re-signing Jason. I think he made such a huge impact on our team [in 2013] and he embodies everything we’re looking for in our players – his professionalism, the way he works and prepares for a game, the teammate that he is, the energy he brings to a team and the clubhouse made an immense impact on our team this year and we’re thrilled to continue to have him as part of the organization.”

“We started those discussions right away. As soon as the season was over, that was one of the first calls we made. We worked through things with his agent and ultimately Jason said this is where he wanted to be, and we obviously wanted him here. We are happy it worked out.”

On bringing Giambi back on a minor league contract for a second consecutive season:
“[We're bringing him back] in a very similar context to last year, although at this point we have a first-hand appreciation of all the other things Jason brings to a team and an organization beyond just his [physical] ability [...] we had heard that from other people about how he could impact a team in those ways, but last year we lived it first-hand and now go into Spring Training with a clear understanding of the value he adds beyond what he produces on the field.”

Comments regarding the trade to acquire LHP Colt Hynes from San Diego:

“Colt’s a guy with a good fastball/slider mix that we’ll bring into Major League Spring Training and give him an opportunity to compete for a spot on the Major League team.”

“He’s been extraordinarily effective against left-handed hitters [...] this past season, he lowered his arm-slot a little bit and was dominant against left-handed hitters at Triple-A and was very effective against them at the Major League level…[a lefty specialist role is] certainly a strength of his, one we feel he’ll excel at, but we wouldn’t limit his role to just left-on-left because we feel in time he has the ability to not only get left-handed hitters out, but right-handers as well.”

On how the organization came to the decision to give Chris Perez his unconditional release:

“We considered a variety of factors as we got to that point (unconditional release of Perez) and felt that this provided us with roster flexibility in advance of Dec. 2 (MLB tender deadline) and allows Chris the opportunity to find his next team [...] obviously (Chris) is arbitration-eligible again this year and he’s due for another raise through that process and we have to make some determinations of where our team needs are and how we’re going to allocate our resources moving forward.”

“We worked through our offseason planning process and our meetings and we made the determination that Chris would not be a fit on our roster for next year so once we got clarity on that, we felt that it made sense to move forward with the transaction now rather than waiting until Dec. 2.”

Regarding other options for the closer’s role in 2014:

“We feel that we have some guys internally that are capable of doing that, but I do anticipate that we will look externally to add to the group that we have [...] We go into the offseason with some quality alternatives, but I expect it will be an area that we seek to address as we work through the winter. We will try to bring in guys – whether it’s an experienced closer or other guys that have experience pitching in leverage innings out of the bullpen – that will complement the group we have.”

“Cody Allen and Bryan Shaw are two returning guys who have had the most experience pitching in those high-leverage situations; we’re still confident that Vinnie Pestano will bounce back and be a contributor on our team. We’ll also take the off-season to look at opportunities to fortify our ‘pen [...] we re-signed Matt [Capps] a couple weeks ago and he’s healthy at this point so he’ll come into Spring Training ready to go and compete for a spot on the team [...] the roles in the bullpen evolve over the course of the season and how those roles take shape is something that we’ll get a better sense of once we have full knowledge of the group heading into camp and how those guys pitch once they get the opportunities.”

Indians Press Release
10/31/2013 2:30 P.M. ET
Padres & Indians complete trade

CLEVELAND, OH - The Cleveland Indians today announced the acquisition of LHP COLT HYNES from the San Diego Padres for cash considerations.

Hynes, 28, spent the first half of the 2013 season between AA San Antonio and AAA Tucson where he went a combined 2-0 with 4 saves and a 1.52 ERA in 41 relief appearances (47.1IP, 43H, 11R/8ER, 2BB, 58SO, 1HR), limiting left-handed batters to a .147 (11-75, 35SO) average against while averaging 11.0SO per 9.0IP with just 2 walks in 47.1 innings. Colt was with San Diego for the entire second half of the season, his first career taste of Major League action, recording a 9.00ERA in 22 relief outings (17.0IP, 25H, 17R/ER) while limiting left-handed Major League batters to a .156 (5-32) average against.

The Texas Tech alum was San Diego's 31st round selection in the 2007 draft and has compiled a career Minor League record of 21-25 with 13 saves and a 3.59 ERA in 323 games/21 starts (501.1IP, 584H, 200ER, 118BB, 396SO). The Weatherford, Texas native is currently pitching for Estrellas in the Dominican Winter League (2.0IP, 3H, 0R, 1SO, 7 games).

9.00ERA in 22 relief outings (17.0IP, 25H, 17R/ER) while limiting left-handed Major League batters to a .156 (5-32) average against.

Right handers must have had a field day against him. He registered a total of 51 outs, 27 were by the lefties; allowed 25 hits, 5 were by the lefties. That seems to say righties had 20 hits and 24 were retired, for a batting average of pretty darn close to .500.