Cleveland Sports Forum

MLB All-Star Game will no longer determine World Series home-field advantage
Staff and wire reports 11:40 a.m. EST December 1, 2016



The league that wins baseball's All-Star Game no longer will get home-field advantage in the World Series, which instead will go to the pennant winner with the better regular-season record.

The change was included in Major League Baseball's tentative new collective bargaining agreement, person with direct knowledge of the negotiations confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the CBA has not yet been finalized.

In addition, players and management agreed the minimum stay on the disabled list will be reduced from 15 days to 10.

Home-field advantage in the World Series generally rotated between the leagues through 2002. Baseball, led by then-Commissioner Bud Selig, and Fox television promoted the "This Time It Counts" innovation after the 2002 All-Star Game in Milwaukee ended in a 7-7, 11-inning tie when both teams ran out of pitchers. Selig was booed in his own Milwaukee backyard.


"This energizes it. This gives them something to really play for," Selig said after owners approved the change by a 30-0 vote in January 2003. "People pay a lot of money to see that game. They deserve to see the same intensity they see all year long. Television people pay a lot of money for the game. It was not and should not be a meaningless exhibition game."

What began as a two-year experiment was extended. The American League won 11 of 14 All-Star Games played under the rule, and the AL representative won eight World Series in those years.

"It will put back a little of the sizzle," San Francisco Giants executive Larry Baer said in 2003.


As part of the changes for next year, players in the All-Star Game will have the incentive to play for a pool of money.

The DL change will allow teams to make quicker decisions on whether to bring up a roster replacement rather than wait to see whether the injured player would be ready to return to action in less than two weeks.

An international play plan is part of the new agreement that includes a payment schedule for potential games in Asia, Mexico, Latin America and Britain, plus U.S.-based special events such as this year's July 3 game between Atlanta and Miami in a specially built ballpark on a military base in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Contributing: Bob Nightengale

Indians aim to supplement talented nucleus
Moves to add depth expected at Winter Meetings

By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | December 1st, 2016

CLEVELAND -- There is precedent for the daunting task at hand for the Indians. In 2014, the Royals went the distance in the World Series and came up short against the Giants. One year later, Kansas City defeated the Mets to claim baseball's crown.

The Indians just experienced a classic World Series against the Cubs, but lost in Game 7 for a disappointing conclusion to an unforgettable and historic season in Cleveland. With the Winter Meetings set to begin Monday, the Indians are now evaluating how to upgrade a roster that will return mostly intact, with the goal of winning one more postseason game than last season.

"Our pitching and our core players are locked up, which I think bodes well for us," Indians manager Terry Francona said during the World Series. "But, so much happens that you just don't know."





Here is a breakdown of Cleveland's situation as the annual event approaches:

Club needs

Right-handed power: The Indians found a lot of that last offseason with the one-year signing of veteran Mike Napoli, who belted 34 homers and led the team with 101 RBIs. Napoli, however, is back on the free-agent market and looking for a multi-year deal. Cleveland has interest in bringing him back, but the preference would be to do so on a short-term contract. If re-signing Napoli isn't in the cards, Chris Carter or Matt Holliday could be fits on a short-term contract. The Indians showed interest in free-agent Carlos Beltran last season at the Trade Deadline, but he is 39 and essentially limited as a designated hitter.

Outfield help: Insurance is the key here. The Indians believe that left fielder Michael Brantley will be ready for Spring Training after an injury-marred 2016, but the team needs to have some contingency plans. Right now, Cleveland has center fielder Tyler Naquin and right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall to primarily face righty pitching, and corner outfielder Brandon Guyer as a weapon against lefties. Switch-hitting outfielder Abraham Almonte will also be in the mix for an Opening Day job. Last year, Rajai Davis (now a free agent) provided depth between left and center field, not to mention a great speed element. Davis remains of interest to the Tribe, too.


Left-handed relief: Cleveland reeled in a relief ace in lefty Andrew Miller last season, but the Tribe is thin on left-handed options behind him. The Indians have Kyle Crockett on the roster, along with lefty starters Ryan Merritt and Shawn Morimando. Cleveland already claimed lefties Tim Cooney and Edwin Escobar off waivers this winter to add depth. Look for the Indians to continue to search for left-handed relief options. Boone Logan represents an intriguing option among the lefty relievers on the free-agent market.

Rotation depth: The Indians have one of the top rotations with Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin. What Cleveland could use is some more depth behind those five. The Indians have internal options in Mike Clevinger and Cody Anderson, but some experienced arms would help a staff that was exposed amid a wave of injuries down the stretch and in the postseason. Look for the Tribe to solve this either through trades, claims or Minor League contracts.

Who they can trade if necessary

Chisenhall: Eligible for arbitration this winter, Chisenhall projects to earn around $4 million next season. That is hardly an overly expensive contract, but the right fielder has become mostly a platoon outfielder. Plus, the Indians have a very similar player in Naquin, who can play center, but also projects well as a right fielder. If Cleveland wants to shed some cash and perhaps address another need, the team could see what offers might be out there for Chisenhall.

RHP Zach McAllister: After acquiring Miller, Cleveland suddenly had solid depth in the bullpen. McAllister is slated for arbitration and could make around $1.5 million. The big righty has a power fastball and decent two-pitch mix, and thrived after Miller's arrival allowed Francona to better utilize his relievers based on situations. So, there is value in keeping McAllister, but another team might also see some worth in the right-hander as well. The same could go for right-hander Jeff Manship (also eligible for arbitration).

Miller: Would the Indians actually consider flipping Miller after shipping four prospects to acquire the leverage weapon from the Yankees before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline? Probably not. Cleveland certainly is not shopping him. Miller, who is under contract for $9 million in each of the next two years, is a big part of the team's plans for the 2017 campaign. That said, the talented lefty also is extremely valuable and the Indians would not be doing their job if they did not at least listen if teams came calling with offers.

RHP Bryan Shaw: Shaw is eligible for arbitration this winter and projects to earn around $4.5 million. The veteran reliever is one of the most durable late-inning arms in the game (he leads baseball with 299 appearances over the past four years), but is becoming pricey. It might serve Cleveland well to see how other teams value Shaw, whose velocity improved last season. That said, Shaw is one of Francona's favorites and -- like most of the relievers -- the right-hander's showing improved after Miller's presence strengthened the look of the 'pen.

A starting pitcher: The Indians' rotation is the backbone of the roster, but the group is also affordable and under control for multiple seasons. That makes the starters some of the most sought-after trade targets in the game. It seems unlikely that Cleveland would trade away from its main strength, but a case could be made to at least entertain offers for the arms (Bauer and Salazar, specifically). It could be the best way for the Tribe to reel in an impact offensive player. Of course, it would also create a hole in the rotation, which is already thin behind the front five.

Top Prospects

Per MLBPipeline.com, the Indians' top prospects are outfielder Brad Zimmer, left-hander Brady Aiken, first baseman Bobby Bradley, catcher Francisco Mejia, right-hander Triston McKenzie, third baseman Nolan Jones, outfielder Will Benson, shortstop Erik Gonzalez, shortstop Yu-Cheng Chang and outfielder Yandy Diaz. From that group, Zimmer, Gonzalez and Diaz are the most likely to impact the Major League team during the '17 season. Mejia and Chang were included in the four-player package that would have gone to the Brewers had All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy approved a trade to the Indians prior to the non-waiver Trade Deadline last season. Mejia, who had a 50-game hitting streak in the Minors last year, was the centerpiece of those talks with Milwaukee.

Rule 5 Draft

The Indians have 39 players on their 40-man roster, so the team could take part in the Rule 5 Draft. Cleveland picks 27th in the annual event. Middle infielder Osvaldo Abreu (Nationals' No. 19 prospect) could be of interest, though the Rule 5 is often a good place to seek relief help. Some lefties eligible for selection include Daniel Gibson (D-backs' No. 27 prospect), Jordan Guerrero (White Sox No. 10 prospect) and Corey Littrell (Cards' No. 29 prospect). Dating back to 2000, Cleveland's only Rule 5 selections have been Chris McGuiness (2012), Hector Ambriz (2009) and Travis Chapman (2002).

Big contracts they might unload

No one really falls into this category for the Indians this winter. Teams could ask on Miller, who is owed $18 million over the next two years, but he is unlikely to be dealt. Carlos Santana will earn $12 million next season, but that was a team option that was picked up by the team. He will continue to serve as a first baseman and DH. Players like Chisenhall, Shaw or McAllister could be dangled, but none figure to be moved, strictly due to financial motivations.

Payroll summary

Cleveland projects to have a payroll north of $100 million, and that is before even making any external additions. There is nearly $60 million tied up in eight guaranteed contracts, plus another $25 million to $30 million likely to come via arbitration signings. Combined with the pre-arbitration players, and the $9 million still on the books for Chris Johnson (a part of the trade that allowed Cleveland to deal Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher to the Braves in August 2015), the Indians could be looking at their largest payroll in franchise history. With little monetary wiggle room, Cleveland may need to explore the trade market to free up salary space.

Not sure if this was posted in the Minors folder, but here goes:

November 27, 2016

by: Ralph Lifshitz
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It’s been a big year for Cleveland sports, but that all takes a back seat to a big week for Cleveland here on Razzball. Earlier in the week Grey gave you his take on top prospect Bradley Zimmer, yesterday we gave you the latest edition of the prospect podcast where we went through the top prospects in the Indians system. Always one to beat a dead horse, today we go over Zimmer and the Indians system again. Will we discuss anything new? Maybe. Sort of depends, if you read Grey’s post and listened along to the podcast, I’d lean toward the affirmative. If not than everything is new. Dollars to doughnuts it’s not a bad system to get hung up on. They have solid talent at the upper levels of the system and solid talent at the lower levels as well. Players like Francisco Mejia, Triston McKenzie, and Greg Allen all enjoyed breakouts. While Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff took home another haul in this year’s draft. Needless to say it’s a fun system to dive into. So let’s dive into it, shall we? The Top Cleveland Indians Prospects for 2017 Fantasy Baseball.

Tier 1: Specs On The Beach
Potential stars. Consensus T100 prospects with premium fantasy ceilings.

Bradley Zimmer, OF | Age: 23 | ETA: 2017 | 2016 Level: AAA/AA

Our Supreme Leader here at Razzball the respectable Grey Albright ESQ. already went in on Zimmer earlier last week. I’ll echo his sentiments. Zimmer is a player with an exciting and frustrating profile. He possesses elite speed and on base skills, above average power, and the type of defensive ability that should keep him employed by major league clubs for a decade. The problem is he has major strikeout issues. I don’t mean your typical young hitter learning to hit breaking pitches stuff either. I mean 30%+ oh my god what are you swinging at stuff. If he can reign that in we’re talking about a potential star.

Francisco Mejia, C | Age: 21 | ETA: 2019 | 2016 Level: A+/A

Coming off one of the most successful seasons in minor league history, it will be interesting to see what his followup looks like. Mejia a switch hitter possesses excellent contact ability from both sides of the plate. You don’t have to look much further than his 50 game hit streak to deduct that though. His power is above average now, but he’s young enough that mid-teens pop should develop. He’s a virtual lock to stick behind the plate, with one of the best arms in the minors and above average catcher defense. On this week’s podcast Halp and I discussed who we would label the top catching prospect in the minors. True to form Halp stuck with his novio Tom Murphy, and I went Mejia. The point is, he’s a 21 year old in A ball and he’s firmly in the conversation.

Bobby Bradley, 1B | Age: 20 | ETA: 2018 | 2016 Level: A+

One of my favorite power prospects in the minors, Bradley is a true three outcome hitter. With elite power and on base skills, particularly for a 20 year old, Bradley is one of the top mashers in the minors. Like most mashers the young first baseman struggles with strikeouts. Ultimately this keeps his average low, so more than likely he’ll always be a batting average drain. The upside is Giancarlo Stanton type power.

Triston McKenzie, RHP | Age: 19 | ETA: 2019 | 2016 Level: A/A-

My favorite of an exciting trio of prep arms selected by Cleveland in the 2015 draft. McKenzie is a string bean at 6’5 165 LBS, leaving him a ton of projection as his body matures. His plus fastball sits in the low 90’s with good control. He mixes in a plus curve, and a plus change. Clean and repeatable mechanics allow McKenzie to throw all three for strikes. The combination of upside and fundamental pitching knowledge make McKenzie one of the most attractive teenage arms to dynasty leaguers.

Brady Aiken, LHP | Age: 20 | ETA: 2019 | 2016 Level: A-/RK

After being selected first overall by the Houston Astros in the 2014 draft. Aiken made an ass out of himself and draft history by turning down a cut rate offer of $5 million following a post draft physical revealed an elbow issue. This led Aiken to more or less post grad a year at the notorious IMG Academy. He left his first start after experiencing forearm tightness and the rest is punish porn starring Dr. James Andrews. Aiken’s first crack at pro ball this year was ugly, but all things considered I think he deserves a pass. Certainly a full offseason should do him some good. With three plus pitches, prototype size, and athleticism Aiken has the makeup of a front line starter.

Tier 2: Floorboreds
Lacking the “star” upside. They might have some warts, but their ETAs are on the horizon.

Greg Allen, OF | Age: 23 | ETA: 2018 | 2016 Level: AA/A+

After a breakout year between AA Akron and High A Lynchburg, Allen continued to impress in the Arizona Fall League slashing .269/.380/.449 with 3 homers and 11 steals. Allen is often billed as a 4th outfielder but after an impressive campaign in 2016 that saw him score 119 runs in 129 games, it’s tough to not give him a strong chance to develop into a potential leadoff hitter at the MLB level. Allen’s speed is his best tool allowing him to swipe 45 bases this year.

Yu-Cheng Chang, SS | Age: 21 | ETA: 2018 | 2016 Level: A+

Signed out of Taiwan for $500,000 back in 2013, Chang has progressed through the lower minors with relatively little fanfare despite being a well regarded prospect. Chang doesn’t have one standout tool but does a little bit of everything well. Should eventually project out as a mid-teens contributor in both home runs and steals. After playing well at high A Lynchburg, should see assignment to AA Akron in 2017.

Yandy Diaz, 3B/OF | Age: 25 | ETA: 2017 | 2016 Level: AAA/AA

An under the radar Cuban with advanced hit tool it’s funny to think he only netted $300,000 on the same market that dropped $72.5 million on Rusney Castillo. It would only take you about two minutes to identify who the better hitter is. Diaz, hit across two levels of the upper minors this season slashing a combined .318/.408/.446. While his power and speed are middling he still has the ability to contribute in all categories. He also offers versatility from a positional standpoint, with the ability to play multiple positions in the infield as well as the outfield. He’s pretty much a Cuban Ben Zobrist.

Nellie Rodriguez, 1B | Age: 22 | ETA: 2018 | 2016 Level: AA

With 83 homers across four and a half minor league seasons it’s an obvious statement to say that Nellie possesses prodigious power. After slugging 26 homers at AA Akron of the Eastern League in 2016, Rodriguez finds himself on the cusp of the majors in 2017. Another three outcome hitter, if Nellie hopes to succeed at the next level he’ll need to cut back in the strikeouts which has sat in the low 30’s his entire AA career. He looks like a future DH in the making.

Adam Plutko, RHP | Age: 25 | ETA: 2017 | 2016 Level: AAA/AA

A member of the same UCLA rotation as MLB starters Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer in 2012. Plutko led the Bruins to a College World Series Championship in 2013 after the two future stars left LA for the professional ranks. The righty does not possess electric stuff, but he knows how induce weak contact and get outs. Looks like a solid back of the rotation type.

Others: Erik Gonzalez, Shawn Morimando, Tyler Krieger, Mark Mathias, Rob Kaminsky, Luke Wakamatsu, Mike Papi

Tier 3: Long Shot Lolitas
Sexy ceilings, but these youngsters also come with risks and distant ETAs

Nolan Jones, 3B | Age: 18 | ETA: 2020 | 2016 Level: RK

I ranked Jones 31st on my first year player draft rankings a month or so back, and here’s what I said then. “Pennsylvania prep player blessed with excellent bat speed and great raw power. He’s inevitably tied to first rounder Josh Lowe as two of the top power hitting prep corner infielders, but has yet to show any game power, unlike Lowe.” That’s pretty much what we know so far, the bat speed, raw power, and upside are there, but he’s yet to show it.

Will Benson, OF | Age: 18 | ETA: 2020 | 2016 Level: RK

The 14th overall pick in this year’s draft has been described as a Jason Heyward clone. I think they meant that in a good way. His excellent bat speed, plus raw power, and speed make him a sexy fantasy prospect for the long term. Much like the aforementioned Jones, he’s still a ways a way, with a great deal of growing to do.

Juan Hillman, LHP | Age: 19 | ETA: 2020 | 2016 Level: A-

The third prep arm taken by the Tribe in the 2015 draft, Hillman has an interesting back story. Upon transferring to Olympia High in Orlando Florida, he was taken into the guardianship of former Major League star Tom Gordon. Does that make him Dee and Nick’s unofficial brother? On the field he’s a polished prep pitcher with excellent control and good pitchability. Does not have the ceiling of Aiken or McKenzie but has plenty of upside, though it may not be that of a front line starter.

Others: Ulysses Cantu, Connor Capel, Willi Castro, Aaron Civale, Logan Ice, Shane Bieber

Another one from Razzball, this one on just Zimmer:

Bradley Zimmer, 2017 Fantasy Outlook
November 21, 2016 | 2017 Fantasy Baseball Rookies

Looking at Bradley Zimmer‘s minor league stats is like this, “Damn, girl, you look good,” and you follow her with your eyes from her legs up until you get to her face when you realize it’s your sister and you nearly vomit. An illustration: there’s a suitcase labeled Bradley Zimmer. You begin to unpack the suitcase and you find solid power. Next thing you know you find great speed. The ability to walk is in there too. Nice! Then, you see that your toiletries have exploded and you have toothpaste all over the ability to lay off a curve and there’s Ks all over the place. NO! Not on my one pair of fancy jeans! I’m Crest-fallen, pun noted and intended.

Everywhere I look Zimmer is considered a top 25 prospect. Prospector Ralph has him as a top 10 prospect in his top 100 fantasy baseball prospect list, Baseball America has him at 26 overall, MLB has him at 25 and Prospector Ralph’s other half Halp from the Prospect Podcast has him at 15. Of course, BA and MLB need to be taken with a grain of salt and more weight should be placed on Ralph and Halp (shouldn’t they just be Halph?). They’re not more important here simply because they’re Razzball, but because BA and MLB are considering real baseball not fantasy. So, what can we expect from Bradley Zimmer for 2017 fantasy baseball?

There’s definitely a place in the Indians’ lineup for Zimmer to get an early-season look. He’s better than Abraham Almonte right now. Of course, the Indians should be embarrassed of themselves if they get through the entire offseason trading season and still have Abraham Almonte as their left fielder, but last year they did next-to-nothing in the offseason and made it to the World Series, so maybe they do the same, and rely on Zimmer. Brucely, I think that would be a mistake. Zimmer doesn’t look ready. With each level promotion, he’s exposed further. In Double-A two years ago, he struck out one quarter of the time, then a 28% strikeout percentage last year in Double-A and, finally, 37% in Triple-A. In Arizona Fall League, it’s not looking much better as he struck out 26 times through 22 games and 74 ABs. Tim Tebow only struck out 20 times in 19 games.

Zimmer is doing everything else as well as he’s always done, which is why we’re talking about him at all. Has 4 HRs and 8 SBs in those 22 games, and last year between three levels, he had 18 HRs and 46 SBs. So, a young Curtis Granderson? Grandy actually never struck out that much. I asked Prospector Ralph and he gave me George Springer as a comparison.

To give you an idea of where my head is at, I asked Ralph, while saying to him, Zimmer looks like Drew Stubbs to me. That gives you an idea of how low I am on him. Zimmer is still young, so maybe he fixes his contact problems. I was thinking maybe the best case scenario is Chris Davis with 15 homers and 35 SBs, if that makes sense, which it doesn’t.

Finally, Prospector Ralph texted me, “Joc Pederson! That’s who Zimmer is. Now, excuse me while I go drop some bars in the studio with Ras Kass.” My guess is the Indians grab some garbagey vet to play outfield until June and we see Zimmer then, with some of his power, flashes of great speed and lots of Ks. For 2017, I’ll give him the projections of 39/6/24/.228/21 in 354 ABs.

Cleveland Indians have Terry Talkin' free agents, new labor agreement -- Terry Pluto


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In the last three years, only eight teams which were not in the top 50 percent in payroll made the baseball playoffs.

As I wrote a few weeks ago, the Cleveland Indians were the only team in the bottom 50 percent in payroll to make the 2016 playoffs. Out of 30 big-league teams, only the Indians and Houston Astros had winning records while sitting in the bottom 15 in payroll.

I mention this because baseball just agreed to a new labor deal for the next five years. For teams such as the Tribe, the good news is the deal doesn't make it much harder for small-market teams.

But it also doesn't do much to help the obvious payroll imbalance.

1. In the NBA, the Cavaliers have the league's highest payroll at $130 million. At the bottom are the Brooklyn Nets and Denver Nuggets at $75 million.

2. In the NHL, the Detroit Red Wings have the highest payroll at $82 million. The lowest is the Carolina Hurricanes at $52 million.

3. In the NFL, all the teams are between $96 million and $150 million.

4. In baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers had the highest payroll at $253 million. The Milwaukee Brewers and Miami Marlins were the lowest at about $62 million. The Indians payroll was about $98 million.

What's the point? In the other three sports -- all with some type of salary cap -- no team is spending twice as much as any other team. The widest spread is the NBA: The Cavs at $130 million, the lowest paid teams at $75 million.

But in baseball, the Dodgers are spending FOUR times as much as the bottom teams (Miami and Milwaukee). That's a huge difference, something the new labor agreement basically ignores.

Yes, baseball does have a luxury tax. In 2016, teams spending more than $189 million in payroll had to pay an 18 percent tax. The math gets complicated, and the penalties rise slightly. But it's still not going to dramatically change the wide gap between the top and bottom teams.

But that has been the case for ages, as the MLB Players Association is extremely strong. It has fought off attempts by teams to bring in a salary cap.

Unlike the other sports, in which owners believe if they hang tough they can force the union to give in, that's not the case in baseball. The last labor stoppage was 1994. The owners wiped out the World Series -- yet they still couldn't come to an agreement with the players for a salary cap.

Also, the larger market owners seem to have a stronger say in baseball policy than in other sports. I agree with USA Today's Bob Nightengale, who wrote: "The rich will stay rich, the poor will stay poor, the marquee free agents will still financially set every branch of their family tree up for life..."

My bottom line: The new five-year deal basically keeps the status quo.

PARTS OF NEW DEAL

1. What could help the Tribe is a limit on international spending to about $6 million annually per team for Latin players. That will end the huge contracts given to Cuban players. But players from the Far East can still get huge bucks.

2. The winner of the All-Star Game no longer hosts the World Series. It goes to the team with the best record.

3. New big-league players can't use chewing tobacco during games. But current players can continue.

4. Each team has to employ a personal chef.

5. It's complicated, but teams that repeatedly pay a luxury tax will do so at a high rate each year. But it probably won't stop many in huge markets from spending wildly.

6. Starting after the 2017 season, teams will no longer lose a first-round pick as compensation for signing a top free agent. Teams in the luxury tax have to give up a second-rounder and a fifth-rounder.

7. The disabled list is now 10 days, rather than 15 days.

8. There are some other little things, but nothing dramatic.

ABOUT RIGHT FIELD

Not much was said when Brandon Guyer was acquired from Tampa Bay at the end of July, but the outfielder is an excellent fit with the Tribe. He is not eligible for free agency and crushes lefty pitching, making him an ideal platoon partner for Lonnie Chisenhall in right field.

Since moving to right in the middle of the 2015 season, Chisenhall has batted .294 (.786 OPS) in 154 games. He also has hit 11 HR and 77 RBI, while being above average defensively.

Chisenhall had been a third baseman, where he struggled defensively and batted only .242 in 330 big-league games.

In right field, Chisenhall faces primarily right-handed pitching. Guyer batted .336 (1.022 OPS) vs. lefties after joining the Tribe. For his career, the 30-year-old Guyer is a .289 hitter vs. lefties, .238 vs. righties.

Guyer is like adding a valuable bat for 2017, and manager Terry Francona knows how to mix-and-match in the outfield.

1. If Michael Brantley can come back ... and it's a big IF because it's been so hard for him to bounce back from shoulder surgery ... left field is set.

2. Chisenhall/Guyer can handle right field.

3. If the Indians re-sign Rajai Davis (a realistic possibility), they can once again platoon Davis and Tyler Naquin in center.

4. They have youngsters Yandy Diaz and Brad Zimmer as possibilities, although I doubt Zimmer is close to being ready to open 2017 in the majors. Not after he hit .242 with 1 HR and 9 RBI in 122 at-bats when promoted to Class AAA last season.

5. Jose Ramirez can play left, but the Indians like him at third base -- unless they can find a better option.

6. They have Abraham Almonte who can play all three outfield positions. Almonte failed a PED test last season and was suspended for 80 games. If he does it again, it's an entire season.

ABOUT THE TRIBE

1. Chris Carter to the Indians? The free agent from Milwaukee hit 41 HR last year. The Brewers did not offer him a contract, so that's a red flag. But the 30-year-old Carter has big-time power -- while piling up massive numbers of strikeouts.

2. In the last three years, Carter has batted a combined .218 (.790 OPS), averaging 34 HR, 82 RBI and 179 strikeouts. It doesn't matter if it's righties (.222) or lefties (.216), Carter hits about the same.

3. Carter can be very frustrating to watch. His lack of plate discipline cuts down on his RBI totals. He ranked No. 15 out of 17 National League first basemen defensively by FanGraphs. Mike Napoli ranked No 15 in the American League, Carlos Santana was No. 4. I'm not sure Santana was that good, but he definitely improved over 2015.

4. The Indians are looking for options if they fail to re-sign Napoli, who is looking for a multi-year deal. So Carter is a possibility. Santana plays well enough at first base for the Indians to look for a guy who is mostly a DH.

5. Carlos Beltran falls into the DH category. For a while, Beltran was in the trade talks with the Tribe as part of the Andrew Miller deal. The Indians and New York Yankees couldn't work it out, so Beltran was eventually shipped to the Texas Rangers. He is now a free agent.

6. Beltran batted .295 (.850 OPS) with 35 HR and 101 RBI for the Rangers and Yankees last season. He has bad knees and is mostly a DH. He'll be 40 on April 24, but he probably still can hit. Several teams are interested in him.

7. It's hard to guess what will be the price for Carter, Beltran and Napoli. Toronto surprised many baseball people by signing DH Kendrys Morales to a three-year, $33 million deal. He batted .263 (.795 OPS) with 30 HR and 93 RBI. He is 33, but really can't play the field for more than a few games.

8. The Morales deal is probably why there are reports the 35-year-old Napoli wants three years for a new contract.

The Indians have 39 players on their 40-man roster, so the team could take part in the Rule 5 Draft. Cleveland picks 27th in the annual event. Middle infielder Osvaldo Abreu (Nationals' No. 19 prospect) could be of interest, though the Rule 5 is often a good place to seek relief help. Some lefties eligible for selection include Daniel Gibson (D-backs' No. 27 prospect), Jordan Guerrero (White Sox No. 10 prospect) and Corey Littrell (Cards' No. 29 prospect).

Seems really unlikely we'd pick anyone in the Rule 5 draft. If we need another middle infielder we have Erik Gonzalez ready and willing. Otherwise as a contender, not a building team, we're not likely to pick someone and stash him on the roster.

Ramirez earns Bob Feller Man of Year Award
Francona receives Good Guy honor from Cleveland BBWAA

By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | December 4th

CLEVELAND --

When considering who was the Indians' best player from this past season, there are many candidates and no correct answer. Ace Corey Kluber would be a fine choice, as would energetic shortstop Francisco Lindor. Jason Kipnis, Carlos Santana and Mike Napoli had career years. Andrew Miller dominated in the bullpen.

Then, there was Jose Ramirez.

"He kind of saved [us]," manager Terry Francona said during the World Series.

Ramirez's breakout season has earned him special recognition by the Cleveland chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, which named him the recipient of the 2016 Bob Feller Man of the Year Award. Francona was also honored with the Frank Gibbons-Steve Olin Good Guy Award for the second time (also in 2014) for his respect and cooperation with the media.

Kluber, Lindor, Kipnis and Napoli were also nominated for the Man of the Year Award, while pitching coach Mickey Callaway, closer Cody Allen and Lindor joined Francona as the nominees for the Good Guy Award. The winners were voted on by BBWAA members during the Cleveland chapter's annual luncheon.

It seems fitting that Ramirez took home the honor one season after left fielder Michael Brantley earned the same award. With Brantley sidelined for most of the 2016 season due to troubles with his right shoulder and biceps, the Tribe was in need of someone to step up in a big way. Ramirez did so by playing multiple positions, hitting out of every spot in the lineup and turning in a brilliant offensive campaign.

"Out of Spring Training," Francona said, "I would be lying if, when we didn't have Brantley, if I [said I] wasn't worried about how we were going to score runs. And Ramirez kind of took Brantley's at-bats, and he took the at-bats and ran with them. Now, he's turned himself into one of the better players in the American League, and he's done it in multiple positions."

Consider how closely Ramirez's production mirrored Brantley's, too.

In 2015, Brantley turned in a .310/.379/.480 slash line with 15 home runs, 45 doubles, 84 RBIs, 68 runs, 15 steals and a 3.7 Wins Above Replacement (per Fangraphs). This past season, Ramirez had a .312/.363/.462 slash to go along with 11 homers, 46 doubles, 76 RBIs, 84 runs, 22 steals and a 4.8 WAR.

Ramirez led the Indians and ranked seventh in the AL in batting average. He also led the club and ranked third in the AL in strikeout rate (10 percent), and paced Tribe batters in doubles. The switch-hitting Ramirez ranked second on the club in steals, on-base percentage and OPS (.825). His 122 Weighted Runs Created Plus was second to only Santana (132) on the team and 23rd in the AL.

Brantley was limited to only 11 games, but Ramirez helped the Indians finish second in the AL in runs scored.

Ramirez also had a knack for coming through in critical situations.

Among AL batters, Ramirez trailed only Mike Trout (6.96), Josh Donaldson (4.66), David Ortiz (4.65) and Adrian Beltre (4.16) with a 3.91 Win Probability Added. Mookie Betts, who finished second to Trout in the AL Most Valuable Player Award voting, finished right behind Ramirez with a 3.51 WPA. Ramirez hit .355 with runners in scoring position, .346 with two outs, .366 with RISP and two outs and .400 with the bases loaded.

Ramirez did all of that while handling multiple roles. Early in the season, he filled in as a left fielder, but he later transitioned to third on a full-time basis after the Indians parted ways with veteran Juan Uribe on Aug. 1. Ramirez played second base (six games), shortstop (four games), third (103) and left (48), and started at least one game in every lineup spot.

Cleveland Indians, free-agent slugger Edwin Encarnacion talking about multiyear deal
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

on December 05, 2016 at 9:17 PM, updated December 05, 2016 at 10:21 PM


NATIONAL PARK, Md. - The Indians are negotiating with free agent slugger Edwin Encarnacion about a multiyear deal.

The deal might not happen. It might fall apart in the days to come, but right now the talks have traction.

Encarnacion reportedly turned down an estimated four-year $80 million offer to stay with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays have since added free agents Kendrys Morales on a three-year $33 million contract and Steve Pearce on two-year $12.5 million deal.

So Encarncacion isn't flying back to Toronto.

Last season Encarnacion hit .263 (158-for-702) with 42 homers and an AL-leading 127 RBI. But right now his market is shrinking.

The Yankees have already signed Matt Holliday for one year and $13 million, while Houston signed Carlos Beltran for one year and $16 million. Those were two logical landing spots for Encarnacion. Boston, however, still needs a replacement for DH David Ortiz, who retired after the Indians swept the Red Sox in the ALDS.

Chris Antonetti, Indians' director of baseball operations, said the team is prepared to offer a multiyear deal to a free agent. When asked if Encarnacion might be beyond the Indians' reach, Antonetti said, "You don't have to curb expectations. We are being exhaustive in exploring options to improve our position player club."

If the Indians can't get a deal done with Encarnacion, they could turn to Mike Napoli, who set career highs in homers (34) and RBI (101) for them last season. They have also been linked to Mitch Moreland, Adam Lind and Chris Carter among others.

"We are cognizant of the production Nap brought to our team first and foremost," said Antonetti. "But also the impact he had on our other players. We've been pretty consistent in talking about how much we value and appreciate Nap's contributions.

"If it's not Nap, we're still going to look for ways to improve our team."

Napoli earned a base salary of $7 million last season with $3 million more in incentives. He reached his last incentive in the final game of the regular season.

The Indians are in a win now mode. They won the AL Central and the AL pennant this postseason. They have a young core under control and one of the best managers in the game in Terry Francona.


What club has always operated on a tight payroll, but it might not be as tight as it has been the past. They did reach the seventh game of the World Series and owner Paul Dolan finally found a limited partner in John Sherman.

One source said the Indians' postseason run could have brought the club close to $48 million in profits, an estimated of $6 million per home game.

Encarnacion, 33, has played parts of 12 seasons in the big leagues. He started his career with the Reds and spent the last 7 1/2 seasons with the Blue Jays. His average line over a 162 games is .266, 33 homers and 101 RBI.

Napoli and Carlos Santana formed a perfect match at DH and first base last season. Santana, like Napoli, set a career highs with 34 homers, 87 RBI and 89 runs.


If the Indians sign Encarnacion, he could form the same kind of combination with the switch-hitting Santana. Last year Encarnacion played 75 games at first base and 86 at DH.

The Indians would lose their No.1 pick in the June draft if the signed Encarnacion. The Blue Jays made him a qualifying offer worth $17.2 million.

"We place a lot of value on the pick," said Antonetti, concerning the 27th pick in the first round. "It's not something we take lightly."

GM Mike Chernoff, in explaining the value of the draft pick, said "The easy way of thinking about it is that pick is a person we are going to select. A couple of years ago we drafted Justus Sheffield right around there in the first round.

"That player had a lot of value to us once we got him. We have to determine how to value that in terms of future wins and things like that."

In other words, if the Indians forfeit the pick, they'd have to put a value on it. Then they could subtract that value from Encarnacion's contract.

Edwin Encarnacion’s path to big deal comes with risk

By Joel Sherman

December 6, 2016 | 10:32am


NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – Three thoughts from the Winter Meetings:

1. Could Edwin Encarnacion do a contract similar to what Yoenis Cespedes did last year with the Mets? Cespedes was a superb player whose market for a variety of reasons never fully materialized.

Moons aligned in that the Mets wanted him back, but not at what was the preconceived price. Cespedes wanted market prices and, if not, a mechanism to potentially cash in at a later date. The sides agreed to a three-year, $75 million contract that guaranteed Cespedes $27.5 million in 2016 and allowed him to opt out after that season, which he did to land a four-year, $110 million pact with the Mets last week.

Encarnacion has had his market shrivel for a variety of reasons as teams fill their needs for a bat in other ways (Matt Holliday to the Yankees, for example) or decide not to play big for a hitter (the Red Sox, for example).



There were reports the small-market Indians, with the financial boost of a run to Game 7 of the World Series, were in play. But I can’t imagine Cleveland being able to pay market value on Encarnacion, and I heard the Indians’ most likely path is to wait out an oversaturated slugger market and see if the prices fall more to their liking, as they did last year.

However, if Encarnacion were willing to be more creative in contract structure, do something similar to Cespedes – a multi-year deal with the ability to opt out after Year 1 – then perhaps the Indians could play for him. It also would open up other teams, I believe, such as the Astros and even a Blue Jays reunion.

Toronto’s greater need is the outfield, but that area would need less oomph if, say, Encarnacion and Kendrys Morales were sharing DH/first base (the Blue Jays also have Justin Smoak signed for that area). The Blue Jays’ concern is tying up too much long-term money, but if there were an escape hatch for Encarnacion after one year, maybe that would be more palatable.

Encarnacion turns 34 next month and wants his payday now. But part of what is hurting his current free agency is he has qualified, so the best 20 teams from last year would lose a first-round pick if they signed him. As part of a new CBA, no player can be qualified more than once in his career. Thus, if he gambles on himself, Encarnacion would enter next year’s free agent market without the same restrictions.

I'd be happy to have him, but I certainly assume this summarizes the situation:

There were reports the small-market Indians, with the financial boost of a run to Game 7 of the World Series, were in play. But I can’t imagine Cleveland being able to pay market value on Encarnacion, and I heard the Indians’ most likely path is to wait out an oversaturated slugger market and see if the prices fall more to their liking, as they did last year.

I hate the WBC!

The World Baseball Classic: A great idea that works for everyone but Major League Baseball

on December 03, 2016 at 5:30 AM, updated December 03, 2016 at 11:05 AM


CLEVELAND, Ohio - For a great idea to work, it has to work for everybody involved.

Take a peanut butter sandwich. Now sprinkle a handful of M&Ms in the middle of it. Peanut butter and chocolate - it works for everybody.

Now here's a great idea that doesn't work - the World Baseball Classic. Correction, it works fine for every country but the biggest baseball-playing nation in the world - the United States.

The premise is great; the timing is terrible. And if you asked every MLB owner, general manager and manager to reveal what they think about it in their heart of hears they'd say the same thing.

It's easy to see why MLB is the driving force behind the WBC. It wants to take the sport to the far corners of the earth. One day a scout could venture into the Himalayas to find a 15-year-old Sherpa who developed pinpoint control by hitting a Yeti in the eye with a snowball from 100 yards away.

There's nothing wrong with extending the talent pool. Why not have away games in Mexico, London, Korea and Japan? Some day the World Series might be a real World Series, but can't that all happen without the WBC disrupting spring training every four years, while putting MLB's handsomely paid players at risk for injuries?

The WBC returns in next spring. It runs March 6-22 with games being played in Korea, Japan, Mexico, Miami, San Diego and Los Angeles. Preliminary rosters are being formed now and will be released in January.

While countries such as Korea, Japan and the Dominican Republic revel in the WBC, it always seems to be a necessary nuisance for MLB. It ruins the rhythm of spring training, empties locker rooms in February and March when team building should be going on. But most importantly, it exposes players to injury.

In 2013 Vinnie Pestano, an important Indians reliever, injured his elbow while pitching for the U.S. and has never been the same. Former Tribe closer Chris Perez was scheduled to pitch for the U.S the same year, but pulled out because of an elbow injury. In the spring of 2009, Grady Sizemore committed to playing in the WBC, but pulled a groin muscle and withdrew.

Players can get hurt at any time of the season. A strained hamstring in March, a drone attack in October. Stuff happens, but most MLB teams would rather it happen on their watch. You wouldn't want to be monitoring a GM's blood pressure when he sends one of his best players hallway around the world to play a ballgame in March, while he's trying to put his team together for the regular season.

This year the Indians could have Corey Kluber and Andrew Miller playing on Team USA. They could have Carlos Santana, Jose Ramirez and Danny Salazar playing for the Dominican Republic. Gold Glove shortstop Francisco Lindor, the emerging face of the franchise, is expected to play for Puerto Rico. Carlos Carrasco would almost certainly be invited to play for Venezuela. Yan Gomes, in 2013, helped Brazil qualify for the WBC, but did not play in it.

The Indians do have some control over players coming off injuries, which means they could ask Salazar, Carrasco, Gomes and Michael Brantley not to play. Carrasco, for one, said at the end of the World Series he would not pitch in the WBC. But teams are pretty much powerless to stop healthy players from playing for their countries if they so desire.

Common sense has to enter the equation somewhere. Kluber and Miller reached career highs in innings pitched this past season and postseason. But if they want to pitch for the U.S., all Chris Antonetti and Terry Francona can do is smile, wave the American flag and pray something doesn't go pop in the wrong elbow.

Joe loves it. I don't think anyone else here pays any attention.

3 reasons why the Indians can actually afford to sign Edwin Encarnacion
By Lindsey Foltin
Dec 06, 2016 3:25p ET

The internet was buzzing on Monday with multiple reports of the Cleveland Indians in talks with free agent slugger Edwin Encarnacion. The reports were quickly met with overwhelming skepticism, however, because signing a big-money free agent like Encarnacion would not fall in line with typical Indians offseason moves of the past.

Cleveland's front office is known for their short-term investments in low-risk, high-reward players that could potentially give them the best "bang for their buck." Encarnacion is not that type of guy. Just the opposite, in fact.

But while it may seem extremely out of character for the Indians to sign a 33-year-old slugger (who comes with a fair amount of risk) to a hefty long-term deal, it's actually more realistic than one would think. Here's why:
Getty Images Getty Images

Extra money to spend

Winning teams make money, and while the Indians fell one game short of winning it all this year, their lengthy postseason run generated millions in extra revenue — close to $48 million in profits, according to Cleveland.com.

Thanks to their World Series run, the Indians saw (and will continue to see) an uptick in ticket and merchandise sales, advertising, sponsorships and overall fan interest in the team. More revenue for the club likely means that the front office has a little more cash to spend this offseason.

The organization also added a minority ownership partner in John Sherman this year, so having another investor certainly helps as well.


A change of attitude at the top

The fact that the front office is even negotiating with Encarnacion signifies that these aren't your old Cleveland Indians. President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff made brilliant moves at last year's trade deadline, acquiring reliever Andrew Miller from the Yankees and working out a trade with the Brewers for catcher Jonathan Lucroy (which Lucroy infamously vetoed). Those moves showed that things have changed since former president Mark Shaprio left for the Toronto Blue Jays. Antonetti, who was named MLB Executive of the Year, was praised by the league for going all-in at the deadline, and the Miller trade paid off big time for the Tribe.

This front office has proved that they're more than capable of making the right moves, so you'd have to think ownership will give them the green light to spend a little more freely this offseason.

Strike while the iron is hot

If there were ever a time for Cleveland to spend money, it's now. After winning the AL Central and the AL pennant, the Indians want to take it one step further in 2017. They're in win-now mode. With Terry Francona steering the ship and their core of young players locked up for the considerable future, the roster isn't expected to undergo any drastic changes.

While they might have to move on from first baseman Mike Napoli, who was a big part of the team's success, Encarnacion would be an upgrade — and he just might be the guy who puts them over the top.

he just might be the guy who puts them over the top.

I think it's Carrasco who puts us over the top, but I'd like to have that bat at 1st base. Edwin offers even more than Yandy Diaz.

Tribe likely to get their usual bupkus but at least this year they have upgraded to the look good offer from the old winter meeting cruise.