Cleveland Sports Forum

Indians pick up Carlos Frias from Dodgers, designate Richie Shaffer for assignment
John Alfes
JOHN ALFES
4:50 PM
Now that spring training is 13 days away, the Cleveland Indians are making every attempt to bolster their roster in preparation for big league camp. On top of the Nick Goody, Steve Delabar and Travis Banwart signings, the Tribe remained persistent in their pursuit of right-handed pitching on Monday afternoon. The IBI's John Alfes reveals the club's newest hurler...

Deepening the right-handed pitching depth chart has become a common practice for the Cleveland Indians.
In 2016, Dan Otero and Joba Chamberlain were added in the off-season to help solidify a slew of bullpen arms.
This off-season trend has lived on in 2017.
The Tribe made a move pertaining to their pitching corps on Monday afternoon by acquiring RHP Carlos Frias from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations.
In a corresponding transaction, the club designated 1B/3B Richie Shaffer for assignment. Shaffer's tenure on the active roster was short-lived with a duration of just three days.
Frias has split time between starter and bullpen roles with the Dodgers over the last three seasons. At the game's highest level, the 27-year-old has a 6-6 record and 4.50 ERA in 33 games, 15 of which were starts (114 IP, 123 H, 57 ER, 34 BB, 75 K). The Nagua, Dominican Republic native had an injury-riddled 2016 campaign that culminated in a trip to the 60-day disabled list (right oblique impingement).
Signed as an amateur free agent in January of 2007, Frias had spent nine years in the Dodgers organization.
Today's trade comes fives days after Frias was designated for assignment by his former team.
John Alfes has covered the Indians for IBI since August of 2016. Follow him on Twitter @JohnAlfes for breaking news and in-depth coverage all season long.

michael bode @mgbode_WFNY
Shaffer MLB's most unwanted man
5 different teams this offseason, and Dodgers paid Tribe $$$ to DFA him (could have taken him back in trade)

.

Tells what Indians thought of Aguilar too, that they DFA'd him to make room for Shaffer, who they obviously wasn't all that crazy about.

Distinguished Tribe career of Richie Shaffer comes to an end. But we'll all remember him fondly.

Andrew Miller Is Tempting Fate by Representing Team USA at 2017 WBC

After pushing himself to the limit for the Cleveland Indians, Andrew Miller is now ready to pick up where he left off in service of his country.

Spoiler Alert: This isn't the best idea.

Don't worry. Miller's not taking up arms or anything. He's only lending his arm to Team USA for the fourth (and final?) World Baseball Classic. Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com had the news in December.
The tournament kicks off on March 6. By then, only four months will have passed since Miller was last on the mound for the Indians. It'll also be after just a couple weeks of spring training.
In short, an ambitious next step for the left-hander. Which actually feels oddly appropriate following his star turn last season.

The 31-year-old put up a 1.45 ERA and a 13.7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 70 regular season appearances. He then kept it up in the 10 appearances he made in Cleveland's World Series run, posting a 1.40 ERA and striking out a record 30 batters.

If Miller wasn't the best reliever in the league last year, he was certainly one of the best. And never better by his standards. This part is worth a tip of the ol' cap.
And now for the part worth a clutch of the ol' pearls: Miller also worked harder than ever in 2016.

It doesn't matter whether you look at his innings or pitches. The guy pitched 93.2 total innings, 23.2 more than his previous career high as a reliever from 2014. He also threw 1,423 pitches, 325 more than he threw in 2014.

For the most part, you wouldn't have been able to tell that Miller was tackling such a heavy workload. His velocity stayed steady. So did his dominance. He cut through the opposition like a Jedi through a droid army.
That is, of course, right until the very end.

After going scoreless through his first eight postseason appearances, Miller finally relented in his last two in the World Series. The Chicago Cubs got to him for five hits and three runs in 4.1 innings. He struck out only three batters.

The bulk of the damage came in Game 7. Miller just didn't have it, allowing four hits, a walk and two runs in 2.1 innings. Although not the reason, it was a reason the Tribe lost an 8-7 heartbreaker in extra innings.

ccording to the man himself, this wasn't because he was worn out.

"I felt pretty good," Miller said, via Mike Axisa of CBSSports.com. "I felt like my command was there. My fastball velocity was there. I didn't really spin it as well as I wanted to today, but that's something you have to work around. That happens in May. I don't think there's any excuses about this time of year. It's pretty easy to get up for these games."

If Miller's arm could talk, it might have told a different story.

Consider his release point. It had already been trending down and hit its nadir when Game 7 was played on November 2
As Neil Paine covered at FiveThirtyEight, there are mixed signals about what kind of data can be taken as warning signs for fatigue or injury. Newer studies, however, have tended to focus on release-point variation. The general hypothesis is that tired pitchers "find it harder to maintain consistency in their release points."

Even by his own standards, the drop Miller experienced in 2016 was extreme. That doesn't mean he was pitching hurt by the end, but it could mean he was more worn out than he was willing to let on.

If fatigue doesn't come back to haunt Miller, his pitch selection might.

He started throwing a ton of sliders in his first year in relief in 2012, using it 39.4 percent of the time. He's continued to push the envelope since, peaking at 60.8 percent sliders last year.

This is the pitch selection equivalent of playing with fire inside a fireworks factory.
When Jeff Zimmerman dug into the data for FanGraphs in 2012, he found that pitchers who threw over 30 percent sliders have a higher likelihood of landing on the disabled list the following year. It thus may not be coincidental that Miller landed on the DL with a forearm strain in 2015. Likewise, it may not be coincidental if he finds himself there again in 2017.
All told, Miller really tempted fate both with how much he threw and what he threw last year. Just to be safe, it would have been best for him and the championship-hopeful Indians if he had followed his short offseason with a risk-free spring.

Granted, "risk-free" is a relative term. It's not as if players never get hurt in spring training. Despite the low stakes involved, it's still baseball. Wherever baseball is being played, the injury bug is never far.

Nonetheless, the World Baseball Classic is an entirely different animal.

It demands all-out effort from players at a time when they're not accustomed to going all out. And while studies on the WBC's potential to inflict injuries (h/t Jayson Stark of ESPN.com) and hurt performance (h/t Bryan Cole of SB Nation) recommend everyone chill out, the optics aren't good.

After 2009, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jake Peavy, Edinson Volquez and Scot Shields were among the World Baseball Classic pitchers hit by an injury wave. Hoynes noted that the Indians were then hit hard by the 2013 tournament, after which Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez struggled to recover from injuries linked to their involvement in it.
So even if the World Baseball Classic can't be called dangerous, it can't be called safe either. And if that's true for all the participants, it may be doubly true for the guy coming off the kind of year Miller just had.

Lest their quest to return to the World Series in 2017 lose a key piece, the Indians need Miller to come out unscathed from the World Baseball Classic. For that, they're short on assurances.

All they can do is watch closely and hope for the best. Crossed fingers wouldn't hurt either.

Has anyone ever watched the WBC besides Joe and I suppose fans in South Korea, the Netherlands, Australia and Yemen. Ooops, not Yemen this year.

SPRING TRAINING'S RASH OF INJURIES COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT 2015 SEASON

Anthony Witrado
Featured Columnist
March 18, 2015

They are here. They are abundant. They are hugely impactful.

Spring training comes with its rash of annual injuries. It’s expected, as many players are still not accustomed to baseball activities every single day, and their bodies sometimes sass them. What players and teams hope for is limited time missed, if any, and, ultimately, to not miss any games that actually count.

But this spring training has not been so kind to some. While the typical nicks and dings will always be around, the last month has also brought on a rash of serious and devastating injuries, some accompanied by season-ending surgeries.

All of them come with a certain level of shock, and some can completely change the fortunes and direction of a franchise.

As general baseball fans see it, this crush of spring training injuries is already dimming the light on the new season. Because stars are not immune to debilitating injuries, names like Yu Darvish, Cliff Lee, Hunter Pence and Chris Sale are on the mend, either planning to miss the entire season or a large enough portion that, because of their ability, it is deemed significant.

Let’s start with Darvish. He is arguably the biggest star to suffer an injury in this camp, and his will keep him out until next year. Darvish underwent Tommy John surgery Tuesday in a procedure that not only impacted fans stateside, but also those who follow every pitch Darvish throws from Japan.

Yu Darvish undergoes ligament transplant surgery by Dr. James Andrews in Gulf Breeze, FL. Dr. Andrews reports surgery went as expected.

In an improved American League West, the Texas Rangers were seen as having an outside chance to contend—with Darvish as their No. 1 starter. With him gone for the season, the Rangers do not have a pitcher on their team that can lead like an ace through 30-33 starts. And a trade for an ace like Cole Hamels, while it might be explored, is highly unlikely.

"I don’t think it’s realistic you’re going to ask anyone internally or acquire anyone externally to ‘replace’ what Darvish is capable of," said Rangers GM Jon Daniels on KTCK-AM 1310 via The Dallas Morning News. "He’s one of the best in the business; he’s one of the best in the game."

Now the Rangers have to start thinking later down the road. With Jurickson Profar, once their top prospect who was considered untouchable in trade discussions, also out for the season after shoulder surgery, their competitive future is in jeopardy. The players who should be productive for them are aging (Adrian Beltre, Shin-Soo Choo, Prince Fielder), and the ones that are their future (Profar, who also missed all of 2014, and shortstop Elvis Andrus) have not developed into the offensive threats the organization believed they would become by now.

Now, with Darvish’s injury, this season and at least the next one are ones the Rangers are not likely to compete in. And that kind of future is reason to readjust the plan and start looking to a pretty good farm system to produce some stars sooner rather than later.

Darvish is just one on a list of star—or at least highly valued—arms with some kind of significant ailment.

A tendon tear in Cliff Lee’s left elbow is threatening his season and his career.

Chris Sale fractured a bone in his foot unloading a truck and is hoping to be back before April ends.

Marcus Stroman is another to suffer a non-arm injury, ripping up his ACL during pitcher fielding drills. He will also miss a season in which he was thought to be a crucial piece of Toronto’s rotation.

Zack Wheeler was supposed to be the same for the New York Mets, but he is also missing 2015 because of Tommy John surgery, forcing the Mets to consider bringing up one of their top pitching prospects before they might be completely ready for the promotion.

Tim Collins was a critical part of Kansas City’s dynamite bullpen last season, but he won’t be in 2015, because Tommy John surgery also claimed his year.

Gavin Floyd won’t be part of what could be a very good-to-great Cleveland Indians rotation because of a right elbow injury that could take the season from him, too.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen had surgery on his foot to remove a growth last month, and he could be out until mid-May for the World Series hopeful.

There are others with more mild injuries, but ones that are still forcing teams to consider alterations to their early-season plans. Adam Wainwright, Alex Cobb, Drew Smyly, Mike Minor, Jacob Turner, Chris Capuano, C.J. Wilson, Joe Kelly, Tim Lincecum and Derek Holland are just some of the names on the list.

It is also position players bending plans for the regular season.

Hunter Pence may be the most noteworthy non-pitcher to suffer a spring training injury, as he will miss at least the first two weeks of the season—and that is on the low end of the diagnosis—with a fractured forearm. Pence is a middle-of-the-order bat for the San Francisco Giants and one of their few power sources.

Missing him thins the outfield options, as the Giants are forced to now consider starting Gregor Blanco and Nori Aoki in Pence’s absence. If that weren’t concerning enough for the Giants, now center fielder Angel Pagan is experiencing a stiff back that has kept him out of the last two Cactus League games. Pagan had season-ending back surgery last season, but it is not yet known if this latest issue is related.

Missing one or both of those ailing outfielders means the Giants’ chances of returning to the postseason are slim.

Of course, they aren’t the only outfielders hurting. Oakland’s Josh Reddick barely started throwing from 60 feet after an oblique strain, but he could be ready for Opening Day if there are no setbacks. And New York Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury is experiencing pain from an abdominal strain, but the severity is not yet known publicly.

And this is not even mentioning pre-spring training injuries like the ones that could keep Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez out of the middle of the Detroit Tigers’ lineup come Opening Day, although their progressions are promising.

These lists can go on and on and on, and spring training still has nearly three weeks remaining. So the lists will grow.

The inherent nature of spring training comes with injuries, both nagging and serious. But this many of them in such a short period of time makes us take notice, and while some of them are bound to be in our memories all summer, the hope is that not all of them have significant impact on the regular season.

But as these injured players know all too well, only the coming days, weeks and months will tell.

[ In reality, if you wish to take the time to check it out, you'll find out that there are many more spring training injuries (serious and not so serious, than there ever was or will be during the World Classic games - besides - not to worry, this is the last year for the classic

Your chances of getting hit by a train are higher that getting injured during the World Classic ]

Heck! If I were a major league manager, I'd make the players take off their spikes before entering the dugout or the lock rooms. They might slip and fracture a spine.

I definitely would ban water coolers. Pitchers would be required to wear protective head gear during spring training games.

No sliders or breaking pitches prior to the first game of the season. Pitch counts of 40 or less during spring training games. No running - only tread mills or bikes to prevent hamstring injuries.

That should cut down on a lot of the spring training injuries and put manager worries aside.

After 2009, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jake Peavy, Edinson Volquez and Scot Shields were among the World Baseball Classic pitchers hit by an injury wave. Hoynes noted that the Indians were then hit hard by the 2013 tournament, after which Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez struggled to recover from injuries linked to their involvement in it.

Dangitall. Can the Indians forbid players from participating?

Maybe we could send Carlos Frias instead of Miller?

I think he's right-handed so they might notice, but he's pretty tall [6-4] and pretty thin [170] so he could easily be mistaken for Miller

"25 best under age 25"

20. Jose Ramirez


2017 Age: 24

A mere bit player in 2014 and 2015, Jose Ramirez turned legit in 2016. He not only put up solid offensive numbers but also rated as a capable defender at multiple positions.

To boot, it's hard to find nits to pick. Ramirez worked a walk percentage of 7.1 with just a strikeout percentage of 10, and he also improved the quality of his contact. Beyond helping his defense, his athleticism also made him an elite baserunner.

My only suspicion is that Ramirez's 2016 was a peak that he'll be hard-pressed to repeat.

There's no doubt he's a good sparkplug player with real abilities. But that's what Josh Harrison was in 2014, and that didn't last. Ramirez's 2016 sends off the same kind of vibes.

That's what I have, anyway. Keep it under your hat. Just not under Ramirez's hat.

No. 6 [really??] Francisco Lindor

2017 Age: 23

If it wasn't for Andrelton Simmons, Francisco Lindor would be the best defensive shortstop in the American League.

Even that may be debatable before long. Lindor was right there with Simmons in defensive runs saved in 2016 and actually had a better ultimate zone rating. It's no fluke he was as much a regular on nightly highlight reels as Russell was.

Oh, yeah. Lindor can hit a bit, too.

It was a surprise when he emerged to hit .313 as a rookie. But after he hit .301 in 2016, it looks like a .300 hitter is the real him. Mix in some power and speed, and you get a darn good offensive shortstop.

The catch is that Lindor may not have any more upside to tap into. But as is, he already has a case for being baseball's best shortstop.


5. Corey Seager, 4. Carlos Correa, 3. [3????] Bryce Harper [one of the longest and best under 25 year careers since Ted Williams] 2. Mookie Betts 1. Manny Machado. I'd rather have Harper or Lindor.

"Manny Machado is a different player now than he was at the start of his career. He used to be a superb defender who was just an OK hitter. Now he's superb on both sides.

Machado has remained one of the league's elite defensive third basemen in the last two seasons. He's also put up an .869 OPS and cranked 72 home runs. He's gotten better at driving the ball, getting it airborne (40.6 FB%) with a solid hard-hit rate (34.3 Hard%).

When looking at Machado's game through a microscope, it's hard to find areas where he could get even better in 2017. He seems to be who he is at this point.

But lest anyone think that's a crying shame, what he is at this point is a guy who's averaged roughly 7 WAR the last two seasons. When you get to that point, there's no need to go any further.

Cleveland Indians, pending physical, land lefty reliever Boone Logan

on February 02, 2017 at 4:27 PM, updated February 02, 2017 at 8:30 PM
Cleveland Indians 2017

CLEVELAND, Ohio - If Boone Logan passes a physical, the Indians have found their second left-hander for the bullpen.

The Indians have been searching for a lefty reliever this winter and they have apparently found one in Logan just in time for the start of spring training. They have agreed on a one-year big-league deal with a club option for 2018. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports was first to report the agreement.

If Logan passes the physical, he'll make a base salary of $5.5 million this year with a club option for 2018 worth $7 million or a $1 million buyout.

The Tribe's equipment trucks leave for Goodyear, Ariz., on Friday. Indians pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Feb. 12.

Logan, 32, has been on the Indians' radar for a while. They were interested in him last winter as a trade possibility, but nothing happened. Last season Logan, who just finished a three-year, $16.5 million deal with the Rockies, limited left-handed hitters to .142 (15-for-106) batting average with 40 strikeouts and nine walks. He limited right-handers to a .211 (12-for-57) average with 11 walks and 17 strikeouts.

In 60 appearances for the Rockies, Logan struck out 57 and walked 20 in 46 1/3 innings. Overall he was 2-5 with a 3.69 ERA and one save.

The 6-5, 215-pound left-hander spent the first three years of his MLB career (2006-08) pitching for the White Sox, so he's no stranger to the Indians or the AL Central. Besides the White Sox and Colorado, Logan has also pitched for Atlanta and the Yankees.

The addition of Logan gives the Indians a second lefty to go along with ALCS MVP Andrew Miller. Before the Indians acquired Miller from the Yankees last year at the trading deadline, they struggled to find an effective lefty out of the bullpen. Kyle Crockett, Ross Detwiler, Tom Gorzelanny, TJ House, Shawn Morimando and Ryan Merritt all made appearances, but didn't do enough to earn a full-time relief job.

Logan and Miller should end that search. Manager Terry Francona, when asked last weekend during TribeFest about adding a second lefty reliever, said he didn't want to do it just for show. Francona said the second lefty would have to be able to get batters out in the required situation at a better rate than one of his established right-handed relievers.

In his career, Logan has held lefties to a .233 (200-for-858) batting average, while righties have hit .294 (214-for-728). Lefties are hitting .204 (45-for-221) against Logan over the last three years.

The White Sox drafted Logan with the 20th round in the 2002 draft.

Cleveland Indians have Terry Talkin' Boone Logan, ownership spending -- Terry Pluto

Boone Logan
Left-hander Boone Logan is the latest Tribe free agent addition. (AP)
Print Email Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
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on February 04, 2017 at 8:41 AM, updated February 04, 2017 at 11:02 AM
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians just committed $6.5 million to sign a situational left-handed reliever.

I'm not criticizing the contract given Boone Logan. In fact, it's cheap by the ridiculous deals given so many relievers in this off-season. Logan was a $5.5 million deal for 2017. He has a $7 million deal in 2018, with $1 million guaranteed.

Just when I thought the Indians were done spending, they made one more significant move.

As Tribe president Chris Antonetti recently told me, it's another sign of ownership's determination to put the best possible team on the field.

Team owner Paul Dolan and John Sherman obviously loved last season's surprising sprint to the World Series. General manager Mike Chernoff and Antonetti entered the off-season looking for two things:

1. A right-handed power hitter who also can play first base. Edwin Encarnacion was at the top of their wish list. They thought their chances were remote. But the market was not as kind to Encarnacion as expected. The Tribe signed him to what is basically a three-year, $60 million deal. He averaged 39 HR and 110 RBI over the last five seasons.

2. A lefty reliever was the next goal. Logan held lefties to a .142 batting average (15-of-106) in 2016.

As USA Today's veteran baseball writer Bob Nightengale tweeted after the Logan signing: "No one took more advantage of the free agent market than the Cleveland Indians."

He's not a Cleveland media member or a Cleveland guy. He was just looking at it from the outside, and he came to the same conclusion many of us here have reached -- the Indians, backed by ownership, have had a strong winter.

$135 MILLION PAYROLL

By the end of last season, the Tribe's payroll approached $100 million. They added about $5 million with in-season trades for Andrew Miller, Coco Crisp and Brandon Guyer. Miller also is paid $9 million annually in 2017 and 2018.

If Miller hit the free agent market today, he'd probably receive close to $100 million over five years. Aroldis Chapman signed a five-year, $86 million deal with the Yankees. Chapman is gifted, but has had some serious off-field issues. He also is not nearly as willing to pitch more than one inning, something Miller has often done.

So the spending started in the middle of last season, and has continued.

The payroll for this season will be a franchise record of about $135 million.

CRAZY CONTRACTS

Logan was with the Yankees from 2010-13, compiling a 19-7 record and 3.38 ERA. That led to a three-year, $16.5 deal from the Colorado Rockies. Even the Yankees thought that was too expensive.

A few points on Logan:

1. In three years with the Rockies, Logan was 4-11 with a 4.64 ERA. Like a lot of relievers, he has up-and-down seasons. He also has had a few minor injuries.

2. But in those three seasons pitching in a very hitter-friendly park, Logan held lefties to a .204 average (.611 OPS) compared to .286 (.854 OPS) vs. righties.

3. Logan was 2-5 with a 3.69 ERA for the Rockies in 2016 with that .142 batting average vs. lefties.

Meanwhile, the free agent market exploded for lefty relievers (not just closers) this winter:

1. Former Indian Marc Rzepczynski signed a two-year, $11 million deal with the Seattle Mariners. The man called "Zep" was 1-0 with a 2.64 ERA. But in 2015, he was 2-4 with a 5.66 ERA. At midseason, the Indians traded him to the Padres for Abraham Almonte.

2. Mike Dunn signed a three-year, $19 million deal with Colorado. He was 6-1 with a 3.40 ERA for the Miami Marlins last season. For his career, Dunn is 28-25 with a 3.54 ERA.

3. Brett Cecil signed a four-year, $30 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals. Cecil was 1-7 with a 3.93 ERA for Toronto. His career mark is 41-42 with a 4.20 ERA.

4. After those deals, Logan thought he'd be in line for a multiyear contract. It didn't happen. The Indians waited and waited and waited with their basic one-year offer, plus the option.

Spring training for the Tribe opens on Feb. 12. When the calendar turned to February, Logan had several similar offers. I hear the Mets and Blue Jays were two of the teams.

He picked the Tribe, partly because manager Terry Francona and pitching coach Mickey Callaway have a strong reputation for handling their relievers very well. The guys pitch a lot, but seldom suffer injuries.

That's because the Indians rarely warm up their key relievers unless their plan is to bring that pitcher into the game.

Who knows if Logan will pitch effectively? Odds are he will continue to be very good against lefties. But like most relievers, they tend not to remain consistent from one year to the next. That's why the Indians usually stay away from long-term deals with bullpen pitchers.

ABOUT THE INDIANS

1. The Indians will enter spring training with six bullpen spots set: Cody Allen, Miller, Bryan Shaw, Logan, Dan Otero and Zach McAllister. They will carry seven relievers, so there's lots of competition for that last spot. Mike Clevinger will train as a starter, but the Indians also will look at him.

2. The signing of Logan provides the Tribe with another lefty reliever other than Miller. A concern is not pitching Miller too much in 2017, especially after the heavy load he carried in the 2016 postseason.

3. Someone always gets hurt -- that's how teams need to view their roster. The rotation appears to be set with Corey Kluber, Josh Tomlin, Danny Salazar, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer. But most years, a team needs at least eight starters. So Ryan Merritt, Cody Anderson, Adam Plutko and Shawn Morimando along with Clevinger will be prepared to start. Most will be in the rotation at Class AAA Columbus.

4. The Indians bringing Wily Mo Pena to minor-league camp is simply a favor to Encarnacion. Pena has not been in the majors since 2011. He has 84 HR in his big league career. Most recently, he played in Japan (2012-15), but was out of baseball last year. It would be a shock if he makes the team.

5. Remember Brandon Moss, who was with the Tribe briefly in 2015? He hit .217 (.695 OPS) with 15 HR and 50 RBI. He was traded to St. Louis late in July. Moss is now with Kansas City, having signed a two-year, $12 million deal. He hit .225 (.784 OPS) with 28 HR and 67 RBI for the Cardinals in 2016. He also struck out 141 times in 464 plate appearances.

6. The Indians received lefty Rob Kaminsky in exchange for Moss. The former Cardinal first-round pick in 2013 is a prospect. The lefty was 11-7 with a 3.28 ERA at Class AA Akron last season. He's only 22. He had some mild arm problems early in the season. His ERA was 2.29 after the All-Star break.

7. It's surprising to see Jeff Manship sign to pitch in Korea. Manship was 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA for the Tribe last season. He was looking for a big league contract, but had no offers. The Indians like some of their relievers much better -- Shawn Armstrong, Perci Garner, Austin Adams, Joe Colon and Nicky Goody -- all right-handers.

8. Milwaukee claimed Jesus Aguilar after the Tribe put him on waivers. Aguilar is 26 and batted .247 (.791 OPS) with 30 HR and 92 RBI at Class AAA Columbus. He has spent the last three years at Columbus, averaging 23 HR and 87 RBI.

9. The Indians never warmed to Aguilar, who struggled in short major-league stints. He hit .172 in 64 at-bats, with 21 strikeouts and without a homer over three seasons. Perhaps Aguilar will hit. But he reminds me of the late Andy Marte, a big right-handed batter with a long, slow swing that worked only in the minors.

10. That said, I hope the Brewers give Aguilar a chance. He has worked hard in his nine years in the Tribe farm system. The Brewers have Eric Thames slated for first base. He hit a ton of homers in Korea the last three years. They also have Kent State product Travis Shaw, who is a natural third baseman. But Shaw also can play first.

Those Logan stats are not especially impressive, except for the Vs. Lefty split for 2016. Regardless, I'm glad to have him.