Cleveland Sports Forum

Do we really have a right handed hitter with pop?

I must be dreaming.

The reason it says 3 years 65 mill with an option is because it is a team option, and if the Indians decline the 4th year they have to pay him 5 mill.

Unlike 2001 and 2007, this front office surely didn't stand pat. The window of opportunity is at hand. It's time to seize the moment. I hope EE can stay healthy for the duration. Now my hope is that Aguilar has a good spring and can provide some pop coming off the bench.

You guys sure this isn't fake news? Freakin' Russians

If Rosenthal and Heyman post it on Twitter, it's legit.

LOL, the EDWINDIANS! Hey, now they can use a parrot for team logo!

Edwin Encarnacion Reportedly Signs with Indians


Edwin Encarnacion had been a key member of the Toronto Blue Jays for the last seven-and-a-half seasons, but the 33-year-old slugger has found a new home with the Cleveland Indians, per Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball.

Heyman noted the deal is for three years with an added option year, adding that the deal is worth about $20 million per season.

Heyman reported on Wednesday that the Indians were "pulling out all the stops" to land Encarnacion.

Encarnacion has been consistent the last five years, averaging just over 38 home runs and 110 runs batted in per season. At his age, though, the first baseman/designated hitter could soon begin to decline.

Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols are both cautionary tales of why it's risky to pay large sums for sluggers who are in their 30s, no matter how impressive their track records are.

Edwindians: Cleveland Indians sign Edwin Encarnacion to three-year contract

on December 22, 2016 at 8:53 PM, updated December 22, 2016 at 9:48 PM


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians went for the shiny, expensive gift this holiday season. Now, they'll have slugger Edwin Encarnacion to plug in to the middle of their lineup.

The Tribe has agreed to terms with the veteran power hitter on a three-year contract worth about $60 million, a source told cleveland.com. The deal includes an option for a fourth year. There is no opt-out clause in the contract.

Encarnacion would fill the spot at first base previously held by Mike Napoli, who is a free agent. The Indians will lose their first-round draft pick, since Encarnacion rejected the Blue Jays' qualifying offer of one year, $17.2 million.

The club has not confirmed the deal, as Encarnacion has yet to take a physical. He'll do so after the holidays, a source said.

It's an opportunistic move for an Indians team that rarely swims in the free-agent waters. Indians ownership has a bit of extra cash in its pocket from a lucrative postseason run that fizzled in Game 7 of the World Series. The organization also has a new minority owner in John Sherman.

Encarnacion belted a career-high 42 home runs in 2016 to go along with 127 RBI and an .886 OPS. Over the last five years, the three-time All Star has averaged 39 homers and 110 RBI, 29 doubles and a .912 OPS. He's the only player in the big leagues with 30 or more home runs in each of the last five seasons.

How does a player with those credentials fall to the Indians six weeks after free agency begins? Encarnacion, who will turn 34 in early January, rejected a four-year offer from Toronto at the outset of free agency. Then, one by one, teams in need of help at first base or designated hitter turned elsewhere.

The Yankees preferred a one-year pact with Matt Holliday. The Red Sox opted not to creep into the world of luxury tax and instead settled on a short-term commitment to Mitch Moreland. The Astros scooped up Carlos Beltran. The Rockies inked Ian Desmond to a five-year deal.

The Indians conveyed interest from the get-go, but they also maintained contact with Napoli, who clubbed a career-high 34 homers in 2016, but faded in September and October.

Thank you Santa! #EE @Indians pic.twitter.com/YQAGyqG70u
-- Jason Kipnis (@TheJK_Kid) December 23, 2016

Encarnacion figures to settle into the middle of Terry Francona's batting order, with Jason Kipnis, Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, Carlos Santana and, if healthy, Michael Brantley surrounding him. That could prove to be a potent lineup, especially considering the Tribe finished second in the American League in runs last season.

The Indians typically avoid these types of free-agent deals, especially since the club was burned by long-term commitments to Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn four years ago. The team is still paying Chris Johnson's salary in 2017 as a result. Still, the Indians have consistently ranked near the bottom of the league in payroll since the Dolans obtained ownership nearly 20 years ago. This won't catapult them into financial competition with the Dodgers or Yankees, but it is certainly a diversion from the norm.

Swisher previously landed the largest free-agent contract in team history, with a four-year deal worth about $56 million. The Indians traded Swisher and Bourn to Atlanta for Johnson in August 2015.

The Oakland Athletics, who finished in the basement of the AL West in 2016, were also reportedly in pursuit of Encarnacion.

I'm proud of my team for stepping up! Barring injuries, this team has to be favored to make the playoffs again this year, and hopefully return to and win the WS!

kenm wrote:Do we really have a right handed hitter with pop?

I must be dreaming.

Believe it, KEN!
So are you going to praise Dolan and company now?

TFIR wrote:
If Brantley comes back the offense is light years ahead and it wasn't bad as it was!

I hope he is able to return to his old self. But, being a lifelong Tribe fan, I'm not counting on it.

Yes I will praise him. What I am getting a sense about is that the biggest deal of all what dumping Shapiro. Something tells me that this deal would never have happened under him. The Jays got him to dump payroll and I think that was his role with Dolan. John Hart left for a reason and we were adrift for a generation. Somehow Dolan knew he was going to get a minority investor and decided to act like he owned a big league club and the first move was getting rid of Shapiro.

I am happy about this signing, sad about Napoli(all those shirts!) and hope we still can sign Davis. I am not comfortable with Naquin both offensively and defensively, and Chisenhall still has not lived up to his potential. Davis would help us with those 2 problems and I think he helps our swagger.

I see Almonte, or Davis if he resigns, to share center with Naquin. Davis seemed to run out of gas during the WS except for game 7 Eighth Inning.

I would like to see Diaz also coming on board to help in the outfield and 1st base.

Agree on Diaz but I do not think he is even on 40 man roster.

Going to defend Shapiro for a moment.

I actually think he does deserve credit for building an organization and culture. Too many guys have spun out of this organization to dispute that.

However I do think he was not a great GM. And Antonetti was and is an upgrade there. (Although technically no longer the GM.