Cleveland Sports Forum

Right down HB's alley with Iglesias mentioned. This is from an article by Jim Bowden of suggested trades:

Indians acquire Raisel Iglesias and Amir Garrett from the Cincinnati Reds for Francisco Mejia and Shane Bieber

The Indians have the starting pitching, offense and defense to win the World Series. However, what they’re lacking is quality bullpen depth in front of closer Cody Allen and set-up reliever Andrew Miller (when he’s healthy). The Indians need to trade for a couple relievers if they want to win the World Series.

The Indians’ window to win is right now and they’ll have to pay a huge price for that opportunity. Trading top hitting prospect Mejia, who would play left field for the Reds immediately, and right-handed pitcher Bieber, who would immediately go into the Reds’ rotation, would be painful for Cleveland.

However, both Iglesias and Garrett are shutdown relievers and putting them in front of Allen and Miller would put the Indians in prime position. Garrett has a 2.19 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 41 strikeouts in 37 innings, while Iglesias has a 2.25 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 33 strikeouts in 28 innings.

Hey, Scrabble is back.

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Signed LHP Marc Rzepczynski to minor league contract and assigned him to Columbus roster.

(From a Tom Withers (AP) tweet)

Did some research:

Raisel Iglesias signed a 7 year / $27,000,000 contract with the Cincinnati Reds, including a $5,000,000 signing bonus, $27,000,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $3,857,143. In 2018, Iglesias will earn a base salary of $4,500,000, while carrying a total salary of $5,214,285.

CONTRACT:7 yr(s) / $27,000,000 SIGNING BONUS:$5,000,000 AVERAGE SALARY:$3,857,143 FREE AGENT:2021 / UFA

Amir Garrett signed a 1 year / $545,000 contract with the Cincinnati Reds, including $545,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $545,000. In 2018, Garrett will earn a base salary of $545,000, while carrying a total salary of $545,000.

CONTRACT:1 yr(s) / $545,000 SIGNING BONUS:- AVERAGE SALARY:$545,000

Garrett eligible to be a FA in 2024 with arbitration starting in 2021.

So when I originally looked at that like most I thought no way - it's an overpay.

Then when I looked at the contract information I changed my view. As well, I remembered Miller's and Cody's contract up after this year.

With that trade they'd have a new setup and star closer signed cheaply for quite a few years. Hmmm....

From an Indians press release, it says Cabrera cleared but elected to leave and be a free agent.

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Well, that's that then. Now...this?

If Mike Napoli’s playing career is over, he owes it to baseball to take one last shirtless, drunken stumble around every major league city before he takes on a coaching job with the Indians. Perhaps the Travel Channel would be interested in chronicling it. The show could be like “Where’s Waldo” but with 35 “lite” beers, two terrifying man nipples, and a party wake a mile wide.

I am hoping Chisenhall can just stay healthy because he is showing that last year and earlier this year are not a fluke. He would go a long way towards being that #2 outfielder we really need with him and Brantley.

Jordan Bastian @MLBastian
21 minutes ago
Francona: All tests on Carrasco’s right elbow came back negative for any structural damage. Treatment next three days. Re-evaluated Wednesday.

Awesome.

Hey HB what did you think about Jim Bowden's Iglesias suggestion?

TFIR:

I posted the other day how much I like Iglesias. He has filthy stuff. And Garrett is good too. But I think that is too much to give. That is our top hitting prospect and, with McKenzie just getting back from injury you could easily say Bieber has passed him up as our top pitching prospect. I'd like to have either or both but just don't think we'd have to give that much.

As I said the other day, I think we should bring Mejia up now and DFA Perez, who has become damn near worthless. His defense is no longer stellar to make you ignore his terrible bat. He is just struggling all the way around now. Let Mejia catch a couple days a week and DH a couple days a week. (He's a switch hitter so could DH against lefties in place of Alonso in lineup. EE to 1B)

I would include Bieber or Plutko in the package. We have no spot for Merritt and Reds can always use cheap arms. I would include Gonzalez or Yandy. I'd give Zimmer. Bradley. We have a glut of SS's so could add Chang or Castro. We could get it done without having to give a top notch guy. We aren't talking Miller or Chapman type guys here.

I understand that you have to give something to get something, but if we want to keep our window of opportunity open, we need to continue to feed the parent club with young inexpensive talent.

Anyone here think we have remote chance of signing either Kluber or Carasco or Rameriz again, can we sign Bauer at all? Francisco will not sign a long term deal.

Also, a good reliever, see Miller 2016, is not a guarantee of a WS Championship.

I will remind you that minor leaguers don't always do what you hope so any success by those 2 is still speculative - whereas the Cincy guys have done it in the bigs.

Also, those contracts are really cheap UD and long term and certainly that would play into the Tribe's thinking on any deal.

I'm not saying do it but I would definitely be seriously weighing it.

HB offered some quality counteroffer tries for sure and stuff like that should be attempted.

As far as Mejia, I really doubt he can catch for the Indians. Gomes is signed for awhile. We do watch these games and I have to say Gomes is a total defensive stud. I mean off the charts defense. With him contributing with the bat he is very firmly entrenched.

UD, I proposed offering guys who are expendable. I did not for a second say trade the farm.

We have three CF prospects in MLB or AAA in Naquin, Zimmer, and Allen. We can definitely afford to trade one.

We have like 5 guys above AA at middle infield. Lindor, Jose, Gonzalez, Chang, and Castro. We can definitely afford to trade one or even two of them.

Merritt is about to come off DL and we have no spot in rotation for him. Bieber and Plutko have passed him up. We have to do something with him, and soon.

Speaking of Plutko and Bieber, they are not the only good looking pitching prospects we have at AA and above. Arguably our best prospect, Triston McKenzie is in AA. And when he came off the DL last week we had like 7 SP's at Akron. ... Chiang, Paulson, Civale, Peoples, Plesac ... these guys may not be household names but check out their stats at Akron. All these guys are killing it!

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... e&sid=t402

I think to be fair to Gonzalez we either need to cut the cord with Kipnis and give him the job or trade him. This kid deserves to be playing every day somewhere. ... Also, Yandy Diaz is 27 years old at AAA. ... Neither of these guys can break our lineup cause Kipnis is signed long term and we can get rid of him. Both deserve a job. Trade one of them.

Between Naquin, Zimmer, and Allen we can easily deal one of them. Zimmer probably has most long term value.

Tons of starting pitchers at AA and above. Trade one of them, even if it hurts.

We have Lindor and Jose in majors. We can trade Chang or Castro, two good looking SS prospects.

And toss Merritt in on the deal cause we have no place for him.

So my offer would be something like ... Plutko, Gonzalez, Zimmer, Merritt, and Chang for two really good relievers.

Iglesias and Garrett from Reds would be one option. ... Britton and Bleier from the Orioles another.

I really think it's enough ... and I really do not think it hurts us moving forward at all because we are dealing from areas of strength.

TFIR, I agree with you about Gomes. That is why I specifically said DFA PEREZ. So not sure why you even mention Yan.

Bring Mejia up and let him play catcher a couple days a week, what Perez is doing now, and let him DH against lefties in place of Alonso. If he could play 4 days a week that's plenty enough to keep him sharp and let him break into majors slowly.

Perez has absolutely sucked this year. ... But while I type this he throws out a would be base stealer. Figures... Kiss of life in action...

And Perez hits a double with bases loaded his first at bat. It is really uncanny how that works.