Sizemore's quick signing also caught me by surprise. Thought he would shop around and bring his best offer to the Tribe to up or at least match.
Must like the Tribe's medical staff.
Everyone knows this is Sizemore's last year with Cleveland. If he has a big year, he's gone for the big bucks. If he's hurt again, he hangs them up. If he stays healthy and shows no former skills, Tribe gives up and moves on.
Re: Articles
992To be honest, I don't think Grady would have gotten a better deal elsewhere. I was surprised the Indians offered him as much. The contract is incentive laden but the 5 mil was a damned generous offer considering.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Articles
993<
The Dominican
Estrellas
A Juan Diaz (.147) sighting. After 5.5 innings, Diaz has been to the plate twice and has a base hit. Diaz is playing shortstop this evening. Estrellas only has two hits, the other by Argenis Reyes.
The Dominican
Estrellas
A Juan Diaz (.147) sighting. After 5.5 innings, Diaz has been to the plate twice and has a base hit. Diaz is playing shortstop this evening. Estrellas only has two hits, the other by Argenis Reyes.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Articles
994Andy Marte still trying to find out a way to shed that paper bag. Marte batting .180 with limited service time.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Articles
995<
Columbia
The Toros extract some revenge for Saturday's thumping to take an 8-4 win against the Tigers. In his third game, Giovanny Urshella was 1-4 and in the three games so far he's 2-12. Playing third, Urshella was error free with one putout and two assists.
Columbia
The Toros extract some revenge for Saturday's thumping to take an 8-4 win against the Tigers. In his third game, Giovanny Urshella was 1-4 and in the three games so far he's 2-12. Playing third, Urshella was error free with one putout and two assists.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Articles
996I agree you don't think. Ever !joez wrote:To be honest, I don't think Grady would have gotten a better deal elsewhere. I was surprised the Indians offered him as much. The contract is incentive laden but the 5 mil was a damned generous offer considering.
Re: Articles
997seagull wrote:Sizemore's quick signing also caught me by surprise. Thought he would shop around and bring his best offer to the Tribe to up or at least match.
Must like the Tribe's medical staff.
Everyone knows this is Sizemore's last year with Cleveland. If he has a big year, he's gone for the big bucks. If he's hurt again, he hangs them up. If he stays healthy and shows no former skills, Tribe gives up and moves on.
I don't see him hanging them up after this year in any scenario. At season's end he'll be looking at what, age 31? He'd try to milk a few more contracts with incentives between the MLB minimum and a million. He probably would be able to.
Re: Articles
998Tribe will keep an open mind at Meetings
Club may look to upgrade at first base, bolster young core
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 11/29/11 12:01 AM EST
Comments (8)2printe-mai
lCLEVELAND -- After only a couple of slight adjustments, the Indians' roster appears nearly set for the upcoming season. Of course, there are still more than two months remaining for Cleveland to complete some more winter maneuvering.
"There's still a lot of offseason left," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "There's still a lot of time before Opening Day."
The message behind that statement is that anything can happen. All it takes is one phone call for a deal to gain momentum, which has a way of developing during baseball's Winter Meetings. This offseason's annual get-together will take place Dec. 5-8 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas.
Cleveland has already shored up its rotation by acquiring Derek Lowe in a trade with the Braves and solidified its outfield by re-signing Grady Sizemore. Next on the agenda -- beyond the usual low-profile moves to address depth up and down the roster -- is finding a way to improve the Tribe's offense.
Antonetti has held discussions with free agents and he has talked trades with other teams. The Indians GM is not sure, however, which route might present the best option for upgrading the position-player aspect of his roster.
"It's very difficult to handicap the two different avenues," Antonetti said. "We've been engaged in both. We've certainly had substantive conversations with free agents, as well as laid the groundwork for some potential trades. Now, which direction we end up going, or whether or not those will atually get done, I don't have a great sense."
What is clear at the moment is that the Indians plan on relying heavily on the young core that is in the fold, with the hope that the team can build on the success experienced throughout the 2011 season. Cleveland had one of the youngest rosters in baseball, but finished second in the American League Central.
The rotation is set with Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Fausto Carmona, Josh Tomlin and Lowe. The starting outfield is locked in with Michael Brantley in left, Sizemore in center and Shin-Soo Choo in right. Travis Hafner will be back as the designated hitter, Asdrubal Cabrera as the shortstop and Carlos Santana behind the plate.
Youngsters Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall will compete for the everyday jobs at second and third base, respectively. The bullpen -- led by All-Star closer Chris Perez -- could return nearly the entire cast that ended the year with Cleveland. Right now, there is only one spot available in the relief corps.
As the Winter Meetings approach, the most logical position to upgrade is first base. Matt LaPorta's struggles have led to a situation where the Indians want to create some competition at that spot come Spring Training. Catcher Carlos Santana will play the position some, but the Tribe might try to add another player to the mix.
Antonetti did all he could to shy away from specifics.
"First base is certainly an avenue that we could pursue," said the GM.
Right now, the Indians' lineup projects to have at least six left-handed hitters (Hafner, Chisenhall, Kipnis, Choo, Brantley and Sizemore) as well as a pair of switch-hitters (Cabrera and Santana). Adding a right-handed bat would benefit the Indians, but Antonetti said that is not the team's focus.
"If there is a right-handed bat out there that complements our team well," Antonetti said, "that we feel will improve our team the most, that will be the direction we try to go. If the opportunities are a switch-hitter or a left-handed hitter, we're certainly open-minded to them as well.
"We're not going to limit ourselves by just focusing on any one particular attribute. We're not looking only at right-handed bats. I don't think that would be prudent for us to do."
Some first basemen on the free-agent market include Carlos Pena, Michael Cuddyer, Derrek Lee and Casey Kotchman, among others. Of that group, the 36-year-old Lee would potentially be the most affordable of the right-handed options.
The Indians do have some financial wiggle room.
Cleveland has $34.2 million tied up in five contracts and the team might have to pay more than $20 million on top of that in order to retain its seven arbitration-eligible players. Overall, the payroll projects to be around $60 million before the potential additions of one or two more players to the Major League roster.
Antonetti declined to discuss an exact payroll figure, but it is believed that the Indians have the ability to operate on a payroll of up to around $70-75 million. That gives the club some spending money for possibily adding a first baseman, or signing a veteran reliever to boost an already solid bullpen.
The Indians will also be looking to add some players to the mix on Minor League contracts, which has been a familiar approach in recent winters. The Tribe's clearest need is outfield depth, but the team might also consider adding more depth for the rotation, bullpen, utility roles and behind the plate as well.
"There's a number of guys that will come into camp to try to compete for spots," Antonetti said. "That's been an important area of our club. Over the last two years, we've added five non-roster guys to our team coming out of Spring Training just on the position-player side alone.
"Those players that have been signed on Minor League deals have made significant contributions to our team over the last two seasons."
The Winter Meetings will provide Antonetti with a chance to have some face-to-face meetings with some agents and other general managers.
Once such talks get going, anything can happen.
"We're certainly open-minded," Antonetti said.
Club may look to upgrade at first base, bolster young core
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 11/29/11 12:01 AM EST
Comments (8)2printe-mai
lCLEVELAND -- After only a couple of slight adjustments, the Indians' roster appears nearly set for the upcoming season. Of course, there are still more than two months remaining for Cleveland to complete some more winter maneuvering.
"There's still a lot of offseason left," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "There's still a lot of time before Opening Day."
The message behind that statement is that anything can happen. All it takes is one phone call for a deal to gain momentum, which has a way of developing during baseball's Winter Meetings. This offseason's annual get-together will take place Dec. 5-8 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas.
Cleveland has already shored up its rotation by acquiring Derek Lowe in a trade with the Braves and solidified its outfield by re-signing Grady Sizemore. Next on the agenda -- beyond the usual low-profile moves to address depth up and down the roster -- is finding a way to improve the Tribe's offense.
Antonetti has held discussions with free agents and he has talked trades with other teams. The Indians GM is not sure, however, which route might present the best option for upgrading the position-player aspect of his roster.
"It's very difficult to handicap the two different avenues," Antonetti said. "We've been engaged in both. We've certainly had substantive conversations with free agents, as well as laid the groundwork for some potential trades. Now, which direction we end up going, or whether or not those will atually get done, I don't have a great sense."
What is clear at the moment is that the Indians plan on relying heavily on the young core that is in the fold, with the hope that the team can build on the success experienced throughout the 2011 season. Cleveland had one of the youngest rosters in baseball, but finished second in the American League Central.
The rotation is set with Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Fausto Carmona, Josh Tomlin and Lowe. The starting outfield is locked in with Michael Brantley in left, Sizemore in center and Shin-Soo Choo in right. Travis Hafner will be back as the designated hitter, Asdrubal Cabrera as the shortstop and Carlos Santana behind the plate.
Youngsters Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall will compete for the everyday jobs at second and third base, respectively. The bullpen -- led by All-Star closer Chris Perez -- could return nearly the entire cast that ended the year with Cleveland. Right now, there is only one spot available in the relief corps.
As the Winter Meetings approach, the most logical position to upgrade is first base. Matt LaPorta's struggles have led to a situation where the Indians want to create some competition at that spot come Spring Training. Catcher Carlos Santana will play the position some, but the Tribe might try to add another player to the mix.
Antonetti did all he could to shy away from specifics.
"First base is certainly an avenue that we could pursue," said the GM.
Right now, the Indians' lineup projects to have at least six left-handed hitters (Hafner, Chisenhall, Kipnis, Choo, Brantley and Sizemore) as well as a pair of switch-hitters (Cabrera and Santana). Adding a right-handed bat would benefit the Indians, but Antonetti said that is not the team's focus.
"If there is a right-handed bat out there that complements our team well," Antonetti said, "that we feel will improve our team the most, that will be the direction we try to go. If the opportunities are a switch-hitter or a left-handed hitter, we're certainly open-minded to them as well.
"We're not going to limit ourselves by just focusing on any one particular attribute. We're not looking only at right-handed bats. I don't think that would be prudent for us to do."
Some first basemen on the free-agent market include Carlos Pena, Michael Cuddyer, Derrek Lee and Casey Kotchman, among others. Of that group, the 36-year-old Lee would potentially be the most affordable of the right-handed options.
The Indians do have some financial wiggle room.
Cleveland has $34.2 million tied up in five contracts and the team might have to pay more than $20 million on top of that in order to retain its seven arbitration-eligible players. Overall, the payroll projects to be around $60 million before the potential additions of one or two more players to the Major League roster.
Antonetti declined to discuss an exact payroll figure, but it is believed that the Indians have the ability to operate on a payroll of up to around $70-75 million. That gives the club some spending money for possibily adding a first baseman, or signing a veteran reliever to boost an already solid bullpen.
The Indians will also be looking to add some players to the mix on Minor League contracts, which has been a familiar approach in recent winters. The Tribe's clearest need is outfield depth, but the team might also consider adding more depth for the rotation, bullpen, utility roles and behind the plate as well.
"There's a number of guys that will come into camp to try to compete for spots," Antonetti said. "That's been an important area of our club. Over the last two years, we've added five non-roster guys to our team coming out of Spring Training just on the position-player side alone.
"Those players that have been signed on Minor League deals have made significant contributions to our team over the last two seasons."
The Winter Meetings will provide Antonetti with a chance to have some face-to-face meetings with some agents and other general managers.
Once such talks get going, anything can happen.
"We're certainly open-minded," Antonetti said.
Re: Articles
999The laid-back, "let them come to us" attitude pisses me off. They know they need at least one right- handed bat and have major league bullpen arms to trade.
Get off your ass and go get somebody.
Get off your ass and go get somebody.
Re: Articles
1000C'mon, SEA. You have to admit that they have been much more aggressive than the previous regime. I think that is just rhetoric, and that they really are looking hard for a RH bat.seagull wrote:The laid-back, "let them come to us" attitude pisses me off. They know they need at least one right- handed bat and have major league bullpen arms to trade.
Get off your ass and go get somebody.
Re: Articles
1001Assuming an outfield is "locked in" with Grady Sizemore in the mix is not a good plan.
Granted, Sizemore can play some DH because Hafner won't play everyday, but another outfielder is a must IMO. Carerra isn't good enough.
Whatever bat/s they end up getting they better know how to play the outfield.
Granted, Sizemore can play some DH because Hafner won't play everyday, but another outfielder is a must IMO. Carerra isn't good enough.
Whatever bat/s they end up getting they better know how to play the outfield.
Re: Articles
1002The writer may think the OF is locked in. I bet Antonetti doesn't and I expect him to do more business. He has been far more proactive than his predecessor.
Re: Articles
1005I'm liking the sound of this. It will be interesting to see how it pans out:
Competitive Balance Lottery to shake up Draft
Small-market, low-revenue teams to get chance at extra picks
By Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com | 11/30/11 10:00 AM EST
There's enough information to digest from the new Basic Agreement to make Thanksgiving dinner seem like an appetizer. Getting a grasp on how the First-Year Player Draft and the international-signing landscape have changed takes time and patience.
The real ramifications of the changes laid out in the agreement may not truly be known until after baseball has gone through a Draft and a signing period under the new rules, and certainly not before the complete agreement is released. MLB.com has been collecting information to get a better understanding of this new way of doing business in the amateur ranks. This is part one in a series of stories to try to sort all of this out, so fans will have a sense of what their teams will be facing beginning with the 2012 Draft. The series will include an explanation of the Competitive Balance Lottery, how things will work in the international markets and a look at who will feel the greatest impact from these changes.
The Competitive Balance Lottery is new. The extra picks could come in handy in helping teams that supposedly need the most assistance to improve. Keep in mind, though, those teams won't get this aid until the 2013 Draft.
The first lottery will take place in July, after the 2012 Draft signing deadline has passed. The 10 smallest-market teams and the 10 lowest-revenue teams will be placed in the lottery to have a chance to win one of six extra picks in 2013. This doesn't mean there will be 20 teams in the lottery. There will be plenty of crossover, with the expectation of having 13 teams involved.
The teams that will be eligible for the first lottery are the D-backs, Orioles, Indians, Royals, A's, Pirates, Padres, Rays, Reds, Rockies, Marlins, Brewers and Cardinals.
The odds of winning a Draft pick in this lottery will be based on each team's winning percentage in the previous season. The half-dozen picks will be made at the conclusion of the first round, but after the compensation picks for free agents.
There will be a second group of six picks, coming after the conclusion of the second round. The teams from the first group that did not get one of the early picks will be re-entered, along with any other Major League team that receives any revenue sharing.
There's another wrinkle to this. These lottery picks can be traded. That's right, for the first time in Major League history, Draft picks can be dealt. But there are a series of conditions and limitations regarding such transactions.
Only a team that wins a pick in the lottery can trade it, meaning that selection can be traded just once. It can't be sold for cash, and it may only be dealt during the season. Trading can commence the day after the lottery is held and is allowed until the end of that regular season. So seeing a lottery pick or two involved in some July 31 Trade Deadline deals is a distinct possibility. They cannot be included in any Winter Meetings deals, however, with trading of picks again permitted at the beginning of the following regular season.
Teams eligible for '13 Lottery
Arizona D-backs Baltimore Orioles
Cleveland Indians Kansas City Royals
Oakland Athletics Pittsburgh Pirates
San Diego Padres Tampa Bay Rays
Cincinnati Reds Colorado Rockies
Miami Marlins Milwaukee Brewers
St. Louis Cardinals
The lottery, it seems, has been designed to help small-market and lowest-revenue clubs gain more talent not just because they had a poor season. Many of the smaller-market clubs were proponents of a system with hard slotting. While that hasn't happened, this current system is designed, with this lottery a part of it, to give those clubs a competitive advantage compared to the status quo.
There is one other lottery, one for picks forfeited by teams going over their allotted bonus pools. Any team going five to 10 percent over its pool gets taxed at 75 percent and loses a first-round pick. Anyone going 10-15 percent over gets hit with a 100-percent tax and loses a first- and second-round pick. Anything over 15 percent means a 100-percent tax and loss of first-round selections in the next two Drafts.
Any of those forfeited picks would go into a separate lottery. Any team that did not exceed its pool will be in that lottery. In this one, though, the odds are not just based on winning percentage, but on a formula of revenue and winning percentage.
Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLB.com and writes a blog, B3. Follow @JonathanMayoB3 on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Competitive Balance Lottery to shake up Draft
Small-market, low-revenue teams to get chance at extra picks
By Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com | 11/30/11 10:00 AM EST
There's enough information to digest from the new Basic Agreement to make Thanksgiving dinner seem like an appetizer. Getting a grasp on how the First-Year Player Draft and the international-signing landscape have changed takes time and patience.
The real ramifications of the changes laid out in the agreement may not truly be known until after baseball has gone through a Draft and a signing period under the new rules, and certainly not before the complete agreement is released. MLB.com has been collecting information to get a better understanding of this new way of doing business in the amateur ranks. This is part one in a series of stories to try to sort all of this out, so fans will have a sense of what their teams will be facing beginning with the 2012 Draft. The series will include an explanation of the Competitive Balance Lottery, how things will work in the international markets and a look at who will feel the greatest impact from these changes.
The Competitive Balance Lottery is new. The extra picks could come in handy in helping teams that supposedly need the most assistance to improve. Keep in mind, though, those teams won't get this aid until the 2013 Draft.
The first lottery will take place in July, after the 2012 Draft signing deadline has passed. The 10 smallest-market teams and the 10 lowest-revenue teams will be placed in the lottery to have a chance to win one of six extra picks in 2013. This doesn't mean there will be 20 teams in the lottery. There will be plenty of crossover, with the expectation of having 13 teams involved.
The teams that will be eligible for the first lottery are the D-backs, Orioles, Indians, Royals, A's, Pirates, Padres, Rays, Reds, Rockies, Marlins, Brewers and Cardinals.
The odds of winning a Draft pick in this lottery will be based on each team's winning percentage in the previous season. The half-dozen picks will be made at the conclusion of the first round, but after the compensation picks for free agents.
There will be a second group of six picks, coming after the conclusion of the second round. The teams from the first group that did not get one of the early picks will be re-entered, along with any other Major League team that receives any revenue sharing.
There's another wrinkle to this. These lottery picks can be traded. That's right, for the first time in Major League history, Draft picks can be dealt. But there are a series of conditions and limitations regarding such transactions.
Only a team that wins a pick in the lottery can trade it, meaning that selection can be traded just once. It can't be sold for cash, and it may only be dealt during the season. Trading can commence the day after the lottery is held and is allowed until the end of that regular season. So seeing a lottery pick or two involved in some July 31 Trade Deadline deals is a distinct possibility. They cannot be included in any Winter Meetings deals, however, with trading of picks again permitted at the beginning of the following regular season.
Teams eligible for '13 Lottery
Arizona D-backs Baltimore Orioles
Cleveland Indians Kansas City Royals
Oakland Athletics Pittsburgh Pirates
San Diego Padres Tampa Bay Rays
Cincinnati Reds Colorado Rockies
Miami Marlins Milwaukee Brewers
St. Louis Cardinals
The lottery, it seems, has been designed to help small-market and lowest-revenue clubs gain more talent not just because they had a poor season. Many of the smaller-market clubs were proponents of a system with hard slotting. While that hasn't happened, this current system is designed, with this lottery a part of it, to give those clubs a competitive advantage compared to the status quo.
There is one other lottery, one for picks forfeited by teams going over their allotted bonus pools. Any team going five to 10 percent over its pool gets taxed at 75 percent and loses a first-round pick. Anyone going 10-15 percent over gets hit with a 100-percent tax and loses a first- and second-round pick. Anything over 15 percent means a 100-percent tax and loss of first-round selections in the next two Drafts.
Any of those forfeited picks would go into a separate lottery. Any team that did not exceed its pool will be in that lottery. In this one, though, the odds are not just based on winning percentage, but on a formula of revenue and winning percentage.
Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLB.com and writes a blog, B3. Follow @JonathanMayoB3 on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.