Cleveland Indians Hot Stove---2011-2012

• royal_k

  

  lhslep134;1051223 wrote:Doesn't he have to sit out 50 games?

  Yeah...that's the biggest drawback. But if he can still hit.....
• wildcats20

  

  lhslep134;1051223 wrote:Doesn't he have to sit out 50 games?

  Yeah.
• Mulva

  

  Al Bundy;1051203 wrote:Once upon a time, the tribe had an owner who was willing to pay a salaray to field a good team. http://www.stlsports.com/articles/ja.mlbsalaries.html

  $8 million team salary for Montreal in 1998. That's impressive.
  
  I'd take the ManRam back. Sitting 50 games might not be a bad thing, because it will allow him to be fresher at the end of the year. Also 50 games is probably right around the time Hafner will go down with a season ending injury, so he'd be able to step right in at DH. He's not in a position to be commanding anything, so why not offer him a small deal and take a shot?
• royal_k

  

  Mulva;1051241 wrote:$8 million team salary for Montreal in 1998. That's impressive.
  
  I'd take the ManRam back. Sitting 50 games might not be a bad thing, because it will allow him to be fresher at the end of the year. Also 50 games is probably right around the time Hafner will go down with a season ending injury, so he'd be able to step right in at DH. He's not in a position to be commanding anything, so why not offer him a small deal and take a shot?

  reps
• Wooball

  

  I agree w/ Mulva. I'd take a shot on ManRam. Let him sit 50 games when the weather in Cleveland still blows. He can stay in Arizona and get in shape where the weather is nice and avoid blowing out a hammy playing in the snow and 30-40 degree winds of Cleveland in April/early May. Come back end of May/early June when Sizemore and Pronk have broken down and hopefully he hits, like he has his entire career. I know the production has been down for him lately, but even if you can get him to focus for about a year and a half it would be worth it. I can't imagine anyone giving him a big deal, I could see Manny wanting to come back to Cleveland. Worse case, you sign him to a very affordable contract, he sells some tickets for when he returns (a la Thome), he blows and you let him go.
• wildcats20

  

  Wooball;1051288 wrote:I agree w/ Mulva. I'd take a shot on ManRam. Let him sit 50 games when the weather in Cleveland still blows. He can stay in Arizona and get in shape where the weather is nice and avoid blowing out a hammy playing in the snow and 30-40 degree winds of Cleveland in April/early May. Come back end of May/early June when Sizemore and Pronk have broken down and hopefully he hits, like he has his entire career. I know the production has been down for him lately, but even if you can get him to focus for about a year and a half it would be worth it. I can't imagine anyone giving him a big deal, I could see Manny wanting to come back to Cleveland. Worse case, you sign him to a very affordable contract, he sells some tickets for when he returns (a la Thome), he blows and you let him go.

  It seems, based on the ESPN piece I saw earlier, that he is taking this "comeback" seriously. Hitting and working out a lot.
  
  I agree with you guys, worth a shot.
• Crimson streak

  

  When he is motivated he is a top 3 hitter in all of baseball he might be in the decline but he's still a solid hitter. I would take him in a second
• Mulva

  

  Worst case scenario is that it doesn't work out, he retires again, and we all chuckle say "Oh Manny", because it's pretty much what everyone expected to begin with.
• wes_mantooth

  

  Never happen but it would be awesome to have him back
• HitsRus

  

  Worst case scenario is that it doesn't work out, he retires again, and we all chuckle say "Oh Manny", because it's pretty much what everyone expected to begin with.

  I think you need to consider what he would do to the clubhouse chemistry too...I'm not in a poisition to judge that.
• TBone14

  

  Buster Olney says Tribe in "great position" to land a 1st baseman.
  
  Buster_ESPN Buster Olney
  
  
  
  CLE in a great position to get a good first baseman for something in $6m-$9 range--Kotchman or Pena, or maybe leftover from Fielder signing
  
  
  Kotchman doesn't hit for much power but a great average and on base all the time. I like him. I don't care for Pena. Sure I would like to add some pop but this team already breaks records for strikeouts. Can we really take any more of that?
  
  EDIT: Looked up Kotchman's career numbers. Last year was a career high for him batting average wise at .306 and also OBP at .378. Career numbers around .268 and .336. Highest home run total was like 15. Pass on both him and Pena.
• Crimson streak

  

  I can see Santana having an all star type year. His avg should go up so should the hrs and rbis. I honestly wouldn't mind marson starting the year at catcher if we don't sign a first baseman and just play Santana at first with occasional days catching
• grodt

  

  From Jordan Bastian:
  
  Indians GM Antonetti shot down the idea of a Manny Ramirez reunion. Said it's "not the best positional fit. ... And we already have a DH."
• hoops23

  

  I'd probably prefer Pena over Kotchman after looking at the #'s...
  
  I don't know if Kotchman will bat over .300 again and his #'s aren't all that great.
  
  Pena may not do a lot else, but he does hit homeruns. I think batting him in between Choo and Santana would allow him to get some good pitches.
  
  Choo and Santana should have great OBP's this year.
• OQB

  

  Indians Named Adam Everett special assistant to baseball operations.....
• Laley23

  

  Pena would be great. He would probably hit 30+ in Cleveland, imo. He strikes out a TON, but he is a pretty clutch hitter and can get hot enough to win you a good 7 games by himself throughout the year in like 4 different week long stretches.
• Azubuike24

  

  The problem with Carlos Pena is he might literally hit .190. In 600 at-bats. Look at the last time he played full-time in the AL. Ouch.
  
  That said, he's a fantastic defensive player, albeit at first base.
• hoops23

  

  Tribe 1 of 6 teams interested in Yoenis Cespedes
  
  http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7459626/yoenis-cespedes-says-six-mlb-teams-shown-interest
  

  The 26-year-old outfielder, who bats right-handed, averaged at least .323 in each of his last four seasons in Cuba and established a league record with 33 home runs in 2010-11.

• HitsRus

  

  I don't know if Kotchman will bat over .300 again and his #'s aren't all that great.

  I don't see him as much of an upgrade over LaPorta, at least offensively. Certainly not enough that I'd want to spend anything significant on him.
  
  
  Cespedes would be a good addition, but maybe not at the $$$ he(or Scott Boras) is wanting. In the hunt for him are both the Tigers and Marlins...both of which could/would outspend the Indians.
• like_that

  

  Is this the big move Dolan was speaking of? http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7472150/victor-martinez-detroit-tigers-tears-acl-likely-needs-season-ending-surgery
  
  Addition by subtraction. Anxiously waiting the "Verlander to have tommy john surgery" story to appear.
  
  Seriously though, this can't hurt the Tribe's chances of winning a division at least. Miguel won't have any protection around the plate.
• grodt

  

  As much as I like V-Mart as a player I can't say I'm upset about our toughest competitor being weakened. Of course now they might swoop in and steal Pena from us.
• HitsRus

  

  There in the hunt for Cespedes, too. The injury to V-Mart may a move like this more likely.
• TBone14

  

  As much as I hate the Tigers...and trust me, especially living in NW Ohio, I hate the Tigers. I can never root against Victor and I am disappointed that he is hurt. Baseball fans have been robbed of a season by one of the best hitters in the game.
  
  One of my favorite players of all-time and top 5 favorite Indians. Wish him a full and speedy recovery.
• royal_k

  

  TBone14;1057214 wrote:As much as I hate the Tigers...and trust me, especially living in NW Ohio, I hate the Tigers. I can never root against Victor and I am disappointed that he is hurt. Baseball fans have been robbed of a season by one of the best hitters in the game.
  
  One of my favorite players of all-time and top 5 favorite Indians. Wish him a full and speedy recovery.

  Reps
  
  One of my favorites as well. And I am also from NW Ohio where there are way too many Kitty fans:mad:
• like_that

  

  TBone14;1057214 wrote:As much as I hate the Tigers...and trust me, especially living in NW Ohio, I hate the Tigers. I can never root against Victor and I am disappointed that he is hurt. Baseball fans have been robbed of a season by one of the best hitters in the game.
  
  One of my favorite players of all-time and top 5 favorite Indians. Wish him a full and speedy recovery.

  I'm with you there. Hard to hate vmart, although it kills me to see him in a Tigers uniform, and it killed me even worse when he was in a BoSox uniform.