Cleveland Indians Hot Stove---2011-2012

• HitsRus

  

  "Aggressive"? ...err... foolish especially if they couldn't secure a club option for 2013.
  I really don't have a problem with the amount if Sizemore plays to his potential, but with the large base value, the risk is all on the Indians. Having an option to keep him should the 'rehab' be successful would have been one way to justify that base amount.
• grodt

  

  Agreed I'm surprised the Indians didn't get an option year if he was able to hit his incentives. I know Grady's agent wouldn't want that because if he plays that much he'll go for more than that on the open market but the Indians should have insisted on it.
• hoops23

  

  This is Dolans way of saying "Look, I'm not stupid or cheap!" lmao
• Con_Alma

  This could be a good way to be able to get something for him. If he starts out hot like he has been you could trade him and get something for him now.
• grodt

  

  I really hope Antonetti is being truthful when he says they're going to add some more pieces because if this is all we end up doing I'll be very disappointed. I like the Lowe move and I don't mind bringing Grady back but for a team that claims to be in win-now mode it's not enough.
• HitsRus

  

  ^^^reps...need a RH hitter bad. Basically we have our starting outfield, so it really doesn't make sense to add a high priced FA there. It seems like if another splash is made, it will be at 1B....or a trade made. The other option might be to add a good right handed hitting catcher, and planning to play Santana at first.
• hoops23

  

  It sounds like the plan is to move Santana to 1B.
  
  They seem done with the Matt LaPorta experiment, so I'd like to see him moved.
  
  They need a better everyday catcher than Lou Marson, if this is the case. I haven't checked out the available catchers, but I doubt there is anybody really worth a shit that we'll get.
  
  The real issue is 3B. Is Chiz the answer? There are questions as to whether he'll even start the year at the MLB level.
  
  I think he'll be a solid player, .265 to .270 BA with around 15 - 20 homers and 75ish RBI, but I'm not sure if he's at that point yet.
  
  I do think Kipnis is a star in the making, and if there is any positions we're fine at, it's the middle infield, which is very key to developing a winning ball club.
• TBone14

  

  hoops23;985536 wrote:It sounds like the plan is to move Santana to 1B.
  
  They seem done with the Matt LaPorta experiment, so I'd like to see him moved.
  
  They need a better everyday catcher than Lou Marson, if this is the case. I haven't checked out the available catchers, but I doubt there is anybody really worth a shit that we'll get.
  
  The real issue is 3B. Is Chiz the answer? There are questions as to whether he'll even start the year at the MLB level.
  
  I think he'll be a solid player, .265 to .270 BA with around 15 - 20 homers and 75ish RBI, but I'm not sure if he's at that point yet.
  
  I do think Kipnis is a star in the making, and if there is any positions we're fine at, it's the middle infield, which is very key to developing a winning ball club.

  
  Say what you want about Chiz...with the way the pitching staff is shaping up I think Captian Jack is the best option at 3rd base just for his defense. There was an article on Grantland about the Indians pitching staff. No staff in the history of the game has induced more ground balls by % than what this staff should. Chiz is a butcher down there at 3rd.
  
  I'll see if I can find the article.
• Mulva

  

  So is the consensus that Fukudome won't be back?
• hoops23

  

  TBone14;985592 wrote:Say what you want about Chiz...with the way the pitching staff is shaping up I think Captian Jack is the best option at 3rd base just for his defense. There was an article on Grantland about the Indians pitching staff. No staff in the history of the game has induced more ground balls by % than what this staff should. Chiz is a butcher down there at 3rd.
  
  I'll see if I can find the article.

  I read that article as well.
  
  http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7206897/cleveland-indians-worms-no-1-enemy
  

  the Tribe have taken on a rare experiment: They're trotting out a collection of ground-ball pitchers that might be unrivaled in baseball history.

• hoops23

  

  Mulva;985600 wrote:So is the consensus that Fukudome won't be back?

  Sounds like it, which is sad, because I thought he was very solid for us last year. Probably our most consistent OF.
• HitsRus

  

  With all due respect, Hannahan doesn't exactly strike fear into the hearts of opposing pitchers. Last year may well have been a career year for him. I don't know if we can afford the luxury of a defensive third baseman.
  
  I like Fukidome....but I don't see how he fits in.
• hoops23

  

  HitsRus;985630 wrote:With all due respect, Hannahan doesn't exactly strike fear into the hearts of opposing pitchers. Last year may well have been a career year for him. I don't know if we can afford the luxury of a defensive third baseman.
  .

  Agreed. He could be a defensive replacement in late game scenarios.
• Mulva

  

  I'd take Hannahan over Chiz at this point. I don't think we have the luxury of playing a defensive 3rd baseman either, but I don't see anyone being brought in at the position and of the two options I'd rather see Jack out there.
  
  Chiz has no plate discipline at all at this point in time, aside from being a liability on defense. He has some nice pop, but I don't care if he can hit 20 home runs if he's not even posting a .300 OBP. Hannahan had an OPS that was 20 points higher last year, even though his slugging % was much lower, because Chiz just doesn't get on base enough.
• HitsRus

  

  Would you be willing to trade Chiz if he could bring (or help bring) a RH middle of the order hitter?
• hoops23

  

  HitsRus;985963 wrote:Would you be willing to trade Chiz if he could bring (or help bring) a RH middle of the order hitter?

  I'd definitely think about it. It'd reslly depend on who the hitter was though.
• grodt

  

  Indians announce small changes to uniforms. Nothing major. Described here http://www.sportslogos.net/blog/2011/11/25/cleveland-indians-announce-tweaks-to-uniforms/
  
  
• TBone14

  

  They should never wear anything other than the Creams at home or Blues to mix it up.
  
  
• hoops23

  

  Their best uni's are the gray away uni's.. Those things are fucking sweet.
  
  
• HitsRus

  

  The Blue Jays have acquired Luis Valbuena(for cash) who was DFA'd in preparation for the upcoming rule 5 draft. Valbuena, who is is still just 25, had a good opening year with the team in 2009, but his performance in 2010 and 2011 at the major league level dropped off significantly.
  
  The Tribe will still need to move one more player off the 40 man roster due to the signing of Grady Sizemore.
• Mulva

  

  Valbuena was always terrible, just moreso over the past 2 seasons.
• grodt

  

  Absolutely not regrets cutting ties with Valbuena. Still curious who we're going to move off of the 40 man roster to make room for Grady.
• Crimson streak

  

  Crowe hopefully the dude sucks
• grodt

  

  Crowe isn't on the 40 man roster
• Crimson streak

  

  Thought he was