Tribe Off Season/Hot Stove thread.

• wes_mantooth

  

  Footwedge;1367872 wrote:Sorry to pop your bub there Steak. I'm the biggest cleveland homer in seeing silver linings. But...I put the over/under at 69 wins this year.
  
  Indians starting pitching is still pathetic. The only upgrade position wise is first base...and not by much either. I would rather have Choo in right over Swisher...every time.
  
  More homers is suppose to equal more runs. Not with this line up.
  
  At least we have a manager who will play to win. People like Ubaldo will be yanked in the first or second inning when necesary.
  
  No more 10-1 deficits going to the third inning.

  I agree with some of this, but I do think they are a 75 win team. As for starting pitching...I guess we will see if Masterson rebounds from a shitty season or if last year was the norm.
• Classyposter58

  

  Footwedge;1367873 wrote:Tigers should win this division by 12-15 games this year. There is no comparison between them and the rest of the division. I agree...they are the best team in the AL.

  Yeah glad I don't sound like too big of a homer, but realistically this team has a good 2B now, replaced Young with Torii Hunter and have VMart back as a DH. Plus they're four deep in the rotation
• Crimson streak

  

  Classyposter58;1368538 wrote:Yeah glad I don't sound like too big of a homer, but realistically this team has a good 2B now, replaced Young with Torii Hunter and have VMart back as a DH. Plus they're four deep in the rotation

  
  I still think the tigers rotation outside of verlander isn't very good. And there defense is still garbage. As for the tribe, the whole season rests on Masterson, ubaldo and Bauer. I really think the offense is drastically better and we actually have a manager who knows how to coach. The bullpen will be one of the tops in the majors.
• Classyposter58

  

  I don't know many teams with an ace like Verlander and then three guys that are consistetly in the mid 3's
• Crimson streak

  

  Classyposter58;1368596 wrote:I don't know many teams with an ace like Verlander and then three guys that are consistetly in the mid 3's

  
  Lol none if them are in the mid 3's that's the thing. Fister had 1 good year. Scherzer and Sanchez are boarder line 4 to 4.50 guys. I still can't believe they gave that much money to Sanchez who is average
• wes_mantooth

  

  Yeah, defense and starting pitching are weak for the tigers, but they have so much offense...they should cruise through this shit hole division
• stlouiedipalma

  I read the Terry Francona book excerpt from Sports Illustrated just the other day and if this is any indication, I am happy the Tribe got him. Sounds like Terry was stuck between a rock and a hard place in Boston, what with the unrealistic situation created by the owner and his staff.
• HitsRus

  

  Footwedge;1367872 wrote:Sorry to pop your bub there Steak. I'm the biggest cleveland homer in seeing silver linings. But...I put the over/under at 69 wins this year.
  
  Indians starting pitching is still pathetic. The only upgrade position wise is first base...and not by much either. I would rather have Choo in right over Swisher...every time.
  
  More homers is suppose to equal more runs. Not with this line up.
  
  At least we have a manager who will play to win. People like Ubaldo will be yanked in the first or second inning when necesary.
  
  No more 10-1 deficits going to the third inning.

  This is a difficult team to put an over/under on, but if you offering, I'll take over 69. I think there is a lot of upside on both the starting pitching, and the offense. There are a lot of young players that are still developing (Santana, Chisenhall, Kipnis, Brantley, Stubbs, Masterson.) I disagree about the outfield....Stubbs/Brantley/Swisher >>> Brantley/Choo/and AAAA Left fielders. There is so much more offensive potential in Chiz at 3rd, vs .220 hitting Jack Hannahan. You need pop in the bats of your corner infielders. Kotchman and Hannahan...ehhhhhh not so much. At least there is potential.
  
  Masterson is still a developing player. It took Sabathia a few years to be an "ace". I think this will be Mastersons 3rd year as a starter.
  
  Put me down as a guy who thinks the Tigers will easily win the division....but not necessarily because the Tribe will be bad. I really like the way the Kitties do their business. They identify what the weak parts of the team are, and they agressively pursue the solution, with their owner stepping up and making sure it happens.
• stlouiedipalma

  Saw today where Young signed with someone else. Anything that weakens the Tigers makes me happy.
• lhslep134

  

  stlouiedipalma;1373413 wrote:Saw today where Young signed with someone else. Anything that weakens the Tigers makes me happy.

  It didn't weaken them. They let him go to sign Hunter.
• stlouiedipalma

  Hunter has been around, hasn't he? Any word on Victor Martinez?
• GOONx19

  

  Hunter is 37, but last year was his best since 2009. Batted .313 with 16 homeruns and an .817 OPS.
  
  Victor's been swinging a bat for a month and should be ready to run any day. They said he'll be 100% for spring training.
• Footwedge

  HitsRus;1373171 wrote:This is a difficult team to put an over/under on, but if you offering, I'll take over 69. I think there is a lot of upside on both the starting pitching, and the offense. There are a lot of young players that are still developing (Santana, Chisenhall, Kipnis, Brantley, Stubbs, Masterson.) I disagree about the outfield....Stubbs/Brantley/Swisher >>> Brantley/Choo/and AAAA Left fielders. There is so much more offensive potential in Chiz at 3rd, vs .220 hitting Jack Hannahan. You need pop in the bats of your corner infielders. Kotchman and Hannahan...ehhhhhh not so much. At least there is potential.
  
  Masterson is still a developing player. It took Sabathia a few years to be an "ace". I think this will be Mastersons 3rd year as a starter.
  
  Put me down as a guy who thinks the Tigers will easily win the division....but not necessarily because the Tribe will be bad. I really like the way the Kitties do their business. They identify what the weak parts of the team are, and they agressively pursue the solution, with their owner stepping up and making sure it happens.

  I'm not saying that this team doesn't have some things to be excited about. They do. But I strongly disagree that our outfield is better than last year. Swisher hit in one on the friendliest parks in baseball surrounded by future HOfers. His numbers are not nearly as good as Choo's...not to mention Choo is a much better outfielder and base runner.
  
  And Drew Stubbs will make all tribe fans throw up in their mouths a little. The last 2 years showed a combined 225 batting average. Really, really bad for a guy who can run. Over that same period, he struck out more often than Russell Branyan ever did. Not gonna look it up...but his strikeout ratio is probably on a par with Adam Dunn.
  
  Our 4A left fielders>>than Stubbs.
  
  As for our pitching....the future would seem a lot brighter if Pomeranz and White were going to camp...just sayin.
  
  The tribe very easily could set the all time record for strike outs....and it will be interesting following that chase all season.
• Footwedge

  Also...don't expect Stubbs or Swisher to hit as many homers. Yankee stadium was the highest home run producing park...and Cincy was number 2 in that regard trailing only Coors field in the NL.
• like_that

  

  Footwedge;1374038 wrote:I'm not saying that this team doesn't have some things to be excited about. They do. But I strongly disagree that our outfield is better than last year. Swisher hit in one on the friendliest parks in baseball surrounded by future HOfers. His numbers are not nearly as good as Choo's...not to mention Choo is a much better outfielder and base runner.
  
  And Drew Stubbs will make all tribe fans throw up in their mouths a little. The last 2 years showed a combined 225 batting average. Really, really bad for a guy who can run. Over that same period, he struck out more often than Russell Branyan ever did. Not gonna look it up...but his strikeout ratio is probably on a par with Adam Dunn.
  
  Our 4A left fielders>>than Stubbs.
  
  As for our pitching....the future would seem a lot brighter if Pomeranz and White were going to camp...just sayin.
  
  The tribe very easily could set the all time record for strike outs....and it will be interesting following that chase all season.

  A westbrook/bauer/white/pomeranz rotation would sure make me more optimistic about this team's future. That's for sure.
• Laley23

  

  Stubbs is terrible. But I like Swisher and Reynolds. I dont care if they strike out more, I dont want the fucking game to be over when it is 3-0 in the 4th. At least now we have firepower to win some high scoring games, and with out pitching staff, we will likely have to. I hate the Ks as much as anyone, but its better that than giving up in the 3rd inning because you are down 3 runs.
• HitsRus

  

  Tribe looking at Hafner or Thome as possible DH signees...
  http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2013/01/cleveland_indians_have_thome_h.html
• Laley23

  

  Thome, if anyone either, please.
• royal_k

  

  Yeah, of those 2, give me Thome
• wes_mantooth

  

  I want hafner but in the contract he should be required to juice...and have needles administered daily by tribe personnel
• HitsRus

  

  I wouldn't mind either of these guys at the right price for filling in at DH or coming off the bench to pinch hit, except for the fact that they'd take up a roster spot and another player would have to be exposed. We've already lost Jeanmar Gomez and Russ Canzler because the roster was full...I'd hate to lose another guy with potential just to add one of those guys.
• HitsRus

  

  TheTribe has give former Twins reliever Matt Capps a minor league contract and an invitaton to spring training....Capps is coming off an injury shortened season.
  http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130131&content_id=41294722&vkey=news_cle&c_id=cle
  
  Travis Hafner is close to signing with the New York Yankees...
  If he does...will "Pronk" be re-nickamed "Prank"?
• TBone14

  

  HitsRus;1378823 wrote:TheTribe has give former Twins reliever Matt Capps a minor league contract and an invitaton to spring training....Capps is coming off an injury shortened season.
  http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130131&content_id=41294722&vkey=news_cle&c_id=cle
  
  Travis Hafner is close to signing with the New York Yankees...
  If he does...will "Pronk" be re-nickamed "Prank"?

  
  That would be good for Pronk. Think of all the lazy fly balls he hit short of the warning track that will be home runs in Yankee Stadium.
• Crimson streak

  

  HitsRus;1378823 wrote:TheTribe has give former Twins reliever Matt Capps a minor league contract and an invitaton to spring training....Capps is coming off an injury shortened season.
  http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130131&content_id=41294722&vkey=news_cle&c_id=cle
  
  Travis Hafner is close to signing with the New York Yankees...
  If he does...will "Pronk" be re-nickamed "Prank"?

  
  I like the Capps deal. Can never have enough bullpen arms
• HitsRus

  

  It's official...'Pronk' is now 'Prank'.