Foulke To Take Physical Today

The long-rumored Keith Foulke signing is passing a hurdle today - Foulke is in Cleveland to take his physical.  It appears to be a one-year deal with a mutual option for '08.  Foulke will join a cast of shaky veteran additions in the Tribe pen.

Foulke, 34, was hurt mostly by the longball in the last couple of seasons.  Jacobs Field should help in that it suppresses HRs by about 15%.

UPDATE: The News-Herald says Foulke's 2007 salary would be $3-4MM.

Comments

[ArodSucksAtLife]

30 saves, and a playoff berth. Go Foulke.

[bravesrule14]

i think the Indians will win the AL Central and u can quote me on that.

[quintjs]

I had the Indians winning the Central last year bravesrule, trust me, they will only let you down. (I am not a Indians fan)

If you look at the Indians starting pitching vs the rest of the central (one team excluded) Its hard to see the Indians competiting, Especially with the fire power the White Sox have.

Guess Foukle got what he wanted, out of Boston, nearer home.

[chodson28]

Well I'm an Indians fan, bias be known, so i guess you know what's coming.

I completely disagree with the assumption that they can't even compete based on their starting pitching.

The Twins have Santana and then a bunch of youngsters, all be it promising arms. For the record I think Bonser and Baker will be top notch, but still not much of a track record.

The Tigers I think are the class of the division w/ Verlander and Bonderman but there's no way Kenny Rogers' deal w/ the devil has another year on it and you've got Maroth healthy or otherwise, so there are some questions there.

Then you've got the White Sox. I'd say Lee and Westbrook are easily as good as Buehrle and Garland. Sabathia is better than anyone they've got. I think Vazquez has a bounce back year but Contreras' faid has to raise eyebrows. Then you've got all the "firepower" they traded for. You could just as easily replace firepower w/ "unproven talent".

I'm not saying the Indians have the best rotation in that division. I don't think they do. But to say that they won't be able to compete is absurd.

[darkstar1661]

Another Indians fan so some love for my team but I try to always look at things realisticlty as well and I can't see how any of the other teams in the central can be said to have a better rotation without many questions attached.

re: Chi...
No one picked them to dominate like they did in 05, they were projected to battle for 2nd or 3rd. They came out and all the pitchers had career years, and if you look at the stats for all those guys it stands out as obvious. Last year they came back to their normal a bit - great rotation hardly, try question laden...

Re: Det...
See above. Expected a 4th place finish and end up in WS - when career numbers are looked at it has fluke written all over it. I won't take anything away from them, they have some very nice arms, but everything clicked last year and they played above their potential. Expect a big drop off in 07.

Re:Min...
They do have kids which could turn out to be solid but that's a lot if question right there. Johan then who? They are a year or two off still and sadly for them could be losing Santana by the time everything falls into place. I never count them out but its tough to call them a solid rotation to start the season.

No, onto the Tribe. CC is a stud and pitched as he always should last year, he is proving his Ace label and his 3.22 was good enough for 3rd in the AL. Only that inhuman thing in Min is better. Lee had an off year and seemed to be effected by the bad bullpen - otherwise he has a 3.70ish ERA in all but the second half of one season. Westbrook although not flashy keeps putting up the numbers and those numbers continually rank him as one of the best #3s in baseball. Byrd got off to a horrid start last year and never really out it together for us, his recent career numbers are very good though and his stats out of the 5 spot easily better anyone elses in the league for that hole. Then Sowers. Kind of a question as there isn't any big league experence but he is such a smart and competitive pitcher that this drives him. I got a chance to talk to him before he turned his stats around last year and I couldn't believe how well poised he was about it, the kid knows what it takes, doesn't let stuff bother him and will succeed. Will he do it this year? Well, he has as good a shot as anyone else in the division and as our 4 with the stuff to post 1-2 stuff it should worry the competition.

Re KC... Forget it...

So, the rotation as it stands is set to possibly see a 5 man without anyone with a ERA over 4. They were the 6th best group of starters in the majors 2 years ago (minus Byrd & Sowers add Milwood & Elarton) and were in the top half again last year even with the struggles. You can say they might not have the strongest but they actually have the potential to be the best in baseball - very few teams are as solid 1-5...

Oh, and since the hitting is usually in the top 5 then its safe to say they atleast have a strong shot at it all. I mean we haven't lost anything from the club of last year and although we greatly under produced the Tribe was still predicted to take the divison by most.

I expect Cle and Chi to be battling it out for 1st with Min and Det fighting eachother for 3rd. The entire division (minus KC) will probably be within 10-12 games in the win column when everything is said and done.