Before Spring Training begins, the Indians will work to settle two unresolved arbitration cases and the uncertainty that surrounds Fausto Carmona/Roberto (Heredia) Hernandez. Here are some notes from Cleveland…
- Talks between the Indians and Julio Lugo have fallen apart, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports. The sides agreed to terms earlier this month, but it no longer appears that the move will become official. Bastian suggests a physical issue may have surfaced.
- The arbitration hearing dates for Asdrubal Cabrera and Rafael Perez have been set, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets. The Indians haven’t had an arbitration hearing since 1991, Hoynes writes.
- No one is sure how long it will be before Carmona/Hernandez can join the team, Bastian explains. It seems unlikely that the Indians will have him by Opening Day since obtaining a visa and sorting through legal issues will take time.
I’m hoping the Indians decide to take a gamble on their old buddy Jake Westbrook. I’m sure the Cardinals would eat all but $2MM-$3MM of the contract. Give the Indians a little depth and free up some cash in St. Louis. Cleveland is the only place I’m confident he would accept a trade to.
Now hold on there… The Tribe could get another “old friend” back by the name of Paul Byrd back who throws the same rubbish for the league minimum and have the same quality pitcher
the indians should try to get aj from yanks in case the fausto situation doesnt get resolved well
Here is the deal
A J + Yankees pay 9Mil of AJ’s 2012 contract & the Yankees pay 9 mil of AJ’s 2013 Contract
For the DH that they have been looking for Travis Hafner who should hit
6 – 8 more homers in Yankee Stadium.
Julio Lugo pays Tim to get mentioned on MLBTR.
I don’t care about when Carmona will be back, or Julio Lugo deal falling through. I wanna see Cespedes in an Indians uniform.
Tribe should void Fausto/ Roberto’s contract. The fact that he’s 3 yrs older than he claimed should bring his salary demands down and reduce interest friom other clubs as well. His productivity has not made many teams lust for his services either. If the Indians are interested in bringing him back, they would still be in the running.
You know what the real kicker is on Carmona? Not to mention reason for voiding his deal?
The last time he was worth a crap for the Tribe (2007) Carmona was the Ace and Sabathia was also on that team. Well.. Carmona won 19 games at least and Sabathia did also.
Send him to NY.. Maybe he needs to team up with CC again to pitch ok..
Why void it he is not getting paid, he does not count against your roster ( which means he is not taking up a spot ) His service time when he was placed on this list stands still until he is cleared to return.
Which most likely will be after missing all this season then he may well be suspended by the league for a long period of time for the 2013 season this is if the league even allows him to play again.
Bottom line is the Indians hold all the cards right now say he is not able to pitch over here until July of 2013 that means if activated that Indians own his rights at that time they can choose to trade his rights or activate him and let him pitch which at the half way point of 2013 would be at a cost of approx 4 mil pennies now aday even for a 5th starter with his service time.
Also something else to remember the pitcher that was caught up in the same type of situation last year still cannot get a work visa and 3 years ago when several player were caught in the same type of situation but had never played yet in the majors they still cannot get a work visa, so all this void a contract really means nothing Fausto / Roberto may never pitch in the majors again.
But the odds have decreased for the Clippers…
In baseball, arbitration is either-or…in which side, one side will be unhappy.
If the Cardinals were not asking for anything in the top 20 prospect range or anyone on the 25 man roster then I do not believe they would have to eat any money.
Remember 1 thing if the Cardinals would include eating some of Westbrooks contract which is only 8.5 mil they would want a much better return kinda like when we ate 2.5 mil of Casey Blakes contract when we traded him to the Dodgers we received Carlos Santana a top prospect just to give you something to go on.
I would however trade Frank Herrmann straight up for Jake Westbrook and take on all of Westbrooks contract that is if the Cardinals would do it.
Also I see Slowey as the guy that might end up in the Chad Durbin long man type role this year.
I do not see Slowey out pitching Gomez / Huff or Kluber for the 5th starter on this team. I’m just sad to see Antonetti traded such a valued relief prospect for him that is the real head scratcher I had felt with all the depth starters that the Rockies had picked up Slowey would have been DFA ed and we could have claimed him for nothing.