2010 Options: Cleveland Indians

Today let's take a look at the 2010 options facing the Indians.

• Cliff Lee – $9MM club option with a $1MM buyout.  Lee's 2010 option received a $1MM bump when he won the Cy Young last year.  He doesn't have to repeat that performance to make this an easy decision to exercise.  He could be trade bait this summer, but maybe the Indians will prefer to have him for 2010.
• Victor Martinez – $7MM club option with a $250K buyout.  This is a near-lock to be exercised.  Perhaps they will broach an extension before next season.
• Rafael Betancourt – $5.4MM club option.  Betancourt signed this deal in January of 2008, coming off his best season.  It was thought that Betancourt might replace Joe Borowski at closer, but that didn't last too long.  The Indians figure to decline the option.
• Masahide Kobayashi – $3.25MM club option with a $250K buyout.  Kobayashi can become a free agent if the option is declined.  Looking at the numbers, that seems likely.