Here's some news out of Cleveland that has nothing to do with Tom Izzo…
- Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Tribe has signed draft picks Jordan Cooper (9th round) and Diego Seastruck (14th).
- Fangraphs' Matt Klaassen looks at the Indians as a whole and examines their trade options. He notes that the reasonable contracts of Fausto Carmona and Jhonny Peralta make both men attractive to other teams, with Carmona being Cleveland's top piece of trade bait. Kerry Wood and Jake Westbrook's ages and injury histories keep them, in Klaassen's view, from having "much value on the trade market."
- In regards to Westbrook, Anthony Castrovince writes in a mailbag for MLB.com that the Indians love the experience that he brings to their rotation. If Westbrook is dealt at the deadline, Castovince thinks the team might try to re-sign him in the winter. The veteran right-hander is in the last year of a contract that pays him $11MM for 2010.
- Castrovince also notes that Shin-Soo Choo and his agent Scott Boras may be looking for an extension over Choo's three arbitration years, but not a deal that would cover any of his free agent years. Choo isn't eligible for free agency until after the 2013 season.
Shin-Soo Choo is already in his age 28 season. Boras really can’t afford to extend the time that he will be a free agent.
“but not a deal that would cover any of his free agent years” was this part not in the post when you read it or did you skip over it?
Second bullet point – referring to the players as “men” … makes it sound like a bath house.
Even after you pointed that out I still don’t get that image when I read it. But hey, to each their own.
I remember when Carmona first came up, dominate, looking like the piece that might finally put Cleveland over the top. Then again, it is a Cleveland pro sports team, not even Labron can change destiny there.
I understand you have a chance to sell high on Carmona, but what would you get that is better or cheaper? You’re trading from a position of weakness in that you have no SP knocking at the door and you need some next year, not in 2014.
I thought I read Choo has to return to S. Korea after this year for compulsory Military service of 2 years.
I’m almost positive that he can get out of it.