Earlier today, we learned the Indians agreed to sign Nick Swisher to a four-year, $56MM deal, which is the largest free agent contract (in total value) in franchise history, according to ESPN (via Twitter). Here are the reactions to the Indians' big splash into the free agent pool:
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman had kind words for Swisher, as tweeted by Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, "He was great for us. We’ll miss him, but I’m happy for him. I think Cleveland got a bargain."
- The Swisher move is stunning but it reflects a willingness on the part of ownership to spend (signing Swisher and Mark Reynolds) and make bold moves (the Shin-Soo Choo trade and the hiring of Terry Francona), writes the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto.
- Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) has yet to identify one other team on Swisher's free agent "tour" of prospective suitors. Heyman adds that it's possible that there were other teams in the hunt, but it's a mystery as to who they could be.
- Swisher and Jayson Werth have comparable regular season stats, but Werth got $70MM more in part because of his October play and defensive ability, Heyman tweets.
- The Indians considered all of their free agent pursuits to be longshots, but the fact that Swisher is from Parkersburg, West Virginia and went to Ohio State helped to lure him to Cleveland, Ken Rosenthal tweets. Manager Terry Francona's pitch also factored in for the veteran.
- While the Indians’ decision to sign Swisher while entertaining trades for right-hander Justin Masterson, closer Chris Perez, and others seems curious, the club has an explanation, Rosenthal writes. The Tribe is trying to thread the needle and improve the team both short- and long-term.
- The Red Sox valued the second round draft pick they would have had to forfeit by signing Swisher more than Swisher himself given the new spending restrictions on draft choices, according to Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal. With that in mind, MacPherson wonders, in a second piece, if the Red Sox erred in not tendering a qualifying offer to Cody Ross.
- Swisher's deal is a bit startling in terms of free agent prices and makes B.J. Upton's $15MM/year agreement with Braves look better, opines the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's David O'Brien (Twitter links).
- Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer puts the Swisher contract into historical context by listing the Tribe's five best and five worst free agent signings.
Edward Creech contributed to this post.
