Guardians Rumors

Indians Sign Shaun Marcum To Minor League Deal

By Steve Adams | December 16, 2013 at 6:31pm CDT

6:31pm: The deal allows Marcum to opt out if he does not make the team out of spring training, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian tweets. If he makes the team, he would receive a $1M salary with $3MM in incentives.

3:53pm: The Indians have signed right-hander Shaun Marcum to a minor league contract, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Marcum is represented by Turner Gary Sports.

Marcum, 32, signed a one-year deal with the Mets last offseason. The oft-injured righty began the 2013 campaign on the disabled list due to a pinched nerve in his neck but made his season debut in late April. His season would be cut short, however, when it was learned that he would require surgery on his right shoulder as a result of thoracic outlet syndrome.

Marcum ultimately posted a 5.29 ERA with 6.9 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 34.9 percent ground-ball rate in 78 1/3 innings in his lone season with the Mets. That ERA was likely inflated, to some extent, by his .322 BABIP (compared to his career mark of .275) and an abnormally low 61.9 percent strand rate — trends that are reflected in his 3.64 FIP.

Cleveland projects to have Justin Masterson, Danny Salazar, Corey Kluber and Zach McAllister in its rotation, so Marcum will presumably compete for the fifth spot in the rotation come Spring Training. Despite last season's struggles, Marcum owns a 3.88 career ERA in 995 big league innings, so he brings some upside to Cleveland.

Indians To Sign John Axford

By charliewilmoth | December 16, 2013 at 3:06pm CDT

3:06pm: Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweets that Axford can earn an additional $1.75MM worth of incentives, making his contract potentially worth $6.25MM.

MONDAY, 2:45pm: Axford's contract guarantees him $4.5MM in 2014 and also contains incentives, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). That's $1.2MM less than the $5.7MM salary MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected.

SUNDAY, 9:11pm: The financial terms of the deal are unclear, but MLB.com's Jordan Bastian tweets that it will probably be a one-year contract, noting that Axford has two years of arbitration eligibility after this one.

8:46pm: The Indians will sign reliever John Axford, ESPN's Buster Olney reports. Earlier this evening, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal tweeted that the Indians were "focused" on Axford. The righty is represented by Beverly Hills Sports Council.

Axford, who will be 31 in April, posted a 4.02 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 65 innings in 2013, although he got better results after the Brewers traded him to the Cardinals in August for Michael Blazek. Axford's success extended into the postseason, when he allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings spread over six outings. Nonetheless, the Cardinals non-tendered him rather than pay a 2014 salary that would have been inflated as a result of the $5MM Axford made in 2013, his first year of arbitration eligibility.

Axford served as the Brewers' closer for most of the 2010 through 2012 seasons, although he lost that job after a bout of wildness in 2012. Even in 2012, however, Axford struck out 12.1 batters per nine innings, and he still has dominant stuff, with a fastball that averaged 95.3 MPH in 2013. Axford will likely be entrusted with the closer's job in Cleveland, where the Indians were looking to replace the departing Chris Perez.

Indians Strongly Interested In John Axford

By charliewilmoth | December 15, 2013 at 6:35pm CDT

The Indians are "focused" on signing John Axford, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal tweets. Axford would presumably fill the Indians' vacancy at closer. Earlier today, Indians team president Mark Shapiro said that the Indians would soon acquire a reliever with closing experience. Axford, who served as the Brewers' closer for much of 2010 through 2012, would fit the bill.

The Brewers traded Axford to the Cardinals in August for Michael Blazek, and the Cardinals non-tendered Axford even though he pitched well for them both down the stretch and in the playoffs. He finished the season with a 4.02 ERA in 65 innings, with 9.0 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9. Axford has been connected with the Mets and Orioles, in addition to the Indians. MLBTR previously suggested that Axford might get a two-year deal as a free agent, despite being non-tendered.

Indians Intend To Sign Reliever With Closer Experience

By Jeff Todd | December 15, 2013 at 9:43am CDT

The Indians have every intention of adding an impactful veteran relief arm, club president Mark Shapiro told hosts Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette today on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (audio link). "We will clearly add a bullpen guy and a guy that has some back end closing experience," said Shapiro. "I think in the next week or two you'll see us be able to consummate something there."

After cutting loose former closer Chris Perez and allowing setup man Joe Smith to depart via free agency, the Indians have some potential openings at the back of the pen. Of course, as MLBTR's Charlie Wilmoth has explained, the team has reasonably attractive internal options as well. And as Shapiro added, the club feels that both Cody Allen and Bryan Shaw could "step up and pitch later in games."

Armed with that internal security net, Shapiro also hinted that the Indians could be looking to achieve value on the late-inning relief market, rather than targeting a particular pitcher. "It's an area of the market where there was an opportunity," he said.

Indeed, a sizeable pool of relievers with closing experience remains available on the open market. Most recently, Cleveland has been connected to former Tigers closer Joaquin Benoit as well as one-time Brewers 9th-inning man John Axford.

If you want to brainstorm other possibilities for the Indians, or any other club, simply head to MLBTR's 2014 Free Agent Tracker (found under the "Tools" section) and filter the results to suit your needs.

Central Notes: Twins, Indians, White Sox, Pirates

By Aaron Steen | December 14, 2013 at 11:18pm CDT

Let's run through some late-night Central links …

A Twins official tells LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune that the club is "not sure" about whether it will sign another starter after agreeing to terms on a new deal with Mike Pelfrey. "Maybe if it makes sense," the official said. "We still have some things to address." Minnesota reportedly has strong interest in Bronson Arroyo.
While the Indians have been quiet so far this winter, the club's biggest moves last offseason didn't come until after the Winter Meetings, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes in a reader mailbag column. The Nick Swisher deal was announced in January, while Michael Bourn wasn't signed until February.
White Sox Manager Robin Ventura says he's excited to see what new acquisitions Adam Eaton and Jose Dariel Abreu bring to the club's lineup, which should look different in 2014, Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune reports. GM Rick Hahn has indicated the Sox still need to decide whether to try and swap outfielders Alejandro De Aza and Dayan Viciedo for help at third base and catcher.
Charlie Morton tells Jim Lachimia of MLB.com that his confidence in the Pirates organization was the biggest factor in agreeing to sign a three-year, $21MM extension earlier this week.
Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review doesn't expect the Pirates to open 2014 with Gaby Sanchez as their full-time first baseman, noting his struggles with right-handed pitching (career .700 OPS). While some fans have been frustrated to watch the Pirates stand pat as names such as Mike Morse and James Loney come off the board, Starkey says the club's front office has earned trust after its recent run of success with free agent signings.

Quick Hits: Yankees, Grilli, Tomko, Rays

By Zachary Links | December 14, 2013 at 5:46pm CDT

It may be a bit early, but Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) grades everyone's offseason to date in the American League. The Yankees get a B+ for holding firm in the Robinson Cano negotiations and the A's get an A for their acquisitions of Craig Gentry, Luke Gregerson, and Jim Johnson. Teams like the Indians, Blue Jays, and Orioles, on the other hand, will need to do more if they want better marks from Bowden. Here's this afternoon's look around baseball..

Pirates closer Jason Grilli says he would like extend his contract, tweets Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (on Twitter). Grilli, who inked a two-year, $6.75MM deal with the Bucs last offseason, posted a 2.70 ERA with 13.3 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 54 appearances last season. The 37-year-old is represented by Gary Sheffield, as shown in the MLBTR Agency Database.
Brett Tomko is pitching in the Dominican Republic and throwing 92-94 MPH, Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reports (on Twitter). The 40-year-old is seeking a minor league deal with big-league invite. Tomko last appeared in the majors in 2011 when he made eight relief appearances for the Rangers.
R.J. Anderson, Ben Lindbergh and Bret Sayre of Baseball Prospectus weighed in on the Rays' re-signing of James Loney. The two sides agreed to a three-year, $21MM deal this week.
The Rockies are optimistic after a productive start to the offseason, writes Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com.

Indians Sign Cloyd, Banwart, Carson

By Zachary Links | December 13, 2013 at 1:40pm CDT

The Indians announced that they have signed right-handers Tyler Cloyd and Travis Banwart and outfielder Matt Carson to minor league deals with invites to Spring Training.

Cloyd, 26, was recently non-tendered along with Carson after being claimed off waivers from the Phillies on October 2. He split the 2013 campaign between Triple-A Lehigh Valley and the Phillies. Cloyd posted a 4.71 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in 19 Triple-A starts and a 6.56 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 11 starts and two relief outings for the Phillies. In 2012, Cloyd was named the International League Pitcher of the Year.

Banwart, 27, spent his entire professional career in the Athletics' organization until today. Banwart posted a 4.60 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 23 starts and six relief appearances at the Triple-A level.

Carson had 13 plate appearances for the Indians in 2013 but spent the bulk of the year at the Triple-A level where he hit .252/.322/.394 in 490 plate appearances.

Indians, David Adams Agree To Major League Deal

By Steve Adams | December 13, 2013 at 11:27am CDT

The Indians and infielder David Adams are in agreement on a Major League deal, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Adams is represented by Jet Sports Management.

Adams, who turns 27 next May, batted just .193/.252/.286 in 152 plate appearances for the Yankees in 2013. However, the 2008 third-rounder has an excellent minor league track record, having slashed a healthy .291/.376/.441 in 1798 plate appearances.

Adams has missed significant time due to ankle injuries in the past, which slowed his rise through the Yankees' system. He reached Triple-A for the first time in 2013, posting a solid .268/.366/.405 batting line. The right-handed hitter has extensive experience at both second base and third base, so he could be an option to platoon with Lonnie Chisenhall at the hot corner.

AL Central Notes: Jackson, Pelfrey, Garza, Butler

By Mark Polishuk | December 12, 2013 at 11:29pm CDT

The Tigers have discussed trading Austin Jackson to the Yankees in exchange for Brett Gardner, Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun reports. Both players have been above-average fielders in center over their careers and have comparable career batting lines, though Gardner is a better base-stealer and Jackson has more doubles pop. Jackson turns 27 in February, is projected to earn $5.3MM in his second year of arbitration eligibility and he'll hit free agency after the 2015 season; the 30-year-old Gardner is projected to earn $4MM and he'll be a free agent next winter. I'm not sure this deal makes sense for the Tigers unless they don't think they can sign Jackson (a Scott Boras client) to an extension, or if they aren't interested in extending Jackson. From the Yankees' side, they like Gardner enough that they probably wouldn't move him for a very similar player, albeit a younger one.

Here are some more items from all five AL Central franchises…

The Twins have increased the value of their two-year offer to Mike Pelfrey from $10MM to $12MM, La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The Rangers and Giants have also shown interest in Pelfrey, Neal reports.
Also from Neal, the stumbling block between Matt Garza and the Twins seems to be Garza's demands for a four- or five-year contract, as Minnesota isn't willing to make that long a commitment due to injury concerns. That said, Neal isn't counting the Twins out of the Garza race yet as he hears the team is still in the hunt (Twitter links). You can read more about the Twins' hunt for pitching here.
The Royals could continue to shop Billy Butler since "Before too long, the DH spot has to be a rotating position for us. It really does," a club official tells Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. For one, the Royals may use Salvador Perez at DH to keep his bat in the lineup when he isn't catching, plus added DH days would help keep Perez healthy. Even if Butler isn't dealt this offseason, Dutton doesn't believe the Royals will sign him to an extension once his current deal is up. It was reported earlier today that Butler's name had come up in trade talks with the Blue Jays.
The Royals, Indians and Rangers are among the teams interested in Shaun Marcum, ESPN's Jayson Stark tweets. Marcum underwent surgery to correct his thoracic outlet syndrome in July and his agent updated MLBTR's Tim Dierkes on the recovery process last month.
The White Sox are looking to cut their payroll from just under $119MM in 2013 to between $89MM-$99MM range for 2014, ESPN Chicago's Doug Padilla writes, with the $99MM figure being the likelier of the two. Despite the cuts on the Major League side, GM Rick Hahn said the club will reinvest the saved money into extra spending on the draft and international signings.
In other AL Central news from earlier today, the Tigers reached an agreement with Joba Chamberlain and the Indians were battling with the Padres over Joaquin Benoit.

Padres, Indians Competing For Joaquin Benoit

By Steve Adams | December 12, 2013 at 4:59pm CDT

4:59pm: An official with knowledge of the talks tells ESPN's Buster Olney that the Padres are in the lead for Benoit (Twitter link).

2:05pm: The Padres and Indians are both in on Benoit at two years and $14MM or more, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The Padres' offer may include a third-year option, he adds.

12:01pm: The Padres are making a strong push for free agent right-hander Joaquin Benoit, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link).

The move would come as somewhat of a surprise, given GM Josh Byrnes' previous aversion to multiyear pacts for relief pitchers. Huston Street is the only reliever to sign a significant multiyear deal with the Padres during Byrnes' tenure.

Benoit, 36, posted a 2.01 ERA with 9.8 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 with 24 saves in 67 innings for the Tigers in 2013. He's drawn interest from the Rockies, but he was said to be too expensive for Colorado's tastes, as he's seeking $7-10MM annually. Reports yesterday indicated that the Padres were one of the most likely landing spots for Benoit, along with the Indians, Cubs, Yankees and Mariners.

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