Outrighted To Triple-A: Slowey, Rottino, Kelly
We'll track the latest outright assignments here…
- The Indians outrighted Kevin Slowey and Vinny Rottino off of their 40-man roster to Triple-A, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports (on Twitter). Slowey had been a non-tender candidate after spending the 2012 season in the minor leagues. Rottino appeared in 36 games for the Mets and Indians this past season, hitting three homers and posting a .560 OPS.
- The Tigers announced that they outrighted Don Kelly to Triple-A Toledo. The utility player will elect free agency instead of accepting the assignment, according to the team. Detroit GM Dave Dombrowski said yesterday that Kelly would lose his 40-man roster spot. The 32-year-old played all three outfield positions and every infield position except shortstop this past season, posting a .523 OPS in 127 plate appearances. LSW Baseball represents Kelly.
Blue Jays Claim Maine, DFA Cousins, Herndon
The Blue Jays announced that they claimed left-hander Scott Maine off of waivers from the Indians. In related moves they designated outfielder Scott Cousins and right-hander David Herndon for assignment.
Maine spent the 2012 season with the Cubs and the Indians. The 27-year-old made 30 relief appearances, posting a 6.08 ERA with 10.8 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9 in 26 2/3 innings. Cleveland claimed him from the Cubs in August.
The Blue Jays claimed both Cousins and Herndon earlier this month. Cousins, 27, hit .163/.200/.267 in 92 plate appearances for the Marlins this past season. Herndon underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in June, which means he won't be ready to return until midway through the 2013 season.
The Blue Jays needed to create 40-man roster space for right-handers Kyle Drabek, Drew Hutchison, Dustin McGowan and Sergio Santos plus left-handers J.A. Happ and Luis Perez. All of those pitchers were reinstated from Toronto's 60-day disabled list.
Managerial Notes: Marlins, Indians, Blue Jays
Option decisions are due today, but we won’t let that overshadow the latest managerial news from around MLB…
- Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon is a candidate for the Marlins' managerial opening, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. McClendon interviewed with Miami yesterday. Larry Bowa and Mike Redmond are also candidates for the position, but Bryan Price has withdrawn his name from consideration.
- The Indians announced their 2013 coaching staff, and it includes Sandy Alomar Jr. as the bench coach, former Astros manager Brad Mills as the third base coach and former MLB catcher Kevin Cash as the bullpen coach.
- Alomar isn't out of the running for the Blue Jays' managerial opening, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca notes (on Twitter).
Indians Exercise Option For Jimenez, Decline For Hafner & Hernandez
The Indians have exercised Ubaldo Jimenez's option for 2013, the team announced. Cleveland also declined their options for Travis Hafner and Roberto Hernandez.
Jimenez, 28, will earn $5.75MM next season after pitching to a 5.40 ERA in 31 starts and 176 2/3 innings last year. Given his track record and age, it's a worthy gamble. The 35-year-old Hafner hit .228/.346/.438 in 263 plate appearances this year, and will receive a $2.75MM buyout instead of a $13MM salary. Hernandez, 32, allowed 15 runs in 14 1/3 innings across three starts this year. His option was worth $6MM.
Quick Hits: Yankees, Mets, Indians, Ross
With just one day to go before option decisions are due and only a few days remaining before free agents can sign with any team, here are the latest links from around MLB…
- The Yankees should consider pursuing players such as Carlos Beltran and Jeff Keppinger in the coming offseason, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes.
- Meanwhile, the Mets should check in on A.J. Pierzynski, Marco Scutaro and Randy Choate in the view of the Post’s Ken Davidoff.
- Brian Cashman of the Yankees and Chris Antonetti of the Indians have some of the toughest offseason assignments in baseball, former GM Jim Bowden writes at ESPN.com.
- It's not a foregone conclusion that David Ross will return to the Braves, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes (on Twitter). The Braves would like to re-sign the catcher, but he'll draw interest following a strong season. He's a possible fit for the Tigers in my view.
Indians Sign Takuya Tsuchida
The Indians have signed 18-year-old Japanese outfielder Takuya Tsuchida, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Sulia link).
The speedy left-handed hitter's best positions are second base and center field, according to Hoynes. Tsuchida is expected to report to Spring Training with the team's minor leaguers and will likely begin 2013 in extended Spring Training. As Hoynes notes, general manager Chris Antonetti had roughly $700K of the team's $2.9MM international spending cap to work with prior to signing Tsuchida.
On the international front the Indians have already signed prospects Grofy Cruz, Francisco Mejia, Yoiber Marquina, and Naoki Hashimoto.
Quick Hits: Leyland, Orioles, Chris Perez
Let's take a look at the latest news and notes on what could be the final day of the 2012 baseball season.
- Jim Leyland's future as manager of the Tigers is still unclear, tweets Tom Gage of the Detroit News. Before tonight's World Series game, Leyland said nobody puts a team together better than team President/CEO/GM Dave Dombrowski adding "hopefully he feels I'm the guy to manage it."
- The Orioles' most pressing needs for 2013 are a frontline starter, a second baseman, and dealing with the unsettled positions of left field and first base, writes MASN.com's Roch Kubatko.
- Manny Machado and Dylan Bundy are among the Orioles who could make a big step in 2013, according to Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com.
- The Indians should only trade Chris Perez if they feel Vinnie Pestano can replace him as closer, opined Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer as he delved into his readers' mailbag. Hoynes also believes Lonnie Chisenhall will be given every opportunity to be the everyday third baseman and Sandy Alomar, Jr. would have been the slam-dunk choice as manager, if Terry Francona hadn’t been so adamant about getting back in the dugout.
- In the wake of Shohei Otani's announced intention to pursue a MLB career rather than play in Japan, Japanese baseball officials are considering stricter rules for amateur players who want to do the same, reports the Associated Press (via the Boston Herald).
- Tom Kotchman denied he was forced out by the Angels insisting his decision to leave was due to a desire to find something closer to his Tampa-St. Petersburg area home, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
- Congratulations to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, who was named the first female president in the 104-year history of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
- Manny Ramirez's quest to resurrect his baseball career has the slugger heading to the Dominican Republic in hopes of catching the eye of a potential suitor during a tryout for three Japanese teams, writes George A. King III of the New York Post.
Daniel Seco contributed to this post.
AL Central Links: Volstad, Masterson, Indians, ChiSox
As the World Series shifts to Comerica Park for tomorrow's Game Three, here's the latest from around the AL Central….
- The Royals' waiver claim pickup of Chris Volstad could be a sign of how the team plans to take a low-cost approach to upgrading its pitching staff, writes Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. Royals GM Dayton Moore said free agents "won’t be a long-term answer for us” because the club hopes to have homegrown pitching prospects in the rotation by 2014. “We’ve got to look internally,” Moore said. “We’ve got to look through trades. We’ve got to look, certainly, through free agency…we might be able to pick off a player or two, but we’re not going to build our team through free agency. It won’t work.”
- Given the Indians' need for pitching and the cost of acquiring new starters, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian believes the team won't deal starter Justin Masterson (Twitter link). The groundball specialist has been rumored to be on the trade market following a disappointing 2012 season.
- Travis Hafner's $13MM team option for 2013 is a sure bet to be bought out by the Indians, tweets Bastian, while the Tribe will likely also decline Roberto Hernandez's $6MM club option. Ubaldo Jimenez's $5.75MM club option for next season is "expected" to be picked up. Bastian thinks it's "hard to believe" that the Indians would re-sign the injury-plagued Grady Sizemore as a free agent.
- The White Sox face four difficult option decisions on Jake Peavy, Kevin Youkilis, Gavin Floyd and Brett Myers, writes Paul Swydan for ESPN (Insider subscription required). Swydan opines that Floyd is a more proven rotation candidate than Myers and "if only one option of the two is picked up, it should be Floyd's," while Youkilis could be a good candidate to be retained given Chicago's lack of depth at third base. Peavy's $22MM option "is difficult to justify" given his injury history, though Swydan notes that Peavy provided close to $20MM worth of value during his healthy 2012 season.
- In other White Sox news, Hahn discussed Peavy's option and more in his introductory press conference as the club's new general manager.
Offseason Outlook: Cleveland Indians
The Indians will add starting pitching and consider trading some established arbitration eligible stars.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Carlos Santana, C: $19.5MM through 2016
- Asdrubal Cabrera, SS: $16.5MM through 2014
Arbitration Eligible Players (estimated salaries)
- Rafael Perez, RP: $2MM (fourth time eligible, non-tender candidate)
- Shin-Soo Choo, OF: $7.9MM (third time eligible)
- Chris Perez, RP: $7.2MM (third time eligible)
- Joe Smith, RP: $2.7MM (third time eligible)
- Kevin Slowey, SP: $2.8MM (third time eligible, non-tender candidate)
- Justin Masterson, SP: $5.7MM (second time eligible)
- Jack Hannahan, 3B: $1.5MM (second time eligible, non-tender candidate)
- Tony Sipp, RP: $1MM (first time eligible)
- Lou Marson, C: $800K (first-time eligible)
- Brent Lillibridge, UT: $700K (first time eligible, non-tender candidate)
Contract Options
- Travis Hafner, DH: $13MM club option with a $2.75MM buyout
- Roberto Hernandez, SP: $6MM club option
- Ubaldo Jimenez, SP: $5.75MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Free Agents
The Indians fired their manager following a trying season that saw the team lose 53 of 77 second half games. They had to let Manny Acta go after such a dismal finish, and hiring Terry Francona seems like a positive development for a franchise that hasn't finished above .500 since losing to Francona's Red Sox in the 2007 ALCS. It’s not enough. The Indians must also add starting pitching depth and improve on a below-average offense in the offseason ahead.
Indians starters were ineffective in 2012. The group ranked near the bottom of the league in innings (27th in MLB, 913 2/3), strikeout rate (29th, 6.1 K/9), walk rate (28th, 3.5 BB/9), ERA (28th, 5.25) and wins above replacement (28th, 4.6 fWAR). They were historically bad in many departments, as MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian detailed this month.
The Indians have spent with characteristic small-market restraint in the first two offseasons under general manager Chris Antonetti. It might now be time for the Indians to rely more extensively on the free agent market. Next year's payroll includes just $11MM in guaranteed contracts at this point, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts. This should lead to some payroll flexibility, even after accounting for the team's large class of arbitration eligible players.
Though Justin Masterson has succeeded before and Zach McAllister and Corey Kluber showed promise this past season, the Indians need help. Internal options like Carlos Carrasco, David Huff and Jeanmar Gomez will get opportunities at some point, but relying on them to carry the team through a six-month schedule would be excessively risky.
Shaun Marcum, Joe Blanton, Ryan Dempster, Paul Maholm, Brandon McCarthy and Chris Young are some of the mid-rotation free agents Antonetti could pursue. If the Indians look to the trade market for starting pitching, they could consider targeting pitchers such as Jason Vargas, Chris Capuano, Aaron Harang and Jon Niese. Whether it's through trades or free agent signings Antonetti must obtain starting pitching.
Antonetti faces a pair of option decisions on starters who have struggled in recent years. Ubaldo Jimenez can be retained for $5.75MM or the club could decline the option following a disappointing season and a half in Cleveland. Declining the option makes sense given Jimenez's diminishing velocity and poor peripheral stats. It seems unlikely that the Indians will exercise Roberto Hernandez's $6MM option given his poor performance. His late-season ankle injury doesn’t help his case, nor do the recent revelations regarding his age and identity.
The Indians' struggles weren't confined to the rotation. They out-scored just one American League team in a season that yielded minimal production from traditionally offensive positions. Cleveland left fielders ranked last in MLB at their position with a .598 OPS. The team's first basemen (28th, .675), third basemen (24th, .677) and designated hitters (11th in AL, .702) weren't much better.
Assuming the Indians give third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall time to succeed they'll be looking at designated hitters, first basemen and left fielders this coming offseason. Spending on powerful free agents at these offense-first positions gets expensive. The Indians might find solutions to some of their offensive issues in this way, but they must also be able to find bats affordably. Players break out every year, so the Indians would do well to find this year's Brandon Moss or this year's Ryan Ludwick. Easier said than done, I know. Tyler Moore and Lucas Duda are examples of the powerful, controllable players that might intrigue Indians executives this winter.
The Indians will decline Travis Hafner's option, opening up the designated hitter spot for a newcomer. Francona would gain flexibility if his bosses don't acquire a positionless DH, so there's no need to spend on an aging slugger for the sake of tradition. It doesn't sound as though longtime Indians star Grady Sizemore will have a role on next year's team either.
Chris Perez tested the patience of Indians ownership this summer, publicly criticizing the team for its modest spending. As irksome as his words must have been, the comments themselves wouldn’t justify a trade. But when you consider Perez’s upcoming arbitration raise and the value he’d have as a trade candidate, the argument in favor of a deal becomes convincing. Better to obtain something of value for the outspoken 27-year-old while it's still possible to do so.
Perez isn’t the only trade candidate in town. It seems unlikely that the Indians will find common ground with Shin-Soo Choo on an extension, especially now that the Scott Boras client is just one year away from free agency. The Indians have discussed the possibility multiple times without making an offer Choo felt inclined to accept. Antonetti will consider trade offers for the arbitration eligible outfielder this offseason, and if the GM can get a controllable player who projects as an MLB regular he should make the trade instead of waiting and taking the risk that Choo’s trade value will diminish. The Mariners, Mets, Yankees and Giants are among the teams that could have interest in the right fielder.
Masterson’s name could surface in trade rumors this winter, as it did a few months ago. Yet the Indians might prefer to keep the right-hander in place and see if he can return to form under Francona, who managed him in Boston. Teams might also call on Asdrubal Cabrera given the scarcity of available shortstops, but dealing the 26-year-old infielder would create as many questions as it would resolve. Expect Cabrera to stay put — at least until the Indians' top shortstop prospects are ready for the MLB level.
Perez, Choo and Masterson lead a large class of arbitration eligible players. The Indians could non-tender a number of players, including Rafael Perez, Kevin Slowey and Brent Lillibridge. Jack Hannahan is a borderline case who could also be cut loose. The group doesn't include any extension candidates other than Choo, who doesn't seem inclined to sign. The Indians could also attempt to lock pre-arbitration eligible second baseman Jason Kipnis up given his strong showing in 2012.
In the next few months, Antonetti must address needs in the rotation and on offense while working with a small payroll. And though the Indians aren't in total re-build mode, they're multiple pieces away from winning anything. That's one tough offseason assignment.
Photo courtesy of US Presswire.
Quick Hits: Youkilis, Indians, Dodgers, A’s
The Cardinals took a 2-1 series lead over the Giants in the NLCS after a three-and-a-half hour rain delay brought the game to a halt in the seventh inning. Meanwhile, the Yankees and Tigers will have to wait until tomorrow afternoon to kick off Game 4 of their series due to the threat of storms headed towards Comerica Park. Here's tonight's look around baseball..
- Some see the Indians, with new manager Terry Francona in the fold, as a threat to sign Kevin Youkilis, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The White Sox are expected to decline the veteran's $13MM option for 2013 but would like to have him back in the clubhouse next season.
- Matt Eddy of Baseball America looks at the best surprises to come from minor league free agents this season. At the top of the list are Gregor Blanco of the Giants and Miguel Gonzalez of the Orioles.
- Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter) doesn't think that the Dodgers should expect third baseman Luis Cruz to have a repeat of his success next season, but he also doesn't view Alex Rodriguez as a solution either, given his declining slugging percentage dating back to 2007. As Rodriguez continues to struggle in New York, some have speculated that the spend-happy Dodgers could have interest in him this offseason.
- Jane Lee of MLB.com previewed the Athletics heading into the 2013 season and notes that the return of Stephen Drew would create heavy competition around him at second and third base. Drew has a $10MM mutual option for next year.