Cafardo recently spoke with a few GMs who feel the Yankees may wind up with Ubaldo Jimenez, even if they land Tanaka. “He had an excellent second half, has great stuff, and he has the type of personality that would fit New York,” one GM said.

“He doesn’t let things get to him. He’s good at shrugging off things and turning the page.” If the Yankees ink both pitchers, it's pretty difficult to see them staying under the $189MM mark.

Are you kidding me? Jimenez has had many games with a serious case of the Jose Mesa Flop Sweats.

By Paul Hoynes, Northeast Ohio Media Group
Follow on Twitteron December 31, 2013 at 12:08 PM, updated December 31, 2013 at 12:14 PM

Cleveland Indians 201

Hey, Hoynsie: Will the Tribe’s win total in 2014 be over or under last season’s 92 victories? – Kevin Casey, Brunswick.

Hey, Kevin: If you’ve followed any of my predictions regarding the Indians in previous years, you know my middle name is not Nostradamus. I do feel, however, the Tribe will have a hard time topping its win total from last season based on the loss of 10-game winner Scott Kazmir, key bullpen arms in Joe Smith, Matt Albers and Chris Perez and the anticipated loss of 13-game winner Ubaldo Jimenez.

I could be wrong, but for the Tribe to push past 92 victories in 2014 new closer John Axford is going to have to turn back the clock to 2012, starters Justin Masterson, Corey Kluber and Zach McAllister are going to have to stay healthy all year and Danny Salazar is going to have to prove he can pull the load during an entire big-league season.

Offensively, the Indians need better seasons from Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn and Asdrubal Cabrera. They have to find out if Yan Gomes can be a productive catcher for 120 to 130 games. New right fielder David Murphy has to have a big bounce back season and front office and manager Terry Francon have to find a productive warm body to play third base.

And it would be nice if more than 1.6 million fans came out to watch them play at Progressive Field. But that’s just me.

Hey, Hoynsie: Do the Indians have any interest in bringing in Jake Westbrook on a minor league deal to compete for the fifth starter’s spot or Jesse Crain for bullpen help? – Joshua Czech, Hartsville.

Hey, Joshua: The last time I checked the Indians had no interest in Westbrook. They were interested in Crain last season, but that cooled when he injured his right shoulder.

Hey, Hoynsie: Where does Ubaldo Jimenez go?-- Ron Koelher, Akron.

Hey, Ron: Depending on who signs Masahiro Tanaka, I think Jimenez could sign with Toronto, the Yankees or Arizona. I still think it’s a long shot that he’ll return to the Indians.

The last thing I heard, is that he wanted $17 million to $20 million per year over a four-year deal. That’s not going to happen in Cleveland.

Hey, Hoynsie: How do you see the Indians starting rotation entering the 2014 season? – Keven Rinaman, Tiffin.

Hey, Keven: The top four starters should be Justin Masterson, Danny Salazar, Corey Kluber and Zach McAllister. I think they’ll open the season in that order. The No.5 spot is going to be a competitive spring-training competition among Carlos Carrasco, Josh Tomlin, Trevor Bauer, spring-training invitee Shaun Marcum and whoever else the Indians add to the mix. Carrasco and Tomlin can also work out of the bullpen.

Hey, Hoynsie: If John Axford fails as closer, can you see the ninth inning being a closer-by-committee or a matchup game? – Lyle Lanley, Ogdenville, N.J.

Hey, Lyle: If Axford runs into the same problems that he encountered in the last two seasons with the Milwaukee, I think the Indians will go to Cody Allen to close. Using a closer-by-committee or matching up in the ninth inning with a lead is a recipe for defeat.

Hey, Hoynsie: If the Indians don’t trade Asdrubal Cabrera this winter, do you see them keeping him all year and extending a qualifying offer to him? – Ted Beneke, Albuquerque, N.M.

Hey, Ted: That’s a long way down the road. If the Indians start the season with Cabrera, and are contending for the AL Central title or wild card, I bet they’d stay with Cabrera. Whether or not they make him a qualifying offer at the end of the 2014 season, would depend in part on the progress of Francisco Lindor. If Lindor was ready to be the Tribe’s opening day shortstop in 2015, I don’t think they’d make Cabrera a qualifying offer.

Remember, there is a lot of speculation in this answer.

Hey, Hoynsie: Is there still a chance the Indians can land a right-handed power bat this offseason? – Bernie Uzelac, Mesa, Ariz.

Hey, Bernie: I do not think that’s high on their priority list. They are still looking for pitching.

Hey, Hoynsie: How likely is it that we’ll see Francisco Lindor playing for the Indians in 2014? – Bob Stillman, Wickliffe.

Hey, Bob: I think the only way you’d see Lindor play a significant role with the Indians in 2014 is if Asdrubal Cabrera is traded or injured. Lindor is coming off a back injury and has played only 21 games above Class A ball.

I think it would be more realistic to look for Lindor as a September call up. If that happens, it means he’s had a good season at Class AA Akron or Class AAA Columbus.

Hey, Hoynsie: With the Browns and Cavs subpar, do you see any way the Indians can become a better draw in 2014? – Joe Beall, Massillon.

Hey, Joey: I would normally say all they have to do is win, but they did last year and were largely ignored until the end of the season. I wish the Indians would have made more moves this winter to build on their success last season, but the season doesn’t start until March 31 so there is still time.

No matter what, I think they are going to be a competitive and entertaining team. The Tigers are still the team to beat in the AL Central and the Royals are going to give people fits, but I think it’s going to be another good season for the Tribe. Whether the public will come to Progressive Field and watch, I have no idea.

Hey, Hoynsie: I heard we are rumored to be a sleeper team for Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka. What do you think? – Ken Miller, Lakewood.

Hey, Ken: The Indians have nothing to lose by making a bid on Tanaka and I would be surprised if they don’t. The maximum bid for a Japanese player under the new rules agreed upon by MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball allows teams to make a maximum bid of $20 million on any Japanese player who is posted. Then the player can negotiate with individual teams.

The Indians would have no problem make the $20 million bid, but I think they would get blown out of the water going head to head in negotiations with the Yankees and any other big-market team that wanted Tanaka.

Any team posting on Tanaka and not signing him, would get their $20 million back.

I could be wrong, but for the Tribe to push past 92 victories in 2014 new closer John Axford is going to have to turn back the clock to 2012, starters Justin Masterson, Corey Kluber and Zach McAllister are going to have to stay healthy all year and Danny Salazar is going to have to prove he can pull the load during an entire big-league season.

Offensively, the Indians need better seasons from Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn and Asdrubal Cabrera. They have to find out if Yan Gomes can be a productive catcher for 120 to 130 games. New right fielder David Murphy has to have a big bounce back season and front office and manager Terry Francona have to find a productive warm body to play third base.

Am I the only one who thinks those things are VERY doable?

1. Danny Salazar has shown he could be every bit as good as Ubaldo, and likely better.

2. All 3 guys, Swisher Bourn, and Cabrera has below average seasons FOR THEM. All we are asking is career norms from those guys. For that obvious reason, it is very doable. They are called career norms for a reason. Include David Murphy in that same group!

3. Yan Gomes was a revelation. Big upgrade to have him back there the whole season defensively.

TFIR wrote:

I could be wrong, but for the Tribe to push past 92 victories in 2014 new closer John Axford is going to have to turn back the clock to 2012, starters Justin Masterson, Corey Kluber and Zach McAllister are going to have to stay healthy all year and Danny Salazar is going to have to prove he can pull the load during an entire big-league season.

Offensively, the Indians need better seasons from Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn and Asdrubal Cabrera. They have to find out if Yan Gomes can be a productive catcher for 120 to 130 games. New right fielder David Murphy has to have a big bounce back season and front office and manager Terry Francona have to find a productive warm body to play third base.

Am I the only one who thinks those things are VERY doable?

1. Danny Salazar has shown he could be every bit as good as Ubaldo, and likely better.

2. All 3 guys, Swisher Bourn, and Cabrera has below average seasons FOR THEM. All we are asking is career norms from those guys. For that obvious reason, it is very doable. They are called career norms for a reason. Include David Murphy in that same group!

3. Yan Gomes was a revelation. Big upgrade to have him back there the whole season defensively.

It is refreshing to see, and I agree with your optimism TFIR.

I'll take the Under

Q&A: Clint Frazier, Cleveland Indians Outfield Prospect
by David Laurila - January 2, 2014

Clint Frazier has as much power as any player who was taken in the 2013 draft. Selected fifth overall by the Cleveland Indians, the right-handed-hitting outfielder can propel baseballs long distances. A big reason is his bat speed, which Baseball America called the best in his draft class.

Frazier — who celebrated his 19th birthday in September — projects as more than a home-run threat. Blessed with above-average athleticism, he was named Gatorade National Player of the Year after hitting .438 in his final season at Loganville [Ga.] High School. After inking his first professional contract, he hit .297/.362/.506, in 196 plate appearances, in the Arizona Summer League.

Frazier talked about his game, including the adjustments he’s making in pro ball, late in the 2013 season. Also weighing in was Carter Hawkins, Cleveland’s assistant director of player development.

——

Frazier on being drafted by the Indians: “I was going to the Red Sox if the Indians didn’t pick me. I had a deal set up with them, and everything. My neighbor is [Red Sox] minor league hitting coordinator, Tim Hyers. I live less than two minutes from him and have been working with him since eighth grade. I thought I was going there, but I‘m happy to be with Cleveland.”

On his hitting approach: “Overthinking situations and trying to do too much makes it hard. Everyone always says, `See it and hit it,’ and that seems to be the hardest part of hitting sometimes. It’s really easy to overlook that fact. What you’re doing shouldn’t be that hard, but sometimes you’re making it hard. I try to keep it as simple as I can and stay within myself.

“In high school, it was just ‘see it and hit it.’ I didn’t really think too much because of the competition level. When I got to pro ball, my approach changed. I had to recognize as much as I could, because the pitchers are better; they can do more with the ball and place it wherever they want. I need to know what I’m doing at the plate every single time.

“[My coaches] have made me realize that if I don’t get a hit, it’s not always bad. Some good can come out of an out. You can hit the ball hard right at somebody, and that’s a successful at-bat; you still put good wood on the ball. It’s about realizing I can’t get a hit every time. I’m going to struggle sometimes. They sat me down and made me feel more comfortable when I made an out, so I didn’t put as much pressure on myself.

“I’m not a high school baseball player anymore. I can’t go out there and be the best one on the field every single time. There are guys who are better than I am, so I need to be as consistent as I can.”

On getting pitched around: “It has definitely helped me be more selective. I’m sure you’ve read that I’m a very aggressive hitter. When everyone asked what I try to do at the plate, I always said if it’s in the strike zone I’m swinging because something good comes out of me putting the barrel on the ball.

“When I came into pro ball, I still got pitched like I did in high school. The batters ahead of me got nothing but fastballs, then I got three curveballs and a changeup — and struck out. I was frustrated that they were pitching to me like they did in high school. My coach told me, ‘That’s what comes with being drafted where you were. If you look good in the uniform, people take notice of that and pitch around you.’ They really helped me with pitch recognition and getting more picky at the plate.

“When I started seeing better quality breaking balls, it was hard not to sit curveball and just wait for it. That’s not a good way to hit. Now I try to sit on a fastball and react to a breaking ball.”

On batting practice: “In high school, I was trying to hit a home run on every swing in BP. I wanted to prove to scouts that I have power. I don’t really look the part of a guy who has that much power, and I was trying to prove it with every single swing.

“You get to pro ball and don’t take that many swings. At first that was frustrating. I went from getting around 200 swings a day to probably about 50 or 60. You don’t take as many before games, so my routine changed drastically.”

On using the whole field: “In high school, I’d have had a much higher batting average if I’d learned to hit the ball everywhere. In pro ball, I worked the first five months on trying to hit the ball up the middle and to the opposite field. The majority of my base hits this year have been opposite field. That’s something I worked hard on. I didn’t want to be thought of as a dead-pull hitter. I wanted to change opinions and maximize my ability by using the whole field. I’m more of a threat if I hit the ball all over the place.

“I asked my coaches what type of hitter they thought I’d develop into, and they said someone who can hit .300, steal 30 or 40 bags, and also hit 30 homers. I want to be like Mike Trout. I want to be a guy that hurts you in every part of the game. I don’t want to be a guy that’s known for striking out a lot and hitting a lot of home runs with a low average. I want to be one of the best hitters to step into the box, and [good] in the outfield and on the bases.”

On creating backspin: “In my opinion, to create a lot of backspin you need to have a natural loft to your swing, that extra 10% lift in your swing. Not an uppercut, just creating good loft. Ken Griffey Jr. did it really well. Guys who are bigger can create better leverage. For me to be 5-foot-10, or 5-foot-11, it’s kind of surprising I have that loft in my swing. I can’t explain it, but you can see it when I swing. The ball comes off the bat with backspin and a lot of velocity.

“I don’t go up there thinking ‘I’ve got to put backspin on this baseball.’ I just try to hit it hard and whatever happens, happens. If I square it up, I get backspin.”

On power and his weapon of choice: “Strength is a huge part of my game. I look like a football player, honestly. I weigh 195 pounds. I went into the season at 183. In high school, I swung a 34 [inch], 31 [ounce] and the only reason I did that was because metal bats only do drop-3. When I got to professional baseball I was able to customize my own bat. I went 34-32.5, because 31 is too light. It was like I would get through the zone too quickly because of my bat speed. My bat speed and strength allow me to swing a heavier bat.”

“If I really get into one, it’s going to go far and really high. A couple of my home runs this year were just straight line drives. There was one homer against the Dodgers where a guy threw me a curveball and they had the ball speed behind us. I hit it 109 [mph] off my bat.

“I hit a lot of home runs in high school and thought I’d come into pro ball and hit a lot. In my first at bat, I hit a home run and thought to myself, ‘I’m going to hit 30 home runs in this league.’ I ended up hitting five. I was kind of disappointed hitting five, but this whole year was a learning process. I have the power, so I’m not that worried about it. I’m trying to refine my approach and swing, and the natural loft will bring the home runs.”

On Baseball America saying he has “a different finish” to his swing: “If you go on YouTube and watch one of my swings at Wrigley field, it’s a lot like Chase Utley‘s. He stops his swing a little early. I have a short, compact swing. Sometimes I don’t finish it. I assume that’s what they were talking about.”

On his mechanics: “I used to really crouch down in my swing and have a weird toe tap. That hurt my pitch recognition, because I wasn’t getting my foot down and was still in motion. It was a lot of moving parts. An adjustment I made on my own was standing taller and really trying to drive the inside of my front foot to the ground and get it down early, so I could recognize the pitch clearly. That’s an adjustment they’re going to work with me on.

“There was a 90-day, no-touch rule for my first season where they don’t try to change too much, but they realized it’s something I knew would help me with consistency and pitch recognition. If I bend down too much, the only way I can go is up, so my head starts moving like crazy. It starts looking like the pitches are doing way more than they are. I was so dominant in high school that I could get away with it, but in pro ball they found a hole in my swing. It was very frustrating, so I needed to make an adjustment.”

——

Carter Hawkins on Frazier: “There isn’t anything, fundamentally, we’re looking to change with him. Not from a swing standpoint — nor from a defense or base running standpoint — other than helping him understand his swing, how pitchers are going to attack him and his approach for each at bat. What we’re looking at is the core of his developmental foundation, in terms of his plan. As we move down the line, we’ll continue to get more specific on areas we want him to focus on.

“We try not to put labels on guys, especially someone who is 18 and coming out of high school. Having said that, we certainly see the power. We feel he’s a guy who will be able to drive the baseball out of the park to all fields, not only at the lower levels, but when he gets to the major leagues as well. So, would we call him a power hitter? Absolutely. Would we define him as only a power hitter? No. He’s got the ability to hit for average and to produce runs with more than just the long ball. He‘s naturally gifted.”


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David Laurila grew up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and now writes about baseball from his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He authored the Prospectus Q&A series at Baseball Prospectus from February 2006-March 2011 and is a regular contributor to several publications. His first book, Interviews from Red Sox Nation, was published by Maple Street Press in 2006.

Bauer's winter workouts encouraging for Tribe

Young prospect regressed last year while retooling mechanics on mound

By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 1/1/2014 10:00 A.M. ET

CLEVELAND -- All the world sees are the numbers. The Indians are counting on much more than that when it comes to pitching prospect Trevor Bauer. The data from last season was not pretty, but the club knew from the moment it traded for Bauer last winter that this was going to be a project.

Cleveland has had evaluators in Texas this offseason to monitor Bauer's mound workouts. Pitching coach Mickey Callaway has checked in with the youngster from time to time via text messages. Bauer has sent the front office and coaching staff videos of the progress he has made this offseason.

The information received has convinced the club to express confidence.

"I saw some video of him the other day, and he was good," Indians manager Terry Francona said during the Winter Meetings. "He's making key adjustments. It's exciting. Hopefully, we'll see some results in Spring Training."

Bauer was working on adjustments with his delivery from spring through fall last year, and it resulted in a setback in terms of statistics. The right-hander took on the changes, however, with the big picture in mind. He wanted to be more efficient immediately and in a position to remain healthy for many years on the mound.

"He wanted to make sure that his body was able to withstand 220 innings," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "Or, if you ask Trevor, 250 innings during a Major League season, and thousands of innings over the course of a career."

Getting comfortable with the tweaks led to diminished command and subpar numbers across the board in both the Majors and Minors last year.

This spring will present the first chance for the public to get a glimpse of what a year of tinkering has produced for Bauer, who is being touted as a candidate for the fifth spot in the Indians' rotation. As things stand, he will be up against Carlos Carrasco, Josh Tomlin and Shaun Marcum. Justin Masterson, Corey Kluber, Danny Salazar and Zach McAllister are front-runners for the first four jobs.

After viewing footage of Bauer's winter work at the Texas Baseball Ranch in Montgomery, Texas, the Indians have taken an optimistic stance.

"He's kind of getting back to his old delivery," Callaway said. "It looks really good. It looked like his command is getting better and there's some more deception. I would say it's a more refined delivery. It's the same mechanics but a little more refined, and it looks a little more repeatable. It's a little less violent."

These are potentially great developments for the Tribe.

Of course, seeing is believing, and what the organization saw last year was a pitcher possibly biting off more than he could chew. Bauer has a reputation for being extremely analytical, taking in as much information as he can in order to implement elements that can improve his biomechanics and on-field performance.

Cleveland knew this was the case when it acquired Bauer from Arizona as part of a three-team, nine-player trade in December 2012. The Indians also understood that they were receiving Bauer in the midst of a personal transformation. In his 2012 stint with the D-backs, Bauer dealt with lower leg and groin issues, so he tackled ways to potentially avoid such problems in the future.

"I think it's one thing to know what you want to do, and it's another thing to be able to accomplish it," Antonetti said. "Pitching at a high level is really hard to do. I think Trevor got to a level pitching one way and was very successful doing it, but he undertook considerable delivery adjustments that he initiated last offseason.

"I think maybe we and he, if anything, underestimated the magnitude of those adjustments and maybe how long it would take him to get to the point where he's comfortable executing that delivery consistently."

In 22 games last season for Triple-A Columbus, Bauer posted a 4.15 ERA in 121 1/3 innings with 106 strikeouts and 73 walks. Bauer has seen his walk percentage increase from 10.1 percent to 11.1 percent to 13.3 percent in the Minors in each of the past three years. Additionally, his strikeout rate per nine innings dropped from 15.1 to 10.8 to 7.9 in that same span.

Bauer's showing last season was a drastic drop-off from 2012, when he went 12-2 with a 2.42 ERA in 130 1/3 innings, compiling 157 strikeouts against 61 walks between Double-A and Triple-A in Arizona's system.

At the big league level, Bauer has a 5.67 ERA and a 0.97 strikeout-to-walk ratio in eights starts over the 2012-13 seasons. He is one of 262 pitchers to log at least eight starts over that two-season period. Among that group, he ranks last in average walks per nine innings (7.83) but 31st overall in opponents' batting average (.234).

That last number holds the key to what Callaway believes can help Bauer turn a corner in 2014.

"He doesn't have to be too fine," Callaway said. "Really, just throw the ball over the plate. His stuff is good enough that it's tough to hit. The games that he pitched for us, it was tough to get a hit off of him. His stuff is good. He was sometimes having to throw a lot of strikes behind in the count, and they still weren't hitting it."

Bauer, who will turn 23 years old on Jan. 17, gained a reputation for being stubborn during his days with the D-backs, who selected him in the first round (third overall) of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. The righty's unique workout regimen, which includes a rigorous long-toss routine, has been heavily scrutinized. After last season, questions arose about whether the pitcher was too analytical or difficult for coaches.

Callaway did his best to shoot down such perceptions.

"I don't think he's stubborn or unwilling to work with anybody," Callaway said. "He takes information, and he uses it just like anybody should. He takes the stuff he thinks is going to work, and lets the other stuff go out the other ear. That's what you should do when you're listening to a coach. If every player would've taken everything that every coach said and tried to use it, they would've been a mess.

"I think he goes about it the right way and takes coaching the right way. I just think he got on the wrong path last year, and it just didn't work out. I think he's on the right path this year, and, hopefully, we'll see a different Trevor."

Reds taking a look at Grady Sizemore

By Alex Hall on Jan 3 2014, 5:42p 1


The Cincinnati Reds have "explored adding" free agent outfielder Grady Sizemore, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. General manager Walt Jocketty believes that Sizemore, whose career has been derailed by injuries, is healthy, reports Sheldon.

Sizemore was once seen as an all-around player who could hit for a solid average with power and patience, steal bases, and play above-average defense in center field. Indeed, his career highs include a .290 average (2006), 33 home runs and 38 stolen bases (2008) and 101 walks (2007). He also won Gold Gloves in 2007 and 2008.

However, Sizemore flamed out before he really hit his peak. After receiving down-ballot MVP votes for the fourth straight year in 2008, he was limited to 106 games in his age-26 season in 2009 before succumbing to elbow surgery.

The injury was cited as a reason for his decreased production that year. He appeared in only 104 games combined over the next two seasons due to a variety of maladies including injuries to both kness (one of which required microfracture surgery) as well as a pair of operations for sports hernias.

Sizemore hasn't appeared in the majors since 2011; his attempted comeback in 2012 was cut short by back surgery during spring training. In eight seasons with the Cleveland Indians, the lefty batted .269/.357/.473 with 139 home runs and 134 stolen bases.

If the 31-year-old Sizemore is indeed healthy, then he would be a great fit on the Reds. With the departure of center fielder Shin-Soo Choo via free agency, Cincinnati's starting outfield is currently expected to consist of Ryan Ludwick in left, rookie Billy Hamilton in center and Jay Bruce in right.

Bruce, coming off three consecutive 30-homer seasons, is the only known quantity in that trio -- the 35-year-old Ludwick played only 38 games last year after undergoing shoulder surgery, and Hamilton is still completely unproven in a starting role in the majors. Adding Sizemore could provide depth behind Ludwick and Hamilton while also giving the team a potentially high-reward lottery ticket should he enjoy a particularly successful comeback.

Indians signed OF Jeff Francoeur to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

The deal had been reported by ESPN's Jerry Crasnick to be close, and now the Indians have made it official. Francoeur batted just .204/.238/.298 last season for the Royals and Giants but is a career .285/.335/.465 hitter versus left-handed pitching. He'll compete for a bench job in spring training and will make $1 million plus incentives if he cracks the Opening Day roster.

Jan 6 - 7:23 PM

Indians Sign Scott Atchison


By Steve Adams [January 6, 2014 at 3:48pm CST]


The Indians have signed right-hander Scott Atchison to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian (on Twitter). Atchison is represented by agent Rich Thompson.

Atchison, 38 in March, was non-tendered by the Mets in November. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected him to earn $1.3MM in arbitration on the heels of a season that saw him post a 4.37 ERA in 45 1/3 innings with the Mets. Atchison averaged 5.6 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and posted a solid 48.7 percent ground-ball rate in New York last season.

Atchison is somewhat similar to Matt Albers, whom the Indians recently lost to free agency (Albers signed with the Astros). Though Albers is significantly younger, each right-hander makes up for a below-average strikeout rate by keeping the ball on the ground. Atchison's ground-ball rate isn't as pronounced as that of Albers, but he's posted superior walk rates to Albers since returning to the Majors from Japan in 2010.

Bob Abreu received an offer from Cleveland

By: Alfredo Villasmil / avillasmil@cadena-capriles.com

CARACAS -.

Abreu definitely exploded in November and December and organizations in the Major League again set their eyes on Bob Abreu. The right fielder for the Leones del Caracas, who added three home runs in as many games in the semifinal, not counting the game this Monday, received an offer from the Cleveland Indians an invitation this spring.

The agent Peter Greenberg, through his employees in Venezuela, reported that the tribe has been monitoring the work of the stocky slugger an in response expect to complete the transaction for Abreu. In principle this is a minor league contract with an invitation to training camp. However, more and more requests are still waiting .

Abreu dawned with an average of .455 (11-5) with three home runs and eight RBIs in three games, .571 OBP over five runs scored. He has been one of the causes of good offensive performance for the lions in his first third appearance of the postseason.

I guess we're looking for a needle or two in a haystack.

who added three home runs in as many games in the semifinal, not counting the game this Monday

Add another one. A three run shot this Monday evening.

Frenchy is a righty bat who CAN hit lefties, although that's about it.

Phenomenal fielder however.

All 3 guys, Swisher Bourn, and Cabrera has below average seasons FOR THEM. All we are asking is career norms from those guys. For that obvious reason, it is very doable. They are called career norms for a reason.

Yes, But....

Swisher will be 33 this year which is outside of the classic career pick period of ages 27-31. Yet I think that if he stays out of the OF and therefore keeps his elbow sound he can his OPS back over 800 where it had been 4 years straight before it tumbled to 763

Bourn has only had an OPS over 740 once and has been in the 670s two of his last 3 years. Of course his baserunning prowess adds to his offensive strength and for four years he stole 52-61. Then 42 in 2012, 23 in 2013. His caught stealing total stays constant, always 12, 13 or 14 during those six years. The question is whether his steals fell way off due to the new league or his declining skills.

Asdrubal hit the skids at a very early age. He consistently has much worse second halfs. I doubt he's going to revert to his best but he's certainly still young enough to do so.