Of all the names posted above, I like LaHair the most. I was hoping we would have done the same last year. I've seen LaHair play with the Cubs and he appears to be a very good ballplayer. I don't know why his stock fell so low. Anyway. Potentially high rewards with no risks.

Agreed joez. Should at least be a nice bat vs. righties.

I don't know why his stock fell so low.

Could be anything. Maybe his dog is a known pot-head.

Terry Pluto:

About Vinnie Pestano ...

In 2013, the Indians paid Vinnie Pestano $501,000. He was 1-2 with a 4.08 ERA. He had elbow problems. He spent more than a month in the minors and had a very disappointing season. This is Pestano's first year of being arbitration eligible. He went to a hearing Friday.

The Tribe has offered him $975,000. He wanted $1.45 million. No surprise, he lost the case.

Pestano's agent based his case on Pestano having a 2.40 ERA in 2011-12 when he was one of the best set-up men in the American League. The Indians have countered with the fact that they are nearly doubling his salary following an "off" year.

Furthermore, of greater concern is looking back to 2012. In the month of July, he threw 12 scoreless innings, fanning 17. In August and September, he had a 4.39 ERA, allowing four homers in 27 innings. So Pestano really hasn't been sharp since July of 2012.

More important than his salary is Pestano's arm. Can he return to his form from 2011 through July of 2012? His career is on the line, as he is not promised a roster spot.

About Carlos Santana ...

Chris Antonetti said Santana has played "more than 30 games at third base" in the Dominican Winter League.

"He is getting a lot of work and we are encouraged," said the Tribe's general manager. "We have had (coach) Mike Sabraugh, John Mirabelli (assistant general manager) and others looking at him. He has a good arm and it has shown itself at third."

Sarbaugh will be the key coach working with Santana in spring training.

"We've definitely seen enough from Carlos to continue (at third base) this spring," said Antonetti.

The Tribe would like to see the switch-hitting Santana at least be able to play third against left-handed pitching. They hope Lonnie Chisenhall plays well enough to handle third against righties. Last season, Chisenhall was 4-of-36 (.111) vs. lefties, against whom he has struggled most of his career.

But Chisenhall batted only .241 (.705 OPS) vs. righties.

The Tribe likes the idea of Santana catching a few games a week to give Yan Gomes a break, then filling in at third, first or at designated hitter. They want to keep his bat in the lineup.


About Ubaldo Jimenez ...

By now, Jimenez expected to be signed. He was looking for at least four years at $15 million annually after turning down the Tribe's qualifying offer of $14 million for 2014.

Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs did an interesting story on Jimenez, explaining why teams are very cautious about throwing big money in his direction. His overall stats for 2013 look good: 13-9, 3.30 ERA. After the All-Star break, Jimenez was 6-5 with an excellent 1.82 ERA, second lowest in all of baseball.

Jimenez is only 30. He never missed a start in his nearly three seasons with the Tribe. But he has been extremely inconsistent since he was 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA in 2010 with the Rockies.

Nonetheless, it appeared Jimenez pulled himself together by the end of 2013.

Fangraphs pointed out that it was in his last eight starts that Jimenez sparkled, his ERA being 1.66. He only walked one batter every seven innings. The website believed that pitching to Gomes helped, because he is a superior catcher to Santana.

Jimenez was not throwing harder. Fangraphs reported that 115 of his pitches in 2012 were at least 95 mph. In 2013, it was only 45.

So what happened? The control improved -- and the schedule softened. In his last eight starts, he faced Minnesota (twice), the White Sox (twice), Astros, Royals, Braves and Orioles. Only the Braves were a good team in 2013.

To be fair to Jimenez, he had a 2.72 ERA after May 1. That covers 27 starts.

I give Jimenez a lot of credit for finding a way to win games -- as he couldn't even beat bad teams for several months during his Tribe career.

But the fact is that many teams just don't trust him -- which is why he is still on the open market. It will be interesting to see what the Indians do if Jimenez really can't secure any attractive offers as spring training opens.



About Jimmy Dudley ...

Last week, I wrote about radio broadcaster Jimmy Dudley going into the Tribe Hall of Fame. Lots of fans have been sending in some of their favorite Dudley lines:

"He hit that one a country mile!"

"Come on down to the old ball yard."

"So long, and lots of good luck, ya hear?"

"Hey, hey, hey … it's a double-play!"

"That pitch was right down the pipe."

Then Dave Addison sent me this email:

"In October 1969 I was driving a rental car in Seattle killing a night until I had to report to Ft. Lewis the next day prior to leaving for Vietnam. I flipped on the radio and, to my utter disbelief, I heard Dudley broadcasting the last Seattle Pilots game of the season.

"Suddenly, I was 10 years old again in Euclid listening to a game on the radio while eating Dan Dee potato chips and drinking a Dad's Root Beer. As I recall, each bag of those chips contained a very greasy Indians baseball card. There was no way one could get all the grease off those cards."

How Settled is the Indians Bullpen?

by Mike Podhorzer - February 10, 2014

After the Indians released incumbent closer Chris Perez at the end of last season, the team was without a stopper heading into the offseason. The team decided to cross that off their shopping list by signing former Brewers closer John Axford. After three seasons of saving games in Milwaukee, Axford lost his job so early in 2013 that he failed to record even one save. Now, Cleveland is hoping that he rebounds and that the mechanical changes he made while in St. Louis not only sticks, but was actually the root cause of his struggles in the first place.

While the “tipping his pitches” explanation has become tiring as an excuse, perhaps it’s valid this time. The sample size is tiny if just evaluating whether the changes impacted his performance by looking at his batters faced-based metrics (K%, BB%, etc), but we could instead look at his per-pitch rates and come away with a more accurate picture. His strike percentage skyrocketed, and his percentage of strikes swinging jumped. So perhaps the mechanical fix not only helped him not give away what pitch was coming, but also improved his control.

If Axford is indeed fixed, then the Indians bullpen will be pretty good and the organization gets great value given his salary. If not, they have another man chomping at the bit to get his opportunity. His name is Cody Allen and he posted a 2.81 SIERA last year backed by a 29%+ K%. He throws hard (95+ mph heat) and complements his fastball with a curve. Both pitches induced swinging strikes at an above average clip. He should be next in line if Axford falters again and should be one of the better setup guys in the league.

Vinnie Pestano had been the assumed next-in-line, but he dealt with elbow issues last year which surely hampered his overall performance and control. He’s not all that different from Allen, as both are fly ball pitchers and each of them complements their fastballs with some sort of breaking pitch. Pestano’s breaking ball of choice is the slider, and not surprisingly, he’s had difficulties with left-handed batters throughout his short career. Lefties have mashed him for a .349 wOBA (versus .236 mark against righties) and a 4.68 xFIP. Those splits alone should make it tough for him to ever become a full-time closer. But if he’s healthy, his control should rebound and he’ll be a solid reliever again.

In his second full season, Bryan Shaw was another effective reliever, using a cutter or slider nearly every pitch. He threw his slider more often and induced more swings and misses to make it an above average pitch, but the cutter appears to just be average, given its relatively low SwStk%. With better relievers ahead of him, he shouldn’t sniff the closer role, but will continue to be a key member of the bullpen.

Marc Rzepczynski is set to act as the top LOOGY, as he owns a career 2.81 xFIP versus lefties, holding them to a .267 wOBA. He’s an extreme ground ball pitcher whose slider has induced a higher rate of swinging strikes in every season since his debut. His role makes it worthless in fantasy leagues, but he’s a nice asset for the Tribe.

So the Indians bullpen might be settled, or it might not be. It all depends on Axford and whether the Cardinals cured all that ailed him. Since we cannot be totally sure, it makes sense for AL-Only leaguers to grab Allen as a speculation, as he could still earn some value as just a setup man.

According to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the Indians haven't spoken to Ubaldo Jimenez in weeks.
Jimenez is still on the market and there's been some talk about the right-hander returning to Cleveland on a one-year deal, but it's all speculation at this point. Jimenez, 30, posted a 3.30 ERA and 194/80 K/BB ratio in 182 2/3 innings last season for the Tribe. He was linked to the Blue Jays at the end of January, but those talks have apparently not progressed.


Source: Ken Rosenthal on Twitter
Feb 10 - 9:31 AM

I expect C.C. Lee to be a significant addition to the bullpen. Maybe Blake Wood will be, too. The group should be pretty good. If Pestano regains his form then there's real depth.

Baseball would be less interesting if bullpens were settled.

Carlos Santana, John Axford among 10 AL Central players to watch in 2014

CLEVELAND, Ohio – With spring training knocking on your door – Indians pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear Ariz., on Tuesday – it’s time remember that the

AL Central produced two playoff teams last season for just the second time since the division was formed in 1994. The honors went to division champion Detroit and the wild-card Indians.

For that to happen again against the talented lineups in the AL East and AL West, even with the additional wild card, a lot of things have to go right in the Central regardless of what two teams make the postseason.

Here are 10 players, some newcomers, some not, who could make that happen for their respective AL Central teams.

1. Carlos Santana, Indians: Santana needs a position to call home after Yan Gomes replaced him last year as manager Terry Francona’s starting catcher. Could it be third base, a position Santana played in winter ball in the Dominican Republic?

No matter where Santana plays, his offense will be a determining factor on whether the Indians return to the postseason for the second straight year.

2. John Axford, Indians: After cutting ties with Chris Perez early in the offseason, the Indians signed Axford to a one-year $4.5 million deal to be their closer after he pitched for Milwaukee and St. Louis last year. Axford saved 106 games for the Brewers from 2009 through 2012, but he didn’t save one last year as he lost the job in April and was traded to the Cardinals later in the season.

Axford needs to reclaim his closer’s job and reputation if the Tribe is going to build on last year’s 92-win season.

3. Miguel Cabrera, Tigers: Cabrera, the AL MVP the last two years, won’t have Prince Fielder watching his back this season, but Victor Martinez isn’t a bad body guard. Plus, Cabrera will be moving back to first base, which should keep him out of harm’s way.

4. Joe Nathan, Tigers: Detroit’s payroll will be north of $160 million this year, which is just slightly above what it was last year. But last year the Tigers forgot to buy a closer and it cost them dearly in the ALCS against Boston.

Nathan, who converted 93 percent (80-for-86) of his save opportunities for Texas over the last two years, should correct that problem. He signed a two-year $20 million deal with Tigers.

5. Jason Vargas, Royals: The Royals gave Vargas a four-year $32 million deal to fill out their rotation after the free-agent departure of Ervin Santana. It was a lot of money to pay for the veteran lefty, who went 9-8 with a 4.02 ERA in 24 starts for the Angels last year.

The Royals, however, feel they’re close to a division title after putting together their first winning season last year since 2003. In the last two years, Kansas City has added James Shields, Wade Davis and Vargas to the rotation. They also re-signed Jeremy Guthrie and Bruce Chen.

6. Omar Infante, Royals: After going all in on Vargas, Kansas City did it again with Infante, signing the former Tiger second baseman to a four-year deal worth an estimated $30 million. With Infante and Norichika Aoki, another newcomer, hitting at the top of the order, manager Ned Yost can drop Alex Gordon into the middle of the lineup to take advantage of his power.

7. Jose Abreu, White Sox: On their way to losing 99 games last season, Chicago went 2-17 against the Indians and finished last in the AL in runs. To help correct at least one of those problems, GM Rick Hahn signed Cuban first baseman/DH Jose Abreu to a six-year deal worth $68 million.

Abreu has never played in the big leagues before and along with Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn overloads the roster with one-dimensional first base-DH sluggers. Konerko, who was considering retirement last year, is back with the White Sox on a one-year deal to fill a Jason Giambi-type role.

8. Adam Eaton, White Sox: In losing 99 games last year, Chicago displayed a terrible brand of outfield play. They acquired Eaton from Arizona to help correct that with his play in center field. If Eaton can stay healthy, he’ll bring a smile to the faces of Chicago’s pitchers.

9. Ricky Nolasco, Twins: GM Terry Ryan signed three free agent starting pitchers over the winter for more than $60 million. Nolasco signed for the most money (four years, $49 million) and was the only one with a winning record. Phil Hughes and Mike Pelfrey were added to the rotation following 4-14 and 5-13 seasons, respectively.

Ryan had to do something because the Twins starters finished with an AL high 5.26 ERA last year.

10. Joe Mauer, Twins: Three years into his eight-year $184 million contract, the largest ever given to a catcher, Mauer is a catcher no more. He’s being moved to first base to keep him healthy and in the lineup. Mauer hit .324 last year and posted a .880 OPS, but played only 113 games. His season was cut short by a concussion.

Indians spring training preview roundtable: Will the Tribe be better in 2014?


http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ss ... in_62.html

1st Inning Cleveland Indians 2014 Roundtable Paul Hoynes and Dennis Manoloff discuss the upcoming Cleveland Indians season with host Zack Meisel. During the first inning they discuss the offseason.

Zack Meisel, Northeast Ohio Media Group By Zack Meisel, Northeast Ohio Media Group

on February 10, 2014 at 10:19 AM, updated February 10, 2014 at 10:20 AM

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ignore the bone-chilling temperatures, the obtrusive snow mounds and that devious groundhog, who promised another six weeks of winter woe. Spring (training) is just about here.

The Indians' pitchers and catchers are required to report to Goodyear, Ariz., on Tuesday, with the rest of the squad joining in the following days.

Before we venture to warmer pastures to cover the Tribe, we filmed our annual spring training preview roundtable. We split the heap of analysis, forecasting and discussion into nine innings, as Paul Hoynes, Dennis Manoloff and Zack Meisel broke down the Indians' roster heading into the start of the 2014 campaign.

In the first inning -- seen in the video above -- the guys provide an off-season review, as they assess the organization's winter transactions. Have the Indians been too quiet in the free agent market? Do they have another move up their sleeve?

2nd Inning Cleveland Indians 2014 Roundtable Paul Hoynes and Dennis Manoloff discuss the upcoming Cleveland Indians season with host Zack Meisel. During the second inning they discuss starting pitching

In the second inning, the guys dissect the starting rotation. Is Justin Masterson a legitimate ace? How much can be expected from Danny Salazar in his first full big league season? After injuries slowed down the promising seasons of Corey Kluber and Zach McAllister, what can be expected of the pair of right-handers in 2014?

The starting rotation proved -- to the surprise of many -- to be the team's strength a year ago. Will it remain that way this season?
3rd Inning Cleveland Indians 2014 Roundtable Paul Hoynes and Dennis Manoloff discuss the upcoming Cleveland Indians season with host Zack Meisel. During the third inning they discuss fifth starter.

In the third inning, the guys evaluate the competition for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation. Which contender -- between Carlos Carrasco, Josh Tomlin and Trevor Bauer -- will come out on top, and what happens to those who don't get the job? Would Carrasco or Tomlin fit into the bullpen?

Has Carrasco matured enough mentally to warrant the opening? Has Bauer turned the corner, as Francona and pitching coach Mickey Callaway have contended?
4th Inning Cleveland Indians 2014 Roundtable Paul Hoynes and Dennis Manoloff discuss the upcoming Cleveland Indians season with host Zack Meisel. During the fourth inning they discuss the competition at third base.

In the fourth inning, the guys analyze the competition for the starting third base gig. Does Carlos Santana have a realistic shot at starting at the hot corner? What is in the best interest of both Santana and the Indians? Can Santana handle the new position and still maintain his potent bat?

What would that mean for former first-round draft pick Lonnie Chisenhall? Is it merely a tactic to light a fire under the young infielder?
5th Inning Cleveland Indians 2014 Roundtable Paul Hoynes and Dennis Manoloff discuss the upcoming Cleveland Indians season with host Zack Meisel. The fifth inning covers the infield.

In the fifth inning, the guys project the type of seasons in store for the rest of the team's infielders, including Yan Gomes, Nick Swisher, Jason Kipnis and Asdrubal Cabrera. Are Swisher and Cabrera due for bounce-back years? Can Gomes maintain his offensive production over a 162-game schedule? Does Kipnis still have potential left to tap?

Will playing first base every day help to keep Swisher healthy? Cabrera can become a free agent at season's end. Will that motivate him to rebound?
6th Inning Cleveland Indians 2014 Roundtable Paul Hoynes and Dennis Manoloff discuss the upcoming Cleveland Indians season with host Zack Meisel. During the sixth inning they discuss the outfield and bench.

In the sixth inning, the guys explore the Indians' outfield and bench. How will manager Terry Francona divvy up the at-bats for right fielders David Murphy and Ryan Raburn? Is center fielder Michael Bourn past his prime?

Could Nyjer Morgan -- he of the multiple identities -- or Jeff Francoeur factor into the equation? How will the bench shape out, and how much of it depends on the third base competition?
7th Inning Cleveland Indians 2014 Roundtable Paul Hoynes and Dennis Manoloff discuss the upcoming Cleveland Indians season with host Zack Meisel. During the seventh inning they discuss the bullpen.

In the seventh inning, the guys evaluate the Indians' revamped bullpen, which includes a slew of new faces following the departures of Chris Perez, Joe Smith, Matt Albers and Rich Hill. How will John Axford fare as closer? Can Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen lock down the late innings?

Where does Vinnie Pestano fit? Can the Indians rely on their crop of left-handed relievers after years of inconsistency from pitchers in that role?
8th Inning Cleveland Indians 2014 Roundtable Paul Hoynes and Dennis Manoloff discuss the upcoming Cleveland Indians season with host Zack Meisel. During the eighth inning they discuss the AL Central division

In the eighth inning, the guys assess the American League Central. Are the Tigers, without Prince Fielder and Doug Fister, still the team to beat? Is Detroit better equipped with new closer Joe Nathan and second baseman Ian Kinsler in the fold?

Have the Indians or Royals closed the talent gap? Francona referred to Kansas City as the team to watch in the division. How will the AL Central play out?
9th Inning Cleveland Indians 2014 Roundtable Paul Hoynes and Dennis Manoloff discuss the upcoming Cleveland Indians season with host Zack Meisel. During the ninth inning they discuss whether the Indians can sustain the success they had last year.

In the ninth inning, the guys forecast whether the Indians will exceed the 92 wins they amassed last season, as they analyze why Francona said it's so much more difficult to go from 92 to 95 wins than it was to go from 68 to 92.

Will the team be better or worse in 2014, and will that reflect in the win column? Where do they fit in the American League landscape?

Indians, OF Michael Brantley agree

Updated: February 10, 2014, 11:30 PM ET


ESPN.com news services



Outfielder Michael Brantley has agreed to a four-year, $25 million deal with an $11 million club option for a fifth year with the Cleveland Indians, a baseball source confirmed to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer first reported the deal Monday night.

Brantley, 26, hit .284 with 10 home runs and 73 RBIs last season, his fifth with the Indians.

Brantley played a key role in the Indians' turnaround last season. Cleveland finished 92-70 after going 68-94 in 2012. The Indians lost the American League wild-card game to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Brantley set career highs in games played (151), at-bats (556), home runs, RBIs and stolen bases (17).

That sounds like a fair-priced deal by current baseball standards. Brantley has developed nicely and could wind up a decent long-term return for CC.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- What do you get for the player who hits everywhere? A long-term contract extension, apparently.

The Indians and outfielder Michael Brantley agreed on a four-year contract extension worth a total of $25 million, sources told cleveland.com on Monday. The deal also includes a club option for a fifth year for $11 million.

Acquired in the CC Sabathia trade in 2008, Brantley is a career .277 hitter in parts of five seasons with the Indians. He batted .284 with 10 home runs and 73 RBIs last season. At some point during the 2013 season, Brantley batted in every spot in manager Terry Francona's batting order, except the No. 9 hole. He spent the most time in the No. 5 hole -- 62 games -- but also also batted seventh on 29 occasions and led off 25 times.

He has not committed an error since June 3, 2012, a span of 245 games without a miscue. Brantley ranked in a tie for fourth in the American League in 2013 with 11 outfield assists.

Brantley and the Indians were scheduled to meet for an arbitration hearing on Feb. 17. The Indians won their case against right-handed reliever Vinnie Pestano on Friday, their first arbitration hearing with a player since 1991. Pitchers Josh Tomlin and Justin Masterson also have arbitration hearings scheduled.

The Indians had conversations about extensions with both Brantley and second baseman Jason Kipnis last year. Kipnis said he hoped the two sides could work something about before the start of the season and that he would end talks once the season commenced.

Brantley could not become a free agent until after the 2016 campaign. The Indians would be essentially buying out his three arbitration years and one -- or two -- free agent years. The Bellevue, Wa., native earned $526,900 last season.

Brantley batted .345 with 14 RBIs and an .828 OPS in September, when the Indians surged into a spot in the AL Wild Card game. In 2013, he batted .375 with runners in scoring position and .364 with runners in scoring position and two outs. He hit .307 against teams with winning records, compared to .256 against losing teams. He batted .333 with a .902 OPS against the division champion Detroit Tigers.

On July 7, 2008, the Indians acquired first baseman Matt LaPorta and pitchers Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Sabathia, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. Brantley was added to the deal in October 2008 as a player to be named later.

LaPorta signed a Minor League contract with the Orioles last week. He batted .238 with 31 home runs in 291 career games with the Indians. Jackson spent the 2013 campaign with the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Bryson split last season with Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus in the Indians' farm system.

In 2013, he batted .375 with runners in scoring position and .364 with runners in scoring position and two outs.

This is what makes Brantley so special. And he continues to grow. We took a lot of fliers in the CC deal, but this is one that paid off. CC is now past his prime, drastically overpaid and will remain so for a very long time. Meanwhile Brantley just continues to grow.

As a CC fan since he played for the Scrappers, I am not convinced he's nearly done.
And I am optimistic but not convinced, yet, that Brantley will move up another couple levels.
But I'm very happy with his development so far and I like the way he fits in. He could become a team leader. He certainly seems more able than Asdrubal to out-adapt the other team,