The Indians’ future in Cleveland: Relocation questions, ownership status, payroll and more in the spotlight

Zack Meisel, Jason Lloyd, and Bill Shea 1h ago 15
After 120 years on the shores of Lake Erie, the future of Cleveland’s baseball team is at a crossroads. The team’s controversial nickname is about to be retired, payroll has been slashed to its lowest figure in a decade and, most notably, the lease on Progressive Field is set to expire in two years while questions linger about the future ownership of the club.

The looming changes sounded enough alarms that even team employees started to wonder where this was all headed. Finally, the question was posed to owner Paul Dolan over the winter during a regularly scheduled video conference with members of the organization.

What is happening? Is the franchise moving to Nashville? Are our jobs safe? Is the team’s tenure in Cleveland on borrowed time?

Dolan’s answer was resounding: We aren’t leaving.

“The franchise isn’t going anywhere,” a high-ranking team official told The Athletic, an assertion several other sources echoed, and one Dolan has stressed internally. The Indians have no plans to abandon Cleveland.

Nevertheless, drastic change is approaching. Indians officials continue to insist the team operates in the red on a near-annual basis and that it will require several years to recover from the financial damage inflicted by the pandemic. After more than a century with the same nickname, the organization is undertaking a branding overhaul, with a new moniker, logo and uniforms in development.

The team, city and stadium landlord Gateway Corp. are nearing an agreement on an extension on the Progressive Field lease, according to multiple sources. The current pact lapses after the 2023 season, the ballpark’s 30th in the heart of downtown Cleveland.

The franchise also seems to be moving toward change at the top, with Dolan conveying interest in identifying a new minority investor. At least one candidate has emerged: Stanley Middleman, the founder and CEO of New Jersey-based Freedom Mortgage, one of the nation’s largest FHA and VA lenders. Middleman, 67, has discussed purchasing a minority share in the Indians, several sources with knowledge of the talks told The Athletic.

Two sources noted there are other interested suitors and it remains unclear how far along conversations with Middleman or anyone else have progressed. Multiple attempts to reach Middleman were unsuccessful. Dolan declined to comment through a team spokesman when The Athletic presented him with a list of questions. One source indicated Dolan has no immediate plans to sell a majority share of the franchise.

For now, the stake previously belonging to businessman John Sherman, who owned nearly 30 percent of the team, remains in escrow. Sherman purchased a minority interest in the Indians in 2016, with the deal including a path to majority ownership over a period of time left to Dolan’s discretion. A similar arrangement could be reached with Middleman or any other prospective investor. Sherman’s hometown Kansas City Royals became available in 2019, driving him to pivot and leaving all parties involved to hunt for his replacement.

With such uncertainty, The Athletic spent six months assessing the state of the organization, examining the real estate around Progressive Field, speaking to officials in Nashville who dismissed the idea of bringing the Indians to the Music City and diving into the background of the Dolan family to better grasp the team’s financial situation. All roads lead to the same question:

What is the future of baseball in Cleveland?


First baseman Bobby Bradley rounds the bases after hitting a game-winning home run for the Indians against the Royals on Friday night. (Ken Blaze / USA Today)
One source with knowledge of the city’s sports and financial landscape said he has long feared Cleveland can’t sustain three major professional teams, and he stressed the Browns certainly aren’t going anywhere. The Cavaliers are shielded by the NBA’s salary cap and booming television contract, which ease concerns about market size and make its franchises financially viable. The Cavs’ lease on Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse extends through 2034.

That leaves the Indians as perhaps the most vulnerable for now, although a lease extension and infusion of cash from a minority partner, two priorities on ownership’s agenda, would alleviate concerns.

“Something fundamentally has to change,” the source said.

The Dolans are the longest-tenured owners in the history of the franchise, which was a charter member of the American League. They bought the team for $323 million in 1999 following a failed bid to buy the Browns. Forbes estimated in March the franchise is now worth $1.16 billion. When The Athletic asked Dolan during a wide-ranging interview in 2019 why the family owns the team despite its contention of consistent financial pitfalls, Dolan identified the increasing value of the organization.

Dolan, who took over as controller of the organization from his father, Larry, in 2013, routinely cites he is a fifth-generation Cleveland native. Those roots provided the impetus for the family to pursue ownership in the first place, and that serves as motivation for preserving the franchise’s presence in the area.

“I can’t see any chance under a Dolan ownership that the team moves,” said an industry source with intimate knowledge of the Indians’ financials. “One of the reasons they bought it was to impact the community positively.”

But can the family of lawyers maintain stewardship in a league filled with billionaire owners who treat their teams as hobbies? The Dolans run the Indians as a business, and they claim their annual balance sheet typically involves losses in the tens of millions. Of course, that didn’t scare off Sherman, who supplied the Indians with a financial injection from 2016-19 before he returned to Kansas City.

Negotiations on extending the ballpark lease began with regular meetings in September 2019 and have continued for nearly two years.

Progressive Field, which opened in 1994, remains a jewel among MLB stadiums, in part because of a series of privately funded renovations over the last decade. The most recent included $40 million in upgrades in 2015, which included the creation of The Corner, the popular hangout in the right-field grandstands.

All of the updates to this point have been to fan-facing areas: scoreboards, upper-deck seating and suites. Much of the service level, the clubhouses and administrative offices have not been renovated.

Other teams, such as the Rangers and Braves, have abandoned their similarly aged ballparks and constructed new venues. That’s not realistic in Cleveland, where parties on all sides realize that passing legislation for another publicly funded baseball stadium here is a non-starter. Rather, at least a few city leaders believe Progressive Field can join the ranks of Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, Dodger Stadium and other iconic ballparks that endure for generations.

What remains to be seen is how the November elections might impact lease negotiations. A new Cleveland mayor will be elected in four months since Frank Jackson is not seeking a fifth term, while 15 of the 17 City Council seats face opposition this fall. Negotiators are concerned how the political uncertainty could delay any deal getting approved by city legislators.

There has been no indication that lease negotiations have fueled ultimatums or threats of relocation, as was the case with the Indians in 1990 and the Browns a few years later. After Art Modell uprooted Cleveland’s football team and planted it in Baltimore, the state of Ohio enacted the “Modell Law” in June 1996, which complicates the process of moving a franchise. A team receiving taxpayer support cannot relocate without permission from its home city or without granting at least six months’ notice to allow anyone an opportunity to purchase the team and prevent it from moving. That mandate helped to keep the Columbus Crew from moving in 2018, as the Haslams, who own the Browns, bought the soccer team.


Indians superfan John Adams sits alone with his drum in the bleachers during a 2019 game against the Tigers. (David Richard / USA Today)
There is at least one city prowling for a baseball franchise, a city some have speculated could lure the Indians out of Cleveland. John Loar, managing director at Music City Baseball, has envisioned a major-league team called the Nashville Stars, an ode to the Negro League team. The privately funded stadium would seat 42,000, in honor of Jackie Robinson’s number, in the middle of a “world-class entertainment venue,” with retail, development and musical residencies.

“I’ve never had a conversation with anybody about Cleveland regarding Nashville,” Loar said. Multiple sources concurred: The idea of the Indians moving to Nashville has not been discussed.

Employing the most optimistic timeline, Loar said Nashville wouldn’t be ready to receive a franchise until 2025. Loar’s preference is an expansion team, and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has already acknowledged Nashville is on baseball’s short list of possibilities. Since the Washington Senators relocated to Arlington to become the Texas Rangers a half-century ago, there has been only one case of an MLB team changing cities: The Montreal Expos, owned by the league at the time, moved to D.C. following the 2004 season. Relocation can require the team owner to pay a hefty fee, determined by the league office, and necessitates a three-fourths vote for approval from other team owners.

“There are circumstances and situations that are worse (than Cleveland),” one source said.

Namely, Oakland, which has, for years, engaged in a game of tug-of-war regarding a new stadium, and Tampa, which has hinted at a Montreal timeshare and a new ballpark. Manfred indicated earlier this year the league wouldn’t consider expansion until those two issues are resolved.

Tampa and Oakland have operated with paltry payrolls yet have remained largely competitive for the last decade. The Indians, owners of the sport’s longest title drought, have adopted a similar front-office approach as they have recalibrated their roster over the last few years.

No Cleveland player has a guaranteed salary beyond this season. José Ramírez, Roberto Pérez and Cesar Hernandez have club options for 2022. Ramírez seems certain to have his exercised. Otherwise, there are no financial commitments on the books.

Dolan told the Akron Roundtable in March the club’s $50 million payroll will rise in the coming years, though probably not to the level it reached a few years ago after the team added free-agent slugger Edwin Encarnacion, who signed a franchise-record $60 million deal. At the start of the 2018 season, Cleveland’s payroll peaked at $135 million, which Dolan said was an initiative intended to spark greater attendance gains than they ultimately achieved. That said, Encarnacion had a clause built into his contract that awarded him a $150,000 bonus if the team reached 2 million tickets sold, which it did.

One source suggested the franchise’s targets are 2 million in attendance and a $110 million payroll. Aside from 2017, the team hasn’t drawn 2 million fans since 2008. Dolan told the Akron Roundtable that, based on attendance patterns, the $80-90 million range “is where our breakeven typically is.” In recent years, the Indians have routinely ranked near the top of the league in local TV ratings. Cleveland is the 19th-largest media market in the country, per Nielsen, and the smallest to field an MLB, NFL and NBA team. Pittsburgh, the 26th-largest market, does have MLB, NFL and NHL representation. The Pirates and Indians own MLB’s two lowest payrolls.

As one source noted, the AL Central helps alleviate some of the challenges. It isn’t a division filled with annually competitive, free-spending goliaths. That has aided the front office’s bid to avoid a full tear-down. Instead, they gradually reshaped the roster over the course of several years. They won 90-plus games each season from 2016-19 — and were on pace to reach that total had the pandemic not truncated the 2020 season — though they haven’t won a playoff game since the 2017 ALDS. The declining payroll has contributed to glaring roster weaknesses going unaddressed and the coaching staff and front office operating with razor-thin margins of error.

“The biggest lever,” a source said, “is still and always will be winning. … In reality, (the front office is) operating as well as any human being could ever operate. The danger, or if you’re looking for a warning, is the fact that they’re operating that way and still haven’t drawn that many people. That’s not a criticism of Cleveland. It’s a reflection of the size of the market.”

And that’s what sparked one source’s fear that the Indians could eventually be squeezed out of Cleveland. Dolan insists his franchise isn’t going anywhere, and the organization’s plan to extend the lease and secure a minority investor would pave the way for the team — with its new name and, eventually, perhaps, a healthier payroll — to remain in Cleveland through 2023 and beyond.

Seagull the Cynic says the more people in charge deny stuff the more likely it is to happen.

Seagull - as a general rule that's pretty accurate.

However in professional sports when teams move it is almost always, always about the stadium. For example the Oakland A's and Tampa Bay Rays, the other 2 teams referred to in the article, both have crap stadiums.

Teams use moving as leverage to get a new stadium as Browns fans know all too well.

But in this case Progressive Field is a very nice venue still. There is never a mention otherwise. This is not a stadium power play. So I believe they stay - with upgrades in the new lease.

hasn't been a major league franchise shift since Montreal to Washington, has there? That was in 2004.

In fact most franchise shifts in the past in the past 60 years have involved Washington:

1961 Senators became the Twins
[1966 Braves from MIL to ATL opening the South to the majors]
[1968 KC to OAK the AL debuts in Northern California]
[1970 Sea to MIL]
1972 older Senators to TEX
2004 the Montreal to WASH move

Think that is a typo! 72 Senators went to Texas.

CORRECTED THE LIST; thanks.

Third time through: Tommy Mace’s draft journey ends with selection by Cleveland




By Josh Tolentino Jul 12, 2021 5
Around this time a year ago, University of Florida pitcher Tommy Mace waited patiently to hear his name called. But after he was passed up in the early rounds of the 2020 MLB Draft, which would’ve guaranteed him better slot money, Mace decided to bet on himself.

Mace returned to Gainesville for a fourth season. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned for Florida, the consensus No. 1 preseason team. The Gators struggled early and so did Mace, their right-handed ace. After a one-game stint in the bullpen, Mace returned to the front of the rotation, where he showed glimpses of dominance reminiscent of his lead-up to last year’s draft. Mace was Florida’s best pitcher during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season with 26 strikeouts and a 1.67 ERA in four games (27 innings). But he finished 2021 with a 6-2 record and a 4.38 ERA in 16 games (90 1/3 innings).

With an up-and-down final college season behind him, Mace, 22, is focused on his next chapter. Mace was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the Competitive Balance-B round (No. 69 overall selection) of the 2021 MLB Draft.

Mace is rooted in the Tampa Bay area, where he’s trained with former major leaguer Anthony Telford, a local pitching coach who has a keen eye for identifying young talent from across the region. Telford can recall when he first saw Mace star for Sunlake High a few years ago.

“Not many 6-foot-6 high school guys are out here throwing heat at 90-plus mph,” Telford said before last year’s draft. “If you pay attention to any type of baseball in Tampa, you know who Tommy Mace is.”

Ranked No. 41 on Keith Law’s Big Board, Mace has a four-pitch mix and the ability to crank up his four-seam fastball to 97 mph. He frequently attacks the bottom of the strike zone and is considered by multiple scouts as a ground-ball pitcher who can also induce a fair number of whiffs with his fastball. Scouts say his cutter is his second-best pitch, although Telford praises Mace for his refined changeup and breaking ball, a pair of pitches he has been working on since the beginning of last spring.

As described by Law in his annual Big Board, which features the Top 101 draft prospects: “Mace had a chance to be the first college senior taken this July, a high-floor, back-end starter with plus control and an above-average curveball he will probably use more once he gets into pro ball. His chance to really cash in has faded with just a so-so performance this year, culminating in a poor showing with a lot of scouts in attendance in Florida’s shocking regional loss.”

Under Telford’s guidance over the past few years at his Tampa-based facility, Florida Baseball Institute, Mace has made slight adjustments to his grip and delivery on his breaking ball, which he now refers to as a slurve. Telford also works closely with Royals pitcher Brady Singer and Blue Jays pitcher Nate Pearson, whom Mace counts as close friends.

“We played around with the curveball and made it a bit more (true),” Telford said. “He has gone to a modified spike and boosted his spin rate. When he first got on the Rapsodo, his spin rate was 2,475 (rotations per minute) with a two-finger grip. Once we modified it to more of a spike, his spin rate is at 2,650 with a refined release point and delivery.”

Whenever Mace reports to his first training session with Cleveland, club officials might be most surprised by the pitch Mace used the least in college. At Florida, he mostly used a fastball-curveball mix, along with an occasional slider, but he rarely threw the changeup.

“He’s got three sure-fire big-league pitches — (fastball, cutter and slurve),” Telford said. “But whoever gets him is going to be super happy with his changeup. It’s incredibly good. We sat down and found a grip and release point that worked, and I really tried to walk him through how to use that. He’s really found a comfort with the slight mechanical things.

“(The changeup is) probably on par with his breaking ball now.”

While speaking with The Athletic by phone in mid-June, Mace showed excitement over his recently increased knowledge of analytics. He seemed most thrilled about the opportunity to put his tweaks to the test in a live pitching scenario.

“Being able to actually see what my pitches are doing, it’s a huge difference-maker,” Mace said. “Obviously, I know when I’m throwing a fastball or changeup or cutter, but the analytics tell me how the pitch is moving and what mechanics I need to fine-tune.

“Once I got a baseline of my numbers and analytics and saw where I was, it felt great to get down the timing and feel of the changeup and slurve. But now I’m excited to see hitters’ reactions. Because numbers can say what they want, but all that matters is getting outs. Once I face some real hitters, I’ll learn and get a feel about when I can effectively throw those two pitches for strikes.”

Mace, who planned to watch this year’s draft with his family from his uncle’s home in Atlanta, was selected out of high school by the Cincinnati Reds in the 12th round of the 2017 draft, but he opted to head to Gainesville, where he posted a 22-7 career record with the Gators. Over 41 starts and 62 appearances in college, Mace recorded a 4.37 ERA with 258 strikeouts and 76 walks in 269 2/3 innings.

While this year presented challenges for Mace, he turned in one of his best performances near the end of the season in a win over Kentucky in the SEC Tournament. With more confidence in his four pitches, Mace is hoping to bring even more energy and competitiveness to the professional level.

“My absolute favorite thing about him is his competitive nature,” Telford said. “He competes in his bullpen sessions, his stretching, his workouts — everything. If they just refine him, level by level, he’ll pitch in the big leagues. I believe in his will and I love his character. He’s completely coachable and respectful. His new coaches are going to be really pleased and very nicely surprised by his work ethic and refined pitches.”

(Photo: Mario Houben / Florida / UAA Communications)

Indians drafted 3 U of Florida pitchers yesterday, maybe they get a quantity discount, 3 Gators for the price of 2.

The 2021 Cleveland Indians Trade Deadline Manifesto

Zack Meisel 1h ago 5
CLEVELAND — It’s well known by now that the Indians’ front office will listen to trade proposals for any player. And Chris Antonetti will entertain potential transactions at any time.

Antonetti finalized the Brad Hand trade three years ago while zip-lining with his daughter. He completed the $60 million signing of Edwin Encarnacion, the heftiest contract in franchise history, while attending a live performance of “The Little Mermaid” — in between renditions of “Under the Sea” and “Part of Your World.”

The Indians have been active nearly every summer since Terry Francona arrived in Cleveland, with the only exception being his first season, 2013, when their defining move was dealing for Marc Rzepczynski and complicating life for the team’s seamstress and beat writers.

Otherwise, Cleveland’s front office has added All-Stars, subtracted All-Stars, packaged prospects and pulled off complicated, three-team swaps. Here’s a look at their summer movement:

2020

• Acquired Cal Quantrill, Josh Naylor, Austin Hedges, Gabriel Arias, Owen Miller and Joey Cantillo for Mike Clevinger, Greg Allen and Matt Waldron

2019

• Acquired Franmil Reyes, Yasiel Puig, Logan Allen, Scott Moss and Victor Nova for Trevor Bauer

• Acquired Christian Arroyo and Hunter Wood for Ruben Cardenas

2018

• Acquired Brad Hand and Adam Cimber for Francisco Mejía

• Acquired Leonys Martín and Kyle Dowdy for Willi Castro

• Acquired Oscar Mercado for Jhon Torres and Conner Capel

• Acquired Josh Donaldson for Julian Merryweather

2017

• Acquired Joe Smith for Thomas Pannone and Samad Taylor

• Acquired Jay Bruce for Ryder Ryan

2016

• Acquired Andrew Miller for Clint Frazier, Justus Sheffield, J.P. Feyereisen and Ben Heller

• Acquired Brandon Guyer for Nathan Lukes and Jhonleider Salinas

• Acquired Coco Crisp for Colt Hynes

2015

• Acquired Eric Stamets for David Murphy

• Acquired Rob Kaminsky for Brandon Moss

• Acquired Abraham Almonte for Marc Rzepczynski

• Acquired Chris Johnson for Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn

2014

• Acquired James Ramsey for Justin Masterson

• Acquired Zach Walters for Asdrubal Cabrera

With two weeks remaining until the trade deadline, let’s examine the club’s strategy and the possibilities that could surface should Antonetti receive a call from a rival executive while viewing “Space Jam: A New Legacy: or riding the Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point.

Welcome to the annual Cleveland Indians Trade Deadline Manifesto.

Buyers or sellers?
The line between the two parties is as blurred as ever because the Indians don’t strictly think about 2021 when they plot their next move.

They could be both … or neither. Their results during the next two weeks won’t make a ton of difference, either. Their record won’t prevent them from dealing away a veteran who won’t be around next year if there’s a young player they’d prefer to watch at that position instead. And their record won’t prevent them from pursuing a long-term solution in the outfield or on the pitching staff, since that player can help in both the present and future.

There’s not much to sell, anyway. This isn’t like 2015, when they seemingly dumped every player old enough to rent a car. The Indians already feature the youngest roster and lowest payroll in the sport.

They could deal César Hernandez or Eddie Rosario, maybe Bryan Shaw, perhaps even a catcher. None has much trade value.

It’s the “buying” element of the equation that some tend to misread. They won’t be outbidding anyone for a rental; one player won’t transform them into a title favorite. They will, however, explore the availability of players with several years of team control, regardless of how the team fares the rest of the month. The Indians still could have a hole or two (or three?) in the outfield this winter, so why not at least attempt to address that weakness now?

Ah, but who would fit? A bunch of guys who are likely off-limits: Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds, Arizona’s Ketel Marte, Baltimore’s Cedric Mullins, Texas’ Adolis Garcia. The Indians would need to convince a non-contender looking for prospects that it makes sense to part with that star outfielder now, as opposed to six or 12 or 18 months from now. Mullins, for example, is under team control through the 2025 season. The Orioles could probably demand just as gaudy of an offer for him this winter or a year from now.

The Indians could inquire about Seattle’s Mitch Haniger or Texas’ Joey Gallo or Baltimore’s Trey Mancini or Atlanta’s Adam Duvall, who are all under team control through next season. That’s more of a stopgap solution, though.

The 40-man roster
Two factors figure to complicate every conversation between executives for the next two weeks.

The collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1, and no one knows what the landscape of the league will look like once the two sides compose a new pact. Teams will navigate the next few months with that in mind.

Then there’s the 40-man roster conundrum, an obstacle that has seized the attention of Cleveland’s front office, and other brain trusts throughout the league.

There’s a long list of prospects the Indians will at least consider placing on their 40-man roster this winter to protect them from being selected in the Rule 5 Draft. Among the prospects who would be vulnerable: Tyler Freeman, Brayan Rocchio, George Valera, Joey Cantillo, Will Benson, Aaron Bracho, Oscar Gonzalez and Richie Palacios. The Rule 5 Draft could be loaded with intriguing players this winter, partially a result of not having a minor-league season last year. The question is, will anyone have available space on their 40-man roster?

The Indians will clear a handful of spots when they part ways with veterans at the end of this season. They can move on from an older player or two who hasn’t panned out as they had hoped. But they could also pursue a trade this month that involves packaging a few of those Rule 5 Draft-eligible prospects for a big leaguer, or a trade of a younger player on the 40-man roster for a player who is not. Remember, 26 players on the 40-man roster are active major leaguers, so even if they create enough space to protect their eligible prospects, many of those prospects remain at least a year or two from the majors.

They could opt to move on from Hernandez, Rosario, Shaw, Blake Parker, Nick Wittgren and Bradley Zimmer, for example, but employing a 40-man roster next season full of 20-year-olds in A-ball won’t work, either. It’s a tricky situation, and one the front office has thoroughly examined.


José Ramírez has club options for 2022 and 2023. (Frank Jansky / Getty Images)
The José Ramírez question you probably have
If the Indians were tearing down, following the path the Orioles, Tigers, Pirates and others have traveled, this wouldn’t even be a question. Teams will call. And Antonetti will answer because he has unlimited minutes on nights and weekends. But the Indians believe they can vie for a postseason spot next year and the year after, and Ramírez has a team-friendly club option for each season. Trading Ramírez would deliver a death knell to those contention hopes and would spur teams to then inquire about Shane Bieber. After all, if the Indians were to reset their contention clock to 2024, that would be Bieber’s last season before reaching free agency. It’s a vicious, unrelenting cycle.

Their preference is to keep Ramírez, perhaps even extend him. Payroll shouldn’t inhibit that; there’s not a single player on the roster owed a nickel beyond this season, and a new minority investor should eventually pump some more cash into the operation. Ramírez would welcome the chance to negotiate a long-term deal, according to sources, and it seems like something the two sides could explore during the offseason or spring training.

If they can’t strike a deal on an extension, the Indians could revisit the idea of trading him. There are usually more suitors for a trade over the winter, anyway, and by that point, we’ll know if the new basic agreement includes any significant changes.

Trading away a starting pitcher this month would make little sense and would not follow the front office’s recent patterns. The Indians dealt Bauer when he had one-plus years of team control and Clevinger when he had two-plus years of team control. At the time of those trades, they boasted plenty of starting pitching depth to absorb their departures. Bieber (controlled through 2024), Zach Plesac (2025) and Aaron Civale (2025) have yet to even reach the arbitration stage of their careers.

That seems like the sort of rumor that would have more merit 18 months from now, not at present, when two of those guys are sidelined by injury and the team is desperate enough for starting pitching that it has kept guys with ERAs north of 8.00 in the rotation.

It could be a quiet two weeks for the Indians. Maybe they’ll deal a veteran player whose tenure in Cleveland was on borrowed time. Maybe they’ll make a small upgrade, adding an unproven big leaguer who has some upside. Or maybe Antonetti and his wife will take their children to the zoo or to the Great Lakes Science Center and all hell will break loose.

of all those guys traded the one having the best 2021 is 2B Samad Taylor with OPS HR SLG SB near the top of the FKA Eastern League

Hoynes

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians will resume the season on Friday night against the A’s at the Coliseum. Rookie Eli Morgan, not Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, will be the starting pitcher, which says a lot about what happened to them in the first 87 games of the season.

Before Morgan takes the mound for the sixth starts in his big league career, let’s take a look a what may away the Indians through the rest of the season and what they’ve already been through.

Five things the Indians may encounter in their final 75 games of the season:

1. New name: In June the Indians revealed their process for choosing a new name for the franchise for the first time since 1915. A list of over 1,000 names has been pared to a select few, but it is a complicated endeavor. Every time a hurdle is cleared, a new one seems to emerge.

Owner Paul Dolan told the Akron Roundtable in March that if the organization didn’t have the deal “buttoned down” by midseason, the name change may have to wait until 2023. Midseason has come and gone.

If a new name is announced before the end of the season, the Indians will finish it under their current name. Presumably the new name would unveiled for the 2022 season.

2. Reinforcements: When will Bieber (right shoulder) and Aaron Civale (right middle finger) rejoin the starting rotation?

Bieber has not pitched since June 13 and as of the All-Star break had not thrown a baseball. The most opportunistic timetable has him back by mid-to-late August. If it’s later than that, the risk-reward of having Bieber pitch for the remainder of the season has to come into play.

Civale, who has been playing catch, should be on a faster track. He has not pitched in a game since June 21.

3. A trade: The Indians came out of the break trailing the White Sox by eight games in the AL Central. They are 4 1/2 games behind the A’s for the second wild card spot, tied with Toronto and the Yankees, and one game behind Seattle.

They’re next 10 games are against the A’s, Houston and Tampa Bay. If the front office hasn’t yet made up its mind on whether they’re buyers or sellers, that stretch should convince them.

If they sell, free-agent-to-be Cesar Hernandez has tied a career high with 15 homers. Outfielder Eddie Rosario is on a one-year deal, but he’s on the injured list with a strained right oblique.

Then there’s Jose Ramirez. Would the Indians go all in and trade their All-Star third baseman who has two affordable club options left? Or with just $2 million on the books for next year -- Ramirez’s $2 million buyout if his option isn’t exercised -- do they keep him?

4. Growth spurt: When the Indians finally cut the cord with Jake Bauers on June 5 and promoted Bobby Bradley from Class AAA Columbus, manager Terry Francona said Bradley was going to play. He wasn’t kidding.

Bradley went into the break hitting .240 (25-for-104) with 10 homers and 20 RBI. Projected over 500 at-bats, Bradley would be on pace to hit 48 homers.

It will be interesting to see what the second half brings for the left-handed hitting Bradley. The promising thing is that he’s shown the ability to go to left and left center field and to do it with power.

5. Doubleheader madness: Commissioner Rob Manfred hinted that the seven-inning doubleheader will be dumped after this season. For the time being, however, it could help the pitching-thin Indians.

They are scheduled to play three seven-inning doubleheaders in a 10-game span: Sept. 14 against the Twins at Target Field, Sept. 20 against the Royals at Progressive Field and Sept. 23 against the White Sox at Progressive Field.

Making it even more difficult will be the fact that rosters can no longer be expanded to 40 players on Sept. 1. Teams are able to promote two extra players on Sept. 1 to push the rosters to 28. Teams are allowed to add an extra player for doubleheaders which would let the Indians carry 29 players.

Five things that shaped the Indians through their first 87 games:

1. Not another no-no: The Indians were no-hit not once, not twice, but three times before the All-Star break. The Indians, a charter member of the American League in 1901, had never been no-hit more than once in a season before 2021.

The first two were legitimate, record-making nine-inning no-hitters courtesy of lefties Carlos Rodon and Wade Miley. The third took place in the second game of seven-inning doubleheader against the Rays. MLB and its stat-keeper Elias does not recognize seven-inning no-hitters, but the box score shows that the Indians were held hitless by five Rays pitchers.

The one positive to come out of the three no-hitters was that the Indians quickly realized that a loss is just one loss, no matter if you get no hit or lose, 10-9. The season keeps rolling.

2. Injuries: The Indians went into the All-Star break at 45-42. It is a remarkable record considering that when Civale was placed on the injured list following his start on June 21, the Indians entire opening day rotation was either injured or demoted to Columbus.

Not to mention missing DH Franmil Reyes for 35 games, Gold Glove catcher Roberto Perez for 52 games and Zack Plesac, who returned to the rotation on July 8, for 40 games. Outfielder Jordan Luplow has been on the injured list since May 27 and outfielder Josh Naylor was lost for the year with a fractured right fibula on June 27.

he Indians beat the Cubs, 4-0, on June 21 in Civale’s last start. They were 40-30 and two games behind the White Sox in the AL Central. That they were able to stagger into the break, weathering a nine-game losing streak along the way, with a winning record (45-42) says a lot.

3. Walk-off wonders: Walk-off wins are among the best things in baseball because they reflect a team’s energy and attitude at the most stressful point in a game.

The Indians are tied for the AL lead with seven such wins, two of them coming in succession last weekend against the Royals. The Indians were down a lot through the first 3 1/2 months of the season, but they were never out.

4. Don’t pen me in: The offense was lukewarm at best, the rotation crumbled under injuries and the defense stretched the imagination at times. But the bullpen kept the Indians together through the first 87 games of the season.

James Karinchak and Emmanuel Clase looked frayed around the edges as the break approached, but they still converted 20 of 25 save situations, while striking out 109 in 76 innings. Bryan Shaw, back for his second go-around with the Indians, proved to be as durable as he was in the pas. Shaw fronted Karinchak and Clase with 39 appearances. Phil Maton struck out 53 in 32 2/3 innings.

5. Good health: Francona, despite a walking boot on his left foot, a reminder of his January surgery for a staph infection, made it through the first 87 games of the season healthy. He missed two games, but that was to attend his daughter’s wedding.

Last year, during the 60-game sprint, Francona was only in the dugout for 14 games because of health reasons. Francona’s ability to stay calm during the toughest moments of the first half, to always find a way to deal with the latest injury or problem, helped keep the Indians afloat and winning.

The Future of Baseball in Cleveland: What we learned and where this is headed




By Jason Lloyd and Zack Meisel Jul 18, 2021 21
After six months of digging, we finally released the first part of our Future of Baseball in Cleveland series this past week. We spoke to more than two dozen people on and off the record, and though there is plenty more to come, this felt like a good time to circle back on what is probably the most significant piece of the series and give our thoughts on what all of this means.

After all the work we’ve put in, we’re fully confident in saying we believe the Indians will be here well after 2023, when the current stadium lease expires. And now Gov. Mike DeWine has come out and said he believes a 15-year extension is likely, which would keep the Indians here through at least 2038. (The arrangement could also include a couple of five-year options.)

With baseball’s antitrust exemption, the Modell Law and, perhaps most important, the Cleveland-born Dolans’ intent on staying here, it wouldn’t seem that Tribe fans have anything to worry about. Zack, what stood out to you about our reporting?

Meisel: That there’s so much going on with this organization all at once, so many pivotal decisions and exhausting processes playing out simultaneously. Certain employees might go from a name-change meeting (which could involve marketing, branding, trademarking or actually narrowing the number of name options) to a lease-negotiation meeting to a finance or payroll meeting, all in one day. It’s a critical period in the franchise’s history, as the next six to 12 months will shape the next decade or two or three.

I heard from many fans who tried to piece together all of those elements — the name change, the low payroll lacking future commitments, the lease expiration, the uncertainty about the Dolans’ ownership plans — and assumed this team was destined for Nashville, a city that has publicized its desire to land a team. They won’t be the Cleveland Spiders. They’ll be the Nashville Stars. I heard a lot of that.

Our reporting demonstrates that isn’t going to happen. But another fact stunned me: Relocation almost never happens in baseball.

Now, yes, MLB and the A’s have threatened to move Oakland’s franchise to Las Vegas. And the Rays have flirted with the idea of a Montreal timeshare. Those two franchises, as we wrote, are in much more dire situations than the Indians.

But it hadn’t dawned on me until I started researching it that the only case of a team changing cities in the past half-century is the Expos moving to D.C., and that wasn’t even a typical relocation, as they were owned by MLB at the time.

The scenario that seems most plausible at this point is Nashville becoming an expansion team later this decade. It’s certainly nothing Clevelanders need to be concerned about, though I understand the eternal skepticism after Art Modell hoodwinked the football-crazed town (with Al Lerner pulling the strings in the shadows, as we detailed last fall). Talks with team and league sources and Nashville’s reps indicate that it’s never even been a discussion.

Lloyd: And the problems in Oakland and Tampa are stadium-driven. The Coliseum was a dump 20 years ago. The Rays’ stadium is lousy (catwalks are not meant for baseball) and in a terrible location.

Meisel: Hey, they have a tank full of sting rays you can touch!

Lloyd: Stadium issues drive the vast majority of relocations in sports, just as what happened with the Browns. The stadium is not the issue here.

Does it need to be renovated in certain areas? Of course. It’s nearly 30 years old, and certain parts remain the same as the day it opened (including the Terrace Club). But there are those within the city who believe Progressive Field will be home to Cleveland’s Major League Baseball team for generations to come. There are no plans to try to build a new stadium with taxpayer dollars.

Meisel: Nope, those taxpayer dollars (and/or some state funding) will instead contribute to swankier clubhouses and a remodeled service level, it seems. We’ll have more on what the future might hold for the ballpark and its surrounding area in Part 2 of our series. Bring your hard hat.

Lloyd: One of the things I began thinking of in the course of this project is, “What’s next?” What’s next in terms of stadium/arena construction in Cleveland? Rarely do cities start planning out years in advance when a stadium might need to be replaced and where it should go. Too often, they’re rushed, such as FirstEnergy Stadium in the late 1990s. And the reality, at least to me, is that the Browns will get a new stadium before the Cavs or Indians — and FirstEnergy is the newest building of all the pro sports venues in town. But I’ll have more on that later.

The other critical piece to this is the minority-investor component. Throughout this process, it was explained to me that basically John Sherman pulled out in 2019 and 2020 was a lousy time to go looking for money, what with the pandemic and all. And that the Dolans would likely find a partner in 2021.

Sure enough, Stanley Middleman’s name soon emerged. We intentionally didn’t dive too deeply into Middleman because we didn’t want to insinuate he will be the Dolans’ new partner. We simply don’t know. It has been stressed to us that there are other contenders. His name had been floating in the ether for more than six weeks before we finally published this piece.

One question Middleman or any other minority investor will have to answer is this: How long do you want to wait for majority control? One thing we learned during this project is there was no firm timeline for a transfer of power from the Dolans to Sherman.

A deal was in place for Sherman to eventually take full control, and his share in the Indians had grown to nearly 30 percent before he departed, but there was no set date when Paul Dolan had to transfer majority control. Basically, the Dolans controlled the entire process and the transfer was going to occur on their timeline and at their discretion, whether that took three years or 10 years.

Under that setup, and with Sherman’s hometown Royals becoming available, it’s easy to see why the 64-year-old pivoted to Kansas City. Middleman is 67. How long will he or another investor be willing to wait for full control?

Meisel: No one knows exactly how long the Dolans plan to own this franchise. I’m not even sure they know. There’s a widespread benefit to their securing a minority investor, though.

Sherman’s money is sitting in escrow, and you’d imagine he’d like it back in his pocket. He’s obviously not going to hand-pick Dolan’s new partner, but he’ll be involved in helping to facilitate a deal.

It took several years and a search firm to identify Sherman. Dolan wants someone he can trust to eventually take over the operation. He and Sherman formed a close partnership. And, obviously, he wants some of the financial burden lifted. But as we wrote, Dolan isn’t looking to get out of the game yet.

And then there’s the league office, which has to approve everything. So this is a joint effort. In the end, Sherman gets his money back, Dolan gets a new sidekick and a cash infusion, the league, team and fan base can feel better about a more tenable situation in Cleveland, and the new investor probably lands a pathway to an eventual majority stake.

The only question remaining is how quickly something gets finalized and how soon that influences the front office’s blueprint. Does Stanley Middleman or another suitor hold the keys to a Shane Bieber extension, for example?

Lloyd: The concept of minority ownership is tricky. If the Indians became available, plenty of suitors would line up to buy the franchise outright. It’s much more difficult to persuade wealthy people to invest money into something they don’t control.

I’ve spoken to minority owners of sports franchises. It’s an ego stroke, sure, to say you’re a part-owner of a professional sports team, but there aren’t many other benefits. You have no say over day-to-day operations, you are not consulted on big trades or free-agent acquisitions. In the case of the Wilpons, they searched for nearly a decade for a minority partner in the Mets. Eventually, they were forced to sell the whole thing.

Meisel: I think it’s a bit different in Cleveland, though. Dolan collaborated with Sherman quite a bit. He clearly wants someone he can consider a partner, especially if that person will eventually seize control.

Lloyd: And that’s the key: Potential investors know right now it’s a minority stake, with the eventual carrot that it will become the whole thing. But when? And how long do they have to wait? Only the Dolans control that.

Hoynes

OAKLAND -- The Indians took two out of three against the A’s over the weekend in a venue that has always treated them harshly. It was a reason to celebrate, but reality is always close at hand in the big leagues.

Here is the state of manager Terry Francona’s starting rotation as the Indians head to Houston to play the AL West-leading Astros in a three-game series at Minute Maid Park starting Monday night: The Indians will start a rookie pitcher in each game.

The rookies are no strangers to Indians fans because they’ve been trying to hold a battered rotation together for a while. Every once in a while it’s good to remember just how inexperienced the rotation is without injured Shane Bieber and Aaron Civale.

J.C. Mejia (1-4, 7.42), Triston McKenzie (1-3, 5.47) and Eli Morgan (1-3, 7.86) are the rookies who will face a Houston team that swept a four-game series from the Indians at the start of July in Cleveland. Two of those starters were involved in that sweep and not in a good way.

Mejia allowed six runs on five hits on July 1 in a 7-2 loss to the Astros. Morgan allowed three runs on five hits in five innings in a 3-2 loss on July 3.

The Indians optioned Mejia to Class AAA Columbus after that start so he could continue to pitch over the All-Star break. Mejia, in a start against Saint Paul on July 13, allowed seven runs on four hits, all homers, in 2 2/3 innings. That would not seem to bode well for Monday night against Zack Greinke (8-3, 3.59). Mejia will be activated before the game.

Morgan and McKenzie have had better results of late. Morgan started against the A’s on Friday and allowed three runs on seven hits in five innings. The Indians lost, 5-4, but it was Morgan’s third straight five-inning start.

23

Cleveland Indians vs. Oakland Athletics, July 18, 2021
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

OAKLAND -- The Indians took two out of three against the A’s over the weekend in a venue that has always treated them harshly. It was a reason to celebrate, but reality is always close at hand in the big leagues.

Here is the state of manager Terry Francona’s starting rotation as the Indians head to Houston to play the AL West-leading Astros in a three-game series at Minute Maid Park starting Monday night: The Indians will start a rookie pitcher in each game.

The rookies are no strangers to Indians fans because they’ve been trying to hold a battered rotation together for a while. Every once in a while it’s good to remember just how inexperienced the rotation is without injured Shane Bieber and Aaron Civale.

J.C. Mejia (1-4, 7.42), Triston McKenzie (1-3, 5.47) and Eli Morgan (1-3, 7.86) are the rookies who will face a Houston team that swept a four-game series from the Indians at the start of July in Cleveland. Two of those starters were involved in that sweep and not in a good way.

Mejia allowed six runs on five hits on July 1 in a 7-2 loss to the Astros. Morgan allowed three runs on five hits in five innings in a 3-2 loss on July 3.

The Indians optioned Mejia to Class AAA Columbus after that start so he could continue to pitch over the All-Star break. Mejia, in a start against Saint Paul on July 13, allowed seven runs on four hits, all homers, in 2 2/3 innings.

That would not seem to bode well for Monday night against Zack Greinke (8-3, 3.59). Mejia will be activated before the game.

Morgan and McKenzie have had better results of late. Morgan started against the A’s on Friday and allowed three runs on seven hits in five innings. The Indians lost, 5-4, but it was Morgan’s third straight five-inning start.

Hoynes cont'd

No. 1: Shaw to the rescue

Emmanuel Clase and James Karinchak, the young right-handers at the back of the bullpen, were not available for the Indians on Sunday. They’d pitched in the first two games against the A’s in pressure situations.

Bryan Shaw was available. Shaw, 33 and pitching for the third straight day, retired the A’s in order in the ninth for his second save.
“I don’t know if people appreciate Shaw as much as they should,” said Francona. “What he does, that’s pretty amazing. Three in a row, and he’ll be wanting to pitch Monday. We wouldn’t do it if he couldn’t do it. He’s been doing it for a long time. It’s really impressive.”

No. 2: Busy break

Quantrill, who beat the A’s on Saturday, went home to Florida for the All-Star break. But he did not spend it at the beach.

“I played catch every day over the break,” said Quantrill. “It’s a different era of baseball now for sure. I don’t think there are many guys who went home and didn’t do anything. Work out a couple times, get a pen in, throw every day, try and keep your arm right where it needs to be.
“It’s a long season. We’ve got 70-plus games after the break. So it’s more, for me, of a mental break than a physical one.”

No. 3: Finally

Former big leaguer Heath Fillmyer, signed out of the Atlantic League, allowed seven runs on seven hits in four innings Saturday as Class AAA Columbus lost to St. Paul, 8-0. ... Will Brennan (.291) and Bryan Lavastida (.324) had three hits each and George Valera hit his sixth homer as Class A Lake County lost to Lansing, 7-6. Hunter Gaddis went five innings, striking out seven. Lansing scored four runs against him, but just one was earned. ... Class A Lynchburg lost to Fredericksburg, 11-5, but Petey Halpin went 3-for-5 with his first homer for the Hillcats. Korey Holland went 2-for-4 with a homer as well. Juan Zapata allowed eight earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. ... The Arizona Complex Indians beat the Reds, 3-2. Jhonkensy Noel went 2-for-4 with an RBI after missing time with a foot injury. Lefty Steven Perez, working in relief, struck out seven and allowed two earned runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Daniel Johnson, Bradley Zimmer and the Indians’ continued search for outfield stability




By Zack Meisel 6h ago 17
HOUSTON — Daniel Johnson could hear them as he circled the bases at the ballpark he frequented as a kid. Of course he could hear them. They shouted every time he trotted toward the dugout from his post in right field, too.

Johnson treated his ideal audience — about 25 friends and family members — to his first major-league home run Sunday, a blast to center field that paved the way for Cleveland’s first series win in Oakland in seven years. He picked the perfect place for his milestone, too. Johnson regularly traveled via BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) from his home in Vallejo, Calif., to the Oakland Coliseum, where he rooted for Jermaine Dye and the Athletics.

“If you told me I would’ve had that game and been playing here, 15 years ago,” Johnson said, “I would’ve told you you’re crazy. I never thought I’d be here.”

Johnson is here, and this is his opportunity to prove he deserves to stay.

He’s not alone in that career stage, either. The Indians’ outfield is full of players aiming to demonstrate they belong.

Clarity in the outfield will be one of the recurring themes of the final 2 1/2 months of the season. At the moment, the Indians are carrying four outfielders — Johnson, Harold Ramirez, Bradley Zimmer and Oscar Mercado — and they need to learn whether each can serve as an everyday player or a part-time contributor or can be cut loose.

Sometimes, seeking those answers can be detrimental to winning. Eddie Rosario’s eventual return from a strained oblique could complicate matters further. Jordan Luplow, who will join Triple-A Columbus this week for a rehab assignment, should return within a couple of weeks as well.

It’s all about playing time. Who deserves it? As always, the Indians operate with the future in mind, too, and that’s more imperative than usual because spots on the 40-man roster will be at a premium this winter. They might need to sever ties with one or two of these guys to protect a Rule 5 draft-eligible prospect, so they better be confident in their evaluation of them. The only way to accomplish that is to devote sufficient playing time to them.

That’s why a day like Sunday helps. Johnson and Zimmer fueled the Indians to a 4-2 win and made it easier for manager Terry Francona to scribble their names on his lineup card again the next day.

Bench coach DeMarlo Hale approached Zimmer on Sunday morning and asked the center fielder, “You good?”

Zimmer nodded.

“You good being that high (up)?” Hale asked.

Zimmer was confused. Hale pointed to the lineup, where Zimmer’s name sat in the leadoff spot.

“It was like, ‘Let’s go, man!’” Zimmer said.

Then he slugged the first pitch of the game for a home run.

Zimmer is the oldest of the four active outfielders. He’ll turn 29 in the offseason and will be eligible for arbitration, two criteria that vault the 2014 first-round pick to the top of the urgency list. And yet, he has tallied only 641 career plate appearances, about one full season’s worth, because of injuries and inconsistency.

Zimmer has overhauled his batting stance in an effort to find a setup that better positions him to sting the baseball. He’s making more solid contact than ever, but there’s still plenty of swing-and-miss in his profile. His strikeout rate is 35.1 percent; only 10 hitters have logged a higher mark, and it’s not the sort of company anyone would want to keep. The list includes Taylor Trammell (74 wRC+), Keston Hiura (58), Dom Nuñez (52), Bobby Dalbec (74) and Niko Goodrum (77).

Average hitter’s contact rate on pitches in the strike zone: 82.1 percent
Zimmer’s contact rate on pitches in the strike zone: 72.4 percent

Average hitter’s swing percentage: 46.9 percent
Zimmer’s swing percentage: 41.7 percent

Average hitter’s swing-and-miss rate: 24.5 percent
Zimmer’s swing-and-miss rate: 34.9 percent

Zimmer has posted a .241/.374/.324 slash line. That sparkling on-base percentage stems from an improved walk rate — he’s been extremely patient at the plate, perhaps even to a fault — and a Brandon Guyer-esque hit-by-pitch rate. As a result, his wRC+ is 103, which means he’s been 3 percent more productive at the plate than the average hitter (and much more productive than the average Cleveland hitter).

His speed and defense give Zimmer a baseline of a serviceable big leaguer, even if that’s in a reserve role for a team with other reliable outfield options. This team doesn’t fit that description. Zimmer ranks in the 97th percentile in the majors in sprint speed.

“We’re dying for him to succeed,” Francona said. “We’ve told him that.”

It’s difficult to know what to make of Mercado since he struggled to such an extreme degree in 2020 after registering an impressive rookie season the year before. He has totaled only 44 plate appearances this season.

Ramirez is batting .280 with 20 extra-base hits in 208 trips to the plate. His metrics paint the portrait of an intriguing hitter, as he ranks among the league’s best in average exit velocity, hard-hit rate, strikeout rate and sprint speed. He also rarely walks and tends to hit the ball on the ground a lot. Can that profile translate into an everyday outfielder, or will a larger sample suggest otherwise?

The only way to find out is with more playing time. The same could be said about Johnson, Zimmer and Mercado. And that task becomes trickier when Rosario and Luplow return. Oh, and what about top prospect Nolan Jones? At some point, whether this summer or early next season, he should join the mix. Josh Naylor figures to return from his gruesome ankle injury next year as well.

The Indians might be further along in this learning process had they not allotted as much playing time to retreads such as Delino DeShields and Domingo Santana last season, but that’s the price of balancing winning and player development. Now they have a crowded outfield full of question marks. And they need some answers.