I am satisfied without finding a "new Hafner", i.e. a full time can't play any position DH. Not many teams go that route anymore. DH will often be the starter with the day off; Santana every four days and the rest of the lineup rotating through. Opening Day DH will be the bench warmer who hits best in spring training and bats from the appropriate side considering the opposing starter.

Bench will consist of Marson and Aviles and McGuinness and two among Carrera, Gomez, Fedroff and Phelps. That's OK behind the plate and in the IF. Adequate in the OF, but nothing special. They'll all get their 40-50 starts.

Yankees claim Canzler. Meh, reminds me of the Yankees claiming Jeff Manto for no other reason than to be a complete pain in the ass to the Indians.

From the NY Post. Love that last quote from Cashman!


Swisher ready for new start with Indians



CLEVELAND — Nick Swisher is starting over not far from where his baseball career began.

Swisher passed his physical with the Indians yesterday and signed the four-year, $56 million, free-agent contract he agreed to last month.

The 32-year-old Swisher, who was born in Columbus, Ohio, was introduced at a news conference at Progressive Field. Swisher’s deal includes a vesting option based on plate appearances for 2017.

After trading Shin-Soo Choo last month, the Indians were desperate for a proven right fielder. They pursued Shane Victorino at the winter meetings, but after he signed with Boston, the Indians turned their attention to Swisher, who batted .272 with 24 homers and 93 RBIs last season — his fourth with the Yankees.

When Swisher and his wife, actress Joanna Garcia Swisher, visited Cleveland last month, the club rolled out the scarlet-and-gray carpet to impress them. Swisher attended Ohio State, where he played baseball. The Indians brought in former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel to have lunch with Swisher, and the team also had recorded messages from current coach Urban Meyer as well as Buckeyes basketball coach Thad Matta play on the giant scoreboard, urging him to come “home.”

Saying he “could not be more excited” about joining the Indians, Swisher said he didn’t believe his relationship with fans was harmed after a sour end to his time with the Yankees.

“I don’t think it was affected,” Swisher said during a press conference at Progressive Field. “I had a wonderful time when I was in New York. What an honor to be there for the time that I was. We had an absolute blast and we had to move on. New York was an amazing time and I’m here in Cleveland now.”

Swisher is a career .256 hitter with 209 homers and 673 RBIs in nine seasons with the A’s, White Sox and Yankees.

With the Yankees concerned about avoiding the luxury tax in the future, the team did not go after Swisher after he turned down a qualifying offer from them.

Once Swisher signed with the Indians, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he thought “Cleveland got a bargain.”

Indians' outfield an upgrade, starting rotation still needs work: Terry's Talkin'

By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
on January 05, 2013 at 5:57 PM, updated January 05, 2013 at 6:05 PM Print




1. The Tribe is excited about upgrading the outfield with Nick Swisher and Drew Stubbs, along with adding veteran first baseman Mark Reynolds and infielder Mike Aviles. But they know the starting rotation still needs work, even with the addition of Brett Myers.

2. The rotation was a disaster in 2012. The 5.25 ERA was 13th in the 14-team American League. Supposed top-of-the-rotation starters Justin Masterson and Ubaldo Jimenez combined for a 20-32 record and a 5.23 ERA. No other starter won more than six games.

3. That's why they signed Myers and wrote him into the rotation, even though he was in the bullpen last season with the Astros (0-4, 3.52 ERA, 19 saves) and White Sox (3-4, 3.12). The Tribe believes Myers can start. He averaged 220 innings starting for the Astros from 2010 to '2011. He was 14-8 with a 3.14 ERA in 2010, 7-14 with 4.46 ERA in 2011.

4. Myers has been promised a spot in the rotation. In fact, he's the No. 3 starter. That shows how desperate the pitching situation is for the Tribe. The Indians are counting on him to throw strikes and pitch a lot of innings. The Indians' rotation walked the second-most batters in the AL last season. Myers walked only 15 in 651/3 innings in 2012.

5. If Myers can't start, they know he'll help in the bullpen. With a one-year contract ($7 million) and a club option for $8 million in 2014, he can be traded if the team falls apart. Tribe coach Brad Mills managed Myers (who has a volatile personality) in Houston the past two seasons, and strongly endorsed the 32-year-old right-hander.

6. As for the final two spots in the rotation, the Tribe will decide between Zach McAllister, Carlos Carrasco and Corey Kluber. They are counting on Carrasco to come back strong from his elbow reconstruction surgery.

7. The Indians had to pick between David Huff and Jeanmar Gomez when it came to clearing a spot on the 40-man roster. They kept Huff because they believe the lefty can help in the bullpen. Gomez has frustrated the Tribe, going 5-8 with a 5.95 ERA last season. Even at Class AAA Columbus, he was underwhelming (6-5, 4.41). He is 14-16 with a 5.18 ERA in parts of three seasons with the Tribe.

8. The Indians aren't sure if they will sign a designated hitter who can't play in the field. But they are looking into it, partly because the price could be cheap. The candidates are Luke Scott, Jim Thome and Travis Hafner. Yes, Hafner would like to return. I hope they pass, simply because he has had so many physical problems and because of the bad karma with fans with all the frustration over his big contract and the injuries.

9. Part of me wants the Tribe to bring back Thome once more. He batted .252 (.786 OPS) with eight homers and 25 RBI in 163 at-bats for the Phillies and Orioles last season. He angered his cranky back by trying to play first base for the first time since 2007 (when he played first for one game). After being traded to the Orioles, Thome batted .257 (.744 OPS) with three homers and 10 RBI in 115 plate appearances, with 40 strikeouts. Obviously, the tank is close to empty.

10. The best choice may Scott, who is 35. He was coming off shoulder surgery last season and got off to an awful start with Tampa Bay. He batted .229 (.734 OPS) with 14 homers and 55 RBI in 344 at-bats. He did hit .283 (.845 OPS) after the All-Star break. He can play a little first base. But he's terrible (.149 in 2012) against left-handed pitching.

11. If the Indians make a major trade involving Chris Perez or Asdrubal Cabrera, they may receive a hitter in return as part of a package with the main target being a starting pitcher. While there will be no more significant free-agent signings, the Indians continue to consider trades.

12. A player to watch in spring training is Chris McGuinness, who batted .268 (.840 OPS) with 23 homers and 77 RBI in Class AA last season for Texas. He was the MVP of the Arizona Fall League, persuading the Indians to grab him in the Rule 5 draft for $50,000. If he doesn't make the team as a first baseman/DH, the Tribe must offer him back to Texas for $25,000.

ABOUT INDIANS FEVER . . .

A few weeks ago, Tom Burke emailed a question for Mark Shapiro while the Tribe president was on the Les Levine Show. Shapiro gave a regrettable answer about why fans should come to games . . . at one point saying: "If you base your decision to come to the game on whether we win or lose, don't come. You're missing out. You're missing out on what baseball is all about, and I'm fine with that."

Shapiro then talked about the attraction of baseball, a family connection, a night at the ballpark -- all things that made me a baseball fan long ago. I understood what he was saying, yet the comment on winning understandably led to a fan backlash.

But after the signing of Nick Swisher and some other promising Tribe moves, Burke last week wrote again: "I will be going to several Tribe games in 2013. The front office has finally shown me some type of commitment to improving the team. I believe many 'long absent' Indian fans feel the same way. Looking forward to opening day for the first time in a long time."

The Tribe is excited about upgrading the outfield with Nick Swisher and Drew Stubbs,

I like Swisher but he's really just a pretty even replacement for Choo. Advantage is we have him locked for 4 years and he can right RH.

Stubbs replaces the collection of losers in left; if he hits the way he did in 2012 he'll be more of the same offensively but at least he can play the field, hits from the right side and can run. Johnny Damon could do none of those three; Russ Canzler was one of three; and the only thing Aaron Cunningham could do was squeeze in a run the day he was about to be demoted.

Cleveland is among "3-4 teams" with an interest in free agent designated hitter Travis Hafner, Nick Camino of WTAM Newsradio reported Monday.

Hafner, 35, hit .228/.346/.438 (121 OPS+) with 12 home runs in 66 games for Cleveland last season. But meniscus surgery and a bulging disc in his back combined to keep him on the disabled list for 85 days. In 2011, he made multiple DL trips for foot and abdomen strains, and 2010 saw a DL stint for shoulder inflammation.

Cleveland is without an obvious option at designated hitter, with choices ranging from Rule 5 pick Chris McGuiness to busted top prospect Matt LaPorta. Hafner earned $13 million in the last year of a four-year, $57-million contract last season, but his constant injuries will likely lead to a reduced rate on a one- or two-year contract.

I don't have any interest in signing him. The only money I could possibly imagine offer would be league minimum plus $1000 for every at bat behind 250.

fkreutz wrote:Of course Francona asked for an increase in payroll and obviously he got it....

Good for him and better yet good for us! Team is much improved and A Cab and Perez are still great trade value...

How much is the actual payroll increasing from 2012 ?

After Myers signing the Indians will at most be 5-6 million over last year. That is the throw in money on Choo and buy out of Hafner.

Francona did not ask and was not told there would be any more money from the Dolans.

You are missing the point that this was Francona's dream job.

Nick Swisher's dad is happy that son is a Cleveland Indian
By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
on January 03, 2013 at 10:09 PM, updated January 04, 2013 at 2:36 AM

New Indian Nick Swisher can barely contain his joy over being in Cleveland.
Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, OHIO -- Steve Swisher stood in the back of the Tribe's press room, smiling as his son, Nick, bubbled and nearly burst with excitement about signing as a free agent outfielder with the Indians.

"I was hoping this would happen," said Steve Swisher, a former major-league catcher for nine seasons. "It's a source of pride to see him in an Indians uniform."

Steve Swisher, 61, lives in Parkersburg, W.Va., where Nick grew up after being born in Columbus. Steve played at Ohio University and was a first round pick of the Chicago White Sox in 1973.

"When Nick called and said that the Indians were interested, I told him that he should be interested in them because of Tito," said Steve.

Tito is the nickname of Terry Francona, the Tribe's new manager.

"I go back way back with Steve," said Francona. "It was 1988. I was in the [Tribe's] farm system at Colorado Springs. My knees were shot. I had been in the big leagues, but had no idea if I'd ever get back.

"Steve was managing and he wouldn't let me quit. He almost beat it out of me. He was so intense, but he kept saying I could do it -- I could get back to the big leagues."

Playing in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, Francona batted .323 for Steve. He was promoted to the Tribe, and hit .311 in Cleveland. He played only one more year in the majors because of his deteriorating knees -- but he never forgot what Steve meant to his career.

And Steve always remembered the determination and grit of Francona playing on this brittle, aching knees.

"[Francona] is a proven winner," said Steve Swisher. "He is a good communicator, but he also isn't there to kiss your butt. He is there to manage and mentor you. He can motivate, and he has the same passion for the game as Nick."

Obviously, this signing would not have happened unless the Tribe came up with a 4-year, $56 million deal for the former Yankees outfielder. But there have been times when the Tribe was the highest bidder for a free agent, but the player still went elsewhere.

The dollars signaled the Indians were serious about Nick. The recruiting pitch including former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel and others with Buckeye roots who appealed to Swisher, but Francona's presence was the closer.

"You don't bring a guy like this over here if you don't plan on winning," said Nick. "To have that captain of your ship, a proven guy who knows how to manage the game the right way . . . it was an easier decision for me."

Nick is the biggest and most expensive signing in Tribe history. He is not a superstar, but has hit at least 20 home runs in each of the past eight seasons. In the past three seasons, he has averaged 25 homers and 89 RBI.

Francona was right to say, "this is a really big deal" for the Indians.

It is also the type of move the Tribe hoped it would make when hiring Francona. He won two World Series in Boston. After working for ESPN in 2012, Francona said he wanted to work for the Tribe because of his respect and friendship with team President Mark Shapiro and General Manager Chris Antonetti.

The other element is Francona's father -- Tito -- played with the Indians from 1959 to '64. The Francona family is from New Brighton, Pa. The Indians are a special team to him, just as they are to the Swisher family.

A key to Nick's decision was his wife, JoAnna Garcia Swisher. She is an actress who starred in "Reba" and has 44 film/television credits. She grew up in Tampa.

"Whenever Nick played in Cleveland, I came with him," she said. "I like the city and the restaurants. I went to Parkersburg several times to visit his family. Midwestern people are so nice, they always make me feel at home. It's a homey place to me."

She added: "The moment Terry [Francona] was hired, the Indians were on our radar [as a place to sign]."

Nick gushed through his news conference. Having been around the Tribe as a writer since 1980, I've never seen anything quite like it -- someone who is genuinely happy to be here.

Swisher seems to go through life like a man who just gulped down a 5-hour energy drink.

"That's just Nick," said his father. "He loves the game. He knows he's blessed. He knows every day is not perfect day, but he knows that you must respect and love the game every day."

To reach Terry Pluto: terrypluto2003@yahoo.com; 216-999-4674 Previous columns online: cleveland.com/columns

Brett Myers is officially a Cleveland Indian; signs 1-year $7 million deal with $8 million club option for 2014
By Paul Hoynes, The Plain Dealer
on January 04, 2013 at 1:54 PM, updated January 05, 2013 at 2:21 AM


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Free agent right-hander Brett Myers wanted to be a starting pitcher again and he wanted to play for a team where he felt comfortable. Enter the Indians.

The Indians have third base coach Brad Mills, who managed Myers for the last 2 1/2 years in Houston. They have bullpen coach Kevin Cash, who caught Myers when he won 14 games for the Astros in 2010. They have Lou Marson, who caught Myers in spring training when they played for the Phillies and they have Terry Francona, who managed the Phillies in 1999 when Myers was the team's No.1 pick out of high school.

Welcome to home sweet home.

"It was a comfortable situation," said Myers on a Friday night conference call.

Myers, 32, agreed to terms with the Indians on a one-year $7 million deal on Tuesday. The deal became official Friday when he passed his physical. He has a club option for 2014 worth $8 million.

Last year Houston moved Myers from the rotation to closer in spring training. He's still not sure why.

"They never really told me," he said. "They just said it would make the team better. I took it as a challenge."

Myers went 0-4 with a 3.52 ERA and 19 saves before the Astros traded him to the White Sox. He finished the year at 3-8 with a 3.31 ERA in 70 relief appearances.

GM Chris Antonetti signed Myers as a starter. He said Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez and Myers own three of the five spots in the rotation. Right-hander Zach McAllister has a "leg up' on the fourth spot as the spring training reporting date of Feb. 10 approaches.

Travel-weary Russ Canzler was designated for assignment to make room for Myers and claimed by the Yankees. The Indians designated Canzler on Dec. 18 after acquiring first baseman Mark Reynolds. He was claimed on waivers by Toronto on Dec. 21 and reclaimed by the Indians on Wednesday as they designated Jeanmar Gomez to make room.

This will be the second time Myers moves from the pen to the rotation. He was the Phillies' closer in 2007, saving 21 games and making 51 appearances. The next year he went 10-13 with a 4.55 ERA in 30 starts.

"I learned a lot from that," said Myers. "When I came back in 2008, I wasn't pitching, I was just throwing. I was trying to strike everyone out. I had to go back to the minors to learn how to pitch again."

Myers is 97-93 with 40 saves and a 4.20 ERA in 377 career games, including 249 starts. He went 14-8 with a 3.14 ERA in 223 2 2/3 innings in 2010. The next year he went 7-14 with a 4.46 ERA, but still pitched 216 innings. It is the kind of heavy lifting the Indians need after their starters logged just 913 2/3 innings last year to rank 27th in the big leagues.

Asked to evaluate Myers at this point in his career, an NL scout said, "For me he's a No.4 starter, who really knows how to pitch and compete."

Said Myers, "I sound like an old guy, but I've learned you don't have to have max effort on every pitch. I'm not going to light up any radar guns in the first couple of innings. I keep something in the tank for those special situations."

Antonetti said the signing of Myers emptied his free-agent bank account. The Indians have spent $24 million on their top three free agents for the upcoming season: Reynolds ($6 million), Myers ($7 million) and Swisher ($11 million). Overall, the Indians have spent $69 million, including the final three years of Swisher's four-year deal.

With Canzler gone once again, it appears the Indians will have to fill the DH spot internally. Antonetti said players such as Mike Aviles, Yan Gomes and Tim Fedroff could get a look. Travis Hafner, the Indians DH since 2003, is still a free agent, which means he's a possibility if the price is right.

Cleveland Indians sign Scott Kazmir and 2 other pitchers to minor league deals


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have signed pitchers Scott Kazmir, Jerry Gil and Edward Paredes to minor league deals and invited them to spring training with the big league club. Pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear, Ariz., on Feb. 10.

Kazmir, 28, is a two-time All-Star, who is 66-61 with a 4.17 ERA in 179 starts in his career. The left-hander has not pitched in the big leagues since 2011. He spent last year pitching in the independent Atlantic League.

Gil, 30, made it to the big leagues as an infielder for Arizona in 2004 and Cincinnati in 2007 before converting to a pitcher in 2008. The right-hander is 23-26 with 22 saves and a 5.63 ERA in 205 games in the minors since the conversion. Last season he went 7-1 with nine saves and a 4.92 ERA in 58 appearances for Class AAA Las Vegas, Toronto's top farm team.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Gil just finished pitching winter ball for Estrellas. He earned eight saves and posted a 1.52 ERA. In 24 games, covering 23 2/3 innings, he struck out 20.

Paredes, 26, pitched in Seattle's organization from 2005 through 2011. He just finished pitching for Estrellas as well in the Dominican. The left-hander went 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA. He struck out 10, walked eight and allowed three earned runs in 14 innings. Lefties hit .174 (4-for-23) against him.

Followed all three this winter. Gil and Parades have pitched well. Kazmir only pitched in a couple of ballgames but did well. They will provide some nice depth in my opinion.

of course Francona got a $$$ commitment from Dolan. My gosh.... How dumb do you think he is rusty?

Frank, he did not ask for it. The only commitment he wanted was his own and that he had an out clause if Shapiro and Antonetti were gone.

Francona was pretty bad in Philadelphia. Stop acting like he is Whitey Herzog or Casey Stengel.

He was glad to get a managers job less then 100 miles from his house. Have you ever been to New Brighton Pa ?

What other teams was he going to manage ? Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago Cubs were out.

105 miles from New Brighton to Cleveland