Cleveland Sports Forum

Yeah - every team is NOT picking up any options leaguewide.

The Indians also released 15 minor leaguers. It’s happening all over MLB as teams prepare to operate with smaller minor-league systems next year, while trying to cut costs because of the industry-wide losses incurred this season. Only two of the players were draft picks -- third baseman Jonathan Laureano (25th round, 2016) and infielder Luke Wakamatsu (20th round, 2015).

Finally: Some of the Indians staff members who have recently been laid off include Ken Knutson, who managed one of the organization’s two Arizona Rookie League teams last year; Jason Blanton and Vance Law, the pitching and bench coach, respectively, at Class A Lake County; Oscar Gutierrez, mental skills coach and Dave Wallace, special assistant and catching coach in the minors. Wallace just finished his 20th year with the organization. In 2016 Baseball America named Wallace its Minor League Manager of the Year for leading Class AA Akron to the Eastern League championship.


Anybody have a list of the minor leaguers released?

Staff layoffs included Dave Wallace. After winning Mgr of the year in 2016 seem like he was demoted and demoted until he finally was released.

Wonder who he pissed off.

I remember talking with his mom and dad at WH ST in 2000.

the 15 minor leaguers released is kind of standard at the end of a season. On the other hand, there will be fewer minor league teams next year and that means fewer guys with places to play. They keep signing lots of international kids so there's going to be quite a pileup at the lower levels, whatever those will be. It is pretty certain that the Short Season A [that means NYPL Mahoning Valley for us] will be jettisoned. So a good couple dozen fewer players in the organization.

Didn't know we had a mental skills coach. But our kids seem to develop some pretty solid mental skills and thank you Oscar Gutierrez for helping make that happen.

Roberto Perez option is picked up. Hedges will cost them $3M to back him up. I would guess they'd spring for that too since the high quality catching has been really important to support our high quality pitching.

Looks like options are being declined all over the Major Leagues. Not a good year for FAs cashing in.

I don't expect any Tribe FAs signings until late spring. Possible cheap 1 year landing spots for guys without offers.

Time for the kids to step up.

Bauers and Bradley are reasonable options for 1b
No one ready for 2nd. I'd sure like them to sign Carlos H again. Very small chance they's shift Jose here and play Nolan Jones at 3b.
Lindor and Ramirez are sold left side if they're both still here
Outfield:
Naylor will get a chance to be everyday or nearly everyday in Left I guess.
Luplow should be at least playing against every leftie; he seems to start every season pathetically but gets better so be patient for 30 games.
Maybe Johnson will platoon with him?
Nolan Jones could very well be in the big league OF.
No one available to play CF who can both hit and catch the ball. Mercado perhaps is good only in odd numbered years; he was atrocious this summer. Zimmer drives me nuts and is unlikely to ever come through but he's still not had a lot of at bats. That exhausts the corps of center fielders. Some one will play center, bat ninth and provide virtually nothing to the offense.
Perez behind the plate, and if' he's not hurt could provide some offense in the lower third of the order like he did in '19.

That's still potentially a pretty crappy offense but could foresee some decent performances by the corner OFs and corner IFs. And perhaps Reyes will be a little more consistent.

Rotation of course is good.

Bullpen is pretty questionable now without the 2 lefties. I wouldn't trust Logan Allen in short relief; his control is somewhere between uncertain and rotten. Kyle Nelson has a career era of 27 or 81 or something like that which probably will come down. Sam Hentges has been considered a potentially effective lefty in the pen but his control is also very unpredictable. Maybe Scott Moss can be a reliever, his control is better than the other guys, his stuff may not be as impresive.
Can Karinchak close? Can Clase close? We'll find out. Wittgren is pretty decent toward the back of the pen. I forget who else who had but 6th and 7th inning pitchers are pretty much interchangeable. Without a real minor league season no one is obviously ready for the "next step"

Most all teams will have cheap off seasons, but the White Sox have a big advantage with a solid group of under-control young hitters and a good basis on the mound too. Twins sort of similar but they've been relying on a good number of FA signings. Will they do that again?

We may have to play a real schedule next year and the cutback on games against the Tigers and Royals won't help the bottom line.

Could be a .500 club; could compete with the Sox and Twins if Naylor Bradley or Bauers and Reyes prove themselves. And someone can close.

If there's a season.

That's the big IF

Nah. They made it through this one and know so much more about how to do it. Done deal.

Owen Miller will be in the middle infield next season.

Has he played AAA yet? AA?

Full season 2019 in AA ops there 785
No AAA Would've been last summer if

Michael Freeman DFA'd puts the roster at 40. He's the kind of guy no one will bother putting on a 40 man roster so could be re-invited to spring training on a minor league deal.

Not sure where they will find 6 more names to add to the roster. And I can't believe they'll keep Beau Taylor on, and would expect Naquin to be nontendered, perhaps De whatever his name and possibly Cimber.

Nolan Jones will be added. Do Arias and O. Miller need to be too?