Cleveland Sports Forum

civ ollilavad wrote:Why did Aquino disappear last year?

If I remember correctly he was red, red hot in 2019 and then the league adjusted. After that he became Russell Branyan.

So I believe he spent all last summer at the alternate site.

Cleveland Indians sign free agent outfielder Eddie Rosario to one-year $8 million deal
Updated 9:15 PM; Today 9:03 PM
Eddie Rosario
Outfielder Eddie Rosario.AP

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By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have signed free agent outfielder Eddie Rosario to a one-year deal worth $8 million. Rosario was in Cleveland on Friday taking a physical.

Mark Feinsand of mlb.com reported the news first.

Rosario hit .257 with 13 homers and 42 RBI last year for the Twins in the 60-game sprint. He made $7.75 million last year.

The veteran outfielder will be a boost to the Indians because their outfield production last year was among the worst in baseball. The nine players who appeared in the outfield for the Indians last year hit a combined .194 with 11 home runs.


Rosario, 29, spent his first six years in the big leagues with Minnesota. He’s a career .277 hitter with 119 homers, 388 RBI and a .788 OPS.

Indians fans know Rosario well. He’s a .301 (106-for-352) lifetime hitter against the Indians with 22 homers, 47 RBI and a .897 OPS. He’s played 90 games against the Indians, a rival of the Twins in the AL Central.

Rosario, a left-handed hitter, has spent most of his time in left field for the Twins. He has played some in right and center. Defensively, he’s had his ups and downs. Last year he posted a 3 defensive run saved, according to Fangraphs.com. In 2019, he was -8. For his career he’s +4.

On Friday afternoon the Indians confirmed the signing of second baseman Cesar Hernandez after he passed his physical. Hernandez signed a one year deal worth $5 million with a $6 million club option for 2022. Hernandez spent last season with the Indians.

Oh yeah, that is frankly a fantastic pickup to get an outfielder like Rosario for that price.

Again, this was the strategy - dump guys making salaries that were now outdated. And then get bargains off the overloaded market. Total buyer's market.

So the lineup now adds Cesar Hernandez and Eddie Rosario. Add that to Jose Ramirez and Franmil and you start to have an actual lineup. And they are not done.

Obviously I am being optimistic but we figure Bieber and Zach Plesac will be very good. I think Civale is very reliable so if Triston and Quantrill can fulfill their potentials that's a good rotation.

Still work to be done on the lineup but those 2 hitters are a very good start.

Yes it does look like a team. I don't know if I'd make more deals at this point.

CF: I'd like to see if A. Rosario can play center and if Mercado can hit
1B: Give Bradley and Bauers lot of opportunities to see if one or both can hold a job
RF: Can Naylor or E. Rosario handle the position?
SS: Give Giminez the job to lose

But I would like some experience for the bullpen.

Can you imagine an outfield with 2 Rosario's? I for one am excited about Eddie Rosario. I always liked his intensity.

My projected lineup has 2 Rosarios, a Gimenez, a Perez, a Ramirez, a Reyes and a Hernandez.

Not so fast...

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports that the Reds "are still hoping" to acquire Indians shortstop Amed Rosario in a trade this offseason.


Heyman also notes that the Athletics, who failed to re-sign Marcus Semien this offseason, are also in the market for a starting shortstop. The Reds picked up former Rule 5 selection Kyle Holder in a trade with the Phillies after failing to land Didi Gregorius in free agency, and still have incumbent Jose Garcia as a fallback option at the position, but they're clearly still in the market for an established starting-caliber option on the trade market.

If the Tribe elect to move on from Rosario, whom they acquired from the Mets in the Francisco Lindor trade earlier this month, they could roll with Andres Gimenez as their everyday shortstop this season.

Look it did seem weird that Rosario and Gimenez are similar type players in an organization that has middle infielders on the way.

So perhaps they had some idea of being able to flip Rosario so they just took him on as a trade asset.

That makes sense. They had just picked up two capable minor infielders in the Clevinger haul a couple months before and although they seem to have disappeared from the conversation Gabriel Arias is rated in the Indians' top 10 and is considered a top notch defender; and Owen Miller more of a bat and more of a 2nd baseman. Not to forget Tyler Freeman who is solidly in all Top 100 lists and is not far from the majors.

spring training and season to open on schedule. That means 15 days from now in Goodyear.

Or at least that's the current state of the negotiations.

I figured out my lineup. I'll platoon Luplow and Bradley with Naylor switching from 1st to right field. With a 26 man roster there's room for a 14th man so here's my team:

c: Perez and Hedges
1b: Bradley and Naylor
2b; Hernandez
ss: Giminez
3b: Ramirez
lf: Rosario
cf: Mercado or Rosario
rf: Naylor and Luplow
dh: Reyes
utility IF: Chang
mutlirole utility if he's not the starting CF: Rosario
backup 1b, of and dh: Bauers
backup of: Johnson or perhaps Mercado if he doesn't win CF but I'd rather he work in Columbus than pinch run for the Indians

I' assuming Naylor can play right; I sure hope so. Johnson can be his defensive replacement. Zimmer is homeless unless he really shows he can hit and then I guess he could usurp Johnson.

If all players report in 2 weeks for ST, do you think they'll jump the line and get vaccinations as they take their physical?

I'm sure MLB would want all players vaccinated ASAP.

NBA players are not all vaccinated. Kareem Abdul Jabbar wrote a opinion piece today suggesting that they shouldn't bet priority other than to serve as role models

Some more spring training invitations, including the Return of Michael Freeman

02/04/21 P Kyle Dowdy assigned to Cleveland Indians .
02/04/21 3B Gavin Collins assigned to Cleveland Indians . I thinks he's more a catcher these days.
02/04/21 SS Owen Miller assigned to Cleveland Indians .
02/04/21 C Bo Naylor assigned to Cleveland Indians .
02/04/21 P Nick Sandlin assigned to Cleveland Indians .
02/04/21 Cleveland Indians signed free agent SS Mike Freeman.
02/04/21 SS Tyler Freeman assigned to Cleveland Indians .