Cleveland Sports Forum

The Twins have received $20,000 from the Indians to complete their trade of Jim Thome.

The Twins chose the cash over a player, so, given the modest sum, it must have been a heck of a player. The 41-year-old Thome is undecided on possibly returning for a 22nd season next year.

Related: Twins
Source: Joe Christensen on Twitter Sep 18 - 11:49 AM

TFIR- I heard announcers for the Twins whose feed I was getting talk about Ubaldo's delivery being a possible elbow destroyer.

I heard the same remarks about Tim Lincecum, Lou! Maybe there's a couple of Cy Young Awards awaiting Jimenez while he is in Cleveland. He came close once, so the prospects are not that far fetched. The only obstacle I can see right now is Justin Verlander.

Tribe finalizes Thome deal with Twins
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 09/18/11 2:45 PM ET
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Ubaldo pondering playing winter ball
Kipnis won't take 2012 spot for granted
Quote to note
Smoke signals
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Indians brought Jim Thome back to Cleveland once already. Whether or not the team will try do so again this coming offseason remains undetermined.

First, Thome has to decide if the time has come to hang up his spikes or if he wants continue climbing the all-time home run chart for another season. Indians general manager Chris Antonetti believes Thome will find a job if he wants one.

"I think it's really in Jim's hands," Antonetti said. "If Jim wants to play next year, I certainly think he'll have that opportunity. He's demonstrated this year that he continues to be a productive player when he's out there.



Ubaldo's solid start
00:00:47
9/11/11: Ubaldo Jimenez gives up two runs and strikes out two over six solid innings against the White Sox
Tags: highlight reel, Cleveland Indians, pitching, More From This Game, Ubaldo JimenezShare:
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Kipnis' two-run triple

Thome's solo blast

Asdrubal's four hits
"Obviously, he's universally respected throughout the game. He not only brings a tremendous amount on the field, but a tremendous amount off [it]."

On Sunday, the Indians announced that they have given the Twins $20,000 to complete the Aug. 25 trade that sent Thome from Minnesota to the Tribe. The 41-year-old Thome, who has 603 career home runs, will be eligible for free agency at the end of the season.

As things currently stand, Cleveland already has a full-time DH under contract for 2012 in Travis Hafner, who is set to earn $13 million next year. The Indians acquired Thome while Hafner was on the 15-day disabled list, and the veteran hitters are splitting the DH duties down the stretch this season.

Carrying both Hafner and Thome next season might not be realistic.

Ubaldo pondering playing winter ball
MINNEAPOLIS -- Ubaldo Jimenez feels that pitching during winter ball, even a handful of innings, has helped him in the past. That is one reason why the Indians are considering allowing the starter to play in his native Dominican Republic this offseason.

"We want to have the discussion with him," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said, "and weigh the relative benefits and risks around it. If it's something that he feels is important for him heading into next season, and feels he'll benefit from it, we're certainly open minded to that."

On Sunday, Jimenez said that he is currently planning on suiting up for Tigres del Licey at some point during the coming winter. If Licey makes it to the postseason, Jimenez said that is when he would probably pitch for the ballclub.

Jimenez, who did not participate in the Dominican Winter League last offseason, believes working in games for Licey helps prepare him better for the early stages of Spring Training.

"Especially two years ago," Jimenez said. "It gets me ready to go to Spring Training. This year, I got to Spring Training and then I had to get ready. The years before, after I [played] winter ball, when I [got] there already ready."

Jimenez, 27, has gone 10-11 with a 4.49 ERA in 30 starts between the Rockies and Indians this season. Cleveland acquired the right-hander for a package of four players, including top pitching prospects Alex White and Drew Pomeranz, prior to the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline.

Last season, Jimenez went 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA in a breakout campaign for Colorado.

"Before he came over here, he expressed some interest in doing it," Indians manager Manny Acta said of the possibility of having Jimenez pitch over the winter. "He did it [two years ago], and he felt it helped him out. We're going to look over all those possibilities.

"If it does help him come into Spring Training to work on whatever, we're fine with it."

Helping matters is the fact that Jimenez projects to finish this season with fewer than 200 innings, after logging at least 218 in each of the past two seasons.

"That plays into it some," Antonetti said. "But, I think, ultimately what we want to try to do -- our whole focus -- is to try to help players to be in a position to be successful the following season. Some guys feel that winter ball is an important part of that."

Kipnis won't take 2012 spot for granted
MINNEAPOLIS -- Jason Kipnis is not about to become complacent. Even though the Indians' rookie appears to have the starting role at second base locked up for next season, he does not plan on thinking that way.

"My mind-set is, it's still up in the air," Kipnis said. "I've got to go out and compete during Spring Training, and I've got to earn that spot again. No one just hands out Major League spots or starting spots. It's something I'm going to be working hard for, and I'll try not to leave any doubt that they want me in that lineup."

Entering Sunday's game in Minnesota, the 24-year-old Kipnis was hitting .299 -- with six home runs, seven doubles, one triple, 14 RBIs and 17 runs scored in 25 games for Cleveland this season. Along the way, he has posted a .352 on-base percentage and a .577 slugging percentage in his first taste of the big leagues.

Kipnis was also riding a seven-game hitting streak since returning from the 15-day disabled list, following a bout with a right hamstring injury. Prior to landing on the DL, Kipnis was hitting .333 with six homers and 10 RBIs over a 12-game stretch from July 31-Aug. 12.

The timing of the injury was frustrating for Kipnis.

"It added to the disappointment," said Kipnis, referring to his hot streak at the plate before hurting the hamstring. "It was like, 'Oh, man.' I was just getting my confidence up. I was just getting comfortable at the plate, getting my swing where I want it to be."

Fortunately, the down time did not damage Kipnis' timing too much.

With his 3-for-5 showing in Saturday's 10-4 win over the Twins, Kipnis raised his average to .345 since coming off the DL. Kipnis' strong performance since rejoining the lineup has made it clear that Cleveland -- still in the playoff hunt at the time of the second baseman's injury -- missed his bat while he was sidelined.

"As soon as he went down, we knew that we were going to miss him, big time," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "He gave us a spark, and he was very consistent with his approach at the plate. He's a guy who hits lefties, righties, uses the whole field and brings energy every day."

Quote to note
"Congratulations to them. They did it the right way with that incredible run that they've had over the last month or so, especially beating us and the White Sox the last 12 games that we played them combined. They did it by beating us head to head. That's the reason they were able to clinch it with two weeks to go."
--Indians manager Manny Acta, on Detroit winning the American League Central

Smoke signals
• Acta indicated that the team is expecting to recall right-hander Zach McAllister from Triple-A Columbus to start one of the games during Tuesday's day-night doubleheader against the White Sox. McAllister has gone 12-3 with a 3.32 ERA in 25 starts for the Clippers this season. He is 0-1 with a 12.27 ERA in two previous outings for the Indians this year.

• Starter Josh Tomlin (right elbow) threw off the mound in a bullpen session on Saturday without any issues. He is slated to throw a simulated game in Cleveland on Tuesday and, barring a setback, could be activated to start one of the games in the Tribe's doubleheader against the Twins on Sept. 24.

• Antonetti said that he and Acta will hold one-on-one meetings with Cleveland's players during the upcoming homestand to discuss this year and the coming offseason. Said Antonetti: "It gives us an opportunity to reflect back and then look forward."

• Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera received a routine day off on Sunday for the Tribe's game against the Twins. Cabrera went 4-for-5 on Saturday, after going just 4-for-39 over his previous 10 games. The shortstop has hit .233 in the second half compared to .293 in the season's first half.

Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Major League Bastian, and follow him on Twitter @MLBastian. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Just wondering, any Cord Phelps fans left? I don't sense Manny Acta is one. Not sure why we brought him back again in Sept. Turns out the Clippers didn't miss him; they won the IL title with Argenis Reyes at 2nd, Juan Diaz at short and Jared Goedert at 3rd and no one backing them up.

If forced to keep one, who on the Forum wants Valbuena and who prefers Phelps? One of the really big decisions the Tribe faces this winter.

Both are future utility players. Valbuena had a higher ceiling at one time. Phelps has always been a future UT at best. Kipnis, Cabrera, and Donald there is little need for either unless they can play the outfield. Would not be surprised if Hanahan makes the team.

If forced, I would probably go with Valbuena because he looks like a hitter with a little pop but he has not been able to show that at the major league level.

Phelps is still a young man. From a purely balanced perspective, I'd choose Phelps.

Why not try to turn Phelps into an outfielder. I think he may have more potential than, say, Crowe. He seems to be a fast runner as well.

We sure have tried to turn outfielders into second basemen before.

joez wrote:Phelps is still a young man. From a purely balanced perspective, I'd choose Phelps.

Phelps is 14 months younger then Valbuena.

It is worth noting that Chisenhall had a .779 OPS when he got in the face on July 8th, and had a sub-.600 OPS in the 40 games after he took a fastball off his cheekbone. After his recent hot streak (he has 5 XBH, 4 of which have been HR in his last 9 games), his OPS has crept back over the .700 mark. Certainly, more may have been expected from Chisenhall, given all of the hype that surrounded his Spring Training in particular, but The Chiz has looked like a 22-year-old who struggled to make the transition to MLB pitching, as so many young, talented players have done before him. What is interesting for Chisenhall is that there was some (deserved) concern over whether he would be able to handle LHP in MLB, as he had struggled against LHP in the Minors. Oddly enough, The Chiz has crushed LHP this year (.910 OPS vs. LHP) while struggling against RHP (.623 OPS vs. RHP) when the opposite was true throughout his MiLB career as Lonnie always struggled against LHP and thrived against RHP before arriving to the parent club.

Whether anything can truly be gleaned from that is unlikely as the small sample siren blares, but it would seem that Chisenhall could benefit from more “seasoning” at AAA at some point, perhaps to begin 2012. Whether he would start the season in Columbus next year remains to be seen, but the performance of Jack Hannahan (whose career and year is looked at in great detail by the always-terrific Ryan Richards here) in 2011 gives some comfort that the Indians may have a serviceable bridge in place to allow Chisenhall to develop at his own pace. The Chiz may not be completely ready to contribute at a high level to the Indians, but the signs (18 XBH in 182 PA) are there to allow the optimism to remain regarding Chisenhall’s impact, even if that impact is not in the immediate future.

Unlike Chisenhall, the one rookie who made an immediate impact on the Tribe was Lonnie’s infield-mate, Jason Kipnis, whose ranks in the AL (rookie ornot) provide some perspective as to the level at which Kipnis performed once he was promoted. Now, it should be noted that Kipnis will be 25 years old next April, so he is a much older “young” player than Chisenhall, but unlike at 3B, the Indians do not have a veteran player (any more) that would prevent the team from giving Kipnis the 2B job from here on out. Yes, Donald and Phelps still exist in the 2B mix, but those two seem to be competing to become a Utility IF for this team going forward as Kipnis asserted himself in a manner in which it’s not hard to picture him at the top of the order for the foreseeable future.

Kipnis’ skill at the plate, his hustle, and his talent were obvious from the time that he arrived in Cleveland and, much like the performance of Santana, his 2011 seasonprovides a glimpse of what should be a productive career for Kipnis as an Indian. With the revolving door that 2B has been spinning since Robbie Alomar made his way to the Big Apple, Kipnis may actually finally settle the position for the Indians and provide some production from 2B that Indians’ fans haven’t been accustomed to in quite some time. Kipnis, like Santana, is likely to sit at the top-to-middle-of-the-lineup from the next few years and figures to be a major cog in the offense going forward, which is more than most would have wished for when the season started.

Paul Cousineau

Phelps has a touch of Marte/Phillips disorder. Hits in the minors but flops miserably when given repeated opportunities at the Major League level.

seagull wrote:Phelps has a touch of Marte/Phillips disorder. Hits in the minors but flops miserably when given repeated opportunities at the Major League level.

So he's an AAAA player?

Which Phillips? The All-Star winning gold gloves and batting cleanup in Cincinnati?

I'm not touching that one with a 10 foot pole

Yup! Same Phillips. In a Cleveland uniform, he was a complete bust. Look it up.

WORD !