Cleveland Sports Forum

ABOUT MERCHANDISE SALES

The Indians say Block C caps represent 60 percent of all sales vs. 40 percent featuring Chief Wahoo.

1. The Indians have sold more Navy Block C caps compared to the Red Block C caps.

2. The biggest selling Chief Wahoo cap is the red/navy model worn at home.

Think the 60% Block C/ 40% Wahoo sales figures are misleading.

If you already had a Wahoo hat, why buy another?

Everybody has a Wahoo hat.

I'd assume one of our minor league pitching coaches would be a good choice too, since I assume they all work with the same philosophy. No to an outsider.

Cleveland Indians: Free agents, pitching coaches, Terry's Talkin' -- Terry Pluto


By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer

terrypluto2003@yahoo.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians are willing to spend some relatively big money on short-term contracts to keep some key players.

Here's a breakdown:

1. As I wrote last week, look for the Tribe to pick up the $11 million option on Michael Brantley's contract for 2018.

2. The same with Josh Tomlin's $3 million option for 2018. The final decision doesn't have to be made official until three days after the World Series, but they want to keep Brantley and Tomlin on those deals.

3. Carlos Santana is a free agent. The Indians can give him a qualifying offer for 2018 in the $18 million range -- and look for them to do just that.

4. If Santana signs it, great. They have him for a year with no long-term risk. The Indians love how Santana's defense has improved. He is a finalist for the Gold Glove award at first base.

5. If Santana declines the offer, they can receive a draft pick as compensation. The new rules that make it complicated about what draft pick would come back to the Tribe if they lose Santana. It can either be after the first round or the third round, depending on a variety of factors.

6. Jay Bruce is a free agent, but he is not eligible to receive a qualifying offer. That's because he was traded to the Tribe in the middle of the season. So if he signs elsewhere, no draft pick comes back to the Tribe.

7. The Indians will watch the market develop with Santana and Bruce. It's hard to know if either player will receive a lucrative long-term deal. Last winter, Mark Trumbo ($37 million, three years), Edwin Encarnacion ($60 million, three years) and Mike Napoli ($6.5 million, one year) all thought they'd receive better deals.

8. The Texas Rangers had an $11 million option on Napoli for 2018. They declined it. The 36-year-old batted .193 (.713 OPS) with 29 HR and 66 RBI. He's back on the market.

9. Also on the market is Jonathan Lucroy, who vetoed a deal to the Tribe at the end of July, 2016. Lucroy split last season between Texas and the Colorado Rockies. He batted .265 (.716 OPS) with 6 HR and 40 RBI. He's hired a new agent.

10. Bryan Shaw is a free agent. Odds are he will sign elsewhere. Don't be surprised if he receives a lucrative three-year deal. Former Indian Tony Sipp received $18 million for three years. Shaw never getting hurt and being so durable will make him very attractive to several teams hurting for relievers.

11. Another free agent is Joe Smith, who appears more likely to stay with the Tribe than Shaw. The 33-year-old Smith had some shoulder problems early in the season with Toronto. He was healthy after coming to the Tribe at the end of July. Overall, he had a 3-0 record and 3.33 ERA in 2017.

12. Austin Jackson had a good season, batting .318 (.869 OPS) with 7 HR and 35 RBI. He played in 85 games. The outfielder is a free agent. He was on the disabled twice in 2017. He had a significant knee operation in 2016. It's hard to know what will be his value because of health concerns.

13. Boone Logan has a $7 million option for next season. He has a $1 million buyout, and that's what he'll receive. The lefty reliever won't be back.

ABOUT CARL WILLIS

1. Willis said he talked to four other teams about being their pitching coach. I'm told he had two firm offers. That's why the Tribe moved quickly to sign him to replace Mickey Callaway as pitching coach.

2. Terry Francona said something very revealing about adding a veteran pitching coach: "We didn't want to just stop a leak ... and put a bandage on it ... we wanted to get better."

3. The rude exit from the first round of the playoffs doesn't change the fact the Tribe is an easy favorite to win the Central Division for the third year in a row. They join the Yankees and Astros as the main contenders to win the American League pennant in 2018. The Tribe wanted a big-time pitching coach to stay in contention.

4. Francona also mentioned Willis will have the ability to "hit the ground running." He knows some of the pitchers from being a special advisor with the Tribe in 2014. He also worked at Class AAA Columbus early in the 2015 season before being hired by John Farrell as pitching coach in Boston.

5. Francona and Farrell are extremely close. Francona even went to one of Farrell's first chemotherapy treatments in 2015. Farrell was the manager of the Red Sox and he was diagnosed with Stage 1 lymphoma. He has recovered well.

6. Farrell was fired after the 2017 season by Boston. He wants to manage again and recently interviewed for the Philadelphia Phillies job. He doesn't want to be a pitching coach right now.

7. The Indians really like Ruben Niebla, their minor league pitching coordinator. He did interview for the big league job. He was a strong candidate, but Willis was too good to pass up. The Tribe believes Neibla will be a big league pitching coach at some point.

8. Willis started in the Tribe organization as a minor league pitching coach in 1999. He moved to the Majors when Eric Wedge became the Tribe manager in 2003, and remained with the team through 2009. He also was the pitching coach in Seattle and Boston. He has a relationship with Francona. It was a natural fit.

ABOUT MICKEY CALLAWAY

1. When Callaway was hired to manage the New York Mets, I looked back at his career -- and I was astounded at his quick rise.

2. Callaway pitched in 40 big league games, his record was 4-11 with a 6.27 ERA. That was between 1999-2003 with three different teams.

3. He pitched 10 years in the minors, then more three years in Korea.

4. In 2008, he was pitching in the Mexican League.

5. In 2010, he was hired as the Tribe's Class A Lake County pitching coach.

6. In 2013, he was in the Majors with Francona. Callaway became an elite pitching coach.

7. After the 2013 season when Callaway revived the career of Ubaldo Jimenez, the right-hander signed a $50 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles. One executive told me, "That's only a good contract if Ubaldo takes Callaway with him." Jimenez had a 13-9 record and 3.30 ERA with the Tribe in 2013. In the last four years with Baltimore, he's 32-42 with a 5.22 ERA. In 2017, he was 6-11 with a 6.81 ERA.

8. Callaway has the personality and ability to listen that makes him effective because he can find common ground with almost any type of pitcher. It's a gift.

9. At the age of 42, he takes over the Mets. He's never managed a game at any professional level. The one challenge for him is Callaway received zero media criticism in Cleveland. He was continually praised for his work, and nurtured by Francona. With the Mets, he'll be in the nation's largest media market.

10. Francona on Callaway: "I'm so happy for him. He is so deserving. He'll do a great job. He is ready for the challenge."

11. Callaway is the second coach from Francona's Tribe staff to be hired as a manager. Tampa Bay hired Kevin Cash in 2015. The bullpen coach was only 37 at the time.

12. The Indians are an attractive place for front office people and coaches to work. The organization is respected. The team is a contender. As Willis mentioned when taking the job, "The Indians feel like family. It's a unique situation ... and they have Kluber, Carrasco, Bauer and Salazar."

and Clevinger. Why is he always overlooked? Was far more successful than Salazar in 2017 and seems more durable physically and mentally than Danny

Offseason can be fun:



Cleveland Indians
Which MLB free agents could the Cleveland Indians target if they take a conservative approach?
Posted November 03, 2017 at 06:30 AM | Updated November 03, 2017 at 07:18 AM


CLEVELAND, Ohio — Major League Baseball’s free agent signing period is only a few days away and it is still unclear how active the Cleveland Indians expect to be on the open market.

Tribe President Chris Antonetti and General Manager Mike Chernoff could have several holes to fill on the major league roster between first base, the outfield and the bullpen. It all depends on whether or not Cleveland’s own free agents, including Carlos Santana, Jay Bruce and Bryan Shaw, return to the ball club.

Last year, the Indians made an aggressive play in signing slugger Edwin Encarnacion to a three-year contract. The move paid off as Encarnacion hit 38 home runs and drove in 107, helping the Indians to 102 victories.

Also last year, Tribe executives played it conservative by signing Boone Logan to a one-year deal in the hopes that he would add left-handed depth in the bullpen. Logan appeared in 38 games and posted a 4.71 ERA before finishing the year on the disabled list with an arm injury.

So, free agency is pretty unpredictable. You can make a splash by signing they guy at the top of the market and he might flop, but you can also snag a bargain player who helps lead you to the postseason (see Mike Napoli, 2016).

What players could the Indians target with aggressive moves in free agency this offseason? Will Antonetti and Chernoff instead opt to make some more conservative signings and spare the team’s budget?

This is part one of a three-part series looking at what the Indians might do if they approach free agency in three different ways: conservative, aggressive and standing pat.

First up, here are seven current free agents who could fit for the Indians if their approach is conservative, if the need is there and if the price is right.


Lucas Duda, first base

Duda turns 32 in February. He joined Tampa Bay in July and has had injury issues the past two seasons. He has plenty of power, belting at least 27 home runs in three of the last four seasons. Duda struggles mightily against left-handed pitching (.218/.289/.370 for his career vs. LHP), he but could platoon with Encarnacion at first base if Santana departs. Duda has never signed a multi-year deal. He played last season on a reported $7.2 million contract that he reached with the mets in January.

Carlos Gonzalez, outfield

Gonzalez, 32, played nine years with the Rockies three All-Star teams but earned a reputation for being injury-prone at times. He hit 211 home runs and won three Gold Glove Awards in Colorado, but last year struggled offensively (.262/.339/.423 in 534 plate appearances). Gonzalez has trouble hitting left-handed pitching, but if he is replacing Jay Bruce in right field, it’s pretty much a wash, because Bruce struggles against lefties, too. In the last three seasons on the road against right-handed pitching, Gonzalez has hit .271/.338/.454. He’s coming off a seven-year, $80 million deal with Colorado and could be a candidate for a one- or two-year deal in the $10-12 million per year range.

Mitch Moreland, first base

Moreland, 32, hit 22 home runs and drove in 79 runs for the Red Sox on a one-year, $5.5 million deal last year. He struggled against left-handed pitching with a .247/.341/.342 slash line and .684 OPS. Moreland is a finalist for the AL Gold Glove Award at first base, posting a defensive WAR that ranks among the top 30 overall in baseball.

Austin Jackson, outfield

Jackson, 31, hit .318 with 7 home runs and 35 RBI in 85 games for the Indians in 2017. He stabilized an injury-ravaged Tribe outfield down the stretch with an .858 OPS, 4 HR, and 3 steals in 185 plate appearances after the All-Star break. He made the club out of spring training on a minor-league deal and played for a base salary of $1.5 million last year, with incentives.

Tommy Hunter, relief pitcher

Hunter signed a one-year $2 million deal with the Indians in 2016, but spent much of his time in Cleveland on the disabled list. He went 2-2 with a 3.74 ERA in 21 appearances, striking out 17, walking five and allowing nine earned runs in 21 2/3 innings. Pitching for the Rays this year on an incentive-laden deal worth a base $200,000, Hunter rediscovered his fastball and upped his strikeout total to 64 in 58 2/3 innings to go along with a sparkling 2.61 ERA. If Shaw departs, Hunter could help bolster the back end of the bullpen.

Pat Neshek, relief pitcher

Neshek turned 37 in September, but the sidearming righty reliever had an outstanding season, making his second All-Star team while with Philadelphia before being traded to Colorado. Neshek posted a sparkling 1.59 ERA with 10.0 K/9, and 0.9 BB/9 in 62 1/3 innings. He is a matchup guy for right-handed hitters that could replace another sidearmer, Joe Smith, if Smith moves on.

Matt Albers, relief pitcher

Albers, 34, appeared in 63 games and struck out 63 batters in 61 innings as Washington won the NL East. He rebounded fro a ghastly 2016 season to post a 1.62 ERA, the second-lowest of his career. Albers has a history with the Indians, appearing in 56 games in 2013 with a 3.14 ERA and 57 holds. Albers signed a minor league deal with the Nationals last year.

Wouldn't put a lot of weight in HR stats from last year. The ball was obviously juiced.

Are they going to change the balls next season, then?

J.R. wrote:Are they going to change the balls next season, then?

Watching some MLB Network analysis on the balls, the home run rate actually jumped around the midseason point of 2016.

So assuming the balls are wound more tightly (there is a certain range that is legal) then it is safe to assume it's been a season and a half for the new balls. (And that brought about the launch angle emphasis since now more fly balls will leave the yard.)

Every reason to think the ball will continue the way it is now.

Really nice summary of where the tribe is at. (Sorry, couldn't resist the large print in the middle of the article )

Cleveland Indians five-year run, Yandy Diaz, free agents


By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer

terrypluto2003@yahoo.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Over the last five years, the Cleveland Indians have the best record in the American League.

In the last two seasons, no American League team has won more games than the Tribe.

I mention this to put some big picture perspective to the abrupt end of the 2017 playoffs.

No excuses. The Indians were up 2-0 on the New York Yankees in the best-of-five first round. They even had Game 5 at Progressive Field. They lost the final three games to be eliminated.

But when I think back over the last five seasons, it's been a remarkable run.

Who saw it coming?

From 2009-12, the Indians average record was 70-92.

From 2013-17, it's 91-71.

The postseason has been frustrating at times.

They lost the 2013 wild card game, 4-0, to Tampa Bay at Progressive Field.

They were up 3-1 in the 2016 World Series against the Chicago Cubs, then lost the last three games.

And then there was the clunker to the Yankees in 2017.

Some define being a sports fan as, "Unless my team wins a championship, it stinks."

Well, that's not a fun way to look at sports.

The Indians have been entertaining. They have a smart front office, an elite manager and a bunch of players who rarely do anything stupid off the field.

And they win ... a lot.

They also do it on a modest budget with a lot of homegrown players.

ABOUT THE MONEY

Money isn't everything, but it's means a lot.

In 2016, the Tribe was the only team to make the playoffs without a top 10 payroll.

This season, it was bit different.

Of the eight teams that made the Division Series, here is where they ranked in payroll. I used the Baseball Prospectus numbers:

1. Dodgers, $241 million.
3. Red Sox, $197 million.
4. Yankees, $196 million.
6. Cubs, $172 million.
9. Nationals, $164 million.
T17. Indians, $124 million.
T17. Astros, $124 million.
26. Diamondbacks, $93 million.

In the final two rounds of the playoffs, money almost ruled with the Dodgers, Yankees and Cubs being in the Final Four -- along with Houston.

For what it's worth, the average payroll for 2017 was $137 million, according to Baseball Prospectus.

ABOUT THE OPTIONS

A few weeks ago, I wrote the Tribe planned to pick up the 2018 contract options for Josh Tomlin and Michael Brantley.

Tomlin was easy. He was 10-9 with a 4.96 ERA. His 2018 salary is $3 million.

The Tribe picked up Brantley's $12 million option, even though he had off-season ankle surgery ... and two shoulder surgeries in 2016.

It's just a projection, but MLB rumors believed Brantley would have received a two-year deal in the $20 million range if he had reached the open market.

Here are some of their other projections for Tribe free agents:

1. Carlos Santana, $45 million for three years.
2. Jay Bruce, $39 million for three years.
3. Bryan Shaw, $21 million for three years.

The Indians love Shaw, but they expect that projection to be about right -- and well out of their price range.

That's especially true because Cody Allen is projected to receive at least $10 million for 2018. He is eligible for arbitration. Andrew Miller is under contract for $9 million in 2018.

So the Indians suddenly have a very expensive bullpen.

As for Santana, the Indians are expected to give him the $17 million qualifying offer for 2018 -- and he's expected to turn it down.

The Tribe will watch the market for Bruce and Santana. Bruce was paid $13 million, Santana was paid $12 million.

ABOUT YANDY DIAZ

As of right now, it appears the Indians plan to use Yandy Diaz at third base. He will soon be playing winter ball, and that will be his position.

The Indians believe they made life too hard for Diaz last season, especially in spring training.

Diaz was a second baseman in Cuba. When he signed with the Tribe in 2014, they moved him to third base.

Diaz played exclusively third in 2014-2015 as he climbed the minor league ladder.

In 2016, they began to move him around. He played 52 games at third, 54 in the outfield.

The Indians had him in right field early in spring training. Then they moved him to third base.

He is not Jose Ramirez, who seems capable of playing almost any position.

Diaz still doesn't seem very comfortable in the outfield.

In Cleveland, he played 40 games at third and made only two errors. It appears to be his spot.

Diaz went up and down from the minors early in the season. He came back to Cleveland to stay in August and batted .304 (.810 OPS) with 10 RBI in 92 at bats.

The 26-year-old Diaz batted .350 (.914 OPS) at Class AAA in 2017. He is a .315 hitter (.834 OPS for his minor league career).

With the Indians uncertain about what will happen to Bruce and Santana in free agency, having Diaz in the lineup is critical.

ABOUT THE TRIBE

1. It was a bit of surprise when the Tribe fired bullpen coach Jason Bere. It's obvious manager Terry Francona wants to put the people he trusts the most in charge of his pitching staff. While he liked Bere, Francona is enamored with Scott Atchison. He believes the former Tribe reliever is the next Kevin Cash, a Tribe bullpen coach who went on to become manager of the Tampa Bay Rays.

2. It's believed Atchison had offers from a few other teams to become a bullpen coach. He had been a special assistant with the Tribe. When the Mets hired Mickey Callaway as manager, the Indians knew they lost an elite pitching coach. That's why they hired veteran Carl Willis to take Callaway's place, then added Atchison. I wrote a lot about Willis last week.

3. The Indians are so relieved they signed Jose Ramirez to a five-year, $26 million contract extension in spring training. He would be eligible for arbitration. After his All-Star season (.315, 29 HR, 83 RBI, .957 OPS), huge money would have followed.

Cleveland Indians don't think they'll be able to keep iron-man free agent Bryan Shaw


By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

phoynes@cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Bryan Shaw, the busiest reliever in the big leagues over the last five years, is not expected to be back with the Indians next year.

The Indians, it has been learned, don't think that they will be able to compete with the kind of offers Shaw is expected to receive this winter on the free agent market. Shaw and five other Indians will be free to field bids from other teams on Tuesday.

Shaw has made more appearances than any big-league reliever in the last five years. He's pitched in 378 games, all with the Indians, in that time. He was acquired from Arizona along with Trevor Bauer in a three-team trade in December of 2012.

The Indians have had one of the top bullpens in baseball over the last several years. The cost of keeping that pen intact has grown. Closer Cody Allen is expected to make an estimated $11 million through arbitration this winter. Set-up man Andrew Miller, entering the last year of his deal, will make $9 million this year.

Shaw made $4.6 million this season. He's expected to be in line for a three or four-year deal worth an estimated $8 million a year.

If the Indians tried to keep Shaw at those prices, it would mean they'd be paying their top three relievers close between $28 million and $30 million in 2018.
Bryan Shaw expects a postseason return in 2018 | Indians vs. Yankees | ALDS GAME 5

Shaw, 29 on Wednesday, has never been on the disabled list and should be a hot commodity on the open market. As manager Terry Francona said at the end of last season, "If he doesn't come back, it will take two guys to replace him."

Last year St. Louis signed left-hander Brett Cecil to a four-year $30.5 million contract. He appeared in a career high 73 games, going 2-4 with a 3.88 ERA in 67 1/3 innings.

Shaw made 79 appearances last season, going 4-6 with a 3.52 ERA in 76 2/3 innings. Kansas City's Peter Moylan and Shaw tied for the AL lead in appearances this year. Shaw led the league outright in 2014 and 2016 with 80 and 74 appearances, respectively. He is the only Indians pitcher to appear in 70 or more games in five seasons.

"He is the most consistent human being I've ever seen," said Allen.

Allen ranks first in franchise history with 386 appearances. Shaw is second with 378.

If Shaw does not return, who will replace him? It could mean more work for relievers such as Dan Otero, Nick Goody and Zach McAllister. They all made 50 or more appearances last year, but were left off the roster for the AL Division Series as the Indians kept three starters in the in the bullpen in Josh Tomlin, Mike Clevinger and Danny Salazar.


It could mean more opportunities for right-hander Shawn Armstrong, who bounced between Cleveland and Class AAA Columbus nine times this year. The same goes for left-hander Tyler Olson, who made 30 appearances as a rookie last season without allowing an earned run.

The Indians could increase their efforts to sign Joe Smith. Like Shaw, Smith is one of the Tribe's free agents. They acquired him at the July 31st trading deadline from Toronto.

Smith went 3-0 with a 3.33 ERA in 59 appearances with Toronto and the Indians this year. He struck out 71 and walked 10 in 54 innings.

Shaw, in fact, appears to be following a career path blazed by Smith. From 2009 through 2013, Smith appeared in 303 games for the Indians. After the 2013 season, he turned free agent and signed a three-year $15 million deal with the Angels.

The Indians could also move Salazar into a late-inning relief role. He certainly has the velocity, but his durability and strike-throwing ability is questionable.

Spotrac estimate for Shaw's salary:


http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/cleveland-in ... ket-value/

Good one JR but if I read that right it's 2 years - but at $6.5 mill or so per year.

IF that were the case I could see re-signing him but I doubt that one. He likely gets a 3rd year with at least the same annual salary.

IMO of course

If Shaw does not return, who will replace him? It could mean more work for relievers such as Dan Otero, Nick Goody and Zach McAllister. They all made 50 or more appearances last year, but were left off the roster for the AL Division Series as the Indians kept three starters in the in the bullpen in Josh Tomlin, Mike Clevinger and Danny Salazar. It could mean more opportunities for right-hander Shawn Armstrong, who bounced between Cleveland and Class AAA Columbus nine times this year. The same goes for left-hander Tyler Olson, who made 30 appearances as a rookie last season without allowing an earned run.

Well yeah, those are the all other guys we have on the roster. Of that bunch I think Salazar could be the best fit to replace Shaw, with a strong arm and a good fastball, but not sure if Danny's got the toughness to be a late in the game reliever. McAllister should be in the running for non-tender. Otero is a middle reliever, no more. Goody probably the same. Armstrong has the strong arm and pretty erratic control; he could fit but needs much more consistency.

I thought I read somewhere where the writer talked about being able re-sign Joe Smith cheaper (1 year deal type)? I think he'd be fine as a replacement when you add him to those other guys civ mentioned/quoted

Most Disappointing Players And Managers From The 2017 MLB Season
By: Kean Doherty

20. Jonathan Lucroy, C, Colorado Rockies – Batting And Fielding

In 2016, the Texas Rangers, who were heading to the post-season, decided to trade some of their future to shore up their catching situation. That player was Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy, while the players going the other way were top outfield prospect Lewis Brinson and pitcher Luis Ortiz. Lucroy did help down the stretch and got the Rangers to the post-season. However, this season was a disaster at the plate and in the field. His homers, between Texas and Colorado, dipped to just six from a high of 24 during the 2016 campaign, when he was an All-Star. Behind the plate, Lucroy had the worst DWAR of all qualified catchers at -0.2 and he threw out 12 percent fewer runners than he did in 2016. Not a good year, all around.


The others are listed here:

http://www.sportsbreak.com/mlb/most-dis ... t=mdo_us_d