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2017-18 Cleveland Indians Offseason

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BimboColesHair said:
I don't think the organization is dead set on keeping Ramirez at 2B.

I think they wanted to continue doing what had been successful for them in the regular season when they won a ton of games down the stretch with a Gio/Lindor/Ramirez/Santana grouping that was playing great defensively, so they stuck with that even when Kipnis came back.

But, barring injury, I think opening day we see Ramirez at 3B and Kipnis at 2B again.
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Both Tito and Antonetti had an opportunity to say that Kip will be returning to 2B next season but opted not to do so. Instead, Tito said that he envisions Yandy being an everyday third baseman. I'm starting to believe that the writing is on the wall, and Kip will end up being the odd man out.

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Why are people so obsessed with how long the Indians can keep together a group that is 2-6 in their last 8 playoff games?
 
Kevalier said:
Both Tito and Antonetti had an opportunity to say that Kip will be returning to 2B next season but opted not to do so. Instead, Tito said that he envisions Yandy being an everyday third baseman. I'm starting to believe that the writing is on the wall, and Kip will end up being the odd man out.

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"Envisions".

Plans change. Also, they just said they have 2 positions for him in mind, including 2B. There is no writing on the wall, cause there is no writing on anything right now.

This franchise would be making a huge mistake selling low on a guy who has been a top 5 2B in all of baseball the last 5 years. If you can convince me why it would be okay to give up on a guy, who is only 30, and who when healthy is a consistent 4 WAR player, with an .800+ OPS, 40+ 2Bs, 15+ HRs, 15+ SBs, and tell me how Yandy or whoever goes on to replace him is better than that at this moment, I am all ears.

Selling low on an All-Star is not how a market like Cleveland should operate.
 
BimboColesHair said:
"Envisions".

Plans change. Also, they just said they have 2 positions for him in mind, including 2B. There is no writing on the wall, cause there is no writing on anything right now.

This franchise would be making a huge mistake selling low on a guy who has been a top 5 2B in all of baseball the last 5 years. If you can convince me why it would be okay to give up on a guy, who is only 30, and who when healthy is a consistent 4 WAR player, with an .800+ OPS, 40+ 2Bs, 15+ HRs, 15+ SBs, and tell me how Yandy or whoever goes on to replace him is better than that at this moment, I am all ears.

Selling low on an All-Star is not how a market like Cleveland should operate.
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I do think the Indians would prefer to play Kip in the OF but it's a little crowded with Zimmer, Chisenhall, Brantley (and a TBD platoon) already there.

I'm not saying the Indians should trade Kip or anything, I just don't think they can put him in the OF with the current cast of characters out there. Therefore, for the OF to even be an option, someone has to go.

Is Chisenhall a lock to return? He's been on the block before but he's an excellent RF and a guy you can platoon. I could be imagining it but I felt like Tito kinda soured on him late in the season.

I thought the response about Brantley's option was a little interesting today so it's pretty clear that nothing has been decided with that situation. Obviously, I'd hate to lose him for nothing but that's $12M for a guy who hasn't been the pillar of health lately. Are we sure his option is going to be picked up? He also plays the position Kip would most likely play. I shutter to think of the OF defense with Kipnis and Brantley being 2/3 of it.

Zimmer isn't going anywhere.

Kip can go back to 2nd and J-Ram to 3rd.

There are definitely some tough questions for the Indians FO to answer over time.... or else they just suck it up and move Kip back to 2B and JRam to 3rd.
 
macbdog said:
Why are people so obsessed with how long the Indians can keep together a group that is 2-6 in their last 8 playoff games?
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This is the club we have, chokers they might be. Maybe they'll get back to October and not choke this time. They're good enough.
 
GreasySpread36 said:
This is the club we have, chokers they might be. Maybe they'll get back to October and not choke this time. They're good enough.
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There is no doubt they will be back easily in the playoffs in 18, probably with another 100 game winning season.
 
Steve_424 said:
This team's window is open until AT LEAST 2020.
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It's hard to say if they are a contender in 19 or not. We have no replacements in place for our bullpen which leaves in 18. We lack good bullpen options at the current moment in the minors and I am not sure if any guy we have can replace/be our closer and setup guys.

We have the talent to be a wild card team but losing/have lost Brantley, Chisenhall, Tomlin, Shaw, Allen, Miller, Santana, McAllister, and Smith, it may be hard to compete against a stronger Twins team in 19. Detroit and KC will be the bottom dwellers at the moment that year while the young White Soxs and the Twins will be much improved.

It's possible we trade our aging players in 19, Kipnis, Kluber, EE, Carrasco to keep long term stability so a down year is possible to keep the chance long term around. Also guys like Morimando, Merritt, Clev, Plutko will be out of options, so it's either cut or trade those guys as well. Something will happen that season and no it won't be a fire sale, but we may decide to get younger to keep the window open longer as an organization.
 
Yandy replacing Kip...gimme a break. Unless y’all think Kip’s career is over due to injury. He’s actually a good baseball player and a good second baseman.

Kip had a career year in 2016. Hurt pretty much all year in 2017, he looked awful at times, but still showed flashes here and there. Assuming he is healthy in 2018, there’s no reason not to believe he can hit .270 and hit 20 HR.

And he belongs at 2B. CF was an emergency thing for this year only (I hope). Zimmer will be healthy.
 
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Kip back at 2nd and JRam back at 3rd seems like the most logical choice.

Diaz and Urshella need more time.
 
ice cream man said:
Yandy replacing Kip...gimme a break. Unless y’all think Kip’s career is over due to injury. He’s actually a good baseball player and a good second baseman.

Kip had a career year in 2016. Hurt pretty much all year in 2017, he looked awful at times, but still showed flashes here and there. Assuming he is healthy in 2018, there’s no reason not to believe he can hit .270 and hit 20 HR.

And he belongs at 2B. CF was an emergency thing for this year only (I hope). Zimmer will be healthy.
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I'm not advocating at all that they trade Kipnis. In fact, I was highly critical of the move to put him in CF and felt that Urshela and Diaz hadn't earned the right to play every day. However, with both Tito and Antonetti being non-committal about having Kip return to 2B, I believe it's fair to speculate whether the Tribe will look to deal him this winter.

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