2018 Cleveland Indians

[sportscoach]

I don't mean Haase plays like Lucroy...I mean he looks like him, in the face. At least I think he does.

But shit, I hope he turns into a Lucroy type catcher.

And Ronny Rodriguez does nothing for me. Good organizational depth, and he might get a 40 man spot out of necessity this next year since I don't think we keep both Gio and Erik Gonzalez...but he has no business being protected for the rule 5 draft. If someone takes him, wish them luck, cause they are wasting a 25 man spot.

Looking at his numbers at 2B and in the OF, they actually are not bad at all. His OBP is pretty bad and normally off of those numbers it is hard to succeed in the pros. It is quite possible though in due time he actually could at least be a solid bench defensive player at 2B. With so many guys leaving in 18, i think by default he gets added to the 40 man roster. I am not saying i will ever expect anything from him, but he has gotten a lot better in the field over the last few seasons and as a pro his best season he ever had was in 17. I haven't gotten to watch him, but just hunch says he has settled down and found out who he is. A little more plate discipline and probably some minor adjustments in his swing its possible he plays in the pros as much as you hate the guy.

 

[Steve_424]

I have heard Joe Smith is willing to take a lesser amount to stay so he can be close to home. I expect Shaw to bolt - he can get a bigger role and probably more money elsewhere, and he doesn't sound like he likes Cleveland (can't blame him).

I expect trades to be explored involving Kipnis, Brantley, and maybe Salazar. Personally, I'd convert Danny to a reliever and start grooming him to take over that role (Allen/Miller are both free agents after next season).

I'd aim to keep Santana and let Bruce walk. I think Bruce will be a full-time DH sooner rather than later.

 

[BooyaCS]

I have heard Joe Smith is willing to take a lesser amount to stay so he can be close to home. I expect Shaw to bolt - he can get a bigger role and probably more money elsewhere, and he doesn't sound like he likes Cleveland (can't blame him).

I expect trades to be explored involving Kipnis, Brantley, and maybe Salazar. Personally, I'd convert Danny to a reliever and start grooming him to take over that role (Allen/Miller are both free agents after next season).

I'd aim to keep Santana and let Bruce walk. I think Bruce will be a full-time DH sooner rather than later.

It is going to be an interesting offseason.

I would make Salazar your set up guy. Have him pitch 1-2 innings max and throw 2 pitches a fastball and a breaking ball. Groom him to be your closer when Allen doesn't cut it or leaves after 19.

The interesting thing is what can you get for Kip and Brantley? At this point probably not much. Also my problem with Santana is he hits 100 for the first part of the season then comes on after the all star break. It is like he only plays a half season. Edwin for a year, can be your every day 1B until Bobby Bradley is ready. Make Mejia your DH/3B

The question is how much are the Indians willing to have in Payroll? They don't want to operate in the Red and with the 100+M payroll they probably lost money (or were close to losing money) this year.

Santana and Bruce will probably be replaced with Internal Talent (look for an outfield of Chiz/Brantley, Allen, Zimmer)

Shaw will probably be replaced by Morimondo, Armstrong or Plutko with Salazar taking his spot in the Pen.

If we do sign FAs they will be cheap reclamation projects.

 

[Steve_424]

To be honest the easiest moves may be internal. I could see Brantley moved to 1B and the Indians adding an OF via trade/free agency. I think moving Salazar to the bullpen makes a ton of sense.

Kluber/Carrasco/Bauer/Tomlin/Clevinger.

Allen/Miller/Salazar/Smith/Olson/Otero/Goody.

That's a pretty damn good staff.

 

[Mr. Orange]

Feels like 1996 this year. Maybe next year will be 1997.

 

[sportscoach]

It is going to be an interesting offseason.

I would make Salazar your set up guy. Have him pitch 1-2 innings max and throw 2 pitches a fastball and a breaking ball. Groom him to be your closer when Allen doesn't cut it or leaves after 19.

The interesting thing is what can you get for Kip and Brantley? At this point probably not much. Also my problem with Santana is he hits 100 for the first part of the season then comes on after the all star break. It is like he only plays a half season. Edwin for a year, can be your every day 1B until Bobby Bradley is ready. Make Mejia your DH/3B

The question is how much are the Indians willing to have in Payroll? They don't want to operate in the Red and with the 100+M payroll they probably lost money (or were close to losing money) this year.

Santana and Bruce will probably be replaced with Internal Talent (look for an outfield of Chiz/Brantley, Allen, Zimmer)

Shaw will probably be replaced by Morimondo, Armstrong or Plutko with Salazar taking his spot in the Pen.

If we do sign FAs they will be cheap reclamation projects.

I agree with Salazar being moved to the pen but it's likely Merritt getting a pen spot as well (mostly cause he is out of options so it's either he makes the team or gets cut)

I disagree with the budget though especially the way they acted this season. I believe they are going to try and win it all and sign a solid if not top free agent once again while trying to retain Santana. I dont think they are going to just go internal when they are this close and in 19, they can shed cap and stay competitive, I expect guys like Kipnis, and some others to be traded then.

 

[bushwick_bill]

So this was the Indians last chance at a ring? I wonder what we can get for Frankie via trade...

 

[BooyaCS]

I agree with Salazar being moved to the pen but it's likely Merritt getting a pen spot as well (mostly cause he is out of options so it's either he makes the team or gets cut)

I disagree with the budget though especially the way they acted this season. I believe they are going to try and win it all and sign a solid if not top free agent once again while trying to retain Santana. I dont think they are going to just go internal when they are this close and in 19, they can shed cap and stay competitive, I expect guys like Kipnis, and some others to be traded then.

Again I was talking to a friend of mine who knows a few Minor league insiders. His comment was they are going to let most of the FAs walk and sign 1 of Shaw, Smith, Bruce, Santana for about 9-10M as that is the only FAs they can afford.

If they don't sign any of them then they will sign 2-3 FAs around the 3 - 4M range.

The Cleveland market cannot sustain a 100M payroll and the Dolan's refuse to operate in the Red. Keep in mind you still have to figure out if you are going to pay Lindor. He is on Pre-Arb in 2018 and will be Arb eligible in 2019, 2020, 2021 and a FA in 2022.

I don't think the money is there to make a splash in FA (we got lucky with EE). I guess we will wait and see.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

The fact that people have turned/are turning on Corey Kluber is genuinely disgusting to me.

 

[Otsego Mar]

The fact that people have turned/are turning on Corey Kluber is genuinely disgusting to me.

Call me a Bauer fan now. I want to see him win 20 games next year.

Kluber will be fine. I blame the bats more than anything.

 

[bushwick_bill]

The fact that people have turned/are turning on Corey Kluber is genuinely disgusting to me.

Didn't someone call him a flash in a pan before?

 

[Huber.]

Call me a Bauer fan now. I want to see him win 20 games next year.

Kluber will be fine. I blame the bats more than anything.

How about next year if he is hurting at the end of the season they don't push him.

 

[BooyaCS]

The fact that people have turned/are turning on Corey Kluber is genuinely disgusting to me.

Why so he is beyond criticism? He is infallible?

Kluber will probably win the Cy Young award this season. The problem comes in when you look at what happened to him in his last 2 post season starts.

He had a 12.79 ERA with 9 Earned runs and 4 Home Runs.

Could it have been a bad 2 games? Sure but then I question if he can pitch under pressure.

He had his best ERA, least amount of losses. Yet couldn't show up big when it counted. Look at Serivino. He had a terrible outing vs the Twins then had a pretty good one vs the Indians. Tanaka showed up, CC did, Carasco did, Bauer did in Game 1.

 

[sportscoach]

Again I was talking to a friend of mine who knows a few Minor league insiders. His comment was they are going to let most of the FAs walk and sign 1 of Shaw, Smith, Bruce, Santana for about 9-10M as that is the only FAs they can afford.

If they don't sign any of them then they will sign 2-3 FAs around the 3 - 4M range.

The Cleveland market cannot sustain a 100M payroll and the Dolan's refuse to operate in the Red. Keep in mind you still have to figure out if you are going to pay Lindor. He is on Pre-Arb in 2018 and will be Arb eligible in 2019, 2020, 2021 and a FA in 2022.

I don't think the money is there to make a splash in FA (we got lucky with EE). I guess we will wait and see.

You also have to remember it's quite possible to cut 50-60 mil off the payroll in 19 which we will replace guys from in house candidates that season so even if they lose a bit in 18 they will make money in 19.

Brantley, Allen, Miller, McAllister, Chisenhall, Tomlin are all coming off the books which will be 40ish mil right there.

If we sign Santana for the QO of 18 mil which is a one year deal. Guys like Kipnis will be dealt in 19, so that's another cut there. It's also possible someone like Kluber or Carrasco gets moved or both could be moved in 19, creating a ton of cap and restocking the farm. So even if we increase our cap in 18 we will decrease it by a lot in 19

 

[BooyaCS]

You also have to remember it's quite possible to cut 50-60 mil off the payroll in 19 which we will replace guys from in house candidates that season so even if they lose a bit in 18 they will make money in 19.

Brantley, Allen, Miller, McAllister, Chisenhall, Tomlin are all coming off the books which will be 40ish mil right there.

If we sign Santana for the QO of 18 mil which is a one year deal. Guys like Kipnis will be dealt in 19, so that's another cut there. It's also possible someone like Kluber or Carrasco gets moved or both could be moved in 19, creating a ton of cap and restocking the farm. So even if we increase our cap in 18 we will decrease it by a lot in 19

The problem is this. If you don't want to operate in the red in 2018 (2019 doesn't matter yet) and last year's deep WS run allowed you to expand payroll for 2017. This gave us some extra money in 2017 to spend on EE and Jay Bruce. Now take that money away since there wasn't a deep playoff run not only in attendance but TV revenue from those games (at least 4 in the WS and ALCS)

Where is the extra money coming from in 2018 to spend? 2019 doesn't matter as we are looking at year to year budgets.