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Cleveland Indians 2018-2019 Offseason Outlook

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Didn’t even sell out their one playoff game.
 
I agree that the ownership has stepped up more than fans the last couple of
years.

The point of my last post was about what the road looks like to be a serious
WS contender. It's obvious that the current formula isn't enough given
the current opposition and type of game baseball has become.

Yea for sure it is a tough road. We had our chance in 16 and blew it, and Im not sure we will get another shot. Not because we are terrible, just bad timing with Houston, Boston and New York. When Kansas City won it, they had to go through Toronto, Baltimore, and Houston before they became a powerhouse. Similar to the path we took in 16.

I do think they only way we could change the narrative, is to trade one of the aces for a combination of proven players and prospects. I think if they implode next postseason, they probably sell off Bauer and Carrasco next winter.
 
I do think they only way we could change the narrative, is to trade one of the aces for a combination of proven players and prospects. I think if they implode next postseason, they probably sell off Bauer and Carrasco next winter.
I don't see why that's necessary when the answer is obviously to trade Ramirez; he'd fetch us a king's ransom. Attach Kipnis to him and all of a sudden you can fill all of your holes while clearing a nice bit of cap for a potential big FA signing.

We'll sure miss Jose's badass July stat lines against rebuilding teams, but not his Ralph Ellison routine in the playoffs.
 
Absolutely need to fix the bullpen this off-season to be able to make a serious run next year.

Brad Hand is the only guy that pitched well this past year. When the year started, we were worried about Miller and Allen costing too much to retain, and now I don't think I'd even want to sign either.

Of course Tito is going to look bad when he literally has nobody he can turn to in the pen.

Maybe Salazar can give you something out of the pen, but we need to find more. Sandlin could be ready, but we need to figure something out. I know spending on relievers in FA is a fool's errand, so I'm not talking about dropping big bucks on those guys.

Look for the bargains, the burned out starters, and the guys coming off injuries, and go after as many as you can.

AJ Ramos, Drew Pomeranz, David Phelps, Carter Capps


Finally, if I'm the Indians, I'm shopping Edwin hard. Maybe you can get a useful bullpen guy and an ok prospect out of him. His money can be better allocated elsewhere.
 
I don't see why that's necessary when the answer is obviously to trade Ramirez; he'd fetch us a king's ransom. Attach Kipnis to him and all of a sudden you can fill all of your holes while clearing a nice bit of cap for a potential big FA signing.

We'll sure miss Jose's badass July stat lines against rebuilding teams, but not his Ralph Ellison routine in the playoffs.


Might as well trade Lindor and Bauer while were at it think of all the pieces that we can get, so many pieces.
 
Yea for sure it is a tough road. We had our chance in 16 and blew it, and Im not sure we will get another shot. Not because we are terrible, just bad timing with Houston, Boston and New York. When Kansas City won it, they had to go through Toronto, Baltimore, and Houston before they became a powerhouse. Similar to the path we took in 16.

I do think they only way we could change the narrative, is to trade one of the aces for a combination of proven players and prospects. I think if they implode next postseason, they probably sell off Bauer and Carrasco next winter.

Keep Ramirez at second.
Yandy at third
Let Brantley walk use the money to fix right field. Someone will offer Brantley a Santana like contract that we should not match
Trade kluber for power left or right fielder

Allen in center
Trade kipnis for anything
Need 3-4 pen arms. Scout the scrap heaps. Tribe usually good at that
 
Home attendance down this year, just one game of playoff $$ and hefty raises to
Lindor and Bauer don't leave many loose dollars for sure fire improvements via
free agency.

Best chance to really shake up the roster is to move a starting pitcher. The rotation
is currently the team strength, but we are witnessing the lessening importance
of this in the postseason. Six innings from a starter in the playoffs is now a
long outing. The question is what player(s) to go after and how to acquire them at a palatable
price, in both personnel and $$$.


Tribe doesn't have the bullpen arms to play at the highest level in the new type
of baseball. Miller and Allen(both questionable anyway) are gone or should only come back on the cheap.
The rest of the bullpen is a joke. Tito didn't trust Hand when it really counted.
And just who among the bullpen crew right now could you say has
a quality arm(high 90s fb) or another nasty out pitch? The bullpen needs
a total overhaul, but given how the $$ were thrown at Joe Smith and Brian
Shaw last off season, that won't be an easy fix.

The outfield? Hahaha. Assuming Brantley goes elsewhere. Allen is probably the
best of the bunch after MB but where is the thunder? You've got to have
at least one corner outfielder who can go 30+HRs and those guys aren't
very available or affordable.

Catcher is another area needing an upgrade. It's all well and good to talk
about the defensive side of Gomes and Perez but they are only black
holes when it comes to providing any threat to help the offense. And in
the postseason, every position has to have a realistic chance to impact
the scoreboard with the bat.

Infield is weak at 2 positions. And just what kind of hitter is JRam?


Tribes' front office has a formidable task getting this team to the level of
the teams they have to beat to win the World Series. Central Division
title is theirs in all probability but the fans aren't coming out for that
anymore.

It's certainly no fun watching the team get overpowered the last
2 postseasons.

Maybe with the retirement of Chief Wahoo, a new mojo can begin. But
winter looms, and my optimism is at a low ebb.

I'm not sure how catcher is a weakness. Yan Gomes was an All-Star and was one of the few position players who played well against Houston. I'd certainly look to shop Perez, however.
 
Might as well trade Lindor and Bauer while were at it think of all the pieces that we can get, so many pieces.

I'm sure this was in jest, but the Indians aren't trading Lindor, Ramirez, Kluber, Bauer, Carrasco, or Clevinger this offseason.
 
I'm sure this was in jest, but the Indians aren't trading Lindor, Ramirez, Kluber, Bauer, Carrasco, or Clevinger this offseason.

Yeah I thought my sarcasm would shine through there, I don't take anything JMoney post seriously most of his post are straight garbage. But yeah none of those guys are getting traded this off season I could see them retooling but I don't expect to see any blockbusters.
 
Laughable to see someone in here question what type of hitter Jose Ramirez is... He's a perennial All-Star, and a fucking masher.

A couple bad ALDS games doesn't change anything.
 
Yeah I thought my sarcasm would shine through there, I don't take anything JMoney post seriously most of his post are straight garbage. But yeah none of those guys are getting traded this off season I could see them retooling but I don't expect to see any blockbusters.
Only way to get significantly better is by trading. I'm dealing none of those guys mentioned because that's our core for a pennant. But I will deal Bieber or McKenzie packaged with what ever young bats a team wants in return.

LA trades for Machado, in NLCS again.
MIL trades for Yelich, in NLCS.

We know the 2 trades that put Houston over the top. Sickening.

I would sign a veteran 5th starter to replace Bieber.
 
Ok, i love Jose, said earlier i feel bad for whatever the hell happened to him, but hes had a hell of a lot more than a couple bad ALDS games. More like 8 that ive counted. I hope he figures it out. I think he will, but lets not act like he had just a couple off games.
 
Put Paul Goldschmitt on the Indians and do we win that series against the Astros?

No. It’s not some magical formula where one guy will change everything. Lindor, Clevinger, and Cookie are the only guys who can hold their heads high after that series. If the guys we have don’t play better, trading the farm for another all star isn’t going to magically fix things. Our entire lineup for games 1 and 2 consisted of players who have been all stars but you wouldn’t know it by watching them.

Gotta be careful trading the farm because there’s still a really good chance you don’t win and then you may be screwing your chance at only needing a mini rebuild for another window
 

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