Cleveland Indians 2018-2019 Offseason Outlook

[Real Deal]

It definitely sucks, but the only reason they are doing this is because of money. When you have the 14th highest payroll, but only 21st at the gate, the team cant function like that over the long-term.

You would never see a contender in a large market putting Kluber on the trade market, but it is what it is, and until we draw better nothing will change. They are doing the best they can.

 

[Alpoe]

And they had a 145 million payroll last yr. I don't think anybody in the front office, would realistically make these moves if they had money to spend. But that's just my opinion.

 

[WorldFreeB]

I haven't heard any talk of bringing in Billy Hamilton as even a 4th outfielder.
They are going to try all these young guys that are borderline major league players,,,why not make a play
for a guy that can steal you 60 bases in a normal year,,still only 28. I would think he wouldn't be a budget breaker either.

 

[MoFlo]

You're not angry about watching Roberto Perez, the worst offensive player in the history of the game receive a bigger role? We all know Tito plays the guys he trusts more. Gomes was relatively cheap and under control while putting up pretty good stats from his position. Gomes was really good when he earned that money, fell off a cliff, then reemerged into a 1st time all-star. Definitely our best catcher in our system and we have no capable backup. Probably the weakest position in our whole organization and we traded our most fitted.

Not a winning move to dissemble like that. People can spin it however they want though. Gomes was a good Indian in the bigger picture.

He wasn't relatively cheap when you're limited in $ and have a current OF & bullpen that need improvement badly.

Was it a salary dump? Yes.

However, it's money that will eventually be allocated elsewhere to improve other areas of need.

My guess is the Indians felt that $7M wasn't cheap for a 31 year old (32 mid-season) catcher due to get a $2M raise (via TO) in '20.

If they pick up that option, they're paying their soon to be 33 year old catcher $9M. If they don't, they used that $7M in '19 horribly.

I wish we'd have gotten a major league player out of it and am not in love with the return, but the actual trading of Gomes I'm perfectly ok with.

 

[Steve_424]

I think the greatest value in trading Gomes is relocating his $7 M to an outfielder or reliever. If either of the players (or the PTBNL) work out, that's a bonus.

 

[ice cream man]

If we’re gonna spend 7 mil elsewhere, then we didn’t save anything. Don’t get your hopes up until we shed more salary.

 

[Steve_424]

If we’re gonna spend 7 mil elsewhere, then we didn’t save anything. Don’t get your hopes up until we shed more salary.

I think the goal isn't necessarily to shed salary, it's to improve with increasing the payroll. We'll see though.

 

[Steve_424]

Mariners have three deals reportedly being announced tomorrow:

#1 - Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz and $20 million to the Mets for Jay Bruce, Anthony Swarzak, Gerson Bautista, Jarred Kelenic, and Justin Dunn to Seattle
#2 - Jean Segura to Philly for Carlos Santana and JP Crawford
#3 - Alex Colome to the White Sox

I wonder if Haniger could be had. Or maybe Kipnis/Alonso for Santana or Bruce?

 

[Pjlea28]

Would be interested in Haniger big time. Do not want Santana's contract (years) still 2 yrs at $20M. No to Bruce too, want to get younger in the OF.

 

[Real Deal]

Pretty funny Philly is already calling it quits on Carlos. Los was all about that move too!!

 

[Urban]

Pretty funny Philly is already calling it quits on Carlos. Los was all about that move too!!

No doubt Santana was a huge let down last season, but I think a lot of it has to do with Hoskins looking unplayable in the outfield.

 

[Derek]

No doubt Santana was a huge let down last season, but I think a lot of it has to do with Hoskins looking unplayable in the outfield.

I wouldn't even say Santana was a let down last year.

This is all about Hoskins. I mean, shit, they were even using Carlos at 3B a lot in the second half last year. Shows you how desperate they were to get Hoskins out of the OF.

 

[Steve_424]

I'd take Carlos back in a heartbeat if we swapped out some bad contracts in exchange. FWIW:

Bruce
2019 - $13 M
2020 - $13 M

Santana
2019 - $17.5 M
2020 - $17.5 M
2021 - $17.5 M Team Option ($500 K buyout)

Kipnis
2019 - $14.5 M
2020 - $16.5 M Team Option ($2.5 M buyout)

Alonso
2019 - $8 M
2020 - $9 M Vesting Option (550 ABs in 2019)

Encarnacion
2019 - $20 M
2020 - $20 M Team Option ($5 M Buyout)

 

[Stark]

I would love if we could swing Mitch Haniger.

EDIT: I suck absolute ass at setting up MLB trades because I'm bad at evaluating how much certain levels of prospects should be worth, but if we could find a way to ship out Alonso/Edwin and Kipnis to bring back Santana and Haniger (insert whatever reasonable prospects needed to get the deal done as well), I'd be all for it.

I feel like shipping over Edwin to the Mariners (who they could probably flip to a contender around the deadline anyways), in exchange for taking on Santana's lengthy deal could be enough to get us Haniger who should provide just as much or maybe more than Brantley will next season.

C - Perez/Haase
1B - Santana
2B - Ramirez
SS - Lindor
3B - Yandy/Chang
LF - Naquin/Luplow
CF - Martin/Allen/Zimmer
RF - Haniger
DH - Edwin or Alonso/Bradley

SP - Bauer
SP - Kluber
SP - Carrasco
SP - Clevinger
SP - Bieber
CP - Hand
RP - Cimber
RP - Goody
RP - Ramirez
RP - Oliver Perez (re-sign)
RP - FA signing/Otero/Hoyt

That's honestly not horrible - should still easily win the AL Central if Lindor, Ramirez, and Haniger all produce like they should and we can scrape out another year of production from Edwin and Santana.

 

[MirORich]

Talk about complete firesale:
Does all the deals they’ve made help or hurt the market that we’re navigating or really no impact?

Also, you know Scott Boras is typing up that huge annual market suppression and team purposefully tanking rank right now