I get the frustration from the other side. It is most certainly frustrating seeing a competitor signing someone who could help the Indians on what appears to be a sonwhat twam friendly deal. I get that 100%. Think Gonzalez would have fit perfectly on this team and in the top 5-6 of the lineup.
But we have to stop acting like the Indians are operating in a vacuum. Front office has its directive. They’re doing the best they possibly can with what they have to play with. You’re seeing them value short term money and money available at the deadline/waiver period more than free agency right now. That’s their negotiating position, and it takes the perfect circumstances to get someone to fall down towards that.
Would it be awesome if we just had cash to spend and fill any hole we have by tossing money at it? Sure. But that’s not the way they operate, and few teams can actually do that. And they’re even more gun shy after their last 3 marquee signings too (Swisher, Bourn, Edwin).
This will be the norm until 2021 to 2023.