Shapiro Signs Extension Through 2012

[chiefwahoo]

http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070315&content_id=1843950&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle

Shapiro, Indians agree to extension
General manager to be at helm of Tribe through 2012
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- If Mark Shapiro's plan to bring championship baseball back to Cleveland comes to fruition in the next few years, the general manager will be around to see it.

After several weeks of negotiations with team president Paul Dolan, Shapiro and the Indians have agreed to a five-year contract extension through the 2012 season.

The agreement was officially announced by the club Thursday.

Shapiro, 39, is entering his 16th season with the Indians organization and his sixth as the executive vice president and GM. His tenure, to this point, has been defined by the rebuilding of the big-league club that he orchestrated beginning in 2002.

The Indians club inherited by Shapiro when former GM John Hart stepped down in November of 2001 was a team on the verge of a hangover after the glory days of the mid- and late-1990s.

Hart's Tribe teams captured six American League Central crowns and reached the World Series in '95 and '97. But that rabid success came with a price. The Indians kept their run of championships going by trading away upper-tier prospects in favor of costly, established big-league talent.

With an unprecedented run of soldout games having come to a close and a sagging Cleveland economy threatening to cut into revenue, the Indians could no longer afford a payroll that had inched toward $100 million.

Shapiro, therefore, got his term as GM off to a drastic and unpopular start with the December 2001 trade that sent Roberto Alomar to the Mets. In return, the Tribe received a package that included outfielder Matt Lawton, reliever Jerrod Riggan and outfield prospect Alex Escobar.

Alomar's career began to sag after that deal, but it was hardly a winner for Shapiro's Indians. Lawton and Ricky Gutierrez, who was signed to replace Alomar, were disappointments, and Escobar simply never panned out with the club in the Majors.

Chalk that deal up as a learning experience for Shapiro. He had been trying to simultaneously contend and rebuild. But by June 27 of the 2002 season, with the team in third place with a 36-41 record, it was clear the dual vision was putting the Indians at risk of a blurry future.

And so it was on that day that Shapiro pulled the trigger on the trade that officially ushered in the rebuilding phase. Staff ace Bartolo Colon and reliever Tim Drew were dealt to the Expos for prospects Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee and Brandon Phillips plus veteran Lee Stevens.

Shapiro and his staff were clearly taking a step back by trading a hot property such as Colon. But the move was geared toward quickening the return to contention.

Nearly five years later, however, the Indians have yet to get over the playoff hump. Under the leadership of manager Eric Wedge, who was promoted by Shapiro from the Minor League ranks, the Indians won 68 games in 2003, 80 in 2004 and 93 in 2005, falling just shy of a playoff berth.

After that impressive '05 season, Shapiro was named Executive of the Year by the Sporting News and Baseball America, but he remained adamant that the only honor he was interested in was a championship.

Shapiro's still waiting. In 2006, his club, beleaguered by a bad bullpen and shaky infield defense, took a step back in its development with a disappointing 78-84 mark. The year also included the controversial trade that sent outfielder Coco Crisp to the Red Sox for third baseman Andy Marte, catcher Kelly Shoppach and reliever Guillermo Mota -- a move that reverted the Indians to the mind-set of contending while building for the future.

Acting quickly in an effort to ensure that season is little more than a slight blemish on an otherwise fruitful plan, Shapiro spent this past winter overhauling the bullpen with the signings of Joe Borowski, Roberto Hernandez and Aaron Fultz and solidifying the second-base spot with the trade to acquire youngster Josh Barfield from the Padres.

Those moves are Shapiro's attempts to build around a core of talent that includes Sizemore, Victor Martinez and Johnny Peralta, all of whom are signed to contracts that run beyond 2008. This spring, Shapiro has begun the process of trying to nail down deals that will keep Jake Westbrook, C.C. Sabathia and Travis Hafner beyond '08, as well.

But for now, the only contract Shapiro is signing his name to is his own.

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

 

[cdt]

He's a good GM and has made due with limited resources..

His only blunder was dealing Brandon Phillips..Wedge mismanaged him terribly.

 

[crazedcav333]

Fantastic move. I love what Savage has/is doing with what we have.

 

[chiefwahoo]

He's a good GM and has made due with limited resources..

His only blunder was dealing Brandon Phillips..Wedge mismanaged him terribly.

From what I've read/heard that was Wedge's call all the way... Shapiro was high on him (he was the coveted one in the Colon trade)

 

[Smooth]

He's a good GM and has made due with limited resources..

His only blunder was dealing Brandon Phillips..Wedge mismanaged him terribly.

In my best Borat voice:

"Nicceee"

As far as another blunder in the Indians franchise... It was reported in the PD that the Indians could have traded for Jose Reyes, but they instead took Alex Escobar, who's now with the Nationals... Not sure if Shapiro was GM then, but just thought I'd mention it..

 

[cavincali]

He's amazing with the little $$$ he has to work with. If not for Shapiro the Indians would be deep in the cellar.

 

[Cavaliersfan25]

Indians suck, they are a joke franchise and should be banned from sports with the likes of the devil rays, royals, pirates and twins.

 

[chiefwahoo]

Indians suck, they are a joke franchise and should be banned from sports with the likes of the devil rays, royals, pirates and twins.

Excellent insight there... thanks for contributing.

Yep, I see the similarities

Indians:
1994 66-47 (1st AL Central)
1995 100-44 (1st AL Central)
1996 99-62 (1st AL Central)
1997 86-75 (1st AL Central)
1998 89-73 (1st AL Central)
1999 97-65 (1st AL Central)
2000 90-72 (2nd AL Central)
2001 91-71 (1st AL Central)
2002 74-88 (3rd AL Central)
2003 68-94 (4th AL Central)
2004 80-82 (3rd AL Central)
2005 93-69 (2nd AL Central)
2006 78-84 (4th AL Central)

Devil Rays:
1998 63-99 (5th in AL East)
1999 69-93 (5th in AL East)
2000 69-92 (5th in AL East)
2001 62-100 (5th in AL East)
2002 55-106 (5th in AL East)
2003 63-99 (5th in AL East)
2004 70-91 (4th in AL East)
2005 67-95 (5th in AL East)
2006 61-101 (5th in AL East)

Royals:
1994 64-51 (3rd in AL Central)
1995 70-74 (2nd in AL Central)
1996 75-86 (5th in AL Central)
1997 67-94 (5th in AL Central)
1998 72-89 (3rd in AL Central)
1999 64-97 (4th in AL Central)
2000 77-85 (4th in AL Central)
2001 65-97 (5th in AL Central)
2002 62-100 (4th in AL Central)
2003 83-79 (3rd in AL Central)
2004 58-104 (5th in AL Central)
2005 56-106 (5th in AL Central)
2006 62-100 (5th in AL Central)

Pirates:
1994 53-61 (4th in NL Central)
1995 58-86 (5th in NL Central)
1996 73-89 (5th in NL Central)
1997 79-83 (2nd in NL Central)
1998 69-93 (6th in NL Central)
1999 78-84 (3rd in NL Central)
2000 69-93 (5th in NL Central)
2001 62-100 (6th in NL Central)
2002 72-89 (4th in NL Central)
2003 75-87 (4th in NL Central)
2004 72-89 (5th in NL Central)
2005 67-95 (6th in NL Central)
2006 67-95 (5th in NL Central)

 

[Cavaliersfan25]

wow where do i start?

I love all those "moral victories" posted under the tribe, aka going to the playoffs, losing.

I see 3 huge similarities....
1. No World Series Titles
2. Haven't made the playoffs in a long time.
3. Owner has their fans drink the cool-aid flavor "we want to win by not spending money."

Open up your eyes, don't waste your money and time on BS organization that won't translate your money onto the field. They are fraud and joke.

 

[crazedcav333]

You just proved you, not the Cleveland Indians, are the joke.

I'd be willing to bet money you weren't a Cavs fan until 2003.

 

[cavincali]

You just proved you, not the Cleveland Indians, are the joke.

I'd be willing to bet money you weren't a Cavs fan until 2003.

Really, I was saying the same thing. The Cavs sucked for a decade and he is a cavalierfan25. The Cavs havent even been to the finals for goodness sakes.

 

[Cavaliersfan25]

Really, I was saying the same thing. The Cavs sucked for a decade and he is a cavalierfan25. The Cavs havent even been to the finals for goodness sakes.

Don't even question my Cavs blood, I had season tickets in 2002 and was there when Jordan screwed up the cavs every damn year. So to question my Cavs loyalty is absolutely wrong.

The Indians play bullshit games with their fans, which is why I can't stand them. Cavs never played bullshit. When they were bad, they knew it and tried to do something about it. The Indians on the other hand spin their fans 'round and 'round to the point where they blind fans buy it. If the same family can spend all that money on the Knicks, they should be able to transfer it to the diamond. Which is why you can't blame Steinbrenner, the Mets, the Sox, for spending money, because they know it gives them a better chance. Every baseball team gets $50 mil. from MLB at the beginning of the year, so if you're even below $90, sell the team.

 

[Cavaliersfan25]

You just proved you, not the Cleveland Indians, are the joke.

I'd be willing to bet money you weren't a Cavs fan until 2003.

I think you're a joke for drinking the kool-aid. Born 1987, first cavs game was the following November. So you can take your assumption and stick it.

 

[James]

Why do people on here always feel the need to have some "Im a bigger fan then you" type mentality?

Cavaliersfan25 has a point on everything he has said in here, Shapiro has screwed you guys over, not to the point of no return, but to the point where fans wont shell over $10-15 to go to a game, and when they do its to see the other team. Shapiro isnt Billy Bean he hasnt mastered the "Success on a Dime" theory yet.

 

[cavincali]

Don't even question my Cavs blood, I had season tickets in 2002 and was there when Jordan screwed up the cavs every damn year. So to question my Cavs loyalty is absolutely wrong.

The Indians play bullshit games with their fans, which is why I can't stand them. Cavs never played bullshit. When they were bad, they knew it and tried to do something about it. The Indians on the other hand spin their fans 'round and 'round to the point where they blind fans buy it. If the same family can spend all that money on the Knicks, they should be able to transfer it to the diamond. Which is why you can't blame Steinbrenner, the Mets, the Sox, for spending money, because they know it gives them a better chance. Every baseball team gets $50 mil. from MLB at the beginning of the year, so if you're even below $90, sell the team.

Are you serious? You cant say the stuff you did and act to be a "true" Cavs fan. Look at your hidious list that you made, and then you come back saying what you said. Your list covers the Cavaliers to a T in the pre-Lebron era. I was right there with you bro and Gund frankly didnt do much, didnt do what Dan Gilbert has done.

Cavaliersfan25 has a point on everything he has said in here, Shapiro has screwed you guys over, not to the point of no return, but to the point where fans wont shell over $10-15 to go to a game, and when they do its to see the other team. Shapiro isnt Billy Bean he hasnt mastered the "Success on a Dime" theory yet.

James, you are soooooo damn ingnorant when it comes to Cleveland sports. Shapiro has not screwed us to a point of no return. That is the most ignorant thing you could have possible said. Shapiro is the reason why people feel this team can contend for a series this year, the best gm in baseball, much better than theo. Dolan is the cheap owner.