2012-2013 Indians Red Hot Offseason Thread (Bourn signed post 1940)

[JMcCurry08]

hey Chris @indiansgm I have just one word for you.Jim Thome#gotribe

— Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) February 11, 2013

[JMcCurry08]

hey Chris @indiansgm I know ownership is strangling us but we missed on hairston and napoli so we gotta sign Lohse and bourn. lets do it

— Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) February 11, 2013

[theshad]

The hell is Canseco doing, like his last 9 tweets have all been Indians related.

[macbdog]

Anyone know what Pedro Martinez is up to this spring? Tribe are giving away lottery tickets to anyone who could play five years ago...

From a guy whose favorite baseball team won a World Series with a Japanese League castoff...

This is the one minor league signing that intrigues me (other than Kazmir, if Kazmir can accept being a bullpen arm). The guy had electric stuff, he was just a lazy SOB. If he finally decides to give a shit this one signing, to me, could be one that bears fruit. That and Hill. Capps' shoulder is a figurative time bomb.

[Randolphkeys]

From a guy whose favorite baseball team won a World Series with a Japanese League castoff...

This is the one minor league signing that intrigues me (other than Kazmir, if Kazmir can accept being a bullpen arm). The guy had electric stuff, he was just a lazy SOB. If he finally decides to give a shit this one signing, to me, could be one that bears fruit. That and Hill. Capps' shoulder is a figurative time bomb.

Throw some magnetized necklaces on Giambi and Dice K... if it works for the Giants, who knows?

[jonzee330]

Offseason Report Card: Indians

2012 in review
Record: 68-94 (64-98 Pythagorean)
667 runs scored (13th in AL)
845 runs allowed (14th in NL)

Big Offseason Moves
Signed free agents Nick Swisher, Mark Reynolds and Brett Myers. In three-team deal, traded Shin-Soo Choo, Tony Sipp, Jason Donald and Lars Anderson and acquired Trevor Bauer, Drew Stubbs, Bryan Shaw and Matt Albers. Traded Esmil Rogers for Mike Aviles and Yan Gomes. Lost Travis Hafner, Casey Kotchman and Grady Sizemore.

The last bit is important as the Indians can finally turn the page from the once-promising Sizemore/Hafner era. Over the past four seasons, the Indians paid those two about $72 million and received two seasons of 100 games played. The two guys the Indians built around were rarely on the field. No wonder their last winning season came in 2007 and attendance has struggled in recent seasons.

GM Chris Antonetti had a strong offseason, trading the final year of Choo and picking up high-ceiling pitching prospect Bauer and reclamation project Stubbs. Swisher and Reynolds will add power to a lineup that didn't have anyone hit 20 home runs in 2012. You would like to have seen closer Chris Perez traded while his stock is high.

Grade: A-

Position Players
There is some potential here, but the Indians outscored only the Mariners last year. Swisher was a nice signing, although he basically replaces Choo's production ( .272/.364/.473 versus .283/.373/.441) with a tad more power. Swisher hit 24 home runs last year, and he wasn't just taking advantage of Yankee Stadium's short porch as he hit 13 on the road.

Reynolds wasn't a glamorous signing, but he should provide an upgrade at first base, where the Indians posted a .240/.297/.379 line. Still, for the Indians to build a respectable offense they need gains from Kipnis, Carlos Santana and Lonnie Chisenhall. Kipnis and Santana were solid a year ago, but they need them to become stars. Chisenhall is only 24, but this could be his make-or-break season in proving he can live up to his prospect hype.

Cleveland's defense, ranked 28th in the majors in 2012 by Defense Runs Saved, should be a little better with the addition of Stubbs in center and Swisher replacing Choo (who had a bad year defensively). I'm giving this group a C-plus with the potential to go higher.

Grade: C+

Pitching Staff
How bad was Cleveland's pitching in 2012? Despite playing in a division with only one of the AL's top-5 scoring teams, the Indians still allowed the most runs in the league -- more than the Twins, who ran out one of the worst rotations ever assembled.

Which means Cleveland's wasn't a whole lot better. The Twins had a 5.40 rotation ERA; Cleveland had a 5.25. Gone are Derek Lowe (5.52 ERA in 21 starts), Jeanmar Gomez (6.23 ERA in 17 starts) and Josh Tomlin (well, still on the 40-man roster after a 5.72 ERA in 16 starts). In are Bauer and Myers, who should be upgrades on that production, although how much is open to debate. Still, the success of the staff will reside with Justin Masterson and Ubaldo Jimenez. Masterson pitched 10 fewer innings in 2012 than he did in 2011 and allowed 33 more runs -- or one per start. His career ERA is 4.17 and you have wonder if his strong 2011 was a fluke. Jimenez's outstanding 2010 with the Rockies is now two years in the rear-view mirror. He's just not the same pitcher any longer.

Perez and Vinnie Pestano are a nice 1-2 punch at the back of the bullpen. The rest of the group is pretty nondescript, and the Indians ranked 13th in bullpen ERA in 2012.

Overall, without an obvious No. 1 or No. 2, it's difficult to give this a grade higher than a C-minus.

Overall Grade
I can see a dream scenario where the Indians get big seasons from Swisher, Santana, Kipnis, Asdrubal Cabrera and Reynolds, and Stubbs plays like he did a couple of seasons ago with the Reds. I can see a dream scenario where two of Masterson, Jimenez and Bauer turn in 3.50 ERAs and give Cleveland a legitimate rotation. I can see a dream scenario where Perez screams out after saving 50 games.

Hey, it's February. It's time to dream. I see an improved club here, maybe one that can finish .500 if things go right. If things go wrong, look for Cabrera and Perez to be gone at the trade deadline.

Grade: C

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/po...-cards-indians

[SRStark20]

I'm getting tired of all of the C and C- grades the Tribe have been getting. This is easily their best team since 2007, and barring injury, I see us as a playoff contender.

[bushwick_bill]

I'm getting tired of all of the C and C- grades the Tribe have been getting. This is easily their best team since 2007, and barring injury, I see us as a playoff contender.

They need the starting pitchers to return to their top form to make the playoffs but it is not out of the question.

[SRStark20]

They need the starting pitchers to return to their top form to make the playoffs but it is not out of the question.

I think Masterson is going to rebound. He's not an ace, but I think he could be a great #2 guy.

Jiminez needs to stop playing like shit. It'd be great if he could get back to half of what he was in Colorado.

Myers should be solid. He's a good veteran.

Then we need two of Carrasco, Kazmir, Bauer, McAllister, Matsuzaka, Huff, or Tomlin to round out the back.

I really think we shouldn't worry about the rotation too much. It's probably our weakest point, but I think it's being a bit underrated.

[Randolphkeys]

I'm getting tired of all of the C and C- grades the Tribe have been getting. This is easily their best team since 2007, and barring injury, I see us as a playoff contender.

I'd say this is a conservative grade. The Tribe had a GREAT offseason if they had an established core. The Tribe have no established core, just some young infielders with promise and a strong bullpen. They earned the A- offseason grade, but the overall grade needs to be earned between the lines.

[SRStark20]

I'd say this is a conservative grade. The Tribe had a GREAT offseason if they had an established core. The Tribe have no established core, just some young infielders with promise and a strong bullpen. They earned the A- offseason grade, but the overall grade needs to be earned between the lines.

I still just think that trading off Choo's last year, getting Bauer, and picking up Reynolds and Meyers were all good moves. I like the Swisher signing, but just wish we could of paid a bit less.

I give them a solid B. I don't think any of us anticipated us being this active.

[warddj86]

I don't see how you don't give this offseason at least a B. We added a quality right-handed hitter in Swisher, a power hitter at first in Reynolds, a manager who's revered around the league and has two rings, a quality speedy CF for a guy who was leaving after the season anyway, a potential ace in Bauer, several potential comeback players in Matsuzaka, Hill, Kazmir, Carrasco, and Tomlin. Also, Asdrubal Cabrera has been reported in the best shape of his life, and you have to think Kipnis, Brantley, Chisenhall, and Santana are bound to continue improving. If we would've added Lohse or Bourn, this would've been an A offseason. If we added both, it would've been an A+.

[jonzee330]

You guys aren't understanding the article. The offseason grade was an A-. The overall grade of the team is a C. Meaning even though there was a great offseason, what was already in place wasn't any good.

[warddj86]

You guys aren't understanding the article. The offseason grade was an A-. The overall grade of the team is a C. Meaning even though there was a great offseason, what was already in place wasn't any good.

Thanks. I didn't read, I just went with the comments.

[b00bie]

This team isn't going to be very good.

There just isn't enough consistency amongst their starting rotation, and outside of Swisher there hasn't been much of an offensive upgrade to the overall lineup.

They definitely have a chance to hang in there if the staff comes together, but that's an enormous leap of faith.