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The 2015 Cleveland Indians

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Kipnis is a converted OF as is. Although it doesn't really make sense to move either of them unless they think they can deal both Bourn and Murphy.

In that case it would make sense because it opens up time for Jose Ramirez at 2B to play alongside Lindor at SS.
 
I won't post the full article because it's ESPN Insider, but Buster Olney's blog today discussed the possibility of teams trading bad contracts this offseason. A few mentions:

1. B.J. Upton | Atlanta Braves
Owed: $46.35 million over the next three seasons

He’s batting .205 this season after hitting .184 in 2013, and he’s already posted his sixth straight season of 150-plus strikeouts. The Cubs could again have interest after trade talks that involved Edwin Jackson crumbled earlier this season. There might be a match with the Indians, as well.

2. Nick Swisher | Cleveland Indians
Owed: $15 million for each of the next two seasons, with a $14 million vesting option for 2017 if he reaches 550 plate appearances in 2016

Swisher had a terrible season that was ended by knee surgery, posting a .608 OPS and some of the worst defensive metrics in MLB. With Carlos Santana settling in at first base, it could be that the Indians will look to move Swisher’s contract in the offseason. He might be an interesting dollar-for-dollar dump with the Cubs and Edwin Jackson.

4. Michael Bourn | Cleveland Indians
Owed: $27.5 million for 2014-2015, with a $12 million vesting option for 2016 if he gets 550 plate appearances

He’s 31 years old and his numbers aren’t that far off from his last season with the Braves, when he hit .274 with a .739 OPS. But there is one significant difference in Bourn: He has battled leg injuries the past two seasons and has stopped stealing bases. He had 23 in 35 attempts last year, and just nine in 14 attempts this year.

The Braves loved Bourn’s makeup and had wanted to re-sign him after 2012, so perhaps Atlanta and the Indians can find some common ground among Swisher, Bourn and Upton.

7. Ricky Nolasco | Minnesota Twins
Owed: $37 million over the next three seasons, including a $1 million buyout of a club option for 2018

The signing of Phil Hughes paid off. The signing of Nolasco, not so much. He’s 5-9 with a 5.62 ERA. His dollars are pretty close to those of Swisher, so who knows.

13. Ubaldo Jimenez | Baltimore Orioles
Owed: $38.75 million for the next three seasons

He has already been demoted from the rotation to the bullpen, with an ERA of 4.74 in 21 games. Presumably, Baltimore could be open to moving him, and you wonder if Cleveland -- with some contracts that it might want to shift -- could be interested in swapping some of its sunk cost for Jimenez, who had a lot of success with the Indians last year. Jimenez turns 31 in January.

16. Edwin Jackson | Cubs
Owed: a total of $22 million for the next two seasons

Jackson has the worst ERA in the majors -- by far -- at 6.09, and he’s owed $22 million for the next two seasons. In terms of positives, he turns 31 later this month and has a relatively pristine injury history, so there’s hope there. But remember, other veteran pitchers like Scott Feldman, Jason Hammel and Jake Arrieta have gone to Chicago and rebuilt their records under Chris Bosio.
 
Swisher or Bourn for Ubaldo would be interesting.
 
So Olney suggests trading Swisher and Bourn for Upton and Jimenez? Does the team get better or worse in that scenario? I vote worse.

EDIT: Not to mention, these deals don't make a lick of financial sense for the Indians. Bourn and Swisher have the more favorable contracts of the respective players.
 
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I didn't want to sign Ubaldo at the price he was signed for & definitely don't want to deal for that contract either. I'd rather keep Swisher/Bourn than trade for Ubaldo's awful contract.

Nolasco's been a terrible signing as well & he's been bad against the AL Central.

No thanks on Upton. He may be a right handed bat, but we have enough guys on this team with 20 HR power who K a ton..

The only guy I'd even consider from that group is Jackson, and that's only because he only has 2 years left, is "only" at $11 M per, & we have Callaway.
 
Speaking of the 2015 Cleveland Indians, is Francisco Lindor not getting a September call-up because:
A) He's not ready
B) With Ramirez playing well, there's not enough playing time for him
C) The Indians don't want to start his service clock
D) All of the above
 
Speaking of the 2015 Cleveland Indians, is Francisco Lindor not getting a September call-up because:
A) He's not ready
B) With Ramirez playing well, there's not enough playing time for him
C) The Indians don't want to start his service clock
D) All of the above

I'd probably say D, but mostly B & C.

They shouldn't bring him up if he's not gonna 100% play everyday
 
I'd probably say D, but mostly B & C.

They shouldn't bring him up if he's not gonna 100% play everyday

I agree, B and C. He's ready, there's just no reason to push him right now with Ramirez playing well and Kipnis locking down 2B.
 
He should continue getting everyday at-bats while Columbus is in the playoffs.

But the service clock is obviously a concern as well, especially if they don't have a need for him with Ramirez playing so well.
 
Could two moves be all they need?

1) Trade Nick Swisher for Ubaldo Jimenez

2) Sign Victor Martinez to a 3 year, $45 M deal

Signing Martinez right now would be tough with Santana entrenched at 1B, Swisher at DH, and Gomes at C. Enter the Orioles who might be willing to swap bad contracts and hope Swisher rebounds with Nelson Cruz, Nick Markakis, and Delmon Young all eligible for free agency. While the Indians didn't believe in Ubaldo enough to sign him long-term, they might be willing to take their chances on the Callaway-Ubaldo connection again as opposed to believing in Swisher rebounding from surgery on both knees. Swisher is due $30 M over the next two years while Ubaldo is due about $38 M over the next three seasons, meaning the O's would shave $15 M off of their 2017 payroll.

Victor Martinez is the perfect fit for this lineup and would give the Indians the cleanup hitter they desperately need. There have been rumors that he'd like to finish his career in Cleveland and, don't forget, signing him would take away the Tigers' 2nd best hitter.

L-CF-Bourn
S-SS-Lindor
L-LF-Brantley
S-DH-Martinez
S-1B-Santana
L-3B-Chisenhall
R-C-Gomes
L-RF-Murphy
L-2B-Kipnis

Kluber
Salazar
Carrasco
Jimenez
Bauer

Allen
Shaw
Crockett
Atchison
Rzepczynski
Lee
Hagadone


Thoughts?
 
Want nothing to do with Ubaldo or that contract. Way too long for way too much money for a guy who will more than likely be our 5th best starter.
 
Well, in house starting rotation outlook for next year is starting to look a bit better...still a bit worried about longevity there though with all of them never logging a ton of innings (as we're kind of starting to see with Kluber his past few starts). Now, about the lineup...
 
Want nothing to do with Ubaldo or that contract. Way too long for way too much money for a guy who will more than likely be our 5th best starter.

I don't think anyone wants Ubaldo's contract, but would you be willing to add one more year of a bad deal (He and Swisher make about the same per) and hope he turns it around or hope Swisher, who just had surgery on both knees, can do the same?
 
I don't think anyone wants Ubaldo's contract, but would you be willing to add one more year of a bad deal (He and Swisher make about the same per) and hope he turns it around or hope Swisher, who just had surgery on both knees, can do the same?

No. Not for a guy who would be our 5th best starter. I'd rather have House, in all honesty.

I understand that's the only way you're gonna get rid of Swisher's contract, but I wouldn't touch Ubaldo with a 10 ft pole..
 

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