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Cleveland Indians Offseason News, Notes, and Rumors

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Add in Oswalt, Maholm, Marquis, Harden, and Buerhle too.

I'd probably take those guys over Chen.

Price per quality start, I take Chen. Harden and Oswalt are damaged goods. Buerhle, sure. Marquis will get paid
 
Outside of Prince and Albert, this FA class sucks a bag of dicks. Cuddyer scares me, as he's probably gonna ask for some nice dough, considering he's a top 5-10 fielding FA.

CJ Wilson, Sabathia, Chen and Dempster are the top pitchers. Not a bad class, but the only guy we could afford is Chen.

This is my fear as well - we have a low payroll and ownership looks like they're willing to sink a little but of money in the team. Unfortunately, there really isn't anywhere to put that money.

It is part of the reason the Grady option isn't as terrible as most see it. It sucks if we end up spending $9 million on Grady, but I don't see where else it would really go.
 
I'd explore Buerhle on a one-year deal for sure. Maholm maybe a 2 year deal.

Would love to add a lefty to the rotation, breaks things up a bit.

Buerhle's experience would be great too, especially for a guy like Huff or Scott Barnes.
 
I think the Tribe should focus their money on hitting. I know the options arent great but they have to add something- the club's lack of OF depth will eat them alive if they dump Grady and attempt to have Brantley play every day. Not to mention that 1b has to be addressed in some fashion too. I will stick by my Carlos Pena thought- adds power, he gets on base, and when facing lefties Santana can go to first and Marson's righty bat comes in. It also slides LaPorta back to the OF and gives some sense of depth there.

Just curious b00bie but why do you think Beurhle would sign a one year deal? I know he has talked of retiring but i think if he does decide to keep pitching he will be doing that either with the Cardinals or back in Chicago.
 
Carl Crawford has the worst contract in baseball.

Lackey also has a horribly overpriced contract and is divorcing his wife who is battling cancer.

No...no thanks.

Worst contract in baseball? C'mon now, Crawford had one bad year. Alex Rios, Chone Figgins, Dan Uggla, Derek Jeter, Jayson Werth, Carlos Zambrano, Barry Zito, Alfonso Soriano, and Vernon Wells are all offended by your statement.
 
I think the Tribe should focus their money on hitting. I know the options arent great but they have to add something- the club's lack of OF depth will eat them alive if they dump Grady and attempt to have Brantley play every day. Not to mention that 1b has to be addressed in some fashion too. I will stick by my Carlos Pena thought- adds power, he gets on base, and when facing lefties Santana can go to first and Marson's righty bat comes in. It also slides LaPorta back to the OF and gives some sense of depth there.

Just curious b00bie but why do you think Beurhle would sign a one year deal? I know he has talked of retiring but i think if he does decide to keep pitching he will be doing that either with the Cardinals or back in Chicago.

He'd love to be in Chicago or St. Louis, but I'm not sure either have room in their rotation. He may have a choice between retiring and signing with a team like Cleveland. I'd love to have him on a one year deal.
 
What's Buerhle's age?

... too lazy to look up....
 
He'd love to be in Chicago or St. Louis, but I'm not sure either have room in their rotation. He may have a choice between retiring and signing with a team like Cleveland. I'd love to have him on a one year deal.

The Cards can jettison Jake Westbrook and Edwin Jackson is a FA, although from what I have been reading it looks like Buerhle is gone from the Sox. Not sure why, other than them trying to cut costs. However, Buerhle is a guy who doesn't have to settle for below-market with a team like the Tribe. The issue with him has been whether he wants to pitch or not, not if he can still be successful. I see him finding far more lucrative offers, with teams better geared to contend, for him to be settling with the Tribe. He would realllly have to have an axe to grind with the ChiSox- and even then, I would see him signing with Detroit over the Tribe. I think Boston is another more likely scenario than the Tribe. I just don't see why a successful starter like him would have to settle for a below-market value contract from any contender, or why other contenders would not be after him in what is considered a very weak market.
 
I think the Tribe should focus their money on hitting. I know the options arent great but they have to add something- the club's lack of OF depth will eat them alive if they dump Grady and attempt to have Brantley play every day. Not to mention that 1b has to be addressed in some fashion too. I will stick by my Carlos Pena thought- adds power, he gets on base, and when facing lefties Santana can go to first and Marson's righty bat comes in. It also slides LaPorta back to the OF and gives some sense of depth there.

Just curious b00bie but why do you think Beurhle would sign a one year deal? I know he has talked of retiring but i think if he does decide to keep pitching he will be doing that either with the Cardinals or back in Chicago.

I think the Tribe should focus on adding one RH bat with some pop, a starting pitcher and a right-handed reliever.

I think Buerhle could wind up with a one-year deal simply because of his age and what I'm expecting will be a frugal market after the big guys Sabathia and Wilson head to greener pastures.

I'd probably give Buerhle a two-year deal, his stats more than warrant it I'm just unsure of the market.

Jeff Berry and CAA have a pretty good reputation of working with small market teams, so I can see it being a possibility he lands in Cleveland.
 
Wow it's easy to forget Mark Burhrle's accomplishments. One of those guys who flies under the national radar. In the last 11 seasons, he's never started less than 30 games a season, never won less than 12 (and that only once) a season, never pitched less than 201 innings per season, and never walked more than 61 per season. Talk about a work horse. He'll be 33 when spring training breaks. I think I'd risk a two year deal on him.
 
Buster_ESPNBuster Olney
Major decisions around the corner: Within 72 hrs after WS,we'll know if CLE picks up options on Sizemore, Carmona, and if Sabathia opts out.

I'd honestly keep Carmona but not Sizemore
 
It will be a bad decision to pick up the full 9m on Sizemore, but I now think it will happen. I believe that money would be better spent bringing in other players. Really, really believe that.

Yes to Carmona. I'd also then listen to offers for him if any are out there. Doubt it though. :)
 
The Cards can jettison Jake Westbrook and Edwin Jackson is a FA, although from what I have been reading it looks like Buerhle is gone from the Sox. Not sure why, other than them trying to cut costs. However, Buerhle is a guy who doesn't have to settle for below-market with a team like the Tribe. The issue with him has been whether he wants to pitch or not, not if he can still be successful. I see him finding far more lucrative offers, with teams better geared to contend, for him to be settling with the Tribe. He would realllly have to have an axe to grind with the ChiSox- and even then, I would see him signing with Detroit over the Tribe. I think Boston is another more likely scenario than the Tribe. I just don't see why a successful starter like him would have to settle for a below-market value contract from any contender, or why other contenders would not be after him in what is considered a very weak market.

Why would it be below-market? They wouldn't overpay for him, but I see no reason why they couldn't give him a competitive offer.
 
If anyone is interested, Kenny Lofton is now on Twitter. I found this tweet pretty neat. He's a little new at Twitter so it's hard to read, but someone asks if he's going to be working with Brantley again next year and he replies "yes sir". I assume that means in Spring Training.

Kenny_Lofton7 (Kenny Lofton) “@SteveG424: @Kenny_Lofton7 Going to work with Brantley again in 2012?” yes sir

I hope he can teach Brantley how to regain his speed. No idea what happened to that last season.
 

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