Tribe Will Be Scouring the Discount Aisle

[Gunther]

I had to post this article. I've read a lot of off-season articles about the Tribe, but this one really hit me on my funny bone. Ingraham at his sarcastic best.

Ingraham: Tribe will be scouring the discount aisle
Published: Wednesday, November 11, 2009
By Jim Ingraham
JIngraham@News-Herald.com

Everything, of course, is relative. And relative to the Browns, the Indians — who trail the Browns, 1-0, in number of high-ranking officials escorted out of the building by security, following an unannounced firing — are a well-oiled machine.

A well-oiled 97-loss machine, but a well-oiled machine nonetheless.

At least compared to the Browns.

The Indians are just bad.

The Browns are bad and embarrassing.

Neither quality, however, is much of a selling point when a team is shopping for free agents. The difference is the Browns have plenty of money to go shopping. It's who they give the money to that is frequently the problem.

Indians officials, on the other hand, rarely even get to the point of deciding whom to give the money to because there's not much to give.

That's the case again this year. The Indians' starting rotation is in shambles, and John Lackey ain't walking through the door any time soon.

That's because as the free-agent season begins to heat up, the Indians, like many non-big-market teams, have needs that far exceed their abilities to address them.

General Manager Mark Shapiro says he has not yet been given a shopping budget by ownership, but it's fair to say Shapiro will once again be sorting through the markdowns on the discount rack.

"Once we determine what our offseason resources are, we'll have decisions to make," he said. "Do you put all that in one guy? Probably not a wise thing for us to do, but you could do it. Or do you break it up and try to impact the club in different ways? I don't have the answer to that now. I am realistic to know we're not going to be competing for John Lackey."

Last winter, the Indians landed one of the top free-agent closers, when in a rare spending binge they signed Kerry Wood to a two-year, $20 million contract. That worked out so well that a year later, if you're a fellow general manager wanting to inquire about Wood, Shapiro will not only gladly take your call, he'll take a late lunch to wait for it.

The Indians no longer need Wood because they are no longer contenders. They are no longer contenders because they traded Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez and a handful of other veterans in the middle of last season.

The rationale for trading Lee and Martinez, each of whom still had another year left on their contracts, was the Indians would be unable to do any shopping this winter with the salaries of Lee and Martinez still on the books.

Now that those salaries are off the books, the Indians have a nice little nest egg with which to shop for free agents, right?

Well ... um ...

"It wasn't that if we move him (Lee) we can bring a lot of guys in," says Shapiro now. "It was a question of are we good enough with Cliff and Vic and no additions at all to contend (in 2010)? If not, how much better are we positioned to get back quicker into contention with the players we can bring in through trades and maybe some money additionally?"

The Tribe chose door No. 2.

In the meantime, the Indians seem poised for another cut-and-paste of offseason shopping. They will be prudent (some will say cheap), careful (some will say wimpy) in their spending, and hopeful (some will say delusional) that whatever spare parts they can afford as additions to the roster will help them push the boulder back up the hill.

"I do think we'll have some money to spend in the free-agent market," Shapiro said. "I wouldn't expect it to be money that we'll use to jump in and spend early. I think we're probably going to get into the process a little, decide what our needs are and look to find the biggest impact for the dollars we have allotted for it. And it's going to take a while for that to happen."

In other words, don't expect Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to tell the agents for Lackey, Matt Holliday and Jason Bay to get Cleveland's final offer and then get back to him.

There will be from the Indians no best offers to the best free agents this year.

But there will, presumably, be some offers, meager though they may be.

Shapiro says his staff is prepping out the free-agent market, attempting to identify players who might have an interest in playing for Cleveland.

"Obviously, starting pitching is our No. 1 (priority)," he said. "We'd like to add an infielder. Potentially a catcher."

You know, somebody like a Cliff Lee or a Victor Martinez.

 

[JayP146]

I seem to remember reading a very similar article during last year's offseason ... and the year before ... and the year before that ..

 

[PIP]

"We're looking fo field a championship team for years to come"

-Shappy

 

[fudd]

How is this news? I feel like this is their approach every year. But, that's baseball for you.

 

[macbdog]

It's a very weak FA market; the trade market will be pretty brisk. I think there will be bargains available for the Tribe and other teams. We have to wait for the first contracts to come in before predicting exactly how the market will pan, but with the economic troubles we could see some affordable names pop up. Another key indicator will be December 12th- the last day for teams to non-tender arbitration-eligible players. Could see some more interesting names added to the market then too. Just have to wait and see.

I expect the Tribe to be an active trader. If they don't non-tender Shoppach I expect him to be dealt. I also see Shapiro kicking around for a young, established starter to trade for. The team is going into next season with 8-9 guys vying for rotation spots, I wouldn't be surprised if Shapiro decides to deal a couple to get someone more established.

 

[Chardon]

I dont know what his thinking is. We some what lucked out on Pavono. But i would like too see what our little leaguers can do.

 

[Mo Fiya]

Larry D is a good business man...he uses the indians to woo potential business partners by giving them free tickets to see the actual major league teams tee off on indians starting pitching, yet maintaining he'll spend money when the time is right. I guess the time just wasn't quite right in 07 when they came within one game of essentially winning it all (lets be real, the rockies weren't winning shit)

 

[AZ_]

Larry D is a good business man...he uses the indians to woo potential business partners by giving them free tickets to see the actual major league teams tee off on indians starting pitching, yet maintaining he'll spend money when the time is right. I guess the time just wasn't quite right in 07 when they came within one game of essentially winning it all (lets be real, the rockies weren't winning shit)

Neither were the Marlins.

 

[fearthehawk47]

Some people are just too hard to please. The Indians won't be a team to spend $100 million a year, not with the Cleveland market, not in this economy. When we were winning year after year, we spent the money. Some people act like we are at the bottom of the league in payroll. Last year, we were dead smack in the middle at 15, which is a good number for this team. We added Kerry Wood at $30 million in the offseason and added I believe $5.5 with DeRosa. We got locked up in unfortunate contracts to Hafner and Westbrook because we rewarded them for what they had done instead of predicting future success/health, although I'll admit that's hard to do. If you really expect us to be able to spend to keep a CC or Cliff Lee, then I would say if our attendance is where it was in the 90s, I would expect that as well.

 

[Chris]

Some people are just too hard to please. The Indians won't be a team to spend $100 million a year, not with the Cleveland market, not in this economy. When we were winning year after year, we spent the money. Some people act like we are at the bottom of the league in payroll. Last year, we were dead smack in the middle at 15, which is a good number for this team. We added Kerry Wood at $30 million in the offseason and added I believe $5.5 with DeRosa. We got locked up in unfortunate contracts to Hafner and Westbrook because we rewarded them for what they had done instead of predicting future success/health, although I'll admit that's hard to do. If you really expect us to be able to spend to keep a CC or Cliff Lee, then I would say if our attendance is where it was in the 90s, I would expect that as well.

Very hard to please. I mean, we just won the World Series in 19-fucking-48. Why are people complaining?!

Also- I think Wood was $20 million. I can't wait until Hafner and Westbrook are gone and their contracts aren't strapping us anymore.

 

[AZ_]

Very hard to please. I mean, we just won the World Series in 19-fucking-48. Why are people complaining?!

Also- I think Wood was $20 million. I can't wait until Hafner and Westbrook are gone and their contracts aren't strapping us anymore.

I think you're missing the point.

Too many people just don't understand the economic reality of baseball.

People want to strap 60 years without a championship onto the backs of whoever is in there right now, which is not only dumb, but breeds a loser's mentality this city is in desperate need of shaking.

 

[Chris]

I think you're missing the point.

Too many people just don't understand the economic reality of baseball.

People want to strap 60 years without a championship onto the backs of whoever is in there right now, which is not only dumb, but breeds a loser's mentality this city is in desperate need of shaking.

No, I agree with that. But developing a winning mentality is up to the teams, not the fans. You will not develop a winning mentality by being a positive patty all the time even when your team is one of the worst in its respective sport (i.e. Indians, Browns). The Cavaliers have developed a winning mentality amongst their fans by winning games and going to the playoffs every year.

People do need to accept the economic realities. But I can't blame anyone for being upset or disgruntled. I just can't bring myself to.

 

[AZ_]

No, I agree with that. But developing a winning mentality is up to the teams, not the fans. You will not develop a winning mentality by being a positive patty all the time even when your team is one of the worst in its respective sport (i.e. Indians, Browns). The Cavaliers have developed a winning mentality amongst their fans by winning games and going to the playoffs every year.

People do need to accept the economic realities. But I can't blame anyone for being upset or disgruntled. I just can't bring myself to.

So all they have to do is win the lottery?

 

[Chris]

So all they have to do is win the lottery?

Well, 60 years of bad luck working against us but the odds gotta be turning in our favor any year now. Way I see it, we're due for a World Series title within the next 20-30 years.

 

[AZ_]

Well, 60 years of bad luck working against us but the odds gotta be turning in our favor any year now. Way I see it, we're due for a World Series title within the next 20-30 years.

I'm just saying, we wouldn't be talking about the Cavs "winners's mentality" if they picked 3rd in 2003....