2020 Off-Season Rumors/News

[Andrew Scheid]

1) What makes you think Cleveland was in on Ozuna?
2) If we were, what makes you think we were given the opportunity to match?

If you think the Indians are going after a high priced free agent, even on a one year deal, I don't think you've been paying attention to the way we operate. We're more likely to trade for a vet OF at the deadline if we need one than to sign one now.

I never wrote that they were in on him, but that for $18 million guaranteed they SHOULD be in on him.

If they would have signed Ozuna, their Opening Day payroll for 2020 would still be lower than what it was for 2019.

Why can't ownership keep a payroll at $108 million to start the season? Below is a thoughtful analysis of the payroll situation.

The Cleveland Indians and the Burden of Financial Proof

Cleveland's self-imposed austerity may cut short a good thing. But why?

blogs.fangraphs.com

Also, why wait until July 31st to acquire an OFer when you don't have a single one projected to hit 100 WRC+?

 

[Andrew Scheid]

He probably wanted to play in a stadium thats full when they're contending.

Lmao. If this is a serious response, congrats on the burner account, Paul.

 

[AZ_]

Lmao. If this is a serious response, congrats on the burner account, Paul.

LOLz

No more of less serious than claiming the Indians could just match Ozuna's offer and get him, whining about ownership every time a free agent signs with one of the 29 other teams.

 

[Andrew Scheid]

LOLz

No more of less serious than claiming the Indians could just match Ozuna's offer and get him, whining about ownership every time a free agent signs with one of the 29 other teams.

This is such a strawman argument. The vast majority of fans aren't bitching that the team didn't sign Anthony Rendon or any high price free agent. The frustration from this offseason is due to watching the team have the Kipnis, Kluber and Salazar contracts come off the board and the team not use that money to reinvest into a contending roster that could use improvement in the outfield. I'm not asking them to spend the necessary money to get Rondon, Donaldson or even Castellanos. But when a player like Ozuna-who the Indians have had interest I going back to 2015--is available for roughly what they saved in trading Kluber, then it's extremely frustrating when they don't sign him.

 

[Steve_424]

I never wrote that they were in on him, but that for $18 million guaranteed they SHOULD be in on him.

If they would have signed Ozuna, their Opening Day payroll for 2020 would still be lower than what it was for 2019.

Why can't ownership keep a payroll at $108 million to start the season? Below is a thoughtful analysis of the payroll situation.

The Cleveland Indians and the Burden of Financial Proof

Cleveland's self-imposed austerity may cut short a good thing. But why?

blogs.fangraphs.com

Also, why wait until July 31st to acquire an OFer when you don't have a single one projected to hit 100 WRC+?

How do you know they weren't in on him on a 1 year deal and he preferred Atlanta?

 

[AZ_]

This is such a strawman argument. The vast majority of fans aren't bitching that the team didn't sign Anthony Rendon or any high price free agent. The frustration from this offseason is due to watching the team have the Kipnis, Kluber and Salazar contracts come off the board and the team not use that money to reinvest into a contending roster that could use improvement in the outfield. I'm not asking them to spend the necessary money to get Rondon, Donaldson or even Castellanos. But when a player like Ozuna-who the Indians have had interest I going back to 2015--is available for roughly what they saved in trading Kluber, then it's extremely frustrating when they don't sign him.

Yeah, we know its frustrating.

You can irrationally complain that a team doesn't invest money in a product that nobody comes to see regardless of how they do, or you can stop having the same argument 1,000 times.

We could also talk about how spending $18M for a 2.5 WAR player is pretty fucking dumb, but I doubt we'll ever get that far here.

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

Yeah, we know its frustrating.

You can irrationally complain that a team doesn't invest money in a product that nobody comes to see regardless of how they do, or you can stop having the same argument 1,000 times.

We could also talk about how spending $18M for a 2.5 WAR player is pretty fucking dumb, but I doubt we'll ever get that far here.

In this organzation, that $18M will likely get you much more than Ozuna's production when invested in home grown talent.

To @Andrew Scheid 's original point, if the options were to spend $18M on Ozuna or not spend the money and be stuck with our current OF without the chance for any young guys to improve, I'd agree with him. However, that's simply not the case.

 

[Andrew Scheid]

Yeah, we know its frustrating.

You can irrationally complain that a team doesn't invest money in a product that nobody comes to see regardless of how they do, or you can stop having the same argument 1,000 times.

We could also talk about how spending $18M for a 2.5 WAR player is pretty fucking dumb, but I doubt we'll ever get that far here.

Yeah, because attendance is the only revenue stream for teams.
Make sure to wear your best suit when your silver spoon, Cable television negotiation failure accepts his prestigious award at the Cleveland Sports Awards ceremony.
I'm sure you'll tear up with pride and rise to your feet for a standing ovation when he utters the phrase "realities of our market" a dozen times.
Enjoy your special night.

Guaranteeing $18 million for a player whose projected WAR exceeds the entire outfield isn't crazy unless you guard Pauly's money like a mother cougar guards her cubs.

 

[BiGZD]

If Mark Cuban bought the Cleveland Indians, they would become the Dallas Indians at the first available opportunity.

You seem to think that there's this unlimited supply of billionaires out there who (1) want to buy a professional baseball team and (2) keep it in Cleveland. There isn't. I'm sure you could find some who clear hurdle (1); it's (2) that's the kicker.

I actually said in one of my early post there's over 600 billionaires in United States so I know there's not a unlimited supply. Baseball is in the decline and there's already 2 teams in Texas so I don't even know possible from a finicial stand-point or the other owners would allow it. But you are correct we (actually the Dolans) would need to find someone that actually cares about the team and keep in city unless part of new ownership deal would be a new stadium and lease agreement that was iron-clad.

 

[Kevalier]

Just as the one year deal that Atlanta gave Donaldson last winter worked out for them, I could very well see this deal paying off for the Braves. As shown here, his remarkable exit velocity and hard hit percentage indicate that he should see even greater production next season from his .800 OPS and 110 wRC+ in 2019. While I doubt he reaches a 5 WAR campaign like he did in 2017, his 3 WAR projection seems like like a very safe bet if he’s healthy. With the amount of uncertainty in the Tribe outfield, he would have been quite the nice addition.

 

[daddywags]

He's played his entire career in the National League. That might well have meant something to him, like, requiring an AL team to outbid an NL team. No reason to just assume "We could have had him for $18 million."

 

[Huber.]

Atlanta not having 9 months of winter probably sold him.

 

[Derek]

Most likely we would have needed to match or better the deal Donaldson got last year to be involved with Ozuna, which correct me if I’m wrong, was the biggest 1-year contract given out in free agency at that point.

 

[AZ_]

Yeah, because attendance is the only revenue stream for teams.
Make sure to wear your best suit when your silver spoon, Cable television negotiation failure accepts his prestigious award at the Cleveland Sports Awards ceremony.
I'm sure you'll tear up with pride and rise to your feet for a standing ovation when he utters the phrase "realities of our market" a dozen times.
Enjoy your special night.

Guaranteeing $18 million for a player whose projected WAR exceeds the entire outfield isn't crazy unless you guard Pauly's money like a mother cougar guards her cubs.

Cringeworthy.

Trying to imagine a time in my life where maybe I would have considered that even moderately amusing.

Best of luck whenever you take Econ 101.

 

[BMAN]

Woof. No wonder I have some of these people on ignore. Awful.