Cleveland Indians 2018-2019 Offseason Outlook

[JayDD1972]

Probably? I can see dealing one, but more than one?

And now we are talking possibly trading Gomes to?

 

[CavsRules]

Depressing to see this team basically giving up, and looking to start another rebuild/retool.

I understand it's baseball. I understand the market stuff, etc etc. But it doesn't make it any easier.

Because this is a damn good baseball team, with one of the better front offices guys and Tito as manager.

They really should be making a push to add another piece or two in order to get back to the world series. But when you don't have the funds, you don't have the funds.

Bummer.

 

[MirORich]

Depressing to see this team basically giving up, and looking to start another rebuild/retool.

I understand it's baseball. I understand the market stuff, etc etc. But it doesn't make it any easier.

Because this is a damn good baseball team, with one of the better front offices guys and Tito as manager.

They really should be making a push to add another piece or two in order to get back to the world series. But when you don't have the funds, you don't have the funds.

Bummer.

Many people do not think that’s what’s happening

 

[CavsRules]

Many people do not think that’s what’s happening

I mean, I get the Indians have depth in the rotation, and they can deal away someone if it makes sense. But how is it a winning now move if they deal said player for prospects we won't see for several seasons? Or am I missing something?

I absolutely love Cookies contract, too.. So trading him makes no sense. Neither does Bauer, who's coming off a Cy young type season.

Like I said, I'm all for trading Kluber because it makes some sense.. If they can add pieces to help this team win.

Trading him just for prospects doesn't tell me they're going in to win this upcoming season.

 

[sportscoach]

I mean, I get the Indians have depth in the rotation, and they can deal away someone if it makes sense. But how is it a winning now move if they deal said player for prospects we won't see for several seasons? Or am I missing something?

I absolutely love Cookies contract, too.. So trading him makes no sense. Neither does Bauer, who's coming off a Cy young type season.

Like I said, I'm all for trading Kluber because it makes some sense.. If they can add pieces to help this team win.

Trading him just for prospects doesn't tell me they're going in to win this upcoming season.

I have a hunch if we are trading guys like Kluber/Carrasco, for players who are already MLB ready with years of control plus prospects. Andujar is 23 at the moment who .297 with 27 HRs, so he is already a pretty productive player. I suggested Olson, who is 24 and had 24 HRs and a gold glove at first from Oakland. Then we will be trying to trade like EE, Kipnis etc to cut salary and get prospects back then look to sign like a Marwin to fill in a positional need plus maybe like a Buchholz to minor league/1 year contracts to fill in the starting spot.

In my personal opinion, if we trade a Kluber, it will be only one deal which will be apart of many. Also I doubt we will trade Gomes unless we feel Haase/Perez can handle the pitching staff, so I don't think thats happening unless the deal makes us better at the end. The FO of the Indians right now is notoriously known for setting prices and not allowing them to go any lower regardless of offers hence why Kipnis wasn't traded last offseason (Though looking back, I think we would have been okay with Diaz at 3rd and Ramirez at 2nd since he didn't have a strong season)

 

[MirORich]

I mean, I get the Indians have depth in the rotation, and they can deal away someone if it makes sense. But how is it a winning now move if they deal said player for prospects we won't see for several seasons? Or am I missing something?

I absolutely love Cookies contract, too.. So trading him makes no sense. Neither does Bauer, who's coming off a Cy young type season.

Like I said, I'm all for trading Kluber because it makes some sense.. If they can add pieces to help this team win.

Trading him just for prospects doesn't tell me they're going in to win this upcoming season.

I think the team design and leadership that started from when Tito got here has been good enough that I am openminded that they can accomplish multiple goals:

-Reduction/reorganization of where the payroll is allocated both this year and long term

-still being on a chance to win a pennant level

If once the moves are made and over 1-2 years it doesn't play out like that, my attitude would shift.

But I think these guys have proven to be smart enough over the past 5-6 years that I have optimism about the approach they take until/unless it bears no fruit.

 

[Steve_424]

From Paul Hoynes:

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians entered the offseason with the same goal for 2019 as they had in 2018 -- to win a World Series.

But they're operating under different conditions. There will be no increase in the franchise-record payroll from 2018. There will be no big free-agent signings and the 12 free agents that left them after Boston beat the Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series in all probability aren't coming back.

Still, the Indians know they have big holes to fill in the outfield and bullpen. To do that they're going to attempt to thread the needle -- trade one or two of their talented players to fill the holes and take another run at something the Indians haven't won since 1948.

With a game plan like that, it is necessary to have a talented roster and the Indians do. Teams want to trade for the players on the Tribe's roster, which has kept executives Chris Antonetti, Mike Chernoff and others busy.

Starting pitching is the crown jewel of the Tribe's roster. They have frontline talent in Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer. They have potential in Mike Clevinger and Shane Bieber and Adam Plukto and depth in Cody Anderson and Danny Salazar.

In the middle infield they have Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, Jason Kipnis and Erik Gonzalez. The price for Lindor and Ramirez would be extravagant, but it doesn't cost anything to listen. Yu Chang, who can play shortstop or third, is hitting well in the Arizona Fall League.

Several teams are looking for catchers and the Indians have veterans in Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez. Eric Haase is right behind them. The Indians hold club options on Gomes through 2021 and Perez through 2022. Perez is coming off a bad season, but he's shown in the past that he can handle a pitching staff fulltime.

If a team is looking for power at DH or first base, they have that in Edwin Encarnacion and Yonder Alonso. Encarnacion is signed through 2019 with a club option for 2020. Alonso is signed through 2019 with a vesting option for 2020.

Encarnacion, making $20 million in 2019, will be hard to trade. Alonso will make $8 million. Yandy Diaz is waiting behind them and Bobby Bradley hit 24 homers in 97 games at Class AA Akron.

Now it just comes down to making the right deal. Something that is a lot easier said than done.


Hoynes often works as a front office mouthpiece, so I think we can take this information as pretty credible.

 

[Steve_424]

The more I read, the more it seems like Kluber won't be an Indian in 2019. The only question is what the package would be and who it will come from. To me, the three most likely suitors are the Yankees, the Braves, and the Cubs The Yankees are facing pressure to catch up to the Red Sox, and adding a Cy Young finalist would be a big move for them to make. The Braves have a fantastic young team but no true ace - Kluber would be that, and would serve as an excellent leader for their young starting pitchers. And the Cubs, after whiffing on Darvish, really need an ace to add to their staff.

 

[Ohio]

Would be absolutely disgusted if we traded Kluber to the Yankees. Fuck this franchise forever if they do that.

 

[Alpoe]

Would be absolutely disgusted if we traded Kluber to the Yankees. Fuck this franchise forever if they do that.

Why? If they have the best package of young players,(Torres, Andujar) prospects, and bullpen help you would be foolish not to trade with them because they are the yankees.

 

[Ohio]

Why? If they have the best package of young players,(Torres, Andujar) prospects, and bullpen help you would be foolish not to trade with them because they are the yankees.

Because they are the competition. Why aren't rebuilding (yet), we are apparently just retooling.

So, if that is the case, we shouldn't be aiding one of our biggest competitors. It would be so Cleveland to give the Yankees Kluber and then have to watch him kick our ass in the postseason multiple times.

The AL Central is still bad. The streak, by all means, should continue. We shouldn't be boosting one of the other AL playoff teams, it makes no sense.

 

[Alpoe]

The more I read, the more it seems like Kluber won't be an Indian in 2019. The only question is what the package would be and who it will come from. To me, the three most likely suitors are the Yankees, the Braves, and the Cubs The Yankees are facing pressure to catch up to the Red Sox, and adding a Cy Young finalist would be a big move for them to make. The Braves have a fantastic young team but no true ace - Kluber would be that, and would serve as an excellent leader for their young starting pitchers. And the Cubs, after whiffing on Darvish, really need an ace to add to their staff.

I think so. i don't think it will be a non-contending team like the Padres or Reds. Maybe the Dodgers are in the mix as well, but we would need Bellinger from them, and I seriously doubt they would include him in any package.

 

[Alpoe]

Because they are the competition. Why aren't rebuilding (yet), we are apparently just retooling.

So, if that is the case, we shouldn't be aiding one of our biggest competitors. It would be so Cleveland to give the Yankees Kluber and then have to watch him kick our ass in the postseason multiple times.

The AL Central is still bad. The streak, by all means, should continue. We shouldn't be boosting one of the other AL playoff teams, it makes no sense.

Thats understandable. For me it's getting the best return/haul in a trade, and the yankees have tons to offer.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

I'm so tired of the "if it's the best package it doesn't matter that you're significantly strengthening your competition" argument

It clearly factors into the decision and this weird "do whatever makes the team better completely ignoring all other factors in the decision" theory was spammed ad nauseam when the Cavs traded with the Celtics.

There's a reason the Cavs are the only team dumb enough to do it. Look at all the other NBA trades for superstars. Literally can't remember the last non Kyrie star trade that didn't ship out of conference. Baseball is different, but strengthening by far the Yankees biggest weakness and just pointing to us making our team better is honestly pretty lazy thinking

 

[Steve_424]

I'm so tired of the "if it's the best package it doesn't matter that you're significantly strengthening your competition" argument

It clearly factors into the decision and this weird "do whatever makes the team better completely ignoring all other factors in the decision" theory was spammed ad nauseam when the Cavs traded with the Celtics.

There's a reason the Cavs are the only team dumb enough to do it. Look at all the other NBA trades for superstars. Literally can't remember the last non Kyrie star trade that didn't ship out of conference. Baseball is different, but strengthening by far the Yankees biggest weakness and just pointing to us making our team better is honestly pretty lazy thinking

My thinking is that the Indians may be willing to deal Kluber not just because of $, but also because they see an issue with him (age, health, both). So maybe they wouldn't be strengthening them that much?