Lazy Sunday Through the Snow

After clearing snow 3 times yesterday due to about 2 feet dropping in my yard (really, 2 feet) and about 6 more inches that need to be cleared, let’s dive headlong into a Lazy Sunday:

Anthony Castrovince of indians.com has a nice piece on a player that I think will work his way into the minds of Tribe fans this year – Bad, Bad Jordan Brown (you may know him as “the baddest man in the whole damn town”). Some nice tidbits in the piece explain that Brown battled some through some knee pain last year en route to his MVP season in Akron. The scar tissue and bone spurs in his knee seem to explain his “low” (relatively speaking) HR numbers (11) from Akron last year, as well as the intriguing bit that he felt it slowed him down on the basepaths, where he finished with 11 SB. Nowhere in Brown’s history does it show him being a demon on the basepaths (2 career SB in 3 years at the University of Arizona), but seeing as how Ryan Garko racked up 11 SB in 4 minor league seasons, Brown (pictured above) would certainly bring more speed to the party than Garko…if it ever came to that decision.

And perhaps that’s the most interesting part of the Brown piece – in that he will be playing exclusively at 1B in Buffalo this year after an unsuccessful stint in LF (why do images of Ben Broussard “trying” to play LF enter my head here?) last year in Akron. Given the dearth of true impact prospects in the corners for the Tribe in the upper levels (look, Ben Francisco is 26 and Trevor Crowe’s “scrappiness” is not a quantifiable attribute…regardless if Pete Gammons said Crowe’s nickname among Red Sox scouts was Ty Cobb), I’m surprised that the Indians would be so quick to abandon the LF idea (unless Brown truly has NO clue how to take a proper line to a ball) with Garko seemingly ensconced at 1B. Some Indians’ fans feel that Garko established himself last year as a potential complementary piece, posting an .842 OPS and adding somewhat of a RH presence below Pronk in the lineup, while others see a low ceiling for Garko as a kind of “is what he is” player with limited potential for improvement on his 2007 and as a defensive liability at 1B.

Is it possible that the Indians are higher on Brown’s potential (the quote from Ross Atkins in the piece calls Brown “a Major League quality bat" right now) than they are on Garko’s? For comparison’s sake, Garko’s season in Akron as a 23-year-old (though he did only play 43 games for the Aeros that year prior to being called up to Buffalo) compares favorably to Brown’s 23-year-old season in Akron over 127 games:
Garko – Akron 2004
.331 BA / .397 OBP / .523 SLG / .920 OPS

Brown – Akron 2007
.333 BA / .421 OBP / .484 SLG / .905 OPS

The similarities between Brown and Garko in their development bring up a few questions as they both look to (eventually) be vying to handle 1B in Cleveland:
Why leave Brown at 1B in Buffalo? Was he that much of a butcher in the OF?
If Brown does continue his string of extremely impressive seasons, where does that leave him in the 1B pecking order?
Where does it leave Garko, or (dare I say) former 1st Round Pick Michael Aubrey (who needs to show that he can stay healthy for longer than 2 weeks at a time)?
If Brown does thrive in Buffalo, would the Tribe be looking at dealing from a newfound position of depth?
And finally, if Brown Jordan is a manufacturer of outdoor furniture, why do the youngsters on the Indians keep having names whose Google search nets places to buy furniture?
Is there a bed and breakfast somewhere in New England named “Beau Mills” situated on a picturesque waterfall that prides itself on its French cuisine?

Paul Hoynes updates everyone on the Indians’ pursuit of Edward Salcedo, a 16-year-old wunderkind from the Dominican Republic. There’s been an awful lot written in the blogosphere about the destination for Salcedo who, no matter how high his ceiling is, remains…16 years old! Also in the piece is a mention that Kevin Millwood is working his way through another injury in Texas…but we should just give C.C. as many years as he wants, right?
By the way, my favorite part of the link is the first comment, which illustrates very clearly why nobody should ever – under any circumstances – engage a commenter on the cleveland.com website…never, ever.

Terry Pluto provides an update on some Spring names, notably where Smoke ‘Em Brian Slocum could fit into the Indians’ plans going forward. The idea of SEBS replacing either Sabathia or Byrd in the rotation in 2009 just made me break out in a cold sweat, but stranger things have happened when a pitcher finally “gets his chance” (see Guthrie, Jeremy).

If you’ve been wondering why Sheldon Ocker’s musings haven’t been appearing as of late, I think his mailbag responses (which range from condescending to downright mean as they answer well-written questions and one that is actually a glowing commendation of Socker) will put your query to bed.

An analysis of roster construction and a team’s reliance on its best players comes from the LGT’s Jay Levin as he furthers some thoughts originally espoused by Joe Posnanski in regards to the make-up of the teams in the AL Central. This is pretty heady stuff, particularly if the concept of Win Shares does not exist in your universe. So, if you spent your Saturday shut in by snow and sipping a few too many cocktails (out of Bombay Sapphire here at the Tepee and the place I had to walk…yes, walk…for milk for the DiaperTribe yesterday didn’t exactly stock it – so we polished off some red wine), wait for your head to truly clear to absorb the depth and breadth of information and analysis provided here.

Ken Rosenthal reports that the Mariners are looking for a RH outfielder to complement their corner OF (Raul Ibanez and Brad Wilkerson, both LH). Hmmm…I think I know a guy who might be available. As long as they have that hair product in Seattle that allows his hair to retain that “just out of the shower” look (I believe serial poster smtp says the product is simply called WET), he should fit in. And I think the last few trades that we’ve made with Mariners’ GM Bill Bavasi have worked out in our favor (Benuardo netted The BLC and Asdrubal…just Asdrubal), so mark me as FIRMLY on board for shipping Michaels off to the Pacific Northwest for whatever they’ll give us.

I know that I’ve been rather remiss in not covering the results of these early Spring Training games, but the best place I’ve found for coverage of each game actually happens to be Mark Schwab’s WTAM coverage as you can watch videos and listen to interviews to come to your own conclusions, not biased by beat writers’ opinions. Plus, you can click on one of the greatest songs ever, “Indian Fever” while perusing the coverage.

For those out-of-towners (or if you’re in town and just haven’t heard), there’s a commercial on WTAM parodying Tom Hamilton making his introductory call to start the game. It starts with Hamilton saying “And welcome everybody to Progressive Field” (which, when I heard it the first time, my stomach dropped), followed by a pause and Hamilton saying under his breath, “no…that just doesn’t sound right”. I actually laughed out loud as Hamilton’s “practice calls” continued until the voice over came in that they’d “get this right in time for Opening Day”. It’s a fantastic little spot that pokes fun at the renaming of The Jake and whatever entity (the Indians, WTAM, etc.) came up with it should be commended for having a sense of humor about the whole thing. The fact that Hamilton deadpans it makes me wish I could find it somewhere online to link it…it’s that good.

Since I’m fully working under the realization that this 1986: Take 2 thing interests me and about 6 other people, I figured that I’d point out that the 1986 Tribe remains on the warpath, going 17-6 since the “All Star Break” and have climbed into 4th place in the AL Central, only 5 games out of 1st and clipping the Yankees’ heels in 3rd. Considering that the Tribe has taken 5 of 7 from the Tigers and 2 of 3 from the Yankees since the All Star Break and look to be getting fat on games against the 42-68 Orioles, the 1986 Tribe could be making some noise down the stretch in Take 2!

Finally, I should be getting into the breakdown of some position battles in the coming week as the team has finally started to play enough games that something can be gleaned from Spring Training numbers, outside of whether the bronze statue of Ben Francisco should go in the Plaza between Progressive Field and The Q or at the corner of E. 9th and Carnegie.
My vote is for the Plaza.

Sí Sí, CC

Since I’m not a big follower of Rick Bauer's career, I'm having a little trouble getting into these early Spring Training games (though I did sit and watch the one against the Braves on DVR – with a 15-month-old with an ear infection on my lap – when they were nearly one-hit), I thought I'd provide some links on a situation that has barely been touched on…the C.C. contract situation!

While it’s not quite Sunday yet, both of them come via Sports Illustrated, first from Jon Heyman. A lot of it is items that have been addressed here (seemingly ad nauseum) or are quotes that would be expected from both parties, but it does provide some new information.
The highlights:

The Indians, whom he loves, this winter offered a four-year extension believed to be worth close to $20 million a year, which would have bumped his contract to five years and about $90 million. Meanwhile, Sabathia, who is to make $11.25 million this year, is thought to be seeking a significantly longer deal at $100 million-plus, exactly the sort of contract that would stretch the Indians' budget, which has been cleverly kept to the lower end of the mid-market range.

That’s a higher number than has been reported by the local media and translates into an extension in the range of four years and an extra $78.75M to get it close to the $90M number over the five years of the deal.
$18M per for 5 years? Sounds about right.

What’s interesting is that the $100M-plus number that Heyman references could only come in a contract that would run longer than 5 years…nothing to be surprised at, but interesting that it’s finally being reported correctly.

But whatever transpired in talks with Sabathia's representatives back in December seemed to convince some intimates that his chances to remain beyond this season are less than exceptional. Someone connected to the Indians lamented to me shortly after those talks in December, "No way he stays.''

Again, nothing too surprising, outside of the admission of someone in the organization that neither side will acquiesce to the demands of the other, meaning they’re two years apart (at least) in terms of the length of the deal.

Assuming the Indians can't bridge the gap of millions to keep him beyond this season, here are the three most likely landing spots, according to Heyman:

1. Yankees. Long seen as the most logical destination for Sabathia, the big reason they balked at Santana was their reluctance to part with top pitching prospects Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy. Since it'll only cost them money (and draft choices), and Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano, Jason Giambi and Andy Pettitte could be coming off the books, they remain the favorite. A perfect replacement in case this is Pettitte's last year, a real possibility.
2. Dodgers. They can afford Sabathia, and they have a some age and injury questions in their rotation.
3. Giants. Pitching isn't their problem. And they already sunk $126 million into a left-hander (Zito). But they have the wherewithal and desire to win, and perhaps Sabathia has a hankering to go home.

For some reason, the Dodgers have always struck me as his most likely destination (sorry, for me it’s no longer Cleveland) due to the proximity to his home, his ability to hit in the NL (don’t ask me why I think this is important to him), and the fact that the Dodgers could certainly be looking to make the splash in Free Agency at some point that has been reserved in LA for the Angels.
Then again, maybe I'm just trying not to think of him in pinstripes.

The other piece that appears in this week’s print edition of SI, Ben Reiter contributes this piece about C.C. and the contract situation. Like Heyman’s piece, not too much is added but Reiter’s article puts a nice little ribbon on the whole situation and presents it fairly and accurately (despite quoting Paul Hoynes’ already infamous “Seven-Eleven line”). Although Reiter has different contract proposal information then Heyman (I believe Heyman on this, who seems a little more in tune with some sources), he examines why Sabathia may end up staying when it’s all said and done:

Shapiro could just be in denial, but perhaps he's not. He is looking ahead to a deep free-agent market for pitchers next year, possibly including John Lackey, Ben Sheets, Brad Penny, Rich Harden, A.J. Burnett, Oliver Perez, Derek Lowe, John Smoltz and Pedro Martinez, and that might hold down Sabathia's price. Another reason for Cleveland to hope, says one mid-market general manager, is that the Santana deal was an exceptional case. The price the Mets paid for the finest talent of this generation won't necessarily realign the broader market. "C.C. is one of the best young starting pitchers in the game, and he's going to get paid a lot of money," the G.M. says, "but there are not a lot of teams that want to spend $20 million a year for one player."

Maybe the Indians know the market better than we think. Perhaps they are aware of what C.C. may be looking at in terms of offers and feel that what they’re throwing out there is in line with what awaits him. I think that list of potential Free Agents is more relevant than people think, particularly if the Indians part ways with Sabathia. The likes of Lackey or Penny could slot below Sabathia and could be obtainable by the Indians, freed from the contractual commitments to Sabathia and Paul Byrd.

The other part of the article that I absolutely love:

Also on Cleveland's side is that the team's immediate future is bright. The Indians' other stars, including centerfielder Grady Sizemore, DH Travis Hafner, catcher Victor Martinez, shortstop Jhonny Peralta and starter Fausto Carmona, are signed through 2010, suggesting at least two more years of contention beyond this season. Observes Detroit Tigers outfielder Curtis Granderson, who last month signed a five-year, $30.25 million extension, "A change of scenery is not always the best thing, and he's in a very good situation right now."

Can someone put that quote on C.C.’s locker…even if it came from Detroit?

I know that providing these links is akin to beating a dead horse and I’m the one holding the whip. But, unfortunately for us in Cleveland, it takes the national perspective to provide nice summations of the situations without degenerating into comments about convenience store shopping lists.

A Prince’s Ransom

It may have gone unnoticed on the North Coast, but it seems that Prince Fielder is unhappy about the Brewers’ renewing his contract for $670,000 after hitting 50 HR and posting a 1.013 OPS as a 23-year old in his second full MLB season. While it is certainly the Brewers’ right to renew Fielder’s contract at that salary (it actually is a step up in terms of where 3rd year players’ salaries generally reside) it actually provides a great example of how different organizations approach contracts and salaries with their young players, particularly those thought to be on their way to becoming perennial All Stars.

What may seem, at first glance, like simply another instance of a player grousing about how he is underpaid is actually more relevant to the Indians than you may initially think. The Brewers have taken the approach with their young players, namely Fielder and Ryan Braun, that they may pay a little more than the going rate for players not even eligible for arbitration and still subject to the minimum MLB salary scale, but they’re not going to go into the realm of guaranteeing any future dollars by locking up future years on a multi-year contract, a practice utilized by the Indians going back to the early-90’s and adopted by numerous teams in subsequent years. The Brewers, eschewing this strategy, generally pay their players according to certain “benchmarks” before a player becomes arbitration-eligible, at which point the club and the player initiate the ugly process of “exchanging numbers” and potentially presenting arguments against each other in arbitration, a procedure that has been know to sour relationships.

Fielder, who has approximately the same MLB service time as players like Josh Barfield and Kelly Shoppach on the Tribe, will be eligible for arbitration after the 2008 season as well as after the 2009 and 2010 season until he has the potential to become a Free Agent after the 2011 season. Basically, there’s still quite a bit of time that Fielder figures to be in Milwaukee, but 2008 represents the last non-arbitration affected salary for the club. Seeing what the likes of Miguel Cabrera received in his 1st year of arbitration ($7.4M in 2007, as well as the $11.3M he’ll be paid in 2008, his 2nd season of arbitration), it is certainly feasible to have the feeling that Fielder should just keep his head down, keep his mouth shut, keep hitting, and wait for the big payday that is waiting for him next year.

But Fielder sees what has happened elsewhere around the league in regards to signing young players to multi-year deals to essentially buy out those years of arbitration (and sometimes the 1st year of Free Agency) for the certainty of a guaranteed contract, and he is not a happy Prince. Throw in the “human element” of Fielder watching the Brewers give significant money this off-season to Eric Gagne (a $10M salary in 2008), Mike Cameron (a $7M salary in 2008), and David Riske (a $4M salary in 2008) and, regardless of how much Fielder understands (or doesn’t understand) the way that MLB salaries are structured based on service time, the unquestioned MVP of the team is going to feel slighted. In this case, he just happened to go public with his dissatisfaction.

Now, what exactly is meant by the “what has happened elsewhere around the league” that I referenced above, causing Fielder to utter that “guys with the same amount of time I have who have done a lot less than me and are getting paid a lot more”?

Certainly, this is an obvious reference to the deals meted out to Grady Sizemore and, more recently, to Rockies’ SS Troy Tulowitzki. We are all very aware of the Sizemore deal, signed in 2006 for $23.45M over 6 years that buy out Grady’s arbitration years as well as one year of Free Agency; but it is more likely that the Tulowitzki deal is the one that Fielder is alluding to as Colorado inked their young SS to a 6-year, $31M deal after all of 705 career MLB at-bats. Tulowitzki posted a .838 OPS with 24 HR and 99 RBI in his rookie year and the Rockies rewarded him with a guaranteed, multi-year contract – something they were under no obligation to do, except for the message that it sends to the team that the organization intends to take care of their own…even when they don’t need to. Tulowitzki is slated to earn $750,000 both this year and next (compared to Fielder’s $670,000) and will get pay increases to $3.5M in 2010, $5.5M in 2011, $8.5M in 2012, and $10M in 2013 with a club option for $15M in 2014 with a $2M buyout.

That huge amount of guaranteed money due to Tulowitzki, in addition to the $80K more in 2008, is where Fielder is not feeling the love from Milwaukee. The Brewers are, as I said, under no obligation to give Fielder anything more than a one-year deal essentially at their terms and have indicated that they have “benchmarks” in place to determine the salaries of players not yet eligible for arbitration, which dictated Fielder’s salary. “We view our system as more than a fair system,” Brewers’ GM Bob Melvin told the Associated Press. “You can't worry about it. It is what it is. You do it.”

Who cares, right? What does Fielder have to complain about?
For a moment, take notice of the years posted by Sizemore and Tulowitzki immediately prior to their long-term deals:
Sizemore 2005 (Age 22)
.289 BA / .348 OBP / .484 SLG / .832 OPS, 22 HR, 81 RBI, 111 R, 123 OPS+

Tulowitzki 2006 (Age 22)
.291 BA / .359 OBP / .479 SLG / .838 OPS, 24 HR, 99 RBI, 104 R, 108 OPS+

Pretty impressive numbers for players at such a young age and certainly worth looking into locking up for the foreseeable future, right?
Now, look at Fielder’s numbers in his first two MLB seasons:
2006 (Age 22)
.271 BA / .347 OBP / .483 SLG / .830 OPS, 28 HR, 81 RBI, 82 R, 110 OPS+

2007 (Age 23)
.288 BA / .395 OBP / .618 SLG / 1.013 OPS, 50 HR, 119 RBI, 109 R, 156 OPS+

If the numbers posted by Fielder as a 22-year-old were not enough (as they were for Sizemore and Tulowitzki) to bring the Brewers to the contract table, surely his 2007 would, right?
Not in Milwaukee, with their “fair system” and “benchmarks” for salaries.

Now, you may be asking yourself, “How does this have anything to do with the Indians?”
Ultimately, this comes down to differing organizational philosophies on how to handle young players’ contracts and how the perception of those young players towards the organization is formed through their early negotiations.

At this point, it’s no leap of faith to say that Fielder has purchased a calendar and is marking each passing day with an “X” until his time with Milwaukee has ended, if the reports of his displeasure are to be believed. The impact of that then, on the clubhouse to potential stars like Ryan Braun and further down to complementary pieces like J.J. Hardy and Chris Capuano is the message (fair or not) that the organization is unwilling to “take care of their own”, to guarantee some long-term security for one of their best players, instead willing to go along with their “system” until they are forced by the guidelines of salary and service time to bite the bullet and pay their players. The likely products of the “system” end up being that the team saves money for today, but the seeds of discontent are sowed in the process, perhaps alienating a young talent like Fielder who may be more than content to sign a deal in line with that of Tulowitzki and (probably) be “underpaid” as that contract runs its course. Of course, sacrificing those arbitration numbers give the player some security that, if something were to happen, the guaranteed money isn’t going anywhere.

But, enough about Brew City and their organizational philosophies as there’s no guarantee that Fielder wouldn’t essentially ask for the Girl in the Moon (Miller High Life reference) at the negotiating table, making the whole discussion moot – the point of examining what is happening with Fielder and the Brewers is to realize that the Indians (long ago) decided that this was not the way to do business with their young talent. To follow the Indians’ line of thinking, the goodwill created through a few choice long-term contracts to lock in guaranteed salaries and avoid arbitration while providing certain players long-term security goes a lot further than saving a few dollars in the short-term.

Not intending to don a corduroy jacket with the elbow patches and go all “History Professor” on you, but it is a philosophy pioneered by John Hart in the early 90’s, locking up young players with relatively club-friendly deals, avoiding the ugly process of arbitration, and (hopefully) buying out a year of Free Agency in exchange for the security of a long-term deal of guaranteed money. Hart’s first foray into the philosophy was done en masse, with some hits (notably Sandy Alomar, Jr., Carlos Baerga, and Charles Nagy) and some notable misses (Jack Armstrong, Scott Scudder, Glenallen Hill, Dennis Cook, Dave Otto, Rod Nichols, and Alex Cole). The strategy, as we all know, served as the impetus for the unprecedented run of success through the late 90s as the talent gelled and matured together.

The strategy continued throughout Mark Shapiro’s tenure as GM when, after the 2005 season, the Indians approached Grady Sizemore and Jhonny Peralta about inking long-term deals, despite Sizemore having only 778 career at-bats to that point and Peralta having 771 career at-bats (Fielder, by the way, has 1,201 career at-bats). Both players agreed to deals, with Sizemore’s aforementioned 6-year, $23.45M deal keeping in a Tribe uniform through 2012 (assuming the club picks up a $8.5M option for that year) and Peralta signing a 5-year, $13M deal that will keep him in Cleveland through 2011 (again, assuming a $7M option is picked up by the team that year).

Don’t think the fact that Colorado GM Dan O’Dowd (who inked Tulowitzki to the record-setting deal for a player with less than two years of MLB service time) plied his trade at the knee of John Hart before Shapiro did is a mere coincidence. Both O’Dowd and Shapiro saw the effect that the strategy of locking up young players had on the Indians of the 90s, both in terms of having set salaries for budgetary reasons as well as team continuity, and prudently have continued the line of thinking (even surpassing Hart’s design in terms of locking up players with less service time than those signed by Hart in the early 90s) to the point that both had their teams in the “Final Four” in 2007, returning essentially the same team in 2008.

While the wisdom of the philosophy employed by the Indians and Rockies (and others) can be argued regarding the construction of a perennial winner, I can’t recall a Tribe player publicly complaining about feeling underpaid or feeling somehow wronged by the organization. Rather, most indications are that the philosophy of rewarding guaranteed contracts to young players, avoiding arbitration, and generally “taking care of their own” before dictated to do so because of service time and by the process of arbitration has the effect of galvanizing the talent on a roster as it shows that the organization is willing to assume the risk associated with giving a (still relatively) unproven player guaranteed years and money when they can easily, and within their rights, simply employ the “system” in place in Milwaukee to pay a player only when the rules dictate, perhaps creating animosity and jealousy in the process.

In the increasingly competitive league, with the schism between large-market, mid-market, and small-market teams seemingly growing every season, the differing philosophies employed by the Brewers and the Indians (in two similarly sized markets) offer a stark contrast in a strategy for developing a consistent contender. Personally, I prefer that the Indians employ the pro-active philosophy of addressing issues before they turn ugly instead of the reactive philosophy of teams like the Brewers that result in team tumult, unhappy players, and little chance of any goodwill between club and player in future negotiations.

Prince Fielder, and a few folks in the Milwaukee clubhouse, would probably agree.

A Little Lazy Sunday

Pulling myself away from answering the phone every five minutes this weekend from people named John, Hillary, Barack, and Dennis (how is it that political calls somehow circumvent the “Do Not Call” register…and does anyone actually sit there and listen to the recorded message?), it’s time for a quick Lazy Sunday:

Terry Pluto takes a look at where Josh Barfield may eventually fit with the Indians, surmising that the answer may eventually be moving Peralta to 3B (remember, Pluto has previously written that Peralta could find himself traded), slotting Cabrera to SS, and letting Barfield return to 2B. Nowhere in the piece do the words “Andy” or “Marte” appear.

Yahoo Sports presents a nice encapsulation of what to watch for in Spring Training for the Erie Warriors. Nothing too earth-shattering, just solid information on what’s what in Winter Haven. The things that stand out to me are the “Top Candidate to Surprise” as Jeff Stevens and the “Top Candidate to Disappoint” as Frank the Tank.

More on Stevens in a moment, but the piece from Yahoo points out that, “Gutierrez hit just .240 from Aug. 1 through the end of the postseason, suggesting opposing pitchers have found a hole in his swing. Gutierrez also hit just .232 vs. right-handed pitchers, indicating he might be better suited for platoon duty in right field rather than as an everyday player.” Gutz’s defense is going to have him on an awfully long leash as he figures to bring stellar defense to RF, but it will be interesting to see how the Indians approach his struggles against RHP. If he is deemed to be a “platoon player” by, say, late May (which would be an awfully quick analysis), he could be slotted in with Big League Choo in RF as a platoon. The other option that remains within the organization is The Ben Francisco Treat, with his performance against the Tigers yesterday (realizing fully that one good game does not constitute a solid Spring Training) indicating that he’s not interested in heading back to Dunn Tire Park anytime soon.

Back to Stevens, who will forever be remembered as the player netted by the Tribe in the Brandon Phillips deal; but he’s working hard to be known for something other than that. Last year, as a 23-year-old RH reliever for Kinston and Akron, he posted cumulative numbers of a 2.81 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, 102 K and 25 BB in 83 1/3 IP (that’s a K/9 of 11, or more than a batter an inning with a terrific K/BB ratio) – firmly establishing himself as a rising star in the Indians’ depth chart of relievers. He figures to start the season in Buffalo, but after seeing the success that other young relievers like Rafael Perez and Jensen Lewis were able to parlay from the minors to MLB, it’s not inconceivable to think that Stevens establishes himself as the first option to come West on I-90 as replacement arms are sure to arrive at some point in 2008. As for him breaking camp with the team, it’s probably pretty unlikely if only because the 7th man in the bullpen (which he would be) in Cleveland pitches so infrequently that it may hinder the development that Stevens could establish with some regular work for the Herd, not to mention the possibility of getting on a roll in Buffalo, then continuing to pitch with confidence if he was called to parent club at some point, just as Jensen Lewis did in 2007.

Ken Rosenthal has a nice breakdown of the Tigers’ lineup.
Detroit better hope that he Tigers’ lineup is truly “one for the ages” because Hammy said on Saturday’s broadcast of the Spring Training game that Dontrelle’s “velocity looks down”, because their depth to replace aging players like Kenny Rogers was compromised to bring in Renteria, Cabrera, and Willis, and because reliever Fernando Rodney’s injury means that their thin bullpen just developed an eating disorder (the $20,000 question – name the 2008 Tigers’ set-up man).

It doesn’t look like I’m the only one who thinks that there are some things that can go wrong in Motown this season. Obviously, this can be written just as easily for the Indians (and reeks of a Livingston-esque article from Detroit’s equivalent of the PD), but the difference that I see between questions facing the Motor City Kitties and the Tribe is that the Indians have some options in the minors that could emerge to answer questions (as they did in 2007) while the Tigers no longer have Jair Jurrjens (which is the one, in particular, that I think will haunt them), Andrew Miller, or Cameron Maybin to serve as the infantry if injuries arise in Detroit while Aaron Laffey, Jeremy Sowers, Atom Miller and Ben Francisco figure to be at the Tribe’s beck-and-call if a need arises for them in Cleveland.

Finally, it looks like the oft-rumored move for the Tribe AAA affiliate from Buffalo to Columbus is likely to happen after this year. Time to gas up the grocery-grabbers and head up to Buffalo to catch a Bisons game while the team still features future Tribesmen.
Who’s coming with me?

Glossary of Gloss

In the process of my analysis of all things Tribe, I often refer to players by nicknames that have evolved over the few years that I have spent putting my thoughts about the Indians on paper, so to speak. One of the results of this is that readers are sometimes confused as I don’t specifically refer to players by the name on their birth certificate (not meant as a dig on Mr. Peralta) unless they realize that The BLC is actually Shin-Soo Choo…that the Fist of Steel is Rafael Betancourt…and so on. Of course, other readers (allegedly) only read FOR the nicknames, so it is a practice not likely to expire any time soon.

So with that in mind, I figure that it would be a nice public service to provide some sort of glossary of names for the Tribe players that I often use and, if it is not blatantly obvious, the rationale or the evolution of the nickname:
Grady Sizemore
SuperSizemore
Still the gold standard of nicknames that I have bestowed here as the Indians actually ran a promotion last year, complete with Grady in a cape catching a ball, called the “SuperSizemore” bobblehead. Originally meant as a twist on Morgan Spurlock’s “SuperSize Me”, Grady’s emergence as a star brought new meaning to the name.

Asdrubal Cabrera
AstroCab
Pretty self-explanatory of this one, even if people aren’t thrilled with it’s A-Rod-esque unoriginality. Also in the hopper - Drooby Droob Droob (think Sinatra’s “Strangers in the Night”), Droobs, and AssDribble (which is what my grandmother truly thought his name was during the playoffs last year, abhorrent to the idea that they could say that on TV).

Victor Martinez
Vic the Stick
Stan the Man, Wilt the Stilt…you get the idea

Travis Hafner
Pronk
Bill Selby will forever live in Indians’ lore for bestowing this nickname on The Sykestown Slammer (an homage to Hafner’s hometown in North Dakota), even if some people feel that there is a deeper meaning, further than simply half-project half-donkey. Maybe THIS is the one my grandma should be concerned about being uttered so frequently on TV.

Ryan Garko
Garko-my-God-did-you-see-how-far-he-hit-that
Still takes too long to type, but serial poster Cy Slapnicka has been championing this one since Gonnie Garko hit Canal Park. The other ones that will occasionally make the rounds are Gark the Shark, Ryan Garkovich (think Julia Roberts and hexavalent chromium), and Garkomel (The DiaBride’s favorite, as she feels that the right side of the infield should be known as Gargamel and Asrael).

Jhonny Peralta
Honey
For as much as you would think a player who has spent three full years as the everyday shortstop with a misspelled first name, Peralta doesn’t have that one definitive nickname and is usually just referred to by his given name (perhaps it is that misspelling). Honey remains the best nickname I’ve got as I truly thought that the “J” could be the silent letter as Peralta climbed the minor-league ladder.

Casey Blake
The Jaw/The Beard
Depending upon his grooming patterns, Blake remains defined by the squareness of his jaw and what foliage takes up space on it. While some have suggested Lacey Cake (which has a “Caddyshack” feel to it) or even a return to Kasey Blake (he worked hard to get that K out of there), I’m sticking with a reference to the Wichita State alum’s mandible.

Andy Marte
The Dominican Dandy or AAAAndy MAAAArte
2008 will go a long way to determining if Marte is able to shed the AAAA player tag (get it, 4 A’s in Andy and Marte) that some seem determined to attach to him or if he’s finally able to realize the potential that we all thought was possible just a few Januarys ago.

Jason Michaels/David Dellucci
Dellichaels
One of the more popular platoon amalgamations (particularly after Benuardo headed to the Pacific Northwest), the 2 players combine to form one outfielder. If referenced individually, the likely names would include Jason the Wet (how is his hair ALWAYS wet?) or The Looch (not Arnold Jackson’s nemesis in “Diff’rent Strokes – that was The Gooch).

Franklin Gutierrez
Frank the Tank
Will Ferrell’s beer-bonging, Kansas-singing, tranquilizer-dart-to-the-neck character from “Old School” finds a place in RF at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario. For purposes of brevity, it could be Gutz. For purposes of levity, it could be Franklin Delano Gutierrez or Franklin Comes Alive (which makes no sense, unless you’re down with “Arrested Developmen”…and if you’re not, you should be).

Kelly Shoppach
ShopVac
C’mon, the guy’s a catcher, is short and squatty, and pretty functional.

Shin-Soo Choo
Big League Choo
A creation of serial poster rodells, this is the nickname most universally accepted around the web, along with its abbreviated cousin, The BLC. Truthfully, I haven’t seen anyone refer to the South Korean OF as anything BUT Big League Choo in about a year.

Ben Francisco
The Frisco Kid
Along with The Ben Francisco Treat, it’s pretty rare to see Francisco referred to as anything BUT these two nicknames. Minor League guru John Sickels bestowed the name Generalissimo, in reference to the former Spanish dictator of the mid-20th century, but I’m sticking with the lighthearted turns for the player who sticks his tongue out like a little kid while hitting.

C.C. Sabathia
The Crooked Cap
So many to choose from, so little time to administer them. The Hefty Lefty, aCCE, Captain Curveball, The Big Fella…we could go on all day. Let’s just sit back and enjoy the day that we can complain about the hat that C.C. is wearing cockeyed being our own.

Fausto Carmona
The Faustastic One
While El Diablo made a strong run (remember, a Faustian dilemma is a Deal with the Devil) when Fausto burst onto the scene, his sterling performance at the top of the Tribe rotation merited the creation of a new adjective.

Jake Westbrook
Jake the Snake
Admittedly not too original for the always steady, somewhat vanilla, sinkerballing RHP and in no way a reference to the WWF wrestler who carried Damien around in a sack. Of course, “The Two Jakes”, “Jake and the Fatman”, “Jake in Progress”, “Jake Braking”, and other references pepper titles to articles about Westbrook; but nothing that’s ever stuck by way of a regular moniker.

Paul Byrd
Byrdman
Like Westbrook, Byrd has never really had a gloss that stuck to him…at least that can be printed in a family-friendly environment. Since I’m no ornithologist, I’m not sure what Byrd is efficient and functional, but ultimately not very pretty while performing its job. If you are a license ornithologist, I’d be much obliged for a suggestion.

Cliff Lee
Mr. Five and (f)Lee
A variation on the old “Five and Fly” reference to a starting pitcher that logs five innings and exits the game with a lead, leaving the rest of the game to the bullpen. A rather derogatory notion as the pitcher gets credit for the win despite pitching just over ½ of the game…but a 6.29 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP will bring some venom out.

Jeremy Sowers
Whiskey Sowers
Still looking like he should be an intern at some accounting firm, not able to buy a drink at a bar without heavy questioning, the nickname is obviously meant to be tongue in cheek. That is, unless Sowers developed a taste for The Old No. 7 while in Nashville as a Commodore at Vanderbilt. The Jack Daniels’ plant in Lynchburg is only about an hour and a half away…

Aaron Laffey
Laffey Taffy
Holding off getting too overly optimistic about the young LHP yet, I’ll keep “The Babyfaced Bulldog” in my pocket until he’s pitched more than 50 innings at the ML level. However, the 4 2/3 IP in Game 6 of the ALCS, when he held the Red Sox lineup scoreless (which nobody else could do at that point) lends credence to that baby face belying a bulldog mentality.

Adam Miller
Atom Miller
Um…this one’s pretty obvious, though it does always make me think of the Rainier Wolfcastle portrayal of “Radioactive Man” on “The Simpsons”, who can’t say the hero’s tagline, “Up and Atom” because he keeps saying “Up and At Them”. High comedy.

Brian Slocum
Smoke ‘em Brian Slocum
Listed if for no other reason than to declare that the “Smoke ‘em Brian Slocum Watch” is over.

Joe Borowski
The Big Borowski
Thanks to the genius of the Coen Brothers’ bowling story being in heavy rotation onFLIX, I’m not going “out of my element”, as Donnie might be prone to, with this one. Obviously, JoeBo has evolved as the quick and easy way to refer to the Tribe closer (with its close cousin JoeBlo), but anything that reminds me to have a White Russian is going to get a lot of love.

Rafael Betancourt
Fist of Steel
One of my favorite all-time nicknames, Fist of Steel, it goes in concert with Rafael Perez’s Fist of Iron as the brilliant take on the song “16 Tons”, which exclaims, “If you see me coming, better step aside. A lot of men didn’t and a lot of men died. One Fist of Iron, the other of Steel; if the left one doesn’t get you, then the right one will”. Serial poster Tyler gets full credit for that one, making my Senor Slo-Mo (sadly) pale in comparison.

Rafael Perez
Fist of Iron
See Betancourt, Rafael.
Substitute Senor Slo-Mo with The Scarecrow and…we’re done.

Jensen Lewis
Ginseng
This has been a recent bestowal as I can’t figure out how to capitalize on the fact that there is a furniture store in NYC named Jensen-Lewis. No, seriously.

Tom Mastny
Nasty Boy
Born in Indonesia and sometimes going by the name of The Mastnicator, Nasty Boy Tom Mastny has a certain ring to it, particularly because he looks like a 12-year-old with a hat that’s three sizes too big for his head when he’s innocently looking in a sign.

Hopefully this little exercise was helpful in identifying some of the shorthand that I use in different pieces. I know that some of the players weren’t included, but some of the guys I know too little about to assign them a nickname (Kobayashi, Carroll); while others just don’t interest me at all (Fultz).

Always a pleasure to hear Hammy and Hegan on the radio, as they were today, announcing Grapefruit League action. It provides yet another sign of Spring, regardless of how my back feels after shoveling far too many times over the last few days.

Atomic Instability

With so very little happening in Winter Haven, it seems that a blister in the Florida sun has caused much consternation in some circles as Atom Miller’s difficulties with a blister on his middle finger continue. The blister, which was first reported to be a hindrance to Miller in the Arizona Fall League (ironically just after these warm-up pitches, available via YouTube in the AFL game) sets Miller back again in his attempts to fulfill the promise that has been predicted for him after being a high draft pick and his break-out 2004 season in Lake County and Kinston.

Now, as a 23-year-old dealing with the annoyance of a recurrent blister (remember how Josh Beckett used to battle these in Florida) with an unfortunate history arm injuries (he has twice sustained elbow injuries in his young career) and finger tendon problems (ask Joel Zumaya if these can derail a season) in the past, it looks like Miller’s injury bug has crept up for another bite.

Before we go any further on this, let’s all agree that Miller is an extraordinary talent, a hard-throwing RHP with excellent K/BB and the “high ceiling” that scouts fantasize about. However, Miller has been truly healthy for only 2 of his 4 minor-league seasons (I’m not counting his ½ season as an 18-year-old in Burlington in 2003) since being signed by the Tribe.
When he was healthy – well, huzzah:
2004 (Age 19)
Lake County – 7-4, 3.36 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 10.48 K/9, 2.77 BB/9, 3.79 K/BB
Kinston – 3-2, 2.09 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 9.55 K/9, 2.49 BB/9, 3.83 K/BB
Combined – 10-6, 2.96 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 10.21 K/9, 2.69 BB/9, 3.80 K/BB

2006 (Age 21)
Akron – 15-6, 2.75 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 9.20 K/9, 2.52 BB/9, 3.65 K/BB
Buffalo – 0-0, 5.79 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 7.71 K/9, 5.79 BB/9, 1.33 K/BB
Combined – 15-6, 2.83 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 9.11 K/9, 2.60 BB/9, 3.50 K/BB

The statistics posted by a 19-year-old pitching into Kinston remain Miller’s announcement to the baseball world that he was a force to be reckoned with. However, his 2005 was derailed by an elbow injury that limited him to 15 ineffective starts in Kinston and Mahoning Valley. He rebounded from the injury with a vengeance in 2006 (the Buffalo numbers for that year are, obviously, only one start) as Miller completely dominated the Eastern League as a 21-year-old Aero. At that point, it seemed that Miller would make his cursory starts in Buffalo in 2007 as a quick stop on the fast track to Cleveland.

Thought to be squarely in the mix as the 1st replacement starter from the minors in Winter Haven last year (Fausto who?), he strained a tendon on his troublesome right middle finger and got behind the proverbial 8-ball as The Faustastic One sparkled and later Aaron Laffey logged some substantial innings after receiving the phone call from the parent club to bolster the rotation while Miller stayed in Buffalo to find his groove.

But find his groove he never did, posting a 5-4 record in 2007 with Buffalo, accompanied by a 4.82 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP with K and BB rates consistent with his previous performance. Decent numbers, to be sure…especially for a 22-year-old in Buffalo; however, Miller only started 11 games while logging only 65 innings for the Herd. A troubling trend, however small the sample size, is that a healthy (and dominant) year for Miller is followed by one fraught with injury and recovery time.
Great 2004.
Non-existent 2005.
Phenomenal 2006.
Uneven 2007.

Now, what can we really learn from all of this?
Obviously, Atom Miller (when healthy) is a tremendous pitching prospect capable of dominating every time he takes the ball. But consistent health has eluded him and, short of calling this just dumb luck, there must be something to this. We are all aware that pitching is an extremely unnatural motion, but does Miller’s delivery have adverse effects on his arm and hand, more so than other pitchers?

Let me preface this by saying that I have absolutely no background in the medical field, have no insight into the physics of motion and their effect on the human body, and am not even going to pretend to know what ligaments and tendons do what in a person’s arm or hand. By way of an authoritative figure on things related to anatomy, my expertise probably falls in line with Austin Milbarge and Emmitt Fitzhume, attempting to perform an appendectomy. And…Doctor.

All of that being said, watch the video of Miller throwing again while I put on my stethoscope and don a white coat.
Even with my amateur eye it’s easy to see that the windup looks smooth, the arm goes back, and suddenly Miller’s right arm uncoils violently as he releases the ball with most of the torque seemingly coming from his elbow. The delivery is deceptive as Miller’s arm doesn’t rear back very quickly, but seems to snap as it comes forward as the ball explodes out of his hand. The by-product is that the pitch is likely very difficult to pick up or (as is the case with Rafael Betancourt), the hitters’ timing is thrown off by the velocity of the ball, particularly after what seems to be a very easy and deliberate motion.

The other by-product of the delivery is that the strain on his elbow is very apparent, even to the casual observer and, after seeing the speed that his arm is moving forward to release the ball, one can plainly see how this quick motion could have an effect on his throwing hand, and particularly his fingers, as he releases the ball with his arm moving so quickly. The whipping action of his arm at his elbow creates a great deal of velocity with deception, but ultimately it doesn’t have the smooth delivery that would place less strain on the arm or hand.

For comparison’s sake, watch the delivery of another young fireballing RHP, the Yankees’ Phil Hughes. The fluidity of his motion, as he goes into his windup and progresses from the ball starting behind his head to it’s release point, don’t show any of the herky-jerky movement that Miller’s arm undergoes as he delivers the ball. Hughes’ right arm never bends at the unusual angle that Miller’s seems to at the elbow. Of course, Hughes missed a significant amount of time in 2007 with a hamstring injury, so no pitcher, regardless of the fluidity of his motion, is above injury. But the Indians would certainly rather have Miller be fighting off minor leg injuries, or even the ever-popular oblique strain, than multiple and recurring injuries to his pitching arm and hand.

Obviously, fluidity of motion and simple mechanics don’t guarantee that a pitcher will avoid injuries (ask Mark Prior – purported upon his arrival to MLB to have “perfect mechanics”) nor does an unorthodox delivery mean that a pitcher is destined for perpetual injuries, but it would seem that Miller’s arm motion would lead to an inordinate amount of arm trouble, and it really already has.

Interestingly, the hitch in Miller’s delivery is not all that dissimilar to that of Jensen Lewis who, after a move to the bullpen from his role as a starter (38 minor league starts over 2 seasons) at the beginning of 2007, thrived in his role as a reliever down the stretch for the Tribe. Whether the move was made to protect Jensen’s arm, if he lacked the number of pitches necessary to be a viable MLB starter, or it was simply a matter of someone making the suggestion that his stuff would translate well out of the bullpen will likely never be known. But it sets a precedent, as Lewis (like Rafael Perez before him) was a highly-thought-of pitcher whose transition to the bullpen helps the team in the present, not perhaps at some point in the future.

Of course, it remains entirely conceivable that Miller will overcome his blister problems and remain healthy right into the 2008 rotation, but the red flags are popping up. But maybe that will be where Miller ends up as a result of these lingering arm issues – in the bullpen. He is naturally more valuable to the team pitching six to seven innings every 5 games than he is pitching one or two innings every 3 or so games, but if the long-term effects of his motion are going to keep him battling injuries for the foreseeable future, you would think that the lighter, and perhaps steadier, workload of a relief pitcher suits Miller better than throwing 80 to 100 pitches at a time.

Ultimately, it becomes a question of how to best keep Miller healthy over where he is most valuable to the team. Sure, it would be great to pencil him into the rotation, but if he figures to constantly battling injuries or is risking a major arm injury, wouldn’t it be more prudent to have him contribute in some manner as opposed to constantly hoping that something doesn’t go “boink” in The Atomic One’s arm? His talent is certainly more useful on the mound than on the DL; so at a point in the very near future, if these injuries (and most importantly, remember that ALL have been related to his right arm and hand) continue to hinder his progress, the Indians will have to decide (probably at some point this year) whether to move Miller to the bullpen to allow him to contribute consistently.

Old Faithful: Another Lazy Sunday

After overwhelming support to continue Lazy Sunday in its current form (with a few additions by way of the augmenting the normal roll call with more web writers), we’re ready to tackle another trip around the horn as we all wait for this new incarnation of the Cavaliers to take the floor (is it 6:00 yet?), so let’s get warmed up with a Lazy Sunday:

First off is a Bloggers’ Roundtable that I was asked to participate in, along with Jay Levin of Lets’ Go Tribe (someone whose opinion and expertise I hold in high regard) and Jon Steiner of Bugs and Cranks. As I said earlier in the Michaels piece, most of the questions have been addressed in detail here but there are a few interesting takes.

Also from Let’s Go Tribe is a piece from one of their resident minor league experts, who goes by the name of APV, with an in-depth analysis of Jordan Brown in terms of possibly comparable players that we are all familiar with and a nice ensuing discussion.

Terry Pluto has some good news on his favorite forgotten Indian, Jeremy Sowers, and some startlingly bad numbers for Cliff Lee against lefties. Because of Sowers trainwreck in 2007, it’s easy to forget that he was able to beguile AL hitters over 14 starts in 2006 to the tune of a 1.19 WHIP. Though we were never quite sure how, unless the Jamie Moyer comparison that we all hope to be true is accurate, Sowers zoomed through the minors and found easy success in his first foray in MLB. If Sowers has fixed a hitch in his delivery (as Pluto asserts), the depth that the Indians so desire in the rotation could be falling in line.

Jim Ingraham comes through with a nice, succinct preview of the AL teams with accurate assessments of all the teams competing with the Tribe for the right to represent the AL in the Fall Classic.

Paul Hoynes reports that some in the organization are cautiously optimistic about re-signing C.C. after 2008 as, “the Indians would then be in position to offer him a five-year deal of all new money. Their five-year offer includes a four-year extension along with 2008, the final year of Sabathia's old deal.” Unless the “five-year deal” mentioned becomes a seven-year deal of new money, I’ll believe it when I see it. Not that I wouldn’t love it, it just seems that C.C. and his agents are hell-bent on using Barry Zito as the measuring stick for his next deal.

Ken Rosenthal identifies Brewers OF Gabe Gross as a player who could be caught in a roster crunch and someone whom the Indians have shown interest in. Not sure that Gross would count as an upgrade over the current in-house options and looks to be a LH platoon OF (career .784 OPS vs. RHP, career .436 OPS vs. LHP). With the BLC scheduled to come off the DL in May, the only reason I could see this would be if Dellucci is not ready to break camp with the team – which would be very surprising given all that has been written about how Dellucci is ready to put 2007 behind him.

From the genius of Deadspin, comes their Tribe 2008 Preview from Dan Friedell, who understands that season previews are nothing more than educated guesses as the fickle winds that blow during the course of a baseball season lay waste to most predictions (ahem…Hoynes picking the Tribe to finish 4th in the Central last Spring).

Also on the 2008 Preview swing is the wildly disappointing Baseball Prospectus Preview from SI.com.
Why is it disappointing?
Absurd comments like “After losing most his playing time down the stretch, Josh Barfield was not expected to be brought back” (who thought a player with options remaining and playing for the league minimum wasn’t coming back?...Bueller…Bueller), “The Indians, however, have enough question marks on the outfield corners -- populated largely by veteran fourth outfielders -- that a big spring could get the switch-hitting Crowe into the discussion.” (no argument on the corners, but Ben Francisco, The Big League Choo, and Jordan Brown would enter the discussion before a guy who posted a .694 OPS in Akron last year.), “Cabrera is a plus defensive shortstop who may have to beat out Barfield again just to play second base.” (again, that’s just silly talk to say that there’s a competition for 2B in Winter Haven when it’s been known since the end of last year that 2B belonged to AstroCab).
Why is it wildly disappointing?
Because it seems to be a mail-it in piece as the author (Joe Sheehan) put forth no effort to address the issues facing the Indians, instead writing that the main questions for the 2008 Tribe were things that were actually decided before the Pitchers and Catchers even got to Florida. What’s so disappointing about that is that Baseball Prospectus has become an excellent resource for intelligent baseball fans and the fact that this is passed off as an authoritative season preview is too bad.

Apparently, Andy Marte isn’t making a great first impression down in Winter Haven as Wedge said about his weight upon reporting to camp, “It’s not great,” the manager said. “It’s not bad, either. He still needs to do some work this spring.”
Translation: We’re…um, we’re not happy about it.

Also, the 1986 Tribe has finally eked over the .500 mark as their pitching staff has been completely overhauled. Out of the starting rotation are Candiotti, Niekro, Schrom; into the starting rotation are Bryan Oelkers and Scott Bailes. Ernie Camacho, and his 7 blown saves, has been demoted out of the closer’s role and the bullpen has been completely revamped.
The net result? Schilling’s Red Sox are in the rearview and the Yankees are in the crosshairs.

Outside of things related to the Tribe, Bill Simmons provided his thoughts on the NBA Trade Deadline, which mirror my reaction, particularly the Cavs’ move. Say what you will about Simmons and his Boston-centric view of the world, but the guy does know basketball.

Speaking of which is it 6:00 PM yet?

The Roadblock with Gold Locks

Recently, I was invited to participate in a sort of “Bloggers Roundtable” at Baseball Digest Daily and was presented with 5 questions that the editors of BDD found most relevant for the Tribe for this year. Most of the questions were things that have already been addressed at length (where Barfield fits in 2008, feelings about the re-naming of Jacobs Field, etc.), but one question piqued my interest as an extremely open-ended question wrought with possibilities. The question was “If you could make one roster move today as the Indians GM, what would it be and why?”

Since Danny Ferry essentially stole my answer yesterday around 2:59 PM (to jettison all of the dead wood on the roster for a defensive enforcer, a sharpshooter, more depth in the frontcourt, and a point guard…wait…oh, the Indians’ GM), the question struck me as interesting mainly because of the timing of it as Spring Training is underway and the answer isn’t as easy as simply perusing a Free Agent list, something that would have been an option in November, and because the Indians essentially head to Winter Haven with their roster more or less set to head North. So, if one move could be made today (today being the key word here, I think), what would it be?
Would it be anything?

Outside of addressing anything related to the C.C. contract non-negotiations and making the absurd blanket statement to “get a deal done with C.C. whatever the cost or length of the deal” (by the by, have you heard the report that C.C.’s agents broke off negotiations prior to Spring Training because they are acutely aware of the Hefty Lefty’s close relationship with Shapiro and felt that the Tribe GM could have swayed Sabathia to see “the big picture” by reminding him of “The Plan” that Shapiro would preach to him during the time in Florida, resulting in C.C. ultimately ordering his agents to get a deal done to keep him on this emerging power…how’s that for confidence in one’s client), it becomes even more interesting with the pieces seemingly already in place.

Of course, bound by the restrictions of reality, I’m unable to give the simple answer of “I think we should trade Josh Barfield, Cliff Lee, and David Dellucci for Matt Holliday”, which is (unfortunately) still the way that some fans would approach this, blinded by their “Fantasy Baseball” mentality and the surely-twisted rationale on how this could work (“Lee was an 18-game winner a few years ago which would be an upgrade over Colorado’s youngsters, the Rox need a 2B to replace Matsui, plus Dellucci would replace Holliday in the outfield…think about it – it makes sense for both teams”), regardless of how little sense it would make for the other side of the ledger.

So, with the knowledge that we are bound by reality and that C.C.’s agents have no interest in continuing discussions, the one move I would like to see the Tribe make would be to trade Jason Michaels. The move is not due to the fact that Michaels is worthless to the Indians, but 2007 reinforced the idea that he is simply not an everyday player, by posting extreme platoon splits yet again and lending more credence to the idea that Michaels projects merely as a platoon OF/4th outfielder and little else. Keeping him doesn’t seem to be (on the surface) too much of an issue, especially since the Indians employ a platoon in LF. That is, until you consider the players (with perhaps a higher ceiling) that Michaels is essentially blocking from getting regular plate appearances – namely OF Ben Francisco and 3B Andy Marte.

The Ben Francisco Treat, with his success in AAA last year as he won the International League batting title, deserves the chance to fill the role of at least the 4th OF coming out of the Spring and not be subjected to another year of “The Buffalo Shuffle”, but is blocked by the fact that he and Michaels are simply redundancies on the roster and don’t figure to co-exist on the 25-man roster.

Now that, you say, would mean that Francisco would take up the RH portion of the LF platoon? Not so fast, my friend. As faithful readers know I think that the arrangement in LF (if we’re assuming that Michaels is gone) is to create batting opportunities for Andy Marte, who is out of options this year, before he walks out of the organization if only for a slowness to adapt quickly to MLB. Forgive me if you’ve seen this before, but it is simply reiterated to prove the logic behind parting with Michaels:
Against LHP, Blake in LF and Marte at 3B.
Against RHP, Dellucci in LF and Blake at 3B.

Consider Marte’s splits for the past few years, and it is apparent that he has experienced more success against LHP, just like Michaels:
2007 – Buffalo (AAA)
.827 OPS vs. LH
.748 OPS vs. RH

2006 – Buffalo (AAA)
.894 OPS vs. LH
.730 OPS vs. RH

2005 – Richmond (AAA)
.936 OPS vs. LH
.848 OPS vs. RH

It’s important to remember that Marte is still only 24 and the numbers he put up in Richmond (splits above while compiling an overall .275 BA / .372 OBP / .506 SLG / .878 OPS) as a 21-year-old in AAA, so the talent is there. If the young Dominican is not going to get everyday AB due to Casey Blake’s stranglehold on 3B, why not let him ease into facing MLB pitching against LHP, whom he has the greatest success against to allow him to become comfortable in Cleveland and (hopefully) allow him to blossom as the everyday 3B for 2009?

Interestingly, the Indians recently signed veteran Jason Tyner to a minor-league deal, which should quicken nobody’s pulse as Tyner is simply not a viable MLB player. But, delving further into it, assuming that he’s not just in camp as an audition to catch on with another team (as Scott Elarton is), he would be joining a pretty crowded Buffalo outfield with Trevor Crowe, Brad Snyder, Jason Cooper, and…Ben Francisco. That is, of course, unless the Tyner deal represents a depth signing that would allow the Tribe to move Michaels, give Francisco a spot on the 25-man, and replace him in Buffalo with Tyner.
That could be looking WAY too deeply into a minor move, but the logic is there.

The corollary to making a move with Michaels’ would be that the Indians’ bullpen, regardless of the success of 2007, still worries me in that much of the success came from pitchers that could certainly be on their last legs (JoeBo and Fultz), could have had career years (Senor Slo-Mo), are entirely unproven state-side (Kobayashi), or need 2008 to show that their success was not a fluke (The Scarecrow, Ginseng Lewis, Nasty Boy Tom Mastny). With bullpen construction, it truly is a crapshoot from year to year as past success certainly does not guarantee future results and the depth that the Indians are depending on from the minors (Mujica, Stevens, Santos, etc.) and the players looking to rehab from injuries (Sipp and, with less of a chance of contributing this year, Donnelly) are largely unproven quantities, even more so than the likes of Lewis and Mastny. The more arms that are options, the greater the chance that an effective mix of relievers can be slotted into a progression of roles.

To me, you can never have too many relievers to throw up against the wall to see what sticks. Despite the fact that we are assuming that most of the stalwarts of the 2007 bullpen will continue their successes, we all know what is said about making assumptions. That being said, with Michaels’ likely going rate being a fair-to-middling reliever (see Rhodes, Art), I would have no problem if another arm for the bullpen mix was added in exchange for Michaels.

As has been stated, Michaels is not without worth on the current roster, but the bottom line is that I feel that both Francisco and Marte are ready to contribute for the Indians in 2008. The person on the roster, blocking both and taking plate appearances away from their development, is Jason Michaels. His removal from the roster (and if moving him allows the team to augment the bullpen, even better) opens the door for Marte to ease into 3B (which is very important with Blake becoming a FA at the end of 2008) and allows Francisco to see some substantial time at the MLB level for the club to determine if he has the possibility of playing every day.
Keeping him on the team, however, blocks both from happening and impedes the growth and development of Francisco and Marte in 2008.

Music Fills the Air

As has become the custom around these parts, to celebrate the first full practice in Spring Training, it’s time for a bit of an exercise in frivolity with the 3rd Annual Soundtrack of Life suggestions for the 2008 Cleveland Indians. For those who missed the concept and the past years, they can be found here and here. Again, for those who are new, the song title will link to the song.

Essentially, it boils down to recommendations for each player (or at least the ones that figure to play a major role in 2008) for accompaniment music.
Walking music, we used to call it.

So, without further ado, I present The Soundtrack of Life, 2008 edition:
Grady Sizemore
Barracuda
The frenetic opening riff from Nancy Wilson accurately sets the tone for the style of play that we all know that our SuperSizemore brings to the plate, the basepaths, and (quite obviously) center field. The fact that Sizemore, like the Wilson Sisters of Heart, is from the Seattle area and St. Grady is an avowed classic rock enthusiast put this one on the hook for Sizemore.

Asdrubal Cabrera
Youth Gone Wild
While certainly none of us hope that AstroCab hits “Skid Row” this year, the precocious youngster gets the ‘80s rock anthem in lieu of the DiaBride’s suggestion of the theme song to “The Young and the Restless”, which I know only from Jack Butler’s obsession with the show in “Mr. Mom”.
“No, it couldn’t be Victor’s – he had a vasectomy…it didn’t take?!?”

Travis Hafner
Man in the Mirror
Due to shock that you’re feeling after expecting some sort of heavy metal/German rock music, allow me to explain - after last season, it’s time for some introspection for the man trying to find his inner Pronk, something that was missing all of 2007. Travis, it’s time to take a look at that man in the mirror and…make that change.

Victor Martinez
The Warrior
The most oft-overlooked part of the Tribe as he tends to be taken for granted for his consistently excellent play, it’s time to recognize Vic the Stick for what he is. He dons the tools of ignorance about five times a week, anchors the middle of the lineup, handles the pitching staff, and leads the Indians by his actions and by his toughness. While some could say this is simply an opportunity to watch the Charles Barkley “Superstars” video that shares Vic’s anthem…you’re only partly right. By the way, Chuck makes one shot that ISN’T a dunk in the complilation…and that’s the one when he goes by 5 Portland Trail Blazers! Lest anyone ever think the Clown Prince of TNT has no room to talk, just watch this over and over.
But I digress…

Ryan Garko
Welcome to the Jungle
After hearing Garko on the “Jim Rome Show” last season, when Garko-my-God-did-you-see-how-far-he-hit-that professed his love for all things “Jungle”-related (to the uninformed, Rome refers to his show as “The Jungle”), this is just too easy. Sure, it was funny when he came out to “This is Why I’m Hot” last year, but it’s time to excite the masses Gonnie Garko. Axl and Slash in all of their destructive glory is a good way to start.

Dellichaels
Together Forever
With LF committed to the platoon of David Dellucci and Jason Michaels (Dellichaels, because the entity needs no first name), these two are inexorably linked…for better or worse. Like the Rick Astley song, not many people like the arrangement and feel that a more credible alternative should be explored. Plus, I hope that Dellichaels is remembered with harmless curiosity in a few years the way that Rick Astley is, as opposed to the vitriol that he normally brings about.

Casey Blake
One
The Beard has come out to a Metallica song every year that he’s been with the Tribe (even when he was just The Jaw), he wears #1, and he probably is on the last legs of his time here due to his escalating salary. So let’s avoid the potshots or any thoughts about RISP and enjoy the drum solo.

Franklin Gutierrez
Smooth Operator
There’s just something so fluid about the way that Frank the Tank carries himself to the plate, around the basepaths, and patrolling the outfield that it’s impossible not to think of the cat as a pretty slick character. I know that everyone was hoping for the old Will Ferrell impersonation of a Panzer, but YouTube is populated with nothing but imitators of the classic scene, so Sade gets the nod.

Jhonny Peralta
I Can See Clearly Now
As Jhonny tells me on Cleveland radio all the time, he sees “better than 20/20” these days thanks to his Lasik surgery. How could I not go here with the man’s improved vision? Next year, I’m hoping for something like “I Get to Every Groundball Hit to Me”…is that even a song?

Andy Marte
One More Try
That’s right, the Timmy T version. Out of options and staring at a roster with no certain spot for him, it’s time for “The Dominican Dandy” to live up to the nickname that was bestowed what feels like many, many moons ago. Watching that video, are we sure that’s not Andy Samberg?

C.C. Sabathia
Last Dance
Sorry if you don’t want to see this one and would prefer that “Mo Money, Mo Problems” remained as C.C.’s theme, but it’s time to enjoy one final twirl with the Big Fella before he heads off our dance floor.

Fausto Carmona
Runnin’ with the Devil
For those not well versed in what a “Faustian Dilemma” is, it represents a deal with devil, explaining why the crazy licks of Eddie Van Halen’s guitar should augment the Tribe’s burgeoning ace to the mound. I really wanted to use “The Wickedest Man Alive” by Naughty by Nature due to the fact that Fausto’s stuff is just filthy, but it seems that outside of a few suburban kids on the East Side of Cleveland in the late 1980’s, the song never really found too much of an audience. Regardless, here’s a snippet.

Jake Westbrook
Rock Steady
Outside of the first half of 2007, when Jake was undone by that weasel of an oblique strain, he has been nothing short of the model of consistency in the middle of the Tribe’s rotation. And that…ladies and gentlemen, earns him these two guys singing some Bad Company at a bar I wish to visit.

Paul Byrd
I Want a New Drug
While “Free Bird” is the obvious choice (Byrd has a book coming out with a similar title this year), I was unable to secure the rights to the southern rock anthem from Lynard Skynard, who suggested that I use “Free Chicken” instead. Afraid that it may be misinterpreted as complimentary poultry for the masses, I’ll take the opportunity to address the fact that Paul Byrd claims to have used HGH to treat a pituitary gland problem, but stopped using the drug years ago. The question becomes, then, what exactly is he taking to remedy the pituitary issue?

Cliff Lee
Hair of the Dog
Not sure if the refrain was uttered by the native Arkansan to Victor in the tunnel in their infamous “dust-up” last season, but various reports and stories have certainly painted Mr. Five and (f)Lee as a bit of a, well…

Joe Borowski
Livin’ on the Edge
Pretty self-explanatory here, for anyone who went through multiple bottles of Pepto and ate Tums like they were Spree during JoeBo’s tightrope saves last year. I do appreciate the fact that The Big Borowski comes out to a “Rocky” montage as he hails from the same hometown (Bayonne, NJ) as boxer Chuck Wepner (known as the “Bayonne Bleeder”) the alleged inspiration for Sly Stallone to pen “Rocky”, but there’s something about acknowledging that Borowski lives on the edge that appeals to me.

Rafael Betancourt
People’s Court Theme Song
If the Indians are intent on fostering this “Betancourt is in Session” theme (and they certainly seem to be) when Senor Slo-Mo enters the game, at least add some levity to it by adding the music that we all grew so familiar with thanks to Wapner, Rusty, and Llewelyn. The song is pretty great too.

Rafael Perez
Rain on the Scarecrow
For the reliever who looks like he’s about 130 lbs. soaking wet (take it from one who knows), Perez has the look, in his seemingly two sizes too big Tribe uniform, of a Scarecrow – all skinny arms and skinny legs. The fabric of his uniform just flaps in the breeze for lack of anything to cover, but protecting (in this case a Tribe lead)…just like any good Scarecrow does.

Masa Kobayashi
Usual Suspects Theme
“My Name Is Kobayashi”…then, the strings.
That’s all that should accompany the Japanese import to the mound.

Jensen Lewis
Rise Up with Fists
A bit of an obscure title from the indie rock artist Jenny Lewis, performing with the Watson Twins…which is inconsequential, outside of the similar name for the artist and the young hurler. Of course, the most important thing you need to know about the singer Jenny Lewis…the one that sings this song…is that she appeared as a child actor in the movie “The Wizard”. Yes, the one you’re thinking of – the Fred Savage movie about video games where his younger brother is some sort of video game prodigy. You remember her, the little redhead in the flick who volleyed back and forth the way that Winnie Cooper did with Kevin Arnold. I know that’s probably the last thing she wants to be known for (everyone knows Fergie was in “Kids Incorporated”, right?), but it served as the clincher for this song to be Jensen’s music.

Strike up the band, boys…Spring has officially sprung.

Lazy Sunday With a Question

After a brief sojourn to Dayton to watch the Flyers beat Temple in an attempt to stop their once-promising season from circling the drain, it’s time for a Lazy Sunday:
Really, the only thing of note from the local fishwraps is that Terry Pluto reports that the Indians’ offer to C.C. Sabathia was 4-year, $79M extension (which would really be worth $90M over the course of the 5-year contract) that Sabathia’s agents feels is “worlds apart” from what they’re anticipating C.C. receiving on the open market, causing them to break off negotiations.
$90M guaranteed over 5 years is the basis for the negotiations breaking off for “lack of common ground”?
Yikes.
Essentially, what that means is that Sabathia’s people are probably sticking to their demand of 7 years of guaranteed money and won’t come off of that, while the Indians are likely doing the same at a limit of 5 years of guaranteed money. A “lack of common ground” means that neither is willing to even entertain a 6-year deal because…um…that would be a common ground between 5 and 7.

Elsewhere, it must have been “Write a Story About Masa Kobayashi Day” as Paul Hoynes and Sheldon Ocker both put forth their “best” effort.
Seriously, do these guys plan this out over a few cocktails?
“What are you going to write about?”
“I don’t know - what about you?”
“I think Kobayashi.”
“Yeah, I think I’ll do that too.”

I know that there’s not much happening this early in Spring Training and Kobayashi is an interesting participant in camp, but some originality and maybe some analysis would be appreciated (unless, of course you counted Hoynes’ predictions for the AL Central on...wait for it...February 16th). It makes me wonder what the point of these Lazy Sundays are as they simply illustrate the point that the “Sunday Notes” columns that I used to eagerly anticipate as a youngster have become nothing but rehashed stories and pointless quotes.

Week after week, I link these Sunday articles thinking that they’ll provide the best of what the Tribe beat writers and paid journalists have to offer. And week after week, I’m disappointed that so little of value is able to be gleaned from these sources.
Don’t get me started on their “mailbags”.

Maybe I’m going about this the wrong way. I know that intelligent, original thought exists about the Indians in a well-written format somewhere…it just doesn’t seem to be in the antiquated newspaper. While this site has never been too interactive by way of boards or a forum, I would like your opinion as to whether the current version of Lazy Sunday is enjoyable to you or if another theme could be devised for Sunday reading – like a “Letters to the DiaTriber” post that I’ll include the best comments from the week or ones sent to me on my e-mail, or…who knows, I’m open to suggestions. Of course, it could be that the links and my comments on what is printed every Sunday in this format is most enjoyable for you and maybe it’s just me that gets fed up when I read the same things that I had previously written about (at much greater length) from the same sources every Sunday.

As your humble liege, I’ll do whatever the consensus dictates.

Suddenly It's Spring, Part II

In the memorable words of Clark W. Griswold, as he surveyed the empty parking lot at Wally World…“we made it, dammit, we made it”.

Of course, no sooner had the Countdown to Spring Training clock hit zero than the day was ruined as C.C. Sabathia, through his website (who knew that C.C. had a website?), declared that he and his agents are cutting off negotiations with the Indians now that the team is in Spring Training. C.C.’s statement claims that he and his agents will re-visit an extension with the Indians after the season, but let’s call this what it is – a statement that C.C. will not be a member of the Indians past this year.

The declaration that he hopes to reach something with the Indians after the season rings hollow as Sabathia will be a Free Agent at that point, capable of fielding offers from any team. One wouldn’t think that the Indians (after the season) are going to suddenly and remarkably determine that they should offer any more than they have on the table at this point in the negotiating process that has been halted by C.C.’s representation. As has been stated here before, C.C. on the open market will fetch a pretty penny and will sign a contract longer in guaranteed years than the Indians (as any other team SHOULD) be comfortable in signing a starting pitcher to. The Indians’ advantage was that they held, essentially, exclusive negotiating rights with Sabathia in the hope that a bird in the hand (a contract on the table) would be seen as more desirable than one in the bush (what C.C.’s agents are envisioning hitting their fax machine next off-season).

Alas, it seems as if C.C. and his agents have decided that the Indians’ offer (allegedly in line with recent contracts meted out to Roy Oswalt, Carlos Zambrano, and Jake Peavy) was either too light in terms of years or dollars and he will begin his swan song with the club. Make no mistake, no amount of cheering for him or begging him to stay will have any more effect than it did on Jim Thome or Manny Ramirez as C.C. has unquestionably made his statement that 2008 will be his final year with the Indians.

The Indians will have one more year to make a run with C.C. anchoring their rotation until he leaves for greener (literally…or is it figuratively) pastures in 2009.

Much more on that situation surely en route, but with that ugliness (that was actually painful to write) out of the way, let’s turn our attention to Part II of the Spring Training preview – non-pitching related portion:

Will the Corner OF Turn the Corner?
Before getting into the entity of mediocrity known as Dellichaels that figures (at this moment) to fill LF, let’s take a quick look at the assumed tenant of RF – Frank the Tank. Gutierrez, for all intents and purposes, laid claim to the 2008 RF position with his performance once he was placed in the everyday lineup. His June (.296 BA / .345 OBP / .537 SLG / .882 OPS, 4 HR, 8 RBI in 58 plate appearances) and his July (.306 BA / .340 OBP / .551 SLG / .891 OPS, 3 HR, 7 RBI in 52 plate appearances) brought the idea that Gutz was finally living up to the potential that accompanied him when he arrived from LA. His defense alone made him a worthwhile addition to the lineup, but the OBP and the power that he exhibited through the first two months of being in the lineup for about every game cemented his right to be handed the RF job for 2008.

Flying high and contributing regularly, something bad happened for Frank…namely August, September, and the Playoffs. His August (.244 BA / .306 OBP / .449 SLG / .755 OPS, 2 HR, 9 RBI in 85 plate appearances) and September (.247 BA / .305 OBP / .424 SLG / .729 OPS, 4 HR, 11 RBI in 93 plate appearances) numbers dipped dramatically compared to his June and July, particularly in terms of OBP and power numbers (same HR and RBI production for September in about twice as many plate appearances as he had in June and July). After looking so comfortable at the plate with a short, compact swing, Gutierrez started fishing for breaking balls as his K totals started to set off alarms, striking out more than once every four times to the plate after the All-Star Break (59 K in 221 plate appearances). His playoff performance (.207 BA / .324 OBP / .310 SLG / .634 OPS, 1 HR, 4 RBI in 34 plate appearances) didn’t help assuage the feeling that opposing teams had “the book” on Gutierrez, as he whiffed 11 times in his 34 postseason trips to the plate.

Whether or not Gutierrez simply struggled as opposing scouts got an extended look at him, arming opposing pitchers with effective scouting reports, or a young player was simply overwhelmed by the bright lights of a pennant race or the playoffs figures to be determined early in 2008. His spectacular defensive ability alone will keep him in the lineup until the organization can determine which Franklin Gutierrez from last year is closer to the player that he will eventually become. That is, Gutierrez’s June and July elicited a great deal of excitement that a solid corner OF option had been developed by the team, while the way he finished the year tempered that enthusiasm dramatically. Even if the true Tank lies somewhere in the middle and assuming he doesn’t fall prey to the dreaded “platoon” label (.919 OPS vs. LHP in 2007, .721 OPS vs. RHP in 2007), Gutierrez will be on a long leash to keep the RF job in Cleveland for 2008 and beyond.

Back to LF, the Indians enter 2008 with a plan identical to that laid out at the beginning of 2007 – which is to platoon LH David Dellucci and RH Jason Michaels with the idea that the production from both players (who have historically hit better against LHP or RHP) will equal that of a solid LF. Back then, and even now, it reminds me of the “Seinfled” episode “The Summer of George” when George decides to be Jerry’s intern in relationships (this episode Jerry courting the impossibly hot and ridiculously energetic Amanda Peet) as neither of them had proved to be enough of a man to sustain a healthy relationship.

I often imagine Dellucci and Michaels coming up with this arrangement last year (and I know, this is nothing that is decided by players or that they have much of a say in it at all…but, for a moment, suspend your disbelief):
Michaels: You know, neither one of us can't handle an everyday position all by ourselves.
Dellucci: I'm trying.
Michaels: I've tried. We don't have it. But maybe the two of us, working together at full capacity, could do the job of one normal outfielder.
Dellucci: Then each of us would only have be like a half-outfielder…that sounds about right!

Regardless if any egg-white omelets or tuna on toast was involved in the discussion is either here nor there. Far more relevant is that the arrangement for each to be a “half-outfielder” couldn’t have gone worse for either and their 2007 performance couldn’t cast more doubt on the possibility that the platoon will suddenly perform as it was supposed to a year later.

When Dellucci went down on June 19th, he was hitting .234 with an OBP under .300 and an OPS under .680 – this all while facing primarily the RHP that he was supposed to “crush”. All told, he proved to be utterly ineffective against LHP (.167 BA / .231 OBP / .250 SLG / .481 OPS) – which was expected – and worse than merely mediocre against RHP (.240 BA / .306 OBP / .403 SLG / .709 OPS). While Dellucci was struggling to do much of anything, Michaels reinforced the idea that he is simply not an everyday player, by posting extreme platoon splits despite comparable plate appearances against both LHP and RHP. As has become customary for Michaels, he performed adequately against LHP
(.287 BA / .359 OBP / .441 SLG / .800 OPS in 153 plate appearances) and struggled mightily against RHP (.252 BA / .285 OBP / .351 SLG / .636 OPS in 137 plate appearances), lending more credence to the idea that Michaels exists as a “half-outfielder”.

Whether this duo that combines to form Dellichaels can do what they were unable to do in 2007 (that is, be effective), remains to be seen. Their 38 combined RBI through 70 games prior to Dellucci’s injury don’t exactly generate much optimism that these players (now a year older and Dellucci coming off of a major injury) can form an effective team…regardless of whether they only really have to be “half-outfielders”.

Where do Choo and Francisco Fit In?
The obvious corollary to the fact that Dellichaels and The Tank figure to make up the Indians corner OF positions is that it essentially leaves Shin-Soo Choo and Ben Francisco on the outside looking in. Ostensibly blocked by Dellucci and Michaels (and, to a lesser extent, Gutierrez), Big League Choo and The Frisco Kid find themselves without an obvious spot on the roster after some success over the last two years at the MLB level.

The easier situation to figure is that of The Ben Francisco Treat, as he retains options and is likely to simply start the season in Buffalo, where he won the International League batting title last year. Having obviously thrived in AAA last year, Francisco will be an interesting player to watch as the Bison start their season to see if he struggles at all with what he feels is an unnecessary repeat of a level (as Garko did in 2006) or if he can replicate the success that he experienced a year ago in Buffalo.

For whatever reason, the organization seems reticent to give Francisco a legitimate shot at a spot on the 25-man roster pigeonholing him (perhaps unfairly) as a 4th OF who ideally projects as a platoon OF with a ceiling of MAYBE being an everyday player. Ironically, doesn’t that description basically sum up what we know Jason Michaels to be? Unfortunately for Francisco, it does – meaning that Michaels is essentially already filling the role that the Indians feel Francisco is likely best suited for. The wisdom of this arrangement can certainly be questioned (that is, paying Michaels $2.2M when a cheaper alternative exists in-house), but the fact remains that as long as Jason Michaels remains on the Indians’ roster (and Franklin Gutierrez remains in the everyday lineup), Ben Francisco will toil in Buffalo and wait for his chance.

Much more pressing than the Francisco situation is the question of where the BLC fits on the 2008 roster as he is out of options and looks to be poised to return from the arm injury that sidelined him in 2007 by May of this year. At that point, the Indians will have to make a decision with what to do with Choo, who cannot simply be sent to Buffalo. Like Francisco, Choo finds himself blocked by a similar player to him in the LH hitting Dellucci who, like Choo, struggles to hit LH pitching. Again, Dellucci is essentially taking up the roster spot on the 25-man that Choo seems best suited to – the LH portion of an OF platoon.

The organization has a sort of credo when it comes to “problems” like the Choo situation, in that “these things have a way of working themselves out” – for better or worse. How could it work itself out? Well, Dellucci could struggle out of the gate, perhaps still bothered by his hamstring injury, leading Choo to take his place in the LF platoon. Gutierrez’s struggles against RHP could continue, leading the Indians to the decision to add Choo to the roster to augment Gutz in RF and go all Ollie Stone on the OF (get it…Platoon?). Or, the Indians could try to sneak Choo through waivers, a decision that would likely not work itself to the conclusion of Choo remaining in Cleveland.

Whatever happens with these two, the $4.7M owed Dellichaels in 2008 and a possible hesitancy to go with another relatively unproven youngster at a position (with 2B and RF, with 1B to a lesser extent already falling under that category) means that the BLC and The Frisco Kid will have to remain at the kids’ table and wait their turn for a seat to open at the grown-ups’ table.

Is Asdrubal the Real Deal?
After numerous reports that the Indians’ reluctance to part with AstroCab was the stumbling block for the Tribe to acquire Dan Haren…they sure hope so, particularly with the C.C. statement that makes Haren pitching in Cleveland past this year even more desirable. Of course, the Indians’ hopes for Cabrera are not without merit as Asdrbal’s emergence as the #2 hitter in the lineup served as the impetus for the pennant chase and the playoff run as the team went 24-6 when Cabrera batted 2nd in the lineup. An .800 winning percentage in the 30 games he batted 2nd! This all after it was generally assumed throughout his minor league career that Cabrera’s glove was his meal ticket and any offense that he would contribute would simply be icing on the cake.

While the Indians’ high opinion of his is based on an alarmingly small amount of MLB plate appearances, the switch-hitting 2B (for now) didn’t just impress in his limited stat line. His apparent comfort at the plate and air that he was in complete control lent more credence to the idea that he was a preternatural talent, arriving in Cleveland at the tender age of 21, something that is extremely rare in MLB (he was the 6th youngest player in MLB in 2007, with names like Maybin, Hughes, and Felix Hernandez being younger).

Cabrera may not be at the top of the lineup throughout the year as the league figures to make adjustments to the approach that their pitchers take to Droob, but after his performance down the stretch in 2007, the Indians figure to have Cabrera on a pretty long leash, if only for his defensive prowess that somewhat offsets the lack of range currently at 1B and SS. The corollary to Cabrera being on a long leash means that Josh Barfield (who, at this time last year was simply assumed to be the “2B of the Future”) will likely mire in Buffalo for an extended period of time in 2008 to figure out what went wrong in 2007 and hopefully improve his pitch selection and OBP. 2008 may not definitively answer the question of how the Indians’ middle infield will look for years to come, but it should assist in the determination of whether Cabrera figures to follow the career path of MI who have succeeded at an early age in MLB (Robby Alomar, Alan Trammell, etc.) to become perennial All-Stars or if he simply tops out as an excellent defender whose offense is simply a bonus.

Will Marte McFly?
Much like the BLC, the Indians find themselves in a quandary about what to do with Andy Marte, who is also out of options. Where with the BLC, the Indians have a few months to figure out their course of action because of his injury, Marte is fully healthy and can’t go anywhere but up north with the parent club after Spring Training and still remain in the organization. Last year, Marte had the 3B job out of Winter Haven, but underperformed and was injured, the latter episode (combined with Casey Blake’s initial success in his stead at 3B) sealing his fate as a Bison for the year.

Now, with Blake slated to make $6.1M due to the way that MLB contracts, service time, and arbitration are designed, Marte finds himself to be a man without a cemented spot on the team. The team has said that Marte will have to play some 1B to give them some versatility on the roster, but wouldn’t he be behind Garko and Victor (at least) in that department? How in the world are the Indians going to find any kind of regular AB for Marte and not just let him rot on the bench, where the talent that was so evident prior to his acquisition will go to waste, or (worse) watch him develop into a solid MLB player on another team?

Since it seems that the Indians are committed to Casey Blake being in the everyday lineup and Marte doesn’t figure to be “handed” the 3B job, why not use Blake’s versatility to allow Marte to play 3B against LHP? Seeing that a platoon exists in LF where the RH portion (Michaels) could potentially be moved for another part, what’s wrong with Marte, Blake, and Dellucci platooning LF and 3B?
Against LHP, Blake in LF and Marte at 3B.
Against RHP, Dellucci in LF and Blake at 3B.

That being said, as unlikely as it is to happen, I’m actually of the belief that Marte SHOULD be “handed” the 3B job out of Winter Haven to truly see what he can do in an extended period of time (40 to 60 games) before making a decision to possibly pull the plug on him. Consider that Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia had a .544 OPS in April of 2007 through 55 AB in his first extended look at MLB while Marte had a .553 OPS in April of 2007 in 39 AB before his injury sent him to Buffalo for good. Since the Tribe is essentially set everywhere else in the lineup, with suitable back-ups in Shoppach and The Frisco Kid and the versatility of Blake to serve as insurance, let’s see what Marte can do with some regular time (or, at the very least, platooning with Blake and Dellucci) before giving up on a 24-year-old (2 years younger than Francisco, by the way) whose only downfall has been high expectations and a slow adjustment to MLB.

Of course, more questions exist for the Indians’ lineup in 2008, like whether Pronk or that guy named Travis who showed up last season will be donning the #48 jersey in 2008, how the likes of Martinez, Sizemore, and Peralta continue to progress as hitters, how Peralta and Garko field behind a rotation with two sinkerballers, and if Kelly Shoppach figures to remain Paul Byrd’s personal catcher.

But those questions will be answered in a place not called Winter Haven.
For now, break out the sunscreen and think of warmer days…anything to get your mind off of the reality that 2008 will be C.C.’s last donning a Tribe uniform.