Chris Antonetti wants the Indians to be in contention in 2013. That’s the only explanation for the free agent signings that the team has made. This Indians team, which looked like it would struggle to avoid 90 losses again, has been filling holes left and right with free agents and could find a way to sneak into contention if they keep adding to the roster. Antonetti has shown no signs of slowing down this offseason.
The Dolans appear to be willing to spend some money, possibly due to the sale of SportsTime Ohio to Fox Sports and the additional money they will receive on a yearly basis for the rights to broadcast the Indians. The interesting thing about the free agent signings is that, outside of Swisher, these are all very short-term deals and a lack of talent at the top levels of the Indians’ farm system will create the same holes at the start of 2014.
But, is it going to be enough? Can the Indians patch enough holes to keep the boat afloat into late September and be a factor in the Central Division? Whether or not they can depends on the answers to a lot of questions. On Tuesday, we finally closed the book on 2012, ending one of the worst calendar years in franchise history. Even though the planning for the 2013 season has gone on for quite a while at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario, the calendar officially turning over has to be a welcomed sight.
So my question right now is a rather simple one. It's a good question for a team like the Indians to have at this current state.
I know it's tempting to start salivating. Without the big moves they made last year, there was a little bit of hope. This year, people might start shouting playoffs or some junk like that.
After spending last week courting Nick Swisher, the Indians finally got their man. Swisher signed a four-year, $56M deal with a vesting option for a fifth season at $14M for 2017. It's easily the biggest free agent contract in franchise history and continues the trend this offseason of GM Chris Antonetti going big or going home. In Swisher, the Indians get a high-energy player whose bat is still very productive and will be almost 37 at the end of the contract, if the option vests.
“Your boys have been busy lately.” A pretty simple, seemingly innocuous one-line e-mail that I received from a friend of mine earlier this week. With no context attached, the mind is left to wonder exactly what he was referring to, but being that I don’t have kids and the friend is a big baseball fan (albeit a Mets fan), it was crystal clear to me exactly what he was getting at; the Indians are making an uncharacteristic amount of noise this offseason. The Indians have been linked, at one time or another, to Justin Upton, Dee Gordon, Kevin Youkilis, Shane Victorino, Edwin Jackson, Jason Bay and others from outside the organization, and speculation is rampant that everyone from Justin Masterson to Asdrubal Cabrera to Vinnie Pestano could make their way off of the North Shore during the silly season© (copyright Paul Cousineau). Unlike years past, there has also been actual player movement, as the Indians have inked Mark Reynolds to a free agent deal and of course made the blockbuster trade that sent the S.S. Choo steaming south to Cincy in return for Drew Stubbs and Trevor Bauer. At press time, nothing was settled on the Nick Swisher front but the Indians have reportedly made him an offer somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 years and $50+ million to settle their current RF dilema. They’ve also recruited him with an unorthodox series of stunts to include a video pitch featuring Thad Matta, Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer imploring the former Buckeye to “come home” to play in Cleveland. No word on whether or not hologram Woody Hayes was available. So with my crazy international travel schedule finally winding down for the foreseeable future, let’s take a look at some of the Indians related links here on the last Lazy Sunday before Christmas.