We've read this story before, right? The Cleveland Indians enter an off-season with only a few additions needed to becoming an elite team in the American League. What makes it more exciting is the fact that the Tribe has the mid market equivalent of a king's ransom to work with. In his latest, Jarad Regano says that it's time for the Indians to stop putzing around with fringe players and make a bold and aggressive move this off-season. We've read this story before, right?  The Cleveland Indians enter an off-season with only a few additions needed to becoming an elite team in the American League.  What makes it more exciting is the fact that the Tribe has the mid market equivalent of a king's ransom to work with.  Simple math should give you a reasonable indication that general manager Mark Shapiro has between $20 and $25 million in his piggy bank.

The Indians have restocked their farm system after the trades of Casey Blake and C.C. Sabathia.  Ironically, these are trades that had to be made because the team did not go out and address the one of two missing pieces a year ago.  This failure led us to a June talking about Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn.

With the money to spend and prospects to trade, surely THIS is the year where Shapiro and Company take that big chance on a trade, or pay for a bigger name free agent than in year's past?  Perhaps not.  Familiar faces have dotted the early offseason rumor mill, and  overused Tribe management catch phrases are being thrown around by apologists:

•           "One year too many."

•           "We can't give up that much."

•           "You can't spend that much on one player."

Trevor Hoffman appears to be at the top of the Indian wish list.  Hoffman, who has shown decline over the last three years, will turn 42 at the end of next season.  What makes matters worse is that he probably would not come with only a one year contract.  Will this really be an upgrade over Jensen Lewis?  Will they really covet their prospects as if they were gold, only to find out they may become Franklin Gutierrez, Jeremy Sowers, and Alex Escobar?

The Indians are turning into the guy who goes to Starbucks twice a day, out to lunch, and then complains that he can't make his mortgage payment.  A change in philosophy is needed.  Doling out millions on fringe major league players and hoping for a reincarnation of past success is a gamble much riskier than acquiring a player at or at least near his prime.

At some point, an organization has to take a leap of faith with a move that could indeed backfire.  I do not know what the big off-season move should be, but other teams have made them over the past several years.  An argument against making this change in philosophy would be if the current plan was actually working.  It has not.

Since 2002, the Indians have been a contender for one season, and about six weeks of another.  While the organization has done some very good things in terms of rebuilding (twice) a farm system through trades and building a core nucleus of talent, they have been unwilling to give up some of their conservative ideology.

The Indians were not a playoff contender with basically their current roster and perhaps the best pitcher in all of baseball.  Adding a long in the tooth closer and a stop gap third baseman is not going to cut it this year, no matter what we are told.

The checkbook and cell phone are in your pocket, Mr. Shapiro.  It is time to finish what you started.