Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

[Piney]

Originally Posted by exhawg

Ah yes, the Indian way. I'd like to know what those team option years look like. I would guess they are pretty hefty for Carmona to agree to it.

I doubt if it is hefty (I can see a contract similar to CC got, that last year is probable for $10 mil). Those are just his arbitration years. We did it with Sizemore & CC. You give the player security with a contract (especially for a pitcher). The team then avoids arbitration and probable buys an extra year or two til he becomes a full free agent.

[exhawg]

Originally Posted by Piney

Gotta love the sound of early panic.

Jo Bo was like this in April last year too. I'll give him another 2-3 weeks to straighten things out. As long as his save percentage is high he will remain.

Yes, [censored]ed about the Blake/Mitchell/Delluci combo. Just imagine if we just had average players playing in these "power" positions. But at last we knew what they were to start the year. There was an actual rumor I heard last night on radio about the possibility of Blake going back to the outfield to either let Marte play to find out what he will give us, or to try Peralta over there to move Cabrera to SS and bring Barfield up to play 2B.

Ah yes... this is going to be a fun filled season full of going through the Pepto bottles and going back on heart medicine just to handle the roller coaster.

Indian Fever... Catch it!

I'd go with the Marte option first. Give him 2 or 3 weeks to see if he can play better than the other three. If that doesn't work move Blake back to 3rd and try to work something to open up roster space. I'd love to see them work something with Marte and one of the AAA pitchers (Miller?) for an established 3rd.

[CincyBuck88]

Originally Posted by Piney

There was an actual rumor I heard last night on radio about the possibility of Blake going back to the outfield to either let Marte play to find out what he will give us, or to try Peralta over there to move Cabrera to SS and bring Barfield up to play 2B.

I like the sounds of this! Not much to lose with the way those guys are playing with some solid potential benefits.

Like exhawg said though, they'd need a good string of games of starting in order to evaluate them. Not just 3 or 4, but more like 20-30 at least IMO.

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by Piney

Yes, [censored]ed about the Blake/Mitchell/Delluci combo. Just imagine if we just had average players playing in these "power" positions. But at last we knew what they were to start the year. There was an actual rumor I heard last night on radio about the possibility of Blake going back to the outfield to either let Marte play to find out what he will give us, or to try Peralta over there to move Cabrera to SS and bring Barfield up to play 2B.

Indian Fever... Catch it!

The Indians tried JP at third base during Spring training either last year or the year before and it was a complete disaster. The Marte plan is probably the better one to find out if he is worth keeping when I heard that he was a butcher at third base this past Spring.

I don't know what they're going to get putting Blake in the outfield but they might as well give Marte his shot. Blake isn't going to improve our corner outfield hitting.

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Cleveland Indians sign Fausto Carmona to a multiyear deal worth a guaranteed $15 million
Posted by Paul Hoynes, Plain Dealer Reporter April 10, 2008 09:47AM

Categories: Breaking News, Indians

The Indians have called a 3 p.m. press conference to announce the signing of right-hander Fausto Carmona to a four-year deal.

The deal could become a seven-year agreement if the Indians exercise club options in 2012, 2013 and 2014. The deal is worth a guaranteed $15 million over four years. If the Indians exercise all three options, it would be worth $43 million and could go as high as $48 million with escalators.

According to sources, the guaranteed portion of the contract matches the largest ever given to a starting pitcher before he was eligible for salary arbitration. The $15 million is the largest guaranteed contract ever given to a pitcher with just one full season as a starter in the big leagues.

Continued...

[Piney]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

The Indians tried JP at third base during Spring training either last year or the year before and it was a complete disaster. The Marte plan is probably the better one to find out if he is worth keeping when I heard that he was a butcher at third base this past Spring.

I don't know what they're going to get putting Blake in the outfield but they might as well give Marte his shot. Blake isn't going to improve our corner outfield hitting.

Heard the same thing about Peralta at 3B. Basically he doesn't have quick enough reflexes needed to field the position and he needs the room at SS to react to groundballs.

The scary part is Marte was suppose to be an average to above average fielding 3B in the Minors. It just seems like mentally his game is falling apart. And you know what that means, as soon as the Indians get rid of him he will blossom into the player he was suppose to be.

This is one cluster[censored] I wish they addressed in the offseason. We have no real players at the corner positions (LF, RF, 1B & 3B). Thank god this team is so solid up the middle that it makes up for it (barely). The good thing is the type of positions we need can be had on the trade market in July if we are willing to part with some young players. Or conversely willing to let our young players play ahead of higher paid failed free agent signings.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Angels tee off on Indians

Posted by Paul Hoynes April 09, 2008 21:30PM

Categories: Indians

Anaheim, Calif. -- No one knows Paul Byrd better than Paul Byrd. Right now, he knows he's not pitching well.

"There's 85 mph [pitch] that guys foul off, that they can't figure out," said Byrd. "It has life, it cuts, it sinks, it's sneaky. Then there's 85 mph that's batting practice. It has no life, doesn't move, it looks like it's sitting on a tee. . . . That's what I have right now."
Welcome to batting practice at Angel Stadium.
The Angels hit three homers and scored six runs off Byrd in three innings Wednesday afternoon, beating the Indians, 9-5. The Indians went 2-4 through Oakland and Anaheim and were lucky to do that.

Continued.....

[NFBuck]

Locking up Fausto =

That kid has future Cy Young Award winner written all over him. His overall game is considerably ahead of C.C.'s at the same age. Plus, he has maybe the filthiest sinker I've seen. There are few things better than a pitcher with a hard sinker to go with 2-3 other very good pitches. He will anchor the rotation should C.C. bolt (which I still think he will).

As for the other possible moves, I could get behind moving Blake back to RF and sliding Jhonny and Asdrubal over to make room for Barfield. He struggled last year, but he was in a new league and I really think he has the potential to be a very good 2B.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Indians reach deal to keep Carmona at least 4 seasons

Friday, April 11, 2008 3:02 AM
By Tom Withers


Associated Press

CLEVELAND -- The Indians tucked away one of their aces.
Fausto Carmona, a surprising 19-game winner last year, agreed yesterday to a four-year, $15 million contract with the Indians, a deal that potentially can yield $48 million.
There was no rush to sign the 24-year-old, but the Indians are convinced his best days are ahead and rewarded him with the highest guarantee to a pre-arbitration eligible starter.

Continued......

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

The velocity on Cleveland Indians closer Joe Borowski's fastball is down from last season, though officials maintain there is nothing wrong with him. He threw between 85 and 88 mph most of last season, occasionally hitting 90. In his first three appearances this year, his fastball has mostly been measured at around 83-84 mph.

Continued...

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Indians can't lose by signing Carmona
Only risk for Tribe is if Carmona injured
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist
Published on Friday, Apr 11, 2008


CLEVELAND: There can be no argument or quibble with the move the Indians made Thursday.
Well, there can be ? if you're the kind of person who complains about the beds at the Ritz.
The signing of Fausto Carmona to a new contract is significant for many reasons.
The deal ? some call it a seven-year contract, others a four-year deal with three one-year club options ? keeps one of the Tribe's bright young pitchers on the team for years to come. How is that thought in the least upsetting?

Continued.....

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

$48 mil a hefty amount on farm
Carmona, who grew up in Dominican Republic, has no regrets on deal
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Friday, Apr 11, 2008

CLEVELAND: Why did Fausto Carmona give up two years of free agency to sign a seven-year deal with the Indians on Thursday?
Players often choose security over the last dollar, when they cannot entertain multiple bids for their services. But that doesn't take into account Naranjo Ato Viejo Yamasa, the rural town in the Dominican Republic, where Carmona grew up with his parents, three brothers and three sisters on a small farm.

Continued....

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Bud Shaw: Tribe comes out ahead on Carmona deal

Bud Shaw Plain Dealer Columnist April 10, 2008 22:22PM

Categories: Bud Shaw, Indians

Fausto Carmona's contract doesn't make C.C. Sabathia any less signable.
If only because on a scale of 1-to-10, the market and the Indians' history of keeping top free agents suggests retaining Sabathia was already pushing 11. But there's more to it than that.
Even if it impacted signing Sabathia, the Carmona deal made sense for reasons other than helping the Indians fix payroll costs in future seasons. Barring serious injury, Carmona looks entirely capable of starting his own collection of Cy Youngs.

Continued......

[buckeyemania11]

Originally Posted by NFBuck

Locking up Fausto =

That kid has future Cy Young Award winner written all over him. His overall game is considerably ahead of C.C.'s at the same age. Plus, he has maybe the filthiest sinker I've seen. There are few things better than a pitcher with a hard sinker to go with 2-3 other very good pitches. He will anchor the rotation should C.C. bolt (which I still think he will).

As for the other possible moves, I could get behind moving Blake back to RF and sliding Jhonny and Asdrubal over to make room for Barfield. He struggled last year, but he was in a new league and I really think he has the potential to be a very good 2B.

I like that idea, but it most likely wont happen

[NFBuck]

The velocity on Cleveland Indians closer Joe Borowski's fastball is down from last season, though officials maintain there is nothing wrong with him. He threw between 85 and 88 mph most of last season, occasionally hitting 90. In his first three appearances this year, his fastball has mostly been measured at around 83-84 mph.

Good grief. If that's the case, he's not gonna be able to squeak by like last year. Fast balls in the mid-upper 80's are hittable, but you can get by with decent location and changing speeds. At 83-84 mph, he's basically throwing batting practice, which is what it looked like against Anaheim the other night.

I hope they start looking at Betencourt or Perez in that role after he gets tee'd of on a couple more times, because it's inevitable.