Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

INDIANS
Cleveland Indians' success means higher ticket prices

Tuesday, November 20, 2007 Paul Hoynes

Plain Dealer Reporter
When a team reaches the postseason and makes an impressive run, it almost always raises ticket prices for next year. The Indians, who fell one game short of making the World Series this year, were predictable in that regard.
The biggest raise will come in the 38 percent of the 2008 home schedule the Indians have identified as "premium games." Premium pricing will be in effect for 31 games, including Opening Day, the Boston and New York series, and all weekend games beginning June 13.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Cleveland Indians sign reliever Kobayashi

Pitcher brought in to assist Borowski
Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Dennis Manoloff
Plain Dealer Reporter
The Indians looked to the Far East to bolster their bullpen, signing Japanese right-hander Masahide Kobayashi to a two-year contract with a club option for 2010.
Kobayashi made history as the first Japanese professional ever signed to a major-league contract by Cleveland.
"Masa," as he is known to his friends, was introduced Tuesday at a news conference in Jacobs Field. He sat between Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro and interpreter Kenta Yagi.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Reliever involved in serious accident

Monday, November 26, 2007 3:11 AM
By Scott Priestle


The Columbus Dispatch

Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Juan Lara was involved in a life-threatening automobile accident Saturday night in his native Dominican Republic.
Because of federal medical regulations, Indians spokesman Bart Swain could not comment on the nature of Lara's injuries except to say they were severe.
"We're following his situation very closely," Swain said last night. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Juan."

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[OHSportsFan9]

Originally Posted by OSUBasketballJunkie

CPD
Cleveland Indians sign reliever Kobayashi

Pitcher brought in to assist Borowski
Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Dennis Manoloff
Plain Dealer Reporter
The Indians looked to the Far East to bolster their bullpen, signing Japanese right-hander Masahide Kobayashi to a two-year contract with a club option for 2010.
Kobayashi made history as the first Japanese professional ever signed to a major-league contract by Cleveland.
"Masa," as he is known to his friends, was introduced Tuesday at a news conference in Jacobs Field. He sat between Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro and interpreter Kenta Yagi.

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Hopefully he can put down the batting order as fast as he does hot dogs.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Cleveland Indians concerned for pitcher Juan Lara after car crash


Tuesday, November 27, 2007 Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
The Indians aren't worried about left-hander Juan Lara pitching again. Their concern is he survives the multiple injuries he suffered when the SUV he was driving was struck by a speeding motorcycle in the Dominican Republic on Saturday.
The two men on the motorcycle were killed instantly when they hit the driver's side of Lara's vehicle.
Lara is suffering from a blood clot on the brain, a cervical fracture of the spine, a collapsed lung and multiple broken ribs. He's comatose and breathing with the help of a ventilator at General Hospital Plaza de la Salud in Santo Domingo, D.R.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Baseball notebook: Tribe pitcher's condition 'very fragile'

Wednesday, November 28, 2007 3:07 AM



From staff and wire reports

Doctors examining Cleveland Indians reliever Juan Lara found he had a spinal fracture, plus severe brain trauma from a weekend car accident.
Lara, who pitched in one game for Cleveland last season, was returning from a winter league game Saturday night in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, when the sports utility vehicle he was driving was hit by a motorcycle, killing both its rider and passenger.
"Juan's condition is very fragile. In the last medical report, we found that he has a severe brain trauma, and we also found a fracture in the spinal column, with the D2 (second vertebra) in an unstable condition," hospital spokeswoman Dashira Martinez said.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Cabrera, Laffey earn Cleveland Indians top organizational awards

Posted by Staff reports November 27, 2007 12:28PM


Two players who wound up helping the Indians reach the ALCS have earned the organization's top minor league awards.
Infielder Asdrubal Cabrera wins the Lou Boudreau Award as the top minor league position player in the Indians system and lefthander Aaron Laffey gets the Bob Feller Award as the top pitcher. The awards were announced today.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Indians eyeing possible trades
Shapiro says a deal was close, but now on hold; free-agent talks unlikely
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Saturday, Dec 01, 2007

Since the outset of baseball's winter shopping season, Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro has shown little interest in the inventory of free agents.
But he did reveal Friday that he had come close to making a trade.
''We've had a couple of deals that were extremely close,'' he said, without revealing who was involved. ''There was one that I thought was going to happen. But right now, both of those trades are inactive.''
Note that Shapiro's use of the word ''inactive'' seems to indicate a more hopeful attitude than dead in the water. So maybe there is a chance to revive the prospective deals.

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[Brutus1]

Rumblings out of the winter meetings that the Indians and Pirates are talking about a Kelly Shoppach and Cliff Lee for Jason Bay trade. Seems like a very good deal for the Indians.

[MolGenBuckeye]

Originally Posted by Brutus1

Rumblings out of the winter meetings that the Indians and Pirates are talking about a Kelly Shoppach and Cliff Lee for Jason Bay trade. Seems like a very good deal for the Indians.

I think I'd pull the trigger on it too, though I sort of hesitate to add another high-strikeout guy to the lineup.

[NFBuck]

Originally Posted by Brutus1

Rumblings out of the winter meetings that the Indians and Pirates are talking about a Kelly Shoppach and Cliff Lee for Jason Bay trade. Seems like a very good deal for the Indians.

Jump on that deal. Could be the Brian Giles trade in reverse.

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by MolGenBuckeye

I think I'd pull the trigger on it too, though I sort of hesitate to add another high-strikeout guy to the lineup.

Supposedly Huntington has turned the deal down. Maybe the Indians should offer him a prospect because they have more than they will be able to protect when they have to name their 40 man roster.

Also, I don't understand what the hell Shapiro needs to trade for a utility infielder when he probably could re-sign Chris G?mez who looked pretty sweet to me when he got a chance to play last season.

They really need to find a RH power hitting OF or 3rd baseman. Hell, give the Pirates Casey Blake if they will take him and get some power.

[tsteele316]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

Supposedly Huntington has turned the deal down. Maybe the Indians should offer him a prospect because they have more than they will be able to protect when they have to name their 40 man roster.

Also, I don't understand what the hell Shapiro needs to trade for a utility infielder when he probably could re-sign Chris G?mez who looked pretty sweet to me when he got a chance to play last season.

They really need to find a RH power hitting OF or 3rd baseman. Hell, give the Pirates Casey Blake if they will take him and get some power.

jason bay is a power hitting left fielder. where did you get utility infielder from?

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by tsteele316

jason bay is a power hitting left fielder. where did you get utility infielder from?

Yes, I know Bay plays LF but Shapiro also talks about a utility infielder here

The possibility of the Indians acquiring the right-handed-hitting Bay died before the Indians and Pirates arrived in Nashville. Bay, 29, is a lifetime .281 hitter with 118 homers and 390 RBI in 616 games. He was bothered by a sore knee last season.

The Indians met for three or four hours Monday morning to discuss their off-season strategies. It's clear Shapiro wants to improve the offense, but to complete the 25-man roster, he needs a utility infielder. They're looking for someone who will play a solid second base and run.

[billmac91]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

Yes, I know Bay plays LF but Shapiro also talks about a utility infielder here

Detroit getting Miguel and Dontrelle swings the power in the central....Detroit has to be the favorite in the central at this point

Call me crazy, but I'd rather have Miguel Cabrera than A-Rod