Indians Tidbits (2009 season)

[Bucks21]

The Wood deal is still not official, Indians are still looking at health records and Wood's physical was yesterday.

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by Bucks21

The Wood deal is still not official, Indians are still looking at health records and Wood's physical was yesterday.

it's official

Cleveland.com

Wood, 31, passed his physical Thursday in Cleveland and the Indians signed him to a two-year $20.5 million deal. The deal includes an option for a third year that vests if Wood finishes 55 games in either 2009 or 2010.

bukipower quote

Well we have the best Bullpen in the Central

Wood
Perez
Betancourt
Smith

You are forgetting one important pitcher in the bullpen from last year by the name of Jensen Lewis

[bukIpower]

lol I knew I was forgettin SOMEONE, but ok then we definately have the best Bullpen. Heck we have one of the best in the league.

[billmac91]

Originally Posted by bukIpower

lol I knew I was forgettin SOMEONE, but ok then we definately have the best Bullpen. Heck we have one of the best in the league.

just like last year???

we were saying the same thing last year as Betancourt, Perez, and Lewis were coming off of great years and Borowski was scary but converted his opportunities.

I'm optomistic as well, but you never know...

[tsteele316]

Originally Posted by billmac91

just like last year???

we were saying the same thing last year as Betancourt, Perez, and Lewis were coming off of great years and Borowski was scary but converted his opportunities.

I'm optomistic as well, but you never know...

most people weren't saying that. in fact, a lot of folks were saying that the bullpen had a lot of questions. everyone knew betancourt would never duplicate his '07 year. nobody knew how perez would respond with an increased workload. same could be said for lewis. it all showed last year.

this year's pen is much better on paper. adam miller is possibly the 6th man in the pen.

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Wood fit, signs deal with Tribe Serious arm injuries are behind right-hander
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sports writer

Published on Sunday, Dec 14, 2008
With Kerry Wood's history, the first question always involves the healthy condition of his right arm.
After undergoing a physical Thursday, Indians medical operatives pored over the data and pronounced Wood fit ? to sign a contract worth $10 million in 2009 and $10.5 million in 2010. Moreover, if Wood finishes at least 55 games in either season, an $11 million option will automatically kick in for 2011.
We should all be so healthy.
After several frustrating years of battling serious arm injuries ? including Tommy John (elbow) and rotator cuff surgery ? and being forced onto the disabled list 12 times, Wood emerged with a new career in 2008, saving 34 games as the Chicago Cubs' closer.
But free agency beckoned following the season, and the Cubs preferred 26-year-old Carlos Marmol to be its closer. So Wood, now 31, went shopping and discovered Cleveland.
''They have a beautiful stadium and came at me hard from Day 1,'' Wood said on Saturday, when his signing became official. ''The record is also something I looked at. They had the best record in the second half.''
Cont...

[BuckeyeMac]

Originally Posted by bukIpower

Well we have the best Bullpen in the Central

Wood
Perez
Betancourt
Lewis
Smith

hah. I like your optimism but I don't see this as a killer bullpen. Who knows how Perez/Betancourt are going to pitch. Especially after '07, you can't expect them to put up those kinds of numbers consistently. Wood is most likely to get hurt (unfortunately). There is still a lot of room for growth and consistency in our bullpen, and if Betancourt/Perez can produce consistently, then I think your argument is valid.

[LitlBuck]

It might not be a "killer bullpen" but if these guys can perform like they did last year I think it could be one of the better bullpens in AL if Woods can come through as a dominant closer. Every team has questions going into next year. I mean we really don't know what we can get out of Hafner or Martinez next year. I am almost as worried about those guys as I am the bullpen not to mention our starting pitching

[Piney]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

I am a fan of keeping Shopach but most of the other guys in this thread want to trade him now because his value is so high because of last season. I would like to keep him and led him split time with Victor and let Victor take some of Garko's bats. As I mentioned above, I am tired of waiting to see if certain players can develop because I would like to win sometime in my lifetime

I am with ya Litl. I want to keep Shopach. He is a perfect part-time catcher with Victor still catching but getting plenty of 'rest' at 1B. It actually gives us the best offense possible (with the guys we have). The only way I would be willing to deal Shoppach is if we get a bonafide player at 3B or 1B (or corner outfielder).

[WoodyWorshiper]

I'm really impressed with this signing. If that arm stays healthy, this could be the best free-agent sign we've ever had. Kerry has always reminded me of Roger Clemens with arm trouble. If anyone remembers, Roger was pretty much down and out as a MLB pitcher back in 1996 after 4 lousy years with Boston. He re-emerged in Toronto as "pitcher" and not a "thrower" at age 32, and went on to win 162 games and 4 Cy Youngs after many thought he was done. Kerry has also done something that should be very scary to the rest of MLB, in that he's learned to "pitch" instead of trying to blow people away.

Best of luck to Kerry. This guy is going to be instantly popular here with the fans.

[billmac91]

Originally Posted by WoodyWorshiper

I'm really impressed with this signing. If that arm stays healthy, this could be the best free-agent sign we've ever had. Kerry has always reminded me of Roger Clemens with arm trouble. If anyone remembers, Roger was pretty much down and out as a MLB pitcher back in 1996 after 4 lousy years with Boston. He re-emerged in Toronto as "pitcher" and not a "thrower" at age 32, and went on to win 162 games and 4 Cy Youngs after many thought he was done. Kerry has also done something that should be very scary to the rest of MLB, in that he's learned to "pitch" instead of trying to blow people away.

Best of luck to Kerry. This guy is going to be instantly popular here with the fans.

No offense, but I don't think Kerry has learned how to pitch, as much as just limiting his innings. He still throws gas. He just throws 1 innining of gas every couple of nights instead of 7-8 innings every 6 days.

I agree he could be a great signing. The guy gets outs when he is healthy. Unfortunately, that hasn't been often.

I still like the signing though. I think it is worth the risk. I won't knock the signing if his arm falls off this year. I hated that they didn't sign anyone last year and went into the season with Joe Blow even though he was coming off of a pretty successful conversion year.

[Unleded]

Originally Posted by billmac91

No offense, but I don't think Kerry has learned how to pitch, as much as just limiting his innings. He still throws gas. He just throws 1 innining of gas every couple of nights instead of 7-8 innings every 6 days.

I agree he could be a great signing. The guy gets outs when he is healthy. Unfortunately, that hasn't been often.

I still like the signing though. I think it is worth the risk. I won't knock the signing if his arm falls off this year. I hated that they didn't sign anyone last year and went into the season with Joe Blow even though he was coming off of a pretty successful conversion year.

i'm pretty happy with the deal too. better the indians get wood than overspend for k-rod (not that the indians would ever spend that kind of money anyway). something had to be done for the closer position, and this seems like one of the better options.

[billmac91]

Originally Posted by Unleded

i'm pretty happy with the deal too. better the indians get wood than overspend for k-rod (not that the indians would ever spend that kind of money anyway). something had to be done for the closer position, and this seems like one of the better options.

agree completely. Honestly, K-Rod had a lot of ugly saves last year. He walks a lot of hitters, and depends on the strikeout way to much. Kerry Wood keeps it in the strike-zone, but he dares hitters to touch him up. He still HEAVILY relies on the fastball, but he has a good curve. My best friend is a Cubs fan, so I've watched a lot of Cubs games with him. Location isn't generally his strong-suit. It's generally finding the strike zone, relying on a great fastball and curve.

You just have to keep your fingers crossed his arm stays healthy. If it does, he's every bit as taleneted as K-Rod in my mind. May sound ridiculous...but every save I saw K-Rod make last year included a runner on second or thrid base and a hit away from a tie game.

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Wood worth risk to Tribe With closer signed, Shapiro looks to fill other gaps
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sports writer

Published on Friday, Dec 19, 2008
CLEVELAND: The Indians paraded Kerry Wood and his wife, Sarah, in front of the media Thursday at Progressive Field, with General Manager Mark Shapiro calling the former Chicago Cubs right-hander the most important piece of the offseason puzzle.
Inasmuch as Wood has made 12 trips to the disabled list that include time spent rehabilitating serious elbow and shoulder injuries, Shapiro was asked about the risk of handing Wood at least $20.5 million for the next two seasons.
''After weighing the risks,'' Shapiro said, ''We feel that Kerry has a chance to be one of the dominant closers in the American League.
''Getting a closer was our No. 1 priority for a reason. And we have a guy who can be our closer from Day 1. I don't think we could have done anything more significant for our team.''
That said, Shapiro set out to accomplish other tasks: finding an infielder to play either second base or third and acquiring a starting pitcher, but not just any starting pitcher.
Yet, as the winter has progressed, both of these goals have become increasingly elusive, and Shapiro concedes that his alternatives are limited in both areas.
In terms of starting pitchers, Shapiro said, ''We have to be realistic. There are few guys out there who can make an impact, and we have a lot of options. We have six or seven starters to fill three spots. And if we go outside, I want someone whose upside is beyond what our internal alternatives would be.''
Cont...

[tsteele316]

Originally Posted by billmac91

agree completely. Honestly, K-Rod had a lot of ugly saves last year. He walks a lot of hitters, and depends on the strikeout way to much. Kerry Wood keeps it in the strike-zone, but he dares hitters to touch him up. He still HEAVILY relies on the fastball, but he has a good curve. My best friend is a Cubs fan, so I've watched a lot of Cubs games with him. Location isn't generally his strong-suit. It's generally finding the strike zone, relying on a great fastball and curve.

You just have to keep your fingers crossed his arm stays healthy. If it does, he's every bit as taleneted as K-Rod in my mind. May sound ridiculous...but every save I saw K-Rod make last year included a runner on second or thrid base and a hit away from a tie game.

k-rod's numbers have decreased the last 3 years, including his velocity and number of fastballs thrown. that's a warning sign. but, he's in the NL now, so it will work out ok.