Buckeye Notes: Vonn Bell named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, J.T. Barrett (re)named starter
November 10, 2015Browns part ways with Robert Turbin after three weeks of play
November 10, 2015Cleveland fans are nothing if not sentimental. Sure those sentiments are not always warm, but former players tend to keep a place in our hearts long after they leave the team. Who didn’t enjoy watching Jhonny Peralta start at shortstop for a playoff team? Or Tony Sipp take part in the surprising run in Houston? Whether the memories are good or bad, they are there. The question is if there is a reason to create new memories with them returning to the Indians. Well, Y!Sports Jeff Passan wrote his annual MLB free agent ultimate ranking and there were 18 former Indians on his list.
So, while Jacob took his turn giving an overall primer for the qualifying offer and free agent market, let’s take a look and see if any of the ex-Tribesmen are worth a reunion contract, and if they would even consider accepting one.
Note: the number beside each player is the Passan ranking.
20: Scott Kazmir, SP
Kazmir was a fantastic story during the 2013 Cleveland Indians playoff run. His work to resurrect his career and redefine himself as a pitcher made for an essential part of that team. After replicating that success in Oakland for a year and a half, his homecoming to Houston (where he lives) was not quite as fruitful. Still, he is a pitcher who will be 32 years old and has had relatively consistent success over the past three seasons. He will likely be in line for a 3 year, $30 million contract.
It might not seem to make much sense for the Indians to spend precious budget money towards a starting pitcher, but the hot stove season has just began. If the Indians do trade away any of their starting pitching depth for hitting (from Danny Salazar to Trevor Bauer to even Cody Anderson or Josh Tomlin), then acquiring a pitcher with the recent track record of Kazmir would make plenty of sense. But, it is still quite unlikely.
30: Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
Ah, the old Asdrubal Cabrera as a potential third baseman conundrum. Seems to pop up every year as the somewhat statuesque shortstop would be a relatively able-bodied defensive third baseman. He would be no Giovanny Urshela there, mind you, but he could conceivably replicate the start of season defense from Lonnie Chisenhall at third (who, I will continue to remind you, was surprisingly a good glove at third this season). However, Cabrera never wanted any part of the shift to a corner infield position with evidence he is more willing to move to second base from just last offseason (until he eventually found the Tampa Bay Rays willing to slot him in at shortstop).
If the Indians can convince him to make the switch though, his last three season OPS+ of 96, 93, and 105 certainly plays better than the bat the Indians received in 2015 from third base (Urshela had an OPS+ of 63), but it would still be rather unlikely because he is probably looking for Jhonny Peralta money (Peralta received a 4 year contract for $53 million in 2013 from the St. Louis Cardinals).
48: Tony Sipp, RP
Bring back Tony Sipp.
A good rallying cry if I ever heard one. Sipp was electric for the Houston Astros this season (and his peripheral numbers were better in 2014) and will likely command a hefty price tag relative for a non-closing relief pitcher. While the Indians certainly have the need for a good left-handed reliever, Sipp is going to cost too much to be an effective use of limited funds (get well soon Nick Hagadone).
49: Franklin “Franky G” Guitierrez, OF
The Lonnie Baseball of right field before Lonnie Baseball was a thing (even at third base). Franky G was a typical defensive star who could not hit with the Indians. These days, his defense is not what it once was, and the Seattle Mariners used him as a part-time player.1 The only reason the Indians would sign him would be to platoon him with Lonnie Chisenhall in right field as Franky G is a right-handed batter. It would not be the worst idea nor would it be the most costly one.
56: Bartolo Colon, SP
Despite the many fond memories of Colon and the amazing trade of him that setup another run, Bartolo Colon needs to stay in the NL so that children may watch him swing the bat and be merry.
65: David “don’t call me Daniel” Murphy, DH
Murphy is a good guy, but he cannot field and the team seemed to play better with a more energetic bench presence rather than his calming influence. A polite golf clap might be required when he visits Progressive Field though I’m not sure if it would be ironically derogatory or acceptable encouragement.
74: Ryan Raburn, DH
Well, the Indians turned down a $3 million club option at the end of the 2015 season. I suppose he could get ignored on the free agent market and come back cheaper, but it doesn’t seem likely.
79: Mark Reynolds, 3B/DH
The home run power of his youth is leaving him as he has had a slugging percentage below .400 for three consecutive seasons now. He will find a home somewhere as a potential right-handed power bat, but hopefully the Indians know better. Then again, it just means we will likely find another Reynold or Brandon Moss to pin some hope on.
88: Matt Albers, RP
Another member of the famed 2013 Cleveland Indians, Albers has continued to put up numbers much better than his peripherals suggest should be happening. But, such is the life for a relief pitcher with an extremely limited sample size. Given the depth of right-handed relief pitchers on the team, he is not likely to receive interest from the team unless he’s willing to take a rather cheap deal.
96: Ryan Webb, RP
As with Albers, the Indians will likely attempt to replace Webb internally or with a cheaper option, but if he’s willing to take a smallish deal, then perhaps he can make a return trip to the Northcoast. He was certainly a pleasant surprise in 2015 as he did not excite nor induce fear. He was completely forgettable, which means the middle reliever did his job.
100: Cliff Lee, SP
Will anyone pay for what he once was? Will he be able to make a recovery or a Kazmir-like redefinition of himself? Well, no one is quite sure, which is why he sits so low on the ranking. But, if the Indians did sign Lee as their annual low budget recovery project pitcher, then it would certainly create a buzz. And, the Indians often struggle to create such a buzz.
Again though, the Indians do not need a starting pitcher unless they trade away some depth, but is Lee a true starting pitcher at this point or a reclamation project with some ROI potential?
101: Grady Sizemore, DH/OF
He’s left-handed, now a liability in the field, and it would just be sad seeing Sizemore as a shell of his former self these days. The Indians already gifted him an extra $5 million contract as he attempted to recover at the end of his Cleveland days, so let’s just let him find work elsewhere now.
113: Mike Aviles, Utility
I absolutely love Aviles willingness to play any position on any given day and do everything he could to help the team. By all accounts, he was a great guy. But, Jose Ramirez and Lonnie Chisenhall have his utility role covered now. So, hopefully, he finds work elsewhere.
120: Gavin Floyd, SP/RP
The 2015 starting pitching reclamation project did not bear fruit for the MLB club other than 13 innings of good relief work, but Floyd was reportedly a good mentor for the young pitchers while rehabbing in Arizona. He’ll find work somewhere with a team looking to back-fill their rotation on the cheap.
136: Drew Stubbs, OF
He is not the center fielder you are looking for. Move along.
156: Jeremy Guthrie, SP
I am still attempting to figure out how a team who has done as well as the Kansas City Royals have elected to give Guthrie over 560 innings of work over the past three seasons. If I figure it out, then I expect a Pulitzer.
Let’s just say if the Royals defense cannot make him look good, then…
164: Vinnie Pestano, RP
Out of respect for the former WFNY Indian writers, I’m not going to write anything about Pestano here other than to give this link: An Ode to Vinnie Pestano
166: Roberto “Fausto” Hernandez, SP
A rose by any other name is still a rose, but a Fausto Carmona by the name Roberto Hernandez is not a MLB pitcher.
Your Turn
So, which former Indians would you like to see with a reunion contract?
And, did I miss anyone?
- Thanks in part to some crazy reasons to be on the DL. [↩]
14 Comments
The only two guys on that list that really interest me at this point are Kazmir and Sipp. And I know Sipp will probably go above the Indians price guidelines for a relief pitcher, but I’m not sure I trust any of our in-house lefty options. We’ve covered for RHP’s, (especially if McAllister stays in the Bullpen) but I think they should consider bringing in a new Scrabble by FA or trade.
I was sad to see Kazmir go, and I wouldn’t mind seeing him back, but I can understand why they might not want to do it for a 5th starter when they have other more pressing needs. And for the record, I don’t support the trading of any of our young starters on team friendly deals when we don’t have anybody more exciting than TJ House coming down the pipeline for at least another year, and maybe two.
I don’t really think anybody else on that list is a clear enough upgrade over anybody else to spend on. I’d just as well run with Almonte or give Naquin a try in Center field as sign Guttierrez, and Cabrerra is, well, nope.
I wonder if Cliff Lee would consider a Smoltz-esque move to closer in his old age. He doesn’t walk guys and has good splits. I wonder if he could throw a little harder again if he wasn’t pacing himself. No, the Indians won’t and shouldn’t pay big money for a closer, but it would be interesting.
I could see Lee as a closer, likely not for us though as we’re pretty good there right now
That makes one of us.
Maybe Kazmir for rotation depth but that’s about it for me.
I would say the one place they are well loaded is rotation depth. Kluber, Carrasco, Salazar, Bauer, Anderson, Tomlin, House, with guys like Clevinger, Plutko, Merritt, and Morimando needing to get innings in AAA. That’s already 11 guys for the top 10 rotation spots in the org.
I would have no problem signing Lee if the price was right. Hard to think the price will be right. And i’m talking league minimum here (with incentives). I don’t think anyone else on this list merits consideration.
Kazmir faded down the stretch, and probably not coincidentally after being traded away from Oakland. I don’t like his arm at this point in the number-1 ballpark for runs in the AL.
He’s been average or worse (or a lot worse) everywhere but Oakland since 2009.
Friends don’t let friends sign Ass-Cab “GIDP” onto their roster.
Maybe you trade some of those prospects since people seem to love prospects for some bats. That would create room.
Maybe he needs to get back with Mickey Calloway.
Pass on all of them get a 100 rbi bat
I would love Asdrubal. His hitting would be huge in our lineup. Really not sure he’d be willing to move though and not sure we’d be willing to commit so much to a guy in his 30s.
Sure, I’m open to trade pitching to bring in hitting. But for the purpose of bringing in Kazmir?
yeah, pass on that Bryce Harper kid. No 100 RBI = No Good.
BTW, only 13 MLB players hit 100 RBI in 2015. Only 1 is a free agent (Cespedes).