Can the Cavs learn from Ronda Rousey? While We’re Waiting…
December 9, 2015The Cleveland Browns, Drew Carey and Sandwiches
December 9, 2015Options for the Cleveland Indians are starting to slim down somewhat this offseason. Arizona is now unlikely to move A.J. Pollock after Tuesday’s big trade. Colby Rasmus took Houston’s qualifying offer. Some of the big free agent names are starting to come off the board.
And that is perhaps what has led the Indians to be connected to very typical Cleveland outfielder signings, reminiscent of David Dellucci, Jason Michaels, David Murphy, et al. For over a month, we’ve heard of the “intense” interest in Shane Victorino. On Tuesday, we saw a report of discussions with free agent Rajai Davis.
Heard Indians are talking about a 1-year deal, including an option, with FA Rajai Davis. Who played 112 games with Detroit last year.
— paul hoynes (@hoynsie) December 8, 2015
Davis, 35, has bounced around with five different teams in his 10-year MLB career. Most recently, he played two years in Oakland, three years in Toronto, and then two years in Detroit. A speedy 5-foot-9 right-handed batter, he hit .272/.314/.418 with 54 steals in 246 games for the Tigers, providing very solid offensive value on his two-year $10 million contract.
Baseball-Reference gave him 2.9 WAR for those two seasons in Detroit. FanGraphs said 3.2 WAR. Given the fact that “wins” usually cost between $7-9 million on the open market, Davis was quite the steal for his cheap price tag. But his age and negative defensive value should likely hamper his potential earnings this offseason.
Among the 114 MLB players with 2,500 innings in the outfield since 2010, Davis’ -6.7 UZR/150 ranks a poor 95th1. But the Indians did recently acquire plus defensive outfielder Collin Cowgill from the Los Angeles Angels. So perhaps Davis could find a role as a part-time outfielder and DH for the Tribe.
Obviously, Davis is quite clearly a decent MLB player at this stage in his career. Not as much can be said about Victorino, who has played just 101 broken-down games since 2014. A one-year deal for Davis worth about $5-6 million was mentioned exactly by WFNY’s Michael Bode in his offseason plan for “fixing” the Tribe. Victorino should get no more than a spring training invite. Signing Davis might not sell any tickets or generate much media buzz. But it’d be a very solid move on the oft-difficult free agent market.
- Intriguingly, Michael Brantley is only 93rd at -5.3 UZR/150 in this time frame. I wrote about Brantley’s oddly bad defensive metrics back in August 2014. He’s been viewed as one of the league’s worst at centerfield (-10.5 in 2,961.1 innings). In left field (-3.1 in 3,738 innings), he’s been rated far more favorably, but still in the negatives. [↩]
19 Comments
Is there anything less inspiring than Cleveland Indians off-season strategy?
I feel like the entire FO hides in a bomb shelter and weathers the “hot stove” period until it’s safe to come out (i.e. everyone worthwhile is gone but a few zombied 35 year old re-treads and platooners).
The only thing productive I think they work on is their slogan for the coming year. Any thoughts on what it’s going to be?
“Cleveland Indians Baseball: It’s Good! No Really.”
“Cleveland Indians Baseball: Who’s in? (The ballpark)”
“Cleveland Indians Baseball: Not as old, stale, and boring as it looks.”
I’ve decided it’s going to be a version of the first one.
“Cleveland Indians Baseball: Good. Really. Good.”
In the spoken word, it sounds like “Good. Really good.” But the written word reveals the truth of the pleading. “We’re good. Really. We mean it.”
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7f65dSbsv1rziwwco1_500.gif
“Who’s In?” (or some similar sentiment) would be in the spirit of “All In” from the only Cleveland sports team anyone has even the faintest sense of hope for as a genuine contender, so I can see them going that direction.
By the way, in that photo, is Davis sprinting to the oven to take out some cookies that are burning? What is he wearing?
Cleveland Indians baseball: I’m sorry I hurt you, baby. I promise never again.
Cleveland Indians baseball: Fill it up!
Cleveland Indians baseball: The trail of no more tears
How does Yan Gomes feel about this?
http://i.giphy.com/3oEdvd3pKFzKWqxxle.gif
(Bonus points for the WFNY gif!)
The Browns strategy at, well, anything?
I get that people want exciting moves, but this team can’t play that game. They’ll have to outbid bigger markets for guys over 30, which means moves like Swisher and Bourn. If they’re going to succeed, it’s going to have to be things like digging through other minor league systems for guys like Kluber and Gomes, trading guys near the end of their contract for guys like Brantley, Carrasco, Santana, and Bauer, drafting/signing guys like Lindor, Kipnis, Salazar and Allen. They’ve been far from perfect at that, but they’ve still been pretty good, and I’d say most teams in the league would be jealous of that top 10 the Indians have. They have to figure out a way to nail the complementary pieces though – more guys that come in and help like Almonte than Moss.
I know we want a big splash, but haven’t we seen enough evidence that they’re unlikely to do that? Why do we have expectations for signing more than a Rajai Davis? And after the bigger contracts to Swisher, Bourn, Hafner, Westbrook, why do we even want them to tie up so much of their salary in a declining vet?
The key word was “inspiring.” We all understand the practical situation the Indians are in; still, they make the most uninspiring moves. That’s all. I think you’ve explained perfectly why.
And as for the Browns, hey, at least they usually have the fans excited about something. Even if it’s false inspiration, it’s inspiration. Johnny Manziel!
But what’s an inspiring move the Indians can make then?
The inspiring moves the Indians made recently were developing Lindor and Salazar, fixing Carrasco, turning Kluber into a Cy Young winner, getting Gomes for nothing. All of these are at least as good as any big signing they could make.
And I’m sure we’ve been over the fanbase’s treatment of the Browns and Indians too many times, but I’m convinced that anything the Browns do will get the fans excited, because, football.
I think we’re on to something: “Cleveland Indians baseball: We like the Browns too, guys!”
Or to appeal to those who hate long MLB seasons…”Cleveland Indians baseball: We take the month of April off.”
Too soon?!
If/when the Browns finally decide they’re done with Manziel, can he sign with the Indians? I’m sure he pitched or played somewhere in high school.
That would actually be inspiring.
Now you’re thinking like a true Bill Veeck! (note I was not implying Johnny is a midget)
Sadly, I’m sure it would be. But seriously, what would you consider an inspiring move the Indians could make?
If they’re going to try to fill roster spots with FA acquisitions, I really would like to see them at least attempt to make a move that would bring a real all-star quality player to the team, instead of sitting idly by while other teams do deals that the Indians probably could do. I know it was a mid-season deal, but the David Price to Detroit trade is an example of one such effort. That kind of thing would be inspiring – telling the fans that they’re in it to win and not just in it to see if they might be able to compete.
But part of the reason Detroit can make that trade is that they can spend money that Price cost, and then spend more to fill the holes they create. The equivalent kind of package for the Indians to what the Tigers gave up would be Salazar, Chisenhall, and Frazier. The winter before, the Indians asked about Price, and we’re told it would cost Lindor, Salazar, and Santana.
I know Price is a big name, but that move probably only adds a win in 2014 and a couple in 2015, at a cost of $7M in 2014 and $20M in 2015. That’s not a bad deal, but it’s also not a great one either, especially for a team that didn’t have that $20M laying around last year.
I get it, big names. But haven’t we seen enough times that big names don’t always equal big wins? The Padres won last year’s offseason, the White Sox made serious moves. Both are in a worse position now.