JDsDirtySox Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Found this on an Indians board: The Cleveland Plain Dealer believed the Indians will have to offer Trevor Hoffman a two-year deal worth close to $8 million a year with a vesting option for a third year in order to lure him away from the West Coast. Indians GM Mark Shapiro will meet with Hoffman at his home in California this week. The Braves and Tigers appear to be the other top contenders for Hoffman, but the Phillies could get involved if Tom Gordon picks the Yankees or Red Sox. If Brian Giles exceeds their price range, the Indians may target Nomar Garciaparra to aid there offense. The Indians could use Garciaparra at first base or in right field, whereever he'd feel most comfortable. The Orioles and Dodgers are also looking at Garciaparra, and teams like the A's, Twins, Diamondbacks and Braves can't be completely ruled out. The Indians remain in contact with free agent Scott Elarton, who has received interest from 10 teams but has yet to be offered a contract. Elarton is hoping for a two-year deal. The Indians would rather sign him for one year. He'll probably wait until some of the top pitchers sign and see if that helps his market value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 In other words...the Indians may not have the money to spend to make up for what they are likely to lose in FA. They still can be a better team next year than they were last year, especially if guys like Boone and Martinez don't get off to horrid starts, but at least we can say that even if Cleveland is coming into next year looking stronger...SO ARE WE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitewashed in '05 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Well so far they have not resigned Wickman, Elarton, Millwood, and lost Howry. Anyone else I am missing? I don't know if they will have enough money to re-sign all of them so they might have to find cheaper replacements. They will still be very good but Millwood held that rotation down and Howry along with Wickman were getting stuff done for their bullpen. I am hoping they degress a little because they had one hell of a team last season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punch and Judy Garland Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Hoffman and Nomar would be solid, smart additions to the team. If you lose Millwood and Elarton, maybe you can fill that spot with a Jeremy Sowers-type but you probably need to either deal for or sign a free agent starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankensteiner Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 QUOTE(Punch and Judy Garland @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 10:01 PM) Hoffman and Nomar would be solid, smart additions to the team. If you lose Millwood and Elarton, maybe you can fill that spot with a Jeremy Sowers-type but you probably need to either deal for or sign a free agent starter. I believe they made a 2-year offer to Paul Byrd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punch and Judy Garland Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Hmm. Byrd would be a very solid sign don't you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitewashed in '05 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 (edited) QUOTE(Punch and Judy Garland @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 10:28 PM) Hmm. Byrd would be a very solid sign don't you think? Ugh, he handled us decently in the playoffs for a junkballer. He's an innings eater and gets the job done with what he has. It would be a good place to start for the Indians to replace 1 of their 2 holes in the rotation right now. I guess he just pissed me off in the playoffs that the sox couldn't rock him. He looks like such a vulnerable pitcher. Edited December 1, 2005 by Sox Hustler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 QUOTE(Punch and Judy Garland @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 10:28 PM) Hmm. Byrd would be a very solid sign don't you think? I think so. I think he'd be a great replacement for Scott Elarton in their rotation. They need Kevin Millwood or a Kevin Millwood type though, afterall he was only their best pitcher last season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 03:57 PM) I think so. I think he'd be a great replacement for Scott Elarton in their rotation. They need Kevin Millwood or a Kevin Millwood type though, afterall he was only their best pitcher last season. Yeah, they really need to bring back Millwood, since they're already going to lose Elarton. But for what Bora$$ is demanding, that's unlikely to happen. So I mean you look at Cleveland and you think they'll be a little bit better next season offensively, but they're definitely losing some pitching, and that's going to hurt em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 QUOTE(Sox Hustler @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 10:55 PM) Ugh, he handled us decently in the playoffs for a junkballer. He's an innings eater and gets the job done with what he has. It would be a good place to start for the Indians to replace 1 of their 2 holes in the rotation right now. I guess he just pissed me off in the playoffs that the sox couldn't rock him. He looks like such a vulnerable pitcher. I would rather face Byrd than Millwood any day of the week. Their pitching wont be what it was last year, because they dont have guys locked up for multiple year deals like we do. Their bullpen is getting poached in FA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I guess he just pissed me off in the playoffs that the sox couldn't rock him. He looks like such a vulnerable pitcher. he also kind of looks like a vulcan. this makes sense. if spock were a pitcher, i could see him throwing junk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoomSlowik Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 (edited) Considering the going rate for closers, I don't know if $8 mil a year is going to get Hoffman, even if he is ancient. One could argue that he is the best closer of all time (some have, even though I can't see him being better than Rivera), and probably isn't that much worse than Wagner, and he certainly has a better resume than Ryan, albiet he was less dominant. Supposedly Giles isn't an option anymore, so they'd have to find a bat elsewhere. I'm not sure why they'd be spending on their offense anyways, their pitching obviously needs more help. Unless they somehow magically add Pujols, Cabrera, or someone of that nature, I doubt it would make more than a small impact on the offense anyways, since it is already pretty good. They have some serious work to do in order to be anywhere near as good as they were last year, and I'd still say that the monster tear they went on was a combination of a weak schedule and a once in a decade combination of hot streaks in that lineup. Their lineup will probably still be productive regardless of what happens because of that Sizemore-Crisp-Perralta-Hafner-Martinez grouping. I wouldn't expect their production to go the same path as last year though, by that I mean either the weak start or the torrid finish. Somewhere in between those two streaks seems more likely, which still probably makes them a top 5 offense. The pitching is another story however. Their bullpen lost several dependable arms, and their rotation only has two legit starters in Lee and Sabathia, the latter of which didn't pitch well most of the year and is rather inconsistent and overrated. They absolutely need two quality starters and at least one elite bullpen arm, possibly two. I don't see them paying to get that. Byrd would work, although he can't possibly produce like Millwood did last year. Unless things change, I'm going with the same prediction I made last year: they finish with 88 wins tops. It took a hot streak of historic proportions to prove me wrong last time, I doubt it happens again. Edited December 1, 2005 by ZoomSlowik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 QUOTE(Frankensteiner @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 07:26 PM) I believe they made a 2-year offer to Paul Byrd. The Angels, according to a source, have increased their offer to free-agent pitcher Paul Byrd to two years and about $11 million, and the right-hander, who has two-year offers from the Orioles, Rangers and Cleveland, could make a decision this week. "Paul truly wants to return to the Angels," agent Bo McKinnis said. "He has spoken to [pitching coach] Bud Black and some Angel players frequently over the past few weeks and would really like to be back with them next year." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 QUOTE(thedoctor @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 07:44 AM) he also kind of looks like a vulcan. this makes sense. if spock were a pitcher, i could see him throwing junk. Vulcans are unusually strong compared to humans due to the fact that their planet's gravitational pull is stronger than Earth's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 QUOTE(Sox Hustler @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 08:55 PM) Ugh, he handled us decently in the playoffs for a junkballer. He's an innings eater and gets the job done with what he has. It would be a good place to start for the Indians to replace 1 of their 2 holes in the rotation right now. I guess he just pissed me off in the playoffs that the sox couldn't rock him. He looks like such a vulnerable pitcher. Well...let's not forget 1 key thing...we've added a nice left handed bat to our lineup. That could help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 05:20 PM) Vulcans are unusually strong compared to humans due to the fact that their planet's gravitational pull is stronger than Earth's. well, see, that's what i get for throwing out trekkie trivia without the proper factual backing. i think i need to start spending more time in my parent's basement... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 DOnt forget, Wickman is our b****. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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