Indians to Give Santana Time at First Base

Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports that the Indians are going to have catcher Carlos Santana learn how to play first base.

"Next thing on Santana's spring-training checklist is learning how to play first base.  Eduardo Perez and Mike Hargrove, former first basemen and recently hired by the Indians, will help him in the weeks to come."

While Santana will retain his job as the starting catcher, the Indians have decided to teach him first base as a way to try to keep him in the lineup while giving his legs a break.  While this makes sense logically, his bat loses significant value going from the strongest defensive position on the diamond (catcher) to one of the weakest (first base).   While he showed a lot of promise swinging the bat last season, it's far too early to tell if he'll provide enough offense to justify playing him at first.  Still, versatility is never a bad thing, so at the very least it allows the Indians greater positional flexibility.

The Indians intend to play Santana at first base in a few Cactus League games.  There's no word as to whether or not he'll play first base once the season starts.


Santana spent some time playing third base while in the Dodger organization, so the transition to first base should be pretty painless.

Choo Puts Deadline on Extension Talks

Anthony Castrovince of mlb.com reports that while Indians outfielder Shin-Soo Choo is interested in signing a long-term deal with the Indians, he will not negotiate once the season starts.

This sounds like a classic Scott Boras tactic to me.  Like I've mentioned a few times before, he's famous for going year-to-year during the arbitration process because he knows that will net his clients the most money both in the short term and long term.  Typically, he only allows his clients to sign long-term deals buying out arbitration and parts of free agency if the signing team is willing to cede a significant portion of their leverage.  By setting an Opening Day deadline, he hopes to force the Indians into making a decision:  sign him now and overpay or take the risk of Choo's price skyrocketing before the beginning of the next negotiating window.  It's very simple.  If Choo puts up another 5-6 win season in 2011, the Indians may no longer be able to afford him.

What would an extension for Choo look like?  Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLB Trade Rumors makes a convincing case that Nick Markakis's six year $66M extension with the Orioles could be used as a model for the Choo extension.

"Nick Markakis, who signed a long-term extension with the Orioles after the 2008 season, then had remarkably similar numbers to the ones Choo has now. Markakis, who also has a strong throwing arm and plays right field, edges Choo in average, runs and homers, but Choo has more RBI and steals and better on base and slugging averages. Markakis' extension could be a model for Cleveland and he will earn $20MM for his three arbitration seasons.

Choo, 28, recently signed a one year deal for $3.975M that allowed him to avoided arbitration in his first season of eligibility.  Choo finished the 2010 season with a .388 wOBA and a 5.6 WAR.

Santana to be Ready by Spring Training

According to Indians General Manager Chris Antonetti (via Jim Bowden of Fox Sports), Carlos Santana is expected to be ready to play by the time Spring Training starts. 

Last season, Santana was one of the game's most exciting rookies.  Before his gruesome knee injury on August 2nd, he put on an impressive offensive display posting a .382 wOBA with six home runs and an impressive 19.3% walk rate in 192 plate appearances.  Considering his unique combination of power, patience, and solid defense at catcher, I think it's safe to say that the Indians are a much better team with him in the lineup.   Provided he comes back fully healthy, Santana should be a solid 3-4 win player in 2011. 

With Rod Barajas and Dionner Navarro splitting duties behind the dish, you can bet the Dodgers wish they could get a mulligan on the Casey Blake (now 37 years old) trade from 2008.  

Indians Fans Can Relax

On Tuesday, I shared a report by MASN's Phil Wood that said the Nationals had contacted the Indians regarding a possible trade for CF Grady Sizemore and SP Fausto Carmona.  Now, ESPN's Buster Olney reports that conversation never happened.

So what does this mean?  It's means that Buster Olney is now Captain Buzzkill.  Thanks Buster!  You've destroyed one of the only decent rumors around! 

Was that over-the-top?  Perhaps it was.

Nationals Interested in Sizemore, Carmona

According to MASN’s Phil Wood, the Nationals are working on a “number” of trades, and have spoken to the Indians about possibility of trading for Grady Sizemore and Fausto Carmona.  While I see why the Nationals would be interested in making such a deal, I don’t see how the Indians would benefit, outside of a financial reprieve.

Despite two disappointing, injury riddled seasons, Sizemore is still the Indians best trade chip.  To trade him now, while he’s recovering from microfracture surgery, makes little sense because they’d be trading him at a point where his value is at its lowest point.  At 28, Sizemore has a pretty good chance of fully recovering and recapturing his elite status as a 5-6 WAR player.  If I was the Indians GM, I would give Sizemore an opportunity to prove he’s healthy and productive before engaging in serious trade talks.  While there is, of course, some risk to taking the “wait and see” approach, there’s also tremendous reward.  If he fully recovers and recaptures his status as an elite player, the Indians would be in the position of being able to name their price for Sizemore.  For a struggling small market club with a modest payroll, that’s a great position to be in.*  If Sizemore gets hurt or struggles out of the gate, his value would, obviously, take another hit; thus making a trade even more prohibitive for the Indians.  Still, the potential value gained by waiting is far greater than the potential value lost.  While waiting might be a risk, it’s a smart risk, and one the Indians should take. 

  

* Sizemore also has a very team friendly contract that would help improve his trade value, particularly if he's healthy and productive.  He's due to make $7.5M this season, and the Indians hold an $8.5M option for 2012.

Fausto Carmona enjoyed a bounce back season in 2010 after two dreadful seasons in which he struggled mightily with poor control.  Considering how "pitching poor" the Nationals are right now, it's not difficult to understand why the Nationals are interested in trading for him.  (By the same token, the Indians aren't exactly stacked with pitchers either, and would probably benefit from keeping him around for a few more years.)  At 27, he still has very good stuff, and could recapture his 2007 form if a few things break the right way for him.  He has a three pitch repertoire that features an above average two-seam fastball with heavy sink, an above average slider with good tilt, and a plus change up.  On the negative side, Carmona not only walks a few too many batters, but allows too much contact for my liking.  Still, he induces ground balls at such a high rate that his "negative" traits are almost forgivable.  Additionally, Carmona's contract is pretty favorable.  He has one more guaranteed season, at $6.1M, remaining on the four year $15M he signed prior to the 2008 season, plus options that could extend the deal out to 2014.  Considering the current value of a win (around $5M), the options are extremely team friendly:  2012 at $7M, 2013 at $9M, and 2014 at $12M.  While he is certainly an attractive trade candidate, it almost makes more sense for the Indians to hold on to him considering his age and relatively nominal salary. 

If I were the Indians, I'd stand pat for while.  As I see it the Indians could get substantially more in return for both players if they waited until the July 31st deadline to trade either player.  For starters, pitchers typically bring back more in return at the deadline when fringe playoff caliber teams are scrambling for useful starting pitchers.   Two, for the reasons I've already outlined for Sizemore.  Patience in this case is a virtue worth exercising.

Indians Still Working Long-Term Deal with Choo

Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports that the Indians have come to terms on a one year contract worth $3.975M with star outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, which allows both sides to avoid an uncomfortable arbitration hearing.  Despite the agreement, Indians GM Chris Antonetti indicated that the two sides are still working on a multi-year deal that would keep Choo in Cleveland for the foreseeable future.

Antonetti was not able to convince Choo and agent Scott Boras to sign a multiyear deal. Choo, the Indians' best player, can't be a free agent until after the 2013 season, which means Antonetti still has time to extend Choo's stay in Cleveland.

"We're still in the midst of discussions," said Antonetti. "I don't view it as the negotiations being closed."

When asked about the possibility of Choo signing a multiyear deal, Boras, in an e-mail, said, "My role as an attorney for a player is to listen to all and then advise."

It's important to note that Scott Boras rarely allows his clients to sign a contract that not only buys out a player's arbitration seasons, but also delays the onset of free agency.   That said, it's certainly not unheard of. Carlos Gonzalez recently signed a seven year $80M contract with the Rockies that bought out all of his arbitration seasons plus his first three seasons of free agent eligibility.  When Boras does allow his clients to sign one of these deals, it's usually because the signing team agrees to pay the player more money than he projects to receive by going year-to-year via the arbitration process.

Choo is one of the brightest and most undervalued stars in the game.  Last season, he produced a .388 wOBA (.300/.401/.484), with a +2.9 UZR in right field, and a 5.6 fWAR.  Going into his age-28 season, Choo projects to be a very good major league ballplayer for the foreseeable future.  He hits for average, draws walks, hits for extra bases, plays solid defense, and runs the bases well.  Players that have a versatile skill set, like Choo, tend to age well because they have something to fall back on once one of their primary skills start to decline.  Think J.D. Drew or Jayson Werth, minus the injuries.

While the Indians are a small market team with a modest payroll, they'd be wise to open the coffers for Choo.