Tribe Happenings: Are the Indians going up for sale?

If the Indians are for sale, who does Larry

Dolan sell the team to? (Photo: AP)

Some news, notes, and thoughts from my Indians notebook…

To sell or not to sell

First off, let me just be up front and note that before I get into any of this I am merely speculating. No one from SportsTime Ohio or the Indians has told me anything, I am simply just putting two and two together with some recent events surrounding the Indians.

That having been said, things are starting to get a little interesting with the Cleveland Indians of late. No, not because a new season is on the horizon, but because it looks like there may be some plans in motion to either sell the team or at least take a peek into the market to see who might be interested in buying the team.

Rumors came forth back in July that the Dolan ownership group was taking offers for SportsTime Ohio, their cable TV network and home of over 150 Indians television broadcasts a year. Not surprisingly those rumors have been denied, but where there is smoke there may be fire.

Suddenly in the past week I have been getting emails, texts and calls from all sorts of people with varying connections to me, and they all keep asking the same thing, “Are the Indians being put up for sale?”

I found it odd that with no knowledge of each other that all of these people would suddenly be asking such a question. Something may indeed be up, so here is a brief look at the situation to see if indeed the team could be up for sale.

From the sounds of things, the Dolan ownership may be putting out feelers to potential buyers. While it may not yet be public knowledge that the team is available for sale, the startup process to a long, convoluted process to sell the team may have already started quietly behind the scenes. The new CBA - which has drawn criticism for its unfairness to smaller market teams like the Indians - may be what finally pushed the Dolan ownership into considering offers for the team, and conceivably their cable TV network too.

The best evidence to support a possible looming sale of the Indians is their current payroll structure where not one single player has a guaranteed deal past this season. There are a few players that have club options for the 2013 season and there are some arbitration eligible players, but right now they have absolutely zero commitments in regard to salary for 2013. Nadda. With no long term monetary commitments it would certainly seem to make them more attractive to a potential buyer.

This may also explain what has been a strange offseason where the Indians have been very quiet on the free agent front and limited just about all contract discussions with players to a maximum of two years.

So who could be a potential suitor to buy the Indians? How about Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert?

In addition to the Cavaliers, Gilbert already owns the Lake Erie Monsters minor league hockey team and just recently purchased the arena football team the Cleveland Gladiators. With Quicken Loans Arena chock full of entertainment options between his three teams, he could look to continue to monopolize the sports market in the Cleveland area by purchasing the Indians.

One thing to remember is that before buying the Cavaliers back in 2005, Gilbert had tried to buy the Milwaukee Brewers, so interest in a Major League Baseball team is certainly there. With his new casino opening up later this year in downtown Cleveland, he could look at ways to use his sports teams to tie into it, and having a baseball team in town for 81 games a year might be inviting.

If there ever was an owner that would be a perfect fit for the Indians, it would be Gilbert. Not because he would spend lots of money – I have news for you, his spending will be based on team revenues just like it has with the Dolan’s – but because of the big shadow the Indians would get out from under with the Dolan ownership. I have often shared my feelings how I think Larry and Paul Dolan are misunderstood by the fan base, but Gilbert is a hero in this city right now, and with his money from Quicken Loans, expanding his Flash Seats setup to the Indians, and getting all the teams onto one big giant Cleveland sports network might be too good to be true.

Like I said, it is merely speculation, but with the rumors of SportsTime Ohio being for sale, the Indians very cost-conscious offseason, and Gilbert buying up sports teams in the Cleveland area like a kid in a candy store…anything can happen.

Finally, a first baseman

On Thursday the Indians came to a deal with free agent first baseman Casey Kotchman on a one year contract that will pay him $3 million in 2012. So ends their long offseason courtship of several first basemen, and while Kotchman may not be the sexiest pickup of those that were available this offseason he may end up as the best fit.

Kotchman, 28, played with the Tampa Bay Rays last season and finished 8th in the American League in hitting (.306) and 10th in on-base percentage (.378). He also had 24 doubles, 10 home runs, 48 RBI, and a .800 OPS in his 146 games played.

Last season Kotchman’s batting average, on-base percentage, and total number of games played were all career highs. It may be viewed that he simply had a career year last season, but he also had a very similar year – if not better – in 2007 when he hit .296 with 11 homers, 68 RBI, and a .840 OPS in 137 games. His numbers fell off a cliff from 2008-2010, but he apparently was having vision issues during that time and had a corrective vision procedure before last season. He conveniently responded with a very good season last year.

While a lot of people have been so fixated this offseason on adding a right-handed bat with power to the Indians lineup, one thing that has been greatly overlooked is the huge need for infield defense and a bat that can hit for average and limit strikeouts. That is exactly what Kotchman can do for the Indians this season.

Kotchman will not hit for much power, but what he will bring is exceptional defense at first base and an ability to consistently put the bat on the ball and limit strikeouts (2588 at bats, 289 strikeouts). He has all the pedigree as a former top prospect as for four years running from 2002-2005 he was a Top 25 prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America when he was in the Angels’ system.

Kotchman will definitely help improve the Indians' infield defense on the right side, something that was an issue several times last season. Last year he finished the season with a .998 fielding percentage (2 errors in 1201 total chances), leading all Major League first basemen in that category for a fourth consecutive campaign (2008-11). His career .998 fielding percentage (11 errors in 6076 total chances) is the highest in Major League history for those with at least 700 career games at the position.

Even though Kotchman is yet another left-handed hitter, the Indians have the flexibility to sit him against left-handed pitchers and put Carlos Santana at first base when he needs a break from catching. This is a solid pick up, and even though it is not a headline maker he should help the Indians improve in several different areas next season.

Indians, Rays make a trade

On Tuesday the Indians and Tampa Bay Rays completed a small trade where infielder Russ Canzler was sent to the Indians in exchange for cash considerations. The Rays had designated him for assignment on January 27th, but the Indians were able to complete a deal and add him to the 40-man roster to the spot vacated by right-handed pitcher Fausto Carmona who was put on the restricted list last week.

Canzler, 25, was the MVP this past season of the International League at Triple-A Durham where he hit .314 with 40 doubles, 18 home runs, 83 RBI and .931 OPS in 131 games. His right-handed bat is interesting, but what probably attracted him to the Indians is his versatility as last season he appeared in 41 games in right field, 33 games in left field, 40 games at third base and 17 games at first.

Canzler has very little big league experience as he was added to the Major League roster and made his big league debut last September appearing in just three games (1-for-3, 1 RBI). He is a depth option and has some potential as a corner utility player. His defense is very questionable, which is why he was able to be picked up for nothing, and may be a lot like former Indian first base prospect Jordan Brown as a player that could hit but had too many limitations defensively.

Canzler has all three of his options remaining, so he should provide depth at several positions this year at Triple-A and in the big leagues, and he could end up being a good buy low pickup for the Indians.

LaPorta destined for AAA

With the signing of Kotchman, first baseman Matt LaPorta’s ticket has all but been punched to Triple-A Columbus to start next season. The only thing standing in the way of that ticket from being punched is if Kotchman were to get hurt this spring, which if that were to happen then it would open up the door for LaPorta or someone else to be the regular first baseman.

This is a good thing for LaPorta. His performance to date in the big leagues has been spotty and he has not developed at all the past few years. He may have actually regressed as a player. I believe LaPorta still has a chance to become something with the Indians, but I don't get this mantra by some folks that he has to play with the Indians this year. The guy needs tons of work and development, something which simply cannot be afforded at the big league level when a team is trying to win. It is different if a team is in a development year, but that is not the case this year.

LaPorta has one option left. Use it and send him to the minors where the focus is less on winning and all about development. This is really his last chance to get his swing right, his confidence up, and his consistency with both his offense and defense to what it is expected to be. At this time next year he will be out of options and then the Indians will be backed up against a wall to make a decision on him if he is still struggling. At least by sending him to Triple-A for a big chunk of the season they will know they tried.

In no way have I given up on him. I just believe with this being his last option year he needs to go to Triple-A and play every day in an environment where there is no pressure to win and the Indians can be patient to wait for the results to show. Plus, even if he starts the year in Columbus, there is a good chance he will be needed at some point this season because of injuries and performance to other players.

Sign on the dotted line

Indians left-handed reliever Rafael Perez agreed to terms on Friday to a one year $2.005 million contract for 2012 to avoid salary arbitration. He is still under club control in 2013 and is not eligible for free agency until after that season.

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera remains the lone unsigned arbitration eligible player on the Indians roster and reportedly has a multi-year offer from the team on the table. He and the Indians are not expected to go to salary arbitration, so sometime early this coming week he will probably either accept the multi-year deal or just take a one year salary offer. Like with Perez, he is also under club control for the 2013 season and not eligible for free agency until after that season.

Parting Shots

As of this writing, the Indians have not yet announced the player to be removed from the 40-man roster to make room for Casey Kotchman. … The Indians had agreed to terms with infielder Julio Lugo on a minor league contract over a week ago, but that deal has fell apart and he is no longer part of the Indians plans in 2012. … This is just a quick note to mention that my new book the 2012 Cleveland Indians Prospect Insider is nearing completion. The book is my annual offering that provides everything you need to know about the Indians farm system and then some, and I hope to have news on its availability very soon. I also plan to unveil a new redesign of my site sometime in the next week. … Lastly, enjoy Super Bowl Sunday. Hopefully your team wins, but most importantly good luck hitting on those squares at the end of each quarter!

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

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Offseason Spotlight: Kyle Blair

Photo: Lianna Holub

We are about a month away from the opening of minor league camp as pitchers and catchers report March 5th and position players report March 9th.

One player looking forward to reporting is right-handed pitcher Kyle Blair as he is anxious to wipe the bad taste out of his mouth from a disappointing 2011 campaign. In 24 combined appearances (14 starts) between rookie level Arizona and Low-A Lake County he went 3-5 with a 5.16 ERA, and in 82.0 innings he allowed 81 hits, 7 home runs, 40 walks, and had 72 strikeouts.

“Obviously it was not what I expected,” Blair said about his season in a recent interview for the IPI. “I started off well and then things got a little shaky. It was kind of unexpected, though it was my first year with adapting to a lot of things and learning pro ball. I also had that injury for a while that I tried to play on which was not my best move. You live and learn and come back. Maybe the numbers were not as good as I wanted and the stuff was not as good as I wanted, but it is what it is and I learned a lot.”

Blair’s performance last year is a prime example of how stats can sometimes be deceiving. One look at his numbers and a casual observer with no context into his workouts, health, and development plan may just cast him aside as a failed prospect. But there was a lot more to his season last year that went on that had an effect on his performance.

“Oh yeah, there is a lot of stuff that goes on that people just don’t see,” Blair said.

Around the end of April in his fourth of fifth start for Lake County he started experiencing pain in his right knee. The pain gradually worsened with each start to the point where by mid-June he could not even stand on his right leg. He made the mistake of pitching almost a month and a half on the knee without really telling the Indians and their trainers what was going on.

“It was about my fourth start that I noticed something very little and it was not very comfortable,” Blair said. “I came out the next start and it kept getting worse and worse and worse, but I still felt like I could get through it. I had a couple of good starts with it and I felt it was not a big deal, and then it really started hurting and I was pretty much pitching on one leg. After the All Star break in that first start against Fort Wayne I was like ‘ok I can’t do this anymore’ and that is when [I was shut down.”

When Blair was finally shut down near the end of June the Indians performed a test on his right knee and found that he had a grade two MCL strain and a slight tear of the MCL. He had been pitching on it that way for about his last eight or nine starts up until he was shut down, and it was affecting his drive to the plate. His numbers bottomed out as a result.

“I had a rough month and a half where I was dealing with that knee issue,” Blair said. “It was not that bad, but it just kept getting worse and worse. I did rehab with it, stretched it out, and iced it every game and tried to pitch through it and obviously it did not work out very well.”

The numbers speak for themselves. Before the injury cropped up he made five starts in April and was 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA and in 24.0 innings allowed 20 hits, 6 walks, and had 18 strikeouts. When he came back from the injury in mid-August he pitched exclusively out of the bullpen the rest of the season. He made nine appearances in the bullpen and went 0-0 with a 1.89 ERA, and in 19.0 innings allowed 13 hits, 5 walks, and had 12 strikeouts.

So when he was healthy last year Blair made 14 appearances and had a 2.30 ERA, and totaled 43.0 innings where he allowed 33 hits, 11 earned runs, 11 walks, and had 30 strikeouts. When he pitched hurt he made ten appearances and had an 8.54 ERA, and totaled 39.0 innings where he allowed 48 hits, 37 earned runs, 29 walks, and had 42 strikeouts. There is no doubt the injury affected him as his command and stuff suffered and led to a high amount of walks and runs he otherwise may not have given up if he were healthy.

“I took those five weeks off in Arizona which was really good for me to go out there and rehab it and realize what I had and how to deal with it,” Blair said. “I came back and [threw] a lot more strikes and [threw] my fastball a lot more. I learned my lesson and it was a learning year for sure.”

With the knee issue out of the way and last season behind him, Blair needs to really hone in on his mechanics and fastball command this season. While rehabbing out in Arizona last year he got a head start on the mechanics as the Indians had him move from the right side of the rubber to the middle in order to help his fastball command to both lefties and righties and give him more plate to work with. He also worked on slowing his wind up down as he has a tendency to rush and lose his balance point.

But the big key to Blair’s success going forward is improving his fastball command.

“That’s been my thing from day one from signing is fastball command,” Blair said. “I started out the first month [last year] just basically throwing a lot of fastballs. I did really well with it and then just lost it when the knee thing came about. When I came back in August and was coming out of the pen it was just fastball, fastball, fastball. I was really working on it and it improved tremendously, and when I came back I only had a couple of walks which was awesome.”

In the offseason Blair went home to Coronado, California to spend time with his family and do some pitching clinics for youth baseball players and speak to the baseball team at Coronado High School. Last month he was expected to go to Tampa, Florida to go to the Saddlebrook Resort to train for the upcoming season.

“I’m from Los Gatos which is in Northern California and I used to work with kids in Little League there, but my parents moved down to Coronado,” Blair said. “I love helping out the kids because it is always nice to give back and know where you came from. It is just a good thing to do.”

With last season behind him Blair is ready for the new challenges that the 2012 season has in store for him. He fell short of his goals last season, and is working harder to get back to the pitcher he knows he can be and have a successful season this time around.

“I just want to get healthy and keep building on the stuff I learned [last] year,” Blair said. “I really want to work on my fastball command, and if I can build on what I did in the last few weeks of [last] season I think I will be in a good spot.”

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

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Indians sign Kotchman

Casey Kotchman

The Cleveland Indians today announced that they have signed free agent first baseman Casey Kotchman to a one-year contract. He will earn $3 million in 2012 and there are incentives in his contract to earn more. The Indians have not yet announced the player that will be removed from the 40-man roster to make room for Kotchman.

Kotchman, 28, played with the Tampa Bay Rays last season and finished 8th in the American League in hitting (.306) and 10th in on-base percentage (.378).  He also had 24 doubles, 10 home runs, 48 RBI, and a .800 OPS in his 146 games played. His batting average, on-base percentage, and games played were all career highs. In his 8-year career he is a .268 hitter with 59 HR, 332 RBI and .733 OPS, and where he really helps is his ability to limit strikeouts as he has just 289 strikeouts in 2588 career at bats. He is a former Baseball America MLB Top 25 Prospect for four straight years from 2002-2005 when he was in the Angels system.

Kotchman is a plus defender and should help improve the Indians' infield defense on the right side. Last year he finished the season with a .998 fielding percentage (2 errors in 1201 total chances), leading all Major League first basemen in that category for a fourth consecutive campaign (2008-11).  His career .998 fielding percentage (11 errors in 6076 total chances) is the highest in Major League history for those with at least 700 career games at the position.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

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The can't miss kids

Matt LaPorta (Photo: AP)

These are the "can't miss kids". Players that are former members of the Top 100 Prospect club as named by Baseball America.  With over a thousand players in the minors every season, at one time these "can't miss kids" were considered the best 100 prospects going into that season and were thought to end up being at worst solid major leaguers.

Each player had a pedigree and now has a few flaws which have prevented them from being major leaguers. I am sure the hope for the Tribe is that things will finally click for one or more of these guys and they will pull a Ryan Ludwick and become a late in life All Star.

Here is a listing of five Indians' prospects that were once included in a Top 100 listing. My hope is to show why these players have not lived up to expectations and why they could still end up helping the Tribe at some point.

Thomas Neal - Outfielder

BA peak rank: 96

Flaws: power, declining production, injury

Thomas Neal burst on the scene with a great year in 2009 where in High-A he showed power, contact, and a solid glove. The problem is since he has advanced the power has evaporated, the average has dropped, and his walk to strike out ratio is 1:2. The upside for the Indians is that he should be a guy that is a major league back up at worst. The Indians acquired him for very little cost because he had a down year thanks to injuries. Even in his declined year at Double-A he still posted an OPS near .800.  He is a free swinger that does not walk much, but thanks to a solid glove and a right handed bat, he strikes me as a guy who could find a place on the Indians or else were as a 4^th outfielder.

Aaron Cunningham - Outfielder

BA peak rank: 55

Flaws: average, strike outs, lack of power

Cunningham’s peak rank came after a great year that he split between Double-A and Triple-A, which would have seemed to make him a sure bet. He could play all three outfield positions, posted good numbers, and demonstrated doubles power that people thought would develop into home run power. He basically has played extremely well at every level in the minors, but his success has failed to translate to the majors. In the majors he has posted a line of .231/.290/.375, but it should be noted this has only been through 355 at bats.  With his prospect pedigree it is surprising that he has never been given a full season to see if he can put it together. As for what he brings to the Tribe, he is a right-hander that has crushed lefties and he can play all three outfield spots which is important with Sizemore’s health issues. I think he has a great chance to make this team as a 4^th outfielder thanks to what he can do. I know a lot of people disliked this deal, but the Tribe got a great athlete that can hit lefties for a pair of six inning arms (which typically have zero trade value).

Nick Weglarz - Outfielder

BA peak rank: 58

Flaws: defense, injury, contact

Nick Weglarz for a long time has been one of the most interesting prospects in the Indians system. The reason was simply because he had a ton of raw power and has been the only major power prospect to come through the Indians system in awhile. Plus he had the bonus of an extremely advanced eye at a young age. He did strike out but his strike out rate typically was 1:1 with his walk rate. But injuries have derailed his once promising career. He just finished his 7^th year in the minors and most would have expected him to have made the majors two to three years ago. It’s hard to get in a groove when injuries keep occurring, and I am sure this has lead to some frustration which could have affected him last season. The decline in stats and the fact he actually spent a year at a lower level than the year before makes his chances seem grim unless he breaks out this year. There is a very good chance he could be out of the system by this time next year. His .179/.360/.303 line last year shows that he still has a good eye at the plate, but the power loss makes one wonder if injuries have robbed him of some of his power.

Andy LaRoche - Third Baseman

BA peak rank: 19

Flaws: everything

This might be a bit cruel as LaRoche was such a huge prospect, but it just hasn’t come together for him. At one point he was the top third base prospect in the entire game, but as we saw with Andy Marte this does not guarantee success. He does play a solid third base, but after one solid season with Pittsburgh where he posted a .731 OPS he has failed to ever come even close to those numbers again. In his time in the majors he has shown no home run power, a 1:1.8 strike out to walk rate, and a low batting average. I don’t think much is expected of him as not many guys would sign with a team that has two third basemen clearly blocking you no matter what you do unless you’re just looking for any job out there. He is the player on this list who might be considered the most talented, yet he has the least chance of helping the Tribe this year and going forward.

Matt LaPorta - First Baseman

BA Peak: 23

Flaws: eye, defense, consistency

Matt LaPorta is one of the more hotly debated players in Cleveland. A lot of people still believe in him at first base, but as I write this the Indians have signed Casey Kotchman (my quick analysis is this is a good signing). This signing shows me there is very little support in the organization for LaPorta as his lack of consistency will be the reason he will be ticketed for Triple-A. He posted a .719 OPS last year, which is not bad. He hardly ever takes a walk but his .299 OBP was still several points above Mark Trumbo, a player many Indians fans wanted the Tribe to get (yes, that's right, LaPorta makes less outs than Trumbo). When you look at his power I think LaPorta could easily project for 17-20 home runs with 35-40 doubles, and while his numbers are solid they just don’t impress for first base. Add in the fact he will look dazed for three weeks, then good for two weeks, and so on. If he was a better defender this might not matter because as they say defense never slumps, but the below average defense mixed with his inconsistency means he could be ticketed for Triple-A for a long time this year. The hope is that he can gain consistency this year and get back to his days in the minors where he still didn’t walk but he also didn’t strike out. If he can do this, then he is a prime candidate to take over as DH after Pronk leaves next season.

The Tribe has had success with this approach in the past with relief arms where they grabbed a bunch of tarnished gems and hoped for them to reestablish value. As this season goes on, some of these players will be counted on to help the Tribe in their quest for the playoffs, so the hope as fans is that at least one of these guys will be able to turn themselves into at worst a league average player.

If I were to bet on one player to do this it would be Matt LaPorta. This might surprise some, but his ability to control the strike zone - which he showed in the minors - is a skill that typically forecasts a degree of future success. Add in that he has shown a degree of success in the majors, then he really only needs some tweaks to go from a slightly below average player to a guy who can be the right handed bat this team is desperate for, and was the reason the Indians acquired him in the first place.

Follow me on twitter @jeffipi

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A new IPI is coming

Okay, as I have been mentioning over the past several months, things are about to change in a big way with the IPI. I had planned on making this change a few months ago, but wanted to make sure it was done right and wanted to take the time to research this new venture I would be getting myself into.

Sometime in the next week the Indians Prospect Insider will be getting a makeover and moving from a site hosted on a blog network (Google’s Blogspot) to an independently hosted website. The site address will stay the same and the site may look quite familiar, but the site has been rebuilt by an actual web designer and will have some cool new features and a new look to it.

This change in host and the recreation of the site was necessitated by the site now going to a premium platform. Many articles on the site – the majority actually – will still be “free” so to speak, but now several articles with inside information, scouting reports, player news, and so on will be hidden behind a pay door and be available only to subscribers.

This was a tough decision and something I had contemplated for years. I had been balancing life between this site as a glorified hobby and a real full time job in the business world. Over time this hobby turned into a job with full time hours of its own – though with minimal pay – and the boundaries between my real job and this site began to overlap.

After what I went through last spring with my kidney cancer diagnosis and the time I had to reflect on things I realized I was overextending myself and needed to either pull the plug on this baseball gig or dive into it full time. When I thought about it more I realized that this is my passion and this is where I want to be. So, I decided to leave the business world last fall and focus on this baseball venture full time. That meant I would need to be creative in finding ways to support myself and my family in order to keep doing this.

I have been contacted by numerous media outlets over the years and very recently to bring the IPI to their site and take over content manager duties, but I wanted to remain independent and see if I can do this on my own first. This is where the new premium membership comes into play.

I understand that for many this will be an immediate turn off and I may lose some readers because of this decision. I will be sorry to see that happen, but I believe in my work and my hope is that many people will find it acceptable to pay the $2-3 a month for a lot of firsthand information that I provide that I believe is informative, accurate, and well researched.

I have not decided on a cost structure yet, but I do not expect an annual membership to cost more than $29.99 ($2.50 a month). There will also be a monthly option as well, though of course will cost more over 12 months than a regular annual subscription. And again, a lot of articles will still be able to be read without a subscription.

With this new venture I have a lot of great ideas and things I want to focus on now that I am doing this full time. I am already working on a weekly web TV show that will be produced in-house, a weekly/monthly radar report with radar gun readings for pitchers I saw that week/month, more specific team coverage with the addition of more writers and site written game recaps, a site scoreboard, an IPI app for the phone, player guest blogs, and lots more. I'll be going to a lot more games, talking to more scouts, and many other things as well. I am also toying with the idea of starting up a Reds Prospect Insider site to complement this one (it would be non-premium).

If you have any thoughts you would like to share on this, please feel free to provide them in the comments section below or by emailing me at tlastoria@indiansprospecinsider.com. I am open to any and all suggestions whether good or bad.

Moving on...

The hope is to have the new site go live on Monday, which is also when the new 2012 Top 50 Indians Prospect countdown will conveniently begin. I have been holding off on that in order to align it with the new site launch.

In addition to that, the new 2012 Cleveland Indians Prospect Insider book is nearing completion. The book will feature scouting reports and player profiles for over 180 players in the Cleveland Indians’ farm system, and have a report written for EVERY SINGLE PLAYER that played stateside last year. Those familiar with the book know there will be lots of other goodies in it as well with tool grades, charts, reference material and lots more. I will share more on the book availability hopefully sometime late next week.

Thanks again for the support and for being loyal readers, and I hope you will join me in the next chapter of the IPI.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI.

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Indians' Infatuation with Yoenis Cespedes?

Yoennis Cespedes (Photo: AP)

Yoenis Cespedes and Justin Bieber have more in common than you may think...

Huh?

Well, both were ‘discovered’ by YouTube and became instant viral icons. If you have been M.I.A. of late, you can see the showcase and the encore of the Cespedes scouting satire here. Bieber was signed by musician Usher while Cespedes is rumored to ink with one of six potential MLB clubs. Though the YouTube video made “El Talento” an international phenomenon, scouts have long been waiting on the Cuban to defect to the States as he’s been considered one of their finest talents for several years now.

Next, both of these pop culture icons (in their own right) have incredible marketing teams. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, you can’t deny the power of their marketing: Bieber’s is self-explanatory while Cespedes’ majestic promo video has been labeled as the ‘greatest scouting video of all time’ among many in the baseball community.  He has single handedly hushed conversations about other top Cuban prospects—some of whom may have even higher ceilings than Cespedes—thanks in large part to his super fame from these brandish videos.

Fortunately for the world, that’s where the similarities conclude...

Cleveland is one of the six teams “very interested” in Cespedes.

The Indians’ outfield needs include (but are not limited to):
-A right handed hitting power bat
-Defense
-Speed
-Outfield versatility
-Youth

What am I missing? If the Indians’ marketing department is looking for some big screen entertainment in-between-innings, Cespedes looks to fill in there, too. Cespedes has got all those on his side and Cleveland would appear a fine fit.

At 26 years old, he’d fit both the short and long term plans for the Tribe.  The YouTube sensation is a centerfielder at the moment, though he can plausibly shift to either of the corners.  With Sizemore’s contract expiring at the end of 2012, Cespedes could slide to center at season’s end, or even spell Sizemore there in 2012.

In 2011, Cespedes hit a corrupt .333/.424/.667 in the Cuban League—corrupt based less on his government and more on the fact that the Cuban batting numbers trend on the barbaric side.  Despite that, Baseball Prospectus’ Kevin Goldsteins suggests many scouts still rate Cespedes’ power as high as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale.  While he projects to be just an average hitter at this stage, he still offers the almighty five-tool player tag with good defensive abilities and speed included. The Cuban defector bombarded international pitching in the 2009 World Baseball Classic as he hit .458/.480/1.000 over Cuba’s six games.  It’s no reason why they’ve tagged him “La Potencia.”

Cespedes’ potential is seemingly infinite and he could become a real impact player in the majors. With no centerfield-ready options on the farm with tremendous upside, signing Cespedes would fill a premium position for years to come and provide one of the finest up the middle trios in Santana-Lindor-Cespedes in the future.

Obviously, the major league friction between the Tribe and Cespedes will be about the Cuban Pesos Cespedes is seeking; the asking price for Cespedes ranges from the Aroldis Chapman deal of $30.25M over six years to even more fruitful figures.  The Rangers signed fellow Cuban centerfielder, Leonys Martin, to a five year, $15.5M deal a year ago and though Martin is three years younger (presumably), he is considered a few levels below Cespedes’ ability, yet still got a big time contract.

Then again, Cleveland has been reserved all offseason when it comes to free agency (beyond passing out minor league contracts and spring invites like Halloween candy) and no one expected the other Ohio squad to sign the last Cuban star, Aroldis Chapman, two winters ago.  If the Indians want to counter the Tigers — who are also still reportedly in on Cespedes according to ESPN’s Jim Bowden — they’ll have to pull the trigger on a high risk-high reward move like this. Antonetti showed he’s willing and able to with the Jimenez trade, so why not go one step further?  Cespedes would instantly supplant Francisco Lindor as the team’s top prospect and would (again, presumably) be MLB ready.

Last Monday, Cuba’s newest missile was granted free agency in MLB with the Indians, Marlins, Cubs, White Sox, Tigers, and Orioles all reportedly in on El Talento.

Clearly, Cespedes is a physical specimen and can be a major league threat, but how sure are we that he’s worth the money?  It feels like every player out of Cuba is more highly hyped than the last one, from Orlando Hernandez to Jose Contreras to Kendrys Morales to Alexei Ramirez to Aroldis Chapman.  While this quintet has had success ranging from mediocre to substantial in the majors, the learning curve is always the greatest variable between the Cuban leagues and the majors.  Just ask first baseman Leslie Anderson, Tampa Bay’s very own highly touted Cuban import whose career parallels that of Michael Aubrey more so than Kendrys Morales.

For comparison’s sake, let’s compare two of the finer Cuban hitters in MLB, Kendrys Morales’ and Alexei Ramirez, and compare their Cuban stats with their ML stats:

Courtesy BeisbolCubano:

Ramirez hit to a tune of .332/.394/.503 in the Cuban League over six seasons.
He broke into the majors at age 26, and since ’08, has hit .279/.323/.421 in the bigs.

Morales, in two full seasons at age 19 and 20, hit .358/.445/.593 in the Cuban leagues.
He broke into the majors at age 23, and since ’06, has hit .284/.336/.502 in the bigs.

So what does this small sample size suggest? Cespedes won’t hit to the robust tune he did in the Cuban league, but we already knew that.  And though its surely merited to a player's skill level, the track record suggests many of the Cuban players take 2-3 years to develop in the majors despite their age.  Moreover, they often take longer to adjust their plate discipline and tend to hone low OBP’s—Alexei Ramirez walked a poultry 18 times in his rookie season (though a respectable 51 times in ’11).

With that said, Cespedes must be handled with care like any prospect; there is a possibility that Cespedes would be sent down to the minors and won’t be as refined a product as his outlandish advertisements suggest.  Much to the curiosity of baseball scouts, Cespedes participated in winter ball and scuffled as he went batted .145 (5-35) with 10 K’s and a homer in a brief but questionable stint (as he couldn't feasibly 'improve' his stock).

This further begs the question, would he be able to help the Indians in ’12 and ’13, their two primed campaigns? The aforementioned is posed as a rhetorical question and with upwards of $35 million dependent on an even more indefinite answer, it certainly does not match the conservative approach the Tribe typically has taken in past seasons.

The other potential worry on Cespedes is his age.  As the Tribe learned with Fausto “Roberto Heredia Hernandez” Carmona, you can never be certain of these things, especially when it comes to a country like Cuba with such a poor government and documentation.  If the Indians find out Cespedes is 29 instead of 26, it really would make a world of difference in their long term investment in the player.  At 26, Cespedes figures to be near his physical peak, but his tools should still develop at the major league level and his useful life is three years longer than that of a 29 year old.

Last, but likely not least, I personally see a potential in Cespedes' size.  While he’s clearly a physical beast, to me, he merely resembles a 28-year old Andruw Jones.  What happened to Jones over time?  He accumulated a fashion for overeating and eventually ate himself out of centerfield and into a permanent bench role.  It’s unfair to compare Cespedes to Jones, but from the look and sound of things—a 6’0, 215 lb strong centerfielder with power—I can’t help but parallel the two, especially if the Indians don’t sign him.

At the increasing rate north of $35 million, there’s a fat chance the Indians make a realistic offer to Cespedes especially with wealthier bidders in the auction.  But, if they are able to sign Cespedes, they instantly boost their outfield and offense in one move which is more than they can say with the marginal minor league signings sprinkled over the offseason.

With the Tigers signing Prince Fielder along with the migration of major star power to the American League (Pujols, Darvish, etc.), now may be the time for the Indians to make a move to not only acquire a potential impact player, but also take away the competitive edge another team could gain with Cespedes. A move for the sake of a move isn't the right rationale, but with a real 'winning window' of just two years, desperate times call for desperate measures.  Unfortunately, desperation can't resolve the financial constraint the Indians are in and thus makes it very unlikely the Tribe can invest in a risk this rich.

One thing we’ve learned through the Yoenis Cespedes experience is if Kevin Youkilis was deemed ‘the greek god of walks,’ then surely, Cespedes must be the greek god of (showboat) scouting videos.

Like any top prospect, we’ll simply have to wait and see if La Potencia’s showcase videos are pure propaganda or the foreshadowing movie trailer of the next big star. Cespedes hopes to finish his trilogy of ‘showcase’ videos with his third video this spring, being that it will be most important and telling of all: facing live major league pitching.

Follow Sean on Twitter @SMahon2Go for various Indians' musings and mentions.

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2012 Cleveland Indians Payroll Chart

Here is a payroll listing for the Cleveland Indians as they get set to embark on the 2012 offseason. I have updated this chart after some recent arbitration signings and lots of minor league contract details were made public.

This is the most comprehensive listing in regard to the Cleveland Indians 40-man payroll and contract status you will find on the web. Included below is the payroll and player control outlook for the next seven years, service time through 2011, and lots of contract information for every player. This payroll chart is linked on the top of the page below the title and to the right.

Last updated: 02/10/2012

Player	Service	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
Barnes, Scott	0.000	MIN	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Brantley, Michael	1.131	.480	Super 2	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Cabrera, Asdrubal	4.027	4.550	ARB3	FA
Carmona, Fausto	5.125	7.000	9.000	12.000	FA
Carrasco, Carlos	1.067	.480	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Carrera, Ezequiel	0.082	MIN	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Chisenhall, Lonnie	0.094	.480	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Choo, Shin-Soo	4.119	4.900	ARB3	FA
Cunningham, Aaron	1.142	.480	Super 2	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
De La Cruz, Kelvin	0.000	MIN	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Diaz, Juan	0.000	MIN	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Donald, Jason	1.057	.480	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Duncan, Shelley	2.099	.480	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Gomez, Jeanmar	0.117	MIN	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Hafner, Travis	9.009	13.000	13.000	FA
Hagadone, Nick	0.030	.480	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Hannahan, Jack	3.065	1.135	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Herrmann, Frank	1.099	.480	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Huff, David	1.117	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Jimenez, Ubaldo	4.087	4.200	5.750	8.000	FA
Kipnis, Jason	0.069	.480	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Kluber, Corey	0.011	MIN	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Kotchman, Casey	6.144	3.000	FA
LaPorta, Matt	2.063	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Lowe, Derek	14.100	5.000*	FA
Marson, Lou	2.036	.480	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Masterson, Justin	3.108	3.825	ARB2	ARB3	FA
McAllister, Zach	0.011	MIN	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Neal, Thomas	0.000	MIN	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Perez, Chris	3.136	4.500	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Perez, Rafael	4.157	2.005	ARB3	FA
Pestano, Vinnie	1.011	.480	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Phelps, Cord	0.065	MIN	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Salazar, Danny	0.000	MIN	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Santana, Carlos	1.115	.480	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Sipp, Tony	2.138	.480	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Sizemore, Grady	7.056	5.000	FA
Slowey, Kevin	4.053	1.500**	ARB3	FA
Smith, Joe	4.091	1.75	ARB3	FA
Tomlin, Josh	1.069	.480	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Weglarz, Nick	0.000	MIN	MIN	MIN	ARB1	ARB2	ARB3	FA
Sizemore buyout	7.056	.500
TOTAL		$ 68.585	$ 27.750	$ 20.000	$ -	$ -	$ -	$ -

Legend: Blue = Club Option; Orange = Player Option; Green = Mutual Option; Yellow = Super 2

* - Atlanta Braves are paying $10 million of Lowe's $15 million salary for 2012.
**- Colorado Rockies are paying $1.25 million of Slowey's $2.75 million salary for 2012.
*** - Minimum salaries of $480K for 14 players are listed above (13 on ML roster, 1 on ML DL - Carrasco). The players that make the $480K are subject to change based on who makes the roster out of spring training, plus these figures will alter slightly once they sign their 1-year deals this spring and make anywhere between $480-500K based on service time.

General Notes: 

- Most of the players with minimum salaries will earn league minimum wages around $480K (or slightly above) depending on their service time.

- Major League service time is through the 2011 season.  172 days of service time is considered 1 major league season. Service time listing shows the years before the decimal point, and the days after. Ex: 2.134 is 2 years and 134 days of service time.  Though the season is really 180 days or so long, you cannot accrue anymore than 172 days of service time in a season.

- Free agency, Super 2, and arbitration are all projected as if all players played a full season at the big league level from next year going forward.  Obviously, for several players free agency and arbitration will actually be pushed back a year or two as they spend more time in the minors in the coming years.

- Previous 25-man roster payrolls:

2011: $49,426,567
2010: $61,453,967
2009: $81,579,166
2008: $78,970,066
2007: $61,673,267
2006: $56,031,500
2005: $41,502,500
2004: $34,319,300
2003: $48,584,834
2002: $78,909,499
2001: $93,360,000
2000: $76,500,000
1999: $73,857,962
1998: $59,033,499
1997: $54,130,232
1996: $45,317,914
1995: $35,185,500
1994: $28,490,167
1993: $15,717,667
1992: $8,236,166
1991: $18,270,000
1990: $15,152,000
1989: $8,928,500
1988: $7,819,500

Player Contract Details: 

Barnes, Scott:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he can make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Brantley, Michael:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until after the 2013 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency. However, he will likely be a Super 2 arbitration player after the 2012 season if he spends just about all of the 2012 on active Major League roster or on the disabled list.
- Agent: Joshua Kusnick

Cabrera, Asdrubal:
- Signed a 1 year $4.55 million contract for 2012 to avoid salary arbitration.
- Has one more arbitration year before he is a free agent after the 2013 season.
- Agent: Alan Nero

Carmona, Fausto:
- Currently in the middle of a 4-year $15M contract (2008-2011) which also has three club option years for 2012-2014.
- Deal includes a $750M signing bonus which is divided among four years of deal.
- Base salary:  2008: $500K, 2009: 2.75M, 2010: $4.9M, 2011: 6.1M, 2012: $7M club option, 2013: $9M club option, 2014: $12M club option.
- 2012 club option for $7 million picked up on 10/31/2011.
- If he finishes in the top five of Cy Young voting in 2010 and 2011 his 2012 option increases by $1M, if he finishes top five in Cy Young voting in 2011 and 2012 his 2013 option increases by $2M, and if he finishes in the top five in Cy Young voting in 2012 and 2013 his 2014 option increases by $2M.
- Agent: Jorge Brito

Carrasco, Carlos:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2013 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Carrera, Ezequiel:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Chisenhall, Lonnie:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, can make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $67K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Choo, Shin-Soo:
- Signed a 1 year $4.9M deal for 2012 to avoid arbitration.
- Has one more arbitration year left before he is a free agent after the 2013 season.
- Agent: Scott Boras

Cunningham, Aaron:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2013 season as a Super 2, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

De Le Cruz, Kelvin:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he can make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Diaz, Juan:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he can make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Donald, Jason:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until after the 2013 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.
- Agent: Scott Boras

Duncan, Shelley:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until after the 2012 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.
- Agent: Barry Meister

Gomez, Jeanmar:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Hafner, Travis:
- Currently signed to a 4-year $57M (2009-2012) contract with a club option for 2013.
- $5.25M of deal was added to 2007 ($2.25M) and 2008 ($3M) salaries of pre-existing deal.
- Base salary: 2007: $6.3M, 2008: $8.05M, 2009: $11.5M, 2010: $11.5M, 2011: $13M, 2012: $13M, 2013: $13M ($2.75M buyout).
- Agent: Scott Parker and Brian Peters of Legacy Sports Group

Hagadone, Nick:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he can make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Hannahan, Jack:
- Signed a 1 year $1.135M deal for 2012 to avoid arbitration.
- Has two arbitration years before he is eligible for free agency after the 2014 season.

Herrmann, Frank:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2013 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Huff, David:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2013 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Jimenez, Ubaldo:
- Signed by the Colorado Rockies to a 4-year $10 million deal prior to the 2009 season, a deal which also includes two option years.
- He made $750K in 2009 and $1.25M in 2010, and makes $2.8M in 2011 and $4.2M in 2012.  He has a $5.75M club option for 2013 which has a $1M buyout. He had an $8.0M club option for 2014 with a $1M buyout as well, but as part of his contract if he were traded that 2014 club option turns into a player option.
- His 2013 club option increases to $6.75M if he wins the 2012 Cy Young or to $6.25M if he finishes 2nd or 3rd in the Cy Young voting. His 2014 player option increases to $9.0M if he wins the Cy Young or 450 innings pitched from 2012-2013, or to $8.5M with a 2nd or 3rd place finish in the 2013 Cy Young voting.
- He receives a performance bonus of $50K for reaching each of 200, 210, 220, 230, and 240 inning pitched in a season.
- He receives an award bonus of $100K for winning a Cy Young in 2011 or a $50K bonus if he finished 2nd to 5th in the voting. He also receives an award bonus of $100K for MVP or World Series MVP, a $75K bonus League Championship Series MVP, and a $25K bonus for each All Star selection or winning a Gold Glove.
- Agent: SFX

Kipnis, Jason
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, can make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $67K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Kluber, Cory:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Kotchman, Casey:
- Signed a 1 year deal for $3 million for the 2012 season.
- Incentives in deal to make more based on games and performance.

LaPorta, Matt:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2012 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.
- Agent: Scott Boras

Lowe, Derek:
- In the final year of a 4 year $60 million contract he signed with the Braves prior to the 2009 season.
- As part of a trade to the Indians, Atlanta agreed to pay $10 million of his $15 million 2012 salary.
- Agent: Scott Boras

Marson, Lou:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2012 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Masterson, Justin:
- Signed a 1 year $3.825M deal for 2012 to avoid arbitration.
- Has two more arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency after the 2014 season.

McAllister, Zach:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Neal, Thomas:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $67K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Perez, Chris:
- Signed a 1 year $4.5M deal for 2012 to avoid arbitration.
- He was a Super 2 arbitration player in 2011 and has two arbitration years left before he can be a free agent after the 2014 season.

Perez, Rafael:
- Signed a 1 year $2.005M deal for 2012 to avoid arbitration.
- He can earn an additional $25K in incentives if he makes 55 appearances in 2012.
- Has one more arbitration year before he is a free agent after the 2013 season.

Pestano, Vinnie:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2013 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Phelps, Cord:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, can make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $67K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Salazar, Danny:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he can make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Santana, Carlos:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2013 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Sipp, Tony:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until after the 2012 season, and then has three arbitration years before he reaches free agency.

Sizemore, Grady:
- Signed a 1 year, $5 million deal on November 23, 2011.
- Deal includes up to $4 million incentives which pay out as follows: $250K for 450 PA and $250K for 475 PA, and then $500K for each of 500, 525, 550, 575, 600, 625, and 650 PAs. He would also receive a $500K bonus for being named Comeback Player of the Year.
- Agent: Joe Urbon

Slowey, Kevin:
- Signed a 1 year $2.75M deal for 2012 to avoid arbitration.
- Has one more arbitration year left before he is a free agent after the 2013 season.

Smith, Joe:
- Signed a 1 year $1.75M deal for 2012 to avoid arbitration.
- Has one more arbitration year left before he is a free agent after the 2013 season.
- Agent: Rick Oliver

Tomlin, Josh:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he will make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2013 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.

Weglarz, Nick:
- As a non-arbitration eligible player, he could make around $480K in 2012.
- If sent to the minors, he will have a split contract calls for a daily rate of his $65K minor league salary and his $480K or so salary in the majors.
- Not arbitration eligible until at least after the 2014 season, and then has at least three arbitration years remaining before he reaches free agency.
- Agent: Michael Bonnano, Oak Sports Management

Other Contracts

Here are some additional contracts of note for players not on the 40-man roster.

Accardo, Jeremy
- Signed to a minor league deal for 2012 and can make $825K if he makes the Indians roster.
- His deal includes incentives where he could make up to an additional $300K by earning $50K for 50 games, 55 games, 60 game and 65 games pitched, and $100K for 70 games.
- Can ask for release if not on Major League roster by June 1st.

Hernandez, Michael
- Signed to a minor league contract for 2012 and can make $425K if he makes the Indians roster.

LaRoche, Andy
- Signed to a minor league contract for 2012 and can make $600K if he makes the Indians roster.
- Can request his release if he is not on the Major League roster by June 1st.

Lewis, Fred
- Signed to a minor league contract for 2012 and can make $725K if he makes the Indians roster.
- He can earn up to an additional $500K in incentives by earning $50K each for 350, 400, 425, 450, 475, 500, 525, 550, 575, and 600 plate appearances.
- He can ask for his release if he is not on the Major League roster by June 1st.

Lopez, Jose
- Signed to a minor league contract for 2012 and can make $900K if he makes the Indians roster.

Pagnozzi, Matt
- Signed to a minor league contract for 2012 and can make $525K if he makes the Indians roster.

Petit, Gregorio
- Signed to a minor league contract for 2012 and can make $550K if he makes the Indians roster.
- Can request his release if he is not on the Major League roster by June 30th.

Pie, Felix
- Signed to a minor league contract for 2012 and can make $700K if he makes the Indians roster.
- He deal includes incentives where he could make up to an additional $300K.

Ray, Chris
- Signed to a minor league contract for 2012 and can make $900K if he makes the Indians roster.
- He can earn $50K each in incentives for 40, 45, 50 , 55, 60, 65, and 70 games pitched; $50 K for 35 games finished, $50K for 40 games finished, and $125K each for 45 and 50 games finished.
- Can request his release if he is not on the Major League roster by April 3rd or added to it within 72 hours.

Tejeda, Robinson
- Singed to a minor league deal for 2012 and can make $825K if he makes the Indians roster.
- Can earn $50K in incentives for each occurrence of 50, 55, 60, and 65 appearances, and $100K for making 70 appearances.

Wheeler, Dan
- Signed to a minor league deal for 2012 and can make $900K if he makes the Indians roster.
- He can earn an additional $50K in incentives for each instance of appearing in 45 games, 50 games, 55 games, 60 games, 65 games and 70 games. He can also earn an addition $50K for 35 games finishes, $75K for 40 games finished, and $125K each for 45 and 50 games finished.
- He does not have an opt out clause, though can sign with a foreign team for $100K if not added to the Major League roster within 48 hours.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI.

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