Tribe Happenings: Lee would be a good fit for the Indians

Lee could be an Eddie Murray-like pickup

for a young Tribe lineup. (Photo: AP)

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

Indians should sign Derrek Lee

A lot of attention has been paid to the hole the Indians have in center field now that Grady Sizemore’s club option for 2012 has been declined and he is a free agent. It appears remote that the Indians will be able to bring him back as the talk around the league is that it appears he may get a one year deal close to the $9 million for 2012 that the Indians declined.

While the Indians continue to sift through the suitable alternatives via free agency or trade to fill their need in the outfield, another position which is just as important to fill is first base.

Last year the duo of Matt LaPorta (97 games) and Carlos Santana (66 games) played most of the games at first base for the Indians. LaPorta suffered through another disappointing season hitting just .247 with 11 homers, 53 RBI, and .711 OPS in 107 total games played. He also made several defensive miscues at first base which cost the Indians a few games. Santana eventually took over the majority of the first base duties near the tail end of the season when LaPorta was optioned out to Triple-A Columbus in August.

Santana played much more first base than originally expected going into the season, in part because of LaPorta’s struggles at the plate and because of Santana’s own struggles defensively behind the plate. Even with playing first base for the first time and having some unexpected defensive issues his performance at the plate was solid as he hit .239 with 27 homers, 79 RBI and .808 OPS in 155 games.

Santana’s .239 batting average was not very good, but he walked 97 times and got on base at a .351 clip and had 64 extra base hits which is very good at the catching position. The Indians are still committed to him as their everyday catcher because he is most valuable to the team as an elite offensive catcher. He is also a much better defender than he showed this past season as he has a very good arm but just got a little lazy with his receiving behind the plate.

With LaPorta relegated to a bench role or in Triple-A Columbus to start next season and Santana entrenched as the everyday catcher the Indians need to find an everyday first base option for at least next season. Santana will still play some first base to keep his bat in the lineup, but the Indians need a player who can be counted on both defensively and offensively and has a proven track record.

One such player is free agent Derek Lee.

The Indians have yet to be tied to Lee in the offseason rumor mill, but he is exactly the kind of player they target in free agency. A player who is in the twilight of their career who still has some value and can be had on a low risk one year deal. Last year in 113 combined games with the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates he hit .267 with 19 homers, 59 RBI, and .771 OPS.

Yes, Lee is now 36 years old and his career is in decline and he is no longer the perennial MVP candidate he was three years ago. But the improvement to the Indians lineup would be seen not so much in the actual numbers that he would produce, but with his power, right-handed bat that helps balance such a left-handed heavy lineup. He is also an accomplished defender at first base having won three Gold Glove awards, so he would be a huge upgrade defensively for the Indians. Infield defense is something of huge importance to the team with their groundball heavy pitching staff.

There are certainly other free agent options out there at first base like Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Michael Cuddyer, Carlos Pena, and even maybe Casey Kotchman. But Pujols and Fielder are way out of the Indians’ price range, Cuddyer looks destined for Philadelphia, and Kotchman and Pena are left-handed bats so may not be good fits. Without considering a trade, at the moment Lee looks like the best fit for the Indians.

Just like the Indians acquired right-handed pitcher Derek Lowe last week on an inexpensive one year deal for $5 million to stabilize and add a veteran presence to the starting rotation, a pickup of Lee may do the same thing for the lineup and defense.

Sabathia, Lee contracts

A little over a week ago left-handed pitcher C.C. Sabathia signed a contract extension with the New York Yankees instead of choosing free agency by opting out of his contract. His new deal adds an extra year and $30 million to his existing contract with the Yankees and will pay him a total of $122 million over the next five seasons, plus he has a vesting option for $30 million in 2017 that will kick in if he basically does not go on the disabled list for a left shoulder injury.

Sabathia originally signed a seven-year, $161 million deal with the Yankees three years ago, so if the option in 2017 vests he has a chance to make $216 million over nine seasons with the Yankees. That’s some big coin.

Last year around this time left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee signed a five-year, $120 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. The deal also included a club option for a sixth season in 2016 for $27.5 million with a $12.5 million buyout. If the option is picked up he will make $135 million over six seasons with the Phillies.

It is hard to believe that back at the beginning of the 2008 season both Lee and Sabathia were a part of the Indians starting rotation. They eventually traded Sabathia to the Brewers in July of 2008 and then Lee to the Phillies in July of 2009. When you look at the Indians decision to trade both players it is hard not to agree that they made the right choice.

The return in the trades for Lee and Sabathia are very questionable as the players the Indians received have had varying levels of success but none of them have played to what was expected of them when they were acquired. But whether or not you agree or disagree with the talent the Indians obtained in those deals there is no question that they made the right move in trying to be proactive in acquiring talent for them rather than losing them in free agency and getting a couple of draft picks as compensation.

The Indians or clubs like them simply do not have the resources to pay any player well over $20 million a year for five or more years. Once again it is another example of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer as it is just not fair that more financially strapped teams like the Indians cannot afford to keep their stars – much less even attempt to try and keep them – whereas the big money teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and so on can afford to sign them.

Déjà vu

Popular Indians designated hitter Jim Thome signed a one-year, $1.25 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend, thereby ending his short-lived reunion with the Indians. This is now the second time that he has left the Indians for the Phillies, though this time the parting was much more amicable than his initial departure in November of 2002 when he signed a 6-year, $85 million deal with the Phillies and left the Indians and their fans feeling betrayed.

Going into the offseason the 41-year old Thome was unsure if he would play another season. This past season seemed like a fitting way to end his career as he joined the 600 home run club and got to finish the season in Cleveland. But he still wants one last shot at that elusive World Series ring, which is why he signed with the Phillies to be a left-handed power bat off the bench.

How much interest Thome or the Indians had in carrying over their relationship for next year is unknown, but with a healthy Travis Hafner on the team there was just no fit for him to return to the Indians in 2012. Also, with the Indians having such a left-handed heavy starting lineup they need right-handed bats on the bench, so bringing him back as a bench player with no defensive versatility would not have made much sense.

Thome’s return this year was good PR for him and the Indians as it helped heal some of those wounds left by his exit nine years ago. It also gave the Indians an opportunity to commemorate him at the end of the season and announce they will be building a statue of him. He no doubt is one of the all time Indians’ greats, though had her never left he possibly would have been known as the greatest Indian of all time.

Hot commodity

Indians fans have loved Sandy Alomar Jr. for a long time. First as a catcher during his 11-year stay in Cleveland as a player from 1990 through 2000, and now as a coach since rejoining the organization as part of manager Manny Acta’s staff two years ago. The Indians recently promoted him to bench coach, which essentially puts him as the second in command to only Acta.

Alomar may not be sticking around for long as he has a chance to become the field general for a few different teams. Already this offseason the Chicago White Sox had interest in him as their manager before they settled on Robin Ventura, but now the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox are interested in him as a candidate to fill their manager openings as both clubs interviewed him this week. Last year the Toronto Blue Jays interviewed him for their managerial opening before settling on John Farrell for the job.

Some of the interest may be driven from Alomar being a minority candidate as all teams are required to interview at least one minority candidate before filling a manager vacancy. But the interest is real. With the Blue Jays, White Sox, Cubs and Red Sox all interested in him over the past year, it is clear that he is a popular up and coming coach that a lot of teams believe will be a manager someday. Maybe even this offseason.

International affairs

Soon-to-be free agent outfielder Yoennis Cespedes defected from Cuba over the summer and is currently working out for teams in the Dominican Republic. The hype machine went on overload this week as he became the buzz of the internet and social media world earlier this week when a 20-minute showcase video of him popped up on You Tube and went viral. The video showed all of his attributes – especially his power - and why some people consider him a rare five tool player.

The opinions vary on what Cespedes may ultimately be when he reaches the big leagues, but he is expected to land a record breaking international contract when he ultimately signs with a Major League team this offseason. Aroldis Chapman and his 105 MPH fastball got him a record six-year, $30.5 million deal two years ago, but Cespedes may end up topping that this offseason.

As for the Indians interest in Cespedes? They are mum on exactly how strong their interest is, but they like every other team are present for his workouts and are interested in signing him. The difference is how much a club is willing to pay to sign him, which is why the Indians and so many other teams are not expected to be in the final running for him.

There was also a report last weekend that the Indians signed 17 year old Venezuelan catcher Hector Lunar, though this is not official or a done deal. Terms have been agreed to, but he still has to pass through age and identity checks which can void a deal if something does not check out like it should. Several deals in the past have fallen through when these background checks came up with red flags.

Parting shots

The Indians resigned catcher Michael Hernandez to a minor league contract with an invite to big league camp this spring. He is a 33-year old minor league veteran with 14 years of experience and will likely be the backup catcher at either Triple-A Columbus or Double-A Akron. … Indians free agent outfielder Travis Buck signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros this week and will be a spring training invite to big league camp. … Former Indians minor league manager and player Torey Lovullo is a first base coach with the Toronto Blue Jays, but on Friday the Red Sox interviewed him for their manager opening.

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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Tribe Happenings: Say sayonara to Fukudome

Fukudome's stay with the Indians was

likely a short one (Photo: AP).

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

Fukudome's future

Outfielder Kosuke Fukudome was a solid mid-season trade acquisition for the Indians. He was acquired on July 28th from the Chicago Cubs for very little compensation and he helped stabilize what at the time was a dire outfield situation because of so many injuries.

Anyone who remembers Luis Valbuena in the outfield for a few games in July and how him being out there had a direct affect on some games will immediately recall how bad the situation was in the outfield prior to Fukudome’s arrival. Fukudome ended up playing 59 games for the Indians and played solid defense in center and right field and hit .249 with five homers, 22 RBI, and .671 OPS. His overall numbers with the Indians may not have been very good, but he played better than the numbers suggest.

Some fans have expressed an interest in bringing Fukudome back to the wigwam for another season as the Indians third or fourth outfielder next season; however, there are contract stipulations which will most likely prevent the Indians from even trying to resign him this offseason. What he is actually worth and what the Indians would be forced to pay him if they resigned him prior to free agency is the big issue.

Fukudome has a unique contract in that he only has four years of Major League service time but is eligible for free agency this offseason if the Indians do not sign him to an extension prior to November 15th. Most players after four years of service time are only up for arbitration and are still under club control, but it was written into his contract when he signed his four year $48 million dollar deal with the Chicago Cubs back in 2007 that if he is not signed to an extension prior to November 15th that his team has to release him. By releasing him it would make him a free agent.

The Indians have the option to offer Fukudome arbitration, but it would be very foolish for them to do so as there would be no benefit for them to do it and they could get stuck paying him a lot of money next year. He is not a Type A or Type B free agent so if he is offered arbitration there would be no draft pick compensation if he signs elsewhere. If the Indians were to offer him arbitration he would likely accept as it would pay him a lot more than he will probably get this offseason via free agency.

There is also an 80% rule for players in their pre-free agent arbitration years that requires clubs not to offer anything less than 80% of the player's salary and performance bonuses the previous year or less than 70% of his salary and performance bonuses from two years earlier. Since Fukudome made $13.5 million in 2011, it would mean the lowest the Indians could pay him in 2012 would be $10.8 million which would obviously be a gross overpayment.

It is unclear if the 80% rule would apply in this case as it does not apply to free agents that are offered arbitration. It only applies to those players who are in their arbitration years prior to free agency, or in other words have service time above three years but less than six years (I know, it is confusing).

But whether or not the 80% rule applies does not even matter as Fukudome would still get a pretty sizable 2012 salary in arbitration either way if the Indians offered it to him. There is no way he is worth the risk of being forced to pay him significant money for such a low impact player, and considering there would be no compensation if offered arbitration it makes no sense to even offer it to him to begin with.

In a nutshell, do not expect the Indians to offer Fukudome arbitration nor to sign him to an extension prior to November 15th. The Indians want to upgrade the lineup with other possible solutions and they will explore all of those options extensively this offseason. If he is still unsigned come January or February and the Indians have not filled an outfield need it is possible at that time the Indians may explore resigning him. At that time he would cost much less money and for probably just one year.

Carmona decision

Outfielder Grady Sizemore and right-handed pitcher Fausto Carmona could become free agents if their 2012 club options are not picked up this offseason.

I wrote two weeks ago about why I think it is unlikely the Indians pick up Sizemore’s $9 million option, but have yet to provide any thoughts on what they might do with Carmona’s $7 million option. What the Indians ultimately do with Carmona and Sizemore will have a direct effect on what they are able to do in the free agent and trade market as their $16 million in combined salaries for 2012 could be used to fill other holes on the roster.

There is no doubt that Carmona is talented and when he is on is one of the better pitchers in the game, but the problem is he has been inconsistent throughout his career and this past season was very susceptible to the big inning. He finished the year 7-15 with a 5.25 ERA in 32 starts. Looking at his numbers and performance in 2011 it would appear he is unworthy of the $7 million in salary he will command next year.

But that may not necessarily be the case.

First off, if the Indians decline the option on Carmona they will need to sign a starter in free agency. They already lost right-handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco for all of next season thanks to a right elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery, so they are already thin on the starting pitching front. Besides, there is not much out there to acquire and for $7 million you are going to get a pitcher with just as many warts (if not more) than Carmona.

Secondly, Carmona has been healthy the past two years and been an innings eater, something the Indians need for their rotation. For as tough a season as he had in 2011 he still pitched in 188.2 innings and in the last two seasons has averaged 200 innings.

Finally, Carmona’s contract is as team friendly as one can get. He is still under the Indians’ control for three more seasons as he has club options for the next three years with the $7 million club option for next year, $9 million club option for 2013, and $12 million club option for 2014. Considering his talent and potential and what $7 million would buy the Indians in free agency, it makes more sense to use the money on him and take the gamble that he can get back to his 2010 performance levels and also still have him under control for two more seasons.

The key is getting Carmona back to his 2010 form when he had a solid season going 13-14 with a 3.77 ERA in 33 starts, and he may not be as far away from that form as it seems. His ERA jumped considerably from 2010 to 2011, but it is misleading because of some big blow up innings this past year as his peripheral numbers were for the most part the same.

Carmona’s walk rate dropped from 3.1 BB/9 in 2010 to 2.9 BB/9 in 2011, which was a slight improvement. His strikeout rate was almost the same as it went from 5.3 K/9 in 2010 to 5.2 K/9 in 2011, and his groundball to fly ball ratio barely moved (1.30 to 1.28). The only noticeable increase in his numbers came from a modest jump in his hit rate (8.7 H/9 to 9.8 H/9) and home run rate (0.7 HR/9 to 1.0 HR/9).

Overall his numbers were not that far off from his All Star season in 2010, which suggests that if he can avoid the big blowups he had in several outings this past season he can in fact be much more like the pitcher he was in 2010. Getting him to his 2010 form would be right up the Indians’ alley and why they probably will take the gamble and pick up his option.

The decision on the club options for Sizemore and Carmona has to be made within three days of the conclusion of the World Series. Since Game 7 of the World Series is scheduled for Thursday, which means by this time next week the fate of both players should be known. I still think in the end that Carmona’s option is picked up while Sizemore’s is declined but that the Indians and Sizemore continue to work on a new contract.

Explaining 40-man moves

The Indians made two moves with regard to the 40-man roster this week as they outrighted outfielder Jerad Head and right-handed pitcher Mitch Talbot off the roster. If both clear waivers - and they likely will - they can both decline the assignment to the minors and elect free agency.

Players outrighted for the first time from the 40-man roster and who clear waivers have no choice but to accept an assignment to the minors. This is what happened to both Head and Talbot earlier this year when Talbot was outrighted in late July and Head in September. Both were then added back to the 40-man roster later in September and since this is the second time they were removed they now have the option to accept the assignment to the minors and be under the Indians control in 2012 or decline it and become a free agent.

During the offseason there is always a lot of housecleaning on the 40-man roster as stalled prospects or fringe Major League players are removed so other young prospects or veteran acquisitions can be added for the next season. Several more moves to clear space on the 40-man roster are expected this offseason, though should mostly be in response to expected activity in both the free agent and trade markets.

Indians free agents

The Indians have three free agents on their roster: designated hitter Jim Thome, right-handed pitcher Chad Durbin, and Fukudome. Fukudome is technically not yet a free agent, but as outlined above he is expected to be.

Neither of the trio Thome, Fukudome, and Durbin are expected to be resigned, though the Indians will probably keep the lines of communication open with all three players. Thome will likely not be signed by any team until January at the earliest. If he does not retire and is still available in January and February he could become an option for the Indians if designated hitter Travis Hafner has any issues with his foot or shoulder this offseason.

Arbitration eligibles

The Indians have eight players eligible for arbitration this offseason: shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, third baseman Jack Hannahan, right-handed pitcher Justin Masterson, right-handed pitcher Chris Perez, left-handed pitcher Rafael Perez, left-handed pitcher Tony Sipp, and right-handed pitcher Joe Smith.

This is the second or third go-around in arbitration for several of these players except for Hannahan and Masterson who are eligible for the first time. Reaching arbitration status is a key moment for first time eligibles as they will see sizable increases to their salary from the league minimum salaries they received the past few years. Also, Sipp is also a first time eligible as he is expected to be a Super 2 arbitration eligible player. Super 2 is a status given to players with over two years of service time but less than three years that rank in the top 17% of all two-year players in service time.

Parting shots

A few weeks ago minor league outfielder Bo Greenwell tore the ACL in his knee. He was in Arizona participating in the fall Instructional League and injured it in the first week of games. He had surgery this week to reconstruct the ACL and will spend the rest of the offseason rehabbing. … Infielder Luis Valbuena is off to a good start in winter ball in Venezuela where in eight games he is hitting .269 with no homers, two RBI and .849 OPS. … First base prospect Jesus Aguilar is putting up a good showing in the Arizona Fall League hitting .364 with three homers, eight RBI and 1.186 OPS in 11 games.

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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Tribe Happenings: Putnam could impact next year's bullpen

Putnam has the goods to be an impact

reliever in the big leagues (Photo: AP)

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

Putnam’s future is now

Welcome to the big leagues Zach Putnam.

Putnam, 24, was called up to the Indians a little less than two weeks ago and made his big league debut in Texas against the Rangers on September 13th. In that debut he allowed two runs on three hits and a home run, and in six appearances so far is 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA.

Since Putnam’s debut in Texas he has settled down some and as he pitches in more games and gets more comfortable his performance is expected to improve significantly. Prior to the callup he pitched all season at Triple-A Columbus where in 44 appearances out of the bullpen he went 6-3 with 9 saves and a 3.65 ERA (69.0 IP, 61 H, 23 BB, 68 K).

Putnam was the most consistent reliever this year for the Indians in Columbus. He throws a fastball that sits 92-93 MPH and has touched 96 MPH, and complements it with a splitter, slider and changeup. He is a strong, physical pitcher with an advanced feel for pitching and really thrives on pitching in high leverage situations out of the bullpen. He has put away stuff, but with the sinking action of his fastball can get hitters to consistently pound the ball into the ground and does a good job limiting home runs.

Putnam’s fastball-splitter combination is about as good as it gets, but it has been the improvement of his slider this season that has really vaulted his stock as a Major League bullpen prospect. Back in June he and Columbus pitching coach Ruben Niebla tweaked the grip and mentality behind his slider and it just suddenly took off showing a lot of improvement and it has been better than ever. With the improvement of the slider he now has three pitches that are considered Major League ready.

Putnam had a minor setback with his shoulder in mid-June which resulted in his workload being reduced and him missing a little time. Upon returning his velocity was down a MPH or two and his arm slot dropped a little which caused his ball to flatten out some in the zone and as a result his performance suffered some until mid-July. Since then his arm slot has been corrected, he is getting on top of the ball better, and he feels great and back to normal.

Putnam is one of the Indians’ top relief pitching prospects - if not the best – in their system. He performed as expected this year and would have been called up to Cleveland sooner if it were not for some good fortune with health and performance in the Cleveland bullpen all season.

Putnam is expected to be a fixture in the big league bullpen for the next several years, and will go into spring training next season as a strong candidate to make the opening day bullpen. He could be another Indians’ reliever to make a big jump next season similar to what right-hander Vinnie Pestano did this season.

Fifth starter battle

The battle for the Indians’ fifth starter’s job next year is already taking place this September.

At the moment the first four pitchers in the starting rotation next year are expected to be right-handers Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Fausto Carmona, and Josh Tomlin. Assuming no significant moves are made this offseason the fifth starter’s job will be up for grabs next spring and the top four candidates to fill it will be right-handers Jeanmar Gomez, Zach McAllister, and Mitch Talbot and lefty David Huff.

At this point the two frontrunners for the job to start next season are Gomez and Huff, and right now both could not be pitching any differently. Gomez has been on a roll since being called up to the Indians on August 30th where in five starts since his recall he is 5-0 with a 1.80 ERA (30.0 IP, 29 H, 8 BB, 15 K). Meanwhile Huff has struggled in his last five starts going 0-4 with a 6.20 ERA (24.2 IP, 34 H, 7 BB, 17 K).

Their body of work with the Indians this season has been limited but has been solid as Huff is 2-6 with a 4.09 ERA in 11 appearances while Gomez is 5-2 with a 3.52 ERA in ten appearances. Both have proven to be good starting pitch depth options, but going forward the Indians need one of them to step up and flat out take the open rotation spot, sort of how Tomlin did so this spring. A good September finish is a good way to start that campaign and should give that pitcher a leg up in the competition this spring.

Record setters

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera hit his 25th home run on Thursday night and is the new single season club record holder for home runs by an Indians shortstop. Jhonny Peralta previously held the record with 24 homers in 2005. His home run total is the most ever by a Venezuelan born shortstop in Major League Baseball history.

Cabrera hit just three homers last year, and according to Elias his 22 home run increase from last year to this year is the 2nd largest increase in club history. First baseman Eddie Morgan is first on that list with a 24 home run increase from one year to the next when he hit two homers in 1929 and then 26 homers in 1930.

Cabrera, 25, has established new career-highs this season in home runs (25), RBI (92), runs (86), hits (163), at bats (596), games played (149), and strikeouts (116). He is also tied for his career high with 17 stolen bases. He no doubt has had a breakout season with the production numbers hitting .273 with 25 homers, 92 RBI and .796 OPS in 149 games.

Catcher Carlos Santana is now the club’s single season record holder for home runs by a switch-hitter. His 27 homers surpassed the 25 home runs that former Indians’ catcher Victor Martinez hit in 2007. His 34 extra base hits since the All Star break are tied for the fourth most in the American League. In 152 games he is hitting .240 with 27 homers, 79 RBI and a .811 OPS.

Columbus reigns over Triple-A

On Tuesday night Triple-A Columbus won the Triple-A National Championship defeating Omaha from out of the Pacific Coast league 8-3. It is the second straight year that Columbus has taken home the championship and the title as the best team in all the minors.

Columbus went 88-56 during the regular season and breezed to the best record in the International League and the third best record in all the minors. They did all this in spite of 184 transactions made to the roster and 23 players leaving the roster at some point to play in Cleveland.

Even with some of the top players being pulled from the Columbus roster and moving on to Cleveland the team still managed to continue its winning ways. This is a testament to the job manager Mike Sarbaugh and his staff does every year, and also how much depth the Indians have in the upper levels. Even with the lack of really any high profile prospects on the roster at the end of the season, Columbus still had a group of good players that together played as a team. The staff and players are all winners. Congratulations!

Goodbye to Hegan

Last night the Indians gave a fitting tribute to long-time broadcaster and Major League player Mike Hegan. This season marks his 50th and final season in professional baseball as he is transitioning from his full time commentating duties as an analyst in the radio booth. He will remain in the organization by joining the Indians Alumni Ambassador program serving as a resource for Indians broadcasting, community and business initiatives.

Hegan is the son of former Indians great Jim Hegan, and grew up in Cleveland and starred at St. Ignatius High School in both football and baseball. He played 16 years professionally from 1962 to 1977, 12 of those seasons in the big leagues. He was an American League All Star in 1969 and won a World Series with Oakland in 1972.

After Hegan’s playing career ended in 1977 he moved right into the Milwaukee Brewers TV booth as an analyst for 11 seasons. In 1989 he came back to Cleveland as an analyst for Indians’ TV broadcasts on WUAB and later split his duties between TV and radio before moving to the radio booth permanently in 2007.

Hegan was inducted into the Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame this past Thursday at Executive Caterer’s at Landerhaven. He was also recently nominated along with Herb Score for the 2012 Ford C. Frick award for excellence in Major League Baseball broadcasting.

Parting shots

The Indians celebrated the career of Jim Thome on Friday night with a pregame celebration and the announcement that they will be building a statue of him behind the center field wall in Heritage Park. … Columbus manager Mike Sarbaugh has joined the big league staff for the rest of the season. Once their minor league season has ended the Triple-A manager typically joins the Major League team in September. … As expected, the Indians called right-handed pitcher Mitch Talbot back up and he made a spot start yesterday against the Twins. He likely will remain on the roster this offseason. … Designated hitter Travis Hafner notched his 1000th career hit on Thursday night with a seventh inning double. ... Outfielder Trevor Crowe is done for the season after suffering a left shoulder strain in the first game of the doubleheader yesterday. It is not the same injury he had earlier this year as he had his other shoulder surgically repaired this spring.

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). Use discount code 2Z6F362B to receive 40% off the book through the site store!

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Tribe Happenings: Thome returns home

Jim Thome looks on as he receives a standing

ovation in his first at bat Friday. (Photo: AP)

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

The return of a legend

The Indians made one of their more popular moves in a long time when on Thursday night they completed a trade with the Minnesota Twins to acquire designated hitter Jim Thome.

When the Twins put Thome on trade waivers Monday afternoon word quickly started to spread that the Indians may claim him and try to swing a deal with the Twins. With designated hitter Travis Hafner suffering a nasty foot injury in Detroit on Sunday and potentially done for the season, it made a lot of sense to find a designated hitter option if one were to come available.

While the 48 hour waiver period had to run its course there was a lot of speculation that the Chicago White Sox would put in a claim on Thome to block the Indians. For those unfamiliar with the claim process, how it works is teams with a worse record have higher waiver priority and the White Sox were a game behind the Indians so they could have claimed him before the Indians. In the end the White Sox did not make a claim, possibly as a nice gesture to allow a clear path for Thome to return to the Indians.

Once the Indians were awarded the claim it was but a mere formality for the Indians and Twins to complete a deal. Thome did not have a lot of trade value, so the Indians and Twins were able to agree on a very small list of players for the Twins to choose from. The deal ended up being for a “player to be named later”, and the Twins have until October 15th to make that decision. The player is not expected to be a player of significance.

Upon the official news being released late on Thursday night that Thome was indeed an Indian again, it set off a fervor among Tribe Nation. One of the true Indians greats of all time was returning to the team and city for one final hurrah, and to potentially retire with the team he originally started his long professional career with back in 1991.

Over Thome’s 12-year Major League career with the Indians from 1991-2002 he hit .287 with 334 homers, and 927 RBI in 1377 games. He turned 41-years old last night and returns to the Indians as the club’s all time leader in home runs (334) and walks (997), and ranks second all time in club history in RBI (927), fifth in runs scored (917), fourth in total bases (2633), third in on-base percentage (.414), and third in extra base hits (613). His 52 home runs in 2002 are a franchise single season record, and his 49 home runs in 2001 are third most in franchise history (Albert Belle had 50 homers in 1995).

Thome is no longer one of the most feared left-handed power hitters in the game, but he is still very productive. Prior to joining the Indians he was hitting .243 with 12 homers, 40 RBI and a .827 OPS in 71 games with the Twins. He recently joined the 600 home run club when he socked two homers against Detroit on August 15th, and is only the eighth player in baseball history to reach the 600 homer club.

The return “home” for Thome was celebrated on Friday night with a sellout crowd that gave him a standing ovation and lifted “Welcome Thome” signs when he first stepped to the plate. It was an electric atmosphere and brought back memories of the time nine years ago when “The Jake” was flooded with fans every night, the Tribe was a yearly contender, and Thome was the face of the franchise.

Thome is no longer the face of the franchise, but he gets to come back and potentially write the final chapter and close the book to his 21-year career by finishing where it all started. Maybe he and the team has one final run in them to make some noise and make his homecoming truly magical with a postseason berth.

Setting the record straight on Thome’s departure

While a great majority of fans are happy to see Thome back, there are still some bitter fans who still carry a grudge over his departure nine years ago. Time has healed a lot of the wounds from that December day in 2002 when he packed his bags and left for Philadelphia, but some animosity still exists.

If you rewind the tape back to that time almost nine years ago when Thome left Cleveland there was a feeling of betrayal in this city. Long before LeBron James, there was Thome’s departure which incensed a fanbase. Thome is not a narcissistic jerk like James, and instead is one of the nicest, most genuine people to ever play professional sports (unlike James). But back then he did mislead the fans by saying he would give a hometown discount and that they would have to “tear the shirt off his back to leave Cleveland”.

It seemed but a mere formality that Thome would remain an Indian after the 2002 season, especially after a season where the Indians traded almost every household name on the roster. The Indians did not trade Thome, and they went into the offseason with the intention of resigning him and rebuilding the club around him.

After several negotiations, in the end the Phillies signed him for six years and $85 million, a deal which also included a club option for a seventh season for $13 million. The total value of that contract was a potential $98 million dollars. On the flip side the Indians final offer was for five years and $63 million with vesting options based on performance for a sixth and seventh season at $12 million each. The total value of that contract was a potential $87 million.

In the end Thome chose the Phillies’ offer for what he called “a chance to win” and ultimately appeared greedy by not giving the Indians a hometown discount and leaving for the last dollar. He was supposed to be different, and one of those unique players who got it like the Cal Ripken’s, Tony Gwynn’s, Trevor Hoffman’s, etc of the world who stayed with their teams for much less money when they could have easily received millions more on the open market. They were loyal to their teams and loved the cities they played in so gave substantial hometown discounts.

What’s done is done. I will be the first to admit that I lost a lot of respect for Thome after that decision and don’t hold him in as high regard as I once did. But whether you are still bitter or not, he is still an amazing human being, life is too short to cry foul over the past, and he is an Indian now. So welcome home the living legend.

Jeckyll and Hyde

Since being acquired in a trade from the Colorado Rockies on July 30th, right-handed pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez has had some very good outings and some downright awful ones. You never know what pitcher you are going to get on a given night it seems, but if there is one thing that he has proven so far in the small sample size of five starts is he likes pitching at Progressive Field.

In Jimenez’s two starts at Progressive Field he has been great going 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA. He has gone at least seven innings in each outing and in 15.0 innings has given up one earned run, 12 hits, two walks, and has 16 strikeouts. That 2-to-16 walk to strikeout ratio is outstanding, and shows the kind of dominating stuff he has.

By the same token, in Jimenez’s three starts on the road since joining the Indians he is 0-3 with an 11.77 ERA. He has only logged a total of 13.0 innings in those three starts and has given up 17 earned runs, 25 hits, seven walks, and has 16 strikeouts. He is actually striking out hitters at a higher rate on the road, but the walk rate is much higher and he is giving up almost two hits an inning.

The Indians obviously did not expect this kind of inconsistent pitching when they paid a big bounty for Jimenez a few weeks ago. But they also knew going in that there were some delivery issues and his mechanics have been off this year after battling several nagging, minor injuries earlier in the year. As a result, we are seeing him flash the top of the rotation stuff in some outings that made the Indians gamble on acquiring him, but at the same time seeing a lot of the inconsistencies and issues that maybe made the Rockies more inclined to trade him.

Jimenez’s performance will probably continue to be up and down the rest of the year as he and the Indians continue to work through some of his issues. There is no doubt he will be a big offseason project and work closely with pitching coach Tim Belcher to get things squared away to where he is hopefully a much more consistent pitcher in 2012, and if so maybe his dominating stuff shows itself much more frequently night after night.

Injuries continue to pile up

The Indians have just been decimated by injuries the past few weeks. Three more players hit the disabled list this week as designated hitter Travis Hafner (foot), right-handed pitcher Josh Tomlin (elbow), and outfielder Michael Brantley (wrist) all were placed on the 15-day disabled list in the past few days. This is in addition to second baseman Jason Kipnis (hamstring) who was placed on the 15-day disabled list last weekend.

The Indians have battled the injury bug all season, and in a lot of ways is why they have been so inconsistent since their 30-15 start. Ever since that start they have had injuries to key players like Hafner, outfielder Grady Sizemore, outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, and right-handed pitcher Alex White which caused them to all miss considerable time. Add in all the other injuries of late and to other players over the course of the season and they have truly taken their toll on the Indians this year.

Teams hate to use injuries as an excuse, but in this case it is warranted as they have no doubt affected their season. You have to wonder what would have happened this year without so many injuries. With a lot of players possibly coming back healthy in the next week or so, maybe once the team is close to full strength it will allow them to go on one final run and make things interesting with the Tigers down the stretch.

Columbus clinches

The Indians Triple-A Columbus affiliate earned a playoff berth this week when they clinched the International League West Division. Even with all of the player movement up and down to Cleveland this year they have an 82-53 record which is the best record in the league. They won the league title last year, so with the postseason berth they now get a chance to defend their title.

The Indians have some good players and teams coming together in the upper levels over the past few years, and it is beginning to translate at the big league level. The success of late with the upper level of the Indians farm system and the emergence of the big league team as a contender is no coincidence. Double-A Akron won the Eastern League title in 2009, Columbus won their league title last year, and Columbus is once again a very good team this year.

This is a lot like the success the Indians enjoyed back in 2004 and 2005 when they were re-emerging as a contender. Akron was 93-48 in 2002 and lost in the playoffs, won the league title in 2003, and lost in the finals in 2004. Triple-A Buffalo won the International League title in 2004 and lost in the playoffs in 2005.

Winning and losing often does not correlate from the minor leagues to the big leagues, but in the Indians case the last two times they have rebuilt their teams it looks like it is the exception.

Parting Shots

Sizemore continues to work his way back from his right knee contusion and sports hernia operation. He ran the bases on Friday for the first time since going on the disabled list and this weekend is taking batting practice and running sprints in pre-game activities. There is a good chance he could go on a short minor league rehab assignment next weekend and be back with the Indians sometime after Labor Day. … Right-handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco is expected to start a throwing program this coming week as he looks to return from right elbow inflammation. … Former Indians prospect left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz’s season came to a sudden end as he had an emergency appendectomy surgery earlier in the week and is done for the season. … Former Indians right-handed pitcher Alex White made his Rockies’ big league debut on Tuesday going six innings and allowed five runs on seven hits, one walk, and had four strikeouts.

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). Use discount code 2Z6F362B to receive 40% off the book through the site store!

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Indians acquire Thome from Twins

Jim Thome (Photo: AP)

The Cleveland Indians tonight have announced that they have acquired designated hitter Jim Thome from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for a player to be named later. The player to be named must be decided on by October 15th, and could also just be cash.

Thome, 40, returns to the Cleveland Indians where he spent the first 12 seasons of his Major League career from 1991-2002. He is the franchise career leader in home runs (334) and walks (997) and ranks second all-time in club history in career RBI (927), 5th in runs scored (917), 4th in total bases (2633), 3rd in on-base percentage (.414) and extra base hits (613). With the Indians from 1991-2002 he hit .287 (1332-4640) with 259 doubles, 334 HR & 927 RBI in 1377 games. His 52 home runs in 2002 remain the club record for single-season home runs and his 49 homers in 2001 is the 3rd highest single-season total in franchise history.

The five-time All-Star (1997, ’98, ’99, 2004, 2006) recently became the 8th player in the history of Major League Baseball to slug 600 career homers, hitting two home runs on August 15 at Detroit to surpass the 600-home plateau. Thome owns a career Major League batting average of .277 (2266-8188) with 1555 runs scored, 440 doubles, 601 homers and 1664 RBI in 2463 games with the Indians, Phillies, White Sox, Dodgers and Twins. He owns a career on-base % of .403 (49th all-time), slugging % of .557 (21st all-time) and OPS of .960 (17th all-time). His 1714 career walks are 8th all-time in the history of MLB. He has received MVP votes in 9 seasons over his 21-year Major League career.

In 2010 he helped guide the Minnesota Twins to the AL Central title, hitting .283 (78-276) with 16 doubles, 25 homers and 59 RBI in 108 games (.412OB/.627SLG/1.039OPS) and finished 18th in the AL MVP voting. This season he has hit .243 (50-206) with 12 double, 12HR & 40 RBI in 71 games in his second season with the Twins (.351OB/.476SLG/ .827OPS). He has played in 67 career post-season games over nine different seasons with four different teams.

Said Cleveland Indians Executive Vice President and General Manager Chris Antonetti on acquiring Thome: “Jim Thome is a Hall of Fame-caliber player and person. He has meant so much to this organization - both on and off the field - and it is an honor to bring him back in an Indians uniform where he created so many great memories. Having his bat and presence in the middle of the lineup certainly improves our team"

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). Use discount code 2Z6F362B to receive 40% off the book through the site store!

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Indians claim Thome

Jim Thome (Photo: MLB)

Numerous reports have verified that the Indians have been awarded the claim on Twins designated hitter Jim Thome. This does not mean that the Indians have acquired Thome as the Twins can still pull him back, but what it means is the Indians have an exclusive 48-hour window to negotiate a trade with the Twins. The deadline to make a deal is 1:00 p.m. EST on Friday.

At the moment, Thome is playing for the Twins in their afternoon game against the Orioles. He is the designated hitter and is batting 6th.

If the Indians and Twins are unable to strike a deal then Thome can not be put through trade waivers again. The only way he would be able to join another team is if the Twins outright release him, something which is very possible but would be frowned upon by many in the industry. Plus, there is a feeling in the industry that the Twins and Indians will strike a deal to bring Thome back to his original team and the one he is most associated with in his career.

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). Use discount code 2Z6F362B to receive 40% off the book through the site store!

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Hafner to DL, Thome to Cleveland?

Jim Thome (Photo: AP)

The Indians have placed designated hitter Travis Hafner on the 15-day disabled list with a right foot sprain. The Indians have called up right-handed pitcher Josh Judy to take Hafner's spot on the 25-man roster and help a burned out bullpen. He may not be in Cleveland long as he probably will be optioned out after the first game of the doubleheader tomorrow so the Indians can activate right-handed pitcher Zach McAllister who is expected to make the start in the second game of the doubleheader.

There is some concern that Hafner may be done for the season, and that along with the news that Twins designated hitter Jim Thome has been put on trade waivers today has a lot of people in the baseball world believing the Indians and Thome may soon be reuniting.

Thome, 40, has a no trade clause, but one would think he would surely waive it for the opportunity to come back to Cleveland and play every day. He has been a part time player with the Twins this year, but when he has played he has been productive as in 68 games he is hitting .256 with 12 HR, 40 RBI and a .868 OPS. If Hafner is indeed lost for a long time - if not the rest of the season - Thome would be a perfect fit on many levels.

Since Thome is playing for the Twins in the AL he must first pass through waivers to all the AL teams before an NL team can put in a claim for him. The claiming order goes from worst record to best record, and at the moment the Indians appear to hold all the cards and will probably get the first crack at Thome since they have the worst record among contending teams in the AL that may be interested in picking him up.

The process is expected to take 24-48 hours, and it is possible sometime on Wednesday or Thursday that Thome could be traded to a new team, with that team maybe being the Indians. He is a former fan favorite and would surely be welcomed back even if some people are still angered by his free agent departure almost nine years ago.

Thome's return would allow him to finish his career with the team he will always be most remembered playing with, and along the same lines as outfielder Kenny Lofton who was traded to the Indians in July of 2007 and finished his career with the team that season.

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). Use discount code 2Z6F362B to receive 40% off the book through the site store!

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Thome deserving of boos

When you think about the Indians of the 90s, six players (The Big Six) usually come to mind as the faces of the franchise those years: Manny Ramirez, Kenny Lofton, Jim Thome, Omar Vizquel, Sandy Alomar Jr, and Charles Nagy. Other like Albert Belle, Roberto Alomar, Dennis Martinez and Orel Hershiser had their moments, but the Big Six were mostly here from the beginning to the end of the "Era of Champions" from 1995-2001.

Slowly, The Big Six left the organization for various reasons, but Thome's departure was the one that hurt the most and has been the one most often talked about by Indians fans.

When Thome hit the free agent market after the 2002 season it was a key time for the Indians organization. After the 2002 season, the Indians were in transition and in the early stages of a complete rebuild after General Manager Mark Shapiro's roster purge the previous summer.

To fans, Thome was largely viewed as the most popular Indian, and was basically Mr. Indian. Many fans felt he would forever go down as one of the Indians greats of all-time, shatter tons of club records, and end up having his number retired and displayed in the right field mezzanine with the likes of Boudreau, Feller, Colavito and others.

But, that all changed on December 6, 2002 when Thome packed his bags, boarded a plane with his "Rock" (his wife), and shunned the very fans who grew to adore the farm kid from Peoria, IL by taking a six year $85 million deal from the Philadelphia Phillies.

Shun you ask? How can he shun the fans by taking six years and $85 million over the Indians final offer of five years and $62 million?

The difference in the two deals was indeed roughly $23 million in total guaranteed money, and most players would take the higher offer in a nanosecond. But the catch here is Thome was supposed to be different. A throwback. A player with loyalty and supposedly one who loved this city and the fans. As fans, we have seen numerous players in other cities take much, much less to stay with their teams, and we thought for sure Thome would do the same.

Thome even said so himself, as noted by two quotes from the Plain Dealer near the end of the 2002 season:

"I've never even thought about playing for another team. I really like the idea of playing your whole career in one place. That doesn't happen much today. You look at Cal Ripken, Tony Gwynn, Kirby Puckett. For them to play their whole careers for one team, that's very special."

"What I do know is that my wife and I love it here, and we'd love to stay."

The Indians themselves even thought Thome would eventually resign with them. Thome had a no trade clause, and the Indians never approached him to waive it when they purged the roster of expensive veterans for young prospects during the roster purge in June and July of 2002. The reason was because Shapiro had no desire to trade him, and Thome told them he had no desire to leave. The two sides seemed to have an amicable relationship where a deal getting done seemed a foregone conclusion.

The Indians organization and fans all felt Thome would stay with the team, but when free agency started and dollar signs flashed in front of Thome's eyes, things changed. When the time came to back up all of his talk, he didn't. Greed took over. And that right there is the reason why Thome is vilified by the fans.

Albert Belle once confessed openly that is exactly what he did when he signed with the White Sox, that he went for the last possible dollar. And he was promptly greeted with a cascade of boos and fake money rained on him in left field the first time he returned. But for as much of a jerk he was, at least Belle was honest and displayed integrity about it. Thome was a weasel and lied through his teeth. While Belle and even Manny unequivocally left for the money, Thome alleged that he left for the chance to 'win'.

When reviewing the facts from the contract negotiations made public in the Thome free agent war between the Indians and Phillies, it is easy to see that Thome was driven to get the last dollar.

According to ESPN, Philly originally offered Thome five years and $75 million, and the Indians offered four years and $48 million. At the time, the original Phillies offer was $27 million more in guaranteed money than the Indians offer, which obviously is substantial. However, it was not substantial enough for Thome to sign right then and there with the Phillies.

Now, everyone knows this is just a starting point for discussions, and that there is usually back and forth negotiating before a deal is ultimately reached. But, the tactics used by Thome were questionable, and illustrate his greed. Thome wanted the Indians to match the fifth year - which was understandable - and the Indians obliged by countering with a five year $62 million deal. The Indians matched the 5th year the Phillies had offered at Thome's request, and now the difference in guaranteed money was only $13 million.

But, this is where (at least to me) it shows Thome and his agent were not looking for a fair deal, but instead were looking for the Brinks truck to be backed up into Thome's driveway. Instead of accepting the Indians offer after they obliged with the fifth year, or at worst maybe asking them for a little more money to bridge the gap in the difference of guaranteed money between the two deals, instead Thome and his agent took the Indians deal and shopped it to get more cash from the Phillies.

Apparently, the Indians offer was enough for Thome and his agent to shop it to the Phillies to try and fleece them for more money, and the Phillies accommodated by offering the six year $85 million deal. Then, Thome came back to the Indians (again) and asked for them to add another year (again) to the deal.

The Indians said no thanks. Had the Indians obliged (again) and added a sixth guaranteed year like they did the fifth year, whose to say Thome does not go back to the Phillies and gets seven years? Eventually, you draw a line in the sand, which is what the Indians did.

It should be noted, while the Indians did not come back with a guaranteed sixth year, unbeknownst to many Indians fans, the Indians DID come back with one final offer where they added a sixth year to the deal as a vesting option for $12-13 million. It was not guaranteed money, but was probably tied to plate appearances and reportedly the option was easily attainable if he stayed reasonably healthy.

The Indians were concerned about Thome's back (which in hindsight was a legit concern), and they wanted to insure themselves if he went down with a back injury. Had the vesting option matured, the final difference in money would only have been around $10 million in total dollars from the final Phillies and Indians deals.

So, the original difference in the value (including the option year) between the two deals went from $27 million to about $10 million. Yet, after all that legwork and all those negotiations to get the Indians offer more competitive with the Phillies offer, Thome still chose to sign with the Phillies.

Can it get any clearer than that? If the guy was on the fence when the deals were $27 million apart, but when whittled down to a $10 million difference in total contract value, you would think the player who had supposedly grown to adore the city and fans and wanted to be an Indian forever would have signed on the dotted line....with the Indians. But he didn't. He instead took the last dollar, and went to the Phillies.

Indians fans are not stupid. While a lot of fans consider Indians owner Larry Dolan a tightwad and cheap, they know when they have been duped. They know Thome's real motive here was nothing more than M-O-N-E-Y. They know his words of wanting to stay here was nothing more than hollow lip service, and that he ended up being "just another ballplayer" looking to get paid.

The Indians fans showered Belle with boos and fake money because he was a jackass, not because they felt he screwed the fans over. The Indians fans shower Thome with boos because he DID screw the fans over into believing he would stay and that the love between ballplayer and fans was mutual, and he turned out to be a jackass in his own right. Thome was supposed to be a player who would hold true to his word, and he didn't. And THAT is why the fans boo him at Jacobs Field.

This is the difference from him being Albert Belle and going for the last dollar and say Trevor Hoffman/Tony Gwynn/Craig Biggio who actually lived up to their word and stuck around with their teams for much less coin. Heck, look at Jake Westbrook. He clearly wanted to stay in Cleveland, loves it here, and felt some loyalty to the organization. So, he gave the team a hometown discount and signed for three years and $33 million, when he probably could have gotten much more in free agency. Why couldn't Thome do that?

The Indians offer was very fair, and very similar in nature to what some of the other players in the league have stuck around for when giving hometown discounts. Isn't it ironic that the man (Belle) who displayed significant objectionable behavior off the field is the one who was honest, forthright, and displayed integrity?

In the USA Today in August 2002, Thome said:
"You shouldn't play this game for the money. You should play it for pride, and for the love of the game. ... My dad always told me it's not what you do when you walk in the door, it's what you've done after you walk out. It's what kind of an impression you've left."

Well, Mr. Thome. You certainly left an impression.

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). Use discount code 2Z6F362B to receive 40% off the book through the site store!

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