After nixed deal, Tribe eases prospects' minds Players appreciate club's approach in wake of Lucroy declining trade By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | December 16th, 2016 CLEVELAND -- Players are typically kept in the dark when it comes to trade rumors. Just like fans, they are often left monitoring news sites and social media for updates. If they have been traded, the hope is that their phone will ring with a call from the team before their name scrolls across a TV screen. had heard his name mentioned -- his family and friends made sure to keep him updated on what rumblings were out there -- but his phone had yet to buzz. Sitting inside the clubhouse at Canal Park, where Allen and his -A Akron teammates were watching MLB Network, the young found out that had blocked a trade to the Indians on July 31. There was a sense of relief mixed with a bit of confusion. "There were a whole lot of unknowns," Allen said. "When I saw he had vetoed the trade, I obviously didn't really know what was going to happen next, if there was going to be a counter offer or different things like that. It was pretty crazy to be a part of." The Indians are one of the best teams when it comes to keeping information close to the vest, but information leaks are as old as the game itself. Leading up to the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline, Allen and fellow prospects Francisco Mejia, Yu-Cheng Chang and Shawn Armstrong all heard they were part of the package that was going to bring Lucroy from the Brewers to the Indians. Then, Lucroy nixed the deal, the players stayed put and that was that. In the aftermath of that very public ordeal, though, the players were surely left wondering about their respective futures. Front-office leaders like assistant general Carter Hawkins (the farm director at the time), along with assistant directors of player development Alex Eckelman and Eric Binder, plus the coaches at each level, had to explain what happened to the players. "We spent a lot of time [on that]," Indians general manager Mike Chernoff said. "Our coaches did a tremendous job with those guys. [They helped] them understand that this is a positive, that this is their careers taking off and teams really like them and we really like them. Our coaching staff, Carter, those guys did a tremendous job." Allen said the message was received, and it made sense to the players involved. "They definitely reiterated that message," Allen said, "the fact that it wasn't getting rid of guys, but more so a compliment to those guys that were involved. Especially in that trade with myself, Yu-Cheng Chang, Francisco Mejia, guys who have pretty good resumes on their own. It just kind of speaks to that. So, I think just being included in that conversation, kind of other teams taking note, and kind of seeing some value in you, it's not a bad thing. "I'm just happy and fortunate that I'm still with this group of guys and this organization." Allen, 23, is a fleeted-footed outfielder who has seen his stock rise, and is Cleveland's No. 19 prospect per MLBPipeline.com. Last season, he .295 with 37 extra-base hits, 45 stolen bases and 119 runs scored in 129 games between (high) Lynchburg and Double-A Akron. On July 30, when reports began swirling that Lucroy might be headed to Cleveland, Allen was in the lineup against Bowie. He was then out of the lineup on July 31, when he watched the news and kept receiving texts from family and friends. The 21-year-old Mejia -- No. 4 on the Indians' Top 30 Prospects list -- saw his reach 42 games on July 30, when he was with Lynchburg. The catcher was also out of the lineup on July 31, but returned on Aug. 1 against Potomac after the Lucroy talks had fallen apart. On Aug. 13, Mejia's hitting streak reached 50 games. On the year, he hit .342 with 80 RBIs and an .896 OPS in 102 games for Class A Lake County and Lynchburg. "I always maintained my positivity," Mejia said through a translator. "And I kept on doing my same routines like I always do before and after the games. My family didn't say anything [about the trade rumors]. They just told me to keep focusing on baseball and to keep working towards my goal of making it to he big leagues." Like Allen and Mejia, neither Chang nor Armstrong played on July 31, as the Lucroy deal remained in limbo. A shortstop, the 21-year-old Chang (No. 9 on the Tribe's prospects list) hit .259 with 13 homers, 41 extra-base hits and 70 RBIs in 109 games for Lynchburg. Armstrong, 26, appeared in 10 games for the Indians last season, but spent the bulk of his year with -A Columbus and was with the affiliate amid the trade rumors. In 49 Triple-A , the hard-throwing righty had a 1.84 ERA, 72 and 29 walks. Armstrong is 28th among the team's Top 30 prospects and will be vying for a big league relief job in the spring. Hawkins said being transparent with the players in the aftermath of the Lucroy situation was important. "It's certainly an interesting time with these guys going through that process," Hawkins said, "with all the stuff in the media, their names coming up. That entire aspect of things, it's unusual, and not a situation that we've been in in a long, long time. It's not just one conversation with the players. Certainly, we talked to all those guys that their names did come up. We talked to them about, 'Hey, we obviously value you. We want to continue to give you opportunities. This is not an indictment on you.' "But, it's not that one conversation. It's the continued conversations and actions after the fact. It's the, 'OK, look, we want to continue to give you the best opportunity to be the best possible player that you can be, and we're really, really glad that it's going to be here with the Indians." Not to mention, when Lucroy blocked the trade, Cleveland's farm system avoided taking a big hit. "We win any trade that doesn't happen," Hawkins said with a laugh. "In player development, that's for sure. Any time we can keep one of our guys, you have a lot of hapy, happy player development staff." Jordan Bastian has covered the Indians for MLB.com since 2011, and previously covered the Blue Jays from 2006-10. Read his blog,

Tribe promotes 3, hires 3 in scouting department By Adam Berry / MLB.com | @adamdberry | December 15th, 2016 The Indians on Thursday promoted three officials within their scouting department and hired a trio of scouts. Brad Grant is now Cleveland's senior director of amateur scouting. Junie Melendez has been promoted to regional supervisor and Andrew Krause has been named an area scouting supervisor. The Tribe hired Pete Loizzo as an area scouting supervisor and both Dan Budreika and Ethan Purser as professional scouts. Grant had served as the Indians' director of amateur scouting the past nine years, and he's been with the organization for the last 23 years. He will continue to oversee the Tribe's 22 amateur scouts as well as the club's activity leading up to the Draft. Melendez, Cleveland's area scouting supervisor in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Kentucky for the last eight years, will now oversee the Indians' upper Midwest area scouting supervisors. Krause, who had been a part-time scout with the Indians, will assume some of Melendez's responsibilities by covering Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky for the Tribe. Krause was formerly an intern for , a Double-A video intern for the Rays and later a baseball operations intern for Tampa Bay in 2014. Loizzo will cover North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan. He had served as an operations manager and sales associate for Inside Edge Scouting Services. He previously worked with the Dodgers and his alma mater, St. Olaf College. Budreika spent this past season as the Marlins' video coordinator. Purser most recently worked as an amateur scout for the Rays after spending time as a prospect intern for Baseball Prospectus and Perfect Game. Adam Berry has cove

Will another surface for in ? Hey, Hoynsie! Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Tweet him at @hoynsie or send your question to [email protected]. Hey Hoynsie: Which Indians prospect has the best chance to make the opening day roster in 2017? -- Zach Studzinski Parma. Hey, Zach: That's hard to say. Rookie Tyler Naquin making the club out of spring training last year as the starting was a rarity. Not only did he need to have a great spring, but 's slow recovery from right shoulder surgery and Abraham Almonte's PED suspension played a part as well. If you look at the Indians' Top 10 prospect list by Baseball America, none of the first five - Francisco Mejia, , Triston McKenzie, and Bobby Bradley - are ready for the big leagues. There is still a long way to go before the start of spring training and opening day. The front office is going to add a hitter and an outfielder and that will hurt any position player prospect's chances of making the club out of spring training. Still, if you put me in a corner today, with two feet of snow on the ground, I'd say Yandy Diaz. Hey, Hoynsie: What are your thoughts regarding center field? Are the Indians considering bringing back Rajai Davis? If not, who are the other options? -- Bob Rosen, Solon. Hey, Bob: GM Mike Chernoff said during the winter meetings that the Indians are still talking to Davis about returning to Cleveland for 2017. If the season started today, Naquin would be the starting center fielder with Almonte helping out. @hoynsie Hey hoynsie. Are the Indians looking to improve their CF defense. Is Austin Jackson a fit.? Bradley Zimmer eventually? Tyler Beaver 8:56 AM - 17 Dec 2016 Hey, Tyler: I know they tried to sign Jackson last winter. But he missed most of the 2016 season with a knee injury, so I'm sure that's a concern. I would think Zimmer needs more time at Class AAA Columbus. Hey, Hoynsie: Do you think Michael Brantley plays in more or fewer than 110 games in 2017? -- Pat Condon, Borden, Ind. Hey, Pat: It's impossible to say right now. Brantley is supposed to start baseball activities after Christmas. But the real test will come when he gets to spring training in February and has to go through the daily routine of camp. Swinging the bat was the big problem last season. During repeated rehabs, Brantley would get to a certain point and his shoulder wouldn't respond and he'd have to stop swinging. A return to health by Brantley would give the Indians a big boost for 2017. @hoynsie any chance tribe trades Bauer or Tomlin for a bat if they can't find someone in free agency? -Jeff, Cincinnati

Hey, Jeff: You can never say never, but I don't see the Indians trading away any starting pitching. As we saw last season, it can disappear quickly. Hey, Hoynsie: Why doesn't MLB have annual awards for coaches? Wouldn't it be a great idea to have the best hitting and pitching coaches honored for making the most of their lineups and staffs? For instance the Indians finished second in the AL in runs without Michael Brantley last season. It would have been appropriate for Ty Van Burkleo to win the hitting of the year award. - Marty Gitlin, North Olmsted. Hey, Marty: That's a great idea. My one concern is how far do you take it? Do we have awards for the best bench, third base, first base and bullpen coach? How about the best assistant hitting coach, bullpen catcher, baserunning and quality control coach? Things could quickly get out of hand in an off-season already stuffed with awards. Still, it's something to consider. @hoynsie Hey, Hoynsie how much longer do the Indians have options on Jesus Aguilar and Giovanny Urshela. Brian McCreary, Upper Sandusky, OH Hey, Brian: Aguilar is out of options and Urshela has one left. If Aguilar doesn't make the big-league club coming out of spring training in 2017, he will be placed on waivers and can be claimed by another team. Aguilar, as usual, is having another big winter playing for Caracas in Venezuela. Hey, Hoynsie: I read your Tweets that the Indians lost a few players in the Rule 5 Draft. Can you explain the rationale of this draft? - Drew Romito, Twinsburg. Hey, Drew: The Rule 5 Draft gives eligible players who are not protected on a team's 40-man roster a chance to play elsewhere if they're drafted. It also prevents teams from stockpiling talent in their minor league system. If a team drafts an eligible player from another team's unprotected list - in the major league portion of the Rule 5 Draft - that team must keep the player in the big leagues for the upcoming season. If not, they must offer him back to his original team. It costs $100,000 to draft a player. If a team returns the player, it would receive $50,000 or half of its purchase price. On Dec. 8, the Indians selected left-hander Hoby Milner from Philadelphia's unprotected list in the major league portion of the draft. They lost outfielder Anthony Santander, selected by Baltimore. The Indians lost four more players in the Class AAA portion of the draft -- right-handers Trevor Frank (San Diego), Jon Fitzsimmons (Arizona) and Grant Sides (Arizona) and left-hander Nick Maronde (Florida). @hoynsie Any chance Indians would consider trading Cody Allen? After this year's playoffs, his stock will never be higher. Joe, Wadsworth Hey, Joe: If Allen is healthy, and there is no reason to believe he's not despite four years of heavy use, I can't imagine why the Indians would trade him. Part of the reason Francona's strategy with worked last season is because he had Bryan Shaw and Allen backing him up in the eighth and ninth innings. I think the Indians would have to be overwhelmed to even think about trading Allen. Hey, Hoynsie: I know likes to mix-and-match the lineup, but if Brantley returns to health, could we see a daily top five of something like: No.1 , No.2 Jason Kipnis, No. 3 Brantley, No. 4 /Edwin Encarnacion/ and No.5 Carlos Santana? He could also bat Kipnis leadoff and Lindor second so Kipnis and Brantley (both lefties) would not have to hit consecutively. Then you could hit Jose Ramirez sixth. - Jack Bacevice. Hey, Jack: I think Francona could make that work. But remember, he had Santana leading off for a big part of 2016. The key is filling the No.4 spot in the lineup. @hoynsie so with the A's interest in EE and the Rangers kicking the tires again will the Indians get back in the race to get him? Dan, OH Hey, Dan: I don't think they've ever left the race for Edwin Encarnacion. They've stayed in contact with his agent since the end of the winter meetings. I just don't see them committing to a long-term deal. Hey @hoynsie, Hearing Napoli might be offered a one-year deal with a team option. Do you think this is a good compromise? Mike in Buffalo Hey, Mike: I have not heard that, but it wouldn't surprise me if it has been discussed. I do know that Napoli is looking for more than a one-year deal. This is a waiting game now. The free agent market is loaded with hitters with power. Teams can wait to see if their demands come down.

What would be a reasonable contract for the Cleveland Indians to offer Edwin Encarnacion or Mike Napoli? Zack Meisel, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For Edwin Encarnacion, this off-season must feel like a morning rush hour commute in the dead of winter. As snowflakes fall from the sky, he's at a standstill. He'd much prefer to hit the accelerator and speed off toward his new employer, but he's stuck in place, leaving plenty of first base/ traffic to sort out. It's all a matter of supply and demand. The number of teams seeking a veteran has dwindled, even for a guy as prolific at the plate as Encarnacion, who has produced 193 home runs over the last five years. Mark Trumbo and Mike Napoli await their own respective fates. Chris Carter and Pedro Alvarez will keep twiddling their thumbs until the dominos start to fall. The Indians -- flush with postseason revenue, backed by a new minority owner and finally presented with an opportunity to convert every grudge-grasping grouch still enraged by the trades of CC Sabathia and into a born-again Tribe fan -- have a void at first base. The situation is compounded when considering Carlos Santana can walk after the 2017 campaign. Cleveland could certainly be using the market as leverage, pitting Encarnacion and Napoli against each other to see who blinks first. With Encarnacion still out there, it makes it more difficult for Napoli to justify a request of a three-year deal. With limited demand and overwhelming supply, Encarnacion isn't going to receive the lucrative, long-term deal he once desired, either. Eventually, some team will make the first move and, if the pecking order is followed, will scoop up Encarnacion. Will that team be the Indians? Will ownership capitalize on a buyer's market, an unforgettable postseason and a wide-open window of contention? The Indians have long occupied a position near the bottom of the league in payroll. That might not change, even with an influx of postseason revenue, a new minority owner, an increase in season-ticket sales and a galvanized fan base. Still, can't the team afford one significant addition? If this isn't the time for a bit of financial flexibility, when is? What would be a reasonable contract to extend to Encarnacion or Napoli, anyway? Napoli: The case for a one-year deal Throughout last season, Tribe manager Terry Francona hinted that negotiations with Napoli weren't always smooth before the sides agreed upon a one-year deal that ultimately paid him $10 million, including incentives. It might be an even tougher pill for Napoli to swallow if no team deems him worthy of a multi-year pact this time around. The Indians, though, saw first-hand how miserable of a funk Napoli can enter. His bat went missing in September and October and, at 35, there's no telling how long a picture of his lumber will remain on the back of every milk carton in town. A two-year pact would provide the Indians with security in the event that Santana relocates after 2017. But all of the concerns about Napoli for 2017 would be magnified for 2018. A one-year deal with a team option for 2018 might make more sense, if Napoli is indeed the guy. His annual salary would figure to fall between last season's $10 million and the rate of the qualifying offer ($17.2 million), which the Indians declined to extend to him. Encarnacion: The case for a three-year deal Money will always be an issue for the Indians, but in this case, it's more about when the club would be spending that money. The team's core players are all due significant raises over the next few years, so paying a 37-year-old Encarnacion $20 million in 2020 wouldn't be ideal for an organization that opts to operate on such a paltry payroll. Encarnacion launches walk-off homer in 11th This might be Encarnacion's last crack at a long-term contract, so it'd be a surprise if he settled for less than three years. One option could be a three-year deal that includes an opt-out clause after a year or two. If Encarnacion prefers to re-establish his market value, this would give him some flexibility. Maybe there will be more demand and less supply on the free-agent market next winter. Maybe Encarnacion will have more suitors. This would seem to be a fair compromise; the Indians (or any team) get Encarnacion at a relatively inexpensive rate (he reportedly rejected a four-year, $80 million offer earlier this year), while the slugger has an opportunity to test the market once more if he wants.

Cleveland Indians promote Brad Grant, two others; hire three scouts Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio - Brad Grant, whose drafts have revitalized the Indians' minor league system, has been promoted to Senior Director of Amateur Scouting by the team. The Indians also promoted scouts Junie Melendez to regional supervisor and Andrew Krause to area scouting supervisor, while hiring scouts Pete Loizzo, Dan Budreika and Ethan Purser. Grant is preparing to run his 10th first-year player draft in June. He just completed his 23rd year with the Indians in a variety of scouting roles. He will continue to head the team's 22 amateur scouts. Fourteen players who were drafted by Grant made appearances for the AL pennant winning Indians last season: Cody Allen, Jason Kipnis, Francisco Lindor, Ryan Merritt, Tyler Naquin, , Roberto Perez, Austin Adams, Cody Anderson, Shawn Armstrong, Kyle Crockett, Shawn Morimando, Joe Colon and Adam Plutko. Four of Grant's other picks - , , and J.P. Feyereisen - were used to acquire Andrew Miller from the Yankees on July 31. Miller, the ALCS MVP, helped the Indians reach Game 7 of the . Heller made 10 appearances for the Yankees. Melendez is starting his ninth season with the Indians. Over the last eight years, he scouted Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Kentucky. As a regional supervisor, Melendez will be in charge of the Tribe's upper Midwest area supervisors. Krause, formerly a part time scout for the Indians, will cover some of Melendez's old territory in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. Krause broke into baseball with the , serving as their Class AA video intern and later their baseball operations intern in 2014. Loizzo joins the Indians from Inside Edge Scouting Services, where he was operations manager and a sale associate. In 2013 he was a video intern for the Dodgers' Class AAA team. He was also the director of baseball operations and pitching coach for St. Olaf College, his alma mater. Loizzo will scout North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan. Budreika and Purser were hired as pro scouts. Last season Budreika was the Marlins' video coordinator. From 2013-15, he was the video assistant in 's baseball operations. Purser comes to the Indians from the Rays where he was an amateur scout. Purser also worked as a prospect intern with Baseball Prospectus and Perfect Game. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 12.16.2016 Cleveland Indians still searching for hitter -- so what about Yandy Diaz? By Paul Hoynes CLEVELAND, Ohio - One way or the other, the Indians are going to find a hitter to play first base or DH before the 2017 season starts. They are still talking to the agents for Mike Napoli and Edwin Encarnacion. There are other free agents hitters on the market, including Jose Bautista, Mark Trumbo, Chris Carter and Adam Lind. The Indians have checked in with them as well. But let's say they don't find this year's version of Napoli. Could Yandy Diaz help fill that role? Could he step in and make the club as a right- handed DH, while playing some third base and the ? "We think about everything," said GM Mike Chernoff, during the winter meetings, when asked about Diaz. "Our focus is to just put the best team out there that we can. We'll see where we are in spring training. "I would imagine Yandy, from where he is, will have opportunities; whether it's to start the season or at some point during the season. Whenever that opportunity is there we hope he'll take advantage of it." Diaz is hitting .354 (40-for-112) with seven doubles, two homers and 14 RBI for Caracas in Venezuela. His slash line is .352/.433/.491. He's been playing mostly left field and is expected to continue to play for Caracas until early January. Last season he hit .325 (117-for-360) with 22 doubles, three triples, seven homers and 44 RBI for Class AAA Columbus. He posted a .860 OPS, including a .399 on base percentage. Diaz played four games at second base, 30 at third and 52 in the outfield. Diaz started the year at Class AA Akron, where hit .286 (24-for-84) with two homers and 14 RBI. "He's a guy who had been a and moved to third base," said Chernoff. "Last year we moved him to the outfield so he could get some time out there. He has a huge amount of versatility. "The focus is how does he, especially at his age - he's a little bit advanced in age compared to a typical prospect - get more consistent at each of those positions where he hasn't had a lot of time? He has the versatility to do it, but how does he become a great defender at each of those positions?" The Indians signed Diaz, 25, after he defected from Cuba. What he does best is hit. He hasn't shown a lot of power, but in three years in the minors he's hit .307 (375-for-1,222) with 18 homers and 151 RBI. He played parts of three seasons in Cuba before defecting. Diaz, who will be in big league camp for the first time this spring, might not make the club. In fact, it's unlikely. But if he keeps swinging the bat like he has this year, the chance for him to make his big league debut sometime in 2017 is good. Let's talk: Paul Kinzer, Encarnacion's agent, says he's focused on getting his client a long-term deal. He says he's taking to several teams about it. That probably does not bode well for the Indians, who would seem to be better served to try and sign Encarnacion, 33, to a shorter-term deal. They would also be giving up their No.1 draft pick, which currently sits at No.25. If Trumbo, Encarnacion and Bautista sign with clubs other than Baltimore and Toronto, the Tribe's placement in the first round would improve, based on the qualifying offers Trumbo, Encarnacion and Bautista received. Study your options: First baseman Jesus Aguilar, right-hander Austin Adams and recently signed lefty Edwin Escobar will go to spring training with no minor league options remaining. The Indians recently claimed Escobar on waivers from Arizona. The Indians were awarded a fourth option on utility man Erik Gonzalez, who made his big-league debut with the Indians last season. Gonzalez could have been out of options after last season. It's good news for the Indians because Gonzalez has a chance to make their club out of spring training. He'll be competing with Michael Martinez, another versatile player. "Gonzo is a natural shortstop - a very good defender at short," said Chernoff. "Given our major league team (read Francisco Lindor), he's not going to play every day at shortstop." What Gonzalez can do is play just about every other position on the diamond and do it well. Offensively, he hit .296 (127-for-429) with 31 doubles, 11 homers, 53 RBI at Columbus last season. Finally: Indians third base prospect Giovanny Urshela was on Colombia's initial roster for the . Urshela is hitting .337 (57-for-169) with 16 doubles, three homers and 33 RBI for Zulia in Venezuela this winter. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 12.18.2016 Cleveland Indians have Terry Talkin' free-agent hitters, value of draft picks -- Terry Pluto Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mike Napoli signed with the Cleveland Indians on Jan. 5, 2016. It was a long wait for Napoli, who thought he'd receive a multi-year deal. It never materialized, and he signed a $7 million contract that with incentives rose to $10 million. By the inflated standards of Major League Baseball economics, that was a bargain. He batted .234 (.800 OPS) with 34 HR and 101 RBI. The Indians didn't have an official team captain, but Napoli served that role. Now 35 and coming off the best season of his 11-year career, Napoli wants a multi-year deal. The original reports were his goal was a three- year contract. It's doubtful that will happen. Napoli is sitting and waiting, along with Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Mark Trumbo. That's four right- handed power bats. Here's what I hear: 1. The oldest is the 36-year-old Bautista. He batted .234 (.817 OPS) with 22 HR and 69 RBI. He was on the disabled list twice -- toe and knee injuries. In 2015, he pounded 40 homers with 114 RBI. Was 2016 an off-season partly due to injuries, or is age a major factor? I hear very little buzz about Bautista with the Tribe or any other team. 2. At 30, Trumbo is the youngest of the group. He led the majors with 47 HR for the . Overall, the first baseman/outfielder batted .256 (.850 OPS) with 47 HR and 108 RBI. I hear he wants a four-year deal. The two likely destinations: Back to Baltimore or the . 3. Encarnacion will be 34 on Jan. 7. He is No. 1 on the Tribe's list when it comes to adding a bat. Of course, that's true for other teams. So far, no team has come close to offering him the four-year, $80 million deal he turned down from the Blue Jays. Encarnacion batted .263 (.886 OPS) with 42 HR and 127 RBI. There is an odd rumor about the Oakland A's bidding for him. I hear the as a likely destination as the Rangers lost Carlos Beltran (), Ian Desmond (Colorado Rockies) and Mitch Moreland () via free agency. 4. Here is what I hear about Napoli -- nothing. Not even a hint of a decent rumor, other than the Indians want him back on what amounts to a one-year contract. 5. My guess is most teams believe Napoli just had a Halley's Comet-type season, a career year not likely to be repeated. Also hurting him is a .140 average with five HR and 13 RBI in 114 plate appearances after Sept. 1 in the regular season. The slump continued in the postseason, as he batted .179 with 1 HR and 3 RBI in 15 games. 6. That's why my bet right now is Napoli returning to the Indians. He may not have any better offers. 7. But the Indians will probably wait to see what happens with Encarnacion before signing anyone else. ABOUT THE TRIBE AND DRAFT PICKS 1. The Indians have the No. 25 pick in the 2017 June draft. If they sign a free agent such as Encarnacion, Trumbo or Bautista, they will lose that draft pick. 2. Lately, teams have been reluctant to sign free agents if a draft pick is lost. That's because those first-round picks have gained far more value in the age of analytics. The Tribe's No. 25 pick is worth at $10 million, and perhaps as much as $20 million -- it depends on the study. 3. A 2014 study by Hardball Times assigned a value of $16 million to the No. 25 pick in the draft. The top five picks were given $54 million. Looking at the story, I think the values are inflated, but obviously most teams think otherwise. It's why some older free agents are having problems getting the offers they want. 4. Let's assume Encarnacion would sign with the Tribe for $50 million over three years. I have no clue if that is the Tribe's offer. I just used $50 million to illustrate a point. Baseball people say you also must figure in the cost of the pick you give up. So let's go with the $16 million estimate for the No. 25 pick. That makes the value $66 million. 5. The history of the No. 25 pick includes MVP , starting Matt Cain and Matt Garza. 6. The No. 26 pick has a sad history. The best since 2001 has been Jeremy Bonderman, who was 68-81 with a 4.91 ERA. He had injuries later in his career. At one point, he was a pretty good starter, twice winning 14 games. 7. The No. 27 pick features Cy Young winner . But there are far more misses than hits with these picks in the 20s. 8. The last two times the Tribe drafted in the 20s, they came up with big league players: Lonnie Chisenhall (No. 29 in 2008) and (No. 22 in 2002). Excellent prospect Bradley Zimmer was No. 21 in 2014. 9. The Indians correctly prize their draft picks. Since Brad Grant took over the scouting department in 2008, the Indians have been finding prospects. They had 14 of his draft picks appear in the majors last season. 10. Some of Grant's best selections: Francisco Lindor, Cody Allen, Jason Kipnis, Tyler Naquin, Roberto Perez, Ryan Merritt and Chisenhall. 11. Grant's picks have also been used in trades. In 2011, first-rounders and were part of deal that brought Ubaldo Jimenez to the Tribe. Last summer, four prospects were traded to the for Andrew Miller. One of them (Ben Heller) pitched briefly with the Yankees. It's not just the Indians who are hesitating when it comes to signing free agents partly due to the compensation. Other teams are doing the same. It's why several top hitters are still looking for teams. 12. If the Indians re-sign their own free agents -- Napoli and Rajai Davis -- they lose no picks. They also can sign with other teams without the penalty of losing a draft pick. It gets a bit complicated, but it has to do with the free agent not receiving a qualifying offer from his previous team. 13. The last time the Tribe received a compensation pick for losing a free agent was 2014. That was when they lost Jimenez to Baltimore. They received a No. 31 pick in return. Grant took lefty Justus Sheffield, traded this summer to the Yankees in the Miller deal. The 20-year-old lefty was 3-1 with a 1.73 ERA with Class A Tampa after leaving the Tribe. 14. Tribe president Chris Antonetti has not been afraid to trade prospects. Since 2011, he has traded three first-rounders: Clint Frazier, Pomeranz and White. Jimenez helped the Indians win 92 games in 2013 and make the playoffs as a wild card team. Last season, Miller was a key reason the Tribe reached the World Series. The three first-round picks were used in those trades. 15. MLB.com rates Frazier as the Yankees' No. 1 prospect. They rate Sheffield as No. 6. Part of a scouting director's job is to pick players who can be used in trades. That's why draft picks are so valued in modern baseball. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 12.18.2016

Tyler Kepner / ’s Hall of Fame Candidacy in Last of the 10th By TYLER KEPNER DEC. 17, 2016 A defining measure of Tim Raines’s greatness probably never appeared on his baseball cards. Year after year, for the Expos and beyond, Raines would reach base around 40 percent of the time. Yet even Raines could not have told you his on-base percentage. “I didn’t even know anything about it,” Raines said by phone the other day. “That was what I was thinking, but I didn’t really think about the number. I didn’t think about having a .400 on-base percentage, like that was important. I just felt like: I batted .300, and I knew if I walked enough, I was going to be on base a lot. So the chance of me scoring, especially with the threat of stolen bases, was a lot greater.” Scoring runs, quite obviously, has always been the goal of the game, and to do so you must reach base. Quantifying that skill was not widely done for most of Raines’s career, which stretched from 1979 to 2002. With no time to spare, Hall of Fame voters are finally catching on. Candidates once had 15 years to be considered by the baseball writers who controlled the ballot, after a five-year waiting period following retirement. Now, the limit is 10 years, and Raines, who is in his final year on the ballot, has steadily gained support. In his first five years on the ballot, he hovered between 22 and 48 percent of the vote, with 75 percent needed for election. Last year, he shot up from 55 to 69.8 percent, right to the doorstep of Cooperstown. Continue reading the main story “Oh, without a doubt, I definitely feel like this year’s the window for him,” said , the former outfielder, who reached the Hall of Fame on his ninth try, in 2010. “He was a catalyst. He was one of the greatest leadoff hitters of all time. If you take a careful look at his numbers, rest assured you’d probably agree. Why it’s taken so long, well, that’s the toughness of getting into the Hall of Fame. It’s not an easy process.” Just in Time Four Hall of Famers have been elected by the writers in their final year of eligibility. Player, Position, Year Elected Red Ruffing, P, 1967 Joe Medwick, OF, 1968 Ralph Kiner, OF, 1975 , OF, 2009 Source: Baseball Hall of Fame Dawson called Raines his best friend; the two were teammates for eight years on the Expos, and Dawson helped Raines straighten out his life after Raines struggled with cocaine addiction in 1982. Raines’s second son was born the next year, on Dawson’s birthday, and he named him Andre. Raines’s drug use has most likely not been a factor in his long wait for the Hall of Fame; Paul Molitor used cocaine and went in on the first ballot, in 2004. But Molitor had 3,000 hits, a number that resonated with voters. Raines’s case is more nuanced. Consider that of the 27 players with 3,000 hits, only nine can match Raines’s .385 career on-base percentage. Raines had 2,605 hits, yet reached base more times over all than four players with 3,000: Tony Gwynn, Lou Brock, and Roberto Clemente. Hits do more damage than walks, of course, but Raines won a batting title and hit .294 for his career. Eight Hall of Famers with 3,000 hits had a lower average than Raines: Brock, , , , , Craig Biggio, and Cal Ripken. Some of those players had a different set of skills. Raines had pop but was not a power hitter like Murray, Yastrzemski and Winfield. Henderson was probably the greatest leadoff man ever, and Raines played in his shadow. He also spent most of his prime seasons in a city that no longer has a team. Raines would like to see that change. He is now the roving outfield and base-running instructor for the , who annually play two exhibitions in Montreal. “I’ve been going back the last three years with the Blue Jays, and there’s over 100,000 people for those two games every year — for spring training,” Raines said. “To be able to show that kind of support for a team that’s not even your own, that’s certainly a sign that baseball fans are still there.” If elected, Raines would become the third player to go to Cooperstown as an Expo, after and Dawson, another nod to a franchise that lived on the periphery of glory. From 1979 to 1982, three of Montreal’s competitors from the East won the World Series. The Expos’ chance slipped away in an excruciating playoff loss to the in 1981. “The last out was made, and myself, Andre Dawson and Warren Cromartie were sitting on the bench for like an hour after the game, just pondering: ‘What if?’” Raines said. “In those types of situations, you don’t know if you’ll ever have a chance to do it again.” Raines would win championship rings in New York, as a role player for the Yankees in 1996 and 1998. That was part of a six-season farewell, with five teams, that probably obscured how dynamic Raines had been with the Expos and the . One part of Raines’s dominance is obvious. He ranks fifth on the career stolen-base list with 808, and had a better success rate than Henderson and Brock, who are first and second. In this way, Raines’s career resembles that of , who ranks fifth in another bedrock statistic: strikeouts. Yet Blyleven fell short of 300 wins and needed 14 years on the ballot to reach the Hall of Fame in 2011. His case built steadily as voters came to appreciate his full statistical portfolio. Raines can relate. “Most voters are looking at hits, home runs and runs batted in, and wins and saves for pitchers,” Raines said. “So a lot of times if you don’t have those milestones, they don’t look at you as close. But I think the way they’re looking at it now, it actually changes their minds.” If an additional 5.2 percent of the voters check Raines’s name on their ballots this month, he will be a baseball immortal. New York Times LOADED: 12.18.2016 Nick Cafardo / SUNDAY BASEBALL NOTES / Why Chris Sale’s delivery works for him By Nick Cafardo The biomechanics of Chris Sale’s delivery paint the picture of a who will break down. One problem: Except for two stints on the disabled list with flexor tendon strains, Sale has not broken down. He pitched 226Ҁ innings in 2016 and threw a major league-high six complete games. The lefthander’s delivery puts a lot of strain on his elbow and shoulder because as he plants his front foot, his elbow is still high and his arm is way behind his head as it starts to whip across his body. Strange that Sale settled on this delivery, because in college he had a straight over- the-top delivery and changed to a three-quarters motion during a summer league in LaCrosse, Wis., while searching for something that felt good. Brent Pourciau, a pitching mechanics expert, wrote this evaluation of Sale’s delivery for a training website called Top Velocity: “He uses an ipsilateral tilt to start his delivery, this is tilting towards the throwing arm side. He will then throw the elbows high into an inverted W before cocking the arm at about 90 degrees of shoulder abduction and then he drops below 90 degrees of shoulder abduction during external rotation and pitch release.” This is apparently bad. One prominent pitching coach said, “Sale has the high elbow, but he offsets it by throwing three-quarters rather than over-the-top.” “We broke it down when we drafted him,” said White Sox executive vice president , who took Sale 13th overall in 2010. “I loved the stuff in the draft room. I was really hoping he would get to us, but before I put my stamp of approval on it I brought in our pitching coach, , and asked him to break down the delivery. We were concerned about the terms we used that he was a little bit ‘upside down.’ But after Coop looked at the video he said, ‘No, he’s right on the line. Three-quarter arm action makes it so we could keep him healthy.’ What is it now? Six years later, he’s still one of the best in the game.” Cooper is bullish on Sale’s delivery.

CARLOS OSORIO/AP “Who’s talking about his delivery?” snapped Cooper. “I want to know who’s talking delivery? His delivery is fine. Arguably he’s one of the top 10 pitchers in the world right now. People are asking about his delivery. Why aren’t they talking about the other nine guys? He’s got his delivery. He’s got his keys. I’m not going to talk about what those keys are right now. He knows himself really good. His delivery is solid.” Cooper, as you can tell, loves Sale and will miss him. “He’s got 5½ years of Hall of Fame-production numbers,” said Cooper. “We weren’t able to support him [with offense] as much as we would have liked and that happens and that’s baseball. A pitcher should not be graded on wins and losses. If you don’t get runs or don’t catch the ball, there’s nothing a pitcher can do. “Chris Sale has three above-average major league pitches that he pours in and throws strikes. I don’t want to sound cocky, but I don’t think anyone saying stuff has a better idea about his delivery than me. If there is, I’d like to speak to that person. “I’ve watched every single pitch he’s ever thrown. I’ve put a lot of years into this. The White Sox lead the world in keeping pitchers healthy. Our starters go to the post every five days. “He’s put up Hall of Fame-credible numbers. And now he’s going to a team that is sparing no expense. Nothing stands in the way of them putting together the best team. He’s going to a team where he has a chance to put up even more wins. If he has 10 years like he’s had, he has a chance to have a Hall of Fame career.” Cooper said Sale’s delivery works for him. Some believe that because of Sale’s build — he’s listed on the Red Sox roster as 6 feet 6 inches, 180 pounds — he doesn’t put the same kind of stress on his body that a bulkier pitcher would. “He’s loose,” said a National League special assistant. “He’s proven for the last six years he can stay healthy. I suppose at some point people saying he’ll break down will be right, but I don’t see it.” The thing Cooper stressed to Sale is to stay tall in his delivery and make sure his hands rest belt-high before he kicks and fires. Cooper has also drilled into Sale’s head that he doesn’t have to throw max-effort on every pitch. He said the great ones know how to vary speed. A good example is Max Scherzer, whose delivery scared everyone early in his career. He may be the best pitcher in baseball. “This year we made [Sale] a little bit of a hybrid,” said Cooper. “Two years ago he was trying to strike everybody out on the first pitch, second pitch, third pitch. We were looking for more efficient and quicker outs to stay longer in the game. I said to him, ‘How about you go eight innings and instead of 97 miles per hour on every pitch we drop pitches in at 91?’ He was more efficient with his pitches. Everybody loses stuff eventually. Stuff, location, and changing speed gets them out forever. He has the ability to change speeds with his pitches.” Cooper insists that “to get to the upper echelon, you can’t have poor makeup and a poor delivery. You’re not going to throw strikes. The Boston Red Sox got themselves a hell of a pitcher. Chris is the most talented guy I’ve had.” You wonder how Sale will be affected by losing Cooper as his pitching coach. “He’s a big boy. He knows what he has to do,” Cooper said. “We’ve been building for six years. Every year we try to get better. He knows what we would have worked on this year. Pitching is a learned craft. It comes with time. I find the stuff we’ve been talking about a little bit more mental, more focus, confidence, conviction, controlling his emotions and being able to focus on the next pitch. If he had continued with us, there were a few things we would have tried to get better and I’m not going to bring those up now.” Returning to Sale’s delivery, Cooper said, “He’s quick in his movements and he throws from lower angles than most guys. I didn’t see anything wrong [with that]. I’d be crazy to change anything. I’d have to have my head examined. I take every pitcher we get and watch the delivery and see if there are red flags or warning signs. I did that with Chris. I just saw a video of , who we got in the trade from Boston. I look for certain things. I came away really liking Kopech. “I remember one of my first conversations with [Sale] in Minnesota, and he was pitching in relief. He was pitching from the first base side [of the mound]. I told him when we start you, I’m moving you over [toward the third base side]. He rattled off what the advantages were. I knew right there he was a bright kid. He started telling me what this move would do for my fastball, changeup, and breaking ball. “All I can say is, he’s been a pleasure. I had front-seat view for the first six years of his career. That’s the stuff I’m going to miss. I’ll feel it spring training and he won’t be there. While they’re with me, we’re going to be pursuing ‘how can I take the gifts I’ve been given and pushing them to the max so they can achieve their dreams?’ “We’ve tweaked a few things, but he’s the guy who has gone out for all of the innings and all of the starts. I feel fortunate to have been a part of it. I know him well. I know how he works. He can be too hard on himself.” Apropos of nothing 1. Former Red Sox pitching coach still mourns the loss of Jose Fernandez, who died in a boating accident Sept. 25. “I still can’t believe it,” Nieves said. “We’re all trying to cope. What surprised me most was the late hour of when it happened and that drugs were involved. Jose loved the ocean. He loved fishing. It turns out he lived by the ocean and died by it.” Nieves was referring to Fernandez surviving a turbulent boat trip to escape Cuba, when he dived overboard to save his mother from drowning. 2. Speaking of the Marlins, Medford’s Mike Pagliarulo was tabbed to replace Barry Bonds as hitting coach. Pagliarulo was manager Don Mattingly’s preferred choice last offseason, but owner Jeffrey Loria wanted Bonds, who was fired after one season. Mattingly and Pagliarulo were teammates on the Yankees. Pagliarulo gets very deep into analytics. One of the great innovators in his profession. 3. The Red Sox seem to be taking a leap of faith that they can replace ’s production with Mitch Moreland, Pablo Sandoval, and the continued performance of , , and Jackie Bradley Jr. Is that realistic? Perhaps leaving the door ajar for Ortiz to return is not so crazy. 4. Phyllis Merhige and Katy Feeney, great allies of the BBWAA and great sources of information for major league managers, particularly at All- Star time, are retiring after long and outstanding careers with MLB. They will be missed. 5. What’s with the outfield market? The Nationals gave up a ton for . It will take even more to get Andrew McCutchen from the Pirates. The Rockies want a mother lode for Charlie Blackmon. And the Yankees aren’t budging on their asking price for Brett Gardner (a in New York but a center fielder anywhere else). 6. Wishing the best for Rod Carew, who underwent heart and kidney transplants on Friday. 7. The Mariners and Tigers are looking for pro scouts and hopefully will hire a few of the very talented scouts who are out of work. 8. Could Allen Craig, 32, who is still under contract with the Red Sox at $11 million next season, have such a good spring training that he enters into the first base/DH mix? Nobody knows why Craig lost his mojo so quickly after his foot injury, but those who know him well think that at some point the once extremely productive righthanded hitter will reemerge. Updates on nine 1. , RHP, Marlins — Tazawa agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal last week. The money seems over the top, but the Marlins scouted the Red Sox frequently and saw Tazawa make a slight comeback toward the end of the season, when he showed an uptick in velocity. Tazawa could be a nice low-cost addition who might excel in the NL. 2. , LHP, White Sox — The White Sox replaced Chris Sale with Holland and got him for $6 million on a one-year deal. Holland is in a good place because he’ll have Don Cooper as his pitching coach and Cooper does great work with lefties. If he’s still there by the start of next season, Cooper’s biggest job will be straightening out righty James Shields, because there’s still a very good pitcher somewhere in there. 3. , LF, Brewers — The Brewers would listen on Braun but there hasn’t been much interest despite his reasonable long-term contract and the fact he’s been a very good player since putting his PED use behind him. One team executive reasoned, “When a guy with that contract has been busted once, it’s hard to commit those dollars and those player resources because if he gets busted again, you lose all of your guys and you lose Braun. Nobody is saying he’d do it again, but while he’s a very good impact player, it’s just a tough one.” 4. Mitch Moreland, 1B, Red Sox — One scout who has watched a lot of Moreland thinks he’s a good fit for the Red Sox in a complementary role. “I think the Wall will benefit him. He’s a good guy in the clubhouse. He’s a good teammate. I think the only downside is some of the medicals. He’s had so many medical issues over the years,” the scout said. 5. Dan Duquette, GM, Orioles — He always does more with less. Unable to compete with the Red Sox, Yankees, and Blue Jays financially because of payroll limitations, Duquette has started up again with a good signing in catcher , who should add to the Orioles’ offense and excel at Camden Yards. Duquette is trying to re-sign Mark Trumbo, but he’s also looking in other areas in case Trumbo decides to sign elsewhere. 6. , RHP, Red Sox — The Marlins could be a landing spot for Buchholz, even though his $13.5 million price tag for 2017 seems a little high. But as one major league source pointed out, “If they can offer Kenley Jansen over $80 million, they can afford $13.5 million for a starting pitcher.” The other interesting aspect from the Marlins’ perspective is Buchholz’s pitching coach in Boston in 2013, when he went 12-1 with a 1.74 ERA while missing three months with a neck/shoulder strain, was Juan Nieves, now the Marlins’ pitching coach. 7. Tyson Ross, RHP, free agent — Teams are evaluating how much of a health risk Ross is. Ross earned $9.6 million last season — when he pitched just one game and had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome — and was headed to arbitration before he was nontendered by San Diego Dec. 2. The Cubs seem the most interested, but smaller-market teams such as Pittsburgh, Miami, and Arizona may be in the hunt, as well as Texas and Houston. Perhaps the Padres jump back in the hunt. Ross turns 30 in April, and some pitchers have had major problems following that surgery, including Daniel Bard, Chris Carpenter, and . 8. Chase Headley, 3B, Yankees — The Yankees would love to move Headley but the market seems to be shrinking. The Braves may be the best bet as they attempt to build a serviceable team with which to open their new ball park. Others who could have interest include the Giants and Cardinals. 9. Jose Bautista, RF, free agent — Bautista knows he had a bad season given his injuries, but he’s the type of guy who plays with a chip on his shoulder. That chip may be bigger next year. We still believe the Blue Jays, Rangers, Astros, Dodgers, Yankees, and Indians have interest, and Baltimore may as well, even though Orioles fans hate him. He’ll be someone’s bargain. Extra innings From the Bill Chuck files — “In 2016, there were 742 different pitchers who faced at least one batter, breaking the record of 735 set in 2015. In 2006, there were 635 and in 1996, there were 538.” Also, “In 2016, Baltimore righty Chris Tillman was the only pitcher who started at least 15 games who did not allow a ; runners were 0 for 4 against him.” . . . Happy birthday this weekend to Fernando Abad (31), Rudy Pemberton (47), Curtis Pride (48), Bobby Ojeda (59), and Rollie Sheldon (80). Out of left field Rick Porcello’s Cy Young Award-winning season was as unexpected as it gets in the history of the award. A middle-to back-end of the rotation pitcher coming off his worst season as a major leaguer, he had never received a vote for the award in seven previous seasons. Boston Globe LOADED: 12.18.2016