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Grossman signs Minor League deal with Tribe Contract for switch-hitting comes with invitation to By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | December 11th, 2015 CLEVELAND -- In their effort to gather as much outfield depth as possible, the Indians added another player to the spring mix on Friday. Cleveland has signed outfielder Robbie Grossman to a Minor League contract that includes an invitation to attend Spring Training with the big league club in Goodyear, Ariz. Grossman joins the growing list of added this offseason by the Tribe as the team works to find as many options as it can before the preseason. "We wanted to try to get as many alternatives as we could to help," Indians president of operations said earlier this week. Right now, Cleveland's projected outfield would include Lonnie Chisenhall in right field andAbraham Almonte in center. This offseason, the Indians have also acquired Joey Butler(claimed from Tampa Bay) and Collin Cowgill (via trade from the Angels) as possible backup options. Grossman joins Shane Robinson and Michael Choice on list of non-roster outfielders with Spring Training invites. In parts of the past three seasons with the Astros, the 26-year-old Grossman has .240/.327/.341 in 190 games. The switch-hitter had a .254 average to go along with a .354 on-base percentage, 22 extra-base hits, 37 RBIs, 54 runs and 14 steals in 93 games with -A Fresno last year. He hit .143 in 24 Major League games last year with Houston, which released him on Nov. 19. Grossman has experience at all three outfield positions, but he rates better as a corner outfielder, especially in right field. In 278 2/3 innings in right in the Majors, the outfielder has six and a 28.9 UZR/150, per Baseball Reference and , respectively. Grossman has posted average defensive numbers in left and below-average numbers in center in his limited big league action. Also invited: The Indians also signed right-hander Felipe Paulino to a Minor League contract with a non-roster Spring Training invite on Friday. The 32-year-old has gone 13-34 with a 5.22 ERA in 97 games (65 starts) in parts of six Major League seasons from 2007-14 with the Astros, Rockies, Royals and White Sox. In '15, he went 5-9 with a 4.93 ERA in 20 starts for Triple-A Iowa in the Cubs' system.

Tribe exits Meetings with better feel for market By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | December 10th, 2015 NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- It was a quiet week for the Indians in terms of headlines. Cleveland's contingent did not take the dais to announce any blockbuster moves or drop any jaws with any whirlwind trades at these . That does not mean the Tribe was not busy behind the scenes. "Every day, it's literally hundreds of exchanges," said Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti, "whether it's meetings or phone calls or text messages." The lines of communication between the Indians and other clubs may have been constantly flowing, but the lines remain open. The only deal closed by Cleveland registered as a blip on the Winter Meetings' big board: the claim of outfielder Joey Butler from the Rays on Monday. There is still a major need for offense and outfield help, especially in light of the fact that will likely miss month of the season after having right shoulder surgery in November. Along those lines, the Indians had talks with the Reds about and explored the availability of Brett Lawrie before the A's shipped him to the White Sox. The Indians have been linked to players such as Rajai Davis, Pedro Alvarez and in various reports. Cleveland also inquired about before the D-backs traded the outfielder to the Braves as part of a package for pitcher . The Indians have also reportedly expressed interest in center fielder A.J. Pollock, but the asking price is steep. What the Indians did not want to do was make a move strictly under the pressure of the Winter Meetings' bright lights. This week was a time to continue conversations in person and move deeper into negotiations that could linger into the weeks leading up to Spring Training and . "These Meetings help facilitate a lot of dialogue with teams and agents," Indians general said. "I think that's it. Your decision-making process, your evaluation, doesn't change just by coming here, but it facilitates dialogue. It can lead to something sometimes. Other times ... you can set the groundwork for future discussions." Cleveland continues to get a lot of inquiries about its young, controllable starting , too. While that is an avenue that could yield an impact offensive player, the Indians have set a high price for their pitchers given the club's win-now approach to the upcoming season. "We're not looking to trade any of these guys at all," Antonetti said. "That's not something that we're motivated to do. But again, for any player, there's a right value where it would make sense. So our criteria would be, 'Does it make us a better team in 2016 and beyond?' All of those guys are very meaningful parts of our 2016 team, so any trade would have to meet a pretty high criteria to make it." Deals done Cleveland's lone move at these Meetings was claiming Butler from the Rays on Monday. Butler, who has a Minor League option remaining, has hit .274/.330/.412 in 102 career Minor League games (88 last year with Tampa Bay). To clear a roster spot for Butler, the Indians designated lefty Jayson Aquino for assignment. Aquino was subsequently claimed by the Cardinals. Rule 5 activity With their 40-man roster at capacity, the Indians were unable to make a selection in the Major League phase of the this year. Cleveland did, however, lose right-hander Josh Martin to the Padres. Martin had a 2.27 ERA with 80 against 19 walks in 67 1/3 innings last season with -A Akron. Carter Hawkins, the Indians' director of player development, said the team debated long and hard about whether to protect Martin from Draft exposure. "He was a guy that was on the list, a guy that we talked ad nauseum about," Hawkins said, "which makes it even more difficult to lose him. But at the same time, just the quality individual he is, the type of worker, he's a self-made player, [we're] glad to have him get that opportunity." In the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 Draft, Cleveland selected 27-year-old lefty Brian Moran from the Mariners. Moran was actually picked in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft by Toronto prior to the 2014 season. He was then traded to the Angels and missed that year after needing surgery on his left elbow. Moran was returned to Seattle and posted a 3.24 ERA in 27 Minor League games in '15. "He's a guy that we feel like gives us some left-handed depth in the at the upper levels," Hawkins said. "[He's a] deception guy. Really good . We feel like coming off Tommy John, there might be some upside there that we can kind of get him back to where he was before that injury." Goals accomplished Acquiring Butler added yet another outfielder to the Spring Training mix. Butler and Collin Cowgill (acquired from the Angels this offseason) will compete for spots on the Opening Day roster, along with spring invitees Shane Robinson and Michael Choice. Beyond adding a little more outfield depth, Cleveland continued talks on both the free-agent and trade fronts, searching mostly for offensive upgrades. Unfinished business In his sit-down with reporters on Wednesday, Indians manager made it crystal clear that he does not feel his roster is complete. The Indians have holes to fill, especially in terms of their lineup. Cleveland can use all three outfield spots, the corner-infield positions and the designated-hitter role to potentially add an impact bat. The Tribe is also on the hunt for more Major League left-handed relief options. The bottom line "We're trying to do what we can to build the most competitive team possible in 2016. If there are ways we can improve and address some of those needs, we'll look to try to do that." --Antonetti

Frazier deal could work for Tribe By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com | @castrovince | December 10th, 2015 CLEVELAND -- Unless we were to investigate the call logs from the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Conference Center and the smartphone records of every Major League executive, there's no way to prove this point. But it seems we can safely guess that the Indians' ratio of conversation to action at this week's Winter Meetings had to be higher than most. As we know, teams are very, very interested in the Indians' cost-controlled starting arms (Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar and, to a much lesser extent, ), and that interest has only accelerated in light of the dollar costs in what is now a thinned-out free-agent class. As we also know, the Tribe hasn't moved any of those guys. If it was hard to see the Indians parting with an arm at the outset of the offseason, it's even more certain they'll stay put now. In a weird way, the Shelby Miller trade orchestrated by the Braves and D-backs might have made it even less likely that the Tribe will make a trade. Yes, five years of Ender Inciarte and two big prospects -- No. 1 overall pick and Aaron Blair -- was a huge haul for Miller and Gabe Speier. But A: How many clubs are in a position to be as aggressive as Arizona was? And B: Why would Cleveland, in a bid to contend in the present tense, do a deal more weighted toward the future? If anything, the Miller trade raised the trade value bar for Carrasco and Salazar, in particular, to an arguably unreachable level. And as Indians Mike Chernoff noted, it's difficult for two teams with an eye on contention to make a blockbuster swap of immediate assets. "You can almost always align in the offseason for a prospect type of deal for any of your Major League players," Chernoff said. "I think it becomes more challenging when your timing is more focused on how to improve your Major League club, because then you're trading Major League players for Major League players, or trying to find prospects in your system that you'd trade for Major League players. I think it's much harder to align on how you value those things with other teams when your time frame is the same as what other teams are looking at." That's why a shift toward somebody like Todd Frazier makes so much sense. The Reds are going nowhere and have a distinct need to blow it up and build it up. We can debate all day the merits of moving a Brad Zimmer and/or a (the Indians' top two prospects, both outfielders) for Frazier, a 29-year-old who is two years from free agency and had a miserable second half. What matters, though, is that the Tribe does, indeed, has the currency of young talent to do a Frazier deal and add his right-handed bat to the middle of its lineup. And because the Major League landscape is not exactly replete with rebuilding teams these days, Cincinnati is one of the few situations in which the alignment Chernoff mentioned actually exists. Ultimately, this sort of trade probably makes a lot more sense than shifting assets, robbing from the rotation to bring in a bat. Maybe neither happens, and that sound you just heard was the collective groan of Cleveland fans. They want to see tangible signs that the Indians' middle-of-the-order production can be counted on to improve drastically. They see a huge hole in the outfield, one exacerbated by the uncertainty associated with Michael Brantley's lead shoulder and his timetable. They see a club built around a high-upside rotation and an improved defense, but one that's going to have to be more robust in the runs column if it's going to keep pace in the evolving Central. The Indians have a tortured organizational history of poor April starts -- a problem that hasn't abated in the Terry Francona era. Brantley's situation only increases the emphasis on finding help in the here and now, rather than taking the sort of wait-and-see approach that worked for the Mets (another team built around young arms) in 2015. The Mets had the luxury of playing .500 ball for more than half a season because of the rapid erosion of the Nationals and Marlins and the presence of two rebuilding clubs -- the Phillies and Braves -- within their division. It's hard to imagine the Indians having so much good fortune smile upon them. So yes, there's plenty of reason to hope for something impactful to happen here. Something more reliable and sustainable than, say, counting on Justin Morneau to avoid any concussion symptoms or hoping somebody like can hold his own at the plate. The Indians recognize that their pitching gives them an opportunity to show urgency in this marketplace, and urgency might be what it takes to keep pace with the defending champions, a Tigers team that could be due for a big bounceback, a Twins team on the rise and a White Sox team not punting after 2015 went awry. Nothing happened at the Winter Meetings, but no buzzer sounded. The offseason continues on in earnest, and the Indians remain a team active in conversation. They are also a team that's going to need to be active in action. Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his colu

Cleveland Indians have Terry Talkin' trades, Todd Frazier and a rich -- Terry Pluto (photos) Terry Pluto CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians spent a lot of time at the annual winter meetings talking about their starting pitchers ... and how they wanted to keep them all. By the end of the meetings, probably joined on the Tribe's "untouchable list." Last weekend, I wrote about the soaring prices for free agent starting pitchers. All that did was increase the value of Danny Salazar, Carlos Carrasco and Kluber. I still would not be shocked if Salazar or Carrasco were to traded, but it's doubtful. But the next group of players the Indians were asked about were prospects. Teams looking for pitching wanted Mike Clevinger or . Here's a breakdown: 1. Clevinger was 9-8 with a 2.73 ERA at Class AA Akron. He was promoted to Class AAA Columbus for the playoffs and threw 15 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing five hits and three walks compared to 17 strikeouts. Clevinger will be 25 on December 21. The Indians believe he could be ready to join their rotation at some point in 2016. 2. Clevinger was acquired from the Angels in a 2014 trade for Vinnie Pestano. He was recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery and had only a 5-6 record and 4.36 ERA in his minor league career before 2015. Many scouts rate him above Cody Anderson, who was 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA for the Tribe in 2015. I'd be very surprised if they deal Clevinger. He is insurance in case the Tribe makes a big deal involving a starter. They also believe he can be a very effective starter in the big leagues. 3. Sheffield is only 19. He spent the entire 2015 season at Lake County, where he was 9-4 with a 3.31 ERA. He fanned 138 in 128 innings. The lefty was the No. 31 pick overall in the 2014 draft. In his last seven starts, he had an 0.91 ERA. 4. While definitely third on the prospect pitching list, the Indians had a lot of inquires about Shawn Morimando. The 23-year-old lefty was 10-12 with a 3.18 ERA at Akron. 5. Adam Plutko (13-7, 2.39 ERA at Class A and AA) and Ryan Merritt (12-7, 3.63 ERA at Class AA and AAA) are prospects, but considered below the top three. Then there are the position players. Because the Tribe has two top outfield prospects who are probably at least a year away from Cleveland, some teams think they will trade one for immediate big league help. 1. Bradley Zimmer batted .273 (.814 OPS) with 16 HR and 63 RBI splitting the season between Class A Lynchburg and Class AA Akron. He also was 44-of-51 in stolen bases. He played the last month of the season with a stress fracture in his foot, which was not detected until after the season. He finished 5-of-40 (.125) at Akron, which dragged down his numbers. Scouts love his game. He turned 23 on November 27. 2. Clint Frazier batted .285 (.842 OPS) with 16 HR and 72 RBI. He turned 22 on September 6. He also made the All-Star team. 3. There's Bobby Bradley, who hammered 27 HR in 401 at bats. He does strike out ... a lot ... as in 148 times in this 401 official at bats. Bradley spent the year at Class A Lake County, .269. He is only 19 and has tremendous power. THE REALITY OF TRADING The Indians know they must find an outfielder. They'd love to add two legitimate hitters to a team that was No. 11 in the American League in runs scored. That's why they may have to trade one of those young prospects. That's especially true if they want to stay away from trading one of their top three starting pitchers. The Cubs are after one of the Tribe starters. They have three prospects, and would be willing to trade at least one of them. The names bouncing around the winter meetings were outfielders , and infielder Javier Baez. In the 2011 draft, Baez was under consideration when the Tribe took Francisco Lindor at No. 8. Baez was the No. 9 pick to the Cubs. The Cubs and Tribe would seem to have trade possibilities. From the winter meetings, I kept hearing the Tribe's price for their top pitchers was "way too high." And I heard from others that the wanted "way too much" for Todd Frazier, a third baseman of real interest to the Tribe. I also know that sometimes trades are made a few weeks after the meetings. That's when General Manager Chris Antonetti helped put together the huge three-way deal that brought Trevor Bauer, Bryan Shaw, and Matt Albers to the Tribe. They dealt Shin-Soo Choo and $3.5 million to the Reds. They also traded Tony Sipp and Jason Donald. Arizona was the third team in that 2012 deal. ABOUT TODD FRAZIER Do you want to start with the runs or the money? Todd Frazier hit 64 homers in the last two seasons for the Reds. Remember that Cincinnati is a hitter-friendly park. Frazier had 39 at home, 25 on the road. As the Tribe considers trading for Frazier, also remember that Cleveland is a tougher place to hit than Cincinnati. But we are not talking about Colorado, where stats are severely in favor of the home team due to the light air. In the Mile High City, breaking pitches tend to break less. Fly balls tend to fly longer and farther. A few things about Frazier: 1. In the last three seasons, Frazier has averaged 28 HR, 80 RBI while batting .255 (.773 OPS). How would that look in the middle of the Tribe's rather weak lineup? 2. Last season, 16 of Frazier's 35 homers were on the road. His 16 homers on the road would have ranked No. 2 for the Tribe overall for a 162- game schedule in 2015. Carlos Santana led the team with 19 homers. Michael Brantley had 15. 3. Frazier is an above average third baseman. He has played some first and a little left field. There were rumors at the Winter Meetings of Kansas City trading for him, and playing Frazier in left field. The Royals probably will lose star left fielder to another team via free agency. 4. The one negative about Frazier, he tails off in the second half. In the last three seasons, he batted .272 before the All-Star break, .231 after. Now, the money: 1. Frazier is under contract for $7.5 million in 2016. He is arbitration eligible. That could mean a $12 million deal in 2017. 2. If the Indians trade for him, it will be a two-year proposition. Frazier will hit free agency at the age of 32 after the 2017 season. He turns 30 in February. 3. If Frazier keeps hitting 25-to-30 HR, his price tag will be massive. The Indians won't be able to afford him beyond the 2017 season. 4. The price -- in terms of players -- is supposed to be high. Supposedly, it's one of the Tribe's top outfield prospects (Zimmer or Clint Frazier) and some top pitching prospects. 5. My guess is the Tribe could be willing to part with a package of prospects, but I doubt they would include Clevinger, Clint Frazier or Zimmer. FORMER INDIANS CASH IN Even in this insane economic environment of baseball, what Tony Sipp received is still a stunner. Sipp is a situational lefty reliever. He was with the Tribe from 2009-12, having an 11-7 record and 3.68 ERA. He was a solid lefty reliever with a sharp that makes him effective against lefty hitters. He had a career-year for Houston, 3-4 with a 1.99 ERA. He threw only 54 1/3 innings in 60 games, often coming in to face only 1-2 batters. Guess what the Astros paid him? Try $18 million for three years. In 2016, Sipp will be paid exactly $6 million. That's more than any Tribe pitcher next season. Their top-paid pitchers are Kluber and Carrasco, each at $4.5 million. Asdrubal Cabrera signed a two-year, $18 million deal with the Mets. He had a solid year for Tampa Bay, batting .265 (.744 OPS) with 15 HR and 58 RBI. He improved his defense at short, making only nine errors in 136 games. When the Tribe traded Cabrera to Washington at the end of July, 2014, he was leading American League with 14 errors. His defense was so spotty that Washington moved him to second base for the remainder of 2014. In 2015, he lost some weight, and had a much better year with Tampa Bay. But the Rays decided not to re-sign the 30-year-old. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 12.13.2015 Front office titles, Terry Francona's friendships and Tribe trade partners: Final musings from the Winter Meetings Zack Meisel, cleveland.com NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- During a pre-luncheon reception in a ballroom at the Opryland Resort and Convention Center on Wednesday, Terry Francona pulled John Farrell off to a corner of the room to catch up. Following the luncheon, the two stood beside each other in the back row for a photo of all of the American League managers. Francona visited Farrell in the hospital on the day of the Red Sox skipper's first round of chemotherapy in August. Farrell had been diagnosed with Stage 1 Lymphoma. The Indians happened to be playing in Boston that week. Four months later, Farrell had returned to his old post, as he spent the week in Nashville for the Winter Meetings. "He was telling me, he was laughing, he goes, 'I'm a little heavy,'" Francona said. "I'm like, 'You're alive, man. Who cares?' I'm so damn happy for him. Every time I see him, I give him a big hug and slap him on the back. Good days are ahead for him. That's exciting." Here are some final thoughts on the Indians from the Winter Meetings. 1. All in the name: Mark Shapiro's departure from the organization spurred a string of promotions in the Indians' front office. The new titles for Chris Antonetti, Mike Chernoff and Derek Falvey, however, don't really reflect a shift in responsibility. Antonetti still runs point on the Indians' roster construction, and the three work hand in hand on just about everything. "Our baseball stuff really hasn't changed," Francona said. "I know Chris and Derek's titles have all changed, but it's really the same." Shapiro, now the president and CEO of the Blue Jays, hired longtime Indians front office member as Toronto's new general manager. Francona and several of his coaches were playing golf at Pebble Beach when the news broke. "We got off the course and found out," Francona said, "and we put him on speaker and started yelling at him. He picked up first ring. We were thrilled for him." 2. Winter's tale: Some fanbases are more pleased than others following a week of wheeling and dealing at the Winter Meetings. Of course, just because a team had a quiet week on the transaction front doesn't mean that will remain the case through spring training. The Dodgers, owners of a seemingly limitless payroll, lost to the Diamondbacks about 48 hours before the Winter Meetings commenced. They replaced him with Hisashi Iwakuma. They were linked to Marlins Jose Fernandez. They thought they had consummated a deal for Reds . Instead, they left Nashville with neither player. The Indians had plenty of discussions from their sixth-floor suite at Opryland, as teams -- including the Astros, Diamondbacks and Cubs, to name a few -- especially bugged them about their starting pitchers. As Antonetti and Co. checked out of the hotel, they did so with only a claim of outfielder Joey Butler to show for four days of negotiations. Time will tell if any groundwork laid for a potential deal for Todd Frazier or Jorge Soler will ever come to fruition. 3. Partner up: The Reds make sense as a trade partner for the Indians because Cincinnati is amid a rebuilding phase. Chapman nearly found himself headed to the West Coast. Frazier could have a new home by spring training. and Brandon Phillips have had their names pop up in trade rumors. The Indians aren't seeking prospects. That's why any deal with a contending team will be a challenge to complete. The Cubs -- especially if they land free agent -- have a surplus in the outfield, so they might be able to part with Soler for the proper price. A surplus of position player talent is rare in today's pitching-rich game, however. So the Indians' best route might be to pinpoint a rebuilding club that would swap major league-ready help for one or two of the Tribe's prospects. 4. Pleasantly surprised: The Indians' outfield is filled with question marks, but Lonnie Chisenhall figures to open next season as the team's , at least when a right-handed pitcher takes the mound for the opposition. Chisenhall earned that spot with elite defense at his new position in the second half of the season. "I hate to say you get surprised because it feels like maybe we didn't go our homework," Francona said, "but I do think it kind of surprised all of us how good he got so quick." 5. Big Papi: Francona managed in Boston for eight years. Ortiz announced earlier this offseason that the 2016 campaign will be his last. "I'm glad he's able to do it on his own terms," Francona said. "I think when you've played and had a career like his, it's nice that you can do it however you want to do it. "Some guys want the uniform to really be ripped off their back. That's OK. Here people get criticized for playing too long; maybe that's what they want to do, even if it doesn't end perfect. David has made his mind up that what he wants to do. Good for him. "I think a long time ago David realized that the older you get you have to work that much harder, and he's done it and he's maintained a really high level. And now he's going to be able to do something else. Knowing David, he'll probably be a movie star or a rapper, and he'll be good at it." With the Red Sox, Ortiz -- who was linked to PEDs -- developed into one of the most prolific postseason performers in recent memory. Ortiz, who has clubbed 503 regular-season home runs, owns a .962 OPS in 82 playoff games. "I think at times when players go to maybe Boston or New York, they can shrink from that, and it just seemed like David just blossomed," Francona said. "I know he had his moments, I know that, but it seemed to bring out the best in David. I owe him a lot. I mean, this guy, there's a big reason why I got a couple rings."

Could have made Shelby Miller-like trade with Arizona? Hey, Hoynsie Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio – Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie. Hey, Hoynsie: Looking at the Shelby Miller trade between and Arizona, I have to wonder if the Indians couldn't have gotten a similar package for Carlos Carrasco or Danny Salazar and flipped the prospects to a team such as the Reds, Rockies, Brewers, etc. Is this something the Indians explored? – David Bolger, Lakewood. Hey, David: The Indians and Arizona talked during the winter meetings. While Atlanta received big league outfielder Ender Inciarte and prospects Dansby Swanson and Aaron Blair from Arizona, the Indians wanted players who could help them in the big leagues right away. While the Indians pushed for center fielder A.J. Pollock, Arizona's camp was split. GM Dave Stewart wanted Salazar, but , Arizona's chief baseball officer, was interested in a couple of other Indians' players. I don't think the conversations got past that point and I don't know if there was a third team involved. Hey, Hoynsie: Are there any updates in the search for a minority investor for the Tribe? In a world where makes $8,000,000 a year, I'm running low on confidence that the current ownership will be able to enhance the 2016 roster.– Rusty Hayes, Pittsburgh. Hey, Rusty: The Tribe's search for a minority owner is attracting interest, but most of it involves buying a controlling interest in the team. Owner Paul Dolan is determined to keep that in the family, but if you have an extra $200 million or so in your piggy bank, give him a call. A chunk of the Tribe is waiting for you. Hey, Hoynsie: Did someone tell you that the Indians are interested in Pedro Alvarez and ? Wasn't better than both of them last year and certainly a better fielder? Wouldn't signing one of the players suggest that Carlos Santana plays in the field if he's not traded? – , Cleveland. Hey, Adam: Yes, the Indians had interest in Alvarez and Carter. I believe that interest has cooled. Reynolds, who has the same all or nothing gene as Alvarez and Carter, played for the Tribe in 2013. When he stopped hitting and was benched, he brooded and was traded. Alvarez had better offensive numbers than Carter or Reynolds. If the Indians did sign such a player, Santana would get most of the time at first base. One more thing, Reynolds has agreed to a one-year contract with Colorado. Hey, Hoynsie: I understand that when Mark Shapiro left the Indians to join Toronto, the owner and other personnel assumed his responsibilities. Now I read that Ross Adkins' position will not be filled in the foreseeable future. I am really concerned about the baseball side of the Indians' organization, especially player development. Even very competent people can have just so much piled on them and remain effective. Any thoughts? – Larry Gainer, St. Marys, W. Va. Hey, Larry: Ross Atkins' position will be filled eventually, but the Indians said it was hard to conduct a search this late in the offseason. Presently, Atkins' duties will be handled by a number of people in the front office. Carter Hawkins, director of player development, will now answer directly to GM Mike Chernoff. John Mirabelli, senior director of scouting operations, will the international and Latin American scouting departments for the time being. Hey, Hoynsie: If the Tribe trades one of its top four pitchers, is there any chance they would go after on a one-year deal? Or were all the bridges burned between the two parties when the Indians kept Lee in the minors for so long in 2007? – Todd Zartman, Rochester, Ind. Hey, Todd: One way or the other, I don't see Cliff Lee returning to the Tribe. The biggest question, of course, is not about burned bridges, but how effective will he be in 2016 after missing all of last season with injuries? Hey, Hoynsie: Could the Indians transfer Danny Salazar's contract to the Giants for $100M (over 5 years)? Then they would have serious money available to sign an impact free-agent bat (i.e. , Alex Gordon, etc.) The sale might need to be contingent on reinvesting money into another player to get the Commissioner's approval. This would allow small-market teams to cash-in on MLB's crazy market values and compete in free agency. – Tom Kraft, North Olmsted. Hey, Tom: I like the idea, but the commissioner would never approve such a blatant cash grab. In fact, there is precedent with former Commissioner Bowie Kuhn rescinding the trades of Oakland players , and for $3.5 million in 1976. Kuhn used his "best interest of baseball' powers as commissioner to kill the deals. Oakland owner Charlie Finley sued Kuhn and MLB, but lost in court. Hey, Hoynsie: Why doesn't the Tribe pursue to play center field? He is a fan favorite. Also I would trade Trevor Bauer, Jose Ramirez, and a prospect to the Reds for Todd Frazier. – Donald Hemple, Van Wert, Ohio. Hey, Todd: After missing three years in the big leagues because of a variety of injuries, I don't think Sizemore is a viable option to play every day in center field. He played 97 games last season for the Phillies and Rays, but none of them in center field. I think Todd Frazier would look good hitting in the middle of the Tribe's lineup, but he can be a free agent after 2017. The Indians control Bauer for five more years and Ramirez for five more years. I don't think that's good business if you're the Indians. Hey, Hoynsie: Why would the Tribe entertain a trade of Carlos Carrasco for the 's first and second basemen? I thought they were pretty stable at those positions. Or are they considering trading Jason Kipnis? – Barry Elliott, Jackson Center. Hey, Barry: Joe Panik plays second base and Brandon Belt first base for the Giants. They're both left-handed hitters who posted an .833 OPS and .834 OPS, respectively, last season. If that deal had gone through, Belt could have played first and Carlos Santana could have moved to DH. I don't think the Indians are planning to trade Kipnis, but if they had acquired Panik, they could have moved Kipnis to third. The Indians have asked for Panik a couple of times this winter. We'll see where that leads. Hey, Hoynsie: How good does the Tribe's front office look for inking Carlos Carrasco to the extension he signed in April? The agreement bought out three of Carrasco's free agent years, guaranteeing him $8 million in 2018, with two club options for $9 million and $9.5 million in 2019 and 2020, respectively. With the cost of a buying a win in free agent market increasing exponentially, there could easily be $100 million surplus value to this contract. I think the fan base should recognize how well Chris Antonetti and his team does their job given the constraints the organization has. – David Bruno, . Hey, David: I think that's what you call creating value. Of course, Carrasco helped by pitching well in 2015.

Nick Cafardo / SUNDAY BASEBALL NOTES / Red Sox have rest of division’s attention The acquisitions of , , , and have drawn rave reviews around baseball. By Nick Cafardo GLOBE STAFF DECEMBER 13, 2015 After winning the offseason (as of now), the Red Sox are the prohibitive favorites to win the , but that may be an indictment of the rest of the teams in the division, which have made less impactful moves. The acquisitions of David Price, Craig Kimbrel, Chris Young, and Carson Smith have drawn rave reviews around baseball. There’s little to dislike about what has done to improve a last-place team. Have they done enough? The glaring defensive deficiencies in the infield, the unsteady rotation after Price, and a couple of questions in the bullpen (the health of , the tread left on Junichi Tazawa) could still derail them. The defending division champion Blue Jays appear to have messed up a good thing by not pursuing Price in free agency and allowing popular Canadian general manager to depart, but don’t count them out with that lineup. And the ownership group may choose to splurge midseason again. Toronto didn’t make an offer to Price, who went 9-1 after being acquired. The Jays instead added starters J.A. Happ in free agency and Jesse Chavez via trade from Oakland. may go back to the rotation. “It’s going to be a different look right now,” said manager John Gibbons. “There’s still time. There could be a couple of other moves and some changes. But we’ll see. I think the team, having [Troy] Tulowitzki and those guys, [Ben] Revere, on the field every day for six months is going to make us that much better. So we expect to score a lot of runs. “One area we did run into trouble the first half of the season was probably middle relief. Even sometimes later in the game. So that’s always an issue for every team, and until they all come together, we know who everybody’s going to be down there, it’s tough to say. But that’s always a challenge for us. It’s a challenge for everybody else, too.” Gibbons came to enjoy Price the pitcher and Price the person. “[The Red Sox are] getting the best, no doubt about it,” Gibbons said. “From a personal standpoint, what he did for us last year, he really basically got us over the top. If we didn’t acquire him, good chance we don’t make the playoffs. He was that good for us. It was also a united clubhouse. He was a natural fit from Day 1. So it really helped energize some things because we were a solid team, but we just kind of staggered along, and he helped — he was one of the guys that helped put us over the top.” As for the postseason rap on Price, Gibbons said he “didn’t see a different guy at all. You look at the numbers in the postseason and I had to deal with that constantly. All I know is he’s a guy that gets you into the postseason every year, and he pitched some very good games in the postseason as well. He was victimized by a couple of home runs in this past series, and there’s a little bit of luck involved, too. “And one thing I can say about him, though, after his first start in the playoffs, it didn’t go the way he wanted, but he came to us and said, ‘Hey, pitch me out of the bullpen.’ We would never have done that if he hadn’t approached us. That tells you what kind of guy he is. There’s no way I could look at him and think you don’t want this guy in the postseason. That would be crazy. That’ll change.” The Yankees can still be formidable and it doesn’t appear they’re done with transactions. They will get back after leg surgery. They acquired Starlin Castro from the Cubs to play second base and perhaps finally replace Robinson Cano. They are dangling closer and outfielder for a . After New York traded lefty reliever to Detroit for two prospects, some in the media wondered if the Yankees are building for the future rather than for 2016. “For us to go out and add big pieces, I didn’t expect that to happen,” said manager Joe Girardi. “Yeah, on paper, Boston has improved their club. Obviously they have added to their rotation with David Price, who has pitched extremely well, and they have added to their bullpen with the guys that they obtained over the last couple weeks. But you’ve always got to play the game on the field.” The Rays are the Rays. They will be competitive because of their pitching, and Chris Archer could compete with his old buddy Price for best pitcher in the division. The Rays have tried to improve their offense by acquiring utilityman and Logan Morrison from Seattle, but Tampa Bay always seems offensively challenged. Manager Kevin Cash feels the Rays can’t look at what the other teams are doing. “[The Red Sox] are doing everything they can to go out and compete,” said Cash. “We all know the American League East is a very competitive division, and it looks like they are just adding more to that competition with the signings that they have made and the acquisitions. Inside the organization, I don’t think it affects us at all. We know that the structure that we have in place, what works, what will work, and we’ll continue to compete really well against the other teams that are out there.” The Orioles have retained and reliever Darren O’Day, but they await word on slugger Chris Davis, to whom they have made a $160 million offer. They also need a starting pitcher, as it appears they won’t re-sign Wei-Yin Chen. They acquired bopper to play first or DH. Manager Buck Showalter has accepted the reality that the Orioles aren’t going to compete monetarily with the Red Sox and Yankees. “I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to what they’re doing,” Showalter said of the Red Sox. “It’s a given they’re going to spend and develop and do what they can do. I do the same thing. They’re good. They’re always good.” WANTED MAN A few teams, including the Royals and Cubs, inquired about Jackie Bradley Jr. at the Winter Meetings but were told by the Red Sox he was not available. The Royals have had their eye on Bradley as a possible replacement for Alex Gordon. The Red Sox and Royals also engaged in trade talks for before Miley was traded to the Mariners along with Jonathan Aro for reliever Carson Smith and lefty Roenis Elias. The Red Sox, according to one major league source, asked the Royals for hard-throwing reliever , but Kansas City preferred to give up . The Red Sox opted for the Mariners deal. The Cubs, in need of a center fielder, had Bradley high atop their list but opted for big-ticket item Jason Heyward, who is likely to shift from right field. The Royals wanted Miley in their rotation. Teams love Miley’s durability, his ability to make 30 starts and pitch around 200 innings. Kansas City loved Miley’s fast approach and toughness. At 29, Miley still has an upside. And here’s an interesting stat: Among Red Sox pitchers with at least 10 starts at Fenway in 2015, Miley had the lowest at .243. had the worst at .298. There’s still a chance the Royals come up with the money to keep Gordon, who would love to stay in KC, but he will receive numerous offers to play elsewhere at big money. The Royals could instead opt for free agents or Denard Span, or acquire the Braves’ , who has three years and $33 million remaining on his contract. Manager would love to keep Gordon, but said he will stay out of the decision. “I want Alex to make his own decision, and Alex knows where we stand as an organization and how much we would love to have him back,” said Yost. “I understand, too, that he’s got two wonderful boys and a great wife that he needs to take care of. “You know, I think all along, all I’ve ever wanted for any of my players is for them to be successful and do the best for their families that they can do. Selfishly, do I want Alex back? Yeah, I love Alex. Do I hope we can get him back? Yeah, I hope we can get him back. But time will tell.” Apropos of nothing 1. Bob Nightengale of USA Today makes a convincing case for Fred McGriff for the Hall of Fame. Ten seasons with 30-plus homers and 493 homers in all, eight times with 100-plus RBIs. He compares to David Ortiz, , Willie McCovey, Frank Thomas, and Jeff Bagwell. McGriff was at the Winter Meetings as a special assistant to Braves president . 2. Not many baseball executives and scouts queried at the Winter Meetings said they would dish out a $200 million contract to outfielder Jason Heyward. But was willing to give Heyward $184 million for eight years. Heyward is a middle-of-the-order hitter capable of more than the 13 homers and 60 RBIs he had this past season. He’s a great right fielder with a great arm, but in the eyes of many baseball people that doesn’t justify such a sizable paycheck. 3. Doesn’t it feel like Jose Bautista will be a member of the Red Sox at this time next year? 4. Didn’t give you more confidence than anyone else in the Red Sox rotation at the end of the season? Hill signed a one-year, $6 million deal with Oakland. 5. Aroldis Chapman could be sitting out for a long, long time after MLB investigates the domestic incident with his girlfriend, in which he allegedly choked her and fired eight gunshots in his garage. MLB’s new domestic policy will be tested, and you can bet the punishment won’t be lenient. MLB needs to make a statement with Chapman and with the allegations against Rockies Jose Reyes. With no appeal process, there’s no reason for commissioner Rob Manfred to consider anything other than the strongest punishment allowed. The other issue here is, if the Red Sox knew about the allegations against Chapman, why weren’t the Reds and Dodgers aware before they agreed to a deal for the flamethrowing closer? 6. New Orioles executive Jeremy Kapstein should be a major asset both in the short and long term. Kapstein was hired last week as a consultant to general manager . 7. Royals manager Ned Yost recalled the first conversation he had with Zack Grienke, who signed a $206 million deal with Arizona: “I never said a word to him until the day that I took over as manager of the and I walked up to him. He was in the bullpen and I said, ‘Zack, I just wanted to say hi. It will probably be the last thing I’m going to say to you all year because I know you don’t really like to talk much.’ And he looked at me and goes, ‘Whoo. Thanks.’ I let Zack be Zack. He’s a very unique guy. It’s amazing how intelligent he is. And when you do have a conversation with him, he’s always very enlightening because he doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He always will tell you exactly what’s on his mind.” Updates on nine 1. Daniel Bard, RHP, free agent — Bard spent all of last season trying to solve his command problems and seemed to be making progress, but never pitched in a game. The former star setup man with the Red Sox is hoping to hook on with a team this winter. 2. Cody Ross, OF, free agent — It appears Ross’s career is over. The horrible hip injury he suffered with the Diamondbacks two years ago hasn’t allowed him to recapture his effectiveness. He had a tremendous year with the Red Sox in 2012 (22 homers, 81 RBIs) with his made-for- Fenway swing, but when it came time to sign a new deal, the Sox wouldn’t give him a third year and so he signed with Arizona. Ross played with Oakland for a short period last season. 3. Jesse Crain, RHP, free agent — Once considered one of the best middle relievers/setup men in the game, Crain has spent most of the last two seasons rehabbing from shoulder surgery. Crain, 34, last pitched with the White Sox in 2013. 4. Will Middlebrooks, 3B, free agent — His agent, Joe Sambito, said Middlebrooks has received inquiries from 11 teams. Released by the Padres, Middlebrooks has been unable to live up to the standard he set as a rookie with the Red Sox. The Brewers, who recently acquired infielder Garin Cecchini from the Red Sox, could bring Middlebrooks into their third base mix. 5. Nick Markakis, RF, Braves — John Hart and have done a great job turning over the roster and bringing in top young talent. Markakis could be the next to go. The Royals are interested, and a reunion with the Orioles is possible as Buck Showalter remains a big fan. 6. Craig Breslow, LHP, free agent — Breslow and fellow reliever Joe Nathan were at the Winter Meetings trying to draw interest in their services. Breslow would love to try his hand as a starting pitcher. Nathan will attempt to show teams he’s healthy and could contribute as a back-end reliever. He last pitched for Dave Dombrowski in Detroit. You wonder if the Red Sox are willing to give him a chance. 7. Carson Smith, RHP, Red Sox — Baseball people love Smith’s stuff, but hate his delivery. There’s concern he may be an injury waiting to happen, and that’s why the Mariners were willing to deal him. He had a tough 40-pitch outing against the Red Sox Aug. 16, when he allowed three hits, three walks, and two runs over two innings. He rebounded with a good September. “He seemed to hit a little bit of a wall after the All- Star break,” said one scout who watched him quite a bit in Seattle. “The first thing you think about is an injury of some sort, especially with a loss of velocity. But he pitched his way out of it.” 8. Theo Epstein, president of baseball operations, Cubs — Epstein didn’t land his first choice in free agency, David Price, but he was among the more productive executives at the Winter Meetings in signing Jason Heyward, , and . Epstein essentially took two key players away from the rival Cardinals in Heyward and Lackey, and got a veteran presence in Zobrist. He also got a serviceable swingman in Adam Warren from the Yankees. 9. James Shields, RHP, Padres — There’s still a feeling that Shields could be tacked on to a veteran staff. Among the potential candidates are the Cubs, Giants, Yankees, Blue Jays, and Royals (if the Padres took on some money). Shields allowed 19 homers at , tying him with for the most homers allowed there since 2002. Extra innings From the Bill Chuck files — “Over the last five seasons, 26 pitchers have made 150-plus starts, among those the only ones with above 4.00 ERA: Jeremy Guthrie 4.56 and 4.37.” Also, “Over the last two seasons, Edwin Encarnacion and Chris Davis have each hit 73 homers; Encarnacion has 180 K’s and Davis 381 whiffs” . . . Happy birthday, Fergie Jenkins (73). Lost art Astros Jose Altuve led the American League in stolen bases for the second straight season, but his 38 steals were the fewest of any league leader since Luis Aparicio swiped 31 for the White Sox in 1962. Still, Altuve, with 30 or more steals in four straight seasons with a success rate greater than 70 percent, ranks among the best young base stealers in the game: Boston Globe LOADED: 12.13.2015 JOHN HARPER / With Cubs making splashes, Mets should test Yoenis Cespedes waters; Winners and losers from Winter Meetings NEW YORK DAILY NEWS So the Cubs won the Winter Meetings in a big way, announced his retirement, and with the timing of those events, suddenly public pressure is building on the Mets to dig deep and re-sign Yoenis Cespedes. Simply put, the $12.5 million they’re saving with Cuddyer’s retirement makes it harder for the Mets to pretend as if they can’t afford Cespedes, especially after a major increase in revenue with last season’s World Series run and the promise of higher attendance next season. And while the Mets can point to their golden young arms as reason to believe they can again beat the Cubs in a postseason series, as they did in October, it’s worth remembering that Daniel Murphy’s crazy-hot bat had about as much to do with that NLCS sweep as the pitching. More to the point, the Cubs and Mets have been on a collision course for the last few years, Theo Epstein building with dynamic young position players the way did so with pitchers. Now that both have a championship-caliber core, the Cubs are spending big to put as much talent around that core as possible, swooping in to steal free agent Ben Zobrist out from under the Mets last week, adding John Lackey and Adam Warren to their starting rotation, and signing analytics-star Jason Heyward. Cespedes has already shown what kind of difference he can make for the Mets. Yes, at $23 million a year, they’re overpaying for Heyward’s defense, considering that he has hit 24 home runs total over his last two seasons, but they’re still getting a valuable piece that makes them a more complete team. Meanwhile, the Mets are adding “depth and versatility,” as John Ricco said more than a few times last week in Nashville, and counting on their starting pitching to do the rest. But as I’ve written before, the higher-than-ever cost of pitching this winter should motivate the Mets to go the extra mile while they’re getting such a bargain on their own young pitchers, extend themselves to win championships while they can afford such excellence. Say this for the Mets: they reacted quickly to the sting of losing Zobrist, making a smart trade of for , and getting Asdrubal Cabrera does indeed give them that depth and versatility in the infield to protect themselves against the likelihood that will miss significant time. But they could really use a bopper. At the very least, with more money to spend now, the Mets should at least make an effort to sign Cespedes. At age 30 he has spectacular athleticism that isn’t going to disappear over night, so offer him a five-year deal for $110 million, and if someone wants to give him six or seven years, then the Mets would be justified in letting him go. But make the effort, anyway. If they get him, the Mets could live with Cespedes in center field for two years, considering the offensive value he would provide there, until ’s contract expires. Fans are screaming for the move, and maybe that will have some impact. I’ve heard from at least a few sources that, with time running out at the trade deadline, Jeff Wilpon pushed Alderson to go ahead and make the trade with the Tigers for Cespedes. MLB's biggest contracts Was that because of public pressure? Or understanding the need to take advantage of their elite pitching? Whatever, it was a matter of timing and circumstances that brought Cespedes to the Mets the first time, after deals for Carlos Gomez, Jay Bruce, and Justin Upton either fell through or failed to materialize. For now at least, it still doesn’t seem likely it could happen again. But if that public pressure builds, and Cespedes doesn’t get the six-year offer he said he wants, it shouldn’t be out of the question. RESULTS FROM NASHVILLE Ok, so I’ve declared the Cubs the big winners of the Winter Meetings, which essentially includes all moves made so far. And it’s worth remembering that winning the offseason doesn’t necessarily translate to instant success — the Padres and White Sox in 2015 were the latest examples, after getting jazzy winter makeovers. In the Cubs’ case, however, adding proven veterans to a young, 97-win team — and hurting the rival Cardinals in the process — has the makings of a true juggernaut. “Theo is doing it right,” a GM said in Nashville, even before the Heyward signing. “He took his lumps while he was building, waiting for the young players to be ready, and now he’s spending to put the final pieces in place.” Back page of the New York Daily News for December 9, 2015 with Ben Zobrist rejecting the Mets and SAY IT AIN'T ZO! NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Ben Zobrist spurns Mets, reunites with old Rays skipper in Chicago. Meanwhile, here are my other Winners and Losers coming out of the Winter Meetings: WINNERS Red Sox: The Sox did most of their work before they got to Nasvhille, trading for Craig Kimbrel and signing David Price, but they did make a smart trade of lefty starter Wade Miley to the Mariners for set-up reliever Carson Smith that could prove important. Smith, a 26-year old righthander, was dominant last season, and he, Koji Uehara, and Kimbrel should make for a dominant back end of the bullpen, which was a weakness for the Sox last season. Diamondbacks: They paid a steep price in prospects for Shelby Miller from the Braves that had scouts howling in protest in Nashville, but in outbidding the Dodgers and Giants for Zack Greinke, they also transformed their starting rotation in a fashion that makes them serious contenders. It went largely unnoticed that Arizona scored the second-most runs in the NL last year, behind only the Rockies, with a powerful offense built around perennial MVP candidate . With Grienke, Miller, and Patrick Corbin, in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery, at the top of their rotation, the D-Backs could win the NL West. Braves: The Braves have been in tank mode since new GM John Hart arrived last year, rebuilding as they wait for their new stadium to be ready in 2017. And say this for them: the haul they got from the Diamondbacks for Miller makes their future look bright. Most significantly, they acquired last year’s No. 1 pick in the draft, Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson, a native, as well as a top- flight center fielder, Ender Inciarte, and solid pitching prospect Aaron Blair. “You just can’t do better than that for a pitcher (Miller) who’s good but not great,” said one scout. Jason Heyward: He should be thrilled he’s playing in an era when defense is valued like never before in baseball, and analytics drives decision- making. “You mean overvalued,” one long-time scout huffed after hearing of Heywards’ eight-year, $184 million deal with the Cubs. “The guy is a good player, but $23 million a year? I’m not buying it.” LOSERS Dodgers: With Andrew Friedman in charge now, the Dodgers are trying to lower the highest payroll in baseball, but they’re also desperate to win a championship. So was it smart to lose Greinke, whose 1.66 ERA was the lowest in the majors in 20 years, because they wouldn’t go to a sixth year for him, when he and have led L.A. to three straight division titles? After all, they promptly went out and signed Hisashi Iwakuma to a three-year deal that takes him to age 37, or the same age they didn’t want to pay Greinke. The Dodgers also lost out on acquiring Aroldis Chapman in a trade with the Reds because of the domestic violence case that MLB is now investigating, denying them a potentially lethal late-inning combination of Chapman and . Cardinals: So much for the notion that players will do anything to play in fan-friendly St. Louis. Lackey and Heyward bolted for the friendly confines in Chicago, which is akin to Yankee players signing with the Red Sox, or vice versa. This, after the Cubs knocked the Cardinals out of the playoffs last season; a rivalry the Cards have owned forever has a whole new feel to it. Royals: Free agency is taking some of the celebrating out of their World Series championship, as Zobrist signed with the Cubs, with the Angels, and home-grown left fielder Alex Gordon seems to be on his way out the door as well, perhaps to the Cardinals. : Did he overprice himself by turning down $120 million from the Diamondbacks? It’s starting to look that way. AND THEN THERE ARE THE YANKEES It’s hard to put them in either category. made a good trade for Starlin Castro, giving the Yankees a major upgrade at second base. Though Adam Warren was a valuable pitcher for them, Castro’s upside, at age 26, was too great to pass on, as Cashman continues to find ways to make his ballclub younger and more athletic. On the other hand, the trade of reliever Justin Wilson, who played an important role in the bullpen, for a couple of unproven starting pitching prospects, was the clearest sign yet the Yankees are willing to live with a couple of more years of 85-to-88 win seasons as they wait for big contracts to expire before they spend again. New York Daily News LOADED: 12.13.2015

Notebook: Notion of interchangeable relievers doesn't add up Ken RosenthalFOX Sports Sabermetrics took hold in part because conventional baseball thinking was inflexible. But at times, some who espouse advanced metrics have appeared inflexible, too. Case in point: The opinions of some in the sabermetric community that relievers are relatively interchangeable, and that virtually any good reliever can be a closer. The Astros -- a team as devoted to analytics as any other -- clearly do not hold those views. Last off-season, the Astros signed two right-handed relievers, and Pat Neshek, for a combined $31 million. In recent days, they signed free-agent lefty Tony Sipp to a three-year, $18 million deal and made a 5-for-2 trade with the Phillies for righty Ken Giles, who could replace Gregerson as the closer. Do the Astros' moves represent an evolution of thought by both the team and the industry, considering that all 30 teams now embrace sabermetrics to some degree? Or did even the most fervent believers in numbers appreciate quality relievers all along? "I think it's overly simplistic to assert that executives who use analytics believe good closers or good relievers are overvalued. Good players are valued, and elite players even more so," Astros general manager said. "Also, that high-leverage, late-inning role is the hardest role in the game. It's not something everyone who throws hard can do. We've proven that over and over again as an industry." Luhnow tried to trade for Aroldis Chapman or Craig Kimbrel at the non-waiver deadline in July, recognizing that his bullpen lacked hard throwers. The GM was not successful in either quest, and the collapse of the bullpen in the final month and Game 4 of the Division Series underscored the need for an upgrade. Giles, who became the Phillies' closer after the team traded on July 28, ranked 10th in the majors among relievers last season with an average velocity of 96.5 mph. , the hardest-throwing Astros reliever, ranked 47th at 94.1 mph. Velocity is but one element of pitching, but it usually helps pitchers miss bats, and missing bats is a good thing. The back-to-back World Series appearances by the Royals -- the team that vanquished the Astros in the DS -- only reinforced the value of strong . It's a copycat industry, and teams are addressing the shortage of quality starters by forming assembly lines of relievers. The data-driven Dodgers are another example; they recently tried to add Chapman to a bullpen that already included an expensive closer,Kenley Jansen. To understand how the value of relievers is increasing, consider how the three-year guarantees for a trio of comparable relievers -- Joe Smith, Gregerson and Ryan Madson -- rose from $15.75 million to $18.5 million to $22 million the past three off-seasons. That's a considerable jump, even when taking into account the normal inflation in the market. The Athletics, another team that makes heavy use of analytics, signed Madson and awarded another free-agent right-hander, John Axford, a two-year, $10 million contract. Two years ago, the A's also traded for Jim Johnson, who at the time was a $10 million closer. The top free-agent hitters and starting pitchers generally are out of the Athletics' price range; the only way for the team to upgrade its roster is to invest in less expensive relievers. The lesson: Relievers matter. To every team. FREE OF PAIN Good news from Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, who missed more than a month with a right wrist contusion, then batted .242 with a .773 OPS after returning on July 25, well below his career averages. Freeman, who also did not start the final weekend because of his wrist, reports, "This past week was great for me. I've been working really hard to get my wrist healthy this offseason and I finally turned the corner. I've done every treatment possible and something finally worked. It has been the worst six months. I finally have a peace of mind that I don't need surgery." Now, before John Copollella gets any ideas, let's remind the Braves' frenetic general manager of what he told USA Today shortly after Fox Sports and others reported that he was shopping Freeman earlier this off-season: "I'd give my right arm before we trade Freddie Freeman. It is not happening." TIME FOR PADRES TO GET REAL After the Diamondbacks signed Zack Greinke, I asked someone with the Padres if the move might cause the team to shift direction and trade off more parts. Nope, the Padres person said -- while the D-backs got stronger by adding Greinke, the Dodgers got weaker by losing him. Such logic, though, reflects a narrow perspective; the D-backs further improved with the addition ofShelby Miller, and the Dodgers and Giants are going to get better, too. The Padres, then, need to realize that they are unlikely to be competitive in the NL West. Maybe they already are at that point; they're open to trading anyone on their roster, including right-hander Tyson Ross, according to rival executives. The problem is, the Braves' monster return for Miller might create unrealistic expectations for other teams with starting pitching to trade. Ross is under control for two more seasons, one fewer than Miller. He likely will earn about $24 million in that period -- not an inconsequential sum -- mitigating the potential return. But he still has more value than rightyAndrew Cashner, who is entering his free-agent year, and righty James Shields, who is owed $65 million over the next three seasons. The Padres already have purged the vast majority of their future obligations to closer Craig Kimbrel and infielder . A trade of Shields would continue the pattern. A trade of Ross might make more sense at the non-waiver deadline, when he could be the best starter available. ROCKIES' MENU OF OUTFIELDERS ENTICING Just as the Padres are open to trading any of their top three starting pitchers, the Rockies are open to any of their three left-handed hitting outfielders -- Carlos Gonzalez, and . A move, however, might not happen right away -- teams currently are sifting through the free-agent market, where the options still include big- ticket items such as Justin Upton, Yoenis Cespedes and Alex Gordon, and attractive alternatives such as Dexter Fowler, and Denard Span. The Rockies' menu includes options at a variety of prices. The amount owed Gonzalez -- $37 million over two years -- looks increasingly reasonable. Blackmon, entering his first year of arbitration, is projected to earn $4.5 million, according to MLBTradeRumors.com. Dickerson, who is a year away from arbitration, figures to be in the $550,000 range. The Angels, Giants and Mets almost certainly will add outfielders in the coming weeks, and the Cardinals, Nationals and Orioles are among the other teams looking. Free agents cost only dollars and in some cases draft picks, as opposed to actual players. But eventually, the Rockies' time will come. RAYS READY TO MOVE? Three teams still could trade a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher -- the Padres, Indians and Rays. And of those, the Rays are perhaps the most open-minded to making a deal, sources say. The Padres could hold Ross and try to sign him to an extension. The Indians would prefer to keep Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar and Co. -- their goal is to win, and win with their starting pitching intact. The Rays, even after trading righty Nathan Karns, offer three starters with the potential to be No. 2s -- righty and lefties Drew Smyly and . They also can move , who likely will miss much of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last May, but is under club control at affordable salaries for the next two years. Rays relievers Jake McGee and Brad Boxberger also are available, and trade is talk is intensifying around McGee, FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi reported on Friday. It might take longer to trade a starter -- the Rays, like the Rockies with their hitters, might need to wait for the free- agent market to settle, and pitchers such as Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake to come off the board. DODGERS' ETHIER: NOT SO BAD! Some perceive Dodgers outfielder as overrated when in reality he actually is just overpaid on a five-year, $85 million contract that runs through 2017. Ethier, who will play next season at 34, still is owed $38 million over two years, but the Dodgers are willing to reduce that obligation -- as well as 's remaining $41.75 million over two years -- by including cash in any trade. So really, Ethier is not a bad alternative for teams looking for a left-handed hitting outfielder who hits right-handed pitching well. Consider how Ethier compared last season to some of the free-agent hitters in weighted runs created plus against right-handed pitching: (wRC+ attempts to credit the hitter for each offensive outcome while adjusting for park effects and the current run environment; the statistic is scaled so that the league average is 100). Chris Davis was fourth in the majors at 161. Ethier was 12th at 150 -- ahead of Justin Upton and Jason Heyward, significantly ahead of Daniel Murphy and Ben Zobrist. Ethier, using wRC+, also is the fourth-most productive outfielder against right-handed pitching since 2010 (minimum 2,000 plate appearances), behind only , Jose Bautista and Shin-Soo Choo. THE STAYING POWER OF BROXTON Veteran relievers rarely are candidates for full no-trade clauses, but it's easy to understand why Jonathan Broxtonnegotiated one into his two- year, $7.5 million, free-agent contract with the Cardinals. Broxton, 31, was traded in three of the past four seasons; the Cardinals were his fifth team in four years. Yet, his career numbers gave him more leverage than perhaps the average fan might think. Broxton's career ERA is 3.23; his career FIP is 3.00. He has averaged 10.28 strikeouts and 3.5 walks per nine innings. And after a rocky first four months with the Brewers last season, due in part to an unusually high home-run rate, he rebounded to finish strong with the Cardinals. Only seven pitchers have appeared in more games through their age 31 seasons than Broxton -- K-Rod is first with 730, Huston Street third at 638 and Broxton eighth at 608. Street, surprisingly enough, is first in saves and games finished for all pitchers through age 31. AROUND THE HORN *It will be interesting to see if the Braves flip newly acquired outfielder Ender Inciarte, who is under club control for the next five seasons. Inciarte, 25, was the eighth-toughest player to strike out in the majors last season and a combined plus-34 in defensive runs saved at the three outfield positions. The Cubs, one of a number teams that inquired on Inciarte after the D-backs traded him to the Braves, seem more inclined to trade for a starting pitcher, dangling outfielder Jorge Soler or, perhaps less likely, infielderJavier Baez. Still, if the Cubs acquired Inciarte to play center with Heyward in right, they perhaps could live more easily withKyle Schwarber in left. Keep in mind, too, that the Cubs have numerous prospects to trade behind Soler and Baez; one scout said third baseman was the best hitter in the Arizona Fall League. *Orioles GM Dan Duquette defended his team's farm system at the team's FanFest on Saturday, telling the crowd, "Don't believe the crap from some of these publications." Most of those publications rank the Orioles' system -- at best -- in the bottom fourth of the majors. And the team's top two prospects, right- handers and Hunter Harvey, remain significant injury concerns. Duquette can back up his words by trading for a Rockies outfielder, but the Rox likely would want righty Kevin Gausman, a native of Centennial, Co. And the Orioles lack the depth to trade Gausman, who was the fourth pick of the 2012 draft and might be poised for a breakthrough. More likely, the Orioles will mine the free-agent market for a starting pitcher and left-handed hitters if they are unable to re-sign free-agent first baseman Chris Davis. Pedro Alvarez, Gerardo Parra and Will Venable are among the hitters in whom they have interest, sources say. *Tony La Russa, the DBacks' chief operating officer, says it is "probably unlikely" that the team will sign free-agent right-hander Mike Leake, who is willing to take significantly less to play at home in Phoenix, sources say. "It's gone back and forth," La Russa said. "Getting Shelby (Miller) gives us a (full) rotation. I think it's difficult because when somebody wants to pitch for you and you really like the person, you want to try and work it out. But it's complicated and probably unlikely."