I'm strongly considering getting the MLB Extra Innings package through Charter this year.  I know that, for reasons that are unexplainable by mere mortals, it is not possible to choose your broadcast (yesterday, for example, my excitement at being able to watch the Indians was tempered by having to listen to the Hawk's word vomit).  I think I can deal with other broadcast teams, but I am wondering, from those who have prior experience with the package, about how many games feature the Indians broadcast during the year?  Thanks, and Go Tribe!

To get the obvious out of the way, it sucks big time that the Indians now have to win a game 7 to avoid the defeat that Fox, MLB, and the MSM has been yearning for.  And, yes, the Sox have all of the momentum, for whatever that's worth (didn't do the Indians much good in game 5, after all).

I haven't gone through the game threads from last night, so I apologize if this was already discussed, but it seems to me that there was one potentially very good result out of last night's game.  Laffey completely saved the bullpen last night, in particular Lewis & Betancourt.  The Indians now go into tonight's game with Westbrook, Byrd, Lewis, and Betancourt rested and ready.  In other words, the Indians have their entire complement of pitchers who have been effective in this series at their disposal for tonight's game.  Looked at in this way, a close loss last night would have been much worse for the Indians than the blowout because almost certainly Lewis and Betancourt would have been used (perhaps for multiple innings).  

Of course, if Westbrook gets his ass kicked in tonight, none of this will much matter.  But I've got a good feeling about Jake.  Go Tribe!  

In a dazzling bit of dissembling that would make George Costanza proud, Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi has admitted that the team lied about BJ Ryan's injury during spring training.  In essence, Ryan was pitching with a sore elbow all along, and his back (the purported culprit) was apparently fine.  When pressed to explain why all of the trickery, Ricciardi explained: "we said it was his back so we could have a little bit more time."

And, then, in an argument as audacious as it is absurd, Ricciardi assured Jays fans that they had no need to worry about the team's integrity, for "It's not lies if we know the truth."

Now, I'm wondering: what exactly is to be gained by lying about an injury?  I could understand, perhaps, if, in the interim period before Ryan's arm fell off, the Jays had tried to make a trade for a back-up closer and so didn't want to tip their hand.  But that doesn't appear to have been the case.  Instead, Ricciardi (as I read him) is simply claiming the prerogative to lie as a matter of general principle.  That is, of course, his decision.  But I sure would think twice about ever dealing with him, either as a GM or even as a player agent.  

And, to be sure, don't ever trade for a Jays player in your fantasy league.

Nate Silver at BP Unfiltered has a post  about Max Ramirez.  He is basically unimpressed by Ramirez, noting that much of his value is inflated by a high walk rate, which may have more to do with the fact that he is old for his minor league levels than with any great pitch selection ability.  Also, Ramirez's defense is apparently not good.  It's an interesting read.

This here is just absurd.  It was clear after the Vidro and Soriano fiascos that no more proof was needed as to Bill Bavasi's descent to the lowest rung of competence; but just in case anyone wasn't yet convinced, he just paid potentially $9 million (with incentives) to a guy who has posted a WHIP under 1.2 exactly twice over an eight-year career.  While I do hate the Mariners, it is truly getting brutal for their fan base.  

Hoynes is reporting that Keith Foulke passed his physical and that the Indians will sign him to a 1-year, $5 million contract with an additional $2 million in incentives. Also, there will be a mutual option for 2008. The Indians are claiming that Foulke and Borowski will compete for the closer's job in spring training, but I've got to believe that, if healthy, Foulke will be the clear favorite.

UPDATE: The AP and everyone else is reporting that the deal is done.  Apparently Foulke feels very strongly about the Indians organization.  I know this because his agent keeps saying it.  It will be nice to hear Keith say it, or anything, for himself.  Foulke gets $1 million less guaranteed, and $3 million less in incentives, than Gagne got from the Rangers.  The deal also includes a mutual option for 2008, which means nothing to anyone.

Brian Sikorski has been designated for assigment to make room for Foulke on the 40-man roster.  If he clears waivers, he'll be outrighted to Buffalo. [Jay]

This article was linked to by mjmarble in the Foulke post on the main page.  Not too much new here, but the fact that confirmation that a deal is close is appearing on the Indians' website lends creedence to earlier reports.  The article notes that an announcement could be forthcoming in the next day or two.  As I've noted before, I think this is a great signing.  If Foulke is healthy (and he appeared to be at the end of last year), the Indians will have landed a guy who has been, and could be again, an elite closer.  

An interesting note in Terry Pluto's column today.  The Indians inquired about Mike Gonzalez, but the Pirates wanted Victor Martinez back.  They then planned to move him permanently to first.  Now I admire the Bucs for trying to acquire Victor; but that they would then destroy much of his value by moving him to first is revealing.  This is the sort of thing that keeps them in last place.

Indians.com is reporting that the Indians are close to finalizing a one-year deal with Joe Borowski, contingent on him passing a physical tomorrow:

I must admit that I'd prefer Foulke, even if it took a 2-year deal.  But, at the right price and with a little luck, Borowski could be a nice acquisition.

Update [2006-12-4 20:35:40 by jdudas]: ESPN is reporting that the Indians' offer is for 1 year, $4 million and that Borowski would compete for the closer's job.

Sports Illustrated is reporting that the winning bid for Igawa was $25 million:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/baseball/mlb/11/28/igawa.bid/index.html

This for a guy that one scout was recently quoted as saying didn't have the stuff to pitch in either the AL East or the AL Central.  

Front offices are partying like it's 1999.

"Angels sign Gary Matthews Jr. for $50 million"

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6198342

According to Rosenthal:

"In yet another eye-popping free-agent signing, the Angels have reached agreement with center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. on a five-year, $50 million contract, FOXSports.com has learned."

Ok now, really, this is starting to get out of hand.  It's true that little Sarge had an excellent year last year; it's also true that prior to last year he had aspired to (and occasionally reached) mediocrity.  If this is what Matthews is going for, the Indians can pretty much forget the FA market and stick to trades.    

Per Rotoworld:
"Rangers signed infielder Ramon Vazquez to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training."

This brings up an interesting question: has there been, in recent memory, a more useless player who consistently finds employment?  I would say Royce Clayton, but from all accounts he can still play a reasonable shortstop.  Any thoughts?

ESPN is reporting that Blake has been activated from the DL and that Gutz. has been sent back down.  I'm not crazy about the sending Gutz. up and back so much, especially given that he appears to be showing real improvement.  With that said, though, I'm not really sure who else should have gone.  

I'm starting to wonder if Michaels isn't becoming a bit of a roadblock.  Both Choo and Gutz. appear to be ready for significant time, and it seems to me that Blake is more useful than Michaels.  Any thoughts?

BP has its new Indians notebook up: This edition features a very intereting discussion of the Indians' defensive problems. In short, they confirm what we all know: the defense has been horrific and is really affecting the starting pitching (especially Lee & Johnson - although I'm still not convinced that Johnson's high average on batted balls isn't an artifact of his general crappiness). Specifically, both Belliard and Boone have been significantly worse than last year, and they also show Blake as having declined. The other intesting finding is that Peralta is actually much better tthis year.

Well, it appears that all of our handwringing about the horrors of Jason Johnson, Guillermo Mota, and Scott Sauerbeck is for naught.  For, you see, these guys are all Proven Veterans (PV).  

Eric Wedge on Jason Johson: "Jason was a little out of whack the first couple of innings [allowing four runs]," said Tribe manager Eric Wedge, "but the way he pitched the last three [allowing no runs] gives him something to work on."

Eric Wedge on Guillermo Mota:  "We've got to help get [Mota] back on track," Wedge said. "It's a long season. He's a proven big-league guy."

While I couldn't track down a recent quote on Sauerbeck, I'm sure that Wedge would offer up similar pearls of wisdom.  

The idiocy of the PV theme is obvious, especially when the PV's in question have either never been any good (Johnson) or haven't been good for years (Mota & Sauerbeck).  But, and here's the point, you can't really expect Wedge to say anything different.  After all, he doesn't make the player personnel decisions.

Wedge, for all of his flaws, is really just the middle manager of this operation.  I doubt that he even really believes the PV theme; it's more like hoping-against-hope.

No, my real frustration is with Shapiro.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan.  He has single-handedly turned the franchise into what should be a perennial contender for the foreseable future.  So any critique that I offer of Shapiro is gentle, but also born of frustration given how well he does almost everything about his job.  

In short, Shapiro seems to have an achilles heel.  He seems very slow to admit his mistakes, especially the mistakes that result from his shot-in-the-dark player acquisitions.  The success of Blake, Belliard, Howry, Brian Anderson, Kevin Millwood and the like seem to have convinced him, not that these kinds of moves are essentially random, but that he has some sort of formula for determining who can resurrect their careers and who can't.  How else to explain the countless chances given to stiffs like Chad Paronto, Jason Boyd, Danny Graves, Brady Anderson, and, yes, Mota, Johnson, and Sauerbeck.  

Given Shapiro's predilections, what's a manager to do but to trot out the pathetic and tired Proven Veteran line?  Wedge can't very well acknowledge what he must be thinking: "how can I win with these pieces of crap on my roster?"

Thoughts?      

This from Rotoworld:

"Athletics acquired RHP Kazuhito Tadano from the Indians for outfielder Ramon Alvarado."

They note that Alvarado played rookie ball last year and was one the A's better long-term prospects.  

Without knowing much more, it seems like a pretty nice take for Tadano.  A tentative thumbs up.

Ok, so I'm watching the Winter league championship series between Mexico and the Dominican Republic on YES.  Ronnie Belliard is playing second base for the DR.  

He is looking very, um...thick.  Here's hoping he'll get himself into playing shape by April.

It does bring up an interesting point, though.  I had always assumed that playing winter ball was a way to stay IN shape during the off-season.  

Hoynes is reporting that today could be the end of the Crisp trade saga.  The Indians want Marte, Mota, Shoppach, and Delcarmen for Coco, Riske, and Bard.  The Red Sox said no to including Delcarmen and countered with two low-level prospects.  Shapiro said no and told Boston to deliver its last best offer by last night.

While I would love to see a trade like this go through, I think that Shapiro is doing the right thing here.  He's got Boston over a barrel and he really doesn't need to make any deal.  I'm just hoping that if this falls through he will continue with either the Michaels deal or try to swing Kearns.

Does anybody remember what happened to Bip Roberts as the Indians were making their run through the playoffs in 1997?  As I recall (vaguely), he had a nice 3 or 4 week run after being acquired at the trade deadline, but then disappeared for Tony Fernandez once the playoffs began.  Was he hurt?  Did the alien that was using his body as a pod hop back out?

Anybody remember?