Murphy's law

From indians.com

CLEVELAND -- The Indians headed into the offseason with right field identified as an area to potentially upgrade. Cleveland believes it may have found a solution in veteran David Murphy.

According to multiple sources, the Indians have reached an agreement with Murphy on a two-year, $12 million contract that includes a club option for 2016. Murphy completed a physical with Cleveland on Thursday, but there are still steps to finalize in the signing process.

The Indians will likely make an official announcement on Monday.

The left-handed-hitting Murphy would project to be the primary right fielder for the Indians, who used Drew Stubbs in the starting role last season. Stubbs' offensive struggles, especially against right-handed pitching, combined with the fact that he is eligible for arbitration, make him a candidate to either be traded or non-tendered.

Should Cleveland choose to keep Stubbs in the fold, he could serve as a fourth outfielder, taking starts in right field against left-handed pitchers. Ryan Raburn, who filled that type of backup role last season, is also under contract for 2014 for the Indians. Left and center field are currently occupied by Michael Brantley and Michael Bourn, respectively.

The 32-year-old Murphy has spent parts of eight season in the Major Leagues between stints with the Red Sox and Rangers. He suited up for the Red Sox in the 2006 and '07 seasons, when Indians manager Terry Francona was the manager in Boston.

Last season, Murphy posted a .220/.282/.374 slash line with 13 home runs, 26 doubles and 45 RBIs in 142 games (476 plate appearances) for Texas, which used him as a part-time outfielder and pinch-hitter as the season progressed. It was a disappointing dropoff from Murphy's showing in 2012, when he hit .304 with 15 homers, 61 RBIs and an .859 OPS for the Rangers.

Murphy, who earned $5.775 million last season, has spent the majority of his career in left field, but he has experience at all three outfield spots. Over the course of his eight seasons, he has also posted a .280 average and an .816 OPS against left-handed pitchers, compared to a .249 average and .657 OPS against righties.

Interestingly, the signing was initially reported by Texas sportswriter Jamie Kelly, who was told by one of her followers on Twitter that Murphy's daughter was spreading the word at daycare. When Murphy arrived to pick her up, he confirmed the news to the teachers.

Stubbs -- acquired from the Reds in a three-team, nine-player trade last winter -- moved from center field to right for the Indians and hit .233 with 10 homers, 45 RBIs and a .665 OPS in 146 games. Stubbs hit just .216 (.637 OPS) against right-handed pitching on the season and slumped to a .192 average (.572 OPS) in September.

Through arbitration, the 29-year-old Stubbs earned $2.825 million last season and would be scheduled for a raise this offseason.

Raburn, who signed a two-year extension with the Indians in August, hit .272 with 16 home runs, 55 RBIs and a .902 OPS in 87 games as a role player last season. The right-handed-hitting utility man made 46 starts in right field and ended the season batting .308 with a 1.020 OPS against left-handed pitchers.

My faith has been re-Bourn

Despite the fact that the Cleveland Indians' pitchers and catchers already reported to Spring Training, it appears that the Tribe isn't finished making off-season moves. And this latest one is a doozy as they have signed free-agent All Star center fielder, Michael Bourn. This is a deal that in past years the Indians would never have made, so I'm thrilled to see them be so aggressive. They also signed Jason Giambi and Dice-K to minor league deals. While both of those guys are nowhere near as good as they once were, if we can get anything out of them, it's another plus for this team. For more on the Bourn signing, here's the report from SI.com:

Criticized for not spending enough on free agents in recent years, the Indians splurged on another star.

The club agreed to terms Monday with outfielder Michael Bourn on a four-year, $48 million contract. It's the second major deal this winter for the Indians, who signed free agent Nick Swisher to a four-year, $56 million contract in January.

Bourn, who was an All-Star with Atlanta last season, must pass a physical later this week in Goodyear, Ariz., before the deal can be completed. Bourn batted .274 with nine homers, 57 RBIs and 42 steals last season for the Braves. It's not yet known when Bourn will have his medical exam.

As long as there isn't a hang-up, the 30-year-old Bourn, who has remained on the market all winter, will move into the Indians' starting lineup. The speedster played center field last season and would give an immediate boost to a Cleveland team that has reloaded with the acquisition of Swisher, manager Terry Francona and starter Brett Myers. Fox Sports first reported Bourn's deal.

Bourn, a two-time All-Star, Gold Glove winner and three-time steals leader in the NL, had also been pursued by the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs.

Getting Bourn will cost the Indians picks in June's amateur draft. But it's a small price for a player who will help them score more runs, improve their attendance - Cleveland averaged just 19,797 fans at home - and maybe even close the gap on Detroit in the AL Central.

The surprise signing caught one of Bourn's new teammates off guard. "Did we just sign Michael Bourn?" second baseman Jason Kipnis asked on his Twitter page.

Bourn, a .272 career hitter in seven seasons with Philadelphia, Houston and Atlanta, could wind up in a starting outfield alongside Swisher and Michael Brantley. The Indians also acquired center fielder Drew Stubbs in a trade with Cincinnati, giving Francona options and depth. It's possible Swisher could be moved to first or even be used as the club's designated hitter. Mark Reynolds, also signed during the offseason, can play first or DH.

The deal for Bourn also comes after the Indians signed slugger Jason Giambi and pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka to minor league deals this last weekend. Matsuzaka must still pass a physical with the club.

The Indians collapsed in the second half last season, finishing 68-94 and 20 games behind the first-place Tigers. Manager Manny Acta was fired after Cleveland lost at least 90 games for the third time in four seasons.

But beginning with the hiring of Francona, the Indians have shown they're not going to sit around and wait for things to improve.

A gift from St. Nick

Amidst the holidays, I neglected to report on this big Indians news here when it was first announced. In case you missed it, here's the details on how we managed to get Nick Swisher.

The Indians got what they wanted for Christmas: outfielder Nick Swisher. On Sunday, MLB.com confirmed that Cleveland has reached an agreement on a four-year contract with Swisher. The deal with the outfielder is pending a physical and is unlikely to be officially announced until after the holiday. As such, the ballclub would not comment on the agreement.

Adding Swisher to the fold was the latest move within an aggressive offseason for the Tribe, which is trying to swiftly move beyond its 94-loss showing last year. Cleveland already brought in a new manager in Terry Francona, signed a new first baseman in slugger Mark Reynolds, and added a top-flight pitching prospect via trade in Trevor Bauer. Swisher now becomes the biggest free-agent signing in Indians franchise history.

The agreed-upon contract will pay Swisher $56 million over his four guaranteed seasons and includes a vesting option based on plate appearances for 2017. If the outfielder reaches the required plateau in the 2016 campaign, he could earn another $14 million in '17, pushing the deal's potential value to $70 million. Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News first reported the agreement.

Swisher took to social media to share his excitement. "Wow! What a crazy few weeks," he wrote on his Twitter account, @NickSwisher. "Hey Cleveland! Are you ready? Because I'm coming home!"

The handshake deal completes what was a strong push to acquire Swisher by the Indians, who treated the free-agent outfielder like a star recruit throughout the process. Last week, the Indians hosted Swisher and his wife, JoAnna, in Cleveland for a two-day visit on Monday and Tuesday. Swisher met with Francona, team president Mark Shapiro, team CEO Paul Dolan and other club executives. During the visit, the Indians also had former Ohio State University football coach Jim Tressel on hand to try to help sway Swisher to bring his family to the Buckeye State. Swisher -- born in Columbus, Ohio, and raised in Parkersburg, W. Va., near the southeast Ohio border -- played baseball at Ohio State. His father, former big leaguer Steve Swisher, attended Ohio University.

The Tribe focused on Swisher's Ohio roots during the negotiations. As part of Swisher's tour of Progressive Field, Cleveland showed his image in an Indians uniform on the scoreboard above the left-field bleachers, and then played a special video message featuring the likes of OSU football coach Urban Meyer and basketball coach Thad Matta, among others. Swisher and his family were impressed by their visit with the Indians.

The outfielder brings more than local appeal to Cleveland, though. The Indians wanted to bring him into the mix to provide some added power and on-base ability to a lineup that ranked just 13th in the American League in runs scored last season. The 32-year-old Swisher can also provide some veteran leadership to a relatively young roster, taking some pressure off of Cleveland's up-and-coming players. Adding Swisher to play right field completes the starting outfield picture for the Tribe, which projects to have Drew Stubbs and Michael Brantley filling the other two spots. It remains undetermined if Brantley -- Cleveland's starting center fielder for most of the past two seasons -- will shift to left field to allow Stubbs to patrol center.

Right field was vacated earlier this winter when the Indians teamed with the Reds and D-backs for a blockbuster nine-player trade that shipped Shin-Soo Choo from Cleveland to Cincinnati. As part of that deal, the Indians aquired Stubbs from the Reds and Bauer, along with relievers Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw, from the D-backs. Besides Choo, Cleveland parted with infielder Jason Donald and $3.5 million (to Cincinnati) and left-handed reliever Tony Sipp and Minor League first baseman Lars Anderson (to Arizona). The Reds sent shortstop prospect Didi Gregorius to the D-backs to complete the complicated trade.

Swisher, who spent the past four seasons with the Yankees, turned down a one-year qualifying contract offer from New York worth $13.3 million in order to test free agency this winter. By turning down the offer, the Yankees secured a compensation pick in next June's First-Year Player Draft. Under the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement, however, the top 10 selections are protected from free-agent compensation. That means that Cleveland will not lose the fifth overall pick in the first round by signing Swisher. The Indians will lose their second round pick, though. The Yankees will earn a compensatory pick between the first and second round.

During his four years in the Bronx, the switch-hitting Swisher posted a .268/.367/.483 slash line with an average of 26 home runs and 87 RBIs per season. Over his nine-year career in the big leagues -- spent with the A's, White Sox and Yankees -- Swisher has hit .256 with a .361 on-base percentage and a .467 slugging percentage. An American League All-Star in 2010, Swisher has averaged 151 games over the past seven seasons, posting an average of 27 homers and 84 RBIs in that span. He set his career bests in homers (35) and RBIs (95) in 2006 with the A's, and equaled a personal high in doubles (36) this past season with the Yankees.

In 148 games last year, Swisher hit .272 with a .364 on-base percentage and a .473 slugging percentage. Along the way, he piled up 24 home runs, 75 runs scored, 77 walks and 93 RBIs in helping the Yankees to their third AL East crown in his four years in New York. With the Swisher signing nearly in the books, Cleveland will likely turn its attention to its starting rotation. The Indians, who added lefty Scott Kazmir on a Minor League deal earlier this week, would like to add an arm or two to the mix before Spring Training. The aggressive Tribe also has a vacancy at designated hitter.

Make your Mark

This isn't a real flashy move, but it seems like a solid acquistion that will attempt to address some of the Indians' key needs.

The Indians' need for right-handed power in their lineup has become glaringly obvious over the past few seasons. If only for one year, Cleveland believes it has found a solution.

On Sunday evening, the Indians agreed to a one-year contract with corner infielder Mark Reynolds, sources told MLB.com. Reynolds will presumably take over as the Tribe's first baseman and will earn a base salary of $6 million, with another $1.5 million available in incentives. Pending the completion of a physical, an official announcement will likely come within the next few days.

Indians general manager Chris Antonetti could not be reached for comment.

This seemingly takes the Tribe out of the running for free-agent infielder Kevin Youkilis, who has a one-year contract worth $12 million on the table from the Yankees to handle third base. It is believed that Cleveland offered Youkilis a two-year deal worth a reported $18 million to play first base, but the Reynolds signing potentially renders that proposal moot.

As things stand, the Indians plan on handing the keys to third base over to youngster Lonnie Chisenhall, leaving first base as the only infield spot in need of a starter. Cleveland does have a vacancy at designated hitter, so it is possible the club could try to sell Reynolds and Youkilis on a rotation at first and DH. At-bats would also be available at third base on days Chisenhall did not play.

The 29-year-old Reynolds -- non-tendered by the Orioles last month -- made $7.5 million with Baltimore last season. Amid a thin free-agent class of first basemen, Reynolds, who would have made around $9 million in arbitration, was willing to return to the O's, but not at a significantly reduced salary.

The Orioles never offered Reynolds any type of deal, and several teams expressed interest in Reynolds at last week's Winter Meetings. One of them was Cleveland, which has its Spring Training facility in Arizona, allowing Reynolds to live at home during big league camp.

Reynolds opened the 2012 season at third base, but he committed six errors in 40 chances and was moved across the diamond to first, where he worked himself into an above-average first baseman. Reynolds frequently took some good-natured ribbing for his tendency to leave his feet, but he became adept at picking balls in the dirt and making excellent scoops, resulting in a .995 fielding percentage in 108 games at the position.

Offensively, Reynolds recovered from a poor first half to post a .221 batting average with a .335 on-base percentage and a .429 slugging percentage, collecting 23 homers and 69 RBIs in 135 games.

Sixteen of his homers came in the final two months of the season after he got past the most prolonged slump of his career. Through Reynolds' first 85 games, he hit .211 with eight homers and 33 RBIs and struck out 104 times. He did draw walks throughout the season, leading the team in free passes for a second straight year, with 73, and he helped the Orioles reach their first postseason in 15 years by hitting 15 homers and posting a .517 slugging percentage in his final 50 games.

A well-liked player in the clubhouse, Reynolds played through numerous injuries during the season. He was hit by a pitch six times during the regular season and twice in six postseason games. Health was a question to everyone but Reynolds, who deflected any notion that he might need to miss time.

The Orioles acquired him from the D-backs on Dec. 6, 2010, in exchange for right-handers David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio.

Arguably the best season of Reynolds' six years in the big leagues came in 2009, when he hit .260 with 44 home runs and 102 RBIs for Arizona. The right-handed hitter also set a single-season Major League record with 223 strikeout that year. Reynolds is the only player in big league history to turn in at least two seasons with 200 or more strikeouts, and he has done so three times in his career.

Reynolds makes up for the high volume of strikeouts with solid power, having launched an average of 30 home runs per year in his career. In two years with Baltimore, he averaged 30 home runs, 78 RBIs and 145 games per season. Even in a down year, Reynolds' 23 long balls a year ago would have led the Indians, whose team leader had just 18 (Carlos Santana).

Casey at the bat

Looks like the Indians finally have their first baseman...

The Indians have officially added first baseman Casey Kotchman to their ever-changing roster.

Cleveland finalized its $3 million, one-year deal with Kotchman on Friday, a day after reaching the agreement.

Kotchman, who batted a career-high .306 last season for Tampa Bay, likely will be Cleveland's starting first basemen. The left-handed hitter also is an exceptional fielder, which will help Cleveland's sinker-balling pitching staff.

The Indians set their sights on Kotchman after they were unable to sign Carlos Pena and Derrek Lee. Kotchman, 28, has a career .998 fielding percentage, the highest for a first basemen with at least 700 games.

Indians general manager Chris Antonetti has spent the offseason re-shaping the team. He has added six players from outside the organization to the 40-man roster.