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.

They Choo Choo Choose somebody else

The Indians continue making offseason moves. This time it's a three team trade with the Reds and the Diamondbacks. On the downside, we lose a popular player like Shin Soo Choo. But on the upside, we gain a really great pitching prospect, as well as three other players that could pan out nicely for us. Experts feel like we made out pretty well in this trade, and I'm felling pretty good about it too. For all the details on the move, here's the article from SI.com.

Shin-Soo Choo didn't want to be part of the Indians' future. So they're moving on without him. Cleveland traded the talented outfielder to the Cincinnati Reds and acquired prized pitching prospect Trevor Bauer from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night in a three-team deal involving nine players.

The Indians obtained center fielder Drew Stubbs from Cincinnati and received Bauer, the No. 3 pick in the 2011 draft, along with right-handers Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw from the Diamondbacks. "This is a trade that can impact our team not only for 2013, but for the future," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "Three of the players we acquired we will have under control for at least the next three seasons."

Cleveland shipped Choo, infielder Jason Donald and about $3.5 million to the Reds, while sending left-handed reliever Tony Sipp and first baseman Lars Anderson to Arizona.The Diamondbacks also received shortstop prospect Didi Gregorius from Cincinnati.

Choo, who has been Cleveland's primary right fielder since 2006, will play center and bat leadoff for Cincinnati. "It was very difficult giving up home-grown talent, but we think Choo can fill the missing parts in our lineup both offensively and defensively," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said in a statement. "He is an exciting player, and we expect him to set the table."

Dealing Choo was almost a necessity for the Indians. He was entering the final year of his contract and is eligible for free agency in 2013. The Indians have not been able to work out a deal with agent Scott Boras, who has turned down several extensions in recent years. The 30-year-old Choo batted .283 with 16 homers and 67 RBIs in 155 games last season. He had been considered a core player for the Indians, who collapsed in August and finished finished 68-94 - two games out of last place in the AL Central.

"It was really tough," Antonetti said of trading Choo. "I talked with Shin-Soo tonight and expressed my profound appreciation for his professionalism. He is always one of the first to arrive for workouts, whether it is spring training or just a game." With plenty of power in the middle of the lineup, Cincinnati has lacked a prototypical leadoff man to get on base consistently in front of sluggers such as Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Ryan Ludwick and Todd Frazier. Brandon Phillips, who previously batted cleanup at times, was pressed into leadoff duty last season despite a .322 career on-base percentage.

Choo can also hit the ball out of the ballpark, but his .381 career OBP fits the bill at the top of the order. He also had 43 doubles and 21 steals this year. The speedy Stubbs has played center exclusively for the Reds, helping them win NL Central titles in 2010 and 2012. He batted .213 with 14 homers and 40 RBIs last season, striking out 166 times in 493 at-bats. He has 100 stolen bases over the past three years, including 30 in 2012.

Antonetti said the team hasn't decided where Stubbs will play. Michael Brantley played center for the Indians last season, but has also spent some time in left. "In Drew Stubbs, we received a great defensive player who brings an element of speed and power to our lineup," Antonetti said. "We are happy with the job Michael Brantley did for us in center field, but Drew is one of the best out there. He brings a great deal of athleticism to our team."

Bauer, one of baseball's top pitching prospects, became the first member of the 2011 draft class to reach the majors and went 1-2 with a 6.06 ERA in four starts for Arizona this year. The 21-year-old right-hander struggled with his control, compiling 13 walks and 17 strikeouts in 16 1-3 innings. Bauer spent most of the season in the minors, going a combined 12-2 with a 2.42 ERA in 22 starts at Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno. He had 157 strikeouts and 61 walks while allowing 107 hits in 130 1-3 innings.

"We are getting a young pitcher with a ton of potential," Antonetti said. "He can be a top-of-the-rotation guy with development. He is somebody we have been interested in for a long time, since he was at UCLA." Arizona general manager Kevin Towers said he was sorry to part with Bauer, but "we're fortunate to have a lot of pitching depth."

The 22-year-old Gregorius, considered a defensive whiz, spent last season with Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Louisville before appearing in eight games for the Reds. He hit a combined .265 with seven homers and 54 RBIs in 129 minor league games, adding 21 doubles and 11 triples while scoring 70 runs. The Diamondbacks have been looking for a shortstop to replace Stephen Drew, traded to Oakland in August after returning from a serious ankle injury. They were thought to be interested in Indians All-Star Asdrubal Cabrera, though Towers wouldn't comment on that. Towers said Gregorius reminds him "of a young Derek Jeter." Gregorius will go to spring camp and compete for the starting job in the big leagues. Arizona completed a $15.5 million, two-year contract with right-hander Brandon McCarthy on Tuesday and also acquired reliever Heath Bell from Miami earlier this offseason. Towers said those additions make it "highly unlikely" the team will trade slugger Justin Upton.

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).

The Lowe-down on the latest Indians moves

So it didn't take long for the Indians to start making waves in the off-season. Yesterday, two big announcements were made. First, the Tribe traded a low level minor leaguer for Atlanta Braves starter, Derek Lowe. Lowe has had some great success in his career, but did not have a very good 2011. This is clearly not meant to be a trade to dramatically improve the team. Lowe will likely be the fifth starter at best. And while the starting rotation wasn't one of the Tribe's weakest components, it's nice to see them make an attempt to shore it up. Now let's hope they can pick up some bats to go along with those arms. For more on the story, you can read about it here:

Tribe acquires veteran Lowe from Braves


In other roster moves, the Indians picked up the option on Fausto Carmona's contract, but did not on Grady Sizemore's making him a free agent. From my perspective the decision on both of these could have gone either way. A few years ago, letting either one of these guys go would have been unthinkable. But both of them have been plagued by injuries and have failed to live up to their potential. It'll be tough to see Grady go, but given his state he's become a liability. I'll be very curious who decides to take a chance on him and whether he'll rebound in a new location. As for Carmona, his ability to at times still shine is probably what saved him. He has somehow got to find a way to pitch well on a consistent basis though. If he can, then it'll prove wise for the Indians to have kept him around. For more on this story, you can read about it here:

Indians decline on Sizemore, keep Carmona