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Indians aim to supplement talented nucleus
- Updated: December 1, 2016
CLEVELAND — There is precedent for the daunting task at hand for the Indians. In 2014, the Royals went the distance in the World Series and came up short against the Giants. One year later, Kansas City defeated the Mets to claim baseball’s crown.
The Indians just experienced a classic World Series against the Cubs, but lost in Game 7 for a disappointing conclusion to an unforgettable and historic season in Cleveland. With the Winter Meetings set to begin Monday, the Indians are now evaluating how to upgrade a roster that will return mostly intact, with the goal of winning one more postseason game than last season.
“Our pitching and our core players are locked up, which I think bodes well for us,” Indians manager Terry Francona said during the World Series. “But, so much happens that you just don’t know.”
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That is why improving an already-talented roster is imperative for the Tribe.
MLB.com and MLB Network will have wall-to-wall coverage of the 2016 Winter Meetings from the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center outside Washington, D.C. Fans can watch live streaming of all news conferences and manager availability on MLB.com, including the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 8 at 9 a.m. ET.
Here is a breakdown of Cleveland’s situation as the annual event approaches:
Club needs
Right-handed power: The Indians found a lot of that last offseason with the one-year signing of veteran Mike Napoli, who belted 34 homers and led the team with 101 RBIs. Napoli, however, is back on the free-agent market and looking for a multi-year deal. Cleveland has interest in bringing him back, but the preference would be to do so on a short-term contract. If re-signing Napoli isn’t in the cards, Chris Carter or Matt Holliday could be fits on a short-term contract. The Indians showed interest in free-agent Carlos Beltran last season at the Trade Deadline, but he is 39 and essentially limited as a designated hitter.
Outfield help: Insurance is the key here. The Indians believe that left fielder Michael Brantley will be ready for Spring Training after an injury-marred 2016, but the team needs to have some contingency plans. Right now, Cleveland has center fielder Tyler Naquin and right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall to primarily face righty pitching, and corner outfielder Brandon Guyer as a weapon against lefties. Switch-hitting outfielder Abraham Almonte will also be in the mix for an Opening Day job. Last year, Rajai Davis (now a free agent) provided depth between left and center field, not to mention a great speed element. Davis remains of interest to the Tribe, too.
Left-handed relief: Cleveland reeled in a relief ace in lefty Andrew Miller last season, but the Tribe is thin on left-handed options behind him. The Indians have Kyle Crockett on the roster, along with lefty starters Ryan Merritt and Shawn Morimando. Cleveland already claimed lefties Tim Cooney and Edwin Escobar off waivers this winter to add depth. Look for the Indians to continue to search for left-handed relief options. Boone Logan and Marc Rzepczynski are among the left-handed relievers on the free-agent market.
Rotation depth: The Indians have one of the top rotations with Corey …
