SB Nation Cleveland - Cleveland Indians Offseason Update: Cleveland Looking At Jon Garland In Free Agency

Cristian Guzman To Sign With Cleveland Indians, According To Report

2012-02-21T19:34:24Z

The Cleveland Indians continue to make smaller signings and prepare for spring training. According to Jordan Bastian on Twitter, the Indians gave a physical to Cristian Guzman on Tuesday and plan to sign him to a minor league contract with an invite to spring training on Wednesday. It's a significant signing, given Guzman's history.

Guzman made the All-Star team as a shortstop in 2001 and 2008, and after sitting out a season, he's hoping to come back much stronger. He's always been able to make contact with the ball, but his last two seasons were sub-par, with a .266 average with the Rangers and Nationals in 2010. That was over the course of 104 games, but it's a longshot he'll see anything near that much action this coming season.

Still, that's the crux of these deals - you get a chance to come in and compete, and work your way back into a lineup. There's no risk for the Indians because it's such a minor deal and he might be able to light a fire under guys like Jack Hannahan and Jason Donald. His 2008 season saw him hit .316 and post a .345 OBP.

Guzman does have some history with Cleveland manager Manny Acta, playing for him in Washington.

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Source: Cleveland Indians Working On Deal For Free Agent Pitcher Jon Garland

2012-02-13T13:50:04Z

Early on Monday morning, FOX Sports MLB writer Ken Rosenthal tweeted that the Cleveland Indians are 'working on' a deal with free agent right handed pitcher Jon Garland.

Garland has had a decent career since he began play in MLB in 2000 with the Chicago White Sox, where he played until 2007. Since he left Chicago's south side he has been bouncing around from town to town; the Indians would be his sixth team. Most recently he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011, working on a single year, $4.4 million contract. The 31 year old would likely be looking for a similar contract for his services with the Indians.

Garland won the World Series in 2005 with the White Sox, the same year of his so far only All Star Game appearance. He would provide some welcome veteran depth to the Indians starting rotation.

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Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland Indians Agree To One-Year Deal, Avoid Arbitration

2012-02-10T19:21:06Z

There was a lot of talk about a potential multi-year deal on the table from the Cleveland Indians for shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, and some even thought said deal might get done. Recently though, it's been looking more and more like the Indians might be going to arbitration, with some reporting that it was expected at this point. Which, naturally, means the Tribe signed Cabrera to a one-year deal and avoided arbitration for the 21st year in a row, according to the Indians official Twitter account.

It's likely that this one-year deal was something that the two sides have been considering on the side for some time while they try and negotiate a long-term deal. Instead of something long term, it's clear that the Indians were adamant that arbitration is something they want to continue to avoid.

Avoiding arbitration has been their thing since 1991, when left-hander Greg Swindell won and earned a salary of $2.025 million that year. Arbitration can often be a nasty experience where a rift is created between player and team. With the potential to still get a multi-year deal done for Cabrera, avoiding arbitration, which was set to begin early next week, became key.

Cabrera was reportedly seeking $5.2 million in 2012, while the Indians had offered $3.75 million, and Jordan Bastian is reporting that it's worth $4.55 million, so it's a bit above the middle point.

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Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland Indians Have Multi-Year Deal On The Table, According To Report

2012-02-03T18:46:26Z

The Cleveland Indians are getting closer and closer to arbitration with shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, but there are signs that the team might avoid the hearing. They haven't gone to a hearing with a player since 1991, when the team went to arbitration with Greg Swindell and Jerry Browne. There's no public date for the potential hearing with Cabrera, but it has been scheduled, at any rate.

Still, it might not come to that. Though most assumed there would be a short deal early on in the process, Cabrera has since been adamant that he wants something long term, and that he wants to remain with the Tribe. Cabrera has been in town for the past few days and the sides have been meeting to discuss the contract. Cleveland has not ruled out a long-term deal, with general manager Chris Antonetti previously saying that they were open-minded.

Nick Camino of WTAM 1100 took to Twitter with three separate tweets (here, here and here) about the situation, but the gist is that the Indians have a multi-year deal on the table:

Source: #Indians have a multiyear deal on the table for SS Asdrubal Cabrera. Things could change (i.e. one-year deal)...sides negotiating.

That's a sign that there's progress, at least - the Indians are not only entertaining the idea of a multi-year deal, they've got one on the table. Another tweet says that there's not much change of a deal being reached on Friday, but that there is one on the table, so arbitration could still be avoided at this point.

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Indians, Rafael Perez Avoid Arbitration, Agree On 1-Year Deal

2012-02-02T16:21:43Z

The Indians have reportedly avoided arbitration with relief pitcher Rafael Perez. According to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, the two sides have agreed on a deal that will pay Perez a base salary of $2,005,000, with a possible $25,000 in performance bonuses.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes, the $2,005,000 is just above the midpoint of what Perez was seeking and what the Indians had offered. According to Hoynes, Perez wanted $2.4 million, while the Indians offered $1.6.

Last season Perez made $1.33 million.

In 2011 Perez appeared in 71 games, pitching 63.0 innings. To earn all of his incentives, Hoynes reported, Perez needs to make at least 55 appearances this season.

Perez was nails through the All-Star Game last year, carrying a 1.91 ERA into the break. In the second half he struggled with a 4.62 ERA. On the year he struck out 33, walked 19 and recorded a 3.00 ERA. He finished the season with 12 holds, zero saves, two blown saves, five wins and two losses.

The 30-year-old Perez has spent his entire major-league career in Cleveland.

The Indians have avoided arbitration every year since 1991.

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Kevin Slowey Acquired By Cleveland Indians In Trade From Colorado Rockies

2012-01-20T21:39:51Z

The Cleveland Indians haven't had the most exciting offseason in the history of the franchise, though things are certainly changing. Pitcher Fausto Carmona was arrested for actually being Roberto Hernandez Heredia on Thursday and, to follow that up Friday, the Indians traded for Kevin Slowey from the Colorado Rockies.

Slowey doesn't elicit quite the response that Carmona's false identity scandal did, but the former starting pitcher for the Minnesota Twins shouldn't be the worst thing to happen to Cleveland's pitching staff this season. Slowey's started 90 games in his career, compiling 39 wins and 29 losses despite an 0-8 season with the Minnesota Twins last year.

To acquire the 27-year-old Slowey, the Indians shipped Zach Putnam to the Rockies, according to Fox Sports' Jon Morosi. Putnam appeared in eight games for Cleveland last season while piling up a 6.14 ERA in 7.1 innings pitched during his brief September call-up.

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Indians Add Ryan Spilborghs, Gregorio Petit On Minor League Deals

2012-01-20T19:10:06Z

The Cleveland Indians added free agent outfielder Ryan Spilborghs on Friday, according to the MLB website. They are bringing him in on a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training. The signing is still pending a physical at this point. Cleveland struggled with their outfield last year, going through long stretches without their starters. Any outfield with Grady Sizemore in it will be suffering some injuries, so to speak.

Spilborghs brings the Indians up to 12 outfielders in camp, and they might end up with more when it's all said and done. They're anticipating a healthy outfield to start the season, but it's clear the Indians don't want to have the same troubles they did last year.

According to the report, the team also agreed to terms with infielder Gregorio Petit on a Minor League contract. Petit also received a Sprint Training invite. The 27 year-old was released by San Diego in February, following a serious knee injury in winter play that put him out for the whole season.

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Indians Sign Reliever Jeremy Accardo To Minor League Deal

2012-01-19T17:18:41Z

The Cleveland Indians continued their busy week on Thursday, signing reliever Jeremy Accardo to a minor league deal, according to Jerry Crasnick on Twitter:

Reliever Jeremy Accardo has agreed to a minor-leagud deal with #Indians. The #Phillies had also expressed interest.

Accardo is 30 years-old and is entering his eighth season with the league. He spent most of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays, but spent last season with the Baltimore Orioles. In 2011, he went 3-3 with a 5.73 earned-run average in 31 appearances, so his numbers aren't great. He did strike out 23 batters against 18 walks, so he has that going for him.

Still, he's got a career 4.22 ERA and the Indians are still looking to fill a spot on their bullpen. Could Accardo be in the mix on this? It's certainly a possibility. His best season came in 2007, when he had a 2.14 ERA in 64 games, with 30 saves to his credit.

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