http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/ar...sp&c_id=cleCLEVELAND -- The Indians have the needs.
But as tends to be the case for small- and mid-market teams in the high-priced and high-risk world of free agency, they don't have the dollars.
That's not to say the Tribe will be nonexistent in the free-agent aspect of the Hot Stove season, which kicks off in earnest Friday, when teams are officially able to bid on free agents from other clubs. Look for general manager Mark Shapiro and Co. to kick the tires on an assortment of players.
"We'll look at the impact those players make," Shapiro said, "as well as the value that we apply to them and the costs associated with them."
Even in a sagging national economy, the cost of free-agent ballplayers will always be high. So it would be unrealistic to expect the Indians to fill all their needs through signings.
Therefore, Shapiro and his staff will prioritize their needs, which include an infielder at third base, second base or shortstop, back-end relief help (preferably in the closer's role) and a third starter.
Plugs for those holes, of course, won't come cheap.
If the Tribe's first priority isn't to land an infielder, it should be. The team has learned it cannot reasonably rely on Andy Marte to man third or Josh Barfield to handle second.
The Indians have several options when it comes to filling their infield. If they find a second baseman, they can move Asdrubal Cabrera to short and Jhonny Peralta to third. If they find a third baseman, they can keep Cabrera and Peralta where they are. And they are not ruling out the possibility of finding a shortstop to bump Peralta or Cabrera to the hot corner, though that seems less likely.
Overall, the Tribe's flexibility and open-mindedness expands the club's infield options, but filling third base would be the least-complicated solution.
At third base, the club's free-agent options include Casey Blake, whom the Indians traded to the Dodgers in July, and Joe Crede, who has battled back problems and just had surgery.
As is the case with all their needs, the Indians might be best-served to try to fill their third-base hole through trade. The Rockies might make Garrett Atkins available, and the Astros might be dangling Ty Wigginton. The Indians were linked earlier this month to the Royals' Mark Teahen, but that rumor was refuted by both Shapiro and Royals GM Dayton Moore.
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At second base, the Indians have talked to the agents representing Orlando Hudson, but he will be a high-priced commodity this winter, regardless of his injury history. The rest of the second-base pool is decidedly weak.
Orlando Cabrera heads an equally weak shortstop market that also includes Rafael Furcal.
"In an ideal situation," Shapiro said, "third base would be the area we plug a guy in."
The Indians feel they can plug Jensen Lewis into the closer's role, if no more attractive options are nailed down. After all, Lewis himself nailed down 13 saves in as many opportunities after taking over the ninth-inning role Aug. 8. Left-hander Rafael Perez can also help out in the ninth.
But the Indians would nonetheless like to have more experience in the back end.
Forget about Brian Fuentes and Francisco Rodriguez. The Indians aren't likely to match the offers, in terms of both dollars and years, that those closers can get on the open market.
All-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman, who just turned 41, could be available after saving 30 games for the Padres, and Kerry Wood is a free agent after saving 34 games for the Cubs. If they don't re-sign with their respective clubs, the Indians will be getting in touch with their agents. Jason Isringhausen, who lost his closing job with the Cardinals and suffered an elbow injury late in the year, is another option.
The Indians will also be in touch with teams who might be willing to part with a closing candidate. That looks to be the case in Florida, where the Marlins are believed to be shopping Kevin Gregg, and in Oakland, where former closer Huston Street can be had for the right package.
In the end, the Indians will have to ask themselves if the price of a closer is worth it, or if they should stick with what was working at the end of '08 with Lewis.
"We're going to look to get better," Shapiro said, "and look to add very meaningful pitchers to the back end."
As for the rotation, the Indians would feel much more comfortable if they could add a quality starter for the third spot, behind likely American League Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona.
But they might have enough depth in the form of left-handers Dave Huff, Aaron Laffey, Scott Lewis, Jeremy Sowers and Zach Jackson and right-hander Anthony Reyes to get by. So it doesn't appear as though the No. 3 starter is a top priority when it comes to financial commitment.
Still, should the Indians go that route, their options might include the likes of Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia and Braden Looper.
"We have a lot of [internal] alternatives," Shapiro said. "But I'd feel better if we had one more experienced top-of-the-rotation guy."
Chalk that up as a need the Indians might not have the dollars to satisfy.
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