Pronk Needs You!

The Winter Meetings have come and gone, and the Indians were part of the wheeling and dealing.

• In – Kerry Wood, Joe Smith, and Luis Valbuena.
• Out – Franklin Gutierrez, Tom Mastny

Kerry Wood has been hired to close games for the next two years for about $10 million per, with an opt ion for a third year if the club wants him or if he finished 55 games in either of the next two years.  Assuming that Wood can stay healthy (never a given), the Indians got one of the two best closers on the market and, because Chicago didn’t offer Wood arbitration, they did not lose a draft pick, either.  A closer who throws heat? Haven’t seen one of those on the North Coast in a long time.  A stable bullpen?  Well, it will be an odd-year season, so there’s a pretty good chance.  To get Wood and only give two guaranteed years is a coup for Shapiro.

So long, Franklin Gutierrez.  Gutierrez was sent to Seattle as part of a 12-player deal with the Mets that sent J.J. Putz to Seattle.  The rundown :

• The Seattle Mariners receive: RHP Aaron Heilman (NYM), OF Franklin Gutierrez (CLE), OF Endy Chavez (NYM), 1B Mike Carp (NYM), RHP Maikel Cleto (NYM), LHP Jason Vargas (NYM), and OF Ezekiel Carrera (NYM)
• The New York Mets receive: RHP J.J. Putz (SEA), OF Jeremy Reed (SEA), RHP Sean Green (SEA)
• The Cleveland Indians receive: RHP Joe Smith (NYM), and 2B Luis Valbuena (SEA)

So, for the cost of Franklin Gutierrez, who was blocked by Grady Sizemore from playing center field, his true position, the Indians bolster their bullpen by adding sidearming righthander Joe Smith, and get a near-major-league-ready middle infielder in Luis Valbuena.  As a bonus, the Indians’ participation in the trade blocks the Motor City Kitties from adding Putz to their bullpen.  It’s hard not to like this deal, especially given the outfield logjam.   Choo likely becomes the starting rightfielder, with Dellucci and Francisco splitting time in left field.

Tom Mastny?  He’s been sold to a Japanese club.

Word is that Jhonny Peralta has been playing third base in winter ball, and as things stand now, I would guess he starts at third base, with Cabrera moving to shortstop and Carroll/Barfield/Valbuena fighting it out for second base time.  I suspect that the loser of this battle, whether it’s Barfield or Valbuena, goes back to Columbus.

There has been some speculation that Valbuena starts in Columbus and Barfield and Marte engage in a death match to stay with the big club, with Peralta’s position dependent on whoever wins the battle.  If Marte wins, then Peralta would stay at short, Cabrera stay at second, with Marte at third.  If Barfield wins, then Peralta would move to third and Cabrera to short with Barfield at second.  The problem with this is that it leaves Peralta in limbo.  If we’re going to move Peralta, then let’s move Peralta beginning with the first day of Spring Training.  I can’t imagine Marte being with this team when it breaks camp.

So what else is likely to happen in Hot Stove for the Tribe?

• A lot of people are hoping that the Indians get a big bat for left field.  Adam Dunn is still out there.  I’m not holding my breath on this one, but if prices continue to go down, he’d look a whole lot better in left field than Dellucci or BenFran.  However, Raul Ibanez got a 3/$30M deal, and I can’t imagine that Adam Dunn would get less, and I can’t imagine the Indians would add that kind of payroll after spending on Kerry Wood.
• The Indians may still try to upgrade their infield. Orlando Hudson is still out there, but the Indians might balk at his injury history.  They might try signing a placeholder like Grudzielanek to hold down second base until Valbuena is ready.  Or, they might try a guy like Ty Wigginton, who could hold down third base for a couple years.  Joe Crede is an injury risk, and the rest of the middle infield free agent class is pretty uninspiring.
• Another stated intention of the club for the offseason was to add a #3 arm to the rotation.  Ben Sheets and Derek Lowe are still out there, though it is questionable whether the Indians will spend the kind of money these guys will likely merit.  If the price comes down, though, they might jump, especially if Sheets is open to a short, incentive-laden contract (in other words, a Kevin Millwood Type Signing).  The other free agent options (Randy Wolk, Jon Garland) are not particularly attractive.  The kind of pitcher the Indians want, someone we can plug into the rotation for 2009, may not be available for the price of Kelly Shoppach, the Indians’ major trading chip.
• Or, Mark Shapiro will blindside us with some move we haven’t even heard of or thought about yet.