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Can Carlos Santana, Jose Ramirez do it again for Cleveland Indians? Hey, Hoynsie! Paul Hoynes CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie. Hey, Hoynsie: Many of the Indians had career years in 2016. Do you see Carlos Santana and Jose Ramirez repeating their performances in 2017? Will Tyler Naquin even make the roster next year? Defensively, he was not rated highly and it seemed like the pitchers figured him out. – Joel Brown, Columbus. Hey, Joel: I don't know if Santana is going to hit 34 homers in 2017, but I feel confident that – if healthy – he's going to play 150 or more games, he's going to walk close to 100 times, drive in about 80 runs and post an OPS in the neighborhood of .800. That should lead to a lot of good things in what will be Santana's walk year. Ramirez doesn't have Santana's track record in the big leagues, but if you look at his month-by-month stats from last season, he produced at a high level from start to finish. Ramirez's minor league numbers indicate that last season wasn't a fluke, but time will tell the story. Tribe exercise 2017 option on Carlos Santana Naquin struggled some in center field and could end up in right because of his strong arm, but he still had a good rookie year. Pitchers beat him late in the season with fastballs up in the zone, but he also hit .296 with 14 homers and 43 RBI in 116 games. Detroit right-hander Michael Fulmer, the AL Rookie of the Year, faded toward the end of the season as well. It depends on what the Indians do the rest of the off-season, but I think Naquin has a good chance to make roster in 2017. @hoynsie will Mike Clevinger be groomed to start, or relieve at the outset of 2017? Andy Mees, Sandusky, Ohio — Andy Mees (@andy_mees216) November 26, 2016 Hey, Andy: Chris Antonetti, Indians president of baseball operations, said Clevinger will come to spring training and condition as a starter. He added that he could still end up in the bullpen. If the players and owners can agree on a new basic agreement, and the rosters expand by an extra player or two, that could help Clevinger make the big league club. Clevinger beats Angels for first big-league win Hey Hoynsie: With the core players they have under contract, the Indians should be exciting and a contender again in 2017. Are you confident that management will add a few more pieces to get help them get back to the Series? – Richard Borelli, Cleveland. Hey, Richard: I think the Indians will do what they have to do to improve the club. As you said, they don't need a total makeover and that's a good thing. Hey @hoynsie any chance Daniel Robertson replaces Martinez and the Tribe carries 3 OF on their bench, since he plays infield too? Dan, Bath — Dan Carroll (@drcarroll44) November 26, 2016 Hey, Dan: Since Michael Martinez has been outrighted and is eligible for free agency, I'd say Robertson has a chance to replace him. But the Indians are trying to re-sign Martinez for that super utility role. The one thing that Martinez has that no other candidate for that job has is the trust of manager Terry Francona. He feels he can play Martinez at any position and that he'll do the job. Should Martinez re-sign with the Indians, that carries a lot of weight. Hey Hoynsie: Aside from enjoying his wedding and his many wedding presents, what does the future hold for left-hander Ryan Merritt? He was a hero for about a minute, and then the Tribe threw him aside so Trevor Bauer could -- inevitably -- fail. Will Merritt ever be a factor in 2017? – Jim Nichols, Cleveland Heights. Hey, Jim: Realistically, if the rotation stays the same – Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin – Merritt will probably open the year at Class AAA Columbus. But as we saw last season, the importance of starting pitching cannot be overlooked. Merritt, who has two minor-league options left, put himself on the map in Game 5 of the ALCS. Indians fans crash Merritt's wedding registry @hoynsie what do you think about the Tribe taking a chance on former all star reliever Greg Holland coming off Tommy John Joe in CLE — joe mcglynn (@glynner8875) November 26, 2016 Hey, Joe: I know the Indians attended Holland's recent showcase. I'm not sure if that's a big need for them right now based on how Cody Allen, Andrew Miller, Bryan Shaw and Dan Otero finished the season. Still, the Indians always bring a lot of relievers to spring training and their medical staff has a great reputation for bringing pitchers back from Tommy John surgery. Hey, Hoynsie: With the excitement of the 2016 postseason, do the Indians regret eliminating all those seats in remodeling Progressive Field over the last two years? Is there any chance they can replace some of those seats? – Jonathan Joch, Neenah, Wis. Hey, Jonathan: If the Indians go to Game 7 of the World Series for the next five years, they'd probably regret it. But I think that's unlikely. The downsizing of Progressive Field – a sellout crowd of 44,888 watched Game 5 of the 1997 World Series against the Marlins compared to a sellout 38,104 for Game 7 this year against the Cubs – was done mostly to try and enhance the experience for fans during the regular season. Based on the regular-season attendance over the last four seasons, Progressive Field is plenty big enough. Business-wise it made sense as well. When there is a limited supply of seats, and those seats are in demand because people want to watch a good baseball team, the value of those tickets should increase.
Progressive Field, in its present state, has one of the smallest seating capacities in the big leagues. Hey, Hoynsie: Assuming that Mike Napoli is not re-signed, what would it take to pry Joey Votto loose from the Reds? What a great addition he'd be to the Indians for 2017 and beyond. – Michael Hoffman. Hey, Michael: I like Votto as a player, but he's 33 and his contract guarantees that he'll make $172 million from 2017-23. So the lion's share of his 10-year $225 million deal has yet to be paid. I have never been accused of being over-analytical, but I can tell you one thing – there is no way the Indians are paying Votto that much money to play first base for them. @hoynsie #HeyHoynsie , any chance #Indians can actually sign Holiday or is that a pipe dream- Mark Z Brunswick — Mark Zona (@ZoneStar26) November 26, 2016 Hey, Mark: Matt Holliday has been a good player for a long time. He turns 37 in January and he's essentially been a left fielder his whole career. So if Michael Brantley is healthy, where is Holliday going to play? He could DH, but do you want Carlos Santana playing every day at first base? He also made $17 million last season with the Cardinals. Still, if the Indians don't re-sign Mike Napoli, he'd have to be under consideration. Hey, Hoynsie: I was wondering what the talk in the organization has been after seeing No.1 pick Will Benson play his first year in the Arizona Rookie League? From the stats and videos I've seen he looks like a mess. He has a long swing and didn't make a lot of contact. Is it merited to be worried? – Mitchell Beaudreau. Hey, Mitchell: Benson is 18 and has played 39 games in his professional career for the Arizona Rookie League Indians. So let's give the young man a chance. At 6-5 and 225 pounds, Benson has a big strike zone. He hit .209 (33-for-158) with 60 strikeouts and 22 walks in Arizona. Nineteen of his 33 hits went for extra bases so he's got some pop. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 11.27.2016 Cleveland Indians have Terry Talkin' outfield candidates, free agents -- Terry Pluto Terry Pluto CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are two of the most remarkable things about the Cleveland Indians' 2016 regular season: They were second in the American League in runs scored. Their outfield was the second-most productive in the American League. I believe the two points are related. The Indians were very worried about their outfield at the start of spring training. That was despite thinking that Michael Brantley would come back from shoulder surgery at some point in the season. He had only 39 at bats before going back on the injured list for the remainder of the season. Yet, the Tribe outfield did the following: Led the AL with 152 doubles. Was second with a .280 batting average. Was third with 298 RBI. Was fourth with a .769 OPS. Was rated second overall in offense by Fangraphs.com. The only negative was 56 HR, 12th in the league. Manager Terry Francona juggled all these outfielders over 162 games (in alphabetical order): Abraham Almonte, Marlon Byrd, Lonnie Chisenhall, Collin Cowgill, Coco Crisp, Rajai Davis, Brandon Guyer, Michael Martinez, Tyler Naquin and Jose Ramirez. Consider the following: Two players flunked tests for PEDs and were suspended -- Almonte and Byrd. Naquin led the outfielders with 14 HR, Davis had 12. Ramirez led with 76 RBI, although he played far more third base than his 48 games in the OF. Next was Chisenhall with 57 RBI. Unless Brantley comes back strong and the Indians pull a shocker by signing and/or trading for a big-time outfielder, Francona will have to be exceptionally creative again. But the odds of the same ingredients producing the same tasty outfield stew are remote. ABOUT YANDY DIAZ The Indians need another young outfielder to come through the farm system and make an impact as Naquin did this past season. The rookie batted .296 (.886 OPS) with 14 HR and 43 RBI. A lefty hitter, Naquin faced mostly right-handed pitching. He had a mere 32 at bats vs. lefties. Who can be the next Naquin? Brad Zimmer is the biggest name, the team's first-round pick in 2014. He doesn't seem ready. Zimmer batted a combined .250 (.790 OPS) with 15 HR, 62 RBI and 38 stolen bases between Class AA-AAA last season.
A warning sign is 171 strikeouts in 557 plate appearances. When promoted to Class AAA Columbus, he batted only .242 (.654 OPS). My favorite is Diaz, who is a Cuban import. Here's why: 1. Diaz played only 26 games at Class AA, then was promoted to Class AAA, where he became the International League Rookie of the Year. 2. At Columbus, he batted .325 (.860 OPS) with 7 HR, 44 RBI in 95 games. He had a .399 on-base percentage. 3. A right-handed hitter, Diaz crushes lefties (.381 last season). He would be a good fit to platoon with Chisenhall and/or Naquin in the OF. 4. Diaz is not a good outfielder or third baseman (his other position) at this point. He has played only three years of pro ball (.307 average). He's still raw, but can hit. 5. Diaz is more comfortable at third base than the outfield, although not close to to the caliber of Jose Ramirez, who was above average at third. ABOUT THE TRIBE 1. Another young outfielder is Greg Allen, who stole 45 bases in Class A and AA last season. He is considered an outstanding defensive center fielder. He threw out 15 baserunners. Allen batted .295 (.830 OPS) with 7 HR and 44 RBI between the two levels. It's doubtful he is ready to jump over Class AAA directly to the majors. 2. The Indians want Rajai Davis back, but on a one-year deal. He's 36. He fits in well with the Tribe because he's a righty hitter, led the American League with 43 stolen bases and can play left and center. Davis is checking the free agent market. Respected baseball writer Jon Heyman projects $15 million for two years for Davis. If someone offers that, I doubt the Tribe will match. 3. Heyman also projected $26 million over two years for Mike Napoli. He's 35. I think the Tribe doesn't want to go into multi-year deals with players that age. We'll see what kind of offers come his way. 4. Just to show Heyman could be conservative, he projected $36 million for three years for Josh Reddick. The Houston Astros gave Reddick $52 million over four years. He batted .281 (.749 OPS) with 10 HR and 37 RBI. He's a nice player, but mostly hits righties. He's best as a platoon guy. 5. The Indians do like Trevor Plouffe, who was released by the Minnesota Twins and former Tribe executive Derek Falvey. The Twins are turning third base over to young Miguel Sano. Plouffe is 30. He plays mostly third base. He hit .260 (.723 OPS) with 12 HR and 47 RBI in 84 games. He had a variety of injuries. 6. I like the idea of Plouffe for the Tribe. Over the last three seasons, he batted .253 (.741 OPS) averaging 16 HR and 70 RBI. He seems like the kind of player who would thrive under Francona. But in this market, he could receive a lot of money for a lot of years from a team desperate for a third baseman. He is below average defensively. I am concerned that Plouffe had rib and side injuries last season. 7. Matt Holliday has been mentioned after leaving the St. Louis Cardinals. He's 37. He has battled injuries the last two seasons, playing only 73 games in 2015 and 110 games in 2016. He did hit 20 HR with 62 RBI (.246, .783 OPS) in those 110 games last season. He had a fractured thumb. In 2015, it was different leg injuries. He is a one-year contract guy, and probably a DH as his outfield play has deteriorated. 8. Someone mentioned Ryan Howard to me, but the former Philadelphia Phillies star has turned into Mark Reynolds -- power but tons of strikeouts, not much in the field. He is available. The 37-year-old Howard batted .196 (.710) with 25 HR, 59 RBI and 114 strikeouts in 331 plate appearances. 9. Reynolds turned in a very solid season with the Colorado Rockies, batting .282 (.806 OPS) with 14 HR, 53 RBI and 112 strikeouts in 393 plate appearances. He also is a free agent. I don't see him coming back to the Tribe. 10. Former Indian Brandon Moss is a free agent after hitting .225 (.784 OPS) with 28 HR and 67 RBI for the Cardinals. He batted only .191 after All-Star break. He hated hitting in Cleveland. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 11.27.2016
Cleveland Indians outright Michael Martinez; sign Daniel Robertson to minor league deal Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have outrighted utility man Michael Martinez, creating a spot on the 40-man roster as they prepare for the winter meetings that begin on Dec. 4 in National Harbor, Md. They also signed outfielder Daniel Robertson to a minor-league contract with an invitation to big-league spring training. Martinez's departure leaves the 40-man roster at 39 players. Martinez, who made the last out in Game 7 of the World Series, has played parts of the last two seasons with the Indians. Manager Terry Francona valued Martinez, 34, because of his ability to play several positions. Martinez opened the year at Class AAA Columbus where he hit .288 (30-for-104) with eight doubles and 12 RBI. Martinez appeared in 58 games with the Indians, hitting .242 (23-for-95) with one homer and four RBI. He was on the Tribe's active roster throughout the postseason, and made the final out of Game 7 vs. the Cubs. He also appeared in four games with Boston before being reclaimed by the Indians. Don't be surprised if the Indians try to re-sign Martinez to a minor-league deal with an invitation to big-league camp. That's how much Francona values him. Robertson, 31, is a versatile right-handed hitter who spent last season with Class AAA Tacoma, the top farm club for the Mariners. He hit .287 (117-for-408) with 19 doubles, six homers and 46 RBI. He stole 13 bases in 15 attempts and posted a .769 OPS.
He played nine games with the Mariners in July, hitting .263 (5-for-19). This year Robertson played 38 games at second base, 35 in left field, 29 in center and 16 in right field for Tacoma. Robertson made his big-league debut with the Angels in 2015 and was originally drafted by San Diego in 2008. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 11.24.2016 Lockout threat by MLB owners couldn't come at worse time for Cleveland Indians Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio – At night Indians fans of a certain age, at their deepest moments of sleep, will spring out of bed, faces covered in sweat while gasping for breath. The nightmare that awoke them has nothing to do with Game 7 losses in the World Series to the Cubs or Miami. It has nothing to do with Carlos Carrasco's broken right hand or Mike Napoli's disappearance from the plate in September, October and the early days of November. What awakes them are the pale faces of Bud Selig and Don Fehr, emerging from yet another hotel boardroom, to explain why the 1994 season, and eventually the 1994 World Series, were canceled. Not postponed, canceled. Selig is almost two years into retirement as baseball's commissioner. Fehr, the former executive director of the players association, has moved on to other things. Part of their legacy is 21 years of labor peace after they repeatedly pushed the game to the edge of the cliff. Now, with the latest basic agreement due to expire on Dec. 1, there is once again talk of unrest. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported Tuesday that the owners are considering a vote to lock out the players if a new deal isn't reached by the Dec. 1 deadline. In a game awash in money, the differences between the two sides seem trivial. With the exception of union founder Marvin Miller winning free agency for the players so many years ago, the differences between rich players and richer owners always seem trivial to fans who just want to watch a ballgame. New Commissioner Rob Manfred is no stranger to this situation. He was Selig's lead negotiator with the union. He found common ground with Michael Weiner, who replaced Fehr, as the union's director. What both men seemed to realize is that they had a good thing going, so why was everyone trying so hard to wreck it? Weiner, sadly, died of brain cancer in 2013 and was replaced by Tony Clark, who played 15 years in the big leagues. This is Clark's first negotiation, but he is from the Fehr school of saying a lot while revealing little. Are the owners really going to lock out the players over a non-starter like an international draft? Rosenthal reported that the owners were willing to drop draft pick compensation for free agents who receive qualifying offers in exchange for an international draft. Baseball has talked about a worldwide draft for years, but talking about it and actually doing it are vastly different. Try to make that work in the Dominican Republic where every player seemingly has his own agent from the time he's 12 and said agent is negotiating with all 30 teams for the best deal he can get. Why would a bustling industry like that agree to be cut out of the picture by an international draft? What about countries such as Japan and Korea that have their own professional leagues? Does MLB simply stick to the current posting system for those countries? If so, it's not really an international draft is it? It's easy to see why the owners want this. It would control costs. There are even big league players who have complained that an untested player from Cuba can sign for more than a first- or second-year player in the big leagues. Something definitely needs to be done with the current international free agent system. Teams such as the Indians have completely withdrawn from the pursuit of high-priced players. But trying to wrap your arms around the entire baseball-playing world seems a bit much even for MLB. Other sticking points reportedly involve the competitive balance tax and changes in the drug testing agreement. When MLB canceled the 1994 World Series, it delayed the Indians' renaissance of the 1990s by a year. They trailed the White Sox in the AL Central by a game when the plug was pulled on the season. Who knows how far that club could have gone? John Hart, former Indians' general manager, still bears the scars from that year. In 1995, the owners went to spring training with replacement players, while the big leaguers were locked out. The Indians trained in Winter Haven, Fla., and in the morning, one of the replacement Indians who owned a construction company in Orlando would be in the press room making phone calls to his foreman about drywall deliveries. Could the owners and players be stupid enough to bring the game back to that point again? If you say no, you'd be betting against history. Regarding the Indians, a work stoppage couldn't come at a worse time. They have finally created a wave of goodwill with their brave and unexpected run to the Game 7 of the World Series. They have a smart front office, one of the best managers in the game, a beautiful ballpark to play in and a talented roster that is well positioned for 2017 and beyond. Now baseball, after more than two decades of tranquility, is once again contemplating damaging itself from within. It makes no sense. Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 11.24.2016 A Popper goodbye: How the man with all of the answers was the Cleveland Indians' MVP for the last 44 years Zack Meisel, cleveland.com By Zack Meisel, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- John Krepop can still rattle off the name of nearly every player listed on the 1973 Cleveland Indians roster. He remembers Charlie Spikes, George Hendrick, Frank Duffy and Gaylord Perry, and even Jack Brohamer and Walt Williams. Mike Kekich and John Lowenstein can't trip him up, either. Those were the guys he watched when he first occupied his press box perch at Cleveland Stadium.
At the time, Krepop was a few years removed from John Marshall High School, a baseball addict working as a laborer at a wastewater treatment plant. Now, the kind-hearted man known to many as "Popper," is retired and has relocated to Florida, with 44 seasons of assistance to Indians broadcasters, public relations staffers and reporters to his credit. Game 7 of the World Series -- a historic event for the franchise and a day he ranked just behind his wedding day and the day his son was born -- was Popper's last hurrah. Long ago, Popper would finish work and then trek to the lakeshore, where he'd take in as many Indians games as possible. After an afternoon game in 1973, he was waiting for a ride home from his friend, Fred Heyer, the Indians' statistician. On their way out of the team's offices, the two bumped into PR director Dino Lucarelli. Lucarelli told Heyer the team was seeking a person to update the players' batting averages for the press. Heyer looked at Popper and said: "He'll do it." "There it was," Popper said. "That's how it started." Right away, Popper worked nearly every home game. He took vacation days from work so he wouldn't miss matinees. Krepop, RiveraJohn Krepop met plenty of baseball icons, including longtime Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.Courtesy of John Krepop There were no computers to ease the mathematical burden. Popper didn't even have a calculator handy until his second year on the job. Instead, he consulted a book devised by The Sporting News, which featured lists of every possible batting total. Popper also checked old record books to determine whether certain feats were noteworthy. Twenty-three years later, he's still particularly proud of his April 8, 1993 research, in which he discovered that Carlos Baerga had become the first player to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same inning. "It was much more time-consuming," Popper said, "much more in-depth research." His own instincts and memory made the tasks a bit less daunting. "When I was growing up, baseball was my favorite sport, but I was terrible at it," Popper said. "I always wanted to be a major-league ballplayer, but I was so bad, there was a new position created called Left Out. "I used to sit there and watch people play baseball and just sit there and observe everything. I used to listen to all of the games on radio and I retained a lot of stuff. As my mind goes back, I say, 'I remember when that happened.' I retained everything." Technological advancements eventually simplified the assignments, but for years, Popper completed plenty of tedious work so others were well-equipped to write or broadcast. He supplied every announcer and media member with game notes. He retrieved player autographs on various memorabilia items for the team's use. He compiled video logs of highlight-reel plays to send to the league's offices in New York for consideration on the TV show This Week In Baseball. He'd drop off the tapes at the airport on his way home. He basically filled the role of an office assistant in the press box. When Dick Svoboda was struck by two foul balls -- and by the glass windows that they shattered -- Popper tended to the writer with a wet towel and a bandage from the clubhouse and he scooped up the wayward shards of glass. "Stats were done by hand," said Bob DiBiasio, the Indians' senior vice president of public affairs. "We had three-ring notebooks, old telecopier machines, one page of game notes, two at most. Popper would always be there early, making sure Russ Schneider and Bob Sudyk and Bob August and Hal Lebovitz -- all of the legendary guys -- were being taken care of and had what they needed. "You always knew that the press box, the game notes, the statistics and all of the broadcasters, radio and TV guys and all of the writers were going to be taken care of. That was something we did not have to concern ourselves with, because Popper was there to take care of it." By the end of his tenure, Popper essentially served as the superintendent of the press box. He loved his history and facts, though. He starts his mornings by sifting through the latest nuggets from the Elias Sports Bureau. He fondly recalls the Indians' 11-10 victory against the Minnesota Twins on Sept. 28, 1984, one of the Twins' six straight losses to close the regular season, which eliminated them from playoff contention. Minnesota held a 10-0 advantage before the Indians stormed back. "It was our biggest comeback at the time, prior to the one in 2001 [against the Mariners], when they were down by 12," Popper said. "I had a book, 'This Day In Indians History.' I went through the whole thing to find out that it was the biggest comeback." Krepop worked for the Indians from 1973 until after Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.Courtesy of Dan Mendlik/Cleveland Indians Popper also cherished his opportunity to cross paths with Rocky Colavito, Al Kaline and Mickey Mantle. He met Harmon Killebrew, Orlando Cepeda, Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton. As he unpacked a box at his new residence in The Villages, he came across a baseball signed by former president George H.W. Bush. At some point in the mid-'90s, Bush was in Cleveland for a fishing excursion on Lake Erie. As Popper headed toward the elevator at Jacobs Field, Bush exited the same elevator. Popper asked him for an autograph and the two talked for a few minutes. Popper became friendly with Bob Feller, though the two never discussed baseball. Instead, Popper often inquired about World War II. "Everybody picked his mind about baseball," Popper said, "but this was a guy who actually lived the history and his insight on it was unparalleled to anybody else you could talk to. He was actually there and was part of it. It was fascinating to talk about the war with him." Popper got to know Herb Score and Joe Tait. Rick Manning busted Popper's chops when Manning played center field for the Indians. Years later, Manning would look at Popper and make a face in the window separating the press box from the TV booth any time Popper had to make an announcement over the PA system. Tait once welcomed Popper as a guest for his "Dugout Interviews" segment on his pre-game radio program. Tait noted Popper's long tenure in the press box and thanked him for being such a reliable resource and researcher.
Then, Tait asked: "So where are you from, Popper?" Popper provided his exact address. "Popper and I used to laugh at that all the time," DiBiasio said. For years, Popper routinely slipped the Indians' communications interns $20 on Friday nights so they had a little extra spending money for the weekend. Popper had his own fun, too. He and DiBiasio created a Wiffle ball game in the team's offices years ago. If the batter hit the ball above the window sill, it was a double. A ball struck above the window went for a home run. A one-hopper to the wall was a groundout. Anything off of the ceiling was a pop out. On Saturdays during college football season, Popper, a dedicated Ohio State fan, would perform his own version of "Script Ohio" in the office. KrepopBoth father and son, seen here, remarked how happy they were to have everything come full circle as they watched Game 7 of the World Series at Progressive Field.Courtesy of John Krepop His best memory, however, is of the Indians' 5-2 loss to the Yankees on May 29, 1981. Popper's wife, Barb, was sitting in the stands. He was up in the press box. "I just had this feeling like something wasn't right," he said. So, he headed toward the ramp that led from the press box to the concourse. His wife was waiting for him at the top of the ramp. "My water broke," she told him. "Let's go." She gave birth to the couple's son, Todd. "That was the best night of my life," Popper said. "And the fact that my son got to see Game 7 of the World Series with me, that tied it all together." An Indians victory certainly would have wrapped a perfect bow on Popper's 44 seasons with the organization. It took him two years to reach his decision to retire, though, so the memorable postseason journey still fit as the closing chapter to a distinguished career. "It was a second home," Popper said. "Sometimes, it was home for me. Sometimes, I saw more of [the Indians] than I saw my wife." The press box will be missing its heartbeat come April. There will be no ringtone blaring the Star Wars' theme. There will be no one to update anyone interested on the latest hockey news. There will be no one with all of the answers, or at least the means and the drive to find them. "His wonderful, unassuming way about him -- he really cared about taking care of people," DiBiasio said. "Back in the old days when things weren't a click of a button away, he meant the world to everybody. There's no way it'll be the same without him. ... There's no question he's going to be missed. "He's been the true essence of a behind-the-scenes guy, helping people get done what they needed." Said Popper: "I just hope I did a good job and made everybody else's life easier." Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 11.24.2016 MLB trade rumors: White Sox's David Robertson to Yankees or Mets? Joe Giglio As the hot stove burns, sellers are emerging. One of the teams that looks poised to tear down its team and rebuild for the future: The Chicago White Sox. While big names like Chris Sale and Todd Frazier will generate most of the buzz out of the Windy City, Chicago's closer—ex-Yankee David Robertston—could be had for the right price. With the Mets facing uncertainty over Jeurys Familia's potential MLB-sanctioned penalties for a domestic abuse incident in New Jersey last month, bullpen help could be necessary. For the Yankees, Robertson could be a fall-back move if the market for Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen and Mark Melancon gets out of control. Robertson, 31, has pitched to a 3.44 ERA since joining the White Sox as a free-agent before the 2015 season. In 122 games over two seasons, Robertson owns a 115 ERA+ and has struck out 11.5 batters per nine innings. While the right-hander relief star isn't quite the dominant bullpen cog he was in New York, he's still effective enough to be part of a winning formula in any bullpen. Since breaking into the Yankees bullpen in 2009, Robertson owns a 2.82 ERA and 2.77 FIP across 499 appearances. Evan Longoria to Mets? The four-year, $46M deal Robertston signed after the 2014 season guarantees him $25M across the 2017 and 2018 seasons. That figure would likely have to be chopped down or partially paid by Chicago to facilitate a deal to either the Mets or Yankees. Star Ledger LOADED: 11.24.2016 Nick Cafardo / What are the sticking points in baseball’s CBA talks? By Nick Cafardo Common sense tells you that life in major league baseball for the owners and the players is good in that both sides are making record profits. That’s a major reason there’s been labor peace for more than 20 years. Lately we’ve been hearing about “snags” and “gridlock” as the sides negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, and we’ve even heard the words “lockout” and “strike.” But seriously, does anyone really believe it could come to that?
The current CBA expires Thursday, but don’t consider that a drop-dead date to avoid a labor impasse. Commissioner Rob Manfred said at the GM meetings in early November that baseball proceeds under the old CBA until a new agreement is reached. The sides have the rest of the offseason and through spring training to hash out a tentative agreement. Considering this is a $9 billion industry, common sense says an agreement will be reached. But that’s not to say there aren’t major issues that need to be resolved. And we’re sure not all of them will be. Some will be tabled, but enough should get done to put a new agreement in place. The Players Association can point to a few issues it feels restrict earning potential — draft pick compensation in free agency, draft pool signing limitations, the possibility of an international draft. Owners feel these limits are necessary to keep costs down and stay under MLB’s luxury tax threshold. Obviously, the players would like to have no luxury tax threshold, creating a truly free market. That will never happen. “The one aspect of the collective bargaining agreement that may not be resolved any time soon is this question of draft choice compensation, which is probably what could change the market one way or the other,” the Mets’ Sandy Alderson said at the GM meetings. “I don’t think the new rules are going to get more onerous to the players, and it’s not clear whether they’ll be less onerous for clubs.” The players can argue, and rightly so, that they should get a bigger share of the money coming in from major local and national TV deals. But owners can rightly point to diminishing trends in ratings and subscriptions for major cable outlets. While CBA negotiations continue, the player movement market may be slow. The luxury tax threshold is definitely an issue for the big-market teams. Six teams are projected to pay the luxury tax this year, according to the Associated Press, at the $189 million threshold — the Yankees ($27 million), Dodgers ($25 million), Red Sox ($6 million), Tigers ($3.9 million), Cubs ($3.7 million), and Giants ($3 million). Big-market owners are trying to get revenue sharing reduced or eliminated for certain markets. They charge that some teams don’t spend their revenue-sharing profits as intended — which is to improve the major league roster — and that some of the money is simply pocketed. There are definite flaws in the system for both sides, but they’ve managed to live with these issues while owners make a handsome profit and players make a wonderful living. What’s wrong with a player accepting a qualifying offer and earning $17.2 million for one year? It’s been good for some teams because they keep the player they might have otherwise lost. But teams that extend qualifying offers are also after the draft pick they would receive as compensation if the player rejects the offer and signs with another team. In some cases, the team regrets extending the qualifying offer — such as the Orioles last season, when Matt Wieters accepted and that limited the team financially in its pursuit of pitching. The idea of an international draft is denounced by the union because foreign players have the right to make their own deal as true free agents. There are still restrictions, of course. Big-market teams used to be able to spend whatever they wanted to secure a top foreign player, but now they’re subject to a spending cap — which the Red Sox were found to violate last year, resulting in five contracts being voided. Manfred has remained optimistic when discussing a new agreement. “There’s certainly uncertainty until they do [reach an agreement],” agent Scott Boras said at the GM meetings. “I’m sure they’re going to want to know the impact of it. Why wouldn’t you?” There are other issues, which according to major league sources on both sides have created great dialogue. The schedule, for instance, is a real issue for the players. Some of the biggest complaints involve how the 162-game schedule is jammed into six months. Players want more days off. They claim that travel has gotten tougher with day games after night games. Owners could go for a 158-game schedule, but that would require major concessions from the players for owners to give up two home dates. Roster size is also an issue. I have proposed a “true” 25-man roster where a team deactivates its four starting pitchers not pitching that game and adds four other players. This would even eliminate situations in which the Red Sox found themselves needing to use Steven Wright as a pinch runner, resulting in Wright’s season-shortening injury. Again, this is costly to the owners, but in many respects it may prevent injuries and could give some players more rest while giving others more service time. Let’s face it, it’s all about the money. You can see why discussions on these issues can get heated when both sides dig into their positions. About a month ago, we quoted a major league executive who said that the talks weren’t going as smoothly as had been portrayed. But common sense should prevail. Maybe not every issue will get resolved, especially to the players’ satisfaction, and that would be in keeping with labor talks around the country, where the worker has had to make concessions to ownership. Yes, players are not the average American worker, we know, but major league owners are wealthy businessmen and they’d like to stay that way. Apropos of nothing 1. Reader Bob Carvin reminds us there are eight living Boston Braves: Johnny Antonelli, Clint Conatser, Gene Conley, Del Crandall, Harry MacPherson, Dick Manville, Luis Olmo, and Bert Thiel. 2. The Astros signed free agent outfielder Josh Reddick to a very reasonable four-year, $52 million deal and traded two decent pitching prospects to the Yankees for catcher Brian McCann, while getting New York to pick up about a third of the money owed McCann. Sick of coming up short, Houston has added two major bats (and could add a third) and solidified its catching. Now the Astros can concentrate on a pitcher to add to their rotation, such as free agent Rich Hill or trade targets Justin Verlander, Chris Sale, or Sonny Gray. 3. Former Red Sox pitcher David “Boo” Ferriss was a tremendous guy. He died last week at his home in Mississippi at age 94. He pitched for the Sox from 1945-50. 4. How could David Ortiz finish sixth in MVP voting? Did nobody watch him this past season? 5. I still believe Mookie Betts got robbed in MVP voting. The award is not for the best stats, it’s for most valuable.
6. I vote for steroid guys who I believe are Hall of Famers (Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens). I believe Manny Ramirez is Hall-worthy, too, but he will not get my vote because of his repeated violations. The only thing I wrestle with is that Manny never tested positive until the final act of his career. I expect Jeff Bagwell and possibly Tim Raines to be elected this year. First-time nominee Ivan Rodriguez should reach in his first ballot, but suspicion of PED use will likely put him in the Mike Piazza category where he’ll have to wait a year or two. Vladimir Guerrero is also unlikely to get in on his first ballot, but will be strongly considered over time. 7. The Red Sox should bring back Koji Uehara. He may have suffered a couple of injuries, but his quality of work when healthy was top-shelf. You may not pencil him is as the primary setup man, but the 41-year-old serves as a strong contrast to the hard throwers. 8. Former catcher David Ross said he will sit down with his agent after the weekend to go over the overtures he’s received, which range from broadcasting to coaching to managing and scouting. Ross wants to stay in the game but also wants more family time than he had as a player. Updates on nine 1. Mike Dee, former CEO, Padres — According to a major league source, Dee won’t be unemployed for too long. The former Red Sox COO and Miami Dolphins CEO is already receiving interest. Our source said Dee will likely surface in sports media or sports philanthropy. It was puzzling that Padres ownership let go of Dee while keeping GM A.J. Preller, who committed fraud against the Red Sox by withholding medical information on lefty Drew Pomeranz.
2. Gleyber Torres, SS, Yankees — Even before he was named MVP of the Arizona Fall League, this 19-year-old received impressive evaluations for not only his talent but his demeanor. “He’s got that aura about him. That big league aura. It’s like a confidence you see in very talented players and he’s got it. You never want to compare a shortstop in the Yankees organization to Derek Jeter, but Jeter had that ‘it’ about him at a young age as well,” said a special assistant to an NL GM. 3. Edwin Encarnacion, 1B/DH, free agent — There’s “a healthy amount” of interest in the slugger, according to a GM who has had some discussions on Encarnacion. The Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers, and Astros are in the discussion, and there could be more teams. Encarnacion and Yoenis Cespedes are the big-money free agent hitters, but their salary requirements will likely not yield a quick signing because of the luxury-tax threshold uncertainty. “Normally, teams would be very aggressive in getting both of these hitters signed, but right now you have to stay back a little,” said an AL GM. 4. Victor Martinez, DH, Tigers — Teams are sniffing around on Martinez, who would hold the same kind of value for a team as free agent Carlos Beltran, though Beltran can still play the outfield. Martinez, like Beltran, is a well-respected leader and switch-hitter, and he could catch or play first base in a pinch. Martinez has traditionally been a better righthanded hitter in his career, but last season he had an .812 OPS vs. lefthanders and .832 vs. righthanders. Dave Dombrowski signed Martinez to two four-year contracts with Detroit, and his current deal has two years remaining at $18 million per. When you consider what Martinez makes, it’s amazing the Red Sox got away with paying David Ortiz “only” $16 million. 5. Stephen Drew, 2B/SS, free agent — It seems Drew has nine lives. He reinvented himself last season with the Nationals as a part-time player (.266 average, .864 OPS). There are teams, however, such as the Angels and the Dodgers, looking for a full-time second baseman and Drew could be a good fit at either spot. 6. Aroldis Chapman, LHP, free agent — The Nationals, Yankees, Giants, and Dodgers are emerging as possible destinations for Chapman. We’re not completely sure whether the Cubs are out of the picture. 7. C.J. Wilson, LHP, free agent — Wilson will likely have some place to pitch in 2017. The Marlins are looking for that type of low-cost veteran to plug into their rotation. He may also be a fit in Seattle and Baltimore. 8. Justin Masterson, RHP, free agent — Masterson is another reclamation project piquing the interest of teams such as the Marlins and Twins, who are looking to hit the jackpot with a surprise pitcher. Masterson’s physical problems seem to be in the past as he attempts a comeback at age 31. 9. Mark Melancon, RHP, free agent — Expected to be hot commodity in free agency, Melancon said he had “no preference” as to where he ends up. Melancon has pitched for the Yankees, Astros, Red Sox, Pirates, and Nationals, and they may be interested again. The Dodgers, Giants, and Rangers are also potential landing spots. Extra innings From the Bill Chuck files — “We are running out of active players who played in the 20th century! The only ones left are Carlos Beltran, Adrian Beltre, Joe Nathan, A.J. Pierzynski, and Bartolo Colon.” Also, “Rick Porcello certainly needs to thank his bullpen for his Cy Young victory over Justin Verlander. Porcello bequeathed 11 runners to his relievers and none scored; Verlander bequeathed 15 and eight scored. Had Verlander had better relief, he would have led the league in ERA.” . . . Happy birthday, Jonathan Van Every (37), Jose Tartabull (78), and Bill Short (79). Second to none The Twins’ Brian Dozier turned in one of the most productive seasons ever by a second baseman in 2016. According to BaseballReference.com, he became just the fourth second baseman to hit at least 40 homers and drive in 95 or more runs in a season while slugging better than .525 with an OPS of at least .850. Boston Globe LOADED: 11.27.2016
