BBTF's Transaction Oracle Discussion :: Indians

Transaction Oracle
— A Timely Look at Transactions as They Happen

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Indians - Signed Fultz, Hernandez

Cleveland Indians - Signed P Aaron Fultz and P Roberto Hernandez to 1-year contracts.

The Indians, if they would look, could build a really nice bullpen from within. One thing they don’t have is many lefties in the organization that could step in and be solid relievers in 2007, so I think Fultz is an excellent fliers. Hernandez? Not so much - the organization is deeper in northpaws plus there are a few righty starter prospects that could probably also contribute in relief.

2006 ZiPS Projections
——————————————————————————————-

Player         W   L   G  GS   IP    H   ER  HR  BB  SO   ERA
——————————————————————————————-

Hernandez      5   3  66   0   63   61   33   7  32  45  4.43

Fultz          2   2  64   1   68   68   28   6  28  46  4.10

Dan Szymborski Posted: December 03, 2006 at 02:25 AM | 2 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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1. Matthew Rich Posted: December 03, 2006 at 07:12 AM (#2250465)

The problem with that approach (IMO) is that if you put together a bullpen with just the kids and any freely-available arms you happened to retain from last year in Buffalo, you don't have a plan B if they turn out to be awful. And 2 out of the last 3 years the Indians have had a brutal pen where everybody went south at once.

If it turns out Sipp, Mujica, Mastny, etc. aren't ready, and you didn't sign any veteran relievers last fall, where do you turn?

I have no problem with these signings per se, but I do have two reservations: first, that Wedge will give them too much time to "find themselves" if Fultz and/or Hernandez (or anybody else in the pen for that matter) pitch badly to start the season. They have been way too slow to pull the trigger on demoting veteran guys who plainly don't have it. Second, these signings give us a little more depth in the pen, but that's it. To make it a good bullpen, Shapiro's still going to have to make a trade.

So ZiPS thinks Fultz is going to get a start? God, I hope not.

2. Michael Brady Posted: December 04, 2006 at 08:19 PM (#2251475)

Why didn't the Phillies offer arbitration to Fultz? I think this was a mistake on a few levels...

The Indians signed him for what is being reported in Philadelphia as $1.5 million for one year. Fultz made $1.2 million last year. Locally it was specualted that he would not be offered arbitration because the Phillies did not want to risk paying him $2 million or so next year. Number one, you gave up the right to draft pick compensation (Fultz was a Type A free agent) and number two, even if you get "stuck" paying him $2 million on a one-year deal, that is still far from a bad thing. I would rather have Fultz for one year than Borowski or Weathers or God knows who for two or more seasons. I just don't get it.

Can anyone justify the Phils not offering arb to Fultz?

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Sunday, December 03, 2006

Indians - Signed Fultz, Hernandez

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