Plain Dealer sportswriter Paul Hoynes answers readers' questions about the Indians.
The Indians have catcher Carlos Santana under contract through the 2016 season. Hey, Hoynsie: What is Carlos Santana's contract situation and are there any plans to lock him in long term for five to eight years? -- Robert Driscoll, Parma
Hey, Robert: Santana has played 46 games in the big leagues. He's already been through one serious knee operation.
The Indians control Santana through 2016. Judging by the way the Indians have handled Asdrubal Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo, I don't think they'll be in any rush to sign this guy to a multiyear contract.
Right now, there is no need. They have to see what kind of player he's going to be first.
Hey, Hoynsie: What impact does front-office decision making have on player motivation/team performance? Does bringing in an impact player at the trade deadline help or, conversely, does playing or sending down a teammate based on "development" vs. ability to help the team win now hurt? -- Steve Cornelius, Avon Lake
Hey, Steve: In my experience, bringing in a quality player in a deadline deal for a team in contention is always a boost. The only people who don't like it are the ones who lose playing time because of the new addition. Sending a player down during spring training because he needs development has little affect on a ballclub. Almost every player in that locker room has been through the same experience.
Plus in spring training, players are trying to win jobs. Team chemistry isn't exactly on their mind.
Hey, Hoynsie: When did you realize that the ownership wanted to make the Tribe a small-market team? When John Hart left? When Manny Ramirez left? When Roberto Alomar was traded for prospects? When Charlie Manuel was fired? -- Al Burton, Middlefield
Hey, Al: None of the above. The point was driven into my thick skull when the Indians traded Cy Young winners CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee in consecutive years. That tends to leave a mark.
Hey, Hoynsie: I think the Dolans could change a lot of fans' opinion of them if they made a bid for Albert Pujols. I know that's not going to happen. However, what if the fans and the Dolans went in 50/50? The Dolans offer Pujols $30 million a year for 10 years, and they pay $15 million a year and the fans pay $15 million a year. I'd be willing to chip in $100 a year for the contract, in addition to the season tickets I buy. Could something like that be organized or would it be illegal? -- Scott DiLuciano, Sheffield Lake
Hey, Scott: If this did happen, and the fans were paying half of Pujols' contract, would that mean they could demand where he'd hit in the lineup and what position he would play? Could they demand he come to their child's birthday party and bring a string of ponies for every kid on the block? Would they try to trade him to the Yankees to bring back CC Sabathia?
You see where I'm going with this.
One more thing, what makes you think Pujols would want to play in Cleveland?
Hey, Hoynsie: I like the idea of signing Nick Johnson, probably the first legitimate first baseman in five years. If he recovers, what are the Tribe's plans for him? -- Dennis Herman, Cleveland
Hey, Dennis: Right now, they just want to get him healthy. That's going to take a while.
Hey, Hoynsie: How is projected 2013 Opening Day starter Jason Knapp, from Hunterdon County, N.J., doing this spring? Jason is a graduate of the high school where my daughters went. There are a surprising number of Indian fans in this region. -- Steve Kelley, Ashbury, N.J.
Hey, Steve: Talked to Knapp last week. He hasn't thrown in a minor-league game yet this spring, but his surgically repaired right shoulder feels strong. He's been in camp about a month to strengthen his shoulder.
Indians officials were encouraged with the way he pitched for Class A Lake County at the end of last season. They see him starting this season at Class A Kinston.
Hey, Hoynsie: Are there any cozy hole-in-the-wall establishments near the Indians/Reds complex that serve terrific margaritas? -- Thomas O'Malley, Cleveland
Hey, Thomas: Arribas, a couple miles from Goodyear Ballpark up Estrellas Blvd., serves margaritas the size of hot tubs.
Hey, Hoynsie: It's believed prospects Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis will be able to take over third base and second base, respectively, by midseason or definitely by 2012. Both hit left-handed, which would make the Indians' starting lineup entirely left-handed or switch-hitters with the exception of Matt LaPorta. What does the Tribe brass think about this possibility? -- Brent, North Ridgeville
Hey, Brent: If they all hit lefties and righties, it doesn't matter. But we all know it doesn't work like that.
The Indians do have concerns about it, which is why it would be nice if Matt LaPorta had a productive year.
Hey, Hoynsie: Assuming we just left our top prospects to play out their entire careers in Class AAA then, technically, their free-agency clocks would never really start, allowing this micro-market team to retain their best players, correct? -- Joe Cepec, Dublin, Ohio
Hey, Joe: I can smell your brain cells burning all the way from Ohio to the Arizona desert. But there is such a thing as minor-league free agency. One way or the other, the Indians can't keep their prospects forever.
But you bring up an interesting theory. I've always felt that if you spent your life flying between Cleveland and Chicago, you'd never get older because of the one hour time difference.
Technically speaking, of course.
Hey, Hoynsie: Why do the Indians continually do nothing to create excitement? They could have brought Lonnie Chisenhall to Cleveland. It wouldn't have hurt his development and would have created excitement. They could have signed Omar Vizquel before when he was a free agent. It's almost like the Dolans are trying to kill the franchise in Cleveland, so they can sell for big bucks to someone out of town. -- Tom Goodsite, Kirksville, Mo.
Hey, Tom: I felt the same way about Chisenhall, but I was doing it with my heart, not my brain.
The kid needs to play at Class AAA Columbus. Maybe not a full year, but at least for a while. To be honest, just how much buzz is Chisenhall going to create? What happens if he starts the season 0-for-20?
The Indians made a mistake with the way they handled Brandon Phillips and missed out on a franchise-type second baseman. I don't think they're going to do that again.
Hey, Hoynsie: Did I actually read that Jason Davis is in camp? Are the Indians serious or are they just trying to amuse themselves? -- Kevin Folke, Strongsville
Hey, Kevin: Jason Davis was in camp for a tryout last week. It did not go well and Friday the Indians told him they didn't have a spot for him.
When you think about the bright lights and big money in pro baseball, you don't think of days like that.
Hey, Hoynsie: We're all caught up in it, but do many players consider Indians a bad luck team? -- P.J. Bednarski, Pipersville, Pa.
Hey, P.J.: There are not a lot of Indians who played on the 1954, 1995 and 1997 teams who are still on the roster. There's not even a lot of guys around from the 2007 club that lost to Boston in the ALCS.
Ballplayers don't care about the past unless they're involved. The Indians are so young they're just happy to be getting paid and have a chance to play in the big leagues. Indians fans are far more haunted than the players.
Hey, Hoynsie: Can you please explain how minor-league contracts (and big-league contracts for that matter) work? I read recently how several Indians were signed (practically the entire roster). I'm confused to say the least. If players are signed to multiyear contracts, why do teams re-sign players year in and year out? -- Nick Steimle, North Olmsted
Hey, Nick: Almost all players who report to spring training are already signed to one year or multiyear contracts.
The Indians players you read about in spring training that were signed to one-year deals had fewer than three years service time in the big leagues. They have little or no bargaining power because they aren't eligible for salary arbitration. That makes them low on any front office's off-season priority list.
General managers and their assistants first concentrate on signing free agents, then turn their attention to their own players who are eligible for arbitration -- in the Indians' case that included Shin-Soo Choo, Asdrubal Cabrera, Rafael Perez, Joe Smith, Chris Perez and Jensen Lewis. Finally, they concentrate on the players who aren't eligible for arbitration.
In the Indians' case that's a big part of the roster because they're so young in terms of time in the big leagues. Almost all the players in this group sign split contracts, which will pay them one amount in the big leagues and one amount in the minors.
-- Hoynsie
Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/03/what_is_carlos_santanas_contra.html
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