The signing of DH Travis Hafner to a four year contract extension means the Dolan ownership has now inked two of the key players who were about to test free agency in 2007 and 2008. Only the most ardent critic of the spending habits of the Tribe ownership can still be disgruntled. However, it typical "woe is us" fashion, there still are people who won’t be happy unless the Indians extend a huge offer to keep C.C. Sabathia here for a long time.
At the beginning of the season, we wrote that the Indians had three great players: Hafner, Sabathia, and Grady Sizemore. Certainly with his season this year, you can put Victor Martinez in that class as well. Ownership has tied up three of those guys through 2010, with Hafner and Sizemore inked through 2012. This means the Tribe’s three best hitters will be in the lineup for three years after this one. What more can the fans ask for? The name of the game is keeping your great players, and certainly ownership has done that.
With the year Sabathia is having, he would be a fool to sign a contract extension now or after this season for that matter. If he puts up 20 wins this season, he puts himself into a new stratosphere altogether. Don’t be surprised if he goes through 2008 without a new deal in place and tests the market. He also will likely wait and see what happens with Johan Santana and the Twins before signing, because with another big year next season (which helps the Indians, by the way), he will be worth just slightly less than the Minnesota southpaw.
As for Hafner, I’m convinced his first half performance is an aberration and he will put together big numbers in the second half. Remember, he still has 57 RBIs in spite of his troubles, and he still leads the AL in walks. I think he got out of sync because he was getting pitched around early in the year, and he expanded his strike zone. The past few weeks he have started to see glimpses of the old Hafner, he even hit one out in Detroit to left center against a lefty. He likely will still end the year with 30 HR and over 100 RBI, an excellent year by any standard.
Everyone complained that the Dolans would not pay any one player over $10 million per year. That myth has been debunked with the Westbrook and Hafner signing. Now, the critics will ask if they will pay anyone $15 million per season, which they will probably have to do to keep C.C. in the fold. Here a possible scenario for you to chew on. After the 2008 season, let’s say Adam Miller has established himself as a major league starter. GM Mark Shapiro could afford to deal Westbrook for prospects, freeing up over $10 million per year to use to keep Sabathia. Thus, inking the big lefty to an $18 million deal would only cost the ballclub an additional $8 million per year. That’s the beauty of having a productive farm system.
This team will be together for the long haul, the key pieces all in place (except for Sabathia) through 2012. The front office and the ownership have done their job. Now it’s up to the players to do it on the field, and fans to show up and watch a contending team with a promising future as well.
KM
Cleveland Sports Perspective 