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We're only three weeks and a day away from Indians pitchers and catchers reporting to Goodyear, Arizona for spring training. Corey Kluber could soon be throwing the ball to Yan Gomes! The Indians will probably sign another player or two to minor league deals with invitations to join the team for camp (and keep your eyes out for a possible contract extension for Kluber), but we're not likely to see any significant additions or departures at this point.
What do you think of the job General Manager Chris Antonetti has done lately? Let's say not only during this offseason, but going back to the start of 2014? I'll take you through the significant (or semi-significant) moves that have been made during that time...
January 2014:
- Signed Scott Atchison, Jeff Francoeur, Nyjer Morgan, David Aardsma, Luke Carlin, and Elliot Johnson to minor league deals with invitations to spring training
February 2014:
- Signed Bryan LaHair and Aaron Harang to minor league deals with invitations to spring training
March 2014:
- Traded cash to Dodgers for Justin Sellers
- Signed Adam Miller, George Kottaras, and Mark Lowe to minor league deals
April 2014:
- Traded Colt Hynes to Dodgers for Duke von Schamann
- Traded Preston Guilmet to Orioles for Torsten Boss
May 2014:
- Nothing much
June 2014:
- Oversaw the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, which included Bradley Zimmer, Justus Sheffield, Mike Papi, and Bobby Bradley
July 2014:
- Traded cash to Pirates for Chris Dickerson
- Traded cash to the Angels for Nick Maronde
- Traded Justin Masterson to Cardinals for James Ramsey
- Traded Asdrubal Cabrera to Nationals for Zach Walters
August 2014:
- Traded Vinnie Pestano to Angels for Mike Clevinger
- Traded cash to Rangers for Chris Gimenez
September 2014:
- Traded cash to Angels for J.B. Shuck
October 2014:
- Traded Justin Sellers to Pirates for cash
November 2014:
- Signed Audy Ciriaco, Shaun Marcum, and Dustin Molleken to minor league deals with invitations to spring training
- Traded cash to the Diamondbacks for Charles Brewer
- Trade Scott Barnes to Orioles for cash
- Added Cody Anderson, Shawn Armstrong, Ryan Merritt, Giovanny Urshela, and Tony Wolters to 40-man roster
December 2014:
- Signed Destin Hood, Adam Moore, Jerry Sands, Brett Hayes, Ryan Rohlinger, Jeff Manship, and Scott Downs to minor league deals with invitations to spring training
- Traded Joe Wendle to A's for Brandon Moss
- Signed Gavin Floyd to a 1-year, $4 million deal
January 2015:
- Signed Michael Roth and Anthony Swarzak to minor league deals with invitations to spring training
Edit: As wise reader no1ever pointed out, the Indians also signed Michael Brantley, Yan Gomes, and Jason Kipnis to contract extensions last year, and chose not to sign Justin Masterson to one.
It's hard to know how much Antonetti has to do with which players are called up or sent down and when those things happen. You're certainly welcome to assign him credit/blame for those sorts of things, if you're particularly happy/unhappy with any of it.
I look at the minor league deals/spring training invites handed out last offseason and think Antonetti did very well. Atchison paid off about as well as a middle reliever can, while Nyjer Morgan and George Kottaras also made contributions. Aaron Harang didn't fit into Francona's rotation, but he pitched pretty well for Atlanta, so the notion of signing him seems to have been a good one. The early returns on the newest draft class are positive, so that looks to me like a feather in Antonetti's cap. The minor trades/cash purchases don't seem to have added much, but I think moving Masterson and Cabrera at the deadline was wise, and Ramsey and Walters feel like reasonable returns. I also like the trade for Moss, and think Floyd was a solid low-level signing.
All and all, I'm very positive about what Antonetti has done in the last year or so. How about you?