Cleveland%20Indians

The Cleveland Indians made the first move in major league baseball when they hired Terry Francona as their 42nd manager. While that's clearly a move of major importance, if it becomes the Indians biggest move of the offseason, the Indians will be in serious trouble in 2013. Can Chris Antonetti build on his early momentum with the hiring of Terry Francona, or will this offseason turn into another winter of discontent?

In the final Instructs ATF, the Parallel League "Goodyear" team sang its swan song with a look at a handful of future Indians taking part. A couple of players that call Cleveland home both had hits, as they continue their slow-but-sure climb through the system. A shining potential top-ten prospect continued to showcase a .300 bat...again, while the Sabour-Tooth tigers were given another multi-hit ballgame from their favorite over-achiever. Check out ATF with yours truly, Jim Pete...after the jump...

Today we continue the IPI’s year-end awards with the announcement of the Offensive Player of the Year. This award goes to the position player in the Indians organization that had the best year offensively and like with all the awards so far is 100% based on performance and not on prospect standing. This is the final “Tony Award” to be handed out, but this weekend the "All-Tony" team will be posted as Tony lists the best players this season position-by-position in a “1st team” and “2nd team” format.

The Arizona Fall League started up on Tuesday, the Dominican Winter League starts up tonight, and several other offseason fall and winter leagues start up in the coming weeks. Here is a listing of players that are currently set to play in all of the offseason fall and winter leagues as well as an update on the coverage coming from the IPI over the next three months with all the action this fall and winter.

Today we continue the IPI’s year-end awards with the announcement of the Pitcher of the Year. This award goes to the starting pitcher in the Indians organization that had the best year from a performance perspective, not necessarily from a prospect standing. Later this week the Offensive Player of the Year and All-Tony Team will be announced.

The city of Cleveland is used to being a second, third or fourth tier option for free agents and top tier coaches and managers. Terry Francona may not have changed that mentality, but he certainly proved that there are more things to choosing a team than location. Will Francona bring a new culture to Cleveland Indians baseball, or will Chris Antonetti and Mark Shapiro override the momentum?

Today we continue the IPI’s year-end awards with the announcement of the Comeback Player of the Year. This award goes to the player who came back from a rough 2011 season – be it due to injury or performance – and any other obstacles to put up a very good 2012 season and reestablished and/or solidified himself as a prospect for the Indians. In the coming days the Pitcher of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year and All-Tony Team will be announced.

Paolo Espino recently capped off his sixth season in the Indians' farm system with a brilliant performance in the Eastern League Championship Series. Yet despite his success, Espino looks to be on the verge of minor league free agency. If he is indeed a free agent then there is no guarantee he'll be back with the club. IPI's Steve Orbanek takes a look back at Espino's career in this week's edition of Then & Now.

Today we continue the IPI postseason awards with the announcement of the Relief Pitcher of the Year. The starting pitchers often get most of the focus, so this award gives an opportunity to showcase and recognize some of the top relief pitching performances over the course of the 2012 season. In the coming days the Comeback Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year and All-Tony Team will be announced.

To celebrate the conclusion of another baseball season, we here at Indians Prospect Insider have decided to give out our picks for the major awards in Major League Baseball. Today we tab the winner of the NL Cy Young Award, a tight battle with plenty of worthy choices. In the coming days, IPI will be rolling out our picks for AL/NL MVP, Most Valuable Indian, and Least Valuable Indian.

To celebrate the conclusion of another baseball season, we here at Indians Prospect Insider have decided to give out our picks for the major awards in Major League Baseball. Today we tab the winner of the AL Cy Young Award, and it comes down to a close vote between two AL workhorses with the winner receiving 6 of the 10 votes from the IPI staff.

To celebrate the conclusion of another baseball season, we here at Indians Prospect Insider have decided to give out our picks for the major awards. Today, we tackle the National League Rookie of the Year. In the coming days, IPI will be rolling out our picks for AL/NL MVP, AL/NL Cy Young Award, AL/NL Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Indian, and Least Valuable Indian.

In Tony's weekly notebook he takes a look at how Terry Francona and Sandy Alomar were both very good managerial candidates, but how Francona was the right choice as the new manager of the Cleveland Indians. He also wonders if the front office will be receptive to change this offseason or are in denial, talks about the infield fly call in Atlanta on Friday, asks if the 2012 season was the worst in years, and more.

The Cleveland Indians have hired Terry Francona to be their next manager, only a day after his interview with Chris Antonetti and Mark Shapiro. The Indians will make an official announcment on Monday afternoon.

Terry Francona came into town on Friday to interview for the Cleveland Indians job. What initially seemed like a ploy for another player (or in this case, a manager) to use the Indians to get a better job and more money has turned into a legitimate opportunity for a big-time Indians hire. Is the Francona hire a formality, or will the job ultimately go to Sandy Alomar? Find out if it even matters, after the jump...

To celebrate the conclusion of another baseball season, we here at Indians Prospect Insider have decided to give out our picks for the major awards. We kick off things today with the American League Rookie of the Year. In the coming days, IPI will be rolling out our picks for AL/NL MVP, AL/NL Cy Young Award, AL/NL Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Indian, and Least Valuable Indian.