Last year, the Cleveland Indians fell short in their bid for Carlos Beltran.

It was seen as an absolute joke that the Indians could offer someone, like Beltran, more money than a team like St. Louis and they still couldn't sign him. If the Indians of all teams can't out-bid a team for someone, who can they sign?

The reasoning for Beltran was quite simple. He got to be on a contending team that had an outstanding chance to not only win a division or a wild card spot, but go all the way. Beltran was after the ring, not a few extra bucks at the expense of being on a team that could possibly trade him at midseason, probably to a destination he had no choice in going to.

The other crusher for the Indians in last year's Hot Stove League was the negotiations with Josh Willingham. The Indians were hesitant to offer a third year to Willingham. The Twins did, so he went there. Both players would have been great additions to the Tribe's lineup.

So now that brings us to here, the point where the Indians are trying to set their sights on an outfielder for their 2013. It is an obvious need and one they are trying really hard to address.

It brings us to this year's subject, Shane Victorino.

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As the sun rises on the North Coast to begin another chilly Lazy Sunday here in the offseason, we have a little bit of actual baseball news to digest with our morning coffee. The 40-man rosters are set around baseball, players have been DFA’d and added, and Rule 5 speculation has begun. I’m on the record believing that the Rule 5 draft is one of the more overrated spectacles in baseball, and the main reason that there’s so much attention is simply that there’s very little else going on in the baseball world at that time. Still, the Indians are more likely to lose a player than select one when that day does roll around, as after a few moves their 40-man roster is completely full. I doubt the Indians lose anyone, but I’m bracing myself for the inevitable Jesus Aguilar-David Ortiz comparisons if the big first baseman is selected. At any rate, the free agent dominos and the snowflakes are beginning to fall here in December, so let’s kick back on a Lazy Sunday and look at some links…

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BJ Upton’s five-year, $75.25 million deal signed this past week was yet another reminder of why the Indians can’t afford nice things. The amazing thing about the current state of Major League Baseball is that $15 million per season is market value for Upton. Yes, BJ Upton, off a season in which he batted .246 with an on-base percentage below .300, got a long-term deal worth over $15 million per season and, yet, it’s perfectly justifiable. If you want to understand why baseball economics are so flawed, this deal is a pretty good starting point.

As I said, that is market value for Upton. It’s not really up to me to decide if this deal is right or wrong, but that’s the going rate for a player of Upton’s skill set and value. He has stolen 30 or more bases each of the last four seasons. In spite of a batting average hovering in the .240s, Upton has posted an average OBP of .316 over the last four seasons. Not an elite figure by any means, but considering his batting average, a nice achievement. His power numbers have increased each of the last four years and he is a solid defensive player, in spite of a less than stellar 2012 season defensively.

That would make Upton the Indians highest paid player by around $7M (estimated arbitration award for Shin-Soo Choo is just shy of $8M). If this doesn’t explain why it’s really hard to win in baseball without abundant financial resources, I’m not sure what will. This is not an indictment on the Atlanta Braves, who opted for Upton instead of Michael Bourn, who may be more valuable at a similar price. It’s an indictment of the system as a whole – a system that sets small market teams up for failure.

Every offseason, we, as Indians fans, are stuck watching the developments around us and getting more and more depressed about our chances of being any kind of consistent contender. Another one of those dreadful periods in Indians fandom will likely happen next week as the Winter Meetings take place in Nashville, TN from December 3-6. Representatives of all 30 MLB teams convene to discuss pertinent issues with Major League Baseball, or so they say. It’s probably just a lot of Maker’s Mark drinking and bullshitting about baseball, while talking trades and taking jabs at each other. AKA, I’d love to be there.

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Next week is going to be a big week in baseball... In case you didn't know.

The Winter Meetings get underway on the 3rd of December. Usually that short span of three days spurs lots of discussion, rumors, and conversations. With everyone under one roof, discussions are had, names are thrown about, and deals are sometimes agree upon. Both of the free agent signing type and trades between two or more teams.

The last time the Indians were involved in a big winter swing was when they dealt Franklin Gutierrez in the big trade that sent J.J. Putz to New York and also netted the Indians Joe Smith and everyone's favorite little baby guy, Luis Valbuena.

That wasn't THAT big, but you know, it was really a big swap of players that the Tribe was involved in. 

Could the Indians get in the mix this year? With guys like Choo, Perez, and the interest Asdrubal Cabrera has generated, they could. Is it likely? Eh. The setting always makes for an easier time to deal because of the face-to-face discussions and negotiations you can have with your counterpart, but it doesn't ALWAYS mean a big deal will happen or a certain player gets dealt.

It all depends on what teams will want to give the Indians for the services of those players and if the Indians deem it beneficial to pull the trigger.

And if you are expecting a free agent signing? Keep expecting, okay?

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