Some Cleveland Indians' contracts are up

Some Cleveland Indians' contracts are up
Tuesday, October 23, 2007Jodie Valade
Plain Dealer Reporter

As his Indians teammates packed up boxes and cleaned out their lockers Monday at Jacobs Field, pitcher C.C. Sabathia strolled up to outfielder Trot Nixon. He swiped Nixon's jersey off a hanger in his locker, handed the outfielder a pen and demanded he sign the back of the uniform.

Sabathia added the signed jersey to his collection, folding the jersey in a box that contained all the autographed memorabilia he has snared this season. He had to ask for Nixon's contribution Monday because Sabathia only collects jerseys from his favorite players - and he wasn't sure when he will see Nixon again.

Nixon is one of a handful of Indians whose contract is up and might not be back next season. Even though the outfielder injected the team with his jovial nature and brash experience in the locker room - as well as invented the postgame pie-in-the-face tradition - he hit .251 while yielding increasing time in right field to promising newcomer Franklin Gutierrez. Nixon declined to speak to reporters Monday.

Kenny Lofton, who was so embraced in his return to the Indians, faces an uncertain future, too. Again. The 40-year-old Lofton has played for eight teams since leaving the Indians the second time in 2002.

"It's not on me," Lofton said. "The situation is never on me. If it was up to me the last eight years, I wouldn't have been in all those different places."

Lofton said of his return to the Tribe: "It was awesome. It was a great experience. The fans get behind you during this time of year. It was awesome."

More uncertainties:

Another handful of Indians have club options: right-hander Paul Byrd, closer Joe Borowski and left-handed reliever Aaron Fultz.

Byrd's option was expected to be picked up, but news of his HGH use from 2002-05 might impact the Indians' decision now.

Borowski's option must be picked up 14 days after the conclusion of the World Series, and he said he expects to hear hints of the Tribe's intention before that. The 36-year-old, who recorded a career-high 45 saves this season, wants to return.

"Who wouldn't?" he said. "This is a first-class organization from top to bottom. It starts with the front office and how they treat people, what they look to bring in. You can't say enough about the team. This is probably the closest group of guys I've ever been around. It'd be a pleasure. I hope I have an opportunity to come back."

Third baseman Casey Blake is eligible for arbitration, but the Indians are expected to work out a deal. The Tribe has not gone to arbitration since 1993.

Still fast:

Lofton had a chance to see a replay of his baserunning in Game 7's seventh inning, when third-base coach Joel Skinner held Lofton at third on Gutierrez's single to right, and the still-speedy outfielder said he would have been safe if sent home. The Indians trailed, 3-2.

"I could have scored," Lofton said. "I use my speed. If a ball's hit to the outfield, I'm going to try to score, regardless of how shallow or whatever a guy's playing. I'm going to try to score. That's just who I am."

Lofton emphasized he had to follow the instructions of Skinner. "There's nothing I can do about it," Lofton said. "That's his decision. I have to listen."

Not again:

Borowski now has the unfavorable distinction of playing on two teams that led 3-1 in a league championship series - and then lost the series. In 2003, Borowski played for the Chicago Cubs, who crumbled to the Florida Marlins.

"At least with the Cubs you knew there was one definitive mark that pretty much decided the series," Borowski said. "And I'm not saying it was the [Steve] Bartman thing, but it was that inning. This is a little tougher to take because I thought we had a fantastic opportunity to advance. It will be a bitter pill to swallow."

ALCS ratings:

Sunday night's Game 7 drew an 11.7 rating, which was 8 percent better than the 10.8 earned by last year's NLCS Game 7 between the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. It was the highest-rated LCS game since 2004.