Hafner ----> We are fortunate

As much as it pains me to think we will lose one of them, I think it would be CC. He is going to want a ton of $$ and a lot of years.

Based on the talent we have coming into our system, my guess is that we can fill in a gap in the rotation better than finding another slugger. AMiller could be a ace type starter. Maybe Lofgren and Lewis could too. Who knows, but I think one of them will develop enough to be a solid one if need be (they may not be Santana, but who is?).

I can't think of a bat in the system who could put up 90% of Hafners output. If we didn't resign him, we could always trade for a power bat, but I don't think the FO really wants to do that either.

Something else to consider is that if we extend C.C., he'll become a five-and-ten guy after 2010.  That substantially increases the chance that we get hamstrung at some point by his contract -- look at the Phillies' situation with Abreu.

Hafner won't be a five-and-ten guy until the end of the 2012 season, presumably at or near the end of any contract extension we'd give him.  That's another factor making him the likelier of the two to be extended.

As long as players don't get a trade veto, it makes sense to lock up almost any premium player to a below-market salary when you can.  I believe Shapiro will make a hard run at locking up Hafner, and probably Sabathia as well.

"You don't just let your two franchise players ...walk away because you're cheap."
If I was a Yankee's or Red Sox fan I'd agree with you, but I'm not.  The Indians just do not have the kind of resources necessary to have that philosophy.  What happened to Thome, Ramirez and Belle, three "franchise players"?  The truth of the matter is that Cleveland Indians economics dictate that we cannot keep franchise players past their first post-arbitration contract.  The Tribe's MO established by Hart in the 90's and continued by Shapiro is to develop good, young players, sign them to longish contracts a year or two before they're eligible for arbitration and let them go after that contract expires.  Hafner and CC are in their post-arbitration contract phase and will probably be gone when that contract expires.

As our history has shown, that's not necessarily a bad thing.  To sign Belle to the kind of contract that the White Sox did, guaranteeing that he would be among the top five paid players in baseball would have been catastrophic for the team's future.  Matching the Red Sox offer to Ramirez would arguably cripple the franchise also.  Thome's Phillie contract would have looked good for the first year and disastrous in the second.  

So given Hafner's history of elbow and back problems and CC's weight (I can't recall a 300 lb+ pitcher pitching into his late 30's) I say: stick with the plan.  Rely on our farm system to develop good young players and use our more valuable veterans to acquire prospects.  The Colon for Lee, Phillips and Sizemore trade is the prototype.  I realize it will be very difficult to duplicate, but that's the kind of FO moves that the Indians will need in the future to stay competitive.

Yeah.  For example, look at average MLB salaries two years ago.

My point exactly!  The Tribe has limited resources and must rely on the skill of their FO to trade expensive veterans for prospects and identity key core players and sign them to 3-6 year deals.  

Thank God Cashman's an idiot, otherwise the Yankees would win the WS every year!

Hillenbrand is a stiff.  We have plenty of right-handed bats.