Indians news, features and notes
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- Indians report: Terry Francona receives warm welcome in return to Fenway Park
- Cleveland Indians notebook: Michael Bourn stews over assisted home run
- Indians call up Scott Barnes, move out David Huff from bullpen
- Tigers 11, Indians 7: Ubaldo Jimenez gets rocked; Miguel Cabrera finishes it off with bouncing homer
- Indians: Matchups for upcoming games
- Tigers' win aided by Cabrera's freak home run
- Indians notebook: Nick Swisher expected back from paternity list Friday
- Marla Ridenour: Indians’ strong start might not end with usual fading finish
- Cleveland Indians report: Terry Francona expects emotional return to Boston
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Indians make Michael Bourn signing official
GOODYEAR, Ariz.: The Indians made the signing of Michael Bourn official this morning.
Bourn will make $48 million over four years and can make it $60 million for five with s vesting option. Manager Terry Francona already has said that he will play center field and lead off to take advantage of his speed. Bourn led the National League in steals three times.
HERE IS THE INDIANS RELEASE:
CLEVELAND, OH - The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has signed free agent OF MICHAEL BOURN to a four-year Major League contract with a club option for 2017.
Bourn, 30, owns a career Major League batting average of .272 (820-for-3015) with 125 doubles, 45 triples, 22 home runs and 215 RBI over a 7-year career with Philadelphia, Houston and Atlanta. He has also stolen 276 bases in 340 attempts (81%) and has scored 459 runs in 871 games. The Houston, Texas native is a two-time National League All-Star (2010, 2012) and a two-time recipient of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award (2009, 2010) and led the NL in steals over three straight seasons, 2009-2011, while finishing second in the NL in steals last year.
Since 2008, he leads all Major Leaguers with 257 stolen bases (55 more than the 2nd ranked player & 177 more than any Indians baserunner) and is second over that span in bunt hits (59) and infield hits (175). He has exemplary fielding skills, leading all NL outfielders in putouts (383) in 2012 as he led all National League fielders in Total Zone Runs [1] in both 2010 (25) and 2012 (38)
The left-handed hitter Bourn spent his first full season in Atlanta in 2012, setting career-highs in home runs (9), RBI (57) and walks (70) as he finished second to San Diego’s Everth Cabrera in stolen bases (42). He finished tied for 7th in the entire NL with a 6.0 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) [2] in 2012, 6th in runs scored (96), tied for 5th in triples (10) and tied for 8th in walks (70) while helping lead Atlanta to a NL Wildcard bid. He was selected to the 2012 NL All-Star team after posting the 9th-highest average in the Senior Circuit (.311) and following the season garnred votes in the NL MVP voting (18th place, 6.0 points).
