Cleveland Indians: Ownership willing to spend to win a title

The Cleveland Indians front office has become one not afraid to spend big money, and that is thanks to a new approach from ownership.

Anyone who went to bed early Wednesday night woke up to some great news this morning. The Cleveland Indians acquired Jay Bruce in a trade with the New York Mets to help bolster the outfield.

While Bruce does add depth, he also slots in as an everyday player even when both Michael Brantley and Lonnie Chisenhall are healthy. His 29 home runs and 75 RBI give him the team-lead in both categories, and his slash line of .258/.324/.524 places him among the best hitters on the team.

It was nice to see the Indians make this type of move in general, but the details illustrated just how unique this trade was for Indians fans.

That’s right, the Indians outbid the New York Yankees when money became the determining factor for a deal.

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This year has seen the Indians give Edwin Encarnacion a team-record deal, sign Jose Ramirez to an extension and now take on more salary late in the season to keep the dreams of a World Series title alive.

So much angst has been directed toward the Dolans over the past few decades when it came to not spending money, but that narrative is dead. It will officially be wiped from existence if the Indians offer Francisco Lindor a major extension.

But in the present, trading a low-level prospect for Bruce signaled that even if Brantley and Chisenhall return soon, this team does not want any slip-ups along the way.

Adding a proven talent in Bruce over someone like Tyler Naquin or Daniel Robertson shows the commitment to experience over potential at such a crucial time in this franchise’s history. After coming so close to winning it all a year ago, there is no time to take chances on certain players.

This new style of spending with the best, and outspending the Yankees, is fun for fans to watch. This likely won’t be sustainable for a decade, but fans want a title and ownership realizes one is within reach.

Next: Indians acquire Jay Bruce

Another bonus is seeing fans of both New York teams freak out online over getting outbid by the Indians. If you want a good laugh, check out some responses to the Mets’ Twitter account announcing the trade. You won’t be disappointed.