Looking back at the Indians’ 2012 offseason

The 2012 season was a total disaster for the Cleveland Indians. It came before the rise of Corey Kluber and the rest of the pitching staff, when Francisco Lindor was a baby-faced 18-year-old in High-A. The Jason Kipnis-led Indians went 68-94 that year, tied for the second fewest wins they have had in any season this century.

Zach McAllister led the starting rotation with a 4.24 ERA. Ubaldo Jimenez was paid $4.2 million to give up 33 home runs. A particularly awful second half led to Manny Acta’s firing. The glow of the CC-Hafner-Sizmore years was long gone. The Indians were a franchise in trouble.

There were some bright spots, like Kipnis himself having a solid 3.4 fWAR season and Carlos…