Bettor Mark strongly criticized Cleveland's offseason move of signing Carlos Santana for a third stint and installing him as the three hitter, a key position in their lineup, calling it one of the worst decisions he's ever witnessed. He mentioned specifically the missed opportunity in failing to secure Paul Goldschmidt, whose ties to the Cleveland area (his wife from Cleveland) made the move logical and cost-effective. He lambasted Cleveland ownership (the Dolans) for spending insufficiently and neglecting the competitive financial strategies used successfully by top-tier franchises such as the Dodgers, Phillies, and Yankees, stating the approach of competing only sporadically with a small payroll is simply unsatisfactory.
