It’s not bad enough that the Indians have lost 10 of their last 12 games, including getting shutout in half of their games after the All-Star break. For some reason, the Tribe has decided to spot their opponents a player and will play with 24 guys for awhile. No, the Tribe still has 25 players on the team. But, they have decided that infielder Brandon Phillips will be on the team for instructional purposes, not to play.
Since the Indians are still only three games out of a playoff spot, this type of thinking is stupid. Why not get a player who can help the team win? This is the big leagues! You can’t convince me that it is worth taking up a place on the team so Phillips can be exposed to the Major League staff. What does this say about the coaches you employ in the minors? If the young infielder needs more seasoning, send him back to Class AAA Buffalo and bring up someone who might be able to play and get a base hit.
If Phillips is here because the team is shopping him, his market value is not exactly rising while sitting on the bench. This type of thinking does not exactly sell tickets, which is very much on the mind of Tribe Owner Larry Dolan.
The Indians did make a trade on Monday, sending outfielder Jody Gerut to the Cubs for outfielder Jason Dubois. Although not a blockbuster trade, it’s worth the gamble. Gerut never lived up to the promise of his rookie year, which was not surprising since he never put up numbers like that in the minors. Dubois is a power bat that the team desperately needs. He has had problems making contact in brief major league appearances, but with some consistent at-bats he may develop.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 