It’s not like we didn’t advocate sending Matt LaPorta back to Columbus, in fact we talked about it a couple of weeks ago. The centerpiece of the C.C. Sabathia trade needed to play everyday somewhere, it was just hoped that the Tribe would come to their senses and have it be with the big club.
Alas, and predictably, the front office decided to send him back to the AAA level.
It is probable that LaPorta is there to play on a regular basis so he can be recalled soon, and be put back in the big league lineup to stay, but the way the Indians have handled this kid makes even casual fans shake their heads.
However, the handling of the young right-handed slugger shows how disjointed the Indians’ organization is. They don’t want to admit they are rebuilding, but their fans think they are and that they should be.
There is no interest in this team because there are no exciting players, save for Shin-Soo Choo. If the supporters of the team knew they were seeing future starts such as Carlos Santana, LaPorta, Carlos Carrasco, etc., there would be more interest because if the Tribe is to get back into contention soon, it would be because of those guys.
The management doesn’t want to admit anything because they are afraid it will affect attendance, but haven’t they noticed the growing numbers of empty seats at Progressive Field? Apathy has already taken over, and the front office needs to slap the fans in the face with a bold move.
The move with LaPorta is exactly what Cleveland fans feared would happen when the club signed Russell Branyan. The imagined need to play the strikeout prone slugger is costing the younger player valuable big league experience. And everyone knows it is unlikely that Branyan will be back with the Tribe in 2011.
Cutting loose 2B Mark Grudzielanek is a good first step, even though the veteran did a solid job here. However, a team that is 15 games under .500 having a 40-year-old infielder on the roster is ludicrous. Having Grudzielanek on the opening day roster was something that was questioned here coming out of spring training because he can’t play any other position.
No one is expecting that Anderson Hernandez is going to come in and make an impact for this team, but he does balance the roster in that he’s a true utility guy, capable of playing multiple positions.
Lou Marson is a good defensive catcher, but he’s hitting .193 with a 529 OPS. That’s unacceptable at the big league level. Is this front office seriously telling us that Carlos Santana’s defensive problems are so bad that it would overshadow the impact he could make offensively?
Meanwhile, the fans don’t see anything that interests them. The best hitters on the team are Choo and Austin Kearns, who the team picked up off the scrap heap in the off-season. No one thinks Kearns’ performance is sustainable over the long haul, and in fact, his month of May statistics were pretty pedestrian.
The fans would give the franchise a pass this year if they were rebuilding, but instead they are getting steady doses of Branyan and Peralta. The balance of this season should be about finding out who can play at this level and who can’t. Instead, Tribe supporters are treated to watching a bunch of guys who have proven they aren’t anymore than below average major leaguers.
That’s why there are a lot of green empty seats in Progressive Field.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 