Since the Indians traded Jake Westbrook last weekend, several sports talk hosts have complained about the Tribe dealing their opening day starter for the third year in a row. Although the front office should be open for criticism based on the team’s record the last three seasons, this one is unfair.
First, Westbrook started the first game in the absence of any better option. Remember, he missed most of the last two seasons with elbow surgery. And as the season went on, it’s become evident that Fausto Carmona is the current staff ace.
The critics point out that if the Indians could have kept both C.C. Sabathia, Cliff Lee, and Westbrook, they would be contenders this season, and for years to come. That’s pretty unrealistic thinking.
Westbrook inked a deal paying him over $10 million per year in 2007. While the merits of that decision has been talked about here (we felt he was overpaid at the time-look it up in the archives), it is doubtful the Tribe could have kept all three hurlers because of the market.
This is not to cry small market as the Dolan family likes to do, however, there is a limit to the payroll any owner can sustain in this market, and I would guess it would be tough for the Tribe to carry $120 million in salaries. That’s probably what would have to happen to keep the two Cy Young Award winners and still have a competitive teams.
The Indians could have done things differently back in the day, but once again, the lack of ability to evaluate talent got in the way. Following the 2006 season, the Indians knew they had three players eligible for free agency following the ’08 season: Sabathia, Westbrook, and Travis Hafner. It should have been easy to say the best player and #1 target of those three was Sabathia.
Westbrook is a solid starter and Hafner, although he had a monster year in 2006, is a DH, which eliminates interest from 16 major league teams.
That means the Tribe should have targeted the big lefthander for a long term deal. Remember, this is before he started his tremendous 2007 campaign. In fact, he was 12-11 with a 3.22 ERA in 28 starts in ’06. Certainly, he would have commanded a big deal, but no where near the $20 million per year he is getting now.
Once, Sabathia won 19 games and the Cy Young in 2007, he was out of the team’s price range.
For all of the credit the Minnesota Twins get for running their franchise in a smaller market, they have bit the bullet on some players and let them go. They dealt Johan Santana because they didn’t feel his price range was in their ballpark, and they let Torii Hunter walk away as well.
However, they kept the two best players in Justin Morneau and hometown boy Joe Mauer.
Would the Tribe future look different if Sabathia was still here for a couple more years and Lee and Victor Martinez were still here, while Westbrook and Hafner were gone? Of course, it would. However, that’s what happens when you make the correct personnel decisions.
Instead, the ownership wanted show they could spend money so they signed the two guys they could sign, not the one they should have signed.
Still, in this market, there is a limit to what the franchise can spend. To be able to win, they need the skill and talent judgment to keep the players that are stars, and not to overpay the ones who aren’t.
KM
Cleveland Sports Perspective 