The Indians dealt another key member of the team over the last five seasons on Friday, moving catcher Yan Gomes to the Washington Nationals for two minor leaguers (the 7th and 8th prospects on Baseball America’s mid season report.
Immediately, the criticism began from the Tribe is cheap faction in fandom. We say let’s see. If the Indians’ payroll is not close to where it was last season, then there is a valid argument.
However, as we have said all along, if Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff want to improve the 2018 Indians, they will need to clear some cash from the books, and that would give them the flexibility to add some players.
The Plain Dealer’s Paul Hoynes said it is difficult to contend while you rebuild, and while we agree in most cases, when you have two of the league’s top ten players in Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez, it is a bit easier.
Gomes will turn 32 next July, so he is past his prime. While still an excellent defensive catcher and handler of a pitching staff, here are his OPS since coming to Cleveland in 2013:
2013: 826
2014: 785
2015: 659
2016: 527
2017: 708
2018: 762
Last season was Gomes’ best offensively since ’14, so logic tells you he was going to slip back a bit in 2019. He’s not a guy who has real strike zone judgment either, his career high in walks being 31 in 2017.
In our opinion, that doesn’t lead to a player sustaining decent offensive numbers as he ages.
With Gomes making $7 million this year and with club options for ’20 ($9 million) and ’21 ($11 million), the brass figured they didn’t want to pay that kind of money for a season that probably won’t be as productive as last, so they dumped his salary.
That doesn’t mean there is a “fire sale” going on, it simply means the Indians are doing what we said they need to do since the off-season began, and that is reallocate the payroll.
They have a lot of money tied up in players who no longer are producing up to the level of their contracts: Edwin Encarnacion ($21.7 million), Jason Kipnis ($14.7 million), and Yonder Alonso ($8 million).
All of these guys are on the other side of 30 years old, and there performance has declined. Let’s say the Indians could manage to trade all three of them, plus Gomes, and that would clear over $51 million in salary, and if they plan to have a payroll close to 2018 level, it gives them a lot to spend.
If they decide to deal a starting pitcher, again, it is a move designed to reallocate funds and also a trade made from strength.
With the emergence of Shane Bieber, and the coming arrival of Triston McKenzie, there may be no better time to move a starter.
We would hate to see Corey Kluber dealt, but he will be 33 in April. If you can move him and get a young hitter and another young pitcher in return, you have to think about it.
You still have Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, Mike Clevinger, Bieber, and you can get another veteran starter with the money you save to hold you over until McKenzie is ready.
Remember too, the three pitchers Cleveland was obtained since the end of the season (Chih-Wei Hu, Walker Lockett, and Jeffy Rodriguez) all have starting experience in AAA.
So, don’t make any rash judgments on what the front office is doing until they are finished. We aren’t someone who think the Dolan ownership does no wrong, but right now, we believe the front office is just moving soon to be dead money in favor of younger players with upside.
And that’s what they should do.
MW
Cleveland Sports Perspective 