Let me start by saying who I am not.  My father was not a sports agent with high profile clients such as Cal Ripken and Eddie Murray.  I did not run a major league farm system, a very successful one, for many years before working my way up the organization to assistant general manager, ultimately taking over that job for a major league baseball team.

 

I also was not an All-American catcher at a very good college baseball program.  I was never drafted by a professional team, and did not work my way up the organizational ladder over time, climaxing with a promotion to the big club.  I also did not have injuries, which hampered my playing career, leading me to change my career path to managing in the minor leagues, which led me to a big league gig.

 

However, I am a fairly knowledgeable baseball fan that has followed the game for over forty years, and considers him to be more than a casual fan.  I certainly don’t think I’m ignorant about the sport.

 

Unfortunately, I am treated like I’m an idiot by Mark Shapiro and Eric Wedge, and I guess by association, by the Dolan family.

 

I’m tired of it.

 

Shapiro says there is no room on the current roster for prospects like Matt LaPorta and Michael Brantley, and even former prospect Andy Marte, who is tearing it up at the Triple A level. 

 

I suggest he look in the following areas:  LF, where Ben Francisco is a below average major league player who shouldn’t be playing everyday.  And 3B, where Jhonny Peralta keeps giving away at bats like candy at Halloween.

 

MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince suggested in his mailbag this week that Peralta keeps playing because the Tribe has him under contract for $4.6 million next season.  That’s nice, he gets to play because of his paycheck, not his production. 

 

When an organization is making decisions on that basis, it’s time for a change.  A big change.

 

Wedge keeps saying he is happy with the lineup he is writing out everyday.  As SNL’s Seth Meyers would say, “REALLY!”  He’s happy that after Travis Hafner bats, opposing pitchers are doing a collective jig on the mound thinking about facing Peralta, Francisco, Jamey Carroll or Luis Valbuena, and Kelly Shoppach?  He cannot be serious.

 

Peralta and Francisco are performing worse than the average major leaguer.  It’s time for them to take a seat next to their great defender, and it’s time to see if there is an in-house alternative.  In fact, it was time for that about a month ago.

 

The Indians’ management’s refusal to make any moves either at the All Star break or before this nine game road trip is telling the fans that they don’t care about this season anymore.  That’s the wrong message to send for a team that bases its payroll on attendance.  Why should we care if you don’t?

 

Now comes word that the Indians tried to deal its best hitter, Victor Martinez, to Boston for a pitching prospect, and that the ballclub is talking to other teams about trading Cliff Lee before the July 31^st trading deadline.  It would be the second straight year Shapiro dealt a Cy Young Award winner. 

 

Trading both of these guys would be the icing on the cake for the most ardent of fans.  Isn’t it about time this franchise kept its good players?  The apologists will point out the signings of Jake Westbrook and Travis Hafner, but Westbrook is not an elite pitcher, and Pronk was suffering through a tough season when he inked his contract.

 

Yesterday, they traded their most consistent relief pitcher over the last few years, Rafael Betancourt, for a 23-year-old starter in Class A ball.  Connor Graham, the righthander picked up from Colorado in the deal was not ranked among the Rockies top ten prospects.  Perhaps Shapiro’s success getting players from other organizations will work here; otherwise, a team with severe bullpen issues got rid of one of their better arms.

 

I understand that lopping Betancourt’s $5.5 million option for 2010 is probably a smart move.  He’s a reliable reliever, but not worth that type of cash.  However, with the other rumors swirling around baseball, it comes across as a salary dump, particularly because you are getting back a 23 year old A ball hurler.  (NOTE:  Baseball Prospectus.com’s Christina Kahrl loves the trade for the Tribe.)

 

The most galling thing about the Indians front office and manager is their smugness, their attitude that whatever they are doing is the right thing, and outsiders are all idiots.  Shapiro and Wedge have overseen one post-season appearance in seven seasons, so maybe, just maybe they should be open to suggestions. 

 

In terms of sports, the opposite of fandom isn’t hate for the team, it’s apathy.  The fans of the Cleveland Indians are headed toward that direction.  When season ticket sales drop this winter, they should be surprised when they lose some customers.

 

KM

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers needed to improve their team after being eliminated in the Eastern Conference finals by the Orlando Magic.  A tough task, considering the wine and gold went 66-16 during the regular season, and swept through the first two series of the playoffs.  Although the off-season still has a little over two months remaining, it appears that GM Danny Ferry is well on the way to achieving his goal.

 

The Cavs needed to get longer and more athletic, and it appears they have with the trade for Shaquille O’Neal, and the signings of free agents Anthony Parker and possibly Jamario Moon.  Let me ask you this, would you trade Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, and Wally Szczerbiak for the trio of O’Neal, Parker, and Moon?  Of course you would.

 

Indeed, the Cavaliers are more athletic.  Imagine a lineup of Shaq in the middle, LeBron James at power forward, Moon at the three spot, and Parker and West in the backcourt.  There will not be a lot of open perimeter shots with that group on the floor.  And that’s what killed Cleveland in the Orlando series, the inability to cover the Magic’s three point shooters.

 

Moon, assuming the Heat do not match the order, is a better rebounder and defender that both Pavlovic and Szczerbiak, something you know Mike Brown likes a lot. 

 

However, with Parker and possibly Moon on the roster, it likely means that Delonte West will be getting more time at the point guard spot.  What does this mean for Daniel Gibson, whose production fell off last season, in terms of playing time?  It doesn’t seem Gibson has a meaningful spot on this team, especially with Parker and Moon being pretty good three point shooters.

 

It would not be surprising to see Ferry make another move with Gibson as the trading piece. 

 

The team also will probably have to replace Joe Smith, whose delusional agent is looking for a three-year contract.  Smith’s minutes could go to second year men J.J. Hickson and Darnell Jackson, who at times looked good in their rookie campaigns.  They are a younger alternative, which with O’Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas being in the rotation, is badly needed.

 

The only thing left for the front office is to offer the contract extension to James, which he will most probably turn down, and perhaps find another athletic big man, another veteran who can defend inside would be nice, and a third alternative at the point, besides Williams and West.

 

They didn’t do it with big splashes outside of getting Shaq, but certainly the Cleveland Cavaliers are a better team than the one eliminated by Orlando.  However, the Eastern Conference as a whole is much better than it was in 2008-09.  It will be a tougher road for the 2009-10 edition of the wine and gold.

 

JK

 

Two weeks ago, when Tribe GM Mark Shapiro decided to keep his manager and coaching staff in place for the rest of the season, he painted himself into a corner.  With Eric Wedge now on notice that his job was in jeopardy, it is very likely the stubborn skipper will now go with the tried and true for the balance of the season in an effort to save his job.  While the fans and many of the baseball intellegencia would like to see some younger blood in the lineup, it is doubtful that will occur.

 

This means a return to the leadoff spot for Grady Sizemore, Asdrubal Cabrera hitting second (Wedge was quoted as saying it was a great combination in 2007), and sticking with non-producers like Ben Francisco and Jhonny Peralta.  Someone has to put an end to this, and soon because the Indians grow unwatchable day by day.

 

Instead of looking at players who may or may not help the 2010 edition of the Cleveland Indians, we continue to see the same players who contributed to the team being 21 games below the .500 mark.  And this, of course, is the true mule-like part of Wedge.  Doesn’t he realize that he’s not winning with these guys?

 

Look at Sunday’s lineup.  We knew that Travis Hafner wasn’t going to play to rest his shoulder, so who would replace him in the lineup?  Perhaps Chris Gimenez would get a chance to get some at bats against Seattle southpaw Eric Bedard?  No.  The manager pulled out his tried and true option of playing whiff machine Kelly Shoppach behind the plate with speedster Ryan Garko patrolling the outfield, a move that helps neither the offense and defense. 

 

It just makes you want to shake your head.

 

Yesterday, it was reported by Paul Hoynes that Wedge has changed his tune slightly on Andy Marte, who is having a great year at Columbus.  The manager is now considering using the former top prospect, who still is just 25 years old, at…drum roll, please…FIRST BASE!  This coincides with his theory that everyone needs to play that position.  Plus, it keeps Peralta in the lineup and removes Garko, who is swinging the bat better than the current third baseman.

 

Marte is hitting .320 with 14 HR and 57 RBI and a 917 OPS thus far in the International League, by far the best he has ever done at that level.  It has been reported that Jon Nunnally, the Clippers’ hitting coach, shortened his swing, accounting for the improvement.  Despite his past failures, he deserves the opportunity to see if the change will work at the big league level.  His age indicates his career is far from over.  With Peralta struggling, he should get an everyday look at the hot corner.

 

Also, Matt LaPorta, the centerpiece of the C.C. Sabathia deal last year, is also hitting well at Columbus, batting .310 with 11 HR and 44 RBI and a 919 OPS.  LaPorta can play LF, which is currently manned by the underachieving Francisco, who by the way, has knocked in seven runs since June 1st.  Keep in mind, Shin-Soo Choo drove in that many in one game!  LaPorta’s presence in AAA is one of the great mysteries of people who watch the player development programs throughout baseball. 

 

These moves may be made before the Tribe heads to Toronto for a series starting tomorrow night.  However, if Marte and LaPorta get called up, will they play?  That’s the million dollar question for Eric Wedge, who is desparately trying to win as many games as he can by the end of the season.

 

MW 

 

 

 

The second half of the 2009 baseball season starts tonight, at least symbolically since the Indians have already played 89 games this season.  More importantly for the Tribe, the trading deadline is just 15 days away.  Will more players be going prior to this deadline, and if so, who should be dealt away?

 

There are some players who are fairly obvious candidates to go, they being the players who are free agents at the end of this season:  Jamey Carroll and Carl Pavano.  Carroll would have some value to a team looking for a utility infielder, as he is a solid defensive player and has a high on base percentage.  He also has some speed. 

 

Pavano has pitched better than anyone could have expected, especially after his disastrous first start in Texas, when he gave up nine runs in one inning of work.  The veteran right-hander would be a nice addition to a contender looking for a back of the rotation starter.  Also, remember that Pavano has post-season experience with the Marlins in 2003.

 

There have been many rumors about the availability of two players who can be free agents following the 2010 season, Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez.  The Indians will tell you neither will be traded, but if they don’t think Lee will sign after next season, they should consider dealing last year’s Cy Young Award winner. 

 

Why?  Because they will get more in a deal now than they will at next year’s trading deadline because the team that gets him will have his services for an entire year in addition to the last two months of this season.  However, you would have to get a major league pitcher in return, preferably someone younger and with potential.  The Tribe would also have to get at least two top tier prospects.  If they can’t get that in return, then they should pass on dealing him for now.

 

Martinez has expressed interest in staying and I would talk to him and his agent to see how serious he is about signing a long-term deal.  Martinez is the one guy I would portray as a professional hitter in the Tribe lineup.  His long-term future probably isn’t behind the plate, particularly with Carlos Santana on the way, but he could fit in at 1B or DH when Travis Hafner’s contract expires. 

 

No matter what, Martinez is a talent worth holding on to.

 

The other players I would consider moving would be Ryan Garko, Jhonny Peralta, and Kelly Shoppach though I don’t know what kind of market there is for these guys.  Garko has been the guy who has been jerked around by management over the years, but he is a 1B/DH type who doesn’t show outstanding power.  With Martinez around, and guys like Matt LaPorta, Beau Mills, and Nick Weglarz (who likely will wind up at first) all on the horizon, the future for Garko in Cleveland isn’t looking bright.

 

Peralta might be an even tougher sell, although he has a better track record.  I doubt there would be any buyers as a shortstop because his defensive shortcomings are well documented, and he hasn’t shown enough at the hot corner to have a team completely sold he can play there on an everyday basis.  This much is clear, Peralta most definitely needs a change of scenery to jump start his career.

 

The Tribe owes it to themselves to take another look at Andy Marte, who I may remind you is just 25 years old.  Marte is hitting better than he ever has at the Class AAA level, and he has always been a solid defensive third baseman.  The organization also has Wes Hodges (a defensive liability) and 2008 #1 pick, Lonnie Chisenhall in the pipeline.  Chisenhall is having a very good year at Kinston, and should be moved to Akron soon.  Scouts have commented about his smooth swing from the left side.  And he will turn 21 this October.

 

Shoppach had what appears to be a career year last season, and quite frankly doesn’t make contact frequently enough to be an effective offensive player on an everyday basis.  He’s a solid defensive catcher, and handles pitchers well enough, so with the paucity of good catchers at the big league level, he should draw some interest.  Plus, Shoppach makes an estimated $3 million next season, so moving his salary would also be something that would interest the ownership.

 

 A wild card to all of the trade speculation is Kerry Wood.  Wood has not had a lot of work, but he has been a disappointment so far this season.  Wood is under contract for at least one more season, and quite possibly two years depending on how many games he finishes.  He may be in demand by a contender at the deadline, and you would have to consider a deal if you can get some starting pitching in return, especially after the acquisition of Chris Perez as a possible closer down the line.

 

The front office has said there is no opportunity to see the team’s top prospects at the big league level unless trades are made for players currently on the roster, so one would have to believe GM Mark Shapiro is trying to get some things done.  If not, it looks like more of what we saw in the first half of this dreadful campaign.

 

KM

 

The Cleveland Indians are 19 games below the break-even point going into the All Star break.  That is the most important number regarding this ballclub.  However, looking at some other statistics there are some other remarkable numbers that stand out. 

 

·          Victor Martinez leads the Indians with 34 extra base hits.  Shin-Soo Choo is second with 32, but Grady Sizemore is third with 30, despite having 45 less at bats than the two players ahead of him.  Sizemore’s slugging percentage ranks 4^th on the team.

 

·          The team leader in slugging percentage is Travis Hafner at .556 in only 135 at bats.  This shows that if and when Hafner is in the lineup, he most definitely is still a productive hitter.  He has also drawn 20 walks compared to 25 strikeouts on the year.

 

·          Luis Valbuena has more extra base hits in 155 at bats (18) than Ryan Garko has in 208 at bats (17).  Valbuena shows good pop for a middle infielder, but Garko’s total for a 1B/DH player is horrible.  Hafner has 18 extra base hits in 135 at bats.

 

·          Just about everyone agrees that Ben Francisco has had an awful year with the bat.  However, his OPS of 714 is higher than that of Jhonny Peralta’s 710.  Kelly Shoppach is worse than both of them at 697.

 

·          Choo leads the Indians in both walks (54, tied for 4^th in the AL) and strikeouts (85, tied for 7^th in the AL).

 

·          Martinez is the only other Tribesman in the top 25 in the Junior Circuit in walks, while both Peralta and Sizemore join Choo in the top 25 in strikeouts.

 

·          As a team, Cleveland ranks 5^th in the league in runs scored, 4^th in walks, and 3^rd in striking out.

 

·          The Indians designated Matt Herges for assignment with an ERA of 3.55.  In the last few weeks, they have added Chris Perez (12.46 ERA), Winston Abreu (10.80 ERA), and Jose Veras (5.68 ERA) to the roster.

 

·          Rafael Perez ranks 2^nd on the Indians in appearances with 31, behind only Kerry Wood’s 34 games pitched.  He has appeared in this many games despite having an ERA of 8.88.

 

·          Cliff Lee (6.7) and Carl Pavano (5.9) are the only Indian starters who average more than 5-1/2 innings per start this season.  And you wonder why the Tribe bullpen is taxed?

 

·          The biggest difference on the staff in comparing hits to innings pitched (less hits than innings) belongs to Tony Sipp, who has pitched all of 13 innings this year, allowing just five hits.  The next best figure belongs to Rafael Betancourt, who has pitched 28-2/3 frames allowing 24 hits.

 

·          The only starter who has allowed fewer hits than innings pitched is Aaron Laffey, who has pitched 40 innings and has allowed 39 hits.  Of course, the southpaw has walked 21, while striking out just 20 batters.

 

·          The only relievers who have a strikeout to walk ratio of better that 2 to 1 are Betancourt, Jensen Lewis (who allowed nine homers in 39 innings), and the aforementioned Herges, who couldn’t find a place in this bullpen.

 

·          Raise your hand if you thought Pavano would have almost 23% of the Indians wins (8 out of 35) at the All Star break.

 

Looking at these numbers, I’m very happy the front office has decided to ride this thing out through the end of the year.

 

MW

 

It was one week ago that Indians’ GM Mark Shapiro said that Eric Wedge’s job is safe at least through the rest of the season.  The ballclub responded by losing its next three contests, and four out of six overall.  Obviously, the constant talk about the skipper’s job status was affecting the team’s play, because now that they knew what was happening, they relaxed…and played exactly the same way they have all year long.

 

Wedge’s status is temporary, because I can’t see any scenario where the Dolan family signs off on another year of this manager and his coaching staff.  By the end of the year, it is likely that Wedge will have a below .500 career record with only two winning seasons on his seven year term.  Not even his most ardent supporter, which is Shapiro, can argue with those results. 

 

Now that the manager’s status has been cleared up, can this organization look forward to 2010?  In some regards they have, and in others, let’s just say it’s a little frightening how they think.

 

For a team whose bullpen has been awful this season, it would seem odd to deal the most reliable reliever you’ve had for the past five seasons.  However, that’s what the Indians might do because of Rafael Betancourt’s $5 million option for 2010.  Outside of an off year in 2008, Betancourt has been the model of consistency since being called up in 2003.  If the Dolans want to cut salary, then deal players who are unproductive.  Year in and year out, Rafael Betancourt has been one of the better set up men in baseball.  Why don’t the Indians trade someone like…

 

Jhonny Peralta, who has been a underachiever for much of his time here since his breakout season in 2005. The Plain Dealers’ Terry Pluto wrote what he have advocated for a month now, that Peralta should be moved and he is more tradable because he is under contract through 2010.  Yes, the Tribe mishandled him this year, as he should have been moved to 3B in spring training, but Peralta fails in the mental part of the game.  He is slow to make adjustments, and has appeared listless when things are going bad.

 

Besides, it’s time to give Andy Marte another look.  I was as down on Marte as everyone else after last season, but he is hitting better than he ever has in AAA ball, and deserves another look.  Remember, he still is only 25 years old. 

 

Hopefully, the team will bring up Matt LaPorta and perhaps Michael Brantley as well, and allow them to play the bulk of the time with the rest of this season being dedicated to ’10.  There is no need to continue to play Ryan Garko in the outfield, as he compromisizes the defense too much.  Also, Ben Francisco has shown he’s not an every day player, and the team needs to find a regular LF for next season.  With the pitching staff the Indians have this season, defense has to be a priority, particularly in the outfield.

 

I would also like to see Hector Rondon get a look as well.  I’m sure the front office is going to limit Rondon to about 160 innings this season, and I would like to see him get a start or two before the September call ups and more teams are playing out the string.

 

Let’s stop playing guys who’ve been given numerous chances without producing.  That’s what the rest of this season is all about.  Start finding answers for what went wrong in 2009.

 

KM

 

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers made a big splash the day of the NBA draft by picking up Shaquille O’Neal in a trade with the Phoenix Suns.  They added another all star to their lineup without giving anything significant in return.  Now, the big name free agents are signing all over the league, and seemingly the wine and gold remain idle.  Should fans be concerned?

 

Remember that the Cavs went 66-16 last season, so a major rebuilding project was not needed.  The team needed an inside presence both on offense and defense, and that’s why O’Neal was brought in.  Adding a big ticket free agent would have brought more big headlines, but it wouldn’t have made a huge difference in the teams’ win-loss record.

 

So, GM Danny Ferry sat back and waiting for lower priced players who will help the squad with the weaknesses that showed up against Orlando, that is, a big man who can play on the perimeter, and more size in the backcourt.  That’s why he went after Anthony Parker, who the team coveted for several years.

 

Parker is been around for awhille, a veteran of the European league before spending the last few years with the Raptors.  He is a solid defender, and at 6-6, gives the backcourt some much needed size.  He is also a good threat from beyond the three point arc.  Much like Mo Williams, he has been a thorn in the side of the wine and gold for quite some time.

 

The Cavs also kept Anderson Varajao, keeping the youngest player in the frontcourt rotation for the next six seasons.  Varajao has emerged as one of the NBA’s best defensive big men, and he moves without the ball well enough to be the recipient of many a LeBron James pass for easy baskets.  With the addition of O’Neal, the wine and gold front court has some age.  Keeping Varajao was essential not only for next season, but for the future as well.

 

So, the only move left for Ferry is getting a "stretch" big man to defend the Rashard Lewis types that play the power forward spot.  That spot could go to Channing Frye, a former #1 pick with the Knicks, who has had injury problems the past few years.  Remember, the Cavs aren’t getting Frye to play major minutes.  He would be a role player, so there isn’t a need to spend big cash.

 

Also, remember this.  At this point last year, the Williams trade hadn’t occurred yet. 

 

Perhaps the most important move remaining for the wine and gold is finding a replacement for assistant coach John Kuester, who appears to be the next head coach of the Detroit Pistons.  Coach Mike Brown’s weakness has been offense, and the attack cannot go back to the stagnant one that was run before last season.  With James and O’Neal on board, there is definitely pressure to have an efficient offense, one that can go deep into the playoffs, and can succeed against excellent defenses.

 

JK

 

On Sunday night, June 14^th, Cliff Lee took a no-hitter into the eighth inning of a game against the St. Louis Cardinals.  Since that 3-0 victory, the Cleveland Indians have lost 13 out of 15 games.  Obviously, the season has gone south since then, and right now nothing is going right for this team.  Here are some comments about this ballclub—

 

·          One of the things that is said to support manager Eric Wedge is that his team never quits.  Watching this team since the Mark DeRosa deal on Saturday night, that can no longer be used as an argument.  The Indians have gone through the motions since the deal was made.

 

·          Did anyone else find the note left by DeRosa to Ryan Garko interesting?  He told Garko to “keep grinding”.  Was this a jab at Wedge and his mantra?  And if so, does it mean that the veterans on this team finding the managers’ clichés tired and played out?

 

·          GM Mark Shapiro apparently doesn’t like comparisons to the Tribe teams of the 90’s.  Too bad!  Do you think the Yankees’ Brian Cashman likes hearing about not winning a World Series since 2000?  Shapiro has it easy here from both the fans and the media.  He needs to quit making excuses and take action to put together a contending team.

 

·          That said, it is ludicrous to say the GM is living off the Bartolo Colon trade.  Doesn’t anyone remember he traded for Asdrubal Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo?  I also think Luis Valbuena will be a good player down the road.

 

·          Is Wedge incapable of changing an opinion about a player?  Let’s use Josh Barfield as an example.  Barfield was given the 2B job in 2007, and couldn’t hold it, forcing the call up of Asdrubal Cabrera.  It seems Barfield will never be given an opportunity again from the current manager.  It’s the same with Rafael Perez.  He was the lights out southpaw out of the bullpen for the past two years, and he continues to be put into tight situations despite his struggles this year.

 

·          It’s crazy that the reliever with the second most appearances on the team (R. Perez) has an ERA of over 9.00 for the season.

 

·          Do we really need to see more of Ben Francisco and Kelly Shoppach?  I understand Shoppach catches Cliff Lee, but why doesn’t Victor Martinez catch the rest of the time?  As for Francisco, if you’re not Andy Sonnanstine, he can’t hit you.

 

·          Chris Gimenez had two hits on Monday playing LF, and didn’t play on Tuesday against a southpaw.  Why?

 

·          Don’t look now, but this team is on pace to lose 100 games!  Even the biggest critic of the Indians’ management would not have figured that. 

 

·          The Tribe’s handling of their prospects should also be questioned.  With Columbus pitching Kirk Saarloos, Jack Cassel, and Ken Ray on a regular basis, can anyone explain why Hector Rondon is still at Akron?  Or why Lonnie Chisenhall is still at Akron?  Or why Nick Weglarz is still at Akron.  Rondon pitched well in spring training, and he should be at Class AAA by now with all the pitching problems this organization has had.

 

All in all, this has developed into a huge mess.  Sure, it’s not all Eric Wedge’s fault, but I believe his handling of the bullpen contributes to the poor performance.  Still, how can the Dolans expect the fans of this team to watch another 80 games or so with the team playing like it has over the past three weeks. 

 

Tribe fans deserve better.  Whether or not they get it is up to management.

 

MW

 

The Indians’ trade of Mark DeRosa was another case of the team trading a potential free agent for prospects.  Chris Perez is a power arm out of the bullpen, a 24-year-old right-hander who has the ability to make hitters swing and miss.  DeRosa was acquired by the team knowing he was going to be a free agent at the end of this season. 

 

However, it brings into question how the Indians deal with potential free agents, and do they make the correct decisions in regards to which ones to keep?

 

A few years ago, the Tribe knew three key components were about to be free agents after the 2008 season:  C.C. Sabathia, Jake Westbrook, and Travis Hafner.  As of the end of the 2006 season, these three players represented the team’s best power hitter, the ace of the pitching staff, and a solid #3 or #4 starter. 

 

A staff ace is the most important thing on a pitching staff, and remember, this was before Cliff Lee emerged as a top of the rotation starter.  At this point, Lee was a solid #2 or #3 starting pitcher, and had combined for 32 wins over the past two seasons (2005 & 2006).  Still, the management chose to hold off on signing Sabathia, and instead focused their attentions on Hafner and Westbrook, who they deemed to be more signable.

 

Did the Indians try to ink the big lefty to a multiyear deal after the 2006 season, before his Cy Young Award season the following year?  Only C.C. and his agent can vouch for the legitimacy of any offer.  However, it was clear that Sabathia was coming into his own, and would have signed for much less than he received from the Yankees following his 2008 campaign.

 

Instead, the Indians turned their attention to Westbrook, and inked the sinkerballer to a three-year contract extension.  Once again, this is not to denigrate Westbrook, but he’s an innings eater who will have years where he is very good, and also years where he is mediocre.  Could the $10 million or so given to Westbrook have been used to sweeten the proposal for Sabathia after he won the ’07 Cy Young Award? 

 

The Tribe signed Hafner while he was struggling during the 2007 season.  There is a limited market for Pronk because he is a designated hitter, which eliminates all of the National League teams.  Also, the large market teams all have DH’s, like Boston (David Ortiz), New York (Hideki Matsui), and Los Angeles (Vlade Guerrero).

 

It is clear that Sabathia was the free agent to keep out of that trio, and that should have been determined after the 2006 season.  If he was not at all interested in signing a long-term deal after the ’06 season, then the Tribe should have traded him, and they would have received more than the prospects they received when dealing him last season.  This is because the club trading for him would have had him for two years guaranteed.

 

I’m rehashing all of this because of the rumors that Cliff Lee is on the trading block.  I understand that it would have been a huge gamble signing the lefty to a long-term deal after last season because he was coming off a terrible 2007 season.  However, Lee has shown that last year was not a fluke, and he is indeed one of the better pitchers in the major leagues.

 

This organization has to change the way they handle potential free agents, particularly with elite players.  Victor Martinez and Grady Sizemore are both getting close to their free agency years, and the front office needs to deal with both of these guys at least two years before their current contracts end.  Talking to them a year before their deal ends is too close in terms of time.  The players figure they went that far already, they might as well see the process through.

 

Would this team be better off with Sabathia instead of Westbrook, the latter’s elbow injury notwithstanding?  Of course, they would.  However, Shapiro attacked the free agent he had the best chance of signing.  It’s more of the unwillingness to take a risk that has hampered the organization.

 

Trading Cliff Lee would be another blow to the fans of the Cleveland Indians.  However, if Lee and the Tribe can’t get close to a deal in the off-season, then the ’08 Cy Young Award winner should be dealt before the beginning of the ’10 season in order to get major league talent, not prospects, in return. 

 

The Dolans want to review the entire organization?  The Indians’ fans already have, and they will be voicing their opinion by staying away from Progressive Field.

 

KM

 

The Cleveland Indians made the first move in what is becoming its annual fire sale, dealing Mark DeRosa to the St. Louis Cardinals for reliever Chris Perez and the infamous player to be named later.  This leaves the disappointing Jhonny Peralta, whom Eric Wedge went out of his way to praise after Friday night’s game, as the regular third baseman.  Things just keep looking up for the Tribe.

 

DeRosa was mishandled from the moment the Indians acquired him.  When GM Mark Shapiro traded for him, most people thought the former Cub would play 2B with Asdrubal Cabrera going to shortstop and Peralta going to third.  However, as usual, the Indians were smarter, putting DeRosa at third, where he had some defensive issues.

 

When they finally moved Peralta to third, it left DeRosa without a spot in the infield.  Over the past month or so, he spent most of his time in LF or RF.  However, he was still productive with the bat, hitting .270 with 13 homers (2nd on the team) and 50 RBI (also 2nd on the team). 

 

In return, the Indians get a power arm out of the bullpen in Perez, who will turn 24 this week.  The relief corps is the achilles heel for Cleveland, so from the standpoint of upgrading a weakness, it’s not a bad move.  It will be interesting to see who will be erased from the ‘pen when Perez reports tomorrow, especially after Jensen Lewis was sent back to Columbus to make room for Jose Veras.  The easy way out would be to send Tony Sipp back, but it terms of effectiveness, Rafael Perez or Joe Snith should be the one that goes.

 

Cabrera was activated to replace DeRosa on the roster which means the team has a million infielders and no outfielders.  Ryan Garko is playing LF today, and no one wants to see that on an extended basis.  So, who is going to replace DeRosa in left?  Will Matt LaPorta be brought up?  Or will it be Michael Brantley?  The ballclub cannot continue to put Ben Francisco in that spot on an everyday basis.  He has proven he is not an everyday player.

 

Again, dealing DeRosa was the easy way out.  Wedge can talk up Peralta all he wants, but dealing DeRosa will make it harder for this team to score runs.  Peralta simply has not become the player he was projected to be after his breakout 2005 season.  It’s four years later, and we still see the same ups and downs you would associate with a guy just up from the minor leagues. 

 

The front office is selling yet another season down the river, and the general manager’s staunch defense of his manager is getting tiring.  The Cavaliers made a bold move this week trying to win a championship, meanwhile the Indians are considering having a meeting to discuss the organization.  The White Sox’ Ozzie Guillen is right, meetings are for losers.  And so is trading for prospects.

 

MW