Musings for a Saturday

Tick, Tick, Tick!

The trade deadline is approaching and bringing thoughts into my head:

1.     I  note that at least one blogger has jumped on the Allen Craig bandwagon.  I still like him but he won’t be ready for at least 2-3 weeks and then who knows how good he will be.  As Mark McGwire said, without a solid base you can’t hit.  So Craig is someone I go after if I am a seller, not a buyer, at this point.  Maybe a waiver deal in August?

2.     One other blogger has pointed out that we should go after Mike Morse of Washington.  This, in theory, is a good idea but I imagine there are 5-10 guys (Allen Craig being one of them) who fit this bill.  They are good acquisitions if we are buyers (from non-contenders) or sellers (if we decide WE are non-contenders).  We should be on these types of guys all the time as we have excess in the starting pitcher and reliever areas.

3.     The Indians are in on everyone it seems (and that is a GOOD thing, as it means they are trying) but the guy who makes the least sense to me, is Michael Bourn.  What are we trying to do, construct an outfield or a track team (Brantley, Fukudome and Bourn)?

In the end, as others are catching on, we need to trade for the future at the same time as competing for the present.

Trade for him and put Kinston uniforms on the opponent

If you remember I wanted to draft Tim Melville instead of Trey Haley in the second round of 2008.  Well, so far Melville is better than Haley, but only incrementally.  Melville has been much better in the second half of his second tour in the Carolina League but where he has been REALLY good is against the Kinston Indians, pitching at least 3 games in which he did not give up an earned run, including last night.  I say trade Trey Haley for him and make our opponents wear Kinston uniforms!

Hey, Constanza, get in here!

Hold on!  We are talking Jose and not George.  Jose got his first major league action last night…but not for the Yankees.  He was called up yesterday by the playoff-bound Atlanta Braves and hit leadoff last night.

It is still a mystery to me how the pathetic teams the Indians had the last few years couldn’t have found a spot to give Constanza an extended look…or even a cup of coffee.

But the Indians know better than me and better than the Reds (Phillips) and the Orioles (Guthrie), the Phillies (Coste) and a bunch of other teams who pick up guys we won’t give a shot to.  Meanwhile, we get Shelly Duncan, Travis Buck, Adam Everett and others who are trashed within ½ a season.