Designate Jordan Brown? With toads like Joe Martinez, Jayson Nix and Shelley Duncan still on the roster? This is like a scene out of the first "Major League" movie!
Now, the Indians may know something that I don't. That is, that Jordan Brown will pass through waivers easily and have to accept his unneeded 12th trip to AAA. The only question left then is why not give him an extended shot in the majors instead of going through this BS?
Face it, these people are either the shrewdest basball people in the world or stubborn, flailing idiots.
Given that we have lost in the 90s of games the last two years and they have, essentially, traded for Joe Martinez, a standard toad of a LHP and designated Jordan Brown to make room for him AND continue to keep Nix and Duncan on this roster, I have to go with idiots.
So, the big moves this winter so far are: (a) lose Josh Rodriguez in the Rule 5 while keeping Nix and
(b) Designate Jordan Brown to bring back Austin Kearns and Joe Martinez.
One thing for Shapiro. He WON'T be dictated to. No matter how many MVPs and batting titles a guy has won, it doesn't mean squat to old Mark and his henchman Antonneti. Damn it, if they want to play AAAA trash at every position and diss, and probably lose, real prospects doing it, NO ONE is going to dicate to them that they can't do that.
Idiots! Now let the FO supportive bloggers begin their butt kissing!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Winter ball stats downunder and more
You can find a lot of the stats for Indians' players at the MLB.com link:
http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/org.jsp?id=cle
It even lists Trent Baker playing in the Australian Baseball League. However, you may not know that other Indians prospects are playing in the Australia for Brisbane. The Indians prospects on that team include:
Ryan Battaglia C
Mitch Nilsson C
Andrew Campbell 2B
Martin Cervenka, the Eastern European catcher they signed a couple of years ago is not on one of those teams which is not surprising as he is probably back in Europe attending high school.
The neat thing about the Australian league is that it is actually their professional league (see the information about the separate MLB academy program below). A number of the guys on those teams were actually born in the '80s and a few in the '70s.
If you are interested on how the above prospects are doing this winter, here's a link to the stats for the Brisbane Bandits:
http://web.theabl.com.au/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l595&t=t_ibp&cid=4065
One more point:
The Australian professional league that occurs in our winter (their summer) is not like the MLB Academy program (MLBAAP) on the Gold Coast that occurs during our summer (their winter). The later is mostly, if not completely, deep, deep prospects who may already be signed (or not) but have not played in the US yet (and may never even make it that far) as they are not ready for that level of competition. Cervenka played in the MLBAAP academy program last year, as it occurred in his summer vacation from high school.
Here is a link to a press release on the MLBAAP that occured in our summer (May-July) in 2010:
http://www.baseball.com.au/default.asp?Page=66205
Note that Battaglia, Nilsson and Campbell are listed. I also communicated with someone who knows MLBAAP well and he said:
http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/org.jsp?id=cle
It even lists Trent Baker playing in the Australian Baseball League. However, you may not know that other Indians prospects are playing in the Australia for Brisbane. The Indians prospects on that team include:
Ryan Battaglia C
Mitch Nilsson C
Andrew Campbell 2B
Martin Cervenka, the Eastern European catcher they signed a couple of years ago is not on one of those teams which is not surprising as he is probably back in Europe attending high school.
The neat thing about the Australian league is that it is actually their professional league (see the information about the separate MLB academy program below). A number of the guys on those teams were actually born in the '80s and a few in the '70s.
If you are interested on how the above prospects are doing this winter, here's a link to the stats for the Brisbane Bandits:
http://web.theabl.com.au/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l595&t=t_ibp&cid=4065
One more point:
The Australian professional league that occurs in our winter (their summer) is not like the MLB Academy program (MLBAAP) on the Gold Coast that occurs during our summer (their winter). The later is mostly, if not completely, deep, deep prospects who may already be signed (or not) but have not played in the US yet (and may never even make it that far) as they are not ready for that level of competition. Cervenka played in the MLBAAP academy program last year, as it occurred in his summer vacation from high school.
Here is a link to a press release on the MLBAAP that occured in our summer (May-July) in 2010:
http://www.baseball.com.au/default.asp?Page=66205
Note that Battaglia, Nilsson and Campbell are listed. I also communicated with someone who knows MLBAAP well and he said:
"There are a number of Indians here in that program ( Ryan Battaglia C, Mitch Nillson C (nephew of David Nillson ex MLB catcher and All Star), Andrew Campbell SS, Martin Cervanka C from Europe. I have attached the latest stats from the program in spreadsheet. Ryan battaglia had a slow start due to a niggling injury but is tearing it up in the last few weeks."
Here are the stats from last year's MLBAAP program for Cleveland Indians prospects:
| Player | avg | gp-gs | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | tb | slg% | bb | hbp | so | gdp | ob% | sf | sh | sb-att | po | a | e | fld% |
| CAMPBELL,Andrew | .333 | 38-36 | 105 | 23 | 35 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 40 | .381 | 16 | 2 | 14 | 2 | .431 | 0 | 1 | 9-15 | 39 | 75 | 24 | .826 |
| NILSSON,Mitchell | .281 | 37-35 | 96 | 11 | 27 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 38 | .396 | 15 | 1 | 20 | 2 | .381 | 1 | 0 | 5-7 | 58 | 32 | 2 | .978 |
| CERVENKA,Martin | .260 | 33-31 | 96 | 12 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 29 | .302 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 0 | .317 | 0 | 0 | 3-4 | 133 | 8 | 8 | .946 |
| BATTAGLIA,Ryan | .243 | 40-40 | 107 | 14 | 26 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 40 | .374 | 23 | 3 | 24 | 1 | .385 | 2 | 0 | 5-6 | 157 | 21 | 6 | .967 |
Ah, just when you thought there was a slight respit in getting baseball stats!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Congratulations to Bert Blyleven and Robbie Alomar
They are both deserving of the HOF which, IMHO, should be limited to what the person does ON the field.
While neither will go in as an Indian, it is rewarding that each spent some of their prime years with Cleveland and that their production here contributed to their induction and that they were great contributors on the field when they were here.. It is interesting to note, however, that we are getting into the free agent era pretty heavily and it is not obvious whose hat Alomar or Blyleven will wear into the HOF. Here are their years, in chronological order, that each played for teams in the majors:
Blyleven
6 1/2 Minnesota
1 1/2 Texas
3 Pittsburgh
3 1/2 Cleveland
3 1/2 Minnesota
3 California
Note that, without the additional 3 1/2 years towards the end of his career that he played with Minnesota this COULD be tossup as to whose hat he would wear going in. He will most likely go in as a Twin, however. But what would have happened had plyaed those 3 1/2 years with Texas, ZCleveland or even Pittsburgh, both a second time? We will never know. What we do know is that the Twins issued a statement congratulating him for making the HOF (wink, wink).
Alomar
3 San Diego
5 Toronto
3 Baltimore
3 Cleveland
1 1/2 NY Mets
1 Chicago White Sox
1/2 Arizona
Note how split his career was. Except for his time in Toronto it was pretty evenly split. Also, his best statistical years were in Cleveland. If he hadn't left under such bad circumstances here and the Indians had held onto his rights through his next free agency, he might have ended up in the HOF as an Indian, who knows? Considering the crap we got for him in that trade, I would have rather have kept him AND Sandy throughout their entire careers...but that's just me. So who Alomar goes in as is way up in the air and the Hall won't have much say as you can make a case for any team he played for ending with Cleveland.
This does open the old discussion, however: What is more important, a trip to the playoffs or statues outside your stadium. You know where I stand on that issue :-) Stay tuned to see what happens if and when Jim Thome, Omar Vizquel, Manny Ramirez and maybe Sandy Alomar and Kenny Lofton are considered, either now or by the veterans committee. I honestly believe that had we brought any of the first three back at the end of their careers and treated them well we would have been locks to get our hat on their head entering the Hall (if Manny gets in, due to his PED use). Now, who knows. And that doesn't even count Julio Franco who would have probably ended up with 3000 hits in the US majors if we had nursed him through the years he played overseas.
I will say this again. Unless you grow up in St. Louis or live here a long time, you really don't understand the power of all those HOF statues outside of Busch Stadium that almost all attendees walk by every game.
While neither will go in as an Indian, it is rewarding that each spent some of their prime years with Cleveland and that their production here contributed to their induction and that they were great contributors on the field when they were here.. It is interesting to note, however, that we are getting into the free agent era pretty heavily and it is not obvious whose hat Alomar or Blyleven will wear into the HOF. Here are their years, in chronological order, that each played for teams in the majors:
Blyleven
6 1/2 Minnesota
1 1/2 Texas
3 Pittsburgh
3 1/2 Cleveland
3 1/2 Minnesota
3 California
Note that, without the additional 3 1/2 years towards the end of his career that he played with Minnesota this COULD be tossup as to whose hat he would wear going in. He will most likely go in as a Twin, however. But what would have happened had plyaed those 3 1/2 years with Texas, ZCleveland or even Pittsburgh, both a second time? We will never know. What we do know is that the Twins issued a statement congratulating him for making the HOF (wink, wink).
Alomar
3 San Diego
5 Toronto
3 Baltimore
3 Cleveland
1 1/2 NY Mets
1 Chicago White Sox
1/2 Arizona
Note how split his career was. Except for his time in Toronto it was pretty evenly split. Also, his best statistical years were in Cleveland. If he hadn't left under such bad circumstances here and the Indians had held onto his rights through his next free agency, he might have ended up in the HOF as an Indian, who knows? Considering the crap we got for him in that trade, I would have rather have kept him AND Sandy throughout their entire careers...but that's just me. So who Alomar goes in as is way up in the air and the Hall won't have much say as you can make a case for any team he played for ending with Cleveland.
This does open the old discussion, however: What is more important, a trip to the playoffs or statues outside your stadium. You know where I stand on that issue :-) Stay tuned to see what happens if and when Jim Thome, Omar Vizquel, Manny Ramirez and maybe Sandy Alomar and Kenny Lofton are considered, either now or by the veterans committee. I honestly believe that had we brought any of the first three back at the end of their careers and treated them well we would have been locks to get our hat on their head entering the Hall (if Manny gets in, due to his PED use). Now, who knows. And that doesn't even count Julio Franco who would have probably ended up with 3000 hits in the US majors if we had nursed him through the years he played overseas.
I will say this again. Unless you grow up in St. Louis or live here a long time, you really don't understand the power of all those HOF statues outside of Busch Stadium that almost all attendees walk by every game.
In What Slots Do The Indians Draft in 2011
It's never too early to talk about the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. I have come up with the current draft order (could still change significantly) with currently awarded compensation picks in each round included. Using that data (see bottom of this posting) and knowing that the Indians finished 2010 with the 7th worst record in baseball, they will currently draft at the following slots:
First round: 8th overall selection
Second round: 62nd
Third round: 92nd
Fourth round: 123rd
Fifth round: 153rd
Sixth round: 183rd.
The above is the best case scenario. If all 8 of the remaining compensation free agents (see below) sign with other teams, the Indians will have the following slots unless, of course, they sign aType A free agent (highly unlikely) which would eliminate their 2nd round pick. Outside of that unlikely circumstance, in the worst case scenario the Indians would draft
First round: 8th overall selection
Second round: 70th
Third round: 100th
Fourth round: 131st
Fifth round: 161st
Sixth round: 191st
1/6/11: NOTE: Baseball America has just updated their list to include Type B free agent compensation for Orlando Hudson (who I forgot to add even though I took him off the FA list) and Kevin Gregg. This brings the total slots by the end of the supplemental round to 57, meaning that the Indians will now pick 8th, 72nd, 102nd, 133rd, 163rd, 193rd and so on. There are still 7 compensation free agents unsigned meaning we could still end up at 8th, 79th, 109th, 140th, 170th, 200th and so on if they all sign with new teams. Remember the Mets were at 7, 59, 89, 122, 152 and 182.
To put this in perspective, last year the Mets, who finished with the 7th worst record in 2009, had the following draft slots assigned to them in 2010:
First round: 7th overall
Second round: 59th
Third round: 89th
Fourth round: 122nd
Fifth round: 152nd
Sixt round: 182nd
So, as you can see, the Indians already have lower draft slots in EVERY round than the Mets did last year and it is only likely to get worse.......9-13 slots per round worse!
While the Indians found a way last year to still get talent by using the formula I have been suggesting for years (sign top talents who have dropped and pay them bonuses that will get them signed) it does get harder as, each round, you chances of getting that top talent goes down the lower you draft in that round. If those last 8 compensation free agents sign, dropping 9-13 slots compared to where the Mets drafted last year is a huge blow.
Let's hope Brad Grant pulls some rabbits out of his hat like he did last year. I am not saying it can't be done, because it can. It has just become harder.
If you want to see my work that led to the above, see below. I extracted data from mlb.com and BaseballAmerica.com to put this list together.
First Round
1. Pirates
2. Mariners
3. Diamondbacks
4. Orioles
5. Royals
6. Nationals
7. Diamondbacks (for failure to sign 2010 first-rounder Barret Loux) 8. Indians
9. Cubs
10. Padres (for failure to sign 2010 first-rounder Karsten Whitson)
11. Astros
12. Brewers
13. Mets
14. Marlins
15. Brewers (for failure to sign 2010 first-rounder Dylan Covey)
16. Dodgers
17. Angels
18. Athletics
19. Red Sox (from Tigers for Victor Martinez, Type A)
20.Rockies
21. Blue Jays
22. Cardinals
23. Nationals (from White Sox for Adam Dunn, Type A)
24. Rays (from Red Sox for Carl Crawford, Type A)
25. Padres
26. Red Sox (from Rangers for Type A Beltre)
27. Reds
28. Braves
29. Giants
30. Twins
31. Yankees
32. Rays
33.Texas
First round: 8th overall selection
Second round: 62nd
Third round: 92nd
Fourth round: 123rd
Fifth round: 153rd
Sixth round: 183rd.
The above is the best case scenario. If all 8 of the remaining compensation free agents (see below) sign with other teams, the Indians will have the following slots unless, of course, they sign aType A free agent (highly unlikely) which would eliminate their 2nd round pick. Outside of that unlikely circumstance, in the worst case scenario the Indians would draft
First round: 8th overall selection
Second round: 70th
Third round: 100th
Fourth round: 131st
Fifth round: 161st
Sixth round: 191st
1/6/11: NOTE: Baseball America has just updated their list to include Type B free agent compensation for Orlando Hudson (who I forgot to add even though I took him off the FA list) and Kevin Gregg. This brings the total slots by the end of the supplemental round to 57, meaning that the Indians will now pick 8th, 72nd, 102nd, 133rd, 163rd, 193rd and so on. There are still 7 compensation free agents unsigned meaning we could still end up at 8th, 79th, 109th, 140th, 170th, 200th and so on if they all sign with new teams. Remember the Mets were at 7, 59, 89, 122, 152 and 182.
To put this in perspective, last year the Mets, who finished with the 7th worst record in 2009, had the following draft slots assigned to them in 2010:
First round: 7th overall
Second round: 59th
Third round: 89th
Fourth round: 122nd
Fifth round: 152nd
Sixt round: 182nd
So, as you can see, the Indians already have lower draft slots in EVERY round than the Mets did last year and it is only likely to get worse.......9-13 slots per round worse!
While the Indians found a way last year to still get talent by using the formula I have been suggesting for years (sign top talents who have dropped and pay them bonuses that will get them signed) it does get harder as, each round, you chances of getting that top talent goes down the lower you draft in that round. If those last 8 compensation free agents sign, dropping 9-13 slots compared to where the Mets drafted last year is a huge blow.
Let's hope Brad Grant pulls some rabbits out of his hat like he did last year. I am not saying it can't be done, because it can. It has just become harder.
If you want to see my work that led to the above, see below. I extracted data from mlb.com and BaseballAmerica.com to put this list together.
First Round
1. Pirates
2. Mariners
3. Diamondbacks
4. Orioles
5. Royals
6. Nationals
7. Diamondbacks (for failure to sign 2010 first-rounder Barret Loux) 8. Indians
9. Cubs
10. Padres (for failure to sign 2010 first-rounder Karsten Whitson)
11. Astros
12. Brewers
13. Mets
14. Marlins
15. Brewers (for failure to sign 2010 first-rounder Dylan Covey)
16. Dodgers
17. Angels
18. Athletics
19. Red Sox (from Tigers for Victor Martinez, Type A)
20.
21. Blue Jays
22. Cardinals
23. Nationals (from White Sox for Adam Dunn, Type A)
24. Rays (from Red Sox for Carl Crawford, Type A)
25. Padres
26. Red Sox (from Rangers for Type A Beltre)
27. Reds
28. Braves
29. Giants
30. Twins
31. Yankees
32. Rays
33.
Supplemental First Round
34. Nationals (Dunn)
35. Blue Jays (for Scott Downs, Type A, to Angels)
36. Red Sox (Martinez
34. Nationals (Dunn)
35. Blue Jays (for Scott Downs, Type A, to Angels)
36. Red Sox (
37. Rangers (Lee)
38. Rays (Crawford)
39. Phillies (for Jayson Werth, Type A, to Nationals)
39. Phillies (for Jayson Werth, Type A, to Nationals)
40. Arizona
41. Mets (for Pedro Feliciano, Type B, to Yankees)
42. Rockies (for Octavio Dotel, Type B, to Blue Jays)
43. Blue Jays (for John Buck, Type B, to Marlins)
44. White Sox (for J.J. Putz, Type B, to Diamondbacks)
45. Padres (for Jon Garland, Type B, to Dodgers)
46. Giants (for Juan Uribe, Type B, to Dodgers)
43. Blue Jays (for John Buck, Type B, to Marlins)
44. White Sox (for J.J. Putz, Type B, to Diamondbacks)
45. Padres (for Jon Garland, Type B, to Dodgers)
46. Giants (for Juan Uribe, Type B, to Dodgers)
47. Twins (for Jesse Crain, Type B, to White Sox)
48. Yankees (for Javier Vazquez, Type B, to Marlins)
49. Rays (for Joaquin Benoit, Type B, to Tigers)
50. Blue Jays (for Miguel Olivo, Type B, to Mariners)
51. Padres (for Yorvit Torrealba, Type B, to Rangers)
48. Yankees (for Javier Vazquez, Type B, to Marlins)
49. Rays (for Joaquin Benoit, Type B, to Tigers)
50. Blue Jays (for Miguel Olivo, Type B, to Mariners)
51. Padres (for Yorvit Torrealba, Type B, to Rangers)
52. Twins (for Orlando Hudson
53. Rays (for Randy Choate, Type B, to Florida
54. Padres (for Kevin Correia, Type B, to Pirates)
54. Padres (for Kevin Correia, Type B, to Pirates)
55. Rays (for Brad Hawpe, Type B, to Padres)
Second-Round
56. Pirates
57. Mariners
58 Diamondbacks
59. Orioles
60. Royals
61. Phillies (from Nationals for Werth)
56. Pirates
57. Mariners
58 Diamondbacks
59. Orioles
60. Royals
61. Phillies (from Nationals for Werth)
62. Indians
68. Blue Jays (from Angels forDowns )
68. Blue Jays (from Angels for
Third-Round
92. Indians
92. Indians
Supplemental Third Round
116. Mariners (for failure to sign 2010 third-rounder Ryne Stanek)
116. Mariners (for failure to sign 2010 third-rounder Ryne Stanek)
Fourth-Round
123. Indians
Fifth Round
153. Indians
Sixth Round
183. Indians
Slots for future rounds will increase by 30 slots per round (e.g. 7th round will be slot 213) until teams start passing.
There is a chance that each of the Indians’ slots after the first round could drop by up to 8 spots due to the remaining Type A and Type B compensation players (see list below). Each of these players, if they sign with another team, would cause an additional spot to be added in the supplemental first round.
Remaining Type A Compensation Free Agents (former team in parentheses)
Starting Pitchers: Carl Pavano (Min).
Relief Pitchers: Rafael Soriano (TB), Grant Balfour (TB).
Remaining Type B Compensation Free Agents
Third Basemen: Felipe Lopez (Bos).
Relief Pitchers: Kevin Gregg (Tor), Trevor Hoffman (Mil), Aaron Heilman (Ari),Chad
Starting Pitchers: Carl Pavano (Min).
Relief Pitchers: Rafael Soriano (TB), Grant Balfour (TB).
Remaining Type B Compensation Free Agents
Third Basemen: Felipe Lopez (Bos).
Relief Pitchers: Kevin Gregg (Tor), Trevor Hoffman (Mil), Aaron Heilman (Ari),
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Joe Martinez?
1/5/11: NOTE: I just read a blog that indicated that possibly this is a 'pre-compensation' so that the Pirates can retain Josh Rodriguez who they took from the Indians in the Rule 5 draft. If that is what this is then it is a stupid move but a typical one for the Indians. If they don't like a guy or have a negative impression of a guy they will give him away essentially for nothing (see Ryan Church, Willy Taveras, Macier Izturis and Luke Scott a while back and Brandon Phillips more recently). Not that other teams don't do that (see Brendan Ryan formerly of the Cardinals who was recently given away for essentially nothing). Josh Rodriguez is worth more to the rebuilding Indians then a dime-a-dozen lefty like Martinez. Yeah, if they were competing, the Indians thought Rodriguez was NOT a SS and so was 3rd on their minor league depth chart as a secondbaseman, I could even have seen them trading Rodriguez for Martinez, especially with Shapiro still around. However, I believe that Rodriguez is underrated and, if you were going to do a pre-compensation situation, get back a prospect about the same level as Rodriguez, not an irrelevant major leaguer.
I don't know if that is what this move was (probably not as Rodriguez would STILL have to clear waivers). However, if it was, it makes the move stink even more. Again, it is more likely much less than that but who knows right now. Time will tell.
The Indians just traded a PTBNL for the typical journeyman LHP Joe Martinez who, for some inexplicable reason, is now on our 40-man roster. Before anyone goes ballistic, my guess is that they will DFA the guy and just took a flyer on him getting through waivers when they did. Remember, you cannot have enough pitching...if that pitching is not clogging your 40-man roster.
As the 40-man roster now stands at 41, SOMEONE will have to be DFA'd, traded or released. Me, I would be begging for Jayson Nix or Shelly Duncan, both of whom are my deadwood whipping boys of the week now that Germano was DFA'd to the minors. If it is anyone but those two or someone else who can DFA'd without risking losing them (not 6-year professional veteran, never been DFA'd off a ML roster before) then this is a headscratcher.
My fear: Jess Todd is the PTBNL
You heard it here first if Martinez sticks: Teams who are destined to finish in last place who already have multiple LH reliever and starter options DO NOT trade for guys like Joe Martinez. No way to spin this trade posiitively unless the PTBNL is Roman Pena (read:non-descript minor leaguer) and Martinez is DFA'd (read: we don't lose anyone off the 40-man roster).
Counting Martinez, here is the current 40-man roster. Who do you think is going to be removed?
I don't know if that is what this move was (probably not as Rodriguez would STILL have to clear waivers). However, if it was, it makes the move stink even more. Again, it is more likely much less than that but who knows right now. Time will tell.
The Indians just traded a PTBNL for the typical journeyman LHP Joe Martinez who, for some inexplicable reason, is now on our 40-man roster. Before anyone goes ballistic, my guess is that they will DFA the guy and just took a flyer on him getting through waivers when they did. Remember, you cannot have enough pitching...if that pitching is not clogging your 40-man roster.
As the 40-man roster now stands at 41, SOMEONE will have to be DFA'd, traded or released. Me, I would be begging for Jayson Nix or Shelly Duncan, both of whom are my deadwood whipping boys of the week now that Germano was DFA'd to the minors. If it is anyone but those two or someone else who can DFA'd without risking losing them (not 6-year professional veteran, never been DFA'd off a ML roster before) then this is a headscratcher.
My fear: Jess Todd is the PTBNL
You heard it here first if Martinez sticks: Teams who are destined to finish in last place who already have multiple LH reliever and starter options DO NOT trade for guys like Joe Martinez. No way to spin this trade posiitively unless the PTBNL is Roman Pena (read:non-descript minor leaguer) and Martinez is DFA'd (read: we don't lose anyone off the 40-man roster).
Counting Martinez, here is the current 40-man roster. Who do you think is going to be removed?
Pitchers
Fausto Carmona
Carlos Carrasco
Kelvin De La Cruz
Jeanmar Gomez
Nick Hagadone
Frank Herrmann
David Huff
Josh Judy
Corey Kluber
Aaron Laffey
Jensen Lewis
Joe Martinez
Justin Masterson
Zach McAllister
Rafael Perez
Chris Perez
Hector Rondon
Tony Sipp
Joe Smith
Mitch Talbot
Jess Todd
Josh Tomlin
Catchers
Lou Marson
Carlos Santana
Infielders
Asdrubal Cabrera
Jason Donald
Jared Goedert
Matt LaPorta
Jayson Nix
Luis Valbuena
Outfielders
Michael Brantley
Jordan Brown
Ezequiel Carrera
Shin-Soo Choo
Trevor Crowe
Shelley Duncan
Austin Kearns
Grady Sizemore
Nick Weglarz
Designated Hitter
Travis Hafner
Random Thoughts for January - Not Ready Yet But Here's A Teaser
I'm not quite ready, nor is there enough meat out there right now to create the next Random Thoughts posting but here is a teaser:
Chris Archer, who we traded, along with John Gaub, for Mark DeRosa, was just named the Cubs' #1 prospect. Here are some thoughts:
1. I was OK with that trade at the time (and I NEVER like trading prospects for veterans) and am more OK with it now as Shapiro turned DeRosa into Chris Perez and Jess Todd...and I would trade Archer and Gaub right now for Perez and Todd any day of the week and twice on Saturdays. BTW, I think Todd is vastly underrated and may end up going the way of Brendan Ryan, formerly of the Cardinals, who was traded for some organizational filler guy in an addition by subtraction move by the Cardinals this off-season. But more on Todd and Ryan in my column later this month.
2. It is interesting how Archer, who was an intriguing arm but, due to control issues, was a borderline top 30 prospect in the Indians' organization, has blossomed in another organization. That should, at least, cause the Indians' developmental staff to undergo a little intraspection to see if they need to do anything differently. I think it is obvious if this organization had the skills and developed the history of turning arms like Archer's into qualiity major league pitchers (see Atlanta a number of years ago) that the Indians would be less likely to trade a guy like Archer when he was in low "A" ball and would more likely hold onto him until he got to the majors or enhanced his tradeability by polishing up and becoming a top prospect by the time he got to the high minors. Given his current prospect status, do you think Archer would, right now, bring more than a DeRosa-like return himself now? Although I don't know if I would value him THAT much more highly now compared to when we traded him, looking at his peripherals and development path, I think that many teams would. He would a prime trading chip, in my opinion, if he was here...and I don't like to trade prospects. Archer, to me, is the classic guy that Atlanta traded when he got all hyped up before anyone found out that he wasn't going to be the next coming of Roy Halladay. Of course, that's what the talking heads were saying when the Braves traded Adam Wainwright to the Cardinals and look how that turned out. But I digress.
Look for this column about the 20th of January and, of course, if anything significant breaks between now and then, I will be writing about it.
Chris Archer, who we traded, along with John Gaub, for Mark DeRosa, was just named the Cubs' #1 prospect. Here are some thoughts:
1. I was OK with that trade at the time (and I NEVER like trading prospects for veterans) and am more OK with it now as Shapiro turned DeRosa into Chris Perez and Jess Todd...and I would trade Archer and Gaub right now for Perez and Todd any day of the week and twice on Saturdays. BTW, I think Todd is vastly underrated and may end up going the way of Brendan Ryan, formerly of the Cardinals, who was traded for some organizational filler guy in an addition by subtraction move by the Cardinals this off-season. But more on Todd and Ryan in my column later this month.
2. It is interesting how Archer, who was an intriguing arm but, due to control issues, was a borderline top 30 prospect in the Indians' organization, has blossomed in another organization. That should, at least, cause the Indians' developmental staff to undergo a little intraspection to see if they need to do anything differently. I think it is obvious if this organization had the skills and developed the history of turning arms like Archer's into qualiity major league pitchers (see Atlanta a number of years ago) that the Indians would be less likely to trade a guy like Archer when he was in low "A" ball and would more likely hold onto him until he got to the majors or enhanced his tradeability by polishing up and becoming a top prospect by the time he got to the high minors. Given his current prospect status, do you think Archer would, right now, bring more than a DeRosa-like return himself now? Although I don't know if I would value him THAT much more highly now compared to when we traded him, looking at his peripherals and development path, I think that many teams would. He would a prime trading chip, in my opinion, if he was here...and I don't like to trade prospects. Archer, to me, is the classic guy that Atlanta traded when he got all hyped up before anyone found out that he wasn't going to be the next coming of Roy Halladay. Of course, that's what the talking heads were saying when the Braves traded Adam Wainwright to the Cardinals and look how that turned out. But I digress.
Look for this column about the 20th of January and, of course, if anything significant breaks between now and then, I will be writing about it.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Happy Holidays, Peace and Good Will to All
Have a great holiday season and may your days be filled with peace, happiness and good will to all.
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