The Phillies, like a lot of teams, have what are called organizational players.
The plain fact is that this is not tennis. You can't play the game by yourself. Baseball is a 25-man game (24 in some minor leagues). If you have 5 real prospects on your roster you are doing well. Who are the other 20 guys? They are organizational players, guys who probably have little chance of getting to the majors but who cling to that hope, working their way up to the ladder to AAA where they hope they can get that chance to play in the bigs. For some, like the legendary Moonlight Graham in "Field of Dreams", it is just to play at all in the big leagues, to fulfill a dream born in childhood. For others, it is to try to carve out a career as a big leaguer. Still, what drives a lot of these guys is the love of the game and the chance to play it at the highest level, for whatever their reason.
The Phillies just called up Darin Ruf. Ruf is a 26 year old in AA. Twenty-six year olds in AA are not really propsects. They especailly aren't prospects when they are drafted in the 20th round as college seniors out of Creighton Universtiy. The Darin Rufs of the world are organizational players.
Why do I care about the Phillies calling up Darin Ruf? Because this is the organization that the Indians should be. Charlie Manuel is all about the little guy, the guy who has never gotten a chance. When he was manager of the Indians in 2000-2, he ran across one of these organizational players, Chris Coste. The Indians sucked in 2002 but failed to give Coste, who was hitting over .300 for the second year in AAA, even a Moonlight Graham sniff of the majors.
Coste went on to get a WS ring and play in parts of 5 seasons in the majors with over 800 AB and a . .327/.416/.744 slash line.
Charlie Manuel knows that you give these organizational players chances MOSTLY because they have worked hard and deserve it. He gets that your organization makes a name for itself by giving its own a chance when that chance is deserved.
Let's look at the organizational guys the Indians have dissed since Coste with the ML record that year in parentheses after the year.
2012 (20+ games under .500) - Jared Goedert - two good seasons in AAA
2012 (20+ games under .500)- Tim Fedroff - the jury is still out on whether this guy will get his chance, but he should have had one this September and didn't get it. Except for base stealing, Fedroff has it all over Ezequiel Carrera who will probably have 300 big league plate appearances before Fedroff, born 4 months earlier than Carrera, ever gets his chance.
2011 (80-82) - Jerad Head - 17 AB was all the Indians could give this guy
2011 (80-82 - Beau Mills - Probably a reach but it was the guy's best year in the minors. We cut him the next spring. Why not give him a cup of coffee on the way out the door.
2010 (69-93) - Wes Hodges
2010 (69-93) - Jose Constanza
2010 (69-93) - Josh Rodriguez
2009 (65-97) - Jordan Brown - He actually got all of 87 AB the next year but none in 2009 after winning, in succession, the league batting crowns in A, AA and AAA. But no ABs in 2009 after hitting .336 at AAA.
There are a number of other examples, some of whom, like Coste, reached the majors once they left our organization (e.g. Jonathon van Every).
Then we have the very undeserved September callup of Nuiman Romero a number of years ago when other guys who performed much better never got called up, some of whom NEVER made it to the majors even though they deserved a callup more than Romero.
Add to those guys the prospects we have given away for virtually nothing: Brandon Phillips, Jeremy Guthrie, Willy Taveras, Luke Scott, Ryan Church, Macier Izturis, Cory Burns after giving them insufficient or NO chances even when they had sterling stats in the minors and you have a pattern of the Indians not giving their own real prospects a decent chance and not even giving their organizational soldiers who have performed a well-deserved 'cup of coffee'.
The problem is that, in those years we have had to endure the likes of Brent Lillibridge, Shelley Duncan, Chad Durbin, Aaron Cunningham, Travis Buck, Justin Germano and others, all when there were REAL prospects who could have gotten a chance.
We just aren't real good at giving our own prospects a decent chance...or even giving our producing organizational guys their afternoon in the sun.
As I have said before, this is an organization that is gaining the reputation of favoring AAAA guys over its own prospects and not giving its organizational guys their ML experience.
I am pretty sure prospects in the Phillies organization are much more positive about their chances of getting to the majors if they perform well than similar prospects in the Indians' organization.
When you are a small market team you can't be doing these things or you become the Kansas City Royals who, BTW, are ahead of us in the standings now with us playing Lillibridge, Hannahan and Kotchman and the rest of the AAAA guys we have been parading through here in recent years.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Chris Perez, you're an idiot!
You know, baseball players, hell, people in general, get to blow off steam once in a while.
However, when you're an idiot, I guess you just feel you can do it all the time.
Most of what Perez says is true: fans who won't pony up for tickets because they don't have the money but were able to pony up for Cavs tickets when they were hot. Yes, the economy is depressed. But surely there are 40,000 people that have enough disposable income (or 160,000 with one quarter of enough disposable income) to support this team.
What Perez says about making trades and signing free agents is correct. However, we made the Jimenez trade. We tried to sign Beltran and, truth be told, Willingham. They just got better offers, all things considered, elsewhere.
You know, if Chris Perez was still in St. Louis he would probably be setting up Jason Motte.
Chris Perez has made a lot of money here and his success here will make him a lot more in the future. That's one of the great things about a talent- and money-strapped club. Young guys sometimes (though not often in Cleveland) get the opportunity to showcase themselves. Such is the case for Perez. So he should shut the F--- up and continue to pitch well if he wants out of here.
Have his comments over this year been a premeditated attempt to get himself traded? Who knows. My guess is that he is just an idiot.
Let's hope we get a great offer for him. If we don't we keep him, stick a rag in his mouth, and send him out to pitch in the 9th next year. We are a much stronger team WITH Chris Perez and Vinnie Pestano than we are with just Pestano and some trash that some other team wants to dump on us in return for Perez.
This FO has shown no aptitude for turning situations like this into something positive. CC, Lee and others show me that trading Chris Perez at this point (unless we are overwhelmed by a team going for it next year) would be a stupid thing to do.
Not any more stupid than what usually comes out of this guy's mouth. But stupid, nonetheless.
So, FO, don't trade this guy on a knee-jerk. You don't do addition-by-subtraction if you don't even know how to do addition or substraction and the Indians' FO needs remedial 1st grade math, to be sure.
However, when you're an idiot, I guess you just feel you can do it all the time.
Most of what Perez says is true: fans who won't pony up for tickets because they don't have the money but were able to pony up for Cavs tickets when they were hot. Yes, the economy is depressed. But surely there are 40,000 people that have enough disposable income (or 160,000 with one quarter of enough disposable income) to support this team.
What Perez says about making trades and signing free agents is correct. However, we made the Jimenez trade. We tried to sign Beltran and, truth be told, Willingham. They just got better offers, all things considered, elsewhere.
You know, if Chris Perez was still in St. Louis he would probably be setting up Jason Motte.
Chris Perez has made a lot of money here and his success here will make him a lot more in the future. That's one of the great things about a talent- and money-strapped club. Young guys sometimes (though not often in Cleveland) get the opportunity to showcase themselves. Such is the case for Perez. So he should shut the F--- up and continue to pitch well if he wants out of here.
Have his comments over this year been a premeditated attempt to get himself traded? Who knows. My guess is that he is just an idiot.
Let's hope we get a great offer for him. If we don't we keep him, stick a rag in his mouth, and send him out to pitch in the 9th next year. We are a much stronger team WITH Chris Perez and Vinnie Pestano than we are with just Pestano and some trash that some other team wants to dump on us in return for Perez.
This FO has shown no aptitude for turning situations like this into something positive. CC, Lee and others show me that trading Chris Perez at this point (unless we are overwhelmed by a team going for it next year) would be a stupid thing to do.
Not any more stupid than what usually comes out of this guy's mouth. But stupid, nonetheless.
So, FO, don't trade this guy on a knee-jerk. You don't do addition-by-subtraction if you don't even know how to do addition or substraction and the Indians' FO needs remedial 1st grade math, to be sure.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Post-2012 Indians Top 125 Prospect List
Top prospect lists created at this time of year are at one time the most easy and most difficult to prepare. So many things change over the winter. Trades, releases, Rule 5 draft and performance in the AFL, Parallel League and Fall Instructs. All those things change the face of a prospect list. Still, below is my best list at the moment. Expect this list to change as gather more information on these players over the winter.
The standards for being on this list is 130 or less big league ABs, 50 innings pitched, or, for relief pitchers, 30 relief appearances. Assumptions made include that Cody Allen and Corey Kluber will not reach 30 appearances or 50 IP and that Russ Canzler will not reach 130 ABs. I have gone to 125 players although most of those guys below 50 are based on very little data.
The thing that is striking to me about this list is that our top prospects are SS, that we have many more question marks than I would like to see at this time and, finally, that there is so much upside to this list that it is umbelievable. Lots of guys with lots of intriguing tools who may not go anywhere or who may blossom into really good ML players. Ronny Rodriguez and Carlos Moncrief are two such guys. Intriguing on a Jonathon Van Every level. Lots of tools but with significant holes still in their games.
If forture is with us we could be looking at a great farm system that appears only to be marginal right now. However, the chances of that are slim. Still, as an Indians' fan that is probably the best you could hope for at this point.
Here goes:
The standards for being on this list is 130 or less big league ABs, 50 innings pitched, or, for relief pitchers, 30 relief appearances. Assumptions made include that Cody Allen and Corey Kluber will not reach 30 appearances or 50 IP and that Russ Canzler will not reach 130 ABs. I have gone to 125 players although most of those guys below 50 are based on very little data.
The thing that is striking to me about this list is that our top prospects are SS, that we have many more question marks than I would like to see at this time and, finally, that there is so much upside to this list that it is umbelievable. Lots of guys with lots of intriguing tools who may not go anywhere or who may blossom into really good ML players. Ronny Rodriguez and Carlos Moncrief are two such guys. Intriguing on a Jonathon Van Every level. Lots of tools but with significant holes still in their games.
If forture is with us we could be looking at a great farm system that appears only to be marginal right now. However, the chances of that are slim. Still, as an Indians' fan that is probably the best you could hope for at this point.
Here goes:
1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Dorsyss Paulino – SS
3. Tony Wolters – SS
4. Mitch Brown – RHSP
5. Cody Allen - RHRP
6. Chun Chen – 1B/C
7. Ronny Rodriguez – SS
8. Jesus Aguilar – 1B
9. Tyler Naquin - OF
10. Shawn Armstrong – RHRP
11. Giovanny Urshela – 3B
12. Scott Barnes – LHRP
13. Juan Diaz – SS
14. Giovanny Soto – RHSP
15. Dylan Baker – RHSP
16. LeVon Washington – OF
17. D’vonne McClure – OF
18. Luigi Rodriguez OF
19. Alex Lavisky – C
20. Hector Rondon – RHSP
21. Danny Salazar – RHSP
22. Cord Phelps – Utility
23. Tim Fedroff – OF
24. T.J. McFarland – LHSP
25. T.J. House – LHSP
26. Rob Bryson – RHRP
27. Chen Lee – RHRP
28. Cole Cook – RHRP
29. Nelson Rodriguez – C/1B
30. Alexander Perez – LHSP
31. Elvis Araujo – LHSP
32. Matt Packer - LHSP
33. Austin Adams – RHSP
34. Jose Ramirez – SS
35. Bryson Myles – OF
36. Cody Anderson – RHP
37. Roberto Perez – C
38. Robbie Aviles – RHSP
39. Carlos Moncrief – OF
40. Anthony Santander – OF
41. Corey Kluber – RHSP
42. Felix Sterling – RHP
43. Kieran Lovegrove – LHP
44. Joseph Colon - RHSP
45. Luis DeJesus - RHSP
46. Trey Haley - RHRP
47. Jake Sisco – RHSP
48. Caleb Hamrick - RHSP
49. Dillon Howard - RHSP
50. Josh McAdams – OF
51. Tyler Booth – OF
52. Jared Goedert – 3B
53. Jake Lowery – C
54. Charlie Valerio – C
55. Claudio Bautista - SS
56. Joe Wendle – 2B
57. Jacob Lee - RHRP
58. Alex Monsalve – C
59. Bryce Stowell – RHRP
60. Tyler Sturdevant – RHRP
61. Adam Abraham – 1B/3B
62. Tyler Holt – OF
63. Clayton Cook – RHSP
64. Matt Langwell – RHRP
65. Thomas Neal – OF
66. Russ Canzler - Utility
67. Michael Goodnight – RHSP
68. Preston Guilmet – RHRP
69. Vinnie Rottino - Utility
70. Enosil Tejada – RHRP
71. Jordan Smith – 3B/OF
72. Nick Weglarz – OF
73. Jorge Martinez – 2B
74. Bo Greenwell – OF
75. Jairo Kelly - SS
76. Jordan Henry – OF
77. Brett Brach – RHSP
78. Eric Berger – LHRP
79. Mike Rayl – RHSP
80. Shawn Morimando – LHSP
81. Anthony Gallas – OF
82. Kyle Blair – RHSP
83. Kyle Bellows – 3B
84. Eric Haase – C
85. Joshua Nervis – RHRP
86. Benny Suarez – LHRP
87. Daniel Jimenez – RHSP
88. Louis Head – RHRP
89. Juan Nivar - RHP
90. Luis Gomez – RHP
91. Anthony Vizcaya - RHP
92. Manny Carmona – RHRP
93. Odomar Valez – 2B
94. Victor Cabral – OF
95. Michael Depen - OF
96. Erik Gonzales – 2B
97. Bryan Price – RHRP
98. Paulo Espino – RHSP
99. Josh Martin – RHRP
100. Thomas White - RHRP
101. Jerrud Sabourin – 1B
102. Logan Vick – OF
103. Yhoxian Medina – 2B
104. Juan Romero – 3B
105. Jose Flores – RHRP
106. Todd Hankins – 2B
107. Grant Sides – RHRP
108. Ryan Merritt - RHSP
109. Robel Garcia – 3B
110. Anderson Polanco – RHP
111. Leonardo Castillo – 3B
112. Jeremie Tice – 1B
113. Mason Radeke – RHRP
114. Nick Pasquale – RHRP
115. Jeff Johnson – RHRP
116. Jordan Cooper – RHP
117. Wil Roberts – RHSP
118. Luis Morel – RHSP
119. Rafael Homblert – RHRP
120. Scott Peoples – RHRP
121. Cody Penny – RHRP
122. Luis Lugo – RHSP
123. Alexis Paredes – RHRP
124. Carlos Diaz – RHSP
125. Ramon Rodriguez - RHSP
Monday, September 3, 2012
The stupidity of this organization shows through again!
So we have now had our second round of September callups. Not included in these callups are either Tim Fedroff or Jared Goedert.
Now I am not saying that these guys are the be-all, end-all and that they are top prospects. They are not. Goedert hasn't shown offensively or defensively he is a ML starter. Fedroff has shown just enough for people to know he is a solid 4th outfielder in the majors, when he is given that chance.
But both guys deserve a chance based on their performance this year and in past years.
Add to this that Juan Diaz did not get recalled, either. He had played well after his demotion from the majors, including playing well at AAA after his promotion there. We had already used up his option for this year and he was on the 40 and would be in the mix to play next year. But he didn't get called up, either. The Indians, instead, chose to look further at Brent Lillibridge who is a AAAA stiff if one ever existed.
Instead, we get this:
Vinnie Rottino - a 32-year old guy who has failed with each of his 5 different ML trials and owns a career .178 ML average. He plays the same positions as Goedert. Bringing him up is a slap in the face to every Indians' minor leaguer who has toiled for years to get at least a shot at the majors. Rottino has had 5 and he has failed each one. This is nearly as much of a slap at all the Indians' major leaguers as the promotion of the undeserving Nuiman Romero was a few years ago.
David Huff - Hey, I love Huff and wish they would have given him a shot instead of getting Derek Lowe this off-season. But it didn't happen. However, Huff performed like horse crap most of the season. Yeah, he would have a good game but then he would follow with a clunker. Four of his last 9 starts were good, 5 sucked. So went his season. Hey, his home ERA in Columbus was much better than his road ERA if you can believe that. To me, these results represent a guy not taking AAA seriously enough. Realize this was his 5th different year in AAA. He also had close to 50 big league starts. Hey, if he doesn't have it any more his performance would have been more evenly mediocre.
Russ Canzler - I have no problem with Canzler getting a callup. My problem is with him getting a callup and Fedroff and Goedert not getting called up. Canzler was dumped by his organization for a couple of bucks because they were going to DFA him. His performance this year was mediocre playing in Columbus if you consider his AAA experience, performance there last year and the fact that he hit .232 away from Columbus this year.
Thomas Neal - Again, no problem taking a look at this guy. Like Canzler, Neal will be a minor league free agent this winter if we don't roster him. Thus taking a look at him makes sense, but NOT at the expense of the more deserving Fedroff, who performed better at AA and AAA this year than Neal performed at AA.
Frank Hermann - I am OK with this one. You can't really complain about one of our guys getting another shot in September, especially when it is probably his last shot here if he messes it up. Relievers can get a lot of September trials.
Scott Maine - See Hermann. Maine has had some success and seeing him now as a reliever, especially without Rafael Perez being available, makes a lot of sense. Still think he is a AAAA guy but the situation is right and he is not blocking anyone so what the heck. In September I am OK with this.
Cord Phelps - Of all the callups this is the only one that makes sense. His numbers, as a second baseman, were as good as Canzler's, all things considered. Plus he has experience at other positions, SS and LF. I mean, when we are giving ABs to Brent Lillibridge, Phelps, as a 25 year old switch hitter, should be getting those ABs.
So, the Indians have once again messed up something really simple. We may still get 1-2 Akron guys called up after the playoffs (Chun Chen, for example) and we may yet see Lonnie Chisenhall and Rafael Perez yet this year.
But not calling up Fedroff and Goedert in light of having Neal and Rottino (and even Canzler) and promotion of Huff after his terrible year, all adds to the reputation of this organization of not giving their own guys a chance and giving unfair chances to AAAA castoffs from other organizations and its failed own prospects.
As I said before, that methodoly has stunk and HURT this organization in many ways. Why does the ownership of this team allow this to keep happening. At least, it gives the organization a black eye with its own prospects, at worst it makes us look like a laughing stock that good players don't want to play for.
September is supposed to be a fun month for a losing team when you get a chance to look at your own prospects and you feel good for those guys who have, after years of trying, finally gotten to the bigs. Except in Cleveland, where I only feel embarassment for this organization and feel bad for prospects dissed this year and in the past.
Now I am not saying that these guys are the be-all, end-all and that they are top prospects. They are not. Goedert hasn't shown offensively or defensively he is a ML starter. Fedroff has shown just enough for people to know he is a solid 4th outfielder in the majors, when he is given that chance.
But both guys deserve a chance based on their performance this year and in past years.
Add to this that Juan Diaz did not get recalled, either. He had played well after his demotion from the majors, including playing well at AAA after his promotion there. We had already used up his option for this year and he was on the 40 and would be in the mix to play next year. But he didn't get called up, either. The Indians, instead, chose to look further at Brent Lillibridge who is a AAAA stiff if one ever existed.
Instead, we get this:
Vinnie Rottino - a 32-year old guy who has failed with each of his 5 different ML trials and owns a career .178 ML average. He plays the same positions as Goedert. Bringing him up is a slap in the face to every Indians' minor leaguer who has toiled for years to get at least a shot at the majors. Rottino has had 5 and he has failed each one. This is nearly as much of a slap at all the Indians' major leaguers as the promotion of the undeserving Nuiman Romero was a few years ago.
David Huff - Hey, I love Huff and wish they would have given him a shot instead of getting Derek Lowe this off-season. But it didn't happen. However, Huff performed like horse crap most of the season. Yeah, he would have a good game but then he would follow with a clunker. Four of his last 9 starts were good, 5 sucked. So went his season. Hey, his home ERA in Columbus was much better than his road ERA if you can believe that. To me, these results represent a guy not taking AAA seriously enough. Realize this was his 5th different year in AAA. He also had close to 50 big league starts. Hey, if he doesn't have it any more his performance would have been more evenly mediocre.
Russ Canzler - I have no problem with Canzler getting a callup. My problem is with him getting a callup and Fedroff and Goedert not getting called up. Canzler was dumped by his organization for a couple of bucks because they were going to DFA him. His performance this year was mediocre playing in Columbus if you consider his AAA experience, performance there last year and the fact that he hit .232 away from Columbus this year.
Thomas Neal - Again, no problem taking a look at this guy. Like Canzler, Neal will be a minor league free agent this winter if we don't roster him. Thus taking a look at him makes sense, but NOT at the expense of the more deserving Fedroff, who performed better at AA and AAA this year than Neal performed at AA.
Frank Hermann - I am OK with this one. You can't really complain about one of our guys getting another shot in September, especially when it is probably his last shot here if he messes it up. Relievers can get a lot of September trials.
Scott Maine - See Hermann. Maine has had some success and seeing him now as a reliever, especially without Rafael Perez being available, makes a lot of sense. Still think he is a AAAA guy but the situation is right and he is not blocking anyone so what the heck. In September I am OK with this.
Cord Phelps - Of all the callups this is the only one that makes sense. His numbers, as a second baseman, were as good as Canzler's, all things considered. Plus he has experience at other positions, SS and LF. I mean, when we are giving ABs to Brent Lillibridge, Phelps, as a 25 year old switch hitter, should be getting those ABs.
So, the Indians have once again messed up something really simple. We may still get 1-2 Akron guys called up after the playoffs (Chun Chen, for example) and we may yet see Lonnie Chisenhall and Rafael Perez yet this year.
But not calling up Fedroff and Goedert in light of having Neal and Rottino (and even Canzler) and promotion of Huff after his terrible year, all adds to the reputation of this organization of not giving their own guys a chance and giving unfair chances to AAAA castoffs from other organizations and its failed own prospects.
As I said before, that methodoly has stunk and HURT this organization in many ways. Why does the ownership of this team allow this to keep happening. At least, it gives the organization a black eye with its own prospects, at worst it makes us look like a laughing stock that good players don't want to play for.
September is supposed to be a fun month for a losing team when you get a chance to look at your own prospects and you feel good for those guys who have, after years of trying, finally gotten to the bigs. Except in Cleveland, where I only feel embarassment for this organization and feel bad for prospects dissed this year and in the past.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
September callups - who should it be?
Still about a week from September
Good news: Although the Columbus Clippers season will end on Sept. 5th, they are out of both the International League's Western Division race and, for all practical purposes, the IL Wild Card race. So the Indians should have nothing to wait for to expand the rosters when Sept. 1st rolls around next Saturday.
Let's look at what should happen in September:
Call up:
1. Tim Fedroff - He deserves a look. Admittedly, he or Carrera only make the roster next year if Michael Brantley is a starter. For us to be competitive Brantley needs to be a 4th outfielder but that may not happen. If Brantley starts than Fedroff or Carrera should win the 4th outfielder job (please, no more AAAA guys!!!!). So Fedroff needs to play.
2. Jared Goedert - Look, he probably is not ML caliber. But he deserves a shot not just based on this year but based on last year, too. MANY teams have thrown bones to their own guys like Goedert or even AAAA guys they have brought in who had outstanding AAA seasons. Time Goedert gets his 15 minutes of fame with the hope he can turn it in to much longer.
3. Juan Diaz - Yeah, he may not be ready but he is already on the 40-man and we should bring him back as he is hitting well at Columbus and it won't change the number of options he would have as we have already used up an option when we sent him back to the minors after his cup of coffee in Cleveland earlier this year and will use another one if we send him to the minors next spring...whether or not we bring him up in September.
4. Lonnie Chisenhall - This can wait until Sept. 6th after he gets some ABs at Columbus
5. Jeanmar Gomez - We may go with 6 starters
6. Scott Barnes - Let's see what he looks like out of the bullpen in September
7. Cord Phelps - We need to decide on Phelps or Donald next year and now is a good time to get a look at both in the role they will be playing next year IF they are with this team: utility infielder
8. Chun Chen - Just give this guy a few ABs after Akron is finished with the EL playoffs just because he could be in Cleveland at some point next year AND because we will have to roster him this winter to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. Calling him up now or putting him on the roster this winter is no different. In either case if you send him out next spring you use up one of his options AND, of course, he is a good enough prospect that he SHOULD be protected on the roster this winter.
9. Frank Herrmann - IF he puts up good numbers for the next week or so and doesn't look like he is pouting, MAYBE we call him back up. Looking at his appearance last night, he may, in fact, be pouting. If this is the case don't call him up.
10. Rafael Perez - This is not really a September callup but if EVER gets healthy this year, we should give him some innings.
Don't Call up:
Sorry, Lars Anderson, Vinny Rottino, Russ Canzler, et al - This is not the place where AAAA players get a few more ML ABs. No more. Ever.
David Huff - Look, I would love to call him up but he doesn't deserve it. He has pitched like crap and you would have guessed that he would have seen his career going down the tubes and worked like heck to get back to ML caliber. He was good early but has stunk recently when he needed to be good.
Get rid of right now or leave on the DL:
1.Shelly Duncan,
2. Jack Hannahan
3. Caset Kotchman
4. Brent Lillibridge
5. Chris Seddon
6. Travis Hafner..
Look, I know this is an old horse but, darn it, get rid of these failed experiments and move on. If ANY of these guys are on the roster next year it will be a sign the Indians are as bad next year as they have shown in the last two years. Plus we don't have enough ABs to give these guys any playing time in September. Get rid of them and make a statement that Cleveland will NOT be a vacation location for AAAA players any more.
Shut down:
1. Zach McAllister has pitched as many as 171 IP in a season. Right now he is at 153 this year, counting time at AAA and the majors. He should be allowed 2 more starts and then he should be shut down for the season. No need to wear out his arm this year.
Look, if we make these moves we are primed for a September tryout for our minor leaguers. No more AAAA guys and a look at prospects. The fans may not like it but they didn't come out to see this team when it was good so they shouldn't be too worried about who we play in September of a lost season.
Good news: Although the Columbus Clippers season will end on Sept. 5th, they are out of both the International League's Western Division race and, for all practical purposes, the IL Wild Card race. So the Indians should have nothing to wait for to expand the rosters when Sept. 1st rolls around next Saturday.
Let's look at what should happen in September:
Call up:
1. Tim Fedroff - He deserves a look. Admittedly, he or Carrera only make the roster next year if Michael Brantley is a starter. For us to be competitive Brantley needs to be a 4th outfielder but that may not happen. If Brantley starts than Fedroff or Carrera should win the 4th outfielder job (please, no more AAAA guys!!!!). So Fedroff needs to play.
2. Jared Goedert - Look, he probably is not ML caliber. But he deserves a shot not just based on this year but based on last year, too. MANY teams have thrown bones to their own guys like Goedert or even AAAA guys they have brought in who had outstanding AAA seasons. Time Goedert gets his 15 minutes of fame with the hope he can turn it in to much longer.
3. Juan Diaz - Yeah, he may not be ready but he is already on the 40-man and we should bring him back as he is hitting well at Columbus and it won't change the number of options he would have as we have already used up an option when we sent him back to the minors after his cup of coffee in Cleveland earlier this year and will use another one if we send him to the minors next spring...whether or not we bring him up in September.
4. Lonnie Chisenhall - This can wait until Sept. 6th after he gets some ABs at Columbus
5. Jeanmar Gomez - We may go with 6 starters
6. Scott Barnes - Let's see what he looks like out of the bullpen in September
7. Cord Phelps - We need to decide on Phelps or Donald next year and now is a good time to get a look at both in the role they will be playing next year IF they are with this team: utility infielder
8. Chun Chen - Just give this guy a few ABs after Akron is finished with the EL playoffs just because he could be in Cleveland at some point next year AND because we will have to roster him this winter to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. Calling him up now or putting him on the roster this winter is no different. In either case if you send him out next spring you use up one of his options AND, of course, he is a good enough prospect that he SHOULD be protected on the roster this winter.
9. Frank Herrmann - IF he puts up good numbers for the next week or so and doesn't look like he is pouting, MAYBE we call him back up. Looking at his appearance last night, he may, in fact, be pouting. If this is the case don't call him up.
10. Rafael Perez - This is not really a September callup but if EVER gets healthy this year, we should give him some innings.
Don't Call up:
Sorry, Lars Anderson, Vinny Rottino, Russ Canzler, et al - This is not the place where AAAA players get a few more ML ABs. No more. Ever.
David Huff - Look, I would love to call him up but he doesn't deserve it. He has pitched like crap and you would have guessed that he would have seen his career going down the tubes and worked like heck to get back to ML caliber. He was good early but has stunk recently when he needed to be good.
Get rid of right now or leave on the DL:
1.Shelly Duncan,
2. Jack Hannahan
3. Caset Kotchman
4. Brent Lillibridge
5. Chris Seddon
6. Travis Hafner..
Look, I know this is an old horse but, darn it, get rid of these failed experiments and move on. If ANY of these guys are on the roster next year it will be a sign the Indians are as bad next year as they have shown in the last two years. Plus we don't have enough ABs to give these guys any playing time in September. Get rid of them and make a statement that Cleveland will NOT be a vacation location for AAAA players any more.
Shut down:
1. Zach McAllister has pitched as many as 171 IP in a season. Right now he is at 153 this year, counting time at AAA and the majors. He should be allowed 2 more starts and then he should be shut down for the season. No need to wear out his arm this year.
Look, if we make these moves we are primed for a September tryout for our minor leaguers. No more AAAA guys and a look at prospects. The fans may not like it but they didn't come out to see this team when it was good so they shouldn't be too worried about who we play in September of a lost season.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Grady Sizemore - You owe us!
$18.3 million over the past 3 years. 104 games 392 AB. .219 BA, 10 HR.
That's Grady Sizemore's production over the past 3 seasons.
This winter we have a decision.
Grady Sizemore should have NONE.
The only ML team he has ever known needs him to sign a minor league deal without an opt out.
If he plays again it should be in Cleveland. He shouldn't try to get some desperate team to pay him more or even guaranteed money.
He should come to ST as a non-roster invitee and, if injured, he should continue his rehab here and stay for at least the entire next season.
Grady Sizemore has made over $23 million in salary here. Yes, he has done good things here to earn most of that money.
But still, he now owes US. If he doesn't sign a minor league deal with us and opts to go to another team it will be pretty pathetic. C'mon, break the mold. Be one of the few good players who stay with their team and don't go to wring every dollar out of the system!
That's Grady Sizemore's production over the past 3 seasons.
This winter we have a decision.
Grady Sizemore should have NONE.
The only ML team he has ever known needs him to sign a minor league deal without an opt out.
If he plays again it should be in Cleveland. He shouldn't try to get some desperate team to pay him more or even guaranteed money.
He should come to ST as a non-roster invitee and, if injured, he should continue his rehab here and stay for at least the entire next season.
Grady Sizemore has made over $23 million in salary here. Yes, he has done good things here to earn most of that money.
But still, he now owes US. If he doesn't sign a minor league deal with us and opts to go to another team it will be pretty pathetic. C'mon, break the mold. Be one of the few good players who stay with their team and don't go to wring every dollar out of the system!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)