What do we need at the deadline....

[JakeTaylor]

Given the "struggles" lately, what do you guys think the areas of need are as we approach the deadline...? Figured a nice little thread could be started off of this topic

[TribeinLA]

I feel this way:

Shap and Dolan are either serious or not. I could see Shapiro saying, "This is all good and well, but we're still a year off of OUR schedule so this is all a bonus."

If they are serious, then we no doubt need a heavry RH hitter to sandwich between Choo and Santana/Hafner. More essential is to pick up a solid vet for the staff...a 3 guy ala Paul Byrd. I do not know much outside of the AL Central, but I am talking about a Javier Vasquez or a Jake Peavy...just a guy who can guide Tomlin, Masterson, and Talbot IF we do contend. Who's gonna do that for us now? Carmona?! The blind leading the blind is not the method I'd prefer.

We don't need a flashy pitcher. I used those two names above just in terms of experience and success. As for a hitter, we NEED a bad ass. Michael Young is too much money. David Wright probably would be, too. BUT, I ask if people wanna be the FLA marlins and spend the cash and win the damn thing NOW or keep talking up how effective our Kinston pitching staff continues to look?

[Dnthateonthepronk]

What we need is an ace, then a RH hitter.

[RedDawg53]

I'm thinking of a veteran catcher. If the plan is to have Santana at 1st. We need a different option behind the plate to call the game and communicate for Chrissakes. Just ask Marson.

Jason Kendall? Maybe Ivan Rodriguez? Worth a shot with Ivan, he can still hit.

[TribeinLA]

Ivan is 41. No thanks. 3 years go? Yes.

[TribeinLA]

I do like that thinking though...just not Pudge. Although I bet we could call him "The Carmona Whisperer".

[peeker643]

What they need at the deadline is to not be 10 games back. That will be a fine start.

[Kingpin74]

Team isn't good enough to consider any trades of high end prospects. I don't care to mortgage the future in order to get swept in the Division Series. Maybe if a Paul Byrd/Carl Pavano type pitcher or an '07 Kenny Lofton type hitter is available for a low price, you do it. But otherwise, they should just do what they can with in-house guys and try to stay competitive in the crappy Central.

[TonyIPI]

Unfortunately, you are not going to get any trades in the short term. As for July deadline deals, no big moves where the team mortgages the future by trading away good young players for overpriced vets that typically don't help a club down the stretch. I think if anything you see the Indians go the Kenny Lofton route in 2007 with a complimentary pickup.

As for internal roster moves, doesn't look like anything will change from what I have heard. Antonetti and Acta are supposedly intent on riding this tough stretch out. They know Cord Phelps or Lonnie Chisenhall are not the answer right now, it is getting back to good fundamental baseball which is why they got off to such a good start.

[Symbolic47]

As much as I want to remain in contention this season(which is likely given our crappy division) trading any of our kids would be a terrible move at this point. We still have so many holes.....

-Laporta- Dont have much hope for him anymore
-Hannahan- Gone as soon as chiz is ready
Ocab- Gone soon enough with either Phelps or Kipnis taking over(obviously Cord is 1st atm)
-Santana- Ive been a huge supporter of his, but he is really struggling and doesnt seem to be warming up at all. He leaves much to be desired behind the dish. Hell VMart was much better. And he was average defensively.
Choo- who the hell knows....

[YouCanPutItOnTheBoardYES!]

As much as I want to remain in contention this season(which is likely given our crappy division) trading any of our kids would be a terrible move at this point. We still have so many holes.....

-Laporta- Dont have much hope for him anymore
-Hannahan- Gone as soon as chiz is ready
Ocab- Gone soon enough with either Phelps or Kipnis taking over(obviously Cord is 1st atm)
-Santana- Ive been a huge supporter of his, but he is really struggling and doesnt seem to be warming up at all. He leaves much to be desired behind the dish. Hell VMart was much better. And he was average defensively.
Choo- who the hell knows....

So now, after 2 months of baseball, our number one prospect in our system is a "hole"? The kid is off to a bad start and believe it or not, 2 months is a small sample size. Despite his bad start he still has the 3rd best BB rate in all of baseball. His BaBIP is a mere .252 which will rise, and in turn so will his average. Not to mention he has yet to play a full season in the bigs.

And now Choo, who over the past 3 seasons has arguably been the best RF in the AL, is a hole?

[peeker643]

Only thing I disagree with in this entire post is the very first word.

I don't think it's unfortunate at all. This team needs to do exactly what you said in regard to fundamental baseball and it needs its best players to hit and produce in regard to Choo, Hafner, Sizemore and Santana. If those guys get/stay healthy and start to produce and they return to making plays instead of giving away additional outs that stress a leaky staff then they'll be in the division race through the summer.

If not there aren't enough trades you can make.

Unfortunately, you are not going to get any trades in the short term. As for July deadline deals, no big moves where the team mortgages the future by trading away good young players for overpriced vets that typically don't help a club down the stretch. I think if anything you see the Indians go the Kenny Lofton route in 2007 with a complimentary pickup.

As for internal roster moves, doesn't look like anything will change from what I have heard. Antonetti and Acta are supposedly intent on riding this tough stretch out. They know Cord Phelps or Lonnie Chisenhall are not the answer right now, it is getting back to good fundamental baseball which is why they got off to such a good start.

[OldDawg]

Team isn't good enough to consider any trades of high end prospects. I don't care to mortgage the future in order to get swept in the Division Series. Maybe if a Paul Byrd/Carl Pavano type pitcher or an '07 Kenny Lofton type hitter is available for a low price, you do it. But otherwise, they should just do what they can with in-house guys and try to stay competitive in the crappy Central.

The Tribe is in a precarious position. I don't think anyone really believed the Indians would start out in front like this. Consequently, I don't think anyone anticipated being in a position to "have to make a trade to make a run." Typically those types of trades involve trading prospects for more proven vets.

But I believe the Tribe really believed they would still be in the middle of a rebuild this year. If so, trading prospects is the last thing they want to do.

But they ARE in first place. Teams in first place make trades for post-season runs.

They are in an unusual position. Stick to the plan (rebuild)? Or make a run?

I think the dust will settle in all this in the next few weeks.

[OldDawg]

I'm thinking of a veteran catcher. If the plan is to have Santana at 1st. We need a different option behind the plate to call the game and communicate for Chrissakes. Just ask Marson.

Jason Kendall? Maybe Ivan Rodriguez? Worth a shot with Ivan, he can still hit.

Sandy Alomar is our 1B coach. Do you guys think he is mentoring our catchers? I sure hope so. I thought Sandy was great with pitchers.

[Symbolic47]

As much as I want to remain in contention this season(which is likely given our crappy division) trading any of our kids would be a terrible move at this point. We still have so many holes.....

-Laporta- Dont have much hope for him anymore
-Hannahan- Gone as soon as chiz is ready
Ocab- Gone soon enough with either Phelps or Kipnis taking over(obviously Cord is 1st atm)
-Santana- Ive been a huge supporter of his, but he is really struggling and doesnt seem to be warming up at all. He leaves much to be desired behind the dish. Hell VMart was much better. And he was average defensively.
Choo- who the hell knows....

So now, after 2 months of baseball, our number one prospect in our system is a "hole"? The kid is off to a bad start and believe it or not, 2 months is a small sample size. Despite his bad start he still has the 3rd best BB rate in all of baseball. His BaBIP is a mere .252 which will rise, and in turn so will his average. Not to mention he has yet to play a full season in the bigs.

And now Choo, who over the past 3 seasons has arguably been the best RF in the AL, is a hole?

As of now, yes these two guys are holes in the lineup. notice how I didn't advocate replacing them as I did with the others? Nobody can deny Choo and Mr Smooth's slow starts have had a big impact on our offense. If these two guys were swinging, our offense would look so much better. No need to think in absolutes here.

[Lokais]

So just to get this straight: If we give a guy way too many at bats to prove that he sucks, we didn't give him enough, but if we don't give a guy any time to show what he can do, it's too many and he needs to be dumped?

[Pressrunnr]

Recently read on MLBtraderumors.com about how the Reds could get Ryan Ludwick from the Padres for Heisey or prospects. Reds are denying it -- but if the Padres are shopping him, he's a possibility. Is he closer to the 40-homer guy from a couple years ago or the guy who's around .260 and 8 homers this year in spacious S.D.? If the cost in terms of prospects is reasonable, I don't see much downside in finding out -- now, rather than at the deadline. A big RH bat to go into the OF/1B/DH mix, perhaps.

[pup]

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