Potential Indians Trade Targets

[Adverb Harry]

Thank God for this move. It gives us that lefty bat to really balance out our lineup.

[WiscTribeFan]

Does anyone else find it amusing that the Pirates kicked in $250K to the Yankees in the Casey McGehee trade?

[Adverb Harry]

Brent Lillibridge, Lars Anderson...we're really cornering the market on players with wimpy names.

[peeker643]

Used to be this organization was content to simply draft their own disappointments and watch the bloom fall off the rose from draft day forward.

It's a new day though. Now they're dealing for other team's disappointments. Maybe so people will complain less about the drafts?

They just traded the next RA Dickey for the next Matt Laporta. Or next Nick Weglarz. Or the next Matt Whitney (if Lars steps on a sprinkler head).

This post brought to you by redneckofsc

[Spanky]

Cool, and we gave up a starter that throws a knuckleball for him. Somehow, Steven Wright will become the next R.A. Dickey.

By "next R.A. Dickey" do you mean a player who bounces around between every minor league team until he finally figures out how to throw the pitch when he's in his 30's?

[peeker643]

Struggles with breaking balls, which leads to swings-and-misses and weak contact on the ground. Must improve contact skills to project as an average-to-better hitter for batting average at the big league level. Despite plus raw power, has trouble pulling the ball with lift. Swing shows too much hook and lacks leverage due to looping hands during swing load. Struggles to get good wood on inside fastballs.

Thank Christ you don't see +fastballs on the hands and breaking stuff at the big league level.

[WiscTribeFan]

:thumb up:

Struggles with breaking balls, which leads to swings-and-misses and weak contact on the ground. Must improve contact skills to project as an average-to-better hitter for batting average at the big league level. Despite plus raw power, has trouble pulling the ball with lift. Swing shows too much hook and lacks leverage due to looping hands during swing load. Struggles to get good wood on inside fastballs.

That's half the major league roster.

[StewieG]

Oh thank Christ we got another light-hitting lefty. Ought to fit in real well with the rest of the team.

[dazindiansfanuk]

Anderson's reporting to AAA.

[Bigfist]

:thumb up:

Struggles with breaking balls, which leads to swings-and-misses and weak contact on the ground. Must improve contact skills to project as an average-to-better hitter for batting average at the big league level. Despite plus raw power, has trouble pulling the ball with lift. Swing shows too much hook and lacks leverage due to looping hands during swing load. Struggles to get good wood on inside fastballs.

That's half the major league roster.

Half????

[peeker643]

Cool, and we gave up a starter that throws a knuckleball for him. Somehow, Steven Wright will become the next R.A. Dickey.

By "next R.A. Dickey" do you mean a player who bounces around between every minor league team until he finally figures out how to throw the pitch when he's in his 30's?

You're gonna be so sorry when Dickey dominates MLB hitters for the next ten years.


Actually I told gotribe31 I was going to be the first to try and get the inevitable RA Dickey needle in the haystack comp in the thread but I was too late

[e0y2e3]

This is awesome:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/minorleagues/prospects/y2009/

The Indians run 2009 prospect lists...

[WiscTribeFan]

This is awesome:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/minorleagues/prospects/y2009/

The Indians run 2009 prospect lists...

Wow, Marson was a top 50 guy at one point.

[peeker643]

This is awesome:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/minorleagues/prospects/y2009/

The Indians run 2009 prospect lists...

Tribe now has 3 of top 30 and 4 of top 43!!!!! The system is getting healthier!!!!

Excited about #43 too.

[e0y2e3]

The Indians don't own Adam Miller's corpse anymore? Because if they do that's 5 of the top 43....

[Adverb Harry]

And you guys thought this organization didn't have a plan. Shame on you.

[skatingtripods]

Cool, and we gave up a starter that throws a knuckleball for him. Somehow, Steven Wright will become the next R.A. Dickey.

By "next R.A. Dickey" do you mean a player who bounces around between every minor league team until he finally figures out how to throw the pitch when he's in his 30's?

You're gonna be so sorry when Dickey dominates MLB hitters for the next ten years.


Actually I told gotribe31 I was going to be the first to try and get the inevitable RA Dickey needle in the haystack comp in the thread but I was too late

I had to. Just seemed to fit the TCF self-deprecating theme.

[motherscratcher]

Chris Antonetti, 3:59 PM:

Shit, I gotta do something so the boss doesn't realize I've been sleeping all afternoon. Get me...Lars Anderson. Whew. That was close.

OK, now that one wasn't bad at all.

[motherscratcher]

Cool, and we gave up a starter that throws a knuckleball for him. Somehow, Steven Wright will become the next R.A. Dickey.

By "next R.A. Dickey" do you mean a player who bounces around between every minor league team until he finally figures out how to throw the pitch when he's in his 30's?

Yes that.

Wouldn't you rather have that than Lars Anderson?

[peeker643]

The Indians don't own Adam Miller's corpse anymore? Because if they do that's 5 of the top 43....

No. He decided to leave when fans suggested he hack off a finger to get rid of the injury and generate more movement on his pitches.

He's with the Yankees. They're probably buying him stem cell procedures in Europe and he'll come back with seven fingers, all of which help throw a ball 118mph.

[motherscratcher]

:thumb up:

Struggles with breaking balls, which leads to swings-and-misses and weak contact on the ground. Must improve contact skills to project as an average-to-better hitter for batting average at the big league level. Despite plus raw power, has trouble pulling the ball with lift. Swing shows too much hook and lacks leverage due to looping hands during swing load. Struggles to get good wood on inside fastballs.

Thank Christ you don't see +fastballs on the hands and breaking stuff at the big league level.

LOL...struggles to get good wood...

[peeker643]

Chris Antonetti, 3:59 PM:

Shit, I gotta do something so the boss doesn't realize I've been sleeping all afternoon. Get me...Lars Anderson. Whew. That was close.

OK, now that one wasn't bad at all.

I disagree.

Completely.

Though some people find Gallagher and Roseanne Barr funny.

[jb]

Brent Lillibridge, Lars Anderson...we're really cornering the market on players with wimpy names.

A Lillibridge to nowhere.

[motherscratcher]

The Indians don't own Adam Miller's corpse anymore? Because if they do that's 5 of the top 43....

No. He decided to leave when fans suggested he hack off a finger to get rid of the injury and generate more movement on his pitches.

He's with the Yankees. They're probably buying him stem cell procedures in Europe and he'll come back with seven fingers, all of which help throw a ball 118mph.

I still think that could have worked.

In fact, they could have just sewn the hacked off finger to a mouse to keep it in good shape for a few years. If the pitching thing didn't work out they could have just reattached it. No harm no foul.

Find a hole in that plan asshole.

[motherscratcher]

Chris Antonetti, 3:59 PM:

Shit, I gotta do something so the boss doesn't realize I've been sleeping all afternoon. Get me...Lars Anderson. Whew. That was close.

OK, now that one wasn't bad at all.

I disagree.

Completely.

Though some people find Gallagher and Roseanne Barr funny.

Compared to what he was dropping upthread?

[StewieG]

Brent Lillibridge, Lars Anderson...we're really cornering the market on players with wimpy names.

A Lillibridge to nowhere.

I laughed.

[leadpipe]

:thumb up:

Struggles with breaking balls, which leads to swings-and-misses and weak contact on the ground. Must improve contact skills to project as an average-to-better hitter for batting average at the big league level. Despite plus raw power, has trouble pulling the ball with lift. Swing shows too much hook and lacks leverage due to looping hands during swing load. Struggles to get good wood on inside fastballs.

Thank Christ you don't see +fastballs on the hands and breaking stuff at the big league level.

Was that written by Shelly Duncan's biographer?

[Am I Here Again?]

To the Tribe FO:



Thank you.

[peeker643]

The Indians don't own Adam Miller's corpse anymore? Because if they do that's 5 of the top 43....

No. He decided to leave when fans suggested he hack off a finger to get rid of the injury and generate more movement on his pitches.

He's with the Yankees. They're probably buying him stem cell procedures in Europe and he'll come back with seven fingers, all of which help throw a ball 118mph.

I still think that could have worked.

In fact, they could have just sewn the hacked off finger to a mouse to keep it in good shape for a few years. If the pitching thing didn't work out they could have just reattached it. No harm no foul.

Find a hole in that plan asshole.

The original plan made no mention of fingers sewn to mice. Had it, I would have been strongly in favor of it from the get-go. Better yet, they should have sewn the finger to your ass so you no longer were required to pay teen age boys to use theirs.

Now who's the asshole?

[Adverb Harry]

Chris Antonetti, 3:59 PM:

Shit, I gotta do something so the boss doesn't realize I've been sleeping all afternoon. Get me...Lars Anderson. Whew. That was close.

OK, now that one wasn't bad at all.

You really shouldn't encourage me.

[peeker643]

Chris Antonetti, 3:59 PM:

Shit, I gotta do something so the boss doesn't realize I've been sleeping all afternoon. Get me...Lars Anderson. Whew. That was close.

OK, now that one wasn't bad at all.

You really shouldn't encourage me.

No.

He really fucking shouldn't.

[skatingtripods]

We have 432 posts in this thread and we got rewarded with Brent Lillibridge and Lars Anderson.

[StewieG]

This is awesome:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/minorleagues/prospects/y2009/

The Indians run 2009 prospect lists...

Tribe now has 3 of top 30 and 4 of top 43!!!!! The system is getting healthier!!!!

Excited about #43 too.

What's morbidly hilarious is that there's a really, really good chance that Marson ends up having the best career of all of them.

[Adverb Harry]

No.

He really fucking shouldn't.

[RedDawg53]

To the Tribe FO:



Thank you.

Isn't that Flag from the FO to the fans. They did wave the white flag.

[RedDawg53]

This is awesome:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/minorleagues/prospects/y2009/

The Indians run 2009 prospect lists...

Matt LaPorta at #14 seems a bit high

[gotribe31]

The Indians don't own Adam Miller's corpse anymore? Because if they do that's 5 of the top 43....

No. He decided to leave when fans suggested he hack off a finger to get rid of the injury and generate more movement on his pitches.

He's with the Yankees. They're probably buying him stem cell procedures in Europe and he'll come back with seven fingers, all of which help throw a ball 118mph.

Yankees actually released him earlier this year. Hasn't signed with anyone last I'd heard.

[Dnthateonthepronk]

What's morbidly hilarious is that there's a really, really good chance that Marson ends up having the best career of all of them.

He has arguably been the best prospect from that vaunted Phillies system around that time.

Outside of Gose who was rated real low at the time. D'Arnaurd still has time as well.

[Dnthateonthepronk]

To the Tribe FO:



Thank you.

Isn't that Flag from the FO to the fans. They did wave the white flag.

No thats the flag Antonetti put outside the stadium after he made the Lars Anderson trade

[Adverb Harry]

Antonetti greeting the fans when the Indians return from the road trip.

[peeker643]

And then depression set in...

Nowhere near enough talent in the minors to buy major league help, nowhere near enough major league talent to compete.

And what major league talent there is here in town isn't elite. And if it's close to elite it's at a position (closer) that doesn't hold much sway in trades.

Reminds of the unfortunate kid at Dave & Busters with 200 tickets in his hand who goes shopping in that little redemption center. What you got ain't enough and what you want is way overpriced.

That's why they stood still.

[Adverb Harry]

What you got ain't enough and what you want is way overpriced.

That's why they stood still.

Yeah, that's about it. Prospects are becoming an increasingly valuable commodity. Teams aren't giving them up, and we ain't got any.

GM's know they can hang onto their top prospects and the other team will either walk away or cave in and settle for less. They weren't going to get an Ubaldo type haul for Choo, because no one's stupid enough to give away their top two prospects anymore...well, except Antonetti.

[Prosecutor]

A bad trade is worse than no trade. Anybody want to see another Pomeranz for Ubaldo deal, or another Brandon Phillips debacle?

There's nothing to be done at this point. When Lowe and Tomlin are in your rotation and you're getting ready to replace them with Kluber and Hernandez, and when you're last in the AL in scoring since the AS break, there's no chance. Especially when you've been hammered by the dregs of your division four straight games.

The Tribe should release the following players at the end of the season, or in some cases sooner (2012 salaries):

Hafner ($13 million)
Sizemore ($5 million)
Lowe ($5 million)
Kotchman ($3 million)
Damon ($1.1 million)
Duncan ($500 K)

That frees up about $27 million, minus the raises due to the current players. I'm guessing around $15 million available, assuming they decide to keep payroll the same.

They need to use that money to add a Josh Willingham type bat at 1st base or left field, and a legitimate starting pitcher. Go for quality, not quantity. One Willingham trumps a Kotchman, Damon, and Lowe. We have guys in Columbus who can match that production at a fraction of the cost.

Then they need Chisenhall and Carrasco to stay healthy and have breakout seasons like Kipnis is doing this year.

That adds four significant players. Not enough to compete with Detroit, but enough to move up to 85 wins and keep it interesting at least through the end of July when they'll have to trade Choo. That's about all a franchise like this can hope for, really.

[dazindiansfanuk]

This team is not going to add a significant piece via free agency - regardless of how much money is coming off the books!

Good players who are free agents will get more years than the Indians are prepared to give up, leaving us with the dregs or the players coming back from injury.

Annual salary is not an issue for pretty much any player (within reason), this team just won't commit the years to get a deal done.

EDIT: You're also assuming that payroll is going to at least remain constant next year.... after as shitty as this years attendance has been, that's not a foregone conclusion.

[Prosecutor]

This team is not going to add a significant piece via free agency - regardless of how much money is coming off the books!

You could very well be right. However, I'm hoping the Indians will learn from the Willingham experience, where he was ready to sign with the Indians if they just matched the Twins' three-year offer. The Indians would not go beyond two years (perhaps still smarting from the Dellucci signing) and Willy ended up with the Twins, where he's having a monster season as a right-handed power-hitting left fielder.

I'm hoping they will realize that they have to get a little more aggressive and take a calculated risk at some point. They did that last year with Ubaldo and it's not working out. They did it with Kerry Wood and it didn't work out there either. They did it with Hafner and Westbrook - same result.

I really think this team has gotten extremely gun-shy about giving up top prospects like Brandon Phillips and Drew Pomeranz or giving out multi-year big dollar contracts. They have not done well in the recent past with deals like that. Their big successes have come from the smaller deals involving Choo, Asdrubal, C. Perez, Santana, Joe Smith, and McAlister.

But if they ever want to get to the 90-win level they're going to have to take a risk on a guy like Willingham and not just sit back and wait for the farm to produce or hope they can keep flipping Casey Blakes and Austin Kearns for Santanas and McAlisters. I hope they learned that lesson.

[pup]

WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY SUCKED AT OUR JOBS, SO WE WILL STOP TRYING!!!!

Any chance that replaces "what if?"?

[jb]

And then depression set in...

Nowhere near enough talent in the minors to buy major league help, nowhere near enough major league talent to compete.

And what major league talent there is here in town isn't elite. And if it's close to elite it's at a position (closer) that doesn't hold much sway in trades.


That's why they stood still.

The only wonder is normally knowledgeable fans didn't see this coming in March & April.

Its not so much that they are mediocre to bad and scufffling. Its that there are no prospects in an organization that espoused player development as its core strategy.

How Shapiro and Antonetti keep their jobs is a mystery between God, the Dolans, and General Jackson.

War: Neil Huntington.

[jb]

A bad trade is worse than no trade. Anybody want to see another Pomeranz for Ubaldo deal, or another Brandon Phillips debacle?

There's nothing to be done at this point. When Lowe and Tomlin are in your rotation and you're getting ready to replace them with Kluber and Hernandez, and when you're last in the AL in scoring since the AS break, there's no chance. Especially when you've been hammered by the dregs of your division four straight games.

The Tribe should release the following players at the end of the season, or in some cases sooner (2012 salaries):

Hafner ($13 million)
Sizemore ($5 million)
Lowe ($5 million)
Kotchman ($3 million)
Damon ($1.1 million)
Duncan ($500 K)

That frees up about $27 million, minus the raises due to the current players. I'm guessing around $15 million available, assuming they decide to keep payroll the same.

Now they can make the field of dreams developmental complex in Arizona even more supre dooper so we can churn out more Beau Mills & Trevor Crowes !!

I bet a sauna would be nice since it is a dry heat and all that.

[dazindiansfanuk]

This team is not going to add a significant piece via free agency - regardless of how much money is coming off the books!

You could very well be right. However, I'm hoping the Indians will learn from the Willingham experience, where he was ready to sign with the Indians if they just matched the Twins' three-year offer. The Indians would not go beyond two years (perhaps still smarting from the Dellucci signing) and Willy ended up with the Twins, where he's having a monster season as a right-handed power-hitting left fielder.

I'm hoping they will realize that they have to get a little more aggressive and take a calculated risk at some point. They did that last year with Ubaldo and it's not working out. They did it with Kerry Wood and it didn't work out there either. They did it with Hafner and Westbrook - same result.

I really think this team has gotten extremely gun-shy about giving up top prospects like Brandon Phillips and Drew Pomeranz or giving out multi-year big dollar contracts. They have not done well in the recent past with deals like that. Their big successes have come from the smaller deals involving Choo, Asdrubal, C. Perez, Santana, Joe Smith, and McAlister.

But if they ever want to get to the 90-win level they're going to have to take a risk on a guy like Willingham and not just sit back and wait for the farm to produce or hope they can keep flipping Casey Blakes and Austin Kearns for Santanas and McAlisters. I hope they learned that lesson.

You go ahead and hope..... I'm going to judge them based on past experience.

The last time we tried to fill two gaping holes with free agents we ended up with Kotchman and Damon.

Unless the local economy has changed, their philosophy won't change and the "talent" we can get in free agency won't change either.

[Dnthateonthepronk]

What lesson are we to learn from Willingham? He is an injury risk player who is 3/4 of the way into a 3 year deal.

We cant judge that deal until he plays out the entire thing.