AL CENTRAL

[DSSNutz]

We didn't trade Sabathia for bats just for the hell of it. As a business stand-point it was necessary. We weren't going to resign him this year anyways, so why not get something for him in return, you know?

BTW, the Indians got a heckuva lot of talent in return including: Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley, Rob Bryson, Taylor Green and Zach Jackson.

Remember those names. You may have not heard of them as they're young and in the minors. A few of them are already tearing it up in Spring Training. Not all will become stars, but I am willing to bet 2 of them turn into some of the building blocks for seasons to come.

You may not agree with this method "small market" teams go through, but it's a churning process that has to be done to keep this team competitive each year.

You got okay talent...I think it was a good trade. It's just one of those things that always comes back to always get teams in the end... the probability of getting value goes way down when you take an bat back for an arm. In your division, a couple of trades that teams got fleeced because of this were the AJ Pierzynski for Nathan/Liriano trade...and the Gio Gonzalez for Nick Swisher trade...but you gotta do, what you gotta do...

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Even though they may want Porcello in the minors, I would not be surprised to see him in Detroit.
btw, did they say WHERE in the minors ?
Erie AA or Toledo AAA ?

For some reason, the Tigers tend to skip Toledo alot for pitchers.

btw, Verlander looked very good according to the Houston guys calling the game.
6 strong they said.
1 hit, 1 run, 3walks and 2 K's


Jimbo

That was speculation on my part, he's only 20 yrs. old. Check the track record on kids who entered the majors at that age - it's not too good. There's only been a couple who have had long careers. Free Press had an article on that in Sunday's paper. Like I said earlier, with two spots open in the rotation, the Tiger's may be forced to use him. Porcello's next start is Saturday.

 

[HD MM]

You got okay talent...I think it was a good trade. It's just one of those things that always comes back to always get teams in the end... the probability of getting value goes way down when you take an bat back for an arm. In your division, a couple of trades that teams got fleeced because of this were the AJ Pierzynski for Nathan/Liriano trade...and the Gio Gonzalez for Nick Swisher trade...but you gotta do, what you gotta do...

Please don't lump in other team's mistakes with the potential of this trade. The Indians are their own team. I trust our GM, Mark Shapiro made the best trade that was available.

BTW, do you remember the epic Bartolo Colon trade Shapiro made for the Tribe a few years back? In return, we got Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee and Brandon Phillips. If LaPorta or Brantley turn into the next G-Size, I will be perfectly happy in exchanging an expiring contract pitcher for a "bat".

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Please don't lump in other team's mistakes with the potential of this trade. The Indians are their own team. I trust our GM, Mark Shapiro made the best trade that was available.

BTW, do you remember the epic Bartolo Colon trade Shapiro made for the Tribe a few years back? In return, we got Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee and Brandon Phillips. If LaPorta or Brantley turn into the next G-Size, I will be perfectly happy in exchanging an expiring contract pitcher for a "bat".

The Sabathia trade was a good trade. It was "move him, or lose him". They can't all be great trades like the Colon trade, besides the jury is still out on this one, it may turn out great for the Tribe yet. Certainly didn't have any long term benefits for Milwaukee, did it now?

 

[DSSNutz]

Please don't lump in other team's mistakes with the potential of this trade. The Indians are their own team. I trust our GM, Mark Shapiro made the best trade that was available.

BTW, do you remember the epic Bartolo Colon trade Shapiro made for the Tribe a few years back? In return, we got Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee and Brandon Phillips. If LaPorta or Brantley turn into the next G-Size, I will be perfectly happy in exchanging an expiring contract pitcher for a "bat".

I can go on and on about bats for arms trades...and once again, I think the Sabathia trade was a good one. The only thing was that the Colon trade was made by a team that was run by baseball with a lame duck GM. That turned out to be good, but that was more mismanagement. Wasn't Lee Stevens in that deal....how'd ya leave him out?

 

[HD MM]

I can go on and on about bats for arms trades...and once again, I think the Sabathia trade was a good one. The only thing was that the Colon trade was made by a team that was run by baseball with a lame duck GM. That turned out to be good, but that was more mismanagement. Wasn't Lee Stevens in that deal....how'd ya leave him out?

Lee Stevens was out of Baseball within a year following the trade. He was easily forgettable.

 

[DSSNutz]

Lee Stevens was out of Baseball within a year following the trade. He was easily forgettable.

Oh, I know... but he was one of my favorite players. Before I was drafted by one of those small market teams (lol) I went to a baseball clinic that featured him in Omaha...he was the man and I wouldn't be suprised if he could hit a ball 450 ft, still

 

[Skyhi]

You got okay talent...I think it was a good trade. It's just one of those things that always comes back to always get teams in the end... the probability of getting value goes way down when you take an bat back for an arm. In your division, a couple of trades that teams got fleeced because of this were the AJ Pierzynski for Nathan/Liriano trade...and the Gio Gonzalez for Nick Swisher trade...but you gotta do, what you gotta do...

You don't honestly think the Twins got fleeced in this trade, do you? They got one of the best closers in the game and a LHP with electric stuff....all for an a-hole catcher.

 

[Jimbo]

You don't honestly think the Twins got fleeced in this trade, do you? They got one of the best closers in the game and a LHP with electric stuff....all for an a-hole catcher.

I'm not sure which way he was leaning on that one, I'd say the Twins got a GREAT deal out of that one.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Bonderman is scheduled to throw tonight. Keeping my fingers crossed. We sure could use some good news, pitching wise.

 

[HD MM]

Notes/Observations from Goodyear Arizona

• Wow. Cliff Lee took quite a lump on Tuesday -- 10 runs (nine earned) on 11 hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. It reads as bad as it looked, and it looked heinous. Lee said he was just trying to locate his fastballs today. And I could definitely locate them. There was one that landed near the warning track in right, there was one off the center-field wall, there was one that cruised past his left ear on a liner up the middle.... well, you get the idea.
• That being said, Lee had a point. He was basically throwing nothing but fastballs. Only five or six of his 60-some pitches were offspeed. He was throwing fastballs in counts he'd never throw them in-season, and he said he also took into account the fact that he'll be facing this Rangers team in less than three weeks, when the games count.
• By the way, Lee had a 5.68 ERA and a .342 average against last spring -- and that's when he was competing for a job. I know those numbers aren't as bad as the 18.90 ERA he's carrying now, but it's just another demonstration that we shouldn't put too much weight into what happens out here. So don't panic yet.
• Well, unless you were counting on Masa Kobayashi to be a go-to setup man. In that case, yes, now would be a good time to panic. But Eric Wedge thought he looked better today.
• Travis Hafner will begin to see some action in Minor League games in the coming weeks, for a couple reasons. It gives him extra repetitions, for one. But after Wednesday's off day, nine of the Indians' remaining 10 exhibition road games will be against National League teams. Thus far, the Indians haven't had a single road game in which the DH wasn't utilized, but that's sure to change as we get closer to the regular season.
• Let's talk about the batting order. We know, of course, that Grady Sizemore is going to lead off. We know Mark DeRosa is batting second. We know Wedge prefers to have Hafner at No. 3 and Victor Martinez at cleanup. But Wedge said today he puts Hafner, Martinez and Jhonny Peralta (who was excellent at No. 4 last year) in those Nos. 3-5 spots, and he's still not sure of the order or even if it will be static.
• Moving down the order, Wedge said Asdrubal Cabrera will remain in the Nos. 8 or 9 spots. He likes the protection that affords the young Cabrera, though he still sees him potentially working his way back up to No. 2 (where he thrived at the end of '07) someday. That leaves Shin-Soo Choo, Ben Francisco and Kelly Shoppach/Ryan Garko somewhere in the Nos. 6-9 mix, with the order depending on the day and opposing pitcher.
• How would you organize the lineup? I'd go with Choo at No. 3, Peralta at No. 4, Martinez at No. 5 and Hafner at No. 6 at the outset. It's too early to know what the Indians will get out of Pronk, so I would bump him down and ease the pressure on him.
• Peralta started at third today. That's his second appearance there this spring. "We just want to give him some repetitions," Wedge said, "so that if we do need him [at third], he's been there." Cabrera started at short.
• Kirk Saarloos came on in emergency relief of Lee in the third inning and held the Rangers scoreless for 1 1/3 innings. It was a nice audition for that long relief role.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

We haven't been able to talk about line ups here in Detroit. Five of our players are still playing in that WBC silliness.

 

[BillD1984]

We haven't been able to talk about line ups here in Detroit. Five of our players are still playing in that WBC silliness.

How about this............

CF- Granderson
2B- Polanco
RF- Ordonez
1B- Cabrera
DH- Sheffield
LF- Guillen
3B- Inge
C- Laird
SS- Everett

Jimbo said maybe just flip-flop Sheff and Guillen.

Either way, it's a hell of a lineup! :up

 

[Paul Wozniak]

I'll call the first 4 a lock. A healthy Sheff would be a boon to this line up.

 

[Skyhi]

For the tribe, this is the lineup I'd like to see on opening day:

CF Sizemore
3B DeRosa
C Martinez
DH Hafner
SS Peralta
RF Choo
1B Garko
LF Francisco
2B Cabrera

If Pronk struggles, changes will have to be made. I like Choo lower in the lineup to ease the pressure on him.

I can't wait until Brantley gets here and Sizemore can move to the middle of the lineup.

 

[DSSNutz]

You don't honestly think the Twins got fleeced in this trade, do you? They got one of the best closers in the game and a LHP with electric stuff....all for an a-hole catcher.

No...I think that was one of the best trades in recent memory (in favor of the Twins)...Just an example of what kind of risks are taken when trading a arm (with upside) for a bat. The Gio Gonzalez trade is one that I think the Sox got fleeced in as I wrote in my armchairgm.com article: http://armchairgm.wikia.com/Article:MLB_Hot_Stove_Gone_Cold

 

[HD MM]

For the tribe, this is the lineup I'd like to see on opening day:

CF Sizemore
3B DeRosa
C Martinez
DH Hafner
SS Peralta
RF Choo
1B Garko
LF Francisco
2B Cabrera

If Pronk struggles, changes will have to be made. I like Choo lower in the lineup to ease the pressure on him.

I can't wait until Brantley gets here and Sizemore can move to the middle of the lineup.

Here's the lineup I like...

Sizemore
DeRosa
Choo
Martinez
Peralta
Hafner
Garko
Francisco
Cabrera

I don't like Hafner to be under too much pressure during his first few weeks/months back from such a long injury.

 

[DSSNutz]

Here's the lineup I like...

Sizemore
DeRosa
Choo
Martinez
Peralta
Hafner
Garko
Francisco
Cabrera

I don't like Hafner to be under too much pressure during his first few weeks/months back from such a long injury.

I would put Hafner in a position to see as many fastballs as possible, to get back in the groove...I'd hit him in front of Martinez, but not in the 3 hole

 

[HD MM]

Tribe Roster Reduced by 15 Players...

With the start of the regular season just weeks away, Eric Wedge and company are facing their final roster decisions. Today, they took one step towards the final roster for opening day.

The following players have been optioned to Triple-A Columbus:

RHP Jon Meloan
RHP Adam Miller
RHP Hector Rondon
RHP Luis Salas
LHP Tony Sipp
CA Carlos Santana
INF Luis Valbuena

The following players have been re-assigned to minor league camp:

RHP Jack Cassel
LHP David Huff
CA Armando Camacaro
INF Jordan Brown
INF Wes Hodges
INF Jesus Merchan
INF Beau Mills
OF Stephen Head

I know that a few people were hoping that Meloan would get a crack at the big league bullpen, and I think he will. Just not quite yet. He’ll be 25-years old in July, so it isn’t like a “now or never” move. The Adam Miller situation just never seems to end, with rumors that his career may be in jeopardy with this injured finger of his. Yes, this is the same guy that the Indians would not part with for Mark Teixeira back in the day. That Adam Miller.

David Huff may be one of the first young pitchers called-up if needed this season. He’s coming off of a strong season, but saw little action during spring games. Ironically, likely fifth starter Aaron Laffey takes the hill today after pitching four perfect innings during his last outing.

I’m personally surprised that Santana was sent to Columbus given the fact that Chris Gimenez should see the bulk of the time behind the plate. Perhaps this is just a stop gap to get him some time against elevated competition before he heads to Akron.

Valbuena will be a guy to keep your eye on at the Triple-A level, coming over in the Franklin Gutierrez deal. Josh Barfield will get his chance with the big boys, but one has to wonder how long of a leash he will get if he has a slow start.

Jordan Brown, Beau Mills and Wes Hodges are all solid hitters, but simply don’t have a spot with the Indians just yet. They’ll have to keep cracking in minor league camp before getting the nod. As we mentioned not long ago, Mills was doing extremely well against elevated competition. The former first-round pick, currently 22-years old, was named the Carolina League MVP and appears to have a heck of a future ahead of him.

There are currently 44 players still on the roster.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Bonderman pitched 2 scoreless innings. He said his felt fine, we'll see today. Another inning of great relief pitching from Ryan Perry. this kid is looking like a lock for the bullpen. Lot's of speculation around Detroit that Zumaya may be finished. I hope it's just that- speculation. Nothing solid from the Detroit brass on the matter.