Today's post will be a short one. Why? Because the Indians options in left field are HORRIBLE. It was a need last offseason and it was simply ignored. I'm fine with Ezekial Carrera (or however the heck you spell his name) for the remainder of the season. In fact, I'd like to see Russ Canzler get a shot out there as well. He was mentioned in the first base post because that is one of his positions, but I see him as a more valuable piece here. If he can play an adequate left field, bop 25-30 homers, and not look awful against offspeed pitches (like LaPorta), he'd be awesome! I know you could literally say that about anyone, but Canzler has that potential in him. I'm anxious to see his September because he will undoubtedly be getting his "cup of tea."
Why is this post short? Because thats all there is to talk about! The Tribe has NO options in the minor leagues, and absolutely no chance at signing a free agent to play there. What was their biggest mistake from last offseason? Letting Josh Willingham go to the Twins over one additional year to his contract. 3 years is a fine length for a guy with as much upside as Willingham had, the Tribe balked at it, and what do you know, he has a fine season with the Twinkies on maybe the only roster in the big leagues worse than ours.
I should mention that Shelley Duncan was designated for assignment just yesterday. Thankfully that experiment is over. Although Shelley seemed like a good guy and someone who gave his best effort all the time, he simply wasn't good enough. My hope is that the Indians will use Cabrera/Choo/Perez to bring in an upper-level outfielder (Jared Hoying perhaps??) who can step in and play.
Final verdict: GET HELP FAST!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Day 7: Center Field
If you would have told me five years ago that we would even be talking about centerfield at this point I would have called you crazy. The Indians at one point had the BEST young centerfielder in the game with Grady Sizemore and life was good. That's not the case anymore, as the most talented and most injured player of my era is gone for good after this year. If it would be possible to get a one-year contract for around $1 million with a lot of incentive-based deals, I'd take him back. Maybe he could play right field instead?
The reason that the Indians would have Sizemore in right is because Michael Brantley patrols centerfield, and does it quite well. On a team that is better put together than the Tribe, he's a great hitter for the two spot who can bunt, hit and run, hit for average, and steal bases. The Indians have to bat him as the fourth or fifth batter in the order instead of where he's a natural fit. I absolutely LOVE the way this guy plays because he always has such a calm demeanor about him. In a big situation, I know exactly who I want up. Not Cabrera, not Santana, and not even Choo (though he's probably my second choice). Brantley is the only redeeming factor of the CC Sabathia trade, and even though its not the astronomical performance Tribe fans were hoping/expecting from LaPorta, Brantley (aka Dr. Smooth) has turned into one of, if not THE, most productive players the Indians have.
The only way I would want Brantley NOT to be in CF next season is if the Indians made a trade of Choo or Cabrera (or any number of guys really) and brought in a guy who is stronger in center. This would be if the trade was done with Arizona probably (they have the best, major-league-ready prospects in the outfield in my opinion). The luxury we have with Brantley is that he can play left field as well.
Unlike the rest of the organization, centerfield actually does have ONE bright spot in the minor leagues. LeVon Washington has a lot of skills that have yet to be harnessed. He was on a TEAR to start the year in Lake County (where he spent all of 2011 and was quite overmatched) before being injured. He's just now getting back to action and has actually skipped up to Advanced-A Carolina. The only reason that I don't see this as yet another mistake by the front office in their draft is because Washington was actually a former first round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays. He didn't sign, went to JUCO, then was drafted by the Indians in the first round again. He's, dare I say it, Kenny Lofton-like with the way he plays the game. Lets just hope he one day plays CF for the Tribe like Kenny.
In conclusion, the verdict on the present centerfielder is STAY PUT! And for the first time since starting these articles, I don't have a dire feeling after I finish them! The future doesn't appear to be awful either with Washington working his way up. Ahhhh, finally, a breath of fresh air.
The reason that the Indians would have Sizemore in right is because Michael Brantley patrols centerfield, and does it quite well. On a team that is better put together than the Tribe, he's a great hitter for the two spot who can bunt, hit and run, hit for average, and steal bases. The Indians have to bat him as the fourth or fifth batter in the order instead of where he's a natural fit. I absolutely LOVE the way this guy plays because he always has such a calm demeanor about him. In a big situation, I know exactly who I want up. Not Cabrera, not Santana, and not even Choo (though he's probably my second choice). Brantley is the only redeeming factor of the CC Sabathia trade, and even though its not the astronomical performance Tribe fans were hoping/expecting from LaPorta, Brantley (aka Dr. Smooth) has turned into one of, if not THE, most productive players the Indians have.
The only way I would want Brantley NOT to be in CF next season is if the Indians made a trade of Choo or Cabrera (or any number of guys really) and brought in a guy who is stronger in center. This would be if the trade was done with Arizona probably (they have the best, major-league-ready prospects in the outfield in my opinion). The luxury we have with Brantley is that he can play left field as well.
Unlike the rest of the organization, centerfield actually does have ONE bright spot in the minor leagues. LeVon Washington has a lot of skills that have yet to be harnessed. He was on a TEAR to start the year in Lake County (where he spent all of 2011 and was quite overmatched) before being injured. He's just now getting back to action and has actually skipped up to Advanced-A Carolina. The only reason that I don't see this as yet another mistake by the front office in their draft is because Washington was actually a former first round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays. He didn't sign, went to JUCO, then was drafted by the Indians in the first round again. He's, dare I say it, Kenny Lofton-like with the way he plays the game. Lets just hope he one day plays CF for the Tribe like Kenny.
In conclusion, the verdict on the present centerfielder is STAY PUT! And for the first time since starting these articles, I don't have a dire feeling after I finish them! The future doesn't appear to be awful either with Washington working his way up. Ahhhh, finally, a breath of fresh air.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Day 6: Right Field
Today I'm bitter. I was supposed to broadcast a Jupiter Hammerheads and St. Lucie Mets double header tonight and no one thought to inform me that the weekend broadcasters "just felt like" coming to the part and broadcast tonight. Not that it was a 40 minute trip for me or that I wanted to eat dinner with my wife or anything.
Naturally, the next place to go with that bitterness is to the Indians' right field situation. Shin-Soo Choo is awesome, and one of the ten guys on the entire roster who are legitimate major league baseball players. It is a foregone conclusion that Choo will leave Cleveland, and honestly, I can't blame him at this point. He's got a chance for a nice pay day, which the Indians certainly won't give him, and an opportunity to go out and play for a contender, which also, the Indians won't give him. He is a position that seems to be in high demand both as an above-average defensive outfielder who can hit anywhere at the top of the lineup.
There isn't really much else to say about Choo. He had his little DUI episode last year and his play suffered from it, but until writing this article I had completely forgotten about that. He has a laser arm, can play either corner spot, was awesome as the lead off man, and now continues to contribute as the three hitter. We have absolutely nothing in the system that will replace him, so when the trade eventually comes, we better get some major-league-ready talent. Letting him walk after next year simply isn't an option.
There are a few places I could see Choo winding up: Chicago (NL), Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Texas, Los Angeles, and maybe even Philly or Atlanta. I really like some of the players that the Cubs, Pirates, and Rangers have at or near the top of their systems. Choo could very well put the Pirates over the top, and I want to know, would one year of success in a position they are currently thin at be worth it? The Buccos have run out of seemingly run out of steam, and I'm willing to guess there's a package deal available to get Sterling Marte, Andrew McCutcheon, and Choo into the same outfield. Plus, as a rival GM to the Reds in the NL Central, I'd give up a LOT to get Choo on my squad. His lifetime numbers against the Reds are phenomenal, which gives the Reds another incentive to sign him.
The fact of the matter is, if we make a deal getting rid of Choo, we have to find someone to replace him. That will not happen with this GM. In the best case scenario, the Tribe is able to take advantage of a team in a desperate situation for a leadoff man that can actually get on base and play the outfield very well. Maybe Josh Hamilton will walk and the Tribe can send him there for a Jurickson Profar/Jared Hoying deal?
Wishful thinking. Final verdict: Trade Choo Choo.
Naturally, the next place to go with that bitterness is to the Indians' right field situation. Shin-Soo Choo is awesome, and one of the ten guys on the entire roster who are legitimate major league baseball players. It is a foregone conclusion that Choo will leave Cleveland, and honestly, I can't blame him at this point. He's got a chance for a nice pay day, which the Indians certainly won't give him, and an opportunity to go out and play for a contender, which also, the Indians won't give him. He is a position that seems to be in high demand both as an above-average defensive outfielder who can hit anywhere at the top of the lineup.
There isn't really much else to say about Choo. He had his little DUI episode last year and his play suffered from it, but until writing this article I had completely forgotten about that. He has a laser arm, can play either corner spot, was awesome as the lead off man, and now continues to contribute as the three hitter. We have absolutely nothing in the system that will replace him, so when the trade eventually comes, we better get some major-league-ready talent. Letting him walk after next year simply isn't an option.
There are a few places I could see Choo winding up: Chicago (NL), Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Texas, Los Angeles, and maybe even Philly or Atlanta. I really like some of the players that the Cubs, Pirates, and Rangers have at or near the top of their systems. Choo could very well put the Pirates over the top, and I want to know, would one year of success in a position they are currently thin at be worth it? The Buccos have run out of seemingly run out of steam, and I'm willing to guess there's a package deal available to get Sterling Marte, Andrew McCutcheon, and Choo into the same outfield. Plus, as a rival GM to the Reds in the NL Central, I'd give up a LOT to get Choo on my squad. His lifetime numbers against the Reds are phenomenal, which gives the Reds another incentive to sign him.
The fact of the matter is, if we make a deal getting rid of Choo, we have to find someone to replace him. That will not happen with this GM. In the best case scenario, the Tribe is able to take advantage of a team in a desperate situation for a leadoff man that can actually get on base and play the outfield very well. Maybe Josh Hamilton will walk and the Tribe can send him there for a Jurickson Profar/Jared Hoying deal?
Wishful thinking. Final verdict: Trade Choo Choo.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Day Five: Catcher
This is a spot where there will be a lot of discrepancies. Carlos Santana might be the most frustrating player in the Indians line up. After giving us so much hope with a great year last season, Santana looked like he was swinging a guitar every at-bat and, though improved, still had trouble throwing guys out. Having a solid catcher is one of the keys to having a solid team, and all in all, Santana gives the Indians a better than solid backstop.
Since the All-Star break, Santana is batting .279 (which brings his yearly average up to .242), with 8 home runs (giving him 13 for the year), 26 RBI (almost as many as his first half 30), and has more walks (25) than strikeouts (22). He had a horrible June, but now has an OBP nearing .400 and is starting to show some of that amazing talent more consistently. If the Indians don't want to be the laughingstock of the AL Central (which they're dangerously close to becoming), they need to keep Santana as their catcher.
Now I know, each reader out there will be saying, "now's the perfect time to start listening to offers for him!" and "if we're going to rebuild again, we need to trade away our best pieces." In fact, I personally said the latter statement when talking about Asdrubal Cabrera. Here's the difference though: the number one prospect in the organization is a shortstop, and both of the catching prospects in the top 20 list are fringe guys at best. (Plus the Indians have two or three other high-ranking SS in the org) After seeing Alex Monsalve myself for 8+ games last season, I can safely say I was not impressed at ALL***. The other catching prospect according to the list on indians.com is Chun Chen, but he has played the majority of his games at first base and DH, and he only hits singles.
Another guy that I know you're all thinking about is Lou Marson. Here's the thing about Sweet Lou; I would be completely okay with trading Santana and having LouMar as the filler guy to our next catcher if we had a stud waiting in the wings. We just don't have that luxury. He went on a hot streak right before the All-Star Break and saw his batting average as high as .297, but a .138 average since (including a .196 mark at Progressive Field) has brought that plummeting downward.
I don't think a minor league return on Santana would justify trading his major league production, even if it is inconsistent. Other teams realize his inconsistencies as well, and there is simply no way we could trade Carlos for anything close to what he means to the Indians lineup. Final verdict for the Indians' catchers: Santana is a keeper and so is Marson. This gives the Indians four total players that I've deemed worth keeping (Chisenhall and Kipnis as well).
***I wanted to add another note of my prospect evaluation skills. It was easy for everyone to see last year that Billy Hamilton was a special player, but I can honestly say that I called one of the MLB's top prospects well before he leaped up every "experts" watch list. Oscar Taveras, outfielder in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, was my personal most exciting player to watch last season. (Here's a great article on him, if you're interested) I know how to evaluate the tools of minor leaguers, so my evaluation on Monsalve, though not "expert" can be taken with confidence.
Since the All-Star break, Santana is batting .279 (which brings his yearly average up to .242), with 8 home runs (giving him 13 for the year), 26 RBI (almost as many as his first half 30), and has more walks (25) than strikeouts (22). He had a horrible June, but now has an OBP nearing .400 and is starting to show some of that amazing talent more consistently. If the Indians don't want to be the laughingstock of the AL Central (which they're dangerously close to becoming), they need to keep Santana as their catcher.
Now I know, each reader out there will be saying, "now's the perfect time to start listening to offers for him!" and "if we're going to rebuild again, we need to trade away our best pieces." In fact, I personally said the latter statement when talking about Asdrubal Cabrera. Here's the difference though: the number one prospect in the organization is a shortstop, and both of the catching prospects in the top 20 list are fringe guys at best. (Plus the Indians have two or three other high-ranking SS in the org) After seeing Alex Monsalve myself for 8+ games last season, I can safely say I was not impressed at ALL***. The other catching prospect according to the list on indians.com is Chun Chen, but he has played the majority of his games at first base and DH, and he only hits singles.
Another guy that I know you're all thinking about is Lou Marson. Here's the thing about Sweet Lou; I would be completely okay with trading Santana and having LouMar as the filler guy to our next catcher if we had a stud waiting in the wings. We just don't have that luxury. He went on a hot streak right before the All-Star Break and saw his batting average as high as .297, but a .138 average since (including a .196 mark at Progressive Field) has brought that plummeting downward.
I don't think a minor league return on Santana would justify trading his major league production, even if it is inconsistent. Other teams realize his inconsistencies as well, and there is simply no way we could trade Carlos for anything close to what he means to the Indians lineup. Final verdict for the Indians' catchers: Santana is a keeper and so is Marson. This gives the Indians four total players that I've deemed worth keeping (Chisenhall and Kipnis as well).
***I wanted to add another note of my prospect evaluation skills. It was easy for everyone to see last year that Billy Hamilton was a special player, but I can honestly say that I called one of the MLB's top prospects well before he leaped up every "experts" watch list. Oscar Taveras, outfielder in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, was my personal most exciting player to watch last season. (Here's a great article on him, if you're interested) I know how to evaluate the tools of minor leaguers, so my evaluation on Monsalve, though not "expert" can be taken with confidence.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Day Four: Third Base
To start off what is likely to be my shortest post of the series, I'd like to take a moment to thank Sean Jackson for reading every single post. Its nice to hear back from people and hear another opinion on the matter. Jackson brought up a good point about the first base debacle with the suggestion of Russ Canzler, who just last season was the Triple-A Player of the Year for Durham. I personally was saving him as an outfield option, but he could play first base as well. In fact, with Hafner coming off the books this winter, I could really see Canzler fitting in as the 4th outfielder/DH/first baseman, providing he can hit major league pitching. More on him later though.
Third base is such a boring position for the Indians, with a similar situation to second base. Lonnie Chisenhall is no longer the future at third base. Once the 2013 season rolls around, he should be named the starter. He has had some tough luck on the injury front, breaking his wrist this year shortly after he was called up, but its nothing to be worried about. We're not talking about Grady Sizemore-type injuries here, where hammys are being pulled or obliques torn or something like that. Its a broken wrist. I see it more like a Shin-Soo Choo injury, where you get back on the horse and ride again with no problem.
The interesting part about it will be what they decide to do with Jack Hannahan. I personally love the guy, his attitude, and really appreciate the way he plays the game. I just don't know if he'll have any interest in staying with a team that won't compete and he'll just be a backup. I see him being a great fit on someones roster as insurance for an oft-injured starter, but there's no way the Indians can justify paying $1.4 million for a backup. All that being said, if Jack was willing to be a backup and could also play first base, I'd keep him, but I know that's pretty unrealistic.
Final verdict for the Tribe third basemen: Hannahan let walk. Chisenhall pray he gets/stays healthy.
Third base is such a boring position for the Indians, with a similar situation to second base. Lonnie Chisenhall is no longer the future at third base. Once the 2013 season rolls around, he should be named the starter. He has had some tough luck on the injury front, breaking his wrist this year shortly after he was called up, but its nothing to be worried about. We're not talking about Grady Sizemore-type injuries here, where hammys are being pulled or obliques torn or something like that. Its a broken wrist. I see it more like a Shin-Soo Choo injury, where you get back on the horse and ride again with no problem.
The interesting part about it will be what they decide to do with Jack Hannahan. I personally love the guy, his attitude, and really appreciate the way he plays the game. I just don't know if he'll have any interest in staying with a team that won't compete and he'll just be a backup. I see him being a great fit on someones roster as insurance for an oft-injured starter, but there's no way the Indians can justify paying $1.4 million for a backup. All that being said, if Jack was willing to be a backup and could also play first base, I'd keep him, but I know that's pretty unrealistic.
Final verdict for the Tribe third basemen: Hannahan let walk. Chisenhall pray he gets/stays healthy.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Day 3: First Base
After saying a hypothetically goodbye to one of my favorite players Thursday (Asdrubal Cabrera) and crowning Jason Kipnis as one of the only players worth keeping Friday, I want to take a look at a position that has often been a gaping hole in overall production. The Indians' first basemen on Opening Day since the departure of Jim Thome in 2002 have been:
2003: Ben Broussard
2004: Ben Broussard
2005: Ben Broussard
2006: Eduardo Perez
2007: Andy Marte
2008: Ryan Garko
2009: Ryan Garko
2010: Matt LaPorta/Andy Marte/Russel Branyan
2011: Matt LaPorta
2012: Casey Kotchman
Broussard, Perez, Marte and Garko haven't been heard from in years (aside from Benny's newest solo album maybe), Branyan was just cut by the Yankees, and LaPorta and Kotchman are both still on the Indians' rosters with batting averages of .200 and .238 respectively, with a combined 11 HRs.
Here's the problem: any sort of trade that I could conjure up that would bring in a good fit for the Indians (Mark Trumbo for instance), would mean that the opposing teams' GM would have to be drunk in order to accept it. This, in my opinion, is THE biggest hole on the team. There is only one first baseman in the Indians' organization (Jesus Aguilar) that is in their Top 20 prospects, and he is struggling in Double A right now. Here's the problem: I have no faith in the Indians' ability to develop legitimate power hitters through their own organization. When's the last time we have seen someone blasting homeruns into the night on a consistent basis? If Carlos Santana finds some consistency maybe we can say him... It's been since 2008 that Indians have had a player hit over 30 home runs (thanks Grady!), and its been since 2006 that Tribe has had anyone over 35 bombs (and thank you, PED and injury-free Travis Hafner). Grady's power has never been his calling card though, and his $5 million gamble didn't pay off, so he doesn't count.
FIRST BASE! Right. LaPorta has been a major disappointment since he was supposed to be the key player in the CC Sabathia trade. He's getting a chance now to prove himself over the course of the last month+ of the season, and please remember people, he's still only 27 years old. Mark Trumbo is 26. Not all prospects will be like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. I'd be OK if LaPorta was playing first base next year for the Indians because of this: there are no better options! Before I go on, I want to say thank you to Casey Kotchman for a year of service. Your glovework was splendid, your batwork awful, and you will be sorely missed by 1,205 fans.
There are a lot of different rants in this piece tonight and I apologize for that. My thought process on the first base debacle is about as clear as Chris Antonetti's. The only free agent I would even slightly smile if the Indians went after would be James Loney, but I know there's no chance for that. There are no players in the farm system that make it seem like an answer can come from within. Maybe Aguilar will find a rhythm, but he's still a full season away from the big leagues, at best.
In conclusion, the final verdict on the revolving door that is the Indians' first baseman: Kotchman let walk. LaPorta one final year. Kudos if you read this all the way through.
2003: Ben Broussard
2004: Ben Broussard
2005: Ben Broussard
2006: Eduardo Perez
2007: Andy Marte
2008: Ryan Garko
2009: Ryan Garko
2010: Matt LaPorta/Andy Marte/Russel Branyan
2011: Matt LaPorta
2012: Casey Kotchman
Broussard, Perez, Marte and Garko haven't been heard from in years (aside from Benny's newest solo album maybe), Branyan was just cut by the Yankees, and LaPorta and Kotchman are both still on the Indians' rosters with batting averages of .200 and .238 respectively, with a combined 11 HRs.
Here's the problem: any sort of trade that I could conjure up that would bring in a good fit for the Indians (Mark Trumbo for instance), would mean that the opposing teams' GM would have to be drunk in order to accept it. This, in my opinion, is THE biggest hole on the team. There is only one first baseman in the Indians' organization (Jesus Aguilar) that is in their Top 20 prospects, and he is struggling in Double A right now. Here's the problem: I have no faith in the Indians' ability to develop legitimate power hitters through their own organization. When's the last time we have seen someone blasting homeruns into the night on a consistent basis? If Carlos Santana finds some consistency maybe we can say him... It's been since 2008 that Indians have had a player hit over 30 home runs (thanks Grady!), and its been since 2006 that Tribe has had anyone over 35 bombs (and thank you, PED and injury-free Travis Hafner). Grady's power has never been his calling card though, and his $5 million gamble didn't pay off, so he doesn't count.
FIRST BASE! Right. LaPorta has been a major disappointment since he was supposed to be the key player in the CC Sabathia trade. He's getting a chance now to prove himself over the course of the last month+ of the season, and please remember people, he's still only 27 years old. Mark Trumbo is 26. Not all prospects will be like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. I'd be OK if LaPorta was playing first base next year for the Indians because of this: there are no better options! Before I go on, I want to say thank you to Casey Kotchman for a year of service. Your glovework was splendid, your batwork awful, and you will be sorely missed by 1,205 fans.
There are a lot of different rants in this piece tonight and I apologize for that. My thought process on the first base debacle is about as clear as Chris Antonetti's. The only free agent I would even slightly smile if the Indians went after would be James Loney, but I know there's no chance for that. There are no players in the farm system that make it seem like an answer can come from within. Maybe Aguilar will find a rhythm, but he's still a full season away from the big leagues, at best.
In conclusion, the final verdict on the revolving door that is the Indians' first baseman: Kotchman let walk. LaPorta one final year. Kudos if you read this all the way through.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Day 2: Second Base
I struggled with the direction of where to go after Asdrubal Cabrera. I could take the "who should go first" route and have moved on to Shin Soo Choo or Chris Perez, but I decided to hit the infield before moving anywhere else. That naturally moves us to Cabrera's double play partner, Jason Kipnis. The best way for me to describe his year in a nutshell is, "Supernova." Burned brightly for a short period, then was gone.
Kipnis started the year a bit slow, but then caught fire in May/June. At one point, we were talking about this kid as a potential All-Star player. He had 11 home runs, a .277 batting average, and 20 stolen bases at the break. We were looking at a 20/20 guy from a spot where there is not traditionally a lot of production. It actually seemed ridiculous to think Kipnis WOULDN'T hit the 20/20 plateau. The Indians were in 2nd place in the AL Central and even though the pitching staff was underperforming, life was good.
Then the star fell to earth.
Since the All-Star break, Kipnis has hit a measly .203 and went the entire month of July without a home run. He's hit one in August. Granted, Kipnis going an entire month isn't the same as Jay Bruce (or someone who relies on power as a major part of his game) having a power outage, but that was just the beginning. His OBP dropped 70 points, his strikeout rate went up, and the whole 24 hits in 118 at-bats thing is no good either. Now I realize there are a lot of reasons for this; first full season in the MLB, improved advanced scouting reports from other teams around the league, or having to bat in the third spot in the order for a while. I've hung on to Kipnis on my fantasy team and I believe he is absolutely worth the Indians staying faithful to as well. I don't find it a coincidence though, that as Kipnis' production has dipped, so has the Tribe's.
Kipnis is a cornerstone of this team's future. I love his attitude, his grit, and the way he plays the game. I'm confident that we'll see a more consistent game from him in the future, and I'm sure glad we'll at least have Kipnis to lead us through the colossal struggle that will be the next few seasons. This is one of the few positions on the Indians that I don't feel there should be an upgrade, so the final verdict on Kipnis' future as an Indian: keep him.
Kipnis started the year a bit slow, but then caught fire in May/June. At one point, we were talking about this kid as a potential All-Star player. He had 11 home runs, a .277 batting average, and 20 stolen bases at the break. We were looking at a 20/20 guy from a spot where there is not traditionally a lot of production. It actually seemed ridiculous to think Kipnis WOULDN'T hit the 20/20 plateau. The Indians were in 2nd place in the AL Central and even though the pitching staff was underperforming, life was good.
Then the star fell to earth.
Since the All-Star break, Kipnis has hit a measly .203 and went the entire month of July without a home run. He's hit one in August. Granted, Kipnis going an entire month isn't the same as Jay Bruce (or someone who relies on power as a major part of his game) having a power outage, but that was just the beginning. His OBP dropped 70 points, his strikeout rate went up, and the whole 24 hits in 118 at-bats thing is no good either. Now I realize there are a lot of reasons for this; first full season in the MLB, improved advanced scouting reports from other teams around the league, or having to bat in the third spot in the order for a while. I've hung on to Kipnis on my fantasy team and I believe he is absolutely worth the Indians staying faithful to as well. I don't find it a coincidence though, that as Kipnis' production has dipped, so has the Tribe's.
Kipnis is a cornerstone of this team's future. I love his attitude, his grit, and the way he plays the game. I'm confident that we'll see a more consistent game from him in the future, and I'm sure glad we'll at least have Kipnis to lead us through the colossal struggle that will be the next few seasons. This is one of the few positions on the Indians that I don't feel there should be an upgrade, so the final verdict on Kipnis' future as an Indian: keep him.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
A look at what the Indians should do...
Over the next 14 days I'm going to write about each position in the Tribe's starting 9, some relief pitching, and front office staff, as well as give my opinion on what they should do to limit their futility in the future. I find it flat out embarrassing as a fan of this team that our front office claims our lack of success is because they "overvalued some of the core pieces of this years' team." WOW. So you're saying whoever is in charge of deciding whether or not this team can compete needs fired? Owner Larry Dolan? President Mark Shapiro? GM Chris Antonetti? Manager Manny Acta? Director of Player Personnel Derek Falvery? Someone needs to be held accountable. I'm not saying fire everyone. I'm saying they need to re-evaluate the way small market teams contend, develop an organizational philosophy, find a style of play that fits that philosophy and build each and every team (from the AZL to Cleveland) from there.
Clearly there are some small market teams that are thriving in baseball's current top-heavy culture. The first that comes to mind is the Tampa Bay Rays. They compete in the toughest division in baseball at a fraction of the payroll with homegrown talent and castaways from other teams. I think it helps that Joe Madden is such a good manager, but I'll save managerial talk until my post on Manny Acta. You could also look at the Cincinnati Reds, who have taken a lot of their home grown talent (Cueto, Votto, Stubbs, Bruce, Cozart, Frazier) and combined it with other teams' castoffs (Ludwick, Rolen, Phillips).
I want to start today with one of the Tribe's few bright spots: shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. ACab (or Drubie, as I fondly refer to him as) has been a consistent bat all season long, whether batting second or third in the order. His power numbers have returned to their normal range (13 HR), and he's committed 16 errors on the season at shortstop. He's been a guy that Cleveland fans have loved having, and would hate to see go, but the first step in rebuilding this team is trading what few assets we have for valuable players. With a contract that is small-market team friendly, there are a variety of options that could open up. Teams that need a shortstop and are close to (or are) contending now (Arizona, Oakland, Seattle, Pittsburgh, and even teams like Philadelphia, San Diego and Milwaukee) could all be potential spots. The D'Backs have a great upper-level farm system that could offer some solid return that is close to major league ready, and each of the other organizations have pieces that would work too. It'd be fun to see a trade to Seattle bring Cabrera's career back to where it started.
How would the Indians fill the hole left by Cabrera's absence? Well quite frankly, they won't get production like his until Francisco Lindor is in the big leagues. Until then, Jason Donald has proven to be a very capable shortstop, and should start there every day without Cabrera. Lindor is having a rather pedestrian first year in pro ball (hitting .263 with 27 SBs), but its nothing to worry about. Once he gets used to the grind and knows how to prepare himself physically during the offseason, he'll show why he's the #1 prospect in the organization. What would the Indians get back for Cabrera? How about some outfielders? I know that LeVon Washington has Kenny Lofton-type tools, but he's currently rehabbing for the AZL Indians. Someone who can play LF would be nice, and maybe a starting pitcher as well. I'm not asking for a Mike Trout or Dylan Bundy, I'm talking about guys that scouts see as every day players or middle of the rotation (at best) guys. This is another reason why I like the D'Backs for a landing spot. The strengths of their minor leagues are in starting pitching and outfielders, so its a natural fit.
In conclusion, as much as it pains me to say it, my final verdict on Asdrubal Cabrera is to trade him. He's brought me many great memories as a Tribe fan, and I'll always appreciate what the wide-eyed second baseman turned shortstop who wore pearls as a rookie and made great defensive plays did for this team.
Clearly there are some small market teams that are thriving in baseball's current top-heavy culture. The first that comes to mind is the Tampa Bay Rays. They compete in the toughest division in baseball at a fraction of the payroll with homegrown talent and castaways from other teams. I think it helps that Joe Madden is such a good manager, but I'll save managerial talk until my post on Manny Acta. You could also look at the Cincinnati Reds, who have taken a lot of their home grown talent (Cueto, Votto, Stubbs, Bruce, Cozart, Frazier) and combined it with other teams' castoffs (Ludwick, Rolen, Phillips).
I want to start today with one of the Tribe's few bright spots: shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. ACab (or Drubie, as I fondly refer to him as) has been a consistent bat all season long, whether batting second or third in the order. His power numbers have returned to their normal range (13 HR), and he's committed 16 errors on the season at shortstop. He's been a guy that Cleveland fans have loved having, and would hate to see go, but the first step in rebuilding this team is trading what few assets we have for valuable players. With a contract that is small-market team friendly, there are a variety of options that could open up. Teams that need a shortstop and are close to (or are) contending now (Arizona, Oakland, Seattle, Pittsburgh, and even teams like Philadelphia, San Diego and Milwaukee) could all be potential spots. The D'Backs have a great upper-level farm system that could offer some solid return that is close to major league ready, and each of the other organizations have pieces that would work too. It'd be fun to see a trade to Seattle bring Cabrera's career back to where it started.
How would the Indians fill the hole left by Cabrera's absence? Well quite frankly, they won't get production like his until Francisco Lindor is in the big leagues. Until then, Jason Donald has proven to be a very capable shortstop, and should start there every day without Cabrera. Lindor is having a rather pedestrian first year in pro ball (hitting .263 with 27 SBs), but its nothing to worry about. Once he gets used to the grind and knows how to prepare himself physically during the offseason, he'll show why he's the #1 prospect in the organization. What would the Indians get back for Cabrera? How about some outfielders? I know that LeVon Washington has Kenny Lofton-type tools, but he's currently rehabbing for the AZL Indians. Someone who can play LF would be nice, and maybe a starting pitcher as well. I'm not asking for a Mike Trout or Dylan Bundy, I'm talking about guys that scouts see as every day players or middle of the rotation (at best) guys. This is another reason why I like the D'Backs for a landing spot. The strengths of their minor leagues are in starting pitching and outfielders, so its a natural fit.
In conclusion, as much as it pains me to say it, my final verdict on Asdrubal Cabrera is to trade him. He's brought me many great memories as a Tribe fan, and I'll always appreciate what the wide-eyed second baseman turned shortstop who wore pearls as a rookie and made great defensive plays did for this team.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Episode 23: Melky's Whoopsie
I talk about the Melky Cabrera 50 game suspension and what it means for the NL West, Todd Frazier for NL Rookie of the Year, and talk about why Johnny Cueto (NOT Aroldis Chapman) should be the NL Cy Young award winner.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Constructioncast!
I try to have a podcast for the first time in 10 days while the construction crews work on Get Better Today studios... Talking Indians, MLS Soccer, and Fantasy Football.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
On hiatus until...
I am on a break from my podcast until the Cleveland Indians break their losing streak, which currently sits at 11 games. It could be a while.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Episode 21: Cleveland
I sit down and talk about the hot news out of Cleveland: the Cavs actually making some great moves? the Browns being sold for $1 Billion, and lastly the Indians, who have completely fallen off the wagon.
The Cavaliers link: http://www.foxsportsohio.com/08/02/12/Cavs-in-Celtics-state-of-mind/landing_cavaliers.html?blockID=770457&feedID=3725
The Cavaliers link: http://www.foxsportsohio.com/08/02/12/Cavs-in-Celtics-state-of-mind/landing_cavaliers.html?blockID=770457&feedID=3725
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Episode 20: Funny Umpires and Funny Friends
I share a few stories from around the Florida State League and their hot-headed umpiring crews from last nights games, talk about a good friend's video thats gone viral, and vent about people complaining about the Olympics
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Episode 19: Deadline Deals
I get on the horn with Jordan Shoemaker, Cincinnati Reds and MLB smart guy to talk about the deals that the Reds and everyone else around baseball made at the deadline. Lots of smart baseball talk today!
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