Wednesday, August 1, 2012

What did the Trade Deadline mean for the Tribe?


The Indians needed a starter, they needed a right handed bat and they also needed a bullpen arm that could keep them in games when they don’t have a lead.
Lars Anderson is none of those things. Brent Lillibridge isn’t either. But maybe some of these guys at Triple A are???

I will accept the argument that they didn’t have the prospects needed to get Hunter Pence or Shane Victorino. They also didn’t have what was needed to get Zach Greinke . But, I won’t accept the argument that they did not have the players to make any deals. 1B and OF Gaby Sanchez was traded to the Pirates for Gorkys Hernandez, basically the 6th best outfielder in their Farm System and a pitcher who doesn’t show up anywhere in their Top 20 prospects. Sanchez could have been had for Thomas Neal (acquired for Orlando Cabrera last season) and the same guy they traded for Lars Anderson. And the Indians would have lost what? Nothing.

I will accept the argument that one player can’t turn a team around. But I won’t accept that the right role players can help make a playoff push.  The AL Central will come down to whether or not Kevin Youkilis, Francisco Liriano and Brett Myers are better than Anibal Sanchez  and Omar Infante. In 45 service years those 5 players have combined for 5 All-Star appearances, yet those 5 players were good enough for the other two teams competing.
I will accept the argument that Chris Antonetti is handcuffed by a cheap owner. But I won’t accept that the Indians couldn’t have improved this team without adding money to the payroll.  Once again we visit Gaby Sanchez. He is up for arbitration this season but his .200 BA isn’t going to help him much there, he’s making about 500K for 2012. 

Was Gaby Sanchez going to make the Indians a playoff team, who knows. But Gaby Sanchez is a right handed bat with 20 homer pop. Instead the Indians picked up another left handed 1B that will do nothing other than block Matt LaPorta from ever getting called up.

This really shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anyone. When the team traded for Lillibridge we should have realized the move was strictly made to keep the wear and tear off of Kipnis, Brantley and Cabrera, which is the 2013 core. The moves the Indians made, allowed them to be sellers in the quietest way possible. The door is open for a lot of waiver deals. Kotchman, Damon, Lopez, Lowe and anyone in the bullpen who’s last name doesn’t start with a P.

The Tribe front office took the easy way out, rather than calling themselves sellers and alienating an already alienated fan base or risking prospects they just did nothing of consequence. Much easier to explain in two weeks when they are 8 games out and fighting for 3rd.