Where Are They Now: The Cy Young Trades

Tribe fans know the drill. The way things work in Major League Baseball under the current system does the small market teams no favors. Essentially, the Indians attempt to find prospects, develop them at low salaries, try to buy an extra year or two with their best players with early career financial protection, and then either trade them before they hit the free agent market, or watch them walk for draft picks.

Depressing, I know.

So in 2008 and 2009, the Indians dealt a number of veterans, including their two biggest chips, before they left on their own for more money than the Tribe ownership could even think about spending. While the Indians shrewdly turned Mark DeRosa into Chris Perez and Casey Blake into Carlos Santana, what they received for Cy Young Award winners CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee was supposed to shape the core of the roster now and in the future.

As we reach Opening Day 2011, lets take a look at where these players are in the organization.

Sabathia Deal: Michael Brantley, Matt LaPorta, Rob Bryson, and Zach Jackson

LaPorta, 26, was the key name in this deal. He was (still is) the young right-handed power bat that the Indians so badly coveted. With the way LaPorta raked Minor League pitching, the brass figured by 2010 he would have arrived and made a name for himself in the middle of the Indians lineup.

Instead, injuries and a lack of confidence at the plate have slowed his development. He has already done everything he needs to do at AAA, now is the time for him to step up. He is the undisputed everyday first baseman now and is supposedly healthy. His struggles at the plate this Spring have been well document (.156 in 56 ABs), but he will be starting on opening day. That said, he will also be hitting eighth until he can get his bat going.

Brantley, 23, was up and down the I-71 shuttle last year three different times. However, he hit .292 in 46 games to close the season out and entrenched himself in the leadoff spot. Of the position players received in the Cy Young trades, Brantley is clearly the most ready as of today and is primed for a big year. He has shown a terrific glove and arm in the outfield, plus speed on the base paths. The hope is that he will build off of the final 46 games of last season and have a breakout year.

Bryson, 23, an A ball pitcher at the time, came to Cleveland with an injury history. He was an afterthought until a nice 2010 season at three levels. He had 80 K’s in 53.1 innings pitched in Lake County, Kinston, and Akron, mostly out of the pen. He broke his foot running during Spring Camp and when he gets healthy, he will most likely begin in Akron.

Jackson, a 4A type throw-in, is now in the Texas Rangers system.

Lee Deal: Jason Donald, Carlos Carrasco, Lou Marson, Jason Knapp

Donald, 26, was slated to be the Indians everyday third baseman in 2011 out of necessity. Unfortunately, he was hit in the hand by a Jake Peavy pitch and will start the season on the DL. While the organization loves his attitude and work ethic, he is looking more and more like a utility guy more than anything.

He has the ability to play second, short, and third, and can handle the stick pretty well. Long-term with Jason Kipnis coming at second, Asdrubal Cabrera entrenched at short, and Lonnie Chisenhall the future at third, Donald has little shot to be an everyday guy.

Carrasco, 24, was essentially given up on by the Phillies two years ago. The one time top prospect, though still young, stalled in AAA and was sent over in the Lee trade. Fast forward to today and Carrasco will be Manny Acta’s #2 starter. On paper, he is really the #3 guy, but Acta wants to break up sinker ballers Justin Masterson and Fausto Carmona.

Carrasco made seven starts during a September call-up and posted a 3.83 ERA. He acclimated himself well with his power stuff and earned himself a rotation spot for 2011. His development is of the utmost importance of this Indians plan on hanging around in the AL Central.

Marson, 24, has come as advertised. A rock solid defensive catcher with a cannon for an arm, who struggles with  his bat. Last year he opened as the everyday catcher, but soon lost that job to super prospect Carlos Santana. After Santana’s gruesome knee injury, Marson again became the everyday guy.

Heading into the Spring, he was in a three-way battle for the backup job with journeyman Paul Phillips and Luke Carlin. He did little with the bat (.143), but Acta loves his glove. ”Marson fits well with Carlos Santana,” Acta said. ”But he’s not where he should be offensively. We’re comfortable with the way Lou works with our pitching staff. It’s not all about hitting.”

The truth is, the Indians wanted him to play everyday in Columbus to find himself at the plate, but they didn’t want to lose another guy off the 40- man roster to keep Carlin or Phillips, especially since they need to find spots for Travis Buck, Adam Everett, and Justin Germano.

Then there’s Knapp, 20, the key to the Lee trade. The power throwing young right-hander had shoulder surgery just a couple of months after coming to the Indians organization. He was back on the mound in July of 2010 and pitched game one of Lake County’s Midwest Championship series, hitting anywhere between 92-97 on the gun.

Knapp will start the season in High A Kinston and is still probably a couple of years away from the majors. As of right now, he is behind both first round picks Alex White and Drew Pomeranz in the Tribe pecking order.

(AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)