While We’re Waiting… Beau Mills making big strides, Hall of Fame Weekend, and more OSU-NCAA reaction
July 24, 2011While We’re Waiting… Deadline Deals, Pryor Left Out and Masterson Getting Better
July 25, 2011There have been lots of rumors swirling around with several names mentioned regarding who exactly the Indians may be able to acquire before next Sunday’s deadline. In particular, the Tribe would like a right-handed corner outfielder who could provide some power to a lineup desperately needing some. The list of possible candidates includes B.J. Upton, Coco Crisp, Josh Willingham, and Ryan Ludwick. I think we can put away the Carlos Beltran and Hunter Pence names for now, because I don’t see the Tribe making that kind of serious commitment of moving high-profile prospects. Let’s talk about some of the mid-level guys who could give the lineup a boost and can be had for a reasonable price.
Let’s start with Upton, who will command the most of the four guys mentioned by far. Tampa Bay recently called up prospect Desmond Jennings, and the rumor is that they’re looking to move Upton, who has one more year of arbitration remaining after this season. Upton is hitting .232 with 15 homers, 52 RBI, and 23 steals this year. His batting average has been an issue for the past three years, but his power and speed are undeniable. He would be able to slide right in and fill the center field hole left by Grady Sizemore, and a deal like that would allow the Indians to pass on Sizemore’s option for next year. Still, trading for Upton would probably involve moving Drew Pomeranz or Alex White, and I just don’t see the Indians’ front office doing that. In fact, I hope they don’t feel they should make a deal like that. If they could put together a package with Gomez or Huff or McAllister and a couple young bullpen arms along with a lower level prospect, I would do it. But, I just don’t see that type of package getting it done unless the Rays are just unbelievably desperate to unload Upton.
Next, there’s former Cleveland Indian Ryan Ludwick. Ludwick, whose tour of duty in Cleveland spanned from 2003-2005, is a much different player than he was in his time in Cleveland. Ludwick this season with the San Diego Padres is hitting .241 with 11 HR and 61 RBI. Ludwick has flashed brilliance at times, making the All-Star team in 2008 in his career year, when he smacked 37 long balls and drove in 113 while hitting .299. At 33, Ludwick would be a two (hopefully three) month rental to provide power from the right side of the plate. He may be the easiest one to acquire, in my opinion.
Josh Willingham of the Oakland Athletics is also an option. Also a right-handed outfielder, Willingham is 32, a free agent at the end of the season, and batting .237 with 12 HR and 47 RBI. A bit of a late arrival to the bigs, Willingham, a converted catcher, is a career .262 hitter and has hit 20+ homers three times in his career between Florida and Washington. He is likely within the Indians’ price range as well considering his upcoming free agency.
There’s another former Indian on the radar besides Ludwick, and that’s speedster Coco Crisp. Coco has a .268 average with 4 homers, 32 RBI, and 27 stolen bases. Crisp’s average is much better than the other candidates, his speed is tops, and he can also man center field. If your memory fails you, Crisp, now 31, had the best years of his career here in Cleveland in 2004 and 2005, hitting nearly .300 between those two seasons, hitting 31 combined home runs, driving in 140 total runs, and stealing 35 bases. Coco is also a free agent at season’s end.
In addition to outfield bat talk, there have been rumblings of the Tribe trying to deal for a veteran starter such as Hiroki Kuroda (6-12, 3.19 ERA) or Aaron Harang (8-2, 3.29 ERA). To me, I don’t see the point in that. If things go as planned next year, the Tribe’s rotation will be Masterson, Tomlin, Carrasco, Alex White, and, perhaps a few months into the season, Drew Pomeranz. Until then, we have Huff, Gomez, McAllister, and (maybe) Carmona to fill in the cracks, which is a better situation than most teams. In a playoff scenario this season, with White back, I would feel confident in our four-man rotation for a playoff series. Trading for a starter is entirely secondary to the need for an outfield bat, preferably a young one who could be here more than a few months.
In the end, though, I see the Tribe making a deal for one of the rentals between Crisp, Ludwick, Willingham, or someone of the same caliber. They need a bat from the right side with power, and they have all the ammunition to go acquire one. Still, I think (and hope) they hold onto their blue-chip prospects and allow them to develop in Cleveland.
(Photo: Sarah Glenn/Getty Images)
18 Comments
Sorry, just not interested in any of these guys. I fully appreciate the opinion that the Indians can’t ever EXPECT to contend and that they need to take advantage of being in striking distance this season when they’re there…
but I’m sitting in the camp that looks at this team and says they’re just not ONE guy away. Even if they sneak into the playoffs out of a weak AL Central, I don’t see them having the capability of knocking-out the Yankees or Red Sox in a 5 or 7 game series.
I think they need to stand pat and take what happens. If they don’t make it this year, the young guys have got good experience.
It’s soooo WFNY, but I think they have to approach it that way. Maybe they’re worried about attendance, but I’m not going anywhere.
i agree that i’m not interested in these guys. however, picking up a good defending RF who bats righty (switch-hit, actually) and sports a .900 OPS… that guy COULD get us to the playoffs and then anything could happen.
and not for nothing… the foot dragging since sizemore went has yielded two losses directly attributable to lack of RF and a shutdown loss.
i’m curious to know what WFNY forum thinks of this scenario: you get beltran for a player to be named later. The PTBNL selection maps to the tribe’s finish this year. if tribe wins world series, mets get pomerantz. do you do the deal? [i feel like most of you would NOT and it makes me sad. đ ]
Can we stop using batting averages in player evaluations? I’m no stat head but even I realize its pretty useless. On base % and/or OPS tell us so much more.
@jimkanicki — I’m pretty conservative (see my original post), but if a World Series win was a guarantee (part of the equation), I’d let the Indians give them anything. Yes, I’d do that deal in a second.
I’m just not interested in giving-up on the game-plan for a CHANCE to make the playoffs. All I can think of is Brian Giles for Ricardo Rincon for some reason.
Crisp .318 OBP, .704 OPS
Willingham .318 OBP, .751 OPS
Ludwick .308 OBP, .692 OPS
Upton .310 OBP, .706 OPS
Tells me they’re all pretty darn similar. Slight edge to Willingham.
I’d really like the indians to try and strike a significant deal. You can bring up Giles-Rincon but on the other side of that coin is hanging onto Jaret Wright for dear life. At least w/ Pence you have control of him thru ’13.
I would like any of these guys. Ludwick has a good amount of rbis that shows he can drive in runs when in scoring position. But anything is better then Kearns right now and we arent breaking the bank for any of these guys.
@jim
YES. I do that trade in a heartbeat. (I think the Mets laugh us out of the room when we propose it, but that’s a whole ‘nuther story, as they say.)
What do the Indians have to offer besides one of their top prospects? They’ve already said White, Pomeranz, Kipnis, etc. are untouchable. I tend to agree that we shouldn’t sell our future for a token playoff berth. We’re several pieces away from being a real contender. Our starting pitching is getting exposed and they’ve been playing over their heads all year (besides Masterson, maybe.)
@9-no such thing as a ‘token playoff birth’ says I. Nobody thought we had a chance to beat the Yanks or Orioles in ’97 after a very mediocre regular season. Yes, different times and different players, but i want to see the Tribe get its shot. Great bullpen and solid starting pitching, who knows what can happen in a 5-7 game series.
And a sense of urgency from this FO would be a pleasant change from the norm. The Dolans want fans to get behind the team, so they need to show some dedication in making an effort in improving this roster.
Theres 4 teams below the tribe that have loads of players. You dont trade a premier prospect for a fill-in-gap type of guy. we can get a trade without giving up a lot, happens all the time.
the plan becomes clear. play .400 ball in june/july, so that we can move carmona for prospects. (oh damn, carmona sucks.)
/3-yr-plan’d
How about no trade? This team isn’t good enough to make a legit run if it sneaks into the playoffs even if it adds a middling bat like a Ryan Ludwick. Why not let the youngsters play and see what happens? The team is still a year or two away from truly contending.
Don’t make a deal just so you can say you made a deal. None of those guys is a significant upgrade in my mind. I say “stay the course”.
We are ahead of schedule. Anything good that happens this year is gravy. Let the young kids play and see what happens…
HOw about you watch whats on the field before saying they arent significantly better. Kearns? Carrera? they arent big leaguers (Carrera at the current time). This isnt the NBA. “sneaking” into the playoffs is a lot better then missing out. We wont be trading anyone not in our best projection for the future. Gomez? McAlister? Someone is able to be traded and we can get a solid OF while we’re at it.
I disagree. I think Upton would help out this team greatly. And I dont think we would have to give up Pomeranz or White. Just imagine a September 1st lineup of
Brantley
Cabrera
Hafner
Santana
Choo
Sizemore/Upton
Laporta
Chisenhall
Kipnis
We cant expect Choo and Sizemore to return to their old forms, but I think they can contribute. Plus you would have one of the best 4th outfielders in the game in Upton or Sizemore. FYI I think Sizemore has been playing with injuries all year and I see him making alot of improvements, but not like 2008 Grady.
BJ Upton isnt worth the headaches, his OBP rivals Austin Kearns.
I LOVE BJ UPTON PLUS upton allows us to have leverage on grady and means if he wants a lot of money and gets it we can let him walk