Andrew Bynum, a risk worth taking
July 9, 2013Indians can’t afford to wait until deadline to make a deal
July 9, 2013The Cleveland Indians are in search of rotation help as trade deadline nears, and are specifically tied to a pair of National League arms in Chicago’s Matt Garza and Milwaukee’s Yovani Gallardo.
Jon Heyman from CBS Sports reports that Indians general manager Chris Antonetti is not only looking to add an arm, but is focusing his efforts on a top-of-the-rotation starter to pair with All-Star Justin Masterson.
“It’s no surprise the Indians would like to add a starter,” writes Heyman. “The twist is that they are limiting themselves to a top-of-the-rotation type. … If they don’t find that special someone, they just might pass in light of the fact their rotation depth isn’t a concern at the moment.”
Given the recent improvements of back-end starters like Zach McAllister and Corey Kluber, Antonetti’s desire to add a quality starter makes sense. Kluber is 6-4 with a 3.53 FIP, recently fanning 10 in a win over the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers. McAllister has a sub-4.00 ERA (4.23 FIP) and is attempting a comeback from a sprained right middle finger. The team’s current fifth starter, Scott Kazmir, recently scattered four hits in 5 2/3 innings, also against the Tigers.
From a cost perspective, Heyman reports that the Cubs are seeking “multiple good prospects” for Garza (he’s allowed a total of five earned runs in his last five outings, four of which have been wins) while the Brewers are currently valuing him based on how he pitched in past years (a career FIP of 3.67), not his inconsistent recent performance which has been accompanied by a significant drop in his strikeout rate.
ESPN’s Buster Olney recently reported that the Indians join Texas, Boston, Toronto, the Dodgers and maybe Baltimore in the quest to acquire Garza.
[Related: Tigers 4, Indians 2: Golden opportunity slips through Tribe’s fingers]
20 Comments
Makes sense just don’t see the Indians being able to muster what it would take given the other teams reportedly interested as well.
Unless they put Lindor on the table. I assume that is a non-starter though from the Indians’ perspective.
Just try not to buy someone else’s broken toy this time. Ubaldo still isn’t really any fun…
But what about Brett Myers?- SAID NO ONE
I would assume so for the Indians but the Cubs have their shortstop.
right. Unless we know that the shiny toys we trade to them have busted springs or hidden defects (heh-heh-heh)
Somewhere, beneath his headphones loudly blaring really terrible hip-hop music, Trevor Bauer’s ears are burning.
Garza is a FA at the end of the season no? at least the bullpen will only be blowing leads for him for 2 months
to be fair, anyone we have drafted in the last 15 years seems to have busted springs and not-always-hidden defects (outside of CC and hopefully Lindor).
Jason Kipnis would like a word.
Give them Cord Phelps and Matt LaPorta and a player to be named later
You know CLE has never had a #1 pick in MLB? Interesting
tell him to put the bow and arrow down first and we can talk (an obvious miss by my generalization – good catch).
Exactly. IIRC Carlos Carrasco and Matt LaPorta are worth an ace. I say trade them.
Bad but not bad enough last years team defines that luck.
It makes sense, but I still hope they don’t sell out anybody too valuable for a rental. The starting staff has given us more reason to be optimistic than otherwise IMO. (at least our best 5 when nobody is hurt)
If they can’t get a guy who is definitively top 3 in the rotation (a clear notch above Jiminez or Kazmir) then it doesn’t make sense, unless they don’t think McAllister is coming back after the break. If he’s not back, then they really need a starter, because Bauer and Carrasco clearly aren’t going to be good in 2013, and I doubt Salazar comes up and has tremendous success given how little AAA experience he has. The loss of McAllister has hurt us a ton. When you think about the fact that the last 4-5 times either Bauer or Carrasco have started it would have been him.
Six weeks ago I thought our biggest need was in the bullpen, and I still think that now. Hill has been a little better in the last couple of weeks, but he still isn’t getting guys out effectively. Hagadone is slightly improved but still not somebody they can count on. After that, there are zero lefties to work with. It’s a glaring need and it hurts the other guys in the pen who are much better against right handed hitters. Against RHB we have 4 bullpen arms with an ERA of 2.18 or below. (6 if you count Martinez and Barnes, who are both in Columbus) Against LHB we have none. (again not counting Langwell) Shaw, who weirdly is better against lefties, is our best at 2.41, after that we have Cody Allen at 3.38, and then everybody else is over 4. If they don’t address or ability to get lefties out after the starter leaves it will doom this club’s chances at the playoffs.
And we have kind of a logjam at Shortstop, so it would be the most logical position to dangle even if it’s not Lindor.
for instance, Asdrubal Cabrera
one issue: neither the Cubs nor the Brewers need a SS.
Somebody get the Mariners on the horn. If history is any indication, those two will net us Felix Hernandez…
Cody Allen?