MLB Trade Rumors: Where Will Victor Go?
Written By: Scott | Category: Cleveland Indians | Comments: 13
While the majority of us are still mulling over the Cliff Lee trade, the question that remains: what will happen to Victor Martinez?
Thoughts going in to this week were that if any player (between he and Lee) were going to be traded, it would be Victor simply due to the depth that the Indians have at catcher – which is now even deeper after the addition of Lou Marson – and first base. But the thoughts also aligned with the fact that the Indians would not trade the Cy Young-winning Lee unless they were given an offer that was too good to refuse. Well…
The teams that lead the pack for Martinez’s services are the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. Division rivals, one could assume that neither team wants the other to win the Martinez contest. The Rays are undeniably looking for a catcher. Joel Maddon looks as if he’s growing very tired of his catcher, Dioner Navarro, having an OPS of .575 (albeit better through the month of July). The Red Sox would use Martinez primarily as a back-up behind the plate, at first base and designated hitter.
Having the all-star catcher as a “back-up” speaks volumes for where the Boston roster currently stands.
The Sox have already reportedly shot down an offer that would send Clay Buchholz to Cleveland. Would they reconsider with Tampa Bay in the mix? Or was Brad Penny’s seven earned runs in five innings last night enogh to make Boston hold on to the young gun?
Fox Sports claims that there are other teams in the mix. But if the Lee trade was any sign of things to come, it is looking more and more like Victor will be in the AL East if/when he is traded. Hopefully, for Victor, he goes to a team that not only appreciates his play, but one that is willing to continue buidling a team that can get him that ring that he was so close to two seasons ago.
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(And for what it is worth, I am firmly behind Rick’s stance that the Indians should require the other team take on Travis Hafner’s contract as well. The Blue Jays are rumored to have wanting other teams to take on Alex Rios (overpaid until 2014) if they deal Roy Halladay. Adding in Hafner – whose contract has plagued this team since the day it was signed – makes complete sense.)
Author: Scott
Scott is a co-founder/editor of Waiting For Next Year who resides in Cleveland, Ohio. Feel free to follow him on Twitter or email him at scott@waitingfornextyear.com.Scott has written 1701 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
Making a team makes sense except for the fact that The Jays insistance on someone taking Rios could be one reason why the Jays have been unable to move Halladay so far….
take Hafner*
Re: Hafner contract
nah-gunna….nah-gunna…nah-gunna happen, thats for sure
I think we’re stuck with Hafner unless we basically want to do a straight salary dump of Victor’s deal and only get marginal return. A team MAY be willing to take on Hafner’s deal, but to my mind, that would severely limit the talent they’d be willing to give back.
I wonder if they’ve gone to hafner to see if he would restructure his contract…
Also, is anyone else terrified that Shapiro is hitting reboot on the roster with the intention of keeping Wedge next year?
I’ve now read two articles that espouse this theory, and I think it’s the case.
If Wedge is the manager next year, I’m going to find it really hard to support this team.
@5: “Heh … Heh …Heh …” (Sound of Hafner at restructuring suggestion).
This is the MLB, my friend, where contracts are guaranteed, and the last thing an overpaid DH with a bad injury wants/needs to do is restructure. What are they going to do if he doesn’t agree, cut him and still pay him?
i think wedge needs to be included in any trade for victor…make the other team take him and he can then be their problem…who knows they might need another person to control the mascot duties
Boston Roid Sox! Hahaaha
@ #6 – I agree…I’m quite concerned that the team will point to the turmoil of this year and use the old “no one could have done better anyways” excuse to keep Wedge around.
I also think they might point to Wedge’s “success” the last time he took a Indians team rebuilt from the ground up and guided them to a near-playoff berth in 2005 and the ALCS in 2007.
I think I could almost bring myself to get behind a group of young kids in 2010 if someone besides The Grind was patrolling the dugout.
hear about the pappi/ramirez steriod biddness? why wasn’t this brought out in 07 right before game 7 of the alcs? i hate mlb…honestly.
But if we include Hafner, what will I do with my Hafner tshirt? Maybe wrap the shoulder in bandages and slap a postage stamp on the chest.
AMC is dead on. So the question is what to the fans want (assuming there is no choice to keep V-Mart)? A great return or a crappy return but the absence of Hafner. I for one would rather the Tribe get the better return. With Lee and Martinez gone, Hafner’s contract will not have that great of an effect on the bottom line next year when we are paying minimum contracts to 20 of the other 24 players.