Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

[NFBuck]

Fair enough. A PTBNL, while usually a scrub, can every once in a while be an impact player. In this case, it will be. The Tribe want to see him tested out at 2B. I wouldn't mind him staying at 3B, b/c I see no one else in the system that can play there...but Shapiro wants him at 2B it seems.

They have Wes Hodges who is a pretty decent prospect in Akron right now. Maybe he's thinking of Hodges at 3B, Asdrubal at SS and Green at 2B eventually. The mere fact that that excludes Jhonny Peralta is okay in my book. I've heard the occasional whisper that the Dodgers have inquired about Peralta, I only pray that it's true.

Also, it is going to be weird not seeing C.C. in a Tribe uniform. I guess it was inevitable, but never really thought of C.C. as anything but an Tribe player. He was great for the team and city. Got a lot of innings and a lot of wins out of him, but he outgrew (no pun intended :p) the market.

Good luck to him as a Brewer. I'd rather the Brewers come out of the NL than any other team. Anyone up for a Milwaukee/Tampa Bay WS?

It will be weird. C.C. has been great for this organization and did a lot. You hate to see a guy like that go, but it's the reality of today's MLB until Selig gets off his ass and installs a salary cap to attempt to level the playing field. I doubt that ever happens though. I'll be rooting for the Brewers from here on out. I'd love to see C.C. help them get a ring.

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Tribe needs deal to be hit Shapiro must be right in targeting LaPorta for Sabathia
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist

Published on Monday, Jul 07, 2008
Matt LaPorta better hit.
And Mark Shapiro best be right.
That's about all you can say in light of the fact that the Indians apparently have traded the reigning Cy Young winner to the Brewers for three prospects. (No, the trade was not official as of Sunday night, but everyone and their uncle was reporting it had been agreed upon.)
Not that it's a bad idea to trade C.C. Sabathia, assuming the deal becomes official.
The guy who loved Cleveland and the Indians so much just couldn't bring himself to sign a four-year contract extension that would have averaged out to $18 million a year.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Indians' Sizemore, Lee named All-Stars Pitcher a candidate to start; outfielder is home run leader
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Monday, Jul 07, 2008
MINNEAPOLIS: Out of the ashes of the Indians' disappointing season have emerged two players deemed worthy of the All-Star Game, scheduled for July 15 at Yankee Stadium.
Cliff Lee, of course, was a lock to be picked for the game, but Grady Sizemore was a more uncertain choice, if only because he had been traveling under the radar as the 12th-most popular American League outfielder in the vote of the fans, though in the last week he moved up to the 10th spot.
But Sizemore is leading the league in home runs with 22, also an unexpected occurrence, insofar as Sizemore has always insisted, and manager Eric Wedge agrees, that he is not a power hitter.
''I don't have an explanation why they are coming now,'' Sizemore said of his home run total. ''I don't try to hit home runs.''
Cont..

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Twins sweep frustrated Indians Lee's solid performance can't put end to streak. Peralta hits 13th homer
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Monday, Jul 07, 2008
MINNEAPOLIS: Not even Cliff Lee could stem the tide.
Maybe an eight-game push in the wrong direction is too much negative energy for any one player to reverse. So the Indians lost their eighth in a row Sunday, a 4-3 decision to the Twins, who swept the three-game series in the Metrodome. But there's one thing for sure: The Tribe will not lose a game today, though the team might lose C.C. Sabathia, who very well could be traded.
It was almost a shock to the system when Lee gave up three runs in the seventh inning, fighting a sudden bout of wildness.
''When you go through stretches like we're going through, this kind of stuff happens,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ''When you're going good, the ball bounces your way and you get the breaks. When you're struggling, things go the other way. That's just the way it's playing out for us right now.''
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Indians lose to the Minnesota Twins for their eighth straight loss.

Losses piling up on forlorn Tribe
Monday, July 07, 2008Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Minneapolis- The losses are coming so fast it's hard to keep them all straight. Which ones did the bullpen blow? How many can be blamed on the offense? What about the starting rotation?
The Indians are off today, but instead of going to Detroit where they'll finish this eight-game trip with a two-game series starting Tuesday, they returned to Cleveland to heal and, in all likelihood, trade their first Cy Young winner in 35 years.
Yes, it's been that kind of season for C.C. Sabathia and the rest of the Indians.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Indians' C.C. Sabathia all but gone

Tribe ace seemingly as good as gone
Monday, July 07, 2008Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Minneapolis- The Indians are close to trading C.C. Sabathia to the Milwaukee Brewers. It could happen today, said a source.
Chris Antonetti, vice president of baseball operations for the Tribe, declined to comment.
Sabathia said in a text message to ESPN.com: "I'm good, excited. It's weird leaving these guys."

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

2008 ALL-STAR SELECTIONS
Cleveland Indians' Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee headed to All-Star Game


Monday, July 07, 2008Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Minneapolis- The Indians are eating dust in the AL Central, but they still put Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore on the All-Star team. The All-Star Game will be played July 15 at Yankee Stadium in New York.
Lee, who lost Sunday's game against the Twins, 4-3, has a chance to be the AL starting pitcher. A New York Post report naming Lee the starter was reportedly erroneous, but he remains a leading candidate.
"I'd love a chance to start," said Lee, 11-2 with a 2.43 ERA.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Tribe's Lee, Sizemore named to All-Star team
Monday, July 7, 2008
BY JOSH WEIR
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

MINNEAPOLIS Mired in a crumbling season with their franchise pitcher headed out the door, the Cleveland Indians got some welcome news Sunday.

Pitcher Cliff Lee and center fielder Grady Sizemore were named to the American League All-Star Team for the July 15 game at Yankee Stadium.

It's Lee's first All-Star nod and Sizemore's third straight. Both Indians were voted in by player balloting.

"Cliff's done it from his first start on, and Grady's been Grady," Cleveland Manager Eric Wedge said. "I think when you've gone through as much as we have as a ball club this year, sometimes you can lose track of (those performances). But you shouldn't because they both had great first halves."
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Indians' free fall continues with 8th straight loss
Monday, July 7, 2008
BY JOSH WEIR
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

MINNEAPOLIS There are two ways to look at Sunday's series finale between the Indians and Twins.

Maybe the Twins are so hot, not even Cliff Lee can stop them.

Or maybe losing is just inevitable for the Tribe at this point.

Two ways to look at the same game, but only one result: Another Cleveland loss.

The Tribe dropped their season-high eighth straight game, 4-3, to the Twins on Sunday afternoon at the Metrodome. The Indians, after being swept in consecutive series, head into the off-day winless (0-6) on this eight-game, "make-or-break" road trip.

Consider 2008 broken. The Indians are 14 games back in the Central Division and 14 games under .500.

A different kind of loss followed the game. The Indians agreed to ship ace C.C. Sabathia to the Brewers for a package of prospects Sunday night. The depressing limbo that the Tribe was in during the last few speculation-filled days is over.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Reports: C.C. Gone
[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Sabathia traded to Brewers for prospects[/FONT]
UPDATE: 10:05 PM, Sunday, July 6, 2008
By JOSH WEIR
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

By JOSH WEIR

REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

MINNEAPOLIS C.C. Sabathia got dressed at his locker early Sunday, preparing for pregame activities as a clubhouse TV played ESPN's "Baseball Tonight."

The show's tease ? "The latest on C.C. Sabathia trade rumors" ? blared for all to hear.

Sabathia shook his head and turned back to his locker. A smattering of Indians stood and watched as John Kruk and Steve Phillips analyzed the likely departure of the American League's reigning Cy Young winner from Cleveland.

By Sunday night, the rumors sounded like reality.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel web site and ESPN.com, Brewers team sources said the Indians and Brewers have agreed on a trade that sends Sabathia to Milwaukee for a package of prospects, most notably power-hitting minor leaguer Matt LaPorta.
Cont...

 

[Zippercat]

believe it when I see it. When's the last time a player to be named later was a legit prospect???

Well, would Coco Crisp be "legit" enough for ya? Yep, you can look it up!

 

[tsteele316]

apparently some people thought the brewers were going to hand over their entire farm system to cleveland for a 3 month rental.

1. no other club was willing to put up a prospect as highly touted as laporta, at a position that cleveland so desperately needs.

2. the brewers obviously don't have the clout to resign sabathia as a FA. that reduces the selling price because it's not as beneficial to them to have that negotiating edge with him during the rest of the season.

3. deals like the colon trade just don't happen anymore. it's a thing of the past.

4. if taylor green is the 4th player in the deal, which seems to be the prevailing wisdom, the deal is actually pretty good.

5. looking at who was actually in the trade, it seems fairly obvious that other moves are probably forthcoming.

 

[Piney]

apparently some people thought the brewers were going to hand over their entire farm system to cleveland for a 3 month rental.

1. no other club was willing to put up a prospect as highly touted as laporta, at a position that cleveland so desperately needs.

2. the brewers obviously don't have the clout to resign sabathia as a FA. that reduces the selling price because it's not as beneficial to them to have that negotiating edge with him during the rest of the season.

3. deals like the colon trade just don't happen anymore. it's a thing of the past.

4. if taylor green is the 4th player in the deal, which seems to be the prevailing wisdom, the deal is actually pretty good.

5. looking at who was actually in the trade, it seems fairly obvious that other moves are probably forthcoming.

Good post. As long as Green is the 4th player than this deal is probable the best deal period we would get. And most likely that crappy AAA pitcher is one of those. Ok, since you won't give us another top level player, at least give us a 4th prospect. Since all the previous rumors were 3 players.

LaPorta by far was the best prospect the Indians could get out of all the deals. Really, look at the Phillies or Cubs farm system and they have crap (or players even further away than LaPorta). And the Indians couldn't get the Rays or Dodgers involved as they don't feel the pressure of the Brewers.

So this is the best deal for CC and I am happy. Gives CC a chance to win, and who says we still can't sign CC in the offseason (I know, a pipe dream). Plus this helps my NL only fantasy team as I have the #1 Waiver position and can grab CC for my pitching starved NL team

So get this firesale underway and hopefully Peralta is the next one out of town.

 

[ysubuck]

What do you all think about dealing Cliff Lee as well? After last season it's pretty clear to me that he made a deal with the devil and I'm not sure he can duplicate this season. What about dealing him while he's hot?

 

[billmac91]

What do you all think about dealing Cliff Lee as well? After last season it's pretty clear to me that he made a deal with the devil and I'm not sure he can duplicate this season. What about dealing him while he's hot?

Absolutely, if the right deal comes along. They're fooling themselves if they think this type of production can be expected into the future.

Strike while th eiron is hot, get as many goo dprospects as possible, and build this team in Rays/Marlins fashion.