Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

[LitlBuck]

plus, i'm not convinced that cleveland isn't going to be trading some of the young guys this offseason anyway.

I think that is the only way we will be able to fill a hole in the infield. The Indians brass is not real happy with Barfield and is GP moves to third we might be looking to find a quality 2nd baseman.

 

[JCOSU86]

I think that is the only way we will be able to fill a hole in the infield. The Indians brass is not real happy with Barfield and is GP moves to third we might be looking to find a quality 2nd baseman.

Do you mean JP, Jhonny Peralta?

 

[tsteele316]

I think that is the only way we will be able to fill a hole in the infield. The Indians brass is not real happy with Barfield and is GP moves to third we might be looking to find a quality 2nd baseman.

there are a lot of viable 2b options on the FA market this year as well. it wouldn't surprise me if that is the route they went. or, they'll trade for a 3b and be done with it.

 

[Piney]

While Brantley is probably the best player, I think the Indians have plenty of young outfielders and should have taken the third baseman.

Brantley is closer to helping the major league club. And he is a better player period than Green. Which is why the Brewers had to make the playoffs so the Indians can get him.

And while we have 'plenty' of young outfielders. He is bar none the best potential leadoff hitter we have. When Baseball America considers him having one of the best strike zone recognition in the minors. He sounds like an ideal leadoff man so we can move Sizmore to #3 in the batting order.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Brantley's speed, plate discipline wowed Tribe in completion of Sabathia deal

by Paul Hoynes Friday October 03, 2008, 7:51 PM


The return on CC Sabathia is complete.
Brewers/MLB
The speed to steal bases and a high on-base percentage made Michael Brantley irresistable to the Indians.


Michael Brantley's minor-league stats


The Indians, with their choice among four players, and perhaps more, Friday selected left-handed hitting outfielder Michael Brantley to complete the five-player deal.
Brantley, 21, is the final piece of the July 7 trade that brought outfielder Matt LaPorta, left-hander Zach Jackson and right-hander Rob Bryson. Brantley, the son of former big-leaguer Mickey Brantley, will start next season at Class AAA Columbus, the Indians' new top farm club.
The Indians are currently trying to find him a spot in the Arizona Fall League.

Continued...........

 

[tsteele316]

Brantley is closer to helping the major league club. And he is a better player period than Green. Which is why the Brewers had to make the playoffs so the Indians can get him.

And while we have 'plenty' of young outfielders. He is bar none the best potential leadoff hitter we have. When Baseball America considers him having one of the best strike zone recognition in the minors. He sounds like an ideal leadoff man so we can move Sizmore to #3 in the batting order.

this kid is essentially trevor crowe redux. hopefully he stays healthy.

 

[Piney]

this kid is essentially trevor crowe redux. hopefully he stays healthy.

But has a higher ceiling and has been rated higher consistently than Crowe.

Seems like Columbus is going to have a very exciting outfield next year with LaPorta, Crowe & Brantley.

 

[Zippercat]

The knife for Pronk?

Well, it's not like we didn't expect this story:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Hafner might need surgery on right shoulder[/FONT]
ESPN - Hafner might need surgery on right shoulder - MLB

 

[OHSportsFan]

Well, it's not like we didn't expect this story:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Hafner might need surgery on right shoulder[/FONT]
ESPN - Hafner might need surgery on right shoulder - MLB

What a great investment...

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Hafner might undergo surgery Shoulder shouldn't be factor in 2009 season; Shapiro discusses need to find starter or closer
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sports writer

Published on Wednesday, Oct 08, 2008
CLEVELAND: Initially, Mark Shapiro announced bad news.
''The strength of Travis Hafner's shoulder is not what we had hoped it would be when we tested it after the season,'' the Indians' general manager said in a session with the media Tuesday at Progressive Field.
Shapiro went on to say that all along, team officials knew there were ''alternatives'' to be considered relating to the condition of Hafner's ailing right shoulder, which became so weak that he could not swing a bat for several months.
There were two ways to go in treating Hafner's malady: Wait and hope that time would heal the damaged structures or be more aggressive and ask the designated hitter to undergo arthroscopic surgery, which is looking more and more like the solution.
Shapiro said by Monday the club would know which direction to go.
After missing much of this season, only to return with diminished capacity, does that mean Hafner will be sidelined for much of next year? Here is where Shapiro had some good news to report.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Shapiro: Hafner may need surgery, starting pitching a prime need for 2009

by Paul Hoynes Tuesday October 07, 2008, 10:18 PM


Indians GM Mark Shapiro: "When you get to the list of areas I'd like to improve, the area I feel least comfortable with is our upper-level starting pitching. It's the area, as we plan our big league club, that will be among our two or three biggest holes."
Travis Hafner's right shoulder, which ruined his 2008 season, might need arthroscopic surgery. GM Mark Shapiro said Wednesday that the Indians were unhappy with the strength in Hafner's shoulder during his physical at the end of the season. Surgery is one of their options.
"The strength in his shoulder was not what we had hoped it would be," said Shapiro, during his state-of-the-team address. "It was a little disappointing.
"Right now, we're examining our alternatives. Travis is involved in the process."
Shapiro was reluctant to talk more about the subject. Lonnie Soloff, the Indians' head athletic trainer, would provide more information Monday.
Hafner and his agents could not be reached.
"The options all along have been to continue conservatively rehabbing it or to get a 'scope,'" said Shapiro.

Hafner was on the disabled list from May 30 through Sept. 9. The Indians still owe him $52 million from 2009 through 2012. The total includes a $2.75 million buyout clause if the Indians don't exercise his $13 million club option in 2013.

Cont...

 

[LitlBuck]

there are a lot of viable 2b options on the FA market this year as well. it wouldn't surprise me if that is the route they went. or, they'll trade for a 3b and be done with it.

But has a higher ceiling and has been rated higher consistently than Crowe.

Seems like Columbus is going to have a very exciting outfield next year with LaPorta, Crowe & Brantley.

The problem is if they trade for a third baseman what do they do with JP or, as far as that goes, Cabrera. If they trade for a third baseman rather than a second baseman, they would have to leave JP at SS and Cabrera at second unless they would trade JP but that would still leave a hole at 2nd or 3rd.

I would be very surprised if the three young outfielders mentioned above would still be in the Indians organization at the end of next season. With Chin, Francisco, Sizemore, and those three I would think that one of those guys could be included in the trade and I did not even mention Gut.

 

[NFBuck]

The problem is if they trade for a third baseman what do they do with JP or, as far as that goes, Cabrera. If they trade for a third baseman rather than a second baseman, they would have to leave JP at SS and Cabrera at second unless they would trade JP but that would still leave a hole at 2nd or 3rd.

I would be very surprised if the three young outfielders mentioned above would still be in the Indians organization at the end of next season. With Chin, Francisco, Sizemore, and those three I would think that one of those guys could be included in the trade and I did not even mention Gut.

Peralta is more than likely staying at SS and Asdrubal will remain at 2B. That leaves a possible trade or FA at 3B. I still like the idea of bringing Blake back if the price is right. Marte played better (relatively speaking) after given the chance, but he's still far from an everyday player. We just need somebody to hold it down until Hodges is ready.

Shapiro also mentioned 1B as a position of need which is interseting on a couple of levels. It indicates they're ready to (finally) pull the plug on Garko, it also means they don't see Victor as a fulltime 1B, though they could bring somebody in to platoon with him so Shoppach can still get AB's as a C. Also, does this mean the LaPorta at 1B is not gonna happen?

He's (Shapiro) talking the talk, making it sound like they're not gonna stand pat, so let's see if he follows through. The way these guys played the last 6-8 weeks indicates they may not be far from being competitive again. Could be an interesting offseason.

 

[buckeyemania11]

I would be very surprised if the three young outfielders mentioned above would still be in the Indians organization at the end of next season. With Chin, Francisco, Sizemore, and those three I would think that one of those guys could be included in the trade and I did not even mention Gut.

I think Gut is the man out at this point

at least I hope so, Fransisco and Choo look like better players at this point, would like to see them stick around for awhile

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Indians GM looking for quality starting pitcher for '08
Thursday, October 9, 2008
BY JOSH WEIR
[email protected]

CLEVELAND His bullpen has much to prove after a fire-starting 2008. There's a gaping void at third base.

But those aspects of the Indians don't seem to be bothering General Manager Mark Shapiro the most as his club heads into an important offseason.

"It's the area I feel the least comfortable with in our organization ? our upper-level starting pitching," Shapiro said this week. "It's the area that, as we plan our big league club, is going to be among the two or three spots we feel like we have the biggest hole.

"(It's) probably the most difficult to address though."

Shapiro's feelings can be described as his staff having plenty of (ahem) indians but not enough chiefs. He likes the depth that Anthony Reyes, Aaron Laffey, Scott Lewis, Jeremy Sowers, Zach Jackson and David Huff provide. But after Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona, the major league r?sum?s are pretty thin.

A No. 1-type starter isn't necessarily the aim. Neither is a warm body at the end of the rotation.

"I don't see us allocating a lot of dollars for a fifth starter," Shapiro said. "If we acquire a starter, our goal would be a guy who could pitch (in) the first three games of a playoff series."

A.J. Burnett could be available if he opts out from his contract with the Blue Jays. Other interesting names on the free agent market will be Ryan Dempster, Derek Lowe, Pedro Martinez, Jamie Moyer, Mike Mussina, Brad Penny, Andy Pettitte, Ben Sheets and Randy Wolf.

Oh yeah, there's also that CC Sabathia guy.

"I'd feel better if we had one more experienced, top-of-the-rotation guy," Shapiro said. "Those guys are not easy to find. Those are painful either in free-agent dollars or painful in players you give up."
Cont...