Tag: mlb trade deadline

MLB Trade Deadline Notes: Cleveland Indians

Mike Kane

Tick-Tock Tribe

As the trade deadline draws closer to the midnight hour, you have to wonder what Chris Antonetti is trying to pull off to strengthen a team that is finally got the public’s attention after the Cavs triumph and the city not getting torched to a crisp with the RNC in town last week.

The rumor mill has the Tribe in the hunt for Jonathon Lucroy but the asking price for him in my opinion is way too high (the Brewers are rumored to be asking for both stud minor-leaguers Clint Frazier and Bradley Zimmer.) Both of these players appear to be fast-tracking to the Show, and the thought of giving them up for what amounts to a #7 hitter and a fair to above average backstop simply doesn’t make sense. Why give that up when you have two guys in Roberto Perez and Chris Gimenez that are essentially the same thing?

If you are going to pay the piper with these two, it has to be for Yankees lefty, Andrew Miller. Miller would give the Tribe a much needed arm off the left side, a proven shut down performer (he was an unsung hero for the Red Sox in 2013) and, ready for this, has two years left on his contract. Granted, Miller is big money ($9 million a year) and I worry that Larry Dolan will rear his ugly head in, but this is the price you have to pay to play with the big kids. I make this move tomorrow if I’m the Tribe.

Stick around for the Bam Bam Muelens reference. No, I'm not kidding.
Stick around for the Bam Bam Muelens reference. No, I’m not kidding.

It also is worth noting that another outfield bat should be in the mix as well. The trio of Davis, Naquin, and Chisenhall have been way better than ever expected, but let’s be honest: this is a very average, at best, hitting outfield. Couple that with the fact that you don’t know when Michael Brantley is going to get back and even when he does, if he’s going to be in game shape when crunch time comes around. If the Tribe wasn’t in the position they’re in, I would venture to say they would have shut him down for the year by now.

No matter what this team does (or doesn’t do,) it’s nice to see that they’re starting to get the attention they deserve. People are actually showing up on weeknights to see the boys knock it around the yard. It’s painful, as a true baseball fan, to only see the stadium filled when the Yuppie families show up for Fireworks Nights to the music of ABBA dressed in Vineyard Vines and sipping on craft beers that will last 4 innings a piece. Gimme the guys in their wife-beaters and slamming a can of Bud Light every half-inning any day of the week that actually know what the infield fly rule is.

Rain Delay Thoughts

  • The Baseball Hall of Fame should have a separate wing for the guys in the “Steroid Era.” Call it “The Pharmacy” and let Bonds, McGwire, Palmeiro, etc. have their slice of illegal heaven.
  • Now that the NFL Training Camps are about to open, should ESPN just run a bottom crawl of players that aren’t getting games off for smoking tree?
  • The Atlanta Braves might be the worst baseball team I’ve seen in my 35+ years of watching baseball. Besides Nick Markakis, can you name one other everyday player on that team?
  • Josh Gordon is back. Over/under when he gets popped again for drugs is set at 8 games.
  • Does anyone give a shit about the Summer Olympics?
  • It’s been a very, very long time, but the New York Yankees are officially “sellers.” I think the last time they did that, Hensley “Bam Bam” Meulens was on the squad.
  • One last NFL season of Chris Berman sniffing jocks. Let that sink in: just one more year.
  • Can the networks borrow some of the chicks from Fox News to do the sideline reporting? Who cares if they don’t know anything. You think Holly Rowe can break down a zone-blitz?