The Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto makes an argument today that it may be getting to be time for the Tribe to make CC Sabathia a take-it-or-leave it offer and then ship him off if he doesn't sign.Pluto borrows some numbers reported by Jayson Stark to support Pluto's argument that if the Tribe continues to flounder on this current 11-game trip it could be time to get something for Sabathia if he is not ready to re-up with the Tribe.
Here are numbers Pluto borrowed from Stark:
"Stark wrote that in the wild-card era, only 13 of 104 teams that had losing records at the end of May went on to make the playoffs. ... But the real statistic is that only the 2005 Houston Astros came back from more than six games out to be a playoff team. So if the Indians come home on June 10 more than six games out, it's time to face reality and start trading off some veterans who will be free agents (Sabathia, Paul Byrd) and others not in the future plans. " --Terry Pluto
While it's hard to give up on the year, it's also hard to argue with the logic.
But there is way for the Tribe and their fans to have their cake and eat it too.
What if, instead of trading Aaron Laffey or Jeremy Sowers and/or some other integral piece of the future, the Tribe trades Sabathia - a stud free-agent pitching in waiting for an equally studly free-agent hitter in waiting.
Even with Sabathia gone, the Tribe's rotation would stack up well with the rest of the division (at least once Fausto Carmona returns) and they could get a bat they sorely need.
At the end of the year, and assuming this big bat heads off for greener pastures, the Tribe would be no worse off than if Sabathia leaves them at the altar.
I'm not saying I'm sold on this, but I am intrigued by the idea.
And who might this stud hitter be?
How about this rumor reported on the Braves Blast Web site Friday night?
"There are a couple rumors here - one mentioned by the announcers during today’s game involved the highest profile free agent on the team. Reportedly the Braves would send Mark Teixeira to the Cleveland Indians for starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia."
While the Tribe has about six or seven guys on the roster now who could play 1B none of them offer a compelling reason not to trade for Teixeira - even though help at third or at a corner outfield position would be better.
Whether the Tribe makes a pitch for Teixeira long-term is a question for later.
For right now we'd be trading a big arm that is likely to leave at the end of the season and could conceivably be replaced from within for a big bat that is sorely needed now and is likely to leave at the end of the year.
Given the current state of the offense, it makes sense to at least think about a trade something like this if not this exact trade, although Teixeira seems to be the most tempting name to fit this scenario.
Here are some others from the full list of players who will be free agents at the end of the year and my comments on each one. There are plenty of other free-agents-to-be to pick from but they are not on teams looking for a rent-a-pitcher.
- Joe Crede: not enough of a difference-maker with the bat; why hand Sox the division?
- Jim Thome: do we want to go there?; why hand the Sox the division?
- Bobby Abreu: Maybe if they "throw in" Robbie Cano
- Manny: won't happen
- Jeff Kent: no thanks!
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9 comments:
well well well where do we go from here ? 56 games down - 102 to go. 30 of those 56 scored less than 3 runs. Is it time to blow up this team. Lets look at it. Who is the core of the team - everyday players I guess Sizemore, Martinez, and now Francisco - everybody else is expendable. Wedge is sure in love with Jamie Carroll. Pitchers - dont trade Laffey - especially for atkins. Atkins will struggle outside of colorado and without holliday, tulowitski, and harpe he struggles. The core pitchers are laffey, fausto, westbrook, and surprislngly lee. Byrd should go if anyone will take him. Get something this year for him. Think Miller and Sowers may never make it. Miller with injuries and Sowers just not enough speed and movement.
Players - Big mistake was made trading Kouzmanoff - he would look awful good at third right now. Perallta is our HR hitter Confusion is at third. Unforuntunately I dont think Marte has it. IT will continue to be a meet go round - marte, blake, peralta, cabrera, carroll, garko, and aubry. Pick your posion.
Oufield - looks like Grady and Francisco and a platoon of coo and guttierrez with delucci now a DH until if /when hafner is back.
Relief pitching - no reliability -you got what you got - it sure ain't last years pen.
With some of this it is what it is and you play what yougot.
I agree with CC. Make an offer and take it or leave it. If he leaves it trade him - there will be buyers in july / august - but ship him to NL.
On a side note - I wish we had the Reds team up here. they remind me of the indians of the 90's. All hit no pitch - but fun to watch.
"fun to watch"
remember when the Tribe was fun toi watch?
Today's games was so boring it was painful. Not even a sniff of hope, and they didn't seem to give a damn.
They were so lifeless I nearly picked up the phone to call the coroner's office.
Pathletic, lifeless, awful. Trade every last one of them.
Must be time for my meds.
give me vic davalillo, vic power,
leon wagner, jim grant, etc
made brian bannister look like cy young
but according to wedge - we hit the ball hard - we are coming around - right
twice runners on second with no outs and nothing - the first outs were strikie outs and did not move the runner and of course the second out was a flyball that would have scored arun - best to bunt with man on second and no outs
Pumped up on Friday morning and now here on a Monday morning, I am down in the dumps.
I am a "glass is half-full" person and I always try and find a silver lining. Although we lost 2 over the week-end, we did make up a game. This team has the lowest batting average in the AL by 13 points and yet we are only 5 games out. Not hitting a lick and still in it.
Will this be 2005?: On June 4th, Tribe was 25-29 and 11.5 games out. We all remember the run we went on. Sure we came up short, but the run was made.
Will this be 2006?: 28-27, 8.5 games out. Continuously floundered and finished 78-84.
This has more the feel of 2006 because of the high expectations.
Maybe it is time to trade Sabathia (and Byrd). Get a big bat. While he is pitching well, he only has 3 wins to show for it. I will take a rotation of Lee, Laffey, Westbrook, Carmona, Sowers.
I am not giving up hope. It is only June 2nd. Lets see we are on June 16th (the next off day for the Tribe).
Bobby it's good to have you with us. A couple of us other guys are old enough to remember the team from the early 60's into the dismal 70's and the awful 80s, so we tend to be a bit conditioned to expect the worst.
You glass-half-full voice is needed here.
whats the logic behind the aubry / mastney move. Giving first base to garko and martinez.
I cant believe it - get 8 runs and laffey has his worst night of the year !!!
hes killing my fantasy numbers - what is an indians fan to do !!!!
Rangers-8
Blake-7
Indians-1
I just vomited. WTF? Finally score more than 3 runs and now we get no F**king pitching! Can't win.
Now Byrd catches one at the wall.
think we're having fun tonight? wait 'til tomorrow night.
they just put westbrook on the DL, sowers is unavailable because he pitched sunday.
can't wait to see who's on the mound tomorrow.
Indians.com says they may just run the bullpen en masse out there tomorrow.
guess that explains the Mastny move.
Apparently Westbrook has been injured since his last start. sore elbow. And, once again the Tribe tries to hide it until they are forced to let us know.
Same deal as Borowski. Hafner and, as we found out yesterday, Victor too.
Could also explain why they tried to squeeze as much as they could out of Laffey.
The pen will have to go at least 4 tonight and God knows how many tomorrow.
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