With the season a wash, the trades Shapiro made were deals the Indians had to make and, according to ABJ writer Terry Pluto, the future of the Indians isn’t as bad as some Tribe fans think. Considering the ages and situation with the players that were traded, Pluto says the deals make sense. With the money the Indians will be saving, they will be in good position to go after some quality veterans this off-season to go with their good, young talent.
Do you think that Eduardo Perez, Ben Broussard or Bob Wickman were going to play major roles in 2007, assuming they came back at all? Wickman and Perez will be free agents. Broussard could be in line for a $4 million deal in arbitration, and he’s struggled hitting lefties (.190 in the past two seasons).
Take a realistic look at the players traded and their ages: Wickman (37), Perez (36) and Broussard (29). Only Broussard has a future during the next few years, and that will be as a platoon player.
General Manager Mark Shapiro has done an impressive job of bringing in young talent since taking over in 2002. Not every trade worked out, but the team is in much better shape now than it was at the end of that season. Especially since the $82 million payroll was about to be cut in half.
Some fans have been complaining about the deals for prospects, forgetting that these type of trades put the Indians in position to win 93 games in 2005. They have a chance to regroup and contend in the future with some key veteran acquisitions.
Pluto goes on to analyst each trade the Indians made this season and the impact they will have. The Indians will get a good look at their young talent for the rest of the season and will use this time to sort through what they have in them and where they will fit with the team. Pluto notes several platoon situations that could arise for next season.
I’ll go on record now for the upcoming off season, and you can accept it or not:
1) there are way more teams willing to pay way more than us for any decent talent that will be available.
2) expect more ‘trevor hoffman’ situations. where the tribe actually does offer more than another team and the player declines.
i am 100% positive we will see both of these situations come to light in the upcoming off season.
and please stop using the 2005 season as “proof” of anything. that year was all about the pitching staff and in my 35 years that was the best i’ve ever seen in cleveland.
I keep hearing that the trades are to save money so we can acquire some talent – I’ll beleive it when I see it. As kessler says, I’m sure we’ll see a lot more trevor hoffman situations. Let’s hope we can land some top notch free agnets.
Listen, put this down for the record, the indians will never be a contender as long as Larry Dolan owns this team. He has proven that he will not resign players (aka our last years bullpen), and he will not go out and sign big name proven players (you call Paul Byrd, Jason Johnson, and Eduardo Perez big time players?). All you will ever get from this orginazation is a rebiulding phase that will last as long as Dolan owns the franchise. All he’s doing is getting players on the cheap and once they start commanding money he lets them go or trades them (bullpen, Thome etc.). Don’t be fooled by their lies about how we are a “small market team” because their is no more such thing due to tv and internet. Dolan is loaded with money but just like he was with his cable company he wants you to a lot of money for a product that is sub par. His excuse about “i’ll spend the money once we contend” is a croc, look at the White Sox, Red Sox, and every other contending team out their: they all have higher payrolls than the indians and have at least one or two proven stud players. While the indians do have some good young talent that is promising they don’t have one or two proven stud players such as a Zito, Ramirez, or Jeter. You just aren’t gonna win with the 7′th lowest payroll in baseball, period.
Have I been the only one who’s been saying that the Indians are a “Catch 22″ Team, Guess not. So Dolan buys the team, inherits a great and loyal fan base, and waht does he do. Takes the games off and asks the fans to pay for seeing the team on a “half ass” STO channel. Changes the lineup to where no one knows or identifies with the players (except Hafner and Sizemore), signs a shortstop with a candy arm to a long term contract, and makes a night out at a BEAUTIFUL major league ball park seem like a night at Canal Park.
Everything that the Indians do say blatantly “I NEED YOUR CASH!” Try purchasing tickets on the website, and you feel the pressure to BUY NOW!
As for me, I’ll go to maybe two games a year, depending on which of my relatives are in town visiting or who the opposition is. i have reserved myself to the Dolan Dynasty years.
I came here from Maryland two years ago, but have always loved the Indians. It pains me to see what Dolan is doing and I went through it with Abe Polan and the Orioles and the Bullets (Wizards). You’ll know the end is near when the advertisements say come see the stars of the other team play. Oh it’s coming believe me.