Author: JEC (Page 5 of 46)

Honestly, is anybody surprised by this?

Former baseball star Albert Belle was arrested Thursday and charged with stalking his ex-girlfriend, police said.

Scottsdale police said the 39-year-old Belle was taken into custody after a former girlfriend told officers that he had stalked her.

This is my favorite part of the article, though:

The volatile Belle often ran into trouble on and off the field during his playing days.

He was fined in 1994 for using a corked bat and suspended after instigating a brawl by elbowing an opposing player. In 1991, he threw a baseball into the chest of a fan taunting him. Years later, he tossed a ball at a photographer.

Ah yes, the good old days. Who can forget when Joey ran down a bunch of kids in his SUV after they threw eggs at his house on Halloween?

Nestled in between the New Yorks (Yankees at #3 and Mets at #5) on ESPN’s first MLB Power Rankings for the 2006 season are the Cleveland Indians:

Overcoming last September’s stretch-drive failures early will be key. How much will they miss Coco Crisp?

If anything, I see last season’s late-season collapse as a positive for this team. They’re young and hungry, and coming so close last year before falling on their faces is only going to make them hungrier. Sure, the loss of Coco will be a factor, as will the losses of Kevin Millwood and Bob Howry, but this is still a very good team and, if the rotation and Bob Wickman stay relatively healthy, they should again be in the thick of things. Do I think they have a chance to knock off the White Sox? Absolutely. Anything can happen in baseball. But they’ll have to make some moves at the trade deadline to shore up any weaknesses if they want to make a legitimate run.

As Bob pointed out in a previous post, the Indians are reportedly talking to the Reds once again about an Austin Kearns/Jake Westbrook trade. At first glance, it’s easy to say, as Bob did:

I think that Mr. Dolan needs to understand that keeping a nucleus together is critical for success, even if it means spending money.

But then I read this:

Losing Westbrook would leave a giant hole in Cleveland’s rotation. According to a rival team, Shapiro has been in recent discussions with free-agent right-hander Jeff Weaver (14-11, 4.22 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2005). Weaver, 29, made $9.5 million last season, but the market for him has been thin, and he might be willing to take at least $1 million less on a one-year contract. The cost of his salary would be offset by the departure of Rhodes ($3.7 million) and Westbrook ($4.25 million). Michaels will make $1.5 million this season.

Now, there’s no way you can trade Jake Westbrook without getting a competent replacement for him. I agree wholeheartedly. But Weaver is Jake Westbrook, or a damn fine clone:

Weaver
2005: 14-11, 4.22 ERA, 157 Ks, 220 IP
2004: 13-13, 4.01 ERA, 153 Ks, 224 IP

Westbrook
2005: 15-15, 4.49 ERA, 119 Ks, 216 IP
2004: 14-9, 3.38 ERA, 116 Ks, 211 IP

You may be tempted to say that Weaver’s older, and he is, but only by one year (29-28). So if Shapiro’s able to land a power-hitting outfielder, albeit one with some issues but one with a lot of potential too, without losing anything in terms of starting pitching, would that be such a bad thing?

Everybody likes Westbrook, just like everybody loves Coco, but again, Westbrook’s not a great pitcher, nor will he ever be one. He was so erratic last season that he often wasn’t even a very good pitcher. Granted, you’re not getting someone with Andy Marte’s potential in return, but Kearns is still just 25 (younger than Coco, by the way) and he’s got GOBS of power. And by trading Westbrook, Dolan would then open up his wallet for Weaver, which is what we all want to see him do, right? Start spending. Well, he may do just that soon.

And for everyone accusing the Indians of not trying to compete, think again. Shapiro’s gearing this team up for a playoff run, but in the process he’s also solidified the future of the franchise. Without question, we’re talking about one of the best general managers in baseball. It’s a shame so many Cleveland fans don’t recognize it yet. But they will soon.

So after blogging about all the rumors and failed physicals and three-team possibilities, I’m late getting the actual story up. I apologize. I was busy and I figured you all knew anyway.

If you missed it, here. Tribe gets Andy Marte, Guillermo Mota, Kelly Shoppach and Jason Michaels, gives Coco Crisp, David Riske, Josh Bard and Arthur Rhodes (in separate deals, of course). I still wish they could’ve hung on to Rhodes somehow, but at least it’s done.

The hardest part is losing Coco, of course. Still, it amazes me how many fans out there refuse to look at this objectively. Coco is a good player. In fact, a friend of mine said the other day that he was an “average ballplayer.” That’s selling the guy short. He’s a 20/20 threat and a doubles machine who plays solid defensively. Coco Crisp is no superstar, but he is a good player.

But the thing is, Andy Marte has the chance to be a great player. No matter how long he stays and how much money you pay him, Coco will not be a great player. Said Shapiro of his newest acquisition:

In Andy Marte, we are acquiring a right-handed power hitter who is also a good defensive third baseman. Not only is third base a position of need in our organization, but it is one of the more difficult positions to acquire a player of Andy’s caliber and skill set via trade or free agency.

I couldn’t agree more. This is a fantastic move by Shapiro, because while Jason Michaels isn’t as dynamic as Coco, he’ll certainly be a useful player. He can play all three outfield positions, he hit .304 last year and he gets on base. Compare Crisp’s OB% the last two years — .344 and .345 — to Michaels’ — .364 and .399 — and you’ll see why Michaels is a prime candidate to bat second. Crisp to Michaels is a step down, for sure, but not as steep of a step as the casual fan may think.

And, folks, Guillermo Mota ain’t no slouch. Sure, we’re all now worried about his health but he passed his Boston physical a couple months ago and, rumor has it, he didn’t even fail his physical with the Tribe. Instead, they were “concerned” with the results of some of the tests. Let’s assume we get 50 innings from him, though Shapiro and Wedge would prefer 70. Well, for those 50 innings you’ve got your Bob Howry replacement, a power arm in the ninth who can also spell Wickman when the big guy needs a breather. Oh no, Mota wasn’t just a throw-in. Shapiro wanted him.

But the real gem here is Marte. Look, you don’t get a chance on a kid like this very often. Yes, the people who are saying that he may not even pan out are absolutely right. But you know what? Sometimes, the risk is worth it. If Marte does develop the way so many people believe he will, then you’ve got one of the premier third basemen in the game for the next eight or 10 years. You’ve got to roll the dice on talent like that.

Shapiro’s done this before, and while everyone keeps churning out the Brandon Phillips comparison, don’t conveniently forget about Grady Sizemore, Travis Hafner, Cliff Lee and Coco Crisp. Shapiro traded veterans for these guys and look how those deals turned out. It’s time to have some faith in this guy. He knows what he’s doing.

Five years from now, this will be remembered as the Andy Marte trade, not the Coco Crisp trade.