Indians acquire Brian Bixler

[AZ_]

Just got a text from my buddy with the Pirates.

The Indians apparently acquired Brian Bixler for a minor leaguer.


Another utility option for the Indians.

Anyone have anything on this?


EDIT: Found it

Indians | Bixler acquired
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Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:23:57 -0800

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Dejan Kovacevic reports the Cleveland Indians acquired SS Brian Bixler from the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday, Jan. 18, in exchange for 3B Jesus Brito. Bixler is expected to compete for a utility role.

Essentially another nothing for nothing type of deal.

Brito is already 22 and will probably begin at Low Class A.

Bixler backs up the middle infield spots in Columbus.

 

[KIisKing]

Tribe gets Bixler from Bucs
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com
http://castrovince.mlblogs.com
http://www.twitter.com/castrovince

Sandusky native Brian Bixler is the latest entry into the competition to be the Indians' middle infield utility man.

The Tribe acquired Bixler on Monday in a trade with the Pirates. Low-A third baseman Jesus Brito, who split last year between the Arizona Rookie League and short-season Mahoning Valley, was sent to the Bucs.

Bixler has spent the better part of the last three seasons at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he's batted a combined .276 with 21 homers, 130 RBIs and a .766 OPS while striking out 366 times in 1,199 at-bats. He's appeared in a total of 68 games in the big leagues over the last two seasons, batting .178 (27-for-152) with a .475 OPS.

The 27-year-old Bixler has played primarily at shortstop in his career, but he can also handle second base, third base and center field.

With Luis Valbuena likely to see the bulk of time at second base and Asdrubal Cabrera locked in at shortstop, Bixler, Jason Donald and non-roster invitees Mark Grudzielanek and Luis Rodriguez will compete for the utility role. And there is, of course, still a chance another name or two will be added to that mix before all is said and done this winter.

Hopefully he succeeds

Some info:
http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=444448

Brito Stats:
Minor league infielder Jesus Brito, 22, who played in Class A last season. Brito hit a combined .353 with 19 doubles, 10 triples and 43 RBI in 60 games in rookie ball and Single-A Mahoning Valley.

Bixler out to show spring was no fluke
With Wilson on disabled list, shortstop gets shot to prove self

By Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com

04/26/09 4:21 PM ET

SAN DIEGO -- After being hailed as one of, if not the , most improved players this spring, Brian Bixler is ready to prove that his breakout Spring Training was no fluke.

Bixler, who was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday when Jack Wilson went on the disabled list with a sprained left middle finger, showed immense improvement this spring on both the offensive and defensive ends. This came one year after the 26-year-old shortstop looked entirely overmatched at the Major League level.

"Outsiders looking in probably thought he earned a spot on the team with the way he played," manager John Russell said. "He really came a long way. It's not that we had a bad taste [in 2008], but he had a tough go. The adjustments that he made to be able to show us that he could play at this level consistently, I think he showed that in Spring Training."

Bixler made three different appearances with the Pirates in 2008 and combined to hit just .157 in 50 games. He also committed eight errors, most of those coming when he filled in for an injured Wilson during the first two months of the season.

But after a focused offseason, Bixler finished with a .345 batting average in 25 games this spring and likely would have made the team if it weren't for the fact that management wanted him to continue to get everyday at-bats to begin the season.

As a result, he started in Indianapolis, where Bixler continued to refine a change in his approach at the plate that he first altered last fall in the instructional league. The results have continued to follow, too, as Bixler hit .327 with eight RBIs in 14 games with Indianapolis to begin the Triple-A season.

"It seems like he's really stayed with it," Russell said of Bixler's revamped approach. "He has a better outlook coming up here than he did last year. I think he's hopefully more confident in his plate appearances."

Bixler will split time at short with Ramon Vazquez for as long as Wilson is sidelined. Russell did not guarantee the majority of playing time to one or the other, but emphasized the need to get both players enough at-bats to stay fresh off the bench.

"I'd like to give Ramon some at-bats because he's starting to swing the bat better," Russell said. "He's struggled a little bit, but I've seen some pretty good signs."

And concerning playing time for Bixler: "He's going to get quite a bit of playing time at short," Russell said.

Vazquez, signed as a free agent this offseason to be the primary infield backup, and was already making his eighth start in 18 games this season on Sunday. He has started the year just 4-for-27, but has drawn seven walks.

Both Vazquez and Bixler were in the lineup on Sunday, a unique occurrence only because Russell wanted to give second baseman Freddy Sanchez a rare day off.

http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090426&content_id=4437556&vkey=news_pit&fext=.jsp&c_id=pit

 

[AZ_]

Utility job definitely is Gruzielanek's to lose.

Bixler isn't a real option there.

 

[Smooth]

The Indians will regret trading away Jesus...

 

[PIP]

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[SanduskyCav]

Bixler will not make it on a major league roster, I hate to say it because he's a friend of mine and I went to high school with him...he's a AAA/AA player, not Major League. He's is excellent in the field, but not a good hitter in the majors. I remember when he first got called up for the Pirates he made the top 10 for too plays he made on ESPN in his first game. Was great in HS though.

If anyone is looking for a $750,000 condo in Tampa, FL Brians will be on sale lol He spent his entire signing bonus to have a house in the offseason near the Pirates spring training facility.

 

[I.K.W.T]

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at the 22 second mark, i know the guy with the glasses on the left!!!! so random lol

 

[Real Deal]

This is probably one of the first Tribe's upcoming season im not excited about. Were probably going to get rocked alot.

 

[AMC]

PIP, Don't be a hater..."Be a believer!"

 

[KCOTT]

Bixler will not make it on a major league roster, I hate to say it because he's a friend of mine and I went to high school with him...he's a AAA/AA player, not Major League. He's is excellent in the field, but not a good hitter in the majors. I remember when he first got called up for the Pirates he made the top 10 for too plays he made on ESPN in his first game. Was great in HS though.

If anyone is looking for a $750,000 condo in Tampa, FL Brians will be on sale lol He spent his entire signing bonus to have a house in the offseason near the Pirates spring training facility.

alright, i'll make sure to write him off then since you said so

 

[JayP146]

PIP, Don't be a hater..."Be a believer!"

The only thing or person PIP believe in is Derek Jeter ...

 

[macbdog]

Bixler will not make it on a major league roster, I hate to say it because he's a friend of mine and I went to high school with him...he's a AAA/AA player, not Major League. He's is excellent in the field, but not a good hitter in the majors. I remember when he first got called up for the Pirates he made the top 10 for too plays he made on ESPN in his first game. Was great in HS though.

If anyone is looking for a $750,000 condo in Tampa, FL Brians will be on sale lol He spent his entire signing bonus to have a house in the offseason near the Pirates spring training facility.

Wow, I would hate to hear how you talk about your enemies... :chuckles:

So tell us, has he done steroids? And if he hasn't, can you talk him into it? The Tribe needs all the help they can get. Frankly, he wins in my book on name alone. I am now torn between who I want to see be the utility infielder, Bixler or Grudzielanek. Partial to Grudz, since I can spell his name w/o thinking about it, but Brian Bixler just flows so well.

 

[Mo Williams]

F*** the Indians. That's all.

 

[PIP]

The only thing or person PIP believe in is Derek Jeter ...

That's um '5 TIME WORLD CHAMPION: DEREK JETER'

 

[Gunther]

F*** the Indians. That's all.

Why did you say this? Is it because:

A) You understand and hate the revenue structure of MLB and the fact that Cleveland is a small-mid market victim given their owner who chooses to make a profit from the club if possible.

B) You don't understand the revenue structure of MLB and blame either Dolan or Shapiro (or both) blindly for the product on the field last year because they obviously want to lose.

C) You are a bandwagon fan who only roots for a clear winner.

D) You are trolling the MLB section of RCF because you are bored.

E) You really had some great insight into the Indians' attempt to contend while retooling this year, but decided that " *** the Indians. That's all." would cover it nicely because your verbal capacity is limited.

F) You didn't pick any of the Indians for your fantasy league, and you want them all to under-perform because of this.

G) You are really just a bandwagon Cavs fan because they're a contender this year, and don't know anything about the Cleveland Indians or MLB, but wanted to seem cool.