• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

Ideas on how to make this team a WS competitor going forward

Do Not Sell My Personal Information
We know what they should trade for... A middle of the order, outfield bat like Waters. If the player is CF, the better. Then you have options at each position...

1B - Bradley, Naylor, Bauers, Reyes, Jones
3B - Ramirez (for now), Chang, Miller, Jones
2B - Rosario, FA (Cesar supposedly), Miller, Freeman
SS - Gimenez (when ready), Chang, Arias (2 years)
LF - Naylor, Jones, Rosario,
CF - Trade candidate, Mercado,
RF - Johnson, Luplow, Mercado

Yes, it is throwing things against the wall but it is a puzzle that needs a month of ST to sort out (not a big deal). The big question is how close is Gimenez, Miller, Jones and Freeman. If 1 or 2 are ready for start of season and other 1/2 season behind, we would be in good shape with 2 starters from a Ramirez trade (CF,3B) or just CF trade w prospects. If none of the prospects are ready (there is a hole at SS especially), the season is toast as we will be playing catch up and not enough fire power to catch up.

Let's be honest, at the time of Lindor trade, the FO knew if Gimenez was their Day 1 starter or AAA guy. The rest of the time from here to April (FO moves) will reflect that (buy a CF or not) as Rosario is not the SS that people thought he would be and Chang ... is below average WAR utility guy.

At first, I thought Gimenez would be ready for start of season, that 1/3 of season was part of getting him up to speed. But, just looked at the stats. He last 35 at bats ... 5 hits. He did hit all 3 HRs in Sept. Yet, average just increased from .240 in August to .265 in Sept. A bit positive but AAA maybe possible for a month, we will see.
Gimenez is ready to start the season. He's excellent defensively and has shown he can hit at a pretty good clip at the highest level even if only a SSS. Clearly he's not going to replace Lindor's overall offensive production, but he's a good, young SS and the best they've got at this time. There's too much SS depth 2-3 yrs away to worry about a year of control and very little ready to replace Lindor now. Gimenez will have to lose the job.

As much as I like Hernandez it seems like a waste of resources to resign him IMO. We need to know if any of Rosario, Miller, or Freeman can stick at 2B. I think all 3 will to varying degrees.

Chang's power is the only thing that keeps him around, and that might not be enough since Gimenez and Rosario were brought aboard. That combined with Miller and Freeman hitting the shit out of the ball has him on the outside looking in.

I think there's a better chance that Naylor starts the season in Columbus than Gimenez. OF and 1B are a clusterf**k and that could help Tito sort through the rest.
 
One would think that talks with the Orioles would have been serious prior to them signing Galvis. Seems like we could offer them something much better suited for their rebuild.
 
I think in a perfect world Gimenez starts in AAA for two reasons: 1. To extend our control time and/or early arby potential, and 2. To give Rosario a shot to take hold of the SS position, which I think he deserves. Unfortunately, this crappy year probably means 6 weeks in AAA = 6 weeks of extended spring training since the minor leagues ST won't even get started until the big league guys go north. That's very much a less than ideal situation IMO.
 
I think in a perfect world Gimenez starts in AAA for two reasons: 1. To extend our control time and/or early arby potential, and 2. To give Rosario a shot to take hold of the SS position, which I think he deserves. Unfortunately, this crappy year probably means 6 weeks in AAA = 6 weeks of extended spring training since the minor leagues ST won't even get started until the big league guys go north. That's very much a less than ideal situation IMO.
@daddywags
While most of the minors will be delayed this year, AAA is scheduled to move forward as normal (those players are slated to be part of the MLB spring training since a handful of them are on the 40 man roster)..
 
@daddywags
While most of the minors will be delayed this year, AAA is scheduled to move forward as normal (those players are slated to be part of the MLB spring training since a handful of them are on the 40 man roster)..

Thanks, I didn't know that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LL3
One would think that talks with the Orioles would have been serious prior to them signing Galvis. Seems like we could offer them something much better suited for their rebuild.
The Orioles have a group of middle infield prospects that all look like they're going to mature right around the 2022/2023 season.. four of them are big.. you know, Cal Ripken size.. They may be looking at the less than $ 2 MM for Galvis as a stop gap..

..but you're right.. every one of the kids the O's have in their system.. would be behind what the Indians could offer...
 
Thanks, I didn't know that.

Im actually expecting some guys to essentially get a double spring in a sense. Guys like Valera and Bracho could get invited to big league camp, then go to the second minor league camp since I don't see either of them playing above A ball to start the season. I am not sure of what the rules for this will be, but you could see teams do it, to get top prospects more training time.
 
Im actually expecting some guys to essentially get a double spring in a sense. Guys like Valera and Bracho could get invited to big league camp, then go to the second minor league camp since I don't see either of them playing above A ball to start the season. I am not sure of what the rules for this will be, but you could see teams do it, to get top prospects more training time.
The alternate site work could be considered three spring trainings.. Our AAA guys are going to think all they do is spring training.. or.. it could take guys who were working/honing a specific pitch into the twilight zone...making it a true weapon !

...here's a story that might illustrate where this is going..

Recall a few years back, 1994, specifically.. the Astros picked up this fifteen year old IFA lefty that couldn't have ANY money spent on him because of the baseball strike.. This guy wasn't much of a hitter..but was pretty fast and could play CF.. He had a good arm, so they tried him, in their academy as a SS.. and he did okay..but.. still couldn't hit.. So, they decided to try him as a pitcher.. Three / four years later and this barely six feet tall, less than 190 pound kid was showing he was a worker, not elite as a player and was coming up as a five year minor leaguer... He was striking out enough batters.. and was showing progress...

Do you know who this is, yet?

He had a pretty straight fastball.. a nice breaking ball & a change up.. He knew where the ball was going.. He could throw his fastball in the low/mid 90's. Lefties like that.. don't just happen.. but, as is always the case.. it comes down to the numbers games.. and he became the odd man out..(the guy who was kept had a minor league season where he hit 38 home runs and drove in 131 runs. So, he was offered as a rule V "take a flier" kind of kid that was picked.. The organization he joined.. sent him to the bullpen where.. it was assumed he would be returned.. He did just enough to stick around but flat out got hammered with an ERA over six.. The team that picked him.. was so bad that even a 20 year old that poured gas on the fire virtually ever time he pitched was worth looking at.. and they did, keep him, that is.. The following year, 2001, he was sent to the minors where he was instructed to throw nothing but change ups.. change ups.. change ups and more change ups.. and figure out how to get batters out.. using the change up..

and he did.. his change up became a nasty thing of beauty.. because.. he had to make it work.. and did so by training, training and retraining.. like our AAA guys will be.. BTW.. his change up was described, aptly, as a bugs bunny change up.. a little FYI.. He returned to the ML and pitched a decade and a half..

He won Cy Young Awards.. and lasted about seventeen seconds on the HOF ballot.. Johan Santana was a special kind of guy.. His dedication to honing his craft.. has never been surpassed.. unless you consider what Trevor Bauer does..

w/r to our prospects.. the summer of their discontent.. may end up being more important to any games they may have missed..

Thoughts?..
 
With the signings of Hernandez and Rosario have they reached their limit with payroll or can they still take on a smaller salary? I only ask because there's a certain RFer in KC that's on his last year and is owed a little over $8M. Could he and some cash be had for the right prospect or 2? Is he even worth pursuing? The power is intriguing but the defense isn't good. Are we better off sticking with a Luplow/Johnson platoon? Soler giving us something close to his 2019 performance would be huge. For me, it would depend on what they want in return and how much money we have to play with.
 
With the signings of Hernandez and Rosario have they reached their limit with payroll or can they still take on a smaller salary? I only ask because there's a certain RFer in KC that's on his last year and is owed a little over $8M. Could he and some cash be had for the right prospect or 2? Is he even worth pursuing? The power is intriguing but the defense isn't good. Are we better off sticking with a Luplow/Johnson platoon? Soler giving us something close to his 2019 performance would be huge. For me, it would depend on what they want in return and how much money we have to play with.
There is a small chance the Indians make another move or trade.. Existing roster members are plentiful in most places, albeit thin on proven ability in some.. Place the Tribe may look for trade partners:

OF: Jorge Soler.. has one year and has lost his starting defensive spot.. He is penciled in as the Royals starting DH.. Other OF'ers that could be considered.. Jesse Winker.. Nick Senzel, Dom Smith, Gregory Polanco, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Drew Waters, Starling Marte, Austin Meadows, Victor Robles Joey Gallo, Andrew Benintendi.. and others..

C: Stephenson, Cartaya, Campusano, Knizner and others..

1B: Rios, Cronnenworth, others..

At the end of the day... the roster we have..may be the roster we will have..

Only a major deal with an enormous haul will prevent that now.. The Braves and Dodgers remain as potential trade partners..

Example if a haul can be found from Mark Polishuk:

Scott 8:50; Who says no? Jose Ramirez & Triston McKenzie for Groshans, Manoah, Moreno, Tellez

Mark P 8:50; Cleveland. They'd want more than that for just Ramirez, forget about McKenzie
 
Last edited:
I think signing significant free agents are over.
I also think trading JRam is now off the table. Signing E. Rosario changed that, if it was ever under consideration.

However, if you look at the roster, we now have a glaring need for a LH relief pitcher. I know the new rules sorta killed the match up lefty, but geez, it would be nice to have have one.
Maybe they figure Karinchack and Clase miss a lot of bats and they can live without one.
 
Ya know, if we had a few extra million and hadn't dealt Lindor's prime year I'd be getting excited about now.
 
Ya know, if we had a few extra million and hadn't dealt Lindor's prime year I'd be getting excited about now.
The only disappointment in the Lindor deal for me was that it didn't happen a year earlier so the return would have been much, much greater. They say better a year too soon than a year too late.

There is reason now to be getting excited. It might not be the climax just yet, but they still have some time and plenty of player resources to make another addition if they choose. For me, signing Hernandez and Rosario was enough to garner some of my confidence.
 
Last edited:
I think signing significant free agents are over.
I also think trading JRam is now off the table. Signing E. Rosario changed that, if it was ever under consideration.

However, if you look at the roster, we now have a glaring need for a LH relief pitcher. I know the new rules sorta killed the match up lefty, but geez, it would be nice to have have one.
Maybe they figure Karinchack and Clase miss a lot of bats and they can live without one.
Nelson has some potential to be pretty good. They may convert Moss or use Allen as a LHRP to my disdain. In the end I think there will be a trade that brings a LHRP in.
 
On the BTV sight, somebody posted a trade that would send Moss and Plutko to Detroit for Jacoby Jones. I like Jones physicality and his 2020 performance was pretty damn good, but was it a mirage? He's a decent defensive CFer as well. I like him better than our current options if the 20 season is any indication. If it was a mirage then I'll pass. What do you folks think?

Another idea could be to sign CJ Cron if he can be had cheaply, and it looks like that is a real possibility. He'd be a good bench bat if he didn't win 1B duties outright. Worst case scenario is that he could spell Naylor/Bradley/Bauers against LHP. I'm not trying to block any young players if they are just as or more capable of helping this team win than someone like Cron. Thing is I don't see them carrying more than one of Naylor, Bradley, or Bauers so a RHH 1B could be of some use.

This could actually work:
1. Hernandez 2B
2. Gimenez SS
3. Ramirez 3B
4. Reyes DH
5. E. Rosario LF
6. Cron 1B
7. Naylor RF
8. Jones CF
9. Perez C

Bench- Luplow, A. Rosario, Hedges, and one of Mercado/Zimmer/Johnson

That lineup has a good combination of speed and power. Definitely one that could be fun to watch, and with this pitching staff could have us in the thick of things.
 
Last edited:

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top