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The 2020 Cleveland Indians
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Mott the Hoople
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The Angels have the ammunition, but they have a very slim shot at the playoffs this year. They may wait for the off-season to make moves.
Martyinnewyork
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If Naquin was that bad as a center fielder, then one could say that Francona cost us the World Series by being dumb enough to put him out there in the first place...
Maybe like Naquin defense for us ... a tad worse though
Frazier expresses defiance, remorse over fielding miscues
Yankees OF Clint Frazier expresses mix of defiance and remorse over 'most difficult game of my professional career in the outfield'
www.usatoday.com
CDAV45
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I don't think the Angels are a good partner at all. They aren't going to give you Adell and they have no near ready/ready SP. Marsh would not be out best prospect. More like 3rd or 4th. I have no interest in acquiring Goodwin while giving up a SP like Clevinger.
TFIR
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The 2020 Cleveland Indians Trade Deadline Manifesto: Will they or won’t they?
Zack Meisel Aug 26, 2020 38
CLEVELAND — One day before the trade deadline arrived last summer, the Indians dealt Trevor Bauer to Cincinnati as part of a three-team exchange that included six players and one wild horse.
It was the culmination of months of dialogue with other teams, often regarding Cleveland’s starting pitching depth. It was the result of countless iterations of trade concepts with various teams.
And that process might seem effortless compared to the task at hand this week, with a mid-pandemic deadline approaching after teams have played about 35 games.
Welcome to the annual Cleveland Indians Trade Deadline Manifesto.
First, let’s revisit the Indians’ notable summer trade acquisitions during their recent contention window.
2019: Franmil Reyes, Yasiel Puig, Logan Allen, Scott Moss
2018: Brad Hand, Adam Cimber, Leonys Martín, Oscar Mercado (and, later on, Josh Donaldson)
2017: Joe Smith, Jay Bruce
2016: Andrew Miller, Brandon Guyer
They have had no issue with adding — or shuffling, in the case of flipping Bauer for some offensive reinforcements. For a team that has scored two runs or fewer in 14 of its 30 games, that might again be the most prudent strategy.
This season, though, trade talks might as well take place at the table where the oft-memed dog is sipping coffee in a flame-filled room. Indians president Chris Antonetti said, “there’s a lot of activity among teams and a lot of dialogue.” But even as teams settle on their blueprints for the deadline, they have to consider the extra layers of complications that will cloud every conversation.
“What might be different is our ability to execute that strategy or make deals that are in line with that,” Antonetti said, “just because this is a unique set of circumstances that none of us have dealt with before.”
Buyers and sellers
Only two AL teams sit more than 3 1/2 games out of the postseason picture, and those teams, the Angels and Red Sox, are not your customary cellar-dwellers. Neither club approached the 2020 campaign with intentions of sinking to the bottom of the standings. With Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon and Shohei Ohtani in the fold (not to mention rising stars David Fletcher and Jo Adell), the Angels might not qualify as prototypical sellers. In the National League, only the Pirates have stumbled significantly enough to take a clear side.
In short, the line between contender and pretender has never been more blurred. The Orioles, Tigers and Marlins, three tank-happy teams that had no October aspirations prior to the pandemic, are all jockeying for playoff positions.
Everything can change in the span of a few days, too. One three-game series represents 5 percent of a team’s entire schedule. So, it wouldn’t be surprising if teams wait until the last minute to finalize their plans.
Does that make it a seller’s market? Will teams take big swings given the circumstances? Will the threat of an outbreak make teams more risk-averse? We might not know the answers to these questions until 4:01 p.m. ET on Monday.
Dollars and sense
The Indians’ payroll has decreased the last few years, and before the regular season began, Antonetti suggested the club would suffer “extraordinary” financial losses. That figures to influence the front office’s decision-making this winter, but what about this week?
“I do think, this year, it’s very different,” Antonetti said. “We’ve been pretty transparent about the magnitude of our financial losses. That’s the case for a lot of teams across the industry. How different teams will weigh the financial component of trades is another thing that’s difficult to predict. We’ve all been affected by the pandemic and as an industry have lost a ton of revenue because of our inability to play a lot of games and have fans at the ballpark.”
So, when piecing together your fake trade proposals, steer clear of acquisitions with future guaranteed salaries of any significance (J.D. Martinez, Gregory Polanco).
What about prospects?
Technically, only those on a team’s active roster or training at a team’s alternate site can be included in a trade. But teams can use five letters as a workaround if they want to involve any non-player-pool prospects: PTBNL.
The tricky thing is this: How can a team evaluate the development of a player who has been stuck at home all summer? There’s a heightened risk with any trades involving players who aren’t on the major-league roster. To help alleviate some of those concerns, the league did institute a data-sharing initiative so teams can check on players at the alternate sites.
Indians third baseman José Ramírez steals second base against the Twins on Tuesday at Progressive Field. (David Richard / USA Today)
The AL Central
It’s a three-team race for the division title, with the Twins charging toward their second consecutive crown. Ah, but there are consolation prizes this year. The second-place finisher automatically earns a postseason berth, and the third-place team stands a decent chance at a playoff trip as well.
FanGraphs’ postseason odds:
Twins: 99.6 percent
Indians: 97.9 percent
White Sox: 97.7 percent
The Indians probably have the ammo to reach October regardless of their activity this week, especially given their soft schedule. It’s about finding pieces that will equip them with the most formidable roster possible for a postseason run. (And, keep in mind, they’re always thinking about the future, too.)
The Indians’ perspective
Even a novice detective can unearth the Indians’ most glaring need. Just take a glance at these NSFW outfield numbers:
.175/.282/.260 slash line, 50 wRC+ (50 percent worse than league-average production)
The Indians have used 10 outfielders and 19 different starting outfield combinations in their first 30 games.
Cleveland has starting pitching depth, a commodity every team covets. Last summer, they parted with a starter and landed one outfielder and one designated hitter moonlighting as an outfielder. They could pursue a similar exchange over the next few days.
Mike Clevinger was already destined to be a popular name among winter trade whispers. He has two more years of team control beyond 2020. That doesn’t mean the Indians will simply pawn him off to the highest bidder this week; they’ll hold out for a decent haul if they move one of their proven assets.
Teams will certainly inquire about Clevinger’s availability this week, but any club hoping Antonetti would rush to sever ties with him had its dreams dashed when the Indians revealed Clevinger would start against the Twins on Wednesday. The Indians still hold the leverage. They don’t have to deal Clevinger, especially now that the team has invited him back into the clubhouse.
But the Indians need lineup help. They prefer to obtain younger players with several years of inexpensive team control. And that’s where a Clevinger trade, while incredibly challenging to execute, would make some sense.
Let’s say, for the sake of fun trade-deadline spitballing, that the Indians were motivated to listen to offers for Clevinger. What criteria would a team need to meet to be a match?
• A team that needs starting pitching help
• A team that has a relatively young, major-league ready outfielder to offer
• A team that plans to contend within Clevinger’s window of team control
A handful of teams fit some or all of those guidelines:
Angels: They could include Brandon Marsh, a top-100 prospect who reached Double-A last season, but the floundering Angels might be more inclined to complete such a deal this winter, since their 2020 hopes have been spoiled.
Blue Jays: Teoscar Hernández and Lourdes Gurriel could be had, but the Indians likely have their sights set higher (even though Hernández has smacked a league-leading 11 home runs this season). Our Toronto writer, Andrew Stoeten, says the Blue Jays “really, really like” Cavan Biggio, who seems like a dream fit for Cleveland.
Braves: They have two young outfielders who would be attractive to the Indians in Christian Pache and Drew Waters. The latter would be more attainable, per our Braves writer, David O’Brien.
Mets: They have an abundance of options, including Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo. Dominic Smith or J.D. Davis could pique Cleveland’s interest, too. Conforto is the best of the bunch, but he’s also short on team control.
Yankees: It seems like just yesterday Indians players sported red wigs to poke fun at Clint Frazier after the team drafted him with the fifth overall pick in 2013. He has patiently waited for an opportunity in New York. Miguel Andújar is another skilled hitter without an obvious role.
If they weren’t the Indians’ direct competition, the White Sox and Twins might make some sense as trade partners, too.
The Indians aren’t required to pull off a seismic trade, of course. They could pluck a veteran outfielder from a non- or pseudo-contender. This would be akin to addressing a decapitation with a Band-Aid or two, but it might be better than nothing. (There are also internal considerations as Daniel Johnson, Oscar Mercado and even Jake Bauers bide their time in Eastlake.)
Anyway, some potentially available veteran outfielders: Jackie Bradley Jr. (BOS), Kevin Pillar (BOS), Brian Goodwin (LAA), Jorge Soler (KC), Michael Taylor (WAS), Dee Gordon (SEA), Starling Marte (AZ), Kole Calhoun (AZ), David Peralta (AZ), Shin-Soo Choo (TEX).
Zack Meisel Aug 26, 2020 38
CLEVELAND — One day before the trade deadline arrived last summer, the Indians dealt Trevor Bauer to Cincinnati as part of a three-team exchange that included six players and one wild horse.
It was the culmination of months of dialogue with other teams, often regarding Cleveland’s starting pitching depth. It was the result of countless iterations of trade concepts with various teams.
And that process might seem effortless compared to the task at hand this week, with a mid-pandemic deadline approaching after teams have played about 35 games.
Welcome to the annual Cleveland Indians Trade Deadline Manifesto.
First, let’s revisit the Indians’ notable summer trade acquisitions during their recent contention window.
2019: Franmil Reyes, Yasiel Puig, Logan Allen, Scott Moss
2018: Brad Hand, Adam Cimber, Leonys Martín, Oscar Mercado (and, later on, Josh Donaldson)
2017: Joe Smith, Jay Bruce
2016: Andrew Miller, Brandon Guyer
They have had no issue with adding — or shuffling, in the case of flipping Bauer for some offensive reinforcements. For a team that has scored two runs or fewer in 14 of its 30 games, that might again be the most prudent strategy.
This season, though, trade talks might as well take place at the table where the oft-memed dog is sipping coffee in a flame-filled room. Indians president Chris Antonetti said, “there’s a lot of activity among teams and a lot of dialogue.” But even as teams settle on their blueprints for the deadline, they have to consider the extra layers of complications that will cloud every conversation.
“What might be different is our ability to execute that strategy or make deals that are in line with that,” Antonetti said, “just because this is a unique set of circumstances that none of us have dealt with before.”
Buyers and sellers
Only two AL teams sit more than 3 1/2 games out of the postseason picture, and those teams, the Angels and Red Sox, are not your customary cellar-dwellers. Neither club approached the 2020 campaign with intentions of sinking to the bottom of the standings. With Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon and Shohei Ohtani in the fold (not to mention rising stars David Fletcher and Jo Adell), the Angels might not qualify as prototypical sellers. In the National League, only the Pirates have stumbled significantly enough to take a clear side.
In short, the line between contender and pretender has never been more blurred. The Orioles, Tigers and Marlins, three tank-happy teams that had no October aspirations prior to the pandemic, are all jockeying for playoff positions.
Everything can change in the span of a few days, too. One three-game series represents 5 percent of a team’s entire schedule. So, it wouldn’t be surprising if teams wait until the last minute to finalize their plans.
Does that make it a seller’s market? Will teams take big swings given the circumstances? Will the threat of an outbreak make teams more risk-averse? We might not know the answers to these questions until 4:01 p.m. ET on Monday.
Dollars and sense
The Indians’ payroll has decreased the last few years, and before the regular season began, Antonetti suggested the club would suffer “extraordinary” financial losses. That figures to influence the front office’s decision-making this winter, but what about this week?
“I do think, this year, it’s very different,” Antonetti said. “We’ve been pretty transparent about the magnitude of our financial losses. That’s the case for a lot of teams across the industry. How different teams will weigh the financial component of trades is another thing that’s difficult to predict. We’ve all been affected by the pandemic and as an industry have lost a ton of revenue because of our inability to play a lot of games and have fans at the ballpark.”
So, when piecing together your fake trade proposals, steer clear of acquisitions with future guaranteed salaries of any significance (J.D. Martinez, Gregory Polanco).
What about prospects?
Technically, only those on a team’s active roster or training at a team’s alternate site can be included in a trade. But teams can use five letters as a workaround if they want to involve any non-player-pool prospects: PTBNL.
The tricky thing is this: How can a team evaluate the development of a player who has been stuck at home all summer? There’s a heightened risk with any trades involving players who aren’t on the major-league roster. To help alleviate some of those concerns, the league did institute a data-sharing initiative so teams can check on players at the alternate sites.
Indians third baseman José Ramírez steals second base against the Twins on Tuesday at Progressive Field. (David Richard / USA Today)
The AL Central
It’s a three-team race for the division title, with the Twins charging toward their second consecutive crown. Ah, but there are consolation prizes this year. The second-place finisher automatically earns a postseason berth, and the third-place team stands a decent chance at a playoff trip as well.
FanGraphs’ postseason odds:
Twins: 99.6 percent
Indians: 97.9 percent
White Sox: 97.7 percent
The Indians probably have the ammo to reach October regardless of their activity this week, especially given their soft schedule. It’s about finding pieces that will equip them with the most formidable roster possible for a postseason run. (And, keep in mind, they’re always thinking about the future, too.)
The Indians’ perspective
Even a novice detective can unearth the Indians’ most glaring need. Just take a glance at these NSFW outfield numbers:
.175/.282/.260 slash line, 50 wRC+ (50 percent worse than league-average production)
The Indians have used 10 outfielders and 19 different starting outfield combinations in their first 30 games.
Cleveland has starting pitching depth, a commodity every team covets. Last summer, they parted with a starter and landed one outfielder and one designated hitter moonlighting as an outfielder. They could pursue a similar exchange over the next few days.
Mike Clevinger was already destined to be a popular name among winter trade whispers. He has two more years of team control beyond 2020. That doesn’t mean the Indians will simply pawn him off to the highest bidder this week; they’ll hold out for a decent haul if they move one of their proven assets.
Teams will certainly inquire about Clevinger’s availability this week, but any club hoping Antonetti would rush to sever ties with him had its dreams dashed when the Indians revealed Clevinger would start against the Twins on Wednesday. The Indians still hold the leverage. They don’t have to deal Clevinger, especially now that the team has invited him back into the clubhouse.
But the Indians need lineup help. They prefer to obtain younger players with several years of inexpensive team control. And that’s where a Clevinger trade, while incredibly challenging to execute, would make some sense.
Let’s say, for the sake of fun trade-deadline spitballing, that the Indians were motivated to listen to offers for Clevinger. What criteria would a team need to meet to be a match?
• A team that needs starting pitching help
• A team that has a relatively young, major-league ready outfielder to offer
• A team that plans to contend within Clevinger’s window of team control
A handful of teams fit some or all of those guidelines:
Angels: They could include Brandon Marsh, a top-100 prospect who reached Double-A last season, but the floundering Angels might be more inclined to complete such a deal this winter, since their 2020 hopes have been spoiled.
Blue Jays: Teoscar Hernández and Lourdes Gurriel could be had, but the Indians likely have their sights set higher (even though Hernández has smacked a league-leading 11 home runs this season). Our Toronto writer, Andrew Stoeten, says the Blue Jays “really, really like” Cavan Biggio, who seems like a dream fit for Cleveland.
Braves: They have two young outfielders who would be attractive to the Indians in Christian Pache and Drew Waters. The latter would be more attainable, per our Braves writer, David O’Brien.
Mets: They have an abundance of options, including Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo. Dominic Smith or J.D. Davis could pique Cleveland’s interest, too. Conforto is the best of the bunch, but he’s also short on team control.
Yankees: It seems like just yesterday Indians players sported red wigs to poke fun at Clint Frazier after the team drafted him with the fifth overall pick in 2013. He has patiently waited for an opportunity in New York. Miguel Andújar is another skilled hitter without an obvious role.
If they weren’t the Indians’ direct competition, the White Sox and Twins might make some sense as trade partners, too.
The Indians aren’t required to pull off a seismic trade, of course. They could pluck a veteran outfielder from a non- or pseudo-contender. This would be akin to addressing a decapitation with a Band-Aid or two, but it might be better than nothing. (There are also internal considerations as Daniel Johnson, Oscar Mercado and even Jake Bauers bide their time in Eastlake.)
Anyway, some potentially available veteran outfielders: Jackie Bradley Jr. (BOS), Kevin Pillar (BOS), Brian Goodwin (LAA), Jorge Soler (KC), Michael Taylor (WAS), Dee Gordon (SEA), Starling Marte (AZ), Kole Calhoun (AZ), David Peralta (AZ), Shin-Soo Choo (TEX).
as antonetti stresses finances - ? - is there any financial bonanza awaiting playoff teams or even world series teams this season - a few extra games from the local cable provider? - a little more gear? -- positive momentum for $ is 2021?
sportscoach
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He was the cause of losing that game in a lot of ways. The Cubs had the advantage game 5 and on because they had a healthy rotation with depth.
sportscoach
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I dont think the Indians will increase payroll regardless of what happens this season. We dont get to redue the TV contract yet either, but next TV contract will likely get a nice increase especially if we win the world series and comeback in 21 and be a contender.
Also regarding the trade deadline. Indians FO is going to look about upgrading this OF, but its going to be hard to find a deal that they are willing to do.
sportscoach
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Indians are bare minimum is looking at the Sonny Gray trade. I dont see why a non-contender would even think of making a trade like that, and trading a legit SP to another contender, does that really help our chances of winning? We almost are designated to take the best national league offer and go with it. I dont like limiting our options. I think just keeping Clev and using extra prospects to get an additional bat may be the best route to take
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Just take a glance at these NSFW outfield numbers:
.175/.282/.260 slash line, 50 wRC+ (50 percent worse than league-average production)
Hard to believe we're 19-12 with an outfield production that's 50% of the league average. Not 50% of the best outfield. 50% of average.
You wonder how much that will motivate the front office to make a trade.
I like the way Naquin has been going to left field. It's made him a better hitter. Small sample but his BA is up to .310. That double that drove in the go-ahead run last night was a beautiful piece of hitting as he took a change-up on the outside corner and slapped it into the left field corner. I am so tired of watching Indians pull that pitch on the ground. Lindor leads the league in GIDP and a lot of them came when he pulled a breaking ball on the outside corner while hitting left-handed.
We need two more outfield bats, or maybe one if you're OK with a center fielder who doesn't hit much as long as he covers a ton of ground (DeShields, Allen, Mercado, or Zimmer). I'm for putting Luplow in there every day. He's been very good at drawing walks lately - five in the last five games. In fact, he's been on base 11 times in his last 22 PA's.
What's missing is the power; his slugging percentage is a paltry .250 after .551 last year. I think that will come around. But at least he's getting on base and he runs well for a corner outfielder.
.175/.282/.260 slash line, 50 wRC+ (50 percent worse than league-average production)
Hard to believe we're 19-12 with an outfield production that's 50% of the league average. Not 50% of the best outfield. 50% of average.
You wonder how much that will motivate the front office to make a trade.
I like the way Naquin has been going to left field. It's made him a better hitter. Small sample but his BA is up to .310. That double that drove in the go-ahead run last night was a beautiful piece of hitting as he took a change-up on the outside corner and slapped it into the left field corner. I am so tired of watching Indians pull that pitch on the ground. Lindor leads the league in GIDP and a lot of them came when he pulled a breaking ball on the outside corner while hitting left-handed.
We need two more outfield bats, or maybe one if you're OK with a center fielder who doesn't hit much as long as he covers a ton of ground (DeShields, Allen, Mercado, or Zimmer). I'm for putting Luplow in there every day. He's been very good at drawing walks lately - five in the last five games. In fact, he's been on base 11 times in his last 22 PA's.
What's missing is the power; his slugging percentage is a paltry .250 after .551 last year. I think that will come around. But at least he's getting on base and he runs well for a corner outfielder.
Martyinnewyork
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Deshields scares me in CF. Last night he was pretty terrible.
sportscoach
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Everyone here agrees we need to find another OF. Our guys haven't produced and we need someone for this season at least who is producing to take one of the spots. But it's been hard to figure out who
I personally kind of want a Merrifield, a guy who can play 2B as well as the OF giving us options where they can play positionally. Doesnt 100% fix our Power issues, but put him in the lineup at the 1/2 spot then changing up the 1-6 a bit and honestly that puts Naquin, Luplow, Perez, 7-8-9 we should be in good shape.
You are worrying to much, DeShields just misplayed a very hard ball to catch. He just hasn't had very many innings at progressive is all. He will be just fine out there.
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