As the Indians straddle the fine line between "contender" and "pretender," GM Chris Antonetti, team prez Mark Shapiro and the rest of the front office have an interesting decision on their hands as we get closer to July 31:
Do the Indians become buyers, or (as they usually have been) sellers at the trade deadline?
The Indians will not stand pat. They usually don't at that time of the year. Up until last year, the Tribe was mostly sellers, parting off star players on the verge of free agency to try to replenish their prospects. The trades of Cy Young winners CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee and catcher Victor Martinez in back-to-back years are still hotly debated topics around Cleveland, and those happened two and three years ago.
Last season, the Tribe's 30-15 start prompted new GM Antonetti to become a rare buyer at the deadline. He acquired outfielder Koisuke Fukudome and pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez at the deadline, and then added former Tribe legend Jim Thome in August when injuries depleted the team's bench.
It didn't matter, as the team slumped to an 80-82 finish, betting lapped by Detriot for the AL Central title and missing out on a wild card berth. However, the Jimenez trade may have ramifications on what the Tribe is (or isn't) able to do in July, especially if they are still hanging around the top of the AL Central and in contention for one of the two wild card spots.
Antonetti dealt two of his top pitching prospects -- former first-round picks Drew Pomeranz and Alex White -- along with Joe Gardner and Matt McBride for Jimenez, who was a year removed from a Cy Young contending season. Jimenez started the 2010 season 10-1 and earned the All-Star Game starting nod for the National League before coming back down to Earth, and was struggling in 2011 with Colorado before Antonetti came calling.
Gardner was also considered a Top 10 prospect in the Indians organization, which means that Antonetti doesn't have a lot of face cards to deal when he tries to acquire that right-handed power bat his team has sorely been lacking, or tries to improve the outfield, first base or even his starting pitching.
Jimenez isn't tradable at this point, even with his "Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde" routine this season. He's just too inconsistant, and most other major league teams already know the book on him.
Antonetti's top prospects are second baseman Jason Kipnis, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall and minor league shortstop Francisco Lindor. Kipnis has been the everyday second baseman with the Tribe all year and may be the team's MVP through the first two months. Chisenhall has finally be called up to replace the injured Jack Hannahan at third base, and it appears it will be his job from now on. Lindor is tearing it up for Class A Lake County and was named the starting shortstop in the Midwest League All-Star Game.
Unless Josh Hamilton is dangled, Antonetti won't part with any of those three, and, with Hamilton's contract status, he may not pull the trigger on that deal, either.
Looking at the minors, the names that jump out are pitchers Zach McAllister, David Huff, Josh Tomlin and Jeanmar Gomez (Tomlin and Gomez are currently in the majors, but could certainly be dealt) and position players Beau Mills, Russ Canzler and Trevor Crowe. Both Mills and Crowe are former first-round picks that have not panned out, while Canzler was the Class AAA Player of the Year last season, but was essentially given to the Tribe by the Tampa Bay Rays. You can throw Matt LaPorta, the former lynch-pin of the Sabathia deal, in that mix. LaPorta was tearing up Class AAA pitching before getting called up by the Tribe this week, but it's pretty clear the organization has given up on him.
None of those names, even as a package, aren't going to bring in a big fish like Kevin Youklis or Carlos Lee.
That brings us to the current closer of this team, Chris Perez.
Now, it's widely known that Joe Cleveland does not like Perez. He's been critical of Perez in past blogs for his abilities, along with his tendancy of being a lightning-rod for controversy with his comments, his actions on the field and his Tweets.
Perez was essentially given to the Indians by the Cardinals for journeyman Mark DeRosa because the Cardinals, who selected Perez in the first round out of Miami (Fla.), didn't think he was mature enough to handle the closer role. While Perez has had success in that role with the Indians, making the All-Star team last season and currently leading the AL in saves, he's also had his misfortunes.
Perez may have put himself on the trading block a few weeks ago with his rant about the Indians fans and the Indians organization. Since then, he's been perfect in save opportunities, but he also spurred on Kansas City and Minnesota to beat them in recent home series' with his John Cena "You can't see me" gesture to a Royals player who Perez had struck out during the first game of that series.
The Indians only won one more game during that stretch before taking 2-of-3 from the Tigers at Comerica Park. Prior to Perez's gesture, the team was swept by the Chicago White Sox on the road, which killed off their 3.5-game division lead and now has them looking up to the White Sox (and looking up to the wild-card race).
Injuries, which killed the Indians last year, are starting to creep up again and are playing a part in the team's recent struggles.
Whether the Indians can keep up their pace or fall off the map, Antonetti and Shapiro should take a long, hard look at dealing Perez because, quite frankly, he's their most tradable commodity.
If they buy: The bullpen is, arguably, the Indians' deepest and most talented part of their roster. The so-called Bullpen Mafia is anchored by Perez, but is augmented by the performances of set-up man Vinnie Pestano, rookie Nick Hagadone and currently injured Rafael Perez.
Pestano certainly has the stuff to be a closer in the major leagues, and he has Manny Acta's trust for his abilities to put out some eighth-inning fires before Chris Perez comes in during the ninth. Unlike Perez, Pestano is even tempered. He doesn't scream and yell when he strikes out hitters or do ridculous gestures. He doesn't go to Twitter and say his team were throwing at an opponent. He doesn't do interviews ripping on the fans for their lack of attendance.
He just does his job, and he does his job well.
Hagadone, who is starting to earn Acta's trust, has pitched very well since being called up from Columbus this year, earning a role as a late-inning specialist in the Indians' bullpen. Like Pestano, Hagadone also has closer-worthy stuff and could very well become a closer down the line.
While it could be baffling for a team to trade a guy who's dominating the saves category while they are still in contention, the belief is that the organzation feels that Pestano and Hagadone could easily move up the chain to closer and set-up guy and the team wouldn't miss a beat.
And, Perez is a big-enough name now that a desperate team could dangle some big names, names that could solidify their lineup and add some needed depth.
At this stage, Johnny Damon is not an every-day left-fielder. Grady Sizemore will likely not play at all this year, and even if he does, he may not be very effective. Travis Hafner is on the shelf with his annual injury, and the Indians are counting down the days before his contract is finally off the books. Kipnis, Chisenhall and Asdrubal Cabrera cannot carry this lineup. They need help.
Trading Perez could bring some of that help.
If they sell: If the Indians fall off the map and out of contention, Perez becomes a luxury the Indians could certainly live without. He can bring in a high volume of talent from a contending team desperate for a closer (and there are quite a few). It becomes easier to go to Pestano and Hagadone if they are done.
Either way, I believe that the Tribe's trade prospects begin with Chris Perez. His comments and actions won't be the reason, but they certainly don't help his cause. In the end, it will be a baseball decision that the Indians have to make, either for their immediate future or their long-term future.
Michael Brantley is another big name that could be talked about, but I can't see the Indians pulling the plug on him, especially when the outfield is so thin as it is. During the offseason, perhaps, but not during the season.
If the Indians are sellers, expect a fire-sale of epic proportions. Guys like Derek Lowe, Casey Kotchman, Hafner, Damon and Hannahan may be auctioned off to contenders looking to fortify their rotations or lineups or depth.
At any rate, the Indians won't be dealing Sabathia, Lee or Martinez this time because, quite frankly, they don't have the individual talent on this team to do so. The talent they have has been locked up, such as Cabrera. So, it will be veteran players in the last year of their contracts.
Hopefully, the Tribe will be in position to buy and not sell. Either way, I'd expect Antonetti to be on his phone a lot over the next two months.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
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