Anyone who's read this blog for a regular basis knows I'm a pretty big baseball fan (despite being a fairly lousy baseball player.)And, most of you also know the Cleveland Indians were/are/and will ever be my team.
Some of you may also know I've been a little disenfranchised this season with the front office, and business office, and just about any single one of the Tribe's other offices.
So, I feel like I should add my two cents on the Cliff Lee trade.
You see, while I'm a baseball fan, I'm also a realist.
The economic structure of the game is such that the Tribe will always be stuck developing players, only to watch them walk away for greener pastures.
I'm ok with that.
That means teams like the Tribe must be strong in another area, player procurement and development. Namely ... scouting, drafting, and coaching.
This is where I feel the Mark Shapiro regime as General Manager has come up short.
When you have to trade the Sabathias and Lees of the world, you're not doing it to restock the farm system, you're doing it to plug holes in the dam from where that system has failed.
Which brings us to the Lee trade.
Unlike 95% of the other fans out there, I'm not upset Lee was dealt. It was the prudent thing to do, faced with a ball club that's likely going to be as bad next year as it is this year.
It's the return that has me fuming a bit.
You see, the Tribe's largest area of need is upper level, high-impact pitchers. This deal netted exactly one of those.
It also landed the Tribe a teenager, with huge amounts of "upside." Which is fine.
But, as any fan knows, a lot can happen to a player between the time he's 18 ... and the time he might be ready for the bigs.
But again, you have to trade for this type of player, because you've failed to acquire many of them on your own through the draft.
It's the last two components of the deal that downright baffles me.
Mark Shapiro decided to buy low on a pair of players ... to acquire a catcher and a shortstop.
Now, keep in mind, even if the team trades Victor Martinez, they still have four ... yes four ... catchers between AA and the majors who seem capable enough.
As for the shortstop, well he's going to be next year's utility infielder, since ownership won't allow any new expenditures.
So, in my opinion, Mark Shapiro traded one of the ten, best starters in the majors for a starting pitcher (because he's failed to develop them), a high-upside kid (because he hasn't drafted many of them), and two players who can "fill out" the 2010 roster cheaply.
As a Tribe fan, I hope deep down that this deal will work.
I mean, if Mark Shapiro has one talent, it's the acquisition of good players in deadline deals.
It's too bad he has to use that ability more than any Indians fan could ever hope.
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