Indians trade talk
What is more important to fix via a trade for the Indians?
1. Right field and left-handed hitter
2. Backup infielder, Mike Rouse is struggling.
3. Bullpen
4. Starters
It seems that any starting pitching will be too expensive, so I think the bullpen is the mostly likely fix. Look for David Weathers to be the guy that Shaprio adds.
The outfield help might be just more Gutierrez and less Nixon.
The backup infielder could come in a trade, maybe for a Class A or AA player, but Luis Rivas might be the guy — He's at Buffalo — to look to instead of Rouse.
July 30th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
weathers would be fine, and i don't think cleveland would have to give up too much to get him. likewise, the "more gutierrez less nixon" has seemed obvious for awhile now, and the fact that trot's picked up the pace a bit over the past couple weeks — knowing he might lose his job — doesn't change that. he should be released outright to make room for an extra bullpen arm up from buffalo. as for rouse, he's not "struggling," he stinks. it's an embarrassment to have him in the lineup and has been since april. wedge's loyalty to both him and nixon this late in the season is inexcusable. they are losing games, something the team cannot afford down the stretch.
July 30th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Who would have thought, over the winter, that this team would need a starter? Sowers and Lee sure were surprising disappointments and maybe the most important factor from here on out is whether Westbrook can turn his luck around and Byrd can continue to be so solid.
July 31st, 2007 at 9:40 am
Please no david weathers. I live in cincy and go to a bunch of reds games, Weathers is cut in the wickman/Joe Boe mold, except even scarier. Not good to have so many soft tossing relievers. Would rather take a flyer on a guy of Dotel's caliber.
July 31st, 2007 at 10:15 am
But jim S., Terry Pluto thinks that Wickman and Borowski are terrific. So Weathers must be, too. I mean, save stats are relevant, aren't they? After all, I could come into a game with the bases loaded and up by five runs, then give up two walks and five hits, give up all three runs that were on base, then give up a run of my own, and still walk away feelin' really good about myself because the Beacon Journal's columnist will write that I'm really efficient about getting saves.
Seriously, Ron, does Terry ever read his own eye-rolling stuff? Don't even get me started about his incredibly dopey quoting of meaningless Ilgauskas stats…sorry, I got off on a major tangent there. Getting back to my point, the save has got to be the most worthless and stupid statistic in all of sports. Unless you count the recently created "hold." That's a close second.
This team evidently was a mirage for the first half. Fooled me. I really don't think it matters which leak Shapiro tries to plug, water is just going to shoot out of another. Maybe they should concentrate on scoring more runs, that way botched pitching won't matter. And if all that doesn't work, I want Shapiro to focus on pronouncing his name the way it was intended to be pronounced. Straight from the Steven Seagal "Gosh, nobody will think I'm Jewish if I just tweak the accent" School of Silly.
July 31st, 2007 at 12:44 pm
To me Joe Borowski is the most valuable member of this years team. Remember last season…it was a disaster. We lost so many games because we didn't have anyone after Wickman was traded who could save a game. In my opinion the number of Saves is the most important stat for a closer. I don't necessarily care about what his ERA is as long as when a game needs to be saved it gets saved. Don't get me wrong, I do prefer the non-nail biting saves but a win is a win. By the way a pitcher can earn a save by completing ALL three of the following items:
1. Finishes the game won by his team.
2. Does not receive the win.
3. Meets one of the following three items:
a: Enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches at least one inning.
b: Enters the game with the tying run either on base, at bat, or on deck.
c: Pitches effectively for at least three innings.
So Borowski can't really come into a game up 5 in the ninth, give up 4 runs and still earn a save.
July 31st, 2007 at 1:21 pm
I'll say it again: The save stat is the most worthless and stupid statistic in all of sports. It shouldn't even be up for debate.
August 1st, 2007 at 8:12 am
Our bullpen will be fine/serviceable, once the dead weight is lopped off and some quality young arms are trusted (I know, something Shapiro seems oddly reluctant to do…at any time, in any year). Our Bisons staff has equal talent, in comparison with Weathers or whatever Mark would've brought in a trade.
The biggest problem, which he and Eric have refused to take the blinders off to, is this poor excuse for an offensive attack. Kenny Lofton is their "major move?" About a decade too late, guys. And he's no "impact" hitter, either. Shapiro went into the season with mediocre .260 (and under) outfielders, and he's seeing: IT DOESN'T WORK. Barfield's been a bust, Hafner may never (you heard right, never) again hit like he has in the past, Sizemore has been a quiet average player…and it all adds up to a very few large innings, and a whole lotta zip, zilch, zeros. I'm surprised it took this long to truly manifest itself.
March 4th, 2008 at 2:07 am
Why Hand Out Flyers Are Effective For Your Real Estate Business…
Before, it was not a usual occurrence to see real estate agents handing out real estate flyer printing pieces to people in commercial establishments such as malls and shopping centers. In fact, from a rare few, a real estate flyer printing piece has be…