(Callups) This cannot be right... right?

by Fundamentals on Sep 1, 2007 3:59 PM EDT

According to that link, the Indians will call up three players today... Ben Francisco, Mike Koplove, and... Luis Rivas? Rivas is hitting .263 with 20 errors and would be the fourth 2B on roster. Oh, and he isn't on the 40-man roster, so a corresponding move would need to be made. What am I missing in this (if it is correct)?

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Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

Pinch runner??? I hope not. Dear God, I hope not.

Appalachian State-34 Michigan-32

by gahnki on Sep 1, 2007 4:01 PM EDT reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

I could see someone like Koronka getting DFA'd or whatever, no big loss there. Not sure why they'd bring up Rivas, but the rosters expand to 40, so there's not a lot to lose. I assume they're holding off on bringing up Marte for lack of someone to take over at 3B, mostly.

by zempf on Sep 1, 2007 4:08 PM EDT reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

Bringing up Inglett would allow that PR, weak bat, poor glove player without moving someone off the 40... I'm not a big Joe Inglett fan (he is fun to watch though), but Luis Rivas???

by Fundamentals on Sep 1, 2007 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

Maybe it's some sort of agreement the Indians had with Rivas?

by dave @ Let's Go Tribe! on Sep 1, 2007 4:26 PM EDT reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

I doubt they would make that kind of agreement with a washed up second basemen.

Appalachian State-34 Michigan-32

by gahnki on Sep 1, 2007 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Love that sig. file score! :-)

Go Tribe! :-)

by indiansfan on Sep 1, 2007 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

Maybe they wanted to be sure he didn't hurt Buffalo in the AAA post season.

The Bison's site says Cliff Lee is back also:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070901&content_id=297809&vkey=pr_t 422&fext=.jsp&sid=t422

by DixonCayne on Sep 1, 2007 4:51 PM EDT reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

This means Sowers gets the start in Seattle, correct? Wedge said anybody called up will be pitching out of the bullpen...

Also, the Tribe FO is ruling Buffalo out of the playoffs I guess, since they called up one starter and DFA'd a second one.

by Fundamentals on Sep 1, 2007 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

Here's the story from Anthony Castrovince:
http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070901&content_id=2183181&vkey=news_ cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle

It appears to be John Koronka who was let go to make room for Rivas on the 40-man.

by Fiddlesticks on Sep 1, 2007 5:00 PM EDT reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

How many games does Buffalo have left? I'm guessing we'll soon see Marte and Choo, right?

by ASP on Sep 1, 2007 5:01 PM EDT reply actions

Buffalo has 3 more games w/Rochester (MIN)!

Buffalo is currently 1.5 games out of the Wild Card spot, behind Richmond (ATL.) However, Buffalo blew 1-2 chances to gain ground on Richmond in the last week, suffering some late-inning losses.

I'm also a bit surprised Rivas was called up instead of Inglett, being that Inglett is on the 40-man. Granted, Koronka isn't a major loss, but still, Rivas at times has been lackadaisical, whereas Inglett hasn't. Of course, it would be in Rivas' best interests to stay motivated and focused here.

Maybe the Indians are thinking Rivas' "playoff experience" will come in handy in September, whereas Inglett doesn't have that experience. However, if I recall correctly, Minnesota wasn't in any (or many) pennant races when Rivas was with the Twins and they were winning those division titles, so I'm not sure he has THAT much useful experience to offer, but that's one of the few advantages I can see Rivas having over Inglett. Maybe Rivas plays a bit better SS than Inglett, though the errors at Buffalo this year might call that into question a bit.

Therefore, the playoff experience and a bit better defense are the only real advantages I can see Rivas having over Inglett, and those are minor advantages in my opinion, especially if Rivas becomes lackadaisical again.

Also though, perhaps the Indians are giving Buffalo these final games a real chance to make the postseason, as Inglett has played often for them, including CF, so that too might factor into it. Inglett might be up sometime next week, along with Marte, Choo, the Millers, Elarton, etc.

Just my 2 cents. :-)

Go Tribe! :-)

by indiansfan on Sep 1, 2007 5:29 PM EDT reply actions

Re: Buffalo has 3 more games w/Rochester (MIN)!

as far as i know---sptember call-ups are not eligible for the playoffs anyway unless added to the 25 man roster---i may be wrong.

by rustyparts on Sep 2, 2007 7:49 AM EDT up reply actions

That's why I mentioned Rivas' playoff

experience helping in September.

Hello rustyparts,

You're right - those added from Sept. 1 on cannot be added to the postseason roster, unless they utilize that roster rule that the Angels used to get Francisco Rodriguez on their 2002 postseason roster, even though he wasn't called up until after Sept. 1 of that year.

My point was that the Indians might have called up Rivas now because he's been through that September "grind" of making the postseason, knowing what it takes to get there, whereas Inglett has not.

Granted, Rivas isn't a great player, and not even a "good" player, but his playoff experience from past seasons might be why the Indians called him up now - to help this team navigate through September, something they didn't do 2 years ago.

As for the postseason, guys like Nixon, Lofton, and Dellucci (if he's on the postseason roster) can help lead this team at that time. Rivas' postseason experience is just an added benefit to why he was probably called up now, just to add some extra veteran experience to help navigate this team through September.

Just my 2 cents. :-)

Go Tribe! :-)

by indiansfan on Sep 2, 2007 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

I would love for Koplove to become a reliable option out of the pen. We desperately need another guy. I still don't trust Fultz.

by Toxicadam on Sep 1, 2007 5:30 PM EDT reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

Fultz pitched great last night and he has more experience than Koplove. Plus, he's a lefty. His injury also makes it hard to accurately judge him.

Appalachian State-34 Michigan-32

by gahnki on Sep 1, 2007 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

Well, I guess they have comparable experience.

Appalachian State-34 Michigan-32

by gahnki on Sep 1, 2007 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

Rivas has a higher OPS than Marte.

by oxforddave on Sep 1, 2007 5:57 PM EDT reply actions

Does the FO hate Matt Miller?

Or am I missing something?

by Josh83 on Sep 1, 2007 8:02 PM EDT reply actions

Re: Does the FO hate Matt Miller?

After a month of pondering, yes, I am convinced this is the case.

by supermarioelia on Sep 2, 2007 1:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

Just glancing around, McBride is in Akron which I think is new, and Weglarz is listed as a Kinston Indian.

Beau Mills continues to rake, if anyone was wondering.

by afh4 on Sep 2, 2007 12:57 AM EDT reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

Adam Miller threw two shutout innings tonight, strking out 4. Twenty-one pitches, seventeen strikes. Judging from his game log, it sure looks like he's getting primed to come up in relief.

Also, Kinston won 17-4. Losing pitcher? Ryan Drese! Three innings, 9 hits, 6 earnies. Obviously coming off an arm injury, though I forget what it was. Drennen hit a three-run homer in the first.

by TribeJay on Sep 2, 2007 1:24 AM EDT reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

Kinston's offense is absolutely ridiculous right now. It will be fun to see Whitney, Rodriguez, Mills, Drennen, Goedert, and (perhaps) McBride in Akron next year.

by JesseAK on Sep 2, 2007 2:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

And Wes Hodges!

by JesseAK on Sep 2, 2007 2:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

Wouldn't be surprised at all to see Adam Miller in the Cleveland pen sometime this month.

by mcrose on Sep 2, 2007 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

I don't see what the big mystery is. The best players are already in the majors, so the roster expansion is mainly for tactical purposes. And from that standpoint, pinch runners and flexible replacements in general are the main thing you can get from 30 guys that you can't get from your best 25.

Rivas is a more experienced Inglett from what I can tell -- always rated with good speed and occasionally spectactular defense. I'd like to see some evidence that he's lackadaisical or else we're getting back to the same old racial thing here with words like "scrappy."

Basically, I insist that Rivas be given the chance to show that he can be as scrappy as any Caucasian.

I also think the Indians wanted to reward a veteran for staying on the Triple-A club all year. He didn't have to do that.

by Jay on Sep 2, 2007 9:39 AM EDT reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

"I also think the Indians wanted to reward a veteran for staying on the Triple-A club all year. He didn't have to do that."

That's what I meant above - Rivas hangs around all year to provide some depth in the middle infield.
In return, the FO may have agreed to call him up in September or may, as you suggested, be rewarding him for sticking around. Or perhaps a little of both.

by dave @ Let's Go Tribe! on Sep 2, 2007 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: (Callups) This cannot be right... right?

I'm sure the Indians are doing this with the expectation of DFA'ing him in October, and the hopes of getting him on another minor league deal in January.

by Jay on Sep 2, 2007 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions