Round-Up: Laffey will start, Marte is (probably) gone.

Pluto in the PD: Finally, Shapiro feels strongly about Aaron Laffey claiming a spot in the rotation. He mentioned Laffey's "history of success" in the minors (45-19, 3.09) and how he pitched relatively well with the Tribe (9-9, 4.34) in parts of two seasons. He said Laffey's troubles last year were because of a "strained" forearm, which he has rehabbed over the winter. "He's a bad guy to bet against because Aaron sinks the baseball, he's athletic and very competitive." The Indians need someone from the group of Laffey, Jeremy Sowers, Scott Lewis and David Huff to have a big season as a starter. (Full story.)
Yahoo Sports: Marte probably will go to spring training with the Indians, but he is out of minor league options, meaning the chances of him still being in the organization by Opening Day are extremely slim, a fact even general manager Mark Shapiro admits. "At this point, in all honesty, it’s tough road for Andy," Shapiro said. "Barring an injury, it’s hard to see him as a fit on our club." (Full story.)

ST is taking shape.

5 months ago afh4 Comment 33 comments 0 recs |

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Maybe this isn’t appropriate either. My larger issue is being able to fanshot multiple tidbits like this that don’t really need their own fanshot or certainly not a fanpost.

Maybe they should be multiple fanshots. It just seemed to make more sense to combo some of this stuff.

by afh4 on Jan 11, 2009 5:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yes, I’m sure everyone is confident that you would totally master the mutl-fanshot.

by Jay on Jan 11, 2009 5:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Why not at least lie to Andy and let him think that an outstanding spring wins him a job? Any doubt now that he’ll mope his way around Goodyear for a month and we basically get nothing for him?

by supermarioelia on Jan 11, 2009 5:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think there’s a stronger chance he plays for a job now more than ever. Just not a job with the Indians. Everyone wants to be wanted.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Jan 11, 2009 6:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Having seen him from a young age, I don’t think he thinks this far ahead.

by supermarioelia on Jan 11, 2009 6:16 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

rec

Travis Hafner is overrated. Clarity is underrated. David Dellucci is David Dellucci.

by westbrook on Jan 11, 2009 8:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Okay, you apparently have broken the boldface parsing entirely …

by Jay on Jan 11, 2009 5:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

What? I thought it looked fine.

by afh4 on Jan 11, 2009 5:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It was boldfacing the entire post, plus all the comments.

by Jay on Jan 11, 2009 5:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I guess I didn’t see it till you had fixed it.

by afh4 on Jan 11, 2009 6:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Okay, apparently it’s no good to start linking the “who said it” part of the text, so I fixed that.

Also, no point preserving the link code in the bottom part if you’re not actually going to link anywhere.

FWIW, it would take you all of five minutes to master completely the href tag. Ask anyone.

by Jay on Jan 11, 2009 5:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I know how to use href, more or less. I just try to use the SBN platform without doing any html because, well, I guess I figured that would work better.

by afh4 on Jan 11, 2009 6:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Though I should’ve just killed it at the bottom.

by afh4 on Jan 11, 2009 6:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

“Barring an injury, it’s hard to see him as a fit on our club.”

Watch your step around Goodyear Andy.

People could accidentally leave multiple banana peels right around your locker.

As General Manager of this team, I demand to know when I'm getting a start.

by bigbrabbs on Jan 11, 2009 6:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think that Marte’s “supporters” wish him a trip to the 60-day.

Someone might still get hurt. Hafner could stay hurt, and an injury to one of Garko, DeRosa, Barfield, Peralta, or Carroll really helps his chances. I guess Marte could be asked to fill in at 1B, although it would be awkward to have anyone else playing 3B. Marte’s the best we have at the position.

I don’t think anyone’s rooting for that. I’m just closing my eyes and waiting for it to be over.

by jhon on Jan 11, 2009 7:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Is anyone surprised by Laffey being “guranteed” a spot in the rotation? We pretty much figured this out months ago.

by world dictator on Jan 11, 2009 7:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

See… if this thread had existed yesterday, I could have put my Marte ideas/questions here.

Travis Hafner is overrated. Clarity is underrated. David Dellucci is David Dellucci.

by westbrook on Jan 11, 2009 8:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Hypothetically speaking,…

by SuddenSam on Jan 11, 2009 8:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Does this mean I have to re-post my shin-soo shin-dig comment?

by APV on Jan 12, 2009 12:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I mean, it was really, really good.

by afh4 on Jan 12, 2009 9:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So its pretty sure that our rotation will look like this:
Cliff Lee (L)
Fausto Carmona®
Anthony Reyes®
Aaron Laffey (L)
Carl Pavano®

Regardless of the first guy to get hurt/removed for ineffectiveness here’s my order of who comes in to replace them:
1.) Lewis
2.) Huff
3.) Sowers

Westbrook

I mainly have Lewis in front of Huff because Lewis got the call up last year and seems poised for the fill-in roll, espsecially if its a more temporary thing. Huff seems like a guy they will be more careful with, as in they may not want to move him into the rotation unless its for a long term trial. Sowers could fill the temporary roll, he does have the most experience, but I think his repeated sucking during his last several opportunities has finally done him in.

by DaytonDogg on Jan 12, 2009 11:06 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Am I the only one who doesn’t read this as a guarantee that Laffey is in? I read this as Laffey is going into spring training as the favorite for the 5th spot, but that it is hardly nailed down. I also think the order of 6, 7, 8 and 9 behind that will depend more on 2009 performance than previous performance. Huff has the added hurdle of not currently being on the 40-man, so he more so than others will have to force his way to Cleveland with a great performance.

by APV on Jan 12, 2009 11:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m sure that if Laffey totally sucks during spring training he’ll start in AAA.

But being the favorite seems to indicate that the “tie goes to the runner.” IE Laffey.

by world dictator on Jan 12, 2009 1:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t read it as a guarantee, but even without it I think Laffey is the best non-Huff starter of the bunch anyway and I’ve been pretty confident that he’ll “win” a spot if that’s what it comes down to.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Jan 12, 2009 1:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

What if Laffey is moderate to ok in Spring, something like a 5.00 ERA, and Lewis is good to very good, something like a 3.00 ERA and similarly better BB and K rates. Is it enough for Lewis to jump Laffey? I think not. It probably takes an injury or an extreme performance (extermely bad for Laffey or extremely good for Lewis) to make a change.

by DaytonDogg on Jan 12, 2009 3:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs