Links: August 3, 2010
by afh4 on Aug 3, 2010 11:18 AM EDT
in News
Email
Print
Trying something we rarely do here: some quick links around the Indians side of the internet. Let me know if this is something you find terribly irritating. If not, maybe we'll do it more often.
- Paul Hoynes via twitter: #Indians catcher Carlos Santana caught a 9 a.m. flight back to Cleveland to have tests and an MRI on his left knee this afternoon.
- Steve Buffum, writing yesterday on Neyer's ESPN blog, points out how important it was to make room for LaPorta by moving Branyan.
- "This is the happiest I've ever been in my baseball career," said Acta..."This is a real good situation. It's a little bit more advanced than the one I had in the past because the amount of pieces already in place here and the rich farm system we have here." That's via the Newark Star-Ledger, with a h/t to the P-D's links roundup.
- Buster Olney, via video blog, calls Santana "the most important part of the Indians organization" and questions the wisdom of catchers blocking the plate at all.
Player Notes (links are to player pages, not news items)
- Chisenhall has been trending upward steadily since his shoulder issue in May; he now appears red-hot, with four homeruns in his last ten games. Akron plays a doubleheader tonight, starting at 5 pm.
- You are a witness to the best season of Shelley Duncan's career to date.
- Carmona made another excellent start last night: of his 21 starts not shortened by rain this season, he has gone six innings or more in 18 of them. He hasn't pitched well in all of those starts but seemed worth pointing out that FC has been an innings eater. His 138.0 IP so far would already have been second on the 2009 Indians, behind Cliff Lee.
- Finally, the Indians will face Josh Beckett tonight. Beckett has had a very bad season, even by the standards of a failing card valuing periodical, with an ERA over 6. However, since returning to the Red Sox on July 23, he's made two starts, pitching 12.2 innings, striking out ten, and surrendering only 4 runs.
154 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I don’t find this irritating, just that collectively the LGT community does a great job of posting relative, interesting links in a timely manner. Therefore it’s not irritating, but maybe not necessary on a daily basis in my opinion.
You are reading my signature.
I was actually going to post a Fanshot on Buffum’s piece yesterday but then my job got in the way.
I like the idea of an occasional post like this as well.
"Lotta heart in Cleveland." - Ian Hunter
by Denver Tribe Fan on Aug 3, 2010 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Might as well put this here:
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/jake-westbrook-trade-works-for-everyone-080210
Rosenthal with some small tidbits on the Westbrook trade. Notably that the Padres made the stronger push for Westbrook at first.
Steel Nick
Neyer has written strongly against catchers being allowed to block the plate too. I’m sure others have as well. We probably need couple of horrific injuries to happen in a short period of time before they make a change.
Seems like the right thing to do. Even losing one catcher per generation seems like too many. They’ve got enough injury issue as it is.
I was talking to a Sox fan friend (can somebody be both a friend and a Sox fan?) with whom I was watching the game last night and he asked if I thought they’d consider moving him from catcher like, immediately. It seemed like a silly question at the time, but man, the more I think about it I no more want to see him donning the catcher’s gear again than anything. I wonder if it at least accelerates their thinking in terms of when they want to start getting him reps at first.
My primitive mind can't grasp these concepts.
Johnny Bench ended his career (terribly) at third. And I seem to remember having a Chris Bando baseball card that said C-3B. I had a Mike Heath baseball card that said C-3B-OF. . And to a lesser extent….
My primitive mind can't grasp these concepts.
This is actually a bizarre effect of the financial system. My brother asked me 2 weeks ago why we wouldn’t move Carlos off c to make sure that his bat has a longer career. My response was that the Indians have no incentive to maximize his value over his career but only to maximize his value while he is under control. Hence, the prevailing incentive would be to keep him where he is.
yeah, that’s been my working assumption. however, last night made me not want to have one of those years be on the DL.
Right. The two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Maximizing his value over his career by moving him from catcher really isn’t our problem, like Stuart says. But maybe maximizing his value while he is under control is our problem … and it may be that Santana-as-catcher is not the best way to maximize that value.
My primitive mind can't grasp these concepts.
The X-factor for me in this decision is his size/spee combo. I’m more concerned than I normally would be about his legs and his durability because they seem to be better assets than a normal catcher has. It’s gonna be a tough decision. LaPorta plays a nice 1b, plays a poof LF, and the OF has depth going forward (Sizemore, Brantley, Choo, Wegz, Absolutely Nobody Else?). How about LF/RF if Brantley doesn’t stick? And how long is Grady gonna be around? He and Choo both gone in 2013? Ughh.
That said, for those of you who’ve been able to watch this season, is Brantley good enough in CF to let Grady move to LF? Do we anticipate that being an advantageous switch if Grady’s knee isn’t “youthful” anymore? Then we really need Brantley, and Carlos is back to C/1B.
His speed, I think, is going to end up being a non-factor. Give it another couple of years and he won’t be any more mobile than the average catcher. He’s got Russell Martin’s build pretty much exactly and I think his speed will end up being about as valuable-a fun novelty but ultimately not much more. He might be a better baserunner than the average catcher but he’s not going to be fast enough to be an impact runner.
I think OF might be the position we have the least depth, that and 3B.
"I spoil a lot of people with my play." -Lebron James
It will depend a lot on whether Brantley gets it going and if Wegz puts himself in the discussion this fall. Same at 3B. If Goedert makes a splash this fall we may have some depth there. Some organizations literally have none. At least we’ve got some hope. But I’ll concede your point that OF and 3B are relatively thin compared to C/P/IF
I dunno, if Goedert’s just a chump like Nix, Valbuena and Marte, then he’s right. There’s not much there there.
Not a joke. I don’t see how we can say we have any depth at 3B right now. We don’t even have one viable major league third baseman, and while I love Chiz, he is just a prospect.
"I spoil a lot of people with my play." -Lebron James
But 2 prospects, or ML talent plus a prospect is depth, right? Or, does it take ML talent and 3 levels of prospects to qualify as depth?
I think it varies by each circumstance, but in my estimation, we have:
0 real ML 3b
1 legit 3B prospect
a few prayers (Marte, Goedert, Nix)
That to me is not depth.
"I spoil a lot of people with my play." -Lebron James
I’m a little surprised. We have “0 real ML 3b,” I guess, because we’ve been playing the same damn guy there every day, and we just traded him last week. Marte, Goedert, Nix, Valbuena plus that legit guy in AA. You don’t think we have it covered?
We don’t have a star. But this is actually how I’d define depth.
Yea, this could be another case of viewing the same word differently. I don’t view a collection of below average options at a position as depth. I do not think Marte can play everyday. I do not think Nix can hit enough to be an every day 3b. I do not think Valbuena can play 3B or hit enough to play 3B every day. Goedert has been awesome recently in AAA, but is he a good bet to be an adequate ML 3b? I say no.
If something happens to Chiz, we are likely stuck with a below average option at 3B until we go out and acquire someone else.
"I spoil a lot of people with my play." -Lebron James
Toss laporta in left, santana at first, bring goedert up to third and marson catches. Done, right?
by joeee on Aug 3, 2010 4:20 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Figure out if LaPorta belongs in MLB first.
Keep Santana at C, starting against RHP and DHing against LHP. Marson starts against lefties and/or a designated pitcher. Hafner, if applicable, DHs against RHP, or else another worthwhile LHB is added who can play OF and/or 1B.
That takes care of that. Goedert or Marte (or a possibly decent but not great Nix Valbuena platoon) holds down 3B until Chiz is ready. If Chiz is never ready, we probably have to find another one.
by jhon on Aug 3, 2010 7:05 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Actually strike Marte. That’ll never happen on this team.
by jhon on Aug 3, 2010 7:12 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
This.
"Lotta heart in Cleveland." - Ian Hunter
by Denver Tribe Fan on Aug 3, 2010 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Except Ray Fosse was hurt in a meaningless exhibition by the biggest SOB to play baseball since Ty Cobb who knew exactly what he was doing. Santana was hurt in a game that counts by a rookie who seemingly wasn’t taught how to hookslide.
"If Brown is the answer, then you’re asking the wrong question." - Ryan
How many ex-catchers did the Indians have coaching for them in the Eric Wedge era? But then again, everything is better on the East Coast.
"If Brown is the answer, then you’re asking the wrong question." - Ryan
Well, there was Joel Skinner. And Tim Laker. And Wedge himself, of course. As for the hookslide, woodsmeister, I think the situation actually called for a collision there. I was taught that until the catcher has the ball, he has no right to block the plate. So you don’t let him off easy with the hookslide.
by ken from alexandria on Aug 3, 2010 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions
That wasn’t a collision. That was a diving knee-drop.
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Aug 3, 2010 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah, my first reaction was, OUT!
my second was, what kind of bitchass slide/collision was that?
my third was, F’ing F, F, F’ing F!
my fourth was, hey wait, maybe all that twisting was just his shoe.
my fifth was, probably not.
by Brick. on Aug 3, 2010 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Absolutely. Which is why Victor Martinez is totally awesome throwing runners out now.
by Ryan on Aug 3, 2010 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
This is coming from a team that said Jason Bey is a poor outfielder.
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge..." C. Darwin
by Spidey on Aug 3, 2010 5:32 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Also! Looks like White will be taking Huff’s spot in Columbus. Keep moving up that fast track, Alex.
Steel Nick
I should really get all this down in one comment, but anyway.
Speaking of White, next year’s deep class seems to be top-heavy with college pitchers. White, Pomeranz (assming), and another college pitcher all getting pushed through the minors quickly could be interesting. There are also a few outfielders in the projected top ten.
But it’s the MLB draft. A lot changes.
Steel Nick
You are correct. I was exciting myself. Hate when that happens.
We obviously won’t see White this year, but he SHOULD finish in Columbus, no?
Steel Nick
Depends on how many innings the organization is comfortable with letting him throw in his first year. Also, on whether Akron makes the playoffs (Columbus will, barring a complete collapse).
"If Brown is the answer, then you’re asking the wrong question." - Ryan
by woodsmeister on Aug 3, 2010 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions
What’s the difference? If he’s a legit guy for next year, he’ll decimate Columbus in April and May and make it known. If he’s not, then having him there now isn’t getting him ready any faster is it?
They don’t want to break camp with him anyway do they?
so, no matter what, either/both of hafner and santana need to be DL’d before the game. Santana’s in Cleveland and the team is in Boston, I presume Marson is in on a plane as we speak.
To stay in AAA at age 28? He may need only keep breathing.
My primitive mind can't grasp these concepts.
by Ockus_NYC on Aug 3, 2010 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Duh, roster problems are only problems when Lewis is already in columnbus
by Brick. on Aug 3, 2010 1:21 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
You are a witness to the best season of Shelley Duncan’s career to date.
Surprisingly, if you google Shelley Duncan, he’s the second person listed, and that includes if you misspell his name as “Shelly.”
My primitive mind can't grasp these concepts.
Google automatically searches for related names. “Will,” for instance, would also return you Williams, Willies, et c.
Come on, four billion!
Right. I was surprised, though, that as soon as I incorrectly typed the “y” after the “LL” that his name came up second in the queue. I figured there were more famous “Shellys” than him.
My primitive mind can't grasp these concepts.
Shelley Duncan is the new Ryan Ludwick! Just kidding, but maybe a 2009 version of Ludwick isn’t out of the question.
Trade Shelley Duncan for Jake Westbrook!
by afh4 on Aug 3, 2010 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
JLEWFifty
Back to AAA for the 4th time..
A reverse Twitter leak! Brilliant! Now he’ll stay with the big league club FOREVER.
Steel Nick
by nickjs21 on Aug 3, 2010 12:59 PM EDT reply actions 7 recs
I would feel bad for him if I didn’t find it so damn amusing.
"I spoil a lot of people with my play." -Lebron James
I would feel bad for him if I didn’t process loans for ten bucks an hour while he played professional baseball for a living.
Come on, four billion!
by Joel D on Aug 3, 2010 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
Per various Twitter links:
Hafner on DL.
Marson in Boston, in starting lineup and batting 9th.
Youkilis is not in tonight’s lineup.
I’m gonna root pretty hard for Marson, I think. I want him to be a really good backup. Or trade bait. Either way.
Steel Nick
We didn’t so much lose a corner infielder as much as we gained a spot at Columbus.
"If Brown is the answer, then you’re asking the wrong question." - Ryan
He doesn’t play 3b anymore.
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Aug 3, 2010 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions
This is kinda funny, and I hadn’t seen it linked here. Apologies if I missed it. Joseph Michael Smith, St. Petersburg Times reporter, interviews Joseph Michael Smith, Cleveland Indians relief pitcher:
http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/ml/joe-smith-meet-joe-smith/1112012#tpcccf
Would you say my name sums me up, Chris?
Perez: Yes. Like, if you saw Joe Smith in a bar, you probably wouldn’t remember him.
Good stuff. I don’t like how the author left out that Perez whipped his billowing hair back before answering. We can assume, but it’s lazy reporting.
Steel Nick
by nickjs21 on Aug 3, 2010 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
castrovince #Indians place C Carlos Santana on 15-day DL with a left knee sprain after collision last night.
Hello
Im new here, just wanted to say hello
That place was for diehard sports fans. I only follow my team when they're in the playoffs" - Homer Simpson
Join the Lacrosse community The Lacrosse Blog
by bestbostonsports on Aug 3, 2010 4:48 PM EDT reply actions
OK, sorry
so many blogs force me to do it
That place was for diehard sports fans. I only follow my team when they're in the playoffs" - Homer Simpson
Join the Lacrosse community The Lacrosse Blog
by bestbostonsports on Aug 3, 2010 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah. I was right there with ya last week. I get here and everybody was like “No subject line”….and other blogs were like…“Always use it”…but since I post here the most…I no longer use it…and the other blogs will just have to suck it up and deal with it.
The Once and Future King
by FlaGators on Aug 3, 2010 10:08 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
How in the world do you know?
That place was for diehard sports fans. I only follow my team when they're in the playoffs" - Homer Simpson
Join the Lacrosse community The Lacrosse Blog
by bestbostonsports on Aug 3, 2010 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions
I know everything.
Or i lurk on other sites. Take your pick.
by Hello Cleveland on Aug 3, 2010 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions
I just wanted to say how much I hate Boston and their stupid rookie.
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
Kalish?
I love him, but not for taking out Santana
Hope hes ok
That place was for diehard sports fans. I only follow my team when they're in the playoffs" - Homer Simpson
Join the Lacrosse community The Lacrosse Blog
by bestbostonsports on Aug 3, 2010 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Tests on #Indians Carlos Santana show high grade strain of LCL and hyperextension of left knee. Surgery still a possibility.
Nice of Hafner to be there to introduce him to the MRI staff.
by dgcambridge on Aug 3, 2010 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
A scope for a sprain? They’ve said this, or you’re just speculating/Carrolling?
For the record, any future unfounded injury speculation will be met by this:
by supermarioelia on Aug 3, 2010 5:52 PM EDT up reply actions
He needs to get a Twitter account.
'If I'm not here, 'I'll be somewhere else.'' Andy Marte
by peter m on Aug 4, 2010 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
Featured Stories
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recent FanShots
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- Ask Alex: Can Jose Reyes repeat as NL batting champ?
- U.S. Cellular Field: Home of the Chicago Cubs?
- MLB Fan Cave candidate explains the stories behind his 30 MLB mascot tattoos
- Kate Upton’s new MLB 2K12 ad is really something
- Five tips for Showtime’s second season of ‘The Franchise,’ featuring the Miami Marlins
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
