Transactions: Signed Orlando Cabrera
by Ryan on Feb 10, 2011 9:26 PM EST
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Signed 2B/SS Orlando Cabrera to a 1 Year Contract
The Indians already have two Perezes in the bullpen; now they have two Cabreras in the infield.
The "other" Cabrera has been a very good defender for most of his career (winning two Gold Gloves with six years between them), and a fairly reliable bat for a shortstop. Despite playing in a friendly hitter's park last season, he only managed a .354 SLG, which is why he was still available with less than a week before pitchers and catchers report. He's also gotten a reputation as a mercurial guy, something that won't help him get jobs as his skills erode.
At first glance, Orlando doesn't seem to fit this roster. The Indians really needed a third baseman, not a shortstop who's going to challenge for time at second. This signing, rather than clarifying the muddled infield situation, makes it even more opaque. Orlando has barely played second base, and although he should be able to play the position, it'll take some time for him to get used to turning double plays with his back to the runner. There's way too many variables right now to guess what the second-third combo will be, but regardless of who plays where, O. Cabrera will be the backup at shortstop. If Asdrubal goes down with an injury, or can't hack it at short, Orlando would make a nice fill-in.
The Indians have a lot of infielders at AAA and the major-league roster, but they don't have a lot of good fits. I know that roster flexibility is good to have, but this is getting ridiculous. Jason Donald, who came up a shortstop, played second base last year, and may move to third this season. Jayson Nix, who played second base most often in his early career, should compete with Donald at a position he struggled with in 2010. And now, Orlando Cabrera, a fine defensive shortstop, will come to camp hoping to win the everyday second base job. That's just the expected major-league configuration; there's a whole secondary cast of characters in Columbus to think of, too.
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Things that increasingly annoy me:
- position switches
Does any organization move guys around as much as Cleveland?
by APV on Feb 10, 2011 9:51 PM EST reply actions 4 recs
I should add, it is one thing to be switching guys around in the low minors, but the Indians seem to do an awful lot of switching at the AAA/MLB level. Donald’s a career minor league SS, let’s make him a 2B. Cabera’s a SS, let’s make him a 2B…then switch him back to SS. Nix, let’s try you at 3B. LaPorta, now’s a good time to start getting you comfortable at 1B. Is it any wonder our defense has been awful?
by APV on Feb 11, 2011 9:06 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Donald was always viewed as a fringy shortstop, however, and we have a good shortstop. What would you have them do?
Nix was a spare part we acquired for nothing. Should we plug him in where we need him, or where we don’t need him?
LaPorta at LF or 1B, honestly, who cares?
I’m just saying….LaPorta logged nearly 800 innings at 1B last year. Donald put in more than 350 at 2B. Nix had 320(!) innings at 3B, with another 66 from Valbuena. Valbuena also put in 42 innings at short….Maybe we shouldn’t wonder why we have terrible infield defense. Although, given that we had 3 of the top 10 GB pitchers in the league, it might be nice if we did some things to make our defense better.
I agree, but isn’t a degree of experimentation permissible, perhaps even warranted, in an obvious rebuilding year?
Maybe. But I bet we can both agree that our young pitching was far more in question going into last year than our hitting, and providing those pitchers with an adequate defense seems pretty important.
Yes, I think you know that consideration gives me pause. But hey, at least we didn’t have Garko backing up Huff anymore, so anything seemed like an improvement. As for this year, at least we won’t have Peralta to step on Asdrubal’s arm.
This. Annoying, frustrating and confusing.
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
by Andrew Tolliver on Feb 11, 2011 9:28 AM EST up reply actions
Or Craig Biggio.
"Magic would be getting productivity out of Crowe or Valbuena. I’ll admit we could use a little luck, but that’s not the same thing." - Jay
by woodsmeister on Feb 11, 2011 5:09 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t like this move, unless they are intending Orlando Cabrera to be the utility infielder, with the Nix/Donald/Valbuena/Kipnis/Phelps amalgamation taking the starting roles at second and third. Has there been any official word yet that O. Cabrera is likely to be the starting second-baseman?
His recent defensive numbers at b-ref don’t look so good, and for somebody with so many doubles his offense is … pitcher friendly
by InfiniteMonkeyTypists on Feb 11, 2011 8:42 AM EST reply actions
I’ve just seen the quotes Neyer got from Antonetti yesterday:
According to Antonetti, “Asdrubal Cabrera is our shorstop.”
…
“At worst,” Antonetti says, “he’ll [Cabrera] be a utility guy for us.”
Strangely, neither Bastian or the Plain Dealer could get a quote from Antonetti confirming the deal.
More cloak and dagger. Hoynes suspects (with some sarcasm) OC hasn’t passed his physical. I think Orlando Cabrera is about to be traded to the Rangers for Michael Young.
My most immediate take from the signing is that Donald has suddenly been booted from the 2B job? At the very least will see his playing time decrease dramatically, if not demoted to Columbus to get steady at bats at SS.
Weird. I don’t think he did that badly last year, considering the new league, new position and all – I was really looking forward to seeing what he could do in ’11.
First head-scratcher from Antonelli. He may be thinking too hard about stuff, with little else to do this offseason.
The idea of Donald getting more time at shortstop in Columbus is intriguing. I can’t even remember who he’d be competing with for playing time there, except that it isn’t Rivero.
Would Everett accept his minor league assignment if he doesn’t make the team? Does he have any reason not to?
Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile
by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Feb 11, 2011 11:20 PM EST up reply actions
This is the heart of the conflict in the move. Everett was signed to be middle infield UT, not to take the 2B job. Cabrera was signed to do just that. Between then and now, Antonetti decided that the 2B job was not Donald’s to lose.
I think if it was a busier offseason and Netti wasn’t a first year GM, this move doesn’t get made. If the purpose is to send Donald down to AAA to go back to SS, to create depth at the position, he’s thinking too far ahead. Donald had 300 ML at bats last year, and needs to build on that. And in fact was in line to do so.
Is it the official line now that Donald is in the mix for the3B job? Now that’s a joke.
Everett has already accepted a minor league assignment; he’s on a minor league contract. He doesn’t need to be assigned to the minors; he’s already there!
He may have an “out” clause in his contract, awarding him free agency if he’s not added to the 40-man by a certain date, but if so, I’m guessing that date is later than April.
Right, I knew all that. A more artful way of putting would have been, might he refuse to report? How many players of his service time actually end up playing in the minors?
Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile
by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Feb 12, 2011 7:08 PM EST up reply actions
Geez. Why?
If you don't respect Aaron Laffey, I will fight you.
by Cap'n Snegiryov on Feb 11, 2011 10:56 AM EST reply actions
Honestly, i don’t care where he fits in. Any guy with big league experience improves the team (albeit by a very small margin).
It isn’t like Droobs is a lock to play 150+ games this year.
The last 2 paragraphs of that article have successfully dampened my excitement for the season a little also.
Yes. That is a little depressing. I kind of hate this move.
by InfiniteMonkeyTypists on Feb 11, 2011 2:43 PM EST up reply actions
Nonsense, we have no room for stopgap 3B.
Steel Nick
by nickjs21 on Feb 11, 2011 10:47 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Still not seeing Duncan as a viable roster death here. Maybe I’m overly biased by the joy his autograph brought me last year. Then again, I had a 15 minute conversation with Crowe and I’d love to see him gone.
"Spring Training wins are good for the soul."
Via twitter, Tony Lastoria seemed to indicate that he had inside info that it would be Duncan. Whatever that’s worth.
If Lastoria’s inclinations towards the infield situation are right, doesn’t it seem like with SS- A. Cabrera, 2B – O. Cabrera, 3B – Nix, UTIL – Valbuena, we have all the infield spots covered very well?
This means the bench is made up of Valbuena, 4th OF, backup catcher and Duncan – RH DH, LF and the only decent pinch hitter. Considering the lefty specialists the Tribe is sure to face late in close games, it seems to me like Duncan fits very well in this role. When used correctly, I think he has a lot of value.
He’s predicted that every time we’ve had a roster crunch. I just don’t think he likes him.
Steel Nick
Duncan is a veteran, blocking real prospects like Jordan Brown.
by Jay on Feb 12, 2011 5:15 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
I like Tony’s work, but his track record on roster prognostication is worse than random chance.
by APV on Feb 11, 2011 4:17 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
154 players have hit 400+ doubles. Orlando Cabrera (443 doubles) is 150th in career WAR amongst that group (ahead of Joe Carter, Ruben Sierra, Bill Buckner, and Dante Bichette).
by InfiniteMonkeyTypists on Feb 11, 2011 3:59 PM EST reply actions
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