Exactly how does a small-market club assemble a championship roster? The longest-tenured Indian may not be who you think it is. The 2007 champs are in bold, but every transaction listed led, directly or indirectly, to acquiring a 2007 contributor.
June 1977 - Drafted Jerry Dybzinski.
April 1983 - Traded Jerry Dybzinski to Blue Jays for Pat Tabler.
June 1988 - Traded Pat Tabler to Royals for Bud Black.
Dec 1988 - Re-signed Bud Black.
Jun 1989 - Drafted Alan Embree.
Sep 1990 - Traded Bud Black to Blue Jays for Mauro Gozzo, PTBNL Alex Sanchez and PTBNL Steve Cummings.
Oct 1990 - Signed amateurs Einar Diaz and Jose Cabrera.
Nov 1990 - Traded Alex Sanchez to Blue Jays for Willie Blair.
Dec 1990 - Traded a minor leaguer to the Mets for Kyle Washington.
Apr 1991 - Claimed Eddie Taubensee off waivers from Athletics.
Dec 1991 - Traded Eddie Taubensee and Willie Blair to Astros for Kenny Lofton and David Rohde.
Jul 1992 - Traded Kyle Washington to Orioles for Jose Mesa.
Jun 1993 - Signed amateur Bartolo Colon.
Jun 1993 - Drafted Richie Sexson.
Jul 1994 - Signed amateur Marco Scutaro.
Jun 1996 - Drafted John McDonald, David Riske, Paul Rigdon, Mike Bacsik and Danny Peoples.
Jul 1996 - Signed amateur Victor Martinez.
Mar 1997 - Traded Kenny Lofton and Alan Embree to Braves for David Justice and Marquis Grissom.
May 1997 - Traded Jose Cabrera to Astros for Alvin Morman.
May 1997 - Extended David Justice.
Jun 1997 - Drafted Tim Drew.
Feb 1998 - Signed free agent Shawon Dunston.
Jun 1998 - Drafted C.C. Sabathia and Ryan Drese.
Jul 1998 - Traded Shawon Dunston, Jose Mesa and Alvin Morman to Giants for Steve Reed and Jacob Cruz.
Dec 1998 - Signed free agent Roberto Alomar.
Apr 1999 - Signed amateur Jhonny Peralta.
Dec 1999 - Signed free agent Kane Davis (released by Pirates).
Dec 1999 - Signed free agent Chuck Finley.
Jun 2000 - Traded David Justice to Yankees for Ricky Ledee, Zach Day and Jake Westbrook.
Jul 2000 - Traded Paul Rigdon, Richie Sexson, Kane Davis and PTBNL Marco Scutaro to Brewers for Bob Wickman, Jason Bere and Steve Woodard.
Dec 2000 - Signed amateur Fausto Carmona.
Jun 2001 - Traded Jacob Cruz to Rockies for Jody Gerut and Josh Bard.
Jul 2001 - Traded Zach Day to Expos for Milton Bradley.
Dec 2001 - Traded Roberto Alomar, Mike Bacsik and Danny Peoples to Mets for Matt Lawton, Alex Escobar, Jerrod Riggan, PTBNL Billy Traber and PTBNL Earl Snyder.
Jan 2002 - Signed amateur Rafael Perez.
Jun 2002 - Drafted Ben Francisco.
Jun 2002 - Traded Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew to Expos for Lee Stevens, Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore.
Aug 2002 - Traded Chuck Finley to Cardinals for Luis Garcia and PTBNL Coco Crisp.
Dec 2002 - Signed free agent Casey Blake (released by Twins).
Dec 2002 - Traded Einar Diaz and Ryan Drese to Rangers for Travis Hafner and Aaron Myette.
Jan 2003 - Signed free agent Rafael Betancourt (released by Red Sox).
Jun 2003 - Drafted Ryan Garko, Kevin Kouzmanoff and Aaron Laffey.
Apr 2004 - Traded Milton Bradley to Dodgers for Franklin Gutierrez and PTBNL Andrew Brown.
Jun 2004 - Drafted Jeremy Sowers.
Nov 2004 - Re-signed Bob Wickman.
Dec 2004 - Traded Matt Lawton to Pirates for Arthur Rhodes.
Dec 2004 - Traded John McDonald to Blue Jays for PTBNL Tom Mastny.
Apr 2005 - Extended C.C. Sabathia.
Jun 2005 - Drafted Jensen Lewis.
Dec 2005 - Re-signed Bob Wickman.
Dec 2005 - Signed free agent Paul Byrd.
Jan 2006 - Signed free agent Eduardo Perez.
Jan 2006 - Traded Coco Crisp, Josh Bard and David Riske to Red Sox for Andy Marte, Kelly Shoppach and Guillermo Mota.
Jan 2006 - Traded Arthur Rhodes to Phillies for Jason Michaels.
Jun 2006 - Traded Eduardo Perez to Mariners for Asdrubal Cabrera.
Jul 2006 - Traded Bob Wickman to Braves for Max Ramirez.
Sep 2006 - Claimed Mike Rouse off waivers from Athletics.
Nov 2006 - Traded Kevin Kouzmanoff and Andrew Brown to Padres for Josh Barfield.
Dec 2006 - Signed free agents Dave Dellucci, Joe Borowski and Aaron Fultz.
Jan 2007 - Signed free agent Trot Nixon.
Jan 2007 - Trot Nixon was in Fever Pitch (2005) with Eric Bruno Borgman
Jan 2007 - Eric Bruno Borgman was in Mystic River (2003) with Kevin Bacon
Jul 2007 - Traded Max Ramirez to Rangers for Kenny Lofton.
Aug 2007 - Claimed Chris Gomez off waivers from Orioles.
Breakouts
A huge number of the above transactions led to acquiring only a handful of players. Here's a few breakouts to help follow the links better ...
Westbrook, Gutierrez and Barfield
June 1977 - Drafted Jerry Dybzinski.
April 1983 - Traded Jerry Dybzinski to Blue Jays for Pat Tabler.
June 1988 - Traded Pat Tabler to Royals for Bud Black.
Dec 1988 - Re-signed Bud Black.
Jun 1989 - Drafted Alan Embree.
Sep 1990 - Traded Bud Black to Blue Jays for Mauro Gozzo, PTBNL Alex Sanchez and PTBNL Steve Cummings.
Nov 1990 - Traded Alex Sanchez to Blue Jays for Willie Blair.
Apr 1991 - Claimed Eddie Taubensee off waivers.
Dec 1991 - Traded Eddie Taubensee and Willie Blair to Astros for Kenny Lofton and David Rohde.
Mar 1997 - Traded Kenny Lofton and Alan Embree to Braves for David Justice and Marquis Grissom.
May 1997 - Extended David Justice.
Jun 2000 - Traded David Justice to Yankees for Ricky Ledee, Zach Day and Jake Westbrook.
Jul 2001 - Traded Zach Day to Expos for Milton Bradley.
Jun 2003 - Drafted Kevin Kouzmanoff.
Apr 2004 - Traded Milton Bradley to Dodgers for Franklin Gutierrez and PTBNL Andrew Brown.
Nov 2006 - Traded Kevin Kouzmanoff and Andrew Brown to Padres for Josh Barfield.
Jason Michaels
Jun 1996 - Drafted Mike Bacsik and Danny Peoples.
Dec 1998 - Signed free agent Roberto Alomar.
Dec 2001 - Traded Roberto Alomar, Mike Bacsik and Danny Peoples to Mets for Matt Lawton, Alex Escobar, Jerrod Riggan, PTBNL Billy Traber and PTBNL Earl Snyder.
Dec 2004 - Traded Matt Lawton to Pirates for Arthur Rhodes.
Jan 2006 - Traded Arthur Rhodes to Phillies for Jason Michaels.
Marte and Shoppach
Oct 1990 - Signed amateur Jose Cabrera.
Dec 1990 - Traded a minor leaguer to the Mets for Kyle Washington.
Jul 1992 - Traded Kyle Washington to Orioles for Jose Mesa.
Jun 1996 - Drafted David Riske.
May 1997 - Traded Jose Cabrera to Astros for Alvin Morman.
Feb 1998 - Signed free agent Shawon Dunston.
Jul 1998 - Traded Shawon Dunston, Jose Mesa and Alvin Morman to Giants for Steve Reed and Jacob Cruz.
Dec 1999 - Signed free agent Chuck Finley.
Jun 2001 - Traded Jacob Cruz to Rockies for Jody Gerut and Josh Bard.
Aug 2002 - Traded Chuck Finley to Cardinals for Luis Garcia and PTBNL Coco Crisp.
Jan 2006 - Traded Coco Crisp, Josh Bard and David Riske to Red Sox for Andy Marte, Kelly Shoppach and Guillermo Mota.
Kenny Lofton (third time around)
Jun 1993 - Drafted Richie Sexson.
Jul 1994 - Signed amatuer Marco Scutaro.
Jun 1996 - Drafted Paul Rigdon.
Dec 1999 - Signed free agent Kane Davis (released by Pirates).
Jul 2000 - Traded Paul Rigdon, Richie Sexson, Kane Davis and PTBNL Marco Scutaro to Brewers for Bob Wickman, Jason Bere and Steve Woodard.
Nov 2004 - Re-signed Bob Wickman.
Dec 2005 - Re-signed Bob Wickman.
Jul 2006 - Traded Bob Wickman to Braves for Max Ramirez.
Jul 2007 - Traded Max Ramirez to Rangers for Kenny Lofton.