Nobody Backs Baby Into a Corner

The Indians essentially stood pat. No moves of note to make a big push for the Central Division title.

I figured that this would be the most likely course of action.  The Indians are backed into the figurative corner.

Like most so-called small market teams, the Indians attempt to run their ballclub like a wave.  Start small with prospects, develop them and get a few peak years out the same "core" group of guys, and then unload them when it has become clear that the big market teams are ready to pick them off in free agency.  There is always a point where the player realizes that they are more valuable than what the Indians are willing to pay.  So the team beats them to the punch instead of making a real offer.  The last attempt to beat the big teams at this game was really Jim Thome, and we see how that turned out.  I'm guessing the Indians front office weren't good poker players back then.

So back to the hear and now.  The Indians are supposed to be at the peak of their wave.  Yet they have little dwindling hope of making a real push this year.  I don't think they have any real hope of making a push with this group of guys.

Why? you may ask.  Because they're in that corner.

How so? you may ask. Well this is a longer reply.

The Indians have in multiple ways that have handcuffed the front office.  Some of which was their own making.

~Primarily they have completely and utterly failed in drafting players.  Wikipedia offers us the last ten years of first round picks

2003	Adam Miller	Right-handed pitcher
2004	Jeremy Sowers	Left-handed pitcher
2005	Trevor Crowe	Outfielder
2005	John Drennen	Outfielder
2006	David Huff	Left-handed pitcher
2007	Beau Mills	First baseman
2008	Lonnie Chisenhall	Third baseman
2009	Alex White	Right-handed pitcher
2010	Drew Pomeranz	Left-handed pitcher
2011	Francisco Lindor	Shortstop

Yowser!

Here are another eleven years just for comparisons sake:

1988	Charles Nagy	Right-handed pitcher
1988	Jeff Mutis	Left-handed pitcher
1989	Calvin Murray*	Third baseman
1990	Tim Costo	Shortstop
1990	Sam Hence	Outfielder
1991	Manny Ramirez	Third baseman
1992	Paul Shuey	Right-handed pitcher
1993	Daron Kirkreit	Right-handed pitcher
1994	Jaret Wright	Right-handed pitcher
1995	David Miller	First baseman
1996	Danny Peoples	First baseman
1997	Tim Drew	Right-handed pitcher
1997	Jason Fitzgerald	Outfielder
1998	CC Sabathia	Left-handed pitcher

Five of those names should stand out to any Indians fan.  One or maybe two will be Hall of Famers.

The drafting in the past two cycles hasn't been mediocre, let alone competent enough to support a pennant contender.  People forget how good the drafting was leading to the success of the '90s.


~Second the trades at the end of the last cycle didn't return enough talent. Again from the all mighty wiki:

      "Prospects for the 2009 season dimmed early when the Indians ended May with a record of 22-30. Shapiro made multiple trades: Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco to the Philadelphia Phillies for prospects Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald and Lou Marson; Victor Martinez to the Boston Red Sox for prospects Bryan Price, Nick Hagadone and Justin Masterson; Ryan Garko to the Texas Rangers for Scott Barnes; and Kelly Shoppach to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Mitch Talbot."

Sure there were a few quality parts, but nothing approaching a star.  When you cash in the chips you have to score top flight talent for a Cy Young winner.  The Indians have failed.  They got roll players and solid utility men. (** edit, turns out I was wrong about Cookie.  But one players does not reject the point I made**)

~Third with the prospects exposed as duds, piss poor drafting, and an illadvised trade to get Ubaldo Jimenez; the Indians minor league cupboards are Old Mother Hubbard bare.  There isn't enough talent down there to get a real piece to help the team now.

~Fourth, the stars on the team aren't good enough to warrant a type of trade to increase the current talent on the major league clubs' roster.  They would love (I'm guessing) to trade one player and get a viable major league talent along with a near ready AAA player and a medium term player.  This would be a good move for the short and medium term.  Trading a starting pitcher for a proven major league bat and a pitching and/or hitting prospect would do wonders for the outlook, but there isn't any player who can pull this type of trade for the Indians.  Right now the only trades will be lateral or long term prospects.  And there are just too many holes right now.

As for the holes, three position players and two starting pitchers is just too much to fill when you missed on Sizemore, Hafner, LaPorta, Jimenez and the rest of the busts.  The ownership's unwillingness to cut bad decisions and eat the salary to make room for new players just makes the old wounds fester and drag down the team like a leg shackle.

The only hope is that they go nuts and take this money that frees up this off season and sign four legit everyday players.  I'm not holding my breath.  And they still have a hole.

The only real play for an owner unwilling to risk some cash is to cash out again and flush everyone but Kipnis and a handful of others.  Stock up again in prospects.  Flog the draft team on public square.  Hire a new AA manager to train the next wave.  And buckle up for a couple of hundred loss seasons.

The other option is to remain in the corner of a mediocrity cycle.  Good enough to play .500 ball, never enough to win for real.