4:49pm: The Rockies are sending $1.25MM to Cleveland in the deal, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian tweets. That means the Indians will pay Slowey $1.5MM in 2012.
3:03pm: The Indians have acquired starting pitcher Kevin Slowey and cash considerations from the Rockies for right-handed reliever Zach Putnam. The Rockies announced the moves, which Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports first reported on Twitter.
It's been a busy week for the Indians, who are faced with the possibility that Fausto Carmona has been playing under an assumed name. They've signed Ryan Spilborghs, Gregorio Petit, Fred Lewis and Jeremy Accardo to minor league contracts.
The move provides Cleveland with rotation depth in the event that Carmona isn't ready to pitch out of the rotation on Opening Day. Meanwhile, the Rockies clear room on a crowded pitching staff that includes more rotation options than ever after this week's deal for Josh Outman and Guillermo Moscoso.
Though the Indians are acquiring Slowey from Colorado, he has spent his entire five-year career in the AL Central. In 2011 he posted a 6.67 ERA with 5.2 K/9, 0.8 BB/9 and a 31.1% ground ball rate in 59 1/3 innings for the Twins, who traded him to the Rockies for Daniel Turpen in December. Slowey owns a 4.66 ERA with 6.7 K/9, 1.4 BB/9 and a 31.6% ground ball rate for his career and will earn $2.75MM in 2012.
Putnam, 24, debuted with the Indians in 2011, but spent most of the season at Triple-A. The 2008 fifth rounder posted a 3.65 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 69 innings of relief at Columbus.
Totally forgot Slowey was even on teh Rockies. lol
Doesn’t pitch a game for the Rockies and still gets traded. Twins knew what they were doing I guess.
File this one under “wait, which team does he play for?” Thought the guy was still with the Twins.
O_o ?
I hope he didn’t move to Colorado yet.
Wait until we find out Kevin Slowey is actually Mario Soto. The Rockies also have Jaime Moyer signed as well. I’m guessing Cleveland will be particular as to player identity now….which might limit an acquisition of Moyer. I’m not sure the Rockies can supply the Indians with Moyer’s death certificate.
Cleveland loves taking Colorado’s spare parts
I’d hardly call Ubaldo Jimenez a spare part.
And that’s exactly what COL wants you to think. Dealing Jimenez when they did was the smartest thing they’ve done since signing Mike Hampton to a $121 million deal.
Ha Troy Renck reported that Slowey would be at fan fest this weekend for the Rockies…guess not….Anyways Putnam has a 11k’s per 9 K ratio a decent Whip and is 23 years old….I like this trade as a rockies fan
I think Slowey would have been a better fit with the Mets but we already have one guy like him named Mike Pelfrey.
They are nothing alike. In fact, the only legitimate similarity between them is that they are both right-handed starting pitchers entering their age 28 seasons. Slowey is known for being control artist, having compiled a mere 1.4 BB/9 over his career (Pelfrey, on the other hand, has averaged 3.2 BB/9). Pelfrey is known for inducing lots of groundballs while Slowey is prone to fly balls (Pelfrey sports a career GB rate of 48.5% vs. Slowey’s 31.5%). On a separate note, Slowey has posted superior K/9 rates in every season since 2007 (the rookie year for both pitchers).
Also, both of their names end in “ey.” That has to count for something.
Good competition for Huff, Gomez, McAllister to get the 5 spot, assuming Carmona doesn’t make it back in time, which is probably a fair assumption. If Slowey could return to 2008-2010 form I have no problems with him at the back of the rotation, and it certainly fits with the 2012 Indians theme of “Please, everyone, just play like you did a few years ago”.
Their theme is the same as it’s always been.
Cheap.
If Slowey could have returned to that form, he probably wouldn’t have been non tendered in the first place.
Its pretty clear that wrist surgery a few years ago just messed him up badly. Well, so much for Brad Radke 2.0
Colorado had to move him. With Slowey being a fly-ball pitcher, he’s asking for trouble playing in Coors.
They have at least one more extreme flyball pitcher on the roster than Slowey.
I like this deal for the Clevelands. His walk rate alone gives him value as a back end guy.
Relax, his name is Kevin Slowey.
Sorry about the repeats everyone
But what do you think of his walk rate?
Once you climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the Rockies lose their appeal.
If I read Rockies trade Michael Cuddyer to the White Sox, I’m seriously going to be sick!
That’s not gonna happen. Why would we aggressively go after Cuddyer, sign him, trade the guy who was originally our starter (Seth Smith), and then trade Cuddyer, when we don’t have anyone else to start? Cuddyer ain’t going nowhere.
Also, why would the White Sox trade for Cuddyer when they just traded Quentin to the Padres? That doesn’t make any sense.
And if the Tigers acquire Jason Kubel I will throw my computer out of my office window.
me too
Slowey’s going to be this year’s Mike Napoli. Traded out of the division to Team B and then back into the division to Team C without playing a game for Team B.
Mark my words, he’ll hit 30 homers this year.
I hope you’re trolling, because Slowey is a starting pitcher.
I am absolutely, unequivocally trolling, yes.
You are aware Slowey’s a pitcher, right? He won’t be hitting 30 homers…
Oh yeah, I’m thoroughly aware that he’s a pitcher, and that he’s pitched in the AL for his entire career, having little to no experience batting against Major League pitching. I am also thoroughly aware of the fact that he will probably not receive 30 AB this entire season. Even so, yes, I believe that Slowey will hit 30 homers this year.
I heard the Indians’ scouts saw Slowey taking BP and liked what they saw. They’re planning on DHing him in between starts.
He’ll be giving up 30. Teams in the AL central have mashed that dude for years
I think you fell into the sar-chasm.
Your half right.
He is more likely going to give up 30 HRs than hit them.
Agreed, that is far more likely.
Eh. I dont hate the move but I dont like it either. Unless Slowey is a RH power hitting 1st baseman this move is a yawner.
the rockies have been active today
“Kevin Slowey’s” real name is Dontavious Humberto Iglesias. Check his papers, Cleveland.
And the slow, steady decline of Dan O’Dowd continues unabated…
So the trail of events looks like this: O’Dowd sends Daniel Turpen to the Twins for Slowey, and then sends Slowey and $1.25 million to Cleveland for Putnam. Effectively, O’Dowd obtained Putnam for Turpen and $1.25 million.
Unbelievable.
I don’t see what you guys are complaining about. We had a glut of pitching
(starting) and you guys didn’t like the Slowey trade anyways. So we
trade him to free up a spot for some relief pitching (for a guy with
good numbers and is young). Then we tried to get Marco Scutero to play
second right after that (it fell through however). What do you guys
want for God’s sake?
I am guessing you work for the Rockies front office?
who cares
The Indians may be thinking that Carmona will not pitch at all this season. I see Carmona/Heredia facing a lengthy suspension.
The Indians mine as well trade the whole Akron Aeros team to the Rockies…