JULY 21: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that Cleveland, above all else, is still seeking to upgrade its bullpen, downplaying the Lucroy matchup. Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, meanwhile, tweets that “you can bet relievers are a part of talks” between Cleveland and Milwaukee, as the Indians are focused on upgrading their bullpen as well. Nothing is imminent between Cleveland and Milwaukee, Jon Morosi of MLB.com adds, tweeting that the Brewers are discussing Lucroy with multiple teams.
JULY 20: The Indians and Brewers are in trade talks pertaining to catcher Jonathan Lucroy, reports ESPN’s Buster Olney (via Twitter). Olney notes that it’s possible that yesterday’s setback for Michael Brantley (and, presumably, the injury to Yan Gomes) has urged Cleveland to add a hitter.
As I noted at the time of Gomes shoulder injury (which will sideline him for four to eight weeks), Cleveland has received less production from its catchers than any club in baseball this season. Cleveland backstops are hitting just .172/.219/.299, as Gomes has struggled even when healthy, and Chris Gimenez has provided little value with the bat despite receiving a good amount of praise for the work he’s done with the pitching staff (namely Trevor Bauer). Cleveland was reportedly content to deploy Gimenez and Roberto Perez behind the plate, though that seemed like a questionable claim at the time, and further injury to Brantley could certainly have contributed to the team’s desire to bolster the lineup.
Lucroy, 30, is having a tremendous bounce-back season, hitting .305/.362/.494 with 12 homers and excellent defense behind the plate. Last season’s concussion issues look to be in the rear-view mirror for Lucroy, who is earning a modest $4MM this season and has a no-brainer $5.25MM club option on his contract. While Olney’s report doesn’t indicate anything of the sort, Cleveland has also been linked to left-handed relief help, and Will Smith’s name has been bandied about the rumor mill for quite some time. A package of Lucroy and Smith makes plenty of sense for Cleveland’s front office, though that’s purely my own speculation at this juncture.
Can’t ask for a much better farm system to pull from. SO STOKED to see if this happens.
Just don’t give away the farm. Leave some for the pen.
As long as the tribe can keep Frazier and Bradley id trade anyone else on the farm
Agreed.
Except Houston, Cubs, Pirates, Red Sox, Dodgers, Rangers. But Cleveland’s system isn’t too bad. Just not on their level. Definitely not.
Guessing it would take at least Bobby Bradley or Nellie Rodriguez, Yandy Diaz and a top Left handed pitching prospect or two
Not even close bud.
then what is your suggestion?
Clint Frazier, Rob Kaminsky, and either (Mike Clevenger or TJ House) for Jonathan Lucroy and Will Smith seems about right.
I actually think this is a really solid suggestion, with maybe another lesser pitching prospect added. Bradley and Diaz would certainly be appealing to MIL, and I think that Sheffield or Hillman and a guy like Plutko could be pretty good for both sides.
Just curious, but can’t Carlos Santana play catcher if needed?
I hope not.
probably in an emergency situation.
Santana is a terrible catcher. I don’t believe he has played there in a major league game for three years.
I checked it….he played 11 games in 2014.
Yes, but his defense is terrible.
Yeah, and so can Sandoval when he’s healthy if you really wanted him to that badly. He used to catch. Doesn’t mean he should.
Great! Since the cardinals seem to only want to trade with Cleveland maybe they can snatch him after this trade.
yikes. Lucroy is gonna cost the indians….Zimmer or Frazier would have to start the deal. Sheffield, in the mix….
Agreed, but the breakout of Naquin and the presence of Brantley long term, they can afford to trade one if it means postseason 2016.
Acquiring Lucroy just makes sense for Cleveland. Doubt it’s a package deal with Smith, unless Cleveland coughs up what Stearns wants in value for both guys….in other words, Stearns isn’t going in for any group discounts to give up two bonafide good to great major leaguers., I have it on good authority. The Brewers front office has valued all of their players individually, and will not settle for less than that value, teams will not get a “deal” by going for multiple Brewers.
Frazier, Kaminsky & Sheffield for Smith & Lucroy ?
No chance. Smith AND Lucroy would most likely cost Cleveland two of the top four guys, plus a few lottery tickets.
That package gets Lucroy, but Smith? Smith is controlled until 2020, he’s massively valuable, Indians would have to throw in one of their starting rotation to that package to get them both.
are you high? you think smith is as valuable as one of the indians’ starting pitchers? hahahaha, gtfo. if you want to see a good measuring stick at how much smith should get, look at what the cubs gave up for mike montgomery. a nice piece in dan vogelbach and a double a lotto ticket. montgomery is basically the exact same as smith from 2 years ago and has 2 more years of control left, so i can easily see him following the same career trajectory.
2 more years, in addition to however many smith has left, that is.
“Are you high?” I think you should of followed that up with “Bc I sure am”
Your argument has got to be 1 of the worst I’ve ever heard. Granted you are correct about 1 thing, Montgomery is a lot like Smith was 2years ago. Failed LH starter, from KC, starting to look like a bonafide set up man. The thing is we aren’t talking about Smith from 2 years ago, Smith was had for Aoki 2 years ago. Smith now is 1 of the 10best relief arms in all baseball. That’s not my opinion, that was the opinion of just about all experts b4 this season began. If I remember correctly he was #8 on the list. If Montgomery becomes that in 2 years then he would be worth more then what the Cubs gave up today, until then lay off the herb man.
no, he is high because he thinks he should get 1 of kluber, salazar, carrasco, bauer or tomlin for smith straight up. any one of kluber, salazar or carrasco would fetch all 3 of thornburg, smith and jeffress at least with bauer and tomlin fetching at least 2 of them, bauer, 2 of them plus more.
the main similarity with montgomery and smith is that this is montgomery’s first year converting to relief pitching, whereas smith’s first year was 2 years ago. but already montgomery has a better era, better whip, better baa than smith has had in any of his seasons as a setup man, up until this year (which there isn’t much of a sample size of in the first place). then factor in that montgomery has 2 more prearb years, smith has none, montgomery can still spot start, and smith had/has a torn lcl that he didn’t have surgery on, making it a risk that he injures it again, or even worse, something happens to the acl or mcl, and there is no way you justify needing to pay much more for smith than montgomery. cubs paid vogelbach, a double a lotto ticket and got an additional arm in return.
and before you argue that montgomery’s era is great because of safeco field, his road era is lower than his home’s
Boom! That just happened! Agree about Smith’s overstated value.
I absolutely love the way you put this argument! Also the only reason a player as good as Vogelbach was in that deal was because other teams new the Cubs had no where to put him on the major league roster so they were handcuffed and had to move him.
Don’t care about either team, but the above rebuttal was brilliant!!
I don’t think this is going to happen…
Clevenger and (Zimmer or Frazier) and Hillman for
Lucroy and Smith….
MAKE IT SO!
I think that is a bit light, especially with Smith added. It might get Lucroy by himself though.
Hillman is no throw in. If the Brewers are getting the Indians top pitching prospect and top hitting prospect, they sure aren’t getting a high upside starting pitcher.
Hillman is really really good.
Smith is controlled until 2020. Hillman’s a lottery ticket right now. Not even close to comps in value.
But you’d already be getting two top-50 prospects. You’re not getting another future top-50 player.
I get that Hillman is a lottery ticket but pick another one with a lower upside. Hillman and McKenzie aren’t your typical lottery tickets and the Indians won’t include one of them just so they can get a guy whose velocity and K/9 is way down even though he’s controlled thru 2020.
The Indians would hypothetically be giving up their top pitching prospect, who’s MLB ready today, and their top hitting prospect.
Brewers have said that they want at 2 top 100 type players for Lucroy alone, so adding Hillman to that is not going to get Smith along with him. I think you’d have to add a low level wild card or 2 to that proposal in order to get them both.
Luc is going to return 2 x of CLE’s Top 5 plus 2 19-20 yo lottery tickets.
I don’t know their system well but those Top 5 guys will almost certainly need to be 20 yo or younger
While Clevenger is a top 75 prospect, Frazier or Zimmer are top 25 prospects. That is much more valuable than another top 100.
Clevinger is about Clv’s 7th best pitching prospect with a ceiling of a #4 Starter being why. Hillman has a higher ceiling, but not by much. Both would be throwins to the major players Milw would want.
Frazier, Aiken, Bradley, McKenzie, Mejia. Two of them first foremost. 1SP required. Then a Hillman/Sheffield /Kaminsky piece. + 2 Below A+ level lottos. When including Smith in deal.
Totally wild guess, but I think it will take at least Zimmer, Aiken, and Mejia to get it done. Although I guess the Brewers could do Zimmer, Aiken, Roberto Perez, and a lesser prospect as well.
Aiken is a non-starter, meaning he’s not being traded under any circumstance.
Aiken is most definitely a starter and his velocity is down to 86-88 MPH hes not being traded any where for that reason. He is also 19 he is not going to be doing any thing for the Indians for years.
Perez will be 28 next year with only 4 years of control left, don’t see him being appealing to the Brewers. My guess would be the Brewers will start at Zimmer/Frazier, Sheffield, Mejia.
Any chance they get Luc without one of their great OFs going the other way? I don’t remember their names, but I think they’re the top 2 prospects. Plus a pitcher like Kaminsky? Idk I don’t know the Indians system too well, but that seems like what the Brew Crew would want back.
Its possible. Brewers have outfield prospects coming out of their ears, will need corner infielders and pitching prospects possibly bradley, diaz, and pitchers
Would a possible return for Luc have to include one of Cleveland’s top OF prospects?
I don’t think so….Brewers are more desirous of arms and corner infielders, IMO…..still, they will want max talent over need.
Depends on if the Brewers are looking to fill organizational needs with this trade or just filling up on all top talent they can get regardless of the fact that they will have too many outfielders when their prospects come to the bigs
Stearns likes to grab talent regardless of the position and figure that out later. One of the OFs would be the target, although Bradley, one of their top pitching prospects, and another piece could get it done.
Wow, 18 comments and not one is declaring a prospect as “untouchable”!
Aiken is the only untouchable.
No organization would disrupt a kid’s TJ rehab by trading him
Don’t worry. Most teams aren’t interested in trading for such a player.
Some teams do not shy away from injured high ceiling pitchers in rehab after TJ surgery. Max Fried is an example who seems to have rediscovered his stuff for the Atlanta organization.
Doesn’t involve Cubs, Red Sox, or Braves.
Or Rangers.
Those prospects are not untouchable per se, however it’s just not the deal the Indians need to make it this time. Lucroy is a great addition no doubt however they’ve gotten nothing out of that position this year so anything they get from Perez would be a bonus. So why mortgage the future give up top prospects for a catcher to fill-in for the next two months and then still have both him and Gomes signed through next year? Those top shelf prospects could be had in the right deal and one that would fill the hole for the long-term not just the next two months.
Because opportunities like this don’t come very often. Their window is now, and with a deep farm system they have the assets to go out and trade for a player like Lucroy who, not only is an all-star, but is a great locker room presence and is a high character guy. They’re not mortgaging their future by trading one of their top OF prospects at all. They compete this year and if they don’t compete in 2017, Lucroy becomes a valuable trade chip for the Tribe. It’s a win-win for both teams, on paper.
Despite the Cavs, people in Cleveland remain hungry for a winner. Given that Lucroy would stay until the end of 2017, I think fans would be happy to deal one of the top guys. As a long- time Indians fan (and someone who is usually conservative about trading prospects), I would be fine with Zimmer or Frazier going to Milwaukee with one of our top pitchers other than McKenzie – that would be Clevinger, Sheffield or HIllman, and one additional prospect not named Bradley. Morimondo comes to mind. Maybe Plutko. If Milwaukee prefers Diaz, I would do that. If Milwaukee wants Perez thrown in, I’m fine with it. I would also offer Kaminsky for Smith. (For that matter, I would like to talk about Jeffress, too.)
No way, that’s way too much to fill a 2 month hole, and not that they couldn’t get that elsewhere, it’s just not the deal to make. Worse case scenario on Gomes is he’s out this year…no big deal as they gotten nothing from him all year. If so, he’d be back and healthy and again one of better catchers in the game, so why raid the system now to fill a hole that’s been there all year and didn’t matter? If you went after a big bat at 3B or RF or LHP, ok, but not for this.
They are looking at making a championship run and to do that you fill the holes not just ignore them. The fact that you admit they have had a hole at catcher all year proves that they need to fill it, not just say well we’ve won in spite of it so why change now.
What makes you think that Gomes will come back and be one of the better catchers in the game? I really hope he does, but offensively he has been a black hole (he has gotten some hits with risp this year) for almost two seasons.
I’m all for adding Lucroy for the right price. Start Lucroy for the remainder of the season and either flip him at the deadline or extend him a QO and take a draft pick. Meanwhile, stash Perez on the bench and Gomes in AAA. Hopefully he will find his stroke by the time Lucroy is gone and can be reinserted as the starter.
I think beyond C our biggest need is bullpen, LHP and another reliable righty. Put Jose at 3b full time, with Gonzalez as the super sub. Another OF would be nice if Brantley can’t return, but the OF rotation has been working nicely so far. Why fix what isn’t broken?
The point is the hole hasn’t buried them and is only a short-term hole so why go all in on it? Go all in on a power bat in RF or even 3B which will still have that hole plugged beyond this fall. Help in the bullpen is more dire than C and they can plug those needs without taking one of the top 3 prospects. When pressures away from the field dictate trades is when one team offers up way more than they should have.
I basically agree with everything above, but we just rank needs differently. I think it’s obvious though we need some bullpen help bad. So tired of watching Shaw in the 8th.
This isn’t a Red Sox or Yankees feed…
This is not a Red Sox and Yankees thread. We’re realistic.
That kind of package deal would like cost Indians at least Frazier/Naquin and at least 1-2 more prospects
The Brewers need to show something NEW if they trade Lucroy. That’s Clevenger. I could see them swapping out Mejia for (insert top Cleveland OF prospect here), as he becomes the catcher replacement they need, but he’s farther away. Cleveland might have to add higher pitching prospect with that.
It is true the Brewers have a whole bunch of young outfielders….they just aren’t healthy or MLB good yet. The Indians can throw in a plane ticket for Josh Hader to Milwaukee to start his apprenticeship replacing Will Smith
LOL, the Brewers aren’t going to start Hader’s clock ticking as a bullpen guy in what will be a most definitely lost season if Lucroy is dealt.
Hader is not coming up to start off in the bullpen yet, they still have some things to work out with him at AAA. Magnifico would get the first call up to the pen.
Clevenger,Bradley,Anderson,Kaminsky
4.. LuCroy and Smith.. and to be honest as a tribe fan I don’t want to see it happen
On a separate note, I believe that the Dbucks are going to trade Goldy this year or this next off season. Anyone else agree?
Incredibly unlikely. Dude’s on such a team friendly contract that he fired his agent … It’s only not “impossible” because, well, Dbacks …
Lucroy to Cleveland for Zimmer, Francisco Mejia, and Trey Hillman. Definitely think that Stearns would like to receive a surefire catching prospect in the deal and he has been performing quite well this year in high A and looks like an exciting prospect.
OR
Lucroy and Will Smith for Zimmer, Bradley, Mejia, Yandy Diaz, Brady Aiken and Hillman should get it done…plus or minus
LOL
Wait a minute. You are saying Smith will cost Bradley, Diaz and Aiken? I’m not even sure I would include Hillman in the original deal for just Lucroy. Zimmer, Mejia and Clevinger for Lucroy – ok. Add Perez and a pitcher, say Clevinger, for Smith. I’m ok with that.
The suggestions you pose are not realistic.
Yeah, that’s a lot for Smith. I’d say Zimmer, Mejia and one of Clevenger/Sheffield/McKenzie for Lucroy seems about right, especially if another team gets in on bidding. Adding Smith I think takes another pitcher and a low flier, Rodriguez/Shane/Merritt, etc. Can’t see the interest in Perez when they already have a D first catcher with a little pop in Maldonado and 2 catchers raking at AAA, especially if Mejia is already coming over.
What other team is prioritizing catching?
The Mets, Rangers, Red Sox, and Astros have the need for an upgrade and have been tied to Lucroy. With Fielder and Choo going down today, the Rangers may have added incentive to make a move.
Not the Mets. They have d’Naurd (needs to stay healthy) and Rivera (serviceable backup), and Plaw in AAA trying to get his bat figured out. The Mets have far greater needs elsewhere.
If you’re satisfied with a combination of guys providing a wRC+ of 81 and 75, respectively, and a guy in TDA who provides below average defense, more power to you — I have no vested interest in the Mets other than the SP on my fantasy team.
Curious to know what your first move would be?
Trey Hillman? Isn’t he the former KC manager? I think you meant Juan Hillman.
Duh, saw this one coming
As a Tribe fan I want Smith but not lucroy.
Rob Kaminsky, Eric Gonzalez, Nellie Rodriguez, Adam Plutko,and Tyler Krieger would be a more than generous offer for Smith and Lucroy. I don’t think any of Zimmer, Frazier, Bradley, or Mejia should be on the table. Only one of Aiken, Shefield, Hillman, Clevinger,Mckenzie would be included in a best case scenario for the Brewers.
Wow this has to be one of the worst trades I’ve ever seen. Must be an Indians fan
Any serious discussion involving Lucroy would have to involve Zimmer or Bradley. Have to give up talent to get a top catcher like Lucroy
I think Bradley kaminski and Aiken plus insert catcher name here for luccroy would get the deal done.
If u want value you must give value..top 3 catcher in the game? Kiss ur Zimmer goodbye…and maybe Drew Carey
Yeah. I’ve got to believe that Frazier/Zimmer would be a starting point for Lucroy. Can’t see them accepting less when there are teams like Texas who will offer solid packages
Not a deal for Lucroy but what do you guys think about Kole Calhoun and Joe Smith to CLE for Zimmer, Zach Crockett, and Adam Plutko?
Calhoun is terrific defensively and rock solid with the stick. Plus hes young (28)and there’s still plenty of control there. I think he’s under control until 2020 IIRC.
Zach Crockett? Why would the Angels want a 43 year old Fullback?
I love both of those guys, but I wouldn’t give up Zimmer. Diaz, Plutko and Sheffield for Calhoun. Not sure what I would give up for Smith. Maybe Feyereisen, Armstrong and Adams…..depending on the length of his contract.
No. Joe Smith was with the Tribe and left because he wanted to play on the West Coast. Calhoun is a solid player but they expect Zimmer to be better so why flip him for him?
What’s with the Will Smith hype? I get that he’s controlled through 2020 and all, but incredibly mediocre with a 4.15 FIP and 4.58 xFIP. -0.36 WPA if looking at leverage situations. I’m slightly reserved on Lucroy as well due to having a BABIP 0.34 higher than his career, but Indians need such an improvement at catcher this season, that giving up a bit for Lucroy would really fill that black hole at the position even with a high cost.. Smith does not improve the pen at all and not worth any decent prospects.
Thar is digging deep to find negatives. Lucroy had 52Doubles 2seasons ago. Hes hitting like that again this season. Lucroy has generally been rated a top 3 pitch framer in his career. Smith, you want him. He gets outs to both sides of the plate. Slider is filthy. No way do Indians acquire both Lucroy&Smith. Theyd have to part with Frazier, Aiken, Bradley, and McKenzie. And Im sure ya’ll call me crazy for suggesting that. But watch what Lucroy gets. And what Smith gets alone. Itll be that type of return combined.
I don’t think I’m digging particularly deep for my stats right now, BABIP, FIP, and xFIP are pretty commonplace. I’d gladly give up a Frazier/Zimmer (pick one), Meija, and a Hillman/McKenzie(pick one) type deal for Lucroy IF he could sustain his surface numbers right now. 305/364/494 from the catcher spot? Heck yeah, that’s awesome. Yet, we’re talking about a 30 year old catcher that looked offensively suspect last year with his strikeout rate jumping the last two years, and his framing is curiously dropping from elite to good. The Indian’s current problems stem from Yan Gomes, who looked like a very good player two seasons ago, dropping off a cliff all of a sudden.
As far as Smith, his stuff LOOKS good, but his results are incredibly mediocre compared to last year. In fact, swinging strike rate was practically halved, and his FIP, as I already said, is nowhere near anything worth obtaining for prospects.
You’re only looking at overall numbers without taking them into context. The reason his numbers look mediocre compared to last year is that he had the freak knee injury in spring and then only did a brief rehab stint, so his first few appearances back he was still working on getting his velocity back and tuning his mechanics. If you look at him since about mid June when he got back into form his K/9, FIP, velocity, and swinging strike rate have all gotten closer to back where they have been in the past.
Plus all of his movies have sucked except for the first Men In Black
Brewers wont want Zimmer. Frazier maybe. But #1 is Tristan McKenzie. Bobby Bradley is questionable for a want. Sheffield doesnt do anything for me and that name is tarnished in Milwaukee. Clevinger isnt worth the hassle with 6-9SPs Milwaukee has to shuffle out there just like him. Hillman or Mejia.
I think both sides could handle, McKenzie &Bradley. With a cpl lotto tickets nobody here will think of.
Cleveland will get a QO pick after 2017 replacing a name like like Bradley or Hillman or Mejia.
Why would they not want Zimmer? Speed/power combo guy who can play CF, who would want that? Sheffield is a lefty who throws mid 90s with movement and a plus curveball, yeah that’s not worth anything. Clevenger has revitalized his career since going back to his original pitching motion and had a 2.82 ERA with 88 Ks to only 30 walks before being called up, name me the 6-9 SPs Milwaukee has just like him.
What are you talking about?
The Brewers will want Zimmer and Bradley both b4 Frazier. Frazier is an OF player, probably a CF move to RF type which is what 3 of the Brewers top 5 prospects are, and that doesn’t even include 2 or 3 of their 5 best low level prospects. The #1 thing Milwaukee has wanted since 2011 is someone to play 1B. Bradley and possibly Zimmer could be exactly what they’ve wanted for years. I’d say they get 1 of the 2 for lucroy, add in a mejia, possibly Sheffield and 1-2 other lotto tix and you get lucroy. If it’s both Lucroy and Smith then you’re looking at less prospects coming back, but now you’re talking both Bradley and Zimmer, Sheffield, and 1 ptbnl. It sounds steep but in reality it could probably be more. Not only would cle have the best catcher in the entire AL for this season and next, but they’d also have a top 10 reliever for 3 more seasons all on the cheap, and that’s not including the QO pick u get back for Lucroy and the QO pick u get 2 years later for Smith.
get real, nobody is offering a qualifying offer to smith when the time comes. relief pitchers don’t get qualifying offers. the only one in the last 5 years was david robertson, and it was the yankees in 2014 when they were throwing money around like it was toilet paper.
It’s hard to quantify what the value of Smith is alone, much less in a package deal. I would assume that the addition of he alone to Lucroy isn’t enough to push this deal into one in which multiple top prospects are included. Lucroy is controlled for one more year which makes him desirable but the concussions are something to be weary of. And if Smith would command more than a throw in player being sent back to Milwaukee, then the Indians could just go grab Boone Logan for far less. Trading both Lucroy and Smith separately would net the Brewers more.
Lucroy is going to the best offer at the trade deadline. We are saying that we want a lot and if we don’t get that we’ll keep him and try again next year, but that’s just talk. You can’t get the most value out of a guy that you say you are trading no matter what. One team is going to sell the farm for him and maybe one of our bullpen arms
With the emergence of Naquin as a potential every day starter in the OF, I could see the Indians parting ways with Zimmer along with Clevinger or Sheffield as the main guys for this trade. I believe the Indians will keep Frazier and Bradley out of the majority of trade discussions.
Indians are in a win now mode that we haven’t seen lately and their farm system has the prospects to make this deal happen. Will depend on what they want to give up.
It’s so obvious I can’t believe all the Cleveland fans in here….Team hasn’t won anything in 10 years, stars align, division has gone to poop, all the ML pitching is healthy AND performing, breakout performances all over the place offensively (likely to regress over the next couple of years)..BEST FREAKIN’ record in the league…..and a massive sucking hole at catcher AND left handed reliever that can be fixed with established controllable veteran assets that your thrifty owner can actually afford.
“No we can’t trade (insert 19 year old pitcher here)”
Push a couple prospects in and go for it. There is nobody in that farm system that screams the next CC Sabathia…..the next Francisco Lindor. Is there anyone in that farm system you wouldn’t trade to actually play in the World Series for one year? Here’s your window. Here’s the players. Front office can afford them. Or just play forever to just make the playoffs and pray for next year.
The Indians have a very good farm system and while I think giving up one of Zimmer or Frazier in this situation makes sense, I think it would be foolish to simply ‘push a couple of prospects in.’ McKenzie, Hillman, Bradley, Zimmer and Frazier are the real deal. I want Lucroy, but to over pay to the extent some are suggesting simply isn’t worth it because there are no guarantees. When we get to the playoffs, we won’t be facing Minnesota. It will be Boston, and Texas, plus a couple other teams that likely reloaded in the trade market. Lucroy might make the difference, or he could get another concussion. Throwing away prospects simply because Milwaukee asks for them is foolish.
Nothing in that post seems obvious except that you don’t know what you are talking about. The tribe nearly went to the World Series in 2007 (losing in the ALCS) and lost in the wildcard playoff game in 2013. They were eliminated with two-ish games left in the season last year. We got here by holding on to and developing our players, not by trading them away willy nilly. Yes Lucroy would be a big upgrade, but it has to be for the correct cost.
Regarding our prospects there are several players that look to be solid MLB players, otherwise there wouldn’t be trade discussions. Frazier, Zimmer, Aiken to name a few.
Thank you, finally somebody with reason.
Completely agree with KnuckleNasty. You’re one of the best teams in the league with one of the worst catchers in the league. No one available will improve your team more than Lucroy. And he will probably improve your pitching which is scary.
Then you have the Indians fan who comments about how they made the playoffs twice in 7 years by not trading away their top prospects . Wow, congrats. What does the trophy look like for that?
Agree we are one of the best teams and the league and that our catchers have been an offensive black hole. That said, starting Perez will be an upgrade at C so why trade away prospects when there are other holes? Yes Lucroy would be a bigger upgrade than Perez, but it has to be at the right cost for the small market tribe. I doubt he would improve our pitching as his framing is down and the takes time to build familiarity with the pitchers and opposing players in the league.
I’m definitely not bragging about making the playoffs twice, just correcting Knucklenasty’s nonsense. Plus it’s not like the brewers have fared much better in the last 10 years.
As an Indians fan I am interested in Tyler Thornberg. Would he cost less than Will Smith? Would AA lefty Rob Kaminsky and righty reliever Austin Adams get it done or am I far off? Maybe Joe Colon instead of Adams.
Definitely cheaper than Smith just because the demand for Smith will be higher seeing that he’s a lefty. Probably looking at pretty close value with that deal, although Milwaukee seems to want to hold on to him. I think there is still thought that he could move back to the rotation next year and they want to give that a try before they would trade him off.
…………………………………………………………….
MILWAUKEE BREWERS RECEIVE:
Clint Fraizer- OF
Triston Mckenzie- RHP
Mike Clevinger- RHP
Luke Wakamatsu- SS
…………………………………………………………….
CLEVELAND INDIANS RECEIVE:
Jonathan Lucroy- C
Will Smith- LHP
…………………………………………………………….
Not bad
Lucroy/Jeffress or Lucroy/Smith would be worth giving up Fraizer or Bradley.. You would be recieving two excellent players with 5+ years of control for one guy with 6 years of control (though others would like have to be traded too).. Sometimes you just have to go for it.
I am really hoping for a Indians vs Cubs WS!
That would be awesome for baseball in all!
The Indians should talk to the Rays. They have Xavier Cedeno, whose left handed, has numbers very similar to Smith’s the last few years and also comes with 3.5 years of control, and Steve Pearce, who is mashing, right handed, and can play 1B, 2B, 3B or COF. Both players would fill needs for the Tribe, improve their current team and not cost nearly as much as it sounds like the Brewers are asking.
Pearce is making too much and isn’t what they’re looking for. They have Ramirez to bounce around like that and he’s been swinging a good bat this year.
Lucroy and gatewood for Bradley, zimmer, and clevenger?
No. Gatewood is part of the rebuild. His ceiling is higher than the Indian trio
Indians- Jonathan Lucroy Brewers- Aiken, Mejia, Brown