The Indians announced that they’ve re-signed outfielder Melky Cabrera to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Columbus for the time being. Cabrera is represented by the Legacy Agency.
Cabrera, 33, was with the Cleveland organization earlier this season after signing a minor league deal in late April and having his contract selected to the big league roster just a few weeks later. The veteran switch-hitter, though, didn’t get much time to ramp up in Triple-A after sitting out Spring Training, and he showed some visible signs of rust in the Majors. After hitting .286/.286/.381 through 42 plate appearances in Triple-A, he jumped to the Majors and hit .207/.242/.293 through 66 plate appearances before being designated for assignment.
Upon that original DFA, Cabrera refused an outright assignment to Columbus in favor of free agency, presumably hoping to see if another club provided a clearer path back to the Majors. Apparently, Cabrera either didn’t find an offer to his liking or saw the recent injury to Lonnie Chisenhall as a potential means of opening a door to the Majors with the Indians once again.
While the 2018 season has been a struggle for Cabrera, he posted a roughly league-average offensive season between the Royals and White Sox last season, batting a combined .285/.324/.423 with 17 homers, 30 doubles and a pair of triples through 666 plate appearances. Overall, dating back to the 2014 campaign, Cabrera has batted a combined .289/.333/.431 — good for a 110 OPS+ in that time.
Steroids
In 2012 he tested positive for an elevated level of testosterone. Thank you for the update, you clown.
+1
Caused by?
the Melk truck has pulled back into Columbus.
Tribe is lucky Cabrera was willing for a second go-round this year. Chisenhall simply cannot stay off the DL, and that’s been the case for the past several years. The question I have is what move are they gonna make when Lonnie is ready to be activated again?
If I am the Blue Jays I offer Curtis Granderson. Not saying Cleveland should take him. That’s a vet the Jays need to deal and the Indians are a potential fit.
Granderson would be a very realistic target for CLE who wouldn’t cost them
a lot in talent or salary. That would enable to totally focus on making SIGNIFICANT acquisitions to get that bullpen straightened out. Yes CLE has a 10.5 game lead in the AL Central right now, but it’s foolish to think that patchwork pen will hold up in the playoffs much less against teams that are currently above .500
Cleveland plays in a garbage division, which is good and bad. Good because they know they will wrap up the division, bad because they won’t be tested unless they face the top 2 teams in the AL East and AL West. But if they can get better in the bullpen they will be dangerous with their SP.
Granderson actually seems like a super realistic acquisition, and I wouldn’t have a problem with it either
Lucky? Really? It’s not like his phone was ringing off the hook, he was lucky they called.
The list of other FA outfielders is headlined by Peter Bourjos who takes a banjo to the plate. Cabrera is best available (and Hanley Ramirez doesn’t count because his OF defensive skills aren’t really skills at all).
And Ramirez fled the country until his homies drug case if out of the news…
Yeah, he’ll always have that tarnish of getting busted for riods several years ago in SF. It’s unfortunate as he’s remained clean and is really fun to watch. He keeps the dugout lose and lively too. Not often that you can say a caught steroids user is a good clubhouse presence, but I do think that’s the case here.
Giambi is the prime example for someone that got busted, but still a great teammate.
I don’t think that just because he hasn’t been caught again that he has remained clean. He likely just got better at hiding it IMO
He faces a lifetime ban if he tests positive. Nice of you to make that conclusion. now.
At his age, with his diminished skill set, NOT taking steroids very well may be a de facto lifetime ban due to a complete lack of interest in his services.
He’s going to hit whether or not you like it and whether or not you root against him. He had three hits last night and lined out his other time up. He is 33 and his hitting skills are still there. 11 rbi’s for Cleveland and a high hard hit ball rate without spring training and being rushed to the majors shortly after signing. You are so wrong.
He stunk in his short time with the Tribe. Hit into countless double plays and played the OF worse than a little leaguer.
Not a surprise, no risk signing and insurance for Chisenhall and his cranky knees. Give him some more at bats at Columbus and he will be back up in Cleveland. If Allen keeps struggling at the dish, he may be back up sooner than later.
No cranky knees, crunky calves.
Ahhh that’s right
Look at the Indians record vs teams outside the AL Central.. it’s not pretty. They are an extremely top heavy team – meaning their top 5-6 players are very good, and the rest are not very good.
Also have to factor every team eliminating their #5 out of their rotation. Kluber, Bauer, Clevinger and Carrasco are a dangerous starting 4 that can take out any team in the ALDS.
Have you seen Bieber and/or Plutko pitch? Either/both of them have the looks of a very solid #5, if not higher
If they were to bring him back up before giving Brandon Barnes a chance, heads should roll. Barnes has hit really well at Columbus, and can play every OF position.
Cabrera is toast.
He was 8th in the American League in hits last year. He hit .285 with 17 homers.
He had 30 doubles. Some toast, you fool
Last year. What this year? Right, I rest my case.
He got three hits and lined out the other time up for Columbus last night. He had no spring training this year and when he was with the Indians his hard hit ball rate was high and he drove in 11 runs. He only had 50 something plate appearances. You should rest your baseball brain.
Ooh, Columbus……where even Michael Martinez can hit.
In fairness, Barnes has only hit in the minors….career .242 hitter in majors and could not crack the Marlins ML team last season. Defensively, I agree but his is about the bat, not the glove.
You can’t rest your case with such a terrible sentence.
Didnt the Indians just fire him? Or was that to sign him for a lot cheaper ?
They DFAd him when Chisenhall was activated recently, but (total surprise) Chisenhall just went back on the DL for the umpteenth calf strain of his career. He is to calf strains as Rich Hill is to blisters – it’s just always gonna be a problem no matter what.