Tribe Trade Bingo

With the trade deadline creeping closer, it has some Tribe fans on edge, while others sit back and relax trusting the process of the season. Personally, it has me losing my mind, so I decided to have some fun.

During a conversation with my mother, we somehow got on the topic of trade deadline BINGO. Player by player we decided who would make the BINGO board based on our ideas of Trade or No-Trade. Obviously, this was all for fun, but then I decided to actually record the lists, adding an Undecided list, and dunk them in the Twitter fish tank to see if anyone took a bite. They did, with mixed answers.

Between all three, I had people agreeing and disagreeing with my choices. Some wanted to know why I would put Josh Tomlin on the No-Trade and Yandy Diaz on the Trade list. Others were curious why I filed Lonnie Chisenhall under Undecided after the season he has had.

It should make you think, what is it about a player that would make them untouchable or not, and do you truly believe there are guys who are strictly No-Trade? Are they having a good season, do they bring a game-changing asset to your team, or can you use their high value to better the team at the risk of losing them for someone of higher need? Are they worth more with you, or worth more in what you will get as a return?

Saucy Old Mare (@OldSaucy) from Twitter pointed out that if I really wanted to look at this from a GM’s standpoint, I would have to look at all the prospects with future value, and she was right. So apply the same questions above to the top prospects in the system, maybe with a few added questions like what is the stock of their position? Based on that, is it better to trade them while the demand might be high for them/position knowing there is little chance to advance them in your system? Or simply asking will they get better or continue to get better?

As you read those, names should have popped into your head. Guys like C Francisco Mejia and Triston McKenzie, who seem to be on everyone’s no-trade (even mine at one point). Other names might be first round pick LHP Brady Aiken, 1B Bobby Bradley, OF Greg Allen, or SS Willi Castro. They all have differing levels of value and situations deeming them tradable, though they all fall into at least one of the points above, and they are all top prospects.

Let’s look at the top two, Mejia and McKenzie, both having stellar seasons at their respective levels. Mejia’s bat continues to impress, though his defense behind the plate and ability to call games still needs maturing which he will get as he moves up. Many people have deemed him No-Trade for where he sits on the prospect list, and the future potential he could have for Cleveland. With McKenzie, at each stage of the system he seems to get better, though he has only pitched to the high-A level. His biggest asset is the fact that pitching is always in high demand, and he has the potential to be a middle-or-the-order starter within the next two seasons. Both players can fill a need for the Indians, but that is still years away, and the window of opportunity is open now.

It is no secret that almost every team in baseball has been eyeing these two for a while and the return for them would be great. So the question is, do they have a price or are they untouchable? Should the Indians use their high value, with no proven MLB experience and years left before there is any, to bring someone to Cleveland who has playtime at the major league level and has proven to be successful at that level? Apparently, again according to the Twitter fish tank, that is a big no.

So lets’ briefly go through the possible needs of Cleveland. We are looking at a starting pitcher for the middle of the rotation, a bat with good RISPy numbers, and possibly a bullpen arm after losing reliever Boone Logan. Realistically, who on the market might fulfill those needs, preferably with a few years of control left on their contracts?

https://twitter.com/cle_ItIsGone/status/887144790017683456

I did a poll or two posing the ideas of trading the top two guys in the system for pitcher Jacob deGrom, who the Mets have stated they are willing to deal, and OF from the Pirates, Andrew McCutchen, who is batting a .364 RISP through 77 AB with 36 RBI. I was amazed at the amount of “no” votes for both. If these two can fill the needs of the team on the field right now, why would you not given any reasonable about of future talent for them? The Cleveland Indians have not seen a World Series trophy in lifetimes! You take your chances while the window is open! It is a risk, no doubt, but if not those two than who?

Last season I am sure everyone remembers who we got from the New York Yankees for a combination of prospects, led by front man Clint Frazier. At the time, it was almost painful, but looking back from the World Series; the pain lessened a lot seeing how much the team improved just with the addition of Andrew Miller. In addition, we learned that Mejia was on the trade block, as he almost ended up being dealt to the Brewers for C Jonathan Lucroy.

This little experiment has left me with no real answers, but definitely a more in depth way of viewing potential and value regarding the deadline. Being that I have never had the pleasure of seeing the Indians in a situation where they have a title to chase, a well-stocked system, and a buyer’s position at the deadline all at the same time, it was fun and interesting to see the vast opinions of everyone else. Unfortunately, until the deals are made, there is not a lot to go on, and until those players put Cleveland across their chest, we will not know what affect they might have. There is still tons of time to keep losing my mind over what they might do next!