The Plight of the Indians
Thome and Vizquel are fan favorites in Cleveland, but almost any team could use Thome. He is not likely to remain in Cleveland after this season, so why not unload him at the trading deadline for a couple of prospects? Some team could even use Chuck Finley, since this is the last year of his contract and he’s left handed. If Shapiro could get any value for Lawton or Burks, then grab it.
What I’m suggesting is a total rebuilding. Gather prospects, and get ready for 2004. If their young pitching is handled carefully this year and next, they could develop into high-caliber starters. If the young pitching is forced into high pitch counts for the sake of getting back into the race, the risk is high.
Cleveland may be on its way with this plan after releasing Wil Cordero and Brady Anderson. On a limited payroll, a good farm system and careful selection of free agents is a necessity. This is how Cleveland did it in the mid-90’s. It lost the way in the late 90’s, but must go back to the beginning.
The copyright of the article The Plight of the Indians in Major League Baseball is owned by Bryan Walker. Permission to republish The Plight of the Indians in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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