Box Score: Bulls 95, Cavaliers 85
December 5, 2012While We’re Waiting… Struggling Cavaliers
December 6, 2012If the Cleveland Indians move shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to the Arizona Diamondbacks, it would reportedly be a part of a four-team blockbuster trades involving multiple moving pieces, but at this stage is unlikely to happen at this point.
FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal helps clear the muddy waters by saying that in addition to the Tribe and D-Backs, the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners would also be seeing their name in the MLB’s transaction page. Per Rosenthal, the driving force is Jon Daniels, the general manager of the Texas Rangers, who covets Arizona’s Justin Upton.
The Indians would send Cabrera to Arizona, getting a combination of players — starting pitcher Trevor Bauer continues to be in the mix, as do left-hander Patrick Corbin and Texas infielder Mike Olt. The fourth team, currently the Seattle Mariners, would give up prospects of their own and receiver Texas pitcher (and Newark, OH native) Derek Holland.
The Mariners are reportedly unsure about the deal, which could lead to yet another fourth team being placed into the mix if the trade is to be consummated.
Cleveland general manager Chris Antonetti has spent much of this offseason looking for contingency plans at shortstop, acquiring veteran Mike Aviles and talking with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the young speedster Dee Gordon. A two-time All-Star at a notoriously shallow position, Cabrera continues to be one of the team’s best assets in the trading market.
[Related: Tribe At The Winter Meetings: Will They Add, Or Blow It Up?]
6 Comments
Is it just me, or is the quality of prospects rumored to be coming to Cleveland better than what we received for Sabathia or Lee?
No, not really. The quality of the prospects for both the CC and Lee trades were highly valued in a same or similar fashion to the one being discussed for Asdrubal Cabrera. Matt LaPorta was considered a “can’t miss” power hitting LF/1B and fit the profile of exactly what the Indians were looking for. He was a top 20 MLB prospect. Michael Brantley was highly regarded by the Brewers as well. The two SP’s from the Phillies, were both considered can’t miss prospects by the phillies organization. Jason Knapp’s should issues bloomed into a career ending mess, while Carlos Carrasco showed significant progress until Tommy John surgery slowed his career path. (he’ll probably start the 2013 season in extended spring training with an appropriate rehab time period before restarting his ML career). The other two players, Lou Marson & Jason Donald have become role/backup players at the ML level.
The guys the Indians are rumored to be receiving for Adrubal are equally appraised. They are some of the ‘better’ SP candidates in the minors. Whether they can continue onto the ML’s with the same degree of success is like any other prospect.. a gamble…
I know Baseball America rankings are very subjective and are often incorrect, but they rated Bauer #9, Skaggs #13, and Olt #43 this year.
In 2009, they rated Carrasco #52, Marson #66 (!), and Donald #69. Knapp was unranked, but they slotted him at #64 in 2010.
In 2008, LaPorta was rated #23.
Obviously, this deal is probably going to fall apart, but I still find it strange that Asdrubal Cabrera could bring in similar talent to a Cy Young winner.
Latest reports coming out are that the blockbuster deal is just Arizona, Texas, and Rays…with the Indians out of it. Not sure what’s going on.
It’s unlikely to be all three, and there is significant value in getting a guy for more than a couple months, which is why the return for Lee looked higher than Sabathia’s at the time.
The D’Backs have really wanted Adrus or Profar out of this deal more than Cabrera, it just seems that Texas was unwilling to move them. If Texas changes its position on either of those guys, the Indians are pretty much out of the picture.