DeRosa on the Trading Block

The 2009 version of Casey Blake is available to the highest bidder, as Jon Heyman of SI.com has reported that the Indians are shopping Mark DeRosa. This comes as no shock to me as the move of Jhonny Peralta to third spelled the end to the former Cub as an Indian. Apparently, the Tribe is interested in Mets top pitching prospect Bobby Parnell. Parnell is 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA in 20 games of relief for New York this season. The 6'4 righty has a mid to high 90's fastball and has both started and relieved in the minors. I would seriously consider trading DeRo straight up for this guy, as it adds a power arm to the team while allows Luis Valbuena to get an extended look this season. It also doesn't raise the white flag on the season either. With Carlos Delgado out for 10 weeks, the Mets desperately need a versatile guy in the infield. Mark DeRosa just may be there man.

40 Game Mark

"Every time you think the Indians have hit rock bottom, they find another level." These were the words uttered by Indians play-by-play voice Tom Hamilton after the Tribe blew another game, 6-5. Here comes the rants...

• 14-26. Worst record in the American League.
• Worst bullpen in the history of baseball.
• Team looks completely defeated.
• Off Season acquisitions (Wood/DeRosa) severely under performing.
• Closer really showed his intestinal fortitude tonight, blowing an easily winnable game when the team really needed a victory in the worst way.
• Star Centerfielder batting .212.
• DH hurt all the time, broken down, and signed through 2012.
• Best 2 players (Lee/Martinez) free agents after 2010 season.
• Manager refuses to throw best pitcher 9 innings when he is at 101 pitches because "That is what you are supposed to do."
• Manager is truly managing like a laptop computer.
• Manager needs to pick a lineup and stick with it.
• Manager probably needs to be replaced.
• To win just 88 games, the team would need to go 74-48.
• Finds a new way to lose each and every way possible.
• No one in this town cares about the team anymore, becoming a joke.
• Who really believes they can turn this around with the mind numbing loss they have absorbed? Position players never feel safe With a lead.

As Paul Cousineau wrote earlier today , I hate this team.

Rondon moved back to Akron Rotation

Well that experiment didn't last long. Tribe top pitching prospect Hector Rondon will be back to starting games. He stuggled in his 2 relief appearances, so the Indians decided to return him to the role in which he was most effective. This move is pretty interesting because it may be the first sign of a white flag being raised for 2009. Rondon is infinitely more valuable to this franchise as a starter for years to come, so him pitching some games for a team 11 games under .500 to stabilize an awful bullpen doesn't make much sense. Also coupled with the fact the starting rotation besides Cliff Lee is filled with question marks, Hector may still make it to Cleveland by August if Reyes and the collection of 5th starters trotted out to the mound continue to struggle. At some point, (and probably too late) the bullpen will figure itself out and when it does, the team will start being more consistent. With the lack of top shelf pitching prospects in AAA, Rondon may be our biggest hope for another ace on the staff.

"If you ain't first, you're last."

The Indians are sure in last. They have lost three in a row, are 11 games under .500 and looking worse as the days go by. The bullpen still stinks, their starting pitching overall is average at best, and most of the lineup is under achieving. I really have nothing much else to say about this hapless ball club that lost to a team that had to bat their pitcher in the 3 hole and allowed him to hit a double over your left fielder who should be playing first. Here are some random thoughts...

• Trade Mark DeRosa for some pitching prospect. If Peralta is now your third baseman, no one wants to see this guy learn first base on the job.


• Matt LaPorta and Luis Valbuena need to play 5-6 games a week. This team is lifeless and if the team is going to struggle all year, I would rather see young guys than Dellucci or Carroll.


• Anthony Reyes needs to turn it around soon or he should be out of the rotation.


• Move Grady down in the lineup for his mental well being. Can't hurt.


• Play Garko more than every other day. He is one of the few batters in the lineup who has confidence at the plate.


• Do not trade Victor Martinez, try and sign him to extension and make him a solid part of the future. A deal for V-Mart probably won't happen because of Hafner's long awful contract.

Catching up on some roster moves not posted here because I was having a garage sale, (apparently the Indians have had one in their bullpen) Masa Kobayashi, Tony Sipp and Jeremy Sowers were all sent to Columbus, while Greg Aquino, Luis Vizcaino, and David Huff were added to the major league roster. Huff was unimpressive in his debut (3 3 2/3 Innings, 7 earned runs) as an Indian, but hopefully he can turn it around to add some punch to the big yawn (besides Lee) that is the Tribe rotation. The club limps into Kansas City for a three game roadtrip. UGHHH!!!!