Off-Season Evaluation

The following discussion took place on 2/7/08. The discussion was how to evaluate the Tribes off-season moves...which can only be described as boring, bland, or uneventful. My question was pretty simple....can we evaluate the success of the off-season until 2008 unfolds? Weird thing happened, people with differing views actually carried on a conversation with intelligent statements.


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614696.3. Off-Season? by MrNegative1, 2/7/08 9:17 ET Re: Dellucci still the starting by DGeneral, 2/7/08
Hey Dgen, long time no talk....saw your comment about dud of an off-season and wondered if we can draw a parable to "off-season" moves to that of the NFL Draft or College Football Recruiting Class....
Can you really know what moves were made are going to pay off until the season plays out? When the Twins got Rondell White, Fernando Tatis, and Denny Reyes as their offseason in 05 and then won the division in 06. From the off-season standpoint, the pickups were atrocious, but the team prospered anyway? The Mets made a lot of noise the last couple of off-seasons....but haven't parlayed that into success yet. The White Sox and Tigers both the last couple of years made strong off-season moves only to find themselves watching the post season from home.
Don't you think we could now begin to look at talent on the field and stop looking for the big move? Let the year play out before we criticize the front office for moves they didn't make?
Peace Brother Dgen


Dgen was the first to respond:

614696.3.1. The big miss by DGeneral, 2/7/08 9:25 ET Re: Dellucci still the starting by DGeneral, 2/7/08
this offseason was failing to extend CC.
Since that didn't happen the second big miss was failing to land a front of the rotation replacement like Haren, Bedard. Shapiro is prospect and journeyman rich to pull off a deal for pitching talent. Better now than later next off season.
Since no CC signing or No front of the rotation arm, the third big miss was failure to acquire an impact position player to boost this offense.
All in all a big disappointment this offseason. Can't just sit on your hands and expect to repeat what you did last year. You know that.

HZHackenbush responded and started a debate with Dgen:


614696.3.1.1. CC wasn't going to even consider anything until Santana was signed by HZHackenbush, 2/7/08 9:34 ET Re: Dellucci still the starting by DGeneral, 2/7/08
he would have been foolish to do anything else - so blaming that on the FO is nearsighted, at best.
Haren would have been an interesting pick up, and apparently the Indians were in the running - but Arizona had too many major league ready prospects (& I wish Shapiro had traded CC to Arizona for some of that package).


614696.3.1.1.1. Shapiro's job is to by DGeneral, 2/7/08 9:39 ET Re: Dellucci still the starting by DGeneral, 2/7/08
address the void left in the rotation by a Cy Young champion walking away. To date, he hasn't done that and it will get harder to do it the longer Shapiro waits.
Crossing your fingers and hoping Miller is inflammation free in his elbow is what I would call foolish.
Shapiro needs to make a deal.


614696.3.1.1.1.1. and its not that he didn't try by HZHackenbush, 2/7/08 9:45 ET Re: Dellucci still the starting by DGeneral, 2/7/08
the Indians just don't have enough of the ammunition to make those kind of deals. They weren't going to match the talent Arizona gave up unless if the Indians wanted to make a hole in the starting lineup, and they certainly have nothing in the minors to match what Seattle gave up for Bedard.
Yes, you are right, but you aren't looking close enough.

614696.3.1.1.1.1.1. Shapiro was in his by DGeneral, 2/7/08 9:50 ET Re: Dellucci still the starting by DGeneral, 2/7/08
best position to make a deal this winter. Desperation sets in when CC is gone next winter. Shapiro has the pitching to deal, he needed to pull the trigger this winter. You always have to give up quality to get quality.

614696.3.1.1.1.1.1.1. Nope, you're advocating giving up quality to get... by ANONYMOUS 2/7/08 9:58 ET Re: Dellucci still the starting by DGeneral, 2/7/08
prospects and suspects. Trading away the reigning Cy Young holder, after coming within one game of going to the WS is a non-supportable proposition. The fans would abandon the team in droves...the clubhouse would be disrupted (believe it or not, CC is both popular and a presence within the clubhouse and amongst the pitching staff) and it is laughable to think that replacing his 19 wins would be an automatic outcome.


614696.3.1.1.1.1.1.1.1. Trading away CC if it would have netted a return by HZHackenbush, 2/7/08 10:12 ET Re: Dellucci still the starting by DGeneral, 2/7/08
that could have helped the team in 08 and 09, would have been the right thing to do even though it would have set the team back in 08.
The problem is the Twins new GM got greedy and settled for less from the Mets then the Yankees and Red Sox were offering.
Combine that with other teams that one might think would be interested in CC either making other deals or just not wanting to add a FOR pitcher, and even though people here want to talk about trading him the truth is there is no trade to be made for CC that would do more for the team then keeping him this season and risking watching him walk at the end of the year.
Besides w/ 14 days until pitchers and catchers report - no way would Shapiro shake the team up that much.