Lansing signed...

[supersleuth]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by The Crank:
Lansing is not much more than Buffalo fodder, perhaps making the team as an utility infielder. He is not going to play on the Indians on a regular basis. Besides, its too late to trade Omar now - if that happens you might as well strip the team and completely write the season off.

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You really must be kidding! You mean, if you were the GM and you could find a sucker to give you some value for an overpaid, over-the-hill shortstop who can no longer hit or steal and who jogs to first on ground balls, you would turn it down??? When you have a system loaded with SS prospects? The absence of any GM that dumb (is even Syd Thrift that big a sucker?) is for sure the only reason Omar is still with us. Let's hope somebody gets desperate, and stupid, around the trading deadline...

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[The Crank]

Supersleuth -- my idea was more a case of fan reaction to the trade. Indians are trying to sell tickets and I am just thinking an Omar trade would reopen the wounds caused by the Robbie trade and would hit the Indians right in the wallett.

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[supersleuth]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by *TR:
What?? Loaded with SS prospects? Who's system are you talking about?? Surely not the Tribe. And don't even try to convince me that McDonald is a prospect.


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McDonald is now better defensively than Vizquel, and if Vizquel's hitting continues to decline then McDonald won't even be worse offensively. As to prospects, if you haven't heard of Hector Luna and Johnny Peralta yet, you will soon.

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[This message has been edited by supersleuth (edited February 04, 2002).]

[supersleuth]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by The Crank:
Supersleuth -- my idea was more a case of fan reaction to the trade. Indians are trying to sell tickets and I am just thinking an Omar trade would reopen the wounds caused by the Robbie trade and would hit the Indians right in the wallett.

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A rebuilding team on a tight budget can't afford to get sentimental about formerly-star players. Real fans will understand.


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[The Crank]

Real fans almost did not understand Alomar. I hope you are right about Vizquel, I just do not think you are.

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[srg]

That just shows how stupid Cleveland fans are for there love affair with old relics.

Remember how this town cried like a bunch of babies when Bill Bellicheck cut a washed up has been like Bernie Kosar? I bet old Bill is smiling today at the moronic Cleveland fans this morning.

Bottom line is sentiment does not win anything, Omar should be dealt for anything, his game is declining, he will be 35 yrs old in April, Thirty Five year old players do not find the foutain of youth at this stage in his career. Last year was not an aberration but the beginning of the end for Visquel.

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[*TR]

re: supersleuth & SS prospects

I do appreciate your knowledge and enthusiasm for Tribe prospects but it must be tempered.
John McDonald is 27 yrs. old. Even if he had been a great prospect he'd be long past that at 27. Problem with McDonald is that he was never even a good prospect. Reports of his defense have taken on the myth of urban legend. Truth is outside of Cleveland nobody thinks McDonald is a major league player. Fact is if he ever had any value John Hart would have traded him long ago. But there is no interest. The guy may field (though we'll probably never know) but he has never hit. Think Omar Vizquel in 2001... but worse.
Hector Luna went to the John McDonald hitting school except he can't field. 22 errors in 66 games at Columbus. Luna doesn't even rate a blip on the prospect screen.
Peralta is the most intriguing. Good D and a bat with some pop. But not enough pop to justify his 148 K's in 441 AB's. He averages more than a strike-out every 3 AB's. He will be 20 in May and has a long road before he will be ready to face major league pitching.
Fact is that allowing for even good development it is unlikely {almost impossible) that either Peralta or Luna (less likely) will be Major League ready before Vizquel's contract is up (2004 w/option for 2005).
It's quite a stretch to consider the Tribe strong at ANY minor league position. There is strength in pitching (thank goodness).
Truth is there is no foreseeable replacement at SS in the minor league system that would encourage the Tribe to move Vizquel to make way for prospects!

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[*TR]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by supersleuth:
When you have a system loaded with SS prospects?

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What?? Loaded with SS prospects? Who's system are you talking about?? Surely not the Tribe. And don't even try to convince me that McDonald is a prospect.


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[supersleuth]

*TR, only time will tell who's right. But for better or worse, it's clear that Shapiro doesn't agree with you (which you may well take as a compliment!)since it's an open secret that he shopped Omar around before doing the Alomar deal. And whether we're ready to replace him or not, it's clear that Omar, at 35 in April, does not have a long major league career ahead of him.

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[Hawaii007]

I wasn't in Cleveland when Kosar got cut, but in reading back as to the situation, cutting Kosar was not that smart unless it was for salary cap reasons especially since all he had to replace him with was Testavarde who didn't play that well himself.

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