Omar is slapping high-fives right now as the path to Molina gets even more clear!

Sorry to hijack the thread so quickly. I think Shoppach is an excellent candidate for a bounce back season and he makes alot of sense for the Rays. The Indians have little use for him w/Marson and Santana on the way.

Superficially, Shoppachs BABIP went from the .350's down to .280 last year. If that rebounds some, then he's a solid catcher as part of a time share. So, is his defense craptastic? Nagging injuries?

Superficially, Shoppachs BABIP went from the .350's down to .280 last year. If that rebounds some, then he's a solid catcher as part of a time share. So, is his defense craptastic? Nagging injuries?

I thought his defensive rep was always pretty decent, just blocked by V Martinez.

I think this is just Cleveland clearing room for Marson/Santana and saving a few million (he made $2M in '09 and is arb eligible).

I think this is just Cleveland clearing room for Marson/Santana and saving a few million (he made $2M in '09 and is arb eligible).

I get why the Indians traded him, I'm just puzzled why there wasn't more demand. Shoppach is a damn useful player.

Shoppach is a damn useful player.

2008 was something special, huh? 261/348/517, 21 homers in 112 games.

I get why the Indians traded him, I'm just puzzled why there wasn't more demand. Shoppach is a damn useful player.

The PTBNL could be someone good. Maybe they're a recent draftee and can't be traded yet, or maybe Cle gets to pick from a list later on. Maybe Cle needs roster spots for the Rule 5.

Maybe they're a recent draftee and can't be traded yet, or maybe Cle gets to pick from a list later on. Maybe Cle needs roster spots for the Rule 5.

It can't be a recent draftee since the Indians have to choose the player by December 20th, but it could still end up being a decent player going to Cleveland. If it's a case of roster management, then it's a heads up move by the Rays to move quickly. Really, a nice piece of business by the Rays.

Maybe they're a recent draftee and can't be traded yet

It can't be anyone drafted in 2009, since they won't be eligible to be traded by the time the PTBNL has to be exchanged (6 months from now).

Superficially, Shoppachs BABIP went from the .350's down to .280 last year. If that rebounds some, then he's a solid catcher as part of a time share. So, is his defense craptastic? Nagging injuries?

For a slow catcher, .280 babip is much, much more likely to be his true level than .350. I've got him as a .229 hitter next year. But he's a league average offensive player even when hitting .220, and an adequate defender as well. He'll be a nice addition to the Rays.

It can't be a recent draftee since the Indians have to choose the player by December 20th

It can't be anyone drafted in 2009, since they won't be eligible to be traded by the time the PTBNL has to be exchanged (6 months from now).

Wait, which is it? I can't RTFA b/c work blocks that site for some reason.

Wait, which is it? I can't RTFA b/c work blocks that site for some reason.

6 months is the standard time frame, but rotoworld was reporting the Indians had until December 20th to decide per this particular trade.

I was thinking that Shoppach would make a nice platoon partner for Navarro, but both of them are death to LHP & can't hit RHP worth a damn. This despite Navarro being a switch-hitter.

It's probably a PTBNL so as to wait until after Rule 5, as is SOP for trades involving unprotected players this time of year.

No mention of Santana in the article. LOL!

I get why the Indians traded him, I'm just puzzled why there wasn't more demand. Shoppach is a damn useful player.

Well Shoppach was the guy I kept telling fellow Met fans at work that Omar should have been after... But no, Omar had to spend $2m on Cora....

Andy Marte, Guillermo Mota, Kelly Shoppach and Randy Newsom for Coco Crisp, David Riske and Josh Bard. Pretty sure the list of people saying "Shoppach could wind up the best player in that deal" was pretty short but other than Crisp's 2007 that seems to be a reasonable argument.

BTW - Did Shoppach really lead the AL in HBP?

The Dodgers didn't offer arb Randy Wolf, which I'm not sure I get.

I wonder if it might be Sean Rodriguez coming back? He seems as blocked in tampa as he was with the Angels.

retty sure the list of people saying "Shoppach could wind up the best player in that deal" was pretty short

Andy Marte seemingly had a career resurrection last year... until September rolled around and he turned back into a pumpkin...

#### the McCourts.

#### the McCourts.

Isn't someone ####### the McCourts what started this whole mess?

No, it started because Frank McCourt made a power play. Jamie McCourt ####### the bodyguard was a symptom, not the cause.

No, it started because Frank McCourt made a power play. Jamie McCourt ####### the bodyguard was a symptom, not the cause.

Explain please?

For tax/bankruptcy/liability/whatever reasons, the Dodgers are in Frank's name only. However, every since they were the owners both Jamie and Frank had their own people that they hired and reported to them. In the 2008 off season, Frank McCourt somehow convinced Jamie McCourt to give up her CEO title and Frank hired his own yes man for that position, Dennis Mannion. Mannion has taken control of the day to day stuff, and is firmly in Frank McCourt's corner. McCourt also pushed out Charles Steinberg, and finally fired him in Oct 2009, the main man in Jamie McCourt's corner. Frank then did a purge of people who were hired by Steinberg and were presumably in Jamie McCourt's corner as well.

So basically, Frank McCourt been working on this since at least 2008, and probably before hand since he's been resisting giving his wife official co-ownership of the team for years.

BTW - Did Shoppach really lead the AL in HBP?

Wow, I guess he did. Choo was 2nd. The Indians led the majors as a team. Before being traded Garko had 10, Francisco had 8. They will have difficulty making up for all that.

It's probably a PTBNL so as to wait until after Rule 5, as is SOP for trades involving unprotected players this time of year.

My money's on Aneury Rodriguez, by far Tampa's best unprotected eligible. Which might make Cleveland SOL - I can't see him not being taken in the draft.