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Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Hoynes: Shapiro did not want to regret a trade

Next time…use the Rinconsultants.

“Having been a part of the Ricardo Rincon-for-Brian Giles trade, I swore I’d never trade an everyday player for a reliever,” said Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro.

Shapiro’s statement went a long way in determining why the Indians didn’t acquire a reliever before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline. The sins of the past live long in the soul and the Baseball Register.

The Rincon-for-Giles trade was one of former GM John Hart’s worst. It started the depletion of the Indians’ farm system that Shapiro has been restocking since 2001.

So when the Royals dangled Octavio Dotel in front of Shapiro, asking for emerging outfielder Franklin Gutierrez, Shapiro said no. Foxsports.com reported the Indians could have had Dotel for Ben Francisco, yet another promising outfielder.

Repoz Posted: August 01, 2007 at 03:35 AM | 5 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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1. 6 - 4 - 3 Posted: August 01, 2007 at 04:09 AM (#2465052)

I don't really understand why MS would consider Francisco untouchable. I don't really see how he figures to be a long-term solution for LF, and the Indians have CF and RF covered with Sizemore and Gutierrez for the foreseeable future. DH too, for that matter. He's a nice guy to have around for organizational depth, but will he ever really be anything more than a spare part?

I've got mixed feelings about Dotel, but he'd clearly represent an upgrade in the Cleveland bullpen if healthy. In close races for both the division and wild card, the marginal difference between Dotel and the Indians current collection of bullpen stiffs could make the difference.

2. Guts

Posted: August 01, 2007 at 04:15 AM (#2465085)

Wasn't Giles-for-Rincon sort of defensible from Hart's perspective, as the Tribe had a surplus of awesome OFs at the time, and no lefty relief? I remember reading that Giles spent years in the minors with a .400+ OBP, since they had no where to put him - that was a serious organizational strength at the time. Maybe that was in Neyer's book of blunders.

3. Russlan will never be fond of Jason Bay Posted: August 01, 2007 at 04:16 AM (#2465090)

You can't be afraid of making a mistake if you are going to be a great GM.

4. Crispix Attacks Posted: August 01, 2007 at 04:22 AM (#2465139)

There were other relievers potentially available besides Dotel, too. David Riske, having better stats this year than Dotel. Al Reyes. Chad Cordero? (he wouldn't be a rental either and would have required more value in exchange)

5. 6 - 4 - 3 Posted: August 01, 2007 at 04:25 AM (#2465168)

Keeping Brian Giles in the minors until he was 25 was defensible in that he was blocked by Belle, Lofton, and Ramirez. But after Belle left following the 1996 season (and Burnitz had been traded midway the previous season for Seitzer), the Indians had a clear need for his bat.

He could have been a source of cheap outfield production for another several seasons, but instead the Indians got ~150 innings from Rincon.

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Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Hoynes: Shapiro did not want to regret a trade

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