Cleveland Sports Forum

Good start.

Blocked OFs on teams with solid OFs should be the off-season major targets.

I'll accept that Luplow is better than his brief major league numbers suggest. I hope so
Gonzalez is a good player but we dont' really need him. Chang could be about ready for the major leagues if they're willing to let him only play once or twice a week. Moroff looks pretty unimpressive. Eric Stamets on the 40 man roster is a slightly possible utility player too.

Tahnaj Thomas got a very nice writeup last week in the BA top prospect chat and made the Arizona League Top 20. We've now traded away two kids who were rated on the AZL top 20. One of the benefits of a strong farm system.

Another impressive Arizona pitcher: Tahnaj Thomas, 2 questions? How impressive? And how do pronounce that?

Teddy Cahill: I'm terrible at writing pronunciations, but it's TA-nahj. And, yes, he's impressive. He's raw because he came to pitching a little late but the stuff is real. He's got mid 90s fastball, tightened up his breaking ball and is very athletic. He's one to keep an eye on.

Here's John Sickels 2018 report on Luplow:

18) Jordan Luplow, OF, Grade C+: Age 24, third round pick in 2014 from Fresno State University, hit .302/.382/.527 with 23 homers, 45 walks, 81 strikeout in 414 at-bats between Double-A and Triple-A; hit .205/.276/.385 with three homers, six walks, 22 strikeouts in 78 major league at-bats; power is real but looks to have contact issues in the majors, although the upside as a hitter is enough to earn more chances; tools fit best in left field; he may be underestimated here; ETA 2018.

BA had him a few places higher on their Pirates 2018 rankings:

Luplow was an afterthought heading into the 2017 season after a mediocre year at high Class A Bradenton. However, the former Mountain West Conference player of the year at Fresno State had the most successful offensive season among Pirates minor leaguers in 2017. Luplow hit 23 home runs in 117 games at Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis, helping both teams reach the postseason. He was then called up to the Pirates to shore up their outfield depth. Throughout the season, he showed power to all fields, good feel for the barrel, quick hands and good pitch recognition. His success at the plate also seemed to translate to improvements in the rest of his game. Luplow doesn't have great speed, but he's smart on the basepaths and quick to take extra bases when they're there. A converted third baseman, he doesn't have great range in right field, but it improved this year, and he also showed a plus arm with excellent accuracy. Luplow has a good chance of starting 2018 with the Pirates as an extra outfielder.

Here's a brief writeup when he first arrived in the majors in 2017, obviously as it turned out, not ready:

SAN DIEGO — For a ballclub notoriously deliberate with the progression of its prospects through the minor league system, the Pirates’ promotion of Jordan Luplow represents a departure from the norm. Luplow was in Class AA exactly a month ago. He reached Class AAA for the first time this season, played 21 games and continued to rake. Friday, Luplow, 23, started in right field, making his major league debut less than a year after finishing Class A ball.

“It’s an aggressive move, but I also think it’s the culmination of work we’ve seen at every step of the way,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “He’s a solid defender, he plays all three outfield positions, he’s a good baserunner. This guy is a very good baseball player that has earned the opportunity to move up levels.”

Luplow like Oscar Mercado is a grade C+ major league as-ready-as-he'll ever be outfielder. Considering what we have to start with, they can be useful pickups but sure wont' be stars. Considering the quality of our IF, I guess we can get by as a contender with these kind of players. Both of them cost us highly rated very distant prospects.

Of course the main question about Jordan Luplow is if he is related to Al Luplow, mediocre Tribe OF in the early 60s. Pride of Zilwaukee could be this kid's grandfather.
Looking up Al's stats, he had a very good rookie season in '62 with an OPS of 834. In '63 I believe he had a hamstring issue that shut him down half of the year, his OPS was 655. Played a handful of games for us in 64 and 65 and then went off to the early awful Mets and briefly the Pirates.

In the damning with faint praise department:

Luplow is the best hitter in the Indians’ outfield, says Steamer projections. Luplow: 99 wRC+ Kipnis: 95 wRC+ Naquin: 95 wRC+ Martin: 86 wRC+ Zimmer: 80 wRC+ Allen: 78 wRC+ Mercado: 69 wRC+ The *best* hitter in the Indians’ outfield is projected to be 1% below league average.

Kluber and Ramirez both finish third as expected for Cy and MVP. Jose had an approximately case with Betts and Trout as of August 1. Considering how little he accomplished over the last two months he was a surprising 3rd, although his full season stats fit in around there. Lindor finished 6th for MVP and Bauer 6th for Cy. Trevor had a great case to win it until his fracture.

Indians add right-hander Hu in deal with Rays

Jul. 12th, 2018

By Anthony Castrovince MLB.com @castrovince

10:55 AM EST

CLEVELAND -- With the Rule 5 Draft deadline approaching Tuesday, and some teams in need of making room on their 40-man rosters, the Indians and Rays completed a minor trade Monday. Tampa Bay sent right-hander Chih-Wei Hu to Cleveland in exchange for infielder Gionti Turner.

Hu, 25, made five relief appearances with the Rays in 2018, but he spent the majority of the season at Triple-A Durham. With Durham, he posted a 4.66 ERA in 24 games, including 19 starts, striking out 92 and walking 28 in 102 1/3 innings. With the Rays, he had a 4.15 ERA in 13 innings, striking out 12 and allowing just a .149 average against.

A native of Taiwan, Hu was initially acquired by the Rays in the 2015 deal that sent Kevin Jepsen to the Twins at the non-waiver Trade Deadline. He was a Sirius/XM All-Star Futures Game participant in 2016.

Hu goes from the Rays' 40-man roster, which now stands at 39 players, to the Indians' 40-man, which now stands at 36 players.

Turner, 18, does not need to be added to a 40-man roster. He was the Indians' 27-round draft pick this year and hit .296 (50-for-169) in the rookie-level Arizona League.

I posted the same in Minor Matters, but it never hurts to duplicate big news

I've been putting up info on the impending 40 man roster deadline.. Certain to be protected Bobby Bradley and LHP Sam Hentges. I'd also add lefty Rob Kaminsky [a reliever in 2018 after return from injury] With these three they could still deal for one more.

The Cleveland Indians are "drawing significant trade interest" in All-Star catcher Yan Gomes and their starting pitchers on the market, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Monday.

Rosenthal spoke to a front-office executive who said the Indians are "scrambling to get young players."

ESPN's Buster Olney reported earlier this month Cleveland was willing to listen to offers for a number of proven veterans, including Gomes, Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Edwin Encarnacion.

The other team has to take Kipnis in any big name deal.

seagull wrote:The other team has to take Kipnis in any big name deal.

Yep!

Lost the chance to get Sheffield back, not that I'm so sure I'd want him back.
Can still seek the return of Clint Frazier.