By Matt Van Wormer
A couple days ago, DTTWLN? writer Mike Brandyberry pointed out that this young Indians team does not seem to be quite ready for a pennant race. They are slumping under some of the heaviest pressure any of them has ever felt. Even with the addition of a veteran in Kosuke Fukudome and a young arm in Ubaldo Jimenez, it still seems that the Indians are doing things more for next year than this year.
I say this because of moves like trading Orlando Cabrera to the San Francisco Giants. By moving Orlando, the Indians opened up a roster spot for Jason Donald who made his first start of cnasalarynow.net the season for the Tribe. In addition to Donald, the Indians are also starting Jason Kipnis (who was just called up a couple weeks ago) and have been playing Ezequial Carrera (who has only been with the big league club for a short time) and Lonnie Chisenhall (same) quite a bit to gauge their potential. This is a very young nucleus who may very well be in over their heads this year. But they may also be more ready then we think they are.
I am not saying that preparing for next year is a bad thing. While losing Drew Pomeranz and Alex White to the Rockies hurts (mostly because both cnaprogramsnow.net could be in the Rockies rotation by September), it is good to see the Indians as buyers instead of sellers at this time of the season. Potentially, they could get things together and make a run at the Central Division title this year but by getting their young up and comers some playing time down the stretch in 2011 they will be in a great position to make some big waves in 2012.
The one thing that I think the Indians must do, no matter what, is make one more move to really solidify these trades. They have to get an outfielder who can prevent us from seeing Austin Kearns play cna-programs.net the outfield in his sub par manner and flounder at the plate. Also, someone (I am looking at YOU, Travis Hafner, Asdrubal Cabrera) has to step up and be a leader in a clubhouse full of guys who have never been in this position before. Heck, even Fukudome can let these young guys know what it’s like to be in the playoffs.
If the Indians can get what they are expecting out of the trades they have made and set themselves up for more than just the last two months of this season, they could be successful in making themselves contenders not just for 2011 but for the next few years to come.
