Tribe's talent pool deep in most areas

TAMPA: All teams aspire but few achieve the goal of putting together a team with depth.

[Patty]

Plenty of depth, agreed.
I'd like to put Francisco in left but, I know, Delucci has to play.
They're doing a good job with Marte as well.
Let's enjoy CC while he's here, as a Cleveland fan there is nothing we can do about it.

[OMG]

Starting Pitching - Excellent

Relief Pitching - Okay

Hitting - Questinable especially since a power slugging Outifelder wasn't signed in the offseason.

Detroit & Chicago are much better. Let's hope that the Cheap_A$$ Indians are good enough to win their division once again this year. "Hope" is not a good thing. This is their last chance with CC as the lead starter.

GO TRIBE !!!

[Kbadm11]

Why is dedouche even on this team - hitting .143 - play Francisco at least he has upside. Dedouche has no side.

[PDT1420]

Pretty amazing how the indians have amassed SO much talent on a "wal mart budget"...

I guess it'd be wiser to stop this constant influx of talent and instead go on a spending spree... sure worked for the Yankees!

Get a clue, morons.

[Salinian]

Thanks, Sheldon, for an interesting and timely piece with helpful perspective. A portrait of a well-run organization, though not a perfect one.

For example, I'm not a fan of annually risking significant talent losses in Rule 5 while dubious components are protected on the 40-man. This year, it seems Brian Barton will stick with the Cards and follow Maicer Izturis, Ryan Church, Luke Scott, Willy Tavares, Brandon Phillips and Jeremy Guthrie out the door for minimal collective compensation.

These facts simply reinforce that this is indeed a franchise able to identify and secure for itself quality baseball talent. That is very good and quite a departure from former administrations.

Additionally, San Diego could use a fourth OF like Dellucci and the Mets a RH bat able to platoon with Church in RF to handle the lefties. Catching depth could maybe be the return.

With the many young bats about to surface from the bushes---Francisco, Jordan Brown, Brad Snyder, Trevor Crowe, Shin-Soo Choo, Michael Aubrey, maybe the returning Barton and Matt Whitney---it is not as if clinging to topped-out vets like Dellucci and Michaels is helpful or recommended. Room must be made for these rising talents, if only for morale and so as to avoid losing a few of them before their MLB potentials can be realized here.

Even after the current LF platoon is gone, managing all these pieces will pose challenge enough, assuming they will all be healthy.

While it can be called a good problem to have, it is nonetheless a problem of which the front office must be aware and foresighted.

[Josh]

Thank you, Sal... couldnt have said it better. "topped-out" is just a nice way of saying "useless". Dellucci and Michaels combined wont produce the kind of numbers Ben Francisco could have in a season if given the at-bats. We have the best farm system in all of baseball, with kids crawling out of our ears. The way guys like Sizemore and Carmona burst onto the scene when given the chance, it makes you wonder if guys like Francisco arent ready right now.

Dellucci, Michaels and guys of that ilk (Trot Nixon anyone?) are a waste of time and a waste of all the hard work it obviously takes to stock the farm with such talent. Dangle em in trades or cut em loose. The kids need their shot!!

[John]

Dellucci was a bad signing. Nobody is going to take his 7 million salary off the tribe's hands. Michaels has been very solid against left-handed pitching. As awful as Nixon was in the regular season, he came thru in the playoffs in his limited opportunities. Wedge stayed with too long in the regular season though.

I would rather see Francisco against righties and Michaels against lefties, but it isn't going to happen. Have to hope Dellucci proves us wrong and has a good year.

[PDT1420]

I think the only knock on this organization is amassing all this talent and then bringing it along to slowly. I like Francisco and young guys also over Michaels, Dellucci (although I don't think those guys are stiffs, look what they did in the playoffs when the pressure would have been on a young guy)

I just think it's absent-minded to bash some Indians to support others, and I try to stay away from that.

[Josh]

Nixon was huge in one playoff game, but Dellucci was waving his pom poms and Michaels might as well have joined him. I get what you're saying, but for what we're paying them..?

It can be very tantalizing for an organization with so much young talent to rush it, but if you're a middle of the road payroll team (and that's generous), doesnt it make sense to lean on those kids a little more?

[PDT1420]

I agreed and said I like Francisco over the left field platoon. Also defensively with Francisco in left is like having 3 center fielders out there. I just think that people are idiots when they say Michaels Nixon and Dellucci suck... it just isn't true.

A true statement is the belief that we could get equal production out of younger players, which is what both of us are saying. We can't, however, underestimate veteran leadership in the locker room. Where does that leave us, probably close to the same situation we're in... but bringing young talent along a little bit faster.

[Josh]

We are agreeing for the most part, but we already have leadership in Victor, Jake Westbrook, Borowski... ya know, productive players.

If you think 7-8 million for these guys is a good investment, by all means, stick to your guns. I think that money should be going towards extending the young core, not trying to squeeze these journeyman role players into a young, up-and-coming lineup.

After all, the way young kids develop at the major league level is with lots of playing time. Growing pains, let's call it.