The Indians going all in is what makes MLB's trade deadline great
This is why baseball’s trade deadline is the best.
After reporting that rival executives considered the Indians the front-runner for catcher Jonathan Lucroy on Saturday night, I said on MLB Network that such a move would complicate the market for left-hander Andrew Miller.
Earlier in the day, the Nationals had filled their need for a closer by acquiring Mark Melancon from the Pirates. The Indians giving up major prospects for Lucroy -- a deal that Lucroy rejected in another stunning turn Sunday morning -- seemingly would have taken them out of the mix for any Miller trade.
Jonathan Lucroy
But no.
An emphatic “no.” A shout-to-the-heavens “no.” A “no” that shocked the baseball world, delivering the kind of head-snapping jolt that only the deadline offers, virtually every year.
Let there be no more talk from rival clubs about the Indians’ refusal to part with top youngsters.
The Indians’ braintrust, led by president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti and general manager Mike Chernoff, was willing to part with eight players for Miller and Lucroy, three of whom were in Baseball America’s top 100. But guess what? They had four more in BA’s top 100. They can flip Miller, who is signed through 2018, if things don’t work out -- and they could have flipped Lucroy, too.
And then there are the Yankees – oh my gosh, the Yankees. Certified sellers for the first time in memory, they made a stunning deal for Aroldis Chapman, landing the Cubs’ top prospect, infielder Gleyber Torres, and established right-hander Adam Warren, plus two others. The Miller deal, coming seemingly from out of nowhere, is even more stunning and provides even more upside, with outfielder Clint Frazier and left-hander Justus Sheffield the big prizes.
This is a major step for the Yankees, a necessary step – and don’t expect them to stop now.
Right fielder Carlos Beltran, catcher Brian McCann and a number of Yankees starting pitchers are in play, and the clock on designated hitter Alex Rodriguez is ticking.
Carlos Beltran
Rodriguez, 41, had no place on the Yankees when they were trying to contend. He has even less of a place now that they are starting to rebuild. Releasing him cannot be ruled out, even if he is four homers shy of 700.
Much is at stake for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. Ownership resisted a selloff for as long as possible, skeptical that fans would embrace rebuilding with prospects. But check the Yankees’ declining attendance and television ratings – fans were not exactly captivated by the current product. They want to see a more vibrant team, and the Yankees, from a competitive standpoint, simply had to start over.
Not all of the prospects will become stars; that is the nature of the game. But the Great Free-Agent Class of 2018 – Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Jose Fernandez, et al – is two-plus seasons away. By then, the young core of the next great Yankees teams will be in place. And ownership can load up on stars again.
The whole thing is good for the game – seeing the low-revenue Indians wield their prospect power, seeing the high-revenue Yankees shift into a lower gear. Baseball is the best. The deadline is the best. And a Sunday morning bombshell proved it yet again.
