LaPorta sent down to AAA, Marte activated

• BlueDevil11

  

  http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100607&content_id=10912090&vkey=news_cle&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle
  
  I don't understand this at all. If this team is rebuilding, then why are they sending a young player down. Why not get rid of one of the veterans that is taking playing time away from him? If LaPorta is as good as the Indians thought he was when they traded for him, then why not let him get time in the pros?
• jordo212000

  

  Truth is even though Kearns is having a good season, they probably shouldn't have signed him. Same with Branyan, even though he hasn't been terrible either (7 HRs .246). Both guys have been taking playing time from guys who the Indians expect to be cornerstones (Brantley, LaPorta) down the road. I realize that neither have been good at the big league level, but you wonder how much the lineup shuffling has hurt them.
  
  Now that both the graybeards are on the team this is probably the right move for LaPorta. Let him play EVERY day, and when he comes back, make sure he plays EVERY day. That is the only way he'll get better
• mucalum49

  

  jordo212000;381828 wrote:Truth is even though Kearns is having a good season, they probably shouldn't have signed him. Same with Branyan, even though he hasn't been terrible either (7 HRs .246). Both guys have been taking playing time from guys who the Indians expect to be cornerstones (Brantley, LaPorta) down the road. I realize that neither have been good at the big league level, but you wonder how much the lineup shuffling has hurt them.
  
  Now that both the graybeards are on the team this is probably the right move for LaPorta. Let him play EVERY day, and when he comes back, make sure he plays EVERY day. That is the only way he'll get better

  
  This is the M.O. with the Tribe though. It has happened each year since Dolan took over. This isn't a bash Dolan comment but just their strategy. The team takes fliers on low risk veterans and compromises the growth and development of young guys at the big league level. By the time the prospect gets a chance to play everyday, they're potential has been devastated by the slumping and being sent down that they basically become a 4A guy.
  
  Sadly this is happening with a guy who had great potential in LaPorta. Being a small market team the Indians need to get their shit together in player development if they ever want to be successful again.
• krazie45

  

  The front office doesn't step to the plate for LaPorta. He's the one batting like shit. I have no problem with this move.
• jordo212000

  

  krazie45;381849 wrote:The front office doesn't step to the plate for LaPorta. He's the one batting like shit. I have no problem with this move.

  
  This isn't pee-wee baseball. It isn't exactly easy to hit MLB pitching. Most guys need to see the ball consistently everyday. If you get shuffled in and out positions and don't know when you are going to be playing again, it obviously is going effect you. I agree he isn't hitting and needs sent down to refine his swing, but I'd also argue that management did him no favors.
• newarkcatholicfan

  

  Laporta has shown so far what many knew and that is he is not ready for the show.
• hoops23

  

  Yeah, LaPorta isn't ready for ML pitching yet. He looked lost even when he was playing everyday.
  
  The Tribe management still mishandled him though. No way they should have waited this long to send him back down.
  
  This is why I don't want Santana up for at least a couple more weeks.
• Footwedge

  ^^Don't buy into the mishandled deal with LaPorta. In the bigs you are lucky to get even one chance. Laporta got a chance...for 9 weeks. He did not perform. Time to give someone else the opportunity to excel. Part of being successful in sports or in life (general terms) is to succeed when given the opportunity.
  
  It's also time to bring up Santana. The kid has produced...it's time for a promotion. That's the way it works.
• krazie45

  

  Footwedge;382077 wrote:^^Don't buy into the mishandled deal with LaPorta. In the bigs you are lucky to get even one chance. Laporta got a chance...for 9 weeks. He did not perform. Time to give someone else the opportunity to excel. Part of being successful in sports or in life (general terms) is to succeed when given the opportunity.
  
  It's also time to bring up Santana. The kid has produced...it's time for a promotion. That's the way it works.

  
  I agree. I think everyone seems to be giving LaPorta a free pass for some reason. He got a chance and didn't perform. He'll have another shot up in the big leagues and hopefully back in Columbus he can learn from his mistakes but he has no one to blame but himself for not being able to put the bat on the ball.
• newarkcatholicfan

  

  I am not giving him a free pass.
  I think the Tribe front office will do to him what they did to Jason Davis.
• HitsRus

  

  He has had plenty of opportunity and his performance is sub par. He needs to go down and work on some things. If he had come up thru the farm system rather than being the centerpiece of the C.C. deal...he wouldn't have had one tenth the time in the bigs. The other guy who needs to go down is Valbuena. Two months into theseason and he was batting .134. WTF is a guy with a batting average like that doing in a big league uniform? .200 is reserved for a slick fielding SS who makes up for his lack of plate prowess with his defense. Valbuena is not even close to that. A guy doesn't just get better because he is exposed to major league pitching. He's got to go and work and learn and have some success. LaPorta was going backwards. Valbuena is going backwards. The problem is not that they aren't allowing their young players to develop at the big league level...it's that they aren't allowing them to develop at the APPROPRIATE level. It's not that they signed Kearns and Branyan....it's that they salary dumped their veterans for a bunch of minor leaguers that need more seasoning, and aren't ready to play at this level..
  
  I'm glad to see Marte back. They need to definitively make a decision on this guy. Put him on 3rd, move Peralta back to SS and Donald to 2B....and send Valbuena down. What the hell is going to happen?...lose some games? Ha!
  
  
  ...and now Grudslienak is designated for assignment. Yeah, let's keep Luis up here. We need someone to pair with Marson and create the biggest black hole ever to grace a Major League lineup.
• ricola

  

  now we're talking! Finally getting a lineup on the field that can contend for the pennant! time to fill up the ballpark again.
• HitsRus

  

  We scored 11 runs tonite without the help of Valbuena who "raised" his average to .169 going 1-4....or Marson who went 0-2 and dropped to .190. To his credit, he did work a couple of walks.
• miller45452003

  HitsRus;385000 wrote:We scored 11 runs tonite without the help of Valbuena who "raised" his average to .169 going 1-4....or Marson who went 0-2 and dropped to .190. To his credit, he did work a couple of walks.

  
  The Tribe is moving up a fella named Cord Phelps to AAA who happens to be a 2B. Allthough he is not on the 40 man roster, this is something to keep an eye on. He's coming up through the system rather quickly. For some reason asswipe Acta has a stiffy for Valbuena. The guy sucks!!!
• newarkcatholicfan

  

  Cord Phelps is a player I was e-mailing Scott Leo about a few weeks ago during a Clippers game. I am glad he is getting the call up.
• The Answer

  Laporta went 4-4 with 3 HR's and 5 RBI in the Clippers 8-0 win last night. Hopefully he can get some confidence at the plate and keep it up when he gets recalled sometime this year
• From the Hills

  

  HitsRus;383671 wrote:
  I'm glad to see Marte back. They need to definitively make a decision on this guy. Put him on 3rd, move Peralta back to SS and Donald to 2B....and send Valbuena down. What the hell is going to happen?...lose some games? Ha!
  
  

  
  To even consider to move Peralta back to short shows the lack of talent on this team. To be honest I've lost interest in this team and haven't been paying much attention to their games, but I did catch the end of the game where the Detroit pitcher should have had his perfect game. Peralta's AB in the 9th inning of that game shows how much of an undisciplined and underachieving player he continues to be, he swung at a ball 2 feet out of the strike zone. As long as he has been in the league he has never developed any plate discipline.
• Laley23

  

  The Answer;385356 wrote:Laporta went 4-4 with 3 HR's and 5 RBI in the Clippers 8-0 win last night. Hopefully he can get some confidence at the plate and keep it up when he gets recalled sometime this year

  
  I didnt mind the average for Laporta at the bigs because I typically expect guys to hit around .250 when they start (he was under I get that). But his power was just non existent. Good too see he can still hit it over 300 feet.
• ricola

  

  agree agree^^. General apathy has developed for this team which is the worst thing that can happen. Only the hard core baseball fan/fans are interested in what's going on in Cleveland. At the rate things are going it will be a loong time before this franchise is relevant again, let alone drawing the number of fans needed to keep the team competetive. (at least interested in the home team and not the away team/pitcher)
• ricola

  

  From the Hills;385359 wrote:To even consider to move Peralta back to short shows the lack of talent on this team. To be honest I've lost interest in this team and haven't been paying much attention to their games, but I did catch the end of the game where the Detroit pitcher should have had his perfect game. Peralta's AB in the 9th inning of that game shows how much of an undisciplined and underachieving player he continues to be, he swung at a ball 2 feet out of the strike zone. As long as he has been in the league he has never developed any plate discipline.

  
  agree agree^^. General apathy has developed for this team which is the worst thing that can happen. Only the hard core baseball fan/fans are interested in what's going on in Cleveland. At the rate things are going it will be a loong time before this franchise is relevant again, let alone drawing the number of fans needed to keep the team competetive. (at least interested in the home team and not the away team/pitcher)
• BlueDevil11

  

  So far marte has not shown he is deserving of being in the pros. Especially after his 3 errors in the first inning of tonights game
• miller45452003

  BlueDevil11;386074 wrote:So far marte has not shown he is deserving of being in the pros. Especially after his 3 errors in the first inning of tonights game

  
  They can't groom Chisenhall fast enough. We have got the WEAKEST core of 3B I've ever seen. For Christ sakes, I'd take Roger Dorn over these clowns. What a circus act!
• HitsRus

  

  Marte goes2-3 tonite with an RBI, before being lifted for a PH...Russell Branyan .....who strikes out.
  I think they need to give this guy some extended time and then make a decision. You need to fish or cut bait.
  
  
  
  Oh great...With two outsin the 9th Kerry Wood HBP's J.D Drew and then gives up the lead with a two run dinger to Beltre. Nice. Wow. Just wow.
• HitsRus

  

  ....but the Tribe wins it on a 9th inning rally....a soft single by Branyan that scores 2.
• BRF

  

  Ye of little faith! Ha Ha !