There's an excellent sportswriter in Cleveland, Ohio named Terry Pluto who wrote the following article: Any Trade Involving Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco is Painful.
Listen, before Lindor and Carrasco were traded to the Mets, I understood that the (not the Indians) were going to have to trade Lindor. What I didn't expect was the trade of Carrasco. If you were to ask me what I wanted for each before the trade, this is what I would have expected.
Lindor:
1. Prospect with major league experience between the age of 22-25
2. Top 3 AAA prospect
3. Top 5 AA prospect.
4. Single A prospect. (At least 2 of the 4 players would have to be shortstops.)
Carrasco:
1. Prospect with major league experience between the age of 22-25
2. AA prospect.
Instead, the (not the Indians) packaged the 2 players and received:
1. Prospect with major league experience: Age 21
2. Prospect with major league experience: Age 25
3. 2019 second round draft pick.
4. 2020 second round draft pick.
This is not the NFL. I don't want draft picks. So I am displeased that the (not the Indians) basically got the best deal possible for Lindor, then literally gave Carrasco away. I am not using hyperbole, one day Francisco Lindor will be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. This trade is yet another in an illustrious history of the Cleveland (not the Indians) trading away players who will be in Hall of Fame conversations.
In 2002, the Cleveland Indians traded Bartolo Colon to the Montreal Expos for Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, and Brandon Phillips.
In hindsight, the Indians traded away a probable future Hall of Famer for 3 all stars. The Indians traded Colon because they didn't want to pay him and they were worried about his durability. Colon went on to pitch 16 more years and finished with a 247-188 record. In an era where almost no pitcher gets 300 wins anymore, Bartolo Colon is going to get Hall of Fame votes. It was the last time you could argue that the Indians "won" a blockbuster trade. Please re-visit the year on that trade.
In 2008, the Cleveland Indians traded CC Sabathia to the New York Yankees for Michael Brantley, Matt LaPorta, Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson.
In hindsight, the Indians traded away a probable future Hall of Famer for 1 all star and magic beans. The Indians traded Sabathia to the Milwaukee Brewers because they didn't want to pay him and they were worried about his durability. Sabathia went on to pitch 11 more years and finished with a 251-161 record. In an era where almost no pitcher gets 300 wins anymore, CC Sabathia is almost a lock for the Hall of Fame.
In 2009, the Cleveland Indians traded Cliff Lee to the Philadelphia Phillies for Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Lou Marson, and Jason Knapp.
In hindsight, the Indians traded an all-star for a very good pitcher and magic beans. Carrasco left the Indians with a 88-73 record and Cliff Lee finished his career at 143-91. Colon, Sabathia, and Lee had all won Cy Young awards in their careers.
In 2019, the Cleveland Indians traded Corey Kluber to the Texas Rangers for Delino DeSheilds and Emmanuel Clase.
In hindsight, the Indians traded a 2 time Cy Young Award winner for an average player who is already off the Indian's roster and a player that was banned for 80 games right after the trade.
All trades were made under the ownership group of Larry and Paul Dolan. All trades were precipitated by cash considerations.
If I wanted to be a smart ass, I could argue that the Dolans traded Bartolo Colon for Amed Rosario. There is a direct lineage.
Cleveland Indians Payroll when they traded Colon: $78 Million
Cleveland Indians Payroll when they traded Cliff Lee: $80 Million
Cleveland Indians Payroll when they traded Kluber: $88 Million
Current Indians Payroll: $23 Million
The Dolans' purchase price for the Indians? A then-MLB record $320 Million.
Today the Indians are worth over $1.2 Billion.
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