Hillbilly wrote:Call me crazy call me kooky but I really think Bieber has passed up McKenzie as our top pitching prospect. I definitely would not include him in any deal next month. But I might include McKenzie now.

Certainly might be in the talks at this point!

Gio Urshela DFAd by the Blue Jays. Do the Indians want him back as a minor leaguer? Any other team gets a shot at signing him and he gets to choose where he goes.

TFIR wrote:

Hillbilly wrote:Call me crazy call me kooky but I really think Bieber has passed up McKenzie as our top pitching prospect. I definitely would not include him in any deal next month. But I might include McKenzie now.

Certainly might be in the talks at this point!

Watching the game last night, they showed a picture looking in the dugout of Bieber, Bauer, Plutko and lurking was Clevenger. 4 pretty good young pitchers all having success. On top of that, there is Kluber, Carrasco, and who knows Salazar. I put Salazar in the pen and tell him to become a closer. I think Carrasco could be trade bait.

I doubt we will get much out of Salazar. This year seems like a mystery. I don't really know what his injury is and he's making zero progress. Maybe it's not entirely physical. Not casting aspersions. Just don't have any concrete knowledge.

I'm just happy we have rotation alternatives at this point.

Did you notice how quickly Zach Britton rehabbed and got back?

As a reliever that is so much easier - and to me his stuff would be really good there along with less workload.

Andre Knott reporting they are probably going to have a surgeon open Salazar up and do exploratory surgery and try to find out what is wrong. He has not thrown one single time with any kind of force this year.

Carrasco pitching in Akron tonight, if it goes well will be back in rotation in 5 days.

Really no update on Miller. Just taking it day by day.

Olsen coming along. And Merritt pitched in Columbus last night.

and Merritt's game last night was most effective on his rehab.

Plutko has a four inning perfect game and an expectation that in 5 days he loses his job.

Think they'd move Plutko into the bullpen? We certainly have expendable arms out there. Would they eat salaries of Tomlin or McAllister or Otero? Or all of them? With Olson and Merritt and Miller and Plutko we can replace everyone out there besides the reliable 3.

Carlos Carrasco (elbow) will rejoin the Indians' rotation Friday against the Athletics.

Manager Terry Francona said that Carrasco hit 97 mph while tossing four scoreless innings in a rehab start with Double-A Akron on Saturday.

He threw only 58 pitches in the outing but threw more in the bullpen after the game, so Carrasco should almost be ready for a full workload Friday. He's missed the last two weeks with a bruised elbow.

Goody! I wull be at that game!

Indians make roster move to enhance Josh Tomlin' self-esteem. They add a pitcher with the following stats this season:

Major Leagues: 7 2/3 innings pitched; 13 hits; 9 walks; WHIP 2.87 ERA 9.50
released
signed and sent to AAA: faced 15 batters, walked 3, allowed 4 hits, retried 8. WHIP 2.63 AVG against 364

Josh will now get to share the 9th inning of blowouts. except they're going to use Rzepczynski earlier since they think he can get out lefties. Can he? in Columbus they had 3 hits and a walk off him in 2 1/3 innings. And how do they keep the other team from pinch-hitting against him? Only use him against the best hitters, I guess, and he'll certainly be able to overmatch them.

They'll say that he had an ERA of zero against lefties this year in the majors. Well in 6 1/3 innings against LH he put 10 on base and 2 runs scored but they were unearned. Since there is a remote chance the opposition may check out his splits and pinch hit a right handed bat, it is worth noting that he walked 3 unintenttionally and allowed 7 hits to RH batters while retiring 4 of them.

Rzepczynski and Carrasco have been called up. Plutko optioned to Columbus. Shawn Morimando has been released to make room on 40 man for Rzepczynski.

I'm not surprised they don't want Plutko in the bullpen. Keep him stretched out in a rotation for the next time they need rotation depth.

And they will need it.

I would be surprised if they make any moves before the trading deadline, Meja, Perez, and who knows who else could be trade pawns.