All Tribe decisions these days are based on money.

Brantley wanted big bucks and probably deserved them.

In the 10 years with the Tribe.

He never had a 100 RBI season. He never had a 100 run season. He never had more than 20 HRs. He didn't steal a bunch of bases. He was limited in the field. He had an injury history.

I'm sure he was great in the clubhouse and the FO loved him but not enough to justify the bucks he was seeking.

The bottom line is the Cleveland Indians cannot and will not pay big bucks for star players anymore.

Needless to say it's over now, but I believe Brantley is the missing piece and without coming up with a reasonable likeness of him (incredibly unlikely) this offense is doomed to be stuck in neutral all season.

Absolutely right. He was not even very expensive in baseball terms. I think the failure to re-sign Michael was a huge mistake.

Brantley was always the most important departure. One of the main reasons is that Brantley was willing to stay in Cleveland if the team was willing to give him an acceptable contract.

We will never know if the possibility of signing Brantley was based on being able to trade Kluber or another player with a large salary.

That's a great point rusty.

Because Brantley went quite awhile into the offseason before he signed with Houston.

Brantley took pressure off the young guys and he was a resource. I remember one of them saying that Brantley was the team's best hitter period - and that's when Lindor and JRam were going well.

Just saw Dan O'Dowd on MLB Network talk about his time as GM in Colorado. He said that one thing he NOW understands is that if you are making transactions, and the players don't think you are improving the team, then the clubhouse becomes a problem.

Not hard to take this and apply it to the Indians.

On some level, they have to feel that the loss of EE, Brantley and even Gomes is the front office tanking. And perhaps they aren't taking it well. Just sayin'

Obviously we miss Brantley's bat and ability to get on base. But another thing we are missing is his veteran leadership.

In the majors when dealing with men, managers like to have players police themselves. I am not sure many clubs have Kangaroo Courts any more but veterans do step up when needed.

For instance, players constantly making the 3rd out at 3rd base! (yes, this really bugs me)

We could really use a guy like Brantley or ... can't believe I'm saying this but, Mike Napoli, to talk with guys when they are making stupid mistakes.

It is obvious nobody is doing it now.

The team has lost Napoli, Brantley, Gomes, and Cody Allen the last year or two. By all reports this was most of the veteran leadership in clubhouse and bullpen. It is taking it's toll.

Speaking of Brantley getting on base. Last year I did this and thought I would look again this year. At teams that get on base and how it equates to runs and wins.

The top teams in the AL in OBP are the Astros and BoSox. They are also 2nd and 3rd in the AL in runs scored. And of course two of the best teams in the league.

Top teams in NL in OBP are Cubs and Dodgers. Dodgers are also 1st and Cubs are 3rd in runs scored. And they are both in 1st place in their division.

Only real outlier seems to be Seattle, who is leading league in runs scored despite being middle of pack in OBP. But that is because they have hit a crap ton of homers so far. 20+ more than BoSox or Yanks. 40+ more than us.

We really miss Brantley's ability to get on base. I think he is 370+ for Houston right now, which isn't unusual when healthy. The couple years before he got injured he got on base at a 380 clip for us both seasons.

Honestly though, I don't think the Tribe was trying to trade a SP to sign Brantley though. I read at some point in offseason that they just didn't feel like they could pay him what he deserved given his injury history.

I get that, but in retrospect it was a mistake. He now makes what Kluber makes. Speaks for itself. 2 year deal which protects Houston against injury too.

If we could have dealt Kluber for good kids, we still have Brantley and good kids and still a good rotation.

I was watching Houston last night and HB has a great point. I saw Brantley in the dugout talking to all those kid young hitters - and they have a boatload of them - Correa, Springer, Bregman etc

Putting Brantley in the middle of that group is like legalizing murder!

Springer, Altuve, Bregman, Brantley, Correa the first 5 hitters. Are you kidding me? They have Josh Reddick batting 6th, and he is tearing it up.

Right, and Verlander and Gerritt Cole at the top of their rotation.

That team is in another league altogether - you can stamp their passport to the World Series right now.

On the bright side, no need for sleeping pills these days!

Tribe had been a leader in walks and a trailer in strikeouts. I think we had a season where we were best in BB and last in K at one time. I've not looked but I can't imagine we're anywhere close to those results this year. Carlos and Jose draw walks. No one else is big on that.

Bauers is pretty selective.

I can't help but think, at this point, that the front office looks at Houston and Boston and says...window closed. And they may have a point if so.

I like Bauers' selectivity. I am hoping he can get his average up there. He is young enough and talented enough to count as one of the few actual "kids" we have to build around. He's nearly a year younger than Mercado

I always liked Yandy so I have tried to refrain from commenting much on Bauers. Lord knows I might be bias. But honestly I have no idea what the Tribe saw in the guy. Lifetime 270 hitter in the minors. 14 homers was the most he ever hit in minors. I just don’t see anything special in him.

He did always have a nice OBP in minors though, and obviously I like that. But don’t expect him to be anything special, IMO.

But the good news is he seems to be the least of our worries right now.

On a more positive note:

paul hoynes
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Mike Clevinger throwing 20 pitch bullpen right now.

Hillbilly wrote:I always liked Yandy so I have tried to refrain from commenting much on Bauers. Lord knows I might be bias. But honestly I have no idea what the Tribe saw in the guy. Lifetime 270 hitter in the minors. 14 homers was the most he ever hit in minors. I just don’t see anything special in him.

He did always have a nice OBP in minors though, and obviously I like that. But don’t expect him to be anything special, IMO.

But the good news is he seems to be the least of our worries right now.

HB - I don't think anyone liked the Yandy move - but to me if Bauers blossoms then it makes it less painful.

Younger guy, perhaps higher ceiling. Doesn't mean that he'll reach it.

But I don't have to point much further than Lindor and JRam to show that power can develop later - I do believe he hit 11 last season in MLB.

There is hope there but if I were betting on it I'd go with Yandy in the long run. And I never lose bets... ...ok maybe a few.