Unfortunately, I haven’t had the opportunity to give this column a much-needed update for quite some time. I’ve been tackling a variety of situations, and unfortunately, this update has been pushed back as a result. Hopefully, we’ll be back to a regular schedule from here on out.

Calling Mr. Anderson

So, where to start? Let’s start with the present, and the Brian Anderson situation. Once viewed as an innings-eater at best, Anderson has actually been a pleasant surprise, providing some of the best outings of any Indians pitchers this season. Behind C.C. Sabathia, Anderson has clearly been the most consistent starter, and the Indians are undoubtedly grateful for that.

That said, Anderson might be moved before the August 31 waiver deadline, as there are still quite a few teams in need of another starter for the playoff run. Kansas City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Oakland are all possibilities for Anderson, and Houston has also been mentioned in the hunt for a starting pitcher. A deal could be to the benefit of both teams, with the Indians receiving a decent prospect, and the contender receiving a much-needed boost to their rotation. Anderson would be due a $600,000 bonus if traded, but that could be sorted out relatively easily if a team is truly interested in acquiring him. Keep an eye on this situation, as a deal could be imminent; Anderson has met with G.M. Mark Shapiro on numerous occasions over the past few weeks.

6-Man Rotation

There could be one snag on the Cleveland side of any Anderson deal: the current six-man rotation. The Indians have switched to a six-man rotation as of late, mainly to preserve their young arms in the rotation, many of whom have been under limited season totals in terms of innings in the past. If the front office wishes to preserve the six-man rotation to keep their starters’ innings down, trading Anderson might leave the rotation a bit thin. There are other arms that could be plugged into the rotation, but it would likely be another youngster.

Ludwick to Cleveland

The deal that sent SP Ricardo Rodriguez and 1B Shane Spencer to Texas in exchange for OF Ryan Ludwick could turn out to be a win-win for both teams.

Rodriguez, when healthy, is one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. He throws hard, with a mid-90s fastball and high-80s slider, and also throws a solid changeup. A bit old for most of his stops in the minors, Rodriguez has posted solid stats at every level but the majors. Over time, that should change, and I see him developing into a quality No. 2 starter. He has ace potential, although I don't think that will be fulfilled, as it's obviously quite hard to accomplish.

Ludwick is a quaity power bat, something the Indians have needed since losing all their power guys in the late '90s, early '00s. A hip injury sidelined him towards the end of last season, but he silenced those concerns with a stellar performance in Triple-A earlier this year. Like Rodriguez, he has struggled in relatively brief major-league stints, but could hit 30 homers down the line. His average will never be overly impressive, but he should draw enough walks to provide a favorable OBP, and his extra-base potential will further his value.

Dealing Spencer will save salary and open a spot for Ludwick, who can play corner-outfield and DH. Had Kevin Mench not injured himself a few weeks back, he likely would have been the player coming to Cleveland in this deal.

Hot and Cold

Hot
SP Cliff Lee
OF Ryan Ludwick
1B Travis Hafner

Cold
OF Matt Lawton
2B/SS John McDonald
C Josh Bard

Injury Report

SS Omar Vizquel
Status: 15-Day DL, knee
Prognosis: Has begun rehab assignment at Class-A Lake County, hopes to be back soon.

RP Bob Wickman
Status: 60-Day DL, elbow
Prognosis: On rehab assignment in Double-A. Could return to majors next week.

C Victor Martinez
Status: 15-Day DL, ankle
Prognosis: Has resumed running in pool. Could be back in September.

OF Milton Bradley
Status: 15-Day DL, back
Prognosis: Expected to be out at least another three weeks.

RP Mark Wohlers
3B Ricky Gutierrez
RP Dave Elder
DH Ellis Burks
SP Jason Bere
Status: 15/60-Day DL
Prognosis: All will miss remainder of season.

Posted by Richie Madden at 09:35 AM | Comments (8)

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