A Look Back at the Ubaldo Jimenez Trade: Various Thoughts

After Ubaldo Jimenez was traded from the Colorado Rockies to the Cleveland Indians, various baseball writers offered up their opinions on the trade. Keith Law, for instance, seems to take the position the Indians were wrong to buy at the deadline when they acquired Jimenez because the club was really still in a rebuilding phase (at least that’s what I gathered from reading the first couple of paragraphs: I’m not an ESPN insider). Others at fangraphs.com questioned the Rockies motivations for selling on Ubaldo while both considering injuries and value.

These articles make good points. The Indians really do not have a decisive direction to go in long term. Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall are too new and too inexperienced to say for sure that some of the Indian's young pieces are turning them into a contender while they have team control and it is hard (though not impossible) to imagine Matt Laporta turning into much more than he currently is at 1b. The pitching staff has enjoyed an excellent season. Staff leader Justin Masterson has pitched well but enjoyed some luck with his low BABIP and HR/FB rates. The team is very much in the middle ground, not quite coming or going. Much of their future success could hinge on how Jimenez adjusts to the AL and if Grady Sizemore can recover from his injury troubles by next season after which he is a free agent.

Aaron Laffey Back For The Third Time

For the third time this season Aaron Laffey will be joining the Indians. This time he'll be rejoining the team because Justin Masterson's season will either be over after his start this evening, or shortly thereafter. That and AAA Columbus just finished off their season by winning the Governors Cup, freeing Laffey up to rejoin the big club.

Once considered a long-term part of the back-end of the Indians rotation, Laffey has never managed to stick in the Majors. Quite simply, Laffey walks too many to overcome his inability to miss bats. That hasn't changed and Laffey and at this point, Laffey's long-term potential may be as a lefty specialist, but even in that regard, he isn't very good.

Justin Masterson Making His Final Appearance Of 2010?

The Indians have stated that they'd like to keep Justin Masterson under 180 innings this year. Initially they had implemented their plan to move him to the bullpen a week ago, but after an abbreviated start by Mitch Talbot, they were forced to put Masterson back into the rotation. Tonight he'll take the mound with 173 innings already on the arm, and the Indians are sticking by their desire to limit his innings in a season that has seen him throw 50 more than last year.

Should Masterson throw the seven innings necessary, he'll likely be done for the season. Or, if he doesn't they may send him to the bullpen. That seems like an unnecessary step to me, but it shouldn't make a huge difference one way or another.

Masterson is an intriguing pitcher who has the peripherals to suggest Major league success: a solid strikeout rate (though that took a dip this year), and a very good ground ball rate. He does need to improve his control however, and if he can't he might be a better fit in the bullpen than he is in the rotation. That said, he's posted xFIP marks in the low fours the past two seasons and one way or another, the Indians should give Masterson every opportunity to stick in the rotation.

Is Justin Masterson about to Break Out?

By the title of the post, I'm guessing you already know my answer to that question is, 'yes.' But as always, it's the why that's important.

With an astounding career ground ball rate of 53.8% Masterson has always been a ground ball machine, but beneath the surface there has always been more. Last year he posted a solid 8.28 strikeout rate. The one thing holding him back has been command. For the past two seasons Masterson has struggled to throw enough strikes, walking more than four batters per nine innings.

I'm not positive that he's going to cut down on that rate significantly, but I am expecting him to post a mid 3's walk rate with a strikeout rate over nine, and continue to burn worms at a rate alarming enough PETA should take notice.

Though his ERA might not show it, Masterson has been spectacular this spring , posting an FIP line of 16IP / 1HR / 4BB / 22K with his typically incredible ground ball rates. If he and rotation-mate Fausto Carmona can locate their sinkers, the Indians have a chance to have a pair of ground ball inducing starters that could top most rotations. Seriously.