Cleveland calls up LaPorta

by sdbaseballfan on May 2, 2009 3:33 AM EDT Comment 25 comments

By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal staff writer

POSTED: 11:44 p.m. EDT, May 01, 2009

DETROIT: You want moves? Eric Wedge will give you moves.

After Friday night's 6-5 win over the Tigers, the Indians' skipper announced three roster moves involving six players.

Arriving today from Columbus will be the club's No. 1 prospect, left-fielder Matt LaPorta, plus infielders Luis Valbuena and Josh Barfield.

To make room for them, right-hander Joe Smith will go on the disabled list (retroactive to Wednesday) with a sore right rotator cuff; outfielder Trevor Crowe was optioned to Columbus and veteran utility infielder Tony Graffanino was designated for assignment, which means the Tribe has 10 days to trade him or get him through waivers, so he can be sent to Triple-A.

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Wedge

I’m interested to see how Wedge plans to use him on a daily basis. I hope he didn’t call him up to be a bench player. He needs to be starting everyday in LF.

by DJSlam on May 2, 2009 10:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

LaPorta is better suited as a DH

From what I remember from his scouting reports, he has limited range and takes poor routes. He is best as a 1B or DH.

What I think is a more difficult task for Wedge, is getting Valbuena into the starting lineup 4-5 times a week to help him develop. Of course the Indians have not exactly shown reluctance to play ex-Mariner prospects frequently

by tdot mariner fan on May 2, 2009 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the more recent reports say he's not a total butcher out there.

and their other option is currently dellucci. who is a butcher.

White Sox Minor League Updates: http://twitter.com/SouthSidelarry

by larry on May 2, 2009 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

about time,

All the talk about the Indians not wanting him to be up in the bigs sounded kind of stupid, he’s 24 and he’s mashing AAA, what more do you have to wait for?

Glad they decided to call him up, for his sake, I hope they actually play him

"The House That Ruth Built, 85 years old, goes out as The House That Hamilton Knocked Down"

by blalock84 on May 2, 2009 1:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

the obvious answer to your question is june 7th or so when the indians would be assured that he wouldn't be a super two.

of course, that calculation changes when the hole in the outfield is amplified by the loss of hafner. and the team is in last.

White Sox Minor League Updates: http://twitter.com/SouthSidelarry

by larry on May 2, 2009 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If they dont use him enough

Everyone should be fired over there. This was a team that a couple years ago I thought was one of the best run in baseball… but theyve been confusing the hell out of me for a while now.

by alskor on May 2, 2009 1:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

with crowe optioned and ben francisco...

not exactly wowing anyone with his .222/.310/.381 line I think laporta will get a healthy dose of pt

eric wedge makes some questionable game decisions and in his head i can imagine weighing delucci’s 4-5 performance heavily and giving the looch more abs than he’s worth

by gorilla_baller on May 2, 2009 2:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

About time

I’m excited to see what LaPorta can do in the majors.

by nyy601 on May 2, 2009 2:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

ahhh

they are going to start trying now.

1941 .406

by FrozenTed9 on May 2, 2009 3:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

im excited

Happiness is only real when shared

by manny59 on May 2, 2009 3:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hafner

They are trying like hell to get this guy healthy, but I just don’t see it happening.
The old pronk is gone forever…..bring on LaPorta!!!

2009; John Lester becomes an ace?

by bodyiq on May 2, 2009 3:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm interested...

to see what Valbuena can do at the major league level. Laporta’s going to be a good fantasy guy, but Valbuena’s an excellent all-around player, with a good glove up the middle, power, and a great batting eye. Valbuena’s my pick to be the Denard Span of 2009.

by slamcactus on May 2, 2009 4:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Isn't Denard Span the Denard Span of 2009?

by OldhamA on May 3, 2009 2:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No.

I’m talking about a player who comes to the majors virtually out of nowhere and succeeds earl with good defense, a high OBP, and gap power.

by slamcactus on May 3, 2009 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is he starting?

TheSouthWing.com - A Magazine of essays, prose and poems

by OldProspects on May 3, 2009 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He is...

He'll probably ahve to play his way into regular PT though. The optimal defensive alignment is Valbuena at 2B, Cabrera at SS, and Peralta at 3B, but Mark DeRosa has to get in there somewhere. My guess is the tribe will use that alignment every once in awhile and use Valbuena to spell at both SS and 3B occasionally to get him ABs.

No idea why they called Barfield up. He looks like a 25th man at best at this point.

by slamcactus on May 3, 2009 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

By "he is..."

I meant he’s starting today. I don’t expect him to get a full season’s ABs in, but 300-350 wouldn’t surprise me at all. The Indians need to re-evaluate their defense in advance of 2010, and moving Peralta off SS needs to be priority #1. The other option is that the team trades DeRosa at the deadline, since he was a 1-year rental. In that case, I’d expect Valbuena to get the lion’s share of the starts at second.

by slamcactus on May 3, 2009 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Strange timing

Asdrubal and DeRosa have been KILLING the ball, and Peralta was just showing signs of coming alive.

by alskor on May 3, 2009 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I say Alberto Callaspo 2B- Royals

Is the breakout player this year, who hadn’t had much of a track record.

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on May 4, 2009 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Valbuena and Span both did start today, Yes

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on May 3, 2009 5:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

But will he start regularly I mean

They’ve got Asdruval and Peralta in the middle infield slots, and DeRosa who also needs to play. Will one of them become a DH?

TheSouthWing.com - A Magazine of essays, prose and poems

by OldProspects on May 3, 2009 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

no, but he may get a few starts here and there. I think he’ll get sent down when Jamey Carroll comes off the DL. Valbuena needs to play every day and that won’t be possible as long as Peralta’s at short.

by JP_Frost on May 3, 2009 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs