Ubaldo is coming to Cleveland

The Cleveland Indians made three trades in the last week.

1. First they acquired Kosuke Fukudome and cash from the Chicago Cubs for minor leaguers Abner Abreu and Carlton Smith. 
2. Then the Tribe picked up Ubaldo Jimenez from the Colorado Rockies for minor leaguers RHP Joseph Gardner, RHP Alex White, LHP Drew Pomeranz and 1B Matt McBride.
3. Finally, they trade IF Orlando Cabrera to the SF Giants for minor league OF Thomas Neal.

No question, Jimenez was the big acquisition of the weekend and the subject of this post.

Why I like this deal:

1. Cleveland needs a starting pitcher. For the last two-and-a-half months, the starters have worked less than six innings per game and the bullpen has not been as effective. Picking up an extra pitcher strengthens the entire 12 man staff.
2. Cleveland needed a top-of-rotation starter. I feel much better with Justin Masterson, Jimenez and Josh Tomlin than picking between Carlos Carrasco and Fausto Carmona – both of which have had long stretches of ineffectiveness this year.
3. The Cleveland farm system is garbage. The last good pitcher to come through was CC Sabathia. Remember previous ex-Pitching Prospect "Studs"- Billy Traber, Brian Tallet, Jeremy Guthrie, Aaron Laffey, David Huff, Jeremy Sowers, Chuck Lofgren, Danys Baez, Hector Rondon, Adam Miller... See my point.
4. If you have a chance to get a known quantity, someone who has been there and done that, you do it.
5. For the next two years, Jimenez is due a total of $9.95 million. Jimenez's option for 2014 is voided with trade. Indians have him -- relatively cheap, yes -- through 2013. If I was general manager Chris Antonetti, I would offer an extension through at least 2015.
6. Something has to be done about Carlos Carrasco. After throwing at the head of Kansas City's Billy Butler last Friday, he could face a suspension. In June, he was 4-2 with 1.90 ERA but in July, he was 0-5 with 9.13 ERA.

Why I don't like the deal:

1. Since his 13-1 start (1.15 ERA) last year Jimenez is 12-16 in 40 starts, has allowed 217 hits in 241 innings w an ERA of 4.48 – that's Carlos Carrasco not an ace.
2. Jimenez's health is a concern. After regularly reaching 100 mph last season, he is lucky to hit 97 mph once a game. He averages 93 mph – about the same velocity as White.
3. Coming over from the Colorado Rockies in the National League, Jimenez will need to learn new hitters and will have to adapt to major league hitters one through nine in the batting order.
4. Trade includes both Pomeranz and White, two of the game's most highly touted young pitchers. Pomeranz is a 6-foot-5, 230-pound left-hander who figures to rank somewhere among the top 25 prospects in the game after he finishes this season at Double-A. White, a right-hander with a big fastball and had some success in the Indians rotation this season. The two pitchers represent the top draft pick for Cleveland in 2010 and 2009. The Montreal Expos never recovered from the Bartolo Colon trade from Cleveland to Montreal – it could happen to the Indians.

Ultimately why I like this deal:

The Indians have made an investment in this team. They realize there is opportunity in 2011. Unlike football and basketball, baseball champions are solid up-and-down do not need superstars. The SF Giants without any superstars last year won the World Series. If Cleveland makes major league baseball's post-season, anything can happen.

For Indians fans, let's hope something special does.

Need more
Can't get enough Cleveland Indian deals? Check out the franchise-to-franchise trade histories for every team courtesy of baseballreference.com