I am a subscriber to ESPN the Magazine, but it often takes me a long time to get caught up on the issues. I’ve got a pile of them in a basket right next to the toilet for some light reading. Perhaps a bit too much information. Anyway, I was flipping through the college hoops preview issue (the one with “superfrosh” Derrick Rose of Memphis on the cover) and I found my way to the “K Korner” on the MLB Insider page. No matter what sports publication it is, I always search for some shred of news or insight on a Cleveland team, and with the Indians’ recent success, there has been much more to write about; specifically, about C.C. Sabathia.
In his little notes column on that Insider page, Tim Kurkjian said this: “C.C. Sabathia will be a free agent after 2008 and will cost Cleveland a ton of money to re-sign. With the shortage of pitching this winter, the Indians would be wise to see what they can get for their ace.”
Thanks for the insight Tim, but I could not disagree more. It is as if Kurkjian gives the Tribe no chance of reaching the postseason at all next year. The Indians are returning just about everybody from 2007’s team (the most important players, that is) and are poised to make another run at the division title at least. The main reason for the team’s success this year was the dynamic 1-2 punch of C.C. and Fausto Carmona, so why in the name of all things holy would Mark Shapiro simply give up on signing C.C. and trade him away, crippling any hope of returning to the playoffs and shattering every fan’s dreams as early as November or December? Who could the Indians get in return that would ever justify trading away the 2007 AL Cy Young winner without trying to re-sign him multiple times? Let’s see…oh, Florida – you need to give us Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis…um…and then we’ll trade Franklin Gutierrez, Asdrubal Cabrera, Kelly Shoppach, and Rafael Perez for Johan Santana (because the Twins are never going to re-sign him). Show me that deal and I’ll consider it.
Shapiro’s main focus this offseason is to re-sign C.C. If it can’t be done before the season, the Tribe should at least utilize his services for another run at the World Series. If all hope is lost and there is no way the Indians can come up with the money, then a trade should be made, but only if the team tanks and has no chance of reaching the playoffs.
