Indians trade Choo to Reds, acquire Bauer and three others
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December 11, 2012
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The Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds have completed a massive nine player three-team trade tonight.
The Indians have received right-handed pitcher Trevor Bauer, right-handed pitcher Matt Albers, and right-handed pitcher Bryan Shaw from the Diamondbacks and outfielder Drew Stubbs from the Reds. To complete the deal the Indians sent outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, infielder Jason Donald and cash considerations to the Reds, and sent left-handed pitcher Tony Sipp and first baseman Lars Anderson to the Diamondbacks.
Bauer, 21, was the third overall selection by Arizona in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of UCLA after winning the 2011 Golden Spikes Award and National Player of the Year. Named the 9th overall prospect in Minor League Baseball entering 2012, he spent most of the 2012 season between Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno where he went a combined 12-2 with a 2.42 ERA in 22 starts (130.1IP, 107H, 35ER, 61BB, 157K, .223AVG) and averaged 10.8 strikeouts per 9.0IP. He also became the first member of the 2011 draft to appear in the big leagues ahead of Indians right-hander Cody Allen, making four starts for the Diamondbacks in July. In his brief Minor League career he owns an ERA of 3.00 in 156.0 innings of work (134H, 52ER, 73BB, 200K, .229AVG) while fanning 11.5 batters per 9.0IP.
Stubbs, 28, has appeared in parts of four Major League seasons with the Reds since 2009 after being selected in the first round (8th overall) of the 2006 draft, batting .241 (431-1791) with 59HR, 178RBI, 110SB, 285 runs (.312OBP/.386SLG) in 486 career games. The right-handed hitter has also posted a career .276 (127-460) avg./.821 OPS vs. left-handed pitching. Stubbs recorded at least 30 stolen bases for the third consecutive season in 2012, becoming one of just six Major League players to do so over the span since 2010 (Bourn, Crisp, R. Davis, J. Reyes, B.J. Upton). With 40 steals in 2011, Stubbs became the first Reds player to reach that threshold since Deion Sanders swiped 56 bags in 1997. Defensively, the University of Texas product has appeared exclusively in center field in 481 career games (24 outfield assists).
Albers, 29, split the 2012 season between the Boston Red Sox and Arizona, going a combined 3-1 with a 2.39ERA in 63 relief appearances (60.1IP, 46H, 16ER, 22BB, 44K, .215AVG). Over Matt’s final 11 outings with the D-Backs in September he posted an ERA of 1.80 (10.0IP, 9H, 2R/ER, 9K). On the year with Boston and Arizona he limited left-handed batters to a .207 (17-82) average against. The Houston, TX native was a 23rd round pick of the Astros in 2001 and debuted with his hometown team in 2006. He was traded to Baltimore prior to the 2008 season and after a successful stint in Boston in 2011-12 he was acquired by Arizona at the trading deadline for LHP Craig Breslow.
Shaw, 25, spent most of the 2012 season in the Arizona bullpen where he went 1-6 with 2 saves and a 3.49ERA in 64 relief appearances (59.1IP, 60H, 23ER, 4HR, 24BB, 41K, .273AVG). The Livermore, CA native also spent two weeks in Triple-A Reno in July and August, posting an ERA of 2.25 in 8 outings (8.0IP, 6H, 2R/ER, 10K, .207AVG). Shaw began his pro career in 2008 after the second round selection by Arizona out of Long Beach State (CA). He debuted with the D-Backs in June 2011 and owns a two-year career Major League record of 2-6 with a 3.18ERA in 97 relief outings (87.2IP, 90H, 31ER, 65K).
With all the moves, the Indians roster stands at 40.
A complete breakdown of the deal and lots more analysis will post on the IPI over the next 24 hours.
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User Comments
Kid is a stud stuff wise. But Mentally? Get ready Cleveland. Quite the exotic bird. Whip Smart - KENNY RODGERS STUBBORN - Makes RAGE P. look like a wallflower when facing the press following a challenging outing. Get ready to rock in the funhouse!
From ownership right down to dour muff ol' school Gibby - Bauer wore thin in less than ONE MONTH IN THE BIGS!
Francona is just the zen master to turn this Diva in waiting into Magic on the mound.
As for Kevin Towers - and Ken Kendrick - last year they gave up on Jarrod Parker (for a so-so Cahill) for similar reasons - he didn't tow the company yard rules following Tommy J.
They have been dangling J-Upton for similar reasons; won't listen to the 4 potential Hall of Famers on the management team & 'attitude' this and 'attitude' that.
For THE PAST THREE YEARS.
[ALTHOUGH Upton was 30% of why they won in '11]
Arizona is deep in the 'my way or the highway' mentality from ownership onto the field. And they just kicked a stud to our curb because they are obsessed with the 'process' and consider themselves so deep in strong arms.
Thank you Kevin Towers for your stubborn blindness. Thank you Ken Kendrick for demanding to play way over your depth with your expensive toys.
Have fun with DiDi because we are going to have a crazy high time with Trevor! Huge steal. Kudo's to all at Tribe Central.
A total steal.
Hopefully this sets up at least one more major deal
Aviles now plays up more as utility as Acab still here so no need for Donald. Anderson 1 of 23 1b we have & Sipp who I couldn't stomach for Bauer!!! What's not to like except huge k totals coming ( tho choo k'd v lefties a ton )and the need for a lefty pen guy who we could get with all the right handers we have. Now go get swisher/Ross & E.Jackson! Is this really the same Indians FO ???
I wasn't trying to suggest DiG was enough 4 Bauer and I don't think it was wise to deal DiG, Lars & TSipp 4 Bauer alone.
Considering the existing depth in the organization already, I would have been more interested in a starter or 2 that were further away from contributing. It would have opened 40 man roster space in the now and enabled the tribe to graduate some of the reliever logjam.
I reference the GSoto acquisition for Jhonny Slug/ Sluggo. If the guy pans out, great. If a future move to the pen is needed, do be it. But it builds depth in other areas, not swell the current ranks and lead to a devaluing of the guys you have (when you have a limited number of items, you will by nature need more to part with them then if you had a surplus).
Choo was projected to make $7.9 M and Stubbs $2.9 M as per mlbtraderumors.com. The Tribe is picking up $3.5 M of Choo's salary. The Tribe saved $5 M if you will but truly only netted $1.5 M in savings from the deal. Stubbs 3 more yrs of control.
Albers will make about $1 M this yr while Sipp would have made the same. Albers 1 yr of control.
Shaw will make league min. (480k) as would have Lars Anderson. Shaw has 5 yrs of control.
Bauer 6 yrs of control. Tremendous return by the Tribe.
As for the money in the deal, Stubbs is a first time arbitration guy and projected to get $2.9M, Albers is a third time arby eligible and projected to get $1.7M, and Shaw will get league min of $490K.
I am not totally thrilled with adding Drew Stubbs to Mark Reynolds in the lineup that will create a lot of K's, but the power potential is much needed with those guys. Stubbs had a bit of a down year with his BABIP% to create the low .277 OBP, but I'd expect a rebound a bit with his power rates staying pretty consistent. He is a solid replacement for Choo.
And Bauer, 16 major league innings does not make a projection. Maybe there is something to what scouts saw, but adding such a power arm adds some long overdue excitement to this team and something to look forward to.
RHRP is an area of depth with this team so getting more seems to be overkill. Stubbs I can see as insurance if none of Swisher, Ross, etc can be signed. In that case are they throwing in the towel on TNeal, TFeroff and others??
With the release of Raffy left and dealing Sipp, I have to think that Huff & or Scott Barnes are bullpen bound to join Hagadone from that side in the pen.
One last thing - if Sipp is getting expensive, then Joe Smith is in the same boat,
With the acquisition of the right-handed bullpen arms, does that mean Chris Perez is soon on the move?
Sipp pitched well, but was having trouble.
Choo was gone, soon; Donald had been replaced.
We gave up very, very little to get a lot.
Bauer may never work out; you can say the same about any pitcher, young or old that you acquire.
But we needed to try something in that rotation.
This is the best we could have done!!!!!!
Stubbs? I've seen him play for years.
He's one of the fastest players in baseball, an immediate upgrade in CF, and has underrated power.
He was asked to lead off, and that was not his best spot.
The other two pitchers?
They pitched well in tough stadiums.
Gives us depth & options.
This is one of the best trades in many years that any Indian FO has made.
Now, I can't wait until spring training!!!!!!!