Monday, December 8, 2014

Indians trade for Brandon Moss

The Cleveland Indians needed an infusion of power and with some luck,the Wahoos may have acquired it from the Oakland Athletics during day one of the winter meetings.

The Indians sent minor league second baseman Joe Wendle to Oakland in return for Brandon Moss,who hit 25 homers last season with the A's.
Moss,who was a disappointing prospect with Boston and as a big leaguer with the Pirates,found himself in Oakland as he hit 21,30 and 25 homers in his three years in Northern California and made the all-star team for the first time last season.

Moss can play either corner outfield spot or first base,so the Indians could use him similarly to the way that Oakland used him,which is a decent amount in all three positions.
Moss struggled in the second half last season,but much of that can be attributed to a hip issue that hopefully has been solved by off season surgery.

Moss had problems staying healthy in Boston and Pittsburgh,but played over 140 games in each of the last two seasons in Oakland,so hopefully those days have passed.
One would think that the Indians will shop Nick Swisher (bet on them having to eat a lot of money,so a deal is unlikely) and especially David Murphy,who I would think might be out the door as soon as this week at the winter meetings.

The cost was Joe Wendle,a minor league second baseman,who is a line drive bat that is blocked by Jason Kipnis in Cleveland.
I saw Wendle a lot in his time with High A Carolina (Now Lynchburg) and AA Akron and think he has a chance in the bigs although he missed half a season with the Rubber Ducks and will likely start 2015 with the A's low A affiliate in Midland,Texas.
Wendle wasn't going to threaten Kipnis anyway and with some thoughts beginning to sprout in the Indians organization about moving Jose Ramirez to second eventually to avoid a battle with prize prospect Francisco Lindor,dealing Wendle did the player a favor and helped Cleveland as well.

If Brandon Moss and his ailing hip is truly healed,the Indians has added a bat good for at least 20 homers and did it for a prospect that is not even their top prospect at his position in their system,so that's a good deal.
Even Moss isn't the player that he once was,I still like the deal for the above facts and Moss is not a free agent for two more years,so the gamble is not immense nor is his current contract.
I like it and I would suspect that the Indians aren't finished yet in San Diego either...

I have Devils and Cavaliers action and I still have things to say about Ohio State's entry into the final four,so I'll be around...

No comments: