Cleveland Indians: Why so hellbent on losing?

The Cleveland Indians have already traded its two-time Cy Young winner and now are seriously considering moving the best player on the team.

The Cleveland Indians, a mid-market team that resides in one of the weakest divisions in the majors, has routinely walked that fine line of attempting to remain a solid baseball team while also keeping costs to a more unusual minimum.

However, with 90 wins in five of the last seven seasons (including 102 in 2017 and 93 this past season), the Indians have been more than just an average team. Average teams don’t win three-straight division titles (2016-18) or American League pennants (2016) or play in the World Series (also 2016).

After topping out at a $142 million payroll in 2018, then a much lower $107 million this past season, the Indians are at a modest $76 million for 2020, after recently moving rotation leader Corey Kluber and his $17.5 million salary to the Texas Rangers for a prospect reliever (Emmanuel Clase) and at best a fifth outfielder (Delino DeShields Jr.).

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With $114 million in 2020 tax space, before trading Kluber, why in the world would you move a guy that has led your starting rotation in WAR in four of the last six seasons? And even worse, why move him for a return that doesn’t even fill your current holes?

Sure, Clase is an up-and-coming reliever, said to have one of the craziest cutters in the game, topping out at over 100 mph; though, there’s no way DeShields is an upgrade in the outfield.

But we know why the Indians made this deal: to save some money. Kluber’s set to become a free agent in 2022, after his salary increases by $1 million IF his 2021 option is picked up. Although, retaining Kluber for at least half of the upcoming season could have at least brought back some of the trade value he lost during 2019, not to mention the guy can help you win games for 4 months before the deadline this year!

But no, with $40-50 million left to spend before hitting their 2018 payroll ($142 million) — which is still $60 million from the $208 million threshold — the Indians have decided it’s time to get cheap.

And then there’s Francisco Lindor,  a name that has been involved in trade rumors all offseason; also a name that has received MVP votes in all but his rookie year (the year he finished second in the AL RoY vote). Smack dab in the middle of his prime (26 yo), Lindor has tallied at least 4 WAR in every one of his five major-league seasons, averaging a .278 AVG, 34 home runs and 21 stolen bases in the last three seasons. Since when has it become logical to trade a player like this?

Sure, Lindor is set to make $16.7 million this coming season (ARB 2) and will surpass $20 million for the 2021 campaign (he’s a FA in 2022), but for a player that has combined for 12 WAR in the last two seasons combined, that’s a bargain of a price. In a few years, Lindor will most likely command a contract worth $200 million (maybe even more), why not benefit from his talent while he’s still affordable? Also, the Cleveland Indians still only have $54 million committed to the 2021 payroll, with Carlos Santana and Carlos Carrasco pacing the team’s expenses at $17.5 million (if his option if picked up) and $12 million, respectively.

And we haven’t even discussed the Indians’ window of talent right now in terms of it’s starting rotation. The starting staff includes Shane Bieber (24-years-old), Mike Clevinger (turned 29 today), Carlos Carrasco (32 yo), Zach Plesac (24 yo) and Adam Plutko (27); a staff with an average age of just 27-years-old.

Even more, this has to be one of the most cost-controlled rotations in the majors, adding up to just under $18 million combined in 2020 salaries; not to mention the entire group is locked up for the foreseeable future and three out of the five are still making the league minimum ($580K).

It’s not like the Indians are in danger of any luxury tax penalties; as shown above, they are far from even remotely approaching such spending. It’s just such a counterintuitive process for a team to essentially concede before the season has already begun.

And at a time when talent can be valued in dollars seemingly down to the penny, it’s only natural to expect a more cost-effective approach to roster construction. But I’m afraid the Cleveland Indians are going a bit too far.