This week the Indians sent down 1B/LF Matt LaPorta...During this Spring, LaPorta was hitting below .200...Yep, the key piece the Indians received when they traded C.C. Sabathia to the Brewers, wasn't even hitting his own weight...
For two and a half seasons LaPorta has been one of the more inconsistent bats in the Indians lineup...In his 909 at bats in that time, he's only launched 30 Home Runs...With a .238 batting average...Not the pop the Indians front office was selling us when they made the deal...
Supposedly, LaPorta was the Brewers top prospect...The other guy the Indians got, Michael Brantley is looking to be keeper...Brantley was an after thought, but has become the Indians everyday Center fielder with the constant injuries to Grady Sizemore...I wasn't a fan of the deal...2 unproven guys with nothing but potential, for the reigning Cy Young Award winner...Just wasn't enough, and that has been made more clear with LaPorta's inability to live up to the hype...
The Indians gave him every opportunity to be their 1st Baseman...But just as his bat is inconsistent, his glove was also...He never looked comfortable at 1st...
This year, after signing 1B Casey Kotchman, the Indians made it pretty clear the left field job was his to lose...But LaPorta didn't rise to the challenge, unlike some of his competition, like Shelley Duncan, Russ Canzler, and Ryan Spilborghs...
Unless LaPorta can get things turned around physically, and mentally, while down in Columbus, his chances at big-league success may be done for...
In other roster news...The Tribe announced Jack Hannahan will be their starting Third Baseman...23 year old 3B Lonnie Chisenhall was sent down to Columbus...Chisenhall got a good look last year, and his defense has improved, but he's not hitting enough to make the big club yet...Getting Everyday at-bats will do more good for him, then staying up and getting limited at-bats in a platoon system, like he did late last year.
Later, The Beeze.
No comments:
Post a Comment