First baseman Matt LaPorta arrives from Class AAA Columbus to play everyday. Michael Brantley could be next.
Matt LaPorta was back in the lineup at first base for the Indians against the Reds on Sunday.CINCINNATI, Ohio. -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians 2010 regular season. The Indians play the Reds today in the final game of a three-game interleague series at Great American Ballpark.
Great American Ballpark's dimension: left field line 328 feet, left field power alley 379, center field 404, right field power alley 370 and right field line 325.
Pre-game notes:
Game 74: Russell Branyan is gone and Matt LaPorta is the Indians new first baseman.
The Indians traded Branyan to Seattle for two minor leaguers after Saturday night's 6-4 loss to Cincinnati. LaPorta joined the club from Class AAA Columbus and was in today's starting lineup, batting sixth.
Branyan caught an early morning flight from Cincinnati to Milwaukee where he was expected to start at first base for the Mariners. He hit .263 (45-for-171) with nine doubles, 10 homers and 24 RBI in 52 games. Defensively, he was a nightmare at first base.
"Two main variable went into the trade," said GM Mark Shapiro. "In acknowledging where were are competitively (26-47), we've added good depth to the minor league system and it was important to create an opportunity for Matt LaPorta to get unconditional everyday at-bats in the big leagues."
LaPorta, the key player in the 2008 trade of CC Sabathia, opened the year with the Indians, but was squeezed out of playing time by his rehab from two offseason surgeries and the performances of Branyan at first and Austin Kearns in left field.
He rejoined the Indians today after hitting .362 (25-for-69) with four doubles, five homers 16 RBI and seven runs in 18 games at Columbus.
The Indians acquired outfielder Ezequiel Carrera and shortstop Juan Diaz from the Mariners. Carrera was on the disabled list at Class AAA Tacoma with a left hip pointer. The Indians will send him to their training facility in Goodyear, Ariz., to complete his rehab.
"We expect that to take seven to 10 days," said Shapiro.
When Carrera is ready he'll go to Class AAA Columbus and play center field. Carrera's arrival in Columbus could punch Michael Brantley's ticket to Cleveland.
Diaz, who was playing at Class A High Desert, will report to Class A Kinston.
The Indians will also send cash or a player to be named to complete the deal. Shapiro said the Mariners "mostly likely' will absorb the $750,000 that remains on $1.5 million salary for 2010.
Shapiro said the Indians will pick up the $500,000 buyout on Branyan's mutual option for 2011.
The Indians signed Branyan in February after spending two years trading away
all of their established talent. Shapiro said they added the veteran first baseman to give the Indians a chance to be respectable this year, an idea that failed miserably.
"Russell held up his end of the bargain," said Shapiro. "The season just isn't what we envisioned."
The Branyan trade should signal the start of a third straight midseason exodus of veterans from Cleveland. Kearns, Jhonny Peralta, Kerry Wood and Mike Redmond are among the veterans waiting to be dealt.
Teams have until July 31 to make trades without acquiring waivers on players. They have until Aug. 31 to make deals after acquiring waivers.
As for LaPorta getting a chance to play regularly, manager Manny Acta said, "That's the most interesting part of the whole ordeal. Things didn't work out the way we thought they would work out.
"Russell did everything we asked him. But I'm happy we can play Matt on an everyday basis. We told Matt that he went down to Columbus because the at-bats weren't there. Now the at bats are there."
LaPorta's promotion is a loud signal that the Indians rebuilding project is in full swing.
"People knew at some point we'd move in that direction," said Acta. "It's getting exciting. We've added (Carlos) Santana. We've added LaPorta. At some point we're going to have (Michael) Brantley. It's getting exciting.
"Getting these guys up here. Getting them major league experience is what it's all about. We're setting things up for down the road."
Carrera, 22, was hitting .268 (57-213) with 24 runs, six doubles, two triples and 18 RBI is 64 games at Tacoma. He was 9-for-14 in steal attempts.
The Venezuelan native is a left-handed hitter, who won the Class A Southern League batting title last year.
"Our scouts say Carrera has plus speed and is a plus defender," said Shapiro. "He's a slap hitter with above average speed."
Baseball America ranked Carrera as Seattle's 15th best prospect at the start of the year.
Diaz, 21, is a switch hitter from the Dominican Republic. He's 6-4 and 170 pounds.
He hit .295 (75-254) with 39 runs scored, eight doubles, three triples,
seven homers and 41 RBI in 70 games at High Desert. He stole eight bases in 10 attempts.
"Diaz has a above average feet, arm strength and hands," said Shapiro. "He's tall and rangy and we feel he's a projectable player in an area we're looking to upgrade -- the middle infield.
"Our scouts feel he has a projectable bat."
Game delayed: The start of today's game was delayed by an approaching storm, which at 1:12 p.m. had to arrive.
Lineups:
Indians (26-47): CF Trevor Crowe (S), RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), C Carlos Santana (S), LF Austin Kearns (R), 3B Jhonny Peralta (R), 1B Matt LaPorta (R), SS Anderson Hernandez (S), 2B Jayson Nix (R) and RHP Mitch Talbot (7-6, 4.07).
Reds (42-33): 2B Brandon Phillips (R), SS Orlando Cabrera (R),1B Joey Votto (L), 3B Scott Rolen (R), LF Jonny Gomes (R), RF Jay Bruce (L), CF Drew Stubbs (R), C Corky Miller (R) and RHP Bronson Arroyo (7-3, 4.35).
Lineup notes: Jason Donald missed his second straight game with a sore left wrist. He suffered the injury fielding an infield single on Friday. The ball was deflected off Aaron Laffey's glove and Donald fell, trapping his wrist under his body, when he grabbed the ball and threw to first.
Umpires: H Ted Barrett, 1B Tony Randazzo, 2B Brian Gorman, 3B Paul Nauert,, Gorman, crew chief.
Quote of the day: "A lot of people my age are dead at the present time," the late Yankee manager Casey Stengel.
Next: Toronto's LHP Ricky Romero (6-3, 2.84) vs. RHP Jake Westbrook (4-4, 4.90) Monday at 7:05 p.m. at Progressive Field.