Hand, Cimber to Indians for Mejia

[BrewCrew02]

Per Ken Rosenthal

 

Indians get relievers Brad Hand and Adam Cimber, while SD gets catcher Francisco Mejia, who is one of the games top prospects.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/07/indians-acquire-brad-hand.html

[KeithStone53151]

Crazy to see 2 players given up for the 1 prospect. Interesting trade, very bold move by the Indians.

[homer]

For those that don't remember, Mejia was one of the guys in the trade Lucroy nixed.

[KeithStone53151]

Mejia didn't fit well with the Indians given their catching situation. I figured he would inevitably move, I just thought it would be for something besides relievers. This is actually a pretty good fit all around.

[homer]

I assume Allen will remain the closer?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I'm just happy we won't have to read anymore fawning over Mejia here, at least for awhile.

 

Two good controllable relievers for an unproven catching prospect is an odd trade. I know Mejia is a good prospect, but I have concerns over his ability to hit for much if any power, injury concerns and concerns over his ability to stay at catcher.

[KeithStone53151]

I find it a bit odd that they have both Hand and Miller, considering RH pitching is probably more valuable in the AL than NL. Not as many LH sluggers as RH. Correa, Altuve, Judge, Stanton, Better, Martinez, Trout, Cruz...these will be the guys the Indians potentially face in the playoffs.

[Matt Breen]

Difficult move for Cleveland, but their bullpen was awful. This restocks it for the next couple of years.

 

Mejia was, no doubt, tough to give up, but he is still a bit of a work in progress. The Indians are built to win now, so they were willing to make the move.

 

San Diego did a nice job turning a couple of relievers into one of the game's premier prospects.

[BrewCrew02]

Agree that this is an odd trade. Wonder if teams aren't as high on Mejia as the industry. I would've guessed a higher return for Mejia.

[MadThinker88]

Agree that this is an odd trade. Wonder if teams aren't as high on Mejia as the industry. I would've guessed a higher return for Mejia.

 

I'm the opposite of your thoughts - that is a lot for a catcher (even Mejia).

 

Both Hand & Cimber have multiple years of control remaining.

I was expecting 1 or more other pieces being dealt with Mejia for that package..

[FVBrewerFan]

Man, I wanted to move Knebel at the deadline last year. Could have had Mejia for him. Just another example of how this playing the middle is delaying the rebuild.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Cleveland is in a unique situation. Possibly the 6th best team in the AL but a lock for the playoffs, so it still makes sense in that anything can happen once there and they have a clear path to it.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Man, I wanted to move Knebel at the deadline last year. Could have had Mejia for him. Just another example of how this playing the middle is delaying the rebuild.

 

I must have missed that rumor. Got a link?

[travisteck]

Man, I wanted to move Knebel at the deadline last year. Could have had Mejia for him. Just another example of how this playing the middle is delaying the rebuild.

 

Why do you think we would have been able to get Mejia straight up for knebel?

[FVBrewerFan]

Man, I wanted to move Knebel at the deadline last year. Could have had Mejia for him. Just another example of how this playing the middle is delaying the rebuild.

 

I must have missed that rumor. Got a link?

 

Rumor? There wasn't any rumor, the Brewers were buyers last year (sort of), not sellers.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Man, I wanted to move Knebel at the deadline last year. Could have had Mejia for him. Just another example of how this playing the middle is delaying the rebuild.

 

I must have missed that rumor. Got a link?

 

Rumor? There wasn't any rumor, the Brewers were buyers last year (sort of), not sellers.

 

So you are completely speculating that Mejia would have been on the table for Knebel last year. Gotcha.

[FVBrewerFan]

Man, I wanted to move Knebel at the deadline last year. Could have had Mejia for him. Just another example of how this playing the middle is delaying the rebuild.

 

Why do you think we would have been able to get Mejia straight up for knebel?

 

I don't. Maybe they could have, maybe not. They may have wanted Hughes to go along with him or something, I do not know. But again, they were buyers last year, so I'm pretty sure they never even explored the option of trading for Mejia.

[DocLuna7]

Man, I wanted to move Knebel at the deadline last year. Could have had Mejia for him. Just another example of how this playing the middle is delaying the rebuild.

 

This had a realistic possibility of happening last season? Didn’t know that.

[travisteck]

I mean knebel and hand are pretty comparable, but climber is no throw in.. On a rookie contract still, is 27 so a late bloomer, has held righties to a 210/221/261 line this year which he also did in the minors.

 

This is another long term, controlled reliever who would seem to be on his way to becoming great.

[BrewCrew02]

Maybe its a fair trade then? If the Padres truly believe Mejia can stick at catcher it's a huge win for them in my opinion given how the poor hitting from the catcher position in the majors. Cimber is an average reliever who is old for being in the majors for the first time. His minor league career FIP is mid to high 3s and not a high K guy. I see that as more of a middle reliever vs. a setup man or closer. Hand is very good but not elite. I get that Cleveland is desperate for bullpen help but to me it still seems like an overpay.

 

Just trying to think of comparable Brewers. Seems like this would be the equivalent of a Knebel/Jennings trade. I'm skeptical Mejia can stick at catcher but if he could I would probably due a similar trade.

 

 

Agree that this is an odd trade. Wonder if teams aren't as high on Mejia as the industry. I would've guessed a higher return for Mejia.

 

I'm the opposite of your thoughts - that is a lot for a catcher (even Mejia).

 

Both Hand & Cimber have multiple years of control remaining.

I was expecting 1 or more other pieces being dealt with Mejia for that package..

[FVBrewerFan]

Man, I wanted to move Knebel at the deadline last year. Could have had Mejia for him. Just another example of how this playing the middle is delaying the rebuild.

 

This had a realistic possibility of happening last season? Didn’t know that.

 

My original post was short, so I can see how it could be read as if I was proclaiming something as fact, that wasn't my intent. It's all speculation because the Brewers were not sellers last year, or this year. That's my point, I wish they WERE.

[travisteck]

Cimber has a CRAZY delivery, submarine style. Fangraphs did something on him where his fastball ends up five inches higher than where it's released on average or something like that.

[NievesNoNO]

Dang, I was hoping the Brewers would make a play at Hand. Seems like a fair deal on both ends.

[superfly]

Post deleted by mod due to condescending tone./i]

[JosephC]

If Mejia sticks behind the game and becomes a good (not necessarily great) defensive catcher, I think his prospect status entering the year (top 20 in all of baseball) is justified. But the more I read about him, the more I think he just might wind up in left field. The guy will probably hit for average and post a good OBP, but will there be enough pop in that bat to make him a real attractive LF? Take the four years from the height of Lucroy's career. From 2013-2016 he slashed .286/.351/.457/.808. Those numbers play anywhere. Getting those numbers out of a solid defensive catcher is outstanding. Getting those numbers out of a left fielder...well one wouldn't complain about it...but it doesn't exactly blow anybody away either. Mejia, I think he has a pretty good chance of being a .310/.360/.440/.800 hitter.