Cleveland Indians should trade for the Washington Nationals first round selection.

Several years ago, the Indians GM Mark Shapiro and the Montreal Expos GM Omar Minaya made a trade involving All Star pitcher Bartolo Colon going to the Montreal Expos for Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, and Brandon Phillips. Lee and Sizemore have made the All Star game and Brandon Phillips probably came close the last couple of years as a Cincinnati Red.

Montreal has since morphed into the Washington Nationals, but perhaps the Washington Nationals would be interested in another block buster trade with the Cleveland Indians and Mark Shapiro, this time trading their number one pick for several prospects/vets.

The Indians have a situation in which they could actually field two teams of equal caliber. While some may question just what that caliber may be, It is pretty evident that very poor pitching has plundered what would have been at least a .500 team this year plus Jake Westbrook set to return by July for a second half run.

The Indians can still make a run in the A.L. Central, the key being if they can handle Detroit in their remaining head to head games.

Would the Nationals be interested in the Indians number 15 pick, plus major league ready prospect centerfielder Brantley, pitcher Rondon, plus vets DeRosa and Shoppach? The Nationals actually have some decent talent on their team, however half of their everyday roster is 30 years or older, and a couple of the just under thirty, Dunn and Kearns, don't run that well.

Shoppach would be a natural at catcher, Brantley is a very smart centerfielder, with speed and OBP skills, pitcher Hector Rondon appears major league ready, and DeRosa is a solid player on pace to drive in a hundred runs this year and play both the infield and the outfield. Plus the Indians would also give up their 15th pick as well. That's five quality players for the right to Stephen Strassburg.

The players being traded would actually fill in some of Washington's weakest areas.

However, if the Indians and Nationals constructed a trade for the 2009 major league draft tomorrow, could the Cleveland Indians could they afford Boras's contract, and does including pitcher Rondon, who is almost major league ready, make the trade too one-sided in favor of the Nationals ?

"I'm not Ozzie Blogspot" reporting Bartolo Colon to sign with the White Sox, why aren't the Cleveland Indians in the Hunt?

"I'm not Ozzie" Blogspot Reports that Bartolo Colon will sign a one year deal with the Chicago White Sox. Sigh, the real feel good story of 2009 would have been for Bartolo Colon to come back to Cleveland and be a teammate to the two All Stars Grady Sizemore and Cliff Lee, who were mere minor league prospects several years ago when Montreal traded them for Bartolo Colon.

Mark Shapiro should have tried to sign Bartolo and put him on a fitness training program for a month or two, even if it meant Bartolo would not be available until May or June. Why don't ballplayers ever see the silver lining, the " if we build it they will come" moment in their careers? For Bartolo Colon, coming back to Cleveland right after CC Sabathia left, and being along side the progeny that his trade from Cleveland had created, would have been the right place at the right time in the right year.

Bartolo Colon, aka Java the Hut, sits back and waits for his next juicy victim.

I followed Bartolo Colon's career. Year after year he would get slightly fatter, and apparently stronger in the legs. It became the "excuse" for Bartolo's annually expanding girth, "He has strong legs". I guess for several years Bartolo was able to move his mass forward under the direction of his powerful legs, the excuse even being that his strong legs actually made his pitches go faster and that sometimes in the late innings his pitches got even faster.

Then Bartolo's injuries started, and yes, Bartolo's weight played a part in those injuries. Yet Bartolo shouldered on, never once really going on any kind of a noticeable diet. So here we are in 2009, and Bartolo Colon could actually resurrect his career, if only he would lose some weight.

Instead, Bartolo, it appears, will play the role of Java the Hut, welcoming those who would venture into his den and overpay for an overweight "athlete" who appears capable of insulating himself from what would make him better, being in better shape. The Indians did right by Bartolo Colon, even when they traded Bartolo to Montreal.

Because Montreal was a team in desperate need of a starter and his presence there was appreciated by the Montreal fans. Bartolo's effectiveness in Montreal helped land him a four year deal from the Angels, of which at the most he earned 2 years of. Bartolo spent more and more time on the DL during his four years in California.

More rehab followed, and now, instead of having started a physical fitness regimen to show he is serious about the game, apparently Bartolo Colon is content to sit back and wait for his reputation and past success to wrest another one year contract from a desperate team. If only Bartolo could embrace the adventure of going back to Cleveland, especially after the departure of CC Sabathia, and actually being the pitcher the Indians needed to bring them over the hump in 2009. But I guess that is asking too much of a pitcher, to actually visualize their own success when all that really matters is a fat contract.

Cleveland Indians should try and get Hanley Ramirez from the Florida Marlins before the Red Sox do...

Now is the time for Mark Shapiro to step to the plate and finally solidify his team by trading for Hanley Ramirez. Why Hanley Ramirez when the Indians have Jhonny Peralta? Because the Indians seem stuck between third and short when it comes to Jhonny Peralta and they could probably give Florida an interesting mix of players, and as an added bonus, they prevent Boston from getting even better than they already are.

How about Hanley Ramirez for Jhonny Peralta, Josh Barfield, Matt LaPorta, Edward Mujica, Tony Sipp, and perhaps some cash if necessary. The Marlins would instantly gain the best offensive shortstop from the A.L.. Jhonny Peralta's 2008 numbers are BETTER than Derek Jeter's 2008 numbers and he should have won the silver slugger award for A.L. Shortstops. Matt LaPorta is really a potential superstar who will probably be ready for the majors by the beginning of August. Mujica and Sipp will contribute in the pen, and Josh Barfield goes back to the National League where he previously flourished with the San Diego Padres.

The Indians FINALLY get a blend of speed and power from both the outfield AND infield positions, something they have been lacking for quite some time. This is the kind of trade that thins the Indians out for the long haul, but instantly elevates the Indians offense on par with anybody else's offense, and also keeps the Red Sox from getting Hanley Ramirez as well. The Indians are still short one starter but having a solid infield and outfield defense may add a few extra innings to the starters totals, which would help the bullpen get by on the days when the back end of the starting rotation is having a tough day.

It would be a daring trade for both clubs, and both clubs could end up benefiting from this trade as well.

Indians Make Trade for another "over 30" third baseman...

After the Andy Marte Experiment, the Indians have gone back to the established, over 30 years of age vet third baseman with today's trade of three pitching prospects in exchange for Mark DeRosa of the Chicago Cubs. Ever since Jim Thome could not handle the hot corner to the Indians satisfaction in the early 90's, the Indians starting third baseman have all been at least 30 years old, with the exception of the Andy Marte experiment.

This trade will probably help Cleveland in 2009 as De Rosa had the third highest OBP for a 3rd baseman in either league, just barely trailing the number one and two guys. It is a bit scary to see the Indians trading three prospect pitchers when so few pitchers from their own organization ever make it to the majors as an Indian. Factor in that Mark Guthrie got away and one wonders if any of the three pitchers that were traded will come back to haunt thoe fans who like to focus on the ones who got away.

Assuming Carmona and Lee pitch well, and Reyes can last the season without getting injured (a BIG if), the Indians will be just one starting pitcher away from being a legitimate contender. The Indians have assembled several "grit" players in De Rosa and Jamey Carroll in the infield, Grady Sizemore, Shin Soo Choo in the outfield, and Kelly Shoppach behind the pitch. Grit Players tend to run out every ball they hit, and aren't afraid to get their uniforms dirty, and this probably is the grittiest the Indians have been in a long time.

Just imagine if CC Sabathia had made good on his vow to bring a championship to Cleveland and had extended his stay in Cleveland a couple more years. The Indians would go into 2009 with back to back Cy Young Award Winners in the same starting five rotation, with Carmona, Reyes, and the midseason return of Jake Westbrook, what a solid pitching rotation that would have been. CC Sabathia on the 2009 Indians team, that's how close the Indians came to being a certified contender in 2009 rather than one of the dozen or more bubble teams that could go all the way, or end up mired at .500 or less.