Tribe Talk: The Perils of Playing In The Worst Division In Baseball

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4.       4. Mark Shapiro has stated that it is still too early to tell what role the Tribe will play in the trade market this season, but in the event that the Tribe plays well enough to be "buyers" in trade talks, it is a given that they will be shopping for pitching.

Players like Mark DeRosa and Jamey Carroll would certainly be made available, but they may not be enough. Thus, the question no one wants to have to answer: Would you trade Victor Martinez for pitching? Would the Indians?

Nino Colla: No, no no no no no. And I don't think they would. I'd trade Mark DeRosa, Jamey Carroll as well considering I think Josh Barfield is a cheaper utility option, and as much as I think we need veteran leadership next year, that shouldn't be too hard to find.

 Even Carl Pavano and maybe someone like Kelly Shoppach. But not Victor Martinez. With an option left on his contract and Carlos Santana still a year or two away, holding onto Victor is going to be key. I think he even may be worth re-signing as a first-baseman/backup catcher when his contract is up.

I don't think the Indians are going to trade Victor. I think they realize he is the heart and soul of this team and they want to compete next year if this year is out of the question. They don't compete next year without Victor Martinez, point-blank. I'd much rather take the two draft picks as compensation if he walks as well and get an extra year out of Victor than trade him for pitching. There is only one team that really needs a catcher and they aren't exactly pressing for one, so the return wouldn't be as good as you would think.

Samantha Bunten: Absolutely not, no, never, not in a million years. The value the Indians would lose both on and off the field in trading Martinez could never be replaced in a mid-season trade, no matter who the Indians received in return. Also, trading Martinez would be suicide from a marketing standpoint, and would be viewed as a sin second only to trading Grady Sizemore.

 I don't think the Indians would make the trade either. As blundering as the Indians' front office can be, they're not THAT foolish. They know Martinez's value is even greater than what he puts out on the field, and that alone should be enough to make him an untouchable.

 I like both DeRosa and Carroll, but I would trade either if I thought it could help the team down the stretch. I would hate to lose Shoppach, but I would be willing to part with him if the Tribe was poised to make a run at the division and they were able to get starting pitching in exchange.

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