Cleveland Indians: Life After CC

As of right now, things seem like they could not become much worse than they currently are. The Indians have dropped their last nine games, and have only won two out of their last 11. With the addition of Scott Elarton, the Tribe disabled list is beginning to appear more like a roster, as six Indians are currently out.

But, as the saying goes: it's always darkest before the dawn. So chin up Tribe fans, there is plenty to look forward to in the post-CC era.

First and foremost, LaPorta

The obvious place to start is with the key piece in the Sabathia trade. LaPorta is a 6'2'' Port Charlotte, FL native and a University of Florida alumnus. After being drafted seventh overall in the 2007 amateur draft he hit a home run in his first big league at bat.

With the Brewers Double-A affiliate in Huntsville this season he was hitting .291 with 20 homers, 23 doubles, and 66 RBIs. In 296 at bats, he had 62 strikeouts and 44 walks.

During the All-Star break, LaPorta will represent the U.S. team during the Futures game and is hoping to be a part of the team that travels to Beijing to represent the U.S. at the Olympics in August.

The most exciting part of this trade will be the chance to watch LaPorta develop the same way that CC, Carmona, Victor, and Grady have come through the farm system. A big bat with as much promise as he has shown is surely exciting, and hopefully it will not be long until we see him donning an Indians jersey.

Unfortunately, LaPorta's Akron debut was delayed by rain. The game will be made up on Wednesday as a part of a twi-night double header.

Second, disabled list shrinkage

Though it seems grim, fans must not forget that of the six players on the disabled list, five of them will make a significant impact upon their return.

Fausto Carmona threw another bullpen session on July 8 and is progressing normally. The team hopes to have him back in the rotation shortly after the All-Star break.

This comes as a relief to the rotation, which, in the absence of CC, is running short on depth options.

Victor Martinez, one of the linchpins of the team, is also expected to return after his elbow surgery shortly after the break. Besides missing his powerful bat, the team is certainly missing his leadership, especially with the loss of a presence such as CC's in the clubhouse.

The latest word on Travis Hafner's shoulder is that it is still only around 40-60 percent as strong as it needs to be. However, his absence allows for the younger players, like Ryan Garko, to focus on their offense while the team struggles. By contrast, for the Indians to contend in 2009, he will need to return to his 2005 form.

Third, more trades!

In his first post-CC press conference, Mark Shapiro said that he was not currently involved in any trade discussions, but it is certain that it will not be long before he is on the phone with other teams soon.

Anthony Castrovince mentioned one name that Shappy is bound to be shopping: Casey Blake. Blake's contract is due up at the end of the season, and with the versatility and relatively low cost that he comes with, many contenders would find him very attractive as a rental for the playoff stretch.

Other names that the Indians would be interested in moving are uncertain, but the likes of Paul Byrd, and David Dellucci are bound to come up. For the right price, it would not surprise me to see Franklin Gutierrez, Shin-Soo Choo, Andy Marte, Ryan Garko or even Rafael Betancourt  to be mentioned.

Whatever moves that the team makes or even talks about are certain to be interesting and offer a glimpse into the future of the club.

Fourth, roster shake-ups.

A move involving Blake going to the infield is certain to undergo a change, and the outfield will have a new look after this season regardless, as Dellucci's contract will not be renewed.

It has been common knowledge for quite some time that Asdrubal Cabrera is the shortstop of the future for the team, this puts Jhonny Peralta in limbo. If he is not dangled as trade bait, Peralta will most likely be moved to third to keep his bat in the lineup.

This opens up second base for the return of Josh Barfield, who was never allowed a chance to prove himself upon his return after being struck by a pitch in the hand placing him on the DL.

Fifth, the player to be named later.

The Indians have until the end of the minor league season to complete the deal for Sabathia, which means we fans have at least two and half months left to speculate who it will be!

Castrovince stated that Shapiro has confirmed that he will choose between Single-A third baseman Taylor Green and Double-A outfielder Michael Brantley. Rumors had speculated several different players including the likes of J.J. Hardy, however, it appears that Shapiro has settled upon one of the previously mentioned.

Sixth, Sabathia!

The post-CC era may not last very long, according to many baseball experts. Several articles have linked CC with a possible return to Cleveland during the offseason.

Though it may still be a long shot, CC still considers Cleveland a home to him and enjoys the city. One article cited close friends of the big lefty as saying that he would not enjoy pitching in a larger market such as New York.

With the skepticism following the Barry Zito deal it seems unlikely that CC will obtain the deal on the market that he is looking for. If such a deal does not come forward, it seems likely that the Indians would remain in contention for the pitcher.

No matter what happens in the next few months the results are bound to improve and the team will certainly remain interesting. For us as fans, the most important thing is to remain loyal to the team, they will need it.