MLB Trade Ideas: Cleveland Indians Should Be Buyers at the Deadline

July 30, 2011. Matt LaPorta drills a three-run homer to give the Cleveland Indians a walk-off 5-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field.

After the game, the Colorado Rockies announced that they had dealt pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez to the Indians for four prospects. The deal included former first-round picks Drew Pomeranz and Alex White.

The move was ineffective in leading Cleveland to the postseason. Still, it proved to the fanbase that the Indians were done rebuilding and were willing to mortgage the future to win immediately.  

Fast-forward to the present. As the All-Star break comes, Cleveland stands at 44-41, just three games behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central. Inconsistency and weaknesses in the lineup have caused fans to call for changes. 

Does Cleveland need to make a Jimenez-type move to stay in playoff contention?

In short, yes.

The White Sox have already made a move, trading two prospects for Boston's Kevin Youkilis. Since the move, Chicago has gone 9-4 and grabbed a firm grasp of the division lead. In the 13 games since the trade, Youkilis has hit .347 with three HR and 14 RBI.

On the other side of the division, Detroit has begun to make moves of its own. After a decent June, the Tigers were hot in the first week-and-a-half of July, going 6-2 before the break.

A shaky rotation has led to the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo linking the team with Chicago Cubs pitcher Matt Garza. If the Tigers have any interest in Philadelphia superstar Cole Hamels, CSNPhilly.com's Corey Seidman says the trade would surely cost them a top infield prospect like Nick Castellanos in return. 

The Tigers should be major players in the outfield market as well, with San Diego's Carlos Quentin sure to be a top target.

With their two rivals actively pursuing the trade market, there is little doubt that the Indians need to make a move of some kind. 

The first priority for Cleveland GM Chris Antonetti has to be acquiring a right-handed bat to add to the lineup. With at least six or seven lefties in the lineup every night, the Indians have been abysmal against left-handed pitching. Cleveland is 29th in the league against lefties, hitting just .222.

Possible options for the Indians could include Quentin and his San Diego teammate Chase Headley.

Quentin, 29, is currently hitting .268 with seven HR and 17 RBI for the Padres. What would make him attractive to the Indians is his high on-base percentage (.406), which is higher than any current player on the roster.

Quentin also comes at a reasonable $7 million, which would most likely be partly paid by San Diego in any deal.

CBS Sports' Jon Heyman linked the Indians to the 28-year old Headley. The Padres' third baseman has been linked to multiple teams in the wake of the teams' sale.

As a switch-hitter hitting .267 with eight HR and 42 RBI, he certainly would be of interest to any team looking for help. With the injury to Lonnie Chisenhall, Cleveland could give Headley a look as an inexpensive replacement.

Headley would be controlled by Cleveland until 2014 and carries a 2012 salary of just over $3 million.

Do not be surprised, however, if Antonetti makes a move to acquire a big name like he did with Jimenez in 2011. That isn't to say that fans should expect Zach Greinke or Cole Hamels in Indians uniforms, but the front office is notoriously secretive.

All of this speculation hinges on two factors, however: the Indians' ability and willingness to pay for these players. 

The crop of young pitchers was significantly shrunk by the Jimenez deal, but the Indians do have some enticing prospects to dangle. Shortstop remains a position of depth, and for the right deal, few players are off limits.

Players like shortstops Francisco Lindor and Tony Wolters would surely garner interest from teams looking to deal with Cleveland.

With the exceptions of Asdrubal Cabrera, Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana, anyone in the organization should be available to improve this roster. Yes, that includes Ubaldo Jimenez for the right return.

The All-Star break is here, and the trade deadline is coming fast. For Cleveland, the clock is ticking and the window of contention won't be open forever.

The time for a move is now.