Cleveland Indians Trades: The Indians Have Shown Desperation This Trade Season

The Cleveland Indians have been the busiest team in baseball before the 2011 trade deadline. The team has been one of the pleasant surprises in MLB this year and is currently 53-51, 1.5 games back of the Detroit Tigers for the AL Central lead. Being a surprise and struggling of late, the Indians have shown desperation before the deadline.

The Indians do not have a hitter batting .300 or higher. Their starting pitching is 13 games under .500 since May 10. The team is 3-7 in their last 10 games but are only out of first by 1.5 games. The Indians have made it clear that they are going for it. You have to give the Cleveland Indians front office credit for making these moves, but fans have to be skeptical. The future is now for the Cleveland Indians, but is the future bright? Only time will tell.   

The team has acquired Kosuke Fukudome and Ubaldo Jimenez thus far. Indians fans have to be praying that the move to Cleveland will benefit both of these players.

The Indians gave up two prospects, Carlton Smith and Abner Abreu for Kosuke Fukudome. All in all this wasn't a terrible move by Tribe.

The questionable deal was for Ubaldo Jimenez. The Indians gave up their two best pitching prospects in Drew Pomeranz and Alex White. The Indians also sent two other prospects for Jimenez, Matt McBride and Joe Gardner.

Ubaldo Jimenez pitched one inning for the Colorado Rockies last night before being traded to the tribe. He allowed four walks and four earned runs.The Indians paid a steep price for the 27-year-old pitcher.

With a depleted farm system, the Indians traded Orlando Cabrera this morning to the San Francisco Giants for prospect Thomas Neal. The fact that the Indians started rebuilding their young talent was a necessity, but trading a veteran of Orlando Cabrera's caliber wasn't the best move for a team trying to make the playoffs. Cabrera has played in the postseason six out of the last seven seasons. The Indians will miss Cabrera's experience down the stretch.  

MLB TV has leaked rumors of the Indians trying to acquire OF Ryan Ludwick from the San Diego Padres before the 4 p.m.(EST) deadline.

The Cleveland Indians decisions before the deadline have been those out of desperation.