Matt LaPorta?

[JohnBriggs12]

I really don't see much value in Matt LaPorta at all for this team. If the Indians want to give him back, fine, but I wouldn't give up anything of value to trade for him.

The Brewers are lacking in RH power hitting corner OF/1B types in their system. Unless you like 26 year old Brock Kjeldgaard who's never been higher than AA over LaPorta who's only a year older and much more advanced, I think he's got some value especially considering he still has an option and the Brewers are trying a rookie at 1B.

[craigharmann]

How about Arnett for LaPorta?

Blue?

 

One first round bust for another? I like it. The Indians did trade Drew Pomeranz and Alex White for Ubaldo. Maybe they'd be interested in taking a chance...or maybe they'd view Arnett like most of us do. Either way, I'd do it.

 

I hesitated to put it in blue, just because they might go for it. Who knows.

[RockCoCougars]

I'd trade Arnett to the Indians for equipment at this point.

[CheezWizHed]

How about Arnett for LaPorta?

 

Any GM should be fired if they give up LaPorta for Arnett. Not that LaPorta is any great shakes, but that he is struggling at the MLB level (having hit well at all minor league levels) and Arnett can't solve the A level. Arnett is a bust. I'd be hard pressed to call LaPorta a "bust" just because he hasn't hit the MLB level well.

 

What would it have taken for the Brewers to give up Mat Gamel last year (with one option left)? Its not a great comparison, as LaPorta has had more chances at the MLB level, but its not far off either.

[Warning Track Power]

How about Arnett for LaPorta?

 

Any GM should be fired if they give up LaPorta for Arnett. Not that LaPorta is any great shakes, but that he is struggling at the MLB level (having hit well at all minor league levels) and Arnett can't solve the A level. Arnett is a bust. I'd be hard pressed to call LaPorta a "bust" just because he hasn't hit the MLB level well.

 

What would it have taken for the Brewers to give up Mat Gamel last year (with one option left)? Its not a great comparison, as LaPorta has had more chances at the MLB level, but its not far off either.

Agreed that Arnett bust vs. LaPorta bust are two different things. However, LaPorta definitely has to be considered a bust as he was the centerpiece of the Sabathia deal for Cleveland.

 

 

[Invader3K]

Even though Arnett has been a bust so far, I would be hesitant to give up any young pitcher for LaPorta.

 

And as for Briggs' reply earlier, I personally value Kjeldgaard more highly than a LaPorta at this point.

[CheezWizHed]

However, LaPorta definitely has to be considered a bust as he was the centerpiece of the Sabathia deal for Cleveland.

 

Touche'. I was looking from the draft perspective only.

 

And as for Briggs' reply earlier, I personally value Kjeldgaard more highly than a LaPorta at this point.

 

I like BK, but I'd easily trade any of our 1B (BK, Morris, Ramirez) for LaPorta. They all have similar down sides (holes in their swings), but none have LaPorta's power upside.

[Warning Track Power]

LaPorta sent to the Minors today.

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2012/03/cleveland_indians_latest_cuts.html

I would seriously call the Indians today if I were Melvin and just ask what they would want. Maybe they need a CF to fill in while Sizemore is out. I mean they have Shelly Duncan listed as their starting LF right now. Move Brantley to LF and trade for Nyjer.

 

Nyjer for LaPorta?

[TheCrew07]

Why do we want him back? What's this fascination with platooning Gamel or having a fall back option for him? He will hit, last year was the first year he had any kind of weird platoon split as a hitter. I'm not saying LaPorta won't ever produce but if people think Lawrie has issues, what does that make LaPorta? I still believe LaPorta is more of a d-bag than Lawrie was, I never heard of or witnessed Lawrie turn down anyone for autographs, especially for a charity auction. I doubt I'll ever get past the story about LaPorta wanting compensation to sign jerseys for said auction. In fact I only saw Bret go out of his way to sign autographs for people when he was injured in WI and sitting in the stands.

 

At least Bret produces which makes any character issues easier to swallow, Matt hasn't even done that consistently in MLB yet, and I doubt he's going to find it sitting on an MLB bench or in AAA. He needs one more season as full time starter to prove if he's ever going to be productive or not, which is coincidentally the same exact thing Gamel needs.

 

I really don't see the match. LaPorta has nothing left to prove in AAA and we don't need him as our full time 1B.

[homer]

I doubt the Indians do the CC trade again in retrospect. Ugh, must suck to get nothing for something. It'll be interesting to see how the Greinke trade turns out.

[RockCoCougars]

I think we can now officially mark the CC trade as a win.

[Warning Track Power]

Why do we want him back? What's this fascination with platooning Gamel or having a fall back option for him? He will hit, last year was the first year he had any kind of weird platoon split as a hitter. I'm not saying LaPorta won't ever produce but if people think Lawrie has issues, what does that make LaPorta? I still believe LaPorta is more of a d-bag than Lawrie was, I never heard of or witnessed Lawrie turn down anyone for autographs, especially for a charity auction. I doubt I'll ever get past the story about LaPorta wanting compensation to sign jerseys for said auction. In fact I only saw Bret go out of his way to sign autographs for people when he was injured in WI and sitting in the stands.

 

At least Bret produces which makes any character issues easier to swallow, Matt hasn't even done that consistently in MLB yet, and I doubt he's going to find it sitting on an MLB bench or in AAA. He needs one more season as full time starter to prove if he's ever going to be productive or not, which is coincidentally the same exact thing Gamel needs.

 

I really don't see the match. LaPorta has nothing left to prove in AAA and we don't need him as our full time 1B.

 

I am willing to take a flyer on LaPorta only because of the redundancy of Morgan/Aoki/Schafer and complete lack of power from our backup OF and our backup IF. I don't think trading Morgan will bring anything of substantial value given his deficiencies against LHP. He's probably more valuable to us than on the market and would likely only bring back a fallen prospect such as LaPorta.

 

Additionally, I'm not looking at LaPorta as anything other than a backup OF/1B/PH, not a platoon partner for Gamel. I am a big supporter of Gamel and think he'll be a big producer by midseason. Given the construction of our roster currently, I think a bench of:

 

LaPorta, Kottaras, Izturis, Conrad, Aoki/Gomez

 

is better than

 

Aoki, Kottaras, Izturis, Conrad, Morgan/Gomez

[RockCoCougars]

I wouldn't give up Morgan for LaPorta, nor would I entertain a Green/LaPorta deal anymore. I'd be willing to give an A ball pitcher for him or maybe one of the relievers who is the odd man out, but that's it. If LaPorta isn't good enough to make the Indians (especially considering they have the DH), I'm not giving them any good value for him.

[3and2Fastball]

I'd trade Tim Dillard for LaPorta

[liveforoctober]

For the sake of improving our team ... I'd be all about re-acquiring Matt LaPorta, albeit I wouldn't give them anything of value at all.

 

However, I do not want them making the move right now. If the Brewers acquired LaPorta ... Mat Gamel's psyche would be ruined. I know he's a major league ball player and he shouldn't let anything bother him ... but he has been given the short straw a lot of times alright by the Brewers and this might be the thing that does him in.

 

Let Gamel breathe a little bit is my vote.

[jerichoholicninja]

LaPorta's career splits

 

vs RHP

.246/.304/.421/.725

vs LHP

.211/.303/.326/.629

 

Not much of a platoon with Gamel there and a .238/.304/.397/.701 career line won't cut it at first, especially when his defense is below average.

As a hitter, he's only slightly better than Alex Gonzalez who has a career line of .247/.291/.399/690. And Alex plays a much tougher position with plus defense.

[JohnBriggs12]

I was looking over the AAA first basemen for blocked guys who might be worth looking into.

 

Lo and behold, of all AAA first basemen, the guy having the best year so far is none other than Matt LaPorta.

 

LaPorta is absolutely raking for Columbus. As of May 4th, he's hitting .371/.447/.742 with 9 HR and 20 RBI. Unfortunately, it won't be long before the Indians dump Casey Kotchman and his .510 OPS and give LaPorta another shot so I doubt that Matt can be had now.

[brettac1]

They like Kotchman a lot for his defense. Their staff is mostly groundballers and that was why they signed him.

[JohnBriggs12]

They like Kotchman a lot for his defense. Their staff is mostly groundballers and that was why they signed him.

 

They'll have to love his defense to put up with a .510 OPS much longer. On the other hand, maybe they'd take Ishikawa for LaPorta. Ishikawa plays fine defense too.

[HiAndTight]

LaPorta's gonna get one more chance in Cleveland before the let him go just as Gamel will with the Brewers.

 

 

 

Best choices are to move Hart to 1st, Aoki to RF and bring up Gindl or Schafer.

[craigharmann]

 

 

Best choices are to move Hart to 1st, Aoki to RF and bring up Gindl or Schafer.

 

Agreed.

[igor67]

I like both Gindl and Schafer, but I also freely acknowledge that it is kind of tough to call-up either one given how they have started the season. Neither has been a scouting darling either. I think they'll get it going, but Green seems to be the only plausible guy to call up as a hitter, unless this OF thing with Gomez and Braun is going to drag out and it has to be an OFer. Still hasn't Green done a little OF?

[3and2Fastball]

Since we traded LaPorta and Brantley for CC Sabathia, I wonder if the Indians would give us LaPorta and a prospect for Greinke (!)

[brettac1]

They like Kotchman a lot for his defense. Their staff is mostly groundballers and that was why they signed him.

 

They'll have to love his defense to put up with a .510 OPS much longer. On the other hand, maybe they'd take Ishikawa for LaPorta. Ishikawa plays fine defense too.

That's assuming that Kotchman will carry a .510 OPS all season. I would think it'll be closer to .700 - .750. If they wanted LaPorta to be the 1B, they would have given him the gig instead of giving Kotchman $3 million. I'm guessing they didn't give him $3 million just to dump him after 100 PA's coming off a spring where he missed some time with a back injury - especially to replace him with a guy with 1000 mostly awful MLB PA's, like LaPorta. He's 27 years old. He should destroy AAA.

[djoctagone]

he cleared waivers and was outrighted to the minor leagues. brewers could've claimed him.