The Cleveland Indians decided to designate Jake Bauers for assignment over the weekend and plenty of the resulting conversation had to do with Bobby Bradley finally getting his shot.
But plenty of fans are also remembering the name of Yandy Diaz.
Diaz was sent to Tampa in exchange for Bauers back in 2018 in what ended up being a three-team deal that also sent Carlos Santana back to Cleveland.
So while it was more complex than just a direct swap, the point remains the Indians did move on from Diaz in exchange for Bauers.
And while the Indians front office has a right to believe they never get swindled, the Rays aren’t exactly a dumb group.
Is It A Fair Narrative?
Bauers was once seen as a top prospect in the Rays organization and was sent to Cleveland so Tampa could land Diaz.
That may have surprised some fans in Cleveland, considering Diaz struggled to get playing time.
He got a shot to start at third base, but could never stick and ultimately Jose Ramirez took that job.
But why did the Rays decide to move on from Bauers in favor of Diaz?
That is a question the Indians front office should have pondered more.
However, it is possible they truly believed in Bauers, who was still only a raw talent at the time.
Diaz was not a star and it appeared there was a rift between him and manager Terry Francona.
One thing of note is that his career-high in games played for any single season is still only 79 and that came in 2019.
He is getting regular time in 2021, but this is not a situation where the Indians absolutely blew it.
A superstar was not lost, even if a talented player was.
Some Deals Don’t Pan Out
The Indians make a lot of moves and always take on plenty of prospects.
How that speaks for their in-house talent evaluation and drafting is a story for another time.
Jesus Aguilar is another player fans like to bring up in terms of players let go too soon.
Fans must also remember that a lot of these moves were made because of players being blocked at the major league level.
Also, a change of scenery is needed for certain players.
That appears to be especially true for someone like Diaz, who just wasn’t being given a fair shot in Cleveland.
Do fans have a right to be frustrated?
Yes, we all do and that is part of being a sports fan.
But this failed Bauers deal, that also brought Santana home, is not one that will derail this team.
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