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Indian Trade Talk: Bradley Zimmer for Kevin Pillar? No, Thanks!

By Nick Dudukovich

Apr 16, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar (11) can't reach a ball hit for a double by Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy (not pictured) in the fifth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar (11) can't reach a ball hit for a double by Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy (not pictured) in the fifth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
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In Cleveland Indians trade talk, one ESPN writer envisioned a deal that netted the Tribe Kevin Pillar. The cost? Top prospect Bradley Zimmer.

Indians trade talk is always fun, even if it’s way too early to dream of deadline deals.

ESPN scribe David Schoenfield admitted that no one makes trades in May, but that wasn’t going to keep him from trying to find possible matches between players and teams.

The Indians sit a top the AL Central, but they haven’t blown the door of the division like many thought they would. It’s early, but the division is far from being the Tribe’s. Just ask the Detroit Tigers.

Schoenfield correctly identified centerfield as a problem on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario. The Tribe demoted Tyler Naquin during the first month. The move caught many of us off guard. Austin Jackson is hurt, and the fan base may be finding out why he was a late, lottery ticket buy.

Lonnie Chisenhall, who is just two years removed from being the Tribe’s next big hope at third base, is basically trying to salvage the outfield defense by taking center in wake of Naquin’s demotion and Jackson’s injury.

Schoenfield argues the fix could be to trade for Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar (Insider required).

"The Indians are basically faking center field right now, playing converted third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall out there along with Austin Jackson, who is really a backup outfielder at this point in his career. Tyler Naquin struggled defensively there last season, and he’s in the minors right now, and Bradley Zimmer isn’t going to help this year given his strikeout rate in Triple-A. The Indians are a good team and adding Pillar’s defense will shore up a big problem. If I’m Cleveland, I trade Zimmer for Pillar and make the team better in 2017."

A few thoughts on Schoenfield’s comments: Give The Chiz Kid a little more credit. He didn’t move from third to center. He established himself as a big leaguer in right field along the way.

Secondly, Nothing is mentioned of Abraham Almonte. Through May 4, he’s only played one game in center field. He played just two games there in 2016, but 56 in 2015 after the Indians traded Michael Bourn to the Braves.

In that stint, Almonte ranked16th among 33 center fielders who played a minimum of 450 innings, according to Fangraphs.com. The advanced analytics site ranks Almonte as one of its worst right fielders so far this season. Not promising, but don’t you have to give him more of a look in center before trading away your top prospect.

Thirdly, Schoenfield wants to acquire Pillar purely for defense. While he ranks eighth among MLB center fielders, with a 0.6 WAR, Fangraphs rated him in the negative  (-0.2) defensively and ranked him 11th out of 19 qualified center fielders.

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On the plus side, Pillar’s enjoying his best season at the plate, batting .302 with a .347 on-base percentage.  Lifetime, he’s a .270 hitter with a .305 on-base percentage.

Pillar would make the Indians better, defensively, right now, but this trade should be nixed because of the cost. Schoenfield argues that Bradley Zimmer‘s strikeout rate is enough reason to keep him from helping the big-league club at this juncture of the season, but don’t forget, this is a prospect who tore up Spring Training and deserved to make the roster.  He roamed Arizona desert like a gazelle tracking down fly balls.

He’s so close to the big leagues. Would you, at the very least, want to see what he’s capable of?

Pillar, 28, is arbitration eligible after this season. He can’t be a free agent until 2021, so his contract does come with value.

But with the price being an upper echelon prospect? Pass, especially since the Indians still have options to try out.

Next: Indians eyeing son of former big leaguer in MLB Draft

Do you believe the Indians need to upgrade their outfield defense at this point of the season?

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