Indians Spring Training: Trevor Crowe Has David Dellucci in the Crosshairs

Photo / MLB.com

It is that time of year again.  Of all the types of stories that pop up during Spring training, my absolute favorite is the one where the young guy starts to gain traction in gaining a major league roster spot.  Without that storyline, we Indians fans don’t have the story about Charlie Manuel fighting hard to keep an impossibly large and young lefty on the major league club throwing fastballs almost exclusively.  CC may be a Yankee now, but that story is ours.

Trevor Crowe is one of the many outfielders vying for a spot on the Indians this year.  Some of the others (Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley) have bigger names with bigger expectations since Crowe failed to rise as fast as his own expectations out of the draft in 2005.  Still, Crowe comes to camp with the most triple-a baseball experience, having played for the Bisons last season.  He batted .323 with a .404 OBP and .485 SLG in 49 games with the Aeros before he got promoted.  After making the jump, he dropped off his pace, but he didn’t fall off the table hitting .274 with .350 OBP, and .486 SLG. 

Now, he has the chance to push a veteran, David Dellucci and his bloated veteran salary of $4 million.  I have always hated that excuse that a ballclub had to play a certain guy because he had a contract that they needed to justify.  It comes up from time to time, although I can’t think of someone off hand.  It drives me crazy because the contract is guaranteed.  It is a sunk cost.  The only financial risk is allowing a young player to play so well in his place that he is eligible for more money.  But wouldn’t that be a good problem to have as you have another player on your roster contributing in a meaningful way to the on-field product?

Apparently the Indians will not use that excuse this year with David Dellucci.  Granted it might be lip service, but someone asked Mark Shapiro this question during the promo tour that I watched on STO despite my wife’s objections that it was boring.  I am paraphrasing, but Shapiro came right out and said that he wasn’t satisfied with the production he has gotten out of that contract.  He also said that Dellucci’s roster spot wasn’t guaranteed on the merits of the contract alone.

That is music to my ears.