Hector Luna optioned to AAA

[Mary1966]

http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/2007/0 ... _down.html

Mr. Clang has been sent to the minors.

Hector Luna, who made his eighth error of the Grapefruit League season Friday night, was optioned to Class AAA Buffalo on Saturday by the Indians. Infielder Keith Ginter, right-hander Brian Sikorski and catcher Armando Camacaro were also sent down.

Ginter, Sikorski and Camacaro were re-assigned to minor league camp. Ginter and Sikorski are expected to open the season at Buffalo.

At the start of spring training, Luna was considered the favorite to win the utility infielder's job. The Indians acquired him last season from St. Louis for Ronnie Belliard.

Luna, however, did not come to camp in shape and proceeded to lead the team in errors. He made three errors at third base, three at shortstop, one at second and one at first.

[greenback44]

He made three errors at third base, three at shortstop, one at second and one at first.

That's impressive. Too bad the Tribe didn't play Luna in the outfield and let him catch some.

[Cronos]

That Mike Tyson has so many quotable lines I don't know where to start.

Oh wait, yes I do.

"I want your heart! I want to eat his children! Praise be to our LAWD!!"

[jagtrader]

Was it Baseball Prospectus that ripped Jocketty for trading Luna? Will there be a retraction?

Sometimes a player can't be completely analyzed through numbers.

[Popeye_Card]

Was it Baseball Prospectus that ripped Jocketty for trading Luna? Will there be a retraction?

Sometimes a player can't be completely analyzed through numbers.

Well given, Belliard isn't helping the Cards too much these days either. But then again, Luna never would have made that defensive play in Game 1 of the NLDS either.

Here is what BP said at the time though:

For all the attention paid to the Abreu deal, I'm not convinced it was the most interesting one made on Sunday. It's been about 12 hours since it crossed by inbox, and I still can't make sense of the Cardinals' decision to trade away Hector Luna for Ronnie Belliard. They got the older, more expensive player, which is par for the course iin late July, but I think they also got the lesser one.

Luna vs. Belliard, 2005 and 2006:

Code: Select all

2005
             AVG   OBP   SLG    EqA    BB   SO   SB  CS   FRAA (2B)
Luna        .285  .344  .409   .272     9   25   10   2      0
Belliard    .284  .325  .450   .276    35   72    2   2     +6

2006
             AVG   OBP   SLG    EqA    BB   SO   SB  CS   FRAA (2B)
Luna        .291  .355  .417   .267    21   34    5   3     -6
Belliard    .289  .335  .419   .268    21   44    2   0     -3

Luna is 26, Belliard is 31. Luna is athletic and has a good bit of speed. Belliard has lost almost all of his speed, and his body--face it, he looks like Lenny Harris.

Belliard has edges in virtually all counting stats the past two seasons because he's played more than Luna. The Cardinal was a utilityman last year and early this year before playing his way into a big share of the second-base job. When you look at their rate performance, you see that Luna's basically matched him at-bat for at-bat, and Belliard has rated a small edge with the glove, according to Clay Davenport's system.

If the Cardinals are hoping to bat Belliard second, they're in for some problems. He's a slow right-handed hitter who puts the ball on the ground and doesn't draw walks. (Belliard's good batting averages the past two seasons have served to hide the fact that he's just stopped walking: once every 17 PAs or so, about half his career rate entering 2005.) That's a recipe for double plays, not to mention the problems created by using three straight right-handed batters at the top of the lineup, four if Scott Rolen remains in the cleanup spot.

At the very least, the Cardinals have merely shuffled deck chairs, acquiring a veteran in exchange for a comparably-valued, less-experienced player. It's likely that the difference between the two won't even be a win over the last 60 games of the season. That wouldn't make it a good trade for the Cards--they lose out on Luna's peak seasons at low cost--but it would mean they didn't actively hurt themselves. On the other hand, Luna is trending upward, while Belliard seems to be treading water or sliding back. I've been advocating for Luna most of this year, and I won't stop now; he's going to outplay Belliard over the next two months, take hold of the second-base job in Cleveland and be one of the best 2Bs in the AL in 2007. If Jose Lopez and his .317 OBP can be an All-Star, Luna certainly can make next year's team.

Well, maybe he'll be a 27 year old AAA All-Star.

--P--

[jagtrader]

Thanks for bringing that back.

[ghostrunner]

I've seen Luna make some damn fine defensive plays. I think he had both a terrible throw into the stands that bizarrely ended up saving a run on the next play (i can't remember how it worked, but I remember figuring this out), and a ridiculously good throw from third to first back in the 2005 postseason.

People sure like to focus on Belliard's build, but I don't recall ever thinking a skinnier guy would have done better on any specific plays. I remember someone referred to his "fat-leticism" around the time of the trade, which I thought was apt.

[Popeye_Card]

I've seen Luna make some damn fine defensive plays. I think he had both a terrible throw into the stands that bizarrely ended up saving a run on the next play (i can't remember how it worked, but I remember figuring this out), and a ridiculously good throw from third to first back in the 2005 postseason.

People sure like to focus on Belliard's build, but I don't recall ever thinking a skinnier guy would have done better on any specific plays. I remember someone referred to his "fat-leticism" around the time of the trade, which I thought was apt.

Luna always flashed great tools, but made far too many mistakes to be overall useful.

Belly made a lot of "rangy" plays due to his positioning in short right field. I can't specifically remember any plays that he did NOT make because of that positioning, but I have to think that it's a strategy that doesn't work for everyone, otherwise everyone else would be doing it too.

But yeah, overall I can't say that I lament that trade in any way.

--P--

[Bo Hart]

That Mike Tyson has so many quotable lines I don't know where to start.

Oh wait, yes I do.

"I want your heart! I want to eat his children! Praise be to our LAWD!!"

I'm guessing this is supposed to be in that "awkward interview" topic?

[JohnnyJay]

That Mike Tyson has so many quotable lines I don't know where to start.

Oh wait, yes I do.

"I want your heart! I want to eat his children! Praise be to our LAWD!!"

I'm guessing this is supposed to be in that "awkward interview" topic?

Yeah, I was thinking that this seemed out of place!

I was about to ask Cronos just what the heck that had to do with Luna!!!