Indians trade Choo, acquire top pitching prospect in 9-player deal

Nine players changed hands as the Indians participated in a three-team deal that netted them an outfielder and three pitchers. 

By sending free-agent to be outfielder Shin-Shoo Choo and utility player Jason Donald to the Cincinnati Reds and veteran reliever Tony Sipp and first baseman Lars Anderson to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Tribe received center fielder Drew Stubbs from the Reds and pitchers Trevor Bauer, Matt Albers and  Bryan Shaw from the Diamondbacks, who received young shorttop Didi Gregorius from the Reds.

Indians General Manager Chris Antonetti had two major concerns: That Choo would walk att the end of the season and a dire need for starting pitching.

Bauer, 21, is the starter. He made his big-league debut this year after being the Diamondbacks' first pick in the 2011 draft (third choice overall).

There also are reports that the Indians included $3.5 million to the Reds, the difference in salaries for Stubbs and Choo this season.

Here is the Indians official release on the trade:

CLEVELAND, OH - The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has acquired four players in a three-team trade involving the Indians, Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks. Today, the Indians received RHP TREVOR BAUER, RHP MATT ALBERS and RHP BRYAN SHAW from the Diamondbacks and OF DREW STUBBS from the Reds in exchange for OF SHIN-SOO CHOO, INF JASON DONALD, LHP TONY SIPP, INF LARS ANDERSON and cash considerations. Choo, Donald and cash are being sent to Cincinnati while Sipp, Anderson and INF Didi Gregorius (from CIN) are now members of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Bauer, 21, was the third overall selection by Arizona in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of UCLA after winning the 2011 Golden Spikes Award and National Player of the Year [1,2]. Named the 9th overall prospect in Minor League Baseball [1] entering 2012, Trevor spent most of the 2012 season between Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno where he went a combined 12-2 with a 2.42 ERA in 22 starts (130.1IP, 107H, 35ER, 61BB, 157K, 223AVG) and averaged 10.8 strikeouts per 9.0IP. He also became the first member of the 2011 draft to appear in the big leagues ahead of Indians RHP Cody Allen, making four starts for the Diamondbacks in July. In his brief Minor League career he owns an ERA of 3.00 in 156.0 innings of work (134H, 52ER, 73BB, 200K, .229AVG) while fanning 11.5 batters per 9.0IP.

Stubbs, 28, has appeared in parts of 4 Major League seasons with the Reds since 2009 after being selected in the first round (8th overall) of the 2006 draft, batting .241 (431-1791) with 59HR, 178RBI, 110SB, 285 runs (.312OBP/.386SLG) in 486 career games. The right-handed hitter has also posted a career .276 (127-460) avg./.821 OPS vs. left-handed pitching. Stubbs recorded at least 30 stolen bases for the 3rd consecutive season in 2012, becoming one of just 6 Major League players to do so over the span since 2010 (Bourn, Crisp, R. Davis, J. Reyes, B.J. Upton). With 40 steals in 2011, Stubbs became the first Reds player to reach that threshold since Deion Sanders swiped 56 bags in 1997. Defensively, the University of Texas product has appeared exclusively in center field in 481 career games (24 outfield assists).

Albers, 29, split the 2012 season between the Boston Red Sox and Arizona, going a combined 3-1 with a 2.39ERA in 63 relief appearances (60.1IP, 46H, 16ER, 22BB, 44K, .215AVG). Over Matt’s final 11 outings with the D-Backs in September he posted an ERA of 1.80 (10.0IP, 9H, 2R/ER, 9K). On the year with Boston and Arizona he limited left-handed batters to a .207 (17-82) average against. The Houston, TX native was a 23rd round pick of the Astros in 2001 and debuted with his hometown team in 2006. He was traded to Baltimore prior to the 2008 season and after a successful stint in Boston in 2011-12 he was acquired by Arizona at the trading deadline for LHP Craig Breslow.

Shaw, 25, spent most of the 2012 season in the Arizona bullpen where he went 1-6 with 2 saves and a 3.49ERA in 64 relief appearances (59.1IP, 60H, 23ER, 4HR, 24BB, 41K, .273AVG). The Livermore, CA native also spent two weeks in Triple-A Reno in July and August, posting an ERA of 2.25 in 8 outings (8.0IP, 6H, 2R/ER, 10K, .207AVG). Shaw began his pro career in 2008 after the second round selection by Arizona out of Long Beach State (CA). He debuted with the D-Backs in June 2011 and owns a two-year career Major League record of 2-6 with a 3.18ERA in 97 relief outings (87.2IP, 90H, 31ER, 65K).