How did the Cleveland Indians acquire their current players?

The 2014 season was a rough one for some of the Indian players with the longest transaction chains. We lost the player with the longest chain, Joe Smith, when he signed with the Angels in the offseason. But the drafting of Jerry Dybzinski in 1977 does still live on through Corey Kluber. He and Smith both sprang from Dybzinski, albeit through different paths as Kluber only had nine transactions. We also lost Chris Perez, who had five chains, Matt Albers who had four chains and Ubaldo Jimenez who had three, all to free agency. We lost another four chain player in Drew Stubbs, but since he was traded, Josh Outman now is a five chain guy.

The longest tenured draftee now belongs to Josh Tomlin from 2006. There are no other active players from 2006 or any at all from 2007. The 2008 draftees still in the system are Lonnie Chisenhall, Trey Haley, Tim Fedroff, Adam Abraham, and Clayton Cook. The longest tenured amateur free agent is Danny Salazar from 2007. There are still four players signed in 2008 as well, Jesus Aguilar, Giovanny Urshela, Elvis Araujo and Justin Toole. We did say goodbye to the longest tenured amateur free agent as well, Frank Herrmann from 2005.

This season, the Indians signed 30 of their 42 draft picks. Amazingly twenty-nine of the those draft picks have already appeared in the minors this season, with the lone exception being catcher Juan Gomes from the thirty-seventh round.

Notes: I have included compensation draft picks as being more than one degree as the Indians obtained that pick based on a player they formally held rights to. Also, when I have identified a free agent year, it is the year they signed for (i.e. December 05 would be 2006). Additionally, whenever I could not find confirmation of an amateur free agent signing, the year defaults to their first appearance. [aFA = amateur free agent, mFA = minor league free agent]

All data is through Sunday August 24, 2014. Today I will focus on the major league roster. Tomorrow will be the Columbus, Akron and Carolina rosters. And then on Thursday I will look at the Lake County, Mahoning Valley, Arizona and Dominican Rookie League rosters.

First, players with the team in 2013 who have left...

Players who have moved on

One Degree (drafted or signed by the Indians)

FA 2013: Brett Myers

FA 2014: John Axford [claimed on Waivers by PIT Aug 2014]

mFA 2013: Rich Hill [BOS/LAA/NYY]; Scott Kazmir [OAK]

mFA 2014: Nyjer Morgan

Two Degrees

Trade 2006: Asdrubal Cabrera; [traded to WSN for Zach Walters]

Trade 2009: Justin Masterson; [traded to STL for James Ramsey]

Three Degrees

Trade 2011: Ubaldo Jimenez; [FA, BAL]

Four Degrees

Trade 2013: Matt Albers; [FA, HOU]

Trade 2013: Drew Stubbs; [traded to COL for Josh Outman]

Five Degrees

Trade 2009: Chris Perez; [FA, LAD]

Eleven Degrees

Trade 2009: Joe Smith; [FA, LAA]

Players on the roster

One Degree (players the team drafted or signed)

Draft 2008: Lonnie Chisenhall (1); T.J. House (16); Roberto Perez (33)

Draft 2009: Jason Kipnis (2)

Draft 2010: Tyler Holt (10)

Draft 2011: Cody Allen (23)

Draft 2013: Kyle Crockett (4)

aFA 2007: Danny Salazar

aFA 2009: Chen-Chang Lee

aFA 2011: Jose Ramirez

FA 2013: Nick Swisher (originally drafted 1 by Athletics in 2002); Michael Bourn (originally drafted 4 by Phillies in 2003)

FA 2014: David Murphy (originally drafted 1 by Red Sox in 2003)

mFA 2013: Jason Giambi (originally drafted 2 by Athletics in 1992); Ryan Raburn (originally drafted 5 by Tigers in 2001)

mFA 2014: Scott Atchison (originally drafted 48 by Mariners in 1998)

Trade 2014: Chris Dickerson from PIT (originally drafted 16 by Reds in 2003) for PTBNL/cash; Chris Gimenez from TEX (originally drafted 19 by Indians in 2004) for PTBNL/cash

Two Degrees

Nick Hagadone (originally drafted 1 by Red Sox in 2007)

1.  Trade 2009 Red Sox with Justin Masterson and Bryan Price for Victor Martinez

2.  Martinez - aFA 1996

Marc Rzepczynski (originally drafted 5 by Blue Jays in 2007)

1.  Trade Cardinals 2013 for Juan Herrera

2.  Herrera - aFA 2011

Yan Gomes (originally drafted 10 by Blue Jays in 2009)

1.  Trade Blue Jays 2013 with Mike Aviles for Esmil Rogers

2.  Rogers - Purchase 2012 from Rockies

Mike Aviles (originally drafted 7 by Royals in 2003)

1.  Trade Blue Jays 2013 with Yan Gomes for Esmil Rogers

2.  Rogers - Purchase 2012 from Rockies

Carlos Santana (originally 2004 aFA by Dodgers)

1.  Trade 2008 Dodgers with John Meloan for Casey Blake

2.  Blake - mFA 2002

Michael Brantley (originally drafted 7 by Brewers in 2005)

1.  Trade Brewers 2008 (PTBNL) with Matt Laporta, Rob Bryson and Zach Jackson for CC Sabathia

2.  Sabathia - Draft 1998 (1)

Three Degrees

Carlos Carrasco (originally aFA by Phillies in 2001)

1.  Trade 2009 Phillies with Jason Donald, Lou Marson and Jason Knapp for Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco

2.  A. Francisco - Draft 2002 (5)

B. Lee - Trade 2002 Expos with Lee Stevens, Brandon Phillips and Grady Sizemore for Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew

3.  A. Colon - aFA 1993

B. Drew - Draft 1997 (1)

Zach Walters (originally drafted 9 by Diamondbacks in 2010)

1.  Trade 2014 Nationals for Asdrubal Cabrera

2.  Cabrera - Trade 2006 Mariners for Eduardo Perez

3.  Perez - FA 2006

Four Degrees

Trevor Bauer (originally drafted 1 by Diamondbacks in 2011)

1.  Trade 2013 Diamondbacks (and Reds) with Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw for Tony Sipp and Lars Anderson to Diamondbacks (Shin-Shoo Choo and Jason Donald to Reds; Reds sent Didi Gregorius to the Diamondbacks)

2.  A. Choo - Trade 2006 Mariners with Shawn Nottingham (PTBNL) for Ben Broussard

B. Donald - Trade 2009 Phillies with Carlos Carrasco, Lou Marson and Jason Knapp for Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco

C. Sipp - Draft 2004 (45)

D. Anderson - Trade 2012 Red Sox for Stephen Wright

3.  A. Broussard - Trade 2002 Reds for Russell Branyan

B. Francisco - Draft 2002 (5)

C. Lee - Trade 2002 Expos with Lee Stevens, Brandon Phillips and Grady Sizemore for Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew

D. Wright - Draft 2006 (2) compensation for Kevin Millwood

4.  A. Branyan - Draft 1994 (7)

B. Colon - aFA 1993

C. Drew - Draft 1997 (1)

D. Millwood - FA 2005

Bryan Shaw (originally drafted 2 by Diamondbacks in 2008)

1.  Trade 2013 Diamondbacks (and Reds) with Matt Albers and Trevor Bauer for Tony Sipp and Lars Anderson to Diamondbacks (Shin-Shoo Choo and Jason Donald to Reds; Reds sent Didi Gregorius to the Diamondbacks)

2 to 4.  See Bauer details 2 thru 4

Nine Degrees

Cory Kluber, (originally drafted 4 by Padres in 2007)

1.  Trade 2010 Padres (and Cardinals) for Jake Westbrook (to Cardinals; Cardinals sent Ryan Ludwick to the Padres and the Padres sent Nick Greenwood to the Cardinals)

2.  Jake Westbrook Trade 2000 Yankees with Ricky Ledee and Zach Day for David Justice

3.  Justice - Trade 1997 Braves with Marquis Grissom for Alan Embree and Kenny Lofton

4.  A. Embree - Draft 1989 (5)

B. Lofton - Trade 1992 Astros with Dave Rohde for Willie Blair and Eddie Taubensee

5.  A. Blair - Trade 1990 Athletics for Alex Sanchez

B. Taubensee - Waivers 1991 from Athletics

6.  Sanchez - Trade 1990 Blue Jays (PTBNL) with Mauro Gozzo and Steve Cummings for Bud Black

7.  Black - Trade 1988 Royals for Pat Tabler

8. Tabler - Trade 1983 White Sox for Jerry Dybzinski

9. Dybzinski - Draft 1977 (15)