Are Francisco Lindor's Days As A Cleveland Indian Numbered?

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians have a long history of trading away budding superstars. The latest risk for addition to that ignominious list? Francisco Lindor.

The 25-year-old shortstop has already proven to be one of baseball's must-see talents. After four years in the big leagues, Lindor is a three-time All Star, a two-time Silver Slugger winner, one-time Gold Glove winner, and has finished as high as fifth in American League MVP voting.

Why would the Indians ever consider parting with a generational talent like Lindor? The answer is simple and devastating: money.

The Indians control Lindor for three more years. After that, "we'll see what happens." That's what Indians owner Paul Dolan told The Athletic, in a revealing and ominous interview.

Dolan was asked, point blank, to address the already bubbling concern that the Tribe won't make a serious effort to retain Lindor. When asked to speak directly to fans on the matter, through the Athletic, Dolan said, "Enjoy him. We control him for three more years. Enjoy him and then we'll see what happens."

Some feel Dolan's comments were innocuous. For other Tribe fans, the answer feels like an all-too-familiar gut punch.

In 2007 and 2008, Dolan's Indians pulled off a feat of astonishing miserliness: the franchise traded away Cy Young winners in back-to-back years. In 2007, the Tribe sold off CC Sabathia, fresh from winning the franchise's first Cy Young award since 1972. A year later, after Cliff Lee posted a darling season and claimed his own Cy Young award, he was traded to Philadelphia.

No franchise in baseball history (the most storied sport in America) had ever traded Cy Young winners in back-to-back years.

It is worth noting here that following the trades of Sabathia and Lee, the Indians drifted into the hinterlands of baseball, posting a record of 65-97 in 2009. The team didn't enjoy another winning season until 2013.

Luckily for baseball fanatics in Cleveland, the past six seasons have been resplendent. In 2016, the Tribe were one lousy inning away from winning the World Series. In 2017, the team won 102 games. Last year, the Indians won 91 games and cruised to another AL Central crown.

Judging from Dolan's comments, these may be remembered as halycon days for this era of Tribe baseball. Many fans are already entering panic mode and begging for Dolan to either shell out a mega contract for Lindor or sell the team. Even Sports Illustrated said the Tribe's fanbase deserved to be "livid" with Dolan following his "bleak comments."

Many of the comments from fans were expletive-laden. Here's a few that weren't.

Read the entire interview between Dolan and The Athletic on the Athletic's website.