You know what? It doesn't even bother me that the Indians traded Sabathia. I guess I'm getting numb to it to some degree. Why not trade your stars and get something for them before they just walk away to the higher dollars of free agency. No matter how much they say that they want to stay in Cleveland, they never do.
Looking back in time, there's also the Bartolo Colon trade as precedent. At the time I was upset that they were trading their ace. It certainly worked out in the end though. I mean they got Lee Stevens after all, and where would they be without him? Oh, they also got some dudes named Brandon Phillips, Grady Sizemore, and Cliff Lee. Maybe you've heard of them. It's because of that that I have some faith in the general manager and the scouts. It looks like 2-3 of the guys they traded for (i.e. everyone except Zach Jackson) have the potential to be stars.
Depending on the player to be named later, it's possible that they've netted a power corner outfielder, their future closer, and a possible all-star second baseman. All definite needs for the Tribe. Granted, those players are all at AA or lower, so a lot can happen, but Sizemore was at high A when they traded for him...
At this point, the season might as well be over. They're done. Stick a fork in them. They couldn't stay healthy and they couldn't handle the expectations of winning. That of course means they are about 2 years away from competing again, because there will be expectations again next year that they'll turn it around. By then, they should have a desperately needed influx of hitting.