The first move is to trade Lonnie Chisenhall and Rafael Perez to the Angels for Mark Trumbo and prospects. The only true left handed bat in the Angels lineup will be Bobby Abreu along with switch hitters Alberto Callapso and Erik Aybar. Chisenhall would provide another left handed bat to balance the lineup and give manager Mike Scioscia added flexibility by moving Alberto Callaspo to the utility role. Rafael Perez would provide the Angels bullpen with a second lefty to pair with Scott Downs and provide length to the Angles pen.
The Indians would receive a power hitting right handed corner bat who remains under team control for the next five seasons and the Indians would also free up approximately 1.9 million dollars in salary by moving Perez.
As some have mentioned, trading Chisenhall would leave Jason Donald and Jack Hannahan in a platoon role at 3rd base and this doesn't excite to many. (It should be noted that Hannahan OPS .673 vs RHP and Donald .607 so neither is really a good platoon option vs RHP).
The second move would be to sign Aramis Ramirez to a 2-year 18 million dollar contract with some sort of creative vesting option for the 3rd year. The Indians payroll is not maxed out in 2011 and the team would have an additional 2 million freed up by moving Rafael Perez. With Travis Hafner, Derek Lowe, Grady Sizemore, and possibly Fausto Carmona coming off the books following the 2012 season the Indians could afford the risk.
Ramirez would provide the Indians a steady presence at 3rd base and allow Jason Donald to assume a traditional utility role and the lineup takes on a whole new look with Trumbo and Ramirez at the corners.
A lineup of Sizemore (CF), Asdrubal Cabrera (SS), Shin-Soo Choo (RF), Carlos Santana (C), Aramis Ramirez (3b), Travis Hafner (DH), Mark Trumbo (1b), Jason Kipnis (2b), and Michael Brantley (LF) is a lineup that I'd feel good going to battle with.
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