Knapp to Undergo MRI on Shoulder

When the Cleveland Indians traded Cliff Lee to the Philadelphia Phillies before the deadline it was a tough pill for Indians fans to swallow. For the second straight season a team that was supposed to contend for a division title traded the ace of their rotation. The Tribe got four players in return for Lee from Philadelphia, but the key to the deal was 18-year old right-hander Jason Knapp.

Had Knapp not been included in the package, Lee would still be in Cleveland. Well, if Indians fans thought the trades of Lee and CC Sabathia were hard to accept, then they're definitely not going to be happy with the latest news. Knapp has a shoulder problem and will be undergoing an MRI.

"We're concerned," said Ross Atkins, Indians director of player development. "The shoulder has continued to bother him. We'll see what the MRI says."

Now when the Indians made the deal they knew Knapp was suffering some tendinitis in his right bicep, and he was actually on the disabled list when they made the deal. After making four starts for Cleveland's Single-A affiliate in Lake County, Knapp has an ERA of 5.40 with 12 strikouts and 8 walks in 11 2/3 innings. More importantly, he also has pain in his shoulder.

If it turns out there's something seriously wrong with Knapp's shoulder that affects what kind of pitcher he'll turn out to be, it'll be just another in a long line of blows the Indians have taken on the chin this season. Add in the fact that Indians management knew Knapp was hurt when they traded for him, and I can already hear the fans calling for Mark Shapiro's head should this MRI come back with bad news.