I worry that the Indians will give up too much from an already thin minor-league system, just to make a valiant gesture that still leaves them several games short of a playoff appearance. I would be happy to see them go 84-78 or 85-77, but not if it meant giving up Steven Wright, or Weglarz, or even one of their hottest prospects from the lower minors like Lindor.

I live in Chicago now, and before the Youklis deal was announced, some of the talk show hosts here were saying that it was important that the White Sox not mortgage the future when they have a talented core that could really break out in 2013. There has been a sigh of relief that they didn’t give up very much to get Youklis, and can now take their shot with him in ’12 and see what happens. (I’m not sure they have the pitching to get very far, but we’ll find out.)

I’m actually glad the Indians didn’t get Youklis, too, mostly because I want them to give Chisenhall every chance. Here’s potentially one of the early triumphs of the Brad Grant era, with power, who needs a chance to figure out how to command the strike zone at the major league level. And they can’t play Hannahan every day anyway. I think he deserves as long a leash as Santana has been given. Let’s allow these kids to make the adjustments they’ll have to make so that they can be closer to the Kipnis level in ’13.

* I think the wild card will often ensure that not just three, but four big-spending teams in the AL make the playoffs: The winners of the AL East and West, and either two more wild cards from the East, or the big-money Angels or Rangers from the West. If the Tigers win the Central, which remains the most likely scenario, that would make five free spenders.)