Two decades on, trade still matters

It wasn't the biggest trade the Indians have made in the last 40 years.That was Joe Carter to the Padres for Sandy Alomar, Carlos Baerga and Chris James in 1989.It wasn't the most shocking.That was Baerga and Alvaro Espinoza to the Mets in 1996 for Jeff Kent and Jose Vizcaino.It wasn't even a trade I cried over.That was Cory Snyder to the White Sox in 1990 for Eric King.But 20 years ago, the Tribe engineered a deal with the Expos that signaled the end of an era – the most successful era of Cleveland baseball.On June 27, 2002, Cleveland sent starting pitcher Bartolo Colon to the Montreal Expos for veteran first baseman Lee Stevens and three highly touted prospects – pitcher Cliff Lee, shortstop Brandon Phillips and outfielder Grady Sizemore.Why did this deal matter so much?It was a signal from Tribe general manager Mark Shapiro that the team was giving up on the 2002 season.And the franchise – and baseball – felt its effects for years.This was a big deal. Yes, the Indians were struggling in June of 2002. But they were coming off five division titles in six years, a run that included two World Series appearances, 1995 and '97.But there were signals that the franchise was going through a shift. John Hart, the general manager who presided over all the success, announced he was leaving after the '01 season. Shortly after, Shapiro dealt the Indians' best player – future Hall of Famer Robbie Alomar – to the Mets.There were changes all over the field. Slugger Juan Gonzalez and fan favorite centerfielder Kenny Lofton left in free agency.And though the Indians started the 2002 season 11-1, things quickly fell apart. On June 26, the Indians lost to Boston, and fell to 36-41.Just about the only bright spot by that point was Colon, who was having the best year of his career. For years, Cleveland had been looking for an ace starting pitcher. For all of its success in the late '90s and early 2000s, the Indians never had an ace. And that's one of the biggest reasons they never won it all.Now, in 2002, with the team having its worst season in years – Colon was on fire. The 285-pound right hander – who had always shown flashes of brilliance – was 10-4 with a 2.55 earned run average.He also was under contract for one more season. That made him a trade candidate.Shapiro made that trade.In later years, I heard Shapiro say in interviews he knew he was in trouble when it was announced that Colon was sent to Canada for Lee Stevens and "three minor leaguers."It makes for a good story, but everyone knew Stevens wasn't the centerpiece of the deal.The success of the trade was going to be based on the prospects.At the same time, fans were mad. Finally, Colon had become what every fan had thirsted for. An ace. Someone who could be a formidable Game 1 starter in the World Series.But he became that guy a year too late.By trading Colon, Indians not only were punting on 2002, but were essentially in full-rebuild mode. The target date for contention? 2005.Might as well have said 2025.The message was clear.The era of great teams, big time winning, and big-time attendance, was over.It was inevitable. But at the time, it stung.It's been 20 years, but I still don't think the fanbase has completely recovered. Attendance to games since the deal reflects that.Of course, the other side of the story was what happened with the prospects. Grady Sizemore was a speedy, powerful outfielder who a former teammate – Ben Francisco – once compared to the Angels Mike Trout.From 2005-2008, Sizemore was one of the most exciting players in the game. But the centerfielder's hustle and energy that won him fans came at a price. In those years, he never played less than 157 games in a season.From 2009 to 2015 – when Sizemore retired – he played more than 100 games only once, as injuries ravaged his career.Lee, a left-handed starter, won 18 games for the Indians in 2005, when they won 93 games and just missed the postseason.In 2008, Lee had one of the best seasons an Indians pitcher has ever had. He went 23-4 and won the Cy Young award.But that success didn't match the team's. A year later, he was traded to Philadelphia. He won 143 games in his career – playing big roles in World Series runs for the Phillies and Rangers.But he never started a postseason game for Cleveland.Then, there's Phillips. Phillips shifted to second base soon after the trade, but never caught on with the Indians. He seemed to clash with then-manager Eric Wedge, and by 2006 was deemed expendable.If Phillips was involved in the best trade of the Shapiro era, he also was involved in the worst. The Indians sent him to the Reds for reliever Jeff Stevens.Jeff Stevens never pitched for the Indians. But Phillips became a fan favorite in Cincinnati. A two-time all-star and four-time gold glover, Phillips ended his big league career with more than 2,000 hits.He was what everyone said he'd be. Just not in Cleveland.There's one other aspect. Everyone knows, in hindsight, that the Indians got a haul from Montreal.But Montreal made the trade with essentially nothing to lose. The Expos were a struggling franchise owned by Major League Baseball in 2002. The front office had – against all odds – assembled a winning team.But it also knew new ownership – and a move to another city – was imminent. So what did Expos General Manager Omar Minaya have to lose? What future was he protecting? It ended up being the last big move the Expos made.Well, before the one to Washington. The humor of the the Colon trade is that the big right-hander's career lasted far longer than any of the prospects the Indians received for him. He won 247 games, winning a Cy Young with the Angels in 2005. His last major league appearance came in 2018, at the age of 45. Last year, Colon won 6 games pitching in the Mexican League. As it turned out, Colon may have signaled the beginning of an Indians' rebuilding process, but his career outlasted it, and then some. So much talent in one trade.Twenty years later, the effects are still being felt.