CLEVELAND (AP) — The Indians traded one of their extra pieces. They’re keeping their bigger ones — for now.Cleveland began what could be a busy offseason on Wednesday by dealing versatile infielder Erik Gonzalez to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a five-player swap.The AL Central champions sent the 27-year-old Gonzalez Juan Marichal Jersey , who appeared in 81 games for the Indians last season, along with minor league right-handers Tahnaj Thomas and Dante Mendoza to the Pirates for outfielder Jordan Luplow and infielder Max Moroff.Gonzalez batted .265 with one homer and 16 RBIs last season for Cleveland, which signed the Dominican native in 2009. And while he filled a valuable utility role, he was not going to crack the starting lineup behind All-Stars Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez.“That was a tough thing for us,” Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “We’ve had multiple conversations with Erik about it. He’s done so many things to impact the organization in his time with us, from the time he signed. He’s played every position on the field I think other than catcher at one point or another. But, as our roster has taken shape over the course of the past few seasons, we have not had an opportunity for him to play regularly.“So, we feel this will give Erik an opportunity to play more with Pittsburgh and continue his career and potentially blossom into the everyday player we think he can be.”The negligible move gives the Indians needed depth in the outfield, and it could be the first of many deals this winter.Cleveland has not dismissed speculation it may be willing to trade prominent players, including ace Corey Kluber and right-hander Carlos Carrasco. Antonetti said it’s difficult to measure whether the team has seen an increase in teams wanting to do business with the Indians.“I think what I would reiterate is that I think the conversations have reaffirmed for us that we have a lot of players on our roster and throughout our organization that are of interest to other teams,” he said. “And I think what that allows us to do is have a lot of dialogue with other teams about potential opportunities for us to move forward as an organization and get better.”The 25-year-old Luplow is one of those opportunities. Cleveland’s outfield was decimated by injuries last season http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-cepeda-jersey , and the team is not expected to re-sign Michael Brantley as a free agent.Luplow appeared in 64 games over the past two seasons with the Pirates, who named him their top minor league player in 2017.“He’s capable of playing all three outfield spots,” Antonetti said. “He’s spent most of the time in left and right, but we also believe he has the ability to play center field. He complements our roster really well as a right-handed-hitting outfielder that we think is capable of helping us at the major league level.”Moroff has split the last three seasons between Triple-A Indianapolis and Pittsburgh, appearing in 26 games for the Pirates in 2018.Antonetti dealing young players — especially pitchers — like Thomas and Mendoza is difficult, but sometimes necessary.“Two young pitchers out in Arizona that we like, that have some upside,” he said. “Obviously, they’re a little ways away from the major Leagues, being both 19 years old. So, guys that definitely have some potential to continue to grow and develop and develop into major league pitchers. But, for us to acquire Max and Jordan Gaylord Perry Jersey , we thought it was a worthwhile deal for us to make, because they’re two guys that can help our Major League team here in the near future.” LAS VEGAS (AP) — Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, Zack Greinke and Madison Bumgarner appear to be available for teams looking to bolster starting rotations.Hometown star Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, the two top free agents, remain unsigned heading into the traditional high-point of the offseason.Catcher J.T. Realmuto, third baseman Kyle Seager could be among the position players dangled as trade bait in the suites of Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay, where executives and agents gather next week for the annual swap session, which in an age of complicated finances and medical records serves as a midpoint for talks as much as a place to finish deals.Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein predicted the week will be “really active.”“It seems like there is plenty of trade talk, and there are still a lot of good free agents out there,” he said. “A couple of moves have already occurred that sort of always set the stage for increased activity in the next week or so.”First baseman Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona to St. Louis) and second baseman Robinson Cano (Seattle to New York Mets) are among the All-Stars already traded since the end of the World Series.Pitchers Patrick Corbin ($140 million for six years with Washington) and Nathan Eovaldi ($68 million for four years with Boston) already struck big deals in a free-agent market moving more swiftly than last offseason’s, and third baseman Josh Donaldson took a $23 million http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-dave-dravecky-jersey , one-year agreement with Atlanta.Nineteen of 164 players who exercised major league free agent rights have announced deals, up from eight heading into the meetings last year.And with A.J. Pollock, Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel still unsigned, there’s plenty more holiday shopping. And for the bottom of the market, there is sale time in January, February and even March.It’s not like the old days when teams made deals as soon as the market opened and tried to fill all their needs by the end of the winter meetings.“Things are slow,” Oakland general manager Dave Forst said. “I don’t think it’s that different from last year. Maybe the winter meetings will kind of jumpstart things.”Also on-deck at the meetings:HALL OR NOTHINGOrel Hershiser, Albert Belle and George Steinbrenner will be considered for the Hall of Fame when a 16-member panel votes this weekend in Las Vegas. Results will be announced Sunday at 8 p.m. EST.Harold Baines, Joe Carter, Will Clark, Lee Smith, Davey Johnson Brandon Crawford Jersey , Charlie Manuel and Lou Piniella are included on the ballot. The Hall of Fame board-appointed Today’s Game Era Committee includes Hall members Greg Maddux, Roberto Alomar, Joe Morgan, Bert Blyleven, Pat Gillick, Tony La Russa, John Schuerholz, Ozzie Smith and Joe Torre.PICK-N-PACKThe Rule 5 draft is the last item of business at the winter meetings, held Thursday morning before clubs clear out of town. Teams scour each other’s 40-man rosters, looking for players left off. Royals pitchers Brad Keller and Burch Smith, Tigers outfielder Victor Reyes and Texas outfielder Carlos Tocci were among those picked last December in the Rule 5.HEAR THISEight announcers who called games in the early days of radio are candidates for the Hall’s Ford C. Frick Award that honors broadcasting excellence. Waite Hoyt, Harry Heilmann http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-brandon-belt-jersey , Connie Desmond, Pat Flanagan, Jack Graney, Al Helfer, Rosey Rowswell and Ty Tyson are all deceased.Hoyt and Heilmann already are in the Hall as players — Hoyt was the top pitcher on the famed 1927 Yankees, Heilmann played alongside Ty Cobb in the Detroit outfield and hit .403 in 1923. No player in the Hall has also won the Frick award.The prize will be announced Wednesday.