Dellucci To Start the Year on the DL; Crowe Is Up!

UPDATED BEFORE I EVEN POST IT, 2:20

Yeah you are reading an update that was updated before I even posted the damn entry.

Just as I was getting ready to post this, I checked CastroTurf and saw the news on David Dellucci..

Dellucci's tight calf is going to send him to the DL to start the year. In response to that, it will be Trevor Crowe making the opening day roster as the fourth outfielder.

I'm not sure if he'll well enough, or even enough to warrant them releasing Dellucci when his DL stint is over, but I think eventually Crowe will land back in Columbus for a short period of time, just to see what Dellucci has.

Still, this is a little crazy. Anything can happen with a week left and now a lot of people are dancing in the streets. This might be the beginning of the end for Dellucci's Tribe career, especially if Crowe makes it hard for the Tribe to send him down. Congrats Trevor!

You are now returned to the original post and your regularly scheduled program.
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I didn't realize the game wasn't till tonight at 7.

I got this nifty new Indians Calender for the months of March through the end of the year. My Dad got in the mail. This is good news since my old calender was no longer good once the new-year hit. I've been operating without a calender above my desk.

Yeah I know, Google has a calender and I use that more, but its nice to look up and see something cool above your calender, like a picture of Grady Sizemore.

Or Michael Scott.

HEY.

So since there isn't a game till 7, there is no lineup right now.

But there are some interesting things floating out-and-about.

I must first leadoff and point you in the direction of Tony Lastoria's daily notebook of the happenings with the minor leaguers. We find things out that we otherwise wouldn't have known.

Four cuts, with two more that have happened, but haven't been released. Brad Hinkle, Candido Jesus, Wilfredo Ramirez, and Garrett Rieck are all gone. The large organizational board will be updated to agree with those changes.

Also will be updated within the next few days with definite landing spots for some minor leaguers. We know Akron will pretty much see guys like Rondon and Santana, Mills and Weglarz. Columbus has the big-three, the pitchers and all that.. Lake County and Kinston names are starting to fly in from Tony and that will be reflected as they come in.

Chisenhall will start third base for Kinston, completely skipping the Lake County level. Does this mean Jeremie Tice goes to first base?

That Kinston team looks pretty good and the rotation looks kind of interesting and fun. De La Cruz, Berger, Ryan Morris, and our Minor League Mascot Zach Putnam so far.

Randy Newsome could end up in Akron again? Bummer for him, he can't seem to stay at Triple-A, but it has nothing to do with him.

Oh and finally I wanted to mention, Abner Abreu is going to be moved to the outfield. I don't think I brought it up, but it's mentioned in Tony's post there that he'll be Lake County's right fielder. He played the infield last year with GCL.

That's all on the minor league front.

Here is what little I can gather up about the big league team.

With just six games left, Wedge is going to be looking for the team to start to hit their marks so they can hit the ground running when the season gets underway. This may be a painful week for all of us, because it is so close, but I'm sure the players are just itching to get this week of uselessness out of the way and play the real thing.

"We've got a lot of work to do this last week," said Wedge. "We want to be a little more crisp. Every individual needs to ask a little more of themselves in regards to their preparation to get ready for the season.

"They need to come together collectively. Our 13 position players have to come together. The seven guys in the bullpen need to be a unit. The five guys in the rotation need to be a unit."

Kerry Wood admitted he was a little more amped than usual for a spring game, but I think that's understandable considering who he was facing.

"It was a little different facing them," said Wood. "I ended up trying to throw strikes instead of quality strikes. But I threw a good slider to [Ryan] Theriot, that's a pitch I've been working on, and another good one to [Milton] Bradley at the end of the inning."

I think the funny part is this following encounter.

Yelled another, "Kerry, I was there the day you struck out 22 against Houston."

Wood turned to Bart Swain, the Indians' director of media relations, and said, "By the time I'm 40, I'll have struck out 30 in that game."

Wood said that because he only struck out 20 hitters, not 22. Still 20 is pretty impressive.

Another note on DeRosa and Wood the former Cubbies in addition to what DeRosa said about not pre-arranging a deal with Ted Lilly on the home runs. DeRosa says he's played behind him for two years, he knows what he's about. More on DeRosa and the Cubs by Terry Pluto.

But Jim Hendry and Mark Shapiro were sitting together when DeRosa hit one of the home runs. I guess they are good friends. Shapiro can just bonk on him all he wants now.

Speaking of Shapiro... He had the greatest quote in terms of the whole ordeal with Milton Badass yesterday.

"I just don't know," said Wedge, shaking his head. "I talked to Mark Shapiro and he said, "That was four teams ago.'"

Wedge didn't have to say that.. In fact, you'd almost expect him not to. But I'm glad he did. Why? Because I'm sure Milton would take it out on Wedge every chance he got. I like seeing Wedge defend himself, he was totally right about Milton, and the Indians probably got the most out of him, a player who was of some worth, in one way or another.

Terry Pluto offers up more great notes. He says Fausto Carmona is doing what he's supposed to be doing to be successful. Pluto brings up some interesting stats about Zach Jackson. Sure he's a lefty, but that doesn't mean he can get them out. Maybe he isn't the man after all?