Rule V Round Up, Alomar Speaks and Minor League Free Agents

Alright so today, we'll actually post this one at a normal time instead of like, late in the afternoon when the network at UA sucks.

Anyway whatever, I'm over it now man.

I really am.

There's a bunch of roster move stuff we need to go over, but let's clean up some stuff about Sandy and Manny.

Yesterday, Sandy Alomar had a conference call with reporters and we now find out that he did indeed have an offer to take the same post with New York.

In fact, Omar Minaya didn't even want to give Sandy the opportunity to talk to Cleveland.

"This developed over the last week," said Alomar, speaking to Cleveland reporters Wednesday on a conference call. "I talked to Omar relentlessly. At first he was skeptical, but I was persistent. When he gave me the opportunity to talk to the Indians, he knew I wasn't coming back."

This is something Sandy genuinely wanted. He wanted it before he even talked to Shapiro and company. To say that, he knew that he was trying to talk Omar Minaya out of letting him leave the team.

Props to Minaya for actually letting it happen. Letting someone advance up in their career is one thing that someone should always do if you can't give them that chance, but to let Sandy make the lateral move like that is something he didn't have to do. Gained a little respect for the Mets GM on this one.

"I'm very excited," Alomar said. "This is a great opportunity to return to a place where I have a lot of great memories. My family is very excited."

And as Sandy also said, these are "special circumstances."

Two of Alomar's kids live in Cleveland right now. It is going to be a homecoming the day Cleveland plays their first home game for sure.

Sandy says he does want to manage one day and given how quickly he's progressed in just a few years, I'd say it could be in his near future.

Now Acta met with the Cleveland reporters yesterday and had lunch with them. Not much that wasn't covered the past two days that we saw. Really nothing too new from what they uncovered that he didn't say to Levine or Drennan on the good old television. Here is a recap from Castrovince though.

There is one part though... And that's Free Agency, that is a set to begin in a few hours.. And when I say few, I mean the rest of the day.

One funny quote from Manny on Free Agency.

"You asked me what I want, man," Acta said with a laugh. "I'll give you a list Santa Claus couldn't [fulfill]."

Now that's not realistic as Manny knows, but I think he believes enough in what we have here to be fine. He did say that no matter what happens with Jake Westbrook, it would be smart to get another pitcher or two in here. As he said, you have to cover yourself when it comes to pitching.

Now does that mean going out and getting players that are even in the Carl Pavano range where you can sign them to incentive based deals?

I don't know. It may be people in the above-Tomo Ohka range. Starters that won't get deals anywhere else, but you can sign them to minor league deals and say, hey come on in and compete for a starting spot.

Especially though, I'd expect the Indians to pick SOMEONE up if Jake Westbrook suffers a setback. But let's hope that doesn't happen.

Castrovince even throws out a list of players that he believes would be in the Tribe's range if they were to make some sort of a move. And mind you, this would be very late in the process when these guys are looking for anything.

Paul Byrd, Jose Contreras, Doug Davis, Justin Duchscherer, Kelvim Escobar, Josh Fogg, Mike Hampton, Livan Hernandez, Eric Milton, Brett Myers, Brad Penny, Jason Schmidt, Ben Sheets, John Smoltz, Brett Tomko, Jarrod Washburn, Jeff Weaver, Todd Wellemeyer and Kip Wells.

I think names like even Jarrod Washburn would be off limits. I'd be a big fan of a signing like Justin Duchscherer. Someone who missed the entire season last year won't come very expensive. Someone like Brett Myers would be perfect, but he's a jerk.

Anyway, Manny did also address the idea of adding any relief pitchers and the bullpen. He said they are happy with what they have, but there will be 200 players available, so I'm sure they'll add some guys on a minor league deal like they always do.

Acta did also say though that there will only be one role assigned going into Spring Training and that is Kerry Wood as closer. Other than that, everything is up in the air because last year, roles going into the season didn't really work. I agree with this, make everyone earn their spot.

Spots... Spots.. Let's talk spots..

Tonight free agency begins.... Jamey Carroll and Tomo Ohka leave our roster officially. Jake Westbrook and Anthony Reyes need to be added or in Reyes' case, possibly removed.

And then the Indians need to announce who is going to be added in protection for the Rule V Draft.

This is something that both Anthony Castrovince and Tony Lastoria covered this past week.

Both sort of came to some agreement on several players, so it seems likely the following will be protected.

Jeanmar Gomez
Jordan Brown
Jason Donald
Nick Weglarz

I didn't think Gomez would be that much of a lock, but he's made tremendous strides and with him probably going to be at Columbus next year, I guess I can see you just add him now.

So assuming seven spots are up for grabs, maybe eight depending on what is done with Reyes, that leaves 3-4 spots open for everyone else and it is actually going to be more hotly contested than I originally thought awhile ago.

These are where the names get interesting. Lastoria believes McBride, Lofgren, Pino and Tomlin are Probables at 75%.. So if the Indians want to protect all four, you will see Reyes DFAed..

Now is that where the discussion ends?

De La Cruz, Hodges, Rivero and Josh Rodriguez are listed by Tony as 50% Questionables.

In the end AC mentions De La Cruz, but Tony seems to be convinced that he will most definitely not get rostered and there is a compelling reason why.

The guy basically missed last year. He'll start next year again at Kinston and probably make it to Akron? I mean that's my best guess. They'll probably move him through Kinston quickly, but I can't imagine anyone taking a chance on a kid that is coming off an injury that hasn't pitched above Single-A. I just cannot imagine it happening and therefore I think it's safe to leave him unprotected.

Tony's got seven names that he believes are rostered. The four locks, McBride, Lofgren and Pino. If there are only six rostered, then he thinks Lofgren is the odd man out and if eight are rostered, it isn't Tomlin, but Carlos Rivero.

It needs to be pointed out that Rivero has sort of regained some of the momentum he lost during the regular season with his AFL performance, so it makes some sense.

So... I'm no expert on this issue but I'd have to say the four locks are four players I agree with. I wouldn't protect De La and would probably protect Pino, Lofgren and McBride.

McBride was someone that made me think, but I think in the end, you have a guy who completely broke out and could be in Triple-A as soon as halfway through. He's exactly the type of player, who has position versatility now as well (especially at a valuable position like catcher again), and a hot bat to get taken.

Matt McBride, by the by, is up for the Stenson Award, given to the AFL player every year who exemplifies the follow qualities: unselfishness, hard work and leadership. Jason Donald, now an Indian, won it last year.

So yeah... Expect six to get rostered for sure. Believe seven is a high possibility and eight could happen.

So who knew Josh Barfield was a minor league free agent?

I didn't.. But he is one of Cleveland's minor league FAs.

Others of note, Scott Roehl, Rich Rundles, Juan Salas, Juan Lara, Ole Sheldon.

Anyone seeing Josh Barfield leaving? I think so.. What a bust of a trade that was.. Damn.. I had high hopes for the kid too, we all did.

Final note from one of the Hoynes stories. Tim Tolman and Manny Acta will share outfield instruction duties during the season. Gary Thurman, who was in the running to be one of Acta's coaches, will do it during Spring Training. The final two spots aside from the Hitting position, are the bullpen catcher jobs, which will go to people inside the organization.