Indians News And Notes

Some quick hits on things that have happened to the Indians lately:

• The Indians completed the Kerry Wood deal with the Yankees, receiving a pair of minor leaguers, infielder Matt Cusick and RHP Andrew Shive. Don’t get excited, Tribe fans, these guys are strictly throw-ins. Cusick is 24 and can’t hit and Shive is 24, in Class A ball, and had Tommy John surgery. Sweet. No, what you should get excited over is the money the Indians saved. The Yankees ended up picking up about $3 million of Wood’s $3.6 million remaining on his contract. Wood was never going to be worth that with the Indians, good riddance.
• So what did the Indians do with that money saved? Well some of it went to the 2010 draft class, which, for what it’s worth, Baseball America ranked the Indians 2010 draft class as the best in baseball. The Indians spent $9.4 million in signing bonuses on the 2010 class, often going above slot to sign their players (unlike in years past). This is all well and good but we need to start seeing results before we get too excited. However I’m glad the Indians have finally stopped treating the draft like a bastard stepchild.
• Sandy Alomar Jr. is still with the Tribe, as the Blue Jays have hired John Farrell as their manager. Kind of curious to me, as Farrell refused to even interview for the Indians job last year. It makes me wonder if things just got that bad in Boston, Toronto was too good to pass up, or the Indians were just that bad of a situation to make him want to manage just a year later.
• Speaking of coaches, a bit of old news as our good buddy Eric Wedge is off the unemployment line and now managing the Seattle Mariners. Seattle just loves Cleveland Indians castaways. I wonder how long until Milton Bradley is on the trade block?
• The Indians handed out their minor league awards, with RHP Alex White winning the Bob Feller award for best pitcher and second baseman Jason Kipnis received the Lou Boudreau award for Indians minor league player of the year. These are two of the Indians’ top prospects, so it’s good to see these awards go to players that actually factor in to the Indians plans than just organizational filler.
• Finally, Trevor Crowe had surgery on his right elbow to remove “loose bodies.” And from the sound of Manny Acta’s quote, it doesn’t seem the Indians are too high on him:

"“He had a legit opportunity to make a big-time impression here and put himself on the inside track of being an everyday player. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. But he did enough good things for me to continue to think he’s going to be a good part of what we’re trying to do here.”-Indians manager Manny Acta"

So in other words, you’re fighting for the fourth outfielder spot, Trevor. Good luck, you’re gonna need it.