Pronk Needs You!

The Cleveland Indians today designated Andy Marte for assignment to pick up right-handed pitcher Juan Salas in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.

As long-time readers of this blog will know (are there any long-time readers of this blog?), Andy Marte has been a cause celebre here, primarily because of the Indians puzzling treatment of him since he was acquired as the third baseman of the future.  The future, however, never arrived for Andy, who never hit well at the major league level, allegedly reported out of shape to spring training last year, suffered from bad injury timing and spent a lot of time inexplicably riding the pine, allegedly in Eric Wedge’s doghouse.

The question mark is in the headline because a player who is DFA’d is removed from the roster and the team has 10 days to submit the player to waivers, trade him or release him.  It is possible that he could clear waiviers and be signed to a minor-league contract by the Tribe.  Stranger things have happened.  I don’t count it likely.  I think the Marte era ends with the Indians getting a no-impact minor league filler player from somebody.  Getting a new start with another organization could be the best thing to happen to Marte.   Some team will likely give him a chance based on his can’t miss AAA numbers from a few years ago,

And, ironically, “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” has just come up on my iPod.

Even more ironically, Juan Salas is a converted third baseman.

As for Juan Salas, the Indians gave up Isais Velasquez, a minor-league infielder who was at Mahoning Valley last year.  Salas has major league bullpen experience and appears to be another arm being thrown at the bullpen wall to see what sticks.   Most likely, he gets stashed in Columbus just in case.

And in another show of irony, “Free At Last” by the Blind Boys of Alabama has just come up on my iPod.  Seriously.  I think my iPod is possessed.