The Indians have signed 39-year old righty swinging 2B Mark Grudzielanek to a minor league deal. He played in 11 games in Rookie+AA-ball last season and he was 11 of 39 (.282 avg, .657 OPS) with 7 runs scored and 1 RBI. Grudzielanek last played in the majors in 2008 with the Royals. He has played in 1,772 games in his major league career and he is 2,010 of 6,942 (.290 avg, .727 OPS) with 936 runs scored, 90 homers, 629 RBIs and 131 stolen bases. He has played in 1 All-Star game in his career and he has a Gold Glove in his trophy case. The Indians will likely let him compete for a job on the bench but he could also push Luis Valbuena at 2B if he has anything left at all. I like this move for the Indians.

The Indians have traded 26-year old lefty starter/reliever Zach Jackson to the Blue Jays for a player to be named later. Jackson pitched in 3 games (1 start) for the Indians last season and he was 0-0 with a 9.35 ERA and a 2.08 WHIP. Jackson also pitched in 30 games (14 starts) in AAA-ball last season and he was 4-8 with a 6.05 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP. Jackson was part of the C.C. Sabathia trade a year and a half ago with the Brewers and he has really stunk it up. I don’t care what the Indians get back…..I like this trade.

Miguel Dilone came to the Indians in 1980 and he was mainly a pinch runner and defensive replacement until he came to the Tribe. All Dilone did in 1980 was play in 132 games in which he was 180 for 528 (.341 avg, .807 OPS) with 82 runs scored, 0 homers, 40 RBIs and 61 stolen bases. Dilone never could repeat his success of 1980 again. He played four years with the Indians playing in 340 games in which he was 360 for 1,244 (.289 avg, .700 OPS) with 180 runs scored, 3 homers, 91 RBIs and 128 stolen bases. Indians’ fans didn’t have much to cheer when Dilone played for them so his 1980 season gave them hope which quickly faded just like his career did. Dilone played in 460 games in his career with other teams and he was 170 for 756 (.225 avg) with 134 runs scored, 3 homers, 38 RBIs and 139 stolen bases. So, Dilone’s moment in the sun was with the Cleveland Indians and not many players would say that back then.

The Indians have signed 29-year old righty swinging outfielder Austin Kearns to a minor league deal. Kearns played in 80 games for the Nationals last season and he was 34 for 174 (.195 avg, .641 OPS) with 20 runs scored, 3 homers and 17 RBIs. Kearns appeared really lost at the plate last season as he whiffed an amazing 51 times. Kearns has now played in 842 games in his major league career and he is 737 for 2,879 (.256 avg, .780 OPS) with 425 runs scored, 105 homers, 422 RBIs and 27 stolen bases. Austin Kearns has been a decent player not that long ago so this is a nice low risk signing for the Indians. The thing I don’t like about this signing is that Kearns is the second ex-Nationals player signed by the Indians this winter and I don’t want Manny Acta bringing over too many players from his first major league gig which didn’t go too well.

The Indians have signed 30-year old righty swinging OF/1B Shelley Duncan to a minor league deal. Duncan played in 11 games for the Yankees last season and he was 3 for 15 (.200 avg, .400 OPS) with 1 run scored and 1 RBI. He also played in 123 games in AAA-ball last season and he was 125 for 452 (.277 avg, .916 OPS) with 85 runs scored, 30 homers and 99 RBIs. This will be Duncan’s best chance to earn a job in the majors to see if his power translates or not. He has played in 68 games in his major league career and he is 32 for 146 (.219 avg, .701 OPS) with 24 runs scored, 8 homers and 24 RBIs. This is a nice low risk move for the Indians who need some pop off the bench in 2010.