University of Mississippi baseball coach Mike Bianco says Drew Pomeranz, the Indians No.1 pick in the June draft, is ready for pro ball and wants to sign. All the Indians have to do is make the right offer before the Aug. 16 deadline.
CLEVELAND - Mike Bianco, head baseball coach at the University of Mississippi, has coached Drew Pomeranz for the past three years. He believes the Indians' No. 1 pick in the June draft is prepared to play pro ball.
"I think he's ready," said Bianco. "He wants to sign. That's fair to say. Now it becomes a business. He's been here playing baseball, but now it becomes a career."
The Indians have until Aug. 16 to sign Pomeranz, a 6-5, 230-pound left-hander. He was the fifth player drafted.
The Tribe has yet to sign any of its top five picks. This is usually when the pace of negotiations increases.
Here's a scout's look at Pomeranz: "He's a big, strong, physical pitcher, who is poised and competitive on the mound. He's deceptive and throws a fastball, curveball and change. He throws between 90 mph and 95 mph, but sits at 92 mph to 93 mph. He changes speed with the curveball, throwing it 78 mph to 81 mph and 81 mph to 84 mph when he's ahead and going for the strikeout. Changeup needs work."
Said Bianco: "When the stage is biggest, he raises his game. He's very competitive, but he doesn't do a lot of a lot of fist pumping. I think the scouts like that."
Outfielder LeVon Washington was the Indians' second pick. Negotiations are expected to go to the deadline with him. The Rays drafted him last year in the first round but didn't sign him. Scott Boras represents him.
High school shortstop Tony Wolters from Vista, Calif., was the Indians' No. 3 pick. He's committed to attending the University of San Diego and currently is playing in the world tournament in Thunder Bay, Canada, for Team USA's 18-and-under team.
Wolters is expected to make a decision after the tournament ends Aug. 3.
The Indians' fourth- and fifth-round picks are college right-handers Kyle Blair (San Diego) and Cole Cook (Pepperdine). The Indians are on record as saying they will not comment on negotiations with draft picks.
New arm: Josh Tomlin, not Carlos Carrasco, will start against the Yankees and CC Sabathia on Tuesday night.
The Indians will have to clear space on the 40-man roster to make room for Tomlin. He's 8-4 with a 2.69 ERA in 20 appearances, including 17 starts, at Class AAA Columbus. He has 80 strikeouts and 33 walks in 1071/3 innings.
Tomlin's WHIP is 1.08 and the opposition is hitting .212 against him.
"Josh Tomlin deserves to be up here and get the shot," said manager Manny Acta. "He's done nothing but pitch effectively throughout his career in the minor leagues, and he's pitching better than anybody at Triple-A."
Carrasco suffered a right forearm cramp in his last start at Columbus, but Acta says he's fine and will make his next start.
Tomlin was one of three Indians minor-leaguers arrested for felonious assault on June 3 in an Akron night club. Beau Mills and Jerad Head of the Class AA Akron Aeros were the other two players. The charges were recently reduced to disorderly conduct.
The Indians drafted Tomlin in the 19th round in 2006 out of Texas Tech University.
Arms in the news: Anthony Reyes, who hasn't pitched in the big leagues since May 22, 2009, because of reconstructive surgery on his right elbow, will make a rehab start Tuesday at Class AA Akron.
He made two previous starts for the Indians in the Arizona Rookie League.
"I'm relearning how to pitch again," said Reyes. "I'm making progress, but not as fast as I'd like."
Kerry Wood tested his tender right index finger in a bullpen session Sunday. He's scheduled to throw again Tuesday.
Wood has been on the disabled list since July 17 with a blister on his finger.
Finally: Jason Knapp, the key to the Cliff Lee deal who had surgery on his right shoulder last year, made his first start of the season Saturday for the Indians' team in the Arizona Rookie League team. He pitched one scoreless inning with one strikeout.