Manager Manny Acta did not expect Kerry Wood to get traded before Saturday's deadline. Wood came off the disabled list before the game and the general feeling was that he'd have to pitch a few times in August to attract the interest of a team. Acta planned for Wood to pitch the seventh inning in Saturday's 2-1 victory over Toronto, but he received word not to put him in the game. That's when he knew a deal was in place.
View full sizeNew York Yankees reliever Kerry Wood pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the eighth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010, in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Rays defeated the Yankees 3-0. INDIANS CHATTER
Clubhouse confidential: Manager Manny Acta did not expect Kerry Wood to get traded before Saturday's deadline. Wood came off the disabled list before the game and the general feeling was that he'd have to pitch a few times in August to attract the interest of a team.
Acta planned for Wood to pitch the seventh inning in Saturday's 2-1 victory over Toronto, but he received word not to put him in the game. That's when he knew a deal was in place.
The Yankees told Wood that they'd seen enough of him in the past and on video to make the deal.
Back-room dealing: The negotiating GM Mark Shapiro and assistant GM Chris Antonetti did in preparation for their trading blitz last week was nothing compared to what's going on now. With veterans Jhonny Peralta, Austin Kearns, Jake Westbrook and Wood traded, the remaining Indians are trying to stake claims to the most precious commodities of all -- the departed veterans' lockers at Progressive Field.
The bargaining was going on after the Indians' 5-4 victory over Toronto on Sunday. It will be interesting to see who lands where when the team returns home Friday after a four-game series in Boston.
Stat of the day: Rookie Jeanmar Gomez became the fifth Indian to win his first two big-league games. The others are Scott Lewis in 2008, Roy Smith in 1984, Luis Tiant in 1964 and Dewey Metivier in 1922.
Source: baseball-reference.com.
-- Paul Hoynes