The Indians still haven't signed their top four picks in the June draft. They have until midnight Monday to get it done. Here is a look at some of the high picks that they have signed.
Mississippi's Drew Pomeranz remains unsigned by the Indians with Monday's deadline approaching. The Indians have signed 20 of their 50 draft picks so far, but none of their first four selections.INDIANS CHATTER
Clubhouse confidential: Manager Manny Acta can’t believe people in Cleveland are complaining about the heat and humidity this summer.
Acta lives in Florida and spent the last 2½ summers managing the Nationals in Washington, D.C. Before that he coached the Mets in New York.
“This is probably the nicest summertime I’ve had in my baseball career,” said Acta, “and all I do is hear people complain about how hot and humid it is. I go, ‘This is nice. This is like Christmas time in Florida.’ You get a little breeze at night from the lake. I guess I’ve got to be here a little while to understand it.”
Shut it down: Former Indian Milton Bradley will have surgery on his right knee Tuesday in Cincinnati. Bradley, on the disabled list, is in town with the Mariners.
Other former Indians on the Mariners include: Russell Branyan, Franklin Gutierrez, Jamey Wright and Josh Bard. Cliff Lee started the years in Seattle, but was traded to Texas.
Stat of the day: Indians’ record by the month: April 9-13, May 9-18, June 12-16, July 13-14 and August 5-8.
— Paul Hoynes
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tyler Holt asked and the Indians gave. The question is will they do the same to sign their top four picks in the June draft by Monday's midnight deadline.
Holt, drafted in the 10th round out of Florida State, told the Indians he wanted $500,000. He put it this way in a July 29th article in the Tallahassee Democrat, "The Indians know what I want. ... They'll decide if they want to give it to me. If not, I'm coming back to school as fast as you can say 'Seminole.'"
The Indians announced Saturday that they'd signed Holt. Yes, he got his $500,000, which according to Baseball America, is the highest bonus given this year in the 10th round and three times above MLB's unofficial slotting for a 10th-round pick.
"We wanted him," said Brad Grant, the Indians' director of amateur scouting. "We feel he's an offensive center fielder and leadoff hitter. He was one of the elite college bats in the country."
Holt, who hit .355 with 87 runs, 26 doubles, three triples, 13 homers and 48 RBI at Florida State this year, will report to Class A.
The Indians have signed 20 of their 50 selections, including seven of their first 15. Unsigned are No.1 pick left-hander Drew Pomeranz, No.2 pick outfielder LeVon Washington, No.3 pick Tony Wolters and No.4 pick Kyle Blair. Grant would not talk about any unsigned players.
The Indians have signed their fifth and sixth picks. Right-hander Cole Cook, the No. 5 pick from Pepperdine, signed last week for $299,000. It was another above-slot signing.
"He's a 6-6 right-hander who has a 90 to 94 mph fastball," said Grant. "He has a four-pitch mix. He had some leverage [in bargaining] because he was a sophomore who was eligible for the draft."
Cook is at Class A Mahoning Valley.
No.6 pick Nick Bartolone, a junior college shortstop, signed early for $125,000. He hit .303 (40-for-132) with 25 runs, three doubles and nine RBI in 32 games for the Tribe's Arizona Rookie League team before being promoted to Mahoning Valley.
"He's an elite defensive shortstop," said Grant, "who has performed well offensively."
The Indians took a gamble on No.7 pick Robbie Aviles. They paid the high school right-hander $150,000 even though he needed Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. They are still negotiating with No. 8 pick Alex Lavisky, the catcher from St. Edward High School, who has a scholarship to Georgia Tech.
The two other high picks that have signed are college right-handers Jordan Cooper and Michael Goodnight. Cooper, a ninth-round pick from Wichita State, received $125,000. Goodnight was drafted in the 15th round out of the University of Houston. The Indians went above the slot and signed him for $315,000.
The Indians drafted Goodnight out of high school, but didn't sign him. He pitched two years at Houston and the Indians selected him again in June. After a good summer season in Cape Cod, the Indians signed him.
"He's another big physical right-hander who throws between 90 mph to 94 mph," said Grant.""
Cooper and Goodnight are at Mahoning Valley.
Teams that don't sign their first- or second-round picks will be compensated the following year with an extra pick in almost the same spot in that round. If they don't sign their third-round pick, they will receive a compensation pick between the third and fourth rounds.
In the pen: Manager Manny Acta said Aaron Laffey will finish the year in the bullpen. He'll make a rehab appearance at Class A Lake County Monday.
Acta said he hasn't seen enough of Laffey to make a decision on his future as a starter.
"But I really liked what I saw out of the pen," said Acta. "He can pitch multiple innings and face lefties and righties with that sinker that he has."
On the verge: Travis Hafner is close to being activated after another good batting practice session Saturday.