The Indians may find a third baseman among the players who aren’t offered contracts for next season at midnight.
If Oakland allows Kevin Kouzmanoff to become a free agent, the Indians might opt to sign him to fill the opening at third base. Updated: 8:14 p.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio --A new pool of free agents becomes available at midnight Thursday to MLB's 30 teams because clubs must offer every unsigned player on the 40-man roster a 2011 contract. Players that aren't offered deals become free agents.
Depending on what Oakland does with Kevin Kouzmanoff and Edwin Encarnacion, the Indians' search for a third baseman may come to an end. Kouzmanoff and Encarnacion, recently claimed on waivers from Toronto, are eligible for arbitration. It's thought that the A's might non-tender one of them, making that player a free agent.
The Indians probably prefer Kouzmanoff. Encarnacion hit 21 homers for Toronto last season, but he made 18 errors in 95 games at third base. Kouzmanoff, drafted and developed by the Tribe, hit .247 with 16 homers and 71 RBI in 143 games last year for the A's. He made 12 errors.
They could try to trade for one of them, but it would be expensive. Kouzmanoff made $3.1 million and Encarnacion $4.75 last season and they're in line for raises in arbitration. Or the Indians could wait to see if one of them is non-tendered, and try to sign him as a free agent.
Seattle third baseman Jose Lopez could be another candidate. He reportedly will not be tendered a contract by Thursday's deadline. Lopez, who has a poor on base percentage and made 18 errors at third this year, hit .272 with 25 homers in 2009.
Lopez is a second baseman by trade, but was the Mariners regular third baseman last season.
The Indians are interested in free agent infielders Nick Punto and Andy LaRoche. Punto was the Twins opening day third baseman last season, but fell prey to left hamstring injuries and rookie Danny Valencia. LaRoche was just released by the Pirates.
LaRoche played 54 of his 102 games at third before rookie Pedro Alvarez pushed him aside. He hit .206 with four homers, 16 RBI and an .555 OPS.
If the Indians signed Punto, they'd probably team him with someone else at third. Punto is a switch-hitter so he could platoon with Jayson Nix.
Before shortstop/third baseman Miguel Tejada signed a one-year $6.5 million deal with the Giants this week, the Indians were one of several teams that asked about him. He would have been an ideal short-term fit at third base for the Indians, but he was way out of their price range.
The Indians' Shin-Soo Choo, Asdrubal Cabrera, Chris Perez, Rafael Perez, Jensen Lewis and Joe Smith are eligible for arbitration. Choo, Cabrera, Chris Perez and Rafael Perez will almost certainly be tendered deals.
Finally: Former Tribe infielder Andy Marte signed a minor league deal with the Pirates.