Check out this week's mailbag from Indians fans to beat writer Paul Hoynes.
The quality of the Indians' hitters and pitchers may vary from year to year, but drummer John Adams always has a good season.Hey, Hoynsie: The Indians fans living here want to know the history of the drummer at the games. -- Ron Brennan, East Haddam, Conn.
Hey, Ron: John Adams is the drummer. He's been banging the drum for a long time. You take it for granted, but when you go to another city and talk to baseball fans, usually one of the first things they ask about is John and his drum.
Hey, Hoynsie: Now that Mark Grudzielanek and Jamey Wright have been released, will Russell Branyan be next so that Matt LaPorta gets his at bats and experience at a new position? -- Carin Klein, Cleveland
Hey, Carin: Manager Manny Acta and GM Mark Shapiro have said that the next time LaPorta is called up it will be with the intention of playing him every day at first or left field. So one way or the other, playing time is going to have to be created.
The Indians would prefer to trade Branyan or left fielder Austin Kearns instead of designating them for assignment as they did with Grudzielanek and Wright. Branyan, despite having fewer at-bats than Shin-Soo Choo or Travis Hafner, entered the weekend tied with for the team lead in homers and ranked fourth in RBI per at-bat.
Not sure what you mean by a "new position" for LaPorta. He's spent last two seasons playing first and left field.
Hey, Hoynsie: When are Jhonny Peralta and Fausto Carmona free agents? -- Nancy Sloan, Cleveland
Hey, Nancy: A player needs six full big-league seasons to become a free agent. Peralta can be a free agent at the end of this season. Carmona is signed through 2011, which would be his fifth full season. The Indians hold club options on him for 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Austin Kearns has been among the Indians' most consistent offensive players this season, but at age 30 may not be in the team's long-term plans.Hey, Hoynsie: What would it take for Tribe management to consider Austin Kearns a core player? He's 26, hits .300 with 25-30 homers and has the throwback baseball character that can help win championships. If you pencil him in with Shin-Soo Choo on the corners though, you'd have to pick between Grady Sizemore and Michael Brantley for the best long-term option. What do you think? -- Jim Lisi, Ventura, Calif.
Hey, Jim: Kearns turned 30 on May 30 and through Friday he was in a 2-for-21 slump. Still, he's having a fine season.
If the Indians don't trade him this season, I could see him making the club next year as an extra outfielder, providing Sizemore's healthy and Matt LaPorta establishes himself as a big leaguer either in left field or first base.
Hey, Hoynsie: Why does Mark Shapiro/Chris Antonetti still play Luis Valbuena? Shouldn't he be getting everyday experience in Class AAA Columbus like Michael Brantley and Matt LaPorta? -- Brendon Brandon, Cleveland
Hey, Brendon: If Asdrubal Cabrera hadn't broken his left forearm in May, Valbuena would be in Columbus today. They need him for protection in the middle of the infield in the big leagues.
Hey, Hoynsie: I have been pleased with the work of most of our right-handers lately, including Fausto Carmona, Mitch Talbot and Justin Masterson as starters and Chris Perez and Frank Herrmann as relievers. I find it odd that no left-hander on the big-league roster in Cleveland or Columbus is pitching well (David Huff, Tony Sipp, Rafael Perez, Jeremy Sowers and Aaron Laffey). Do we have a pitching coach on staff who is left-hander to work with all these left-handers who are struggling? -- Joe Eversole, Pelham, Ala.
Hey, Joe: Bullpen coach Scott Radinsky and Ruben Niebla, an assistant to the big-league coaching staff, are former left-handed pitchers. Radinsky made 557 relief appearances in the big leagues. Niebla pitched professionally for six years in the minors and independent leagues and spent the last nine years coaching pitching in the Tribe's minor-league system.
If I remember correctly, lefties CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee, won Cy Youngs with a right-handed pitching coach in Carl Willis. Not sure how much the lefty-righty thing means in coaching. Talent is talent.
Hey, Hoynsie: To what does the Nationals press corps attribute their improved play this year? -- Jesse Pinkman, Cleveland
Hey, Jesse: Better players, better front office.
For Matt LaPorta to have a full-time position with the Indians, a move seems inevitable at either left field (Austin Kearns) or first base (Russell Branyan) in order to open up a starting spot.Hey, Hoynsie: Is trading either Austin Kearns or Russell Branyan a prerequisite for giving Matt LaPorta everyday at-bats? Have the Indians indicated which position (left field or first base) gives him the best chance for long-term success and does this influence which veteran is moved? -- Steve Cornelius, Avon Lake
Hey, Steve: The Indians could also trade Travis Hafner to create playing time for LaPorta, but we all know the chances of that happening. So if Hafner can't be moved, it would seem Kearns or Branyan, perhaps both, would have to be dropped from the roster one way or the other to create playing time for LaPorta.
Manager Manny Acta said that LaPorta's best position in the long run is probably first base. But the Indians haven't really given the media, or LaPorta, a straight answer on that since they acquired him from Milwaukee in 2008.
Hey, Hoynsie: If the Indians trade Kerry Wood, what's the best the Indians can get for him? -- Angelo Costanzo, Cleveland
Hey, Angelo: Since the Indians are never going to create enough save situations to set Wood's true value on the trade market, the best they can hope for is salary relief.
Hey, Hoynsie: I took your advice and drank some green tea. I have followed the Indians since 1951; Frank Lane, Gabe Paul, Hank Peters were the worst GMs during that time. However, Mark Shapiro is closing in fast to go to the head of that list. What say you? -- Byron Ferg, State College, Pa.
Hey, Byron: It's tough to compare players from different eras. I think the same can be said for general managers.
Don't know enough about Lane except that he broke my 9-year-old heart when he traded Rocky Colavito. Paul's biggest accomplishment was keeping the Indians in Cleveland through all those under-financed ownerships. One of his assistants told me "Gabe Paul wouldn't know a ballplayer if he ran into one with his car," but he was great at getting other people to buy into the dream of owning a big-league ballclub in Cleveland. I think you're being unfair to Hank Peters. He convinced Dick Jacobs to put his money into the farm system. Then he hired John Hart. Look what the farm system and Hart produced.
Regarding Shapiro, and again I mention the different eras that each man operated in, Lane, Paul or Peters never reached the postseason with the Indians. Shapiro did, but he never put consecutive winning seasons together.
Hey, Hoynsie: What plans do the Indians have for Shelley Duncan? He seems to be able to come up with some big hits and has some pop in his bat. Is he looked on as a possible everyday player or as just a fourth outfielder/pinch hitter type? -- Bill Eckert, Erie, Pa.
Hey, Bill: He's probably a fourth outfielder, pinch-hitter type. I like Duncan's fire and his power. I don't like him playing in front of that 19-foot wall in left field at Progressive Field.
Hey, Hoynsie: I've been reading a lot recently about potential pitchers available via trade and keep seeing Fausto Carmona's name mentioned. Is he available and would the Indians really trade him? -- Drew Humphrey, Stamford, Conn.
Hey, Drew: Given the Indians' record and actions over the last two seasons, it's no surprise Carmona's name would be mentioned in trade talks. What would be a surprise is if the Indians really traded him.
This is a team in dire need of quality starting pitching. Carmona, 26, is finally pitching better after a two-year funk. He's signed to a club-friendly contract through 2011 with club options for 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Anything is possible, but I can't see that happening.
-- Hoynsie