This week's mailbag is full of questions about what veteran Indian could be included in a mid-season trade.
Carlos Santana has impressed Paul Hoynes and most fans with his immediate success since arriving with the Indians. But some fans are harder to please.Hey, Hoynsie: Carlos Santana seems a bit pull-happy early in his MLB career, and even though he's hitting a lot of line drives, it won't take long for teams to adjust to this. Is this something that is a normal part of his game, or is he just trying to crush everything in his first week as a big leaguer? -- Joshua Haidet, Rochester, N.Y.
Hey, Joshua: Through his first 12 games, Santana has 38 at-bats. I think it's tough to target a trend in that few opportunities.
Like most young hitters, he may try to pull the ball too much at times, but from what I've seen, he drives the baseball to all fields. The Indians say that one of the things that sets Santana apart as a hitter is his ability to swing aggressively, but still make a lot of hard contact. That's demonstrated by nine walks, 12 hits and five strikeouts.
As for pitchers adjusting to him, that's the give and take of baseball. That's when we'll find out just how good of a hitter Santana is.
Hey, Hoynsie: Why is there no mention of Jordan Brown coming up from Class AAA Columbus? -- Jack Person, Pleasant City.
Hey, Jack: I wouldn't be surprised if Brown gets a look after the All-Star break. I think a lot of people are going to get a look in the second half.
Hey, Hoynsie: Do Rafael Perez and Luis Valbuena have anything else in common otherthan their amazing ability to hold a roster spot despite consistently poor performance? I have read and heard a few references related to their make-up/professionalism. If this is true, what benefit do they bring to the major-league club and what does it say about the decision-making of the current brain trust? -- Steve Cornelius, Avon Lake
Hey, Steve: As you know, Valbuena was sent to Class AAA Columbus after Thursday's game. The Indians can't do anything with Rafael Perez because he's out of options. If he did have an option, I believe he'd be in Columbus right now.
Some fans are so eager to deal away Kerry Wood (and a few other Indians) that they would be happy if the Tribe includes some young talent just to sweeten the deal.Hey, Hoynsie: Is there any way the Indians might be able to trade Kerry Wood and Travis Hafner by offering a highly regarded prospect in conjunction with these players? I am envisioning a proposal that might include both Wood and Hafner along with a second-tier prospect (e.g. Jason Knapp, T.J. House) to anyone that bites. It wouldn't matter who we got in return for this package, just that Dolan doesn't have to keep paying the albatross contracts of Wood and Hafner. -- Leslie Marchak, Sagamore Hill
Hey, Leslie: Wood, regardless of his performance, would be easier to move because he's in the final year of his deal. If the Indians threw in Carlos Santana, they may stir some interest in Hafner, but they'd still have to pay a big chunk of his salary or take another bad contract in return.
Hafner will make $13 million a year in 2011 and 2012.
Hey, Hoynsie: Too bad about Ruben Niebla getting hurt last week in Pittsburgh. How many assistant coaches are there? What are their responsibilities? What are the major responsibilities of an assistant GM? -- Bill Compton, New Orleans
Hey, Bill: Besides Manny Acta's coaches, Tim Tolman (bench), Tim Belcher (pitching), Jon Nunnally (hitting), Sandy Alomar Jr. (first base), Steve Smith (third base) and Scott Radinsky (bullpen), he has two assistants to the big-league staff -- Niebla and Dave Wallace.
They both throw batting practice. Wallace, a former catcher, warms up pitchers in the bullpen. The Indians use this position to groom people to be coaches/managers in their minor-league system and eventually to return to the big league as coaches/managers.
Niebla has spent nine years in the Indians' minor-league system as a pitching coach. He assists Belcher and Radinsky. Wallace spent seven years catching in the minors, mostly with the Indians.
The Indians have two assistant general managers. Chris Antonetti, who will replace outgoing GM Mark Shapiro at the end of this year, is Shapiro's right-hand man. John Mirabelli is director of scouting and oversees the pursuit of domestic and international talent.
Hey, Hoynsie: What are the chances some team will take Jhonny Peralta at the trade deadline? -- Angelo Costanzo, Cleveland
Hey, Angelo: Unless Peralta improves his game before the July 31 deadline (waivers not needed) or the Aug. 31 deadline (waivers needed), I don't think the chances are very good. The story could change if a contender needs a third baseman because of injury.
Hey, Hoynsie: I need to know whether it is my poor timing (or our collective bad luck), but every time I tune in to a Tribe game and Kerry Wood is the closing pitcher he always blows the game for us. How many games has Wood successfully saved, and how many has he actually lost? I cringe every time he walks on to the field. -- Melissa Soto-Schwartz, Cleveland Heights
Hey, Melissa: Through the first 71 games, Wood has saved five games in eight save situations. His won-loss record is 1-3. Two of Wood's three losses are the result of blown saves. In his one victory, he blew the save, but the Indians came back in the ninth inning against Boston on June 10 for an 8-7 victory.
Hey, Hoynsie: Is it time to dump Kerry Wood? His value is zero. No trade needed, nobody wants him. I haven't pitched since Babe Ruth league in 1968, but I can do better than him and that's with two frozen shoulders from diabetes. -- Bruce Greenlaw, Detroit Lakes, Minn.
Hey, Bruce: Closing is a high-risk, high-reward occupation. When you get the final three outs in a game, you're a hero. When you don't, even your dog doesn't like you.
I can't see the Indians just releasing Wood. He's still throwing hard and they owe him a lot of money. I think they keep running him out there and hope that he can string some good games together so they can trade him.
Hey, Hoynsie: Can you give us some information about the scouting department. Are theyfull-time employees? Do we employ a number commensurate with good teams? Why, in your opinion, is evaluating young talent so difficult for this organization? -- Herb Bernard, Brentwood, Calif.
Hey, Herb: John Mirabelli, in his 11th season with the Indians, runs the scouting department. He's an assistant general manager.
Brad Grant, who runs the amateur draft, has been with the team 17 years. He just completed his third June draft. He's in charge of 15 area scouts and five national scouts or crosscheckers.
The Indians have three major-league scouts, who file advance reports on the Indians opposition and scout the big leagues for possible trades and free agent acquisitions.
Ramon Pena was hired in November as the director of Latin American Operations. He spent 28 years scouting for Kansas City, Detroit and the Mets and has re-organized the Indians' scouting system in Latin America. Pena has 14 scouts in Latin America. The Indians have a scout working the Pacific Rim. They also have five part-time scouts.
Not sure if I have an answer on why the Indians haven't been as successful as they'd like in the draft. They haven't had a No.1 or No.2 pick since 1992 when they took Paul Shuey with the second pick. Money has been an issue as well. They've passed on some good players because they knew their asking price would be too high.
Hey, Hoynsie: When the front office is evaluating film on players, who assists them that has baseball experience? Does the coaching staff get involved? -- Dustin Potter, New York
Hey, Dustin: In talking to Brad Grant, he says everyone gets involved from the front office, scouts, major-league coaching staff and minor league coordinators (pitching, hitting, catching, baserunning) depending on the importance of the player.
-- Hoynsie