CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have named Steve Lubratich as director of pro scouting and added four new scouts to the department that oversees the big leagues and minor leagues for trades, free-agent acquisitions and to prepare advance scouting reports during the regular season.

This will be Lubratich's 12th year with the Indians and 38th in professional baseball. Until his promotion, Lubratich was the team's director of player personnel.

"We wanted to bring some clarity to the pro personnel department," said Mike Chernoff, Indians assistant general manager.

Lubratich played in the big leagues with the Angels as an infielder in 1981 and 1983. He managed in San Diego's minor-league system 1988-91 before becoming a scout and assistant general manager for the Padres. Lubratich joined the Tigers' front office in 1996 and worked there until joining the Indians in 2001.

In other organization moves, Dave Miller, Trey Hendricks, Michael Calitri and Bryan Corey were added as scouts. Miller was the Indians' bullpen coach last season. This will be his 21st year with the team.

Victor Wang, in his fifth year with the Tribe, was promoted from the baseball operations department to be Lubratich's assistant. Wang will run the office, while Lubratich spends much of his time scouting.

There were changes in the amateur and International scouting departments. In amateur scouting, which deals mostly with the draft, Bo Hughes was hired as a national crosschecker and Scott Barnsby was promoted to national crosschecker. There was an opening because Chuck Ricci left to work for Tampa Bay.

Paul Cogan was promoted to scouting advisor/crosschecker and Jason Smith replaced him as the Indians' West Coast crosschecker. Carlos Muniz and John Heuerman were hired as area scouts.

In the international scouting department, Jason Lynn was promoted to assistant director, Antonio Caballero to supervisor for Venezuela and Allen Lin to Pacific Rim supervisor. Clinton Matsuzawa (Japan), Rafael Cariel and Luis Camacho (Venezuela), Arnold Ellis (Colombia) and Daniel Kim (South Korea) were hired as area scouts.

The Indians divide the international scouting department between Latin America and the rest of the world. Outside of Latin America, they concentrate mostly on the Pacific Rim.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Lubratich has been around for a long time. Just gets shuffled from job to job. He was a member of Shapiro's inner circle.

One of the new scouts, Dave Miller, has been around even longer. Mistook him for Wedge one day on the minor fields in WH.....Never saw him smile.

New titles for these guys usually just means a pay increase.

I'll have to agree Seagull. He must be in dire straits and in need of a raise.

seagull wrote:The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Lubratich has been around for a long time. Just gets shuffled from job to job. He was a member of Shapiro's inner circle.

One of the new scouts, Dave Miller, has been around even longer. Mistook him for Wedge one day on the minor fields in WH.....Never saw him smile.

New titles for these guys usually just means a pay increase.

Wasn't Dave Miller the worlds tallest singles hitter?

Wasn't Dave Miller the worlds tallest singles hitter?

Now we have Joez's adopted son, Jose Ramirez, as the world's smallest singles hitter.

Now folks, that was comedy at its best !

Jason Giambi set to sign with Indians

Matthew Pouliot Feb 9, 2013, 10:17 PM EST

The Denver Post’s Troy Renck reports that the Indians and first baseman Jason Giambi are closing in on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

The 42-year-old Giambi was considered for the Rockies’ managerial vacancy earlier this winter, but after failing to get that, he said he wanted to keep playing. The Indians should have room for him as a left-handed-hitting DH after losing Travis Hafner to the Yankees.

Serving mostly as a pinch-hitter, Giambi hit .225/.372/.303 with one homer in 89 at-bats for the Rockies last season. He was much better in 2011, batting .260/.355/.603 with 13 homers in 131 at-bats.

If Giambi impresses this spring, the Indians could make him their primary DH against righties, with catcher Carlos Santana occasionally rotating into the spot. Santana and Mike Aviles could share time at DH against lefties.

I would prefer Thome over Giambi, but I don't want either.

If we were going to get a roider wouldnt manny have been a better choice?

lol, KENM - you are incorrigible!

One homer in 89 at bats. Canzler would do far better.

What that means to me:

I'm glad that the one time I went to spring training it was in the latter half of March so that I had a chance to see REAL baseball players.

Golly, maybe it's all about trying to get more fans during the early part of spring training.

Matt LaPorta admitted Sunday that his surgically-repaired left hip was an issue for him throughout the season.
The condition was so bad that LaPorta wondered some morning how he was able to walk. The 28-year-old had a procedure on the hip in October and enters spring training ready to go, but he'll have to fight for a roster spot after being removed from the 40-man roster over the winter.


Source: Jordan Bastian on Twitter Feb 10 - 1:22 PM

Brett Myers' $8 million option for 2014 will become guaranteed if he pitches 200 innings this season.
Myers would also need to pass a physical following the season, but it's clear that the Indians don't have total control over whether the option gets picked up. Prior to being used as a reliever last year, Myers had back-to-back seasons of 200-plus innings with the Astros, so he should have a realistic chance of hitting that benchmark again if he can stay healthy.

Source: Jordan Bastian on Twitter Feb 10 - 7:23 PM

Indians signed RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
Matsuzaka will earn $1.5 million if he makes the Opening Day roster and can get a total of $4 million if hits all of his incentives. He will, of course, be reunited with former manager Terry Francona in Cleveland. Matsuzaka, not surprisingly, didn't receive much interest on the open market after posting an 8.28 ERA over 11 starts in 2012. There are a couple rotation spots up for grabs with the Indians, but Dice-K doesn't seem particularly likely to land one of them. Instead, he'll likely either wind up in the bullpen as a long man or as starter depth at Triple-A.


Related: Indians
Feb 10 - 12:10 PM