CLEVELAND — Mark Grudzielanek’s debut season with the Indians is over before the All-Star break.
The veteran infielder, who owned one of the better batting averages on the team at .273 in 30 games, was designated for assignment Tuesday to clear room for Triple-A Columbus’ infielder Anderson Hernandez.
According to manager Manny Acta, with the 39-year-old Grudzielanek still nursing a hamstring injury and unavailable, the Indians needed to fill his roster spot with a middle infielder. The club needs someone to play shortstop on occasion, as the Indians experiment with Jason Donald at second base, a position he could play when Asdrubal Cabrera returns from injury.
“It was a tough decision because Mark is a class act, but we needed a roster spot,” said Acta, who managed Hernandez last year in Washington. “We basically needed a guy up the middle that could play good defense and (Hernandez) can handle that.” Acta said the Indians offered to place Grudzielanek on the 60-day disabled list, but he declined.
Hernandez, 27, spent all of last season on the big league level with the Nationals and Mets, batting .251 with three home runs and 37 RBIs in 123 games. The Indians claimed him off waivers from the Mets on March 17, and outrighted him to Triple-A Columbus, where he hit .234 with a homer and 17 RBIs in 47 games.
Grudzielanek appeared to have supplanted opening-day second baseman Luis Valbuena as the starter, but the Indians see Valbuena, who has struggled at the plate all season — .172 through Monday — as part of their future.
Valbuena and Donald are expected to start up the middle until Cabrera leaves the disabled list.
“Before Mark took this job we had all our cards on the table,” Acta said. “He never complained about anything. He was a pro about his job the whole time he was here.” The Indians also cut ties with veteran reliever Jamey Wright, but Acta said the moves were not made with an eye on the future.
“This is not exactly a trend,” he said. “This is something that presented itself because we needed a guy.”
Draft days
Cleveland’s first-round draft choice, left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz (University of Mississippi), sounds as though he’s looking forward to joining the Indians’ family.
“It’s great to have been picked by the Indians,” said Pomeranz via conference call Tuesday. “I was really anxious on draft day. A good friend of mine (eighth-round selection in 2009, Jordan Henry) is in the organization and he had nothing but good things to say.”
Pomeranz, the SEC Pitcher of the Year, was named one of five finalists for the Golden Spikes award Tuesday, presented annually to the top collegiate player, but he also brings a bit of baggage. On Aug. 23, 2008, Pomeranz was arrested for refusal to take a breathalcohol test, giving false information to a police officer and possessing fake identification.
“It was a dumb kid thing,” Pomeranz said.
“When you get stopped, it makes you realize it was stupid. I grew up a bit.”
Draft days II
The second phase of the First-Year Play Draft saw the Indians complete their first 10 rounds of picks, which included Lakewood St. Edward catcher Alex Lavisky in the eighth round (240th overall). Lavisky, a Cleveland native, batted .450 with 13 homers and 40 RBIs for the Division I state champs. He has orally committed to attend Georgia Tech.
Cleveland chose LeVon Washington, a center fielder out of Chipola Junior College (Fla.), with its second-round pick (55th overall). He was a first-round pick of Tampa Bay’s last year.
The rest of the top 10 looked like this: (third round, 87th overall) Tony Wolters, SS, Rancho Buena Vista High School (Calif.); (fourth round, 120th overall) Kyle Blair, RHP, University of San Diego; (fifth round, 150th overall) Cole Cook, RHP, Pepperdine University; (sixth round, 180th overall) Nicholas Bartolone, SS, Chabot Junior College (Calif.); (seventh round, 210th overall) Robbie Aviles, RHP, Suffern High School (N.Y.); (ninth round, 270th overall) Jordan Cooper, RHP, Wichita State; (10th round, 300th overall) Tyler Holt, CF, Florida State.
“We’re very happy with how things are going,” Acta said. “We liked Drew from the get-go.”
The final phase of the draft (31st-50th rounds) takes place today.
Minor details
- Double-A Akron’s Lonnie Chisenall has bounced back well since leaving the disabled list, entering Tuesday with a .344 (11-for-32) batting average, two homers and 10 RBIs in his last nine games. Cleveland’s first-round draft choice (29th overall) in 2008 is hitting .280 with two homers and 16 RBIs in 36 games through Monday.
- Class A Lake County outfielder Bo Greenwell entered Tuesday ranked eighth in the Midwest League with a .318 batting average. The sixth-round draft pick in 2007 ranked ninth in the league with 34 RBIs through Monday.
Roundin’ third
- The Indians are 13-37 since April 25.
- ◾Cleveland has converted nine of 15 save opportunities.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.
