Confirming earlier reports, the Indians have sold Tom Mastny's rights to Japan's Yokohoma club, who reached terms with Mastny on a new contract yesterday.

Mastny has tremendous stuff and dominated as a minor league reliever, but like several of our live-armed relievers, he never pitched with consistent success in the majors. Taking no chances, the Indians fired the bullpen coach, too. (Sorry, couldn't help myself.)

It seems like a million years ago, but Mastny actually spent almost two months as the Indians closer at the end of the 2006 season, calming the storm after Wickman was traded (for Max-Ram who was then traded for Lofton ...) and Carmona experienced the worst week by a closer in the history of the game.

Because we eventually lost the series, Mastny's heroic performance in Game 2 of the 2007 ALCS doesn't get talked about much, but it should be remembered with great admiration. In case you've forgotten the magnitude of that moment, here's my account from the next day:

"Through the sixth inning, Ortiz had reached base 19 times in 21 chances in the 2007 postseason, and it was 15 out of 21 for Manny. They were hitting .560, slugging 1.200. Lewis had gotten Ortiz to line out, and Betancourt had taken care of Manny, but neither man had had to deal with both.

"The task of facing both Scary Monsters, with no outs, in sudden-death, was left to Mastny, who'd been buried in the deep end of the bullpen since May. Indians fans darkly set the over-under at eight pitches. We weren't hating on our guy, it was just that obvious. It was Neifi vs. Koufax, Frodo vs. Godzilla. Certain defeat.

"Mastny retired Ortiz on a groundout, and then Manny on an infield popup. It took eight pitches. And the game was over."