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Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal

The Indians finally made the necessary roster move with Juan Lara.  He's been dropped from the 40 man roster, cleared waivers and re-signed to a minor league deal.  This way, he'll remain on the team payroll and have his medical bills paid by the team.

This is simply the right thing to do, and something the fans, and probably more importantly the players, have come to expect from this organization.  It also has to be good for PR with other players in the Caribbean baseball academies like the one Lara came from.

Jay speculated in the past that when it's clear that he'll never be able pitch at the major league level again, the team would sign him to major league deal and DFA him so he qualifies for the MLBPA's pension and benefits.  Perhaps, they're not ready to concede that he won't get to that level again, hence this move instead.  If anything, that's a good sign about his level of function off the diamond.

This leaves the 40 man roster with 39 players.  Who is likely to fill that spot, and what are the implications good and bad to putting a player on that roster?

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Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
I don't have much to say about this except that it's just a classy thing to do for any man. You just hope that he gets to live a nice, normal life after this, let alone continue playing baseball. Much luck to him.

by Clay028 on Mar 12, 2008 3:30 PM EDT   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
Bravo, Tribe, bravo.

Good luck with everything to Juan Lara.

Now that the Bedard bandwagon has officially crashed into the Maritime Seas, solely the local "Barfield Bounces Back Believer."

by mjmarble on Mar 12, 2008 3:38 PM EDT   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
This is good news.

You'll never hear me call Dolan "cheap".

I remarked to Turk just the other day that it'd be fantastic if he were well enough to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

by jhon on Mar 12, 2008 3:48 PM EDT   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
I'm holding out hope for a Jimmy Morris style comeback (Disney movie optional).

by APV on Mar 12, 2008 4:37 PM EDT   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
I'm proud to root for a classy, thoughtful organization.

by JulioBernazard on Mar 12, 2008 4:48 PM EDT   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
I was gonna make some snide remark about your love for our mutual friend, but elected to refrain.  You're right the Indians FO did us proud.  Taking care of a poor kid in the Dominican after a near fatal car crash is the right thing to do.
"the most vehement Yankee-hating guy I know" - Jay

by mauichuck on Mar 13, 2008 9:25 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
Maybe it's just me, but I don't understand why Cleveland didn't drop Lara before they let Brian Barton get drafted.

by kov on Mar 12, 2008 5:22 PM EDT   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
At the point that the accident occurred, Rule V rosters had already been submitted.  Dropping Lara at that point would have proved absolutely nothing.  The Indians wouldn't have been able to add Barton or any other player to their roster.

by Fundamentals on Mar 12, 2008 5:34 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
I believe they actually could have claimed someone in the Rule 5 draft, however.  For example, this guy, whom I can't believe didn't get picked while Whitney did.

by Jay on Mar 12, 2008 8:15 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
It was a surprise no one took Lubanski.  He hasn't quite lived up to the hype around him coming out of high school, but he's got 3 solid years behind him and is a lot closer to the bigs than a guy like Whitney.

by APV on Mar 12, 2008 8:21 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
And a year younger!  And not just a first baseman!

by Jay on Mar 12, 2008 8:22 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Great move by the Indians - best wishes to
Lara for a speedy and complete recovery.

jhon - Regarding the ceremonial first pitch (of Opening Day,) I actually heard yesterday that a U.S. Army soldier was supposed to throw out the first pitch, but is to be deployed to Kuwait before March 31st, so he's asked his mother to throw out the ceremonial first pitch in his place.

Still, it would be nice if Lara could throw out a first pitch as well, if not for Opening Day, for sometime during this season, especially since he is in the Cleveland area for therapy.

Just my 2 cents.  :-)

May the Tribe be great in 2008! :-)

by indiansfan on Mar 12, 2008 7:11 PM EDT   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
I don't know that I buy into the all-character team concept to the extent that Shapiro does, but he has convinced me that it's something he does just because it's something he wants to do in his life, and it's kind of incredible that the Dolans support him on it.

From a pure strategy perspective, the idea is that moves like this have more impact long-term than, say, signing Barry Bonds.  I will say this, a lot of people say a lot of great things about the Indians organization.

by Jay on Mar 12, 2008 8:18 PM EDT   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
A tremendously classy move from the organization. Makes me even more proud to be an Indians fan.
I swear, next year is it.

by fwembt on Mar 13, 2008 11:43 AM EDT   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
You speak for the entire fan club.
-Erik

by drerikbrady on Mar 13, 2008 1:26 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Re: Juan Lara Re-signed to Minor League Deal
This is awesome!  God bless Lara and may he live a decent life.  I hope that he can find a livelihood he enjoys other than baseball and that he doesn't live in the past all of his days.

by cleetusthefetus on Mar 13, 2008 10:59 PM EDT   0 recs

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