DougHeil
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player? Would the Indians swap out utility players in Carroll and Omar Vizquel? It's something to certainly consider. The Dolans would have to know Omar would get some fans to the park just, well, just because he's Omar.
http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2009/11/would_cleveland_indians_be_hig.html
Would Cleveland Indians be "high-profile" enough for Omar Vizquel to return?
By Starting Blocks
November 12, 2009, 5:20PM
The Cleveland Indians, Vizquel's team from 1994-2004, probably don't fit that category, but then again, the American League Central Division the Indians play in is not loaded with juggernauts.
Word is Vizquel - a Hall of Fame candidate because of his wondrous play at shortstop, but now a utility shortstop/second and third baseman - will probably not return to the Texas Rangers next season.
Major league general managers are meeting in Chicago, and though Vizquel is not a centerpiece topic of discussion, neither is his availability being ignored. Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi are covering the meetings for FoxSports.com, and their report includes:
Free-agent shortstop Omar Vizquel will not be back with the Rangers, major-league sources say.
Vizquel, 42, had 195 plate appearances last season, and is looking for the same type of utility role.
He would prefer a higher-profile team, one source says.
The Indians, with Asdrubal Cabrera, are set at shortstop, and most likely, too, at second base, with Luis Valbuena. Their top utility infielder the last two seasons, Jamey Carroll, is a free agent.
Writes Rhett Bollinger for MLB.com, first noting that the top free agent shortstops are Miguel Tejada, Orlando Cabrera and Marco Scutaro (emphasis on Vizquel is Starting Blocks'):
The class is a bit top heavy with Tejada, Cabrera and Scutaro being the only legitimate offensive threats, but there are plenty of veteran shortstops who could certainly fill a few team's needs in the middle infield.
For teams seeking a defensive wizard, there's Jack Wilson, Adam Everett, Alex Gonzalez and Omar Vizquel, while there are also plenty of quality utility players who can man short when needed, such as Juan Uribe, Juan Castro, Alex Cora, Jerry Hairston and Craig Counsell.
In addition, there are two relatively young reclamation projects out there in Khalil Greene and Bobby Crosby, who followed up success early in their careers with disappointing seasons.