2009 Roster Moves By Indians

General manager Mark Shapiro and manager Eric Wedge made it a point during spring training to say that organizational depth would be important to the 2009 Indians. "We're going to need more players than the 25 that open the season with us," Shapiro said. Wedge often mentioned that when he sent a player to the minors, he always told the guy he was still part of the ballclub's big-league plans.

So here are all the moves made by the club in the year 2009. These are moves that only affect the 40-man MLB roster and the 25-man active roster. It does not include the re-signing for 2009 those players who were with the Indians in 2008.

CLEVELAND INDIANS 2009 TRANSACTIONS

JANUARY
6 Signed RHP Carl Pavano as a free agent; designated for assignment 1B Michael Aubrey.
12 Sent 1B Michael Aubrey outright to Class AAA Columbus.
14 Signed RHP Kirk Saarloos to a minor-league contract.
16. Signed RHPs Matt Herges, Vinnie Chulk and Jack Cassel to minor-league contracts.

FEBRUARY
15 Signed INF Tony Graffanino to a minor-league contract.
19 Traded INF Isaias Velasquez to Tampa Bay for RHP Juan Salas; designated for assignment 3B Andy Marte.
24 RHP Joe Borowski retired.
25 Sent 3B Andy Marte outright to Columbus.

MARCH
15 Sent LHP Rich Rundles to Columbus.
19 Sent RHPs Adam Miller, John Meloan and Juan Salas and 2B Luis Valbuena to Columbus.
24 Sent LHP Jeremy Sowers to Columbus.
25 Sent LHP Aaron Laffey to Columbus.
26 Claimed RHP Jae Kuk Ryu on waivers from San Diego.
27 Returned RHP Kae Kuk Ryu to San Diego (MLB rescinded deal for medical reasons); placed RHP Jake Westbrook on 60-day disabled list (recovery from right elbow surgery in June 2008).
30 Placed OF David Dellucci on 15-day DL (strained left calf).

APRIL
1 Traded RHP Edward Mujica to San Diego for a player to be named.
6 Placed INF Jamey Carroll on 15-day DL (broken left hand); purchased the contract of INF Tony Graffanino from Columbus.
11 Placed LHP Scott Lewis on 15-day DL (strained left elbow); purchased the contract of RHP Vinnie Chulk from Columbus.
14 Optioned 2B Josh Barfield to Columbus.
15 Recalled LHP Aaron Laffey from Columbus.
20 Sent OF David Dellucci to Columbus on injury rehab assignment.
22 Optioned LHP Zach Jackson to Columbus; recalled LHP Tony Sipp from Columbus.
29 Placed DH Travis Hafner on 15-day DL (sore right shoulder); recalled LHP Rich Rundles from Columbus.

MAY
1 Optioned LHP Rich Rundles to Columbus; activated OF David Dellucci from 15-day DL (strained left calf).
2 Optioned OF Trevor Crowe to Columbus; designated for assignment INF Tony Graffanino; purchased the contract of OF-1B Matt LaPorta from Columbus; recalled INF Luis Valbuena and 2B-OF Josh Barfield from Columbus; placed RHP Joe Smith on 15-day DL (strained right rotator cuff).
6 Released RHP Juan Salas; optioned LHP Rafael Perez to Columbus; purchased the contract of RHP Matt Herges from Columbus.
7 Designated for assignment RHP Vinnie Chulk; sent INF Tony Graffanino outright to Columbus; recalled LHP Jeremy Sowers from Columbus.
11 Optioned 2B-OF Josh Barfield to Columbus; signed RHP Blaine Neal to a minor-league contract and assigned him to Columbus.
12 Activated INF Jamey Carroll from 15-day DL (broken left hand).
13 Optioned LHP Jeremy Sowers to Columbus; sent DH Travis Hafner to Columbus on injury rehab assignment.
14 Signed RHP Luis Vizcaino; sent RHP Vinnie Chulk outright to Columbus.
16 Sent RHP Masahide Kobayashi outright to Columbus.
17 Optioned LHP Tony Sipp to Columbus; purchased the contract of LHP David Huff and RHP Greg Aquino from Columbus; transferred LHP Scott Lewis from 15-day disabled list to 60-day DL.
23 Placed RHP Anthony Reyes on 15-day DL (inflamed right elbow); placed LHP Aaron Laffey on 15-day DL (strained right oblique); recalled LHPs Jeremy Sowers and Rich Rundles from Columbus.
26 Optioned OF-1B Matt LaPorta to Columbus; recalled OF Trevor Crowe from Columbus.
27 Optioned LHP Rich Rundles to Columbus; recalled LHP Zach Jackson from Columbus.
28 Optioned LHP Zach Jackson to Columbus; transferred RHP Anthony Reyes from 15-day to 60-day DL; purchased the contract of RHP Tomo Ohka from Columbus.
29 Signed RHP Kenny Ray to a minor-league contract and assigned him to Columbus; sent RHP Joe Smith to Columbus on rehab assignment; designated for assignment OF David Dellucci; recalled LHP Rafael Perez from Columbus.
31 Placed OF Grady Sizemore on 15-day DL (strained left elbow); recalled C-3B-OF-1B Chris Gimenez from Columbus

JUNE
1 Placed RHP Rafael Betancourt on 15-day DL (strained right groin); recalled LHP Tony Sipp from Columbus; released OF David Dellucci.
3 Placed 2B-SS Asdrubal Cabrera on 15-day DL (dislocated left shoulder); recalled 2B-3B-OF Josh Barfield from Columbus.
5 Recalled DH Travis Hafner from injury rehab assignment in Columbus and activated him from 15-day DL (right shoulder soreness); optioned RHP Fausto Carmona to Goodyear of Arizona Rookie League.
6 Signed INF-OF Rob Mackowiak to a minor-league contract; sent RHP Jake Westbrook to minors on injury rehab assignment.
9 Activated RHP Joe Smith from DL (strained right rotator cuff) optioned LHP Tony Sipp to Columbus.
11 Sent LHP Scott Lewis to minors on injury rehab assignment (strained left forearm).
18 Sent LHP Aaron Laffey to minors on injury rehab assignment (strained right oblique).
19 Purchased contract of LHP Mike Gosling from Columbus; designated for assignment RHP Greg Aquino.
23 Activated OF Grady Sizemore from 15-day DL (strained left elbow); sent INF Asdrubal Cabrera to minors on injury rehab assignment (dislocated left shoulder); optioned OF Trevor Crowe to Columbus; sent RHP Greg Aquino outright to Columbus; recalled LHP Tony Sipp from Columbus; designated for assignment RHP Luis Vizcaino.
24 Acquired RHP Jose Veras from New York Yankees for cash considerations.
26 Optioned RHP Jensen Lewis to Columbus; activated RHP Jose Veras.
27 Traded INF-OF Mark DeRosa to St. Louis Cardinals for RHP Chris Perez and player to be named.
28 Activated INF Asdrubal Cabrera from 15-day DL (dislocated left shoulder).
29 Optioned 2B-3B-OF Josh Barfield to Columbus; activated RHP Chris Perez.
30 Released RHP Luis Vizcaino.

JULY
2 Traded RHP John Meloan to Tampa Bay Rays for RHP Winston Abreu.
3 Sent RHP Rafael Betancourt to minors on injury rehab assignment (strained right groin).
4 Signed LHP Bobby Livingston to a minor-league contract and assigned him to Double-A Akron; designated for assignment RHP Matt Herges.
7 Signed LHP Michael Tejera to a minor-league contract and assigned him to Akron.
8 Optioned LHP Rafael Perez to Columbus; activated LHP Aaron Laffey from 15-day DL (strained right oblique).
9 Optioned LHP Jeremy Sowers to Columbus; activated RHP Rafael Betancourt from DL (strained right groin).
13 Released RHP Matt Herges.
19 Released RHP Masahide Kobayashi.
23 Traded RHP Rafael Betancourt to Colorado Rockies for RHP Connor Graham; assigned Graham to Akron.
25 Recalled LHP Jeremy Sowers from Columbus.
26 Acquired RHP Jess Todd from St. Louis, completing earlier deal with Cardinals that sent INF-OF Mark DeRosa from Cleveland for RHP Chris Perez; assigned Todd to Columbus.
27 Manager Eric Wedge suspended one game and RHP Winston Abreu suspended three games and fined by Major League Baseball for the pitcher's actions in a game at Seattle on 7/25; traded 1B-OF Ryan Garko to San Francisco Giants for LHP Scott Barnes; assigned Barnes to Class A Kinston.
28 Purchased the contract of 3B-1B Andy Marte from Columbus.
29 Traded LHP Cliff Lee and OF Ben Francisco to Philadelphia Phillies for C Lou Marson, SS-2B Jason Donald and RHPs Carlos Carrasco and Jason Knapp; assigned Marson, Carrasco and Donald to Columbus and Knapp to Class A Lake County.
30 Recalled RHP Fausto Carmona and OF Trevor Crowe from Columbus.
31 Traded C-1B Victor Martinez to Boston Red Sox for RHPs Justin Masterson and Bryan Price and LHP Nick Hagadone; assigned Price and Hagadone to Kinston; called up C Wyatt Toregas from Columbus.

AUGUST
1 Recalled RHP Jensen Lewis from Columbus; designated for assignment LHP Mike Gosling and RHP Winston Abreu.
5 Designated for assignment RHP Jose Veras; called up RHP Jess Todd from Columbus.
6 Sent LHP Mike Gosling outright to Columbus; RHP Winston Abreu refused outright assignment and signed with Tampa Bay.
7 Traded RHP Carl Pavano to Minnesota for a player to be named; recalled LHP Rafael Perez from Columbus.
11 Sent RHP Jose Veras and INF-OF Josh Barfield outright to Columbus.
12 Acquired LHP R.J. Swindle on waivers from Tampa Bay and assigned him to Columbus.
17 Removed LHP Scott Lewis from 60-day disabled list (strained left elbow) and sent him to Columbus.
19 Placed OF Trevor Crowe on 15-day DL (strained right oblique); recalled 1B-OF Matt LaPorta from Columbus.
28 Acquired RHP Yohan Pino from Minnesota to complete Aug. 7 trade of RHP Carl Pavano to Twins; assigned Pino to Columbus.

SEPTEMBER
1 Called up OF Michael Brantley and RHPs Carlos Carrasco and Jose Veras from Columbus.
4 Activated OF Trevor Crowe from 15-day DL (strained right oblique); purchased the contract of LHP Mike Gosling from Columbus.
7 Called up C Lou Marson from Columbus.
8 Purchased the contract of INF Niuman Romero from Columbus.
14 Placed OF Grady Sizemore (elbow surgery) and RHP Joe Smith (strained left knee) on the 15-day DL.
24 Outrighted LHPs Zach Jackson, Rich Rundles and R.J. Swindle off the 40-man roster and onto the Triple A Columbus roster.
30 Fired manager Eric Wedge and coaches Jeff Datz, Chuck Hernandez, Luis Rivera, Derek Shelton, Joel Skinner, Dave Wallace, Dan Williams and Carl Willis.

OCTOBER
5 Declared LHP R.J. Swindle and RHPs Greg Aquino and Vinnie Chulk free agents.
13 Declared INF Tony Graffanino a free agent.
30 Sent INF Niuman Romero and LHPs Scott Lewis and Mike Gosling outright to Columbus.