The Indians signed veteran second baseman Mark Grudzielanek to a minor-league contract Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training.
Grudzielanek, 39, has a career major-league batting average of .290 with five teams during 14 seasons, through 2008. He did not play in the big leagues last year, apparently because he was unable to find a suitable deal.
Grudzielanek signed with the Minnesota Twins during the season but never appeared in a game for them. He played 11 games in the Twins’ minor-league system, playing for the Double-A Rock Cats when they visited the Akron Aeros late in the season.
”We look for him to come to camp and compete for a spot on the team,” Indians asistant general manager Chris Antonetti said.
Grudzielanek will be one of three middle infielders competing for a utility spot, which means he also will play shortstop. The other contenders are Jason Donald and Luis Rodriguez.
The last time Grudzielanek played in the big leagues was 2008 with the Kansas City Royals, when he batted .299 in 331 at-bats. Against left-handed pitchers, he hit .395 in 86 at-bats.
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Wow, another thunderous signing of a non-entity. The Tribe’s sales department must have hired extra help to handle the surge in requests for tickets for 2010 in the wake of the Grudzielanek committing to a spring training tryout. He didn’t even play in the big leagues last year! Folks, we are going to have to find something else to do this summer, besides fall asleep day after day to Tom Hamilton’s inning by inning reporting of the mediocrity that has become the Cleveland Indians. Please Mr. Dolan, give us some hope, or at least a timetable when you think the Indians will return to respectability.