The Indians traded right-handed relief pitcher Ed Mujica to the San Diego padres today for a player to be named or cash considerations.

There has been no word whether a bucket of baseballs was included as well.

Vinnie Chulk was assigned to minor league camp.

Also, waiver claim Jae Kuk Ryu is back with the Padres after Major League Baseball voided the Indian’s March 26 waiver claim.

Yesterday’s biggest news centered around the battle for the fifth starter position, which in actuality was the battle for the fourth starter position.

Nevertheless, left hander Scott Lewis edged Aaron Laffey for the spot. Sheldon Ocker and the PD’s Paul Hoynes both wrote about the choice.

The Starting rotation is now set and looks like this:

Left hander Cliff Lee
Right hander Fausto Carmona
Right hander Carl Pavano
Left hander Scott Lewis
Right Hander Anthony Reyes

The rotation is questionable that is for sure. Personally, I feel Lee can have a good season, but I doubt he can duplicate the great success he had from last season.

Can Fausto bounce back to his 2007 form?

Pavano and Reyes are injury prone and people forget that Lewis has had Tommy John surgery himself after Ohio State pitched him, what seemed like everyday.

Laffey and Sowers will be an important part of this rotation as well.

Pavano is a player who was also in the limelight yesterday after he pitched six innings against the Padres yesterday. He gave up seven hits and two runs while striking out two and walking none.

The PD’s Terry Pluto seems cautiously optimistic about yesterday’s performance.

Sheldon Ocker called it Pavano’s best outing of the spring.

Some of the folks over at Lets Go Tribe seemed very cautious about Pavano as well.

In other Indians news, I found a few interesting tidbits in Terry Pluto’s notebook:

1. I looked at the stat sheet and saw Jhonny Peralta was hitting only .429. I write “only” because all he does is hit line drives. He went 2-of-4 against the Padres in Peoria, Ariz., on Wednesday, and his batting average rose only eight points.

Those who have watched Peralta all spring told me that nearly every game has been like this. He rarely is fooled, doesn’t seem to swing helplessly at those breaking balls about a foot outside. Peralta moved into the cleanup spot last June 22, and hit .306 with 12 HR and 59 RBI in 86 games with an .877 OPS. Looks like more of the same for 2009.

Pluto also suggests the Tribe dump Dave Dellucci now and keep Trevor Crowe as the fourth outfielder.

Anthony Castrovince had a Q and A with Eric Wedge recently.

OTHER NEWS

Houston Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada will be sentenced today for lying to congressional investigators about performance enhancing drugs in baseball. It sounds as if he will recieve probation.

Just weird

Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Jose Tabata wasn’t an accomplice in the kidnapping of a Florida infant, The Manatee sheriff’s office said.

It was just his wife.

Amalia Tabata Pereira, is being questioned in the abduction of Sandra Cruz-Francisco, a two-month old girl whom Pereira allegedly took from a Plant City, Fla., family on Monday. The infant was found safe on Tuesday in Bradenton, Fla., the same city where the Pirates hold Spring Training.

I don’t know where to begin with that story.

The Indians are set for a 4:05 ET contest today against the San Diego Padres. The game will be played at Peioria Stadium in Peioria, Arizona. Here are the starting lineups:

Indians:
CF Ben Francisco
2B Adrubal Cabrera
DH Travis Hafner
C Victor Martinez
SS Jhonny Peralta
1B Ryan Garko
3B Josh Barfield
RF Trevor Crowe
LF Michael Brantley
RHP Fausto Carmona

Padres:
CF Drew Macias
2B David Eckstein
RF Brian Giles
DH Cliff Floyd
LF Emil Brown
C Eliezer Alfonzo
1B Royce Huffman
SS Luis Rodriguez
3B Travis Decker
RHP Cha Seung Baek

As it turns out the report earlier in the week stating former Indian shortstop Omar Vizquel was taking his act out to San Diego was a little premature. The Padres filled that role with 2002 World Series fan favorite David Eckstein.

Meanwhile, the 1997 World Series shortstop — that diving stop in game 6 will always be amazing — is still without a job. New reports have Omar on the verge of joining the Texas Rangers, which would put him right in the middle of the Michael Young – Elvis Andrus fiasco.

Young already said he would move to third base. Andrus is expected to be the opening day shortstop. Vizquel would be a utility player and a veteran back up plan in case Andrus struggles.

Channel 4 San Diego’s Emmy winning sports reporter John Weisbarth reported yesterday former Indian short stop Omar Vizquel could join the San Diego Padres as soon as today.

Vizquel didn’t hit much last year for the San Francisco Giants, but his Gold Glove defensive hasn’t slipped much at all.

No word yet if Vizquel will begin an Omar Y’Amigos kids club at Petco Park.

Former Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel hasn’t packed up his ball glove just yet. The 42-year-old, 11-time Gold Glove winner is still out searching for a new contract despite hitting .222 in a reduced role for the San Francisco Giants last season.

So the question now is: Who will sign him?

The San Diego Padres, who would like a veteran presence at shortstop, are one of the teams who is tipping their cap and revealing that do have some interest in the three-time All-star.
We all should know next week whether that short stop is Omar.

On a side note, how many local Indian fans can say they were a member of Omar Y’Amigos Kids club during the mid 90’s?

Free agent closer Trevor Hoffman pulled the old switcheroo over the night miffing everyone — read “Me” — by passing on an offer by the home town Los Angeles Dodgers and signing with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The former San Diego Padre was thought to be keen on staying close to his Anaheim home. He played 16 seasons with the Padres and is baseball’s all-time saves leader with 554 saves in 621 chances.

The always reliable Tom Haudricourt, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, reports that it is a one-year deal worth six Million, with 1.5 million in incentives.

The deal leaves the Dodgers with Jonathan Broxton as the likely candidate to close games this season, the Kam Brothers report.