Cleveland placed Ricky Gutierrez on the DL Monday. Gutierrez injured his groin while scoring the winning run from first base in Thursday's game against Baltimore. While everyone originally thought he would avoid a trip to the disabled list, after three games out of the lineup the Indians thought it best to replace him.

The Indians have not been particularly pleased with the performance of their main free agent signing. Gutierrez is hitting .248 with a .295 OBP and .301 SLG in 226 AB on 56 H, 6 2B, and 2 HR with a 10:31 BB:K, quite a bit down from his career years in 2000 and 2001. His primary problem appears to be a return to the poor strike zone judgment of his early career.

Jolbert Cabrera returned from AAA to fill Gutierrez's roster spot. Manager Charlie Manuel reportedly plans to use Cabrera in a utility role like last season, around the infield, including 3B, and outfield. Cabrera did not play well when he first joined the team after starting the year on the DL due to the gunshot wound to his buttocks.

When Milton Bradley returned from the DL in early June, the team sent Cabrera to AAA to try to relax and regain his swing. He hit .292 with a .378 OBP and .354 SLG in 65 AB at AAA Buffalo on 19 H and 4 2B with a 8:6 BB:K and 3/5 SB%. If he can bring that patience to the majors, he should be able to improve upon last season's career year, though the difference between a bench role and a starting job may cut down on his plate discipline.

Bradley has returned to starting in centerfield for the Indians after recovering from the injuries he sustained when a ball bounced off the outfield wall and hit him in the face at close range.

Paul Shuey strained his groin in a pre-game workout before last Wednesday's match-up with the Phillies. The Indians placed him on the DL but he is expected to return as soon as he's eligible to rejoin the team. Unfortunately, Bob Wickman continues to suffer from a sore arm and so the Cleveland bullpen is really hurting.

Cleveland called up Jerrod Riggan to replace Shuey on the roster. Riggan was sent down for Chad Paronto in late April because he was pitching horribly. Normally Riggan could be a fairly good pitcher if he just cut down on his walks, but he was allowing numerous hits this spring to go with his walks. When the Indians recalled him from AAA Buffalo, he had a 22:9 K:BB in 30 IP with 23 H and 1 HR allowed in the minors. He didn't have any problems in the two appearances he's made since rejoining the team, and if he shows continued improvement, Riggan will likely stay in the majors over Nerio Rodriguez, who was called up when the Indians placed Charles Nagy on the DL in early June with elbow pain.

Nagy's lost the cartilage in his elbow and his attempts to pitch without it, despite the pain, have not been very effective this year. He allowed 28 H and 5 HR in the 18.1 innings he pitched this season with a 6:7 K:BB. Although he's starting a rehab assignment, it could be a while before he returns and he still might not be able to pitch effectively.

Rodriguez was originally a position player, but the Orioles converted him into a pitcher in 1995. Despite fairly immediate success as a starter in the minors and generally acceptable major league performances, he's never received more than a few innings a year. His skills seem to have atrophied in the minors over the last two years, but I really think someone desperate for a fifth starter or even help in the bullpen should give him an extended major league tryout. However, it may be too late to utilize his prime as Rodriguez gained two years in the off-season's age adjustments and is now 31.

Paronto has stayed in majors, pitching slightly below an acceptable level. He's allowed 24 H and 3 HR in 23 IP with a 14:8 K:BB. In order to be effective in a major league pen, Paronto will need to increase his dominance, which has never been his strong suit.

Aside from these moves and a brief call up for Alex Herrera, the Indians pitching staff has otherwise remained fairly stable in the last two months. The young lefty Herrera shows considerable promise but really needs time at AAA before he's ready for the majors.

Herrera replaced Earl Snyder on the roster in mid-May when the Indians wanted an extra pitcher, and then was sent down four days later to make room for Bruce Aven when they wanted an extra outfielder. Snyder certainly has power potential, but he really needs at least a full year of AAA to work on his plate discipline. Aven didn't really do much before Cleveland sent him down to AAA through waivers at the end of May. He's acceptable at the end of a shallow bench but the 30-year-old doesn't really have any upside. Bill Selby took Aven's roster spot but has received little playing time.

Cleveland released Brady Anderson in late May and called up Chris Magruder to take his roster spot. When the Indians released him, Anderson was hitting .162 with a .327 OBP and .250 SLG in 80 AB on 13 H, 4 2B, and 1 HR with an 18:23 BB:K and 4/4 SB%. He has not yet been signed by another club.

Although he's hitting just .224 with a .270 OBP and .373 SLG in 67 AB on 15 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, and 2 HR with a 5:13 BB:K, the Indians have been very pleased with the performance of Chris Magruder, who has taken over the majority of playing time in left field since Russell Branyan's departure.

Cleveland signed Chad Allen to a minor league deal in mid-May and called him up to fill Branyan's roster spot when they traded Branyan. Allen doesn't have a lot of upside, and the Indians seem to favor other players over Allen, so he hasn't received much playing time in the outfield. He's likely first in line to lose his roster spot if Cleveland wants to freshen up the roster with someone doing well at AAA. The Indians have shuffled through a number of players for the 25th man on the roster and can't seem to find anyone with which they want to stick.