Tribe deals DeRosa to Cards for Perez

CLEVELAND -- Mark DeRosa was acquired by the Indians on New Year's Eve. And now he's gone before the Fourth of July.

It was a short-lived tenure with the Tribe for DeRosa, who was the subject of trade rumors almost from the time he first slipped on an Indians uniform. On Saturday night, the last-place Indians, all but out of contention and getting an early jump on the summer trading season, shipped him off to the Cardinals for right-handed reliever Chris Perez and a player to be named.

DeRosa was disappointed, but far from shocked, by the news. He had been reading the rampant rumors about his availability -- and the list of suitors that included his former Cubs team and the Mets, among others -- every day.

"You're disappointed, because you want to hit the rewind button and start over here," DeRosa said. "I was just starting to get comfortable and get to know the guys. That's the toughest part. But I have a chance to play for a division title again and put myself in a great situation with a new team. I'll say my goodbyes and move on."

And the Indians will add yet another new piece to their beleaguered bullpen. But unlike other hired hands brought in over the course of this season from outside the organization, Perez is a younger arm with upside, not an experienced guy trying to find his old form.

Perez, who turns 24 on July 1, has spent the majority of 2009 in the Cardinals' bullpen, going 1-1 with a save and a 4.18 ERA in 29 appearances. He began the year at Triple-A Memphis, where he was 1-0 with two saves and a 0.00 ERA in four innings of work.

Major Leaguers have hit just .195 off Perez, and he's allowed just two of 15 inherited runners to score. He's striking out 11.4 batters per nine innings.

"He's a guy that throws the fastball consistently in the mid-90s and has reached back to 98 [mph]," general manager Mark Shapiro said. "He has a hard, late slider that's swing and miss. He's a profile guy that we've been on since college."

The Cardinals selected Perez out of the University of Miami with the 42nd overall pick in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft. Last year, he was 3-3 with seven saves and a 3.46 ERA in 41 appearances for the Cards, spending time as the club's closer down the stretch. Baseball America named him the organization's third-best prospect after the season.

"Obviously, he transitioned very rapidly to the Major Leagues and has pitched in meaningful, leverage roles for them already," Shapiro said.

Another bonus to acquiring Perez is the contractual control the Indians will have. The earliest he could be eligible for arbitration is after the 2010 season.

The Indians expect Perez to arrive in Cleveland on Sunday and be activated Monday. Infielder Asdrubal Cabrera, recovered from a sprained left shoulder joint and fresh off a rehab assignment at Double-A Akron, will be activated Sunday to take DeRosa's spot on the active roster.



(mlb.com)