Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer informs us that the Tribe has cut ties with outfielder Jason Michaels.  Ben Francisco will replace him on the roster.

Says GM Mark Shapiro, “We think Ben can give us a spark.  We think he could be more than a platoon player. He hits right and lefthanders. This will give Eric Wedge a chance to keep David Dellucci healthy and strong in left field.  Ben can also spell Franklin Gutierrez in right field.”

As Hoynes notes, the move does not become official until Tuesday because Francisco has not been at Class AAA Buffalo for 10 days since he was last optioned by the Indians.  Michaels cleared waivers today.  I suspect some club will take a chance on him in the near future.  You could do a lot worse than Michaels (.294/.377/.449 career vs. lefties) as your 4th or 5th outfielder.  Look for Boston, who is looking for some depth, to kick the tires.

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