The final cuts

Tom Mastny was optioned to Buffalo Wednesday, leaving the active roster at 27 players, including Craig Breslow. Ben Francisco will be optioned in the next day or two assuming that David Dellucci comes through the late spring games without lingering forearm pain. He had a good game Wednesday, going 3 for 5 with a double and a triple. Shin-Soo Choo will be placed on the 15 day DL to reduce the roster to 25.

The Indians have their final game in Florida today. They move to Goodyear, Arizona next year. The Indians move to Winter Haven in 1993 was a last minute decision - originally the Tribe had planned to relocate spring training to Homestead, Florida, but that city was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew the summer previous. Winter Haven had lost the Boston Red Sox after the 1992 spring, and the city and the team became a marriage of convenience.

For a marriage of convenience, 16 years is a long time. It's featured happiness - the Indians returned to prominence twice during those 16 years. It's featured tragedy - the deaths of Steve Olin and Tim Crews. They had a trial separation in 1995 when the players were locked out; replacement players just weren't the same. And just like most marriages of convenience, the Indians are leaving the homely for the shiny and young trophy wife - the new complex in Goodyear is being custom built for the Indians.

The City of Goodyear has created a web page with cycling pictures of the construction project of the new ballpark, which should be fun to check out as the season goes along. Unlike Winter Haven, the Goodyear complex will be able to be occupied all year long, with advanced training facilities. Additionally, Goodyear is trying to woo the Cincinnati Reds to join the Indians in the complex - the teams would share the park, but would have their own practice fields, training centers, etc. That would definitely be interesting. Despite the fact that the Ohio teams play each other six times a year, a partnership between the two teams can really be a positive for both teams.