A few Cleveland Indians-related links to sort through this morning. Let's take a look….
- The Indians will sign Japanese right-hander Takafumi Nakamura to a minor-league deal, according to Patrick Newman at NPB Tracker. Newman suggests that the Chuo University pitcher isn't one of the more "high-profile" draft prospects, but that he has shown he can strike out college hitters. An official contract should come sometime soon.
- Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer answers fans' questions in a Tribe-centric mailbag. One reader asks about the possibility of the Indians dealing Grady Sizemore to the Chicago Cubs. Hoynes opines that if the team's trading patterns stay consistent, after the way they dealt with Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez, then they probably wouldn't consider moving Sizemore until 2011.
- Within a mostly football-focused piece, Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer shares a few thoughts on the Indians as well. He thinks that Terry Francona would be a good role model for Manny Acta, given that Francona made appropriate adjustments after an unsuccessful initial managerial stint. Pluto also writes that one of Acta's main goals will be to get a bounce-back season out of Jhonny Peralta in 2010.