Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

Last July, when Fausto Carmona's career as a closer was imploding, longtime baseball watchers wondered if the Indians, through their mishandling of the talented young pitcher, might have caused him great harm. They worried that Carmona, then 22, could be scarred for life.

I think Tribe GM Mark Shapiro and manager Eric Wedge made a lot of mistakes in 2006, but trying Carmona as a closer wasn't one of them. Well, based on his horrendous performance, I suppose you could argue that it was a blunder, but I'd say the gamble was worth it.

Carmona pitched so well as a setup man for Bob Wickman that the Indians thought, Oh, why not. We'll dump Wickman's salary and give the kid a shot. He's got a great arm, and if it turns out he can handle the job, we'll have found one of baseball's most coveted commodities -- a proven closer.

Then Carmona went out and blew about 10 games in a week in the most spectacular ways possible -- surrendering walk-off home runs to David Ortiz, Pudge Rodriguez, Mickey Mantle, Rogers Hornsby and Porky Pig. Well, scratch those last three, but you get the idea.

Carmona was so bad that, for a while, the Indians were afraid to send him down to the minors. They kept him around the clubhouse -- on suicide watch, I presume. One of the best things about Carmona, however, is his toughness. Eventually, he was dispatched to Buffalo, where he pitched well. He came back up to the Tribe in September and pitched solidly in four starts, compiling a 2.65 earned run average.

Fausto went to winter ball and lit it up again. Now he's back in spring training and tossing two innings of goose eggs at the Yankees. The plan is to send Carmona back to Buffalo and keep him as an emergency sixth starter.

All the other young players in his boat say, "I'm ready to do whatever they ask of me." But Carmona says, "I don't want to pitch at Buffalo again. I will show them I'm ready for the big leagues."

If he does over the next three weeks -- pitching better than the guys battling for a spot in the Tribe bullpen -- I'd keep him. Carmona has a great arm. At his age he can start or pitch in relief.

The thing about the Indians is they shouldn't worry so much about who fits what role. Just keep the best players. That's how they'll win this season.

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The answer to yesterday's quickie quiz is: Adam Miller is the Tribe's top-rated prospect.

Today's quiz: In 1966, the Indians acquired a veteran catcher to serve as Sam McDowell's personal catcher, believing that the vet could help him with his game. Name the catcher.

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-- Kevin Cuneo