Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

For days now, my children, who have become avid Indians fans, have been complaining about the Tribe's apparent refusal to trade for Kenny Lofton. They barely remember when Lofton was an all-star centerfielder for Cleveland in the 1990's. In his second stint with the Tribe, he played until 2001, but his batting averaged slipped to .278 and then to .261 in his final two seasons at Jacobs Field.

He looked like a shadow of the guy who showed such great range in the field and who ran like Maury Wills on the base paths. After the left the Indians, I thought Lofton might be able to hang on for another season or two, but felt he was essentially washed up.

I was wrong. Lofton reinvented himself as a "player for hire," and he ended up in the World Series in San Francisco in 2002. He also helped lead the Cubs to the playoffs in 2003, played on the Yankees' championship series team of 2004, and the Dodgers playoff team of 2006. A glance at the record book shows that Lofton batted .335 in 110 games with Philadelphia in 2005 (22 stolen bases), and .301 in 129 games with the Dodgers (35 stolen bases) last year. He put up similar numbers with Texas this year.

In fact, during Cleveland's recent series against the Rangers, Lofton played like a 25-year-old. He hit line drives, chased down fly balls all over the outfield, and stole bases standing up. He must have really wanted to return to Cleveland, because you could see him straining to beat the Indians any way he could.

Tellingly, Lofton mentioned to sportswriters, "I don't want to go to any club that doesn't want to use me in center field, but I would make an exception in Cleveland." Now, thanks to today's trade of minor league catcher Max Ramirez to Texas, Lofton is returning to the Indians.

My kids are thrilled, and, despite my misgivings about trading a skilled young player for a 40-year-old guy who will likely remain in Cleveland for just a little more than 2 months, I'm happy, too. Lofton is Indians royalty. He was a key cog on their great teams of the 1990s, and he still carries himself with great pride. Best of all, he wanted to return to Cleveland and could end up adding speed and punch to the top of the batting order.

I expect the Indians to bat him second, which would give the club an excellent one-two punch, with Grady Sizemore and Lofton.

Now, one final word about Max Ramirez, the catcher the Tribe shipped to Texas. I think he will eventually become a solid major league performer. He's 22 and has averaged well over .300 with plenty of power in five minor league seasons. Ramirez came to the Indians from the Braves last season in the Bob Wickman trade.

Long after Wickman and Lofton are gone from the big leagues, Ramirez could be a star. But, for now, the trade for Lofton feels good. It even takes the sting out of losing three of four games to Boston.

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The answer to the last quickie quiz is: As a youngster in Venezuela, Victor Martinez grew up idolizing Ozzie Guillen.

Today's quiz: True or false, playing with the Indians in the 1990's, Kenny Lofton won five Gold Gloves.

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-- Kevin Cuneo