Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

I have to tell you straight up that I am a great fan of Ben Francisco, the 26-year-old Indians outfielder who is currently languishing at Buffalo. Francisco, who played well during brief tours with the Tribe in 2007, put up impressive numbers during spring training. He performed so capably, in fact, that what seemed like a certain trip to the minors was in doubt until the final days of camp.

Fans like me hoped the Indians might somehow be able to pawn David Dellucci off on some unsuspecting club. But it wasn't to be. Dellucci, who is under contract to Cleveland through the end of the 2009 season, is apparently of no interest to any other big league team. That might be an exaggeration, but only a slight one.

Clearly, Tribe GM Mark Shapiro goofed with this signing. Yes, Dellucci, playing in a part-time role, had averaged just under 20 home runs over three previous seasons. But once he came to Cleveland, he played like a schlub. He struck out too much and stranded too many runners -- until he mercifully tore his hamstring.

That's cruel, I know, but it was only after Dellucci left the club that the Indians finally gave Franklin Gutierrez a shot in the outfield. Gutierrez, at long last, began to fulfill the promise that for years had been predicted for him.

You would think, based on that experience, that the Indians would cut Dellucci to make way for Francisco and, later, for Shin Soo Choo, who is almost recovered from serious shoulder surgery. One of the Tribe broadcasters mentioned on the air Monday that perhaps Cleveland is hoping Dellucci gets off to a good enough start, so that another team might be willing to take him off the Indians' hands.

Shapiro has made a lot of good deals since succeeding John Hart as the club's general manager. He's also had a couple of stinkers, including the trade of Brandon Phillips to Cincinnati, and, now, the signing of Dellucci.

The Indians no longer spend enough money to lure big-time free agents to Cleveland. And when they do shell out a decent sum -- as they did in Dellucci's case -- they seem insistent about keeping the player. It's unfortunate for Francisco, who's done enough time at Class AAA. It might also be folly for the Indians if Dellucci starts to cost them against this season, as he did in early 2007.

Let's hope it doesn't turn out that way.

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The answer to yesterday's Quickie Quiz is: Grady Sizemore's favorite athlete when he was growing up was Bo Jackson.

Today's quiz: Name the organization that originally signed David Dellucci in 1995.

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-- Kevin Cuneo