Pojo, you'll like this:

Let go of ghosts past - bring Mesa back to town
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Bud Shaw, PD Columnist

Wrongful death claims in some states carry a statute of limitations of less than seven years.

What is it for crimes against the Cleveland sports fan?

Hold on. I have the book right here. Let's see. Looks like 77 years. Wait, no. It's 777. It might be time to repeal that law.

There is one move Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro could make to improve the Indians that would be bolder public relationswise than trading Roberto Alomar or Bartolo Colon.

Trade for Jose Mesa.

Sorry, not so he could be placed in a pillory in Public Square. Trade for him so that he can close games the way he is closing games in Pittsburgh, the way games are not being closed here. Regularly.

"If I thought he could help us, I wouldn't hesitate," Shapiro said Monday before leaving to look at players in Buffalo. "Whether or not the history here would [have an impact] on his ability to perform would just be one ingredient in the equation."

What you have to like about Shapiro is that he tackles trouble head on. He hasn't decided anything substantial about any closer who might become available. He wants to see about Bob Wickman first and take a look at Bobby Howry, too.

Wickman has had three rehabilitation outings. Shapiro says his fastball has held steady around 91 mph, but it's still spring training for him.

In another three weeks, more non-contending teams like the 29-43 Pirates will be shopping players. Pittsburgh was 15½ games behind St. Louis before playing the Cardinals on Monday night. Save situations for Mesa have been like trying to find buried treasure.

A scoreless ninth against the Reds on Saturday gave Mesa his 17th consecutive save, a Pirates' record. It left him perfect for the season, despite having reason to be as rusty as an old swing set. It was only his fourth opportunity in Pittsburgh's previous 32 games.

Yes, yes. I know what you're thinking. That's Pittsburgh. Here, he would be haunted by the 1997 World Series and the boos that chased him out of town the following season.

Speak for yourself. You may be haunted by all that, but Mesa is far removed from it. That was long before you saw how queasy David Riske and Jose Jimenez have looked in the role.

If it comes down to that Jose or this Jose, Mesa would have to be carried trembling to the mound in a basket not to qualify as an improvement. He's the Jose who has allowed a run in just four of his 30 appearances.

"If he blew a save here, they'd boo," Shapiro said. "If he got the save, they'd cheer."

The questions for Shapiro are far more pragmatic, as they must be. To trade for any closer, it's all about the cost. Money isn't an issue in Mesa's case. With him, it's what the Indians would have to give up to rent a 38-year-old for a few months.

Acquiring Mesa would demand one obvious adjustment. When an infielder comes to the mound to settle Mesa down, manager Eric Wedge might want to have somebody other than Mesa's archenemy Omar Vizquel do the visitation.

"Players want to win," Shapiro said, not specifically mentioning the Vizquel-Mesa relationship. "If they feel a player can help the team do that, that's what matters."

In a town that cheered John Rocker before he made it painfully clear he couldn't pitch, it should be easy to justify a second chance for Mesa if it comes to that.

There would be no justifiable reason in 2004, certainly, to make Mesa feel like Michael Moore at a Republican fund-raiser.