Odds are that Fausto Carmona, like Leo Nunez before him, won’t do any significant jail time for his arrest on false identity charges, but the pitcher now known as Roberto Hernandez Heredia may have trouble securing a visa and the Indians believe he’ll miss spring training.
Manager Manny Acta spoke to the Associated Press, which is reporting that “the team is trying to speed up Carmona’s arrival.”
However, last week’s trade for Kevin Slowey was seemingly made to address the hole in the rotation that would be created by Carmona/Heredia not being cleared to return to America.
He was released from a Dominican jail Friday after posting a $13,000 bond and so far there’s been no talk of the Indians trying to void his $7 million contract despite the belief that Carmona/Heredia is actually 31 years old, rather than his listed age of 28. Another option is placing Carmona/Heredia on the restricted list, which may allow the Indians to keep him on the roster without having to pay him until he shows up.
