One of the more interesting development stories in the system, Lara signed out of the Dominican Republic for $10,000 as a 17-year-old in 1999. He spent three seasons in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League and didn't make his U.S. debut until 2002. He spent his first two years in the States as a starter before moving to the bullpen full-time in 2004, when he also reached full-season ball for good. Lara is a resilient and durable, repeating his delivery well and topping out at 94 mph with his fastball. He sits at 90-92 with his heater, and he throws a wipeout 83-84 mph slider from a three-quarters angle. Some Tribe officials believe he can be more than a lefty specialist, as his changeup emerged as a legitimate weapon against righthanders in Double-A. If Lara continues to command his changeup, he could earn a setup spot in Cleveland's bullpen in 2007. If not, he still could be valuable in left-on-left matchups.
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