Cleveland ? Mark Shapiro’s heart must jump every time the phone rings.

Cleveland’s general manager is nervously waiting to hear from free agent first baseman Jim Thome, who is weighing contract offers from the Indians and Philadelphia Phillies.

“There’s no protocol,” Shapiro said from the GM meetings in Arizona. “We made a proposal and we have not heard back.”

Thome, the top slugger in this year’s free agent market, received a reported five-year, $75 million offer from the free-spending Phillies on Tuesday – the first day teams could make money proposals.

Philadelphia’s deal dwarfs the Indians’ offering, a four-year package believed to be worth between $40 and $48 million.

At Thome’s request, the Indians made their offer to Thome on Oct. 31, days before the 31-year-old was wined and dined by the Phillies, who gave him a tour of their new stadium set to open in 2004.

The Indians have until Dec. 7 to offer Thome salary arbitration. If he accepts, they can negotiate with him until Jan. 8. If he rejects it, the club would lose his rights until May 1.

Shapiro said the Indians have not set a deadline and plan to raise their offer to Thome.

Since the beginning of last season, Thome has said Cleveland is his first choice and his decision will not be based solely on money.

While Indians’ fans wring their hands waiting to hear about Thome’s future, so is Cleveland shortstop Omar Vizquel.

Vizquel has been monitoring the Thome negotiations from his home in Issaquah, Wash., and knows how important Thome is to the team.

“Jim Thome is the whole season for us,” Vizquel said by phone. “for our fans, for the front office. They have to try and sign him no matter what.

“I hope and pray that he signs.”

Shapiro knows that if Thome leaves, some of Cleveland’s fans will bolt as well.

The Indians drew 2.6 million fans last season, down from 3.1 million in 2001.

“We’re going take a hit whether we sign him or not,” Shapiro said.