Indians Spring Training Pics

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By Staff Reports Indians Ink
Date: Feb 22, 2005

Position players reported to the Cleveland Indians' spring training camp in Winter Haven, Fla., on Tuesday.

They joined pitchers and catchers, who had reported Saturday -- and several other players like Aaron Boone, Ryan Ludwick and Casey Blake who had come in early.

Manager Eric Wedge plans to meet for 5-10 minutes with each player individually before Wednesday's workout.

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"We'll just go over what we expect of them." he said. "Some meetings will be very short."

Outfielder Juan Gonzalez is scheduled to work out for the first time Wednesday and has scheduled a news conference during which he is expected to address accusations by former teammate Jose Canseco that he took steroids.

Gonzalez, because of a clause in his contract, was added to the 40-man roster Monday.

Left-hander Jason Stanford, recovering from ligament transplant surgery on his left elbow last July, was put on the 60-day disabled list to make room on the roster. Gonzalez, who signed a minor-league contract in January, could have asked for his release if he wasn't added to the big-league roster by next Sunday.

Ludwick, along with pitchers Cliff Bartosh, Rafael Betancourt, Jake Dittler, Stanford and Brian Tallet were signed to one-year contracts for 2005.

Nineteen players remain unsigned, including pitchers Jason Davis and Kaz Tadano, catchers Josh Bard and Victor Martinez, DH Travis Hafner, infielders Jhonny Peralta and Brandon Phillips and outfielders Coco Crisp, Jody Gerut, Franklin Gutierrez and Grady Sizemore.

General manager Mark Shapiro has set March 3 as the date to renew the contracts of any unsigned players.

Ludwick missed Tuesday's workout with the flu, but C.C. Sabathia, who had the bug Sunday, was back at work.

2005 CLEVELAND INDIANS SPRING TRAINING PHOTO GALLERY

Left-hander Billy Traber (foreground) and the Indians go through early-morning stretching exercises at Winter Haven, Fla.

Kevin Millwood leads Indians pitchers through an early drill. Pitchers go through their throwing motion without actually throwing a ball, but then run over to cover first base.

Kaz Tadano goes through the same drill, having made his "pitch" as he heads to cover first base.

C.C. Sabathia makes a pitch during early drills.

Rookie hopeful Ryan Garko and other players head down to the minor-league fields for some batting practice.

Catcher Josh Bard laughs as he misses a wind-blown popup during "foul ball" practice.

Catcher Victor Martinez admits he has no clue where the ball is during practice. The machine at the left propelled the ball into the air -- and right into the glare of the sun.

Aaron Boone takes time to sign an autograph on the way back to the clubhouse after practice at Chain of Lakes Park.

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Enjoy Tribe fans......can't wait till opening day.

 

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Aaron Boone gets in some running.

</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top>More News & Photos From Training Camp
By Staff Reports Indians Ink
Date: Feb 24, 2005

The Indians went through their first full-squad workouts on Thursday.

Hitting coach Eddie Murray turned 49, but the Hall of Famer typically was too involved in working with players to do any celebrating.

Manager Eric Wedge held a team meeting before workouts began. He said he wanted to let players know exactly what his expectations are for this season.

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"We've worked hard to get to the point where we have higher expectations," Wedge told The Associated Press. "I told them we've come a long way, but we have a long way to go."

Casey Blake, trying to make the transition from third base to the outfield, spent a great deal of time shagging fly balls and chatting with coaches Buddy Bell and Rick Manning.

GOOD SIGN(S): The Indians announced Friday they have agreed to one-year Major League contracts with the following eight players:

1B Ben Broussard
RHP Francisco Cruceta
RHP Jason Davis
RHP Kyle Denney
OF Jody Gerut
LHP Cliff Lee
INF Brandon Phillips
OF Grady Sizemore

There are 11 non-arbitration eligible players yet to be signed for the 2005 season (the organizational has set a March 3 deadline).

WESTWARD ... WHOA: Reports out of Arizona are that politicians there are trying to get more teams to move their spring camps from Florida and that the Indians are a prime target.

Indians vice president of communications Bob DiBiasio, however, said the team has not had serious talks with anyone in Arizona for several months regarding a possible move. He did say that future talks would be likely, though it appears the Tribe will return to Winter Haven again next spring.

Cleveland moved its spring camp to Winter Haven in 1993 and has had strained relations with the city for the past couple of years. The city wants to tear down the Chain Of Lakes baseball facility in favor of a condominium complex -- but the Indians are currently in the second year of a five-year lease.

"We know the city wants this property," DiBiasio said. "We told them we would move, but not until we found a suitable place to move."

As for the reports out of Arizona, DiBiasio told reporters: "One of the reasons we're always being mentioned is because we've done it before."

The Tribe trained in Tucson, Ariz., from 1947 through 1992.

Here are some photos from Thursday's activities in Winter Haven:

Casey Blake gets in proper position to make a catch and throw back to the infield. Blake, a career third baseman, is learning to play the outfield.

Outfielder Grady Sizemore loosens up before taking the playing field.

Grady Sizemore, trying to win a starting job in the Indians' outfield at age 22, works on his bunting skills.

Another 22-year-old, Jhonny Peralta, takes grounders at shortstop. Peralta, who was the Most Valuable Player of the Class AAA International League in 2004, is trying to win the Indians starting job at shortstop.

Brandon Phillips, 23, works out at shortstop. Phillips, a natural shortstop who was the Indians' starter at second base on Opening Day in 2003, is battling Peralta for the right to replace the departed Omar Vizquel as Cleveland's everyday shortstop.

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