Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

[exhawg]

I'm worried about this whole Indians network BS. All I have is basic cable through Adelphia and I highly doubt that any cable companies will add the Indians network to basic cable. If it isn't a premium service it is going to be on digital cable at the very least. I'm not willing to pay $15 extra a month for digital cable when I already have a Tivo. I know Adelphia is about ready to merge with Time Warner, but I am going to have to take a serious look at switching over to satellite if the cable companies are going to want a lot more money to see the Tribe games. I wish the Indians had just signed a new deal with Fox Sports. That would make life a lot easier.

 

[Piney]

Don't worry about the TV deal Exhawg. They key is for the other cable outlets to dig in and not fall to the Indians demands. What hopefully will happen is come mid-March the Indians will start panicking that no cable companies will carry them and they will drop their prices enough to be on for a year to prove to the cable companies that it is worth getting.

I just don't see how the Indians network will be a premium service. (Sportstime... how gay is that?) But I expect something to be done at the last possible minute to make sure everyone can see them, well, except for Cox cable which sucks anyway.

In the end the Indians should take a bath this year on their new network. It is the next couple of years when they start adding other programming to the network that they will see the revenues increase.

 

[exhawg]

Don't worry about the TV deal Exhawg. They key is for the other cable outlets to dig in and not fall to the Indians demands. What hopefully will happen is come mid-March the Indians will start panicking that no cable companies will carry them and they will drop their prices enough to be on for a year to prove to the cable companies that it is worth getting.

I just don't see how the Indians network will be a premium service. (Sportstime... how gay is that?) But I expect something to be done at the last possible minute to make sure everyone can see them, well, except for Cox cable which sucks anyway.

In the end the Indians should take a bath this year on their new network. It is the next couple of years when they start adding other programming to the network that they will see the revenues increase.

I hope you're right, but I don't don't see any of the cable companies adding "Sportstime" to the basic (no cable box at all) lineup. I usually watch the games when I'm going to bed so it wouldn't do me any good even if I had a cable box because most people only have 1 box per household. The rest of the tv's in the house just get basic service. Time Warner already agreed to the high price, which is going to screw most of NE Ohio. Now that Fox Sports has an HD channel I which they would just leave the Tribe games there.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

2/25/06

Posted on Sat, Feb. 25, 2006
Healthy Boone aims high

Third baseman eager to make impact in '06

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - Aaron Boone wasn't any happier about last season than the average Indians fan, who wanted to see him banished from Cleveland.
It's not like Boone asked to endure the worst slump of his career. He was coming off knee surgery, and that probably had something to do with it. On the other hand, players have recuperated from injuries without making headlines because of their infinitesimal batting averages.
Boone fought the slump. He took extra batting practice, watched video of his swing, asked for help from the coaches. The only thing he missed was consulting an astrologer. And who knows? Maybe he did that, too.
But no matter what corrective measures he took, no matter how hard he tried, the skid worsened, until on June 3, Boone's batting average stood at .151, lowest in the league among regulars.
``I'm sure the layoff had an effect,'' Boone said after a workout at Chain O' Lakes Park. ``I don't think I would have been hitting .150 in June otherwise. But people attributed everything to knee surgery, and I actually felt fine. The bottom line is that I just buried myself.''
Ask a player to explain how he becomes mired in a slump, and he's apt to give you a blank stare. You'll get the same reaction when you ask why he started hitting again.
``I think it just kind of clicked,'' Boone said.
The weekend that Boone hit bottom, the Tribe began a lengthy trip that started in Chicago, continued in San Diego and ended in San Francisco. For whatever reason -- maybe because he did not have to contend with discontented home fans -- Boone started to hit again.
He batted .311 in July, .322 in August but slipped to .220 in September and October. Even though he struggled at the end, he was back to normal. Or was he?
``I turned it around, but I still didn't think I had the kind of impact I wanted,'' Boone said. ``I was just an OK player. I didn't feel like I was ever on top of my game offensively.''
What's this, a new category? It's not enough to do your job, you have to make an impact? Come to think of it, that's not a bad standard for a player to adopt.
Boone did not dazzle anyone with his statistics, even after coming out of the slump. From June on, he hit 12 home runs and had 45 RBI. Those aren't bad numbers, but that's not Boone's point.
Seldom did he produce the tying or winning hit late in game. On the other hand, what he might not be counting are the times he saved an inning for his pitcher by making a key play at third base.
Boone has found something positive in his year.
``There was a side that was good,'' he said. ``I did pull out of the bottom of the ocean. Now, I think I know how to survive when I'm not going good.''
That doesn't mean Boone is anticipating another two-month slide. Nor is Eric Wedge.
``Aaron already looks notably better than he did last year at this time,'' the manager said. ``He had a healthy offseason and has a healthy season behind him. Now, he just has to focus on the season and get ready to play.''
By contrast, last spring, the Tribe training staff and the coaches were watching Boone's knee for signs of weakness.
His spring training routine was geared to strengthening the knee more than getting ready to play baseball. Of course, this is normal procedure for a player who has missed a full year.
``The greatest example of that,'' Wedge said, ``is when Omar (Vizquel) missed half a season and got off to a tough start. As good an athlete as he was, it took a month or a month and a half for Omar to get his edge back. What happens is that you play catch-up the entire year.''
As far as Boone is concerned, his knee no longer is an issue.
``Last year, it didn't bother me,'' he said. ``All in all, from a health standpoint, I felt pretty good. But I did feel a little heavy legged. I didn't have that burst.''
Fans who only know Boone from his time with the Tribe probably don't realize that he is a legitimate threat to steal. In 2002 and 2003, he stole 55 bases.
``Aaron has a good feel for running the bases, anyway,'' Wedge said. ``Now he'll be a little quicker and stronger on the bases.''
That means Boone will have one more weapon with which to make an impact.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

2/26/06

Posted on Sun, Feb. 26, 2006
Not the average No. 5 starter

Innings-eater Johnson mystified by absence of success in career

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - Why Jason Johnson?
It became clear shortly after the offseason began that the Indians weren't going to offer Scott Elarton the multi-year contract he was certain to demand (and get) to remain in Cleveland as the No. 5 starter.
What was wrong with Elarton? Nothing. In fact, he performed admirably, compiling an 11-9 record and 4.61 ERA. Moreover, when it came to crunch time, Elarton was the right man at the right time, winning his first four starts in September with an 0.92 ERA.
So what was the problem with signing him to a two-year deal? General Manager Mark Shapiro looked at what the Tribe farm system was likely to produce in the next couple of seasons. Jeremy Sowers and Fausto Carmona stuck out as potential front-line starters, who probably would make their major-league debuts either in 2006 or 2007.
Shapiro didn't want to put impediments in their way. Consequently, Elarton had to go. At first, it appeared that Shapiro would entrust the fifth spot in the rotation to one of these phenoms, or maybe to Jason Davis.
But the day after Christmas, the GM signed Johnson, who has a live arm that produces a 92-94 mph fastball. He is not coming off an injury. He doesn't give up an inordinate number of walks, so why not take a flyer?
``Jason threw 210 innings last year and is excited to be here,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``He's a tough competitor, and he wants to pitch deep into games.''
Johnson seems like everything a team would want in a fifth starter, but he has had only one winning season in the big leagues, 1999, when he had an 8-7 record for the Baltimore Orioles.
Of course, few No. 5 starters are consistent winners. Usually, it's not difficult to pick out their shortcomings: less than average stuff, poor control, a lack of endurance, bad pitching instincts, something that stands out.
Not so with Johnson. His major-league record of 52-86 appears to be something of a mystery.
``I don't know what it is,'' Johnson said. ``I've never complained about run support, but my agent says I'm always in the bottom rung. That's why I'm glad to be on a team that has a good offense.''
In looking for factors that might undermine Johnson's effectiveness, the most obvious is his health. Johnson has been treated for diabetes since he was a kid.
He insists that the malady has had nothing to do with his success or failure on the mound.
``It has no effect on my pitching,'' Johnson said.
It's just something he has to deal with. Beginning last season, Johnson began wearing an insulin pump that regulates his intake of the drug, according to his blood-sugar level.
``I've had the pump for 4 ½ years, but I only started wearing it on the mound last year,'' Johnson said. ``Before then, I didn't want to ask if I could wear it, because I thought the answer would be no.''
Johnson had to present his case to Major League Baseball, which then gave its approval.
Before Johnson wore the pump, his starting assignments were a little more complicated than those of most pitchers.
``Every inning, I'd go in the clubhouse and check my blood sugar,'' he said. ``Usually, if it was high, I'd just drink some Gatorade. But if it was real high, I had to give myself an injection. I did it that way, because it would take too long to start hooking up the pump and get the insulin that way.''
The Indians are Johnson's fifth organization. His other employers: the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Orioles and Detroit Tigers have hardly been model franchises.
``Jason's been on some tough ballclubs,'' Wedge said. ``I think our guys do a good job of feeding off each other. I think our players can help him.''
Johnson didn't blame the Tigers for his 8-13 record last year, but he did mention that persistent losing can sap the energy from players.
``When you're not winning, it's not a good atmosphere,'' he said. ``We just didn't have that fire, because we weren't winning.
``We'd go out and play a first-place team and think we had no chance. Lots of guys had that attitude. I always wanted to win, but it was tough to get up for games.''
Johnson made a major change in his choice of weapons last year, when he went from throwing a four-seam fastball to a sinker.
``I used to throw about eight sinkers a game,'' Johnson said. ``And one day our (the Tigers') pitching coach (Bob Cluck) asked me if I ever thought of throwing sinkers all the time.
``He thought I had a good one, but it never occurred to me before. I started throwing them, and it was a tremendous help. Now when I throw fastballs, I throw sinkers 80-90 percent of the time. I'll take quick outs any time. I used to try and strike everybody out.''
In demand
So far, Tribe business operatives are satisfied with the pace of ticket sales.
The club is nearing its goal of 13,000 season-ticket equivalents. Last year, only about 12,000 were sold. Altogether, almost 1.2 million tickets have been sold, but individual game seats do not go on sale until March 4.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

2/27/06

Posted on Mon, Feb. 27, 2006
Indians' young star lets his bat do talking

Sizemore already very good, but going to get better

By Terry Pluto

<!-- begin body-content -->WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - Most Indians fans know Grady Sizemore is good, but few realize exactly how good.
That's because Grady Sizemore hates talking about Grady Sizemore. He's polite, respectful and shy.
``It's not an act,'' Tribe General Manager Mark Shapiro said. ``That's his personality.''
It's also why, in Shapiro's words, ``Opposing managers drool over having a guy like Grady.''
It explains why Indians manager Eric Wedge hates to take Sizemore out of the lineup. The center fielder played 158 out of 162 games last season, and Wedge said he has no intention of resting Sizemore unless there is an obvious need such as an injury or a severe slump.
``There are some guys who you just want out there every day,'' Wedge said.
Or as Sizemore said, ``Why would I ever want a day off? I love to play.''
It sounds like Sizemore has been in the majors for 10 years rather than slightly more than a full season. Despite his face that looks like it came from his junior prom picture, there is a certain serenity about Sizemore.
``You look at him in the clubhouse, and you don't know if you won or lost,'' Shapiro said. ``But on the field, he runs out everything. He's a player who has a lot of physical talent, and his attitude matches that.''
If you like numbers, Sizemore will keep your calculator busy. The basics are a .289 average with 22 homers and 81 RBI as a leadoff hitter.
Dig a little deeper and you find 37 doubles, 11 triples and 22 stolen bases. He really can run.
With runners in scoring position, he was a .300 hitter. He could draw a few more walks (only 52) and strike out a little less (132). Keep in mind that he won't be 24 until Aug. 2.
Not only is Sizemore very, very good -- he should get better.
Developing power
When you spend time with Sizemore, you realize that his bat is a lot louder than his voice. It's like he's embarrassed by the attention. He's smarter than he lets on -- a 3.8 grade-point average in high school.
Then again, being bright might be why he doesn't enjoy talking about himself. That also might be why he only looms big on the radar screens of fans who sincerely study the game.
``I don't look at my numbers and stuff like that,'' he said. ``I try to get on base. I try to hit the ball hard. I try to do my job the right way.''
What about power?
Sizemore never had more than 12 homers in a minor-league season until he hit 22 with the Tribe in 2005 -- and 13 came after the All-Star break, seven in September.
``I don't think about home runs,'' he said.
Really?
``Really,'' he said. ``I think about scoring runs. I think about ways to help us win. But I never swing for home runs.''
When the Indians obtained Sizemore from the Montreal Expos as part of the Bartolo Colon deal in June 2002, he was only 19. He was playing for Class A Brevard, hitting a mere .258 with no homers.
``He was still growing into his body,'' Shapiro said. ``We didn't know if he'd hit for power. But we liked his swing. He knew he was a great athlete in high school who was recruited by Washington to play quarterback. We knew he was an outstanding person. All of his coaches loved him. We knew he could run and play center field. And we knew he'd keep improving.''
Not afraid to fail
Even now, the Indians aren't sure what they'll have in Sizemore in a few more years.
Will he still be a leadoff hitter producing as he did in 2005?
Or will his 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame continue to fill out. A player who hit 22 homers in the majors at age 22 could easily mature into a 30-home run hitter by his late 20s.
Power usually is the last thing that appears for most hitters.
``I don't want to talk to Grady about doing anything more than he's already done,'' Wedge said. ``He's such a good kid, it's best to let him develop at his own pace. I just love his mental approach to the game.''
Meaning?
``He's so consistent in his temperament, he approaches the game the same way,'' Wedge said.
Or as Shapiro said, ``He doesn't let a bad performance define him as a person. He can separate from that, which helps him come back quicker from a bad day.''
There's something else.
``He's not afraid to fail,'' Wedge said. ``If he swings at a pitch in the dirt, he stays with it. He doesn't get timid and just try to make contact. He'll go after the next pitch if it's something he can hit.''
Sizemore believes in his talent and his ability to become a star. He'll never say that, which is refreshing in a era when so many players talk so much more than they produce.
``I already see Grady becoming a big-game player,'' Wedge said. ``He's young, but he's showing he can handle pressure. He's special.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

2/27/06

Posted on Mon, Feb. 27, 2006
Miller's delivery a delight

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - Matt Miller has beaten the odds. In fact, that's the story of his career, a career that he wasn't supposed to have.
That was his first achievement, clawing his way out of the minor leagues. The Indians reliever, who spent parts of three seasons in an independent league and was released six times by major-league organizations, has a secure spot on a roster for the first time in his life.
He also has overcome a second elbow injury. Maybe equally important, Miller has demonstrated the fallacy that right-handed sidearmers are helpless against left-handed batters.
Miller became a forgotten man when he went down with a sore elbow in August and missed the rest of the season. The problem was a recurrence of medial epiconditis that he suffered several years earlier.
``It's just some tendinitis on the inside of the elbow,'' Miller said Sunday after his workout at Chain O' Lakes Park.
``I let it go too long, because I wanted to stay out there. Now that I'm getting older (34), I have to take care of it better,'' Miller said.
Doctors prescribed rest and a workout regimen to keep the muscles around the elbow strong. Consequently, in addition to undergoing his physical therapy program at home in Greenville, Miss., Miller made three, two-week trips to Cleveland.
He also tested the elbow by pitching seven times in the Puerto Rican winter league.
``I was still a little nervous about it then,'' Miller said. ``But by the end of my time there, I had a lot more confidence and started getting close to my normal velocity.''
Neither Miller nor manager Eric Wedge thinks that the injury will prevent Miller from full activity.
``It's something we have to be aware of,'' Wedge said. ``But the deeper we go in camp, the less likely it is to be an issue. And I don't expect there will be any limitations on him during the season.''
Two years ago, the Tribe signed Miller as a no-name refugee from the pitching hell that is the Colorado Rockies. His total big-league experience to that point consisted of 4 1/3 innings and one run allowed.
The Indians noticed something about Miller. As General Manager Mark Shapiro pointed out, Miller pitched 63 1/3 innings in 2003 in Colorado Springs without giving up a home run.
Considering the 6,000-foot altitude of the Rockies' Triple-A affiliate, that is the equivalent of ESPN going an entire year without mentioning Barry Bonds.
If not for a home run by Detroit Tigers shortstop Carlos Guillen in July 2004, Miller would have gone two whole seasons without anyone going deep on him. As it is, in 2003 and 2004, he allowed one homer in 137 innings, including 55 1/3 in the the big leagues.
Miller made his Indians debut in 2004 and became the most unhittable pitcher that nobody ever heard of. In two seasons with the Indians, Miller has compiled a 5-1 record with two saves and a 2.65 ERA.
Before being sidelined by the elbow injury last year, he posted a 1-0 record with one save and a 1.82 ERA in 29 2/3 innings. Overall, opposing hitters batted .212 against him; lefties batted .194 (7-for-36).
That's right. Left-handed hitters didn't bat .200 against an allegedly out-manned pitcher.
``No matter who it is, they always say that,'' Miller said of the stigma that dogs all sidearming righties. ``You're always going to hear that. But I'm confident when I face them.
``When I got sent down in Colorado, one of the things they said in the paper is that I couldn't get lefties out. So it was nice that I got to face them (when he joined the Tribe).''
Much of Miller's success is a result of giving batters a look they seldom see. That's the sidearm part, where the ball leaves his hand about 2 feet above the dirt. That's not his only edge.
Miller doesn't think that he'll throw as hard as he did before hurting his elbow, but he sees this as a good thing.
``I don't want my velocity to get up there,'' he said. ``When it does, the ball just flattens out. I'm better when my fastball is 86-89.''
Indians right fielder Casey Blake has faced Miller during batting practice in training camp. He thinks what makes Miller tough to hit is his relatively swift fastball.
``Of course, the main thing is deception, the fact that not many guys drop down like that,'' Blake said. ``But you also see (sidearm) pitchers throwing 80 miles per hour fastballs. Matt throws a lot harder than that.
``The other thing is, he could tell you his slider was coming, throw it every pitch, and guys still wouldn't hit it.''
Though Miller's career has been filled with question marks, he has received meaningful praise.
``One of the biggest compliments I ever had came out of the White Sox clubhouse,'' he said. ``Frank Thomas told me, `A lot of our right-handed hitters hate to face you.' I thought I was supposed to say that about him. My goal is for left-handers to say that.''
That eventuality has ceased being a long shot.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

scout.com (free)

2/27/06

Tickets Going Fast; Plenty Of Promos

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

PlainDealer

2/27/06

FSN Ohio to Indians: Deal with it


Monday, February 27, 2006

Roger Brown
Plain Dealer Columnist

Indians management - battling complaints that it's demanding high fees to see games on its new outlet, SportsTime Ohio - defends itself by suggesting cable companies and viewers won't pay any more than they would have if telecasts had remained on FSN Ohio, the club's longtime TV home.

That approach draws a sharp response from Steve Liverani, general manager at FSN Ohio.

"It's totally disingenuous for the Indians to drag us into this [debate], simply because they can't get their deals done and want to deflect attention from that fact," Liverani said.

So far, the Indians have been unable to sign contracts with numerous cable and satellite-TV providers to carry SportsTime Ohio, which will show 130 regular-season telecasts. Liverani, whose station aired Indians games from 1990 through last season, suggests the team is scrambling to pass the high cost of creating SportsTime Ohio on to companies and viewers.

"We don't believe you indiscriminately increase your rates just because your expenses increase," Liverani said.

SportsTime Ohio President Jim Liberatore - noting that FSN Ohio offered to double what it previously paid the Indians to keep televising their games - doesn't back down from insisting the team's asking price is no higher than what FSN Ohio would have sought this season.

"As far as I know, FSN Ohio isn't the Salvation Army or Red Cross,"
Liberatore said. "They're a business. It's logical to assume that if they were going to pay double to keep the Indians games, they would have charged higher rates [to companies and viewers]."

Liberatore maintains the Indians are offering SportsTime Ohio "at a fair price" and should have contracts with most cable and satellite TV outlets by Opening Day in April.

SportsTime Ohio, part 2:

Don't expect the channel to televise ballgames featuring Indians minor-league teams. Liberatore thinks there's little viewer interest for that: He instead wants to develop shows on top Indians prospects.

WKYC Channel 3

lead sports anchor Jim Donovan will do play-by-play on the station's 20 "free TV" Indians broadcasts, and he doesn't disguise his pleasure. "I'm totally thrilled, totally excited," Donovan said. Donovan also is the Browns' radio play-by-play voice. He could possibly miss two Indians telecasts - Sept. 10 and Oct. 1 - because of football.

Channel 3, part 2:

Station general manager Brooke Spectorsky dismisses critics - including some other local TV execs - accusing him of exaggerating Channel 3's ratings performance during the Torino Winter Olympics. Spectorsky notes that throughout the Games, Channel 3 had ranked No. 7 among NBC stations nationwide in Olympic viewership. "That's a pretty impressive performance," Spectorsky said. "Our critics are just bitter guys desperately trying to rain on our success."

WKNR AM/850

often is guilty of overkill with its Cavs postgame show, hosted by Bob Karlovec. On some nights, it seems to go on for hours, which is a tad much for discussing one game. Michael Luczak, program director at WKNR, says while the postgame show is designed to run 60 minutes, it frequently expands because of listeners' calls. "When fans want to keep talking, we want to accommodate them," Luczak said.

WKNR, part 2:

Rumors are hot that the sports station's Indians postgame show may be simulcast by FSN Ohio this season.

 

[JCOSU86]

Does anyone know if the "free" games on WKYC will be shown in Columbus on free TV?

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

2/28/06

Indians notebook

Sabathia's status may be affected the most

Tribe starter could fall behind while at Classic

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - The World Baseball Classic is bearing down on the Indians, who might lose as many as six players for one to three weeks.
Fernando Cabrera and Eduardo Perez already have been told by officials of the Puerto Rican team that they have made the final 30-man roster.
United States officials announced during a conference call last week that C.C. Sabathia would pitch the opener next week in Phoenix.
Victor Martinez and Rafael Betancourt were named to Venezuela's provisional 60-man roster but haven't heard whether they will make the final cut.
Ronnie Belliard (even though he was born in New York City) is on the Dominican Republic's short list but hasn't been officially named to the final roster.
Whose readiness might be affected most if he was away from camp for the entire three weeks of the elimination event? Manager Eric Wedge isn't sure.
``Ronnie played all winter, and Perez is a role player kind of guy,'' Wedge said. ``Victor needs to make sure to do the things he needs to do.''
Sabathia might be hurt the most, though tournament officials have imposed strict rules on how many innings a pitcher can throw. On the other hand, it's possible that Sabathia could throw too few innings and return to camp having to catch up with the rest of the rotation.
Baseball, at last
The first semblance of a game will take place today, when the Tribe plays a five-inning intrasquad game. That will be followed by a 6 ½-inning practice game Wednesday.
Why the odd number of innings? The length of the games are dictated by the number of pitchers (23) who need to work one inning.
First up
Jake Westbrook will start Thursday's exhibition opener against the Houston Astros in Kissimmee. He'll throw two innings or about 30 pitches.
Long guy, necessary?
Being able to throw four or five innings is not a requirement to earn the final berth in the bullpen.
``That's not something he has to do,'' Wedge said. ``Whoever is the best option to help the bullpen get to (closer) Bob Wickman will be the guy.
``We want him to be able to throw two or three innings if needed, but that's it.''
Help or hindrance
Brandon Phillips is out of options and can't be sent to the minors without first clearing waivers. How much will that affect his chances of making the team as a utility infielder?
``It's one factor but only one,'' General Manager Mark Shapiro said. ``It's very unlikely that he'll get through waivers but not impossible.''
That does not make Phillips the favorite to stick with Tribe. In fact, Ramon Vazquez, who leads Phillips in experience by miles, is the front-runner.
``At some point, Brandon is going to be a good big-league player,'' Shapiro said. ``The question is when or where.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

2/28/06

Posted on Tue, Feb. 28, 2006
Terry Pluto | Martinez catching break a priority

By Terry Pluto

<!-- begin body-content -->WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - Victor Martinez can't catch 142 games again.
That's a message for Indians manager Eric Wedge. It's also why the Indians picked up Kelly Shoppach in the Coco Crisp/Andy Marte deal with the Boston Red Sox.
They need another catcher. They can't wear out Martinez. They knew that Wedge had lost confidence in backup catcher Josh Bard, who was shipped to the Red Sox along with Crisp and David Riske.
The key guy for the Tribe was Marte, whom the Indians and many other experts consider as the best third-base prospect in the minors. They also held out for Shoppach, a minor-league catcher with a strong arm and a bat capable of hitting some home runs.
The front office wanted to give Wedge an alternative to Martinez, whose 142 starts behind the plate was the second most in baseball.
By the end of a game, a catcher has squatted for about 90 minutes. After some games, catchers find bruises and don't know where they came from. On a hot afternoon, many catchers sweat off seven to 12 pounds.
The amazing thing is Martinez started all but five games after the All-Star break, yet he had the majors' highest batting average in the second half at .380. He caught 37 of the last 38 games.
``It was so hard to take him out because Vic was hitting the ball so well and we were pushing for the playoffs,'' Wedge said. ``I want Vic's bat to be in the lineup as much as possible, but I also want him to play some first base and maybe DH a bit.''
Wedge knows that Martinez can't carry such a heavy burden again.
Which brings us to Shoppach, who will turn 26 at the end of April. He's spent the past two years at Pawtucket, the Class AAA farm team for the Red Sox. In both of those seasons, he was selected as the best defensive catcher in the International League.
He threw out 44 percent of runners attempting to steal in 2005.
``This is a great opportunity for me,'' Shoppach said. ``I think I'm ready for the big leagues, but I don't want to just get to the big leagues. I want to show that I belong, and I can help a team win.''
The Indians wanted Shoppach for several reasons:
• He's rated a good defensive catcher with a strong arm.
• He doesn't hit for a high average, but he has shown major power.
• He has excellent leadership skills and has been respected by pitchers.
``I first saw Kelly when he was catching for Baylor, and I was the pitching coach at Oklahoma State,'' Tribe farm director John Farrell said. ``You could see that he had a presence behind the plate. You could tell then that he had a chance to play in the big leagues.''
Shoppach was a second-round pick by the Red Sox in the 2001 draft. That came after he won the Johnny Bench Award as college baseball's top catcher.
In the past two years of Class AAA baseball, Shoppach totaled 48 homers and 129 RBI in 770 at-bats. He also walked a respectable 92 times, with his batting average at .243.
``I'm a fundamental player, a hard worker, not real flashy,'' Shoppach said. ``I want to help the pitchers. I think I throw pretty well.''
Locked in
Shoppach was stuck in Boston behind Jason Varitek, winner of a Gold Glove and a guy who has averaged 22 homers and 70 RBI the past three seasons. The backup was veteran Doug Mirabelli.
There was no room for Shoppach in Boston and nothing more for him to prove in the minors. He was ranked No. 8 on Boston's top prospect list.
``I really want to see him,'' Wedge said. ``He's on the cusp of the majors. He shows he has pop in his bat, and he can help us control the running game with his arm. Vic is still our catcher, but Shoppach can give me some options.''
Martinez has been taking ground balls at first base. So has designated hitter Travis Hafner, whose troublesome right elbow has not been a problem so far.
The Indians are planning on a platoon of Eduardo Perez and Ben Broussard at first base, and they want to see if Hafner and/or Martinez can find some time there.
It's obvious that Wedge had lost confidence in Bard, the backup catcher last year. The Indians also had no catching prospects in the higher levels of their farm system.
No one wanted to say it, but what if Martinez got hurt? Who would play?
They think they have an answer in Shoppach. If nothing else, they have a catcher to give Martinez a break -- and he deserves one.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

2/28/06

Posted on Tue, Feb. 28, 2006
GM is focused on Tribe camp

Shapiro still could deal for productive hitter later

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - What you see might not be what you get.
The winter trading/free-agent signing period is over. Teams are concentrating on getting players ready for the season. That includes the Indians.
The 25 players who make the roster out of spring training won't necessarily be in it for the long haul, though. General Manager Mark Shapiro hasn't given up on the idea of improving the club by making a deal.
Not that anything is imminent, but Shapiro has the financial wherewithal to make something happen. Of course, that's only half the battle.
``Unless it's a guy who costs $10 million or $15 million, it's difficult for me to foresee that we would have to make the decision based on money,'' Shapiro said Monday. ``It will be the players more than the money. The question will be what players are available and at what cost.''
Cost in this case refers to what Shapiro might have to give up in the way of talent.
Few teams are actively trying to make a trade at this time of the spring, which is reserved for checking out the players in camp.
Later in exhibition season, various GMs will begin stirring the pot.
``We'll take a look at things in spring training but not right now,'' Shapiro said. ``What we think we're looking for and what we're really looking for don't always align when the season starts.''
For now, Shapiro and manager Eric Wedge are concentrating their efforts on making the few personnel decisions necessary to fill out the roster for the the season opener April 2 against the White Sox in Chicago.
The only positions in doubt are utility infielder, one bullpen spot and backup catcher.
Ramon Vazquez and Brandon Phillips are the contenders for the reserve infield job. Kelly Shoppach is the front-runner at catcher, but Einar Diaz can beat him out.
Among the relievers, Jason Davis, Danny Graves, Steve Karsay and Andrew Brown will compete for the seventh berth in the bullpen.
If Shapiro finds no adequate trading partner in March, he can still make something happen before the July 31 trading deadline, provided the Tribe is in the race, which is probable.
``Every window out there, we have the flexibility to make a move,'' he said
The team's needs at the moment might be moot by the time Shapiro actually attempts to make a deal. However, if he were to acquire a player now, ``I still think we could use another bat,'' he said. ``But I have confidence in the group we have here.''
Finding that hitter wouldn't be easy, however.
``That kind of guy, an experienced hitter, isn't available every day,'' Shapiro said. ``But for right now, that's what we'd look for. Of course, that could change.''
At some point during the season, the Indians' deep-thinkers might be able to reach down into the farm system for a hitter. At this point, the Tribe's most talented youngsters are not quite ready.
The No. 1 option is likely to be outfielder Franklin Gutierrez, if the need to bring up a hitter arises. Gutierrez, 23, has been on the Tribe's and the fans' radar screen for a couple of years.
Gutierrez has the tools to be a productive run producer, but he struggled last year at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Buffalo trying to perfect the art of hitting the breaking pitch.
Team officials said he made progress in winter ball, but he is scheduled to resume his education at Triple-A when the season starts.
Shapiro considers him to be the closest of the farm system's position players to the big leagues, which means he might make the jump to the Tribe this season.
Two other everyday minor-leaguers have gotten most of the buzz from the media: first baseman Ryan Garko and outfielder Brad Snyder.
Shapiro has repeatedly said that Garko is not ready to play first base in the major leagues. Until midway through last season, when he played at Buffalo, Garko was a career catcher.
Snyder was a first-round pick in 2003 and almost immediately got the attention of the brass.
He batted .278 with six homers and 28 RBI in 208 at-bats at Class A Kinston before being promoted to Akron, where he compiled a .280 average with 16 home runs and 54 RBI in 304 at-bats.
``Snyder is not an immediate factor,'' Shapiro said. ``He'll start the season at Double-A, but we expect him to be at Triple-A soon after that.''
Shapiro does not expect Snyder to make his first serious bid for a big-league job until at least next spring.
``I would be surprised if it was before that,'' Shapiro said

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

2/28/06

Boone expects better

Tuesday, February 28, 2006


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]THE ASSOCIATED PRESS[/FONT]



WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Aaron Boone doesn’t need any reminders about how low his batting average was last season.
The Cleveland Indians third baseman knows exactly how badly he was doing at the plate.
“I was batting .151 on June 3,” he said Monday. “I was so low, at times I just wanted to get a hit.”
Boone got off to a slow start after missing the 2004 season because of two operations on his left knee to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He hurt his knee following the 2003 season while playing basketball.
Going into spring training last season, Boone was confident his knee would hold up. The knee didn’t bother him all season, but the one-year layoff did.
“Obviously, it was a lot tougher for me,” he said. “I was still dusting off some of the rust, and I kind of paid the price for the first couple of months.”
Boone, who batted .123 in April and .188 in May, said his struggles led to some sleepless nights.
“I beat myself up,” he said. “When you’re struggling at something you care about, that’s frustrating.”
Boone never made excuses, though. Even after the worst of games, he was in front of his locker to talk to reporters. Instead of lashing out at Cleveland fans who booed him, he said it was up to him to give the fans something to cheer about.
“The one good thing about going through that is it helps build toughness and character, if you can come out on the other side,” he said.
From June 4 to the end of the season, Boone batted .284 with 12 homers and 45 RBIs. He hit .243 with 16 homers and 60 RBIs for the season.
“I never got it going like I was capable of, but at least in the last four months, I felt like I could contribute every night when I came to the ballpark,” Boone said.
Indians manager Eric Wedge said Boone is off to a good start this spring.
“Aaron already looks notably better than he did last year at this time,” Wedge said. “He had a healthy offseason and has a healthy season behind him.” Boone is confident he’ll produce better results this season. “The people of Cleveland haven’t seen the real me,” he said.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

PlainDealer

2/28/06

INDIANS INSIDER
Multiyear deal for Sizemore?


Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Burt Graeff
Plain Dealer Reporter

Winter Haven, Fla.

-- Shortstop Jhonny Peralta is not the only budding star the Indians are attempting to sign to a multiyear deal.

Joe Urban, the agent for center fielder Grady Sizemore, said on Monday that he has a meeting scheduled with General Manager Mark Shapiro and assistant GM Chris Antonetti on Thursday in Winter Haven.

"It's all preliminary stuff, but based on the player and the team's philosophy, it all makes sense," Urban said.

Sizemore and Peralta, both 23, are Indians whom Shapiro likes to refer to as "core players."

With good reason. Both had terrific first full seasons with the Tribe in 2005.

Peralta, playing 141 games, hit .292 with 24 home runs and 79 RBI. In 158 games, Sizemore hit .289 with 22 home runs, 81 RBI and 22 stolen bases.

Play ball:

The first of two intra-squad games will be played today at Chain of Lakes Park.

Today's game is scheduled for five innings, with C.C. Sabathia, Rafael Betancourt, Fernando Cabrera, Andrew Brown and Rafael Perez going for one team; Cliff Lee, Scott Sauerbeck, Kaz Tadano, Edward Mujica and Tony Sipp will go for the other.

The second intrasquad game will be played on Wednesday. The exhibition opener is Thursday, against Houston at Kissimmee, Fla. Jake Westbrook, Sauerbeck, Betancourt, Cabrera, Brown, Mujica, Sipp and Tadano are scheduled to pitch.

Hitting in a pinch:

Indians pinch hitters batted .213 (16-of-75) last season with no home runs and 10 RBI.

Adding Todd Hollandsworth and Eduardo Perez to the roster should improve it. Hollandsworth is a career .287 (52-of-181) pinch hitter with seven home runs and 28 RBI.

Perez's batting average as a pinch hitter is a not-too-lusty .208 (41-of-197), but he's hit seven home runs and knocked in 32.

"It's a role I don't mind at all," Perez said. "I view pinch hitting as I would my first at-bat early in a game. Plus, when you pinch hit, it's usually in a key situation, and I like that."

Mum's the word:

Brandon Phillips is not talking . . . much. The one-time hot prospect, now out of minor-league options and the subject of trade speculation, is battling Ramon Vazquez and Lou Merloni for one utility spot on the 25-man roster.
"I'm not ready to talk," he said. "I don't want to say the wrong thing. I'm concentrating on making this team."

Finally:

Travis Hafner, bothered by an ailing right elbow the past two years, says he's ready to play 20 to 30 games at first base this season. "The elbow feels fine," he said. Hafner was limited to one game at first last season and 12 in 2004 after appearing in 42 there in 2003. . . . Manager Eric Wedge doesn't know for sure how many he will lose to the World Baseball Classic, which begins next week. He said the six potential Indians who could be selected to go are Sabathia, Betancourt, Cabrera. Perez, Ronnie Belliard and Victor Martinez. The deadline for naming the final rosters is Thursday.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4479