Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

3/7/06

Indians report

Graves painting flames, not just throwing them

Reliever's custom-painted vehicle easily identified at Indians camp

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - It's probably best to just call it The Truck.
It's easily identifiable in the players' parking lot at Chain O' Lakes Park: a huge pickup with oversized cab, black atop orange, with custom-painted flames across the doors.
The Truck belongs to Danny Graves, and if you didn't know better you'd think he was trying to qualify for a Monster Truck race rather than compete for a berth in the Indians' bullpen.
``I'm into flames these days,'' said Graves, commenting on the paint job. ``I'm a little guy who needs to do big things.''
Continuing the tongue-in-cheek monologue, Graves added, ``People see the truck and think some big, tough guy is driving. Then I get out, and they laugh.''
The vehicle, a Ford F-250 model fitted out with the Harley-Davidson logo on the grill, stands on 38-inch tires. In the front of the cab are two TV screens, with heavy-duty sound equipment behind the driver.
Maybe the most innovative touch are the lighted flames in the back of the cab that can be activated at the flip of a switch.
Graves calls The Truck ``his toy,'' but he admits not having much fun driving it through traffic in New York City on his way home last October, having finished the season with the Mets.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

3/7/06

Tribe catcher gets his shot

Tuesday, March 7, 2006


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Andy Call REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]




WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Kelly Shoppach has put himself in Boston General Manager Theo Epstein’s shoes a few times this spring. Each time he does, he comes up with the same solution.

Trade Kelly Shoppach.

“The catchers they have in Boston are proven guys who have been doing it for years,” Shoppach said. “Jason Varitek was a must-sign. He’s one of the greatest catchers out there. They gave him four years, and I was excited for him. Then, they signed Doug Mirabelli for two years to back him up.

Then, they told me it would only be fair to look for an opportunity to trade me.

“And, really, I couldn’t disagree with any of it.”

The Red Sox found a taker in Cleveland during discussions that led to the Coco Crisp trade in January. The Indians sent their backup catcher, Josh Bard, to Boston as part of the six-player deal.

“When the trade finally happened, the rumors had been going on so long, I had kind of gotten used to the idea,” Shoppach said.

Shoppach has, at least, moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 in the pecking order.

The 25-year-old Texan likely will break camp as Victor Martinez’s backup, although Manager Eric Wedge has said there is no favorite in the battle between Shoppach and Einar Diaz for that job.

“Overall, I don’t feel my opportunity was as great in Boston as it will be here,” Shoppach said. “We all know Victor is the front-line guy. I’ll do what I can to help this team win. We’ll learn more about how I can do that as we go along.”

The Indians liked Shoppach’s power bat, the fact he threw out 44 percent of runners attempting to steal against him and that he wasn’t named Josh Bard.

To say that Wedge was reluctant to use Bard last year would be something of an understatement. Bard, considered a good defensive player and solid at calling pitches, only saw 83 at-bats all season (he hit .193). Martinez played in 147 games and accumulated 547 at-bats.

Wedge has said he hopes to give Martinez more days off this summer and hopes that Shoppach’s presence will enable that to happen.

“That’s a discussion for them and Victor,” Shoppach said. “I’ve only heard that through the media, not anyone else. If that’s a situation that arises, then fine.”

Shoppach won the Johnny Bench Award as the nation’s top catcher with Baylor in 2001 and was drafted by Boston in the second round that June.

He hit 22 and 26 home runs for Triple-A Pawtucket in 2004 and 2005, respectively, but batted .233 and .253 and struck out 138 and 116 times.

He made his big-league debut last year when Mirabelli went on the disabled list, playing in nine games. Shoppach was 0-for-15 with seven strikeouts.

Now, he’s getting ready to start his first full season in the big leagues.

“There aren’t many guys who get here the first time and are ready to jump in and become All-Stars,” Shoppach said.

“It’s really early in spring, so you have to build a relationship with the pitchers. I have to get to a point where guys feel confident in me catching them. It’s a process. But it’s been a fun process so far.” Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail:

[email protected]
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

A few pics of this weekend at spring training....

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Hall of Fame and Cleveland Indians pitching great Bob Feller waves to the fans prior to Sunday's game. Feller threw out one of the ceremonial first pitches.

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Andy Marte puts the tag on Atanta Braves Brandon Jones, for the first out of the 6th inning. Jones tried to advance to 3rd on a ground ball hit to shortstop Ivan Ochoa

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Jason Dubois gets congratulations from his teammates after his solo homer in the 4th inning. The Indians held on to win, 6-4

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Trevor Crowe slides across home plate with the go-ahead run in the 7th inning, knocked in by Armando Camacaro. The Indians went on to win over the Atlanta Braves, 6-4

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Brandon Phillips throws out the Twins' Mike Redmond as second baseman Joe Inglett ducks to stay out of the way during the Indians' win over Minnesota in Fort Myers, Fla.

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Indians catcher Einar Diaz can't handle the throw at the plate, allowing Minnesota's Glenn Williams to score.

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Indians first baseman Ben Broussard knows this is a crucial year for him.

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Ben Broussard gets ready for his turn in the batting cage.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

3/8/06

Indians notebook

Hits and misses for Garko

First-base prospect gets two singles, drops two pop flies

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->LAKELAND, FLA. - Ryan Garko is discovering -- if he didn't already know -- that success doesn't come without some pain.
On a day when he went 2-for-3 and drove in a run, he also dropped two pop flies as the Indians defeated the Detroit Tigers 7-4 in a homer fest.
Garko is trying to make the transition from catcher to first baseman. In that regard, his performance was decidedly mixed.
Not everything was negative in his play around the bag. He was given errors on each dropped pop up, one fair and one foul. But he also made a tough stab of a ground ball.
``It was a tough day to catch pop flies,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``It was a high sky (that is, cloudless), and it was windy. But he's definitely coming along.''
No matter how fast Garko progresses, management has decreed that he will start the season in Triple-A Buffalo, barring an injury to Ben Broussard or Eduardo Perez, who are scheduled to platoon at first base.
Going deep
Travis Hafner led the way in the win over the Tigers with a 3-for-4 day, including a two-run homer. Ryan Mulhern also hit a two-run blast, and Todd Hollandsworth homered with nobody on.
C.C. Sabathia allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk in his three-inning stint.
``It was better than his last outing,'' Wedge said. ``But he knows he has much to do.''
Cliff Lee also worked three innings and gave up two runs and three hits. Both runs came on homers, one by Josh Phelps, the other by Brent Clevlen.
Remembrance
Pitching coach Carl Willis was asked about his memories of playing in Minnesota with Kirby Puckett, who died on Monday after suffering a stroke on Sunday.
``The thing I remember most is Game 6 of the 1991 World Series (against the Atlanta Braves),'' Willis said. ``Kirby came into the clubhouse before the game and said, `Jump on this bus; I'll drive you.' He went out and hit a home run to win the game.''
Marching onward
The Tribe plays the New York Mets in Winter Haven this afternoon.
Paul Byrd will face Kasaku Iriki. In the bullpen will be Bob Wickman, Guillermo Mota, Fausto Carmona and Matt Miller.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

3/8/06

Broussard battles again

Wednesday, March 8, 2006


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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Ben Broussard has committed all the names to memory.
“First it was Pronk (Travis Hafner), then it was Lou Merloni, then it was Jose Hernandez,” the Indians first baseman said. “Now, it’s Eduardo Perez. It’s the same thing I’ve dealt with every year. It’s never been, ‘This is your job. Now just go out there and play every day.’ ”
Broussard is entering his fourth season as Cleveland’s starting first baseman — not that the Indians haven’t looked elsewhere during that span.
Perez, a right-handed hitter, was signed as a free agent to platoon with the left-handed Broussard. The Indians also are taking a long look at converted catcher Ryan Garko.
“I’m just going to go out there, take care of my business, play well and make it harder for them to take me out of the lineup,” Broussard said.
It wasn’t easy to leave Broussard in the lineup last season, particularly against left-handers. He hit .255 overall, just .225 off lefties. Broussard’s career average against left-handers is .237.
Broussard has had his moments. He drove in 80 runs in 415 at-bats in 2004, hitting .300 with a .595 slugging percentage after the All-Star break.
“Everybody wants to be more consistent,” Broussard said. “I’ve shown I can play. But I need to show I can have three really good months, not one good and then one bad and then one good. My goal is to try to limit the bad times.
“The slumps will come. But I’ve gone through them and come out OK. I’ve never stayed buried.”
Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro didn’t come to bury Broussard when asked about his first baseman during an interview in late January, but he didn’t exactly come to praise him either.
“Ben Broussard is at a critical juncture in his career,” Shapiro said. “There’s a lot at stake, for him and for us. He’s making a lot more money, and he’s going to have to produce.”
The Indians avoided arbitration with Broussard by signing him to a one-year deal Jan. 25 for $2,487,500. He also can earn an extra $25,000 for 500 and 550 plate appearances.
“There have been times when he’s been a run-producing corner bat,” Shapiro said. “And, yet, he has had prolonged slumps that kind of offset that production. He’s capable of producing at high levels.”
The 29-year-old Broussard took his challenge seriously, reporting to camp about 10 pounds lighter than in 2005. If he cannot achieve the consistency,his bosses are looking for, however, the Indians could replace him for good next season. “My plan is to do better,” Broussard said. “That’s my plan.” Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail: [email protected]
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

3/8/06

INDIANS SPRING TRAINING
Bunt hasn't been cake for Tribe


Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Burt Graeff
Plain Dealer Reporter

Lakeland, Fla.- The 430-foot, three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning draws rousing standing ovations.

The 30-foot sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the eighth draws yawns.

Drawing yawns on sacrifice bunts was not easy for the Indians last season.

So much so that getting down the bunt - particularly in key situations - has been a priority during the current Indians training camp and exhibition season.

Ineptitude at getting a bunt down at the appropriate time was so glaring last season that getting one down at any time has become noticeable.

Such as in the third inning of Monday's 6-3 loss to the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie, Fla., when newcomer Jason Michaels dropped down a successful sacrifice in the third inning to advance Grady Sizemore.

"We probably won't be bunting that early, but it was good to work on it," Indians manager Eric Wedge said.

Failing to get down a bunt in the late innings hurt the Tribe numerous times last season.

A prime example: In the final week of the 2005 season, when the Indians were losing six of seven to fall out of a spot in the playoffs, they trailed Tampa Bay, 1-0, in the eighth inning of a game at Jacobs Field.

Ben Broussard opened the inning with a double off Seth McClung. Up came Aaron Boone. Twice ordered to bunt, he popped the first attempt foul and dribbled the second outside the third-base line.

Boone subsequently bounced out, Casey Blake grounded out and Sizemore popped out to end the threat in what became a 1-0 loss.

This particular scenario and losing the team's best bunter - Coco Crisp - to Boston in a January trade have sparked an emphasis on getting down the bunt.

Crisp's 13 sacrifice bunts not only topped the Indians but the American League. His replacement in the No. 2 spot of the batting order is Michaels.

"I have not been asked to bunt much in the past, but I am working on it a lot more now," Michaels said.

Michaels had two sacrifice bunts last season with the Phillies, none in four previous seasons.

Michaels said that former Indians and current Phillies manager Charlie Manuel did not call for the bunt often.

"I'd bunt on my own once in a while," he said. "You are going to see more bunting here as the spring goes on. Any way to score a run."

The Indians ranked seventh among American League teams in sacrifice bunts (39) last season, but Wedge said that is deceiving.

"We were not good in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings," he said. "We definitely have worked more on it this spring.

"In fact, we worked more on all of our situational hitting."

With Crisp gone, the leading sacrifice bunters among the Indians appear to be Ronnie Belliard (eight last season), Sizemore (five) and Boone (four).

Broussard and Blake, who will be asked to drop one down on occasion, had no sacrifice bunts and two, respectively, last season.

"We bunted [terribly] as a whole last season, particularly in late-inning situations," said Blake, whose spring average dropped to .167 with no hits in three at-bats of Tuesday's 7-4 victory over the Tigers.

"We're working on it a lot this spring. I think that doing it over and over will help. It's a part of the game that should be easy.

"It's harder than it looks, but still, it's one of the easier parts of the game."
Should be, but it hasn't been for the Tribe.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4479

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

3/8/06

NOTEBOOK

Sabathia improves from first outing

Wednesday, March 08, 2006


ASSOCIATED PRESS

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C.C. Sabathia was much better in his second spring training start.

Cleveland’s ace allowed one earned run in three innings yesterday as the Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 7-4 in Lakeland, Fla.

Sabathia struck out four, walked one and gave up two runs overall. On Friday, he allowed seven runs in 1 2/3 innings against Houston.

"He was better today than in his first outing, and he’ll continue to get better," manager Eric Wedge said. "He’s still working to command his fastball and get a feel for his secondary stuff."

Travis Hafner and Ryan Mulhern hit two-out, two-run homers for the Indians.

Hafner’s first homer of spring training hit the roof of the indoor batting cages beyond the right-field fence.
Meanwhile, Indians right-hander Guillermo Mota is expected to throw one inning or 25 pitches today for his first spring training appearance. The team has been conservative with the 32-year-old because of elbow and shoulder problems he suffered last season.

 

[itownbuckeye]

cabrera & michaels/rhodes

i caught the end of the puerto rico/panama game last night and was surprised to see fernando cabrera as the closer for puerto rico. he came in with a one run lead in the 9th and got two k's and gave up one walk (runner was caught stealing). just thought i'd mention it as this should give him some valuable experience closing meaningful games. could be invaluable should something happen to wickman or to become closer in 2007.

also, i was thinking about the rhodes/michaels trade and it occurred to me that i've seen something like this before. how about giles/rincon? giles was a guy who played well as a 4th outfielder but nobody knew if he could be an everyday player and there was no spot for him in c-town. so the tribe traded him to fill a need for a left-handed middle reliever. not saying michaels will become the player giles did, just thought it was uncanny how similar the situations were. i think giles was a couple years younger at the time of the trade, but you never know, some guys just need a chance to show what they can do.

 

[Piney]

That's why I drafted Cabrera in the BP fantasy baseball draft

Our bullpen will be fine, we have a lot of young power arms moving up in the system ready to play at the big league level. The only real wekaness is Wickman and that is because he gives us all heartattacks everytime he closes a game.

 

[tsteele316]

That's why I drafted Cabrera in the BP fantasy baseball draft

Our bullpen will be fine, we have a lot of young power arms moving up in the system ready to play at the big league level. The only real wekaness is Wickman and that is because he gives us all heartattacks everytime he closes a game.

he probably is close to having one himself when he pitches.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

3/9/06

Sipp could receive taste of big leagues

Young left-hander might earn time in Tribe bullpen

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - Tony Sipp is just another 45th-round draft pick who probably will make it to the big leagues, and sooner rather than later.
How often does that happen? The odds are about the same as Mike Ditka winning on American Idol by singing the national anthem.
Sipp is left-handed, which doesn't hurt, and he's a relief pitcher, which means his development doesn't have to include learning how to retire batters three or four times in the same game.
Nevertheless, any player drafted beyond the 15th round is a huge long shot.
But give the Indians credit. They made an accurate evaluation of Sipp in a collegiate summer league and gave him a $130,000 bonus as a draft-and-follow player.
``He was a Cape Cod sign, an athletic left-hander,'' General Manager Mark Shapiro said. ``He pitched more there than he did in college.''
The Cape Cod League is where the most talented collegians go to be scouted, and Sipp took advantage of the opportunity.
As for the money, he said: ``I'm not a flashy guy. I just kept it.''
Sipp readily concedes that he wasn't the most successful college starter.
That is why he was switched to the bullpen at Clemson, after attending Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for two years.
``At junior college I was in the rotation both years,'' Sipp said. ``But every time I got to the fifth inning, something would happen. I always got taken out in the fifth. That was the magic number.''
When he got to Clemson, Sipp started twice and was sent to the bullpen.
``Those starts weren't real good,'' said Sipp, who also played center field and led off. ``I told them I'd do both (play outfield and relieve), but I really wanted to pitch.
``I never wanted to play the outfield, and I didn't have much pop in my bat. When I came in to relieve, they'd bring me in from the outfield, like in high school.''
Sipp isn't knocking the bullpen. That's where he thinks he belongs.
``I like it,'' he said. ``Hitters don't see you as much, so you can go in and cut loose. And bullpen life is pretty good. The conversations that go on are like sitting in a comedy show.''
Though Sipp said his mother knows little about baseball, she became filled with anxiety when he pitched in college.
``She'd watch the game until I pitched, then she'd just walk around,'' he said. ``If she heard a loud noise (like a collision between bat and ball), she hoped it wasn't because of me. Now she can watch me.''
Tribe officials talk about Sipp's fastball as an asset, which seems odd to him.
``My fastball needs work,'' he said. ``Sometimes it just flattens out.''
When Shapiro heard this, his jaw dropped.
``Tony sits at 90-91 (mph), sometimes gets up to 94 and has deceptive life,'' the general manager said, disagreeing with Sipp's assessment.
Sipp's professional career spans only two seasons and includes 159 innings. Last year, he posted a 2-2 record with two saves and a 2.66 ERA at Class A Kinston. After spring training, he will report to the Aeros for his first exposure to Double-A hitters.
It wouldn't surprise Indians Manager Eric Wedge if Sipp ended up in Cleveland at some point this season.
``It's not beyond reason,'' he said. ``We don't have a lot of (left-handed) depth. Sipp is a guy we're keeping an eye on.''
Sipp is willing to take his time and learn the finer points of relieving.
``I'm not in a hurry,'' he said. ``And life in the minors is pretty fun. Everybody works almost for free. It's pretty humbling.
``But you can do things like a normal person. Go to dinner and not be hassled, because you're just kind of a no-name.''
Coming to big-league camp was a bonus for Sipp, who thought one of his friends was playing a joke on him when he got the phone call from farm director John Farrell.
``It was pretty overwhelming,'' Sipp said.
Sipp has pitched three times in exhibition games, a total of 3 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and one unearned run. He's issued no walks and has three strikeouts.
Sipp was born in Pascagoula, Miss., and grew up in Moss Point. The biggest city he's spent much time in is Biloxi, so even living in a town the size of Akron will be a new experience for him.
``I'm a small-town guy,'' Sipp said. ``But I'm curious. I'd like to live in a big city for a while. I want to see what the rest of the world is doing.
``But in the end, I'll probably live in a small town and have a lot of land. Just live the simple life.''
Shellshocked
Try as he might, Paul Byrd couldn't keep his pitches from making hard contact with the New York Mets' bats Wednesday, as the Indians sustained a 7-1 loss at Chain O' Lakes Park.
In 1 2/3 innings, Byrd allowed all seven runs on nine hits, including a home run and three doubles against a lineup composed mostly of bench players and minor-leaguers.
``Byrd got up into the mid-50s in pitches,'' Wedge said. ``He was a little off in his location and got some of his pitches up.''
At this point in the spring, there is little worry among Tribe operatives that Byrd has forgotten how to pitch.
At the other end of the spectrum, Fausto Carmona delivered three solid innings, giving up two hits and striking out two.
``When you look at our starting depth,'' Wedge said, ``he's probably at the top of the list.''
Carmona is scheduled to start the season at Triple-A Buffalo, but he might not stay there long, depending on events in Cleveland.
Spring debut
Guillermo Mota, held out of action as a precautionary measure, made his first exhibition appearance and threw one hitless inning, walking one and striking out two.
Eventually, Mota, the probable setup man, will have to be tested in back-to-back situations. ``That's still down the road,'' Wedge said.
And the win
The rest of the Tribe's squad beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-4 in Dunedin.
Andy Marte was the hitting star with a home run, double, two singles and three RBI. Casey Blake, Ryan Garko and Brian Barton each doubled, with Barton driving in a run.
Jeremy Sowers worked three innings, allowing two runs, five hits and two walks.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

3/9/06

Boone’s struggles over?

Thursday, March 9, 2006


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Andy Call REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER [/FONT]


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BARREN BOONE Aaron Boone batted .243 last season — including a woeful .151 after the first two months. Repository AL GAMERTSFELTER
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INDIANS NOTEBOOK: Mota reports no pain

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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Spring training is the time for unbridled optimism.
And, perhaps, no one on the Cleveland roster needs a little unbridling more than Aaron Boone.
“I think I’m going to have a good year,” the veteran Indians third baseman said. “I’m pretty confident I’ll be more like the player I was. I think I’ll feel more like myself again.”
Boone, you might recall, was an All-Star with Cincinnati and a postseason hero with the New York Yankees in 2003. Two knee surgeries cost him the 2004 season, and Boone’s return to action last year was often not very pretty.
On June 3, Boone was hitting .151, the worst of any player in the big leagues with enough at-bats to qualify for the statistical leaders category. He rebounded to hit .316 in July and August, then fell off again in September (.220).
Boone finished the season with a .243 average, 16 home runs, 60 RBIs and 18 errors.
“I mean, I’ve struggled before, but nothing like that,” Boone said. “You have ups and downs in even your best seasons. I think that, any time you struggle, when you come through it, you’ve learned some things.”
Even today, however, Boone cannot pinpoint exactly what went wrong.
There was the physical factor, of course. He had spent most of the winter of 2004-05 doing rehabilitation work for his knee instead of his normal offseason routine. And he went into Opening Day not having played a game since October 2003.
“I felt good and had a decent spring,” Boone said. “But I hadn’t played in a long time. This year, hopefully, you’ll see a little more burst, a little more athleticism.”
The other factors were the natural discouragement and a sometimes-fruitless search to find what was lacking. Boone tried a number of different adjustments and, at one point, even consulted his father for help. It was not long after that visit with former big-league manager Bob Boone, however, that Aaron’s batting average began to rise.
“It was a combination of subtle things, not one obvious thing,” Boone said. “The biggest thing was just getting back into my routine.”
Boone was able to return to a more normal offseason regimen this winter.
“I have a personal trainer, and we get after it pretty good,” Boone said.
The Indians front office, meanwhile, was getting after it pretty good when it came to finding a potential replacement for Boone. They traded starting outfielder Coco Crisp to Boston for third baseman Andy Marte, considered one of the top prospects in baseball. Boone is signed through 2006 with a mutual option for 2007. “I’ve given it some thought but I won’t dwell on it,” Boone said of his future. “I know I’m here this year. I love being part of this team and this organization now. All I can stay focused on is getting better, doing my job and helping this team win. If I do that, next year will take care of itself ... here or someplace else.” Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail [email protected].
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

3/9/06

INDIANS NOTEBOOK: Mota reports no pain

Thursday, March 9, 2006


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


<TABLE style="MARGIN: 10px -3px 15px 5px; POSITION: relative" width=300 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Related Stories
Boone’s struggles over?

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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - The Indians have finally unveiled Guillermo Mota.
Cleveland’s new setup man pitched a scoreless fifth inning Wednesday during a 7-1 split-squad loss to the New York Mets at Chain of Lakes Park. The Indians have been cautious with Mota, who is coming off shoulder and elbow injuries last season.
“Everything felt nice and loose, with no pain,” Mota said. “It’s good.”
The 32-year-old right-hander walked the leadoff batter, but struck out two of the three that followed.
“It was good for him to get out there that first time,” Indians Manager Eric Wedge said. “It will take him a while to get as sharp as he will ultimately be.”
The Indians obtained Mota in the Coco Crisp trade with Boston. He is scheduled to move into the eighth-inning workhorse setup role vacated when Bobby Howry signed with the Chicago Cubs as a free agent.
Mota said he is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday, then pitch in another game Sunday. He will pitch in back-to-back games, and work two innings in a game, before the team breaks camp.
“I know everything is there,” Mota said. “For my first time, I’m real happy.”
METS 7, INDIANS 1
Cleveland starter Paul Byrd couldn’t make it out of the second inning, giving up seven runs on nine hits — five singles, three doubles and a Sandy Martinez home run.
“Looks like I won’t be leading the Grapefruit League in ERA,” said Byrd, whose spring ERA is 19.64 after two starts. “I left some pitches up, made some not-so-good pitches, and they hit them. I could have thrown nothing but four-seamers down the middle and done better than that.”
Byrd said he feels well physically, and will develop more “zip” on his fastball by late spring than he showed during his 54-pitch outing.
Young right-hander Fausto Carmona worked three shutout innings, allowing two hits while striking out two. Jhonny Peralta drove in Cleveland’s only run with a third-inning double.
INDIANS 7, BLUE JAYS 4
The other half of the Indians’ split squad took care of business in Dunedin.
Third baseman Andy Marte singled twice, doubled, homered and drove in three runs. Casey Blake was 2-for-4 with a double. Ryan Garko and Brian Benson both doubled. Jeremy Sowers started for Cleveland, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks over three innings.

TODAY Cleveland hosts Washington at 1:05 p.m. today. Jason Johnson will start against former Indians left-hander Billy Traber.
NAME THAT PITCHER Today is apparently “Jason Day” at Chain of Lakes Park. Jason Johnson will be Cleveland’s starting pitcher, and is scheduled to be followed by Jason Stanford and Jason Davis.
LET’S TALK The Indians may consider a long-term contract for left-hander Cliff Lee, but are likely to work toward completing potential deals for Jhonny Peralta and Grady Sizemore first. “I don’t know anything about the contract,” Lee said. “My agent told me they’re talking about maybe talking about something.”
ON THE MEND Right-handed reliever Matt Miller said he is ahead of where he projected himself to be this spring while coming back from a strained elbow tendon that cost him the second half of last season. “It’s taken a while, but it’s going well,” Miller said. “At this point, I have to think I’ll be ready for the season.” Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail [email protected].
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

3/9/06

INDIANS INSIDER
Long shot Mulhern gives it his best shot


Thursday, March 09, 2006

Burt Graeff
Plain Dealer Reporter

Winter Haven, Fla.- The Indians' leading home-run hitter, with two, after nine Grapefruit League games is . . . Ryan Mulhern.

Mulhern, 25, is a former 11th-round draft pick from South Alabama who's caught the eye of the Tribe's front office.

The power-hitting first baseman/outfielder had a breakout season in 2005, hitting a combined .315 (127-of-403), with 25 doubles, 32 home runs and 94 RBI at Class A Kinston and Class AA Akron. It earned him the Lou Boudreau Award as the Indians minor-league player of the year.

Mulhern's presence in the Tribe's camp is surprising. Left off the 40-man roster in the off-season, he was eligible in the Rule 5 draft. However, he wasn't selected.

Mulhern, who doubled in two at-bats of Wednesday's 7-1 split-squad loss to the Mets at Chain of Lakes Park, spent last season at first base. But with former catcher Ryan Garko being groomed to play first, Mulhern has been directed to the outfield.

"I'm trying to be as versatile as I can," said Mulhern, who is expected to open the season at Class AAA Buffalo.

Batting practice:

The Mets, who are hitting .319 as a team, teed off on Tribe starter Paul Byrd. In 1 2/3 innings, Byrd threw 54 pitches - giving up seven runs on nine hits. In two starts, he has a 19.64 ERA.

"This is no time to panic. If my fast ball is like this a couple of starts from now, than I will worry," Byrd said.

Goal-getter:

The Indians reached their season-ticket sales goal of 13,000, club official Bob DiBiasio said.

"We'd like to see it go higher, but we think it is a very good number for a middle-market team," DiBiasio said.

Opening Day at Jacobs Field, April 7 against Minnesota, is sold out. Other games selling well are Grady Sizemore Bobblehead Night (April 29) and the three-game series against the Cubs (June 19-21).


If needed:

The impressive spring by rookie pitcher Tony Sipp has the Indians front office thinking he might be an option to be called up from the minor leagues if the bullpen's lone lefty, Scott Sauerbeck, should get injured.

Sipp, a 45th-round draft choice (1,337th overall) in 2004, is 9-4 (2.60 ERA) in two professional seasons. In 159 innings, all at Class A, Sipp, 22, struck out 204 and walked 55.

"After we drafted him [June 2004]," said Indians director of scouting John Mirabelli, "we wanted to see how well he'd pitch in the Cape Cod League.
"He pitched so well there, we signed him to more money [$135,000] than we normally would have given a 45th-round pick."

In three spring appearances, Sipp is 1-0 - striking out three, walking none and giving up no earned runs in 3 1/3 innings.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

3/9/06

After a shaky start, Lee works out of early trouble


Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Bud Shaw
Plain Dealer Columnist

Lakeland, Fla.
- What can you say about Cliff Lee that hasn't been said, except nearly everything?

Start with "flamboyant." Seriously

It's his word for himself when he was younger. "Hellion" is another seemingly misplaced description.

Hellions don't often come in the flavors most often associated with Lee: vanilla and very vanilla.

"I was young and dumb," Lee said Tuesday after three innings of work against the Detroit Tigers. "It's not like I was completely stupid and selling drugs or anything. When I realized I was gonna be pretty good at baseball, I figured I'd better get my act together and make something of myself."

Lee decided to straighten up during his senior year in high school in Arkansas. The transformation is such he suspects the folks back home are particularly surprised he is where he is on a few different levels.

He's not in trouble, for one. He's in the major leagues. He's 35-17 in his career, coming off an 18-win season that tied him for second in the league and behind only Bartolo Colon.

They thought his attitude would be his demise. Instead, he filtered it out well enough.

He channeled it into a fastball he'll throw anytime. It arrives with less velocity than supreme confidence. Disdain even.

A lot of young pitchers give hitters too much credit," Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro said. "That's not Cliff. He competes with his fastball.

It gives him the ability to win every night out."

The objective analysis the Indians ran during the Colon trade talks coughed up a track record that told them Lee was special. Attitude: competitive on the mound, problematic off it. But the questions about him had some age on them.

"I wasn't a very good kid," Lee said. "Yeah, I've been to jail, and it's not a fun place to be. I really don't deserve to be where I am right now."

What the scouting couldn't tell the Indians then is really the only thing that most people in baseball know about him now. Wins attach themselves to Lee the way rock stars collect female fans.

He won 14 games in his first full season. The first time he started for the Indians, his offense scored 10 runs and banged out 17 hits.

Last year, when Kevin Millwood did a convincing impersonation of a man in a desert looking for a drop of water in an empty canteen, Lee found an oasis night after night.

"Kevin Millwood had the best ERA in the majors," Lee said. "I won 18. He won nine. . . . So my only goal is just to make all my starts and pitch as deep into the game as I can."

It's hardly all luck. Lee is so good so soon because he rubbed the hard edges off his cockiness, honing a confidence that told him he belonged. In his first camp, he watched major-leaguers throwing off the mound and said to himself, "I can do that."

And so he has, by believing in his fastball when some pitching coaches told him he'd never make it at the next level throwing it so often. He found his curve was good enough against major-league hitters, then added a cutter that has served him well.

Manager Eric Wedge points out Lee's "aptitude" for learning what he needs to know without repeating his mistakes.

Tuesday he allowed two solo home runs against Detroit trying to throw his two-seam fastball down and away. It's the luxury of the established pitcher to tinker in March.

Looking at the ratio of victories-to-words written about him, you'd have to say Lee ranks as the most quickly established, least celebrated pitcher in baseball.

To reach this Plain Dealer columnist:

[email protected], 216-999-5639