Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

3/19/06

<H1 class=red>Grapefruit gab

</H1>

Sunday, March 19, 2006



What: Game No. 20, vs. Houston at Winter Haven, Fla.

Score: Indians (13-7) win, 6-5.

Rundown: C.C. Sabathia didn't receive much help defensively or offensively as he allowed five runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. He left trailing, 5-0, but the offense rallied to get him off the hook. Sabathia struck out six.

Handicapping position races: Jason Davis resurfaced in the race for the final bullpen spot with a six-pitch seventh inning. Danny Graves and Steve Karsay, pitching on consecutive days for the first time this spring, each pitched a scoreless inning.

Other observations: The Indians scored five runs in the fourth on two hits, two errors, a walk, a wild pitch, stolen base and a hit batsman. Jeremy Guthrie pitched two scoreless innings for his AL- leading 10th save.
Next up: Indians at Yankees in Tampa, Fla., 1:05 p.m. today.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

3/21/06

Posted on Mon, Mar. 20, 2006
Lineup a serious order for Wedge

Bottom of order still undecided. manager explores Tribe options

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->TAMPA, FLA. - Some managers literally create endless lineups in their sleep. Eric Wedge prefers to do his lineup tinkering when he's awake, but either way, the Indians' manager takes the task seriously.
Fans who have watched the Tribe in spring training might conclude the all-important No. 3 spot in the batting was being contested by Casey Blake and Todd Hollandsworth.
That's the nature of exhibition games.
Wedge has had to find places in the lineup for about three dozen players in the first four weeks of camp. That necessitates some odd placements in the order.
On Sunday, for example, Blake batted in the second position, behind Jason Michaels.
Wedge isn't ready to reveal his entire lineup for the season opener against the White Sox in Chicago, but Grady Sizemore will lead off, Michaels will bat second, Jhonny Peralta will be the No. 3 hitter, Travis Hafner will bat cleanup, followed by Victor Martinez.
After the first five spots, the picture becomes a little fuzzier.
``The six and seven spots will be some combination of Ben Broussard, Eduardo Perez and Ronnie Belliard,'' Wedge said.
Broussard and Perez will comprise a strict platoon at first base.
Wedge will make a separate decision on the final lineup segment, eighth and ninth, involving Blake and Aaron Boone.
For some managers, the ninth batter is like a second leadoff hitter, depending on his speed and ability to make contact.
Wedge isn't necessarily in that camp, but it is something that he will consider.
``You look at the dynamic of the nine, one and two hitters,'' Wedge said. ``You want to know different hitters' comfort zones. It's kind of a surrounding cast thing, too.''
The goal of most managers, including Wedge, is to field a set lineup.
That might surprise some fans, who noted that last season Wedge wrote out a different batting order almost daily until late July, when Peralta moved into the third spot because of an injury to Hafner.
Before that, Wedge had a problem with the offense, which finally was cured when Sizemore began leading off, just ahead of Coco Crisp, and Aaron Boone shook his two-month slump.
``Things happen over a 162-game schedule,'' Wedge said. ``You have to expect the unexpected.''
Wedge would prefer not to be shifting players around. However, necessity could force changes.
There isn't a lot of obvious versatility among the hitters. Hafner, Martinez, Peralta, Blake and Broussard/Perez aren't about to turn into bat-control experts, adept at hitting behind runners or laying down picture-perfect sacrifice bunts. Nor are any of these players born to steal a base.
Sizemore, on the other hand, might become the Tribe's most proficient base stealer, though Boone probably is the best baserunner on the team.
Moreover, now that he is another year removed from knee surgery, Boone is a threat to steal.
If for some reason Wedge wanted to maneuver Michaels into another spot in the order, Boone might be a viable No. 2 hitter.
``Boone could move into that spot, but I'm confident that Jason can do the job,'' Wedge said.
The issue that concerns many fans is bunting, the hit-and-run and hitting behind runners. Whether it's called little ball or situational hitting, the Indians messed it up far too often last year.
Wedge has made it a goal in spring training to improve, though he has no intention of turning his team into a National League-style offensive club.
``When we need to do those things, we want them done,'' he said. ``If we get better at doing it, we'll utilize it more.''
But probably not a lot more.
``I'm not going to ask someone to do something he's not capable of doing, or something that doesn't fit into a guy's game,'' Wedge said. Two years ago, one of Wedge's most oft-repeated phrases was ``one-through-nine.'' It referred to the offensive process that involved every batter believing he was expected to contribute to the attack, one way or another.
Does Wedge still advocate that philosophy?
``Still the same,'' he said. ``People make a lot of that. Regardless who is at the plate, he needs to give us a chance to score a run.''
On the other hand, Wedge seldom speaks the phrase anymore.
``No, I don't,'' he said. ``It's a given. These guys know that nobody in the lineup is less important than anyone else.
``Everyone is going to come up in situations where we can win a ballgame.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

3/21/06

Posted on Tue, Mar. 21, 2006
INDIANS SPRING TRAINING KEY NUMBERS

<!-- begin body-content -->Batting
Casey Blake.333 (13-for-39), 2 homers, 9 RBI
Aaron Boone.440 (11-for-25), 3 homers, 7 RBI
Ben Broussard.250 (8-for-32), 5 RBI
Einar Diaz.364 (8-for-22)
Jason Dubois.400 (14-for-35), 2 homers
Ryan Garko.250 (9-for-36), 1 homer, 5 homers
Travis Hafner.500 (11-for-22), 3 homers, 7 RBI
Todd Hollandsworth.250 (8-for-32), 1 homer, 5 RBI
Andy Marte.353 (12-for-34), 5 2B, 1 homer, 8 RBI
Jason Michaels.273 (9-for-33), 7 RBI
Jhonny Peralta.233 (7-for-30), 2 homers, 9 RBI
Brandon Phillips.323 (10-for-31), 2 homers
Kelly Shoppach.083 (2-for-24)
Grady Sizemore.379 (11-for-29), 1 homer, 5 RBI
Ramon Vazquez.256 (10-for-39), 7 RBI.
Pitching
Andrew Brown3.86 ERA, 7 innings pitched
Paul Byrd9.39 ERA, 7 2/3 innings pitched
Fausto Carmona0.75 ERA, 12 innings pitched
Jason Davis3.75 ERA; 12 innings pitched
Danny Graves3.12 ERA, 8 2/3 innings pitched
Jeremy Guthrie5.40 ERA, 10 innings pitched
Jason Johnson3.60 ERA, 13 innings pitched
Steve Karsay8.00 ERA, 9 innings pitched
Cliff Lee6.92 ERA, 13 innings pitched
Matt Miller5.63 ERA, 8 innings pitched
Guillermo Mota6.00 ERA, 3 innings pitched
C.C. Sabathia8.76 ERA, 12 1/3 innings pitched, 15 strikeouts
Scott Sauerbeck7.71 ERA, 7 innings pitched
Jake Westbrook3.46 ERA, 13 innings pitched
Bob Wickman5.40 ERA, 5 innings pitched

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

3/21/06

Carmona's numbers get

<!-- begin body-content -->WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - attention of manager
Fausto Carmona will start the season in Triple-A Buffalo, but he made a lasting impression on the Indians. In four spring appearances, he allowed only one earned run in 12 innings, giving up 13 hits, no walks and striking out eight.
``We think a lot of him,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``He's had a good camp. Most definitely, he's gotten our attention.''
Should a starter on the big-league club go down with an injury, Carmona will be summoned to replace him.
DAY OFF? -- The Indians had the day off Monday, at least most of them. It was their scheduled day to throw, so C.C. Sabathia and Jake Westbrook had to go to work.
``I'll be there,'' Wedge said. ``But no doubt about it. This is a real good time for us to have an off day.''
MARCHING ONWARD -- The Indians play the Cincinnati Reds today in Sarasota, Fla.
Cliff Lee will start against Brandon Claussen with Fernando Cabrera, Danny Graves, Steve Karsay and Scott Sauerbeck scheduled to work out of the bullpen.

SHELDON OCKER​

​

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

3/21/06

Indians report

Catching a new ballgame

Shoppach in spring with positive attitude toward making team

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - When Kelly Shoppach was acquired from the Boston Red Sox as part of the deal that brought prospect Andy Marte to the Indians, it was clear General Manager Mark Shapiro wanted his new catcher to back up Victor Martinez when the season began.
Now past the midpoint of spring training, Shoppach ostensibly is in a battle for the job with veteran Einar Diaz.
Manager Eric Wedge has said repeatedly that it's still too early to make a decision, but it seems clear that the Tribe wants Shoppach to make the team.
Yet, officially, Shoppach and Diaz are even with less than two weeks of spring training remaining. That means Shoppach is under some self-imposed pressure.
It's a good kind of pressure for this reason: ``I have a different attitude this spring,'' Shoppach said. ``Every other spring, I knew exactly where I was going (the minors) before camp even started. This time I have a chance to win a job on a championship-level team, so the intensity level is higher.''
Shoppach has displayed the kind of catching skills that Tribe scouts saw when he was in the Red Sox farm system. He is not being counted on to hit .300 or even close to that, but he is expected to show some power.
So far, Shoppach has struggled mightily at the plate, with two hits in 24 at-bats.
Asked if he is pressing at the plate, at first, Shoppach said no but added, ``I think everybody presses at the plate a little, tries to hit a home run, if you will. It's just a matter of getting comfortable, seeing live pitching in spring training and figuring out your swing.''
Wedge doesn't seem concerned with Shoppach's spring slump. The manager does pay attention to the way that Shoppach deals with adversity.
``You look at everything, the total package,'' Wedge said. ``Kelly is a better hitter than he's shown this spring, but from time to time, he tries to do too much, like any young guy new to an organization.''
Defense must come first for almost every catcher, especially a backup. In that regard, Shoppach appears to be the real deal.
He has displayed soft hands, an ability to block balls in the dirt and a quick and accurate throwing arm.
``If there's one thing I can do well, it's throw,'' Shoppach said. ``If all else fails, I have that to fall back on.''
Shoppach doesn't want to treat offense as a secondary need.
``Sure, defense is important, but you don't hit with eight guys, you hit with nine,'' he said. ``You don't want to go up there to be an out. You have to be able to help on the offensive side as well.''
Shoppach thinks that he always has been a catcher in spirit, if not fact.
``When I was a kid, I played everywhere,'' he said. ``As a freshman in high school, I played left field. When I was a sophomore, I was a shortstop, and the next year, I caught and pitched. As a senior, I was a pitcher.''
How proficient was Shoppach as a high school pitcher?
``I think I had an 0.38 ERA as a senior,'' he said. ``I threw in the upper 80s and low 90s. I short-armed the ball to the plate as hard as I could. My throwing motion wasn't real good for pitching.''
Shoppach began catching full time at Baylor, where he won the Johnny Bench Award as the best collegiate catcher in the country. To him, catching is where the action is.
``After I started, it came pretty naturally to me,'' Shoppach said. ``You get to be involved in every play. That makes it fun as well as a lot of responsibility.
``I like the strategy of it. I like the stats, the video, looking at other hitters, preparing a plan on how to attack the other team.''
Shoppach has had to acquaint himself with an entirely new team since being traded over the winter. That meant new pitchers he never had caught, as well as a different approach by the front office and the manager.
``At Boston, the overall plan was based on individual players more than a team concept,'' Shoppach said. ``It's not that the Red Sox weren't a team. But their idea was to get very good players, and if everybody did their job, they'd get it done.''
Shoppach perceives things to be different with the Tribe.
``Here, things are a little more about the team,'' he said. ``Here, you're actually asked to do things like bunt.
``I never did that before. You might do things here to set up someone else. That's baseball.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

3/21/06

Wickman sheds pounds, sports new look

Tuesday, March 21, 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. Bob Wickman has been called a lot of things, especially by Indians fans. “Vain,” however, has never been one of them.
In fact, when complimented on his slimmer look this spring, Wickman isn’t sure how to react.
“Maybe I just looked terrible in a uniform before,” the veteran Indians closer said. “I only lost 10, maybe 12 pounds. Hey, I usually come into spring training in pretty good shape.”
The 37-year-old right-hander did come to spring training in good shape this year. But there are good numbers to discuss relative to Wickman that had nothing to do with the verdict of the clubhouse scale.
Last year, he converted 45-of-50 save opportunities, tying for the American League lead in saves. He was nominated for Comeback Player of the Year. His .149 average by opposing batters with men on base was the best of any AL reliever.
And, so far this spring, opposing hitters are batting .211 off Wickman.
“He’s a veteran guy who knows what he needs to do to get ready for the season,” Indians Manager Eric Wedge said.
Wickman decided he would get ready for another season last Oct. 3, the day after the regular season ended.
“I woke up that day and felt good,” Wickman said. “That definitely made my decision easier. We talked with the kids, and they were excited for me to keep pitching.”
Pitching, yes. But in which uniform? The Indians were already in hot pursuit of free-agent closers B.J. Ryan and Trevor Hoffman. Some teams, including the Indians, wanted to nail down the identity of their closer for at least two years or more. Wickman only wanted to sign a one-year contract.
“I get asked a lot about being their third choice, but I was the one who chose to make it harder on myself by wanting just a one-year deal,” Wickman said. “There were some owners with wide eyes when I told them that. I wanted it that way because, if I got hurt, I could just walk off and go home.”
The Indians eventually signed Wickman to a one-year, $5-million contract in December.
“If I stink, I’m not going to play just to collect a paycheck,” Wickman said.
Wickman has never stunk, although Cleveland fans complain long and loudly about his tendency to throw a scare into them. He did allow 79 baserunners in 62 innings in 2005.
“I just keep reminding myself that Bob knows what he’s doing out there,” Wedge said.
Wickman’s level of effectiveness is even more impressive when one considers he missed the entire 2003 season and the first half of 2004 following “Tommy John” elbow surgery. He was two months away from turning 34 when that procedure took place, an age when major surgery would have effectively ended the career of most pitchers.
“Last year was great,” Wickman said. “I was pain-free the whole year. It was fun. It was easy to work the baseball. It was like being a young kid again.”
That surgery, and the elbow problems in 2002 that led up to it, constitute the only time Wickman has missed games due to injury in his entire 13-year big-league career. He had never spent a day on the disabled list until July 2002.
Durability has been just one of Wickman’s assets. Although he refers to himself as a “garbage” pitcher, his slider has befuddled batters for years. There’s also a studious side to Wickman.
“Bob is as prepared as anybody in the game,” Wedge said. “He does his homework.”
The Indians will have a closer-in-waiting in their bullpen this summer, young right-hander Fernando Cabrera. But Cabrera will have to wait, at least until Wickman decides not to sign another one-year contract. “That’s how I keep my edge,” Wickman said. “I have something to prove every year.” Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail [email protected]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

3/21/06

Pitching depth gives Indians peace of mind

Redesigned staff has difficult act to follow

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>

</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>STEVEN SENNE | ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>Right-hander Paul Byrd, signed in the off-season, is coming off a year in which he made 31 starts and posted a 3.74 ERA. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — For the second year in a row, the Cleveland Indians came to spring training with their pitching staff almost completely settled. Last year, it stayed that way through September. Five starters made at least 30 starts for the first time in franchise history, and only eight relievers made as many as 10 appearances.

The staff was deep, if not dominant, and it was clearly the strength of the club. The Indians led the American League with a 3.61 ERA, and the bullpen had the best ERA in the major leagues at 2.80.

"I’ve never been a part of a bullpen like that, where it was basically the same guys all year and everybody pitched well," closer Bob Wickman said.

Still, the Indians finished two games out of the playoffs, then had to replace starters Kevin Millwood and Scott Elarton and relievers Bob Howry, David Riske and Arthur Rhodes. The core of position players remains largely intact, so there is some pressure for the pitching staff to again lead the way.

"Anything is possible," manager Eric Wedge said. "It’s a stretch to think five guys are going to make 30 starts, but we’re sure as heck going to try."

Paul Byrd and Jason Johnson were signed to replace Millwood and Elarton.

Byrd has made 30 starts only three times in 11 seasons, but he is coming off a season in which he made 31 starts, posted a 3.74 ERA, then won a playoff game on short rest. Johnson made at least 30 starts in each of the previous three seasons and four of the previous five.

They join holdovers C.C. Sabathia, Jake Westbrook and Cliff Lee.

"I don’t think you can classify any of the guys as a No. 5," Westbrook said.

"You can definitely classify C.C. as a No. 1, but the rest of us are pretty even. We have a No. 1 and a bunch of No. 2s."

The bullpen could be just as deep. It was last season, with Howry and Wickman to lock down the final two innings and five usable parts to bridge the gap between the starters and setup man.

The Indians chose not to carry a long reliever for most of the season, because Wedge preferred to have seven relievers he trusted in a tight game, rather than six such relievers and one for mopup duty.

That setup allowed left-hander Scott Sauerbeck and right-hander Matt Miller to settle into specialist roles — Sauerbeck to face a tough lefty or two in the late innings, Miller to face a righty or two. David Riske and Rafael Betancourt pitched the middle innings. Arthur Rhodes was effective as a middle reliever and setup man in the first half of the season, and Fernando Cabrera ably replaced him in the final months.

"I think that’s one thing Eric has shown — that he’s done a good job of putting guys in roles they can succeed in," general manager Mark Shapiro said.

Sauerbeck, Miller, Betancourt, Cabrera and Wickman return this season. They will be joined by Guillermo Mota, who should fill Howry’s role if his elbow and shoulder hold up.

There is only one spot up for grabs among Danny Graves, Steve Karsay, Jason Davis and Andrew Brown. Davis and Brown have the stronger arms, Graves and Karsay the most experience.

"Talentwise, we’re the same" as last season, Wickman said. "We won’t know about the chemistry until the season starts. Hopefully if I struggle, somebody else will pick me up, and if somebody else struggles, I’ll pick them up."

Should an injury occur, the Indians will have Davis and/or Brown and starters Fausto Carmona and Jeremy Sowers waiting in triple-A. Sowers is one of the top pitching prospects in the game, and Carmona has been the most impressive pitcher in camp.

"We should have a lot of guys that can give us major-league depth," Shapiro said. "Those are separators for major-league teams."

[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

3/21/06

INDIANS INSIDER

<H1 class=red>Spring work gets more serious

</H1>

Tuesday, March 21, 2006



Winter Haven, Fla. -- Except for Jake Westbrook and C.C. Sabathia, the Indians rested Monday.

Westbrook, pitching for Class A Kinston, N.C., faced Atlanta's Class A Myrtle Beach, S.C., club, while Sabathia threw a bullpen session.

"The off-day came at a good time for us," said manager Eric Wedge.

Spring training resumes today when the Indians play Cincinnati in Sarasota, Fla. They have 12 games left before opening the season against Chicago on April 2.

"We'll start ramping up this week and really start going next week," Wedge said.

One of Wedge's concerns is getting the Indians' five participants in the World Baseball Classic ready for the season. Second baseman Ronnie Belliard has only nine official at-bats this spring -- three for the Tribe and six for the Dominican Republic in the WBC.

Starting infielders Aaron Boone (25 at-bats) and Jhonny Peralta (27 at-bats) are well-ahead of him. Wedge said Belliard will start at second today, but doesn't want to give him too much work too soon.

Eduardo Perez, platooning at first base, has only eight at-bats, but doesn't need as much playing time as Belliard. Wedge still wants to see Perez play outfield.

Catcher Victor Martinez has only eight at-bats in the Grapefruit League, but did get 15 with Venezuela. He's already played one game at first base in the minors since returning from the WBC. He'll probably play another Wednesday before the Indians play a night game against Houston.

Relievers Rafael Betancourt and Fernando Cabrera need work as well.

Betancourt, who pitched sparingly for Venezuela, has made only two appearances for the Tribe this spring. Cabrera, who pitched in a minor-league game Saturday, made only one appearance this spring before making four with Puerto Rico.

In the works:

The Indians reportedly are getting close to adding a Florida team to their farm system. The team would play at Chain of Lakes Park.

Who goes where?

Wedge is still wrestling with several lineup spots.

After the top five of Grady Sizemore, Jason Michaels, Peralta, Travis Hafner and Martinez, he's still mixing and matching the sixth and seventh spots among Belliard and the first base platoon of Ben Broussard and Perez. As for who will hit eighth and ninth, it probably will be Boone and Casey Blake, but Wedge isn't sure about the order.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-5158

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

3/22/06

Indians notebook

Final bullpen spot still in dead heat

Wedge says better idea of leader should emerge after weekend games

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->SARASOTA, FLA. - The four-way competition for the final spot in the Indians' bullpen remains totally up in the air.
Danny Graves and Steve Karsay took their shots against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday at Ed Smith Stadium.
Graves retired all three batters he faced on ground balls. For the spring, he has made nine appearances and given up three runs and eight hits in 11 2/3 innings, walking five and striking out five.
``Graves looked good,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``He had his sinker going against right-handers and left-handers.''
Karsay also pitched one inning and yielded a double and struck out two. He still seems to lack the command he wants, which makes sense inasmuch as he missed almost all of the past three seasons after undergoing shoulder surgery.
``Steve is still working his way back,'' Wedge said. ``He's had sporadic work the last couple of years.''
Karsay's spring line: eight earned runs, 13 hits, two walks, 10 strikeouts, 10 innings pitched.
As for the other two competitors, Jason Davis will throw tonight; Andrew Brown threw in a minor-league game Saturday. Pitching in a minor-league game might indicate Brown has fallen behind the other three pitchers.
But officially, with only 11 days left before the Indians break camp, there still is no clear front-runner for the job.
``I don't have a specific date in mind,'' Wedge said. ``But once we approach the weekend, we'll probably have a better idea of who's leading. I'm not saying we'll make a decision over the weekend.''
More than likely, Wedge will not name the winner of the competition until the last week of exhibition games.
Threesome
Grady Sizemore tripled twice and drove in two runs as the Indians defeated Cincinnati 5-2.
Victor Martinez and Ronnie Belliard homered, and Aaron Boone had two hits and one RBI, including a double.
Cliff Lee worked five strong innings, allowing eight hits, no walks and one run.
``Cliff felt better today,'' Wedge said. ``He's gotten over that little bump he went through.''
In his last outing, Lee complained about a ``dead arm.''
The right side
Eduardo Perez started in right field and showed no sign that it is foreign territory.
``He's a very comfortable player,'' Wedge said. ``He plays relaxed, he knows the game, and he knows where he's supposed to be.''
Wedge wants Perez to get accustomed to playing first, left and right.
Still ailing
Brandon Phillips was scheduled to play against the Reds, but he continues to battle a virus.
``He was in there today, but he's still scuffling,'' Wedge said.
Marching onward
The Indians travel to Kissimmee, Fla., to play the Houston Astros tonight.
Paul Byrd will start against Taylor Buchholz, with Rafael Betancourt, Matt Miller and Jason Davis scheduled to come out of the bullpen.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

3/22/06

Call him `Ronnie Baseball'

Second baseman happy to be back with Indians

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->SARASOTA, FLA. - Ronnie Belliard wants to play baseball. He always wants to play baseball.
Before boarding a plane from San Diego, where the final of the World Baseball Classic was held, Belliard tried to call Indians manager Eric Wedge on Monday.
``I left a message,'' the Indians' second baseman said Tuesday. ``I said, `When I come back, I want to play nine innings every day.' But I know that's not going to happen.''
When Wedge learned about the message, he smiled and said: ``Ronnie is a baseball player. That's who he is.''
Belliard didn't have to prove how much he wanted to play after being limited to nine at-bats riding the Dominican Republic bench during the tournament.
Maybe he was showing his gratitude to Wedge when he hit the third pitch he saw Tuesday for a first-inning home run against the Cincinnati Reds.
Wedge has no intention of honoring Belliard's request to play every inning of every exhibition game.
``He'll get three or four at-bats, play five or six innings, at least to start out,'' Wedge said.
``Then we'll see how he feels. He'll probably play tomorrow in the night game.''
Even as a small child, Belliard never thought about doing anything else but making it to the big leagues.
``I just want to play,'' he said. ``When I was still in my mom, not even born yet, that's what I wanted to do. At least that's what I think.
``I'm not here for the money, I'm here to play the game. Like they say on TV, I like the game.''
Even Belliard has limits on how long he wants to play. He has no desire to emulate Julio Franco, who signed a two-year contract with the New York Mets, even though he will be 48 in August.
``I don't want to be playing when I'm 48,'' Belliard said. ``Maybe 40. Maybe.''
Belliard turns 31 on April 7, so he has a long way to go before he contemplates retirement. He knows that someday he no longer will have a job in the big leagues.
``I want to make sure I play a lot before that happens,'' he said.
In addition to playing a full major-league season, Belliard participates in the Dominican winter league. He doesn't play the entire season, but he said: ``I played a lot in the winter. I just don't know how many games.''
When he signed with the Tribe as a free agent in December of 2003, Belliard was largely unknown to Northeast Ohio fans after having varying degrees of success with the Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies.
After a torrid first half in 2004, when he batted .304 and surprised many observers with his adept defense, Belliard's average fell off to .254 following the All-Star break, sinking to .172 in September and October.
Wedge and his staff felt that Belliard displayed obvious signs of fatigue and vowed to limit his playing time in 2005. Last year, Belliard played in 145 games instead of 152, but he also came to camp in better condition.
``That first year, Ronnie got a little fatigued,'' Wedge said. ``But last year, he stayed as strong as anyone.''
For whatever reason, his batting average before the All-Star Game (.283) was almost identical to his average after the break (.284). Belliard doesn't acknowledge that he gets tired. After all, how can anyone be dragging when he's lucky enough to be playing baseball?
``Tired? I don't think so,'' he said. ``I was dying to come back here (from California) and play. Now I'm here and ready to go.''
Belliard's greatest and most consistent success has come with the Indians. He batted .282 with 12 home runs and 70 RBI in 2004, and followed that with a .284 average, 17 homers and 78 RBI last year.
He played a solid second base both seasons, sometimes making the spectacular play. But he contributed in other ways, as well.
``I think Ronnie has found a home here and settled in,'' Wedge said. ``He's been a vocal leader in the clubhouse and on the bench. He brings a little edge to the games, a little attitude. That's all good stuff.''
Like virtually every player who has returned to spring training from the WBC, Belliard felt playing in a nation-against-nation competition was a worthwhile experience.
But he thinks next time, things will be a little different.
``I think when they have the Classic again, people will be more ready,'' he said.
The Dominican Republic was eliminated by Cuba, whose players literally were in midseason form, inasmuch as the Cubans interrupted their league schedule to play in the WBC.
Unfortunately for Belliard, his overriding recollection of playing in the tournament will be negative.
``The memory I have is Cuba beating us,'' he said, which is typical of a baseball lifer.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

3/22/06

Blake knows how Indians fans feel

Wednesday, March 22, 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]


<TABLE style="MARGIN: 10px -3px 15px 5px; POSITION: relative" width=300 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>Related Stories
MLB spring training

TRIBE NOTEBOOK: Sizemore, Lee key Tribe to win

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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Casey Blake hasn’t forgotten where he came from.
First, not many folks from Indianola, Iowa, have a problem with being pretentious. Second, Blake hasn’t forgotten that he spent seven years in the minor leagues and didn’t earn a full-time job in the big leagues until he was almost 30. Third, it has not slipped Blake’s memory what it’s like to be sitting in the stands.
“I’m a fan too, just like everyone else,” the Cleveland Indians right fielder said. “If a player I watch doesn’t get it done, I’m disappointed.”
Last year, Blake became a target for Cleveland fans upset that he wasn’t getting it done. Some spectators at Chain of Lakes Park were heckling him loudly during the first week of spring training — with Blake’s wife and daughters sitting just a few rows away. Blake admits to initially being a bit upset by this. But after a long look in the mirror, he knows a better performance will win back those same fans who cheered his unlikely arrival as an everyday player in the big leagues after years of just trying to get there.
“Our fans are no different than anyone else’s,” Blake said. “They expect a player to get the job done. That’s just the way the game is. You hear it much more in the outfield, because you’re out there by yourself. But you’ve got to be mentally tough. You’ve got to be able to take criticism.”
The Indians switched Blake, a third baseman nearly his whole career, to right field last year. If there was anything Blake anticipated being criticized for, it was his defensive transition. On the whole, however, Blake’s fielding was fine. It was his hitting that allowed him to fall out of favor with the fans.
“I had fun playing right field,” Blake said. “It was a challenge. It kept me in the game. I wanted people to say, ‘Hey, this guy’s actually a good outfielder.’ At first, I was like an infielder playing outfield. I was getting jumps on every pitch.”
But as a hitter, he wasn’t jumping on many pitches.
Last year, Blake hit .241 with 23 home runs and 58 RBIs. He batted .273 from June 9 through the end of the season.
The statistic that sparked fan irritation was Blake hitting .171 with runners in scoring position and .085 with two out and runners at second or third base.
“It’s a very hard game when you let your mind get in the way,” Blake said. “My swing (in 2005) felt like it did all the time before. Maybe something was wrong with my mental side of the game and my approach at the plate. Hitting is all about timing, getting a pitch to hit, and doing something with it.”
Blake realizes that the mental side was not his good side last summer. He admits to being distracted by off-the-field personal problems as well as being unable to shake worries about his performance in the outfield even while standing at the plate.
Both situations have now been resolved happily. Manager Eric Wedge said he expects to see Blake’s 2005 season mirror what he did in 2004 (.271, 28 home runs, 88 RBIs). Blake agrees with his manager.
“If I do the necessary things to keep my mind out of the way and just perform, I can exceed what I did in ’04,” Blake said. “I really believe that.”
If he does, expect the fans in right field to be a much friendlier bunch. But no matter what their reaction, Blake is going to remain the same person. “I thank God every day for the opportunity I have,” Blake said. “I don’t want to dwell on last season. I want to learn from it. I know that I’ve worked hard to get where I am. I don’t want to lose sight of that and rest on my laurels. And, truthfully, I don’t feel like I have that many laurels to rest on.” Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail: [email protected]
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

3/22/06

TRIBE NOTEBOOK: Sizemore, Lee key Tribe to win

Wednesday, March 22, 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]


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AP Keith Srakocic THREE TIMES THE FUN Indians hitter Grady Sizemore slides into third with a triple during Cleveland’s four-run sixth inning in Wednesday’s 5-2 exhibition win over Cincinnati in Sarasota, Fla. Sizemore had two triples in the game.
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<HR align=left width="80%">Related Stories
MLB spring training

Blake knows how Indians fans feel

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SARASOTA, Fla. - Grady Sizemore’s second triple of the game capped a four-run sixth inning, and winning pitcher Cliff Lee went five innings to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 5-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.

Sizemore’s triples give him four this spring.

Cincinnati starter Brandon Claussen allowed one run on four hits in five innings. He struck out five.

The only run Claussen gave up was a homer by Ronnie Belliard, who just returned from playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.

Indians Manager Eric Wedge pulled Belliard after five innings, saying he wasn’t concerned about the second baseman getting enough at-bats before opening day.

“I’m sure he would have liked to play more, but we’ve got time,” Wedge said.

Victor Martinez’s homer off loser Jake Robbins, a former Indian, started the Cleveland sixth, which included a single by Eduardo Perez and a double by Aaron Boone, both former Reds.


BULLPEN DECISION

The four-way bullpen battle between Steve Karsay, Danny Graves, Andrew Brown and Jason Davis is nearing the home stretch, but Wedge said the club hasn’t decided which pitchers will make the club. “We don’t have a specific timetable. Once we approach this weekend, we’ll have a better idea of which way we’re leaning,” he said.

PHILLIPS STILL OUT

Indians INF Brandon Phillips still is sidelined “with some sort of virus,” Wedge said. COMING UP

The Indians will play their first night game of the spring tonight in Kissimmee vs. the Houston Astros.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

3/23/06

Posted on Thu, Mar. 23, 2006
Indians management

<!-- begin body-content -->KISSIMMEE, FLA. - gushing over Carmona
As much as any player in the Indians' spring training camp, Fausto Carmona has the ability to make the Tribe's deep thinkers smile.
It's not the quality of the jokes he tells, if he tells any. Rather, it's the way he has pitched his way into the consciousness of the team's brass.
Despite his impressive numbers, (12 IP, 1 ER, 13 H, 0 BB, 8 K), Carmona had absolutely no chance to make the team, but he did elevate his status to sixth starter.
That still means he will begin the season at Triple-A, where he was sent Wednesday along with right-hander Andrew Brown, who was competing for the final spot in the bullpen.
``We always had high expectations for Fausto coming in,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``But it's safe to say he surpassed those. He was as impressive as any pitcher we have in camp.''
In addition to a power fastball, Carmona has developed a serviceable change-up and slider. But he displayed other qualities, as well.
``There were the little things,'' Wedge said. ``Like his presence on the mound and the way he fields his position. He is our sixth starter.''
With Carmona and Brown having been sent to the minor-league camp, 38 players remain in big-league camp.
STILL AILING -- Brandon Phillips remained out of action because of a viral infection.
``He's feeling a little better today,'' Wedge said. ``But it has been a week now, and I'm sure he's somewhat weak just from the time he has missed.''
Phillips could return to the field in a day or two.
FEELINGS -- Casey Blake was stuck in the ninth spot in the order last year, when he slumped to .241 and struggled with runners in scoring position.
``I never hit ninth before,'' he said. ``It does something to your confidence. But I don't want to get real greedy. I was just glad to be in there.''
MARCHING ONWARD -- The Indians travel to Lake Buena Vista this afternoon to play Atlanta at the Disney Sports Complex.
C.C. Sabathia will start and Guillermo Mota and Matt Miller will work out of the bullpen.
HIGH FLYING -- Paul Byrd pitched five scoreless innings, allowing only one hit, as the Indians nipped Houston 2-1 Wednesday night at Osceola County Stadium.
Needing only 57 pitches (42 strikes), Byrd did not walk a batter and struck out four. In his past two appearances, Byrd has worked nine scoreless innings, giving up just four hits. no walks and striking out seven.
Kelly Shoppach singled twice, equaling his spring hit total. He and Jason Michaels drove in the runs.
Jason Davis probably did not help himself in his quest for the final berth in the bullpen. In two innings, he gave up one run, two hits and two walks and at times had problems staying ahead in the count.
IN THE FOLD -- SportsTime Ohio, the Indians' new television network, has come to agreements with Comcast and Cox cable systems.
Comcast, with hookups in Lake and Lorain counties, will begin showing Tribe games on April 1 on Channel 73.
Cox, which serves the western Cleveland suburbs, will start airing exhibition games on Monday. Viewers can tune into Channel 58.

SHELDON OCKER​

​

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

3/23/06

Bullpen battle narrowed

Brown optioned to minor-league camp despite solid spring

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->KISSIMMEE, Fla. - When he came to training camp, Andrew Brown's mission was clear: Make the team.
The Indians have one vacancy in the bullpen. Steve Karsay, Danny Graves, Jason Davis and Brown were the contenders.
Now there are three. Brown was sent back to the minor-league camp to join the Buffalo roster.
``He was very impressive in this camp,'' manager Eric Wedge said Wednesday. ``And Brown will do nothing but get better. He will be one of our first options if we need someone for the bullpen.''
Brown appeared in six exhibition games and gave up three earned runs in seven innings. He also walked four and struck out seven.
For a while, it appeared Brown might have a slight edge in the competition.
But Graves and Karsay have a long track record of success as back-end relievers. The question with Karsay was how his arm would continue to respond after shoulder surgery cost him most of the past three years.
Graves' problem was different. Unaccountably, he lost his mechanics last year, maybe because he had been a starter for a year and piled up lots of innings.
If Graves or Karsay are pitching well in exhibition games, they have a clear advantage.
Even Davis, who has been mostly a starter, has spent part of the time in a big-league bullpen. Brown, who has never pitched an inning in the majors, was strictly a starter until 2005, when he was converted to relief work.
The experiment paid off handsomely. With a fastball that ranged from 94 to 96 mph, Brown compiled a 4-2 record with four saves and a 3.36 ERA. He walked only 19 and struck out 81 in 69 2/3 innings, which spoke volumes about his control.
This spring, he has thrown hard and usually has thrown strikes. But the kind of strikes Brown delivered became a factor.
``He needs to work on keeping his fastball down in the strike zone,'' Wedge said.
Details, details.
Brown competed well during camp. Even though he did not win a roster spot in camp, it's likely he'll spend time in Cleveland this season.
``I want to make the best impression I can,'' he said.
The combination of high aspirations and competition from his peers created pressure on Brown.
``It comes to mind sometimes,'' he said. ``But if you're thinking about it on the mound, your mind probably isn't in the right place.
``Of course, your wife, your parents and family ask you all the time, so it's hard to forget. But they're excited. And it took a lot of people for me to get this far.''
Brown is only 25, but already he had to overcome a serious hurdle in his quest for a big-league career: In 2003, he underwent surgery to his right elbow and made only one appearance.
He was limited to 26 outings in 2004, when he was traded from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Tribe for Milton Bradley, whose trip out of Cleveland was precipitated by a taxi ride from Kissimmee to Winter Haven after Wedge disciplined the disgruntled outfielder during a spring training game.
Brown's arm no longer is an issue, and he says, ``Last year, it was great. Now, I do minor stuff like icing. Otherwise, I give it no special attention.''
Having a sound arm that can light up a radar gun is one thing. Having the maturity to pitch in the major leagues is something else. Brown thinks he was lacking a certain attitude.
``I don't think I used to have a real good idea of the mental preparation it takes,'' he said. ``I looked at baseball like a kids' game.
``I needed to start focusing and making the (catcher's) glove look bigger. `Being in a zone' is how they usually put it. Of course, you can't always do that.''
Brown has his own techniques for narrowing his focus and intensifying his concentration.
``I pray; I visualize my mechanics,'' he said. ``I intently try to focus on certain objects. I remind myself of things I have a tendency to do wrong and how to correct them on the mound.''
Brown doesn't think he's unique in trying to get a mental edge.
``I sit on the ground behind the other guys and do this alone,'' he said. ``If you talk to every pitcher, I guarantee they do something, too. Just about every guy here has physical ability. The mental part makes the difference.''
Although Brown has never thrown a pitch in a big-league game, he received a September call-up last year and got to see what life in the majors is like.
``It was exciting to be on the team when it was in a playoff hunt,'' he said. ``But it was a little frustrating being kind of on the outside. I had a lot of adrenalin going.
``Sometimes, I think I got more excited than the guys who were playing. And I learned a lot sitting in the bullpen with Bob Wickman and Bobby Howry. We would talk about a lot of things.''
Maybe this year, Brown will get to do more pitching and less talking

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

3/23/06

Karsay knows Tribe looking for durability

Thursday, March 23, 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. - Steve Karsay knows what’s expected of him.
He’s 34. He has been in professional baseball since 1990 and the big leagues since 1993. He has pitched 348 major-league games. In that time, Karsay has learned this — the most important ability a pitcher can provide for his team is dependability.
“The Indians want to see durability and consistency,” Karsay said. “They want to see me demonstrate some arm strength. If everything checks out physically, all those question marks at the back of their minds will fade away.”
Karsay was just coming into his own as a pitcher during his first stint with the Indians (1998-2001) before being sent to Atlanta in June 2001 in the ill-fated John Rocker trade. Karsay fared so well in his half-season with the Braves (3.43 ERA, 39 strikeouts in 45 innings) that he became one of the more coveted free-agent relievers on the market that winter.
The New York Yankees threw $21 million over four years at Karsay to get him to sign with them. He pitched well for New York in 2002 (3.26 ERA, career-high 78 appearances). What followed, however, was a long physical nightmare. A torn rotator cuff cost Karsay the entire 2003 season and all but seven games in 2004. The Yankees released him last May 11. He was picked up by Texas and pitched 14 mostly forgettable games for the Rangers, allowing 26 hits and nine walks in 16 innings.
Cleveland General Manager Mark Shapiro remembered the promise Karsay had shown during his first trip through Cleveland, and offered another chance. The Indians signed Karsay to a minor-league contract last December that will pay him $600,000 if added to 25-man roster. Karsay also can earn $1.7 million for 68 appearances and $750,000 for 50 games finished.
The right-hander from Stanford, however, must first prove himself healthy. He must also beat out Danny Graves and Jason Davis for the one open spot in Cleveland’s bullpen. A fourth contender, Andrew Brown, was sent to the minor leagues Wednesday.
“We’re going to have to see some durability, maintenance of stuff and secondary pitches from Steve,” Shapiro said.
The numbers aren’t wonderful this spring, but the sample size is small. In nine appearances covering 10 innings, Karsay has allowed 13 hits, two walks and eight earned runs (7.20 ERA). Opponents are batting .302 against him. The good news is, he’s struck out 10. The other bad news is that, while he may be on the mend, Karsay may not be completely mended by Opening Day.
“He’s pitched better than his numbers,” Manager Eric Wedge said. “It will be a tough battle to the end of camp. Both he and Danny will continue to get better. We’ll need to look at the time factor and make a tough decision.”
Karsay said last week that it is not likely he will accept an assignment to Triple-A Buffalo, if he feels he’s healthy. If he isn’t healthy, then he will understand whatever decision the Indians make. “The competition every day here is a healthy thing,” Karsay said. “The way I see it, I’ve got nothing to lose here.” Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail [email protected]
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