Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 27, 2006

ABJ

3/27/06

Posted on Mon, Mar. 27, 2006
Race for bullpen spot

WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - heats up for Tribe trio
Danny Graves and Steve Karsay continued their battle for the final spot in the Indians' bullpen Sunday with mixed results.
Each pitched one inning with Graves giving up three runs and four hits, and Karsay beginning his one-inning outing by giving up a double. He didn't allow a run even though he yielded an infield hit along the way.
Then there was Jason Davis, also in the mix to win the roster spot. He started and worked two scoreless innings, allowing one hit.
Ostensibly, all three are even, but the feeling is that Graves has the lead going into the last week of training camp.
``Element-wise, the ball has been flying out of here to right field this spring,'' manager Eric Wedge said, referring to a solo homer that Graves allowed. ``But Danny was keeping the ball down, and the results were no indication of the way he was throwing the ball.''
Graves generally has been the more reliable pitcher of the three contenders.
Karsay seems to be getting into a groove after missing most of the past three seasons because of shoulder surgery.
``My split has been the biggest issue this spring,'' he said. ``That's always the last thing to come. I haven't had much confidence in it, but today, it seemed like it clicked in.''
Karsay said his velocity has been increasing, from 90 mph in early exhibition games to 93-94 now.
``Last year (in limited action), sometimes I would throw 87-89 and other times it would be 91-93,'' he said. ``I never knew which guy was going to show up.''
EASY WIN -- The Tribe beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-4, as Grady Sizemore collected three hits, including a double and triple, and three RBI.
Sizemore has 11 extra-base hits among his 18 hits, five of them doubles and five triples.
Travis Hafner hit his fourth homer of the spring, and Jason Dubois came off the bench to hit safely twice, raising his average to .450.
PREVIEW -- Here are the pitching matchups for the first series of the season against the White Sox in Chicago: C.C. Sabathia against Mark Buehrle on Sunday night; Jake Westbrook against Freddy Garcia on April 4; Cliff Lee against Jose Contreras on April 5.
Paul Byrd will start the home opener April 7 against the Minnesota Twins.
GETTING HIS WORK IN -- Lee pitched in an intrasquad game against Triple-A players, going six innings and allowing four hits and four runs.
MARCHING ONWARD -- The Indians travel to Clearwater, Fla., this afternoon to play the Philadelphia Phillies.
Byrd will start against Gavin Floyd with Graves, Karsay and Fernando Cabrera scheduled to work out of the bullpen.

SHELDON OCKER

OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 27, 2006

ABJ

3/27/06

Indians report

Indians' Broussard at crossroads

First baseman wants more consistency at plate to demonstrate his value

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - For the second year in a row, Ben Broussard is facing a crucial juncture in his career.
That's what many of the Indians' deep-thinkers said before the 2005 season, after Broussard batted .275 with 17 home runs and 82 RBI. Seems like a pretty successful year, except there were questions.
Broussard didn't compile those numbers in a seamless, consistent manner. He was the poster child for streaky players, becoming white hot for days, winning games with late hits and generally performing like a heroic hitter.
Just as quickly and thoroughly, Broussard would fall into slumps where you'd swear he wasn't even in the game. Manager Eric Wedge and General Manager Mark Shapiro didn't know what to make of him.
In all or parts of three seasons, they had watched Broussard for a thousand plate appearances, waiting to see if he could smooth out the rough spots. They are still waiting, though this might be the year that Broussard takes control of first base or is traded.
Broussard doesn't view his erratic hitting history as a total negative.
``I look at it as a positive, in that I've been through some bad slumps and was able to come out of them,'' he said. ``I know I can deal with that kind of thing. Now, the key is not to have them that long.''
Toward that end, Shapiro signed free agent Eduardo Perez over the winter to platoon with Broussard at first. Broussard will face right-handed pitchers; Perez will take over against lefties.
The theory is this: This season Broussard will come to the plate only against pitchers he is likely to have success against.
Broussard has a lifetime average of .263 against right-handers with 47 homers in 1,112 at-bats, an average of one home run every 23.6 at-bats. Against left-handers, Broussard has averaged one homer per 30 at-bats and has a career average of .237.
``It's pretty much the same situation I've been in,'' Broussard said. ``Two years ago, I hit lefties real well, but last year, I didn't. But I know I can hit them.
``If I hold up my end of the bargain, hopefully it will be a tough decision to take me out of the lineup. Besides, Eddie is a good right-handed hitter, and he gives the team lots of options.''
Obviously, Broussard wants to elevate his consistency. He does not think he has paid enough attention to the science of hitting.
``I've been more of a feel hitter,'' he said. ``But (hitting coach) Derek Shelton is good at analyzing my swing. We've already had some awesome meetings. The key is to perfect my swing in practice then let my instincts take over in a game.''
Wedge is all for Broussard becoming more analytical about his swing. The manager also believes that Broussard must put more emphasis on the mental part of hitting.
``Ben needs to be more consistent with his routine and his mind-set,'' Wedge said. ``He would benefit by being more systematic. That will help him lock in on his swing.''
Wedge added that Broussard needs to ``be more aware of what he is doing when he's successful.''
The best way to do that is not with memory but with pictures. Tribe video technicians can put together tapes that focus on every aspect of a players swing.
``One change I'm making is to spend more time looking at video with Derek, not so much the bad swings but the good ones,'' Broussard said. ``I did it at home this winter. I especially looked at my swing in 2004, when I was going really good.
``If I see it (good swing) on video, even if it was few years ago, I get chills. And I never liked to watch video, because I didn't want to be thinking about my swing when I was hitting.''
Until the past few months, not only did Broussard neglect watching video, he specifically avoided peeking at his swing as if he were tempting the fates to turn his luck bad.
``I'm not superstitious, but when I'd hit a home run, I wouldn't look at the Jumbotron,'' Broussard said. ``Now I realize it was kind of stupid not to watch a good swing.''
In the past, Broussard had another problem when he needed to correct his swing.
``You have to have certain people you trust giving advice,'' he said. ``I've had a bad habit of listening to too many people.''
Broussard isn't trusting everything to Shelton. He knows his swing is primarily his responsibility, so he is keeping a log about ``what I'm thinking and what the pitchers are doing.''
If everything works out, Broussard won't mind looking at the video board during his home-run trot, even if it means watching more often.

OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 27, 2006

Canton

3/27/06

Late-blooming Miller happy to be with blossoming Tribe

Monday, March 27, 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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MILLER

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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - No one can accuse Matt Miller of having done it the easy way.
The Indians’ right-handed relief pitcher wasn’t drafted out of college and played nearly three years of independent-league baseball before being signed by Texas. He was cut six different times — three times by the Rangers. He didn’t make his big-league debut until 2003, when he was 31. He didn’t earn a full-time job in the majors until 2004.
So, it’s safe to say, a sore elbow isn’t the tallest hurdle Miller has cleared.
“I really believe that last year would have been the best year of my career,” said Miller, who didn’t pitch after July 15 last season due to a strained tendon in his right elbow. “I had thrown the ball well, and I felt like I had proven I could be a legitimate late-inning guy. But it just didn’t happen.”
Miller said he is healthy this spring and ready to pitch in the late innings for the Indians again this summer. He worked two innings during Sunday’s spring training game against Cincinnati at Chain of Lakes Park, allowing one run.
“We knew he would ease his way into it this spring,” Manager Eric Wedge said. “We wanted him to pick it up the last couple weeks, and he has. By all indications right now, he looks like he’s healthy.”
Miller’s role will be similar to that of the last two years — a right-handed setup man whose sidearm delivery can offer a startling change of pace to batters who have spent all night watching 95 mph over-the-top fastballs.
He has fared well in that role in Cleveland. Miller was 4-1 with a 3.09 ERA in 57 appearances in 2004, limiting hitters to a .216 average. Last year, prior to his injury, Miller was 1-0, 1.82 and opposing batters had a .212 average against him.
When one considers the results, it’s surprising no one gave Miller a chance before the Indians. The Rockies let him go in 2003 even though Miller had pitched 63 innings in the thin air of Colorado Springs without allowing a home run.
“A lot of it had to do with my age,” Miller said. “I was 27 when I got into affiliated ball. The teams always had younger guys who had come up through their organization. Even after the year I had in ’03, it wasn’t like people were knocking down my door.”
The prevailing wisdom in baseball where sidearm right-handers are concerned is that they are at an even bigger disadvantage when facing left-handed batters because the hitter has a few more split seconds to focus on the pitch. Lefties have hit .240 against Miller during his time with the Indians, righties .211.
“I had never heard that until after Colorado sent me down, and that was the reason they gave in the paper the next day,” Miller said. “I don’t go along with that idea. Steve Reed was a sidearm guy who pitched in the big leagues for quite a while, and my stuff is just as good as his.”
Miller said that, outside of normal postgame soreness, he has felt good this spring. He also said he hopes that his years of patience will pay off this summer with an important role on a contending team.
“I really want to be around for what’s going on here,” Miller said. “This is an organization to be a part of for the next I-don’t-know-how-many years.”
Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail [email protected].

6 DAYS TO
OPENING DAY
INDIANS AT WHITE SOX
Sunday, 8 p.m. U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago TV ESPN2
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OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 27, 2006

CPD

3/27/06

INDIANS INSIDER

<H1 class=red>Decision time nears on Phillips' future

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Monday, March 27, 2006 Paul Hoynes

Plain Dealer Reporter
Winter Haven, Fla.- The scouts who have been watching the Indians in spring training say it's unlikely Brandon Phillips will get through waivers unclaimed before Opening Day.
Phillips is out of options, which leaves the Indians with two choices. They can give him the utility infielder's job or trade him. Colorado, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and Kansas City are some of the teams believed to be interested.
Phillips returned to the lineup in Sunday's 9-4 victory over Cincinnati at Chain of Lakes Park. He'd missed several days with strep throat.
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<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"></SCRIPT><NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT>"Brandon has lost some weight," manager Eric Wedge said, "but we got him through five innings. We'll see how he feels tomorrow."
Phillips started at second base and drove in a run with a two-out single in the third. He's hitting .324 (11-for-34) with two homers and five RBI.
Ramon Vazquez, who started at third, is Phillips' competition. He went 1-for-5 and is hitting .236 (13-for-55) with eight RBI.
"We have a decision to make," said Chris Antonetti, Indians assistant general manager. "It's safe to say that both players will be in the big leagues somewhere this year."
Phillips has spent parts of the last four seasons at Class AAA Buffalo. He was supposed to be the cornerstone in the Bartolo Colon trade to Montreal, but never recovered from losing the second base job in 2003.
Closer look:
Jason Dubois is having a great spring, but Todd Hollandsworth is still the man to beat for the fourth outfield spot. Wedge said Hollandsworth came to camp as the front-runner and he's still leading the way.
Dubois is hitting .450 (18-for-40) and Hollandsworth .200 (9-for-45). Hollandsworth, a left-handed hitter, gives Wedge an option to platoon in left or right field with Jason Michaels and Casey Blake.
"He's a veteran guy working his way into his swing," Wedge said. "That takes time."
No thanks:
The Indians have no interest in first baseman Carlos Pena, released by the Tigers on Sunday. Pena, according to mlb.com, has hit 11 career homers at Jacobs Field.
The Tribe, however, is loaded with first basemen in the platoon of Ben Broussard and Eduardo Perez. Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez have also played there this spring. In the minors, they have Ryan Garko, Ryan Mulhern, Michael Aubrey and Stephen Head.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-5754

OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 28, 2006

ABJ

3/28/06

Indians notebook

Byrd prepared despite poor outing

Tribe pitcher lacks command against Phillies, but assured of progress heading into start of season

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Paul Byrd needed a little adversity to make sure he was ready to start the season.
So he gave up two runs, five hits, a walk and hit two batters in six innings, as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Indians 5-1 on Monday at Brighthouse Field.
Asked if he is ready to start the season, Byrd said, ``After today I am. I wouldn't have said that before.''
The fact that Byrd started poorly and still kept his team in contention is just what he needed to know that he's had enough of spring training.
``I didn't have anything,'' Byrd said. ``I struggled with my command and didn't have good stuff. My teammates picked me up. Jason Michaels made some big catches (in left), and Travis Hafner made a big play at first.
``Anybody can win when he has his good stuff and command. But I didn't and survived.''
Byrd will have one more start before Sunday's season opener. He won't pitch again until the home opener against the Minnesota Twins on April 7.
Manager Eric Wedge liked Byrd's performance for the same reasons cited by the pitcher.
``It was a very good day for Paul,'' Wedge said. ``He had a rough start, but got through it by making adjustments. You're going to have days like that, where you don't feel your best.''
Byrd has made five spring starts, giving up 10 earned runs in 18 2/3 innings. He has walked only two and struck out 10.
First option
Travis Hafner has had a banner spring as a first baseman, making several difficult pickups of hard smashes and picking throws out of the dirt like... a veteran first baseman.
``He's more comfortable and consistent,'' Wedge said. ``For this year, we'll pick our spots with him at first, but as long as he's healthy, Hafner definitely will be an option for us.''
Last year, Hafner's sore elbow kept him off the field, limiting him entirely to DH duty. The elbow pain might still flare up at some point, but so far it has not been a problem.
Beware of spring freeze
The early forecast for the season opener in Chicago calls for a daytime high of 41 and night-time low of 29. That means the temperature for the 7:05 p.m. (CST) first pitch probably will be about 35 to 37.
This kind of weather can be hazardous for the health of pitchers.
``We would be keeping an eye on these guys early in the season, anyway,'' Wedge said. ``But I think once pitchers get warm, they're good to go. You just have to make sure they have enough time to get ready.''
Down to the wire
Wedge said he won't wait until the end of spring training to trim the roster to the 25-man maximum.
``We want to do this by the middle of the week, though we might take two days to do it,'' he said. ``We are not going to wait until the final day, but they are not finalized now.''
The same positions are at stake as were in play when spring training began: one relief spot, backup catcher and utility infielder.
Marching onward
The Indians travel to Viera to play the Washington Nationals today at 6 p.m.
C.C. Sabathia will make his last start of exhibition season to prepare for his season-opening start against the White Sox on Sunday night. Ramon Ortiz will start for the Nationals. Guillermo Mota and Rafael Betancourt will work out of the Indians' bullpen.
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OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 28, 2006

ABJ

3/28/06

Posted on Tue, Mar. 28, 2006
Still an old-school kind of guy

Little has changed for Manuel as he prepares for second year in Philadelphia

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEARWATER, FLA. - Charlie Manuel began the conversation by offering Luis Isaac a lifetime contract if he would come to the Philadelphia Phillies.
``Forty-two years with the Cleveland Indians, and I'm going to steal you away,'' Manuel said on Monday, keeping a straight face, while the small gathering of Tribe coaches in front of the visitors dugout laughed.
Manuel was Isaac's boss from 2000 to the middle of the 2002 season, when he virtually fired himself as manager.
During the break for the All-Star Game, Manuel demanded to know where he stood for the coming season. New General Manager Mark Shapiro couldn't answer with certainty, and Manuel was gone.
Manuel is starting his second season as skipper in Philadelphia, where even the most even-tempered fans are ready to trash a player or manager who commits the slightest blunder.
Now, Manuel must ponder how a new general manager, Pat Gillick, will judge his West Virginia drawl and wickedly funny wit, his ability to make players feel wanted and his obvious old-style approach to the game.
For at least four decades as a player, manager and coach, Manuel has been accustomed to figuring out strengths and weaknesses of players without resorting to the latest computer program.
In that regard, he has some news for Indians fans, who will be watching ex-Phillie Jason Michaels take over left field for Coco Crisp, traded to Boston over the winter.
Michaels platooned with another ex-Cleveland player, Kenny Lofton, in center field last year and also spelled Bobby Abreu and Pat Burrell in right and left, respectively.
``Michaels was very adequate in center and real good at the corners,'' Manuel said. ``As our No. 2 hitter, he concentrated on getting on base and on moving runners, and I think that took away from his power. He did a hell of a job, but I think he could hit more home runs.''
Michaels will bat second for the Tribe, so he probably will continue to make reaching base his priority.
Manuel thinks that Michaels prefers that role rather than trying to knock pitches out of the park.
``I think Michaels likes batting second,'' he said. ``And he definitely needs to play regularly. He had enough at-bats last year to prove that he could.''
Facing a new audience of reporters, Manuel added, ``We'll take him back if you don't want him.''
Manuel also has information gleened from watching phenom third baseman Andy Marte play for the Red Sox in exhibition games last spring.
``Yeah, I know him,'' Manuel said. ``He hit three home runs against us one day. He's got some power. It might take awhile before he masters everything as a hitter, but he'll hold his own right now.''
Marte was acquired, along with Kelly Shoppach, in the deal that sent Crisp to Boston. He will begin the season in the minors, but Indians officials believe he will be big-league ready if he's needed during the season.
The Phillies didn't revamp their lineup after a disappointing 2005 season, but they made one big move upon seeing the rapid development of first baseman Ryan Howard, a natural middle-of-the-lineup power hitter.
It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Howard was a good bet to equal Jim Thome's production (or at least come close) for less than one-tenth the price. Consequently, Thome was shipped to the White Sox.
The former Tribe first baseman, who still lives in the Cleveland area, has a long history with Manuel, dating to Thome's days in the minor leagues. Thome thinks of Manuel almost as a surrogate father.
In talking about Thome's departure, Manuel said, ``It wasn't real good. You see the commercial for that Dodge truck with the hemi engine? At the end, they run the truck off a bridge. For me, it was whole lot like that with Jimmy.''
Thome's 2005 season was spoiled by back and elbow injuries, but Manuel believes those problems are behind him.
``I think Thome's going to have a big year,'' he said, ``especially if he's going to bat between (Paul) Konerko and (Jermaine) Dye. Last year, he had the back and elbow thing, and then he started trying too hard.''
Manuel does have one complaint about Thome.
``He was calling me once or twice a week,'' he said, trying to compress a smile. ``Then he got four hits one game and quit calling. I guess he doesn't need me anymore.''

OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 28, 2006

Canton

3/28/06

Graves is willing to wait for fate

Tuesday, March 28, 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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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Danny Graves doesn’t want to read the last page of the book.
“I don’t want any feedback,” the veteran right-handed relief pitcher said of his chances of making Cleveland’s Opening Day roster. “I’d rather not have a clue until they decide.”
Graves, 32, pitched a scoreless inning Monday during the Indians’ 5-1 spring-training loss to Philadelphia at Clearwater. He is one of three pitchers competing for one open spot in Cleveland’s bullpen, joining Steve Karsay and Jason Davis.
Graves’ statistics so far are a mixed bag. He has allowed 23 baserunners in 132/3 innings, but has a 2.95 ERA.
Statistics may not decide the winner anyway, as Graves is well aware.
“There are things in baseball you have no control of,” Graves said. “I think I’ve thrown the ball well enough to earn a spot. But it’s not only how good or how bad you do. There are contracts and options and all those other things. The important thing is, I feel like I’ve proven to myself and other people that I can still pitch at this level.”
There were questions about Graves’ ability to still do that last season. His ERA was 7.36 when released by Cincinnati on June 2 and 5.75 in 20 games with the New York Mets.
He signed a minor-league contract with Cleveland over the winter that will pay him $575,000 if added to the big-league roster. Graves was drafted by the Indians in 1994 and pitched in their system until being sent to the Reds as part of the ill-fated John Smiley trade in 1997.
Graves said being back with coaches familiar with his pitching, including bullpen coach Luis Isaac, has helped straighten out the mechanical issues that led to his downfall.
“I’ve learned that I’m not going to throw 94 or 95 mph fastballs any more,” Graves said. “I’m much more concerned with the movement on my sinker and being able to locate all my pitches.
“I don’t know how fast I’m throwing. If it were 82, that might be something to be worried about. But I feel like it’s been up there. I just don’t want to ask and be disappointed.”
Graves’ second chance with the Indians came with no guarantees. If there is a winner yet in the three-man battle for the lone bullpen spot, Manager Eric Wedge isn’t letting the cat out of the bag.
So, Graves will simply persevere.
“I don’t know if I should pack my stuff or stay put,” Graves said. “I’ve never had to do this. I’ve always had a spot.
“I don’t know if I should have my car shipped. I don’t know where I’d get it shipped to.”
PHILLIES 5, INDIANS 1
The Indians (18-9-1) managed only four hits as they fell to Philadelphia at Clearwater.
Aaron Boone had two of those hits, including a solo home run, his fourth of the spring. Jason Dubois was 1-for-3, dropping his spring average from .450 to .442. Paul Byrd started for the Indians, allowing two runs on five hits over six innings. Byrd said he thought it was his most encouraging outing of the spring. The game required just 2 hours, 9 minutes to complete. Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail [email protected]
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OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 28, 2006

Canton

3/28/06

Massillon Cable to show Tribe baseball

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

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MASSILLON - Massillon Cable subscribers concerned they will be shut out of Cleveland Indians’ baseball games this summer can relax. The Tribe is back.
Robert Gessner, president of Massillon Cable and Clear Picture, and Fastball Sports Productions President Jim Liberatore, confirmed a multiyear deal was reached Monday to air SportsTime Ohio, the Cleveland Indians’ new television network.
Terms of the deal were not released.
However, Gessner said there will be no rate increase for now.
“They were real creative in ways to solve some of the problems we were encountering (in negotiations),” Liberatore said in a telephone interview. “We never stopped talking. It was a good experience.”
SportsTime Ohio will air on Massillon Cable’s channel 11 in western Stark County and Clear Picture’s channel 10 in central Wayne County. Subscribers will see three spring training games, starting Wednesday, and 130 regular-season games. There are 32,000 subscribers in western Stark County.
Gessner, during negotiations, said he received at least 100 e-mails and numerous phone calls from subscribers concerned about the negotiations and being blacked out of Cleveland Indians baseball games this summer.
The comments “ran the spectrum from pay anything to don’t pay a penny,” he said.
Fastball Sports also reached deals with WOW! subscribers in the Columbus area and Cleveland area and GLW Broadband customers in Grafton, Wellington, LaGrange and Eaton, a press release said.
SportsTime Ohio will reach about 1.9 million total viewers from all the cable companies signed up so far, Liberatore said. He hopes to reach deals with several more cable companies and satellite companies before the start of the regular season Sunday.
Reach Repository writer Benjamin Duer at (330) 580-8567 or e-mail: [email protected]
WHERE TO FIND THE INDIANS ON TV SportsTime Ohio, the new Cleveland Indians’ television network, will be shown on Massillon Cable’s channel 11 in western Stark County and channel 10 in central Wayne County starting Wednesday.
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OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 28, 2006

CPD

3/28/06

INDIANS SPRING TRAINING
Chicago memories painful for Hafner

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter

Clearwater, Fla. -- Asked what he would be doing when the White Sox receive their World Series rings April 4 at U.S. Cellular Field before playing the Indians in the second game of the season, Travis Hafner said, "I'll probably be in the bathroom throwing up."

Hafner was laughing when he made the wisecrack, but he didn't say if his nausea would be caused by pregame jitters or dislike for the team that eliminated the Indians from the wild-card race on the final day of last season.

"We've developed a pretty good rivalry with them," Hafner said. "To open the season against them makes it a little more exciting, but it's not any bigger than any other game.

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<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"></SCRIPT><NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT>"What we learned last year is that the games early in the season count just as much as those at the end."

Chicago and the Indians officially will open the season Sunday night on ESPN2.

The Indians, beaten by Philadelphia, 5-1, Monday, are ending a strong spring training.

They're 18-9-1, the 18 victories being the most in the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues.

The White Sox, meanwhile, are struggling at 7-18. Chicago is still favored to repeat as AL Central champions in most preseason polls and baseball magazines. Many think they not only will return to the World Series, but win it thanks to some off-season moves by General Manager Kenny Williams.

"I don't get into who looks good on paper," Hafner said. "It's a tough division and usually the team that won the championship the year before is favored."

Hafner did well against Chicago last season, hitting .318 (21-for-66) with five homers and 16 RBI. But it wasn't all line drives and roses. Lefty Mark Buehrle hit Hafner in the face on July 16. He didn't return to the lineup until Aug. 3 because of post-concussion symptoms. The symptoms lingered through the rest of the season.

This spring, Hafner has concentrated on playing first base to give the Indians more options for interleague play and to rest catcher Victor Martinez.

When the Indians acquired Hafner from Texas in December 2002, he was labeled a bad first baseman.

"No matter what I do it will always be there with me," Hafner said. "I think I'm very good at making the routine play."

Hafner hasn't been able to play much first base the past two years - he played one game last year - because of a sore right elbow. The elbow stopped Hafner from throwing and hurt his bat speed and power.

This spring the elbow has been sound and Hafner has played well. He made a nice stop Monday behind the bag against Philadelphia's Jimmy Rollins in the fourth inning.

"Hafner made some great plays," starter Paul Bryd said. "And Jason Michaels ran some balls down in left field. As a team, we survived today."

The off-season talk of playing Hafner 20 to 30 games at first seems workable.

"I'm comfortable with Travis at first base," manager Eric Wedge said. "I think he's been very good over there."

Hafner, 28, says he's not trying to break out of his designated-hitter shell.

"I just want to be an option for my team," he said.

Hafner hit .305 with 33 homers and 108 RBI in 137 games last season. He finished fifth in the AL MVP voting.

"Making the playoffs last year was the big thing," he said. "It was frustrating when that didn't happen. After everything settled down, I thought about the MVP voting. I got some respect from some people who appreciated the way I played the game, but that's all part of being on a good team."

Hafner goes into the last five games of spring training hitting .378. He feels good about himself and the Indians.

"We're a team in every sense of the word," Hafner said. "We're good in every area - starting pitching, bullpen, defense, offense and chemistry. We can beat teams in a lot of different ways."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-5158

OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 29, 2006

ABJ

3/29/06

Indians notebook

Heredia potential relief help

Indians sign left-hander. Sabathia shelled by Nationals in final spring start

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

VIERA, FLA. - The acquisition of Felix Heredia might turn out to be another successful reclamation project.
The Indians did the same thing with Bobby Howry and Scott Sauerbeck. Now they are trying it with Danny Graves and Steve Karsay.
As many teams do, the Tribe attempts to find pitchers down on their luck, either because of past health problems or overuse, and hopes they can rebound.
Heredia was recently released by the Arizona Diamondbacks after giving up six earned runs and nine hits in five spring innings, making a total of four appearances.
He was limited to three outings with the New York Mets last year because of a blood clot in his left (throwing) shoulder that had to be surgically removed.
``By all accounts, it's just a matter of him going out and pitching,'' Indians manager Eric Wedge said. ``But physically, he should be OK.''
The 30-year-old reliever has had his successes. In the 1997 World Series, pitching for the Florida Marlins against the Indians, he made four appearances and worked 5 1/3 scoreless innings. His career numbers: a 28-19 record, six saves and a 4.42 ERA.
``If we need somebody, we will take the best option, whether he's a left-hander or a right-hander,'' Wedge said.
Heredia has signed a minor-league contract and is in the minor-league camp at Chain O' Lakes Park.
Assistant closer
If Bob Wickman is unavailable for a particular game, who will take his place?
``It depends on usage,'' said Wedge, referring to the availability of other relievers. ``Coming out of the gate, it would be Guillermo Mota and Rafael Betancourt because of their experience. But it could also be other guys. We'll just have to see how the bullpen evolves.''
Bruised, but ready
C.C. Sabathia gave up six runs (five earned) in his final spring outing but pronounced himself ready to start the season opener Sunday night in Chicago.
``I felt pretty good,'' he said after the Indians' 8-3 loss to Washington on Tuesday night. ``I just missed some spots early, and they punished me.''
Sabathia worked six innings and allowed five hits (including three homers) and two walks, striking out seven.
He made some points at the plate, lashing a double over the center fielder's head, and he followed up by taking third on Grady Sizemore's fly ball to center.
``I just knew we were losing, so I took off,'' he said. ``I think Datzie (third-base coach Jeff Datz) was a little upset with me. He said, `What are you doing?' ''
Just checking
Mota threw in a minor-league game on Monday to see how his arm would react to working on consecutive days.
``We've been pleased with his progress,'' Wedge said. ``He's been committed to working on his daily routine, which is all about preventive maintenance.''
Mota has issues with his right elbow, but so far he has not had any problems.
Marching onward
The Indians return to Winter Haven today to play the Houston Astros. Jason Johnson will start against Roy Oswalt, with Rafael Betancourt, Bob Wickman and Matt Miller scheduled to work out of the Indians' bullpen.

OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 29, 2006

ABJ

3/29/06

Comfort no longer lacking for Dubois

Outfielder feeling more at home with Tribe after trade from Cubs last year

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

VIERA, FLA. - At first, most observers passed it off as early spring training luck. Maybe a pitcher or two threw a fastball down the middle, which was where Jason Dubois happened to be swinging.
After all, this was the same Jason Dubois who struck out in more than half his at-bats as an Indian last year.
He didn't come to the plate a ton of times, but in 45 at-bats, he whiffed 25 times.
Looking back, maybe that was the aberration, though nobody connected with the Tribe is quite sure yet.
Dubois was acquired from the Chicago Cubs for Jody Gerut in August. In 142 at-bats with Chicago last season, Dubois struck out ``only'' 49 times, but he batted .239 and was sent back to Triple-A, a prelude to his trade to Cleveland.
This spring, a different Jason Dubois has been in evidence. He is batting .432 with five doubles and two home runs.
Few of his hits have been 26-hoppers through the infield or well-placed bloops that have landed in front of on-rushing outfielders.
Spring training is a notoriously poor venue for predicting future success or failure, but one thing is clear: Dubois has crushed the ball. He is confident, and he no longer looks like the loneliest guy in the room.
When he arrived in Cleveland to fill a roster spot that opened when Travis Hafner went on the disabled list, he seldom spoke or was spoken to in the clubhouse. Dubois recalls his first experience at being traded as an ordeal.
His initial reaction was ``shock,'' as he described it. The first time a player is dealt away can be a traumatic experience -- like someone being thrown out of the house by his family.
``It felt kind of weird coming to a new squad and trying to get to know everybody,'' he said. ``Sometimes, it's tough to crack a new clubhouse. Certain places, they don't want to let you in. But these guys accepted me.''
Dubois felt he had another obstacle to overcome: a new set of bosses, who ostensibly didn't know him. Of course, he neglected to consider that they wanted him; that's why he was here.
``The first time you're traded, you want to make a good impression,'' he said. ``So I put a lot of pressure on myself, and the more pressure I felt, the bigger the hole I dug for myself.
``And it was also a matter of making new friends. I didn't know anybody here. Now I do.''
A hitter's state of mind sometimes plays a more important role in his ability to perform than his physical talent.
``Dubois is definitely more comfortable as an Indian now,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``He's playing loose, and he's having a better time.''
When he came to camp, Dubois' name never was mentioned as a possible candidate to win a roster spot. His only chance would have been as an extra outfielder, and that job had been assigned to veteran Todd Hollandsworth, obtained over the winter.
In the past few days, however, Wedge has hinted that Hollandsworth isn't absolutely, positively assured of a roster spot. The manager probably isn't going to change course and give the position to Dubois. Rather, it is Wedge's way of commending Dubois for making his presence felt.
``That hasn't been decided, but Hollandsworth is the front-runner,'' is the way Wedge now describes it. ``Hollandsworth (batting .209) is a veteran guy who is working into his swing, and you have to give that some time.
``Having said that, Jason has been very impressive. We are seeing the bat speed we expected before. He has tremendous power, and he's been comfortable against lefties and righties.''
Dubois maintains that he didn't know where he stood in his quest for a berth on the roster. Nor has he thought about it much.
``I know there's supposed to be a battle for the fourth outfield spot,'' he said. ``That's what makes things fun. But I'm not worried about it, because it's the guys upstairs who make that decision.''
Dubois can't account for his sparkling spring performance, but it has happened before.
``A couple of years ago, I started off real well,'' he said. ``It just happens. I came in this year and tried to relax more. I worked a lot on my swing with (hitting coach) Derek Shelton. He tried to fix the things that were impeding me, and so far it has been working.''
In one respect, Dubois' marvelous statistics have been wasted. That's because for the most part, he ignores them.
``I might glance at them now and then when I turn on the computer to check my e-mail,'' he said. ``But the last time I looked was three weeks ago. I don't pay much attention to stats. And I don't think I need to see the numbers to know that I'm going good.''

OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 29, 2006

Canton

3/29/06

Indians: Jhonny on the spot

Wednesday, March 29, 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>

AP mike carlson JUST GETTING LOOSE Jhonny Peralta prepares for a second full year as the Indians’ shortstop.

<HR align=left width="80%">Related Stories
INDIANS NOTEBOOK: Veteran gives Cleveland some insurance in bullpen

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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Jhonny Peralta’s days of just blending in are over.
“Baseball fans are crazy in the Dominican,” Cleveland’s 23-year-old shortstop said. “It seems like everybody knows me, but I don’t know them. A lot of kids say they want to be like me. I’m not used to that.”
Peralta better get used to the attention. His first full season in the big leagues produced surprising results, and the Indians believe Peralta will be there for years to come. They believe it so strongly, in fact, they signed Peralta to a five-year, $13-million contract in March.
“Jhonny has worked extremely hard,” General Manager Mark Shapiro said. “His character, temperament, work ethic and passion are consistent with the type of player we want on our team moving forward.”
Indians fans howled when the team allowed eight-time Gold Glove shortstop Omar Vizquel to sign with San Francisco and gave Peralta the job. For the first few weeks of the season, they actually had something to howl about.
While Peralta outwardly said he wasn’t thinking much about replacing Vizquel, he later admitted that was exactly what he was thinking.
“I knew in my mind it was going to be hard replacing Omar,” Peralta said. “He had been here 10 years.”
Peralta’s error in the season opener led to the only run in a 1-0 loss at Chicago. He made errors in each of the next three games as well. Then, when the Indians returned to Jacobs Field, Manager Eric Wedge put Peralta on the bench for the home opener to avoid the full wrath of Indians fans.
At the end of April, Peralta was batting .222 with one home run and four RBIs.
“I made a couple errors, and it drove the fans crazy,” Peralta said. “I’d go to home plate trying to do all I could. It’s hard to be like that.”
Wedge gave veteran utilityman Alex Cora plenty of playing time until Peralta could get his feet under him. As Peralta eased into his new role, he became more productive.
He batted .309 in May, .286 in June. He had nine errors on June 13, but just 10 through the rest of the season. Cora, seeing little playing time, was traded to Boston on July 7.
“They let me go out and play,” was Peralta’s explanation. “I play better when I play more.”
Peralta began the season batting ninth. He was moved up to sixth in June and to the key No. 3 spot in July.
“Travis Hafner was hurt at the time, and we were trying to get back on track,” Wedge said. “He was our best option in that spot.”
It was quite a challenge for a player in his first year in the big leagues.
“When they put me in there batting third, in my mind I said, ‘Wow, I need to hit every day now,’ ” Peralta said. “They said I could be there for a long time.”
“How he handled that move mentally and emotionally just strengthened the confidence we have in him,” Shapiro said.
The results would seem to indicate that. Peralta finished with a .292 average, 24 home runs and 78 RBIs. The 24 homers were a franchise record for a shortstop (Woodie Held hit 23 in 1961), and Baltimore’s Miguel Tejada was the only American League shortstop with more (26). “I was surprised by that a little bit,” Peralta said. “The major leagues is as high as you can go. They’re great players. And I hit 24 home runs in the major leagues. That felt great.” Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail [email protected]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 29, 2006

CPD

3/29/06

Despite loss, Sabathia's confident for start

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter

Viera, Fla.- It's not like C.C. Sabathia has a choice. He's opening the major-league season Sunday night for the Indians in Chicago so he better be ready.

Sabathia made his last spring training start Tuesday night against Washington. It started poorly and improved.

"I missed my spots early and they punished me," said Sabathia.

Jose Guillen hit a three-run homer and Ryan Zimmerman added a two-out homer to give Washington a 4-0 first-inning lead. Zimmerman added a two-run homer in the fourth in the Nationals' 8-3 victory.

"I feel like I'm ready," said Sabathia. "I threw some good fastballs and cutters late in the game."

Sabathia allowed six runs - five earned - in six innings. He struck out seven and walked three. This will be Sabathia's third time as the Tribe's opening day/night starter.

"I love it," he said. "I've been in this organization since 1998. It definitely feels good to start opening night. I think that's what they envisioned when they drafted me. It's good to meet those expectations."

Sabathia went 0-2 with a 8.35 ERA in five starts this spring.

He hit a leadoff double in the fifth and advanced to third on a fly ball. When Sabathia slid into the bag, third-base coach Jeff Datz said, "What are you doing?"

Said manager Eric Wedge: "You hold your breath on something like that, but C.C. is an athlete. That's the way he plays."

Hello, lefty:

The Indians have signed left-hander Felix Heredia to a minor-league contract. He's expected to start the season at Class AAA Buffalo.

The Indians are short on left-handed relievers in the upper minors besides Rafael Perez and Tony Sipp, who will start the season in Class AA Akron's starting rotation. Neal Huntington, Indians special assistant, liked Heredia when he saw him pitch in the Dominican Republic this winter, but he signed with Arizona.

Heredia made only three appearances for the Mets last year before undergoing surgery for a blood clot in his left shoulder.

"He pitched healthy over the winter and he pitched healthy this spring," said General Manager Mark Shapiro.

Last laugh:

When Ronnie Belliard saw Washington's Alfonso Soriano taking fly balls in left field before Tuesday's game, he immediately started yelling at him from third base.

Belliard's needling was done in fun.

"He kept telling me [in the off-season], 'I'm not going to play left field,' " said Belliard. "I told him, 'You're going to play left field.' He's a good guy."

Soriano, a second baseman by trade, refused to play left field for the Nationals last week. After being threatened with suspension and no pay, Soriano consented.

Back-to-back:

Guillermo Mota pitched in a minor-league game Monday after pitching with the Tribe on Sunday.

"He asked to do it," said Wedge.

Wedge has been pleased with Mota's spring. He said Mota and Rafael Betancourt would back up closer Bob Wickman to start the season.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-5158

OSUBasketballJunkie · Mar 29, 2006

Dispatch

3/29/06

INDIANS | NOTEBOOK

TV puzzle coming together

Addition of WOW cable to fold makes Insight final piece

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

<TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle></IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS | ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>The ball eludes Indians econd baseman Ronnie Belliard as Marlon Byrd of the Nationals pops up from a slide with a stolen base as shortstop Jhonny Peralta looks on. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

VIERA, Fla. — SportsTime Ohio, the Cleveland Indians’ optimistic venture into television broadcasting, will make its regular-season debut Tuesday. After months of uncertainty, Indians fans in central Ohio will be able to watch their games on at least two cable systems.

The Indians announced a deal with WOW cable to carry the team’s network, which will show 130 regular-season games, and a deal is expected shortly with WWHO to air an additional 20 games, including the home opener.

As part of the new TV package, WKYC in Cleveland will broadcast 20 games, the first Indians games to be available over the air since 2001. WWHO is set to acquire the local rights to those broadcasts.

"It’s all but final," said Lance Carwile, programming director for WWHO.

The over-the-air games include the home opener April 7 against Minnesota, Memorial Day against the Chicago White Sox and midseason games against Cincinnati, the New York Yankees and Boston.

SportsTime Ohio will be available on WOW Channel 57 beginning Thursday for an exhibition game against Detroit. Time Warner previously agreed to pick up the network, which will air on Channel 34 beginning today, with the Golf Channel moving to 62.

Fastball Sports Productions, which oversees the Indians’ media ventures, continues to negotiate with Insight Communications, the third major cable provider in central Ohio. Fastball Sports president Jim Liberatore said he hopes to have a deal in place by the end of the week.
"We’ve had very good talks," he said.

Piney · Mar 29, 2006

Heard on the radio this morning that Grady Sizemore agreed to a contract extension through 2011 with an option for 2012.

http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060329&content_id=1366107&vkey=spt2006news&fext=.jsp&c_id=cle

Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

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Piney

Stay thirsty my friends