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Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

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Great start to the season taking the three game series on the road and winning a 1 run game unlike last year when we lost the most 1 run games in the majors, lets hope this win is a omen of great things to come. Nice to see Michaels get it done at the plate after struggling a bit in the field the first two games.....



ABJ

4/6/06

Tribe decides to win

RBI double by Michaels in 11th sends Indians to series victory over White Sox

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CHICAGO - Fittingly, the game finally ended after four hours on a checked swing, 3-and-2 pitch, indicative of the seemingly indecisive attitude of both teams.
For Indians fans, who cares? The Tribe triumphed 4-3 over the Chicago White Sox in an 11-inning game that neither combatant seemed bent on winning.
Then again, big-league teams don't get extra credit for style points, and the bottom line is that the Indians took 2-of-3 from their major Central Division nemesis, the team that won the 2005 World Series.
``It was a hard-fought game,'' Indians manager Eric Wedge said. ``It was nip and tuck, an indication of the kinds of games we're going to have against Chicago and the other teams in the division.''
Travis Hafner's leadoff home run in the eighth tied the score, and Jason Michaels won it in the 11th with his fourth hit of the game, an RBI double.
It was one of the few clutch hits for either team, but there was plenty of clutch pitching, culminating with Bob Wickman's first save of the season.
Wickman walked the leadoff batter in the 11th but retired the side in order after that, striking out two, the latter victim, Rob Mackowiak, trying to check his swing on a breaking pitch with a full count.
Inasmuch as Wickman hadn't pitched since a March 31 exhibition game, it was a bravura performance.
Michaels, obtained in the offseason from the Philadelphia Phillies, is off to a good start (6-of-13) with his new team.
``I just wanted to get into a good count,'' he said of his last at-bat. ``I was looking for something to drive, and I got a fastball.''
If only the Indians could have taken a do-over. Maybe they would have made amends for their missed opportunity in the first inning against Jose Contreras, who, for much of his work day, had trouble locating his pitches within a foot or two of the plate.
There are no mulligans in baseball. The Tribe did score twice in the opening inning, but those runs should have been only the appetizer.
Michaels started the rally with a one-out bloop single, and Jhonny Peralta singled to center. Hafner drew a walk to load the bases, and Victor Martinez's sacrifice fly scored Michaels.
The rally continued when Ben Broussard walked, and a second run was forced in when Contreras hit Ronnie Belliard with a pitch.
There was no timely hit, nor were the Wahoos really able to take advantage of Contreras' limited control.
For example, Grady Sizemore and Michaels began the fifth with infield singles, but neither runner advanced for the rest of the inning.
With two outs and the count 3-and-1, Martinez watched a hip-high fastball sail down the middle of the plate. On the next pitch, he swung and missed at a lazy breaking pitch that probably was high.
For the game, the Wahoos stranded 13, eight in scoring position. The White Sox left 13, seven in scoring position. In other words, the Indians weren't the only team that had problems producing meaningful hits.
``That goes both ways,'' Wedge said of the missed opportunities. ``Pitching on both sides stepped up, especially in the bullpen.''
In the Tribe's first ``inning from hell'' of the season, Cliff Lee and Matt Miller conspired to walk one batter, hit three and give up a bloop single to present the White Sox with two runs in the sixth. The damage could have been much worse, if Chicago had been able to pull the trigger on a big hit.
Lee was responsible for two of the hit batters, the walk and the single, leaving with one out, one run home and the bases loaded. Miller allowed a sacrifice fly, reloaded the bases on a hit batter but retired the side without further damage.
The Sox also failed to capitalize on a collision that resulted in a two-base error charged to Martinez in the fifth inning.
With two outs, Brian Anderson hit a pop fly short of and to the right of the mound. Ben Broussard charged from first, and Martinez moved into fair territory to make the catch but dropped the ball when Broussard ploughed into him.
There was another near-miss in the eighth, when Chicago had runners on second and third with one out but failed to score against Guillermo Mota. Belliard saved the inning by throwing out Anderson, who slapped a slow roller between first and second.
Mota seemed to be 3-and-2 on every batter but endured through 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks.
``Mota was outstanding,'' Wedge said. ``He competed his tail off. He did a great job of controlling the game and making big pitches.''
The Tribe virtually matched the Sox in the ninth, failing to score after putting runners on first and second with one out.
But what's good for the goose, or whatever... In Chicago's ninth, Mota loaded the bases on a single and two walks but escaped unharmed.
Contreras threw 37 pitches in the first inning and delivered 96 through five. The Sox got one more inning out of him, when he needed only four pitches to complete the sixth.
Lee lasted 5 1/3 innings and was charged with three runs but only four hits and one walk, throwing 85 pitches.
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ABJ

4/6/06

Johnson getting set

<!-- begin body-content -->CHICAGO - for start Saturday
Jason Johnson got his work in by throwing 60-65 pitches for Class A Kinston in an exhibition game against Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday night. He will rejoin the team in Cleveland and start Saturday against the Minnesota Twins.

THE NAME GAME -- Todd Hollandsworth's 13-letter last name equals the longest in Tribe history. He is tied with Ossee Schreckengost (1902) and Bill Knickerbocker (1933-36).

NEW TEAM -- The Indians will add another rookie level club to their farm system, when they field a team in the Gulf Coast League this summer. The short-season club will be headquartered in Winter Haven, Fla., and be stocked with high school draftees and young Latin players. For this year only, the Tribe's short-season Appalachian League team in Burlington (N.C.) will be retained.
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ABJ

4/6/06

First chapter of season a winner for Indians

By Terry Pluto

<!-- begin body-content -->CHICAGO - Welcome to the pennant race, and don't you have a feeling this is gonna be fun?
All it took was four hours, six pitchers and 11 innings for the Indians to put away the Chicago White Sox 4-3 on Wednesday.
I know, it's early. There are 159 games left to go. Blah, blah, blah.
But weren't you wondering how the Indians would measure up against the World Champion White Sox this week? They play 16 more times this season, and games like this make you want to watch every inning.
The White Sox are the World Series champions, but if the Indians can send them any message so early in the season, it's this: The Tribe is more than a pretender competing for the American League Central Division throne.
The Indians want all of baseball to know that their 93 victories last year were not some sort of cosmic accident, that they have enough depth, enough experience and enough room to grow to duel with Chicago.
Winning 2-of-3 games this week might be an indication of just that.
And remember: The Indians won a one-run game!
Did it against the White Sox, who were 9-0 against the Tribe in this kind of game last year.
It's a game where they won it in the top of the 11th, when Casey Blake opened with a base hit. Next, Grady Sizemore bunted Blake to second, the key sacrifice situation that the Tribe botched so many times last season.
Then came the patient Jason Michaels, who lashed a double to right-center field.
That's how you win a one-run game.
It's how they lost so many last year, where the bunt was not executed, or a Tribe hitter had a quick trigger under pressure, swinging at bad pitches.
Michaels is a study in patience, and not just because he had four hits on Wednesday. The import from the Philadelphia Phillies has reached base seven times in 15 at-bats. He consistently takes pitches to put the count in his favor.
The Indians don't have many hitters like him, as they tend to be a team of free swingers.
Manager Eric Wedge was excited when the front office had a chance to trade Arthur Rhodes to the Phillies for Michaels. He remembered managing against Michaels in the minors and knew the right-handed hitter with the career .380 on-base percentage would bring some hitting discipline to his lineup.
So far, Michaels has come as advertised.
And other than Fernando Cabrera's melt-down in the opener, the bullpen has been better than originally thought.
On this day, the Tribe went through six relievers who delivered 5 2/3 scoreless innings.
There might have been some doubts about closer Bob Wickman, but he rumbled in from the bullpen, looking burly and unshaven, as always. He had the weight of this gritty game on his bulky shoulders, and he put away the White Sox with some drama -- but not extreme, at least by Wickman's standards.
The game ended with the tying run on second base, Rob Mackowiak swinging helplessly at a slider in the dirt.
The Indians packed up winning two out of three games in Chicago. They discovered that Guillermo Mota can pitch in back-to-back games, and still have a fastball in the low 90s. They learned that Danny Graves remains an asset, and Wickman still has the heart to pitch in clutch situations.
Nothing in baseball is decided in the first week of the season.
But a three-game series that opened with Jim Thome crushing his old team, along with C.C. Sabathia pulling a muscle and landing on the disabled list would certainly be enough to bring out the gloom and doom about the Tribe's chances.
Then came the last two games, the dominating 8-2 victory on Tuesday behind Jake Westbrook, followed by this 11-inning test of wills.
``I really think our guys are past last year,'' Wedge said. ``The one-run games, they have turned the page.''
And they're getting ready to write the story of a season that Tribe fans won't want to miss.
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CPD

4/6/06

INDIANS INSIDER
Victor, Ben fail pop test, get bad marks


Thursday, April 06, 2006


Chicago- Catcher Victor Martinez and first baseman Ben Broussard held an unscheduled meeting in the fifth inning Wednesday on the first-base side of the mound at U.S. Cellular Field. They would prefer to avoid any similar meetings in the future.

White Sox center fielder Brian Anderson hit a two-out pop-up between home and first. Martinez came out from behind the plate, and Broussard charged from first. Martinez, motioning with his glove, called for the ball, but Broussard, calling for it as well, could not hear because of the crowd noise.

"We didn't hear each other," Martinez said.

As Martinez reached for the ball, Broussard ran into him. They both were knocked to the ground by the force of the collision.

"It scared me because they ran into each other so hard," manager Eric Wedge said. "I was surprised they got up so quickly."

Martinez came away with a bruised foot thanks to Broussard's spikes.

Broussard walked away with a sore neck thanks to a Martinez forearm.

They stayed in the game.

"I couldn't breath for a couple minutes," said Broussard, his neck wrapped in an ice pack. "I got clotheslined. Then I saw Victor rolling around on the ground and got worried."

Wedge did not fault Martinez or Broussard.

"The ball didn't have a lot of hang time," he said. "I was glad to see them both be so hungry for the baseball."

The commish:

Commissioner Bud Selig, on hand to help the White Sox hand out their World Series rings Tuesday, said former senator George Mitchell is the right man to head baseball's steroid investigation.

"Wherever this takes him, he should go," Selig said.

Selig has been criticized for picking Mitchell because he's on the board of directors for the Red Sox. He's also a friend of Selig's.

"I think it's important for someone to have an understanding of the mores of culture in this sport," Selig said. "That will help him, not hurt him. He has total autonomy."

Selig said the investigation was a must.

"We have done everything we can do," Selig said. "We have the toughest testing program in American sports. We've banned amphetamines, which I still don't think people realize the importance of.

"We've taken care of the present and the future. Now we have to look at the past."

As far as getting players to cooperate in the investigation, Selig said it would be difficult.

"We're trying to develop as much information as possible," he said. "There is no time limit."

Final tune-up:

Jason Johnson, pitching for Class A Kinston, threw 65 pitches Wednesday against Class AAA Buffalo.

"He was fine," Wedge said. "He'll join us in Cleveland."

Johnson will start Saturday against the Twins on three days rest. He was scheduled to start Sunday, but was moved to Saturday because of C.C. Sabathia's injury.

Finally:

Chicago right fielder Jermaine Dye left the game after the first inning with a strained left calf. Rob Mackowiak replaced him. . . . Former Tribe catcher Josh Bard had three passed balls Tuesday trying to catch Boston knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. . . . Attendance for the three-game series was 109,979.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-5158
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Dispatch

4/6/06

Byrd looks forward to start in Cleveland

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CHICAGO — Paul Byrd has experienced opening day in the big leagues enough times to become accustomed to the pomp and circumstance. But he hadn’t experienced opening day with the Indians until Sunday, and he felt more than the usual excitement of a new season.

He should get another dose Friday, when he starts the home opener at Jacobs Field.

"It means everything to me," Byrd said. "Just putting on that jersey — I know it sounds cheesy, but it was a neat moment, because this is the team that drafted me. For three or four years I wanted to put on a major-league Cleveland uniform."

Byrd was drafted by the Indians in 1991 and reached triple-A in 1994, then was traded to the New York Mets as part of a package for Jeromy Burnitz.

Eleven years and four organizations later, he signed a two-year, $14.25 million contract with the Indians as a free agent.

He liked the Tribe’s chances of contending for a postseason berth, and he liked his chances for personal success. Jacobs Field has been one of the best pitchers’ parks in the American League in recent seasons, and most of the Indians position players showed above-average range last season.

"It might not show up Friday," Byrd said, "but over the long haul it should help."

Byrd’s wife and two sons travel with him throughout the season, so he listened to their input before signing. That they like Cleveland makes his return to the organization and upcoming start even more special, Byrd said.

"Regardless of the money and all that, it will be a neat moment," he said.

Look out



First baseman Ben Broussard and catcher Victor Martinez collided while converging on a popup in the fifth inning yesterday, allowing the ball to drop and throwing a scare into the visiting dugout. Both players remained in the game through the conclusion of the Indians’ 4-3 win over the White Sox.

"It scared the hell out of me," manager Eric Wedge said. "To my surprise, both guys got up rather quickly and both said they were OK."

Martinez said Broussard stepped on his foot, but otherwise he was unharmed. Broussard had an ice pack on his neck after the game.

Martinez was charged with an error.
A busy man



Right fielder Casey Blake needed his track shoes. He ran down a fly ball to the warning track by Scott Podsednik in the first inning, went into the gap to catch a line drive by A.J. Pierzynski in the second, caught a fly ball by Pablo Ozuna near the stands in the third and charged nearly onto the infield dirt to catch a popup by Podsednik in the fifth.

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I'm looking forward to see how much Byrd can offer us this year. He'll most likely be a drop from Millwood (ERA-wise atleast), but if he can keep that ERA around 4.00 and eat innings he should be able to contribute 15-16 wins this year. Bullpen looked good Wednesday too.
 
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ABJ

4/7/06

Indians TV report

Home opener televised today by WKYC

By R. D. Heldenfels

Beacon Journal television writer

<!-- begin body-content -->Indians baseball returns to local, over-the-air television today.
The Indians' latest TV deal, through its own SportsTime Ohio, already has begun telecasts for cable companies and satellite-dish services.
Today, WKYC (Channel 3) will carry the home opener as the first of 20 games that it plans to televise this season.
The game also will be in high-definition. That alone has created challenges for Channel 3, both in generating a better picture and delivering the improved sound.
The game will require some adjustments in Channel 3's schedule today, with some regular programs moved around and others pre-empted.
Here's a lineup:
10 a.m. -- Dr. Phil.
11 a.m. -- Days of Our Lives.
Noon -- Passions.
1 p.m. -- Coverage of Opening Day festivities.
2:30 p.m. -- Indians On-Deck pregame show.
3:05 p.m. -- Game coverage.
6 p.m. (approximately) -- Postgame show.
6:15 p.m. -- Channel 3 newscast.
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ABJ

4/7/06

Opening Day: That's what it's all about

By Terry Pluto

<!-- begin body-content -->Cleveland always has been an Opening Day town, even for Indians fans who don't live anywhere near the city.
For some of us who grew up during the dark decades of Indians baseball, Opening Day was a time to dream. It was a time to walk down the West Third Street Bridge...
I have some friends from out of town who have moved to our area and are sick of stories about going to games down the West Third Street Bridge.
I understand.
That little walk is not a part of their lives, as it is to many of us.
They didn't have a father who would put them on his shoulders, like my dad did. They didn't have the joy of feeling on top of the world as I looked at the vast, never-ending sea of blue that was Lake Erie.
Or the massive old Cleveland Stadium, a baseball palace to me.
Or the old, neon Chief Wahoo sign on the roof of the ballpark. He stood on one leg, holding a bat and spinning around until he seemed ready topple over, much like the teams of our youth.
Or the first sight of the incredibly green grass as you came up the old, concrete stadium ramps and caught first sight of the infield. Remember, this was a black-and-white, three-channel TV world for many of us, which makes the colors of the ballpark so vivid in our memories.
There is no reason for people from out of town to understand this any more than many of us would relate to the passion of sitting in the bleachers at Wrigley Field or paying homage to the Green Monster at Fenway Park. That belongs to Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs fans, and they have been romanticized in movies, novels and countless magazine and newspaper stories.
Being a Cubs or Red Sox fan and reveling in your team's losing long has been chic.
From the outside
To the outside world, being an Indians fan from 1960-93 just seemed stupid. It's kind of like feeling nostalgic for the era before indoor plumbing. Why would anyone feel like that?
Many of us know better, especially on this day when the Tribe plays its first home game of the season.
Some of us will spend this day thinking of players long gone, names we thought we'd forgotten: Fred Whitfield, Fred Beene, John Lowenstein, Sonny Siebert, Tom Veryzer, Charlie Spikes, Daddy Wags, Sugar Bear Blanks, Super Joe Charboneau.
All this can be set to an old sound track of Herb Score, Jimmy Dudley, Bob Neal and Joe Tait -- those faint baseball voices of our past.
For so many of us, Opening Day is about bad teams and good memories. It's about my aunt, who listened to every baseball game for 50 years -- TV on with the sound down, the radio supplying the details. Aunt Pat never trusted Paul Shuey.
Maybe you had someone like Aunt Pat, an elderly, hardcore fan who hadn't been to a game in 30 years, yet never missed one on television or the radio.
Baseball happening every day often becomes reason enough to help them get through the final days of their lives, when the pain of age and the edge of loneliness can seem unbearable...
At least until the first pitch.
Perhaps you came to the Indians later, or your kids did. It's the Jacobs Field generation. They grew up with a sparkling ballpark, with winning teams, with packed stands and with the Bob Feller statue waiting to welcome them on East Ninth Street.
What it is now
For these fans, it's Tom Hamilton who is the voice of the team.
It's Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga, Manny Ramirez, Sandy Alomar, Albert Belle, Jim Thome and Charles Nagy who make them smile.
It's Mike Hargrove as a manager, not as a twitch-hitting first baseman.
It's Rick Manning as a broadcaster, not as a light-hitting, fearless-fielding phenom in center.
Opening Day is about memories, about family, about time passing.
For many of us, it's our favorite day of the year.
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ABJ

4/7/06

Byrd happy to be back where he started

Pitcher starting home opener for drafted team

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->Paul Byrd still remembers the telephone call.
``I was in my apartment in Baton Rouge, and Mark Shapiro called to tell me I'd been traded to the Mets,'' said Byrd, who will start the Indians' home opener today against Minnesota at Jacobs Field.
The memory of being traded for the first time carries no animosity for Byrd, who was the Tribe's fourth-round pick in the 1991 draft.
``There were no hard feelings toward Cleveland,'' Byrd said. ``I looked at it as a way of giving me a chance to come to the big leagues. Cleveland had made some good draft picks and was ready to win now. They didn't have time to develop people.''
Of course, even successful teams devote resources to nurturing their minor-league players, but Byrd was correct in thinking he was not a prime candidate to pitch for the Indians any time soon.
Shapiro, then the team's farm director, now general manager, dimly recalls the phone call informing Byrd of the deal with New York. He remembers a more painful call to Byrd.
``I called to tell him he was going back to Double-A after he'd been in Triple-A,'' Shapiro said. ``That was one of my first tough calls to a player. I didn't necessarily make those decisions, but I was the one who had to give guys the news.''
Maybe that's one reason Shapiro was so pleased to sign Byrd over the winter.
``I've always liked and respected Paul,'' Shapiro said. ``I've followed his career and made sure to say hello to him when he came to town.''
As a relatively high draft choice, Byrd was never off the Tribe's radar screen, but he wasn't a priority, either.
``Paul had an average fastball and average curve,'' Shapiro said. ``He was going to pitch in the major leagues, but there was nothing that would particularly distinguish him from lots of other guys.''
That changed, partly because of several disabling injuries, including a strained muscle in his forearm, a bulging disc, two operations on his right elbow and a torn labrum.
By the time all the repairs had been made, Byrd no longer had an average fastball or average curve. He had to learn to retire batters with less stuff and more trickery.
He developed a new delivery in 2002 that made him more deceptive. He discovered the value of throwing pitches to precise spots. Instead of merely having an off-speed pitch, he learned how to change speeds on his fastball and his secondary pitches.
``Paul is the thinking man's pitcher,'' Shapiro said.
Added manager Eric Wedge: ``Byrd keeps hitters off balance and knows how to make the ball do what he wants it to do. He's a smart guy.''
If a scout had no data on Byrd, if he couldn't look up his record or his statistics, he might not know what to make of him.
``Paul is not a scout's guy,'' Shapiro said. ``These days, you scout for velocity, so Paul isn't necessarily an easy pitcher to scout.''
But the fact is, pitchers who can command the strike zone, change speeds and throw fastballs below hitting speed are able to tie hitters in knots.
Scouts have found one thing to be obvious about Byrd: When he's healthy, he wins. Last year for the Los Angeles Angels, Byrd amassed 204 1/3 innings, posted a 3.74 ERA and a 12-11 record.
Byrd seems genuinely happy to return to the team that started him on his way to the big leagues.
``I'm excited thinking about wearing the uniform again,'' he said. ``My wife, Kym, and I were married when I was a minor-leaguer in Cleveland.
``She knows all about the bus rides. She had to sacrifice, too, putting her career on hold. That makes this a dream we realized together.''
Runnin' man
Now that Aaron Boone is one more year removed from knee surgery, Wedge is expecting him to run more.
In 2002 and 2003, before the injury, Boone stole 55 bases. Last year, he stole only nine (in 12 attempts).
``Aaron is stronger and moves better this year,'' Wedge said. ``There's a lot more life to him.''
Wedge said he probably will give Boone the green light most of the time. That means it will be up to Boone whether he tries to steal.
``Aaron has a good feel on the bases,'' Wedge said, ``and he's quick enough.''
Shadows
Pitchers might have an advantage today at Jacobs Field. Because of the 3:05 p.m. start, shadows will begin creeping across the infield fairly early in the game.
In the past, that has proved to make life difficult for the hitters.
Keep in mind . . .
Saturday's game against the Twins begins at 5:05 p.m. Why such an aberrant start? Postgame fireworks.
Who's hot?
For the three-game series in Chicago, Jason Michaels batted .462.... Casey Blake is batting .444 with four walks.... Aaron Boone is batting .357 with four RBI.... Victor Martinez is batting .333 with three RBI and a home run.
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CPD

4/7/06

INDIANS INSIDER
Mota making a quick impression


Friday, April 07, 2006


The Indi ans treated Guillermo Mota care fully throughout spring train ing. He made just five Grapefruit League appearances and the condition of his right shoulder and elbow were closely monitored.

Manager Eric Wedge must have been satisfied Mota was healthy because he turned him loose against Chicago. Mota pitched a scoreless ninth in Tuesday's 8-2 victory and labored through 1 2/3 scoreless tense innings in Wednesday's 4-3 victory in 11 innings.

Mota threw 49 pitches Wednesday after relieving Rafael Betancourt in the eighth with the score tied, 3-3. Mota struck out Alex Cintron and retired Brian Anderson on a nice play by second baseman Ronnie Belliard and first baseman Ben Broussard to strand runners on second and third.

In the ninth, Mota, seemingly 3-2 on every batter, loaded the bases with two out, but retired A.J. Pierzynski on a pop-up.

"Mota was outstanding," said Wedge. "He competed his tail off. He was strong and kept making big pitches."

Mota threw only 27 strikes in 49 pitches.

The Indians acquired Mota in January as part of the Coco Crisp trade. They almost nullified the deal because of what an MRI showed in Mota's shoulder, but the deal went through after Boston added extra compensation.

Last year Mota had shoulder and elbow problems with Florida.

The other side:

Boston manager Terry Francona is trying to find ways to utilize Crisp's speed, while not taking the bat out of the hands of David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.

Crisp stole 15 bases in 21 attempts last year for the Indians. He's ready to do more this year.

"I had the green light in Cleveland to go, but I got held a lot," Crisp told the Boston Herald. "I don't know, honestly, why it was like that. It didn't work for me, but it worked for the team."

As for adding speed to Boston's lineup, Crisp said, "We'll see how the game plan is, but I could easily steal 15 bases. A slow guy could steal 15. A guy with my speed, to steal 15, is like walking."

Up and running:

Right-hander Fausto Carmona, expected to join the Indians' rotation for an April 15 start against Detroit, started Class AAA Buffalo's season Thursday night against Richmond.

Class AA Akron, Class A Kinston and Class A Lake County opened their seasons as well Thursday.

Good leather:

Besides running into each other while trying to catch a pop-up, Broussard and catcher Victor Martinez combined on a nice play in the sixth inning Wednesday.

Rob Mackowiak sent a bases-loaded grounder to Broussard's left. He grabbed the ball and threw home. Martinez, catching the ball on one hop, forced Tadahito Iguchi for the out.

"It was risky play," said Broussard. "It's the kind of play that you say Great play' if it works. If it doesn't, you say "Why didn't he take the easy out at first?' "

Said Martinez, "I was lucky."

What a deal:

Bleacher seats can be purchased for $7 (50 percent discount) by any fan bringing a can of Pepsi or any related drink to Jacobs Field on the day of the game. The promotion runs through May.

Half-price bleacher tickets can also be purchased at Indians Team Shops.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-5158
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Dispatch

4/7/06

Boone, Blake buoyed by fast starts for Indians

Both entered the season positive at plate despite injury, struggles in 2005

Friday, April 07, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CHICAGO — The knee that was wrecked in 2004 was strong enough in 2005 that Aaron Boone was able to play 143 games. He was a tick slower on the bases but made few other concessions to the injury.

The biggest problem his surgically repaired left knee posed was indirect: Boone missed a season’s worth of at-bats and an off-season of working out.

"The issue was rust," he said.

And it was moot by the time he reported to the Cleveland Indians’ complex this spring. Boone got 565 plate appearances last season, then had a normal off-season of rest and workouts.

"I thought he would be better just watching him walk in that first day," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "You could just tell. He was more at ease with himself physically."

Boone said, "I’m prepared and ready to have a good season."

The early returns are encouraging. Boone hit .382 this spring and is 5 for 14 in the first three games of the regular season, with a home run, a double and a stolen base.

Casey Blake, who struggled along with Boone last season, is similarly surging at the start of this season. He has reached base in nine of his 13 plate appearances.

"I feel good in the box. I feel like I’m going to get a hit," Blake said.

Wedge suggested in spring training that Blake should be better offensively this season because he is more comfortable defensively. Blake spent a considerable amount of energy adjusting to right field last season after years at third base.

"I had a lot of thoughts in my head," he said. "It didn’t let me concentrate as much on hitting as I would have liked. I wasn’t as sharp. I’m not nervous out there anymore, so I hope there is something to that."

Blake hit .241 with 23 home runs last season, down from .271 and 28 the year before. He started slowly in 2005 — hitting .187 through June 8 — and struggled most when he most needed a base hit: With two out and a runner in scoring position, he was 5 for 59.

Boone hit .151 through June 3, the worst mark in the major leagues, and finished at .243 with a .299 on-base percentage.

"It’s about confidence in your approach, sticking with it, believing in it," Blake said. "If you don’t have confidence in your swing and your approach, it’s tough to stand up there and get a base hit."

As difficult as last season was, Boone said he entered the off-season with confidence. He hit .284 from June 4 through the end of the season, when the Indians were fighting for a postseason berth.

"I learned a lot about how to survive," he said.

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