Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/20/06

Orioles punish pitching

Westbrook hit hard; Miller, Betancourt injured

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->BALTIMORE - Let's start with a survey. Which Indians reliever would be more difficult to replace, Matt Miller or Rafael Betancourt?
After the Tribe's zany 15-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday evening at Camden Yards, the Orioles retaliated by taking Wednesday night's contest 18-9.
Timing was everything. Jake Westbrook was allowed to stick around too long, and Miller and Betancourt were unable to pitch long enough.
Miller relieved Westbrook in the fifth inning and gave up two runs, two hits and a walk, retiring only one batter. He was victimized mostly by Corey Patterson, a .067 hitter, who slammed a 1-and-0 pitch over the right-field wall with a runner on base.
With a 2-and-0 count on Miguel Tejada in the sixth, Miller summoned catcher Victor Martinez and head trainer Lonnie Soloff to the mound, then retired to the dugout with a right elbow strain.
Betancourt replaced Miller and faced only two batters, Tejada, who singled, and Jay Gibbons, who lined a three-run homer to right, pushing the Baltimore lead to five runs.
As Gibbons' homer was clearing the wall, Betancourt was signaling to the dugout. He is out with a strain in his upper back. For now, both pitchers are listed as day to day.
``We definitely will have one DL situation,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``We still haven't worked it all out yet, but my gut tells me that Matt is worse off than Rafael. Miller has some history.''
Miller missed much of last season with a sore elbow.
It was bad enough that the Tribe blew a 7-3 lead, worse, General Manager Mark Shapiro must come up with at least one relief pitcher by this afternoon and possibly two.
Fernando Cabrera cannot come off the disabled list until April 29, so Shapiro will have to dip into his inventory of pitchers at Triple-A Buffalo.
Maybe he will summon Steve Karsay, though the veteran just reported to Triple-A after building his arm strength at the extended spring training program in Winter Haven, Fla.
Andrew Brown is a candidate, having compiled a 1.08 ERA in five appearances (8 1/3 innings). Veteran Felix Heredia, signed just as spring training came to a close, has pitched twice and given up three runs in 2 2/3 innings. Moreover, Heredia is not on the 40-man roster.
Jeremy Guthrie has been in Buffalo's rotation, but Shapiro said last month that he wouldn't limit him to starting if he was needed in the bullpen. However, Guthrie threw seven innings Wednesday and wouldn't be much help until at least Sunday.
In the middle of the fifth inning, it appeared that the Indians were on their way to administering another pummeling to the Orioles.
Jhonny Peralta hit a solo homer in the first, and Martinez whacked a two-run blast in the third. Three more runs crossed the plate in the fifth, two on Travis Hafner's double that gave the Tribe a 7-3 advantage.
Westbrook couldn't hold the lead, as Baltimore scored seven times in its half of the fifth. Wedge conceded that he was trying to get Westbrook (2-2, 5.92 ERA) through the fifth.
``It didn't work out,'' Wedge said. ``He's been as consistent as any of our starters, going back to last year, so we stuck with him and they got to him. They were swinging the bats well tonight.''
Westbrook gave up nine runs (eight earned) and was shelled for a career-high 12 hits, half of them in the fifth inning, when he yielded six runs.
As did the Orioles on Tuesday night, the Tribe was guilty of several misdeeds in the field, including catcher's interference on Martinez, an error on Peralta, who booted a ground ball, and Todd Hollandsworth botching a line drive that he apparently lost in the lights. All three errors contributed to Baltimore's run total.
``It was a bad night all around,'' Wedge said. ``It's one game, and the injuries are as tough on us as anything. From a team standpoint, we have to forget this one. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong.''
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/20/06

NOTEBOOK

<!-- begin body-content -->BALTIMORE - Blake sits against
Orioles with sore groin
Right fielder Casey Blake sat out Wednesday night's game with slight soreness in his right groin.
``Casey has been battling some tightness in his lower half,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``I almost got him out of there last night. But I expect him to be in the lineup tomorrow.''
In Blake's absence, Todd Hollandsworth started.
``We have to make sure not to turn a two-day thing into something that lasts two weeks.''
THE SCHEDULE -- C.C. Sabathia will throw a bullpen session today and a 65-pitch simulated game Saturday.
Though it has not been announced, he probably will make one rehab start early next week and come off the disabled list late in the week. Sabathia has been sidelined since April 2 with a strained abdominal muscle.
BACK IN ACTION -- A bruised wrist didn't keep third baseman Aaron Boone out of the lineup. ``There's some soreness, but he should be all right,'' said Wedge of Boone, who was hit by a pitch Tuesday night.
FARM FACTS -- Franklin Gutierrez had two hits to lift his average to .380, and Lou Merloni added three hits, raising his average to .364, as Class AAA Buffalo lost to Richmond 5-4 in 12 innings.... John Drennen hit his first homer of the year in Class A Lake County's 4-3 loss to Lexington.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

4/20/06

INDIANS INSIDER
Hustling Blake earns praise, night off


Thursday, April 20, 2006


Baltimore- Right fielder Casey Blake ran his way out of a double play Tuesday and onto the bench Wednesday night.

Blake, second in the American League with a .447 batting average, missed his first game of the season with a sore right groin.

"I could have played, but [manager] Eric [Wedge] said to take the night off," said Blake.

Blake said he injured the groin running out a grounder in the fourth inning Tuesday against Baltimore. He forced Aaron Boone at second, but beat shortstop Miguel Tejada's relay to first.

Grady Sizemore, who wouldn't have batted if the double play had been turned, followed with a three-run homer to turn a 4-0 lead into a 7-0 lead.

Blake had his right thigh wrapped before Wednesday's game.

Wedge said Blake could be back in the lineup today. "We just don't want this to turn into a two-week injury," said Wedge.

Todd Hollandsworth replaced Blake.

Bounce back:

Boone was back at third base Wednesday after getting hit in the left wrist by a Jim Brower pitch Tuesday. Boone, who broke his left wrist, hamate bone and thumb in 2001 as the result of being hit by pitches, had the wrist X-rayed after leaving the game in the eighth inning.

The X-rays were negative.

Boone tested the wrist with some early batting practice Wednesday.

C.C. file:

C.C. Sabathia (right oblique) will throw a bullpen session today and a four-inning simulated game Saturday in Kansas City. Depending on how Sabathia feels, another simulated game or a rehab start will follow.

It's a job:

Last year, Eduardo Perez hit 11 homers with 28 RBI in only 161 at-bats for Tampa Bay. This year, Perez is hitting .286 (6-for-21) with two homers and seven RBI in the Tribe's first base platoon.

How does he produce in limited at-bats?

"When you played Little League, you only played on Saturdays," said Perez. "I just try to treat it like it's a kid's game."

Perez says he has a "good gig."

"It's what I do," he said. "I don't try to read into it. When I go there, I go up there to hit. I try to keep everything simple. I don't think my swing is that complicated."

Playing part time in the big leagues, and being successful, is one of hardest jobs in baseball.

"That's the fun part," said Perez. "I take pride in my job."

Play ball:

Jacobs Field will be the site of the third annual Cleveland Indians Charity Hardball Classic on May 4 and May 5. Twelve area high school teams will play six games.

It will be Brush vs. Olmsted Falls, Poland vs. Canfield, and Walsh vs. St. Edward on May 4. Brecksville vs. North Royalton, Hudson vs. Stow, and Mentor vs. Shaker Heights will play May 5. Fans can purchase $5 tickets at the competing schools, indians.com or the Jacobs Field box office. Tickets will be $7 on the day of game.

What happened?

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts should have scored from third in the first inning Tuesday on Melvin Mora's grounder to second because Ronnie Belliard was playing deep. But Roberts got a slow start, and Belliard threw him out at home.

The Indians were playing the infield in on the pitch before. Wedge moved them back on the next pitch.

"I think Roberts thought we still had the infield in," said Belliard.

Finally:

Travis Hafner, with 22 runs in the Tribe's first 14 games, is on pace to score 254 runs this year.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-5158

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

4/21/06

Orioles 9, Indians 4

<TABLE class=byln cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=428 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=bottom><TD class=byln width=328>4/20/2006, 7:16 p.m. ET


The Associated Press

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BALTIMORE (AP) — Big rallies and series wins are commonplace these days for the Baltimore Orioles.

Erik Bedard remained unbeaten, Miguel Tejada homered and drove in three runs and the Orioles rallied for a 9-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday.

Javy Lopez, Jeff Conine and Tejada each had two RBIs during a six-run sixth that erased a 4-3 deficit and gave Baltimore its sixth win in eight games.

It was a big inning for the team, it was a big relief for me that I was able to contribute to the team," Lopez said.


Minor injuries and inconsistency at the plate have hampered Lopez's transition from catcher to designated hitter. But a 5-for-13 series against the Indians may represent a turning point.

"It seems like everything's starting to come into place right now — my thumb, my elbow, getting used to being DH," Lopez said.

Eduardo Perez and Victor Martinez homered for Cleveland. Martinez was 2-for-4, extending his hitting streak to 15 games, the longest in the major leagues this season.

"We've been doing the little things well. We always make sure we play the game hard," Martinez said. "Unfortunately, these last two games, some of those things didn't go real good for us."

Bedard (4-0) pitched six innings and joined Boston's Curt Schilling and Atlanta's Oscar Villareal as the majors' only four-game winners. Bedard allowed four runs — three earned — six hits and two walks, striking out seven.

"I didn't have my command I had the first couple of games," Bedard said. "I had to battle."

Bedard bailed out a taxed bullpen, and the resurgent Orioles offense claimed a third consecutive series win. After losing 15-1 in the opener against Cleveland, the Orioles scored 27 runs over the next two games.

"What I sense is that the guys continue to play," Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo said. "They're not down; they feel they can come back. And it's not like they feel it's got to be one guy."

Martinez's solo homer put Cleveland up 4-3 in the sixth, but rookie Fausto Carmona (1-1) couldn't hold the lead. The Orioles sent 10 men to the plate, the third time in two games they've batted around against the Indians.

"We didn't do a particularly good job of executing from a pitching standpoint, and that obviously played into it," Indians manager Eric Wedge said.


Jay Gibbons led off with a double and scored on Lopez's one-out homer, his first of the year, for a 5-4 lead. Kevin Millar's walk, Corey Patterson's single and Brian Roberts' intentional walk loaded the bases.

Jason Davis relieved and gave up Jeff Conine's two-run, bloop single down the right-field line. Melvin Mora flied out and, after a double steal, Tejada lined a two-run single that made it 9-4.

Carmona allowed eight runs, eight hits and three walks in 5 1-3 innings.
Cleveland went ahead in the first when Patterson bobbled Travis Hafner's single to center, allowing Jason Michaels to score. Patterson had an RBI single in the second and Tejada homered in the third for a 2-1 lead, but Perez hit a two-run homer in the fourth. Mora tied it 3-3 with a two-out RBI double in the fifth after Roberts tripled.

Notes:@ Cleveland placed RHP Matt Miller on the 15-day DL with a strained right elbow and recalled LHP Rafael Perez from Double-A Akron. Perez made his major league debut, pitching a perfect eighth. ... After failing to steal a base in the Orioles' first 14 games, Roberts had five in the three-game series. .. Bedard is the first Oriole starter to win his first four starts since Rodrigo Lopez in 2002.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

4/21/06

NOTEBOOK

Indians reliever put on disabled list

Friday, April 21, 2006


FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

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Cleveland Indians reliever Matt Miller, who missed the second half of last season because of a strained right elbow, went back on the disabled list yesterday because of a similar injury. Rookie left-hander Rafael Perez was recalled from double-A Akron to take his place.
Miller left the game in the sixth inning Wednesday with discomfort in the elbow. Rafael Betancourt replaced him, faced only two batters, then left because of tightness in his upper back.
Betancourt was to be examined yesterday in Baltimore, and Miller returned to Cleveland to have a magnetic resonance imaging on his elbow. With two pitchers down, the team could not afford to wait for results of the exams, so Miller was placed on the DL and Perez promoted. Perez was 1-2 with a 7.02 ERA in three starts for Akron. He will be making his major-league debut.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/21/06

Indians notebook

Bullpen shuffling begins with Miller

Reliever placed on DL, Perez recalled from Aeros. Betancourt could be next

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->BALTIMORE - Left-hander Rafael Perez reported to the big leagues for the first time Thursday, replacing Matt Miller, who was placed on the disabled list with a strained right elbow.
That promises to be only the beginning of a major bullpen shuffle for the Indians.
Miller and Rafael Betancourt both were injured in the sixth inning of Baltimore's 18-9 rout Wednesday night.
General Manager Mark Shapiro summoned Perez from Akron after examining limited alternatives.
``Rafael can give us length, and that was the priority for today,'' Shapiro said.
Perez, 23, went 1-2 with a 7.02 ERA in three starts for the Aeros. In spring training, Perez pitched three times and gave up one run in three innings.
The wheels will continue to turn as the Tribe moves to stabilize a bullpen that is suddenly in flux.
Betancourt is likely to join Miller on the disabled list, which will necessitate at least one more move.
Jeremy Guthrie is the most likely pitcher to earn a promotion to the Tribe bullpen, even though he is in Buffalo's rotation.
``This is the best Guthrie has pitched for us,'' Shapiro said. ``He's been great. He is one starter who we would consider putting in the bullpen right now.
``He's done it before, and he's done it up here. I always envisioned him starting his big-league career this way.''
Guthrie is 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in three Triple-A starts, allowing 10 hits and five walks in 18 innings. He has struck out 12.
On the minus side, because he threw seven innings Wednesday, Guthrie will not be available until the next homestand, which begins Tuesday.
If Guthrie is called up to replace Betancourt, the Tribe might wait to send Perez back to Akron until April 29, when Fernando Cabrera (bruised heel) can be activated from the DL.
``Right now, we have to play it day by day,'' manager Eric Wedge said.
How bad is it?
Matt Miller was scheduled to undergo an MRI exam when he got back to Cleveland on Thursday.
Head trainer Lonnie Soloff thinks the injury is similar (or identical) to the elbow injury he suffered last year, when Miller was on the DL for most of the second half.
``Last year, it was a tendon and this seems very similar,'' Soloff said. ``The options are rest and rehabilitation or surgery. We'll see how he feels in the next five to seven days.''
Soloff said that because Miller drops down and throws sidearm, he is somewhat more vulnerable to an injury of the flexor tendon.
There seemed to be a feeling among team officials that Miller eventually would need surgery.
Also to be determined
Rafael Betancourt strained a muscle in his right upper back throwing a pitch Wednesday night.
For now, it is believed he will not be on the DL for an extended period, but the results of an MRI have yet to be released.
``It's more sore than it was last night,'' Soloff said. ``Potentially, it's a DL situation.''
Said manager Eric Wedge, ``Obviously, Matt's injury is more serious than Rafael's.''
Sabathia update
C.C. Sabathia threw another bullpen session Thursday and will pitch a four-inning (65-70 pitches) simulated game on Saturday.
More than likely, Sabathia will pitch once on a rehab assignment early next week before being activated for a start at Jacobs Field, possibly April 29.
The breakthrough
Lost in the spate of injuries, errors and hits Wednesday night was the fact that Kelly Shoppach got his first major-league hit, a single in the ninth inning.
Did he feel under pressure?
``Last year (briefly with Boston) I did,'' he said.
``But this season, not at all. The fact I made the team out of spring training helped. It made me think I'm capable of playing here.
``In 2005, I came up because of an injury, not because I was playing well. And it was my first time up. It was definitely not relaxing to go up there and hit like that. This year, I'm in a new place and have a fresh start. I'm wiping the slate clean.''
Farm facts
Lou Merloni got three more hits in Buffalo's 12-3 win over Richmond to raise his average to .405.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/22/06

Royals what doctor ordered

Indians rebound from poor series, hang on to defeat Kansas City

By Terry Pluto

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->KANSAS CITY, MO. - After giving up 27 runs in their last two games at Baltimore, the Indians knew they needed a trip to Kansas City -- which has become baseball's version of Lourdes.
They certainly needed a healing, at least mentally since they can't do anything about their four pitchers on the disabled list.
After Friday night's 6-5 victory over the Royals, the Indians are feeling a little better this morning.
Or at least, relieved -- as in their relief pitching, which delivered some solid work on this warm, 73-degree late-April evening.
Take a bow, Guilllermo Mota, for your two scoreless innings. The import from Boston (Coco Crisp deal) has not allowed a run in eight innings this season.
Bob Wickman came on for the save, pitching for only the second time in 12 days. He took the mound with a 6-3 lead. He walked off with the score 6-5.
Hey, a save is a save, a win is a win, even if Wickman should be credited with a scare, too.
The Indians needed a game like this, just like they needed Jhonny Peralta's crack of a bases-loaded, line-drive double in the top of the seventh inning to drive in three runs.
That broke a 3-3 deadlock. It also gave Peralta four RBI for the night. In his career, Peralta is 6-for-14 (.461) with 14 RBI with the bases loaded.
Eduardo Perez (sacrifice fly) and Ronnie Belliard (RBI single) accounted for the Tribe's other two runs.
Grady Sizemore had two singles and scored two runs.
Jason Michaels had a single and a walk and scored two runs.
Peralta had two hits and four RBI.
Not bad production from the top three in the order.
As for the poor Royals, this was their 11th consecutive defeat -- and they've played only 15 games this season. When they scored three runs in the sixth inning, they had been shut out in 31 of their previous 32 innings.
A year ago, the Royals had a 19-game losing streak and finished 56-106. It appears they will lose 100 games for the fourth time in five years.
But the Indians can't afford to consider the Royals' problems, even though they still have warm feelings for manager (and former Tribe coach) Buddy Bell.
After their 6-1 start, the Indians entered the evening having lost 6-of-9 games. With an injury-depleted and inconsistent bullpen, they want a strong weekend in Kansas City to regain some confidence as they reassemble their pitching staff.
Starter Cliff Lee was solid for five scoreless innings, allowing only one runner as far as third base. But in the sixth, Lee seemed to lose his control. Not that he was walking hitters, just the opposite. The long, lean lefty suddenly was throwing pitches that were too good, chewing up too much of the plate.
Four line drives and two sacrifice flies later, the Royals scored three runs. Lee was pulled with two outs, runners on first and second base.
The score was 3-3.
Danny Graves rolled in from the bullpen, induced Tony Graffanino to ground out to end the inning and keep the Tribe in position to win.
While there was nothing disastrous about Lee's outing, the Indians were hoping for a little more. They'd like their starters to at least pitch into the seventh inning, giving at least part of their bullpen a rest.
The season is 17 games old, and only six times have starters survived six full innings.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/22/06

Indians notebook

Guthrie expected to enter bullpen

Miller likely to be done for season. Betancourt out three to four weeks

By Terry Pluto

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->KANSAS CITY, MO. - Jeremy Guthrie is expected to join the Indians today, and take a key spot in the bullpen.
Guthrie would have been promoted from Class AAA Buffalo sooner. On the same Wednesday night when both Matt Miller and Rafael Betancourt suffered injuries in Baltimore, Guthrie was throwing seven innings (two runs) for Buffalo.
That meant he needed a couple days of rest before he could pitch.
The Indians need Guthrie with Miller headed for elbow surgery on Wednesday. The problem is a tendon, and the Indians are talking about him missing four to six months. It's doubtful that he'll pitch again this season.
Miller's injury is much like the one he had in 2005, sidelining the right-handed reliever from July 15 through the end of the season.
Even a bigger concern than the loss of Miller is Betancourt, who was placed on the disabled list and will be out for three to four weeks with a strained muscle in his upper back near his right shoulder. Betancourt has been one of the Tribe's most reliable relievers in the past three years, compiling a 3.21 ERA in that span.
The right-hander has good control and can do everything from long relief to setting up in the crucial eighth inning.
``Right now, we just have to find a way to get through the next few weeks,'' said General Manager Mark Shapiro. ``Guthrie is throwing better right now than at any point in his career with us. We're anxious to see what he can do.''
Guthrie has started strong at Buffalo, permitting only 10 hits and two runs in 18 innings. He's struck out 12, walked only five and seems to have regained the confidence and form that convinced the Indians to make him their first-round draft pick in 2002.
Guthrie turned 27 on April 9. He signed a four-year, $4.5 million contract, and this is his last year for minor-league options. His minor-league record was an uninspiring 31-31 with a 4.75 ERA heading into this season.
The Indians are obviously invested in him. He has a fastball in the 92- to 94-mph range, along with a slider, curve and change-up. He's pitched 18 innings with the Tribe in the past two years.
But this is his first real opportunity to make an impact and stay, as Miller's spot will be vacant all season. Danny Graves (7.71 ERA, 11 hits, two home runs in seven innings) is struggling and fighting to keep his bullpen job.
More moves
Guthrie is expected to take the place of Rafael Perez, who was promoted from the Class AA Aeros on Tuesday.... Brian Slocum (1.93 ERA, nine innings, one walk, 11 strikeouts) was recalled from Buffalo to replace Betancourt. The 25-year-old Slocum is considered an intriguing prospect, and he'll probably be with the team at least until April 29, when Fernando Cabrera is eligible to come off the disabled list.... Cabrera has pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings at Buffalo on a rehabilitation assignment. He's throwing well and should be back with the Tribe on April 29.
What about Brown?
Andrew Brown impressed in spring training, and would have seemed to be in line for a promotion, but the right-hander has been battling control at Buffalo, walking nine in 8 1/3 innings. He has allowed only three hits and one run. The Indians want him to pitch regularly and do a better job throwing strikes. His fastball is in the 95-mph range.
Then there's Karsay
Like Graves, veteran Steve Karsay is trying a comeback with the Tribe. He just came from extended spring training in Florida and made his first appearance at Buffalo on Thursday, allowing one run in 2 2/3 innings. He probably will not be in line for a promotion for a few more weeks.
Making progress
C.C. Sabathia (pulled rib-cage muscle) is expected to pitch in a simulated game today. Assuming he remains healthy, he'll then make a start or two in the minors before rejoining the rotation.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

4/22/06

BASEBALL NOTEBOOK

Surgery likely to end Tribe reliever’s season

Saturday, April 22, 2006


FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

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Cleveland Indians righthander Matt Miller will undergo surgery to repair a strained right flexor tendon Wednesday and likely will not pitch again this season.
Miller, who left in the sixth inning of a game Wednesday in Baltimore, had no-decisions and a 5.63 ERA in six relief appearances this season.
Meanwhile, the Indians placed Rafael Betancourt on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained muscle in his upper back. Fernando Cabrera was placed on the DL last week because of a bruised right heel. He is eligible to come off April 29.
Right-hander Brian Slocum was recalled from triple-A Buffalo to take Betancourt’s roster spot. Lefty Rafael Perez took Miller’s spot. Jeremy Guthrie could replace Slocum or Perez in the coming days; he likely would have been the first pitcher promoted, but he threw seven innings for Buffalo on Wednesday. Andrew Brown, who competed for a spot in spring training, has struggled with his control in Buffalo. Veterans Steve Karsay and Felix Heredia are still building arm strength after missing most of last season because of injuries.

 

[NFBuck]

Tribe's pitching is really starting to concern me. Eight runs to KC through 5 innings and Byrd got whacked again.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/23/06

Royals 11, Indians 5

Wedge steamed after ugly loss

Byrd bad, Guthrie ejected as Royals end 11-game losing streak

By Terry Pluto

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->KANSAS CITY, MO. - His face was scarlet, his eyes wide and bulging, his tongue spewing fire.
Indians manager Eric Wedge was outraged, and not because the Tribe lost 11-5 Saturday at Kansas City, ending the Royals' 11-game losing streak.
An hour after he was ejected from the game, Wedge was still steaming about what the umpire did in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Royals had a 7-4 lead. The Indians were behind 7-0, but had battled back thanks to a two-run double by Ben Broussard, an RBI single from Todd Hollandsworth and a groundout by Ramon Vazquez that produced a run.
``We had made it a game, then they throw (Jeremy) Guthrie out,'' fumed Wedge. ``They (the umpires) showed a complete lack of feel for the game... and what they did had a direct impact on the game.''
Here's what happened.
Esteben German led off the bottom of the sixth for the Royals and was plunked in the back by a Guthrie fastball on a 1-and-2 count.
Home plate umpire Jim Wolf immediately ejected Guthrie, who was working his third inning. Wedge rushed onto the field, and he was tossed by first-base umpire Joe West.
The umpires believed Guthrie was throwing at German because he had stolen a base in the fourth inning, when the Royals were ahead 7-0. Wedge was stunned when he heard this. He didn't think German was trying to show the Indians up with the steal as his team had a big lead.
The game was young, the Royals had lost 11 in a row and needed every run possible. He told the umpires as much, and they didn't appreciate it.
``What were we supposed to do, quit playing in the fourth inning?'' Wedge roared. ``They said I told (Guthrie) to throw at him. That's way out of line. To say we were trying to hit that guy was absolutely ridiculous. The kid (Guthrie) was just up from (Class) AAA. He was trying to keep us in the game. They (the umpires) had no business getting involved.''
In his fourth year as Tribe manager, this was -- by far -- Wedge's most animinated and aggravated post-game tirade. He wasn't blaming the umpires for the loss, but he did fault them for depleting his already weary and thin pitching staff.
``This was as bad as I've ever seen,'' he said, shaking his head.
The Indians have allowed 43 runs in the past four games. They have four pitchers on the disabled list and it's not even May.
Guthrie was just summoned from Class AAA Buffalo and pitching because starter Paul Byrd was was shelled for four runs in the first inning. The key hits were a two-run double by Doug Mientkiewicz and a two-run single by Emil Brown.
In all, Byrd was ripped for seven runs in three innings by a team that has scored 20 fewer runs than anyone else in the American League.
In his first four starts, Byrd has allowed 5-6-2-7 runs. This season, he's been struck for 20 runs in 19 2/3 innings for a 9.15 ERA. The major concern is his control -- nine walks already.
When Byrd was signed, the Tribe stressed how he had 22 quality starts (three or fewer runs in at least six innings) for the Los Angeles Angels last season, when he was 12-11 with a 3.74 ERA. Those quality starts were the second most in the American League.
For what it's worth, Byrd had a rocky April in 2005 at 1-3 with a 5.29 ERA, and his career April ERA is 5.01. So perhaps there's hope. The Indians are counting on it.
Guthrie threw much better than his line in the boxscore: two runs in two innings. His fastball was in the 93-to-97-mph range. His breaking stuff was effective. Very few balls were hit hard off him.
Brian Slocum made his first big-league appearance in relief of Guthrie, allowing two runs in two innings. He seemed a bit nervous, as he walked three and gave up three hits.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/23/06

Guthrie, Slocum ready

<!-- begin body-content -->KANSAS CITY, MO. - to fill roles in bullpen
Now that the Indians finally have Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Slocum promoted and rested, manager Eric Wedge now has to fit them into his revamped bullpen.
Consider the following:
• The back end is solid: Bob Wickman closes, Guillermo Mota will pitch the eighth inning, and sometimes two innings, as he did Friday night in the 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Mota has taken the 2005 Bob Howry role.
• Rafael Betancourt and Fernando Cabrera used to pitch in the sixth and seventh innings. Both are on the disabled list. Betancourt could be out for a month. Cabrera is pitching at Class AAA Buffalo, but can't return from his rehabilitation assignment until April 29.
• When Mota can't pitch the eighth, Wedge said he might use Jason Davis in that key role. In spring training, he was at least fifth on the original depth chart for that job, behind Mota, Cabrera, Betancourt and Matt Miller (out with arm surgery). Now, Davis is a key guy.
• Often, pitching in the sixth and seventh innings is crucial because games can be won and lost when the starter leaves with men on base. Veteran Danny Graves is getting the first call, but now Guthrie and Slocum must fill in. Guthrie has pitched in relief only 10 times in his pro career. Slocum was a starter in the minors until this season.
• Davis, Guthrie and Slocum opened this season at Buffalo. There's a good chance at least two of them will be around for a month and perhaps longer. The injuries have become a true test of the farm system.
FEELING GOOD -- C.C. Sabathia threw 67 pitches in a simulated game before the Tribe faced the Royals Saturday. Sabathia was optimistic, saying he felt no pain from the pulled rib-cage muscle that landed him on the disabled list after the opener. He is expected to pitch on Wednesday or Thursday in a minor-league rehabilitation assignment, probably at Buffalo.
TAKING A REST -- Wedge gave Aaron Boone the night off. The third baseman is back in a slump; since April 9, he's 6 for 37. Ramon Vazquez started in his place.
BUFFALO REPORT -- If the Indians want a hot bat, Ryan Garko is hitting .333 with 15 RBI in his first 14 games. He also has not made an error at first base.... Andy Marte is at .293 (.377 on base) with seven doubles and four RBI.... Franklin Guttierrez is hitting .333 with two home runs and six RBI while playing a strong center field.... Veterans often do well in Class AAA, and Lou Merloni is batting .415 in 10 games.... Jason Dubois had a strong spring training, and he's hitting .283 with three homers, 14 RBI and 17 strikeouts in 53 at-bats.

 

[NFBuck]

Ugly, ugly, ugly.
ESPN jinxed us putting us #1 in their power rankings.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/24/06

Swagger gone as trip ends with loss

Struggling Tribe returns home to play Red Sox

By Terry Pluto

Beacon Journal sportswriter

• Wedge still irked by ejections
• MLB notebook: Vizquel, Mesa bad blood spills over
• Sunday's American League results
• Sunday's National League results
• Swagger gone as trip ends with loss

<!-- begin body-content -->KANSAS CITY, MO. - Barely a whimper.
That's how the Indians' 10-game trip ended Sunday against the Kansas City Royals.
The final score was 5-1, and the Royals have won two in a row after an 11-game losing streak.
Hey, they were due, right?
If that's the case, then the Indians are due to pull out of this slumber when the Boston Red Sox come to Jacobs Field at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday.
As decisive as they seemed when leaping out to a 6-1 record to open the season, the Indians are 4-8 since. They play some games like a man in a dark room feeling for a light switch, slowly touching the walls and trying not to trip on some unseen furniture.
Early in the season, it seemed the Indians had a swagger.
Now, it's mostly a stagger, as they finished the trip with a 4-6 record. That includes losing the past two games to the Royals, who had an 11-game losing streak heading into Saturday night.
The Indians are a team that manager Eric Wedge insists needs to ``grind it out.'' His idea is to win each series -- 2-of-3, 3-of-4.
Well, the Indians have not won a series since the opening week. Here are their past four series: 1-2 at home against Seattle, 2-2 in Detroit, 1-2 in Baltimore, 1-2 in Kansas City.
They are 10-9, far better than their usual April, but they will continue to struggle until the pitching, especially the starters, settle down. Pitching is what wins series.
Pitching has been a problem. In the past dozen games, only three starters have survived seven innings. This has put extra strain on a depleted and injury-riddled bullpen.
That wasn't so much the problem Sunday, as loser Jason Johnson (2-1) allowed four runs in six innings. When the Royals scored three runs in the second inning, only one of their hits was in the air. The others were ground balls that found holes.
Johnson said that he ``didn't throw that well.'' He said his job was to pitch at least into the seventh inning. He also complained about the mound being ``like cement'' at Kauffman Stadium.
That might be the case, but it didn't bother four Royals pitchers, including winner Jeremy Affeldt (1-2).
The Indians' only run came on Ronnie Belliard's second homer of the season.
Here's how it went for the Tribe offense: Grady Sizemore led off the game with a single. He moved to third with one out, then Jhonny Peralta and Victor Martinez struck out.
When a team is in this kind of funk, when they finally do get some decent pitching -- they don't hit. That's why the postgame clubhouse was so quiet you could hear a sock drop onto the carpet.
On this trip, they had only one more victory (four) than they had ejections (three, two by Wedge) and pitchers on the disabled list (three). They finished Sunday without Matt Miller (upcoming elbow surgery), Fernando Cabrera (bruised foot) and Rafael Betancourt (right lat strain).
They lost four of the past five on the journey, being outscored 48-25. In case you're not a math major, that means that they gave up nearly 10 runs per game in the past five games.
Sizemore talked about it being ``early'' in the season. He talked about ``ups and downs.'' He talked -- actually, it was a whisper -- about just needing to play a little better.
Wedge talked about the Royals being ``a major-league team,'' which is true, even if they've been the worst one in the majors this decade. He talked about his players giving an effort, which is basically true. He talked about the things that managers talk about when their team isn't playing well, and there are no magic answers -- other than pitch and hit better.
The Indians take today off. The Red Sox come to town Tuesday .
``It's been a long trip,'' Wedge said.
No one would argue that.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/24/06

Indians notebook

Wedge still irked by ejections

Tribe manager, reliever Guthrie not expected to receive fines, suspensions from Saturday's events

By Terry Pluto

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->KANSAS CITY, MO. - The Indians don't anticipate any major fines or suspensions for Saturday's fiasco in which manager Eric Wedge and pitcher Jeremy Guthrie were ejected.
``There better not be any,'' said Wedge, still upset about the proceedings Sunday morning. ``There was no reason for them to inject themselves into the game.''
Guthrie was thumbed for hitting Esteban German of the Kansas City Royals with a 1-and-2 pitch to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning. The Royals had a 7-4 lead, but the Indians had come back from a 7-0 deficit.
Crew chief Joe West said Guthrie was throwing at German because he had stolen second base in the fourth inning, when the score was 7-0. Supposedly, that was piling on and rubbing it into the Tribe.
Guthrie and Wedge were stunned by the ejection. At first, they had no idea why the umpires wanted Guthrie out of the game. No warnings had been issued. Then Wedge said the umpires told him that he ordered Guthrie to hit German.
That was not the case, said Wedge, because the bullpen was thin, and the Indians were trying to come back and win the game. They had plenty of time with the score 7-4 in the sixth.
``I wasn't trying to hit anyone,'' Guthrie said. ``I wanted to keep us in the game. We had a chance to win.''
The Indians ended up 11-5 losers, the first victory in 12 games for the Royals. Given the close relationship between Royals manager Buddy Bell and Wedge, it was strange for the umpires to assume the Royals meant any disrespect.
Bell didn't believe that Guthrie was trying to hit German. Wedge said he understood why German would want to steal in the fourth inning -- the game was far from over.
Both guys said they respect each other.
Bell was Wedge's bench coach from 2003 until he was hired to manage the Royals in the middle of last season.
Day of rest
After 18 consecutive starts, Travis Hafner was given Sunday off. The designated hitter was 0-for-7 and the Indians were facing Royals left-hander Jeremy Affeldt, so manager Eric Wedge decided to let the left-handed hitter rest.
Wedge also said Hafner had ``the usual aches and pains.'' That sometimes means his right elbow aches.
He has had two surgeries on it in the past, and that's why he can't be a regular at first base.
On Sunday, he played
Kelly Shoppach made his second start as a catcher, the rookie going 1-for-2 with a walk.
He made an excellent leaping grab of a throw to tag out a runner at the plate.
Acquired from the Boston Red Sox in the Coco Crisp/Andy Marte deal, Shoppach is 2-for-5 this season and looks solid defensively.
Starting catcher Victor Martinez took Hafner's spot at DH, and was 2-for-4. Martinez is hitting a team-leading .387 and leads the Tribe with 15 RBI. Opposing base runners are 19-of-19 stealing bases against the Tribe.
Shoppach tossed out 44 percent of runners in the minors last season.
Perhaps the Indians will do this more often, with Martinez being the DH or taking a turn at first base.
The platoon
The Indians might not be in a rush to change the left/right platoon of Ben Broussard and Eduardo Perez at first. They have combined to hit .350 with four homers and 17 RBI.
Standing pat
For now, there will be no more promotions for the bullpen.
Wedge said he wants to look at rookies Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Slocum in relief. A native of New York, Slocum said his family flew in from the Big Apple and saw his big-league debut (two innings, two runs) Saturday.
Moving forward
C.C. Sabathia is expected to start Thursday for Class AAA Buffalo. If he stays healthy, he should return to the Tribe rotation the following week.
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