Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

4/25/06

Problems start with rotation

Tuesday, April 25, 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]


CLEVELAND - Nobody’s safe.
When the 2006 season began, the Indians thought they had insulated themselves from the pitching woes that have plagued other teams. There had been some turnover in personnel, of course, but every pitcher on the staff either was an experienced veteran with a statistical track record of some success or a young prospect projected to be successful.
Three weeks into the season, however, it’s fair to say the club’s best-laid plans have gone awry. The Indians enter tonight’s game against Boston with the 11th-best overall ERA (5.53) of the 14 American League teams.
“We’re going through a tough stretch,” Manager Eric Wedge said. “Every season has them. You just have to grind through them and overcome.”
Cleveland needs to overcome an alarming rash of inconsistency by its starters and injuries to the relief pitchers that already have forced the team to plumb the depths of its farm system.
The pitching problems start with the starters.
Opening Day pitcher C.C. Sabathia didn’t make it through the third inning of his first start before going on the disabled list. His replacement, Fausto Carmona, has a 7.15 ERA after two appearances, one good and one bad. The Indians are skipping Carmona’s next start.
Cliff Lee (3.33) has been steady. No. 5 starter Jason Johnson (2.81) has been a pleasant surprise. Jake Westbrook (5.92) and Paul Byrd (9.15) have been surprises — but certainly not pleasant ones.
Cleveland’s starters have been getting knocked out of games early, putting pressure on the injury-decimated bullpen. Only six times in 19 games has a starting pitcher worked into the seventh inning.
“Our starters need to be better,” Wedge said. “We’re not talking about going five or six innings. We want them to pitch into the seventh inning or through the seventh inning. They’re capable.”
Byrd’s struggles are particularly alarming when one considers the club has invested $14.25 million in him over the next two years.
“I still have confidence in Paul,” Wedge said. “He’s just been a little bit off. He needs to get ahead and get in better counts. He’s been erratic. He will still have a solid year. He needs to make some adjustments.”
Tribe fans might have difficulty adjusting to the idea that their pitching has become a liability. The Indians led the league in ERA (3.61) and bullpen ERA (2.80) last season
Five of the 12 primary pitchers from that staff began this season with other teams. American League ERA leader Kevin Millwood, fifth starter Scott Elarton and setup man Bobby Howry departed via free agency, and relievers Arthur Rhodes and David Riske were traded.
Last year’s Indians also had incredible good fortune where injuries were concerned. Cleveland’s five primary starters were able to answer the bell 158 times in 162 games.
This year’s team has not been as fortunate. Sabathia went down on Opening Day, and he already has been followed to the disabled list by relievers Fernando Cabrera, Matt Miller and Rafael Betancourt. Miller is expected to have elbow surgery this week and could miss the rest of the season.
One unfortunate aspect of the pitching struggles is that the Indians certainly have been hitting well enough to win. They were batting .306 through Sunday, .304 with runners in scoring position and .317 with men on base. Casey Blake, the No. 9 batter in the order, is hitting .371 with 14 RBIs in 18 games.
None of the pitchers want to fail, of course. And, if previous success is any indication, there is reason to believe better days are coming. “I don’t want to press, and I don’t want to take it too lightly,” Byrd said. “It’s frustrating, and it’s not acceptable.” Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail [email protected]


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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/25/06

Approach on Phillips was flawed

By Terry Pluto

<!-- begin body-content -->It is still too early to know if the Indians made a major mistake, or just a minor one, with Brandon Phillips.
Either way, their approach was flawed.
At the end of spring training, the Tribe traded Phillips to the Cincinnati Reds for the famed ``Player To Be Named.'' It could end up just being cash. Phillips responded by claiming the starting second-base job for the Reds and is hitting .372 with three homers and 17 RBI.
Phillips eventually will cool off, but there are several people in the Tribe front office who privately believed up to the day that he was traded that he still was going to have a solid major-league career.
Yet, the Indians received virtually nothing for him.
So what happened with the Indians and Phillips?
He was reputed to be the top prospect acquired in the Bartolo Colon deal with the Montreal Expos in 2002 and was the Tribe's Opening Day second baseman in 2003. He was 21 when that season began and batted only .208 in 112 games.
The rebuilding Indians probably rushed him. They were desperate to find players and knew that Phillips was such a gifted athlete that he had been offered a basketball scholarship by the University of Georgia. They hoped that he could make a quick adjustment to the majors. He wasn't ready.
Phillips started at Triple-A Buffalo in 2004 and never again was able to break into the Tribe lineup. Some of the fault belonged to Phillips, some to the fact that the Indians had better players in front of him.
There was veteran Omar Vizquel at shortstop, then Jhonny Peralta became an emerging star. Veteran Ronnie Belliard was signed to play second base.
In 2003, Phillips hit .175 in 154 at-bats at Buffalo. In 2004, he was a .303 hitter at Buffalo. Last year, it was .256. He probably thought that he had been in Buffalo long enough to be mayor.
He might have believed that the Indians had lost some faith in him. He could be right.
He really did need a fresh start with another team.
This spring, Phillips was out of minor-league options. He either had to make the team or be placed on waivers for $20,000. The Indians knew someone would claim him.
Manager Eric Wedge didn't think that Phillips was suited to being a guy who plays only once a week, sometimes less. He believed that Ramon Vazquez would ``be a better fit.''
Vazquez is 29. He has been a career .258 hitter in parts of four major-league seasons with three teams. He's happy to wait his turn on the bench. It's a safe guess that no matter what Phillips did this spring, Wedge wanted to keep Vazquez because of doubts how Phillips would handle not playing.
Phillips batted .316 in the spring, Vazquez .235. The Indians seemed to be hanging on to Phillips in case Belliard or Peralta would have got hurt. The logic was this: If we need a starter, it's Phillips. If we need a bench guy, it's Vazquez.
That says the front office clearly thought that Phillips was the superior talent.
When Peralta and Belliard both stayed healthy, the Indians virtually were forced to give away Phillips. They kept Vazquez, a player who probably would get through waivers without being claimed. A guess is this was the front office bowing to the wishes of the manager, although no one has said as much.
The Tribe would have been wiser to deal Phillips last season -- when it became obvious that he had fallen out of favor. Remember when they called him up for three weeks in July? He was 0-for-9 and supposedly was working with batting coach Derek Shelton. In September when rosters were expanded, Phillips was not promoted.
With future star Grady Sizemore in center and 18-game winner Cliff Lee in the rotation, the Indians still received tremendous value for Colon. They now have nothing to show for Phillips. For that, they have only themselves to blame.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

4/25/06

INDIANS INSIDER
Shapiro, Wedge state case about ejections


Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter

General Manager Mark Shapiro and manager Eric Wedge stated their case Monday with MLB officials about Saturday's ejections of Wedge and right-hander Jeremy Guthrie at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
Bob Watson, MLB's director of on-field operations, could fine or suspend Wedge and/or Guthrie.

"We expressed our concerns," Shapiro said.

Shapiro declined further comment, saying, "Eric stated it pretty clearly on Sunday."

Plate umpire Jim Wolf ejected Guthrie in the sixth inning Saturday for hitting leadoff batter Esteban German with a 1-2 pitch. Crew chief Joe West ejected Wedge for arguing.

West and Wolf thought German was intentionally hit because he stole second base in the fourth inning with a 7-0 lead. Wedge criticized West and Wolf after the game for "having no feel for the game" and directly impacting Kansas City's 11-5 victory.

When asked Sunday if he expected to be fined, Wedge said, "I better not."

The Royals, leading, 8-4, at the time of Guthrie's ejection, scored three runs in the sixth when rookie right-hander Brian Slocum was rushed into the game in his big-league debut.

Watson could make a decision later this week.

A-OK:

C.C. Sabathia threw a bullpen session Monday and was cleared to make a rehab start Thursday at Class AAA Buffalo against Syracuse.

If Sabathia throws well Thursday, his next start could be in the Tribe's starting rotation. He strained his right oblique muscle April 2 in the season opener against Chicago.

Outside looking in:

Royals starter Scott Elarton thinks Chicago is better than it was last year but isn't sure about the Indians.

"I think they miss Coco Crisp," Elarton said. "Anything hit from the foul line in left field to center field, he caught."

Elarton, who won 11 games for the Tribe last season in the No. 5 spot, is 0-4 as Kansas City's No. 1 starter. The Royals have scored one run in those four games.

He signed a two-year, $8 million deal over the winter after making 52 starts for the Indians from 2004 to 2005. The Indians appeared reluctant to offer Elarton, a free agent, two years.

"The Indians asked me if I was interested in signing a two-year deal," Elarton said. "I said, 'Well, yeah!' But they were right in the middle of trying to sign Nomar [Garciaparra], and I couldn't wait.

"I loved playing in Cleveland. It was a hard place to leave. But I had to do what I had to do."

Elarton starts tonight against Minnesota's Kyle Lohse.

"Things look bleak here right now, but I think we're headed in the right direction," Elarton said. "I feel like we're two years behind Cleveland. They went through some rough times two years ago. I think that's where we are right now."

Day and night:

Victor Martinez is hitting .387 (29-for-75) with four homers and 15 RBI after 19 games. After 19 games last year, he was hitting .221 (15-for-68) with two homers and eight RBI.

"It's a lot better than last year," Martinez said. "I'm just trying to put good swings on the ball."

Ruffled feathers:

Paul Byrd and pitching coach Carl Willis reviewed video Sunday morning of Saturday night's start against the Royals. He allowed seven runs on six hits in three innings.

"He's a little off right now, and that can make a big difference when you're 60 feet, 6 inches away from the plate," Wedge said. "When we look at Byrd at the end of the year, we'll see a guy who's had a very good year for us."

Finally:

All fans attending Saturday's game against Texas will receive a Grady Sizemore bobblehead doll.

 

[NFBuck]

This pitching staff is starting to seriously worry me. We started slowly last April because our bats weren't getting it done, but I think everyone knew that the ability to hit was there. Now, the arms just aren't getting it done, which was most peoples concerns coming in. I'm not so sure the ability is there. Injuries are hurting to.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/26/06

Indians drop third in a row

Ramirez's three-run homer breaks tie in eighth inning

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - The problem wasn't Curt Schilling after all.
The media, and probably the fans, looked ahead to Tuesday night's game between the Indians and Red Sox and came to the conclusion the Tribe's fortunes rested on its ability to vanquish Schilling.
Not true. The Wahoos scored five runs off Schilling but lost 8-6, thanks to a few bad pitches, along with a fielding lapse in the seventh inning.
Jake Westbrook was far from his best but gave up only two runs. Scott Sauerbeck gave up one on his only pitch, which David Ortiz hit into the seats in the seventh.
Guillermo Mota caught the same disease one inning later, giving up a three-run bomb to Manny Ramirez that snapped a 5-5 tie.
Then there was Jason Varitek's routine fly in the seventh. Casey Blake retreated, then made a headlong rush. The ball dropped in for a single that eventually led to Boston's fifth run.
Until Tuesday night, Schilling had been virtually invincible, posting a 4-0 record and 1.61 earned-run average.
But he yielded as many runs to the Tribe (five) as he had to all of his other opponents. He also walked two, half as many as he had walked in all four of his previous starts.
Schilling was vulnerable, but he wasn't that vulnerable. In 6 2/3 innings, he struck out eight. He also delivered 133 pitches, nine of them ending up as hits for the Indians.
It was the Indians' ability to produce four extra-base hits that did in Schilling.
Ben Broussard homered in the second inning after a walk to Victor Martinez.
In the third, Grady Sizemore tripled with one out and scored on Jason Michaels' single. With two outs, Travis Hafner doubled Michaels to the plate.
Schilling gave it up one more time, when he probably should have been in the dugout, lugging his high pitch count with him.
Blake led off with a double and scored on Sizemore's single, and it looked like the Indians were on their way. But Michaels hit a rocket shot that Schilling snagged and turned into a double play because Sizemore was running on the pitch.
Westbrook was uncharacteristically wild, yet uncharacteristically lucky. He tied a career high by walking six, but only one batter who reached on a free pass was able to score.
Even so, the inability to command the strike zone cost Westbrook in another way. By the time he had carefully navigated through the fifth inning, he had thrown 98 pitches and was forced to take a seat in the dugout for the rest of the chilly (42 degrees at first pitch) evening.
However, Westbrook left the game with a 4-2 lead, despite putting 12 runners on base -- six hitting safely -- and throwing only 47 strikes (48 percent).
Westbrook's usual mastery of the ground-ball out was only a sometime thing. He got six outs (one double play) on five bouncers, far below his normal percentage.
Moreover, if not for a slapstick display of base running initiated by Manny Ramirez, Westbrook might have suffered an earlier exit.
It happened in the third inning with Ramirez on second and Varitek on first and one out. Unaccountably, Ramirez began meandering toward third as Westbrook took his stretch.
Ramirez made himself a little too conspicuous for Westbrook to miss. You probably can figure out the rest. Both he and Varitek eventually were tagged out to end the threat.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/26/06

Indians notebook

Bullpen in state of disarray with recent injuries

Wickman, Mota only relievers with defined roles. Team aims to get better at preventing stolen bases

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Is the Indians bullpen beginning to disintegrate, or is it merely in a state of flux?
Matt Miller will undergo surgery today to repair a tendon in his right elbow, and Rafael Betancourt is on the disabled list with a strained muscle in his back and probably won't return for three to four weeks.
Miller probably will miss the rest of the season, but head trainer Lonnie Soloff said, ``There's a chance he could pitch late in the second half, and we're cautiously optimistic that he'll make a full recovery.''
Fernando Cabrera has been on the disabled list since April 13 with a bruised heel, but his real problem appears to have been a failure to throw enough innings in spring training, which the World Baseball Classic interrupted. He is expected to be activated Saturday.
All of this has scrambled manager Eric Wedge's carefully constructed bullpen pecking order.
``We have no guys in defined roles right now except Bob Wickman (closer) and Guillermo Mota (setup man),'' Wedge said Tuesday.
If Wickman is unavailable to close, Mota probably can take over for a game. But who will be the assistant setup man, if Motta pitches two or three consecutive nights?
``Jason Davis can help in that role,'' Wedge said. ``Scott Sauerbeck might be used late if needed, and we'll work the young kids in. Danny Graves also figures in the mix.''
Graves had success as a closer with the Cincinnati Reds, but Wedge is uncertain of what he will get out of the veteran because in seven appearances, Graves has compiled a 7.36 ERA.
At least until Carmona returns, and probably after, the bullpen will have an unsettled look. What happens to recent call-ups Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Slocum will depend on how they pitch, and how well they pitch will depend in part on the opportunities they receive.
``There will be more changes when we start getting guys back,'' Wedge said.
Still waiting
Victor Martinez (0-for-18) and Kelly Shoppach (0-for-1) have yet to throw out a runner attempting to steal.
Is it the catchers or the pitchers, who are notorious for failing to hold runners?
``It's a collective effort,'' Wedge said. ``We gave strong emphasis to this in spring training, and we came out of training camp feeling pretty good. To put ourselves in a better position to control the running game takes a group effort.''
Continuing the fight
Tribe officials were so upset about the ejection of Jeremy Guthrie from Saturday night's game that they filed a complaint with the commissioner's office.
``We've given them our opinion,'' Wedge said. ``They have a form you can use for that to be done.''
However, the team has not asked for umpire Jim Wolf to be disciplined for throwing out Guthrie for hitting Esteban German.
The umpires said Guthrie intentionally hit German because he stole a base with the Kansas City Royals leading 7-0. At the time German was hit, however, the Tribe had closed the gap to 7-4 with three innings to play.
Postmortem
Losing two out of three in Kansas City did little for the Indians' finely honed reputation.
``It was just a tough time for our starting rotation,'' Wedge said. ``But I also think it was about execution. It had nothing to do with effort or our approach. And these guys are really pretty resilient.''
In addition to pitching failures, the Tribe was unable to take advantage of Royals pitchers, who frequently were behind in the count, and the Tribe defense made three errors in the two defeats.
Farm facts
Rob Bell, Steve Karsay and Ben Howard combined to blank Syracuse in a 1-0 Buffalo win in Class AAA. Karsay worked three innings, giving up one hit.... Scott Lewis threw five shutout innings, giving up three hits and striking out six, in Kinston's 5-1 win over Lynchburg in Class A.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

4/26/06

Tribe Notebook: Hafner says he’s fine

Wednesday, April 26, 2006


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


CLEVELAND - If you happen to be walking around Sykeston, N.D., today, please tell Mr. and Mrs. Hafner their son is alive and well and living in Cleveland.
Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner was held out of Sunday’s starting lineup for what Manager Eric Wedge described as “normal Hafner aches and pains.” Hafner was back in the lineup Tuesday, and said he was neither aching nor in pain in Kansas City.
“I got to the ballpark and my name wasn’t in the lineup,” Hafner said. “I’m just fine today. I was fine (Sunday).”
Victor Martinez worked as the designated hitter Sunday and Kelly Shoppach started at catcher. Hafner had been 0-for-7 in the series and was 0-for-6 lifetime against Royals starter Jeremy Affeldt.
“I hadn’t had a lot of success against (Affeldt), so maybe that was the reason,” Hafner said.
Hafner came into Tuesday’s game batting .343 with seven home runs and a .463 on-base percentage. His 24 runs scored were the most in baseball.
If the Indians are being cautious with Hafner, there is good reason. He has battled elbow problems the last two years, and had bone spurs removed from his right elbow following the 2004 season. The bum elbow limited him to one game at first base in 2005.
Wedge didn’t have much to say when asked about Hafner’s physical state.
“He’s fine,” Wedge said.

TODAY The series continues tonight at 7:05. Cliff Lee (1-1, 3.33) will start against Tim Wakefield (1-3, 3.71).
UNDER THE KNIFE Right-hander Matt Miller will have surgery today to repair a tendon on the inside of his right elbow. Miller likely will miss the rest of the season. “If there’s a chance he’ll be back this year, it’s a slim chance,” Wedge said. Head trainer Lonnie Soloff said he expects Miller to pitch next season.
ON THE MEND C.C. Sabathia (ribcage) will make a minor-league rehab start Thursday afternoon for Triple-A Buffalo. If all goes well, Sabathia would be activated from the disabled list and start for the Indians on Tuesday against Chicago. Sabathia threw a 45-to-50 pitch bullpen session Monday and said he felt good.
WAITING GAME Wedge is waiting to see whether he will be fined or suspended by Major League Baseball for being ejected from Saturday’s game in Kansas City. Wedge told his side of the story to MLB officials Monday. “We voiced our opinion, I guess, is the best way to put it,” Wedge said.
TOUGH JOB Former Cleveland catcher Josh Bard has started five games for Boston, four with knuckleballer Wakefield pitching. Bard, who had never caught a knuckleball pitcher previously, leads the American League with six passed balls. “There’s no such thing as a perfect game,” Bard said. “My goal is just to catch every catchable ball. It’s obviously a challenge.”
NOT A SHOCK Bard said he was not exactly stunned when told he had been traded to Boston. “It’s tough to be behind Victor (Martinez),” Bard said. “That’s a guy you know is not going to have a lot of days off. You could see the handwriting on the wall.”
Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail [email protected]


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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

4/26/06

INDIANS NOTEBOOK

Opportunity knocks in ’pen

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CLEVELAND — The Indians already have used 17 pitchers, as many as they used all last season. The bullpen, in particular, is in flux. There is pressure and opportunity.
Bob Wickman is entrenched as the closer, and Guillermo Mota is the primary setup man. Beyond that, manager Eric Wedge said, "there are no defined roles."
It is a significant departure from last season. But it also could be a significant opportunity for youngsters Jason Davis, Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Slocum. It is often how careers are born in the volatile world of relief pitching.
Wedge said he would consider using Davis, who began the season in triple-A, as a setup man. Davis welcomes the chance.
"I just have to stay relaxed," he said, "keep pitching the way I’ve been pitching, don’t try overdoing it, don’t overthrow."
The latter has been a point of emphasis for Davis in his transition from starter to reliever. He has the talent to succeed in a late-inning role. . The recent injuries to Fernando Cabrera, Rafael Betancourt and Matt Miller could present the opportunity.
Meanwhile, Mota likely will be called upon in the seventh inning more often than Bobby Howry was last season. The Indians had a three-run lead after six innings last Friday, and Wedge used Mota for two innings to get to Wickman.
All is well

Travis Hafner was given Sunday off, and before the game Wedge said the slugger was suffering from "normal Hafner aches and pains." Hafner has had elbow problems in recent seasons but said the elbow is currently strong.
"All spring it was good, and all season it has been good," he said.
When asked about the "normal Hafner aches and pains," Hafner said, "I’m fine. I don’t know what that means. I came to the ballpark and my name wasn’t in the lineup."
Hit and run

Miller will have surgery today to repair a tendon in his right elbow. It is unlikely he will pitch again this season. … Betancourt said the strained muscle in his upper back has responded better than expected to treatment, and he hopes to resume throwing this weekend
[email protected]

 

[exhawg]

Talk about a depressing game to be at last night. I'm wondering if the pitchers are just pitching poorly or Wedge isn't pulling them when he should. I was happy when he took out JW last night because he struggled through the 5 innings that he pitched. I was happy that he was able to make it as long as he did with the control problems that he was having. Has SS ever pitched well. I swear every time I see him pitch he gives up a hit i.e. homer to Ortiz. Mota pitched well his first inning, but Wedge stuck with him too long. Graves looked good, but by then it was too late. The Sox are good, but the Tribe should have been able to hang on to that lead. The Jake was freezing last night so hopefully that was part of the problem. I think all the home runs came to my section last night.

 

[JCOSU86]

Walking Ortiz to pitch to Ramirez, great idea

The worst possible thing happened, a three run homer....

 

[OSUsushichic]

Walking Ortiz to pitch to Ramirez, great idea

The worst possible thing happened, a three run homer....

Yeah, in hindsight that was a bad idea. You have to pick your poison with Oritiz and Ramirez.

 

[MolGenBuckeye]

Yeah, in hindsight that was a bad idea. You have to pick your poison with Oritiz and Ramirez.

I still think it was the right move with 1st open. Ortiz has started the year much hotter than Manny.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

If given the option of pitching to ortiz or ramirez with the game on the line, that choice is ramirez 11 times out of 10.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/27/06

Skid passes by Indians

Tribe hits Wakefield, takes advantage of four passed balls

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Most major-league managers will shrug and walk the other way if you ask them how to prepare for a knuckleball pitcher. But the Indians found a way.
The Tribe's two-pronged attack paid off in a 7-1 win over the Boston Red Sox at Jacobs Field on Wednesday night, snapping a three-game losing streak.
It had nothing to do with hitting coach Derek Shelton telling his pupils to stand in the front of the batter's box or count to 100 Mississippi before taking a hack.
One of the key elements of the scheme was to take advantage of Tim Wakefield's floating knuckler by stealing bases.
To complete the strategy, the Indians crossed their fingers and hoped that luckless Josh Bard would have problems catching Wakefield's dancing money pitch.
Did he ever. Bard, who already led the majors in passed balls with six, let four more pitches get past him (actually five, but Victor Martinez failed to make a dash to third in the sixth inning).
``You don't assume anything, but you have to be prepared for that,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``I caught Wakefield (1-4, 3.90 ERA) when he first came to Boston. I only did it a couple of times, but it's not easy.
``The last couple of feet, you never know what's going to happen. It's one of the most difficult things you have to do as a catcher.''
Then there were the stolen bases. Going into Wednesday night's game, scouts charting the Tribe's tendencies would not have included the running game as a weapon.
However, Grady Sizemore, Jason Michaels and Ronnie Belliard each stole a base, equaling the team's total for the entire season.
``You can be more aggressive with your secondary lead,'' Wedge said. ``You have to track the ball and be prepared to move.''
It's easy to point to Jhonny Peralta's first-inning, three-run homer as the death knell to the completion of Wakefield's mission. But an early three-run lead doesn't dash a team's hopes nearly as much as a 5-1 deficit after six innings.
And both the steals and the passed balls contributed to Cleveland's run total, even though the only runner to score after stealing, Sizemore, came home on Peralta's homer.
Of all things, Peralta hit a fastball for the home run.
``You have to be surprised at that,'' he said. ``I hit it pretty good.''
Peralta did not see Wakefield throw a fastball the rest of the game.
In the fourth, Martinez led off with a walk, took second on a passed ball, third on Belliard's single and scored on another passed ball.
Martinez began the sixth with a single and trotted to second on yet another passed ball. He scored from there on Aaron Boone's two-out double.
``I don't know what he would say, but I could barely touch that thing,'' said Boone of Wakefield's knuckler. ``Finally, I got something I could shoot down the line.''
When Wakefield retired for the evening, after 5 2/3 innings, two of the five runs he allowed were ruled unearned because of the passed balls.
Vanquishing Wakefield was one goal, the other was holding the Red Sox. That duty was handled with aplomb by starter Cliff Lee and relievers Jason Davis and Bob Wickman.
All of them were so efficient, the Sox never were able to put up much of a fight.
Lee (2-1, 2.97 ERA) carefully pushed through six innings, giving up only four hits and four walks.
``That's one of the best outings I've had this year, six innings and one run against the Red Sox,'' Lee said. ``I'll take that every time against them.''
One of the hits was a home run by Wily Mo Pena in the fourth, but two double plays and three timely strikeouts kept Lee from getting into real trouble.
He could have slid into the abyss twice.
Lee loaded the bases with two outs in the third, but struck out David Ortiz. Then in the sixth, Mark Loretta beat out an infield hit and Ortiz struck out again. Manny Ramirez followed by drawing a walk, but Mike Lowell flied out and Pena struck out.
``You can't miss over the plate with him -- him and Manny both,'' Lee said of Ortiz, who came into the game with a career total of two doubles and a single in nine at-bats against the lefty. ``That's their team. Usually, Ortiz puts a pretty good swing on me.''
Davis followed Lee by throwing two near-flawless innings, allowing only a walk, and Wickman pitched the ninth, giving up a double.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

4/27/06

ESPN puts Tribe in national spotlight

Indians on three more times in next six days

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - ESPN seems to have found a home at Jacobs Field.
In addition to airing Wednesday night's game between the Indians and Red Sox, the sports network will be back tonight, Sunday night and Tuesday afternoon.
If ESPN has temporarily fallen in love with Cleveland, its presence hasn't made much of an impression on the Tribe's players.
``I don't care about that,'' Ronnie Belliard said. ``It's the same game. Nothing changes.''
But doesn't everyone want to be on national TV? It's already been proven that people will happily eat maggots and jump off bridges for a chance to be seen by the masses.
``I don't care about that either,'' Belliard said. ``I'm on TV every night, anyway. Do you want to be on TV?''
Players were aware that ESPN was in the house Wednesday.
``Yeah, I think I knew,'' Aaron Boone said. ``I saw the sign and the announcers.''
But like Belliard, Boone didn't plan on preening for the cameras or making sure he applied makeup before trotting to third base.
``I don't really care,'' Boone said.
Maybe players are jaded, because they are constantly in front of a camera or a microphone.
``Jaded? That's fair,'' Boone said. ``The only thing I notice about ESPN is that the game starts at 7:07 instead of 7:05.'' And it did.
Not even the thought of family and friends around the country watching seems to soften players' indifference to the arrival of a national network.
``The only thing I would be concerned about is my parents,'' Jason Michaels said. ``But they see me play every day (from Tampa) anyway.''
Casey Blake almost looked impressed when he was told ESPN was televising four Indians games in seven days.
``I guess they think they're pretty good games,'' he said.
But the exposure to a larger audience apparently does not create additional pressure.
``Once I get out there,'' Blake said, ``I don't think about anything.''
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