Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/19/06

Indians welcome ugly win

Mediocre play still adds up to third consecutive victory against Royals

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - The Indians must be on a roll.
Even though they failed to play flawlessly on the bases and in the field, received only moderately effective pitching from starter Cliff Lee and nearly blew a four-run lead, they head into tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates with a three-game winning streak.
Yeah, yeah, you say. It's no big deal beating the Kansas City Royals three times in a row, except the same Royals swept a three-game series from the Tribe just last week.
So Thursday's 6-5 win at Jacobs Field cannot be dismissed lightly.
There were elements of excellence buried within some very mediocre execution.
For example, Bob Wickman closed out the game by striking out John Buck on a 3-and-2 breaking pitch at the waist. Buck obviously wasn't looking for either that pitch, that location or both.
And that's what Wickman was counting on to earn his seventh save.
``I was hoping I could do that,'' Wickman said. ``Pitchers will tell you that if you throw (a slider or curve) at the batter, it will freeze him. If you throw it away in that situation, he'll probably be looking for it.''
Then there was Casey Blake, who continues to lead the American League in hitting with a .370 average. Blake singled twice, driving in two runs with a bases-loaded hit in the third inning.
He also kept a rally going by bunting for a single in the second inning, when the Indians scored their first run.
Bunting for a hit has become so rare among Tribe batters that Blake was quizzed at length about it by the media.
``I told myself, `I'll look to see where the third baseman is playing,' '' Blake began. ``I hadn't faced (Runelvys) Hernandez enough to know what kind of approach I should have, so I thought I'd give it a shot.''
After thinking it over, Blake added, ``I don't know why I did it. I thought it would be a good play.''
Blake didn't exactly crush his two-run single in the third, but he hit a soft liner that settled to earth in center field.
``You get kind of lucky sometimes,'' he said. ``You look at that swing -- it wasn't pretty -- but I hit it where they weren't.''
Lee (3-4, 4.25 ERA) struggled with his command early, giving up two runs, but got control of the game from the third through the sixth, before running into trouble in the seventh.
At that point, Cleveland was in front 6-2, but Lee walked the leadoff batter then gave up consecutive doubles, the second driving in two runs.
Manager Eric Wedge came to get him at that point. Fernando Cabrera rushed to Lee's rescue, sort of, striking out two batters but walking one and allowing Tony Graffanino's RBI double to cut the Kansas City deficit to one run.
``Cliff got in trouble by walking the leadoff guy,'' Wedge said. ``Then he gave up a couple of quick knocks, and I had to get him out of there.''
Scott Sauerbeck, Rafael Betancourt and Wickman followed Cabrera, combining for 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Tribe offense spent much of the afternoon threatening to blow the doors off the Royals' hopes, then backing away.
Two runners were thrown out at the plate, one unneccesarily.
With one out in the fifth, Ronnie Belliard doubled and Aaron Boone singled him home. Kelly Shoppach followed with a double, and Boone was tagged out at the plate after a high throw when he failed to slide.
Why didn't Boone slide? Sizemore, standing at the plate waiting for Boone, didn't give him the signal.
``I just messed up,'' Sizemore said. ``I was watching the play instead of helping out.''
Boone shrugged and said only, ``That shouldn't happen.''
Whatever ``that'' is.
According to Wedge, ``It was a miscommunication both ways. I think Grady was telling him to get down, but it looked like he was telling him to stay up; I talked to him about it. Boone would have scored.''
Among the three commentaries on the play, the safest course would be to go with Sizemore's explanation.
Ben Broussard also was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on Boone's single in the seventh. But that was a case of applying the following rule: ``Always send the runner with two outs and force the outfielder to make a good throw.'' Royals left fielder Emil Brown did.
Wedge confirmed that analysis, saying, ``We have to go there. No doubt about it.''
The Indians could have used the extra run or two as insurance, as well as the run they gave away on Boone's throwing error in the first inning.
But they won, anyway, which means they must be on a tear, even though you never know for sure.
<!-- end body-content --><!-- begin body-end -->

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/19/06

Notebook

Lee finds Gatorade to be thirst quencher

Starter struggles with dizziness in first inning, settles down for victory after taking sports drink

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Indians starter Cliff Lee had problems getting through the first inning Thursday but survived to earn the 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals.
He walked the first two batters of the game, then yielded an infield hit that turned into a run-producing blow because of an error by Aaron Boone.
Yet all things considered, Lee probably was fortunate to limit the damage to one run.
``I felt dizzy in the first inning,'' he said. ``I don't know what happened. I was struggling to throw strikes.
``I went in the clubhouse and drank some Gatorade and started to feel normal. It was almost like a blood-sugar thing. It was pretty strange. I used to feel like that when I was younger, but it hadn't happened in a while. It's totally nothing major.''
Lee also gave up a run in the second, then worked four strong innings before running into trouble in the seventh and allowing three runs.
``I felt it a little in the second, but then it went away,'' he said.
Despite Lee almost giving up the lead in the seventh, manager Eric Wedge did not criticize the performance.
``I thought Cliff pitched well,'' he said. ``He did a good job of damage control in the first, and after that he really made his pitches.''
Lee allowed all five runs (one unearned) on eight hits and three walks, striking out seven.
In the process, he broke a personal three-game losing streak. He hadn't won since April 26 against the Boston Red Sox.
Over and out
Grady Sizemore's solo homer against the Royals was his fifth in the past 13 games, but he is not happy with his recent workmanship with the bat.
``I feel like I had a bad series at the plate,'' he said. ``Some days I feel good; some days I feel bad. I'm still trying to get in a groove and have good at-bats every day.''
Close, but . . .
You would think every player in the Tribe clubhouse would know the team snapped a six-game losing streak Tuesday night.
Then again... as Lee said, ``This (sweep) was big. What was it we lost, seven in a row?''
Lee is looking forward to interleague play, which begins tonight. However, he won't be in his glory until the Indians play at Milwaukee next month.
``I like interleague play,'' he said. ``Pitchers get to hit. To me, that's the funnest part of baseball.''
Sticking around
Danny Graves, designated for assignment a week ago, cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A.
Other stuff
Lee is 7-2 with a 4.72 ERA against the Royals. He has thrown at least five innings in his past 40 starts.... Casey Blake is riding a 15-game hitting streak, batting .426 over that span.... With two hits Thursday, Boone is batting .381 in his past seven games.... Bob Wickman has succeeded in his past 23 save opportunities.
Farm facts
Jeremy Guthrie threw five scoreless innings, allowing four hits and a walk, as Buffalo defeated Pawtucket 3-2. Andy Marte went 2-for-4.... Michael Aubrey and Argenis Reyes each had three hits, and Matt Whitney and Ryan Goleski homered in Kinston's 12-4 win over Potomac in the first game of a doubleheader. Jensen Lewis (6-2, 4.25 ERA) yielded one run in five innings. Reyes had three more hits in the second game, but Kinston lost 7-6.
<!-- end body-content --><!-- begin body-end -->

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

5/19/06

For Blake, hit-and-fun season leads league


Friday, May 19, 2006

Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter

It's the little things that make leading the big leagues in hitting worthwhile.

On Sunday, Detroit manager Jim Leyland ordered Casey Blake intentionally walked in the eighth inning even though he was hitting seventh.

"People thought that was kind of strange," said Blake.

Last year, Blake was intentionally walked three times in 523 at-bats. This year he's already been intentionally walked twice.

"You try to have fun with it," said Blake. "You have to believe you belong up there, but you can't get caught up in it."

Blake is hitting .370 (51-for-138) with seven homers and 30 RBI. He went 2-for-4 Thursday afternoon in the Indians' 6-5 victory over Kansas City at Jacobs Field.

He had a bunt single in the second inning to extend his hitting streak to 15 games. The bunt not only surprised the Royals, but manager Eric Wedge.

Following a leadoff single by Travis Hafner, Wedge was expecting Blake, hitting fifth in place of catcher Victor Martinez, to drive the ball.

"It surprised me, but it worked," said Wedge.

Hafner scored on groundouts by Ben Broussard and Ronnie Belliard to cut Kansas City's lead to 2-1.

In the third, Blake dumped a soft single into center field with the bases loaded to score Jason Michaels and Jhonny Peralta for a 3-2 lead the Indians never lost. After hitting .143 (2-for-14) last year with the bases loaded, Blake is hitting .750 (3-for-4) this year.

"The two guys in front of me had just walked, and I was trying to get a hit," said Blake. "It wasn't the prettiest of swings, but I was able to hit it where they weren't."

After 41 games last year, Blake was hitting .195 (26-for-133). The slow start grew into Blake's worst season in the big leagues.

In spring training this year, hitting coach Derek Shelton and Blake worked on his swing.

"It's all about going to the plate and believing you have a chance -- believing good things will happen," said Blake. "Last year I got off to a bad start, got impatient, started pressing and bad things happened."

In the three-game sweep of the Royals, Blake had a big hit in each game.

He hit a leadoff homer Tuesday in the third inning to start a rally that negated a 3-0 lead Kansas City took in the first.

In Wednesday's 5-0 victory, Blake gave Jake Westbrook the only run he would need with a two-out single in the second.

"Casey has a good, solid approach," said Shelton. "He's fouling off the pitcher's pitch and hitting his pitch."

Wedge likes a stable lineup. Blake, however, is hitting so well that Wedge has used him throughout the lineup. The only spots he hasn't hit in are leadoff, No. 3 and No. 4.

"I'm glad Wedgie has that much confidence in me so when J-Mike [Jason Michaels] or Vic [Victor Martinez] are out of the lineup, he doesn't think we're losing anything by putting me in there," said Blake.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-5158

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

5/19/06

Relief easing Tribe's tasks

Bullpen shines in sweep of Royals

Friday, May 19, 2006

Burt Graeff
Plain Dealer Reporter

The left-handed pitcher in any bullpen is like the offensive lineman on an NFL team. Failing draws more attention than succeeding.

Left-handed batters were hitting .308 off Scott Sauerbeck when he was brought in to face pinch-hitter Matt Stairs in the seventh inning of the Indians' 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday at Jacobs Field.

With two on, two outs and the Tribe hanging on to a one-run lead, Sauerbeck dug in to fan Stairs on a sweeping curve ball.

It was the key out in the Indians' third straight victory.

Sauerbeck had previ ously allowed nine left- handed bat ters to reach base in 18 plate appear ances (four hits, four walks, 1 hit batter), but was not par ticularly breathing a sigh of relief at retiring Stairs.

"I am not about to get worked up after facing 13 or 14 guys," Sauerbeck said. "When you are pitching a lot in mop-up situations, things can happen.
"I think I faced maybe three lefties in meaningful situations. Getting them out is not one of those things you suddenly lose."

Sauerbeck, the lone lefty in the bullpen, has a track record he can cite. In his last three active seasons - he missed 2004 rehabbing from shoulder surgery - Sauerbeck held left-handed hitters to a .168 (46-of-273) batting average.

"At the end of the year," he said, "I am talented enough to have the numbers."

The Indians (20-21) overcame Kansas City's three-run outburst in the seventh to win their third in a row. Cliff Lee (3-4, 4.25 ERA) got the victory to snap a personal three-game losing streak.

Lee, charged with five runs (four earned) in six-plus innings, benefited from six Tribe runs in the first five innings - along with some solid relief.

Lee was lifted after giving up a walk and two doubles to open the seventh, then watched Fernando Cabrera give up a run-scoring double to Tony Graffanino that cut what was a 6-2 lead to 6-5.

Sauerbeck, Rafael Betancourt and Bob Wickman held the Royals (10-28) scoreless over the last 2 1/3 innings. Wickman picked up his seventh save in seven opportunities.

The once-beleaguered bullpen has not been charged with a run in 12 innings.

"Everyone's been on us about our bullpen," Sauerbeck said, "but we lost two guys [Betancourt and Matt Miller] and had two guys [Brian Slocum and Rafael Perez] with no major league experience replacing them.

"Now, we are back getting healthy."

The Indians survived two runners thrown out at the plate because of Casey Blake's two-run single in the third, Ben Broussard's follow-up run-scoring hit, Aaron Boone's RBI single in the fifth, Ronnie Belliard's ground out that scored a run in the second and Grady Sizemore's fifth home run in 13 games -- a lead-off shot in the fourth.

Blake's bunt single in the second and RBI single in the third pushed his American League-leading batting average to .370. He's on a 15-game hitting streak, matching teammate Victor Martinez for the league high this season.

Boone was thrown out the plate in the fifth and Broussard in the seventh. Broussard was cut down on a terrific throw from left fielder Emil Brown, but Boone was out because Sizemore, waiting to hit, did not signal to slide.

"It's something that cannot happen, period," said Boone, clearly upset. "I wasn't happy. Fortunately, we hung on, but that shouldn't happen."

Sizemore agreed. "I messed it up," he said. "I was yelling to get down, but bottom line is that [Boone] couldn't hear me."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4479

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/19/06

INDIANS NOTEBOOK

Unlike a year ago, Blake’s off to fast start

Friday, May 19, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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

</IMG> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


CLEVELAND — Casey Blake saw an opening in the second inning yesterday, so he took a chance and dropped down a bunt, figuring at worst it would serve as a sacrifice.
It went for an infield single and sparked a run-scoring rally.
One year after serving as a whipping boy for upset Indians fans, Blake is riding a wave of good fortune and good feelings. He added a two-run single in the third inning and is now batting .370, best in the major leagues..
"It’s just believing — just believing you have a chance at the plate, that something good is going to happen," he said after the Indians held on for a 6-5 win over the Royals. "The beginning of the season I had allowed me to be patient and confident at the plate. Last year, starting the way I did, you start pressing, and bad things happen in that scenario."
Blake hit .188 in April last season and .204 in May, and he finished at .241. He began this season with hits in his first five games, and his average was .400 as late as April 21. He currently has a 15-game hitting streak.
"He’s using the entire field," manager Eric Wedge said. "He’s strong, but he’s a better hitter when he stays within himself."
Where’s the help ?

Aaron Boone was thrown out at the plate in the fifth inning when he failed to slide despite a high throw that left part of the plate exposed. As the on-deck batter, Grady Sizemore was supposed to signal Boone to slide or stand up, but he did neither until it was too late.
Boone and Wedge refused to place blame, but Sizemore put it on himself.
"I just messed up," he said. "I got caught in the middle of watching the play."
Down on the farm

Danny Graves cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to triple-A Buffalo. Graves was removed from the 40-man roster last week after posting a 5.79 ERA in 13 games with the Indians. ... Fox will broadcast the June 24 game against the Cincinnati Reds, so the start time has been moved from 7:05 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. ... Scott Sauerbeck struck out Matt Stairs to strand two runners in scoring position in the seventh inning. It was his first appearance in nine days. "I think the last time I pitched was Vietnam," he said. ... Journeyman minor-league outfielder Todd Donovan was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for a player to be named. ... Minor-league first baseman Michael Aubrey was promoted to double-A. Aubrey began the season in extended spring training to rehabilitate a back injury, then spent eight games with high-Class A Kinston, batting .286 with two home runs and three doubles in 28 at-bats.
[email protected]

Friday, May 19, 2006

Friday, May 19, 2006

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/20/06

Sabathia yields 3 hits to Pirates

Complete game lets him see Cavs' ending on TV

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Nobody knew it at the time, but after the Indians batted in the first inning, the only thing left to accomplish was for C.C. Sabathia to get 24 outs.
Yes, these are the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates, so it's no surprise that the Tribe came away with a 4-1 win Friday night at Jacobs Field.
On the other hand, Northeast Ohio fans know better.
The Kansas City Royals are as bereft of major-league credentials as the Pirates, yet they had no trouble giving the Indians nightmares last week, winning all three games at Kauffman Stadium.
But that was last week. This week, the Indians are riding a four-game winning streak, including three against Kansas City.
Still, the Pirates did not turn out to be easy marks. If not for another strong performance by Sabathia (3-1, 1.95 ERA), who knows what might have happened?
Sabathia pitched his first complete game of the season and the seventh of his career. He did not allow the Pirates to mount anything resembling a sustained rally.
Aside from Freddy Sanchez, who homered with one out in the fourth, no runner reached second base against Sabathia, who gave up three hits and one walk, striking out nine.
It was the first time in his career he had allowed so few hits. ``I didn't know that,'' Sabathia said.
``C.C. was outstanding,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``His tempo was fantastic. He utilized all his pitches; he and Victor (Martinez) did a good job of mixing it up. I can't say enough about C.C.'s performance.''
In the aftermath of the win, Sabathia was more interested in watching the climactic minutes of the Cavaliers-Pistons game, which was playing on every TV in the clubhouse.
Asked about how satisfying it was to throw a complete game, Sabathia joked: ``Yeah, it was great, especially so I could get in here in time to watch the end of the game. I looked in the dugout to check on the score every chance I got.''
Since coming off the disabled list May 2 after straining an abdominal muscle, Sabathia has a 1.20 ERA and has averaged almost 7 2/3 innings in each of his four starts.
Young (23) Zach Duke might not be a household name outside his own household, but he is one of the players the Pirates are counting on to revive the franchise.
He limited the Indians to three runs, all in the first inning. But he stuck around to pitch six solid innings after that, giving up a total of three runs and four hits and striking out six.
Duke's downfall should have been a lack of command. He issued six walks, but only in the first inning did a walk hurt him.
After Grady Sizemore led off with a home run, Jhonny Peralta drew a one-out walk and scored on a double by Martinez, who snapped an 0-for-21 skid. Martinez scored when Eduardo Perez followed with a single.
``Grady never gives away an at-bat,'' Wedge said. ``And he's extremely smart for a young hitter.''
In the eighth, Perez came to the plate against John Grabow and launched a home run into the left-field bleachers to account for the final score.
Asked to assess Duke (2-5, 4.19 ERA), Perez said, ``I hadn't seen him before, but he kept them in the game, and that's all you can ask. He changed speeds and had good command of his change-up.
``I also know he had a better curve than he threw tonight, because I saw him on TV.''
Added Wedge, ``We made Duke throw around 100 pitches in five innings (119 in all), but he settled down and made pitches when he had to.''
Last year, Duke broke into the big leagues by making 14 starts and posting an 8-2 record with a 1.18 ERA.
There was one disquieting note regarding the Tribe. Aaron Boone left the game after the seventh inning with a back injury; Lou Merloni took his place at third.
``Boone has a stiff back,'' Wedge said. ``He's day to day. He felt it more as the game went on. I don't think it's serious. Hopefully, he'll feel better tomorrow.''
In other words, at this juncture, the Indians have no plans to put Boone on the DL and call up phenom Andy Marte, who is batting .246 with one home run at Triple-A Buffalo.
<!-- end body-content --><!-- begin body-end -->

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/20/06

Indians notebook

Bullpen's scoreless streak encouraging

Relievers pitch well in solid five-game stretch, but only Wickman's role set

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - It's only five games, but it appears the Indians are on track to stabilize their bullpen.
In the brief span, the relievers had worked 12 innings without giving up a run going into Friday night's action. They had allowed only eight hits and five walks and struck out 11.
Another encouraging fact is that six of the seven members of the bullpen have participated in the five games. Only Fausto Carmona, who arrived from Triple-A Buffalo last Saturday, has yet to pitch out of the bullpen. Earlier in the season, he made three starts while C.C. Sabathia was on the disabled list.
Although the relievers seem to be on the verge of establishing some consistency, manager Eric Wedge has not committed himself to establishing a firm role for any reliever except closer Bob Wickman.
``We have multiple people I feel comfortable with pitching in the sixth and seventh inning and even the eighth,'' he said Friday.
For now, it appears that Jason Davis and Rafael Betancourt will share the setup role. Guillermo Mota, who began the season as the setup man, is more likely to pitch in the seventh inning these days, along with Fernando Cabrera and Carmona.
``It might be that way for a while,'' Wedge said.
Scott Sauerbeck hasn't gotten into many meaningful games lately as a situational lefty, a circumstance Wedge laments.
Thursday ``was the first time in a long time,'' Wedge said. ``I don't like Sauerbeck to be down there that long without pitching in a crucial situation.''
Wedge will allow the relievers to determine their roles by they way they perform.
``You can't force it,'' he said. ``Otherwise, it will take longer.''
Interleague play
The Indians were 15-3 in interleague play last year and did not play the Pittsburgh Pirates.
But since 1997, when interleague play began, the Pirates are one of the few National League teams with a winning record (10-8) over the Tribe. The teams have not played each other since 2003.
Milestone
For the fifth time in his career, Grady Sizemore homered to lead off the first inning Friday night.
The homer also was his second in successive games, the first time he has done that.
The Cavs fan
Wedge was asked if he was paying attention to the Cavaliers' playoff series.
``I root for those guys,'' he said. ``The other day (Wednesday night), there were four or five guys rushing my TV to see the end of the game.''
Wedge picked the Cavs to win Friday night.
Farm facts
In his past four starts, Buffalo's Jeremy Sowers (5-1, 1.21 ERA) is 3-0 with an 0.96 ERA, averaging seven innings per outing. Sowers is second in the International League in ERA.... Kinston's Trevor Crowe leads the Carolina League with 32 runs.
<!-- end body-content --><!-- begin body-end -->

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/20/06

INDIANS NOTEBOOK

Pitchers aren’t fooling Sizemore

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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


CLEVELAND — As opposing pitchers compile a deeper book on him, Indians leadoff hitter Grady Sizemore has noticed their pitch-patterns change, which forces him to also change. He referred to it as "a little cat-and-mouse game."
The statistics suggest Sizemore has played the role of cat recently.
In his past 15 games, including last night, he had 10 extra-base hits, including six home runs, with eight walks and only seven strikeouts. In the previous 27 games, he had one homer, eight walks and 28 strikeouts.
But Sizemore said he still feels like the mouse.
"I’m just trying to put some good at-bats together," he said. "I still feel like I’m struggling, actually. I don’t have my swing where I want it."
He said he was unaware of the recent power surge, or the reduction in strikeouts.
"It’s just a day-to-day thing," he said. "I don’t look at it as a whole."
Change of roles

Manager Eric Wedge would not term it a demotion, but he has begun to use Guillermo Mota in middle relief, rather than waiting to use him in a traditional setup role. He believes more consistent work will help the veteran righthander out of his funk.
Mota said he supports the decision.
"I’m a guy who’s used to pitching a lot. I want that now," he said.
Entering last night, Mota had allowed 20 hits and 12 walks in 16 2 /3 innings. He has gone to a three-ball count on 26 of 83 batters faced.
"Everybody goes through that," he said. "Everybody has good days and bad days. I had some bad days. I don’t think it’s anything that’s wrong. I don’t worry about my control. I don’t think about a control problem."
Mota missed time last season because of elbow and shoulder injuries but said his arm has felt fine since the start of spring training.
New faces

Interleague play began last night, and while it will be another four weeks until Indians pitchers have to hit, the arrival of the Pittsburgh Pirates required a slight adjustment: The Indians’ advance scouts are perhaps more important this series than any other.
"Pittsburgh is a young team," Wedge said.
"We don’t have a lot to go on anyway, then we only play them one time."
Down on the farm

Jeremy Sowers pitched a seven-inning complete-game shutout for triple-A Buffalo, allowing one hit and one walk.
Sowers, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2004 draft, improved to 6-1 with a 1.07 ERA in nine starts. [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/21/06

Johnson has weak outing again

Veteran starter hit hard in Indians' loss to Pirates

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - In recent weeks the issue has been the bullpen, which the Indians addressed last week.
Ineffective relief pitching obscured (slightly) another growing problem: Jason Johnson and what to do about him.
Johnson allowed eight runs in 3 2/3 innings Saturday night to give Pittsburgh a lift, the Pirates earning a 9-6 decision at Jacobs Field.
``I think there's some reason for concern,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``We saw what Johnson was capable of doing in his first three or four starts.
``I thought he was headed in the right direction his last start, but tonight he took a step back.''
The Indians made a game of it, despite the hole that Johnson dug for them. This time his Achilles' heel was the home run pitch.
Nate McLouth went deep on a 3-and-2 pitch leading off the game, and Jason Bay ripped a three-run blast to left in the third. Bay hit a second home run, with nobody on base, off Guillermo Mota in the ninth, to give the Pirates a three-run advantage.
In the fourth, Jose Castillo, the ninth batter in the lineup who had one homer coming in, slammed a two-run shot.
Johnson did not get the chance to finish the fourth. With two out and three runs home, Fausto Carmona was summoned to make the first relief appearance of his career.
Indians batsmen tried to keep up, but there was no way. Grady Sizemore's fourth home run in five games produced two runs in the three-run fifth, cutting the deficit to 8-5, but the Tribe attack slowed after that.
Asked about the spate of home runs, Johnson said, ``The ball was up a little bit. Tomorrow, I'll have to watch the tape and see why.''
Johnson had no specific answers for his unfortunate outing.
``It was just one of those days,'' he said. ``It's been like that for about a week and a half. I'm not throwing out the panic button, or anything like that.''
Johnson thought he was at a handicap starting against a team he had not faced before.
``I had no idea what these guys could hit and what they couldn't hit,'' he said. ``You just have to go by the scouting report. It doesn't bother me, but I don't like pitching to a team I don't know.''
It's not difficult to find fault with Johnson's workmanship. His overall record is 2-4 with a 6.52 earned-run average, enough evidence that he is not doing his job.
But there are other telltale statistics:
• Since his last win on April 18, Johnson has made six starts and posted a 0-4 record with a 9.73 ERA.
• Opposing batters are hitting .356 against Johnson, and lefties have slammed him for a .449 average. However, he has allowed just five home runs, two before Saturday night.
• When Johnson has a lead, he is likely to blow it. In four of his nine starts, he has blown six leads. He might have made it seven, but when he walked the bases loaded in the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners April 13, Wedge replaced him with the Tribe leading 5-3.
• When Johnson has started, the Indians' record is 3-6.
• It's not as if Johnson is constantly facing teams among the best in the big leagues. Six of his nine starts have come against clubs with sub-.500 records.
``Tonight is not something I'm going to dwell on,'' Johnson said. ``I've gone through periods of four or five bad starts and been able to fix it, so this will pass.''
Said Wedge, ``You don't throw the amount of innings he has without being successful.''
That's pushing it. Johnson averaged 203 1/3 innings but compiled a 16-28 record the past two seasons.
Wedge was asked about the possibility of Jeremy Sowers, who is dazzling International League lineups at Buffalo, replacing Johnson.
``Right now, J.J. is in our starting rotation,'' the manager said. ``It's early in the season. We believe in sticking with guys.''
Tribe officials can hope that Johnson is merely going through a rough stretch of games, but his history doesn't back up that kind of thinking.
Moreover, they can't afford to wait long and risk the danger of falling farther behind the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers, which have shown little inclination to fade.
On the other hand, Johnson is a veteran making $3 million. This is not an enormous salary these days, but it's large enough that ownership and the front office can't be dismissive of the sum without being fairly certain that Johnson has worn out his welcome.
<!-- end body-content --><!-- begin body-end -->

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/21/06

Shoppach sent down

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - to get more playing time
Backup catcher Kelly Shoppach was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday for his own benefit, manager Eric Wedge said.
``This is more about him than anything,'' Wedge said. ``As limited as his playing time has been, this just makes sense to get his skill level back up.
``He can get used to playing every day again for when we need him up here. I think Kelly is capable of being more than a backup catcher.''
Shoppach was acquired from the Boston Red Sox during the winter, and at that time Indians officials indicated he probably would make the roster in spring training, though Einar Diaz also was competing for the right to back up Victor Martinez.
In eight games (five starts), Shoppach batted .250 (4-for-16) with one double and two RBI.
THE ``NEW'' GUY -- To take Shoppach's place on the roster, the Tribe summoned 36-year-old Tim Laker, who has spent parts of three seasons with the Indians.
``Tim has a familiarity with our staff,'' Wedge said, explaining why Laker and not Diaz was called up from Buffalo. ``In reality, it doesn't go any farther than that.''
Laker was batting .270 in 19 games. Diaz had a .239 average with two homers in 26 games.
Was Laker surprised to be called up? ``Yeah, I was,'' he said. ``But I did a good job down there, and they rewarded me.''
PHENOM WATCH -- Jeremy Sowers threw a (seven-inning) one-hitter in Buffalo's 1-0 win over Pawtucket in the first game of a doubleheader.
He walked only one and retired the last 18 batters he faced.
Laker, who caught the game, said of Sowers, ``The way Jeremy is going, anything I ask for, he puts the ball right there. It's pretty impressive. He's fun to catch.
``And last night probably was the worst he's commanded the ball lately, and he threw a one-hitter. He lives on the outside part of the plate, but he's not afraid to come inside with that 85-86 (mph). And his change-up has gotten to be a really good pitch.''
Overall, Sowers is 6-1 with a 1.07 ERA.
``BACK''-ING DOWN -- Aaron Boone was told to take the night off after missing the last two innings of Friday night's game with a sore back.
``He's a little better today,'' Wedge said. ``Hopefully, if we give him tonight off, he'll be back tomorrow.''
FARM FACTS -- Charles Lofgren (6-2, 1.47 ERA) gave up two earned runs (four total) in 5 2/3 innings, as Kinston beat Frederick 4-3 in Class A. Trevor Crowe homered.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/21/06

Ocker on the Indians

Radar could be used as manipulation tool

Teams can angle inclement weather to gain edge

By Sheldon Ocker

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - It was just another delay brought on by a week of wet weather, but those seemingly innocuous raindrops held the possibility of major mischief.
The Detroit Tigers had just finished batting in the seventh inning last Sunday when suddenly the Indians' grounds crew began furiously rolling the tarp onto the field, as if Noah's flood was minutes away from totally washing away Jacobs Field.
Then came the waiting. No rain fell for at least 15 minutes. When it did, the showers were light, not really drenching enough to keep the game from continuing. But play already had been stopped. It was not going to restart until the rain ceased, about an hour later.
It was an honest mistake, maybe unavoidable. Radar showed that two strong bands of rain would apparently converge on the ballpark. Instead, a gap between the two kept the heavy stuff away.
But who knew? Forecasting the weather, even when it's minutes away, is not an exact science. Indians officials checked the radar, assessed the situation and then told the umpires, who determine if the weather is bad enough to stop play. (Before the first pitch, the home team makes the decision.)
By the time the game resumed, Detroit starter Mike Maroth had stiffened up to the point that he was not going to return, even though he had held the Tribe to one unearned run and seven hits in six innings.
Would he have continued had there been no stoppage of play? It's almost certain. He was in command of the game and had thrown 95 pitches. No doubt he would have pitched at least one more inning.
So what's the point of rehashing the details of a rain delay? It is customary that after play has ceased for 45 minutes or more, a pitcher whose workday was interrupted by the weather takes the rest of the game off.
Obviously, it was not Detroit manager Jim Leyland's fondest wish to be forced to go to the bullpen, with Maroth giving such a strong performance. But doesn't that cut both ways?
Manager Eric Wedge also had to summon a reliever, but not to replace Tribe starter Jason Johnson. He was gone already. Having failed to record an out in the seventh, Johnson had given way to Fernando Cabrera.
So the Indians got rid of a troublesome pitcher, thanks to the weather, or rather, thanks to their interpretation of what kind of weather was bearing down on Jacobs Field.
This leaves open the potential for gamesmanship, or abuse of the system, depending on how you view such things.
I am not saying that Tribe officials intentionally manipulated the situation for their own advantage (they lost the game, anyway). In fact, I am as certain as I can be that the Indians did nothing unethical and did not purposely mislead the umpiring crew.
But they could have. Circumstances would have to be very specific to make it work: impending rain is minutes away, an opposing pitcher is totally in charge, and the home team is losing.
However, given that limiting set of facts, what's to stop the home team from giving the umpires slightly wrong information, exaggerating the threat of rain just a little to get rid of a pitcher who is kicking their butts?
True, the umpires have the final say. But if the head groundskeeper rushes onto the field and tells them that five minutes from now the infield dirt is going to look like a wet sandbox, what choice do the umpires have?
On the other hand, how many teams would skirt the rules of sportsmanship -- or ignore them entirely -- just to win a game? No, I can't count that high either.
The Karsay saga
It probably was coincidental that two days after the Indians called up Fausto Carmona from Buffalo to join the bullpen, Steve Karsay was traded to the Oakland Athletics.
Because Karsay is a veteran and had good numbers at Triple-A Buffalo, many observers thought that when Danny Graves was designated for assignment, his replacement would be Karsay.
The thinking went this way: Karsay was ostensibly pitching at Triple-A to regain his edge after losing most of the last three seasons to injury. Once he was ready to retire big-league hitters and a spot came open on the Tribe roster, he would be summoned to Cleveland.
Karsay and General Manager Mark Shapiro had a gentlemen's agreement that if Karsay was wearing a minor-league uniform and a big-league team requested his services, Karsay would be free to leave, which is what happened.
But it is interesting to note that the Athletics apparently believe Karsay is ready to get major-leaguers out; the Indians disagree.
In spring training, Karsay's fastball was generally clocked at about 91 mph but didn't have much movement. That oversimplified scouting report hadn't changed, according to Tribe operatives.
Shapiro didn't think Karsay's experience should be the determining factor, because pitching one or two innings in relief is a skill that a rookie can master. Especially a rookie with the stuff and velocity (94-96 mph) of Carmona.
But because of the proximity of Carmona's call-up and Karsay's departure, people will be watching all season to see how this plays out.
<!-- end body-content --><!-- begin body-end -->

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/21/06

INDIANS NOTEBOOK

Boone hopes to return today from minor injury to back

Sunday, May 21, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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


CLEVELAND — Indians third baseman Aaron Boone was held out of the lineup last night because of a strained muscle in his lower back, but he could return as soon as today.
Because the injury was to a muscle and not a disc, head trainer Lonnie Soloff said, it should clear up quickly and does not pose particular risk of reinjury.
"The only risk right now is if he has to make one of those plays in the hole, and he turns quickly and has to make a throw," Soloff said. "Then you lose him for seven days instead of one or two."
Soloff said Boone could not pinpoint how or when he suffered the injury. He woke up sore Friday and it got worse, to the point that manager Eric Wedge pulled him from the game after the seventh inning. Soloff said Boone felt better yesterday.
Shoppach sent down

The Indians optioned rookie catcher Kelly Shoppach to triple-A Buffalo, where he can get more playing time, and purchased the contract of veteran Tim Laker from Buffalo to serve as Victor Martinez’s backup.
Shoppach beat out Laker and Einar Diaz in spring training, then started only five of 42 games, going 4 for 16 with two RBI and seven strikeouts. Because Martinez rarely gets a day off, Wedge said Indians officials expected to have to make the move at some point.
"It’s the best of both worlds," Wedge said. "He got to be up here, be a part of the team, and now he gets a chance to play regularly."
Laker, who was in the organization from 2001 to 2004, got the nod over Diaz because of his familiarity with the pitching staff, Wedge said.
Knocking on the door

Jeremy Sowers admitted to being nervous this spring in his first experience in bigleague camp, and it showed as he allowed 11 hits and six walks in 6 2 /3 innings. He has had no such learning curve in triple-A.
With a seven-inning, one-hit shutout Friday, Sowers improved to 6-1 with a 1.07 ERA in nine starts for the Bisons and 20-5 with a 2.02 ERA in his minor-league career.
"Whatever you ask him to do, he can do," Laker said. "He’s fun to catch."
Hit - and - run

To make room for Laker on the 40-man roster, reliever Matt Miller was transferred from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day. Miller is recovering from elbow surgery and is not expected to pitch again this season. ... In his past 16 starts dating to August of last season, C.C. Sabathia is 12-2 with a 2.15 ERA. He now is seventh in team history with a .610 winning percentage.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

5/21/06

Laker back with Tribe

Sunday, May 21, 2006

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Andy Call REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]


CLEVELAND - Tim Laker has been around baseball long enough to know what his promotion Saturday from Triple-A Buffalo means.
“Obviously,” Laker said, “Victor’s going to play a lot.”
Indians Manager Eric Wedge interprets “everyday” literally when he calls Victor Martinez Cleveland’s everyday catcher. The Indians sent backup Kelly Shoppach to Buffalo, allowing Shoppach to remember what playing a game feels like. He had made just five starts in the Tribe’s first 43 games.
“It’s as much about Kelly as anything,” Wedge said. “We want to make sure his skills don’t back up. We want him to be capable of playing every day if we need him to this year.”
Martinez, at his current pace, would catch 143 games this season. He caught 147 last year.
Shoppach, 26, wasn’t going to get any better watching Martinez every day. Laker, 36, understood the logic of the decision.
“Kelly will have more longevity in this game than I will,” Laker said. “They want him to get some at-bats and work with the young pitchers down there.”
Laker did get to work extensively with one very promising young pitcher, left-hander Jeremy Sowers. He threw a complete-game one-hitter Friday and is 6-1 with a 1.07 ERA.
“He’s fun to catch,” Laker said. “He’s pretty impressive. He’s really composed for a guy his age. His fastball only comes in at about 85-86 mph, but he’s not afraid to throw it. He has a really good changeup, a sinker, a slider and a curveball he throws three or four times a game.”
Laker served as Cleveland’s No. 2 catcher in 2001, ’03 and ’04. He has also played for Montreal, Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh since his first big-league callup in 1992. Laker’s reputation is as a capable backup who works well with pitchers and probably has a future as a coach or manager in the big leagues. He was picked over another veteran at Buffalo, Einar Diaz.
“He’s a great teammate who brings a lot of personality to the ball club,” Wedge said. “He has some familiarity with the guys on our team as well as our staff.”
The Indians made room for Laker on their 40-man roster by transferring injured pitcher Matt Miller from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL.

TODAY The series concludes this afternoon at 1:05. Paul Byrd (4-3, 6.45) will start against Paul Maholm (2-4, 4.63).
ON THE AIR Today’s game will be broadcast on WMMS-FM 100.7 to accommodate the Cavaliers radio broadcast on flagship station WTAM-AM 1100.
INJURY REPORT Third baseman Aaron Boone was held out of Saturday’s starting lineup with continued stiffness in his back. Boone had come out of Friday’s game in the eighth inning. Wedge said he hopes Boone will be able to play today.
ON A ROLL C.C. Sabathia is 3-1 with a 1.95 ERA this season and 12-2 with a 2.15 ERA in 16 starts since last August. “He’s just picked up where he left off,” Wedge said. “It has been a continuation of what he did at the end of last year.”
NICE GEAR The Indians wore Cleveland Buckeyes uniforms and the Pirates wore Homestead Grays uniforms as part of Saturday’s salute to the Negro Leagues. The traveling exhibit from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City made its stop at Jacobs Field this weekend. Negro Leagues legend Buck O’Neill, 94, threw out the ceremonial first pitch — running up to home plate and dropping the ball into Sabathia’s glove.
ON THE FARM Class A Kinston left-hander Charles Lofgren allowed three runs, all unearned, over 52/3 innings in a 4-3 victory over Frederick. The 2004 fourth-round draft pick from California is 6-2 with a 1.67 ERA in eight starts.
Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail: [email protected]


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/22/06

Sizemore perseveres, gets reward

Indians center fielder smashes game-winning hit to top Pirates in 10th after striking out four times

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Grady Sizemore's Sunday afternoon of discontent was a fitting metaphor for the Indians generally.
It was a tough and frustrating game, but in the end the Tribe prevailed, beating Pittsburgh 3-2 in 10 innings at Jacobs Field.
Sizemore provided the proximate spark to the victory by lining a hit over the head of right fielder Jeremy Burnitz to drive in the game-winning run.
Unlike other aborted rallies during the day, the Indians put together a threat after two were out. Aaron Boone started it with a single and Ronnie Belliard drove a double to left, putting runners on second and third.
Not that this promising alignment of base runners brought much hope to the fans at the ballpark. Including the last inning, the Tribe stranded 14 runners, 10 in scoring position.
Sizemore, who followed Belliard to the plate, had struck out in four of his five previous at-bats, mixing in a fly out to left. Moreover, he was facing a left-handed pitcher, Mike Gonzalez, who struck him out Saturday.
``Nobody wants to strike out,'' said Sizemore, who bats from the left side. ``It was not a good day for me. I was on the losing end of the stick.''
Sizemore said he hadn't seen the ball well. What he failed to mention is that plate umpire Jeff Nelson also seemed to have vision problems, having earlier called out Sizemore on a pitch that was high and inside.
Nelson did it again with the count 3-and-1 in the 10th, which served only to give Sizemore another crack at Gonzalez.
``When you go up there in that situation, you have to put all that behind you,'' Sizemore said of his whiff-filled day.
``Your confidence is down, but you have to fight through it.
``Once you get into the at-bat, you start to lock in. What's hard is walking up there. At least something positive came out of a bad day.''
Manager Eric Wedge felt that Sizemore again proved why he is one of the better young players in the big leagues.
``Grady is a guy who is able to separate,'' Wedge said. ``He's mature, and there's a lot of toughness to him. A pitcher is going to have to work his you-know-what off to beat him.''
In all, the Tribe put 18 runners on base and had seven doubles. Obviously, they didn't get much bang for their buck.
That was fine with Paul Byrd, who thought he owed his teammates. Byrd worked seven strong innings, allowing six hits and walking none. He gave up both runs in the sixth inning.
``It was amazing how many runs I got early,'' said Byrd, who received an average of 10.6 runs a game in his first six starts. ``I would have been happy to get them a 1-0 win and give the guys a day off.''
Byrd slowly has been working himself back to respectability after his earned-run average ballooned to 9.15 on April 22.
``I thought I threw the ball very well my last outing,'' said Byrd, whose ERA has dropped to 5.92. ``I think, over the long haul, things even out. But when you start out slow, it's very noticeable.''
The Indians took a 1-0 lead on Victor Martinez's first-inning RBI double, but only because second baseman Jose Castillo and Burnitz couldn't decide who should catch Jason Michaels' bloop and let it fall for a double.
After Byrd let the slim lead slip away, Jhonny Peralta drove in the tying run with a double in the seventh. Peralta had three hits for the afternoon, including two doubles.
There were some saving defensive plays, including Martinez making a sprawling catch of an attempted sacrifice bunt with Nate McLouth on second and no outs in the eighth inning.
``You like those if you're a catcher,'' said Wedge, a former catcher. ``You don't get many chances to make a diving catch as a catcher.''
McLouth reached third after the catch of a line drive to right, but Rafael Betancourt struck out Jason Bay to preserve the tie.
With runners on first and second in the ninth, Ben Broussard got a forceout at third on another attempted sacrifice to blunt another rally. Bob Wickman then closed out the Pirates by throwing a double-play ball.
In a rare outing of more than one inning, Wickman pitched the ninth and 10th to earn his first win in four years.
After suffering a three-game sweep at the hands of the Detroit Tigers, the Tribe won five of the final six games on this homestand.
``I still come to the park every day thinking we're going to win,'' Wickman said. ``But it's harder now because there are two teams in front of us.
``We need one of those teams to separate. If both of them stay in lock step in first place, it's hard for us to pick up many games.''
<!-- end body-content --><!-- begin body-end -->

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/22/06

Indians report

Wickman records rare relief victory

Indians' closer gets first win in nearly four years

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - It was a momentous day for Bob Wickman.
The Indians' closer won for the first time since Aug. 10, 2002, against the Texas Rangers. He also made his longest appearance since throwing two innings on July 7, 2001, against the St. Louis Cardinals.
``It feels good to get that off my back,'' Wickman said. ``After my last one, I blew out my elbow for good the next day.''
Wickman has mixed memories about that victory four years ago. Three days after the game against the Rangers, he visited Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles and learned he would need Tommy John surgery to reconstruct his right elbow.
Wickman did not pitch in the big leagues again until July 6, 2004.
On Sunday, Wickman worked the ninth and 10th, giving up two hits and striking out one.
The outing marked the first time Wickman had pitched more than one inning since Aug. 22, 2001, when he worked 1 1/3 innings against the Oakland Athletics.
Manager Eric Wedge isn't likely to use Wickman in this fashion routinely, but the idea came up earlier this year.
``We were going to try it a couple of times in games we were behind,'' Wickman said. ``This was a perfect day to do it. We have a day off tomorrow, so there was no reason not to do it.''
The key was keeping his pitch count down in the ninth.
``Bob only threw eight or nine pitches that first inning,'' Wedge said. ``I asked him if he felt OK to go back out there, and he said he did.''
Wickman threw a total of 23 pitches for the two innings.
<!-- end body-content --><!-- begin body-end -->