Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

5/22/06

<H1 class=red>Byrd stays focused on throws, not runs

</H1>

Monday, May 22, 2006

Dennis Manoloff

Plain Dealer Reporter

Paul Byrd pitched Sunday as well as he has this season, only to earn a no-decision primarily because of lack of run support.

Byrd was not about to bemoan his fate, though, given how much help he received over the eight previous starts. That the Indians ended up beating the Pirates in dramatic fashion made the personal outcome easier to absorb.

Byrd gave up two runs on six hits in seven innings of the Tribe's 3-2 victory in 10 innings at Jacobs Field. He departed trailing, 2-1, but the Indians unhooked him with one run in their half of the seventh.

The Indians had not scored fewer than four runs (once) in any of Byrd's other starts. They scored at least nine on five occasions.

"I'm probably going to get on the guys for not scoring for me [today]," Byrd said. "Just kidding. Just kidding. It's amazing how many runs I got early on.

Over the long haul of a season, these things end up evening out.

"My job is to give my team a chance to win, and I was able to do that."

The starter was a clubhouse observer when Grady Sizemore singled with two outs in the 10th to drive in Aaron Boone. The Indians took two of three from Pittsburgh.

"To win it the way we did is huge," he said. "You can feel the energy boost in the dugout. Hopefully, we can build momentum off this."

Sunday marked the second start in a row that Byrd (4-3, 5.92) was not involved in the decision. May 16 against Kansas City, he gave up four runs on seven hits in six innings of a 6-4 victory.

Looking past the game ERA of 6.00, Byrd said he threw the ball well May 16, as evidenced by zero walks and five strikeouts. He experienced a carryover effect against the Pirates, walking none and striking out four. They are his first and second zero-walk games this season.

"It's nice to get back to making guys earn their way to first base," he said.

Byrd threw 73 of 94 pitches for strikes -- exceptional control even for a strike-thrower.

"Paul's been working on getting more aggressive and ahead in the counts, and that's what he did [Sunday]," Indians pitching coach Carl Willis said.

The Pirates scratched to score their runs, both coming in the sixth. They turned a leadoff drag bunt, single and double into a 2-1 lead.

Pittsburgh's other three hits off Byrd were singles.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4677

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

5/22/06

INDIANS INSIDER
Way back when, Wickman won


Monday, May 22, 2006

Burt Graeff
Plain Dealer Reporter

Closers do not forget picking up victories.

Bob Wickman remembers very well his previous victory prior to Sunday's against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It occurred on Aug. 10, 2002, when he threw 26 pitches in one inning of a 4-3 victory over the Texas Rangers.

"I blew out my elbow the next day," he said.

Actually, he blew it out against the Rangers but did not know it at the time. Three days later, after being examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Anaheim, Calif., Tommy John surgery was recommended.

He was operated on in December 2002, and he missed the 2003 season and half of 2004.

Wickman, 37, worked two innings in Sunday's 3-2 victory over Pittsburgh for the first time since July 7, 2001.

"We were going to try it a couple of other times earlier in the season," Wickman said. "With the off-day [today], we decided to try it."

Another reason going two made sense: Wickman retired the Pirates on nine pitches in the ninth inning.

"The low pitch count allowed him to go out again for another inning," manager Eric Wedge said.

"The second inning was it for him."

Upcoming change:

Jason Johnson is scheduled to start in next Sunday's game at Detroit, but Wedge sounded like a change is in the works.

"We're going to talk about it," Wedge said. "That's all I'm going to say."

Johnson, signed to a one-year, $4 million contract in the off-season, gave up eight runs on 10 hits in Saturday's 9-6 loss to the Pirates. In his past four starts, he's 0-3 with a 12.42 ERA.

If Wedge holds Johnson out, he'll likely go with Cliff Lee, who is scheduled to start on Tuesday against the Twins.

No problem:

Off-days today and Thursday gave Wedge the opportunity to change the starting rotation, going with Lee on Tuesday against Minnesota and C.C. Sabathia on Wednesday in the series finale at the Metrodome.

The result of the juggling means that Jake Westbrook will have eight days' rest when he faces Detroit on Friday night.

"I haven't had this much time off in a long time, but I have no problem with it," Westbrook said. "I might have to make some adjustments, but it's good for my arm. It gives it a chance to get some rest. It's their call, I'm part of the team, and I'm OK with it."

Westbrook (4-2, 4.98 ERA) has demonstrated he can pitch with extended time off. Starting on six days' rest, he shut out the Royals with a complete-game six-hitter in Wednesday night's 5-0 victory at Jacobs Field.

Finally:

The once-maligned bullpen is pitching well, giving up one run in its past 20 1/3 innings. . . . The Pirates dropped to 4-19 on the road. . . . Casey Blake has reached base in 24 straight games.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4479

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/23/06

Indians notebook

Wedge might skip Johnson's next turn

Off day gives manager opportunity to rearrange Tribe's rotation

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Manager Eric Wedge won't reveal whether he will skip Jason Johnson's next turn, but he indicated that it will be discussed.
He announced at least one change in the rotation. Because of the Minnesota Twins' vulnerability to left-handers, Cliff Lee will start tonight and C.C. Sabathia on Wednesday in Minnesota.
``Because of the off day, we can do that,'' Wedge said. ``We are going to rearrange (the rotation). (Pitching coach) Carl Willis and I are going to look at that and rearrange it.''
The second reference to ``rearranging'' the starters appears to be directed at the Johnson dilemma.
Wedge also said Jake Westbrook will start Friday night against the Tigers in Detroit.
Johnson's next start is scheduled for Saturday, but Paul Byrd could pitch that game and still get his normal four days of rest between starts.
The secret
Pitching more than one inning involves using a slightly different routine by Bob Wickman.
``To stay locked in between innings, I don't talk to anybody on the bench,'' he said.
Byrd starting to fly?
It might not seem like a big deal, but in his past four starts, Byrd's ERA is 4.00 with only four walks, and he has averaged almost seven innings per outing.
Compare that with his 9.15 ERA on April 22, a figure that has dropped to 5.92.
``I'm getting more consistent and have quit walking so many guys,'' Byrd said. ``I'm not happy with my ERA, but it's starting to come down.''
Music to remember
When Lou Merloni came to the plate on Sunday, the Jacobs Field sound system greeted him with the theme from The Godfather.
Merloni is Italian-American, but never before had he been introduced with that music.
``I think Lake (Tim Laker) told Eddie Perez about it,'' Merloni said.
Laker and Merloni both were playing for Triple-A Buffalo until last week, when they were summoned to the Indians.
``They played that music for me at Buffalo, and I was hitting well down there,'' Merloni said.
Other stuff
The Indians are 12-8 when a lefty starts.... Relievers have given up just one run in their past 20 1/3 innings, encompassing seven games.... Byrd hasn't walked a batter in 14 innings.
Farm facts
Ryan Garko had three singles and Andy Marte hit a two-run homer as Buffalo defeated Syracuse 6-5 in Class AAA. Jason Cooper tripled, singled and drove in a run.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/23/06

READY AND WAITING

Sowers impressive at Buffalo, and Tribe just might need him soon

By Stephanie Storm

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->Jerry Sowers was pitching softballs to his 10-year-old daughter a week and a half ago, listening -- as he always does -- to the Indians' game on a radio strategically positioned on the deck.
A blissful Sunday afternoon began to unravel during a late-game rain delay.
Fans called the radio station to complain about the team, desperately urging Tribe management to call up its young pitching ace -- Jeremy Sowers -- from Triple-A.
Hearing callers trash his favorite team was all Jerry Sowers could take.
He politely asked his daughter if they could take a break so he could call and offer his two cents' worth.
``I told her, `I have no chance getting through, but it'll make me feel better,' '' Jerry Sowers said. ``But not only did they answer, they didn't even put me on hold. Before I knew it, I was on the air.''
The radio host didn't care too much about what Sowers had to say about his beloved Tribe.
What he wanted to talk about was Sowers' son, the Indians' No. 1 pick (sixth overall) in the 2004 draft.
``I'm thinking, it's only May, give the Indians a chance,'' Jerry Sowers said. ``Plus, I don't want Jeremy to be just thrown in the fire. I mean, I want it so bad, too, but let's let it take its proper course.''
The ``proper'' course might not be a luxury the Indians can afford.
The Tribe, idle Monday, begins a two-game series against the Twins in Minnesota tonight.
The Indians are a mediocre 22-22 and 7 ½ games behind the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central Division.
As good as the Indians looked starting the season with a 6-1 record, they looked equally awful during a three-game sweep at the hands of the lowly Kansas City Royals.
Thus, it's hard to tell whether the Indians are a playoff team that just hasn't hit its stride or an overrated team that could use an infusion of young talent from its farm system.
Add to the equation free-agent signee Jason Johnson's latest rough outing on Saturday -- inflating the veteran's ERA to 6.52 -- and no matter how the elder Sowers feels about his son being rushed, his major-league debut might not be far away.
``Jeremy has had a tremendous start to the season and is very, very close,'' said Chris Antonetti, the Indians' assistant general manager. ``But we don't want to react too quickly.
``We want to give Jason Johnson and all of our starters in the rotation time to settle in and get the most from their abilities before we begin to make those kinds of decisions.''
In the meantime, Jeremy Sowers, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound left-hander, quietly and confidently continues to impress at Triple-A Buffalo. He has a 6-1 record and a 1.07 ERA in nine starts this year.
``The Cleveland Indians have always been my dad's passion,'' said Jeremy Sowers, who turned 23 last week. ``He gets it from my grandma -- his mom. So we try to give him some leeway.''
Jerry Sowers never managed to get his twin boys (Josh is a pitcher in the Toronto Blue Jays' farm system) to root along with him for the Tribe until recently.
``When my brother and I were growing up, we leaned more toward the Pittsburgh Pirates because they were good at the time,'' Jeremy Sowers said. ``But my dad, he stuck with the Indians through thick and thin. When they drafted me, I think he was on cloud nine moreso than me.''
It's probably a good thing neither Jeremy nor Josh is coming up with, say, the Chicago White Sox.
``Oh, things would be a lot tougher for him,'' Jeremy Sowers said. ``I can see him now, going `How do I split my loyalties between my team and my son?' ''
All joking aside, Jeremy will make his dad's life a lot easier when he finally makes his Indians debut. The family hasn't been able to make the trip from St. Clairsville to Buffalo to see him pitch this season.
``It was perfect when Jeremy played in (Double-A) Akron last year. We could come up right after work,'' said Jerry's wife, Beth Sowers. ``It's a little more difficult now.''
The latest technology has helped.
Instead of listening to the Bisons' game by Internet radio broadcast alone, the Sowers have been able to watch him recently via minorleaguebaseball.com's Web cast.
``It helps because you can see his face, and really know by his emotions how he's doing,'' Beth Sowers said. ``But Jeremy still calls after every game.''
Nonetheless, the family might want to save its traveling money.
``Jeremy is major-league ready,'' said John Farrell, the Indians' farm director. ``But as with anyone, there are areas of development, some finer points, he can always continue to work on to make the transition more smooth.''
In 59 innings, Sowers has allowed seven earned runs and has struck out 32 and walked 17.
``But I'm still working on controlling the running game and left-on-left matchups,'' he said. ``I know you wouldn't expect a lefty to say the latter, but I have a tendency to only see a right-hander in the box.''
So far this season, right-handers are hitting .226 against Sowers, compared to left-handers batting .255. Nit-picky stuff, to be sure, but it's that type of nuance that could determine if Sowers is successful when he finally hears the sweet words that he's headed to the big leagues.
``I realize how special this is, when preparation, hard work and even a little luck come into line together and everything just seems so perfect,'' Sowers said. ``I'm fully aware of how great of a situation this is. Of course, everyone wants to get to the big leagues. But in the meantime, I'm enjoying where I'm at right now.''
That's one thing father and son can agree upon.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

5/23/06

Tribe bullpen turning around

Tuesday, May 23, 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]


As Plan B goes, this one isn’t working out too badly.
Two of the most significant contributing factors to the Indians’ disappointing start have been injuries to, and inconsistency from, the team’s relief pitchers. The casual fan’s traditional suggestion for a course of action — trade everybody — probably isn’t practical.
“The only players who are available for trades in May are players who are already struggling,” General Manager Mark Shapiro said.
The Indians have turned to their farm system. Almost half of the bullpen now is made up of players who have spent time in the minor leagues this year: 22-year-old Fausto Carmona, 24-year-old Fernando Cabrera and 26-year-old Jason Davis.
“We’ve seen our bullpen improve lately,” Manager Eric Wedge said. “These guys know our best days are ahead of us.”
All three young pitchers seem to have found their groove after a difficult start.
Davis was sent back to Triple-A Buffalo when the season began, but recalled when C.C. Sabathia was injured Opening Day. Davis allowed seven runs in 13 1/3 April innings (4.72 ERA).
His first six appearances in May, however, have seen Davis allow just one run over 8 1/3 innings (1.08 ERA). He worked two shutout innings against both Chicago and Detroit.
Davis has bounced from the rotation to the bullpen since his first big-league callup in 2002. The Indians have determined to leave Davis in a relief role, a change he welcomes.
“He’s always had that live arm,” Wedge said. “Now he can throw one or two innings instead of pacing himself for seven.”
Cabrera made the team when spring training concluded but struggled early. He allowed nine runs in his first 4 2/3 innings (17.36 ERA), walking seven, before being struck on the heel by a line-drive during an April 13 game against Seattle. Cabrera was placed on the disabled list, then began a minor-league rehabilitation assignment to work toward regaining his control.
The Indians recalled Cabrera on April 30. His last six appearances, covering 5 1/3 innings, have been scoreless.
Carmona made three starts in place of Sabathia in April, one good and two bad (7.94 ERA), then was sent back to Buffalo. He was recalled May 12, replacing Danny Graves. Carmona relieved struggling Jason Johnson in Saturday’s 9-6 loss to Pittsburgh and contributed 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
“I just tried to find (the strike zone) and keep the ball down,” Carmona said.
All but seven of Carmona’s 110 minor-league games through 2005 were as a starter. There is a strong history, however, of All-Star starters who broke into the big leagues as relievers.
“I’ll pitch anytime; I don’t care,” Carmona said.
“We’ll break him in middle relief, but we won’t put any limitations on him,” Wedge said. “We didn’t have any predetermined plan with this. We need help in our bullpen and he’s one of the better arms we have. He has a great arm. With his stuff, he has the opportunity to come up here and help us right now.”
Just where Davis, Cabrera and Carmona will help during games remains to be seen. Closer Bob Wickman and left-hander Scott Sauerbeck are set, but setup men Guillermo Mota and Rafael Betancourt quickly could give way if one of the younger arms proves capable of pitching the eighth inning.
“We don’t have a lot of defined roles in our bullpen,” Shapiro said.
Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail [email protected]

Indians
at Twins
8:05 tonight
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
TV SportsTime Ohio
RADIO WHBC-AM 1480, WQKT-FM 104.5, WAKR-AM 1590, WTAM-AM 1100, WJER-AM 1450 Pitchers Cliff Lee (3-4, 4.25) vs. Johan Santana (4-4, 3.23)


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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/23/06

Coach's direction has Tribe driving


Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Burt Graeff
Plain Dealer Reporter

The teachings of Indians hitting coach Derek Shelton apparently are no fluke.

Tribe bats made a dramatic turnaround after the unheralded Shelton, 35, was named to replace Hall of Famer Eddie Murray as the team's hitting coach on June 4, 2005.

The Indians went from American League-lows in batting av erage - .243 - and runs scored per game (4.0) through 54 games under Murray to hitting a major- league best .285 and a third-best in runs scored (5.3 per game) in the final 108 games.

The high-octane offense has carried over to this season. In fact, through 44 games, it is better.

The Indians' 255 runs - an average of 5.8 a game - rank first in the majors.

Their .291 batting average is second, the .367 on-base percentage is second, and the .465 slugging percentage is fifth.

What's held the Indians back - they are 22-22 - is inconsistent pitching (the 5.00 ERA is 11th in the AL) and some horrendous fielding (33 errors are most in the AL).

Four reasons why the offense has excelled are Casey Blake, Victor Martinez, Ben Broussard and Aaron Boone.

Breaking them down:

Blake: His .362 batting average leads the majors. He's hit seven home runs and has 30 RBI. Through the first two months of last season, he hit .198 with six home runs and 16 RBI.

Martinez: Though going through a recent 0-for-21 skid, he is hitting .306 with five homers and 26 RBI. In April and May of last season, he hit .210 with four home runs and 15 RBI.

Broussard: Platooning with Eduardo Perez at first base has been a good thing for Broussard, who is batting .380 with five home runs and 24 RBI. Through two months of last season, Broussard hit .283 with five home runs and 23 RBI.

Boone: He is hitting .252 with two home runs and 19 RBI, a marked improvement over the first two months of last season, when he hit .157 with four home runs and 15 RBI.

"It's early," Boone said, "but it does look like our offense is as good, or better, than it was last season.

"This is a deep lineup. Some of us, like me, struggled early last year.

Hopefully we can show the consistency to keep this thing going."

Broussard points to experience as a factor in the quick start with the bats.
"All of us have another year under our belts," he said. "I think our approach is better now than it was last year at this time.

"And it seems like we have guys in the lineup who can take the pressure off the big guys who drive in the runs."

Such as designated hitter Travis Hafner, who is batting .310 with 13 home runs, 39 RBI and a .632 slugging percentage.

Six players who get a lot of playing time - Broussard, Blake, Perez (.323), Hafner, Martinez and Grady Sizemore (.291) - are batting over .300 or close to it.

"We are getting better with the more experience we get," Shelton said. "I think it will continue to make us better."

The Indians, who have won four of five, will get the opportunity over the next 10 days to cut into the lead held by Detroit and Chicago at the top of the AL Central. The Tribe plays nine straight games against Central foes - including three at Detroit and four at home against the White Sox.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4479

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/24/06

Indians lose to Twins in 10th

Pitching battle doesn't turn out as planned

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->MINNEAPOLIS - It promised to be a battle of pitchers, and it was, but the main event of Cliff Lee against Johan Santana didn't quite live up to its billing.
Both starters were gone long before the outcome was decided in the 10th inning, with the Minnesota Twins edging the Indians 6-5 Tuesday night at the Metrodome.
Guillermo Mota was the overseer (and contributor) to the loss. He retired the first batter in the 10th, but walked Torii Hunter and gave up a single to Michael Cuddyer to put runners on first and third.
With the count 1-and-1, Justin Morneau brought in Hunter from third with a sacrifice fly for the game-winner. The Twins had lost six consecutive games to the Tribe coming in.
It was not false advertising to call this a pitchers' battle. What would you call a game in which eight pitchers participated? It was Juan Rincon and Joe Nathan and Santana for the Twins, against Fernando Cabrera, Scott Sauerbeck, Rafael Betancourt, Mota and Lee for the Indians.
When the Twins staked Santana to a 4-0 lead by the third inning, it looked like curtains for the Tribe, which, like most teams, struggle to hit the ball solidly against the 2004 Cy Young Award winner.
Santana came into the game with a career record of 5-2 and 3.23 ERA against the Indians. And keep in mind that for his first two or three seasons, he was not a regular in the rotation but plied his trade in the bullpen.
In 20 previous appearances against the Indians, dating to 2000, he had never allowed the Tribe more than four runs (three times). So Tuesday established a milestone for the Indians, who scored five runs in seven innings.
That said, Santana wasn't exactly the Tribe's patsy. He yielded nine hits -- one an infield single by Lou Merloni, plus a bloop hit, also by Merloni -- but also gave up three doubles and a timely home run by Eduardo Perez.
The Twins took the lead in the second, even though Lee seemed to be in charge, having allowed a single to Hunter but retiring the next two batters.
However, Rondell White singled Hunter to third, Tony Batista walked to load the bases, and Juan Castro doubled home two runs.
Lee got the first two batters in the third with ease but ran into trouble again, Hunter drawing a walk and Cuddyer driving a home run into the seats in left to give the Twins a 4-0 advantage.
For four innings, the Indians failed to make Santana work up a sweat, but with two outs and nobody on in the fifth, they started rattling his cage.
Ronnie Belliard singled, Boone singled and Merloni beat out a high bouncer to third to load the bases. Grady Sizemore followed with a double to right that scored two runs.
In the sixth, Casey Blake led off with a slow ground ball to third, and Batista's throw pulled Justin Morneau off the bag for a costly error. Travis Hafner doubled Blake to the plate and one out later, Perez hit a soaring drive over the wall in left center for two more runs, giving the Indians a 5-4 lead.
But Lee let it slip away in the Twins' sixth. Morneau led off with a double, and White singled to put runners on first and third with nobody out. Cabrera relieved Lee at that point and induced Batista to bounce into a double play, but Morneau scored to deadlock the game.
Santana's seven-inning stint included one unearned run. Lee yielded five runs, seven hits and three walks in five innings.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/24/06

Tribe's Blake not average among AL batting leaders

Outfielder surprisingly is league's leading hitter

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->MINNEAPOLIS - Casey Blake doesn't get much face time on ESPN, even though his .362 average heading into Tuesday night leads the American League.
It could be that many observers can't get their arms around the idea of Blake leading the league in anything. He is a guy who batted .241 last year and whose career average coming into this season was .255.
Blake certainly is aware that he was not the odds-on favorite to win the AL batting championship.
At age 32, when most players realize they are closer to the end of their careers than they are to the beginning, Blake might wonder if his peak production years are ahead of him.
After all, he never played in more than 19 games in any major-league season until 2003, when he signed as a free agent with the Indians.
At an age when many players have 10 major-league seasons behind them, Blake won't have five years of big-league service time until a couple of months into the 2007 schedule.
If he'd gotten the opportunity to play every day when he was 22 or 23, maybe he would have been leading the league in hitting long ago.
``I don't know if I was ready to be a regular then,'' Blake said Tuesday. ``I wasn't taken as a high draft pick, and nobody gave me that chance. But like I said, maybe I wasn't ready.''
Despite his lofty status among the league leaders in on-base percentage (.439), hitting with runners in scoring position (.400), road average (.379) and night average (.404), as well as overall average, conventional wisdom says that Blake can't keep hitting at his current rate.
``A lot of getting hits and hitting is luck,'' he said. ``If your confidence is high, then you can have a good approach at the plate and expect to hit the ball hard.
``That's when you have a chance to be lucky. If you hit the ball hard, the defense doesn't have as much time to react.''
Blake isn't counting on winning the batting title, but he doesn't want to dismiss his chances entirely.
``You've got to think things are possible,'' he said. ``I like to think of myself as a pretty good hitter.''
He isn't the only one, anymore.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/24/06

NOTEBOOK

<!-- begin body-content -->MINNEAPOLIS - Twins' Santana causes
some lineup changes
Manager Eric Wedge shuffled his lineup against Minnesota Twins ace Johan Santana, giving Jhonny Peralta the day off and replacing him with Lou Merloni at shortstop and right fielder Casey Blake in the third spot in the batting order.
``Jhonny's been out there about every day, and he doesn't have good numbers (2-for-19) against Santana,'' Wedge said.
By contrast, Blake went into the game batting .321 (9-for-28) against Santana.
Merloni had only six at-bats against the lefty but had hit safely three times.
ROTATING ROTATION -- Jason Johnson's next start will be Sunday at Detroit against the Tigers' Kenny Rogers.
Despite Johnson's struggles, Wedge said this will not be a make-or-break outing for him.
``I don't think we're at that point,'' Wedge said. ``Carl (pitching coach Carl Willis) and Jason have been working on it. They've been diligent about it. Like anybody who goes through a tough phase, he has to put in his time.''
NO HOLDING BACK -- Aaron Boone said his strained back almost feels normal.
``It's almost no issue at all today,'' he said. ``I don't really know how I did it, but it was some kind of muscle thing.''
TIME TRAVELS -- The June 24 game against the Cincinnati Reds at Jacobs Field has been changed to a 1:05 start to accommodate Fox sports, which will televise it nationally. The game was scheduled to begin at 7:05.
In addition, the June 11 game against the White Sox in Chicago has been moved from a 1:05 start to 8:05 (Cleveland time) to allow ESPN to air the game on Sunday Night Baseball.
FARM FACTS -- Scott Lewis and Aaron Laffey each threw four scoreless innings, as Kinston blanked Salem 9-0 in Class A.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

5/24/06

Mota is no relief

Wednesday, May 24, 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]



INDIANS AT TWINS
Today, 1:05 p.m.
Metrodome, Minneapolis
TV ESPN
PITCHERS C.C. Sabathia (3-0, 1.95 ERA) vs. Brad Radke (4-5, 7.20)



MINNEAPOLIS - Guillermo Mota was the last Indians player to walk into the visitors’ clubhouse Tuesday afternoon. He arrived by himself, dressed by himself and walked to the field by himself.
After the game ended, Mota again dressed in solitary silence.
The struggling relief pitcher has made few friends since coming to Cleveland, and is beginning to lose the few allies he once had. Even Manager Eric Wedge, a man whose patience with players is nearly boundless, had seen enough after Mota gave up the deciding run in the 10th inning of a 6-5 loss to Minnesota.
“He’s a veteran guy who needs to work hard to get himself back on track,” Wedge said. “He seems to be doing more throwing than pitching. He needs to be down in the zone to be effective, and he hasn’t done that.
“Our guys did a good job against one of the best pitchers in baseball. Our bullpen did a good job ... until the end.”
Mota (0-3) came in to pitch the bottom of the 10th after the Indians had rallied from a 4-0 deficit to force extra innings. He issued a one-out walk to Torii Hunter, then saw Hunter sprint to third on Michael Cuddyer’s single to right-center.
Justin Morneau then belted Mota’s 13th pitch deep to center field. The throw from Grady Sizemore had barely arrived at second base when Hunter crossed home plate.
“We didn’t want to give Morneau anything to hit,” Wedge said. “(Mota) gave him a pitch to hit.”
Joe Nathan (2-0) struck out five of the six batters he faced to earn the victory.
The Indians bullpen, Mota excluded, seems to have found itself over the last two weeks. Since May 9, only one Indians relief pitcher has given up an earned run — Mota. The other six relievers have combined for 20 2/3 scoreless innings.
In 17 appearances, Mota has a 5.89 ERA and has allowed 35 baserunners in 18 1/3 innings. He was taken out of the setup role earlier this month.
Mota is one of three players obtained by the Indians from Boston in the six-player Coco Crisp trade. Andy Marte is batting .242 at Triple-A Buffalo, Kelly Shoppach was recently optioned to Buffalo and Mota is scuffling.
The outcome might never have been put in Mota’s hands, however, if Indians starter Cliff Lee had been able to hold the 5-4 lead he was presented with entering the sixth inning.
“That’s the inning when I need to get the team back into the dugout,” Lee said. “When you get a lead like that against Johan Santana, you’d better hold on to it.”
Lee was sent to the showers in the sixth after Morneau’s leadoff double was followed by a Rondell White single. Morneau later scored from third on Batista’s double-play ground ball.
“Cliff’s got to go back out there and slam the door,” Wedge said.
The Indians stunned Santana by rallying from a 4-0 deficit to take a 5-4 lead.
Santana had allowed two hits to the first 15 batters that preceded Ronnie Belliard’s two-out single in the fifth. Belliard’s hit was followed by three more, including Sizemore’s two-run double that skipped past diving first baseman Morneau and up the right-field line.
The Twins worked out of that jam when Santana got Jason Michaels to pop up with runners at second and third, but more trouble lay ahead the next inning.
Casey Blake reached on third baseman Tony Batista’s throwing error and scored on Travis Hafner’s double that fell just short of the center-field fence. Two batters later, Eduardo Perez smashed a home run into the left-field seats, his sixth of the season, and Cleveland led, 5-4.
Lee couldn’t get the first out in the sixth inning. In the second and third innings, he couldn’t get the third out. His two-out walk in the second was sandwiched by a pair of two-out hits — the last a two-run double to right by No. 9 batter Juan Castro, who came into the game batting .225. Two were out in the third when Lee walked Hunter and, two pitches later, served up an inside cut fastball that Cuddyer hammered for a two-run home run to left. Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail [email protected]


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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

5/24/06

INDIANS NOTEBOOK: Indians hope day off will spark Peralta

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

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


MINNEAPOLIS - Big-league baseball is never as easy as it looks — particularly as easy as Jhonny Peralta made it look last summer.

The 23-year-old Indians shortstop finished 2005, his first full season in the big leagues, with a .292 average, 24 home runs and 78 RBIs. He moved into the No. 3 spot in the batting order on July 23 and stayed there through the end of the season.

Peralta’s second year in the big leagues has not been nearly as productive.

He was batting .250 with four homers and 21 RBIs through Monday, and was replaced by Lou Merloni in Tuesday’s starting lineup.

Indians Manager Eric Wedge said he wanted to combine Monday’s off day with another day off for Peralta, who was 2-for-19 in his career against Minnesota starter Johan Santana. Peralta had started 43 of Cleveland’s previous 44 games.

“Jhonny’s approach is going to play against anyone as long as he’s consistent with it,” Wedge said. “He’s doing the things we want him to do.

He’s getting on base. He’s drawing walks. He’s driving the ball to right field as well as any hitter we have.”

Perhaps asking Peralta to duplicate his numbers from last year may have been asking a lot, although that’s certainly what the Indians had in mind when they signed him to a five-year, $13 million contract in March. To date, it hasn’t happened.

Peralta was in a 1-for-19 skid before going 3-for-4 Sunday. He has five RBIs in 19 May games and is hitting .180 (9-for-50) in his last 14 games.

“The biggest thing is, this is his second full year in the big leagues,” Indians hitting coach Derek Shelton said. “There are going to be growing pains after the first year. The league is making adjustments to him. We’re working with him to make adjustments back and to swing at good pitches.”

Shelton said Peralta’s hitting mechanics remain sound — a sound reason to believe Peralta will soon resume hitting like a No. 3 hitter.

“Mechanically, he’s fine,” Shelton said. “He’s in a good position to hit. He’s had some good swings lately, but nothing to show for it.”

Wedge said he has not considered moving Peralta to a different spot in the order until he begins having something to show for it.

“When you talk about the dynamic of how a lineup works, you have to look at how moving one player will affect another,” Wedge said. “There’s always a domino effect.”


ON THE AIR Today’s game will be televised on ESPN. The Indians announced the June 11 game at Chicago will now start at 8:09 p.m. and the June 24 home game against Cincinnati will now start at 1:05 p.m.

STAYIN’ ALIVE Struggling right-hander Jason Johnson will not have his next start skipped. He will pitch Sunday at Detroit. “(Pitching coach) Carl Willis and Jason had a good bullpen session today,” Wedge said. “Jason’s had nine starts and two or three of them have been rough. We’ll help him figure this thing out.”

SUCH A DEAL The Indians are paying their starting pitching rotation $22.1 million for a 5.12 combined ERA. Detroit is paying its starting pitching rotation $13.9 million for a 3.16 combined ERA.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY PLAN Travis Hafner’s parents and a couple friends made the trip from Sykeston, N.D., for Tuesday’s game. “I didn’t want to leave a lot of tickets for people to watch me bat against (Twins ace) Johan Santana,” Hafner said.

INGLETT PROMOTED Utilityman Joe Inglett was promoted from Double-A Akron to Triple-A Buffalo on Monday after being named Eastern League player of the week. Inglett hit .516 in 18 games with Akron, and .526 last week. Inglett hit .321 at Buffalo before being sent down to get daily playing time at shortstop.

Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail: [email protected].


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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

5/24/06

INDIANS INSIDER
Tribe fielding offers to rename Jacobs Field


Wednesday, May 24, 2006


Minneapolis -- There's a chance Jacobs Field still could be Jacobs Field in 2007. Then again, it could be called National City Bank Park.

When Dick Jacobs sold the Indians to Larry Dolan, Jacobs retained naming rights through 2006 as part of the deal. Well, it's 2006, and the Indians have been negotiating with several Cleveland businesses, including National City Bank, about putting their name on the ballpark at the corner of Ontario and Carnegie.

Dennis Lehman, Indians executive vice president of business, said Jacobs has expressed an interest in keeping his family's name on the ballpark.

"We'd love to keep it Jacobs Field," Lehman said. "We've had some conversations with Mr. Jacobs, and he's had some conversations with us."

If a deal can't be reached with Jacobs, Lehman says the Indians would like to sell the naming rights to a business with which they could form a partnership. He used the Philadelphia Phillies and Citizens Bank as an example.

Citizens Bank signed a $95 million, 25-year deal with the Phillies for naming rights of their new ballpark in 2004. The park is named Citizens Bank Park.

"It wouldn't be just hanging a name on the building," Lehman said. "It would be using the ballpark and the team as far as their marketing is concerned.

Citizens Bank has tied its advertising to the Phillies throughout the city.

They run areas of the ballpark where they can reach out and touch the customer and try to generate business.

"They have integrated the Phillies logo and wrapped it around their bank."

The Indians are currently negotiating a new lease with Gateway Corp.

Lehman said the Indians would like the naming rights deal they sign to be for at least 18 years.

Lehman said the Indians are making presentations to various businesses, locally and nationally, but nothing is imminent.

"The plan is to have something we can roll out later in the year," he said. "If not, it will stay Jacobs Field, and we will continue to negotiate a deal for naming rights."

Time changes:

The Tribe's June 11 game against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field has been changed to 8:09 p.m. to accommodate ESPN as its Sunday night game. The Indians' June 24 game against the Reds has been moved from 7:05 p.m. to 1:05 p.m. to be the Fox national Saturday game of the week on WJW Channel 8.

ESPN will show today's Indians-Twins game from the Metrodome.

It's not so:

Aaron Boone was asked if his sore back prevented him from making a play on Craig Wilson's grounder to third in the fifth inning Sunday against Pittsburgh.

"It had nothing to do with it," Boone said. "I was waiting to play the bounce, and it hit the lip of the infield grass."

Night off:

Shortstop Jhonny Peralta, who appeared in the Tribe's first 44 games, didn't start Tuesday night against Minnesota's Johan Santana. Peralta is 2-for-19 with 14 strikeouts against Santana.

Lou Merloni started at short. He was 3-for-6 against Santana.

Merloni has been with the Tribe for five games since having his contract purchased from Class AAA Buffalo. He's started at second, third and short, and he has come off the bench in another game.

Stay put:

Peralta, who has started slowly, is going to stay in the No. 3 spot.

I think it's clear the dynamics of our lineup work," Wedge said. "You can see how one play affects the others. Jhonny is fighting through this. He's getting on base and scoring runs."

Casey Blake took over the No. 3 spot for Peralta on Tuesday. Blake, leading the AL in batting average, has batted in every spot in the lineup except for leadoff and cleanup.

"He's a tremendous athlete," Wedge said.

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

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/25/06

Sabathia sets 'em down

Starter goes distance, holds Twins to six hits. Blake hits two homers

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->MINNEAPOLIS - It's almost automatic anymore that every time C.C. Sabathia pitches, he becomes the story of the game.
He did it again Wednesday at the Metrodome. The Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 11-0 to earn a split in the two-game series.
Holding the Twins to six harmless singles -- one an infield roller, another a bloop to the outfield -- Sabathia threw the third shutout and eighth complete game of his career.
In addition to striking out eight, Sabathia (4-1, 1.52 ERA) did not walk a batter and did not go to a three-ball count on any hitter. He delivered only 26 called balls. In his past four starts, encompassing 34 innings, he has walked only two.
``C.C. controlled the ballgame,'' Indians manager Eric Wedge said. ``He worked ahead all day.''
Sabathia has made a remarkable alteration in his pitching style since midway through last season. Changes came after a frustrating first half that saw him leave games early because of high pitch counts and a tendency to let minor mistakes escalate into major rallies.
That was the old Sabathia. Since Aug. 5, he has compiled a 13-2 record and a 1.91 ERA in 19 starts.
Wednesday, he became the first Tribe pitcher to throw consecutive complete games since Bartolo Colon did it on May 26 and May 31 of 2002 against the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox.
Asked if he'd ever thrown so few balls, Sabathia said: ``No, never. Me and (catcher) Victor (Martinez) talk about it a lot, about throwing strike one.''
Added Martinez: ``It's a lot easier when you get ahead in the count. I know that as a hitter and the pitcher jumps on you early.''
No longer does Sabathia routinely light up radar guns at 96-97 miles per hour.
Throwing 100 pitches in five innings also has become ancient history.
In each of his past two starts, Sabathia has thrown 102 in nine innings.
His command has improved, and he consistently has batters off stride by throwing first-pitch curveballs and change-ups.
Even when he is behind in the count -- which hasn't been often this year -- hitters can't count on Sabathia delivering a fastball.
One thing he had to overcome: It's fun to throw almost 100 mph.
``Yeah, especially in here today,'' he said. ``When I woke up today, I had to tell myself not to get out of my routine. We have a rivalry with the Twins. Everybody in our division is a little like that.''
In the past, Sabathia would become consumed when he pitched against the Twins -- ``I hate the Twins,'' he would say -- so he didn't want the adrenaline flowing too freely Wednesday.
Sabathia hasn't abandoned throwing heat. When he feels it necessary, he can still push the radar-gun readings into the high 90s.
``That's what feels good,'' he said. ``I think other hitters know that, too. But being able to throw all my pitches for strikes is it for me now.''
It had been awhile since the Indians got to hammer away at Brad Radke. For the past couple of seasons, Radke had turned around his fortunes against the Tribe, though coming into Wednesday's game, his career record against them was still a lowly 10-16 with a 4.86 ERA.
That was the pitcher the Indians saw Wednesday. Radke (4-6. 7.44 ERA) lasted 5 2/3 innings and faded badly toward the end of the outing. He was charged with eight runs, 11 hits and two walks, after holding the Tribe to three runs the first five innings.
Casey Blake continued to hit like a guy who is leading the American League in batting, even after dropping to third place following an 0-for-5 night on Tuesday.
Blake rebounded in a big way, slamming his eighth and ninth home runs and amassing four RBI to lift his average to .354.
Victor Martinez showed signs of snapping his extended slump with a two-run double and two singles in five at-bats. After hitting .398 in April, Martinez was batting .162 in May.
``I'm still fighting it,'' Martinez said. ``I need to keep working.''
Asked the difference in his approach at the plate from April to May, he said, ``If I knew, this wouldn't have happened.''
Grady Sizemore, Jason Michaels and Aaron Boone each contributed two hits. Sizemore and Boone drove in one run apiece.
In all, the Tribe amassed 15 hits, but through the fifth inning it was hardly a runaway.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/25/06

Blake rebounds with homers

Tuesday's bad game quickly forgotten after Wednesday's four RBI

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->MINNEAPOLIS - It was just one bad day at the plate, but it told Casey Blake something about himself.
Blake went 0-for-5 Tuesday night, striking out twice and lining into a double play. His average fell to .351, which wouldn't bother most hitters, and on this day it didn't bother Blake.
In the Indians' 11-0 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday, Blake homered twice and drove in four runs, pushing his average up to .354.
``I was fortunate enough to get a couple of good pitches to hit and got the barrel of the bat on them,'' he said.
That was not the issue.
``In another year, if I was scuffling and had a game like last night,'' Blake began, ``I'm not saying I would have been in panic mode, but I would be kind of unsure of myself.
``Yet I came in here today and still had confidence in my approach. Just confidence is a good explanation (of his hot start). It's the difference between having success early and digging yourself a hole.''
There is no easy way to explain the transformation of a player who was barely a blip on the big-league radar screen into someone who ranks near the top of the list in hitting.
``It's a long year,'' said manager Eric Wedge, speaking to reporters who might have a tendency to get carried away.
``Casey has settled in up here,'' Wedge added. ``He's done everything we've asked him to do, and he's really come into his own as an offensive player.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/25/06

Sabathia still wonders

<!-- begin body-content -->MINNEAPOLIS - where he made tag
Minnesota Twins second baseman Nick Punto slapped a ball between the pitcher's mound and first base with one out in the first inning Wednesday. Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia snagged the ball, looked toward first baseman Ben Broussard and decided he needed to beat Punto to the bag.
When the two forces reached point zero, Sabathia made a sprawling dive, tagging Punto in the nick of time.
The question to Sabathia: Where did you tag him?
``On his leg?'' Sabathia said with a shrug. ``I was going to ask you.''
THE SHOW -- Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was quickly out of the dugout to argue that Punto beat Sabathia to the base, and that was only Gardenhire's opening act.
Not long after, he disputed that Lew Ford had been hit in the leg with a pitch in the fourth inning.
Gardenhire finally moved on to second-base umpire Angel Hernandez in the fifth, when Grady Sizemore was awarded third base because Punto fell on top of him trying to flag down an errant throw as Sizemore stole second.
Losing that battle, too, Gardenhire finally earned his fourth ejection of the year. He threw his cap and kicked the dirt, as he continued the argument.
He walked off the field without his cap, and Hernandez started to put it in his back pocket. Suddenly, Gardenhire turned to retrieve the cap. Hernandez threw it at him.
OTHER STUFF -- Sabathia has won his past three games at the Metrodome, posting a 1.12 ERA.... Victor Martinez is batting .381 against the Twins this year.... Twelve of Blake's 79 career homers have come against the Twins, his former team.
FARM FACTS -- Jeremy Guthrie (3-0, 0.64 ERA) worked five scoreless innings, allowing five hits and striking out seven, as Buffalo blanked Toledo 5-0 in Class AAA. Ryan Garko had three hits, including his fifth homer.... Wyatt Toregas had two hits to raise his average to .261, but Kinston lost a 6-1 decision to Salem in Class A.... Joshua Noviskey hit his fourth home run in Lake County's 3-2 win over Lakewood in Class A.