Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

5/25/06

Bonds fiasco no big deal, Byrd says


Thursday, May 25, 2006


Minneapolis- No matter how many home runs Barry Bonds hits, the stain of steroids will likely follow him for the rest of his life.

While many believe Bonds is standing shoulder to shoulder with Babe Ruth today in second place on the all-time homer list at 714 because he cheated by using illegal performance enhancers, Indians pitcher Paul Byrd is not offended.

"It doesn't really bother me," Byrd said. "If a pitcher is on the mound and gets caught scuffing the baseball, he ends up on David Letterman. That's all very funny."


Byrd was referring to Joe Niekro getting caught with a file in his back pocket while pitching for the Minnesota Twins during the 1987 season.

"You see the file fluttering to the ground and everybody laughs," Byrd said.

"Everybody said he's a gamer. He's just trying to help his team win. If a guy uses sandpaper on a ball or corks his bat, he's just trying to win.

"There's an old saying in baseball, 'If you're not cheating, you're not trying.'

So when Bonds gets criticized for being linked to steroids, Byrd doesn't understand.

"People say, 'What about the effect it has on kids,' " Byrd said. "What if it makes kids use steroids? Well, you see kids with half their jaws gone from chewing tobacco trying to be like big leaguers. That doesn't seem to be too much of a concern. It seems we put value on what we want to put value on, but cheating is cheating."

Major League Baseball is currently investigating steroid use among players.

Bonds and many others are sure to come under scrutiny.

Bonds is also reportedly under investigation by the government for perjuring himself during grand jury testimony in the BALCO steroid case. All of which may work against him when he becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame five years after his retirement.

Byrd believes Bonds is a Hall of Famer.

"A lot of players have used steroids over the years," Byrd said. "Guys you wouldn't even think of.

"He should go to the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is full of guys who cheat. I played with guys who are going to the Hall of Fame and they cheated."

Bonds is hitting .286 (2-for-7) against Byrd with one home run and two walks.

Strike three:

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire argued plays at home, first and second base during Wednesday's 11-0 loss to the Indians.

"I was not going to get an opportunity to get to third," he said.

Second base umpire Angel Hernandez ejected Gardenhire in the fifth inning after Grady Sizemore stole second and was awarded third because of obstruction against second baseman Nick Punto.

Punto was on the ground without the ball when Sizemore, trying to step over him, became tangled.

Gardenhire sprinted out of the dugout to second, spiking his cap in protest of Hernandez's call. Hernandez ejected him.

Nicky was flat on his back," Gardenhire said. "I don't know if he had anywhere to go but under the base."

When Gardenhire finally stopped arguing, he walked off the field leaving his hat near second base. Hernandez picked it up and was going to stuff it in his back pocket when Gardenhire turned around and started looking for his hat.

"He was folding my cap up," Gardenhire said. "That's not kosher to me. I told him I wanted my hat back."

Hernandez flipped it to him.

"I said, 'Thank you very little,' " Gardenhire said.

In the first, Gardenhire argued C.C. Sabathia missed Punto with a diving tag at first base.

In the third, he argued that Lew Ford had been hit by a Sabathia pitch. He lost each time.

Finally:

Sizemore has hit in six straight games. . . . The Indians have won just two of their last seven games at the Metrodome.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-5158

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/26/06

Perez still living in dad's shadows

Veteran has always been known as Tony's son

By Stephanie Storm

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Eduardo Perez has heard it all his life.
``You're Tony Perez's son.''
It started when he was a happy-go-lucky kid growing up in Cincinnati.
It continued when he played in college at Florida State University and later when he became the California Angels' first-round pick (17th overall) in the 1991 draft.
The same thing happened while he played for five different major-league teams, and even during a season halfway around the globe in Japan.
``I'm 36 years old,'' said the Indians first baseman, ``and I still hear, `You're Tony Perez's son.' ''
There is much honor in being the son of a Baseball Hall of Famer -- especially a 23-year veteran, popular for his playing days during the Cincinnati Reds' ``Big Red Machine'' era.
But as much as Eduardo Perez is his father's son, he is also his own man.
Perez still has had to make his own way, while proving there's more to him than famous bloodlines.
``I've had my share of ups and downs, of injuries and disappointments. I was never given a free pass just because my dad is Tony Perez,'' Eduardo said.
He and his father entered the 2006 season in fourth place on Major League Baseball's list of most home runs hit by a father-son combination with 449.
Growing up
Perez's baseball education began around age 7, playing catch with his older brother Victor in the tunnels of Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. When the team was on the field, he and Victor would scramble into the empty underground batting cages and emulate their favorite players.
``Guys like Willie Stargell, Dave Parker and Joe Morgan,'' Perez said. ``Other kids wanted to be my dad. Of course, my brother and I always wanted to be someone else.''
Hanging around major-league ballparks for so long, Victor and Eduardo didn't begin playing organized baseball until they were in their teens.
``I see so many of these young kids today who have already played for so many years and are playing on all these travel teams,'' said Perez. ``It's no wonder they get burned out on the game so young. They're still kids. They should be having fun.''
Even though he grew up with baseball being such a big part of his everyday life, Perez didn't dream of playing professionally until college.
``As kids, we didn't know any other life,'' he said. ``I had nothing to measure my experience against. As far as I was concerned, it was normal to be running around a locker room full of some of the greatest players in the game.''
When Eduardo was 13 and Victor 16, they began wearing real uniforms and helping out around the clubhouse.
``It was 1983 and my dad was playing in Philadelphia then,'' Perez said. ``Wearing that uniform was the greatest thing in the world. But honestly, I never thought I'd do this for a career.''
When it was time for college, Perez didn't even try to get an athletic scholarship. Instead, he simply enrolled at the University of Miami like a regular student.
``I filled out the application, wrote an essay, then began to stress out while waiting to get in,'' he said.
But before he got too deep into the admissions process with Miami, the baseball coach at Florida State heard from a scout that the son of Tony Perez was looking for a college. It wasn't long before he got in touch with Eduardo and convinced him to come to Tallahassee.
Coming to Cleveland
Now in his 16th professional season, Perez has played for the California Angels, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, the Hanshin Tigers of the Japanese Central League and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays the last two seasons.
After the Indians failed to get power hitters such as Brian Giles and Nomar Garciaparra last winter, the Indians looked to Perez.
They signed him to a one-year deal with a club option for 2007, for $1.75 million.
It was while playing with the Devil Rays during the Tribe's final week of the 2005 season that it first occurred to Perez that Cleveland would be a great place to play.
``I would sit on the other side of the field thinking, `This would be a great fit,' '' Perez said. ``The Indians were young, but at the same time, they had a good mix of veterans. Most of all, I liked that they knew how to play for each other. They got the importance of being a team first.''
Could a veteran like Perez come and split time at first base with the left-handed hitting Ben Broussard and still produce? Could he even find a way to help make Broussard a better player?
``My dad always told me growing up, `It's easy to make it to the major leagues, but it's hard to stay,' '' Perez said. ``I've spent my whole career trying to find a way to stay, to stick.''
Platoon player
In 25 games this season, Perez is batting .324 (22-for-68) with eight doubles, six home runs, 11 runs scored, 19 RBI and a team-leading .706 slugging percentage.
His first two home runs not only came in the first two games, but also against two of the better left-handers in Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox and Johan Santana of the Minnesota Twins.
``Coming in, Eduardo was a guy who's had previous success in the past in that role,'' said Indians Assistant General Manager Chris Antonetti. ``Still, he's gone beyond everything we could have hoped for.''
Broussard hit .255 last season -- including .225 versus lefties. But through 41 games this season, he is batting .368 (42-for-114) with seven doubles, five home runs, 23 runs and 24 RBI.
``Since the first day of spring training, I told Ben, `I'm you're biggest fan,' '' Perez said. ``I told him, `This is the hand we've been dealt. Let's embrace it, let's play the heck out of it.' ''
Ask Perez if he knows whose day it is to start next, he'll rattle off a week's worth of scheduled starters, and whose day it is to play. Just in case, he makes sure Broussard knows ahead of time, too.
During one postponed game early in the season, Perez sent a text message to Broussard, reminding him to be ready the next day to face a right-hander.
The Indians are enjoying Perez's contributions to the team in the clubhouse, too.
``Eduardo's got such a vivacious personality and an obvious comfortableness on the field in having been around the game since he was a little kid,'' Tribe manager Eric Wedge said.
``Yet melded with that fun-loving side is the kind of mental toughness that allows him to get the job done despite limited playing time. Put all that together, and it makes for a special ballplayer.''
Two weeks ago, Tony Perez spent time in Cleveland during a home stand, visiting with his youngest son and his family.
``He doesn't come too much to games because he doesn't like all the attention,'' Eduardo said. ``But he wanted to spend his 64th birthday with his two young grandchildren (Perez's daughters, Andreanna and Juliana).''
Eduardo Perez will always be Tony Perez's son. But he wouldn't mind once in a while if he was known for being himself.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/26/06

Replace Johnson in rotation

Calling up either Jeremy would be fine for Tribe

By Terry Pluto

<!-- begin body-content -->If the Indians are truly serious about contending, Jeremy Sowers will replace Jason Johnson in the starting rotation.
If not Sowers, then they should bring up Jeremy Guthrie, who has been tremendous at Class-AAA Buffalo, where he's 3-0 with an 0.64 ERA and has not allowed a run in his last two starts.
Two pitchers named Jeremy...
Either would be a better option than Johnson, who is scheduled to start Sunday in Detroit.
The Indians are nine games behind the Tigers as they open a three-game series in Detroit tonight. They are eight games in back of the World Series champion Chicago White Sox. They are in baseball's toughest division.
They can't keep starting a guy whose ERA is 12.42 the last four times out. Jason Johnson is 32 years old. He was 16-26 with a 4.80 ERA for the Tigers the last two years.
He's 2-4 with a 6.52 ERA this season. Since the year 2000, he's 44-78.
The Indians like to examine statistical trends.
Think about this: Before this season, Johnson was a much better pitcher in his career before the All-Star break (33-44, 4.43) than after (19-42, 5.48).
There is no rational reason to stick with the veteran right-hander unless the Indians were out of options, but they have two exciting alternatives at Buffalo.
Most fans are aware of Sowers, who is 6-1 with an 0.94 ERA. He's on a streak of 22 scoreless innings. In 67 innings this season, he's allowed only one home run!
He a finesse lefty. He doesn't strike out a lot of hitters (37 in 67 innings), nor does he walk many (18). He wins games, gets batters out. He's started only 37 pro games, but he's 20-5 for his minor-league career.
Compare that with Johnson, whose minor-league record was 35-48. His overall big-league mark is 54-90. He has a good arm, a 92 mph fastball and an impressive sinker. But the parts are far better than the finished product.
The Indians say they love Sowers, but wouldn't mind giving him a little more time to work on holding base runners and some other subtleties of pitching.
OK, bring up Guthrie.
He has been terrific at Buffalo. In fact, the Indians have rated his last two starts even better than those of Sowers. On the season, Guthrie's 0.64 ERA is backed by 29 innings of 19 hits, no homers allowed and 21 strikeouts.
He showed promise with the Tribe in the bullpen last month, where he had a 4.63 ERA in 11 2/3 innings. His fastball was in the high 90s.
A creative idea would be to put Sowers in the rotation for Johnson, Guthrie in the bullpen for Guillermo Mota.
Unlike the 23-year-old Sowers, who has been a pro for less than two years, Guthrie is 27. He's in his fourth pro season. The four-year deal he signed with the Tribe out of Stanford is about to expire. He won't be a free agent, but the Indians must decide how he fits.
Let's find out now, and do it knowing he'll help more than Mota.
There was a reason the Indians first backed off from Mota during the trade talks with Boston in the Coco Crisp/Andy Marte deal. There were concerns about Mota's arm, even though he did pitch in 67 innings of relief in 2005.
Mota's fastball remains in the mid-90s. He is supposed to have an excellent change-up, but has used it sparingly. On the season, he is 0-3 with a 5.89 ERA. Digging deeper, you discover he's given up five home runs in only 18 1/3 innings. In May, his ERA is 8.20 with three homers in 7 2/3 innings.
Shall we be kind and say that he's trending in the wrong direction, to use the jargon of today's baseball executives?
The Indians have won seven of their last nine games. The pitching staff is shaping up. C.C. Sabathia has been dominating. Veteran Paul Byrd is a notorious slow starter (career 5.01 ERA in May), but is 1-1 with a 4.00 ERA and only three walks in his last four starts.
The time to make a move is now, both in the standings and with the pitching staff.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/26/06

Changed Sabathia

<!-- begin body-content -->makes batters think
C.C. Sabathia has transformed himself into an entirely different kind of pitcher since August.
No longer just a hard thrower, Sabathia has become a thinking-man's lefty, using all of his pitches and relying on location as much as his live arm. That didn't change this year, even though he missed four starts with an abdominal muscle strain.
``He's been just about as good as a starting pitcher can be since he came off the DL,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``He really figured things out last year. He's making pitches, executing pitches. But he can still reach back (and throw hard) when he has to.''
Sabathia, 13-2 with a 1.91 ERA since Aug. 5, 2005, said he has been fresher later in games because of his new approach.
``I'm sweating now because it's hot in here, but I wasn't during the game,'' he said Wednesday after beating the Twins. ``What I'm doing now conserves energy so I can go hard later in the game.''
WHY ASK WHY? -- Casey Blake leads the American League in average against right-handers with a .387 figure, his lofty status belying the conventional wisdom about right-handed batters and right-handed pitchers.
Asked to explain his success, Blake said: ``I don't know. I can't tell you what it is.''
OPTIMISM -- The Tribe's next two series -- against the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox -- come against the two teams that increasingly appear to be the class of the Central Division.
``We want to have the opportunity to play teams in our division,'' Wedge said. ``And we want to play teams that are ahead of us.''
COVERING ALL BASES -- Because of rainouts and additional national TV broadcasts, SportsTime Ohio has added four games to complete its schedule: July 26 against Detroit at noon, Aug. 17 against Minnesota at 1 p.m., Sept. 17 against Minnesota at 1 p.m. and Sept. 24 against the Texas Rangers at 2 p.m.
The only remaining regular-season game not scheduled to be televised is the Aug. 12 afternoon home game against the Kansas City Royals.
ABOUT THE TIGERS -- Detroit has won 12 of its last 13.... Magglio Ordonez is batting .356 with eight homers and 23 RBI in his past 31 games.... Dmitri Young is on the DL with a strained quad.... Jim Leyland won his 1,100th game as a manager Tuesday night.
FARM FACTS -- Jeremy Sowers worked eight scoreless innings, giving up three hits, but Buffalo lost 1-0 to Toledo in 11 innings. Sowers has gone 26 1/3 innings without giving up an earned run. He lowered his overall ERA to 0.94.
SHELDON OCKER
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

5/26/06

Casey Blake near league lead in hitting

Friday, May 26, 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]


DETROIT - Designated hitter Travis Hafner walked past the visitors dugout in Minnesota on Tuesday before the Indians were to play the Twins and noticed teammate Casey Blake completing yet another interview.
“Hey, Casey,” Hafner shouted from the top step, “they’ve got some stuff in the trainer’s room if you get a sore throat from talking so much.”
Blake pretended not to notice Hafner, but the baseball world is certainly beginning to take notice. Cleveland’s 32-year-old right fielder has led the American League in hitting most of the season, although Toronto’s Alex Rios (.357) passed Blake (.354) this week.
Most of the interviews seem to follow the same theme. How can a guy who didn’t earn a big-league job until he was 30 be doing this? How can a guy who everyone — including his bosses — seemed to view as no more than a utilityman be doing this? How can a guy who hit .241 last year be doing this?
Don’t ask Casey.
“I can’t really explain it,” Blake said.
There is no explaining Blake’s amazing two-month hot streak.
His career average before this season was .255, and he hit .241 in 2005. He had a career .219 average with runners in scoring position, but is hitting .395 with runners at second or third this season. His on-base percentage in 2006 (.431) is nearly 100 points higher than his career percentage (.333).
When asked to present something — anything — as a viable explanation, Blake credits confidence.
“The great ones have confidence all the time,” Blake said. “Sometimes in this game, confidence is hard to come by. It’s a game of failure. A lot of times, success breeds confidence. Having success early in the year, not digging a hole for yourself, is important.”
Blake spent the first two months of 2005 doing some serious digging. He batted .188 in April and .204 in May. Blake admits to being distracted by the switch from third base to right field, as well as off-the-field personal issues that later were happily resolved.
Indians Manager Eric Wedge stuck by Blake during the tough times and is enjoying the good times with him.
“Casey’s meant a lot to this ballclub the last four years,” Wedge said. “He’s a guy you can count on to come and play every day. He’s had tough times ... but no more than any other big-league player.
“You don’t ever expect someone to do what he’s doing. It’s a long year. But he’s done everything we’ve asked him.”
The Indians have asked Blake to take on a new position and to fill nearly every conceivable role in the order. He hit in all nine spots in 2005 and has already hit in seven different places (everywhere but leadoff and cleanup) this season.
“It’s important to have a guy who’s comfortable with that,” Wedge said. “It allows you to plug someone into a spot when a guy needs a day off or a guy is hurt. Casey is a team player.”
Blake is a team player, which has made him popular with his teammates. His willingness to speak with the media after good and poor performances earned him the Baseball Writers Association of America’s Good Guy Award in 2004. Blake seems sincere when talking of his appreciation to the Indians for handing him the starting third base job in 2003 after he had spent seven years waiting his turn with Toronto, Baltimore and Minnesota.
“This team gave me a chance to play, and they also gave me a chance to fail,” Blake said. “They threw me out there for an extended period of time instead of yanking me if I didn’t succeed. The coaching staff here has been good to me.”
“The first time he’d had a real opportunity was here, and he’s taken advantage of it,” Wedge said. “Even though his major-league career started a little later, it’s not going to hold him back.”
Even an experienced player must learn to make adjustments. One necessary change for Blake was learning to hit with two strikes. He batted .236 last season after getting the second strike. This year, he’s hitting .316.
“It seems like I have two strikes on me a lot,” Blake said. “I just try not to do too much. With two strikes, it’s about being patient but not afraid.”
Blake didn’t let the fear of failure stop him, and he hasn’t let success go to his head either. When asked — again — for the secret to his unexpected success after Wednesday’s two-homer game against Minnesota, he grinned and shrugged his shoulders.
“I’d rather be lucky than good,” Blake said.
Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail [email protected]

Casey at the bat
Category 2005 2006
Batting average .241 .354
Home runs (pace) 23 32
RBIs (pace) 58 120
Batting w/runners
in scoring position .171 .395 Batting w/bases loaded .143 .750 Batting after 2nd strike .236 .316


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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/26/06

Hafner doesn’t put it in idle

DH reviews video, works on swing between trips to plate

Friday, May 26, 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><TR><TD class=credit width=200>TONY DEJAK ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>Travis Hafner, watching a grand slam he hit against the White Sox on May 1, has improved significantly against left-handers this season. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


CLEVELAND — After a game last week, a reporter asked Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner about the run-saving throw teammate Jason Michaels had made earlier in the evening. Hafner smiled sheepishly.
"I didn’t see it," he said. "I’m sure it was a great play, though."
From two lockers over, Michaels laughed and said, "Thanks, Pronk. Thanks a lot."
He knew what the reporter obviously did not, and he knew not to take offense.
When the Indians are in the field, Hafner is at work. He might be in the batting cage, honing his swing, or in the video room, watching his previous at-bats, or in the hallway outside the clubhouse, running sprints.
He rarely plays defense, but he does not take that time off.
"You try to prepare yourself every day," Hafner said. "You don’t ever want to go into a game feeling like you’re not ready or your swing doesn’t feel good."
He has earned a reputation within the organization for his almost-fanatical preparation. Hafner credits the example set by veterans such as Alex Rodriguez, Ivan Rodriguez and Rafael Palmeiro when he made his big-league debut with the Texas Rangers in 2002.
"I always worked hard at whatever sport I was playing," Hafner said. "Being in the big leagues, watching veteran players, you learn you have to do a lot of extra work to stay ahead of the game."
The most recent example of Hafner’s attention to detail is his success against left-handed pitching. He is hitting .324 with six home runs, a .444 on-base percentage and .635 slugging percentage against lefties, similar to his numbers against righties (.299, seven, .441, .621).
Prior to this season, Hafner had a .244 career average against lefties, .314 against righties. His OPS — on-base percentage plus slugging percentage — against lefties has risen steadily, from .629 in 2003 to .878 last season. It stands at 1.079 right now.
"I’ve had a chance to face a lot of them, and I feel like I’ve improved a lot," he said. "A lot of times late in games, in RBI situations, I’m going to face lefties. I have to be better against them if I’m going to be productive."
He hit .351 off lefties in triple-A in 2002, and he said the biggest adjustment from triple-A to the big leagues was the quality of left-handed pitching he faced. He first had to get comfortable putting the ball in play, then learn when and how he could drive the ball for power.
"We don’t have them in North Dakota," Hafner said with a laugh. "They don’t make ’em up there."
There are plenty in the American League, though. The Indians have faced 21 left-handed starters through 46 games, and they will face two more this weekend in Nate Robertson and Kenny Rogers of the Detroit Tigers. Hafner is a combined 8 for 28 against them in his career, 3 for 7 with two walks this season.
[email protected]

Friday, May 26, 2006

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

5/26/06

Tribe seeks winning zone in Central time

With division leaders on tap, Indians looking to close gap

Friday, May 26, 2006

Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter

Detroit- The Indians have 116 games left, and more than four months to play, but does anyone else have a feeling that it's getting late early in the American League Central?

Detroit and Chicago, the two teams ahead of the Indians in the division, own the two best records in baseball, which has made it hard for the Indians to gain ground.

In winning six of their past eight games, the Indians have gone backward. They dropped from 7½ to 9½ games out of first place because Detroit went 8-1. The White Sox, meanwhile, matched the Indians' 6-2 record.

For the next seven games, the Indians can take matters into their own hands. Starting tonight at Comerica Park, they play a three-game series against Detroit before returning to Jacobs Field for a four-game series against the White Sox, starting Monday.

If the Indians want to make a move, now is the time.

The Tigers are 5-2 against the Indians. The Indians are 3-2 against Chicago. They will play each team 19 times before the season ends.

Detroit swept a three-game series from the Tribe earlier this month at Jacobs Field. They beat starters Cliff Lee, C.C. Sabathia and Jason Johnson, while outscoring the Indians, 11-6.

The Indians, for the most part, say it's foolish to put too much emphasis on seven games in a 162-game schedule.

If they go 4-3 or 3-4, not much will change in the standings. It's the extremes that create an adrenaline rush.

Going 7-0 would certainly tighten the race, and perhaps, some throats. Going 0-7 might start a fire sale.

"We want the opportunity to play teams in our division," said manager Eric Wedge, "and we want the opportunity to play the teams ahead of us."
Opportunity, granted.

"We don't want to put pressure on ourselves in May," said Sabathia. "Detroit and Chicago have the lead, but it's still early. I said that a lot when Chicago was pulling away last year."

Last year, the Indians trailed the White Sox by 15 games on Aug. 1 before chopping it to 1½ games in late September. But that is a dangerous way to play, especially when the Indians' pitching is not as reliable as a year ago.

"It is an important stretch, but it isn't," said Casey Blake. "We're going to play them a bunch more after this. This game is so tough, that to get up for a week, doesn't make sense.

"They've got good teams, but I can't believe they'll play at this clip the whole season. As a team, we need to stay calm."

Wedge feels the Indians are slowly finding answers. Sabathia is 4-1 with a 0.91 ERA since coming off the disabled list on May 2. No. 5 starter Jason Johnson remains a concern, but Paul Byrd has become steadier over his past few starts. The rotation has pitched at least six innings in nine of the past 11 games with three complete games.

After a month and a half of injury and turmoil, relievers Rafael Betancourt, Fernando Cabrera, Fausto Carmona and Jason Davis are defining their roles.

Scott Sauerbeck is starting to get lefties out. Guillermo Mota is still a problem, but closer Bob Wickman is a perfect 7-for-7 in save situations despite a lack consistent work.

In the last 11 games, the pen has allowed two runs in 25 innings.

Other buttons have been pushed.

Veterans Lou Merloni and Tim Laker were added from Class AAA Buffalo to improve team chemistry. As soon as Merloni arrived, Wedge started him in three straight games trying to create a spark.

The Indians are a better team when Kelly Shoppach catches in place of Victor Martinez. But the Indians sent Shoppach to Buffalo to get more playing time and brought up Laker because he relates well with Martinez, slumping at the plate and with his throwing, and the pitching staff.

"We can't get a head of ourselves, but we have to start stringing some things together," said Aaron Boone. "I feel we have the people in this room to do it, but we've got to go out and do it."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-5158

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/27/06

TIGERS 8 INDIANS 3

Wedge frustrated by team’s defense

Road defeat drops Indians 10 1 /2 games behind the Tigers

Saturday, May 27, 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><TR><TD class=credit width=200>DUANE BURLESON ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>Curtis Granderson singles in two of his five RBI for the Tigers. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


DETROIT — The showers that rumbled through the Midwest yesterday cleared out by midafternoon, so the sun was shining and Comerica Park was nearly packed when the Tigers took the field last night. Even the odd bounces and random rolls of the game seemed to go their way, as they have often this season.
The Cleveland Indians had numerous chances to change that momentum, but they could not get a runner home from third base, could not throw strikes when they most needed a few, could not prevent an ugly 8-3 loss that dropped them 10 1 /2 games behind the surging Tigers in the American League Central.
Most tellingly, the Indians could not — or at least did not — stop a randomly rolling ball in the seventh inning. Afterward, manager Eric Wedge looked a little like the afternoon storm clouds, with just a bit more restraint.
"I don’t care if it’s a meaningless game or the seventh game of the World Series," he said. "You play one way, and that’s the way you play every day."
The primary sources of his frustration were starting pitcher Jake Westbrook, who allowed three walks in the game-turning sixth inning, and infielders Jhonny Peralta and Ronnie Belliard, whose lax play in the seventh allowed the final run to score.
When center fielder Grady Sizemore ran to the deepest part of the ballpark to track down a fly ball, Magglio Ordonez tagged and went from second to third base. But Peralta let Sizemore’s throw to the infield bounce, and it skidded past him; Belliard was not in position to back it up, so Ordonez jogged home.
"Just (an expletive) effort. Something that can’t happen," Wedge said. "It’s not something we tolerate. It’s not the way we play. It’s not what we’re about."
Wedge blamed both of the infielders for allowing the ball to roll away, and he talked to both after the play. Peralta accepted the blame.
"I need to catch that ball," he said. "Ronnie has to stay at second base."
The humidity was rising in the visitor’s dugout even before that play.
The Indians cut into a 3-0 deficit with two runs in the top of the sixth. With a little luck, they could have tied the score, but Travis Hafner hit a hard grounder right at second baseman Placido Polanco and Tigers starter Nate Robertson snared a bouncer by Victor Martinez to leave a runner at third base.
Westbrook then walked the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the inning. He would allow a single and two more walks, and reliever Jason Davis allowed a three-run triple to Curtis Granderson on the second pitch he threw.
"I battle my butt off to keep it 3-0 forever, then we put up a two-spot and I came back and give up a fourspot. That’s frustrating for me," Westbrook said. "I know it’s frustrating for our offense. They’re working hard, too. I have got to do a better job."
Wedge said, "It’s happened too much with our guys. … You can’t walk the leadoff hitter. You can’t walk three guys in one inning. We’re better than that. Jake’s better than that."
The Tigers have won 14 of their past 15 games to open a season-high 2 1 /2-game lead in the Central.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/27/06

INDIANS NOTEBOOK

Broussard-Perez platoon has been a hit

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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DETROIT — The Indians have faced 22 left-handed starting pitchers in 47 games, which has made the timeshare at first base remarkably even.
Only twice has Ben Broussard been in the starting lineup three games in a row. He sat twice during the week he was named American League co-player of the week.
"There have been a couple times where I was feeling really good at the plate," he said, "and it was like, man, if I got two or three more games in there, who knows how many home runs I would have? "
He smiled, then quickly insisted he is not angling for more playing time. The Indians came into the season with roles established — Broussard would start against right-handers, Eduardo Perez against lefties — and the platoon has been an unquestioned success.
Entering a game last night in Detroit, Broussard and Perez combined for a .363 average, 11 home runs and 40 RBI when in the lineup at first base.
The Indians signed Perez because of his success against left-handed pitching, his willingness to play a part-time role and his easygoing nature in the clubhouse. They had reason to believe he would adapt well. Few could have predicted Broussard’s success, though, particularly considering the sporadic playing time.
"This would be the hardest time to be consistent," he said. "I’m going to stay positive. I think I’ve shown them what I can do. … The most important thing was finding what I needed to find with my swing, and I’ve been able to put it into play in games."
Specifically, Broussard has spent more time studying opposing pitchers and he has developed a pregame routine that he believes has allowed him to stay sharp through frequent days off.
"If I can do it now, it’s going to help me when I’m an everyday guy," he said. "I’ll be able to stay focused."
Hit and run

The Indians took a bus from Cleveland to Detroit yesterday, arriving about 1:15 p.m. Normally they would fly from one road city to the next, but with a day game Wednesday in Minnesota, no game Thursday and a short commute to Detroit, they flew home Wednesday evening and took a full day off Thursday. … The Indians added an eighth minor-league team, a rookielevel club that will be based out of the organization’s spring home of Winter Haven, Fla., and play in the Gulf Coast League. The GCL Indians will begin play June 21 and will feature mostly high-school draftees and players from the organization’s Dominican and Venezuelan academies. [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/28/06

TIGERS 3 INDIANS 1

Miscues costly to Indians

Mistakes in field, on bases set up another tough loss

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>DUANE BURLESON ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>The Tigers’ Magglio Ordonez gets a pat from Ivan Rodriguez after hitting a two-run homer. </TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>

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DETROIT — The Cleveland Indians have 114 games remaining this season. A lot can happen in that time.
Manager Eric Wedge and his players, ever the optimists, have cited the length of the season as a reason for hope. They see enough opportunities to erase the sins of the first 48 games, including a 3-1 loss last night to the surging Detroit Tigers. They see a surge of their own coming.
But it should be said that a lot also can go wrong in 114 games. And the way the Tigers and Chicago White Sox are playing, the Indians’ margin for error is shrinking with each day.
They did not play as poorly last night as they did the night before, but it did not matter against Tigers rookie Justin Verlander, who allowed only one run on seven hits in seven innings.
The Tigers have won eight straight games and 15 of their past 16 to open a 3 1 /2-game lead over the White Sox in the American League Central. The Indians fell 11 1 /2 games back.
"We’ve got to make our breaks," Wedge said. "We can’t wait for it to happen. We have to stop the bleeding."
Verlander got all the cushion he needed in the first inning, when the Indians hit the trifecta with a base-running mistake, an error in the field and a poor pitch.
Casey Blake drew a walk in the top of the inning, then got picked off first base. Paul Byrd retired the first two batters in the bottom of the inning and induced a grounder from Carlos Guillen for what should have been the third out, but first baseman Ben Broussard booted it. Byrd followed with two quick strikes to Magglio Ordonez but left a fastball too far over the plate, and Ordonez ripped it to left for a two-run homer. Indians manager
"At some point, you have to give the hitter credit," Byrd said. "I made the pitch; it wasn’t over the middle of the plate. Ordonez made the adjustment and hit it out of the park. It’s sad that that’s the game, but that’s the way it was tonight."
Byrd shut out the Tigers the next six innings. It was the fourth time in five starts he lasted seven innings and the third straight start in which he did not walk a batter. There is reason for optimism there.
The Indians threatened against Verlander in the sixth and setup man Fernando Rodney in the eighth. Aaron Boone led off each inning with a double, but his teammates could not drive him in.
Verlander got Grady Sizemore to pop out, then struck out Jhonny Peralta and Travis Hafner. His final pitch of the inning registered 99 mph on the stadium radar gun.
Sizemore followed Boone’s double in the eighth with a drive to deep left, but Craig Monroe leaped at the wall and caught it. Blake then struck out looking at a 96 mph fastball down the middle of the plate, and Peralta grounded out.
"I thought we had some pitches to hit," Wedge said. "We did hit a few balls hard at people, but we also had plenty of pitches to hit that we didn’t get to. That’s probably a credit to Verlander, too. But our guys are better than that."
The Tigers then tacked on a run in the bottom of the eighth against Indians reliever Fernando Cabrera. Todd Jones worked the ninth for his 16 th save. The Indians hit into four double plays, the last one by Victor Martinez in the ninth.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

5/28/06

INDIANS NOTEBOOK

Inherited base runners plague Davis

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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DETROIT — Jason Davis has found a pregame routine he is comfortable with. He is able to warm up quickly, and he likes coming to the park each day knowing he could get in the game.
The next step in his conversion from starter to reliever — and eventually, Indians officials hope, to a dominant late-inning reliever — is getting comfortable entering a game with runners on base.
At the start of play yesterday, Davis had inherited 10 runners and allowed all 10 to score, including three Friday against the Detroit Tigers.
"I’m doing the same things, they’re just getting in right now," he said.
Davis entered in the sixth inning Friday with the bases loaded, and on his second pitch he allowed a triple. He retired the next two hitters on routine groundouts.
Pitching coach Carl Willis said Davis has concentrated so much on not overthrowing — his biggest problem in previous seasons — that he sometimes goes too far to the other extreme, particularly when the tension is highest and the urge to throw hard is greatest.
"You can’t sacrifice aggressiveness just to hit the spot," Willis said. "As he gains experience, it’s something he will get better at."
Light a fire

Manager Eric Wedge had an unusual edge to his voice Friday, after infielders Jhonny Peralta and Ronnie Belliard let a throw from the outfield bounce past them. Earlier this season, Wedge was upset at Peralta for failing to run out a grounder.
"You’ve got to be consistent with your energy on the field," Wedge said yesterday. "What works for Jhonny mentally — his ability to slow the game down — sometimes works against him physically and fundamentally."
Wedge said he does not believe Peralta has become complacent since signing a five-year, $13 million contract during spring training.
"That’s not the type of kid he is. He’s a good kid," Wedge said. "But with his laid-back approach, he has to be aware that sometimes he has to create more energy."
Work out the kinks

Jason Johnson has had seven days off since his last start, which gave Willis time to study tape of previous outings and gave Johnson time to throw twice in the bullpen. Willis described the sessions as "a little bit more aggressive" than normal between-starts sessions.
Willis said Johnson has tried to be "too fine" with his slider, which led to control problems, and when he could not throw the slider for a strike, opponents waited for his sinker. So they used the side sessions to work on the slider.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/29/06

Johnson delivers big win for Tribe

Spot in rotation secure after six shutout innings in victory over Tigers

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->DETROIT - The Jason Johnson watch has been postponed until further notice.
Johnson pitched six scoreless innings Sunday to trigger the Indians' 9-0 win over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.
It was an important victory in that it salvaged one of three games from the Central Division leaders and kept the Tribe from falling further into the abyss of third place, even though being 10 ½ games behind isn't exactly nirvana.
Even Indians manager Eric Wedge, whose mantra is that all games count the same, conceded that the triumph carried at least a little extra significance.
``This was a big win for us, and I'm not one to really say that at this point in the season,'' he said. ``Partly it's the way we played the last couple of nights (poorly), and that they're leading the division.
``And how many times did they beat us in a row (five)? There are certain times in the season when a win means more, and this was one of those.''
Johnson's unexpected tour de force came after he had gone 0-4 with a 9.73 ERA in his past six starts and had forced management to consider seeking a replacement for his spot in the rotation.
Johnson (3-4, 5.80 ERA) ensured that his job security would not be an issue for at least another two or three starts, depending on how he handles them. If he can duplicate his effort against the Tigers, he will have nothing to worry about.
Johnson insists that there was no cause for alarm.
``I'm not concerned about anything right now except wanting to give this team a chance to win,'' he said, an edge creeping into his voice.
Wedge was noncommittal in assessing Johnson's future.
``Nothing has changed,'' Wedge said. ``What's still important for him is to be heading in the right direction. Today, he set the tone for us.''
Johnson allowed six hits, walked none and struck out two. Two of the Tigers' hits didn't leave the infield, and a one-out error by first baseman Eduardo Perez that put runners on first and third in the third inning failed to shake Johnson's focus.
What was different for him?
``Jason stayed in his delivery,'' Wedge said. ``He was much more consistent with his delivery. He also made pitches. If they started to get something going, he got key outs.''
Said Johnson: ``It was about keeping the ball down. I've been getting getting pitches up lately.''
Tim Laker was Johnson's catcher for the first time this season and added, ``Basically, all we went with were sinkers and sliders, working both sides of the plate. We tried to stay away from the corners, just go left half, right half and let the sinker move.
``Jason did a good job of getting ahead and keeping his pitches down. When some guys did get on, he made his pitches, he didn't panic.''
Johnson threw only 94 pitches (64 strikes), but Wedge wasn't going to give him a chance to undo the good work he had accomplished. When Carlos Guillen beat out an infield hit with one out in the sixth, Wedge got someone up in the bullpen.
If Johnson's performance was uncommon, beating Kenny Rogers ranked as positively extraordinary for the Tribe. Rogers (7-3, 3.76 ERA), who keeps batters off balance by throwing a variety of off-speed pitches, came into the game with a 2-0 record and 1.88 ERA against the Indians this year.
Since Aug. 23, 2003, he had compiled a 6-1 record and 2.55 ERA against the Indians with the Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers and the Tigers.
Certainly, it was unexpected that he would give up three runs in the first inning Sunday.
After leadoff batter Grady Sizemore led off with a double to right field and took second on Jason Michaels' ground out, Jhonny Peralta came through with an RBI single. Travis Hafner followed with his 14th home run to make it 3-0.
Laker completed the scoring off Rogers by hooking a soft line drive into left for a two-run double in the fourth inning.
Rogers was charged with five runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings.
There was only one cautionary moment for the Tribe. With two outs and two on in the seventh, Placido Polanco hit a fly ball between Michaels in left and Sizemore in center.
Michaels was closer to the ball and raced into position, but as he made the catch, Sizemore crashed into him. For a moment, it wasn't clear if Michaels had hung onto the ball (he did), as the runners kept going.
In the end, no damage was done to the victory or to the well being of Sizemore and Michaels.
And on this day, even two eighth-inning errors by Peralta didn't cause the Indians pain.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/29/06

Indians report

Big hits a one-day theme for Michaels

Contact hitter hits slam, slams into Sizemore

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->DETROIT - Others have said that Jason Michaels looks like a guy who should hit more home runs.
Michaels doesn't think so, doesn't try and is content in his role as a contact hitter, whose objective is to reach base as much as possible.
``But it's still nice to do it,'' Michaels said with a smile after the Indians walloped the Detroit Tigers 9-0 on Sunday at Comerica Park.
Michaels' contributions included hitting the second grand slam of his career in the eighth inning to close out the scoring.
The first came Sept. 9, 2003, against the Atlanta Braves, when he was wearing the uniform of the Philadelphia Phillies. Michaels' home run output for this season stands at two.
Despite the ostentatious homer, it was not clear sailing for Michaels on Sunday. He was involved in the game's most frightening play, when he and Grady Sizemore collided. Michaels made the catch of Placido Polanco's fly ball with two on and two outs and the Tribe leading only 5-0.
``There was miscommunication between Jason and Grady,'' Indians manager Eric Wedge said. ```Fortunately for us, one of them caught it. I still don't know who it was.''
It was Michaels, who hurriedly relayed the ball to the infield, even though he had caught the third out of the inning.
``I forgot how many outs there were,'' he said. ``The play kind of rattled me. For some reason, I thought there was one out.''
``Both of us were calling for it, both of us were looking at each other,'' Sizemore said. ``And the fans were kind of loud out there. It was kind of scary. I thought Jason dropped it, because he threw it right back in.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

5/29/06

INDIANS NOTEBOOK

<!-- begin body-content -->Positive approach helps Indians defeat Rogers
The Indians did something they seldom do, beat Detroit Tigers starter Kenny Rogers.
``Before the game, we just talked about how to approach him,'' Michaels said. ``You have to keep it positive, not (talk about) the other stuff.''
WAS IT LAKER? -- Johnson is one-for-one in effective starts with Tim Laker as his catcher. Does that mean Laker could become his regular receiver?
Manager Eric Wedge was vague, but his answer is probably not.
``I wanted to give Jason a different look, and it was a day game after a night game, so I wanted to give Victor (Martinez) the day off,'' he said. ``I thought it was worth a shot.''
Asked if Johnson was more comfortable with Laker, Wedge said, ``Today was mostly about Jason.''
OTHER STUFF -- The Indians lead the big leagues with five grand slams.... It's not the norm, but the Tribe used six pitchers in a 9-0 win. The Tigers used only four pitchers.... Jason Johnson is 5-2 with a 4.00 ERA in his career against the Tigers.... In his past 26 games, Travis Hafner is batting .305 with with six home runs and 27 RBI.
FARM FACTS -- Ryan Garko and Andy Marte each got two hits, but Buffalo lost a 10-3 decision to Columbus in Class AAA. Jason Stanford (2-4, 5.10 ERA) gave up eight runs in 3 2/3 innings.... Scott Lewis (0.44 ERA) threw five scoreless innings, giving up two hits, but Kinston lost 4-3 to Winston-Salem in Class A.... Matt Fornasiere got two hits and drove in two runs, as Lake County beat Greensboro 5-4 in Class A.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

5/29/06

Wedge expects Sauerbeck to get more opportunities

Monday, May 29, 2006

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DETROIT - Yes, Scott Sauerbeck is still employed by the Cleveland Indians.
Please forgive those who may have forgotten the veteran left-hander is still on the roster. He has pitched just 92/3 innings in the team’s first 49 games and has faced four batters since May 9.
“That’s my life, ain’t it?” Sauerbeck said. “You pitch to one batter a week. And, if you don’t get him out, you might not pitch for another two weeks. You just take it as it comes and do the best you can.”
Sauerbeck did pitch Sunday, walking the only hitter he faced during Cleveland’s 9-0 victory at Detroit.
The 34-year-old Cincinnati native has long proclaimed his love for pitching to multiple batters. He made at least 65 appearances for Pittsburgh and Boston every year from 1999-2003, working at least 562/3 innings every season.
The Indians began cutting back Sauerbeck’s workload last year. He pitched in 58 games, but threw just 352/3 innings. Right-handers hit .377 off him, left-handers .162.
“I pitched myself into this role last year by not getting right-handers out,” Sauerbeck said. “But I was coming off major arm surgery. And, hey, they were still using me to get people out.”
Sauerbeck may not like being labeled a “situational left-hander,” but that appears to be his role. Part of being a situational left-hander is learning to live with periods of inactivity. Opposing hitters are batting just .156 off Sauerbeck this season, but he has issued seven walks in 92/3 innings.
“When you aren’t playing a lot, it’s hard to be good when you play,” Sauerbeck said. “I just try to throw bullpens and stay sharp.”
Manager Eric Wedge said Sauerbeck may be utilized more often as the season goes along.
“There haven’t been as many of those situations, to be honest with you,” Wedge said. “We could use him for an inning if we needed to. He’s had a little more success against right-handers this year.
“They’ll be coming. He’ll have his opportunities.”
Sauerbeck said he’ll just try to stay ready while waiting for those opportunities.
“You can’t change the way people feel about you,” Sauerbeck said. “It’s out of my hands. I’ll just keep quiet, go about my business and wait for an opportunity. It’s just part of my personality not to blow up and throw things.
“They know I want to pitch. There’s a lot of other stuff on (Wedge’s) mind than whether or not I’m getting enough work.”

WHO’S HOT Aaron Boone is 12-for-28 (.429) since May 17. ... Jhonny Peralta has eight hits in his last 21 at-bats (.381). ... Travis Hafner has 27 RBIs in his last 26 games. ... When Fernando Cabrera gave up a run in the ninth inning Saturday, it marked the first time an Indians reliever other than Guillermo Mota had been charged with an earned run since May 9.
WHO’S NOT Casey Blake has three hits in his last 23 at-bats (.130), dropping his season average from .368 to .335. ... Ben Broussard has five hits in his last 31 at-bats (.161) ... Victor Martinez is 8-for-61 (.131) since May 6.
ON THE FARM Triple-A left-hander Jason Stanford walked eight batters and hit two in 32/3 innings of a 10-3 loss Saturday at Columbus. Stanford also gave up five hits, including two home runs. His eight earned runs pushed his season ERA to 5.10.

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


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