Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

6/29/06

Tribe fumbles broom in ninth

Two late errors turn lead that could have finished off sweep into tough loss

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->ST. LOUIS - Winning the hard way, or any way, has been the Indians' problem over the past month.
After finally winning two in a row for the first time in almost a month, the Tribe succumbed after rallying for a 4-3 advantage, then giving it away in the ninth inning as St. Louis earned a 5-4 win Wednesday night at Busch Stadium.
It's a crazy game. Just ask Bob Wickman, who came on in the ninth for the save. After running the count to 3-and-2, So Taguchi lifted a high pop in front of the plate.
Rookie Kelly Shoppach, who entered the game in the eighth, turned his back to the infield to make the catch and dropped it in fair territory for a two-base error.
Taguchi quickly was sacrificed to third, and Aaron Miles doubled him to the plate to tie the score.
After a bouncer to first put Miles on third, David Eckstein slapped a ground ball to short, and Jhonny Peralta threw it in the dirt to first. The ball skipped past Victor Martinez for an error that scored the winning run.
Offense. Run production. Scoring. It's what's for dinner. At least it used to be how the Indians filled their plates.
Lately, scoring has been as difficult for the Tribe as finding a bean sprout at McDonald's.
But just because the Indians are having problems making solid contact doesn't mean they are unwilling to accept gifts. And so in the eighth, when the Cards made two dubious plays in the field, the Tribe took advantage to score three runs and take a 4-3 lead.
Grady Sizemore, who had four hits, led off with a single and Cardinals manager Tony La Russa went to his bullpen for Braden Looper after Randy Flores had faced only one batter.
Looper gave up a double to Ronnie Belliard, when Juan Encarnacion made an ill-advised dive for the ball in right, allowing Belliard to take an extra base and leave runners at second and third.
After Peralta struck out, La Russa summoned a new pitcher from the bullpen, Tyler Johnson. He was greeted by Martinez, who slapped a high bouncer to the third base side of the mound. Johnson had it in his glove, but it spun out for a cheap hit that scored Sizemore.
Eduardo Perez was summoned to hit for Ben Broussard, and La Russa changed pitchers again, this time calling in Jason Isringhausen.
Tribe manager Eric Wedge countered by sending to the plate Travis Hafner, who walked to load the bases.
Todd Hollandsworth followed with a fly to shallow left. Shortstop David Eckstein retreated. Taguchi raced in from left but shied away just an instant, and the ball bounced off his glove for another RBI single that shouldn't have happened.
Aaron Boone followed with a sacrifice fly to complete the rally.
In his past six starts, Jake Westbrook has posted a 2.59 ERA and averaged almost seven innings per outing, yet his record is a modest 2-1.
Certainly, he pitched well enough to win Wednesday night, yielding three runs and six hits in six innings, walking one and striking out four.
Westbrook retired nine of the first 10 batters, then pitched himself into trouble in the fourth inning by refusing to be saved by a lucky break.
Jim Edmonds led off with a single and moved to second on Scott Rolen's one-out single. Westbrook then delivered a wild pitch in the dirt, but not that wild.
Each runner moved up a base, but Edmonds came steaming around third as if he wanted to make a dash for the plate. Martinez didn't have to move more than 25 feet to his left to recover the ball and threw out Edmonds trying to scramble back to third.
Getting the second out of the inning on Edmonds' boneheaded baserunning should have been the impetus for Westbrook to finish off the Cardinals. Instead, he allowed an RBI single to Encarnacion, walked John Rodriguez and yielded another RBI single to Yadier Molina, who came into the game batting .211.
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[Bob Saccamano]

Here's the Dispatch article as well.

Tribe defense gives game away
Shoppach, Peralta team up to ease Cardinals’ troubles
Thursday, June 29, 2006
R . B . Fallstrom
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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ST. LOUIS— Jhonny Peralta’s throwing error, one of two by the Cleveland Indians in the ninth inning, handed the St. Louis Cardinals a 5-4 victory last night that ended an eight-game losing streak.
Catcher Kelly Shoppach, who had entered in a double switch in the eighth, dropped So Taguchi’s popup in front of home plate for a two-base error to start the inning. Aaron Miles’ RBI double off Bob Wickman (1-3) with one out tied the score. Miles was on third when David Eckstein hit a routine, two-out grounder, and Peralta’s throw bounced past Victor Martinez at first.
Martinez had moved from catcher to first in the eighth.
Peralta admitted hurrying his throw.
"I know he’s running as fast as he can," Peralta said. "I tried to throw it as fast as I could."
Shoppach blamed himself for getting the rally going.
"It was my ball," he said. "I’ve made that play before. I wanted that ball in that situation."
Grady Sizemore had four hits and an RBI for the Indians, who had ended a string of seven straight series losses by winning the first two games.
Jason Isringhausen (2-3) gave up Aaron Boone’s go-ahead sacrifice fly in the Indians’ threerun eighth — an inning that featured shoddy defense by St. Louis.
Todd Hollandsworth’s shallow pop fly with the bases loaded that fell between Taguchi in left and Eckstein at shortstop tied the score at 3.
Sizemore singled to start the inning and Ronnie Belliard followed with a double. Martinez’s infield hit, which pitcher Tyler Johnson could not glove cleanly, cut the deficit to one. "It was a total defensive collapse," Tribe manager Eric Wedge said. "We gave it back to them a lot easier than we took it from them. It was an embarrassing ending to what potentially could have been a real big (win)."

Right when I thought we had somethin' going--that was hard to watch. Doesn't look like Wedge will bring in Shoppach for defensive purposes anymore.:(

 

[JCOSU86]

That sucked beyond words.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

6/30/06

Tribe defense way off base

Fielders need to revisit fundamentals, start getting in position for 2007 season

By Terry Pluto

<!-- begin body-content -->How would you like to pitch for the Indians?
You look at your first baseman, and see Ben Broussard with five errors. In the American League, only the Yankees' Jason Giambi has more.
Second base?
There's Ronnie Belliard, but you need a telescope to spot him in deep right field. He has six errors, second most in the league.
Shortstop?
Jhonny Peralta is making no one forget Larry Brown or Tom Veryzer, much less Omar Vizquel. His 11 errors are second highest in the league. Not only that, but he's made five in June. He had 19 a year ago.
Catcher?
Just know if a batter reaches first, he'll probably end up on second. The Indians have allowed the most stolen bases (62) and thrown out the fewest runners (10) of any American League team.
Victor Martinez also has six errors, second highest among AL catchers.
Yes, Kelly Shoppach made a crucial error Wednesday night, but there's nothing wrong with letting the kid catch once or twice a week. Instead of getting better, Martinez's throwing is degenerating to the point where the Indians must seriously consider him playing a lot of first base in 2007 -- especially if Shoppach shows some promise.
There's one more position left in the infield. What about third base, where once upon a time, Aaron Boone was very, very good?
Not this year.
Boone's 10 errors rank fourth in the league, and he has the second-lowest fielding percentage at third base.
Here's a real problem: The Indians have no middle infielders in the minors even close to major-league ready.
That's how the Brandon Phillips fiasco haunts them today.
Furthermore, Belliard is a free agent at the end of the season, so the Indians might be shopping for a second baseman this winter. The front office should have insisted that manager Eric Wedge open the season with Phillips as the utility infielder rather than Ramon Vazquez.
There's only one move that can be made immediately.
In June, Boone is batting .195 (.211 on base) with one homer and seven RBI. For the season, he's at .250 with three home runs and 27 RBI -- and dropping.
Can someone call Andy Marte in Buffalo? In the past month in Triple-A, Marte is hitting .321 with nine homers and 20 RBI in 21 games. He was just named to the Class AAA International League All-Star Game.
We had Vazquez (.195, .211 on base average) pinch hitting the other day.
Enough!
Boone becomes the utility infielder, and Vazquez goes back to Buffalo. Let the kid take his turn at third. He was considered an elite prospect, worthy of trading Coco Crisp in a major winter deal that, so far, has yielded nothing but Guillermo Mota's massive bullpen breakdown.
Marte has 15 errors at Buffalo, so it's doubtful he'll affect the already shaky defense. But at least he's only 22 and represents the future. If the Indians are worried that promoting Marte and benching Boone will send the message that the season is over...
Well, guess what?
With a 35-42 record, sitting 18 games out of first place and having the second-worst fielding percentage in the league, the dreams of 2006 are over.
It's time to put some of the pieces in place for 2007, which the Indians have already begun to do by dumping Jason Johnson and replacing him in the rotation with rookie Jeremy Sowers.
Multiple problems
Early in the season, the biggest reason for the Tribe's problems was a shaky bullpen, primarily middle relief. But the persistent trouble is defense.
Not just the errors, but the balls not caught that are ruled hits.
Not just the errors, but the mental blunders such as throwing to the wrong base, or not throwing the ball anywhere.
Not just the errors, but the extra outs given away that force the guy on the mound to throw more pitches...
Which leads to more strain on the bullpen...
Which leads to more pitchers needed and the more chances of finding a guy in the bullpen destined to have a bad day...
Which leads to...
I'll stop there, because if you've been watching, you know the story of the utter disregard for basic fundamentals.
Wedge had enough after Wednesday's 5-4 loss in St. Louis when closer Bob Wickman was victimized by two ninth inning errors -- Shoppach's dropped pop-up and then Peralta's poor throw.
``You've got to want the ball hit to you,'' Wedge said. ``You want it on every pitch. If there are 135 pitches, you want it hit to you 135 times... if you don't, you shouldn't be out there.''
Wedge also used the words ``embarrassing'' and ``total collapse'' to describe the situation.
Most of the blame goes to the players. We are talking about the basics: catching the ball, throwing the ball, paying attention.
But some fault must lie with Wedge, even if it's hard to know exactly how to quantify it. His team is underachieving, playing lousy baseball.
A year ago, the Indians' defense was average, ranking eighth among 14 teams in fielding percentage. They played a lot of close games because the pitching was solid, the defense decent, the focus usually in the right places.
But this team seems to have the staggers. The only change from a year ago among position players is left field, where Crisp has been replaced by a slower Jason Michaels.
As for the rest, it's the same guys.
But they sure don't play the same way with the glove. For that, there is no excuse.
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

6/30/06

Pitching under pressure good fit

Late-inning bullpen role suits make-up and skills of Tribe's Edward Mujica

By Stephanie Storm

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->Edward Mujica is the most confident guy Aeros manager Tim Bogar knows.
That's saying a lot, considering Bogar played nine years in the major leagues.
``Every time he steps on the mound, Edward honestly believes there's not a person on earth going to hit him,'' said Bogar, who used the 6-foot-2, 220-pound right-hander as Akron's closer. ``I've never met anyone like him in my life.''
After starting the season with the Double-A Aeros, Mujica made his big-league debut last week for the Indians, who start a three-game series at Cincinnati tonight.
In addition to being fearless, Mujica also has something else going for him: a streak of 41 1/3 innings without yielding an earned run. The streak includes 19 innings in Akron, 19 2/3 at Triple-A Buffalo and one appearance with the Tribe.
``It's a streak that's so dominating, we were always checking on the computer to see how he was doing after he went to Buffalo,'' Bogar said of the Aeros' coaching staff. ``Now that he's with the Indians, everything stops in the clubhouse to watch Edward pitch when the game's on TV.''
Not bad for a 22-year-old who was an average starter for the first three years of his career in the Indians' farm system. Mujica signed as an undrafted free agent from Venezuela in October 2001.
``It was in the morning at spring training, and I was eating breakfast,'' Mujica recalled of the role change that jump-started his career.
``They said, `No more start for you.' I said, `Why?' They said, `Because you have much power.' ''
Indians Director of Player Development John Farrell laid out the plan to Mujica, explaining that with his 93-94 mph fastball, 86-87 mph slider and penchant for going right after hitters, a relief role would suit his personality on the mound.
``Edward is a guy who relishes stepping up to a challenge,'' Farrell said. ``He also has above-average control of his fastball and is a physically durable guy who could handle consecutive appearances. All of his physical and mental make-up just played right into it.''
Although the role change took pressure off Mujica to find an effective third pitch, Indians officials challenged him this spring to develop one anyway.
Now, a splitter has become a crucial component to his current arsenal.
``He needed a late-action pitch to get out left-handed batters,'' Farrell said. ``And when you tell Edward he can't do something, well, it won't be long before he proves you wrong.''
Having posted ERAs of 4.37 in 2003 at rookie-level Burlington and 4.65 the following season at low Class-A Lake County as a starter, Mujica's ERA plunged as soon as he began coming out of the bullpen.
In 2005, his first full season of pitching exclusively in relief, Mujica recorded 14 saves and a 2.08 ERA in 25 games at high Class-A Kinston. He followed that by going 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA and 10 saves in a midseason promotion to Akron.
In all, he led Tribe minor-leaguers with 24 regular-season saves and added four more in the Eastern League playoffs as the Aeros won their second championship in three years. Even more impressive: During the 2005 season, Mujica struck out 65 batters while walking only seven.
``Edward is extremely confident in his abilities, but not to the point of being cocky and assuming,'' Farrell said. ``In addition, he's got thick skin. When he gives up a hit, he just starts all over and goes right back after the next guy.''
Although Mujica's path to the major leagues has accelerated, he isn't being penciled into Bob Wickman's role any time soon.
``Right now, he's a young middle reliever who we don't want to go prolonged periods of time without seeing action,'' Farrell said. ``There's also Fernando Cabrera and Rafael Betancourt, and recently Fausto Carmona, who's put himself in the late-inning mix.''
Still, it might not be very long before Mujica's dogged determination wins out.
When he first took the mound at Jacobs Field in the seventh inning June 21 against the Chicago Cubs, Tribe catcher and fellow Venezuelan Victor Martinez came out to the mound, handed Mujica the ball and looked the rookie in the eyes.
``Victor told me, `Remember, it's the same ball. These hitters are smart, (but) so are you.' ''
It was all the fired-up Mujica needed to hear.
``He definitely has the mentality and stuff to be a closer,'' Bogar said. ``Look at all the good closers in the game. They're all just like Edward.''

ABJ

6/30/06

still makes mistake

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Shoppach prepared,
Rookie catcher Kelly Shoppach didn't enter Wednesday night's debacle against the St. Louis Cardinals until the bottom of the eighth inning.
However, he made the first of two errors in the ninth that cost the Indians two runs and gave a 5-4 win to the Cardinals.
Shoppach, who dropped a pop fly in fair territory, refused to use the excuse that he wasn't into the game yet.
``I've been preparing myself to play at any moment in a game,'' he said. ``So I was prepared and ready to go.''
In describing the pop-up, Shoppach said: ``The ball went straight up. I had to make a late adjustment, and it was a park I'd never played in before. But in the end, I just made a mistake.''
THE ONLOOKER -- Jake Westbrook watched the Tribe's ninth-inning meltdown from the clubhouse. It didn't look any better from there.
``It was kind of like a real strange inning,'' he said. ``We worked real hard to take the lead, then fell apart at the end. But it happened, and we have to move on.''
Westbrook left after giving up three runs in six innings, with the Cardinals ahead 3-1.
COMING TO A TV NEAR YOU? -- Fox Sports Midwest, which airs Cardinals baseball, will soon begin televising batting practice on a delayed basis.
The cable network also would like to put its cameras in the weight room to watch players work out and look over the shoulder of manager Tony La Russa as he fills out his lineup, asking the whys and wherefores of that everyday task.
A MODERN GUY -- Travis Hafner isn't much for old ballparks, like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field.
``I like the new parks,'' he said. ``I really enjoy playing in them. I like the feel. There's more space (in the clubhouses) and the dugouts are larger. A lot of the old parks barely have batting cages.''
IN GOOD COMPANY -- C.C. Sabathia won his 75th game in the big leagues earlier in the week against the Cardinals, making him the youngest pitcher to reach that plateau since Greg Maddux, who did it on Oct. 6, 1991, when he was 25 years, 175 days old.
Sabathia's precise age the day he beat the Cardinals was 25 years, 341 days old.
The only left-handers in Tribe history with more wins than Sabathia are Sam McDowell (122) and Joe Shaute (78).
TEE IT UP FOR CHARITY -- Cleveland Indians Charities and the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association are holding the Celebrity Golf Classic July 27 at Quail Hollow Resort and Country Club in Concord.
Current Tribe players, coaches and broadcasters, plus several former big-league players (among them, Bob Feller, Max Alvis, Joe Azcue, Gary Bell, Sam McDowell and Duke Sims) will join participants for a day of golf, plus lunch and dinner, contests and a silent auction.
Cost is $600 for individuals. A corporate sponsorship is $4,000, which includes all the day's activities, plus signage and program recognition.
For information, call 216-420-4487 or log onto Indians.com.

 

[Bob Saccamano]

CPD

<TABLE class=bg0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=428 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=418>[FONT=arial,sans-serif]Friday, June 30, 2006[/FONT]</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD width=5>

</TD><TD width=418>

[FONT=arial,sans-serif]Tribe deals Perez to Seattle
Tribe deals Perez to Seattle

12:27 p.m.

CINCINNATI — The Indians traded first baseman Eduardo Perez to Seattle on Friday for a Class AAA shortstop. First baseman Ryan Garko was called up from Class AAA Buffalo to replace Perez.

The Indians received shortstop Asdrudal Cabrera from the Mariners. He will report to Buffalo.

The Indians are 18 games out of first place in the American League Central entering Friday’s three-game series with the Reds. GM Mark Shapiro said earlier in the week that his disappointing team would not undergo major changes this season after falling out of contention, but that he would explore “opportunistic” trades.

The Indians are weak in middle infielders and overloaded with first basemen.

Perez, 36, played well for the Tribe as the right-handed part of its first-base platoon. He joins the surging Mariners hitting .303 (30-for-99) with eight homers and 22 RBI.

Garko is hitting .259 (68-for-263) with 11 homers and 48 RBI in 75 games.

Shapiro has now traded veterans Perez and Jason Johnson in the last nine days as the Indians start to point toward 2007. [/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Let's see what Garko can do in the big leagues. I've been excited to see him play.

 

[Bucks21]

I'm excited to see Garko too but I am also excited to see which old guy we trade next. I really like Perez he played well for us this year but it is time to turn and get ready for next year.

 

[aurorabuckeye13]

Unbelievable... Cinci scores 9 runs in the last 2 innings to beat the Indians... Dunn with a walk off grand slam off Wickman... Are we trying to lose games?

 

[BuckBackHome]

Unbelievable... Cinci scores 9 runs in the last 2 innings to beat the Indians... Dunn with a walk off grand slam off Wickman... Are we trying to lose games?

Imagine the conversation Byrd and Wickman are having right about now!

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

7/1/06

Tribe Dunn in by Reds

Indians blow 7-0 lead, lose on outfielder's slam

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

• Tribe trades Eduardo Perez
• Garko called to take Eduardo Perez's spot
• MLB notebook: Angels swap Weaver brothers
• Tribe Dunn in by Reds

<!-- begin body-content -->CINCINNATI - Might as well make a fun game out of this madness. The fans could vote. Which Indians' loss was more horrendous?
Wednesday night's ninth-inning, two-error giveaway in St. Louis, or Friday night's debacle at Great American Ballpark, where a 7-0 lead disintegrated in the final two innings as the Reds rallied for a 9-8 win.
On the other hand, maybe it would be wise to wait for tonight. There's always a chance the Tribe will make it a three-way choice of ignominious defeats.
Friday night, the end came when Adam Dunn took Bob Wickman's 1-and-0 fastball and sent it whistling over the right-field fence for a home run with the bases loaded, a walk-off grand slam.
In Cincinnati, they'll probably call it the rocket's Red(s) glare. In Cleveland, they'll just glare.
How demoralizing have the past two games been?
``We've had a couple of tough losses,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``We have to focus on the fact we played well and pitched well, with the exception of a couple of guys. In tough times, you have to grind through it.''
Wickman began the ninth leading 8-4. He retired the first batter but gave up two singles, the second a bloop to center, just out of Grady Sizemore's reach.
Javier Valentin's grounder followed to drive in a run, but it also was the second out.
Suddenly, Wickman couldn't locate the plate, walking two batters to get to Dunn, who finished him off.
``It's ridiculous, embarrassing that I couldn't throw a strike,'' Wickman said. ``This is the first time I've blown back-to-back saves and given up a grand slam.''
Wickman was talking about his entire career.
Could throwing away a win against the Cardinals have preyed on Wickman's (and others') mind?
``Today, we'd have gotten right back on track if I'd done my job,'' he said. ``You make your own luck.''
Wickman wasn't the only problem. Rafael Betancourt was summoned to pitch the eighth, before Cincinnati had scored any runs.
Betancourt left after four batters, none of them having made outs. Austin Kearns greeted him with a home run; Brandon Phillips and Valentin singled.
Juan Castro followed with a three-run, pinch-hit homer, leaving the Reds only three runs behind.
``He just had a bad night,'' Wedge said.
Sizemore doubled, and Ronnie Belliard followed with a single to give the Tribe an additional run in the ninth.
Surely the Indians wouldn't need a four-run advantage to hold on. That's certainly the way it looked right up until the ninth inning.
``You saw the way we came out,'' Wedge said. ``The guys played well. They were ready.''
Five runs in the first inning seemed to prove Wedge's point. After Sizemore led off the game by slapping a bouncer to the right side for an out, the next six batters hit safely against Elizardo Ramirez.
Belliard began the rally with a home run that bounced off the foul pole in left. Jhonny Peralta beat out an infield hit, and Victor Martinez singled to put runners on first and second.
Ben Broussard singled home Peralta, and Todd Hollandsworth doubled to leave runners at second and third for Aaron Boone, who singled to drive in both players.
Paul Byrd kept the Reds off the scoreboard for six innings, allowing nine hits but just two walks.
Three times, he allowed the first two batters of the inning to reach base, twice slamming the door.
``They made him work, but he made pitches,'' Wedge said. ``He pitched well.''
Felipe Lopez and Dunn led off the seventh with singles, signaling the end of Byrd's work day.
And who was left to clean up this untidy situation? Rookie left-hander Rafael Perez, whose one inning on the mound proved to be the pitching highlight of the evening.
Perez's task was to keep the middle of the Reds' lineup from getting them back into the game. So he induced Ken Griffey Jr. to lift a routine fly to center, struck out Rich Aurilia, then dashed off the mound to snare Scott Hatteberg's slow roller and threw him out almost from third base.
Little did anyone know at that point that Perez's excellent workmanship would go for naught. And that Fausto Carmona would relieve Betancourt and stop the Reds cold in the eighth.
But for the Tribe these days, the bad stuff almost always seems to overwhelm the good stuff.
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[buckeye247]

One word describes this team - disgusting

 

[Bob Saccamano]

ABJ

Closing out Reds easier this time

Hafner's grand slam leads Tribe to victory

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CINCINNATI - The Indians continued to show signs of being snakebit, but the rattlers and cobras apparently took Saturday night off.
Weird stuff still happened, but unlike the previous two games, the serpent that has been haunting the Tribe for much of the season appeared to be a venom-less garter snake.
Not that the Tribe's 12-7 win over the Cincinnati Reds was easy, even after Travis Hafner walloped a pinch-hit grand slam.
Either the outfield at Great American Ball Park is the size of the interior of a Volkswagen, Jhonny Peralta and Victor Martinez are the slowest runners in the major leagues (a possibility), or the snake effect kicked in twice on Indians hits.
Peralta led off the fifth inning with a line drive that bounced off the left-field wall, yet he was thrown out at second. A five-run rally ensued, so Peralta's presence on the bases would have made it six.
With two outs and nobody on in the sixth, Martinez blasted a hit to the fence in center and also was thrown out at second.
On another day, on another team, in another season, walking the eighth batter in the lineup to get to the pitcher wouldn't set off alarms.
That's what Cliff Lee did with two outs in the fourth inning.
Yes, the walk loaded the bases, but so what? Joe Mays was up next. Mays lifted a routine fly to right center, but after running forever, Grady Sizemore dived for the ball, and it bounced off his glove for a three-run double.
``You can't take anything for granted because the pitcher is up,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``You have to go after him with your best stuff. That bit us a little.''
Lee's approach was not to try and trick Mays.
``He hit a fastball,'' Lee said. ``I was just trying to throw it over the plate. I left it up a little. I'm just trying to throw strikes to the opposing pitcher.
``If the outfield had been at regular depth, that's a routine fly ball. But we were playing shallow for the pitcher. So that's just baseball.''
Lee (8-5, 4.69 ERA) left after six innings, having allowed four runs and nine hits. He might have pitched the seventh, but Wedge -- he can deny it all he wants -- has been infected by the same paranoia that is sweeping the Cleveland clubhouse.
Wedge is trying to guard against every conceivable freak occurrence, even those he has never seen and can't even imagine.
That's why Hafner pinch hit for Franklin Gutierrez in the fifth inning, even though Gutierrez was 2-for-2.
Not so, Wedge said.
``It was a unique opportunity to impact the ballgame,'' he said. ``If a guy like Hafner is on the bench, you use him. What better chance is there going to be than when the bases are loaded with one out. You can't wait around for something later that might not be there.''
At that juncture, the Indians led 4-3, thanks to Todd Hollandsworth's RBI single in the fifth. The rally continued until the bases were loaded and one out with Gutierrez due up.
Instead, Hafner stepped to the plate and hit a soaring drive that landed on the grass beyond the wall in straight-away center for his fourth grand slam of the season and sixth of his career.
Hafner didn't think coming off the bench to hit was so different than performing his regular job, being the designated hitter.
``It's pretty similar to DHing,'' he said. ``When the team is in the field you go in and ride the bike, get loose, take some swings.''
Hafner was in the original lineup, but Wedge was forced to remove him when his arthritic elbow began to ache again. That meant Hafner's work day was trimmed to one at-bat.
``That's almost like the ideal thing,'' he said, smiling. ``It was the fifth inning, and either way, my day was done.''
An 8-3 lead might seem safe to most managers, but Wedge watched in agony as his troops blew a 7-0 lead in the eighth and ninth innings Friday night.
So the marching orders were: ``Keep scoring.''
An indication that not everything the Indians do turns out wrong was Wedge's personnel moves Saturday night.
Obviously, the choice and timing of the Hafner appearance turned out better than anyone might have expected. But with Gutierrez out of the game, Joe Inglett was charged with playing left.
How would that advance the cause of the offense? Inglett came to bat in the seventh and blooped a double to center for his first major-league hit.
Wedge then sent up Ryan Garko to bat for Lee, and he delivered a two-run double for his first big-league hit.
``It's nice to get it out of the way,'' Garko said. ``The scary thing is when you hear guys tell you they went 10 or 15 at-bats before they got a hit.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

7/4/06

Sowers is sweet, beats Yankees

Young left-hander throws seven strong innings for first victory

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Officially, Monday night's postgame fireworks at Jacobs Field were not detonated in honor of Jeremy Sowers or even the Indians.
But it might be wise for fans to consider that Chapter II of the Jeremy Sowers Saga upped the ante at least a little after his inconclusive major-league debut last week against the Cincinnati Reds.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but the Tribe can lay claim to an honest-to-goodness winning streak after beating the New York Yankees 5-2 in front of the largest home crowd (42,706) since Sept. 29, 2000, in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Winning three games in a row is a modest accomplishment, but one that hasn't been achieved by the Indians since May 30-June 1 against the Chicago White Sox.
Sowers was a large part of the equation against the Yankees, giving up two runs -- on one swing -- in seven innings.
``Jeremy did a great job today,'' Indians manager Eric Wedge said. ``One of his strengths is that he doesn't let anything bother him.''
Sowers (1-1, 4.50 ERA) is nothing if not introspective.
``It felt very nice,'' he said, referring to the win. ``It couldn't have come against a more prominent team.
``Getting to face Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon was a real pleasure.''
In the first inning, he served up a one-out home run to Jason Giambi after Damon had singled.
``A pitcher has to have an extremely short memory,'' Sowers said.
At that early juncture, it appeared that Sowers might not survive the first inning, let alone the seventh.
``He left a pitch up to Giambi,'' Wedge said. ``But Jeremy was in control. He made pitches. He did a good job going through the lineup the second and third time.''
After retiring the side in order in the second, he gave up a one-out double to Damon and a single to Jeter to put runners on first and third. Then he struck out Giambi, walked Rodriguez intentionally to load the bases and whiffed Andy Phillips to end the inning.
So Sowers proved a couple of things: He has the head to bounce back from adversity, and he can prevail when faced with a pressure situation.
Not that Sowers was dominating. He needed two excellent plays by Aaron Boone at third and another by Todd Hollandsworth in left to stay out of trouble.
But Sowers throws strikes and makes hitters commit. They can't wait for him to get behind in the count. If they do, they will be walking, head down, back to the dugout.
The only Yankee to draw a walk against Sowers was Rodriguez, and he didn't have to try. Sowers threw 98 pitches, 66 strikes.
In his coming-out game against the Reds, he exhibited the same tendencies as he did in his second start, but he wasn't quite as sharp, giving up two, two-run homers the same inning. He was lifted after the fifth.
Asked what he learned, Sowers said, ``I was punished for not working ahead in the count the last game.''
Said Wedge: ``I felt like he threw the ball well the first time. He had one bad inning. But he didn't let things get to him.''
Hollandsworth did not limit his damage against the Yankees to his defense. With the Indians clinging to a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning, he came to the plate after Boone's one-out single. On Chien-Ming Wang's second pitch, he launched a drive that cleared the left-field wall for his fifth home run of the season.
That doesn't sound like much of an accomplishment, fewer than six homers in half a season. But Hollandsworth is a reserve. He doesn't own a regular place in the lineup, though his playing time has increased significantly because of injuries to Casey Blake and Jason Michaels.
``Hollandsworth has earned more at-bats, even when we do get our guys back,'' Wedge said. ``He's a great athlete, plays all three outfield spots and he's gotten some big RBIs.''
Hollandsworth has taken advantage of the opportunity. In his past nine games, he is batting .343 with four home runs and 13 RBI in 35 at-bats.
Several of his RBI have made the difference in winning or giving the Tribe room to breathe a little easier.
Bob Wickman gave up a single and a walk in the ninth and retired the last batter by recovering a bouncer to the left of the mound and making a tough throw to first.
Earlier in the inning, Ben Broussard had a chance to start a double play, but he bobbled a ground ball and had to take the sure out at first.
``Wickman sniffed that win (save),'' Wedge said. ``That was a hell of a play he made on the high hopper.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

7/4/06

Deserving `Pronk' won't shill for votes

By Tom Reed

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Travis Hafner was not kissing babies or distributing ``Vote Pronk'' bumper stickers as fans entered Jacobs Field on Monday night.
A candidate for the final American League All-Star Game roster spot, Hafner has passed on political advice from Karl Rove and refused to appoint Napoleon Dynamite as campaign manager.
Under no circumstance is the Indians designated hitter engaging in smear tactics against his four challengers, chiefly Chicago White Sox bad boy A.J. Pierzynski.
``We're trying to run a clean campaign,'' Hafner said in his inimitable deadpan manner.
``... I'm already the Mayor of Pronkville (nickname for the stadium's right-field mezzanine) so I can handle the office.''
Is this guy beautiful, or what?
Hafner could be bitter about his All-Star snub, seeing as he ranked among the AL's top-four as of Sunday in slugging percentage (.631), on-base percentage (.453), RBI (66) and home runs (22). He could take offense to having to win a campy online popularity poll at www.MLB.com despite finishing fifth in Most Valuable Player voting a season ago.
Instead, one of pro sports' most laid-back stars is having fun with it. He's playing along with the organization's ``Vote Pronk'' promotion that ends Thursday night with the announcement of the winners in both leagues.
``Hopefully, there is no impeachment,'' Hafner said.
Former Tribe slugger Albert Belle would have adopted a similar tone, no?
In a sport that takes itself too seriously, Hafner's lighthearted approach is refreshing. He gets it. He understands grousing about a missed individual honor during a season in which the team languishes five games below .500 serves no purpose.
Hafner is genuinely happy for center fielder Grady Sizemore, the only Tribe member named to the team on Sunday. He realizes there are probably a half dozen others with legitimate All-Star credentials.
Playing the game in a National League city (Pittsburgh) without a designated hitter hurt Hafner's cause. So did the fact he's starring for one of baseball's biggest first-half disappointments.
Hafner deserves better. The Tribe probably does not. You can bet Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen never thought twice about adding two of his players, Paul Konerko and Jim Thome, to the AL reserves ahead of Hafner.
``I've had the best first half of my career so I can take pride in that,'' said Hafner, who became just the fifth player in major-league history to hit four grand slams before the All-Star break.
Candidate Pronk knows the race for the ``Final Vote'' will be difficult. He's pitted against Pieryzynski, Baltimore Orioles catcher Ramon Hernandez, Minnesota Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano and Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander.
Hafner found himself in the same runoff election two years ago and lost by ``5.3 billion votes'' to the New York Yankees' Hideki Matsui of Japan. Another poor showing could cast Pronk as the Morris Udall of All-Star candidates, a perennial also-ran.
Yes, carrying your home state is imperative, but when it's North Dakota it falls short of an electoral college bonanza. ``We don't have computers there yet,'' Hafner, a Jamestown, N.D. native, said.
Why not pull a Hillary Rodham Clinton and relocate to New York to bolster constituency? That's not the style of a character running on a platform of more televised pro wrestling and mandatory nicknames for ballplayers.
He could legally change his name to one word (Pronk), thus grabbing the Brazilian soccer vote. Hafner said he has considered sprinkling World Cup references in interviews to increase his international appeal.
Given Pierzynski's poll ratings on Chicago's north side, Hafner probably can count on backing from Cubs fans. ``Vote early, vote often, vote Pronk,'' originated in Cook County, Ill., didn't it?
Hafner remains a long shot, but if Napoleon Dynamite could get Pedro elected, anything is possible.
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ABJ

7/4/06

Bright spot in otherwise dark season

By Terry Pluto

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Maybe something good is about to come out of this season, and maybe that something is Jeremy Sowers.
Here was a 23-year-old making his second big-league start in front of a sellout of 42,706, the largest Jacobs Field crowd since 2000.
Here was a kid with only 30 pro starts, and he's facing the New York Yankees on July 3 with the Yankees needing every game to keep up with the Boston Red Sox in the Eastern Division. This was not some meaningless September exercise, which is crucial to know as you consider what Sowers did.
Here was Sowers looking like it was just another night against the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings at Buffalo's Dunn Tire park, or perhaps facing Mississippi State when he was pitching for Vanderbilt.
Here was the future meeting the present for the Tribe, Sowers shutting down the Yankees.
He allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings as the Indians prevailed 5-2.
There was a hanging 3-and-2 breaking ball clubbed for a homer by Jason Giambi in the first inning.
That was it.
Six scoreless inning followed.
Giambi faced Sowers two more times -- and whiffed.
After the first inning, Sowers allowed four hits (three singles) and one walk (intentional). He pitched quickly, threw strikes and his pell-mell pace seemed to inspire good Tribe defense (for a change) as Todd Hollandsworth delivered two superb catches in left, Aaron Boone was sharp at third base and the Indians committed no errors.
Sowers showed why the Indians made him their top choice in the 2004 draft, why he brought a stunning career minor-league record of 23-5 with a 2.00 ERA into this game.
Not sure what this means, but Sowers lost as many games in his last season at Vanderbilt (six) as he has since turning pro. Perhaps it just says he just doesn't lose many games, anywhere.
Can you say phenom?
The remarkable part of this story is how utterly ordinary Sowers looks. He's listed at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds. The height is close, but he must have been weighed with all his clothes on -- while holding a couple of bowling balls.
Let's just say he doesn't have to worry about being classified as obese by the latest health standards. Nor would his fastball draw much attention in a high school game, much less at Jacobs Field.
He pitches up and down, in and out. Sliders slipping across the outside corner, fastballs nipping on the inside part of the plate at the knees.
And get this... Sowers is left-handed!
That's important because lefties seem to have a special place in the baseball universe. They don't have to throw hard or be physically imposing. Think Jamie Moyer, who has tormented the Indians for more than a decade. Others coming to mind are Kenny Rogers and Tom Glavine.
That's how Sowers looked on this muggy July evening.
Opposing hitters don't walk back to the dugout in awe, just sort of shaking their heads about the soft fly ball they just hit to center or the worm-killer they rolled to third base.
Sowers stays in command of the count, usually getting his first pitch near the plate. He can throw his breaking pitch at any point, ahead or behind. Give him 66 strikes in 98 pitches.
He also was absent the day some Tribe pitchers learned that when their team comes from behind to take the lead -- you must give it up in the next inning.
The Yankees were ahead 2-0 after the first inning.
The Indians moved ahead 3-2 in third.
Sowers then did not allow a runner past first base in the next four innings, retiring 13 of his final 15 hitters.
He didn't slam the door as much as quietly shut it, like a mother wanting to make sure the child stays asleep after checking on them at bed time.
Sing a little lullaby, then click out the light.
Sowers made it look ridiculously easy as he earned his first major-league victory. You can be sure it won't be his last.
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ABJ

7/4/06

Untested relievers test Wedge

Rookie Carmona works his way into setup role with second-worst ERA in American League

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Raise your hand if you thought last winter that on the Fourth of July Fausto Carmona would be the Indians' setup man.
Of the many unanticipated setbacks suffered by the Tribe, one potential trouble spot nagged at General Manager Mark Shapiro, who as far back as spring training cautioned the media and the fans that picking quality relievers is as much art as science.
Since then, the bullpen has compiled a 7-14 record and 5.19 ERA.
Indians relievers have the fewest wins in the American League and the second-worst ERA.
One thing the Tribe bullpen hasn't lacked is numbers. Thirteen pitchers already have checked in to throw relief, one more than all of last year.
Of the seven pitchers who began the season in the bullpen, three are gone: Danny Graves and Scott Sauerbeck because of ineffectiveness and Matt Miller because of an injury that required surgery.
When the season began, Guillermo Mota was the setup man. When he stumbled, Rafael Betancourt took over but has been erratic. The job has now fallen to a rookie, Carmona.
Manager Eric Wedge has been forced to constantly shuffle relievers into different roles. Mota, who did an early crash and burn, has been trying to make a comeback. In his past five appearances, each one inning in duration, he allowed no runs and only one hit.
``Mota has thrown a little better his past several starts,'' Wedge said. ``I want to see more of him. I also want to look at (Edward) Mujica. We have to use all our guys.''
Mujica is one of four novices in the bullpen. The others are Fernando Cabrera, Rafael Perez and Carmona, which makes Wedge's job tougher. He has to win while helping more than half his bullpen develop.
Moreover, if closer Bob Wickman needs a day off, rookie Carmona will take his place.
``If Wickman isn't available, Carmona would be our guy,'' Wedge said. ``But if Wickman is rested, he's our guy.''

ABJ

7/4/06

TALKIN' TRIBE
Paying the price for prospect
• The Indians agreed to pay part of the salary for Eduardo Perez to pick up Seattle Mariners prospect Asdrubal Cabrera. That's because they are desperate for middle infield prospects since the trade of Brandon Phillips to the Cincinnati Reds, and Cabrera has a very good chance of eventually playing in the majors.
• Baseball America ranked Cabrera as the No. 6 prospect in the Mariners' system. He's only 20, and is playing in Class AAA, where he has a strong glove at shortstop -- only four errors in 60 games. He's rated as having the best arm in the entire Mariners farm system, and also has played a lot of second base.
• The Mariners rushed Cabrera, moving him from Class A last season (.295) to Class AAA this year (.236, three home runs, 22 RBI). The Mariners knew he'd struggle at the bat, but thought his defense was ready for Class AAA. As Tribe Assistant General Manager Chris Antonetti pointed out, Cabrera is younger than many of the players picked in the recent summer draft -- and he already has Class AAA experience. The Indians intend to send him to Triple-A Buffalo.
In 2005, he was picked as the best Class A defensive second baseman in the Midwest League. He seemed ready to receive the same award in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, only this time at short. A middle infielder who can consistently catch and throw the ball always has value, assuming he is not an embarrassment at the plate.
• It's nice to see Ryan Garko (.255, 11 home runs, 49 RBI) called up from Buffalo. Had the Indians known Garko would have improved his defense at first base as much as he did, they probably would not have signed Perez to a one-year, $1.8 million deal. Garko is a career .309 hitter in the minors who batted .303 with 19 homers at Buffalo last year. He's 25, and it's time to see what he can do. Let's hope manager Eric Wedge gives him some significant playing time.
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Dispatch

7/4/06

INDIANS NOTEBOOK

Sizemore no run-of-the-mill runner

All-Star leads league with 66 runs scored, is 13 for 15 in steals

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CLEVELAND — The Indians have run themselves into numerous mistakes on the bases this season. Amid the train wrecks, and despite his youth, Grady Sizemore has emerged as the most aggressive and most efficient base runner on the team.
At the start of play yesterday, Sizemore led the American League with 66 runs and was tied with Vernon Wells of Toronto with 180 total bases. He frequently stretches singles into doubles or doubles into triples, and he has stolen 13 bases in 15 attempts, after being caught 10 times in 32 attempts last season.
"It comes with experience. It comes with playing," Sizemore said. "You get a better feel. … Once you get out of the batter’s box, you’re no longer a hitter; you’re a base runner. You have to respect that part of the game."
Sizemore, who Sunday was selected to play in the All-Star Game, said the statistic he is most proud of is the 66 runs. He tied for ninth in the league in runs last season with 111.
"As a player, you want to create opportunities for everybody," he said. "You want to put pressure on the defense, make the game hard for your opponent."
Working men

Jhonny Peralta was on the field early yesterday to take ground balls. As a team, the Indians took infield practice before the game Sunday and did base-running drills early Friday, despite temperatures near 90 degrees in Cincinnati.
"We’ve been doing that for a while now," manager Eric Wedge said. "We’ve worked harder and done more this year than ever. It’s not punishment — just work hard and get better."
Injury updates

Jason Michaels (sprained right ankle) completed a twogame rehabilitation assignment with triple-A Buffalo. He was given yesterday off and should be activated from the disabled list today or Wednesday, Wedge said. "He’s still not 100 percent yet, but he’s feeling better," Wedge said.
Casey Blake (strained left oblique muscle) ran Sunday and hit soft-toss yesterday for the first time since going on the DL. He expects to go on a rehab assignment at the All-Star break, although there are no firm plans. "I haven’t had any setbacks so far, so that’s good," he said.
In the fold

The Indians signed four of their top nine draft picks, including two second-rounders — right-handed pitcher Steve Wright from Hawaii and infielder Josh Rodriguez from Rice. They also signed their fourth- and sixth-round picks, high-school pitcher Ryan Morris and Texas A &M pitcher Austin Creps.
The Indians’ top pick, UCLA left-hander David Huff, remains unsigned.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

7/5/06

Offensive fireworks

Six homers spark Indians to largest margin of victory at home in 56 years

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

Cleveland Indians' Travis Hafner (48) is congratulated by Grady Sizemore (24) and Jhonny Peralta (2) after Hafner hit a three-run homer off New York Yankees pitcher Shawn Chacon in the second inning in baseball action, Tuesday, July 4, 2006, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
More photos

• Tribe fans can relish rout of N.Y.
• Indians notebook
• Box score

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Make no mistake about it, the Indians' 19-1 win Tuesday night is a reflection of the current state of the New York Yankees.
Nevertheless, either there is something in the Cleveland water system that is energizing the Tribe or the pronouncement of the team's demise was premature.
That doesn't mean the Indians will catch either the Detroit Tigers or the Chicago White Sox, but they have caught fire. The rout of the Yankees gives the Tribe four wins in a row and six in their past eight games.
``Our guys have played pretty good baseball the last seven to 10 days,'' Indians manager Eric Wedge said. ``Some good things are starting to happen.''
Pitching, of course, is important. Jake Westbrook (7-4, 4.09 ERA), for example, held the Yankees to one unearned run and five hits and three walks in seven innings.
As usual, the ground ball was his ally. Fourteen of Westbrook's 21 outs came on infield bouncers, and he struck out three.
After a while, Westbrook's primary job was trying to stay awake.
``I was just throwing the ball in there and letting the defense take care of it,'' he said.
But enough about pitching; what the Indians have been about lately is hitting. Obviously, Tuesday night's outburst was an anomaly.
But much of their success in the past week or so relates to an offense that suddenly is white hot.
``We've turned it around in the last week or two,'' Travis Hafner said. ``The guys have been sticking their noses in it and putting up some pretty good at-bats.''
In the past eight games, the Tribe has averaged 8.4 runs, which is skewed by Tuesday night's total. The Indians pounded the Yankees for 21 hits, including 12 -- count 'em, 12 -- for extra bases: six doubles and six home runs.
Again, don't expect this to become routine, but it might be the culmination of a recent pattern.
``Our offense is starting to put together better at-bats,'' Wedge said. ``And certain guys are doing a better job of getting better pitches to hit.''
On the other hand, Wedge wanted to make it clear that winning by 18 runs -- the largest margin of victory at home since a 21-2 win over the Philadelphia Athletics on June 18, 1950 -- was not something fans should count on happening often.
``It was just one of those days,'' he said. ``Every now and then you run into one of those games. You have to respect the game; the game is humbling. We've been on both sides of these.''
In the past eight games, the Tribe has averaged 12.25 hits overall, 5.25 for extra bases, an extraordinary percentage of 42.8.
Leading the charge Tuesday night were Victor Martinez, Ronnie Belliard, Jhonny Peralta and, naturally, Hafner, who homered twice, doubled and drove in four runs. He is among the top five in the American League with 24 home runs and 70 RBI.
Had he not missed four starting assignments because of an arthritic elbow on last week's trip to St. Louis and Cincinnati, his numbers might be totally off the charts.
Martinez hit safely in his first five trips to the plate before being retired in the eighth inning. Among his hits were a two-run homer and a double.
Peralta contributed a two-run homer in the first and a solo blast in the nine-run fifth, when the Indians sent 14 batters to the plate.
Belliard -- remember his slump in April and May? -- hit a two-run homer and a two-run double.
Grady Sizemore, who had three hits, including two doubles, came to the plate five times in the first five innings (twice in the fifth).
During the team's eight-game revival, Hafner has five home runs, two doubles and 11 RBI, despite his absences from the lineup.
But how about this: Hafner is not the RBI leader over this span. That honor goes to part-time outfielder Todd Hollandsworth, who has 12 RBI, three homers and two doubles. He had three hits and drove in two runs Tuesday night.
Both Martinez and Belliard each have nine RBI in the past eight games and Aaron Boone has eight. Peralta is next with seven RBI, and Sizemore has six. Belliard has gone deep four times.
The game was reminiscent of the Indians' 22-0 win at Yankee Stadium two years ago, especially to Westbrook, who started that night.
Did that game cross his mind Tuesday night?
``A little bit,'' he said. ``But like they have to do, we have to turn the page and get ready for tomorrow. We can't carry any runs over.''
One day after the Tribe's 22-run rout in 2004, the Yankees came back to win 9-1.