Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

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ABJ

Sabathia stays strong, helps stop White Sox

He allows just four hits in sixth complete game

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CHICAGO - The ongoing statistic that measures C.C. Sabathia's march toward becoming a marquee starter continues to be impressive.
Since Aug. 1 of last year, Sabathia has compiled a 20-10 record and 2.93 ERA. That includes his complete game, 5-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field.
``C.C. was great,'' Indians manager Eric Wedge said. ``He was in command the entire game, and he really stayed strong.''
It was an important game for the White Sox, because the Minnesota Twins dumped the Central Division-leading Detroit Tigers to draw within two games of first place. Instead, the White Sox remained 3 ? games behind the leaders and 1 ? games south of the Twins, who lead the wild-card race.
``Chicago knocked us out last year,'' Sabathia said. ``We're just trying to return the favor.''
Sabathia (11-9, 3.24 ERA) was instrumental in allowing the Tribe to split the four-game series.
After a shaky first inning, Sabathia leveled the White Sox's lineup, allowing both runs on four hits.
His chances of pitching deep into the game didn't look good in the first inning that began with Pablo Ozuna reaching on a bloop single and Tadahito Iguchi hitting a home run over the center-field wall to give the White Sox a 2-0 lead.
Sabathia yielded only two more hits the rest of the way, and Wedge never considered lifting Sabathia after the eighth.
``The scoreboard was wrong,'' Wedge said. ``C.C. only had 100 pitches going into the ninth. It was his game.''
According to the scoreboard pitch-count display, Sabathia had thrown 106 pitches in eight innings. For the game, his official pitch count was 117.
``I knew I was going back out there in the ninth,'' said Sabathia, who has six complete games, the most by an Indians pitcher since 1998, when Bartolo Colon had six.
He also leads the American League in complete games and is among the top five pitchers in ERA.
``C.C. has been good for us for so long,'' Wedge said. ``It's been over a year now. He's obviously more efficient, which allows him to go deeper into games.''
Javier Vazquez baffled Tribe batsmen for all but a few of his 127 pitches. And yes, there's probably something politically incorrect about a manager that allows his pitcher to throw that many pitches these days.
But fresh in White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen's mind was the near debacle of Saturday night, when it took three relievers to quell a seven-run Tribe rally that cut the Sox lead to 10-8.
Vazquez seemed more than up to the task. After Jason Michaels beat out an infield single in the first inning, no Indians batter hit safely again until the sixth.
That's when the Tribe scored twice to tie the game. Andy Marte began the rally with a one-out walk and scored on Grady Sizemore's triple. Michaels followed with a single that scored Sizemore.
Vazquez left after the seventh, having allowed two runs, four hits and two walks, striking out 10.
``Vazquez threw the ball where he wanted,'' Wedge said. ``At least we made him work and finally got him out of the game.''
Whatever fears Guillen had about using his bullpen were well-founded. Brandon McCarthy worked a flawless eighth but gave up Victor Martinez's leadoff homer in the ninth.
``Every time I get a hit in the big leagues, I enjoy it,'' Martinez said. ``You have to enjoy every moment, because you never know what's going to happen.''
After McCarthy gave up a single to Ryan Garko, Guillen called in lefty Neal Cotts, who presided over Shin-Soo Choo's sacrifice bunt.
Cotts, whose only task was to pitch to one left-handed hitter, departed, and former Indians reliever David Riske took over long enough to give up an RBI single to Casey Blake.
McCarthy was one of the Chicago Three that aided and abetted the Tribe's seven-run rally Saturday night.
Guillen's search for a pitcher to retire the side came close to becoming a madcap comedy routine. After giving up the hit to Blake, Riske struck out Hector Luna.
But Guillen yanked Riske for left-hander Boone Logan, who walked Joe Inglett and threw ball one to Marte. Again Guillen was on the mound changing pitchers, this time opting for Sean Tracey.
He finished walking Marte to load the bases then issued a walk to Sizemore to force in the final run.
In the end, it took five pitchers to retire three batters in the ninth.
``I think last night's game carried over to today,'' Guillen said. ``We needed those guys in the bullpen and couldn't use them. There was no one else out there.''
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ABJ

Indians notebook

Garko likely to see more cleanup time

With Hafner sidelined, Wedge has flexibility with lineup, DH spot

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CHICAGO - The season-ending hairline fracture to Travis Hafner's right hand is forcing manager Eric Wedge to be creative with players he picks to be the designated hitter and with the No. 4 spot in the Tribe lineup.
Victor Martinez ordinarily batted fourth in the Indians lineup, behind Hafner, but from here on out, Martinez probably will be found third in the order.
``There will be a number of different guys hitting fourth,'' Wedge said. ``And I can mix and match in the field and with the DH.''
That doesn't mean Wedge will be an equal opportunity lineup maker. He has an idea who should bat where.
``Ryan Garko has done a very good job batting cleanup,'' Wedge said. ``His production for the short period of time he's been there has been tremendous.''
Since Garko's call-up from Triple-A Buffalo on Aug. 8, he has been the cleanup batter 10 times, beginning Aug. 20, compiling a .339 (13-for-39) average with three home runs and 10 RBI.
``I'd like to come through every single time in an RBI spot,'' he said. ``Obviously I'm not going to, though.''
It might be difficult to comprehend how a player who batted .249 at Triple-A can attain virtually instant success as a cleanup batter only 12 days after his arrival in the majors.
But Garko has discovered that he has become a better player almost instantly, maybe because of the larger challenges that he faced when he was promoted.
``I know that the pitching is so good up here that if you don't come prepared, you're going to be embarrassed,'' Garko said. ``Working with (hitting coach) Derek Shelton also has been good for me.''
Garko noticed the same thing happening to Toronto Blue Jays starter Shaun Marcum, a pitcher he faced often in the International League.
``He's totally different now,'' said Garko, who has batted against Marcum twice in the big leagues. ``Everything he throws is on the black or just off the plate. He's really hitting his spots.
``I think his focus is at a heightened level now that he's in the big leagues. His numbers are probably better up here than they were down there. And he's probably saying the same things about me.''
Peralta missing
Jhonny Peralta missed his third game in a row, on Sunday giving way to Hector Luna, who played shortstop.
Wedge said it was nothing personal, nor was it related to Peralta's recent struggles at the plate.
``I wanted to see Luna play short two or three days in a row,'' Wedge said. `We're still trying to get a feel for Hector. It also gives Jhonny a chance to take a step back and do some good work. He'll be back in there Tuesday.''
Tough to move
Should Grady Sizemore bat in the leadoff spot next year? There are two camps.
One view: Sizemore has the requisite speed, and his on-base percentage hovers around .380. The contrary opinion: Sizemore's ability to drive in runs and the fact that he is second on the team with 131 strikeouts.
``When a guy has been as good at what he's doing as Grady,'' Wedge said, ``it's hard to move him. I'm not saying he won't, but it's all about his supporting cast.''
In other words, unless the Tribe can locate a better leadoff hitter, Sizemore will stay where he is.
Farm facts
Rodney Choy Foo homered, doubled and drove in two runs, and Kinston beat Frederick 10-4 to win the first game of the best-of-five series for the Carolina League championship.
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ABJ

Indians notebook

Wedge: Youth reason for all those strikeouts

Indians hitters whiff more than any other American League team

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->There is one area in which the Indians have no peer among their American League lodge brothers: strikeouts.
Tribe batters have struck out 1,036 times, more than any team in the league. Cleveland is one of two AL clubs that have whiffed more than 1,000 times, the Detroit Tigers ranking second with 1,007 strikeouts.
Baseball people can generate a pretty lively discussion about the importance of strikeouts. But they all would agree that failing to make contact does not have a positive impact on the offense.
Why have the Indians struck out so often? ``We have a lot of young players,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``We actually like hitters to be aggressive with discipline. But with two strikes, we need to do a better job.''
Wedge does not want his hitters to be passive at the plate. They go up there to swing the bat.
``Sometimes you have to give up something to get something,'' Wedge said. ``And as these guys get more experience, I think the strikeouts will go down.''
It might be instructive that the team with the fewest strikeouts in the American League is the Minnesota Twins with 756.
National League clubs tend to strike out more often than those in the AL. One obvious reason: pitchers regularly come to the plate.
The NL strikeout leader is the Florida Marlins with 1,097, barely ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers with 1,090.
Let the light shine in
C.C. Sabathia has a 2.00 ERA in 10 starts in day games, even though his record is a modest 4-3.
``Usually I'm just getting awake at 1 o'clock,'' he said with a smile. ``But once I get up and get going, I like it.''
Half-price action
Through the end of the season, fans can buy Jacobs Field bleacher seats for $7 by presenting a Pepsi product can at the box office and Team Shops or by using the password ``Sizemore'' to buy tickets online at Indians.com.
Needling the fans
Under the auspices of the National Needle Arts Association, thousands of knitters of various accomplishment will be at Jacobs Field when the Tribe plays the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.
For information on who will be needled, call 216-420-4519.
Other stuff
It will be the 1,000th game played at Jacobs Field tonight.... Grady Sizemore has 84 extra-base hits, putting him in a tie with Eddie Morgan for seventh place on the Tribe's all-time list. Morgan did it in 1930.... Fifteen of Sizemore's past 20 hits have gone for extra bases.... In five 2006 starts, Sabathia is 3-0 with a 2.86 ERA against the Chicago White Sox.... The Indians are 14-6 in their past 20 games.
Farm facts
Nate Panther homered with nobody on as Kinston beat Frederick 3-2 in the best-of-five final of the Class A Carolina League championship series. Mariano Gomez gave up two runs in five innings. Kinston has won the first two games.
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Canton

Guillen: Sizemore best player in AL
Tuesday, September 12, 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]
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Grady Sizemore has played in all 142 games for the Indians in 2006, batting .295. He also has 23 home runs, second on the team behind Travis Hafner?s 42.​

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CLEVELAND - Someone asked an equipment manager in the Indians clubhouse recently if he had seen Grady Sizemore. The man just shrugged.
Maybe he had. Maybe he hadn?t. Trumpets don?t sound when Sizemore walks in or out of a room, and he?s certainly not about to call attention to himself. He generally is uncomfortable when asked to discuss the subject of Grady Sizemore.
But, when Sizemore steps onto the baseball diamond, there is no hiding the hustle and talent that has made his remarkable season perhaps the most positive story to come out of Jacobs Field in 2006.
Chicago White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen called Sizemore ?my favorite player in the American League ... and the best player in the American League.?
Cleveland Manager Eric Wedge agreed.
?Sure Ozzie loves him,? Wedge said. ?For all the right reasons.?
The 24-year-old center fielder was Cleveland?s only representative to the All-Star Game, but he tends to blend in with teammates off the field. The only thing that set Sizemore apart Sunday in Chicago was the blue-and-white medical tape around his wrist and hand, a souvenir from one night earlier. Sizemore had gone airborne to make a flat-out diving catch and landed face-first on the warning track ? in a game the Indians were losing, 7-1, at the time.
?That?s just the way I play,? Sizemore said matter-of-factly.
Wedge is never matter-of-fact when discussing Sizemore.
?He?s our best player, and he plays it the right way,? Wedge said. ?If your best player does it the right way, everybody else had better.
?He?s just a great all-around ballplayer. He works as hard as anybody we have.?
That hard work is certainly paying off statistically. Sizemore is batting .295 with 23 home runs, 68 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 24 attempts. But, wait, there?s more.
? He leads the American League in runs scored (120) and doubles (50), is second in triples (11) and sixth in hits (170).
? Only one other player in big-league history, Philadelphia?s Chuck Klein in 1932, had a season of 50 doubles, 10 triples, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. Sizemore is the only player in Indians history who has reached double digits in doubles, triples, homers and steals in two seasons.
? Only four batters since 1957 have produced 75 or more extra-base hits from the leadoff spot. Sizemore is likely to surpass Alfonso Soriano?s 89 in 2002 this week.
? He has been durable, playing in every game this season. The last Cleveland player to participate in all 162 games was Joe Carter in 1989.
? Sizemore?s .380 on-base percentage and .540 slugging percentage add up to a .920 OPS, an impressive figure for a player not considered a prototypical slugger.
?The most surprising thing probably has been his power,? Wedge said. ?But, when you watch him play enough, there?s no reason to be surprised. He?s bigger than you think, and stronger than you think.?
Because of Sizemore?s surprising power, Wedge has been asked about the possibility of moving him out of the leadoff role and into the third spot.
?Most people make the argument for him to be where he?s at or in the three-hole, but you can?t say that until you talk about the people around him,? Wedge said. ?When we?re hitting 1-through-9, and the bottom of the order is producing, he?ll have the opportunity to drive in runs. I?m not saying we won?t make that move. But, when a guy is playing the way he is, it?s hard to shake that up.?
Cleveland?s manager likes Sizemore where he is, for the moment.
?As a leadoff hitter, you get the best of both worlds,? Wedge said. ?He gets on base, he scores a tremendous amount of runs, and he drives people in. He?s going to score from second base because of the way he runs. There are a lot of pluses to having him leading off.?
Sizemore says he knows there are areas of his game that need to improve. He has struck out 131 times and walked 69. He is batting .210 off left-handers. His arm is not considered especially strong for a center fielder, and swift runners will try to take the extra base when Sizemore is forced to make a throw.
The Indians decided they could live with those few flaws. The team signed Sizemore to a six-year, $23.45 million contract on March 29. If Sizemore continues to improve, his $7.5 million salary in 2011 (the final year of the backloaded deal) will still look like a bargain.
To their credit, nobody on the Indians is saying they saw it coming.
?I don?t think anybody can anticipate a young player doing what Grady has done,? Wedge said.
Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail: [email protected]

50
doubles, most
in major leagues
120
runs scored, first in major leagues
11
triples, second in American League
170
hits, sixth in American League

 

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ABJ

Notebook

It's very different year for Peralta

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - It has been a humbling year for Jhonny Peralta after his breakout season of 2005, when suddenly the departure of Omar Vizquel didn't seem like such a big deal.
In his first full season, Peralta batted .292 with 24 home runs and 78 RBI. He also was adequate as a defender.
So what has happened to the Indians' shortstop this year?
``I don't know,'' he said on Tuesday. ``It's a different year. Not every year is the same.''
Going into Tuesday night's game, Peralta was batting .255 with 12 homers and 60 RBI.
Manager Eric Wedge decided to keep Peralta on the bench for the last three games against the White Sox over the weekend but insists he was not sending Peralta a message.
Nevertheless, Peralta, who returned to the lineup Tuesday night, wasn't happy sitting out so long.
``I didn't like that too much,'' he said. ``One or two days isn't so bad, but three or four is not too good.''
Peralta feels that opposing pitchers have made adjustments to him.
``They throw different to me now,'' he said. ``They throw more breaking pitches. That's something I need to work on.''
A spate of errors in the first half plus a slow start at the plate made Peralta a target of the fans.
``I don't pay too much attention to what people say,'' he said. ``Nobody wants to make errors. I try to do my best.''
The errors stopped as abruptly as they began. Peralta played 41 games in a row through Aug. 30 without making an error. And with 15 errors to date, he probably won't exceed the number (19) he made in 2005.
Peralta hopes to play winter ball in his native Dominican Republic, but he doesn't know whether Tribe officials will approve.
``I don't know if they want me to or not,'' he said. ``But my family in the Dominican heard on the radio that I wasn't playing.''
How would someone on the radio know that?
``Maybe the organization (Dominican team) has good relations with the Indians,'' Peralta said.
Confirmation
Travis Hafner returned from seeing a hand specialist in Baltimore, who validated the opinion of the Indians' orthopedists.
``They said everything lined up good,'' Hafner said of the nondisplaced fracture of the fourth metacarpal. ``It will heal fine (in 4-6 weeks). I won't need surgery.
``Probably at the beginning of October, I'll be able to take off the splint and start my rehab program. I think they'll X-ray it once a week to make sure everything is fine.''
Hafner talked to Jim Thome, who also was hit in the hand with a pitch.
``I'll probably wear a patch over my hand, like he does,'' Hafner said.
Left vs. right
If the Indians' rotation remains intact next spring, it will include three left-handers: C.C. Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Jeremy Sowers.
Eric Wedge doesn't see that as a problem. ``I know that's always a subject for debate,'' the manager said. ``I don't think it matters if you have three left-handers or four right-handers. What's important is what each guy does with his start.''
Staying the course
The Indians will send Fausto Carmona to pitch in the Dominican Republic winter league.
``That will help build up his innings,'' Wedge said.
Done deal
The Tribe and both the Lake County Captains and Mahoning Valley Scrappers have reached agreement on player development contracts. The Lake County agreement runs through 2010; the Mahoning Valley contract expires after the 2008 season. The Indians are part owners of the Lake County franchise.
Farm facts
Charles Lofgren gave up one run and five hits in seven innings, as Kinston beat Frederick 2-1 in 11 innings to sweep the best of five series to determine the Carolina League champion. Jose Constanza had three hits and Stephen Head had two.
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Canton

Rookie loses to Royals, but has Tribe job
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
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AP Jeff Glidden LAST TIME AROUND Indians pitcher Jeremy Sowers tries to compose himself during the fourth inning of Tuesday?s game against the Royals at Jacobs Field. Sowers gave up four runs and took the loss in his final outing of the 2006 season as Kansas City won, 5-3.
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ROYALS at INDIANS
7:05 tonight
Jacobs Field
Cleveland
TV SportsTime Ohio
PITCHERS Jorge De La Rosa (2-2, 5.59) vs. Jake Westbrook (12-9, 4.22)


CLEVELAND The time has come for Jeremy Sowers to put away his glove and spend the winter curled up on the couch with a good book.
When he picks up that glove again next February, Sowers will no longer be a rookie. He will be a big-league pitcher, and one that must deal with some high expectations he set during a promising half-season in Cleveland.
The 23-year-old left-hander pitched his final five innings of the 2006 season Tuesday, allowing four runs during the Indians? 5-3 loss to Kansas City at Jacobs Field. Sowers will be shut down due to having worked 186 innings.
?I still have a lot more to prove,? Sowers said. ?I did some good things, but I still have a lot of bad things I need to improve on. I would like to have ended up on a better note, but I learned a lot this year. I?m very happy with the way I developed as a pitcher.?
The Royals snapped Sowers? six-game win streak as he took his first loss since July 16. He was 7-4 with a 3.57 ERA in 14 starts for the Indians. His combined totals at Cleveland and Triple-A Buffalo were a 16-5 record and 2.42 ERA.
?He?s done a fantastic job for us, more than we could ever have anticipated for a pitcher going from Triple-A to the big leagues,? Manager Eric Wedge said. ?He?s a guy who has done a tremendous job of learning from every experience he has gone through.?
Before the game, Wedge said Sowers will definitely be part of the team?s 2007 starting staff.
?He?s earned a spot in our rotation,? Wedge said.
Sowers? final start was just so-so.
Esteban German led off with a double off the left-field wall and scored on Mark Grudzielanek?s single up the middle. John Buck?s two-out hit scored Grudzielanek, and the Royals were ahead 2-0 six batters into the game.
German?s RBI triple off the wall, the second of his four hits, and Grudzielanek?s run-scoring single in the fourth inning made it 4-1. Sowers did retire the last four batters he faced.
?I was aware of it (being the last start), but it didn?t dictate anything about the way I pitched,? Sowers said. ?All things considered, I felt pretty good. I feel like I could go back out there.?
The 1,000th game in Jacobs Field will not be remembered as one of the ballpark?s most memorable evenings. The weather was cold and drizzly, only about half of the 18,883 who purchased tickets bothered to show, and the Indians were not at the top of their game.
?We seemed to be on the south side of most things tonight,? Wedge said.
Andy Marte?s one-out double in the ninth inning brought the tying run to the plate, but Joe Nelson retired the next two batters to earn his seventh save.
Perhaps the game?s most interesting moment came after the bottom of the third inning, when Royals starter Runelvys Hernandez (6-9) and catcher John Buck got into a fistfight in the corner of the dugout. They were separated by teammates, and Hernandez pitched through the fifth to earn the victory.
?It?s September,? Royals Manager Buddy Bell said. ?There was some sort of misunderstanding. We dealt with it after the inning. Something was said. Both guys are competitors, but there has to be a little more poise in that situation.? Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

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Canton

TRIBE NOTEBOOK: Peralta back in lineup
Wednesday, September 13, 2006 <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]TRIBE NOTEBOOK ANDY CALL[/FONT]




CLEVELAND Jhonny Peralta was back in the lineup Tuesday night after getting a little rest ? perhaps a bit more rest than he wanted.
?One day or two days is fine,? Peralta said. ?Three days is not so good.?
Hector Luna had started at shortstop during the Indians? entire three-game weekend series in Chicago. Manager Eric Wedge said he wanted to see Luna, normally a utilityman, play an entire position for one series. Peralta said he was not battling fatigue or any other physical issues.
?I?m fine,? Peralta said. ?I don?t like to rest too much.?
Peralta, unfortunately, has played like a man who needs a rest for much of the 2006 season. His defense has improved after a rough start, but Peralta was batting .255 through Monday (compared with .292 last year), with 12 home runs (24 last year) and 60 RBIs (78 last year).
?Pitchers are throwing a little bit different against me,? Peralta said. ?I?m seeing more breaking pitches. It?s something I need to work on.?
The 24-year-old Peralta said he may work on his game this offseason in his native Dominican Republic, although he hasn?t played winter ball for Aguilas Cibaenas since 2003. He must OK such a decision with his bosses in Cleveland, however. Peralta said his family heard on a recent radio broadcast that he will not be playing this winter, but wasn?t sure where that rumor originated.
?It?s good to play winter ball,? Peralta said. ?Your body stays in shape and there are a lot of pitchers in the Dominican who throw hard.?
Peralta said he hopes next season, his third full year in the big leagues, will be more like his first than his second.
?Not every year is going to be the same,? Peralta said. ?This year has been different.?

INJURY REPORT Travis Hafner met with hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham in Baltimore on Monday. Graham confirmed that Hafner has a broken bone in his right hand and will miss the remainder of the season. ?Everything lines up good, so it looks like it will heal fine,? Hafner said. ?It sounds like (the rehab process) should go real smooth.? Hafner said he will probably wear a pad on his hand next season similar to that worn by Chicago?s left-handed slugger, Jim Thome.
CY YA LATER Visiting clubhouse manager Cy Buynak, who has been with the club 45 years, will retire at the end of this season. Buynak will be honored in a pregame ceremony tonight, and Royals Manager Buddy Bell will catch the ceremonial first pitch Buynak will throw.
NO GUTHRIE The Indians mulled having Jeremy Guthrie make a spot start before the end of the season, but Wedge said any spot starts will likely go to right-hander Brian Slocum. INDIANS WIN! Single-A Kinston won the Carolina League championship Sunday by outlasting Frederick, 2-1, in 11 innings. Chuck Lofgren allowed one run over seven innings and Chris DeLa Cruz had the game-winning hit for Kinston, which won its fifth league title in 20 years. ON THE FARM The Indians have extended their agreements with Single-A affiliates Lake County and Mahoning Valley. Cleveland is now under contract with the Captains through 2010, with the Scrappers through 2008.
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ABJ

Westbrook is far from great in loss

Indians' starter gives up four runs in six innings

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Jake Westbrook can't seem to make up his mind how he wants to finish the season.
Or maybe his brain knows, but his right arm is fighting the decision. Indians manager Eric Wedge has seen the best and worst of Westbrook the last two months of the season.
Wednesday night at Jacobs Field, Westbrook was a lot closer to his worst than his best, as the Tribe tumbled 6-2 to the lowly Kansas City Royals.
The teams completed their season series with the Indians winning 10 of the 18 games, which is no great accomplishment against a team that seems destined to lose 100 games.
Westbrook (12-10, 4.27 ERA) limped through six innings, giving up 11 hits, one walk and four runs, and he was fortunate not to have allowed many more than that.
``I didn't pitch very well at all,'' Westbrook said. ``I was in the middle of the plate or up in the zone. The defense kept me in the game. The defense made it closer than it should have been, the way I pitched.''
Westbrook endured rather remarkable fourth and fifth innings. Over that span, he faced 11 batters, gave up eight hits and still managed to retire six batters.
How is that possible? For one thing, it wasn't so much of an accomplishment for Westbrook as it was for the Tribe defenders, who maintained a red alert the entire time.
The Royals began the fourth by getting three consecutive singles, with Ryan Shealy driving in their first run of the game. A sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third just in time for Joey Gathright to drive in the second run with a single. Westbrook then induced Andres Blanco to bounce into a double play.
Westbrook gave up four more hits in the fifth, including a double by Esteban German, yet allowed only one run. David DeJesus singled to start the inning, and German followed with his RBI double.
However, German tried a mad dash to third and was thrown out. The rally continued with Mark Grudzielanek's single, but one out later he was thrown out trying to score on Shane Costa's single to end the inning.
``Jake was motoring pretty good early,'' Wedge said. ``He was able to work his way through the fourth, but his pitches were up in the zone. He just wasn't able to get them down.''
As a sinkerball pitcher, Westbrook routinely gives up ground-ball hits, but he didn't see himself a victim of his own best weapon.
``A lot of those balls were hit real hard, and nobody could have caught them,'' Westbrook said. ``There were some that found holes, but 11 hits is a reflection of how I pitched tonight. I definitely didn't deserve better.''
Westbrook navigated through the first three innings without much resistance. But once his troubles began, there was no stopping them.
In the sixth, he gave up another run on two hits, and he remained in the dugout when the seventh inning began.
Since June, Westbrook has fallen into the troubling pattern of giving up runs immediately after his team scores. He has done this in seven of his past 18 starts, including Wednesday night, when the Indians led 2-0 after three innings but were tied 2-2 in the middle of the fourth.
``They gave me a two-run lead tonight, and I gave it right back,'' Westbrook said.
The way the Indians have performed in the two-game set, you would never guess the Royals' staff ranked last in the American League with a 5.64 ERA.
With Travis Hafner out with an injury, and anywhere from three to five rookies populating the lineup, maybe a slowdown in the offense was inevitable.
``The last couple of days, we weren't too good offensively, no doubt about it,'' Wedge said. ``We had pitches to hit and we missed them.
``The young kids have been doing a good job. We need to file these two games and learn from them. A big part of young kids being up here is for them to learn to make adjustments.''
The Tribe attack generated only eight hits and for the two games with the Royals, the offense scored five runs.
Nobody had more than one hit Wednesday night, but Grady Sizemore hit his 24th home run of the season. That gives him 85 extra-base hits, moving him into a tie for sixth with Earl Averill on the franchise's all-time single-season list.
Sizemore and Alfonso Soriano are tied for the major-league lead in extra-base hits.
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ABJ

Indians notebook

Blake's a real everywhere man

Indians could play veteran at first base, at third, in right field

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Casey Blake might be the best player in the American League who has no idea what he'll be doing next year.
His situation might best be described as odd man in.
Blake has been the Indians' regular in right field the past two seasons. Before that, he was their everyday third baseman. He has also played first, and at one point the Tribe's deep-thinkers considered turning him into a second baseman.
When Blake went down with a sprained ankle for two weeks in August, Shin-Soo Choo got a chance to play right. He has done well against right-handed pitchers, but not against lefties.
It's more than possible that he will be half of a platoon in right next season, with Blake getting 150 or so at-bats against lefties.
And what if the Tribe decides that Andy Marte needs further time in the minors? Blake might end up at third base.
Who knows what will happen at first? Maybe Ryan Garko will win the spot. But you could concoct a scenario wherein Blake is the first baseman, or the left fielder but not the everyday second baseman. Then again....
Manager Eric Wedge says that Blake ``will be in the lineup every day. I just don't know where.''
That's what Blake had heard, too.
``They have some decisions to make,'' he said. ``And I don't know anything.''
Does he think he can play two or even three positions and maintain a high level of competence in each?
``It will take a little more focus and little extra work,'' he said.
And what of his reputation? Will baseball people around the league think he can't hold a position if he's playing three?
``I don't think you can say I don't have a position,'' Blake said. ``I thought I played third well, and I think I play right well.''
At this point, just what is Blake's favorite position?
``DH,'' he deadpanned. ``But I don't think I'll be the DH next year, unless the kitten's paw flares up again.''
One of Blake's jobs is to needle his buddy, designated hitter Travis Hafner, who will miss the rest of the season with a fractured hand.
Now what?
Now that Jeremy Sowers has been shut down as a precaution, what will he do at the ballpark every day?
``His season is over from a pitching standpoint,'' Wedge said.
``But he'll be with the team, watching other clubs' offenses and doing whatever conditioning things he needs to do. But we don't need him to be throwing.''
Player move
The Indians on Wednesday claimed shortstop Mike Rouse on waivers from the Oakland Athletics and added him to the 40-man roster.
Rouse, 26, made his big-league debut on June 8 and appeared in eight games, going 7-for-24 with three doubles and four RBI. He spent the rest of the season at Triple-A Sacramento, batting .258 with 21 doubles, six homers, 47 RBI and 59 runs in 99 games.
He was the Toronto Blue Jays' fifth-round pick in the 2001 draft. He will not be called up to the big leagues.
Long time coming
After 45 years, first as the Tribe equipment manager, then as boss of the visitors' clubhouse, Cy Buynak is retiring at the end of the season.
Wednesday night, he was given the honor of throwing the first ceremonial pitch to Kansas City Royals manager Buddy Bell, who played for the Indians in the '70s and came under the jurisdiction of Buynak in the clubhouse.
Minor-leaguer honored
Kinston left-hander Scott Lewis has won the inaugural Most Spectacular Pitcher Award, given to the minor-league pitcher with the lowest ERA.
Lewis compiled a 3-3 record and 1.48 ERA in 115 2/3 innings. His outings were shortened because of a strict pitch limit, imposed after he underwent elbow ligament transplant surgery in 2003, when he was a pitcher at Ohio State.
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Dispatch

INDIANS NOTEBOOK
Lewis savors successful season

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CLEVELAND ? After two seasons of arm injuries and the monotonous rehabilitation that comes along with them, former Ohio State standout Scott Lewis?s goal this season was simply to stay in the rotation.
"I don?t think I could have handled another summer of watching and rehab," he said.
The Indians had the same goal. They kept Lewis, their third-round pick in the 2004 draft, on a strict 70-pitch limit and kept him at high-Class A Kinston, in the hope he could blossom next season.
Lewis made the most of it. He posted a 1.48 ERA, the lowest in the minor leagues, and struck out 123 in 115 2 /3 innings while allowing only 84 hits and 28 walks.
By virtue of posting the lowest ERA in the minors, Lewis won the inaugural Most Spectacular Pitcher Award by Minor League Baseball, the governing body of the affiliated minor leagues. He will be presented with a trophy and $7,500 in a ceremony next week.
The announcement came just two days after Lewis and his Kinston teammates won the Carolina League title ? and shortly before he will head to Winter Haven, Fla., for the fall instructional league. He is finally settling into the traditional routine of a pitching prospect.
"It was just nice to go out there every fifth day," he said. "It makes the season go by so much quicker."
Lewis will be added to the 40-man roster this winter and is expected to receive a promotion to double-A Akron next season. The Indians likely will limit his innings again, but team officials have long believed he could move quickly through the farm system if healthy. It is possible Lewis will be pitching for the Indians at this point next season.
"As long as I?m healthy at this point next year, I?ll be happy," he said.
On the move

Kevin Kouzmanoff played mostly third base in college and through his first 3 1 /2 seasons in the minor leagues. But with Andy Marte ahead of him on the prospect pecking order, Kouzmanoff recently began working out at first base, to make himself more versatile and increase his chances of landing a roster spot next spring.
He played six games at first base for triple-A Buffalo, and he might play there in the Arizona Fall League.
"From the first game to the fifth, there was a big difference," Kouzmanoff said. "The first game was a little awkward. The second game felt better. By the fifth game, it was like, ?OK, I feel OK here.? "
He was in the lineup last night as the designated hitter.
Hit and run

The Indians claimed infielder Mike Rouse off waivers from the Oakland A?s. Rouse, 26, spent most of the season in triple-A. He is not expected to join the big-league club this season.
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Dispatch

Twins pick at Indians until breakthrough
Cleveland ties it at 4 before Minnesota finally pours it on

Friday, September 15, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>TONY DEJAK ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>A home run by the Indians? Grady Sizemore during the third inning was one of Cleveland?s few offensive highlights. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


CLEVELAND ? The piranhas were at their pestering best last night, slashing and diving and running, taking a little piece of the Indians with each inning. It is a slow and frustrating way to go, and the victims are mounting.
The Minnesota Twins showed anew why they should not be written off despite injuries to pitchers Francisco Liriano and Brad Radke, outlasting the Tribe 9-4 to pull one game behind the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central and open a two-game lead over the Chicago White Sox for the AL wild card.
Rookie pitcher Boof Bonser was solid for 5 2 /3 innings, the league?s best bullpen made only one mistake and a mostly unimposing lineup kept the pressure on the Indians all night. The Twins scored the decisive run on two singles, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen dubbed the top and bottom of the Twins lineup "piranhas" for their ability to wreak havoc in small doses. They led an offense that produced 23 base runners last night and forced the Tribe to use nine pitchers.
"They?re feisty," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "They foul off a lot of pitches. They see a lot of pitches. They battle. They do a good job of not trying to do too much.
"You look at our guys, we score a lot of runs, but we can do a better job of what Minnesota does ? be feisty, be tough with two strikes, know ourselves and not try to do too much."
Andy Marte hit a three-run homer for the Indians, momentarily tying the score at 4 in the sixth. He drilled the first pitch from reliever Jesse Crain an estimated 421 feet to center field.
Until then, the Twins had left 12 runners on base. They were 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position ? 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position and less than two outs. Many teams would wilt under such frustration, the pressure weighing them down like concrete shoes.
The Twins coolly responded in the next half-inning. Jason Bartlett and Luis Castillo hit consecutive singles off Jason Davis, then moved up on a wild pitch. Nick Punto followed with a line drive to center field, and Bartlett tagged and scored.
Torii Hunter and Rondell White put the game out of reach in the eighth with a ferocity their undersized teammates lack. They ripped consecutive pitches from Fernando Cabrera into the bleachers in left field, Hunter?s blast an estimated 422 feet and White?s 419.
The piranhas wore out the young Cleveland bullpen. If there was a silver lining ? and Wedge searched for one ? it is that several of the relievers pitched out of jams. In those instances, the Twins simply started another rally the following inning.
"We saw some good things and not-so-good things out of that," Wedge said.
Starter Cliff Lee lasted four innings. He allowed one run but had runners on base in each inning and threw 102 pitches.
"With where we?re at (in the standings) and as hard as he worked, we weren?t going to put him in harm?s way there and have him throw 120 pitches in five innings," Wedge said.
Lee did not protest.
"I wasn?t locating that well. It seemed like when I did make a good pitch, they fouled it off," he said. "The pitches added up."
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INDIANS NOTEBOOK
Tribe goes easy on Carmona
Ex-closer on pitch count as a starter as he rebuilds confidence

Friday, September 15, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CLEVELAND ? Fausto Carmona should get three or four more starts for the Indians this season, including one tonight against Minnesota, and six to eight starts in winter ball. Team officials expect him to compete for a roster spot as either a starter or reliever next spring, but first they must undo the damage done by his brief-butugly stint as a closer.
"We aren?t looking for a miracle," pitching coach Carl Willis said. "We?re looking for gradual improvement."
Carmona will be on an 80-pitch limit tonight. It will be his fourth start since being removed from the closer?s role; he pitched well in one start for triple-A Buffalo and struggled in his next two starts, one for the Bisons and one for the Indians.
Team officials want Carmona to start for the remainder of the season and in winter ball because the regimented schedule and increased workload should give him more opportunities to smooth out his delivery.
Willis said Carmona?s mechanical troubles stemmed from "mental and emotional issues" ? as his confidence sagged, he tried to throw harder, and in so doing his delivery got out of whack, which made it tough to control his bread-andbutter sinking fastball.
"We want him to control his effort level," Willis said. "He?s a young pitcher trying to prove himself again, but he doesn?t have to. We know what he can do."
The gun show

Casey Blake had two assists from right field Wednesday, including a throw that reached home plate on the fly. When he starts in right field and Shin-Soo Choo plays left, as they did last night, the Indians have two outfielders with arms that give base runners pause.
For most of the past two seasons, opponents seemingly have run at will against Grady Sizemore, Jason Michaels and Coco Crisp.
"It?s another way to impact the ballgame," manager Eric Wedge said.
Wait and see

Double-A outfielder Trevor Crowe will spend two weeks in the fall instructional league playing second base, then the Indians will determine whether he should continue playing second or return to the outfield, farm director John Farrell said.
Either way, Crowe will play in the Arizona Fall League, and Farrell believes he could be ready to hit in the major leagues next season.
"We don?t want to slow that progress down," Farrell said.
He said Crowe could be "a very special player" as an offensive second baseman. But Crowe struggled in seven games there for the Aeros, which suggests the transition from center field could take some time.
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ABJ

Indians 5, Twins 4

A step in right direction

Good start for Carmona; Tribe triumphs in 10th

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - Wherever Fausto Carmona was when he got out of bed Friday morning, the sun was shining and flowers were blooming, the air was warm and a new season had dawned.
The cloud that had hovered overhead since the Indians asked him to be their closer late in July had disappeared. Once again, he could believe that when he confronted major-leaguer hitters, he was the better man.
Friday night, Carmona got his second start since his brief tenure as closer ended, and he held the Minnesota Twins to two runs and two hits in five innings.
``It was a big step for him,'' Indians manager Eric Wedge said.
Long after he was out of the game, Ryan Garko drove in the winning run with a ground ball, as the Indians won 5-4 in 10 innings at Jacobs Field.
``That's probably the best ground ball I've hit in my entire life,'' Garko said. ``This is why you play the game, to have these moments with your teammates.''
Producing most of the offensive fireworks for the Tribe were Garko and Franklin Gutierrez, who led off the 10th with a long double. One out later, Casey Blake was walked intentionally, and Dennys Reyes delivered a lethal wild pitch that moved the runners to second and third.
Why lethal? Because the next batter, Victor Martinez, is prone to bouncing into double plays. But with nobody on first, Reyes walked Martinez intentionally to bring up Garko.
Jesse Crain was summoned from the bullpen, and Garko slapped a ground ball up the middle. Second baseman Luis Castillo barely reached the ball but was able to flip it to Jason Bartlett to force Martinez.
Bartlett made a wild relay to first, and Gutierrez scored the game winner. No error was given to Bartlett, because the scorer is not permitted to assume a double play. Would Garko have beaten a good throw?
``Probably not,'' he said. ``I haven't seen the replay, though.''
Carmona didn't give up a hit until the fourth, and it was a hit only because (replays definitively showed) umpire Marvin Hudson missed a call at first on Michael Cuddyer's ground ball to third.
Had Hudson made the correct call (it wasn't even that close), Carmona might not have allowed a run. He had walked Joe Mauer to start the inning, and Cuddyer reached on the infield single.
``I thought we clearly had him,'' Wedge said, referring to the play at first. ``You have to overcome those things, and for the most part, we did.''
Carmona then unleashed a wild pitch, putting runners on second and third, and Justin Morneau singled off the glove of second baseman Joe Inglett to score a run. Torii Hunter walked to load the bases, and though Carmona induced Rondell White to bounce into a double play, a second run scored.
Though Carmona walked five and was forced to navigate through the fourth-inning mine field, he kept his poise and left with a 4-2 lead.
``Fausto was much better,'' Wedge said. ``He did a good job of reeling himself in when situations came up. And Victor did a good job of helping him.''
Carmona probably was relieved to have the game not blow up in his face.
``I felt better tonight, because I pitched under control when I threw the ball,'' he said through his interpreter, bullpen coach Luis Isaac.
Carmona's psyche seems to have survived his ordeal as closer.
``I wasn't feeling good, because I let the team down,'' he said. ``But I learned something from what happened.''
Twins starter Santana, the favorite to win the American League Cy Young Award, was not at his lights-out best. Then again, certain hitters just made him look that way. The Indians began to abuse him in the first inning, when Martinez slapped a two-out single to left, and Garko hit his sixth homer of the season.
Santana also gave up single runs in the second and fourth, Gutierrez driving in each with a single and a double.
Santana got his act together after that and pitched through the eighth. Beginning with the final out in the fourth, he retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced.
Tom Mastny allowed the two runs in the ninth to force extra innings. However, if the runners hadn't been going with the pitch, Joe Mauer's ground out to Garko with the bases loaded would have been a double play, costing the Twins a run.
With two outs and runners on first and third in the eighth, Mastny relieved Rafael Betancourt and got the third out on Bartlett's lazy fly to right.

 

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Dispatch

INDIANS NOTEBOOK
Marte shows marked improvement

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




CLEVELAND ? Andy Marte crushed a first-pitch fastball Thursday night and sprinted around first base. The ball was headed toward the picnic area beyond center field, but he did not assume a home run.
"I thought it was at least a double," Marte said. "I knew I hit it good."
Only after he rounded first base and the ball cleared the fence did he pump a fist and slow to a stride.
In a sense, the Indians have taken a similar approach with their highly regarded rookie: There have been encouraging signs of late, but manager Eric Wedge said he is not yet ready to proclaim Marte his starting third baseman for next season.
"He is still going to have to compete in spring training," Wedge said. "With who, I don?t know."
Marte has shown steady defense and made strides at the plate. He entered last night with a .236 average but had hit .313 in the previous 23 games with 14 extra-base hits and 16 RBI.
"I feel a lot more comfortable," he said. "I just feel like I did in Buffalo."
Marte hit .261 with 15 home runs for Buffalo in his second season in triple-A. Baseball America rated him the 11 th-best prospect in the game heading into the season, and that talent has been evident in flashes, if not bunches.
Asked what he would like to show team officials the final two weeks, Marte said, "Be more consistent with my hitting, my defense, everything. Do the little things to let them know I can play here."
Help wanted

Barring injury or an offseason surprise, Jhonny Peralta will start at shortstop next season, and Marte and first baseman Ryan Garko appear to have the inside track on starting jobs. That leaves second base, where the Indians are expected to pursue a veteran via free agency or a trade.
Considering the number of ground-ball pitchers on the Indians? staff, defense figures to be a priority.
"We definitely need to improve our range in the infield," Wedge said. "We have to know exactly what we?re going to get. It will take hard work with the people we have and potentially some changes."
Among the potential freeagent second basemen are Ronnie Belliard, Mark Loretta, Craig Biggio, Ray Durham and Adam Kennedy.
Nice gesture

Jeff Newbauer, a 22-year-old cancer victim from nearby Twinsburg, took batting practice with the Indians. He toured big-league ballparks throughout the summer and previously threw out a ceremonial first pitch at an Indians game. Wedge then invited him to work out with the club.
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TWINS 4 INDIANS 1
Twins hang in, beat Sabathia

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

</IMG> TONY DEJAK ASSOCIATED PRESS Twins shortstop Jason Bartlett can?t come up with a foul ball hit by Grady Sizemore in the third inning.


CLEVELAND ? C.C. Sabathia got so accustomed to pitching with men on base last night that when he walked to the mound for the start of the fifth inning, he went into the stretch.
"Victor (Martinez) started going through the signs and everything," Sabathia said. "I said, ?What ? am I doing?? "
The Minnesota Twins can have that effect. They have refined the art of irritation, and Sabathia bore the brunt of it, whether he was pitching out of a windup or the stretch. He and the Cleveland Indians lost 4-1.
The Twins pulled three games ahead of the Chicago White Sox for the American League wild card, and they did so in a way that has become routine: They lead the major leagues in batting average and have struck out fewer times than any club, their pitching staff allows the fewest walks and their defense presents few holes.
The Indians managed five hits off the eminently hittable Carlos Silva. Sabathia had to be at his best, and he was not.
He allowed 10 hits and considered himself lucky to allow only three runs. At one point in the fourth inning, he walked off the mound and shook his head in frustration, prompting Martinez and third baseman Aaron Boone to jog to the mound for a quick conference.
"You know he doesn?t like to lose, and he doesn?t like to lose to us," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Any time we beat big Sabathia, we feel pretty good about ourselves."
As they did Thursday against Cliff Lee, Twins hitters fouled off multiple pitches until they got one good enough to hit, and then they often were willing to settle for a single and a chance to steal second base. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen dubbed the top and bottom of the Twins lineup "the little piranhas." Chances are, away from the cameras and microphones, Minnesota?s opponents have chosen less pleasant words.
"Against a lineup like Minnesota?s, day in and day out they?re going to make you work," Indians manager Eric Wedge said, "regardless if you have your best stuff or you?re a little off."
Backup catcher Mike Redmond drove in three runs and Torii Hunter hit his 26 th home run. Redmond was 2 for 3 with two RBI and a walk against Sabathia and is now 7 for 14 against him.
"If he could hit off me every day, he?d probably be in the Hall of Fame. He rakes me," Sabathia said. "I have no idea why. It?s just one of those things, one of those guys. Torii is the same way. As soon as I make a mistake, he?s going to make me pay."
Grady Sizemore is 17 for 31 in his career against Silva, and he got the Indians rolling in the first with a leadoff single. He moved to third on a hit-and-run single by Jason Michaels and scored on a groundout by Martinez.
Two innings later, Sizemore singled as the Indians loaded the bases with two outs, but Silva got Casey Blake to hit into a fielder?s choice. The Indians could not get another runner into scoring position.
Opponents are hitting .325 off Silva, but it was not apparent last night.
"He had a real good sinker going," Wedge said. "He was throwing it all over the plate." [email protected]