Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

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ABJ

Garko makes his case for first

His 3 hits, 5 RBI lead Tribe over White Sox

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - Ryan Garko is in the mix to be the Indians' everyday first baseman next season.
With seven home runs, 41 RBI and a .299 batting average in 45 games, what would he have to do to become the favorite?
Garko drove in a career-best five runs with three hits Tuesday night, as the Tribe stomped on the Chicago White Sox 6-0 at Jacobs Field.
Manager Eric Wedge repeatedly has said that Garko has made a deep and positive impression during his first few months in the big leagues. He always adds that Garko's fate will depend on what sort of free agent signings and trades General Manager Mark Shapiro makes over the winter.
It's not that Wedge is lukewarm in his praise of Garko.
``He has a lot of RBI in limited at-bats hitting in the middle of the lineup without (Travis) Hafner,'' Wedge said. ``He's making a very strong bid for next year.
``But we have to get into the offseason before we put everything together; he certainly has gotten our attention, though.''
That probably leaves Garko wondering if Shapiro plans to kidnap a premier first baseman, say Chicago's Paul Konerko, and bring him to Cleveland as an indentured servant.
With a .313 average, 35 homers and 113 RBI, Konerko is one of the few first basemen who this year is Garko's equal at-bat for at-bat. Obviously, Konerko is a proven commodity and Garko is not, so Garko represents something of a risk.
But if Garko's run-production numbers were to be projected over a 550-at-bat season, he would amass 23 home runs and 135 RBI.
``This is what you wait for in the minor leagues, to get a chance,'' Garko said. ``I just hope I can be part of this team and this lineup (next year). This is the most unbelievable lineup I've ever been a part of. It's fun to hit with this group of guys.''
And while many Tribe batsmen have been striking out at a horrific rate -- the total was 12 Tuesday night -- Garko has fanned an average of once every 5.2 at-bats, more than acceptable for a run producer, let alone a rookie.
Garko doubled home two runs in the third inning against the Sox and whacked a three-run homer in the fifth to account for all but one of the Indians' runs.
``He wants to be that guy in those situations,'' Wedge said. ``He also makes adjustments within at-bats. He's a smart kid.''
There remains a question about Garko's reliability as a first baseman, a position he has played full time only one year.
``I'm going to the Dominican to play for about a month,'' Garko said. ``Reps, reps and more reps is what I need.''
C.C. Sabathia finished his season on a high note, as he worked eight strong innings, giving up four hits and no walks while striking out 11. His 3.22 earned-run average ranks as the best of his six-year career, but the 12 wins (against 11 defeats) does not.
``I definitely feel like this year is the best I've pitched,'' Sabathia said. ``I've been more consistent by far.''
As Wedge said, ``Wins and losses don't always tell the true tale with a starting pitcher.''
In part, he was victimized by a lack of offensive support. In nine of his losses, the attack scored three or fewer runs. Sabathia also missed three starts in April because of injury.
``I just regret that I got hurt and missed the first month,'' Sabathia said. ``That's when we got off on the wrong foot.''
Sabathia has been burdened with the tag of being the ace of the staff almost since his first season, when he was 20. But that description this year seems like a good fit for him.
``C.C. has really solidified himself as a No. 1 pitcher this year,'' Wedge said. ``He's come a long way the last two or three seasons, and he's shown leadership qualities.''
Sabathia believes he has the backing of his teammates as the ace.
``It's all about respect from your teammates,'' he said. ``When I take the mound I think they believe we have a chance to win.''
Despite throwing 121 pitches, Sabathia argued to finish the game.
``I was pleading hard when I came in after the eighth,'' he said. ``I kept looking at Wedgie, and Victor (Martinez) was pleading, too. But I pretty much knew it wasn't going to happen after throwing more than 120 pitches.''
Wedge had to smile at Sabathia's efforts to go for the complete game.
``He was lobbying and lobbying hard,'' the manager said. ``It's not easy to take a guy out who's throwing like that, but it wouldn't have been the wisest thing to send him out there.''

 

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ABJ

Indians notebook

Schedule more interesting in '07

Many division games in Sept.; NL East to visit

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - If the Indians return to being contenders next year, September could be the most interesting month of the season.
In contrast to this year, when the Tribe will play only 13 September games within the division, the club will play 18 intra-division games in 2007, with at least one series against every American League Central Division rival.
``You hope to be in a position where those games will be meaningful,'' manager Eric Wedge said Tuesday. ``So you'd like to finish at home.''
However, that won't happen. The Tribe ends next season with a six-game trip to Seattle and Kansas City.
For the third consecutive year, the Indians will start the season against the White Sox in Chicago. After that three-game set that begins April 2, the Tribe will open at home against the Seattle Mariners on April 6. First pitch of that game is scheduled for 4:05 p.m.
``I would like to open at home one of these years,'' Wedge said. ``But if it's only three games on the road, that's all right.''
Interleague play will feature the National League East, plus home-and-home series against the Cincinnati Reds, who come to Jacobs Field on May 18-20, then play host to the Tribe on June 8-10.
The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies will visit Jacobs Field in consecutive series June 15-20; the Tribe will travel to Florida and Washington. The New York Mets are the only NL East team not on the Tribe's schedule.
For sales and marketing purposes, next year's schedule is a slight improvement over the 2006 slate of games. In the critical drawing months of June, July and August -- when weather is best and kids are out of school -- the Tribe will play 45 home games. This season, the club played 41 games at Jacobs Field during the prime summer months.
The Boston Red Sox will play a four-game weekday series at Jacobs Field from July 23-26. The New York Yankees will visit for a weekend set Aug. 10-12.
Prices on hold
The Indians will not raise ticket prices for 2007, either for season-ticket holders or on single-game seats.
Current season-ticket holders will be mailed renewal packages next week. Various packages of 40 games and 20 games also are available, including one in which fans choose their games and the club picks the seats.
For information, call 216-420-4487 or visit www.indians.com and click on 2007 Season Ticket Deposit.
A hint
Opportunities in the bullpen are plentiful, but Wedge said there are a few current relievers with a head start.
``He has to make the team, but Jason Davis has put himself in a good position to do that,'' Wedge said.
Wedge also included Fernando Cabrera and Matt Miller in that group.
Scoring change
An error has been changed to a hit in Minnesota's 6-1 win over the Tribe on Sept. 17.
What took so long? The official scorer has 24 hours to change his mind, but in this case, the Twins asked to have the play reviewed by Major League Baseball, which eventually overturned the decision.
So instead of an error on left fielder Franklin Gutierrez, Jason Bartlett gets a hit and Matt Miller is charged with an earned run.

 

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ABJ

Carmona's last start doesn't help

After Indians' loss, his role among pitchers next year still to be determined

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - Fausto Carmona's season ended the way it began, as a member of the Indians' rotation, albeit as a starter with only a temporary permit.
He will enter his winter vacation with his future up in the air. Will Carmona be a starter or a reliever, and where? His performance against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night didn't really clear up anything in a 2-1 Tribe loss at Jacobs Field.
The game was called one out short of 7 ? innings following a rain-induced wait of 1 hour, 58 minutes, 10 minutes shorter than the duration of the game itself.
``We were appreciative that they waited that long,'' Tribe manager Eric Wedge said. ``We still had two at-bats left in the game, and we wanted the opportunity. But it wasn't to be.''
Though Carmona pitched capably for six innings, allowing two runs, six hits and two walks, there are enough question marks in his resume to force Wedge and General Manager Mark Shapiro to come to their own conclusions about how he will be used in 2007.
Just last week, Wedge hinted at Carmona's role when he said that neither next season's setup man nor next season's closer is currently on the staff.
That would eliminate Carmona as a relief pitcher. If he isn't going to close (we already knew that) or set up, the only proper job for him will be as a starter. His live arm would be wasted as a middle reliever.
But if the Indians begin 2007 with the same five starters as are finishing 2006, there will be no room for Carmona. Of course, at the tender age of 22, a few more months at Triple-A Buffalo wouldn't hurt.
Asked if Carmona's recent starts helped to determine what he will do next year, Wedge said: ``It just tells us more about what he's about, his toughness and resiliency. It will give him some momentum going into the offseason.
``He'll make six to eight starts in winter ball and come to spring training ready for whatever role we need him in.''
On Wednesday night, Carmona had to work out of trouble three times and didn't do a bad job. Of course, the idea is to avoid trouble, if possible.
With two outs in the first, Carmona found trouble, giving up a solo homer to Ross Gload. But after allowing a double to Jim Thome, Carmona finished off the inning with a strikeout.
Scott Podsednik singled to lead off the third and was thrown out stealing by Victor Martinez. But Jerry Owens followed with another hit, before Carmona closed out the inning.
In the sixth, Owens singled off Carmona and took second on an infield grounder. Carmona walked Thome intentionally and Tadahito Iguchi unintentionally to load the bases.
Alex Cintron's sacrifice fly scored the second run of the game, but Carmona stopped the bleeding there.
``I thought Fausto did a real good job in that last inning of slowing himself down and finishing off the inning,'' Wedge said. ``I saw a lot of good things from him.''
As a starter, Carmona has pitched seven times, three times in April, when C.C. Sabathia was on the disabled list, and four times in September. In those seven outings, Carmona posted a 1-3 record and 6.08 ERA.
The good news for the Tribe is that in his last two starts, Carmona gave up three runs and eight hits in 11 innings.
Meanwhile, the White Sox blindsided the Indians by starting Brandon McCarthy, the phenom who probably will be in Chicago's rotation in 2007 but has spent most of this season in the bullpen.
In fact, before facing the Tribe, McCarthy had made only one start all year, in May. Even so, he gave up only two hits and one run in 5 1/3 innings.
Andy Marte's home run in the sixth inning put the Indians on the scoreboard. Until then, Grady Sizemore's two-out single in the third was the only hit off McCarthy.

 

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ABJ

Why dither? Put Garko in at 1st base

By Terry Pluto

Sometimes the obvious answer is the best answer.
That's why Ryan Garko should be the Tribe's starting first baseman next year.
It appears the front office is leaning in that direction. Sometimes, the right thing to do is to stand behind a player who has come through the farm system, earned his way to the majors and then performed when given the opportunity.
That describes Garko, who went into Wednesday night's game against the White Sox batting .299 with 7 homers and 41 RBI in 45 games.
This is the same Ryan Garko who hit .330 with 22 homers and 100 RBI in 2004 at three minor-league levels.
The same Ryan Garko who batted .303 with 19 homers and 77 RBI at Class AAA Buffalo in 2005.
The same Ryan Garko who looks like a natural hitter with the Tribe right now.
Ryan Garko hits. Always did, and probably always will.
The Indians seemed to lose some faith in him this season when he batted .248 with 15 home runs and 59 RBI in 102 games at Class AAA Buffalo. It was as if his previous seasons of hitting .300 were forgotten. After converting him from playing catcher to first base, the Indians seemed to dwell on his defensive struggles.
In his second year at Buffalo, Garko thought he had to hit home runs to get the attention of the front office. He changed his swing -- for the worse.
Now, he's back to his old style, which made him one of the premier hitters in the entire farm system. Yes, Garko is not close to an average first baseman right now.
But here's some insight: Guess who led all American League first basemen in errors in 2005?
That's right, Ben Broussard, who played that spot for the Tribe.
Guess who is tied for the lead in errors at first this season?
Ben Broussard, once again. He has nine in 68 starts at first between the Indians and Mariners this season.
Broussard is leaner and more fluid at first base. He looks better than Garko, but the results are not appreciably different. Garko attacks the position. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder seems to wrestle ground balls to the dirt. He throws his body in front of everything like a nose tackle trying to get in the way.
He is determined and relentless and will improve. He's not that much worse than Broussard, despite having six errors in 41 games.
Playing every day, Garko will be a major upgrade over Broussard, because he'll out-hit Broussard. From 2002 to 2005, Broussard was the Tribe's starting first baseman, averaging 17 homers and 68 RBI and hitting .260.
Is there any doubt Garko will give the Indians more than that?
Some fans might say Broussard was having a good year (.321, 13 home runs, 46 RBI in 88 games) before he was traded to Seattle. That's true, but since the deal, he's at .233 with 8 homers and 17 RBI in 51 games.
Overall, Broussard is not an average first baseman in terms of run production.
The Indians also have Victor Martinez to play some first base. They can use Martinez, Garko and backup catcher Kelly Shoppach to handle the two positions.
Martinez was second in the majors last year in games caught at 142. He's third this season. Why so much time behind the plate? He's acceptable at first. Shoppach is a strong defensive catcher.
Another obvious answer also is the right one: Let Martinez catch 100 games, play another 50 at first. Shoppach can catch the rest. That gives Garko at least 100 starts at first base.
It's possible Martinez will hit better by doing less catching, because first base is not such a physically demanding position. Shoppach can catch when the Indians face teams that like to steal.
They have depth at these two positions.
With so many holes to fill -- middle infield, the bullpen and a corner outfielder with power -- why create another one? When the Indians think about first base, they should stick with Garko.

 

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ABJ

Indians likely to bring back Blake

Despite strain, sprain, outfielder's season good

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - A strained oblique and a sprained ankle cost Casey Blake six weeks of the season, but he still was able to regain the confidence of the Indians' brass.
Going into Wednesday night's game against the Chicago White Sox, Blake was batting .279 with 17 home runs and 65 RBI, a sharp contrast from one year ago, when his average slipped to .241 with 23 homers and 58 RBI.
``I got off to a pretty good start and that gave me a lot of confidence,'' Blake said. ``The hits just kept coming.''
At the end of May, Blake was batting .326 with nine home runs and 32 RBI, but he suffered the injury to his oblique in mid-June and missed almost a month.
``I remember thinking that it was rare to see a guy come back from an injury and get off to a hot start,'' manager Eric Wedge said.
Blake kept on truckin' when he returned in mid-July, but his pace has slowed since the ankle sprain sidelined him for two weeks in August.
Nevertheless, he has continued to produce at a reasonable level, prompting Wedge to say: ``We know that Casey will fit in somewhere (next year). His versatility allows us the luxury to play him in left, right, first and third. We know he'll be in the lineup somewhere.''
Apparently, Wedge's statement precludes speculation that the club won't pick up Blake's option, worth between $3.75 million and $4.25 million, depending on certain incentives.
``I feel that this season Casey settled in,'' Wedge said. ``I think what he's done this year is closer to the player he really is.''
Blake didn't get a chance to play every day until 2003, when he was 29.
``I think I'm still getting better,'' he said. ``I was kind of a late bloomer; I didn't really have the opportunity.''
How would he react to playing every day but moving around to three or four positions?
``I don't know why I can't,'' Blake said. ``If that's what makes us a better team, fine with me.''

 

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ABJ

Byrd gets victory in season's final start

Veteran survives tough first inning, goes seven

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - When you've pitched in the big leagues for 12 years and your career has been interrupted for months on end by serious injuries, you know how to put a season into perspective.
Paul Byrd completed his first year with the Indians Thursday night by giving up four runs in seven innings as the Tribe rallied to beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 5-4 at Jacobs Field.
``It was a small, feel-good night to end the year,'' Byrd (10-9, 4.88 ERA) said. ``It was nice not to have to explain how I lost. I've been saying the same things over and over.''
Byrd spent a fitful July, August and September on the mound, compiling a 5.83 ERA in 15 starts.
His record in the second half of the season was 4-4 with seven no-decisions, and he would conclude the past three months have been an ordeal.
In eight of his starts, he has failed to get through the sixth inning. Six times he has given up at least five runs.
``I really struggled in the second half, when I'm usually strong,'' Byrd said. ``I didn't feel tired or fatigued, but I've had trouble with my slider most of the year, and I need to figure out what mechanical thing I'm doing wrong.''
Byrd also was unhappy with his season overall.
``I'm very disappointed with it personally,'' he said. ``I did not give the Cleveland Indians the free-agent pitcher they thought they were getting. I'm going to spend the offseason trying to understand why.
``And that starts tomorrow. I am not the kind of guy who will just go home and relax. I want to find out what I was doing.... It's frustrating because (General Manager) Mark Shapiro and (manager) Eric Wedge had this confidence in me, and I couldn't answer. That leaves a bad feeling in your gut.''
His outing against the Devil Rays was one of his more encouraging recent starts, not so much because of the numbers that filled his line (eight hits, two walks, three strikeouts), but because after a near-disastrous start, he settled down and kept the game in order.
Carl Crawford began a Devil Rays rally with a one-out single in the first inning and quickly scored on Greg Norton's home run. Ty Wigginton followed with a single and scored on Jorge Cantu's double.
After allowing four consecutive hits, two for extra bases, Byrd righted the ship and retired the next two batters to end the inning.
``Paul got off to a rocky start, and he had to work hard in a couple of other innings,'' Wedge said. ``But he always controlled the damage. He was pitching with a little edge, too.
``He looked stronger later than he did earlier, which is a great sign when you talk about a guy's 33rd start of the year.''
In the next six innings, Byrd gave up only one more run, Wigginton driving it in with a third-inning triple.
Byrd has one season left on his two-year guaranteed contract, which will pay him $7.25 million in 2007. More than anyone else, Byrd hopes he will be worth the money.
Trailing 4-2, the Indians scored three runs in the seventh on Grady Sizemore's 28th home run of the season, a two-run blast, and Ryan Garko's RBI double.
Those two players have provided much of the spark for the Tribe, even though Garko, a rookie first baseman, has been with the team to stay only since Aug. 8.
In that time, he has amassed 42 RBI in 174 at-bats, a rate that would produce 133 RBI in a 550-at-bat season. Of course, Garko has yet to play a full year in the majors, which is why projections tend to be more fantasy than fact.
Nevertheless, his impressive two months in the big leagues and his track record in the minors indicate that he can be an impact run producer.
``Garko loves to be up there in those situations,'' Wedge said. ``He continues to play and produce like a veteran guy.''
It has taken only 2 ? seasons for Sizemore to establish himself as a genuine superstar who does almost everything well. In addition to his homer Thursday night, Sizemore singled twice, raising his average to .294.
More important, he leads the majors in runs scored (133), which ties him for fifth in franchise history with Hall of Famer Tris Speaker.
``When I'm at the top of the order,'' Sizemore said, ``my job is to score runs.''

 

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ABJ

Tribe rotation goes full circle

Only seven missed starts in two seasons

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - For the past two seasons, the Indians' rotation has missed a total of seven starts.
After the starters missed only four turns last season, General Manager Mark Shapiro and manager Eric Wedge quite naturally felt that such unusual durability by an entire rotation would not happen again. But it has.
C.C. Sabathia missed his first three starts of 2006 because of injury. No other starter has missed a turn.
If this happened once, it could be considered blind luck, but when it occurs two years in a row, it's likely that someone is doing something right.
``I think it starts with the guys who have the ball in their hand,'' Wedge said on Thursday. ``They have taken the responsibility of making 30-33 starts.
``But you also have to look at (pitching coach) Carl Willis, (head trainer) Lonnie Soloff and his staff plus (strength and conditioning coach) Tim Maxey and his staff.
``All of our pitchers realize you have to work so hard to stay on the field and even harder to stay on the field and be successful.''
Jake Westbrook has made 71 consecutive starts since Aug. 31, 2004. In speaking of Maxie and Soloff, he said, ``You can really tell how much those guys care about your career.''
Maxey tailors his workout regimens to a player's position and his personal needs, though many parts of the program are shared by all players.
``Starting pitchers have a different routine than relievers,'' Westbrook said. ``We do a lot of light free-weight work, and I know that has really helped me build shoulder strength.
``He'll also mix it up some, so you don't get bored. And if there are things guys don't do well, he'll have you do something else. I'm not big on long-distance running, so I do a lot of sprints.''
Westbrook thinks the key to the success of Soloff and Maxey is that they are relentless.
``They stay right on top of things,'' he said. ``They don't let you slack off. They're kind of like parents to their children.''

 

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ABJ

Despite errors, Wedge

CLEVELAND - defends Choo's defense
Shin-Soo Choo has played exemplary defense most of the time, yet he has three errors, including one Wednesday night in left field.
``I think he's more comfortable in right than left,'' manager Eric Wedge said Thursday night. ``I think next year, you'll see him get more comfortable with all the ballparks, and he'll take better routes to balls.''
WHAT'S HIS STATUS? -- Wedge feels that Fausto Carmona will be a better pitcher for having been through the ordeal of failing as a closer.
``The guy has been through everything already,'' Wedge said. ``That can only make him better and stronger mentally.''
Carmona's role in 2007 has yet to be defined, but it appears he will be a starter. But does he need more time at Triple-A Buffalo, or is he ready to start in the big leagues?
``I think if we need him in our rotation, he's ready,'' Wedge said. ``But all that is speculation, because we have to see what happens over the winter.''
WHERE'S LUNA? -- Hector Luna has been sidelined all week with a strained oblique muscle, though he might play before the season-ending game on Sunday.
``He's a question mark, day-to-day,'' Wedge said. ``It's a nagging thing in his lower abdomen that's affected him the last couple of weeks. But if we needed him, we could use him.''
SOCIAL NOTE -- Casey Blake and his wife, Abbie, became parents of their third daughter, Dana Ray, Wednesday night. Blake was back in the lineup Thursday night.

-- Sheldon Ocker​

​

 

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Dispatch

INDIANS NOTEBOOK
Luna eclipsed by untimely injury to right side

Friday, September 29, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




CLEVELAND ? Hector Luna was held out of the lineup last night because of lingering soreness in his right side. He feels the pain sharpest when he swings a bat or reaches to his right to field a ground ball ? two necessities for an infielder.
"I don?t feel good," Luna said. "I need to play to finish the season strong. I need to put up good numbers here."
Luna was just beginning to settle into his new surroundings when he began feeling discomfort in his side. He has hit .308 with 15 RBI in his past 20 games, after hitting .224 with two RBI in his first 14 games.
The Indians acquired him July 30 in exchange for second baseman Ronnie Belliard. At the time, general manager Mark Shapiro said he viewed Luna as a valuable utility player with a chance to become an everyday player. Luna, as most players would, thinks he is ready for regular playing time, but the slow start and recent injury virtually ensure that he won?t get such an opportunity next season.
Luna and Joe Inglett have been sharing second base the past two months, and both have shown some skills at the plate but flaws in the field. Neither is considered ready to play every day.
"I?d never put limitations on a player," manager Eric Wedge said, "but they?ll be coming in here next year to compete for a utility job."
Among potential free-agent second basemen are Belliard, Mark Loretta and Craig Counsell. If the Indians are willing to trade prospects or one of their starting pitchers, the Diamondbacks have two young, athletic second basemen in Orlando Hudson and Alberto Callaspo.
Killin ? time

When the pitchers took the field yesterday afternoon to play catch, rookie Jeremy Sowers took a seat and pulled out his laptop to surf the Internet. His activity is limited to cardiovascular work every day and catch a couple of days a week.
Indians officials shut down Sowers after his Sept. 12 start because he already had thrown 26 more innings this season than last and they don?t want to risk injury. So, for the final 2 1 /2 weeks of the season, he is in the unusual position of being healthy but inactive.
"It?s like the last day of school," Sowers said. "You?re just sitting there, not doing anything. It?s pretty boring."
Hit and run

Since winning his big-league debut April 15, Fausto Carmona has lost 10 straight decisions. The last Indians pitcher to lose 10 straight decisions was Brent Strom in 1973. ? Casey Blake?s wife, Abbie, gave birth Wednesday to their third daughter, Dana Rae.
[email protected]

 

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ABJ

Slocum makes his point in two starts

Indians get win on a bases-loaded walk in ninth

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - Brian Slocum can stroll into the fall sunset with a clear conscience and a happy heart.
He did his best to make a dent in the collective consciousness of the Indians' deep-thinkers, who let him make two September starts.
Slocum delivered his final performance Friday night against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, giving up eight hits in six innings but only one run. If he hadn't kept it close, the Tribe would not have executed a late-rally, 2-1 win at Jacobs Field.
``Executed'' might be a little strong, considering the way the Indians won the game. In truth, the Devil Rays were self executioners, as relievers Dan Miceli and Seth McClung each walked two batters in the ninth to make the Tribe attack hum.
Miceli opened the inning by walking Jason Michaels and Victor Martinez, then McClung took over. He struck out Ryan Garko on a 97 mile-per-hour fastball, but walked Shin-Soo Choo to load the bases.
With the count 1-and-2 on Jhonny Peralta, McClung threw three consecutive balls to force home the winning run.
``I was just looking fastball,'' Peralta said. ``I wanted to hit the ball.''
In the first two big-league starts of his career, Slocum gave up two runs and 12 hits in 10 innings, though in neither game did he get a decision.
Such a brief trial hardly reveals everything necessary about a rookie pitcher, but most of what Slocum did as a starter was positive.
For example, he showed he had the stomach to pitch out of trouble. He also displayed command of the strike zone, walking only three in his two starts.
``It's definitely fun being up here right now, watching the Indians win and being a part of that,'' Slocum said.
Every rookie knows he has things to prove to his bosses.
``I was just trying to show them I have the composure to go out there and get the job done,'' he said.
Against the Devil Rays, Slocum gave up consecutive one-out singles in the first inning, but struck out Greg Norton as Kelly Shoppach was throwing out Delmon Young trying to steal third.
Slocum put the leadoff batter on base in the third, fourth and sixth innings, but was never made to pay the price. His only significant misstep came with two outs in the fifth, when Marco Baldelli homered.
``Brian had a great effort in his first start, and tonight he was even better,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``He had to work harder tonight, too. He continued to make big pitches, and he used all his pitches in any situation to any hitter.''
Slocum feels more relaxed as a starter. He rarely pitched out of the bullpen, even in the minors, until this year.
``I have a better comfort level as a starter,'' he said. ``With my routine, especially in this part of the season, it's easier for me to get loose.''
This is Slocum's second stint with Cleveland this season. He was first summoned from Buffalo on April 21 and made four relief appearances, giving up four runs in four innings.
He returned to Triple-A early in May to be a combination starter-reliever until Sept. 5, when he was called back to Cleveland.
Before being given a chance to start, Slocum pitched twice out of the bullpen, yielding five runs in three innings.
Does the fact he compiled a 10.66 earned-run average in six relief outings compared to a 1.80 ERA as a starter ensure that Slocum will be a career starter?
Not necessarily. Wedge has said that one thing he likes about Slocum is his versatility. Moreover, it's possible -- maybe likely -- that all five Tribe starters will return next year.
``Brian and Fausto Carmona have the versatility to be starters or relievers,'' Wedge said. ``Those guys are very valuable to us for that reason.''
Tribe batsmen had a difficult time scoring against Tampa Bay rookie Brian Stokes, who breezed through seven innings, allowing only five hits and one walk. He also struck out six.
Stokes weakened a little in the second, when Shin-Soo Choo led off with a double and scored on Peralta's hard single to right.
But Peralta helped Stokes weather the storm by getting thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double.
After that, Stokes retired 15 of the next 19 batters through the seventh, allowing only two hits and a walk.

 

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ABJ

Notebook

Sabathia has surgery on knee

Tribe starter to stay in Cleveland for two weeks of therapy, expects to be fine by spring training

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - In his last eight starts of the season, Indians ace C.C. Sabathia posted a 4-3 record and 3.10 earned-run average.
How much more productive might he have been had he not needed an operation to remove torn cartilage from his right knee?
Friday, Sabathia underwent a 35-minute arthroscopic procedure at the Cleveland Clinic to trim the arterial horn of the lateral meniscus.
Drs. Mark Schickendantz and Rick Parker performed the surgery, which will require Sabathia to stick around Cleveland for two weeks for therapy. After that, he will undergo two more weeks of therapy near his home in Northern California.
``Around Oct. 21, C.C. will begin his normal strength and conditioning program,'' head trainer Lonnie Soloff said on Friday. ``He will start his throwing program on time, and there will be no restrictions on him in spring training.''
Sabathia apparently knew something was wrong after a start at Tampa Bay on Aug. 18, when he gave up three runs in eight innings.
``C.C. first started experiencing symptoms in mid-August,'' Soloff said. ``He has remained pain free throughout the time he was pitching, during his strength and conditioning program and during his bullpen sessions.''
Soloff said that instead of pain, Sabathia realized something was amiss when he felt stiffness in the knee as he got out of bed in the morning.
Sabathia continued to pitch because of the lack of pain in his knee and because Soloff continually checked the knee for inflammation to make sure the condition didn't worsen.
``He didn't make it worse,'' Soloff said. ``We monitored it closely.''
The fact that Sabathia will be pitching minus a piece of cartilage is expected to have no effect on his career.
Difficult task ahead
Manager Eric Wedge has said that next year's closer and setup man are not on the current staff. So where will they come from, considering that the free-agent market isn't likely to provide many candidates?
``It's going to be a tough task to find the closer,'' Wedge said. ``I trust the way (GM) Mark Shapiro and (assistant GM) Chris Antonetti go about it.''
Wedge hopes to have a closer in place before spring training.
``Ideally, we want one guy (before then), but we might have to go into spring training and try to figure it out,'' he said.
Don't rule him out
It's not often a player is traded during the season, then signed as a free agent in the offseason, but it could happen with Ronnie Belliard.
Asked about Belliard's viability as the Tribe's next second baseman, Wedge said: ``I think he's going to be an option. He's definitely in the mix. We feel strong about Ronnie.''
Belliard was traded to St. Louis shortly before the July 31 deadline.
Thanks
When Paul Byrd walked off the mound for the last time this season Thursday night, he tossed his jersey into the stands.
``I threw it to a little kid,'' Byrd said. ``I wanted to say thank you to the fans. I think we have great fans here, and I hope next year I can give them what they deserve.''
Don't stop now
Not all of the Tribe's players will end the season on Sunday.
Here is the list of players who will play winter ball in Latin America: Andrew Brown, Fausto Carmona, Ryan Garko, Jeremy Guthrie, Franklin Gutierrez, Edward Mujica and Rafael Perez.
Trevor Crowe, Tony Sipp, Jake Dittler, Reid Santos and Michael Aubrey will head for the Arizona Fall League. Brian Barton, Kyle Collins and Javi Herrera also will spend a short time in the Arizona league.

 

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ABJ

Westbrook, Blake lead Indians' win

Starter's 15th victory matches career high

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - After his last start Sept. 24, Jake Westbrook said it would be ``nice'' to equal his career high in wins.
To do that, he had to win his final start of the season Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Jacobs Field. So Westbrook went to work, pitched seven strong innings, and the Indians came away with a 6-1 victory.
That gave Westbrook 15 wins, the same number as last year, when he also lost 15 and had an ERA of 4.49. He finished 2006 with 10 losses and a 4.17 ERA.
``I definitely wanted to finish strong and have a good feeling going into next season,'' Westbrook said.
Indians manager Eric Wedge was a little more emphatic.
``Jake had another fantastic season,'' he said. ``He's about as consistent as you can be for a starter at the major-league level.''
An American League scout checking out pitchers his team might try to pry loose from rival clubs during the winter didn't want to end his season without looking at Westbrook.
That makes nothing but sense. Since 2004, when Westbrook became a full-time starter, he has been the essence of reliability, compiling a record of 44-34.
He rarely misses a start and for the third consecutive season pitched more than 200 innings. All of these reasons dictate against General Manager Mark Shapiro trading Westbrook, but you can hardly blame rival teams for putting him on their wish lists.
``I've been able to go deep in games, and when you do that, you get a lot of decisions,'' Westbrook said. ``But that's really a testament to my defense the last three years. I'm only as good as my defense.''
Modesty aside, Westbrook has a point. He is not a strikeout pitcher. Instead, he depends on his sinker to force batters to beat the ball into the dirt for ground balls.
``I try to be aggressive and get guys to hit it on the ground,'' he said. ``The defense can take care of the rest.''
Westbrook's only slip-up against the Devil Rays came in the seventh inning and served only to allow the Rays to snap their 0-for-26 slump with runners in scoring position.
Delmon Young began the inning with a single, and Greg Norton beat out an infield hit to put runners on first and second. Ty Wigginton got the biggest hit of the inning, when he doubled home Young and left the Devil Rays with runners on second and third.
Still there were no outs, but Westbrook induced the next two batters to lift foul pop flies and retired the final batter of the inning on a fly to center.
Casey Blake was the leader of the attack which picked away slowly at Devil Rays starter Jae Seo, attacking him one hit, one run at a time.
Two injuries to Blake have cut into his season production, but he arguably has had his best year. Saturday night, he hit his 18th and 19th homers and lifted his RBI total to 67. Blake has played in only 108 games, accumulating 398 at-bats.
``The missed time hasn't helped me a whole lot,'' Blake said. ``But to be in the big leagues and be consistent, you have to work through it and stay focused.''
Shin-Soo Choo got in the first blow by hitting his third home run of the season, leading off the second inning.
In the third, Joe Inglett led off with a double and scored on Ryan Garko's two-out hit. The rally might have continued but Garko was tagged out as he overslid second base and was credited with only a single.
Blake got the next big leadoff hit for the Tribe, whacking his 18th homer of the year directly over the wall in center in the fourth inning to expand the lead to 3-0.
In the fifth, Grady Sizemore delivered a one-out double, and Victor Martinez singled to center to score him. The ball got past Rocco Baldelli for an error that allowed Martinez to reach third. He scored on Garko's second two-out hit of the game.
Garko continues to stack RBI like a short-order cook at a pancake-eating contest. Since Aug. 8, he has amassed 44 RBI in only 181 at-bats. In his past 36 games, he has 35 RBI.
After Seo's five innings, Brian Meadows took over and gave up Blake's second home run with one out in the eighth.

 

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ABJ

Ocker on the Indians

Offseason might not be as bad as it looks

Needs are many but Shapiro has money to spend, some talent already in hand

By Sheldon Ocker

According to conventional wisdom, the Indians have so many needs for next season:
? They won't have the cash to fill them.
? The free-agent market is too thin to acquire all the necessary players.
? If they opt to make a trade or two, they will lose more in talent than they gain.
In other words, General Manager Mark Shapiro might as well surrender now and spend the winter on sabbatical in Maui or maybe Siberia (according to a certain faction of fans).
To challenge the Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox in the Central Division, Shapiro probably must acquire a second baseman, half a bullpen -- including a closer and setup man -- a right-handed power hitter, maybe a third baseman and new utility players, who might already be part of the club.
So what is Shapiro waiting for? Actually, he's not. He and his lieutenants have been scanning lists of prospective free agents and checking rosters to see where there might be a chance for a trade.
All is not lost, despite the formidable task ahead.
For one thing, the second half of the season revealed at least a few relief pitchers in house capable of strengthening the bullpen: Matt Miller, Jason Davis, Fernando Cabrera and Tom Mastny.
As manager Eric Wedge said a few days ago, none is a lock to win a roster spot, but these four -- and maybe a couple of others -- are more than halfway to making the team.
Wedge has no doubt that Miller can be an asset if his surgically repaired elbow is sound. It's unfortunate that the manager believes there are no pitchers on staff with the physical skill and icy demeanor to be next year's setup man or closer.
I think Miller could be one or the other, but he has two perceived obstacles to overcome: his sidearm delivery and a fastball that meanders to the plate at no more than 89 miles per hour.
Baseball people are taught that these traits almost automatically disqualify a reliever from succeeding in late-inning roles. This thinking has merit, but like everything else in baseball, there are exceptions.
Right-handers who drop down give left-handed batters a chance to follow the pitch all the way from the hand to the plate. Pitchers who don't throw 95 are unlikely to be effective setup men or closers.
Well, yes and no. Miller hasn't been a setup man or closer, but as a member of the bullpen, he compiled a 3.09 ERA (12 2/3 innings pitched) in 2004, a 1.82 ERA (55 1/3 IP) last year and a 3.68 ERA (14 2/3 IP) this season, through Thursday.
The 2006 numbers are skewed by the fact Miller pitched at least one game early in the year with an injured elbow.
In three seasons with the Tribe, right-handed batters are hitting .206 against him, lefties .227.
One thing you don't want your late-inning bullpen stalwart to do is give up home runs. In 491 innings as a professional, Miller has given up 18 home runs, four in 103 major-league innings.
So where is the vulnerability? I heard the same things about the late Steve Olin, an effective closer that none of the ranking Tribe executives thought could do the job.
The same kind of thinking delayed Doug Jones from beginning what turned out to be an exemplary big-league career.
I'm not saying Miller should necessarily be handed a back-end job, but he should not be dismissed because of his pitching style. He is effective because of his delivery, not in spite of it.
Attempting to fill late-inning bullpen slots with players on the roster is all the more important, because there are few, if any, established closers on the free-agent market who are not coming off serious injuries.
Can Shapiro acquire a second baseman and a right-handed run producer from outside the organization? Probably.
Moreover, though the GM has not said how much money he will have to work with, I believe ownership is prepared to spend $20 million on free agents or players obtained through trades who make large salaries.
Two vexing issues have incited the fans: the overall slovenly play of Jhonny Peralta and the inadequate throwing of Victor Martinez.
You folks need to move on. Shapiro and Wedge have little choice but to hope that Peralta returns to his 2005 form, which certainly is a possibility. With the GM already seeking to acquire six or eight new players, he can't afford to be looking for a shortstop.
Shapiro and Wedge have decreed that Martinez will be the everyday catcher in 2007, which happens to be the correct decision.
Martinez spent a fitful time trying to throw out runners in the first half. After July 5, when the New York Yankees stole six bases, the light went on.
In 53 games since (through Tuesday), Martinez has thrown out 23 percent of would-be base stealers, enough to prevent teams from running wild.
Keep in mind that after the Yankees debacle, his success rate was down around 7 percent.
One more thing: Keep Grady Sizemore at the top of the lineup. He is not the conventional type of leadoff batter. He's better.
A leadoff hitter has one overriding goal: to score. That's why on-base percentage is significant. But more important than the frequency a batter reaches first base is how often he is in scoring position. In that regard, Sizemore's achievements are enormous.
He has reached base by hit, walk or hit batter 275 times and advanced to second, third or the plate (via home run) on his own 108 times. He is getting into scoring position almost 40 percent of the time he's on base.
Travis Hafner (.439) and Manny Ramirez (.437) lead the league in on-base percentage. Hafner has put himself into scoring position 30 percent of the time he has reached base (74 times). Ramirez has gotten himself into scoring position 62 times (26 percent).
Compare these numbers to Sizemore's. No wonder he leads the league in runs by a wide margin, despite a relatively modest on-base percentage of nearly .380

 

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ABJ

Some changes needed

CLEVELAND - next season for Peralta
Jhonny Peralta has had a disappointing season, both in the field and at the plate, but manager Eric Wedge expects the shortstop to make a sharp turnaround next year.
``One of his problems (offensively) is that pitchers know who he is now,'' Wedge said Saturday. ``He has to show more discipline, and when he does get a pitch to hit, he has to hit it.''
An indication that pitchers have adjusted to Peralta is his strikeout total (152). He often swings at bad pitches or looks surprised at a pitch that turns out to be strike three.
``Jhonny has a tendency to chase,'' Wedge said. ``And he has to recognize that they're not going to pitch him like they did his first year.''
Wedge believes that Peralta's difficulties were compounded by negative thoughts creeping into his head.
``He cares the way he plays,'' Wedge said. ``I'm sure it beat him down a little. He got frustrated, but you have to be tough and go out and compete for 162 games.''
STILL QUESTIONS -- When General Manager Mark Shapiro acquired Andy Marte from the Boston Red Sox last winter, he hoped that he would be the Tribe's starter at third base in 2007.
Marte has shown he can make the plays on defense, but his offense remains a question mark.
``We're going to have to wait,'' said Wedge, when asked if Marte had won the job. ``People don't win jobs in the winter. But he's a baseball player. His instincts are good, and I like the way he handles himself.''
RALLYING -- Fernando Cabrera stumbled badly during the season, but lately he has been redeeming himself as a seventh- and eighth-inning bullpen option.
``The way he's been throwing for a while now is the way we want him to come out of spring training next year,'' Wedge said. ``Both Cabrera and (Rafael) Betancourt.''
IS THERE A DOUBT? -- The Tribe has the choice of exercising options on Jake Westbrook and Casey Blake for 2007, and it appears to be a foregone conclusion that both players will return.
``I'll let someone else comment on the options,'' Wedge said. ``But I'm planning for them to be here.''
CHARITY EVENT -- The Indians will play host to the fourth annual Celebrity Dinner and Auction on Nov. 3 to benefit the Yoder Brothers Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Cal Ripken Jr. will be the featured speaker and Tom Hamilton master of ceremonies. In addition to the roster of celebrities, there will be an auction of sports memorabilia and other items, plus a raffle.
For more information, call 440-543-2811 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

-- Sheldon O​

​

 

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ABJ

Talkin' Tribe
? I have a feeling if the Indians just leave Andy Marte at third base, they will be happy by the end of next season. He brings well-above average defense. He does have power. He had a very slow, nervous start when he was recalled, but in his past 33 games heading into the weekend, he was hitting .279 with five home runs and 20 RBI.
? Marte probably will not hit for average. His minor-league mark was .274. In the majors, he might reach the .250 range, but he can deliver power and a solid glove at third base. He's 22, has an excellent attitude and is very coachable. If he fails, the Indians do have Kevin Kouzmanoff at third, although he does not have anything close to the same glove as Marte.
? This has been a tough year for Coco Crisp, hitting only .264 with eight home runs and 36 RBI in 105 games for the Boston Red Sox. His defense in center field has been criticized, and he lost his leadoff job when he batted only .233 in that spot. In the end, the trade of Crisp for Marte and catcher Kelly Shoppach didn't pay off immediately for either team.
? The player from that trade having the best year is catcher Josh Bard. He went, along with pitcher David Riske and Crisp, to the Red Sox. They then traded Bard to the San Diego Padres, where he's hitting .339 in 227 at-bats! Riske bounced from Boston to the Chicago White Sox, where he is 1-2 with a 3.89 ERA. The Indians also received Guillermo Mota, and he was terrible here (1-3, 6.21 ERA). But now with the New York Mets, he's allowed only two runs in 16 innings, striking out 19!
? The Indians are encouraged by Fausto Carmona's past three starts: 17 innings, 11 strikeouts, nine walks, five earned runs allowed. He has seemed to regain his confidence after the attempt to make him a closer failed. If the Tribe trades a starting pitcher in the offseason, they have Carmona ready for the rotation. Otherwise, they'll probably use him in middle relief.
? The Indians don't say it, but if they are to make a major trade (and they must), it probably will include a member of the rotation. Paul Byrd ended the year at 10-9, but his 4.88 ERA was his highest in four years. In the previous three years, his ERAs were 3.74, 3.94, and 3.90. Byrd has long struggled with lefty hitters, but they really crushed him this season: a .369 average with 12 home runs in 347 at-bats. Righties hit .257. He's under contract for next year at $7 million, which is OK. That makes him tradeable -- teams know what he'll cost. It also means the Indians have him available as a fifth starter if he returns.
? Heading into the weekend, Joe Inglett was hitting .288 with a .335 on-base percentage. His best position is probably second base, and he's kind of raw at that spot -- especially on the double play. But he's not terrible. He can bunt. He can steal a base. He clearly could win a job next year as a utility guy, but he's the kind of player who should get at least 300 at-bats a year, because he's productive. In his previous two minor-league seasons, he hit .320 and .330. This year, he divided his time between Double-A Akron (.516) and Triple-A Buffalo (.299).