Indians Tidbits (2006 season)..

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Sizemore still working to hit better vs. lefties

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




CLEVELAND ? Grady Sizemore has a chance to lead the major leagues in runs and extra-base hits. He has drawn more walks and run the bases more efficiently than last season, and he continues to shine in center field. He is fast becoming an elite player.
Sizemore has struggled against left-handed pitchers since debuting with the Indians in 2004, but even that wart might not last long. The most recent evidence was a linedrive, two-run homer Thursday off Tampa Bay Devil Rays reliever Jon Switzer.
Entering last night, Sizemore had 10 homers and a .427 slugging percentage in 220 at-bats against lefties, after hitting only three homers with a .328 slugging percentage in 229 at-bats before this season. His average against lefties is .214, compared with .333 against righties.
"I still have a long way to go," Sizemore said. "I have a lot of room for improvement. I just try to figure out how they?re attacking me and go from there. But I hope I can build off what I?ve done this season."
If he needs inspiration, he can simply look across the clubhouse.
In his first two seasons with the Indians, Travis Hafner hit .225 with a .354 slugging percentage against lefties. Last season, he hit .269 with a .500 slugging percentage. This season, he hit .321 with a .658 slugging percentage.
Manager Eric Wedge believes Sizemore will make similar strides. He said Sizemore?s average against lefties is more reason for optimism about his future.
"I think he?s just starting to scratch the surface," Wedge said.
Sizemore works daily with hitting coach Derek Shelton.
"You change your approach, maybe tinker with your swing, study video," Sizemore said. "You try to break it down any way you can. Maybe you?ll pick something up in the cage or on video. I?m trying to fix all my holes."
In the gym

Jhonny Peralta has skipped winter ball in recent offseasons, in favor of a workout program, and he recently said he plans to hire a personal trainer this winter. Indians officials want him to become quicker and more agile, which should improve his range at shortstop.
"I really believe this guy is going to commit this offseason and come into spring training ready to go," Wedge said. "He?s going to be ready mentally, physically and fundamentally to be the shortstop we need next year."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Season of lows ends on a high

Lee throws complete game in Indians' victory

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - Goodbye, good luck, and there's always next year. For the second consecutive season, the Indians ended their schedule with that familiar refrain.
The Tribe finished the season by sweeping four games from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, capped by a 6-3 win Sunday at Jacobs Field.
That made it eight wins in the last nine games for an Indians team that is regarded as one of baseball's biggest disappointments in 2006.
But it's over. Next season has begun, if only in the minds and workloads of the Indians' front office and manager Eric Wedge.
In Sunday's finale, Cliff Lee delivered the first complete game of his career, sort of. He was credited with a complete game in a rain-shortened, five-inning win against the Kansas City Royals last year, but this time Lee stuck around for a full nine innings.
In that span, he gave up three runs, seven hits and two walks. He struck out seven with his 120 pitches. He ends the year with a 14-11 record and 4.40 ERA.
``It feels good to finish strong,'' Lee said. ``I wish I could have done this a couple of other times earlier in the year, but better late than never. I'd like to pitch another month or two if they let me.''
In three full big-league seasons, Lee has established himself as a consistent winner, compiling a 46-24 record.
``It was a great effort by Cliff,'' Wedge said. ``I loved the fact he was able to finish it off.''
In his low key way, Lee expressed his disappointment in a season of high expectations gone bad.
``We were out of it pretty early,'' he said. ``It definitely was harder playing for nothing.''
Asked what he learned from the season, Lee said, ``It takes every part of the game to win. Our offense was unbelievable all year. But you can't win without pitching and defense.''
The club's starting pitching was an asset; it was the bullpen that let the team down.
``Right now, we've got our guys,'' said Wedge, referring to bringing back the rotation intact. ``Except for the first month, when we didn't have C.C. (Sabathia) and some guys had a rough start, the starting pitching has been about as good as it can be.''
The starters -- at least the five who finished the season -- achieved a remarkable feat, all five compiling records above .500 on a team that lost more than half (78-84) of its games.
In addition to Lee, Jake Westbrook was 15-10, C.C. Sabathia 12-11, Paul Byrd 10-9 and Jeremy Sowers 7-4. The catch is that Jason Johnson, who began the season in the rotation, was 3-8 before being traded because of incompetence.
Naturally, there is optimism about next season.
``Obviously, we're in the best division in baseball,'' Wedge said. ``Sitting here on Opening Day, who would have bet this division would send two teams to the playoffs and we wouldn't be one of them? But next year, we're coming back.''
For most of the last two months, the roster was populated by 17 rookies, many of whom showed promise. This group made its presence known on Sunday.
Shin-Soo Choo and Ryan Garko each singled home a run in the first inning; Joe Inglett and Andy Marte both doubled in the sixth to drive in two more runs. Choo, Inglett and Marte each had two hits.
Except for Sowers, the rookie lefty who cracked the rotation midway through the season, Wedge and Shapiro have not guaranteed any novice a job in 2007.
Yet Wedge is mindful that several rookies have forced the Tribe's deep thinkers into giving them serious consideration.
``A number of players can make that argument,'' Wedge said. ``Sowers already has, because he is in the rotaiton. Then you have to look at Garko's RBI.''
The downfall of the team was the woeful performance of the bullpen and an infield defense -- especially Jhonny Peralta -- that fell flat in the first half.
``I was pleased with the way Rafael Betancourt and Fernando Cabrera finished,'' Wedge said. ``But we're going to go out and try to find help in the bullpen, experienced help.
``The problem is that everybody else is doing the same thing. So we'll go out like about 20 other teams and try to find people.''
Wedge has criticized Peralta severely, but on Sunday he took a more conciliatory tone.
``I think Jhonny and Andy are starting to gel on the left side of the infield,'' Wedge said. ``The outfield has played outstanding defense all year.''
However, it probably would be difficult to find anyone in the Indians' clubhouse who isn't glad that the season finally is over.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Indians report

Garko's RBI production could bring elite status

Driving in two-out runs becomes his specialty

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - Naturally, Ryan Garko drove in a run Sunday, as the Indians defeated the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 6-3 in the final game of the season.
Over the last five weeks of the season, Garko seemed to add another RBI to his resume almost every day. In fact, that's what he did.
He finished with 45 RBI in 50 games, a total of 185 at-bats. If he drove in runs for a full 550 at-bat season at that rate, Garko would amass 134 RBI, a Manny Ramirez-like total.
``For me, RBIs are more important than home runs,'' Garko said.
In the last week of the season, Garko also became a specialist at driving in runs when there were two outs. If he can master that skill, he will become one of the best impact run producers in baseball.
But, he said, ``Getting two-out RBIs is just one of those things. There were some ground balls that found holes.''
Garko had another two-out RBI on Sunday, ripping a single to right field to drive in Casey Blake from second base.
Garko's final nine RBI, including a three-run homer, came when there were two outs.
``It's very unusual to have a young player drive in runs like Garko,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ``And I think those two-out RBI tell a lot about the guy. He's very intelligent and hard-nosed.''
Garko was the regular first baseman for most of the last two months and batted in the cleanup spot after Travis Hafner went down with an injury. However, he is not assured of a roster spot in 2007, let alone starting the season as a regular.
Asked if he could be comfortable with Garko as the everyday first baseman, Wedge said, ``If that's how it plays, I think we could. And that's a credit to him.''
Garko's primary job over the winter will be to polish his defensive skills at a position he began to play in earnest this year. He will spend six or seven weeks in the Dominican Republic winter league for that purpose.
``Every game I play will be important,'' he said.

INDIANS NOTEBOOK

CLEVELAND - Sizemore plans to take
only a few weeks off
Who was the Indians' No. 1 performer? An argument can be made for Grady Sizemore, who led the American League in runs (134) while batting .290 with 28 home runs, 76 RBI, 22 steals and 53 doubles, which also led the league. Asked how he could do better, Sizemore said, ``I could improve on everything.''
That process will start soon.
``I'll take a few weeks off,'' he said. ``But then I'll get bored and start working out.''
HOME ON THE ROAD -- Not many native Koreans have found their way to the big leagues, so when the Indians played at Tampa Bay early in September, Shin-Soo Choo took time to meet Devil Rays starter Jae Seo, from Kwanju, Korea.
``I never played against him and didn't know him until I met him in Florida,'' Choo said.
When the Devil Rays visited Cleveland over the weekend, Choo saw his new friend again.
``He came to my house,'' Choo said. ``My wife made dinner.''
NO MORE SPLINT -- Travis Hafner missed the last five weeks of the season because of a fracture in his right hand, but he sees the light at the end of the tunnel.
``It will be healed in a week, then I can start doing things,'' he said.
OTHER STUFF -- Indians pitchers threw 13 complete games to lead the big leagues. It is the most by the franchise since 1996.... Cliff Lee has won at least 14 games for the past three seasons. The only other pitchers in the league who have done that are Johan Santana, Kenny Rogers and Jake Westbrook.... Sizemore set a record, grounding into the fewest double plays (two) in franchise history.

-- Sheldon Ocker​

​

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Frustration over, Indians looking to future
Monday, October 2, 2006 [FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]TRIBE NOTEBOOK ANDY CALL[/FONT]

Cleveland Indians pitcher Cliff Lee is congratulated by catcher Kelly Shoppach after the Indians beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 6-3, during their season finale Sunday at Jacobs Field. Lee (14-11) pitched a complete game, allowing three runs and seven hits.​

CLEVELAND - The home clubhouse at Jacobs Field was a pretty cheery place Sunday, an odd contrast to the gloom and frustration that had characterized the place most of the previous six months.
Players shook hands and exchanged phone numbers. Jake Westbrook?s year-old son rolled a ball around on the floor. Victor Martinez finished packing boxes of baseball equipment to send home to players in his native Venezuela.
Tribe players spoke openly of the frustration of a 78-84 season that represented a drop of 15 victories from a year earlier, but hopefully of the possibilities for next season.
?We?ve definitely got the guys to build around,? left-hander Cliff Lee said. ?There are some guys in here who are superstars. To have that many guys of that caliber on the same team doesn?t happen often. With a couple of additions this offseason, we?ll be right there. We?re not that far away.?
One of the superstars in question, Grady Sizemore, said he will split his offseason between homes in Seattle and Arizona.
?I?d like to improve on everything ? my on-base percentage, my average against left-handers, cutting down on my strikeouts, stealing more bases,? Sizemore said.
First baseman Ryan Garko was impressive during his two-month tryout, driving in 23 runs over his last 23 games.
?My rookie year is over,? Garko said. ?I learned a lot and got my feet wet. I just want to come back and try to build on what I did this year. They told me to come in expecting not only to make the club, but to be a run producer.?
Most players stopped by Aaron Boone?s locker to say goodbye. The veteran third baseman and clubhouse leader is not expected to be asked back for 2007.
?There is a great core of young players here and really good starting pitching,? Boone said. ?The season didn?t end exactly the way we wanted it to, but there are a lot of good things to take away from it.?

COMING UP The Indians open the 2007 season April 2 at Chicago.
ON THE AIR Boone said he is scheduled to appear on an Oct. 16 segment of ?Cold Pizza.?
DOUBLE YOUR FUN Sizemore hit into two double plays in 655 at-bats, a club record for the fewest by a player with enough qualifying at-bats. Cory Snyder hit into three double plays in 1987, Jose Cardenal three in 1968. ... Martinez grounded into 28 double plays, one shy of the franchise record set by Julio Franco in 1986.
EVERYDAY GRADY Sizemore played in all 162 games this season, the first Cleveland player to do so since Joe Carter in 1989.
ALL THE WAY Indians pitchers worked 13 complete games, most in the big leagues and most by a Cleveland staff since 1996 (13).
FAB FOUR The Indians swept a four-game series from Tampa Bay for the first time and recorded their first four-game sweep since July 2004 against Kansas City.
PACK ?EM IN Cleveland?s total home attendance this season was 1,997,928, an average of 24,666.
Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

INDIANS NOTEBOOK
Blake takes critical approach

Monday, October 02, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




CLEVELAND ? Casey Blake is a worrier. To some extent, the scars remain from being released three times before he found a home with the Indians.
That frequent stress was both cause and effect of his struggles in September, so it was with much relief that he had two home runs Saturday and two doubles yesterday.
"I just wanted to do something positive before the season ended," Blake said. "I?ve scuffled about as bad as I?ve ever scuffled the last couple of weeks. You get to a point where you just get angry and say, ?Heck with it.? I felt about as focused as I have been in a long time.
"To be more consistent at this level, I have to be able to focus like that every day, even when I?m scuffling."
Blake finished with a .282 average and 19 home runs and 68 RBI in 401 at-bats. Even after enduring two trips to the disabled list and a .232 average in September, he enjoyed a marked improvement over last season, when he hit .241 with 23 homers and 58 RBI in 523 at-bats.
Manager Eric Wedge said he considers Blake an everyday player in 2007, though perhaps not at one position. Blake can play both corner infield positions and both corner outfield positions, and he could see frequent playing time at all four spots, depending on what the Indians do in the offseason.
"I feel like I had a pretty solid season, but obviously the month of September didn?t do me any favors," Blake said. "I shouldn?t let it ruin my season. I?ve got to get better at being more consistent ? when I?m not feeling great at the plate, to be able to have a few keys to go to, to get back on track.
"I?m pretty hard on myself."
Such sweet sorrow

Aaron Boone has known for weeks, if not months, that his days with the Indians are numbered. He had the two worst seasons of his career in his two seasons in Cleveland, and the organization has two potential replacements in Andy Marte and Kevin Kouzmanoff.
So Boone hugged many of his teammates and coaches goodbye after the game. He even referred to the Indians as "they" rather than "we."
"I have a lot of good things to take away," he said.
Wedge praised Boone as "one of the most true professionals in the game today, just by the way he handles himself. I?ve got nothing but respect for that man."
In the books

Grady Sizemore grounded into only two double plays this season, the fewest in club history among players with enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title. ... The Indians? final attendance for 81 home games was 1,997,928.
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Wedge sees future promise
Tuesday, October 3, 2006 [FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Andy Call REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]

Indians Manager Eric Wedge congratulates pitcher Cliff Lee after the Tribe?s season-ending win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. Wedge knew his team did not live up to expectations this season, but says the problems have to be cut up into different segments.​

CLEVELAND - The time for the Indians to save their 2006 season passed months ago. The time for the Indians to use a summer?s worth of bad experiences to get better in 2007 began Monday.
?We?ll be a little bit hardened and a little bit humbled,? Manager Eric Wedge said during his annual postseason meeting with reporters who cover the team. ?There were a lot of expectations on us this year, for the first time. That was some of the difficulty.?
The Indians failed to measure up to even the most reasonable of expectations. A team that had won 93 games in 2005 and was picked to contend for the Central Division title in 2006 instead fell out of the race in June and finished 78-84, 18 games out of first place.
?In its entirety, obviously, we were disappointed with the way things transpired this year,? Wedge said. ?You also have to cut it up into different segments.?
The segments of hitting and starting pitching were pretty good. Cleveland?s 870 runs scored were second in the big leagues to the New York Yankees (930).
The combined ERA of the starting pitchers (4.31) was third in the American League.
The segments of relief pitching and infield defense, conversely, were pretty bad. Cleveland?s bullpen ERA (4.73) was 11th in the league and the team made good on only half of its save situations (24 of 47). Only the Angels committed more errors or had a worse fielding percentage than the Tribe.
?When you combine what our division did with how rough we were in the bullpen and defensively, and it shows you how important it is to be well-balanced,? Wedge said. ?We have some areas of concern we need to address in the offseason.?
One area of concern that apparently won?t be addressed is shortstop Jhonny Peralta, who followed a promising rookie season with one in which he became an albatross around the neck of his club. Wedge, who reached the point of being ?tired of talking about the guy? two weeks ago, said he hopes Peralta won?t be spending as much time in his office (and his doghouse) next summer.
?What we saw from him the last four or five days of the season was the guy we want,? Wedge said. ?If he is, he doesn?t have to see me any more.?
A solid defensive second baseman could help make up for Peralta?s deficiencies, but the Indians might have to make a trade to get one. Wedge hinted that most of the free agent second basemen leave something to be desired, either offensively or defensively.
?The market is so thin, and the competition is going to be so great,? Wedge said.
The same is true of the almost non-existent market for veteran closers. Wedge said the Indians may instead need to go after a talented arm who may not have a ton of previous experience pitching the ninth inning.
The Indians did play enthusiastically and well when the pressure was off, going 31-20 after Aug. 9. All of the team?s core players except Peralta ended the season with decent numbers. Relief pitchers Rafael Betancourt, Matt Miller and Jason Davis were throwing well at the end of the season and rookies Ryan Garko, Shin-Soo Choo and Andy Marte showed some promise.
Can the Indians find an everyday second baseman, patch up their bullpen, coax a better season out of Peralta and not completely implode when the pressure of spring training hype or a late pennant chase is applied? Wedge hopes so.
?Do we need to perform better? Yes,? Wedge said. ?But I am proud of the way these guys play.?
And, as with nearly every professional sports team in Cleveland, a little good luck along the way wouldn?t seem to be too much to ask either.
?People think when I say, ?That?s just baseball,? it?s a copout, but it?s not,? Wedge said. ?That?s the way it works.? Reach Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Super Sizemore
Young Indians center fielder earning considerable praise from many corners

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

</IMG> TONY GUTIERREZ ASSOCIATED PRESS Grady Sizemore became just the second player in major-league history with at least 50 doubles, 10 triples, 20 homers and 20 steals in a season.


CLEVELAND ? Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, a volatile mix of salty language and unfiltered enthusiasm, called Grady Sizemore "the best (bleeping) player in the American League" and "my favorite (bleeping) player in the American League." Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge chooses his words more carefully, frequently relying on clich?s. But even he is willing to venture onto a limb when the subject turns to Sizemore ? his center fielder, leadoff hitter and tone-setter on the field and in the clubhouse. "I?d take him over anybody," Wedge said.
Sizemore hit .290 with 28 home runs, 53 doubles, 11 triples, 22 stolen bases and 134 runs scored. He led the major leagues in runs and extrabase hits and tied for the majorleague lead in doubles.
He is only the second player in major-league history with at least 50 doubles, 10 triples, 20 homers and 20 steals in a season. The other was Hall of Famer Chuck Klein, who did it for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1932.
If the Indians had been in the playoff hunt, Sizemore would have garnered considerable attention for AL MVP. As it is, in this season of disappointment for the organization, he was a revelation, a star coming into view.
At 24 years old and with only two full seasons in the big leagues, Sizemore could be merely scratching the surface of his potential. For that reason, he is a significant source of hope for the Tribe for next season and beyond.
"If I was starting a team, he?d be a guy I?d want to have," said Kansas City Royals manager Buddy Bell, who was Wedge?s bench coach in Cleveland when Sizemore broke onto the scene in 2004. "He plays hard all the time, and he?s a great kid, too."
Bell and Wedge have been enamored of Sizemore since spring training 2004. His physical skills had been obvious for some time ? he was offered a college scholarship to play quarterback for Washington ? and he opened eyes that spring with his poise, his hustle and his willingness to take instruction.
It is a combination that tickles old-school types, and Sizemore quickly posted statistics that new-school analysts and executives appreciate. He was selected to the AL All-Star team this season, and he was voted the second-most exciting player in the league (behind Ichiro Suzuki of Seattle) in Baseball America?s annual survey of league managers. Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he voted for Sizemore for a Gold Glove.
Sizemore smiles and shrugs with each new compliment.
"I don?t focus on it too much," he said. "I focus on what I need to improve on more than what I?ve done."
He is usually among the first players to arrive at the ballpark, and he sticks to a pregame routine of work and study, regardless of his performance the night before. Veteran pitcher Paul Byrd commended Sizemore for playing alert, aggressive defense "whether he?s 0 for 5 or 5 for 5."
That focus is a big reason the Indians were willing to sign Sizemore to a six-year, $23.45 million contract in March. It was the longest contract ever given to a player with less than two seasons of service time, and the most guaranteed money committed to a player not eligible for arbitration. Six months later, it looks like a bargain.
"He works as hard as anybody we have," Wedge said. "He?s a winning ballplayer. He has a championship approach."
[email protected]

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Relievers, 2nd baseman top wish list

Tribe's Shapiro gets specific about team priorities for offseason deals. Price of closer could be steep

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - General Manager Mark Shapiro announced his winter wish list for the Indians on Tuesday along with a cautionary addendum:
``We must improve our bullpen and infield defense,'' he said.
This is not news. Any fan who follows the Tribe already knows that much of the reason for the club's disappointing season was the inconsistent and often maddeningly vulnerable relief corps and the porous defense.
Shapiro will seek a second baseman and probably two or three relievers, either as free-agent signees or through trades. But of course, it won't be that simple.
``I think we might have to struggle because the free-agent market is thin, especially in the bullpen,'' Shapiro said. ``If we can't do all that we want in these areas, then we will search for a method to impact the club in another way.''
In other words, if the GM cannot get the closer or the setup man or the second baseman he is seeking -- his three priority positions -- he might turn his attention to strengthening an already potent offense.
``I'd love to have a big bat between Haf (Travis Hafner) and Vic (Victor Martinez),'' Shapiro said.
However, for now, adding a run producer to the lineup is on the back burner.
As did manager Eric Wedge, Shapiro dismissed the idea of finding a closer among the relievers currently on the club.
``As of this moment, there are none,'' Shapiro said.
However, unlike Wedge, Shapiro did not rule out locating a setup man from the group of relievers on the staff.
``Maybe (Rafael) Betancourt,'' Shapiro said without a lot of conviction.
He also mentioned Fausto Carmona, Matt Miller and Fernando Cabrera as potential setup men, but there was a catch to any of them winning the job, at least for now.
Because Miller is a sidearming right-hander, he is presumed to have trouble with left-handed hitters, Shapiro pointed out. Cabrera had problems maintaining a consistent and reliable delivery. Carmona might be better used as a starter.
On the other hand, Shapiro was a member of the front office when John Hart was general manager. One of Hart's signature abilities was creating a sturdy bullpen without spending much money or trading away valuable pieces of the team.
``Having been around then, I know it's possible,'' Shapiro said.
He added that he was hopeful of ``bringing in two or three'' relievers from outside the organization.
Unfortunately, the list of quality free-agent relievers, especially closers, is extremely short. Moreover, several closers who might be available were hurt for all or most of the season and might be a poor risk.
Trading for a closer won't be any easier. Teams that have effective closers usually are loath to part with them, unless the clubs view themselves as candidates for total rebuilding jobs.
In terms of making a trade for a reliever or second baseman, Shapiro said rival teams are looking for big-leaguers rather than prospects.
``The calls we are likely to get are for our major-league players,'' he said. ``If we make a deal to fill one hole, all we're doing is creating another.''
Asked if he would be willing to re-sign free-agent second baseman Ronnie Belliard, traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in July, Shapiro said, ``He's one of our options today. He might not be in three or four weeks.''
In other words, it's too early to know what Belliard will be asking in terms of salary and length of contract.
Jhonny Peralta and Martinez were viewed as the weakest links on defense. For the first three months of the season, Peralta was far too unreliable at shortstop, and Martinez was throwing out only 7 percent of prospective base stealers.
``We are counting on Jhonny to be better than he was this year,'' Shapiro said. ``But he doesn't have to be any better than he was last year. We know from the way he played the last four or five games of the season that the skills are still there.''
Why does Shapiro think Peralta can improve?
``Because of his track record and his age (24),'' Shapiro said.
Shapiro also believes that Martinez can keep the running game in check, largely because that's what he did in the second half.
``With Victor, it was more an issue of mechanics,'' Shapiro said. ``After that Yankee series in July (New York stole six bases on July 5), Victor locked in his mechanics and threw out something like 23 percent of the runners.''
Contract time?
Shapiro's contract expires after the 2007 season. So where does that leave him?
``I don't comment on any contract signings,'' Shapiro said. ``But I have had discussions with Paul (Dolan). What I'm focusing on is next year and making this a championship club.''
Paul Dolan is the club president and son of owner Larry Dolan.
Wrong move
One of the biggest criticisms of Shapiro came on the heels of trading Brandon Phillips to Cincinnati, where he became the Reds' everyday second baseman and a productive hitter.
``Trading Phillips was a mistake,'' Shapiro said. ``We erred on the side of winning now at the expense of the future.
``We had a lot of divided opinion, and I think we learned from that decision. We probably won't walk through that kind of decision the same way again.''
Phillips was out of options, and Shapiro did not think he would accept a job as a utility player. Belliard was the regular at second.
How much cash?
How much are the Dolans willing to spend on players in the offseason?
``I don't have a rock-solid number, but ownership has indicated that it will be significant dollars,'' Shapiro said. ``For the first time (in the Dolan regime), the number won't be tied to revenue.''
Obvious options
As expected, the Tribe exercised the options on the contracts of pitcher Jake Westbrook and right fielder Casey Blake. The mutual option on third baseman Aaron Boone was declined.

 

[JCOSU86]

Good, Jake will be back next year. At least if they don't trade him. I think Lee, Sabbathia, Westbrook and Sowers is a pretty compenent starting 4.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Blake, Westbrook to stay with Indians

Wednesday, October 04, 2006




CLEVELAND ? The Indians exercised options on the contracts for pitcher Jake Westbrook and outfielder Casey Blake yesterday, locking up both for the 2007 season. The team declined an option on third baseman Aaron Boone.
It was the first step of what figures to be a busy offseason.
The Indians finished a disappointing 78-84 while playing in arguably the toughest division in baseball, and they would like to fill holes in the bullpen and at second base. The free-agent market is thin at both spots.
General manager Mark Shapiro said ownership has not given him a precise payroll budget for 2007, but he expects it to increase significantly and perhaps exceed revenues for the first time since 2002.
"In most cases, when we go in to acquire talent, resources will not be much of a factor," Shapiro said.
The biggest factor will be the competition. Because of an increase in revenue from attendance and media contracts ? particularly XM Radio and mlb.com ? many teams have money to spend. Shapiro said he will be willing to trade prospects and even take on a big contract that another team might want to dump.
Westbrook and Blake will be relative bargains. Westbrook, who has won at least 14 games and thrown at least 200 innings each of the past three seasons, will make $6.1 million next season. Blake will make $3.75 million.
Boone will be eligible for free agency.

? Scott Priestle

[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Peralta must shape up at shortstop

By Terry Pluto

CLEVELAND - The best way to fix the infield defense is with a new shortstop, but it doesn't appear that will happen with the Indians next season. They seem committed to Jhonny Peralta and intent on finding a strong second baseman to work with him.
As for fans who want Omar Vizquel back, it's a safe bet that he's not leaving his heart or glove in San Francisco. The Giants have at least 11 players who are free agents, but Vizquel is not one, still under contract for next year.
The reasons Tribe fans like Vizquel are the same reasons he's expected to remain with the Giants: He is turning 40, but plays short as if he's 30.
Departing Giants manager Felipe Alou called Vizquel the team's MVP after he batted .295 with 24 steals and only four errors in 153 games. He also was given the team's Willie McCovey Award for community service.
Unless the Indians are prepared to make a Grady Sizemore-type insane trade for Vizquel, he's not coming here.
Nor is any other top-flight shortstop; at least, that's how it sounded listening to General Manager Mark Shapiro at the postseason media briefing Tuesday.
Shapiro didn't make any real excuses for Peralta. Thank goodness he didn't bring up the fact that Peralta had fewer errors this year (16) than last season (19). Errors fail to account for double plays not turned, balls not reached and a general lack of interest at shortstop.
Shapiro seems to believe that Peralta can bounce back to his 2005 form of being ``a sound, average'' big-league shortstop. He indicated that, in the last week of the season, Peralta showed some of that form.
Talk about too little, too late.
Peralta had been embarrassed after being called out publicly by manager Eric Wedge a few weeks earlier. Wedge told the media about what he had been saying privately to Peralta (and not in a whisper) for months -- he has to shape up.
Let's assume Peralta remains at short; then the Indians must find an above-average second baseman. Please, no rerun of Ronnie Belliard, who will be a free agent. He'll be 33 in April. He hit .237 with a .295 on-base percentage in 54 games with the St. Louis Cardinals in the playoff race.
The Belliard/Peralta combination collapsed early in the season, so why do it again?
A better option is Adam Kennedy, a free agent who won't be back with the Los Angeles Angels. They have lots of young infield depth, starting with 23-year-old Howie Kendrick, and don't want to pay Kennedy the $4 million or more to keep him.
Kennedy will be 31 next year. He hit .273 with four home runs and 55 RBI with nine errors in 139 games. Consider that Tribe second basemen combined for 18 errors this season. Though not a Gold Glove fielder, Kennedy would still be a major upgrade and is above average.
Digging deeper in the statistics, Kennedy is a lefty hitter who batted .291 against right-handers and .193 against left-handers. In the previous three years, he was a .253 hitter against lefties. He also is a smart, steady player who batted .339 with runners in scoring position.
The defense also will be better with Andy Marte at third. Consider that Aaron Boone had 16 errors in 101 games; Marte had six in 51 after taking over. Boone started 16 double plays; Marte had 14 in half as many games.
In his past four minor-league seasons, Marte was named the best defensive third baseman in his league. Surrounding Peralta with Marte on one side and a veteran such as Kennedy should carry the Tribe from second to last in the American League in defense to the middle of the pack.
That assumes the Indians spend for a player such as Kennedy, and Shapiro indicated that there will be far more ``financial resources'' available this winter than in years past.
But in the end, much of the defense will depend on the Indians being right about Peralta, and Peralta being determined to show so many of his critics that they are wrong about him.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Expectations hurt Tribe, Wedge says

Manager sees leaders evolve in disappointing season

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - It will be up to General Manager Mark Shapiro to make the moves that turn next season around for the Indians. But on Monday, it was manager Eric Wedge's assignment to explain what went wrong in 2006.
The Tribe was picked in most quarters to give the Chicago White Sox stiff competition for the American League Central Division title. Instead, the Minnesota Twins emerged as champs, and the Detroit Tigers took the AL wild card, leaving the Indians and White Sox in the dust.
At least the White Sox were in the race for several months. When the season was only 69 games old June 19, the Indians were 15 games out of first place, and then, things got worse.
Wedge can't point to the precise low point of the season, but he does remember an ache in the pit of his stomach that marked the occasion.
``I knew at some point that we weren't going to get it done,'' he said. ``I don't remember the day, but it was a tough one for me.''
Thinking back, Wedge believes that the perception of the club as high achievers had a negative effect on the players.
``For the first time, there were a lot of championship expectations on us,'' he said. ``That was part of the difficulty. What I sensed was that everyone thought we had to go 25-1 in April, and that's not realistic.''
Nobody in the clubhouse stepped up as a voice of reason to turn down the heat and to keep the immediate goals in perspective.
``We did lack that early on,'' Wedge said.
As the season wore on, Wedge noted that several players began to take on leadership roles.
``I think we have that now,'' he said. ``I don't mean just leading by example. I mean guys having important conversations with other players. We're starting to get some real leaders, and we didn't have to bring them in.
``These are guys who grew up in the organization: Victor Martinez, Jake Westbrook, C.C. Sabathia, Casey Blake, Travis Hafner and Grady Sizemore. And they do it in different ways.''
The holes in the roster are no secret. In the offseason, Shapiro will try to sign or trade for a closer, a setup man, plus one other reliever, a second baseman and possibly a right-handed run-producer who plays the outfield. However, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that the hitter will be a first baseman or third baseman.
Wedge said the focus will be on finding relievers and a second baseman, but he cautioned that obtaining these players is not a certainty because of a scarcity of quality free agents and competition from other clubs.
He did not announce that Ryan Garko will start at first base or that Andy Marte will be the everyday third baseman, but it is obvious he is leaning in that direction.
Asked how many rookies reasonably can be in the lineup of a contending team, Wedge said, ``We're far enough along with our (veteran) position players that we could live with a couple of rookies, maybe more if we had to. Potentially, we could have that at third and first, but it's not set in stone.''
Wedge has not dismissed the notion that Fausto Carmona might pitch out of the bullpen rather than start.
``Fausto was dominant for six weeks in a setup role,'' Wedge said. ``It just wasn't the right time (for him to be a closer). We'll work off the team's needs, because we feel he can succeed in either role (starter or setup).
``Right now, I don't feel there's an option to make him a closer, though he could close some time down the line.''
For now and probably in spring training, Carmona will work as a starter, because it's easier to ramp the innings down to becoming a reliever, if necessary, than to go from the bullpen to the rotation.
Wedge thought for a while when he was asked if there was anything he would have done differently.
``I wouldn't have sent Fausto out there the second time in Boston,'' he said. ``I would have waited until we got out of town. Usually, when someone blows a save, you want to get him back out there as soon as possible, but not in this case.''
On July 30, Carmona failed to hold a ninth-inning tie against the Seattle Mariners, then made his first appearance as a closer at Fenway Park in Boston, to disastrous results, on July 31.
Wedge said he made an error in judgment by asking Carmona to save another game against the Red Sox two nights later. As it turned out, Carmona blew three consecutive saves plus the tie and lost four games in a week, before he was relieved of his closer's duties.
In addition to frequent breakdowns by the bullpen, the Tribe was often undone by poor infield defense, a problem epitomized by the struggles of Jhonny Peralta at shortstop.
Despite Peralta's shortcomings, Wedge views him as an integral part of the team, as a core player.
``Jhonny is part of that group,'' Wedge said. ``I caught him as he was leaving yesterday. `The way you've played the last four or five games is what we want to see,' is what I told him. If he does that, he won't have to come in and see me anymore.
``On routine balls, Jhonny is as good as anybody in the league. I really believe that. But he has to be more of a playmaker. He has to make plays to his left and right to improve, and he's already doing that.''
Learning from mistakes might be a theme to remember.
``I think we've been hardened and a little humbled,'' Wedge said. ``And that's where it has to start.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

In their end - of - the - season meetings with reporters who cover the Indians, manager Eric Wedge and general manager Mark Shapiro each spent a significant amount of time talking about Jhonny Peralta.
The young shortstop was clearly the most disappointing player in a disappointing season and Shapiro said he "didn?t react to adversity the way we wanted him to." He said the Indians will look to sign a veteran shortstop as insurance, probably a nice way of saying they hope this motivates him to play better.
Peralta chased too many bad pitches at the plate and had too many lapses of concentration and effort in the field. Wedge said he had frequent conversations with Peralta, many unpleasant. He and Shapiro said Peralta responded by playing better each time but didn?t maintain it. Peralta was coming off two productive seasons, one in triple-A and one with the Tribe, and because he?s still only 24, both Wedge and Shapiro believe he merits another chance. They think the presence of third baseman Andy Marte, who shares Peralta?s Dominican Republic background, will help.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

INDIANS
Shapiro's plan: No bat ideas


Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter

Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro's priorities for next season are boring.
It would be much more intriguing if he wanted to make a deal for Boston's Manny Ramirez or had an interest in potential free-agent sluggers Gary Sheffield or Carlos Lee. Ramirez, Sheffield or Lee would look fine hitting between Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez next year at Jacobs Field.
"So that would mean we'd finish first in the big leagues in runs instead of second?" asked Shapiro.
The Indians finished second in the big leagues this year with 870 runs. Only the Yankees, with a $190 million payroll, scored more. All that offense did the Indians little good. They finished fifth in the AL Central at 78-84, 18 games behind the first-place Twins.
So Shapiro is going to stick to boring.
He wants to improve a bullpen that registered the fewest saves in the big leagues and an infield that accounted for 73 percent (86-of-118) of the Indians' errors.
The 118 errors ranked second in the league, leading to Tribe pitchers allowing 84 unearned runs, the most in baseball.
Shapiro wants to acquire at least three relievers, one of them a closer or a closer in training.
He thinks Rafael Betancourt could be a setup man next year. He named Jason Davis, Fernando Cabrera, Matt Miller and Tom Mastny as possible bullpen members. Fausto Carmona and Brian Slocum were mentioned as well.
Finding a closer will be hard and expensive.
"I went into two seasons with this organization when we had championship expectations and did not have a closer," said Shapiro. "We found Jose Mesa, and the same thing happened with Mike Jackson."
Here are some possible closer candidates: Joe Borowski, who saved 36 games for Florida, and Dustin Hermanson, Octavio Dotel, Keith Foulke and Eric Gagne, who all have injury issues. Milwaukee's Francisco Cordero went 10-5 with 22 saves but has an option for 2007.
Shapiro says improving the infield will start at second base because that's where the Indians have the biggest hole. That was not the case just before the start of the season when the Indians had former All-Star Ronnie Belliard at second and Brandon Phillips behind him.
The Indians traded Phillips to Cincinnati in early April for a minor-league pitcher. Phillips hit .276 with 17 homers, 75 RBI and 25 steals as the Reds' second baseman this year.
"Trading Phillips was a mistake," said Shapiro. "We probably erred on the side of [trying] to win now instead of what was best for the future of the franchise.
"We had a lot of divided opinions on that one. It was not a unanimous decision. . . . That's probably not the way we'll walk through that decision the next time we go through it."
The Indians traded Belliard to St. Louis on July 30. Belliard, Adam Kennedy, Mark DeRosa, Ray Durham, Mark Loretta, Tony Womack and Miguel Cairo are some of the potential free-agent second baseman.
"There's definitely alternatives there, but it's not full of impact players," said Shapiro.
Shapiro is counting on a rejuvenated Jhonny Peralta to lift the defense at shortstop. Peralta failed this year, but he's committed to a winter of work.
If Andy Marte wins the third base job next year, Shapiro thinks that will bolster the defense. Look for a veteran shortstop to be signed to push Peralta.
Shapiro's take on other subjects:
2007 payroll: "I don't have a rock solid number. What I have is a clear commitment from ownership that the increase will be significant."
Manager Eric Wedge: "I really feel that in the light of some extreme disappointment, our club stayed positive, played hard and that most of our young players continued to get better. For all that, I think Eric did a good job. Do I want him to get better in some areas? Yes. Do I want to get better in some areas? Absolutely."
Bob Wickman trade: "I don't have any regret about the decision. We had to find out about Fausto Carmona as a closer candidate. Had we not traded him, we're looking at [an] 82-, 84- or 85-win season. That would have been a positive outcome for this market."
Hello, goodbye:
The Indians exercised the 2007 club options on Jake Westbrook ($6.1 million) and Casey Blake ($3.75 million), while declining their mutual option for Aaron Boone.
Danny Graves and Tim Laker, who spent time with the Tribe this year, filed for free agency on Monday.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-5158

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

View from Pluto

Last word should be Shapiro's

By Terry Pluto

Here is what Mark Shapiro should learn from the Brandon Phillips deal: Eric Wedge is not really his partner.
Shapiro is the Indians' general manager, the boss.
Wedge is the field manager; he works for Shapiro.
Obviously, Wedge must be consulted on trades. His opinion does have value. But Wedge is not Shapiro's ``partner,'' a phrase Shapiro often used to describe their relationship until recently.
The Phillips deal demonstrated why the ``partnership'' concept is flawed. Tribe fans know the story. Phillips was a perpetual prospect. Came up too early in 2003, didn't hit. Lost a battle for shortstop with Jhonny Peralta in 2005 -- Phillips batted only .128 in spring training compared with .382 for Peralta.
Last spring, it was obvious the front office wanted Phillips on the team as a utility infielder for several reasons:
? Phillips is an above-average fielder at second base or shortstop.
? The Indians had no one else in the farm system capable of starting at second or short for a long period.
? Second baseman Ronnie Belliard was going to be a free agent at the end of the season, and Phillips was a possible replacement.
? The Tribe front office projected that the winter free-agent market would be dismal in available second basemen and shortstops.
? The Indians are a low-budget team that prizes prospects, and also understands they can be valuable in a trade.
? Phillips hit .316 in the spring. His competitor, Ramon Vazquez, was at .235. Phillips did nothing to merit being cut.
? Vazquez was 29, mostly a Class AAA player. Unlike Phillips, he had a minor-league option left.
? There was only one reason to keep Vazquez over Phillips: To please Wedge, who kept saying Vazquez was ``a better fit.'' Phillips could be moody, but he did not have a reputation of alienating teammates. Vazquez would be happy to sit on the bench, if he made the team.
? Shapiro decided not to fight his manager on the 25th player. He sent Phillips to the Cincinnati Reds at the end of spring training for a Class A pitcher. It was a poor deal at the absolute worst time, done for all the wrong reasons.
? In his postseason meeting with the media, Shapiro admitted the Phillips deal with the Reds ``was a mistake.'' He added that opinion in the front office had been ``divided.'' That's understandable. Some of Shapiro's close advisers were upset about the deal, worrying about the future.
? No one knew Phillips would hit .276 with 17 homers and 75 RBI for the Reds. But the Indians did know he was a big-league glove at second or short, and at some point, either Phillips or a player like him would be needed. The smartest answer was for Shapiro to tell Wedge: ``We'll open the season with Brandon, and see how he reacts. That gives me time to make a decent trade if someone needs an infielder, or maybe we'll need him. Vazquez is one phone call away in Buffalo.''
? Did the presence of Phillips keep Peralta sharp? They played together in the minors, and Peralta knew Phillips is a better fielding shortstop. Hard to know whether that was a factor in Peralta's underwhelming season, but he knew the Indians had no real alternatives at short, once Phillips was traded.
? Within two months of the Phillips deal, Shapiro was in the market for a young middle infielder. He traded Eduardo Perez to the Seattle Mariners for Asdrubal Cabrera, who hit .263 (.295 on-base average) with one home run and 14 RBI at Class AAA Buffalo. Cabrera had a strange year at shortstop. He made only five errors in 70 games at Class AAA Tacoma before the trade, then 14 in 80 games after the deal. At 20, he has been impressive with only 19 errors in 150 Class AAA games at short. But he's not close to big-league ready because of his age and bat.
? Now the Indians are considering signing Belliard again. They are looking at free-agent infielders such as Adam Kennedy, Alex Gonzalez, Mark Loretta or Julio Lugo. They are not thrilled with any of the options. At short, Gonzalez is the best glove. Loretta is probably the best fielder at second. Lugo can hit, but is spotty in the field. Some scouts are worried that Kennedy's body seems older than his age (30), and he could be in a decline. Then there's Belliard, who will be 33 next year and hit .237 after being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals.
? Bottom line: The only way anything good comes from the Phillips trade is if Shapiro learns that there will be times when he simply has to impose his will on Wedge. No manager sees the big picture and the future as clearly as the front office, because the manager is wired to win today's game.
TALKIN' WEDGE
General manager cutting manager a break this year
? I believe part of the reason Mark Shapiro has been so reluctant to criticize Eric Wedge is the general manager knows he had a lousy winter. Most of Shapiro's deals didn't work out. He correctly believes a big part of the blame is his for the 78-84 season, a drop of 15 victories from a year ago.
? Shapiro also knows he has asked Wedge to deal with a heavy burden during the past four years, from low budgets to thin benches to having to develop prospects. All of that hurts a manager's record.
? Lots of baseball think tanks, such as the Baseball Prospectus, have tried to explain the meaning of records in one-run games. Mostly, they say it's just luck. Here are the records in one-run games from Wedge's four seasons: 15-25 (2003), 26-20 (2004), 22-36 (2005) and 18-26 (2006). That adds up to 81-107, and that's not good -- for whatever reason.
? Some fans will blame a team's lack of fundamentals. Some will say it's a poor bullpen. Some will say it's the manager's fault, because to them, everything is Wedge's fault -- unless the Dolans are to blame. I do think the manager has something to do with it. I just don't know how much.
? Here are Wedge's records for games played in April: 7-20 (2003), 9-13 (2004), 9-14 (2005) and 13-12 (2006). In his four years as manager, Wedge has never gone into June with a winning record. He was exactly at .500 in each of the past two seasons on June 1. I don't know what it is, but there is a problem behind this pattern of slow starts.
? Wedge does a good job of keeping his starting pitchers healthy. He rarely overworks them, and they miss few starts. Maybe pitching coach Carl Willis has something to do with it, or maybe this is just luck, too. But it is a positive.
? My biggest concern with Wedge is his reluctance to use his reserves. Unless the Indians have a winter for the ages in terms of acquiring players, the team will have to platoon and juggle to cover several positions. That seems to go against Wedge's nature, even if he says otherwise. Managing the Indians next season is going to require flexibility and creativity.