Indians Tidbits (2007 Season)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Terry Pluto | Early signs of progress for Indians

By Terry Pluto

WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - As spring training winds down, here's a quick critique of the Tribe...
SIGNING DAVE DELLUCCI was a good idea. Not just because he has four homers and is hitting .304 this spring. Some fans put him in the same class as Jason Michaels in 2006. There are key differences. Dellucci has played in the American League. Michaels never did. Michaels has never hit more than 10 homers in a season (slugging percentage 2004-06: .415-.414-.395) and ended last year with no homers in 142 at-bats. Dellucci has hit 17-29-13 homers (slugging percentage: .441-.513-.530) in the past three years. A platoon player with Michaels, Dellucci hit .299 with 11 homers in 244 at-bats in 2006 vs. righties.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Tribe's Miller to open season on disabled list
UPDATE: 12:38 PM, Tuesday, March 27, 2007
By Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

KISSIMMEE, Fla. Indians Manager Eric Wedge finds himself with one more decision to make at the end of spring training than he had bargained for.

The team confirmed Tuesday that right-handed relief pitcher Matt Miller likely will open the season on the disabled list. Wedge must decide between right-hander Tom Mastny and left-hander Juan Lara for the final spot in the Cleveland bullpen.

?I?d say it?s doubtful he?ll break camp with us,? Wedge said of Miller, who had been perhaps the Tribe?s best pitcher through much of spring training.

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[TheStoicPaisano]

CC may have a fractured forearm, took a line drive off of Reed Johnson's bat.

UPDATE: Being called a bruise right now, CC is day-to-day, like us all.

 

[LitlBuck]

CC may have a fractured forearm, took a line drive off of Reed Johnson's bat.

Calling Adam Miller!

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Indians notebook

Bruised Sabathia aims for opener

Ice reduces swelling in forearm; pain gone; he expects to be ready

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. - Don't even suggest to C.C. Sabathia that he might not make his Opening Day start against the White Sox in Chicago on Monday.
``I'm right there,'' he said Thursday, one day after being hit above the left wrist with a line drive.
``I'll probably play catch tomorrow and throw a bullpen,'' he said. ``I'm pretty sure I'll be able to throw all of my pitches.''
Manager Eric Wedge was a little more cautious in his optimism, but he has no plans to alter his rotation because of the bruise on Sabathia's forearm.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Garko, Mastny win jobs

Rouse wins utility role as Tribe makes last cuts, prepares to head north

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - You could almost hear the sigh of relief as far away as Southern California, where Ryan Garko grew up and where his parents live.
OK, that's exaggerating, but Garko is happy that the ordeal of spring training is over, and that he has been selected for a spot on the Indians' 25-man roster.
``Right now, it's more of a relief than excitement,'' Garko said Wednesday. ``When I'm on the field for Opening Day is probably when it will really sink in.''

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Indians establish players shrine

Heritage Park added to Jacobs Field, noting stars in team's history

By George M. Thomas

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - A plaque featuring Raymond Johnson Chapman finally has a well-deserved resting place on the wall of the newest addition to Jacobs Field, Heritage Park.
Chapman, who played shortstop for the Indians from 1912 to 1920, is the only major-leaguer to die as a result of an injury suffered in a game.
The Tribe cut the ribbon on Heritage Park on Thursday, a sunny and chilly day that felt more like football rather than baseball season.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Indians go slow on Marte

Tribe plans to take time developing third baseman

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. - Andy Marte will begin what the Indians hope is his first full big-league season Monday, when the team opens its season in Chicago against the White Sox.
General Manager Mark Shapiro and manager Eric Wedge believe that Marte will slide under the radar and be given sufficient time by the media and the sporting public to get his feet on the ground.
``He could be the beneficiary of low expectations,'' Shapiro said. ``We don't need him to carry the team, and I don't think most of the focus is on him.''

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Contract talks with Sabathia on hold for season

Posted by [URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/about.html"]Paul Hoynes[/URL] March 30, 2007 14:45PM

Categories: Indians
PAUL HOYNES
Plain Dealer Reporter
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- News, sights and sounds from Indians spring training.
No deals: GM Mark Shapiro will continue to negotiate with potential free agents Jake Westbrook and Travis Hafner, but any discussions on a contract extension for C.C. Sabathia will have to wait until the end of the season.
Shapiro also confirmed today that he will not discuss a contract with manager Eric Wedge until the end of the year.
Westbrook, who started today against Toronto in the Tribe's final Florida exhibition game, can be a free agent after this season. Hafner, who has a club option for 2008 that the Indians are expected to pick up, can be a free agent after that year.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Sabathia declares himself fit to go
Saturday, March 31, 2007
By Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER


WINTER HAVEN, Fla. C.C. Sabathia threw a 52-pitch bullpen session Friday morning, then pronounced himself fit for Opening Day in Chicago.

"It was just a normal bullpen," Sabathia said. "Especially given my history down here the last couple years, I dodged a bullet. I'm just anxious to get the season going."

Sabathia, who had referred to "the Winter Haven curse" on Wednesday, missed a week with strep throat in 2002, 2003 and 2004. He strained a muscle in his rib cage before his first spring training game in 2005 and wasn't activated until April 17. Last year, Sabathia strained a muscle in his rib cage during the third inning on Opening Day and didn't return until May 2.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Florida in the rearview mirror

C.C. good to go,' ready for opener
Saturday, March 31, 2007 Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Winter Haven, Fla. -- Not only is C.C. Sabathia ready to pitch Monday's season opener against Chicago, he escaped Winter Haven without further damage.
The rest of the Indians did, as well, as they broke camp Friday following a 6-2 exhibition loss to Toronto at Chain of Lakes Park. They'll play St. Louis today in Memphis, Tenn., in a Civil Rights game to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby breaking the color barrier in baseball. The Indians will then head to Chicago.
Sabathia pronounced himself fit after throwing a 52-pitch bullpen session Friday to test the bruised left forearm he suffered Wednesday after getting hit by a line drive.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Indians report

Pitcher strives to stay balanced

Byrd aims to be fully committed to baseball, family; says that's hard

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

WINTER HAVEN, FLA. - The trail has led Paul Byrd through 14 cities in 12 states, making stops in several towns more than once.
Byrd is entering his 13th big-league season, and at 36, he realizes he is much closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
``I take it one year at a time, because my kids are 10 and 11,'' said the Indians starter. ``My children and my wife are super important. What if I planned to play five more years, and my wife said she wanted me home?''
What if she did? Not many athletes are talented

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Ocker on the Indians

Vulnerable spots not limited to bullpen

Tribe has insurance at some positions, but not all of them

By Sheldon Ocker

Maybe it's unintentional misdirection, sleight of hand by accident.
Mark Shapiro says keep your eyes on the bullpen, and the general manager of the Indians means it.
Meanwhile, Andy Marte struggles to hit; Trot Nixon stays officially healthy, but old injuries sabotage his body; and Jhonny Peralta's high-spirited play in the exhibition season dissolves into the comedy of errors and poor at-bats of last year.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

INDIANS SPRING TRAINING
Memphis game draws attention to civil rights


Sunday, April 01, 2007 Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Memphis, Tenn. -- When the Indians landed at the Memphis airport Friday after ending spring training in Florida, they found an escort waiting for them.
Six motorcycle policemen led the Tribe's team busses downtown in preparation to play the first Civil Rights Game Saturday at AutoZone Park. The game was played to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby breaking the color line in the National and American leagues.
When the busses hit I-55, the escort blocked the on-ramps so they had the interstate to themselves.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Pressure to ninth degree

It takes some unique skills to excel as a closer; the best teams usually have a great one
Sunday, April 01, 2007 Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
The first three outs of a game should be the same as the last three. Logically there is no difference. Statistically they count the same.
But really, there's no comparison.
Not when the last three outs come in a one-run game with the fans screaming, the tying run on second and the cleanup hitter batting. Those three outs are going to be harder to get than three ground balls in the top of the first.

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