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Indians Tidbits (2007 Season)

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ABJ

Tribe's rally isn't enough

Indians come up a run short after trailing White Sox by 9

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

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AP Photo/Tony Dejak
Chicago White sox's A.J. Pierzynski scores on Rob Mackowiak's single as Cleveland Indians catcher Victor martinez looks for the ball in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 16, 2007, in Cleveland. More Photos
CLEVELAND - Here's a clue to the dominant path taken in Monday night's game at Jacobs Field: In the previous 57 games, the Chicago White Sox bullpen compiled a 3-13 record, nine blown saves and a 7.57 ERA.
No wonder the Indians almost wiped out a nine-run deficit, only to lose 11-10.
Franklin Gutierrez began the comeback with a three-run homer in the sixth on the last pitch thrown by starter John Danks.

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ABJ

Return of Lofton rumored in Texas

CLEVELAND -
According to a rumor out of Texas, Kenny Lofton might be returning to the Indians.
Lofton, who played center field for the Tribe in the 1990s, is batting .309 with six homers, 20 RBI and 55 runs with the Rangers. He also is 40 years old and would be a corner outfielder if he were traded to the Tribe.
``There are a number of players we're looking at, a whole galaxy of players, not just one,'' General Manager Mark Shapiro said.

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I'd really love to know why Mike Rouse is on the roster. I haven't seen his average above .130 all year and it's currently at a robust .119, there has to be a better option somewhere that can get on base more than once every eight trips to the plate.
 
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Dispatch

Indians 6, White Sox 5 (11 innings)
Garko delivers in pinch, wins game

Wednesday, July 18, 2007 3:44 AM
By Scott Priestle


The Columbus Dispatch
indians-cele.jpg
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Indians players mob teammate Ryan Garko after he drove in the deciding run in the 11th inning against the White Sox. Garko also hit a two-run homer in the ninth to tie the score.

CLEVELAND -- Like a sculptor to a rock, Indians hitters chipped away at Chicago White Sox pitcher Jon Garland last night. Take a borderline pitch here, foul a tough pitch there, increase his pitch count and make him sweat. The patient approach has done wonders this season.
When that was not enough to crack the Sox, the Indians pulled out a sledgehammer.
Ryan Garko hit a two-run homer off hard-throwing Bobby Jenks in the ninth inning to tie the score, then an RBI single off Dewon Day in the 11th to give the Indians a 6-5 win.

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ABJ

Tribe in jam with Cabrera

Struggling young reliever is out of options

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - Manager Eric Wedge doesn't think he's asking for a miracle when he sends in a reliever to keep the game close and give the Indians a chance to rally.
But time after time, Fernando Cabrera has failed to accomplish this kind of mission. His most recent disappointment occurred Monday night against the Chicago White Sox.
Cabrera entered the game in the sixth inning with his team trailing 5-2. When he left 16 pitches and six batters later, the Tribe was behind 11-2, with Cabrera letting in two runs for Cliff Lee and being charged with four of his own.

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ABJ

Garko delivers again in pinch

Two-run homer ties game, RBI single wins it

By Sheldon Ocker

Beacon Journal sportswriter


CLEVELAND - It has become almost routine for the Indians to fall behind, then rally late in the game.
So why not do it again Tuesday night? If something works, stick with it. And remember, the effectiveness of the Chicago White Sox bullpen has been on a par with that of the Washington Generals against the Harlem Globetrotters.
But this time, Chicago's relievers pushed back before succumbing 6-5 in 11 innings at Jacobs Field.
``These guys have confidence all the way to the end,'' manager Eric Wedge said of his team.
And so it was that Dewon Day happened to be in the wrong place (on the mound) at the wrong time (last inning) for the Sox.

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CPD

INDIANS INSIDER
Grady's non-grab impresses all but the Sox


Wednesday, July 18, 2007 Joe Maxse
Plain Dealer Reporter
One of the best catches of the season was not one.
That would have been Grady Sizemore's leaping non-grab of Paul Konerko's drive to the left-centerfield wall in the seventh inning of Monday's 11-10 loss to the White Sox. Ruled the second out of the inning by the umpires, replays showed the ball kissed off the wall before landing in Sizemore's glove.
When asked about it, Sizemore did not want to admit to larceny. At least not at first.

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Dispatch

Rob Oller commentary: Manager brings stability to Indians

Thursday, July 19, 2007 3:46 AM
By Rob Oller


The Columbus Dispatch
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CLEVELAND -- Only 200 feet of manicured grass and raked dirt separated the dugout CEOs in Jacobs Field, but Eric Wedge of the Indians and Ozzie Guillen of the Chicago White Sox are miles apart in how they do business.
Guillen takes a Donald Trump approach to managing, which is to say his mouth never stops running except when he sticks a foot in it, which is often. The manager is high energy, high drama and high maintenance.
Wedge better resembles Brian Halla.
Who?
That's the point. Halla, the chief executive officer for National Semiconductor, is considered a top-50 CEO by Fortune 500. He does his job quietly and effectively. Yet you've probably never heard of him.

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Dispatch

White Sox teach Tribe hard lesson in division

Thursday, July 19, 2007 3:35 AM
By Scott Priestle


The Columbus Dispatch
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Tony Dejak Associated Press
Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore makes a diving catch on a ball hit by Paul Konerko.

CLEVELAND -- The Indians made diving catches all over Jacobs Field yesterday. They hit line drives through the infield and flares into the outfield. But it was the few plays they did not make that made the difference in a 5-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

So it goes in divisional games when each team knows the other's tendencies, scores are close and the margin for error is thin. The Indians needed two late-inning rallies to split a six-game homestand against the White Sox and Kansas City Royals, two teams at the bottom of the American League Central but still a pain in the Tribe's rear.
"There was good, hard baseball played. That's what it's going to be from here on out," manager Eric Wedge said. "That's what it's going to take in this league, especially in this division."

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NFBuck;885043; said:
Tribe wins 7-5. C.C. gets win #13 and Borowski with save #27. Grady homered.

Also, Bettencourt and Perez are becoming a nice combo in the middle of the bullpen.
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Perez Has Been Lights Out

Think Maybe He Could Be The Closer Somewhere Down The Line?
 
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buckeyemania11;885085; said:
Perez Has Been Lights Out

Think Maybe He Could Be The Closer Somewhere Down The Line?
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Possibly. His stuff has been downright nasty, but as good as he's been, Bettencourt's been just a bit better. Him and Bettancourt might be the toughest L-R bullpen combo in the league. Look at these numbers before tonights game (where they each pitched a scoreless inning)...
ERA...
Bettancourt- 1.24
Perez- 1.86
WHIP...
Bettancourt- 0.69
Perez- 0.86
OppAvg...
Bettancourt- .172
Perez- .173

That's just filthy.

Thing is, it's more than just shiny numbers and nasty stuff that makes somebody a closer. It's their makeup and ability to handle pressure. Perfect example is earlier this year when Cabrera was mowing down everybody and Borowski was struggling, I was calling for Cabrera to be tried as the closer. Oops. Cabrera has been a one man rally monkey since then and I honestly am starting to wish they'd DFA him. Borowski, for as much grief as I've given him, and as nervous as he makes us all, still manages to get the other team out when it counts. Time will tell if either Perez or Bettencourt could do the same.
 
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