Indians Tidbits (2007 Season)

[JCOSU86]

A.L. Central champs!

And now, to take our minds off of the Browns....

 

[NFBuck]

And now, to take our minds off of the Browns....

Exactly. At least for a few weeks.

 

[Zurp]

The Magic Number is down to 0. Did the Tigers win? If not, it's -1. Let's see if the Indians can get it even farther down.

Seriously, is it basically set that the four teams will be Boston, New York, Cleveland, and Los Angeles?

 

[LitlBuck]

Seriously, is it basically set that the four teams will be Boston, New York, Cleveland, and Los Angeles?

It is set in concrete.:)

I don't know which one of those teams I want to play first. If we have the first two games at home, I would take either of them but if we have to go on the road I would take the Angels before having to go into Boston or New York. However after saying that, distance might be a factor.

Oh hell doing any of them on. C.C. and Fausto will take care of them.

 

[LitlBuck]

Playoff roster

It will be interesting to see how the roster is set for the playoffs. Will they carry 10 or 11 pitchers? I think they could live with C. C., Fausto, Westbrook, Byrd for starters and put Laffey in the bullpen with Lewis, Perez, Joe B., RB, and Fultz (?). I guess the latter might depend on how Sowers pitches against Seattle.

The position players would be KS, G?mez, Michaels, another outfielder (Francisco or Nixon (clubhouse leader), and Barfield. If they take 11 pitchers, either Nixon, Barfield, or Francisco will not be on the roster. The only reason I include Nixon is because of his clubhouse leadership. That is the only thing he brings to the table. Barfield and Francisco could both pinch run and are better defensive players.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Great to see the Tribe back on top in the division....it has been a great run. Lets see if they can make it a special season.....

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Cleveland Indians clinch AL Central Division championship

October baseball to return
Monday, September 24, 2007 Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
The only thing that went wrong was the raising of the American League Central division banner. C.C. Sabathia was supposed to go out to the center-field fence and hoist it to the far corner of the Jacobs Field scoreboard while his teammates and the sellout crowd of more than 40,000 watched.
The clinching itself took place without much fuss Sunday after- noon in the last regular- season game at Jacobs Field this year. Jake Westbrook threw seven innings and Grady Sizemore went 4-for-4 with two RBI as the Indians beat Oakland, 6-2, to eliminate Detroit and win the division.
It ended at 4:01 p.m. when Mark Ellis swung at and missed a Rafael Betancourt fastball. Much hugging and jumping followed, started by Betancourt and catcher Victor Martinez in front of the mound.

Continued......

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

2007 Indians are a feel-better story


Monday, September 24, 2007 Bill Livingston
Plain Dealer Columnist
Baseball encourages its fans with its cabbages, not its kings. For every Yankees fan, there must be 10 of Joe Hardy, the fictional slugger of "Damn Yankees." Almost nobody, around here anyway, roots for Goliath.
The irony is that the Indians' tryout as Goliath in the 1990s was tainted by the anger of Albert Belle and the team's kowtowing to him. The Indians were a big-market team in payroll then, because ballpark revenue still made the biggest difference, not cable television money.
They were a feel-good story, but much of the nation ignored the vibe.

Continued.....

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

INDIANS INSIDER
It's back to work before the bubbly goes flat


Monday, September 24, 2007 Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
The race never really ends in baseball.
The Indians clinched the American League Central on Sunday with a 6-2 victory over Oakland. Now they must deal with other pressing matters in the last week of the regular season.
The postseason rotation and roster must be set. Manager Eric Wedge and General Manager Mark Shapiro have to determine what players need a rest to get ready for the best-of-five division series.
Scouting reports must be deciphered on potential first-round opponents. The Indians most likely will face Boston or New York.
Meanwhile, they have to keep winning. If they end the season with the best record in the AL, a position they currently hold, it would allow them to start the division series Wednesday, Oct. 3, instead of Thursday, Oct. 4.

Continued......

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

No holding back a well-earned party


Monday, September 24, 2007 Joe Maxse
Plain Dealer Reporter
It was champagne and far too many beer chasers to count in the Indians clubhouse late Sunday afternoon. Toasting and getting a little toasted were the order of business after the Tribe clinched its first AL Central Division title since 2001.
Hey, what's a few championship brews between friends - swallowed or sprayed.
"With everything I've been through in my career, it's unbelievable," said reliever Rafael Betancourt, who got the final four outs in the 6-2 win against the Athletics. "It's the highlight of my baseball career."

Continued.....

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Indians: It starts with a handshake
Catcher Victor Martinez is a leader on and off field
Tuesday, September 25, 2007 3:42 AM
By Scott Priestle


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Chuck Crow | The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer
Victor Martinez, connecting off the Tigers' Justin Verlander last Tuesday, shares the team lead with 24 home runs.



CLEVELAND -- In the moments before a game, Victor Martinez will walk through the Indians dugout exchanging handshakes with his teammates. Each shake is unique. When Kenny Lofton arrived in late July, it took them about a week to come up with a complex shake that is more like a dance, or a spasm.
"It's crazy," Ryan Garko said. "It's one of the best I've ever seen."
Martinez's intention is to connect on a personal level with as many teammates as possible, and to entertain and energize all of them before they take the field. It is one more example of how valuable he is to the club.

Continued......

 

[NFBuck]

I really wish we could go into the postseason with a closer that I had just a little confidence in.:(

 

[redskinbucksfan]

I really wish we could go into the postseason with a closer that I had just a little confidence in.:(

Agreed, but our middle relief is much less worrisome than the other AL playoff teams. Everyone is entering with certain holes (LA isn't hitting, NY starting pitching is held together w/ duct tape and staples. BOS bullpen, inconsistent CLE offense). The playoff field is wide open in both leagues...

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Indians defeat Mariners in 12 innings, 4-3


Wednesday, September 26, 2007 Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Seattle - Clinching hasn't changed the Indians or Joe Borowski. They can still make life tough on themselves.
Borowski blew his seventh save of the season and the Indians went 10 innings without scoring, but somehow still managed to beat Seattle Tuesday night, 4-3, in 12 innings at Safeco Field.
Kenny Lofton's sacrifice fly off Ryan Rowland-Smith broke a 3-3 tie in the 12th. Brandon Morrow (3-4) started the inning by walking Asdrubal Cabrera. Rowland-Smith relieved and Cabrera went from first to third on his wild pickoff attempt.

Continued......

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Cleveland Indians look like favorites, Bill Livingston says


Wednesday, September 26, 2007 Bill Livingston
Plain Dealer Columnist
The Indians sure didn't win the division with the usual formula of a lot of players having career years.
Victor Martinez had a great year, behind the plate as well as at it. Of the regulars, that's about it.
Grady Sizemore underachieved for Grady. It is never good when your leadoff man is among the league leaders in strikeouts.
Travis Hafner never got hot and never carried anything but a growing burden of frustration.
Kenny Lofton was not the big impact guy the team hoped he would be as a late pickup, but he did better than expected in playing the left-field wall. The biggest problem with Lofton was that he hasn't shown he can steal the big base anymore. But he is 40, and what did you expect?
Most of the big off-season free agents went kablooey, in the manner of an unwary man getting hit in the face with a pie. Trot Nixon, pie thrower deluxe, injured David Dellucci, Josh Barfield and Roberto Hernandez were never close to the top of their games this season.

Continued......