Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Terry Pluto: Terry's Talkin'

Posted by [URL="http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/about.html"][EMAIL="[email protected]"]Terry Pluto Plain Dealer Columnist[/EMAIL][/URL] February 09, 2008 21:13PM

Categories: Terry Pluto columns

TERRY'S TALKIN'

ABOUT THE TRIBE . . .

Fans love to talk about hitting, but pitching is why the Indians tied Boston with 96 victories -- most in the big leagues. It's why the Tribe won the Central Division -- they had the third-lowest ERA in the American League overall (Boston was No. 1), and the best after the All-Star break. Pitching is why they knocked the Yankees out of the first round of the playoffs. And yes, the collapse of the pitching -- especially Fausto Carmona and C.C. Sabathia -- was why the Indians lost to Boston in the ALCS. The question is if the Indians can continue to pitch well.
A big concern is innings piling up on starters. Sabathia led the majors with 241 innings and threw 15 more in the playoffs for a total of 256. That's 46 more than any season in his career, his previous high being 210 in 2002. Carmona threw 230, counting the playoffs. His previous high was 173 in 2005 in the minors, so he exceed that total by 53 innings. Will their arms feel tired this season? That sometimes happens, and it's one of the reasons that teams who advance deep into the playoffs one season don't do as well the next -- the sheer weight of the innings.

Continued......

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

10 QUESTIONS FOR THE 2008 INDIANS



Can Cleveland Indians' C.C., Pronk and Borowski stand tall?



Wednesday, February 13, 2008 Paul Hoynes


he Indians find themselves in an unusual spot as pitchers and catchers report to Winter Haven, Fla., on Thursday for the start of spring training.
They were so confident after winning the American League Central last year and coming within one victory of reaching the World Series that GM Mark Shapiro left the roster largely unchanged over the off-season. Intertwined with that confidence a touch of recklessness grew.
Not the recklessness of an aging team with one last run in it, but a team that made the decision to keep its best pitcher, C.C. Sabathia, thumbing its nose at the threat of free agency, because it feels this could be a season to remem- ber.

Cont...

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Tribe set to report with familiar faces
Return of core players should make staying on top possible

CLEVELAND -- They are hungry to repeat as American League Central champs, eager to build off the disappointment of Game 7 against the Red Sox and familiar by design.

They are your 2008 Cleveland Indians, and they head to work on Thursday morning.
The faces comprising this impassioned bunch should be recognizable. The Indians made no major tweaks to the club that won 96 games and toppled the Yankees in the Division Series last year. Pitchers and catchers report to the final camp in Winter Haven, Fla., on the morning of Valentine's Day (no, it's not just for lovers anymore). Position players will report on Feb. 19, while the first full-squad workout will take place Feb. 21. The first exhibition game at Chain of Lakes Park is Feb. 28, against the Astros.

Continued....

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Around the Horn: DH/Bench
Hafner seeks return of Pronk-like stats; reserves boast options


CLEVELAND -- Splashy free-agent signings and high-profile trades did not fill the Tribe's transaction wire this offseason.
It was a quiet winter in which the Indians, coming off a 96-win season that saw them win the American League Central Division title and come one win away from the World Series, decided the depth they've accrued can carry them again into 2008. "Part of what made us successful this past season was our depth, our ability to make adjustments, our alternatives and the strength of our farm system," general manager Mark Shapiro said. "When the White Sox, Twins and Tigers all had to go to their second tiers, our second tier was better than their second tier."

Continued......

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Indians' Sabathia says talks over until end of season



Thursday, February 14, 2008 Paul Hoynes

Plain Dealer Reporter
American League Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia announced on his Web site Wednesday night that he and his agents have broken off talks on a contract extension with the Indians until after the 2008 season. The team's pitchers and catchers report to spring training today in Winter Haven, Fla.
Here is the message from Sabathia that was posted late Wednesday:
"This off-season, through my representatives at Legacy Sports Group, I have discussed the possibility of a contract extension with the Cleveland Indians. At this time, we haven't been able to reach agreement. Now that the reporting date for spring training is here, it is time to put aside contract discussions so that I can focus all of my energies and attention on preparing for the upcoming season.

"I look forward to a successful 2008 season, both for myself and for the Indians as a whole."
"I will do everything within my power to help the club to its first World Series appearance since 1997 and its first World Series Championship since 1948.




Cont..

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Spring's here: Tribe assembles for camp



Thursday, February 14, 2008 Paul Hoynes

Plain Dealer Reporter
The Indians begin defense of their AL Central division championship and their last spring training in Winter Haven, Fla., today with pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training at Chain of Lakes Park.
Players will get physicals Friday and the first workout is scheduled for Saturday. The Indians, who won their first division championship last season since 2001, will move to Goodyear, Ariz., for spring training in 2009. They have trained in Winter Haven since 1993 when they moved from Tucson, Ariz.
All-Star catcher Victor Martinez, who led big-league catchers in homers and RBI last year, has been in Florida since Feb. 5. Other early arrivals include pitchers Masahide Kobayashi, Jake Westbrook, Scott Elarton, Tom Mastny, Jeff Harris, Scott Lewis, Aaron Laffey and Jeff Stevens. Kobayashi is a veteran from Japan. Westbrook is one of the Indians' top starters, while Laffey will be competing for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Mastny spent all last season in the bullpen, while Elarton, Harris, Lewis and Stevens are spring training invitees.
Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, recovering from Tommy John surgery on his left elbow, was among the early arriving position players. Position players report Tuesday with full squad workouts starting Feb. 21.




Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Indians spring training roster
Thursday, February 14, 2008

Indians spring training roster

STARTING PITCHERS LHP C.C. Sabathia, RHP Jake Westbrook, RHP Paul Byrd, RHP Fausto Carmona, LHP Aaron Laffey, LHP Cliff Lee, LHP Jeremy Sowers, RHP Adam Miller, RHP Brian Slocum, LHP Scott Lewis, LHP Chuck Lofgren, RHP Scott Elarton, RHP J.D. Martin, RHP Jeff Harris.


Cont...

 

[NFBuck]

CPD

Cleveland Indians' Sabathia says talks over until end of season



Thursday, February 14, 2008 Paul Hoynes

Plain Dealer Reporter
American League Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia announced on his Web site Wednesday night that he and his agents have broken off talks on a contract extension with the Indians until after the 2008 season. The team's pitchers and catchers report to spring training today in Winter Haven, Fla.
Here is the message from Sabathia that was posted late Wednesday:
"This off-season, through my representatives at Legacy Sports Group, I have discussed the possibility of a contract extension with the Cleveland Indians. At this time, we haven't been able to reach agreement. Now that the reporting date for spring training is here, it is time to put aside contract discussions so that I can focus all of my energies and attention on preparing for the upcoming season.

"I look forward to a successful 2008 season, both for myself and for the Indians as a whole."
"I will do everything within my power to help the club to its first World Series appearance since 1997 and its first World Series Championship since 1948.




Cont..

Good as gone...

 

[OH10]

Good as gone...

Get him out of here at the All-Star break. Some team will overbid for him then.

 

[NFBuck]

Get him out of here at the All-Star break. Some team will overbid for him then.

Agreed, but if the Tribe is still in the thick of thing, there's no way Shapiro deals him.

 

[Brutus1]

Hope for the Dodgers and Angels to have pretty good first halves, but not good enough to get them a comfortable lead. Mostly the
Dodgers. They have alot of good, young talent that they would be willing to trade for a pitcher that could help them win the West.

I'd seriously shop him either way, just to gauge the market. If nothing good is offered, then watch him go after the season, because he will.

 

[OH10]

Agreed, but if the Tribe is still in the thick of thing, there's no way Shapiro deals him.

I absolutely HATE the idea of letting him go for nothing. If that happens, it's going to be hard to watch baseball. Small market teams can only compete by outsmarting desperate big-market clubs.

 

[NFBuck]

I absolutely HATE the idea of letting him go for nothing. If that happens, it's going to be hard to watch baseball. Small market teams can only compete by outsmarting desperate big-market clubs.

I'm with you man. It almost seems for the long term, it might be good for the Tribe to struggle this season so that they can move C.C.. It would be devastating watching that big a talent leave without getting anything in return. Some kind of salary cap has to be implemented. Every year, fucking big market teams go out and do their best to buy a championship, though I do get a small amount of satisfaction watching them fail most of the time. At least the Tribe has been pretty good at finding and developing their own talent. Imagine being a Royals or Pirates fan.

 

[AKAK]

I absolutely HATE the idea of letting him go for nothing. If that happens, it's going to be hard to watch baseball. Small market teams can only compete by outsmarting desperate big-market clubs.

Well, and developing talent...

Interesting predicament the Tribe is in...

First... they have a good farm system... and... well... its probably time to either use or move some of those guys.

Depending on who is in and who is out of the playoffs, say at the Break or a bit before... the Indians could probably deal Sabathia, get prospects, repackage prospects and get another starter (possibly with more years on his deal for less money) by simply moving guys to someone with a good pitcher who is out of the race but needs to stockpile young talent more than the Indians do and more than the big money teams can provide...

Regardless... need to get Miller and Laffey (at the minimum) some experience this year, I'd think.

And, I'm curious about Cliff Lee, honestly... see if he's got it through his skull that he's not as smart as he thinks he is.

 

[Piney]

Regardless... need to get Miller and Laffey (at the minimum) some experience this year, I'd think.

And, I'm curious about Cliff Lee, honestly... see if he's got it through his skull that he's not as smart as he thinks he is.

That has been my one concern this offseason. We have a WEALTH of starting pitching. Overstocked really... If nothing else changes our starting rotation is CC, Carmona, Westbrook, Byrd & Laffey

That leaves Lee, Sowers & Miller waiting in the wings (all major league ready, well Miller needs a lil more seasoning). I am just shocked we haven't traded Sowers and/or Lee (and packaged Marte with them) yet for a corner outfielder. Of course the big problem is Lee makes some money. But there had to be someone out there we could have gotten that would be better than Michaels/Gutierrez/Delluci/Blake.

But the only way Shapiro trades CC is if are out of playoff contention (or barreled over with a huge offer). While people would be sick if/when CC leaves for free agency they would be sicker if we trade him while still in the playoff hunt leaving fans wondering "Could we have won it all if CC was still here"

But then again we are Cleveland fans... we like torturing ourselves with what ifs.