Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Spring spotlight

Tuesday, March 11, 2008 3:06 AM




Dispatch reporter Scott Priestle is in Florida, splitting time between Reds and Indians spring training camps. Today he brings you ... Jordan Brown

Indians outfielder/first baseman

? Age: 24
? MLB experience: none
? Last season: MVP of the double-A Eastern League; hit .333 with a .421 on-base percentage for Akron



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[LitlBuck]

In San Diego, they're talking about Kevin Kouzmanoff being the Padres' No. 3 hitter. In Cleveland, there's a chance Josh Barfield, the man the Indians traded for Kouzmanoff, will start the year in the minors.

Another good trade by Shapiro and now he will send Barfield back to Buffalo because Marte is out of options. I do not understand why they did not package some of these young guys during the winter along with a couple young pitchers and make a deal. The future is now not 10 years from now.

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Utility infielder all over ballpark Tribe's Jamey Carroll can play almost every position on the field
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008
WINTER HAVEN, FLA.: How many years in a row have the Indians picked a utility infielder in spring training? How many years did dinosaurs rule the earth?
OK, not that long; it only seems that way. Regardless, Jamey Carroll is following a distinguished group of lodge brothers that includes Mike Rouse, Ramon Vazquez, Jose Hernandez and Lou Merloni.
For a change, not all eyes in the Tribe executive corps are following the progress of the backup infielders in camp. Carroll came to spring training with a secure roster spot after being traded from the Colorado Rockies for a player to be named.
The Indians organization is Carroll's fourth, and he has played in the big leagues for the Montreal Expos, Washington Nationals and Rockies. At 34, he has been around the block more than once, so he was not surprised when the Rockies sent him packing.


'



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[osugrad21]

ABJ

Lee strengthens rotation bid Lefty harnesses Tigers for 4 scoreless innings. Sizemore hammers 2
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008
WINTER HAVEN, FLA.: If there's an early leader in the race to become the Indians' No. 5 starter, it's the left-hander who started in a 4-2, 10-inning loss to the Tigers on Tuesday at Chain O'Lakes Park.
Cliff Lee turned in four scoreless innings, giving up three hits (one a bunt) and one walk while striking out five.
''Cliff was better from inning to inning,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ''He did a much better job with his fastball. Because of that, his secondary pitches were better.


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[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Indians' Cliff Lee shuts down Tigers, and bad 2007 memories


Wednesday, March 12, 2008Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Rreporter
Winter Haven, Fla.- Cliff Lee was polite, but firm. He no longer wants to talk about last season.
He threw three scoreless innings Tuesday against Detroit. It was his best start of the spring and gives him the early lead for the No. 5 spot in the rotation.
"I actually made it through an inning," said Lee, referring to his last start, when he lasted two-thirds of the first inning.

A few minutes later, when the subject turned to last season, Lee told reporters, "I've been asked the same thing over and over again. It was a learning experience, a humbling experience. It's not what I expected. I never want to go through it again.
"That's the last time I want to talk about it. I want to move on. I want to move on and forget about last year. . . . Is that bad?"
It's easy to see why Lee wants to forget 2007. He missed spring training with an abdominal strain. He lost his job in the starting rotation, spent August in Class AAA Buffalo and didn't made the Indians' postseason roster.




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[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Indians' Grady Sizemore, Detroit's Curtis Granderson among baseball's best


Wednesday, March 12, 2008Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Winter Haven, Fla.- It's not Willie, Mickey and the Duke, but Grady and Grandy has a nice ring to it.
Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snyder played center field in New York at the same time from 1951 to 1957.
It was such a treat, and so unusual, that they wrote a song about it long after the trio had retired.

It's unlikely anyone will sing about Grady Sizemore and Curtis Granderson, but stranger things have happened. They don't play in the same city, but they do play in the same division and, my goodness, how they play center field.




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[osugrad21]

Canton

After spending time in the minors last season, Tribe's Cliff Lee knows it's time for adjustments
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
By Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. Call Cliff Lee any name you would like. Just don't call him dumb.

"The more hitters see you, the more they get a sense of what you're going to try to do to them," the 29-year-old left-hander said. "I'd be dumb not to make adjustments to counter that. The guys who are successful are the ones who make adjustments the quickest, and make the right adjustments."

If Lee can quickly incorporate the right adjustments during spring training, he could break camp as Cleveland's No. 5 starting pitcher. He has been thrown into a three-way competition for that spot this spring with fellow left-handers Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Sowers.

Lee may win the job by default. Laffey and Sowers have not exactly set the world on fire during the first half of spring training. Lee, meanwhile, worked three scoreless innings during Tuesday's 4-2 loss to Detroit at Chain of Lakes Park.

The Tigers had loaded the bases with two out in the second inning when leadoff hitter Curtis Granderson came to bat. They battled to a 2-2 count, then Granderson fouled off three pitches. The next delivery was a slider that dropped over the plate for a called third strike.


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[osugrad21]

Canton

Grady Sizemore swings a big bat in Indians' exhibition game
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
BY Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. Grady Sizemore, never one to get caught up in emotion, isn't going to become overjoyed at the results of any spring training game.

Still, Sizemore had to be encouraged Tuesday. He clubbed home runs in both of his first two at-bats during a 4-2, 10-inning loss to Detroit at Chain of Lakes Park.

"I wish I could do that every day," Sizemore said with a grin. "It's still early, but I feel all right. The hardest thing for everybody right now is timing. It's just a matter of getting my 40 or 50 at-bats in down here."

The first and second homers of the spring for Cleveland's center fielder both came off Tigers right-hander Yorman Bazardo. The first cleared the fence in left-center, the second in right-center. Sizemore struck out in his other at-bat, leaving his spring average at .500 (7-for-14).

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Spring spotlight: Cliff Lee

Wednesday, March 12, 2008 3:00 AM

Dispatch reporter Scott Priestle is in Florida, splitting time between Reds and Indians spring training camps. Today he brings you ...
Cliff Lee

Indians pitcher

Age: 29
Major-league experience: four years, 100 days
Last season: Went 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA, was demoted to triple-A, then returned and pitched out of the bullpen
This season: Competing for the final spot in the rotation

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Barfield banking on bouncing back
Second baseman working hard to reclaim starting spot

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- The general populace was counting out Josh Barfield's favorite NBA team, the Houston Rockets, when Yao Ming's season ended with a fractured foot. The thinking was that the Rockets were done without their star center.

All they've done since Ming's injury is go 6-0, extending their winning streak to 18 games.
So to those who took the gloom and doom declarations as gospel, Barfield has a piece of advice. "You should have asked me," he said with a big smile. "I knew we weren't done."

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Five reassigned in first round of cuts
Miller, Aubrey among those sent to Minor League camp


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Adam Miller's blister finally healed, but not quickly enough for the Tribe's top pitching prospect to remain in big league camp. Miller was one of five players who got the axe in Monday's first round of cuts. Miller and left-hander Reid Santos were optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, while first basemen Mike Aubrey and Scott Lewis were optioned to Double-A Akron. Left-hander Chuck Lofgren, who is not on the 40-man roster, was reassigned to Minor League camp and is expected to open the season in Akron as well.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Indians reveal Opening Day plans
Club to unveil '07 AL Central pennant as part of festivities

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- If the Indians actually play their home opener on the date it's scheduled, and without the use of snow shovels or plows, it will be considered pretty special.

But the club has some other special festivities lined up for Opening Day 2008.
Before the Indians begin their quest to repeat as American League Central Division champs with a 3:05 p.m. ET game against the White Sox on March 31 at Progressive Field, the team will trot out its usual dose of pomp and circumstance. The pageantry begins when 200 Progressive employees usher in the ballpark's new-name era by unveiling a 350-feet-by-150-feet American flag. The Tribe will also unveil its '07 AL Central championship pennant.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Indians address Salcedo rumors
Assistant GM of scouting says club has not signed prospect

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Edward Salcedo has taken on near-mythical status on the Internet in recent months.

Some reports are calling the Dominican teenager a five-tool shortstop who could be the next Alex Rodriguez. Others say he's not worthy of such hype.
The Indians have been right in the middle of all this speculation. Several reports have claimed the Tribe has already signed Salcedo, who turned 16 before July 2, 2007, and is therefore eligible to latch on with a Major League club. El Caribe, a newspaper in the Dominican, reported last month that Salcedo had signed with the Tribe for $2.9 million and is only a physical away from sealing the deal. It is normally not the Indians' policy to comment on such matters until things are finalized. But given the rampant attention the Salcedo situation has received, John Mirabelli, the club's assistant general manager in charge of scouting, felt it necessary to publicly comment on the matter Tuesday.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Small towns suit Elarton just fine
Veteran righty trying to earn final spot in Tribe's bullpen

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- You won't find Scott Elarton complaining about having Spring Training in Winter Haven.

While many of his teammates stay up to an hour away from Chain of Lakes Park, simply to be close to the big-city options afforded by Orlando or Tampa, Elarton is quite happy here. Well, actually, the 32-year-old Elarton, a non-roster invitee to Indians camp who is trying to make the club as a reliever, does have one complaint about this town of about 28,000 people.

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[osugrad21]

ABJ

Tribe shows Lara compassion Player hurt in car wreck will continue to receive his entire baseball salary
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Thursday, Mar 13, 2008
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA.: Juan Lara, who was seriously injured in a car accident last fall in the Dominican Republic, has been removed from the Indians' 40-man roster but will receive a salary as a minor-leaguer.
At some point, the Tribe will need the roster spot but felt obligated to see Lara's recovery through to a conclusion. Consequently, he was released and passed through waivers, at which point he was signed to a minor-league contract for the same salary he would have received earlier.
''I think these are unique circumstances,'' Assistant General Manager Chris Antonetti said. ''But it's the right thing to do for Juan. He's been in our organization a long time.''


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