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Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

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ABJ

Lee's strange day still pleases Wedge Starter gives up six runs; five-run second inning helps Phillies win 6-4
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Tuesday, Mar 18, 2008
CLEARWATER, FLA.: It was a strange afternoon for Cliff Lee. Just ask him.
''Every inning it seemed like there was something weird going on,'' said Lee, who started in the Indians' 6-4 loss Monday to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Lee worked four innings and gave up six runs on 11 hits, walking one and striking out two.


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CPD

Masa Kobayashi gets comfortable as new Cleveland Indians reliever


Tuesday, March 18, 2008Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Clearwater, Fla.- It's good to see Masa Kobayashi is sticking to his routine. Ballplayers need them.
When Kobayashi talked to reporters in spring training for the first time, the Japanese right-hander said his biggest surprise about the United States was the Wal-Mart he discovered in Winter Haven, Fla. He'd never seen anything that big in Japan.
Kobayashi said that in mid-February. It's mid-March and he still feels the same.
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"He's a Gold Club member," said Toshi Nagahara, Kobayashi's trainer/interpreter. "He goes there almost every day. He buys meat, fish and vegetables. He does his own cooking."
On the mound, Kobayashi's routine keeps producing better results. He pitched a scoreless fifth inning Monday in the Indians' 6-4 Grapefruit League loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. After walking Pat Burrell, he retired the next three batters.
Kobayashi worked a 1-2-3 sixth inning Sunday against the New York Yankees. It's the first time he's pitched on consecutive days this spring.
"Sunday was his best outing because he kept the ball down," said pitching coach Carl Willis. "He was up today against Burrell. I thought he made an adjustment and got the ball down.




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Dispatch

Word from Indians camp

Tuesday, March 18, 2008 3:05 AM

HOME FIELD: CHAIN OF LAKES PARK, WINTER HAVEN, FLA.
WEB SITE: WWW.INDIANS.COM

Yesterday's game: Lost to Philadelphia 6-4. Cliff Lee allowed 11 hits and six runs in four innings. Rafael Betancourt struck out the side in the sixth inning and Jorge Julio struck out four batters in the seventh; one of the four reached base via a wild pitch on strike three.

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ABJ

Wedge rejects ALCS collapse as rallying cry Concentrating on disappointment too negative for manager's tastes
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008
WINTER HAVEN, FLA.: Northeast Ohio fans still feel pangs of disappointment when they recall the painful end to the American League Championship Series last October.
The Indians were leading the heavily favored Boston Red Sox three games to one to put them a single victory away from an appearance in the World Series against the Colorado Rockies. With C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona scheduled to start the final two games, it was all but assured the Tribe was headed for a meeting with the overmatched Rockies.


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CPD

Cleveland Indians position races continue with favorites leading


Wednesday, March 19, 2008Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Winter Haven, Fla. -- The Indians break camp in nine days and open the regular season in 13 against Chicago at Progressive Field. A quiet off-season has been followed by a quiet spring training.
The 25-man roster was almost set when the team gathered in mid-February at Chain of Lakes Park. Through 34 days and 21 Grapefruit League games, there has been some good and bad. The main competition for jobs has been for the fifth spot in the starting rotation, the seventh spot in the bullpen and the second utility infielder's job.
A winner has not been named in any of the races.
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Cliff Lee, if he stays healthy, should win the last spot in the rotation over Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Sowers. Lee has won 54 games in the big leagues. Laffey and Sowers have won 12 between them. It's hard to imagine the Indians sending Lee to Class AAA Buffalo when they're paying him $3.75 million this year. Especially since Laffey and Sowers haven't pitched that well.




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Canton

New country, new team for Indians' Kobayashi
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
By Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

CLEARWATER, Fla. Masa Kobayashi's glove has two names stitched in gold near the wrist, Michiko and Miu. They are his wife and 8-year-old daughter, two of the very few familiar things Kobayashi can find in his new workplace.

"My teammates have all been super nice," Kobayashi said Monday through interpreter Toshi Nagahara after pitching a scoreless fifth inning during Cleveland's 6-4 spring training loss to Philadelphia.

"That makes it easier for me to make adjustments and enjoy the environment," Kobayashi said. "Everything here is new to me. There are many things I've never experienced before."


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Canton

Tribe pitcher Jake Westbrook's goal for 2008 is consistency
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
By Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. Jake Westbrook doesn't hesitate when asked to specify the No. 1 priority in his job description.

"As starting pitchers, we all strive for consistency," Westbrook said. "If you go deep into games and keep it close, with the offense we have, you'll win games."

Consistency is exactly what Westbrook has given the Indians during his five years in the big leagues, and exactly what Manager Eric Wedge appreciates most about his veteran right-hander.

"When you talk about Jake, consistency is what comes to mind," Wedge said.

"He's very consistent in his work habits, in his performance and in how he carries himself."


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Dispatch
Reds, Indians are bullish on their stock in bullpens

Wednesday, March 19, 2008 3:14 AM
By Scott Priestle


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
How the bullpens shape up

The Indians bullpen is mostly intact from last season. Roles are subject to change as the season unfolds, but for now stability reigns.
A few hours away in Reds camp, there are more than a half-dozen pitchers competing for spots and the pieces could be aligned multiple ways. Here is an educated guess:

INDIANS

CLOSER

Joe Borowski
SETUP MEN

Rafael Betancourt, Rafael Perez, Jensen Lewis
MIDDLE RELIEF

Masa Kobayashi, Aaron Fultz, Tom Mastny
IN THE WINGS

Jorge Julio, Edward Mujica, Adam Miller, Brian Slocum, Matt Ginter, Rick Bauer


WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- The only constant in the Indians bullpen the past four years has been Rafael Betancourt tugging on his hat and taking his time between pitches. His role has changed multiple times, his teammates have changed, and most important, the results have changed.

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ABJ
Dellucci optimistic about sore arm Overwork may be factor; he's put in extra effort after last year's surgery
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Thursday, Mar 20, 2008
WINTER HAVEN, Fla.: It might only be the slightest of injuries. That's what David Dellucci thinks.
He plans to be on the field today, same as he has all spring with the exception of Tuesday and Wednesday.
And as he said, Tuesday was an off day, and he wasn't scheduled to make the trip with the team to Port St. Lucie for the game Wednesday between the Indians and New York Mets.


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CPD

Cleveland Indians former No. 1 pick Brad Snyder makes slow climb to big show


Thursday, March 20, 2008Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Port St. Lucie, Fla.- There are small steps in every walk of life. The Who, for instance, was once the warm-up act for Herman's Hermits.
This is the third big-league camp Brad Snyder has been to with the Indians. The first one literally went by in a blur. Snyder, the Tribe's No. 1 pick in 2003, came to camp in 2004 with an infection in his corneas. An outfielder with cloudy vision is in trouble.
Snyder returned to Chain of Lakes Park in 2007. He didn't hit and was dispatched to the minors in the first roster cut.
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This spring Snyder has made it through three rosters cuts. He might not get past today's expected roster reduction, but he's making progress.
"It's better than last spring for sure," Snyder said.
Snyder is hitting .194 (7-for-36) with two homers and three RBI.
"I'd like to be hitting the ball more consistently right now," he said. "I'm just happy to be getting at-bats and happy to be still with the team."
Making contact has been Snyder's problem in his five years with the organization. He struck out 158 times in 523 at-bats at Class AA Akron in 2006. He still managed to hit .270 with 18 homers and 72 RBI in 135 games.

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CPD

Cleveland Indians' David Dellucci has sore left forearm


Thursday, March 20, 2008Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Port St. Lucie, Fla.- David Dellucci's surgically repaired left hamstring hasn't given him any problems in spring straining. A sore left forearm has.
Dellucci used Tuesday's off day and Wednesday to rest the forearm. He was not scheduled to play Wednesday against the Mets.
He says he strained the forearm through overwork.
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"A lot of extra hitting, a lot throwing, a lot of lifting, a lot of everything," said Dellucci, before the Indians left Chain of Lakes Park for Port St. Lucie. "It's nothing that concerns me. It's spring training. This is what we do. We practice in the morning and play games in the afternoon."
Dellucci is hitting .129 (4-for-31) with one homer and one RBI. He's struck out five times and walked four times.
What lesson has Dellucci learned?
"More is not better," he said. "It's hurt my swing a little bit. Anytime you have soreness in your hands or arms, it's going to affect your swing."
Dellucci, who played only 56 games last year because of his hamstring injury, says he's close to being ready for the season.




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Canton

Indians' David Dellucci recovering, hurting in other areas
[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Indians notebook[/FONT]
Thursday, March 20, 2008
BY Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. The good news is David Dellucci's surgically repaired left hamstring appears to be fine.

Unfortunately for Dellucci, he has rarely been able to enjoy a day without a downside since coming to Cleveland.

The 34-year-old outfielder confirmed Wednesday he has been battling soreness in his left forearm and wrist. Manager Eric Wedge said the source of that soreness has yet to be determined, but it has been a factor in what has been a difficult spring for Dellucci ? a .129 average (4-for-31) so far.

Dellucci did not make the trip to Port St. Lucie with the Indians on Wednesday, but he was not on the original travel roster for that game.

"I think it's just come from overwork," Dellucci said. "I've been doing a lot of extra hitting and lifting. More is not better. But it's nothing that concerns me."

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Canton

Tribe's Fausto Carmona has work to do if he wants to repeat 2007
Thursday, March 20, 2008
BY Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. No discussion of Fausto Carmona's professional baseball career is complete without some mention of the midges.

"You know, he picked about 35 dead ones off him when he came off the field that night ? all from the shoulder up," Indians Manager Eric Wedge recalled recently. "He's competitive. He doesn't give in to a fight."

Carmona's improbable 19-victory season certainly was memorable enough, but perhaps its defining moment came during Game 2 of the Division Series against New York.

When a fresh hatch of the pesky insects descended on Jacobs Field, and especially on the bodies of the opposing pitchers, Carmona persevered while Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain faltered. The Indians scored the tying run off the unnerved Chamberlain in the eighth inning. Carmona pitched through the ninth, allowing just three hits. Cleveland went on to a 2-1, 11-inning victory.

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Dispatch

Word from Indians camp

Friday, March 21, 2008 3:10 AM

HOME FIELD: CHAIN OF LAKES PARK, WINTER HAVEN, FLA. WEB SITE: WWW.INDIANS.COM


Yesterday's game: Played to 4-4 tie with Tampa Bay in 10 innings. Paul Byrd allowed eight hits and four earned runs in six innings. Scott Elarton pitched two innings of scoreless relief. Andy Marte went 0 for 3, lowering his batting average to .195.

Continued....
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