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Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

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Dispatch

Rob Oller commentary: Indians don't want surprises, but baseball consistently has them

Tuesday, April 1, 2008 3:20 AM
By Rob Oller


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


CLEVELAND -- Baseball tethers itself to the inning, not the clock. In that regard, it remains timeless. The game's enduring nature seeps into the cracks and crevices of everything from home run fireworks to the lonely walk of a pitcher from earthy mound to spit-stained dugout. It is a sport that moves at the speed of familiarity.
Included in this comfort is opening day, which still plays out pretty much the way it did 60 years ago, when the 1948 Cleveland Indians took the field in search of their first World Series title in 28 seasons.



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3074326;1129078; said:
I just bought box seats right behind home plate for tomorrow's game. :biggrin:

I wouldn't mind seeing another high-scoring game. As long as we win, of course!
Click to expand...
The way Westbrook has been pitching in Spring training you might see a no-hitter... well maybe a one-hitter:biggrin:
 
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ABJ

On Opening Day, Gutierrez shows he's one humble hero Right fielder equals career-high with 3 hits in 3 at-bats, helps load bases for Casey Blake's big hit
By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Wednesday, Apr 02, 2008
CLEVELAND: Just about everyone else had abandoned the Indians' clubhouse late Monday night by the time Franklin Gutierrez finally made his way to his Progressive Field locker after his usual postgame workout.
''Are you guys waiting for me?'' an unassuming Gutierrez asked a handful of reporters who remained clustered near his locker.
Unaware of what all the fuss was about, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound right fielder was even more surprised to hear that teammate Casey Blake had called him the hero of the Tribe's 10-8 season-opening victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Blake hit the three-run double that proved to be the game-winner, but the veteran third baseman quickly deferred all attention to Gutierrez.
''The player of the game should be Franklin Gutierrez,'' Blake said. ''He was outstanding for us.''



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ABJ
Borowski stays true to form Tribe reliever gets his first save of season in typical fashion in victory over White Sox
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Wednesday, Apr 02, 2008

Joe Borowski often keeps fans on the edge of their seats when he walks to the mound in the ninth inning to protect a lead.
One thing he doesn't do is lead the fans on. Nor does he pretend to be something he's not. Borowski gave up a home run and walked a batter Monday, but he earned the save in the Indians' 10-8 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
''If I got them out 1-2-3, I'd be giving people false hopes,'' he deadpanned. ''This is what I do all the time.''
Manager Eric Wedge defends Borowski when he says, ''Saving games is a bottom-line job. Either you do it or you don't; it doesn't matter how.''
Last year, Borowski led the league with 46 saves in 54 opportunities. But this is a new season, and Borowski isn't counting on anything. He is glad to have his first challenge out of the way.



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CPD

Carmona takes a second
Wednesday, April 02, 2008Joe Maxse
Plain Dealer Reporter
While their first ace did not come up with the winning hand Monday, the Indians' 10-8 Opening Day success against the White Sox was no reason to shun C.C. Sabathia. While he did not benefit from an early 7-2 lead to notch the W, Sabathia will have plenty of opportunities to live up to his Cy Young Award status.
In tonight's second game of the series, the Indians will go with their other 19-game winner in Fausto Carmona. No one enjoyed a better turnaround season in 2007 than Carmona, who went from a 1-10 mark two years ago to 19-8 last year.
It also means the 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic has become a well-known commodity on the mound and will not be sneaking up on anyone.
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"No, there's no need to put any more pressure on myself," said Carmona, using coach Luis Rivera as interpreter. "The batters learned about me, but I learned about the hitters, too."
Sounds simple enough. But after throwing 215 innings during the regular season, plus another 15 innings during three postseason starts, the Indians wanted to make a few changes as well.
As the youngest Tribe player to pitch 200 innings since Dennis Eckersley in 1977, Carmona was ordered to sit out playing winter ball. It was the first time he went home to Santo Domingo and stayed off the mound.




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CPD



Martinez has mild strain, return status day to day


Wednesday, April 02, 2008
The Indians did not have anything new to report about the injury status of catcher Victor Martinez. On the off day, the club released a statement that put Martinez's left hamstring as a mild strain and said his return would be day to day.
No roster move was anticipated.
However, manager Eric Wedge will have to make some moves when it comes to the lineup until his cleanup hitter gets back - and they depend on if his club is facing a left-hander or a right-hander.
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When Martinez went out last year after injuring his right quad, Wedge used Ryan Garko (four times), David Dellucci (once) and Casey Blake (once) in the cleanup spot. He kept Travis Hafner in the No. 3 spot, and Kelly Shoppach, Martinez's replacement, batted ninth.
That doesn't look to be the case this time.
Garko could get the call to move up to the No. 4 spot, but after that it's anybody's guess. Second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera, the left-field platooning duo of Jason Michaels and Dellucci, and Blake could move to numerous slots.
Only the manager knows for sure.




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Canton

Tribe lists Victor Martinez as day-to-day
[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Hamstring injury isn't serious[/FONT]
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
BY Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

CLEVELAND The Indians were perhaps able to breathe a small, quiet sigh of relief Tuesday.

An MRI examination of catcher Victor Martinez's left hamstring revealed only a mild strain. The club said in a statement that Martinez will remain day-to-day, and no roster move to replace him is being considered.

Martinez was injured while trying to advance from first base to second on a pitch in the dirt by Chicago's Nick Masset during the second inning of Monday's 10-8 Opening Day victory over the White Sox. It appeared Martinez may have caught a spike in the infield while running. He rolled awkwardly in the dirt short of second base and was tagged out to end the inning.

After lying face down for a few seconds, Martinez got to his feet and walked off the field, accompanied by head trainer Lonnie Soloff. Backup catcher Kelly Shoppach played the rest of the game.

The two-time All-Star was 2-for-2 with an RBI before his injury. Both hits came during the second inning.

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Dispatch

Carmona's pitches sink, not his outlook

Wednesday, April 2, 2008 3:06 AM
By Rob Oller


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
0402_carmona_mug_04-02-08_C4_0D9QEH5.jpg
Fausto Carmona


CLEVELAND -- Nick Swisher suggests that any story featuring Indians pitcher Fausto Carmona could save space on the sports page by printing two sentences from the Chicago White Sox left fielder: "He throws 98 mph with sink. What more needs to be said?" Apparently nothing, which is saying something, considering Swisher is no timid talker. That Carmona can leave the former Ohio State slugger speechless says a lot.
But since there is more space to fill ?
Carmona takes the mound tonight against the White Sox in his first start of 2008, an outing that carries with it plenty of intrigue because of the way last season ended. The Indians needed the young sinkerballer to win Game 6 of the American League Championship Series against Boston. Instead, Carmona failed to get anybody out in the third inning, allowing seven runs on six hits and four walks. Cleveland lost the game 12-2 and lost the series the next day.
The 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic is confident that he has put the negatives behind him.



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Had a lot of fun at tonight's game. I did not dress for cold weather, however. I've never been that cold in my life.

Carmona looked sharp, and we scored seven runs. I'll take it. :biggrin:

Random question, but why is Nick Swisher the leadoff hitter for the White Sox?!?!
 
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ABJ

Crowe keeps positive attitude Tribe outfield prospect happy to learn all he can while he's in Double-A
By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Thursday, Apr 03, 2008
There was no sulking. No avoiding certain people. No hanging his head as he made his way into the familiar home clubhouse at Canal Park.
If Indians outfield prospect Trevor Crowe was unhappy to be preparing to start his second season with the Double-A Aeros this week, he wasn't letting on.
''I'm happy with where I'm at right now,'' said the Tribe's No. 1 pick (14th overall) in the 2005 draft out of the University of Arizona. ''I came out of spring training healthy and I had a very good camp. I feel like as long as you're not in the big leagues, it doesn't matter (where you are).''
Other players in similar situations would be wise to follow Crowe's example on how to handle the inevitable failure that seemingly awaits everyone at some point in life.
Eventually, many learn that having a bad attitude only exacerbates the struggle.



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