Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

[osugrad21]

CPD

The Boston Red Sox's Manny Ramirez continues the Cleveland Indians' nightmare, says The Plain Dealer's Bill Livingston


Tuesday, April 15, 2008Bill Livingston
Plain Dealer Columnist
When Ted Williams hit a home run in his last at- bat in a Red Sox uniform, he headed to Cooperstown, N.Y., for enshrinement. With his pen, writer John Updike remembered how he said adieu.
When Manny Ramirez hit a home run in his last at-bat in an Indians uniform, he headed to Boston for enrichment. With their lungs, Cleveland fans remembered how he left and said "Boo."
In the top of the ninth inning Monday night at Progressive Field, Ramirez hit a mammoth, 412-foot, two-run home run into the left-field bleachers, giving Boston a 6-4 victory. It bored through the squall of derision with which he had been greeted all game. Fans quickly turned their wrath on struggling closer Joe Borowski, whom you may now, with a nod to "Major League," call the real Joe Boo.




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[osugrad21]

CPD

Tribe great Grant living game's history


Tuesday, April 15, 2008Bill Lubinger
Plain Dealer Reporter
Jim "Mudcat" Grant broke into baseball with Cleveland in 1958 and pitched for the Indians through 1964. He went on to play for six other teams, winning 21 games and starring for the Minnesota Twins in the 1965 World Series, and as a member of the World Series champion Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971. (He wears a World Series ring on each hand.)
But it was his folksy, syrupy broadcasting style that entertained Tribe fans through some pretty miserable baseball in 1973-74.
Grant, 72, kindly pushed aside his breakfast Monday to visit a spell before addressing a gym full of students at Daniel E. Morgan School on Cleveland's East Side.

He was accompanied by former Major League pitchers Al Downing and J.R. Richard to promote his new book, "The Black Aces: Baseball's Only African-American Twenty-Game Winners."
(See theblackaces.com.)
What do you think Indians fans most remember about you?
Well, they've been tellin' me just about every day they remember the chin music that I used to always say. I mean, they always say, "Hey Mud, how 'bout a little chin music?"




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[osugrad21]

Canton

Is Joe Borowski's pitching problem physical?
[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Indians closers blows another one against Red Sox[/FONT]
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
BY Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

CLEVELAND Indians fans who have been begging for a new closer could get their wish as soon as today.

Joe Borowski said following Monday night's blown save during a 6-4 loss to Boston that he will meet with Manager Eric Wedge and the team's medical staff to help determine why he feels like he's "throwing through water."

"I feel the same ? (the ball) just doesn't seem to be coming out the same," Borowski said.

"It's strange. I can't put my finger on it. We'll go over some stuff and see what's going on, see if we can pinpoint it."

Wedge did not discount the possibility Borowski could be injured.

"We'll have to talk to him, see how he feels and go from there," Wedge said.

"The ball doesn't seem to be coming out of his hand the same. Joe also doesn't seem to have the same location he usually has."

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[osugrad21]

Canton

Tribe's Wedge isn't ready to panic yet
[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Manager recalls worrying too much about team's start during '06 season[/FONT]
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
BY Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

CLEVELAND The baseball season is entering its third week, not normally the juncture for full-blown panic.

Indians Manager Eric Wedge said he is doing his best not to become overly concerned about the play of his club. Cleveland was 5-7 entering Monday night's game against Boston. It could be worse, however. Wedge's answer came between discussions about Detroit (2-10) and Red Sox slugger David Ortiz (3-for-43).

"Everybody wants to get off to a good start," Wedge said. "But you've got to trust in the length of the season, your ability and the fact you've played 12 games and you've got 150 to go."

There are issues to be concerned about, of course. C.C. Sabathia and Paul Byrd have struggled, and Fausto Carmona has walked 17 in 16 innings. The bullpen Raffis ? Rafael Betancourt and Rafael Perez ? had allowed 15 hits in nine innings through Sunday. Almost half of the starting batting order (Casey Blake, Asdrubal Cabrera, Franklin Gutierrez and Jason Michaels) was hitting .210 or worse.

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[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Rob Oller commentary: Westbrook's hot start might ease chill of slumping Sabathia, Borowski

Tuesday, April 15, 2008 3:07 AM
By Rob Oller


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Chuck Crow The Plain Dealer
Jake Westbrook pitched a strong game for the Indians, but the Red Sox ralled against closer Joe Borowski and won 6-4.




CLEVELAND -- The Indians finally found a way to keep their starting pitchers from melting down. Pitch them in a freezer. Now, if they could just put Joe Borowski on ice.
In the turtleneck and thermal underwear weather of Progressive Field last night, Jake Westbrook picked up where Cliff Lee left off a day earlier by turning in a solid start in frigid temperatures, but Borowski blew it up with another blown save in a 6-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox.



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[Piney]

There bullpen won't get healthy and their starting pitching is much worse than people give it credit for.

Verlander is a good starter (would be the Indians 4th best starter)
Nate Robertson is a solid piece of crap.
Kenny Rogers is Paul Byrd.
Bonderman is solidily erratic.
Willis is just crap.

IF (and that is a really HUGE IF) Rodney and Zumaya get healthy, it makes thier bullpen considerably better (If they can actually regain their form after a year's worth of injuries).

Todd Jones may not have the best stuff, but he's a good closer. Oh wait... I mean Todd Jones IS Joe Borowski twin brother.

FIFY

 

[MD Buckeye]

(runs out of thread )

 

[exhawg]

Call me crazy, but what about grooming Miller for that role? It would be less stress on his arm and he has the stuff.

That's the first thing I thought and even had it in my post until I checked Buffalo's stats and found that Miller hasn't pitched yet this season.

 

[Piney]

Canton

Is Joe Borowski's pitching problem physical?
[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Indians closers blows another one against Red Sox[/FONT]
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
BY Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

CLEVELAND Indians fans who have been begging for a new closer could get their wish as soon as today.


Cont...

I didn't read this article earlier, but on some fantasy baseball websites they are giving people warning that Jo Bo might be heading to the DL. So we may all get our wish for a new closer. Or at least a trial run for some people to show that they are better.

 

[exhawg]

I didn't read this article earlier, but on some fantasy baseball websites they are giving people warning that Jo Bo might be heading to the DL. So we may all get our wish for a new closer. Or at least a trial run for some people to show that they are better.

DL might be the best thing for everyone. Maybe the Indians can find a good closer out of the guys they have and/or Joe gets healthy and returns to his train wreck way of saving games from a year ago.

 

[AKAK]

Done...

Cleveland Indians put Joe Borowski on disabled list, recall Tom Mastny from Class AAA - Cleveland Sports News – The Latest Breaking News, Game Recaps and Scores from The Plain Dealer

The Indians placed closer Joe Borowski on the disabled list today with a strained right triceps muscle. Borowski has failed to convert his last two save situations, failing in spectacular fashion both times.

Tom Mastny, one of the last relievers cut in spring training, was promoted from Class AAA Buffalo to take Borowski's spot on the roster.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

thank god....last night was terrible.....

 

[LitlBuck]

Well, Joe Blow being put on the DL certainly saved me a lot of dictation. Now the big question is who becomes the closer. Personally, I would not mind seeing Raffy B get the first shot. I know that he did not do that well a couple seasons ago but I think he gets the job almost by default this year. At least, he can strike people out even though he will give up an occasional homerun. At least we won't be singled to death and then have someone hit one out of the ballpark. With Raffy the game will be over fast one way or another:(.

I do not want that Asian import to be tried as a closer because of what I have seen of him he scares the hell out of me and I don't think we have anyone else in our bullpen who can just blow people away like RB can do on his good days.

Adam Miller is still on a extended spring training assignment down in Florida so heavens knows when he will be healthy enough to help in the major leagues. He has been so injury prone.

My big question is how could the Indians not see Joe B's velocity going down and if they did see it going down, which was reported, why the hell was he in the game last night. I sure hope Birdie comes through tonight and CC and Carmona get their acts together mighty fast or eyes see a third-place finish and diminishing attendance.

 

[Piney]

Tonight would be interesting if we are in a save situation. Rafy was used in 1+ last night and might not be available. Thankfully we have Paul Byrd going and thus the liklihood of being in a save situation in the first place is slim to none.

But going forward you have to use Rafy first. Maybe the asian guy is the next choice since he does have closing experience (and only after rafy fails). Sometimes guys just do better in the 9th inning compared to the 6th-8th. (or conversley... they do worse)

 

[Piney]

Just thought of something... alot of closers come from the starting pitching ranks. While Miller would be a good choice sending him on the Chamberlain/Papelbon route, he has just been injured too much in the past few years to risk that at this time.

So then you think Sowers or Laffey but they are soft tossing pitchers not really suited for closing (in the traditional role). So then I got to thinking. How about Scott Elarton??? Kinda like Jose Mesa where an old starter trying to regain life back into the majors.

Just a thought that popped into my head. But then again here is to hopping Betancourt can turn into a dominate closer.