Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

[buckeyemania11]

way to go Betancourt..........

nice to see that the bullpen hasent changed, even without borowski they still are getting lit up

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Indians lose it before it's over Game finished for Tribe even before Mariners' five-run ninth
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Wednesday, Apr 30, 2008
CLEVELAND: Some games are over before they are over, with apologies to Yogi Berra.
The Indians' 7-2 loss to the Mariners on Tuesday night ended in the fifth inning, when luckless Fausto Carmona gave up his second run, putting the Tribe hopelessly behind.
The 2-1 deficit was far too large for the outmanned hometown offense to overcome, even though on this night, with a heroic effort in the eighth inning, the Indians mustered up the blood- and-guts effort to score a second run and tie the score.
It was a typical 2008 Tribe rally. To wit: a walk to Grady Sizemore, David Dellucci's single, sending Sizemore to third, and Travis Hafner's weak RBI bouncer to the first baseman that left a runner on second with only one out.
Even with a runner in scoring position, a second run in the same inning was utterly out of the question. Not even Victor Martinez, the club's only hitter with a clue these days, was able to drive in Dellucci, as the inning ended with Martinez's pop fly to short and Jhonny Peralta's strikeout.
''It wasn't a very good night,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ''We never got anything going offensively. A pitcher goes out there for 62/3 innings and gives up a couple of runs; those are games we have to win.''
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Borowski throwing, feels good Published on Wednesday, Apr 30, 2008
CLEVELAND: Joe Borowski (strained triceps) is two days into his throwing program, playing catch from 75 feet.
He will take today off and throw again on Thursday and Friday. By early next week, he should be up to 120 feet.
''I should be throwing off the mound in a week,'' Borowski said. ''I feel good right now. I feel normal.''
Taking a break
Ryan Garko was given the night off, with Casey Blake taking his place at first and Andy Marte taking Blake's usual spot at third.
Garko's batting average has fallen to .223, and he is hitless in his past 23 at-bats. The team's hitting slump involves more than one batter, however.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD
Adrian Beltre's homer lifts Seattle Mariners over Cleveland Indians


Wednesday, April 30, 2008Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Call off the search parties. Leash the hounds. Craig Breslow and Tom Mastny have been found.
What with the lack of offense and Rafael Betancourt's ninth-inning failure Tuesday night at Progressive Field, manager Eric Wedge had little choice but to use two pitchers he'd apparently forgotten about. Breslow and Mastny, each pitching for the first time in 13 days, were called upon to wrestle the ninth into submission.
When it was over, Breslow and Mastny were slightly bruised and the Indians were a 7-2 loser to Seattle. The Indians are working on their fourth three-game los ing streak in April.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Wedge shakes up lineup, but hitters don't come through

Wedge's moves don't produce offense

Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Joe Maxse

Plain Dealer Reporter
It was an opportunity to shake up the lineup. Instead, the Indians had to settle for more of the same when it came to offense on Tuesday night at Progressive Field.
The Tribe, second to last in the American League hitting standings, could not come through with any consistency, or at least when it counted, as the Indians fell in ninth-inning fashion to the Seattle Mariners, 7-2.
After scoring only two runs on a combined 12 hits in a pair of losses to the New York Yankees, manager Eric Wedge decided to give his club a different look. For one, he had Grady Sizemore back in center field and hitting lead-off after missing two games with a sprained right ankle.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Indians' Travis Hafner's downswing at the plate a mystery


Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Travis Hafner says he's never felt better physically in his career than he does right now. If that is the case, then what is the explanation for the downward turn in his offensive numbers that began last May and continues to this day?
In his first three seasons with the Indians, based on research done by Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff, Hafner's annual stats read like this -- .308 (146-for-474), 34 homers, 111 RBI, 82 walks and 115 strikeouts -- from 2004 through 2006.
Hafner averaged a homer in every 13.8 at-bats, a double in every 12.5 at-bats and an RBI in every 4.3 at-bats in those three years. That performance, and Hafner's impending free agency, were the basis for the Indians signing him to a six-year, $65 million extension at the All-Star break last year.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Indians' offense still in deep slumber during loss to Mariners
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
BY Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

CLEVELAND Travis Hafner says he is sure things are going to turn around any day now.

The other 13,827 who watched Tuesday night's game in person may respectfully disagree.

Cleveland's batting order looked pale, weak and sickly again during a 7-2 loss to Seattle at Progressive Field.

The Indians have scored four runs or fewer five times in the last six games.

"We'll get this thing turned around," said Hafner, the No. 3 hitter who was 0-for-4 Tuesday and 7-for-51 (.137) in his last 14 games.

"We go through streaks where we swing the bats really well for a few games, then go cold for a few games. We need to be more consistent. That's what baseball is all about. You have to stay positive. If you don't, it's going to pile up on you."

Grady Sizemore, David Dellucci and Franklin Gutierrez accounted for seven of the Indians' eight hits. The other six batters were a combined 1-for-23 (.043).
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Indians notebook: Hafner is looking for answers
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
By Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

CLEVELAND Travis Hafner used to take the game home with him. He no longer does so as often, much to the relief of his wife and dog.

"I guess it's a matter of maturity," Cleveland's struggling designated hitter said. "When I was younger, I'd think about baseball all the time. It'd drive me nuts. Now ... I mean, you're going to think about it some. But you need to enjoy life, watch some movies, have a life away from the park."

Life at the park isn't so hot right now for Hafner. He was batting .219 through Monday with a .354 slugging percentage and .313 on-base percentage. He was 7-for-47 (.149) during the last 13 games.

All Hafner can do is continue try to work out of it. He continues to follow his routine before and during games, roughly 200 swings per day.

Hafner said the sore shoulder that bothered him during spring training is fine. Consistency is what's missing.

"I've taken some good swings and had some good at-bats," Hafner said. "I've also rolled over some balls and had some inconsistent at-bats."
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Indians notebook: Grady Sizemore sits another game as precaution
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
BY Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

CLEVELAND Maybe Grady Sizemore was just too fast for his own good.

Cleveland's star center fielder was out of the starting lineup for the second consecutive day Monday after having twisted his right ankle during Saturday's win over New York. Sizemore said he was injured when he tried to stop on the bag at second base while contemplating a sprint for third following David Dellucci's single to right.

"I thought (Yankees right fielder) Bobby Abreu might bobble it or something," Sizemore said. "I stopped on top of the bag and turned back. I rolled it pretty good."

ESPN analyst Orel Hershiser, among a crowd gathered around Sizemore's locker Monday afternoon, remarked, "That's what you get for being good."

Cont...

 

[CincyBuck88]

Hafner has not produced for 1 1/2 seasons. He needs to sit for a while or drop him down in the lineup. Garko is not producing right now either which makes things worse. Bottom line is we are stuck with what we have and other teams know it.

Hafner is a dead spot in the lineup, and Wedge continues to hit him #3. Our DH, the guy we pay to hit, hasn't done it in a long time, he needs to be dropped in the lineup.

Even if we drop him it doesn't really matter, this team is in trouble. The only consistent bright spot has been the rotation. Considering their performance, our 12-15 record is embarrassing.

 

[buckeyemania11]

Hafner is a dead spot in the lineup, and Wedge continues to hit him #3. Our DH, the guy we pay to hit, hasn't done it in a long time, he needs to be dropped in the lineup.

Even if we drop him it doesn't really matter, this team is in trouble. The only consistent bright spot has been the rotation. Considering their performance, our 12-15 record is embarrassing.

yep looks like Hafner is done, it seems like he is scared to swing the bat now for some reason.

 

[NFBuck]

In all honesty, at this point, I'll be shocked if this team wins 75 games. They're streaky, and may still rattle of some winning streaks, but the lineup has way too many holes and the bullpen is too average to really compete. It's a damn shame because that's one of the best rotations in baseball.Few bats, mediocre bullpen. Barring a major turnaround offensively, I hope Shapiro has the common sense to listen to deals for C.C. to get some decent young bats in here. I hate seeing Pronk become so useless, he's been one of my favorite Indians, but he's barely a shell of his former self. Also, if Borowski walks out to that mound again, I'm tuning out because that means they aren't even trying any more.

 

[buckeyemania11]

another thing

There is NO REASON that Marte should still be on the roster, he has never shown any signs that he is going to be able to hit at the MLB level it is time to give another minor leaguer a chance on the roster

 

[NFBuck]

another thing

There is NO REASON that Marte should still be on the roster, he has never shown any signs that he is going to be able to hit at the MLB level it is time to give another minor leaguer a chance on the roster

Yep, but the front office is too damn stubborn to admit mistakes. Shapiro does a nice job locking up the talent that he has, but sucks at finding it, and is too bullheaded to give up on somebody that just isn't gonna pan out. He's probably too afraid of dealing away another Brandon Phillips.

 

[buckeyemania11]

Yep, but the front office is too damn stubborn to admit mistakes. Shapiro does a nice job locking up the talent that he has, but sucks at finding it, and is too bullheaded to give up on somebody that just isn't gonna pan out. He's probably too afraid of dealing away another Brandon Phillips.

exactly, I dont think Marte has Brandon Phillips potential though Marte has had chances at the MLB level and has sucked it up completly every time.

letting Brian Barton go was a smooth move though since David Dellucci and Jason Michaels are such studs in the OF