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Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

ABJ

Carmona puts chill in Sox Right-hander's sinker grounds Chicago's batters
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Thursday, Apr 03, 2008
CLEVELAND: It was a by-the-form game for the Indians on Wednesday night at Progressive Field. Fausto Carmona throttled the enemy offense and Grady Sizemore triggered the Tribe attack. So it was a 7-2 win over the Chicago White Sox.
Just the way it's written in the Eric Wedge Manager's Manual, 2008 edition.
''Fausto threw a very strong ballgame,'' Wedge said. ''He was in command throughout. He was consistent and went right at them.''
Except for issuing four walks in seven innings, Carmona did an efficient job vanquishing the White Sox, allowing only four hits.
''I felt like I could throw my slider, fastball and change-up all
for strikes,'' Carmona said through his translator, first base coach Luis Rivera. ''The double plays showed me I was keeping the ball down.''



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ABJ

Sizemore takes over major-league streak... Published on Thursday, Apr 03, 2008

Sizemore takes over major-league streak

When Juan Pierre failed to answer the bell Monday for the Los Angeles Dodgers, his streak of 434 games played ended and gave the Indians' Grady Sizemore the longest active streak in the big leagues (360).
Does that mean manager Eric Wedge will refuse to rest Sizemore?
''We've done it every year,'' the manager said. ''There are always a couple of games he doesn't start, but he ends up getting in. If we don't need him, he won't play. If we do, he will.''
And what if Sizemore asked to play in a blowout?
Wedge shook his head no, adding: ''It's not about the streak for Grady. It's about him wanting to play.''


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ABJ

Martinez's strained hamstring better Catcher improves from injury suffered in opener. Warmer weather ahead on road trip should help
Published on Thursday, Apr 03, 2008

By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter


CLEVELAND: Announcing that Victor Martinez has only a ''mild hamstring'' strain doesn't mean he will back in his familiar crouch behind the plate today or Friday.
But he and Indians officials are hopeful.
''Victor felt better yesterday, and he felt better today,'' manager Eric Wedge said Wednesday.
Martinez sustained the injury in Monday's season opener, when he slid awkwardly into second base.
The team had an off-day Tuesday, and both Wedge and Martinez said they felt he would be well enough to participate on a limited basis Wednesday night, if necessary.
''I got a lot of treatment today, then I hit and threw,'' the catcher said.
''I also rode the bike. I don't know when I will be able to catch, but I think I could pinch hit tonight.''


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CPD

Cool stuff in the cold

Tribe triumphs as Carmona sinks the White Sox
Thursday, April 03, 2008Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Fausto Carmona put the ball on the ground, and Grady Size more and Asdrubal Cabrera drove it through the air from the top of the lineup Wednesday night at Progressive Field.
Carmona recorded 16 of his 21 outs on grounders, and Sizemore and Cabrera combined for five RBI as the Indians beat the Chicago White Sox, 7-2, for their second victory in as many games this season. Carmona, a pitcher of streaks, has won six straight going back to last season.
He allowed one run in seven innings on a 34-degree night that turned fingers and toes numb. The Indians turned three double plays in the first four innings to get Carmona out of trouble. Last year he induced 32 double-play grounders to tie for first place in the American League.
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"Fausto threw a strong game for us," said manager Eric Wedge. "He was in control throughout."


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CPD

Dellucci has his chance out in left



Thursday, April 03, 2008 Joe Maxse

Plain Dealer Reporter
Getting chilled to the bone for three hours and 31 minutes never felt so good.
David Dellucci played left field for the Indians on Wednesday night at Progressive Field and that's just where he wanted to be.
After having his 2007 season cut short because of a severely torn left hamstring, the wintry evening could not put a frost on his enthusiasm. It just served as an early Christmas present.
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"It's definitely going to be great to go out and play," said Dellucci, whose injury required surgery to remove a tendon behind the knee. "It's been a while . . . since June 19."
That's the forgettable night Dellucci got hurt running to first base in a game against Philadelphia. He managed to get three late-season at bats, but he was not close to being able to play the field.
While he would have liked to flash some speed, Dellucci had to settle for two walks and a run scored. After coaxing a walk in his first at-bat, he came around to score easily from second base on Grady Sizemore's two-run, bases-loaded single in the second inning.




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CPD

Martinez improves; Shoppach catches a start


Thursday, April 03, 2008
Catcher Victor Martinez's left hamstring was feeling so good before Wednesday night's frosty game against the Chi cago White Sox - the first-pitch temperature was 34 degrees - he said he might be able to pinch hit in the late innings.
The start, however, went to Kelly Shop pach, who believes in being ready.
"I came into the clubhouse. My name's in the lineup. That means go," said Shoppach.
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Shoppach replaced Martinez in Monday's season opener in the second inning. Martinez tried to advance to second on a pitch in the dirt, but his hamstring tightened about 10 feet from the bag and he hit the dirt.
"I tried to slow down, but I couldn't stop," said Martinez. "So I just fell."
Said manager Eric Wedge, "He may have saved himself by falling."
Martinez didn't know when he'd be able to catch again.




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CPD

Nothing much fazes Fausto



Thursday, April 03, 2008 Bill Livingston

Plain Dealer Columnist
As Asdrubal Cabrera stepped out of the dugout into the cold, brittle light of a Cleveland spring in batting practice, manager Eric Wedge said: "Just like home, huh?"
"Yes, just like Venezuela," said Cabrera, apparently anxious to please, despite the 34-degree cold.
It was 82 degrees in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela, Cabrera's hometown, on Wednesday.
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Then again, it was 80 degrees in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, the hometown of Indians starter and future ace presumptive Fausto Carmona. Yet Carmona jogged to the mound at Progressive Field wearing short sleeves. He pitched that way for six innings on a night when the cold was sharp and his 90 mph-plus sinker was a scalpel.
Who's c-c-cold?
Carmona said he was. "What do you think?" he inquired, through an interpreter. "I will always pitch in short sleeves because I feel comfortable that way."




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Canton

No sophomore jinx here as Tribe's Fausto Carmona stops White Sox
Thursday, April 3, 2008
BY Andy Call
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

CLEVELAND That sophomore slump Fausto Carmona was supposed to experience will apparently have to wait at least another five days.

Cleveland's 24-year-old pitcher worked seven strong innings in his season debut Wednesday night as the Indians shut down Chicago, 7-2, at Progressive Field.

"It's hard to tell from center field if he's throwing a sinker," Grady Sizemore said of Carmona. "It looks like a changeup, then you look up (at the pitch speed) and it's 93 mph."

Carmona baffled hitters with his sinking fastball, just as he had during his magical 2007 season. A relatively harmless Joe Crede RBI crawler up the middle in the fifth inning was the only run Carmona allowed.

The Dominican right-hander pitched without sleeves on a night when the game-time temperature was 34 degrees. The cold didn't seem to bother him any more than the hatch of midges last October, when a bug-covered Carmona allowed the New York Yankees just one run over nine innings in Game 2 of the Division Series.

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Dispatch
Indians 7 White Sox 2
Carmona, defense back top-heavy Tribe offense

Thursday, April 3, 2008 3:10 AM
By Paul Hoynes


The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND -- Fausto Carmona put the ball on the ground, and Grady Sizemore and Asdrubal Cabrera drove it through the air from the top of the lineup last night in Progressive Field. Carmona recorded 16 of his 21 outs on grounders and Sizemore and Cabrera combined for five RBI as the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 7-2 for their second victory in as many games this season.
Carmona, who won 19 games last year and finished fourth in the American League Cy Young Award voting, allowed one run in seven innings on a 34-degree night that turned fingers and toes numb. The Indians turned three double plays in the first four innings to get him out of trouble. Last year, he induced 32 double-play grounders to tie for the most in the American League.
"Fausto threw a strong game for us," manager Eric Wedge said. "He was in control throughout."



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3074326;1130491; said:
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?!?!


because owens is hurt right now.
 
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Indians lose 2-1. Westbrook gives up two home runs in 7+ innings. Indians only get one hit. I hope this does not become a trend.

On the positive side, Mart?nez pinch-hit in the 8th inning so his hamstring cannot be that severe.
 
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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.
Regarding last night's game, those two relief pitchers who we brought in this year. The one guy from Japan and Julio looked pretty bad. I sure hope they were as cold as you and that is what affected their performance because if they perform like that the rest of the year we could be in big trouble. They talked both of these guys up pretty big during Spring training so hopefully it was the cold weather or just a bad outing and we will not see very many of their bad outings.
 
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First off Julio normally is bad. But he is a place holder and can eat a few innings in games like last night. If we have to use him in close games... well, everyone in the bullpen can't be spot on.

Kobyashi (or whatever the japanese guy name is) I don't read much into it. It was his Major League debut. It was a perfect spot to get his feet wet with little pressure. If this continues then I would be worried, but until then I won't worry.

2-1 start for the year, now we can't go 162-0... dang it!
 
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