Hafner drops back to try and gain ground

Posted by Paul Hoynes May 01, 2008 20:58PM

Scott Shaw/The Plain DealerTravis Hafner responded with two doubles after being moved down to sixth in the lineup.There's a whole lot of hammering and drilling coming from under Travis Hafner's hood. Manager Eric Wedge is confident they'll get the Tribe's designated hitter refitted with new shocks and plugs. If they don't, the cobwebs will continue to grow in Pronkville.
One of the first steps came Thursday when Wedge dropped Hafner from third to sixth in the batting lineup. It's the first time Hafner has started a game hitting sixth since 2004.
What do the rest of the steps entail to snap the man called Pronk out of slump that is now a calendar year in length (May 1, 2007, to May 1, 2008)?

"I'm not going to get into that," Wedge said.
Said Hafner, with a smile, "It's top secret."
Then he added: "We're working on specific things. You always want to play your best. I know what I mean to this offense. I hope it's something that will work out for me and the team and get me back on track."

Hafner is hitting .242 (147-for-608) since May 1 of last year. Those numbers include Hafner's 8-for-43 showing in the postseason last fall.

"I feel like this young man is going to get back to where he needs to get to," Wedge said. "It's going to take a little bit of time and a lot of work. [Hitting coach] Derek Shelton and I have spent a lot of time together, and Derek has spent a lot of time with Travis talking about this. We're going to get him there and he's going to get himself there. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when."

Wedge said Hafner will hit sixth for a while.

"I don't think it's the right thing to do to leave him in the No. 3 hole while he's making these adjustments," Wedge said. "We'll give him a little bit of break -- get him going and get him back up there where he likes to be and where we need him to be."

Hafner entered Thursday's game hitting .210 (21-for-100) with three homers and 16 RBI. The 16 RBI lead the team.

He does not think last year's slump has anything to do with this year.
"Every year is different," Hafner said.

Hafner felt getting dropped in the order "was the right thing to do for me and the team. A different perspective can help at times."

In his first at-bat Thursday, Hafner hit a long fly ball to the warning track in center field, which was caught by Seattle outfielder Ichiro Suzuki. Hafner received a round of applause from the crowd as he went back to the dugout.

"I have so much confidence in his ability to get this taken care of," Wedge said. "There's probably nothing more important for us right now."

Panic unneeded for Tribe, but concern is merited
Posted by Terry Pluto terrypluto2003@yahoo.com April 17, 2008 22:20PM

Before the Indians beat Detroit, 11-1, on Thursday night, Mark Shapiro mentioned his team had "four dead spots" in the lineup
The general manager's point was the season being only 16 games old and so many things going bad, it's too soon to make moves from what would seem like a panic position. In the Tribe talk that you hear from this and other modern front offices, the "sample" is too small. Sixteen games is only 10 percent of the season.

The general manager is right, you can't fix four flat tires that have brought the offense to a halt.

But why not start with one?

On the night when Jason Michaels busted free from his 4-of-33 start by with two singles, three RBI and throwing out a runner at home plate from left field -- I still don't buy into the left-field platoon.

Yes, Dave Dellucci has come back from a major hamstring injury that required surgery to have a solid start. He's batting .276 on a team that entered Thursday night hitting an American League-low .232. Dellucci's .432 on base percentage is second on the team.

Can he maintain and improve on this? Who knows? But at least he's doing something.

Dellucci is 34, Michaels will be 32 on May 4. Neither player is likely to change, and that means the Indians won't get much pop from the position.

In his first two seasons with the Tribe, Michaels batted a modest .268 with only 61 extra base hits (16 HR) in 761 at bats.

The Indians love the OPS, which is on-base percentage added to slugging percentage. With the Tribe, Michaels' on base is .325 (.330 is the big-league average) and slugging is .395 (.440 is average). He is primarily a hard-working singles hitter with little speed on the bases.

Neither player is like the gifted 25-year-old Franklin Gutierrez, who is off to a slow start but deserves patience because he has power potential and is an excellent defensive right fielder.

In spring training, I wrote that the Indians should try to trade one of the veterans -- even if they have to pay most of the contract to convince another team to take a player such as Michaels ($2.1 million). That may be the only way to make it happen.

Ben Francisco is waiting at Buffalo, but the 2007 International League batting champ is off to a lousy start, batting .204 with no homers and a .283 on-base percentage. I'd still like to see Francisco in the outfield mix. After 953 Buffalo at-bats in his career, it's time to either move up or move out to another organization at some point this season.

Or the Indians could look at the bullpen, where Jorge Julio has a 5.63 ERA and has allowed 13 base-runners in eight innings. He's 29 and with his sixth team. In the last four years, his ERAs have been 5.23, 4.23, 5.90 and 4.57. That's not a track record that inspires much confidence, despite his 94 mph fastball.

When Joe Borowski went on the disabled list, they recalled Tom Mastny from Buffalo -- where he had allowed nine hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings. He walked three in 1 1/3 innings with the Tribe Wednesday, and there is reason for concern because he's a control pitcher who suddenly is wild. Jensen Lewis has walked six in 9 2/3 innings, and his fastball has rarely been even 90 mph after reaching 92 mph a year ago.

Shapiro is right, now is not a time to make sweeping changes. He likes to wait 35-40 games to evaluate his team, but there are reasons to soon tinker with a roster that is far from perfect.

Shapiro says patience is key during slow start

Indians Insider: Shapiro says patience is key during slow start
Posted by Joe Maxse jmaxse@plaind.com April 17, 2008 20:30PM


Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer

Travis Hafner drives a two-run homer to left-field in the sixth inning, part of a five-run surge against Detroit's Zach Miner Thursday night at Progressive Field. After losing six of their last seven, outscored 49-24 in the six losses, the Indians are not about to reach for the panic button. But as General Manager Mark Shapiro said before Thursday night's game against the Tigers at Progressive Field, the time for a hard look is definitely approaching.

"After 15 games, it necessitates concern, not action, from a front office standpoint," said Shapiro. "We hopes it's a glitch. There's not enough there to address yet."

Of "concern" is the fact certain players counted on to pick up where they left off a year ago have not come any where near that expectation. Casey Blake (hitting .146), Asdrubal Cabrera (.173), Franklin Gutierrez (.182) and platooning Jason Michaels (.091) have struggled to say the least.

Those numbers are part of the reason the Indians are last in the American League in hitting (.232) and slugging percentage (.340).


"We've been the polar opposite of a year ago when we were able to control the baseball," said Shapiro. "Pitchers threw strikes and kept the ball in the ballpark. Hitters controlled the strike zone and had tough, quality at-bats from top to bottom in the lineup.

"Obviously, we've seen some dead spots. It's hard to get by with one dead spot, let alone three or four. No one has been exceeding our expectations."

Shapiro said a week ago that 40 games into the season is about the right time to make a fair assessment. Right now that time frame is closing in sooner than later.

Quality control: Manager Eric Wedge is not pleased with the type of at-bats too many of his players are putting in. If you are going to make an out, at least make it a tough one, he said.

"We haven't had a consistent approach," said Wedge, who held a team meeting before the game. "You can have a quality at-bat, but make an out in the right direction. You have to be tough in the box, a tough out. It's a team sport, but it's about one-on-one battles."

Wedge did not want to specify which players were not meeting the quality standards. He also would not discuss what was said in the meeting.

"I recognize we're 15 games in," he said. "Every thing is magnified, but there are certain things I don't like seeing."

Cleveland Indians' hopes spring eternal

Cleveland Indians' hopes spring eternal
Posted by Terry Pluto March 26, 2008

Kissimmee, Fla. -- I'm a sucker for spring training.

I can watch Tribe second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera short hop tricky ground balls, coolly turn double plays and think, "This kid will win a Gold Glove one day."

I can smile as Grady Sizemore runs out every ball, even routine pop-ups, in these games because that's how Grady Sizemore plays.

I can see Cliff Lee throw five scoreless innings using three different pitches as he did Saturday and think, "Maybe he will win 15 games."

I can watch Jake Westbrook throw six scoreless innings like he did Monday and be convinced he'll win 15 games.

I can be mesmerized as Fausto Carmona shut down the Tiger regulars Sunday, and put at least 15 wins next to his name. And C.C. Sabathia will win 15, too. And before I know it, everybody is winning 15 games and the Indians could go 120-42.

I can see Travis Hafner struggle against left-handers -- as has been the case this spring -- and think, "Hey, it's just spring training. At least he's hitting righties, which he didn't even do last spring."

I can listen and nod as a scout tells me, "Trevor Crowe is an athlete trying to learn how to play baseball, and when he does, look out." I can almost ignore the fact that Crowe is 24, he's had 672 at bats with Class AA Akron, where his batting average is only .253 with six homers and 95 strikeouts.

I can watch Josh Barfield draw some walks, hit a few balls to right field, and tell myself that he does look more patient at the plate -- dismissing his .238 spring batting average. I can say I still believe Barfield will be a good player for the Tribe, and really believe it even as he's sent to Class AAA Buffalo.

I can walk around the small ballparks jammed with fans in Wahoo red, white and blue wearing T-shirts and shorts even when the temperature is in the middle 50s and the wind is whipping around. But the fans think, "This is Florida, it's March and it's supposed to be warm. At least we don't have five feet of snow like they do back home."

I can see that most of the fans are senior citizens and families with kids, not the corporate crowd. I see them in small ballparks close to the players and having bought tickets often cheaper than the regular season -- and that's why baseball's spring training games are so much better than the NBA or NFL preseason rip-offs.

I can study Kelly Shoppach catch and throw and really believe it when GM Mark Shapiro insists, "He's one of the 15 best catchers in baseball, teams call about him all the time." Like Cabrera, Shoppach's defense is not a spring mirage. Nor is Franklin Gutierrez in right field.

I can swear Victor Martinez gets two hits every spring game. That's close, as he's batting .345.
I can watch Paul Byrd with those high socks, that full over the head windup -- and then close my eyes and think about the pitchers of my youth. It's the 1960s, when a sinker was a sinker, not a "splitter." It's when pitchers had different windups. It's when no one counted pitches, when no one ever heard the words "set-up" or "closers." It's when relievers were relievers, and starters were supposed to try to survive nine innings.

I can think about how I'd listen to those spring games from Tucson, Ariz., with my father. Herb Score would tell us how one veteran lost some weight, another came up with a new pitch. And maybe, just maybe, the Indians will be improved this year. Down deep, both of us doubted it, but we tried to believe, anyway.

I can say that opening day is coming, and baseball doesn't make everything right with the world. But it can make it better.

Cleveland Indians' hopes spring eternal

Cleveland Indians' 2007 season built with character and conviction

Cleveland Indians' 2007 season built with character and conviction
Sunday, December 23, 2007Paul HoynesPlain Dealer Reporter
It's hard to be an idealist in Major League Baseball. To always look at the bright side of a game that bears so many scars, might call into question one's view of reality.

Mark Shapiro, Indians general manager, chooses to do so anyway. He knows all too well that this is not a perfect business plied by knights in shining armor. Yet he has always tried to build teams that stress character and chemistry. Some of that has been induced by one of the lowest payrolls in the game, but rarely are convictions and principles sidestepped to bow before the persistent drumbeat of victory.

On Sept. 23, Shapiro saw his convictions come to life when the Indians beat Oakland, 6-2, at Jacobs Field to clinch the AL Central Division. Shapiro has worked for the Indians since 1992, but this was his first division championship as a general manager.

In the locker-room celebration after the game, Shapiro, an AL Central Division championship baseball cap pulled tightly on his head to break the ever-flowing waterfall of champagne and beer, gazed at pockets of gyrating players and felt good about every one of them.

Steady Jake Westbrook pitched seven innings for the victory. Young lefty Rafael Perez, representing a productive farm system that saved the season, relieved and recorded two quick outs before Rafael Betancourt, perhaps the best set-up man in the league last season, pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for the save.

Grady Sizemore, a rock Shapiro feels will support this team for seasons to come, had hits in his first four at-bats and reached base five straight times. Casey Blake, the model for manager Eric Wedge's grind-it-out ballplayer, hit a two-run double to start the decisive four-run fourth inning.

Shapiro had a memory for every celebrating player. Maybe it was about the scout who recommended C.C. Sabathia as a high school senior or how Fausto Carmona transformed himself from a failed closer to one of the best starters in the game.

It took nearly six hard years of work to see the Indians' locker room at Jacobs Field in such delirious disarray that day. Shapiro knew that it would never be this good, this pure, again. He drank it in like a thirsty man.

The Indians won seven division titles and reached two World Series from 1995 through 2001. Those teams were so talented, and often so arrogant in displaying that talent, that the sense of accomplishment from those in the organization was dulled.

Compromises were made. Heads were turned. Confrontations avoided -- all in the name of trying to win a world championship that never came.

When Shapiro became general manager in November 2001, the team was old and the farm system played out. He knew he'd have to start over, it was just a matter of when. But when the time came to win, Shapiro wanted to do it differently than before.

On Sept. 23, it happened. The Indians kept winning, finishing at 96-66 and tying Boston for the best record in baseball.

They upset the Yankees in the AL Division Series in four games. They took a 3-1 lead against Boston in the AL Championship Series, only to lose three straight. The morning of Game 7 of the ALCS, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Tribe starter Paul Byrd purchased $25,000 of human growth hormone and syringes from 2002-05.

Reality has a way of bruising idealists, but Sept. 23 was perfect.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

Names in the Mitchell Report

Names in the Mitchell Report
Friday, December 14, 2007
Thursday's release of the Mitchell Report, which investigated the involvement of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, had one headline name.

Roger Clemens, the greatest pitcher of his era, led a list of seven of baseball's Most Valuable Players and 31 All-Stars in the report. Indians pitcher Paul Byrd, who admitted to using Human Growth Hormone during the October playoffs, was the only current Indian named in the report.

Doping was widespread by stars as well as scrubs, the report said, putting a question mark if not an asterisk next to baseball records and threatening the integrity of the game itself.

Players connected to steroids, either use or possession in the report:

Chad Allen, Mike Bell, Gary Bennett

Larry Bigbie, Ricky Bones, Kevin Brown

Ken Caminiti, Mark Carreon, Jason Christiansen

Howie Clark, Roger Clemens, Paxton Crawford

Jack Cust, Brendan Donnelly, Chris Donnels
Lenny Dykstra, Matt Franco, Ryan Franklin

Eric Gagne, Jason Grimsley, Jerry Hairston

Phil Hiatt, Matt Herges, Glenallen Hill,

Todd Hundley, Ryan Jorgensen, Wally Joyner

Mike Judd, David Justice, Chuck Knoblauch

Tim Laker, Mike Lansing, Paul Lo Duca

Exavier "Nook" Logan, Josias Manzanillo, Cody McKay

Kent Mercker, Bart Miadich, Hal Morris, Daniel Naulty

Denny Neagle, Rafael Palmeiro, Jim Parque

Andy Pettitte, Adam Piatt, Todd Pratt
Stephen Randolph, Adam Riggs, Brian Roberts

F.P. Santangelo, David Segui, Mike Stanton

Ricky Stone, Miguel Tejada, Derrick Turnbow

Mo Vaughn, Ron Villone, Fernando Vina

Rondell White, Jeff Williams, Todd Williams, Kevin Young, Gregg Zaun

The following players were cited under "Alleged Internet Purchases of Performance Enhancing Substances By Players in Major League Baseball" in the report:

Rick Ankiel, David Bell, Paul Byrd, Jose Canseco

Jay Gibbons, Troy Glaus, Jose Guillen, Darren Holmes

Gary Matthews Jr., John Rocker, Scott Schoeneweis

Ismael Valdez, Matt Williams, Steve Woodard

The following players were linked through BALCO in the report:

Marvin Benard, Barry Bonds, Bobby Estalella, Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi, Benito Santiago, Gary Sheffield, Randy Velarde