Is this Indians team viable enough to … ummm … win?

Is this Indians team viable enough to … ummm … win?
June 12th, 2008 by Pat McManamon

Attended the Indians game last night, as anyone who saw today’s Beacon Journal and read about Indians and aardvarks and limbo now know. As I sat in the press box and looked at the field on a beautiful sunny day and saw a stadium barely half full and a team that just lacked some essential elements, I thought about the difference in atmosphere from the end of last season to this one. And it’s not just the won-lost record.

A year ago, there was excitement, energy and a belief that the Indians could win. This season there are slumped shoulders and a lack of excitement that is tangible. It’s bizarre. These are the same players and the same team as a year ago – minus some injured guys. But it is what it is.

GM Mark Shapiro addressed the state of the team prior to the game, and even he sounded baffled. Not by injuries. Those are part of the game, and a constant lament, it seems, of the local teams. But of the dropoff in performance by some of his players. More on what he said later.

The lack of energy and aura or whatever you want to call it is just there. And you’d hate to think it’s caused by the team not believing it can win. That would not be a good thing.

There does come a point, though, when attrition makes a team nonviable. Especially a team in a small market like this one. A team like the Yankees or Red Sox or one of those money mongers loses a guy … they can buy another part. Which they usually do. A team like Cleveland loses a guy, they have to suck it up and hope someone is in the minors. At this point, the team’s minor leagues have been pretty much depleted, so there’s little left to do but hope for a trade – and the worst thing to do is make a trade out of desperation.

When Victor Martinez left Wednesday’s game with an elbow injury in the first inning, the Indians lineup no longer looked viable. It’s good enough to win now and then, but not compete for a division title. Travis Hafner has been long gone. Martinez needs an MRI today. Nobody is hitting. The bullpen is sucking wind. And two starting pitchers are out.

It’s a fair question to ask: Does this team have enough left to win this season?

Here are some highlights from Shapiro in his interview prior to the game:

On the problems: “Probably the magnitude and depth of those things has been beyond anything we could have foreseen.”

Hopes: “We’ll fight hard and believe in what can happen this year and simultaneously prepare for next year and years beyond.”

Nature of problems: “Not just injuries and injuries to important guys, it’s been injuries combined with some disappointing performances combined with no real positive surprises.”

On Hafner: “Our hope is that the injury is something that’s contributing.”

On when he knows it’s time to think about 2009: “I can’t tell you what moment that is, I can’t tell you what number that is or what day that is. What I can tell you is when that happens we need to already know if the right value is out there to compel us to add players or to sell players.”

On possible trades: “Because of what’s happened to us, we’ve been consistently active probably since the second week of April.”

On looking back: “I don’t see anything in the offseason that could have counteracted (what’s happened).”

On the bullpen: “We can’t win with these guys performing as they have up to this point.”

On his frame of mind: “I still enter every night believing that we’re entering that point where this team is going to on a sustained run and reel off a bunch of victories and get right back in this thing. I go through other points in the day when I question how that’s going to happen when I look at some of the things that have happened to us.”

As for those who want to tar and feather Shapiro, count me out. A year ago Shapiro built a team that went to the playoffs, and almost the World Series. His philosophy worked when everyone was doing what they were supposed to do. Did some players overperform? Probably, but that’s what happens in a good year. Just like in a bad year some people underperform. Shapiro was smart last year, which means he’s not stupid this year. Things have not gone well. But in this market, this team, there’s probably not a better guy to rebuild things next year than Shapiro.

GM's job is a balancing act

GM's job is a balancing act
Shapiro must weigh instinct with reality and hope for the best
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Thursday, Jun 12, 2008

CLEVELAND: Can the Indians make you crazy?

Just listen to Mark Shapiro, who, as the Tribe's general manager, lives with the team's problems 24/7.

''There is a moment before every game starts when I think we're going to take off and go on a roll,'' he said Wednesday. ''Other times I see all the things that would make it very difficult to do that.''

Balancing one's instincts with reality is one of the more difficult things a GM must do.

Theoretically, the Indians have time to turn their season around. Moreover, there is doubt that the Chicago White Sox can maintain their current pace as Central Division front-runners. But as Shapiro said: ''I think we have to play consistently better baseball. I don't think anyone is going to run away with it. But the first thing we have to do is get back in it.''

In other words, before the Tribe worries about catching Chicago, it has to win enough games to at least reach .500.

But with Travis Hafner on the disabled list for at least another two weeks and Victor Martinez playing with a strained hamstring, can the offense produce enough runs? And can an inconsistent group of relievers regain the reliability they had a year ago?

''It's not just injuries,'' Shapiro said. ''We've had injuries to important guys, but we've also had disappointing performances. And all these negatives have happened over 67 games.''

For those who automatically believe that Shapiro will attempt to trade C.C. Sabathia if the Tribe fails to get back in the race, he said there are other alternatives. Like signing the prospective free agent.

Asked if Sabathia could be on the club next year, even if the Indians are also-rans this year, he said, ''Absolutely.''

He also left the door open for discussions to occur before Sabathia becomes a free agent.

''Normally, we don't negotiate during the season,'' Shapiro said. ''But there are exceptions.''

Even if Shapiro concludes that Sabathia must go before the July 31 trading deadline, it is likely he would make one final attempt to negotiate to a contract extension.

Taking a backward glance to last winter, Shapiro defended his decision not to make a major deal that would bolster the offense.

''Looking back at the offseason, I would have to say there was nothing we could have done differently,'' he said. ''Maybe we could have made a very painful trade for a corner [hitter] that might have allowed us to win one or two more games.''



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com.

CLEVELAND: Can the Indians make you crazy?

Just listen to Mark Shapiro, who, as the Tribe's general manager, lives with the team's problems 24/7.

''There is a moment before every game starts when I think we're going to take off and go on a roll,'' he said Wednesday. ''Other times I see all the things that would make it very difficult to do that.''

Balancing one's instincts with reality is one of the more difficult things a GM must do.

Theoretically, the Indians have time to turn their season around. Moreover, there is doubt that the Chicago White Sox can maintain their current pace as Central Division front-runners. But as Shapiro said: ''I think we have to play consistently better baseball. I don't think anyone is going to run away with it. But the first thing we have to do is get back in it.''

In other words, before the Tribe worries about catching Chicago, it has to win enough games to at least reach .500.

But with Travis Hafner on the disabled list for at least another two weeks and Victor Martinez playing with a strained hamstring, can the offense produce enough runs? And can an inconsistent group of relievers regain the reliability they had a year ago?

''It's not just injuries,'' Shapiro said. ''We've had injuries to important guys, but we've also had disappointing performances. And all these negatives have happened over 67 games.''

For those who automatically believe that Shapiro will attempt to trade C.C. Sabathia if the Tribe fails to get back in the race, he said there are other alternatives. Like signing the prospective free agent.

Asked if Sabathia could be on the club next year, even if the Indians are also-rans this year, he said, ''Absolutely.''

He also left the door open for discussions to occur before Sabathia becomes a free agent.

''Normally, we don't negotiate during the season,'' Shapiro said. ''But there are exceptions.''

Even if Shapiro concludes that Sabathia must go before the July 31 trading deadline, it is likely he would make one final attempt to negotiate to a contract extension.

Taking a backward glance to last winter, Shapiro defended his decision not to make a major deal that would bolster the offense.

''Looking back at the offseason, I would have to say there was nothing we could have done differently,'' he said. ''Maybe we could have made a very painful trade for a corner [hitter] that might have allowed us to win one or two more games.''

Patched-up lineup wraps up win

Patched-up lineup wraps up win
Carroll, Choo, Shoppach lead offense by those not on Indians' disabled list

By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter


Published on Friday, Jun 13, 2008

CLEVELAND: Now that seemingly half the team is on the disabled list, maybe the Indians can catch fire and go on a winning streak.

So who needs Travis Hafner, Victor Martinez, Fausto Carmona, Jake Westbrook and Josh Barfield, all of whom are on the disabled list? And so what if Asdrubal Cabrera and Jensen Lewis are back at Buffalo for further seasoning, and Jason Michaels was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates?

What's left of the team that began the year put a 12-2 hurt on the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night at Progressive Field.

''It's no secret around here, and even nationally, that our guys come to play,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ''They're tough and they're feisty, and they try to find a way to win ballgames. And that's what they're going to continue to do.''

The here and now is what counts. That means guys who have filled in for the infirm and for those who are still learning or departed must carry the load. In that respect, they got a lot of practice against Minnesota.

''You look around, and it's just us,'' Casey Blake said. ''Tonight was a good ballgame. We got a lot of key hits. That's what we need to keep it going.''

Wedge talked about players stepping up in the wake of the club's tattered roster. Ladies and gentlemen, here are your stepper-uppers:

Shin-Soo Choo, who did not make the team out of spring training because he was rehabbing a surgically repaired elbow, got the most telling blow of the night. In the five-run third, Choo whacked a three-run homer over the wall in right to give the Tribe a 6-1 lead.

Jamey Carroll contributed four singles, scored a run, drove in one and reached base five times, the last when he was hit by a pitch. Carroll made the team as a utility infielder, but now replaces Barfield as the everyday second baseman.

''He's a strong professional player,'' Wedge said.

Carroll isn't sure when he last had four hits in a game, but he does remember this:

''I had back-to-back four-hit games two years ago in Colorado,'' he said. ''But I don't remember if I've had any more recently.''

Carroll tries to be ready for all situations, from pinch hitting once a week to playing every day.

''When a situation like this happens — and you don't want it to — you have to be ready,'' he said. ''Hopefully I can take advantage of it and help the team win.''

Kelly Shoppach, the reliable backup to Martinez at catcher, moved up to become the regular Thursday night by driving in two runs with singles.

Ben Francisco is another of the latecomers to the roster, though he has been on the team for a little over a month. He also made his presence felt by amassing four hits (including a double), driving in three runs and scoring one.

''We have to be tough with our two biggest hitters out of the lineup,'' Francisco said. ''But we feel confident in the lineup we have.''

Aaron Laffey almost has lost his newcomer status, but he began the season at Buffalo, getting his chance for promotion when Westbrook strained his intercostal in late April. He made his ninth start of the season Thursday night, holding the Twins to one run and five hits in six innings.

Laffey's shakiest inning was the first, when he quickly retired the first two batters and just as quickly loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. But Laffey (4-3, 2.83 ERA) took back control of the game and induced Jason Kubel to bounce to the first baseman to end the threat.

The newcomers didn't have all the fun. Grady Sizemore hit his 14th home run of the season with nobody on in the fourth inning. He also singled and scored. Blake doubled, singled, walked and scored two runs, and Jhonny Peralta singled home two runs in the fourth inning, when the Tribe took a commanding lead before going on to accumulate 18 hits, a season best.

An exchange of hit batters — Carroll was hit first, then Alexi Casilla — escalated when Denys Reyes hit Andy Marte leading off the eighth, and umpire Ed Hickox warned both benches. That ignited a shouting match between Wedge and Twins manager Ron Gardenhire from their respective dugouts, but that's as far as it went.

''I could hear Gardenhire saying that it was Wedge who told him [Edward Mujica] to hit that guy,'' Marte said. ''I didn't know I got hit on purpose until they started yelling at each other.''

Asked about the incident, Wedge said, ''I'm not going to talk about that.''

In beating the Twins twice in three games, the Indians won a series for the first time since May 13-15, when they swept the Athletics in a three-game set.

And that wasn't the only good news for the Tribe. The Chicago White Sox lost for the third straight time to the Detroit Tigers, leaving Cleveland 61/2 games behind the first-place Sox.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com.


CLEVELAND: Now that seemingly half the team is on the disabled list, maybe the Indians can catch fire and go on a winning streak.

So who needs Travis Hafner, Victor Martinez, Fausto Carmona, Jake Westbrook and Josh Barfield, all of whom are on the disabled list? And so what if Asdrubal Cabrera and Jensen Lewis are back at Buffalo for further seasoning, and Jason Michaels was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates?

What's left of the team that began the year put a 12-2 hurt on the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night at Progressive Field.

''It's no secret around here, and even nationally, that our guys come to play,'' manager Eric Wedge said. ''They're tough and they're feisty, and they try to find a way to win ballgames. And that's what they're going to continue to do.''

The here and now is what counts. That means guys who have filled in for the infirm and for those who are still learning or departed must carry the load. In that respect, they got a lot of practice against Minnesota.

''You look around, and it's just us,'' Casey Blake said. ''Tonight was a good ballgame. We got a lot of key hits. That's what we need to keep it going.''

Wedge talked about players stepping up in the wake of the club's tattered roster. Ladies and gentlemen, here are your stepper-uppers:

Shin-Soo Choo, who did not make the team out of spring training because he was rehabbing a surgically repaired elbow, got the most telling blow of the night. In the five-run third, Choo whacked a three-run homer over the wall in right to give the Tribe a 6-1 lead.

Jamey Carroll contributed four singles, scored a run, drove in one and reached base five times, the last when he was hit by a pitch. Carroll made the team as a utility infielder, but now replaces Barfield as the everyday second baseman.

''He's a strong professional player,'' Wedge said.

Carroll isn't sure when he last had four hits in a game, but he does remember this:

''I had back-to-back four-hit games two years ago in Colorado,'' he said. ''But I don't remember if I've had any more recently.''

Carroll tries to be ready for all situations, from pinch hitting once a week to playing every day.

''When a situation like this happens — and you don't want it to — you have to be ready,'' he said. ''Hopefully I can take advantage of it and help the team win.''

Kelly Shoppach, the reliable backup to Martinez at catcher, moved up to become the regular Thursday night by driving in two runs with singles.
Ben Francisco is another of the latecomers to the roster, though he has been on the team for a little over a month. He also made his presence felt by amassing four hits (including a double), driving in three runs and scoring one.

''We have to be tough with our two biggest hitters out of the lineup,'' Francisco said. ''But we feel confident in the lineup we have.''

Aaron Laffey almost has lost his newcomer status, but he began the season at Buffalo, getting his chance for promotion when Westbrook strained his intercostal in late April. He made his ninth start of the season Thursday night, holding the Twins to one run and five hits in six innings.

Laffey's shakiest inning was the first, when he quickly retired the first two batters and just as quickly loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. But Laffey (4-3, 2.83 ERA) took back control of the game and induced Jason Kubel to bounce to the first baseman to end the threat.

The newcomers didn't have all the fun. Grady Sizemore hit his 14th home run of the season with nobody on in the fourth inning. He also singled and scored. Blake doubled, singled, walked and scored two runs, and Jhonny Peralta singled home two runs in the fourth inning, when the Tribe took a commanding lead before going on to accumulate 18 hits, a season best.

An exchange of hit batters — Carroll was hit first, then Alexi Casilla — escalated when Denys Reyes hit Andy Marte leading off the eighth, and umpire Ed Hickox warned both benches. That ignited a shouting match between Wedge and Twins manager Ron Gardenhire from their respective dugouts, but that's as far as it went.

''I could hear Gardenhire saying that it was Wedge who told him [Edward Mujica] to hit that guy,'' Marte said. ''I didn't know I got hit on purpose until they started yelling at each other.''

Asked about the incident, Wedge said, ''I'm not going to talk about that.''

In beating the Twins twice in three games, the Indians won a series for the first time since May 13-15, when they swept the Athletics in a three-game set.

And that wasn't the only good news for the Tribe. The Chicago White Sox lost for the third straight time to the Detroit Tigers, leaving Cleveland 61/2 games behind the first-place Sox.

Wiser and finally healthy, Padres' Gerut cherishes return visit to Cleveland
Posted by dmanoloff@plaind.com June 13, 2008 20:41PM
Jody Gerut is a study in perseverance.
Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Padres outfielder Jody Gerut entered Friday night batting .274 with two homers and 10RBI in 35 games. At various times between an outstanding rookie year with the Indians in 2003 and last winter, he easily could have packed it in.

Instead, Gerut kept grinding, mostly through a lot of pain.

"As long as you have the willpower to still compete, and as long as you believe the body will come around, you're going to hold out as long as possible," he said. "I'm glad I did."

The payoff has come with the Padres. A non-roster invitee to spring training, Gerut was in the starting lineup Friday night for the opener of a three-game series against the Indians in Progressive Field. He played center field and batted ninth.

In 2003, Gerut batted .279 with 22 homers and 75 RBI in 127 games for the Tribe. The Sporting News named him its American League rookie of the year. Late in the 2004 season, he tore the ACL in his right knee while fielding a ball in Progressive Field. He had reconstructive surgery 10 days later.

Gerut, eager to show his dedication, returned to pro ball the following May with Class AAA Buffalo.

"I came back way too fast from an ACL tear," he said. "I should have taken 2005 off, but I was pig-headed and stupid about it."

Hindered by a brace, Gerut made his season's debut with the Indians in mid-May. He clearly was not the same player, though, and the brass wanted him to spend more time in the minors to regain mobility.

Gerut, by his own admission, essentially pouted.

"I had a bad attitude," he said.

After playing just 44 games with Cleveland in 2005, Gerut was traded to the Cubs for Jason DuBois.

"The trade basically was my fault," he said. "I thought I was good enough to be back, and the Indians didn't think so. They made an accurate assessment of my playing ability, they tried to tell me I wasn't moving right yet, but I didn't want to see it for what it was.

"I had a childish response to a fall from grace. I didn't do things in a mature way."

Gerut played 11 games for the Cubs before being shipped to Pittsburgh in a trade deadline deal. He was a Pirate briefly, his last major-league action for quite a while.

In the spring of 2006, Pittsburgh optioned Gerut to Class AAA but he refused to report. The Pirates placed him on the restricted list.

The feud stemmed from a disagreement he had with the Pirates over the health of his right knee, which had flared up the previous August and forced him to the disabled list.

"The Pirates thought it was tendinitis, but I knew it was a lot worse than tendinitis," he said. "They thought I refused to report because I was milking the injury and was upset about not being in the big leagues. I didn't report because if I went to Triple-A, I would have had to play every day, and if I had to play every day, my career would have been over."

Gerut, who had threatened through the players' union to file a grievance, underwent surgery May 31. As it turned out, he was correct. He had a torn patella tendon.

"It tore and reattached itself to another part of the knee in order to deal with the stress I was putting it through," Gerut said. "It was related to the ACL tear. The doctor had never seen anything like it."

The Pirates released Gerut in March 2007. At that point, he became a baseball nowhere man. He spent the year rehabbing in Florida.

A huge break came when Caribes de Anzoategui of the Venezuelan Winter League decided to squeeze him onto its roster. No other teams in any of the winter leagues was interested.

Gerut batted .390 in 40 games. MLB scouts took notice. With multiple teams from which to choose, Gerut opted for San Diego, partly on the recommendation of former Indian Josh Bard.

Gerut entered Friday night batting .274 with two homers and 10 RBI in 35 games.

What's the Rush

Patience, please: Tribe isn't out of race
Fans who want to blow up team should wait and see

By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter


Published on Sunday, Jun 08, 2008

DETROIT: What's the rush?

Why are so many fans and some members of the media pushing for the Indians to dismantle the team now and focus on 2009?

Trade C.C. Sabathia tomorrow is the loudest demand by folks who have decided that this season is a lost cause. But this move goes hand in hand with dumping David Dellucci and what's left of his $11.4 million contract, which runs through next year; checking out pitching prospects because Paul Byrd probably won't be asked to return and Jake Westbrook will be lost to injury, plus bringing up Josh Barfield, the entire lineup of Akron's Aeros and the Ohio State Marching Band, if one of the trombone players has the potential to be a closer.

Again, what's the rush?

Obviously, the Tribe hasn't come close to meeting the high expectations of General Manager Mark Shapiro, manager Eric Wedge and the Northeast Ohio sporting public. So what? No other team in the American League Central Division has either.

The Chicago White Sox have taken a tenuous lead, but their volatile manager, Ozzie Guillen, has accused his players, his hitting coach and even his general manager, Kenny Williams, of all sorts of dastardly deeds. Until two weeks ago, the Indians were barely hitting Jeremy Sowers' weight, but almost in lock step with them were the Sox.

That has been the emphasis of Guillen's rants to his players and anyone else who will listen. The saving grace in Chicago has been a small ballpark and the home run ball, plus an overachieving pitching staff that might not be able to keep up the pace for an entire season.

The Minnesota Twins are second in the standings, but they could as easily finish fourth as first. If the Tribe can turn it around, can't the Detroit Tigers, as well? Potentially, they still have the most fearsome lineup in the division, and before long, setup man Joel Zumaya will return from the disabled list throwing 100 mph.

This is not to suggest that the Indians are a lock to win the division championship. But this team is not out of the race, not even close. They have been the same few games out of first for weeks, owing to the inconsistency of the White Sox, and it might not even take a hot streak to pull even closer, unless you regard winning 10-of-16, say, as being a sizzling pace.

One cautionary note: The explosive series against the Texas Rangers is about as atypical as it gets. Yes, I believe the Tribe's extreme offensive problems are over. But who knows when Travis Hafner will return, and even if he does, whether he will emerge from his slump? Who knows when — make it if — Victor Martinez's strained hamstring will allow him to execute his normal swing from both sides of the plate and maybe even hit a home run?

Even with these uncertainties, the additions of Ben Francisco and Shin-Soo Choo give the offense a chance to generate enough runs to allow the pitching to make the difference. I think it's obvious by now that the rotation is among the best around, and effective starting pitching gives a team a chance to win almost all the time.

The key will be an attack that can consistently score four or five runs. Scoring 12 in one game and three in each of the next five won't cut it, but the offense seems to be settling into a pattern of reasonable stability.

That leaves the bullpen as the great unknown, just as team officials feared it would from the beginning.

Wedge needs Jensen Lewis to return from Triple-A Buffalo and pitch the way he did last year. It is unfair to think that Rafael Betancourt will duplicate his 2007 season, but he and Rafael Perez should pitch well enough. Masa Kobayashi has demonstrated that he will get big-league hitters out most of the time. Joe Borowski will blow a few saves, but most of the time, he'll get the job done, one way or another.

The Indians are not offering their fans a steady diet of Oreos and chocolate ice cream, but why not let the season play out? There's plenty of time to give up.

What's the rush?

It could be worse

Until recently, the Tribe's biggest problem was scoring, but that goes hand in hand with keeping the opposition from scoring. Every run the defense saves is a run the offense doesn't have to produce.

Granted, the attack has made strides the past two weeks. In the four-game set against the Rangers that ended Thursday, the Tribe scored 39 runs and amassed 57 hits. Of course, that is not the norm, and going into the weekend series at Detroit, the Indians had scored only 265 runs for the year.

Help has come from an unexpected source, one that really can't be game-planned: getting hit by pitches, an American League statistical category the Tribe leads by a wide margin.

The inability of batters to get out of the way has had a positive effect on the offense. Of the 36 players struck by errant pitches, 15 have scored and four others have moved runners into scoring position. Consequently, hitters putting their bodies on the line have accounted for 7 percent of the club's runs.

In one of the team's oddest rallies of the season, during an April 15 game against the Boston Red Sox, Hafner took his base after being plunked by a fastball. Eventually, the Tribe loaded the bases, and Ryan Garko was hit by a pitch to drive in Hafner.

This is not a team reputed to have an airtight defense. But the Indians rank among the top one-third of AL teams in fielding percentage, double-plays turned and (fewest) errors.

Maybe more important, individual defenders have saved lots of runs by making superlative plays. Whenever someone makes an extraordinary play, I mark it in my scorebook. Going back and determining whether the play saved a run or two can be subjective but not that subjective.

According to my calculations, defenders making very tough plays have taken away 24 runs from opposing teams, 9 percent of their total.

Of course, there are times when players go above and beyond the call of duty but don't actually save a run. So who has made the most exceptional plays? Not surprisingly, Asdrubal Cabrera leads with eight, Casey Blake has six, Grady Sizemore and Ryan Garko five each and Jhonny Peralta, Franklin Gutierrez and Jason Michaels — traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates — four apiece.

Cabrera took three hits away from the Toronto Blue Jays in the same game, saving three runs, which is one reason why the Indians scored a 12-0 shutout May 10.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com.

DETROIT: What's the rush?

Why are so many fans and some members of the media pushing for the Indians to dismantle the team now and focus on 2009?

Trade C.C. Sabathia tomorrow is the loudest demand by folks who have decided that this season is a lost cause. But this move goes hand in hand with dumping David Dellucci and what's left of his $11.4 million contract, which runs through next year; checking out pitching prospects because Paul Byrd probably won't be asked to return and Jake Westbrook will be lost to injury, plus bringing up Josh Barfield, the entire lineup of Akron's Aeros and the Ohio State Marching Band, if one of the trombone players has the potential to be a closer.

Again, what's the rush?

Obviously, the Tribe hasn't come close to meeting the high expectations of General Manager Mark Shapiro, manager Eric Wedge and the Northeast Ohio sporting public. So what? No other team in the American League Central Division has either.

The Chicago White Sox have taken a tenuous lead, but their volatile manager, Ozzie Guillen, has accused his players, his hitting coach and even his general manager, Kenny Williams, of all sorts of dastardly deeds. Until two weeks ago, the Indians were barely hitting Jeremy Sowers' weight, but almost in lock step with them were the Sox.

That has been the emphasis of Guillen's rants to his players and anyone else who will listen. The saving grace in Chicago has been a small ballpark and the home run ball, plus an overachieving pitching staff that might not be able to keep up the pace for an entire season.

The Minnesota Twins are second in the standings, but they could as easily finish fourth as first. If the Tribe can turn it around, can't the Detroit Tigers, as well? Potentially, they still have the most fearsome lineup in the division, and before long, setup man Joel Zumaya will return from the disabled list throwing 100 mph.

This is not to suggest that the Indians are a lock to win the division championship. But this team is not out of the race, not even close. They have been the same few games out of first for weeks, owing to the inconsistency of the White Sox, and it might not even take a hot streak to pull even closer, unless you regard winning 10-of-16, say, as being a sizzling pace.

One cautionary note: The explosive series against the Texas Rangers is about as atypical as it gets. Yes, I believe the Tribe's extreme offensive problems are over. But who knows when Travis Hafner will return, and even if he does, whether he will emerge from his slump? Who knows when — make it if — Victor Martinez's strained hamstring will allow him to execute his normal swing from both sides of the plate and maybe even hit a home run?

Even with these uncertainties, the additions of Ben Francisco and Shin-Soo Choo give the offense a chance to generate enough runs to allow the pitching to make the difference. I think it's obvious by now that the rotation is among the best around, and effective starting pitching gives a team a chance to win almost all the time.

The key will be an attack that can consistently score four or five runs. Scoring 12 in one game and three in each of the next five won't cut it, but the offense seems to be settling into a pattern of reasonable stability.

That leaves the bullpen as the great unknown, just as team officials feared it would from the beginning.

Wedge needs Jensen Lewis to return from Triple-A Buffalo and pitch the way he did last year. It is unfair to think that Rafael Betancourt will duplicate his 2007 season, but he and Rafael Perez should pitch well enough. Masa Kobayashi has demonstrated that he will get big-league hitters out most of the time. Joe Borowski will blow a few saves, but most of the time, he'll get the job done, one way or another.

The Indians are not offering their fans a steady diet of Oreos and chocolate ice cream, but why not let the season play out? There's plenty of time to give up.

What's the rush?

It could be worse

Until recently, the Tribe's biggest problem was scoring, but that goes hand in hand with keeping the opposition from scoring. Every run the defense saves is a run the offense doesn't have to produce.

Granted, the attack has made strides the past two weeks. In the four-game set against the Rangers that ended Thursday, the Tribe scored 39 runs and amassed 57 hits. Of course, that is not the norm, and going into the weekend series at Detroit, the Indians had scored only 265 runs for the year.

Help has come from an unexpected source, one that really can't be game-planned: getting hit by pitches, an American League statistical category the Tribe leads by a wide margin.

The inability of batters to get out of the way has had a positive effect on the offense. Of the 36 players struck by errant pitches, 15 have scored and four others have moved runners into scoring position. Consequently, hitters putting their bodies on the line have accounted for 7 percent of the club's runs.

In one of the team's oddest rallies of the season, during an April 15 game against the Boston Red Sox, Hafner took his base after being plunked by a fastball. Eventually, the Tribe loaded the bases, and Ryan Garko was hit by a pitch to drive in Hafner.

This is not a team reputed to have an airtight defense. But the Indians rank among the top one-third of AL teams in fielding percentage, double-plays turned and (fewest) errors.

Maybe more important, individual defenders have saved lots of runs by making superlative plays. Whenever someone makes an extraordinary play, I mark it in my scorebook. Going back and determining whether the play saved a run or two can be subjective but not that subjective.

According to my calculations, defenders making very tough plays have taken away 24 runs from opposing teams, 9 percent of their total.

Of course, there are times when players go above and beyond the call of duty but don't actually save a run. So who has made the most exceptional plays? Not surprisingly, Asdrubal Cabrera leads with eight, Casey Blake has six, Grady Sizemore and Ryan Garko five each and Jhonny Peralta, Franklin Gutierrez and Jason Michaels — traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates — four apiece.

Cabrera took three hits away from the Toronto Blue Jays in the same game, saving three runs, which is one reason why the Indians scored a 12-0 shutout May 10.

For Indians, numbers are numbing

Slow start puts Tribe in a pretty deep hole

By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist


Published on Friday, May 30, 2008

Baseball is a game about numbers, and the Indians' season now boils down to some numbers.

As in: The Indians must win 60 percent of their remaining games to finish the season with 90 wins.

If they wish to win 94 games, which might or might not be a reasonable number needed to win the American League Central, they will have to win 64 percent (nearly 2-of-3) the rest of the way.

The numbers make coming back to win the division a difficult proposition, and if it's a safe assumption that a wild-card team will not come from the Central, it's a clear view of the challenge the Indians face as they try to return to the playoffs.

That's the cold, hard reality
of their 24-29 start.

And with each loss, the future of C.C. Sabathia lurks in the background.

Ask yourself what you'd do if the Indians are out of the race at the trading deadline and a team wants to give them three good prospects — one who can hit and two who can pitch.

How do the Indians turn down that deal, especially since Sabathia turned down $18 million per year in the offseason?

Yes, a lot can happen in the next month or two.

A winning streak would change a lot, as would some good relief pitching. But the signs are not good for a team that came within one game of the World Series in 2007.

Start with Travis Hafner, who probably will be put on the disabled list today. Hafner has somehow forgotten to hit since he signed his contract extension a year ago. Last year, Hafner ''struggled'' and still hit 24 home runs and drove in 100 runs. This year, nothing is working.

The rest of the lineup has gone in the tank as well, forcing manager Eric Wedge to try more combinations than a school locker.



Few have worked. The past 30 days the Indians have hit .221, worst in all of baseball.

The cleanup hitter, Victor Martinez, has not hit a home run. That means the three and four spots in the lineup are void of meaningful production.

This has led to some ugly at-bats, but that's what happens when a team doesn't hit. Individuals start to press, which leads to them trying to do too much, which is what happened to Martinez on Wednesday when he popped to short with two on and two out in the ninth.

He swung at a bad pitch, a sign of pressing too much.

Then there's the bullpen, which has blown nine of its 18 save chances. Last year's standout, Rafael Betancourt, had Wedge apoplectic after he blew a lead Wednesday.

A year ago, the Indians prided themselves on having not one but several leaders, and on having a lineup that was slump-proof because it had hitters up and down the lineup who could hit 20 home runs and drive in 80 runs.

The aggregate became greater than the parts.

This year, that same group has proven the slump-proof theory wrong, and because there are so many similar personalities, there is nobody to take charge.

Wedge is trying, but leadership has to come from players as well.

Sabathia is a leader, but he started dismally and could leave after the season.

Consider that with Hafner out, the No. 3 hitter is Ben Francisco. He wasn't on the team until April 22.

Nothing like having the newest guy on the team in the third slot.

But that's what happens when much of the lineup is swinging a Wiffle-ball bat.

The lack of an offseason addition also is showing.

There were good reasons for not making a move — GM Mark Shapiro did not want to give up Asdrubal Cabrera in a trade for a hitter — but the fact remains it's the same team. Another bat might have mitigated the slump of the slump-proof gang.

It is only June, but the Indians will have to finish 66-43 to win 90 games. Which means winning 60.6 percent of their remaining games.

No team in baseball won 60 percent of its games last year. Or the year before.

To win 94 games, the Indians would have to win 70-of-109 (.642). One team in baseball has done that since 2004. One.

That's how tough the Indians' situation has become.

But . . . it's not impossible.

The Indians are 51/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox, and that's not insurmountable. They just have to get going.

The Indians found out last year how good they can be when things go well and everyone contributes. How do they fix things this year? Like they are eating an elephant: one bite at a time.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/.


Baseball is a game about numbers, and the Indians' season now boils down to some numbers.

As in: The Indians must win 60 percent of their remaining games to finish the season with 90 wins.

If they wish to win 94 games, which might or might not be a reasonable number needed to win the American League Central, they will have to win 64 percent (nearly 2-of-3) the rest of the way.

The numbers make coming back to win the division a difficult proposition, and if it's a safe assumption that a wild-card team will not come from the Central, it's a clear view of the challenge the Indians face as they try to return to the playoffs.

That's the cold, hard reality
of their 24-29 start.

And with each loss, the future of C.C. Sabathia lurks in the background.

Ask yourself what you'd do if the Indians are out of the race at the trading deadline and a team wants to give them three good prospects — one who can hit and two who can pitch.

How do the Indians turn down that deal, especially since Sabathia turned down $18 million per year in the offseason?

Yes, a lot can happen in the next month or two.

A winning streak would change a lot, as would some good relief pitching. But the signs are not good for a team that came within one game of the World Series in 2007.

Start with Travis Hafner, who probably will be put on the disabled list today. Hafner has somehow forgotten to hit since he signed his contract extension a year ago. Last year, Hafner ''struggled'' and still hit 24 home runs and drove in 100 runs. This year, nothing is working.

The rest of the lineup has gone in the tank as well, forcing manager Eric Wedge to try more combinations than a school locker.

Few have worked. The past 30 days the Indians have hit .221, worst in all of baseball.

The cleanup hitter, Victor Martinez, has not hit a home run. That means the three and four spots in the lineup are void of meaningful production.
This has led to some ugly at-bats, but that's what happens when a team doesn't hit. Individuals start to press, which leads to them trying to do too much, which is what happened to Martinez on Wednesday when he popped to short with two on and two out in the ninth.

He swung at a bad pitch, a sign of pressing too much.

Then there's the bullpen, which has blown nine of its 18 save chances. Last year's standout, Rafael Betancourt, had Wedge apoplectic after he blew a lead Wednesday.

A year ago, the Indians prided themselves on having not one but several leaders, and on having a lineup that was slump-proof because it had hitters up and down the lineup who could hit 20 home runs and drive in 80 runs.

The aggregate became greater than the parts.

This year, that same group has proven the slump-proof theory wrong, and because there are so many similar personalities, there is nobody to take charge.

Wedge is trying, but leadership has to come from players as well.

Sabathia is a leader, but he started dismally and could leave after the season.

Consider that with Hafner out, the No. 3 hitter is Ben Francisco. He wasn't on the team until April 22.

Nothing like having the newest guy on the team in the third slot.

But that's what happens when much of the lineup is swinging a Wiffle-ball bat.

The lack of an offseason addition also is showing.

There were good reasons for not making a move — GM Mark Shapiro did not want to give up Asdrubal Cabrera in a trade for a hitter — but the fact remains it's the same team. Another bat might have mitigated the slump of the slump-proof gang.

It is only June, but the Indians will have to finish 66-43 to win 90 games. Which means winning 60.6 percent of their remaining games.

No team in baseball won 60 percent of its games last year. Or the year before.

To win 94 games, the Indians would have to win 70-of-109 (.642). One team in baseball has done that since 2004. One.

That's how tough the Indians' situation has become.

But . . . it's not impossible.

The Indians are 51/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox, and that's not insurmountable. They just have to get going.

The Indians found out last year how good they can be when things go well and everyone contributes. How do they fix things this year? Like they are eating an elephant: one bite at a time.

One Pitch Two Outs

Laffey relies on words of wisdom
Young Indians left-hander takes his own advice

By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sportswriter


Published on Friday, May 30, 2008


One pitch, two outs.

That's what young Indians pitcher Aaron Laffey reminds himself the moment he senses trouble in a game.

Whether there's an error behind him, or he has given up a couple of hits in a row or issued a walk, Laffey steps off the mound. He takes a deep breath. He repeats the words.

One pitch, two outs.



''At any time I can get a ground ball and get out of the inning,'' Laffey said. ''That's the beauty of how I pitch.''

It's not that Laffey, an impressionable 23-year-old, doesn't make mistakes. It's just that he is mature beyond his years and learns quickly from them. He has shown an uncanny ability to slow down the game and to move quickly into damage-control mode when he gets in a jam.

One pitch, two outs.

''There was one game last year as a rookie in Minnesota where I kind of got hit around a bit,'' Laffey said. ''That's when I really started working on remembering to focus. Since then, I just say it out loud to myself. After that point, I've gotten into a couple jams in other outings. But for the most part, I have been able to work through them.''

Laffey was called up from Triple-A Buffalo on April 28 to fill in for Jake Westbrook who
was sidelined with a left intercostal strain. He once again has pitched his way into the Indians' starting rotation.

''For such a young guy, he has pitched very well,'' Westbrook said about his young replacement after making a rehab start last week for the Aeros. ''I enjoy watching him when he's out there.''

Ranked by Baseball America as the Indians' fifth-best prospect entering the season, Laffey survived a roster move this season when closer Joe Borowski came off the disabled list May 23. Left-handed reliever Craig Breslow was sent down.

Laffey could have been the odd man out again Wednesday, but in addition to the Tribe designating struggling veteran reliever Jorge Julio for assignment, a recent hip injury suffered by right-handed starter Fausto Carmona last weekend appears to have cemented Laffey's place in the rotation for about another month.

It will be another month of consistently starting without having to look over his shoulder that the Tribe's 16th-round pick in 2003 out of Allegany (Md.) High School looks forward to the most.

''When you first get up here or are up briefly just filling in, you kind of walk around on egg shells, not wanting to step on anyone's toes,'' said Laffey, who earned the win Tuesday in an 8-2 victory over the visiting Chicago White Sox. He improved his record to 3-3 and his ERA to 1.59.

''But there's a comfortableness that comes with knowing I'm not only here for a while, but I'm here and needed.''

In 392/3 innings Laffey has limited the opposition to seven earned runs. Since April 17, he has the lowest ERA in the American League among pitchers with a minimum of 30 innings, topping his left-handed teammates, C.C. Sabathia (1.61) and Cliff Lee (1.75).

''It's really important for guys to know what kind of player they are so they're not trying to be something they can't,'' Indians pitching coach Carl Willis said. ''Aaron's strength is his sinking fastball and pitching to contact, and he knows that. Thus, he's able to avoid big innings when he gets in trouble because he believes with one pitch he can get two out.''

In his breakout season last year, Laffey won 17 games at three levels in the Indians' system.

After starting the season at Double-A Akron, he quickly pitched his way into the major leagues. He finished the year as the Tribe's fifth starter and pitched into the fifth inning in eight of his last nine starts, going 4-2 with a 4.56 ERA as a rookie.

''A big thing going for him is that he's such a good athlete, and that gives him confidence,'' Willis said. ''In high school, he was an above-average multi-sport player. Because he was the best athlete on the baseball team, when he didn't pitch he played shortstop.''

One pitch, two outs.

It's a phrase easy enough to remember. And with practice, one becoming easier to execute each time Laffey takes the mound.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.


One pitch, two outs.

That's what young Indians pitcher Aaron Laffey reminds himself the moment he senses trouble in a game.

Whether there's an error behind him, or he has given up a couple of hits in a row or issued a walk, Laffey steps off the mound. He takes a deep breath. He repeats the words.

One pitch, two outs.



''At any time I can get a ground ball and get out of the inning,'' Laffey said. ''That's the beauty of how I pitch.''

It's not that Laffey, an impressionable 23-year-old, doesn't make mistakes. It's just that he is mature beyond his years and learns quickly from them. He has shown an uncanny ability to slow down the game and to move quickly into damage-control mode when he gets in a jam.

One pitch, two outs.

''There was one game last year as a rookie in Minnesota where I kind of got hit around a bit,'' Laffey said. ''That's when I really started working on remembering to focus. Since then, I just say it out loud to myself. After that point, I've gotten into a couple jams in other outings. But for the most part, I have been able to work through them.''

Laffey was called up from Triple-A Buffalo on April 28 to fill in for Jake Westbrook who
was sidelined with a left intercostal strain. He once again has pitched his way into the Indians' starting rotation.

''For such a young guy, he has pitched very well,'' Westbrook said about his young replacement after making a rehab start last week for the Aeros. ''I enjoy watching him when he's out there.''

Ranked by Baseball America as the Indians' fifth-best prospect entering the season, Laffey survived a roster move this season when closer Joe Borowski came off the disabled list May 23. Left-handed reliever Craig Breslow was sent down.

Laffey could have been the odd man out again Wednesday, but in addition to the Tribe designating struggling veteran reliever Jorge Julio for assignment, a recent hip injury suffered by right-handed starter Fausto Carmona last weekend appears to have cemented Laffey's place in the rotation for about another month.

It will be another month of consistently starting without having to look over his shoulder that the Tribe's 16th-round pick in 2003 out of Allegany (Md.) High School looks forward to the most.

''When you first get up here or are up briefly just filling in, you kind of walk around on egg shells, not wanting to step on anyone's toes,'' said Laffey, who earned the win Tuesday in an 8-2 victory over the visiting Chicago White Sox. He improved his record to 3-3 and his ERA to 1.59.


''But there's a comfortableness that comes with knowing I'm not only here for a while, but I'm here and needed.''

In 392/3 innings Laffey has limited the opposition to seven earned runs. Since April 17, he has the lowest ERA in the American League among pitchers with a minimum of 30 innings, topping his left-handed teammates, C.C. Sabathia (1.61) and Cliff Lee (1.75).

''It's really important for guys to know what kind of player they are so they're not trying to be something they can't,'' Indians pitching coach Carl Willis said. ''Aaron's strength is his sinking fastball and pitching to contact, and he knows that. Thus, he's able to avoid big innings when he gets in trouble because he believes with one pitch he can get two out.''

In his breakout season last year, Laffey won 17 games at three levels in the Indians' system.

After starting the season at Double-A Akron, he quickly pitched his way into the major leagues. He finished the year as the Tribe's fifth starter and pitched into the fifth inning in eight of his last nine starts, going 4-2 with a 4.56 ERA as a rookie.

''A big thing going for him is that he's such a good athlete, and that gives him confidence,'' Willis said. ''In high school, he was an above-average multi-sport player. Because he was the best athlete on the baseball team, when he didn't pitch he played shortstop.''

One pitch, two outs.

It's a phrase easy enough to remember. And with practice, one becoming easier to execute each time Laffey takes the mound.