MLB: Cleveland Indians News and Information because Cleveland Rocks

2008-11-26T07:42:00.000-08:00

Indians move to Arizona is still on track--think they're thankful for the new spring training location? Article here.

2008-10-30T11:22:00.001-07:00

Prove that Cleveland really does rock by voting next Tuesday, November 4th! Vote!

2008-10-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

Start making your plans! Goodyear schedule is here!

Too Much Time on Your Hands...

2008-08-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but this thing on YouTube made me laugh. The video itself is just Cabrera hitting a home run (which is what I was searching for to begin with). But read the description of the video. This person was obviously bored and found a way to entertain themselves. Or maybe high. Or both.

A Lotta Cabreras

2008-04-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

I just got an email telling me about MLB AllStar Game tickets and reminding me to cast my ballot for my favorite players. I did a quick search for Cabrera and realized that there are five different Cabreras eligible for the AL team. How confusing would that be? Picturing the commentary cracks me up!

It'd be like elementary classrooms with 5 Jennifers, so they all have to use their last initials. But backwards. Miguel, Asdrubal, Melky, Orlando, and Daniel. Maybe the rest of the team could change their last names to Cabrera as well, just to make it uniform.

The Indians are going to the playoffs!

2007-09-05T16:01:00.000-07:00

As if there was ever any doubt - not for a real fan anyway. The Cleveland Indians are leading the Central Division and I can't wait for them to dominate in the playoffs and take home the world series. Go Indians!

Cleveland Indians looking good!

2007-06-01T14:26:00.000-07:00

Thursday night was awesome, as the Cleveland Indians ended in an 11-5 victory over Detroit at Jacobs Field. And with Hafner still pretty much out of it, it's even more of an accomplishment. May wasn't bad, although I see even better times ahead.

2007-06-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano shoved catcher Michael Barrett in the dugout during Friday's game against Atlanta. I guess it just goes to show the passion it takes to play this game, and how easily emotions can take over. But still... it's these guys' JOBS to handle this kind of emotion, isn't it? Cooler heads, guys.

Take Five!

2007-03-13T07:26:00.000-07:00

Cleveland Indian's first round of cuts included Chuck Lofgren, Aaron Laffey, Brad Snyder, Javier Herrera, and Scott Lewis. Each of these did not meet expectations during exhibition play so it's back to the minors for more practice. I guess sometimes you have to major in minor league baseball.

2007-01-16T11:32:00.000-08:00

Wednesday is the deadline for the Cleveland Indians to reach agreements with Rafael Betancourt and Jason Davis--the only 2 arbitration-eligible players on the team. Stay tuned...

Indians Find More Pitching

2006-12-07T12:30:00.000-08:00

The Cleveland Indians closed the winter meetings with a definite goal in mind, patching up the bullpen. General manager Mark Shapiro signed veteran relievers Joe Borowski, Roberto Hernandez, and Aaron Fultz to give manager Eric Wedge better options for relief. I'm not really sure if this is going to get the Indians back to form, but with the lack of good free agents this offseason, I think they got things going in the right direction.

Is this insider trading?

2006-11-22T09:12:00.000-08:00

The Cleveland Indians are among maybe six or more teams trying to add righthander Joe Borowski to their pitching staff. As a Florida Marlin, last year Borowski produced 36 saves, which placed him third in the National League for that stat. But he is currently a free agent, and he has an agent--Ron Shapiro. That would be our General Manager's dad. It would be nice if they could cut a deal.

Cleveland Misses Top Five

2006-10-30T17:34:00.000-08:00

Remember how Cleveland used to be the punchline to a lot of bad jokes about city life? But that was so '90s, or so '70s. Anyhow, we have some other places to pick on, at least according to the list of worst cities for crime that came out today. Numero Uno was St. Louis, where they're still celebrating their World Series win. Right behind St. Louis was their Series opponent, Detroit.

Our baseball season wasn't the best ever, but Cleveland rocks in a lot of ways, and it's nice that we can live here and know it, and maybe we can just stay off the radar for awhile.

Cardinals Will Have Tiger by the Tail

2006-10-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

I have been enjoying as much of the MLB playoffs as I could this week, even though none of the teams involved are MY team. As the NLCS went to seven games, we were treated to some thoroughly impressive baseball (and a few bloopers). Both the Mets and the Cards are outstanding ball clubs. Still, the Detroit Tigers are rested up and ready to roar. The Cardinals will do well to remember that as they head for Detroit on Saturday.

Indians' loss, Red Sox' gain

2006-10-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

Cleveland's director of player development, John Farrell, will have a new job as pitching coach for the Boston Red Sox. In Boston Farrell will get to work with Red Sox manager Terry Francona, one of his teammates from his own MLB pitching years, including the time that both Farrell and Francona were playing for the Indians.

We wish you the best, John, but do you really need to whoop the BoSox pitching into shape the way you did ours?

Good Reason to Attend an Indians' game in 2007

2006-10-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

The Cleveland Indians will be opening up a new attraction at Jacobs Field in 2007. The attraction will be called Heritage Park which will be used to display the Indians’ history. You will be able to go through Heritage Park before, during & after the game which will be greatly set with trees & other greenery. The best part of it is that we can become a part of the Indians’ history by purchasing a brick for the park which will have your name on a plaque & a message for the Indians’. Yay! I can’t wait until the park opens. I know I will be buying my ticket soon to be one of the 1st people in line to visit Heritage Park in 2007. :)

Indians Finish Fourth in Division

2006-10-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

The Cleveland Indians ended the 2006 season with a win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and winning 8 of their last 9 games. The Indians finished fourth in what could be arguably called the most competitive division of the majors, the American League Central. It's time to go back to the drawing board for the Indians because when you're in a division with the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Minnesota Twins you'd better field a team that can play with the best.

Indians Stop the Growling Tigers

2006-05-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

The Cleveland Indians took out the Detroit Tigers with the awesome pitching by Jason Johnson, who pitched six great innings against his old team. We looked good out there shutting out a team that had won seven straight games in a row. On top of that, the Indians were the first team to shut out the Tigers all season long!

Casey Blake Can Shake This Losing Streak

2006-05-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

Outfielder Casey Blake is giving me hope for this season with a .439 batting average and an 11 game hitting streak. The Cleveland Indians really need his intensity right now. They have a five game losing streak but they can snap out of it if Blake keeps up the awesome hitting. We’ll see if they can pull through this series against the Detroit Tigers.

Looking at the big picture.

2006-05-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

The Cleveland Indians are headed to Kansas City for their second series against the Royals. They took the last series in April but if we are going to improve our AL Central standing we are going to have to win a lot more games than we have been. I am looking forward to Paul Byrd leading us to victory tonight.

No fuel for a fire?

2006-04-16T20:01:00.000-07:00

Scoreless losses have to be the most disappointing of all the possible losing scenarios. The Cleveland Indians only gave up one run the entire game yet their offense couldn’t produce at the plate inning after inning. This was an equally matched zero-excitement game in my opinion.

Get your Parachutes ready!

2006-03-19T16:49:00.000-08:00

Tonight will be a rough night for me. I have Coldplay tickets for their show tomorrow so I won’t be sleeping at all tonight. The worst part is that I have to get through an entire day of work tomorrow while drenched in anticipation of this monumental event. Coldplay is my favorite band because of their cool, intelligent, beautiful music. I have never gotten the opportunity to see them play live. This should be amazing!

Cure for Spring Fever

2006-02-14T09:48:00.000-08:00

When I think of the Cleveland Indians in springtime I remember times in High School when my friends and I would drive down to the ball park to get bleacher seats. Sometimes it was actually during school. We’d listen to the Cure really loud and barrel down the highway with the windows rolled down and our baseball mitts hanging out the windows attached to our arms.

Leaving Cleveland, Headed for Detroit

2006-01-30T17:41:00.000-08:00

I can’t wait for this weekend!!! I’ve got my Cleveland Indians cooler out, and I’m headed for the Super Bowl in Detroit. I bought my tickets online and it was easier than I thought it would be. Now all I have to do is suffer through the car ride with my brother and I will be seeing the Pittsburgh Steelers stomp the Seattle Seahawks. Go Steelers!

Indians Looking for Free Agents

2005-10-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

Well it’s put up or shut up time for the Indians organization. After saying for the last half of the season how they wish to resign pitcher Kevin Millwood to a multi-year contract the time has finally come. Millwood just filed for free agency meaning he’s available for anyone willing to pay the price. Millwood coming off of an excellent year, having the best ERA in the American League with a 2.86 but only finishing with a 9-10 record is looking for a multi-year contract with a pay raise from the $7.25 million he made last season. Millwood is the first pitcher to lead the American League in ERA with a losing record since 1923 when Stan Coveleski of the same Indians did it. The Indians have hinted that their $42 million payroll will increase next season, meaning they would be able to snag Millwood and some other free agents this offseason.

Millwood Looking to Re-Sign With Indians

2005-10-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

After finishing the season as the American League leader in ERA, 2.86, the Indians are ready to offer Kevin Millwood a multi-year deal. Millwood became the first pitcher to have the lowest ERA and a losing record since 1923. Due to the lack of run support, Millwood found it difficult to win, but he always kept his team in it. Millwood is reportedly looking for a 3 year deal, which the Indians are prepared to offer, so from there it all comes down to the green, what kind of money are they going to offer? The Indians are notorious for not trying hard to sign the big time players because of the price tag, but it seems this time they are willing to put themselves out there to make sure Millwood remains an Indian for at least 3 more seasons.

Close But No Cigar

2005-10-02T13:18:00.000-07:00

For the last half of the season the Indians were without a doubt one of the hottest teams in the majors. But they came up just short on Sunday with a loss to the Chicago White Sox. They needed to win to still have a chance for the wild card. That’s the problem with hitting a hot streak for such a long period of time, sooner or later you have to come down. The Indians finished the season with 6 losses in 7 games after going 17-2 from September 5 to September 24. This was a disappointing finish to a wonderful season.

When You’re Hot, You’re Hot

2005-09-22T07:13:00.000-07:00

I don’t know how else to put it, the Indians are on fire! Since August 1, the Indians have gone 34-12, they have gone 14-2 in their last 16 games. If they continue on this streak they could possibly win the American League Central. They are only behind the Chicago White Sox by 2 and ½ games. But the Indians will have to keep this blistering pace up if they want to make it to the playoffs. They only have a 1 game lead on the Wild Card, the teams chasing them will either be the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox. All of these teams have turned their games up a notch, and to fend off the Yankees or the Red Sox, the Indians will need to continue their unbelievable winning.

Great Balls of Fire

2005-09-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

If you’re a Yankees fan then watch out. Your playoff hopes may have just been dashed by the streaking Indians. After Wednesday night’s win against the Oakland Athletics, 6-4, the Indians have won 9 of 10, seven of those wins came in a blur when the Indians swept the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins. The Indians are just finding ways to win day in and day out and that is what you have to do to become a playoff team. The Indians might just completely run away with the Wild Card leaving either the Yankees or Red Sox high and dry with no playoff spot.

Make Room

2005-06-16T10:18:00.000-07:00

Word from the Indians club house is that right-handed-pitcher Kevin Millwood is making steady progress to the point where he could make a possible roster appearance this week. Millwood’s arm has been missed, even though pitchers come a dime a dozen. In his spot the Indians have tried to bring up several triple AAA pitchers, one of them being Jason Davis who would more than likely get sent back down to the minors to make room for Millwood’s return.

Optimistic

2005-06-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

It is nothing but optimism around the club house on the return of injured right-handed-pitcher Kevin Millwood. Millwood was put on the disabled list due to a strained right groin. He was put on the 15 day disabled list and will return sooner than expected, probably around June 10.

''I'm optimistic that Kevin will be able to come off the DL when he's eligible.'' -manager Eric Wedge

Injuried Again

2005-06-01T17:50:00.000-07:00

Juan Gonzalez in my opinion has become a mere shadow of what he used to be. After coming back from injury he gets hurt again, though this time he was not put on the disabled list. The team is waiting for the results of some test on his hamstring. So until then he is still on in the line up just not a starter.

Moving on Up

2005-05-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

Beautiful thing about baseball is the farm clubs that belong to their respective Major league team. This is important simply because teams are able to groom from within their own system, and teams are able to replace injured players for a quick fix. Like left handed pitcher Brain Tallet, he was called up from Class AAA Buffalo to replace an injured Kevin Millwood.

Switch Hitter

2005-05-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

I would not make any anticipation for the Indians club house to make catcher Victor Martinez stop switch hitting this season. I just don’t see that happening. Martinez right now holds a .342 batting average when he bats right handed yet he seems to be in a bit of a slump on the left side. I would expect the batting coaches to come around and give Martinez some help on the left side.

More Coco Crisp

2005-05-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

Well we talked about the speedy left fielder Coco Crisp before and how his speed would help the team achieve more stolen bases to help the lack of RBI’s this season. To do that the team moved Crisp from the lead off spot to the number two batter.

Yet the search for a leadoff hitter still continues. I wouldn’t be surprised if Coco Crisp were to return to the lead off position; the only thing Crisp will have to work on is his patience at the plate.

Thinkgs to Know

2005-05-12T16:11:00.000-07:00

from Foxsports.com

3B Aaron Boone's hitting struggles have given Jose Hernandez and Alex Cora more time in the infield than expected. Look for Hernandez to play even more if Boone's bat doesn't show life soon.

The Indians have scored 100 runs, which ranks 13th in the American League. They are on pace to produce under 700 runs, which would be a sharp drop from the 858 runs the team scored in 2004 and is the primary reason the club has struggled.

Pitching a Constant

2005-05-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

The club hasn't found enough save situations to keep closer right-handed-pitcher Bob Wickman sharp, and his inactivity could hurt when the team does need him.

The other RHP Kevin Millwood's fastball has reached 96 mph on a couple of occasions, which is harder than he threw last season. Millwood has worked with pitching coach Carl Willis on using his legs more. The stronger push off the rubber has ramped up Millwood's velocity and returned his fastball to the power pitch it once was. The improved fastball makes it harder to adjust to his off-speed stuff.

Don't Under Estimate

2005-04-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

from foxsports.com

Any criticism of SS Jhonny Peralta's defense has all but stopped; he has pushed aside early-season jitters. Though he's no Omar Vizquel, Peralta merits the faith the team put in him. . . .

The absence of RF Juan Gonzalez (hamstring) will give Grady Sizemore a chance to prove he's ready for the big leagues. Sizemore's fielding is sound, but can he hit lefthanders well enough to keep a starting spot? Look for OF Ryan Ludwick to get at-bats against lefties until Sizemore can handle them. . . .

The flu that hit C Josh Bard in Kansas City raised concerns about how lean the club is at catcher. If Victor Martinez had gotten ill or injured, there wouldn't have been anyone with catching experience to step in.

Coco Crisp

2005-04-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

What does it mean when you have a guy on your team who has a name that sounds like a cereal and another guy on the team whose name sounds like a term used for his libido?

You have out fielders Coco Crisp and Grady Sizemore along side some other fools who add speed to the Cleveland Indians line up. This is comes in an upgrade in one way, and that is the fact the Indians had trouble stealing bases last season.

Keep an out for either one of these guys. The team wants to try and create more RBI situation. To do that advancement of base runners is important.

In to the Season

2005-04-07T10:04:00.000-07:00

from Foxsports.com

When LHP C.C. Sabathia comes off the D.L. in mid-April, the Indians will have to juggle their pitching staff. RHPs Matt Miller and Rafael Betancourt are in the most danger of losing a spot, assuming RHP Jason Davis, who is filling in for Sabathia in the rotation, is bumped into a long-relief role. . . .

OF Juan Gonzalez's achy hamstrings seem ready to blow out on him. If he can't play right field, the team will have to decide what to do with the slugger, whose bat still is potent. His best spot might be designated hitter, but the Indians already have a quality DH in Travis Hafner.

Indians acquire Bay from Cubs in exchange for Bartosh

2005-03-30T10:41:00.000-08:00

from MLB.com

The Cleveland Indians today announced that they have acquired right-hander Ronald "Bear" Bay from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for lefty Cliff Bartosh.

Bay, 21, went 11-9 with a 3.10ERA (168 1/3 innings, 166 hits, 71 runs, 58 earned runs, 30 walks, 130 strikeouts) in 28 starts for Class A Lansing last season. Overall in his first two seasons of pro ball, he is 19-12 with a 3.02 ERA (247 2/3 innings, 234 hits, 98 runs, 83 earned runs, 46 walks, 232 strikeouts) in 42 games (38 starts). In 2003 with Mesa, he was selected to the Arizona League's All-Star Team after leading the league in victories (seven) and was selected by Baseball America as the 6th-best prospect in the Arizona League. The 6-2, 160-pound starter is a native of Houston, Texas, and was selected by the Cubs in the 25th round of the 2002 draft. His great uncle, Larry Ludtke, played for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Bay is likely to start the season in Class A Kinston.

Bartosh appeared in 34 games for the Tribe last year going 1-0 with a 4.66 ERA (19 1/3 innings, 22 hits, 10 earned runs, 11 walks, 25 strikeouts). This spring he was 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA and 3 saves (5 2/4 innings, seven hits, five runs, four earned runs, three walks, three strikeouts) in six appearances for the Tribe.

The active Major League Spring Training roster currently stands at 27 players with three players on the disabled list (C.C. Sabathia, left-hander Jason Stanford and outfielder Jody Gerut).

Soft Spot

2005-02-24T16:56:00.000-08:00

from Foxsports.com

The loss of Omar Vizquel to free agency looms over the Tribe's middle infield like a thundercloud. The problem is not that 2B Ronnie Belliard can't hold up his side of things; he can. But he'll be partnered with either Jhonny Peralta or Brandon Phillips, two prospects with no major league credentials to speak of. Peralta and Phillips will fight for the starting job in a winner-take-all affair. Both have talent aplenty; neither is the next Vizquel, which raised concerns within the organization. Team officials tried to lessen those concerns with the offseason signings of veterans Jose Hernandez and Alex Cora. They are not Vizquel clones either, nor are they long-term solutions. So shortstop belongs to either Peralta or Phillips. The winner, however, will face pressure from Cora and Hernandez to keep it.

The Anchor in the Bullpen

2005-02-09T15:14:00.000-08:00

"To sign a closer is a definite priority for us. We're looking at what those options are currently. We want to find the most dependable, proven closer we can to fit into our budget."

Those were comments from Manager Eric Wedge, and Wedge made it his priority as he re-singed 35-year-old RHP Bob Wickman to set the foundation for his bullpen.

Wickman went (0-2) with 13 saves and a respectable 4.25 ERA in 2004, yet Wickman has also given up more hits than innings pitched, giving up 33 hits compared to 29 2/3 innings pitched. Wickman is the type of guy that the Indians want, simply because he can protect leads.

Vizquel or Peralta?

2005-02-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

Omar Vizquel is baseball player through and through, but nothing last for ever. Even the Cubs know that, letting go of Grace in the past and now Sosa in the present. This is why the Indians will stick with Jhonny Peralta at shortstop. Peralta shined in Triple-A ball, and the same expectations are in place for him in the Majors too. Although Peralta did look hesitant at the plate and unasserted at shortstop you still have to give the youth time to grow.

Which in the big leagues now n days is one more season, or back to the minors.

Go Indians!

After injury, Snyder back on track

2005-01-15T15:34:00.000-08:00

By Justice B. Hill / MLB.com

Brad Snyder has put the disappointment behind him. Actually, he has no choice, because why dwell on something he can't change?

And he could not change a thing about what happened to him in Winter Haven, Fla., last February.

What should have been an early highlight of his pro career turned into his biggest disappointment.

Snyder was supposed to spend the early part of Spring Training in the Major League camp. He was prepared to do just that when he came down with an eye infection that troubled him until the end of camp.

He never tasted one minute of life in the Major League camp, but he's hopeful that the Indians will be kind enough to give him a second chance this spring.

No, you don't. But surely the Indians are inclined to do whatever they can to soften any disappointment that a talent like Snyder might have. He is, according to Baseball America, the organization's top power-hitting prospect.

The Tribe has already shown Snyder how much it thinks of his talent by inviting him to its winter development program, a month-long session at Case Western Reserve University. The program combines a mental and physical approach to preparing high-ceiling prospects like Snyder, pitcher Adam Miller, first baseman Michael Aubrey, pitcher Fausto Carmona, catcher Javier Herrera and seven others for their climb to the Major Leagues.

It also gets him playing baseball, which has proved almost impossible to do in this hometown of Bellevue, Ohio.

Snyder has found few places there to get in his offseason hitting, throwing and conditioning, so he's had to make the trek to Ball State, his alma mater, to find facilities to use.

As much as he enjoys returning to Muncie, Ind., Snyder has found that working out there isn't without its distractions. He's a big man on campus. He's even a bigger man to the men on the Ball State baseball team.

They see a kinship with Snyder.

Snyder heads into year No. 3, and each year he's gotten better. But he knows he has to keep getting better. Too many people want to be where he is, and he has to fend off the competition if he wants to someday wear a Major League uniform.

But fending off competition isn't easy.

His reason is his bat. But he's also a young ballplayer with talent beyond his powerful swing. He's an outfielder with a good glove, perhaps one of the best in the Indians farm system.

At this point, he's not Major League-ready. He knows that well, which is why the development program fits his long-term plans like an Armani suit. The program is another step to the bigs.

Indians sign four players

2004-12-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

By Anthony Castrovince / Special to MLB.com

The Indians' list of invitees to Spring Training camp was bumped up to 15 on Friday, as the team signed four players to minor league contracts for the 2005 season.

Right-hander Denny Stark, left-hander Chad Zerbe, infielder/outfielder Mike Kinkade and infielder Jose Morban will all be invited to the Tribe's Major League camp in February.

Both pitchers the Indians signed are products of Ohio.

The 30-year-old Stark spent most of the 2004 season with the Rockies' Triple-A club in Colorado Springs. He went 8-2 with a 3.50 ERA in 14 games, including 13 starts.

Stark, a native of Edgerton, Ohio, and a Toledo graduate, began the season as the Rockies' fifth starter. He made six starts, going 0-5 with an 11.42 ERA. In 2003, he went 11-4 with a 4.00 ERA in 32 games and 20 starts for the Rockies before upper back problems put him out of commission.

Stark was a fourth-round pick by the Mariners in 1996 before being traded to the Rockies for Jeff Cirillo.

Zerbe, 32, spent the last six seasons in the Giants organization. He pitched all of 2004 with Triple-A Fresno, going 6-6 with a 4.29 ERA in 33 games and 14 starts. He spent parts of the 2000-03 seasons in the big leagues and owns a career Major League record of 6-1 with a 3.87 ERA in 114 games, including two starts.

Zerbe is a native of Findlay, Ohio.

Kinkade, 31, is coming off a 2004 season spent in Japan's Central League with the Hashin Tigers. Slowed by a concussion and broken left hand, Kinkade played just 26 games and hit .233 with three home runs and seven RBIs. He was hit by 12 pitches in that brief span.

Kinkade spent two full seasons in the big leagues with the Orioles in 2001 and the Dodgers in 2003. He has a career Major League batting average of .256 with 13 home runs and 48 RBIs in 222 games with the Mets, Orioles and Dodgers.

Morban, 25, split the '04 season between Double-A Bowie and Class A Frederick in the Orioles organization, hitting .209 at Bowie and .235 at Frederick.

Morban spent all of '03 with the Orioles, playing in 61 games and batting .141 with two home runs and five RBIs.

Tribe finds Success in Arizona Sun

2004-11-15T11:27:00.000-08:00

By Anthony Castrovince / Special to MLB.com

The Arizona sun seems to be bringing out the best in some of the Indians' top prospects.

Third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff, one of the Tribe's most consistent hitters in the minors this summer, brought his hot bat to the desert, where he is hitting .314 in 21 Arizona Fall League games. He has also added nine doubles, a pair of home runs and 15 RBIs.

Kouzmanoff, though, isn't the only member of the organization swinging well in the AFL.

Catcher Ryan Garko has been a hitting machine throughout 2004, and he's continued his tear by batting .337 for the Peoria Javelinas, the AFL team for whom eight minor leaguers from the Indians' system are playing. Garko also has nine doubles, to go with four home runs and 23 RBIs. He has a slugging percentage of .565.

Outfielder Jason Cooper has started to pick up the offensive pace in recent weeks. He's batting .299 with one home run and 15 RBIs.

One Tribe player still trying to find himself at the plate is backup catcher David Wallace, who has played sparingly this fall. He's hitting just .211 in seven games.

The Indians' pitching prospects have had mixed results on the mound in the AFL. Right-hander Jake Dittler has made six starts, going 0-1 with a 2.05 ERA.

Coming out of the bullpen, right-hander Dan Denham and left-hander Keith Ramsey have had some struggles. Denham is 2-1 with a 16.62 ERA in eight appearances, while Ramsey is 0-0 with a 12.91 ERA in eight appearances.

Right-hander Landon Stockman picked up his first win of the fall on Tuesday when he pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief for the Javelinas. He is 1-2 with a 5.21 ERA.

Tribe Ready to Contend After '04

2004-10-10T11:38:00.000-07:00

By Justice B. Hill / MLB.com

CLEVELAND -- General manager Mark Shapiro can look ahead without having to dodge debris everywhere in front of him. Not that what Shapiro sees necessarily falls under the category of picturesque, but the scenery sure looks a lot prettier now than his rebuilding project did two offseasons ago.

For Shapiro finds himself deep into the next stage of the project, and that stage moves the ballclub from an also-ran to a contender, which is what Shapiro has vowed the Indians will be in 2005.

He has good reason to believe they will contend, too. His optimism springs from what Shapiro saw in 2004. It was a season that fortified the foundation that he had put in place two seasons earlier.

"It's been a very positive season," he said, "with a lot of encouraging results that lead me to feel very confident that next year is gonna be the year that we hope it will be, which is a year we begin the season with the expectations to contend for our division."

He's right in part. The Indians did show signs that might lead anybody to go into next season with a big helping of optimism as well. They were a team that caught the public's fancy through its hard-nosed baseball and its commitment to hard work that a Rust Belt town like Cleveland demands from its sports teams.

For a brief moment in mid-August, the team with no quit in it flirted with contention. It came within a Corey Koskie two-run homer in the top of the 10th inning of tying the Twins for first place in the AL Central, and it had the city in a tizzy over its hopes for a pennant race.

But those hopes died quickly as mid-August rolled into September and contention went the way of the Dodo bird. The Tribe had to hang on just to keep the Tigers from overtaking it for third place.

"I think we hit a spot in the schedule where we played some very good teams," Shapiro said. "I think they also got outside of what made them successful to that point, and I think there was some mental and physical fatigue as well that set in.
"A 162-game schedule doesn't allow you to hide."

No, hiding is impossible in a marathon season, and the shortcomings of a young ballclub showed themselves for all to see.

The most obvious of those shortcomings was the pitching. It remains young and untested under the strain and tension of a dogfight late in the season. That pitching unraveled in the latter weeks of the season, particularly the work of two linchpins: C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee. Their less-than-impressive work since the All-Star break raised questions about their readiness to help the Indians contend next season.

Tenacious Lee

2004-09-29T05:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a rollercoaster season for pitcher Cliff Lee. He started off the season at (10-1) and fell off midseason going (0-6) with a 10.51 ERA from July 21 - Sept 2.

Lee was acquired from the Expos in 2002 and never really struggled. He went (26-17) record with a 3.41 ERA in a 72 game period.

Though it seems now Lee has come back from out of the shadows. He is 2-0 in his last to starts and 3-1 in his last for starts, and last night showed it. Lee threw 6 people out, walked one, gave up 3 hits and run in 6 and 1/3 inngings pitched in a 5-1 victory for Cleveland.

"He went through (a) dead arm (phase) and the league started making adjustments to him. He was feeling himself in a place he hadn't been before. He never had any difficulty before.
He weathered the storm and I think he learned a lot. From a mental aspect, that's something he had to go through. That's just part of a young starting pitcher maturing to this level. He was humbled a little bit, so it was important for him to comeback strong and Cliff has done that." -Indians manager Eric Wedge

Go Tribe!

Pay cut, part-time role would be required

2004-09-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

From ESPN.com, by the Associated Press

CLEVELAND -- Omar Vizquel's days with the Cleveland Indians could be dwindling. And although free agency beckons for the Gold Glove shortstop, he can't imagine playing for any other team.

Vizquel, who has played 11 seasons in Cleveland, may not get a 12th if the Indians decline to pick up the $5 million option on his contract for 2005.

"Regardless of what happens I'll play somewhere next season," Vizquel said. "I'll be sad if I have to leave Cleveland, but what can I do? That's how baseball operates. But I remain optimistic that I'll be able to stay."

The Indians, who are eager to get International League MVP Jhonny Peralta in their lineup next season, are not expected to exercise their part of the mutual option, making the 37-year-old Vizquel a free agent.

Unless Vizquel is willing to take a substantial pay cut and become a part-time player, he has two weeks and four home games left with the Indians.

Vizquel plans to sit down with Indians general manager Mark Shapiro after the season and listen to what the Indians might be able to offer him.

"I want to stay here, but I have to see what their plan is and what kind of contract it is," said. "I feel like they have a good young team here ready to win, to go for it all. There is no other team I really want to play for."

Shapiro has already stated that he wants Vizquel back, but only if the price is right.

After last season, the Indians had agreed in principle to a trade sending Vizquel to Seattle, where he lives in the offseason. However, Vizquel, who had two surgeries on his right knee last season, failed the Mariners' physical.

"I don't really want to play for Seattle now because they are rebuilding and I don't want to go through that again like I did here," said Vizquel. "But I am going to play somewhere because I am not ready to quit."

Vizquel has been a pleasant surprise for Cleveland this season. Entering Monday night's game in Detroit, he's batting .294 with 79 runs, seven homers, 58 RBI and 17 stolen bases -- numbers any team would love to have.

The Indians could still sign Vizquel after he becomes a free agent in November, but a deal would have to be in place by Dec. 7 when teams must offer their own free agents arbitration or risk losing them.

Vizquel is hopeful things can be worked out.

"I had a short conversation with Mark and he said he wants to sit down and talk with me after the season," Vizquel said. "It should take about an hour. It will be either yes or no, it's that simple."

So Close

2004-09-13T11:14:00.000-07:00

What else could be said about yesterdays 1-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics, besides that it wasn't the pitchers fault. Jake Westbrook spent a complete 8 innings on the mound for the tribe. And in those innings Westbrook threw 6 k's, gave up one earned run, 5 hits, and just one walk. Which is not bad. It is actually something you would ask of you pitcher.

No, no. The problem here was the offensive didn't seem to want to help out their pitchers case. In the end all it takes is just one run.

Keep the faith. Go Tribe!

Is Time Running Out?

2004-09-06T16:34:00.000-07:00

Lets say you just dropped 5 games in a row, and your team record is 67-71, plus a little less than 4 weeks left in the season. One would think to throw in the towel, but not in the city that rocks. For example like rocking the Yankees for 22 runs. That is something to be proud about especially since the Yankees had no runs scored. There is about 24 games to be played for this team. Only 10.5 games behind the Twins in the division, the Indians can sneak up on the twins. If the Astros can win 10 in a row then so can we. Right? The destiny is in the teams hand they play the Twins 7 more times before the season is over. A lot can happen. Right?

Ooooo-o-oooo-oo
Go Tribe!

Elarton to battle Angels

2004-09-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

Scott Elarton has a big job on his hands. With the AL Central race beginning to slip away, Elarton has a great opportunity to gain some ground. True, the Angels have some great hitting, and probably won't be too intimidated; Elarton's head will need to be in the right place tonight - he'll have to play through it. Based on his last performance, it seems at least possible. He'll be facing Kelvim Escobar on the mound.

With a win tonight, we'll gain some ground on the Twins, who sit in first place in AL Central. Let's make it a good one, Cleveland!

GO INDIANS!!!

Good Luck, Cliff!

2004-08-23T14:42:00.000-07:00

From MLB.com:

The Indians might wish they were getting the Yankees at a different point in the '04 season. If the Indians had been able to pick a time to play the team with the second-best record in baseball, they wouldn't have picked now.
Now, the Yankees aren't on a roll of any sort. In fact, they've been scuffling. But they are still the Yankees -- a team with a Murderer's Row of hitting, solid, veteran pitching and plenty of experience in their lineup.

The Indians can't match that veteran pitching or the experience in the Yankees' lineup. And the way the Tribe has played lately, it doesn't match up well against anybody.

Yet as Eric Wedge has said, a baseball season will have its ups and downs, and this happens to be one of the downs.

"We've gotta clear our minds of this road trip, and just be able to go, regroup and separate from this road trip," Wedge said. "We have to come out [Monday] with a fresh look and get a fresh start." What will give the Indians a fresh start will be a heavy helping of good pitching, which could be the answer to all that ails them.

Knowing that and getting it are two different matters, more so because of the pitcher Wedge will use to start the Yankees series. In Cliff Lee, Wedge will be relying on a pitcher who has had as many struggles as the team itself.

After starting the season 10-1, the 25-year-old Lee is looking to get the wheels back on his season. At one point, he seemed on his way to a breakout year.

But his breakout season has turned into what resembles a disaster. Lee has gone from dominating teams to be banged around as if he were throwing batting practice.

His last outing might have been his worst of the season. Lee gave up eight runs, and the Rangers seemed able to hit everything he threw -- and hit it hard, too.

But this is not the time to give up on Lee. This is the game where Lee needs to prove he's over his second-half funk. Now, beating the Yankees won't be easy; it never is. Yet Lee does have the stuff to beat good teams.

C.C. takes on Toronto

2004-08-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

C.C. Sabathia hasn't looked quite as dominant as usual since his return after shoulder soreness - he has a 3-3 record with a 6.46 ERA since July 5th. He began setting things right on Friday, however, pitching seven strong innings and giving up only one earned run on five hits. If the Indians are to dominate the Blue Jays in this series, Sabathia's performance tonight will be pivotal.

Keep an eye on Travis Hafner, as he has torn apart right-handers at the plate lately - the Jays will start RHP Justin MIller, who will have to dominate the strike zone in order to subdue Hafner.

Let's cheer on the Indians tonight as they attempt to seal up another victory on the way to 3 this series!

GO INDIANS!!!

Indians head to Chicago

2004-08-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

Tonight the Indians (55-54)will kick off a four game series against the White Sox(54-51), with C.C. Sabathia starting off on the mound. This season we're 3-3 against the White Sox in Chicago, 4-7 overall. Sabathia has been shaky lately, recently dropping one to the Royals, allowing seven runs in five innings. Let's hope he finds his groove tonight, b/c otherwise there might be a few pissed off fans, if you know what i mean.

Last night's game against Toronto brought us to two straight wins after a 4 game losing streak, so let's hope it doesn't get ruined by lackluster pitching. Anyone catch Sizemore's double in the tenth? Hot. Anyway, Indians took it 6-3 - let's keep it up, Cleveland!

GO INDIANS!!!

Elarton looking for second win

2004-08-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

From MLB.com:

The Indians will try to snap a three-game losing streak when they take on the Toronto Blue Jays in the second-game of a four-game set at Toronto's SkyDome. Cleveland was unable to overcome a 4-0 first-inning deficit in losing to the Blue Jays, 6-1, on Monday.
Cleveland will send Scott Elarton to the mound looking to get the Indians back on the winning track. Elarton won his last start against Detroit on July 28, snapping a personal eight-game losing streak. He'll be making his 10th start with Cleveland, and 18th overall this year. The Tribe signed Elarton to a minor-league contract on May 25, a week after he was released by Colorado.

Miguel Batista will counter for the Blue Jays, who had lost two straight losing before Monday's win. Batista had a no-decision in his last start, Toronto's 3-2 win over the New York Yankees last week. However, Batista has not had much success against Cleveland in his career, going 0-3 lifetime with an 11.57 ERA.

Lest anyone forget, the Indians are at .500 (53-53) and in the middle of the AL Central rankings. I'll just chill and wait for something spectacular I guess.

2-1 vs. Detroit

2004-07-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

Casey Blake homered late in Wednesday's game to help tie up a victory and push the Indians to 2 better than .500 - for the first time this season. Jake Westbrook will start us off tonight against KC and attempt to further our winning push to 3 over .500. Westbrook is throwing a 3.10 ERA (8-5) for the season, with a 1-0, 0.00 record vs. KC this season, 2-1 1.09 lifetime against the Royals. Not bad. Hope you all can catch the game!

GO TRIBE!!!

Indians sweep Royals

2004-07-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

In 4 commanding performances, the Indians swept the Royals over the weekend. Now we're back at the Jake tonight to host the Tigers.

Cliff Lee is scheduled to pitch - here's what MLB.com has to say:

All Cliff Lee might want to say about his last outing is this: "Forget about it."
That would be wise, because Lee had nothing good to remember in a outing that earned him his second loss of the season. Everything Lee threw the White Sox hit, and they hit those pitches hard.
But the 25-year-old Lee has shown the ability to bounce back from adversity, and he should be ready and able to produce the kind of outing that has been his signature this season. That means he should be throwing strikes early and often.
The Indians could use that type of effort from Lee, because a win would move the Tribe two games over .500 for the first time this season.

Lee will have to hold his own against Ivan Rodriguez, a perennial powerhouse hitter deserving of a pitcher's respect. Good luck out there tonight, Lee!

GO INDIANS!!!

Since the All-Star Game...

2004-07-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

Split a series w/ the Mariners and we're up 1 against the Angels in a 2-gamer to be finished tonight. Jake Westbrook will make his first start tonight against Anaheim with the Tribe looking for a sweep to finish up 6 days on the west coast.

Victor Martinez (C)was honored as the AL Player of the Week (only the 2nd time this season for Martinez), batting .500 with four home runs and eight RBIs in four games. Not too shabby...way to go Vic!

2-1 Over Oakland

2004-07-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

Congrats, Indians!!!

Cleveland took home the series 2-1 (5-4, 7-16, 4-1) against the Oakland Athletics to head into the All-Star break. That puts us at the middle of AL Central with .483. Room for improvement, but no complaints from me about wins.

Be sure to catch the All-Star game today as 5 Indians represent Cleveland and the American League: Sabathia, Westbrook, Martinez, Belliard, and Lawton are all on the AL lineup. Thanks for representing us so well, gentlemen! Good luck tonight!!!

We'll head to Seattle Thursday for a weekend 4-gamer against the Mariners. I think we can take this series easy, get some wins under our belt, and improve our record a bit.

GO INDIANS!!!

Tough loss this afternoon

2004-07-08T13:27:00.000-07:00

Well, 0-10 to finish a 1-3 series is a disappointment. Texas is a great team, and Oakland ain't bad either. We're gonna have to turn up the heat in order to defeat Oakland.

Westbrook is scheduled to pitch against Saarloos of the A's. It's unclear if this is an edge or not - Saarloos' numbers are better, but then he's only thrown one game this season. The Rangers killed us on hits, so that will have to be a focal point.

Gotta run before my supervisor comes back!
Good Luck Against the A's, Cleveland!!!

Hello, Cleveland!

2004-07-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

And hello, world! This is my first attempt at the new blogging trend, so bear with me. This blog is (as you may have noticed) dedicated to my favorite baseball team, the Cleveland Indians. It seemed like a natural thing to blog about, so here I am ;-).

I'll be posting regularly with important Indians news and my thoughts on games, etc. Thanks for visiting my little corner!

GO INDIANS!!!