Fukudome finding comfort level with Tribe
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 08/07/11 7:47 PM
Smoke signals
ARLINGTON -- It took a little bit of time, but outfielder Kosuke Fukudome appears to be getting used to life with the Indians in the American League.
Cleveland acquired Fukudome in a trade with the Cubs on July 28, with the hope that he could provide a young offense with some experienced, professional at-bats out of the lineup's sixth spot. Over the past week, Fukudome has done just that for the Tribe.
"I think that I'm starting to get used to my teammates and the team," Fukudome said through interpreter Hiro Aoyama. "I'm starting to think about what I can do to contribute to the team."
During the ninth inning of Saturday's 7-5 win over the Rangers, Fukudome delivered a leadoff double that set the stage for a four-run rally. That comeback erased a 4-3 deficit and helped Cleveland pick up a much-needed victory.
Entering Sunday's finale in Texas, Fukudome was hitting .345 (10-for-29) with three doubles, three runs scored, two RBIs and an .815 OPS over his past seven games for the Indians. That showing came after an 0-for-7 introduction to the American League.
Indians manager Manny Acta said comfort has been the key.
"It's just a matter of him getting more at-bats here," Acta said, "and getting more comfortable around his surroundings, his teammates, the league and all that. He's swung the bat a lot better the last [few] games. Every bit of offense is welcome."
LaPorta gets another day to rest ankle
ARLINGTON -- Matt LaPorta's name was missing from the Indians' lineup on Sunday, marking the second game in a row that the first baseman was omitted.
Indians manager Manny Acta indicated that LaPorta was suffering from a sore left foot after being hit by a pitch from Rangers lefty Derek Holland in the first inning on Friday night. With a scheduled team off-day on Monday, Acta felt it made sense to give LaPorta an extra day of rest to recover.
"He got hit on the foot two days ago," Acta said. "His ankle was swollen [Saturday] and he couldn't even take batting practice. He feels better and he's available today, but we decided to give him one more day off just to put it together with tomorrow's day off and have it heal completely."
LaPorta, who is hitting .241 with 10 homers and 40 RBIs through 81 games this season, was replaced at first base by utility man Shelley Duncan. LaPorta said he felt well enough to play, if needed, and the first baseman hopes to be ready to go in time for Tuesday's home game against Detroit.
"It's just sore and everything," LaPorta said. "But it's part of the game. What can you do? I ran on it [Saturday] night, just warming up and getting ready to go. It's not necessarily that I can't go in there and play. I think it's just more of a precaution."
Duncan making a case to stay
ARLINGTON -- Shelley Duncan is doing all he can to present the Indians with a tough decision.
On Tuesday, when third baseman Jack Hannahan is activated from Major League Baseball's paternity leave list, Cleveland will need to remove a player from its roster. Duncan -- called up from Triple-A on Friday after Hannahan left the team -- might be the odd-man out.
Then again, Duncan might be making a case to stick around.
"There's a chance of everything," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "But Hannahan is coming back on Tuesday."
In the first two games of the current three-game set in Texas, Duncan went 3-for-6 at the plate with one home run, one double, two RBIs and a pair of walks. Cleveland, which has been starved for offense much of this season, scored seven runs in each of those games against the Rangers.
Duncan, who has a Minor League option, has hit .255 with four homers and 22 RBIs in 38 games for the Tribe. Among Cleveland's outfielders, rookie Ezequiel Carrera (.244 in 26 games) is another player with options. Duncan and Carrera can be sent down without consequence.
Veteran Austin Kearns, who has hit .200 with two homers and seven RBIs in 55 games, is in the fold on a guaranteed, $1.3 million contract and does not have options. Kearns would have to be designated for assignment and exposed to waivers before potentially being sent to the Minors.
"He has given us a lift," Acta said of Duncan. "That's the reason why we made the decision to bring him up, to have his bat against those two lefties [Texas southpaws Derek Holland and C.J. Wilson], because he does a good job against left-handed pitching. He's done a good job."
Kipnis' power not a surprise to Tribe
ARLINGTON -- Indians manager Manny Acta is not surprised by the recent power surge from rookie second baseman Jason Kipnis. Home runs were expected to be part of the young infielder's game.
"That's been the report," Acta said on Sunday. "Our Minor League people have always felt that he can hit for power. He's made quite an impression here in a week."
Entering Sunday, the 24-year-old Kipnis had launched five home runs in his past seven games. Within that streak, the second baseman's first four career shots came in consecutive contests.
In the ninth inning of Saturday's 7-5 win over the Rangers, Kipnis provided a two-run home run to cap off a four-run rally for the Tribe. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Kipnis is the first Indians player to have five homers in his first 13 career Major League games since Luis Medina accomplished the feat in 1988.
The last player on any team to belt five homers in his first 13 big league contests was Texas' Taylor Teagarden in 2008.
Since joining the Indians, Kipnis has hit .255 (12-for-47) with two doubles and eight RBIs to go along with his long balls. Prior to being summoned to the Majors, Kipnis hit .279 with 12 homers, 15 doubles, nine triples, 55 RBIs and 64 runs in 91 games at Triple-A Columbus.
Smoke signals
• Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo (on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured left wrist) met with Dr. Thomas Graham on Saturday in Cleveland. Choo had his hand re-evaluated with an X-ray and was given clearance to continue taking batting practice. Choo was slated to do so on Sunday with Class A Lake County, and he is scheduled to begin a Minor League rehab assignment with Lake County on Monday.
• Since returning from the 15-day disabled list, following a bout with a strained right quadriceps, Indians righty Fausto Carmona has gone 1-1 with a 2.81 ERA over four starts. Along the way, he's limited hitters to a .232 average over 25 2/3 innings. "He's been more aggressive in the strike zone with his sinking fastball," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "He has improved the amount of fastballs he's thrown. When he's got his back up against the wall now, he goes to his No. 1 pitch."
• Entering Sunday, the Indians had scored seven runs in each of their previous three games. The 21 runs over that three-game span marked the most over a three-game stretch for the Tribe since May 31-June 2, when Cleveland collected 23 runs. The Indians' best three-game offensive stretch of the year came between May 13-17, when the club plated 31 combined runs.
Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Major League Bastian, and follow him on Twitter @MLBastian. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Re: Articles
692“Thumbing my way back to heaven”
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com
Shin-Soo Choo showed me his left thumb today, and it’s pretty gnarly.
Not “gnarly” in a California slang/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sense, but… you know… gnarly. Gnarled. Not-so-easy-on-the-eyes. The area where his nail is supposed to be is mangled, and on the swollen thumb itself, you can clearly see the scars from the stitches, the remnants of the surgical procedure Choo had performed to repair the broken thumb in late June.
But “gnarly” is a drastic improvement over what Choo’s thumb looked like just a few weeks back. He showed me a picture from his iPhone of his thumb from the day the cast came off, and suffice to say it’s uglier than sin. Choo didn’t know if he had permission from the Indians’ training staff for me to post the photo here, so I won’t. But you’re probably better off that I don’t.
The point of all this is that Choo probably had no business being here, in the clubhouse at Class A Lake County, so soon after this particular surgery. The broken thumb he suffered as a result of a high and tight Jonathan Sanchez fastball was so extreme that, according to Choo, Dr. Thomas Graham had to use two small bones placed on each side of the thumb’s proximal phalanx to provide a stabilizing effect. As a result, his left thumb will forever be thicker than his right.
“I have no idea know where [Graham] got the bones,” Choo said.
The recovery time from the procedure was supposed to be eight to 10 weeks, possibly more. And yet here was Choo, six weeks removed from surgery and ready to begin a Minor League rehab assignment that, he hopes, will have him ready to rejoin the Indians’ lineup on Aug. 16 in Chicago.
“Special body,” he joked.
Now, whether Choo can provide a special impact on the Indians’ lineup at this critical juncture of the season remains to be seen. First things first, the Indians, who were one game up on the Tigers in the AL Central standings when Choo got hurt on June 24 and are four games back now, have the most important series of the season looming this week against Detroit. They hope to still be relevant by the time Choo returns.
Choo, meanwhile, will use the next week as a means to get his timing back. He hopes to move up the Minor League ladder before week’s end, possibly going on the road with Double-A Akron or Triple-A Columbus, because he doesn’t want Class A pitching to be the extent of his opposition.
But Choo has other matters going on in his life this week besides the rehab work. His wife, Won Mi Ha, is due to give birth to the couple’s third child and first daughter any day now (Abigail is the name they’ve tentatively picked out for her).
Choo’s time away from the Tribe this season has had the unintended effect of making him more domesticated and more appreciative of his wife’s many responsibilities.
“My wife has a hard life, taking care of two kids,” he said. “I say, ‘Hey, honey, you have a really hard job.’ You know, a lot of boyfriends or guys or whatever, your wife stays home and does house work, and you think, ‘Oh, you’ve got an easy job.’ But it’s not. It’s work. If you’ve ever done house work, you know. Laundry, making food, cleaning house. I learned from that. With the injury, I stayed home, and now I know she has a tough job.
“We’ve got a nice job. Playing in the big leagues, making money, seeing everybody in the stands. We’ve got a really good life, you know? Some people forget about it. But we’ve got a great job.”
Getting pulled away from that job has truly been a bummer for Choo, who remembers too well watching the Indians go to the playoffs without him in 2007, after he had Tommy John surgery on his left elbow.
Said Choo: “A lot of people say, ‘Don’t try to hurry back, make sure you’re healthy. The team’s going good, and, if you can’t play, maybe next year.’ That’s not for me. Every year is a chance to make the playoffs. This year, we have a chance and we have to take it. If I feel good, I want to play. If I’m hurt, I can’t do it. But if it’s possible to get back to the field to help the team, I want to.”
He’s expected back on the field with the Indians very soon. In the meantime, this is a huge week for the team trying desperately to keep its playoff hopes alive and the right fielder working on his timing, gnarly thumb and all.
~AC
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:10 pm Permalink 1 Comment
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com
Shin-Soo Choo showed me his left thumb today, and it’s pretty gnarly.
Not “gnarly” in a California slang/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sense, but… you know… gnarly. Gnarled. Not-so-easy-on-the-eyes. The area where his nail is supposed to be is mangled, and on the swollen thumb itself, you can clearly see the scars from the stitches, the remnants of the surgical procedure Choo had performed to repair the broken thumb in late June.
But “gnarly” is a drastic improvement over what Choo’s thumb looked like just a few weeks back. He showed me a picture from his iPhone of his thumb from the day the cast came off, and suffice to say it’s uglier than sin. Choo didn’t know if he had permission from the Indians’ training staff for me to post the photo here, so I won’t. But you’re probably better off that I don’t.
The point of all this is that Choo probably had no business being here, in the clubhouse at Class A Lake County, so soon after this particular surgery. The broken thumb he suffered as a result of a high and tight Jonathan Sanchez fastball was so extreme that, according to Choo, Dr. Thomas Graham had to use two small bones placed on each side of the thumb’s proximal phalanx to provide a stabilizing effect. As a result, his left thumb will forever be thicker than his right.
“I have no idea know where [Graham] got the bones,” Choo said.
The recovery time from the procedure was supposed to be eight to 10 weeks, possibly more. And yet here was Choo, six weeks removed from surgery and ready to begin a Minor League rehab assignment that, he hopes, will have him ready to rejoin the Indians’ lineup on Aug. 16 in Chicago.
“Special body,” he joked.
Now, whether Choo can provide a special impact on the Indians’ lineup at this critical juncture of the season remains to be seen. First things first, the Indians, who were one game up on the Tigers in the AL Central standings when Choo got hurt on June 24 and are four games back now, have the most important series of the season looming this week against Detroit. They hope to still be relevant by the time Choo returns.
Choo, meanwhile, will use the next week as a means to get his timing back. He hopes to move up the Minor League ladder before week’s end, possibly going on the road with Double-A Akron or Triple-A Columbus, because he doesn’t want Class A pitching to be the extent of his opposition.
But Choo has other matters going on in his life this week besides the rehab work. His wife, Won Mi Ha, is due to give birth to the couple’s third child and first daughter any day now (Abigail is the name they’ve tentatively picked out for her).
Choo’s time away from the Tribe this season has had the unintended effect of making him more domesticated and more appreciative of his wife’s many responsibilities.
“My wife has a hard life, taking care of two kids,” he said. “I say, ‘Hey, honey, you have a really hard job.’ You know, a lot of boyfriends or guys or whatever, your wife stays home and does house work, and you think, ‘Oh, you’ve got an easy job.’ But it’s not. It’s work. If you’ve ever done house work, you know. Laundry, making food, cleaning house. I learned from that. With the injury, I stayed home, and now I know she has a tough job.
“We’ve got a nice job. Playing in the big leagues, making money, seeing everybody in the stands. We’ve got a really good life, you know? Some people forget about it. But we’ve got a great job.”
Getting pulled away from that job has truly been a bummer for Choo, who remembers too well watching the Indians go to the playoffs without him in 2007, after he had Tommy John surgery on his left elbow.
Said Choo: “A lot of people say, ‘Don’t try to hurry back, make sure you’re healthy. The team’s going good, and, if you can’t play, maybe next year.’ That’s not for me. Every year is a chance to make the playoffs. This year, we have a chance and we have to take it. If I feel good, I want to play. If I’m hurt, I can’t do it. But if it’s possible to get back to the field to help the team, I want to.”
He’s expected back on the field with the Indians very soon. In the meantime, this is a huge week for the team trying desperately to keep its playoff hopes alive and the right fielder working on his timing, gnarly thumb and all.
~AC
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:10 pm Permalink 1 Comment
Re: Articles
693The following is from Indians web site. And no the Indians are flush with minor league pitching. We have some nice AAA back of the rotation possibilities and a whole bunch of seriously promising relievers. Maybe one potential starter in AA (Adams), none in High A, one teenager in Low A (Sterlling) and another in short season ball (Araujo). Rondon and Knapp are as uncertain as the 18-year-olds in the Arizona League. Eveyone else mentioned by Grant projects a ceiling of no more than back of the rotation and few have of them have any real chance.
Tribe still deep with arms after Ubaldo trade
Top prospects are gone, but Indians rich with pitching in Minors
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 08/08/11 3:40 PM ET
CLEVELAND -- If Brad Grant had thoughts of pounding the table and yelling and trying to put a stop to the trade, he is not saying. The Indians' director of amateur scouting only lets out a laugh at the mental image of himself in such a scenario.
"No," Grant said. "I understood the decision completely."
It was a decision that could very well define the tenure of Indians general manager Chris Antonetti. It was also one that rid the ballclub of two prospects who have defined Grant's time as the man charged with overseeing Cleveland's hauls in the First-Year Player Draft.
On July 28, the Indians pulled highly touted pitching prospects Drew Pomeranz and Alex White from their scheduled appearances for Double-A Akron. One day later, both were packaged in a five-player swap that brought star pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez to Cleveland.
Cleveland's Major League rotation improved immediately. The team's farm system, on the other hand, was suddenly void of any premier pitching prospects. Pomeranz and White -- considered cornerstones for the Tribe's future a little more than a week ago -- both project to be potential front-line starters in the Majors.
With both pitchers now gone, where does that leave Cleveland's Minor League system?
"It's certainly not as strong today as it was a couple of days ago," Antonetti said at the time of the trade. "But again, I think the whole point of a Minor League system is to have competitive Major League teams. We feel that, in acquiring Ubaldo, we've greatly improved our competitiveness, not only this season, but for the next two years.
"Ultimately, that's what a Minor League system is for, to help the Major League team, either directly through their promotion and performance at the Major League level for us, or to allow us to acquire players that would improve our competitiveness."
That might be true, but that did not make the decision an easy one to make.
"It was a very difficult decision for Chris Antonetti and for all of us to experience," said Ross Atkins, the Indians' director of player development. "But professionally, it felt like it was the right thing to do."
Since taking over as Cleveland's director of amateur scouting, Grant has been lauded for the team's drafting. The first pick under Grant's watch was third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, who was selected 29th overall in the 2008 Draft and is currently manning the hot corner on a regular basis for the Indians.
The next two years produced White and Pomeranz, respectively. The Indians nabbed White with the 15th pick in 2009 and added Pomeranz as the fifth overall selection in '10. White ascended to the Majors this season and Pomeranz projected to bring his knee-buckling curve and overpowering heater to the big leagues as soon as '12.
White and Pomeranz now figure into Colorado's blueprint for the future.
From Bob Mayer and Chuck Bartlett -- the area scouts who tracked and recommended selecting White and Pomeranz, respectively -- to Grant and other members of the Indians' player development and scouting departments, it hurt to watch such top-flight talents dealt away to another ballclub.
"Obviously, from a baseball perspective," Grant said, "I completely understand what we did and why we did it, and I support it thoroughly. To be able to add a front-of-the-rotation starter [Jimenez] that's under control for another 2 1/2 years, that opportunity was too good to pass by.
"But from a scouting standpoint and a development standpoint, yeah, it was difficult to lose those two players for sure. ... With all the effort, with everything that's put into those guys, yeah, there's definitely an emotional attachment to them.
"But we take solace in the fact that it takes good players to get good players. We obviously drafted good players and were able to bring back a guy who has the potential to be a front-end starter for us right now."
Jimenez joins a talented young rotation that also currently includes Justin Masterson, Josh Tomlin, Fausto Carmona and Carlos Carraso. Behind that group on the depth chart are two capable arms in David Huff, who the Indians hope has turned a corner this year, and Jeanmar Gomez.
Huff and Gomez, however, have enough Major League experience to make it difficult to still consider them pitching prospects. They are big league options currently pitching at Triple-A Columbus, but they do not fall into the category of untested arms.
Asked to name Cleveland's new top starting pitching prospect -- now that Pomeranz and White are no longer in the discussion -- Atkins was hard-pressed to name just one.
Atkins rattled off a laundry list of arms -- Austin Adams, Clayton Cook, Mike Rayl, Felix Sterling, Scott Barnes, Mike Goodnight, Elvis Araujo, Matt Packer, Zach McAllister and T.J. McFarland, among others. He mentioned Huff and Gomez as well, and added that Hector Rondon and Jason Knapp are out with injuries. This does not include the assortment of arms gathered in the most recent First-Year Player Draft, either.
"There's a long way to go in some cases," Atkins said. "But there's a lot of confidence that many of those guys will be Major League contributors."
Right now, the Indians do not boast the type of pitching prospect that drops fans' jaws or has scouts drooling. What Cleveland does have is a wide variety of arms that project to reach the Majors at some point, and the ballclub is hoping a handful will exceed expectations.
Maybe someone like the Double-A Akron's 24-year-old Adams, who is a converted shortstop now trying to harness a powerful fastball that has been clocked at 100 mph. Or perhaps a youngster like the 20-year-old Araujo, a 6-foot-6 lefty who had 39 strikeouts in 44 innings in the Arizona League.
There are plenty of candidates for career breakthroughs.
"There's a lot of depth," Atkins said. "We're hopeful that some of them will overachieve."
With Jimenez now in the Major League rotation, which consists of a group that could be together for the next few years, the Indians certainly have time on their side.
White and Pomeranz were knocking on the big league's door. Now Cleveland is holding out hope that a few of its farmhands will be in a similar position soon enough.
"Hopefully out of that mix of prospects," Atkins said, "we have a couple of guys that slide into our rotation for a long time."
Tribe still deep with arms after Ubaldo trade
Top prospects are gone, but Indians rich with pitching in Minors
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 08/08/11 3:40 PM ET
CLEVELAND -- If Brad Grant had thoughts of pounding the table and yelling and trying to put a stop to the trade, he is not saying. The Indians' director of amateur scouting only lets out a laugh at the mental image of himself in such a scenario.
"No," Grant said. "I understood the decision completely."
It was a decision that could very well define the tenure of Indians general manager Chris Antonetti. It was also one that rid the ballclub of two prospects who have defined Grant's time as the man charged with overseeing Cleveland's hauls in the First-Year Player Draft.
On July 28, the Indians pulled highly touted pitching prospects Drew Pomeranz and Alex White from their scheduled appearances for Double-A Akron. One day later, both were packaged in a five-player swap that brought star pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez to Cleveland.
Cleveland's Major League rotation improved immediately. The team's farm system, on the other hand, was suddenly void of any premier pitching prospects. Pomeranz and White -- considered cornerstones for the Tribe's future a little more than a week ago -- both project to be potential front-line starters in the Majors.
With both pitchers now gone, where does that leave Cleveland's Minor League system?
"It's certainly not as strong today as it was a couple of days ago," Antonetti said at the time of the trade. "But again, I think the whole point of a Minor League system is to have competitive Major League teams. We feel that, in acquiring Ubaldo, we've greatly improved our competitiveness, not only this season, but for the next two years.
"Ultimately, that's what a Minor League system is for, to help the Major League team, either directly through their promotion and performance at the Major League level for us, or to allow us to acquire players that would improve our competitiveness."
That might be true, but that did not make the decision an easy one to make.
"It was a very difficult decision for Chris Antonetti and for all of us to experience," said Ross Atkins, the Indians' director of player development. "But professionally, it felt like it was the right thing to do."
Since taking over as Cleveland's director of amateur scouting, Grant has been lauded for the team's drafting. The first pick under Grant's watch was third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, who was selected 29th overall in the 2008 Draft and is currently manning the hot corner on a regular basis for the Indians.
The next two years produced White and Pomeranz, respectively. The Indians nabbed White with the 15th pick in 2009 and added Pomeranz as the fifth overall selection in '10. White ascended to the Majors this season and Pomeranz projected to bring his knee-buckling curve and overpowering heater to the big leagues as soon as '12.
White and Pomeranz now figure into Colorado's blueprint for the future.
From Bob Mayer and Chuck Bartlett -- the area scouts who tracked and recommended selecting White and Pomeranz, respectively -- to Grant and other members of the Indians' player development and scouting departments, it hurt to watch such top-flight talents dealt away to another ballclub.
"Obviously, from a baseball perspective," Grant said, "I completely understand what we did and why we did it, and I support it thoroughly. To be able to add a front-of-the-rotation starter [Jimenez] that's under control for another 2 1/2 years, that opportunity was too good to pass by.
"But from a scouting standpoint and a development standpoint, yeah, it was difficult to lose those two players for sure. ... With all the effort, with everything that's put into those guys, yeah, there's definitely an emotional attachment to them.
"But we take solace in the fact that it takes good players to get good players. We obviously drafted good players and were able to bring back a guy who has the potential to be a front-end starter for us right now."
Jimenez joins a talented young rotation that also currently includes Justin Masterson, Josh Tomlin, Fausto Carmona and Carlos Carraso. Behind that group on the depth chart are two capable arms in David Huff, who the Indians hope has turned a corner this year, and Jeanmar Gomez.
Huff and Gomez, however, have enough Major League experience to make it difficult to still consider them pitching prospects. They are big league options currently pitching at Triple-A Columbus, but they do not fall into the category of untested arms.
Asked to name Cleveland's new top starting pitching prospect -- now that Pomeranz and White are no longer in the discussion -- Atkins was hard-pressed to name just one.
Atkins rattled off a laundry list of arms -- Austin Adams, Clayton Cook, Mike Rayl, Felix Sterling, Scott Barnes, Mike Goodnight, Elvis Araujo, Matt Packer, Zach McAllister and T.J. McFarland, among others. He mentioned Huff and Gomez as well, and added that Hector Rondon and Jason Knapp are out with injuries. This does not include the assortment of arms gathered in the most recent First-Year Player Draft, either.
"There's a long way to go in some cases," Atkins said. "But there's a lot of confidence that many of those guys will be Major League contributors."
Right now, the Indians do not boast the type of pitching prospect that drops fans' jaws or has scouts drooling. What Cleveland does have is a wide variety of arms that project to reach the Majors at some point, and the ballclub is hoping a handful will exceed expectations.
Maybe someone like the Double-A Akron's 24-year-old Adams, who is a converted shortstop now trying to harness a powerful fastball that has been clocked at 100 mph. Or perhaps a youngster like the 20-year-old Araujo, a 6-foot-6 lefty who had 39 strikeouts in 44 innings in the Arizona League.
There are plenty of candidates for career breakthroughs.
"There's a lot of depth," Atkins said. "We're hopeful that some of them will overachieve."
With Jimenez now in the Major League rotation, which consists of a group that could be together for the next few years, the Indians certainly have time on their side.
White and Pomeranz were knocking on the big league's door. Now Cleveland is holding out hope that a few of its farmhands will be in a similar position soon enough.
"Hopefully out of that mix of prospects," Atkins said, "we have a couple of guys that slide into our rotation for a long time."
Re: Articles
694Stakes high in Ubaldo's home debut
By Anthony Castrovince | MLB.com Columnist | Archive
08/10/11 2:20 AM ET
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CLEVELAND -- The trail of the trade was still winding through the Indians' clubhouse Tuesday afternoon. To our right, Ubaldo Jimenez was putting on the home whites for a quick photo shoot, but mistakenly grabbed the jersey of teammate Rafael Perez in lieu of his own. To our left, Alex White's locker still sat untouched, his Tribe gear and name placard remaining 10 days after he departed.
Realizing his error, Jimenez quickly swapped shirts, throwing on the No. 30 the Indians hope he'll wear for many years. Realizing their error, the home clubbies quickly took down White's name and put his stuff in storage.
And with that, the Trade Deadline deal that shocked the baseball world felt a little more official.
It will be quite a while before we know what that deal truly entails for the future of this franchise. A trade of this magnitude can only be evaluated long after the camera first catches Jimenez flashing his infectious smile with Chief Wahoo atop his head, long after White's rehab work is complete, long after Drew Pomeranz is finally named the player to be named.
All we know is that Jimenez is going to make his home debut at Progressive Field on Wednesday night, and the stakes could scarcely be higher.
Forget, for just a moment, what this once cautious and suddenly courageous front office gave up to get him. Forget about what the thin Colorado air might do to Pomeranz's curveball or even what the Rangers' bats did to an obviously amped-up Ubaldo in his first foray into the American League. What matters in the here and now is that the Tigers are in town, a three-game deficit is staring the Indians in the face, the bullpen is completely taxed after a rain-soaked, 14-inning win in the series opener, and this would be a fine time for Jimenez to live up to the ace label.
"I'm really excited about my first start in Cleveland," Jimenez said. "But then especially pitching against Detroit. We're competing against them, and we have to do everything we can to stay close."
While the AL is generally foreign territory to him, Jimenez does have some familiarity with his upcoming opponent. He beat the Tigers on June 18 at Coors Field, giving up three runs on eight hits over five innings. Hardly a dominant outing, but enough to earn him one of just six victories he accumulated in his final season with the Rockies.
"He has at least five pitches," Tigers catcher Victor Martinez said. "At least. And he uses them all."
Not always to their intended effect. Groin and thumb issues affected Jimenez's velocity out the gate, and April and May were horrendous (0-5, 5.86 ERA), especially given the standards Jimenez had set for himself in a dominant first half of 2010 (15-1, 2.20 ERA). June and July -- 6-4, 3.49 ERA -- were, as the Indians and Jimenez are quick to point out, much better, before that ridiculous inning he was forced to pitch against the Padres -- amid the swirling trade rumors -- and the uneven outing in Arlington.
The job of ensuring the rockiness recedes and the results return belongs to Tim Belcher. The Tribe pitching coach has been studying Jimenez's unorthodox mechanics ever since the front office first began discussing the deal, and he's come away with one conclusion about the stab-and-slingshot delivery Jimenez invented out of desperation seven years ago.
"He's got a lot going on," Belcher said. "But it works."
It only works when Jimenez remains consistent with his mechanics, and that's a difficult thing to do with so many moving parts. Jimenez was in Class A ball in 2004, recovering from a stress fracture in his right shoulder, when he came up with the throwing motion in which he cocks his arm behind his back, opens up and follows through as if throwing a hatchet. It's a motion that can create devastating movement on his sinking fastball.
"I was trying to find a way to throw where I didn't feel any pain," Jimenez said. "That's how I got those mechanics. Because every time I stabbed my arm like that, I didn't feel any pain."
Finding comfort within that delivery took several years, but in 2010, he showed enough consistency with it to emerge as a legit Cy Young Award candidate.
"I faced him with Boston last year," Martinez said, "and he was untouchable."
He's not as untouchable now, and that could eventually lead to subtle changes, at Belcher's urging.
"It'll be an ongoing evaluation of his delivery and arm action, and we'll look at ways to potentially make modifications if it's needed," Belcher said. "But I can tell you one thing ... it ain't happening yet. I'm going to watch the guy pitch. He's been here for five innings, so we're going to get to know each other for more than five innings in five days before I make any suggestions to Ubaldo."
Belcher's only suggestion thus far has been to remind Jimenez that he's not here to become some superhero like the ones in that "Avengers" movie they're filming a couple blocks from Progressive Field. The Indians see Jimenez pairing with Justin Masterson as a potent one-two punch at the front of their rotation and, potentially, as a catalyst to get fellow Dominican Republic native Fausto Carmona back on track.
"For the last couple years," Belcher said, "Fausto has been looked at like a top-of-the-rotation guy. Now, all of a sudden, this guy comes in, a former 19-game winner just like Fausto was one year, a Cy Young Award candidate just like Fausto was for one year. Maybe Fausto will say, 'Hey, this is my rotation. I'm supposed to be at the top.' I think it could be healthy.
"Don't deny that there's competition there. Because I've lived it. I know."
Of course, it's the competition in the AL Central that matters most right now. Should the Indians win this division, they have the potential to showcase the type of starting stoutness in October that has not been delivered by this division's winner since, well ... since the 2007 Cleveland Indians. But they have to get there first, and they can't get there if they don't take advantage of opportunities like the one presented to them this week.
Enter Jimenez. He's been tossed into the thick of the playoff chase, and what better way to endear himself to the home faithful than with a triumphant outing against the Tigers? Presumably, he'll be wearing the right jersey, and the Indians will be counting on the right results.
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and his blog, CastroTurf, and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
By Anthony Castrovince | MLB.com Columnist | Archive
08/10/11 2:20 AM ET
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CLEVELAND -- The trail of the trade was still winding through the Indians' clubhouse Tuesday afternoon. To our right, Ubaldo Jimenez was putting on the home whites for a quick photo shoot, but mistakenly grabbed the jersey of teammate Rafael Perez in lieu of his own. To our left, Alex White's locker still sat untouched, his Tribe gear and name placard remaining 10 days after he departed.
Realizing his error, Jimenez quickly swapped shirts, throwing on the No. 30 the Indians hope he'll wear for many years. Realizing their error, the home clubbies quickly took down White's name and put his stuff in storage.
And with that, the Trade Deadline deal that shocked the baseball world felt a little more official.
It will be quite a while before we know what that deal truly entails for the future of this franchise. A trade of this magnitude can only be evaluated long after the camera first catches Jimenez flashing his infectious smile with Chief Wahoo atop his head, long after White's rehab work is complete, long after Drew Pomeranz is finally named the player to be named.
All we know is that Jimenez is going to make his home debut at Progressive Field on Wednesday night, and the stakes could scarcely be higher.
Forget, for just a moment, what this once cautious and suddenly courageous front office gave up to get him. Forget about what the thin Colorado air might do to Pomeranz's curveball or even what the Rangers' bats did to an obviously amped-up Ubaldo in his first foray into the American League. What matters in the here and now is that the Tigers are in town, a three-game deficit is staring the Indians in the face, the bullpen is completely taxed after a rain-soaked, 14-inning win in the series opener, and this would be a fine time for Jimenez to live up to the ace label.
"I'm really excited about my first start in Cleveland," Jimenez said. "But then especially pitching against Detroit. We're competing against them, and we have to do everything we can to stay close."
While the AL is generally foreign territory to him, Jimenez does have some familiarity with his upcoming opponent. He beat the Tigers on June 18 at Coors Field, giving up three runs on eight hits over five innings. Hardly a dominant outing, but enough to earn him one of just six victories he accumulated in his final season with the Rockies.
"He has at least five pitches," Tigers catcher Victor Martinez said. "At least. And he uses them all."
Not always to their intended effect. Groin and thumb issues affected Jimenez's velocity out the gate, and April and May were horrendous (0-5, 5.86 ERA), especially given the standards Jimenez had set for himself in a dominant first half of 2010 (15-1, 2.20 ERA). June and July -- 6-4, 3.49 ERA -- were, as the Indians and Jimenez are quick to point out, much better, before that ridiculous inning he was forced to pitch against the Padres -- amid the swirling trade rumors -- and the uneven outing in Arlington.
The job of ensuring the rockiness recedes and the results return belongs to Tim Belcher. The Tribe pitching coach has been studying Jimenez's unorthodox mechanics ever since the front office first began discussing the deal, and he's come away with one conclusion about the stab-and-slingshot delivery Jimenez invented out of desperation seven years ago.
"He's got a lot going on," Belcher said. "But it works."
It only works when Jimenez remains consistent with his mechanics, and that's a difficult thing to do with so many moving parts. Jimenez was in Class A ball in 2004, recovering from a stress fracture in his right shoulder, when he came up with the throwing motion in which he cocks his arm behind his back, opens up and follows through as if throwing a hatchet. It's a motion that can create devastating movement on his sinking fastball.
"I was trying to find a way to throw where I didn't feel any pain," Jimenez said. "That's how I got those mechanics. Because every time I stabbed my arm like that, I didn't feel any pain."
Finding comfort within that delivery took several years, but in 2010, he showed enough consistency with it to emerge as a legit Cy Young Award candidate.
"I faced him with Boston last year," Martinez said, "and he was untouchable."
He's not as untouchable now, and that could eventually lead to subtle changes, at Belcher's urging.
"It'll be an ongoing evaluation of his delivery and arm action, and we'll look at ways to potentially make modifications if it's needed," Belcher said. "But I can tell you one thing ... it ain't happening yet. I'm going to watch the guy pitch. He's been here for five innings, so we're going to get to know each other for more than five innings in five days before I make any suggestions to Ubaldo."
Belcher's only suggestion thus far has been to remind Jimenez that he's not here to become some superhero like the ones in that "Avengers" movie they're filming a couple blocks from Progressive Field. The Indians see Jimenez pairing with Justin Masterson as a potent one-two punch at the front of their rotation and, potentially, as a catalyst to get fellow Dominican Republic native Fausto Carmona back on track.
"For the last couple years," Belcher said, "Fausto has been looked at like a top-of-the-rotation guy. Now, all of a sudden, this guy comes in, a former 19-game winner just like Fausto was one year, a Cy Young Award candidate just like Fausto was for one year. Maybe Fausto will say, 'Hey, this is my rotation. I'm supposed to be at the top.' I think it could be healthy.
"Don't deny that there's competition there. Because I've lived it. I know."
Of course, it's the competition in the AL Central that matters most right now. Should the Indians win this division, they have the potential to showcase the type of starting stoutness in October that has not been delivered by this division's winner since, well ... since the 2007 Cleveland Indians. But they have to get there first, and they can't get there if they don't take advantage of opportunities like the one presented to them this week.
Enter Jimenez. He's been tossed into the thick of the playoff chase, and what better way to endear himself to the home faithful than with a triumphant outing against the Tigers? Presumably, he'll be wearing the right jersey, and the Indians will be counting on the right results.
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and his blog, CastroTurf, and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Re: Articles
695Baseball America rates Best Tools of players at all levels. First in the majors. We score with our Mariner steals:
SS Defense: Asdrubal is #2
OF Defense: Choo is #3
OF Arm: Choo is #1
Hit and Run Artist: Asdrubal is #3
SS Defense: Asdrubal is #2
OF Defense: Choo is #3
OF Arm: Choo is #1
Hit and Run Artist: Asdrubal is #3
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696Choo at #3 in OF defense is a real joke. Great arm but he is one of the worst outfielders at judging a ball, getting a jump, or any other aspect of playing the position.
Re: Articles
698Is Hafner really that different this year?
AUG
13
Written by: Tony Lastoria
8/13/2011 9:59 AM
If you polled a lot of Indians fans and asked them their thoughts on designated hitter Travis Hafner this year the overwhelming response would be positive in that he is back to being a productive, feared hitter in the lineup.
If you polled those same people about their thoughts on Hafner the two seasons prior to this one, an overwhelming majority would probably say he was not very good and looked like his career was rapidly fading.
It is amazing how quickly the perception of a player can change with a good start to his season or a handful of big, clutch hits like Hafner has had this year. But a look at the following numbers suggests that he is really that much different this year from the two previous years:
(Note: the four numbers in the batting line are from left to right: batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS)
2009: .272/.355/.470/.826, 16 HR, 49 RBI, 41 BB, 67 K in 338 at bats.
2010: .278/.374/.449/.824, 13 HR, 50 RBI, 51 BB, 94 K in 396 at bats.
2011: .294/.376/.468/.845, 10 HR, 46 RBI, 30 BB, 59 K in 252 at bats.
For as good of a season as Hafner appears to be having this year, it is not that much of an improvement over his previous two seasons. His batting average may be up 16 points but his walk rate is down slightly which is why his on-base percentage is almost exactly the same as last season. Also, his slugging percentage is actually less than his 2009 season which shows he really is not hitting with that much more power now than the last two years.
Taking it a step further, if you skip the injury plagued 2008 season when he hit .197/.305/.323/.628 in just 57 games that year, Hafner’s string of numbers from 2009-2011 also match up well with his 2007 numbers:
2007: .266/.385/.451/.837, 24 HR, 100 RBI, 102 BB, 115 K in 545 at bats.
What the numbers suggest is that Hafner really is not much different at all this season and that he has leveled out and become a consistent above average hitter over the last three seasons. It appears to be a safe bet that he is past the shoulder issues and other injuries that plagued his 2008 season, and is still one of the best designated hitter options around.
The Indians need Hafner’s veteran, power bat in the lineup so it looks like barring a major injury that he will be around through the end of his contract in 2013. Yes, that would mean the Indians pick up his 2013 club option for $13 million. It may just be picked up or the two parties may mutually agree to tear it up for a lower amount in exchange for an additional year or two of guaranteed money in 2014 and/or 2015.
AUG
13
Written by: Tony Lastoria
8/13/2011 9:59 AM
If you polled a lot of Indians fans and asked them their thoughts on designated hitter Travis Hafner this year the overwhelming response would be positive in that he is back to being a productive, feared hitter in the lineup.
If you polled those same people about their thoughts on Hafner the two seasons prior to this one, an overwhelming majority would probably say he was not very good and looked like his career was rapidly fading.
It is amazing how quickly the perception of a player can change with a good start to his season or a handful of big, clutch hits like Hafner has had this year. But a look at the following numbers suggests that he is really that much different this year from the two previous years:
(Note: the four numbers in the batting line are from left to right: batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS)
2009: .272/.355/.470/.826, 16 HR, 49 RBI, 41 BB, 67 K in 338 at bats.
2010: .278/.374/.449/.824, 13 HR, 50 RBI, 51 BB, 94 K in 396 at bats.
2011: .294/.376/.468/.845, 10 HR, 46 RBI, 30 BB, 59 K in 252 at bats.
For as good of a season as Hafner appears to be having this year, it is not that much of an improvement over his previous two seasons. His batting average may be up 16 points but his walk rate is down slightly which is why his on-base percentage is almost exactly the same as last season. Also, his slugging percentage is actually less than his 2009 season which shows he really is not hitting with that much more power now than the last two years.
Taking it a step further, if you skip the injury plagued 2008 season when he hit .197/.305/.323/.628 in just 57 games that year, Hafner’s string of numbers from 2009-2011 also match up well with his 2007 numbers:
2007: .266/.385/.451/.837, 24 HR, 100 RBI, 102 BB, 115 K in 545 at bats.
What the numbers suggest is that Hafner really is not much different at all this season and that he has leveled out and become a consistent above average hitter over the last three seasons. It appears to be a safe bet that he is past the shoulder issues and other injuries that plagued his 2008 season, and is still one of the best designated hitter options around.
The Indians need Hafner’s veteran, power bat in the lineup so it looks like barring a major injury that he will be around through the end of his contract in 2013. Yes, that would mean the Indians pick up his 2013 club option for $13 million. It may just be picked up or the two parties may mutually agree to tear it up for a lower amount in exchange for an additional year or two of guaranteed money in 2014 and/or 2015.
Re: Articles
699IMO no way they pick up that 2013 option.
That said, it's obviously a long ways away.
That said, it's obviously a long ways away.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
701Cleveland Indians ride Cabrera's homer, Tomlin's pitching to 3-1 victory over Minnesota
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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It has been a long time since anyone put the adjective hot in front of the Indians. Even now there is a hesitancy to do so, since they haven't won three straight games since before the All-Star break.
They have specialized in staying afloat, keeping their head above water as their manager, Manny Acta, likes to say. Two wins there, three losses here. The back-and-forth of a team living off a fast start and its pitching staff.
Now when they need it most, there is hint of heat. Not enough to warm the soul, but enough to shake off the cold.
Asdrubal Cabrera hit a three-run homer and Josh Tomlin won his first game in almost a month as the Indians beat the Twins, 3-1, Saturday night at Progressive Field to stay three games back of first-place Detroit in the AL Central. The Indians have won five of their last seven games and they have not been any hotter in the second half.
"There are a lot of signs of how we played in April when we got off to that fast start," said closer Chris Perez.
The Indians went 18-8 in April. What could be better than a repeat of that while trying to run down the Tigers and hold off the White Sox in the last seven weeks of the season?
Cabrera homered against lefty Brian Duensing (8-11, 4.53) in the third inning after Shin-Soo Choo, spending his second day in the leadoff spot, opened the inning with a walk and Jason Donald singled.
The homer came on a 1-0 pitch and gave Cabrera 20 for the season. He's just the third Indians shortstop to hit 20 or more homers in a season. Woodie Held and Jhonny Peralta each did it three times. Cabrera never hit more than six homers in any previous season and entered the year with 18 in his career.
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Cabrera hit a change-up right in the middle of the plate for the homer.
Asked if he ever imagined hitting 20 homers in a season, Cabrera said, "Not really." He's hitting .292 (136-for-465) with four homers hitting right-handed and 16 left-handed.
In the seventh Cabrera stole his 16th base in 19 attempts. Four more and he'll be a 20-20 man.
"Cabby was our offensive hero tonight," said Acta. "He's done it pretty much the whole year and he'll continue to do it if he stays healthy."
Acta ended that quote by knocking on top of his wooden desk for good luck. Cabrera has played all but one of the Indians' 117 games. There have been times where he's looked tired at the plate or in the field, but much like the Indians, he has persisted.
"I just want to play. I want to help my team," said Cabrera.
Tomlin (12-5, 3.97) allowed one run on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. It was his first win since beating Baltimore on July 15 and his first victory over the Twins in three starts. He was 0-1 against Minnesota this year, allowing 10 earned runs on 17 hits in 12 innings.
"They had a lot of lefties in there tonight and I was able to locate my cutter inside against them," said Tomlin, who threw 84 pitches. "I had to make them conscious of that part of the plate. That way I could work back down and away."
The Twins had five lefties and two switch-hitters in the starting lineup. The lefties hit .211 (4-for-19) with no homers against Tomlin. He's allowed 20 homers this year, 11 by lefties.
Joe Smith, Rafael Perez, Tony Sipp and Chris Perez held the Twins scoreless over the last 2 2/3 innings. Perez retired the Twins in order in the ninth for his 25th save and second in as many nights. He has not had consecutive saves since July 4 and 6 against the Yankees.
"I'll take this every series," said Perez. "It's much easier to do it this way than to try and get work on the side or in 10-1 games."
The Indians beat Duensing for the first time. He entered the game with a 3-0 record against them.
"He always pitches well against us. Other than Cabrera's homer, we couldn't do anything against him," said Acta.
The Twins, who still lead the Tribe, 6-5, this year, have lost eight of their last nine games. They are 2-9 in August.
.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It has been a long time since anyone put the adjective hot in front of the Indians. Even now there is a hesitancy to do so, since they haven't won three straight games since before the All-Star break.
They have specialized in staying afloat, keeping their head above water as their manager, Manny Acta, likes to say. Two wins there, three losses here. The back-and-forth of a team living off a fast start and its pitching staff.
Now when they need it most, there is hint of heat. Not enough to warm the soul, but enough to shake off the cold.
Asdrubal Cabrera hit a three-run homer and Josh Tomlin won his first game in almost a month as the Indians beat the Twins, 3-1, Saturday night at Progressive Field to stay three games back of first-place Detroit in the AL Central. The Indians have won five of their last seven games and they have not been any hotter in the second half.
"There are a lot of signs of how we played in April when we got off to that fast start," said closer Chris Perez.
The Indians went 18-8 in April. What could be better than a repeat of that while trying to run down the Tigers and hold off the White Sox in the last seven weeks of the season?
Cabrera homered against lefty Brian Duensing (8-11, 4.53) in the third inning after Shin-Soo Choo, spending his second day in the leadoff spot, opened the inning with a walk and Jason Donald singled.
The homer came on a 1-0 pitch and gave Cabrera 20 for the season. He's just the third Indians shortstop to hit 20 or more homers in a season. Woodie Held and Jhonny Peralta each did it three times. Cabrera never hit more than six homers in any previous season and entered the year with 18 in his career.
Related stories
Cabrera hit a change-up right in the middle of the plate for the homer.
Asked if he ever imagined hitting 20 homers in a season, Cabrera said, "Not really." He's hitting .292 (136-for-465) with four homers hitting right-handed and 16 left-handed.
In the seventh Cabrera stole his 16th base in 19 attempts. Four more and he'll be a 20-20 man.
"Cabby was our offensive hero tonight," said Acta. "He's done it pretty much the whole year and he'll continue to do it if he stays healthy."
Acta ended that quote by knocking on top of his wooden desk for good luck. Cabrera has played all but one of the Indians' 117 games. There have been times where he's looked tired at the plate or in the field, but much like the Indians, he has persisted.
"I just want to play. I want to help my team," said Cabrera.
Tomlin (12-5, 3.97) allowed one run on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. It was his first win since beating Baltimore on July 15 and his first victory over the Twins in three starts. He was 0-1 against Minnesota this year, allowing 10 earned runs on 17 hits in 12 innings.
"They had a lot of lefties in there tonight and I was able to locate my cutter inside against them," said Tomlin, who threw 84 pitches. "I had to make them conscious of that part of the plate. That way I could work back down and away."
The Twins had five lefties and two switch-hitters in the starting lineup. The lefties hit .211 (4-for-19) with no homers against Tomlin. He's allowed 20 homers this year, 11 by lefties.
Joe Smith, Rafael Perez, Tony Sipp and Chris Perez held the Twins scoreless over the last 2 2/3 innings. Perez retired the Twins in order in the ninth for his 25th save and second in as many nights. He has not had consecutive saves since July 4 and 6 against the Yankees.
"I'll take this every series," said Perez. "It's much easier to do it this way than to try and get work on the side or in 10-1 games."
The Indians beat Duensing for the first time. He entered the game with a 3-0 record against them.
"He always pitches well against us. Other than Cabrera's homer, we couldn't do anything against him," said Acta.
The Twins, who still lead the Tribe, 6-5, this year, have lost eight of their last nine games. They are 2-9 in August.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
702Sheldon Ocker: Santana has gone backward as a catcher
Talented hitter not progressing as catcher
By Sheldon Ocker
CLEVELAND: Is Carlos Santana the Indians’ catcher of the future?
We know he’s the catcher of the present, because this season we have seen him behind the plate 61 percent of the time. But will Santana continue to be the team’s No. 1 catcher next year or five years from now?
We know the grand plan — albeit a little fuzzy around the edges — is for Santana to learn to play first base, which he has done on a semi-regular basis this year. Playing first saves his legs, helps avoid late-season fatigue and sets the stage for the time when he can transition to being a full-time first baseman to keep his bat in the lineup. But the parameters for that kind of move might be in the 10-year range (if Santana still is playing for the wealth-challenged Wahoos by then).
Of more immediate concern is Santana’s competence as a catcher. If anything, he seems to have gone backward in his development.
There are a few gloomy numbers to make the point. In 2010, Santana’s rookie year, he started 40 games at catcher before a serious knee injury led to surgery that ended his season. He threw out 35 percent of would-be base stealers and was behind the plate for 16 wild pitches, an average of one wild pitch every 2.5 games. He also committed three errors and had four passed balls.
This year, he has regressed in certain areas. In 70 starts behind the plate (through Wednesday), Santana has thrown out 22.9 percent of runners trying to steal and has seen 19 wild pitches elude him, an average of one every 3.7 games. He also has had four passed balls and six errors.
Only two players with at least 50 starts behind the plate have a lower percentage of runners thrown out, and even though Santana has the 14th most starts among American League catchers, he has committed the sixth most errors.
Backup catcher Lou Marson started more games than Santana in 2010, because Santana didn’t join the team until June and was on the disabled list from the first week of August through the end of the schedule.
In 81 starts, Marson threw out 38 percent of runners trying to steal and was behind the plate for 25 wild pitches (one every 3.2 games), committed four errors and had five passed balls.
This year, Marson has started 44 games and improved in almost every important statistical area. He has thrown out 47 percent of would-be base stealers, seen six wild pitches (averaging one every 7.3 games), committed two errors and had three passed balls.
The first question: Why hasn’t Santana made more progress as a catcher?
He has the physical skills. Anyone who has watched him take ground balls at third (for fun) or dive for hard smashes as a first baseman knows he has the athleticism to be a successful catcher. He also has an explosively strong arm.
But he has not made the most of his talent.
This year, he has declined to throw quickly to second, preferring to muscle up on the ball as if he’s trying to reach speeds of 150 miles per hour. And instead of using his feet to move in front of errant pitches in the dirt, he reaches for balls or tries to trap them with his glove rather than block them with his body.
Proper techniques are taught to every catcher in the big leagues. I would be surprised if there were one club that doesn’t employ a knowledgeable coach to tutor its catchers. On the Indians, the man is Sandy Alomar.
So either Santana chooses not to listen, or he doesn’t take the lessons to heart. I doubt that he can’t put into practice what he is being taught, particularly since he performed some of these tasks better as a rookie.
Question 2: It is acknowledged that Marson is a more polished catcher than Santana, so why isn’t he behind the plate most of the time?
The biggest reason is that Marson has not matured as a hitter. He’s better than he was in 2010, but nobody in the organization thinks he has the upside of Santana, despite his struggles at the plate this year.
Moreover, Santana has had relatively little experience as a catcher, so maybe he needs more practice.
Because there seems to be a persistent shortage of catchers with the skill set to play in the major leagues, teams often convert infielders or outfielders with strong arms to the catching position. That’s what happened to Santana when he was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as a teenaged third baseman.
He began his professional career in the Gulf Coast League in 2005 and played a handful of games, mostly at third but also in the outfield and behind the plate.
But after catching three games that year, Santana did not go behind the plate again until 2007, when he caught 67 games in the “low” Class-A Midwest League. From then on, he was a catcher. But in all or parts of five minor-league seasons, Santana was a catcher for only 315 games, not exactly the ideal number to prep for such a demanding position.
Question 3: Should the Indians wait to see if Santana can become a No. 1 catcher in performance as well as in name?
Lots of rookies struggle in their second seasons, both on offense and defense. Santana is far from unique in that regard. It would be different if he just didn’t have the talent to become a solid catcher, but he does. It’s a matter of putting into practice fundamental methods of the position.
And with Marson on the roster, it wouldn’t be difficult to shift Santana to first base. But wait. That’s where Matt LaPorta plays. I know lots of fans would just as soon see Santana become the everyday first baseman today. Not because he has struggled as a catcher, but because LaPorta hasn’t lived up to his billing as the man who was acquired for CC Sabathia.
LaPorta is another young player who has developed slowly at the plate. Is his development too slow? Is it permanently stalled?
The answer to those questions probably should be delayed until the end of the season because, as usual, there are complex side issues that come into play, and my head is already spinning.
Talented hitter not progressing as catcher
By Sheldon Ocker
CLEVELAND: Is Carlos Santana the Indians’ catcher of the future?
We know he’s the catcher of the present, because this season we have seen him behind the plate 61 percent of the time. But will Santana continue to be the team’s No. 1 catcher next year or five years from now?
We know the grand plan — albeit a little fuzzy around the edges — is for Santana to learn to play first base, which he has done on a semi-regular basis this year. Playing first saves his legs, helps avoid late-season fatigue and sets the stage for the time when he can transition to being a full-time first baseman to keep his bat in the lineup. But the parameters for that kind of move might be in the 10-year range (if Santana still is playing for the wealth-challenged Wahoos by then).
Of more immediate concern is Santana’s competence as a catcher. If anything, he seems to have gone backward in his development.
There are a few gloomy numbers to make the point. In 2010, Santana’s rookie year, he started 40 games at catcher before a serious knee injury led to surgery that ended his season. He threw out 35 percent of would-be base stealers and was behind the plate for 16 wild pitches, an average of one wild pitch every 2.5 games. He also committed three errors and had four passed balls.
This year, he has regressed in certain areas. In 70 starts behind the plate (through Wednesday), Santana has thrown out 22.9 percent of runners trying to steal and has seen 19 wild pitches elude him, an average of one every 3.7 games. He also has had four passed balls and six errors.
Only two players with at least 50 starts behind the plate have a lower percentage of runners thrown out, and even though Santana has the 14th most starts among American League catchers, he has committed the sixth most errors.
Backup catcher Lou Marson started more games than Santana in 2010, because Santana didn’t join the team until June and was on the disabled list from the first week of August through the end of the schedule.
In 81 starts, Marson threw out 38 percent of runners trying to steal and was behind the plate for 25 wild pitches (one every 3.2 games), committed four errors and had five passed balls.
This year, Marson has started 44 games and improved in almost every important statistical area. He has thrown out 47 percent of would-be base stealers, seen six wild pitches (averaging one every 7.3 games), committed two errors and had three passed balls.
The first question: Why hasn’t Santana made more progress as a catcher?
He has the physical skills. Anyone who has watched him take ground balls at third (for fun) or dive for hard smashes as a first baseman knows he has the athleticism to be a successful catcher. He also has an explosively strong arm.
But he has not made the most of his talent.
This year, he has declined to throw quickly to second, preferring to muscle up on the ball as if he’s trying to reach speeds of 150 miles per hour. And instead of using his feet to move in front of errant pitches in the dirt, he reaches for balls or tries to trap them with his glove rather than block them with his body.
Proper techniques are taught to every catcher in the big leagues. I would be surprised if there were one club that doesn’t employ a knowledgeable coach to tutor its catchers. On the Indians, the man is Sandy Alomar.
So either Santana chooses not to listen, or he doesn’t take the lessons to heart. I doubt that he can’t put into practice what he is being taught, particularly since he performed some of these tasks better as a rookie.
Question 2: It is acknowledged that Marson is a more polished catcher than Santana, so why isn’t he behind the plate most of the time?
The biggest reason is that Marson has not matured as a hitter. He’s better than he was in 2010, but nobody in the organization thinks he has the upside of Santana, despite his struggles at the plate this year.
Moreover, Santana has had relatively little experience as a catcher, so maybe he needs more practice.
Because there seems to be a persistent shortage of catchers with the skill set to play in the major leagues, teams often convert infielders or outfielders with strong arms to the catching position. That’s what happened to Santana when he was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as a teenaged third baseman.
He began his professional career in the Gulf Coast League in 2005 and played a handful of games, mostly at third but also in the outfield and behind the plate.
But after catching three games that year, Santana did not go behind the plate again until 2007, when he caught 67 games in the “low” Class-A Midwest League. From then on, he was a catcher. But in all or parts of five minor-league seasons, Santana was a catcher for only 315 games, not exactly the ideal number to prep for such a demanding position.
Question 3: Should the Indians wait to see if Santana can become a No. 1 catcher in performance as well as in name?
Lots of rookies struggle in their second seasons, both on offense and defense. Santana is far from unique in that regard. It would be different if he just didn’t have the talent to become a solid catcher, but he does. It’s a matter of putting into practice fundamental methods of the position.
And with Marson on the roster, it wouldn’t be difficult to shift Santana to first base. But wait. That’s where Matt LaPorta plays. I know lots of fans would just as soon see Santana become the everyday first baseman today. Not because he has struggled as a catcher, but because LaPorta hasn’t lived up to his billing as the man who was acquired for CC Sabathia.
LaPorta is another young player who has developed slowly at the plate. Is his development too slow? Is it permanently stalled?
The answer to those questions probably should be delayed until the end of the season because, as usual, there are complex side issues that come into play, and my head is already spinning.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain