Indians Tidbits (2008 season)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Indians Insider: Teammates combine humor, respect in wishing Sabathia well

Posted by Paul Hoynes July 08, 2008 21:41PM

Categories: Indians
Morry Gash/Associated PressCasey Blake on former Indians teammate CC Sabathia: "He was a good friend. You just liked being around him."

Detroit -- CC Sabathia's teammates each said goodbye to him in his own way. Before the Tribe's charter flight from Minneapolis landed in Cleveland, manager Eric Wedge told him the trade to Milwaukee was almost complete. "I just told him, 'It's been an honor to manage you,'" said Wedge. "What else can you say in a situation like that? I wanted CC to have a chance to say goodbye to his teammates."
Casey Blake cracked a joke.
"I told him no one really liked him," said Blake, "and that he wouldn't be missed. I was just trying to make light of the situation. He was a good friend. You just liked being around him. You could never tell what was going on with his life. He was always smiling and laughing."
Jensen Lewis didn't return to Cleveland with the team. He flew to Buffalo to get his car and was driving to Cleveland when he heard the news on the radio.
"I sent him a text," said Lewis. "I said it was an honor to play with him. You looked at him as one of our leaders, he had big presence on the club and in the organization."

Cliff Lee, who will take Sabathia's spot as the No.1 starter, said he will miss talking strategy with him.

Continued.....

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Cleveland Indians' LaPorta a combination of poise and potential, says Terry Pluto

Posted by Terry Pluto July 08, 2008 20:39PM

Categories: Akron Aeros, Indians, Terry Pluto columns
Joshua Gunter/The Plain DealerRain washed out the Aeros game Tuesday night in Akron, but that didn't dampen the enthusiasm of media members to get an initial interview with new Indians prospect Matt LaPorta.

Matt LaPorta was up until 4 a.m. Tuesday, packing for his trip from Alabama to Akron. In the process, he lost his cell phone, then the airlines lost his suitcase, the one with his street clothes. LaPorta's mitt, bats, spikes and confident smile arrived at Akron's Canal Park on Tuesday afternoon -- just in time to watch the Aeros' game get rained out.
But that's probably a good idea, because the key player in the Tribe's CC Sabathia deal with Milwaukee can use a day for his heart to slow down a bit, his mind to begin to realize he's with a new team in a new ball game where fans already have him on the fast track to Progressive Field in Cleveland -- even if the Indians say they want to take things slow with their new right-handed power hitter.
"I've always wanted to be a big-league ballplayer," LaPorta said. "But I never put a time on it. I just want to play hard and let things take care of themselves."

Continued......

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

LaPorta carries heavy burden
Jason Lloyd, Journal Register News Service
07/09/2008



Commentary

AKRON - As the Indians emptied their fishing net Tuesday and unveiled all that remains of CC Sabathia, the skies darkened, the thunder rolled and the wind swirled so hard, the rain came down sideways at Canal Park.
Omen, anyone?
Matt LaPorta might be the next Manny Ramirez. Or Andy Marte.
Mark Shapiro projects LaPorta as a future middle-of-the order, impact bat. He projected the same things for Marte, who now has 32 RBI over three seasons with the Indians.

Continued...

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

New kid from Sabathia trade talks the talk
LaPorta's first swing delayed until tonight
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal columnist
Published on Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008

The conversation comes about midway through Bull Durham (starring the master thespian, Kevin Costner).
Crash Davis looks at Nuke LaLoosh and tells him he has to learn some things about playing baseball ? like what to say in interviews.
''Write this down,'' Davis says. ''We gotta play 'em one day at a time.''
Davis continues with ''I'm just happy to be here and help the ballclub'' and ''I just want to give it my best shot and, good Lord willing, things will work out.''
Late in the film, when LaLoosh is finally called up to ''The Show,'' LaLoosh says just what Davis tells him to say.

Continued.....

[ysubuck]

"2 Hits that's it? 2 goddamn hits?"

On a lighter note I was listening to Fox Sports radio last night. I don't know who the guy is or what the show is, but he told this story that had me laughing my ass off.

I tuned in during his monologue and he was talking about paramedics attending to CC Sabathia in the dug out. He said that CC was being treated for shock, but had been cleared to go back into the game by the paramedics. I was thinking "Holy [censored], what happened?" Then the guy goes on to say that the Brewers had a 3-0 lead and that the shock of run support had been too much for CC and he had been overcome.

I thought that was too funny.

[Piney]

I found it ironic this morning listening to some highlights from the Brewers game and them using the highlights where Bob Uecker was the play by play man.

I almost forgot he is the Brewers play by play man.

Just fitting... I really hope the Brewers win it all.

[billmac91]

haven't had computer access for a few days...so frustrated with this team.

I was just thinking about Joe Blow yesterday. Did Shapiro/Wedge really think this guy was capable of doing what he did last year??? He had one of the highest ERA's and WHIP for a clsoing pitcher, and he got lucky.

How do they not recognize that, and have a plan for this year? It's just common sense.

The Tribe had a franchise worst off-season last year. It will be fun listening to everyone make excuses for this team...injuries, slumps, bad luck, etc.

This team wasn't going anywhere this year with a healthy Hafner/Victor/Westbrook either. They just flat sucked this year.

[LitlBuck]

The one thing that really bothers me is that I can't remember since the old days of Cleveland Stadium when this team has looked so pathetic with nothing on the horizon. This team is at least 2-3 years away from ever being competitive in the Division. We don't have any starting pitching, not much in the bullpen, and none of the power positions have shown any power. Unless some big-time free agents are signed, which I seriously doubt, over the next year or two they won't even be worth watching for some time to come. When does the Browns training camp begin?

[tsteele316]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

The one thing that really bothers me is that I can't remember since the old days of Cleveland Stadium when this team has looked so pathetic with nothing on the horizon. This team is at least 2-3 years away from ever being competitive in the Division. We don't have any starting pitching, not much in the bullpen, and none of the power positions have shown any power. Unless some big-time free agents are signed, which I seriously doubt, over the next year or two they won't even be worth watching for some time to come. When does the Browns training camp begin?

I realize you're frustrated over this team, but don't go off the deep end.

Cleveland has plenty of starting pitching. Carmona, Lee, Laffey is a good starting 3. When Westbrook comes back after the all-star break, that's a very good starting 4. They can sign a #4-#5 starter for relatively cheap, and let Huff handle the #5 spot until Westy comes back.

The bullpen needs another reliable arm.

Depending on if Miller and Sipp return on time, you are talking two more BP/possible 1 starting arm as well. Miller is ready, if he can stay healthy.

Even if Hafner returns to '07 Hafner, he V-Mart and Grady are a solid 3. Francisco is reliable enough to keep an OF spot warm until LaPorta is ready.

Cleveland isn't close to as far off as you want to proport.

[billmac91]

Originally Posted by tsteele316

I realize you're frustrated over this team, but don't go off the deep end.

Cleveland has plenty of starting pitching. Carmona, Lee, Laffey is a good starting 3. When Westbrook comes back after the all-star break, that's a very good starting 4. They can sign a #4-#5 starter for relatively cheap, and let Huff handle the #5 spot until Westy comes back.

The bullpen needs another reliable arm.

Depending on if Miller and Sipp return on time, you are talking two more BP/possible 1 starting arm as well. Miller is ready, if he can stay healthy.

Even if Hafner returns to '07 Hafner, he V-Mart and Grady are a solid 3. Francisco is reliable enough to keep an OF spot warm until LaPorta is ready.

Cleveland isn't close to as far off as you want to proport.

I agree that there is enough parity in baseball to contend again next year...but I'm more with Litlbuck.

No offense, TSteele, but to me that is the type of thinking that ran us straight into this mess. Assumptions that players overachieving this year, will overachieve next year. Like Borowski being considered a capable closer because he converted a majority of the time last year even though he had a ridculous WHIP and ERA. Joe Sports Fan kept saying we need a closer, but it was never a priority. It was also known we needed a corner outfielder, so we solved that riddle with David Delucci and kept Francisco on the farm for entirely too long. I am somewhat excited about the possibility of an outfield of Francisco, Grady, and LaPorta assuming LaPorta is half the player he's being made out to be.

No doubt Cliff Lee is a solid pitcher, but he isn't this good. He's not as bad as 2 years ago either....he's somewhere in the middle. I understand you aren't considereing Lee a Cy Young candidate, but it feels like he's untouchable now because of the year he is having. He should be considered in any moves RIGHT NOW becuase his value will never be higher. Who knows if Westbrook will ever be effective again, this is his second major operation. I'm all for bringing back big-time prospects right now. I think it'd actually get us closer to contending.

[tsteele316]

well, your very premise is flawed. who is overachieving that is being counted on again for next year? if your anaswer is cliff lee, i would suggest that is a reach. Lee will probably end up with about a 3.5 era for the year, which is only slightly better than his career stats when you take out that horse abortion he had last year.

who else is overachieving on the roster? maybe casey blake.

if anything, you could suggest that quite a few guys will play back to their career averages, which would be an improvement in a lot of spots.

[buckeyemania11]

Depending on if Miller and Sipp return on time, you are talking two more BP/possible 1 starting arm as well. Miller is ready, if he can stay healthy.

I would no put any faith into Adam Miller right now, the way it has gone for him so far it would not shock me if he never pitched any or very few major league innings

[billmac91]

Originally Posted by tsteele316

well, your very premise is flawed. who is overachieving that is being counted on again for next year? if your anaswer is cliff lee, i would suggest that is a reach. Lee will probably end up with about a 3.5 era for the year, which is only slightly better than his career stats when you take out that horse abortion he had last year.

who else is overachieving on the roster? maybe casey blake.

if anything, you could suggest that quite a few guys will play back to their career averages, which would be an improvement in a lot of spots.

Yes, I'm commenting on Cliff Lee. He is much more likely to become a .500 pitcher next year than he is sustaining this sucess. If an offer comes he should be traded. The low productivity and approcach at the plate from the rest of the roster should be laid at someones feet. Career lows for this much of the roster isn't coincidental. It is also not coincidental that no measures are being taken other than trading away C.C.

It'd be one thing if they were hitting the ball hard but getting unlucky. These guys just look lost.

And my while my point on overachieving only applies to Cliff Lee this year, it screwed us in the off-season b/c management thought they could stand pat and do nothing.

Shaprior recently stated something along the lines of "if Victor and Travis had stayed healthy, we wouldn't be leading the Central but we think we'd be in reach". He should have stated, "my bad, I blew it on Joe Borowki. I should have known he'd suck this year. He has zero stuff and got ridiculosuly lucky all last year. If I had found a closer in the off-season we wouldn't be leading the central, but we'd be in reach."

Then he could have held off trading C.C. until the deadline, and maybe we would have considered making a run at the post-season. I think injuries is a MAJOR cop-out though.

[tsteele316]

Originally Posted by billmac91

Yes, I'm commenting on Cliff Lee. He is much more likely to become a .500 pitcher next year than he is sustaining this sucess. If an offer comes he should be traded. The low productivity and approcach at the plate from the rest of the roster should be laid at someones feet. Career lows for this much of the roster isn't coincidental. It is also not coincidental that no measures are being taken other than trading away C.C.

It'd be one thing if they were hitting the ball hard but getting unlucky. These guys just look lost.

And my while my point on overachieving only applies to Cliff Lee this year, it screwed us in the off-season b/c management thought they could stand pat and do nothing.

Shaprior recently stated something along the lines of "if Victor and Travis had stayed healthy, we wouldn't be leading the Central but we think we'd be in reach". He should have stated, "my bad, I blew it on Joe Borowki. I should have known he'd suck this year. He has zero stuff and got ridiculosuly lucky all last year. If I had found a closer in the off-season we wouldn't be leading the central, but we'd be in reach."

Then he could have held off trading C.C. until the deadline, and maybe we would have considered making a run at the post-season. I think injuries is a MAJOR cop-out though.

still somewhat factually incorrect. first off, the BABIP on a few guys shows that they should be producing better than the numbers indicate. that's simply bad luck. secondly, while there were a handful of guys that overachieved last year, there were a few that underachieved as well. with respect to borowski, his save % last year was right about where he was for his career, so that blows that argument for you.

[Piney]

Originally Posted by billmac91

No doubt Cliff Lee is a solid pitcher, but he isn't this good. He's not as bad as 2 years ago either....he's somewhere in the middle. I understand you aren't considereing Lee a Cy Young candidate, but it feels like he's untouchable now because of the year he is having. He should be considered in any moves RIGHT NOW becuase his value will never be higher. Who knows if Westbrook will ever be effective again, this is his second major operation. I'm all for bringing back big-time prospects right now. I think it'd actually get us closer to contending.

Here is the question... why wouldn't Lee be this good? He had a bad 2007 but in 2005 & 2006 he was he won 18/14 games and had a 3.79/4.40 ERA and pitched 200 innings each year. And he made an All-Star team. He took one step back last year to humble him and this year he has emerged.

Ok, a bit optimistic. But can you live with Cliff Lee as your #2 starter with a 3.80 ERA next year?

While Laffey wouldn't be a horrible #3 I would rather have him as our #4. Westbrook should not even be a thought next year. If he comes back it will be near the all-star break. He either becomes a bonus player that adds depth to the rotation as a #5 starter or a needed bullpen arm.

So we take the money from CC and buy us a #3 starter and our rotation is above average.