Official Cleveland Indians Preseason Thread- MODS PLEASE LOCK

[outacontrol music]

Any word on the status of Jake Westbrook?


Wedgie said the rotation will start

-Cliff
- Fausto
- Pavano

Then the final two spots will be battled out...

I'm surprised Jake wasn't mentioned. Is he through???



EDIT: Dang, I just saw that Jake will be on the shelf through the All-Star break. Expected back around June...

 

[allen3xis]

One of those spots BETTER be for Laffey.

 

[allen3xis]

The Indians were the most active team in the American League Central during the offseason, making selective additions to their roster that addressed some oftheir most pressing needs.

Chief among those were two key additions to a bullpen that ranked last in the league year.

Club officials hope signing free agent closer Kerry Wood and theacquisition through trade of middle reliever Joe Smith will bringadded production and depth to the bullpen to make it more of a strength in 2009.

The club's biggest strength going into spring training should be its lineup, where the return of designated hitter Travis Hafner and catcher Victor Martinez should be a big boost to an offense that still finishedseventh in the majors in runs scored a year ago.

In addition, center fielder Grady Sizemore and shortstop Jhonny Peralta are among the best offensive players at their positions in themajors.

Two question marks going into camp will be settling on the No. 5 starter in the rotation, that choice expected to come from a group that includesleft-handers Aaron Laffey, Jeremy Sowers, Scott Lewis, Zach Jackson and David Huff.

Another question mark is left field, where Ben Francisco isexpected to get the bulk of the playing time, although he has yet to spend a full season at the major league level.

Veteran David Dellucci, a major disappointment the last two years,would be the fallback option in left and a potential platoon partner with Francisco.

Veteran Mark DeRosa, acquired from the Cubs in a trade for threeminor league pitchers, will take over at third base, a position of need for the Indians since the trade of Casey Blake in the middle last season. DeRosa also will fill a hole at theNo. 2 spot in the batting order.

At first base, Ryan Garko returns but figures to lose some playingtime as the Indians try to find more at-bats for backup catcher KellyShoppach, who led all American League catchers in home runs while filling in the injured Martinez.

Shoppach is expected to get more than a backup catcher's normal allotment of playing time in 2009. The way to do that will be to move Martinez to firstbase at times, in place of Garko.

Meanwhile, rookie Adam Miller, a pitcher of unlimited potentialwhose minor league career has been plagued by a series of nagging injuries, will attempt to prove he's healthy, in which case he could fill the one openingin the Indians' bullpen.

Where, When: Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, Ariz. First exhibition game is Feb. 25 against San Francisco.

Top Candidate To Surprise: RHP CarlPavano's reputation took a beating in his four years as a member of the Yankees. After he signed a four-year, $39.5 million contract as a free agent, aseries of injuries limited him to an average of fewer than seven starts per season, he went a cumulative 9-8 in those four seasons in New York. Pavano signed aone-year deal with the Indians and hopes to rebuild his reputation and re-establish his market value. Nobody on the Indians roster has more of an incentive tohave a big year in 2009.

Top Candidate To Disappoint: DH Travis Hafner hasn't hit over .300 or reached 25 home runs in three years. He missed most of lastyear because of a shoulder injury that required offseason surgery. He will turn 32 in June. There is no shortage of reasons why it seems possible thatHafner's best years are behind him.

Authority Figures: Manager Eric Wedge is 496-476 in his six years with the Indians. He ranks fifth on the club's all-time list forwins by a manager. The only change on Wedge's coaching staff this year is Chuck Hernandez, replacing Luis Isaac as the bullpen coach.
[h3]Notes, Quotes[/h3]
• RHP Adam Miller's performance in training camp will bear watching. One of the most highly regarded pitching prospects in the minorleagues, Miller has been repeatedly derailed by injuries. If he can stay healthy through the spring, he has a good chance at being on the Indians' OpeningDay roster in a bullpen role. Down the road, club officials believe a healthy Miller is potentially an option in a starting role or as a closer.

• SS Jhonny Peralta played some third base during winter ball in preparation for a potential position switch in 2009. But when the Indianstraded for Mark DeRosa and installed him at third base, it meant Peralta would remain at shortstop in 2009. However, manager Eric Wedge says there are dayswhen opposing teams start a left-handed pitcher that he may choose to play DeRosa in the outfield, in place of one of the Indians' left-handed hittingoutfielders. On those days it's possible that Peralta could start at third base, a position club officials believe still might be Peralta's eventualdestination.

• OF Shin-Soo Choo goes to training camp as thestarter in right field, based on his strong second-half showing last year following his return from Tommy John surgery on his left (throwing) elbow. From Aug.5 through the end of the season, Choo batted .377 with 10 home runs and 41 RBI in 162 at-bats.

• LHP Jeremy Sowers, one of five candidates for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation, has yet to establish himself at the big-leaguelevel after showing so much promise as a rookie three years ago. General manager Mark Shapiro admits that the front office is somewhat baffled by Sowers'stalled career. "It's difficult to say what's happened there," Shapiro said.

• OF Matt LaPorta, OF Trevor Crowe, and OF Michael Brantley will all be in the major leaguetraining camp. The trio is expected to open the season in the outfield at Class AAA Columbus, but general manager Mark Shapiro said that isn't etched instone. "It's not impossible for one of the three to make our Opening Day roster," said Shapiro.

By The Numbers: 16-Number of years the Indians held spring training in Winter Haven, Fla., before moving their camp to Arizona thisyear.

Quote To Note: "It's a winnable division, but it's winnable for all five teams."-General manager Mark Shapiro.
[h3]Roster Report[/h3]
The Indians were fairly active during the offseason, addressing needs in their rotation and bullpen and at third base. DH Travis Hafner and C VictorMartinez, two key middle-of-the-order bats who missed most of 2008 because of injuries, are, in a sense, roster additions as well. The back of the startingrotation remains inexperienced, and the two corner outfield spots are somewhat unsettled.

Arrivals: RHP Kerry Wood (free agent from Cubs), RHP Carl Pavano (free agent from Yankees), RHP Joe Smith (trade with Mets), INF/OF MarkDeRosa (trade with Cubs), INF Luis Valbuena (trade withMariners).

Departure: OF Franklin Gutierrez (trade withMariners).

Spring Focus: Who will emerge from a group of five candidates to win the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation? Are DH Travis Hafner and CVictor Martinez both all the way back from the injuries that caused them to miss most of the 2008 season?

Projected Rotation:

1. LHP Cliff Lee

2. RHP Fausto Carmona

3. RHP Carl Pavano

4. RHP Anthony Reyes

5. LHP Aaron Laffey

Laffey is a slight favorite to win the No. 5 spot in spring training, although he will have to do so by out-pitching LHP Jeremy Sowers, LHP Scott Lewis, LHPZach Jackson and LHP David Huff, the other candidates for that spot. Pavano and Reyes are coming off injuries in 2008 but are expected to open camp with norestrictions on their usage. Lee is the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, while Carmona hopes to pitch closer to his 19-win 2007 season than his eight-win2008 season, in which he missed about six weeks because of a hip injury.

Projected Bullpen:

RHP Kerry Wood (closer)

RHP Rafael Betancourt

LHP Rafael Perez

RHP Jensen Lewis

RHP Masa Kobayashi

RHP Joe Smith

RHP Adam Miller

If healthy, Wood gives the Indians their first lockdown, power-armed closer since Jose Mesa in 1995. Betancourt, perhaps the best setup man in 2007, looks tobounce back from a disastrous 2008. Perez was the club's most consistent reliever in 2008. Lewis finished the 2008 season as the club's nominal closer,but with the arrival of Wood he goes back into a setup/backup closer role. Japanese import Kobayashi was overused early in 2008 and was virtually shut downover the last six weeks of the season. Smith, the former Met, is a sidearmer who brings a different look to the bullpen, while Miller, if he can stay healthy,figures to claim the one open spot in the 'pen.

Projected Lineup:

1. CF Grady Sizemore

2. 3B Mark DeRosa

3. C Victor Martinez

4. DH Travis Hafner

5. SS Jhonny Peralta

6. RF Shin-Soo Choo

7. 1B Ryan Garko

8. LF Ben Francisco

9. 2B Asdrubal Cabrera

Two areas of concern will be the corner outfield spots. Choo's sensational second half in 2008 means right field is his job to lose. Francisco cooledoff after a hot start in left field, and could, if he continues to struggle with consistency, be a candidate for a left field platoon with OF David Dellucci.Against certain left-handed starters, DeRosa could get a start in right field for the left-handed hitting Choo, with either Peralta or utility IF Jamey Carroll filling in at third.

Projected Reserves:

C Kelly Shoppach

INF Jamey Carroll

OF David Dellucci

INF Josh Barfield

Shoppach had a breakout 2008 season, leading American League catchers with 21 home runs while filling in for the injured Martinez. That performance willearn Shoppach more at-bats in 2008 than a normal backup catcher would expect. Carroll can back up any of the infield positions. Dellucci is in the last year ofa three-year, $11.5 million contract. The Indians would love to trade him, but injuries and a lack of production when he has played have reduced his valuegreatly. Barfield will compete with OF Trevor Crowe for the other spot on the bench. Barfield is a slight favorite to win the spot and is slated to get sometrials in the outfield during spring games, as a way of increasing his versatility.

Top Rookies: RHP Adam Miller missed most of the 2008 season because of elbow and finger issues. But he will go to camp healthy, and whenhealthy he has flashed the stuff of a No. 1 starter or a closer. For now, his innings will be closely monitored in 2008, and he is a strong candidate to win aspot in the bullpen. OF Matt LaPorta was the best of the package of prospects the Indians got from Milwaukee in the CC Sabathia trade. In a combined 362 at-bats at the Class AA level withMilwaukee and Cleveland, he batted .279 with 22 home runs and 74 runs batted in. He is the best power-hitting prospect in the organization, and though he willlikely start the 2009 season in the outfield at Class AAA Columbus, it's expected he will make his debut in Cleveland at some point during the season.

Medical Watch:

RHP Jake Westbrook (reconstructive elbow surgery) is expected tobe back on the mound sometime around the All-Star break and could be taking his regular turn in the Indians' rotation in the second half of the season.

...

If healthy, I love the rotation and line up...

 

[DeadsetAce]

not bad looking lineup and rotation. like allen said, health is key though.

 

[allen3xis]

meant to say bullpen instead of rotation.

Rotation, ehhh...i really have no clue.

 

[DeadsetAce]

Originally Posted by allen3xis

meant to say bullpen instead of rotation.

Rotation, ehhh...i really have no clue.

it's not bad. provided cliff wasn't a fluke, if fausto can get back to form, you're fine. i think pavano will be alright if his armstays on

 

[kiddin like jason]

The winter couldn't have gone much better in terms of transactions; I am very pleased with Shapiro, as usual.

As has been noted, I would have liked to add a corner outfield bat, but we'll make due. Shopping/cutting Kobayashi would have been ideal, too, because hemakes a large sum of money for being a fairly average reliever. The same goes for Dellucci, who makes a large sum of money and isn't even an averageoutfielder. But, like I said, very pleased, regardless.

We're going to have to depend on the offense and bullpen pretty heavily early on. I don't think the rotation won't be as shaky as it looks onpaper, but there will certainly be struggles. If Fausto can bounce back from the season he had in 2006 (which he did), there's no doubt in my mind he canbounce back from the season he had in 2008. Pavano is a toss-up. Reyes was very steady, and I expect that to continue; he won't dominate, but he won'tentirely put us out of many ballgames. I, too, expect Laffey to be the fifth guy to start the season. David Huff is going to be very, very good, and I expecthim to crack the rotation at some point during the season.

It's a strange feeling going into a season being confident about our bullpen, but I absolutely am. Everything I've read has stated that Betancourt isin incredible shape. There's really no viable explanation for his falloff last season, so hopefully he gets it back together. Perez is so vital; youcan't help but continue to expect good things from him. I think Joe Smith was the most underrated of our acquisitions; I'm really excited about him.If Miller can stay healthy, I see him having a David Price kind of role; a starter who comes out of the bullpen at any time and is effective. If, by somemiracle, he stays healthy all season, I would expect him to get a look in the rotation, because he is really a starter. Kobayashi sucks. I'm not a bigJensen Lewis fan, but at least he's pretty solid. And, of course, Kerry Wood, a REAL closer for the first time in years.

I have to run, but I'll ramble about the lineup later, I'm sure. Straight up, I had a chubby thinking about baseball for the 10 minutes or so I spenttyping this thread. Ah, baseball.

 

[allen3xis]

I think the bullpen looks great.

If Pronk and Vic stay healthy and return to form, there's no doubt this should will be a playoff team.

 

[belle155]

we just dont want to make the playoffs tho...we should have beat boston 2 years ago. we would have won it all

 

[jdb1523]

if we have half the injuries we did last year this is certainly a playoff team. while the price for kerry wood is high, that's the price you pay to attractguys from another team. we'll see how he holds up.

anybody know how to watch MLBtv online???

 

[outacontrol music]

This is the on year.


Ya know, off-on-off-on-off....


But I'm interested to see how Wood pans out.

Certainly he can't be much worse on the blood pressure than JoBo.



Also, I have my eye on Shin-Soo Choo...Big things expected of him.

Can't wait to see De Rosa, a healthy Victor and I PRAYYYYYYYYY a healthy Pronk...



Son is on the verge of an epic falloff. Hope he wasn't on the juice and then put it down...

 

[thekillerj23]

Originally Posted by outacontrol music

This is the on year.


Ya know, off-on-off-on-off....


But I'm interested to see how Wood pans out.

Certainly he can't be much worse on the blood pressure than JoBo.



Also, I have my eye on Shin-Soo Choo...Big things expected of him.

Can't wait to see De Rosa, a healthy Victor and I PRAYYYYYYYYY a healthy Pronk...



Son is on the verge of an epic falloff. Hope he wasn't on the juice and then put it down...

agree with everything you said outtacontrol

and Tony Rizzo also picked Shin-shoo choo to be the break out player of the year

[tony rizzo] "its good to beeeeeeee aliveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" [tony rizzo;]

 

[jdb1523]

^Same, outacontrol put it better than I did

If you guys know how to get these games online (radio or TV stream), it'd be greatly appreciated.

 

[outacontrol music]

[h2]Cleveland Indians reliever Rafael Betancourt won't pitch for Venezuela in WBC[/h2] [h3]by Paul Hoynes/Plain Dealer Reporter[/h3]
[h3]Thursday February 12, 2009, 11:40 AM[/h3]

Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer

Indians reliever Rafael Betancourt says he won't pitch for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic so he can prepare for the upcoming season.
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Right-hander Rafael Betancourt, reporting today to spring training with the rest of the Indians pitchers and catchers, said he will not pitch in the World Baseball Classic for Venezuela in March.
Betancourt said he told GM Mark Shapiro in January that he did not plan to pitch for his country.

"I took time to make my decision to play or not to play," said Betancourt. "I played in the first one in 2006, but I didn't play winter ball this year and it takes time to get ready for those kind of games.
Continue reading "Cleveland Indians reliever Rafael Betancourt won't pitch for Venezuela in WBC"

 

[kiddin like jason]

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- If the Indians adhered to the calendar, then Thursday would have been the day that pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training camp.

But this year, the Tribe's players are taking the official report dates as mere suggestions.

The truth is, many of the pitchers, catchers and position players have been here at the Indians Player Development Complex for several days, and in some cases, weeks. With a brand new facility at their disposal, the excitement to get to camp early and get acclimated has been palpable. In fact, a quick survey of the clubhouse Thursday morning revealed that only a mere handful of players had yet to arrive.
"Everybody wants to get out and see what all the hype is about," reliever Jensen Lewis said. "It's certainly lived up to it so far."
The Indians are also getting to know a new town that is branching out by the day. Throughout Goodyear, stores and restaurants are sprouting up, as the baseball complex is the centerpiece of citywide growth.

Reigning Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee said he got to town last week because he wanted to get to know the city.

"We've never been here, never been to this town, so you want to get your bearings straight," he said. "I wanted to make sure I know how to get to the field and where the grocery store is and that kind of basic stuff."

Some guys are here to get to know their new teammates. Third baseman Mark DeRosa is in that boat. He was among the early arrivals on Thursday.

"I've always been a guy who likes to come in with the pitchers and catchers and get out on the field," DeRosa said. "You get that cabin fever hitting in a cage during the winter. I want to take some ground balls and get my feet under me and get that initial soreness out of the way. That way, when the actual workouts start, you're able to just play the game and not worry about your soreness."

The first full-squad workout won't take place until Tuesday. In the meantime, pitchers and catchers will take their physicals Friday and work out Saturday morning, and position players will officially report Sunday and have their physicals on Monday.

The facility actually isn't a finished product just yet. As players walked down the hallway leading to the practice fields on Thursday morning, they had to step around workers setting up phone and security systems and hanging artwork on the walls.

The club isn't a finished product yet, either, but a busy offseason has given way to a camp of renewed optimism in a new atmosphere.

After 14 springs in Winter Haven, Fla., the Indians, who trained in Tucson for 46 years before moving to Florida in 1993, have returned to the Cactus League in a growing desert city about 20 miles west of Phoenix. Standing in stark contrast to the archaic facilities at Chain of Lakes Park, the Indians are breaking in a state-of-the-art facility that general manager Mark Shapiro said he hopes will boost the team's "energy and culture."

"It's something we've wanted a long time," Shapiro said. "It's something [team president] Paul Dolan has worked extremely hard to make happen and something I'm extremely excited about."

And Shapiro and the Indians are just as excited about the product they'll put on the field in 2009 after an interesting winter. The Tribe was the most aggressive of any club in the American League Central, adding closer Kerry Wood and starter Carl Pavano in free agency and DeRosa, reliever Joe Smith and infield prospect Luis Valbuena in trades.

Couple those additions with the return of Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez from last year's injury woes, and the Indians believe they have the goods to return to the top of the division.

Now, the real work of preparing for the season begins.

The initial days of camp are rather mundane, from a fan's perspective. They are heavy on bullpen sessions, pitchers' fielding practice drills and bunting and batting practice. It will get quite a bit more interesting when the Cactus League season premiers with the grand opening of the Goodyear Ballpark on Feb. 25, when the Indians host the Giants. Two more home games against the D-backs and Padres follow before the first road date with the A's in Phoenix on Feb. 28.
A Cactus League schedule extended by the World Baseball Classic wraps up April 2, when the Indians face the Cubs in nearby Mesa. The Indians will then pack up their bags and head off to Houston for a pair of exhibitions against the Astros on April 3 and 4, setting up the season opener in Arlington against the Rangers on April 6.

National Rights Holder FOX SPORTS (WJW-TV8 locally) has designated eight Indians game to be broadcast on the Fox Saturday Baseball Game of the Week:

Home Games
[table][tr][td]June 13[/td] [td]St. Louis Cardinals[/td] [td]4:10PM ET[/td] [/tr][tr][td]July 4[/td] [td]Oakland Athletics[/td] [td]4:10PM ET[/td] [/tr][tr][td]September 5[/td] [td]Minnesota Twins[/td] [td]4:10PM ET[/td] [/tr][/table]
Away Games
[table][tr][td]April 18[/td] [td]New York Yankees[/td] [td]3:40PM ET[/td] [/tr][tr][td]May 2[/td] [td]Detroit Tigers[/td] [td]3:40PM ET[/td] [/tr][tr][td]May 16[/td] [td]Tampa Bay Devil Rays[/td] [td]4:10PM ET[/td] [/tr][tr][td]June 6[/td] [td]Chicago White Sox[/td] [td]4:10PM ET[/td] [/tr][tr][td]August 15[/td] [td]Minnesota Twins[/td] [td]4:10PM ET[/td] [/tr][/table]

 

[allen3xis]

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Kerry Wood has a lot of handshakes to dole out and plenty of names to memorize.
After 14 years with the Cubs -- the organization that drafted him as a 17-year-old Texas high school kid -- Wood immersed himself into new waters this week,when he reported to the Cleveland Indians Player Development Complex and officially began his tenure with the Tribe.

"I'm just ready to get going," Wood said Thursday. "It's good to get around the guys and start going through the drills. You developmore of a relationship the more time you spend with guys."

Then Wood, who has been splitting his time between the Goodyear facility and a facility he uses near his Scottsdale home the past week, thought about aSpring Training calendar extended a week by the World Baseball Classic.

"I guess we've got plenty of time," he said with a laugh.

Wood will always feel a close connection with the Cubs. That was his baseball home for so long that he will always be identified with that organization.

Not long after he signed a two-year, $20.5 million deal with the Indians in December, Wood took out a full-page ad in two Chicago newspapers, thanking Cubsfans for their support over the years.

"I grew up there, pretty much," Wood said. "I got drafted when I was 17. All the [things] I went through, good and bad, they supported me andstuck with me. You can't thank each fan individually, so I thought that was the best way to reach everybody."

Now, he's reaching out to his new teammates, who will be counting on him to stay healthy and close out games in the ninth.

In one sense, this is a different kind of spring for the 31-year-old Wood, because it's the first in which he enters camp knowing he is a closer. But hesaid he'll approach this situation the same way he approached last spring, when he competed with Carlos Marmol for the Cubs' closing job.

"Nothing's going to change," Wood said. "My job is to get ready for the season and whatever happens happens. You take the six or sevenweeks you have and pace yourself for when the season starts. It's just about being ready for the opener."

Prepping for the opener can be somewhat tricky for a closer. The exhibition slate doesn't afford any opportunity to simulate the feeling of getting theball in the ninth inning with the game on the line. The Indians traditionally have their closer pitch early in exhibition games so that he can face MajorLeague hitters, and that will probably be the case with Wood.

Wood will work with pitching coach Carl Willis to map out his spring schedule and the best way for him to ramp up toward April.

"It's the right way to handle that," manager Eric Wedge said. "You include guys like that in the process. He knows what's best forhim, so we just basically let them work it out. Carl and I have already talked about the parameters of that."

Last season was an adjustment for Wood, as it was his first full season in a relief role. He certainly responded well enough, posting 34 saves in 40opportunities, a 3.26 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings over 65 appearances.

"I had to change my [spring] routine and get used to the routine," he said. "It took me a couple weeks into the season last year to getacclimated to a new position. But with a year under my belt and almost a year and a half of coming out of the 'pen, the routine for me is there now. Youjust take advantage of the time you have to get ready and work on some things."

Wood said he wants to work to refine his breaking pitches. Because while he is most known for his blazing fastball, his slider can be just as vexing foropposing hitters. He also wants to sharpen his curve.

"If I want to work on a new pitch," he said, "I'll have an extra week and a half to do that."

Wood won't have to work to build a relationship with another new addition to the Indians -- third baseman Mark DeRosa. The two were good buddies duringtheir days in Chicago.

"For me, personally, it's nice having someone here I know," Wood said. "But moreso for the team, he's a great teammate -- he plays alot of positions and he swings the bat pretty well. He's a great guy to have around."

The Indians and their fans are excited to have Wood around. And while slipping on a jersey other than that of the Cubs will be a little strange at first, hesaid he's happy to be here.
"I think when I get the full uniform on the first day and am surrounded by a bunch of faces I don't know, it willsink in," Wood said. "But for me, it's just another year of getting ready for baseball."

 

[kiddin like jason]

Cleveland Indians' Travis Hafner: "I've never used steriods. ... I have piece of mind' [h3]by Paul Hoynes/Plain Dealer Reporter[/h3]
[h3]Saturday February 14, 2009, 8:28 PM
[/h3]
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Travis Hafner made his big-league debut with Texas in 2002. Alex Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro, Juan Gonzalez and Ivan Rodriguez, a rogue's gallery of admitted and alleged steroid users, were his teammates.
Alex Rodriguez last week said he used steroids from 2001 through 2003 with the Rangers after his positive 2003 test was reported by Sports Illustrated. Palmeiro tested positive for steroids while playing with Baltimore. Former Ranger Jose Canseco said he used steroids with Juan Gonzalez and Ivan Rodriguez in his book "Juiced."

Could that be what's gone wrong with Hafner over the last two seasons with the Indians? Although he's never tested positive for steroids -- MLB had no official testing policy until 2004 -- is his body breaking down and his power vanishing from past use of performance enhancing drugs?

"I've never used steroids," Hafner said Saturday.

Hafner joined the Rangers in August of 2002. Like most rookies, he kept his eyes open and his mouth shut.

"I only spent a month and a half in the big leagues," he said. "I didn't really talk to many of the veteran guys. I really didn't know the club that well. As a young guy, I didn't notice anything.

"I almost think there's this perception that it's [going on] in the middle of the clubhouse. Unless you really did research or looked into it, you wouldn't know anything."
http://
Players use steroids to add muscle mass and to allow their muscles to recover faster. When Hafner joined the Rangers, he had no problem with his size, weight or power.

"By the time I was in Triple-A, I was weighing 250 pounds," said Hafner, acquired by the Indians after the 2002 season. "There was never any temptation to do it because I wasn't at the point where I wanted to get any bigger.

"Certainly with everything going on, it's nice to know you haven't done anything and don't have to worry about anything."
Hafner is well aware of how many players have said the same thing only to be proven liars. Rodriguez and Palmeiro, for instance. He also knows people have tracked his drop in power, the right shoulder injury that cost him most of last season and required surgery in October, his loss of weight this winter and have already reached their own conclusion.
"I know that it's out there," he said. "I'm sure there's people out there who think it's all over baseball. And if you play baseball and you're a big guy, you're automatically guilty. That's just the way it is right now."

Hafner says the speculation doesn't bother him.

"I don't care," he said. "I guess you find out in hurry that you're not going to please everyone in this game. I have peace of mind knowing I never did anything. I'm sure there are players scared right now with all the stuff out there."

Rodriguez was one of 104 players who tested positive for banned substances in 2003 when MLB and the players association was trying to determine if a steroid testing plan was needed. Rodriguez is the only player whose name has been made public.

Hafner said he's never used steroids for two reasons.

"The first thing, I was scared what it would do to my body health-wise," he said. "You see lots of guys with heart problems, different things like that. That was probably the main thing. You don't want to hurt your body for down the road.

"And it was illegal."

Hafner feels the current testing policy had done its job.

"Most of the things you hear about are from the early 2000s and the late 1900s," he said.

Hafner took batting practice Saturday as Indians pitchers and catchers took the field for the first official workout of spring training. It was the fifth straight day he's swung the bat.
"Everything feels really good," said Hafner, who is not expected to be quite ready to play when the Indians open the Cactus League season Feb. 25.

I've never made the connection before.

 

[allen3xis]

I'd like to believe he's just naturally a big dude and he'll bounce back being healthy, but tough to believe.

[h3]Inside Pitch[/h3]
One of the developing subplots to be watched as the Indians begin spring training is the potential conversion of Victor Martinez from catcher to first baseman. It isn't expected to happen definitively this spring, but for the first time Indians officials are now acknowledging the likelihood of an eventual position switch for the all-star catcher.

At the very least, Martinez seems destined to play more first base in 2009 than at any previous time in his career. That development has been hastened by Kelly Shoppach's breakout year in 2008, when he stepped in more than capably for the injured Martinez.

Shoppach in 2008 led all American League catchers in home runs with 21, and his 55 RBIs ranked fourth among AL catchers. Shoppach's numbers, which also included a .517 slugging percentage, came in 352 at-bats while he filled in for Martinez, who missed most of the season with hamstring and elbow injuries.

With Shoppach having shown he can be a productive everyday catcher at the major league level, Indians officials have become more open to the notion of having Martinez start more games at first base in 2009, in order to get Shoppach's bat, and glove, into the lineup more often.

Moreover, with Shoppach ready for an increased role on the major league roster this year and with highly regarded Carlos Santana, the club's catcher of the future, expected to start the season at Class AA and perhaps less than two years from being major league-ready, the time seems right for Martinez to move toward the next phase of his career, as a first baseman.

At the very least, Shoppach in 2009 will get more than just a backup catcher's typical allotment of at bats. He will likely be a semi-regular, with Martinez playing first base on days he doesn't catch. That will be the prelude to a full-time move to first base by Martinez, which now seems more a question not of "if" but rather "when."

CLEVELAND (AP)-Free agent infielder Tony Graffanino agreed to terms on a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians and will report to their Goodyear, Ariz., training camp Monday.

 

[kiddin like jason]

I like how there's zero mention of Garko in that article; that probably speaks volumes about his future with the club.

Shoppach had a great season, but he's still not a better hitter than Garko. Both of them should see plenty of at-bats, but Ryan deserves them more.

 

[agold1002]

i am so happy they moved out to az...gonna try and get to a few games espceially when the play in scottsdale

 

[allen3xis]

 

[kiddin like jason]

 

[allen3xis]

[h1]Indians take first step toward big goal[/h1]
By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer 2 hours, 18 minutes ago

Cleveland Indians' Tony Gr…
AP - Feb 17, 4:17 pm EST


Cleveland Indians' Josh Ba…
AP - Feb 17, 3:55 pm EST

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GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP)-As manager Eric Wedge paced slowly in the center of Cleveland's clubhouse, his players sat attentively in their chairs, almost frozen in fear. Every eye and every ear were trained on Wedge as he delivered his annual speech before the club's first full-squad workout.

For the Indians, it is a rite of spring training.

And as usual, Wedge made all his points powerfully and then turned his team loose.

A Knute Rockne in cap and cleats.

"He needs to be a motivational speaker," veteran reliever Vinnie Chulk, who spent last season with San Francisco, said after hearing Wedge's fire-and-brimstone pep talk. "You don't daydream. You plant your eyes on him. He demands it. It makes you want to go out there and throw and get ready."

Under a nearly cloudless Arizona sky, the Indians took their first step Tuesday toward a possible championship.

After injuries to designated hitter Travis Hafner, catcher Victor Martinez and right-hander Jake Westbrook sabotaged their big plans last season, the Indians were forced to trade ace CC Sabathia before the All-Star break. Still, after dropping 16 games out of first place, they regrouped and went an AL-best 44-28 after July 10 with a roster of youngsters and finished 81-81.

With the offseason additions of closer Kerry Wood, third baseman Mark DeRosa, reliever Joe Smith, along with the return of Cy Young winner Cliff Lee, All-Star center fielder Grady Sizemore, a maturing nucleus and a very winnable division, the Indians believe 2009 can be theirs.

"I just feel strong about where we are as a big-league club right now," Wedge said. "The reason I do is because of everything we've gone through the last three or four years….You look at all the injuries we had last year. The fact that we had to trade part of our family and the way these kids ended up having the best record in the last half of the season by picking themselves up by the boot straps.

"I feel like we should be as competitive as anyone in baseball."

The Indians began working in earnest at accomplishing their goal.

Once Wedge finished his speech, Cleveland's pitchers headed toward the minor-league fields for some throwing while the Indians' infielders and outfielders occupied the two major-league diamonds at the club's new, $108 million complex, which is bordered to the east by an airplane "boneyard" where dozens of planes sit waiting to be repaired.

During batting practice, Wedge worked with small groups of players behind a portable screen at first base. Wedge instructed them on the importance of getting a big initial lead off the bag as well as a strong secondary lead. He wants the Indians to improve their baserunning, which hasn't always been up to speed.

One of Wedge's first objectives during the team's initial workout was to get a visual progress report on Hafner, who played in just 57 games last season, unsuccessfully tried to strengthen his injured shoulder and then had surgery in October. Hafner only began swinging a bat last month and Wedge was pleased with how Hafner looked while taking cuts at pitches thrown by batting coach Derek Shelton.

"He looked good," Wedge said, conceding that Hafner, who needs to get back to his 30-homer, 100-RBI form for the Indians to contend, might be "a little bit behind."

With the possible exception of Hafner and the ever-present possibility of injuries, Wedge doesn't have too much to worry about in his seventh camp as Cleveland's manager.


Cleveland Indians coaches hit …
AP - Feb 17, 4:10 pm EST

The Indians have more overall depth than in years past, but the starting rotation is thinner than usual.

After Lee and Fausto Carmona, Carl Pavano, a free-agent flop with the New York Yankees, is Cleveland's No. 3 starter with Anthony Reyes expected to be in the No. 4 slot. The fifth starter will be the winner of an arms race that includes Aaron Laffey, Jeremy Sowers, Zach Jackson, Scott Lewis and David Huff, a left-hander whose name is creating a lot of early chatter at camp.

The Indians are banking on a change of scenery to straighten out the enigmatic Pavano, who has undergone shoulder and elbow surgeries in recent years.

"By all indicators so far, I feel like he's going to go out there and give us a chance to win ballgames," Wedge said. "It was good for him to come back at the end of last year a little bit. He's in good shape. I think he's in a great frame of mind. He has fit in very well here in the early goings. He's big and strong and knows how to pitch. He just needs to be healthy, and I think he's healthy."

Wedge rarely addresses questions angled at revealing any weakness in his team, but he did acknowledge that Cleveland's rotation is a concern.

"I feel fairly strong about all areas of our ballclub, but if you pinned me down, the starting pitching is what we have to work through this spring with two spots open," he said. "We need to make sure we make good decisions there. I think we can say without a doubt that we're going to have depth in our bullpen and depth with our position players and in the outfield.

"But what we have to do is work to make good decisions with the players we break to go north with. We need to be solid in all areas of our club. We don't need to be great anywhere. We just need to be a solid club, and if we do that, we'll be OK."

Always been a Wedge fan, I do believe the continuity with Wedge/Shapiro will pay off.

 

[kiddin like jason]

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Andy Marte Era in Cleveland is all but over.

The Indians designated Marte for assignment today after acquiring right-hander Juan Salas from Tampa Bay for minor league infielder Isaias Valasquez. Salas will report to big-league camp and add another arm to the competition for the lone spot in manager Eric Wedge's bullpen

 

[allen3xis]

such a disappointment.