ANDY CALL
Canton Repository
March 16, 2008 11:28 pm
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TAMPA, Fla. — Two weeks until Opening Day.
Perhaps that statement won’t actually make the remainder of winter pass any more quickly, but at least there’s hope.
The Indians and White Sox are indeed scheduled to play baseball March 31 at Progressive Park. That gives fans exactly two weeks to purchase blankets, warm socks and those hats with the furry ear flaps. It also gives the Indians exactly two weeks to determine the makeup of their roster as well as the roles for those 25 players.
“We’re definitely getting ready,” right-hander Jake Westbrook said. “I’m very excited about the (pitching) rotation we have. It’s going to make for a fun year, to watch those guys pitch and compare yourself with them.”
Starting pitching is expected to be the backbone of the 2008 Indians, and the top four pitchers in that rotation (knock on wood, Indians fans) have all appeared healthy and effective this spring. Westbrook has been even a bit better than effective, working eight shutout innings while allowing five hits and four walks.
The fifth starter’s spot remains up for grabs. Left-handers Cliff Lee, Jeremy Sowers and Aaron Laffey have all been lukewarm. Laffey has all but taken himself out of the running by walking 10 in eight innings. Lee, slowed by illness in the early spring, makes his fourth start today against the Phillies in Clearwater.
The bullpen also had one opening when the spring began. Tom Mastny was the early favorite, but his spot is hardly guaranteed. The darkhorse candidate might be non-roster left-hander Rich Rundles — in large part because incumbent left-hander Aaron Fultz has been awful. Fultz allowed nine hits in a stretch of 16 pitches during a game last week and has surrendered 14 hits in seven innings this spring.
The 13 position players were all but determined when camp began, although a couple of those spots can at least be debated.
“This is the first time since I’ve here that we have pretty much the same team coming back,” left-hander C.C. Sabathia said. “That shows we have the guys in here to get it done.”
Andy Marte is out of minor-league options and the Indians hope to recoup at least partial return from their trade of Coco Crisp. Cleveland plans to retain Marte as a backup at third base and first base. He has been wildly inconsistent on both offense and defense, however, and could put his roster spot in jeopardy if that continues into the regular season.
The platoon of David Dellucci and Jason Michaels was considered Plan A in left field. Or, at least it was before Ben Francisco reported to spring training and began hitting the ball all over the park (.382 average). With Francisco perhaps ready for the big leagues and Shin-Soo Choo ready to come off the disabled list in mid-May, Michaels and Dellucci (or perhaps Francisco or Choo) might be sent elsewhere if a team in need of an outfielder came calling.
How will all this spring conjecture translate into regular-season performance?
We’ll know in exactly two weeks.
n YANKEES 7, INDIANS 6 — New York scored three runs off Mastny in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat Cleveland (9-10-1) at Tampa. Mastny gave up two doubles, a walk and Nick Green’s game-ending, two-run single. Indians starter C.C. Sabathia threw 74 pitches in four innings, giving up five hits and three runs. “I’m going to apologize to (outfielders) Grady Sizemore and David Dellucci,” Sabathia said. “It’s the hottest day of the year, and I’ve got them out there running a track meet.” Sizemore was 3-for-4 with two home runs, his fourth and fifth of the spring. Victor Martinez was also 3-for-4
n TODAY — The Indians will travel to Clearwater to face Philadelphia at 1:05 p.m. Lee is scheduled to start against Chad Durbin. Those scheduled to follow Lee to the mound include Masa Kobayashi, Rafael Betancourt and Jorge Julio. There is no radio or TV broadcast.
n PACK ’EM IN — Sunday’s sellout crowd of 10.972 for the Indians-Yankees game was the largest ever at Legends Field. The former record (10,869) was set earlier this spring.
n THE MILLER WATCH — RHP Adam Miller reported no ill effects from his bullpen session Saturday and will throw another today. Miller, the top pitching prospect in the organization, is scheduled to pitch in a minor-league game for the first time Thursday.
n ALUMNI REPORT — Former Indians in camp with New York include LHP Billy Traber and first-base coach Tony Pena. Traber was added to the Yankees’ 40-man roster Saturday.
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