Cleveland Indians' 2007 season built with character and conviction

Cleveland Indians' 2007 season built with character and conviction
Sunday, December 23, 2007Paul HoynesPlain Dealer Reporter
It's hard to be an idealist in Major League Baseball. To always look at the bright side of a game that bears so many scars, might call into question one's view of reality.

Mark Shapiro, Indians general manager, chooses to do so anyway. He knows all too well that this is not a perfect business plied by knights in shining armor. Yet he has always tried to build teams that stress character and chemistry. Some of that has been induced by one of the lowest payrolls in the game, but rarely are convictions and principles sidestepped to bow before the persistent drumbeat of victory.

On Sept. 23, Shapiro saw his convictions come to life when the Indians beat Oakland, 6-2, at Jacobs Field to clinch the AL Central Division. Shapiro has worked for the Indians since 1992, but this was his first division championship as a general manager.

In the locker-room celebration after the game, Shapiro, an AL Central Division championship baseball cap pulled tightly on his head to break the ever-flowing waterfall of champagne and beer, gazed at pockets of gyrating players and felt good about every one of them.

Steady Jake Westbrook pitched seven innings for the victory. Young lefty Rafael Perez, representing a productive farm system that saved the season, relieved and recorded two quick outs before Rafael Betancourt, perhaps the best set-up man in the league last season, pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for the save.

Grady Sizemore, a rock Shapiro feels will support this team for seasons to come, had hits in his first four at-bats and reached base five straight times. Casey Blake, the model for manager Eric Wedge's grind-it-out ballplayer, hit a two-run double to start the decisive four-run fourth inning.

Shapiro had a memory for every celebrating player. Maybe it was about the scout who recommended C.C. Sabathia as a high school senior or how Fausto Carmona transformed himself from a failed closer to one of the best starters in the game.

It took nearly six hard years of work to see the Indians' locker room at Jacobs Field in such delirious disarray that day. Shapiro knew that it would never be this good, this pure, again. He drank it in like a thirsty man.

The Indians won seven division titles and reached two World Series from 1995 through 2001. Those teams were so talented, and often so arrogant in displaying that talent, that the sense of accomplishment from those in the organization was dulled.

Compromises were made. Heads were turned. Confrontations avoided -- all in the name of trying to win a world championship that never came.

When Shapiro became general manager in November 2001, the team was old and the farm system played out. He knew he'd have to start over, it was just a matter of when. But when the time came to win, Shapiro wanted to do it differently than before.

On Sept. 23, it happened. The Indians kept winning, finishing at 96-66 and tying Boston for the best record in baseball.

They upset the Yankees in the AL Division Series in four games. They took a 3-1 lead against Boston in the AL Championship Series, only to lose three straight. The morning of Game 7 of the ALCS, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Tribe starter Paul Byrd purchased $25,000 of human growth hormone and syringes from 2002-05.

Reality has a way of bruising idealists, but Sept. 23 was perfect.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

Names in the Mitchell Report

Names in the Mitchell Report
Friday, December 14, 2007
Thursday's release of the Mitchell Report, which investigated the involvement of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, had one headline name.

Roger Clemens, the greatest pitcher of his era, led a list of seven of baseball's Most Valuable Players and 31 All-Stars in the report. Indians pitcher Paul Byrd, who admitted to using Human Growth Hormone during the October playoffs, was the only current Indian named in the report.

Doping was widespread by stars as well as scrubs, the report said, putting a question mark if not an asterisk next to baseball records and threatening the integrity of the game itself.

Players connected to steroids, either use or possession in the report:

Chad Allen, Mike Bell, Gary Bennett

Larry Bigbie, Ricky Bones, Kevin Brown

Ken Caminiti, Mark Carreon, Jason Christiansen

Howie Clark, Roger Clemens, Paxton Crawford

Jack Cust, Brendan Donnelly, Chris Donnels
Lenny Dykstra, Matt Franco, Ryan Franklin

Eric Gagne, Jason Grimsley, Jerry Hairston

Phil Hiatt, Matt Herges, Glenallen Hill,

Todd Hundley, Ryan Jorgensen, Wally Joyner

Mike Judd, David Justice, Chuck Knoblauch

Tim Laker, Mike Lansing, Paul Lo Duca

Exavier "Nook" Logan, Josias Manzanillo, Cody McKay

Kent Mercker, Bart Miadich, Hal Morris, Daniel Naulty

Denny Neagle, Rafael Palmeiro, Jim Parque

Andy Pettitte, Adam Piatt, Todd Pratt
Stephen Randolph, Adam Riggs, Brian Roberts

F.P. Santangelo, David Segui, Mike Stanton

Ricky Stone, Miguel Tejada, Derrick Turnbow

Mo Vaughn, Ron Villone, Fernando Vina

Rondell White, Jeff Williams, Todd Williams, Kevin Young, Gregg Zaun

The following players were cited under "Alleged Internet Purchases of Performance Enhancing Substances By Players in Major League Baseball" in the report:

Rick Ankiel, David Bell, Paul Byrd, Jose Canseco

Jay Gibbons, Troy Glaus, Jose Guillen, Darren Holmes

Gary Matthews Jr., John Rocker, Scott Schoeneweis

Ismael Valdez, Matt Williams, Steve Woodard

The following players were linked through BALCO in the report:

Marvin Benard, Barry Bonds, Bobby Estalella, Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi, Benito Santiago, Gary Sheffield, Randy Velarde

Byrd, 16 former Indians named in report
Posted by Paul Hoynes December 13, 2007 23:14PM
Categories: Indians

Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer
Paul Byrd was the only current Indian named in the Mitchell Report.

Indians right-hander Paul Byrd, named in former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell's report Thursday on the use of performance-enhancing substances in baseball, is scheduled to meet with MLB officials Monday as the investigation into his use of Human Growth Hormone continues.

Byrd was the only current Indian named Thursday. Sixteen former Indians, including David Justice and Juan Gonzalez, were mentioned.

It's unclear what, if any, discipline awaits Byrd. The pitcher, and his agent, Bo McKinnis, could not be reached on Thursday.

Kansas City's Jose Guillen and Baltimore's Jay Gibbons, who reportedly purchased HGH after it was banned by MLB in January of 2005, were recently suspended 15 days by Commissioner Bud Selig. They will serve the suspensions at the start of next season.

The San Francisco Chronicle, the day the Indians played Boston in Game 7 of the ALCS in October, reported that Byrd purchased $25,000 of HGH between 2002 and 2005. The Chronicle reported that Byrd made his last order from a revitalization clinic in Florida just before baseball banned the substance.

Gary Matthews Jr., Rick Ankiel, Troy Glaus and Scott Schoeneweis, linked to HGH purchases from similar clinics, received no punishment from Selig because of insufficient evidence.

Mitchell, at the end of his report, told the media that he hoped Selig would not punish any of the players named in his report. Selig, who conducted his own press conference following Mitchell's, said he'd examine each case before deciding what, if any, punishment was necessary.

Former Indians named in the Mitchell report were Tim Laker, Jason Grimsley, David Segui, Mark Carreon, Glenallen Hill, Ron Villone, Kent Mercker, Chad Allen, David Bell, John Rocker, Matt Williams, Steve Woodard, Todd Pratt and Mike Lansing.

Former Indians GM John Hart and team doctor William Wilder were also mentioned.

Here's what the investigation uncovered about the former Indians. Years with the Indians noted.

Justice (1997-2000): Radomski said he sold HGH to Justice before he played in the 2000 World Series with the Yankees. Justice, who talked to investigators before being named by Radomski, said he'd never used steroids, but gave the names of several players he suspected of using steroids. Justice added that he had no direct knowledge of any player using steroids.

Gonzalez (2001, 2005): A duffel bag was found at the Toronto airport on Oct. 4, 2001 when Gonzalez was playing for the Indians. It contained syringes and steroids. Gonzalez said it belonged to his personal trainer. The trainer said at belonged to Gonzalez.

Laker (2001-2004, 2006): Laker, who managed Class A Mahoning Valley for the Indians last season, told investigators he used steroids from 1995 through 2000. Kirk Radomski, a Mets clubhouse worker who named many of the players in the Mitchell report after getting arrested, said he sold them to him. Laker, who had to cooperate with the investigation because he's employed by a big-league club, was replaced by Travis Fryman at Mahoning Valley, and will be a roving minor-league instructor for the Indians.

Grimsley (1993-1995): He was suspended for 50 games in 2006 after admitting to federal officers that he used illegal performance enhancing drugs after a shipment was followed to his Arizona home. Radomski said he was one of Grimsley's suppliers.

Segui (2000): Now retired, he publicly admitted using steroids and HGH throughout his career. Radomski said he was one of Segui's suppliers.

Carreon (1996): Radomski said Carreon purchased steroids from him when he played for the Mets.

Hill (1991-1993): Radomski said he sold Hill HGH in 2001. Hill, currently Colorado's first-base coach, told investigators he never used it. Hill said he purchased it because of "marital stress."

Villone (1998): He met Radomski through Colorado teammate Denny Neagle. Radomski said Villone purchased HGH in 2004 and 2005.

Mercker (1996): Radomski said he sold Mercker HGH in 2002.

Allen (2002): Told investigators he purchased steroids from Radomski to help heal a knee injury in 2003.

David Bell (1995, 1998): Named in a March 6, 2007 Sports Illustrated article for purchasing human chorionic gonapatropin.

Rocker (2001): Sports Illustrated reported in March of 2007 that Rocker purchased two parcels of HGH. A spokesman for the former pitcher said Rocker had been prescribed it following shoulder surgery.

Williams (1997): The San Francisco Chronicle reported Williams purchased steroids and HGH in 2002 when he played for Arizona.

Woodard (2000-2001): A New York Daily News story on Sept. 7, 2007 said Woodard received steroids and HGH from a Florida rejuvenation center.

Pratt (Rule 5 pick 1987): Radomski said he sold steroids to Pratt in 2000 or 2001.

Lansing (Class AAA Buffalo, 2002): Radomski said he sold Lansing testosterone and HGH in 2002.

Mitchell investigators sought to talk with Byrd, Bell, Rocker, Williams and Woodard, but they did not cooperate. Mitchell did not have subpoena power and the players association told players to not cooperate.

Wilder, the Indians' former team doctor, was interviewed about a 1998 memo he wrote to former General Manager John Hart and assistant GM Dan O'Dowd following the winter meetings. Mark McGwire hit 70 homers that year to break Roger Maris' record. McGwire admitted to using androstenedione, a steroid precursor, which had yet to be banned by MLB.

During a presentation at the meetings, a doctor representing MLB said there was nothing wrong with players increasing their testosterone levels. This disturbed Wilder and many others, who felt like it was a green light for players to use steroids.

Wilder suggested to Gene Orza of the players association that data should be sent out warning players against performance-enhancing substances. Orza said more study was needed on supplements.

In the memo, Wilder questioned whether testosterone belonged in athletics even if it improved performance. He felt the players association was stalling.

"I just thought it was crazy what the players association and Gene Orza were doing," said Wilder. "John and Danny read the memo, but their hands were tied. They were concerned about the team's finances. The players association was so strong . . . it was a collective bargaining thing."

Mitchell criticized owners, players, management and the players association for letting baseball's steroids problem get out of control. In 2002, after Hart had left the Indians to become GM in Texas, he signed Gonzalez, who left the Indians through free agency.

By that time, Angel Presinal, the strength coach who said it was Gonzalez's duffel bag that was found at the Toronto airport in 2001, had been banned from every clubhouse in the big leagues. Presinal, according to the Mitchell report, was a frequent visitor to the Rangers clubhouse to see Gonzalez even though Hart had knowledge of what had happened with the Indians.

MLB finally banned Presinal from the Rangers clubhouse.

Said Indians President Paul Dolan, "The Cleveland Indians are in full support of Commissioner Selig's response to the Mitchell report. Our organization has been committed to eliminate the use of performance-enhancing substances from the game of baseball."

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Terry Pluto: Selig must take some action
Posted by Terry Pluto Plain Dealer Columnist December 13, 2007 19:18PM
Categories: Terry Pluto columns

George Mitchell said he didn't want any of the 80 current and former major-league players charged as cheaters in his report to be disciplined.

Commissioner Bud Selig said he "would take action," and do it on a "case-by-case" basis.

Good for him, that's the right approach.

Just because a player's name appears in the Mitchell Report doesn't convict him of anything. But the report also contains cancelled checks and other documentation pointing to athletes buying steroids and Human Growth Hormone.

That can't and should not be ignored. Some legal types will scream, "That's circumstantial evidence." Yes, it is, and people go to jail on that type of proof every day. If one player or former trainer names another -- and that's all they have on the guy -- then there should be no punishment. But a solid paper trail demands a verdict from the commissioner.

So should the fans, who probably have a sense that nearly everyone was cheating. You have the greatest hitter of our generation in Barry Bonds and the best pitcher in Roger Clemens being fingered for steroid use. Other names in the report included former Most Valuable Players Miguel Tejada, Mo Vaughn and five others. That's right, seven of baseball's MVPs are named as cheaters in this report appearing under the name of former U.S. Senator George Mitchell.

The report was tilted toward New York because information came from former Yankees strength coach Brian McNamee and former Mets clubhouse man Kirk Radomski.

That means this is just a partial list, Mitchell admitting he was being conservative. He talked about a lack of cooperation from the Players Association. Now there's a shock. The union has been gutless on this issue from the beginning, preferring to protect the guilty than listen to the innocent members who wanted a clean game. That very well could have convinced other players to order up some HGH after arm or knee surgery to promote healing.

It had to be discouraging for athletes playing it straight to compete with guys who obviously had an unfair advantage.

The union should be embarrassed by its history of fighting drug testing and other attempts by baseball to control the problem.

And management should be ashamed for knowing that something was wrong in the 1990s, that players were getting so big, so fast and the steroid whispers were growing more frequent -- yet the owners were thrilled to be see fans packing the stands after the 1994 strike to watch Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Bonds and the rest assault home run records.

Mitchell verbally spanked the union, but barely even issued a warning to the owners and front offices. Could it because he has been a director for the Boston Red Sox? Nah. For years, scouts and front office executives would mention how this player was "a 'roids guy," and to be careful about committing a long-term deal to him because of the injury risk. Seldom did you hear anyone mention the fact that the guy was a cheater.

There are 17 former Indians mentioned, most either the Tim Laker, Todd Pratt bench types, or the notorious such as Juan Gonzalez, Jason Grimsley and John Rocker -- who had long been suspected. Paul Byrd's name appears, but only because it was mentioned in the San Francisco Chronicle story about his purchasing HGH.

For Tribe fans, there are no bombshells here. But more names may come from other sources.

Baseball has long battled scandals. The 1919 World Series was fixed. So were other games, but that often was ignored. In the 1960s and 1970s, players gobbled amphetamines (called greenies) before games. You also can throw in spitballs and corked bats, but those seem more like venal sins compared to the major offenses that are a part of chemical baseball warfare.

For baseball, it's a dismal day, no matter how Selig and Mitchell tried to characterize it. We truly have watched a Steroids Era. While not everyone who deserves punishment will get it, the commissioner should do his best to nail those who are truly guilty with significant suspensions.

It would be nice if the union would help -- and the membership demand it -- but don't count on it. There are still too many people in this story running for cover.

Masa in the Mix

Cleveland Indians sign reliever Kobayashi
Pitcher brought in to assist Borowski Wednesday, November 21, 2007Dennis Manoloff

The Indians looked to the Far East to bolster their bullpen, signing Japanese right-hander Masahide Kobayashi to a two-year contract with a club option for 2010.

Kobayashi made history as the first Japanese professional ever signed to a major-league contract by Cleveland.

"Masa," as he is known to his friends, was introduced Tuesday at a news conference in Jacobs Field. He sat between Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro and interpreter Kenta Yagi.
Asked what he knows about Cleveland, Kobayashi said through Yagi: "It has a beautiful lake and the Indians."

Kobayashi is one of three pitchers in the history of Japanese pro baseball with 200-plus saves. He has 227. He is the only Japanese professional to notch 20-plus saves in seven consecutive seasons (2001-2007).

Joe Borowski need not worry. Barring injury, he will continue to be the Tribe's closer in 2008. Kobayashi will slot somewhere in front of him, but not too far.

"One of our primary off-season goals is to add depth to the back end of our bullpen," Shapiro said. "We envision Masa' having many opportunities to pitch in meaningful situations."

Shapiro does not foresee a problem with Kobayashi, who will have a full-time interpreter, getting comfortable in the Tribe clubhouse.

"Baseball right now is about playing in a multicultural environment," Shapiro said. "Our players will embrace him."

Kobayashi, 33, went 2-7 with a 3.61 ERA and 27 saves in 49 appearances last season for the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese Pacific League. He was Chiba Lotte's No. 1 pick in 1999.
In 2006, Kobayashi went 6-2 with a 2.68 ERA and 34 saves in 53 appearances. He said the dropoff from 2006 to 2007 had nothing to do with "neck irritation," reportedly the reason for a disabled-list stint in September.

"My neck is fine," he said. "I'm surprised the U.S. media would say I have neck trouble."

Kobayashi, who throws a fastball, slider and split from an overhand slot, declared free agency at the beginning of November. In search of a new challenge, he looked to the States.
"I know the Indians are one of the best teams in Major League Baseball, and they showed an interest in me," he said.

Agent Mark Pieper said negotiations unfolded as smoothly as could be expected for an overseas free agent. Because Kobayashi was an unrestricted free agent, a posting fee to Chiba Lotte was not required.

Under the direction of scouting director John Mirabelli, the Indians have increased their presence in Japan over the past several years.

At the news conference, Kobayashi held up Tribe jersey No. 30 - Andy Marte's number. Indians Assistant General Manager Chris Antonetti said not to read anything into it, that Marte remains in the mix. Kobayashi's addition brings the Tribe's 40-man roster to 40.

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Tribe finds bullpen help
Masahide Kobayashi, a right-handed closer from Japan, agrees to 2-year contract

By Sheldon Ocker Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007

CLEVELAND: As a celebrated reliever in his native country of Japan, Masahide Kobayashi speaks almost no English, but apparently he can cut to the chase in any language.

In a news conference to announce his signing by the Indians on Tuesday, Kobayashi was asked if he had formed any impressions of Cleveland, having been in the city not much longer than 24 hours.

Kobayashi didn't hesitate to answer through an interpreter, saying, ''It has beautiful lake and the city has Indians.''

Come to think of it, what more does he need to know? At least for now. Kobayashi will return to Cleveland in January with his wife and daughter for the grand tour. A month later, he will be exposed to the charms of Winter Haven, Fla., where the Tribe holds spring training.

Six weeks after that, General Manager Mark Shapiro and manager Eric Wedge will begin to learn whether a reported $6.25 million investment in Kobayashi, a right-hander, is going to pay off. Kobayashi will earn $3 million in each of the next two seasons. The Indians hold a $3.25 million club option on his services for 2010. If they choose to decline the option, Kobayashi, 33, will receive a $250,000 buyout.

Although Kobayashi was a successful closer for the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese Pacific League, for whom he played for nine years, Shapiro is not counting on him to save games for the Tribe.

''If we're a good team, there will be many opportunities for him to pitch in meaningful situations,'' Shapiro said. ''With his experience as a closer, if we need him to save games because of an injury (to Joe Borowski), he can be an option. But one thing we
expect him to do is pitch in meaningful situations.''

Get the picture? Neither Shapiro nor anyone else associated with the team is willing at this point to pick a specific job for Kobayashi and be totally confident he can be successful. After all, he has not facedmajor-league hitters, at least not with any regularity. Twice, in 2000 and 2002, he pitched against big-leaguers for the Japanese national team, and Tribe operatives have scouted him.

''He pitches aggressively with his fastball, which comes in at 90 and sometimes gets up to 94,'' said scouting director John Mirabelli, who has watched Kobayashi throw. ''His out pitch is a wipeout slider, and he throws a split, which is more of a forkball.''

One thing that Shapiro emphasized is that Kobayashi throws strikes, unlike many pitchers who have come from Japan and prefer to nibble at the corners of the plate as if they were afraid to throw a strike.

The Indians' financial commitment and two-year deal indicate that club officials like Kobayashi's chances of ''adding to our back-of-the-bullpen depth,'' as Shapiro put it.

It's likely that Kobayashi will be worked into the bullpen pecking order slowly, behind Borowski, the closer, and Rafael Betancourt, the setup man.

For the Lions, who were managed by Bobby Valentine, the former big-league skipper, Kobayashi was 2-7 with 27 saves and a 3.61 ERA in 49 appearances last season, when he walked only 12 and struck out 35 in 471/3 innings. Kobayashi is accustomed to closing out games. He began to pile up saves in his second season with Chiba Lotte and amassed a total of 227 along with a career ERA of 2.79.

Injuries are not an integral part of Kobayashi's history.

''I don't remember going to a doctor or a hospital the last 10 years,'' he said, a neck injury last season being the exception.

Kobayashi declared for free agency on Nov. 2, the first day allowed under Japanese rules, and the Indians were among a group of teams that expressed interest. Kobayashi said other teams were in the hunt but would not reveal which ones.

''Several teams made offers, but I couldn't say which,'' he said. ''The Indians showed me the most interest. I know the Indians are one of the best teams in the major leagues, and I was impressed that they had interest in me.''

Asked if his offseason search for relievers is at an end, Shapiro said: ''I don't think we'll ever be satisfied with our bullpen, because of the volatility of relievers. So we'll continue to try and reinforce things there.''

Despite the limitations imposed by Kobayashi's lack of familiarity with English, he gave the language a gallant effort to get one important message across: ''My name is Masahide, but call me Masa,'' he said without the help of the interpreter.


Tickets on sale

Tickets for the March 31 home opener (3 p.m.) will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, as will those for the following two games of the opening series against the Chicago White Sox on April 2 and 3, and select ''six-pack'' ticket packages. Most tickets have increased in price by $1 or $2 from the 2007 season.

Tickets can be bought online at http://www.Indians.com, at Indians gift stores, through Ticketmaster outlets or by calling 216-241-5555 or 866-488-7423.


New uniforms

The Indians will wear uniforms with slight style and color changes in 2008.

The biggest difference will be the home alternate design. It will feature a cream-colored top with block ''INDIANS'' across the chest in red and Chief Wahoo on the left sleeve. The jersey will be worn with a blue cap with a red block ''C.''



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com.

CLEVELAND: As a celebrated reliever in his native country of Japan, Masahide Kobayashi speaks almost no English, but apparently he can cut to the chase in any language.

In a news conference to announce his signing by the Indians on Tuesday, Kobayashi was asked if he had formed any impressions of Cleveland, having been in the city not much longer than 24 hours.

Kobayashi didn't hesitate to answer through an interpreter, saying, ''It has beautiful lake and the city has Indians.''

Come to think of it, what more does he need to know? At least for now. Kobayashi will return to Cleveland in January with his wife and daughter for the grand tour. A month later, he will be exposed to the charms of Winter Haven, Fla., where the Tribe holds spring training.

Six weeks after that, General Manager Mark Shapiro and manager Eric Wedge will begin to learn whether a reported $6.25 million investment in Kobayashi, a right-hander, is going to pay off. Kobayashi will earn $3 million in each of the next two seasons. The Indians hold a $3.25 million club option on his services for 2010. If they choose to decline the option, Kobayashi, 33, will receive a $250,000 buyout.

Although Kobayashi was a successful closer for the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese Pacific League, for whom he played for nine years, Shapiro is not counting on him to save games for the Tribe.

''If we're a good team, there will be many opportunities for him to pitch in meaningful situations,'' Shapiro said. ''With his experience as a closer, if we need him to save games because of an injury (to Joe Borowski), he can be an option. But one thing we
expect him to do is pitch in meaningful situations.''

Get the picture? Neither Shapiro nor anyone else associated with the team is willing at this point to pick a specific job for Kobayashi and be totally confident he can be successful. After all, he has not facedmajor-league hitters, at least not with any regularity. Twice, in 2000 and 2002, he pitched against big-leaguers for the Japanese national team, and Tribe operatives have scouted him.

''He pitches aggressively with his fastball, which comes in at 90 and sometimes gets up to 94,'' said scouting director John Mirabelli, who has watched Kobayashi throw. ''His out pitch is a wipeout slider, and he throws a split, which is more of a forkball.''

One thing that Shapiro emphasized is that Kobayashi throws strikes, unlike many pitchers who have come from Japan and prefer to nibble at the corners of the plate as if they were afraid to throw a strike.

The Indians' financial commitment and two-year deal indicate that club officials like Kobayashi's chances of ''adding to our back-of-the-bullpen depth,'' as Shapiro put it.

It's likely that Kobayashi will be worked into the bullpen pecking order slowly, behind Borowski, the closer, and Rafael Betancourt, the setup man.

For the Lions, who were managed by Bobby Valentine, the former big-league skipper, Kobayashi was 2-7 with 27 saves and a 3.61 ERA in 49 appearances last season, when he walked only 12 and struck out 35 in 471/3 innings. Kobayashi is accustomed to closing out games. He began to pile up saves in his second season with Chiba Lotte and amassed a total of 227 along with a career ERA of 2.79.

Injuries are not an integral part of Kobayashi's history.

''I don't remember going to a doctor or a hospital the last 10 years,'' he said, a neck injury last season being the exception.

Kobayashi declared for free agency on Nov. 2, the first day allowed under Japanese rules, and the Indians were among a group of teams that expressed interest. Kobayashi said other teams were in the hunt but would not reveal which ones.

''Several teams made offers, but I couldn't say which,'' he said. ''The Indians showed me the most interest. I know the Indians are one of the best teams in the major leagues, and I was impressed that they had interest in me.''

Asked if his offseason search for relievers is at an end, Shapiro said: ''I don't think we'll ever be satisfied with our bullpen, because of the volatility of relievers. So we'll continue to try and reinforce things there.''

Despite the limitations imposed by Kobayashi's lack of familiarity with English, he gave the language a gallant effort to get one important message across: ''My name is Masahide, but call me Masa,'' he said without the help of the interpreter.

Cleveland Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia wins AL Cy Young Award
Indians' Sabathia voted AL Cy Young Award winner Wednesday, November 14, 2007Story by Paul Hoynes

He has grown up right in front of us. Now that he's primed and polished and has the American League Cy Young Award trophy sitting in the back seat, will C.C. Sabathia drive right out of Cleveland?

Sabathia became only the second Indians pitcher, and first in 35 years, to win the Cy Young on Tuesday by a surprisingly easy margin in a vote by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Sabathia, named on 27 of the 28 ballots, received 119 points. Boston's Josh Beckett (20-7, 3.27 ERA) was second with 86 points and the Los Angeles Angels' John Lackey (19-9, 3.01) finished third with 36.

Fausto Carmona, Sabathia's teammate, was fourth in his first full season in the big leagues.

Manager Eric Wedge could be the next Indian to be honored. The BBWAA's AL Manager of the Year will be announced today, and Wedge is one of the favorites.

Sabathia received 19 of 28 first-place votes and eight second-place votes. Beckett received eight first-place votes, 14 second-place votes and four third-place votes.

Lackey received one first-place vote. The points were based on a 5-3-1 tabulation system as two writers in the 14 AL cities voted.

Beckett, baseball's only 20-game winner this year, beat Sabathia in Games 1 and 5 of the AL Championship Series, which Boston won in seven games. Sabathia's postseason failings held no sway with the voters because the Cy Young is decided by regular-season performance.

Sabathia went 19-7 with a 3.21 ERA.

He led the big leagues in innings pitched with 241.

"The last couple of weeks, people kept asking me, did I think I had a chance," said Sabathia from his home in Fairfield, Calif. "I definitely thought it would be close, and I definitely thought Josh Beckett could have won it. I'm glad it worked out this way."
The Indians, in 1998, drafted Sabathia out of Vallejo (Calif.) High School. He was tall and too heavy, but he was left-handed and threw hard.

Then manager Charlie Manuel, against the wishes of the player development people, put him in the big-league rotation in 2001.

"I like him," said Manuel. "He looks big out there on the mound."
At 6-7 and 300 pounds, Sabathia had no choice in looking big. He won 17 games, his best season until this year.

Between then and now Sabathia lost some bulk, got scared out of running the streets by having a gun pointed in his face during a robbery, lost his father to cancer, got married, became a father and learned that it is not necessary to throw every pitch 98 mph to win.

"One of the joys of this job is watching a player go from teenager, to young man, to a man and a leader on this team," said Tribe General Manager Mark Shapiro.

Next year will be Sabathia's 11th with the Indians. It could be his last because he'll be eligible for free agency after the season.

The front office is working on a contract proposal to show ownership. If ownership OK's it, it will be sent to Sabathia's agents. Shapiro would like to have the matter resolved, one way or the other, by Feb. 15, the day training camp usually opens.

This is going to be an expensive proposition.

Sabathia will make a base salary of $11 million next year. He received a $2 million bonus -- his 2008 base salary jumped from $9 million to $11 million -- for winning the Cy Young. On top of that, he received another $250,000 for winning the award.
We have the utmost respect and appreciation for C.C. and have a strong desire to keep him here," said Shapiro. "C.C., I think, shares that desire.

"The only question is can we find a business deal that works for the Indians organization and C.C.? We're going to take the next three months to find that out."

Sabathia told XM Radio: "I've been an Indian my entire career. I grew up here, and I've been here since I was 17 years old, so I really can't see myself leaving the organization. My agent is meeting with the team, and hopefully they can get something done real soon."
Will he stay or will he go will be known soon enough. Here's a hint: If Sabathia wants $20 million a year to stay, it's not going to happen.

Another question of equal magnitude is just where Sabathia, 27, stands in his career. The Cy Young is nice but guarantees nothing.

Gaylord Perry, the only other Indian to win the Cy Young, was 34 when he won it after going 24-16 in 1972. He won his second Cy Young six years later in 1978 for San Diego.

"I watch C.C. every time he's on TV," said Perry. "He's got great stuff. He just has to learn how to harness it. If he does, he could be one of the greats."

Roger Clemens won his first two Cy Youngs at 24 and 25 for Boston in 1986 and 1987. He was 42 when he won his seventh while with Houston in 2004.

Bartolo Colon, a former Sabathia teammate, was 32 when he won the Cy Young for the Angels in 2005. This winter he's a free agent with a bad arm.

Arizona's Brandon Webb won the 2006 NL Cy Young at 27. He followed that by going 18-10 with 236 1/3 innings pitched this year.

Sabathia, who has never had a serious arm injury, is 100-63 in his career with the Indians. He's won 11 or more games in each of his seven seasons.

"I feel strongly that this season wasn't just a spike in C.C.'s career," said Indians pitching coach Carl Willis. "It's taken him a few years at the major-league level to find out what works and what doesn't work.

"He has always had that great fastball, but he's learned to pitch effectively and efficiently without it. That bodes well for what he can do in the future."

Just where the future takes him has yet to be decided.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

Cleveland's Winning Ways in Business

Cleveland Indians' way of business is gaining respect throughout baseball Terry Pluto . Thursday, November 15, 2007

The Cleveland Indians are doing a lot right, that's what all the postseason awards should be telling you.

The latest is Eric Wedge being voted the American League Manager of the Year. That comes after C.C. Sabathia winning the AL Cy Young Award, center fielder Grady Sizemore being voted a Gold Glove and Mark Shapiro being named the Executive of the Year by The Sporting News.

Some Tribe fans tend to view the team through a microscope. They find some trade that backfired, a managerial decision that blew up, a comment made by the manager that just made no sense. It's sort of like dwelling on a few dents in a race car, missing the fact that the motor is humming that the driver has it running with the leaders.

That's what Wedge did with the Tribe this season.

Forget about the Indians being in the bottom third of major-league payrolls, the bottom line was 96 victories - tied with Boston for the most in the majors. And being the only team to even win a game against Boston in the postseason. And having a group of players who do "respect the game," as Wedge says over and over. They play hard. They don't embarrass themselves or the fans.

And they were the second-best team in baseball, period.

If you can agree that the team overachieved, the manager had something to do with it. So did the front office.

“From Mark [Shapiro] to Eric [Wedge] to the rest, those guys have their courage of their convictions,” said Mike Hargrove, the Tribe’s manager from 1991 to 1999.

Hargrove said a key to the Indians’ success was Shapiro believing in Wedge, and not taking the easy way out by changing managers when things on the field didn’t meet expectations.

“This organization doesn’t point fingers,” said Hargrove. “I appreciate how Eric doesn’t hang his players out to dry. There are times when you as a manager know a player screwed up. You called the right play, but he missed it. You deal with that in private. But with the media, you bite your lip and shoulder the blame. That can be real tough.”

A manager does that because players will soon turn on a boss whom they believe does not have their back. That’s also why Hargrove, Wedge, Joe Torre, Terry Francona and most other successful managers don’t throw fits in the dugout where the cameras broadcast it to the fans. Players believe that a manager kicking a helmet or screaming after an error is, in Wedge’s words, “showing them up.”

Hargrove then recalled a game sitting in Shapiro’s box, “It was in 2004, and some fan was calling Mark every name in the book. Mark just took it. He manned up. That’s what I like about Mark and Eric, they act like men. They don’t pass the blame.”

It actually begins with the Dolan family, which turned the team over to Shapiro after the 2001 season. They stuck with him during a demanding and sometimes frustrating rebuilding plan. Shapiro believed he could field a winner primarily through signing and trading for prospects.

Sabathia and fellow 19-game winner Fausto Carmona were both signed and developed by the farm system. Sizemore was a Class A player hitting .258 with zero homers in 256 at-bats when the Indians obtained him as part of the Bartolo Colon deal with Montreal. Wedge managed at every level of the Tribe farm system before Shapiro brought him to Cleveland in 2003.

Having managed the Indians to AL pennants in 1995 and 1997, Hargrove knows what it’s like to be Wedge. He also knows what it’s like to manage elsewhere, having worked in Baltimore and Seattle after leaving the Tribe.

“People in baseball notice what the Indians have built and the character of the people running it,” said Hargrove. “That’s why they have such a great reputation around the game.”

To reach Terry Pluto: terrypluto2003@yahoo.com, 216-999-4674

Best I've ever seen: RHP Jack Morris

Best I've ever seen: RHP Jack Morris
Sunday, October 28, 2007Paul HoynesPlain Dealer Reporter
The best right-hander I've ever seen isn't in the Hall of Fame and I have no idea why.

He won 254 games and on Oct. 24, 1991, pitched one of the greatest games in World Series history. Anyone who saw it, especially the Atlanta Braves, would have to agree.

Jack Morris pitched 10 innings in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series to lead the Twins to a 1-0 victory over Atlanta. Morris, 37, threw a 126-pitch shutout on three days' rest after starting Games 1 and 4.

Twins manager Tom Kelly told Morris he was done after the ninth inning. Morris changed his mind.

"I talked to him, told him I had a lot left," said Morris. "I told him, 'We don't play tomorrow.' "

Kelly relented, saying, "What the hell, it's only a ballgame."

Some ballgame.

Morris struck out eight, walked two and allowed seven hits in 10 innings. Wrote a Minneapolis sportswriter, “Morris could have outlasted Methuselah.”

The 6-3, 200-pound Morris was not the warm and cuddly sort. He wore a bushy mustache and was constantly in need of two things — a shave and an attitude adjustment.

Morris won 198 games for the Tigers, but manager Sparky Anderson hated to take him out of a game. Not because Morris would complain vocally, but because he’d slam the ball into Anderson’s hand when he came to the mound. Anderson said it hurt.

He was rude to reporters, male and female alike. He was cocky, too.

Morris was one of the first pitchers to master the split-fingered fastball. Tigers pitching coach Roger Craig taught it to him.

Once when the Indians were playing Detroit, Morris said Ty Cobb couldn’t hit the splitter.
Morris said he’d seen old films of Cobb and could tell by the way the Georgia Peach held and swung the bat that he couldn’t hit the splitter. What Morris was really saying was that Cobb, the greatest Tiger in history, couldn’t hit him.

Morris liked to throw at Indians leadoff hitter Kenny Lofton’s legs. After one particular game, in which Morris made Lofton dance for much of the afternoon, Tribe manager Mike Hargrove expressed his displeasure to reporters.

When the reporters relayed the information to Morris, he growled, “Tell Mike those are sliders. The same sliders he couldn’t hit when he faced me.”

In short, he was just what every manager wanted from a No. 1 starter — snappish, mean and talented.

Morris started 14 opening days and at one point made 500 consecutive starts without missing a turn in the rotation. He was on the disabled list twice in an 18-year career.

He won 162 games in the 1980s, the most by any pitcher.

He threw a no-hitter against Chicago on April 7, 1984. From 1979 through 1992, according to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, Morris won 233 games compared to Nolan Ryan’s 168 when both men were in their prime.

Ryan is in the Hall of Fame.

Morris is still on the outside looking in.

The Indians signed Morris in 1994 for their first year at Jacobs Field. They were looking for veterans to season a young team that would dominate the AL Central for the next seven years.

Morris still had his temper and splitter, but he was 39. He’d injured his right shoulder in 1993 with Toronto and the end was near.

During a tight spot in one game, second baseman Carlos Baerga came in to check on Morris at the mound.

“What do you want?” snapped Morris. “Get back to second base.”

It soon became clear that Morris had other things on his mind besides baseball. Catcher Sandy Alomar Jr., went to the mound once to see what was bothering him. Morris was crying because his girlfriend had broken up with him.

He started leaving the team between starts so he could help get the wheat harvested on his farm in Montana. Management tolerated it for a while, but Morris’ conditioning and performance suffered.

“Hey, it’s crunch time on the farm,” said Morris.

To which Hargrove replied, “It’s crunch time here, too.”

The Indians released Morris on Aug. 10, 1994. He won 10 games that season, his last in the big leagues.

Rickey being Rickey in LF

Rickey being Rickey in LF
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter

The most vivid memory I have of Rickey Henderson, the best left fielder I've ever seen, had nothing to do with what made him fa mous. Henderson, the best leadoff hitter to ever work a count, stole more bases and scored more runs than any player in history.

My clearest Rickey moment came at the Rogers Centre, then called SkyDome in Toronto. Henderson was batting leadoff against the Indians.

On this particular day, he was facing Jose Mesa. How old is the memory? It was 1993 and Mesa, two years away from becoming the closer that wrapped Cleveland in his arms before breaking its heart, was still a starter.

It was an afternoon game, the SkyDome roof was open and Henderson was taking his time getting into the batter's box. Mesa fumed while he waited. Before it all turned bad for Mesa in Cleveland, he was a decent guy with a sense of humor.

On the mound, he tended toward snappishness.

When Henderson finally stepped into the box, after much gyrating, digging and adjusting, Mesa sent him ankles over elbows with his first pitch of the afternoon. It was the best knockdown pitch I've seen, and nothing happened.

Henderson got up and stepped back in the box without protest. The umpire didn't give a warning, and Mesa continued pitching.

A future Hall of Famer had just been flipped like a baseball card in the wind, and the game continued without a meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Things have changed since then.

Henderson played from 1979 to 2003. He came to the big leagues with Oakland at 20. He retired with the Dodgers at 44.

I saw a lot him because he spent most of his career in the American League. He looked cool and played cool.

When Henderson hit a home run, he'd take the big Cadillac turn around first base, running sideways for a while. I remember him wearing wrap-around sunglasses when he stole bases. He looked like Robocop sliding head-first into the bag.

Henderson's game was a constant battle between substance and flash.

On routine fly balls, he'd position himself under the ball, but wouldn't just catch it. He'd snatch it out of the air, crisscrossing his arms in the process like a man on a deserted island desperately signaling a low-flying plane.

He called it the snatch catch.

Secretly, I always hoped he'd drop one. If he did, I never saw it.

Henderson, built like an NFL tailback, hit out of a crouch. Jim Murray, the Hall of Fame columnist for the Los Angeles Times, said the crouch reduced Henderson's strike zone to the "size of Hitler's heart." Now that's a line that will get you into Cooperstown.

The small strike zone, and a good eye, helped Henderson draw the second-most walks in history at 2,190. He held the record when he retired, but was passed by Barry Bonds when the National League started walking Bonds three and four times per game. Henderson held his speed. He set the major-league record with 130 steals in 1982. Sixteen years later, he stole 66 bases for the A's in 1998. Henderson, born on Christmas Day, was 39.

Baseball is filled with unwritten rules. When it comes to base stealing, it's not polite to steal when you have a big lead or to pad your own stats. Henderson never worried about such things.

No one steals 1,406 bases by following protocol. On May 1, 1982, at Cleveland Stadium, the Indians had to put utility infielder Mike Fischlin behind the plate late in the game. Henderson stole second and third against the overmatched Fischlin in an 8-2 Oakland victory. It probably wasn't Henderson's greatest moment, but it was, in one of his favorite sayings, "Rickey being Rickey."

The Best I've Ever Seen: DH Frank Thomas

The Best I've Ever Seen: DH Frank Thomas
Sunday, September 30, 2007

The Big Hurt doesn't cause as much pain as he once did. He's looked every bit

of 39 years old this season while making his way around the bases in an ex aggerated hop, skip and jump for Toronto. It's the best he can do on a surgically repaired left ankle that will ache for the rest of his life.

Running never paid the bills for Frank Thomas. Hitting still does.

He's the best designated hitter I've ever seen because of that. Thomas spent his first 16 seasons with the Chicago White Sox. When he stepped into the batter's box at U.S. Cellular Field, it reminded me of the Sears Tower in downtown Chicago with a bat in its hands.

Thomas wasn't quite 110 stories tall, but at 6-5 and pushing 280 pounds, he was plenty big enough.

Former Major League Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn installed the DH in the American League in 1973 to put muscle and runs back in a pitching-dominated game. Kuhn probably had a hitter like Thomas in mind when he did it.

Nobody starts out as a DH. Players either get thrown into the job when they're young while management tries to create an opening for them elsewhere, or they back into it because of injury or age.

Then again, maybe they just can't catch the baseball.

In 1991, Thomas' first full season in the big leagues, he was Chicago's regular DH. He soon moved to first base and won consecutive AL MVP awards in 1993 and 1994. By 1998, Thomas was the White Sox's regular DH.

Thomas went into this weekend with 1,240 games at DH and 971 at first base.

DHs come in all shapes and sizes.

Edgar Martinez, regarded by some as the best DH ever, wasn't a big man at 5-11 and 210 pounds. A third baseman by trade, Martinez played 1,412 games at DH for Seattle. Over 18 seasons, he hit .312 with 309 homers and 2,247 hits.

Paul Molitor, 6-0, 185, came from the same mold. Molitor, the first Hall of Famer to play more games at DH than any other position, ended his career with 3,319 hits and 234 homers. Molitor appeared in 1,174 games at DH.
When I think of the DH, I think of power, not singles.

Guys like Thomas, David Ortiz, Andre Thornton, Travis Hafner, Don Baylor and Cecil Fielder are my idea of a DH - big guys who can dent a baseball and carry a team. General managers can move hitters like that into the middle of the lineup and not worry about them for the next five years.

Thomas certainly has that kind of power. On June 29, he became the 21st player to hit 500 homers. Through Friday he was at 513 and counting.

"I'm going to stick around until I hit 600," he told Toronto reporters in June.

Thomas brings more to the plate than a big swing. He has great knowledge of his strike zone, which makes him even more dangerous. Thomas has walked 100 or more times in 10 seasons, while striking out 100 or more times in just three seasons.

In Chicago, his managers used to get mad at him. They wanted him to be more aggressive, but he knew what worked for him.

Thomas has a career .303 batting average, .421 on-base percentage and .561 slugging percentage.

When Thomas was at his peak, the White Sox went to the postseason once, getting swept by Seattle in the 2000 division series. In 2005, when Chicago won the World Series, Thomas spent most of the season on the disabled list because of an ankle injury.

It was suggested the reason the White Sox won their first World Series since 1917 was because Thomas' prickly personality was no longer at the center of the clubhouse.

Be that as it may, when Thomas left the club after that year to sign with Oakland, he did so as best hitter in White Sox history. He's the franchise leader in homers, RBI, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

For Paul Hoynes, Tigers' Ivan Rodriguez is best catcher he's seen
Sunday, August 26, 2007Paul HoynesPlain Dealer Reporter
The best catcher I've ever seen was not happy.

Jack Morris had just hit Ivan Rodriguez on the wrist with a pitch in a game between the Indians and Texas in 1994. Rodriguez, plotting revenge, slid hard into second base on a force play in the same inning. He was out, but he took out shortstop Omar Vizquel with a knee injury on a slide meant to injure.

After the game, manager Mike Hargrove was seething. When a reporter asked about Rodriguez's slide, Hargrove threw a paper cup full of pop and ice out his office door and into a wall across the hallway. The brown pop slid down the white wall as Hargrove raved.

Not only was Hargrove mad at Rodriguez for putting Vizquel on the disabled list, he was upset at reliever Jose Mesa for not hitting Rodriguez later in the game. Looking back, could the Mesa-Vizquel feud been blooming even then?

Rodriguez, however, paid a price.

Whenever the two teams played in the wake of Vizquel's injury, Rodriguez was hit by an Indians pitcher. He accepted it.

Finally, Charles Nagy hit him during a game in Cleveland and Rodriguez spread his hands, as if to say, "Has my bill been paid?"

The Indians didn't hit Rodriguez again, at least not intentionally.

Catching is a contact job. The ball can thud into your mitt between 100 and 200 times a game. Foul tips, wild pitches, stray bats and base runners collide with your body.

There are freak injuries. Sandy Alomar Jr. twice split the webbing on his throwing hand trying to catch Tom Candiotti's knuckleball. A hitter's backswing once broke his cheekbone
Contact and pain become second nature. Some catchers even like it.

Rodriguez may have that kind of streak running through him because it defined his best game.

In Game 4 of the National League division series in 2003 between Florida and San Francisco, with the score tied, 5-5, in the eighth inning, Rodriguez collided with Giants catcher Yorvit Torrealba while trying to score on a Miguel Cabrera single. Rodriguez knocked the ball loose from Torrealba, allowing himself and Derrek Lee to score for a 7-5 lead.

In the ninth, after the Giants made it 7-6 with two outs, Jeffrey Hammonds sent a soft single to left field with J.T. Snow on second base. Jeff Conine made a one-hop throw to Rodriguez. He buried the ball in his glove as Snow crashed into him.

Rodriguez held on, Snow was out and the Marlins eliminated the Giants to move onto the National League Championship Series and, eventually, a World Series title. Elias Sports Bureau said it was the only time in postseason history that the tying run was thrown out at the plate in a game-ending situation.

What better moment could a catcher have? A pitcher has a no-hitter. A power hitter has a four-homer game. A catcher, defining his craft, blocks the plate, saves the game, sends his team deeper into the postseason and rides off into the sunset.

Rodriguez hit .353 (6-for-17) with one homer and six RBI in the division series; .321 (9-for-28) with two homers and 10 RBI in the NLCS; and .273 (6-for-22) in the World Series that year.

He was 31, supposedly on the downside of his career after 12 seasons with Texas when he signed with the Marlins for one year. Teams wouldn't offer him a multiyear deal because they were afraid of the herniated disks in his back. The deal paid off.

Florida won its second World Series in six years and Rodriguez signed a $40 million contract with Detroit before the 2004 season. It seemed like strictly a money-driven move at the time, but Rodriguez was back in the World Series by 2006.

Rodriguez's game, even today at 35, is well- rounded. His arm, not as strong as when he could stop a running game with a mere glance to first base, is still dangerous. Offensively, he's no longer the AL MVP that he was in 1999, but he's still productive.

He calls a solid game and is as combative as ever behind the plate.

Rodriguez, like many players, has been tainted by steroid rumors. The rumors grew when he reported to spring training in 2005 significantly thinner than he'd been in the past. Rodriguez's body makeover coincided with MLB's stricter steroid-testing policy and being named as a steroid user in a book by former Rangers teammate Jose Canseco.

Did he or didn't he? The next time that question probably comes into play will be when Rodriguez becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame five years after his retirement.

Before the Johnny Bench e-mails start, please consider the parameters of this series. It is about the best players I've seen since I started covering the Indians in 1983. Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson always said that every conversation about the best catcher who ever lived should start and end with Bench.

Far be it from me to argue with Anderson, but here's my problem. Bench's last year was 1983, which was my first. So you can see why I took a different direction.

Former Cleveland Indians Manny Ramirez is the best right fielder Paul Hoynes ever saw
Sunday, July 15, 2007Paul Hoynes Plain Dealer Reporter

The face of the best right fielder I've ever seen was expressionless. On a table in the middle of the visitor's locker room at the Metrodome was his suitcase. It had been slashed over and over again with a knife.

The pale blue suitcase was old and worn, and Manny Ramirez brought it with him from the minors when the Indians called him up on Sept. 1, 1993. All around him was laughter from the veteran Indians, who made fun of the shy rookie and his ruined suitcase. It seemed cruel at the time -- and it still does -- remembering Ramirez's face.

He looked like a high school kid, trying to be brave, not far from tears. The suitcase was too old to buy. A suitcase like that comes from home.

On Sept. 2, 1993, Ramirez made his big-league debut as the Tribe's designated hitter. He went 0-for-4 against Kevin Tapani and Carl Willis in a 4-3 victory over the Twins. Willis is now the Indians pitching coach.

Why the harsh treatment on the day of his debut?

Maybe some of the veterans were afraid. They'd heard about Ramirez all season. When he finally arrived, he did so as Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year after hitting a combined .333 (163-for-489) with 31 homers and 115 RBI at Class AA Akron and Class AAA Charlotte.

They knew he'd come to take somebody's job.

The Indians roster was filled with Latin American players. Many of them had left home with the same kind of suitcase. It's doubtful any of them were ever welcomed to the big leagues like that, even if Ramirez did get a new suitcase out of the deal.

I know I never saw it happen to another Indians rookie.

The next day, the Indians opened a three-game series against the Yankees in the Bronx, not far from where Ramirez grew up in Washington Heights. A bobbing mass of people in the lower left field grandstand at Yankee Stadium came to greet one of their own. They never stopped gyrating or making noise. They carried signs and chanted as if they were at a soccer game
Ramirez did not disappoint them.

In his first at-bat, Ramirez hit a ground-rule double to left field off Melido Perez for his first big-league hit. In the sixth, he hit his first big-league homer, a two-run drive to right to knock Perez out of the game. In the eighth, he homered again, this time to left field off Paul Gibson.

Ramirez went 3-for-4 with two homers and three RBI in his second game. A career-long affinity for hitting the Yankees, especially at Yankee Stadium, was established.

Ramirez is a lifetime .315 (216-for-686) hitter against New York with 51 homers and 151 RBI. He's hitting.311 (112-for-360) with 26 homers and 72 RBI at Yankee Stadium.

I have seen a lot of great right fielders. If I hadn't picked Ramirez, it would have been Vladimir Guerrero of the Angels. Or maybe Tony Gwynn or Andre Dawson if I'd seen them in their prime.

Ramirez's prime sprung right in front of me. It was impossible to ignore.

Defensively, he certainly wasn't the most graceful right fielder, but he went to the gap and to the line much better than people think. He did not have a great arm, a Juan Gonzalez-type arm, but he almost always hit the cutoff man.

His mistakes became local punch lines. Ramirez did not hide from them.

After dropping a ball in right field one night, he pushed a big plastic laundry cart around the clubhouse the next day.

"Hey, Enrique," he shouted to teammate Enrique Wilson, "how do you like my new glove?"
There was the playoff game at Yankee Stadium, when he splattered himself against the outfield fence, back toward home plate, as if he was Spider Man climbing the fence in chase of an apparent home run by Derek Jeter. The ball hit just below Ramirez's right ankle, about three feet above the ground.

Ramirez, of course, never saw it coming.

In a regular-season game at Yankee Stadium, he gave chase into the right-field corner after a fly ball. While all eyes followed him into the corner, the ball fell about 20 feet behind him on the warning track.

All that was forgotten when Ramirez came to the plate. Everyday living might have sped past Ramirez unchecked, but at the plate, with a bat in his hands, everything slowed to his speed. He never seemed to take a bad swing, look off balance, argue with an umpire or toss his helmet in frustration.

Boos or bad calls didn't bother him because he belonged at the plate.

Charlie Manuel, former Indians hitting coach, once found Kevin Seitzer and Julio Franco working with Ramirez on hitting to right field. Manuel shooed them away as if they were naughty children. He didn't want singles hitters messing with one of baseball's smoothest and hard-earned power swings.

Ramirez, who homered in his final at-bat with the Indians in 2000, has spent the past seven years in Boston. To hear those close to the Red Sox talk, he has become strange and isolated - baseball's Howard Hughes. But I think he's still mostly a shy kid with a one-of-a-kind swing.

Ken Griffey Jr. is Paul's choice in center field

Ken Griffey Jr. is Paul's choice in center field
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter

He had long ago left the Great Northwest when I finally saw an Indians player hit a ball over the head of the best center fielder I've ever seen.

Ken Griffey Jr. was wearing Cincinnati red and white and years of injuries had turned his legs and hamstrings to shredded wheat. I can't remember the player who did it. I just remember that I'd never seen it before.

When Griffey played for the Seattle Mariners, under the concrete roof of the Kingdome, he caught everything. He had great speed and instincts going back on the ball for a 6-3, 228-pound man. He didn't play deep and there wasn't a center-field wall that scared him.

Griffey's left arm was strong and accurate. There were no humps in his throws to the bases, just a long fluid line, like a bullet train headed into Tokyo with the throttle wide open.

I always thought his throws should have come with a train whistle or a contrail. Runners trying to advance on fly balls to center did so at their own peril.

There are those who say the only reason Seattle still has a big-league club is because of Griffey. They made him the No. 1 pick in the country in 1987 out of Cincinnati Moeller High School.

Two years later, Griffey, all of 19, was in the big leagues to stay. When the Mariners made the postseason in 1995 for the first time in franchise history, Griffey was the center of their universe.

He had, and still has, a great swing. It's a lovely, left-handed swing complete with the upward tilt of a true power hitter. The right-field wall at the Kingdome, where Griffey played his best baseball, was 23-feet high and so close you felt like you could touch it from the press box. It was 357 feet from the plate to right center and 316 feet down the line.

The wall was painted pale blue with out-of-town scores displayed on it. Griffey used his lovely swing to hit homer after homer over that wall.

The dome's artificial turf was fast and worn. There always seemed to be a haze in the air and at times ceiling panels fell to the field. Griffey loved the place.

In one four-year stretch from 1996-99, he hit 209 homers. Here's the breakdown - 49 in '96, 56 in '97, 56 in '98 and 48 in '99.

Griffey spoke quietly, took batting practice wearing his cap backward and his spikes untied. He looked impossibly young and upset traditionalists with the ease in which he approached the game.

When the Mariners played the Indians, he seemed to spend more time on their side of the field than his own. He would talk to Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton and other players while they stretched near the batting cage. In one series at Jacobs Field, several hours before game time, Griffey spent a good 45 minutes in the Indians' locker room talking to players.

I've never seen another player do that before or since.

The Mariners moved out of the Kingdome and into Safeco Field on July 15, 1999.

Safeco Field, with its retractable roof and pitcher-friendly dimensions, was former manager Lou Piniella's dream. He had grown weary of the wild 10-7 games inside the Kingdome and longed for a bigger park that would reward pitching and defense as well as power.

It was not Griffey's favorite place. The heavy sea air settled into the park at night and killed his drives to right field.

The new park may have contributed to Griffey wanting out of Seattle. The Mariners' inability to pay him was a factor as well, which played a role in Randy Johnson being traded in 1998 and Alex Rodriguez becoming a free agent in 2000.

The Mariners traded Griffey to Cincinnati after the 1999 season for five players. He was home, back where his father played for the Big Red Machine, but injuries ravaged him during his prime years.

Griffey, 37, finally relented and moved to right field this year. The swing is still there and 600 homers are within reach this season.

If he had stayed healthy, it might be Griffey instead of Barry Bonds getting ready to break Hank Aaron's record this year. If not this year, he would have certainly been a threat to pass both Bonds and Aaron before retiring.

Vizquel has fun playing the game

Vizquel has fun playing the game
Sunday, April 22, 2007

I've tried not to be a homer in pick ing the best players I've seen while writing about the Indians and Major League Baseball since 1983. Two of my first three choices, Eddie Murray and Robbie Alomar, made stops in Cleveland but spent the majority of their careers elsewhere.

When it came to shortstop, however, I plead guilty. I picked Omar Vizquel, who spent 11 years with the Indians.

The shortstop position has been redefined during Vizquel's career. It started with Cal Ripken Jr., long before Vizquel became an Indian in 1994.

Then came three Ripken clones in Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Nomar Garciaparra between 1994 and 1997. Like Ripken, they are tall, strong and hit home runs.

Vizquel is short, 5-9 at best, and has never hit more than 14 homers in a season. But I've never enjoyed watching a player more. Game after game, Vizquel did it better, and smoother, than anyone else.

It is interesting to look back on the standard-bearers for the shortstop revolution. Ripken, who retired in 2001, will enter the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in July. Garciaparra, old and battered before his time, is playing first base for the Dodgers. Rodriguez, who started this season with 464 homers - Ripken hit 431 - is still trying to get the hang of third base for the Yankees.

Jeter and Vizquel are the only ones still playing short. If I hadn't picked Vizquel, I would have chosen Jeter. Born into the lap of Yankees luxury as a rookie in 1996, few play harder or better when there's a game to be won.

The thing I like most about Vizquel is that he never looks like he's working during a game. He's serious when he needs to be, but most of the time he's smiling like a kid playing ball in the back yard with his buddies.

One night in Kansas City four or five years ago, a limbo contest was being held in the stands between innings. The scoreboard cameras would pick out a fan, who would then try to bend under a digitally enhanced limbo stick. Then the camera found Vizquel fielding grounders at short. Vizquel, laughing, limboed under the stick as the fans cheered.

It was Vizquel's sense of fun that started his long-standing feud with former teammate Jose Mesa. One spring training, during an intrasquad game, Vizquel homered off Mesa and did a cartwheel across home plate. The fans at Chain of Lakes Park laughed and applauded, not knowing that a slow-burning fuse had been lit inside Mesa.

Former General Manager John Hart knew before anyone else what Vizquel would mean to the Indians teams that dominated the American League Central from 1995 through 2001. When he acquired Vizquel from Seattle after the 1993 season, Hart was so excited he made a special trip to Venezuela just to watch Vizquel play winter ball. It was as if Hart had to see Vizquel with his own eyes to confirm that he'd really been able to get him from Seattle for Felix Fermin and Reggie Jefferson.

Vizquel, who won a Gold Glove in Seattle in 1993, won eight more in Cleveland. After signing a three-year deal with San Francisco because the Indians wouldn't pick up his option, he became the oldest shortstop in history to win a Gold Glove in 2005. He topped himself in 2006 by going gold again.

In Cleveland, Vizquel made catching a baseball look easy.

Sometimes, when he was trying to catch a pop-up and the sun was in his eyes, he'd turn his back to the sun and the ball. With the sun blocked, he would catch the ball as it came over his shoulder.

Yankees scout Gene Michael watched Vizquel do that against the Yankees at Jacobs Field and marveled at his creativity.

The best thing I ever saw Vizquel do was in 1994 after he made three errors in a game. The defensive magician had failed in front of his new fans at Jacobs Field.

Vizquel answered every question from a mob of reporters after the game. Jim Thome, just getting started on being the Indians all-time home run leader, had the locker next to Vizquel's. He watched with his eyes and mouth wide open.

To this day Thome will tell you it's the reason he never ducks a question, good or bad, from the media. Thome figured that if a gold-plated shortstop can do it, so can he.

Royally good hitter
THIRD IN A SERIES
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
The third basemen that made the biggest impression on me in 24 years of covering baseball were George Brett and Wade Boggs. Maybe it was because they both kissed home plate against the Indians.

On Sept. 29, 1993, a cold night at Kauffman Stadium, Brett singled in the eighth inning to tie the Indians, 2-2. It was his last at- bat in front of the hometown Kansas City fans. The Royals won the game in the ninth, 3-2, and after the winning run scored, Brett was given a ride around the ballpark in a golf cart to say goodbye to more than 31,000 fans.

When the cart reached home, Brett got out, dropped to his knees and kissed the plate.

Boggs became famous with the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees, but he kissed home as a member of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Aug. 7, 1999. Boggs, in the sixth inning of 15-10 Indians victory, homered off Chris Haney for his 3,000th hit. He's the only player in the 3,000-hit club to gain entry with a homer.

After stepping on the plate at Tropicana Field, Boggs went to the ground and kissed it. It was his third hit of the night, but just his second homer of the season. In the press box, they handed out cigars in plastic cylinders as mementos. I still have mine.

Brett and Boggs are each in the Hall of Fame. Brett, a left-handed hitter, won three batting titles and had 3,154 hits. Boggs, a left-handed hitter, won five batting titles and finished with 3,010 hits. I picked Brett as the best third basemen I've seen because he hit for more power at a traditional power position.

In 21 seasons, Brett hit 317 homers with 1,595 RBI. Boggs, in 18 seasons, hit 118 homers with 1,014 RBI. Brett was a .337 (56-for-166) hitter in the postseason. Boggs hit .273 (42-for-154) in the postseason.

Neither player was a great third baseman, but they worked at it.

Brett played 1,692 games at third, but spent a lot of time at first base (461 games) and designated hitter (506 games), starting in the middle of his career. Boggs stayed on the hot corner much longer, playing 2,215 games there.

A couple of hours before Brett's last game, he was interviewed by several reporters. He was asked how he'd like the last at-bat of his career to go.

The answer still makes me smile.

My impression of Brett was that he was a Cadillac kind of ballplayer: big head, big home runs, big headlines and big money. He played ornery and always needed a shave.

Brett's answer showed another side of him.

"I'd probably like it to be a ground ball to second base," he said. "I've had over 10,000 at-bats, and I figured I've grounded out to second about 5,000 times.

"A double wouldn't be bad. A homer wouldn't be bad. But a ground ball to second would be perfect. Then I could run like crazy to try and beat the throw to first."

Brett, 40 at the time, was still talking like the hustling rookie whom hitting coach Charlie Lau took under his wing in 1974.

His final at-bat didn't follow Brett's script. The Royals ended the season against the Texas Rangers at old Arlington Stadium on Oct. 3, 1993.

When Brett came to the plate for the last time after going hitless in his first three at- bats, Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez told him that Tom Henke was going to throw him nothing but fastballs. Brett singled through the middle on a 1-2 pitch and scored on Gary Gaetti's homer.

"It was the most emotional at-bat I've ever had," Brett told Kansas City reporters. "I knew it was my last one. I could have played one more year but, if I'd played one more year, I'd have played for the money, and the game didn't deserve that."

Alomar pouted, but could play

Alomar pouted, but could play
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter

Lou Whitaker was the first second base man I saw turn a real big-league double play. It happened on a Sunday afternoon at old Cleveland Municipal Stadium late in a game the Indians were threatening to win.

Whitaker, with runners on first and second base and one out, took a throw from shortstop Alan Trammell. With almost no movement, and his back toward the runner bearing down on him, he stepped on second, pushed himself into the air and became a tiny tornado, twisting above the base before making a throw to first to end the inning.

Doc Edwards, who managed the Indians at the time, pointed out the play after the game. I'd never seen any of his Indians do it because they couldn't.

In a season, outs can look the same game after game. When they are made differently, when someone swerves left instead of right, it leaves an imprint.

In 1983, my first year on the beat, the Indians acquired veteran second baseman Manny Trillo from Philadelphia as part of the Von Hayes trade. Trillo, who'd won three Gold Gloves with the Phillies, did not want to be an Indian and played like it.

He still had his moments.

In a Cactus League game at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, Ariz., with a runner on second and one out, Trillo moved in a couple of steps and motioned to Toby Harrah to move closer to third base. On cue, the next batter sent a sharp grounder to Trillo. He could have gone to first for the easy out, but instead he went to third. The runner was out by 15 feet.

Whitaker's double play and Trillo's throw to third -- a play I have not seen since -- were my two best memories of second base play until the Indians signed Robbie Alomar as a free agent before the 1999 season. I thought I knew everything there was to know about the best second baseman I've seen.

His duels against the Tribe's Carlos Baerga -- the two Puerto Rican second basemen competed for supremacy of their island every time they played -- were riveting. I saw Alomar help Toronto win consecutive World Series in 1992 and 1993. I saw him spit in umpire John Hirschbeck's face on Sept. 27, 1996, when he played for Baltimore. Alomar then helped the Orioles upset the Indians in the first round of the postseason even though Cleveland fans believed he should have been suspended for the spitting incident.

But nothing prepared me for watching Alomar every day for three years. Not only did he have the ability to do everything required of a baseball player, he actually did it. Here are his Cleveland stats:

1999: .323 batting average, 24 homers, 120 RBI, 138 runs, 37 steals

2000: .310, 19 homers, 89 RBI, 111 runs, 39 steals.

2001: .336, 20 homers, 100 RBI, 113 runs, 30 steals.

1999-2001: Won three straight Gold Gloves.

Alomar could have won the AL MVP award in each of those years. He might have been the best all-around player in baseball in that time frame.

Yet he never seemed happy. He wore a rosary around his neck and had a picture of the Virgin Mary in his locker. He was moody and petulant and, like everyone else, loved to second-guess the manager.

When the opposition pushed Alomar off the plate or knocked him down, he complained to reporters that his manager and teammates weren't protecting him. When Indians reliever Steve Karsay hit one of the Cincinnati Reds in retaliation for Alomar getting hit, he complained that Karsay didn't hit the other player hard enough. It sparked a locker-room argument between Alomar and his older brother, Sandy.

Alomar and shortstop Omar Vizquel, two of the best defenders of their era, worked in frosty perfection on the field. Off the field, they barely spoke.

Was Robbie Alomar a spoiled brat in the clubhouse? Perhaps. A close second to perfection at second base? Definitely.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158.

Best Indians second baseman (after Robbie Alomar) -- Carlos Baerga.

Best of the rest: Frank White, Lou Whitaker, Ryne Sandberg, Craig Biggio, Willie Randolph, Bobby Grich, Jeff Kent, Chuck Knoblauch, Alfonso Soriano.

Eddie was steady first baseman

Eddie was steady first baseman
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter

My favorite memory of the best first baseman I've seen in 24 years of covering the Indians and Major League Baseball came one spring training in Winter Haven, Fla. While his teammates were sweating under a late February sun, taking batting practice against pitchers for one of the first times since the end of the previous season, Eddie Murray stood behind the cage studying the path of each pitch.

Hitters hate the first few days of BP. The pitchers always have the advantage because they've been in camp a week longer. A hitter's day, in that situation, consists of bad swings, broken bats and avoiding getting hit in the head by some wild-armed, spring-training invitee trying to impress the manager.

Murray, well on his way to the Hall of Fame by that time, knew this. Which is why, along with his seniority, he was excused from the first few days of "live" BP.

When asked when he would start swinging the bat, Murray, showing eloquence, said, "There shall be no wine before its time."

Murray didn't play a lot of first base during his stay with the Indians from 1994 until he was traded in 1996. He was used mostly as a DH, but the man knew what to do with a glove.

He played 2,413 games at first, more games than anyone in history. He wasn't as flashy as contemporary Don Mattingly, who won nine Gold Gloves, but he was more durable and productive.

Murray was nicknamed Steady Eddie during the first 12 years of his career in Baltimore. The yearly numbers were usually just short of flashy, but after 21 seasons, the totals were staggering. Murray, who never hit more than 33 homers or drove in more than 124 runs in a year, became just the third man in history to hit over 500 homers and 3,000 hits when he retired.

Willie Mays and Hank Aaron are the other two.

He drove in 1,917 runs, the most by a switch-hitter, and went to eight All-Star games.

Murray did not like reporters. He spent most of his career in a cold war with them. When he did talk, his words and opinions were enlightening. It just didn't happen enough.

It did not stop him from being a first ballot Hall of Famer because his numbers could not be ignored.

Murray treated teammates and clubhouse staff warmly. At first base, he never shut up when an opposing runner reached base. And he took terrible batting practice.

Hitters as big and strong as the 6-2, 220-pound Murray like to show off in BP. They try to see how far they can hit every pitch. Murray practiced jam shots and flares. He knew he could hit a 65 mph fastball from bullpen coach Luis Isaac out of the park, but he didn't know if he could take that same pitch and dump it 15 feet over the second baseman's head.

It's one of the reasons he finished his career with 3,255 hits.

Murray gave the emerging Indians of the mid-1990s legitimacy. He was one of the few people in the organization not intimidated by Albert Belle. After Belle hit 50 homers and 52 doubles in 1995, he wrote 50-50 on the back of his baseball shoes.

"What's that," asked Murray, "your I.Q.?"

Murray reached 3,000 hits on June 30, 1995 against Minnesota on a single through the right side of the infield. Belle, on second base, stopped at third.

Years after the hit, Murray, the Tribe's hitting coach at the time, was asked what he remembered about the historic hit.

"Albert should have scored," said Murray.

To reach this Plain Dealer Reporter:

phoynesplaind.com, 216-999-5158.

Death by Blunt Instrument

Plenty of off-season decisions await Indians GM Mark Shapiro
Thursday, October 25, 2007Bud ShawPlain Dealer Columnist

Ride it out with C.C. Sabathia or seek to trade him? Baseball post-mortems really are a relaxing, fun time for baseball’s general managers. It’s surprising they don’t enter wearing their pajamas and carrying a tub of popcorn.

Mark Shapiro got roughly 72 hours to come to grips with his disappointment before having to measure his anxiety.

Shapiro said Wednesday the team would address Sabathia’s contract status “sooner than later,” meaning before spring training. But, he said, his inclination if the two sides can’t agree on a new deal is to put the best team possible on the field in 2008, which is difficult to imagine doing without Sabathia.

“He’s been extremely consistent and extremely strong in wanting to be part of this team and part of this community,” Shapiro said Wednesday. “The only question there’s ever been, understanding the magnitude of his success and what it means in a free-agent environment, is there a business deal that makes sense for both him and our ownership that can be struck?”

No small question, that. Sort of like, “What’s the meaning of life?”

Sabathia is entering the final year of his contract. Shapiro thinks it’s “possible” to keep him but it will require “some push” on both ends.

It’s rolling a boulder up a mountain.

But even if they’re far apart when spring training rolls around, I’d keep Sabathia, too. Unless this team is looking up to Kansas City at the trade deadline, you’d keep him until the end and hope it’s not a bitter end.

He will probably win the Cy Young Award over Josh Beckett, since voting concluded before the postseason began. His playoff performance aside, it’s not as if the 2008 season can make him much more marketable than he is today.

- You can’t say he hardly knew Kenny Lofton. But don’t expect him back for a 17th time. Or is it 18? Shapiro wasn’t ready Wednesday to discuss personnel decisions. Lofton, a free agent, gave the Indians exactly what they hoped he’d give them. That did not include a lot of run production, which also wasn’t a surprise.

Corner outfielders are usually prime run producers on a baseball team. At age 40, Lofton certainly isn’t one. The Indians have David Dellucci and Jason Michaels signed.

But even if they didn’t, they’d want a bigger bat in left field.

The Indians won’t miss Lofton anywhere near as much as the fans will.

The Indians have 10 days after the end of the World Series to pick up Paul Byrd’s option. The same goes for Joe Borowski and Aaron Fultz, but Byrd is the tougher call. The league’s interest in talking to him about the HGH issue probably won’t amount to much. HGH is banned in baseball. But they don’t test for it. (Now, there’s a deterrent).

So unless Byrd admits he’s still using it, I don’t see a suspension coming down.

Byrd’s story is sketchy to say the least. But he also won 15 games and along with Jake Westbrook at least gave the Indians two pitchers willing to challenge hitters.

- Was Travis Hafner hurt? That would explain a few things. “No,” said Shapiro. “I think pressure maybe — again it goes back to how much he cares — some of the pressure he feels, he carries that weight with him. He’s a resident of this city. He wants great things for this team and these fans.”

One theory died this season.

Remember early in the year when you wondered if the absence of a long-term deal was affecting Hafner? Not so much.

- Josh Barfield is the one we hardly knew.

“It’s difficult for me to see a team next year that doesn’t have Asdrubal Cabrera playing a significant role on it,” Shapiro said.

And then: “[Cabrera] won’t play shortstop. Jhonny Peralta is our shortstop next year.”

Barfield was overmatched in his first year in the American League. That could change, but he didn’t exactly come close to tearing up the National League either.
- Asked to venture a guess at the 2008 rotation, Shapiro didn’t hesitate . . . after the first three names anyway. Sabathia, Carmona and Westbrook.

The other two will come from a group including Byrd, Cliff Lee, Jeremy Sowers and Aaron Laffey.

Shapiro talked of Lee failing to “make adjustments” early this season as the reason for his demotion.

When the Indians talk about Lee, you get the idea it’s not the strike zone that worries them but the zone between his ears.

- The HGH story was not a distraction that cost the Indians the series. Shapiro called it an issue for him and Byrd, nobody else. He’s right. When you lose, 11-2, and are outscored, 30-5, over the last three games, there’s nothing subtle about it. The autopsy shows death by blunt instrument.