Cleveland Indians
2008 Record: 81-81 (.500)
2008 Pythagorean Record: 85-77 (.525)
Manager: Eric Wedge
General Manager: Mark Shapiro
Home Ballpark (multi-year Park Factors): Progressive Field (103/102)
Who’s Replaced Whom:
- Mark DeRosa replaces Casey Blake and some of Jamey Carroll (DL)
- Shin-Soo Choo and Travis Hafner inherit playing time from Franklin Gutierrez
- Victor Martinez reclaims playing time from Kelly Shoppach and Ryan Garko
- Trevor Crowe is filling in for David Dellucci (DL)
- Tony Graffanino is filling in for Jamey Carroll (DL)
- Anthony Reyes replaces Paul Byrd
- Carl Pavano replaces CC Sabathia, Jake Westbrook (DL), and Matt Ginter
- Aaron Laffey is filling in for Scott Lewis (DL) who replaces Jeremy Sowers (minors)
- Fausto Carmona and Lewis take over starts from Laffey
- Kerry Wood replaces Edward Mujica and Juan Rincon and takes over the save opportunities given to Jensen Lewis, Rafael Betancourt, Rafael Perez, Masa Kobayashi, and Joe Borowski
- Joe Smith and Vinnie Chulk replace Tom Mastny, Jorge Julio, Joe Borowski, and assorted others
- Vinnie Chulk is filling Josh Barfield’s roster spot; Barfield replaces Andy Marte
25-man Roster:
1B – Ryan Garko (R)
2B – Asdrubal Cabrera (S)
SS – Jhonny Peralta (R)
3B – Mark DeRosa (R)
C – Victor Martinez (S)
RF – Shin-Soo Choo (L)
CF – Grady Sizemore (L)
LF – Ben Francisco (R)
DH – Travis Hafner (L)
Bench:
R – Kelly Shoppach (C)
S – Trevor Crowe (OF)
R – Tony Graffanino (IF)
Rotation:
L – Cliff Lee
R – Anthony Reyes
R – Fausto Carmona
R – Carl Pavano
L – Aaron Laffey
Bullpen:
R – Kerry Wood
R – Rafael Betancourt
L – Rafael Perez
R – Jensen Lewis
R – Masahide Kobayashi
R – Joe Smith
R – Vinnie Chulk
L – Zach Jackson
15-day DL: LHP – Scott Lewis (elbow strain), OF – David Dellucci (strained calf), IF – Jamey Carroll (broken hand)
60-day DL: RHP – Jake Westbrook (TJ)
Typical Lineup:
L – Grady Sizemore (CF)
R – Mark DeRosa (3B)
S – Victor Martinez (C)
L – Travis Hafner (DH)
R – Jhonny Peralta (SS)
L – Shin-Soo Choo (RF)
R – Ryan Garko (1B)
R – Ben Francisco (LF)
S – Asdrubal Cabrera (2B)
Note: Trevor Crowe is sharing left field with Ben Francisco. Otherwise, the most common lineup variation sees Martinez shift to first with Kelly Shoppach taking his place behind the plate and Garko’s spot in the lineup.
“Carl Pavano replaces CC Sabathia . . .”
That about sums up my opinion of the 2009 Cleveland Indians. A lot of people picked the Indians to win the AL Central this year. Last year they had 85 Pythagorean wins and scored nearly five runs per game. This year, their offense should be improved thanks to full-seasons from Victor Martinez (who, due to a litany of injuries, appeared in just 73 games last year and slugged just .365), 26-year-old Shin-Soo Choo (who raked after returning from Tommy John surgery last year) and hopefully Travis Hafner (bum shoulder, 57 games, .323 slugging in ’08). The Tribe is also hoping that Mark DeRosa can improve upon what they got out of Casey Blake last year and that with Grady Sizemore (26), Jhonny Peralta (27), Ben Francisco (27), Asdrubal Cabrera (23), Ryan Garko (28), and Kelly Shoppach (29) all in their twenties, someone is going to have a career year.
Okay, sure. Why not? Martinez has already equaled his homer total from a year ago (2). Hafner, who has three homers this year to last year’s five, seems to have rediscovered his power stroke as well following offseason shoulder surgery (though Dr. James Andrews reported finding no structural damage when went in to fix Pronk’s joint). Choo is off to a hot start after his solid performance for Korea in the World Baseball Classic. DeRosa won’t out-perform Blake, but he should improve on what the Indians got from Blake’s replacements after Casey was flipped to the Dodgers at the trading deadline. Given how good Sizemore is already, I don’t see much breakout potential in those twentysomethings, but given their youth, I don’t see any reason for any of them to regress either thereby undermining the gains elsewhere.
The reason I’m a Cleveland curmudgeon is their pitching, and I felt that way even before Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona opened the season 0-4 with a combined 9.45 ERA. Many have Carmona pegged for a rebound after his injury-shortened follow up to his breakout 2007 season. After all, Carmona still had the AL’s best ground ball rate last year, which suggest his sinker was still sinking. The only problem was that his walk rate more than doubled. Ignoring the fact that Carmona’s walk rate is right back at its 2008 levels after two starts (an almost meaningless sample size), I’m convinced that even if Carmona does rebound, his gains will be offset by Cliff Lee’s losses. Lee was impossibly good last year. Even a legitimately great pitcher would be likely to regress after a 22-3 season with a 2.54 ERA and a 5.0 K/BB ratio, and I do not believe that Lee suddenly became a legitimately great pitcher last year at age 29. It’s easy for me to say that after Lee’s poor showing in his first two starts this season, but I felt that way not only in March, but throughout last season.
Beyond the offsetting correction likely to be experienced by Lee and Carmona, the Indians run prevention will be hurt by the loss of CC Sabathia. Yes, that loss occured last July, and CC had a rough April for Cleveland last year, but he nonetheless made 18 starts with a 3.83 ERA for them in 2008. Anthony Reyes will be too busy trying to make up Paul Byrd’s 4.53 ERA over 22 starts from a year ago to contribute to replacing CC. That puts the onus on Carl Pavano. Need I say more? The Indians have a solid bullpen and pitching reinforcements in the minors (and on the DL), but unless Carmona and Lee prove me wrong and do for the Tribe what Carmona and CC did for them in 2007, I just can’t see the Indians being much more than mediocre.
Fittingly, today’s first regular season game at the new Yankee Stadium pits Sabathia, coming off a dominant start in Kansas City (7 2/3 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K), against Lee. Lee’s success last year was based on a spike in his ground ball rate and his major league-best walk rate (1.37), but he walked four men in his last start and has reverted to his fly ball ways (0.59 GB/FB in his first two starts). Given the apparent jet stream heading out to right field in the new stadium, Lee could be in for a rough afternoon.
Xavier Nady has been placed on the 15-day DL. David Robertson, who I mentioned at the end of my road trip post this morning, has been called up to reinforce the bullpen, leaving the Yankees with a three-man bench of Melky, Molina, and Ramiro Peña for the time being. Replace Peña with Ransom after Alex Rodriguez’s return and that’s still not a bad bench. The roster will have to balance back out eventually, but the Yanks will have to require sacrificing someone on the 40-man. Ah, but that’s a topic for another post. Today, we’ve got the home opener with CC on the mound and this lineup behind him:
R – Derek Jeter (SS)
L – Johnny Damon (LF)
S – Mark Teixeira (1B)
S – Nick Swisher (RF)
S – Jorge Posada (C)
L – Robinson Cano (2B)
L – Hideki Matsui (DH)
R – Cody Ransom (3B)
L – Brett Gardner (CF)
The Yanks have a beautiful day for their home opener and TV viewers who aren’t blacked out will have an even nicer day if they choose the MLB Network broadcast over the hagiographic YES telecast, as MLBN will have Bob Costas and Jim Kaat calling the game.
[0] Costas and Kitty ... I'll take it.
All trombone, all the time ...
Mic placement, people!
I just about spit my coffee onto the monitor when I read, "Carl Pavano replaces CC Sabathia..." Hilarious, man.
Too bad Mattingly couldn't be there ...
No Sparky Lyle?
That Star Wars music is really too much.
[6] Yeah, the Orioles did that for their opener too, and I didn't like it much either.
They've been doing the Star Wars music for the lineups for quite a few years now.
[6]
David Wells is Jabba the Hutt perhaps?
They couldn't get ARod an introduction? Nady's on the DL and he got to make an appearance.
Alex who? :-)
Rodriguez stayed behind in Tampa.
Oh, and MLB Network is playing Fish @ Braves due to the local blackout. Boo.
Kelly is no Susan Boyle ...
For the love of Christ, what is with the fucking fighter jets?!
[8] Yeah, I know, I just usually don't hear it.
[15]
You know what a patriot Boss George is ...
It so nice to hear Kitty again ...
2-0 on each of the first two batters. I hope we're not in for a repeat of the Baltimore game.
[18] He's got a blog on YES now and in a recent entry, he spoke of getting back into baseball in memory of his wife, who passed away last year.
Sucks being at work, unable to see the game.
Ooooh. Not the wrist, though.
[13] MLB Network was briefly available online as the tail end of the Yankees opening ceremony stuff, but they just cut it out after Damon's hit
I think we can be confident that Lee is not intentionally buzzing our guys.
I have to say, as a Yanks fan and longtime friend of CC this is one of the most exciting days in my baseball memories.
Gross Ransom...
Monument Park looks so sad back there - maybe they'll change the padding to plexiglass there
Isn't there someone out there who'd be an upgrade to Ransom? Especially if the team's going to need a new bench player.
All these walks are worrying... Quit with the slidestep and just throw strikes CC
Missed the first couple innings. Was sort of hoping the Yankees would have disposed of Lee by now.
[29] I still remember the Indians' pen being good from 2 years ago, though...
[30] I don't so much care about the pen. I just wanted to lay a five spot on Lee to shut up this "he's an ace" nonsense.
grumble.
wow!
Nice play!
Re: [26] I'm sure that most analyses would say that Cody Ransom is saving enough runs with the glove to make up for his bat*.
* = When compared to Angel Berroa. Maybe.
I don't like losing to Cliff Lee. Last thing I need to hear is "Indians 'ace' finds his groove and shuts down Yankees in Stadium opener"
Nerts. First home run is still up for grabs.
I'm following this on sportsline until I get home. I was so happy to see Matsui walked. Than i saw Ransom's face.
Attaboy.
Gardner's production is really starting to come around - even if it doesn't exactly look pretty
And oh by the way, I hate Bud Selig.
[40] And who doesn't.
Lee has an amazingly low pitch count considering how wild he looks.
Costas really blowing hard on steroids, "It's like conventional weapons vs nuclear weapons with steroids", and they "took guys who wouldn't have been able to do much and took them to all new heights" bla bla bla.
At least Kaat mentioned that it was less the performance improvement than the impact on recovery.
[41] Someone, apparently. He still has the job for lord knows what reason.
John Madden is retiring from broadcasting
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4073253
HE'S AN ACE.
I'm losing patience rapidly.
Dammit, that felt like the Big Opportunity that got away. With two "lower lineup" guys on base and Jeter and Damon with shots to plate them.
[45] Costas claims his first victim!
ugh, leave em loaded. 8 LOB so far!
Grumble grumble grumble.
CC sure is walking a bunch of guys and not striking out too many
Looks like Dave Robertson will get in this one.
Way too many walks for CC today. Nerves, perhaps?
No shoulder problem.
Boy what a throw on that tough pitch!
I'm going to see if I can can get an MP3 of Kay chatting with Selig. I think it could be very useful.
So is Posada's shoulder looking good? I hate having to "watch" on gamechannel.
Stupid long innings means waaaaay too much Selig air time
[57] Well, the throw was good and it nabbed a very good runner. And its still attached. thats about as much as I can offer from tv :)
I don't think the Yankees are going to win this game.
[57] [59] It was a very tough play -- not a great pitch to throw on, and yeah, Grady Sizemore. I don't think Grady got a great jump -- if he had I doubt anybody could throw him out on that pitch. But anyway, yes, very good throw.
Well, if this is CC bad and wild, it's hard not to take 5 innings of 1-run ball.
Not bad. He still has speed, for sure.
I think CC will start the sixth -- he's a good matchup against Choo, anyway.
[59], [61] Thanks.
Anyone see Tex shake his wrist after that foul ball?
This is truly a pathetic offensive performance. What a way to open the new stadium!
Lee looks better than he did in the first couple of innings. And a lot better than he looked last inning. Great location.
Hip! Hip!
NUMERO UNO POR JORGE!
I'll take credit for that :)
Hip Hip!
BooYa!!! and I LOVE that JoPo gets the first dinger!
Sterling kissing Selig's ass, Selig kissing Steinbrenner's ass, everyone kissing everyone's ass, and suddenly, without missing a beat, "JORGIE JUICED ONE!!"
I really, really, really wish we could swap broadcasters with the Mets.
I think it's so awesome and poetic that David Wells is sitting out in the bleachers.
It's sad that the monuments in center are hidden from view, just barely peeking over the wall. I guess a see-through wall is out of the question, right?
Gosh its great having Posada back, isn't it?
God, this boosterism! Now they're crowing about the booming revenues (courtesy, imo, of juiced balls and juiced players).
The best way to honor the game is to, well, honor the game! Watch the fucking baseball game, tell us about what's going on on the field!
Yes! Jorge!
Great walk by Cano.
Wow, what is Cano doing with his legs there? Walking??
[79] Thanks for doing Sterling and Waldman's job for them.
So you're telling me there is an actual game going on, and not just some kind of casual scrimmage?
Special delivery by E4...
I get it now. Sterling and Waldman are there to beat us into submission, forcing us to purchase cable television.
It's a test of wills and honestly, they're breaking me down.
Hey, did you know, baseball, they play everyday! That's the great thing about baseball and mlb.com is fabulous, as is digital cable!
Did you know mlb has a library of over 4,000 games?
Oh, and btw, Yanks have first and third, two out.
And Cody doesn't fail in failing to deliver.
if you have the iPhone MLB app, you can listen to the Cleveland broadcast instead of the Yankee broadcast.
In this economy, do we really need a commercial in which an old white man talks about having 4 Lexuses?
Just let the game speak for itself, people! It's a beautiful, elegant game filled with poetry and drama and comedy and humanity and tension and physical beauty and grace.
Stop telling us how great it is, we know, we know, that's why we're tuning in!
God, I'm so fucking frustrated. Sorry to rant, everyone, this is just making me really, really cranky.
And the cleveland broadcast doesn't have commercials!
[85] Thanks, I don't. I'm listening on the airwaves.
Pitcher Abuse!
(Yankees trying to score points they can't get on the field from Ransom's hitting.)
Can CC throw 200 pitches this game? Any reason why not?
The new archbishop in the YES booth; too bad his last name (Dolan) belies his position. He grew up in St. Louis and came to NY, so can we call him Archbishop Yogi?
[87] I was gonna say, "great game, huh" to you when I signed in, but something told me not to. >;)
this needs to be CCs last hitter
[93] Heh heh heh.
It's strange; all of these side effects that the medications have that they are required to disclose... what the hell was all that stuff doing to us years ago that WASN'T disclosed?
121 pitches for CC - cripes, get him out of there, opt out in 3 years or no!
I wondered, briefly, why there were so few comments - and then I realized many of the regulars are probably at the game.
I just got caught up by fastforwarding with TiVo - miraculously, FiOS has added YES to its HD lineup, though of course games aren't included, so I got to see all the pregame stuff. That took some time to watch.
Costas, Reynolds, and Kitty have been OK so far, though I gladly skipped right past all of Bud. No surprise that they had him in there, or that HR was just talking about how affordable so many seats are. I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the MLB Network.
Now I hope the bullpen holds up, and that my son - just up from his nap - doesn't change the channel inadvertently, as he's playing with the remote while daddy watches the game. =)
Alex is coming back early, right?
[96] Chyll, I prefer not to think about that.
Yikes, Tex, what was that?
Nice try Cano, saved a run by keeping it in the infield
[97], Shaun, Selig was saying the same crap over on YES; unfortunately here in NYC we're stuck with it because of blackout restrictions. He's trying to manage an image crisis of high-priced seats in a brand new stadium during a bad economy, nothing more.
Good for Coke, but it's too bad the infield wasted Edwar's effort.
Tom Hamilton on the Cleveland station is a real joy to listen to.
I hear YMCA. pitty.
Too many damn relief pitchers. I would have liked to have seen Coke again, maybe for the full inning.
Oh, god. I hope Veras doesn't prove me right.
Rut-roh, Raggy.
Ugh.
That particular mistake (switching out relievers too much) just drives me nuts.
sigh, the Joba 'debate' on MLBN. Kaat and Reynolds vote for BP. Tools. Costas also sympathetic...
What do they see in this guy? His mechanics doom him.
[109] Kaat used to know better.
3 relievers, 1 out.
[111] But that's before they wouldn't give him his old job back.
!@#!&^%*!!!
Boooo!
Just for the record:
[105] was when Veras came to the mound;
[106] after he issued a 4-pitch walk;
[108] after the Martinez double;
and this comment is after the Peralta double when Veras has been yanked.
my MLB.tv feed has yet to allow me access to the top of the 7th. should i just walk away now?
Remind me why Veras is on the team again? What use do we have with a hard throwing but wild and not that good reliever? There are better options in the minors, and Bruney already does Veras' job better
How about an out?
[117] Most definitely. Nothing to see here.
Jesus Christ the relievers are terrible.
[118] "What use do we have with a hard throwing but wild and not that good reliever?"
farnsworth 2.0?
Holy cow, what a freaking disaster.
And we actually thought Giradi knew how to manage a bullpen. What tools.
[117] RUN
Wow, what's wrong with this home ump?
I don't know who else to blame for Veras...
Maybe their just setting up for the first triple play at the new stadium.
I wonder if the Indians will make another out. This could be the Inning That Lasted For All Eternity.
[120] i just peeked at the gameday page. ugh.
i'll suffer through it anyway.
thank you, though.
Joba to the 'pen!
[124] Uh, he's pushing too many buttons, but: 4 relievers, 1 out so far. not all girardi's fault!
[126] I do blame Cash for Marte though...
Aaand, game off for me, I;m off to go do work. What a great start to Stadium 3.0...
[131] True, but look: Edwar did pitch an out, so to speak, but Ransom screwed it up. Then he gave up a single, then Coke got an out. What exactly was wrong with those two guys' performances? And if, as I think, nothing much was wrong with them, WHY NOT LET THEM EACH PITCH A FREAKING INNING?
I just hate the Russian Roulette mistake. It's so damned obvious.
Both of Joe's fatal mistakes this season stem from using Veras. Who should definitely not be available. Ever. It's not the number of moves as it is who he's chosen to place on the roster. Not having a long man was just hubris on his part.
Yeah, that walk does it for me, too. I'll fume all by myself for the afternoon, thanks.
I don't blame Girardi when the infield craps out on your reliever. But he's made too many swaps this game; almost like he decided this was gonna get out of hand soon anyway because he expected CC to go much longer.
[134] Yeah I thought Edwar was pitching well. The single he gave up wasn't hit hard.
Way to ring in the new Stadium! Whooo ... Okay on to tomorrow.
[132] Marte does appear to be totally useless.
Aw frak!
Yeesh!
Game over. Now I'm glad I went to work today, rather than taking the day off to see this trainwreck.
mystique and aura must still be in boxes.
[137] Happens when you fill your bullpen with guys who are most effective throwing fewer pitches and, of course, assuming that your 5 man rotation will consistently throw 7 and/or won't get hurt.
Okay, I'm out. Traffic is gonna be horrible now, so I'm stuck in the house for the next four hours before I can get to Brooklyn. Dammit!
aw, @#$%^, just fricken shoot me.
The fans are calling for Swisher...
This is embarrassing. The third blowout of the season already. yeesh.
Nice chant though! "We want Swisher"
Awful way to christen the new stadium.
Oh goody - the mandatory patriotism/propaganda moment has made it to the new stadium.
[145] Isn't it the fourth? Well at least it's the first by the bullpen. Second bullpen loss though.
Now pitching for the Yankees ... Ronan Tynan ....
They never shoulda left the old place! Play at Citi Field/ Shea for a year, rebuild on the SAME SPOT! Pride cometh before the fall, George! The ghosts aren't moving, the stubborn bastards.
The old stadium began with a 4-1 win over the Sox. I think it's fair to say that set the tone for the rest of the century. In that respect, this bodes poorly.
It's only 10 games but, to me, it looks like Girardi is suffering under the weight of all the expectations for this year's team and not the least his own job security.
That Marte contract just keeps looking better and better.
What a fucking disgrace. I wonder how long Cashman is going to pretend that the Marte Experiment is working.
Yeah, Nady out for the year, Marte sucking, Tabata playing AAA ball for the Pirates...it's not looking too good for Cash on this deal.
[155] The trade was fine. It's the 3 year deal given to Marte that bothers me. It's Farnsworth all over again.
Girardi's curious manipulation of the bullpen so far this season makes the MSM look like geniuses for questioning the quality of our bullpen. Which they shouldn't have. There are enough arms in our organization to construct a great bullpen...if both Cash and Girardi do things right.
[156] So the answer to [154] is "at least two years"
Christ on a cracker.
Yay.
[157] Or if those bullpen arms could get any outs at all. sure joe pushed too many buttons, but this is on the players.
Who is pitching the 8th? It might as well be fucking Marte. No reason to waste anyone else.
yay, moral victory in scoring a second run.
/sarcasm
Part of the problem has to do with repeating the mistake made with Mike Myers...trying to turn a LOOGY into a set-up man. Sure you can let Marte pitch to righties and lefties but that's certainly not the optimal way to use him (if you're going to use him at all).
Has Teix been removed in a "white flag" move, or is his wrist still acting up?
My moral victory is that the Yankees humiliated themselves and ruined the opening of the ballpark, so the lead story won't be CLIFF LEE IS AN ACE AGAIN
And Cody fails in the clutch again.
Marte is not a LOOGY
[164] His left wrist must still be bothering him. His swing didn't look right and he couldn't pick that throw from Ransom.
they should have just let the old timers play. made a game of it.
Christ on a cracker. The game was tied when I left the office, and I come home to this?
[167] A guy who appears in 140 games with no saves, finished only 26 games, pitched 104 innings in those 140 games, over 2 years (2006-2007) is a LOOGY. What made him expendable to the Pirates is that, in 2008, they tried using him more as a closer/set up guy...and he was less than impressive.
[167] Maybe not, but I'm reminded of the joke, "Ever try to teach a terd mathematics? Sheeeet..." It is what it is.
It's time Girardi recognizes that Veras's 0.38 WPA last season should disqualify him from pitching in high leverage situations.
[171] I would say given his usage patterns, I don't think he's a LOOGY.
In hindsight, this game was probably bound to be like this. It kind of serves them right - not the players, but the organization. All that pomp was just wayyyyyy beyond the pale. Overblown and ridiculous ... Hopefully this is the extent of their comeuppance but it's somewhat deserved.
Ugh, I just got back from the game. It was a good (if somewhat dull) game until the 7th. Yikes, my new rule, if you bring in a relief pitcher and he proceeds to walk his first batter on 4 pitches, yank him. Just do it. Marte was worse, he looked wild even warming up.
As to Stadium 3.0, my first impression is eh. Its nice to have the wider and more open air corridors. The field itself looks pretty much the same, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I could be watching a game most anywhere. I never had that feeling at the old Stadium, it had quirks and stuff. There were also a fair number of empty "elite super duper box seats" at various times. That's sort of sad. Crowd was a bit quiet too, but that could be that there wasn't all that much to cheer about for most of the time. The Swisher chant was hilarious though, and it was sustained.
10-2?? going back to bed..Guinness instead of GameDay tonight..