Indians News

Choo, Indians hammer Oakland, 15-3
Comment
July 4
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Shin-Soo Choo, one of the few not to blame for the mess in which the Indians find themselves, brought a little something extra to the batter's box tonight. Choo went 4-for-5 with two homers and a career-high seven RBI as the Tribe overwhelmed the Athletics, 15-3, in a clash of the non-titans at Progressive Field. The Indians had not scored 15-plus since defeating the Yankees, 22-4, in the Bronx on April 18. Another last-place club proved to be what the Indians needed to pump oxygen into the lungs. The Tribe (32-49) resides in the A.L. Central basement. Oakland (33-44) occupies the cellar in the West. The home team had its moments, but the visitors did a much better job of showing what is ..."
Cleveland Indians need to decide if manager Eric Wedge and Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez should remain
Comment
July 4
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Today is the official halfway mark of the season for the Indians. Not everyone picked them to win the AL Central, but it's hard to believe anyone predicted they would be this bad. The Indians are 31-49, owners of the second-worst record in the big leagues. After going 9-18 in June, they started July at 0-1 and will open a three-game series tonight against Oakland at Progressive Field. Three questions face the Indians as they approach their 81st game. No. 1: Can manager Eric Wedge get through this season without being fired? No. 2: Will they trade No. 1 starter Cliff Lee? No. 3: Will they trade catcher/first baseman Victor Martinez? General Manager Mark Shapiro and team President Paul ..."
Pitcher added to bullpen
Comment
July 3
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"The fourth new relief pitcher in less than two weeks is about to join the Indians' bullpen. The Tampa Bay Rays dealt 32-year-old right-hander Winston Abreu to the Tribe on Thursday in exchange for right-hander John Meloan and cash. Abreu is headed for the 25-man roster, so someone will have to be lopped off the club to make room for him, though the team has not specified when Abreu will be activated. Signed by the Rays to a minor-league contract in February, Abreu spent spring training in major-league training camp. He was assigned to Triple-A Durham, where he compiled a 3-0 record with 10 saves and a 1.41 ERA, appearing in 23 games. He limited batters to a .128 average and struck out 49 ..."
Will the Cleveland Indians lose 100 games for the sixth time in franchise history?
Comment
July 3
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"It's come to this: The Cleveland Indians are off today, but if they lose tomorrow night's game against the Oakland Athletics at Progressive Field, they'll reach the season's halfway point with a 31-50 record. Double that, and it's 62-100, which would be the sixth 100-loss campaign in the 109-year history of the franchise. Starting Blocks believes the Indians will not reach the century mark in futility. Let's take a quick look, though, at the previous teams that have been hung with the L in 100 or more games. 1914, 51-102 The last season the team was known as the "Naps," after all-time great second baseman Napoleon Lajoie, who, unfortunately for him, was still playing here at age 39. Yes, ..."
Cleveland Indians add yet another bullpen pitcher, acquiring Winston Abreu from Tampa Bay: Indians Insider
Comment
July 3
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Make room for one more. Nineteen of the 25 pitchers who have played for the Indians this season have made at least one relief appearance. No. 26 arrives soon, and he'll be a reliever, as well. The Indians on Thursday acquired right-hander Winston Abreu from Tampa Bay. They sent the Rays right-hander John Meloan from Class AAA Columbus and cash. Abreu, 32, is expected to join the Indians over the weekend in Cleveland. A player will be dropped to make room for him. The Indians have been trying to rebuild one of the worst bullpens in baseball on the fly. The results have not been encouraging. Since June 27, they have added Jose Veras from the Yankees, Chris Perez from the Cardinals and ..."
Eric Wedge, Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez: Should they stay or should they go?
Comment
July 3
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Today is the official halfway mark of the season for the Indians. Not everyone picked them to win the AL Central, but it's hard to believe anyone predicted they would be this bad. The Indians are 31-49, owners of the second-worst record in the big leagues. After going 9-18 in June, they started July at 0-1 and will open a three-game series tonight against Oakland at Progressive Field. Three questions face the Indians as they approach their 81st game. No. 1: Can manager Eric Wedge get through this season without being fired? No. 2: Will they trade No. 1 starter Cliff Lee? No. 3: Will they trade catcher/first baseman Victor Martinez? General Manager Mark Shapiro and team President Paul ..."
Rays trade Abreu to Tribe in reliever swap
Comment
July 3
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Rays traded relief pitcher Winston Abreu to the Cleveland Indians on Thursday for right-handed reliever John Meleon. Meleon, 24, has pitched in seven games in the major leagues, two with the Indians in 2008 and five with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2007. Over parts of five minor league seasons, he is went 15-16 with 22 saves, a 3.75 ERA and 384 strikeouts while averaging 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings. Meloan has spent the entire 2009 season with Triple-A Columbus (AAA), where he went 0-0 with a 5.52 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 17 walks in 44 innings pitched and 25 appearances. Abreu, 32, was a non-roster invitee to the Tampa Bay's spring training who made two appearances for ..."
Tribe acquires righty Abreu from Rays
Comment
July 2
MLB.com
 
"On Thursday, the club acquired right-hander Winston Abreu from the Rays in exchange for right-handed relief prospect John Meloan. Abreu will join the Tribe's bullpen in the coming days, with a corresponding roster move to be announced at that time. The 32-year-old Abreu has made 35 appearances in the Majors with the Orioles, Nationals and Rays since 2006, compiling an 0-1 record and a 6.43 ERA. He pitched in the Japanese Pacific League in '08. Abreu, a fastball/slider pitcher, made two appearances for the Rays this year, allowing a run on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. He was called up from Triple-A Durham on June 14 and designated for assignment last ..."
Cleveland Indians swap relievers with Tampa Bay
Comment
July 2
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"The Indians have acquired right-hander Winston Abreu from Tampa Bay. They sent the Rays right-hander John Meloan, who is pitching at Class AAA Columbus, and cash. Abreu, 32, is expected to join the Indians over the weekend in Cleveland. A player must be dropped to make room for him. He will wear No. 36. This year Abreu has spent much of the season at Class AAA Durham where he went 3-0 with 10 saves and a 1.41 ERA. He struck out 49, walked 10 and allowed five runs in 32 innings. He appeared in 23 games. He joined the Rays on June 14 and appeared in two games before being designated for assignment. Triple-A hitters batted .123 (14-for-109) against Abreu. Right-handers hit .061 (4-for-66). ..."
Eric Wedge likely to remain Cleveland Indians manager because options are few
Comment
July 2
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 columnist Bill Livingston
"Nearly midseason, and Cleveland is held hostage. Down and down the Tribe goes. Where it stops, nobody knows. Given the expectations for the season, manager Eric Wedge would not make it to the All-Star break in some organizations. But he will with the Indians, who think stagnation is the same as stability. Given that Wedge has guided the team to only one playoff berth in seven years, he might not last the season in most organizations. But after all the beat-downs lately, all the games when it gets late early, all the other games when the bullpen implodes, he will probably last the season. Given the stubbornness and loyalty of his boss, partner and apologist, Mark Shapiro, he might be ..."
White Sox beat Indians 6-2, sweep series
Comment
July 2
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Just under two weeks ago, manager Ozzie Guillen gathered his team for a quick meeting, delivering a very simple, but honest, message. ''I told them, 'Hey man, play whatever games we have left [before the All-Star break] like champs, because I don't want the general manager [Ken Williams] to break this team apart because we think we don't have a chance to win the division,' '' Guillen confessed, hours before the 6-2 win over Cleveland on Wednesday. ''Right now, they've responded well. I hope they keep responding like that. Believe it or not, that's my boys and I want to keep them together as long as I can.'' Not only did the sweep of Cleveland buy Guillen and his ''boys'' more time, but now ..."
White Sox dump Indians 6-2
Comment
July 2
Chicago Tribune
 
"While much of the speculation has centered on upgrades before the July 31 trading deadline, Jose Contreras and batterymate Ramon Castro have fortified the White Sox's roster over the last five weeks. Contreras' renaissance resumed Wednesday night as the Sox extended their winning streak to a season-high five games with a 6-2 victory over Cleveland that completed a three-game sweep and moved them to within three games of American League Central leader Detroit. The Sox (39-37) moved to two games above the .500 mark for the first time since May 1. They have won 13 of their last 17 on the road. Since rejoining the Sox on June 8 from Triple-A Charlotte, Contreras has lowered his ERA from 8.19 ..."
Cleveland Indians will dive into international free-agent market: Indians Insider
Comment
July 2
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Teams can start signing international free agents Friday, but more so than in most baseball transactions, it's a business where the buyer must beware. Last year, the Indians spent $575,000 on a 17-year-old shortstop from the Dominican Republic named Jose Ozoria. Less than a week ago, they were informed by Major League Baseball that Ozoria wasn't who he said he was. Ozoria is really named Wally Bryan. He's 20, not 17. As far as MLB and the Indians know, he is from the Dominican Republic. "MLB has conducted an investigation of over 70 players in the Dominican Republic," said John Mirabelli, Indians director of scouting operations, "and found that Mr. Ozoria and his [agent] intentionally ..."
Pitcher Rafael Betancourt close to starting rehab assignment: Indians Chatter
Comment
July 2
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Rafael Betancourt isn't ready to lace up the skates and play for the Lake Erie Monsters, but the right groin injury he suffered May 31 is similar to one experienced by pro hockey players. "Dr. [Mark] Shickendantz told me one of my tendons just exploded," said Betancourt. "It just disappeared. He said hockey players have a lot of groin injuries and a lot of times they just have that tendon surgically cut." Betancourt threw a 35-pitch simulated game Wednesday. If all goes well, he'll begin a rehabilitation assignment Friday with Class AAA Columbus. Wrist shot: Mark DeRosa, traded by the Indians to St. Louis on Saturday for Chris Perez, left Tuesday night's game with a sore left wrist. He ..."
Hot Chicago White Sox put Cleveland Indians on ice
Comment
July 2
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"The losses are coming so fast that they probably don't even hurt anymore. Five straight, seven of eight, 14 of 17. It's as if the Indians are numb, encased in ice. The locker room is quiet before and after games. They seem to have lost before they begin. Wednesday night was cool at Progressive Field as Chicago completed a three-game sweep with a 6-2 victory over Jeremy Sowers and the Indians. It was so cool that it felt like September with winter patiently swirling just beyond the lake. But no one is getting off that easy this year. It's July 2. There are still nine games left before the All-Star break and seldom has an Eric Wedge team looked so beaten. Even when CC Sabathia was traded ..."
Sowers falls prey to another 6th inning
Comment
July 2
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Again Wednesday night, Jeremy Sowers toyed with a team until the middle innings then imploded in a sea of hits and runs. The result was a predictable 6-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field. For the first five innings, Sowers (2-6, 5.68 ERA) permitted only one run and six hits, the run and three of the hits coming in the fifth inning, when Sowers suddenly became vulnerable. Shin-Soo Choo's seventh assist of the year, throwing out Alexei Ramirez trying to stretch a single into a double, extricated Sowers from further trouble in the fifth, but he ran into a barrage of hits in the sixth. With one out in the inning, Sowers gave up two consecutive singles before light-hitting ..."
Carmona nearing return to Tribe
Comment
July 2
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"The last time Fausto Carmona was seen in Cleveland, he was dragging around a 2-6 record and 7.42 ERA. That was enough to get him sent to the minors, first in Goodyear, with the Indians' Arizona summer-league team, then to Lake County to make a start for the Class-A Captains and on to the Double-A Aeros, for whom Carmona started a game at Bowie Tuesday night. Tribe officials are looking at his most recent outing as a breakthrough event, because in throwing 74 percent of his pitches for strikes, it meant that Carmona kept his emotions in check and did not overthrow his fastball. ''Even at Lake County, he would get two strikes on a batter and come out of his delivery, trying to do more than ..."
Working the sell phones
Comment
July 1
MLB.com
 (scroll down)
"Indians GM Mark Shapiro has seen this movie before and might be directing it again. The struggling Tribe already shipped out useful vet DeRosa and rumors abound that Shapiro might say goodbye to pitchers Carl Pavano and Kerry Wood and possibly even slugging catcher Victor Martinez if the price is right. The Orioles could dangle Aubrey Huff, Ty Wigginton or Luke Scott, the Pirates and Nationals already have shown a willingness to part with a good portion of their players, the Royals could make available a host of position players and pitchers, the Padres might offer a little hitting (Scott Hairston) while the D-backs could deal pitching (Doug Davis, Jon Garland, Chad Qualls) to the right ..."
Win streak at 4 as team passes .500 for 1st time since May 2
Comment
July 1
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Lost in the profanity, the pleas for the ''governor of Chicago'' to wreck Wrigley Field and build a new stadium and the requirement that those who play for him ''have some [guts]'' was an important fact that always seems to get lost when it comes to White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen: At the end of the day, he knows his baseball. That was evident again in the surging Sox' rain-shortened 11-4 victory Tuesday against the Cleveland Indians that gave them a four-game winning streak and moved them above .500 for the first time since May 2. The game was called after three rain delays with the Sox batting in the seventh inning. Facing left-hander Cliff Lee, the closest thing the sinking Indians have ..."
NL play sparks running game
Comment
July 1
Chicago Tribune
 
"The White Sox are 11-6 in interleague play. That includes a 5-3 mark at National League ballparks, which manager Ozzie Guillen believes might have kick-started the running game he craves. "I'm going to try to push the right buttons to get this thing going," Guillen said. "We're not going to play a boring game. But in the meanwhile, they swung better than in the past." Entering Tuesday night's game at Cleveland, the Sox had stolen 52 bases and were on pace to easily surpass last year's total of 67. Scott Podsedni k leads the Sox with 12 stolen bases despite not joining the team until May 1. But his teammates also have taken advantage of Guillen's emphasis on being aggressive on the base ..."
Chicago White Sox beat Cleveland Indians
Comment
July 1
Chicago Tribune
 
"General manager Ken Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen have preached patience when it comes to assessing the White Sox's younger players this season. Their resolve is starting to pay off, especially after what Gordon Beckham and Clayton Richard helped accomplish Tuesday night. Beckham helped lead an offense that handed Cleveland ace Cliff Lee one of the shortest starts of his career in an 11-4 victory over the Indians that was called with two outs in the top of the seventh inning because of rain. Richard (3-1) won for the first time since May 29 by pitching efficiently to earn his first major-league complete game. "We think of [Richard] as our future," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "And ..."
Tribe forced to be versatile
Comment
July 1
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"It has become the norm for manager Eric Wedge to maneuver the Indians around the diamond as if they were interchangeable parts on an assembly line. No fewer than eight players have shared left field, though Ben Francisco has started more games at the position (29) than anyone else. Nevertheless, Mark DeRosa, traded last weekend to the St. Louis Cardinals, played left 15 times; Shin-Soo Choo has spent 12 games in left, with Matt LaPorta (seven), Trevor Crowe (six), Ryan Garko (five), Chris Gimenez (three) and David Dellucci (one) also logging time there. In addition to DeRosa, LaPorta, Crowe and Dellucci no longer are on the roster, but that still leaves four current Tribe players who have ..."
Lee gets rocked by Sox
Comment
July 1
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"How do the Indians hang onto any thread of hope, when the ace of their staff gets pummeled for seven runs in three innings? That's right. Cliff Lee, 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner, failed to get out of the fourth inning, limped through his shortest appearance in three years, put his team in a hole deeper than any John Deere excavator could carve out. The Chicago White Sox hammered away for 11 hits against Lee, including five doubles and Paul Konerko's two-run homer in the first inning, on the way to an 11-4 thrashing Tuesday night at Progressive Field. There is no mercy rule in big-league baseball, but because of three weather delays that lasted one hour, 59 minutes, the game ..."
Grady Sizemore will likely undergo surgery in the off-season: Indians Insider
Comment
July 1
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Grady Sizemore likely will undergo left-elbow surgery in the off-season, Indians head trainer Lonnie Soloff said Tuesday afternoon. "There's a high index of suspicion for that, yes," Soloff said. The surgery probably would be arthroscopic. Sizemore has synovitis, an inflammation of the joint lining. MRI scans have revealed no structural damage or bone chips. Sizemore's elbow problem began in spring training after a swing. He played center field until pain while throwing forced him to move to designated hitter. When the pain persisted, he was placed on the disabled list May 31. He was activated June 23 after the "hot" elbow had cooled. "Grady will have symptoms the balance of the ..."
Indians release relief pitcher Luis Vizcaino: Indians chatter
Comment
July 1
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"In the series opener Monday, White Sox designated hitter Jim Thome tied Cardinals legend Stan Musial for 12th on the all-time walks list with 1,599. "Growing up in Peoria, Ill., you had to know about Stan," said Thome, who did not start against his former team Tuesday. "He was 'The Man,' obviously. To be mentioned with that name is really special. It's very cool." Thome walked against Indians reliever Chris Perez in the ninth inning. Thome made a point of praising Perez, who gave up four runs on two hits, hit two batters and walked one in two-thirds of an inning of the Tribe's 6-3 loss. It was Perez's Cleveland debut after coming over in the Mark DeRosa trade Saturday. Perez brought an ..."
Cleveland Indians GM Mark Shapiro says fan base is 'traumatized?' Then what's the bullpen?
Comment
July 1
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 columnist Bud Shaw
"An ESPN column quotes Indians general manager Mark Shapiro as saying the fan base is "traumatized" and that "everything we do now is compared to what we accomplished (in the '90s)." Two things: First, I think there's a small percentage of fans who can't get past the fact that it's not 1995 anymore. But are you kidding me? Most people don't have to go back that far to put their disappointment over 2009 in context. Shapiro doesn't agree, but all they have to do is go back to 2007 and remember their team one win from the World Series to find fault with what's happened since. The Indians are 31-46 for crying out loud. It's not as if they're 46-31 and not drawing because people are convinced ..."
Red Sox duo locked in close All-Star votes
Comment
June 30
MLB.com
 
"On his march to the Major Leagues, the little guy who plays second base for the Boston Red Sox has heard over and over again that he can't, but then he laces up his spikes, throws on his glove and proves everyone wrong. Now Dustin Pedroia is trying to do it again. Trailing Ian Kinsler of the Texas Rangers for weeks in American League All-Star voting, the reigning AL Most Valuable Player moved within a relative hair of the leader with a little more than two days remaining before voting closes for the 80th Midsummer Classic, which will be played July 14 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. It's been a steady climb toward the top for Pedroia, who trailed Kinsler by fewer than 59,000 votes in last ..."
Fausto Carmona to start for Class AA Akron Aeros tonight
Comment
June 30
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Fausto Carmona, the Indians No. 2 starter who was sent to the Arizona desert to rediscover his delivery and focus, will make his second start tonight in his attempt to rejoin the Indians. Carmona is scheduled to pitch for Class AA Akron against Bowie. On Thursday, Carmona pitched 6-1/3 scoreless innings for Class A Lake County in Eastlake. He struck out seven, walked one and allowed one hit."
New pitcher not a big hit
Comment
June 30
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"It didn't take long for Chris Perez to feel the karma. The Indians traded Mark DeRosa to the St. Louis Cardinals late Saturday night for Perez, who reported for duty Monday afternoon and displayed his arsenal - as in weaponry - of pitches Monday night. Perez's impact was immediate and almost devastatingly tragic, as he contributed to the Tribe's 6-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox and delivered a frightening missile to the helmet of Alexei Ramirez on only his third pitch as an American League reliever. It surely was not the Cleveland debut Perez was hoping for, but he undoubtedly will not forget it anytime soon. He started the eighth inning trailing 2-0 and threw a slider that hit Ramirez in ..."
New reliever has goal of closing
Comment
June 30
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Chris Perez is only 23, but he's been there before. Where? In a bad bullpen. The Indians traded Mark DeRosa for Perez on Saturday night to help upgrade their relief corps, and Perez reported for work in Cleveland on Monday. To make room for him on the roster, Josh Barfield was optioned to Triple-A. Speaking of his first stint in the majors last year, Perez said: ''It wasn't a good situation. We were leading the league in blown saves. But you can't put too much pressure on yourself. It's still a baseball game. So I got experience with that last year.'' In a span of less than two weeks, the Tribe has acquired three new relievers: Mike Gosling and Jose Veras, in addition to Perez. At the ..."
DeRosa trade smells like a fire sale
Comment
June 30
Akron Beacon Journal
 columnist Patrick McManmon
"It's reached the point with the Indians that they trade Mark DeRosa and it feels like they traded Mark McGwire. The St. Louis Cardinals must have thought the same thing. They put DeRosa in the fourth spot in the lineup in his first game. Behind Albert Pujols. Gotta protect Pujols, after all. On one level, the DeRosa trade makes sense. He's 34, he's going to be a free agent and the Indians are going nowhere. Except that the Indians say that the relief pitcher they got for DeRosa - Chris Perez - was acquired to help this year. So they evidently think that they can still go somewhere this year. The likeliest place seems to be Hale Farm, on the train. It's not right or fair to make too much of ..."
Laffey to get additional rehab start in Columbus
Comment
June 30
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Aaron Laffey expressed a desire to return to the Indians immediately and end his stint on the disabled list after a rehab start in Akron on Sunday in which he gave up three runs, five hits and six walks in 31/3 innings. However, Laffey's wish will not be granted. ''We're going to give him one more start,'' manager Eric Wedge said on Monday. ''He felt good, but we need to see a little more than that.'' Laffey's next start will be at Columbus. Whereas Laffey's rehab assignment might end this week, Rafael Betancourt's is likely to begin. He is scheduled to throw a simulated game Wednesday and could begin a rehab assignment over the weekend. Betancourt has been on the disabled list with a ..."
Cleveland Indians manager gets ejected, and their new reliever is ineffective in loss
Comment
June 30
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"It looks like Chris Perez is going to fit in just fine with the rest of the bullpen. He wasn't Luis Vizcaino giving up a walk-off homer to the first batter he faced May 15 in his Indians debut -- something, by the way, that has happened only five times since 1900, according to the Elias Sports Bureau -- but Perez made the kind of memory that will warm us by the fire come December. In Monday's 6-3 loss to the White Sox at Progressive Field, Perez made every mistake a reliever can make except for blowing a save in his first game with the Indians. Then again, there will be plenty of time to check that box score in the games to come. Perez, who joined the team Monday from St. Louis in ..."
Perez, Indians lose to White Sox, 6-3
Comment
June 30
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"The newest Indian, a reliever, had a night to forget. Hard to believe, isn't it? Chris Perez heard the boos from the faithful at Progressive Field during a disastrous ninth inning that proved costly in a 6-3 loss to the White Sox tonight. The Indians (31-47) have dropped 11 of 13. They have scored seven in their last three games, all home losses. Shin-Soo Choo's homer in the ninth pulled the Tribe within 6-1. Ryan Garko had a two-run homer later in the inning to account for the final margin. Chicago (38-38) has won 10 of 14. White Sox right-hander Gavin Floyd gave up five hits -- all singles -- in 7 2/3 shutout innings. He entered the night with a 3-1 record and 1.60 ERA in his previous ..."
Indians add Chris Perez, subtract Josh Barfield
Comment
June 30
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"The Indians today added right-handed reliever Chris Perez, who was acquired from St. Louis in the Mark DeRosa trade late Saturday, to the major-league roster. Infielder Josh Barfield was optioned to Class AAA Columbus. Perez has spent the majority of this season with the Cardinals, where he went 1-1 with one save and a 4.18 ERA in 29 appearances. He gave up 17 hits in 23 2/3 innings, walked 15 and struck out 30. He allowed two of 15 inherited runners to score."
Wedge tries to stabilize lineup
Comment
June 29
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Mark DeRosa is gone, but manager Eric Wedge still has plenty of players to mix and match in the Indians' infield. However, now that DeRosa has been traded to the Cardinals and the Tribe has gotten three regulars back from the disabled list, Wedge is looking to stabilize his lineup rather than continue to fill certain positions with three different players. Asdrubal Cabrera was activated from the disabled list Sunday, joining Travis Hafner and Grady Sizemore as returning everyday players who had been sidelined with injuries for at least a month. There are temporary restrictions on how much they play, but at least they can play. Luis Valbuena, who has been playing mostly shortstop lately, ..."
Indians lose quietly under clear blue sky
Comment
June 29
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"If it was peace and quiet you were seeking on a warm and breezy afternoon, Progressive Field was the place to be Sunday. With nary a cloud in the sky, the Ohio State alumni band breaking into Hang on Sloopy and as many hot dogs as the human digestive system can tolerate, it was hard to beat the atmosphere. Granted, there was one annoying distraction that kept almost 24,000 folks from enjoying the total pastoral experience: the noise of ball hitting bat, as the Reds pummeled the Indians 8-1. But don't blame the home team. When Tribe batsmen made contact, they disturbed as few people as possible. It was almost as if they wrapped their bats in swaths of cotton to muffle the sound. No, it was ..."
DeRosa swap called an attempt to improve
Comment
June 29
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Trading Mark DeRosa to St. Louis Saturday night is not comparable to trading CC Sabathia to Milwaukee last year. Who says? ''This year is different than last year,'' Kelly Shoppach said. ''Last year, we got prospects for CC. Yes, we're going to miss DeRosa, but we brought in a guy who can help us now [reliever Chris Perez]. We all want to win. Whether we can still get back in this, we want to win now.'' Added manager Eric Wedge, ''It's completely different. We're trying to get better in an area of need. If we can get our bullpen in order and get more out of our starting pitchers, we can get better in a hurry.'' NL WOES - The Indians completed interleague play Sunday with a 5-13 record, ..."
Reds rout Indians again
Comment
June 29
Cincinnati Enquirer
 
"The 2009 Reds will never be the 1975-76 Big Red Machine, but they'll always have Cleveland. Actually, the Reds would like to always have Cleveland after pounding the Indians for a second straight day, 8-1 at Progressive Field. "It gets some air back in our sails," said Jonny Gomes, who hit a two-run homer. The Reds entered Saturday on a downer, having lost five of their previous six games. But, Cincinnati totaled 15 runs and 28 hits in routing Cleveland both Saturday and Sunday. The Reds got back to .500 (37-37) on the year and, entering Monday's off day, they are only 2½ games back in the NL Central Division. The Reds also captured the Ohio Cup for the second straight year. They won this ..."
Indians lose weekend series to Reds
Comment
June 29
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"The Indians played Sunday afternoon like they had a Mark DeRosa hangover. Brandon Phillips played like a man celebrating his 28th birthday. The end result left the Indians with bloodshot eyes, a headache and an 8-1 loss to the Reds at Progressive Field. Tribe manager Eric Wedge always talks about a player's heartbeat in critical situations. The Indians didn't appear to have one of any kind in losing the interleague series finale to the Reds. They scored one run in the first inning and retired, ice bag on head, glass of Alka-Seltzer in hand, for the day. Saturday night, the Indians traded the popular DeRosa to the Cardinals. They still hadn't recovered by Sunday's first or last pitch. ..."
Veras joins pen; Lewis demoted
Comment
June 29
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"For weeks, Indians reliever Jensen Lewis insisted he was one or two outings from having everything click. Reporters were not the only ones who heard Lewis, demoted to Class AAA Columbus this weekend, speak of how he felt oh-so-close. "He does this to everybody," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "I think it's something that works against him a little bit." As days passed and the full turnaround did not happen, Lewis sounded as if he might be in denial. "You have to look in the mirror," Wedge said. "He doesn't need to talk about it, he just needs to do it." Lewis was optioned to make room for right-handed reliever Jose Veras, acquired from the Yankees in a trade earlier this week. The ..."
Cleveland Indians sign Kent State pitcher Kyle Smith
Comment
June 29
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"The Indians have signed Kyle Smith, a right-hander from Kent State whom they selected in the 20th round of the June draft. Smith went 4-2 with a 4.79 ERA in 11 starts this year. He was hampered by shoulder problems. As of Saturday afternoon, the Indians had signed 23 players from this month's draft, including 18 of the first 20. The two from the top 20 who remain unsigned are biggies: North Carolina right-hander Alex White (first round) and Arizona State outfielder Jason Kipnis (second). White and Kipnis played in the College World Series."
Indians tradition: Summer garage sale
Comment
June 29
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 columnist Bud Shaw
"The Indians are becoming accomplished in maximizing the trade value of their assets during failed seasons. That's the organizational upside and downside all in one unembraceable bottom line. Better that lack of opportunity leaves Mark Shapiro less gifted in this means of roster building. Last year it was early July with C.C. Sabathia as the family heirloom in an estate sale. This time around it's the more modestly priced Mark DeRosa hung on a garage rack in late June. "I don't think it's the way anybody envisioned it happening," closer Kerry Wood said Sunday when asked if he thought the DeRosa trade was the first public notice of a second consecutive White (Flag) Sale at Progressive ..."
Indians put themselves in a position to have to trade Mark DeRosa
Comment
June 29
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"When the Indians acquired Mark DeRosa from the Cubs on New Year's Eve, they didn't figure they'd be trading him at the end of June. "I don't think the front office figured they'd bring him here for a two- or three-month deal," said Cliff Lee. "But we're the ones who have put ourselves in this position. I just hope the guys we get back can help us be a better team." The Indians traded DeRosa to St. Louis after Saturday night's loss to Cincinnati for right-hander Chris Perez and a player to be named. Perez was scheduled to join the last-place Indians on Sunday night following an 8-1 loss to the Reds. This is the second straight year the Indians have approached the All-Star break in a ..."
Redbirds get DeRosa in trade
Comment
June 28
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Moving decisively to add an offensive jolt to their listing lineup and another option at third base, the Cardinals acquired Mark DeRosa from the Cleveland Indians late Saturday night. To acquire the veteran and his 50 RBIs this season the Cardinals sent to Cleveland big-league reliever Chris Perez, who long had been viewed as the Cardinals' closer of future. DeRosa is expected to be in St. Louis in time for Sunday's series finale against the Minnesota Twins, and the club plans a noon press conference at Busch Stadium to formally introduce the newest Redbird. "The way I look at it is we accomplished several of the things that we set out to do - we added some consistent offense, a ..."
Reds pound Indians, 8-1
Comment
June 28
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Who needs Mark DeRosa? The Indians can lose just fine without him. Less than 24 hours after DeRosa was granted freedom from the dungeon via trade, his former team went quietly into thy beautiful afternoon. Brandon Phillips and the Reds thumped the Tribe, 8-1, today at Progressive Field. Cincinnati (37-37) lost the opener of the three-game series, 9-2, Friday before winning, 7-3, Saturday. The Reds prevailed in the season series, 4-2. The Tribe (31-46) has lost 10 of 12. Phillips, a former Indian, went 3-for-5 with three RBI, three runs and one steal. Ramon Hernandez and former Indians farmhand Willy Taveras also had three hits for the Reds, who finished with 15."
DeRosa deal elicits mixed feelings
Comment
June 28
MLB.com
 
"On the one hand, the Cubs players were happy to hear that Mark DeRosa was back in the National League Central. But he's playing for the wrong team. "I think it [stinks]," Cubs shortstop Ryan Theriot said of the deal that sent DeRosa from the Cleveland Indians to the St. Louis Cardinals for Chris Perez and a player to be named. DeRosa played two seasons with the Cubs, and was one of the most versatile -- and some would say most valuable -- players on the team, which won two division titles those years. But now he'll be playing for their Central rivals, who have a 3 1/2-game lead over the Cubs. "He's going to the Cardinals," Theriot said Sunday. "What do you want me to say? 'It's good? I'm ..."
Firing Wedge not answer
Comment
June 28
Akron Beacon Journal
 columnist Sheldon Ocker
"Why do so many Indians fans and virtually everyone in Medialand with access to a computer or a microphone want to fire Eric Wedge? Simple: His team can't lose games fast enough; he has not won a World Series in his six-plus years as manager; he was responsible for running off Brandon Phillips in 2006; his shifting of players from position to position drives people nuts; he didn't play Matt LaPorta every day when he was called up from the minors; and he reveals as little to the public (through the press) as he can get away with. Oh, and I forgot the three primary reasons to fire Wedge: • It's time for the Tribe to go in a different direction. • The club needs a fresh voice in the clubhouse, ..."
Another new pitcher, another Tribe loss
Comment
June 28
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"The 28,646 fans who gathered at Progressive Field Saturday night can brag to their grandchildren that they watched the 18th pitcher of 2009 try his hand at being an Indians reliever. That would be Jose Veras, late of the New York Yankees, who joined the team earlier in the day and pitched the ninth inning of a game won by the Cincinnati Reds 7-3. What can anyone say about Veras after one outing with the Tribe? He throws hard (95-96) and retired the side in order, two on a strikeouts. Other conclusions will take time. ''I thought he was very good,'' Indians manager Eric Wedge said. ''He had a good fastball and breaking ball. He hadn't pitched in 12 or 13 days.'' Other than Veras' ..."
Tribe deals DeRosa for reliever
Comment
June 28
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"The symbolism was accidental. Nevertheless, at the 11th hour Saturday night, the Indians acquired a reliever as the clock reached a more significant 11th hour, in terms of the team's chances to salvage something from the season. After a 7-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Progressive Field, General Manager Mark Shapiro announced that he had traded infielder/outfielder Mark DeRosa to the St. Louis Cardinals for right-handed reliever Chris Perez, a hard-throwing 23-year-old. ''We feel we've acquired a pitcher who's up side is pitching in the back end of the bullpen and someone who will be under our control for multiple years,'' Shapiro said. ''He has two things: [good] stuff and ..."