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Travis Hafner News & Rumors

Travis Hafner will return, but status of Grady Sizemore, Fausto Carmona unsettled
September 30
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Three days after the final game of the World Series, the Indians must decide whether to exercise the 2012 club options of Grady Sizemore for $9 million and Fausto Carmona for $7 million. If they don't, Sizemore is eligible for free agency and Carmona for salary arbitration. The Indians don't have an option on Travis Hafner for 2012, but they do have a decision to make. They could bring him back next year to honor the final year of his contract for $13 million, or they could cut the cord on the biggest deal in Indians history and start over at DH. On Thursday, GM Chris Antonetti said Hafner would be back, despite making two trips to the disabled list this year and not playing more than"
Hafner, Thome give Tribe options
September 9
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Travis Hafner hopes to be activated from the disabled list sometime in the next 10 days. If he meets that timetable, the Indians will have two veteran, left-handed designated hitters who can't play every day, Hafner and Jim Thome. Nothing wrong with that in manager Manny Acta's eyes. "I think that helps both of them," he said Thursday. "Jim is not going to play every day either. But one or the other will probably play every day." Unless a tough left-handed starter is pitching for the opposing team. "Shelley Duncan will be my right-handed DH," Acta said. Hafner has been on the DL with a strained tendon in is right foot. He has recovered to the point where he is running on flat ground."
Indians hope Hafner can return this season
September 1
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Travis Hafner might not miss the rest of the season, after all. "Travis came back from the doctor with Lonnie [head trainer Lonnie Soloff] and got some encouraging news," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "I think we'll see him again this year." Hafner is on the disabled list with a strained foot. Acta doesn't know when he will be healthy enough to play, but he is eligible to be activated Sept. 6. When Hafner does return, the manager will have two designated hitters, which he can use to his advantage. "When we bring him back, he won't be able to play every day," Acta said. "Jim Thome can't either. Our advantage is that if I pinch run for one of them in the seventh, the one that didn't start"
After positive examination, Travis Hafner could return in September
September 1
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Travis Hafner was not at his locker before Wednesday night's game against Oakland at Progressive Field. In his place, was a large gray and white plastic walking boot. If you're into signs, this doesn't seem like a good one regarding the chances of Pronk returning to the lineup sometime in the season's final month. Hafner was placed on the disabled list after injuring his right foot trying to leg out a double against Detroit on Aug. 21. There was talk the foot, which has hampered Hafner since late April, would need surgery. So much for signs and talk. Hafner and head trainer Lonnie Soloff returned Wednesday from visiting an out-of-state doctor who treats NFL players. The news was good."
Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner could be done for season
August 24
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Travis Hafner might have to wait until next year to continue his career as the Indians' designated hitter. His foot injury is serious enough that 15 days on the disabled list might not fix it, and there's a chance he will need surgery. "Travis has a strained tendon in the plantar [bottom] aspect of his right foot," head trainer Lonnie Soloff said Tuesday. "He is currently wearing a walking boot. We're in the process of seeking other medical opinions on the best course of treatment. He will be out at least 15 days, and it could be longer." Even 15 days without Hafner will place a serious strain on a lineup that already is on life support. Inasmuch as the schedule will be played out in five"
Travis Hafner on DL, could Jim Thome be on his way?
August 23
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Travis Hafner is the latest Indians player to go on the disabled list. Could Jim Thome take his place? Hafner, the Indians' DH, was placed on the 15-day DL on Monday because of a right foot strain. Right-handed reliever Josh Judy was recalled from Class AAA Columbus. Hafner's foot has been bothering him since the end of April. He re-injured it in the sixth inning of Sunday's 8-7 loss at Detroit. He singled home the Indians' seventh run, but when he attempted to reach second, he pulled up and was tagged out as he limped back to the bag. Hafner was scheduled to have an MRI scan Monday. "He'll be out for a little while," General Manager Chris Antonetti said during a meeting with reporters"
Indians place Travis Hafner on disabled list
August 23
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"It didn't take long for the Indians to place Travis Hafner on the disabled list with a strained right foot. He left the game in the eighth inning Sunday after pulling up lame running out a base hit. On Monday, he joined four of his teammates on the DL. "This is related to what he had before," General Manager Chris Antonetti said, referring to a similar injury that forced Hafner to miss five games at the end of April and beginning of May. "All I can say for now is that he'll be on the DL for 15 days, and we'll go from there," manager Manny Acta said. "Fifteen days at this point is a lot for us." That does not necessarily mean Hafner will be back that quickly. "Matt LaPorta will be the DH"
Painful weekend capped by Travis Hafner's sore foot; MRI set for Monday
August 22
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Travis Hafner left Sunday's game with a strained right foot after his sixth-inning single scored the Indians' final run in a 8-7 loss to the Tigers. Manager Manny Acta said Hafner will have an MRI Monday in Cleveland. "Then we'll make a decision," said Acta. If Hafner is placed on the disabled list, it will be his second trip this year. Hafner has been struggling offensively -- his single broke an 0-for-16 slump -- but the Indians need as much offense as they can find if they are to stay in the AL Central race. "We've gotten to where we are without Shin-Soo Choo for two months. Without Grady Sizemore for however long he's been out and with Hafner missing a month earlier in the year," said"
Carlos Santana, Travis Hafner power Indians past Red Sox
August 5
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"In one small but significant way, the season will go down as a grand success for the Indians, no matter how the Central Division race plays out. For the first time in five years, they have won the season series against the Boston Red Sox, and for the first time in 11, they won as many as six games from the denizens of Fenway Park. It wasn't easy. Thursday night's 7-3 victory was crucial, giving the Tribe a 6-4 edge over the Sox. That's the same number of games the Indians won in 2000, when their record was 6-3. In 2006, they won four out of sevenn from the Red Sox. "I've never felt better after splitting a series," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "We pitched our butts off for the whole"
Travis Hafner's comeback season is worth shouting about
July 10
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Wouldn't you love to know what Travis Hafner shouted the second after his bat made contact with Luis Perez's fastball Friday night in the ninth inning? He shouted, flipped the bat, clapped his hands, did a double-fist pump, and took a couple of sideways shuffle steps out of the box before pointing himself to first base and running into the waiting delirium. The dead-in-the-water Indians entered the ninth looking at a 4-0 deficit against Toronto. Hafner's slam gave them a 5-4 victory. Reliever Chad Durbin, in a Tweet, called what came out of Hafner's mouth a combination growl and shout. Durbin, who pitched a scoreless seventh inning, was in the dugout to hear it. Hafner, long after the"
Indians beat Toronto Blue Jays on Travis Hafner's grand slam
July 8
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"All night — actually for the second night in a row — the Indians littered the bases with runners, then watched them wither and die. Granted, they beat the New York Yankee 5-3 Wednesday, stranding 13, but could they win two in a row with such inefficiency? The answer was yes. Travis Hafner stepped to the plate with one out, one run home and the bases loaded in the ninth and drove Luis Perez's first pitch into the right-field seats for a grand slam that gave the Tribe a 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Progressive Field. "I got kind of a scouting report from [Michael] Brantley on Perez," said Hafner, talking about why he swung at the first pitch. "He said the guy had a good sinker, so I"
Travis Hafner's grand slam caps five-run ninth-inning rally as Indians beat Blue Jays
July 8
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"There were 18,816 fans at Progressive Field on Thursday night. They managed to raise their voices to sound like 16 -- until the ninth inning. Then it was bedlam. It was New Year's Eve at Times Square. Travis Hafner hit a grand slam with one out in the ninth to give the Indians a 5-4 victory over Toronto. The Indians did nothing, nada, zilch for eight innings until Hafner sent a moon ball from lefty Luis Perez into the right field seats to win it. "That's about as hard as I can hit a ball," said Hafner, who turned and shouted one second after ball met bat. Pronk knew it was gone. So did everyone else in the ballpark. The only question was would it land on East Ninth Street? It was the 12th"
Tribe manager happy with Hafner back as DH in full-time role
July 5
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"The return of Travis Hafner to the Indians' lineup didn't prompt manager Manny Acta to ask the City of Cleveland to hold a parade in his honor — the Fourth of July taking precedence — but Acta probably thinks such a gesture would be appropriate. "It was painful to have him out of the lineup for nine games, especially the way he was swinging the bat,'' he said Monday. Hafner continued to swing the bat, but only in batting practice. He was not permitted to be in the Tribe's lineup for the three-game series in San Francisco, Arizona and Cincinnati because he is a designated hitter, a class of players who are barred from American League lineups in National League ballparks. Hafner came off the"
Travis Hafner plans to be ready in a pinch during Cleveland Indians' NL swing
June 24
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"If the TV cameras happen to pan the dugout at AT&T Park on Saturday afternoon, and they settle on a big guy lounging in the corner of the Indians dugout wearing shades, flip flops and a Tommy Bahama shirt, that would be Travis Hafner hard at work. The Indians open a nine-game interleague trip Friday in San Francisco. The DH is verboten in National League parks, which means that outside a pinch-hitting appearance once a game, Hafner is going to have plenty of time to study the sight lines of the Giants' jewel of a ballpark on the shores of San Francisco Bay, the Diamondbacks' Chase Field in Phoenix and Cincinnati's Great American Ballpark. Hafner would love to play, and manager Manny Acta"
Tribe activates DH Travis Hafner from disabled list
June 18
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Pronk is back. The offensively challenged Indians activated designated hitter Travis Hafner from the disabled Friday afternoon and optioned Travis Buck to Class AAA Columbus. Hafner batted cleanup Friday night as the Tribe opened a three-game series against the surprising Pirates at Progressive Field. He was 1-for-3 with an RBI double and a walk. Hafner suffered a strained right oblique May 18 in Chicago. He felt pain during a batting practice swing as the Tribe prepared to play the White Sox. He was placed on the 15-day DL on May 20 (retroactive to May 18). At the time of the injury, Hafner was hitting .345 (39-for-113) with eight doubles, five homers and 22 RBI in 32 games. Hafner's"
Travis Hafner goes 1-for-2 with a walk in rehab debut with Akron
June 15
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner began his rehab assignment by going 1-for-2 with a walk as the Class AA Akron Aeros lost, 7-2, to New Hampshire Tuesday night at Canal Park. Hafner was hitting .345 in 32 games for the Tribe when he strained his right oblique during batting practice in Chicago on May 18. He was placed on the disabled list May 20. Hafner led off the second inning with a walk against right-hander Joel Carreno. After Carreno threw two balls, Hafner took a called strike. After another ball, Hafner lined a pitch foul down the left side. Carreno's full-count pitch narrowly missed off the outside corner -- atleast according to Hafner and plate umpire Andy Dudones. Hafner"
Hafner's absence creates vacuum in lineup
June 5
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Travis Hafner's value to the Indians' lineup has been underestimated for years. One reason: Between 2007 and 2010, he was not himself, first because of an on-and-off slump four seasons ago and then because of a shoulder injury that required surgery. He was a nonfunctional power hitter whose importance to the club had waned. He was both a pleasant memory and a disappointment, written off by the fans as a bad investment ($57 million). He just wasn't Travis Hafner anymore, so it was time to move on. But this year, somebody with a striking resemblance to the REAL Travis Hafner showed up when the season began. He was swinging at strikes, taking walks and driving balls with authority, all things"
Travis Hafner swings the bat and feels good
June 4
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Travis Hafner was re-introduced to a bat on Friday and the meeting went well. He took some swings -- in baseball terms he took some dry swings -- and everything felt fine with his injured right oblique muscle. "I'll hit off the tee on Saturday and go from there," said Hafner. Hafner strained the oblique muscle, which is located on both sides of the rib cage, during batting practice on May 18 at U.S. Cellular Field. Hafner and his .345 (39-for-113) batting average have not been in the lineup since. Lonnie Soloff, Indians head athletic trainer, said Hafner could be in "game activities' in two weeks. That would probably be in a rehab situation. "The injury is frustrating," said Hafner. "The"
Loss of Hafner, struggling Santana creates big hole
May 29
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"It would be one thing if Carlos Santana were hitting as well as Indians manager Manny Acta expected. But with Santana still struggling at the plate, Travis Hafner's absence because of a strained oblique has created a major hole in the lineup. ''Hafner is an intimidating figure in the lineup, even when he's not hitting,'' Acta said Saturday. ''He and Santana also draw walks, so that we're not giving up extra outs.'' Santana's skid had made him a liability in the cleanup spot. Hafner would be the logical hitter to move up one notch from fifth. Instead, Acta must come up with other alternatives. ''You just have to adjust,'' Acta said. ''Teams have injuries. The Twins have had to play without"
Indians DH Travis Hafner placed on DL
May 20
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"The Indians have placed designated hitter Travis Hafner on the disabled list because of an abdominal injury. Reliever Frank Herrmann and outfielder Ezequiel Carrera were recalled from Class AAA Columbus. Infielder Luis Valbuena, who had been promoted Wednesday, returned to Columbus. Hafner injured his core during a batting-practice swing Wednesday in Chicago as the Tribe was preparing to play the White Sox."
Hafner's foot improves
May 4
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Travis Hafner ran in the outfield Tuesday and reported that the strained tendon in his right foot is much less of a problem. ''I tried to run after it happened on Wednesday, and it's improved a lot since then,'' he said. ''I was probably running about 70 percent today, and it should continue to get better.'' Hafner still wears a walking boot when he is not at the ballpark. ''I'll probably keep wearing that for another week,'' he said. Manager Manny Acta thinks Hafner is just about ready to resume his designated hitter duties. ''He's not going on the DL,'' Acta said, ''He could play now if I wanted. There's a very good chance he'll be in the lineup tomorrow.''"
Ailing ankle isn't perfect, but Travis Hafner will rejoin lineup Wednesday
May 4
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Travis Hafner ran sprints in the outfield Tuesday afternoon at Oakland Coliseum. Then again, sprints might be a generous description. "I'm surprised you could see me," said Hafner. "I thought I'd just be a blur." At 6-3 and 240 pounds, Hafner has never been a blur, but he has been a lot faster than he was Tuesday. "Running wise, I'm about 70 percent," said the Indians' designated hitter. Hafner had not played since Wednesday when he slid into home plate as the third and final run on Orlando Cabrera's first-inning bases-loaded double in a 7-2 victory over Kansas City. The slide, which wasn't necessary, sprained a tendon in his right foot. Hafner has been in a walking boot ever since."
Hafner could return Tuesday
May 1
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Travis Hafner missed his third consecutive start Saturday night, but the Indians' designated hitter isn't expected to be out for long. ''Sliding into the plate Wednesday night, Travis strained a tendon on the bottom surface of his right foot,'' head trainer Lonnie Soloff said, making reference to an MRI that Hafner underwent on Friday. Doctors want Hafner to stay off the foot as much as reasonably possible, but that doesn't mean he might not pinch hit over the weekend. ''Beware, Pronk is ready to come off the the bench at any time,'' manager Manny Acta said. ''All he has to do is take off his [walking] boot.'' On the other hand, Acta won't take chances. ''The goal of the treatment plan is"
Sore ankle sidelines Travis Hafner: MRI Scheduled for Friday
April 29
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Clubhouse confidential: Sometimes it's best not to slide even when your teammates are telling you to hit the dirt. Travis Hafner, off to a great start, was scratched from Thursday's lineup with a sore right ankle. Hafner injured the ankle sliding home as he scored the third and final run on Orlando Cabrera's three-run double in the first inning of Wednesday's 7-2 victory. Hafner could have scored easily standing because the throw came in high. Hafner will have an MRI Friday on his right ankle. "I saw a doctor who told me to get an MRI and make sure it's OK," said Hafner, a late scratch from Thursday's lineup. "I took batting practice and was able to swing the bat, but I had a hard time"
Indians facing fourth, but Shin-Soo Choo, Travis Hafner want to go for it
April 1
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo does not care what many inside and outside of baseball think. The day before the Tribe's season opener, Choo was talking playoffs. Asked where the Indians would finish in the American League Central Division, he said: "First in our division. Yes, first." A popular projection for the Indians is fourth, behind any combination of the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins. The White Sox are the Tribe's opponent today. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. When Choo spoke Thursday afternoon, everybody in the division was even. The Tigers were on their way to a loss to the Yankees. "Our goal is to make the playoffs," Choo said. Designated"
Hafner seeks consistency at plate
March 30
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"The start of every baseball season is a foray into the great unknown. Despite all the sophisticated statistics at the fingertips of every manager and general manager, despite track records of players that sometimes go back more than a decade, despite watching players for six weeks in spring training, predicting the way a player will perform, let alone his entire team, can be an exercise in futility. Take Travis Hafner. The Indians' designated hitter was one of the most feared run-producers in the major leagues four years ago, before a shoulder injury disrupted his career. Now that Hafner is presumably healthy, the Tribe needs him to resume bashing from the middle of the lineup. But will"
No longer the powerful Pronk, Travis Hafner may have to share DH duties for Cleveland Indians
March 8
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 columnist Bud Shaw
"Manny Acta believes the full-time designated hitter is vanishing throughout baseball. Not how purists would like to see it vanish -- overnight or into thin air. It's just that the DH has become a fluid role for American League managers to use in myriad ways, including getting everyday players off their feet while keeping their bats in the lineup. Not surprisingly, Indians' DH Travis Hafner doesn't totally buy the benefits of sweeping change. If he did, he'd be like the curator at a spotted owl sanctuary coming out in support of extinction. "I could see wanting more versatility out of the spot," Hafner said Sunday. "But at the same time if you have that big thumper in the middle of the"
Hafner shows his old power
September 28
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Travis Hafner used to log several miles a season executing his home run trot. A section of the Progressive Field grandstand was known as Pronkville, because Hafner sailed so many balls over the wall and into the right-field seats. Pronk was his nickname, and Hafner was building his legend in 2005 and 2006, when he hit a total of 75 homers. He hit another Monday night. It was kind of an event. He hadn't hit one in 50 at-bats and the three-run blast gave the Indians a little wiggle room in what became a 6-3 win over the Tigers. Hafner has hit 12 home runs this year. Lots of guys have hit fewer. But shouldn't he hit more? After an on-and-off slump in 2007 and shoulder surgery in 2008, maybe"
Hafner out for another game to prevent reinjuring shoulder
September 21
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Travis Hafner got another night off. That makes two of the past three. What is going on with the Indians' designated hitter? Nothing, manager Manny Acta said on Monday. ''He's fine,'' Acta said. ''He's playing tomorrow. We're just trying to get him through the season healthy after his stint on the [disable list].'' Hafner is supposed to be healthy. Sort of. He went on the disabled list Aug. 3 with inflammation in his right shoulder, a condition that Tribe officials and Hafner have described as a fatigued feeling. When he was activated midway through last month, Acta said Hafner would play four or five days per week. The way it has worked out, Hafner plays four days in a row (once it was"
Travis Hafner returns to lineup
September 11
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"So far, manager Manny Acta has stuck to the schedule of four games on, one game off for Travis Hafner. So after sitting out the final of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, Hafner was back in the lineup Friday night. There were opportunities to use Hafner as a pinch hitter in the 16-inning loss in Anaheim, but Acta declined. ''When Hafner gets a day off, it's not because I'm trying to weaken the lineup,'' Acta said facetiously. ''I'm trying to protect his shoulder. When he has a game off, he usually doesn't even take BP. ''It would take him awhile just to ramp up and get ready [to pinch hit]. So that's why I didn't use him.'' THOME GROUNDED - Jim Thome did"
Travis Hafner says team's batting talks have been a hit
September 9
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Travis Hafner was off Wednesday. The Angels started left-hander Scott Kazmir and the Indians are off today. It fit the Indians' schedule for Hafner since he came off the disabled list Aug. 15. Four to five days on, one day off, in order to keep his right shoulder strong. But while he was off, the conversation about hitting never really stops. The Indians have the youngest team in the big leagues. When the young position hitters want to talk hitting, they seek out hitting coach Jon Nunnally and Hafner. "Grandpa Pronk," said Hafner, 33, with a laugh. "Somebody said that right away." Hafner, who doubled and homered in Tuesday's 6-1 victory over the Angels, said the abundance of conversation"
Cleveland Indians Travis Hafner can relate to Justin Morneau's struggles
September 5
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Travis Hafner, to a degree, knows how Justin Morneau feels. On July 16, 2005, Hafner was hit in the face by a Mark Buehrle fastball in the first inning at Progressive Field. He did not play again until Aug. 4, sidelined for 20 days with concussion-like symptoms and damage to the small bones in his inner ear. He returned to have one of his best seasons with the Indians, hitting .308 (140-for-454) with 100 runs, 31 doubles, 42 homers, 117 RBI, a .408 on-base percentage and a .595 slugging percentage. The memories remain as he has sympathy for Morneau, the Twins' first baseman who has been unable to play since July 7 because of a concussion. "You're sitting around feeling fine and ready to"
Travis Hafner's slam propels Cleveland Indians to 9-1 victory over Seattle
August 16
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Travis Hafner decided against easing back into the flow. Instead of going on a brief rehab assignment, the Indians' DH opted to be activated from the disabled list Sunday in time to face one of baseball's best, Seattle right-hander Felix Hernandez. For three at-bats, it did not seem like a wise choice. Hafner hit a dribbler to third base and struck out twice. Asked what he was thinking after the second whiff, Hafner chuckled and said: "Maybe I should have gone on the rehab assignment." One inning later, though, Hafner brought the thunder. With the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh, Hafner ripped a fat pitch from King Felix into the Tribe bullpen in center field as part of a 9-1"
Indians reactivate DH Hafner
August 15
MLB.com
 
"The Indians got back a major piece of their offense on Sunday when they activated designated hitter Travis Hafner from the disabled list. To free up a roster spot, the Tribe optioned outfielder Jordan Brown to Columbus. The Indians placed Hafner on the shelf on Aug. 3 with right shoulder inflammation."
Hafner placed on DL with sore left shoulder
August 4
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"The Indians got tired of waiting for Travis Hafner's sore right shoulder to come around and placed him on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Thursday. ''Travis is back in Cleveland,'' head trainer Lonnie Soloff said. ''We're still evaluating him. It's the same shoulder [on which he had surgery], but I would not classify it as the same injury.'' Hafner was scheduled to undergo an MRI. Soloff said that the treatment Hafner was receiving over the past five days — ice, anti-inflammatory drugs — was having an impact. ''Travis was still feeling some soreness,'' manager Manny Acta said. ''If he had stayed here, it wouldn't be the most comfortable situation, playing every other day or once"
With chess, teammates are just pawns to Travis Hafner
July 18
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 columnist Dennis Manoloff
"Travis Hafner routed Matt LaPorta in a chess match Saturday morning. Hafner is the Tribe's Garry Kasparov. "It was quick -- two minutes, five seconds," Pronk said. "LaPorta wants to take two minutes per move. I can't play like that." 7 0 Share Hafner suffered an upset loss last month to Shelley Duncan but said he avenged it -- and then some -- on the team plane during a recent trip. "I beat Duncan four times in a row, got tired and fell asleep," Hafner said. Lewis on LeBron: Jensen Lewis might be the biggest Cavaliers fan in the Indians' organization. He said he was disappointed but not surprised when LeBron James left for Miami. "On one hand, he has the right to go where he wants,""
Travis Hafner grateful to be off the bench and back as DH
June 29
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Designated hitter Travis Hafner stepped out of the freezer Monday night and into the starting lineup against the Blue Jays. Hafner started for the first time since June 17 against the Mets at Progressive Field. For the nine games that followed, he was reduced to an expensive pinch-hitter as the Indians played in National League venues. Hafner went 0-for-5 with a hit-by-pitch on the trip. He struck out once and grounded out four times. He did not play in two of the three games last weekend in Cincinnati. "I'm excited to be starting again, so I can get back into a rhythm," he said Monday afternoon. "We knew what the situation was going in, and I tried to make the most of the pinch-hitting"
Vacation too long for Hafner
June 24
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Four more days, and Travis Hafner's forced vacation will be over. During the Indians' nine-game trip to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Cincinnati, Hafner has had little to do. He gets to put on his uniform every day, but other than working out and taking batting practice, there's not much reason for him to look like a baseball player. With few exceptions, he isn't allowed to play. Designated hitters are banned from the lineups of teams playing in National League ballparks, so Hafner waits to see if manager Manny Acta can find a way to use him as a pinch hitter. Before the trip, Acta said he wanted to get Hafner one at-bat every game. It hasn't quite worked out that way. Hafner came to the"
Power hitter Hafner to spend time on bench
June 18
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"If the Indians were a different kind of business, the next 10 days would be an ideal time for Travis Hafner to make use of any leftover vacation time he had accrued. There will be little for him to do on the team's nine-game (plus one off day) trip to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Cincinnati that begins tonight at PNC Park against the Pirates. Designated hitters are barred from participating in games at National League ballparks, so if you see someone whose face is obscured by a copy of WWE Magazine or North Dakota Horizons (to keep up with events back home), it will be Hafner trying to pass the time while his teammates are playing baseball. It's not something that manager Manny Acta looks"
Manny Acta hopes right match will light a fire in Travis Hafner
April 28
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Travis Hafner didn't start against lefty Joe Saunders on Tuesday night against the Angels. It's the second time in the past three games he sat against a left-handed starter. "In life and in sports, especially in baseball, you want to put people in situations where they can have success," said manager Manny Acta. "A lot of our guys are struggling right now. We're trying to figure a way to get them out of their slumps by putting them in positions where they can have success. "I'm trying to match up Travis the best way possible by giving him the day off against Saunders and throwing him out there against [Ervin] Santana [today].""
Hafner shows signs of return to form
April 3
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Hordes of Indians fans have written off Travis Hafner. ''He's over the hill,'' or ''Injuries have taken too much out of him,'' or ''I don't know why, but it's time to get over him and move on.'' In other words, if Hafner rebounds from one slump-ridden season (2007) plus two more (2008, '09) ruined by an injury that included shoulder surgery, he will instantly return to being the beloved strong-armed hero who could hit soaring drives over every part of the fence and walk 100 times. That's the fun part of being surprised. Keep in mind that few Tribe partisans believe that will happen. But the facts might be otherwise. Not that facts always lead to logical conclusions in baseball. Asked"
Hafner's homer his first of spring
March 19
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"The wait is over. Travis Hafner hit his first home run of the spring Thursday in the Indians' 6-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Goodyear Ballpark. In 26 plate appearances, it appeared that Hafner was concentrating his efforts on seeing how many times he could draw a walk. Including Thursday's game, he has walked six times and has five hits, all singles, until his fifth-inning home run to dead center field against the Reds. Manager Manny Acta has said repeatedly that if Hafner is healthy, he will be a productive hitter in the middle of the lineup. ''He's feeling good,'' Acta said. ''You could tell yesterday when he just missed a ball. He has no restrictions. ''We plan to use him every"
Travis Hafner, Wes Hodges homer as Cleveland Indians beat Reds, 6-2
March 19
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Travis Hafner showed some of his old power as the Indians beat Cincinnati, 6-2, Thursday in a Cactus League game at Goodyear Ballpark. Hafner homered off the batter's eye high above the center field fence in the fifth inning to give the Indians a 3-2 lead. The Tribe added three more runs in the eighth to improve its record to 8-4-2. It was Hafner's first homer of the spring and his second extra base hit. The fact that he hit the ball to straight away center with authority was another indication that Hafner's two-year struggle with his right shoulder might be over. "We could tell Wednesday night (against the Reds) that he just missed hitting a couple of balls out," said manager Manny"
Hafner shows signs of progress
March 17
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"Ordinarily, Travis Hafner ripping a double to right field would not be noteworthy. But when he did it Tuesday, in a 7-1 win over the San Francisco Giants at Goodyear Ballpark, it was the first time he produced an extra-base hit this spring and only the third time he got a hit (he is batting .231) during the exhibition season. ''What I like is that he's taking pitches, close pitches, like he was before,'' manager Manny Acta said. ''We know if he's 100 percent healthy, he'll produce.'' Hafner spent most of last year getting used to the residual soreness that follows shoulder surgery. That pain finally is gone and despite the numbers in exhibition games, he appears to be swinging normally."
Indians' faith in Travis Hafner is laudable, but Pronk remains team's biggest uncertainty
March 11
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Travis Hafner's first hit of the spring was a line-drive single to right field on Wednesday. It's a long way from there to Pronkville. Actually, it hasn't seemed a whole lot shorter from the batter's box at Progressive Field to the second deck the past few years. Nobody is expecting Hafner to be Pronk, the man, the myth. But with his contract and the Indians' payroll shrinkage making him an increasingly expensive proposition, the Indians better hope Manny Acta is correct when he talks of 30 homers and 100 RBI being in Hafner's wheelhouse. "We just need him to be productive in the middle of the lineup," Acta said Wednesday. "If he is able to go out there enough I think he can do that." The"
An enthusiastic Travis Hafner is eager to get swinging for the Cleveland Indians
March 4
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Asked exactly what changes he'd made in his swing the last two years to compensate for a right shoulder that has been slow to respond to surgery, Travis Hafner said, "I think I've blocked the last two years out. I can't recall anything." He was laughing when he said that, but he'd like nothing better than to erase the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Hafner's numbers and reputation have taken a hit. His $11.5 million salary is glaringly out of place on a team that has traded its best and most expensive talent and replaced it with a younger, leaner and cheaper model. He knows some people think he's done or has reached a tipping point in his career. He's 32 and it's been two years since his shoulder"
Hafner struggles to find bat
October 5
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"The Indians' lineup hasn't been nearly as robust since Travis Hafner was regularly hammering pitches into the seats in 2006. That was the year Hafner hit 42 home runs, amassed 117 RBI and batted .308. Then came the mysterious on-and-off slump of 2007 (.266, 24 HR, 100 RBI), followed by the injury-filled season of 2008, ending in October surgery to repair a shoulder injury. This season was spent regaining strength in the shoulder. When Hafner finally returned to the team for good in early June, he was required to rest the shoulder every three or four days, hindering his ability to recover his batting eye and his swing. ''I still think I got a lot out of this season,'' Hafner said. ''But to"
Rockies' Hawpe undergoes quiet transformation
June 28
Denver Post
 
"Brad Hawpe has a head too small and a heart three sizes too big. He is the Rockies' best player this season, primed for his first all-star berth, but you'd never know it. That's because all he cares about is winning and helping teammates. He's weird like that. "When it all comes down to it, you want a guy who has your back and shows up ready to play," said Rockies first baseman Todd Helton, Hawpe's role model. "Brad always does that." Talk to Hawpe for a while, and you wonder if the interview should be aired in black and white. With a projector. Hawpe is simple in his life, old school in his values. Heck, he is 30, pulling down a $5.5 million salary this season, hitting a ridiculous .397"
Hafner gives shoulder 'recovery day,' but expects full-time duty soon
June 15
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Travis Hafner did not start Sunday night. Since being activated from the disabled list June 5 after rehabbing a sore right shoulder, Hafner has played two, sat one, played two, sat one and played two. "It's no cause for concern," he said. "We've determined that, for now, the shoulder needs a recovery day after every two games. Hopefully, that will change soon, but we need to build up to playing a number of games in a row. We're watching closely the volume of swings each day. All in all, everything feels pretty good.""