Indians Today, May 7, 2006

After staggering through serieses against Baltimore and Kansas City, Cleveland has righted the ship during the last week, going 7-5 against mostly good teams.  The Indians outscored Boston, Texas, Chicago and Seattle by the score of 83-57 over that stretch. 

Left-handed starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia pitched a fine game on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox, picking up the win after allowing one run over five innings.  It was Sabathia’s first start since suffering a strained obligue injury on Opening Day.  “It’s hard when you’re on the DL and the team is struggling,” Sabathia said. “You know you should be out there to help.” “That helps everybody,” 1B Ben Broussard said of Sabathia’s return. “That helps the pitching staff because he’s the No. 1 guy and the matchups are better. He takes the pressure off them. Let’s face it, when a guy gets hurt it makes you weaker.” Brian Slocum was sent out to make room for Sabathia on the 25-man roster. 

After a terribly slow first month, shortstop Jhonny Peralta’s bat if finally coming around.  Peralta credits his offensive surge to watching a DVD of his swing that helped him improve his stance.  ``I saw that my leg was different and my hands, so I made an adjustment,” said Peralta.  “By getting a little lower, it gives me a chance to see the breaking ball better.” Did his lack of early success bother him?  “It only bothered me a little bit. I never start hot in April anyway, so I didn’t worry too much. And I knew I could do it.  My mind is always positive.’’ Peralta is hitting .400/.471/.467 over his last seven games and he has raised his OPS from .606 on April 17th to his current mark of .714. 

Through April, Peralta and DH Travis Hafner were #1 and #2 in the American League in pitches seen with 517 and 499, respectively.  Now that takes balls. 

Both Hafner and LF Jason Michaels were sidelined temporarily this week with the flu. 

Reliever Fernando Cabrera is back from trips to the disabled list and the minors.  Cabrera thinks that he was worked out some of the problems that plagued in the season’s first week.  “I tried to work so hard when I was here,” said Cabrera.  “When I got [to Buffalo] I calmed down. Now I feel normal. I don’t feel like I did before. Maybe I was trying to do too much here.” Since his return, Cabrera has allowed two runs on three hits while striking out five in four innings of work.  He hasn’t walked anyone in those four games. 

Fellow reliever Rafael Betancourt is on pace with rehab work.  Betancourt threw a bullpen session this morning for the first time since he went on the disabled list on April 20 with a strained upper back.  “He’s on track for his second bullpen session Tuesday,” head trainer Lonnie Soloff said. “He’ll throw all his pitches. His next logical step would be a simulated game.”

Indians’ catchers went nearly a month before the caught an opposing base runner stealing.  The team ended the streak on May 2nd when Chicago’s Pablo Ozuna was caught stealing by Victor Martinez.  Before that, VMart has failed to nail anyone in 26 stolen base attempts.  Kelly Shoppach was 0-1 in stealing attempts. ``He’ll continue to get better at that,” manager Eric Wedge said of Martinez’s throwing, “He’s working his tail off.” ``That’s something we’ve all worked on and are continuing to work on,’’ said C.C. Sabathia who was pitching during the out ``Victor just had a look of relief on his face when he threw the guy out.’’ Do Martinez’s problems throwing out base runners suggest that he is destined for another position?  “It is not something we’ve even discussed,” said General Manager Mark Shapiro. “Victor has to throw out the guys he should throw out. Our pitchers have to give him a chance.”

Eduardo “Puppy” Perez says that he’s happy his role in the team’s first base platoon.  Alternating with lefty-swinging Ben Broussard, Perez is hitting .311/.360/.689 overall and .361/.385/.806 against lefties.  ``I embrace this role,’’ Perez said. ``All of us can’t play every day, and I think I’m more valuable to a team doing this.  It’s great to be part of the puzzle, where you can be an asset.”

Ben Broussard was named co-American League Player of the Week for the last week of April.  Since the award for the honor is a Swiss watch, Broussard wanted to know how he and fellow-recipient Kevin Mench of Texas should divvy up the prize.  “Does this mean I get the band and Mench gets the watch,” Broussard wondered, “or does it mean I get the watch and he gets the band?” One of the songs from Broussard’s CD has been licensed for use on A&E’s reality show “Dog the Bounty Hunter.” “I watched the show and I said, ‘What song could they possibly use?’” said Broussard with a laugh.  Also, Broussard has contributed a cover of U2’s “With or Without You” to a two-disc CD that features 10 current or former major leaguers.  I’m sure that Pirate fans might provide some colorful answers to former-Indian Sean Casey’s cover of Toby Keith’s “How Do You Like Me Now?”

Lefty pitching prospect, Tony Sipp is sidelined with a strained oblique muscle, the same injury that sidelined Sabathia.  Expect Sipp to miss 2-4 weeks.  “What’s been most encouraging is the development of his breaking ball, which is the primary reason we had him in the rotation,” Indians farm director and former big league pitcher John Farrell said of Sipp. “He continues to show us aptitude, evident by his pitch development. We’re anxious to get him back on the mound.”

Former Indian Russ Swan died last week after striking his head in a fall.  He was only 42 years old.  A southpaw, Swan was 14-22 with 11 saves and a 4.83 ERA (84 ERA+) in 266 innings over six major league seasons and He played for the Indians very briefly in 1994.