Indians ship Jason Michaels to Pirates

Cleveland Indians outfielder Jason Michaels was traded Thursday to the Pittsburgh Pirates for a player to be named.

Cleveland further committed to paying a large chunk of the $1.68 million US remaining on his $2.15-million US deal.

“He brings a lot of experience to the table,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said.

Michaels, 32, is hitting just .201 with nine runs batted in and three runs scored in 21 games this season.

Lee pitching like an ace in Cleveland

Too bad Lee is below average.

Who is this guy pitching for the Cleveland Indians, and what has he done with the real Cliff Lee?

In case you haven’t been paying attention, the Indians’ left-hander is now 6-0 with a miniscule 0.81 earned run average after yet another impressive road outing on Wednesday against the New York Yankees in the Bronx. He has only allowed four runs in 44 2/3 innings this season, and the next run he gives up on the road will be his first of the year.

Not bad for a guy who wasn’t even expected to start the season with the team.

The Baseball Analysts: Lederer: To THE Stadium and Back

Travel along with Rich Lederer and his son on their whirlwind tour of NY ballparks...until they run into their very own “The Incident” moment!

In the meantime, Joe and I did some Cliff Hangin’ last night on our way to the game. We caught the 4 Train from Grand Central (or the Iron Horse as Alex Belth told me insiders call it) to Yankee Stadium. After getting a bite to eat in the food concourse, we hopped onto the subway at about 3:45 p.m. (Eastern Time). Our car was crowded so we found ourselves standing in the middle, holding onto the rails for safety. After we got situated, Joe whispers to me, “I’m 95% certain that’s Cliff Lee standing next to you” (notice the arm of my brown jacket in the foreground). I look up and, sure enough, it looks just like the Cleveland lefthander. I turned back to Joe and remarked, “I think you’re right.” He then says, “I’m 99.9% certain.” While I’m not into star gazing per se, you have to admit that it’s an incredible coincidence that a player from the opposing team – much less the starting pitcher THAT night – would be riding the subway to the park *and* at the same time as Joe and me *and* standing next to us for the entire trip.

In any event, while making eye contact with Lee, I make a pitching motion with my left hand as if I were throwing a breaking ball. He gives me a quizzical look so I mouth “Cliff?” He nods his head. Conscientious that I’m wearing a NY hat for the first time in my life, I point to it and tell him that I’m from Long Beach, California and not really a Yankees fan. Lee smiled and shook his head. I explained that Joe and I were on a father-son baseball trip and had already been to Fenway Park the previous weekend and were going to our first Yankees game that night, and to Shea Stadium on Friday night.

Dugout Central: Caimano: Ker-Pronk! - Indians Fans Be Warned

Pronk: Part Jim Gentile Project...Part Dick Stuart Donkey.

Cleveland Indians management and fans are becoming more concerned with each passing day with the struggles of Travis “Pronk” Hafner. They should be. In fact, they’re getting worried a little bit late. Hafner’s sharp drop-off at that plate shouldn’t be a surprise to anybody because players of his type (tall, thick, defensively challenged power hitters) have a history of not aging well. This point has been demonstrated many times, but every time a new behemoth begins swatting balls all over a major league ballpark the local citizenry needs to be reminded.

...There are four basic individual skills that go into being a major league baseball player: hitting for power, hitting for average, speed and defense. The key to longevity is to be above average at as many of those skills as possible. The problem with players like Travis Hafner is that all of their talent is concentrated into one or two areas. In Hafner’s case, hitting for power and, to a lesser extent, hitting for average. As those skills degrade, Hafner can’t fall back on speed or defense to maintain his value. Unless he rediscovers his power in a hurry the Indians are in trouble this year and for the foreseeable future. History is not on his side. Are you watching Phillie fans?

Defensive Indifference: Is Cliff Lee for Real?

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...falling off the Lee Van Cliff?

To me, there are two obvious things that stand out. Most obviously, Lee’s BABIP is absurdly low so far this year, at .153. What this means is that Lee has been getting pretty damn lucky on balls in play, and that a regression to the mean is imminent. The other obvious thing is that Lee’s control has improved dramatically from last season. Lee walked 8.1% of hitters last season, and has walked only 1.9% of hitters so far this year. His strikeout rate is much better too, at 27.9% compared to 14.9%. His HR rate this season (zero) is obviously way too low, and will undoubtedly rise; especially considering that his FB rate is not much different from last season (46.6% as opposed to 49.7%). What has changed is that many balls that were line drives last year are now GB, and those rates will probably regress toward the mean as well.

What all this implies is that yes, Cliff Lee has certainly been the beneficiary of good luck (and honestly, who hasn’t that has a 0.28 ERA?). At the same time though, he has made some significant improvements in his game that bode well for his performance the rest of the way. His FIP ERA, which normalizes BABIP, still gives him an absurd 1.36 for this season due to his ridiculous K:BB and low HR rate. Assuming that he starts to allow HR at a somewhat normal rate, his ERA would still likely be around 3.

Livingston: Fans no longer seem bugged about steroids

The latest Livingston bramble…

Three of the principals in Friday’s night’s 6-4 Indians’ victory had connections to performance-enhancing drugs.

This is a story that also appears under the influence of heat and lights, even if they have to be provided at Congressional hearings, under oath. Without inquisitive reporters and aggressive lawmakers, baseball’s steroid use would probably still be growing, like the swarm of midges. Barry Bonds might still be employed and wearing a batting helmet the size of a duffel bag.

...So it goes, with the turnstiles spinning (31,467 at the Pro Friday night!) and not the alibis; with midges the dominant memory, and not the scars baseball will bear for years.

MiLB: Rockies acquire Smith from Cleveland

Bobby Jones, meet the Smith Brothers:

The Colorado Rockies announced prior to today’s game that the club has acquired right-handed pitcher Sean Smith from the Indians as the player to be named later in the deal that sent infielder Jamey Carroll to Cleveland on December 8, 2007.

Country Genius: Cobb’s Player of the Day: Bert Blyleven

Ricky Cobb on hot feet, curveballs, and whether Bert Blyleven really belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Did he achieve his potential?

If one were to answer this question “no” he would essentially be setting the bar on Blyleven’s potential at a Thor, God of Thunder-like level. And yet you can’t help but wonder if he should have won 300 games. His peripherals suggest over 300 wins and immortality in the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, Bert didn’t have the (guts) of a Jack “I’ll Rip Your Head Off, #### Down Your Neck, and Beat You 8-7” Morris.*

*Then again, perhaps it was because he didn’t get nearly as much run support.

TSN: Pinto: Utley’s homer surge could end 82-year drought

If only Jack Kubiszyn had been given half a shot…

When home run totals rose in the early 1920s, it was second basemen who first took advantage of the long ball. By the end of the decade, however, third basemen were fighting for homer supremacy. By 1950, the third basemen were clearly in control. From 1951 to 1972, no player hit 20-plus homers as a second baseman.

Then something interesting happened. Davey Johnson launched 42 homers as a second baseman in 1973. That equaled Hornsby’s record from 1922. Joe Morgan rose to dominance as a power-hitting second baseman, followed by Bobby Grich and then Ryne Sandberg. They were not only the best home run hitters at the position, but they also were elite defensive players. By the time Sandberg retired, it was clear a second baseman could both field the position and hit for power.

The first chart reveals this trend. Since Sandberg retired, the gap in home run percentage between second basemen and the rest of the league shrank. Thirty home runs among the second base leaders became the rule.

Indians place RHP Jake Westbrook on 15-day disabled list

The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has placed RHP JAKE WESTBROOK on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Sunday, April 20th with a left intercostal strain. To replace Westbrook’s spot on the Major League roster the Indians recalled OF BEN FRANCISCO from AAA Buffalo.

Westbrook has made 4 starts for the Indians so far this year as he is 1-2 with a 2.73 ERA (29.2IP, 28H, 10R/9ER, 5BB, 16K). His 2.73 ERA currently ranks 14th in the American League. Today marks the 5th DL stint of his Major League career

Thanks to Dub Baley

The Most Overrated Pitching Prospects in Baseball | Baseball-Intellect

Video scouting reports of the most overrated pitching prospects in baseball.  An excerpt follows:

Lofgren is liked by many because of his mental make-up. He is intelligent and has a great “feel” for pitching and many think his stuff plays up because of this. I completely appreciate the need for a pitcher to have a strong make-up and a great feel for pitching, but when it becomes the central argument for putting Lofgren among the better pitching prospects in the game, you lose me.

Including Chuck Lofgren (Indians), the other pitchers include Luke Hochevar (Royals), Greg Reynolds (Rockies), Matt Harrison (Rangers), and Kevin Mulvey (Twins)

Joe Posnanski Blog: Why Duane Kuiper is my hero

Why Poz hitched his wagon to the Kuiper belt and not the more powerful (by one mega-Oort, at least!) Hale bop is beyond me!

Still, no matter how bad the team, you need a hero. Everyone who would care knows that my favorite player of that time and all time was Racine’s own Duane Kuiper, Cleveland Indians second baseman from 1974 (22 at-bats, 11 hits, a spectacular debut!) through 1982 (traded for, ugh, Ed Whitson, who lasted only a year in Cleveland but did at least in his future life did break Billy Martin’s arm in a hotel fight). Duane Kuiper. Number 18. A .271 lifetime average with one home run, windblown, to right field, off Steve Stone in 1977, when I was 10 years old. I can keep going a while, if you like. Gemini. Five hit game off Catfish Hunter and Sparky Lyle in ‘76. Was drafted five times before finally signing with Cleveland out of Southern Illinois. Walked almost as many times (248) as he struck out (255) and he really hardly ever walked. And so on.

People always seem to think that I love Kuiper ironically, or that I’m somehow being a wise guy about this whole thing, but in the words of that noted philosopher Mike Gundy, that ain’t true. I loved Duane Kuiper when I was 10. And I love him now. He has always represented something important to me, something I did not really understand when I was young. Duane Kuiper was the player who brought the game closer. He was the one who said that you don’t have to be supremely gifted and impossibly strong and touched by God in order to get where you want to go. You can also dive for every ground ball. If there’s one lesson I could pass on to my daughters, it would be that lesson. And also that you should not throw your ice cream cone just because you decided today that you don’t like vanilla.

Rosenthal: Can Sabathia regain Cy Young form for a big deal?

Of course he can it’s his contract year therefore he’ll try harde...IT’S A CRAP!...HIS ERA IS NOW 13.50!

Yet, Sabathia is not going to undersell himself and forsake his leverage; his two previous multi-year contracts were club-friendly. The Mets awarded lefty Johan Santana a six-year, $137.5 million contract without him ever becoming a free agent. Sabathia isn’t nearly Santana, but he’s still pretty darned good.

First things first: Sabathia must get untracked. He issued four walks against the A’s in his second start, a total he did not reach in any of his 34 outings last season. He then allowed the A’s 12 hits in 3 1/3 innings in his third start, leaving too many pitches in the middle of the plate.

It could be anything. It could be nothing.

More than nine-tenths of his season remains.

Less now.

Borowski put on DL

The Indians placed closer Joe Borowski on the disabled list today with a strained right triceps muscle. Borowski has failed to convert his last two save situations, failing in spectacular fashion both times.

...

Manager Eric Wedge will discuss the closer situation before tonight’s game against Boston, but Rafael Betancourt, who pitched Monday, could get the first chance at the job.

Other injury choices were drill to the kneecap, 2x4 upside the head, and my foot square up his....well, you know.  I am hoping the dueling Raffy’s do well so he never ever comes back.

Plain Dealer: Borowski says he ‘had nothing’

COMPARED TO WHAT?!

Joe Borowski doesn’t know what’s wrong. One day he feels like he can throw the ball through a brick wall.

“The next day, I feel like I’m throwing through water,” said Borowski.

...Borowski met with Tribe manager Eric Wedge, General Manager Mark Shapiro and the team’s medical staff after the game to discuss the condition of his right arm and shoulder.

“I hope we can pinpoint something,” said Borowski. “Right now, it’s driving me crazy. I’m grasping at straws. Maybe it’s something. Maybe it’s nothing.”

..."I had nothing,” said Borowski. “I was stuck in one gear.”

Manny Ramirez seemed stunned by the pitch Borowski threw him.

“It seemed like a fastball,” he said. “It was something like 80 mph. Maybe it was change-up. It was right there.”

Wax Heaven: An eBay auction on LSD?

$10,000 for a Grady Sizemore baseball card? No wonder that Grady’s Ladies dude flipped out!

Nevermind that Grady Sizemore is a great baseball player who only seems to be improving. He is a guy with speed, power, and the ability to score 100 runs every year. You won’t get an argument from me, as I have his cards in my Stars Box. My question to you, the sports cards collector is simple: is his rookie card worth $10,000 to you or anyone you know? Here is one number that sticks out like a sore thumb when I look at his stats: 150+ strike outs in back to back season. That would be fine if he were a 40/120 guy in each season but he has never driven in 100 runs and has never hit more than 28 home runs.

I love that the guy makes an effort to compare the 2001 Albert Pujols rookie to this one but sorry, when compared to a guy like Albert Pujols stat-wise, Grady is a scrub. I understand it might be impossible to find another “PRISTINE” 2000 Bowman Draft Picks Grady Sizemore autograph but for under $300 you can buy the non-graded version of this exact card and have a lot more money left in your bank account, or Pay Pal balance.

Rosenthal: Source: Indians lock up Carmona through 2014

Carmona IS glue.

The Indians, facing the possible loss of left-hander C.C. Sabathia as a free agent after the season, are set to lock up their next potential ace long-term.

Right-hander Fausto Carmona, continuing the wave of young players signing multi-year deals, has agreed to a four-year, $15 million contract, according to a major-league source.

The deal includes three option years that could push the total value of the package to $47.25 million. The option years would cover Carmona’s final year of arbitration and first two years of free agency.

Carmona, 24, broke out in 2007, going 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA in his first full season as a starter. After two starts this season, he is 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA.

As a player with one-plus year of service, Carmona was originally set to be paid $457,800. His new contract will cover this season and likely include a salary increase.

Shaw: Careful what you wish for with replacing Borowski

Why...even the reprehensible mixolydian mode swings of Frank Funk would be an upgrade!

It’s not that the “Joe Must Go” chants weren’t unexpected after Joe Borowski blew the save in Anaheim Monday night in what could only be described as spectacular fashion. Two walks and a grand slam home run to turn a 4-2 lead into a 6-4 loss? A fireworks show after that would’ve been overkill.

You want Borowski replaced immediately? Fine. But by whom?

Rafael Betancourt would be the first option. How’s his April going? Exactly. His outings have been bombs bursting in air, too.

Masa Kobayashi? You gotta give the guy some time to settle in and feel comfortable with his transition to America. Right now, his familiarity is limited to his frequent visits to the wonder that is Wal-Mart.

Nothing in a baseball season is worth evaluating seven games into a season. That includes C.C. Sabathia, Paul Byrd, Travis Hafner, the left field platoon. And, hard as it is to accept, even JoeBo.

If this continues the Indians will replace him. But only when they can feel good about Plan B.

SI.com: Heyman: Back with the D-Backs

Heyman in Da Winehouse, with Back to D’Blacks…

NL picks: Pennant: D-Backs
AL picks: Pennant: Indians

AP: Carlos Zambrano leaves game after hurting hand [Opening Day injuries]

Chicago Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano left Monday’s opener against the Milwaukee Brewers in the seventh inning after injuring a hand while making a pickoff throw to second base.

SportsTicker: DeJesus leaves with sprained ankle

Kansas City Royals center fielder David DeJesus is day-to-day after aggravating his sprained right ankle in Monday’s 5-4 11-inning victory over the Detroit Tigers.

AP: Indians’ Victor Martinez injures leg in opener while running to second

Indians All-Star catcher Victor Martinez left Cleveland’s season opener on Monday in the second inning after injuring his left hamstring while running to second base… The Indians said Martinez has tightness in his hamstring and is day to day.

Martinez also got hurt in the 2007 season opener against Seattle, straining his left quadriceps while running to first base.

EV Tribune: Cactus League sets attendance record

Not much of a Bonds effect in Scottsdale, but I can’t imagine attendance will hold up well in SF.

The just-concluded Cactus League season set records for total attendance and per-game turnout.

“Not too bad,” league president J.P. de la Montaigne deadpanned Thursday.

Attendance this year was 1,316,160 for 177 games, which comes out to about 7,436 fans per game.
Once again, the top turnstile count was recorded at Mesa’s HoHoKam Park, home of the Chicago Cubs. The defending champions of the National League’s Central Division drew 181,280 fans in 15 games, and their average attendance of 12,085 was almost 22 percent higher than the runner-up San Francisco Giants.
The Scottsdale-based Giants suffered a slight drop in attendance from 2007, perhaps due to the absence of all-time home run leader Barry Bonds. Still, their per-game count of 9,929 was 10 percent better than the third-place Seattle Mariners, who train in Peoria.

“They did almost 10,000,” de la Montaigne said. “I think anybody would be happy with that.”

Services Thursday for ex-major league player

Former ML outfielder Roy Foster.

Foster died Friday. He was 62.

Foster was the Sporting News’ selection as the 1970 American League Rookie of the Year. After being acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers three days before the season opener, he batted .268 with 23 homers and 68 RBIs. In his first major league game, Foster homered off Baltimore’s Dave McNally.

MLB: Graig Nettles diagnosed with prostate cancer

When Graig Nettles learned he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, one of the first telephone calls he made was to former Yankees manager Joe Torre.

The current Dodgers skipper went through his own prostate cancer scare in 1999, diagnosed as part of a routine checkup. Torre underwent treatment and has had no related issues since, and the 63-year-old Nettles—awaiting surgery in early April—is keeping his spirits high. “He’s pretty upbeat about it after what he’s gone through,” Nettles said. “I hope I have the same fortune that he had.”

Nettles, a six-time All-Star third baseman, is scheduled to have surgery on April 8 at Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York. He was diagnosed the day before Thanksgiving last year, shortly after his brother, Jim, had also discovered his own prostate cancer.

Nettles said he was spurred to have his prostate checked by his brother, Jim, who informed the Gold Glover that cancer ran in the family. “They told me they got it early, and it’s curable and treatable,” Nettles said. “I’ve just got to think positive.”

MiLB: Questioning Authority with Chris Chambliss

Minorleaguebaseball.com: What do you remember most about your first time around in the Minor Leagues?

Chris Chambliss: Well, I only played one year of Minor League ball, but I do remember I hit .342 that year with Wichita, which led the league.

MiLB.com: Have times changed that much? How different are the Minors from when you were a player?

CC: Well, the setup is pretty close to being the same. I think that the players move around the leagues a lot faster today than they used to. For the most part, you had to learn a lot about the game before you were promoted to the next level. I think sometimes maybe talent is diluted because there are more teams.

Well...glad to see Chambliss learned a lot about the game before he was promoted.

MLB.com: Indians make certain Lara stays

A serious car accident in the Dominican Republic over the winter very likely robbed Juan Lara of any chance of pitching this season.

But Lara, a left-handed reliever who has been in the Indians organization since 1999, will still be financially supported by his club.

The Indians announced on Wednesday that although they have released Lara from their 40-man roster, they immediately re-signed him to a Minor League contract for 2008 so that he will continue to receive a paycheck for the length of the year. The team will also handle all of his medical expenses.

A classy move to help out a player who, even if healthy, wouldn’t have played more than a bit part on the 2008 Cleveland Indians.  It also clears a spot on the 40-man roster, so it’s not an entirely selfless decision on the part of the Indians.

Tim Laker admits taking steroids, regrets shortsightedness

Of all the “Sorry I took Steroids” stories that have come out, this was one of the few that even came close to pulling on my heart strings.

Laker, a former major league catcher who admitted in the Mitchell report that he injected himself with steroids to gain an edge, expressed sadness and deep remorse Sunday as he discussed cheating the game he loves.

The 38-year-old Laker was diagnosed in 1992 with colitis, a digestive disease, and he’d had other serious health issues, nearly dying in 2001 when his pancreas became infected. Laker doesn’t think his steroid use is tied to any of his health problems, including a hospital stay this winter because of another bout with colitis.

Laker opened his interview session by discussing the discomfort his link to the Mitchell report has caused his family. Clearing his throat, he nervously described having to look his 16-year-old stepson, Brando, in the eye after the report was issued.

The fact he was having problems all the way back in 1992 backs him up with his claim that the steroids didn’t tie into those hospital visits. You can’t help but somewhat feel for this guy, despite his steroid use: he’s fought with disease for over a decade and a half and his stepson is named Brando (mothers of America: don’t name your children Brando, just don’t).

Cleveland Indians’ Sabathia says talks over until end of season

Closed Captions Sabathia.

Here is the message from Sabathia that was posted late Wednesday:

“This off-season, through my representatives at Legacy Sports Group, I have discussed the possibility of a contract extension with the Cleveland Indians. At this time, we haven’t been able to reach agreement. Now that the reporting date for spring training is here, it is time to put aside contract discussions so that I can focus all of my energies and attention on preparing for the upcoming season.

“I look forward to a successful 2008 season, both for myself and for the Indians as a whole.”

“I will do everything within my power to help the club to its first World Series appearance since 1997 and its first World Series Championship since 1948.

“There will be time after the season for the Indians and my representatives to discuss my contract status. I remain hopeful that these discussions will result in a contract extension that will keep me with the franchise for many years to come. In the meantime, in order to avoid any distractions, my representatives and I will not make any further comment about my contractual situation beyond this statement.”

Paul Hoynes names his best Cleveland Indians at each position

Mike de la Hoz-ed again…

Right field: Manny Ramirez, B-R, T-R, 6-0, 213.

Ramirez is my pick as the best right fielder in team history, but it took some work. Still, it’s hard to turn your back on a man destined to hit 500 homers. Rocky Colavito, one of the most popular Indians ever, and Joe Jackson were considered. Jackson, the franchise leader with a .375 batting average, played in Cleveland before moving to Chicago where he helped the White Sox fix the 1919 World Series. In his eight years in Cleveland, Ramirez accomplished much. He hit 236 homers, third in franchise history, and set the single-season RBI mark. In 1999, Ramirez hit .333 with 45 homers and 165 RBI. Hal Trosky had held the RBI mark since 1936 with 162. Ramirez was an adventure. In one game against Detroit, he was thrown out trying to steal first. Off the field, nothing ever seemed to upset him. He collected traffic violations by the handful and was known to forget his hefty paycheck in visiting locker rooms. Ramirez left Cleveland and signed an eight-year, $160 million contract with Boston after 2000. He’s helped the Red Sox win two World Series.

Left-handed starter: Sam McDowell, B-L, 6-5, 218.

Sam McDowell won 122 games in 11 seasons with the Indians from 1961 to 1971. He is the franchise leader in victories by a left-hander, but it could have been more. McDowell probably cost himself a chance at the Hall of Fame because he partied too hard and drank too much throughout his career. Blessed with a great fastball, McDowell led the American League in strikeouts five times. In 1970 Sudden Sam won 20 games for the only time in his career and led the league with 305 innings pitched and 304 strikeouts. While Bob Feller holds the single-season strikeout record with 348 in 1946, McDowell holds the next four spots in the Indians record book. He ranks second in franchise history with 2,159 strikeouts and was a six-time All-Star.

Feller, McAfee recall memories from Iowa

ROGER CLEMENS HAS LESS THAN FIVE YEARS TO LIVE!

During his remarks later in the evening, Feller discussed a matter which has been in the news recently about some players using steroids.

“When they get older, they will realize they made a mistake. They will wind up ruining their brain and be dead by the time they are 50,” he said.

He also discussed the fact that sports have rules but often there are no consequences when they are broken.

“If there are no consequences, there’s no use having rules or laws,” he said.

TSN: Deveney: Santana aftershock: Can the Indians keep Sabathia?

So questions about Sabathia’s body and conditioning are behind him. I tell ya...George S. Kaufman gags never get old.

Still, the next week-plus figures to go a long way toward shaping the future of the Indians, as well as the future of teams that might realistically bid on Sabathia. The team wants this to be done once spring training gets under way, and for the Indians, that’s just nine days away. That’s a small window for a big deal. One theory going around is that the big-market teams were hesitant on trading for Santana because they figured they could just pay up for Sabathia next winter, without dealing away prospects.

I asked an NL executive to take a stab at how much Sabathia, who has had some waistline issues in his career, would get on the open market. “He seems to have put all the questions about his body and conditioning behind him,” he said. “Still, I don’t think anyone would go beyond five years. Maybe he could get to six with incentives. If it stretches to six years, you’d have to think $130 million.”