Tribe Opens Up Grapefruit Play Today vs Astros
Today the Indians open up Grapefruit League play for the final time as they take on the Astros at home in Winter Haven at 1:05 pm. You can listen the game locally on WTAM 1100 with the Indians Radio Network. Righty Jeff Harris will throw first for the Tribe, as it was supposed to be Jake Westbrook, who has started every Indians exhibition opener since 2003, but he has a sore arm.
Pitching coach Carl Willis said of Westbrook: “Jake gets the same thing every spring training. It showed itself a little earlier this year. We’ll back him off for a couple of days.” Hmmm….let’s hope that is all it us and nothing more. Can’t start the season with Westbrook hurt, and don’t WANT to start the season with him hurt.
Yesterday’s intersquad game was shelved due to rain. From what I heard it was a rather miserable day down there, as it rained pretty much the whole day. Yesterday’s scheduled pitchers were - Fausto Carmona, Rafael Perez, Masa Kobayashi, Scott Elarton, Chuck Lofgren, Rich Rundles, Cliff Lee, Jensen Lewis, Aaron Fultz, Jeff Harris, J.D. Martin and Reid Santos.
Matt has covered Major League Baseball and the "other two" Pro teams in Cleveland since 1994. He has been on the beat of the Indians in full-time mode since 1996, working for various raido and print networks around the country.
