Westbrook Back with the Bigs; Julio Sent Packing
The Indians always seem to find a middle of the road relief pitcher to give a shot to in spring training, and usually by this time of the year they find out why that pitcher was available on the open market. Hello Jorge Julio. The former D-Back, Rockie and Marlin is the latest in a string of bad relief pitchers to make a stop in Cleveland, and Tuesday night the Indians bid him “so long” as they dumped him in the call-up for Jake Westbrook. Juilo this season was 0-0 with an ERA of 5.60. In 17.2 innings he allowed 11 runs on 18 hits with three homers.
The nail in the coffin came Friday night when in relief for Fausto Carmona he allowed five runs on six hits in 1.2 innings in an eventual 13-9 loss to the Rangers in a game the team could have rallied to win if Julio was able to keep the team in the game. Instead he pitched like a guy that wanted to be released, and he got his wish. Add him to the scrap heap of guys like Guillermo Mota (1-3 with a 6.21 ERA in 34 games in 2006), and Arthur Rhodes (3-1, 2.08 ERA before leaving the team out of nowhere in 2005) for relievers that didn’t pan out.
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.
