Indians Confidential

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.

Gas prices going up, disagreements between Democrats and Republicans, and the Indians offense putting up about 1-3 runs and 4-8 hits. These things in life you can count on these days, as Wednesday night in Chicago once again the offense did nothing to give fans confidence that there is going to be October baseball in Cleveland in 2008.

Now yes, it may seem harsh, but following the latest setback, 7-2 to the White Sox, the Indians now sit entrenched in third place in the AL Central, 3.5 back of the White Sox, who are rolling winners of seven straight. Following an impressive homestand in which they went 6-1, the wheels have come off in a hurry. They have dropped five straight, their longest losing streak of the season, and in those five losses have scored a whopping 12 runs. In the 6-1 homestand it looked as if they were finally getting the bats warmed up, as they scored 31 runs in 7 games.

Wednesday night, the team did build a 2-0 lead and seemed to be doing just fine behind starter Paul Byrd, who threw only 55 pitches till the sixth and didn’t allow a hit till Nick Swisher singled in the fifth. Then the bottom fell out, as in the 6th Byrd allowed a single and a walk, and then it was back to doing what he unfortunately does best right now - give up a home run. The latest blast belonged to Jermaine Dye, whose three-run shot made it 3-2.

After a Jim Thome single and Paul Konerko single, Byrd was done for the night. Jorge Julio came in, and didn’t fare much better, allowing a Joe Crede double that made it 4-2, then after an intentional walk, a sac fly by Alexei Ramirez made it 5-2, ending the night on the scoresheet for Byrd. Chicago kept on the hitting parade, hitting two solo homers in the 6th as Dye and Thome each went deep off of Julio and Craig Breslow to make it 7-2.

The offense didn’t do much against White Sox starter Javier Vazquez, putting up two runs on four hits. Michael Aubrey hit his second homer since his call-up, and Travis Hafner showed signs of life with a double in the 6th that made it 2-0 until the Sox finally woke up. On the night the team put up seven hits, drew two walks, and struck out nine times. If it seems like you’ve heard this story before - you have.

Thursday night the teams wrap up their three-game set, as Aaron Laffey (2-2, 1.35) tries to stop the bleeding for the Indians vs Mark Buehrle (2-5, 5.27) for the Sox at 8:11pm.

You know it’s bad when even Cliff Lee can’t stop the bleeding.  Sunday in Cincy, Lee was hit hard for the first time all season, allowing a couple of homers and six runs as the Indians were swept by the rival Reds 6-4 at Great American Ballpark.  Lee lost for the first time all season, allowing six runs, five earned in 5.2 innings.  He gave up 10 hits, walked one and struck out two.  He falls to 6-1 on the season, and his ERA finally moves over 1, at 1.37.

There were able to get a few runs off of Reds starter Edinson Volquez, who came in at 6-1.  The Indians got to hiim for two runs on four hits on 6 innings.  They got two more runs in the bottom of the 6th when it was 6-2 Reds, as Jamey Carroll and Victor Martinez got singles off of the Reds pen to make it 6-4.  The bullpen for Cincy was able to close it out, giving them their 21st win against 23 losses.  The Indians fall to 22-22 on the season.

The offense pounded out nine hits in the loss.  Carroll was 2-for-4, while seven other players each had one hit.  The pen did a good job, as Jensen Lewis, Rafael Perez and Jorge Julio held the Reds to just one hit over the last 2.1 innings.  They did allow two walks, but neither were able to score, so they meant little.

The road trip continues for the Indians as they move to Chicago for a three-game set vs the White Sox on Monday night.  C.C. Sabathia (3-5, 5.47) takes on Jose Contreras (4-3, 3.35) at 8:11pm.

It took all of one blown save for the Indians bloggers across the world to call for closer Joe Borowski’s head. Yes, I will be the first to admit that his presence in a ball game, a close ball game, in the 9th inning usually calls for a bottle of antacids. Last season with 45 saves for the AL Central Champs it always seemed that JoBo was finding ways to get in trouble in that final frame. It was like Borowski was the more in-shape version of Bob Wickman.

With that though, I am not going to panic just yet. Don’t forget last season when Borowski gave up an April slam to Alex Rodriguez in New York that lost the Indians a chance to salvage an early season game in the Bronx. These things are going to happen. Mariano Rivera lost a World Series game seven once, and he is a for sure Hall of Famer.

I’m not saying I want to go though another gut-wrenching, sweaty palms season every time Borowski comes in, but I’m also looking around wondering what choices the team has. Rafel Betancourt, Rafael Perez, Jensen Lewis, Jorge Julio? I guess for now I’ll take my chances with Borowski. After all, what choice does the team really have?

Who should be the closer for the Cleveland Indians?

Raul Casanova had a pair of hits and drove in a run as the New York Mets beat the Cleveland Indians, 3-1, on Wednesday night. Aaron Laffey started for the Indians and allowed just one run on five hits over five innings. Jeremy Sowers followed and allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits over three innings. Both are battling with Cliff Lee to be the fifth man in the starting rotation. The Indians lone run came on a solo homer by Jason Michaels. The Indians will continue exhibition play this afternoon as they will be in Winter Haven to host the Tampa Bay Rays. First pitch at Chain of Lakes Park is set for 1:05 p.m.

Jorge Julio is expected to throw this afternoon against the Rays. Julio had to leave Monday’s exhibition game against the Phillies because of a blister on his right index finger. Julio said he felt good after being able to play catch on Wednesday. Julio, who’s in the running for the final spot in the Indians’ bullpen, is 0-and-1 with a 2.57 ERA this spring.

If Cliff Lee was set to be the #5 starter for the Indians in two weeks when the season starts, one has to wonder if that was blown yesterday in the teams loss to the Phillies. Lee was not very good, allowing six runs on 11 hits over four innings. Eric Wedge gave him a vote of confidence in the post game, but bottom line is this looked like the Lee that got shelled enough to eventually put him in the minors last season.

Lee didn’t get any help from Andy Marte at third, who basically ole’d two balls in the second inning that allowed the Phillies to score five of their total six runs. Marte allowed one past him by Jimmy Rollins that allowed two runs to score, and then Shane Victorino hit one that Marte couldn’t come up with that allowed two more runs to score.

Some other notes from the loss: Jorge Julio left the game in the 8th with a blister on his right index finger. Aaron Herr hit a homer in the 9 hole for Lee in the fifth to make it 6-3. Victor Martinez also homered for the Indians in the 9th to make it 6-4, it was Victor’s first spring homer. Jhonny Peralta went 2-for-3 with a double and is hitting .296 for the spring. The team is off today, and will be in Port St.Lucie tomorrow to play the Mets.

Each Day in the Spring PR stud Bart Swain at the Tribe sends the media updates on what’s going on.  We will do our best to post them as we get them.  Here is today’s edition of “Spring Training Daily” from Winter Haven.    

What went on: Eric Wedge held a 9AM staff meeting this morning with his Major League coaching staff and the 20 minor league managers/coaches/coordinators that are assisting with big league camp.

Seen and Heard: Players already in camp include, Masa Kobayashi, Jake Westbrook, Scott Elarton, Matt Ginter, Tom Mastny, Dave Wallace, Shin-soo Choo, Jordan Brown, Chris Gimenez, Jeff Harris, Scott Lewis, Aaron Laffey, Wyatt Toregas, Jeff Stevens, Reid Santos and Victor Martinez, who has been here since Feb 5 and is looking fighting trim.

Lara Update: Juan Lara was in Cleveland yesterday, February 12^th, for a post-operative follow-up examination at the Cleveland Clinic. Drs. Jeff Lawton and Doug Orr reviewed x-rays and examined Juan. Juan is progressing well and will begin formal occupational therapy at Lutheran Hospital today.

Julio Delayed: RHP Jorge Julio will be a few days late as he secures his work visa out of his native Venezuela. Julio was unable to begin the visa process until he officially signed with a US team (signed with the Indians on 1/31).