Category: Cleveland Indians (Page 11 of 96)

The Cleveland Indians wasted no time in picking up the options of Jake Westbrook and Casey Blake. This news coming along with the not surprising news that Aaron Boone has been released. Westbrook is a strong pitcher that Cleveland should contemplate signing to a multi-year deal. Blake came back strong this year after struggling all of last season.

The Indians will now concentrate on building their bullpen to make a run at the pennant next year. This search will hopefully be done with a new manager.

The Cleveland Indians finished the season on a high, but useless note. The Indians started this year with tons of promise and expectations. The fans watched helplessly as manager Eric Wedge, coached this team out of contention.

I believe Wedge is a poor judge of talent and a bad game day coach. Last year, we watched as the Tribe refused to bunt and advance runners and the playoffs slipped away from them. This year, we managed to eliminate the playoffs early and turned 2006 into a rebuilding season.

I do understand that General Manager Mark Shapiro and the Dolan’s tight wallets should receive some of the blame, but this team still has the players to make a run for the pennant.

I’m sure some fans will debate this point. I just want you to answer one simple question. Should the Indians have been in the playoffs one of the last two seasons?

The Indians got three solo home runs, two by Casey Blake, as they wiped away the Devil Rays for the third straight night. The teams had to endure another rain delay but it didn’t seem to matter as the Tribe eased to a 6-1 win. Ryan Garko, Victor Martinez, and Blake all had two hits apiece and Shin-Soo Choo homered for the first time since his grand slam in Boston. Jake Westbrook was solid once again. He allowed the lone run through seven innings as he earned his 15th win of the season. Westbrook, who finished the 2006 campaign with a 4.17 ERA, has a $6.1 million option for next season and after performances like this, it would be in the Indians’ best interest to pick it up.

“I expect [Westbrook] to be back,” Wedge said before Saturday’s game.

The Tribe barely had to take the bat off of their shoulders to win this one. With the game tied at 1 in the bottom of the ninth, all the Indians had to do was watch as two Tampa Bay relievers combined to walk four batters to give the Tribe a 2-1 win. Jhonny Peralta let ball four pass with the bases loaded for his second RBI of the night.

“That was a professional at-bat by Jhonny,” Michaels said. “That was a tough situation. With one out and that guy throwing 175 mph, it was a good at-bat.”

In his second major league start, Indians pitcher Brian Slocum got the win as he struck out five in six innings. The Tribe only managed five hits but it was all they would need as they won for the sixth time in their last seven games. It wasn’t your typical last at-bat dramatic victory, but the Tribe will take what they can get. They have put together a nice string of wins here at the end of the season and have a chance to finish on a very positive note.

Paul Byrd was able to salvage a bad month by winning his last start of the season Thursday. Despite the win, Byrd was clearly unhappy and disappointed with the way he has pitched this season and wants to do all he can to fix whatever was wrong. He finished the season 10-9 with a 4.88 ERA.

“It feels good to win, but it’s just a small feel-good,” said Byrd, who expressed appreciation for fan support despite a disappointing season by flinging his jersey to a youngster sitting behind the Indians’ dugout after the game.

“The Cleveland fans have been great,” said Byrd, who was signed to a two-year, $14.25 million contract as a free agent last December by general manager Mark Shapiro.

“Shapiro put his confidence in me and I felt like I couldn’t answer,” Byrd said. “I have to figure out why and that starts tomorrow, so I can get it done next season.”

With an ERA near 5, Byrd did not pitch up to expectations this season and he has a right to be a little upset with himself. He is a veteran pitcher and hopefully will be able to work through some of his problems because the Indians are going to need him next season.