Cleveland Sports Forum

Fausto Carmona said he didn't try to hit New York's Mark Teixeira on Friday, but didn't offer any ideas of how he will break out of his pitching slump.

NEW YORK -- The ruckus started by Fausto Carmona on Friday with the Yankees spilled into Saturday. The Indians have come out losers both days, but the real issue here remains shrouded in fog.

What is wrong with Carmona?

The Indians' opening day starter is 0-5 with a 8.49 ERA in his last six starts. On Friday he lost control of the game and his emotions. He was gone after four innings, allowing six runs on eight hits. Carmona, an All-Star last year, [because someone on the Tribe had to be] and a 17-game winner in 2007, has allowed 33 earned runs in his last 35 innings.

"Fausto is always going to battle some inconsistency with his delivery because he flies open a little," said manager Manny Acta. "It's more about getting the separation right between his off-speed stuff and the sinker.

"We're going to look at everything. He's had some really good starts this year. We have to find a happy medium."

Carmona threw only 48 percent (45 of 93) of his pitches for strikes Friday. He did not talk to reporters after the game. He told Jeff Sibel, the Indians' manager of media relations, that he was too emotional and wanted to wait until Saturday.
[that's a large part of his problem; Carmona has rarely been able to contain his emotions]

Before Saturday's game, with coaching assistant Francisco Morales interpreting, Carmona told reporters he didn't intentionally hit Mark Teixeira in the second inning after giving up a homer to Curtis Granderson in the same inning.

Teixeira, Yankee manager Joe Girardi and the rest of the Yankees thought he did. Both teams rushed onto the field with Girardi and Teixeira yelling at Carmona and Carmona challenging Teixeira to come to the mound if he was that upset.

At one point Acta and Girardi were yelling at each other.

"It's part of the game," said Carmona. "I know it didn't look good after the home run, but it's part of the game. That's not the last time Teixeira is going to get hit by a pitch and that's not the last time I'm going to miss a pitch."

Teixeira told reporters after the game that he was yelling at Carmona, "For three years you've been pitching me down and away. Now you come up and in on me?"

Said Carmona, "Teixeira says I was throwing him away, so I tried to change the plan. As much as Teixeira knows me, I know him, too."

Carmona said he was not surprised at the reactions of Teixeira and Girardi. "I was ready for anything," he said. "I just threw a pitch and hit him."

Dazed: Travis Buck missed his second straight game Saturday after he and his wife, Summar, were involved in a automobile accident Friday afternoon. The Bucks were traveling in a New York city cab when it hit a van that was turning in front of it.

"He was driving like crazy, weaving in and out of traffic," said Buck. "He T-boned this van going about 40 mph. My wife hit her head on glass window between the front and back seat of the cab. My head went right between the two panes of Plexiglas."

Buck said they'd been shopping at a sporting goods store near the team hotel in Manhattan. The Indians sent them both to a hospital for X-rays.

"My wife's got a bruise on her head," he said. "She got the worst of it, but she's been taking care of me."

After the accident, the Bucks exited the cab and walked back to the team hotel.

"The driver kept saying, 'You pay now, you pay now,'" said Buck. "It was about a $5 cab ride."

Buck said he may have a mild concussion and whiplash. On Friday, he had a headache, felt nauseous and was sensitive to light. Saturday morning he said he was still stiff and sore and had a headache.

Answers, please: What do the Indians have to do to start hitting again?

Catcher Lou Marson is hitting only .213 (13-for-61), but he has some ideas.

"We need a better approach as a team. Not only with runners in scoring position, but with nobody on. We're up there looking for a fastball, and no matter where it is, we're swinging."

Pluto:

About the Tribe ...

1. After Friday's debacle in New York, I received emails from fans wanting to trade Fausto Carmona. Now would be the worst time to do that -- it's like selling a stock on the worst day of the market. It's a good way to end up with some bad prospects. My first impulse was to think about sending him back to the minors because he needs to work on his mechanics and confidence, but Carmona does not have any minor-league options left. [DFA?]

2. Carmona's record is 3-8 with a 5.71 ERA. Here are his ERAs by month: April (5.15), May (5.45), June (8.71). In his last six starts, he is 1-5 with an 8.64 ERA. In those 35 innings, he has served up nine homers and 42 hits. So it's getting worse, not better. [that kind of summarizes his career, with a minor blip upward in 2011]

3. A few more interesting numbers: The batting average against Carmona with no one on base is .212. With runners on base, .343. With the bases loaded, batters are 5-of-7. Yes, it is a matter of controlling emotions and confidence.

4. In the past, Carmona had major problems with lefty hitters. But this season, it's .255 vs. lefties, .276 vs. righties. From 2008-10, it was .296 vs. lefties, 2.41 vs. righties. Nor is his control been poor in terms of walking hitters, but his pitch location is a problem. Look at those nine homers in the last 35 innings.

5. My guess is the Indians may keep starting Carmona, but if this continues -- how can he continue in the rotation? Jeanmar Gomez is 5-1, 2.36 ERA and pitching very well at Class AAA. Guess they could put Carmona in long relief. [not as closer again? that was a remarkable week in baseball history] Remember, this is a guy who went from a 19-game winner in 2007 to the minors and learning how to pitch again in 2009. He is very hard to figure.

6. Carmona's contract pays him $6 million this season. He has three more years, all club options: $7 million (2012), $9 million (2013) and $12 million (2014). The Indians can pick up or decline each option at the end of a season. The contract would make him attractive to some teams because it's not guaranteed, but it's hard to imagine them receiving m much in return. [glad to learn this is the last year we're stuck with him; would be willing to look at offers even if not much comes in return;

7. According to fangraphs.com, Orlando Cabrera is the worst regular defensive second baseman in either league. The main reason is his lack of range, combined with problems getting rid of the ball quickly on double-play pivots. The Indians don't reveal their internal stats, but it's a safe guess that they reveal that Cabrera isn't making anyone forget Robbie Alomar or even Duane Kuiper. Defense is one of the major reasons the Tribe finally decided to promote Cord Phelps -- hoping they can be at least average at second base.

8. The Indians have to really think about Austin Kearns not too hard a think, I'd think, who has done almost nothing since being traded to the Yankees in the middle of last season -- thank you, Yanks! Zach McAllister is a gift that could keep on giving long after Kearns is retired as the 23-year-old right-hander is 7-2 with a 3.13 ERA. Since that deal, Kearns is 39-of-180 (.210) with two homers and nine RBI. This season, he is 15-of-78 (.192) with no homers and two RBI. Yes, it's part-time duty, but if he hit more, he'd play more.

9. Michael Brantley usually was a leadoff hitter in the minors, and he should stay there with the Tribe. In the No. 1 spot, he's hitting .310 (.360 on-base). The only A.L. leadoff hitters with higher batting averages are Jacob Ellsbury (.329) and Maicer Izturis (.317).

10. Grady Sizemore is developing into a pure power hitter. Consider that he entered the weekend with more doubles (14) than singles (10). He also had seven homers. He was hitting .256, with a poor walk (5) to strikeout (35) ratio in 121 at-bats. Those are not the numbers of a typical leadoff man. That's too many strikeouts and not enough walks for any hitter

A simple form of realignment being seriously considered has been raised in the labor talks between Major League Baseball and the players' association, according to four sources: two leagues of 15 teams, rather than the current structure of 16 teams in the National League and 14 in the American League.


More from ESPN.com
ESPN.com's Jim Bowden has a radical plan to make baseball make sense geographically and expand the postseason pool. Blog


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As the realignment discussion goes forward, it's the union that is viewed as the driving force behind the idea of two 15-team leagues, writes ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. Blog

According to a highly ranked executive, one consideration that has been raised in ownership committee meetings is eliminating the divisions altogether, so that 15 AL and 15 NL teams would vie for five playoff spots within each league. Currently, Major League Baseball has six divisions.

A source who has been briefed on the specifics of the labor discussions says that the players' union has indicated that it is open to the idea of two 15-team leagues, but that the whole plan still hasn't been talked through or presented to the owners.

Sources say the talks are serious, and while one executive believes the odds of change are less than 50-50, another says this is the type of discussion that can gather momentum and become a reality.

A sticking point involves interleague play. Because of the odd number of teams in each league, it is possible that a team in contention late in the season will have to be playing its final games in interleague play.

One of the biggest issues that would have to be resolved in any realignment resulting in two 15-team leagues is which of the National League teams would switch to the American League.

Two highly ranked executives believe the Houston Astros would be a possibility, because a switch to the AL for Houston would foster a rivalry between the Astros and the Texas Rangers.

The Marlins could be another candidate, a source suggested.

"There are still a lot of details that would have to be discussed," one source said.

http://espn.go.com/blog/the-gms-office/ ... ealignment

Bowden plan. I like it.

Oh just send the Brewers back.

Milwaukee wouldn't go for being taken out of the same division as St Louis and Chicago.

Butthead Selig was willing to have them be the sacrificial lamb last time, why not this time as well? Or is he finally really not involved with them any more?

The Bowden plan in that link sounds like something thought up by an NFL wanna-be. Yeah let's start the season on Mar. 24, sure.

Might be interested in Minor Matters game story of Kinston's epic 23 inning victory Sunday

With Cleveland Indians in free fall, front office must decide between keeping the kids, or finding veteran help: Bud Shaw

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On May 23, when the Indians' stock hit its most recent high, they led the division by seven games. Since then, they've looked like the worst investment since the vacation timeshare.
That's the basic question for General Manager Chris Antonetti and the Dolans. Are the Indians a pretty sure thing or a desperate roll of the dice to make the postseason? Five shutout losses in the last 17 games might make that sound like a trick question. Playoffs? Playoffs?

If the answer is not convincingly affirmative that this team could play in October and be realistically expected to do something once they get there, management would be foolish to sell off any top prospects on the if-come.

Nobody wants to hear anything that could be remotely translated as "Wait till next year." Remember, though, when this season began many wanted to see Lonnie Chisenhall at third base regardless of the team's chances, or, better yet, because of the team's chances.

Chisenhall was a civic cause. Anyone now want to give him up for two or three months of Vladimir Guerrero?

The way things are developing (or not), adding to the roster could well be a moot point by late July. This latest version of the Indians can't hit enough to suggest that another right-handed bat -- Guerrero, Michael Cuddyer -- could make much of a difference. What we have seen in the first few months of the season is not a large enough sample to rule out a turnaround for two guys who absolutely must hit for the Indians to be an October threat -- Shin-Soo Choo and Carlos Santana. However, that point is quickly approaching.

Not to single those two out. Matt LaPorta's 10 weeks in the lineup may not be alarming, but it's not especially promising, either. Since we've seen so much more from Michael Brantley, let's agree to call it worrisome. It's fair to ask, "Is 15-18 homers and a .250 average going to be all there is with LaPorta?"
You wonder if management doesn't already have serious doubts about the first-place pedigree of this bunch. Replacing Orlando Cabrera with Cord Phelps is an atypical move for a team in first place, especially when the decision cuts the playing time of a player the Indians consistently applaud for his veteran presence.

Cabrera has a knack of playing for teams that go to the postseason, then don't invite him back. Whatever that's about, watching Cabrera play all those consecutive games on artificial turf made him look 46, not 36.

The loss of Alex White didn't cost the Indians a fifth starter. He pitched more like a No. 3 on a team whose alleged ace, Fausto Carmona, looks like he needs a month in Columbus to get himself straight.
The Indians are building something. The last month says the hard-hat zone is going to extend beyond this year.

Would there be a backlash if ownership doesn't do something dramatic to improve the roster in 2011? It's hard to imagine a more negative environment than existed around the club and the Dolans when the season began. How could it be any worse after one more non-playoff season?

Attendance improved for a simple reason in May. People liked the product. They saw some hope in its long-term possibilities.

The only way the Dolans waste an opportunity with fans is if they're sitting atop the division in late July and still don't improve their roster. With the direction they're currently heading, that won't be an issue.

On May 23, Tribe record was 30-15

Since then, it's 4-14, including 5 shutouts.

civ ollilavad wrote:Might be interested in Minor Matters game story of Kinston's epic 23 inning victory Sunday

I saw that on the Indians main site. Record game for the league.

And they followed the marathon with a DH on Monday. Fortunately a pair of well pitched starts gave the bullpen the day to recuperate.

Cleveland Indians: Why Cleveland Fans Shouldn't Pull out the White Flag Just Yet
By Jim McCarthy (Contributor) on June 14, 2011

After jumping out of the gate to one of their hottest starts in over a decade, the Cleveland Indians have lost 14 of their last 19 games.

During that stretch the Tribe offense has only managed 2.8 runs per game, and have been either shut-out or held to just one run nine times. In the American League that is truly a recipe for disaster, especially when you are facing some of the most potent lineups in all of baseball in the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Rays and Rangers.

Many in Cleveland are already throwing up the white flag. Most of us have seen this happen more times than we can count. A Cleveland team shows promise, creates a buzz around the city only to let us down in the end.

We have prepared ourselves for this; it's like a defense mechanism.

It was fun while it lasted, right?

I wouldn't be so quick to jump off the bandwagon just yet folks.

Consider this: The Indians are now tied with Detroit for the best record in the Central Division with a record of 35-29. Last year, through their first 64 games, the Indians were 25-39 and 11.5 games out of first place.

They haven't had a winning record at this point in the season since 2007, when they had just three more wins at 38-26.

Even though the offense has struggled you have to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Travis Hafner, who was batting .345 with five HRS and 22 RBI before going on the disabled list, should be back in the next week or two. Shin-Choo and Carlos Santana are too good to continue their offensive struggles; one of them if not both will get hot at some point.

Asdrubal Cabrera is continuing to put together a MVP caliber season and Grady Sizemore looks like he continues to get better each game.

The pitching overall has been very solid. Tribe starters have faltered a bit as of late but have continued to pitch well enough to keep the team in games.

The Indians bullpen is currently third best in the American League. Reliever Joe Smith hasn't given up a run in his last 12 appearances and Closer Chris Perez has converted his last 10 consecutive save opportunities.

Even after this bad stretch, the Indians are still 21-18 against teams with a record at .500 or above and they are 20-12 at home. These kids have definitely hit a rough patch in the season, but their hot start will allow them to still contend while they work out these difficulties.

There is also more help on the way down on the farm. Remember Luis Valbuena? He is quietly putting together a great season in Columbus. Valbuena currently leads the Clippers in average (.318), doubles (17), and RBI (41), not to mention his above-average defense at second base.

Valbuena also has great chemistry with Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera; both grew up playing together as children in Venezuela.

The other factor, which really might be the most important, is manager Manny Acta. This guy has been the manager of the year so far in the American League and he won't let this team give up anytime soon.

He has been preaching that this team was good enough to contend since December and he continues to believe that.

Maybe that's what he was explaining to Joe Girardi the other night in New York?

You're still questioning it aren't you? That's OK. You're probably a Cleveland sports fan. We expect every team to fail in the end and every star player to leave in his prime.

This is who we are and we still love every minute of it, whether we admit it or not.

So, sit back and enjoy a team in contention. Stop looking at the glass half empty. You will thank me when September comes around.

Someone is whistling in the dark.

This is what I remember of the Indians for 40 years. FORTY YEARS!!

husker wrote:Someone is whistling in the dark.

This is what I remember of the Indians for 40 years. FORTY YEARS!!

48 years!! FORTY EIGHT years!!



Digression.....there was a Little Rascal's episode that involved "whistling in the dark" that is rarely found these days due to political correctness.