Special_K19
04-15-2003, 05:07 PM
04/14/2003 4:51 PM ET
Tribe notes: Inside stuff
Rookie isn't about to alter his approach
By Justice B. Hill / MLB.com
CLEVELAND -- Say what you want to about rookie Ricardo Rodriguez, but one thing you can't dispute is this: Rodriguez's willingness to control the inside of the plate.
"I have to pitch inside, because that's where I eat -- and my family, too," he said. "I gotta do it."
From the time he arrived in the Majors last season, Rodriguez has established himself as a pitcher who's unafraid to pitch tight. The corners, as he put it, are his, and he's not about to give them to any hitter who comes to the plate.
That willingness has earned the 24-year-old right-hander a reputation as a headhunter. He hits batters with regularity, and that hasn't endeared him to opposing players.
His work on the edges Sunday afternoon almost touched off a brawl, but the situation never unraveled Rodriguez, even after the plate umpire warned both benches to aim the baseballs at the plate and not at players.
His warning didn't alter Rodriguez's approach one bit.
"I wasn't concerned, because that's the way that I pitch," said Rodriguez, whose record is now 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA. "I gotta do it. If I can't pitch inside, I cannot pitch."
You're outta here! Umpire Jerry Crawford ejected reliever Carl Sadler after he plunked Royals center fielder Michael Tucker in the eighth inning.
Crawford's quick ejection led to an argument with Cleveland manager Eric Wedge. He complained that Crawford's quick trigger wasn't justified, because Sadler hadn't hit Tucker on purpose.
"Carl didn't have very good command of his pitches," Wedge said. "It just got away from him a little bit. He was struggling to just throw the ball over the plate."
Wedge did have a point. Sadler threw 11 pitches, and only three of them were strikes.
Still, Crawford had to be mindful of the ill-will between the Indians and the Royals. The two AL Central rivals almost brawled Sunday after a couple of players were hit by pitches.
After listening to Wedge's point, Crawford ejected Wedge.
"I just stayed out there too long -- maybe," he said.
There, take that! The Tribe's 6-1 win Sunday stopped the Royals from becoming the eighth team in Major League history to open the season 10-0. Besides Rodriguez, Milton Bradley had a lot to do with stopping history.
The Indians center fielder had said Saturday that the Tribe was better than the Royals, and he set out Sunday to prove it.
"We brought them down to earth a little -- burst their bubble," said Bradley, who went 4-for-5. "They wanted to fight, so I tried to beat them with my bat and glove."
Did you know? Second baseman Brandon Phillips is the fourth youngest position player in the American League. Only Omar Infante in Detroit (Dec. 26, 1981), Rocco Baldelli (Sept. 25, 1981) in Tampa Bay and Carl Crawford (Aug. 5, 1981) in Tampa Bay are younger than Phillips, who was born June 28, 1981.
Injury report: Karim Garcia rested his sore wrist again Monday. His injury, while improving, has kept him out of the Indians lineup for almost a week.
Giving back: Pitcher Jason Davis and infielder John McDonald will be visiting families Thursday at the Ronald McDonald House, a charitable residence for families with children under care at Rainbows Babies & Children's Hospital.
Tribe tidbits: The Indians bullpen has limited the opposition to a .215 average (28-for-130) and has not allowed an inherited runner to scored (0-for-0). In the last five games, the pen has a 2.16 ERA to lower its team relief ERA to 3.03, which is sixth best in the American League. ... Batters are 1-for-23 (.043) against closer Danys Baez.
Down on the farm: Aaron Myette (strained right quad) will continue his 30-day rehab assignment at Triple-A Buffalo. Myette made three relief appearances at Double-A Akron last week, allowing no runs in five innings. ... Pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, who left his last outing with pain in his shoulder, threw a pain-free bullpen Sunday in Akron, and he is scheduled to start Wednesday at Reading.
Quote 'em: "Whatever they have planned for me, I'll do. However many starts they need, I'll make them. If they need me to go back to the pen, I'll do that, too." -- Right-hander Jake Westbrook on what the future might hold for the fill-in starter.
Weather forecast: Spring finally arrived Monday night at Jacobs Field, and baseball fans can expect more of the warm weather Tuesday night. The forecast calls for highs in the low 80s with no chance of rain.
Coming up: Davis will start Tuesday night against the Orioles. The right-hander, who's struggled in his two earlier starts this season, will face veteran left-hander Omar Daal.
Tribe notes: Inside stuff
Rookie isn't about to alter his approach
By Justice B. Hill / MLB.com
CLEVELAND -- Say what you want to about rookie Ricardo Rodriguez, but one thing you can't dispute is this: Rodriguez's willingness to control the inside of the plate.
"I have to pitch inside, because that's where I eat -- and my family, too," he said. "I gotta do it."
From the time he arrived in the Majors last season, Rodriguez has established himself as a pitcher who's unafraid to pitch tight. The corners, as he put it, are his, and he's not about to give them to any hitter who comes to the plate.
That willingness has earned the 24-year-old right-hander a reputation as a headhunter. He hits batters with regularity, and that hasn't endeared him to opposing players.
His work on the edges Sunday afternoon almost touched off a brawl, but the situation never unraveled Rodriguez, even after the plate umpire warned both benches to aim the baseballs at the plate and not at players.
His warning didn't alter Rodriguez's approach one bit.
"I wasn't concerned, because that's the way that I pitch," said Rodriguez, whose record is now 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA. "I gotta do it. If I can't pitch inside, I cannot pitch."
You're outta here! Umpire Jerry Crawford ejected reliever Carl Sadler after he plunked Royals center fielder Michael Tucker in the eighth inning.
Crawford's quick ejection led to an argument with Cleveland manager Eric Wedge. He complained that Crawford's quick trigger wasn't justified, because Sadler hadn't hit Tucker on purpose.
"Carl didn't have very good command of his pitches," Wedge said. "It just got away from him a little bit. He was struggling to just throw the ball over the plate."
Wedge did have a point. Sadler threw 11 pitches, and only three of them were strikes.
Still, Crawford had to be mindful of the ill-will between the Indians and the Royals. The two AL Central rivals almost brawled Sunday after a couple of players were hit by pitches.
After listening to Wedge's point, Crawford ejected Wedge.
"I just stayed out there too long -- maybe," he said.
There, take that! The Tribe's 6-1 win Sunday stopped the Royals from becoming the eighth team in Major League history to open the season 10-0. Besides Rodriguez, Milton Bradley had a lot to do with stopping history.
The Indians center fielder had said Saturday that the Tribe was better than the Royals, and he set out Sunday to prove it.
"We brought them down to earth a little -- burst their bubble," said Bradley, who went 4-for-5. "They wanted to fight, so I tried to beat them with my bat and glove."
Did you know? Second baseman Brandon Phillips is the fourth youngest position player in the American League. Only Omar Infante in Detroit (Dec. 26, 1981), Rocco Baldelli (Sept. 25, 1981) in Tampa Bay and Carl Crawford (Aug. 5, 1981) in Tampa Bay are younger than Phillips, who was born June 28, 1981.
Injury report: Karim Garcia rested his sore wrist again Monday. His injury, while improving, has kept him out of the Indians lineup for almost a week.
Giving back: Pitcher Jason Davis and infielder John McDonald will be visiting families Thursday at the Ronald McDonald House, a charitable residence for families with children under care at Rainbows Babies & Children's Hospital.
Tribe tidbits: The Indians bullpen has limited the opposition to a .215 average (28-for-130) and has not allowed an inherited runner to scored (0-for-0). In the last five games, the pen has a 2.16 ERA to lower its team relief ERA to 3.03, which is sixth best in the American League. ... Batters are 1-for-23 (.043) against closer Danys Baez.
Down on the farm: Aaron Myette (strained right quad) will continue his 30-day rehab assignment at Triple-A Buffalo. Myette made three relief appearances at Double-A Akron last week, allowing no runs in five innings. ... Pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, who left his last outing with pain in his shoulder, threw a pain-free bullpen Sunday in Akron, and he is scheduled to start Wednesday at Reading.
Quote 'em: "Whatever they have planned for me, I'll do. However many starts they need, I'll make them. If they need me to go back to the pen, I'll do that, too." -- Right-hander Jake Westbrook on what the future might hold for the fill-in starter.
Weather forecast: Spring finally arrived Monday night at Jacobs Field, and baseball fans can expect more of the warm weather Tuesday night. The forecast calls for highs in the low 80s with no chance of rain.
Coming up: Davis will start Tuesday night against the Orioles. The right-hander, who's struggled in his two earlier starts this season, will face veteran left-hander Omar Daal.