Special_K19
05-11-2003, 05:53 PM
From the News-Herald's Hal Lebovitz
NO QUICK FIX
The Indians' problems are simple to analyze: No. 1, the weak bullpen has let the starters down and, No. 2, they get a fair amount of runners on base, but they can't get the timely hit to score them. ..... Manager Eric Wedge, the ultimate competitor, keeps nudging GM Mark Shapiro to find some immediate band-aids. Shapiro has promised him a review of what's here and what's there (in the minors) after 40 games. Shapiro, although delighted by the manager's intense desire to win, has insisted on patience, pointing the importance of sticking to the master plan. The 40 games are about up and the pow-wow shortly will take place. There won't be any big changes. The biggest will be sending Jason Davis back to Buffalo. He has been pitching with too much pressure on himself and continuing to do so appears harmful. At Buffalo, he won't feel as though the world rests on each pitch. His departure will make room for Jason Bere. Room also must be made soon for Mark Wohlers, who has been working out with the Lake County Captains and comes off the disabled list on May 28. He should help the bullpen, which needs another veteran arm. ..... I think Jake Westbrook has shown too much stuff as a starter to lose his spot.
******
THE LOOK BELOW
The demotion of Chad Paronto to Buffalo seems to have made a miraculous change in him. His curve is now crisp, according to scouts, and his fastball has added a few mph. He's been almost perfect out of the bullpen. Or is it that the hitters are definitely not as good? In any case, this is what the Indians hope will happen to Davis -- a shot of confidence and the opportunity to learn in a mild environment. ..... Cliff Lee, the pitcher obtained in the Bartolo Colon deal, finally threw off the mound in Winter Haven, Fla., last week. Now he's going through on the verge of "letting the ball go," since his ribs have healed. ..... Ricky Gutierrez has finally returned to Winter Haven and will begin to serve as a designated hitter.
******
WHO'S ON THIRD?
Shapiro admits there is no immediate solution to finding a third baseman of the future. The fellows playing there are just fill-ins. He says "when the rest of the team jells," he'll have to make a trade or sign a free agent. The third possibility is that Corey Smith, now playing third at Akron, by then blossoms into what was expected of him as a top draft choice. "He's only 20," says Shapiro, "and he can hit with power." The Tribe brass agrees Jhonny Peralta could play third right now on defense, but they don't project his bat to be the power-type preferred at third. ..... Currently, Greg LaRocca is hitting much better in Buffalo than Casey Blake is batting here, and LaRocca could be brought up after the "40-game" meeting. But Blake is more versatile since he also can play first. It appears LaRocca will lose out.
******
NEW LOOK
Tribe catcher of the future Victor Martinez is so feared by Triple-A clubs -- he's reputedly the best hitter in the International League -- rival managers have ordered their pitchers to throw him mostly change-ups and curves. He rarely sees a fastball. As a result, he's getting an education in seeing off-speed stuff and is developing the patience to wait for a pitch to drive -- or else walk. His walks now exceed his strikeouts. ..... Assistant GM Neal Huntington, who recently visited Buffalo, uses Martinez as an example of what Tribe hitters are now going through. He says, "Major-league pitchers are so smart they soon discovered the weaknesses of our hitters.. Now our hitters must develop the discipline to wait for their pitch. Josh Bard is working on that, but it takes a long time. It's like our young hitters are in elementary school facing seniors. Brandon Phillips is now realizing it takes more than athletic ability to hit in the majors. Our kids, in time, should become as smart as the pitchers."
******
LOADING UP
Once, the Indians had little outfield talent on their farms. Now there's an abundance. Huntington came back with high praise for Coco Crisp and Alex Escobar. "Coco knows he'll be up eventually," said Huntington, "but he has the patience to know he skipped Double-A and needs work in some parts of his game. He's got to regain his arm strength. Escobar struggled at bat early on. One night, he took his bat home and went through the things he was being taught. Night after night he did this. He's now driving the ball. There's a lot of talent in Buffalo." ..... Another sudden thought: You can bet Charlie Manuel, now with the Phillies, is reading the Tribe box scores every day and probably saying, "I could have done better if I still were manager." Or maybe, "How smart I was to quit."
******
SCOUTING
Shapiro is now concentrating on the June draft, in which the Tribe has four choice selections. The top player in the nation appears to be Ryan Harvey of Dunedin (Fla.) High. He's 6-foot-5, weighs 215 and his power rating is off the charts. Tampa Bay has the No. 1 choice and it must take Harvey. In the Tampa area, he's like LeBron is here. ..... The Red Sox recently called a meeting, not to talk baseball, but to figure out how to handle the critical Boston media. Pedro Martinez has joined Manny Ramirez in not speaking to the writers, and Nomar Garciaparra is grumbling about doing the same. ..... It's no longer a secret that Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella is calling all the pitches for his staff. His catcher, Toby Hall, is just learning the position. Now Lou can't second-guess himself. ..... Tribe executive Dennis Lehman, along with Huntington, Jacobs field groundskeeper Brandon Koehnke and operations chief Jim Folk visited Port Charlotte, Fla., on Thursday to see how it compares to Winter Haven as a short-term spring training site. They found the fields in excellent shape, a good clubhouse, but no classrooms. Now Lehman, with their input, must weigh what he has at Winter Haven, which doesn't have a dime for more improvements, against what Port Charlotte offers.
******
DRAWING POWER
While Indians attendance has fallen 31 percent, the Phillies' is up 20 percent. ..... By playing several home games in Puerto Rico, the Montreal Expos are up 70 percent. The Reds, in their new park, have raised their attendance 33 percent, and the Angels, in their same park, are up a w.h.o.p.p.ing 62 percent. That's what a world championship can do. ..... Last week, the Vegas guys had the Indians at 120-1 to win the World Series. After losing three straight to the Angels, they fell to 150-1.
NO QUICK FIX
The Indians' problems are simple to analyze: No. 1, the weak bullpen has let the starters down and, No. 2, they get a fair amount of runners on base, but they can't get the timely hit to score them. ..... Manager Eric Wedge, the ultimate competitor, keeps nudging GM Mark Shapiro to find some immediate band-aids. Shapiro has promised him a review of what's here and what's there (in the minors) after 40 games. Shapiro, although delighted by the manager's intense desire to win, has insisted on patience, pointing the importance of sticking to the master plan. The 40 games are about up and the pow-wow shortly will take place. There won't be any big changes. The biggest will be sending Jason Davis back to Buffalo. He has been pitching with too much pressure on himself and continuing to do so appears harmful. At Buffalo, he won't feel as though the world rests on each pitch. His departure will make room for Jason Bere. Room also must be made soon for Mark Wohlers, who has been working out with the Lake County Captains and comes off the disabled list on May 28. He should help the bullpen, which needs another veteran arm. ..... I think Jake Westbrook has shown too much stuff as a starter to lose his spot.
******
THE LOOK BELOW
The demotion of Chad Paronto to Buffalo seems to have made a miraculous change in him. His curve is now crisp, according to scouts, and his fastball has added a few mph. He's been almost perfect out of the bullpen. Or is it that the hitters are definitely not as good? In any case, this is what the Indians hope will happen to Davis -- a shot of confidence and the opportunity to learn in a mild environment. ..... Cliff Lee, the pitcher obtained in the Bartolo Colon deal, finally threw off the mound in Winter Haven, Fla., last week. Now he's going through on the verge of "letting the ball go," since his ribs have healed. ..... Ricky Gutierrez has finally returned to Winter Haven and will begin to serve as a designated hitter.
******
WHO'S ON THIRD?
Shapiro admits there is no immediate solution to finding a third baseman of the future. The fellows playing there are just fill-ins. He says "when the rest of the team jells," he'll have to make a trade or sign a free agent. The third possibility is that Corey Smith, now playing third at Akron, by then blossoms into what was expected of him as a top draft choice. "He's only 20," says Shapiro, "and he can hit with power." The Tribe brass agrees Jhonny Peralta could play third right now on defense, but they don't project his bat to be the power-type preferred at third. ..... Currently, Greg LaRocca is hitting much better in Buffalo than Casey Blake is batting here, and LaRocca could be brought up after the "40-game" meeting. But Blake is more versatile since he also can play first. It appears LaRocca will lose out.
******
NEW LOOK
Tribe catcher of the future Victor Martinez is so feared by Triple-A clubs -- he's reputedly the best hitter in the International League -- rival managers have ordered their pitchers to throw him mostly change-ups and curves. He rarely sees a fastball. As a result, he's getting an education in seeing off-speed stuff and is developing the patience to wait for a pitch to drive -- or else walk. His walks now exceed his strikeouts. ..... Assistant GM Neal Huntington, who recently visited Buffalo, uses Martinez as an example of what Tribe hitters are now going through. He says, "Major-league pitchers are so smart they soon discovered the weaknesses of our hitters.. Now our hitters must develop the discipline to wait for their pitch. Josh Bard is working on that, but it takes a long time. It's like our young hitters are in elementary school facing seniors. Brandon Phillips is now realizing it takes more than athletic ability to hit in the majors. Our kids, in time, should become as smart as the pitchers."
******
LOADING UP
Once, the Indians had little outfield talent on their farms. Now there's an abundance. Huntington came back with high praise for Coco Crisp and Alex Escobar. "Coco knows he'll be up eventually," said Huntington, "but he has the patience to know he skipped Double-A and needs work in some parts of his game. He's got to regain his arm strength. Escobar struggled at bat early on. One night, he took his bat home and went through the things he was being taught. Night after night he did this. He's now driving the ball. There's a lot of talent in Buffalo." ..... Another sudden thought: You can bet Charlie Manuel, now with the Phillies, is reading the Tribe box scores every day and probably saying, "I could have done better if I still were manager." Or maybe, "How smart I was to quit."
******
SCOUTING
Shapiro is now concentrating on the June draft, in which the Tribe has four choice selections. The top player in the nation appears to be Ryan Harvey of Dunedin (Fla.) High. He's 6-foot-5, weighs 215 and his power rating is off the charts. Tampa Bay has the No. 1 choice and it must take Harvey. In the Tampa area, he's like LeBron is here. ..... The Red Sox recently called a meeting, not to talk baseball, but to figure out how to handle the critical Boston media. Pedro Martinez has joined Manny Ramirez in not speaking to the writers, and Nomar Garciaparra is grumbling about doing the same. ..... It's no longer a secret that Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella is calling all the pitches for his staff. His catcher, Toby Hall, is just learning the position. Now Lou can't second-guess himself. ..... Tribe executive Dennis Lehman, along with Huntington, Jacobs field groundskeeper Brandon Koehnke and operations chief Jim Folk visited Port Charlotte, Fla., on Thursday to see how it compares to Winter Haven as a short-term spring training site. They found the fields in excellent shape, a good clubhouse, but no classrooms. Now Lehman, with their input, must weigh what he has at Winter Haven, which doesn't have a dime for more improvements, against what Port Charlotte offers.
******
DRAWING POWER
While Indians attendance has fallen 31 percent, the Phillies' is up 20 percent. ..... By playing several home games in Puerto Rico, the Montreal Expos are up 70 percent. The Reds, in their new park, have raised their attendance 33 percent, and the Angels, in their same park, are up a w.h.o.p.p.ing 62 percent. That's what a world championship can do. ..... Last week, the Vegas guys had the Indians at 120-1 to win the World Series. After losing three straight to the Angels, they fell to 150-1.