Giddy-Up
Friday nights game in Louisville had the feel of a playoff game. The Indians slipped past Louisville 3-2 thanks to an 8th inning solo shot by OF John Bowker and the 99 mph heat from LHP Justin Wilson. The win keeps the Indians 4 games out in the wild card race and the Bats drop three games behind the Tribe in the standings. It was the 1st of 8 straight games between clubs and the start of their elimination series. The Indians would like to win 6 out of 8 and knock the Bats out of the playoff race and they can do the same to the Tribe. The worst case for both clubs is a split and they effectively knock each other out of the wild card race. Game one went to the Indians thanks to the 15th home run of the season by Bowker. “He (Edinson Volquez) threw me a change-up and I was able to stay on it long enough to drive it out of the yard. It was a big hit, but the bigger story was the job Willie did in the 9th.” Willie, is Justin Wilson who earned his first career save by hitting 99 mph on the gun 4 separate times. More on his night in a moment, game two between the clubs is tonight from Louisville Slugger Field at 6:05.
SAYING GOOD-BYE
Hours before Friday’s first pitch I was sitting in Dean Treanor’s office talking about his line up. During our conversation closer Tim Wood walked in, looked at Dean and said “I’ve been designated.” I got off of the couch and walked out closing the door behind me. I wish I was not in there for that sentence and it was a harsh reminder about the business side of the game just hours before the Indians were to play their biggest series of the season. The Pittsburgh Pirates had to make the move on their 40 man roster to add RHP Ross Ohlendorf. The Pirates felt that Wood was the man they could remove to make room for Ohlendorf and designated him for assignment. Now Wood could be claimed by another Major League team and be added to their 40 man roster or the Pirates have 10 days to work out a trade. Wood could return to the Indians as a minor league player in a little more than a week if he is not claimed or traded. The move hit Dean pretty hard and Tim even harder.
“He is having such a great year and he is an even better person. Woody holds that bullpen together and he is the closer of the team. It’s tough on him and right now tough on our bullpen.” Back in the clubhouse Wood was saying his good-byes. He can’t be with the team during the process and decided to fly home to Florida. By the time I got to him his eyes were red and he quietly told me “it’s a business and I understand that, but this is the series we need and I can’t help. I can’t pitch today and that hurts more than anything.” As wood left the younger players wished him good luck while the veterans offered him words of encouragement. Wood leaves with a league leading 23 saves he has saved 9 of the Indians 17 wins since the All-Star break. The consensus in the clubhouse is that he will claimed by another team and my guess is the Pirates would prefer to trade him. We will see if he returns or if he signs elsewhere. One thing if for sure, 2011 was one of the best seasons for Tim Wood
WHO IS NEXT?
Without Wood the Indians turned to Wilson to close out Friday’s game. It was the first save opportunity in the 23 year-olds career and only the 4th relief appearance of his career. Dean will take it on a game by game basis because he isn’t sure if someone can go three days in row like Tim Wood. “There is the key with Woody, he is the only guy who can go three straight days and close out three straight days.” Other options for the end of the game will include RHP Jared Hughes, LHP Daniel Moskos, and LHP Justin Thomas.
Justin Wilson was moved to the bullpen last week after not producing as a starting pitcher. His last win was June 22 and his last win as a starting pitcher was June 12. The Pirates and Indians brass got together and decided to make the move to the bullpen and after Friday night he may never start again. As one Indians player told me “he can forget ever seeing the first inning again.” Wilson created a buzz on Monday night when he came out of the bullpen and hit 97 on the radar gun. He pitched two scoreless innings and was on cloud nine afterwards. “I just let it fly and went after guys. The hardest part is warming up in the bullpen with the fans right next to you. I thought one would get away and hit somebody.” After the game on Monday he told me the next time he was going to throw as hard has he could and try to hit 100. Friday night he would get his chance and the stadium gun clocked him at 103. I was standing in the tunnel behind home plate getting ready for the post-game interview and happen to be next to a couple of scouts. After the stadium gun clocked him at 103 I looked at them and they each turned their gun to show me 99. Justin Wilson just struck out a left-handed batter with a 99 mph fastball. Good-bye starting roll…hello bullpen. He retired the next two hitters and earned his first career save and the Indians nailed down a 3-2 win.
Rudy Owens was sitting in the stands charting and couldn’t contain his excitement during the 9th inning. “I freaked when he hit 99 on the gun. My palms were sweating I was so excited. I had him at 99 four times and it was incredible. Seriously it was incredible and awesome.” On a day when the Indians lost their closer they may have found another and the Pirates may have found a flame throwing left-hander.
FULL HOUSE:
OF Alex Presley and SS Chase d’Arnaud are with the team on rehab assignment. Both players were on the Indians opening day roster and were promoted to the Pirates in June. They join OF Jose Tabata and RHP Chris Leroux as current Pirates on rehab assignment. Add them with the current crop of Triple-A players on the DL and the Indians dressed 31 players Friday night. There are currently 33 with the traveling party and the two players who didn’t dress were pitchers sitting in the stands charting. A triple-A roster calls for 24 active players and rehab players don’t count towards the 24. Needless to say, but it will be a packed bus ride home after the 4 games in Louisville conclude Monday night.
Presley and d’Arnaud were in joking moods as they walked into the clubhouse. Both said they timed their rehab to help with the playoff push and Presley is 62 plate appearance away from qualilfing for the IL batting crown. “I’ll probably hurt my average over the next few games than add to my total.” Presley’s last game with the Tribe as on June 25 and he was hitting .336. His batting average sat atop the league standings until just a few days ago. He will need 389 plate appearances to qualify for the crown. He will likely fall short of that and give Matt Hague a chance at the crown. The Indians 1B is hitting .321 and is .001 behind Charlotte’s Alejandro De Aza. De Aza is currently with the White Sox and has enough plate appearances to qualify for the crown. “I really want that hitting title. It’s not going to be easy, but I think it would cool if I can lead the league in hitting.” It’s a another race worth watching.
THE BEST:
Visiting teams circle the Indianapolis/Louisville trip for several reasons. Both cities offer so much in food and nightlife and the stadiums are two of the best in the league. More than that is the service you receive in the visiting clubhouses. Jeremy Martin and his assistant Luke Bosso handle the visiting side at Victory Field and provide one of the best stops in the league. The key is service, food, cleanliness, and did I say service? You are dealing with baseball players who from time to time will send you out for an item or two and it’s your job to accommodate them. Jeremy gets it done in Indy and the players appreciate it.
Matt Gallant is the visiting clubby in Louisville and he runs the best and tighest ship in the business. The layout is perfect with three tables, three couches, and the table in the middle of the clubhouse provides the pre-game and post-game spreads. I don’t eat any of the pre or post-game spreads. Now from time to time I may grab a roll or have a small bowl of mac-n-cheese like I did on Thursday afternoon in Columbus. But you’ll never see me grab a full plate and sit down to eat a meal after or before a game. It’s for the players and besides I have to keep my figure. With all of that said, Matt serves up chili once a series and I can’t keep my hands off. He puts his chili in a crock pot and you have the fixin’s of your choice. Jalapeno’s, cheese, sour cream, and additional hot sauce are there for you to choose from. If you take a poll among the Indians players Matt Gallant and his staff win going away as the best clubhouse they visit.
*****
Hope you can tune into tonight’s broadcast. The Indians will look to move a season best 8 game over .500 and keep pace in the wild card race. First pitch from the ‘ville is at 6:05 with pre-game coverage at 5:45 on SportsRadio 1260 WNDE. You can find the Tribe online at wnde.com or on your iheartradio app.
Cowboys and Indians
My hotel room view of Toledo
Only 28 games remain for the 2011 Indianapolis Indians and the club hits the road for a three city 8 game road trip. At 60-56 the Tribe is 5 games out in the wild card race. Twenty-four of the remaining 28 games are against the West Division with 12 of the 24 against the Louisville Btas. Will the Tribe make it to the post season for the first time since 2006? It will not be easy and even if the Indians win 18 or 19 of their final games they will still need other teams to stumble and fall back to the pack. Since 2005 the wild card winner has won at least 77 games. Here are the win totals since ’05: 78, 79, 77, 85, 81, and 79. You can do the math and see that the ’11 campaign comes down to the final 4 weeks of the season. I believe the Indians want to make the playoffs for two reasons. The postseason is a goal for manager Dean Treanor. He manages to win and he comes to the park each day to win and push his players to win. The players check the standings everyday and see their time is running out. They will push hard the next four weeks for themselves and their skipper.
The other driving force is to prove the early season critics wrong. Most of the players walked into the Indians clubhouse with championship rings from the past two seasons. The core of the opening day roster won Class-A rings in ’09 and a Double-A ring in ’10. After the 1-8 start it was clear the young players were in over their heads and in for what looked like a long season. I’ll admit that during the third week of the season I worried they wouldn’t win 50 games. Over time the hitters adjusted and the pitching improved and it’s a reflection of the coaching staff and the character of the players. A trip to the postseason would be memorable, but at the least it would be nice to finish with a winning record for the first time since 2006.
COWBOY UP:
The Indians and Toledo Mud Hens have a great rivalry and this year Toledo has the early bragging rights winning 8 of the 15 meetings. There are still 6 games to be played and for a few players there is more than bragging rights on the line.
There are a total of 5 former Oklahoma State Cowboys who have played in this series. Indians 1B Matt Hague, SS Jordy Mercer, and C Jason Jaramillo all played ball at Okie St. Hens LHP Andy Oliver and CF Jeff Salazar also wore the black and orange during their college career. Hague played only one year in Stillwater after playing the first three years of his college career at Washington. “It was the best decision I could have made. I took some heat when I left UW because I’m from there, but I wanted a chance to play for a National Championship and OSU was the stop.” Hague was also considering Clemson and Texas, but a hard sell by Jordy Mercer brought him Oklahoma State. “I first met Matt during summer ball and I knew he would love the school. We were going to have a good team why would you go to Clemson or UT when you can play for the Cowboys?”
“We were loaded that year and Jordy was right. It was awesome, we were ranked 5th in the county (2008 season) and Oliver was a stud. So many of the guys on that team were drafted and are still playing pro ball. I can’t believe we were upset before Omaha, that still upsets me to this day.” Hague and his Cowboys were knocked off the weekend before the College World Series.
It was the only season Hague would play in the Big 12 and while Mercer has a solid full career for the Cowboys. “Baseball is the third spot at the school. Football is the money-maker and basketball has had some nice runs, but for my money Oklahoma State is a baseball school.” Mercer was a pitcher and SS and he has been Hague’s teammate ever since. “It was neat and exciting when Hague and I were drafted by the Pirates (both picked in June 2008). He a great friend of mine and I’m glad he came to OSU.”
A HALL OF FAME TEAMMATE:
Over the weekend Deion Sanders was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. (Side note, I’m from Akron and the pro football Hall of Fame might be my favorite place on earth. Please go visit if you’ve never had the chance) “Prime Time” won two Super Bowls and should be regarded as one of, if not the best cover corner to every play the game. In addition to his NFL career Sanders was a pretty good baseball player and once hit a home run in the ’93 World Series and scored a touchdown in the same week.
Indians hitting coach Jeff Branson and Sanders played together during their Cincinnati days. “Deion was a great teammate. All of that extra prime time stuff was just an act. In the clubhouse he was just one of the guys and a real solid hard worker.” Branson does admit that between the lines Deion was a showman and prime time, but behind closed doors he was the absolute opposite. “Prime time was how he made his money and I personally didn’t think he particularly enjoyed the limelight. After games all of the reporters would come to him and he quickly pushed them over to the guys who did something that night. He was a private guy and if he could have dedicated his full time to baseball he would have been real good.” While other baseball players went to winter ball or worked on their swing during, Deion was carving out his Hall of Fame football career.
“The thing about Deion was his speed. I have never seen a faster baseball player and it was not just to first base, but his speed from first to third or home was incredible. He was so fast that when he rounded second he as actually running sideways trying to turn towards third. He was just an incredible athlete and you know what he was strong. I know he didnt’ tackle much in the NFL and he used to tell me that he didn’t paid to tackle. Say what you want about his toughness, but he was strong and always doing push-ups. I didn’t always see him in the weight room, but you could usually find him in the corner of the clubhouse doing push-ups.”
It was nice to hear the stories that Branson had to about Deion. What he remembers the most is the way he treated people. “He joked quite a bit, but was never really loud or brash. Remember now, I was just a part-time player and he treated me the same way he treated Barry (Larkin).
During the Reds affiliation days the big club would come to Indy for an exhibition game. During one of those exhibition games the Reds and Triple-A Indians took part in home run derby. The winner…”Prime Time” of course.
NEWS AND NOTES:
Saturday the Pirates recalled RHP Brad Lincoln and optioned LHP Tony Watson back to Indy. Tony is with the team and rode on the bus to Toledo. Tony’s last game with the Indians was June 5th and during his two month Major League run he appeared in 25 games striking out 23 in 26.1 innings. Wastson was a surprise call-up and he proved himself to be a big league pitcher. Watson will now pitch out of the Indians bullpen while the Tribe will likely insert Sean Gallagher into the spot held down by Lincoln.
RHP Ross Ohlendorf is expecting to pitch on Tuesday against the Mud Hens. He could still hear otherwise, but as of Sunday he was gearing up for his third rehab start with the Indians. “I feel really good and my arm and shoulder are responding each day. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt good and I will see what the Pirates want to do after my next start.” He isn’t sure whether he will be a starter or a reliever, but he does acknowledge the final two months of the season are important to him. “ It’s been a long year and it would be nice to finish with some quality appearances and have that to build on this off-season.
Hope you can tune into the Indians of the radio the next two nights. First pitch from Toledo will be at 7:00 with pre-game coverage at 6:40. Catch the Indians on 1260 am or at 1260 WNDE on your iheartradio app. I will be flying solo the next two nights because my broadcast partner Howard Kellman is away with family. He’ll return on Wednesday and hopefully by then the Indians will be 62-56 and only 3 games out of a wild card spot.
The Dealine Passes
The Major League baseball trading deadline passed yesterday and for the first time in a long time the Indianapolis Indians didn’t have any movement. The parent club added two veteran bats in 1B Derrek Lee OF Ryan Ludwick and didn’t have to give up anybody from the Triple-A roster. When the dust settled everything was normal in the Indians clubhouse after a tension filled 24 hours.
As the Indians prepared to face the Gwinnett Braves on Saturday night the players wondered if a blockbuster deal would send one or two to another organization. CF Gorkys Hernandez has already been traded twice in his career and he was hoping he would not be packing his bags for the third time. Gorkys is 23 and in the eyes of manager Dean Treanor has developed more than any player on the Indians roster. “I had to bench him several times back in April and May. Now he gets it and runs out ever ball put in play and I wouldn’t want anyone else playing in centerfield.” (Gorkys proved his abilities in CF when he went back to the wall in left center and robbed a HR from Braves OF Wilkin Ramirez. The coaches and Gorkys teammates will tell you that right now he’s one of the top CF in all of baseball.) Following the Indians win on Saturday night Dean called Gorkys into his office and the young OF’s mind was racing as he closed the door. “I thought I was going up or I was going to be traded. I didn’t want to be traded and was praying that I was staying here and Dean said I wasn’t going anywhere and I was happy to hear that.” Dean told Gorkys that he was proud of his play as of late and sooner than later his hard work is going to pay off. ”The reason I don’t want to leave is I envision an outfield of me, (Jose) Tabata, and (Andrew) McCutchen and not a single ball hits the outfield grass. Do you know how much ground we can cover and the plays we can make? That’s what I hope for and I’m glad that I’m still a Pirate”
Gorkys stays with the team along with young pitchers Justin Wilson and Rudy Owens. I only throw their names out there because they worried that they may have been in a deal. For a lot of the players this was their first experience with the trading deadline. With the players one step away from the big leagues they realize a trade may open up a spot for them or they could be a trade piece and immediately join a new team in the big leagues. For a 23-year-old player it can be stressful and when the deadline passed Gorkys could breath easy. ”In the 7th inning I came in and asked Dean what time it was. Once it was passed 4 and I was still in the game, then I knew I was staying.”
DERREK LEE
The Pirates traded for Derrek Lee late Saturday night and he returns to the NL Central division. Lee will make his Pirates debut tonight vs. his former team the Chicago Cubs. Indians RHP Sean Gallagher was a teammate of Lee’s while with the Cubs. “D-Lee is a great guy and I’m not just saying this, but he is one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. He is so professional and a complete class act.” Sean told me that if he didn’t feel that way he wouldn’t say anything, but he has no problem endorsing Derrek Lee.
NEWS AND NOTES
The team will have a day off on Wednesday August 3rd and it will be their next to last day off this season. Fans are often shocked when I tell them the Indians fit their 144 games season into 152 days. After the day off the Indians will play 28 consecutive days with 16 home games and visits to Columbus, Toledo, and Louisville.
The Indians finished with a winning record in July. The Indians have had three straight winning months for the first time since 2005. If the Indians finish August with a winning mark they will match the ’05 team that had a winning record in each of the seasons first four months.
1B Jeff Clement has arrived and is in the Indians clubhouse. Clement joined the Indians two years ago when the Pirates made a deal with Seattle. He had off-season knee surgery and is finally back with the Indians. Not sure if he will see much time at 1B, but I do expect him to DH in American League games.
Hope you can join us for tonight’s broadcast on SportsRadio 1260 WNDE. You can find the Indians at indyindians.com, wnde.com, or on your iheartradio app.
Heat from Hughes
Thursday night 26 year-old right pitcher Jared Hughes put his stamp on the 2011 season. The hard throwing righty inherited two runners in scoring position with only one out in a 1 run game late against the Charlotte Knights. Indians skipper Dean Treanor brought Hughes in to protect the lead for starter Garrett Olson. “We needed outs and Hughes can get us a strikeout or a ground ball and for me it was an easy call to bring him in.” The Indians lost the first two games in the series and in the 6th inning the games was on the line. Hughes made it look easy sandwiching two strikeouts around an intentional walk and the Knights left the bases loaded sending the Indians to the win. Where did Hughes come from and will he help the Pittsburgh Pirates this season? His teammates think so.
1B Matt Hague has been a teammate with Hughes for several seasons. “He was incredible tonight and he has incredible stuff. It’s a legit 95 miles per hour sinker and he has to be on the Pirates radar.” Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit is rehabbing with the Indians and he was able to catch Hughes for the first time in that critical 6th inning. “That was impressive and he has some good (stuff), real good (stuff). It’s like Mike Crotta, but it’s heavy and he pounded the bottom of the zone. I liked it and it left an impression on me.”
Hughes joined the Indians in early June after beginning the season as a starting pitcher for Double-A Altoona. The Indians didn’t need a starter so they put Hughes into the bullpen and he immediately opened some eyes. LHP Brian Burres was shocked the first time Hughes pitched in a game. “I’m charting in the stands and his first few sinkers were 91 and 92 and then all of a sudden he pours a fastball in at 96. Where did that come from?” Well, Hughes where did that come from? “I’ve always had that in my reserve, but didn’t use it as a starter. My job as a starter was to go deep into games and out of the bullpen you can run on adrenaline and it’s a short stint. I bring a lot of energy out to the mound. I’m always pumped coming out of the ‘pen and my adrenaline level gives me a certain edge.”
In 19 games for the Indians Hughes is 1-1 with a 2.31 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 23.1 innings of work. Over 60% of the balls put in play against Hughes are on the ground and the young man picked a great year to make a splash in Triple-A. This is his 6th year with the Pirates and Pittsburgh will have to protect him or he will be exposed in the Rule V draft. Each of the past two seasons he has not been protected and been passed over in the Rule V. 19 appearances doesn’t guarantee a September call-up or even a spot on the 40 man roster, but if he isn’t protected come this December some team may be intrigued by the big right-hander who has 96 miles per hour in reserve.
Yours truly standing next to big man, photo by Ross Ohlendorf
WHAT WILL HAPPEN THIS YEAR?
The MLB trading deadline is fast approaching and for the past 5 seasons the deadline has always affected the Indianapolis Indians. Beginning in 2006 when the Pirates traded Indians LHP Oliver Perez and promoted CF Chris Duffy. The real shocker was back in 2007 when CF Rajai Davis was pulled in the middle of batting practice. I remember Rajai slowly walking back to the dugout and he quietly said, “I think I’ve been traded.” Where? “I don’t know, but I was told to stop taking BP.” Minutes later we found out he was heading to San Fransisco for veteran RHP Matt Morris.
The biggest deal was back in 2008 when the Pirates, Red Sox, and Dodgers made a deal that sent Jason Bay from Pittsburgh to Boston and Manny Ramirez from the Sox to Hollywood. At the time the Indians were in Toledo and as the 4 o’clock deadline approached work spread in the clubhouse that Bay was heading to Tampa Bay for RHP Jeff Niemann and SS Reid Brignac. I’ll be honest, I thought that was going to be a pretty good deal. We had faced Niemann and he was pretty good and when healthy Brignac was the best SS in the IL. Turns out, that was not the deal. At the final minute the three team deal went through and while myself and the players tried to recall remember OF Brandon Moss & RHP Craig Hansen, 3B Neil Walker stewed in the dugout. What I’ll remember the most from the ’08 trade was Walker’s reaction. Less than two months earlier the Pirates drafted 3B Pedro Alvarez and now they acquired a player who plays that exact same position as Walker. Needless to say Walker was not a happy camper. Two years later Walker switched positions for the third time in his career and is now Bucs everyday 2B.
In 2009 the Indians were in Norfolk at the deadline and the Tribe watched two starting pitchers get traded away. The first was LHP Tom Gorzelanny and I was there when he got the phone call. The team had a day game and later that night a group of us went to dinner at Outback. Near the end of dinner Gorzo’s phone rang and he was told that he was traded to the Cubs. A week later he was pitching in Wrigley Field and Jose Ascanio was in an Indians uniform making his Pirates debut. Two years later Indians fans would get to see the third player the Pirates received in that deal; Josh Harrison.
The day after Gorzelanny was traded RHP Ian Snell was shipped to Seattle. I snapped this picture of Snell watching ESPN discuss the trade:
Ian Snell learns more about his '09 trade
In return the Indians received former 1st round pick Jeff Clement. He arrived in Norfolk the next day and Clement made quite a debut hitting a home run to right field in his first at-bat and then hitting one out to left field in his second at -bat. In 2010 the Indians again were in Norfolk, VA and once again the clubhouse was filled with players carrying bags without the Pirates logo. Last year SS Pedro Ciriaco brought in his Arizona bag while RHP Joe Martinez and OF John Bowker brought their Giants bags into the clubhouse.
That’s five seasons and five significant moves within the Indians clubhouse. Stick around and see what happens in the next 48 hours.
NEWS AND NOTES:
Ryan Doumit continues to rehab with the Indians. The Pirates catcher landed on the DL back on May 30 and is expected to bus with the team to Gwinnett after tonight’s game. The Pirates have mapped out a plan for Doumit and he is required to pinch-hit in at least one game before he can will be activated. For Doumit this is the 3rd consecutive year he has rehabbed with the Indians and looks like the first time he will not play in the OF. This years plan calls for him to only C and DH and he will likely be activated after the weekend.
RHP Ross Ohlendorf will start tonight for the Indians. Like Doumit, Ross the Boss is rehabbing for the Pirates. He pitched on 8.2 innings before landing on the Pirates disabled list on April 9th. He is not expected to have a full 100 pitch count, but the last time out he was allowed to throw 60 pitches. If he is able to pitch 5 or 6 innings then the Indians will use their bullpen the rest of the way. However, if for some reason Ohlendorf has a short outing LHP Rudy Owens will be in the bullpen to pick him up. Ohlendorf faces the Charlotte Knights tonight at 7:15 on Sportsradio 1260 WNDE. You can listen out of the Indianapolis market on your iheartradio app.
37 games remain for the Indians and they are 4.5 games out in the wild card race. After tonight’s game with Charlotte the Indians will play 4 against the G-Braves. The Indians are 4 games behind Gwinnett in the wild card race so they will have a chance to jump in the standings.
When Miggy Met Gorkys
Indianapolis Indians centerfielder Gorkys Hernandez is only 23 years old, but he is playing in his third organization. There is no question he has the talents and abilities to become a long time big leaguer; how many players can say they have been invited to play in the MLB Futures game for three different organizations? The question and perhaps the reason that the speedy and gifted Hernandez has bounced from Detroit to Atlanta to Pittsburgh is his attitude. From time to time Gorkys Hernandez has thrown his bat, his helmet, argue with umpires, and generally act out in childish ways. At times those acts overshadow his baseball abilities.
In 2009 the Pittsburgh Pirates sent All-Star CF Nate McLouth to the Atlanta Braves in return for three minor league players. One of the players was Gorkys Hernandez and the 21 year-old was sent to Double-A Altoona. During a game with the Curve an animated Hernandez complained to an umpire and then proceeded to toss things around in the dugout. Miguel Perez was there and remembers the outburst. “It was quite a show he put on that day, but in the end he was embarrassing himself.” Miguel Perez was a catcher on the 2009 Altoona team and didn’t like the attitude of the new young centerfielder. “Back in the clubhouse I sat down next to him and asked who are you? Do you know where you are playing?” Gorkys gave Miguel a confused look and said Double-A. “Exactly, you are in Double-A. You haven’t done anything in this game and there is no reason for you to act the way you do. In the higher levels and the big leagues, guys don’t act like you.” Miguel Perez has been playing pro ball since 2001 and since 2006 he has never played in more than 57 games, but he grew tired of watching a fellow Venezuela player hold him self back. “It was the first time I had ever spoken to Gorkys and I told him that the only person who will keep him out of the big leagues is himself. He can’t act like that and expect to succeed. At the time I’m not sure if another player had ever talked to him like that. I could tell he didn’t like it.”
A couple of days later while shagging fly balls during batting practice the top prospect walked over to the back-up catcher. “I wanted to know his story and where he has played and I found out that he played in the big leagues with the Reds.” At one time Miguel Perez was a catching prospect with the Cincinnati Reds and made his debut in September of 2006. He played in only 2 games and went 0-3. It remains the only time he has played in the Major Leagues. For Gorkys that was enough and soon the two of them became inseparable. “Gorkys asked to be my roommate so we roomed on the road and we shared an apartment. I didn’t walk over to him that day to find a friend, but to get him to act more professionally.”
Miguel Perez photo by Bill Gentry
Perez played for the Indians during the 2009 and he has a very easy-going personality. He is always upbeat and greets everybody with a smile. I found it out of character for him to step up to a player like Gorkys and set him straight, turns out I was wrong. “I guess most of the places I have been I have been looked as a leader. Maybe it is because I’m a catcher, I don’t know, but I do my best to keep people accountable.” Sounds like a leader to me and to Indians manager Dean Treanor. “Miggy is great behind the plate. What I like is the way he deals with pitchers and he can be a calming influence when things are not going your way. Plus, I see that way he fits into our clubhouse.”
The team was in Toledo Ohio when I first noticed the relationship between Miguel and Gorkys. Gorkys has been with the Indians all season and for Miguel it was only his first week with the 2011 team. The Indians bullpen melted down late in a 7-1 loss at Toledo and after my on the field interview I made my way through the Indians dugout and down the hallway. The entire team walked int the clubhouse, but Gorkys waited for Miguel in the dugout as he gathered up his catching gear. I was behind the two players as they walked from the dugout to a hallway that would lead them to the clubhouse. In the hallway five kids in wheel chairs and their parents approached. The kids were heading to the dugout and their parents were going to push them around the bases before other kids could run the bases. They thought the team had completely passed by and the parents tried to turn the bulky wheelchairs so the two players could pass by. Gorkys had his head down and walked by the kids when all of a sudden I heard Miguel “Gorkys, come here.” The 23 year-old stopped and with the loss still stinging, turned and walked back towards the kids. I watched Gorkys and Miguel kneel down, and let the kids wear their gloves and hold their bats. Two parents covered their mouths and wiped away their tears. Unfortunately not all of the kids could hold a bat or put on a glove so Miguel placed his catching mask on a kid and place his bat in another’s lap. The only sound was the kids laughing and I’m not sure who had the bigger smiles; the kids or Miguel and Gorkys. A very simple gesture gave the families a special memory. After a minute, the two Indians were in the clubhouse and the kids took to the diamond.
The two Venezuelans still room together and just the other day Miguel had to set Gorkys straight after he became frustrated. “He can be frustrated, but not in the dugout where everyone can see him. He’ll be ready for the big leagues when he begins to act like a big league player and that day will be very soon. I mean do you see the way he plays centerfield? He’s a unbelievable player and he’s my good friend.” Even if their paths never crossed, Gorkys would be a prospect in Triple-A, but thanks to Miguel Perez he can shed the prospect tag and become a Major League player and person.
Goryks makes the catch, photo by Bill Gentry
HEAT WAVE:
A July heat wave has hit the midwest and Indianapolis is under a heat advisory. Over the next few days the humidity will make it feel like 100-110 degrees. It’s hot in the radio booth and in the stands, so how do the players do it? Athletic Trainer Bryan Housand knows the key is hydration. “There are several ice towels in the dugout and they are for anyone who needs one. Plus, we made sure the players are full of electrolytes.” Gatorade has cornered the hydration market. The Indians players will take a packet of Gatorade Electrolyte powder and mix it with a bottle of water. That way when they sweat they are still keeping the nutrients they need. “The whole key is to make sure they take the powder and just keep drinking fluids.”
Steve Pearce is rehabbing with the Indians and was playing in Florida prior to joining the Tribe. “Everyday is hot in Bradenton. I don’t mind this heat and I can get used to this more than trying to adjust and play in 30 or 40 degree weather.” Not only is Housand busy keeping the players hydrated, but he is dealing with two Pittsburgh Pirates. Pearce and Pirates SS Ronny Cedeno are currently with the team and could be activated by the Pirates by the weekend. This is the fifth season Pearce has worn an Indians uniform and according to him the first time in a while he’s been healthy. “My off-season knee surgery was needed and I’m feeling great. I’m ready when the Pirates need me and my job will be to help them win games and stay healthy.” Pearce went on the Pirates DL May 29 with a partially torn right calf muscle. Cedeno suffered a concussion while playing SS and was place on the new 7 day concussion disabled list. He has been out for more than seven days, but says he is ready to rejoin the Pirates.
On Sunday in Columbus 6 Indians players who saw action were on the Pirates opening day roster. They were Pearce, Cedeno, John Bowker, Pedro Alvarez, Garrett Olson, and Josh Rodriguez. While at the same time the Pirates had SEVEN players from the Indians opening day roster. It is always the Triple-A teams job to prepare players for the big leagues and Dean and his staff have done just that.
Hope you can join us for the tonight’s broadcast. The Indians are facing the Charlotte Knights, the White Sox Triple-A affiliate. The Indians enter play Tuesday night 5 games out in the wild card race. Pre-game coverage on SportsRadio 1260 am begins at 6:45 with LHP Rudy Owens delivering the first pitch at 7:05.
Back From the Break
The Indianapolis Indians entered the All-Star break with a walk-off HR from LF John Bowker and returned from the three-day break with a 1st inning HR from the same man. The 2011 Indians will not fade from the playoff race and with 51 games to play are 3.5 games out in the wild card race and surging in the West Division. The club has won 4 straight games and is seeking a playoff berth for the first time since 2006. There is still a lot of baseball to play and as Indians fans have learned over the years the team roster is very fluid and no one really knows who will be in the lineup next week, the next two weeks, or one month from now. The only thing you can count on is this team will play all out and is a direct reflexion of the skipper Dean Treanor. I’m ready for the ride and I’m sure you are too.
For the first time in 18 years the Pittsburgh Pirates are in a serious playoff race of their own and their season will have a direct effect on the Tribe. The parent club is expecting the return of OF Jose Tabata, SS Ronny Cedeno, and INF Steve Pearce. All three players are currently on the disabled list and when they are activated who comes back to Indianapolis? Will the Pirates made a deal to acquire a player and in return will the Indians lose players? Like I said there is a lot of baseball to be played and a lot of moves are expected by the time we wrap up July.
One of the walking wounded Steve Pearce played for the Indians on Thursday night. He was the DH going 1-5 with a long home run to left field. “That swing felt great and for the most part I was comfortable at the plate tonight.” The long time Indian was placed on the Pirates DL May 29 with a partial tear in his right calf. Add the calf injury to the long line of ailments for the right-handed hitter. “I had knee surgery last season and I’m telling you for first time in two years my knee feels great. It was tough to play through and eventually I had to clean it up and I feel great.” I have always liked Pearce because he is enthusiastic and is always trying to make himself better. Rarely do you come across a player who tinkers with his swing as much as Pearce. “I have to be comfortable at the plate and in a short time I’ve found a good comfort level at the plate” During his first at-bat I noticed a chance in his batting stance. “I changed my hands because I needed to relax at the plate. I made the move at the beginning of the season because I was not playing everyday and I was having trouble finding the right set position for my hands. My timing was off and I kept adjusting my hands to get them in the right starting position. So I decided to flatten my bat and it allowed me to relax and I always found the right spot so I knew my hands were in the proper position for each pitch.”
He does not know how long he will rehab with the Indians and I expect him to play a game or two at 1B and at 3B during his rehab. “I’m here everyday and when they say times up then hopefully I’ll go to Pittsburgh.” The Pirates minor league players have to show the full sock while Major League players usually don’t show any socks and have the bottom on their pants rest on the shoe tops. Pearce conformed and showed his socks, but he wouldn’t give up his Pirates batting helmet. “It’s the rule to show the socks right? So I’ll do that, but no chance I’m wearing that double (ear) flapped helmet.”
*****
Did you tune into the Triple-A All-Star game on Wednesday night? Matt Hague was the IL’s starting 1B and the MLB Network decided to mic up ”Chatty Matty.” Not only did the network come up with a great idea, but they found the perfect player. “I talk to everybody who comes over to first base. I was loving the mic and they (MLB Network) told me it was great and to keep it up. We should do it in Indy.” Hague’s current teammates don’t think that is a good idea and knew that Hague would be a perfect candidate for the mic, but there was one problem. I’ll let LHP Brian Burres explain, “he is constantly spitting. pfft, pfft, pfft, hey man what’s up, pfft, pfft, you hit that ball well, pfft, pfft, can you see ok is there a pfft, pfft, glare? pfft, pfft. He was good, but enough with the seeds.”
“Do I really do that? Oh well, I was told it was gold and that’s good enough for me.” Hague had a great time in the game won by the IL 3-0 and he enjoyed playing with players he competes against. “It was cool to get to know (Columbus 2B Jason) Kipnis and (Louisville C Devon) Mesoraco. We play them so much during the year and it’s cool to see that they are good dudes.” Who was Hague’s favorite teammate during the All-Star game? “Without a doubt it was (Erik) Kratz. Kratzy, it nuts and so funny. I would love to spend a season with him. He knows a ton about the game and you could see that he was one of the leaders in the clubhouse.” The former Indians C played in his third straight All-Star game representing Lehigh Valley on Wednesday night.
*****
While Matt and Dean spent the All-Star break in Salt Lake several players took advantage of the break to return home and relax. After Sunday’s walk-off win several players dashed to the airport to catch flights home. Some headed to California, Texas, Florida, and Chicago with a few deciding to stay and relax in Indy. No matter what the plans were it is a time to recharge the battery. Most of the players took their mind off of baseball and used the break as a physical and mental vacation. As a matter of fact most of the player didn’t tune into the ML Home Run Derby or the MLB All-Star game. Turns out, that is the last thing they want to pay attention to during the break. Can’t blame them, they need the break and now it’s time to finish off the 2011 season in winning fashion.
Hope you can tune into the broadcasts this weekend. The Indians and West Leading Columbus Clippers will play Friday night at 7:05, Saturday at 7:05, and Sunday evening at 5:05. All the games are on SportsRadio 1260 AM, Indyindians.com, or the iheartradio app. After the series with Columbus the team will head home for an 8 game homestand, their longest at home since the first week in June. The Indians will play Charlotte for four and then square off with Rochester for four game.
Short Stories
It has been a week since my last blog post and for that I’m truly sorry. A few of my blog ideas fizzled with some recent moves and injuries. So I’ve decided to bang away on the laptop and share with you some stories from this past week.
Brad Lincoln: The 26-year-old right-handedpitcher is scheduled to start tonight for the Indians tonight at Louisville Slugger Field. His last start was Saturday night from D.C. in game two of a double-header between the Pirates and Nationals. Lincoln was told that he would be making that start several days before and made the trip with the Indians to Syracuse. The day before the start he flew from Syracuse to Washington DC. “I couldn’t go to the park on Friday because I wasn’t added to the roster so I just hung out in the hotel. Then on gameday I showed up at 3 and stayed in the clubhouse during game one.” Lincoln performed well allowing only 2 runs in 6 innings and was in line for the win, but the Pirates bullpen lost the lead and the game. “Sure I wanted the win, but more importantly I didn’t want to stop their momentum. They (Pirates) are winning and it was my job to step in keep the train rolling.” It was Lincoln’s first game this season with the Pirates after making 9 starts for them in 2010. “First of all the atmosphere up there was incredible and a complete turn around from last season. Even after the loss the guys were upbeat and Clint (Pirates manager Clint Hurdle) was walking around the clubhouse having fun and chatting it up. It definitely makes me want to get back up there and contribute.”
For Lincoln the start felt like the Tribe facing the Nationals. “I had Eric Fryer catching, Chase (d’Arnaud) was a short, Jay-Hay (Josh Harrison) was at third and (Alex) Presley was in left field. It was crazy to have so many Indy teammates on the diamond, but at the same time pretty cool to know that they are helping the Pirates win.” After the start Lincoln went back to his hotel and prepared for Sunday. “I wore my suit to the park because it was a travel day and when I saw Chris Leroux in the clubhouse I knew that I was heading back to Indy.” Leroux was added from the Indians roster and Lincoln was on a direct flight from DC to Indianapolis. “I got back into Indy at about 3:00 pm and my 24 our stop over in the big leagues was complete.”
Cesar Valdez: The Pittsburgh Pirates traded the Indians right-handed reliever earlier this week to the Florida Marlins. Why? Wasn’t he doing really well for the Tribe? Yes, he was; Valdez was the May player of the month and had pitched in 34 of the Indians first 82 games going 1-1 with 5 saves and a 3.86ERA. However, as it is often the case, numbers do not tell you the entire story. The trade was more for Valdez than anything else. He had grown frustrated with seeing other pitchers get the call to Pittsburgh while he pitched at a high level. The frustrated Valdez was not helping the Indians (8 runs in his last 4 appearances) and although it was hard for Dean Treanor to do, he told his reliable right-hander that he was going to Triple-A New Orleans. “I counted on him so many times, but this will be a fresh start and it gives him a chance to get to the big leagues. It didn’t look like that chance was going to happen here so he was moved to another team.” It was a trade to benefit the player and leaves the Indians with a hole in the bullpen.
Jordy Mercer: Mercer joined the Indians on Tuesday June 28th from Double-A Altoona. He is a slick fielding shortstop who was drafted in 2008 out of Oklahoma State. Mercer and 1B Matt Hague are close friends and based on the first few days a lot of the current Indians like Jordy. I made the mistake of asking a certain question to Jordy. Actually the question wasn’t the problem, the timing was the problem. While the visitors dugout before batting practice I asked Jordy if his first name is short for anything. “Nope, it just Jordy. It’s not short for Jordan or anything like that, I guess my parents liked the name.” Simple enough right? Well, then his teammates chimed in…”Jordy Joe!” ”Hey Jordy let Scotty know it’s short for Jordy Joe.” Turns out Jordy’s middle name is Joe and thanks to the timing of my question his Indians teammates preceded to call him Jordy Joe for the rest of batting practice and my guess is throughout most of that night’s game. “Hey, Jordy, sorry about that man.” “It’s ok, I’m used to it from these clowns.”
Tim Wood: On June 9th the Indians closer was promoted to Pittsburgh. Woody was taking his 96 miles per hour fastball and 90 mph slider to the big leagues whle leaving behind a 2.96 ERA and the second most saves in the International League. Wood pitch in 13 games with the Pirates suffering 3 losses and return the to Tribe on July 2nd. “It was a great experience and they gave me every opportunity to succeed. I did OK in my first few games, but I understand the move to send me back to Indy. I pitched in 13 games in a short amount of time and you love that as a pitcher because they trust you enough to run you out there that many times. I just have to do well here and hopefully I will get another chance to help them win.” Dean is not sure how he will use the righty out of the bullpen. Prior to leaving for Pittsburgh he was the Indians closer, but he may move into long relief so that he can better help the parent club down the stretch. There are times when a manager has to adjust to the needs of the big club. If the Pirates was middle relief work out of Wood, then that will be his role with the Indians.
Steven Jackson: Jackson pitched for the Tribe in 2009 and 2010 making a few appearances with the Pirates. “After the season the Pirates didn’t want me back so I went into the off-season as a free agent and I couldn’t find a job. I was starting to worry and was going to begin looking for a normal job until the Dodgers signed me to a deal in March.” The Dodgers wanted Jackson to start and he accepted that role and a spot in AA Chattanooga. “I didn’t have a problem with starting and went to Double-A to prove that I was a team guy. After two starts there I moved up to AAA Albuquerque and made two more starts.” After his second start in AAA he developed an issue with the tip of the middle finger on his pitching hand. ”It didn’t hurt, but it was causing me problems.” The Dodgers were financially strapped and whenever a cut was made it was with a veteran to save some money. So instead of hold on to Jackson he was released and packed up his truck for the drive from New Mexico to his home in Tennessee. “Now I figure I’m done and have to find a new career when the Reds call and ask if I would like to pitch in Louisville. Um, yeah, so I change directions and headed to Kentucky.” Jackson pitched in 10 games for the Bats and then sensed that something was going to happen to him once again. “The Reds were going to make some moves and we figured that most of the moves would affect our bullpen. I figured I was going back to Double-A, but then Sweet (Louisville manager Rick Sweet) told me I was traded the Pirates and I was heading to Indy. I couldn’t believe it. I was back with the Pirates and back in Indy.” Jackson has been a great addition to the clubhouse and the struggles this season have given his a new perspective on the game. “I’m glad I have a job and it’s a good thing I’m back here because I’ve had success here and don’t have to prove anything. If I stay within myself I can have good outings and help this team win.”
One final thing about Jackson he doesn’t greet me with the usual “good afternoon” or “what’s up”, but rather with “Hey, is this thing on?” He likes to poke fun at the blog and now he has most of the clubhouse asking me ”is this thing on?” Well, it was not on for a week and I’m sorry about that, but it’s back with a few short stories. Hope you enjoyed them and have a great weekend.
How to Make an All-Star Nervous
Indianapolis Indians 1B Matt Hague finished the month of June in style. Thursday afternoon he was named to the Triple-A All-Star game and hours later the 25-year-old was a perfect 3-3 driving in the Tribe’s first two runs and scoring the final run in their 3-0 win over Syracuse. “There has been a lot of adrenaline today. After talking with my family for most of the day I had to get back up emotionally for the game. It’s been a long day, but a great day.” Hague will join manager Dean Treanor at the All-Star game in Salt Lake and it provides his family with a unique opportunity. Hague is orginally from Washtington and spends his off seasons in Seattle. “My family just watches online and because I have always been on the east coast they have never watched me play in person. They work all the time and it’s tough to get away so I’m hoping that they can get to the game in Salt Lake. I’d love to have them there and it’s pretty cool if an All-Star game is the first game they see.”
Photo by Bill Gentry
Recent promotions of INF Chase d’Arnaud and OF Alex Presley changed the face of the All-Star game. Presley led all outfielders in votes and would have been a slam dunk for the game. d’Arnaud finished 2nd in fan voting at SS and had an outside shot at making the team. Both players were ineligible for the All-Star team because they are currently playing everyday for the Pittsburgh Pirates and their rise to the big leagues is fueling Matt Hague. For the first time in three years the player movement in Triple-A has separated Hague, d’Arnaud, Presley, and Josh Harrision. “It’s weird not having them in the locker room and I’m trying to get where they are. They keep texting me and telling me how great it is in the big leagues. It’s encouraging because they are telling me I can play up there and believe me, I’m trying.”
Matt Hague is on the verge of the big leagues thanks to his record-setting June. Hague batted .402 for the month finishing the final 13 games with a .529 average. His 43 June hits are the most in a single month since the Pirates and Indians starting working together in 2005. Hague’s .449 on-base percentage is one of highest for a single month and his .645 slugging percentage places him in the top three for a single month. “I know how good the numbers have been and the key has been to avoid the rollercoaster and stay consistent. I don’t want to give away any at-bats and that not an easy thing to do. I’ve learned just how important each at-bat is and my focus has been on the current at-bat and current pitching sequence.” In June, Matt Hague had 43 hits in 107 at-bats with only 8 strikeouts and not only are the fans noticing, but so is the skipper of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“Clint Hurdle gave me a call to congratulate me on the All-Star game. I don’t know how many big league coaches would take the time to call a minor leaguer and it meant a lot to me.” I asked Dean Treanor how many Major League managers would call to congratulate a minor league player. “Not many, you could count them on one hand. It’s a classy move by Clint and gives you an idea what kind of guy he is and why guys respond to him.” When Hurdle first called Matt it went to his voicemail. “I missed his call and I couldn’t believe he left me a voicemail. When I called him back he was in his office with Neil Walker and they were shouting congrats to me over the speaker phone. Then Clint told me to keep playing the way I have been because they are aware of what I’m doing. He gave me a shot of confidence and I can’t tell you how cool it was to talk to him.” Hague has never met Hurdle and as the phone was ringing he couldn’t contain his nerves. “I’m not joking, I was sweating when I called him back. C’mon this is the manager of the Pirates and I’m just calling his cell phone. I was so nervous, but he was calm and cool and told me that I’m a good player.”
Did Matt Hague just complete the best month ever for an Indian since the Pirates relationship started in 2005?
Matt Hague, June 2011 (ranking based on hitters with at least 70 at-bats)
Batting average .402: 1st
On-Base % .449: Tied for 3rd (1st Steve Peace .474 April 2010, 79AB)
Slugging % .645: 3rd (1st Ronny Paulino .784 June 2005 74 AB)
Hits 43: 1st passing Rajai Davis who had 40 hits in May 2007
“I’m really focused in on making each at-bat count and I’m aware that my friends are in the big leagues and I’m in Indianapolis. Watching guys go up and hear from them about how great it is in Pittsburgh has giving me a new focus. In the lower levels you expect to spend an entire season at that level, but I’m finding out here your goal is to get to the big leagues as quickly as you can.” For now, Matt Hague is the first baseman for the Indians and in my opinion he just completed the best month ever for a Pirates minor league player in Indianapolis. If he continues on this tear Hague’s parents may bypass Salt Lake and watch their son play as a pro in a Major League city.
Photo by Bill Gentry
Entering Friday night game at Syracuse Hague has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games batting .529 (27-41). An incredible 27 hits in his last 13 games and he takes a 6 game hitting streak into the game.
*****
Hope you can join us for Friday’s broadcast. First pitch from Syracuse will be at 7:00 on SportsRadio 1260 WNDE.
Another Call Up and a Ball Found My Hand
Saturday home games are becoming my favorite day of the week. It gives me the rare opportunity to stay at home and spend time with my family, especially my 18 month old daughter Madeline. For a weekday game I’m usually at the park all day, but on Saturday I typically roll into Victory Field around 4:00. That’s precisely what I did yesterday and the Indians were taking batting practice. As I walked from the concourse down to the field I caught a glimpse of C Kris Watts. Wait a minute, what is Watts doing here? Immediately I started looking for regular catcher Eric Fryer. After not finding Fryer I approached Indians skipper Dean Treanor.
“Dean, why can’t I find Fryer, but I can see Watts?” Dean grinned and said point-blank, “because he’s in Pittsburgh.” WHAT?! “Yup, I was texting most of the night with the Pirates and at that time they were considering the move. Sure enough, I got a call first thing in the morning and I was told to let Fryer know he was going to the big leagues.”
What a jump for Eric Fryer and what a gutsy move by the Pirates. Fryer is exactly the type of player who deserves a call to the big leagues. He started this season in Double-A Altoona playing behind prospect and future Pirates catcher Tony Sanchez. With the Curve Fryer played behind the dish and in the outfield. After excelling in May, he was promoted to Indianapolis when C Dusty Brown was called up to Pittsburgh. When he joined the team Dean told me that he really liked Fryer’s make-up. “He caught my eye in spring training. There was something about him and I really like his energy and he called a nice game.”
Eric Fryer is a Columbus Ohio guy through and through. He grew up there, attended Ohio State, and he still calls Columbus home. He was planning on spending a full week with his wife and new-born son during the All-Star break. Just the other day he was telling me how excited he was to have the three-day break followed by a four games series against the Columbus Clippers. “I’ll be at home and have the chance to play in front of friends and family.” The call from Dean was the last thing he expected and he deserves it. “It really is incredible that we just sent Fryer to the big leagues.” Dean continued, “it goes to show you that you really are one step away from the Major Leagues and the Pirates are taking some chances.”
It really has been a remarkable month with so many players getting the call to Pittsburgh. At the beginning of the year I didn’t feel there would be much movement. The 2011 Indians were a young team that needed a full season of Triple-A baseball…turns out I was way off. In less one month the Indians have sent the following players to Pittsburgh:
SS Pedro Ciriaco
LHP Daniel Moskos (MLB debut)
INF Josh Harrison (MLB debut)
C Dusty Brown
C Wyatt Toregas
RHP Tim Wood
LHP Tony Watson (MLB debut)
INF Chase d’Arnaud (MLB debut)
C Eric Fryer (MLB debut)
Nine players have been promoted from Indianapolis since May 21 with an incredible five making their debut. Some of the call-ups have been due to injury while others have been well deserved. Regardless of how you get there; it’s the show and for five players it was a dream come true.
Throughout this season Dean has mixed his message when delivering the good news to his players. He had fun with Daniel Moskos when he told him he was heading to the big leagues and was direct and to the point when informing Josh Harrison about his jump. Dean was on top of his game when he told Chase d’Arnaud he was going to Pittsburgh.
Chase was removed from the Indians win over Lehigh Valley on Wednesday night. The game was getting out of hand and the Tribe was well on their way to a win. Afterwards Dean called Chase into his office and asked the young player to take a seat. “Dean started to read off my times to first base and after the third time he told me that I wouldn’t be in Thursday line-up.” Chase understood what was said because it’s not unusual for a player to sit after not performing to Dean’s standards. “After he tells me I’m not in the line-up, he smiles and says, because you’re going to Pittsburgh.” It hit d’Arnaud like a ton of bricks and the emotion kicked in. By the time I congratulated Chase I could see that his eyes were still red. He had just got off the phone with his family and the realization was sinking in. The Indians middle infielder was off to the show. “Dean got me good, I never saw it coming.”
PAY ATTENTION:
Indianapolis is NL Central territory. The bulk of Indy’s baseball fans cheer for the Reds, Cardinals, or the Cubs. I’m not asking you to change your allegiance or even go out and buy a hat, but Indianapolis Indians fans should be checking on the Pittsburgh Pirates.
I’m originally from Northeastern Ohio and it’s not in my DNA to like anything about Pittsburgh, but the 2011 Pirates are becoming a great story. (I reluctantly admit that I love the city…unique food…unique accents…and nice people. Well, except on a fall Sunday.) Today the Bucs will try to sweep a three game series from the Boston Red Sox. They enter the game with a 39-37 record and sit only 3 games behind the Central Division leading Brewers. I’m sure a team that is two games over .500 and 3 games out is nothing all that exciting to a casual baseball fan. What if I told you the Pirates have not had a winning season since 1992 and this is the latest point in a season they have been above .500 since 1999? Now would their current record and spot in the standing impress you? The last time the Pirates had a winning record Peyton Manning was a junior in HIGH SCHOOL. So, it’s been while for the baseball fans in Pittsburgh and what is making this year so special is all of the former Indianapolis Indians who are helping turn the franchise around. I’m not saying you have to be a fan of the Pirates, but we are all fans of former Indians players who succeed in the big leagues, right? Fourteen of the Pirates active 25 man roster on Sunday once wore an Indians uniform. Here’s hoping they get the sweep of the Sox and you cheer the sweep even if you are wearing a Reds cap.
ONE PAINFUL CATCH:
In the 5th inning Saturday night Andy Marte was at the plate trying to knock in the go ahead run from third base. I was calling the action from my seat behind home plate when all of a sudden Marte hit a foul ball in the air behind home plate and directly into my window. The foul ball smacked my right palm and fell right into my lap. Holy cow did Andy Marte get my attention and he got my right hand pretty good.
Off the bat I could tell it was heading towards my window, but usually the ball hits below my spot and bounced into the seats. I always try to put on a brave face when a ball is hit back to me because 99% of the time it is going to miss me. I guess this was the 1%. At the last instant I slid to my left with my right hand in the air just off my shoulder and the ball found my palm. Let me stress that too you…the ball found my palm. If it were up to me, that ball would have missed me and dented the back of the radio booth. Instead it dented my palm and left me numb for a moment or two.
Foul ball courtesy of Andy Marte
I didn’t hold on to the ball instead at the inning break I tossed down the ball to a little kid who brought his glove. It was the last thing I expected and a reminder to watch out for foul balls. If you do see a fan make a great bare handed catch remember to give out a really loud cheer and ovation. It’s a heck of a catch and they will have the scars to prove it.
*****
Hope that you can join the Indians for Sunday’s broadcast on 1260 WNDE. The first pitch is at 2:05 and the first fans through the gate will receive an Indians BBQ Grill Set.
Lehigh Valley Indians
On Monday afternoon a few of us were outside the Indians team hotel waiting for the shuttle. Before stopping at our hotel, the van stopped across the street and picked up a player for Lehigh Valley. When the van pulled up to pick us up the doors swung open and a familiar face was there to greet me. LHP Juan Perez (played for Indianapolis for parts of three seasons 2006-2008) gave me a big smile and said “Hey papi, how are you?” Juan and I sat together and did our best to catch up during the short 5 minute trip to the stadium. When the ride was over, I wished him the best and we exchanged a solid bro hug.
“Jeez Scotty, why don’t you just take him out to lunch?” Brian Burres is always good for an occasional dig and he was getting on me for being friendly with a guy. I warned Burres that this was just the beginning because including Juan, there are six former Indianapolis Indians players on the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs roster.
It is common to run into a former Indian from time to time. This season INF Nick Green is playing with Norfolk, RHP Chris Bootcheck is pitching for Durham, and C Carlos Maldonado is with Syracuse. What is uncommon is to see SIX former players with one team. Six of the 24 man roster for the Phillies Triple-A affiliate once wore an Indians uniform. The players are OF Rich Thompson (’05-’06 1x All-Star), RHP Brian Bass (’10), OF Brandon Moss (’10 team MVP), C Erik Kratz (’09-’10 2x-IL All-Star), 1B/OF Tagg Bozied (’09), and Perez. All of the players are key reasons why the Pigs have the leagues 2nd best record and are winning for the first time in the franchises short history.
Thompson has been with LHV since their inaugural season in 2008 and can see a different culture. “It is a lot better winning than it is losing and the experience on this team is incredible.” Of the current LHV roster only 6 players have not spent a day in the Major Leagues. Three of the six barley count because they just joined the team from Double-A Reading. “I’m having fun and everyone here knows that they can help the Phillies out. I’m still able to steal a base and one of the reasons I signed back with Philly is my speed may be an asset off their bench late in the season.” Thompson’s 21 stolen bases are the second most in the league and his first year skipper Ryne Sandberg has given Thompson the green light.
Ryne Sandberg? Yup, the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame 2B is in his first year on the LHV bench. Prior to the two games with the Indians he came out of the clubhouse about 25 minutes before first pitch and signed autographs for the kids who lined up along the Pigs dugout. He signed for about 20 minutes and then took the line-up card to home plate. He still wears #23 and coaches third base. When Sandberg failed to get the Cubs managerial job he left their oganization and signed with is original team. Remember this trade Philly fans?
A year ago Moss was the Indians team MVP and led the league with 96 runs batted in. He was the first Indians player to lead a league in ribbies since 1978 and last year turned out to be an important year for the slugger. “We talked about it all year, but I lost the love for the game and was not having much fun until last year. You know what, I’m having fun again this year and for the first time in a while I am completely healthy.” The Indians learned his shoulder is 100% after testing his arm in the first inning of Mondays game. A year ago Moss had an accurate arm, but it lacked some zip…the zip is back in 2011. His 8th outfield assist of the season erased 2B Brian Friday at home plate who was trying to score on a sac fly. “This is a great clubhouse and maybe I’ll be in the Phillies plan at the end of the year. I doubt it, but as I found out last year, you never know what could happen.”
Last year Moss and several other players were set to drive home after the Indians final game of the year. Instead Moss was stunned with the news he was going to Pittsburgh. The call-up was a surprise to him and Brian Bass. Bass told me an entire line of cars were set to caravan to the south and instead they went to Pittsburgh. “It was great to get the call and it really surprised me. Too bad I was only up for a week, but it still was some validation that I had a good season.” Last year Bass was a reliever with the Tribe and he is a starter this year for LHV. Tuesday night he made his 14th start of the year and lost to the Indians despite holding the Tribe to only 1 run over 7 innings. “I could have signed with a couple of other teams, but liked what the Phillies were offering. The big club is loaded and that means that our team down here is loaded. It’s great to be a starter again and winning never gets old.”
In Tuesday’s start Bass was throwing to C Erik Kratz. The back-stop was a crowd favorite during his two-year stint with the Indians. Kratz was a two-time All-Star and last year at the age of 30 was called to the Bigs for the first time in his career. “Firts of all it is great to see you and the few people who I know. It looks like an entirely new team in Indianapolis.” Kratz was one of many players to move on to another organization and he not only found a home with the Phillies, but he is close to home. “My parents house is about 45 minutes away and that’s been great for the family. I’m having fun, I always do, but this has been fun with Ryne and the older players on the team.” Kratz has moved on to another team, but will always have fond memories with the Tribe. “I had two great years there and my wife and I met a lot of great people. I got a chance to play and of course the chance to live out the dream of getting called to the pros. I’d like to be in Philly in August, but if not I’m looking forward to our trip back to the Vic.”
Juan Perez came to the Indians at the end of the 2006 season and was full-time in 2007 and 2008. “I really liked Indy. The stadium was unbelievable and I got my first call-up when I was there.” Juan is now 32 years old and the 160 pound lefty is still making life miserable for left-handed hitters. Tuesday night he struck out John Bowker and Alex Presley in a LOOGY situation.
There was a lot of catching up on Monday and there will be a lot of good-byes when the series is all said and done on Thursday. It has been fun to catch up with so many players who played so well in and Indians uni.
ANDY MARTE ESTA ARDIENDO:
Over a month ago the Indianapolis Indians were playing at Norfolk. John Bowker was all set to join the team and the Indians needed to create some roster space. I’m sure most of the fans look at the players when they are at the park and evaluate them based on the numbers they see on the scoreboard. Which to some extent is fair, but inside the clubhouse everyone is vulnerable, even a player who spent the entire 2010 season in the Major Leagues. While in Norfolk the Indians were deciding what to do with Andy Marte. He was going to be the odd man out and May 8th he was removed from the Indians roster and added to the extended spring training roster. Marte was still with the team and working out, but in the background is agent was trying to find a better situation than the one with the Indians because he was not going to find playing time in Indy.
Then on May 14 Corey Wimberly injured a lower leg muscle and went onto the Indians DL. The only move the Indians could make was to activate Marte. On May 14 the 27-year-old was batting .147 with 2 home runs and had produced a total of 14 runs in 25 games. “It was bad, really bad and I’ve started out slow in the past, but was given a chance to work through it. It got to the point where I was trying to do too much and I was desperate.” On the day Marte was added back to the roster he went 1-3 with an RBI 2B. He would go hitless in his next four games and again was worried he may be out of a job. Then on May 20th something clicked and Andy Marte not only saved his spot on the roster, but is helping save the Indians season.
The Indians are 26-16 since John Bowker joined the team on May 8th and his presence has changed the dynamic of the team. Another factor has been the rise of Marte. Since May 20th Marte is hitting .333 with a .386 on-base-percentage. Manager Dean Treanor knows that Marte has been a reason for the teams turnaround. “He has proven that he can hit at this level and he is a run producer at this level. There was never a time when we wanted to get rid of him, but you do look out for his best interest. Thankfully he is still here and he not only gets hits, but big hits for us.” In the past 21 starts Marte has 26 hits with 11 extra-base hits and he has produced 36 runs. “Believe me it’s great to be playing and contributing. It’s a long season and I’m still not hitting like I want, but it’s better than where I was.”
NEWS AND NOTES:
Marte is not the only Indians player who is on a role. 1B Matt Hauge, SS Chase d’Arnaud, and CF Gorkys Hernandez are killing the ball on this road trip. Hague is hitting .647 in his last four games (11-17) with four doubles and a HR. His .313 average is the 8th best in the league and his 83 hits are the 4th most in the IL. “Scotty, don’t talk to me and screw this up. I’m good right now.” And superstitous
It didn’t seem like an important hit when Chase d’Arnaud doubled in the 9th inning Friday night against Rochester. The Indians were on their way to losing, but d’Arnaud didn’t give away his at-bat and the hit snapped an 0-18 slide. Turns out the hit was the spring-board to a great road trip. d’Arnaud (remember it’s pronounced dar-no) is batting .346 on the trip with 5 runs batted in. Very quietly d’Arnaud’s 33 RBI is only one-off the team lead. He’s had importnat hits with 19 of his 33 RBI coming on two out hits. “I’m only getting those because guys are on base and it’s great to deliver in those spots. It’s important to be able to drive in runs, but my main goal is to get on base and create runs.”
Finally, we are seeing the promise and abilities from 23-year-old CF Gorkys Hernandez. He has a season high 8 game hitting streak and Tuesday night scored the winning run by using his speed and saved a run with his glove. In the 3rd inning Gorkys was at first base when P Sean Gallagher put down a sac bunt. The third baseman charged the bunt and Gallagher was out at first base, but the play left third base open and Gorkys rounded second and sprinted for third. Two batters later he scored on an RBI single by Friday and the Indians never trailed the rest of the night. Of course it could have been a different story if he Gorkys didn’t make a 4th inning diving back-handed catch on the warning track in left-center field. “I had a pretty good jump and ran as fast as I could. When I got near the ball I just reached my glove out and I couldn’t believe I caught it. I was as surprised as everyone else.” Gallagher was the winning pitcher and knew that Gorkys was the star. “I’m going to owe him a pretty serious lunch. Unbelievable catch.”
As for the offense, Gorkys is batting .464 during his hit streak and in June is batting .333 with a season best .472 slugging percentage. “When I’m not hitting I have to play defense, but it does feel good to get hits and help the team win.” Because Gorkys has been a prospect for three different teams (Tigers, Braves, Pirates) you forget he is still only 23 years old.
Hope you can join the broadcast for tonight’s game. It is game three of this four games series with Lehigh Valley and game 7 of the 8 game trip. Pre-game coverage is at 6:45 with the first pitch at 7:05.
Scott McCauley
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