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CLEVELAND ( SALAZAR )
MINNESOTA ( HUGHES ) |
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| 917 | CLEVELAND | +100 | Ov 8.5,+100 | -105 | Ov 8,-115 | | 918 | MINNESOTA | -110 | Un 8.5,-120 | -105 | Un 8,-105 |
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| All Games | 3-6 | -4.4 | 3-6 | 3.2 | 0.221 | 0.285 | 0.323 | 0.608 | 4.1 | 0.235 | 0.323 | 0.344 | 0.667 | | Road Games | 2-2 | -0.9 | 0-4 | 2.2 | 0.210 | 0.268 | 0.362 | 0.631 | 1.5 | 0.119 | 0.224 | 0.178 | 0.402 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 2-2 | -1 | 1-3 | 3.2 | 0.252 | 0.305 | 0.413 | 0.718 | 3.0 | 0.213 | 0.301 | 0.309 | 0.609 | | Past 7 Games | 2-5 | -4.3 | 3-4 | 3.9 | 0.237 | 0.306 | 0.340 | 0.646 | 5.0 | 0.259 | 0.349 | 0.389 | 0.737 | | Grass Games | 3-6 | -4.4 | 3-6 | 3.2 | 0.221 | 0.285 | 0.323 | 0.608 | 4.1 | 0.235 | 0.323 | 0.344 | 0.667 | | Day Games | 2-3 | -1.2 | 3-2 | 4.8 | 0.271 | 0.333 | 0.388 | 0.722 | 5.6 | 0.279 | 0.377 | 0.419 | 0.796 | | Division | 1-5 | -5.3 | 3-3 | 3.7 | 0.224 | 0.296 | 0.293 | 0.589 | 5.7 | 0.288 | 0.366 | 0.420 | 0.786 |
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| All Games | 3.2 | 0.221 | 0.285 | 9 | 303 | 67 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 0.323 | 28 | 27 | 76 | 6 | 62 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 11 | | Road Games | 2.2 | 0.210 | 0.268 | 4 | 138 | 29 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0.362 | 8 | 11 | 32 | 3 | 28 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | | Righty Starters | 3.2 | 0.252 | 0.305 | 4 | 143 | 36 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0.413 | 12 | 11 | 32 | 3 | 29 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
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| All Games | 3.53 | 1.429 | 35.7 | 16 | 14 | 30 | 5 | 21 | 31 | 0-2 | 2 | 1 | 66.7% | | Road Games | 2.16 | 1.439 | 8.3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 100% |
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| All Games | 4-6 | -1.1 | 5-5 | 3.0 | 0.216 | 0.267 | 0.310 | 0.577 | 5.3 | 0.289 | 0.347 | 0.447 | 0.794 | | Home Games | 3-1 | +2.9 | 2-2 | 4.2 | 0.244 | 0.288 | 0.389 | 0.677 | 5.0 | 0.268 | 0.327 | 0.376 | 0.703 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 3-3 | +0.8 | 2-4 | 2.8 | 0.194 | 0.262 | 0.276 | 0.537 | 4.3 | 0.272 | 0.339 | 0.403 | 0.742 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | +1.9 | 4-3 | 4.1 | 0.242 | 0.301 | 0.364 | 0.665 | 4.4 | 0.267 | 0.312 | 0.401 | 0.713 | | Grass Games | 4-6 | -1.1 | 5-5 | 3.0 | 0.216 | 0.267 | 0.310 | 0.577 | 5.3 | 0.289 | 0.347 | 0.447 | 0.794 | | Day Games | 2-6 | -4 | 5-3 | 3.0 | 0.226 | 0.275 | 0.320 | 0.594 | 6.2 | 0.305 | 0.365 | 0.491 | 0.856 | | Division | 4-6 | -1.1 | 5-5 | 3.0 | 0.216 | 0.267 | 0.310 | 0.577 | 5.3 | 0.289 | 0.347 | 0.447 | 0.794 |
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| All Games | 3.0 | 0.216 | 0.267 | 10 | 329 | 71 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 0.310 | 26 | 23 | 75 | 4 | 62 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | | Home Games | 4.2 | 0.244 | 0.288 | 4 | 131 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0.389 | 15 | 8 | 26 | 1 | 23 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | | Righty Starters | 2.8 | 0.194 | 0.262 | 6 | 196 | 38 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0.276 | 14 | 18 | 50 | 4 | 40 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
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| All Games | 4.59 | 1.350 | 33.3 | 20 | 17 | 35 | 2 | 10 | 20 | 1-1 | 3 | 0 | 100% | | Home Games | 4.59 | 1.149 | 15.7 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 1-0 | 2 | 0 | 100% |
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| 4/6/2015 | KLUBER(R) | @ HOUSTON | KEUCHEL(L) | 0-2 | L | -110 | 7.5 un | U | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | | 4/8/2015 | CARRASCO(R) | @ HOUSTON | FELDMAN(R) | 2-0 | W | -120 | 8.5 ev | U | 7 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 | | 4/9/2015 | BAUER(R) | @ HOUSTON | WOJCIECHOWSKI(R) | 5-1 | W | -105 | 9 ev | U | 11 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | | 4/10/2015 | MCALLISTER(R) | DETROIT | SIMON(R) | 4-8 | L | -120 | 8.5 un | O | 10 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 12 | 0 | | 4/11/2015 | KLUBER(R) | DETROIT | PRICE(L) | 6-9 | L | -105 | 6 ov | O | 8 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 9 | 1 | | 4/12/2015 | HOUSE(L) | DETROIT | LOBSTEIN(L) | 5-8 | L | +105 | 8 un | O | 9 | 9 | 1 | 11 | 9 | 1 | | 4/14/2015 | CARRASCO(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | QUINTANA(L) | 1-4 | L | -125 | 7 un | U | 3 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 2 | | 4/15/2015 | BAUER(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | DANKS(L) | 4-2 | W | -130 | 7.5 un | U | 8 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 1 | | 4/17/2015 | KLUBER(R) | @ MINNESOTA | PELFREY(R) | 2-3 | L | -180 | 8.5 un | U | 8 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 0 | | 4/18/2015 | SALAZAR(R) | @ MINNESOTA | HUGHES(R) | | | 4/19/2015 | HOUSE(L) | @ MINNESOTA | MAY(R) | | | 4/20/2015 | CARRASCO(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | DANKS(L) | | | 4/21/2015 | BAUER(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | NOESI(R) | | | 4/22/2015 | KLUBER(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | SAMARDZIJA(R) | | | 4/24/2015 | SALAZAR(R) | @ DETROIT | GREENE(R) | | | 4/25/2015 | | @ DETROIT | | |
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| 4/6/2015 | HUGHES(R) | @ DETROIT | PRICE(L) | 0-4 | L | 145 | 8 ov | U | 5 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 0 | | 4/8/2015 | NOLASCO(R) | @ DETROIT | SANCHEZ(R) | 0-11 | L | 150 | 8.5 un | O | 4 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 11 | 0 | | 4/9/2015 | GIBSON(R) | @ DETROIT | GREENE(R) | 1-7 | L | 125 | 9 un | U | 5 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 1 | | 4/10/2015 | MILONE(L) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | NOESI(R) | 6-0 | W | 100 | 9 un | U | 10 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | | 4/11/2015 | PELFREY(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | SAMARDZIJA(R) | 4-5 | L | 140 | 8.5 un | O | 8 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 2 | | 4/12/2015 | HUGHES(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | SALE(L) | 2-6 | L | 155 | 7.5 ev | O | 7 | 7 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 0 | | 4/13/2015 | MAY(R) | KANSAS CITY | DUFFY(L) | 3-12 | L | +120 | 8.5 un | O | 7 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 0 | | 4/15/2015 | GIBSON(R) | KANSAS CITY | VOLQUEZ(R) | 3-1 | W | +115 | 8 un | U | 5 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 1 | | 4/16/2015 | MILONE(L) | KANSAS CITY | VARGAS(L) | 8-5 | W | +105 | 7.5 un | O | 14 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 1 | | 4/17/2015 | PELFREY(R) | CLEVELAND | KLUBER(R) | 3-2 | W | +170 | 8.5 un | U | 6 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 2 | | 4/18/2015 | HUGHES(R) | CLEVELAND | SALAZAR(R) | | | 4/19/2015 | MAY(R) | CLEVELAND | HOUSE(L) | | | 4/20/2015 | GIBSON(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | VOLQUEZ(R) | | | 4/21/2015 | MILONE(L) | @ KANSAS CITY | VARGAS(L) | | | 4/22/2015 | PELFREY(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | GUTHRIE(R) | | | 4/24/2015 | HUGHES(R) | @ SEATTLE | HERNANDEZ(R) | | | 4/25/2015 | | @ SEATTLE | | |
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| |  | CLEVELAND: CLEVELAND (AP) - While their AL Central rivals jockeyed during the offseason, one trying to outdo the other to improve their chances of winning a World Series title, the Indians watched.
That was the plan.
No, they didn't make any blockbuster trades, sign a big-name, big-ticket free agent or overhaul their roster with new faces. The Indians, who somehow stayed in contention last season until the waning days of September, didn't feel the need to make radical changes. It wasn't necessary.
The pieces are in place for Cleveland to have a special 2015 season.
''The team knows it,'' said second baseman Jason Kipnis. ''We got two winning seasons in a row. We had an 85-win season when we had about three guys playing good. The possibilities are there, the potential is there. That whole last year we never had more than a seven-game winning streak, never really got hot.
''We got the same corps. Same group of guys. We kind of want another chance at this again - and we're getting another chance.''
The Indians return virtually the same team that went 85-77 last season, finishing third behind division champion Detroit and wild-card winner Kansas City, which ended a postseason drought dating to 1985, won the pennant and pushed San Francisco to seven games in the World Series.
Watching the Royals inspired the Indians. And as he prepares for his third season in Cleveland, manager Terry Francona senses a different drive in his players.
They're hungry.
''Our veteran guys are trying to get better,'' he said. ''Our younger guys are excited to prove what they can do. I didn't see anybody just kind of go home and want to kind of keep the status quo. We're all excited about that.''
Francona said they're upping expectations both on performance and results.
''They're kind of at a stage where they're embracing trying to see if we can go up against some of these teams and, not only maybe hold our own, but maybe do a little more than that,'' Francona said.
There's no denying Francona's magical touch. The man who helped end Boston's supposed baseball curse, who got the Indians to the postseason in 2013, has an uncanny ability to convince players buy in to his program and get them to believe they can overcome any obstacles: injuries, payroll, low expectations, the Tigers lineup.
This spring, Francona didn't have to sell the Indians, who haven't won a World Series since 1948, on the idea they can compete. They already know that. Now it's a matter of taking the next step.
''When guys believe they can do it, and then they start to do it, then you see the confidence take over and guys take off, and you can accomplish a lot,'' he said. ''That's part of the fun of the season, to see how good you can get. I'd rather enjoy, as much as we can, the journey.''
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KLUBER UBER ALLES
All Corey Kluber did in his first major-league season was win 18 games, re-write some record books, dominate almost every time he pitched and win the AL Cy Young.
The 28-year-old could do it again.
Seemingly programmed because of his consistent performances and composed demeanor, Kluber gives the Indians a long-needed and legitimate No. 1 starter capable of winning every time he gets the ball. He scares opponents and makes his teammates better.
The Indians have discussed a long-term contract extension for the right-hander, who isn't even eligible for arbitration.
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YOUR TABLE, MR. BRANTLEY
Michael Brantley just might be baseball's most unassuming star, and he plans to keep it that way. The 27-year-old's breakout 2014 season - he batted .327 with 20 homers, 97 RBIs and a third-place finish in MVP voting - was followed by obligatory can-he-do-it-again questions.
Francona thinks Brantley might be poised for bigger things. The spotlight will find Brantley, but he's not craving it.
''He's so consistent at a high level that I don't see that going away,'' he said. ''He's so confident in what he's doing that I think he enjoys playing the game and the other things that come with it, I think he could take it or leave it. He has a really good understanding of who he is.''
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BETTER BE BETTER
For the Indians to get where they want, Kipnis (.240), CF Michael Bourn (106 games) and DH Nick Swisher (offseason knee surgeries) need to bounce back and produce more than they did in `14.
No position player is more important than Kipnis, a 2013 All-Star who was injured most of last season.
''He can affect the game so many ways - steal a base, get a bunt down, hit a ball in the gap,'' Francona said. | | MINNESOTA: MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Paul Molitor was hired as Minnesota's new manager, bringing Hall of Fame membership and renowned intelligence and intuition to a team seeking a fresh start.
The Twins brought back one of their most popular players ever, Torii Hunter, to help solidify an unsettled outfield, mentor a fledgling team and hit a few home runs. They have collected plenty of promising young hitters, either slated for the opening day lineup or waiting in the minor league wings.
None of that will matter much if the starting pitching continues to wobble the way it has the last four seasons.
Phil Hughes had by most measures a career year, his first away from the New York Yankees, but his ability to match that is low on the list of 2015 goals. Ricky Nolasco needs to rebound from a terrible first season with the Twins. Ervin Santana must show he's worth that $55 million, four-year contract. Kyle Gibson has to reduce the times (five of 31 starts in 2014) he goes three innings or less and gives up six runs or more. The fifth spot winner, Trevor May, Tommy Milone or Mike Pelfrey, needs to keep it.
''We'd put up a couple good starts and somebody would get hurt or we'd take a step backward,'' said Hughes, whose 2014 season has been one of the few true success stories of the rotation since it unraveled in 2011. ''Every good team I've been on, it seems like the rotation gets on a roll.''
New pitching coach Neil Allen will have more impact on the staff than Molitor, but after 13 years under manager Ron Gardenhire the clubhouse has been naturally buzzing with excitement about the new boss.
''He's one of the smartest baseball people I've ever been around,'' first baseman Joe Mauer said.
As for Hunter? His presence was desired for more energy and stronger camaraderie.
''If there's no tension between players and you're comfortable with everyone, you're going to play better,'' closer Glen Perkins said. ''So that's chemistry, I guess. I think we've held it together as much as we can, as much as we've struggled.''
Here are some key angles to know about the Twins in 2015:
MAUER IMPROVEMENT
Mauer, soon to turn 32, will make $23 million each of the next four years. Injuries have limited him to an average of 116 games from 2011-14. His batting average hit a career-low .277 last season, and he had a career-most 96 strikeouts despite time lost to an oblique muscle injury.
The Twins haven't lost faith in their franchise player, the homegrown guy who was the first overall draft pick in 2001. Playing for Molitor, whom he grew up admiring as an alumnus of the same St. Paul high school, ought to help.
''He's healthy. I think he's anxious to prove that last year was just an aberration,'' general manager Terry Ryan said.
LINEUP FLEXIBILITY
Molitor has been touting his options at the top and in the middle of the order, with a team that quietly scored the third-most runs in the majors after the All-Star break last year and added an accomplished hitter in Hunter.
One decision is whether to bat Mauer third, where he was most of his career until Gardenhire began to bat him second often over the last two seasons.
With Hunter, Kennys Vargas, Trevor Plouffe and Oswaldo Arcia, Molitor has power to play with in the heart of the order. The downsides are Arcia's inconsistency, leadoff man Danny Santana being the only player with a 2014 average above .290 and an unsettled situation in center field.
''It's a small sample, our track record from last year, but it's something you can use as a foundation to see potentially how your offense can work. We're going to have depth, I think, all the way down to the bottom,'' Molitor said.
BULLPEN SHUFFLE
The Twins could return as few as three relievers to their roles from last season: Perkins, Casey Fien and Brian Duensing. Blaine Boyer and Tim Stauffer, from San Diego, were signed. At least one of the losers in the fifth starter competition was headed for the seven-man bullpen. Rule 5 draft pick J.R. Graham, who must be returned to Atlanta if he's not on the 25-man roster, has been pushing for a spot, too.
Reliever use will be one area in which Molitor's strategy could differ from that of Gardenhire.
''I want to get them out of a one-inning mentality. Not that they all have it, or don't want to pitch more. But we've talked a lot about some of those guys, trying to get two innings out of them here, if we can,'' Molitor said. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (CLEVELAND-MINNESOTA) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Indians-Twins Preview* =======================
By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer
Cleveland (3-5) at Minnesota (3-6), 2:10 p.m. EDT
Danny Salazar is seeking to capitalize on his return to the majors and facing the light-hitting Minnesota Twins might give him the opportunity to impress.
The Cleveland Indians right-hander will try to stake his claim to a permanent place in the rotation beginning Saturday.
Salazar made 20 starts for the Indians in 2014, but was sent to Triple-A Columbus after posting an 8.18 ERA in spring training and laboring with his command.
"I think I was working a lot, but maybe I was focused on other things than pitching," Salazar told MLB's official website. "The whole offseason, I was working on building my body and all that. Maybe I was focusing more on that than pitching.
He's heading back to the big club because Cleveland (3-6) wants to try Zach McAllister as a reliever.
"I have to show them that I've been working hard," Salazar said. "I have to prove it."
Salazar went 6-8 with a 4.25 ERA in 2014 but was 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in three starts against Minnesota (4-6). He earned an 8-2 victory in his last matchup July 22 at Target Field, yielding one run in five-plus innings.
Salazar will face a Twins team that's batting .216 this season and scoring 3.0 runs per game. Minnesota, though, has gotten enough to win three straight contests.
The Twins won 3-2 in 11 innings on Trevor Plouffe's home run in Friday's series opener and finished with six hits while going 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position. He was 4 for 34 before that at-bat.
"The biggest thing is you just see the awful numbers on the scoreboard that you can't hide from," said Plouffe, who had a team-leading 80 RBIs in 2014 and batted a career-high .258. "But you just have to trust the process and know that's going to happen throughout the year. Can't get too low or too high."
Phil Hughes will attempt to lead Minnesota to its first four-game win streak since June by improving on his 4-1 record and 2.80 ERA in seven lifetime starts against Cleveland. He'll also seek to avoid losing his first three starts in a season for the first time in his career.
Hughes (0-2, 5.25 ERA) went 0-4 in 2008 but did not get a decision in his debut that season.
He had an improved performance from his first outing this season Sunday, allowing three runs in six innings in a 6-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. He settled down after giving up two runs and five consecutive hits in the first.
The right-hander was charged with four runs in six innings against Detroit in the Twins' opener April 6.
The Indians haven't fared that much better at the plate than Minnesota, hitting .221 and averaging 3.2 runs. They've totaled seven runs in their last three contests while going 3 for 20 with runners in scoring position.
Cleveland did get Michael Brantley back in the lineup Friday after a four-game absence due to an ailing back. He went 2 for 5 and is batting .480 in his last six games against the Twins.
Minnesota's Brian Dozier is 7 for 11 with a home run and three doubles lifetime versus Salazar, but Plouffe is 1 for 11 with five strikeouts.
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| | Last Updated: 4/25/2024 5:45:44 AM EST. |
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