 04/27/2003 4:53 PM ET
Notes: Streets of San Francisco
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By Damin Esper / Special to MLB.com
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OAKLAND -- Indians pitchers Brian Anderson and Carl Sadler had an eventful Saturday night. The two helped corral a couple of purse-snatchers outside a bar near the team's hotel in San Francisco. The incident was the talk of the clubhouse before Sunday's game with the Oakland Athletics.
Anderson and Sadler were at a table in the bar with two friends of Anderson's. A woman at the bar had her purse sitting on a chair next to her. One of Anderson's friends noticed a teenager walk in and grab the purse. Anderson and Sadler didn't stop to think about anything. They just took off after the thief.
"Carl was right behind me," Anderson said. "I was looking for the purse and Carl took off running. The first thought in my mind was, 'We've got to get that purse and Carl Sadler is not going to beat me in a race.'"
The two chased the purse snatcher for a couple of blocks, dodging traffic the entire way. The incident happened a little after 10 p.m. in a part of San Francisco with heavy traffic.
"Sliding on the hoods of cars," Anderson said. "That's the only thing we didn't do."
Then, Sadler caught the thief.
"He slipped," Sadler said. "When he slipped, I grabbed a hold of his shirt and pinned him down."
Sadler said the teenager dropped the purse right before Sadler caught him and claimed he wasn't the guy who took the purse. Sadler and Anderson then marched him back to the bar where they held him for 15 minutes until the police came. A bouncer at another bar caught another youth who was apparently with the one the players caught.
"When we were waiting I told Carl I wouldn't do what we just did on a bet," Anderson said. "It was one of those, 'Do the right thing' situations."
Said Sadler, "I said, 'Brian we could have been killed out there.' (There was) oncoming traffic. We could have slipped. It could have ended our career."
The woman thanked the players and nothing was missing from her purse. The players left tickets for the police officers who took the suspects in.
It was apparently a crime of opportunity with the kids just seeing the purse sitting there. What they didn't count on was a pair of frustrated athletes being in the bar.
"They picked the wrong restaurant," Anderson said. "Athletes on a losing streak looking for something to take it out on."
Injury update: Anderson said his strained right hamstring suffered no ill effects from the chase. He missed his last start in Seattle and his spot in the rotation will be skipped this week because of Monday's off day.
"Carl said, 'Hey, your hamstring!'" Anderson said. "And I said, 'Hey, you're right!' I didn't think about it. I came in today and told (trainer Paul) Spicuzza, 'I inadvertently tested out my hamstring last night.' I told him I'm ready to go."
Last add, crime fighters: Anderson and Sadler had to give their names to the police officers that arrived at the scene. This could have led to some embarrassment, had manager Eric Wedge walked out of the hotel.
"I thought, 'How priceless would it be for Wedgie to come out of the hotel right now,'" Anderson said. "Me and Carl surrounded by five cops handing them our IDs. We'd be gone by now."
Bere throws: Right-handed pitcher Jason Bere, on the disabled list all season with a strained right shoulder, threw a 40-pitch simulated game before Sunday's tilt. No problems were reported. Bere is expected to pitch in three minor league games on a rehabilitation assignment before returning to the Cleveland roster in mid-May.
Lineup changes: The Indians took a five-game losing streak into Sunday's game. As a result, as well as the fact it was the end of a 10-game road trip, Wedge shook the lineup up. Right fielder Shane Spencer hit third for the first time this season. Rookie center fielder Jody Gerut, who hit sixth in his Major League debut on Saturday moved up the second spot in the order.
Coming up: The Indians are off on Monday, then open a six-game homestand when the World Champion Anaheim Angels visit Jacobs Field. Ricardo Rodriguez (2-1,2.73 ERA) faces Anaheim's Ramon Ortiz (2-2, 5.46) at 7:05 EDT.
Damin Esper is a contributing writer to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Basball or its clubs.
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