Before Wickman could provide the answer, Scott Elarton, at his locker stall nearby, chimed in with an answer: "It means you got more than 37."

Well, yeah, it did mean that. But 38 also meant that Wickman, who reached that number Friday night, had set his career high for saves.

"It's weird, because I am getting the opportunities this year," Wickman said after Elarton stepped aside and let him answer. "You hear from all the people when you get 40 or 45 [saves] -- the big-time relievers, [Mariano] Riveras and stuff like that.

"[Reaching 45 or 50], it's kind of to judge yourself against them, with having that many opportunities to be able to go out there night after night in a pressure situation and handle it."

Looking back at his career, Wickman didn't see having more than 44 chances for saves, which came the season he hit 37. He didn't even get that many opportunities in 2001, when the Indians won the Central Division.

"I was on the team in 2001 when we blew everyone out," he said. "I only had 32 opportunities that year, I think."

In Wickman's mind, 38, a total that leads the American League, is two short of where he sees the elite relievers -- the Riveras, the Gagnes and the like. But unless the season does an about-face on him and the Indians, he should hit 40 and go beyond it.

"To get up in there and by right around the top three or four in the league, I can say, 'Yes, I was one of those guys for one year that was able to save a bunch of games,'" Wickman said.

National exposure: The national spotlight will be on the Indians when they conclude their three-game series Sunday night against the Twins. ESPN 2 will broadcast its Sunday Night Baseball from Jacobs Field. The first 20,000 fans will receive an American flag lapel pin, courtesy of Fifth Third Bank, and the Indians, a team that's leading the Wild Card race, will "Salute Our Protectors" in a ceremony before the game in remembrance of the victims of 9/11.

Here's the question: Who holds the team record for the most innings pitched in one game? (See answer below)

Quotable: "We made the trades in order to add a Josh Bard, in order to add a Victor Martinez, in order to add a Ben Broussard, an Earl Snyder, an Alex Escobar, a Milton Bradley, a Billy Traber, a Cliff Lee, a David Elder -- we made these trades to get all these pieces. Some of them will hit as core guys, some of them will hit as role players. But all of whom, in the next year, will start to establish what will be the infrastructure of a championship team." -- General manager Mark Shapiro, responding to questions in 2002

Did you know? Bard, who filled in Thursday night for Martinez, describes "Braveheart" as his favorite movie, Newsboys as his favorite artist/group, his father as the biggest influence in his life and "Alias" as his favorite TV program.

This and that: Lee leads the American League in winning percentage at .789 (career best 15-4). Over the last two seasons, Lee is 29-12 (.707), and only Twins left-hander Johan Santana (33-13, .717), the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, has a better winning percentage among Major League pitchers with at least 30 decisions. Mark Mulder is third at .681 (32-15). ... The last Indians pitchher to lead the league in winning percentage was right-hander Charles Nagy, who went 17-5 in 1997. His .789 winning percentage is second best in club history. ... The Indians have equaled their 2004 win total of 80 in the 141st game of the season. Last year, after 141 games, the Indians were 70-71. The Indians have equaled their 2001 record after 141 games, the last season in which they made the playoffs.

Tribe tidbits: Tribe fans can buy tickets to home games through the Internet at www.indians.com, at the Jacobs Field box office, at the seven Cleveland Indians Team Shops in Northeast Ohio and through the Ticketmaster.com phone center (1-866-48-TRIBE). ... With the support of WTAM and WEWS-TV 5, the Indians will accept cash donations for the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts during home games at Jacobs Field at sections 157 and 541.

On this date: In 2003, right-hander Chad Durbin was pressed into an emergency start when C.C. Sabathia came up ill. Durbin gave a gutsy 4 1/3-inning performance and left with a lead. The bullpen was unable to hold it as the Royals came from behind to beat the Tribe, 9-7.

And the answer is: No telling what his pitch count was, but right-hander Stan Coveleski, one of the "100 Greatest Indians," went 19 innings for the Indians in a game May 14, 1918.

On deck: Lee (15-4, 3.72 ERA) will start the game Sunday night against the Twins. Lee will face right-hander Carlos Silva (9-7, 3.27 ERA).