News
Perez happy for Tribe opportunity
Chicago (38-38) at Cleveland (31-47), 7:05 p.m. ET
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
06/30/09 12:59 AM ET
CLEVELAND -- Chris Perez made his debut out of the Indians' bullpen Monday night. Unfortunately for the Tribe, he fit right in with the rest of the beleaguered bunch. Perez hit the first two batters he faced, Alexei Ramirez and Jermaine Dye, and walked the third, Jim Thome. When Perez appeared, one out later, to get out of the jam with a potential inning-ending double play ball off the bat of A.J. Pierzynski, he didn't cover first base on a possible 3-6-1 relay, and a run scored. Then he gave up an RBI double to Chris Getz, threw a run-scoring wild pitch and allowed an RBI single to Gordon Beckham. All this helped pave the way to the Indians' 6-3 loss, in which their three runs in the ninth were rendered moot by Perez's ineffectiveness. "Obviously, that was not the best first impression," Perez said. "At least I got out there. Hopefully the next time will be better." As the Indians continue their three-game series with the Sox on Tuesday night at Progressive Field, they're hoping Perez will right himself with a fine second impression and help the bullpen in the process. After Monday's game, Perez's wildness was chalked up to a guy being too amped up and too eager to prove himself to a new organization and its fans. Before his rough debut, Perez was a happy man -- happier than you'd expect for a guy who had just been traded from a first-place club to a last-place one. Perez, who was acquired in the trade Saturday night that sent Mark DeRosa to the Cardinals, spoke animatedly about his opportunity with the Indians. "I'm excited," he said. "This is a good opportunity for me. It's tough leaving a first-place club, but that's part of this game." After all, it's not as if Perez had much say in how the Cardinals fared in recent weeks. In the two weeks leading up to the trade, he was given the ball just four times for a total of three innings of work. "Recently, they hadn't been using me," Perez said. "The first two months of the year, I had been getting regular work. But the last month, basically since they were trying to trade me, they haven't been throwing me. And I have to throw a lot to keep my slider at its full capability." Though his first outing was certainly not an impressive one, Perez figures to get regular work here. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Perez said he already has a feel for the type of situation he's walking into. He compared it to the time when the Cardinals, who selected him 42nd overall in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, called him up to the big leagues last year. Their 'pen was in shambles, and Perez was promoted in an effort to rescue it. "But you can't put too much pressure on yourself," Perez said. "Just because the team's doing bad doesn't mean you have to be the savior." Perez wants to show improvement at this level. He was 1-1 with a save and a 4.18 ERA in 29 appearances for the Cards this year. He had walked 15 and struck out 30 in 23 2/3 innings, with opponents batting .195 off him. His control is an issue that will need to be addressed, as Monday's outing indicated. But Perez had been effective against both right- and left-handers in the NL with his mid-90s fastball and his slider. Perez was a closer in college at Miami, a closer in the Minors and a closer in St. Louis for about two weeks last August. Ultimately, his goal is to be a full-time closer in the big leagues, but he knows the Indians already have somebody for that role. "That's my dream," he said. "If it's this year, next year or a couple years down the road, that's my goal and that's what keeps me working hard. We have a great closer in Kerry Wood. I went up against him last year, and he's a great competitor. By no means am I trying to take his job. I'm just here to try to fit in and help him." Alas, Perez fit in for all the wrong reasons Monday. Pitching matchupCLE: LHP Cliff Lee (4-6, 2.92 ERA)
Lee's tough-luck year continued on Thursday in Pittsburgh. He held the Pirates to a pair of runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts but had only a no-decision to show for it. But this was partially Lee's fault, as he squandered a 2-0 lead and issued a game-tying walk with the bases loaded in the seventh. He also would have liked to be a little more efficient and last into the eighth. Still, Lee has a 2.22 ERA in his past 14 starts, with just four wins to show for it, and that's a disturbing trend. Lee held the White Sox scoreless on six hits over seven innings in a victory on May 13. CWS: LHP Clayton Richard (2-1, 4.33 ERA)
Richard struggled for a second straight outing last Thursday against the Dodgers. He lasted just 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out one and walking one. His control was shaky, as he hit three batters, the most by a White Sox pitcher since Javier Vazquez on June 9, 2006, against the Indians. Over his past two starts, Richard has thrown 7 1/3 innings, giving up nine runs (seven earned) and has not gone six innings in five straight starts. Against the Indians, Richard is 0-1 with a 6.97 ERA in three career games (two starts). Tidbits
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Lee's streak of 47 consecutive starts of at least five innings pitched, dating back to the beginning of the '08 season, is the longest active streak in the Majors and the longest stretch by an Indians starter since Gaylord Perry (Aug. 30, 1972-July 27, 1974). Lee and Perry are the only Indians pitchers to have such a stretch since 1954. ... Double-A Akron outfielder Nick Weglarz was named the Eastern League Player of the Week. He's reached base safely in 22 straight games, going 23-for-71 (.324) with 19 walks, five homers and 21 RBIs in that span. ... More than 20 former Indians players will take part in the 2010 Fantasy Camp, set to take place Jan. 16-23 in Goodyear, Ariz. Among those scheduled to take part are Bob Feller, Rick Manning, Jim "Mudcat" Grant, Carlos Baerga, Scott Bailes, Len Barker, Dave Burba, Brook Jacoby, Mike Hargrove, Charles Nagy and Cory Snyder. Fans can register by calling (216) 420-HITS or visiting indians.com. Tickets
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• Wednesday: White Sox (Jose Contreras, 2-7, 5.19) at Indians (Jeremy Sowers, 2-5, 5.44), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Off-day
• Friday: Athletics (Trevor Cahill, 5-6, 4.23) at Indians (David Huff, 3-3, 6.26), 7:05 p.m. ET
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
