News
Abreu hopes to stick in Indians' bullpen
Cleveland (33-49) vs. Oakland (33-46), 1:05 p.m. ET
Winston Abreu was acquired in a trade with the Rays on Thursday. (David Zalubowski/AP)
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
07/04/09 10:08 PM ET
CLEVELAND -- The Indians are the fourth Major League team to give the hard-throwing Winston Abreu a shot in their bullpen. Needless to say, both sides are hoping this is a long-lasting match. The Indians enter Sunday's homestand finale against the A's looking for a series sweep, and they do so with Abreu as the newest addition to their always-evolving bullpen. "I'm glad to be here," said Abreu, who was acquired in a trade with the Rays on Thursday and activated by the Tribe on Saturday. "I really like this team and this organization. I came here, and everybody has been nice to me." Abreu was saying the same things about the Rays just a few short weeks ago, when they promoted him to the big leagues after he posted dominant numbers (3-0, 10 saves, 1.41 ERA, 49 strikeouts and 10 walks in 32 innings) at Triple-A Durham. But after just two appearances with Tampa Bay (2.45 ERA, three strikeouts and two walks in 3 2/3 innings), he was designated for assignment. "I was surprised," he said. "But that's baseball. Today, you're here. Tomorrow, you don't know where you are. That's the business of baseball. I'm glad I'm here now, and I'll do the best I can to help this team win." Abreu, 32, is the third arm added to the bullpen from outside the organization in the past two weeks. The difference this time is the Indians had to give up a highly touted relief prospect to get him. But John Meloan had some mechanical and control issues at Triple-A Columbus that led to a 5.52 ERA in 25 appearances, and he'll get a new start elsewhere. As for Abreu, he has never lasted in the bigs for any sustained period. He pitched for the Orioles in 2006 and the Nationals in 2007, and he spent last year pitching in the Japanese Pacific League. What's it going to take for Abreu to stick? "Just making adjustments," he said. "This game is all about making adjustments and being consistent." Abreu throws a fastball in the 92-94 mph range, as well as a slider and changeup. "He's a strike-thrower," said pitching coach Carl Willis, who watched Abreu throw a bullpen session Friday. "His slider is his best pitch. It has some depth to it." Now, it's time to see if Abreu's tenure with the Tribe has some length to it. Pitching matchupCLE: LHP Cliff Lee (4-7, 3.39 ERA)
Lee's Major League-leading streak of 47 starts with at least five innings pitched came to a stunning halt Tuesday against the White Sox. He was roughed up for seven runs on 11 hits with a walk and three strikeouts in just three-plus innings. It was his shortest outing since May 29, 2006. Lee is 4-1 with a 2.39 ERA in nine career starts against the A's, including a 2-0 record and 0.61 ERA in two starts in 2008. OAK: LHP Gio Gonzalez (0-2, 7.27 ERA)
Called up from Triple-A Sacramento on June 24 to replace injured lefty Josh Outman, Gonzalez issued a four-pitch walk to open his most recent start, Tuesday against the Tigers, and gave up a two-run homer on his seventh pitch of the game. He settled down thereafter, though, and got through five innings with a respectable line of three runs on seven hits and two walks. It was a far cry better than the excitable Gonzalez's previous outing, in which he gave up six runs (four earned) on 10 hits and two walks against the Giants. Tidbits
Aaron Laffey (strained right oblique) was roughed up for seven runs on 10 hits with two walks and three strikeouts in just four innings of work for Triple-A Columbus in his fourth Minor League rehab start Friday. Six of the runs came in the first inning. Laffey said he was throwing nothing but four-seam fastballs that inning in an attempt to get the pitch working for him, so he shrugged off the results. "I was going to throw that four-seamer until I got one in there," he said. "If I gave up six hits or six runs, so be it. I was being stubborn and throwing it until I got it right." ... Manager Eric Wedge said the reports on Laffey were better than the line would indicate. But the Indians had not yet decided what the next step with Laffey will be. They have an off-day Monday, and the All-Star break is looming. Wednesday's spot in the rotation is to be determined. The Indians are essentially choosing between Laffey and Tomo Ohka for that spot. ... Saturday marked the first time all season that Wedge used the same lineup in consecutive games. The Tribe has used 76 lineups in 82 games. ... On Friday night, Shin-Soo Choo became the first Indians player to notch seven or more RBIs and four or more runs scored in the same game in more than 57 years. The last to do so was Al Rosen on April 29, 1952, when he had the same totals against the Philadelphia A's. ... Choo was just the third player since 1945 to record four runs, seven RBIs and a steal in the same game. The others were the Pirates' Willie Stargell, who did it on May 22, 1968, against the Cubs, and the Red Sox's Ted Williams, who did it in June 1949 against the St. Louis Browns. ... The Indians signed left-hander Bobby Livingston to round out the Double-A Akron rotation. Livingston, 26, had spent the '09 season between Double-A Bowie (6-2, 3.62 ERA in 12 starts) and Triple-A Norfolk (1-0, 1.80 ERA in three starts) in the Orioles' organization. He appeared in 13 games with the Mariners and Reds from 2006-07, compiling a 3-3 record and 6.31 ERA. He'll start Sunday at Harrisburg for the Aeros. Tickets
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• Monday: Off-day
• Tuesday: Indians (Jeremy Sowers, 2-6, 5.68) at White Sox (Mark Buehrle, 8-2, 3.09), 8:11 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Indians (David Huff, 4-3, 6.06) at White Sox (Jose Contreras, 3-7, 4.84), 8:11 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.
