News
Brantley thrust into Tribe's leadoff role
Cleveland (59-75) vs. Minnesota (67-67), 4:10 p.m. ET
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
09/05/09 1:18 AM ET
CLEVELAND -- Though Grady Sizemore graduated, statistically speaking, from the leadoff spot long ago, the Indians left him there because they didn't feel they had anybody in-house to replace him at No. 1. It was a valid argument, given the composition of the Major League roster. But it's an argument that Michael Brantley has the potential to put to rest. Brantley projects as the Tribe's leadoff man of the future. And with Sizemore shut down to have season-ending elbow surgery, Brantley is the Indians' leadoff man of the present. That's not set in stone, of course. Though Brantley batted leadoff for Friday's series opener against the Twins and is expected to be in that spot again Saturday afternoon, when the weekend set continues at Progressive Field, Brantley might not be there every time he plays down the stretch this season. But it is a spot where Brantley feels he belongs."You can hope and dream that it's going to happen," said Brantley, who went 2-for-5 with an RBI -- his first in the Majors -- and run scored Friday. "But now that it's here, it's even more exciting than you imagined."
The 22-year-old Brantley, acquired last year as the player to be named in the CC Sabathia trade with the Brewers, is an exciting young player, and the fact that he was trusted with the leadoff spot in just his fourth Major League game is a testament to how much respect he's earned from manager Eric Wedge in a short time.
"It's a unique opportunity for him," Wedge said of Brantley's position in the order. "With Grady shut down, it's a good opportunity for some young kids to get a chance." Note the plural there, because Trevor Crowe, who was activated off the 15-day disabled list Friday, will also get time in center field and, potentially, in the leadoff spot. Asdrubal Cabrera, who briefly took over Sizemore's leadoff duties earlier this year, might also return to No. 1, on occasion. Cabrera, though, has looked solid in the No. 3 spot this season, and Crowe's future as an everyday big leaguer is still a question mark. Nothing is guaranteed to Brantley, either, but it's clear the Indians view him as a potential fixture in their lineup down the road. Some in the organization think he may turn out to be the best player acquired in the Sabathia deal that also brought in the power-hitting Matt LaPorta. So consider this a trial run for Brantley, who has made an instant impact in the Indians' lineup since his Tuesday promotion. Brantley's skill set meshes with the leadoff mentality. He has a keen eye at the plate (he drew 59 walks against 48 strikeouts in 457 at-bats with Columbus this season) and speed on the basepaths (46 steals in 51 attempts). "I've hit leadoff throughout my whole [professional] career," said Brantley, who was selected by Milwaukee out of high school in the seventh round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft. "My game adapted to being a leadoff guy. I don't hit too many home runs. I'm more of a line-drive, base-hit kind of guy who likes to steal bases." Some scouts believe Brantley's power will come as he matures as a hitter. For now, he loves hitting leadoff. "Hearing the crowd roar and the thrill of being the first batter up is unforgettable," he said. "It's a great feeling every time you do it." Pitching matchupCLE: RHP Justin Masterson (4-6, 4.57 ERA)
In his sixth outing and fifth start since coming over from the Red Sox in a non-waiver Trade Deadline deal for catcher Victor Martinez, Masterson pitched well enough to keep Wedge's confidence in the righty's rotation spot through September. Masterson allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings against Baltimore on Sunday, striking out six. That last stat tied a season high for him in 37 outings. It marked the third time in a row that the reliever-turned-starter has gone more than five innings as the club continues to evaluate his role for next season. MIN: RHP Scott Baker (12-7, 4.44 ERA)
Baker has continued to pitch well for the Twins over the past several months. In his most recent outing, he limited Texas to three runs on six hits through seven innings, although he didn't factor into the decision in a 5-3 Minnesota victory. Baker has now gone 10 consecutive starts without picking up a loss, with four of those starts coming as no-decisions. He's 3-0 against Cleveland this season, with his best outing of the year -- a two-hit shutout -- coming against the Indians on Aug. 14. Tidbits
Double-A Akron catcher Carlos Santana was named the Eastern League MVP. Santana was batting .289 with 21 homers and 94 RBIs in 127 games and was leading the league with a .518 slugging percentage, a .930 OPS and 89 walks. He had also thrown out 30 percent of would-be base stealers. "Carlos has had an extremely consistent and productive year and has not taken for granted that he's exceptionally talented as a baseball player," farm director Ross Atkins said in a release. "He has worked to improve upon what is already good enough to afford him Major League opportunity, and he clearly has the opportunity to be one of the best at what he does." ... The Indians purchased the contract of left-hander Mike Gosling to add depth to their bullpen in case of emergency. It marked the second stint with the Tribe this season for Gosling, who had been designated for assignment on Aug. 1. ... Tony Sipp has allowed just one run over his past 15 appearances, covering 13 2/3 innings. He's struck out 15 batters in that span. ... Don't forget about the Indians Wives Association's "Shirts off the Players' Backs" silent auction, which will be taking place at Section 153 of Progressive Field during Saturday's game. The auction, which will conclude at the top of the seventh inning, will feature game-worn jerseys from Indians players such as Sizemore, Peralta, Shin-Soo Choo, Cabrera and Travis Hafner. More than a dozen game-worn and autographed jerseys will be available, and proceeds benefit the Domestic Violence Center. Tickets
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• Sunday: Indians (David Huff, 8-7, 6.57) vs. Twins (Nick Blackburn, 9-9, 4.16), 1:05 p.m. ET
• Monday: Indians (Carlos Carrasco, 0-1, 18.00) vs. Rangers (Brandon McCarthy, 6-2, 4.61), 6:05 p.m. ET
• Tuesday: Indians (Aaron Laffey, 7-4, 3.36) vs. Rangers (Tommy Hunter, 7-3, 3.14), 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.
