Post by Fish Troll on May 13, 2007 18:29:06 GMT -5
Notes: Borowski glad to be with Tribe
Byrd pays tribute to good friend; Mastny hands over backpack
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
OAKLAND -- Joe Borowski couldn't help but smile when he was told the Philadelphia media is giving Phillies general manager Pat Gillick heat for not going through with the two-year deal Borowski and the club had agreed to this winter.
The Phillies, who have struggled in the bullpen department this season, backed out of the deal because of concerns about Borowski's medical report. All the right-hander has done since then is sign with the Indians and save 12 games in 13 opportunities.
"I had no doubts," said Borowski, who came into Sunday on a streak of five scoreless innings. "I said in the wintertime that health is not an issue. People look on paper or whatever and they believe it to be all-knowing, like the gospel. But a lot of times, you have to bring people in and go by other things, other than a picture. It's not indicative of what a guy does to prepare himself to go out there on a daily basis."
Borowski has a diligent approach to that preparation. He works out his upper body immediately after every appearance on the mound, he builds up his lower body twice a week, and he conditions his core area daily.
For Borowski, the routine has become second-nature. But if he ever does need motivation, he just remembers the shoulder injury that kept him out of the better part of the 2004 season and the fractured forearm that cost him two months of '05.
"When you have a pre-existing injury you have to [maintain your routine]," he said. "If you neglect it, you'll be all right for a while, but it's going to start to turn on you after a while. I'd be foolish for something that's worked for me for a year and a half to all of a sudden say, 'I don't need it anymore.'"
Borowski, who celebrated his 36th birthday earlier this month, believes the Phillies were foolish to pass on him.
"The year and a half previous to this year is indicative of me getting myself to a certain level where I can pitch with what I have and can do it effectively," Borowski said. "Some people don't look at it like that, and it's their loss, not mine. I'm probably in the best shape I've been in my career."
And thus far, he has the numbers to prove it.
Touching tribute: Paul Byrd came off the mound after the seventh inning in his start against the Angels on Wednesday and saw that look in manager Eric Wedge's eye.
Byrd knew his outing was over.
So as a final salute to a good friend sitting in the stands, Byrd raised his arms high above his head and made an "O" symbol. It was an homage to the late Chuck Obremski -- an Anaheim-area pastor who lost a battle with cancer in 2005, when Byrd was a member of the Angels -- and his widow, Linda, who was in the crowd that night. Obremski had served as the Sunday chapel leader for the Angels.
"I made the 'O' to him as a tribute to her," Byrd said, "and what her husband meant to the team."
Byrd had performed the tribute one other time, in September 2005, while Obremski was on his death bed. He said he did it before the first pitch of a game, because he knew Obremski was watching on TV, but he found out midway through the game that Obremski had actually passed on two minutes before the first pitch.
"I think he flew right through the 'O,'" Byrd said, 'like 'Angels in the Outfield.'"
Second thoughts: Josh Barfield feels he could have stolen home after hitting a triple off left-hander Dallas Braden in the second inning Saturday, but he was worried right-handed batter Franklin Gutierrez wouldn't know he was coming and a collision might take place.
"I love baseball," Barfield said, "but it's not worth dying for."
Barfield said he's never stolen home before, but as he danced off third, the rookie Braden wasn't even looking at him.
Here's the question ... Barfield hit a pair of triples in Saturday's game -- the first Indians player to do so since Omar Vizquel on Aug. 12, 2001, against the Rangers. In the Indians' long history, five players have hit three triples in a game. Can you name the most recent?
Carry that weight: Ed Mujica's callup to the Indians last week allowed Tom Mastny to hand over the bright pink backpack he had been forced to carry around.
The backpack is given to rookie relievers as part of a "rite of passage" process. It contains candy and bubblegum or whatever else the other relievers feel is necessary to have around in the bullpen during games.
"I took pride in it," Mastny said with a smile. "It's something everyone has to do at some point."
So now it's Mujica's turn, as he is the bullpen's least-experienced arm.
"Some fans yell things at me and make fun of me, but I don't pay attention," he said. "It's fun."
New face: Seeking to integrate what they call the "disparate worlds" of scouting and statistics, the Indians have brought a former member of Baseball Prospectus into their front office.
Keith Woolner has been hired as the club's manager of baseball research and analysis, a newly created position. Woolner will be responsible for advanced objective analysis, forecast and strategy analysis.
Tribe tidbits: Travis Hafner was back in Sunday's lineup after a rare day off Saturday, making his second start of the season at first base. "We've got to get him out there if we expect him to play in Interleague," Wedge said. "I know that's a ways out, but we've got to condition him to do it physically and fundamentally." ... The Tribe's offense has been in a funk the past week, but Wedge felt Saturday's game was a big step in the right direction. "We put up tough at-bats and made tough outs," he said. "We really scratched and clawed for those runs, and that's the type of thing that gets you going." Even though Hafner was out and Grady Sizemore and Victor Martinez went a combined 0-for-9, the Indians put up 11 hits in the win. ... Mike Rouse spelled Jhonny Peralta at short Sunday. Rouse is a native of nearby San Jose, Calif., and is a former member of the A's organization.
And the answer is... OK, this was admittedly a tough one. Ben Chapman was the last Indians player to hit three triples in a game. He did so July 3, 1939.
On deck: The Indians will use Monday's off-day to recuperate from this 10-game, 10-day swing through Baltimore, Anaheim and Oakland. They'll open a seven-game homestand Tuesday night against the Twins, as right-hander Paul Byrd (2-1, 2.84 ERA) will face right-hander Ramon Ortiz (3-3, 3.80). It will be "Dollar Dog Day" at The Jake.
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Byrd pays tribute to good friend; Mastny hands over backpack
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
OAKLAND -- Joe Borowski couldn't help but smile when he was told the Philadelphia media is giving Phillies general manager Pat Gillick heat for not going through with the two-year deal Borowski and the club had agreed to this winter.
The Phillies, who have struggled in the bullpen department this season, backed out of the deal because of concerns about Borowski's medical report. All the right-hander has done since then is sign with the Indians and save 12 games in 13 opportunities.
"I had no doubts," said Borowski, who came into Sunday on a streak of five scoreless innings. "I said in the wintertime that health is not an issue. People look on paper or whatever and they believe it to be all-knowing, like the gospel. But a lot of times, you have to bring people in and go by other things, other than a picture. It's not indicative of what a guy does to prepare himself to go out there on a daily basis."
Borowski has a diligent approach to that preparation. He works out his upper body immediately after every appearance on the mound, he builds up his lower body twice a week, and he conditions his core area daily.
For Borowski, the routine has become second-nature. But if he ever does need motivation, he just remembers the shoulder injury that kept him out of the better part of the 2004 season and the fractured forearm that cost him two months of '05.
"When you have a pre-existing injury you have to [maintain your routine]," he said. "If you neglect it, you'll be all right for a while, but it's going to start to turn on you after a while. I'd be foolish for something that's worked for me for a year and a half to all of a sudden say, 'I don't need it anymore.'"
Borowski, who celebrated his 36th birthday earlier this month, believes the Phillies were foolish to pass on him.
"The year and a half previous to this year is indicative of me getting myself to a certain level where I can pitch with what I have and can do it effectively," Borowski said. "Some people don't look at it like that, and it's their loss, not mine. I'm probably in the best shape I've been in my career."
And thus far, he has the numbers to prove it.
Touching tribute: Paul Byrd came off the mound after the seventh inning in his start against the Angels on Wednesday and saw that look in manager Eric Wedge's eye.
Byrd knew his outing was over.
So as a final salute to a good friend sitting in the stands, Byrd raised his arms high above his head and made an "O" symbol. It was an homage to the late Chuck Obremski -- an Anaheim-area pastor who lost a battle with cancer in 2005, when Byrd was a member of the Angels -- and his widow, Linda, who was in the crowd that night. Obremski had served as the Sunday chapel leader for the Angels.
"I made the 'O' to him as a tribute to her," Byrd said, "and what her husband meant to the team."
Byrd had performed the tribute one other time, in September 2005, while Obremski was on his death bed. He said he did it before the first pitch of a game, because he knew Obremski was watching on TV, but he found out midway through the game that Obremski had actually passed on two minutes before the first pitch.
"I think he flew right through the 'O,'" Byrd said, 'like 'Angels in the Outfield.'"
Second thoughts: Josh Barfield feels he could have stolen home after hitting a triple off left-hander Dallas Braden in the second inning Saturday, but he was worried right-handed batter Franklin Gutierrez wouldn't know he was coming and a collision might take place.
"I love baseball," Barfield said, "but it's not worth dying for."
Barfield said he's never stolen home before, but as he danced off third, the rookie Braden wasn't even looking at him.
Here's the question ... Barfield hit a pair of triples in Saturday's game -- the first Indians player to do so since Omar Vizquel on Aug. 12, 2001, against the Rangers. In the Indians' long history, five players have hit three triples in a game. Can you name the most recent?
Carry that weight: Ed Mujica's callup to the Indians last week allowed Tom Mastny to hand over the bright pink backpack he had been forced to carry around.
The backpack is given to rookie relievers as part of a "rite of passage" process. It contains candy and bubblegum or whatever else the other relievers feel is necessary to have around in the bullpen during games.
"I took pride in it," Mastny said with a smile. "It's something everyone has to do at some point."
So now it's Mujica's turn, as he is the bullpen's least-experienced arm.
"Some fans yell things at me and make fun of me, but I don't pay attention," he said. "It's fun."
New face: Seeking to integrate what they call the "disparate worlds" of scouting and statistics, the Indians have brought a former member of Baseball Prospectus into their front office.
Keith Woolner has been hired as the club's manager of baseball research and analysis, a newly created position. Woolner will be responsible for advanced objective analysis, forecast and strategy analysis.
Tribe tidbits: Travis Hafner was back in Sunday's lineup after a rare day off Saturday, making his second start of the season at first base. "We've got to get him out there if we expect him to play in Interleague," Wedge said. "I know that's a ways out, but we've got to condition him to do it physically and fundamentally." ... The Tribe's offense has been in a funk the past week, but Wedge felt Saturday's game was a big step in the right direction. "We put up tough at-bats and made tough outs," he said. "We really scratched and clawed for those runs, and that's the type of thing that gets you going." Even though Hafner was out and Grady Sizemore and Victor Martinez went a combined 0-for-9, the Indians put up 11 hits in the win. ... Mike Rouse spelled Jhonny Peralta at short Sunday. Rouse is a native of nearby San Jose, Calif., and is a former member of the A's organization.
And the answer is... OK, this was admittedly a tough one. Ben Chapman was the last Indians player to hit three triples in a game. He did so July 3, 1939.
On deck: The Indians will use Monday's off-day to recuperate from this 10-game, 10-day swing through Baltimore, Anaheim and Oakland. They'll open a seven-game homestand Tuesday night against the Twins, as right-hander Paul Byrd (2-1, 2.84 ERA) will face right-hander Ramon Ortiz (3-3, 3.80). It will be "Dollar Dog Day" at The Jake.
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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