Tribe notes: Dellucci back in lineup, feeling better
Chris Assenheimer | The Chronicle-Telegram
LAKELAND, Fla. — David Dellucci returned to the lineup Sunday after missing four games with soreness in his left wrist and forearm, an injury he said he sustained while diving for a fly ball against the Phillies in Clearwater last Monday.
He went 1-for-3 with a single in his final at-bat in the seventh inning of the Indians’ 3-all,
10-inning tie against the Tigers. After a day off today, Dellucci is expected to be back on the field Tuesday.
“He looked OK,” said Cleveland manager Eric Wedge. “He had a couple good at-bats. We’ll have to see how he is (today).”
Dellucci, who is attempting to come back from a torn hamstring that cost him the majority of his debut season with the Indians last year, said his latest ailment has contributed to a slow spring that has seen him hit just .147 (5-for-34) with a home run and one RBI in 11 games.
He is expected to platoon in left field with Jason Michaels, playing against right-handed pitching. If not healthy, he could start the season on the disabled list. Hot-hitting prospect Ben Francisco would fill his roster spot.
Dellucci doesn’t think it will get to that point.
“It seems like every day it gets better. That’s a good thing,” he said. “I was pleased with the way I swung the bat today. Had this been the regular season, I would never have missed a day.”
Order up
With less than a week remaining in the exhibition season, Wedge still has decisions to make. One includes finalizing his batting order.
“I’m probably going to go ahead and have some conversations over the next day or two on the lineup,” said Wedge, who also has yet to name a fifth starter, the final member of the bullpen and the last position player on the 25-man roster. “It is getting late.”
The majority of spots in the order are set, with Wedge still mulling who will bat second. The candidates include second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera and the platoon combo of Michaels and Dellucci.
All three spent time in the two hole last season, with Cabrera assuming the spot on a full-time basis at the end of the year and through the postseason. While batting second, Cabrera hit .283 with 13 walks and
25 strikeouts to Michaels’ .254 average, two walks and 14 strikeouts and Dellucci’s .245 average, five walks and 12 strikeouts.
Whoever doesn’t bat second behind Grady Sizemore is expected to hit eighth in front of Casey Blake. In between, Travis Hafner figures to hit third, followed by Victor Martinez, Jhonny Peralta, Ryan Garko and Franklin Gutierrez.
“You like him to see pitches and you like them to get on base,” Wedge said of his second hitter. “You want him to complement Grady at the top and the guys behind him, (Travis Hafner) and Victor.
“It’s an important spot for us. I think you saw how important it was last year.”
Roundin’ third
Former Indians outfielder Trot Nixon will open the season on the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 25-man roster. Nixon, who hit .268 with eight homers and 52 RBIs in 99 games for Cleveland last year, made the team thanks to injuries in the Arizona outfield.
l The Indians are back at Chain of Lakes Park today, hosting the Braves at 1:05. Jake Westbrook
(0-0, 0.00) will make his fourth exhibition start, opposing right-hander Buddy Carlyle (1-1, 6.55).
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136
or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.
INDIANS (11-12-3) 3,
TIGERS (11-12-3) 3
Turning point
In front of 9,781 fans, the largest crowd ever at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla., Travis Hafner hit a mammoth home run over the scoreboard in right field off Denny Bautista to knot it at three in the sixth inning of a
10-inning tie.
Hits
Reliever Rafael Betancourt pitched a perfect eighth inning, striking out two of the three hitters he faced — one of them, Miguel Cabrera.
l In addition to his second homer of the spring, Hafner scored two runs and walked once during a 1-for-3 performance.
l Jhonny Peralta drove in two of his team’s three runs with a two-out triple in the fourth.
l Jensen Lewis and Rafael Perez preserved the tie with a scoreless inning apiece over the final two.
Misses
Cleveland had just five hits and no player with more than one.
l Grady Sizemore and Ryan Garko combined to go 0-for-9, with Sizemore striking out twice.
Fab Fausto
Fausto Carmona looked in midseason form during his fourth exhibition start, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits through six innings. The right-hander is 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA this spring, allowing seven earned runs over 142/3 innings, while striking out seven.
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Filed by Chris Assenheimer | The Chronicle-Telegram March 23rd, 2008 in Sports. Popularity: 5% |
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