Tribe falls to Reds; Perez thinks he's ready to start throwing

GOODYEAR, Ariz.: Ubaldo Jimenez struggled through the first inning, giving up five runs, to sink the Indians, who lost 8-6 to the Reds today.

Jimenez was charged with only one earned run, because of an error at first by Russ Canzler, but he gave up five hits and a walk. However, there were mitigating circumstances, as two Reds hits never left the infield and one was blooped into right field to score two runs.

""I felt Ubaldo threw the ball very well,'' manager Manny Acta said. ""He had good stuff. You can't control those (infield) choppers.''

Jimenez kept  his mechanics in order, especially the length of his stride, which was a problem last year.

""The hitters show you that,'' Acta said. ""They were getting jammed.''

Canzler had two hits and scored twice. He homered in an intrasquad game.

Chris Perez said his strained oblique no longer hurts and that he's almost ready to begin a throwing program.

""It's definitely a lot better,'' he said. ""I think I'm one or two days away (from starting a throwing program), but I don't know for sure. There's no new soreness, and every exercise they give me, I pass.''

Perez probably will begin to throw from 60 or 75 feet then progress to 90 and possibly 120 before he throws a bullpen session.

""I think it's going to be Tuesday or Wednesday,'' he said. ""If it doesn't happen by Wednesday, I'm going to be disappointed.''