Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Blogs:
Pets:
Summit teams up with Rescue Waggin' to save dogs
The Heldenfiles:
Songs for an American Day
Patrick McManamon:
Touching on the Browns, Cavs
Akron Zips:
Opponent outlook: Northern Illinois
Browns Bulletin:
Single-game ticket sales begin July 11
Tribe Matters:
Wedge assured of job through season
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth test showed marijuana
Kent State Sports:
Men's Basketball Scheduling update
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Updated: Free Agency: Another Gone - Apparently
All Da King's Men:
The Obligatory Palin Post
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Wow….Sarah Palin Resigns Governorship
Akron Law Café:
Abraham Lincoln and the Fourth of July
Varsity Letters:
Highland senior receives honor
See Jane Style:
Picnic Wear
Car Chase:
Where do We Go from Here?
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Happy 4th of July!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Tom asks where to stay while visiting the football Hall of Fame.
Sound Check:
Rundgren fans rejoice!: Second night of AWATS at The Civic added
HRLite House:
Morscruethal Behaviors or Just Lip Service?
Akron Gamer:
Hot link: Best of Nintendo at E3
Royals hitters pound Carmona in first game, Bullington in second
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Sunday, Sep 14, 2008
CLEVELAND: In baseball, nobody bats a thousand. That's especially true for personnel decisions.
Early performances indicate that the Indians pushed the right buttons with starters Anthony Reyes and Scott Lewis. Bryan Bullington, the former No. 1 draft choice with the Pittsburgh Pirates, didn't fare so well in his first appearance with the Tribe.
Bullington lasted 42/3 innings, giving up six runs and eight hits, including three home runs, as the Kansas City Royals completed a doubleheader sweep 8-4 Saturday night at Progressive Field.
In the opener, Fausto Carmona continued to have his problems, as the Royals breezed to an 8-3 win.
Bullington, claimed on waivers in July, spent almost two months at Triple-A Buffalo before being called up, because Indians manager Eric Wedge needed a spot starter for the day-night doubleheader Saturday.
Simply put, the Royals hit too many balls hard off Bullington, who underwent serious shoulder surgery in 2005 and missed all of the next season.
''It just came down to fastball location,'' Bullington said. ''I missed my spot in big situations, and they made me pay.''
There were mitigating circumstances in Bullington's tough night, because he hadn't pitched since Sept. 1, the final day of the Triple-A season.
''It's a fine line this time of year, when you're trying to look at people and also trying to win ballgames,'' Wedge said. ''I thought he showed a pretty good fastball with some sink to it, and a variety of sliders to use against right-handers. He struggled a little bit against left-handers. But he has something to work off of.''
If there were any nerves to calm, Bullington didn't admit to it.
''It's not like your major-league debut, that's for sure,'' he said. ''I just wish I would have pitched better.''
Ryan Shealy homered with nobody on in the second inning, and Mark Teahen teed off on a 3-and-2 pitch with one out and nobody on in the fourth, his first of two homers. Shealy followed with a single and scored on Alberto Callaspo's triple.
It was more of the same in the fifth, as Bullington allowed Teahen's second homer, two singles — one a two-run blow by Miguel Olivo — threw a wild pitch and hit a batter for three more runs. Bullington did not finish the inning.
All of this does not mean ultimate failure for Bullington, but because there are several other young starters ahead of him, he probably won't be starting this season. However, he will be available in the bullpen to pitch long relief.
In neither game did the Indians' offense give their pitchers much support. Ryan Garko hit a two-run homer — his first since Aug. 19 — in the ninth inning of the second game to make it look like the Tribe put up a fight. But in both games combined, the Indians produced only 17 hits, three for extra bases.
''We didn't particularly hit or pitch very well in either game,'' Wedge said. ''But we just have to separate and come out tomorrow and play better.''
Grady Sizemore was 4-for-8, Jamey Carroll 3-for-6 and Asdrubal Cabrera 3-for-5 in the doubleheader.
For the second consecutive start, Carmona gave up seven runs, this time in six innings. He allowed 11 hits plus three walks, and most of his difficulties centered on pitches that were a little too good.
''Fausto made some progress today,'' Wedge said. ''He was throwing the ball over the plate, but some of his pitches were a little bit up. He tends to overthrow from time to time. He needs to slow himself down.''
Carmona (8-7, 5.16 ERA) gave up two runs through the fifth but allowed a leadoff walk and three consecutive singles (one a bloop) for two more runs in the sixth, before quickly limiting the damage, thanks to a double-play ball.
In the seventh, he allowed consecutive singles with one out, and Wedge went to the bullpen.
''I wanted to leave him out there in the seventh, hoping he would do what he did in the sixth,'' Wedge said. ''But he wasn't able to pick up where he left off in the sixth.''
Why isn't Carmona the dominating pitcher he was last year, when he won 19 games? One theory: He has never regained his edge after missing seven weeks because of a strained hip.
''It's difficult to start the season, stop and then start again,'' Carmona said through his translator, first-base coach Luis Rivera. ''But that's not an excuse. I have three or four starts left to go hard the rest of the way and see what happens.''
Wedge believes that Carmona's season was seriously damaged by the time he spent on the disabled list.
''We talked a lot about Cliff (Lee) last year, never being able to catch up,'' said Wedge, referring to an injury that forced Lee to miss the first month of the season. ''I think Fausto has gone through the same thing.''
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com.
CLEVELAND: In baseball, nobody bats a thousand. That's especially true for personnel decisions.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Alliance, Oh
Posted 07:50 AM, 09/14/2008
The only thing good about this season is it's almost over. The 2nd best thing is the Yankees wont be in the playoffs either!
