Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
Four teens restrain man, take items from his Akron home
Police: Ohio girl dies after fall into snow bank
Another winter punch heading toward Ohio
Complaints against officer keep coming
Cuyahoga Falls residents come home to find burning couch on balcony
$util.getURL("http://www.ohio.com/templates/Ohio_Blogs_Left_Rail")
By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 09:04 p.m. EDT, May 30, 2009
CLEVELAND: Travis Hafner again was stymied from continuing his rehab assignment Saturday night at Triple-A Columbus because of a sore shoulder.
When it came time for him to bat in the first inning, Tony Graffanino pinch hit and struck out.
Before the Indians played the New York Yankees, manager Eric Wedge said, ''Hafner is a little sore today, so we'll see how that works out tonight for him and go from there. He has until Wednesday to finish his rehab assignment.''
Hafner underwent surgery to repair his right shoulder last October. He went through spring training without suffering a setback and began the season in the lineup. However, his shoulder began to hurt, and he went on the disabled list April 29.
He was expected to be activated before the end of his 20-day rehabilitation assignment, but his back began to ache last week and he returned to Cleveland for two days. He resumed playing in Columbus on Thursday, with the idea of appearing in three games at designated hitter then being activated.
Wedge was confident that Hafner would return to the Columbus lineup today.
''More than likely, he'll play tomorrow,'' Wedge said.
Grady stuck as DH?
How long will Grady Sizemore be limited to designated hitter duty because of his sore left elbow?
''I talked to Grady today,'' Wedge said. ''It definitely feels better because he's been staying away from [throwing] the baseball. So we'll still play it day by day.
''Basically, there are three choices: He goes back to playing center field, continues to DH or he goes on the disabled list.''
The possibility of Sizemore landing on the DL had not been mentioned before.
Peralta power failure
Going into Saturday night's game against the Yankees, Jhonny Peralta had only one home run, compared to 11 for the first two months of last season.
''I just think he's been struggling early offensively,'' Wedge said. ''The power is still in there. He's hitting the ball the other way, so I think we'll be seeing good things happen soon.''
Losing a spot
When it comes their time to make a choice, the Indians will have the 15th rather than the 14th pick in the draft that runs June 9-11.
''Because Washington failed to sign their first pick last year, they get the ninth pick and we were pushed down one spot,'' explained Brad Grant, director of minor-league scouting, who will conduct the draft for the Tribe. ''We have the 63rd [overall] pick in the second round, then the 14th in every round after that.''
Television has altered the format of the draft this year, with the first three rounds to be aired on the MLB Network beginning at 6 p.m. June 9. The next 20 rounds will take place June 10 and the final 27, the next day.
Grant said the strength of the draft is pitching depth, though he did not suggest that the Indians had singled out pitching as its draft-day priority.
Farm facts
Chris Gimenez hit his sixth home run of the season, doubled and singled, but Columbus lost 13-2 to Norfolk. . . .Cord Phelps hit his first homer of the year, driving in two runs, in Kinston's 5-2 win over Salem in Class A. Lonnie Chisenhall had two hits, and Paolo Espino (1-1, 1.13 ERA) gave up two runs and three hits in seven innings. . . .Abner Abreu lifted his average to .290 with his fifth home run of the season and two singles, as Lake County defeated Greensboro 5-1 in Class A.
CLEVELAND: Travis Hafner again was stymied from continuing his rehab assignment Saturday night at Triple-A Columbus because of a sore shoulder.
When it came time for him to bat in the first inning, Tony Graffanino pinch hit and struck out.
Before the Indians played the New York Yankees, manager Eric Wedge said, ''Hafner is a little sore today, so we'll see how that works out tonight for him and go from there. He has until Wednesday to finish his rehab assignment.''
Hafner underwent surgery to repair his right shoulder last October. He went through spring training without suffering a setback and began the season in the lineup. However, his shoulder began to hurt, and he went on the disabled list April 29.
He was expected to be activated before the end of his 20-day rehabilitation assignment, but his back began to ache last week and he returned to Cleveland for two days. He resumed playing in Columbus on Thursday, with the idea of appearing in three games at designated hitter then being activated.
Wedge was confident that Hafner would return to the Columbus lineup today.
''More than likely, he'll play tomorrow,'' Wedge said.
Grady stuck as DH?
How long will Grady Sizemore be limited to designated hitter duty because of his sore left elbow?
''I talked to Grady today,'' Wedge said. ''It definitely feels better because he's been staying away from [throwing] the baseball. So we'll still play it day by day.
''Basically, there are three choices: He goes back to playing center field, continues to DH or he goes on the disabled list.''
The possibility of Sizemore landing on the DL had not been mentioned before.
Peralta power failure
Going into Saturday night's game against the Yankees, Jhonny Peralta had only one home run, compared to 11 for the first two months of last season.
''I just think he's been struggling early offensively,'' Wedge said. ''The power is still in there. He's hitting the ball the other way, so I think we'll be seeing good things happen soon.''
Losing a spot
When it comes their time to make a choice, the Indians will have the 15th rather than the 14th pick in the draft that runs June 9-11.
''Because Washington failed to sign their first pick last year, they get the ninth pick and we were pushed down one spot,'' explained Brad Grant, director of minor-league scouting, who will conduct the draft for the Tribe. ''We have the 63rd [overall] pick in the second round, then the 14th in every round after that.''
Television has altered the format of the draft this year, with the first three rounds to be aired on the MLB Network beginning at 6 p.m. June 9. The next 20 rounds will take place June 10 and the final 27, the next day.
Grant said the strength of the draft is pitching depth, though he did not suggest that the Indians had singled out pitching as its draft-day priority.
Farm facts
Chris Gimenez hit his sixth home run of the season, doubled and singled, but Columbus lost 13-2 to Norfolk. . . .Cord Phelps hit his first homer of the year, driving in two runs, in Kinston's 5-2 win over Salem in Class A. Lonnie Chisenhall had two hits, and Paolo Espino (1-1, 1.13 ERA) gave up two runs and three hits in seven innings. . . .Abner Abreu lifted his average to .290 with his fifth home run of the season and two singles, as Lake County defeated Greensboro 5-1 in Class A.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Posted 11:32 PM, 05/30/2009
Stick a fork in the Indians because they're done, just like the Cavs. Why do we even bother? We always know deep down inside that we're going to be let down in the end, yet we still always build this knowingly false hope that this may be the year. It'll never be that year.
Posted 11:32 PM, 05/30/2009
Stick a fork in the Indians because they're done, just like the Cavs. Why do we even bother? We always know deep down inside that we're going to be let down in the end, yet we still always build this knowingly false hope that this may be the year. It'll never be that year.
Posted 11:33 PM, 05/30/2009
Stick a fork in the Indians because they're done, just like the Cavs. Why do we even bother? We always know deep down inside that we're going to be let down in the end, yet we still always build this knowingly false hope that this may be the year. It'll never be that year.
Posted 11:34 PM, 05/30/2009
Stick a fork in the Indians because they're done, just like the Cavs. Why do we even bother? We always know deep down inside that we're going to be let down in the end, yet we still always build this knowingly false hope that this may be the year. It'll never be that year.
Posted 11:34 PM, 05/30/2009
Stick a fork in the Indians because they're done, just like the Cavs. Why do we even bother? We always know deep down inside that we're going to be let down in the end, yet we still always build this knowingly false hope that this may be the year. It'll never be that year.
Posted 11:34 PM, 05/30/2009
Stick a fork in the Indians because they're done, just like the Cavs. Why do we even bother? We always know deep down inside that we're going to be let down in the end, yet we still always build this knowingly false hope that this may be the year. It'll never be that year.
Posted 11:35 PM, 05/30/2009
Stick a fork in the Indians because they're done, just like the Cavs. Why do we even bother? We always know deep down inside that we're going to be let down in the end, yet we still always build this knowingly false hope that this may be the year. It'll never be that year.
Posted 07:40 AM, 05/31/2009
Hafner was never worth $57 million anyway! Isn't it amazing that he hasn't played ball since he got that contract? Wish I could get paid for doing nothing! Have you taken a good look at him lately? My has he gotten skinny! Hmmmm!
Alliance, Oh
Posted 08:36 AM, 05/31/2009
The Indians rolled the dice with Hafner and it came up "craps", just like they did with DeLucci and Michaels. When you take a chance on lower end players, that's what you get in return. No wonder Dolan had a heart attack. It'll be worse when NOBODY is at the games this year except season ticket holders and people that win free tickets. Scalpers will have to ask for one half of face value to sell the tickets, since the Yankees and Red Sox have already been here and wont be back!
Youngstown, OH
Posted 08:52 AM, 05/31/2009
Cleveland sports teams should hand out prozac in little cups at the start of each game. Season ticket holder should get regular deliveries. That's about the only joy I can see anymore from following these guys. Hafner is a joke and as soon as they said Hafner and shoulder in the same sentence two months ago I said, "he's done for the year". Look now. Don't bother mentioning the Cav's. Fell for their own hype. Walked in to the series thinking they were going to walk right through the Magic and look what happens. What a joke.
akron, oh
Posted 09:06 AM, 05/31/2009
Hafner isa 'roid boy. GET RID OF HIM!
Canton, OH
Posted 11:10 AM, 05/31/2009
Hafner was a juicer. .Get that farm boy outta here. . .
Seminole, FL
Posted 06:41 PM, 05/31/2009
Time to cut our ties with Hafroid.....
