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Players recognized for quality seasons in minors, helping major-league team during pennant drive
By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Wednesday, Nov 28, 2007
Their seasons started at Double-A with the Aeros and ended a game shy of the World Series. Needless to say, Indians pitcher Aaron Laffey and infielder Asdrubal Cabrera started their major-league careers with a wild ride.
Recognized for their standout efforts, Laffey and Cabrera were named the Indians' Bob Feller and Lou Boudreau Award winners, respectively, by the organization Tuesday.
After starting the season with a 4-1 mark and a 2.31 ERA in six starts with the Aeros, Laffey, 22, combined to go 17-6 with a 3.34 ERA in 31 games (30 starts) between the Aeros, Triple-A Buffalo and the Indians.
His best stretch of pitching came with the Bisons, as Laffey was 9-3 with a 3.08 ERA in 16 games, including going unbeaten at 9-0 in his last 13 games. He led all Indians' minor-leaguers in wins (13) and finished second in ERA (2.88).
Laffey made his major-league debut Aug. 4 against the Minnesota Twins to become the youngest Indians starter to debut since C.C. Sabathia, 20, did in April 2001.
Laffey finished his whirlwind season as the Indians' fifth starter, going 4-2 with a 4.56 ERA, pitching at least five innings in eight of his nine starts.
''This has been a great year for me and to get such great news just before I get married makes it all the better,'' said Laffey, who is set to be married Saturday in Cumberland, Md. ''The good news just seems to keep on coming, and I'm loving every minute of it.''
Cabrera, 22, took on an even bigger role with the Tribe upon his arrival. The slick-fielding shortstop hadn't played but a handful of games at second base in the minors before he effortlessly made the transition in the majors, taking over for the struggling Josh Barfield.
After making his major-league debut Aug. 8 at Chicago, he went on to make just one error in 220 chances in the field. He hit .283 with 30 runs scored, nine doubles, two triples, three home runs and 22 RBI in 45 games for the Central Division champions.
Not long after the Indians' season came to an end, Cabrera, his wife and infant baby were shopping at the Indians Team Shop at Summit Mall just hours before they headed to the airport to return home to Venezuela for the offseason.
The store had just gotten a large boxed shipment of No. 13 Cabrera T-shirts, and he was looking to buy them to take home for friends and family.
''They make good presents at home,'' Cabrera said with a wide smile.
Lara update
Doctors examining Indians reliever Juan Lara, 26, found a spinal fracture and severe brain trauma from a weekend car accident.
Lara, who pitched in one game for the Indians last season, was returning from a winter-league game Saturday night in San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic when the sports utility vehicle he was driving was hit by a motorcycle, killing both its rider and passenger.
''Juan's condition is very fragile. In the last medical report, we found that he has a severe brain trauma, and we also found a fracture in the spinal column, with the D2 (second vertebra) in an unstable condition,'' hospital spokeswoman Dashira Martinez told the Associated Press.
Indians official Lino Diaz, who is in the Dominican Republic, said the bleeding and pressure on Lara's brain continues to diminish and that he has had movement in his toes, hands and eyes.
The Associated Press and Beacon Journal sportswriter Sheldon Ocker contributed to this report. Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.
Their seasons started at Double-A with the Aeros and ended a game shy of the World Series. Needless to say, Indians pitcher Aaron Laffey and infielder Asdrubal Cabrera started their major-league careers with a wild ride.
Get the full article here.
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