Yardbarker: Andy Marte

Jordan Brown, Others added to 40-man Roster

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:26 -0500

This morning, the Cleveland Indians announced that they have purchased the contracts of seven players and added them to their 40-man roster. Among the seven is Jordan Brown, whom we have discussed around these parts for a good portion of the last two seasons. With Andy Marte getting his just due with the big boys last season, [...]

Travis Hafner, Homeruns and Andy Marte

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:44:06 -0500

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP Travis trots. Browse more photos » The argument has been made that September statistics are fundamentally different than statistics from the rest of the year. There's an obvious logic to this: as rosters expand and teams are eliminated, more, worse players begin to both pitch and hit as team's evaluate young players, give starts to AAA veterans and everyone general...

Game Thread: September 6, 2009

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:38:02 -0500

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP Andy Marte's home run was the only run the Indians managed to score yesterday. Browse more photos » Minnesota at Cleveland, 1:05 PM

Morning Update: And then there was Marte

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 09:03:00 -0500

He was riding a cold streak after his big rip and maybe just maybe the magic had worn off.

That's what you think!

It was Andy Marte's solo home run as the lone blemish against Scott Baker, who can't seem to suck against the Indians.

"He's been a tough matchup for us," manager Eric Wedge said. "We mis-hit a lot of balls, and we fouled a lot of balls off. He does a good job moving his fastball around. For whatever reason, we just haven't been seeing him very well."

And no, Justin Masterson isn't referring to the entire team like Wedge is, he's talking about himself despite the use of we.. That's what I like the guy though.

"For the most part, we had a good time walking the first batter," Masterson said. "It would have been nice to change that. ... It was just a weird anomaly."
"With his stuff, they're going to mis-hit a lot of baseballs," Wedge said. "So we need him to be more aggressive early in the inning and early in counts."

One play tricked Jamey Carroll and ended up letting two runs score instead of one. Masterson went six innings giving up just one earned run.

I also like Masterson because of an odd quote like this one. He's definitely a rare breed.

"I'm starting, so I assume I'm a starter," Masterson said. "I'm working to be a workhorse here. Especially going into next season. We've got Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona slicing and dicing. We've got Aaron Laffey and David Huff and whoever else is up there. I'd like to think I'm thrown in there, too."

Let's talk Marte though.

The o-12 or whatever it was, was snapped with the home run and maybe was a result of not giving Marte so many fastballs. Perhaps pitchers have wised up.

"Pitchers know about me now," said Marte.

"I'm getting pitched tough. It's time for me to make some adjustments."

That's going to be so key. We've seen him get the job done, but now he's gotta come back around and do just as well after that struggling point. He can hit at the major leagues, but can he do something that can stop many players from ever being regulars? Make adjustments.

Anyway... Let's move onto some tidbits.

Shin-Soo Choo has been absent, not because of injury, but the birth of his second child. Congrats to the Choo family and the new little Chooster!

Hopefully Choo is back, not just to hit a home run for his new son, but to see the Wonder Girls perform the hit song 'Nobody" and throw out the first pitch for today's game. I use the term "hit" with skeptical amazement.

I no way endorse the following song. Listen at your own risk. Okay so they're saying You... But the South Korean in them makes it sound like Choo.

Onto some more... pressing matters?

Not that Nobody but Choo isn't pressing.

Eric Wedge had the funniest quote of the season when he was approached about fan's anger that Sizemore was still playing. The question was phrased as if we need to "get him ready" and Wedge completely owned it.

"What did they want him to be ready for, Christmas? Did they want him to be ready on Thanksgiving? We shut him down at the right time.

Next year, smart ass.

If there is a next year for Wedge.

Shapiro and Dolan have not started their evaluation and probably won't for a little longer. Wedge wants to know by the end of the year, they might not have an answer for him by then, but as noted by Dolan earlier, they won't waste any time after the season is over.

Anthony Castrovince was able to catch up with Carl Pavano and this was the exchange.

I caught up with Carl Pavano, who said he's acclimated well to his new surroundings in the Minnesota clubhouse. He had laudatory things to say about playing for Eric Wedge and about working with head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff. Pavano said the Indians had no real financial incentive to be careful with him and his pitch counts early in the season, but they are the reason he is still on the field at this juncture of the year. He's still dealing with the shoulder issue that caused him to skip a couple starts with the Tribe, and he said that's left some of his pitches up.

The Yankee fans who hate the guy can suck it. Carl's been nothing but a professional since he came over. Carl is a great guy and we've seen no evidence of some of the stuff Yankee players, fans, and NY Media members have talked about as far as quotes or media reports.

And of course the Indians being the stand-up organization they are, sticking up for the guy when they didn't have to.

Finally.. After picking on Manoloff yesterday, it's time to pick on Hoynes.

First off, your new Hey Hoynsie...

I'm not Hoynsie's biggest fan, by any means, but this is too good to not note.

Hey, Hoynsie: It took a lot of nerve for you to rip the real baseball fans of Cleveland as complainers and whiners in your "Paul's Rants" piece last Sunday. Then you proceed to defend perennial losers Eric Wedge, Mark Shapiro and the Dolan family. How outrageous of us to demand a championship once in our lifetime. -- Joseph Ladd, Cleveland.
Hey, Joseph: You sound like my late mother. She always told me I had a lot of nerve. I guess I do, especially when it comes to whining Indians fans.

Joe, I hope you're not one of those fans who tell their friends, "I just wish the Indians would win one World Series before I die." So what happens if they win it next year? Will you kick the bucket (I pray you don't) immediately after the last pitch? No, you won't. You'll say, "I bet they can't do it again next year."

Enjoy the ride, Joe. From reading your e-mails, I know you saw the Indians reach the World Series in 1995 and 1997. They didn't win them, but wasn't it a blast? What if that's as good as it gets for Indians fans? Are you going to whine about it, or look back and enjoy it?

Ouch... Joe, you got smacked by Hoynsie.. That must suck.

And you know what, in his latest rant, Hoynes tried to make a good point.

We do complain when someone doesn't play through pain and then complain when Sizemore does. The situation dictates it, so Hoynes is kind of wrong in this situation, but hey good effort Hoynsie.

How about that college football yesterday? As we've probably noted, I'm a fan of the much hated Michigan Wolverines. Around these parts, I'm an evil person. Anyway I can in now say I'm a Michigan fan without hanging my head in shame of their suckitude. I'll also be in Ann Arbor next Saturday for Michigan and Notre Dame. I know right, awesome? Even you Buckeye fans are saying, hey that's pretty cool, a big time rivalry and you get to be there.

Yeah or not, I'm an ass, whatever works. I'll take it. We all like the Indians here though. So we're still friends. And I haven't yet made fun of Peralta, which I just realized. Ah well, day off Jhonny.

Andy Marte Powers Tribe to Win

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 09:42:24 -0500

It was a game without pace last night due to the massive rain delay in the middle. Jeremy Sowers was pitching like a fourth or fifth starter when the rain ended his night after 4.2 innings and 77 pitches. He was scattering hits while giving up 2 earned runs. The Tribe was down 2-1 when [...]

Morning Update: Who's Your Marte?!

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 08:44:00 -0500

What an interesting night.

Floods, rain-delays, LaPorta glove-work (only to be outdone by Adam Jones), Marte go-ahead home runs, oh man.

This flooded dugouts thing is hilarious. Watch the video here.

Carmona sitting on the top of the bench above the water, the Indians coming out and taking pictures. It's just comedy. The game would have probably started sooner had this flood problem not had happened.

Let's talk Marte and LaPorta though.

Both upped their hit-streaks to 10 games each. LaPorta has played in ten games since his call-up, so he really has just picked it up and gone off and Marte has joined him since the addition.

It was Marte's second go-ahead home run in three nights.

Marte goes 2 for 4 with the three-run shot. Matt LaPorta goes 4-4 with a run scored and he's now hitting .296 on the season.

And HELL... If Andy Marte is pushing Matt LaPorta, I keep Marte as long as I keep LaPorta. Who cares.

"You look at Andy Marte and Matt LaPorte, they've been fantastic the last week or so," said Indians manager Eric Wedge. "I like the way both of them have made some adjustments. They've made some subtle adjustments that have made a big difference. You like players to step up at the right time, and both those kids have lately."
"I think one of us sees the other doing good, we keep pushing each other," LaPorta said. "That's the way it was in Columbus. We feed off each other, basically."

Feed off each other? Fine with me. Marte's making a serious case to be on this team next year and if this continues for the rest of the season, the Indians will have to make some sort of decision somewhere.

Can you argue with confidence though? Marte finally has it and look what he's doing. He knows he'll be in the lineup on a daily basis, there is no second thoughts.

"I'm just trying to show them I'm ready to play here," Marte said. "I don't know what their plans are for the off-season."

As for why Chris Perez pitched the ninth for a save and not Kerry Wood. A little arm soreness for Wood as he's pitched a lot more recently. Wedge says not to worry.

More soreness though and this is with Travis Hafner and his shoulder. The other shoulder though. Hafner was held out of the lineup with LEFT shoulder soreness, not right shoulder, the one he had all the trouble with for the past year.

They'll see how he feels today before the game and if things are still hurting, he'll get it checked out tomorrow on the off day.

Mike Aubrey has yet to appear in a game with Baltimore against Cleveland, but he has been in seven total games since his call up on the 18th. He's rooting for old teammates that have gotten a chance, but he knew something was up when there was mass call-ups happening and his name wasn't one of them.

"After they called up some guys [from Class AAA Columbus], it became apparent that there wasn't a whole lot I could do to get called up unless they traded everybody," said Aubrey. "Then I got traded and that's when they traded everybody else.
"A lot of guys have been given some great opportunities over there with the trades," said Aubrey. "I'm rooting them on. It's tough up here.

Speaking of call ups... Carlos Carrasco will get his on September 1st when the rosters expand to 40 players. He will then start the game on Tuesday against Detroit.

Right now, it looks like it will be a six-man rotation, at least for a start or two. David Huff was scheduled to go on Tuesday, but he's obviously being pushed out now. The Indians don't want Huff pitching too much because they want to protect his arm, but he hasn't reached that 160ish inning limit they set quite yet.

John Mirabelli, director of scouting had good things to say about his progress.

"I saw him last Friday night," said John Mirabelli, Indians director of scouting. "He was aggressive. He touched 95 and was pitching at 92 mph to 94 mph in the seventh.

"It's the third time I've seen him in the last 12 months. I think he's made some strides. He showed consistency with his slider and pitched inside with his fastball.

Oh and going back to the game real quick.

How about Rafael Perez? Quiet now, but he's actually pitching well since the call-up. Right-place right time and all with the three wins in the past seven days, but aside from that hiccup against KC last week, 0's dating back to the 13th of August.

We always learn something from Terry Pluto's weekly rundown and in the first two snippets of stuff from Indians president Paul Dolan, we learn interesting news of Jake Westbrook's contract.

An insurance policy on Westbrook's contract will cover about half of the 11 million the Indians owe Westbrook since he'll be out for the entire season.

Had the Indians not made those trades, they'd have lost nearly 20 million this season and close to 30 million next year. They are in the red for real, but had they not dealt, they'd be in serious trouble. The Cavaliers' success and LeBron James alone are really putting the hurt on both the Indians and Browns, Indians more than Browns because let's face it, this will always been a Browns town.

Mark Shapiro will return next year as GM, no questions asked. A decision on Wedge will be made quickly after the season is over.

Now turning to on the field, it looks like the Indians are going to go with LaPorta in left-field next year and either Jordan Brown or Andy Marte at first or some sort of mashing of those three in two of those spots, because Brown can play the outfield, whatever works out.

Brown will get a shot this year, no doubt about it. They cannot deny him.

New Hey Hoynsie, I'm not reading. He!

Finally... What more can you say about Asdrubal Cabrera? He's the focus of Sunday's preview. It's Justin Masterson on the mound for the Tribe, let's go for yet another series win.

Game 127: Cleveland 5, Baltimore 4

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:49:41 -0500

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP Grady Sizemore holding this space till Andy Marte occupies it Browse more photos » For eight innings and two outs it was a typical baseball game. Laffey was satisfactory, making it into the sixth before his questionable control on the evening caught up to him, leaving the game with three runs, two earned. Jess Todd relieved him and got into his own trouble, giv...

Game Thread: August 26, 2009

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:00:14 -0500

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP Andy Marte, celebrating his first major-league home run of the season. Browse more photos » Cleveland at Kansas City, 2:10 PM

Game 118: Angels 5, Indians 4

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:52:53 -0500

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP Andy Marte had no answer for Jason Bulger's Blur pitch. Browse more photos » Fausto Carmona didn't pass tonight's test against a hot Angels lineup. He gave up 10 hits and 2 walks in five innings of work, and five earned runs (three of them earned). His troubles really started in the second inning, when Andy Marte botched a bouncer with two outs. A run scored on...

Whither Jordan Brown?

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:09:00 -0500

As you probably know from my extra-long Clip Show yesterday, I am not opposed to Andy Marte getting one last shot in the majors. But, as I had an interesting conversation with Jacob yesterday over e-mail about the state of the Clippers and Aeros, an interesting point came to light that Jacob encouraged me to write [...]

Open Thread: July 27, 2009

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:13:32 -0500

Going on right now: Cliff Lee is still a Cleveland Indian. Hector Rondón starts for the Clippers tonight. Andy Marte is with the team in LA.

Marte’s Swing

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:10:28 -0500

The Indians are thinking of bringing up Andy Marte after he succeeded in shortening his swing: Marte, according to the Indians, has shortened his swing. In the big leagues, it was long, slow and vulnerable to sliders. “It’s the accomplishment of a lot of people,” said Antonetti. “[Columbus hitting coach] Jonathan Nunnally, [field coordinator] Dave Hudgens, [minor-league [...]

Marte’s Swing

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:10:28 -0500

Andy Marte Mashes, Continues to Tease

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:00:36 -0500

Mondays are awards days in the International League, and one of our very own took home the award for offensive player of the week in third baseman Andy Marte. Over the past week, Marte hit .458 (good for third in all of the International League) with two home runs, eight doubles, a .567 on-base percentage and [...]

Marte Clears???

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:25:42 -0500

Cleveland Indians 3B Andy Marte somehow cleared waivers How does this Marte on waivers represented a FREE 25 year old who has showed big power throughout his minor league career.? Baseball America ranked him as baseball?s 40th best prospect in 2003, 9th in 2004 and 14th in ...