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10/04/2007 7:31 PM ET
Playoff spotlight doesn't faze Carmona
Indians righty not intimidated by Game 2 meeting with Yankees
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

Indians righty Fausto Carmona went 5-0 with a 1.78 ERA in five September starts. (Tony Dejak/AP)
Indians Headlines

CLEVELAND -- If Andy Pettitte rightfully could be considered the gold standard of postseason pitchers, making his 35th career playoff start and in search of his 19th playoff victory Friday evening at Jacobs Field, then Fausto Carmona would be viewed as ...?
Well, it's hard to put a label on the talented Cleveland right-hander at this early stage of his career.

At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Carmona has the massive and sturdy frame to help the National Football League's entry from Cleveland. Carrying a 19-8 regular-season mark and a 3.06 ERA into Friday's second game of this American League Division Series, Carmona also brings with him a 2007 performance that will earn the 23-year-old considerable American League Cy Young support.

The only certainties surrounding Carmona are that he will throw the ball hard against the Yankees, with great movement on almost all of his pitches, and that the Indians need Carmona's first-ever playoff appearance to be as solid as one that would be expected from a seasoned veteran.

Using Carmona's demeanor during his Thursday press conference as an early barometer, nerves shouldn't be an issue as much as command of his pitches.

"I know it's a big game, but that doesn't bother me," said Carmona, through translator and Cleveland first-base coach Luis Rivera. "It's the same baseball. I pitched against those guys before, and I'm not going to approach it like any different date.

"They've got a great lineup, but when I get on the mound, I don't look at names. I just go after the hitters. It will be no different than their best hitter to the ninth hitter. Everybody is going to be the same."

Carmona faced the Yankees on April 19 in New York, allowing two earned runs on six hits over six innings, and finishing with a no-decision. His seventh loss this season came against the Yankees at home on Aug. 10, when Carmona yielded four runs on eight hits over seven innings. But Carmona was about as close to unhittable as a starter can be during the final month of 2007.

In five September starts made for a team battling to claim the AL Central title and best record in baseball, Carmona posted a 5-0 record with a 1.78 ERA. He fanned 27 and walked nine over 35 1/3 innings, making better use of his changeup as a complement to his devastating sinker.

The strong finish proved Carmona was more than just a one- or two-month flash in the pan. He was a true pitcher, growing with each trip to the mound.

"He's in tremendous condition. It seems he gets taller and thicker every day he walks through the door," said Cleveland pitching coach Carl Willis, adding that Carmona's sinker, coupled with the high velocity at which he throws, reminds him of Kevin Brown. "He pays close attention and works extremely hard. His work ethic is great."

"Now, he's a guy that has a real good understanding of what he needs to do with this five-day routine, the routine in which he works physically and fundamentally and mentally," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge added. "But we need to emphasize, he's a pitcher. He's not out there throwing the baseball. He's out there pitching. He has a game plan."

Although Carmona's 215 innings pitched this season stand far and away as the highest total at any level of his professional career, Willis said the Indians have taken steps to monitor his workload by backing off the volume of Carmona's pitches during bullpen sessions, starting in August. Both Willis and Wedge also credited Victor Martinez, the team's star catcher known more for his offensive prowess, in forming a strong battery bond with Carmona.
"Victor does a great job slowing him down," Willis said. "Once [Carmona] gets through the first inning, it kind of becomes just another game again, even though it's obviously a postseason game."

Ultimately, the credit for Carmona's success primarily falls on the broad shoulders of the native of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Carmona's brief but disastrous run as the Cleveland closer in 2006 has been well-documented, with David Ortiz and Ivan Rodriguez hitting walkoff home runs against the shell-shocked hurler on July 31 and Aug. 5, respectively.

Wedge pointed out Thursday how people forget Carmona's six-week run of excellence as a setup man last year prior to becoming the closer, but Carmona's future was as a starting pitcher. He made four starts to conclude 2006, worked in that role during winter ball, and came to Spring Training ready to challenge for a spot in the rotation.

"Playing winter ball helped me out, gave me confidence," Carmona said. "I worked on the things that I felt like I needed to be successful in the big leagues this year if I got an opportunity. When I came back to Spring Training, I was ready to go and felt great. Everything had to happen the year before, but I learned a lot from what happened. It was behind me."
"How he handled [his struggles as a closer], the way he learned from that, then getting back on track and built up as a starter, and then he goes and plays winter ball and wants to and needs to and understands why," Wedge added. "Obviously, the way this year's played out, you know that was as important for us as anything for him to continue to pitch last year."

Some of that steely resolve needs to be on display Friday for Carmona. He's going against one of the all-time greats in the postseason, but tough challenges don't seem to bother this rejuvenated Cleveland pitcher.

"You love that about the postseason. You know you're going to see the other team's best arms," said Pettitte of working against Carmona. "He throws awfully hard with great movement. He's going to be tough."



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I have a feeling Carmona is going to be lights out, I don't think the position he's in will phase him at all.

10/05/2007 1:04 AM ET
Tribe on verge of something big
Game 2 win over Yanks would put Indians in driver's seat
By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com

ALDS Game 2 starters Andy Pettitte of the Yankees, Fausto Carmona of the Indians.

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians are on the precipice of doing some damage in their American League Division Series against the New York Yankees. Win Game 2 on Friday at Jacobs Field and they will be hard pressed to lose three straight to the Bombers even with Games 3 and 4 in New York.
"I don't look at things in those regards," Indians manager Eric Wedge said on Thursday night, his team's first win in the books. "When I work my thought process through, it's more specific. It's about what we need to do tomorrow to prepare. We've got to turn the page and do some work tonight and prepare tomorrow and just make sure that these guys come out and take the same approach to the game they've been doing for quite a while now."

The Indians made a statement on Thursday evening with their 12-3 trouncing of the Yanks at Jacobs Field, but they've been making a statement all season as a relatively young and unknown team. Right now, they join the Diamondbacks and Rockies as the three most unlikely teams to be wreaking havoc in the postseason.

And if those three teams move forward into the second round, their combined payrolls of $161 million are about $40 million less than the Yankees.

The Indians have been doing it all season with a team-aspect approach and Thursday night, their 14 hits and 12 runs were pretty well-distributed throughout the lineup.

On Friday, they send their other 19-game winner, right-hander Fausto Carmona, to the mound against veteran Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte. If you check your record book that's the 35th postseason start for Pettitte against the first for Carmona, who came into the season as a reliever.

The Dodgers used to call it coconut picking -- moving a player from one position to another until establishing the right mix. The Indians, under general manager Mark Shapiro, have used that old philosophy to get the most out of a roster that cost $61.6 million this season as opposed to New York's $200 million.

The Rockies, by the way, are at $54.4 million and the Diamondbacks are at $52 million.

"There's a magnitude to these accomplishments and there's a lot to be proud of," Shapiro said before the game. "In the end, if you look too close at your payroll, you allow it to be an excuse for your organization, your front office. You don't get a division title or a playoff berth with a little asterisk next to it saying you have a small payroll. We've got to go out there when the game starts like every other team and compete."

They've done it this year with mostly homegrown talent as well as retrieving Kenny Lofton for the stretch run. The seemingly ageless outfielder had a 3-for-4 Game 1 with a double, four RBIs and his 33rd postseason stolen base, tying Rickey Henderson for the most ever in that department.

"Yeah, it was a little special," said Lofton, 40, who last played a playoff game for the Indians in 2001. "I think the fans still remember me in '95 and all the years that I played in the playoffs here and know the effort that I give all the time. I go out give 110 percent. I think the fans recognize that. The fans are all excited and getting fired up about what's going on. This city needs a championship."

They're on the edge right now. And can get a little closer with a Game 2 victory over the mighty Yanks.



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Hpefully the Indians come away with a win, and maybe win the world series, erase the curse, erase the curse!

Indians will win this year, Cavs in two years, and Browns in 3, here we go Cleveland, are U ready?

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as the three most unlikely teams to be wreaking havoc in the postseason

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I dont' get that at all... we tied for the best record in all of baseball, but we're considered among the least likely to do anything in the post-season?

They need to move the headquarters of all media outlets to like Chattanooga or something so that they can gain some perspective on things.

5 PM cannot get here quick enough.... Let's Go, Tribe!

Well Purp, if you couple what you pointed out with what was right before it...

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they've been making a statement all season as a relatively young and unknown team.

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Nobody knows about any statements anybody else in baseball has made for one reason and one reason only... nobody covers it. The entire season has been about 2 things.. Barry Bonds homerun chase and can ARod and the Yankees catch the RedSox.. all baseball in between the east coast Yankees and the West Coast Giants was a non-factor to the media all year from the very beginning.

If you put the Yankees on television 3 times a week and you put the Red Sox on television 3 times a week and you don't put on any other national games... gee, I wonder why the average baseball fan doesn't know that there are actually GOOD baseball teams out there that don't play in New York or Boston...

Baseball is far and away the WORST media covered sport that there is...

I loved the comment last night that went something like, "wait until tomorrow when Andy Pettitte will not be afraid to come inside on them and bust their knuckles". What, we've never faced Pettitte or any other big league pitchers!?


The National media is a disgrace!

Asdrubal, pearls and all, is gonna be a big time player for this town!

Not to get technical, but those are beads, not pearls, and they were a gift to him from his wife that he feels brings him good luck. Go Droobz!

Well then he has to wear them... he wouldn't want to anger the baseball gods.

Less than an hour. I'm looking forward to this one, I just hope Carmona does what I think he is capable of doing, and pitch a gem.

I just have a feeling Pettite isn't going to have a good outing today and if we can get up early on them, we could have them right where we want them.

Mike Greenberg said that the series will be 2-1 on Monday...I am still laughing at that thought...the series will be over before Monday is even here!

And on a side note...did anyone hear Skip Brainless actually say that it was a case of the Indians being better...i almost burned myself on my coffee when I heard that.

Cleveland PD

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Clubhouse confidential: No, that's not a pearl necklace that second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera wears. It's a necklace of beads that his wife, Lismar, made for him.

They were married in December in Venezuela. "It's good luck for me," said Cabrera.

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I heard Skip and of course I agreed with him, we beat them up, the other clown tried blaming Torre. Whatever. Though Skip does come across pompus, he's more accurate then more people realize, but does get annoying.

Go Tribe!!! Yankoffs suck...

How great would it be to see the Indians broom the Yorks...

Now that's how you start a game!

I'm sick of the announcers, there so damn bias it's getting old.

Turn on your radio. You can't beat the Tribe's radio announcers

At least you get the game in English !

Not an option, too much of a time delay, tried last night.

DAMN, well at least you can see them. I'm stuck at work

I'm at work too but I have the radio on next to me. Lofton comes thru again,,,but out at home

LETS GO TRIBE!!!!!!!!!

Never should have sent the runner , never had a chance ..

DAMN YANKEES

1-0 bad guys.

Thats alright, we're going to get to Pettite.

Your right water, the ball Lofton hit was a rocket, and got to the CF way to fast for Peralta to score, though I do understand the agressiveness, bad timing on that call.

In a series like this you need your " Coach's " to play heads up too !

It wasnt a great turn at 3rd by Jhonny either

It wasn't a terrible turn and he had some speed....it just happened to be a good throw. Hindsight is what it is, but after last night, I'd send him too. Oh well.

We're getting to Andy....we just need to keep it close.

Ahhhh...man, you can't get busted for stealing a base when you're ALREADY in scoring position. Dang Lofton. If you try for 3rd with two outs, you HAVE to make it.

This is the perfect time for us to get something, top of the line up and Pettite is hittable. Let's go Indians!

LETS GO TRIBE!

Dang, we are playing uptight today. Can't seem to get anything going outside the leadoff hitter.

Feel bad for Carmona, he's got like a 2-hitter going. Too bad we can't carry over any runs from last night.

Seems that once we get a guy on base, the other batters start trying to swing for the fences... they need to settle down and start manufacturing runs.

hang in there

This is where Arod makes us pay for the weak RISP hitting and that error. You can't keep a guy that got 156 RBI's in the regular season down that long.

The Tribe is playing pretty tight right now, trying to pull way too much. They need to calm down a little... Me? I'm losing my mind here. C'mon Tribe!

Great play by Sizemore, let's hope that sparks the bats and we get some hits.

Props to Queen Latifa (sp)when she was interviewed earlier and basically dissed LeBron for his actions. She's classy!

Maybe that awesome defensive play will fuel the O to bring someone home...