CLEVELAND — Cleveland manager Eric Wedge noticed something strange Thursday afternoon.
As he arrived at Progressive Field, Tribe players such as Victor Martinez and Fausto Carmona were on their way home, done with their rehab for the day.
“I thought it was a little bit ironic that I’m walking in and these guys are walking out,” Wedge said.
It’s more than ironic. It’s a perfect representation of Cleveland’s 2008 season.
Martinez (right elbow), Carmona (left hip), Jake Westbrook (right elbow), Travis Hafner (right shoulder) and Josh Barfield (finger) are all on the disabled list. Westbrook is done for the season after having Tommy John surgery two weeks ago. The rest are at least two weeks from returning to major-league action, probably at least a month in the cases of Martinez and Barfield.
In related news, the Indians entered Thursday in last place in the Central Division.
“It’s not where you want to be, but it’s late June,” Wedge said. “We have a long way to go. I think you have to look how many games behind you are more so than where you are in the standings.”
The Indians started the night 71⁄2 games behind the first-place White Sox.
n M.A.S.H. UNIT — The Indians will have updates on Hafner and Carmona today. Hafner is scheduled for a strength test and Carmona plans to play catch. Wedge hopes to get Carmona back on a rehab schedule.
n OLD HAT — 3B Casey Blake spent two innings at shortstop Wednesday night, his first appearance there since 2001 with Triple-A Edmonton. Blake handled his only chance, a Brian Horwitz groundball.
“Omar (Vizquel) was over there taking notes in the other dugout,” Blake quipped.
n FALLING — 1B Ryan Garko, who spent the last month batting in the middle of the order, was dropped to No. 8 on Thursday. He had four hits in his last 25 at-bats (.160).
“I just feel like he’s been trying to do too much there in the middle,” Wedge said. “I feel like he was making good progress there for awhile. Now, I’m seeing him be too violent up there and trying to do too much.”
n ON THE FARM — Double-A Akron OF Trevor Crowe was batting .407 in June entering Thursday. ... Single-A Lake County OF Roman Pena carried a 14-game hitting streak into Thursday. He’s batting .312 overall, which is sixth in the South Atlantic League. ... Single-A Kinston 1B Beau Mills was on a nine-game hitting streak, during which he was batting .342 (13-for-38).
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Tribe Notebook: Wedge has an ironic moment
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Scholastic Statistics:
WRESTLING
NON-CONFERENCE
Riverside 31, Edgewood 28
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Scholastic Schedule:
FRIDAY, FEB. 10
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