2008 Woodie Awards
Opening day injury deja vu for Indians catcher
By: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: Sports
By Tom Withers
The Associated Press
CLEVELAND - For the second season in a row, All-Star catcher Victor Martinez limped out of the Cleveland Indians' home opener before it was over.
That might not be a bad thing.
Martinez strained his left hamstring while running the bases during the second inning of Monday's 10-8 win over the Chicago White Sox. The Indians were vague about his injury yesterday, saying only that their best hitter was day-to-day with a mild strain.
The club added that no roster move involving Martinez "is being considered at this time."
They could have resent the same e-mail from last April, when Martinez pulled a quadriceps muscle while trying to beat out a ground ball in the third inning of Cleveland's first home game, a snow-covered affair that eventually was postponed.
Helped by a few more bad-weather postponements, Martinez missed six games but never went on the disabled list. He wound up having his finest major league season, batting .301 while setting career-highs in homers (25) and RBIs (114). Martinez also provided the punch in Cleveland's lineup as designated hitter Travis Hafner struggled through a season he'd like to forget.
Martinez arrived at training camp in tremendous shape. He dropped 15 pounds during the offseason, improving his quickness behind the plate. The 29-year-old attempted to show off his newfound speed in the second inning on a pitch that got away from White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
But as he neared the base, Martinez appeared to catch his cleat in the soft dirt and tumbled awkwardly to the ground and was tagged out. He got to his knees and was able to walk to the dugout without assistance before being taken during the game for an MRI, the results of which have not been disclosed.
Martinez was replaced by backup Kelly Shoppach, who showed his value to the Indians with a pair of big plays in their win.
After the White Sox rallied to tie it 7-7 in the seventh, Shoppach came off the plate to grab shortstop Jhonny Peralta's throw that was high and up the third-base line to tag Joe Crede, who appeared to slide past Shoppach's outstretched mitt without being touched.
Shoppach wasn't sure where he got Crede - if at all.
"Who knows?" he said. "I was up in the air. I may have gotten him with the knot of my glove."
Shoppach later opened Cleveland's eighth inning with a single and scored when Casey Blake delivered a three-run double.
"Shoppy's a heck of a player," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "He's got a tough job, but prepares himself well. That's why he was able to come in and contribute like he did. He made a good play at the plate and got a big hit. We've got confidence in Shoppy."
If Martinez ends up going on the DL, the Indians would bring up either Yamid Haad or Wyatt Toregas from Triple-A Buffalo to back up Shoppach, who batted .261 in 59 games last season. If Martinez is only going to miss a few days, first baseman Ryan Garko, a converted catcher, could be used in an emergency.
The Associated Press
CLEVELAND - For the second season in a row, All-Star catcher Victor Martinez limped out of the Cleveland Indians' home opener before it was over.
That might not be a bad thing.
Martinez strained his left hamstring while running the bases during the second inning of Monday's 10-8 win over the Chicago White Sox. The Indians were vague about his injury yesterday, saying only that their best hitter was day-to-day with a mild strain.
The club added that no roster move involving Martinez "is being considered at this time."
They could have resent the same e-mail from last April, when Martinez pulled a quadriceps muscle while trying to beat out a ground ball in the third inning of Cleveland's first home game, a snow-covered affair that eventually was postponed.
Helped by a few more bad-weather postponements, Martinez missed six games but never went on the disabled list. He wound up having his finest major league season, batting .301 while setting career-highs in homers (25) and RBIs (114). Martinez also provided the punch in Cleveland's lineup as designated hitter Travis Hafner struggled through a season he'd like to forget.
Martinez arrived at training camp in tremendous shape. He dropped 15 pounds during the offseason, improving his quickness behind the plate. The 29-year-old attempted to show off his newfound speed in the second inning on a pitch that got away from White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
But as he neared the base, Martinez appeared to catch his cleat in the soft dirt and tumbled awkwardly to the ground and was tagged out. He got to his knees and was able to walk to the dugout without assistance before being taken during the game for an MRI, the results of which have not been disclosed.
Martinez was replaced by backup Kelly Shoppach, who showed his value to the Indians with a pair of big plays in their win.
After the White Sox rallied to tie it 7-7 in the seventh, Shoppach came off the plate to grab shortstop Jhonny Peralta's throw that was high and up the third-base line to tag Joe Crede, who appeared to slide past Shoppach's outstretched mitt without being touched.
Shoppach wasn't sure where he got Crede - if at all.
"Who knows?" he said. "I was up in the air. I may have gotten him with the knot of my glove."
Shoppach later opened Cleveland's eighth inning with a single and scored when Casey Blake delivered a three-run double.
"Shoppy's a heck of a player," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "He's got a tough job, but prepares himself well. That's why he was able to come in and contribute like he did. He made a good play at the plate and got a big hit. We've got confidence in Shoppy."
If Martinez ends up going on the DL, the Indians would bring up either Yamid Haad or Wyatt Toregas from Triple-A Buffalo to back up Shoppach, who batted .261 in 59 games last season. If Martinez is only going to miss a few days, first baseman Ryan Garko, a converted catcher, could be used in an emergency.
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