Millwood ready to return
CLEVELAND -- After sitting on the disabled list since May 26, Kevin Millwood sounded Wednesday afternoon as if he were ready for the Kentucky Derby with the language he used."I'm just champing at the bit a little bit," Millwood said.
That's a good way to put things, though. For Millwood, sidelined with a strained groin, has been as eager as Afleet Alex to get on with the show. He's fit and ready to, well ... get back into the starting gate, so to speak.
Millwood was activated following Wednesday's win and will start vs. the Rockies on Thursday.
"It's hard enough to sit around and watch your team play," he said. "But when you're not contributing at all, it's not much fun.
"I'm ready to get out there and try to help us win some ballgames."
In his absence, Millwood could take some solace in the fact that the Indians have turned around their play. They were 21-25 when he went on the disabled list May 26, and they are now 32-30, playing their best ball of the season.
How much better might that record be had Millwood, the team's most veteran pitcher, not gone on the DL?
Who's to say, because the Indians' struggles haven't been with their pitching, which sports the second-best ERA (3.53) in the American League. Their struggles have been with their hitting, a problem that helps to explain Millwood's less than sparkling 1-4 record.
His return to the 25-man roster will mean a roster move. Manager Eric Wedge declined to say Wednesday whose spot Millwood would take.
Here's the question: Who was the player the Indians got in their last trade with the Orioles? (See answer below.)
Quotable: "I'm a light eater. When it gets light, I start eating." -- Former Indians pitcher Tommy John
Did you know: The bat that utility-player Jolbert Cabrera used in a game Aug. 5, 2001, at The Jake is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Why? Cabrera's bat knocked in the winning run against the Mariners as the Tribe became the third team in Major League history to rally from a 12-run deficit.
Signed and sealed: The Indians signed five more draft picks from June 7-8 draft, which gives the team a total of 11 overall. Three of the 11 are from the top 10. The latest signings are: infielder Jordan Brown (fourth round from Arizona), right-hander Kevin Dixon (fifth round, Minnesota State), infielder Matt Fornasiere (12th round, Minnesota), right-hander Michael Finocche (14th round, Louisburg) and outfielder Trevor Mortensen (33rd round, Cal State-Fullerton). Baseball America rated Brown, the 124th overall selection, the 113th best prospect in the entire draft.
This and that: The Indians have won four straight, seven of their last eight and 15 of their last 22 games. ... The Tribe is 8-2 in Interleague Play, and since 1997, the Indians boast a 78-71 record (.523) against National League teams. ... The Indians are 17-0 when they score six or more runs and 26-9 when score four or more runs. ... After beating Rockies left-hander Jeff Francis on Tuesday, the Tribe is now 7-9 against lefties. ... The Indians starters have pitched five innings or more in 50 of their 62 games. ... Entering play Wednesday, Grady Sizemore had 10 hits in his last 17 at-bats. Sizemore's average was a team-high .307, 11th in the American League. ... Jake Westbrook has allowed just three earned runs in his last 13 innings. ... Coming into Wednesday, Jhonny Peralta has hit safely in 21 of his last 27 games. He's batting .311 in that span with five homers and 16 RBIs.
Tribe tidbits: Indians fans can buy tickets for home games at The Jake through the Internet at www.indians.com, at the Jacobs Field box office, at the seven Cleveland Indians Team Shops in Northeast Ohio and through the Ticketmaster.com phone center (1-866-48-TRIBE). ... The Indians, the Cleveland Clinic and the American Red Cross will conduct a blood drive from 1-8 p.m. ET on June 16 at Jacobs Field. The location inside the ballpark will be the Carnegie Driveway in front of the Club Lounge. The Indians are inviting front office staff and families, game day employees and the local media to participate in the drive.
The Great One: Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky will be in Jacobs Field for Saturday night's game against the Diamondbacks at 7:05 p.m. ET. Gretzky will be appearing on all of the broadcasts on behalf of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The foundation is conducting the "Home Run Challenge," a program designed to create awareness about prostate cancer while also raising money to support the PCF. MLB Charities has committed $50,000 to the foundation.
On this date: In 1925, the Indians led the Philadelphia A's 14-2 in the seventh inning at Shibe Park. But did the Indians win? No. In an amazing comeback, the A's got to the Tribe's pitchers for one run in the seven, one run in the eighth and 13 runs in the ninth to win, 17-15.
And here's the answer: In 1999, the Tribe traded pitchers Juan Aracena and Jimmy Hamilton to Baltimore for DH/outfielder Harold Baines. The 40-year-old Baines finished the season with the Tribe, batting .271 with 22 RBIs in 28 games.
On deck: The Indians meet the Rockies on Thursday for the third game in their three-game series. Right-hander Millwood, fresh off the disabled list, will start for the Tribe. Millwood will face right-hander Jamey Wright.
Source: http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/
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