CCLB 03-19-07 Indians 1 CCLB 3/15/2007 2:15 PM Page 1 PIECED TOGETHER Without a quick fix, Shapiro fills bullpen, outfield by committee By JOEL HAMMOND [email protected] ould Indians general manager Mark Shapiro enjoy his job as much if he had the resources to W compete with the top spenders in Major League Baseball? Would he feel as satisfied with the product if he possessed the ability to sign Randy Johnson or Daisuke Matsuzaka or Gary Sheffield or Josh Beckett, conse- quences and finances be darned? “That’s a tough question,” laughed Shapiro, in his sixth season as the team’s GM. Without that quick fix in his arsenal, Shapiro was again forced to use some creativity: He patched together with three well-traveled veterans a bullpen that suffered badly from its youth in 2006, and completed platoons at first base and in left and right fields by signing two corner outfielders who have platooned before. See PIECED Page 8 ILLUSTRATION: KRISTEN WILSON PHOTO: RUGGERO FATICA CCLB 03-19-07 Indians 2 CCLB 3/15/2007 1:10 PM Page 1 I-2 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS MARCH 19-25, 2007 Marking memorable Indians moments Tribe history in the making Below are some of the top team milestones to be highlighted at Once completed, the $1M Heritage Park Heritage Park: ■ Addie Joss, perfect game, project will feature 38 memorable moments Oct. 2, 1908, vs. Chicago. ■ Carlos Baerga, homers from both sides of the plate in the By DAVID PRIZINSKY generations.” DiBiasio said this same inning, April 8, 1993, vs. [email protected] last goal of bridging the genera- New York Yankees. tions through shared memories is ■ aseball and an appreciation “what makes baseball special.” Joe Jackson hits .408 in 1911. of the past go together. “It will be the signature land- He is the last Indian to hit .400. Toss in more than a century mark at Jacobs Field,” he said. “We ■ Sam McDowell, tosses consec- Bof local professional baseball want every trip to Jacobs Field to utive one-hit, complete games, and you have the ingredients for include a visit to Heritage Park.” April 25 and May 1, 1966. Heritage Park at Jacobs Field — a Professional baseball in Cleve- ■ Luis Tiant, tosses four consecu- $1 million project dedicated to land can be traced to 1869. In tive shutouts, April 25 to May Cleveland Indians history located 1901, the franchise became a 12, 1965. beyond the center field fence. charter member of the new Ameri- ■ Stan Coveleski, wins third World Heritage Park, which will can League, and the Indians name Series game to clinch 1920 encompass 4,300 square feet on was adopted in 1915. World Series title, Game 7, two levels, is scheduled to be “We are one of the oldest insti- Heritage Park at Oct. 12, 1920. ready for fans on opening day. tutions in the city of Cleveland,” Jacobs Field, a ■ Omar Vizquel, collects six hits The top tier, rotunda area will DiBiasio said. $1 million project in 22-0 win over New York feature plaques honoring the 15 The franchise predates many of dedicated to Yankees, Aug. 21, 2004. players in the 27-member Cleve- the city’s oldest corporations and Cleveland Indians ■ Earl Averill, homers in first at- land Indians Hall of Fame who are has outlasted long-forgotten history, is located bat, April 16, 1929. also members of the National automakers, steel producers and beyond the center ■ Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooper- oil refiners. It has survived depres- field fence. Johnny Burnett, nine hits in one stown, N.Y. Names appearing on sions, world wars and the chang- Heritage Park will game (Major League Baseball this level include Earl Averill, Nap ing area economy. encompass 4,300 record), July 10, 1932. Lajoie, Bob Feller, The idea of honor- square feet on two ■ Bob Feller, strikes out 17 as Early Wynn, Tris “We didn’t have an ing the team’s history levels. rookie pitcher, Sept. 13, 1936. Speaker and Cy had long been on the enclosed space for PROVIDED ■ Jim Thome, club record, 52 Young. minds of the team’s home runs, 2002. The lower tier a museum, but we officials. ■ Bob Feller, opening-day no-hitter, will spotlight the wanted to find a “We didn’t have an April 16, 1940, at Chicago. remaining 12 enclosed space for a place in Jacobs ■ Cleveland Indians Field to celebrate museum, but we “A major challenge was avoiding brick pavers purchased by fans Larry Doby, integrates the Hall of Fame wanted to find a place any visible activity that could be who want to link themselves American League, July 5, 1947. members as well the Indians’ history.” in Jacobs Field to seen from home plate. The activity and family members to Indians ■ Lou Boudreau, 4-for-4 to lead as the 100 players – Bob DiBiasio, vice celebrate the Indians’ in Heritage Park, which will be history. Tribe to victory in American who have been president of public relations, history,” DiBiasio said. accessible to fans during games, The brick pavers sell for between League playoff game at Boston, named as the best Cleveland Indians The organization will be hidden from the batter by $150 and $375, depending on the Oct. 4, 1948. all-time Indians. settled on Heritage trees and shrubbery. size and the length of the messages ■ Al Rosen, belts two home runs Each of these players will have a Park just beyond center field, but “The ultimate goal was to create inscribed on the bricks. in 1954 All-Star Game. granite plaque built into the brick it had to be designed in such a way a shrine for the fans,” Wynn said. Bricks sold now will make it to ■ Herb Score, 1955 American wall that will link the lower and that it would not interfere with the “This will give the fans a chance to Heritage Park for the 2008 season. League Rookie of the Year, upper tiers. integrity of the ballpark’s hitting take a step back in time.” The Indians said thousands of the 16-10, 2.45 ERA. In-ground markers throughout background, which must not The 38 memorable moments brick pavers already have been Heritage Park will commemorate distract the batter. highlighted in Heritage Park sold and will be in place by open- the 38 most memorable moments Christopher Wynn, lead archi- include the Oct. 2, 1908, perfect ing day this year. The proceeds will in the team’s history. tect on the project for Osborn game by Addie Joss, and the 1911 help defray the cost of the project. ON THE WEB To find out There were three goals behind Architects & Engineers in Cleveland, season, when “Shoeless” Joe Wynn said provisions have been what other moments the development of Heritage Park, said he began working on the Jackson hit .408, the last Indian made for the Indians to add player round out the list, visit according to Bob DiBiasio, vice concept in fall 2005. “Heritage Park to hit .400. The number 38 was names to Heritage Park. Next up www.crainscleveland.com president of public relations. was over a year in the making.” determined by what would fit into are likely to be Jim Thome and “We wanted to preserve history, Construction on the project the layout of the park. Omar Vizquel, according to most Source: Cleveland Indians honor excellence and connect the began last October. 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WWW.LOCKKEEPERS.COM Remember...Just ASK Adam www.justASKAdam.com — 216.831.7370 8001 Rockside Road Valley View OH 44125 CCLB 03-19-07 Indians 3 CCLB 3/15/2007 10:37 AM Page 1 MARCH 19-25, 2007 CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS I-3 Tribe approaching season with platoons for some positions By JOEL HAMMOND “We’re a veteran group focused on could see time in center field if prepared for each at-bat,” time dramatically. [email protected] winning, so it’s easier. Sizemore, who played 162 games Michaels said. “You have to have a “All it takes is one guy getting “(Platooning) is especially tough there last year, is physically removed short-term memory.” hurt or traded, and you’re back n a perfect world, the Indians on younger players. You can get out from the lineup by manager Eric Nixon pointed to injuries playing playing every day,” said Nixon, would have at every position a of whack. Young players can get Wedge. a significant factor in the way a who pointed to the job Kapler did player who could play every day, frustrated and upset not knowing “David’s a tremendous player, team’s season — and platoons — in Boston’s 2004 World Series run I hit right- and left-handed pitchers whether they’ll start, not start, pinch and I think we’ll be successful,” play out. Shapiro saved $5 million when Nixon was injured and equally well and maintain continuity hit, not pinch hit,” Nixon said.