Indians go with Gonzalez

Juan Gonzalez is back in the middle of the Cleveland Indians’ lineup. Andy Pettitte also hooked up with some old friends—the N.Y. Yankees.
Gonzalez won a starting job and will begin the 2005 season as Cleveland’s everyday right fielder—returning to the spot where he had one of his most productive years and adding a powerful bat to the offence.
“Juan brings us a presence,” Indians manager Eric Wedge said yesterday in Winter Haven, Fla. “I hope it makes the team better and him better.”
In making Cleveland’s opening-day roster, the 35-year-old Gonzalez earned a $500,000 (U.S.) bonus. He can make an additional $1.95 million if he reaches incentives based on plate appearances and overall days on the active roster.
His surprising addition also means that Grady Sizemore—the organization’s rising star—will begin the season at ‘AAA’ Buffalo. Sizemore batted .291 with one homer and 10 RBIs this spring, but struck out 14 times in 55 at-bats.
While the 22-year-old Sizemore is a better fit with Cleveland’s collection of young players, his résumé is no match for Gonzalez—a two-time AL MVP who, when healthy, is still one of the game’s most feared hitters.
But Gonzalez’s problem is staying on the field. In the past three seasons, he has played in just 185 games—33 with Kansas City a year ago because of a bad back.
“The only pressure I have on me is the injuries,” he said. “Everything is stay healthy. When I’m healthy, everyone has seen my numbers.”
Gonzalez hasn’t played more than 82 games since 2001, when he batted .325 with 35 homers and 140 RBIs for the Indians. But just having him in the lineup—he’ll bat fifth—or standing in the on-deck circle will improve the offence.
Meanwhile, at Tampa, Fla., Pettitte felt comfortable on the mound—and off—in his latest start. The left-hander allowed two runs and three hits in four innings against his former team, but the Houston Astros lost 7-4 to the Yankees.
“It was definitely strange,” Pettitte said. “It was a good day to come and see some of the guys. It was a great experience being here for nine years.”
After spending 1995-03 in New York, Pettitte signed with the Astros as a free agent. He went 6-4 with a 3.90 ERA in an injury-plagued first season in Houston, making just 15 starts.
Pettitte had season-ending elbow surgery in August.
“He looks good,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said. “I thought he looked very smooth. I know for him not to pitch last year had to be total torture.
“I’m happy he’s feeling better.”
In the third, Derek Jeter tripled and scored on Alex Rodriguez’s homer off Pettitte, who struck out one and walked one. He threw 60 pitches, including 34 for strikes.
Pettitte has given up four runs—three earned—over seven innings in two exhibition starts. He also threw two scoreless innings in a ‘B’ game and expects to be ready for his first regular-season start April 6 against St. Louis.
“I feel good about where I am,” Pettitte said. “I’m still a work in progress. I feel good, but I’m not where I want to be.”
Pettitte received a warm ovation from the Legends Field crowd when he was introduced before the game and when he took the mound in the first inning.
“It was good to see him,” Jeter said. “I had a chance to talk with him for a while. We came up together, so it goes beyond just the career in the major leagues. We grew up together.”
In other spring training games yesterday, Toronto blanked Detroit 4-0, Minnesota routed Baltimore 11-3, and the N.Y. Mets dumped the Nationals 9-4.