Fifteen years ago this fall, the Florida Marlins beat the Cleveland Indians in seven games to win their first World Series.

Since then, the Marlins have remained successful in their rare meetings with the Indians.

Carlos Zambrano hopes for another strong outing as the Miami Marlins look to prevent the AL Central-leading Indians from a season-high fifth straight victory Friday night at Progressive Field.

The image of Edgar Renteria’s game-winning single off Cleveland’s Charles Nagy in the bottom of the 11th inning of a 3-2 Game 7 victory Oct. 26, 1997, is forever etched in the minds of Marlins fans. Since that memorable night, the Marlins are 6-3 against the Indians (22-16). Miami took two of three in its only regular season trip to Cleveland in 2004, but the Indians returned the favor in Florida three years later.

Despite a 7-0 loss at Atlanta on Thursday, Miami (20-17) is 12-4 after dropping eight of nine to conclude April. Though the Marlins went 8-10 against the AL in 2011, their 135-117 all-time interleague record is the best among NL teams.

Miami also leads the NL with 1,212 runs and 2,283 hits during interleague action. Hanley Ramirez is batting .381 with three homers and 13 RBIs in his last 11 games versus AL opponents.

That overall success has first-year Miami manager Ozzie Guillen – formerly of the Chicago White Sox – excited about facing the AL once again.

“I love it,” Guillen told the Marlins’ official website. “It’s a great idea for baseball. I think people like it.”

He’s also excited about the way Zambrano (1-2, 1.88 ERA) has pitched. After finally wearing out his welcome with the Cubs, the right-hander has rebounded with the Marlins. Zambrano has yielded one earned run, 13 hits and struck out 21 in 23 innings while going 1-0 in three May starts – all Miami victories.

“I’m just having fun,” Zambrano said. “I’m enjoying my time here in Miami, and it’s everything I was looking for.”

He allowed his only earned run of the month and five hits in seven innings Sunday, not factoring in the decision of an 8-4 win over the New York Mets.

“I don’t want to say he’s back to the top of his game, but very close to that,” Guillen said. “He’s showing people he can still pitch.”

Zambrano, 9-8 with a 4.63 ERA in 25 interleague starts, gave up two runs in six innings of a 9-2 Cubs victory at Cleveland on June 21, 2006.

He’ll try to contain an Indians lineup that has totaled 25 runs and 42 hits during a four-game winning streak. Carlos Santana’s RBI single capped a two-run 11th inning in Thursday’s 6-5 victory over Seattle.

Santana is 7 for 17 (.412) with four RBIs in his last five games.

Teammate Travis Hafner is batting .358 with six homers and 16 RBIs during a 15-game interleague home hitting streak, but it’s uncertain if he’ll play after being hit in the hand by a pitch Thursday.

“It got swollen up,” Hafner said. “I iced it up. I think there’s definitely a chance I can play (Friday).”

Scheduled Indians starter Justin Masterson (1-3, 5.40) is 2-4 with a 4.23 ERA in nine career interleague starts, and pitched one scoreless inning of relief against the Marlins while with Boston in 2009.

The right-hander looks to bounce back after allowing six runs and hitting three batters Sunday in six innings of a 12-1 road loss to the Red Sox.

Cleveland went 11-7 during interleague play in 2011, improving to 129-136 all-time.

Winning two straight on the road against a division opponent is never anything to take for granted, regardless of how poorly that opponent may be playing at the time. The Cleveland Indians, in need of a mind eraser after a rough weekend in Boston, took two of two from the Minnesota Twins at Target Field to start the week. The first place Indians now return home for eight straight games, a stretch that concludes with a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers.

3 thoughts on Indians sweeping the Twins: Had to win

Indians radio play-by-play announcer Tom Hamilton said it best on Tuesday: The Twins are playing lousy baseball right now, and thus they’re a team the Indians simply must beat at this stage of the season. Beating the bad teams and then splitting series after series with playoff contenders is how the 2012 Indians will, if they manage to actually do so, reach postseason play. Things nearly got out of hand Monday night when relievers Vinnie Pestano and Nick Hagadone combined to blow a three-run lead in the eighth inning. Cleveland answered right back in the top of the ninth in that contest, however, as Shin-Soo Choo brought home what was ultimately the game-winning run. The Indians then took care of business on Tuesday thanks to Derek Lowe pitching yet another gem.

This team has thus far done well to avoid getting into any type of funk this spring. They entered Minnesota having lost three in a row and five of their last six, and you couldn’t have blamed the Cleveland bats for being silent in the top of the ninth of Monday’s game after the bullpen failed to hold the lead. Instead, the Indians picked themselves up, and they now return to Cleveland with heads held high.

3 thoughts on Indians sweeping the Twins: A steal

It’s still early into the current campaign, but it appears as if the Indians pulled off one of the best moves of this past offseason by acquiring starter Derek Lowe for a minor leaguer. Lowe, now 6-1 after Tuesday’s victory, forced Minnesota batters to hit into 22 ground ball outs and four double plays. With his sinker looking as good as it has at any point during the season, Lowe completed his first shutout in almost seven years. He also gave the Cleveland bullpen some rest, which is always a plus at the end of any road trip. In his last four starts, Lowe has surrendered just four earned runs, and he’s notched wins in four of his last five appearances. While both Ubaldo Jimenez and Justin Masterson have struggled to get into any rhythm this spring, Lowe has been one of the better starters in all of the American League.

3 thoughts on Indians sweeping the Twins: The new leadoff man

The previously mentioned Choo will, “until further notice” according to Cleveland manager Manny Acta, be the team’s leadoff hitter. Choo went 0-3 at the plate with two strikeouts on Monday night leading up to the ninth inning of that game. Since then, he has three hits in five at-bats, a two-out RBI single, a homer, a walk, and he’s crossed the plate twice. It’s very possible, even likely, that Choo will not be Cleveland’s long-term option at the top of the order. Watch out, though, if he gets more and more comfortable in his new role in the lineup as time goes on.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The Cleveland Indians had lost three in a row and five of their previous six, with another strong start to the season threatening to start swirling down the drain.

They appeared headed toward another loss when the bullpen faltered in the eighth inning before Shin-Soo Choo came to the rescue.

Choo hit the go-ahead RBI single in the ninth inning to back Jeanmar Gomez‘s seven superb innings and lift the Cleveland Indians to a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night.

Choo’s hit off Twins closer Matt Capps (0-2) scored pinch-runner Lou Marson from second base, bailing out an Indians bullpen that squandered a 4-1 lead in the eighth inning.

”Especially coming off our first three-game losing streak, we blew the lead it would have hurt more,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. ”Those are the type of things that tend to carry over. It was nice that we were able to come back, especially playing on the road. It was very important to do that so that things don’t start snowballing.”

The Indians won 30 of their first 45 last season, becoming one of the surprise teams in the league as they grabbed first place in the division right out of the gates before fading to the Detroit Tigers. They started this season 17-10, and are hoping to stick around the race a little longer this time.

Gomez did his best to stop the skid, allowing one unearned run and three hits with three strikeouts and two walks. But Vinnie Pestano gave up an RBI double to Josh Willingham in the eighth and Nick Hagadone served up a two-run homer to Ryan Doumit to tie the game 4-4.

Chris Perez pitched the ninth for his AL-leading 12th save in 13 chances.

”We needed to stop the losing streak and Gomez did a good job,” Choo said.

Casey Kotchman had two hits, including a two-run homer, and Joe Smith (3-1) picked up the win for the Indians.

The Twins managed only five hits and Capps allowed a run for the first time in six outings.

The 24-year-old Gomez got off to a dazzling start to the season with the first-place Indians, going 2-1 with a 2.82 ERA in his first five outings. The first two of those came in relief for the team’s No. 5 starter, thanks to a rainout, and he pitched well through his first four starts.

But the White Sox roughed up Gomez his last time out, tagging him for eight runs in 6 2-3 innings. The right-hander was able to stabilize himself on Monday night to put the Indians in position to end a three-game losing streak – their longest of the season.

”Today, I tried to be aggressive because last time I was a little too fine with the hitters,” Gomez said.

Darin Mastroianni scored on a throwing error from catcher Carlos Santana to put the Twins up 1-0 in the third, but that was all they could muster against Gomez, who wiggled out of another jam in the fifth.

The Twins had runners on second and third and one out, but Gomez got Brian Dozier to ground out to first and Joe Mauer on a grounder to second, drawing boos from the home crowd.

”It’s always more important when it’s a young guy that’s fighting his way up here at the back of the rotation,” Acta said. ”He’s pitched so well since spring training. (The White Sox game) was his roughest outing. I’m sure that this is going to be very good for his confidence.”

Santana and Travis Hafner had RBIs in the fourth before Kotchman smashed his third homer of the year well into the seats in right field in the fifth for a 4-1 lead.

Twins starter Carl Pavano gave up four runs and six hits in six innings while pitching through some soreness in his shoulder.

He was relieved in the seventh by Francisco Liriano, the lefty’s first appearance out of the bullpen since being demoted from the starting rotation last week. Liriano went 0-5 with a 9.45 ERA in his first six starts. Liriano pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts.

NOTES: Indians 3B Jack Hannahan did not play because of a sore back. … Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said INF Alexi Casilla is the team’s utility player after the shuffle that brought Dozier up from Triple-A and moved Jamey Carroll to 2B. Gardenhire planned to play Casilla on Tuesday. … It was Liriano’s first relief appearance since Sept. 24 when he gave up five earned runs in one-third of an inning and took the loss against the Indians. … RHP Jason Marquis (2-2, 6.26 ERA) will pitch for the Twins on Tuesday against Cleveland RHP Derek Lowe (5-1, 2.47). The 38-year-old Lowe is 3-0 with a 1.75 ERA in 25 2-3 innings over his past four starts.

Cleveland Indians pitcher Derek Lowe collected 70 wins and 85 saves during his time with the Boston Red Sox. The Tribe begin a four-game series tonight in Boston and Lowe will take the mound.

MLB.com reporter Zack Meisel writes how Lowe will make his second career appearance against his former squad, with whom he won a World Series ring in 2004. On June 20, 2009, he took the loss in a 3-0 defeat while pitching for the Braves.

After scuffling to a 9-17 record and 5.05 ERA last season, Lowe has looked like his old Boston self in 2012, posting a 4-1 mark and 2.39 ERA through six starts. The 38-year-old said his last outing, when he limited a powerful Rangers offense to two runs in six innings, was his best of the season.

“The game is easy when you can throw pretty much any pitch whenever you want,” Lowe said, “but it’s gratifying when you don’t really have that good of stuff against this tough of a lineup. To actually only give up two runs was pretty hard to do. Some of those innings I would never want to try again.”

The Red Sox will counter with Josh Beckett.

More Cleveland Indians

The White Sox score early and often (Cleveland.com).

Tribe offense not carrying team (Ohio.com).

White Sox 8, Tribe 1 (The News-Herald).

Jack Peavy wins his fourth game with victory over the Tribe (Chicago Sun-Times).

Chicago White Sox defeat the Tribe (Chicago Tribune).

CLEVELAND – Johnny Damon was signed to give the Cleveland Indians a bit of a jolt.
 
Turns out, the Indians’ young players have provided the 38-year-old outfielder with a lift, too.
 
Damon hit a two-run triple in his first home game for Cleveland and Jeanmar Gomez pitched seven strong innings to lead the Indians over the Texas Rangers 6-3 on Friday night.
 
“I love my role, which is to still contribute and play, but help my team develop, too,” Damon said. “It’s great to be with a team that’s hungry to win, hungry to get to a World Series, ready to go all-out every game. In just a couple days, these young guys have helped give me new life, too.”
 
Gomez (2-1), one of those youngsters at 24 years old, gave up seven hits and three runs as Cleveland won for the fourth time in five games. Texas has lost five of seven, but the two-time AL champions still lead the West Division.
 
“Gomez was terrific against such a great lineup,” Indians manager Manny Acta said.
 
Shin-Soo Choo and Jack Hannahan homered off Colby Lewis (3-1) to help Cleveland take an early lead.
 
Damon’s drive in the seventh off the wall in center was nearly caught by Josh Hamilton, who returned to the Rangers’ lineup after missing three games with a sore back.
 
Chris Perez pitched the ninth for his 10th consecutive save. He is perfect since blowing the save in the season opener April 5.
 
“Right now, he’s in a zone,” Acta said. “He’s going right after guys.”
 
The game ended with Choo making a leaping catch at the right-field wall to snare a drive off the bat of pinch-hitter Adrian Beltre with a runner on first.
 
Damon went 1 for 4, though Hamilton nearly made a sensational catch of his drive just as he crashed into the wall. Casey Kotchman and Hannahan scored as Damon got to third base and clapped his hands after putting Cleveland ahead 6-3.
 
“I was good to give us some insurance,” Damon said. “No lead is too big for that team. Fortunately, (Hamilton) didn’t make that play. I’ve seen him make that catch.”
 
Acta was impressed with Damon’s hustle around the bases for the standup triple.
 
“I think this guy was doing that before most of our guys signed a professional contract,” Acta said of Damon, who was a rookie in 1995. “He’s in tremendous shape.”
 
Texas manager Ron Washington second-guessed himself for letting Lewis face Damon with left-hander Robbie Ross warming up in the bullpen.
 
“Colby had gotten him out all day,” Washington said. “I was one batter late. I’ll take the blame for that.”
 
Damon admitted he wasn’t comfortable early against the right-hander.
 
“The first three times up, I had lazy swings,” Damon said after driving on 0-1 curveball 400 feet to center.
 
“I don’t think I had thrown one (curve) to him all day,” Lewis said. “I had made him swing at a lot of bad pitches, good pitches for me in the first three at-bats. He made it happen when he needed to make it happen.”
 
Choo’s two-run homer made it 2-0 in the second. The 414-foot drive to center snapped an 0-for-14 slump and was his first homer since Aug. 23.
 
Texas, which had won 11 of its previous 12 games at Progressive Field, scored in the third on a sacrifice fly by Ian Kinsler.
 
Hannahan made it 3-1 in the bottom half with his second homer, which originally appeared to be a standup triple. His drive down the right-field line caromed off the wall and by the time right fielder Nelson Cruz tracked it down, Hannahan was standing on third.
 
Acta argued and plate umpire Dale Scott and his crew went to look at TV replays, which showed the ball hit above the yellow line atop the wall. Scott signaled homer, the crowd roared, and Hannahan trotted home.
 
David Murphy’s RBI double in the fourth got Texas within 3-2.
 
The Rangers tied it in the sixth. Michael Young blooped a double to right, moved up on Murphy’s long fly ball to center and scored on Cruz’s single to left, which broke his 0-for-14 slide.
 
Lewis allowed six runs and 10 hits over 6 2-3 innings, snapping his personal six-game winning streak since Sept. 9. That was the longest active streak in the AL.
 
Notes: Texas has lost three straight for the first time since Aug. 23-25. … Rangers SS Elvis Andrus went 1 for 4. He has hit safely in all 24 of his career games against Cleveland. … Washington pushed RHP Neftali Perez’s next start to Tuesday at Baltimore, saying he wants to keep the other starters, Lewis, Derek Holland, Yu Darvish and Matt Harrison on their regular turn. … Perez said a season-ending knee injury to Yankees closer Mariano Rivera won’t keep him from shagging fly balls during batting practice. “It’s a shame that’s how he got hurt, but it won’t stop me,” Perez said. “I love it. It makes me feel like a (regular) player.” … Cleveland traded OF Ryan Spilborghs to the Rangers, who assigned him to Triple-A Round Rock.

CLEVELAND — Johnny Damon was signed to give the Cleveland Indians a bit of a jolt.

Turns out, the Indians’ young players have provided the 38-year-old outfielder with a lift, too.

Damon hit a two-run triple in his first home game for Cleveland and Jeanmar Gomez pitched seven strong innings Friday to lead the Indians past the Texas Rangers 6-3.

“I love my role, which is to still contribute and play, but help my team develop, too,” Damon said. “It’s great to be with a team that’s hungry to win, hungry to get to a World Series, ready to go all-out every game. In just a couple days, these young guys have helped give me new life, too.”

Gomez (2-1), one of those youngsters at 24 years old, allowed seven hits and three runs as Cleveland won for the fourth time in five games. Texas has lost five of seven, but the two-time AL champions still lead the West Division.

“Gomez was terrific against such a great lineup,” Indians manager Manny Acta said.

Shin-Soo Choo and Jack Hannahan homered against Colby Lewis (3-1) to help Cleveland take an early lead.

Damon’s drive in the seventh off the wall in center almost was caught by Josh Hamilton, who returned to the Rangers’ lineup after missing three games with a sore back.

Chris Perez pitched the ninth for his 10th consecutive save. He is perfect since blowing the save in the season opener April 5.

“Right now, he’s in a zone,” Acta said. “He’s going right after guys.”

The game ended with Choo making a leaping catch at the right-field wall to grab a drive off the bat of pinch-hitter Adrian Beltre with a runner on first.

Damon went 1-for-4, but Hamilton almost made a sensational catch of his drive just as he crashed into the wall. Casey Kotchman and Hannahan scored as Damon got to third base to put Cleveland ahead 6-3.

“I was good to give us some insurance,” Damon said. “No lead is too big for that team. Fortunately, (Hamilton) didn’t make that play. I’ve seen him make that catch.”

Acta was impressed with Damon’s hustle around the bases for the standup triple.

“I think this guy was doing that before most of our guys signed a professional contract,” Acta said of Damon, who was a rookie in 1995. “He’s in tremendous shape.”

Texas manager Ron Washington second-guessed himself for letting Lewis face Damon with left-hander Robbie Ross warming up in the bullpen.

“Colby had gotten him out all day,” Washington said. “I was one batter late. I’ll take the blame for that.”

Damon said he wasn’t comfortable early against the right-hander.

“The first three times up, I had lazy swings,” Damon said after driving on 0-1 curveball 400 feet to center.

“I don’t think I had thrown one (curve) to him all day,” Lewis said. “I had made him swing at a lot of bad pitches, good pitches for me in the first three at-bats. He made it happen when he needed to make it happen.”

Choo’s two-run homer made it 2-0 in the second. The 414-foot drive to center snapped an 0-for-14 slump and was his first homer since Aug. 23.

Texas, which had won 11 of its previous 12 games at Progressive Field, scored in the third on a sacrifice fly by Ian Kinsler.

Hannahan made it 3-1 in the bottom half with his second homer, which originally appeared to be a triple. His drive down the right-field line caromed off the wall and by the time right fielder Nelson Cruz tracked it down, Hannahan was standing on third.

Acta argued and plate umpire Dale Scott and his crew went to look at TV replays, which showed the ball hit above the yellow line atop the wall. Scott signaled homer, the crowd roared, and Hannahan trotted home.

David Murphy’s RBI double in the fourth got Texas within 3-2.

The Rangers tied it in the sixth. Michael Young blooped a double to right, moved up on Murphy’s long fly ball to center and scored on Cruz’s single to left, which broke his 0-for-14 slide.

Lewis allowed six runs and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings, snapping his personal six-game winning streak since Sept. 9. That was the longest active streak in the AL.

Notes: Texas has lost three straight for the first time since Aug. 23-25. … Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus went 1-for-4. He has hit safely in all 24 of his career games against Cleveland. … Washington pushed right-hander Neftali Perez’s next start to Tuesday at Baltimore, saying he wants to keep the other starters, Lewis, Derek Holland, Yu Darvish and Matt Harrison on their regular turn. … Perez said a season-ending knee injury to Yankees closer Mariano Rivera won’t keep him from shagging fly balls during batting practice. “It’s a shame that’s how he got hurt, but it won’t stop me,” Perez said. “I love it. It makes me feel like a (regular) player.” … Cleveland traded outfielder Ryan Spilborghs to the Rangers, who assigned him to Triple-A Round Rock.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The San Francisco Giants got encouraging performances from two stars returning from injuries.

Buster Posey had his first hit of the spring, a home run, in the Giants’ 2-2, 10-inning tie with Cleveland on Wednesday. The young catcher suffered a devastating leg injury in a home-plate collision with the Marlins’ Scott Cousins on May 25.

Closer Brian Wilson, shut down for the final six weeks of the season with a sore elbow, pitched a hitless, scoreless fifth inning in his second outing of the spring.

Posey, who broke his left fibula and tore ankle ligaments, served as the DH on Wednesday. He hit an opposite-field solo home run just inside the right-field foul pole against left-hander Tony Sipp with two outs in the sixth to tie the game.

Posey said he thought the ball was going out of the park when he made contact.

“I thought I hit it pretty good,” he said. “I just wanted to hit the ball hard. That’s my goal every time, to hit the ball hard.”

The NL Rookie of the Year in 2010 is taking a steady approach to his comeback, catching every three or four days and getting at-bats when he can as the DH. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Posey could see more at-bats in minor-league games.

Posey caught four innings against the Cubs on Tuesday, will catch again Friday or Saturday and will increase his time to six innings next week, according to Bochy. Posey has not had any issues defensively and appears to have picked up where he left off in handling the pitching staff.

“It’s about getting the at-bats, seeing the pitches and getting the timing. I am seeing the ball well,” said Posey, who wears an ankle guard.

“I think I’ve been lucky with no setbacks. We have a good game plan the rest of the way through, and I expect to be ready April 6 (for the season opener).”

Wilson has given up one hit in two innings.

“The motion feels good, another pain-free outing,” the right-hander said.

He did not have surgery but rehabbed the injury.

“It was basically do nothing for six weeks and wait for it to heal,” he said. “After that, I didn’t have much of an offseason, rehabbing three days a week. It was worth it. I am working toward Opening Day, max it out (velocity) and keep it that way the rest of the season.”

Wilson’s training regimen includes keeping his heart rate up as much as working the arm.

“When you come into the game in this (closing) situation, your heart rate is 140 to 170,” he said. “I try not to keep my heart rate below 160 (in workouts). Keep it steady.”

The Indians had to be encouraged by the strong four-inning effort from veteran right-hander Derek Lowe.

Acquired in an Oct. 31 trade with Atlanta, the 38-year-old allowed a run on two hits with a walk.

“I had a lot better command, a lot of quick outs, the majority on the ground,” said Lowe, who threw 42 pitches.

Notes: Bochy said he was pleased with the pregame bullpen session of right-hander Ryan Vogelsong, who has yet to throw in a game because of a back strain. Vogelsong, who was 13-7 in 28 starts in 2011, threw a simulated game situation, taking breaks in between “innings.” … Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera had three hits, including a pair of doubles.

In July in 2009 baseball season, the Cleveland Indians were going nowhere in the standings. With free agency still a year away on their best hitter, Victor Martinez, and best pitcher, Cliff Lee, the Indians decided to trade both players.

When they made the two controversial trades, then-Indians general manager Mark Shapiro talked about not contending again until 2012.

Well it’s 2012, and the Indians are talking once again about contending for the American League Central Division. Now that the dust has settled, let’s see if these two enormous trades have helped catapult the Indians back in to contention like Shapiro hoped they would.

The first of these two trades made that summer was the Lee trade on July 29, 2009. Lee was coming off a Cy Young year in 2008 and might have been baseball’s best pitcher again in 2009.

The Phillies sent the Indians pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Jason Knapp, and then two position players, Jason Donald and Lou Marson. The prize of the group was supposed to be Knapp. Knapp was a hard throwing right-hander who was only 18 years old. The critics at the time screamed loud that Shapiro should have gotten more back for a pitcher like Lee.

Now looking back three seasons later, it appears the critics were correct in saying the Indians should have gotten more back from Lee. Knapp hurt his shoulder again in 2011 and had his second major shoulder surgery since the Indians traded for him. The Indians are hoping he will pitch again in 2012.

Carrasco actually pitched for the Indians in 2011, but he was shut down with elbow soreness after starting 21 games. On Sept. 6, 2011, the Indians announced that Carrasco would need Tommy John surgery and could miss up to 18 months.

Marson and Donald actually look to be solid major-league role players. Marson is a solid defensive catcher but not a great offensive player. He will back up starting catcher Carlos Santana in 2012.

Donald has a solid bat and can pretty much play anywhere in the infield besides first base. During the winter, the Indians decided that Donald would learn how to play some outfield and make him a so-called super utility player.

The second trade was the Martinez deal on July 31, 2009. Martinez was a beloved player in Cleveland, and the Indians took a beating from the fans for trading him to the Red Sox.

In return, the Tribe received three pitchers: Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone, and Bryan Price. This was a trade that was less criticized than the Lee trade. But many of the so-called experts said the Indians should have gotten much more back from the Red Sox.

Now looking back at this specific trade three seasons later, this trade is starting to look like a good one for the Indians. Masterson developed into a top-of-the-rotation starter last year for the Indians, winning 12 games and having a really nice 3.12 ERA. On March 2, Indians manager Manny Acta announced that Masterson would be his 2012 opening day starter.

Hagadone was considered the prize of this trade. The big southpaw made his major league debut late in the 2011 season. Before the Indians acquired him, he was already coming off Tommy John surgery, so that’s why it’s taken him a bit longer to get to Cleveland. The Indians have now made him into a left-handed, late-inning relief pitcher. After having a great season for Triple AAA Columbus in 2011, the Indians believe he could make the team and be coming out of the bullpen in 2012.

Price was the youngest of the three pitchers they received from the Red Sox, and he hasn’t made it to Cleveland yet. Price is just 25, and if not for the injury that sidelined him early in 2011, he too might be already in Cleveland. Once healthy, Price pitched well in Double AA Akron last year and should be in Triple AAA Columbus to start the 2012 season. If any injuries arise this season, Price could be an option to get called up.

There is no denying that both these trades have brought contributing players to the Indians. But so far, all you really have to show for trading one of baseball’s best pitchers in Lee is two role players in Donald and Marson.

But while the Lee trade might have bombed, the Martinez trade looks to be a winner. Masterson has developed into the Indians’ most reliable starter, and Hagadone and Price look to be valuable relief pitchers in the very near future.

Del Yates is a 3rd generation Cleveland Indians fan. He grew up watching the Indians and has attended hundreds of games Cleveland Indians games. @YahooYates.

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GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Shin-Soo Choo found inner peace in a most unexpected place.

While taking basic training during the offseason with the South Korean military, the Indians outfielder was required to go on 16-mile hikes while carrying 55 pounds of weight in his backpack. It was during these physically grueling exercises where the 29-year-old finally healed the pain of a troubling year.

As his heart raced, his mind wandered.

He was cleansed.

“It was a heavy bag, but it helped me more mentally,” Choo said Wednesday after a morning workout. “Just walking and thinking. I thought about my future and back to 20 years ago, 10 years ago, everything in my life. It made me realize how lucky I am to be playing baseball.

“I feel better. My mind is better.”

Choo’s 2011 was upended by personal and professional turmoil.

He endured injuries that led to three stints on the disabled list, wrist surgery after being hit by a pitch and an arrest in May for drunken driving that weighed heavily on Choo, who felt he had let down his country where he is regarded as a national hero.

He was crushed by embarrassment and shame.

But after reflecting on those challenges, and realizing there’s nothing he can do to change them, Choo has recovered with a fresh outlook on his career.

“Before, I used to think too much,” he said in a quiet clubhouse as many of his teammates took part in the team’s first intrasquad scrimmage. “I always tried to be perfect. But we are human. We can’t be perfect every time. Now, I am enjoying this time — right now.”

After becoming the first player in team history to hit .300 with 20 homers and 20 steals in consecutive seasons, Choo began 2011 poised for stardom. During training camp, he insisted the Indians could contend for the AL Central title and predicted a playoff appearance.

However, Choo opened the year in the worst slump of his career, a slide inflamed by him worrying about stalled negotiations with the Indians on a long-term contract extension. Then came his arrest for DUI, a “mistake” he knew would change the way his countrymen — especially kids — viewed him.

“Everybody always wanted to talk nice to me,” he said. “Nobody would say anything bad about me for 30 years, not that I’m perfect. But I never made a mistake like that. After that happened, I didn’t say anything because I don’t want to make any excuses. I made a mistake. It was my fault.”

It took Choo a long time to accept his failure. He’s finally come to terms with his failings.

“We are all human,” he said. “We are not special. I am not any different.”

He arrived at training camp fit in body and soul.

After his troubled 2011 season ended, Choo returned to South Korea and was able to spend time with family before spending four weeks with the army. Choo had received an exemption from serving the required two years for leading South Korea to a gold medal in the Asian Games.

Still, he had to go through training, where he learned how to fire a gun and tossed hand grenades.

It was a short stint, but Choo came away with a renewed gratitude for soldiers.

“It was a good experience,” he said. “It made me more appreciate my country and military people. Before, I would see military people there and here not think anything, but now I see how much they sacrifice for their country. You can play baseball and have another job, but protecting your country is special.”

Indians manager Manny Acta has noticed a profound change in Choo, who avoided arbitration in January by signing a one-year, $4.9 million contract.

Acta said Choo seems less burdened, care free.

“Last year, he learned he can’t put his whole country on his back,” Acta said. “Yes, he represents all of them because he is the only big-leaguer right now from there. But it’s hard enough to play this game to be worrying about what everybody else is saying across the world.”

It was as he was on those long treks with his army unit of 200 that Choo began seeing the world in a different way.

The pressure to succeed always had driven him, and in 2011 it almost drove him mad. He couldn’t separate the business from the game. There was no joy.

But those six-hour walks showed him how to live life in small steps.

“It made me realize how lucky I am to play baseball,” he said. “I’m not worried about anything. I used to worry, not about baseball, but how fans thought about me. Now, if people say something or talk bad, I don’t care. I’m not listening to anything. I’m just going to work hard, play hard and if I go 0 for 4, there’s the next day.”

Something else is new with Choo, who has added an elaborate tattoo to the inside of his right forearm.

Within the intricate, swirling design are his initials, along those of his wife and three children.

It’s a reminder of what matters most.

“I have a beautiful wife, a beautiful family, what do I have to worry about?” he said. “I play in the big leagues. Everyone wants to play in the big leagues.”