Indians notebook: Sabathia's post-season struggles surprise Wedge
Eric Wedge spent as much time scratching his head Friday as any Indians fan, perhaps even more.
Wedge admitted C.C. Sabathia's rough night at the ballpark came as quite a surprise. The big left-hander was charged with eight runs over 4 1/3 innings as the Indians fell, 10-3, to Boston in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.
"He's just been a little bit off," Wedge said Saturday when asked about Sabathia's two postseason appearances. "He hasn't been as aggressive as he's been. Against a team like this, it plays right into their hands. They really know how to take advantage of that."
The eight runs charged to Sabathia tied Greg Maddux (1989 Cubs) for the most ever surrendered by a starter in Game 1 of a League Championship Series game. In his seven-year big-league career, Sabathia has given up eight or more earned runs just five times.
"I kind of got away from our game plan," Sabathia said. "I didn't challenge guys."
New York made Sabathia throw 114 pitches in five innings, but he still survived to earn the win in Game 1 of the Division Series.
"Even though he wasn't at his best in New York, he still controlled the game," Wedge said. "Ultimately, he got it done."
Sabathia wasn't able to get it done Friday. He couldn't throw strikes with his breaking pitches and didn't want to resort to using fastballs exclusively. That created a pitch-selection problem that was never solved.
"They were aggressive and hit some balls hard," Wedge said. "He just tried to be a little too fine after that."
Sabathia's control has been something less than pinpoint. In his two postseason starts, he has thrown 106 strikes and 93 balls. During the regular season, Sabathia walked only 37 batters in 241 innings.
His 11 walks in the playoffs are more than he gave out during any month of the regular season. His strikeout-to-walk ratio this summer was the second-best of any left-hander in history, behind only Randy Johnson.
Wedge suggested it is possible Sabathia hasn't adapted well to pitching on an irregular schedule. His last two starts have come following five days of rest and seven days of rest.
"I think his routine has something to do with it, since he's been on a five-day routine all year," Wedge said.
Sabathia will need to get back to normal for Game 5, provided the series lasts that long. Wedge was confident his No. 1 pitcher would return to being a No. 1 again by then.
"He is that guy," Wedge said. "He's one of the best pitchers in the game."
IT'S HISTORICAL The Elias Sports Bureau reported that Friday marked the first time in a postseason game that two teammates have both reached base in every plate appearance when both had a minimum of five plate appearances each. David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez reached in all 10 trips to the plate against the Indians and were 29-for-36 getting on base in the playoffs through Friday. "I don't even know if there's a word for that," Indians Manager Eric Wedge said.
JUST PLAIN FOULKE The Boston Globe reported that closer Keith Foulke, who retired before reporting to spring training with the Indians this season, plans to return to pitching next year. Agent Danny Horwits said Foulke, 35, had a bone spur shaved from his right elbow last month and is working out at his Arizona home. He would be a free agent.
90 AND COUNTING Saturday was Cleveland OF Kenny Lofton's 90th postseason game. He has been on 11 playoff teams for six franchises and played in two World Series, both in losing efforts (1995 Indians, 2002 Giants).
NO CHANCE Wedge said he did not believe OF Franklin Gutierrez could have gotten to Mike Lowell's third-inning ground-rule double that hopped into the right-field stands. "It was a tough ball, kind of in-between," Wedge said. "Right field here is tough. There's a lot of territory."
STREAKING Ramirez carried an 11-game ALCS hitting streak into Game 2. The longest LCS hitting streaks belong to Pete Rose (15), Greg Luzinksi (13) and Don Baylor (12).
Reach Canton Repository sports writer Andy Call at (330) 580-8346 or e-mail andy.call@cantonrep.com.