Carlos Santana is starting to pull the pieces of his game together in preparation for opening day. Tribe prospect out for 5 weeks with hand injury.
Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerCarlos Santana's game is starting to come together in the field and at the plate.
Goodyear, Ariz. -- This is a daily briefing on the Cleveland Indians in spring training as they prepare for the 2011 season.
March 17, Day 31 -- Catcher Carlos Santana will make his second start of the spring today at first base, but the important thing is that he's starting to pull the pieces of his game together for the regular season.
Santana seems fully recovered from the surgery on his left knee that ended his 2010 season in August. The Indians, however, didn't want to rush him back and his batting average has suffered from lack of at bats.
Gradually, his playing time and at bats have increased. With it Santana's batting average has started to rise. Before Wednesday's off day, he went 3-for-3 with a homer in a 9-8 victory over Milwaukee on Tuesday to raise his average to .286 (6-for-21).
He threw out a runner trying to streal second as well.
"It's all about Carlos getting more at bats," said manager Manny Acta. "We wanted get him as many at bats as possible, but with him coming back from surgery, you can't throw him back behind the plate every day.
"Then you have to DH Travis Hafner and get Shin-Soo Choo into the swing of things. I think we've mapped it out really well where he's getting at bats at DH and first base."
Santana's first two hits Tuesday came against left-hander Chris Narveson, who won 12 games for the Brewers last year. The first was a long homer to center in the first inning.
Last year the switch-hitting Santana hit .146 (7-for-48) against lefties in 46 games with the Tribe.
"He's worked really hard all spring from the right side," said Acta. "You could see that against Milwuakee."
Close shave: Reliever Jensen Lewis reported to practice after Wednesday's off day without his beard. It was gone, as in clean shaven.
"When you give up two homers, you've got to change something," said Lewis.
Lewis, trying to get the last out in the seventh inning Wednesday, gave up two three-run homers against Mikwaukee.
Tough break: Shortstop Tony Wolters, Indians No.3 pick in last year's draft, will miss at least five weeks after have a broken hamate bone removed from his right hand. Dr. Thomas Graham performed the operation Wednesday at Cleveland Clinic.
Wolters, who received a $1.3 million signing bonus, reported to camp with the injury. It's a common injury among hitters.
He's back: Kenny Lofton is back in Goodyear working with the Indians baserunners and outfielders.
"I'll be here for a few days," said Lofton.
Trot Nixon, another former Indian, was in camp Wednesday to talk the the minor leaguers.
Ahead of the curve: John Mirabelli, Indians director of scouting, said Alex Lavisky is more advanced than a typical high school catcher. The Indians drafted Lavisky last June in the eighth round after he graduated from St. Edward High School in Lakewood.
"High school catching is a tricky thing," said Mirabelli. "Alex is ahead of the curve in that most high school catchers catch guys who throw 84 mph, 85 mph, 86 mph. He caught Stetson Allie, who threw 100. He's caught guys in the summer who were prospects.
"From a standpoint of catching and throwing, I'm not saying he's finished by any means, but he's fairly advanced for a high school catcher. So I think there's an opportunity for him to go to Lake County (Class A) and start there.
"He's handled good starters. That's not something that will surprise him."
Allie was Lavisky's teammate at St. Edward and was drafted in the second round by the Pirates last year.
Today's lineups:
Indians: CF Michael Brantley, SS Adam Everett, RF Shin-Soo Choo, 1B
Carlos Santana, DH Travis Hafner, LF Austin Kearns, 3B Jack Hannahan, C Luke Carlin, 2B Luis Valbuena, P Fausto Carmona.
In the pen: Frank Herrmann, Josh Judy, Joe Martinez and Yohan Pino are scheduled to follow Carmona to the mound.
Reds: 3B Kris Negron, SS Zack Cozart, CF Chris Heisey, RF Todd Frazier, LF Jeremy Hermida, 1B Miguel Cairo, 2B Chris Valaika, C Corky Miller, P Mike Leake.
Let us reason together: By mutual consent, the Indians will use the DH and the Reds will let their pitcher hit in today's game. The Reds are the home team at Goodyear Ballpark.
What's ahead: The Indians will play split-squad games Friday against Kansas City in Surprise, Ariz. at 4:05 p.m. ET and the Rangers at 10:05 p.m. ET in Goodyear. Jeanmar Gomez starts against Kansas City, while Carlos Carrasco starts against Texas. The game against Texas will not be broadcast on radio or TV, but Friday night's game against Texas will be carried on WTAM.