Manny Ramirez, master of the unexpected, is back in the American League with the White Sox.
Manny Ramirez stretched with his new White Sox teammates Tuesday afternoon at Progressive Field, but did not play against the Indians in Chicago's 4-3 win.INDIANS CHATTER
Clubhouse confidential: In the ninth inning of Tuesday’s game, Luis Valbuena was at second base representing the winning run with no outs. Andy Marte was at the plate against White Sox closer Bobby Jenks.
Jenks had just allowed three runs to tie the score, 6-6, but he retired Marte, Jason Donald and pinch-hitter Trevor Crowe on ground balls to escape. Why didn’t Manny Acta have Marte move Valbuena to third with a sacrifice bunt?
“In that situation, what you need to weigh is whose hands are you going to take the bat out of [to bunt]?“ said Acta. “Marte was the best hitter out of the three guys who were going to hit there.
“I’m not going to have Marte bunt there when I don’t think he’s ever bunted in his life. ... Marte could have been the hero and he wasn’t. It’s as simple as that.”
The White Sox eventually won the game, 10-6, in 11 innings. Marte has eight sac bunts in 278 games, including seven in 2008.
Arbo men: Among the Indians who will be eligible for arbitration this winter are Shin-Soo Choo, Asdrubal Cabrera, Rafael Perez, Marte, Anthony Reyes and Joe Smith. There’s a chance that Chris Perez will be eligible as a super-two player.
Perez will have two years and 136 days of big-league service time. Every year the top 17 percent of the players who have fewer than three years’ big-league service time, but more than two, are eligible for arbitration.
Stat of the day: Chris Perez entered Tuesday’s game having allowed two earned runs in his last 24 1/3 innings.
— Paul Hoynes
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Maybe it's the room.
In October, Bobby Valentine met with reporters after interviewing to be the Indians' manager. For about 40 minutes, Valentine conducted a strange give-and-take with the media. At one point, he said he'd like the job. At another, he said he wasn't sure if he wanted it.
Valentine didn't get the job.
On Tuesday, Manny Ramirez, wearing sunglasses tinted dark red with white frames, his dreadlocks wrapped in a pony tail that trailed down the back of his neck, came into the same interview room at Progressive Field to meet the press after joining the White Sox. Ramirez, 38, was born in the Dominican Republic, but has lived in the United States since he was 13.
He's a U.S. citizen and speaks English well, but Tuesday he spoke only Spanish through interpreter Joey Cora, Chicago's bench coach.
When ESPN's Pedro Gomez asked Ramirez why he was speaking Spanish when he'd talked to reporters in English for years, Ramirez said, "I feel more comfortable with Spanish. I understand, but I want to make sure."
Manager Ozzie Guillen said he just wanted Manny to be Manny. Now he's got him.
Ramirez, who didn't play Tuesday, is expected to start against the Indians in Wednesday's 12:05 p.m. game. Tuesday was the first time Ramirez has talked to reporters since spring training. He talked to the Dodgers' writers early in camp and then closed his mouth.
When asked if he has been told to cut his dreadlocks to conform with to the White Sox's dress code, Ramirez said, "I'm just worried about playing baseball. I'm not worried about hair or nothing."
Ramirez started his career with the Indians where he hit 236 of his 554 homers.
"I'm happy to be in Cleveland again," said Ramirez. "I've got a lot of friends here."
Ramirez hit .311 (61-for-196) with 15 doubles, eight homers and 40 RBI in 66 games for the Dodgers this year. His tenure with his last two teams, the Dodgers and Red Sox, did not end well. The Red Sox felt Ramirez quit on them in 2008, forcing them into a trade. Ramirez was banned for 50 games in 2009 when he tested positive for a banned substance. This year he missed time with a calf injury.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen gave the Progressive Field grounds crew a hand a few minutes before the opening pitch Tuesday night. Guillen was smiling after the game as well, as the White Sox kept pushing the Central-leading Twins with a 4-3 victory."Those are two different situations," said Ramirez. "I loved the Dodgers. I had a great time there."
The White Sox claimed Ramirez on waivers. To make the deal happen, Ramirez had to waive his no-trade clause.
Now starting: Carlos Carrasco will start Wednesday against the White Sox. Josh Tomlin, scheduled to start Wednesday, will start Thursday in Seattle.
Carrasco is 10-6 with a 3.64 ERA in 25 starts at Class AAA Columbus. He was scheduled to make his next start at Columbus on Wednesday, but with the big-league rosters expanding, the Indians promoted him.
To make room for Carrasco in the rotation, rookie Jeanmar Gomez will be skipped. Gomez's next start is expected to be next week when the Indians play the Angels in Anaheim.
"He's going to get an opportunity every five days," manager Manny Acta said of Carrasco. "We want to see him as much as we can. He's lined up to go against Chicago, the Angels and the Twins.
"He's had a tremendous year in Triple-A and we really need him to come around in order for us to building a starting rotation for the future."
The Indians acquired Carrasco last year as part of the Cliff Lee deal with the Phillies. He made his big-league debut with the Tribe in September. To take Carrasco's place at Columbus, the Indians promoted Corey Kluber from Class AA Akron. Kluber was acquired from San Diego in the Jake Westbrook trade.
Testing, testing: Matt LaPorta, out with a strained left hip since Sunday, pinch hit and singled in the ninth inning Tuesday after going through a series of agility drills and batting practice.
He's expected to start Wednesday.
Finally: Jon Heyman of SI.com reported that Fausto Carmona was claimed on waivers and pulled back by the Indians. The Indians would not comment. ... Aaron Laffey (left shoulder) was activated and optioned to Columbus. He'd been on a rehab assignment. Acta said the Indians will be adding relievers in September. It's unclear if Laffey will be among them.