At one point, the Indians sold out 455 straight games at Progressive Field. They drew more than three million fans for six straight years. This season, they finished last in the big leagues in attendance, but manager Manny Acta still thinks fans are passionate about the Tribe.
View full sizeIndians closer Chris Perez throws out two-dozen autographed baseballs to fans after Wednesday's double header against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. Attendance for the Indians was the lowest it's been since the early 1990s at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.CHICAGO — The Indians went into their final series of the season Friday night with a 68-91 record. Their fans responded in kind as the Indians finished the home portion of the schedule Wednesday with the lowest attendance in the big leagues at 1,391,644.
It's the fewest people to watch the Indians at Progressive Field since the ballpark opened in 1994. Overall, it's the team's lowest attendance since it drew 1,224,274 in 1992 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.
"I absolutely think the interest is still there," said manager Manny Acta, finishing his first season in Cleveland. "You have to consider that nowadays, unless your team wins consistently, people can just sit back home in front of a 50-inch flat screen TV and watch the ballgame.
"That doesn't mean they're not thinking about the Indians just because they don't show up for the games. We have a great following. Our fans our passionate.
"I'm the one who receives those letters, don't forget. Some of them are filled with bitterness, others borderline offensive, but, yes, they have that passion. ... It's human nature. Everybody likes a winner.
"Do you think they were showing up in the mid-1990s because the players looked great in their uniforms? The fans are there. It's a great fan base. We just have to bring them back and make baseball exciting again."
Medical update: Lonnie Soloff, Indians head athletic trainer, gave this update on the Indians injured:
• Center fielder Grady Sizemore (left knee): In two weeks Sizemore will start doing ground-based strengthening activities (lunges and squats). The rehab schedule has Sizemore starting baseball activities (hitting and throwing) in early January.
View full sizeCarlos Santana continues to rehab the injury to his left knee suffered in early August.• Catcher Carlos Santana (left knee): He'll stay in Cleveland until the end of October and continue his rehab in Goodyear, Ariz.
• Pitcher Anthony Reyes (right elbow): He's scheduled to start pitching in Instructional League games next week.
The Indians could non-tender Reyes on Dec. 2. They did the same thing to him last year, signing him to a minor league deal.
• Outfielder Nick Weglarz (right thumb): Coming off right thumb surgery. He's scheduled to play winter ball for Caracas in Venezuela. Weglarz, who would have made his big league debut this year if he hadn't injured his thumb, hit. 284 (89-for 313) with 51 runs, 27 doubles, 13 homers and 47 RBI between Class AA Akron and Columbus this year. He had an on-base percentage of .389 and a slugging percentage of .502 for an .891 OPS.
• Pitcher Adam Miller: The former No.1 pick is throwing simulated games in Arizona. This is probably Miller's last chance to resurrect his career.
He was sidelined by a balky middle finger on his right hand that has been operated on at least four times. According to research by the Indians, Miller's finger injury is the only one of its kind.
Miller has not pitched at any level since 2008.
Some like it hot In a Tweet from Drew Pomeranz, the Indians No.1 pick this year, he said he "loved" pitching in the 105 degree heat of Goodyear during Instructional League.
Pomeranz threw three innings, allowing one unearned run with six strikeouts against Seattle, on Wednesday. In two starts in Instructional League, he's allowed one earned run in five innings. He's allowed two hits, one walk and struck out nine.
Start me up: Justin Germano is in line to start Sunday's season finale against Chicago unless he's needed before that.
"He can go more than one inning because he was starting at Columbus," said Acta. "Then we'll just go one inning at a time. We've got enough pitchers."
To reach this Plain Dealer Reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158.