Steve%20Orbanek Archive

This week started out very rough for the Cleveland Indians as they dropped two straight game to the New York Yankees in unimpressive fashion. However, the team was able to rebound nicely and excellent starting pitching helped the team earn a series win over the Chicago White Sox this past weekend. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps all of the week's action in his weekly notebook, Notes from the Wigwam.

Trevor Bauer was somewhat underwhelming when he made his debut with the Indians last week, but on Saturday, the right-hander made his first start for the Columbus Clippers, and it was a dandy. Bauer was not the only player to impress Saturday night though as Quincy Latimore, the player the Indians acquired in Jeanmar Gomez trade, put together a perfect performance at the plate. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps these performances and more as he takes you Around the Farm.

As usual, the Cleveland Indians drew a sellout crowd to the home opener on Monday as 41,567 fans came to Progressive Field excited about the start to what could be a very exciting year. Yet on Tuesday, that number was down all the way to 12,663. The number becomes even worse to look at when you realize the Indians were playing the New York Yankees. So what's the deal with the Tribe's attendance woes? Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he touches on them in this week's edition of Orbiting Cleveland.

Baseball is back, and apparently so is the Indians' offense. Carlos Santana and Mark Reynolds are just two Indians, who are off to hot starts at the plate, while the team's rotation has been solid as well. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he looks back at the week in a newly week IBI staple, Notes from the Wigwam.

Lake County, Carolina, Akron and Columbus were all in action on Saturday. Dorssys Paulino recorded his first multi-hit game of the season while Jesus Aguilar, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jacob Lee are just a handful of players who also had impressive performances. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps all the noteworthy performances and takes you Around the Farm.

There is perhaps no Cleveland Indians player that receives more criticism than Ubaldo Jimenez. The right-hander has been a colossal disappointment since coming over in July 2011 from the Rockies, yet he put together a solid start on Wednesday and was a key reason behind the Indians' 3-2 win. So, was Wednesday's start just smoke and mirrors, or could Jimenez actually be poised to rebound? The IBI's Steve Orbanek ponders in this week's edition of Orbiting Cleveland.

Goodbye Goodyear. Hello Cleveland. The Cleveland Indians officially completed Spring Training with a strong 9-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday. The win ensured that the Indians finished the spring season with a winning record, and the Tribe left Goodyear with a 17-16-2 record. With that said, let’s take one close look back at Goodyear before the Indians officially begin the Major League season on Tuesday…

Zach McAllister had some unexpected success during the 2012 season. With the 2013 season now just days away, how can fans expect McAllister to perform? Could he perhaps be the cog that holds the Indians' rotation together? Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he touches on McAllister's future in the first edition of a new IBI weekly staple appropriately titled Orbiting Cleveland.

Daisuke Matsuzaka made his first appearance since being resigned by the Indians to a minor league deal, and the right-hander impressed as he allowed just two runs while pitching into the sixth inning. On the offense end, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall also continued his tear and led the Indians with two hits. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he looks back at Wednesday's game and offers some key takeaways.

With the start of the regular season less than a week and a half away, it seems as if things are finally becoming clear in regard to the Cleveland Indians' 25-man roster. One of the players who unfortunately may not make the Major League club is Cord Phelps, but that hasn't stopped the switch-hitter from leaving an impression at the plate. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he touches on all of this past week's moves and recaps some top performances in the latest edition of the Spring Training Notebook.

It wasn’t long ago that Lonnie Chisenhall was one of the true can’t-miss prospects in baseball. Armed with solid power, projectable defensive skills and a swing straight out of the movies, Chisenhall was atop many Cleveland Indians’ fans’ top prospects list. They weren’t the only ones enamored with Chisenhall. Injuries and inconsistency have plagued him some the past two seasons, and this is a big season him.

Ubaldo Jimenez recorded his second straight solid outing on Monday to lead the Indians to a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. Jimenez was back by Lou Marson and Drew Stubbs, who recorded two hits apiece to lead the Tribe. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he looks back at the contest and offers some key takeaways.

The Indians lost their second straight game on Friday as right-hander Brett Myers allowed four earned runs in four innings of work. Despite the loss, there were some positive performances as Nick Swisher and Yan Gomes each recorded two hits apiece. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps these performances and more.

The Indians completed another week of Spring Training games this past week, and the team's record of 12-7 is now tied for second in the Cactus League. Lonnie Chisenhall continues to heat up at the plate while the Indians received some unfortunate news this week after it was announced right-hander Frank Herrmann had undergone Tommy John surgery and would be out for a year. The IBI's Steve Orbanek touches on both of these points and many more in this week's edition of the Spring Training Notebook.

As has been the case in each of the past four seasons, left-hander David Huff entered this year's Spring Training as a candidate for a spot in the starting rotation. However, Tribe skipper Terry Francona has since said Huff is no longer competing for that spot and can only make the team as a member of the Indians' bullpen. So, what does the future hold for Huff? Take a look as the left-hander is featured in this week's edition of Then & Now.

It's only Spring Training, but new acquisition Nick Swisher is already making his presence felt as a member of the Cleveland Indians. The switch-hitting Swisher had a great week for the Indians, who are currently 10-5 in the Cactus League. Ubaldo Jimenez also looks to be on the rebound and Jason Gimabi, yes 42-year-old Jason Giambi, hit his first home run of the spring this past week. Join the IBI's Steve Orbanek as he recaps the week that was in the latest edition of the Spring Training Notebook.