Two years ago, Fausto Carmona won 19 games with impeccable control and a sinker that was once described by former Twins outfielder Torii Hunter as “untouchable.” It was an afternoon tilt at The Jake in which Fausto out-dueled Johan Santana 1-0. Fausto had his full arsenal working and after the game, Hunter told the media “we all knew the sinker was coming and we still couldn’t touch it.”
After that season, GM Mark Shapiro and owner Larry Dolan rewarded Fausto with one of the classic John Hart-style long term contracts that took care of Fausto now and in the future, while keeping him under the Indians control for longer than if he went the usual arbitration/free agent route. At the time, that seemed like a very shrewd move.
Today, it looks like something you may want to put in the Pronk extension/Matt Lawton extension/David Dellucci file.
Watching Fausto labor through an average at best five-plus innings during a 5-4 loss last night is getting tired and has become the norm. Who knows if Carmona will ever regain anything close to the 2007 form, but its tough to see how that is going to happen. Last night’s outing was another in a long line of disappointments from the big right-hander.
The first three hitters of the game for the Twins (Denard Span, Orlando Cabrera, and Joe Mauer) all singled to put the Twins on top 1-0. Carmona managed to settle down for a couple of innings before his next sticky situation. In the meantime, the Wahoo bats decided that it was the night to actually battle Scott Baker, who came in with a perfect 4-0 record against them this year.
In the fourth, Jamey Carroll led off with a single and a steal of second. Jhonny Peralta singled him home to tie the game at one. Travis Hafner, who grew up watching the Twins play in the soon to be defunct Metrodome from his North Dakota home, followed with a double. Andy Marte hit a sacrifice fly to give the Tribe the lead. Now with two out, Matt LaPorta hit a sharp single to left center scoring Pronk.
It didn’t take long for that lead to evaporate.
In the bottom of the fourth, Carmona gave one back on a two out single by the ninth place batter, Nick Punto. In the bottom of the fifth, the Twins tied it on a leadoff homer by Cabrera. In the bottom of the sixth, Delmon Young hit a classic Metrodome-turf double. Brian Buscher singled him home, and one out later, Punto knocked Carmona out of the game with another RBI single.
For the night, Fausto went 5.1 IP, allowing nine hits, and three walks to go with his five earned runs. Since his return from his sabbatical in every level of the minor leagues, Carmona is 1-5.
“Carmona was better than the last time,” said Eric “dead man walking” Wedge. “Obviously, that’s not saying a great deal. He’s not a rookie. It’s not just about us getting him out of there at the right time.
“It’s about him being able to finish things off. It’s about him being able to go back out there when we [score runs] and being able to get through an inning and get us back in the dugout.”
Heading into the ninth against closer Joe Nathan, the Indians didn’t seem to stand much of a chance. But at least they showed some fight. LaPorta crushed a Nathan fastball to the folded-in bleachers in right-center to bring the Indians to within one run. Trevor Crowe, worked his way on base with a walk and stole second with two out. Michael Brantley had a chance to bring in the winning run, but his fly out to left ended the game. It was the first game of Brantley’s short career in which he failed to reach base.
Back to Carmona. As recently as a month ago, he looked like a lock for the 2010 rotation. As of today, you clearly cannot make that statement. Even Jeremy Sowers looks more stable than he does. “I’m never going to feel frustrated,” Carmona said through an interpreter. “I know I’m a winner. Things are not working out good right now, but I’m never going to put my head down. I’m always going to look forward to my next start. Whatever happens, I’m going to continue to go forward.”
More Wedge-Speak on Fausto’s future: “It’s frustrating for everybody and for him, first and foremost. But you never give into the fight. He’ll keep working, and what we really need for him to do is start stringing things together.”
If we all had a dollar for every time Wedge has used the phrase “never give into it,” we’d all be millionaires.
This afternoon at 1:10, the Tribe says goodbye to the Metrodome by sending lefty Aaron Laffey to the hill to face Minnesota’s Nick Blackburn.
Author: TD
TD is a born and bred Clevelander who agrees with ESPN's Scott Van Pelt when he says ""Ranch Dressing makes everything better except for cereal and ice cream."TD has written 252 articles for Waiting for Next Year.
If Cliff Lee can go from the minors to Cy Young in one year, then anything is possible with this kid. He’s got the stuff, but does he have it between the ears to get back to 2007 form?
“If Cliff Lee can go from the minors to Cy Young in one year, then anything is possible with this kid.”
Like going from Cy Young to minors in one year?
Cliff Lee had several years of a winning track record, and he really was hurt that spring by an oblique injury-nothing remotely similar to Carmona. Fausto is simply a mechanical mess, and the Indians horrific development team/coaching staff can’t seem to work it through-example: last night he was still opening up his delivery towards first base.
Let’s not even begin to compare John Hart to Mark Shapiro, that would be milk spewing laughable. At least Hart left Shapiro with CC Sabathia, Victor Martinez, Jhonny Peralta……….it’s now totally Shapetti’s book.
I would like to think that a “real” coaching staff would be able to take a guy with fantastic stuff and make him into a good pitcher again. I would also like to think that we’ll have a “real” coaching staff next season.
@#2 – Exactly. If you have the stuff combined with some mental capacity, anything is possible in this sport. More often than not having the “stuff” garners more chances to get it together. Any team hardup for pitching will give any whackjob with a 95mph fastball a shot to find lightning in a bottle…regardless of their baseball IQ or ability to add big numbers. John Rocker anyone?
But I would like to believe having the ability to recognize the difference between “pitching” and “throwing” separates the good from the great.
@3: tribe development does appear to be bad, but to be a little objective, Shapiro has given us Lee, Sizemore, LaPorta, Cabrera … Hart may have drafted CC, but he was gone when Shapiro “developed” him from an immature guy with electric stuff getting held up for his bling in a motel room into a team leader and Cy Young winner. Or was CC just a guy developing himself, while Thome, Manny, Belle, Baerga were Hart’s genius?
Sorry, Hart drafted well, but did not walk on water. Not everything he did worked. What did he get for Giles, Sexton …
Harv-nobody said Hart walked on water.
You always reference the few good players Shapiro brought in by virtue of trading all of the stars of the former regime. Do you recall who was traded to get the players you reference? CC was already an established starter by the time Shapiro “took over”-check it out. Not every player or starter needs the type of tutalege that Fausto does.
Again, PLEASE don’t begin to start comparing Hart to Shapiro-I just again blew my milk.
I would agree with Isis on most of the players when it comes to having a real coaching staff just not Carmona.
He is done. He is a mental wreck. He will not win more than 20 games the rest of his major league career.
I do recall who was traded. Would you take back the Colon trade? I don’t dispute Shapiro mistakes and probs with development. But how ’bout less hyperbole, a little balance. Or maybe you just don’t like milk.
I would love to see Fausto come back from this, but I am skeptical. DiaTribe had an interesting post about the failures of the Indians coaching staff, and I agree with most of it. It seems like the Indians have had far more than their share of promising players who flame out, though that kind of thing is understandably hard to measure.
Even given my concerns with the coaching staff, much of this rests on Fausto himself. The minors are littered with pitchers with great stuff who could never quite put it all together. Daniel Cabrera comes to mind, and he was coached by miracle-worker Leo Mazzone. There are plenty of other cases like his. At this point, I’ve just about accepted that Fausto will end up being another one.
Harv-Major League Baseball teams are BUILT though DRAFTING and player development, and AUGMENTED by trades. That being the case, take me though the key players drafted by John Hart, and those drafted by Mark Shapiro. Good teams also use the surplus talent they have DEVELOPED in their farm systems to trade for veteran talent.
Thanks for reminding us of the prior regimes drafting expertise by naming the likes of Ramirez, Thome, Belle, Nagy, Sabathia, Martinez, Giles……on and on and on and on. I’m still waiting for the Shapiro draft list…..he’s been on the job for what, eight years now?
It might just be me, but I feel like Wedge has become the fall guy for a team that cut its payroll right after he was hired. I have a hard time blaming him for Kerry Wood’s blown saves, Hafner’s deteriorating shoulder, inconsistent pitching from Sowers / Carmona, Westbrook’s injury, or a front office that doesn’t retain its talent and sticks with players with lousy work ethics (I’m talking to you, Mr. Peralta).
I’m not saying I agree with our team’s manager on everything (far from it), and perhaps the team needs a new voice to push its new crop of players (very few guys remaining from our 2007 team)… but to pin the blame on the last two losing seasons on one guy is completely unfair.
Also, since his departure is all but certain, I suspect that Wedge won’t be out of a job for long.
“If Cliff Lee can go from the minors to Cy Young in one year, then anything is possible with this kid.”
Agreed. Unfortunately, he’ll probably come out of this funk just in time to win the Cy Young award and be traded the next season in his final contract year.
“I would like to think that a “real” coaching staff would be able to take a guy with fantastic stuff and make him into a good pitcher again. I would also like to think that we’ll have a “real” coaching staff next season.”
Agreed, 100%! I cannot stand Willis. This team was supposedly loaded with young talent over the past few years, and they either fail to turn-out or it takes them a very long time to come around. Need to get rid of him along with Wedgie and Shelton.
I’m confused by the random use of sarcasm font
This team is supposed to contend in 3-5 years? I really just don’t see it. We’ll have a good OF next year (assuming Grady is healthy). A-Cab is our only good IF (LaPorta has proved nothing at 1st). And the staff as a whole is absolutely miserable. Nothing is going to change this winter.
I was just about to mention cliff lee, looked at the first comment and someone did it for me. The contract that we have Fausto locked up for—if he is even close to being a 2-3 starter, then it’s good value, if he’s in 2007 form, then it’s just highway robbery
fire wedge