Camera on Carmona

As a quick follow-up to yesterday’s post, it is Scott Lewis for that 5th spot, which means that he get the first crack at holding a spot in what is sure to be a constantly-evolving rotation. Lewis earned with his performance this Spring and now looks to build on the success that he experienced at the end of last year.

As for Aaron Laffey, the “loser” of the 5th spot in the rotation, it’s been said before, but he should simply take this to be a delay in the calendar for his first MLB start of 2009, which is likely to coincide with what would look today like Carl Pavano’s 4th start (or maybe even 3rd…no, we’ll go with 4th), which is going to fall to the feet of Laffey.
What’s that…the end of April?
Maybe May?

Regardless, it puts the Indians’ roster into full focus now although changes are likely to come, even in the first month or so in the season as Laffey, Trevor Crowe, Chris Gimenez, Vinnie Chulk, Matt Herges, and others figure to be possibly in line for a promotion to the parent club, depending upon what happens in Cleveland and Columbus as seasons get underway for both teams.

With that out of the way, while the fairness and logic of narrowing down the whole season to the performance of just one player among dozens can be easily debated, the Indians placement in the standings at the end of 2009 may rest on the arm of Fausto Carmona, who pitched five scoreless innings in yesterday’s Spring Training game against the White Sox. He scuffled through the first inning issuing two walks, but eventually locked in to cruise through the next four which (hopefully) portends good results for the top of the Indians’ rotation.
That sound you may be hearing is me knocking on wood with both hands with all of my fingers crossed.

Regardless of how you think I’m pulling off the fingers-crossed knock, Fausto was dealing and our boy Larry Jones of Lazy Lightning Media was there to soak it all in, catching Grady Sizemore and his Jumpmanesque shadow, Vic talking up Jensen Lewis on the mound and at the plate, a great shot of The Looch in mid-swing, and obviously some requisite fantastic pictures of Fausto among others:























All pictures are the property of Lazy Lightning Media, all rights reserved.

My plane leaves on Friday morning to the desert and, while the trip is more of a vacation from the doom and gloom that the North Coast has beat into us this winter than it is a pure Indians-centric vacation, the lovely DiaBride and I will be catching some afternoon baseball on Saturday in Tucson against the D-Backs and Sunday in Mesa against the Cubbies (with my Cub fan brother-in-law and his wife) around seeing the other sights and sounds of Arizona.

At some point, I’m sure I’ll make it over to the facility at Goodyear, if only because I’ll be so close (we’re staying in Scottsdale) and because I’ll need something to do while The DiaBride gets her spa treatment on Friday afternoon…that is, something to do other than sit by the pool with some cool refreshments and some Ken Follett and Clive Cussler (hey, I need my popcorn books too).

That being said, some thoughts on the games and the players are sure to be en route when I get a chance while I’m out there, just don’t look for any pictures of this quality. For sure it looks as if First Mate t-bone will captain the Lazy Sunday ship so check back to see when I decide to utilize the WiFi in the hotel and to cheer on t-bone for an always-entertaining LS.