CLEVELAND – Mitch Talbot is making an early bid for American League Rookie of the Year honors.
Through nine starts, the Indians’ Cinderella story who was acquired this offseason in a trade with Tampa Bay for catcher Kelly Shoppach, has posted a 6-3 record and 3.73 ERA. The win total is tops in the majors among first-year pitchers, and ranked second overall in the AL to Boston’s Clay Buchholz through Tuesday.
Talbot’s innings count of 60 1/3 is also tops among AL rookie pitchers.
“Your record is in the back of your mind and you always want to improve it,” said Talbot, who tossed the first complete game of his career to earn his first big-league win in just his second start of the season. “But I’m just thinking about going out and doing my job and getting outs.”
Still, Talbot, who spent seven seasons toiling in the minor leagues before getting his shot with the Indians this year, has allowed himself to reflect on his body of work thus far.
“It’s cool for me,” he said, “to go from this guy that’s been in Triple-A forever and to come out and be effective in the big leagues.”
Squeeze it
Indians second baseman Luis Valbuena executed a squeeze bunt to score Austin Kearns in the eighth inning of Tuesday night’s 7-3 victory over the White Sox.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first successful squeeze bunt by the Indians since May 17, 2003, when Omar Vizquel scored Matt Lawton in the eighth inning of a 4-2 win over Oakland.
Next up
The Indians are off today, beginning a 10-game road trip Friday with a four-game series against the Yankees.
Fausto Carmona (4-2, 3.45 ERA) opens the set against New York (7:05 p.m.), opposing RHP Phil Hughes (5-1, 2.72), while David Huff (2-6, 5.25) goes Saturday (1:05 p.m.) against LHP CC Sabathia (4-3, 3.86).
Justin Masterson (0-5, 6.13) is the scheduled starter for Cleveland on Sunday (1:05 p.m.), while the Yankees counter with RHP AJ Burnett (4-2, 3.55).
Talbot (6-3, 3.73) pitches the series finale Monday (1:05 p.m.) against LHP Andy Pettitte (5-1, 2.68).
Minor details
Carlos Santana hit his 10th home run in Triple-A Columbus’ 5-3 loss to Charlotte on Tuesday. Entering Wednesday, Santana led the International League in on-base percentage (.447) and walks (35), ranked third in slugging percentage (.573), OPS (1.020) and homers and fourth with 40 RBIs in 44 games. … RHP Trey Haley helped Class A Lake County to a 1-0 win over Dayton on Tuesday, allowing just three hits over six innings. Haley, a second-round draft pick in 2008 out of Texas’ San Augustine High School, is 4-0 with a 3.48 ERA in 10 starts, allowing three hits or less in six of them.
Roundin’ third
Travis Hafner walked as a pinch hitter Wednesday, keeping his 12 game-hitting streak intact, which accounts for the second-longest streak of his career. It is the longest streak by a Cleveland player this season and the fourth-longest in the AL. … Buehrle is the first Chicago pitcher to balk twice in one game since Indians bullpen coach Scott Radinsky accomplished the dubious feat in 1993. … Friday, 7:05 p.m., Channel 3/WTAM 1100-AM/WEOL 930-AM.
