CLEVELAND — The Indians’ fast start to the season is even more surprising considering two of the key cogs in the middle of their lineup, third hitter Shin-Soo Choo and cleanup hitter Carlos Santana, are struggling at the plate.
Choo has been scuffling since the outset of the year, entering Friday batting a paltry .200 (9-for-45) with a home run and four RBIs in 12 games.
Santana started fast but has slumped to .205 (9-for-44), going hitless in his last 20 at-bats through Thursday.
Cleveland was off Thursday and the second-year catcher was out of the lineup for the series opener with Baltimore.
“He’s gotten out of his comfort zone trying to get those hits,” manager Manny Acta said. “He’s chasing pitches he usually doesn’t swing at. These two days off will give him a chance to clear his mind.”
Some people will question why Acta has an inexperienced player such as Santana hitting in such a high-profile spot in the order.
“Some people question that because he’s not hitting,” Acta said of the 25-year-old Santana, whose rookie season last year ended after 46 games thanks to a left knee injury. “Nobody questioned it when he was hitting over .500. If they question it, they are going to question it the rest of the season, because that’s where he’s going to hit.”
Last year, Choo became the first player in franchise history to hit .300 or better, while hitting 20 homers and stealing 20 bases in consecutive seasons. He appeared poised to have a breakout 2011, but has started slowly.
“Not everyone that’s not hitting .300 is pressing,” Acta said. “The best hitter in the game (Albert Pujols) is struggling. It’s just a matter of time. Not everybody’s going to start all cylinders.”
Cleveland’s offense as a whole has. The Indians entered Friday averaging just under five runs per game.
Bullpen boost
Reliever Joe Smith has finally joined the club.
The right-hander, who missed the majority of spring training with a strained abdominal muscle, was activated from the disabled list and officially added to the 25-man roster.
Smith takes the place of right-hander Frank Herrmann, who was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday. Herrmann allowed five runs on six hits in four appearances covering 4 1/3 innings, but Acta said the move was not performance-based.
“There’s no question that Smitty pitched good for us last year,” said Acta of Smith, who went 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA in 53 games for Cleveland last season. “He’s going to help us.”
The switch
In an effort to keep ace Fausto Carmona on a five-day schedule, the right-hander will take the scheduled start of Mitch Talbot in the series finale with Baltimore on Sunday.
Instead of getting an extra day of rest, Talbot will get two, making his next start Tuesday at Kansas City.
Southpaw success
Entering Friday, the two left-handers in Cleveland’s bullpen — Tony Sipp and Rafael Perez — had not allowed a run over a combined 10 2/3 innings to start the season.
Both Sipp (1-for-21) and Perez (1-for-12) had only allowed a hit apiece.
Sizemore status
A solo homer from Grady Sizemore (microfracture surgery left knee) provided the only run in Columbus’ 1-0 victory in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday against Toledo.
Sizemore, who is expected to join the Indians sometime before May, entered Friday batting .353 (6-for-17) with two doubles, a homer and four RBIs in five rehab games for Columbus and Double-A Akron.
Minor details
Top prospect Cord Phelps is off to a fast start for Columbus, entering Friday with a .414 batting average (12-for-29), two homers and seven RBIs in seven games. … Left-hander Scott Barnes is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA in his first two starts for Akron. Barnes, acquired in the Ryan Garko trade with San Francisco in 2009, led the Eastern League through Thursday with 17 strikeouts in 11 innings. … LHP Drew Pomeranz, Cleveland’s first-round draft (fifth overall) pick last year, has been impressive over his first two professional starts for advanced Class A Kinston. Pomeranz has allowed just one unearned run and three hits, while striking out 17 over 11 innings. … Class A Lake County manager Ted Kubiak is closing in on 1,000 victories in 12 years as a manager in the Indians’ minor league system, entering Friday with 977.
Roundin’ third
Leadoff man Michael Brantley has hits in 10 of the 11 games he’s batted in through Thursday. … The Indians own the eighth overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft (June 6-8), and three of the first 100 choices. … Players from both teams wore the No. 42 as part of major league baseball’s recognition of Jackie Robinson Day. … Today, 1:05, STO/WTAM 1100-AM/WEOL 930-AM. Tomlin (2-0, 2.63) vs. Guthrie (1-1, 0.64).
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.
