GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Jake Westbrook has waited nearly two years to return to the mound for the Indians. What’s another day?
The right-hander, who is slated to start opening day, had his exhibition debut postponed Sunday when Cleveland’s Cactus League game against the Texas Rangers was rained out at Goodyear Ballpark.
Westbrook is scheduled to pitch today (3:05 p.m.) in Tucson against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“It was disappointing because I was ready to go,” said Westbrook, who has been sidelined by Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, making just five big league starts the past two seasons. “I’m ready to get back on track. But it’s one more day. I’ve waited 23 months.”
New Cleveland manager Manny Acta was deprived of his first chance to watch Westbrook in an Indians uniform.
“It’s just a bad day in a sense that we couldn’t get Westbrook out there on the day we wanted,” Acta said. “It’s unfortunate. This is not the type of weather you’re expecting out here.”
Tribe pitcher Jake Westbrook, left, stretches with Rafael Perez last week in Goodyear, Ariz. Westbrook, trying to return from an arm injury, had his start Sunday pushed back a day because of bad weather. (AP photo.)
So instead of pitching in front of the home fans in Goodyear, Westbrook will board a bus for the two-hour haul to Tucson, while the previously scheduled starter, Fausto Carmona, will pitch in an intrasquad game in Goodyear.
“It would have been nice to pitch (in Goodyear), but that’s all right,” Westbrook said. “(Getting on the bus) is part of spring training. I have no problem with that.”
Westbrook, 32, is no stranger to the waiting game. He was projected to return to the rotation last year, but a pair of setbacks during minor league rehab assignments scrapped that notion.
Still, Westbrook has remained optimistic concerning the upcoming season, part of that stemming from a positive experience while pitching winter ball in Puerto Rico this year.
“Each inning, each outing, I got more and more comfortable,” said Westbrook, who estimated he threw 14 or 15 innings. “I was encouraged by it. I didn’t pitch as well as I would have liked, but the bottom line was that I was able to throw my pitches without any setbacks.”
The goal is to do the same this spring and into the regular season. The Indians are counting on as much, even if others aren’t.
“I expect Westbrook to be good the way he was before,” Acta said of the eight-year veteran, who won 44 games while making at least 30 starts and logging 200-plus innings each season for Cleveland from 2004-06. “I don’t understand why there’s so much uncertainty around Westbrook when almost every team has a pitcher that has gone through Tommy John surgery. Tommy John surgery is as common as your everyday dentist trip in baseball these days.
“I’m not worried. I anticipate Jake being good.”
“I expect that of myself,” said Westbrook, an All-Star in ’04. “The timetable I had for myself was a lot earlier than this, but I think I can be the same guy, if not better.
“I’m excited about how I feel. A lot of guys have had Tommy John surgery and come back stronger.”
Rain game
Acta was far from pleased with the canceled game that cost his club a day of work.
“There’s never a good time to have a rainout in spring training, especially this early, because you want to get in as much fundamental work as you can,” he said.
Acta said the Indians were able to get in a little work, with pitchers throwing bullpen sessions and position players hitting in the indoor cages.
Sowers power
Jeremy Sowers, who has been battling an ailing left shoulder since the end of last season, threw in the bullpen Sunday and is scheduled to pitch batting practice Wednesday.
Acta said Sowers, who is a long shot to win one of the final two spots in the rotation, would pitch in a handful of simulated games before making his exhibition debut.
“He’ll go through that process and eventually he’ll be able to pitch in some games,” Acta said of Cleveland’s first-round pick (sixth overall) in 2004.
On tap today
Indians vs. Arizona Diamondbacks in Tucson at 3:05 p.m. No radio or television. Westbrook (0-0) vs. RHP Rodrigo Lopez (0-0).
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.
