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AL Central: Belcher making impact on Tribe's pitching staff

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04/30/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cleveland Indians' first-year pitching coach Tim Belcher has been around the block.

A 14-year pitcher in the big leagues, Belcher's 2,442 career innings are the most of any active pitching coach in Major League Baseball. And although this is Belcher's first year as Cleveland's pitching coach, he has spent the last eight years in the organization as a Special Assistant to Baseball Operations.

With all of the roster turnover during the past two seasons, Cleveland's average age is now only 27 years old. While the lineup continues to be a work in progress, the pitching staff will have to shoulder much of the load.

That's where Belcher comes in. As a pitcher for the Dodgers, he compiled seven seasons of 200+ innings pitched, even leading the National League with 10 complete games in 1989. Under his tutelage, Cleveland's starters rank fifth in the American League with a combined 3.98 ERA. That has helped to atone for an offense that ranks 12th in the AL with a .238 team batting average.

Angels' manager Mike Scioscia recently said of his former Los Angeles Dodgers teammate, "I think (Belcher) can help pitchers get through a pitch count barrier and be more efficient with their pitches."

That has certainly rubbed off on 26-year-old rookie Mitch Talbot, who has allowed just two earned runs (0.84) over his last three starts, a span of 21 1/3 innings. His 2.05 ERA is bound to climb at some point, particularly for a pitcher who has fanned only seven batters through four starts. But Belcher points to the youngster's wide array of pitches -- which includes a sinker, cutter, changeup and slider -- as the main reason Talbot has been able to keep hitters off balance.

"He's been good about staying with what's working and knowing what the game plan calls for," Belcher told the team's website. "He's not one of those guys that thinks he has to throw every pitch to every hitter."

Meanwhile, Fausto Carmona has spent the last few seasons trying to rediscover his form of 2007, when he burst onto the scene with 19 wins. Now, a more confident and mechanically sound Carmona brings a 2.96 ERA into tonight's start against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field, in which he'll try to improve to 4-0.

Carmona credits an adjustment to the first-base side of the mound, which he tried during the Dominican Winter League, as a big reason for his early-season success. He's also been relying on his slider a lot more and his changeup a lot less.

"Pitching on the right-hand side of the rubber did not help him at all," manager Manny Acta said. "He was pitching everybody the same way, sinking it in to righties and away to lefties. He had success with it in 2007, but the league adjusted to him."

Elsewhere in the rotation, Justin Masterson is 0-3 with a 5.68 ERA thus far. However, he does have a team-high 24 strikeouts through 19 innings. On Wednesday against the Angels, starter Jake Westbrook was cruising along through five innings, aiming for his first win in two years after Tommy John surgery sidetracked his career. But he allowed a game-tying three-run homer to Torii Hunter in the sixth inning, and the Angels went on to win.

Losing steam in the middle innings has been a problem for Westbrook so far this season, though he isn't blaming his physical condition.

"I'm tired of being part of the problem," Westbrook said. "I feel good about where I am. I'm just not getting the job done. Hopefully I can find a way to put up zeroes when we need them."

ROYALS BACK IN FAMILIAR TERRITORY

Having lost three straight, the Kansas City Royals (8-14) are back in the basement of the AL Central standings, six games back of division-leading Minnesota. Last night, they kicked off an 11-game road trip in Tampa with an 11-1 loss to the Rays, who have now won 14 of their last 16.

So much for a fresh start.

But while the wins and losses -- and the impending road swing -- don't inspire a whole lot of confidence, there is reason for optimism. Consider, even with last night's ugly loss, the Royals still lead the American League with a .302 team batting average on the road. The catalyst has been Scott Podsednik, who leads all AL hitters with a .484 (15-for-31) average in road games. However, it's now up to the pitching staff to hold up their end of the deal.

Starting pitcher Luke Hochevar entered Thursday's tilt with an unblemished record, but he left with a black eye. All told, he allowed 11 hits and a career-high nine earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings against the red-hot Rays.

At the moment, Zack Greinke is the only sure thing on the starting rotation, though he has only an 0-2 record to show for his 2.56 ERA. With three more games on tap in Tampa, followed by two series against the Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers, Kansas City will need some other guys to step up. If not, things could turn real ugly by mid-May.

TWINS' PITCHING LOOKING TO STAY SHARP

Minnesota finally lost its first series of the season this week, dropping two of three at Detroit. Still, entering tonight's series opener with Cleveland, the Twins (14-8) have allowed the fourth-fewest runs in the American League. And now they'll be facing the Indians, who have struggled mightily at the plate thus far.

They'll be doing so without Nick Blackburn (1-1, 6.85), who was due to start tonight but went home for family reasons. Manager Ron Gardenhire will now give the ball to Kevin Slowey (2-2, 3.42), who will be starting on regular rest. Given how things have gone for those two, the switch would appear to be a good thing. The resurgent Francisco Liriano (3-0, 0.93) is slated to pitch Sunday's series finale, while Saturday's starter has not yet been announced.

The Twins will also welcome offensive stalwarts Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau back to the lineup tonight, as both had the day off in Thursday's 3-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers. It marked the first time since May 2006 that both Mauer and Morneau were given the same day off. Considering the outcome, don't expect it to happen again anytime soon.

NOBODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO COOL TIGERS' CABRERA

As the Detroit Tigers prepare for one of Major League Baseball's most notorious road teams in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, they'll once again look to Miguel Cabrera to ignite the offense.

Entering tonight's series opener, Cabrera leads the majors with 25 RBI and ranks second with 10 doubles. Despite going hitless on Wednesday and Thursday, he is still batting .330 while boasting a .419 on-base percentage.

Without question, he has been one of the main reasons why Detroit (13-10) is within 1 1/2 games of the division-leading Twins. Earlier this week, Cabrera hit a go-ahead homer in the top of the ninth inning to help the Tigers knock off Texas, 8-6.

At the very least, his hot start has cooled offseason concerns around the Motor City, which stemmed from his alcohol-related domestic violence arrest on the eve of last season's one-game playoff with the Twins for the AL's final playoff spot. Considering his $20 million price tag for this season, Cabrera would've been under a great deal of pressure had he gotten off to a poor start.

QUESTIONS AT THE TOP FOR GUILLEN, WHITE SOX

When your leadoff man is hitting .200 and the team is 9-13, changes are bound to be made.

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen will do just that, after watching newly-acquired leadoff man Juan Pierre go 1-for-16 over the last four games .

"He ain't playing (Friday night)," Guillen told the Chicago Tribune after an 0-for-5 night from Pierre on Thursday. "I don't know if he's putting a lot of pressure on himself or trying to do too much, but I'll try and give him a breather."

Guillen added that he'd consider moving Pierre to either the No. 9 spot of the No. 2 spot in the lineup. That of course leaves the question, who bats first?

The primary options -- at least right now -- are Omar Vizquel, Gordon Beckham or Mark Teahen. But each comes with his own question marks. Vizquel is 43. Guillen indicated he prefers Beckham lower in the lineup to drive in runs. Teahen ranks third on the team with a .379 on-base percentage, but he doesn't have a ton of speed and seems to feel most comfortable batting fifth.