Issues leave Indians up in air

BOARDMAN -- Contraction, lockout, salary cap, revenue sharing -- all words the members of the Cleveland Indians' winter tour would prefer not to hear when they meet the press this off-season.
And the only strike they want to talk about is one thrown by the pitcher dead solid perfect over the plate.
Indians manager Charlie Manuel, in the Tribe's sold-out event Wednesday at Mr. Anthony's, admitted he doesn't know much about Commissioner Bud Selig's plan to eliminate two teams (the Minnesota Twins and Montreal Expos) by the end of March.
"As far as contraction goes, I don't know what's going to happen," Manuel said. "But it's getting pretty late.
Admission: "I don't understand all the ins and outs, so I don't know exactly what's going on," Manuel professed.
Three decades ago, Manuel played for Minnesota, so he has a soft spot in his heart for the team of Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva and Rod Carew.
"I don't want to see Minnesota lose their team," Manuel said. "I think that they belong in the American League and in baseball. Their team improved a lot."
So will spring training begin on time?
"I haven't heard hardly [anything] at all," the Indians' third-year manager said. "I want to see us play -- I don't want to see a lockout."
Neither do the fans, but it's hard to imagine the owners allowing the players to start the season without some contract in place. The last time that happened -- in 1994 -- the players struck in August and the World Series was eventually canceled.
Pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who won 17 games as a rookie last year plus Game 3 of the Tribe's playoff series against the Seattle Mariners, was asked what he's heard from the players' union.
"Oh, I don't know [anything] about that," the 21-year-old pitcher said. "I'm going down [to Florida] on Feb. 10 and I'm expecting to play."
Team's direction: While the New York Yankees were replacing Tino Martinez, Scott Brosius, Chuck Knoblauch, David Justice and Paul O'Neill with the likes of Jason Giambi, David Wells and Robin Ventura, the cost-cutting Indians shipped future Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto Alomar to the New York Mets for prospects to get under the team's self-imposed salary cap.
You might think Manuel would have an opinion on how baseball's richest teams continue to stockpile superstars while the mid-level clubs are shedding payroll.
Guess again.
"That's kind of not in my department," said Manuel when asked if baseball needs a salary cap and revenue sharing a la the NFL.
"It seems like that when someone says salaries are getting out of hand, somebody [else] jumps in there and gets a lot of money," Manuel admitted.
"I'll let the people in charge handle this," Manuel said. "For me to make a comment would just be speculating."
As for the American League Central Division, Manuel said he expects "nobody is going to walk away with it [in 2002].
"Until someone knocks us off, we should be the favorites," Manuel said. "But the Chicago White Sox are a strong team.
"They have a tremendous lineup and I think they're going to have good pitching. Their young pitchers got experience last year.
Twins outlook: "Minnesota is basically the same team," said Manuel, assuming they survive Selig's contraction scheme.
"They have a starting rotation that's real good and they've got some good rookie pitchers," Manuel said. "If their middle relief pitching gets better and they find a guy who can close it out, they're going to be tough."
As for his health, Manuel said he's feeling fine after having to spend time in the hospital during the past two seasons.
If only baseball's economic climate could look as rosy.
XTom Williams is a reporter for The Vindicator. Write to him at williams@vindy.com.