Karsay hopes to land in 'pen

His one-inning stint against the Braves Sunday didn't go very well.
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) -- Steve Karsay is back in an Indians uniform, and hoping his fastball and sharp-breaking curve will return, too.
It wasn't long ago that the right-hander was Cleveland's most dependable reliever. Three teams, two surgeries and 22 months of rehab later, he's back in the Indians' spring camp hoping to claim the remaining bullpen spot.
"I came back here for several reasons," Karsay said Sunday. "I wanted to go to a team that can win, and this team can win. But a big reason is Luis Isaac. He knows me better than I know myself and if anybody can help me get back, it's him."
Isaac is Cleveland's longtime bullpen coach. He saw Karsay at his best -- a 10-2 season and 2.97 ERA in 1999, then 20 saves in 72 appearances the next year, and a sparkling 1.25 ERA in half a season before being dealt to Atlanta in mid-2001.
"He's a very smart man, especially when it comes to pitchers," Karsay said. "Back then, he helped me get to the point where I thought I was at my best."
Coach compares
Isaac, in his 42nd year in the organization, said he's seen glimpses of the old Karsay.
"I try to compare what I see now to back then and work out his delivery to be the same," Isaac said. "I see some velocity coming back. I see him make good pitches and some not-so-good pitches."
Karsay, who worked a scoreless inning Friday against Houston, threw a few bad ones Sunday in one inning against Atlanta. He gave up two one-out singles and a long three-run homer to Wilson Betemit before getting two groundball outs.
"It was a fastball up," Karsay said of the homer. "The big thing is I threw without pain. I'll go out there again in two days and see what I can do."
Struggled through injuries
For the last three years, Karsay saw only 221/3 innings of work in the big leagues. After signing a four-year, $22.5 million contract with the Yankees in 2002 and going 6-4 with 12 saves and a 3.26 ERA his first year in New York, he missed all of 2003.
"I was pitching all of 2002 with a torn rotator cuff," Karsay said. "In spring training of 2003, I actually felt my shoulder rip. From that day until about a month ago, it's been a living nightmare. I wouldn't wish it on anybody."
Released by the Yankees last May, he signed with Texas, pitched a few rehab innings in the minors and went 0-1 with a 7.47 ERA in 14 games for the Rangers.
Scouts gave good report
Indians scouts gave general manager Mark Shapiro good reports, however. Shapiro figured it was worth giving an old friend a non-roster invite to camp this spring.
"The first thing we looked for was arm strength and we've seen that," pitching coach Carl Willis said. "Now it is a matter of getting back to maintaining command of his delivery on the fastball.
"The other day, he threw a couple sharp breaking balls. Last year, his breaking balls were kind of big and loopy. He wasn't quite getting there with his arm speed.
"But he's throwing 91-92 [mph] and said he feels good. That's an exciting thing for him and us."