Lee seeks spot on Tribe’s staff

Cliff Lee has to avoid injuries this year to make the
starting rotation.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — Cliff Lee, who was sent to the minors last season, said he has to avoid injury to find his way back to the Cleveland Indians’ starting rotation.

The Indians started full-squad workouts Sunday at Chain of Lakes Park, and no player was in a more tenuous position than Lee, who won 46 games for the Indians from 2004 through 2006 but spent last August at Triple-A Buffalo and didn’t make the club’s postseason roster.

“I got hurt in spring training and that was the start of a bad season,” he said of his 2007 performance. “I’ve got to prevent that from happening again this year. It’s pretty simple.”

A strained abdominal muscle suffered last February kept Lee and Indians’ coaches from making changes to his delivery and pitch selection in camp.

“Cliff was trying to make those adjustments when the games counted, as opposed to working on them in spring training,” pitching coach Carl Willis said.

The left-hander went 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA in 20 appearances, including four relief appearances. After losing four straight, he was optioned to Buffalo on July 27.

Usually when an established starter is sent to the minors, he makes just two or three starts before he’s recalled.

That’s especially true for a starter like Lee, 29, who was signed to a three-year, $14 million deal.

But Aaron Laffey filled his spot in the rotation, and when a spot starter was needed for a makeup doubleheader against Seattle on Sept. 26, Sowers got the call.

“A fool can look at the numbers and see that I wasn’t getting it done,” Lee said.

“They signed me to a three-year contract to keep pitching like I had been pitching and I wasn’t doing that.”

Manager Eric Wedge said decisions on which pitchers the club will keep won’t be based solely on spring training results. Experience, track record and how t

he decision affects Cleveland’s bullpen and starting-pitching depth will also be considered, he said.

The Indians owe Lee $3.75 million this year and $5.75 million next year.

He has one option left, meaning he could still be sent to the minors.

Wedge said Lee’s salary won’t play a role in his decision.

Lee should keep his fastball under control, but most of all, he should show people he can get results, Wedge said.

“If he gets people out, I’ll be happy,” he said.