Despite injuries, Indians positive

Even with five regulars out, the Indians still believe in each other.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Despite a training room nearly as crowded as their clubhouse, the Cleveland Indians refuse to adopt a woe-is-us outlook.

“We’ve got to stick together now more than ever,” ace left-hander C.C. Sabathia said Friday before the Indians opened a three-game interleague series against the San Diego Padres without several key players.

A few hours earlier, All-Star catcher Victor Martinez underwent a 45-minute operation to remove bone chips from his right elbow, one day after right-hander Jake Westbrook had season-ending reconstructive elbow surgery. “I was told both procedures went well,” manager Eric Wedge said.

Today, right-hander Fausto Carmona, out since May 24, is scheduled to test his strained left hip with a 50-pitch bullpen outing

Second baseman Josh Barfield will visit a hand specialist Monday to determine the extent of the injury to a tendon in his left middle finger. Designated hitter Travis Hafner will be checked the same day to see if he’s regained enough strength in his ailing right shoulder since being placed on the disabled list May 30

“You look around, and it’s like, ’Well, it’s just us,”’ third baseman Casey Blake said.

Wedge is confident whoever is left can keep Cleveland in contention to repeat as champions of the AL Central, where only the Chicago White Sox, 61‚Ñ2 games ahead of the third-place Indians, are above .500.

“You have to have faith in all your teammates,” Wedge said. “It does no good to just look in the mirror. These guys know that, they believe in each other.

“This team wasn’t built on a 25-man roster, we have as many as 35 key parts.”

The Indians are using them all, too, employing an almost daily shuttle back and forth to their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo.

Rookie left-hander Aaron Laffey was called up and has filled the injury void in the starting staff, compiling a fine 2.83 ERA in nine starts. Rookie Ben Francisco, and Shin-Soo Choo, just back from a long stint on the DL following elbow surgery last September, are perking up the offense.

“Choo’s been very impressive,” Wedge said of the lefty, who has batted .323 with two homers and eight RBIs in his first 11 games back, including a three-run homer Thursday in a 12-2 win over Minnesota.

“Benny has done a good job, too,” Wedge continued. “His story should be learned by all players who go down [to the minors] that if you go and work on what you are asked, it does play when you get back up here.”

Francisco has batted .309 and is tied with Blake for the team lead with 15 doubles in just 37 games since being called up. He went 4-for-5 with three RBIs on Thursday.

Carroll went 4-for-4 and Kelly Shoppach delivered a pair of RBI singles in the big win.

“Yeah, it was good to get hits as opposed to what — making outs?” Shoppach said. “Everybody in this room is a big-leaguer or we wouldn’t be here. My job has been to stay prepared to play. Well, now, I’ve got to use that preparation and play.

“I want to play, no doubt. Playing regularly should help keep me a little sharper, that’s the way I look at it.”

Sabathia, who’s been with the team since his MLB debut in 2001, said he’ll try to assume an even bigger leadership role.

“I’ve been here longer that anybody, and I’m going to do anything I can to help us win, same as if Victor was in the lineup, Jake was on the mound.”