Tribe’s Sowers eyes regaining ’06 form

The pitcher isn’t afraid to pick up a book to broaden his knowledge.

GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE

Jeremy Sowers isn’t a hard guy to find in the Cleveland Indians clubhouse.

He’s the guy with the book.

Stereotyping ballplayers isn’t fair, of course. It is fair to say most magazines on the tables of a big-league clubhouse have an attractive young woman who is not exactly dressed for church on the cover. The corners on the copies of Time and Newsweek aren’t usually bent.

Sowers, a 24-year-old left-hander who graduated from Vanderbilt with a degree in political science in 2005, has literary tastes with a bit more substance. On this day in spring training, he has finished reading nearly half of “In An Uncertain World,” an account by former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin of his life on Wall Street and in the Clinton administration.

The book was given to Sowers by Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro, another man with more than a passing interest in politics. Shapiro said on a sports talk radio show last week that he supports Barack Obama’s presidential bid and has made donations to the campaign.

Sowers might share Shapiro’s taste in reading material, but not in candidates.

“I had to determine my top priority and let it take precedent,” Sowers said. “I believed the economy was the No. 1 thing, so my candidate was Mitt Romney. Now it’s John McCain — by default, I guess.”

Cleveland’s first-round draft pick from 2004 is most comfortable addressing non-baseball topics. He frowns while noting he views the political process in a somewhat different light than while in college.

“I am a little skeptical of the way the process works,” Sowers said. “You can blame it on the electoral college if you want. But, if we didn’t have the electoral process, the only place anyone would see a candidate face-to-face would be in a major city. We need a process where Ohio and Iowa and New Hampshire are still important.”

Sowers is attempting to regain his spot in the Indians starting pitching rotation this spring. He was solid during the second half of the 2006 season (7-4, 3.57 ERA), then struggled badly during the first half of 2007 (1-6, 6.42) and was sent to the minor leagues.

That struggle to stay in the big leagues is Sowers’ focus every fifth day. During the down time between starts, that focus may shift a bit toward events that will take place in November.

“I tend to believe the majority of people are in the middle, but politicians force us to take one side or the other,” Sowers said. “You mean I can’t support social programs and be pro-life at the same time? I just have to believe there’s a rational compromise out there.”

No home for Inge

A player in limbo this spring is Detroit’s Brandon Inge, displaced from third base by the acquisition of Miguel Cabrera. Inge can play at least passable defense at every position. He hit 27 home runs in 2006. Interest from other teams, however, has been stifled by the $19.1 million he is owed over the next three years. Inge has, so far, played the good soldier in a difficult scenario.

The door won

The Tigers, who weren’t especially deep in the bullpen to begin with, have lost one option already this spring. Jordan Tata, a 26-year-old right-hander who pitched well for Detroit in 2006, punched the clubhouse door after a rough outing last week and broke a bone in the knuckle of his little finger.

A Ray of hope

Tampa Bay is fining employees $1 for accidentally using the name “Devil Rays” when referring to the club. The nickname was shortened to “Rays” over the offseason and all of the gear being sold in the team’s souvenir shops now bears the name “Rays.” The team is also sending letters to media members who use the former monicker, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.

A sad end

It appears Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli is done with baseball at 26. He has been diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder in which his body cannot produce enough of a particular chemical that allows him to recover from strenuous physical activity. Baldelli was one of the game’s bright young stars a few years ago. Seeing any athlete forced off the field by a condition beyond his control is a tough thing to watch.