Indians finish worst season since 1991

CLEVELAND (AP) — Their disappointing season mercifully over, Cleveland Indians players cleared out their lockers Monday after losing 97 games.

Manager Eric Wedge and his entire staff were gone — all fired before a doubleheader that concluded the home season Wednesday, though they stayed on as the Red Sox swept a four-game series in Boston.

That put the finishing touches on the Indians’ worst year since 1991, when they lost a team-record 105 games.

Jake Westbrook, sidelined since June 2008 after having Tommy John surgery, went to his locker for the final time this year, his elbow wrapped in ice after a workout. He’ll report to the team’s training facility in Arizona on Oct. 18 to continue rehab and hopes to be back in the starting rotation next season.

“This was a real tough year, very frustrating,” Westbrook said. “Wedge was a good manager. He pushed me, gave me opportunities. The new guy will have the challenge every manager has — that is getting 25 guys together as a team.”

General manager Mark Shapiro hopes to have a manager in place by the end of the World Series. The new man will inherit a young club that is rebuilding after going to the postseason in 2007 but faltering the next two years.

The Indians were expected to contend this year after signing closer Kerry Wood and trading for veteran Mark DeRosa.

But they were never a factor. Key players Grady Sizemore, Travis Hafner and Westbrook were hurt and former 19-game winner Fausto Carmona sent back to the minors after being ineffective.

All-Star catcher Victor Martinez and 2008 AL Cy Young winner Cliff Lee were traded in July for younger players.

“When they traded those guys like that, good players, it’s hard to win every day,” third baseman Jhonny Peralta said. “The Indians, that’s what they do all the time. They get good players that are doing good and they trade them every time.

“I don’t think they like to spend a lot money and stuff. They like to try and work in the young players.”

Westbrook believes a quick rebound is not out of the question.

“It wasn’t that long ago we were fighting to go to the World Series,” Westbrook said. “You realize how quickly things can change. With the talent we have we can be right back in there. With the talent we have we expect it.”

Right-hander Joe Smith’s ill-fated season epitomized the Indians’ plight. Acquired in a December trade from the New York Mets, he was sidelined in spring training with a viral infection, went to the disabled list early in the year with a strained rotator cuff and eventually had surgery on his left knee.

“What a year. I don’t know how much more I could take,” said Smith, on crutches following arthroscopic knee surgery Wednesday.

“It was all so frustrating, but there’s hope for this team, especially in this division. Detroit went from last place to the World Series a few years ago. They went from last to up top this year.”

Left-hander David Huff believes Cleveland can win in 2010, comparing the Indians to the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays, a young group that went to the World Series.

“This was a year of great learning experience for all of us,” said Huff, who led the club with 11 wins despite not being called up from the minors until May 17. “You get young players with talent, anything can happen. The Rays showed that.

“I think it is going to be a very interesting spring training camp.”