Tribe’s Cabrera, Valbuena are a dandy duo

CLEVELAND — The ball, off the bat of Nick Markakis, was already past second base and headed into center field for a hit last Thursday night at Baltimore’s Camden Yards.

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, appearing as if he’d popped up out of the infield dirt, back-handed the ball, flipped it behind him to second base where Luis Valbuena was standing. Valbuena made the force and threw to Andy Marte at first to complete the double play.

“You won’t see a better double play than that in the big leagues,” said manager Eric Wedge after the game.

Wedge has been saying that a lot lately.

Indians fans know what the ballet of the double play looks like. They watched it at its best when Omar Vizquel and Robbie Alomar performed together from 1999 through 2001. Cabrera and Valbuena are not that accomplished, nor have they played that long in the big leagues. They are from Venezuela, Vizquel’s native land, but other than that there is little surface evidence as to why they have played so well together.

Valbuena didn’t start the season with the big-league club. Cabrera opened the year at second base and didn’t become the regular shortstop until mid-May, when Jhonny Peralta was moved to third base. Then Cabrera injured his left shoulder sliding into second base on June 2 at the Metrodome and didn’t return to the lineup until June 28.

When he did, Cabrera was the Indians’ regular shortstop, while Valbuena has gradually earned more and more playing time at second.

Two months and change is not a lot time for a double-play combination to get to know each other and perform well. So there is more than good fortune involved in how Cabrera and Valbuena play together.

“We’re best friends,” said Valbuena.

OK, so that covers part of it, but there’s more.

Not only did Seattle sign Cabrera and Valbuena, but they signed them on the same day. At least that’s what Valbuena and Cabrera said. The Indians press guide says Cabrera signed on Aug. 26, 2002, Valbuena on Aug. 29. But what’s a few days among friends?

They played together for Aguirre in 2003 in the Venezuelan Summer League. They were teammates again at Class A Tacoma in 2005. Last winter, while Valbuena was still with Seattle, they played winter ball together for Lara in Venezuela.

“He was always at second base and I was always at shortstop,” said Cabrera.

The Indians acquired Cabrera from Seattle on June 30, 2006 for since-retired Eduardo Perez. On Dec. 10, 2008, the Indians acquired Valbuena and Joe Smith in a 12-player, three-team deal with the Mariners and Mets. The Indians sent Franklin Gutierrez to the Mariners.

“I was sleeping when I got traded,” said Valbuena. “When I woke up and checked my phone, I had about 25 messages. Then Cabrera called me and told me about the trade. We were playing winter ball when I was traded.”

When Wedge says Cabrera and Valbuena have “clicked,” there’s more at work here than happenstance.

“After he catches the ball, I know where to wait for it because I know how he makes every play,” said Cabrera. “It’s the same way with him. No matter where I catch the ball, he knows where I’m going to throw it.”

Not only are Valbuena and Cabrera the same age, but they were born in November. They even played against each other as amateurs.

“Before and after the game, I’m always talking baseball with him,” said Valbuena.

The way Wedge sees it, that all goes into the building of a double-play combination.

“A good double play combination is like a pitcher-catcher combo,” said Wedge. “You’ve got to know what each one is going to do before he does it. You have to be on the same wave length.

“A lot of it has to do with their ability, but a lot of it has to do with the edge they both play with. They play hungry, be it offensively or defensively.”

Cabrera, a switch-hitter in just his second full season in the big leagues, is hitting .315 (134-for-425) with 33 doubles, four triples, five homers and 55 RBI. Cabrera entered Monday seventh in the AL in batting average after hitting .370 (40-for-108) in August.

Valbuena, a left-handed hitter in his rookie year, is batting .242 (66-for-273) with 20 doubles, eight homers and 24 RBI.