CLEVELAND - Life has its interesting twists, and David Riske is not immune to them. The Cleveland relief pitcher has had unusual circumstances determine the direction his career has taken, and then dealt with success and adversity, in that order.
Riske is the Indians closer this season, the same job he ended the 2003 season with, but not the one he expected to have when spring training started two months ago. Bob Wickman s sensitive right elbow more or less made the call for him.
Wickman, the Tribe s closer since he came here from Milwaukee in the 2000 trade that sent Richie Sexson to the Brewers, first injured his elbow in August of 2002, and missed a full year after surgery.
With Wickman out, Cleveland went to the closer-by-committee format in 2003 until settling on Riske for the final six weeks of the season. He was a perfect 7-of-7 in save opportunities.
Riske finished with the eighth-lowest earned-run average among American League relievers (2.29). He made 68 relief appearances for the Tribe last year and had eight saves, allowing opposing batters to hit just .196 against him - the fourth-lowest mark in the league. Over the last 24 games of 2003, Riske had a 1.07 ERA.
But with Wickman slated to return this season and assume his old job, that meant Riske most likely would be used as a set-up man. When Wickman got a twinge in the elbow in a March workout in Florida, Riske was right back in the closer picture - again. He left spring training with the job after tying for the league lead in saves this spring with three.
Then the season opened and the bottom fell out. Riske blew his first two save opportunities, and his ERA ballooned over 20. When he put the Tigers down in order in the ninth <$EB>inning on Sunday to close out a 9-7 Cleveland win, it was time to unleash some fireworks. It was the first save of the season for the Cleveland bullpen, and one that Riske hopes ends his personal struggles.
“There isn t anyone who is as upset with me as I am upset with myself,” Riske said. “You go through these things and it s difficult, but you just have to be mentally tough and go out there and pitch through these things. It s a frustrating time.”
Riske, 27, is in his fifth season in the majors, but last year was the only time he was in Cleveland for the whole year.
“I know that when I am struggling, I m the kind of pitcher who wants to be out there every day,” Riske said. “You always think and believe that the next outing can turn things around. You never want to admit that you re struggling, but you pretty much know when you are.”
Riske has good reason not to panic, however, despite his 12.60 ERA after five appearances. He knocked it down from 15.75 with that scoreless inning against the Tigers on Sunday, and four appearances into last season, Riske had a lofty 12.46 ERA.
“When you struggle, there is always something you can try and blame it on,” Riske said, “but it doesn t boil down to luck or anything like that. You just have to keep going out there and giving it your best shot, night after night.”
CHASING LEMON: Detroit outfielder Bobby Higginson needs just three starts in the outfield for the Tigers to tie Chet Lemon for ninth place on the team s all-time list with 1,170. Higginson, who had a career-high 30 home runs in 2000, has hit 175 home runs in his nine-year career in Detroit, the 14th-most in franchise history. He has had four seasons with 25 or more home runs. With 21 more home runs, Higginson will move into 10th place in team history, passing Charlie Gehringer (184), Alan Trammell (185), Dick McAuliffe (192), and Kirk Gibson (195).
SANCHEZ AILING: Detroit outfielder Alex Sanchez, who left Sunday s game with a strained groin, did not play last night and is listed as day-to-day. Tigers manager Alan Trammell said he expects Sanchez to miss at least two more games. “I don t think he s a candidate for the disabled list right now,” Trammell said. “He said he felt a little strain and then he started hobbling along. It looked like it could be bad, but after doctors looked at it, it didn t look as bad as it did when he was laying there on the field.” Brandon Inge started in center field in place of Sanchez last night.
TWO GRAND: Cleveland shortstop Omar Vizquel had one hit last night to pull within one of 2,000 for his career. He is also now just nine games shy of becoming the 15th shortstop in major league history to appear in 2,000 games at the position.
First Published April 20, 2004, 10:34 a.m.
