WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Adam Miller is back in business.
The Indians’ prized pitching prospect, who was shut down shortly into camp with a blister on his right middle finger, has played catch the past three days and is on schedule to throw his first bullpen session Friday at Chain of Lakes Park.
“Hopefully the finger issues are done with,” said the oft-injured Miller, who missed time last season with a ligament strain in the same finger.
“It’s a little frustrating. A blister was kind of the last thing I was thinking of. It happened and you move on. Everything else is good so far.”
Miller, 23, hasn’t been able to say that for much of his five-year professional career
— a tenure that has been littered with arm problems that began surfacing after a promising first full season in the Indians organization in 2004.
He was limited to 15 starts in 2005 after suffering a right elbow strain during spring training, which sapped some velocity from his blazing fastball that used to hit
100 mph on occasion.
Miller bounced back the following season, going 15-6 with a 2.75 ERA in 26 appearances (24 starts) for Double-A Akron. But after an impressive exhibition performance in the big leagues last year and a quick start to the regular season at Triple-A Buffalo — 4-1 with a 2.45 ERA in seven starts
— the injuries returned.
Miller, who is scheduled to throw 35-40 pitches in the bullpen, was unsure when his first exhibition appearance would take place.
“He’s working his way back,” said Cleveland manager Eric Wedge. “It’s more about him working his way through the throwing program and in the pen.”

Byrd watch continues

Paul Byrd’s second start of the spring was about as good as it gets, with one hitch.
Byrd, 37, didn’t allow a run and just one hit through three innings, but the 11-year veteran forgot how many outs there were in his final inning of work, walking to the dugout before catching himself.
“I showed my first signs of age today when I couldn’t keep track of the outs,” said Byrd, who thought he had recorded the third out when he struck out Tyler Flowers for out No. 2. “That worried me a little bit. You feel like an idiot.”
With less than a month before the start of the regular season, Byrd still has not heard from Major League Baseball on potential penalties for his HGH use.
“I’m just waiting like everybody else,” Byrd said.

Grady’s greats

Grady Sizemore has patterned his game after a number of players past and present.
“You start with Willie Mays,” said Sizemore, who made his second straight trip to the All-Star Game last year, winning his first Gold Glove. “I watched Ken Griffey Jr. a lot when I was a kid. Even before I got to the big leagues, I was a big fan of Torii Hunter.”

Roundin’ third

Through seven exhibition games, just two Indians regulars — Sizemore (.600, 3-for-5) and Victor Martinez (.375, 3-for-8) — are batting above .300, with the club average at .238. Casey Blake and Travis Hafner are hitless through three games.
• The Indians are on the road today at 1:05, traveling to Kissimmee and Osceola County Stadium for the second time this spring. C.C. Sabathia (0-0, 9.00) makes his second exhibition start, opposing right-hander Woody Williams. Right-handers Scott Elarton, Brian Slocum and J.D. Martin, and lefties Rafael Perez, Aaron Fultz, Chuck Lofgren and Reid Santos are also expected to pitch for Cleveland. There will be no radio or television coverage of the game.     
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. 

BRAVES (5-2) 4, INDIANS (2-4-1) 1

Turning point

The Braves broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the fourth inning off Indians closer Joe Borowski.

Hits

Cleveland starter Paul Byrd was impressive in his second exhibition start, allowing just a hit, while striking out two through three innings of work.
• Reliever Jensen Lewis pitched a scoreless seventh, striking out one of the three batters he faced.

Misses

The Indians were no-hit through 82/3 innings, managing just one hit for the game.
• Borowski took the loss after allowing the three runs on four hits and a walk in his only inning of work.
• Jason Michaels went 0-for-3 with a strikeout while botching a ball in right field that could have been ruled an error.
• Travis Hafner and Casey Blake combined to go 0-for-6.
• Masa Kobayashi allowed a mammoth home run to the first batter he faced — Mark Teixeira — and hit a batter in one inning.

Prospect punch

Offseason acquisition Danny Sandoval ended Atlanta’s no-hit bid with an RBI single off the right-field wall in his only trip to the plate. 

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