CLEVELAND — How cold was it for the series finale with Oakland on Sunday?
Almost too cold to play.
“It was close,” said Indians manager Eric Wedge of the 38-degree temperature and 28-degree wind chill at game time. “We talked about the cold, but not actually canceling it because of it. I remember thinking halfway through that it was actually getting colder.”
It was. Temperatures dropped to 34 degrees during the game, with snow flurries joining rain and sleet at different times to make for a miserable experience for both teams.
“It was one of the colder days that I’ve ever been associated with in the game of baseball,” Wedge said.
Wedge was seated in a heated dugout for most of the day. Imagine how the players felt.
“It was freezing,” said third baseman Andy Marte, a self-described non-cold-weather player from the Dominican Republic, who went 0-for-2 with a pair of strikeouts.
Utility man Jamey Carroll, who started at second, reached base in all four of his at-bats and scored an Indians-high three runs, was a little more prepared for the elements.
“It reminded me of playing college ball back in Indiana,” said Carroll, who played at the University of Evansville and joined the Indians as a free agent from Colorado. “It’s not the ideal conditions, but both teams have to deal with it.”

The Anti-Manny crowd  

Like many ex-Indians who return to face their former team, Manny Ramirez is booed lustily by Cleveland fans.
Ramirez, who spent the first seven seasons of a 14-year career with the Indians, has responded by torturing his former mates, entering the series opener Monday batting .357 (66-for-185) with 15 home runs and 44 RBIs in 49 regular-season games against the Indians.
Ramirez, who hit .409 (9-for-22) with two home runs and 10 RBIs in Boston’s seven-game ALCS victory over Cleveland last year, posted a .444 on-base percentage and a .692 slugging percentage over the span.
“I’d rather he not hit well when he’s here. I’ll let you take care of the other one,” said Wedge, when asked if he wanted his hometown fans to stop booing Ramirez.
Entering this season, he was a career .312 hitter with 131 of his 490 homers at Jacobs (now Progressive) Field.
“He’s one of them,” said Wedge, when asked if Ramirez was the best hitter of the modern era.

Choo, Miller on mend

Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo and right-hander Adam Miller are still at extended spring training in Winter Haven, Fla., with Miller expected to beat Choo back to Triple-A Buffalo.
The oft-injured Miller, one of the Indians’ top prospects, was set back this spring by a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand, but pitched Saturday in Florida and should be in Buffalo by next week.
Wedge said Choo, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery and has been serving as a designated hitter in extended spring games, would remain in Florida for most of April.

Minors a major factor 

No big-league organization rivaled the success the Indians’ minor league system enjoyed from 2000 to 2007. Over that span, Cleveland’s minor-league teams posted a major-league-best .543 winning percentage (3,159-2,659), with the Twins second at .532.

Roundin’ third 

It’s just two starts, but Cliff Lee entered Monday with the second-lowest ERA in the league (0.61) and the lowest opposing batting average (.125, 6-for-48).
• In commemoration of “Jackie Robinson Day” today, marking Robinson’s first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Indians players C.C. Sabatrhia and Grady Sizemore will wear Robinson’s No. 42.
• A member of the “Indians’ 100 Greatest Players” roster, pitcher Jim “Mudcat” Grant (1958-64), threw out the ceremonial first pitch Monday. Grant, the first black pitcher to win 20 games in the American League (21-7 for Minnesota in 1965), was also an Indians television analyst for WJW from 1973-74, and in 1977.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. 

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