CLEVELAND — The Indians and Tigers, the two teams expected to challenge for Central Division supremacy, were in the same boat as they opened their first head-to-head series Wednesday at Progressive Field — a sinking one.
“I’m not going to speak about Detroit, but (our players are) not pleased with how they’re playing and we’re not pleased with the results,” said Cleveland manager Eric Wedge, whose defending division champion Indians won only five of their first 14 games and entered Wednesday night’s game in fourth place, 3½ games behind division leader Chicago.
The Tigers have been even worse, dropping their first seven games, and lagging in last place, 4½ games out through Tuesday.
“I don’t know about the Indians, I can only speak for Detroit,” said Tigers manager Jim Leyland, whose team, thanks to a wealth of big-name offseason acquisitions, joined Cleveland as division co-favorites.
“There’s obviously a lot of great expectations on us this season, and that’s understandable. There should be expectations on a team with this much talent.
“Everyone waited all winter for spring to get here to see this team and they were rightfully disappointed with the way we started.”
Both teams are relying on the length of the 162-game schedule to turn things around.
“We’re only 2½ weeks into the season,” Leyland said. “I don’t think you can draw too many conclusions.”
“Everything gets magnified at the start of the season,” Wedge said.
The rival clubs have dealt with early injuries, the Tigers losing reliever Fernando Rodney and outfielder Curtis Granderson, while the Indians played briefly without catcher Victor Martinez and just placed closer Joe Borowksi on the disabled list.
If both teams are able to get healthy and begin playing as projected, Wedge is predicting a tight race between similar squads.
“Both teams kind of grew up together a little bit from ’03 on,” he said. “We’ve watched certain individual players through their major league careers. I don’t think any team has a particular edge.”

No roster moves yet

Though his team is struggling in a number of areas, Wedge said he has not considered any roster moves.
“I don’t think we’re there yet,” he said. “I’d rather make a move a day too late than a day too early, because you can’t change that.”

Bullpen shuffle

With Borowski (strained triceps) on the DL, a handful of Indians relievers are being asked to fill new roles, including Jensen Lewis, who, along with Rafael Perez, will serve as a setup man, while Rafael Betancourt replaces Borowski.
“Everybody just has to kind of change their identity a little bit,” Lewis said. “Raffy Betancourt will obviously be in the ninth while Joe’s out. The rest of us are just going to have to step up, no matter what inning it is, we just have to execute.”
Betancourt, who has limited big league experience as a closer, plans on staying true to the approach he’s employed in the setup role.
“I have to do the same that I always do,” said Betancourt, who is 1-1 with a 1.76 ERA in
game-ending save situations throughout his career, converting 12 of 15 save opportunities. “Being aggressive is very important for me. I don’t think I’m going to change anything with the way I pitch.”

The Pronk files

Travis Hafner is approaching a number of milestones, entering Wednesday just seven RBIs shy of equaling Andre Thornton’s franchise record for RBIs as a designated hitter (459), and just 10 shy of 500 RBIs for his career.
Hafner, who already owns the franchise record for home runs by a DH (132), entered Wednesday needing six homers to reach 150 for his career and eight to tie Joe Carter for 10th on Cleveland’s all-time list.

Roundin’ third

The Indians, who hit the second-most spring training home runs in the American League, entered Wednesday on a four-game long-ball drought, their longest since a five-game skid from July 10-17, 2006. Cleveland had gone
189 plate appearances without a homer since Jhonny Peralta’s solo shot in the second inning last Friday against the A’s.
• The Indians have lost their last four series.
• Former Indians second baseman Carlos Baerga (1990-96, ’99) threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. 

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