Jimenez looks to rediscover winning form

GOODYEAR, Ariz. - Ubaldo Jimenez feels strong this spring.

He feels healthy.

He feels wanted.

What a difference a year makes for the Cleveland right-hander.

Originally
signed by the Colorado Rockies, Jimenez used to think he would never
pitch for another franchise. Then, prior to last season, the Rockies
signed shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez to
long-term contracts. They put Jimenez, an All-Star in 2010 when he
pitched the only no-hitter in franchise history, on hold.

Nothing
personal, the Rockies said. Jimenez already had a contract that, with
two options, gave the team control through 2014, so they felt it was
wise to wait and see what happened. It was, after all, a team-friendly
deal.

Plenty personal, Jimenez said, publicly admitting for the
first time he went to spring training a year ago looking to be traded.
He got his way, but it wasn't until July 30 when the Indians, looking
for a proven arm to help them in a pennant race, dealt highly regarded
prospects Alex White and Drew Pomeranz to the Rockies.

"I read in
the paper that the Rockies said they were only going to sign two guys,
they couldn't do three guys," Jimenez told FOXSports.com. "I was the
third guy. They signed the two guys they were going to sign and they
gave them more (years) and bigger (salaries). "

That left Jimenez uneasy when he reported to spring training a year ago.

And things went downhill from there.

That
spring he suffered a cut in the cuticle on his right thumb, greatly
affecting how he could grip a baseball. Then the cut became infected.
And then he strained his groin, which affected the stride in his
delivery.

He started Opening Day, but then went on the disabled
list for 17 days. When he returned, he said, he wasn't healthy but he
wanted to take a regular turn.

"The first two months of the
season I tried to pitch through the problems, and I never was able to
build up the arm strength for my velocity," said Jimenez, who went from
upper 90s with his moving fastball in 2010 to high 80s, low 90s a year
ago.

After going 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA despite calling Coors
Field home in 2010, Jimenez was 6-9 with a 4.42 ERA at the time the
Rockies traded him – though he had won five of his last seven decisions –
and was only 4-4 with a 5.10 ERA in 11 starts for the Indians.

"It
wasn't the season I feel I should have, but I am happy I kept
pitching," said Jimenez. "I was not going to get traded if I was on the
disabled list. I wanted to move from Colorado (from the start of last
spring). It wasn't working for me with the team. So I was happy when I
got traded."

Now, Jimenez wants to make sure the Indians are
happy they traded for him. On July 30, the day Jimenez was acquired, the
Indians were 53-51, second in the AL Central, 1.5 games back of
Detroit. They went 27-31 the rest of the season, still in second but 15
games behind Detroit.

Jimenez wasn't enough to make a difference, and says he doesn't feel he was really himself.

"By
the time I came to Cleveland my arm was fatigued, but I kept pitching,"
said Jimenez. "They had traded for me. I wasn't going to say I didn't
want to pitch for my new team. I appreciated them trading for me. I
wanted to help the team, but my velocity was never 100 percent."

This
spring, Jimenez said, is different. He is healthy. He does have arm
strength. And the Indians have added a veteran presence to the rotation.

They
knew, after all, that last year's rotation, which ranked 10th in the AL
with a 4.51 ERA, wasn't good enough. And they knew that any hope of
Fausto Carmona bouncing back from his poor season (7-15) was going to be
delayed because of legal issues he faces in his native Dominican
Republic, where it was disclosed that Carmona, who claimed to be 28, is
actually Roberto Hernandez Heredia, age 32.

So along with the
addition of Jimenez last July, the Indians acquired Derek Lowe from
Atlanta and Kevin Slowey from Colorado during the offseason. They also
invited Jon Garland to spring training, although he never showed up for
his physical and was removed from the spring roster.

"This is a new start for me," said Jimenez. "I feel good and I look forward to be the pitcher I am capable of being."

Jimenez
feels so good that even a statistically ugly spring debut didn't create
concern. He lasted only one inning in an 8-6 loss to Cincinnati on
Sunday, allowing five runs, four unearned, on five hits. What Jimenez
focused on was a fastball that was solidly in the 94-to-96 mile per hour
range.

"You never want the score to be like that," he said, "but I was throwing a lot of strikes."

It was, said Jimenez, a step in the right direction.

And there are more major strides that Jimenez needs to take this spring to get back to being the pitcher he was two years ago.