You’re up, Ben Francisco.
The Indians placed Jake Westbrook on the 15-day DL yesterday with a left intercostal strain. This is what an intercostal muscle is, and although it is located precipitously close to the stomach area where Westbrook suffered an abdominal strain last year, the Indians promise the two are not related. Then again, they promised that Borowski wasn’t hurt.
To take his spot on the roster will be one young Ben Francisco, who should have made the team coming out of spring training. While not exactly lighting up the scoreboard in Buffalo, Francisco is ready for the majors and has little to nothing left to prove in the minors, where he won a batting title last year. …
This article appears in Apr 23-29, 2008.