Fausto Carmona

Infobox MLB player
name = Fausto Carmona

---

width = 200
caption =
team = Cleveland Indians
number = 55
position = Starting pitcher
birthdate = birth date and age|1983|12|7
birthplace = Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = April 15
debutyear = 2006
debutteam = Cleveland Indians
statyear = 2008 season
stat1label = Win-Loss
stat1value = 28-25
stat2label = Earned run average
stat2value = 4.19
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 253
teams =
*Cleveland Indians (by|2006–present)

Fausto C. Carmona (born December 7, 1983 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a right-handed pitcher for the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball. Carmona made his major league debut with the Indians on April 15, mlby|2006. He was initially used as a starting pitcher, but later in the season was turned into a reliever, and now is a starting pitcher again.

He is known for his hard sinker and exhibiting good control of his pitches. He did not throw exceptionally hard when he first debuted in the minor leagues at age 18, but has since developed a fastball that can reach 97 mph. He also throws a slider and a changeup, but relies mostly on his hard sinker to get many ground ball outs.

Carmona was the first non-rehab start player and full-time roster member of the Lake County Captains to play a game in the big leagues.

On April 9, mlby|2008, the Cleveland Indians signed Carmona to a four-year contract extension through 2011 with three individual club options through 2014. The deal is the most expensive ever for a pre-arbitration starting pitcher.

2006 season

On April 15, 2006, Carmona made his debut when he started the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. He pitched 6 innings giving up one earned run and striking out four. He would go on to win the game, his only win of the season.

On July 20, 2006, the Indians all-time saves leader Bob Wickman was traded to the Atlanta Braves and Carmona was forced into the role of the team closer despite never recording a major league save.

In the span of seven days (from July 30 through August 5), Carmona recorded four losses and three blown saves for the Indians, including walk-off home runs surrendered to Boston's David Ortiz and Detroit's Iván Rodríguez. Carmona lost the closer's role to Tom Mastny soon thereafter.

After the disastrous closer experiment, Carmona was demoted to the Buffalo Bisons, the Indians' Class Triple-A affiliate, where he was placed back in a starter's role. He was promoted to Cleveland again in September, and finished the season as a starter. Carmona ended the 2006 season with a record of 1-10 and a 5.42 ERA.

2007 season

In mlby|2007, Carmona was originally slated to be the Indians' spot starter and to start the season at the team's minor league affiliate, Triple-A Buffalo. However, after Cliff Lee went down with an abdominal strain in spring training that would force him to miss at least the first three weeks of the season, the Indians gave Carmona the opportunity to start in Lee's place. In his first start of the season on April 13, the Chicago White Sox battered him for six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Carmona quickly rebounded, holding the New York Yankees' potent offense to just 2 ER in 6 IP in his next start. He received a no decision, however, when Joe Borowski allowed six runs in the ninth inning to give the Yankees the win. Carmona settled into a groove and won his next five starts, allowing just 5 ER over 39 IP. In the streak, Carmona beat two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana of the Minnesota Twins twice and in one of his starts against the Twins, center fielder Torii Hunter was quoted saying, "I can't wait until we face normal pitchers. This guy's sinker is practically unhittable." The first victory came on April 24 in Minnesota, when Carmona allowed just 2 ER over 7 2/3 IP. The second start came at home on May 17, when Carmona tossed his first career complete game shutout, scattering just four hits along the way.

On July 25, Carmona tossed eight shutout innings against the Boston Red Sox in a 1-0 Indians win. The victory capped a 5-0 July for Carmona. Carmona went on to go 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA and 215 innings pitched for the 2007.

Carmona received serious consideration for the AL Cy Young award, along with teammate CC Sabathia, Boston's Josh Beckett and the Angels' John Lackey. True to his dominant 2007 regular season form, Carmona, in his 1st career postseason game in Game 2 of the 2007 ALDS against the Yankees and Andy Pettitte, allowed 1 earned run on 3 hits over 9 innings in an extra-inning win for Cleveland. He went on to finish fourth in the 2007 Cy Young vote.

On October 20, Carmona was battered by the Red Sox in Game 6 of the 2007 ALCS, surrendering seven runs in two plus innings. He was knocked out of the game in the third inning of the Indians' 12-2 loss to the Sox at Fenway Park.

2008 season

Carmona started the 2008 season off strong before going down on May 24 with a left hip strain after running to cover first base. He stayed on the disabled list for 2 months before making his return to the starting rotation on July 26.

On September 19 against Detroit, Carmona hit Gary Sheffield with a pitch. The two exchanged words as Sheffield walked to first base with his bat tucked under this arm. Before the next pitch, Carmona made a pick-off throw to first base. Sheffield again started exchanging words with Carmona, and this time charged the mound inducing a bench-clearing brawl. Carmona was seen landing several punches to Sheffield's head, which left him bloodied. Carmona and Sheffield were both ejected, along with Indians catcher Víctor Martínez and Tigers second baseman Placido Polanco [cite web |url=http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/gamecenter/recap/MLB_20080919_DET@CLE |title=Indians win with walk-off hit as Carmona, Sheffield brawl |accessdate=2008-09-20 |date=2008-09-19 |publisher=CBSSports.com wire reports]

References

External links

succession box
title = American League Pitcher of the month
years = September 2007
before = Andy Pettitte
after = Cliff Lee
###@@@KEYEND@@@###