Published: August 15, 2008 11:03 am         

It's never easy waiting for that call

Has anybody called Mark Spitz yet?

Why haven't the Cleveland Indians called Aaron Laffey yet?

While sitting on pins and needles waiting to find out if Spitz was ever invited to the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing (and, by the way, when the righteously annoyed Marko announced he wouldn't attend the China Games because nobody invited him, he was standing in Hong Kong), you might have had time to run the remote by the Orioles-Indians game last night. Yes, that was Zach Jackson making the start for the Indians and not Cumberland's Aaron Laffey (and for all I know Jackson pitched a no-hitter, but since I filed this seven hours before he even threw his first pitch ...).

Jackson is the 6-5 left-hander who was included in the CC Sabathia deal the Indians made a while back with the Milwaukee Brewers, and he was called up from Triple-A Buffalo to make last night's start against the Orioles after going 3-1 in Buffalo with a 4.05 ERA.

Meanwhile, Laffey has refound his groove in Buffalo, having turned in what might have been his best performance in a Bisons uniform on Saturday, allowing just four hits and a walk to the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs in eight innings. No Lehigh Valley runner got beyond first base against Laffey.

It appeared that the tumblers were falling into place at that point as Laffey was in line to start last night in Cleveland since he was put in the Bisons rotation in the same slot that the traded Paul Byrd filled with the Indians. So while this week's trade of Byrd to the Red Sox seemed to indicate Laffey would be re-called to Cleveland to pitch last night, the Indians called up Jackson instead.

"We wanted to take a look at him," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said of Jackson. "He threw the ball decent down there and, obviously, we liked him because we traded for him. We wanted to give Laffey a few more starts (at Buffalo)."

You know me. I'm not about to tell anybody how to do their job (ask Peter Angelos, Lee Mazzilli, Mike Flanagan and Jim Duquette), particularly if I don't know any of the particulars, but ... the cheap cynic and the shameless hometown rooter in me wants to smell conspiracy here. Not that the Indians want to get Laffey ("get" as in, "You S.O.B., I will get you!). In fact, you can look at this as the Indians wanting to keep Laffey for as long as they can since we can speculate they're holding off on recalling him in this lost season to prevent him from using any more of his Major League service time.

Cool for the club (particularly financially); not so cool for the player.

David Briggs posted this entry on the Buffalo News blog "Inside Pitch" on Wednesday: "If the Indians were solely worried about winning (Thursday), they would have called up Aaron Laffey to take over Paul Byrd's spot in the rotation. But notwithstanding its five-game winning streak, Cleveland's not. So the Tribe called up Zach Jackson (Wednesday).

"Not much of a surprise. Jackson, a throw-in part of the CC Sabathia trade, has pitched well enough here. In eight outings for the Bisons, including four starts, the 25-year-old left-hander is 3-1 with a 4.05 ERA and might be worth a look by Cleveland. But the move speaks more to the Tribe wanting David Huff and Aaron Laffey to keep gaining confidence in Buffalo than anything."

Briggs went on to write, "But with their season going nowhere, the Indians refuse to push anything ... and while Laffey looks ready to return, the Tribe wants to ensure their prized lefty heads into the winter feeling good about himself."

Feeling good about oneself and having a few extra bucks in your pocket are two different animals. After all, there are a lot of wealthy people out there who would gladly pull the wings off of a butterfly - Peter Angelos comes immediately to mind. So I wouldn't guess Laffey is worried about the extra money a recall would have provided (although I'm sure he wouldn't be opposed to it). Knowing Laffey, the feeling here is he just believes he's ready to return to Cleveland, which is how you would want any pitcher to feel. Oh, and Laffey'll return, Jerry. As Wedge said there is a spot in the Cleveland rotation waiting for him.

When that occurs only the Indians know.

When asked about Laffey last week, Wedge said, "I want Aaron to catch his breath. I think Aaron is going to be a starting pitcher here for a long time. We want him to stay in his delivery, throw his slider and get people out in the first two or three pitches. I think he's gotten away from that. He's been trying to do too much."

On Wednesday, upon Jackson's call-up, Wedge, in discussing Laffey, told reporters, "We're going to give (Laffey) time to make sure he gets where he needs to be."

Frustrating as this must be for Laffey and for all of those who care about him, there is no question the Indians are certain he has a very high major-league ceiling. It would also appear they would like to make it as long a ceiling as they possibly can.

Meanwhile, Mark Spitz announced he would not go to Cleveland or to Buffalo, even if he were invited. And even if he were already there.

Contact Mike Burke at mburke@times-news.com.