Major League Baseball

Ubaldo Jimenez happy to be with Indians

Published Aug. 4, 2011 12:20 a.m. ET

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The Cleveland Indians gave Ubaldo Jimenez a few days to pack his bags and gather his thoughts after acquiring him from the Colorado Rockies at the trading deadline.

They're hoping he arrived in time to revive their chances of winning the AL Central.

Jimenez joined the Indians in Boston on Wednesday, four days after they sent four prospects to the Rockies for the 2010 All-Star who threw a no-hitter en route to a 19-8 record last year. He is scheduled to start for Cleveland against Texas on Friday.

''At first, I was a little surprised,'' Jimenez said before Cleveland's game against the Red Sox on Wednesday night. ''I heard so many rumors the last two weeks. I didn't know where I was going to end up. ... When I heard I was going to the Indians, I got really excited - especially the way they've been playing.''

Jimenez started this season 1-7 - he pulled a groin in spring training, he said - and spent time on the disabled list in April because of a cuticle cut on his right thumb. Jimenez was 6-9 with a 4.46 ERA for Colorado this year, but he had won five of seven decisions before being sent to the mound on Saturday even though he knew he was going to be traded.

He was pulled after one inning, allowing four runs.

''It was stressful. That was the first time I had ever been in that situation,'' Jimenez said. ''As a player, you want to keep doing what you need to do. When I got to the mound, I was trying to stay focused. But it's not easy. My mind was not on the game.''

The Indians are a surprise contender this year, spending most of the first half of the season in first place in the division. But they lost nine of their last 13 games to fall to one game above .500 entering Wednesday night, and they trailed the Central-leading Detroit Tigers by a season-high three games.

Manager Manny Acta said he was encouraged that general manager Chris Antonetti is going for it this year - not just by getting Jimenez, but also going after Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran.

''Him and the best position player that was available; we went after both of them,'' Acta said. ''Unfortunately, we couldn't get the best position player, but we got the best pitcher.''

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