GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Fausto Carmona, the one-time Dr. Jekyll-and-Mr. Hide of Cleveland's pitching staff, appears ready to again operate at the highest level.

He has done so all spring, and Tuesday was no exception. He shut down and shut out the Chicago White Sox for the first five innings of the Indians' 10-inning, 2-2 tie.

"He was real good. He made some adjustments in that first inning, and was fantastic over the last four," said Indians manager Eric Wedge, referring to consecutive walks Carmona issued with one out in the first. "He had a feel for correcting himself, and that's half the battle for anyone."

Carmona's big battle is overcoming a hiccup in his career, from a strained hip that forced him to miss two months in the heart of last season.

If he regains his previous plateau, there is no telling the heights he can reach.

"I'm back to feeling the way I did in 2007," said the jovial Carmona. "I'm looking for a big year."

If it's big enough, one cannot rule out a Cy Young Award -- something for which he finished fourth when teammate CC Sabathia got the honor in 2007.

With Cliff Lee succeeding Sabathia in the trophy room last season, Carmona could give the Indians a trio of different Cy Young Award pitchers in as many years -- something never accomplished in the Majors.

"Everything is going perfectly," Carmona said. "I'm only thinking about getting ready."

Carmona's overall numbers are somewhat diminished by his misfortunate spin as the Indians' closer in 2006, when he went 1-10 in what was his rookie season. As a starter, however, he has a career record of 28-19.

Now he is trying to recapture 2007, when he helped the Indians to the American League Central flag by going 19-8, with a 3.06 ERA, which ranked second in the league to John Lackey's 3.01.

"He's experienced a great deal over a short period of time," Wedge said. "Sometimes it takes years to figure out what kind of pitcher you'll be. And he'll be a solid starter for us."

Four of Carmona's Cactus League outings have been scoreless, the exception being a March 9 start against the same White Sox, who roughed him up for five hits and three runs in three innings.

So talk about making adjustments. One of the two hits he allowed Tuesday was a bunt single by Josh Fields, the other a single to center by Jim Thome.

He looked shaky in the first when, besides the two walks, Dewayne Wise took him to the right-field warning track and A.J. Pierzynski hit a vicious liner to center for another out.

"I get in trouble when I'm overexcited," Carmona said. "I had to get over that. [Catcher] Victor [Martinez] helped, coming out to calm me down."

If he is able to pitch up to the promise of spring, the Tribe's entire fandom may need to be calmed down.