The Cleveland Indians will be playing in the 2016 World Series this Tuesday, with home-field advantage, against the Cubs. This is the same night the Cavaliers will be opening their season at home and raising their championship banner after coming back from down three to one in the NBA Finals, only four months ago. Before 2016, as and Clevelander knows, it had been 52 years since Cleveland’s last professional sports championship. Now, within a four month span, the Cavs have won their title and the Indians will be playing for their first title since 1948. The Cubs have not won the World Series since 1906, a 108 year drought. One of these streaks will come to an end this year.
Andrew Miller was simply dominant in the series. He won the ALCS MVP award with 7 and ⅔ innings of work, only allowed 3, no runs and struck out 14 of 25 batters faced with no walks. Pedro Martinez, former pitcher and TBS analyst, commented on the look of Toronto’s dugout when they saw Miller walking from the bullpen to the mound. Pedro said he watched a grim look fall upon every face in the dugout. However I think the most significant statement came from Miller after he won the MVP. Miller said in an interview he did not think he deserved the award. “It's such a special team. It's a special organization. The way they treat us from top to bottom, it's paid off. It's not because of one person or one thing. It's neat to be recognized, but that doesn't matter. What matters is we won a game today and we're going to the World Series and it doesn't get any better than that" (The Plain Dealer). In all of the playoffs, Miller has given the Indians 11 ⅔ innings in which he's allowed just five hits with two walks and a shocking 21 K's. Opponents are hitting .132 off him, and he's posted a 0.60 WHIP. Who is to say this success will stop? (MLB.com)
To me Millers's interview speaks to the great chemistry between all members of the Indians. Most notably is the dominance of the entire bullpen and the dynamic duo of Jason Kipnis and Francisco Lindor in the middle of the infield. Terry Francona is the mastermind behind the Indians success this postseason, specifically with his managing of the bullpen. No one outside of Cleveland expected the Tribe to make in the World Series and now they have a chance to win it all.
The Indians success had led to a strange trend in Cleveland. The Cavs tickets for opening night, which includes the championship ring ceremony and hanging of the championship banner, are actually dropping in resale price. The Indians World Series Tickets sold out within 17 minutes last Thursday morning with the average resale price at $2400 a ticket and rising. It is safe to say the the Q, Jacobs Field (I still have a hard time with Progressive Field), Gateway Plaza and all of downtown Cleveland will be celebrating Tuesday night and cheering on both of our teams.
I only have two concerns with the Indians in the postseason: starting pitching and hitting. In the ALCS only three Indians hitters hit better than .200. My concern with our starting pitching just needs answers to a few questions. Will Trevor Bauer and Danny Salazar be able to pitch? Bauer said he would be good to go in an interview but also said the same before his game three start in the ALCS which was a bloody mess. Terry Francona has said Salazar will be able to come out of the bullpen or possibly start. If not though, will Ryan Merritt be able to come through for the Tribe again? In his second career start he pitched three perfect innings to start the game and only allowed 2 hits in 4 ⅔ innings total. To add more comfort to any pitching concerns, when Trevor Bauer only pitched ⅔ of an inning, the bullpen had a strong showing to get the W. The entire pitching staff posted a 1.43 ERA against Toronto in the ALCS with the bullpen having an ERA of 1.32 without Zach McAllister's one run in one inning of work. The Tribe is an underdog for the World Series, although they have been the underdog in every series this postseason but somehow keep winning.Sincerely,
A die-hard Cleveland sports fan
