Regular Season Review: Pitchers

After previously recapping the 2018 season for the Tribe's position players, today we focus on both the rotation and the bullpen, and how those two groups fared over the course of the year.

The Starters

Corey Kluber - 33 games, 2.89 ERA, 20-7, 215 IP, 222 SO, 34 BB, 3.12 FIP, 151 ERA+
Trevor Bauer - 28 games, 2.21 ERA, 12-6, 175.1 IP, 221 SO, 57 BB, 2.44 FIP, 198 ERA+
Carlos Carrasco - 32 games, 3.38 ERA, 17-10, 192 IP, 231 SO, 43 BB, 2.94 FIP, 129 ERA+
Mike Clevinger - 32 games, 3.02 ERA, 13-8, 200 IP, 207 SO, 67 BB, 3.52 FIP, 145 ERA+
Shane Bieber - 20 games, 4.55 ERA, 11-5, 114.2 IP, 118 SO, 23 BB, 3.23 FIP, 96 ERA+
Adam Plutko - 17 games, 5.28 ERA, 4-5, 76.2 IP, 60 SO, 23 BB, 6.10 FIP, 83 ERA+

The Bullpen (stats with Indians only)

Cody Allen - 70 games, 4.70 ERA, 27 SV, 67 IP, 80 SO, 33 BB
Brad Hand - 28 games, 2.28 ERA, 8 SV, 27.2 IP, 41 SO, 13 BB
Andrew Miller - 37 games, 4.24 ERA, 2 SV, 34 IP, 45 SO, 16 BB
Dan Otero -  61 games, 5.22 ERA, 1 SV, 58.2 IP, 43 SO, 5 BB
Adam Cimber - 28 games, 4.05 ERA, 20 IP, 7 SO, 7 BB
Neil Ramirez - 47 games, 4.54 ERA, 41.2 IP, 51 SO, 18 BB
Oliver Perez - 51 games, 1.39 ERA, 32.1 IP, 43 SO, 7 BB
Tyler Olson  - 43 games, 4.94 ERA, 27.1 IP, 40 SO, 12 BB
Josh Tomlin - 32 games, 6.14 ERA, 70.1 IP, 46 SO, 12 BB
Zach McAllister - 41 games, 4.97 ERA, 41.2 IP, 34 SO, 10 BB

When four of your starting pitchers rank in the top 8 for ERA in the American League, your team are probably looking pretty good, and that has been the case for this 2018 Indians staff. Led by two legitimate Cy Young candidates, the rotation carried the team on their back as the bullpen, a source of strength in recent years, underperformed and required an overhaul mid-season.

Corey Kluber has been a dominant force on the mound for the past five years yet somehow, this is the first time he’s won 20 games. Even if you discount pitcher wins as an ancient and meaningless statistic, it’s still a remarkable achievement. Kluber’s strikeouts were his lowest total since 2013 and he surrendered 25 home runs this year, the highest mark of his career. However, it did little to deter his effectiveness and he is still among the very best pitchers in baseball. We are lucky to have him and he’ll go down as one of the Tribe greats when all is said and done.

Trevor Bauer took a significant step forward in his development last year but this season he was a revelation, and if it weren’t for his untimely injury in mid-August, he could have convincingly walked away with this year’s AL Cy Young award. As it is, he will likely lose out to the Rays’ Blake Snell or maybe even Kluber, but Bauer has still had an enormously impressive campaign, setting career-best stats in ERA (2.21), strikeouts (221 in 175.1 IP), walks (57), WHIP (1.089) and home runs given up (just 9). The hope now is that he’s recovered completely in time for the playoffs and can have a major impact, either as a starter or out of the bullpen.

Carlos Carrasco followed his impressive 2017 season with another remarkable campaign, leading the team in total strikeouts with 231 punchouts. Carrasco finished fourth in the vote for the 2017 AL Cy Young award and he should be included in the overall picture yet again, albeit a longshot to win. It seems like only yesterday that the Venezuelan was a wild and unpredictable prospect struggling to crack the rotation, so it’s amazing to think how consistent he’s been over the past four years.

Mike Clevinger made tremendous strides in 2017, his first full year in the Tribe rotation, and he has progressed even further in his sophomore season. It’s an impressive feat for any pitcher to crack the 200 strikeout mark and all of his other major statistics saw improvement, despite his walks and home runs increasing (that can be attributed to the extra innings he pitched though). Clevinger has cemented himself as a fan favorite, with his Sunshine nickname and flowing locks to match, and his performances during his three seasons in Cleveland have warranted the praise.

Rounding out the back of the rotation was a combination of Shane Bieber and Adam Plutko. Bieber is still only 23 years-old and was ranked fourth among the Indians’ top 20 prospects prior to his debut. The rookie with the outstanding command (118 SO to 23 BB, an impressive 5.13 SO/BB rate) joined the team in late May and was a reliable presence throughout the summer. He took his shares of knocks like most rookies do, but the signs are encouraging in the long run. Plutko, a 26 year-old right-hander who made the briefest of appearances in 2016, took the mound when called upon and held his own as a fifth starter, often serviceable but ultimately unremarkable.

The Terry Francona era will be defined by the incredible starting pitchers he’s had at his disposal and under his leadership the Indians’ rotation have been one of the strongest in the league each year. 2018 was no different and together the grouped ranked ninth in league ERA, fourth in the AL, with a 3.77 mark. Perhaps the story of this season will revolve around the foursome of Kluber, Bauer, Carrasco and Clevinger, as the group achieved history, helping the Indians become the first team in Major League history to have four starting pitchers record 200 or more strikeouts in a single season.

Moving on to the bullpen, it was an altogether different experience. The relief corps got off to an awful start to 2018, ranking as one of the worst groups in the entire league and it took a big mid-season trade to right the sinking ship.

The backbone of the Tribe’s bullpen has been Cody Allen and Andrew Miller but both of these star relievers suffered setbacks.

Allen, for years a reliable and calm presence, appeared rattled in many of his relief outings and anxiety crept into the fanbase as each hit and walk was given up. He also succumbed to the home run bug, surrendering a career high 11 homers, and as each ball left the yard the fans’ faith in Allen diminished a bit further. His strikeouts were down (career-low 80 SO), his walks were up (career-high 33 BB) and his ERA of 4.70 is the highest in his career so far. No longer can we consider Allen the default closer on this team, especially as the 29 year-old approaches free agency, but the Tribe’s all-time saves leader can still be a very useful late-inning reliever if he can maintain control of his breaking stuff.

Miller, one of the elite relief arms in the game, struggled with injuries all year and never looked 100%. Shoulder inflammation held him back from being the impact reliever we became accustomed to, but he also spent time on the disabled list to treat his knee and hamstring as well. A 1.86 ERA over 10 games in August showed signs of a return to form but the left-hander returned to the DL at the end of that month with another setback, for a third time. The Tribe were fortunate that their race to seal a postseason berth was simple and they could be patient with Miller’s recovery, all in the hope that he can recapture his magic in October.

With Allen and Miller misfiring, it was Brad Hand’s introduction that began the process of curing the bullpen’s issues. Hand was acquired from San Diego (along with Adam Cimber) in exchange for top catching prospect Francisco Mejia and the 28 year-old lefty made an instant impact. The two-time All Star pitched in 28 games for the Tribe and recorded 41 strikeouts in 27.2 innings. He’s been everything Indians fans expected and if Allen or Miller are able to help him out, the combination of two or even all three of them would make for an unhittable group in the playoffs.

Perhaps the only shining light outside of Hand has been Oliver Perez. The 36 year-old journeyman left-hander has snuck under the radar in 2018 to record an impressive season, with a 1.39 ERA over 51 games, with 43 strikeouts. Perez signed with the team in June after his release from the Yankees and was able to immediately insert himself into the bullpen as a stabilizing presence.

Unfortunately the rest of the group were not so effective, and the core guys who remained in the pen most of the year all suffered disappointing seasons.

In his previous two years with the Indians, Dan Otero had been a reliable option for Terry Francona but the 33 year-old suffered in 2018, like so many of his fellow relievers. All of his major statistics increased (not in the good way) and his home runs doubled from last year (6 in 2017 compared to 12 this year), as did his ERA (2.85 in 2017, 5.22 this season). The right-hander could potentially be in Cleveland for another two years, so he’ll be hoping to rebound in 2019.

Neil Ramirez surrendered 9 home runs in 41.2 innings and although his regular season performance improved from 2017 (split between the Giants and Mets), it’s unlikely the Indians will be clamoring to reacquire him in free agency.

Tyler Olson in particular crashed back to earth, after his incredible 0.00 ERA season in 2017. The left-hander was never going to repeat that sort of production but he’ll be very annoyed with himself at his bloated 4.94 ERA.

Adam Cimber joined the team as part of the deal for Hand but the submarine hurler wasn’t very productive in the 20 innings he featured in for the Indians, and failed to find much of a rhythm.

And finally, Josh Tomlin. What else is there left to say about Tomlin? He transitioned from a starter into a full-time member of the bullpen in May but the change did little to help his performances. The 33 year-old made a handful of spot starts in September but you get the sense is time in Cleveland has come to an end, especially considering he is a free agent next year.

Altogether the Tribe used 24 different players in relief, most of them in the first half of the season as Terry Francona desperately searched for solutions. It got to the stage where the Tribe were forced to play anyone available, hoping someone would stick. Even Brandon Guyer pitched an inning (a scoreless one at that). Despite the addition of Hand, even he couldn't cure the bullpen's woes single-handedly, as the reliever's group ERA of 4.60 ranked as the sixth worst in the entire league, behind the cellar-dwellers like the Tigers and White Sox.

-----------------------------------------------

Ultimately the Indians will rely on their vaunted rotation if they are to achieve success this postseason. Unlike 2016, they no longer have that lights-out bullpen to fall back on, and so Francona will trust in his starters to carry the load each night. If Allen, Miller, Hand and company can conjure some October magic, perhaps this group can carry Cleveland to that elusive third World Series title.

First they must contend with the Houston Astros and their formidable lineup and pitching staff. Game one gets underway tomorrow at the UK-friendly time of 2:05 pm EDT, which means I won't have to stay up all night.

Corey Kluber takes the mound against Justin Verlander, a pitcher the Indians have enjoyed success against in the past. Verlander didn't face the Indians this year but when he was still in Detroit in 2017, Cleveland took him apart over his four starts and 30 innings. The veteran allowed 19 earned runs, walking 12, and the Tribe crushed 5 home runs against him too. Confidence should be high heading into this match-up and fans will be eager to see if the lineup can repeat history and dismantle Verlander once more.

Unfinished Business: ALDS Preview

I have to admit, it's a strange world when postseason baseball begins and it is the Indians who are considered the favorites and not the historically rich Yankees. Coming off the back of 2016, when the Tribe came so agonizingly close to winning it all, it would have been a disaster if they missed out on October baseball this year. But we had no reason to fear, not even during those inconsistent first months; all that matters now is that they're back, having retooled and upgraded (thank you Edwin and Jay). Our expectations this month pretty much start and end with a championship. Anything less will be considered a failure.

First of all they must get past the vaunted Bronx Bombers, a team I saw in person this season during my time in New York. I said previously that the Indians are considered favorites but in truth the gap between the two sides is very close. The Yankees are arguably ahead of schedule; no one really expected them to be here in 2017, not yet anyway. Thanks to Aaron Judge's monstrous rookie season, and some fine pitching and hitting from his teammates, the New York side have somewhat crashed the party and won't hesitate to throw everything they have at an Indians team with loftier ambitions than this time last year. 

When Cleveland took on Boston in the 2016 ALDS, I just wanted them to give a good account of themselves, to push the Red Sox to a game 5 and see if they could ride their luck into the ALCS. The fact that the Tribe went on to sweep Boston out of the series was something I never even dreamed of. In 2017 the expectations are much higher and progress past Aaron Judge and his merry men is expected, perhaps even demanded.

Game 1 starts tonight and Terry Francona has made the surprising choice to start Trevor Bauer on the mound and not Corey Kluber. Bauer did beat the Yankees twice in August though, holding them to just a single run in each match-up: 7 innings at Progressive Field on August 4th, then 6 innings at Yankee Stadium on August 30th. But despite his recent success the majority of fans would have expected Kluber to get the nod for the opener. However Francona clearly trusts Bauer, and his bullpen, to get the job done and save Kluber for game 2. It gives the ace a full 5 days of rest ahead of his start and ensures he could feature in a pivotal game 5 if necessary. And with a bullpen that includes the likes of Danny Salazar, Mike Clevinger and Andrew Miller, why wouldn't you be confident? Francona made excellent use of Miller last October and earned many plaudits for it. Now he has even more talent at his disposal and knows full well that to be successful in the playoffs, the guy who starts the game doesn't necessarily have to finish it.

Game 3 would likely see Carlos Carrasco make his first ever postseason appearance, after cruelly being left on the sidelines in 2016 thanks to injury. Every Tribe fan is excited to see Carlos on the big stage and combined with Kluber, that's a two-headed fire-breathing pitching dragon that opposition teams will not want to face. Josh Tomlin is available to pitch game 4 if called upon.

The Yankees send Sonny Gray to the mound tonight, a pitcher I've always admired. Backed by that powerful lineup which led the league in total home runs, with 241 of them, Gray will feel confident facing the Tribe. He pitched against Cleveland three times this season, throwing 16.2 innings with a 4.86 ERA, and Tribe hitters batted just .224 against him. A stern test awaits the Indians for sure but nothing they haven't seen, and conquered, before.

The Indians will ultimately be hoping to make quick work of New York, just like they did against Boston in 2016. I feel this series will be closer than last year's ALCS but overall I still expect Cleveland to emerge victorious. Ideally with plenty of rest ahead of the next opponent.

Tigers Tame Tribe & DL Disturbance

Apologies for my lack of words regarding the recent Mariners series win. I was away for the weekend on my stag-do (American readers, see bachelor party). Therefore I wasn't in the best condition to be writing about baseball, even if it was largely good, victorious Cleveland baseball.

The Indians traveled to Detroit this week to kick off a 10-game road trip and didn't get off to the best of starts, losing what should have been a four-game series by two games to one, thanks to a rainout on Thursday that reduced the series to three games. The sole victory came courtesy of Carlos Carrasco, who pitched 6 strong innings in a narrow 3-2 win on Wednesday night, and he was backed by a key Jose Ramirez triple that scored 2 of those runs. Let's look at some of the news items that cropped up over the course of the series.

Disabled List Dilemmas

On Tuesday the Indians placed outfielder Austin Jackson on the 10-day disabled list with a hyperextended big toe, and relief pitcher Shawn Armstrong was called up from Triple-A Columbus in his stead. The injury occurred in the ninth inning of Monday's 7-1 loss, as Jackson planted his left foot awkwardly on the first base bag after legging out an infield hit. He was clearly in some pain but thankfully it appears this injury is unrelated to Jackson's left knee surgery he had in June 2016, that ended his season.

I was slightly surprised Jackson's trip to the DL wasn't met with a like-for-like swap, with Tyler Naquin being the most obvious choice to take the open roster spot. That could still happen but we all know how Tito loves a stocked bullpen, so Armstrong got the call this time. The Tribe are currently carrying Michael Brantley, Lonnie Chisenhall, Abraham Almonte and Brandon Guyer as their core outfielders, and Jose Ramirez can fill in if necessary, as could a couple of others if forced. It seems like the skipper is happy with his lot though and he might not want to interrupt Naquin's development in Columbus for what could be just a 10-day stint until Jackson's return.

So far this season Jackson has been platooned in center field, primarily facing left-handed pitchers, and is slashing .273/.368/.485 (BA/OBP/SLG) with 1 home run, 2 RBI, and 5 walks in 38 plate appearances.

Corey Kluber took the mound on Tuesday but exited after three innings due to some discomfort and tightness in his lower back, which has been causing him grief on and off all season. Outside of this rocky start in Detroit, Kluber had pitched at least 6 innings in every appearance this season but there have still been signs that he hasn't been operating at one hundred per cent. The amount of walks he's given up have been relatively high (13 in 37.1 innings) and his ability to induce weak contact from opposition hitters has been poor, with some stats suggesting he's been the worst in the league at doing so. He's also given up 7 home runs this year - that's already half of his season total (14 HR) from 2014, the year he won the AL Cy Young. It's clear he's not been his old self and the pain in his back is almost certainly why.

The Tribe's ace pitcher has now been officially placed on the 10-day disabled list, with reliever Joe Colon taking his spot to further reinforce the bullpen. To be honest, Kluber could benefit from a bit of time off. He had an incredibly intense 2016 season, throwing a total of 249.1 innings between the regular and post seasons. It's far better to rest him now and not risk further injury later down the road when the games become more slightly more important in a potential division race. Plus, he's likely to only miss one scheduled start, so could return in mid May to slot back into the rotation.

Mike Clevinger is the prime candidate to fill in on Sunday against the Royals, when Kluber was set to pitch next. However because of the rainout in Detroit tonight, he could now feature on Monday instead, against the Blue Jays in Toronto. Clevinger has been in fine form this season with a 1.50 ERA over his six starts down at Triple-A Columbus, with 32 strikeouts and 10 walks in 30 innings. He also pitched on Tuesday so is lined up perfectly to feature on schedule. With the Indians carrying so many bullpen arms at the moment, it's likely one of Armstrong or Colon will be swapped out for Clevinger, probably just prior to when he's required. I for one am looking forward to watching the big right-hander pitch for the Tribe once more, and hope he can impress, should he get the call-up.

The Indians Have An Elite Bullpen

The Tribe bullpen were called to arms this week against the Tigers and on the whole did a stellar job.

In Monday's opening game, starter Trevor Bauer was pounded early, giving up 5 runs in the first two innings alone. Somehow he managed to last four innings in total, giving up 7 hits, 7 runs, 5 walks, and struck out 3, and it was just an awful outing overall. "It was bad," Bauer said. "I didn't command the ball well, obviously." Yeah, no shit Trevor! Thankfully Zach McAllister and Dan Otero combined to pitch the rest of the game, and mopped up 4 collective innings of scoreless ball. It was an encouraging outing from the relief duo and prevented the 7-1 loss from looking even more lopsided.

Tuesday's second contest saw Shawn Armstrong, Nick Goody and Boone Logan combine for 5 shutout innings with no hits allowed after Kluber was forced from the game with his back injury. Despite the Indians losing the game 5-2, the trio of relievers kept the team in the game all the way. Special mention must go to Armstrong in particular, throwing 2.2 innings with 3 strikeouts, and making the most of his opportunity in the bigs.

In the third game Wednesday night we saw the Indians' top guys, Andrew Miller and Cody Allen, who did not disappoint. Miller pitched the seventh and eighth innings, allowing just a single hit and striking out 4, allowing no runs as usual. Allen entered in the ninth and despite not letting the Tigers tag him for a hit, he did allow 2 walks to keep things interesting. Allen enjoyed teasing the Detroit faithful before he struck out outfielder Jim Adduci to seal the Tribe victory, and Allen's 7th save of 2017.

You could make a convincing argument that the Indians' bullpen is the strongest part of this team. The entire group have a 1.91 ERA with 96 strikeouts over 80 innings of relief. Miller has seen the most action thus far, 13.1 innings, and has yet to surrender a run and carries a 0.00 ERA. He is followed by Allen and Bryan Shaw, who each have 11 innings pitched. At the time of writing, the bullpen have gone 12 games (34.1 innings) without allowing an earned run. During that stretch they have struck out a whopping 48 hitters.

Overall I can't praise this Indians bullpen enough. They are doing everything a manager and a fanbase can ask of them.

-----------------------------------------------

Because the final game against the Tigers has now been postponed the Indians will travel to Kansas City for a three game series at Kauffman Stadium. Danny Salazar will face off against Jason Hammel tomorrow night, and he has struggled for the Royals in 2017.

Thanks for reading.

Baseball Cards: All Tribe Additions

Every year around spring training the baseball card bug bites me. It must have something to do with all that pre-season anticipation and Topps releasing all of their new designs. And each year when this feeling hits me, I head over to Check Out My Collectibles and see if I can score a bargain or two. Recently a small batch of Indians cards I'd ordered in the spring arrived and I thought I'd share them. Like my previous baseball card posts in the past, none of these are very special to serious collectors, nor are they worth a lot of money. I just buy them because I like the player and/or I like the design.

Let's begin with this Mike Clevinger 2016 Bowman Chrome - Prospects Autograph. It's a really clean auto in blue ink. It's not a particularly noteworthy card but I've been an admirer of Clev for a while now and am hoping he features for the big club in 2017. The card was just $2.74, which I think is a decent price for an autograph.

Up next is a card from the same set but from the year before, a 2015 Bowman Chrome - Prospects Autographs featuring third baseman Giovanny Urseha and his signature. The auto isn't the greatest but I still like the card a lot, and at $1.73 I added it to my basket without a second's thought. I've long been a fan of Gio's defensive prowess at the hot corner and despite Yandy Diaz beating him out for the Opening Day roster spot, I still want to see Urshela get some time in Cleveland in 2017.

This was the most deluxe card I bought from my mini haul. This Andrew Miller 2016 Topps Tier One - Prime Performers Autographs set me back $8.25. It's numbered 240 out of 249, and I don't tend to fuss over numbered cards too much but it's an added bonus. Despite Miller being in his old Yankees uniform, I still think it's a lovely card, especially with the extra large auto and gold trim. I'm like a magpie, I love shiny things.

Next up is a bit of a strange one, which I bought for a couple of reasons. When I fully got into my Indians fandom in 2008, Fausto Carmona was one of my favorite players. Coming off the back of a superb 2007 season, in which the Dominican posted a 3.06 ERA and a 19-8 record, I thought this guy was going to be a star. Unfortunately his 2008 season was a train-wreck but it did help teach me a lesson about pitchers. The second reason is because in 2012 it was revealed that Fausto Carmona was actually Roberto Hernandez, and Carmona was his alias (he was also three years older than he claimed to be as Carmona.) This got me thinking: how many people own an autographed card by a fake player, signed with a fake name? I thought it made this quite a unique pick-up and it also helped that it's a quality card, with very heavy stock and numbered out of 300 too. For the record it's a 2011 Topps Marquee - Monumental Markings that cost me $3.70 and I love it. I am still a big fan of those Indians home jerseys with the navy piping too.

And finally we have something a little simpler but still a great card. How can any Francisco Lindor card not be great? This is a 2016 Topps Update Series - [Base] card that cost $0.70 and features Lindor in his All Star garb from last year's midsummer classic in San Diego. It's the photography I love most about this card, the shot of his name across his jersey and the way his head is tilted away from the sun. Frankie is such a dude, and I pray to the baseball gods he can remain in Cleveland for the next 20 years.

2017 Spring Training Wishlist: Part 3

Here we are, at the third and final part of my look at the Indians ahead of Spring Training, and what I want to see from them before the 2017 season begins.

In this installment I'll look at the pitching staff, an area of real strength for the Indians in recent years.

Bullpen Just Got Better

When you have a guy like Andrew Miller in your pen, then you're already looking pretty good. But when you add a proven arm like Boone Logan, then things are looking downright unfair for opposition hitters. Pair those guys with the likes of Cody Allen, Dan Otero and Bryan Shaw, and you've got the makings of an elite bullpen.

When the Indians confirmed the signing of Logan on 7th February to a 1 year deal rumored to be worth $5.5 million, the team upgraded in a big way. Logan has a superb record against left handers, with lefties batting just .139 against him in 2016, with a brilliant .222 on-base percentage too. And this is from a guy who pitched in Colorado, a notorious hitter's haven with that mile-high air they have. With Miller planning to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, we might see Logan used a bit more this spring, although I'd rather he be saved for the season ahead ideally.

Ultimately there isn't a lot of competition in the bullpen this spring, not for key contributors at least. A couple of fringe pitchers will be hoping to catch on with the team when they fly to Texas for Opening Day. Guys like Zach McAllister, Ryan Merritt, Nicky Goody, Shawn Armstrong and Carlos Frias (plus a few more) will be battling it out for the final spot or two, depending on how many arms Francona wants to break camp with. Despite Merritt's postseason heroics I think the skipper will opt for the veteran McAllister, provided Zach doesn't self-destruct in Arizona, plus he's just been paid handsomely by avoiding arbitration. However I would like to see Merritt in particular have a great spring, as I'm keen to see him pitch some meaningful innings this season. Start and you mean to go on and all that.

Rotation: Steady As A Rock

The Indians return the entirety of their rotation for 2017 and there's not going to be a great deal of competition here, provided everyone stays healthy. The group is led by ace Corey Kluber, who narrowly missed out on winning the 2016 AL Cy Young award. Kluber had a stellar season, pitching 215 innings over 32 starts to a 3.14 ERA for an AL leading 149 ERA+ and 3.26 FIP.

Kluber is flanked by Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, both exciting and valuable pitchers who suffered from health issues in 2016, yet still provided meaningful innings. They'll both be out to prove their health and abilities are back to 100%.

Backing up the rotation are current incumbents Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin, who had decent if not spectacular campaigns last year. Despite Bauer's notorious drone issues (and dubious political views), he actually had a solid 2016; his walks were down to a career low 3.32 BB/9, a nice trend for any pitcher to continue going forward, and his groundball rate increased to 48,7%, which was nice to see from Bauer considering his past history of giving up homers. Tomlin had a very impressive start to 2016, going undefeated until the end of May, but when the dog days of summer took hold Tomlin fell off a cliff; he lost 5 straight in August and his ERA and home runs rocketed.

The challengers to Bauer and Tomlin are likely to be Mike Clevinger, Cody Anderson and Ryan Merritt. I rate Clevinger a lot and would really enjoy seeing him push for a spot in the rotation. The 26 year-old Jacksonville native had mixed results in Cleveland last year, compiling a 5.26 ERA in 17 appearances, 10 of which were starts. He found a lot more success in Columbus, with a 3.00 ERA in 17 starts, with an 11-1 record over that span. A hot spring in 2017 would earn him another look at cracking the big league roster but he'll have to be lights-out to get there.

Whereas Anderson is very much on the outside looking in. This time last year he was a shoe-in for a rotation spot after a breakout 2015 campaign (3.05 ERA in 15 starts, for a 141 ERA+). However a sub-par 2016 followed and now his future looks cloudy. Is he better off aiming for a bullpen spot or biding his time in Columbus as a starter? Anderson had off-season elbow surgery so hopefully he's put his 2016 demons to rest and he can return to that 2015 form that made him so effective. He'll need some impressive spring showings to prove his best days are still ahead of him.

I've mentioned Merritt before but honestly I don't see him making the rotation until later in the year, even if he has a quality spring. Ideally he can impress over the next couple of months and turn that momentum into a June/July call-up with an aim to stick around permanently.

----------------------------------------------

That's a wrap, and just in time too as pitchers and catchers reported yesterday, the first sign that baseball is officially back. We've got just under 2 months of exhibition baseball to enjoy/endure before the Indians start their work for real. It's a pleasure to have them back.

Thanks for reading.

World Series - Game 4 - One Win Away

Indians' second baseman Jason Kipnis grew up just outside of Chicago, less than 20 miles from Wrigley Field. Raised a Cubs fan, Kipnis always wanted to play in a World Series inside the famous old stadium. However, as an adult he seems to have put any feelings he used to have for the Cubs to one side as he is firmly focused on beating his childhood team.

"I have cousins who are full-on rooting for the Cubs... They’re Cubs fans, and that’s fine by me. I hope to have a great big smile during Thanksgiving and Christmas, and have this to hold over their head, and bragging rights every time I see them. I’d love to just have that little grin on my face knowing that I beat their team. That’d mean a lot to me."

Well Kipnis helped the Tribe get one step closer to making his words become reality as he broke open game 4 of the World Series with a monster 3 run homer into the right field bleachers to put the game beyond Chicago and give Cleveland an opportunity to win their first championship since 1948. The Indians ran out 7-2 winners on the night.

Indians' ace Corey Kluber started for the Tribe and despite gifting the Cubs an early lead on a Anthony Rizzo single in the first inning, he soon settled into his usual rhythm. Kluber lasted 6 innings and gave up 5 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk and he struck out 6 Cubs. Kluber now has a 0.89 ERA during the postseason, the second-best postseason mark in baseball history among pitchers with at least 30 innings in one postseason. The Dodgers' Burt Hooton is the only pitcher who bests him, when he posted a 0.82 ERA over 33 innings in 1981.

Here's a photo of my signed Corey Kluber card just because

Kluber turned the ball over to Andrew Miller to start the 7th inning and Miller struck out 2 in his 2 innings of work, setting a single-postseason record for a reliever with 29 strikeouts, beating Francisco Rodriguez's 2002 record of 28 strikeouts. Miller did see his scoreless innings streak come to an end though, when he served up a solo homer to Dexter Fowler in the 8th inning. Terry Francona opted to rest his closer Cody Allen for the 9th and Dan Otero closed it out instead with a scoreless inning for the Tribe.

The real story of the night was the Indians' lineup breaking out to put the hurt on the Cubs' John Lackey and the rest of their bullpen. The Tribe offense had 10 hits, 3 walks, and Kipnis, Francisco Lindor, Lonnie Chisenhall and Carlos Santana all picked up RBI. Santana's came in spectacular fashion, thanks to a mammoth home run off Lackey in the top of the 2nd inning. Santana's third postseason homer went against a strong wind, but still nestled deep into the right-field bleachers to get the Tribe back in the game.

Overall it was a convincing performance from the Indians and they are now just one win away from winning the World Series. I still can't get over this fact and it feels strange just to say it. Sunday night's Game 5 will see the Indians send Trevor Bauer to the mound on 3 day's rest and he will face off against the Cubs' lefty Jon Lester. I'm not expecting a miracle from Bauer by any means, and whatever happens Cleveland will be going home after this game. But wouldn't it be nice to take the World Series trophy with them on the flight back?

World Series - Game 3 - Tomlin Tames Cubs

The first World Series game hosted at historic Wrigley Field in over half a century didn't have the outcome the home fans wanted, but the Tribe faithful can be elated as Cleveland fought hard for a 1-0 win to take back the lead in the series once more.

It was a bitter night in Chicago and Cubs fans were expecting a win to celebrate the first World Series game at Wrigley Field in 71 years. But not even Bill Murray singing the 7th inning stretch could save the Cubbies as the Indians' timely hitting and remarkable ability to pitch out of jams gave the home team a loss, and Cleveland a 2-1 lead in the World Series heading into game 4.

The Indians sent Josh Tomlin to the mound, and with his father Jerry watching from the stands, the younger Tomlin delivered in the postseason once again. The 32 year-old Texan battled through 4.2 innings of high pressure, shutout baseball and limited the Cubs to just 2 hits, whilst walking 1 and striking out 1 also. Tomlin has been inspirational this October, and has a 1.76 ERA over 15.1 innings of work in 3 starts. With unfavourably windy conditions at Wrigley threatening to punish a notorious fly-ball pitcher like Tomlin, he never let the moment and the elements get to him. There have been a host of impressive and crucial Indians players this postseason and I don't think Tomlin has received quite enough of the credit. He has been essential to this club's success.

Andrew Miller took over from Tomlin in the bottom of the 5th and got the final out, and then proceeded to strike out the side in the 6th, making the Cubs batters look clueless. Miller added to his legacy yet again and now has 15.1 scoreless innings and 27 strikeouts this postseason. He's now a single strikeout shy from tying Francisco Rodriguez's 2002 single-postseason record of 28 for a relief pitcher and his streak of consecutive scoreless innings is a new postseason record for a reliever. At this rate he'll get a statue outside Progressive Field in no time.

Miller was surprisingly lifted from the game in the 7th inning but for good reason. The Indians had started a rally and looked set to score their first run of the night, so the master strategist Terry Francona made his move. With super-utility man Michael Martinez on as a pinch runner at third base and Rajai Davis at first after a walk, the table was set for the Tribe to take the lead. Miller, known for his wipeout slider and not his hitting, was pulled for the pinch-hitting Coco Crisp and the veteran made the most of another big October opportunity. He has been so clutch in the playoffs for the Indians and lined a single into right field that just dropped in front of Cubs RF Jorge Soler. Martinez never hesitated and crossed the plate to make it 1-0 to the Tribe, with Davis getting thrown out at third for good measure. It didn't matter though as the Indians had finally broken the deadlock and didn't intend to let the Cubs mount a comeback.

Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen combined to pitch the final three innings and despite the Cubs doing their best to put the duo to the sword, they couldn't quite get the hit that counted and the home crowd fell silent as Allen struck out Javier Baez on a high fastball to end the game.

The Indians now have the chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead as Corey Kluber will take the mound tonight on short rest after his game 1 victory. John Lackey, a pitcher accustomed to the World Series after trips in 2002 and 2013, will represent Chicago.

World Series - Game 1 - Tribe Take Opener

It was a night to remember in the city of Cleveland. The Cavaliers hung their 2015/16 NBA championship banner and the players collected their long sought-after rings, as they topped the Knicks in their season opener. And across the road at Progressive Field, the Indians began their quest to earn their very own championship, by attempting to win their first World Series since 1948. And the hometown team got off to an impressive start, shutting out the Chicago Cubs 6-0 in front of a raucous sell-out crowd.

Both clubs sent their aces to the mound, with Corey Kluber representing for Cleveland and Jon Lester pitching for the Cubs. Lester is a big game pitcher, and has played in two World Series before in 2007 and 2013. He's been on the biggest stage and delivered when it mattered most but tonight he was outshone by Kluber, making his first ever World Series start but you wouldn't know it by looking at his face.

Kluber was utterly dominant, as he shutout Chicago over 6 innings and allowed just 4 hits and no walks. The right-hander from Birmingham, Alabama got off to a hot start, a record setting one in fact, striking out 8 Cubs in the first 3 innings alone. Kluber went on to record a total of 9 K's and picked up the win for his efforts.

He was backed up by an offense who got to Lester early, as the Tribe took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a Jose Ramirez RBI single and Brandon Guyer being hit by an errant cutter in the leg, forcing home a second run with the bases loaded.

Indians catcher Roberto Perez then proceeded to steal the show. The 27 year-old from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico is having quite a post-season, and in front of millions of viewers he clubbed 2 home runs to put the game beyond the Cubs. Perez's first homer came in the bottom of the 4th inning, a solo shot that just cleared the left field wall to increase the Tribe's lead to 3-0. Then Perez returned in the 8th inning and eliminated any hope Chicago had left, smashing a deep 3 run homer into the left field stands to make it 6-0 to the Tribe. Perez only had 3 home runs in the regular season and has now matched that tally in October alone.

Special mentions must also go to Andrew Miller and Cody Allen for their sterling work out of the bullpen. Miller wasn't his dominant self but still pitched 2 scoreless innings and escaped a few jams, making the Tribe fans sweat a little in the process. Allen pitched the 9th inning and gave up a Willson Contreras double, but he struck out 3 to close out the game with ease.

And just like that the Indians won their first World Series game since 1997. Tonight will see Trevor Bauer pitch against Chicago's Jake Arrieta in game 2, which has been brought forward an hour in an attempt to avoid some incoming rain. I'm not expecting another performance on par with Kluber's but if Bauer can just get through 5 innings relatively unscathed before turning it over to Miler, I'll be happy.

Thanks for reading.

ALCS Review - World Series Bound!

WE'RE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES!

You read that right! Your 2016 Cleveland Indians are heading to the fall classic, their first World Series appearance since 1997. Terry Francona's team have a chance to join Cleveland immortality, to be up there with the Tribe greats like Bob Feller, Satchel Paige, Bob Lemon, Larry Doby and Lou Boudreau. 

I am writing these words just minutes after Carlos Santana gloved the final out of game 5 and I'm still stunned that the Indians were able to dispatch the Blue Jays so convincingly, emerging as 4-1 victors in the ALCS to take the pennant.

Onto the review:

Game 1 - Friday, October 14, 2016 - Progressive Field

We waited a long time for Francisco Lindor. Or at least it felt like a long time, such was the level of anticipation for the Puerto Rican to make his debut in the show. The 21 year-old broke onto the big stage in 2015 and narrowly missed out on the AL Rookie of the Year award. He was everything we hoped for and more. His sophomore season saw him continue his development, becoming a leader in the clubhouse and earning a spot on the All Star team. Lindor was a big reason why the Indians won the AL Central this season. I wouldn't swap him for any other shortstop in the majors.

And then he went and added to his lore, by coming up big in the post-season, thanks to a huge home run in game 1 of the ALDS that KO'ed Boston and then another homer in game 1 of the ALCS. Toronto never saw him coming, but Indians fans did. We've known about him for years and it's about time the national media did too.

With Corey Kluber bending but not breaking and Marco Estrada in the midst of a strong outing, Lindor came to the plate in the top of the 6th inning with the game scoreless. With 1 out and Kipnis at first base after a walk, Lindor patiently waited for his pitch and pounced on an Estrada change-up left up just a little bit. And that was all she wrote, as Lindor golfed it into the right center field stands and the Indians never looked back. Lindor's homer gave the Indians a 2-0 lead that they weren't going to surrender and the Tribe took game 1.

A quick word must be said for the Indians pitching staff too. To keep that monster Toronto lineup scoreless was a real achievement. Kluber pitched into the 7th inning and despite not being his usual dominant self, he still kept the Jays off the board. He wriggled out of a few potential scoring opportunities for Toronto so credit must go to our ace.

And then Andrew Miller entered the game and did his thing. In 1.2 innings of work Miller fanned 5 Blue Jays to completely extinguish any remaining threat the visitors posed. Cody Allen pitched the 9th and retired the side in order, striking out Michael Saunders in the process, and picked up the save. Miller has understandably taken all the plaudits but Allen has been stellar as well in October.

Game 2 - Saturday, October 15, 2016 - Progressive Field

When the Indians traded for Andrew Miller at the end of July, I had some misgivings. I knew he was an elite reliever that could (and would) take our bullpen to the next level. But I was sad to see us lose Clint Frazier, the center field prospect the Tribe drafted in 2013. Frazier was the first draft pick that I had researched properly prior to the draft so I followed his ascent up the minor league ladder with more interest than usual. So when we sent him packing to the Yankees I was gutted that he'd never make it to the majors in an Indians uniform. I don't think he was too far away either, and the Yankees definitely have a good one on their books.

However, with all that being said, acquiring Miller might prove to be one of the best trades the Indians have ever made. After dominating the Red Sox in the ALDS and blanking the Blue Jays in game 1, Miller pitched on back-to-back nights and was sensational yet again.

Josh Tomlin got the start and had another great outing, pitching 5.2 innings and striking out 6, giving up just a single run, a Josh Donaldson RBI double. Bryan Shaw finished up the 6th inning, facing just one batter, a Troy Tulowitzki ground ball out.

Enter Miller, and the big lefty just took Toronto apart. He pitched the 7th and 8th innings and never let a batter even sniff first base. Miller struck out 5 Blue Jays and made them look foolish, keeping them so off balance they had a hard time staying upright and not hitting the dirt. His breaking stuff is just cruel at this point. Cody Allen entered the game in the 9th and earned another save, striking out 2 in a flawless performance.

The Blue Jays pitched a good game as well, limiting the Indians to just 4 hits in total. Francisco Lindor had half of those, one of which was a liner up the middle in the bottom of the 3rd inning, scoring Rajai Davis to give the Indians a 2-1 lead. The scoreline didn't budge for the rest of the game and just like that, the Tribe had a 2-0 lead in the ALCS.

Game 3 - Monday, October 17, 2016 - Rogers Centre

The Indians travelled north for game 3, to the Rogers Centre in Toronto. I'd seen Jays fans on social media and forums saying how things would be different on their home turf, how Toronto would make things right and get back in the series.

The Indians wouldn't let them though, even when starter Trevor Bauer had to exit the game in the 1st inning as the injury to his pinkie finger resurfaced. Hey Trevor, how about in the future you put the toys and drones away in October?

Despite losing their starter much earlier than anticipated, the Indians turned to their bullpen and it was a real team effort as the Tribe sent 6 arms to the mound over the course of the game. Dan Otero, Jeff Manship, Zach McAllister, Bryan Shaw, Cody Allen and Andrew Miller all combined to pitch a collective 8.1 innings, allowing just 2 earned runs, 1 walk, and struck out 8 Jays, with Shaw, Allen and Miller getting most of those.

The Tribe offense collected 7 hits altogether, with Mike Napoli and Jason Kipnis breaking out of their October slumps to record key home runs. Kipnis' homer in the 6th inning was especially crucial, breaking open a tie game. Jose Ramirez added some insurance with a single in that inning to score Napoli, increasing the lead to 4-2 and the Jays couldn't recover, dropping game 3 in front of their home crowd.

Game 4 - Tuesday, October 18, 2016 - Rogers Centre

In front of a rabid Toronto crowd the Blue Jays proved the Indians were not invincible after all, beating the Tribe 5-1 to take back a game in the series.

Jays starter Aaron Sanchez stymied the Indians lineup over 6 strong innings, limiting them to just 2 hits and 1 earned run, a Roberto Perez double that scored Coco Crisp in the top of the 5th inning. Toronto's bullpen pitched the final three innings and kept the Indians from mounting a comeback.

Corey Kluber, on only 3 day's rest, pitched well but couldn't prevent the Jays taking their first lead in the entire ALCS. Josh Donaldson clubbed a solo homer in the bottom of the 3rd to put Toronto ahead and Ezequiel Carrera blooped a single in the bottom of the 4th that Tyler Naquin really should have caught, allowing Troy Tulowitzki to score. That was all Kluber allowed but the Indians offense couldn't overcome the Jays' slim lead, and the Tribe bullpen surrendered 3 more runs later in the game to put the result beyond them. You can't win them all I suppose but the Indians still had a commanding series lead heading into game 5.

Game 5 - Wednesday, October 19, 2016 - Rogers Centre

With the Indians rotation still hurting, the Tribe turned to rookie pitcher Ryan Merritt for game 5 of the ALCS. Merritt, the 24 year-old lefty who previously had just 1 career start (and win) to his name, stepped to the mound in the biggest game of his career and the most important in recent Indians' history.

The rookie wasn't shaken by the moment though and pitched superbly, as he lasted into the 5th inning without allowing a run, as he struck out 3 Blue Jays in the process. For a guy making just his second start in the major leagues, he certainly didn't let the bright lights get to him. Nerves of steel from the rookie.

The Tribe offense got their customary early lead, thanks to a Mike Napoli double in the 1st inning and a Carlos Santana home run in the 3rd. Veteran outfielder Coco Crisp added another post-season homer to his résumé, knocking one over the fence in the top of the 4th inning to stretch the Tribe lead to 3-0.

After Merritt departed in the 5th inning, Bryan Shaw recorded some key outs before handing the ball to Andrew Miller with 2 outs in the 6th. When Miller entered the game, even I could hear the groans from the Rogers Centre all the way over here in England. He continued his post-season dominance and was incredibly efficient in his work, throwing just 21 pitches over 2.2 scoreless innings, as he kept the Jays from mustering any sort of comeback, thanks to that unhittable slider he has in his arsenal. Miller deservedly took home the ALCS MVP award for all of his unbelievable performances in this series.

Enter Cody Allen for the 9th inning, who hadn't blown a save on the road all season. He made us sweat a bit after surrendering a lead-off double to Jose Bautista, but then Allen settled in to record the final three outs with relative ease. The Indians emerged 3-0 winners on the night and took the ALCS series 4-1 to win their first AL pennant since 1997 and progress to the World Series. Cue delirious celebrations in the Rogers Centre visitor's locker room that will undoubtedly last long into the night.

----------------------------------------

The Indians now await the victors of the NLCS, as game 1 of the World Series isn't until Tuesday 25 October. Personally I'd rather take the Dodgers than the Cubs, although Chicago have shown signs of vulnerability in October. After the Tribe's dominance over Boston and Toronto, I'm feeling confident, whoever the opposition will be.

In the meantime, if a generous soul wants to send me one of these t-shirts, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Thanks for reading.

ALDS Review - Boston Brushed Aside

I have been conspicuously absent on England Tribe this season. I've been following the Indians all year long but quietly, hidden offline, limited to checking box scores every morning.

I'm a bit sad I haven't found the time to write more, especially when you consider what an amazing season the Tribe have had thus far. The last time Cleveland made the post-season was 2013 and England Tribe was there for every big moment. This year, not so much.

With Arsenal taking up most of my time, even when it comes to blogging, I just haven't had the chance to keep this site going.

But October baseball has returned to the corner of Carnegie and Ontariro and so I have returned also, out of the darkness of blog purgatory. So here we go, with an ALDS review of Cleveland's stunning sweep over the heavily favored Red Sox:

Unlike 2013, there was no single game Wild Card duel this time around, as the AL Central champion Indians advanced straight into the American League Division Series (ALDS) against the Boston Red Sox, AL East champions and owners of one of my favorite major league players and MVP candidate Mookie Betts.

However for this series, it wasn't hard to bury my admiration for Betts because this was easily the most important series of games in my short lifetime as an Indians fan.

Game 1 - Thursday, October 6, 2016 - Progressive Field

With Progressive Field absolutely rocking at the return of post-season baseball to Cleveland, it was vitally important the Indians made the most of their home field advantage and they did so in style, crushing 3 home runs in the bottom of the third inning to distance themselves from a stubborn Boston squad that did everything they could not to concede first blood. Roberto Perez, Jason Kipnis and Francisco Lindor launched solo efforts in that turning point of an inning before skipper Terry Francona's masterful use of his bullpen saw the game out, as the Indians emerged 5-4 victors.

Relief ace Andrew Miller was brought into the game with 2 outs in the fifth inning after Tribe starter Trevor Bauer had done an admirable job holding the Boston behemoth lineup at bay. Miller took the ball much earlier than he was used to but he never looked back. The giant lefty dominated for 2 innings, striking out 4 and conceding just 1 hit and 1 walk. Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen took the reigns after Miller's superb performance, and the duo held the lead until the end despite making the home crowd sweat a bit, especially when Allen battled through a 5 out, nail-biter of a save.

Game 2 - Friday, October 7, 2016 - Progressive Field

Progressive Field witnessed the battle of the aces but it was the Tribe's 2014 AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber who got the best of Boston's 2012 AL Cy Young champ David Price in a comprehensive 6-0 win.

In the end Price was a shadow of his former self and appeared to succumb to the post-season pressures that have plagued his October career. The Indians got off to a hot start, hanging 4 runs on Price before the second inning had finished, with a Brandon Guyer RBI and a Lonnie Chisenhall 3 run homer putting a good distance between the two teams.

Kluber on the other hand, making his first post-season start and battling a nagging quad injury, showed no signs of nerves on the big stage. The 30 year-old right hander was magnificent and the Sox could hardly touch him. After game 1 made good use of Cleveland's top bullpen arms, it was imperative Kluber provide innings at the very least in game 2. As is the ace's habit, Kluber went the extra mile and pitched seven stellar innings, with 3 hits, 3 walks and 7 strikeouts over 104 pitches. Not bad for a guy coming off an injury, as Kluber routinely pitched inside to the frightening Boston lineup and kept them off balance all game. It was exactly what the Indians needed from him and Kluber delivered.

Game 3 - Monday, October 10, 2016 - Fenway Park

Before the ALDS began, it was only in my wildest dreams I could imagine the Indians taking a 2-0 lead to Fenway Park, forcing Boston into an elimination game they surely never expected to be facing, at least so soon. Well the Indians went one step better and picked up another win to take an unlikely series sweep and progress to the ALCS.

Josh Tomlin took the mound for the Tribe and did sterling work, limiting the Red Sox over 5 innings. He gave up 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 walk and struck out 4 before handing the game to the bullpen, who have been such a strength for the Tribe this season.

Yet again Andrew Miller stood up when it mattered, striking out 3 over 2 clean innings, the only blip being Dustin Pedroia scoring on a sac-fly that was tabbed on Tomlin. Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen combined, nervously at times, to go the rest of the way, keeping the Sox at arm's reach.

Tyler Naquin, a strong AL Rookie of the Year candidate (and a guy I tipped to break out in 2016), got the offense started for Cleveland in the top of the fourth inning, lining a single into right field that plated 2 runs to give the Tribe a lead they never relinquished. Coco Crisp, picked up in a late August trade with the A's, probably wasn't expected to contribute much this post-season but the veteran outfielder clubbed a deep home run over the Monster in the top of the sixth inning to stretch the Indians' lead to 4-1. It proved to be just enough as the Red Sox couldn't draw even.

After the final out, a fly ball gloved by Lonnie Chisenhall in right field, the Indians celebrated in front of a stunned and silent Fenway crowd. I don't think anyone gave the Tribe much of a chance in this series but they shocked the baseball world by not just beating Boston but sweeping them out of the playoffs.

---------------------------------------------------

The Indians will now battle the Toronto Blue Jays for the American League pennant, and their first match-up will be on Friday in the ALCS opener. It's likely Corey Kluber will get the nod for the Tribe and should now have sufficient rest before taking the mound. There's rumors Danny Salazar, battling his way back from a forearm injury, could be activated in time for the series, providing a late boost to the Tribe rotation.

This ALDS victory is one to be savored for sure, a huge playoff win over a rival who have so often gotten the better of us in the past. In 2007 when I was only just learning what baseball really was, that ALDS series against the Yankees went straight over my head. I didn't know how massive it was at the time, how rare these playoff wins can be. Now in 2016 I fully appreciate everything about this Boston sweep and will cherish it for some time.

Yet again the Indians will enter a series as underdogs, as the Jays are already tipped to advance to the World Series. But history has shown that people don't always learn from their mistakes, and those who have already written off this gutsy Indians team may just have a surprise coming their way.

Thanks for reading.