Winning In The Windy City

Whoa, where did that month go? I've been absent from the blog these past four weeks, and sadly I don't always get the time to write on here as much as I would like. Y'know, life and all that.

In my time away from England Tribe, our Cleveland ball club have had mixed experiences. Win one, lose one, win one, lose one, repeat. The bullpen have taken the brunt of the blame, and that big Bryan Shaw sized hole has been harder to fill than perhaps anticipated.

Nevertheless, the Indians have just completed an eight game road trip, going 4-4, and topped it off with a nice series win against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Let's take a quick look at some of the talking points from their trip to north side of Chicago.

Michael Brantley Is The Hero You Don't Deserve

Have I mentioned how much I love Michael Brantley? It's ridiculous that a man closer to 30 years-old than 20 still has such a thing as a "favorite player" but I do, I really do. Brantley has been my favorite guy on the Indians for most of this decade and I was overjoyed when the team picked up his option for 2018. It was frustrating to see fellow fans deride and dismiss him on Twitter, criticizing the Indians for apparently making the mistake of resigning him (but what else should I expect on that hellish platform).

Despite all his issues with injuries in the past, I have always been a firm believer in his ability. I still think he's the best all-around hitter on the team, and that's quite a statement when the Indians are carrying All Stars like Lindor, Ramirez and Encarnacion. He's undoubtedly the best outfielder at the very least.

Recently, Brantley has been proving me right, performing like the Brantley of old. Currently he leads the team in batting average at .338, he's second in RBI with 30, third in OPS at .937, third in runs scored with 23, third in total hits with 51, and he has the least strikeouts among guys with over fifty at-bats, with just 12 in 163 plate appearances. That's an incredible statistic, and he's actually fifth-best in the entire league, and second-best in the AL, only behind the Angels' Andrelton Simmons.

As the Tribe roll out of Chicago and head home, Brantley carries a 12-game hitting streak and he was absolutely key to the Indians' success in the Windy City.

During Tuesday night's demolition of the Cubs, a 10-1 rout for our boys, Brantley had 2 hits and scored 2 runs but it was on Wednesday night he really proved his worth.

With the sun setting on the lush green of Wrigley Field, Brantley stepped to the plate in the third inning with Rajai Davis stationed at second base, with two outs already recorded. Cubs starter Jon Lester fell behind 2-0 to Brantley, and on the next pitch the veteran outfielder laced a single into right-center field, dropping just over the outstretched arm of Javier Baez. It was enough to get the speedy Davis around third and heading home, and put the Tribe on top 1-0. It was all the Indians needed in the end, as they held on to record the win and the series sweep.

I'm realistic and appreciate we haven't even started June yet. The dog days of summer are yet to come, so perhaps it is too early to start believing in Brantley's health. But all the signs so far have been positive, and with a healthy Brantley in the lineup these Indians are a much more potent and dangerous team.

Here a few other scraps of note:

• Jose Ramirez has really made up for his slow start to the season, and has been on an absolute tear of late. He had 2 hits in the series, one of which was a 3-run homer in Tuesday's win, and he recorded 3 walks that day as well. Ramirez currently leads the club in home runs with 14, and leads the team in RBI (34), walks (27), OPS (1.000), SLG (.609), and OBP (.391) as well. He's a force of nature at the moment.
• Trevor Bauer and Adam Plutko were the Tribe's starters for the series and both had seriously impressive outings. Bauer pitched on Tuesday night and lasted 6 innings, scattering 7 hits and 2 walks over the course of the night with 6 strikeouts, to collect his fourth win of the year. Plutko, in just his second spot-start of 2018, was outstanding and carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He ended up with a very respectable pitching line of 6 innings, 2 hits, 4 walks and 4 strikeouts. Plutko's performance was good enough to earn him permanent residence in the rotation (for the foreseeable future), as he replaces Josh Tomlin as the fifth starter, with Tomlin joining the bullpen.

The Tribe now begin a lengthy homestand, welcoming the reigning champs to town. The Indians are currently 24-23 and will play the 32-18 Astros over a four game series, with both teams set to start their aces in Thursday's opener. Corey Kluber will face off against Dallas Keuchel in a hotly anticipated matchup.

World Series - Game's 6 & 7 - You Already Know How It Ended, Why Hurt Yourself?

They say a picture tells a thousand words and in this case, it's going to have to. After an epic World Series comeback by the Cubs that the baseball media will eulogise for god knows how long, I don't feel particularly motivated to analyse how the Indians lost. I'm proud of this plucky underdog team, who knocked out the big bad Red Sox and Blue Jays, and so very nearly got the best of the Cubs, who were undoubtedly the best team in the majors this year.  But I can't lie and say it's not incredibly disappointing to fall at the final hurdle.

Nevertheless, the Indians will retool over the winter and look for revenge in 2017. The Cubs will celebrate and they deserve to do so, everyone knows they've waited long enough. Cleveland fans had their moment of glory in 2016, their own epic comeback to remember forever (thank you again Cavs). Now Chicago have theirs. But it would have been nice if Cleveland could have had two parades this year.

Thank you for reading and enjoy the off-season.

World Series - Game 5 - Cubs Stay Alive

The Indians had a chance to make history at Wrigley Field last night but couldn't quite edge the home team, as the Cubs prevailed as 3-2 winners to force a game 6 in Cleveland.

In a closely fought contest, the Cubs' skipper Joe Maddon took a page out of Terry Francona's book and used his best reliever at a time when he was needed most, rather than waiting for the final innings. Aroldis Chapman, the man with the 100mph plus heater, entered the game in the 7th and managed to blank the Tribe for 8 outs as the Cubs held on for the win.

After the Indians took an early 1-0 lead thanks to a 2nd inning home run by Jose Ramirez, the Cubs struck back in the 4th. Tribe starter Trevor Bauer had been pitching well up until that point but he was taken apart by Kris Bryant (home run), Addison Russell (RBI single) and David Ross (sac-fly RBI) as the Cubs opened up a narrow lead.

The Indians closed the gap in the 6th inning when Francisco Lindor lined a single into center field to score Rajai Davis to bring the Tribe within a run but that was all the offense could muster for the rest of the night. The press have been focused on the Indians' stellar pitching this postseason, and rightfully so, but Lindor has been sensational as well. The Indians star shortstop has been playing his usual elite defense but has produced with the bat as well, currently leading all postseason players in total hits with 18.

It's obviously disappointing the Tribe couldn't secure the championship at the first opportunity but there are some positives to having a game 6. First and foremost, both game 6 and game 7 will be played in Cleveland and I always think it's so much better to celebrate success in front of your own fans. Also, last night's game didn't see the Indians use Andrew Miller, so he should be ready to go if called upon in game 6 on Tuesday night. And last but not least, if the Indians can't get the job done tomorrow night, then we'll get to see Corey Kluber work his magic on Wednesday in an epic winner-takes-all game 7. As much as I love watching Kluber pitch, let's hope it doesn't come to that, okay Indians?

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 2 - Cubs Even It Up

You didn't think this was going to be easy did you? Unlike the Tribe's ALDS and ALCS opponents, the Cubs were not content to roll over and answered back in game 2 of the World Series, running out 5-1 winners to even the series at one apiece.

Chicago's Jake Arrieta, the 2015 NL Cy Young winner, brought his best stuff to Progressive Field and carried a no-hitter into the 6th inning. The Tribe offense just couldn't get to grips with Arrieta and could never dig themselves out of an early hole. It was a cold night for the Tribe bats and for the fans in attendance. Jason Kipnis was the one to end Arrieta's flirtation with history, hitting a double with one out in the 6th and eventually scoring on a wild pitch.

Trevor Bauer started for the Indians and wasn't very good but wasn't awful either, allowing 6 hits, 2 walks and 2 earned runs in 3.2 innings. He got dinged up early, when Anthony Rizzo doubled to score Kris Bryant in the top of the 1st, and looked to have recovered until he got tagged again in the 3rd, by a Kyle Schwarber single that scored Rizzo. I was hoping he could hold out for longer to save the bullpen but it never materialized. A combination of Zach McAllister, Bryan Shaw, Danny Salazar, Jeff Manship, Dan Otero and Mike Clevinger put in relief appearances but could not stop the bleeding. It was nice to see Salazar back on the mound, even if he did walks 2 guys, but he didn't allow any runs and seemed to have his velocity back which is a huge positive.

This loss was the first time Terry Francona had been on the wrong side of the score in a World Series game. He was 9-0 up until last night, an incredible record. However, it's not over yet and the Indians now travel to Wrigley Field for game 3 on Friday, where Josh Tomlin will face off against Kyle Hendricks.

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.