It’s the Tribe’s time

By: Sean Quinn

It’s easy to be the Cleveland Indians right now.  Not quite as easy as Paris Hilton on a first date, but compared to other A.L. clubs, fairly easy.

The Chicago White Sox are in the midst of a colossal collapse – the likes of which haven’t been seen since the meltdown of Joan Rivers’ face.  The Boston Red Sox are starting another 86-year streak, or at least should be after losing five of nine to the Devil Rays this season.  The New York Yankees are figuring out how they wasted $200 million, when all they really needed was Bubba Crosby.  And the Angels and Athletics are fighting for bragging rights in the state of California.The Indians have nothing to lose. They have no pressure on them because they weren’t even supposed to be here. They were thought to be at least one year away from competing in September. August was as far as this Indians team was supposed to go before being knocked out of wildcard contention.  They are a young, good-hitting ball club, just like the Texas Rangers.  Like the Rangers currently, Cleveland should be playing for next season.  The Rangers faded faster than a Rosie O’Donnell diet though, while the Indians are leading the wild card and just 1 1/2 games back of Chicago in the A.L. Central. And they’re not done yet.

Cleveland has won 15 of 17, including taking two of three at Chicago.  The White Sox have backpedaled, losing 10 of 14, watching their 15-game lead from Aug. 1 evaporate to less than two.  If the Indians take the division title, the White Sox would have choked harder than Kate Moss before a fashion show.  They would surpass the 1964 Phillies, who blew a 6 1/2 game lead with 12 days left, for the most dubious division debacle.

Indians owner Larry Dolan made a dubious move in some fans’ eyes, by releasing General Manager John Hart following the 2001 season and hiring current GM Mark Shapiro to rebuild the team.  It meant saying goodbye players that produced two A.L. pennants in 1995 and 1997.  Players that made up an Indians team in the late ’90s that saw an All-Star at each position.  These All-Stars, Ramirez, Colon, Alomar, Thome, Lofton, the list goes on, were traded for that one dreaded word for fans: prospects.

Prospects or players to be named later – those words are to a sports fan’s ears what any words sung by Ashlee Simspon are to anyone who isn’t deaf.

Dolan knew what he was doing though, or at least got bailed out by some great talent.  The Indians, in the long run, actually broke even or better in the Bartolo Colon deal with Anaheim.  Not only did Colon balloon up like Anna Nicole Smith after the trade, but Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore were the prospects acquired.

Sizemore is still a baby and has All-Star written all over him.  All Lee has done is become the Indians first 18-game winner since Colon 1999.

Dolan also traded away future talent, like Russell Branyan, for better future talent, like Ben Broussard.  Since the deal, Broussard has belted more homeruns and played in almost twice as many games.

Dolan also traded mediocrity for Hall of Fame talent – enter Travis Hafner, who has a definite shot of winning MVP.  Hafner was acquired in a minor deal to the Rangers for Einar Diaz and Ryan Drese.

It makes the general manager look a lot better when he gets talent from within his own organization.  Players like Jhonny Peralta, Victor Martinez and C.C. Sabathia, all grew up in the minors, sprouting into Major Leaguers in Triple-A Buffalo, which won the International League Championship in 2004.

That’s why the Indians have no pressure on them right now.  If they don’t do it this year (win the World Series that is, they will make the playoffs), they can do it next year or the year after, or both.

The Indians, though, couldn’t be in a better position to win right now.  They just dismantled the White Sox in their own backyard and they play the next seven against Kansas City and Tampa Bay.  And if they aren’t up by three games in the division after that, they control their own destiny, hosting Chicago at Jacobs Field to close out the season.

It doesn’t get much easier than that, considering the Indians are running on full throttle –  and for the first time in a long time, it’s not just the hitting.  Cliff Lee has won his last nine decisions, creeping into the A.L. Cy Young race with the league’s highest winning percentage.  Kevin Milwood leads the league with a 2.97 ERA.  And the lone Indians All-Star, closer Bob Wickman, has converted 15 straight saves.  

Offensively, Travis Hafner has hit six homeruns in the last five games and the team has launched 57 long balls in that last 29 games.  That is part of the reason why the Indians are a ridiculous 19-5 on the road.  They have been so dominant away from Jacobs Field that Motel 6 has vowed not to keep the light on for them.  

It seems every night someone else is stepping up for the Tribe.  Whether it’s Jake Westbrook on the mound, who is 9-2 since mid-July, or Casey Blake starting a rally like he has done this week, as his last three of five hits have been homeruns.  This lineup just baffles opposing pitchers like Jon Garland, who has won only three games since July 22.  Who do you pitch to?  Four starters have 20 or more homeruns, with two more at 19.  From top to bottom this team can hit – the last three batters have been just as vital as the first three batters.

The Tribe is clicking right now and has been for more than a month.  There’s a better chance of someone slowing down Kirstie Alley at the dessert bar than halting this Cleveland charge.  

The way things look right now, the Tribe’s next victim just may be October.