Cleveland Indians
Established: 1894
Other Names:
Grand Rapids Rustlers (1894-1899)
Cleveland Lake Shores (1900)
Cleveland Bluebirds (1901)
Cleveland Broncos (1902)
Cleveland Naps (1903-1914)
2016 results: 94-67,
1st in AL Central
Defeated Boston 3 games to 0 in ALDS
Defeated Toronto 4 games to 1 in ALCS
Lost World Series to Chicago 4 games to 3
2017 Prediction: 1st
World Series Titles: 2
Most Recent: 1948
Last World Series
Appearance: 2016
Last Division Title: 2016
Ballpark: Progressive
Field
Est: 1994
Best Season: 1948
Twice in franchise history, the
Indians have won 100+ games, but lost in the World Series both times. They won
97 games (in a 156-games season) and captured the A.L. pennant by one game over
the Red Sox. As the League Championship Series was still 21-years away from its
birth, the Indians qualified for the World Series by finishing first in the
American League during the regular season. The took on the Boston Braves in the
World Series and triumphed in six games. On the mound, the Indians were led by
two twenty-game winners, Bob Lemon and Gene Beardon, and a 19-game winner in
Bob Feller. The main catalysts in the line-up were Joe Gordon (32 homers, 124
RBIs) and Ken Keltner (31 and 119).
Best All-time Player:
Napoleon Lajoie
Lajoie was constantly a thorn in
the side of Ty Cobb in the Detroit star’s quest to win the American League
batting title every season. Five times in his career, the honour went to Lajoie
(1901, 1902, 1903, 1904 and 1910). In fact, in 1901, the Cleveland outfielder
had a remarkable .426 average. But he didn’t join the Cleveland club until
1902. But in his 13 years with the team, he collected 2047 hits, a .339 batting
average, 919 RBIs and 240 stolen bases. Over his 21 Big League seasons, Lajoie
finished with 3243 hits, 14th on the all-time list, and a .338
batting average, 18th all-time.
Best Player on the
Current Roster: Corey Kluber
Kluber’s postseason performance
is enough to get him mentioned as the Indians’ best player, but his regular
season stats are quite impressive as well. He finished the 2016 season with 18
wins, a 3.14 ERA and 227 strikeouts, good enough to finish third in Cy Young Award
voting. His seven shutout innings against the Red Sox in the ALDS were just the
start of his remarkable playoff run. While he split his two starts in the ALCS
against the Blue Jays, he still finished with a 1.59 ERA and 13 strikeouts. He
was dominate in his first two starts against the Cubs in the World Series, but
the strain of continually pitching on three-days’ rest due to an injury-plagued
Cleveland rotation caught up to him in the seventh game. However, in his six
postseason starts, he was 4-1, 1.83 ERA and 35 strike outs in 34 innings. Look
for Kluber to challenge for the Cy Young in 2017. It would be his second to go
along with the one he picked up in 2014.
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