Cleveland Sports Forum

Thanks, HB.
The 1968 team started 4-6 in its first 10 games.

eocmcdoc wrote:JR, did u forget the 1968 team opened the season 10-0.

They were 4-6!
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams ... ores.shtml

Pretty sure it was 1966

Yep

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams ... ores.shtml

How the hell did they ever win 10 in a row with a starting rotation like that? McDowell, Tiant, Bell, Siebert ... who were those guys?

Notice there was a young reliever named Mickey Lolich on that team too.

Ah, the good ole days when we were a minor league team for everyone else.

No Mickey Lolich never pitched for the Indians. Ron Lolich, a brother or cousin, was an OF who had a short stay with the Indians. But don't see him on the 1966 stats. My namesake Vic was on the team and had a stellar OPS of 614. Rocky hit 30 homers, but hit only 237. That team was pretty much all pithcing: Sam, Sonny, Steve and Luis all had ERAs under 3. And McDowell had 3 saves and Tiant 8. Bullpen basically was a mess; I remember them picking up RedSox fireballer Dick Radatz who was pretty awful ERA 4.61 a homer every 10 innings and well over 1 walk for every 2 innings.

Oh, you are correct, that isn't the same guy. If you click on the link that TFIR posted, on the 20th game of the season Lolich got the win. And if you click on Lolich's name it takes you to Mickey Lolich's page. So they screwed me up.

As I was skimming down that page I saw Lolich and I was taken back, didn't know he played for Indians. (before my time) So I clicked on the name and it took me to Mickey.

Before your time?? So you missed out that glorious rotation of McDowell and Tiant and Siebert? Those guys were all from our minor league system and all could really bring it. McDowell was traded for Gaylord, who lasted much longer than Sodden Sam. But Tiant for Lee Stange was terrible deal. And Siebert along with reliever Vincente Romo who said some good post-Cleveland seasons and Immortal Joe Azcue for Dick Ellsworth Juan Pizzaro and the atrocious self-promoting Ken Harrelson was a lousy trade too.

Mid-sixties were my heyday as an Indian fan, went to about 20 games a year, probably paid about $5.00 to $10.00 total for the privilege each season and the team lost almost all of them. But the Stadium was cold and drafty, the restrooms disgusting, almost no one else in the stands and he mustard was terrific and the hotdogs not bad [and for variety hamburgers were available on Sundays!]

Yeah, I was born in 70. My dad was a huge Browns fan but was always more of a Reds fan, as was most everyone else in my family. I followed him to loving the Browns and Buckeyes, but never took to his liking of the Reds and Celtics.

I was always a huge Dr.J fan as a kid, so loved the 76ers.

When I first started playing baseball as a tike I was a tall chubby kid, so I got stuck at catcher like all the chubby kids back then. You would think I would have loved Johnny Bench and Big Red Machine but just didn't. My favorite player back then was Gary Carter, so I became an Expos fan at an early age. When he left for the Mets I went with him.

It worked out ok for a kid, those late 70's and early 80's Expos teams were good and fun to watch. And the mid 80's Mets were of course great.

When I got into high school Dr. J and Gary Carter were done so I decided I was just going to root for all the home state Cleveland teams. Adopted the Cavs and Indians at that time.

That worked out ok too cause both teams got pretty good after that as well.

I've always loved baseball and history of game so have through the years become very familiar with Indians history but my first hand knowledge didn't start till late 80's.

I went to quite a few Browns games at the old stadium but never made the trek to watch the Indians there. They weren't good enough to invest the time and money for the trip at that time!

I still buy Bertmans Ballpark Mustard online. I have two bottles in my kitchen right now, stocked up for baseball season starting.

If any of you other out-of-towners would like a taste of the ball park you can buy Bertman's or Stadium Mustard (same thing) here ...

https://www.amazon.com/Bertman-Original ... 7s+Mustard

https://www.flavorohio.com/product/stadium-mustard/

Santana in RF tonight.

Has anyone else noticed that the Indians have worn the Wahoo hats every game this season, just as they did for all the postseason last year?

I did

And that escalated quickly.

Yeah, this one got ugly quick. I guess Tomlin has to work his way up to his customary 5 or 6 good innings.

Is it me or does it look like every swing by the hitters has a home run cut to it? The only hitters that look like they have a natural swing on the ball is Brantley and Naquin. They seem to be going with the pitches but the rest of the hitters are taking some pretty hard hacks. Very noticeably is Lindor, Ramirez, Santana, and Encarnacion.