“Surprise, surprise, come on open your eyes”
By Anthony Castrovince/MLB.com
On Twitter: @Castrovince

celebrationTotally did not see this coming.

I was optimistic, but not this optimistic.

I was a believer, but not this big a believer.

I knew the Indians would be better this year, and not just because things couldn’t have gotten much worse than the 2012 freefall. I knew an injection of veteran presence would help add enough stability to probably finish at or around .500. The break-even point itself would have been a 13-win improvement over a year ago, which in this game is major progress.

But 92 victories? A Wild Card berth? And home-field advantage in the Wild Card round?

Totally did not see this coming.

I knew that Terry Francona knew what he was doing. I knew he had a knack for getting the most out of his players because he supports them, backs them and goes to great measures to understand them. But I also knew that those Boston clubs in 2004 and 2007 – heck, even 2011 – had a lot more established talent than this 2013 Tribe club. I didn’t know Francona would be such an expert tactician with a versatile bench, and I didn’t know his optimism and excitement about being here would prove so unshakable even in the season’s darkest days. I didn’t know he’d put together what is arguably the greatest managerial job of his career, World Series or not.

I knew the Indians, with an outfield of Michael Bourn, Michael Brantley and Drew Stubbs, would be more athletic, more agile, more defensively stout. I knew that Jason Kipnis was capable of taking the next step toward stardom. I knew there was more power in Santana’s bat if his time behind the plate was managed appropriately. I knew there were a lot of reasons to like this team, but I didn’t know there’d be this much to like.

Totally did not see this coming.

I knew that under-the-radar moves have often been the strength of the front office in the Mark Shapiro-Chris Antonetti era, and so the Mike Aviles acquisition was an eye-catcher. I didn’t know what a steal that trade would turn out to be. I didn’t know that when Lou Marson got steamrolled by Desmond Jennings at the plate in early April, it would open the door for Yan Gomes to eventually supplant Santana as the regular catcher, maximizing this Tribe roster to the full extent of its capabilities.

I knew the Indians were high on Mickey Callaway and the work he had done within their Minor League system. I didn’t know he’d be the savant who would finally solve the Ubaldo Jimenez riddle, to say nothing of the strides made by Corey Kluber and Zach McAllister, the return to prominence of Justin Masterson and the incredible comeback of Scott Kazmir, all of which happened under his watch.

I knew Ubaldo, like most players, would be inspired in some measure by the pull of possible free agency. I didn’t know he’d be one of the best pitchers in baseball in the second half, rescuing the rotation when Masterson went down with an oblique strain. (And no, I did not know Masterson would return and be so effective in the ‘pen).

Totally did not see this coming.

I knew Nick Swisher was excited (he used the word “excited” 16 times in his introductory press conference), but I didn’t know how genuine that excitement would turn out to be. I didn’t know he’d still be excited and hopeful and believing in big things when he was hitting .239 and nursing a throbbing shoulder at the end of June. I didn’t fully appreciate how much his past pennant race experience would come to help this team in the September stretch, when Swish was at this absolute best. I didn’t know how seriously he’d take his leadership role on this club, showing up unannounced at a ticket sales meeting and doling out $15,000 to finance an end-of-season fireworks display. I didn’t know he’d be the rare free-agent addition who, by the end of his first season, would feel like he’s been here all along.

I knew Jason Giambi was appreciative of this opportunity to prolong his playing career. I knew a guy who nearly nabbed the Rockies’ managerial job over the winter (and how thankful are the Indians right now that the Rox went with Walt Weiss?) would provide immeasurable input and influence behind the scenes. I didn’t know Giambi, despite a sub-.200 average, would contribute some of the biggest hits of the season, including arguably the biggest – the walkoff winner against the White Sox last Tuesday.

Totally did not see this coming.

I knew the Shin-Soo Choo trade was one worth making (and this is coming from the biggest Choo fan there is). But I didn’t know the real value in that trade would come not from Trevor Bauer but from Stubbs and from bullpen pieces Bryan Shaw and Matt Albers, who would join Cody Allen and Joe Smith and in-season addition Marc Rzepcynski to pick up the pieces in the ‘pen as Chris Perez and Vinnie Pestano regressed.

I knew Ryan Raburn was an underrated pickup. I didn’t know he’d hit 16 homers and drive in 55 runs in a reserve role.

Totally did not see this coming.

From the day I arrived in Spring Training camp in Goodyear and saw the remnants of the “Harlem Shake” video shoot, I knew the Indians would be looser and generally more interesting than they’ve been in years. But I didn’t know the looseness would last even in the face of an eight-game losing streak. I didn’t know the fun would outweigh the frustrations. I didn’t know there would be 11 walkoff wins. I didn’t know there would be seven four-game sweeps. I didn’t know they’d not just take advantage of but absolutely own a favorable September schedule, winning 21 of their final 27 and all of their last 10.

I knew that 4-15 record against the Tigers would come back to bite the Tribe. I didn’t know they’d finish just one game back of a Detroit club that had nearly double their Opening Day payroll. But oh well.

I knew this season would be fun. I didn’t know it would be this fun.

Totally did not see this coming.

And there’s still more to come.

~AC

Cleveland Indians GM Chris Antonetti envisioned victory celebration from the day he hired Terry Francona as manager

Mary Schmitt Boyer, The Plain Dealer By Mary Schmitt Boyer, The Plain Dealer

on September 29, 2013 at 7:42 PM, updated September 29, 2013 at 8:19 PM



MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Indians General Manager Chris Antonetti ducked out of the noise and champagne spray in his team's clubhouse at Target Field on Sunday afternoon to reflect on his team's amazing transformation from 94 losses in 2012 to American League wild card in 2013, the Indians' first post-season appearance since 2007.

He was asked if this sort of celebration was what he envisioned when he hired Terry Francona as manager on Oct. 8, 2012.

"This and a few more,'' said a smiling Antonetti, wearing a soaked navy blue T-shirt that read "Postseason 2013, Indians Baseball, we play for October.''

Antonetti was asked about his emotions as Minnesota's Clete Thomas grounded out to end the game, sending the Indians into a boisterous celebration that started on the field and spilled over into the clubhouse.

"Fun,'' he said, thoughtfully. "Fulfilling. The accomplishment in and of itself is significant and hopefully the first of more to come. But what it means organizationally for all the people who have worked so hard to put us in this position ….''

He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't have to.

The Indians went all in this off-season. First, Antonetti hired good friend Francona, who had served as a special assistant to Mark Shapiro and Antonetti in 2001 after getting fired in Philadelphia. They brought in new coaches and spent on free agents such as Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. They coaxed All-Star performances out of pitcher Justin Masterson and second baseman Jason Kipnis and celebrated every man on the regular 25-man roster as well as the expanded 40-man September roster and anybody else who helped along the way.

Afterward, Antonetti had a tough time singling out any individuals because it only led him to mention more people.

Asked about starter Ubaldo Jimenez's startling transformation from 17-game loser last season to 13-game winner and clutch performer, Antonetti said, "He's been great. It's hard to overstate what he's meant to us the second half. But, again, without contributions from everybody -- the other guys in the rotation, the guys coming up from the minor leagues, Corey Kluber when he came back, picking up some slack after Justin went down, again, it's really a collective….''

From Day One in spring training, we believed in the group of guys, and they've continued to demonstrate that resiliency.
And, of course, there was Francona.

"Tito and the coaching staff and the work they put in through the course of the season was instrumental in helping us get here …'' Antonetti began.

But, basically, he admitted that the Indians knew all season they had assembled a special group.

"From Day One in spring training, we believed in the group of guys, and they've continued to demonstrate that resiliency,'' he said. "Every time we hit a tough stretch they came back and found a way to run off some wins. So it was really never a time we doubted the group.''

Antonetti stepped away from the reporters and headed to Francona's office, asking director of team travel Mike Seghi to take a picture of him with his arm around Francona. He checked the photo and said, "We might need to take one more.''

As they headed back into the soggy celebration, Francona led the way. "Don't worry,'' the manager said. "We'll be here awhile.''

Cleveland Indians clinch the Wild Card - Postgame videos

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ss ... the_w.html

Tribe Happenings: The Indians are the ultimate "team"

By Tony Lastoria

September 29, 2013

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Some news, notes and thoughts from my Indians notebook…

The Ultimate Team

In our Tuesday morning Second Thoughts piece the IBI’s Kevin Dean asked who the Indians’ MVP is this season. As expected, the responses were all over the place.

This is of no surprise because this team truly does not have an MVP. There has been no guy that carried the team on their back all season. That has far from been the case as it has been a complete effort 1 through 25 all season as every single player on the roster has had a hand in winning games all season, including guys beyond the regular 25-man roster (Matt Carson anyone?).

The Indians don’t have an MVP. If they had to step up to a podium and except a team MVP award, everyone would have to step up to it. All 25 players, Terry Francona and the coaching staff, and even the front office.

It has just been a collective team effort this season.

The much maligned front office had a very good offseason finding a few gems in free agency like Scott Kazmir,Jason Giambi and Ryan Raburn, and making some deals to acquire help in the way of Mike Aviles, Yan Gomes,Bryan Shaw, Matt Albers. Sure, they whiffed on Brett Myers and maybe even Mark Reynolds (although his April and May made his signing worth it), and even though Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher have underwhelmed this season, these acquisitions in total have helped signal a culture change in the organization.

The coaching staff has been exceptional this season. Francona has been a leader, something that they have missed in recent seasons. Everyone knows how the team crumbled under Eric Wedge late in 2005 and in the ALCS in 2007, and how Manny Acta’s teams faded quickly after good starts the last two seasons. This season the Indians had a similar rough patch midway through the year, but through Francona’s leadership and unwavering public confidence in his players, they persevered.

And how about pitching coach Mickey Callaway? If anyone is the MVP, it might be him. What he has done to turn around Ubaldo Jimenez’s career, resurrect Scott Kazmir’s career, and have the likes of Justin Masterson, Zach McAllister and Corey Kluber all take a step forward is astounding.

The starting rotation has been a rock solid group all season. Justin Masterson has been consistent all season, Ubaldo Jimenez was so-so in the first half but was lights out in the second half, Scott Kazmir has been a steady middle of the rotation arm, and Corey Kluber, Zach McAllister and Danny Salazar have all had varying impacts.

Finally, the lineup. They have 10 players with 10 or more homers, but no one with more than 21. They have seven players with 50 or more RBI, but no one with more than 84. They have eight regulars in the lineup hitting .242 to .286 and do not have a .300 hitter. There is no true standout on offense. Carlos Santana has been the most consistent player, Michael Brantley the most clutch player, Jason Kipnis the most impactful when he is on, and the Goon Squad of Ryan Raburn, Yan Gomes, Mike Aviles and Jason Giambi have been key contributors.

Bottom line, it has been a different guy every night having an impact in an Indians win. It is a collective effort that on its own is rather unimpressive, but together is a piece of art with the way it has all come together.

Managers and front offices dream of such teams where the parts are more or less interchangeable, there are no egos and the chemistry is so good. Sure, they want the big boppers and dominant starters and shutdown closers, but there is just so much more you can do when you have a team that is pretty even across the board.

The new team vibe started from day one in spring training. The team came together quickly and developed an uncanny chemistry not often found so quickly. The TERRi and Harlem Shake videos resulted and were a harbinger of things to come with this team all season.

There is no MVP on this team. It is a Team MVP. And that’s fine because teams that are well rounded, that are strong in the clubhouse, and with that much trust in their coaching staff and the coaches in them can be dangerous in the postseason because they never quit. Just like they have all season.

No matter what happens this next week, whether the Indians get ousted in the wildcard game or in a play-in game or they move onto the ALDS, it has been a successful season. It has been a much needed stepping stone to hopeful long term success at the Corner of Carnegie and Ontario.

So just sit back and enjoy the rest of the ride Tribe fans.

Closing costs

Right-hander closer Chris Perez had a week to forget.

First, Perez went out to protect a 3-2 Indians lead in the ninth against the White Sox at home on Tuesday only to allow two solo homers and blow the save. Thanks to the heroics of Jason Giambi, the Indians won in exciting walk-off fashion and prevailed even in Perez’s struggles.

Then, on Thursday night, Perez came into the game in the ninth inning in Minnesota with the Indians nursing a healthy 6-1 lead. A few batters later it was 6-5 and Joe Smith had to be summoned to save the day. Again, the Indians escaped with a win in spite of another awful outing from Perez.

Including those last two outings by Perez, over his last 20 appearances dating back to August 3rd he is 1-2 with a 7.52 ERA. In 20.1 innings he has allowed 30 hits, 8 walks, 7 home runs and has 24 strikeouts. The strikeouts are nice, but he’s getting hit and hit hard as he has allowed close to two baserunners an inning and a home run every third outing.

That kind of showing over an extended period of time leads to a manager and team losing faith in their closer, and even the closer himself losing confidence in his stuff and doubting his ability. That is exactly what happened on Thursday night when after the game Perez and Francona talked and it was decided to remove him from the closer’s role.

Perez has saved a lot of games as an Indian. He ranks third all-time with 124 saves as an Indian and has made two All Star teams. He has mostly gotten the job done as he has saved 85% of his saves in his career. But save percentage is not the end-all-be-all, just like ERA and wins are not for starting pitchers. Sometimes there are other things happening which give a clear sign that danger looms on the horizon.

And that is why Francona made the move to take Perez out of the closer’s role. The warning signs are there, and rather than risk a devastating loss because of a blown save from Perez this weekend or in the playoffs, he was proactive and got on top of it and made the right call.

A lot of managers just get stuck with the notion that you throw your closer in there come hell or high water. Mike Hargrove was such a manager, and he and the rest of Indians nation paid dearly for it in 1997 when he let Jose Mesa close out Game 7 of the World Series. Francona is not going to make that same mistake. Now, he is not tied to Perez as his closer and can go strictly on his gut and the matchups in his pen versus the hitters coming up in every inning up through the ninth inning.

It is not a perfect situation as you obviously would like to have a guy you can give the ball to without question in the ninth inning. But Francona has been a master this month with the way he has managed the bullpen and done his matchups. Now that the ninth inning is open for that matchmaking the Indians are probably better off.

The question going forward, if the Indians make it to the wildcard game on Wednesday, is if Chris Perez is even on the postseason roster. I have to think his spot on the roster is in extreme jeopardy as you just can’t trust him right now.

In a nutshell, what situation can you ever bring Perez in without fear of him letting the opposing team back in the game? At this point he’d strictly pitch in mop up duty, and you don’t carry such a pitcher on the postseason roster for such a role. All 12 to 13 of the pitchers on the roster have to be viable starters or reliable pen guys.

If Perez does not make the postseason roster then he has likely thrown his last pitch as a Cleveland Indian. The Indians still control him for another season, but he is entering his final year of arbitration and is due to make $9-10 million next season. That’s way too much money to spend on a closer, especially one that is average and is struggling to the extent that Perez has been this season.

The way things look, Perez will be non-tendered this December. He has no trade value as no team will want to take on the same situation where they have to pay him close to $10 million. Besides, just about every team knows he will be a free agent.

As to what the Indians do the rest of this season at closer, I am on board with a closer by committee approach. Francona should manage the game through the ninth inning based on matchups, so if that means Bryan Shaw,Cody Allen, Joe Smith, or Marc Rzepczynski start the ninth inning, so be it.

Ideally, I am for not disrupting Smith’s eighth inning setup role, so I would go with any of the other three in the ninth and keep Smith locked into his invaluable eighth inning role. If you absolutely have to pick one guy, then you go with Allen as the closer as Shaw can slide into Allen’s seventh inning spot.

If Justin Masterson can’t start, then he should be in the mix as well, although I think that would just be temporary through the wildcard game because if the Indians were to advance to the American League Divisional Series, I believe Masterson will be back in the rotation by then. But what a weapon to possibly have him in the ninth of a must win wildcard win-or-go-home game.

As for the future, I think that the Indians will look on the trade market to fill the closer role. They could potentially go big and try and get Steve Chisek of the Marlins, or take a more cautiously approach and sign a lower end free agent to a one year deal a la Joe Borowski in 2007. Even if they do that, I think Carlos Carrasco is a guy internally that will get strong consideration next spring as a possibility at closer.

Carrasco is out of options and has to make the team next year. He can’t be relied upon as a starter at the outset so would have to make the team as a reliever, and with his stuff he could dominate in the late innings. The question though is his fragile mental makeup, but he’s been electric since moving to the bullpen late this season. Perhaps he could end up as another failed starter turned closer a la Jose Mesa in 1995.

But that is next year, and for now the Indians don’t have a closer, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Francona is freed from the ball and chain that having a “named” closer brings, and the team may be better off this October because of it.

The Scenarios

Not Necessary Now!

Postseason roster thoughts

It is important to note that play-in tiebreaker games are still considered part of the regular season and thus teams participating in such contests would have the current expanded rosters; however, prior to the start of the wildcard game on Wednesday the teams would have to submit a condensed 25-man roster.

With that in mind, here is my quick prediction of the postseason 25-man roster for the ALDS series if they get that far. Note, the roster for the wildcard game is set for just that game and can be reset in advance of the ALDS, so that means the Indians can carry less pitchers and more position players since only one starter would be needed. My guess is the Indians would carry 11 pitchers (1 starters, 2 long relievers, 8 relievers) and 14 position players.

In any case, assuming Justin Masterson is cleared to start for the ALDS, here is my 25-man roster for that series if the Indians get that far:

Rotation (4):

Ubaldo Jimenez, Scott Kazmir, Justin Masterson, Danny Salazar

Bullpen (8):

Joe Smith, Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Rich Hill, Marc Rzepczynski, Matt Albers, Corey Kluber (long relief), Carlos Carrasco

Starting lineup (9):

Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn, Jason Kipnis, Carlos Santana, Michael Brantley, Asdrubal Cabrera, Lonnie Chisenhall, Ryan Raburn, Yan Gomes

Bench (4):

Drew Stubbs, Jason Giambi, Mike Aviles, Jose Ramirez

To me, the four man rotation is a lock. As long as Masterson is good to go, then Kluber and Zach McAllister should not make the postseason rotation due to their inconsistency down the stretch. That said, I see Kluber on the roster as a long reliever.

The only question mark with the bullpen to me is who the final reliever ends up being. The options are Chris Perez, Carlos Carrasco and maybe Zach McAllister if they want more length, but I chose Carrasco because of his dominating stuff, McAllister’s inconsistency of late, and Perez simply being impossible to trust right now.

The lineup and bench is pretty obvious, but the only question is who is the extra position player since the Indians probably go with a 12 pitcher and 13 position player setup for the postseason rather than the 13 pitcher and 12 position player setup that they had for most of the season. That final bench spot to me comes down to Matt Carson and Jose Ramirez, and I see that player only being a late game pinch running option and Ramirez fills that role best to me.

Parting shots

The Indians drew 1,572,926 fans to Progressive Field this year. They drew 1,603,596 last season. To take it a step further, in the first half of 2012 they averaged 19,256 fans per game and then in the second half averaged 20,474 fans per game. This season they averaged 18,792 fans per game in the first half and averaged 20,378 fans per game in the second half. …

When Drew Stubbs hit a home run on Friday night, the Indians became the 12th team to have 10 or more players with double digit home runs in a season. Jason Giambi and Mike Aviles each have nine homers, and if they are able to hit a home run in the season finale on Sunday they would have 12 players with double digit home run totals and it would be a major league record (11 – Tigers in 2004). …

Jason Giambi left Saturday’s game with a left forearm cramp. He is considered day to day. …


The Indians are 20-6 in September, the first time they have won 20 games in a month since August of 1995. …

Tickets for a potential tiebreaker game in Cleveland on Monday are available for sale online at Indians.com.

It looks like Tony and I see eye to eye on the post season roster. If this one comes to fruition, everyone would be happy with Giambi and I would be happy with Ramirez.

<

What Tony stated above.

This has been a total team effort.

When most of us were down on Ubaldo and many of us thought he should be sent to Columbus just before the end of the first half of this season, I thought that was a bad idea at the time. I liked the way he was throwing. He had good pitches but bad results. Francona stuck with Jimenez and Callaway worked his magic. Ubaldo never looked back when he got on that fast track. To me, that was the turning point of the season.

When we broke camp this spring, I thought, WoW! We left Arizona with a bench that I considered the best we've had here in decades. I also thought that we broke camp with a strong and deep bullpen. Two ingredients in my opinion that make for a championship type team.

The bench and the bullpen was basically the reason why I chose the 86-90 wins in the poll we had. As it turned out, those two ingredients made our day, not to mention a rotation that exceeded my highest expectations. Kluber and McAllister took up the slack that Myers left us with. Two of our unsung heroes this year.

Then along came Danny Salazar. WoW again! The rookie starts the win or go home playoff game on Wednesday night. How about that !?!?!

This is a nice year to be an Indian fan.

Go Tribe......Go Danny!!!!!

VIDEO: Indians on 2013 season 09/29/13 | 00:01:31
9/29/13: Indians president Mark Shapiro, manager Terry Francona and Nick Swisher give their take on the club's 2013 season after their win


http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?content_id=31 ... 0_12536344

Chris Perez speaks, believes he can still help Cleveland Indians this year

By Paul Hoynes, Northeast Ohio Media Group

on September 29, 2013 at 11:08 PM, updated September 29, 2013 at 11:41 PM


MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- After not talking to reporters since late June following his arrest for a misdemeanor drug charge, reliever Chris Perez ended his silence Sundayafter the Indians reached the postseason as the AL's top wild card team.
The Tribe's deposed closer says he's happy to make the postseason and still believes he can help his team.

"You can't put this feeling into words, especially after what happened last year," said Perez, referring to the Indians' 68-94 finish in 2012. "It started in spring training. We had a good rapport with each other.

"I think you have to give tons of credit to our front office. They made some smart signings and really good trades in getting Yan Gomes and Mike Aviles."

Manager Terry Francona took Perez out of the closer's role Thursday after he gave up four runs in the ninth inning in 6-5 win over the Twins. Perez is 1-2 with a 7.52 ERA since August. He's 10-for-13 in save chances, while allowing 17 earned runs on 30 hits, including seven homers.

"Me, personally, I could care less how I've played this year," he said. "We got our goal. We finished one game behind Detroit in the AL Central. We've got a great group of guys."

After Thursday's poor outing, Perez said he went to Francona's office for a meeting.

Said Perez, "I went into Tito's office the other night and said, 'I'm not going to cost this team a playoff spot. You need to make a change right now. You've got four or five guys who are throwing the heck out of the ball. I don't have an ego. Make the change.' And he did."

Perez, 25-for-30 in save opportunities, says his problem is mechanical. He said the sore right shoulder that put him on the disabled list in May is sound.

"I'm in slump," said Perez. "It came at the worst time of the year. If this would have happened in April or May, it would stink, but it would be under the radar. Games are magnified in September, especially when you're in it.

"Physically, I'm good. It's just a little mechanical adjustment I need to make. I threw a bullpen today, my first step getting back, and I felt good."

Drug agents followed a package containing a small amount marijuana to Perez's Rocky River residence in June. He and his wife were arrested and plead guilty to a four degree misdemeanor.

Perez said the arrest has nothing to do with his struggles on the field.

"Not at all," he said. "The stuff off the field, is off the field, when you walk through the locker room doors. Except for you family, you don't think about anything else that happened. You worry about getting ready for that game and helping the team win.

"It's not like I was out there in the ninth inning figuring out what was going to happen in my court case next week."

As for his role with the club should he make the 25-man roster for the wild card game, Perez said "I haven't given up. I don't know if (I'll pitch) in the fifth inning or the seventh inning, whatever. But I'm going to help the team.

"I've had a pretty good 5 1/2 year run. I'm not going to re-invent the wheel. I'm not

going to come in and throw sidearm like Joe Smith. I'm not going to throw a knuckleball."

Cleveland Indians should ignore the critics, they earned their wild card spot: Terry Pluto blog


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The schedule?

There are complaints about the Tribe's schedule?

I don't want to hear it.

I'll tell you about the schedule -- after 162 games, the Indians have a record of 92-70. They earned a wild-card spot in the playoffs.

Ninety-two victories. They did it the hard way, by ending the season on 10-game winning streak against the White Sox, Astros and Twins.

I don't care if they played three teams from the North Pole, the Indians had to win all 10 of those games to win the wild-card spot.

Ten games in a row, all packed with pressure. Ten ways to mess up, 10 different days where Tribe fans probably had to fight off the feeling that somehow, their team would blow it.

I don't care that the Twins, White Sox and Astros had the three worst records in the American League.

If the Indians finish 8-2 in the last 10 games, their season is over. They needed all 10, and they won all 10. And in seven of those games, Tribe pitchers held the opposition to two or fewer runs.

They needed a 21-6 record in September, and they needed to do it without All-Star starter Justin Masterson (injured) and closer Chris Perez (fading).

They needed Ubaldo Jimenez to turn into an ace, which he did with a 4-0 record and 1.09 ERA in the season's final month. He had an 1.82 ERA after the All-Star break.

They needed Michael Brantley to be Mr. Clutch, and they needed Jason Giambi's dramatic ninth-inning pinch-hit homer.

They needed a game winning hit from Matt Carson (think about that for a moment), and they needed Nick Swisher to lead the team in homers (13) and RBI (32) after the All-Star break.

They needed Bryan Shaw to have a 5-0 record and throw 11 1/3 scoreless innings in September.

They needed Yan Gomes (who knew?) to turn into a young Ray Fosse or Sandy Alomar after the All-Star break.

They needed Danny Salazar to pull a Jaret Wright of 1997, opening the season at Class AA Akron and ending it pitching pressure games in Cleveland.

They needed Jason Kipnis, Carlos Santana, Joe Smith, Cody Allen, Corey Kluber, Scott Kazmir, Asdrubal Cabrera, Michael Bourn and Drew Stubbs … and I know I'm forgetting somebody.

They needed Matt Albers (11 scoreless innings in September) and Marc Rzepczynski (0.83) in the bullpen.

They needed everyone to finish the season winning 15-of-17, and they needed the experienced hand of Terry Francona to keep the team focused.

How else does a team go from 68-94 to 92-70 in one seasons?

They did it with no one winning 15 games. No one hitting 25 homers. No one driving in 90 runs.

They really won all these games as a team -- a baseball example of the whole far exceeding the parts.

Ninety-two wins.

And the playoffs.

The Tribe earned it.

From 'Harlem Shake' to a postseason stake: Behind their leader, Terry Francona, the misfit Cleveland Indians are bound for October baseball

Print By Zack Meisel, Northeast Ohio Media Group
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on September 30, 2013 at 11:25 AM, updated September 30, 2013 at 11:32 AM


Sponsored Link
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There was a bunny rabbit, a penguin, a toucan, a bear, an Ohio State football player and a baby in a bonnet.

There was Gumby, Spiderman, Mario and Luigi, and Harry and Lloyd from "Dumb and Dumber."

The scene was a locker room full of misfits, full of quirky characters who, at the time, had no inkling about whether they could mesh in one Harlem Shake video.

Then, Terry Francona stood before the group -- one yet to be whittled down to a 25-man roster -- and wiggled his hips. The eyes in the room remained fixated on the first-year manager, who snapped his fingers and stepped right and then left before the rest of the team broke into costumed dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE1ADwbo5Ls

This Cleveland Indians team followed Francona's direction all spring and summer. Now, after a torrid finish to the regular season slate, this collection of personalities will play fall baseball.

They have done nothing conventionally.

They wallowed through an eight-game skid in early June. They dropped 15 of 19 games against the Tigers, the division champions. No hitter batted .300 or slugged 25 home runs or tallied 85 RBIs. The team axed its home run leader, Mark Reynolds, in August. Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn, the two marquee offseason additions, submitted substandard stat lines, relative to their career averages. The back-end bullpen duo of Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez floundered, as both players battled injuries and inconsistency. Three-fifths of the team's starting rotation landed on the shelf.

Something, though, clicked, almost at the snap of Francona's left thumb and middle finger.

For the first time in six years, the clubhouse during September wasn't as quiet and somber as a morgue. Winning certainly helped enhance the atmosphere, but so, too, did charisma and pedigree.

The bench bunch of Jason Giambi, Yan Gomes, Mike Aviles and Ryan Raburn evolved into the "Goon Squad." Swisher kept the environment loose with his endless enthusiasm and frat-boy antics. The team employed a lucky chicken in September in a spiritual effort aimed at snapping out of a stretch of six losses in seven contests.

Giambi played a slew of roles, from clubhouse cult hero to team father to on-field coach. He and the other veterans added during the offseason, such as Swisher and Bourn and Raburn, imparted their knowledge upon the team's young core. Giambi called a handful of team meetings during the season to keep the club on the proper path.

Who envisioned that path would lead to a postseason berth?

The Indians lost 94 games in 2012. They endured a 5-24 month of August, a September managerial change and a winter of remodeling.

Now, after the they polished off a 92-win campaign on the heels of a 21-6 September surge, the intersection of Carnegie and Ontario will serve as the site of October baseball.

Francona brought instant credibility to an organization desperate for direction. He won two titles with the Red Sox and before an ugly exit from Boston in 2011, he captained a team reminiscent of the one he now manages in Cleveland.

The 2004 Red Sox were cast as a group of oddballs who loved playing together. That team captured Boston's first World Series crown in 86 years. That was Francona's first year at the helm.

So is this.

This team lacks a Manny Ramirez or a David Ortiz in the middle of the lineup. It doesn't have a Curt Schilling or a Pedro Martinez to anchor the starting rotation.

But that is what has made this season so special to the players who sat in the clubhouse on that morning in Goodyear, Ariz., doing everything in their power not to crack a smile or erupt in laughter as Francona began to boogie.

It has been a true display of a team. Nine players contributed the Indians' league-leading 11 walk-off hits. Ten players hit 10 or more home runs.

The end result is a one-game duel with either Texas or Tampa for the right to face Francona's former family in Boston in the American League Division Series.

For the Indians, that's reason to celebrate, in costume and with dance.

Imperfect Indians follow Francona's direction
Tribe returns to postseason after incredible September run

Anthony Castrovince
By Anthony Castrovince | Archive
9/30/2013 10:00 A.M. ET


We're taking a tour of October as the playoffs approach, with an in-depth look at those who are postseason-bound.

So far, we've covered the AL East champion Boston Red Sox, the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers, the NL East champion Atlanta Braves, the AL West champion Oakland A's, the AL Central champion Detroit Tigers, the NL Central champion St. Louis Cardinals, and the NL Wild Card winners -- the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds.

We continue now with the Cleveland Indians, who nabbed the AL's top Wild Card spot Sunday.

For the Indians, the road to October began in, well, October.

October of last year, that is.

It was the night of Oct. 6, 2012, when word -- and surprise -- began to spread through the industry that the Indians were on the verge of bringing Terry Francona back to Cleveland.

AL Wild Card
On personal levels, the move made a ton of sense for the man affectionately known as "Tito." After all, his father, the real Tito, had spent some of the best seasons of his 15-year career in Cleveland, with a young Terry in tow. And Terry, in addition to spending some time in an Indians uniform himself, had established fast friendships with Tribe president Mark Shapiro and general manager Chris Antonetti over the years, even serving in an advisory role before his first managerial gig in Philadelphia.

But on a professional level, Francona, a two-time World Series winner with the Red Sox, definitely inherited a challenge. The Indians lost 94 games a season ago, and every concern about the direction of the rotation, the state of the farm system and the frustrations of the fan base was justified.

So for the Indians to get from there to here -- the top Wild Card spot in the American League, on the heels of a 92-win season that saw them finish just one game behind the vaunted Tigers in the AL Central -- is amazing. And much of it is due to the leadership and the fun-loving vibe Francona helped instill.

Of course, the Indians had to do it on the field, too. And they did it despite less-than-stellar seasons from their two biggest offseason acquisitions, Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. They did it despite seeing their April MVP, Mark Reynolds, go into the slump to end all slumps, eventually earning his release. They did it despite several notable injuries -- Justin Masterson, Corey Kluber and Zach McAllister all missed some time -- to a rotation that didn't seem sturdy enough to avoid such blows. They did it despite regression from their two biggest bullpen strengths, Chris Perez and Vinnie Pestano. They did it despite not having any superstars or absurd statistical seasons, unless you count Ubaldo Jimenez's remarkable second half.

They did it as a team. That's probably the best that can be said of this strange but satisfying Cleveland club. The Indians' biggest strength might have been their bench, one that Francona employed masterfully, getting the most out of "The Goon Squad" -- Yan Gomes, Ryan Raburn, Jason Giambi and Mike Aviles -- by properly managing their playing time. Gomes delivered so much behind the plate and at the plate that he eventually supplanted Carlos Santana as the everyday catcher, allowing Santana's bat to shine while improving the defense. And improved athleticism in the outfield helped maximize the efforts of the pitching staff.

The Indians were indeed imperfect, especially in the games against the Tigers (they had a 4-15 record against Detroit) that wound up costing them a real shot at a division crown. The 92 wins were due in no small part to the game's best record against sub-.500 teams, and the Tribe took full advantage of a soft September schedule by winning 21 games in the month, including each of the last 10.

Give credit where it's due, though: The Indians came together as a team and enter October on a ridiculous run. They are capable, confident and collected, and they've eked the most out of their ability all year, bringing Cleveland its first October experience since 2007.

That '07 run ended at the hands of Francona's Boston club. This time around, the Indians have Francona on their side. It's made a huge difference this season, and we'll see what kind of a difference it makes in October.

The bats: The Indians had just four regulars -- Santana, Swisher, Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley -- post an adjusted OPS above the league average. But they managed to score the fourth-most runs per game in all of baseball. It was a 5.19 average in September, so the Tribe bats enter October on a roll. They'll just need that roll to continue against much more prominent pitching.

The arms: The Tribe's rotation is not spectacular (its 3.94 ERA ranks in the middle of the pack) but is steady, and that's been the biggest difference between 2012 and today. There is upside in the way Jimenez has pitched down the stretch and the pitch-count shackles being removed from promising rookie Danny Salazar and Kluber returning to full strength after a finger injury sidelined him for six weeks. The bullpen is the bigger question, as Perez's struggles have opened the door to a closer-by-committee approach in which Masterson, limited to relief work as a result of the oblique strain, might loom large.

The MVP: Again, no superstars here, so the MVP discussion is fairly wide open. But Kipnis provided a 5.7 WAR that led the team, and he was a one-man show in a scorching June (.419/.517/.699) that carried this club at a time when the season seemed as though it might drift off track. If you want to get truly technical, then give an MVP nod to pitching coach Mickey Callaway, who did a terrific job with the rotation.

The ace: All season, it was Masterson, who was 14-10 with a 3.52 ERA at the time he got hurt on Sept. 2. But Jimenez has been sensational in the second half and especially in September. He posted a 1.09 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP, 51 strikeouts and seven walks over 41 1/3 innings in his last six starts. If the Indians advance, they know who their Game 1 starter in the AL Division Series should be.

The unsung hero: Ryan Raburn's Major League career looked all but over after he posted a .171/.226/.254 slash line in 66 games in his age-31 season with Detroit last year. But the Indians always liked him and took a chance on him in a reserve role. He contributed a .272/.359/.548 line with 16 homers, 55 RBIs and a 2.1 WAR off the bench, earning a contract extension. On the team that resurrected the likes of Scott Kazmir and Giambi, Raburn might have actually mounted the most convincing comeback.

The pressing question: The Indians are the hottest team in baseball. They are also a team that went 36-52 against teams that wound up with winning records, including a 1-6 record against the Boston team they'd face if they advance out of the Wild Card. So, which of those realities is most relevant?

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

I don't follow these naysayers on the Indians. Basically, didn't we have the same schedule as Detroit?

Ten reasons why the Indians are back in playoffs

Hiring of Francona, great pitching and deep bench have Tribe in October

By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 9/30/2013 12:56 P.M. ET

CLEVELAND --

The Indians underwent the kind of organizational overhaul last offseason that made it seem like better days were probably ahead. No one could have predicted that those days would be here, right now, given where the franchise stood just one year ago.

Sunday's clinching of the American League's top Wild Card spot brought a celebratory end to the regular season for a Cleveland club that lost 94 games last summer. These Indians lack superstars, but they have also lacked egos, leading to a collective effort that led to 92 victories and the right to host Wednesday's Wild Card Game at Progressive Field.

"The guys we have embody what a team is about," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "Everyone contributed."

The Indians needed all 162 games on the schedule -- and the 21 wins they rattled off in September -- to seal their spot on the October stage on the final day of the season. Powered by a rejuvenated rotation and led by a group of newcomers long in postseason experience, the Tribe pulled off one of the greatest one-year turnarounds in the franchise's storied 113-year history.

Here are 10 reasons for Cleveland's incredible comeback:

Tito Time

The hiring of manager Terry Francona last October was the first step in turning the page on last season's second-half tailspin. With Francona in the fold, Cleveland was better able to lure some top free-agent talent (Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn ), and the man affectionately referred to as "Tito" by his players and friends immediately altered the atmosphere in the clubhouse. The Indians instituted a perfect blend of fun off the field and business on it while forming a close bond with their manager in the process.

Righting the rotation

Cleveland made sweeping changes to its offense over the winter, but it headed into this season with a plethora of questions surrounding the rotation. Justin Masterson and Ubaldo Jimenez went from a dynamic bust in 2012 to the envisioned dynamic duo this year, powering the Tribe to a franchise-record for strikeouts as a staff. Masterson made his first All-Star team, Jimenez was one of the league's top pitchers in the second half and the foursome of Scott Kazmir, Corey Kluber, Zach McAllister and prospect Danny Salazar made the rotation the Tribe's strength.

Walking it off

The Indians turned in 51 victories in front of their home fans this season and pulled off 11 walk-off wins along the way. Nine different players delivered the decisive blow, with six such wins coming in extra innings. Jason Kipnis, Yan Gomes, Ryan Raburn, Carlos Santana and Jason Giambi each launched walk-off home runs. It was the kind of home-field magic Cleveland fans remember from the great '90s teams of Indians' past.

Witness Kipnis

Kipnis enjoyed a breakout season, ending the year as the first Indians second baseman to lead his team outright in RBIs since Joe Gordon did so in 1948, which was the last time the Tribe won the World Series. Kipnis showed off a mix of power (17 home runs) and speed (30 stolen bases) in his first All-Star season, in which he mainly served as his team's No. 3 hitter. In June, the second baseman hoisted an inconsistent offense on his shoulders by hitting .419 and winning the AL's Player of the Month Award.

Rockin' Raburn

The Indians signed slugger Mark Reynolds to provide right-handed power, which he did in April, but the infielder's struggles led to his release in August. Fortunately for the Tribe, Raburn came out of nowhere to provide a reliable power bat off the bench. One season after being the butt of jokes for his struggles in Detroit, the utility man launched 16 homers in just 87 games and impressed the Indians enough to earn a two-year contract extension.

The Goon Squad

Raburn became a key component within Cleveland's "Goon Squad," which is the nickname Mike Aviles gave the team's versatile bench. The quartet of Raburn, Aviles, Gomes and Giambi provided Cleveland with players capable of filling in and doing damage. Francona's daily lineup usually includes at least one of those four, either due to a favorable matchup or to spell a tired starter. The blessing for Cleveland was that using its bench players did not hinder the offense.

The Yanimal

Gomes was acquired in an offseason trade with Toronto that also brought Aviles into the fold, but the young catcher opened the season in Triple-A. An injury to backup catcher Lou Marson paved the way for Gomes to join the Tribe, and the first Brazilian-born player to reach the Majors seized the opportunity. With a powerful bat and a strong arm, Gomes was installed as Cleveland's starting catcher by the second half. Santana has remained in the daily lineup, though more often as a designated hitter or first baseman.

Kazmir's comeback

Swisher jokes that Kazmir was playing catch in his backyard a year ago. The lefty was actually pitching for the Sugar Land Skeeters in Independent ball, hoping for a chance to revive his once-promising career. Cleveland came calling with a Minor League contract, and Kazmir took the job and ran with it, earning a spot in the starting staff with a stellar spring. The southpaw ended the season with 10 wins and 162 strikeouts, giving baseball one of its best comeback tales.

Giambi's leadership

Francona has said that the 42-year-old Giambi has "carte blanche" when it comes to calling team meetings. Giambi did so multiple times throughout the year, making sure his teammates kept their focus on the right things during tough stretches. Giambi's leadership behind the scenes was apparent, but the former AL Most Valuable Player Award winner also made an impact in the batter's box. Twice, he became the oldest player in baseball history to launch a walk-off home run, and his miracle shot into the right-field seats on Sept. 24 will forever have a place in Indians lore.

The September surge

For only the fourth time since 1960, the Indians turned in at least 21 wins in a single month, and the club needed every last one of them to clinch a Wild Card berth. Jimenez went 4-0 with a 1.09 ERA, Swisher heated up to the tune of seven home runs and 17 RBIs, Masterson overcame an oblique injury to become an unexpected weapon out of the bullpen and Cleveland rattled off 15 wins in its final 17 games. The Tribe also became just the sixth team since 1900 to end a season with at least 10 straight victories. In Game No. 162, Jimenez struck out 13, Swisher belted a homer, Masterson recorded the final out and the Indians enjoyed a wild champagne celebration in Francona's first season at the helm.

How they were built: Cleveland Indians

A look at the composition of the Tribe's projected playoff roster

By Jonathan Mayo

Archive9/30/2013 11:11 A.M. ET

The Cleveland Indians had a mini dynasty going back in the mid-to-late 90s, winning five straight division titles (six in seven years) and making it to the World Series twice. That string of success was built upon a large core of homegrown players who were signed and developed, then given long-term contracts, by the Indians.

Cleveland is back in the postseason for just the second time since then, and if the 2013 edition of the Indians teaches nothing else, it's that there's more than one way to skin a cat.

This is not the Indians of Carlos Baerga, Jim Thome, Sandy Alomar, Albert Belle and Kenny Lofton. A vast majority of the roster headed to the playoffs did not start with this organization. More than perhaps any organization in baseball, the Indians have found tremendous value in the trade market, bringing in talent in all shapes and sizes to help them put together this American League Wild Card club.

The Cleveland braintrust clearly felt it was close, despite a 94-loss season in 2012, so it was aggressive on the free-agent market prior to the 2013 season, providing the necessary pieces that led to this year's 24-win turnaround.

"If you look at our roster, we've gotten contributions from each of our areas of player acquisition," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "[We've gotten help] from the Draft and from Latin America. Our pro scouting department [contributed] with trades and free-agent acquisitions. We've gotten guys at different points in the development spectrum. We've tried to assimilate them all into a team that's as good as possible to win as many games as we can."

Here's a closer look at how the Indians' roster was built:

Homegrown players

Depending on how postseason rosters shake out, the Indians may have the fewest number of truly homegrown players of any of the playoff teams. What they don't have in quantity, though, they make up for in quality.

Homegrown

Danny Salazar Int'l sign 2006
Lonnie Chisenhall Draft 2008 (1st)
Jason Kipnis Draft 2009 (2nd)
Cody Allen Draft 2011 (23rd)

Jason Kipnis represents the draftees extremely well. The 2009 second-round pick was an All-Star in 2013 and has been a rock in the lineup and in the infield in just his second full Major League season. While Kipnis was big, particularly in the first half, the club received a huge second-half boost from Danny Salazar, the lone member of the roster who was signed and developed by the Indians out of Latin America.

"Both of those guys have made a huge impact on our team," Antonetti said. "Kip carried us for better part of a month and a half. He's been a very steady performer. Danny helped us get through a couple of injuries. Without him filling that void, we'd have had a tough time staying in the race."

Cody Allen and Lonnie Chisenhall also made contributions, perhaps not quite as large as the other two. Allen was a mainstay in the bullpen all year, and while Chisenhall's overall numbers aren't too pretty, he's come through at the plate at times and gives the Indians either some power at the bottom of the lineup or a left-handed bat off the bench.

"All of them have made some contributions, with Kip and Danny at the head of the class," Antonetti said.

Trades

Making deals, it turns out, has been the Indians' bread and butter. More players on their playoff roster have come via trades than by any other means, by far. It's been a combination of smaller moves and some blockbusters that has brought this successful mix of players together.

Acquired via trade

Asdrubal Cabrera 2006 Mariners
Joe Smith 2008 Mets
Carlos Santana 2008 Dodgers
Michael Brantley 2008 Brewers
Justin Masterson 2009 Red Sox
Chris Perez 2009 Cardinals
Corey Kluber 2010 Padres
Zach McAllister 2010 Yankees
Ubaldo Jimenez 2011 Rockies
Matt Albers 2012 D-backs
Bryan Shaw 2012 D-backs
Yan Gomes 2012 Blue Jays
Mike Aviles 2012 Blue Jays
Drew Stubbs 2012 Reds
Marc Rzepczynski 2013 Cardinals

Cleveland has proven adept, over the years, at identifying talent, sometimes bringing in unfinished products and helping them become productive big leaguers. Asdrubal Cabrera was a Triple-A infielder when they got him from Seattle in 2006. While Carlos Santana had a breakout year in 2008, he was still in A ball when the Indians got him from the Dodgers in 2008. Justin Masterson, while more of a known quantity when he came from the Red Sox, had an unclear role. Some felt he didn't have the tools to be a starter long-term, but the Indians did, and he's been a workhorse in their rotation since.

The Indians' track record on the blockbusters is a little spottier. Trevor Bauer was thought to be the biggest prize in last offseason's huge three-team trade, but he ended up making just four starts in the big leagues in 2013 and did not receive a September callup. On the plus side, all of the other pieces -- Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw from the D-backs, Drew Stubbs from the Reds -- all contributed to the playoff push.

The Indians took a good amount of heat when they sent Drew Pomeranz and Alex White -- two of the better pitching prospects in the game, at the time -- along with a solid prospect, in Joe Gardner, to Colorado for Ubaldo Jimenez in 2011. Cleveland thought it could make a run that year, and the fact the club ended up under .500 and 15 games out didn't help when evaluating the deal. But sometimes it takes longer for a deal's benefits to come to fruition. Putting aside the fact that neither Pomeranz nor White have lived up to expectations, Jimenez's return to pre-trade form, especially in the second half of the season, has been huge for the Indians.

"We don't spend a lot of time looking at what people externally are talking about," Antonetti said about the critique of the trade. "But without question, without Ubaldo's contributions, we would not have been in the position we were to compete for a playoff spot."

The other blockbusters over the years have been a little less fruitful, part of the risk involved when making any kind of deal. The trades of two elite lefties, in CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee, netted the Indians just one player on the current roster, outfielder Michael Brantley, though Jason Donald was later sent as part of the deal with the Reds and D-backs. It may not have been the return the Indians hoped for, but Antonetti feels the overall scorecard is still pretty positive.

"Not everyone is going to make perfect decisions and trades," he said. "If you look at the whole portfolio of trades, we've had a fair amount of success. If you look at the composition of this team -- not just this year, but over the past several years -- those deals have worked well for us and been a big part of how we've constructed our team."

Free agents

The Indians typically aren't ones to go nuts on the free-agent market. That's what made what they did prior to the 2013 season that much more interesting. But what made it truly impactful was surrounding their two big-ticket free agents -- Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher -- with some Minor League signings that have really paid off.

Acquired via free agency

Scott Kazmir MiLB FA 2012
Nick Swisher FA 2013
Michael Bourn FA 2013
Ryan Raburn MiLB FA 2013
Rich Hill MiLB FA 2013
Jason Giambi MiLB FA 2013

Scott Kazmir had been pitching in independent league ball in 2012. Ryan Raburn was coming off of a season with the Tigers that saw him post a .480 OPS as a part-timer. Cleveland's staff saw something in both, and Kazmir has been a rotation mainstay while Raburn has been impressive as a utilityman.

"We try to be relentless in looking at every way possible in acquiring talent," Antonetti said. "Those were guys who had down years, or were relatively low risk. Our pro scouts did a good job. There were reasons to think they would bounce back, and both guys have been huge contributors so far."

It's quite possible, though, that with all of these other moves, the 2013 season will be looked at as the time the Indians rolled the free-agent dice and won. Within a span of a few weeks, Cleveland signed both Swisher and Bourn for over $100 million combined. And while neither veteran has put up huge numbers, there's no doubt their additions have paid dividends.

"We had a very disappointing 2012 season," Antonetti said. "We wanted to do everything we could to improve our [ability to compete], not just in 2013, but beyond. We had a need for position players to help bridge the gap. We thought Michael and Nick could really help us and contribute, and both guys have certainly done that."

I forgot about that one:

They needed a game winning hit from Matt Carson (think about that for a moment),

It does take a whole team; If not for Carson's hit they could be playing today.