In honor of the Indians making the World Series, Sports Director Andy Baskin shares his thoughts:
1. I keep having to remind myself the Indians' last World Series appearance was 19 years ago. To my peer group, it feels like yesterday. Most college freshmen were not born or were less than a year old when the Indians lost to Marlins. The Ballpark no matter what you call it is the 12th oldest stadium in Major League Baseball. At 22 years old, Francisco Lindor was three years old in 1997 - he’s the youngest. Coco Crisp, who was born 1979 wasn’t able to vote when the Indians last played in the World Series.
2. Sandy Alomar Jr. told me before game one of the ALCS, that the three home run inning against Boston was the loudest crowd he has witnessed at the ballpark. I said, “Louder than when you played?” He said, “yes.” I told him he must have been “in the zone” when he was playing in the ‘90’s and he probably noticed it more because he was coaching. I will admit, while I am not a big fan of the shipping crates in right field. The folks banging on the metal boxes remind me of fans bouncing seats at old Municipal Stadium.
3. It only seems right if the Indians play the Cubs in the World Series. “Cleveland vs. the World” will continue. All the national outlets had the Red Sox and Blue Jays beating the Indians. If the Indians play the Cubs, they will be the underdog again. The Indians seem to notice everything that is written about them. My dad would say to me that you “can’t have rabbit ears” when you are playing a game. The Indians not only know what is being written or said, they thrive on it. Please, national media (and Paul Hoynes ha! ha!) rip the Indians and tell them they can’t do something. It is a motivator.
4. Sometimes when I think about the Indians and a chance to win the World Series, I think about the folks who have been working for the Indians a long time. The ushers, vendors and security I have seen at the ballpark since I first moved back to Ohio in 1995. I think about the front office names like Dennis Lehman, Bobby DiBiasio, Jim Folk, Mike Seghi, Bart Swain, Curtis Danburg, Bob Chester, Frank Vellota, Tony Amato, all the clubhouse guys and the folks that are here year in and year out. While the names on the back of the uniforms change every year, these folks are at the ballpark win or lose every day.
5. On our radio show today we asked, “Who should throw out the first pitch in game one?” The majority of folks want Charlie Sheen to dress up as Rick Vaughn and come out of the bullpen to do it. Some of the answers were pretty funny including Trevor Bauer’s drone and Steve Bartman if the Tribe plays the Cubs.
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