This loss stings more since I felt this was our year to make up for last season's ending.  They peaked too early imho.  They had everything going in their favor.  Still much to be proud of in their regular season play.  Here's to next season.

Francona hinted in the postgame Kluber was hurt. Sounds like his back flared up again. Explains why they didn't pitch Kluber game 1.

Weird how quickly this turned from one of the most fun baseball seasons ever into another chapter of! Cleveland sports heartbreak - I think this years version is especially cruel because - let's be honest - we thought this was our year - we actually believed.  And the fact that the Indians  lost 3 straight (again) - and that it was to the Yankees - makes it particularly painful this year. It just seems like the Indians didn't play Indians baseball in this series - starting pitching failed - defense sloppy - and the bats died. Last year even in defeat in the World Series I felt so proud of the team - they overachieved - this year, it's a major disappointment...

It's extraordinarily difficult to make the World Series. Last year, they were knocking on the door of a title. Being up 3-1 in the WS and losing in 7 is "worse", but neither feels great...

 

We'll get em next year. Let's go Tribe.

The good news is that the rest of the AL Central is a dumpster fire (the Twins overachieved this season), so it will probably be another cakewalk back to the playoffs next season. Maybe in 2019, too.

LOL at Ramirez getting MVP consideration (if he does).  Total no show.

Cleveland as a favorite is not a good thing. Feel like they need to be in underdog role. 

 

Going to be an interesting offseason.  Going to have to choose between bruce and Santana, miller will be in his last season, and they need to understand EE.  As awesome as the 38 homers were, few were meaningful.  And if you look at this playoff numbers in Toronto the past two year prior, I have serious concerns about his ability to perform in high pressure settings

I was telling my friends back in September to remember what happened to the last AL team to win 20 games in a row.

We aren't a power hitting team but tried to play like one in this series.  Not enough walks, too much swinging for the fences.  And if Kluber was hurting, why not start Carrasco twice?

Look at all of the teams that at least one close to 20 games. None won a championship.

Going to have to choose between bruce and Santana

 

That's a no-brainer in my opinion...Santana.  Way better OBP, better OPS, less strikeouts.

Francona hinted in the postgame Kluber was hurt. Sounds like his back flared up again. Explains why they didn't pitch Kluber game 1.

 

I'm skeptical about this.  If, indeed, Kluber was hurt, then Tito was foolish for pitching him at all.  The most I would have done, was put him in the bullpen.  This year, our rotation and staff was healthy.  While it would hurt somewhat to have Kluber out of the rotation, we had enough arms -- Tomlin, Salazar, ... and of course a healthy Carrasco (who was great) and Bauer.  The Kluber we got was disastrous -- a 12.1 ERA. 

I guess the winning streak should have been a warning. No team with a winning streak near 20 games has ever won a championship.

 

Wrong!

 

Three teams have won the WS with winning streaks of 18 games in the regular season, or more.

1. Chicago White Sox in 1906

2. NY Yankees in 1947

3. NY Yankees in 1953

Francona hinted in the postgame Kluber was hurt. Sounds like his back flared up again. Explains why they didn't pitch Kluber game 1.

 

I'm skeptical about this.  If, indeed, Kluber was hurt, then Tito was foolish for pitching him at all.  The most I would have done, was put him in the bullpen.  This year, our rotation and staff was healthy.  While it would hurt somewhat to have Kluber out of the rotation, we had enough arms -- Tomlin, Salazar, ... and of course a healthy Carrasco (who was great) and Bauer.  The Kluber we got was disastrous -- a 12.1 ERA. 

 

Tito stuck with his big names this year, and it cost us the series IMO.  I love Brantley, but no way he and Chisenhall both should have been on the roster, and I definitely don't understand Kipnis in center.

 

Too many guys that contributed to the win streak didn't even make the cut while guys that were injured for a good part of the season and probably not ready to come back were on it.

LOL at Ramirez getting MVP consideration (if he does).  Total no show.

 

Yeah, JRam sucked, but I can't pick on him alone -- this was a total team no-show.  It's much easier to highlight the guys who DID show up, like Perez, Bruce, Santana, Carrasco and the bullpen (save Miller's Game 3 losing HR pitch to Bird and the Game 4 train wreck).

Who was the player everyone missed the most in this year's post season?  My vote is for Zimmer--the kid had a great season building and was still growing.  Would have loved to seen him in CF over Kipnis, and welcomed his bat the last few games.

Who was the player everyone missed the most in this year's post season?  My vote is for Zimmer--the kid had a great season building and was still growing.  Would have loved to seen him in CF over Kipnis, and welcomed his bat the last few games.

 

Yandy Diaz

Francona hinted in the postgame Kluber was hurt. Sounds like his back flared up again. Explains why they didn't pitch Kluber game 1.

 

I'm skeptical about this.  If, indeed, Kluber was hurt, then Tito was foolish for pitching him at all.  The most I would have done, was put him in the bullpen.  This year, our rotation and staff was healthy.  While it would hurt somewhat to have Kluber out of the rotation, we had enough arms -- Tomlin, Salazar, ... and of course a healthy Carrasco (who was great) and Bauer.  The Kluber we got was disastrous -- a 12.1 ERA. 

 

Tito stuck with his big names this year, and it cost us the series IMO.  I love Brantley, but no way he and Chisenhall both should have been on the roster, and I definitely don't understand Kipnis in center.

 

Too many guys that contributed to the win streak didn't even make the cut while guys that were injured for a good part of the season and probably not ready to come back were on it.

 

It's really weird about Brantley.  As good a guy as he is and as good a player has he is, he's been like the Indians kryptonite.  Consider:

 

-- 2 years ago, when Brantley was healthy and played, we missed the playoffs.

 

-- last year, when he was hurt and out all season, we were thrilling and played to Game 7 of a thrilling World Series.

 

-- this season, when Brantley played at the beginning of the season, we struggled to stay above .500 and our bats often disappeared.

 

-- after he was hurt and left mid season, we went on the tear that netted an historic 22-game winning streak, and the AL best 102 wins.

 

-- then Brantley returns to the playoffs, can't hit and, well, ... you know the rest.

 

Conclusion: for whatever reason, we're a better team without MB but it's hard to figure out why.

the mets are eyeing kipnis:

 

https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/mets-jason-kipnis-1.15459081

indians lose carlos santana, but then replace him with 30y.o. yonder alonso:

 

 

Last season Alonso hit .266 (85-for-319) with 22 homers and 49 RBI with the A's. He went to the All-Star Game before getting traded to Seattle on Aug. 6. With the Mariners, Alonso hit .265 (35-for-132) with six homers and 18 RBI.

 

Alonso did most of his damage against right-handers, hitting .282 with 23 homers and 57 RBI. He hit just .181 with five homers against lefties.

 

 

more:

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2017/12/cleveland_indians_have_come_to.html

some vets in minor league signings today:

 

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2017/12/cleveland_indians_make_signing.html

Chief Wahoo to be discontinued in 2019.  I personally think the block C looks cooler anyway.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2018/01/cleveland_indians_58.html#incart_2box

A) I love the block C, to be honest

 

B) But, man am I said to see the Chief go. That smiling face will forever have a spot in my heart.

 

C) Inevitably, I think the team name will be soon to follow. I bet the Indians are no longer the Indians by 2040.

It is a bit sad to see the logo change but to be honest, I haven't purchased any clothing with wahoo on it. It really just seems weird and inappropriate when you think about it.  I'm not sure if there'll ever be a name change but perhaps bringing back the Spiders would be cool.  Think of all the new merchandise they could sell.

I have been shying away from wearing the chief logo for the past few years myself. For Christmas I did buy my dad a GV Art shirt with a very dignified looking Indian represented. I would bet even a majority of fans would agree it was time for an official separation from the wahoo logo.

 

Hoping the Indians name never changes, and I don't think it will But if it does, "Spiders" gets my vote for the best choice.

I have been shying away from wearing the chief logo for the past few years myself. For Christmas I did buy my dad a GV Art shirt with a very dignified looking Indian represented. I would bet even a majority of fans would agree it was time for an official separation from the wahoo logo.

 

Hoping the Indians name never changes, and I don't think it will But if it does, "Spiders" gets my vote for the best choice.

 

I also like the name Spiders.  I think I suggested it to Scott Raab on twitter once and he didn't like it at all because apparently we had our worst season ever when we were named the Spiders.  Ha. 

This will be the uniform in 2019 anyway:

 

I also like the name Spiders.  I think I suggested it to Scott Raab on twitter once and he didn't like it at all because apparently we had our worst season ever when we were named the Spiders.  Ha. 

 

Scott Raab is the real crime against humanity here.

I know The Spiders have historical value, but I don't connect them with Cleveland.

 

How about a nod to our nautical ties:  The Cleveland Steamers?    ;D ;) ;D ;)

Oh God! what would that logo look like?  ;D ;D :)

Chief Wahoo to be discontinued in 2019.  I personally think the block C looks cooler anyway.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2018/01/cleveland_indians_58.html#incart_2box

 

For those that like the Chief, they will still be able to get their Chief Wahoo merchandise after 2018 in the team shop and other locations in NE Ohio as the Chief is just being retired from on-field activities.  They will still sell Chief merchandise

FWIW, on my Instagram page, @cle_news, we have had 166 people vote in the last two hours.

 

73% against changing it,

 

27% for changing it.

 

I'll let you know how the vote closes out tomorrow morning.

I think that is natural, change is always hard and people in general do not like change.

 

The club has done a decent job at managing this. It was inevitable that this would come to a head, but it is a lot easier now than it would have been in 2010 or 2004. The club has been phasing out the chief over the last 5 years so the blowback will be more limited.

 

People will be hurt by this, but for those who love the chief, they can still buy the merchandise in the team store well after 2019

^ From what I understand, part of the reason for them to continue selling merchandise is to prevent a loss of the trademark.  I'm not sure if that is factual or not.  I've been seeing it on social media.

^ From what I understand, part of the reason for them to continue selling merchandise is to prevent a loss of the trademark.  I'm not sure if that is factual or not.  I've been seeing it on social media.

 

Right, if they do not have at least a small presence, they can lose the trademark and thereafter knockoffs can begin selling it.

It was past time to do this, but people are still gonna flip out.  Shocking to me how much support that logo receives.

It was past time to do this, but people are still gonna flip out.  Shocking to me how much support that logo receives.

 

"NOOOO, PLEASE, let us continue to be racist idiots!"

All Chief Wahoo stuff is a collectors item now. Not complaining.

^ From what I understand, part of the reason for them to continue selling merchandise is to prevent a loss of the trademark.  I'm not sure if that is factual or not.  I've been seeing it on social media.

 

that is the main reason. Don't want knockoffs that would be more offensive, but more importantly, if someone else gets the trademark, someone could block them from using it to celebrate some of the teams from the past. The Reds cant use Big Red Machine for this reason because they do not own the trademark.

All Chief Wahoo stuff is a collectors item now. Not complaining.

 

Yep, still have a '95 Indians jacket.

It was past time to do this, but people are still gonna flip out.  Shocking to me how much support that logo receives.

 

Now let's get rid of Notre Dame's racist ''fighting Irish'' leprechaun.

Leprechauns aren't depictions of real people though.

Leprechauns aren't depictions of real people though.

 

I'm 100% Irish and the image I see illicits a man of small stature looking to fight.

It's a depiction of a fairy from Irish folklore.

It's a depiction of a fairy from Irish folklore.

 

Sorry but it's negative stereotype of the Irish being a violent people and carries connotations that the Irish are lazy, drunks, and shiftless.

 

So, it's only if an actual person is depicted as a racist caricature is the issue?

Leprechauns aren't depictions of real people though.

 

Who cares; it's a negative image-stereotype.

 

 

Leprechauns aren't depictions of real people though.

 

I'd give this one up. As I said, I'm 100% Irish and obviously the leprechaun isn't offensive. But it's hard to say the same rationale cannot be applied to Fighting Irish as would Fighting Sioux, etc.

Leprechauns aren't depictions of real people though.

 

I'm 100% Irish and the image I see illicits a man of small stature looking to fight.

 

Ever get stereotyped in a job interview?

From a national media perspective this gets the heat off of ownership and the fanbase.

 

Now the focus will be on Danny Snyder's continued resistance (along with many long-time DC fans) to change anything Redskins which has been played alongside Chief Wahoo.

 

I don't see how this is bad news for Cleveland.

 

The Indians name change is coming but probably not for another decade.

But isn't the Fighting Irish mascot a self identifier in the way the Indians mascot is not?  That's how the NCAA interprets it.  The Fighting Irish name came from the fans (students) themselves many of whom are Irish Catholics.  It's no different than when I call my family dagos. 

 

If Irish Americans take offense, then the NCAA will likely rule in favor of Notre Dame changing it.