Eighteen Crazy Nights—Looking back at the 1997 Cleveland Indians

Each week during the 2012-13 offseason DTTWLN will take a look back at the 1997 Cleveland Indians season—specifically the 18 thrilling games of the postseason as the Indians made an improbable run to game seven of the World Series.

PART TWENTY-TWO:  WORLD SERIES GAME 7—THE BITTER END

By Steve Eby

Game Seven.

Cleveland had certainly been down a long and winding path that took them to baseball’s biggest stage.

The Indians had extremely lowered expectations heading into Spring Training, they traded their best and most popular player before camp broke and they underwhelmed all season with a pitching staff that looked more unwatchable than some Triple-A staffs.

They were huge underdogs when they faced the Yankees and Orioles on their unimaginable trip through the playoffs, yet they sent both foes packing.  They had battled through sloppy play and historically-cold weather in Cleveland to take the Marlins to the brink of elimination in a winner-take-all showdown in Miami.

For Marlins fans, the feeling was optimistic and fun-loving.  Their team was only in its fifth season of existence, and they were just waiting for good things to happen.  For Cleveland fans, things could not have been tenser.  For years, Cleveland had suffered through unbelievable and unbearable heartbreak. Read More

Eighteen Crazy Nights—Looking back at the 1997 Cleveland Indians

Each week during the 2012-13 offseason DTTWLN will take a look back at the 1997 Cleveland Indians season—specifically the 18 thrilling games of the postseason as the Indians made an improbable run to game seven of the World Series.

PART FIFTEEN:  ALCS GAME 6—ONE FOR THE AGES

By Steve Eby

“There’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be.”

-John Lennon

As the Cleveland Indians started batting practice before their Game Six showdown with the Baltimore Orioles in the 1997 American League Championship Series, Manager Mike Hargrove figured that everything was where it was meant to be.

Bip Roberts, a key midseason acquisition, was leading off and playing second base.

Tony Fernandez, an offseason free-agent signing that had lost his regular playing time when the team traded for Roberts, was penciled in as a reserve player on the bench.

It was all set.  The regular lineup was ready to face Mike Mussina…the hottest pitcher on the planet. Read More