As you have probably heard:
mlb.com:
“The team announced through a video posted to its Twitter account on Friday morning that it will be changing its name from the Cleveland Indians to the Cleveland Guardians. The name will go into effect following the conclusion of the 2021 season.”
Big Year for Cleveland sports
For a number of years at the end of last decade, Jessica and I attended the home openers and several other games at Progressive Field. Although those were largely different teams, a few players key to this year’s World Series run like Carlos Santana and Jason Kipnis started showing up at the end of that era.
It’s cool to hear about all the excitement out there in Cleveland, and even though we moved to Seattle in 2014 the people that we still talk to out in Ohio are conveying to us what a celebratory vibe is going on with the Cavs NBA championship and now this playoff run by the Indians.
Jhonny Peralta and the Mets bench watch the pitch
Progressive Field, 6/16/2010
Indians home opener 2010
Downtown Cleveland was as jammed as I’ve ever seen it for the 2010 home opener game against the Texas Rangers. In contrast to last year’s rain delay, this year’s first Tribe home game saw passable spring weather, though it got cool enough later on at the end to make it feel like time to leave in the top of the 8th for Jessica and me–we had to cross the bridge to Ohio City anyway, as we had parked on W 28th Street across the river after having enough of trying to park downtown. But it actually turned out really well–we parked and then got some gyros at the West Side Market before walking to the stadium (the Great Lakes tram wasn’t running but–what the heck–we crossed the bridge anyway).
Leaving the game in the 8th with the score tied 2-2 turned out to be a savvy move, as the game went to 10 innings but the Indians lost 4-2. Grady Sizemore didn’t play, and other than the reliable Shin Shoo Choo, the top of the Indians lineup wasn’t hitting well–Jhonny Peralta and Travis Hafner are still looking for their swing. Fausto Carmona wasn’t pitching badly at all though.
Tribe double-header
I got to a couple of Indians games in a row over Labor Day weekend. That was my wedding weekend, and for the two nights before I became a lucky married man, I got to got out with a few family and friends to the ballpark. Although my out-of-town guests were disappointed that Grady Sizemore wasn’t able to play, it was a nice time overall, and my brothers convinced me that the bleachers (where most of these photos were taken from) are the best place to watch the game. There certainly is a case to be made for the elevated view from center field, plus it offers the TV camera angle for photos and video.
Is Manny Acta the right choice for a new manager?
Now that Eric Wedge had been fired, the Indians needed to find a new manager. But a guy who lost a ton more than he won with the Washington Nationals, when former Mets manager Bobby Valentine may have been available? It’s hard to predict how the Manny Acta era will play out in Cleveland, especially with a dramatically changed roster from previous years.
Jhonny Peralta about to make contact
Time to stick a fork in this season
The Indians haven’t been winning, and the chances of contesting for the AL Central division have already slipped away before the All-Star break. Everyone knows that. And the trade of Mark DeRosa wasn’t a good sign.
But today, by announcing that there’s no way that Tribe manager Eric Wedge will be fired this year, the team management has pretty definitively brought down the curtain for the year.
Is there a chance of the Indians eking into the playoffs?
In what appears to be a very weak division, the Indians will have to hope that the teams out east will beat each other down during the season and leave an opening in the playoffs–if they can play well enough to beat the ChiSox and the Detroit Tigers. Which isn’t asking too much this year, really, considering that the Tribe is currently only 6 games out of first place.
2009 home opener
For the Indians, the home opener was a wet, soggy letdown. First the game made it almost five innings in light rain before being delayed. Then we hung out at Harry Buffalo for a while before going home. Eventually, some three hours later, the game resumed and the Indians lost to the Toronto Blue Jays 13-7.