There’s a party tonight at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario in downtown Cleveland. Progressive Field is sold out for the Indians’ first playoff game and the big TV screen is up at Gateway Plaza. The Tribe fans are ready to pick up where they left off.
They left off with a 102 win season. But they also left off with a 10 th inning World Series loss last year to the Chicago Cubs.
“We’re still living down last year “ says Wayne Munthe.
Wayne and his wife Karen live and work in Chicago but keep a place here because they’re Indians season ticket holders.
So is John McNamara of Parma Hts who is confident in Cleveland’s pitchers.
“Three 17-game winners that we’re throwing out there and I don’t think any other team in baseball’s got that. Look what we did last year with maybe 1 ½ starting pitchers.”
Still, Munthe has to respects tonight’s opponents the New York Yankees.
“They scare me more than any other team in baseball right now. Because they’re the Yankees.”
Cleveland had the best record American League this year and Indians fan Mike Heffernan of Akron believes they can take the series in 3 or 4 games.
“I really respect the Yankees," says Heffernan. "Their tradition, all the games they’ve won before, they’ve been able to put up those runs. But pitching wins championships. Period. And I think that’s what gives us the best chance. Pitching travels too and I think we have the momentum going in this year.”
The tradition in Cleveland is to hope for the best but expect the worst. This year fans are looking to their manager Terry Francona and saying “Trust in Tito.”
The 7:30 game is sold out but Gateway Plaza is hosting a watch party. The teams play again tomorrow evening at 5:00.