[EmpireWF]

Once the 2007 season gets underway, it will be a full decade since the Cleveland Indians have been in the World Series...and one of the games most fierce franchises. It's interesting because they were built with some of the best players in the game: Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, Omar Vizquel, Kenny Loften, Brian Giles, David Justice, Orel Hershiser, Jaret Wright, Bartolo Colon and Jose Mesa to name a majority.

Since, they blew it all up and decided to rebuild the franchise with younger stars like C.C. Sabathia and Travis Hafner. Can the Cleveland Indians return to the playoffs a decade after failing to win Game 7 against the Florida Marlins?

[MVB]

Jaret Wright?

[EmpireWF]

Originally Posted by MVB

Jaret Wright?

Yep, he was dominant in that post-season. Afterwards, he was never the same really but he was one of the best players that post-season. Well, I guess Livan Hernandez was better but nevertheless.

[Lefty Noob]

Oh, man, what a season that was. I don't think we'll have another year like that again any time soon, I'm afraid.

Got nostalgic, so I had to look up the team on Baseball-Reference. Charles Nagy, Orel Hershiser, Bartolo Colon, Jaret Wright and Chad Ogea made up the rotation. And how about this starting lineup: C Sandy Alomar, 1B Jim Thome, 2B Tony Fernandez, 3B Matt Williams, SS Omar Vizquel, LF Brian Giles, CF Marquis Grissom, RF Manny Ramirez, DH David Justice. Even the bench had some good talent, with Julio Franco, Kevin Seitzer, Pat Borders, Bip Roberts, Kevin Mitchell, Enrique Wilson, Richie Sexton, Sean Casey and Einar Diaz.

If only that seventh game had turned out differently, and the Tribe won the Series...

[MJHMarc]

David Justice is my favorite!

Where is Matt Williams these days?
-Wasn't he the MVP with Arizona or something like that?

[Lefty Noob]

Not sure if he was the MVP, but I know he was an important player for them in their Series run. Retired a couple of years ago, if I recall. Didn't have Hall of Fame numbers, at least I don't believe he did, but he was still a very good player.

[MJHMarc]

The 1997 Indians may be comparable to the 1932 New York Yankees, powered by Babe Ruth.

[EmpireWF]

Originally Posted by MJHMarc

The 1997 Indians may be comparable to the 1932 New York Yankees, powered by Babe Ruth.

Or as many pundits (not GTG's pundit) would've had us to believe this post-season....the 2006 New York Yankees.

[ThePundit]

That's the year Sandy Alomar hit the winning homer off of Mariano - That's 10 years ago? Jeez am I getting old!

[chsbletz]

It's hard to know how good the Tribe will be this year, at least until they're done with their off-season wheeling and dealing. They had a great start in getting Josh Barfield to play second base, though. Now, they have to find some quality relief pitching. They still have two soft spots on defense, in my opinion. I refer to catcher, where Victor Martinez is not the answer, and shortstop, where Jhonny Peralta is simply too slow, leading to a permanent lack of range.

[Sports Fan]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Oh, man, what a season that was. I don't think we'll have another year like that again any time soon, I'm afraid.

Got nostalgic, so I had to look up the team on Baseball-Reference. Charles Nagy, Orel Hershiser, Bartolo Colon, Jaret Wright and Chad Ogea made up the rotation. And how about this starting lineup: C Sandy Alomar, 1B Jim Thome, 2B Tony Fernandez, 3B Matt Williams, SS Omar Vizquel, LF Brian Giles, CF Marquis Grissom, RF Manny Ramirez, DH David Justice. Even the bench had some good talent, with Julio Franco, Kevin Seitzer, Pat Borders, Bip Roberts, Kevin Mitchell, Enrique Wilson, Richie Sexton, Sean Casey and Einar Diaz.

If only that seventh game had turned out differently, and the Tribe won the Series...

THE THING THAT TEES ME OFF IS THAT FLORIDA GOT THE HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE. A WILD CARD TEAM SHOULD NEVER GET THE HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE.

[chsbletz]

Lefty, I always thought that Charles Nagy was a real impediment to that '97 team maximizing its ability. The organization was keeping him around because he had been one of their few quality players in the early '90's, before they moved into Jacobs Field. His skills had deteriorated appreciably by 1997, though. But, because he had never been a relief pitcher, they felt that they had to send him out as a starter every five days or so. As the record will attest, he was about a .500 pitcher, at best. The rest of the team was fine, but he was kind of the weak link. They got to the World Series, as we know, but he contributed just about nothing to that outcome. At the other extreme, Chad Ogea, who had chronic knee problems, was absolutely outstanding in the World Series, winning two of the three games the Tribe took. He gave that team every chance to win a Championship that year.