CLEVELAND: In the past 18 months, everything came together.
Strikingly evident after a 6-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday at Progressive Field gave the Indians a 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series was the fact that so much has changed.
Two years ago, the Indians’ 116 errors and .981 fielding percentage were the worst in the major leagues. As recently as May 2015, Sports Illustrated debated whether that season’s installment of the Tribe would be the worst fielding team in history.
Eighteen months ago, the Indians had no speed. They showed no penchant for stealing bases or trying to stretch a single into a double, plays that could turn a decent inning into a breakout inning.
A year ago, Corey Kluber got virtually no run support. The Indians’ average in runs scored when their ace took the mound was 3.31, third-lowest in the majors and worst in the American League.
A year ago, the Indians struggled with runners in scoring position. Their .250 batting average in that situation ranked 21st overall.
Those days are gone.
With better talent evaluation, a stronger minor-league system, key free-agent acquisitions, improved hitting and defense, the franchise seems poised to return to the glory days of the 1990s. With the Indians’ impressive play against the favored Red Sox, a long run in the playoffs seems more possible by the day.
The Indians’ success even drew LeBron James and a few of his closest Cavaliers friends to enjoy Game 2. James addressed the sellout crowd before the game, pointed toward the Indians dugout and said, “We’re here for these guys over here. ... It’s always us against the world!”
And to think the last time the Indians reached the division series, James was wearing a Yankees cap. Even that has been forgiven since he delivered the city’s first championship in 52 years.
For the Tribe, the turnaround unofficially began June 14, 2015, when shortstop Francisco Lindor was called up from Triple-A Columbus. That’s when the woeful defense began to improve. In 2015, the Indians finished fifth in the majors in fielding percentage (.987). This season, they were 11th (.985).
Kluber also enjoyed the run support that was so lacking in 2015, and it carried over into his first postseason start. The Indians jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning on Lonnie Chisenhall’s three-run homer to right.
Pitching on 10 days rest after a mild quadriceps strain, Cy Young candidate Kluber allowed only three hits in seven innings. Chisenhall’s blast took the pressure off Kluber and saved the heavily worked bullpen, which saw Andrew Miller and closer Cody Allen throw 40 pitches each in Thursday night’s Game 1.
The Indians’ backing of Kluber continued this season’s trend that saw Kluber rank 10th in the majors in run support at 5.16 per game. With Friday’s outcome, the Indians improved to 19-1 this season when they put at least four runs on the board for Kluber.
Defensively, the Indians continued to play error-free ball. In the sixth, Brock Holt’s grounder bounced off the glove of Mike Napoli, who didn’t see where it went. Second baseman Jason Kipnis barehanded it and threw to Kluber for the second out. With one out in the ninth, Napoli made a diving stop of a grounder by Hanley Ramirez, got up and made the unassisted putout.
Kipnis called what has happened in the past 18 months, “A little bit of a perfect storm.” He cited career years for several players, improved defense and rookies stepping up along with starting pitchers Josh Tomlin and Trevor Bauer.
“When you have all those guys having good years, you’re going to get a lot of wins and things are going to go your way. It’s one big wave we’re trying to ride,” Kipnis said.
“This team has a confidence about ’em, not only to win a division, but to make some noise in this postseason. I thought that started last year, the last couple years, the foundation we’ve been setting, winning seasons in a row. I think we thought it was our turn this year.”
But the series is far from over. On Sunday, it shifts to Boston’s Fenway Park, an intimidating venue for young Indians experiencing their first trip to the postseason. As things wound down in the clubhouse Thursday night, Lindor asked a public relations staffer if the swarms of media would continue every night.
The answer was yes. And if the Tribe’s turnaround takes the franchise to the next level, Lindor and the Indians may find baseball fans around the nation hanging on their every word.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her blog at www.ohio.com/marla. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.