Out of Left Field: Cleveland against the world

Tomorrow the Cleveland Indians will take on the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the World Series. This marks the first World Series for Cleveland since 1997 and gives the team a chance to win its first title since 1948. The Cubs’ last World Series appearance was in 1945 and I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the Cubs haven’t won it all since 1908. Funny how no one ever brings that up. No matter how this series goes, a very deserving fan base will finally feel glory.

The Indians, this year’s dark horse, have shocked the world. The heavy underdog against the Red Sox proved everyone wrong, overwhelming and sweeping Boston. Their next opponent was the AL Wild Card winner, the Toronto Blue Jays. Cleveland wasn’t able to sweep Toronto, but won with relative ease and beat the Jays four games to one. Cleveland manager Terry Francona put on a bullpen management masterpiece and now the Indians are in the World Series.

In September, the idea of Cleveland reaching the World Series was about as surprising as the Browns having a winning season. The Indians lost one of their best offensive weapons in Michael Brantley and had to replace him, in part, with Coco Crisp. They lost two of their top three pitchers, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar. They lost their catcher, Yan Gomes, and failed to land Jonathan Lucroy at the trade deadline. This team is depleted up and down its roster but has succeeded nonetheless. Players like Crisp, Roberto Perez, and Ryan Merritt have stepped up in a big way and led them to the World Series.

The Cubs don’t quite have the same story as Cleveland this year. Going into the season, Vegas gave them 4-1 odds to win the World Series, the best of any team. Despite losing Kyle Schwarber (who may actually return for the World Series) to a torn ACL in Spring Training, the Cubs roster was stuffed with talent. They bolstered their bullpen with the addition of Aroldis Chapman, the Cuban Missile, at the trade deadline. They rode to the World Series on the arms of Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks and Jake Arrieta and on the bats of Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. They were the favorites all season long, posting a +252 run differential along the way. The Cubs also haven’t won it all in 108 years, though, so in a way they are always the underdogs.

The Cubs have opened as World Series favorites, just one more obstacle for Cleveland to overcome. But if we’ve learned anything from this postseason, it’s that Cleveland is at its best when the odds are stacked against it.

I’m not good at predictions. I wrote a draft for an earlier column that said the Red Sox would sweep the Indians and go on to win the World Series. I know. So this isn’t a prediction, but this World Series is going to be special for everyone.