Cleveland is still cleaning up its downtown — and likely will be for some time — following the Cavaliers' parade to celebrate their NBA championship. But some fans already are looking a few months ahead.
A Facebook page has been started to help plan the victory parade for the baseball Indians. As of Friday afternoon, more than 6.900 fans clicked the box to show that they were interested.
Clevelanders like the taste of winning after 52 years between titles. And they are feeling good about their Indians.
Opponents are feeling something else. Cleveland entered the weekend on six-game winning streak that has lifted the Indians to a three-game lead over the Royals in the AL Central. They are 11-0 at home in June, their best monthly record ever. And, if someone in the division doesn't do something about it now, the Indians could pull away. Somehow, the Indians are 2-4 against the Twins but 19-6 against the rest of the division.
The one thing many have waited for — or dreaded, depending who you root for — has happened. The starting rotation has become a fearsome fivesome of Corey Kluber, Josh Tomlin, Danny Salazar, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer. The lowest ERA among the group is 2.23. The highest is 3.59. The Twins would commit crimes to have a starter with a sub-4.00 ERA. Cleveland has five under 3.60! Four of them are listed among the top 18 in the AL in ERA. Carrasco missed six weeks with a hamstring strain, or he would lead the AL.
Collectively, the 3.69 ERA of the starters is the second lowest in the AL entering the weekend. The Indians' strikeout rate of 8.28 was second best, and their strikeouts-to-walks ratio of 3.48 was the best.
Cleveland is 5-1 against Tampa Bay largely because the Rays have batted .144 in the six games.
"The potential on this staff is really high," Bauer told Cleveland reporters. "When we get on a roll like this, it's a lot of fun watching everyone go out there and compete."
