The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
GEARING UP FOR PLAYOFFS
The Tribe is scheduled to host game 1
Indians starting pitcher Josh Tomlin is primed for the postseason.
So are Indians radio announcer Jim Rosenhaus, third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh, pitcher Mike Clevinger, team translator Anna Bolton and many of the fans who flocked to Progressive Field to watch the last two games of the regular season against the Chicago White Sox.
And what a memorable regular season it was, producing 102 victories and a second straight American League Central Division title.
The Indians will host Game 1 of the best-of-five AL Division Series on Oct. 5. First pitch is scheduled for 7:38 p.m.
Tomlin and his teammates, aiming for the World Series title that barely eluded them last
“I’m probably speaking for everyone when I say this, it’s time to get to work.”
— Indians starting pitcher Josh Tomlin
season, will face the winner of the Oct. 3 AL Wild Card game between the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins.
“I’m probably speaking for everyone when I say this, it’s time to get to work,” Tomlin said after notching his 10th win of the season in the regularseason finale against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field on Oct. 1.
Between now and Game 1 of the ALDS, the Indians will be busy.
After a voluntary workout at Progressive Field on Oct. 2, they’ll have a fullsquad workout with a simulated game on Oct. 3 and another full-squad workout on Oct. 4.
“We’re looking forward to the workouts,” Tomlin said. “This is when the fun begins. You come to the ballpark excited every day. These are the games we played the whole regular season to get to and they’re finally here.”
Rosenhaus is in his 11th season working with Tom Hamilton on the team’s radio
broadcasts. He’s seen every game since the start of spring training and had a bird’s eye view of the team’s late surge that featured a record-breaking, 22-game winning streak.
“The best words to describe this team are focused and professional. They have fun, a lot of fun, but they are so focused,” Rosenhaus said.
Rosenhaus gives credit to veteran manager Terry Francona for setting a tone that enabled the Indians to overcome inconsistencies that lingered through late July and finish the season with such force.
“I talk to players and people from this organization and other organizations and they all say they same thing,” Rosenhaus said. “Terry believes in you. There is never any panic. As a results, his players don’t panic.”
Anna Bolton is familiar to fans as the woman who assists All-Star second baseman Jose Ramirez and other Spanish-speaking players with taking and answering questions from reporters.
She, too, is a constant presence in the clubhouse.
“Resilient. This team is so resilient,” Bolton replied when asked for a single-word description of the regular season.
Sarbaugh also chose “resilient” as his oneword summation. Clevinger went with “magic.”
Conversations with dozens of fans over two games yielded many an interesting take on the one-word theme.
Marti Slepecky of Hinckley, sitting in the lower grandstands in right-center field, pointed to the sign she made and brought with her to the game. On it she’d written in block letters: WIN_ DERFUL.
Derrick Selestock of Twinsburg, and Tabitha Taylor of Cleveland, attired in Indians gear and watching the action from the standing area on the third base/left-field side of the lower concourse, used the words “awesome” and “amazing,” respectively,.
Their friends, En’ante Pearl of Lakewood and Damien Dell of Maple Heights, went with “magical” and “intense,” respectively.
Bars and restaurants
in the Gateway district of downtown Cleveland were bustling before, during and after the games played at Progressive Field during the final weekend of the regular season. They’ll be busy again for Game 1 of the ALDS and Game 2, set for Oct. 6 at Progressive Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5:08 p.m.