The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Indians grab another AL Central crown
Francona leads Indians to another winning season; four pitchers notch 200 or more strikeouts
When the regular season began March 29 in Seattle, the Indians were prohibitive favorites to win a third straight American League Central Division title.
When it ended on Sept. 30 in Kansas City, the Indians were 91-71, AL Central champs and on their way to the playoffs for a third straight season.
In most respects, the 162game journey through the regular season would have to be judged a success for the Indians collectively and individually.
They moved into first place in the weakest of Major League Baseball’s six divisions for good on April 21 and remained there for the next 168 days, finishing 13 games ahead of the second-place Minnesota Twins.
No other team in baseball won its division by more then eight games.
At the plate, the Indians worked their way through some mystifying dry spells to finish near the top in many offensive categories, including team batting average (.259, third), home runs (216, sixth), RBI (787, third), runs scored (818, third) and stolen bases (135, first).
Indians batters struck out 1,189 times, the least among the 30 big-league teams.
Shortstop Francisco Lindor (.277, 38 home runs, 40 doubles, 92 RBI, 129 runs, 20 stolen bases) and thirdbaseman-second baseman Jose Ramirez (.272,
39 home runs, 39 doubles, 106 RBI, 110 runs, 34 stolen bases) gave the Indians a record-setting onetwo punch at the top of the batting order.
Lindor and Ramirez became the first duo of switchhitting teammates in major-league history to each have 20 or more home runs and 20 or more stolen bases in a single season.
Ramirez is the 25th player in major-league history to finish with regular-season totals of at least 30 home runs, 30 stolen bases, 100 RBI and 100 runs scored.
They got plenty of help at the top of the batting order from designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion (.246, 32 home runs, 107 RBI), left fielder Michael Brantley
(.309, 17 home runs, 76 RBI), and first baseman Yonder Alonso (.250, 23 home runs, 83 RBI).
On the mound, Indians pitchers combined for a team earned run average of 3.77, the ninth-lowest in the game. Their totals of strikeouts (1,558, fifth) runs allowed (648, 24th), earned runs (611), bases on balls (407, 29th) and opponents’ batting average (.242, 12th) were impressive, too.
Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber (20-7, 2.89 ERA, 22 strikeouts) reached the 20-victory plateau for the first time in seven-plus seasons.
One of baseball’s best starting rotations was rounded out by Carlos Carrasco (17-10, 3.38 ERA, 231 strikeouts), Mike Clevinger
(13-8, 3.02 ERA, 207 strikeouts), Trevor Bauer (12.8, 2.21 ERA, 221 strikeouts) and Shane Bieber (115, 4.55 ERA).
The Indians are the first team in major-league history to have four pitchers notch 200 or more strikeouts in the same season.
It was another banner season for Indians manager Terry Francona, too. He has guided the Indians to four postseason appearances in his six seasons as the team’s manager.
The Indians’ regularseason record of 545-425 during those six seasons is the best in the American League. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers of the National League at 564-408 have a better record over that span.